"... We can be actually confident not just that the journalists in the MSM are on the payroll but that the invoices and accounts for their bribes are carefully preserved. Murray's blog is almost always worth following, just as 'b's is. Yesterday more news about the Skripal case emerged: it seems that the British government was prepared well in advance for the sudden attack on Skripal. ..."
Craig Murray today publishes accounts from the "Integrity Initiative" showing that
journalists in Scotland are receiving retainers of 2500 a month Sterling, plus expenses and
payment for actual articles published.
And if this is going on in Scotland we can be quite sure that it is actually happening in
North America and Europe, generally, and, of course, in the less prosperous parts of the
world where standards of integrity are just as low as they are hereabouts.
We can be actually confident not just that the journalists in the MSM are on the
payroll but that the invoices and accounts for their bribes are carefully preserved. Murray's
blog is almost always worth following, just as 'b's is. Yesterday more news about the Skripal
case emerged: it seems that the British government was prepared well in advance for the
sudden attack on Skripal.
What we are witnessing is the complete incompetence of those running the Empire. While
malicious, indeed deadly, they simply cannot keep up with the critics of imperialism. Their
power rests entirely on their ability to use force, both physical and financial. Their
attempts to use social medias to their advantage are lame and ineffective. It seems clear to
me that they will soon be reduced to using their power not just to hobble but to cripple
critics- net neutrality is already finished.
From what I have understood ( and as well you will, by extensive reading ) this, and other
till now seeminlgy unknown initiatives, is the source of the whole Russian meddling campaign,
and Skripal and other "poisonings" issue, the rise of neonazis in Ukraine and the rest of
Europe, the provocations in the Kerch Strait, various "colour revolutions" along European
history, "independentist movements" and last wars in Europe and the Middle East, or money
laundering schemes for unconfessable activities, with special chapter dedicated to the
recruiting, conditioning and military trainning of Muslim youth from disadvantaged
outcomes/neighborhoods to alleged "increase of opportunities", which has all the look of the
formation of our well know "proxy" army to use in the Middle East and various "terrorist
attacks" in European soil, where the perpetrators always resulted having a close relation, or
were "well known" with the intelligence services.
"... The list is headed CND gen list 2. CND is Christopher Nigel Donnelly, Director of the Institute for Statecraft and the Integrity Initiative and a very senior career Military Intelligence Officer. ..."
"... Murder in Samarkand ..."
"... Now let us tie that in with the notorious name further down the list; Pablo Miller, the long-term MI6 handler of Sergei Skripal, who lived in Salisbury with Skripal. Miller is the man who was, within 24 hours of the Skripal attack, protected by a D(SMA) notice banning the media from mentioning him. Here Pablo Miller is actively involved, alongside serving FCO and MOD staff, in a government funded organisation whose avowed intention is to spread disinformation about Russia. The story that Miller is in an inactive retirement is immediately and spectacularly exploded. ..."
"... Now look at another name on this list. Howard Body. Assistant Head of Science Support at Porton Down chemical weapon research laboratory, just six miles away from Salisbury and the Skripal attack, a role he took up in December 2017. He combines this role with Assistant Head of Strategic Analysis at MOD London. "Science Support" at Porton Down is a euphemism for political direction to the scientists Body has no scientific qualifications. ..."
"... Zachary Harkenrider is the Political Counsellor at the US Embassy in London. There are normally at least two Political Counsellors at an Embassy this size, one of whom will normally be the CIA Head of Station. I do not know if Harkenrider is CIA but it seems highly likely. ..."
"... So what do we have here? We have a programme, the Integrity Initiative, whose entire purpose is to pump out covert disinformation against Russia, through social media and news stories secretly paid for by the British government. And we have the Skripals' MI6 handler, the BBC, Porton Down, the FCO, the MOD and the US Embassy, working together in a group under the auspices of the Integrity Initiative. The Skripal Case happened to occur shortly after a massive increase in the Integrity Initiative's budget and activity, which itself was a small part of a British Government decision to ramp up a major information war against Russia. ..."
"... Working Group on Syria, Media, and the Propaganda ..."
Craig Murray's latest provides convincing evidence that whatever happened to the Skripals in Salisbury was part of the Integrity
Initiative's propaganda campaign against Russia.
It is worth starting by noting that a high percentage of the Integrity Initiative archive has been authenticated. The scheme
has been admitted by the
FCO and defended as legitimate government activity. Individual items like the minutes of the meeting with David Leask
are authenticated. Not one of the documents has so far been disproven, or even denied.
Which tends to obscure some of
the difficulties with the material. There is no metadata showing when each document was created, as opposed to when Anonymous
made it into a PDF. Anonymous have released it in tranches and made plain there is more to come. The reason for this methodology
is left obscure.
Most frustratingly, Anonymous' comments on the releases indicate that they have vital information which is not, so far,
revealed. The most important document of all appears to be a simple contact list, of a particular group within the hundreds
of contacts revealed in the papers overall. This is it in full:
Tantalisingly, Anonymous
describe this as a list of people who attended a meeting with the White Helmets. But there is no evidence of that in the
document itself, nor does any other document released so far refer to this meeting. There is very little in the documents released
so far about the White Helmets at all. But there is a huge amount about the Skripal case. With the greatest of respect to Anonymous
and pending any release of further evidence, I want you to consider whether this might be a document related to the Skripal
incident.
The list is headed CND gen list 2. CND is Christopher Nigel Donnelly, Director of the Institute for Statecraft and the Integrity
Initiative and a very senior career Military Intelligence Officer.
The first name on the list caught my eye. Duncan Allan was the young FCO Research Analyst who, as detailed in Murder
in Samarkand, appears in my Ambassadorial office in Tashkent, telling me of the FCO staff who had been left in tears by
the pressure put on them to sign up to Blair's dodgy dossier on Iraqi WMD. During the process of clearing the manuscript with
the FCO, I was told (though not by him) that he denied having ever said it. It was one of a very few instances where I refused
to make the changes requested to the text, because I had no doubt whatsoever of what had been said.
If Duncan did lie about having told me, it did his career no harm as he is now Deputy Head of FCO Research Analysts and,
most importantly, the FCO's lead analyst on Russia and the Former Soviet Union.
Now let us tie that in with the notorious name further down the list; Pablo Miller, the long-term MI6 handler of Sergei
Skripal, who lived in Salisbury with Skripal. Miller is the man who was, within 24 hours of the Skripal attack, protected by
a D(SMA) notice banning the media from mentioning him. Here Pablo Miller is actively involved, alongside serving FCO and MOD
staff, in a government funded organisation whose avowed intention is to spread disinformation about Russia. The story that
Miller is in an inactive retirement is immediately and spectacularly exploded.
Now look at another name on this list. Howard Body. Assistant Head of Science Support at Porton Down chemical weapon research
laboratory, just six miles away from Salisbury and the Skripal attack, a role he took up in December 2017. He combines this
role with Assistant Head of Strategic Analysis at MOD London. "Science Support" at Porton Down is a euphemism for political
direction to the scientists Body has no scientific qualifications.
Another element brought into this group is the state broadcaster, through Helen Boaden, the former Head of BBC News and
Current Affairs.
In all there are six serving MOD staff on the list, all either in Intelligence or in PR. Intriguingly one of them, Ian Cohen,
has email addresses both at the MOD and at the notoriously corrupt HSBC bank. The other FCO name besides Duncan Allan, Adam
Rutland, is also on the PR side.
Zachary Harkenrider is the Political Counsellor at the US Embassy in London. There are normally at least two Political Counsellors
at an Embassy this size, one of whom will normally be the CIA Head of Station. I do not know if Harkenrider is CIA but it seems
highly likely.
So what do we have here? We have a programme, the Integrity Initiative, whose entire purpose is to pump out covert disinformation
against Russia, through social media and news stories secretly paid for by the British government. And we have the Skripals'
MI6 handler, the BBC, Porton Down, the FCO, the MOD and the US Embassy, working together in a group under the auspices of the
Integrity Initiative. The Skripal Case happened to occur shortly after a massive increase in the Integrity Initiative's budget
and activity, which itself was a small part of a British Government decision to ramp up a major information war against Russia.
I find that very interesting indeed.
With a hat-tip to members of the Working Group on Syria, Media, and the Propaganda, who are preparing a major and
important publication which is imminent. UPDATE Their extremely important
briefing
note on the Integrity Initiative is now online, prepared to the highest standards of academic discipline. I shall be drawing
on and extrapolating from it further next week.
Craig Murray is right that "As the Establishment feels its grip slipping, as people wake up to the appalling economic exploitation by the few that underlies
the very foundations of modern western society, expect the methods used by the security services to become even dirtier."
Collapse of neoliberal ideology and rise of tentions in neoliberal sociarties resulted in unprecedented increase of covert and false
flag operations by British intelligence services, especially against Russia, which had been chosen as a convenient scapegoat.
With Steele dossier and Skripal affair as two most well known.
New Lady Macbeth (Theresa May) Russophobia is so extreme that her cabinet derailed the election of a Russian to head
Interpol.
Looks like neoliberalism cannot be defeated by and faction of the existing elite. Only when shepp oil end mant people will
have a chance. The US , GB and EU are part of the wider hegemonic neoliberal system. In fact rejection of neoliberal
globalization probably will lead to "national neoliberals" regime which would be a flavor of neo-fascism, no more no less.
Notable quotes:
"... The British state can maintain its spies' cover stories for centuries. ..."
"... I learnt how highly improbable left wing firebrand Simon Bracey-Lane just happened to be on holiday in the United States with available cash to fund himself, when he stumbled into the Bernie Sanders campaign. ..."
"... It is, to say the least, very interesting indeed that just a year later the left wing, "Corbyn and Sanders supporting" Bracey-Lane is hosting a very right wing event, "Cold War Then and Now", for the shadowy neo-con Institute for Statecraft, at which an entirely unbalanced panel of British military, NATO and Ukrainian nationalists extolled the virtues of re-arming against Russia. ..."
"... the MOD-sponsored Institute for Statecraft has been given millions of pounds of taxpayers' money by the FCO to spread covert disinformation and propaganda, particularly against Russia and the anti-war movement. Activities include twitter and facebook trolling and secretly paying journalists in "clusters of influence" around Europe. Anonymous helpfully leaked the Institute's internal documents. Some of the Integrity Initiative's thus exposed alleged covert agents, like David Aaronovitch, have denied any involvement despite their appearance in the documents, and others like Dan Kaszeta the US "novichok expert", have cheerfully admitted it. ..."
"... By sleuthing the company records of this "Scottish charity", and a couple of phone calls, I discovered that the actual location of the Institute for Statecraft is the basement of 2 Temple Place, London. This is not just any basement it is the basement of the former London mansion of William Waldorf Astor, an astonishing building . It is, in short, possibly the most expensive basement in London. ..."
"... Which is interesting because the accounts of the Institute for Statecraft claim it has no permanent staff and show nothing for rent, utilities or office expenses. In fact, I understand the rent is paid by the Ministry of Defence. ..."
"... I have a great deal more to tell you about Mr Edney and his organisation next week, and the extraordinary covert disinformation war the British government wages online, attacking British citizens using British taxpayers' money. Please note in the interim I am not even a smidgeon suicidal, and going to be very, very careful crossing the road and am not intending any walks in the hills. ..."
"... I am not alleging Mr Bracey-Lane is an intelligence service operative who previously infiltrated the Labour Party and the Sanders campaign. He may just be a young man of unusually heterodox and vacillating political opinions. He may be an undercover reporter for the Canary infiltrating the Institute for Statecraft. All these things are possible, and I have no firm information. ..."
"... one of the activities the Integrity Initiative sponsors happens to be the use of online trolls to ridicule the idea that the British security services ever carry out any kind of infiltration, false flag or agent provocateur operations, despite the fact that we even have repeated court judgements against undercover infiltration officers getting female activists pregnant. The Integrity Initiative offers us a glimpse into the very dirty world of surveillance and official disinformation. If we actually had a free media, it would be the biggest story of the day ..."
"... As the Establishment feels its grip slipping, as people wake up to the appalling economic exploitation by the few that underlies the very foundations of modern western society, expect the methods used by the security services to become even dirtier. ..."
"... You can bank on continued ramping up of Russophobia to supply "the enemy". ..."
The British state can maintain its spies' cover stories for centuries. Look up Eldred Pottinger, who for 180 years appears
in scores of British history books right up to and including William Dalrymple's Return of the King as a British officer who
chanced to be passing Herat on holiday when it came under siege from a partly Russian-officered Persian army, and helped to organise
the defences. In researching
Sikunder Burnes, I discovered and published from the British Library incontrovertible and detailed documentary evidence that
Pottinger's entire journey was under the direct instructions of, and reporting to, British spymaster Alexander Burnes. The first
historian to publish the untrue "holiday" cover story, Sir John Kaye, knew both Burnes and Pottinger and undoubtedly knew he was
publishing lying propaganda. Every other British historian of the First Afghan War (except me and latterly
Farrukh Husain) has just followed Kaye's official propaganda.
Some things don't change. I was irresistibly reminded of Eldred Pottinger just passing Herat on holiday, when I learnt how
highly improbable left wing firebrand Simon Bracey-Lane
just happened to be on holiday in the
United States with available cash to fund himself, when he stumbled into the Bernie Sanders campaign.
Recent university graduate Simon Bracey-Lane took it even further. Originally from Wimbledon in London, he was inspired to
rejoin the Labour party in September when Corbyn was elected leader. But by that point, he was already in the US on holiday. So
he joined the Sanders campaign, and never left.
"I had two weeks left and some money left, so I thought, Fuck it, I'll make some calls for Bernie Sanders," he explains. "I just
sort of knew Des Moines was the place, so I just turned up at their HQ, started making phone calls, and then became a fully fledged
field organiser."
It is, to say the least, very interesting indeed that just a year later the left wing, "Corbyn and Sanders supporting" Bracey-Lane
is hosting a very right wing event, "Cold War Then and Now", for the shadowy neo-con Institute for Statecraft, at which an entirely
unbalanced panel of British
military, NATO and Ukrainian nationalists extolled the virtues of re-arming against Russia.
Nor would it seem likely that Bracey-Lane would be involved with the Integrity Initiative. Even the mainstream media has been
forced to give a few paragraphs to the outrageous Integrity Initiative, under which the MOD-sponsored Institute for Statecraft
has been given millions of pounds of taxpayers' money by the FCO to spread covert disinformation and propaganda, particularly against
Russia and the anti-war movement. Activities include twitter and facebook trolling and secretly paying journalists in "clusters of
influence" around Europe. Anonymous helpfully leaked the Institute's internal documents. Some of the Integrity Initiative's thus
exposed alleged covert agents, like David Aaronovitch, have denied any involvement despite their appearance in the documents, and
others like Dan Kaszeta the US "novichok expert", have cheerfully admitted it.
The mainstream media have
tracked down
the HQ of the "Institute for Statecraft" to a derelict mill near Auchtermuchty. It is owned by one of the company directors, Daniel
Lafayeedney, formerly of D Squadron 23rd SAS Regiment and later of Military Intelligence (and incidentally born the rather more prosaic
Daniel Edney).
By sleuthing the company records of this "Scottish charity", and a couple of phone calls, I discovered that the actual location
of the Institute for Statecraft is the basement of 2 Temple Place, London. This is not just any basement it is the basement of
the former London mansion of William Waldorf Astor, an astonishing building.
It is, in short, possibly the most expensive basement in London.
Which is interesting because the accounts of the Institute for Statecraft claim it has no permanent staff and show nothing
for rent, utilities or office expenses. In fact, I understand the rent is paid by the Ministry of Defence.
Having been told where the Institute for Statecraft skulk, I tipped off journalist Kit Klarenberg of Sputnik Radio to go and physically
check it out. Kit did so and was
aggressively
ejected by that well-known Corbyn and Sanders supporter, Simon Bracey-Lane. It does seem somewhat strange that our left wing
hero is deeply embedded in an organisation that
launches troll attacks on Jeremy Corbyn.
I have a great deal more to tell you about Mr Edney and his organisation next week, and the extraordinary covert disinformation
war the British government wages online, attacking British citizens using British taxpayers' money. Please note in the interim I
am not even a smidgeon suicidal, and going to be very, very careful crossing the road and am not intending any walks in the hills.
I am not alleging Mr Bracey-Lane is an intelligence service operative who previously infiltrated the Labour Party and the
Sanders campaign. He may just be a young man of unusually heterodox and vacillating political opinions. He may be an undercover reporter
for the Canary infiltrating the Institute for Statecraft. All these things are possible, and I have no firm information.
But one of the activities the Integrity Initiative sponsors happens to be the use of online trolls to ridicule the idea that the
British security services ever carry out any kind of infiltration, false flag or agent provocateur operations, despite the fact that
we even have repeated court judgements against undercover infiltration officers getting female activists pregnant. The Integrity
Initiative offers us a glimpse into the very dirty world of surveillance and official disinformation. If we actually had a free media,
it would be the biggest story of the day.
As the Establishment feels its grip slipping, as people wake up to the appalling economic exploitation by the few that underlies
the very foundations of modern western society, expect the methods used by the security services to become even dirtier.
You can
bank on continued ramping up of Russophobia to supply "the enemy".
As both Scottish Independence and Jeremy Corbyn are viewed as
real threats by the British Establishment, you can anticipate every possible kind of dirty trick in the next couple of years, with
increasing frequency and audacity
CrowdStrike is a high-profile cybersecurity firm that worked with the DNC (Democratic
National Committee) in 2016 and was called in due to a suspected breach. However, CrowdStrike
appears to have first started working with the DNC approximately five weeks prior to this and
approximately just five days after John Podesta (Hillary Clinton's campaign manager for the
2016 election) had his Gmail account phished. Nothing was mentioned about this until after the
five weeks had passed when the DNC published a press release stating that
CrowdStrike had been at the DNC throughout that period to investigate the NGP-VAN issues
(that had occurred three months before Podesta was phished).
Upon conclusion of those five weeks, CrowdStrike was immediately called back in to
investigate a suspected breach. CrowdStrike's software was already installed on the DNC network
when the DNC emails were acquired but CrowdStrike failed to prevent the emails from being
acquired and didn't publish logs or incident-specific evidence of the acquisition event either,
the latter of which is odd considering what
their product's features were advertised to be even if they were just running it in a
monitoring capacity .
Believe it or not, all these faces are fake. They have been synthesized by Nvidia's new AI
algorithm, a generative adversarial network capable of automagically creating humans, cats, and
even cars.
Credit: Nvidia
The technology works so well that we can expect synthetic image search engines soon - just
like Google's, but generating new fake images on the fly that look real. Yes, you know where
that is going - and sure, it can be a lot of fun, but also scary . Check out the video. It
truly defies belief:
According to Nvidia, its GAN is built around a concept called "style transfer." Rather than
trying to copy and paste elements of different faces into a frankenperson, the system analyzes
three basic styles - coarse, middle, and fine styles - and merges them transparently into
something completely new.
Coarse styles include parameters such as pose, the face's shape, or the hair style. Middle
styles include facial features, like the shape of the nose, cheeks, or mouth. Finally, fine
styles affect the color of the face's features like skin and hair.
According to the scientists, the generator is "capable of separating inconsequential
variation from high-level attributes" too, in order to eliminate noise that is irrelevant for
the new synthetic face.
For example, it can distinguish a hairdo from the actual hair, eliminating the former while
applying the latter to the final photo. It can also specify the strength of how styles are
applied to obtain more or less subtle effects.
Not only the generative adversarial network is capable of autonomously creating human faces,
but it can do the same with animals like cats. It can even create new cars and even
bedrooms.
Credit: Nvidia
Nvidia's system is not only capable of generating completely new synthetic faces, but it can
also seamlessly modify specific features of real people, like age, the hair or skin colors of
any person.
The applications for such a system are amazing. From paradigm-changing synthetic free-to-use
image search pages that may be the end of stock photo services to people accurately previewing
hair styling changes. And of course, porn.
"... Sounds to me like that Integrity initiative dude needs to go on a 'de-radicalisation program !!! ..."
"... the powerbrokers have always been in London and now its hypercentralized endgame in Brussels. You can say that it is the US through and through, but ask yourself who has more to gain from US FP abroad: average Americans or the global elites? ..."
"... Those former-Eastern Bloc countries, i.e. Poland and Ukraine, do not count as power brokers. They have and will always be pawns in the game. So what if they still worship Icons of Americanism which is a remnant culture of their F*ed up narrative where they still believe they are fighting the commies. ..."
"... Integrity Initiative ..."
"... From his curriculum vitae (pdf) we learn that Donnelly was a long time soldier in the British Army Intelligence Corps where he established and led the Soviet Studies Research Centre at RMA Sandhurst. He later was involved in creating the US Army's Foreign Military Studies Office (FMSO) at Ft. Leavenworth. ..."
"... He worked at the British Ministry of Defence and as an advisor to several Secretaries General of NATO. He is a director of the Statecraft Institute since 2010. Donnelly also advises the Foreign Minister of Lithuania. He is a "Security and Justice Senior Mentor" of the UK's Stabilisation Unit which is tasked with destabilizing various countries. He serves as a Honorary Colonel of the Specialist Group Military Intelligence (SGMI). ..."
"... This was an order from the core of the British thinking to Donnelly to get even deeper into the inner-British influence business. Hype Russia as a threat so more money can be taken from the 'vested interests' of the people and dumped into the military machine. ..."
"... That particular advise of General Barrons was accepted. In 2017 the Integrity Initiative bid for funding from the Ministry of Defence (pdf) for various projects to influence the public, the parliament and the government as well as foreign forces. The bid lists "performance indicators" that are supposed to measure the success of its activities. The top indicator for the Initiative's proposed work is a "Tougher stance in government policy towards Russia" ..."
"... In March 2014, shortly after Crimea split from the Ukraine, Donnelly suggested Military measures (pdf) to be taken by the Ukraine with regards to Crimea: ..."
"... Think for a moment how Russia would have responded to a mining of Sevastopol harbor, the frying of its satellites or the destruction of its fighter jets in Crimea. Those "guestures" would have been illegal acts of war against the forces of a nuclear power which were legally stationed in Crimea. And how was the west to immediately supply gas to Ukraine and Ukraine's pipeline network is designed to unidirectionally receive gas from Russia? ..."
"... Yes, Putin really believes his own propaganda ..."
"... Putin's paranoia is driving his foreign adventures ..."
"... Russian information warfare - airbrushing reality ..."
"... Distract, deceive, destroy: Putin at war in Syria ..."
"... Russian penetration in Germany ..."
"... Russian conspiracy theory and foreign policy ..."
"... The most recent release of Integrity Initiative documents includes lots of in-depth reports (pdf) about foreign media reactions to the Skripal affair. One wonders why the Initiative commissioned such research (pdf) and paid for it. ..."
"... Here is an interesting look at how little the Russia-linked entities spent on advertising on Google during the 2016 election: https://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2018/12/google-russia-and-4700-in-advertising.html Slowly but surely, the Russian meddling narrative is falling apart. ..."
"... McCarthyesque smear campaigns to discredit opponents and squash dissent has become normal practice. Integrity Initiative tweets against Corbyn is a stark example, but there have been MANY other people and groups that have been tarred with claims of being sponsored/led/influenced by Russia, including Catalonian independence activists and Yellow vest protesters. ..."
"... Dear god, what has gotten into the minds of the military and political "elite" within the UK! Mining Sevastopol would have been an obvious act of war against Russia and Russia would have responded with force. ..."
"... It looks like one of the decision was to get closer to France (after getting very close friends in Homs and Aleppo?) See the list of people in the French II cluster dumped yesterday by Anonymous: half the names work at the fr Min of F Affairs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lancaster_House_Treaties and http://www.gmfus.org/publications/frances-defense-partnerships-and-dilemmas-brexit ..."
"... This group may have officially formed in 2015, but its work is no different from the British propaganda that swamped the MSM when MH17 was downed. Tied into the Steel dossier and Russian collusion in the US. This is the anglosphere or five eyes permanent state. ..."
"... it is apparent that this "Integrity Initiative" was engaged in to ensure that the regime was in the safe hands of the harpy. ..."
"... It is interesting that Trudeau, the Canadian figurehead, clothes his country's kidnapping of the Chinese business figure as "in defence of the rule of law." All in all, it is now apparent we would be far better off if the Kaiserreich, with all of its militaristic and bombastic flaws, had triumphed in the Great War. No Hitler, no Stalin, no five eyes fascism. ..."
"... Rules of the game are made up as the game is played to suit the players. There you have it real life imitates art. ..."
"... Better yet, can anyone name an NGO, any NGO ever, that's not closely if not directly linked to "a secret military intelligence operation." Anyone? Mueller? ..."
"... Thank you very much for this terrific analysis. Donnelly: "... it is we who must either generate the debate or wait for something dreadful to happen to shock us into action. " Numerous American publications featured very similar language in the years ahead of 9/11, with "Islamic terrorist threat" substituted for the Russians. ..."
"... Vesti News has published an excellent documentary on how "clusters" work....not only to spread Russophobia...but also on continuous intends to overthrown Russian legitimate government... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=E8-Stfrl5aM ..."
"... The last two periods of the US FP could be understood thusly: (1) Pre-Soviet collapse which was marked by a horrifically tragic and misplaced ideal of defending against communism (Good guys v. Bad Guys); and (2) Post-Soviet collapse which has been a period of coup d'etats where our hijacked military has been used for a Globalist Agenda for increasingly opaque (less defensible) reasons and missions. ..."
"... right after 2016 US elections there was a facade of split between military and intelligence differentiation. Seems that veil has been dispensed with ..."
"... Yeah, they hijacked a few other countries too, including Russia. Or if not hijacking, setting the mood right for some shenanigans in the near future... I think you're quite right about the cheif host of the globalist neolib parasite. Hijacked near fully. Being bled dry. That unaccounted for 21 Trillion at the pentagon is a bit of a giveaway. All under the guise of free markets and democracy. ..."
"... 'Integrity Initiative' - A Military Intelligence Operation Designed To Create A New Enemy ..."
Sounds to me like that Integrity initiative dude needs to go on a 'de-radicalisation
program !!! How many billions is that guna save us all ! not to mention lives saved.
Wrong JR. It seems quite the obvious that the big boy in the west, the US, would seem to be
the one spearheading the whole globalist agenda.
But this is a retarded proposition.
The US is nothing more than a Golem. It has been reduced to somnambulism and hijacked,
utilized for the ends of these Non-National elites. Sure, like many posters here, it feels good
to blame the US for everything. But the powerbrokers have always been in London and now its
hypercentralized endgame in Brussels. You can say that it is the US through and through, but
ask yourself who has more to gain from US FP abroad: average Americans or the global
elites?
Those former-Eastern Bloc countries, i.e. Poland and Ukraine, do not count as power
brokers. They have and will always be pawns in the game. So what if they still worship Icons of
Americanism which is a remnant culture of their F*ed up narrative where they still believe they
are fighting the commies.
Muntadhar al-Zaidi was arrested and tortured for it...
"They broke my teeth, my nose, my leg, they electrocuted me, lashed me, they would beat me,
they even broke a table or a chair over my back. I don't know, they had my eyes covered,"
al-Zaidi recalled. "This was one thing I never experienced before. Torture by the
authorities, by the rule of law."
I wish it had been a hand grenade.
The British government financed Integrity Initiative is tasked with spreading
anti-Russian propaganda and with influencing the public, military and governments of a number
of countries. What follows is an incomplete analysis of the third batch of the Initiative's
papers which was
dumped yesterday.
Christopher Nigel Donnelly (CND) is the co-director of The Institute for Statecraft and founder of its offshoot
Integrity Initiative . The
Initiative claims to "Defend Democracy Against Disinformation".
Both, the Institute as well as the Initiative, claim to be independent Non-Government
Organizations. Both are financed by the British government, NATO and other state donors.
Among the documents
lifted by some anonymous person from the servers of the Institute we find several papers
about Donnelly as well as some memos written by him. They show a russophobe mind with a lack of
realistic strategic thought.
There is also
a file (pdf) with a copy of his passport:
From his
curriculum vitae (pdf) we learn that Donnelly was a long time soldier in the British Army
Intelligence Corps where he established and led the Soviet Studies Research Centre at RMA
Sandhurst. He later was involved in creating the US Army's Foreign Military Studies Office
(FMSO) at Ft. Leavenworth.
He worked at the British Ministry of Defence and as an advisor to several Secretaries
General of NATO. He is a director of the Statecraft Institute since 2010. Donnelly also advises
the Foreign Minister of Lithuania. He is a "Security and Justice Senior Mentor" of the UK's
Stabilisation Unit which
is tasked with destabilizing various countries. He serves as a Honorary Colonel of the
Specialist Group Military Intelligence (SGMI).
During his time as military intelligence analyst in the 1980s Donnelly wrote several books
and papers about the Soviet Union and its military.
Our problem is that, for the last 70 years or so, we in the UK and Europe have been living in
a safe, secure rules-based system which has allowed us to enjoy a holiday from history.
... ... ...
Unfortunately, this state of affairs is now being challenged. A new paradigm of conflict
is replacing the 19th & 20th Century paradigm.
... ... ...
In this new paradigm, the clear distinction which most people have been able to draw
between war and peace, their expectation of stability and a degree of predictability in life,
are being replaced by a volatile unpredictability, a permanent state of instability in which
war and peace become ever more difficult to disentangle . The "classic" understanding of
conflict being between two distinct players or groups of players is giving way to a world of
Darwinian competition where all the players – nation states, sub-state actors, big
corporations, ethnic or religious groups, and so on – are constantly striving with each
other in a "war of all against all". The Western rules-based system, which most westerners
take for granted and have come to believe is "normal", is under attack from countries and
organisations which wish to replace our system with theirs. This is not a crisis which faces
us; it is a strategic challenge, and from several directions simultaneously.
In reality the "Western rules-based system", fully implemented after the demise of the
Soviet Union, is a concept under which 'the west' arbitrarily makes up rules and threatens to
kill anyone who does not follow them. Witness the wars against Serbia, the war on Iraq, the
destruction of Libya, the western led coup in Ukraine and the war by Jihadi proxies against the
people of Syria and Iraq. None of these actions were legal under international law. Demanding a
return to strict adherence to the rule of international law, as Russia,
China and others now do, it is not an attempt to replace "our system with theirs". It is a
return to the normal state of global diplomacy. It is certainly not a "Darwinian
competition".
In October 2016 Donnelly had a Private
Discussion with Gen Sir Richard Barrons (pdf), marked as personal and confidential. Barrons
is a former commander of the British Joint Forces Command. The nonsensical top line is: "The UK
defence model is failing. UK is at real risk."
Some interesting nuggets again reveal a paranoid mindset. The talk also includes some
realistic truthiness about the British military posture Barrons and others created:
There has been a progressive, systemic demobilisation of NATO militarily capability and a run
down of all its members' defences
...
We are seeing new / reinvented ways of warfare – hybrid , plus the reassertion of hard
power in warfare
...
Aircraft Carriers can be useful for lots of things, but not for war v China or Russia, so we
should equip them accordingly. ...
The West no longer has a military edge on Russia. ...
Our Nuclear programme drains resources from conventional forces and hollows them out. ...
The UK Brigade in Germany is no good as a deterrent against Russia. ...
Our battalion in Estonia are hostages, not a deterrent. ...
The general laments the lack of influence the military has on the British government and its
people. He argues for more government financed think tank research that can be fed back into
the government:
So, if no catastrophe happens to wake people up and demand a response, then we need to find a
way to get the core of government to realise the problem and take it out of the political
space. We will need to impose changes over the heads of vested interests. NB We did this in
the 1930s
My conclusion is that it is we who must either generate the debate or wait for something
dreadful to happen to shock us into action. We must generate an independent debate outside
government .
...
We need to ask when and how do we start to put all this right? Do we have the national
capabilities / capacities to fix it? If so, how do we improve our harnessing of resources to
do it? We need this debate NOW. There is not a moment to be lost.
This was an order from the core of the British thinking to Donnelly to get even deeper
into the inner-British influence business. Hype Russia as a threat so more money can be taken
from the 'vested interests' of the people and dumped into the military machine.
That particular advise of General Barrons was accepted. In 2017 the Integrity Initiative
bid for funding from the Ministry of Defence (pdf) for various projects to influence the
public, the parliament and the government as well as foreign forces. The bid lists "performance
indicators" that are supposed to measure the success of its activities. The top indicator for
the Initiative's proposed work is a "Tougher stance in government policy towards Russia"
.
Asking for government finance to influence the government to take a "tougher stand towards
Russia" seems a bit circular. But this is consistent with the operation of other Anglo-American
think tanks and policy initiatives in which one part of the government, usually the hawkish
one, secretly uses NGO's and think-tanks to lobby other parts of the government to support
their specific hobbyhorse and budget.
Here is how it is done. The 'experts' of the 'charity' Institute for Statecraft and
Integrity Initiative
testified
in the British parliament. While they were effectively paid by the government they lobbied
parliament under the cover of their NGO. This circularity also allows to use international
intermediates. Members of the Spanish cluster
(pdf) of the Initiative
testified in the British Parliament about the Catalan referendum and related allegations
against Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange. (It is likely that this testimony led to the change
in the position of the Ecuadorian government towards Assange.)
Unfortunately, or luckily, such lobbying operations are mostly run by people who are
incompetent in the specific field they are lobbying for. Chris Donnelly, despite a life long
experience in military intelligence, has obviously zero competence as a military strategist or
planner.
In March 2014, shortly after Crimea split from the Ukraine, Donnelly suggested
Military
measures (pdf) to be taken by the Ukraine with regards to Crimea:
If I were in charge I would get the following implemented asp
Set up a cordon sanitaire across the Crimean Isthmus and on the coast N. of Crimea with
troops and mines
Mine Sevastopol harbour/bay. Can be done easily using a car ferry if they have no
minelayers. Doesn't need a lot of mines to be effective. They could easily buy some
mines.
Get their air force into the air and activate all their air defences. If they can't fly
the Migs on the airfield in Crimea those should be destroyed as a gesture that they are
serious. Going "live" electronically will worry the Russians as the Ukrainians have the
same electronic kit. If the Russians jam it they jam their own kit as well.
Ukraine used to have some seriously important weapons, such as a big microwave
anti-satellite weapon. If they still have this, they should use it.
The government needs a Strategic communication campaign-so far everything is coming
from Moscow. They need to articulate a long-term vision that will inspire the people,
however hard that is to do. Without it, what have people to fight for?
They should ask the west now to start supplying Oil and gas. There is plenty available
due to the mild winter.
I am trying to get this message across
Think for a moment how Russia would have responded to a mining of Sevastopol harbor, the
frying of its satellites or the destruction of its fighter jets in Crimea. Those "guestures"
would have been illegal acts of war against the forces of a nuclear power which were legally
stationed in Crimea. And how was the west to immediately supply gas to Ukraine and Ukraine's
pipeline network is designed to unidirectionally receive gas from Russia?
Such half-assed thinking is typical for the Institute and its creation of propaganda. One of
its employees/contractors is Hugh Benedict Nimmo who the Initiative paid to produce
anti-Russian propaganda that was then disseminated through various western publications.
According to the (still very incomplete) Initiative files Ben Nimmo
received a monthly consultancy fee of £2.500 between December 2015 and March 2016. In
August 2016 he sent an invoice
(pdf) of £5,000 for his "August work on Integrity Initiative". A
Production Timetable (pdf) for March to June 2016 lists the following Nimmo outputs and
activities:
17 March Atlantic Council: Yes, Putin really believes his own propaganda , Ben
Nimmo
21 March Newsweek: Putin's paranoia is driving his foreign adventures , Ben
Nimmo
22 March, UK House of Commons: Russian information warfare - airbrushing
reality , Jonathan Eyal and Ben Nimmo
Mid May: Atlantic Council: Distract, deceive, destroy: Putin at war in Syria .
Ben Nimmo et al (Major study)
Early May timeframe: Russian penetration in Germany , Harold Elletson, Ben
Nimmo et al - 10,000 words
June timeframe: Atlantic Council, major report on Russian conspiracy theory and
foreign policy , Ben Nimmo (potential launch events in London and / or
Washington)
End-June: Mapping Russia's whole influence machine , Ben Nimmo - 10,000
words
One wonders how often Ben Nimmo double billed his various sponsors for these copy-paste
fantasy pamphlets.
In late 2017 Ben Nimmo and Guardian 'journalist' Carole Cadwalladr disseminated
allegations that Russia used Facebook ads to influence the Brexit decision. Cadwalladr even
received a price for her work. Unfortunately the price was not revoked when Facebook revealed
that "Russia linked" accounts had spend a total of 97 cents on Brexit ads. It is unexplained
how that was enough to achieve their alleged aim.
Cadwalladr is listed
as a speaker (pdf) at a "skill sharing" conference the Institute organized for November 1-2
under the headline: "Tackling Tools of Malign Influence - Supporting 21st Century
Journalism".
This year Ben Nimmo became notorious for claiming that
several real persons with individual opinions were "Russian trolls". As we
noted :
Nimmo, and several other dimwits quoted in the piece, came to the conclusion that Ian56 is
a Kremlin paid troll, not a real person. Next to Ian56 Nimmo 'identified' other 'Russian
troll' accounts:
One particularly influential retweeter (judging by the number of accounts which then
retweeted it) was @ValLisitsa, which posts in English and Russian. Last year, this account
joined the troll-factory #StopMorganLie campaign.
Had Nimmo, a former NATO spokesperson, had some decent education he would have
know that @ValLisitsa, aka Valentina Lisitsa , is a famous
American- Ukrainian pianist. Yes, she sometimes tweets in Russian language to her many fans
in Russia and the Ukraine. Is that now a crime? The videos of her world wide
performances on Youtube have more than 170 million views. It is absurd to claim that she is a
'Russian troll' and to insinuate that she is taking Kremlin money to push 'Russian troll'
opinions.
The
Institute for Statecraft Expert Team (pdf) list several people with military intelligence
backgrounds as well as many 'journalists'. One of them is:
Mark Galeotti
Specialist in Russian strategic thinking; the application of Russian disinformation and
hybrid warfare; the use of organised crime as a weapon of hybrid warfare. Educational and
mentoring skills, including in a US and E European environment, and the corporate world.
Russian linguist
Galeotti is the infamous inventor of the 'Gerasimov doctrine' and of the propaganda about
Russia's alleged 'hybrid' warfare. In February 2013 the Russian General Valery Gerasimov, then
Russia's chief of the General Staff, published a paper that analysed the way the 'west' is
waging a new type of war by mixing propaganda, proxy armies and military force into one unified
operation.
Galeotti claimed that Gerasimov's analysis of 'western' operations was a new Russian
doctrine of 'hybrid war'. He invented the term 'Gerasimov doctrine' which then took off in the
propaganda realm. In February 2016 the U.S. Army Military Review
published a longer analysis of Gerasimov's paper that debunked the nonsense (pdf). It
concluded:
Gerasimov's article is not proposing a new Russian way of warfare or a hybrid war, as has
been stated in the West.
But anti-Russian propagandist
repeated Galeotti's nonsense over and over. Only in March 2018, five years after Galeotti
invented the 'Germasimov doctrine' and two years after he was thoroughly debunked, he finally
recanted
:
Everywhere, you'll find scholars, pundits, and policymakers talking about the threat the
"Gerasimov doctrine" -- named after Russia's chief of the general staff -- poses to the West.
It's a new way of war, "an expanded theory of modern warfare," or even "a vision of total
warfare."
There's one small problem. It doesn't exist. And the longer we pretend it does, the longer
we misunderstand the -- real, but different -- challenge Russia poses.
I feel I can say that because, to my immense chagrin, I created this term, which has since
acquired a destructive life of its own, lumbering clumsily into the world to spread fear and
loathing in its wake.
The Institute for Statecraft's "Specialist in Russian strategic thinking", an expert of
disinformation and hybrid warfare, created a non-existing Russian doctrine out of hot air and
used it to press for anti-Russian measures. Like Ben Nimmo he is an aptly example of the
quality of the Institute's experts and work.
One of the newly released documents headlined CND Gen list 2
(pdf) (CND= Chris Nigel Donnelly) includes the names and email addresses of a number of
military, government and think tank people. The anonymous releaser of the documents claims that
the list is "of employees who attended a closed-door meeting with the white helmets". (No
document has been published yet that confirms this.) One name on the list is of special
interest:
Pablo Miller was the handler and friend of Sergej Skripal, the British double agent who was
"novichoked" in Salisbury. When Miller's name was mentioned in the press the British government
issued a D-Notice to suppress its further publishing,
Pablo Miller, a British MI6 agent, had
recruited Sergej Skripal. The former MI6 agent in Moscow, Christopher Steele, was also
involved in the case. Skripal was caught by the Russian security services and went to jail.
Pablo Miller, the MI6 recruiter, was also the handler of Sergej Skripal after he was released
by Russia in a spy swap. He reportedly also lives in Salisbury. Both Christopher Steele and
Pablo Miller work for Orbis Business Intelligence which created the "Dirty Dossier" about
Donald Trump.
At the very beginning of the Skripal affair, before there was any talk of 'Novichok', we
asked
if Skripal was involved in creating the
now debunked "Dirty Dossier" and if that was a reason for certain British insiders to move
him out of the way:
Here are some question:
Did Skripal help Steele to make up the "dossier" about Trump?
Were Skripal's old connections used to contact other people in Russia to ask about
Trump dirt?
Did Skripal threaten to talk about this?
If there is a connection between the dossier and Skripal, which seems very likely to me,
then there are a number of people and organizations with potential motives to kill him. Lots
of shady folks and officials on both sides of the Atlantic were involved in creating and
running the anti-Trump/anti-Russia campaign. There are several investigations and some very
dirty laundry might one day come to light. Removing Skripal while putting the blame on Russia
looks like a convenient way to get rid of a potential witness.
The
most recent release of Integrity Initiative documents includes lots of in-depth
reports (pdf) about foreign media reactions to the Skripal affair. One wonders why the
Initiative commissioned
such research (pdf) and paid for it.
After two years the Muller investigation found zero
evidence for the 'collusion' between Russia and the Trump campaign that the fake Steele
dossier suggested. The whole collusion claim is a creation by 'former' British intelligence
operatives who likely acted on request of U.S. intelligence leaders Clapper and Brennan. How
deep was the Russia specialist Chris Donnelly and his Institute for Statecraft involved in this
endeavor?
Checking through all the released Initiative papers and lists one gets the impression of a
secret military intelligence operation, disguised as a public NGO. Financed by millions of
government money the Institute for Statecraft and the Integrity Initiative work under a charity
label to create and disseminate disinformation to the global public and back into the
government and military itself.
The paranoia about Russia, which does way less harm than the 'western' "rules based system"
constantly creates, is illogical and not based on factual analysis. It creates Russia as an
"enemy" when it is none. It hypes a "threat" out of hot air. The only people who profit from
this are the propagandists and the companies and people who back them.
The Initiatives motto "Defend Democracy Against Disinformation" is a truly Orwellian
construct. By disseminating propaganda and using it to influence the public, parliament, the
military and governments, the Institute actively undermines the democratic process that depends
on the free availability of truthful information.
It should be shut down immediately.
---
Note: There have already been attempts to delete the released files from the Internet. A
complete archive of all Integrity Initiative files published so far is here . Should
the public links cease to work, you can contact the author of this blog for access to private
backups.
Aside from the fact that the government itself funds this organization, the creepiest thing
about it is that the "non-governmental individuals" that help fund it are the same people
that run the think tanks: a bunch of Rhodesians.
"Such half-assed thinking...Think for a moment how Russia would have responded to a mining of
Sevastopol harbor, the frying of its satellites or the destruction of its fighter jets in
Crimea. Those "gestures" would have been illegal acts of war against the forces of a nuclear
power which were legally stationed in Crimea."
It sure seems like this half-assed thinking isn't just the domain of a fringe element, but
is increasingly mainstream among the elites. Doesn't bode well.
Thank you B. It is truly amazing to watch the UK elites unravel as they have become truly
unhinged by their own connivances. It is a bad joke at the commoner's expense that they
propagandize and demonize in the name of the 'Western rules based system' even as they are
busy shooting themselves in both feet by committing Brexit. Although there are legitimate
grievances with the EU, it is clear that Brexit is a Tory power play that is all politics and
zero governance. Alas, Perfidious Albion has succumbed to Mad Cow disease.
What remains mysterious (not really) is why --if these initiatives are truly meant to save
and strengthen democracy-- they aren't proudly proclaimed and advertised, in the open,
transparent, for everyone one to see and judge, like an adult democracy that they claim to
stand for might want to debate and form an opinion on.
The fact that it isn't, is testimony to the nefarious anti-democratic, authoritarian and
totalitarian streak that runs in between every two lines that they put on paper.
McCarthyesque smear campaigns to discredit opponents and squash dissent has become normal
practice. Integrity Initiative tweets against Corbyn is a stark example, but there have been
MANY other people and groups that have been tarred with claims of being
sponsored/led/influenced by Russia, including Catalonian independence activists and Yellow
vest protesters.
Every time one scratches the surface of such smears, it seems there is a connection to
US/British MIC, Ukraine, or Israel - essentially, those who benefit (financially or
otherwise) from greater tensions with Russia.
At what point does neocon doubling-down on failed foreign policy become more than just
picking our pockets and warping our minds? At what point do they start killing our kids in
another unnecessary war?
Cold War has been over for nearly 30 years. It's time enough for Western countries to send
into real retirement every single cold-warrior, their time is over, their mindset is quaint
and useless, if not downright dangerous and counter-productive.
Thank you 'b'
I'll just say -- - there is safety in numbers ! Already valuable information, important to
the public good and democracy has been spread wide enough to be certain, this gene won't go
back in the bottle ! D notice or no ! And by doing that, has made the fearless journalists
and investigators lives all the safer ! Safety in numbers, spread this wide everyone?
Thanks for the continued exposition of this story b.....may it go viral
I want to comment on some of the wording you quote Donnelly as writing
" .....is giving way to a world of Darwinian competition where all the players
– nation states, sub-state actors, big corporations, ethnic or religious groups, and
so on – are constantly striving with each other in a "war of all against all".
"
This is Donnelly's characterization of a world in which finance is a public utility
instead of the private jackboot that it currently is. This is the delusion these people have
been led to believe.
So instead of his "war of all against all" that some might call human cooperation on the
basis of merit we have a mythical God of Mammon religion that continues to instantiate the
private finance led world of the West with it parasitic elite and fawning acolytes.
Dear god, what has gotten into the minds of the military and political "elite" within the
UK! Mining Sevastopol would have been an obvious act of war against Russia and Russia would
have responded with force.
Thankfully it wasn't done but the fact this was even discussed by senior figures confirms
that there was at least a sizable minority pushing for it. 30 years after the fall of the
Soviet Union, the Western elite have truly abandoned all sense of reality and embraced a
consequence free view of the use of force. After Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya they haven't
learned a thing! I'm becoming more and more certain that a peaceful transition to the
multipolar world is impossible and that it will only happen after the US or one of its'
vassal states blunder into a proxy war and get utterly and comprehensively defeated, forcing
a radical world realignment, but with nuts like John Bolton and the neocons in the Whitehouse
it could easily lead to a nuclear war
This group may have officially formed in 2015, but its work is no different from the
British propaganda that swamped the MSM when MH17 was downed. Tied into the Steel dossier and
Russian collusion in the US. This is the anglosphere or five eyes permanent state.
exiled off mainstreet , Dec 15, 2018 2:22:39 PM |
link
As an aside this happens to be "Bill of Rights Day", the anniversary of the passage of the
Bill of Rights as amendments to the yankee constitution. This reveals again how far from the
rule of law the yankee imperium, now the key element of the British Empire they supposedly
seceded from, has strayed, since it is apparent that this "Integrity Initiative" was
engaged in to ensure that the regime was in the safe hands of the harpy.
It has also ensured that the victorious candidate has been neutered and faithfully follows
the world control line put forward by the five eyes spy-masters making up the empire in its
present iteration. This also shows what a farce the regime, based on the rule of law, now
presents.
It is interesting that Trudeau, the Canadian figurehead, clothes his country's
kidnapping of the Chinese business figure as "in defence of the rule of law." All in all, it
is now apparent we would be far better off if the Kaiserreich, with all of its militaristic
and bombastic flaws, had triumphed in the Great War. No Hitler, no Stalin, no five eyes
fascism.
The "Western-based rules system" described in this article reminds me of a game called
"Calvin Ball" which appeared in the former comic strip "Calvin and Hobbes." In the strip
Calvin a wildly imaginative adolescent boy who plays a free-form of football with his
imaginary pet toy tiger (Hobbes). Rules of the game are made up as the game is played to
suit the players. There you have it real life imitates art.
b, I downloaded the zip file, and had also downloaded all the PDF's from pdf-archive
yesterday. There are more files in the zip, but the following were on pdf-archive and are NOT
in the zip:
integrity-france.pdf (this is a dud, looks like html, prob. response from a failed
attempt to put a file up on pdf-archive)
Better yet, can anyone name an NGO, any NGO ever, that's not closely if not directly
linked to "a secret military intelligence operation." Anyone? Mueller?
Thank you very much for this terrific analysis. Donnelly: "... it is we who must either
generate the debate or wait for something dreadful to happen to shock us into action. "
Numerous American publications featured very similar language in the years ahead of 9/11,
with "Islamic terrorist threat" substituted for the Russians.
Emmanuel Goldstein , Dec 15, 2018 4:21:51 PM |
link
The transcript of his conversation with the general shows very starkly that we would last
about two minutes in a nuclear exchange, but about half a day in a conventional one. No
reserves, no equipment stockpiles, a navy consisting of two fat targets, neither of which has
any aircraft and some destroyers which have propulsion problems, a smallish air force and
very small numbers of troops. The tripwire force in Estonia is wholly sacrificial. In fact he
lays bare the whole fallacy of biting the bear. With the armed forces in the state he
describes, and with the recruitment and retention problems, wouldn't it be better, as one
defense minister said, 'to go away and shut up'...
Thanks b and especially the link to Valentina Lisitsa who I had tinkling in the background as
I read your grand expose. These people are seditious morons, parasites infesting the state
apparatus. Shut these fools down. Nice touch publishing the passport image. I can just
imagine the frenzied aftermath of Kit's visit to the basement. Big thanks to anonymous and
Craig Murray too. Their IT personel are probably visiting Devil's Island or Diego Garcia as
we read.
Vesti News has published an excellent documentary on how "clusters" work....not only to
spread Russophobia...but also on continuous intends to overthrown Russian legitimate
government... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=E8-Stfrl5aM
The British and US connections to loot and evade Russian riches and funds are exposed, as
well as the origin of sanctions, supposed "alt-media" "truth-seakers" like Meduza...or
supposed "pro-Russian" US intelligence operatives married to Russian women....
Amongst the many issues he usually passes over trying to make himself the fool, while at
the same time trying to convince us of the oustanding intellectual capacities, honesty and
classy stance of him and his "comittee"...
For that travel, to end bluntly and in such public view siding with the nazis of the "Azov
Regiment" and other criminals of war, there was no need of so many saddlebags, so as
pretending that the people who supported Trump as if there was no tomorrow, were enlightened
people who only wanted to rescue "America" for the "Americans", as if there would not be a
sign of blatant exceptionalism in appropriating of the term "Americans" for themselves in
such a huge continent....
In my view, the USA's FP has been undermined by EURO elites which is forcing a game of
chicken with Russia.
The FP pre-Soviet collapse consisted of one MO: GET THE COMMIES!
Since then, Neocons and Neolibs which are frontmen for this Non-National Globalized Elite,
have hijacked our country's military and have steered it to a Global agenda where dominance
in the ME means either superiority for these EURO elites or Vassal-hood.
The last two periods of the US FP could be understood thusly: (1) Pre-Soviet collapse
which was marked by a horrifically tragic and misplaced ideal of defending against communism
(Good guys v. Bad Guys); and (2) Post-Soviet collapse which has been a period of coup d'etats
where our hijacked military has been used for a Globalist Agenda for increasingly opaque
(less defensible) reasons and missions.
The average American could care less about the ME and the US would be 1000x better-off
reverting to an isolationist stance.
But this will not happen so long as Nationalism in the US and UK is repeatedly put-down.
It seems as though there is going to be another Brexit vote. Does anyone doubt that
miraculously the people by then will have second-guessed their will to Brexit and so will
vote against it given another crack at a vote?
Import IT workers and staff science faculties from abroad w dual citizens while kkr
buys wafer labs that outsource to mainland for manufacturing
Cry boo hoo hoo to wake up with indigenous capacity decades behind world players like
Russia, China, India, etc who operate on fractional budgets...
But this drama also exposes ashura/emigods intra necine warfare: right after 2016 US
elections there was a facade of split between military and intelligence differentiation.
Seems that veil has been dispensed with , but it invites other questions, insofar as UK
is Her Majesty's Service, so are we to read this with Prince Harry or Philip's culture, or a
"consent by silence") in mind? Defending crown or EU "Saturnus Sattelitus"?
Yeah, they hijacked a few other countries too, including Russia. Or if not hijacking,
setting the mood right for some shenanigans in the near future... I think you're quite right
about the cheif host of the globalist neolib parasite. Hijacked near fully. Being bled dry.
That unaccounted for 21 Trillion at the pentagon is a bit of a giveaway. All under the guise
of free markets and democracy.
Good to see Trump finally give it a face... 'you need freedom and security now pay up
bitches'
In my view, the USA's FP has been undermined by EURO elites which is forcing a game of
chicken with Russia.... Globalist Agenda
I think the opposite is true.
The US-led Empire and their globalist sycophants seek to weaken Europe so that it can not
act independently in its own best interests. They will do what ever they can to ensure that
the vassals never join with Russia/China and the SCO.
Russian scare-mongering and immigration have been effective in furthering this agenda.
Also note: what USA has termed "new Europe" - eastern European states like Poland and Ukraine
- are solidly pro-American.
Skripal father probably fully participated to the whole story. These kinds of narratives are
useful to distract the masses from the complete impotency of their politicians.
He now enjoys a forced holiday in Brasil under a new name and a new face, and the same for
his daughter, who had to share in this involuntarily .
Recently MI6 were implicated in Steel report, Skripals poisonings, Browder machinations, and creation of the Integrity
Initiative. Nice "non-interference" mode...
Notable quotes:
"... The UK's top spy spent some of his time blaming Russia for trying to, as he put it, "subvert the UK way of life" by supposedly poisoning the Skripals and through other mischievous but ultimately never verified actions, though moving beyond the infowar aspect of his speech and into its actual professional substance, he nevertheless touched on some interesting themes ..."
"... In other words, it's all about applying what he calls the "Fusion Doctrine" for building the right domestic and international teams across skillsets in order to best leverage new technologies for accomplishing his agency's eternal mission, which is "to understand the motivations, intentions and aspirations of people in other countries." ..."
"... "being able to take steps to change [targets'] behavior", this has actually been part and parcel of the intelligence profession since time immemorial, albeit nowadays facilitated by social media and other technological platforms that allow shadowy actors such as the UK's own "77th Brigade" to carry out psychological, influence, and informational operations. ..."
"... Considering Russia to be a country that "regards [itself] as being in a state of perpetual confrontation with [the West]", Younger believes that unacceptably high costs must be imposed upon it every time it's accused of some wrongdoing, forgetting that the exact same principle could more applicably be applied against the West by Russia for the same reasons. ..."
"... If read from a cynical standpoint by anyone who's aware of the true nature of contemporary geopolitics, Younger's speech is actually quite informative because it inadvertently reveals what the West itself is doing to Russia by means of projecting its own actions onto its opponent . ..."
"... That in and of itself is actually the very essence of Hybrid War , which is commonly understood to largely include blatantly deceptive techniques such as the one that the UK's top spy is unabashedly attempting to pull off. ..."
"... Accusing one's adversaries of the exact same thing that you yourself are doing is a classic method of deflecting attention from one's own actions by pretending that you're being victimized by the selfsame, which therefore "justifies" escalating tensions by portraying all hostile acts as "proactive defensive responses to aggression". ..."
"... Basically, the British spymaster just sloppily revealed his hand to Russia while attempting to implicate it for allegedly conducting "fourth generation espionage" against the UK. ..."
The head of the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Alex Younger briefed the public
about the challenges of so-called " fourth
generation espionage ".
The UK's top spy spent some of his time blaming Russia for trying to, as he put it, "subvert
the UK way of life" by supposedly poisoning the Skripals and through other mischievous but
ultimately never verified actions, though moving beyond the infowar aspect of his speech and
into its actual professional substance, he nevertheless touched on some interesting themes.
According to him, "fourth generation espionage" involves "deepening our partnerships to counter
hybrid threats, mastering covert action in the data age, attaching a cost to malign activity by
adversaries and innovating to ensure that technology works to our advantage."
In other words, it's all about applying what he calls the "Fusion Doctrine" for building the
right domestic and international teams across skillsets in order to best leverage new
technologies for accomplishing his agency's eternal mission, which is "to understand the
motivations, intentions and aspirations of people in other countries."
While he remarked that the so-called "hybrid threats" associated with "fourth generation
espionage" necessitate "being able to take steps to change [targets'] behavior", this has
actually been part and parcel of the intelligence profession since time immemorial, albeit
nowadays facilitated by social media and other technological platforms that allow shadowy
actors such as the UK's own "77th Brigade" to
carry out psychological, influence, and informational operations.
Younger warned that "bulk data combined with modern analytics" could be "a serious
challenge" if used against his country , obviously alluding to Cambridge
Analytica's purported weaponization of these cutting-edge technological processes to
supposedly "hack" elections, though neglecting to draw any attention to the fact that his
intelligence agency and its allies could conceivably do the same in advance of their own
interests, something that everyone who uses Western-based social media platforms is theoretically
at risk of having happen to them.
What Younger is most concerned about, however, are what he describes as the "eroded
boundaries" that characterize so-called "hybrid threats" lying between war and peace, which he
fears could undermine NATO's Article 5 obligation for all of the military alliance's members to
support one another during times of conflict. Considering Russia to be a country that "regards
[itself] as being in a state of perpetual confrontation with [the West]", Younger believes that
unacceptably high costs must be imposed upon it every time it's accused of some wrongdoing,
forgetting that the exact same principle could more applicably be applied against the West by
Russia for the same reasons.
He claims that it's the UK that will never respond in kind by
destabilizing Russia like Moscow's accused of doing to the UK, but in reality, it's President
Putin's so-called "judo moves" which prove that it's Russia who has mastered asymmetrical
responses instead. If read from a cynical standpoint by anyone who's aware of the true nature
of contemporary geopolitics, Younger's speech is actually quite informative because it
inadvertently reveals what the West itself is doing to Russia by means of projecting its own
actions onto its opponent .
That in and of itself is actually the very essence of HybridWar ,
which is commonly understood to largely include blatantly deceptive techniques such as the one
that the UK's top spy is unabashedly attempting to pull off.
Accusing one's adversaries of the
exact same thing that you yourself are doing is a classic method of deflecting attention from
one's own actions by pretending that you're being victimized by the selfsame, which therefore
"justifies" escalating tensions by portraying all hostile acts as "proactive defensive
responses to aggression".
Basically, the British spymaster just sloppily revealed his hand to
Russia while attempting to implicate it for allegedly conducting "fourth generation espionage"
against the UK.
"... Trump won't fire his son-in-law, so if Jared doesn't have the decency to resign on his own, he may well be responsible for Trump's downfall in addition to his own. Trump's silly daughter, Ivanka, needs to go to. ..."
"... Time for Bolton to send for the clairvoyant Theresa May who has managed to accuse Russia, and Mr. Putin personally, in the Skripals' poisoning n the absence of any evidence ..."
Comment section (David Wooten): "According to the crown prince himself, Trump's [Jewish]
son-in-law gave him a secret list of his enemies -- the ones like Al Aweed who were
tortured and shaken down for cash. Khashoggi might even have been on that list.
One or more of the tortured ones likely tipped off Erdogan, which is why Turkey only
needed to enter the consulate, retrieve the recorded audio device they planted, and walk out
with the evidence. Turkey also has evidence that puts MbS' personal doctor and other staff
arriving in Turkey at convenient times to do the job -- and probably more. Khashoggi was
anything but a nice person but Trump cannot say that or he'll likely be accused of
involvement in his murder.
Dissociation is made far more difficult by the fact that Jared is a long time friend of
Netanyahu who, like Jared, hasbefriended MbS .
Trump won't fire his son-in-law, so if Jared doesn't have the decency to resign on his
own, he may well be responsible for Trump's downfall in addition to his own. Trump's silly
daughter, Ivanka, needs to go to.
Were it not for the Khashoggi affair, fewer Republican seats would have been lost in the
election."
-- Time for Bolton to send for the clairvoyant Theresa May who has managed to accuse
Russia, and Mr. Putin personally, in the Skripals' poisoning n the absence of any
evidence .
These people -- Bolton, May, Gavin Williamson and likes -- are a cross of the ever-eager
whores and petty brainless thieves. To expose themselves as the willing participants in the
ZUSA-conducted farce requires a complete lack of integrity.
Of course, there is no way to indict the journalist's murderers since the principal
murderer is a personal friend of Netanyahu and Jared.
Jump, Justice, jump, as high as ordered by the "chosen."
By the way, why do we hear nothing about Seth Rich who was murdered in the most surveilled
city of the US?
@annamaria A 1st
grader can see that MbS was behind the murder of Kashoggi.
Trump won't fire his son-in-law, so if Jared doesn't have the decency to resign on his
own, he may well be responsible for Trump's downfall in addition to his own. Trump's silly
daughter, Ivanka, needs to go to.
I've been hoping for this since they moved to Washington with 'big daddy'.
@Anon " crappy
bedtime reading the woolyheadedness "
Hey, Anon[436], is this how your parents have been treating you? My condolences.
If you feel that you succeeded with your "see, a squirrel" tactics of taking attention
from the zionists' dirty and amoral attempts at coverup of the murder of the journalists
Khashoggi, which was accomplished on the orders of the clown prince (the dear friend of Bibi
& Jared), you are for a disappointment.
One more time for you, Anon[436]: the firm evidence of MbS involvement in the murder of
Khashoggi contrasts with no evidence of the alleged poisoning of Skripals by
Russian government.
The zionists have been showing an amazing tolerance towards the clown prince the murderer
because zionists need the clown prince for the implementation of Oded Yinon Plan for Eretz
Israel.
The stinky Skripals' affair involves harsh economic actions imposed on the RF in the
absence of any evidence , as compared to no sanctions in response to the actual murder
of Khashoggi, which involved MbS according to the availableevidence . Thanks
to the zionists friendship with the clown prince, the firm evidence of Khashoggi murder is of
no importance. What else could be expected from the "most moral" Bibi & Kushner and the
treasonous Bolton.
The stinky Skripals' affair involves harsh economic actions imposed on the RF in the
absence of any evidence, as compared to no sanctions in response to the actual murder of
Khashoggi, which involved MbS according to the available evidence. Thanks to the zionists
friendship with the clown prince, the firm evidence of Khashoggi murder is of no
importance. What else could be expected from the "most moral" Bibi & Kushner and the
treasonous Bolton.
The Brits recently landed in Mexico. Will they use the Mercosur-EU FTAS to secretly continue
to hold the grip on Europe? Will they install additional military bases in MAKEDONIA,
ALBANIA, KOSOVA the heroin-smuggling human trafficking FAKE US state, BULGARIA, to finish the
AMBO pipeline from IRAQ to GREECE?
City of London Parasites' Paradise (Or the Best Criminal Sanctuary Money Can Buy)
From: Newsbud.com
"with multi-billion pound drug, arms, people smuggling and sex-slave cartels. The "Brits"
specialize in laundering funds from the Mexican, Colombian, Peruvian, Russian, Polish, Czech,
Nigerian narco-kings. Albanian white slavers have their 'private bankers' at prestigious City
banks with a preference for graduates of the London School of Economics. Bi-lingual Greek
kleptocrats, lifelong billion dollar tax evaders, fleeing from their pillaged homeland have
their favorite real estate brokers, who never engage in any sort of naughty 'due diligence'
which might uncover improper tax returns. The City Boys with verve and positive initiative,
aided and abetted by the hyper-kinetic "Tony" Blair's open door policy to swindlers and
saints of all colors and creeds, welcomed each and every Russian gangster-oligarch-democrat,
especially those who paid cash for multi-pound 'Olde English' landmark estates'.
@JLK naling
of open frontiers and multiculturalism among the educated (indoctrinated).
For example, it's still completely unacceptable in middle class British society to support
Nationalism (you're a Nazi) or Anglo racial identity (other races are welcome to their
identities – but if you're and Anglo you're a racist).
It will eventually be resolved by the people who don't care (the working class), who will
toss out their elite and their "educated" middle class collaborators – in fact it's
already happening with Brexit – check out the Daily Mail comments section.
Operation Gladio Full 1992 documentary BBC Originally aired on BBC2 in 1992, 'Operation Gladio' reveals 'Gladio', the secret
state-sponsored terror network operating in Europe. https://www.youtube.com/embed/GGHXjO8wHsAAlso read
Skripal events probably helped to advance this line of investigation. So in a way UK intelligence services put their own
stooge on the line of fire.
Notable quotes:
"... Russian prosecutors on Monday claimed that Magnitsky and several other people familiar with Browder's illicit activities in Russia may have been killed on his order. They said a new criminal case has been opened against Browder in Russia, and that Moscow will seek his extradition as an alleged ringleader of an international criminal enterprise involved in money laundering ..."
"... The prosecutors identified four people who were suspects in the Browder case, all of whom died over the course of less than two years as the investigation against him unfolded. Oktay Gasanov was the first of the four, dying in October 2007; while Magnitsky's death in November 2009 was the last. By the time of his death, Magnitsky had spent almost a year in pre-trial detention. The two others were Valery Kurochkin and Sergey Korobeinikov, who died in April 2008 and September 2008, respectively. ..."
"... Considering that the three individuals, with the exception of Magnitsky, died within months of each other while being investigated as part of Browder's case, "it is highly likely that they were killed to get rid of accomplices who could give an incriminating testimony against Browder," a senior official with the Russian General Prosecutor's office told journalists. The same may be true for Magnitsky, he said. The prosecutor stressed that Russia didn't conduct detailed studies into how the suspected poison affects living organisms, but several research institutions based in the US, France and Italy did. ..."
"... The prosecutors claim that Browder was the party who benefited most from the death of Magnitsky. They cited journalist Oleg Lurie, who shared a prison cell with Magnitsky before the latter's death. Speaking under oath during a court hearing in New York, Lurie said that his cellmate had complained to him that Browder's lawyers were pressuring him into signing a false statement. Magnitsky's testimony claimed that he had uncovered a conspiracy to embezzle taxpayers' money involving Russian officials. ..."
"... The Russian prosecutors said Browder allegedly wanted to silence his employee after obtaining the false claim. The statement itself was used to blame Russian officials for Magnitsky's death and accuse the Russian government of a cover-up. ..."
"... Described by critics as a 'vulture capitalist,' Browder seemed quite comfortable earning millions of dollars in the financial wild west. In 2005, as fallen oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky was standing trial for tax evasion, Browder scolded him on the BBC for using personal wealth to grasp at political power, and for leaving "in his wake aggrieved investors too numerous to count." He was also a staunch public supporter of the policies of Russian President Vladimir Putin. ..."
"... The investor then reinvented himself as an anti-Putin figure, using the death of Magnitsky to lobby various countries to impose sanctions on the Russian officials he blamed for his employee's death. The US Magnitsky Act was passed in 2012, allowing people accused by Washington of human rights violations to be targeted. However, it is perceived by the Kremlin as just a tool to restrain Russia for the sake of global political and economic competition. ..."
"... Among Browder's latest exploits is playing a role in the 'Russiagate' story. A key part of the elusive search for collusion between US President Donald Trump and the Russian government is a meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer. The meeting was apparently organized with a view to lobbying for the repeal of the Magnitsky Act. Its architect, Browder, has therefore been eager to lend his expertise on 'Russian machinations' to US lawmakers and media outlets. ..."
"... If you like this story, share it with a friend! ..."
Kremlin
critic Bill Browder may have given the order for his employee Sergei Magnitsky to be poisoned
with a rare toxin in a Russian prison cell, along with other suspects in a tax-evasion probe
against him, prosecutors have said. British financier Browder was once a well-connected
investor in post-Soviet Russia, but he became a fugitive from the law in the country after
being accused of financial crimes. In the West, however, he is best known as the employer of
Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian accountant who died in police custody while being investigated in
connection to the Browder case. Magnitsky's death became an international scandal, with Browder
accusing Russian officials of killing him.
Russian prosecutors on Monday claimed that Magnitsky and several other people familiar with
Browder's illicit activities in Russia may have been killed on his order. They said a new
criminal case has been opened against Browder in Russia, and that Moscow will seek his
extradition as an alleged ringleader of an international criminal enterprise involved in money
laundering.
The prosecutors identified four people who were suspects in the Browder case, all of whom
died over the course of less than two years as the investigation against him unfolded. Oktay
Gasanov was the first of the four, dying in October 2007; while Magnitsky's death in November
2009 was the last. By the time of his death, Magnitsky had spent almost a year in pre-trial
detention. The two others were Valery Kurochkin and Sergey Korobeinikov, who died in April 2008
and September 2008, respectively.
Korobeinikov died after falling off a high-rise building, while the others had health
complications. The Russian prosecutors believe all four of them may have been killed with a
rare water-soluble compound of aluminum. Each of the men showed symptoms consistent with being
poisoned by the toxin prior to their deaths, while Korobeinikov had traces of it in his liver,
according to a post mortem. An investigation into four possible murders has been
opened.
Considering that the three individuals, with the exception of Magnitsky, died within
months of each other while being investigated as part of Browder's case, "it is highly likely
that they were killed to get rid of accomplices who could give an incriminating testimony
against Browder," a senior official with the Russian General Prosecutor's office told
journalists. The same may be true for Magnitsky, he said. The prosecutor stressed that Russia
didn't conduct detailed studies into how the suspected poison affects living organisms, but
several research institutions based in the US, France and Italy did.
The prosecutors claim that Browder was the party who benefited most from the death of
Magnitsky. They cited journalist Oleg Lurie, who shared a prison cell with Magnitsky before the
latter's death. Speaking under oath during a court hearing in New York, Lurie said that his
cellmate had complained to him that Browder's lawyers were pressuring him into signing a false
statement. Magnitsky's testimony claimed that he had uncovered a conspiracy to embezzle
taxpayers' money involving Russian officials.
The Russian prosecutors said Browder allegedly wanted to silence his employee after
obtaining the false claim. The statement itself was used to blame Russian officials for
Magnitsky's death and accuse the Russian government of a cover-up.
Last year, Browder was sentenced by a Russian court to nine years in prison for tax evasion.
The trial was held in absentia and Moscow failed to have him extradited to serve the term. The
prosecutors said that they will renew attempts to get custody of Browder as part of the new
criminal case, using a UN convention on fighting transnational crime to have him arrested.
Browder is a US-born British financier, whose change of citizenship had the benefit of
allowing him to avoid paying tax on foreign earnings. However, he claimed the switch was
prompted by his family being persecuted in the US during the McCarthyism witch hunt, while the
UK seemed like the land of law and order.
He made a fortune in Russia during the country's chaotic transition to a market economy,
having invested before there was a stock exchange in Moscow. His Hermitage Capital Management
fund was a leading foreign investment entity in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
Described by critics as a 'vulture capitalist,' Browder seemed quite comfortable earning
millions of dollars in the financial wild west. In 2005, as fallen oil tycoon Mikhail
Khodorkovsky was standing trial for tax evasion, Browder scolded him on the BBC for using personal
wealth to grasp at political power, and for leaving "in his wake aggrieved investors too
numerous to count." He was also a staunch public supporter of the policies of Russian President
Vladimir Putin.
The transformation of his public image from a financial shark into a human rights crusader
started when Browder himself entered the spotlight of Russian law enforcement. In 2007, the
foundation he ran was targeted by a probe into possible large-scale embezzlement of Russian
taxpayers' money. Magnitsky, who worked for Browder and had knowledge of his firms' finances,
was arrested and held in pre-trial detention until his death in November 2009. The British
businessman insisted that the entire case was fabricated and that Magnitsky had been
assassinated for exposing a criminal scheme involving several Russian tax officials.
The investor then reinvented himself as an anti-Putin figure, using the death of
Magnitsky to lobby various countries to impose sanctions on the Russian officials he blamed for
his employee's death. The US Magnitsky Act was passed in 2012, allowing people accused by
Washington of human rights violations to be targeted. However, it is perceived by the Kremlin
as just a tool to restrain Russia for the sake of global political and economic
competition.
Browder's new-found status as a rights advocate and self-proclaimed worst enemy of Putin
helps him deflect Russia's attempts to prosecute him. On several occasions, Russia filed
international arrest warrants against him with Interpol, which even led to his brief detention
in Spain last May.
Among Browder's latest exploits is playing a role in the 'Russiagate' story. A key part
of the elusive search for collusion between US President Donald Trump and the Russian
government is a meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer. The meeting was
apparently organized with a view to lobbying for the repeal of the Magnitsky Act. Its
architect, Browder, has therefore been eager to lend his expertise on 'Russian machinations' to
US lawmakers and media outlets.
Russia to UK: Prove Your Spies Did Not Poison Our Citizens or Face Consequences
What a great Russian response! Finally!
RI
Staff
Thu, Mar
29, 2018
|
300 words
17,686
225
YOLO Lavrov
What is good for the goose is good for the gander. At least Russia seems to think so. There may not be conclusive
evidence Britain poisoned Sergei Skripal and his visiting daughter Yulia. But then neither is there evidence
Moscow did it and that did not prevent London from demanding Russia proves its innocent (in 24 hours). Moreover
the British are keeping Russians away from evidence, not the other way around.
So why wouldn't Russia now demand
Britain instead proves its own innocence? Well, Lavrov's Ministry of External Affairs
can't think of a reason
why not.
It
better be something good!
Russia as demanded that London provide proof that
British spies did not carry out the poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal.
The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that their analysis of the assassination attempt has them
to believe in 'a possible involvement in it of the British intelligence services'.
The Ministry says that in the absence of proof of British innocence, Moscow will regard the incident as an
attempt on the lives of Russian citizens on foreign soil.
'An analysis of all the circumstances ... leads us to think of the possible involvement in it (the
poisoning) of the British intelligence services,' the foreign ministry said in a statement.
'If convincing evidence to the contrary is not presented to the Russian side we will consider that
we are dealing with an attempt on the lives of our citizens as a result of a massive political provocation.'
Excellent! 'Do what you demand of us and prove your innocence to us, or we will regard it was a state-sponsored
attempt at murder of our citizens.'
Lavrov has truly outdone himself here. And yet all he has done is responded in kind. So simple and yet so
brilliant.
UK had the verdict ,before the trial on poisoning.No evidence? If May cannot explain the
poisonings of Russians on their soil,Russia would be justifyed in a token bombing of London.
The Muslim Empire will forever be (gratefully) indebted to the Russian spirit and all it's
peoples for saving our posteriors in the Middle East ; if the people being saved are the
creators of the numbers everybody is using : what does that say about the brilliance of those
strong enough to protect our villagers from thieves!? *bows before the great Russian
homeland* :)
The idiots in our leadership outplayed and outmanoeuvred themselves within 48 hours; the
whole thing is farcical and an embarrassment to my Country. I know it, millions of other
Brits know it, the World knows it.
PS Call it the British establishment not low-brow Brits,
who are the people from the South and Scotland.
Agreed. A lot of commentators have difficulty separating the people from their
governments, don't realize that most 'leaders' are in their positions due to corruption
of one type or another.
by allowing your political class to do these types of things, just like
americans, you are complicit in the crimes. therefore ghartwells point is
well delivered
I am a B1 / A2 citizen of the UK that owns a Company and has been a
follower of the Conservatives for most of my political life (changing
my life as paid member of UKIP for 4 years). Do not question or
accuse me on my beliefs nor intelligence - our government has fallen
and sold its soul.
LOL. That`s the establishment, of which the many governments are only small
parts... People just get used... as always, and everywhere...
Gorbachev was given a Nobel Peace Prize (when it still meant something, I think),
but he is considered a traitor by people in Russia and not so much because of
what he has done, but how he went about doing it...
Rev 1 - it was the Red Indians or whatever they are called now that called / said
...... the US dark blue army and in general the white man or invaders "'speak
with forked tongue.'
We in the US sympathize with your condition. Both our countries suffer from the same
entropic political/financial methods and it is time to put an end to it. From GHW Bush
and Margaret Thatcher to GW Bush and Tony Blair, Obama and Cameron, we have all seen
nothing but unjustified wars and suffering. Now Theresa May is trying to trap Trump
into a war with Putin. So all of this is more about continuing the effort to remove
Trump than it is against Putin.
Thank you. But (sorry) my good Maggie made many mistakes but I didn't realise it
then, but for the UK, she was the last to defend our Country or so I thought, I
do not want to think about that.
Since Blair, the UK is a shadow of itself.
Regards "Now Theresa May is trying to trap Trump into a war with Putin", I
disagree, in that, this is thoroughly orchestrated between all the vermin. It is
like watching a B rated spy movie, but thankfully many Countries are waking up to
the goings on.
We need a revolution as do you guys ..we have gotten to that stage
unfortunately .......and yes, it is sad to say.
Your "Maggie" is the one who brokered the El Yamamah deal with the Saudis
that unleashed the the Saudi 9/11/01 attacks years later. She also provoked
the Malvinas War. Did good? C'mon that is like saying Benedict Arnold was a
hero. Yes, May is pulling Trump into war with Russia, why? Because the
British Empire is finally finished and it sees the Belt Road Initiative and
the American System a threat. We in the USA already had our revolution and
won the military victory. Now we will win the political victory over
imperialism. England should do the same.
Irish hate themselves? I think not : those people not only appreciate life but
they stand up for Palestine #WW3 ignorant slave of money sheeple cries trying to
defame their betters?
http://biblehub.com/1_samue...
shekel whores are promised to be left with
NOTHING ... they just donkeys to anybody with a spine after all hehe
View
Hide
As I remember having read:
- The proud people of Ireland are the only country really aligning with the
Palestinian people.
- The Irish are the only country in the world really boycotting the Invader
and Oppressor and Racist, Israel.
- The Irish have a lot of experience with "what is right and what is
wrong".
- The Irish have a lot of years, 800 years, experience what it is to be
oppressed by an oppressor and BTW it is their neigbor who is their
oppressor.
- The Irish are sometimes not quite clear in their stance for now they are
joining the warmonger Britian, the same oppressor who is trying to oppress
Russia which country have done nothing wrong to nobody nor at all to the
Irish.
Remarkable.
Britain does not comprise an entity called Ireland, hence Irish are not 'Brits',
as intimated by the statement above. Yes, Britain still colonises six counties on
the island of Ireland which they call Northern Ireland, a consequence of planting
their subjects over generations in a foreign land. Yes, Britain has caused much
damage to the entire world and its peoples. Its governing classes, and probably
the vast majority of its peoples (out of loyalty and poor education), are of
course blind to, and unaccepting of, such facts. Britain as it has operated over
the centuries, and now a fully engaged neoliberal stooge, can not survive in a
multi-polar world. Non-neoliberal, non-empire vassal Irish people would be fully
behind Russia and its cultural philosophy.
Just to point out an assumption that we have all jumped on, the poisoning; we do not actually know
if there was any poisoning done at all, all I have seen was on day one of this fiasco, a picture of
the two fast asleep on a park bench. I have seen no proof, jut the opposite in fact.
We have a letter to the Times from Steven Davies, the consultant in emergency medicine at
Salisbury hospital, stating that no [sic] patients had been treated for nerve-agent
poisoning, and only three had been treated for poisoning of any kind. [Type not stated]
Discussed here, with full text of the letter:
Oh no, sorry but, the letter has been published or a last the intention of it, in most
UK MSM, comments section blocked, interpretation watered down.....SSDD.
Damn I cannot edit it....as half my comment disappeared.
The letter was
published but the connation given to the context of it was totally reversed in
that millions will continue believing the government and media's BS.
I wondered too. Their phones were turned off before the incident, and who knows if the
Brutish (sic) authorities had arranged a deal with Skripal who is now a British citizen.
Perhaps Yulia will conveniently die now that she has apparently recovered a lot and may
decide to speak out. Imagine if she tried to contradict the May/Boris/EU/NATO line how long
she would survive.
I didn't now about the phones, Unless Skripal has duel Nationality he is a resident NOT
citizen, but it is intriguing how the UK government will get out of this hole they have
dug for themselves. "HOSPITAL HIT BY MSRN combined with EBOLA, AIDS and MARS
!!!?".......it is all a total crock of s..t and those Bsta.rds have seriously
embarrassed my country.
PS I still have a terrible feeling that it is about stopping
BREXIT.
She has no chance and no way back now. UK will never let her speak the truth. Two
options: speak what May wants or dissapear under "witness protection programm." Skripal
relatives (Ylia's step sister) was denied of UK visa now.
The Upper Class is going to loose the Plot.
Be vigilant.
The British Rotschild might give it another try, a chemical attack (4th time) in Syria.
Just to keep the game against Russia going.
Remind you that Jacob Rothschild. bought the "gaspipes" in Ukraine AND
Jacob R. is also taking part in a cooperative "alleged stealing" of the Syrian resources of
the Golan Heights with his Zionist Friends. Oil and Gas is there to have.
Mr. Assad of
Syria promised the world, all foreign forces will be driven from the land of the Syrian
people. I assume together with Hezbollah, Iran and of course the famous Syrian Tiger Brigade.
About time.
The Khazarians are left some time to move to their new country Ukraine. With hands off the
independent Republics of Luhansk and Donbass.
And, finally the Palestinian and Israelian people will have peace.
...'s pretty 'asymmetric' and rather 'subtle', ...ain't it?
NNNAAAAHAAA! ...Russia isn't being
offended WITHOUT consequences!
Not only are the Pomm's going to very silently 'divert' the attention fom this alleged
'poisoning', and let it 'slip', but are going to make OVERT 're-approachments' to Russia, come next
winter, and they get low on Natural Gas!
I don t want Russia to politely let them OFF . this is tge time ..because they chose to throw
theur "politicsl..media..world kangaroo court accuse ..no need for rvidence" GAME ..TO be
CONOKETELY MASSIVELY DESTROYED by Russia in a grand Historical sense this time aroubd ..i
want Russia to HANG THEM ALL politically by very intensely going on a diplomatic media
political campaignmit only takes nothing more than the resources russia ALREADY HAS...WORLD
PUBLIC OPINION GRAVITATING AROUND RUSSIA ..because these people are only continuing what all
started from CENTURIES AGO WITH JOHN MILTON thecplayright in elizabethan england ...HE was
one of the original creators of these caricaturish ..demonizing RACIST Pattern that hss been
unbroken sjnce then ....i am talking about his long ago appointment as FIRST ambassadir to
russia to open rekations in St petersburg but brought with him that SUPERIORITY complex snd
went back to england making his "reports" about how Russians were inferior oluncouth
..eatingveithout forks..drew the early cartoons we know TODAY reflected in these demonizing
of russia..NOW IS THE TIME FOR RUSSIA ..before the shots are fired...to FIRST DESTROY RVERY
LAST SHRED of that fake credibility from the west. So that in the afyermath of WHATEVER
transpires next ..the LYING Western
Atlantic Empire can NEVER EVER SLEAZE its way in lies NOR in "letting it slide away quietly "
as if nothing was the matter. Well..DUH
"... Operating on a budget of £1.9 million (US$2.4 million), the secretive Integrity Initiative consists of "clusters" of local politicians, journalists, military personnel, scientists and academics. The team is dedicated to searching for and publishing "evidence" of Russian interference in European affairs , while themselves influencing leadership behind the scenes, the documents claim. ..."
"... The Integrity Initiative "clusters" currently operate out of Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Norway, Lithuania and the netherlands. According to the leak by Anonymous, the Integrity Initiative is working to aggressively expand its sphere of influence throughout eastern Europe, as well as the US, Canada and the MENA region ..."
"... The work done by the Initiative - which claims it is not a government body, is done under "absolute secrecy via concealed contacts embedded throughout British embassies," according to the leak. It does, however, admit to working with unnamed British "government agencies." ..."
The hacking collective known as "Anonymous" published a
trove of documents on November 5 which it claims exposes a UK-based psyop to create a " large-scale information secret service
" in Europe in order to combat "Russian propaganda" - which has been blamed for everything from
Brexit to US President Trump winning the 2016 US election.
The primary objective of the " Integrity Initiative " - established
in 2015 by the Institute for Statecraft - is "to provide a coordinated
Western response to Russian disinformation and other elements of hybrid warfare."
And while the notion of Russian disinformation has become the West's favorite new bogeyman to excuse things such as Hillary Clinton's
historic loss to Donald Trump, we note that "Anonymous" was called out by WikiLeaks in October 2016 as an FBI cutout, while the report
on the Integrity Initiative that Anonymous exposed comes from Russian state-owned network
RT - so it's anyone's guess whose 400lb
hackers are at work here.
Operating on a budget
of £1.9 million (US$2.4 million), the secretive Integrity Initiative consists of "clusters" of local politicians, journalists,
military personnel, scientists and academics. The team is dedicated to searching for and publishing "evidence" of Russian interference
in European affairs , while themselves influencing leadership behind the scenes, the documents claim.
The UK establishment appears to be conducting the very activities of which it and its allies have long-accused the Kremlin,
with little or no corroborating evidence. The program also aims to "change attitudes in Russia itself" as well as influencing
Russian speakers in the EU and North America, one of the leaked
documents states. -
RT
The Integrity Initiative "clusters" currently operate out of Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Montenegro, Serbia, Norway,
Lithuania and the netherlands. According to the leak by Anonymous, the Integrity Initiative is working to aggressively expand its
sphere of influence throughout eastern Europe, as well as the US, Canada and the MENA region .
The work done by the Initiative - which claims it is not a government body, is done under "absolute secrecy via concealed contacts
embedded throughout British embassies," according to the leak. It does, however, admit to working with unnamed British "government
agencies."
The initiative has received £168,000 in funding from HQ NATO Public Diplomacy and £250,000 from the
US State Department , the
documents allege.
Some of its purported members include British MPs and high-profile " independent" journalists with a penchant for anti-Russian
sentiment in their collective online oeuvre, as showcased by a brief glance at their Twitter feeds. -
RT
Noted examples of "inedependent" anti-Russia journalists:
Spanish "Op"
In one example of the group's activities, a "Moncloa Campaign" was successfully conducted by the group's Spanish cluster to block
the appointment of Colonel Pedro Banos as the director of Spain's Department of Homeland Security. It took just seven-and-a-half
hours to accomplish, brags the group in the
documents .
"The [Spanish] government is preparing to appoint Colonel Banos, known for his pro-Russian and pro-Putin positions in the Syrian
and Ukrainian conflicts, as Director of the Department of Homeland Security, a key body located at the Moncloa," begins Nacho Torreblanca
in a seven-part tweetstorm describing what happened.
Others joined in. Among them according to the leaks academic Miguel Αngel Quintana Paz, who wrote that "Mr. Banos is to
geopolitics as a homeopath is to medicine." Appointing such a figure would be "a shame." -
RT
The operation was reported in Spanish media, while Banos was labeled "pro-Putin" by UK MP Bob Seely.
In short, expect anything counter to predominant "open-border" narratives to be the Kremlin's fault - and not a natural populist
reflex to the destruction of borders, language and culture.
"... It lists Bellingcat and the Atlantic Council as "partner organisations" ..."
"... "The UK's Secret Intelligence Service, otherwise known as MI6, has been scrambling to prevent President Trump from publishing classified materials linked to the Russian election meddling investigation. ... much of the espionage performed on the Trump campaign was conducted on UK soil throughout 2016." ..."
"... "Gregory R. Copley, editor and publisher of Defense & Foreign Affairs, posited that Sergei Skripal is the unnamed Russian intelligence source in the Steele dossier. ... In Skripal's pseudo-country-gentleman retirement, the ex-GRU-MI6 double agent was selling custom-made "Russian intelligence"; he had fabricated "material" that went into the Steele dossier..." ..."
"... this movement in the west by gov'ts to pay for generating lies, hate and propaganda towards russia is really sick... it is perfect for the military industrial complex corporations though and they seem to be calling the shots in the west, much more so then the voice of the ordinary person who is not interested in war ..."
"... Seems to me that this shows the primacy of the City of London, with its offshore network of illicit capital accumulation, within Britain. It is a state within a state or even a financial empire within a state, which, for deep historical reasons isn't subject to the same laws as the rest of the UK. ..."
"... The UK's pathological obsession with Russia only makes sense to me as the city's insistence on continued 90s style appropriation of Russia's wealth ..."
"... British hypocrisy publicly called out. How this all unravels is one to watch. Extra large popcorn and soda for me ..."
"... It seems to me that the UK has far more to lose from doxxing than Russia does. The interference in sovereign allied states to 'manage' who the UK thinks they should appoint does not bode well for such relations ..."
"... A separate subcluster of so-called journalists names Deborah Haynes, David Aaronovitch of the London Times and Neil Buckley from the FT." Subcluster. Love it. Just how crap do you have to be to fail to make it to membership of a full cluster of smear merchants? ..."
"... I doubt very seriously that the British launched this operation without the CIA's implicit and explicit support. This has all the markings of a John Brennan operation that has been launched stealthily to prevent anyone from knowing its real origins. ..."
"... The Brits don't act alone, and a project of this magnitude did not begin without Langley's explicit approval. ..."
"... Now check out the wording in the above document: "Funding from institutional and national governmental sources in the US has been delayed by internal disputes within the US government, but w.e.f. March 2018 that deadlock seems to have been resolved and funding should now flow." Think about that. What would have blocked the flow of USG support for this project?? Why, the allegations of collusion against Trump, of course. Naturally, the Republicans are not going to provide money to an operation that threatens to destroy the head of their own party. So, there has been no bipartisan agreement on funding for anti-Russia propaganda ..."
"... This mob was created in the autumn of 2015, according to their site. That would have been about the time -- probably just after -- the Russians intervened in Syria. The Brits had plans for an invasion of Syria in 2009, according to their fave Guardian fish wrap. ..."
"... Pat Lang posted a report that strongly implies that charges of Russian influence on Trump are a deliberate falsification ..."
"... It seems quite possible that what is alleged as "Russian meddling" is actually CIA-MI6 meddling ..."
"... As I have said before, MAGA is a POLICY RESPONSE to the challenge from Russia and China. The election of a Republican faux populist was necessary and Trump, despite his many flaws, was the best candidate for the job. ..."
"... The Integrity Initiative's goal is to defend democracy against the truth about Russia. All this is so Orwellian. When will we get the Ministry of Love? ..."
"... They shot at an elephant and failed to kill it. So yes, out of the combo of frustration, resentment, and fear they hate the resurgent Russia and prefer Cold War II, and if necessary WWIII, to peaceful co-existence. Of course the usual corporate imperative (in this case weapons profiteering) reinforces the mass psychological pathology among the elites. ..."
"... The ironic thing is that Putin doesn't prefer to challenge the neoliberal globalist "order" at all, but would happily see Russia take a prominent place within it. It's the US and its UK poodle who are insisting on confrontation. ..."
"... Great article! It reminded me of what I read in George Orwell's novella "1984." He summed it all up brilliantly in nine words: "War is Peace"; "Freedom is Slavery"; "Ignorance is Strength." The three pillars of political power. ..."
"... Since UK has always blocked the "European Intelligence" initiative, on the basis of his pertenence to the "Five Eyes", and as UK is leaving the European Union, where it has always been the Troyan Horse of the US, one would think that all these people belonging to the so called "clusters" should register themselves as "foreign agents" working for UK government. ..."
British Government Runs Secret Anti-Russian Smear CampaignsSteveg , Nov 24,
2018 11:43:44 AM |
link
In 2015 the government of Britain launched a secret operation to insert anti-Russia
propaganda into the western media stream.
We have already seen
many consequences of this and similar programs which are designed to smear anyone who
does not follow the anti-Russian government lines. The 'Russian collusion' smear campaign
against Donald Trump based on the Steele dossier was also a largely British operation but
seems to be part of a different project.
The ' Integrity
Initiative ' builds 'cluster' or contact groups of trusted journalists, military
personal, academics and lobbyists within foreign countries. These people get alerts via
social media to take action when the British center perceives a need.
On June 7 it took the the Spanish cluster only a few hours to derail the appointment of
Perto Banos as the Director of the National Security Department in Spain. The cluster
determined that he had a too positive view of Russia and launched a coordinated social media
smear
campaign (pdf) against him.
The Initiative and its operations were unveiled when someone liberated some of its
documents, including its budget applications to the British Foreign Office, and
posted them under the 'Anonymous' label at cyberguerrilla.org .
The Integrity Initiative was set up in autumn 2015 by The Institute for Statecraft in
cooperation with the Free University of Brussels (VUB) to bring to the attention of
politicians, policy-makers, opinion leaders and other interested parties the threat posed
by Russia to democratic institutions in the United Kingdom, across Europe and North
America.
It lists Bellingcat and the Atlantic Council as "partner organisations" and
promises that:
Cluster members will be sent to educational sessions abroad to improve the technical
competence of the cluster to deal with disinformation and strengthen bonds in the cluster
community. [...] (Events with DFR Digital Sherlocks, Bellingcat, EuVsDisinfo, Buzzfeed,
Irex, Detector Media, Stopfake, LT MOD Stratcom – add more names and propose cluster
participants as you desire).
The Initiatives Orwellian slogan is 'Defending Democracy Against Disinformation'. It
covers European countries, the UK, the U.S. and Canada and seems to want to expand to the
Middle East.
On its About page
it claims: "We are not a government body but we do work with government departments and
agencies who share our aims." The now published budget plans show that more than 95% of the
Initiative's funding is coming directly from the British government, NATO and the U.S. State
Department. All the 'contact persons' for creating 'clusters' in foreign countries are
British embassy officers. It amounts to a foreign influence campaign by the British
government that hides behind a 'civil society' NGO.
The organisation is led by one Chris N. Donnelly who
receives (pdf) £8,100 per month for creating the smear campaign network.
To counter Russian disinformation and malign influence in Europe by: expanding the
knowledge base; harnessing existing expertise, and; establishing a network of networks of
experts, opinion formers and policy makers, to educate national audiences in the threat and
to help build national capacities to counter it .
The Initiative has a black and white view that is based on a "we are the good ones"
illusion. When "we" 'educate the public' it is legitimate work. When others do similar, it
its disinformation. That is of course not the reality. The Initiative's existence itself,
created to secretly manipulate the public, is proof that such a view is wrong.
If its work were as legit as it wants to be seen, why would the Foreign Office run it from
behind the curtain as an NGO? The Initiative is not the only such operation. It's
applications seek funding from a larger "Russian Language Strategic Communication Programme"
run by the Foreign Office.
The 2017/18 budget application sought FCO funding of £480,635. It received
£102,000 in co-funding from NATO and the Lithuanian Ministry of Defense. The 2018/19
budget application shows a
planned spending (pdf) of £1,961,000.00. The co-sponsors this year are again NATO
and the Lithuanian MoD, but
also include (pdf) the U.S. State Department with £250,000 and Facebook with
£100,000. The budget lays out a strong cooperation with the local military of each
country. It notes that NATO is also generous in financing the local clusters.
One of the liberated papers of the Initiative is a talking points memo labeled
Top 3 Deliverable for FCO (pdf):
Developing and proving the cluster concept and methodology, setting up clusters in a
range of countries with different circumstances
Making people (in Government, think tanks, military, journalists) see the big
picture, making people acknowledge that we are under concerted, deliberate hybrid attack
by Russia
Increasing the speed of response, mobilising the network to activism in pursuit of
the "golden minute"
Under top 1, setting up clusters, a subitem reads:
- Connects media with academia with policy makers with practitioners in a country to impact
on policy and society: ( Jelena Milic silencing pro-kremlin voices on Serbian TV )
Defending Democracy by silencing certain voices on public TV seems to be a
self-contradicting concept.
Another subitem notes how the Initiative secretly influences foreign governments:
We engage only very discreetly with governments, based entirely on trusted personal
contacts, specifically to ensure that they do not come to see our work as a problem, and to
try to influence them gently, as befits an independent NGO operation like ours, viz;
- Germany, via the Zentrum Liberale Moderne to the Chancellor's Office and MOD
- Netherlands, via the HCSS to the MOD
- Poland and Romania, at desk level into their MFAs via their NATO Reps
- Spain, via special advisers, into the MOD and PM's office (NB this may change very soon
with the new Government)
- Norway, via personal contacts into the MOD
- HQ NATO, via the Policy Planning Unit into the Sec Gen's office.
We have latent contacts into other governments which we will activate as needs be as the
clusters develop.
A look at the 'clusters' set up in U.S. and UK shows some prominent names.
Members of the Atlantic Council, which has a contract to
censor Facebook posts , appear on several cluster lists. The UK core cluster also
includes some prominent names like tax fraudster William Browder , the daft Atlantic Council
shill Ben Nimmo and the neo-conservative Washington Post columnist Anne Applebaum. One person
of interest is Andrew Wood who
handed the Steele 'dirty dossier' to Senator John McCain to smear Donald Trump over
alleged relations with Russia. A separate subcluster of so-called journalists names Deborah
Haynes, David Aaronovitch of the London Times, Neil Buckley from the FT and Jonathan Marcus
of the BBC.
A ' Cluster
Roundup ' (pdf) from July 2018 details its activities in at least 35 countries. Another
file reveals (pdf) the local
partnering institutions and individuals involved in the programs.
The Initiatives Guide
to Countering Russian Information (pdf) is a rather funny read. It lists the downing of
flight MH 17 by a Ukranian BUK missile, the fake chemical incident in Khan Sheikhoun and the
Skripal Affair as examples for "Russian disinformation". But at least two of these events,
Khan Sheikun via the UK run White Helmets and the Skripal affair, are evidently products of
British intelligence disinformation operations.
The probably most interesting papers of the whole stash is the 'Project Plan' laid out at
pages 7-40 of the
2018 budget application v2 (pdf). Under 'Sustainability' it notes:
The programme is proposed to run until at least March 2019, to ensure that the clusters
established in each country have sufficient time to take root, find funding, and
demonstrate their effectiveness. FCO funding for Phase 2 will enable the activities to be
expanded in scale, reach and scope. As clusters have established themselves, they have
begun to access local sources of funding. But this is a slow process and harder in some
countries than others. HQ NATO PDD [Public Diplomacy Division] has proved a reliable source
of funding for national clusters. The ATA [Atlantic Treaty Association] promises to be the
same, giving access to other pots of money within NATO and member nations. Funding from
institutional and national governmental sources in the US has been delayed by internal
disputes within the US government, but w.e.f. March 2018 that deadlock seems to have been
resolved and funding should now flow.
The programme has begun to create a critical mass of individuals from a cross society
(think tanks, academia, politics, the media, government and the military) whose work is
proving to be mutually reinforcing . Creating the network of networks has given each
national group local coherence, credibility and reach, as well as good international
access. Together, these conditions, plus the growing awareness within governments of the
need for this work, should guarantee the continuity of the work under various auspices and
in various forms.
The
third part of the budget application (pdf) list the various activities, their output and
outcome. The budget plan includes a section that describes 'Risks' to the initiative. These
include hacking of the Initiatives IT as well as:
Adverse publicity generated by Russia or by supporters of Russia in target countries, or by
political and interest groups affected by the work of the programme, aimed at discrediting
the programme or its participants, or to create political embarrassment.
We hope that this piece contributes to such embarrassment.
Posted by b on November 24, 2018 at 11:24 AM |
Permalink
"The UK's Secret Intelligence Service, otherwise known as MI6, has been scrambling to
prevent President Trump from publishing classified materials linked to the Russian election
meddling investigation. ... much of the espionage performed on the Trump campaign was conducted on UK soil
throughout 2016."
"Gregory R. Copley, editor and publisher of Defense & Foreign Affairs, posited that
Sergei Skripal is the unnamed Russian intelligence source in the Steele dossier. ... In
Skripal's pseudo-country-gentleman retirement, the ex-GRU-MI6 double agent was selling
custom-made "Russian intelligence"; he had fabricated "material" that went into the Steele
dossier..."
For M16 to expose this level of stupidity is stunning.
this movement in the west by gov'ts to pay for generating lies, hate and
propaganda towards russia is really sick... it is perfect for the military industrial complex
corporations though and they seem to be calling the shots in the west, much more so then the
voice of the ordinary person who is not interested in war.. i guess the idea is to get the
ordinary people to think in terms of hating another country based on lies and that this would
be a good thing... it is very sad what uk / usa leadership in the past century has come down
to here.... i can only hope that info releases like this will hasten it's demise...
Seems to me that this shows the primacy of the City of London, with its offshore network of
illicit capital accumulation, within Britain. It is a state within a state or even a
financial empire within a state, which, for deep historical reasons isn't subject to the same
laws as the rest of the UK.
The UK's pathological obsession with Russia only makes sense to
me as the city's insistence on continued 90s style appropriation of Russia's wealth
@6 ingrian... things didn't go as planned for the expropriation of Russia after the fall of
the Soviet Union.. it seems the west is still hurting from not being able to exploit Russia
fully, as they'd intended...
Let the Doxx wars begin! Sure, Anonymous is not Russian but it will surely now be targeted
and smeared as such which would show that it has hit a nerve. British hypocrisy publicly
called out. How this all unravels is one to watch. Extra large popcorn and soda for me.
I think we've all noticed the euro-asslantic press (and friends) on behalf of, willingly
and in cooperation with the British intelligence et al 'calling out' numerous Russians as
G(R)U/spies/whatever for a while now yet providing less than a shred of credible
evidence.
It seems to me that the UK has far more to lose from doxxing than Russia does. The
interference in sovereign allied states to 'manage' who the UK thinks they should appoint
does not bode well for such relations.
Meanwhile in Brussels they are having their cake and eating it, i.e. bemoaning Europe's
'weak response' to Russian propaganda:
"A separate subcluster of so-called journalists names Deborah Haynes, David Aaronovitch of
the London Times and Neil Buckley from the FT." Subcluster. Love it. Just how crap do you
have to be to fail to make it to membership of a full cluster of smear merchants?
Yet another example of the pot calling the kettle black when in fact the kettle may not be
black at all; it's just the pot making up things. "These Russian criminals are using
propaganda to show (truths) like the fact the DNC and Clinton campaigns colluded to prevent
Sanders from being nominated, so we need to establish a clandestine propaganda network to
establish that the Russians are running propaganda!"
"In 2015 the government of Britain launched a secret operation to insert anti-Russia
propaganda into the western media stream."
I doubt very seriously that the British launched this operation without the CIA's implicit
and explicit support. This has all the markings of a John Brennan operation that has been
launched stealthily to prevent anyone from knowing its real origins.
The Brits don't act alone, and a project of this magnitude did not begin without Langley's
explicit approval.
Now check out the wording in the above document: "Funding from institutional and national governmental sources in the US has been delayed
by internal disputes within the US government, but w.e.f. March 2018 that deadlock seems to
have been resolved and funding should now flow." Think about that. What would have blocked the flow of USG support for this project?? Why, the allegations of collusion against Trump, of course. Naturally, the Republicans are
not going to provide money to an operation that threatens to destroy the head of their own
party. So, there has been no bipartisan agreement on funding for anti-Russia propaganda
BUT...the author assures us that the "deadlock seems to have been resolved and funding
should now flow" Huh?? In other words, the fix is in. Mueller will pardon Trump on collusion charges but the
propaganda campaign against Russia will continue...with the full support of both parties. I could be wrong, but that's how I see it...
This mob was created in the autumn of 2015, according to their site. That would have been
about the time -- probably just after -- the Russians intervened in Syria. The Brits had
plans for an invasion of Syria in 2009, according to their fave Guardian fish wrap.
A lot of
sour grapes with this so-called 'integrity initiative', IMO. BP was behind a lot of this, I
would also think. When Assad pulled the plug on the pipeline through the Levant in 2009, the
Brits hacked up a fur ball. It's gone downhill for them ever since. Couldn't happen to a
nicer lot. If you can't invade or beat them with proxies, you can at least call them names.
If Trump was taking dirty money or engaged in criminal activity with Russians then he
was doing it with Felix Sater, who was under the control of the FBI... And who was in
charge of the FBI during all of the time that Sater was a signed up FBI snitch? You got it
-- Robert Mueller (2001 thru 2013) ...
It seems quite possible that what is alleged as "Russian meddling" is actually CIA-MI6
meddling, including:
Steele dossier: To create suspicion in government, media, and later the public
Leaking of DNC emails to Wikileaks (but calling it a "hack"):
To help with election of Trump and link Wikileaks (as agent) to Russian election
meddling
Cambridge Analytica: To provide necessary reasoning for Trump's (certain) win of the electoral college.
Note: We later found that dozens of firms had undue access to Facebook data. Why did the
campaign turn to a British firm instead of an American firm? Well, it had to be a British
firm if MI6 was running the (supposed) Facebook targeting for CIA.
As I have said before, MAGA is a POLICY RESPONSE to the challenge from Russia and China. The
election of a Republican faux populist was necessary and Trump, despite his many flaws, was
the best candidate for the job.
The Integrity Initiative's goal is to defend democracy against the truth about Russia. All this is so Orwellian. When will we get the Ministry of Love?
"things didn't go as planned for the expropriation of russia after the fall of the soviet
union.. it seems the west is still hurting from not being able to exploit russia fully, as
they'd intended..."
They shot at an elephant and failed to kill it. So yes, out of the combo of frustration, resentment, and fear they hate the resurgent
Russia and prefer Cold War II, and if necessary WWIII, to peaceful co-existence. Of course
the usual corporate imperative (in this case weapons profiteering) reinforces the mass
psychological pathology among the elites.
The ironic thing is that Putin doesn't prefer to challenge the neoliberal globalist
"order" at all, but would happily see Russia take a prominent place within it. It's the US
and its UK poodle who are insisting on confrontation.
Great article! It reminded me of what I read in George Orwell's novella "1984." He summed it
all up brilliantly in nine words: "War is Peace"; "Freedom is Slavery"; "Ignorance is
Strength." The three pillars of political power.
Since UK has always blocked the "European Intelligence" initiative, on the basis of his
pertenence to the "Five Eyes", and as UK is leaving the European Union, where it has always
been the Troyan Horse of the US, one would think that all these people belonging to the so
called "clusters" should register themselves as "foreign agents" working for UK
government...and in this context, new empowerished sovereign governemts into the EU should
consider the possibility expelling these traitors as spies of the UK....
Country list of agents of influence according to the leak:
Germany: Harold Elletson ,Klaus NaumannWolf-Ruediger Bengs, Ex Amb Killian, Gebhardt v Moltke, Roland
Freudenstein, Hubertus Hoffmann, Bertil Wenger, Beate Wedekind, Klaus Wittmann, Florian
Schmidt, Norris v Schirach
Sweden, Norway, Finland: Martin Kragh , Jardar Ostbo, Chris Prebensen, Kate Hansen Bundt, Tor Bukkvoll, Henning-Andre
Sogaard, Kristen Ven Bruusgard, Henrik O Breitenbauch, Niels Poulsen, Jeppe Plenge, Claus
Mathiesen, Katri Pynnoniemi, Ian Robertson, Pauli Jarvenpaa, Andras Racz
Netherlands: Dr Sijbren de Jong, Ida Eklund-Lindwall, Yevhen Fedchenko, Rianne Siebenga, Jerry Sullivan,
Hunter B Treseder, Chris Quick
Spain: Nico de Pedro, Ricardo Blanco Tarno, Eduardo Serra Rexach, Dionisio Urteaga Todo, Dimitri
Barua, Fernando Valenzuela Marzo, Marta Garcia, Abraham Sanz, Fernando Maura, Jose Ignacio
Sanchez Amor, Jesus Ramon-Laca Clausen, Frances Ghiles, Carmen Claudin, Nika Prislan, Luis
Simon, Charles Powell, Mira Milosevich, Daniel Iriarte, Anna Bosch, Mira Milosevich-Juaristi,
Tito, Frances Ghiles, Borja Lasheras, Jordi Bacaria, Alvaro Imbernon-Sainz, Nacho Samor
US, Canada:
Mary Ellen Connell, Anders Aslund, Elizabeth Braw, Paul Goble, David Ziegler
Evelyn Farkas, Glen Howard, Stephen Blank, Ian Brzezinski, Thomas Mahnken, John Nevado,
Robert Nurick, Jeff McCausland
Todd Leventhal
UK: Chris Donnelly
Amalyah Hart William Browder John Ardis
Roderick Collins, Patrick Mileham Deborah Haynes
Dan Lafayeedney Chris Hernon Mungo Melvin
Rob Dover Julian Moore Agnes Josa David Aaronovitch Stephen Dalziel Raheem Shapi Ben
Nimmo
Robert Hall Alexander Hoare Steve Jermy Dominic Kennedy
Victor Madeira Ed Lucas Dr David Ryall
Graham Geale Steve Tatham Natalie Nougayrede Alan Riley [email protected]Anne Applebaum Neil Logan Brown James Wilson
Primavera Quantrill
Bruce Jones David Clark Charles Dick
Ahmed Dassu Sir Adam Thompson Lorna Fitzsimons Neil Buckley Richard Titley Euan Grant
Alastair Aitken Yusuf Desai Bobo Lo Duncan Allen Chris Bell
Peter Mason John Lough Catherine Crozier
Robin Ashcroft Johanna Moehring Vadim Kleiner David Fields Alistair Wood Ben Robinson Drew
Foxall Alex Finnen
Orsyia Lutsevych Charlie Hatton Vladimir Ashurkov
Giles Harris Ben Bradshaw
Chris Scheurweghs James Nixey
Charlie Hornick Baiba Braze J Lindley-French
Craig Oliphant Paul Kitching Nick Childs Celia Szusterman
James Sherr Alan Parfitt Alzbeta Chmelarova Keir Giles
Andy Pryce Zach Harkenrider
Kadri Liik Arron Rahaman David Nicholas Igor Sutyagin Rob Sandford Maya Parmar Andrew Wood
Richard Slack Ellie Scarnell
Nick Smith Asta Skaigiryte Ian Bond Joanna Szostek Gintaras Stonys Nina Jancowicz
Nick Washer Ian Williams Joe Green Carl Miller Adrian Bradshaw
Clement Daudy Jeremy Blackham Gabriel Daudy Andrew Lucy Stafford Diane Allen Alexandros
Papaioannou
Paddy Nicoll
In 2015 the government of Britain launched a secret operation to insert anti-Russia
propaganda into the western media stream.
We have already seen
many consequences of this and similar programs which are designed to smear anyone who does
not follow the anti-Russian government lines. The 'Russian collusion' smear campaign against
Donald Trump based on the Steele dossier was also a largely British operation but seems to be
part of a different project.
The ' Integrity
Initiative ' builds 'cluster' or contact groups of trusted journalists, military personal,
academics and lobbyists within foreign countries. These people get alerts via social media to
take action when the British center perceives a need.
"... When you are paid a lot of money to come up with plots "psyops", you tend to come up with plots for "psyops". The word "entrapment" comes to mind. Probably "self-serving" also. ..."
"... Anti-Russian is just a code word for Globalist, Internationalist. ..."
"... This is such BS. Since when does Russia have the resources to pull all this off? They have such a complex program that they need the coordinated efforts of all the resources of the WEST? This is nuts. ..."
One of the documents lists a series of propaganda weapons to be used against Russia. One is
use of the church as a weapon. That has already been started in Ukraine with Poroshenko
buying off regligious leader to split Ukraine Orthodoxy from Russian Orthodoxy. It also
explicitly states that the Skripal incident is a 'Dirty Trick' against Russia.
The British political system is on the verge of collapse. BREXIT has finally demonstrated
that the Government/ Opposition parties are clearly aligned against the interests of the
people. The EU is nothing more than an arm of the Globalist agenda of world domination.
The US has shown its true colours - sanctioning every country that stands for independent
sovereignty is not a good foreign policy, and is destined to turn the tide of public opinion
firmly against global hegemony, endless wars, and wealth inequity.
The old Empire is in its death throes. A new paradigm awaits which will exclude all those
who have exploited the many, in order to sit at the top of the pyramid. They cannot escape
Karma.
The Western world needs to come to terms with the collapse of the Soviet Union and its
aftermath. Today, Russia is led by Putin and he obviously has objectives as any national
leader has.
Western "leaders" need to decide whether Putin:
Is trying to create Soviet Union 2.0, to have a 2nd attempt at ruling the world thru
communism and to do this by holding the world to ransom over oil/gas supplies. OR
Is wanting Russia to become a member of the family of nations and of a multi-polar world to improve the lives of
Russian people, but is being blocked at every twist and turn by manufactured events like Russia-gate and the Skripal affair
and now this latest revelation of anti-Russian propaganda campaigns being coordinated and run out of London.
Both of the above cannot be true because there are too many contradictions. Which is it??
Yes because imagine that that we lived in 1940 without any means to inform ourselves and
that media was still in control over the information that reaches us. We would already be in
a fullblown war with Russia because of it but now with the Internet and information going
around freely only a whimpy 10% of we the people stand behind their desperately wanted war.
Imagine that, an informed sheople.
Can't have that, they cannot do their usual stuff anymore.... good riddance.
"250,000 from the US State
Department , the documents allege."....... Interesting.
"During the third
Democratic debate on Saturday night, Hillary Clinton called for a "Manhattan-like
project" to break encrypted terrorist communications. The project would "bring the government and the tech communities together" to find a way
to give law enforcement access to encrypted messages, she said. It's something that some
politicians and intelligence officials have wanted for awhile,"........
***wasn't the Manhatten project a secret venture?????? Hummmmm"
Hillary Clinton has all of our encryption keys, including the FBI's . "Encryption keys" is
a general reference to several encryption functions hijacked by Hillary and her surrogate
ENTRUST. They include hash functions (used to indicate whether the contents have been altered
in transit), PKI public/private key infrastructure, SSL (secure socket layer), TLS (transport
layer security), the Dual_EC_DRBG
NSA algorithm and certificate authorities.
The convoluted structure managed by the "Federal Common Policy" group has ceded to
companies like ENTRUST INC the ability to sublicense their authority to third parties who in
turn manage entire other networks in a Gordian knot of relationships clearly designed to fool
the public to hide their devilish criminality. All roads lead back to Hillary and the Rose
Law Firm."- patriots4truth
When you are paid a lot of money to come up with plots "psyops", you tend to come up with
plots for "psyops". The word "entrapment" comes to mind. Probably "self-serving" also.
FBI/Anonymous can use this story to support a narrative that social media bots posting
memes is a problem for everybody, and it's not a partisan issue. The idea is that fake news
and unrestricted social media are inherently dangerous, and both the West and Russia are
exploiting that, so governments need to agree to restrict the ability to use those platforms
for political speech, especially without using True Names.
Oilygawkies in the UK and USSA seem to be letting their spooks have a good-humored (rating
here on the absurd transparency of these ops) contest to see who can come up with the most
surreal propaganda psy-ops.
But they probably also serve as LHO distractions from something genuinely sleazy.
Anti-Russian is just a code word for Globalist, Internationalist. Anything that is
remotely like Nationalism is the true enemy of these Globalist/Internationalists, which is
what the Top-Ape Bolshevik promoted: see Vladimir Lenin and his quotes on how he believed
fully in "internationalism" for a world without borders. Ironic how they Love the butchers of
the Soviet Union but hate Russia. It is ALL ABOUT IDEOLOGY to these people and "the means
justify the ends".
Basically, if one acquires factual information from an internet source, which leads to
overturning the propaganda to which we're all subjected, then it MUST have come from Putin.
This is the direction they're headed. Anyone speaking out against the official story is
obviously a Russian spy.
Better to call it the Anti-Integrity Initiative. UK cretins up to their usual dirty tricks - let them choke on their poison. The judgement of history will eventually catch up with them.
A good 'ole economic collapse will give western countries a chance to purge their crazy
leaders before they involve us all in a thermonuclear war. Short everything with your entire
accounts.
This is such BS. Since when does Russia have the resources to pull all this off? They have
such a complex program that they need the coordinated efforts of all the resources of the
WEST? This is nuts.
Isn't it just as likely someone in the WEST planted this cache, intending Anonymous to
find it?
Any propaganda coming from the UK or US is strictly zionist. EVERYTHING they put out is to
the benefit of Israel and the "lobby". Russia isn't perfect, but if they're an enemy of the
latter, then they should NOT be considered a foe to all thinking and conscientious
people.
Yesterday, the BBC had a thing on Thai workers in Israel, and how they keep dying of
accidents, their general level of slavery etc. Very odd to have a negative Israel story, so I
wonder who upset whom, and what the ongoing status will be.
Thai labourers in Israel tell of harrowing conditions
A year-long BBC investigation has discovered widespread abuse of Thai nationals living
and working in Israel - under a scheme organized by the two governments.
Many are subjected to unsafe working practices and squalid, unsanitary living
conditions. Some are overworked, others underpaid and there are dozens of unexplained
deaths.
England and the U.S. don't like their very poor and rotten social conditions put out for
the public to see. Both countries have severely deteriorating problems on their streets
because of bankrupt governments printing money for foreign wars.
More of the same fraudulent duality while alleged so called but not money etc continues to
flow (everything is criminal) and the cesspool of a hierarchy pretends it's business as
usual.
This isn't about maintaining balance in a lie this is about disclosing the truth and
agendas (Agenda 21 now Agenda 2030 = The New Age Religion is Never Going To Be Saturnism).
The layers of the hierarchy are a lie so unless the alleged so called leaders of those layers
are publicly providing testimony and confession then everything that is being spoon fed to
the pablum puking public through all sources is a lie.
Operating on a budget of £1.9 million (US$2.4 million), the secretive Integrity
Initiative consists of "clusters" of (((local politicians, journalists, military personnel,
scientists and academics))).
The (((team))) is dedicated to searching for and publishing "evidence" of Russian
interference in European affairs, while themselves influencing leadership behind the scenes,
the documents claim.
Anonymous have leaked some documents relating to a secretive (and Orwellian) UK Government
'Integrity Initiative' project launched in 2017. There are numerous PDF files detailing
members, organizational structure, budgets, 'mission statements', etc. The backup documents
are held at pdf-archive. The project has members from the FCO, MOD, journalists, academics,
the usual thinktanks - Chatham House, Atlantic Council, Hermitage Foundation - and the usual
suspects - Browder, Applebaum, Aaronovitch.
One document contains an interesting reference the the Skripal incident. The project team
describe it as a 'Dirty Trick'. Given these documents all pass through the FCO for funding
and overall project approval, that must also be the FCO view. That suggests that the
government is fully aware that Skripal wasn't poisoned by the Russians. If the Russians
really had attempted to murder Skripal, it would be referred to as attempted murder, use of
CW, act of war, etc. and not a 'dirty trick'.
Embarrassing yellow paper journalism: attempt to connect the deal with Skripals false flag
operation by British intelligence agencies. The Daily Mail story preudo-analyst from Bellingcat
as a serious source, but provides no source at all for the alleged Russian quotes.
This actually a quite interesting article ( [written] by the 5 eyes intelligence
agencies)
Hot on the heels of proven Saudi state sanctioned murder under diplomatic immunity we have
a completely UNFOUNDED accusation that Russia has essentially committed the same crime.
Saudi bad guy.....Russia bad guy. Two negatives equals a positive (kind of thing). See
what I just did there? LMAO
The US spent $824.6 billion in 2018 compared to Russia's budget of $46 billion (18 times
the difference). Nevertheless, Congress recently declared, that in the event of a war with
Russia, the US could lose! So, if a President (Obama, Trump, whoever) really wanted to "Make
America Great Again" he would have to begin by firing 90% of the Military Industrial
Complex.
and Daily Mail knows this detail of how he emerged after the meeting because ...
more to come from BS factory ...
janus 1 day ago
Daily Mail will report that he died trying to slaughter a convention of journalists at
Putin's behest.
So ******* sick of britain's ruling class i want to wretch, if we need to break Britain to
get rid of them, so be it. They're all a bunch of decadent pedos and foppish fags
matriculated on globalism. they're disgusting, and even though we'll never get to see the
details, they actively tried to undermine our democracy (along with Tel Aviv).
And so it goes with our 'special relationships', special indeed, with friends like
these...
janus
Shemp 4 Victory 1 day ago
And Daily Mail knows this detail of how he emerged after the meeting because. Because they
read it from a script provided by a branch of MI6 known as OSF (Office of Substandard
Fiction).
"... There is something very, very COINTELPRO about the idea of "protecting" Americans from "foreign influence", and that should give liberals the heebie-jeebies. There is also an ongoing structural witch-hunt effect, unchanged from the McCarthy era, when internet firm heads are called to testify before congress. ..."
"... Bottom line - the Russians may have had no more effect on the election than the loose change in your house has on your salary. ..."
"... "Even more extreme measures are being planned and implemented, motivated by the basic principle that the greater the lie, the more aggressive the methods required to enforce it." ..."
"... "While the extortionate salaries commanded by the BBC's biggest stars are justified by "market rates," this underlying premise is never challenged by the women who are leading the gender pay fight. They don't oppose the capitalist market; they just want a bigger slice of the pie, with the working class footing the bill via contributions to the £4 billion annual license fee." - BBC gender pay row: Selective outrage of wealthy women ..."
"... The greater the inequality, the greater the lie to enforce it. ..."
"... While WSWS was uniquely correct in exposing Bush, Powell, and the ruling-elite structure of the U.S. as using deceit and lies to start an 'aggressive war' (the ultimate war crime), your description of this corrupt system of global power headquartered in the U.S. did not fully diagnose and expose it for what it was; a disguised global capitalist EMPIRE. ..."
"... Your description could have more effectively warned American citizen/'subjects' and the world that "Rather, it is a war of colonial (Empire) conquest, driven by a series of economic and geo-political aims that center on the seizure of Iraq's oil resources and the assertion of US global (Empire, not merely) hegemony." ..."
"... In any case, Andre and Joseph, thanks for reminding readers of this dark and deceitful moment of U.S. history in starting another 'aggressive war' almost two decades ago --- which wars will unfortunately continue until Americans themselves expose and ignite an essential Second America "Revolution Against Empire" [Justin duRivage] ..."
"... The Anglo-American-Israelite Empire is globally entrenched and enjoying expansion since 1945 ..."
"... I must admit myself I am disturbed by the sheer volume of unchallenged propaganda regarding these claims in the past few months. The media talking heads and various analysts don't ever really say what the implication of what their claims really mean-war. We are in an age of new mccarthyism ..."
"... What was amazing about Powell's charade was that even if Old Bad Ass as I call Saddam had had some Wombars of Mass Destruction they posed no danger whatsoever! It was obvious 9/11 had put the masses into a tizzy and they would have attacked Mars if told to! ..."
"... Yes, the "New Pearl Harbour" called for and carried out by the authors of the "Project for a New American Century" worked as planned. ..."
"... Quite right. My late father was a structural design engineer, specializing in large steel structures like the WTC and he called it as soon as the buildings imploded! ..."
"... Yes, Michael, the 'media/propaganda-sector' of this seven-sectored Disguised Global Capitalist EMPIRE is currently the most effective sector --- but the other six; corporate, financial, militarist, extra-legal, CFR 'Plot-Tanks', and of course the dual-party Vichy-political facade of the 'rougher-talking' neocon 'R' Vichy Party and the 'smoother-lying' neoliberal-con 'D' Vichy Party are all helping to keep the Empire sound, hidden, and empowered over the only American citizen/'subjects' who could possibly form a "Political Revolution against Empire" ..."
"... While it is true that D.C. is run by delusional psychotics that does not mean they are irrational as far as their greed is concerned. ..."
"... As R. Luxemburg pleaded that WWI was not "our" war but war of bunch of aristocrats wanting to divide colonies and bunch of bankers wanted their bad speculative loans repaid, using working class flesh and blood. ..."
This is one of the most sensible editorials on the Russia issue I've seen, and it is true, insofar as it goes. There is something
very, very COINTELPRO about the idea of "protecting" Americans from "foreign influence", and that should give liberals the heebie-jeebies.
There is also an ongoing structural witch-hunt effect, unchanged from the McCarthy era, when internet firm heads are called to
testify before congress.
That said, I wouldn't dismiss the effect of the Russian involvement, or the relevance of the charges against Trump and his
people. Bear in mind that the Party of McCarthy has been all about spying on its opponents from the days of HUAC. Nixon's break-in
at the Watergate Hotel didn't singlehandedly decide the election ... but who would believe that was the only underhanded tactic
he used? Republicans believe that if you're not cheating, you're not trying -- holding out for any ethical standard makes you
inherently disloyal and unworthy of support. Something like Kavanaugh's involvement in the hacking of Democrats in 2003 (
http://www.foxnews.com/poli... ) should be no surprise; neither should the "Guccifer" hack that put the Democrats' data in
the hands of Wikileaks. (Their subsequent attempts to demand Wikileaks not publish such a newsworthy leak, of course, is the sort
of thing that undermines their position with me!)
Bottom line - the Russians may have had no more effect on the election than the loose change in your house has on your salary.
But if you go back in your house after the Republicans were minding it, don't be surprised if together with the missing couch
change you notice some missing silverware, your kitchen tap has been sawed off, and the laptop is short half its RAM. By the time
you've catalogued everything missing, the stolen brass part from the gas main downstairs might have blown you to smithereens.
"Even more extreme measures are being planned and implemented, motivated by the basic principle that the greater the lie,
the more aggressive the methods required to enforce it."
There are many reasons the bourgeoisie is unfit to rule. Each one of them is bound up with the lies required to enforce
its rule. The greater its unfitness, "the greater the lie, the more aggressive the methods required to enforce it.
"While the extortionate salaries commanded by the BBC's biggest stars are justified by "market rates," this underlying premise
is never challenged by the women who are leading the gender pay fight. They don't oppose the capitalist market; they just
want a bigger slice of the pie, with the working class footing the bill via contributions to the £4 billion annual license fee."
- BBC gender pay row: Selective outrage of wealthy women
The greater the inequality, the greater the lie to enforce it.
While WSWS was uniquely correct in exposing Bush, Powell, and the ruling-elite structure of the U.S. as using deceit and lies
to start an 'aggressive war' (the ultimate war crime), your description of this corrupt system of global power headquartered in
the U.S. did not fully diagnose and expose it for what it was; a disguised global capitalist EMPIRE.
Your description could have more effectively warned American citizen/'subjects' and the world that "Rather, it is a war of
colonial (Empire) conquest, driven by a series of economic and geo-political aims that center on the seizure of Iraq's oil resources
and the assertion of US global (Empire, not merely) hegemony."
In any case, Andre and Joseph, thanks for reminding readers of this dark and deceitful moment of U.S. history in starting another
'aggressive war' almost two decades ago --- which wars will unfortunately continue until Americans themselves expose and ignite
an essential Second America "Revolution Against Empire" [Justin duRivage]
The Anglo-American-Israelite Empire is globally entrenched and enjoying expansion since 1945. It is time radical critiques of
its values, power and methods should call it by its right name.
I must admit myself I am disturbed by the sheer volume of unchallenged propaganda regarding these claims in the past few months.
The media talking heads and various analysts don't ever really say what the implication of what their claims really mean-war.
We are in an age of new mccarthyism
What was amazing about Powell's charade was that even if Old Bad Ass as I call Saddam had had some Wombars of Mass Destruction
they posed no danger whatsoever! It was obvious 9/11 had put the masses into a tizzy and they would have attacked Mars if told
to!
just because it was a convenient act for them to do what they wanted in conquering iraq is not reason that idiots like that are
capable of planning and concealing the numerous co-conspirators to arrange something like 9..11. imperialism can always count
on blowback to have occasion for further crimes. there is the slim chance that they knew what was being planned and that they
let it happen - except that none of those folks is evil enough for that. not even dick cheney. what i love about all conspiracy
theories of the american kind is that they never nam or show an actual conspirator conspiring. look at one of the truly great
failed conspiracy, that of the 20th july 1944 in germany that was meant to kill hitler and how many people were arrested in no
time at all and executed..
A "conspiracy" is just any two or more people getting together to discuss something affecting one or more other people without
them being party to the discussion. Like a surprise birthday party, for instance. Obviously the "official" version of the 9/11
events is also a "conspiracy theory" that 19 mostly Saudi Arabians led by a guy hiding in a cave in Afghanistan conspired to carry
out co-ordinated attacks that just happened to coincide with most of the USAF being conveniently off in Alaska and northern Canada
on an exercise that day, and another "coinciding exercise" simulating a multiple hijacking being carried out in the northeast
US thereby confusing the Air Traffic Controllers as to whether the hijackings were "real world or exercise", significantly delaying
the response, among other things.
Do you really believe that WTC 7, a steel frame building which was not adjacent to WTC 1 & 2, and was NOT hit by any airplanes,
coincidentally collapsed due to low temperature paper and furniture office fires? Something that has never happened before or
since? Or that such low temperature fires would cause the massive heavily reinforced concrete central core/elevator shaft to collapse
first, pulling the rest of the building inward onto it in classic controlled demolition technique?
It is getting more difficult to find the videos showing that now as Google, as with WSWS articles, is pushing them off the
front pages of results, while Snopes has put out a some very misleading reports that set up false "straw man" claims and then
"disprove" them. Even the "disproofs" are false.
For instance, a Snopes report on the WTC 7 collapse states: "relied heavily on discredited claims, none of which were new,
including:
Jet fuel cannot melt steel beams (This claim is misleading, as steel beams do to not need to melt completely to be compromised
structurally).
A sprinkler system would have prevented temperatures from rising high enough to cause to cause structural damage. (This claim
ignores the fact that a crash from a 767 jet would likely destroy such a system.)
The structural system would have been protected by fireproofing material (similarly, such a system would have been damaged
in a 767 crash). "
Jet fuel, which is Kerosene, burns at around 575Ί in open air, which was the case in WTC buildings 1 & 2. Most of it was vaporized
by the impact with the buildings and burned of within minutes. At any rate, 575Ί is far below the point at which structural steel
specifically designed to withstand high temperature fires like that used in the World Trade Centre buildings is weakened.
All of which is irrelevant, as are the other "points" made by Snopes, because Building 7 was not hit by an airplane and there
was no jet fuel involved. Something conveniently "overlooked" by Snopes and other similar misleading "disproofs". Not to mention
that the Intelligence establishment is busy putting out false trails constantly which use, for instance, obviously faked photos
or videos of the three WTC buildings collapsing to discredit the real videos and photos by setting up "straw men" they can then
"disprove" and point to as "evidence" that people who don't believe the official version are "creating fake news".
Quite right. My late father was a structural design engineer, specializing in large steel structures like the WTC and he called
it as soon as the buildings imploded!
"The perpetrators and their conspiracy is not a theory since it has been proved."
By "proved" I assume you are referring to "proofs" such as the fantastical claim that Mohammed Atta's passport was allegedly
and fortuitously "found" when it supposedly survived the 600 mph impact of the 767 he was supposedly piloting with a huge steel
and concrete building, survived the huge fireball it was supposedly in the middle of unscorched, and conveniently fluttered to
the ground intact to land at the feet of an FBI agent who immediately realized it must have belonged to one of the hijackers!
Even Hans Christian Andersen couldn't invent Fairy Tales like that.
the best that conspiracy theorist can do is, invariably, to call proven facts "just another theory " which only proves that they
are actually aware that they are full of hot air! zarembas father as a structural engineer unless a fantasy is certainly better
off among the dead than among the living and perpetrating his ignorance of steel and weight and fire onto the world!
Just because all the details aren't known as to who conspired and why there's enough holes in the "official conspiracy theory"
of 19 hijackers to conclude that this could not have been pulled off without some conspiring on the American side. Certainly the
the neocons benefited greatly from these attacks. So motive is there for sure.
Yes, Michael, the 'media/propaganda-sector' of this seven-sectored Disguised Global Capitalist EMPIRE is currently the most
effective sector --- but the other six; corporate, financial, militarist, extra-legal, CFR 'Plot-Tanks', and of course the dual-party
Vichy-political facade of the 'rougher-talking' neocon 'R' Vichy Party and the 'smoother-lying' neoliberal-con 'D' Vichy Party
are all helping to keep the Empire sound, hidden, and empowered over the only American citizen/'subjects' who could possibly form
a "Political Revolution against Empire"
While it is true that D.C. is run by delusional psychotics that does not mean they are irrational as far as their greed is
concerned.
There is nothing to win in global nuke war, all know it while the outcome would be surely the current global oligarchy loosing
grip on population destroying the system that works for them so well giving chance to what they dread socialist revolution they
would have been much weaker to counter.
Regional conflicts are just positioning of oligarchy for management of global oligarchic country club while strict class morality
is maintained.
What I do not we are conditions for war (split of global ruling elites) while what I see is broad propaganda of war as a excuse
to clamp down on fake enemy in order to control respective populations while there is factual unity among world oligarchy.
As R. Luxemburg pleaded that WWI was not "our" war but war of bunch of aristocrats wanting to divide colonies and bunch
of bankers wanted their bad speculative loans repaid, using working class flesh and blood.
She died abandoned by those on the left who embraced the war for their political aspirations, she was murdered for her true
internationalism i.e. No war fought between working people of one country and working people of another country.
Kalen, it's only effective to use the correct and understandable term 'Empire' in exposing, warning, and motivating average Americans
--- since very few even know what words like; oligarchy, plutocracy, fascism, authoritarianism, corporate-state, or Wolin's 'inverted
totalitarianism' mean --- let alone could ever serve as rallying cries for the coming essential Second American Revolution against
EMPIRE.
As Pat would have shouted if Tom had taken the Paine to edit his call, "Give me Liberty over EMPIRE, or Give me Death!"
"Sweet Carolyn" OH OH OH --- Yes, only a very small percentage of Americans understand that our former country, the U.S. of America,
is categorically, provably, and absolutely a new form of Empire, and is inexorably the first in world history an; 'effectively-disguised',
'truly-global', 'dual-party Vichy', and 'capitalist-fueled' EMPIRE --- an EMPIRE, really just an EMPIRE!
Just do an honest survey, "Sweet Carolyn", yourself, and if you're not a "Sweet Liarlyn", you will have to admit that essentially
ZERO of the first 1000 people you ask, will say --- "Oh ya, Carolyn, of course I know that this whole effin 'system' that others
less informed may still be so stupid that they think they live in a real country, when I (enter their name) do solemnly swear
is just an effin EMPIRE, which is so well disguised, that these few idiots who don't understand that they are just citizen/'subjects'
of this monsterous EMPIRE."
Do the survey, "Sweet Carolyn" and if you don't lie to yourself --- which maybe you do, because HELL, your job is to lie to
others (so it's quite likely that you'll lie about anything) --- you'll find that exactly zero average Americans have the effin
slightest idea in the world that their great 'country' is actually an effin EMPIRE.
HELL, Carolyn, almost half the Americans repeatedly yell, "We're number ONE", "We're number ONE", that their brains would rather
rattle themselves to death than even let logic, history, knowledge, or anything into their addled and propaganda filled heads!
Excellent article, and it did a particularly good job of tying together the foreign policy and domestic policy stratagems of a
major faction of the U.S. ruling class. I, for one, do not doubt that the Russians conduct some sort of cyber warfare against
the U.S.; but that must be understood by considering the fact that every major governmental, political, military, and business
organization on the face of the Earth must now operate in this manner. A friend of mine's son, who was in the Army, pointed out
that the big players, by a wide margin, in spying on and to some degree interfering in the U.S. domestic scene are China and Israel.
Kevin Barrett has written and said on various radio shows that much of what is attributed to the "Russians" are actually the actions
of Russian/Israeli dual citizens, many of whom move freely between the U.S., Russia, and Israel. And, of course, the U.S. runs
major spy and manipulation operations in more countries than any other nation of Earth, and U.S. based corporations are busy both
inside the U.S. and in foreign places in similar activities.
It is clearly a desire of significant sectors, of the Capitalist rulers of the U.S., to repress dissent and political activities
that oppose their agendas. It took them a few years to realize that their old methods using TV, hate radio, magazines, direct
mail, and newspapers were losing their effectiveness. They have been increasing their attacks on leftist websites, hacking into
websites, closing websites using phonied-up "national security" justifications, employing numerous trolls, and establishing and
funding more far right websites, such as Breitbart and Infowars. These efforts are most effective when they are not overpowering
and heavy handed.
The classic book on this was the 1988 book "Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media"
by Noam Chomsky and Edward Hermann. Rob Williams has updated the concept for the internet age in
<http:
www.vermontindependent.org ="" the-post-truth-world-reviving-the-propaganda-model-of-news-for-our-digital-age=""/>.
The strategy
is nothing new, the methods are merely updated and use the latest technologies.
I guess the lesson to be learned here is that rigging elections through byzantine electoral laws and billion dollar corporate
slush funds is a thing of the past. All you need now is 13 amateur IT goomba's with a marketing scheme and twitter accounts. Well, sure is a fragile "World's Sole Superpower" we got here. Go Team?
"... Which gets you to the astronomical 21 to 50 trillion in missing funds identified by the U of Mich professor and the further work of a woman financier 0T.extrapolated that the total sum missing from the Budget office is over 50T. ..."
"... The MIC is all about sucking the teat dry, and the US taxpayer is rewarded by the biggest uncontrolled defense budget ever, believe to be 1,3 trillion dollars. ..."
I$I$ developed
sophisticated videos and propaganda tools in Britain. It is absurd to claim that a state-less
group somewhere in MENA created these materials and engaged in sophisticated hacking attacks from
some cave in Tora Bora. My guess is the 'sophisticated Jack's of the CIA in 2011 and 2012 and of
the Pentagon in 2012 and 2013, which revealed ALL the personal and banking identity of every
employee, agent, soldier and contractor were Korea-China origin, and China treats I$I$ by mass
detention, force-feeding pork and vodka, and mass chanting Long Live PRC.
"My guess is the 'sophisticated Jack's of the CIA in 2011 and 2012 and of the Pentagon
in 2012 and 2013, which revealed ALL the personal and banking identity of every employee,
agent, soldier and contractor were Korea-China origin."
I think the theft was a false flag, did anyone ever see any of those records? IMO the
purpose of the FF was to then use all of that data to create phony invoices which as the
Pentagon et al are never audited would never be questioned.
Which gets you to the astronomical 21 to 50 trillion in missing funds identified by
the U of Mich professor and the further work of a woman financier 0T.extrapolated that the
total sum missing from the Budget office is over 50T.
The articles below mention that the supporting documentation is now missing from the
Budget office website. The professor had copied all the data before contacting the budge
office and when the budget office didn't return his calls and their website deleted the
information he made the info public.
Posted on Ars Tech in response to the evergrowing militaristic US and demonisation of Russia:
"Beware of the Greeks , when they bring gifts"
I find it rather comical that a representative of the MIC lauds cost saving in the federal
government and their own policies.
The MIC is all about sucking the teat dry, and the US taxpayer is rewarded by the
biggest uncontrolled defense budget ever, believe to be 1,3 trillion dollars.
The US must have some mighty enemies, surely, at this spending. Americans must live in
daily fear; fear of some bogeyman (China, Russia) will invade and pillage; pillage exactly
what?
"... Union Jackboot: What Your Media and Professors Don't Tell You About British Foreign Policy ..."
"... There seems to be a consensus that we need a strong military because Russia is on the rise. What do you think about that rationale? ..."
"... What about military threats? ..."
"... So we've extended NATO to pretty much the Russian border? But there's a hard border there. Everyone knows we're never going to attack Russia, both for reasons of morality and self-preservation. So maybe this situation is safer than you imply. ..."
"... Brexit White Paper ..."
"... T. J. Coles is a postdoctoral researcher at Plymouth University's Cognition Institute and the author of several books. ..."
"... Matthew Alford teaches at Bath University in the UK and has also written several books. Their latest is ..."
"... The Rise and Fall of the British Empire ..."
"... Bolshevism and Imperial Sedition ..."
"... Power without Responsibility ..."
"... Russian Roulette: A Deadly Game: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin's Global Plot ..."
"... Statement for the Record: Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community ..."
"... Vision for 2020 ..."
"... Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future ..."
"... The New Atlanticist ..."
"... The United Kingdom's relations with Russia ..."
Alford: There seems to be a consensus that we need a strong military because Russia is on the rise. What do you think about
that rationale?
Coles: There's no consensus, except among European and American elites. Europe and America are not the world.
There are a lot of issues to consider with regards to Russia. Is it a threat? If so to whom? What kind of threat is Russia? So
let's consider these questions carefully. As far as the British establishment is concerned, Russia is an ideological threat because
it is a major power with a substantial population. It's also self-reliant where oil and gas is concerned, unlike Britain. So there's
lots of potential for Russian political ideology to undermine Britain's status. In fact, there are European Council on Foreign Relations
papers saying that Putin's Russia presents an "ideological alternative" to the EU.
[i] And that's dangerous.
Britain, or more accurately its policymaking elites, have considered Russia a significant enemy for over a century. Under the
Tsar, the so-called Great Game was a battle for strategic resources, trading routes, and so on. The historian Lawrence James calls
this period the first Cold War, which went "hot" with the Crimean War (1853-56).
[ii] Britain had a mixed relationship with
the Tsars because, on the one hand, theirs' were repressive regimes and Britain tended to favour repressive regimes, hence their
brief alliance with Russia's enemy, the Ottomans. On the other hand, Russia was a strategic threat to Britain's imperial interests,
and thus the Crimean War (1853-56).
When the Bolsheviks took over Russia, beginning 1917, the relationship became much less ambiguous Russians, and especially Bolsheviks,
were clearly the enemy. Their ideology posed a threat internally. So Winston Churchill, who began as a Liberal and became a Conservative,
considered the Labour Party, which was formed in 1900, as basically a front for Bolsheviks.
[iii] That shows the level of paranoia among
elites. The Labour Party, at least at the beginning, was a genuine, working man's political organisation women couldn't vote then,
remember. So by associating this progressive, grassroots party representing the working classes as an ideological ally or even puppet
of the brutal Bolshevik regime, the Tories had an excuse to undermine the power of organised, working people. So you had the Zinoviev
letter in 1924, which we now know was a literal conspiracy between the secret services and elements of the Tory party to fabricate
a link between Labour and Moscow. And it famously cost Labour the general election, since the right-wing, privately-owned media ran
with the story as though it was real. It's an early example of fake news.
[iv]
That's the ideological threat that Russia has posed, historically. But where there's a threat, there's an opportunity. The British
elites exploited the "threat" then and as they do today by associating organised labour with evil Bolshevism and, in doing so, alienate
the lower classes from their own political interests. Suddenly, we've all got to be scared of Russia, just like in 1917. And let's
not forget that Britain used chemical weapons M-Devices, which induced vomiting against the Bolsheviks. Chemical weapons were
"the right medicine for the Bolshevist," in Churchill's words. This was in 1919, as part of the Allied invasion of Russia in support
of the White Army. [v]
So if we're talking about the historical balance of forces and cause and effect, Britain not Russia initiated the use of chemical
weapons against others. But this history is typically inverted to say that Russia poses a threat to the West, hence all the talk
about Novichok, the Skripals, and Dawn Sturgess, the civilian who supposedly came into contact with Novichok and died in hospital
a few days later.
The next question: What sort of threat is Russia? According to the US Army War College, since the collapse of the Soviet
Union and since pro-US, pro-"free market" President Boris Yeltsin resigned in 1999, Russia has pursued so-called economic nationalism.
And the US doesn't like this because markets suddenly get closed and taxes are raised against US corporations.
[vi] That's the real threat. But you can't
tell the public that: that we hate Russia because they aren't doing what we say. If you look through the military documents, you
can find almost nothing about security threats against the US in terms of Russian
expansion, except in the sense that "security" means operational freedom. You can find references to Russia's nuclear weapons,
though, which are described as defensive, designed "to counter US forces and weapons systems."
[vii] Try finding that on the BBC. I should
mention that even "defensive" nukes can be launched accidentally.
The real goal with regards to Russia is maintaining US economic hegemony and the culture of open "free markets" that goes with
it, while at the same time being protectionist in real life. (US protectionism didn't start under Trump, by the way.) Liberal media
like the New York Times run sarcastic articles about Russian state oil and gas being a front for Putin and his cronies.
And yes, that may be true. But what threat is Russia to the US if it has a corrupt government? The threat is closing its markets
to the US. The US is committed to what its military calls Full Spectrum Dominance. So the world needs to be run in a US-led neoliberal
order, in the words of the US military, "to protect US interests and investment."
[viii] But this cannot be done if you have
"economic nationalism," like China had until the "reforms" of the '70s and '80s, and still has today to some extent. Russia and China
aren't military threats. The global population on the whole knows this, even though the domestic US and British media say the opposite.
Alford: What about military threats?
Coles: The best sources you can get are the US military records. Straight from the horse's mouth. The military plans for war and
defence. They have contingencies for when political situations change. So they know what they're talking about. There's a massive
divide between reality, as understood from the military records, and media and political rhetoric. Assessments by the US Army War
College, for instance, said years ago that any moves by NATO to support a Western-backed government in Ukraine would provoke Russia
into annexing Crimea. They don't talk about Russia spontaneously invading Ukraine and annexing it, which is the image we get from
the media. The documents talk about Russia reacting to NATO provocation.
[ix]
If you look at a map, you see Russia surrounded by hostile NATO forces. The media don't discuss this dangerous and provocative
situation, except the occasional mention of, say, US-British-Polish war-gaming on the border with Russia. When they do mention it,
they say it's for "containment," the containment of Russia. But to contain something, the given thing has to be expanding. But the
US military like the annual threat assessments to Congress say that Russia's not expanding, except when provoked. So at the moment
as part of its NATO mission, the UK is training Polish and Ukrainian armed forces, has deployed troops in Poland and Estonia, and
is conducting military exercises with them.
[x]
Imagine if Scotland ceded from the UK and the Russians were on our border conducting military exercises, supposedly to deter a
British invasion of Scotland. That's what we're doing in Ukraine. Britain's moves are extremely dangerous. In the 1980s, the UK as
part of NATO conducted the exercise, Operation Able Archer, which envisaged troop build-ups between NATO and the Warsaw Pact countries.
Now-declassified records show that the Russians briefly mistook this exercise for a real-world scenario. That could have escalated
into nuclear war. This is very serious. [xi]
But the biggest player is the USA. It's using the threat of force and a global architecture of hi-tech militarism to shape a neoliberal
order. Britain is slavishly following its lead. I doubt that Britain would position forces near Russia were it not for the USA. Successive
US administrations have or are building a missile system in Europe and Turkey. They say it's to deter Iran from firing Scud missiles
at Europe. But it's pointed at Russia. It's a radar system based in Romania and Turkey, with a battery of Patriot missiles based
in Poland. The stationing of missiles there provoked Russia into moving its mobile nuclear weapons up to the border in its Kaliningrad
exclave, as it warned it would do in 2008.
[xii] Try to find any coverage of that in the media, except for a few articles in the print media here or there. If Western media
were interested in survival, there would be regular headlines: "NATO provoking Russia."
But the situation in Ukraine is really the tipping point. Consider the equivalent. Imagine if Russia was conducting military exercises
with Canada or Mexico, and building bases there. How would the US react? It would be considered an extreme threat, a violation of
the UN Charter, which prohibits threats against sovereign states.
Alford: So we've extended NATO to pretty much the Russian border? But there's a hard border there. Everyone knows we're never
going to attack Russia, both for reasons of morality and self-preservation. So maybe this situation is safer than you imply.
Coles: There's no morality involved. States are abstract, amorphous entities comprised of dominant minorities and subjugated majorities
who are conditioned to believe that they are relatively free and prosperous. The elites of those states act both in their self-interests
career, peer-pressure, kickbacks, and so on and in the interests of their class, which is of course tied to international relations
because their class thrives on profiting from resource exploitation. So you can't talk about morality in this context. Only individuals
can behave morally. The state is made up of individuals, of course, but they're acting against the interests of the majority. As
we speak, they are acting immorally or at least amorally but creating the geopolitical conditions that imperil each
and every one of us.
As for invasion, we're not going to invade Russia. This isn't 1918. Russia has nuclear weapons and can deter an invasion. But
that's not the point. Do we want to de-escalate an already tense geopolitical situation or make it worse to the point where an accident
happens? So while it's not about invading Russia directly, the issue is about attacking what are called Russia's "national interests."
Russia's "national interests" are the same as the elites' of the UK. National interest doesn't mean the interests of the public.
It means the interests of the policymaking establishment and the corporations. For example, the Theresa May government sacrificed
its own credibility to ensure that its Brexit White Paper (2018) appeased both the interests of the food and manufacturing
industries that want a soft Brexit easy trade with the EU and the financial services sector which wants a hard Brexit freedom
from EU regulation. Everyone else be damned. That's the "national interest."
So for its real "national interest," Russia wants to keep Ukraine in its sphere of influence because its oil and gas to Europe
pass through Ukraine. About 80% of Russia's export economy is in the oil and gas sector. It's already had serious political tensions
with Ukraine, which on several occasions hasn't paid its energy bills, so Russia has cut supplies. If Europe can bump Ukraine into
its own sphere of influence it has more leverage over Russia. This is practically admitted in Parliamentary discussions by Foreign
Office ministers, and so forth. [xiii]
Again, omitted by the media. Also, remember that plenty of ethnic Russians live in eastern Ukraine. In addition, Russia has a naval
base in Crimea. That's not to excuse its illegal action in annexing Ukraine, it's to highlight the realpolitik missing in
the media's coverage of the situation.
T. J. Coles is a postdoctoral researcher at Plymouth University's Cognition Institute and the author of several books.
Matthew Alford teaches at Bath University in the UK and has also written several books. Their latest is
Union Jackboot(Atι Books).
[ii] 'Anglo-Russian relations were severely
strained; what was in effect a cold war lasted from the late 1820s to the beginning of the next century'. The Crimean War seems to
have set a precedent for today. James writes:
[It] was an imperial war, the only one fought by Britain against a European power during the nineteenth century, although some
would have regarded Russia as essentially an Asiatic power. No territory was at stake; the war was undertaken solely to guarantee
British naval supremacy in the Mediterranean and, indirectly, to forestall any threat to India which might have followed Russia
replacing Britain as the dominant power in the Middle East.
Lawrence James (1997) The Rise and Fall of the British Empire London: Abacus, pp. 180-82.
All these strikes and rumours of strikes and threats of strikes and loss and suffering caused by them; all this talk of revolution
and "direct action" have deeply offended most of the British people. There is a growing feeling that a considerable section of
organized Labour is trying to tyrannize over the whole public and to bully them into submission, not by argument, not by recognized
political measures, but by brute force
But if we can do little for Russia [under the Bolsheviks], we can do much for Britain. We do not want any of these experiments
here
Whether it is the Irish murder gang or the Egyptian vengeance society, or the seditious extremists in India, or the arch-traitors
we have at home, they will feel the weight of the British arm.
A settlement of relations between the two countries [UK and Russia] will assist in the revolutionising of the international
and British proletariat, [and] make it possible for us to extend and develop the propaganda and ideas of Leninism in England and
the colonies.
It also says that 'British workmen' have 'inclinations to compromise' and that rapprochement will eventually lead to domestic
'[a]rmed warfare'. It was leaked by the services to the Conservative party and then to the media. Richard Norton-Taylor (1999) 'Zinoviev
letter was dirty trick by MI6' Guardianhttps://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/feb/04/uk.politicalnews6
and Louise Jury (1999) 'Official Zinoviev letter was forged' Independenthttp://www.independent.co.uk/news/official-zinoviev-letter-was-forged-1068600.html
. For media coverage at the time, see James Curran and Jean Seaton (1997) Power without Responsibility London: Routledge,
p. 52.
[v] Paul F. Walker (2017) 'A Century
of Chemical Warfare: Building a World Free of Chemical Weapons' Conference: One Hundred Years of Chemical Warfare: Research, Deployment,
Consequences pp. 379-400 and Giles Milton (2013) Russian Roulette: A Deadly Game: How British Spies Thwarted Lenin's Global Plot
London: Hodder, eBook.
[vi] 'The Russian Federation has shown
repeatedly that common values play almost no role in its consideration of its trading partners', meaning the US and EU. 'It often
builds relationships with countries that most openly thwart Western values of free markets and democracy', notably Iran and Venezuela.
'In this regard, the Russian Federation behaves like "Russia Incorporated." It uses its re-nationalized industries to further its
wealth and influence, the latter often at the expense of the EU and the U.S.'. Colonel Richard J. Anderson (2008) 'A History of President
Putin's Campaign to Re-Nationalize Industry and the Implications for Russian Reform and Foreign Policy' Senior Service College, US
Army War College, Pennsylvania: Carlisle Barracks, p. 52.
[vii] Daniel R. Coats (2017) Statement
for the Record: Worldwide Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Washington,
DC: Office of the Director of
[ix] The document also says: 'a replay
of the West-sponsored coup against pro-Russian elites could result in a split, or indeed multiple splits, of the failed Ukraine,
which would open a door for NATO intervention'.Pavel K. Baev (2011) 'Russia's security relations with the United States: Futures
planned and unplanned' in Stephen J. Blank (ed.) Russian Nuclear Weapons: Past, Present, and Future Strategic Studies Institute
Pennsylvania: Carlisle Barracks, p. 170, www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/PUB1087.pdf.
[xi] For example, Nate Jones, Thomas
Blanton and Christian F. Ostermann (2016) 'Able Archer 83: The Secret History' Nuclear Proliferation International History Project
Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/able-archer-83-the-secret-history
.
[xii] It was reported in the ultra-right,
neo-con press at the time that:
[Russian] President Dmitri Medvedev announced in his first state-of-the-nation address plans to deploy the short-range SS-26
("Iskander") missiles in the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad if the U.S. goes ahead with its European Ballistic Missile Defense
System (BMDS). Medvedev told parliament that the deployment would "neutralize" U.S. plans for a missile defense shield based in
Poland and the Czech Republic [now in Romania), which the U.S. claims as vital in defending against missile attacks from 'rogue
states' such as Iran.
Neil Leslie (2008) 'The Kaliningrad Missile Crisis' The New Atlanticist , available at http://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/the-kaliningrad-missile-crisis.
[xiii] For example, a Parliamentary
inquiry into British-Russian relations says of the newly-imposed US-British ally in Ukraine:
President Poroshenko's Government is more openly committed to economic reform and anti-corruption than any previous Ukrainian
Administration. The reform agenda has made considerable progress and has enjoyed some successes including police reform, liberalisation
of the energy market and the launch of an online platform for government procurement
The annexation of Crimea also resulted in a ban on importing products from Crimea, on investing in or providing services linked
to tourism and on exporting certain goods for use in the transport, telecoms and energy sectors.
https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2018/08/285043.htm
"Following the use of a "Novichok" nerve agent in an attempt to assassinate UK citizen
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal, the United States, on August 6, 2018,
determined under the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of
1991 (CBW Act) that the Government of the Russian Federation has used chemical or
biological weapons in violation of international law or has used lethal chemical or
biological weapons against its own nationals.
Following a 15-day Congressional notification period, these sanctions will take effect
upon publication of a notice in the Federal Register, expected on or around August 22,
2018"
.....
Under the law, Russia had to end the use of the nerve agent Novichok, which was used in
the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March, commit to not using
chemical weapons against its own people, and allow on-site inspections by agencies like the
United Nations.
"Today, the department informed Congress we could not certify that the Russian
Federation met the conditions," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said in a
statement."
I'm not surprised that you are such a fine shot with his harpoon considering your naval
background, Mark! The UK is slowly sinking to its appropriate level of incompetence and
self-delusion with the likes of former PM Dave Cameron declaring that he is 'shit bored' and
would like to return to cabinet, preferably as Foreign Minister. That could be arranged, but
as Foreign minister in Libya.
Still, the whole 'Russian corrupting in Britain' is the British government's perception
management at its finest. As someone recently posted on the last thread, a Spanish case
against RUSSIAN MAFIA collapsed for lack of evidenceafter ten years , which I
suspect was partly provided by British Intelligence paid organized crime experts from Russia
like Litvenenko & Skripal. Who's been bilked then?
Yes, this is a classic case of 'LOOK OVER THERE!' rather than the billions upon billions
sunk in to London by the UK and the west's bestest Gulf buddies, you know, the one's who fear
not their exposure for outrageous human rights abuses on a genocidal scale such as in Yemen,
and a much smaller scale with the likes of their own citizens, sic Kashoggi. But, Chelsea
& Westminster are such a fundamental part of British Life (coz its London, innit?) and
does very well for itself. I have to admit, it is (mostly) nice around there where you can
take a stroll along the Embankment, wander around Hyde Park and visit the museums.
"Like in the Wild West, betting in the saloon is also common when it comes to Syria. The US
State Department under Obama placed all its bets on some entity they invented, which they
liked to call "moderate rebels" (why not "respectable terrorists" or "polite criminals"?).
They lost. Numerous left-wing academics signed on to regime change years ago, and because
they only pretend to be seasoned analysts for their day jobs, they did not foresee the
collapse of the anti-government forces in Syria. That list included noted "post-colonial"
scholars and anthropologists, united in their belief in "democracy promotion" and remaking
Syria into something palatable to them, with the right leaders in place. Five years later and
a smaller group -- including feminists like Gloria Steinem and Judith Butler, anarchists like
Noam Chomsky and the anthropologist David Graeber, the Marxist David Harvey, and advocates of
recolonization like Michael Walzer -- placed their bets on socialist Kurdish militias,
presumably increasing the value of their bet by the important sign value of their brand name
authority. Ironically, in the process of reimagining legendary Rojava as the site of a second
Spanish Civil War, they were openly collaborating with Donald Trump (not naming him directly,
since "the US government" was more convenient). These signatories were thus complicit with
the very same commander-in-chief of the armed forces they were calling on for support of
Syrian Kurds. They wanted "the US government," whose President is Donald Trump, to impose
sanctions on Turkey, and to develop a foreign policy that put Kurdish interests at the
forefront. You can be sure that, elsewhere, in front of different crowds, they return to "the
Resistance" by puffing up their little chests and sounding all "anti-Trump" -- but when it
came to cheering their favourite band of ethnic anarchists, they could dispense with
appearances. Less "prestigious" characters, publishing in a less "prestigious" outlet,
countered the call to "defend Rojava", a call which appropriated "progressive" politics for
the cause of imperialism (thus reigniting an old marriage). (David Harvey, by the way, having
cashed in on abundant sales of his volume, The New Imperialism, has recently changed his
mind: he has decided that imperialism is merely a metaphor, "rather than anything real". Out
of curiosity, we have to wonder if "capitalism" is also a metaphor, rather than anything
real, seeing how Marxists have linked capitalism with imperialism. Perhaps even socialism is
a metaphor, rather than anything real."
This Canadian has a lot to say well worth reading!!!!!
Looks like Iran was "Skripaled". Intelligence agencies are now capable to perform false flag operation in thier
home countries and blame other government with absolute impunity.
Notable quotes:
"... Israels secret service Mossad, with the CIA behind it, is framing Iran with alleged assassination plots in Europe. ..."
"... It is unlikely that Iran would take action in Europe, which it urgently needs to reduce the damage of U.S. sanction, over an incident for which it already punished the Islamic State. ..."
"... The Danish claims are allegedly based on information provided by Mossad. That only increases the suspicion that the assassination plot is a false flag operation similar to a recent one in Belgium. More likely though is that the CIA is behind such false flag incidents. ..."
"... Bahram Ghasemi, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Iran "re-emphasized" to the diplomats a previous warning about the presence in their respective countries of members of a group that Iran classifies as a terrorist group and wants arrested and prosecuted. ..."
"... On October 30 Denmark suddenly accused Iran of an assassination plot against a leader of the ASMLA group ..."
"... It indeed seems that Danish government, led by the rightwing Venstre party, is collaborating with the U.S. and Britain to sabotage the European position against U.S. sanctions on Iran ..."
"... The former Secretary General of NATO and U.S. stooge Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the predecessor of the current Venstre party leader and Danish premier Lars Lψkke Rasmussen. Both are hawks. ..."
"... Yesterday Israeli journalist reported that the information on which Denmark acted came from Israel ..."
"... Iran's foreign minister accuses Israel of running false flag operations to frame Iran ..."
"... Times of Israel ..."
"... Iran has no interest in causing any upheaval with Europe shortly before the second round of U.S. sanctions, which threaten its economic well being, come into place early this month. Iran already took revenge for the Ahvaz attack. It has no need to tackle some unrelated separatist who resides in Denmark. Iran needs Europe to work around the U.S. sanctions. That aim prohibits any such operations. ..."
"... Both, the MEK plot as well as the case in Denmark, smell of false flag incidents. In both case no one was hurt. In both cases some stooges with no current relation to Iran were caught. Both cases came to light after information was allegedly provided by Mossad ..."
"... "Both, the MEK plot as well as the case in Denmark, smell of false flag incidents. In both case no one was hurt." Just like with the "bombs" shipped to a few US "liberals" recently. ..."
"... It was only going to be a matter of time until Iran got Skripalled. Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif Tweets a list : "Incredible series of coincidences. Or, a simple chronology of a MOSSAD program to kill the JCPOA?" ..."
Israels secret service Mossad, with the CIA behind it, is framing Iran with alleged assassination plots in Europe.
In September a terror attack killed some 30 people in Iran. Two entities, an Arab separatist movement as well as the Islamic State
terror group ISIS, took responsibility. After an investigation Iran found that it was ISIS which was responsible. It took revenge
against the identified culprits.
Six weeks later Denmark claims, without providing evidence, that Iran tried to assassinate a leader of the Arab separatist movement
over the incident. Iran denies any such attempt. The right wing Danish government uses the claim to urge other European countries
to sanction Iran.
It is unlikely that Iran would take action in Europe, which it urgently needs to reduce the damage of U.S. sanction, over
an incident for which it already punished the Islamic State.
The Danish claims are allegedly based on information provided by Mossad. That only increases the suspicion that the assassination
plot is a false flag operation similar to a recent one in Belgium. More likely though is that the CIA is behind such false flag incidents.
The details:
On September 22 gunmen
killed 29 and wounded
more than 70 participants and onlookers of a veterans day parade in Ahvaz, Iran:
Three of the attackers were gunned down during clashes with the security forces and one other was arrested, news agencies reported.
...
"The terrorists disguised as Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and Basiji (volunteer) forces opened fire to the authority
and people from behind the stand during the parade," the governor of Khuzestan, Gholam-Reza Shariati, said, according to IRNA.
U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert also referred to the attack as terrorism. Nauert said on Saturday, "We stand
with the Iranian people against the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism and express our sympathy to them at this terrible time".
On 22 September 2018, Yaqoob Al-Ahvaz claimed responsibility for the 2018 Ahvaz military parade attack in comments to UK-based
Iran International TV. He said that his group Ahvaz National Resistance, a part of Arab Struggle Movement for the Liberation of
Ahvaz, has "no choice but to resist." On 23 September, a statement made in The Hague, Netherlands, on the ASMLA website, denied
responsibility for the attack, saying that the claim was made by a "group that was expelled from the organization since 2015."
After Yaqoob Al-Ahvaz claimed responsibility Iran
accused Saudi Arabia
of involvement in the attack:
IRGC spokesman Ramezan Sharif said the attackers were affiliated with a terrorist group supported by Saudi Arabia, Iran's state-run
Press TV said.
"The individuals who fired at the people and the armed forces during the parade are connected to the al-Ahvaziya group which
is fed by Saudi Arabia," Sharif said. Saudi Arabia has yet to respond to the allegations.
Several years ago ASMLA aka Al-Ahvaziya
committed several
terror attacks in Iran. Its leaders live in the Netherlands and Denmark.
Iran immediately reminded
those countries of their duties:
Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the ambassadors of the Netherlands and Denmark, along with a senior British diplomat on Saturday
to issue a strong protest the attack, Iran's state-run media reports.
Bahram Ghasemi, Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman, said Iran "re-emphasized" to the diplomats a previous warning about
the presence in their respective countries of members of a group that Iran classifies as a terrorist group and wants arrested
and prosecuted.
According to IRNA, Ghasemi said "it is unacceptable" that members of a terrorist group be allowed in those countries and not
be included on the European Union's terror list only because they have not committed crimes on European soil.
A few days later though, Iran concluded that the attack was not committed by the Ahvaz movement, but by the Islamic State. On
October 1 it responded with a missile salvo
that hit Islamic State facilities in Syria:
The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) announced they have bombed a site in eastern Syria in retaliation to the terrorist
attack against a military parade in Iranian Ahvaz 10 days ago.
...
The IRGC confirmed that the targeted terrorist group was behind the terror attack that killed over a dozen and injured many
more in the city of Ahvaz.
An additional operation against the planers of the attack
took place on October 15 in Iraq:
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said on Tuesday they had killed the "mastermind" behind an attack on a military parade in the Iranian
city of Ahvaz last month which left 25 people dead, nearly half of them members of the Guards.
The Guards said in a statement published on state media their forces had killed a man named Abu Zaha and four other militants
in Diyala province in Iraq. One news website run by Iran's state television said Abu Zaha was a member of Islamic State.
That closed the issue for Iran.
On October 30 Denmark suddenly accused Iran of
an assassination plot against a leader of the ASMLA group:
Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen described the alleged planned assassination by Iran of an exiled separatist leader
in Denmark as "totally unacceptable"
The Iranian ambassador to Copenhagen was summoned to the foreign ministry over the allegations. A Norwegian citizen of Iranian
origin was arrested in Sweden on 21 October in connection with the alleged plan. The man denies the charges. Authorities conducted
a massive manhunt on 28 September which led to road closures, trains and ferries being cancelled, and bridges being shut across
Denmark.
On Tuesday, Danish intelligence chief Finn Borch Andersen confirmed the measures had been taken to prevent the alleged plot.
The Danish intelligence accused the Norwegian citizens of taking pictures of a house where one of the ASMLA leader lives. It provide
no evidence for its claims. Iran rejected the accusations:
An Iranian foreign ministry spokesman said such "biased reports" and allegations pursued " the enemy's plots and conspiracies"
to harm the developing relations between Iran and Europe , according to Tasnim news agency.
It indeed seems that Danish government, led by the rightwing Venstre party, is collaborating with the U.S. and Britain to
sabotage the European position against U.S. sanctions on Iran:
Mr Rasmussen said, after a meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May in Oslo, that he appreciated her support. "In close
collaboration with UK and other countries we will stand up to Iran," he tweeted. Foreign Minister Anders Samuelsen said Denmark
would discuss further actions with European partners in the coming days.
The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, congratulated
Denmark on arresting "an Iranian regime assassin".
The former Secretary General of NATO and U.S. stooge Anders Fogh Rasmussen is the predecessor of the current
Venstre party leader and Danish premier Lars Lψkke
Rasmussen. Both are hawks.
Yesterday Israeli journalist reported that the information on which Denmark acted came from Israel:
BREAKING: Israeli Mossad gave Danish Security and Intelligence Service (PET) the information about the assassination attempt
planned by Iranian intelligence service against the leader of the Iranian opposition organization ASMLA, Israeli official tells
me
Well - if Israeli officials says Iran did something bad that will surely be true. (Not.)
Iran's foreign minister
accuses
Israel of running false flag operations to frame Iran :
Denmark's accusations against Iran followed the unveiling of another suspected Iranian plot to target a Paris rally by an opposition
group in June. According to Israeli reports, the Mossad helped thwart that attack as well , which led to the arrest of several
Iranians in Europe, including a diplomat.
The earlier plot
involved two members of the anti-Iranian terror cult MEK in Belgium who were caught with explosives that they allegedly wanted
to use to blow up a MEK conference in Paris:
The allegation that an Iranian operative plotted an attack on French soil is jeopardizing Europe's support for the accord. As
U.S. and Israeli officials ramp up pressure on Europe to sever ties with Tehran, they have cited it as a reason why Mr. Macron
and other leaders should end their support for the deal.
On Tuesday, Denmark announced it had foiled an Iranian operation to kill a dissident, turning up the pressure on Europe to
harden its posture toward Tehran. A spokesman for Iran's foreign ministry said Iran had no involvement in the case.
The most interesting question about such plots is always "Cui bono?". Who benefits from these incidents?
Iran has no interest in causing any upheaval with Europe shortly before the second round of U.S. sanctions, which threaten
its economic well being, come into place early this month. Iran already took revenge for the Ahvaz attack. It has no need to tackle
some unrelated separatist who resides in Denmark. Iran needs Europe to work around the U.S. sanctions. That aim prohibits any such
operations.
Both, the MEK plot as well as the case in Denmark, smell of false flag incidents. In both case no one was hurt. In both cases
some stooges with no current relation to Iran were caught. Both cases came to light after information was allegedly provided by Mossad
.
But is it really Israel who set up these incidents? Both serve U.S. interest just as much. It is no secret that the U.S. wants
to prevent European subversion of U.S. sanctions on Iran.
In June 2017 the Trump administration
installed
a new CIA group to plot and launch undercover operations against Iran. It is led by its most ruthless operator:
He is known as the Dark Prince or Ayatollah Mike, nicknames he earned as the Central Intelligence Agency officer who oversaw the
hunt for Osama bin Laden and the American drone strike campaign that killed thousands of Islamist militants and hundreds of civilians.
Now the official, Michael D'Andrea, has a new job. He is running the C.I.A.'s Iran operations, according to current and former
intelligence officials, an appointment that is the first major sign that the Trump administration is invoking the hard line the
president took against Iran during his campaign.
Mr. D'Andrea's new role is one of a number of moves inside the spy agency that signal a more muscular approach to covert operations
under the leadership of Mike Pompeo, the conservative Republican and former congressman, the officials said.
A year later the same Mike Pompeo, now Secretary of State, created the
Iran Action Group within
the State Department. It is a complementary entity to the CIA group. Little has been published about the action both groups have
taken so far. What has Ayatollah Mike done since he set up shop 18 month ago?
It is likely that the false flag operations in Europe, like the ones in Belgium and Denmark, are run by the CIA with the Mossad
only in an auxiliary role. The U.S. can hardly admit that it is faking terrorist incidents in Europe while the overrated Mossad loves
to take credit for everything that happens on this world.
Europe has no interest in supporting or escalating Trump's war on Iran. EU countries should demand hard evidence from Denmark
and other accusers of Iran and should not act on the basis of only vague accusations.
Posted by b on November 1, 2018 at 10:30 AM |
Permalink
Comments Iran should sue the puppet state Denmark. End of story
Israel is regarded as a beneficent country with no ulterior motives by western governments and media. Every time, you can count
on like clockwork, no matter how outrageous or self serving the claim.
thanks b.. i agree with your analysis here.. the usa needs to keep its puppet states. on a string... cia has a long history of
these types of actions.. i am surprised at how easily or convenient it is for the puppets to continue as puppets.. and of course
as we approach the nov 5 th financial santion bs from the evil empire that claims equality for all (after usa and israel are cared
for) will be trying to alienate the rest of the world to iran as much as possible.. the timing here is in line with that goal
post.. very predictible, just like our local shill who will claim it is iran as opposed to usa-israel-ksa and etc, that pull this
shit regularly.. the same ugly crew responsible for supporting terrorism as witnessed in syria, yemen and etc further back are
at work here... predictible..
i suspect more bs to come from these same state sponsored liars....
The complete and utter amorality of the West on display yet again, as if we needed any more examples. There is certainly compelling
evidence that a group of "extremists" are endangering all of humanity and the entire planet, the only problem for Western MSM
in reporting on this is that those "extremists" are in fact the ruling elites of the West and their "allies" in Saudi Arabia and
Israel.
"Both, the MEK plot as well as the case in Denmark, smell of false flag incidents. In both case no one was hurt." Just like
with the "bombs" shipped to a few US "liberals" recently.
I thought the War on Terror dictated that the whole world was the battlefield. What's the difference between Iran trying to take
down a terrorist in Denmark and the US trying to take one down in Pakistan or Afghanistan or Africa?
It was only going to be a matter of time until Iran got Skripalled. Iran's Foreign Minister Javad Zarif
Tweets a list : "Incredible series of coincidences.
Or, a simple chronology of a MOSSAD program to kill the JCPOA?"
Please note the last listed "coincidence."
Also on Zarif's Twitter is a video segment of his interview with Face The Nation and other important announcements.
This is what he said about the Pittsburg attack:
"Extremism and terrorism know no race or religion, and must be condemned in all cases. The world deserves better than to
have to live with weaponized demagoguery. Thoughts and prayers with victims of terrorist attack on Pittsburgh synagogue and
their loved ones." [My Emphasis]
The nations of the world have had the following choice to make for awhile now, and I'd say the choice can no longer be kicked
down the road:
Either blindly follow the two prevaricating Outlaw Nations--United States and Israel--or stand with Russia, China, and others
in supporting proven truths and upholding the fundamental principles of International Law as expressed via the UN Charter. In
other words, it's past time to review GW Bush's dicta: Either you're with us or against us--abet the lawbreakers or join the posse
to contain them.
The evil empire and their bought minions are infecting the globe. They will never stop until their domination by organised $ brings
surfs everywhere under their control.
These forces do not believe in a "middle class", they believe the wealthiest should rule because it creates a more stable and
predictable society..
A society Charles Dickens wrote about. Wonderful...
One needs a high level of stupid among the western population to sell bull s... by the buckets. But then again, that is US and
allies. As was said: Too stupid to realize they are stupid. In the US the most trusted institution is the military. Proof enough?
about MEK, the terrorist group... our shithead exprime minister steven harper was singing the praises of them the past month....
apparenlty stevie just can't do enough for israel and zionism, and if the canuck media which is essentialy bought and paid for
by the same interests has its way, we will get a similar insane gov't after trudeau light is finished his term... apparently canucks
are one cycle behind the usa in electing its leaders... it will be a trump type israel subservient toad for next pm of cauckistan...
i sure wish the western political players weren't so beholden to neoliberalism. and we had someone even half the leader putin
is.... but, we don't....
East by not responding strongly to West provocations is begging for war.
East by crying for West for cooperation is begging for war.
And since East and West are controlled by the same same cabal - war is inevitable.
Just ask Mr. Kissinger...
The Edomites, who after Rome's extermination of the remnant of the House of Israel at Jerusalem began calling themselves "Jews"
for "controlled opposition" for "the real Anti-Christ" "engine for enslaving mankind" we founded God's America to escape, become
sex perverts, including incesting Sabbatean Frankists - hence the Manchu-baldness, as a consequence of their satanic cult's ritual
sodomy of innocent toddlers while being rabbinically inculcated as "gods chosen by God to rule the world."
Wow. Thank You for this one. After reading this excellent assessment of the present situation, of which we might only know the
most shallow facts, I had to do a search (DDG) about Iran during the time of the first openly Fascist Europe - being described
as having emanated from 3rd-Reich-Germany and Italy.
I was unaware that there was an
Anglo-Soviet
Invasion of Iran , because of the alleged sympathy of the Shah's Iran with Nazi-Germany. The Brits and the Russians were buddies
then and wanted to prevent that Iranian oil is accessible to Nazi-Germany.
All over sudden I am confused that the Brits invaded shoulder to shoulder with Soviet forces Iran - while now, besides delivering
the political ham theater of saber rattling against Russia, supporting terror and instigating sanctions against Iran again.
To make things much worse to comprehend, one is to wonder how many European countries actually did join Nazi Germany without
much ado at the time, based on the fact that the Scandinavians and the Netherlands are now as Fascist as Nazi Germany was during
its short 1000 years of glory. Does anybody else get the impression that this was always this way? That we have been lied to about
everything regarding Fascism? That it was never Fascism that was the problem in Europe - as it appears to do very well there -
but a strong Germany that could have easily governed its territory via effective 'bureaucracy'. All of Europe.
The truth is, that the stench of Fascism today, was already stinking badly in the 20th century, but was never really a problem.
The problem were the Germans. And somehow, the Germans want to continue to have economic ties with Iran. Is this how history repeats
itself - minus the marching Soviet/Russian and British buddy forces?
How many false flag operations have been invoked to explain unpopular events in recent years? The British government was behind
the attempted murder of Skripal. All of the chemical attacks launched against the opposition in Syria were false flag operations
to bring the US into the war (which amounted to nothing burgers anyway). Ray McGovern hypothesized the US used the Vault 7 tools
as a false flag to blame Russia for the DNC hack. Is there any end to false flag speculation?
Who cares if the Iranians deny the charge? That means absolutely nothing. Russia has been lying and denying for years. Additionally,
that Mossad would have provided the information to Denmark and France is completely logical since they have been collecting intelligence
on Iran for years - and have been dealing with Iranian-supported terrorists for decades.
There is no evidence for a false flag operation. Sure it's a possibility (it's always a possibility), but the current evidence
points toward Iranian plans to murder dissidents. The British were right about Skripal. The Dutch were right about MH17. Ray McGovern
was wrong about the CIA hacking the DNC - and the likely result of this investigation is that Iran planned to murder a couple
of dissidents. In lieu of the stupidity exhibited by the Saudis in the Khashoggi murder, it's completely believable.
With all of that said, this is a well thought out attempt to blame the US.
Denmark has become another UK, willing to perform any act and light any fuse against Russia, Iran or any nation that challenges
the hegemony of US, EU and NATO.
Just a subservient vassal, self-degradating. I would compare Denmark to a whore, but that defames those poor souls.
The Danes are like Brits. There, I said it. Nothing worse than the official scumbags of Britain. Pity the good folks of both
countries.
Such a little country desperately trying to hide their true Nazi soul, fabricating events and promulgating Fake News and bogus
Intel.
In service to big Hegemon and little hegemon (Israel).
thanks for the analysis. we all see the pattern, but i guess it's still important to debunk the bullshit--it just never seems
to stop the predetermined goals. it was widely seen that saddam's alleged wmd's didn't exist, but the invasion went on. now the
u.s. wants war with iran. unless russia or china intervenes, what can stop it?
DontBelieveEitherPropaganda , Nov 1, 2018 3:15:48 PM |
link
@10 - WJ: Difference is, USA has drones and some 19 yo teen can kill you with his joystick. ;)
I think false flag seems likely, but i also have some doubts about ISIS claiming to be resposible. The Iranian state is also pretty
complex, with many different actors and power centers. So it cant be ruled out that those arab seperatists are resposible and
that some rouge IRGC faction took action against reason of the state as a whole.
Like B said, the EU should demand evidence. Like with Skripal.. Not trust the Danish NATO proxys.
The Dutch were not right about MH17, and neither are the Danes. Almost certainly another anti-Iranian false flag coming --
this on American soil -- w war soon to follow.
'The Russian military traced the Buk missile [9M38 missile], which shot down the Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 in eastern
Ukraine in 2014, using serial numbers found on missile fragments showcased by an international team of investigators led by the
Netherlands.
'Using the serial number of the nozzle cluster 9D13105000 No. 8-30-113 and the engine of the missile 9D131 with the serial
number 8869032, the Russian military identified this missile as one produced by the Dolgoprudny plant a Soviet/Russian designer
and mass producer of surface-to-air missiles located in the city of Dolgoprudny, Moscow Oblast.
'The military said that the documentation for the aforementioned missile is still stored at the plant the missile with the
aforementioned engine and nozzle cluster has the manufacturing serial number of 8868720.
'According to the provided documents, the nozzle cluster was installed in the missile on December 24, 1986. The engine was
installed to the missile on the same day.'
About the only difference between Trump and Hillary I can judge is he's not quite as reckless. Otherwise, their policy goal
remains the same: Full Spectrum Dominance by any means necessary. The attack proves yet again the Outlaw US Empire would rather
have destabilization and war in the region than peace, still thinking it remains the World's Boss.
Thanks b, this is Journalism. Poor craigsummers appears to be in shock. It's ok craig.
We're in a really strange place vis a vis "Mossad" in the west. The average person on the street doesn't know whether to idolize
them as superhuman kickass kravmaga-inventing Jason Bourne types, or diabolical creeps like Weinstein's "former Mossad" minions.
Then Sacha Baron Cohen comes around and makes them funny again. Are they scary? Funny? When they appear in official media, it's
usually in a display of mindblowing incompetence or fraud. So you can see how we're confused.
25 - "USA has drones and some 19 yo teen can kill you with his joystick."
Yes, from a safe place in some place in the U.S. desert, but I wonder how the pilots of the aircraft refueling the KSA bombing
runs to Yemen feel as they finish and do a 180 to return to base. Do they first look to see what their evil has done before heading
back?
More likely it is Iran conveniently concluded that ISIS was responsible, only to get off the hook of EU countries that harbor
terrorists not only anti Iran by anti Russia, so they closed the case not to wreck meek EU attempt to find the way around US sanctions
with trade with Iran. Mossad did not like that and hence used another Russia Gate like provocation to stop EU Iran accommodation,
this time claiming new Iranian terrorism issue Orwelian style blame victims.
karlof1 27 "About the only difference between Trump and Hillary I can judge is he's not quite as reckless."
I would agree with that, but I also think he will be willing to take big risks to see his plan through. He may well be like
Putin's cornered rat if his plans are blocked.
One question we should be asking is why all of a sudden is Denmark taking a leading role in accusing Iran of supporting terrorism
and terrorist cells in Europe. Is Denmark's action as much to pressure Sweden and Finland into joining NATO as it is to pressure
the EU into following the US in sanctioning Iran and tearing up the nuclear treaty the EU still adheres to?
This crap by the Danes is not without precedent. They were in on the US attack against the SAA at Deir Ezzor. US, UK, Australia
and Denmark all took part in that attack.
One question we should be asking is why all of a sudden is Denmark taking a leading role
the danes swede and norway,netherlands folks have all been anglo zion borged.
the man leading this charge is a mr samuel son a proud son of a son i am sure he believes what he says i'm sure he has good reason.
wait for future headlines involving norways trillion dollar sovreign wealth fund vanishing just like gadaffi libya or ukraines
gold..
country control via epstein lolita express blackmail.
young boys and girls in ritual cctv horror show as a form of soft power persuasion
I'm not entirely convinced b. The Iranian government has a long history of assassination attempts. And Denmark is not exactly
a war mongering nation so your claims seem a bit shaky. I have never been impressed by analyses of Iran on this blog, as I think
both b and many commentators here totally ignorant of the IRI's crimes against its own citizens. I am very knowledgable when it
comes to Iran and so incidents like these do not surprise me. Of course I should make clear that it is possible to be against
the IRI and western war mongering nations at the same time.
I just can't stand responding to cs21 hasbara garbage; nothing is more annoying than hasbara. To quote Irish Nobel laureate GB
Shaw: never wrestle with pigs, you both get dirty and the pig loves it!
Mossad used the MEK and another terrorist group, Jundallah in Iran when they didn't do the dirty job themselves to assassinate
Iranian scientists extra-judicially. Imagine if JFK had done same when Israel was developing its nuclear weapons on the sly?
That's not all, Mossad used these terrorists like they used terrorists in Syria to foment manufactured revolution, specifically,
in Iran, the Green Revolution and as for example what was done in Ukraine, terrorist snipers masquerading as basiji fired into
the crowd of green protestors and killed a young women who the Western media elevated as the face of the Revolution hoping it
would incite anger that would spread exponentially and trigger riots everywhere then civil war like in Syria and Ukraine, but
they were very disappointed. This is playbook Mossad/CIA revolution engineering. All constituted criminal acts against sovereign
nations, except in Iran their plan fizzled.
Mossad also used false flag against Gadaffi in Libya and years earlier against Mossadegh, the democratically elected leader
of Iran that preceded the Shah. The Lavon Affair was a false flag comprised of multiple terrorist attacks that Israel planned
and plotted to execute and blame on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Egyptian groups.
Mossad has assassinated what it considered to be terrorists in Europe, Syria, Lebanon, UAE, Jordan and on and on with total
impunity. Some of these so-called terrorists were political leaders recent example Arafat, and attempted murder of Meschal, at
least one or more were false flag to trigger civil war, i.e. in Lebanon, and some were what South African Apartheid victims would
consider resistance and freedom fighters.
Israel also attacked the USSLiberty and no doubt had a hand in U.S. military sabotage in Lebanon not to mention murdering American
journalists and activists.
ALL this was done with impunity. So in regards to these foiled terrorist attacks I have no doubt Mossad is up to no good and
Israel has everything to gain in this dirty business they have executed many times before.
The truth lies in who benefits most and who has exhibited the most egregious pattern of behaviour. ISRAEL.
Yes, it certainly smells like a false flag operation.
The CIA, MI6, and Mossad have been doing such operations in Europe since the end of WW2.
No surprise.
IRAN must be a hasbara trigger word. The Zionist web army recruits have arrived. Everything you pulled out of wiki I can double,
triple, quadruple for Isra-hell. For starters, let's talk about Prison facility 1391 - torture, murder, perpetual isolation--dark
ages stuff.
Let's talk about the kidnapping, imprisonment, even torture of children. Perhaps, the worst human rights record against children.
8000 Palestinian children arrested since 2000.
What about the two-tier justice system in Isra-hell?
Shall we discuss the murder of activists, journalists and protestors? What about political prisoners in Isra-hell? What about
administrative detention. Detention without trial.
This is the tip of the iceberg regarding Isra-hell's human rights abuses. Don't get me started.
As we approach the end of the year the big questions facing Europe are:
(1) Which country will win the prize for the most decapitations or slit throats? France or Germany?
With dozens of horrific crimes recently these two competitors are running neck and neck, however with Macron's France averaging
close to one slit throat per day, France is probably going to win this contest
Which leaves us with the big question Germans are asking
(2) Which city will earn the distinction of being 2018's Rape Capital of Germany?
For a long time it seemed that the winner would surely be Berlin, but then Freiburg lurched into the lead a few weeks ago.
And now, with a 15-year-old being gang-raped by Afghan asylum seekers, Munich is hustling to take the title.
This crime and subsequent arrests were kept out of the media for a few weeks
-- coincidentally, until just after the recent local elections in Bavaria
The article below from Bild, also translated into English, contains additional details:
Suspects in Custody: Six Men Allegedly Raped Girl (15)
October 30, 2018
Munich -- The Munich police have arrested five Afghan refugees; according to Bayerischer Rundfunk another alleged perpetrator
is on the run.
The allegation: They reportedly raped a 15-year-old girl.
The Munich public prosecutor confirmed to BILD upon request that there is an investigation involving a sexual assault and several
people have been arrested. The spokesman did not want to comment further.
The case: The girl, who is being psychologically cared for, according to BILD's information, had filed charges against her
"partner" at the end of September. The asylum seeker is said to have verbally threatened her and thereby forced her to have intercourse.
Also, he forced her to have intercourse with several his friends. She was so intimidated that she had to endure being abused
by them all for several days. Each case is to be handled individually. Physical violence had played no role in the incidents.
In addition to the alleged victim's partner, four other refugees (all between 20 and 25 years old) were arrested. The alleged
perpetrators are registered asylum seekers.
In the meantime, warrants have been issued against them on suspicion of rape. They are in custody.
The assaults are said to have occurred at the end of September. The first arrests were made four weeks ago.
Some interrogations remain to be conducted to substantiate the allegations made by the alleged victim, which is one explanation
for why the authorities have not made the case public.
Some of the detainees admitted that they had intercourse with the minor, but said that it had taken place by mutual agreement."
Got that?
According to Bild, "Physical violence played no role in the incidents"
First their is money laundering charges by the US against Denmark's largest bank and now we have Denmark joining the Trump stomp
on Iran project. Could it be the US cut a deal with Denmark to limit their investigations and penalties into this bank and maybe
others, or possible involvement of Danish government officials, and the Dane's jumped at the chance to limit the damage to the
country and it's economy and keep sanction happy Trump from sanctioning them into the poor house.
Denmark, like Sweden and Norway are the biggest enablers of USA's imperial efforts more than any other nations in the whole world.
I think it is only Russia which gets that fact. Nobel prizes are nothing but tooks of the US empire
42 ben, ditto... cs has never heard of the cia and the past countless years of there horrors... in fact as far as cs is concerned,
they never had any role to play in ghouta 2011 and afterwards either...cs thinks the letters stand for charity international association...usaid
is another benevolent org as far as cs is concerned... if cs was ever to read john perkins 'confessions of an economic hit man'
he would fall out of his chair and have his world turned upside down.... cs really needs to hang over at pat langs site where
some of his love and ignorance of the usa's covert history has a place of acceptance.. it ain't here..
"It is likely that the false flag operations in Europe, like the ones in Belgium and Denmark, are run by the CIA with the Mossad
only in an auxiliary role."
Very difficult to distinguish the two. Israel declared its campaign to internally destabilise Iran last spring (evidently having
quailed at the risks of the open military attack), the US has been fruitlessly attempting the same for forty years. I suppose
the new Israeli campaign has revived US efforts.
By the way, I was interested by Alastair Crooke's recent remark that Israeli air superiority has been broken by the S300s.
Crooke's views are to take seriously.
Steve, how could you overlook the all time top lap dog: the UK? The UK would be first on most people's list of sycophant enablers
of US terrorism, regime change, and false flag operations. Sometimes Macron tries to run ahead of the pack, but gets slapped back
by Trump, but when all is said and done, the whole NATO crew are self-serving idiots and assholes.
Denmark, like Sweden and Norway are the biggest enablers of USA's imperial efforts more than any other nations in the whole world.
I think it is only Russia which gets that fact. Nobel prizes are nothing but tooks of the US empire
Posted by: Steve | Nov 2, 2018 4:49:42 AM | 46
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Well said!
I totally agree with you after saw the ghastly bully behaviour of Denmark on 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference,
who was actively trying to force down the throat of BRICS (EPS. China & India) and developing countries the schemes that US &
Co wanted: 1): to strangle the development chance of third world and 2). to escape the accountability/ownership of the big messy
pollution the Western countries has been emitted into the air and the world for centuries.
Another aggressive Dane who was in full swing to propagate the Empire's interests/schemes is Anders Fogh Rasmussen, ex-NATO
Secretary General, who was so belligerent that I sometimes question how the peace-love Denmark can produce such an aggressive
person......
b, is there any way to highlight a 'Craig Summers' post at the top, so we can skip over his/her/their lying rubbish unread. Bad
enough having to wade through the effusions of the sprinkling of religious loonies who seem to be posting now, without wasting
time on this bellingcrap-style hasbarollocks.
"In the beginning of 2017 the Danish Security Service PET had received information about planned political murder of individuals
in Denmark who oppose the Turkish government. The PET acted on the information and put the would be targets in safety. This is
revealed by Swedish Radio Ekot. https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=83&artikel=6975341
And is Denmark going to stop doing this:"Denmark's foreign minister has for the first time acknowledged that the government
allowed the sale of surveillance technology to authoritarian Arab governments, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE." "Mass surveillance
during and after the Arab Spring was used to facilitate the mass incarceration of dissidents, leading to the eventual crushing
of popular movements, the report alleged."
And what are the Syro-Ahwazian pro-FSA dudes up to in Denmark:"One battalion of the rebel Free Syrian Army is called the "Ahwaz
Brigade", although the group says there are no foreign fighters in its ranks.
"We have relations with different factions of the (Syrian) rebels," said Habib Nabgan, the former head of a coalition of Ahwazi
parties whose armed wing carried out last week's pipeline attack.
"They need information, which we give them, and we need some of their expertise, so there is cooperation and that is developing,"
he told Reuters via telephone from Denmark, where he took refuge in 2006." https://uk.reuters.com/article/us-iran-arabs-insight-idUKBRE97E0O620130815
Ahwazians in Syria:"Before the Syrian uprising, the Ahwazi community in Damascus was living in fear, but is now fully behind the
revolutionary struggle.There have been frequent demonstrations in Syria by Ahwazi Arabs flying the opposition flag alongside their
own."
Interesting, the first time i heard of this story my instinct immediately was, why on earth would Iran conduct such risky and
rather pointless operations where the downside would greatly outweigh any benefit if they were caught?? Add to that, no one was
harmed, they got "caught".. and Mossad involved.. seems pretty clear to anyone who actually understands what's going on in the
world.. but there aren't many of us who actually think when we read the news.. thanks again MR B for another insightful piece
on analysis :)
Why? Because you think your Zionist propaganda claptrap is actually convincing and working to bring down surviving bastions
of independent thought? It's laughable how hasbara-scripted you read; delivering superficially well-constructed neoliberal brainwash,
whitewash material. Your disingenuous ilk courting the Left with liberal goodies, in one hand while unleashing double-standard
neoconservative righteous destruction with the other is the main reason we now suffer Trump's fascist right-wing version of same.
People protest vote neoliberalism and end up in the arms of the hard right-wing version. It's a no choice choice; an affront to
real democracy. You play the desperation of the Left against the Right and then deliver it into the same neoconstruct. You're
two sides of the same cult and neither can stand independent thought. After I read your Zionist-contrived claptrap, I feel like
my mind has been abused and my time wasted. Once you're wise to the trap, you never go back to falling for whichever charismatic
puppet is going to save us from the other side.
The goal becomes helping others break free of the vicious, cyclical no-choice duopoly to viably challenge and destroy it for
good! You pretend at righeousness, but you're on the side of status quo darkness.
Uh, just one more point, I still believe in GW Shaw's wisdom that you shouldn't wrestle with ignorance, ie pigs, but I just intended
@56 as a Reader Beware CS for anyone who's out there only reading.
Perhaps of more importance was Crooke's remark on US debt. He said in August the cost of servicing the debt, for the first
time, exceeded tax revenue. On top of that, the US must sell over a trillion of new debt each year for the next three years.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Nov 2, 2018 11:31:43 AM | 58
Yes I too thought that was interesting. But Israel's problem is more fatal, in a permanent sense. Air superiority once lost
won't be recovered, but the US could, if it wanted to, live more within its means.
As usual, some former official has to include : Israeli intelligence tipped off the CIA that Iran had likely identified
some of its assets, said the same former official.
"Bolton, speaking Wednesday at an event hosted by the Alexander Hamilton Society in Washington, said he expects U.S. defense
spending "to flatten out" in the near term. He said he didn't anticipate major cuts to entitlements such as Medicare and Social
Security.
""It is a fact that when your national debt gets to the level ours is, that it constitutes an economic threat to the society,"
Bolton said. "And that kind of threat ultimately has a national security consequence for it.""
Of course, he wants to cut support for citizens instead of support for the Deep State and its massively corrupt MIC. The massive
cut in revenues caused by Trump's giveaways to corporations and the 1% were designed to exacerbate the problem and create an artificial
crisis in discretionary spending. Most from all sides of the political spectrum can see this for what it is and are already pushing
back, which will be the fundamental reason Trump won't get a 2nd term--his policies are proving to be a fiscal nightmare.
The evidence provided by the author that the CIA was the primary driving agent in these incidents is not compelling. In fact,
the US government under Obama supported the JCPOA against the wishes of the Netanyahu government. Thus the statement that "US
interests" are necessarily defined by sanctions against Iran seems to me to be unfounded. Had the author replaced "US interests"
with "Trump administration policies", which are clearly much more aligned with the interests of the Likud and Netanyahu the statement
might be more supportable.
"Do you remember the Green revolution of 2009 that went pfttttt?"
Very interesting article, but the Green Revolution didn't go pfft because of that. 2009 failed because the middle class aren't
very good at revolutions. They aren't the majority, and they didn't have popular support.
Saddam Hussein had no nuclear weapons, contrary to US and British claims. I discovered in
Baghdad a group of British scientific technicians who had been sent by the UK Ministry of
Defense to build outlawed biological weapons at Salman Pak. These included deadly anthrax
and Q-fever – but only for use against Iran if a second Iraq-Iran War erupted.
Now, this works much better if your disturbed individual is actually obsessed with something
political, like, say, if he's a Donald Trump fanatic who has plastered the windows of the van
he's living in with all sorts of blatantly psychotic artwork deifying Donald Trump and
demonizing Donald Trump's political opponents, but you'll have to work with what your lunatic
gives you. In any event, whatever his pathology, you will need to de-pathologize your psycho,
so you can misrepresent him as a "domestic terrorist," and then associate whatever "ideology"
you've just painted onto him with "terrorism."
If that sounds a little complicated, don't worry, folks, it's really not! The ruling classes
and the corporate media just provided us with a demonstration of the
Putin-Nazi-Terrorist-O-Matic in action, which proves how easy-to-use it is. In the span of just
a single week, they whipped up so much mass paranoia that
These Putin-Nazi Terrorist "bomb-like devices" were "intercepted" throughout last week.
Their targets were a roll call of Resistance heroes, Soros, Obama, Hillary Clinton, John
Brennan, the offices of CNN, Eric Holder, Maxine Waters, Joe Biden, and, yes, even Robert De
Niro! Putin-Nazi panic paralyzed the nation! The neoliberal corporate media (who, remember, are
serious, respected professionals, not conspiracist nuts like Alex Jones) began pouring out
pieces informing the world that Donald Trump was behind these attacks, or had encouraged,
"emboldened," or "inspired" whoever was with
his violent, neo-Hitlerian rhetoric .
So far I haven't heard exactly what the chemical make-up of these "pipe bombs" is none of
which detonated or even initiated a detonation sequence. No doubt the authorities will get
around to this trifling little fact in their own good time (ie when it has best propaganda
affect)
The problem with the angriest whites who want change is that they don't have any F@CKING
money.
Even if the Left did not have the money to suppress the Alt-Right like Gavin, they have
the money for better production values. More people will watch Oprah than the Alt-Right. They
can get more air time. Hollywood will spend more money. They always have more
Our White Nationalist leaders are not billionaires. Tommy Morrison is not a self-made
millionaire. Richard Spencer the same.
These are average whites you meet in the street.
Tech billionaires, media moguls and globalists are all much more wealthy. They are not
white proles with few contacts in the business or media world who are out with the other
squirming proles on the street.
The problem with the angriest whites who want change is that they don't have any F@CKING
money.
Even if the Left did not have the money to suppress the Alt-Right like Gavin, they have
the money for better production values. More people will watch Oprah than the Alt-Right. They
can get more air time. Hollywood will spend more money. They always have more
Our White Nationalist leaders are not billionaires. Tommy Morrison is not a self-made
millionaire. Richard Spencer the same.
These are average whites you meet in the street.
Tech billionaires, media moguls and globalists are all much more wealthy. They are not
white proles with few contacts in the business or media world who are out with the other
squirming proles on the street.
Good piece, though I miss the historical dimension. The described mechanism seems to me to
have been taken right out of the Goebbels manual, or if you like the Comintern manual. Which
were in turn inspired by the instructions of people like Edward Bernays.
What strikes me is that the US empire and its faithful servants are resorting to
old-fashioned and imported (stolen, "un-American") techniques to try and maintain their hold
on public opinion. I guess, here the economic benefits of the systematic dismantling of the
educational system all over the "West" are paying off! Which just proves the advantages of
stubbornly concentrating publc spending on armaments instead of education: it has a side
effect of making people so stupid they believe just anything.
Still, I wonder how it will be possible to keep repeating the old fairytale of why it was
necessary to fight the evil Nazis. If outright Nazism is what the US empire is all about, why
did they bother about fighting Hitler?
Probably because he was not "American." Or was it because the original Nazis spent quite a
bit on education?
I suspect Cesar Sayoc is a straight up patsy. As Mr Hopkins points out, none of the
bombs(sic) had an earthly chance of exploding. Mr Sayoc was discovered due to DNA evidence no
doubt left on the beer cans he made the bombs out of. Its straight out of the Anthrax post
9/11 playbook but fortunately without deadly consequences. How the dumb American Sheeple
(apart from most Unz.com readers of course) can't see it is beyond me.
In terms of lone nut being the harbinger of domestic terrorism we had this in the UK with
the Jo Cox case in 2016, where the mentally ill individual ( who I strongly suspect was
controlled by the Deep State) was hustled off to the Old Bailey accused of being a white
supremacist Brexit supporting terrorist and convicted in 3 days flat. No explanation of where
he actually acquired his gun, why for such a racist he didnt harm Cox's Asian assistant even
when she hit him with a handbag etc etc
Robert D Bowers is of course a homicidal maniac, Trump hater and gift horse to the ADL who
have their first real anti- semitism case in decades. Makes a change from blacks or policemen
shouting 'oy vey' or some other gross obscenity at Brooklyn Jews
@Hans
Vogel Absolutely agree the dumbing down of education especially the absence of any
critical thinking despite the presence of so called civics or citizenship on the curriculum
is crucial to the success of the propaganda effort
No society can manage all of its fringe lunatics all of the time. So when one occasionally
goes off rails ("postal" as they used to say) the ideologues who manage the propaganda
outlets know that pointing to the obvious reality of the event doesn't advance the agenda.
And, luckily for them there is always a handy abstraction, a scary "ism" or "obia" to hang on
the event and smear a whole bunch of folks whose manners they disapprove of.
Neoliberal Multicultural Globalist Capitalism is the new Marxism. Its true believers have
learned from the failures of Marxists to rule the world forever, forcing the deplorable white
trash to accept being cogs for ideological good, how to get the job done.
Whats more concerning is something stormy daniels said about trump ..that he is out of his
depth.she might have ulterior motives but it somehow rings true.Combine that with sayoc and
bowers types and one has to wonder how many more are there out there just waiting to make
america great again
" news is just coming in from Guardian columnist Christina Patterson that Jeremy Corbyn and
the Labour Party are also responsible for the Pittsburgh attack, "
I wonder if it is known that Soros owns the Guardian, so that, I fear, to the list CNN,
Washpost and NYT, Guardian can be added.
As I wrote here just a few hours ago, I wondered why there was no political follow up on the
Pittsburgh massacre.
But possibly this is it.
Cynics like me, who understand Pearl Harbour, Liberty, possibly Kennedy and Diana, certainly
Sept 11, now wonder 'who did it ?', and 'why were just ten jews killed ?'.
Automatic weapons are freely available in the USA, what a few Muslims can do in Paris should
be quite easy in the USA.
It is common practice with political murders to kill the murderer, such as Lee Harvey Oswald,
dead men cannot talk.
But after the murder of Anna Lyndh it seems possible that better ways have been found to hide
political murders.
@Hans
Vogel If Hitler was the problem, why was not Germany beaten in 1938, when both the Chech
and the Polish armies still existed ?
Attacked by Poland, Chechoslovakia, Britain and France, possibly the USSR too, Hitler Germany
would have been beaten in a few weeks, historians agree on this.
Historians debating this question agree on the only possible solution: that Roosevelt wanted
a long war, in which the USA would be the victor.
Dividing up Germany somehow between the mentioned four or five countries would bring the USA
nothing.
These false flags are a part of the deep states efforts to keep the American people in a
state of terror and hysteria to accept more and more government control over our lives and as
long as the people accept these acts at face value without doing any checking on the facts ,
the deep state will have succeeded.
" as if your wack job was actually a rational person and not just a totally paranoid geek who
decided to attempt to assassinate Reagan because he couldn't get a date with Jodie Foster ."
Whats more concerning is something stormy daniels said about trump ..that he is out of
his depth.she might have ulterior motives but it somehow rings true.
its true, he's probably nowhere as intelligent as obozo but somehow he gets by
stormy sounds like an expert, maybe she can judge a man's IQ by the taste of his sperm
May 4, 2017 False Flag Exposed Caught Red Handed and Prevented
In this video, we give you the latest news of a false flag that has been prevented in
Germany, the historical context of false flags, and importance in current politics.
May 07, 2014 The Oldest Trick In the Book: Empire Pretends It Has to Launch Wars to
"Defend" Itself
Empires – almost by definition – fight imperial wars to gain land and
resources. But if they admitted to their citizens what they were up to, people wouldn't be
that excited in sacrificing their families' blood and treasure to fight a series of wars.
@jilles
dykstra World War 2 may have continued indefinitely had not Russia been preparing to
invade Japan, thus forcing the United States into dropping the bombs.
Anyone assuming the Jewish-controlled Deep State would have any qualms about killing a few
Jewish senior citizens to assure the revolution continues, are badly mistaken.
@Carroll
Price FORCED to drop nuclear bombs? There is always a choice, even for a rogue state like
the US. (Rather, a state, inhabited by many decent, trusting people, but run by ruthless
criminals such as FDR, the Bushes, Obomba and the like). Besides, in early 1945 FDR received
a detailed report by one of his generals to the effect that Japan was ready to surrender. Yet
FDR, may he burn in hell, decided to ignore this and continue bombing Japanese cities: in
March of 1945, Tokyo was bombed, and over 100.000 Japanese civilians were murdered. The
Soviet Union had promised to join in the final assault on Japan, doing FDR a favor because he
did not want to go it alone.
People who never resort to 'foul' language are either dead inside, or are scheming
scumbags trying to get one over on the crowd.
No one is in a position to determine whether "People never resort "
In the early 80s, I was at a social function where foul language use was part of the
general conversation. A woman in her mid to late 40s who was sitting at the table rebuked us
gently by stating that our profanities were a poor excuse for a bad vocabulary. There is a
time and place for profanity, spouting off profanely at a political opponent in a public
place does nothing for credibility.
As for calling a fig a fig, I seldom use the word cunt for the simple reason that a cunt
has a use , while those who are often called cunts, don't.
I am immediately suspicious about anyone whose 'authority' includes a costume –
judges, pigs, TSA etc; likewise, anyone who relies on 'gravitas' or presentation
(politicians, senior bureaucrats, diplomats, marketing shitheads).
If every one of those people were put to the sword by people screaming "FUCK YOU" at the
top of their lungs, humanity would be better off.
I enjoyed your comment.
and agree wholeheartedly
(except for including 'pigs' with your litany of scoundrels. It's not fair to the
inoffensive four-legged kind ; )
@anon Nice
try. But, first of all, learn to write simply. Like the man said, all those words don't fit
on a phone.
Secondly, you are absolutely right. ID politics is what our owners want. They want us to
fight over who is oppressing whom. So it don't matter if you are pro-white or anti-white,
pro-racism or anti, you are doing our master's bidding.
The only answer is blacks and whites and homosexuals and heterosexuals and women and men
etc etc, all together, all as one, screaming, "Mo money mo money mo money mo money." But that
won't happen because they find it easier to shame each other over meaningless nonsense like
race and sex and other ridiculous identities.
To be a dissident in the 1960′s meant that one objected to the standard narrative of
White-European greatness and blamelessness for conquering much of the world. Today it means
just the opposite. The roles have reversed. Not only are Europeans not viewed as great but
they are blamed for everything that is wrong anywhere, anytime. To be a dissident is to
insist that Europeans aren't quite so bad as they are currently portrayed.
I never thought I'd say this but if Nixon were alive today he would appear as the very
soul of rationality and a bastion of sanity compared to the current crop of rat-faced,
unprincipled traitors who dominate the news. At least Nixon had the integrity to not sell out
his country to an alien tribe of sleazy money changers, usurers and unpatriotic off-shore
operators.
At one point in his life, Hunter Thompson thought things couldn't get any worse than
Tricky Dick. Little did he suspect. It's likely that Thompson, at some point before he pulled
the trigger, came to the belated realization that, compared to the debased venality of our
present leaders, Nixon was an honorable man, a lover of his country and a loyal patriot.
Watergate was a misdemeanor B & E compared to the rape and genocide of whites that is
taking place today.
@Hans
Vogel 'The English' in WII did not exist.
Many sympathized with Hitler
Ian Kershaw, ´Hitlers Freunde in England, Lord Londonderry und der Weg in den Krieg',
(Making Friends with Hitler. Lord Londonderry and Britain's Road to War, 2004, London),
München 2005
The Marquess of Londonderry, ´England blickt auf Deutschland, Um die deutsch-englische
Verständigung, Essen 1938 (Ourselves and Germany, 1938)
Churchill loved war, he refused all Hitler's attempts at peace.
There seems to be a book Churchill's Toy Shop, did not read it, Churchill's personal weapons
gadget development facility.
In this he was supported by his scientific advisor Lindemann
C.P.Snow, ´Science and government', 1961, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Lynn Picknett, Clive Prince and Stephen Prior, 'Double standards, The Rudolf Hess cover-up',
London 2002
Günther W.Gellermann, 'Geheime Wege zum Frieden mit England , Ausgewählte
Initiativen zur Beëndigung des Krieges 1940/1942', Bonn 1995
Stürmer, Teichmann, Treue 'Striking the Balance Sal. Oppenheim jr. & Cie. A family
and a Bank', London 1994
Thomas E. Mahl, 'Desperate deception, British covert operations in the United States
1939-44', Dulles, Virginia, 1998
However, in Casablanca Churchill found out he was at the mercy of FDR
Francois Kersaudy, ´De Gaulle et Roosevelt, Le duel au sommet', Paris, 2004
If Churchill ever realised that LendLease was the end of the British empire, I wonder
R.F. Harrod, 'THE PROF, A personal memoir of Lord Cherwell', London, 1959
John Charmley,'Churchill's Grand Alliance, A provocative reassessment of the "Special
relationship" between England and the U.S. from 1940 to 1957', 1995, London
John Charmley, 'Der Untergang des Britischen Empires, Roosevelt – Churchill und
Amerikas Weg zur Weltmacht', Graz 2005
But the two essential books explaining why Chamberlain steered towards war, without wanting
war:
Lawrence R. Pratt, 'East of Malta, West of Suez', London, 1975
Simon Newman, ´March 1939, The British guarantee to Poland, A study in the continuity
of British Foreign Policy', 1976, Oxford
The genocidal folly of bombing German women, children and old men:
Solly Zuckermann, 'From Apes to Warlords, an autobiography, 1904- 46', London 1988
Even the official post WWII British report on the bombing of Germany concluded that the
damage to GB was equal to German damage, British damage defined as building and maintaining
bombers, producing bombs, and, last but not in the least least, losing a whole generation of
Britain's promising young men
Peter H. Nicoll, ´Englands Krieg gegen Deutschland, Ursachen, Methoden und Folgen des
Zweiten Weltkriegs', 1963, 2001, Tübingen ( Britain's Blunder, 1953)
This last book also contains a calculation of how WWII impoverished the USA.
@Hans
Vogel said:
"The described mechanism seems to me to have been taken right out of the Goebbels manual "
Oh really? What "manual" was that? Your indoctrination is showing.
Pie drops the ball when he talks about 'the Nazis' & the Battle of Britain, which was
a result of British initiation of bombing purely civilian targets.
The New York Times explained how Trump was employing a strategy called "stochastic
terrorism," i.e., inspiring random acts of violence that are statistically predictable but
individually unpredictable!
Wow. Quasi-treasonous scumbaggery from the dominant press outlets has become so common, it
rarely registers on me anymore. But this is an unusually detestable example.
But that won't happen because they find it easier to shame each other over
meaningless nonsense like race and sex and other ridiculous identities.
if this was true there would be no problem allowing hundreds of millions of africans into
Europe, the U.S. etc but sub-saharan africans have IQs as low as 70 and have never built
anything of substance in their existence
they have nothing to contribute except violence and crime
@jilles
dykstra Thanks for your bibliographical suggestions!
As for the English, I prefer this to the awkward term "British." (see also AJP Taylor's
introduction to his English History, 1914-1945 ). As long as the English and English
speakers usually refer to the Netherlands as "Holland," and US people call their country
"America" and themselves "Americans," why should we not say English instead of British?" The
English better get used to foreign usage, as have the Greeks ("Hellenes") and Hungarians
("Magyars").
Btw, the translator of Nicoll's book on your list agrees with me: he calls Britain
"England!"
@wayfarer
Here is a video that Ron Unz should feature of a truly honest and great young American Jewish
activist: Jeremy Rothe-Kushel and Greg McCarren of The Anecdote speak about
this Pittsburgh Synagogue Shooting:
Plenty of good stuff at the link including what we have read before.
The article leads me to this question: If whomever can fabricate Syrian Army messages,
isn't there one small problem with it? I.e. The Brits may be hoovering up SIGNIT from Mount
Troodos in Cyprus, but unless the radio signals are highly directional (and even then they
emanate outwards), other nations are also recording these signals, such as Russia,
which we never hear about.
Therefore, the Brits/8200 whomever must assume that the Russians have copies and would
know if the former are putting up the bs and can call it out behind closed doors at the UN to
other nations. So what's the point? Simply for building media outrage and DO
SOMETHING! momentum, hoping to act first before it can be scotched? That's what used to
happen in the past
That's a really good piece, with loads of interesting information. What jumped out for me,
though was what amounts to a professional acknowledgement of something that was introduced by
commenters early on in the Skripal affair – the almost complete absence of CCTV footage
of their movements and those of people close to them. As both sources point out, England is
lousy with CCTV, you can barely move without being picked up on multiple cameras. Therefore
the British must have hours of footage that they have chosen not to reveal. And as the
article concludes, the only logical reason for that is that it does not support the official
narrative, since one has obviously been decided upon and vigorously defended.
As an aside, it is tragic that intelligence is manipulated the way it is to present a
desired conclusion. Because intelligence is supposed to be something like the irrefutable
clue, the piece that doesn't fit, in detective stories. It is supposed to provide that
epiphanous moment when you know what has transpired beyond any reasonable doubt. Every
time that moment is discovered to have been brought about by fabrication and deceit so as to
push an incorrect conclusion to the forefront, trust in the method diminishes. Consequently,
the harder governments push this or that piece of evidence as the conclusive piece of proof
which cannot be denied, the more likely it is to have been manufactured rather than
discovered.
Two disappearances, and two very different responses from Western governments, which
illustrates their rank hypocrisy.
When former Russian spy Sergei Skripal went missing in England earlier this year, there was
almost immediate punitive action by the British government and its NATO allies against Moscow.
By contrast, Western governments are straining with restraint towards Saudi Arabia over the
more shocking and provable case of murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The outcry by Western governments and media over the Skripal affair was deafening and
resulted in Britain, the US and some 28 other countries
expelling dozens of Russian diplomats on the back of unsubstantiated British allegations
that the Kremlin tried to assassinate an exiled spy with a deadly nerve agent. The Trump
administration has further tightened sanctions
citing the Skripal incident.
London's case against Moscow has been marked by wild speculation and ropey innuendo. No
verifiable evidence of what actually happened to Sergei Skripal (67) and his daughter Yulia has
been presented by the British authorities . Their claim that President Vladimir Putin
sanctioned a hit squad armed with nerve poison relies on sheer conjecture.
All we know for sure is that the Skripals have been disappeared from public contact by the British authorities for more than
seven months, since the mysterious incident of alleged poisoning in Salisbury on March 4.
Russian authorities and family relatives have been steadfastly refused any contact by London with the Skripal pair, despite
more than 60 official requests from Moscow in accordance with international law and in spite of the fact that Yulia is a citizen
of the Russian Federation with consular rights.
It is an outrage that based on such thin ice of "evidence", the British have built an edifice of censure against Moscow,
rallying an international campaign of further sanctions and diplomatic expulsions.
Now contrast that strenuous reaction, indeed hyper over-reaction, with how Britain, the US, France, Canada and other Western
governments are ever-so slowly responding to Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi case.
After nearly two weeks since Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, the Saudi regime is this week
finally admitting he was killed on their premises albeit, they claim, in a "botched interrogation".
"... They had to assemble a number of these devices and no one knows if the idea was to scare these political operatives or was a true false flag operation. ..."
"... When yet another 'explosives expert' was introduced to explain the procedure, I burst out laughing. When I looked around at the several disapproving faces in the dining area, I shrugged my shoulders and remarked: "It reminds me of Pro Wrestling." One other older man laughed. The rest were perplexed. ..."
"... I am inclined at this point to think that this is a campaign organized from the left intended to move the needle before the elections. I would look for college students in the NY City area where "bombs" have been hand delivered. Try NYU or Columbia first. ..."
Whoever cooked up the scheme to send fake bombs to Democrat politicians on the eve of the
2018 mid-term election, you have to give them credit for creativity. The so-called "bombs" sent
to the likes of the Clintons, Obama, Soros and Joe Biden are made to appear like real bombs but
lack the detonator and other key components that one would normally find with a real Improvised
Explosive Device. Friends in ATF and the FBI tell me that these "devices" are to explosives
what the little kid dressed as Pocohontas is to real American Indians. Costumed theater.
The audience for this theater is the voting public. The Democrats want you to believe that
Donald Trump has stirred up a culture of hate and that some acolyte of Trump has now embarked
on his own personal jihad. Of course, those pushing this nonsense ignore Madonna's call to blow
up the White House. They ignore Kathy Griffin's decapitation of the President's effigy. They
ignore the Bernie Sanders supporter who shot up the Republicans practicing for a softball game.
They ignore the mob attacks on Sarah Sanders, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell and others in the Trump
Administration. They ignore the multiple Antifa attacks that have shutdown conservative
Republicans. They ignore the cacophony of epithets hurled by former Obama officials, like John
Brennan and Jim Clapper, against Donald Trump.
Nope. It is all Donald Trump's fault. What a crock!!!
PT - No one knows yet who sent the bombs and what their political motive might be. It
might be a amateur bomb maker who had no idea what he/she was doing as a bomb maker.
They had to assemble a number of these devices and no one knows if the idea was to
scare these political operatives or was a true false flag operation.
The idea of demonstrations is to get your point across and to show the intensity
behind it. Now I don't agree with hassling someone in a pubic non political space. But
please spare me the idea that Saint Trump is our President - not when he applauded
Gianforte for body slamming to the ground, Ben Jacobs. I think all democrats said the
shooting at the Congressional baseball practice was totally improper.
There is way too much animosity displayed in our political system. The current
political ads are way out of bounds - on both sides. this is doing nothing but furthering
the partisanship that is slowly eating away at our culture.
Democratic Party and many (not all, of course) of its supporters are a real danger--from
suicidal identity and gender politics to unhinged progressive "brown-shirts" totally
capable to start a fire they will not be able to control.
Sir;
You get complete agreement from here.
Now New York city is moved one step closer to Fortress City status with the deployment of
the National Guard there to 'protect' 'key' locations.
I was in a local fast food place yesterday that had Fox News on the jumbo television
screen mounted on the wall of the eating area. When yet another 'explosives expert'
was introduced to explain the procedure, I burst out laughing. When I looked around at
the several disapproving faces in the dining area, I shrugged my shoulders and remarked:
"It reminds me of Pro Wrestling." One other older man laughed. The rest were
perplexed.
What I am worried about is that this might be a program to set the scene for an actual
attempt on Trump.
One cannot be too cynical today.
I suspect that it is *precisely* because of that long list of "left-wing" provocations
and incitements to violence which started to worry the "influence managers" of the borg
planners. They must have seen lots of feedback indicating that the "left" was perceived
as being violent and anti-democratic, and thus needed to "change the conversation" back
to... Donald Trump is to blame for everything, naturally. And Putin. Russians. You know
the story by now.
I think it will fail badly for several reasons. Firstly, it is simply too slick - all
the "bombs" coming one after the other, and the "targets" seeming like a list of
prominent Trump "enemies". It is totally unlike the kind of campaign a "lone wolf" or
amateur group would do. Secondly, after pushing the insane conspiracy theories like
"Russiagate" for two years, the instinct in the public mind is to see this as yet another
"false flag". Thirdly, I would imagine that such people - who have the very best security
money can buy - were clearly never in danger even if the "bombs" were genuine.
I think Trump and Pence have shown an excellent response - by immediately condemning
these "attacks" they have made the Dummycrats look terrible by comparison. Remember the
ricin packages? The mobs? Calls for assassination? Sure you do. But what you will not
remember is a single example of a Democrat condemning any of it, or suggesting to their
followers to refrain from violent and terrorist-like tactics. Because it never
happened.
Yet, still in the Twilight Zone of CNN/MSNBC/etc, it is still Donald Trump (and his
Russian "handlers", of course!) who is always responsible for violence, incivility,
anti-democratic tendencies, global warming, poverty, low wages, poor Star Wars reviews,
Conor losing to Khabib, Crimea, Syria...
My WAG is that ithe "so-called bombs"came from Alt-Right types and that the intended
message was "The next time, or the time after that, they'll be for real -- you're that
vulnerable." We shall see ... perhaps.
I am inclined at this point to think that this is a campaign organized from the left
intended to move the needle before the elections. I would look for college students in
the NY City area where "bombs" have been hand delivered. Try NYU or Columbia first.
Renowned [Zionist] international human-rights lawyer Irwin Cotler is nominating Syria's
famed White Helmets, a group of volunteer humanitarian workers Canada helped rescue from the
war-torn country for the Nobel Peace Prize...
A senior Canadian government official who was not authorized to speak publicly, confirmed
Friday that some of the refugees have already resettled in Canada. The government declined to
say exactly how many White Helmets have already arrived or the total number Canada plans to
welcome, citing security concerns..."
The Blogmire
According to
an article in The Mail , the mother of Sergei Skripal, Yelena, has not heard from
her son since the incident on 4th March , and the last time she heard from her granddaughter,
Yulia, was on 24th July:
"Recalling her phone conversation with Yulia, Yelena told the Daily Mirror : 'The
last time I actually spoke to Yulia was on the 24th of July on my 90th birthday. She
rang - it was unexpected but it was so lovely to hear from her. She called and was actually
with Sergei. She told me: "I'm with daddy he is beside me but he can't speak as he has a pain
in his throat". She said he had been in some pain.'"
This is interesting for a number of reasons.
Firstly, we know that during the conversation on 24th July, according to a number of reports
(for example here
), Yulia told her grandmother that the reason Sergei was unable to speak was because his voice
was still weak due to a tracheostomy :
"Babushka, happy birthday, everything is fine, everything is perfect. I am in London with
papa. He can't speak because he's got a tracheostomy, that pipe, which will be taken off in
three days. Now when he speaks with that pipe, his voice is first of all very weak and
secondly, he makes quite a lot of wheeze. So babushka with your poor hearing you would really
struggle to understand him. He'll call after the tracheostomy is off. "
This was almost 3 months ago. So the tracheostomy was preventing Sergei from
speaking; but it was coming off in three days; yet nearly 3 months later and still no call from
Sergei? Is that not very odd? Indeed, especially given that Yelena states in the interview that
she and Sergei used to speak every week .
Secondly, the call on 24th July is itself very odd. Notice that Yulia uses the phrases
"everything is fine, everything is perfect." These are basically the same sorts of phrases that
she repeated over and over in
her call with her cousin Viktoria on 5th April :
"Everything is ok, everything is fine."
"Everything is fine, but we'll see how it goes, we'll decide later. You know what the
situation is here. Everything is fine, everything is solvable, everyone is recovering and is
alive."
"Everything is ok. He is resting now, having a nap. Everyone's health is fine, there are
no irreparable things. I will be discharged soon. Everything is ok."
She seems very keen - some would say overly keen - to emphasise that everything is
fine and okay and perfect etc. To me it sounds unnatural and forced. What do you think?
But more than this, imagine yourself in the same situation. Your father is next to you. He
can speak, but not very well, and so can't communicate through the phone to his mother. What
would you do? Well, I know what I would do. I would relay speech from the one to the other. "He
says he's getting better and misses you very much grandma." "She says she loves you, dad."
Isn't that what normal people would do in such circumstances?
But instead, Yulia speaks in a way that doesn't fill me with too much certainty that he was
actually in the room with her. It's all very medical and somewhat officious. And even if his
voice was a bit wheezy and hard to understand, his ears were okay, weren't they? Couldn't Yulia
have held the phone to her dad's ear so he could hear his mother speak to him? Again, that
would be what a normal person would do in such circumstances, wouldn't it? But of course they
don't do normal in SkripalWorld.
Thirdly, we have to reckon with the fact that since that call, in which Yulia indicated that
Sergei would call in as little as three days, there has been no communication at all . Not with
grandma. Not with Viktoria. Not with anyone (apparently even Mark Urban got the cold
shoulder).
Actually, that's not quite the case. We don't really have to reckon with this because the
heroic journalism of The Mail gives us the answer. In the same piece that it mentioned
a call between Yulia and her grandma, in which Sergei was apparently sat right next to Yulia,
we get this:
"Since that solitary phone conversation, she [Yelena] has not heard from her the two targeted
relatives as any contact could lead Russian forces to the pair."
Remarkable, isn't it? So according to The Mail , the reason that Sergei
Skripal cannot call his mother, is because Russian forces might be able to trace his
whereabouts and order a hit on him. Another one, apparently. And yet in the very same piece
they report on Yulia Skripal calling her grandmother on 24th July, with Sergei Skripal at her
side. See? It's obvious, isn't it?
Not for the first time in this case, I'm left scratching my head and wondering whether the
journalists who write this sort of thing believe their readers to be so dim that they won't
notice statements in the same article that utterly refute one another, or whether the
journalists themselves are so witless that they simply don't realise that they are
contradicting themselves in the space of a few sentences. Any thoughts?
The fact is that Yulia has phoned her cousin Viktoria a number of times since the beginning
of April, and in most, if not all of those calls, her father was said to be close by. She even
did a little film for Reuters in May, with her father apparently in the same compound. Why were
these allowed, since according to The Mail , it could have led Russian forces to the
pair? Or are we to believe that Russian forces have only just developed the capability to trace
phone calls since 24th July? Worse still, have British Security Services forgotten how to
prevent phone calls being traced by other intelligence agencies since 24th July, not to mention
also losing the ability to stop Russian forces from coming and getting them?
Or is it more likely that The Mail cannot be bothered to ask the obvious questions
that stem from their own report. Such as:
1. Why is the apparent victim in this case, Sergei Skripal, who is under the protection of
British (and possibly US) intelligence services, unable to phone his mother, whom he used to
speak to on a weekly basis?
2. Does this constitute a violation of his human rights?
3. Given that he has had no contact with his mother since 4th March, how can we be sure
that he is alive, and if he is, whether he is not being held against his will?
UK politicians in Skripal story behaved by cheap clowns. Their story with door knob was pathetic. They tried to invent
the legend with poisoning on the fly and that shows. There is definitely something else brewing here and Shamir proposed his
version with Skripal double dealings or something along those line is quite plausible.
We will never know, but I think British discredited themselves for the whole world in this story. Trump was not better will
using this tory to impose additional sanctions on Russia. This is just another proof that he is another neocon who during election
campaign like Obama played the role of isolationalist and then appointed Haley to UN and hired Pompeo as his Secretary of
state and Bolton as his security advisor -- a typical "bat and switch" operation in US politics.
Notable quotes:
"... Vrublevsky thinks that British intelligence convinced the GRU (probably we should say that GRU is not called GRU anymore but GU, the Chief Directorate of the General Staff, but it hardly matters) that Mr Skripal wanted to return home to Russia. Probably they were told that Mr Skripal intended to bring some valuable dowry with him, including Porton Down data and the secrets of the Golden Rain dossier. It is possible that Skripal had been played, too; perhaps he indeed wanted to go back to Russia, the country he missed badly. ..."
"... As we had learned from videos and stills published by the Brits, the two men had been carefully followed from the beginning to the end. Meanwhile, British intelligence staged a 'poisoning' of Skripal and his daughter, and the two agents quickly returned home. ..."
"... There is not a single man close to Russian intelligence who thinks that Skripal had actually been poisoned by the Russians. First, there was absolutely no reason to do it, and second, if the Russians would poison him, he would stay poisoned, like the Ukrainian Quisling Stepan Bandera was. ..."
"... However, by playing this card, the British secret service convinced the Foreign Office to expel all diplomats who had contacts and connection to the exposed GRU agents. The massive expulsion of 150 diplomats caused serious damage to the Russian secret services. ..."
"... Such a massive operation against Russian agents and their contacts could signal forthcoming war. In normal circumstances, states do not reveal their full knowledge of enemy agents. ..."
"... I do not know what is the truth. At this point I no longer care because we will never know but it will be the British version that will be the most popular. I like most people like good stories. Unfortunately for Russia the Brits have better script writers, director and actors. ..."
Vrublevsky thinks that British intelligence convinced the GRU (probably we should say that
GRU is not called GRU anymore but GU, the Chief Directorate of the General Staff, but it hardly
matters) that Mr Skripal wanted to return home to Russia. Probably they were told that Mr
Skripal intended to bring some valuable dowry with him, including Porton Down data and the
secrets of the Golden Rain dossier. It is possible that Skripal had been played, too; perhaps
he indeed wanted to go back to Russia, the country he missed badly.
Two GRU agents, supposedly experts on extraction (they allegedly sneaked the Ukrainian
president Yanukovych from Ukraine after the coup and saved him from lynching mob) were sent to
Salisbury to test the ground and make preparations for Skripal's return. As we had learned from
videos and stills published by the Brits, the two men had been carefully followed from the
beginning to the end. Meanwhile, British intelligence staged a 'poisoning' of Skripal and his
daughter, and the two agents quickly returned home.
There is not a single man close to Russian intelligence who thinks that Skripal had actually
been poisoned by the Russians. First, there was absolutely no reason to do it, and second, if
the Russians would poison him, he would stay poisoned, like the Ukrainian Quisling Stepan
Bandera was.
However, by playing this card, the British secret service convinced the Foreign Office to
expel all diplomats who had contacts and connection to the exposed GRU agents. The massive
expulsion of 150 diplomats caused serious damage to the Russian secret services.
Still, the Russians had no clue how the West had learned identities of so many diplomats
connected to GRU. They suspected that there was a mole, and a turncoat who delivered the stuff
to the enemy.
That is why Vladimir Putin decided to dare them. As he knew that the two men identified by
the British service had no connection to the alleged poisoning, he asked them to appear on the
RT in an interview with Ms Simonyan. By acting as village hicks, they were supposed to provoke
the enemy to disclose its source. The result was unexpected: instead of revealing the name of a
turncoat, the Belling Cat, a site used by the Western Secret Services for intentional leaks,
explained how the men were traced by using the stolen databases. Putin's plan misfired.
The Russian secret service is not dead. Intelligence services do suffer from enemy action
from time to time: the Cambridge Five infiltrated the upper reaches of the MI-5 and delivered
state secrets to Moscow for a long time, but the Intelligence Service survived. Le Carre's
novels were based on such a defeat of the intelligence. However they have a way to recover.
Identity of their top agents remain secret, and they are concealed from the enemy's eyes.
But in order to function properly, the Russians will have to clean their stables, remove
their databases from the market place and keep its citizenry reasonably safe. Lax, and
not-up-to-date agents do not apparently understand the degree the internet is being watched.
Considering it should have been done twenty years ago, and meanwhile a new generation of
Russians has came of age, perfectly prepared to sell whatever they can for cash, it is a
formidable task.
There is an additional reason to worry. Such a massive operation against Russian agents and
their contacts could signal forthcoming war. In normal circumstances, states do not reveal
their full knowledge of enemy agents. It made president Putin worry; and he said this week: we'll
go to heaven as martyrs, the attackers will die as sinners. In face of multiple and recent
threats, this end of the world is quite possible.
Great story. If told many people would believe it. But now it is kind of late. So why it
wasn't told within few days or weeks of Skripal affair? Why it is the British media that has
initiative and Russian media is reactive and defensive? The story that Skripal wanted to
return and that two agents were lured in there should have been told right away and that it
turned out be MI5 provocation should have been insinuated. And the two agents should have
been interviewed on Russian media. Instead we get defensive inept and indolent Russian
reactions.
I do not know what is the truth. At this point I no longer care because we will never
know but it will be the British version that will be the most popular. I like most people
like good stories. Unfortunately for Russia the Brits have better script writers, director
and actors.
@utu " Instead we get
defensive inept and indolent Russian reactions."
The reaction 'if we want to kill somebody that somebody does not survive' I cannot see as
inept and indolent.
Excellent piece by Israel Shamir which I think gives the correct explanation of the Skripal
poisoning. This was a classic fishing, 'click bait' operation which produced a very valuable
haul for Western Intelligence. The only question is whether Skripal cooperated with it
– which I think he did – not knowing that both he and his daughter were meant to
die. Hence Putin's rage against Skripal a few weeks ago ( calling him a scumbag traitor etc,
etc) after the Russian operatives were identified because retired agents are supposed to stay
retired.
Russia made a very serious mistake with the RT interview with the 2 operatives. Better not
to say anything if you can't give the whole story. The GU weren't happy to show their
incompetence, but compounded the original mistake with obvious lying. That was a propaganda
gift to the Western media and has helped convince original disbelievers of Russian
perfidy.
Russia needs to step up its game especially in the media dept.
@Anatoly Karlin " British
or American human capital, but there are certainly consummate professionals relative to what
passes for today's Russian intelligence services. "
On what this 'certainly' is based, I see no argument whatsoever.
Already a long time ago, I must admit, the CIA director had to admit to senator Moynihan that
he had lied about the CIA not laying mines in Havana harbour.
A professional in espionage does not get caught.
Daniel Patrick Moynihan, 'Secrecy', New Haven 1998
Anyone acquinted with Sept 11 understands that the USA's secret army, the CIA, was
involved.
Another blunder.
As far as I know British secret services never get caught.
How clever the Russians are, suppose quite clever, I for one do not think that the stupid
stories about for example Skripal have any truth in them.
Until now the asserted Russian meddling in USA elections have not been proved.
Do not know of anything credible that Russian intelligence people are said to have done.
But of course Russian intelligence does exist.
"A related problem is that since there is now a free market economy, with many more
attractive career options for talented people, the high quality people go to work in other
spheres, leaving the intelligence agencies with the dregs;" .
A direct result of erasing ideology so as to erase personality cult towards highly
respected people in former USSR .When you have no ideology ( or worst, share ideology with
your opponent, i.e free market .) all what you have, from values to secrets, from scientific
human capital to secret service officials, are out there in the global market for possible
selling to the best postor .this is the principle of capitalism .. after all, it is said,
almost everybody has a price .The challenge is finding out where that little bunch who have
not are ..Obviously, in this scenario, the one who has the printing machine has a "little"
advantage How to overcome this would be part of "what is to be done" ..
If the Russians wanted to kill them they would be dead. Period. It is all FN hoax.
The latest English came up with was that poison was smeared on the door handle and that both
touched the door handle. Give me a break. Such a idiocy. Just imagine the exit procedure
where both are touching the door knob.
And than both Russians went to garbage dump carrying the little bottle and thru it there.
What an exemplary citizen neat behavior by Russians,
All English story is such a stupid idiocy that it turns my stomach.
However, the presence of Russian spies in Salisbury can be explained by its nearness to
Porton Down, the secret British chemical lab and factory for manufacturing chemical weapons
applied by the White Helmets in Syria in their false-flag operation in Douma and other
places. It is possible that a resident of Salisbury (Mr Skripal?) had delivered samples
from Porton Down to the Russian intelligence agents. This makes much more sense than the
dubious story of Russians trying to poison an old ex-spy who did his stretch in a Russian
jail.
If Mr. Skripal has been poisoned by the stuff of which he himself took samples in Porton
Down, this would run completely parallel to the earlier poisoning of Mr. Alexander
Valterovich Litvinenko, who also became ill because of carrying poison (polonium) around.
If [Yulia Skripal] had not had the courage to make this call while slipping the
observance of British intelligence, she would probably be dead by now.
Both Skripals are most likely DEAD, murdered by British "intelligence"
services.
The formulaic and curiously uninterested treatment of the matter in the British media
seems inconsistent with the Skripals still being alive.
The article above suggests that the Skripals were unwitting or witting participants in a
sting to expose Russian intelligence agents. More importantly, Sergey Skripal appears to have
had a role in the creation of the DNC's "dossier" to undermine the Trump presidencey.
Whatever the background, Sergey Skripal became privy to important secrets that the Brits
and their seditious allies in the U.S. Deep State do not want exposed.
In the Skripal case the British have not explained why, after claiming to have found the
closest approach to a smoking gun in the form of traces of novichok in that hotel room, the
hotel was not then immediately quarantined.
And assuredly, with Putin's name on the line, the Russians have to do a better job if they
are to refute the standing accusations – the RT interview was something of a PR
disaster.
The Belloncat data, although superficially convincing, could so easily have been faked by
anybody with reasonable knowledge of Russian internet infrastructure and some proficiency in
Photoshop.
But I did not know about these massive intelligence security breaches in Russia. Wow,
that's huge. Even though it's not clear to me how this indicates Putin's plan misfired. If
anything he got exactly what he wanted: confirmation that the "West" had access to the entire
passport database. Knowing what your enemy has in intelligence is a huge win, now they can
work on correcting it (hard as it may be, it would be impossible without knowing).
But the fact is Russia has not really disputed the results so I am fairly confident that
not only was Belling Cat right, but Israel is right, and now we have the situation where
Russia knows that Western intelligence has full access to Russia's passport database.
@Tyrion 2 Had some
experiences with Chinese and Mossad spies, not to mention Russian Jewish hard-drug dealers.
Here are a few examples.
There was an AMES postdoc at UCSD, a Chinese applied-math brain who had a 10-plus female
handler. She'd stop by occasionally to check up on him. He always get extremely anxious when
she was around. Couldn't figure out if it was fear, sexual excitement, or a combination of
both.
There was an old Chinese man and his foxy young female protege, who enjoyed filming U.S.
military maneuvers along the San Diego coast. I observed their operation for days.
There was a swing-shift cleaning crew in a Southern California high-tech mfg facility that
was all Chinese, in an area that typically employed Latin American crews. Its head honcho was
a beautiful Chinese lady. They made it their job to sort through trash bins and save papers.
The feds busted them.
As far as the Mossad, I spent two years on a rental property in SD county, which was
occupied by them as well. Mostly Israeli kids using the property and a local Israeli-owned
vegetarian restaurant as their "scorpion den." Got fairly familiar with some of their
espionage work and methods.
I don't go looking for this stuff. I'm just able to recognize it. As an empath I can read
people, quite well. It's a natural gift.
Can't stomach Israel's insensitive nature. That's why you'll typically find me pointing
out their self-serving bullshit.
This is a pretty good article but also falls on its face at the end
Mr Shamir's 'inside' information confirms my own take on Petrov and Boshirov which I
published a few days after that RT interview with Ms Simonyan
I wrote this on Col Lang's blog on Sept 14
'Yeah those two 'tourists' do look the part don't they I would say they are probably GRU
or something similar but nobody 'poisoned' the Skripals that's total kabuki theater another
Potemkin village production from the reality masters
Something is afoot here though perhaps these two were lured to Salisbury as part of a
frame up plot, perhaps by Skripal himself or perhaps the Brits caught wind of their plans
to visit [on some standard spying mission, certainly not assassination] and put in motion
the elaborate hoax
Everybody there protested loudly including Andrey Martyanov [Smoothie] I also added
this
' I disagree with everyone here it seems these guys aren't tourists but they also didn't
try to kill anyone that's stupid
It's some sort of spy game
Here's one scenario double agent Skripal makes convincing noises about flipping back
someone at GRU [or some similar outfit] sends these two to Salisbury to check it out a very
stupid move which is why Putin is now miffed enough to display these guys publicly and
their field career surely over also a slap in the face to the silly Limeys for playing
dirty pool even in the cloak and dagger game there are unwritten rules '
This is now exactly the story that Mr Shamir is presenting here but he is a day late and a
dollar short
I also don't agree with his take that this is all somehow a big loss for Russian intel the
Brits are the ones who have painted themselves in a corner their Skripal story is a wet paper
bag waiting to fall apart the fact that they lured the Russians to Salisbury, under whatever
pretext, be it Skripal or Porton Down/white helmets etc was their only small tactical victory
because they could then later expose those two after months of Russian denials in order to
show the Russians were in fact somehow involved
But that exposure came months later all that time the Russians would have known that
Boshirov and Petrov had been captured on candid camera and would have had time to work on
their countermove
Mr Shamir writes this like the game is over that is ridiculous the Brits have no way out
of the Skripal hoax there was never any poisoning the original diagnosis of the Skripals in
the Salisbury hospital was opioid overdose that came out in the first BBC interview with the
hospital staff months after the 'poisoning'
It was not until 48 hours after the Skripals were admitted to hospital and the convenient
intervention of Porton Down that the medical diagnosis was 'changed' to nerve agent
poisoning
BUT this is an unsustainable story that WILL FALL APART the simple reason is medical and
chemical fact both nerve agents and agricultural pesticides are based on the exact
same chemical compound organophosphates
'There are nearly 3 million poisonings per year resulting in two hundred thousand
deaths.'
That is the simple reason why emergency doctors EVERYWHERE are trained to recognize and
treat this kind of poisoning especially in rural, agricultural areas like
Salisbury
That is why it took months for media to gain access to the medical staff at that hospital
the British spooks needed to do a lot of 'persuading' with medical professionals that would
have wanted no part in such trickery and fakery
But this is a ticking time bomb that is bound to blow up in the faces of the very stupid
Brits
So yes they pulled off a minor coup in luring those two to Salisbury but the game is very
very far from over
As for Skripal he is in on it for sure as I speculated in my original comment on the
matter..the Russian intel services are perfectly aware of this, yet Mr Shamir's supposedly
well connected source has zero knowledge of this which tells me this source is actually a
useless clown who 'knows' exactly what an internet commenter [myself] already knew two months
ago
PS the fact that the Brits supposedly have all kinds of database info on the Russian intel
apparatus and personnel files etc doesn't mean anything the author is a making a big deal out
of this, but his story lacks meat on its bones most 'intel' is open source material
anyway
As for sensitive stuff that may have been 'sold' by 'corrupt' bureaucrats one must ask if
such 'info' is actually real or a clever plant providing fake info is the oldest spy trick in
the book and this article simply takes for granted that such a trick would not have been
employed why not ?
@FB How would a fake
database leak include the real data on the two GRU agents that just happened to be sent to
UK? Maybe it was to make the data leak seem real?
In spycraft it is always impossible to know how deep the deception goes. That's why the
very article to which you are responding started with:
It is hard to evaluate the exact measure of things in the murky world of spies and
counter-spies, but it appears that the Western spies have had extraordinary success in the
subterranean battle.
I think that a clear strategy by the western "intelligence" services is starting to emerge
vis-a-vis the Russians. By accusing any Russian that they can get their hands on, of being a
spy, they want to scare the ordinary Russians from visiting the west, so afterwards any
Russian actually caught traveling to the west can be safely assumed to be a spy – since
by the calculations of the clever western intelligence – only someone who is actually a
spy while at the same time being Russian, would dare to travel to the west. How smart is
that?
Joking aside, it really is becoming unsafe for Russian nationals to travel to the west.
Even though the west reserves the generosity of calling somebody equal only for those that
are from the 3rd world – Russians clearly don't deserve such generosity.
Despite this, exceptions can be made and some unfortunate Russian soul could be accused of
being equal with those highly evolved westerners and against their will can be offered
protection from Mother Russia.
Pretty much like it happened to Yulia Skripal. She was only visiting her gastarbeiter
father in GB, who apparently expressed desire to return to Russia, against pretty much
everybody's wishes, and all of a sudden Yulia Skripal found herself bestowed with the western
generosity of being declared equal, and was disappeared from public eye in order to protect
her from those with whom she is clearly not equal – the Russians.
Thank God at least MI-6 proved equal to the task and discovered her equalness in a nick of
time and saved her. The moral of the story: Only democracy has the power to recognize who is
equal and who is not. Then, on the other hand, capitalism can keep acquiring new monikers
such as "democracy" – all they want, Russia still has better quality of equality,
despite ditching socialism.
@CalDre Yes I 'stubbornly'
refuse to take at face value this silly statement
it appears that the Western spies have had extraordinary success in the subterranean
battle.'
Because it's not backed up by anything other than hot air as for that supposed 'data'
about Petrov and Boshirov
that was put out by Bellingcat
Ie mickey mouse stuff as with everything these clowns do, it is meant only to bamboozle
the most utterly stupid bipeds
A very nice clue is the fact that a Russian website called 'The Insider' is Bellingcat's
acknowledged partner here
If you read the article in English they claim to have 'dug' up a lot of info from various
sources such the central Russian resident database and passenger check in data for their
flight to the UK
Big deal that Shamir is building a mountain out of a molehill is more than clear
In fact this entire Shamir tale appears to have one subtle purpose to publicize and
glorify the Bellingcat outfit
which irredeemably lost any credibility a few weeks back when illiterate poofter Eliott
Higgins refused a debate challenge by the distinguished MIT physicist and former presidential
advisor Ted Postol actually calling Postol an 'idiot' a move that astounded even those
willing to entertain Higgins on a semi-credible level
@Anatoly Karlin Be that as
it may, the "Western side" had (publicly known) Aldrich, Hanssen and Benghazi fiasco.
Boils down to, from the comment below:
When you have no ideology ( or worst, share ideology with your opponent, i.e free market
.) all what you have, from values to secrets, from scientific human capital to secret
service officials, are out there in the global market for possible selling to the best
postor .this is the principle of capitalism .. after all, it is said, almost everybody has
a price..
and
Obviously, in this scenario, the one who has the printing machine has a "little"
advantage.
And, on top of it, in West, since the fall of The Wall, we've been having "Cooking the
Intelligence to Fit the Political Agenda".
This commenter begs to differ with M. Karlin's assessment (8) of the relative competence of
Russian sovok and CIA. "consummate professionals relative to what passes for today's Russian
intelligence services"? Mais non.
CIA always gets caught. All they do is step on their crank, again and again. They depend
not on professionalism but on what Russ Baker describes as a strange mix of ruthlessness and
ineptitude. Both stem from impunity in municipal law.
For example: CIA torture and coercive interference got comprehensively exposed, worldwide,
in the '70s. What happened? Don Gregg gave the Church and Pike committees an ultimatum: Back
off or it's martial law. CIA got busted again in the '80s for the criminal enterprises under
the Iran/Contra rubric. By then CIA had installed Tom Polgar, Former Saigon Station Chief, as
chief investigator for the cognizant Senate Select committee, and Polgar assured Gregg that
his hearings would not be a repeat of the abortive Pike and Church flaps.
So CIA are clowns. They can afford to be clowns because they know they can get away with
it. Getting away with it is their only skill, and the only skill they need.
The persistent category error at this site is failing to realize that CIA is the state.
They rule the USA.
Two disappearances, and two very different responses from Western governments, which illustrates their rank
hypocrisy.
When former Russian spy Sergei Skripal went missing in England earlier this year, there was almost
immediate punitive action by the British government and its NATO allies against Moscow.
By contrast,
Western governments are straining with restraint towards Saudi Arabia over the more shocking and provable case of
murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
The outcry by Western governments and media over the Skripal affair was deafening and resulted in Britain, the US
and some 28 other countries
expelling
dozens
of Russian diplomats on the back of unsubstantiated British allegations that the Kremlin tried to assassinate an
exiled spy with a deadly nerve agent. The Trump administration has further tightened
sanctions
citing
the Skripal incident.
London's case against Moscow has been marked by wild speculation and ropey innuendo.
No verifiable
evidence of what actually happened to Sergei Skripal (67) and his daughter Yulia has been presented by the British
authorities
. Their claim that President Vladimir Putin sanctioned a hit squad armed with nerve poison
relies on sheer conjecture.
All we know for sure is that the Skripals have been disappeared from public contact by the British
authorities for more than seven months
, since the mysterious incident of alleged poisoning in Salisbury
on March 4.
Russian authorities and family relatives have been steadfastly refused any contact by London with the Skripal
pair, despite more than 60 official requests from Moscow in accordance with international law and in spite of the
fact that Yulia is a citizen of the Russian Federation with consular rights.
It is an outrage that
based on such thin ice of "evidence", the British have built an edifice of
censure against Moscow, rallying an international campaign of further sanctions and diplomatic expulsions.
Now contrast that strenuous reaction, indeed hyper over-reaction, with how Britain, the US, France, Canada and
other Western governments are ever-so slowly responding to Saudi Arabia over the Khashoggi case.
After nearly two weeks since Jamal Khashoggi entered the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, t
he Saudi
regime is this week finally admitting he was killed on their premises albeit, they claim, in a "botched
interrogation".
Turkish and American intelligence had earlier claimed that Khashoggi was tortured and murdered on the Saudi
premises by a 15-member hit squad sent from Riyadh.
Even more grisly, it is
claimed
that
Khashoggi's body was hacked up with a bone saw by the killers, his remains secreted out of the consulate building
in boxes, and flown back to Saudi Arabia on board two private jets connected to the Saudi royal family.
What's more, the Turks and Americans claim that the whole barbaric plot to murder Khashoggi was on the orders
of senior Saudi rulers, implicating Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. The latest twist out of Riyadh, is an
attempt to scapegoat "rogue killers" and whitewash the House of Saudi from culpability.
The fact that 59-year-old Khashoggi was a legal US resident and a columnist for the Washington Post has no
doubt given his case such prominent coverage in Western news media. Thousands of other victims of Saudi vengeance
are routinely ignored in the West.
Nevertheless, despite the horrific and damning case against the Saudi monarchy,
the response from the
Trump administration, Britain and others has been abject.
President Trump has blustered that there "will be severe consequences" for the Saudi regime if it is proven
culpable in the murder of Khashoggi. Trump quickly qualified, however,
saying
that
billion-dollar arms deals with the oil-rich kingdom will not be cancelled.
Now Trump appears to be joining
in a cover-up by spinning the story that the Khashoggi killing was done by "rogue killers".
Britain, France and Germany this week issued a
joint
statement
calling for "a credible investigation" into the disappearance. But other than "tough-sounding"
rhetoric, n
one of the European states have indicated any specific sanctions, such as weapons contracts
being revoked or diplomatic expulsions.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was "concerned"
by the gruesome claims about
Khashoggi's killing,
but he
reiterated
that
Ottawa would not be scrapping a $15 billion sale of combat vehicles to Riyadh.
The Saudi rulers have even
threatened
retaliatory
measures if sanctions are imposed by Western governments.
Saudi denials of official culpability seem to be a brazen flouting of all reason and circumstantial evidence
that Khashoggi was indeed murdered in the consulate building on senior Saudi orders.
This week a glitzy international investor conference in Saudi Arabia is being boycotted by top business
figures,
including
the
World Bank chief, Jim Yong Kim, JP Morgan CEO Jamie Dimon and Britain's venture capitalist Richard Branson. Global
firms like Ford and Uber have pulled out, as have various media sponsors, such as CNN, the New York Times and
Financial Times. Withdrawal from the event was in response to the Khashoggi affair.
A growing bipartisan
chorus
of
US Senators, including Bob Corker, Marco Rubio, Lindsey Graham and Chris Murphy, have called for the cancellation
of American arms sales to Saudi Arabia, as well as for an overhaul of the strategic partnership between the two
countries.
Still, Trump has rebuffed calls for punitive response.
He has said that American jobs and
profits depend on the Saudi weapons market. Some 20 per cent of all US arms sales are estimated to go to the House
of Saud.
The New York Times this week headlined: "In Trump's Saudi Bargain, the Bottom Line Proudly Stands Out".
The Trump White House will be represented at the investment conference in Saudi Arabia this week dubbed
"Davos in the Desert" by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. He said he was
attending
in
spite of the grave allegations against the Saudi rulers.
Surely the point here is the unseemly indulgence by Western governments of Saudi Arabia and its so-called
"reforming" Crown Prince. It is remarkable how much credulity Washington, London, Paris, Ottawa and others are
affording the Saudi despots who, most likely, have been caught redhanded in a barbarous murder.
Yet, when it comes to Russia and outlandish, unproven claims that the Kremlin carried out a bizarre
poison-assassination plot, all these same Western governments abandon all reason and decorum to pile sanctions on
Russia based on lurid, hollow speculation. The blatant hypocrisy demolishes any pretense of integrity or
principle.
Here is another connection between the Skripal and Khashoggi affairs. The Saudis no doubt took note of the way
Britain's rulers have shown absolute disregard and contempt for international law in their de facto abduction of
Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
If the British can get away with that gross violation, then the Saudis probably
thought that nobody would care too much if they disappeared Jamal Khashoggi.
Grotesquely, the way things are shaping up in terms of hypocritical lack of action by the Americans, British
and others towards
the Saudi despots, the latter might just get away with murder. Not so Russia. The
Russians are not allowed to get away with even an absurd fantasy.
We are in "Pulp Fiction" aren't we? Any scenario is possible coming from the Saudis or
the Anglo media. The Skripal has been a successful one.
Thanks for completing the scenario with your own ideas of the beheading of witnesses that you
mistakenly attributed to me.
I would suppose that Saudis have something usually convincing to shut off talkative
people, like they will shut off Trump or even the Turks: Money
The Skripal hoax grew legs I never imagined possible. If people did quietly question it,
those people were deprived of a public counter-narrative in the mainstream Press to nurture
their skepticism. This could cause a dimwit to renounce natural suspicion and a sharpie to
know when to shut-up if he/she did not wish to be laughed at or worse.
They have so many of us dangling on a string. Thank b and others for MoA!
Cool down! We had TWO GRU murderers walk into Salisbury, with no CCCTV ecidense yet that they
were near Skripal's house, and no evidence from his house , which surely must have under
surveillance. Do you believe this? OK you believe the official story too.
And apart from that, Kashroggis probable demise is all cool, as he was a head chopping
advocate, a Wahabistst. Fuck him . Wahabists go in Class on camps which has on the entrance
"Arbeit mach frei" which of course is a general lie, but the whe get to kill them in a
humanely way (see instruction manual from CiA)
Or you just shoot them in the chest, less smatter and more blood. Headshots are messy, stuff
everywhere., sometimetimes, if you accidentially hit a weak point in the cranium , you have
brains everywhere , dont wan't that.
As another poster commented, something is missing...
It is like a well choreograhped drame, Skripals were the same, this also is tooooo nice
fitting together... Hmfr!
Qui bono? Who makes money on this? I certainly cannot answer that, but lets play safe : The
Russians did it!
They beamed up Kasshoggi to their base on the dark side of the moon, the re killed him in
civilized manner, fucking him to death with nice looking whores and spoonfeeding him Beluga
caviar and interjected wit sips of Russian Starka. He was then made to mush and beamed back
into the Saudi consulate making a real mess. Now poor headchop promoter is all over the
place! He must love that up in his muslum heaven with 72 old hags. There is no martyrdom in
being beamed to the moon and put through a garden shredder, that is nothing special.
So now the Saudi's has Khassoggi al over their faces (literally :)) and the Turks eye a new
way to betray someone (Putin, wake up!!). Ever since democracy was bestowed on these people,
they have made a mess of it.
Back in the day (when I was gung ho Army boy), it was OK for a Turk officer to shoot dead a
couple of conscripts a year, no problemo, the sentries with weapons had no live rounds hi-hi.
Turkey does not need a hard shove and it will crumble, and the Americans will intervene,
unless Russia is first.
This game is about Turkey, and not goat herders in Saudi Sodoma. They have hardly oil left
and the plebs are angry.
Jared Kushner's friendship/affair with previously merely progressive war criminal MBS, who
has progressed to now also beinted tainted with responsibility for the lurid butchery of an
offensive to MBS 'journalist' who was but days from marriage and the arms of his love, does
not elevate Kushner's already dubious standing in some circles.
Kushner, he who on one memorable occasion chatted til the early hours of the morning,
"cultivating a close friendship", with the mass murdering progressive MBS, who (thus
inspired?; coincidentally?) to Trumpian applause arrested and shook down many members of his
billionaire-cult family. But is this a busom buddy friendship born of equality, two young men
with so much in common?
MBS has been quoted as saying he has "Kushner in my pocket". Hmmm.
And then there's NYT's Tom Friedman's gushing rhapsody in purple over MBS: "... a genuine
reformer, mega-popular dude, and an all-around super awesome guy." Friedman's love was stoked
over what he presumed was a lamb dinner, but in the light of further developments, we are not
so sure....
He was most critical of the Saudi Royals and ;) 'pro-reform.' He was kidnapped in Geneva,
apparently as carried out or 'allowed' for a good part by the Saudi Ambassador.
He was, allegedly, 'rendered' back to KSA, drugged and tortured. Five masked men
knocked him unconscious, anesthetized him, taken him to a Boeing 747 waiting at the Geneva
airport, and flew him to the Saudi capital Riyadh
In F, closer to the events: Celui-ci s'éclipse de la pièce et peu
après, des hommes armés font irruption, frappent Sultan ben Turki, le
menottent, lui font une injection et le transportent inconscient jusqu'à
l'aéroport de Cointrin, où il est embarqué à bord d'un Boeing
médical arrivé plusieurs jours auparavant et toujours prêt à
décoller, selon le récit qu'il en a fait plus tard.
Prison > house arrest, > once freed - he was allowed to go to Boston for medical
treatment - he fled - back to Geneva! - and a court case took place (2016.) Pierre de Preux,
a well known lawyer here, represented him. Imho the state prosecutor (= DA) was brave to take
on this case. It was nevertheless shelved for lack of evidence.
Killing off critics / potential trouble makers / other / takes different forms in
different régimes.
In the US for ex. no big show is made, and the death is classed as suicide, car accident,
druggie death, mystery fall / drowning, etc. no matter how weird the circumstances. In other
lands, it is deemed necessary to demonstrate the power of the Overlords, who can organise 15
ppl, a stark warning is projected.
Posted by: Den Lille Abe | Oct 13, 2018 8:46:30 AM | 118
On one hand, the quantity of black flag incidents is increasing, and that leads to low
quality at many occasions. Ukrainians in particular excel in making most laughable incidents
and the British seem to be influenced. Babchenko was killed, his murder condemned by Her
Majesty Foreign Office and then got resurected. Brits seem to liked that, as exemplified by
heroics of Sir Gavin, the Lord Defender of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland,
Island of Man etc. etc.) on the frontline of the Free Ukraine.
On the other hand, were Saudis innocent they should have means of proving it. Consulates
have security systems including cameras near the entry. While they are attacked less
frequently than convenience stores, they have a better budget for such systems. Thus it
should not be hard to show that either (a) Jamal Khashoggi actually did not enter KSA
consulate in Istanbul on the day in question or (b) he entered and exited. Barring the use of
hitherto unknown types of beam weapons, I would conclude that he entered and did not exit by
normal means.
That said, there were no reports on beam weapons capable of transporting material objects.
At worst, Russians could focus microwave weapons reducing people inside the consulate to
incontinent cricket hearing idiots, enter through the underground and get out carrying
whatever they please. KSA could be reluctant to release videos showing their people as they
looked like idiots who just pissed into their pants and worse. This is what I can imagine on
the basis of stories from American press that include at least two of "Russia,
consulate/embassy, microwave weapons", usually all three. If we restrict ourself to more
corroborated stories, Russians could drill holes and saturate the air with "military grade
fentanyl" and eschew microwaves. But it would be easier if it was done by Turks with the help
of Russian experts who botched something like that at least once, so they have data how to
drill, spray and calculate the dosage.
Surely, one should not deprecate the ability of Turks to concoct tales. For example, a
typical tale from Tales of 1001 Nights features a beautiful Turkish princess that falls from
one misfortune to another at the hands of a trio of bad characters: a Jewish merchant, a
Christian magician and a Kurdish leader of a band of robbers, only to be eventually rescued
by a dashing young Muslim Arab, and we may have such a tale suitable altered for the occasion
-- perhaps despicable Kurds will show up later.
But really, offering Starka to a prisoner? Because of long aging time and the demand, it
is surprisingly hard to buy, and it is hard to tell if it is popular in Russia at all, Poland
and the Baltics have more of Starka tradition.
"... Any scenario is possible coming from the Saudis or the Anglo media. The Skripal has been a successful one. ..."
"... The Skripal hoax grew legs I never imagined possible. If people did quietly question it, those people were deprived of a public counter-narrative in the mainstream Press to nurture their skepticism. This could cause a dimwit to renounce natural suspicion and a sharpie to know when to shut-up if he/she did not wish to be laughed at or worse. ..."
"... It is like a well choreograhped drame, Skripals were the same, this also is tooooo nice fitting together... ..."
"... Jared Kushner's friendship/affair with previously merely progressive war criminal MBS, who has progressed to now also beinted tainted with responsibility for the lurid butchery of an offensive to MBS 'journalist' who was but days from marriage and the arms of his love, does not elevate Kushner's already dubious standing in some circles. ..."
"... And then there's NYT's Tom Friedman's gushing rhapsody in purple over MBS: "... a genuine reformer, mega-popular dude, and an all-around super awesome guy." Friedman's love was stoked over what he presumed was a lamb dinner, but in the light of further developments, we are not so sure.... ..."
"... Reminded me of the Sultan Bin Turki affair. ..."
"... He was most critical of the Saudi Royals and ;) 'pro-reform.' He was kidnapped in Geneva, apparently as carried out or 'allowed' for a good part by the Saudi Ambassador. ..."
"... On one hand, the quantity of black flag incidents is increasing, and that leads to low quality at many occasions. Ukrainians in particular excel in making most laughable incidents and the British seem to be influenced. Babchenko was killed, his murder condemned by Her Majesty Foreign Office and then got resurected. ..."
We are in "Pulp Fiction" aren't we? Any scenario is possible coming from the Saudis or the Anglo media. The Skripal has
been a successful one.
Thanks for completing the scenario with your own ideas of the beheading of witnesses that you mistakenly attributed to me.
I would suppose that Saudis have something usually convincing to shut off talkative people, like they will shut off Trump or
even the Turks: Money
The Skripal hoax grew legs I never imagined possible. If people did quietly question it, those people were deprived of a public
counter-narrative in the mainstream Press to nurture their skepticism. This could cause a dimwit to renounce natural suspicion
and a sharpie to know when to shut-up if he/she did not wish to be laughed at or worse.
They have so many of us dangling on a string. Thank b and others for MoA!
Cool down! We had TWO GRU murderers walk into Salisbury, with no CCCTV ecidense yet that they were near Skripal's house, and no
evidence from his house , which surely must have under surveillance. Do you believe this? OK you believe the official story too.
And apart from that, Kashroggis probable demise is all cool, as he was a head chopping advocate, a Wahabistst. Fuck him . Wahabists
go in Class on camps which has on the entrance "Arbeit mach frei" which of course is a general lie, but the whe get to kill them
in a humanely way (see instruction manual from CiA)
Or you just shoot them in the chest, less smatter and more blood. Headshots are messy, stuff everywhere., sometimetimes, if you
accidentially hit a weak point in the cranium , you have brains everywhere , dont wan't that.
As another poster commented, something is missing...
It is like a well choreograhped drame, Skripals were the same, this also is tooooo nice fitting together...
Hmfr!
Qui bono? Who makes money on this? I certainly cannot answer that, but lets play safe : The Russians did it!
They beamed up Kasshoggi to their base on the dark side of the moon, the re killed him in civilized manner, fucking him to death
with nice looking whores and spoonfeeding him Beluga caviar and interjected wit sips of Russian Starka. He was then made to mush
and beamed back into the Saudi consulate making a real mess. Now poor headchop promoter is all over the place! He must love that
up in his muslum heaven with 72 old hags. There is no martyrdom in being beamed to the moon and put through a garden shredder,
that is nothing special.
So now the Saudi's has Khassoggi al over their faces (literally :)) and the Turks eye a new way to betray someone (Putin, wake
up!!). Ever since democracy was bestowed on these people, they have made a mess of it.
Back in the day (when I was gung ho Army boy), it was OK for a Turk officer to shoot dead a couple of conscripts a year, no problemo,
the sentries with weapons had no live rounds hi-hi. Turkey does not need a hard shove and it will crumble, and the Americans will
intervene, unless Russia is first.
This game is about Turkey, and not goat herders in Saudi Sodoma. They have hardly oil left and the plebs are angry.
Jared Kushner's friendship/affair with previously merely progressive war criminal MBS, who has progressed to now also beinted
tainted with responsibility for the lurid butchery of an offensive to MBS 'journalist' who was but days from marriage and the
arms of his love, does not elevate Kushner's already dubious standing in some circles.
Kushner, he who on one memorable occasion chatted till the early hours of the morning, "cultivating a close friendship", with
the mass murdering progressive MBS, who (thus inspired?; coincidentally?) to Trumpian applause arrested and shook down many members
of his billionaire-cult family. But is this a busom buddy friendship born of equality, two young men with so much in common?
MBS has been quoted as saying he has "Kushner in my pocket". Hmmm.
And then there's NYT's Tom Friedman's gushing rhapsody in purple over MBS: "... a genuine reformer, mega-popular dude, and
an all-around super awesome guy." Friedman's love was stoked over what he presumed was a lamb dinner, but in the light of further
developments, we are not so sure....
He was most critical of the Saudi Royals and ;) 'pro-reform.' He was kidnapped in Geneva, apparently as carried out or 'allowed'
for a good part by the Saudi Ambassador.
He was, allegedly, 'rendered' back to KSA, drugged and tortured. Five masked men knocked him unconscious, anesthetized him,
taken him to a Boeing 747 waiting at the Geneva airport, and flew him to the Saudi capital Riyadh
In F, closer to the events: Celui-ci s'ιclipse de la piθce et peu aprθs, des hommes armιs font irruption, frappent Sultan
ben Turki, le menottent, lui font une injection et le transportent inconscient jusqu'ΰ l'aιroport de Cointrin, oω il est embarquι
ΰ bord d'un Boeing mιdical arrivι plusieurs jours auparavant et toujours prκt ΰ dιcoller, selon le rιcit qu'il en a fait plus
tard.
Prison > house arrest, > once freed - he was allowed to go to Boston for medical treatment - he fled - back to Geneva! - and
a court case took place (2016.) Pierre de Preux, a well known lawyer here, represented him. Imho the state prosecutor (= DA) was
brave to take on this case. It was nevertheless shelved for lack of evidence.
Killing off critics / potential trouble makers / other / takes different forms in different rιgimes.
In the US for ex. no big show is made, and the death is classed as suicide, car accident, druggie death, mystery fall / drowning,
etc. no matter how weird the circumstances. In other lands, it is deemed necessary to demonstrate the power of the Overlords,
who can organise 15 ppl, a stark warning is projected.
On one hand, the quantity of black flag incidents is increasing, and that leads to low quality at many occasions. Ukrainians
in particular excel in making most laughable incidents and the British seem to be influenced. Babchenko was killed, his murder
condemned by Her Majesty Foreign Office and then got resurected. Brits seem to liked that, as exemplified by heroics of Sir Gavin,
the Lord Defender of the United Kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland, Island of Man etc. etc.) on the frontline of the Free Ukraine.
"... its russia and chinas job to assist america to reach the acceptance stage as peacefully as possible while allowing as much face saving as possible for washington and their ruling class. at the end of the day everyone wants to go on living. the next 15 years ought to be quite exciting. ..."
SKRIPALMANIA. Has now been completely outsourced to Bellingcat. Which tells the discerning observer two things: 1) there is
no evidence 2) the truth is probably the opposite. (And for those of you who take Bellingcat seriously: become discerning.)
To those of you who are like myself deeply sceptical about this story can I recommend this article in the UK Independent newspaper.
We should be asking for answers about the Skripals and Bellingcat and not just from Russia. Mary Dejevsky.
Higgins has entered the polite academic space both in the Uk and the US in lightening speed. And as a result of that got special
attention by media. Not only that, but in the US he additionally joined an important cog of the EU-US think thank world. The Atlantic
Council made him a non-resident "Senior Fellow". As expert in digital forensics, open source and the future of Europe.
When the huge open source "gold rush" caught my attention in the early post 9/11 years, all the excited members I witnessed
more close up were quite system conform. That was after the Iraq war intelligence expertise. That's why it made me wonder. Thus,the
story of Eliot Higgins seems no outlier from my rather limited perspective.
And yes, I am with Paul Robinson, who a while ago noticed the same contradictions as Mary Dejevsky. On one hand the Russians
seem to be omnipotent, on the other they have all these bungling secret service members that are so easy to out. But notice not
by a bunch of laymen, but by a crowd led by a serious senior expert and academic. ;)
Higgins has entered the polite academic space both in the Uk and the US in lightening speed. And as a result of that got special
attention by media. Not only that, but in the US he additionally joined an important cog of the EU-US think thank world. The Atlantic
Council made him a non-resident "Senior Fellow". As expert in digital forensics, open source and the future of Europe.
When the huge open source "gold rush" caught my attention in the early post 9/11 years, all the excited members I witnessed
more close up were quite system conform. That was after the Iraq war intelligence expertise. That's why it made me wonder. Thus,the
story of Eliot Higgins seems no outlier from my rather limited perspective.
And yes, I am with Paul Robinson, who a while ago noticed the same contradictions as Mary Dejevsky. On one hand the Russians
seem to be omnipotent, on the other they have all these bungling secret service members that are so easy to out. But notice not
by a bunch of laymen, but by a crowd led by a serious senior expert and academic. ;)
I think some people here are actually taking Eliott Higgins far too seriously...he is still an uneducated underwear salesman...and
acts like it...case in point his recent twitter outburst at Ted Postol, calling him an 'idiot'...that just shows what a substance
free clown this guy is...
I briefly looked at that blog article linked to by snowflake and it is basically verbal diarrhea...bottom line is that Higgins
and that Bellincat 'outfit' are best simply ignored...not worth the time or mental bandwidth to even think about...
Atlantic Council has a very great Ph.D consultant, and strategists' strategist and tacticians' tactician, Dr. Blank. He, of all
places, taught in US Army War College. He taught, of course, about Russia, since he has Ph.D in Soviet/Russian "history" or whatever
passes as such in US "Russian Studies" field.
His strategic concepts are so devoid of even basic high school level knowledge of Russia (and her geography, BTW) that one
is forced to ask how is it even possible to have this kind of "experts"? Among many outlandish ideas Dr. Blank proposed in his
academic career dedicated to fighting evil Russians was to send US Navy to the Azov Sea to demonstrate the US Naval might.
This was one of the most profound facepalm moments of my life--I mean it. Not only Dr. Blank has no clue about Russia, he also
has no clue about US Navy. Yet, he is an expert, alright.
You left the best part out of that State Department policy statement. He announced a new position, the Senior Advisor for Russian
Malign Activities and Trends or SARMAT for short. That's straight out of the axis of evil mindset. How can we have a sober and
productive policy towards Russia with crap like this?
I thought that was from Duffleblog but you're right:
https://www.state.gov/p/eur...
Third para from the bottom. Part of that $380 million must be Bellingcat's budget.
I can't wait to see what awful person is selected for this role. Also, Sarmat is also the name for Russia's newest ICBM, which
makes one wonder what was on the back of their minds when they came up with this one.
washingtons foreign policy visa vie russia and china is as yet unable to reach the psychological stage of sublimation. frustrated,
angry and demoralised that they can not militarily atttack russia once and for all putting paid ....to who is the biggest dog
in the yard...... american elites lash out ineffectually using various media, economic and financial games to assuage their inability
to get their way.
each iteration of this plan becomes weaker and less effective than the previous one leading to more rage at being thwarted.
where the current crop of american ruling elites are concerned we are talking about 2 factors.... a profound lack of a really
good cosmopolitan education and a near total lack of appreciation for how weak the american industrial base has become the past
30 years (you can not intimidate powerful nations if your military technology is 1 or more generations BEHIND)
an apt understanding of washingtons dilemma is best grasped reading the kubler-ross stages of grieving over a dying loved one.
in this case the dying loved one is american exceptionalism and the l godlike power that goes with it for the 1/100 or 1%.
its russia and chinas job to assist america to reach the acceptance stage as peacefully as possible while allowing as much
face saving as possible for washington and their ruling class. at the end of the day everyone wants to go on living. the next
15 years ought to be quite exciting.
That might sound far fetched or even crazy but we have been here before. When in December
1988 Pan Am Flight
103 exploded over Lockerbie it was quite obvious that it was a revenge act for the July
1988 murder of 290 people on board of Iran Air flight 655 by the U.S. navy.
But the investigation was fudged and in the end it was politically most convenient to blame
Libya's Ghaddafi for the Pan Am disaster even while he had nothing to do with either
incident.
@8: For an objective discussion, with detailed analysis of the forensic
evidence, of how and where the Lockerbie bomb was placed I recommend the book 'Adequately
explained by stupidity?' by M.Kerr. The author (wisely in my view) does not speculate on who
might have placed the bomb, although she makes it clear that it could not have been either of
the Libyans tried for the crime. The book is not perfect, as it lacks an index, but you can't
have everything!
To Pan Am Flight 103: 4-5 years ago i watched a documentation about it, with the usual
narrative. But some weeks ago i tried to learn some more pieces of the truth about it, and
on Wikipedia is a MSM/propaganda article like so often these days. Has anyone some links to
an unbiased account on the tragedy? Thanks in advance! Posted by:
DontBelieveEitherPropaganda | Oct 11, 2018 4:31:13 PM | 8
"For years disinformation specialists have peddled a giant lie about the crash of Pan Am 103
at Lockerbie. Time and time again the media has hysterically regurgitated the flawed and
impossible legend that Maid of the Seas was brought to earth by a bomb triggered by a
barometrically-activated timer, hidden in a radio in a samsonite suitcase. A barometric timer
set for 10,000 feet altitude, which miraculously failed to activate when the Air Malta Flight
it was allegedly planted on climbed through 10,000 feet after departing Valetta for
Frankfurt, and again when the Pam Am feeder Boeing 727 to London climbed through 10,000 feet
after departing Frankfurt." https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Document:The_Bomb_Trigger_on_Pam_Am_103
Copyright Joe Vialls, May 2000
In The Oklahoma City Bombing and the Politics of Terror , which bombing is a modern
template for many false flags that follow, i.e. , a drill goes live, the author
follows a myriad of threads, including the fact that CIA intelligence officers were on Pan Am
103 ("Inconvenient Truths" and "Lockerbie: The Flight From Justice" mention this was well).
The contention is that they were returning to Langley to present evidence that a rogue CIA
group was running drugs through Lebanon. It sez here the rogues managed to place a bomb on
the plane in Germany.
I looked into the Lockerbie thing several years ago and was astonished to find out that
the only link to Lybia was a Swiss made timer supposedly used to detonate the bomb. It was
found "by chance" although the plane debris were scattered over many square kilometers...
My understanding of the Lockerbie air tragedy is that it's a classic example of two birds
being killed with one stone.
Where TPTB find a possibility that two problems or issues can be dealt with by the same
solution, however violent, that possibility becomes reality.
The context to the Lockerbie shootdown is that at the time the CIA was running a
heroin-trafficking racket in the Middle East with Lebanese partners. Investigators from the
DIA (Defense Intelligency Agency, the Pentagon's own spy agency) discovered this scheme and
collected evidence to expose it. The CIA became aware of what the DIA agents knew and wanted
them out of the way. One of the CIA's Lebanese partners knew that the Iranian government, or
people within it, wanted revenge on the US for the earlier shootdown of an Iranian passenger
jet by the USS Vincennes in the Persian Gulf.
The CIA's Lebanese partners knew of the Iranians' desire for revenge and may have arranged
with the Iranians to substitute a bomb for cash or heroin packets in a suitcase taken on
board the Pan Am jet. This case may have been part of the evidence the DIA was taking back to
the US (but the DIA agents might not have known at the time they took the case on board).
I am not sure of all the details (details not being my strong suit) but that's my
understanding in a nutshell.
The OPCW, like the Council of Europe, the OSCE, WADA and others have become deeply partizan
and anti-Russian organizations since the 1990s. A handful of members put out a 'report' on
whatever and claim that they have 'evidence' which they should be trusted on rather than
provide. The rest of them go along with it. The only reason that makes sense for the
attempted 'hack' on the OPCW is that Russia is being denied access to information. The
argument, like everything else bullshit from the West is ' You don't show the evidence to
the arsonist ' , sic MH17 because it has already been judged and found guilty.
So far WADA had to row back because of the Schimdt Report (which the media of course did
not report) and all the reinstated athletes, Russia has suspended payments and may well pull
out of the CoE because is it sick and tired of being bombarded with bs at every meeting as if
medieval Bear baiting has returned in a modern form (it has).
All these organizations are destroying themselves. If anything all this shows how weak the
West's soft power has become that they need to throw everything including the kitchen
sink at Russia. They don't like resistance, let alone pushback. They're more careful about
China of course and as we saw recently in the South Pacific the Chinese simply won't be cowed
or intimidated.
As for the allegations about China, we'll most of us have followed the Snowden revelations
about the USA and its Five Eyes global surveillance and infiltration, so its no surprise that
China has been running its own operations. It's what countries do, though apparently they're
not supposed to. Remember that back in 2002 it was discovered that the US bugged the 767
of then Chinese Premier Jian Xiao-Ping. * I think that all this reporting is a sign of
desperation by the powers that be because all else has failed so far and they need to keep
the narrative going.
By wrapping it all up together with a pretty pink bow it is to make it ' undeniable
' in the eyes of people who should know better.
The temptation by Russia will be to publicly burn western spies in Russia, but it is just
another in a long line of provocations to get Russia to respond angrily and make a big
mistake. I can imagine RT being banned and other measures if things start to spiral.
This whole G(R)U story was ready to go at an appropriate moment, and I suspect one of the
factors was Putin's recent comments about Skripal that had captured the world media's ear. By
piling their report on shortly afterwards, they hope to hijack and amplify their
narrative.
But, it's words, not meaningful actions. Either they will try and use this to kick off a
whole new level of sanctions that they haven't before (high value, sensitive stuff like
aerospace, tech etc.). It is possible the timing of this is a last ditch effort to try and
get U-rope on board to stop NordSteam II or anything they think they can squeeze through.
It's weakness through desperation and also to divert from their failures elsewhere.
Or burn western spies in other countries that are far less friendly
It is interesting that one of the groups doxxing Russian 'spies' claim to be volunteers
and patriots. No-one believes that in the slightest apart from morons. Like BellEnd cat, the
number of cut-outs/plausible denial groups has mushroomed and ebb and flow with need. The
volunteer claim is no protection.
How can you ask such a question. Holland is a US vassal and the US uses its vassals to give
its actions legitimacy by claiming that there is an "international" reaction to "Russian
aggression". This is why the US always attacks countries around the world as part of some BS
coalition of its own vassals. It is claiming its aggression is actually justified
international action.
The Dutch recently signed a big order to have 28 of their AH-64D Apache's 'upgraded' to the
'E' model which is really a re-manufactue and upgrade (from sand and heavy use in helping the
US bomb tribesmen far away), & their Patriots to be modernized too.
Because the so called chemical weapons watchdog, which the British government has recently
made judge, jury and exucationer as regards all incidences of alleged uses of chemical agents
as a weapon, namely it can now accuse and condemn whom it thinks are perpetrators of such
chemical attacks, is based in The Hague, where the wicked Russians have allegedly been
hacking etc. and, in general, up to their vile and nefarious deeds, as is, of course, in
their nature of doing things, because they are vile barbarians, subhuman even
I forget where I picked the following up ( from some Russian blog, because it is a
translation). I saved it but forget to put in the source:
September 14, 2018
THE DUBIOUS ROLE OF THE OPCW
(OPCW NEVER uses the word "Novichok")
Even those people who are skeptical about what the British government says (and rightly so)
tend to accept the „Novichok"-Psyop after they read that "OPCW confirms Novichok nerve
agent in Amesbury". But if you actually read what the (summary) of the OPCW says, you will
find the following:
"The team requested and received vials of biomedical samples COLLECTED BY THE BRITISH
AUTHORITIES for delivery to the OPCW laboratory and subsequent analysis by OPCW designated
laboratories for purposes of comparison and in order to verify the analysis conducted by the
United Kingdom. (S 1671, Paragraph 6.)
This VIOLATES THEIR OWN RULES about ensuring a forensic "chain of custody" because they
did not take bio-samples THEMSELVES but accepted the (2nd-hand) material that the
'authorities" had given them.
Regarding the "Premier Jour" perfume-story the OPCW has this to say:
"During the second deployment [6 weeks after Sturgess fell ill] the team collected a
sample of the contents of a small bottle that the police had seized as a suspect item from
the house of Charles Rowley in Amesbury" (P. 9)
In paragraph 10 they confirm that the results of the subsequent analysis "show that the
sample consists of a toxic chemical at a concentration of 97-98% therefore considered to be
"of high purity". (If Charly had got this on his skin he would not have survived )
Again, the chain of custody is non-existent: The OPCW did NOT collect the glass-vial in
Rowley's flat, and could not verify its condition at the end of June, but they accepted what
"the authorities" had told them about it and examined a sample of its content. There was
plenty of time to tamper with the bottle before the OPCW arrived in Salisbury (so malfeasance
cannot be ruled out).
(BTW, Sometimes you don't see the wood for the trees: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would
transport a deadly nerve-agent in a GLASS-BOTTLE??????)
Again they accepted material from the British authorities (as if they were incapable of
any deception )
What former (Iraq) weapons-inspector Scott Ritter wrote about the OPCW „fact-finding"
mission in Syria is also to a certain extent relevant in the Skripal-Saga:
"The problem, however, is that the OPCW is in no position to make the claim it did. One of
the essential aspects of the kind of forensic investigation carried out by organizations such
as the OPCW -- namely the application of scientific methods and techniques to the
investigation of a crime -- is the concept of "chain of custody" of any samples that are
being evaluated. This requires a seamless transition from the collection of the samples in
question, the process of which must be recorded and witnessed, the sealing of the samples,
the documentation of the samples, the escorted transportation of the samples to the
laboratory, the confirmation and breaking of the seals under supervision, and the subsequent
processing of the samples, all under supervision of the OPCW. Anything less than this means
the integrity of the sample has been compromised -- in short, there is no sample."
(Article: Ex-weapons-inspector: Trump's Sarin Claims built on „Lie" by Scott
Ritter)
Here, Ritter was referring the fact that the OPCW was not able to actually visit the
(terrorist-controlled) "crime-scene" in Khan Sheikhoun but instead went to Turkey (!) where
they accepted testimonies and material given to them by the White Helmets and other
artificial "NGOs" ("highly likely" paid and organized by MI6, DGSE and the CIA). There they
were able to observe autopsies of the 3 alleged victims of the poison-gas attack.
"An NGO had delivered the bodies to the hospitals, though OPCW will not publicly comment
on the identity of the NGO. Samples from the bodies were provided to two separate
laboratories, which independently confirmed indications of sarin or sarin-like
substances.
In criminal proceedings, though, which are similar to the process followed by the UN in
determining a war crime, it is a fundamental principle that ALL EVIDENCE be under the control
of investigators AT ALL TIMES. That didn't happen in this case."
By the way, the OPCW-FFM in Syria (regarding the Douma-incident) was led by two BRITISH
"experts":
The work of the fact finding mission [FFM] was criticized by the Russian Permanent
Representative to the OPCW who complained on 14 April 2017 that:
"Under the mandate defined for [the FFM], its membership should be approved by the Syrian
government, and it should be balanced. For some time, these provisions were observed
somewhat, but then the mission was split into two groups. One [Team Bravo], led by Steven
Wallis from Britain, works in contact with the Syrian government, while the other one [Team
Alpha], headed by his fellow countryman Leonard Phillips, deals with the claims filed by the
Syrian armed opposition. THIS LATTER GROUP IS WORKING COMPLETELY NON-TRANSPARENTLY. ITS
MEMBERSHIP IS CLASSIFIED, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHERE IT GOES OR HOW IT OPERATES. They are
allegedly using the same methodology as Steven Wallis' group, but they are clearly working
mostly remotely, relying on the internet and the fabrications provided by Syrian opposition
NGOs, and never go to Syria. At least, we are not aware of a single such trip".
But the unspeakable "journalists" of the MSM (and RT is not much better the interview with
the suspects is a joke ) do not bother with such complicated details. They just write "OPCW
confirms use of Sarin" in Khan Sheikhoun (and "Novichok" in Salisbury) and ignore all
contradicting evidence and the MOTIVE the UK gov has for demonizing Russia (spoiling their
dirty game in Syria and "Sykes-Picot №2") so one can only agree with this comment:
"Professional journalism is now a wasteland. There is no public exposure of what we all
know has happened and the threat it represents to us all . They have been disloyal to us, so
we owe them no respect in return".
And finally – on the implied higher "morality" of UK politics:
The ECJ has just recently found that the UK's mass surveillance programmes, revealed by
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, did "not meet the 'quality of law' requirement" and were
"incapable of limiting 'interference' to what is 'necessary in a democratic society'"'.(P.387
of the judgement: Case of Big Brother Watch & others vs .UK)
The British evidently thought also about the lunacy of transporting a nerve agent in
sufficient quantity to kill dozens if not hundreds in a glass bottle; that's why Hamish de
Beegee chimed in with his article about how the FSB and the Kremlin had invested months of
work and thousands of pounds developing a ceramic bottle which looked just like the real
thing, but which you could stand a Volkswagen on top of. That's why I pointed out that they
had already used the excuse that it broke to establish how Rowley was exposed.
I suspect The Netherlands are being targeted because among other things the International
Court of Crimes and the International Court of Justice are based in The Hague. There may be
other reasons as well: the Dutch must have a fair few skeletons in their collective closet
and the US could very well target one of these and bring the entire wardrobe crashing down
and exposing all its sordid secrets. One of these bone-shakers is that The Netherlands is a
major corporate tax haven and as such competes with Britain and the US. http://www.nomoretax.eu/netherlands-tax-haven/
I forget where I picked the following up ( from some Russian blog, because it is a
translation). I saved it but forget to put in the source:
September 14, 2018
THE DUBIOUS ROLE OF THE OPCW
(OPCW NEVER uses the word "Novichok")
Even those people who are skeptical about what the British government says (and rightly so)
tend to accept the „Novichok"-Psyop after they read that "OPCW confirms Novichok nerve
agent in Amesbury". But if you actually read what the (summary) of the OPCW says, you will
find the following:
"The team requested and received vials of biomedical samples COLLECTED BY THE BRITISH
AUTHORITIES for delivery to the OPCW laboratory and subsequent analysis by OPCW designated
laboratories for purposes of comparison and in order to verify the analysis conducted by the
United Kingdom. (S 1671, Paragraph 6.)
This VIOLATES THEIR OWN RULES about ensuring a forensic "chain of custody" because they
did not take bio-samples THEMSELVES but accepted the (2nd-hand) material that the
'authorities" had given them.
Regarding the "Premier Jour" perfume-story the OPCW has this to say:
"During the second deployment [6 weeks after Sturgess fell ill] the team collected a
sample of the contents of a small bottle that the police had seized as a suspect item from
the house of Charles Rowley in Amesbury" (P. 9)
In paragraph 10 they confirm that the results of the subsequent analysis "show that the
sample consists of a toxic chemical at a concentration of 97-98% therefore considered to be
"of high purity". (If Charly had got this on his skin he would not have survived )
Again, the chain of custody is non-existent: The OPCW did NOT collect the glass-vial in
Rowley's flat, and could not verify its condition at the end of June, but they accepted what
"the authorities" had told them about it and examined a sample of its content. There was
plenty of time to tamper with the bottle before the OPCW arrived in Salisbury (so malfeasance
cannot be ruled out).
(BTW, Sometimes you don't see the wood for the trees: WHO IN THEIR RIGHT MIND would
transport a deadly nerve-agent in a GLASS-BOTTLE??????)
Again they accepted material from the British authorities (as if they were incapable of
any deception )
What former (Iraq) weapons-inspector Scott Ritter wrote about the OPCW „fact-finding"
mission in Syria is also to a certain extent relevant in the Skripal-Saga:
"The problem, however, is that the OPCW is in no position to make the claim it did. One of
the essential aspects of the kind of forensic investigation carried out by organizations such
as the OPCW -- namely the application of scientific methods and techniques to the
investigation of a crime -- is the concept of "chain of custody" of any samples that are
being evaluated. This requires a seamless transition from the collection of the samples in
question, the process of which must be recorded and witnessed, the sealing of the samples,
the documentation of the samples, the escorted transportation of the samples to the
laboratory, the confirmation and breaking of the seals under supervision, and the subsequent
processing of the samples, all under supervision of the OPCW. Anything less than this means
the integrity of the sample has been compromised -- in short, there is no sample."
(Article: Ex-weapons-inspector: Trump's Sarin Claims built on „Lie" by Scott
Ritter)
Here, Ritter was referring the fact that the OPCW was not able to actually visit the
(terrorist-controlled) "crime-scene" in Khan Sheikhoun but instead went to Turkey (!) where
they accepted testimonies and material given to them by the White Helmets and other
artificial "NGOs" ("highly likely" paid and organized by MI6, DGSE and the CIA). There they
were able to observe autopsies of the 3 alleged victims of the poison-gas attack.
"An NGO had delivered the bodies to the hospitals, though OPCW will not publicly comment
on the identity of the NGO. Samples from the bodies were provided to two separate
laboratories, which independently confirmed indications of sarin or sarin-like
substances.
In criminal proceedings, though, which are similar to the process followed by the UN in
determining a war crime, it is a fundamental principle that ALL EVIDENCE be under the control
of investigators AT ALL TIMES. That didn't happen in this case."
By the way, the OPCW-FFM in Syria (regarding the Douma-incident) was led by two BRITISH
"experts":
The work of the fact finding mission [FFM] was criticized by the Russian Permanent
Representative to the OPCW who complained on 14 April 2017 that:
"Under the mandate defined for [the FFM], its membership should be approved by the Syrian
government, and it should be balanced. For some time, these provisions were observed
somewhat, but then the mission was split into two groups. One [Team Bravo], led by Steven
Wallis from Britain, works in contact with the Syrian government, while the other one [Team
Alpha], headed by his fellow countryman Leonard Phillips, deals with the claims filed by the
Syrian armed opposition. THIS LATTER GROUP IS WORKING COMPLETELY NON-TRANSPARENTLY. ITS
MEMBERSHIP IS CLASSIFIED, AND NO ONE KNOWS WHERE IT GOES OR HOW IT OPERATES. They are
allegedly using the same methodology as Steven Wallis' group, but they are clearly working
mostly remotely, relying on the internet and the fabrications provided by Syrian opposition
NGOs, and never go to Syria. At least, we are not aware of a single such trip".
But the unspeakable "journalists" of the MSM (and RT is not much better the interview with
the suspects is a joke ) do not bother with such complicated details. They just write "OPCW
confirms use of Sarin" in Khan Sheikhoun (and "Novichok" in Salisbury) and ignore all
contradicting evidence and the MOTIVE the UK gov has for demonizing Russia (spoiling their
dirty game in Syria and "Sykes-Picot №2") so one can only agree with this comment:
"Professional journalism is now a wasteland. There is no public exposure of what we all
know has happened and the threat it represents to us all . They have been disloyal to us, so
we owe them no respect in return".
And finally – on the implied higher "morality" of UK politics:
The ECJ has just recently found that the UK's mass surveillance programmes, revealed by
NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, did "not meet the 'quality of law' requirement" and were
"incapable of limiting 'interference' to what is 'necessary in a democratic society'"'.(P.387
of the judgement: Case of Big Brother Watch & others vs .UK)
The British evidently thought also about the lunacy of transporting a nerve agent in
sufficient quantity to kill dozens if not hundreds in a glass bottle; that's why Hamish de
Beegee chimed in with his article about how the FSB and the Kremlin had invested months of
work and thousands of pounds developing a ceramic bottle which looked just like the real
thing, but which you could stand a Volkswagen on top of. That's why I pointed out that they
had already used the excuse that it broke to establish how Rowley was exposed.
Explosive. Nobody but Americans can be trusted to run international institutions, especially
when they are bought and paid for by the USA. Hey, that'd be a good job for Travis Tygart. He
has been chafing lately about the limits of his power to get at Russia from USADA.
The pace of events seems to be taking on momentum, as if it is leading up to something,
and there's that kind of stillness in the air, while sounds seem far away and tinny, like
just before a big storm breaks.
Alexander Mishkin, the second man accused of involvement in the Skripal assassination plot, was likely to have been sent
on the mission because he was a trained doctor capable of providing an antidote in case the novichok attack went wrong, according
to security sources.
Dr Mishkin, like the GRU colleague who travelled with him to Salisbury, was made a 'Hero of the Russian Federation' with
Vladimir Putin personally presenting him with the award, according to the investigative website Bellingcat.
The 'antidote' to nerve-agent exposure is atropine, which is broadly marketed to world defense forces in an auto-injector. Your
medical expertise in dispensing it is to remove the protective cap, and strike it against your thigh in the muscle, point-first
the internal spring does the rest, right through your clothing. We used to practice it regularly in NBCD training, except the
fluid in training injectors is just water. Some crybaby pointed out the needle might pick up a fragment of cloth on its way in,
and cause an infection, so we stopped doing it with real needles, and now you just get a thump against your leg from the spring.
Military forces are also trained to administer atropine to stricken comrades who were overcome before they could react. Just
be sure to give him his own atropine and not yours, and push the needle through his pocket-flap afterward and then bend it over,
so that anyone happening on the scene after you have left will know he has already been given atropine and not administer another
dose. Atropine overdose causes its own set of problems.
I think it's pretty clear that it does not 'make eminent sense' to have a 'qualified military doctor along in case something
went wrong with the Novichok', since anyone can administer Atropine and there is an enormous worldwide base of soldiers and ex-soldiers
who could do it as well as anyone else. Horseshit piled on top of horseshit.
For some bizarre reason this UK fairy tale requires many Russians. One isn't enough to smear some alleged top secret nerve agent
on a door knob (at least in one of the dozens of contradictory theories spewed by Scotland Yard). Wearing gloves (e.g. store bought
nitrile ones which would stop this poison, unlike latex ones) is clearly considered too much intellectual effort for Russian untermenschen
and they need a doctor to tag along. This fictional doctor claim is patently absurd. A doctor without hospital facilities is nothing
but a paramedic and as you rightly describe no such person is needed to administer atropine.
The average media sap in the UK and NATzO apparently can't be bothered to do any thinking. The best assassination plot would
involve only a single agent and not a handful. Even freaking video games have the lone assassin meme repeated. One agent could
also have a well established cover story. A gang of assassins would essentially be evidence against itself. A whole specially
designed bottle of nerve agent is ridiculous and unnecessary. And having it disposed of in a way that it can be found by some
homeless junkies is simply not credible. Don't they have sewer grates in the UK?
Where would we be without solid, honest citizen journalism like this? Bellingcat has passed
the CIA, MI5, Scotland Yard and the FBI and never looked back. In fact, we have not heard
Peep One from any of them since Bellingcat burst on the scene, and the British press goes
straight to print from its reports, to hell with waiting for informed comment from the
intelligence services or law enforcement.
Come to think about it, what are their countries paying them for?
I'm looking forward to the first Bellingcat spin-offs.
Eliot Higgins – Special Invesigator featuring Tom Cruise and introducing Sparky his
lovable mongrel dog which miraculously survived the Salisbury Novichok Massacre and can sniff
out GRU agents a mile away.
And following temporary employment reviewing orders at a Leicester UK women's underwear
manufacturer, the unemployed Higgins then "dispensed with looking for another job so that he
could devote himself to blogging full-time" and has now pogressed to being a senior fellow in
the "Digital Forensic Research Laboratory" and the "Future Europe Initiative", projects run
by the Washington, D.C based "think tank" the "Atlantic Council".
Higgins hard at work researching
A "kept man"? His wife must bring home the bacon then.
Well, she would if she were not a Turk.
The then 32-year-old Higgins started blogging about the civil war in Syria from his home
as Brown Moses: "He had no formal intelligence training or security clearance that gave him
access to classified documents. He could not speak or read Arabic. He had never set foot in
the Middle East, unless you count the time he changed planes in Dubai en route to Manila, or
his trip to visit his in-laws in Turkey".
As far as I am aware, he still has no credentials for his chosen field, albeit he is now a
"fellow" of this and that. He has also since bursting into the bloggosphere considerably put
on weight:
Higgins belongs to an obsessive coterie of self-appointed military intelligence experts
who use social media to piece together critical details of faraway conflicts, often well
ahead of seasoned professionals. Frequently self-taught and operating far outside the
military-industrial complex, these amateur analysts have honed a novel set of sleuthing
skills that fuse old-fashioned detective work with new sources of intelligence generated by
cell phone cameras and spread by social networks. Syria's war, widely considered the most
documented conflict in history, has turned social media into a weapon of mass detection --
critical both for fighters on the ground and for faraway observers trying to make sense of
the conflict.
The mind boggles: he and his fellow "amateur analysts" are often well ahead of seasoned
professionals. Frequently self-taught and operating far outside the military-industrial
complex !!!
Once upon a time, nobody would dare to do what they are doing because of the danger of a
ruinous lawsuit. But so long as he continues accusing the right people, the west will
safeguard him from that as best it can. Maybe that's the way to go. They've left themselves
without a retreat, saying this and that are 'confirmed'. Sue the outfit.
Note how Bellingtwat states that it has "conclusively" established the real identity of
Petrov on evidence gleaned from "multiple open sources" and "testimony from people familiar
with the person" in question.
How do they do this?
First to the post again and well ahead of all the Western intelligence agencies, which are
obviously understaffed with incompetents and not in possession of state-of-the-art means of
gathering intelligence such as . errrr, Facebook?
A few days ago, that lying old slag May appeared on stage at the Conservative Party annual
conference with Abba's "Dancing Queen" playing in the bacground. May appeared to be trying to
dance to the Abba hit. What a cupid old stunt!
And yesterday at an EUSSR Brussels conference, EU chief-executive and piss-artist Juncker
appears to have been possibly trying to take the piss out of that old, lying bag May's
gyrations:
Yes, their resources really do beat all, don't they? Able to trawl through Russians' private
records at will, even those ominously marked, "Not for public release". But then, they have
lots of willing helpers inside Russia, which the western intelligence agencies officially
have not. Makes you wonder how Russia can miss catching them, innit, considering the
intertubes are strictly controlled in Russia and all their intelligence transactions are in
the public domain? I mean, with their troll farms and all their snoopy organizations?
Bellingcrap could have just mentioned its sources during the course of its article instead of
proclaiming that it's going to detail in another post to be supposedly published today (9
October 2018) the methodology it and The Insider Russia used and the information trail
established. Perhaps a sign that Bellingcrap is starting to feel some pressure to lift its
game to a level acceptable to its masters at The Atlantic Council?
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. BellEndCat can only manage the former.
Still, it's good enough for the BBC who this morning spoke to a (former?) Georgian minister
who was saying that if the West was united and stopped Russia from invading Georgia in 2008,
then Ukraine, Crimea, Skripals etc. wouldn't have happened, followed by BBC correspondent
Norton who said that 'was about right'.
A research arm of the U.S. military is exploring the possibility of deploying insects
to make plants more resilient by altering their genes. Some experts say the work may be seen
as a potential biological weapon.
In an opinion paper published Thursday in the journal Science, the authors say the U.S.
needs to provide greater justification for the peace-time purpose of its Insect Allies
project to avoid being perceived as hostile to other countries. Other experts expressed
ethical and security concerns with the research, which seeks to transmit protective traits to
crops already growing in the field .
####
The rest at the link.
Using the US's own definitions that it has used to place sanctions on other countries,
this is clearly a dual-use technology, i.e. civilian with military applications (which
is just about the same as any fancy satellited up in space etc.). Conclusion? The US must
sanction itself!
The US has been using insects as bioweapons for decades (including attacking Cuba and the
USSR). The current development program is using this insect research as a cover. Its real
function is to develop targeted genetic weapons designed to exterminate ethic groups. These
weapons are beyond any "mass destruction" and are pure genocide devices. Anyone who thinks
that this sort of research is unlikely is a retard without a clue. There is a reason why
certain US companies were buying up Russian human bio-waste (e.g. amputated limbs, cadavers).
If anyone thinks that the US will care about collateral damage to neighbouring Slavic
countries, then they are full on retarded as well. In 1990 Americans could not tell the
difference between Ukrainians and Russians (and even Chechens). Now for purely political
reasons they pretend to see every microscopic difference. The US has no love for Poland,
Ukraine, or any other new Europe country. They are merely cannon fodder for its imperial
ambitions. The hate that Poles and other Slavic states have for Russia is pathological.
Poland is basically a German branch plant economy. Tell me why Poland should have more love
for Germany than for Russia? And don't invoke communism since Russians were not privileged
compared to Poles before 1991. It was, in fact, the other way around.
The US is always asking to be trusted with some fearsome new capability, on the grounds that
its values are a fail-safe – it is so innately good that it could never use such
capabilities for evil. And it seems obsessed with modifications to achieve super-plants so
that one potato will feed a family of eight, and suchlike – what's wrong with food the
way nature intended it to be?
If you would decide whether a technology or process should be viewed as a threat, just
imagine it was announced by Russia. The USA would scream its head off.
I can't help noticing as well that some of its changes seem geared toward not having to do
anything about global warming, continuing to rely on a petroleum-dominated energy policy and
so forth, by engineering a food supply that will flourish through as changing environment. If
it is successful in that aim it is assured global domination, as the food supply of other
countries could vanish if the country did not sign on to the US technology agenda. America
would not have to threaten anyone's crops with secret-agent bugs. It could just go on as it
is doing, and continue to contribute to global warming.
A suspected third member of the Kremlin hit squad behind the Salisbury nerve agent attack
has been named, according to a respected Russian news website.
Sergey Fedotov, 45, travelled to the UK on the same day as the two assassins already
charged by British authorities – and boarded the same flight home.
The Telegraph had previously reported the existence of a third member of the Russian
intelligence hit squad and a trawl of flight records by the Fontanka news agency matched it
to Fedotov.
According to Fontanka, Fedotov flew to the UK on a passport whose number differs by
only a few digits from those used by the two GRU military intelligence agents officially
wanted for the nerve agent attack.
It is almost certain Fedotov is not the passenger's real name but an alias. No traces
of Sergei Fedotov have been found in documentary databases or on social media. He has no
property, vehicles or telephone numbers registered to his name in Russia, according to
Fontanka.
No "alleged"in "Kremlin hit squad behind the Salisbury nerve agent attack but It is
almost certain Fedotov is not the passenger's real name but an alias.
Very convincing. This Israeli expert blows up the UK's narrative in a few well-chosen
one-liners.
"If the GRU acted, both the killers and the other participants in the operation would come
to the UK on the passports of other countries that have visa-free relations with it. Here, two
alleged GRU officers go to the embassy, leave their fingerprints there, get a
visa, stop at the hotel, pass under all the cells. This you will not find even in ladies'
detective novels."
An Israeli expert on international terrorism, writer Alexander Brass, shared his view on the
case of the Skripals poisoning in Salisbury. Brass draws parallels between the work of the
special services of Israel and Russia – he believes that if to compare the British
version with the practice of the special agents, then the absurdity becomes obvious.
"Alexander, so what, in your opinion, happened in Salisbury?"
-There was a rough provocation by the British special services. In my opinion, this is
obvious.
"There's a lot of stupidity on stupidity." The story with Petrov and Boshirov does not hold
up any professional peer review. According to the Brits, the Skripals were poisoned by GRU
agents (this is what the department is called, although this is now the Main Directorate of the
RF General Staff).
I want to explain how the special services work. If you need someone to eliminate, then this
is a very serious operation, which is being prepared for a long time. A very significant
material and human resource is allocated. We are talking about dozens of employees. On the
territory of this state, an "advanced command post" is being created.
In the operation, a technical support group, a logistic group, a cover group, an external
surveillance group and a group of performers are involved.
The performers themselves appear at the very last moment. They do not go anywhere, lighting
up on cameras, do not use public transport, but move on rented cars, which they do not rent
themselves. And the more they will not stop in hotels, but will live on safe houses provided by
the logistics group.
Such groups do not come under the passport of their country, do not go to the embassy for
obtaining a visa, leaving fingerprints. This is complete nonsense. Professionals do not work
that way.
If the GRU acted, both the killers and the other participants in the operation would come to
the UK on the passports of other countries that have visa-free relations with it. Here, two
alleged GRU officers go to the embassy, leave their fingerprints there, get a
visa, stop at the hotel, pass under all the cells. This you will not find even in ladies'
detective novels.
"... As many, including Murray have pointed out, the story the UK is telling displays none of the tradecraft that one would expect from a sophisticated intelligence service. ..."
So little about the mutating, public narrative makes sense, including motive, whether Russian
or British. Some suggest that the British find it useful to paint an ongoing story for the
public of Russian depravity and duplicity. If that were the case, why paint Russia as the
gang that couldn't shoot straight - too inept to constitute a serious threat?
As many, including Murray have pointed out, the story the UK is telling displays none
of the tradecraft that one would expect from a sophisticated intelligence service.
"... And what about the possibility of MI5's involvement in, dare we use the term, false flag operations? ..."
"... As someone who abhors the premise of conspiracy theory on principle, the fact that more and more are turning to its warm embrace as an intellectual reflex against what is politely described as the 'official narrative' of events, well this is no surprise when we learn of the egregious machinations of Western intelligence agencies such as Britain's MI5. ..."
"... If any such investigation is to be taken seriously, however, it must include in its remit the power to investigate all possible links between Britain's intelligence community and organisations such as, let's see, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group ? ..."
"... The deafening UK mainstream media and political class silence over the trail connecting 2017 Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi and MI6, Britain's foreign intelligence agency, leaves a lingering stench of intrigue that will not out. The work of investigative journalist Mark Curtis on this sordid relationship is unsurpassed. ..."
"... "The evidence suggests that the barbaric Manchester bombing, which killed 22 innocent people on May 22nd, is a case of blowback on British citizens arising at least partly from the overt and covert actions of British governments." ..."
"... "The evidence points to the LIFG being seen by the UK as a proxy militia to promote its foreign policy objectives. Whitehall also saw Qatar as a proxy to provide boots on the ground in Libya in 2011, even as it empowered hardline Islamist groups." ..."
"... "Both David Cameron, then Prime Minister, and Theresa May – who was Home Secretary in 2011 when Libyan radicals were encouraged to fight Qadafi [Muammar Gaddafi] – clearly have serious questions to answer. We believe an independent public enquiry is urgently needed." ..."
"... In words that echo down to us from ancient Rome, the poet Juvenal taunts our complacency with a question most simple and pertinent: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Who will guard the guards themselves? ..."
An intelligence service given free rein to commit 'serious crimes' in its own country is an
intelligence service that is the enemy of its people. The quite astounding
revelation that Britain's domestic intelligence service, MI5, has enjoyed this very freedom
for decades has only just been made public at a special tribunal in London, set up to investigate the country's
intelligence services at the behest of a coalition of human rights groups, alleging a pattern
of illegality up to and including collusion in murder.
The hitherto MI5 covert policy sanctioning its agents to commit and/or solicit serious
crimes, as and when adjudged provident, is known as the Third Direction. This codename has been
crafted, it would appear, by someone with a penchant for all things James Bond within an agency
whose average operative is more likely to be 5'6" and balding with a paunch and bad teeth than
any kind of lantern-jawed 007.
The Pat Finucane Centre ,
one of the aforementioned human rights groups involved in bringing about this tribunal
investigation (Investigatory Powers Tribunal, to give it its Sunday name) into the nefarious
activities of Britain's domestic intelligence agency, issued a damning
statement in response to the further revelation that former Prime Minister David Cameron
introduced oversight guidelines with regard to the MI5 covert third direction policy back in
2012.
Cameron's decision to do so, the group claims, was far from nobly taken:
"It can be no coincidence that Prime Minister David Cameron issued new guidelines,
however flawed, on oversight of MI5 just two weeks before publication of the De Silva report
into the murder of Pat Finucane. The PM was clearly alive to the alarming evidence which was
about to emerge of the involvement of the Security Service in the murder. To date no-one within
a state agency has been held accountable. The latest revelations make the case for an
independent inquiry all the more compelling."
Pat Finucane, a Belfast Catholic, plied his trade as a human rights lawyer at a time when
the right to be fully human was denied the minority Catholic community of the small and
enduring outpost of British colonialism in the north east corner of Ireland, otherwise known as
Northern Ireland. He was murdered by loyalist paramilitaries in 1989, back when the
decades-long conflict euphemistically referred to as the Troubles still raged, claiming victims both
innocent and not on all sides.
Unlike the vast majority of those killed and murdered in the course of this brutal conflict,
Finucane's murder sparked a long and hard fought struggle for justice by surviving family
members, friends and campaigners. They allege – rather convincingly, it should be said
– that it was carried out with the active collusion of MI5.
Stepping back and casting a wider view over this terrain, the criminal activities of
Britain's intelligence services constitute more than enough material for a book of considerable
heft. How fortunate then that just such a book has already been
written.
In his 'Dead Men Talking: Collusion, Cover Up and Murder in Northern Ireland's Dirty War',
author Nicholas Davies "provides information on a number of the killings [during the
Troubles], which were authorized at the highest level of MI5 and the British
government."
But over and above the crimes of MI5 in Ireland, what else have those doughty defenders of
the realm been up to over the years? After all, what is the use of having a license to engage
in serious criminal activity, including murder and, presumably, torture, if you're not prepared
to use (abuse) it? It begs the question of how many high profile deaths attributed to suicide,
natural causes, and accident down through the years have been the fruits of MI5 at work?
And what about the possibility of MI5's involvement in, dare we use the term, false flag
operations?
As someone who abhors the premise of conspiracy theory on principle, the fact that more and
more are turning to its warm embrace as an intellectual reflex against what is politely
described as the 'official narrative' of events, well this is no surprise when we learn of the
egregious machinations of Western intelligence agencies such as Britain's MI5.
What we are bound to state, doing so without fear of contradiction, is this particular
revelation opens up a veritable Pandora's Box of grim possibilities when it comes to the
potential crimes committed by Britain's domestic intelligence agency, ensuring that a full and
vigorous investigation and public inquiry is now both necessary and urgent.
If any such investigation is to be taken seriously, however, it must include in its remit
the power to investigate all possible links between Britain's intelligence community and
organisations such as, let's see, the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group ?
The deafening UK mainstream media and political class silence over the trail connecting 2017
Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi and MI6, Britain's foreign intelligence agency,
leaves a lingering stench of intrigue that will not out. The work
of investigative journalist Mark Curtis on this sordid relationship is unsurpassed.
As Curtis writes,
"The evidence suggests that the barbaric Manchester bombing, which killed 22 innocent
people on May 22nd, is a case of blowback on British citizens arising at least partly from
the overt and covert actions of British governments."
In the same report he arrives at a conclusion both damning and chilling:
"The evidence points to the LIFG being seen by the UK as a proxy militia to promote its
foreign policy objectives. Whitehall also saw Qatar as a proxy to provide boots on the ground
in Libya in 2011, even as it empowered hardline Islamist groups."
Finally: "Both David Cameron, then Prime Minister, and Theresa May – who was Home
Secretary in 2011 when Libyan radicals were encouraged to fight Qadafi [Muammar Gaddafi]
– clearly have serious questions to answer. We believe an independent public enquiry is
urgently needed."
In words that echo down to us from ancient Rome, the poet Juvenal taunts our complacency
with a question most simple and pertinent: "Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?" Who will
guard the guards themselves?
Edward R Murrow
puts it rather more bluntly: "A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves."
Sooner or later, people in Britain are going to have to wake up to who the real enemy
is.
John Wight has written for a variety of newspapers and websites, including the
Independent, Morning Star, Huffington Post, Counterpunch, London Progressive Journal, and
Foreign Policy Journal.
British intelligence services have a lot of things to explain now. But who will ask them ?
Notable quotes:
"... The nub of the British government's approach has been the shocking willingness of the corporate and state media to parrot repeatedly the lie that the nerve agent was Russian made, even after Porton Down said they could not tell where it was made and the OPCW confirmed that finding. ..."
"... What is certainly untrue is that only Russia has a motive. The obvious motive is to attempt to blame and discredit Russia. Those who might wish to do this include Ukraine and Georgia, with both of which Russia is in territorial dispute, and those states and jihadist groups with which Russia is in conflict in Syria. The NATO military industrial complex also obviously has a plain motive for fueling tension with Russia. ..."
"... There is of course the possibility that Skripal was attacked by a private gangster interest with which he was in conflict, or that the attack was linked to Skripal's MI6 handler Pablo Miller's work on the Orbis/Steele Russiagate dossier on Donald Trump. ..."
"... Plainly, the British governments statements that only Russia had the means and only Russia had the motive, are massive lies on both counts. ..."
"... Yet no motive has been adduced for an attack on Yulia or why they would attack while Yulia was visiting – they could have painted his doorknob with less fear of discovery anytime he was alone ..."
"... The incompetence of the assassination beggars belief when compared to British claims of a long term production and training programme. The Russians built the heart of the International Space Station. ..."
"... With Skripal being resettled by MI6, and a former intelligence officer himself, it beggars belief that MI6 did not fit, as standard, some basic security including a security camera on his house. ..."
"... Why did they both touch the outside doorknob in exiting and closing the door? Why did the novichok act so very slowly, with evidently no feeling of ill health for at least five hours, and then how did it strike both down absolutely simultaneously, so that neither can call for help, despite their being different sexes, weights, ages, metabolisms and receiving random completely uncontrolled doses. The odds of that happening are virtually nil. And why was the nerve agent ultimately ineffective? ..."
"... Why was the Detective Sergeant affected and nobody else who attended the house, or the scene where the Skripals were found? Why was Bailey only lightly affected by this extremely deadly substance, of which a tiny amount can kill? ..."
"... I am, with a few simple questions, demolishing what is the most ludicrous conspiracy theory I have ever heard – the Salisbury conspiracy theory being put forward by the British government and its corporate lackies. ..."
"... During a visit to Salisbury and Amesbury, the UK home secretary said: "We don't want to jump to conclusions." but they sure were with the first poisoning. Time will tell. ..."
Craig Murray: "The Holes in the Official Skripal Story"
... ... ...
" The nub of the British government's approach has been the shocking willingness of the
corporate and state media to parrot repeatedly the lie that the nerve agent was Russian made,
even after Porton Down said they could not tell where it was made and the OPCW confirmed that
finding. In fact, while the Soviet Union did develop the "novichok" class of nerve agents,
the programme involved scientists from all over the Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, Armenia
and Georgia, as I myself learnt when I visited the newly decommissioned Nukus testing facility
in Uzbekistan in 2002.
Furthermore, it was the USA who decommissioned the facility and removed equipment back to
the United States. At least two key scientists from the programme moved to the United States.
Formulae for several novichok have been published for over a decade. The USA, UK and Iran have
definitely synthesised a number of novichok formulae and almost certainly others have done so
too. Dozens of states have the ability to produce novichok, as do many sophisticated non-state
actors.
As for motive, the Russian motive might be revenge, but whether that really outweighs the
international opprobrium incurred just ahead of the World Cup, in which so much prestige has
been invested, is unclear." Craig Murray
What is certainly untrue is that only Russia has a
motive. The obvious motive is to attempt to blame and discredit Russia. Those who might wish to
do this include Ukraine and Georgia, with both of which Russia is in territorial dispute, and
those states and jihadist groups with which Russia is in conflict in Syria. The NATO military
industrial complex also obviously has a plain motive for fueling tension with Russia.
There is of course the possibility that Skripal was attacked by a private gangster interest
with which he was in conflict, or that the attack was linked to Skripal's MI6 handler Pablo
Miller's work on the Orbis/Steele Russiagate dossier on Donald Trump.
Plainly, the British governments statements that only Russia had the means and only Russia
had the motive, are massive lies on both counts.
The Russians had been tapping the phone of Yulia Skripal. They decided to attack Sergei
Skripal while his daughter was visiting from Moscow.
In an effort to shore up the government narrative, at the time of the Amesbury attack the
security services put out through Pablo Miller's long term friend, the BBC's Mark Urban, that
the Russians "may have been" tapping Yulia Skripal's phone, and the claim that this was strong
evidence that the Russians had indeed been behind the attack.
But think this through. If that were true, then the Russians deliberately attacked at a time
when Yulia was in the UK rather than when Sergei was alone. Yet no motive has been adduced for
an attack on Yulia or why they would attack while Yulia was visiting – they could have
painted his doorknob with less fear of discovery anytime he was alone. Furthermore, it is
pretty natural that Russian intelligence would tap the phone of Yulia, and of Sergei if they
could. The family of double agents are normal targets. I have no doubt in the least, from
decades of experience as a British diplomat, that GCHQ have been tapping Yulia's phone. Indeed,
if tapping of phones is seriously put forward as evidence of intent to murder, the British
government must be very murderous indeed.
Their trained assassin(s) painted a novichok on the doorknob of the Skripal house in the
suburbs of Salisbury. Either before or after the attack, they entered a public place in the
centre of Salisbury and left a sealed container of the novichok there.
The incompetence of the assassination beggars belief when compared to British claims of a
long term production and training programme. The Russians built the heart of the International
Space Station. They can kill an old bloke in Salisbury. Why did the Russians not know that the
dose from the door handle was not fatal? Why would trained assassins leave crucial evidence
lying around in a public place in Salisbury? Why would they be conducting any part of the
operation with the novichok in a public area in central Salisbury?
Why did nobody see them painting the doorknob? This must have involved wearing protective
gear, which would look out of place in a Salisbury suburb. With Skripal being resettled by MI6,
and a former intelligence officer himself, it beggars belief that MI6 did not fit, as standard,
some basic security including a security camera on his house.
The Skripals both touched the doorknob and both functioned perfectly normally for at least
five hours, even able to eat and drink heartily. Then they were simultaneously and
instantaneously struck down by the nerve agent, at a spot in the city centre coincidentally
close to where the assassins left a sealed container of the novichok lying around. Even
though the nerve agent was eight times more deadly than Sarin or VX, it did not kill the
Skripals because it had been on the doorknob and affected by rain.
Why did they both touch the outside doorknob in exiting and closing the door? Why did the novichok act so very slowly, with evidently no feeling of ill health for at least five hours,
and then how did it strike both down absolutely simultaneously, so that neither can call for
help, despite their being different sexes, weights, ages, metabolisms and receiving random
completely uncontrolled doses. The odds of that happening are virtually nil. And why was the
nerve agent ultimately ineffective?
Detective Sergeant Bailey attended the Skripal house and was also poisoned by the
doorknob, but more lightly. None of the other police who attended the house were
affected.
Why was the Detective Sergeant affected and nobody else who attended the house, or the scene
where the Skripals were found? Why was Bailey only lightly affected by this extremely deadly
substance, of which a tiny amount can kill?
Four months later, Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess were rooting about in public parks,
possibly looking for cigarette butts, and accidentally came into contact with the sealed
container of a novichok. They were poisoned and Dawn Sturgess subsequently died.
If the nerve agent had survived four months because it was in a sealed container, why has
this sealed container now mysteriously disappeared again? If Rowley and Sturgess had direct
contact straight from the container, why did they not both die quickly? Why had four months
searching of Salisbury and a massive police, security service and military operation not found
this container, if Rowley and Sturgess could?
I am, with a few simple questions, demolishing what is the most ludicrous conspiracy theory
I have ever heard – the Salisbury conspiracy theory being put forward by the British
government and its corporate lackies.
My next post will consider some more plausible explanations of this affair.
Has anyone considered if Rowley and Sturgess might in fact be the actual ones that put the
novichok on the Skripal's doorknob four months ago? Perhaps paid to do so by Israel or
Ukraine?
"Searches began on 6 July of Rowley's home and it was not until Wednesday (11th) that the
bottle was discovered by officers, who were battling searing sunshine and protective suits to
stop them being exposed to the lethal toxin." "...As a precaution Public Health England
continues to advise the public not to pick up any strange items such as syringes, needles,
cosmetics or similar objects made of materials such as metal, plastic or glass."
Obviously, the bottle was not simply lying around in plain sight. Would appear to be drug
related? Strange. Would be nice if the British were more forthcoming. Another interesting bit
is why are the British now, not jumping to conclusions?
"Sajid Javid has said there are no plans to impose fresh sanctions on Russia following the
latest nerve agent poisoning in Wiltshire.
During a visit to Salisbury and Amesbury, the UK home secretary said: "We don't want to
jump to conclusions." but they sure were with the first poisoning. Time will tell.
They are now saying it looked like a bottle of perfume. The story just gets weirder.
Novichok nerve agent that killed a mother-of-three in Salisbury was in a PERFUME bottle
she may have sprayed herself with, her poisoned lover's brother reveals
Charlie Rowley, 45, was left fighting for his life after he was exposed to Novichok
His partner Dawn Sturgess, 44, died after she was poisoned by the nerve agent
Matthew Rowley said the poison was in a perfume bottle his brother picked up ...
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...
So how did the homeless woman's partner come into contact with, but, nobody else? How long
does Novochok last, once made up? Hours or months?
Bases on VX (the most similar nerve agent to Novochok) it would last days, except if kept
sealed.
It's beginning to look like someone from Porton Down is the source, unless the perfume
bottle was used to transport the Novochok into the country and then tossed.
The fundamental flaw in the reasoning of this article is that it assumes the poisoning was
meant to be kept secret. If you are going to poison someone with Polonium or Novichuk you are
sending a distinct message about where the poison came from.
You could kill someone with alflatoxin and no one would know. There a loads of ways a
state player can kill people in an untraceable way,
So the purpose of the poisoning was to send a message - not to eliminate a threat,
Once you see that as the purpose of the poisoning, the question becomes is who wants to
tell the world that they can kill at long range and little detection with sophisticated
neurochemical weapons. . . .
"... But Britain recruited Skripal in 1996 when not only was the Soviet Union dead but Russia was ruled by the West's performing bear Boris Yeltsin. And during his presidency, Russia was passed-out on the floor with everyone picking its pockets. ..."
That the USSR was an existential threat to Western capitalism and colonialism and war
– of one kind or another – between these two camps was logical and inevitable. But
the Soviet Union is 30 years dead.
Indeed, Gordievsky through Macintyre can – if he's telling the truth – claim
that he helped bring about the (brief) end of history and the "final" victory. His claimed role
in the rise and rise of Gorbachev's relationship with Mrs Thatcher and, by extension, President
Reagan certainly hastened the downfall of the USSR.
But Britain recruited Skripal in 1996 when not only was the Soviet Union dead but Russia
was ruled by the West's performing bear Boris Yeltsin. And during his presidency, Russia was
passed-out on the floor with everyone picking its pockets.
Why was Britain still fighting the Cold War against Russia in 1996, and why is it still
fighting the Cold War against Russia now?
Just this week, the rather effete British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson – a
former fireplace salesman –
said he was sending 800 shivering British soldiers to the Arctic to be ready to fight
Russia there. Amidst the snow. And the ice.
As both Napoleon and Hitler must have said: " What could possibly go wrong? "
George Galloway was a member of the British Parliament for nearly 30 years. He
presents TV and radio shows (including on RT). He is a film-maker, writer and a renowned
orator.
The official story, says the expert, is "stupidity on stupidity."
I agree with him.
The question is: Why did the British government think that they could get away with such an
obvious hoax? The answer is that the people in Western countries don't know anything about
anything. They live in a world in which their reality is a product of the propaganda fed to
them by "news organizations" and Hollywood movies. They only receive controlled explanations.
Therefore, they know nothing about how anything really functions. Read the account by the
Israeli expert to understand the vast difference between the British government's hoax and the
reality of how an assassination is conducted.
The Israeli expert got me to wondering why the British government thought anyone would fall
for such a transparently false story. Having just read David Ray Griffin and Elizabeth
Woodworth's new book, 9/11 Unmasked , and David Ray Griffin's 2017 book, Bush and
Cheney: How They Runed America and the World , the answer became obvious. The British
government had watched the idiot Western populations fall for the official 9/11 conspiracy
story in which a few Saudi Arabians, who could not fly airplanes and without the support of any
intelligence agency, caused the entire security apparatus ot the United States to fail utterly,
and no one was held responsible for the total failure. The British government concluded that
anyone who could possibly believe such an obviously false story would believe anything.
I remember coming to that conclusion years ago before the official conspiracy theory in the
9/11 Commission Report was blown to pieces by thousands of scientists, structural engineers,
high-rise architects, military and civilian pilots, first responders on the scene, and a large
number of former high government officials both in the US and abroad.
At first I did not connect the zionist neoconservatives' plot, outlined in their public
writings (for example, Norman Podhorttz in Commentary ) to destroy 7 Middle Eastern
countries in five years (also described by General Wesley Clark) and their statement that they
needed a "new Pearl Harbor" to implement their plan, with the attack on the World Trade Center.
But as I watched the twin towers blow up floor by floor it was completely obvious that these
were not builldings falling down due to asymetrical structural damage and limited, low
temperature office fires that probably did not even warm the massive steel structure to the
point of being warm to the touch. When you watch the videos you see buildings blowing up. It is
as clear as day. You see each floor blow. You see steel beams and other debris fly out the
sides as projectiles. It is amazing that any human is so completely stupid as to think what he
is seeing with his own eyes are buildings falling down from structural damage. But it required
many years before half of the American people realized that the official account was pure
bullshit.
Today polls indicate that a majority of people do not believe the official 9/11 propaganda
any more than they believe the Warren Commission Report on the assassination of President John
F. Kennedy, the alleged Gulf of Tonkin attack, or the report from Admiral McCain (father of
John) erasing Israel's responsibility for the destruction of the USS Liberty and its crew
during LBJ's administration, or that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction, or Iran
had nukes, or the many lies about about Syria, Libya's Gaddafi, or Somalia, or Yemen, or the
"Russian invasion of Georgia," the "Russian invasion of Ukraine." But at each time the idiot
population, no matter how many times they had learned that the governments lied to them
initially believed the next lie, thereby permitting the lie to become fact. Thus, the idiot
Western populations created their own world of controlled explanations.
Only a deranged person could believe anything any Western government says. But the Western
world has a huge number of deranged people. There are plenty of them to validate the next
official lie. The ignorant fools make it possible for Western governments to continue their
policy of lies that are driving the world to extinction in a war with Russia and China.
Perhaps I am being too hard on the insouciant Western populations. Ron Unz is no moron. Yet
he accepted the transparently false 9/11 story until he started to pay attention. Once he paid
attention, he realized it was false. http://www.unz.com/runz/american-pravda-911-conspiracy-theories/
Like myself, Ron Unz has noticed that the 9/11 Truth movement has succeeded in totally
discrediting the official 9/11 story. But the unanswered question remains: Who did it?
Unz says it was Israel, not Bush & Cheney. This is also the position of Christopher
Bollyn. It seems certain that Israel was involved. We have the fact of the Mossad agents caught
celebrating as they filmed the collalpse of the WTC towers. Obviously, they knew in advance and
were set up ready to film. Later they were shown on Israeli TV where they stated that they had
been sent to film the destruction of the buildings.
We also have the fact of the large profits made by someone that the US government continues
to protect on shorting the stock of the airlines, the planes of which were allegely
hijacked.
In other words, the 9/11 attack was known in advance, as was the destruction of WTC building
7 as evidenced by the BBC reporter standing in front of the still standing building accouncing
its destruction about a half hour before it occurred.
Unz and Bollyn's case against Israel is powerful. I agree with Unz that George W. Bush was
not part of the plot. If he had been, he would have been on the scene directing America's
heroic response to the first, and only, terrorist attack on America. lnstead, Bush was moved
out of the way, and kept out of the way, while Cheney handled the situation.
I understand what Unz is doing by focusing attention on the main beneficiary of the hoax
9/11 story. However Cheney and his corporation, Halliburton, also benefitted. Halliburton
received large municifient US government contracts for services in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Cheney, as David Ray Griffen proves, achieved his aim of elevating the executive branch above
the US Constitution and statutory US law.
Moreover, it was impossible for Mossad to pull off such an attack without high level support
in the US government. Only a US official could have ordered the numerous simulations of the
attack underway in order to confuse the air traffic controllers and the US Air Force.
I understand what Unz is doing by focusing attention on the main beneficiary of the hoax
9/11 story. However Cheney and his corporation, Halliburton, also benefitted. Halliburton
received large municifient US government contracts for services in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Cheney, as David Ray Griffen proves, achieved his aim of elevating the executive branch above
the US Constitution and statutory US law.
Moreover, it was impossible for Mossad to pull off such an attack without high level support
in the US government. Only a US official could have ordered the numerous simulations of the
attack underway in order to confuse the air traffic controllers and the US Air Force.
The Israeli government could not have ordered the destruction of the crime scene, opposed by
the New York fire marshall as a felony. This required US government authority. The steel beams,
which showed all sorts of distortions that could only have been caused by nano-thermite were
quickly sent to Asia for reprocessing. The intense fires and molten rubble in the buildings'
remains six weeks after their collapse never received an official explanation. To this day, no
one has explained how low-temperature, smothered office fires that burned for one hour or less
melted or weakened massive steel beams and produced molten steel six weeks afterward.
Unz is correct that Israel made out like a bandit. Israel as a result of 9/11 got rid of
half of the constraints on its expansion. Only Syria and Iran remain, and the Trump regime is
pushing hard for Israel, even against Russia, a government that at its will can completely
destroy the United States and Israel, something that much of the world wishes would happen.
Unz is correct that right now the totally evil and corrupt US and Israeli governments have
the entire world on the path to extinction. However, he omits American responsibility, that of
the evil Dick Cheney, the Zionist neconservatives who are Israel's Fifth Column in America, and
the utter insouciance of the American people who do not show enough intelligence or awareness
to warrant their survival.
"... Last week the Russian Ministry of Defense and the Russian Foreign Ministry accused the U.S. of illegal biological weapon research in the Tbilisi laboratory : ..."
"... The documents record the deaths of 73 people over a short period of time, indicating a test of "a highly toxic chemical or biological agents with high lethality rate," said Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian military branch responsible for defending troops from radiological, chemical and biological weapons. ..."
"... The U.S. rejects the claims but it does not explain the documents , what kind of research is done near Tbilisi, and the unusual secrecy and security around the laboratory. ..."
"... It is not only the Russians and Georgians who are concerned about secret U.S. biological warfare research. German and French scientists recently raised alarm over another dubious Pentagon research project. ..."
Recent evidence about deadly tests of biological substances in Tbilisi, Georgia raised
alarm about U.S. biological weapon research in foreign countries. European scientist are
extremely concerned about a dubious research program, financed by the Pentagon, that seems
designed to spread diseases to crops, animals and people abroad. The creation of such weapons
and of special ways to distribute them is prohibited under national and international
law.
The U.S. is running biological weapon research across the globe :
Bio warfare scientists using diplomatic cover test man-made viruses at Pentagon bio
laboratories in 25 countries across the world. These US bio-laboratories are funded by the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) under a $ 2.1 billion military program–
Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (CBEP), and are located in former Soviet Union
countries such as Georgia and Ukraine, the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa.
Until the mid nineteen-seventies the U.S. military
tested biological warfare weapons on U.S. people , sometimes over large areas and on
specific races. After a Congress investigation revealed the wide ranging program such testing
was moved abroad.
Private companies use U.S. government controlled laboratories in foreign countries for
secret biological research under contract of the U.S. military, the CIA and the Department of
Homeland Security. Last month the Bulgarian journalist Dilyana Gaytandzhieva
reported of one of these U.S. controlled bio-laboratories:
The US Embassy to Tbilisi transports frozen human blood and pathogens as diplomatic cargo
for a secret US military program. Internal documents, implicating US diplomats in the
transportation of and experimenting on pathogens under diplomatic cover were leaked to me
by Georgian insiders. According to these documents, Pentagon scientists have been deployed
to the Republic of Georgia and have been given diplomatic immunity to research deadly
diseases and biting insects at the Lugar Center – the Pentagon biolaboratory in
Georgia's capital Tbilisi.
Al Mayadeen TV broadcasted a video reportage about the laboratory and
its deadly effects on Georgian 'patients'.
The question of what really might have taken place at the secretive US-sponsored research
facility hosted by Russia's southern neighbor was raised by the Russian military on
Thursday after they studied files published online by a former Georgian minister.
The documents record the deaths of 73 people over a short period of time, indicating
a test of "a highly toxic chemical or biological agents with high lethality rate," said
Igor Kirillov, commander of the Russian military branch responsible for defending troops
from radiological, chemical and biological weapons.
The U.S.
rejects the claims but it does not explain the documents , what kind of research is done near Tbilisi, and
the unusual secrecy and security around the laboratory.
It is not only the Russians and Georgians who are concerned about secret U.S.
biological warfare research. German and French scientists recently
raised alarm over another dubious Pentagon research project.
In October 2016 the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) announced a new
project called Insect
Allies :
A new DARPA program is poised to provide an alternative to traditional agricultural threat
response, using targeted gene therapy to protect mature plants within a single growing
season. DARPA proposes to leverage a natural and very efficient two-step delivery system to
transfer modified genes to plants: insect vectors and the plant viruses they transmit. In
the process, DARPA aims to transform certain insect pests into "Insect Allies," the name of
the new effort.
The scenario DARPA describes is quite complicate. If a crop, for example maize, were
widely infected with some illness, a virus would be manipulated and applied to the crop. The
itself genetically modified virus would genetically modify the crop to 'cure' the illness.
Infected insects would be used to distribute the viruses across the fields.
The program is run
by the Biological Technologies Office (BTO) of DARPA. It does not come cheap. At least
$27 million have been committed to it. If the discussed program were for purely agricultural
purposes why would the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is part of
the Pentagon, propose and finance such research?
Scientist from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology in Plön, Germany,
and the Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier, France, along with legal
scholars from the University of Freiburg point out that the method DARPA wants to
apply makes little sense for the stated agricultural purposes.
[A]n ongoing research program funded by the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency
(DARPA) aims to disperse infectious genetically modified viruses that have been engineered
to edit crop chromosomes directly in fields.
...
In the context of the stated aims of the DARPA program, it is our opinion that the
knowledge to be gained from this program appears very limited in its capacity to enhance
U.S. agriculture or respond to national emergencies (in either the short or long term).
Furthermore, there has been an absence of adequate discussion regarding the major practical
and regulatory impediments toward realizing the projected agricultural benefits. As a
result, the program may be widely perceived as an effort to develop biological agents for
hostile purposes and their means of delivery , which -- if true -- would constitute a
breach of the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC).
It its response to the Science paper DARPA again insists that the program is for
purely agricultural purpose. But the response does not answer the questions the scientists
put up.
The mechanism of spreading infectious genetically modified viruses to genetically modify
and 'heal' plants in the fields is itself full of problems and dangers. To use insects for
distributing such viruses borders on insane.
If one has access to the targeted crop fields and if one has a genetically modified virus
to influence the plants why would one use insects to distribute it? Why not use the well
known targeted process of spraying the affected fields, just like it is widely done today?
Only when one does not have access to the fields, when these are situated in a foreign
country the U.S. has no access to, does it make sense to use insects for such purposes.
The idea that the real (and illegal) purpose of such U.S. research is biological warfare
is not far fetched at all.
During the Korea War the U.S.
dropped infected insects and rodents over north Korea and China to
infect people with deadly diseases. Various pathogens, including anthrax, were used
against the civilian population. During the Vietnam war the U.S. sprayed thousand of square
miles with poisonous defoliants. It tested biological weapons on
the people of Hawaii, Alaska, Maryland, Florida, Canada and Britain. In 2002 weaponized
anthrax spores from the U.S. biological warfare laboratory in Fort Derrick were used
to scare U.S. politicians into agreeing to the Patriot Act. At least five people were
killed. And why is the U.S. Air Force
looking for synovial tissue and RNA samples collected specifically from Caucasian people
in Russia?
Biological warfare programs are extremely dangerous. Not only to 'the enemy' but to ones
own population. Infectious diseases and pathogens can spread around the globe within a few
days. Genetic modifications can have unpredictable secondary effects. Viruses can jump over
the species barrier. These are the sound reasons why such weapons, and research into using
them, are prohibited.
The U.S. government should follow the law and stop all such programs. Even if only in the
self interest of protecting its very own people.
Posted by b on October 6, 2018 at 10:02 AM |
Permalink
Comments A picture speaks a thoudsand words. There are 49 bio-weapons research labs in 6
countries in close proximity to Russia.
The UK Porton Down labs are also involved in this process. They have conducted experiments
on the general public travelling on the London Underground. More recently, they have received
a nice £47 million funding boost for all their good work on the Skripal case.
"Biological warfare programs are extremely dangerous. Not only to 'the enemy' but to ones
own population."
This may explain the US BW research program interest in genetic material of RUssians. They
may hope to produce some kind of narrowly targetted (in theory) pathogen. Given the ethnic
diversity of the Russian Federation, Russian-ness is largely cultural rather than genetic.
Genetic effects would only likely to succeed in populations with a narrow genetic spread.
@ b who ended with:
"
The U.S. government should follow the law and stop all such programs. Even if only in the
self interest of protecting its very own people.
"
Your assumption is that the US government has the best interests of its citizens in mind. We
know the US government is under the control of the global elite and yes, they do not have the
best interests of global humanity at heart.
Western humans are being controlled by a parasite class that has historically operated in
this manner. It is only with the advent of the intertubes that information is shared widely
enough for these patterns of control to become clear. The mindset behind this control seems
to be monotheism with the center held by private finance. Monotheism was perverted enough in
in 1054 to insure that nowhere in Europe is the Crab Nebula supernova that was visible for 23
days and nights in the sky documented. This is a perverted mindset that denies reality so
thoroughly, eh?
The spawn of the monotheistic elite continue to act as though they really are better than
the rest of humanity and deserve to rule over everyone. They are having their position
challenged and seem to have no moral center other than to themselves.
My only positive point to this situation is that it clearly brings out the entitled from
under their rocks to push their bias. IF Western society cannot stand up and say that we
don't want to live like this, then I suspect our extinction is closer than many think
B: ... To use insects for distributing such viruses borders on insane .
If one has access to the targeted crop fields and if one has a genetically modified
virus to influence the plants why would one use insects to distribute it? Why not use the
well known targeted process of spraying the affected fields, just like it is widely done
today? Only when one does not have access to the fields, when these are situated in a foreign
country the U.S. has no access to, does it make sense to use insects for such
purposes.
It does NOT border on insanity, B, there is nothing remotely borderline about it. It is
insane, full stop. (Borderline insanity means it is on the border, could be on either
side).
Why not spray the fields? The compellingly obvious - and necessarily intended - feature of
the insects is their ability to spread out of control.
Maybe this is one of the clues to the complex and so multifaceted Skripal saga - the British
know the Russians had leads and would bring out this news, and were desperately trying to
destroy their credibility in advance.
"The U.S. government should follow the law and stop all such programs. Even if only in
the self interest of protecting its very own people."
Your assumption is that the US government has the best interests of its citizens in
mind. We know the US government is under the control of the global elite and yes, they do not
have the best interests of global humanity at heart.
Further than that - the elite expressly desire to reduce the global population -
including the US population - to a tiny fraction of what it is at present.
As for the "law", well we see what is happening these days: Russiagate-FBI-DoJ
criminality, US using terrorism as foreign policy, rapidly multiplying false flags, using
sanctions to ban legtimate trade of competitors, Bolton's threats to ICC, threats to blockade
Russia, ficticious sovereignty claims such as right to inspect Russian/Chinese ports and
right to build bases in Syria ...
"LAW" is rapidly evaporating away - very soon it will not exist at all, in the
West.
That appears to be a specific intention, and ties in with the mindless skripal fantasy/Syria
chemical weapons fantasy/virtual reality/"we create our own reality" bullshit.
[B: My appologies for the string of short posts, it was not intentional as such!]
The latest rash of hacking accusations against Russia appears timed to distract the public
from this highly disturbing information.
One way or another, the old white men who are the self appointed ruling elite week appear
determined to turn the planet into a monstrous, king sized Jonestown.
Psycho,
Which gets to the logical flaw in monotheism. A spiritual absolute would be the essence of
sentience from which life rises, not an ideal of wisdom and judgement from which humanity
fell. More the new born babe, than the wise old man. It is just that for social control, it
makes more sense to idolize wisdom over passion.
The deeper issue is that Western culture is ideals based, rather balance based, like Eastern
culture. The basis of civilization is story telling and the most memorable and repeated
stories are those with a focus, moral lesson and compelling narrative. So it becomes assumed
there must be some goal, destination, or ideal state to which we strive, even if it's just
the bottom line. Rather than to be in balance with nature and the community, absorbing and
radiating the energy of the present.
Which also goes to the nature of time. As we have this narrative thought process, being
mobile organisms, processing our motion, we think of time as a vector from past to future,
but the reality is change turning future to past. Potential>actual>residual. There is
only this state of dynamic energy and thermodynamics is a more elemental aspect of it than
time. Expansion/consolidation.
Thank you 'b' this subject is guaranteed to give us all nightmares on its own, but added in
to the rest of the bigger equation ! We run out of strong enough words to do it justice !
It's to much for one to bare. We need to share this burden or we will go under.
This kind of depravity has always been there in mankind -- - napalm,agent orange, white
phosphorus the human imagination is vast ! But now they have the power, technology, resources
opatunity and motivation, that is new !
We here at present can spread this story as much as we possibly can ! Far and wide.
That the USSR was an existential threat to Western capitalism and colonialism and war
– of one kind or another – between these two camps was logical and inevitable. But
the Soviet Union is 30 years dead.
Indeed, Gordievsky through Macintyre can – if he's telling the truth – claim
that he helped bring about the (brief) end of history and the "final" victory. His claimed role
in the rise and rise of Gorbachev's relationship with Mrs Thatcher and, by extension, President
Reagan certainly hastened the downfall of the USSR.
But Britain recruited Skripal in 1996 when not only was the Soviet Union dead but Russia was
ruled by the West's performing bear Boris Yeltsin. And during his presidency, Russia was
passed-out on the floor with everyone picking its pockets.
Why was Britain still fighting the Cold War against Russia in 1996, and why is it still
fighting the Cold War against Russia now?
Just this week, the rather effete British Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson – a
former fireplace salesman –
said he was sending 800 shivering British soldiers to the Arctic to be ready to fight
Russia there. Amidst the snow. And the ice.
As both Napoleon and Hitler must have said: " What could possibly go wrong? "
Ryan Chilcote: Since you brought up the subject of sanctions, as you know after the
Skripal poisoning, Russia is facing even more of them, perhaps as soon as November. What is
Russia prepared to do to change the trajectory of relations with the United States and the
West?
Vladimir Putin : We are not the ones introducing these sanctions against the United
States or the West. We are just responding to their actions, and we do this in very restrained,
careful steps so as not to cause harm, primarily to ourselves. And we will continue to do
so.
As regards the Skripals and all that, this latest spy scandal is being artificially
inflated. I have seen some media outlets and your colleagues push the idea that Skripal is
almost a human rights activist. But he is just a spy, a traitor to the motherland. There is
such a term, a 'traitor to the motherland,' and that's what he is.
Imagine you are a citizen of a country, and suddenly somebody comes along who betrays your
country. How would you, or anybody present here, a representative of any country, feel about
such a person? He is scum, that's all. But a whole information campaign has been deployed
around it.
I think it will come to an end, I hope it will, and the sooner the better. We have
repeatedly told our colleagues to show us the documents. We will see what can be done and
conduct an investigation.
We probably have an agreement with the UK on assistance in criminal cases that outlines the
procedure. Well, submit the documents to the Prosecutor General's Office as required. We will
see what actually happened there.
The fuss between security services did not start yesterday. As you know, espionage, just
like prostitution, is one of the most 'important' jobs in the world. So what? Nobody shut it
down and nobody can shut it down yet.
Ryan Chilcote : Espionage aside, I think there are two other issues. One is the use
of chemical weapons, and let's not forget that in addition to the Skripal family being affected
in that attack, there was also a homeless person who was killed when they came in contact with
the nerve agent Novichok.
Vladimir Putin: Listen, since we are talking about
poisoning Skripal, are you saying that we also poisoned a homeless person there? Sometimes I
look at what is happening around this case and it amazes me. Some guys came to England and
started poisoning homeless people. Such nonsense. What is this all about? Are they working for
cleaning services? Nobody wanted to poison This Skripal is a traitor, as I said. He was caught
and punished. He spent a total of five years in prison. We released him. That's it. He left. He
continued to cooperate with and consult some security services. So what? What are we talking
about right now? Oil, gas or espionage? What is your question?
Let's move on to the other oldest profession and discuss the latest developments in that
business. (Laughter.)
Funny how lowkey this topic is handled. It appeard in The Times. As the Times article is
behind a paywall. I am linking to the Irish Times:
MI5 can authorise agents to commit crimes, tribunal told . Maybe the UK should be
sanctioned.
Makes my fantasy go a little wild and wonder if there might be any connection to
Skripal.
I flicked on the beeb news channel as I dragged meself outta the pit this am and caught
the 'news' of the bellingcat claim that Ruslan Boshirov = Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga.
Now I'm fully cognisant of the fact that neither Russia nor Chepiga should feel obliged to
prove this claim is untrue, but since whichever way you slice it Chepiga is now 'blown', They
(Russia/Chepiga) may as well prove the claim is nonsense. The thing being that the boof heads
at MI6/CIA would also have worked that out, unless it was a particularly boofed, boofhead who
put this latest snippet together.
IMO in all likelihood Ruslan Boshirov = Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga is correct. Towards the
end of one of the supporting articles that sets out the 'proof' Bellingcat mutters something
rather odd which seems like it actually detracts from the story - if the ultimate target of
this revelation is Colonel Chepiga.
But who really cares about some obscure military intelligence mid-level bloke? (Colonel is
nowhere near the giddy heights of any military, something I discovered when working in the Oz
public service & I was seconded to the department of defence to do a job. Since I was
working with a bunch of uniformed saluters, it was claimed they would not "feel comfortable
working with someone of unknown status in the hierarchy". So I was told that my position in
the Public Service equated with the rank of colonel in the army. I can tell you, if it
weren't totally apparent, that I was just an average sh1tkicker)
No one cares about Chepiga, this entire saga is about getting the masses to accept without
any deep consideration, that "Putin" the figurehead who (according to western media)
micromanages everything evil about russia, only cares about destroying the life of Jo/Joe
Sh1tkicker where ever in the world Jo/Joe may be.
So the
last two paras of the burble runs thusly:
Bellingcat has contacted confidentially a former Russian military officer of similar rank
as Colonel Chepiga, in order to receive a reaction to what we found. The source, speaking
on condition of anonymity, expressed surprise that at least one of the operatives engaged
in the operation in Salisbury had the rank of colonel. Even more surprising was the
suspects' prior award of the highest military recognition.
In our source's words, an operation of this sort would have typically required a
lower-ranked, "field operative" with a military rank of "no higher than captain." The
source further surmised that to send a highly decorated colonel back to a field job would
be highly extraordinary, and would imply that "the job was ordered at the highest
level."
The logical flaw is obvious of course. If 'the job' had been ordered at the highest level
surely sending some bloke who had been riding a desk for the last six years is not how it
would handled, the most recently capable operative would be sent - either a relatively junior
officer or a young but experienced NCO.
However assuming Boshirov = Colonel Chepiga is correct, while he would never be sent to
supervise a hit on the ground much less carry it out; it doesn't take a great stretch to
ruminate on the possible tasks a military intelligence colonel would be sent to england
for.
There is one obvious task which would explain most credibly what he was in Salisbury for - to
give Sergey Skripal confidence that his repatriation was a genuine offer, not some half arsed
wish fulfillment plan dreamed up by Yulia and a low level intelligence operator eager to
climb into Yulia's pants.
Two colonels of the GRU, one a highly decorated hero and the other a dodgy turncoat who had
come to realise after the nonsense his immediate MI6 superior Pablo Miller, plus his big boss
"Mr Steele" had put out about Moscow golden showers, whilst insinuating he, Skirpal was party
to the fiction, that rapprochment between Russia and angland/amerika was never gonna happen.
He was never going to be able to know any of his grandchildren or see his motherland again
because usuk needed 'evil Russia' to distract their citizens away from the real evildoing 'at
home'.
Someone used a chess mataphor elsewhere in a thread, well I would say that if the Bellingcat
revelation that Ruslan Boshirov = Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga. if true sails close to a
checkmate.
If Russia confesses that Ruslan Boshirov does = Colonel Anatoliy Chepiga, citizens in the
west would be denied any explanation as the fishwraps and talking heads would be too busy
celebrating Russia's alleged 'defeat' to include any other portion of what Russia had said,
especially not an exposition which dealt with everything from the fact that Chepiga & co
arrived too late on Sunday for their poisoned doorknob to have tainted the Skirpals who had
left the house for the last time hours before and that of all the english towns some idjit
chose to squirt this muck around Salisbury was the one where assassination by chemical weapon
was the town the least likely to give success since the proximity of Porton Downs guaranteed
that some not all staff at Salisbury Hospital would have been trained in chem weapon
detection and antidote.
On the other side of the coin - panic stations at MI6, on a quiet Sunday it has just been
uncovered that an asset was 'going over'. So some duty officer sent the thug on call for the
day over to Porton Downs to grab 'a little something' guaranteed to prevent any such
nonsense.
Now that UK's "resettling" White Helmet Terrorists within its borders, I wonder if they'll
become the next victims of MI6 attempts to frame Russia for its assassinations using poison
gas?
Semi OT--Now that UK's
"resettling" White Helmet Terrorists within its borders, I wonder if they'll become the
next victims of MI6 attempts to frame Russia for its assassinations using poison gas? What do
UK-located MoA barflies think of May bringing her terrorists "home"? Plus, I thought there
was a housing crisis of sorts within UK, and such scarce housing's to be allocated to
terrorists?! What sort of light opera would Gilbert & Sullivan compose as a ripost?
Unfortunately, it appears Corbyn's remained quiet on this issue, although there's plenty of
other items of importance to UK citizens for him to use as issues to defeat Tories.
"... Steele also had extensive contacts with DOJ official Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie, who - along with Steele - was paid by opposition research firm Fusion GPS in the anti-Trump campaign. Trump called for the declassification of FBI notes of interviews with Ohr, which would ostensibly reveal more about his relationship with Steele. Ohr was demoted twice within the Department of Justice for lying about his contacts with Fusion GPS. ..."
"... Perhaps the Brits are also concerned since much of the espionage performed on the Trump campaign was conducted on UK soil throughout 2016 . Recall that Trump aid George Papadopoulos was lured to London in March, 2016, where Maltese professor Joseph Mifsud fed him the rumor that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. It was later at a London bar that Papadopoulos would drunkenly pass the rumor to Australian diplomat Alexander Downer (who Strzok flew to London to meet with). ..."
"... Papadopoulos accepted a flight to London and a $3,000 honorarium. He claims that during a meeting in London, Halper asked him whether he knew anything about Russian hacking of Democrats' emails. ..."
"... Papadopoulos had other contacts on British soil that he now believes were part of a government-sanctioned surveillance operation. - Daily Caller ..."
"... In total, Halper received over $1 million from the Obama Pentagon for "research," over $400,000 of which was granted before and during the 2016 election season. ..."
"... In short, it's understandable that the UK would prefer to hide their involvement in the "witch hunt" of Donald Trump since much of the counterintelligence investigation was conducted on UK soil. And if the Brits had knowledge of the operation, it will bolster claims that they meddled in the 2016 US election by assisting what appears to have been a set-up from the start . ..."
"... Steele's ham-handed dossier is a mere embarrassment, as virtually none of the claims asserted by the former MI6 agent have been proven true. ..."
"... Steele, a former MI6 agent, is the author of the infamous and unverified anti-Trump dossier. He worked as a confidential human source for the FBI for years before the relationship was severed just before the election because of Steele's unauthorized contacts with the press. ..."
"... That said, Steele hasn't worked for the British government since 2009, so for their excuse focusing on the former MI6 agent while ignoring the multitude of events which occurred on UK soil, is curious. ..."
"... I find it interesting that the Theresa May Govt in UK has the temerity to interfere with US politics (until they got caught out!), yet can't find the spine to stand up to the EU. ..."
"... THE UNITED KINGDOM along with ISRAEL & SAUDI ARABIA have always been the ones behind US Politics making, pulling the strings behind the curtains since the Petrodollar Inception, The Greater Israel project & the NWO initiative - only this time around Trump was not the UK's pick... ..."
"... England dominates the offshore money laundering havens where the super rich hide their money and evade taxes. They need to be brought down. No more African dictators looting their nation's resources and hiding the money first in offshore banks and then in JP Morgan and Brit banks. ..."
"... It is a test. If Trump doesn't go ahead with declassification, we know for sure he is no better than the globalists and neocons whose goal has always been to destroy and depopulate America. ..."
"... 'focusing on the former MI6 agent while ignoring the multitude of events which occurred on UK soil, is curious' ..."
"... Not at all. It's obvious - the problem ISN'T Steele. They're living in fear, as are many in DC and elsewhere, that Trump is going to pry the lid open and reveal at least some of their activities. If killing him would fix the problem, they would. It's too late, considering what Trump is threatening to do. I wonder if he'll back down, at least some? ..."
"... U.K. does not want the jurisdiction. U.S. spies lure you overseas then...compromise you. ..."
"... Duh. This Started In London! Britain is the "foreign country" involved in our elections. Wake up everyone. It's LONDONGATE ..."
"... May gonna owe Vlad an apology when Skripal is revealed to be Steele's source. Steele himself hadn't been to Russian in 15 years. Will he get life in prison for attempted murder? ..."
"... "t's hard to tell who's telling the truth and who isn't in this whole Russia narrative. Fact is, NOBODY is telling the truth. That is what I've determined after doing my own research.": https://youtu.be/2AA5BIfGj3g ..."
"... Trump made promises before being elected, then lied and sold America out, just like every other corrupted assklown politician. he is no different than clinton bush obama, just as arrogant, just as corrupt, and just as much a traitor. ..."
UK Begged Trump Not To Declassify Russia Docs; Cited "Grave Concerns" Over Steele
Involvement
by Tyler Durden
Sun, 09/23/2018 - 11:15 4.6K SHARES
The British government "expressed grave concerns" to the US government over the
declassification and release of material related to the Trump-Russia investigation, according
to the New
York Times . President Trump ordered a wide swath of materials "immediately" declassified
"without redaction" on Monday, only to
change his mind later in the week by allowing the DOJ Inspector General to review the
materials first.
The Times reports that the UK's concern was over material which "includes direct references
to conversations between American law enforcement officials and Christopher Steele," the former
MI6 agent who compiled the infamous "Steele Dossier." The UK's objection, according to former
US and British officials, was over revealing Steele's identity in an official document,
"regardless of whether he had been named in press reports."
We would note, however, that Steele's name was contained within the Nunes Memo
- the House Intelligence Committee's majority opinion in the Trump-Russia case.
Steele also had
extensive contacts with DOJ official Bruce Ohr and his wife Nellie, who - along with Steele
- was paid by opposition research firm Fusion GPS in the anti-Trump campaign. Trump called for
the declassification of FBI notes of interviews with Ohr, which would ostensibly reveal more
about his relationship with Steele. Ohr was demoted twice within the Department of Justice for
lying about his contacts with Fusion GPS.
Perhaps the Brits are also concerned since much of the espionage performed on the Trump
campaign was conducted on UK soil throughout 2016 . Recall that Trump aid George Papadopoulos
was lured to London in March, 2016, where Maltese professor Joseph Mifsud fed him the rumor
that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton. It was later at a London bar that Papadopoulos would
drunkenly pass the rumor to Australian diplomat Alexander Downer (who Strzok flew to London to
meet with).
Also recall that CIA/FBI "informant" (spy) Stefan Halper met with both Carter Page
and Papadopoulos in
London.
Halper, a veteran of four Republican administrations, reached out to Trump aide George
Papadopoulos in September 2016 with an offer to fly to London to write an academic paper on
energy exploration in the Mediterranean Sea.
Papadopoulos accepted a flight to London and a $3,000 honorarium. He claims that during a
meeting in London, Halper asked him whether he knew anything about Russian hacking of
Democrats' emails.
Papadopoulos had other contacts on British soil that he now believes were part of a
government-sanctioned surveillance operation. - Daily Caller
In total, Halper received over $1 million from the Obama Pentagon for "research," over
$400,000 of which was granted before and during the 2016 election season.
In short, it's understandable that the UK would prefer to hide their involvement in the
"witch hunt" of Donald Trump since much of the counterintelligence investigation was conducted
on UK soil. And if the Brits had knowledge of the operation, it will bolster claims that they
meddled in the 2016 US election by assisting what appears to have been a
set-up from the start .
Steele's ham-handed dossier is a mere embarrassment, as virtually none of the claims
asserted by the former MI6 agent have been proven true.
Steele, a former MI6 agent, is the author of the infamous and unverified anti-Trump
dossier. He worked as a confidential human source for the FBI for years before the
relationship was severed just before the election because of Steele's unauthorized contacts
with the press.
He shared results of his investigation into Trump's links to Russia with the FBI beginning
in early July 2016.
The FBI relied heavily on the unverified Steele dossier to fill out applications for four
FISA warrants against Page. Page has denied the dossier's claims, which include that he was
the Trump campaign's back channel to the Kremlin. - Daily Caller
That said, Steele hasn't worked for the British government since 2009, so for their excuse
focusing on the former MI6 agent while ignoring the multitude of events which occurred on UK
soil, is curious.
StychoKiller , 54 minutes ago
I find it interesting that the Theresa May Govt in UK has the temerity to interfere with
US politics (until they got caught out!), yet can't find the spine to stand up to the EU. If
I were Trump, not only would the shoe be dropping re: UK Govt involvement in US politics, but
said shoe would be making an imprint across her face! (stoopid twat!)
texantim , 1 hour ago
I say release the docs and put sanctions on UK.
BitchesBetterRecognize , 1 hour ago
So the Motherland ******* up with the ex-colony yet again, huh?
THE UNITED KINGDOM along with ISRAEL & SAUDI ARABIA have always been the ones behind
US Politics making, pulling the strings behind the curtains since the Petrodollar Inception,
The Greater Israel project & the NWO initiative - only this time around Trump was not the
UK's pick...
Oh, but those "civilized" Allies backstabbing each other for more power grip on the
USA....
Baron von Bud , 2 hours ago
England dominates the offshore money laundering havens where the super rich hide their
money and evade taxes. They need to be brought down. No more African dictators looting their
nation's resources and hiding the money first in offshore banks and then in JP Morgan and
Brit banks.
Many hedge funds are deep into this game. I'd wager on Carlyle Group and the Bush
clan. Billions of people can't get ahead because the super rich are ******* crooks running
the banks and governments. They don't pay taxes but force a small dry cleaner to pay 45% in
fed/state taxes. These criminals include Hillary Clinton and many members of congress.
Feinstein, Pelosi, Maxine and many more of both parties need to be investigated. How do they
get so rich on a congressman's salary. Deep into tax evasion and payoffs? Release the
documents and let MI6 hang.
Malvern Joe , 3 hours ago
It is a test. If Trump doesn't go ahead with declassification, we know for sure he is no
better than the globalists and neocons whose goal has always been to destroy and depopulate
America. It would represent the biggest sellout of this country since the creation of the Fed
in 1913, He will go down as the biggest fraud ever and his base will deport his *** to the
sums of India where he can defecate in public.
Bricker , 3 hours ago
You dont get to supply a rogue agent, that was probably told to do it in the first place,
and then tell Trump not to do it out of harm, harm is all you BRIT DEEP STATES deserve
Moving and Grooving , 3 hours ago
'focusing on the former MI6 agent while ignoring the multitude of events which occurred on
UK soil, is curious'
Not at all. It's obvious - the problem ISN'T Steele. They're living in fear, as are many
in DC and elsewhere, that Trump is going to pry the lid open and reveal at least some of
their activities. If killing him would fix the problem, they would. It's too late,
considering what Trump is threatening to do. I wonder if he'll back down, at least some?
The sheer corruption of the Global Government is on display here, revealing itself, if you
watch for it. Whether planned or not, the last 6 months or so have been astonishing to watch.
The entire media has been shown to be liars, academia is shown to be an expensive provider of
unprepared students, the corporate world is furiously rent-seeking and finding new ways to
destroy humanity, and government is too busy selling Americans out to write a budget. In all
countries around the world, adjusting for national status. Lawsuits in the west, machetes in
the third world.
Ban KKiller , 4 hours ago
U.K. does not want the jurisdiction. U.S. spies lure you overseas then...compromise you.
John C Durham , 4 hours ago
Duh. This Started In London! Britain is the "foreign country" involved in our elections.
Wake up everyone. It's LONDONGATE .
Anunnaki , 4 hours ago
May gonna owe Vlad an apology when Skripal is revealed to be Steele's source. Steele himself hadn't been to Russian in 15 years. Will he get life in prison for attempted murder?
PeaceForWorld , 4 hours ago
"t's hard to tell who's telling the truth and who isn't in this whole Russia narrative.
Fact is, NOBODY is telling the truth. That is what I've determined after doing my own
research.": https://youtu.be/2AA5BIfGj3g
I really like this woman "Shut the **** up!". She is a former Bernie supporter just like
me. She has turned against Democrats just like me. She doesn't trust any of the Establishment
parties.
Buddha71 , 4 hours ago
Trump made promises before being elected, then lied and sold America out, just like every other
corrupted assklown politician. he is no different than clinton bush obama, just as arrogant,
just as corrupt, and just as much a traitor. he has broken the promises upon which he was
elected, just like all the other fkn liars before him. no different. just a pos. he has not
made america great again, just more of the same, unemployment is a lie, it is closer to
17%.
"White Helmets" is used in preference to the alternative, all too well associated in the
popular imagination with the acme of American culture: the Western.
And in the classic commercial way, it provides a twofer, since the white helmet first
gained widespread popularity with the Village People, so it clicks with the whole LGBTQ
touchy feely approach to world affairs we're always being told is essential. Real world hard
hats tend to be in high-vis, almost painfully bright colours – orange, red, maybe
blue.
White? In the Levant, where half or more of the buildings are white to reflect the
sun?
Those are really bad. But I don't see much to link them to the White Helmets – just one
guy with what I guess is their insignia on the back of his shirt, and nobody wearing the
famous white helmets. It almost looks like someone deliberately making a fake which is full
of holes, to implicate the White Helmets in making fake films. Just playing devil's advocate
here. It would be very easy indeed for the White Helmets to disown these videos if they do
not gain any traction.
IIRC, the Russian government said a number of videos were shot with most being of low quality
and would go straight to YouTube. Two were of sufficiently high cinematic quality to be
released to Western media outlets.
However, with the recent agreement to stop military action in Idlib, it would seem that
there is no longer an opportunity to use the videos as a justification for a Western military
attack.
Indeed, the Idlib agreement has removed any pretext for Western attacks for the
foreseeable future. That is big. The military phase of the war in Syria seems to be over.
"... There was no sign of nerve agents being used, but The Sun claimed to have 'security sources' which told them rat poison may have been used against the couple, while claiming King was fighting for his life. Soon after the hospital confirmed that actually both had been discharged. ..."
"... Then the BBC reported that King, who was reportedly found foaming at the mouth in the restaurant's toilet, is a "convicted criminal who once hoaxed Prince Charles" and had previously been convicted of "distributing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children." ..."
"... Then the Daily Mirror reported that King is an alleged drug dealer, and Shapiro is a high-class escort who told friends she was a " honeytrap spy ..."
"... Like any newspaper, we were keen to talk to those at the centre of the incident and give them the opportunity to share with the public their version of events ..."
"... Like this story? Share it with a friend! ..."
Russian-born Anna Shapiro and her British husband Alex King were at the center of another
poisoning scare in Salisbury last Sunday in an incident that appeared at first to echo the
attack on ex-Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the very same city.
The details were compelling, a reported poisoning in another Italian eatery chain in
Salisbury (this time Prezzo), a Russian was involved, and the police closed off streets and
deployed specialists in hazmat suits.
The story also carried a hint of too-good-to-be-true, but The Sun was so seduced by
Shapiro's claim that Putin was after her, it ran a front page splash. The fact she was willing
to claim " Putin wants me dead " while at the same time doing a sexy photo shoot
probably helped.
There was no sign of nerve agents being used, but The Sun claimed to have 'security
sources' which told them rat poison may have been used against the couple, while claiming King
was fighting for his life. Soon after the hospital confirmed that actually both had been
discharged.
However, other details began to emerge after the Sun splashed. The police, who have not
suggested any crime actually took place, admitted one of their lines of inquiry into what
happened in Salisbury's Prezzo is now whether it may have been a hoax.
Then the BBC
reported that King, who was reportedly found foaming at the mouth in the restaurant's
toilet, is a "convicted criminal who once hoaxed Prince Charles" and had previously been
convicted of "distributing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of children."
Then the
Daily Mirror reported that King is an alleged drug dealer, and Shapiro is a high-class
escort who told friends she was a " honeytrap spy " used by Israel's Mossad to seduce
men.
Essentially what appeared to be an extremely questionable story from the very start seems to
be disintegrating, so why would a national newspaper decide to run this story at all without
doing a basic background checks?
The obvious conclusion is simply that it's too easy to make any accusation you like about
Russia because readers are willing to believe anything in the current political climate.
The Sun said in a statement: " Like any newspaper, we were keen to talk to those at the
centre of the incident and give them the opportunity to share with the public their version of
events ."
But were they keen to check whether any of it was accurate?
@Mr. Hack I understand perfectly what I read, and even make a direct quotation:
Those in power in Kiev had several times already attempted to draw Moscow into the civil
war, directly and through a NATO intervention
I then ridicule such mularkey for what it is, unsubstantiated ' gibberish
'.
You want to defend this BS then go to it, otherwise put up or shut up! :-)
The same goes for Skeptikal. Here is a British 'method' of slandering the non-obedient
Russians. In terms of dishonesty, it is about the same as the US/EU/Ukrainian version of the
MH17 tragedy:
"The Holes in the Official Skripal Story," by Craig MURRAY:
"The nub of the British government's approach has been the shocking willingness of the
corporate and state media to parrot repeatedly the lie that the nerve agent was Russian made,
even after Porton Down said they could not tell where it was made and the OPCW confirmed that
finding. In fact, while the Soviet Union did develop the "novichok" class of nerve agents,
the programme involved scientists from all over the Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, Armenia
and Georgia, as I myself learnt when I visited the newly decommissioned Nukus testing
facility in Uzbekistan in 2002."
"... The fake story that May has been pushing is that it is "highly likely" that the Kremlin ordered a hit on the former British spy Sergei Skripal (and his daughter) using a "Russian-made" chemical weapon called "Novichok." In turn, from what we already knew, it is highly likely that this story is a complete and utter fake. ..."
The Brits have just provided my previous article, The Truthers and The Fakers, with a tidy
little case study: the very next day after I published it Theresa May's government stepped into
its role as one of the world's premier Fakers and unleashed the next installment of fake news
on the Skripal poisoning. We can use this as training material in learning how to spot and
discard fakes.
The fake story that May has been pushing is that it is "highly likely" that the Kremlin
ordered a hit on the former British spy Sergei Skripal (and his daughter) using a
"Russian-made" chemical weapon called "Novichok." In turn, from what we already knew, it is
highly likely that this story is a complete and utter fake. As I explained in the previous
article, it is not our job to establish what really happened. We would be unable to do so with
any degree of certainty without gaining access to state secrets. But we don't need to; all we
need to do is establish with a reasonable degree of certainty that the British government's
story is a foolishly, incompetently concocted fabrication. Doing so will then allow us to
properly classify the British press, which repeats this nonsense as fact, and the British
public, which accepts it unquestioningly at face value. Then we can drop the erroneous
appellation "great" -- because great nations don't act so stupidly
The British Foreign Office almost immediately reacted to the RT scoop with its usual bluster:
"Lies and obfuscation!"
Interesting accusation off HM government is that!
Since March 4 of this year, the British side has stated that:
Yulia Skripal
brought "Novichok" in her suitcase.
The Skripals were poisoned with buckwheat.
The Skripals were poisoned with bouquet of flowers at the cemetery. T
he Skripals were
poisoned with an UAV drone.
The Skripals were poisoned through air conditioning in the car.
The Skripals were poisoned with an aerosol.
The Skripals were poisoned by Mikhail Savitskis
(aka "Gordon") group, consisting of 6 killers.
The killer/s poured "Novichok"onto a door
handle.
The Skripals were poisoned with "Novichok" in a form of a gel.
The Skripals were
poisoned with a perfume bottle (so it seems "Novichok" is still liquid).
The killer/s poured
"Novichok" in a public toilet.
The killer/s poured "Novichok" in a hotel room.
The Skripals
were poisoned by 2 GRU* agents.
"Novichok" is a "5–8 times more lethal than VX nerve agent" and "the most
deadly ever made", though it can't kill even 2 people.
*There has, in fact, been no such organization known as the GRU in Russia since 2010, when
the official name of the unit was changed from ″GRU″ [
Главное
разведывательное
управление -- Glavnoye
razvedyvatel'noye upravleniye ], namely "The Main intelligence Agency", to "The Main
Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation", or
″GU″ [Главное
управление
Генерального
штаба
Вооружённых
Сил Российской
Федерации -- Glavnoye upravleniye
General'nogo shtaba Vooruzhyonnykh Sil Rossiiskoi Federatsii ].
The Russian Embassy in London has been keeping a record of all the scenarios presented in
the UK by the Govt/MSM and at the last count it was stated that there were 40 different,
often contradictory, unproven scenarios.
Last week, the UK Ambassador to the UN, she who resembles a drag-queen well past his
sell-by date, namely the inimitable Karen Pierce, attempted to take the piss out of Russia by
stating at the UNSC that Russia had put forward 40 different accounts of what had happened,
which ludicrous proposals simply proved how lacking in credibility the Russian government
allegations are.
The reality was, however, that in presenting such accounts, Russia was taking the piss out
of Her Majesty's Government and the sensationalist, Russophobic, warmongering British press
and their more than 40 accounts of what happened in Salisbury last March.
The delectable Karen seemed unaware of this fact.
Recall, that Pierce is the woman, a high ranking British diplomat, no less, who believes
that Russia (i.e. the Russian Federation that came into existence in 1991) was founded on
many of Karl Marx's precepts.
Exactly! For Simonjan this unexpected interview was the scoop of the century.
The Russian press is going wild with this story.
One blogger wrote that some of the utterances of the 2 gopniki are rapidly becoming "winged
phrases" compared only to snippets from Griboedov's "Woe from Wit".
Best example: "We returned to Salisbury to complete this business."
Simonjan (suspiciously): "What business?"
Gopnik: "To see the cathedral
"... The Gvmt. *slowly* latched onto the meme 'the Russians did it' thru pol. opportunism (Syria etc.) and/or as a cover up for some ugly and dismaying stuff. At every step of the way, they tardily re-calibrated, 'fixed' the narrative to jell with that script. A good ex. is DS Bailey: he was at first affected as a first responder to the Bench Scene, but much later, that was denied, and he was poisoned because he stole comatose Sergei's keys and went to his home where he "most likely" touched a Novichoked doornob. (Note the doornob tale leaves the door open (sic) to some mundane passers-by doing nefarious deeds.) ..."
"... After examining endless planeloads of Russian travellers to the UK, and thousands of hours of CCTV, they turned up these two (and kept their jobs and kiddies safe! Yay! ) ..."
"... The only link between the pair and the Skripal 'event' is the stated fact that 'minuscule traces of Novichok' were found in the Hotel in London they stayed in. This is complete BS, see for ex. even the Daily Mail! ..."
Petrov - Boshirov. To me they were utterly convincing. Mostly because they were absolutely
terrified and utterly naive about doing a TV interview and answering questions.
RT, the interviewer and setting - an office - and the number of cameras were their
conditions, I have read, and I believe it. They wanted to appear in public, rather than hide
(no doubt following some excellent advice, and Putin's public assurance, saying he hoped they
would come forward..) but had little idea beyond that except that they wanted to avoid being
Center in a media circus - storm. (They need a PR expert and top-class lawyer.)
Why their gayness / not or what business they run legally or not-so-much and lots of other
topics are invoked and puzzled over is because ppl simply cannot believe what happened here.
(Imho!)
(Some weird event, possibly fabricated, organised by X, or strange happenstance, or
whatever) .. sent Sergei and Yulia 'queer -- ill', as well as DS Bailey, and later, Dawn and
Charlie (All connected to some 'event' that remains cloudy.)
The Gvmt. *slowly* latched onto the meme 'the Russians did it' thru pol. opportunism
(Syria etc.) and/or as a cover up for some ugly and dismaying stuff. At every step of the
way, they tardily re-calibrated, 'fixed' the narrative to jell with that script. A good ex.
is DS Bailey: he was at first affected as a first responder to the Bench Scene, but much
later, that was denied, and he was poisoned because he stole comatose Sergei's keys and went
to his home where he "most likely" touched a Novichoked doornob. (Note the doornob tale
leaves the door open (sic) to some mundane passers-by doing nefarious deeds.)
The investigators behind the computers acted under orders and under the imposed
assumption
"Some Russian undercover(s) flew in on or around March 1,2,3, and poisoned a door in
Salisbury, find a match."
After examining endless planeloads of Russian travellers to the UK, and thousands of hours
of CCTV, they turned up these two (and kept their jobs and kiddies safe! Yay! )
The only link between the pair and the Skripal 'event' is the stated fact that 'minuscule
traces of Novichok' were found in the Hotel in London they stayed in. This is complete BS,
see for ex. even the Daily Mail!
The White Helmets as a brand had their website first registered by Ali Weiner of Purpose
Inc (Brooklyn advertising agency) on 2014-08-11T19:50:31Z
I had noticed their activity shortly after that date but it wasn't labelled White Helmets
as such. I recall a series of setpiece rescues with someone who looked like Hadi Alabdullah
giving a running comment and speeches denouncing Assad.
The setpiece rescues always had a small diesel fire and usually some white smoke, a bunch
of rescuers who ran into the building while the commenter gave a speech, and then rescuers
ran the rescued infants past the camera while the narrator gave a 'moral' speech.
"... The Dutch story is not so much about the White Helmets as it is about support for Al Qaeda linked groups . Two groups mentioned in Nieuwsuur ..."
"... The blinded political support for the US by top Dutch political leadership has been clear since the support for the Iraq bombardment and invasion by the US/UK military in 2003. ..."
"... The Dutch Christian (?) Democrats were led by PM Balkenende and FM Jaap de Hoop Scheffer. Jaap was rewarded with the job as Secretary General of NATO and did such a wonderful job on expansion to the border with Russia. Looking back he is sorry - "The West should respect the red lines of Russia." ..."
"... The politicians adopted a policy that all future support on intervention would be reviewed by an International Law expert ..."
The Dutch story is not so much about the White Helmets as it is about support for Al Qaeda
linked groups . Two groups mentioned in Nieuwsuur were Jabhat al-Shamiya and the
Sultan Murad Brigade. The Dutch took a pick from a long list of Assad "opposition" fighters
provided by the CIA.
The blinded political support for the US by top Dutch political leadership has been
clear since the support for the Iraq bombardment and invasion by the US/UK military in
2003.
The Dutch Christian (?) Democrats were led by PM Balkenende and FM Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer. Jaap was rewarded with the job as Secretary General of NATO and did such a
wonderful job on expansion to the border with Russia. Looking back he is sorry - "The West should respect
the red lines of Russia."
In latest twist of events, PM Mark "the Conservative Atlanticus" Rutte has declared all
information about the Dutch support for terror groups in Syria a "state secret" not to be
divulged by parliament and the media. Sounds very much like Birma's Aung San Suu Kyi who
defends the arrest and conviction of two Reuters journalist on the British 1919 State Secrecy
Act.
The Netherlands with its capitol The Hague has been the center for International Law ever
since Carnegie's Peace Palace. The ICC has a prominent place in a new complex of buildings in
The Hague and is under full attack by ally the US in name of John Bolton a great friend,
no?
The Dutch have come forward with a report by Wilibrord Davids on the legality of
participating in the Iraq War. The ruling was a devastating blow to the Dutch as it was
illegal under International Law.
The politicians adopted a policy that all future support on
intervention would be reviewed by an International Law expert. In this case that would have
been André Nollkaemper – Dean and Professor of Public International Law at the
Faculty of Law of the University of Amsterdam. Of course he was not consulted by PM Mark
Rutte of MH17 fame.
"... The myth of BBC being some standard for news reporting died with the advent of the availability of international and independent news in Western countries ..."
"... Ironic when the BBC has been ceaselessly pushing fake news for at least 15 years, with disastrous results. (Iraq; Libya; what caused the deficit and who should be forced to pay it down; Russia/Syria false flags; Corbyn A/S.) ..."
"... I find it impossible to watch BBC News, primarily because most of the editorial staff and senior correspondents seem to be working for MI5/6 and are more interested in disseminating Geo-political propaganda than upholding their journalistic responsibilities as defined in the BBC charter. ..."
"... The book is obviously part of a propaganda campaign. It seems hugely fortuitous that Mark Urban should have had "hours" of interviews with Skripal before the poisoning incident. ..."
"... Isn't it much more likely that the Urban "interviews" would have happened after the event? But Urban can't say that because that would lead to demands from other journalists or news bodies to have access to Skripal. ..."
"... I'm open to alternative hypotheses but right now I think the most likely explanation for Urban's pre-poisoning contact with Sergei Skripal is that, at the time, it was assumed the Orbis dossier would be a key component of the successful takedown of Trump and Urban was putting together a mutually flattering account by interviewing the main players. ..."
"... With regard to your tongue-in-cheek point. Urban could have interviewed Skripal anytime after Trump was gone, unless he believed Skripal might be unavailable (for some reason). The fact he interviewed Skripal before does indicate foresight. If Urban really did interview Skripal before the event then he would be wiser to pull the book and burn every copy in existence (as well as all his notes). ..."
"... Urban pretends to research a book exposing Russia and part of his research is to interview Skripal. His objective is to find dirt on Putin in order to swing the war in Syria in favour of USUKIS bombing Assad to smithereens, bayonets bums etc. ..."
"... Interestingly Mark Urbans' book on Sergei Skripal was available to purchase on Amazon in July. I added it to my Amazon wishlist on 28/7/18. I've just looked at my wishlist and was rather surprised to find it is no longer available. It has been pulled. ..."
"... Can't help thinking that the answer to all this lies in Estonia. Sergei went to Estonia in June 2016, Pablo was in Estonia, the Estonians passed on sigint about Trump-Russian collusion in the summer of 2016. A Guardian article of 13 April 2017 said: ..."
"... No doubt in my mind that the Skripal affair is a planned operation carried out by US/UK intelligence. What has actually taken place is still to be determined, but the propaganda operation itself is clear. ..."
"... I know about Ireland, and I agree, it was NOT a nerve agent. That said, I don't believe anyone was 'attacked', including the Skripals. ..."
"... All foreign correspondents of major newspapers too work with MI6. Nobody who is close to them has any kind of doubt about this. ..."
"... I despise everyone who says that free markets are the solution for the problems of the third world. What they mean is mass starvation and an enormous population cull. There are international "foundations" that pay academics and politicians large amounts of money to spout this obscene line. One of them is called the John Templeton Foundation. They have had their fangs in to British universities for a long time. ..."
"... When the Tories talk about 'free markets', they are talking about markets free from democracy. ..."
BBC is skanky state propaganda. The myth of BBC being some standard for news reporting died with the advent of the availability
of international and independent news in Western countries. The main thing that BBC used to have which propped up the illusion
of it being a respectable news source is that there was no competition or alternative to compare its narratives against. Since
that time is over, so is BBC's masquerading as an impartial or accurate news source.
Agree, Dave. That's what's informing the push to rubbish dissenting sites as fake news and eventually have them removed.
Ironic when the BBC has been ceaselessly pushing fake news for at least 15 years, with disastrous results. (Iraq; Libya;
what caused the deficit and who should be forced to pay it down; Russia/Syria false flags; Corbyn A/S.)
Well I was convinced of fake BBC news during 9/11 and not for the reasons of building 7 coming down too early but the fact
that the female journalist was facing a camera standing in front of a glass window and there was no reflection of her or the camera
person from the glass. Not even a faint shadow.
That's when I knew the BBC were employing vampires and have been ever since.
Green Screen technology I discovered later. All the On the spot reporters are at it apparently. Or repeating Reuters or PA.
I find it impossible to watch BBC News, primarily because most of the editorial staff and senior correspondents seem to
be working for MI5/6 and are more interested in disseminating Geo-political propaganda than upholding their journalistic responsibilities
as defined in the BBC charter. People should not only boycott the BBC but refuse to pay the license fee on the grounds that
it's a compulsory political subscription.
Dear Mark,
In a BBC article on 4 July 2018, you wrote: "I have not felt ready until now to acknowledge explicitly that we had met, but do
now that the book is nearing completion."
Could you please explain that comment? I do not see why your acknowledgement of your meetings with Sergei Skripal should be
delayed until your book is nearing completion.
If you felt that it was right to reveal those meetings in July, then why was it not right to do so in March, soon after the
poisoning occurred? What difference would it have made if you had done so four months earlier?
I cannot think of any negative consequences of an earlier acknowledgement of the meetings. In fact, disclosures of any possible
conflict of interest are generally considered to be desirable in journalism, regardless of whether the conflict of interest is
real.
The book is obviously part of a propaganda campaign. It seems hugely fortuitous that Mark Urban should have had "hours"
of interviews with Skripal before the poisoning incident.
Isn't it much more likely that the Urban "interviews" would have happened after the event? But Urban can't say that because
that would lead to demands from other journalists or news bodies to have access to Skripal.
And that can't happen because either Skripal would be asked about what happened on the day of the poisoning, or can't be guaranteed
to stick to the script, or is no longer alive. And that leads to a suspicion that whatever Skripal is supposed to have said in
his interviews with Urban has really just been made up by the British security services.
I'm open to alternative hypotheses but right now I think the most likely explanation for Urban's pre-poisoning contact
with Sergei Skripal is that, at the time, it was assumed the Orbis dossier would be a key component of the successful takedown
of Trump and Urban was putting together a mutually flattering account by interviewing the main players.
Tongue in cheek, it'd be worth asking Urban if his decision to cover the Skripal poisoning in his new book was made before
or after the Skripals were actually poisoned.
The consensus seems to be that it was an anti-Russia book, but that doesn't conflict with what you say (there is overlap, your
view is just more specific). But, I just find it hard to believe that Urban and the conspirators would waste their time "counting
their chickens ". Not least because such a book would form a handy list of traitors (together with confessions) if Trump were
to prevail and it fell into the right hands. This is "101 How to Organise a Revolution" (secrecy / don't put anything in writing);
surely British security services know that?
With regard to your tongue-in-cheek point. Urban could have interviewed Skripal anytime after Trump was gone, unless he
believed Skripal might be unavailable (for some reason). The fact he interviewed Skripal before does indicate foresight. If Urban
really did interview Skripal before the event then he would be wiser to pull the book and burn every copy in existence (as well
as all his notes).
Regardless, it looks like the master of the universe are losing their ability to create reality.
Last month, Mark Urban was promoting the reports that the Russian assassins had been identified from CCTV footage:
"There are now subjects of interest in the police Salisbury investigation. ( ) analytic and cyber techniques are now being
exploited against the Salisbury suspects by people with a wealth of experience in complex investigations." https://twitter.com/MarkUrban01/status/1020366761848385536
The BBC relies on it's interpretation of the Act because it is held for the purposes of 'journalism, art or literature.' but
this relies on a usually unrelated precedent and the opinions of a number of Judges which contradict this view. I'm in the process
of challenging this with ICO but don't expect anything will change until another supreme court ruling:
I can see the value in asking writers, journalists and artists to pose exactly the same questions as Eccles' original letter
but I'm not convinced about Craig's email.
A quick google shows me that a man named Mark Urban has written a book on the Skripals. Isn't it likely that Urban was keeping
the interviews to himself in order to keep his book alive?
It wouldn't surprise me if Urban cares far more about his writing career than his job at the BBC. I'm sure most journalists
would rather be authors. He's written a number of books on war and military intelligence. If his sources have nothing to do with
the BBC then why should he answer to an on line mob?
" Isn't it likely that Urban was keeping the interviews to himself in order to keep his book alive?"
No, entirely unlikely. a chance to plug his forthcoming book and his Skripal contacts to a massive worldwide televion audience
was eschewed.
The book is now about the Skripal attack. Presumably that was not the original subject he was researching, as it hadn't happened
yet. The book will just be a rehash of the "noble defector Putin revenge" line and none of the questions I asked about the genesis
of his involvement will be answered in it.
"Presumably that was not the original subject he was researching, as it hadn't happened yet." Or it was prescience ie that
it was part of the planning for the incident?
@BBC, Summer 2017, in an executive office:
"Hey Mark, why don't you go down to have a chat with this guy in Salisbury. I have a hunch that a story might be going to happen
involving him, you know, as an ex-Soviet spy. Spend time with him, get to know him, be able to write in depth about him. Say it's
for a book ."
Urban is never one-sided in his BBC reports on the Middle East. I would rather have him as Foreign Secretary than a bumbling
idiot like Hubris Johnson or a Tory racketeer Hunt, because however clunky the formula of BBC balance Urban is at least pretending
to be governed by normal rules. After Thatcher went anyone with half a brain left the Conservative party, leaving dolts like Johnson
and nasties like May and Cameron to pick up the pieces after Blair and Brown.
There's money to be made from Russian billionaires and tory shit will follow the money like flies on d**t**d.
Urban pretends to research a book exposing Russia and part of his research is to interview Skripal. His objective is to
find dirt on Putin in order to swing the war in Syria in favour of USUKIS bombing Assad to smithereens, bayonets bums etc.
Tory shit Hubris Johnson finds this political research floating around the Foreign Office and decides to twist it into Russia
murders Skripal by Novichok. Unfortunately Johnson is already known to be a liar and gravy-trainer Tory and nobody believes him
at all. Mrs May , realising that Johnson, Fox, Rees-Mogg and Hunt are completely bonkers, does Chequers her own way.
Interestingly Mark Urbans' book on Sergei Skripal was available to purchase on Amazon in July. I added it to my Amazon
wishlist on 28/7/18. I've just looked at my wishlist and was rather surprised to find it is no longer available. It has been pulled.
From memory the books description said that Mark had interviewed Skripal 'extensively' during 2017 and also mentioned the 'new'
spying war now happening between Britain and Russia.
Salisbury poisoning: Skripals 'were under Russian surveillance'
Mark Urban Diplomatic and defence editor, Newsnight
4 July 2018
'My meetings with Sergei Skripal
I met Sergei on a few occasions last summer and found him to be a private character who did not, even under the circumstances
then prevailing, wish to draw attention to himself.
He agreed to see me as a writer of history books rather than as a news journalist, since I was researching one on the post-Cold
War espionage battle between Russia and the West.
Information gained in these interviews was fed into my Newsnight coverage during the early days after the poisoning. I have
not felt ready until now to acknowledge explicitly that we had met, but do now that the book is nearing completion.
As a man, Sergei is proud of his achievements, both before and after joining his country's intelligence service.
He has a deadpan wit and is remarkably stoical given the reverses he's suffered in his life; from his imprisonment following
conviction in 2006 on charges of spying for Britain, to the loss of his wife Liudmila to cancer in 2012, and the untimely death
of his son Alexander (or Sasha) last summer.'
Laughable given that the whole world and virtually all heads of State were under US surveillance by the NSA at least until
Edward Snowden made all his revelations.
I have pasted and copied your Email regarding the above with a few slight alterations, it will be interesting to see the response
I receive if any being just a concerned citizen of the U.
Is this not a matter for the Police? (Even if you're not too sure if they'd do anything about it) These would be files that
are to do with an attempted murder case. And definitely not Journalism if the story is fabricated.
It feels as if you are moving in the right direction in linking Sergei to Steele. I'm intrigued by the very early media references
to Sergei wanting to return home to see his elderly mother for perhaps the last time. He had apparently written to Putin making
his request but again according to newspapers hadn't received a reply.
I would suggest Julia was bringing the answer via her own secret services contacts, her boyfriend and his mother, apparently
Senior in the Russian Intelligence Agency. Perhaps a sentimental man Sergei was aware his mother couldn't travel so the plea to
Putin was his best bet.
Such a request must have disturbed MI6 if Sergei had anything at all to do with the Steele dossier because inevitably if he
returned to Russia he'd be debriefed by his old colleagues. But how can you rely on a mercenary double agent? If he decided he
might want to stay in Russia with his family that might well have been attractive, away from the lonely existence in a Salisbury
cul de sac with only spies for company. But the Steele dossier has great potential to turn sour on the British.
It's author was a Senior spy and Head of the Russian Desk for some years. It is perhaps you'd agree? inconceivable that
he didn't require permission to prepare it, especially as much of it was based on his experience as a spy in Russia. Yet it's
equally inconceivable that the Agency bosses didn't know the identity of the commissioners or the use to which it would be put
in the US election to boost Clinton's bid. If she'd won everything would have been fine but as it is any discussion of foreign
interference in that election would have to include MI6 leading the list (they probably didn't tell any politician?) To have Sergei
supporting and highlighting that embarrassment would be problematic for US-UK relations. Of course Sergei may have had other nuggets
to expose as well as Steele.
Soon after Julia's arrival the pair fell ill. They both survived but are now locked away, presumably for life and never able
to explain their side of the story.
It was a bodged job with a poor cover story from the start and could only be carried because of D Notices and media complicity.
Is his mother still alive? Would he still like to see her before she dies? Would Russia allow it? Would MI6 allow it? I think
that's 3 yeses and a resounding No.
Following the deaths of 55 Palestinians on the Gaza 'border' and the wounding of thousands, in this video, Urban asks the questions
but the Israeli government spokesman, David Keyes, is allowed to spout all the usual propaganda against Hamas.
Gaza deaths: Who's to blame? BBC Newsnight
Published on 15 May 2018
Subscribe 256K
Fresh protests against Israel are expected in the Palestinian territories, a day after Israeli troops killed 58 people in the
Gaza Strip.
David Keyes is the spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Mark Urban asked him whether it was appropriate
for the US to open their embassy on the 70th anniversary of Israel's creation, a day that is hugely controversial for the Palestinian
people.
Mr Keyes' pronounced American accent was heard. The Occupation was not mentioned. A Palestinian voice was not heard.
This is another of his videos. On the same subject and on the opening of the Israeli Embassy in Jerusalem. This time, Jonathan
Conricus spoke for the IDF.
"Urban asks the questions but the Israeli government spokesman, David Keyes, is allowed to spout all the usual propaganda against
Hamas."
Yes indeed : Urban asked the questions and allowed the interviewee to answer. Perhaps you would have preferred him to interrupt
the interviewee continually 'a la Today programme, or to have shouted at him similarly to the way I understand some people shout
at customers inside or outside supermarkets?
This may or may not be relevant regarding Russia, chemical weapons and BBC/MSM bovine effluent:
"US Poised to Hit Syria Harder: The Russian Defense Ministry issued a statement on Aug. 25 stating that the Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham
militants had brought eight containers of chlorine to Idlib in order to stage a false-flag attack with the help of UK intelligence
agencies. A group of Tahrir al-Sham fighters trained to handle chemical warfare agents by the UK private military company Olive
arrived in the suburbs of the city of Jisr ash-Shugur, Idlib, 20 km. from the Turkish border."
Can't help thinking that the answer to all this lies in Estonia. Sergei went to Estonia in June 2016, Pablo was in Estonia,
the Estonians passed on sigint about Trump-Russian collusion in the summer of 2016. A Guardian article of 13 April 2017 said:
"Over the next six months, until summer 2016, a number of western agencies shared further information on contacts between Trump's
inner circle and Russians, sources said. The European countries that passed on electronic intelligence known as sigint included
Germany, Estonia and Poland."
Perhaps not the Dossier, as such, but some material on collusion?
No doubt in my mind that the Skripal affair is a planned operation carried out by US/UK intelligence. What has actually
taken place is still to be determined, but the propaganda operation itself is clear.
Catch my last post Doodlebug, sadly MI6 diabolical elements can be traced back to Ireland in the 70's early 80's assassinations
theRealTerror (theRealElvis) understands.
Often it's been open. There was the BBC monitoring station at Caversham Park. The BBC's Foreign Broadcast Information Service
split the world into two parts with the CIA.
All foreign correspondents of major newspapers too work with MI6. Nobody who is close to them has any kind of doubt about
this.
Theresa May says a no deal Brexit "wouldn't be the end of the world".
This is not a negotiating strategy. This is not a pantomime where one giant on the stage can wink to his supporters (using
the British media) without his opponent (EU27) noticing.
The subconscious doesn't work well with negation. Whatever you do, please DON'T imagine an elephant at this time.
I would love to know what the preparations are at Trinity College, Cambridge, for food shortages. They own the port of
Felixstowe, which handles more than 40% of Britain's containerised trade. They also own a 50% stake in a portfolio of Tesco
stores. Soon food distribution will be what everyone is talking about. I am never going to stop making the point that the god
of the Tory party is Thomas Malthus.
" As a Prime Minister who believes both in free markets and in nations and businesses acting in line with well-established
rules and principles of conduct, I want to demonstrate to young Africans that their brightest future lies in a free and thriving
private sector. "
I despise everyone who says that free markets are the solution for the problems of the third world. What they mean is mass
starvation and an enormous population cull. There are international "foundations" that pay academics and politicians large amounts
of money to spout this obscene line. One of them is called the John Templeton Foundation. They have had their fangs in to British
universities for a long time.
They are keen on Prince Philip, the guy who said he wanted to come back as a virus so he could kill a large part of the population.
Never trust anyone who has received a Templeton scholarship or prize or who has anything to do with these people or with the message
that free markets and the private sector are the key to "development"
When the Tories talk about 'free markets', they are talking about markets free from democracy.
May's rhetoric is laughable .basically all her speeches read : 'the sky is green, the snow is black etc etc' -- totally detached
from reality and a spent political force, as their recent membership numbers showed, with more revenues from legacies left in
wills than from actual living members.
I agree with the Skripal relatives that Sergei is dead. He hasn't been seen or heard of and would have called his mother. Mind
boggling deception at all levels and I struggle to believe any of it.
Sergei Skripal could be in US custody, either in the US itself or in a US facility somewhere.
If he is dead, then the rehospitalisation of Charlie Rowley may be to assist with the narrative. "Once you've had a drop of
Novvy Chockk, you may recover but you can fall down ill at any time, and here's an Expert with a serious voice to confirm it."
I follow this blog closely, particularly in relation to the Skripal case, but this is my first comment. I just watched Sky
News piece on 'super recognisers' and couldn't help but wonder why, in an age of powerful facial recognition technology, the police
and security services seem to have drawn such a blank. The surveillance state in the UK is known to be one of the most advanced
in the world but when it comes to this highly important geopolitical crisis our technological infrastructure seems to be redundant
to the point where 'human eyes' are deemed to be more accurate than the most powerful supercomputers available. Psychologically,
all humans have an inherent facial recognition ability from a very young age, but the idea that some police officers have this
ability developed to such an extent that they supercede computer recognition is, i feel, laughable. To me this announcement through
the ever subservient Sky News reeks of desperation on the part of the ;official story'. Are we about to be shown suspects who,
although facial recognition technology fails to identify them, a 'super recogniser' can testify that it actually is person A or
person B and we are all supposed to accept that? Seems either a damning indictment of the judicial process, or a damning indictment
of the £££££'s of taxpayers money that is spent on places like GCHQ etc whose technology is now apparently no better than a highly
perceptive human brain. Give me a break !
People do die Trowbridge. I know you haven't, but you have the motivation of outliving your persecutors. With Muckin about
with Isis gone and covert operations isn't social work Kissinger looking as though he's on daily blood transfusions, you have
rejected Trump for some reason. But Trump has undone much of John McCain's worst mischief in one year. If McCain was an example
of a politician, we don't need politicians.
Give me an example, other than the Coopers. of a healthy couple one day that is found dying the next day like the Skripals.
And while i tried on another site to be generous about McCain. he got Navy Secretary John Lehman, Jr. to scare the Soviets
for prevailing in the Vietnam War so much about what NATO was up to in the fallout from shooting Swedish PM Olof Palme that Moscow
gave up the competition for fear that it would blow up the world, helping bring on the crappy one we have.
McCain was a continuing Cold Warrior who we don't need since we still have Trump who is just trying to do it another way.
"... 'white helmets' itself is a product of 'Purpose' a Brooklyn based organisation with offices in London and Rio de Janeiro. Their 'Team' shows what they are - an upmarket media communications company. The Purpose Team ..."
"... White helmets, by the sound of it, sounds like something cooked up in London. Just another in a very long line. A very well-connected Arab friend says if you want something cooked up you go to London not Washington. ..."
"... While the concept of false flags is becoming almost mainstream I have been researching "projects that were built to fail." ..."
"... When you write government I assume US empire. The support by them for terrorists is just another facet, along with the military, NSA, CIA, FBI, etc. of paying as many and varied as needed to control or eliminate the rest of us. ..."
The Netherland just announced that it is ending its support for al-Qaeda's propaganda gang, the "White Helmets". It also ends
its support for the so called Free Syrian Police. Last week the Netherlands
shut down its "non lethal" support
for the Free Syrian Army after Dutch news organizations found that members of these groups were accused of terrorism by their General
Prosecutor.
According to the Volkskrant daily (in Dutch), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs ended the support for the White Helmets
after its Directorate for International Research and Policy Evaluation issued a critical report about them. For the White Helmets,
which had received 12.5 million from the Dutch government, it lists the following issues:
According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the supervision of the behavior of the rescue workers is 'inadequate' . The
organization that supervises, Mayday, based in the Netherlands, is closely intertwined with the White Helmets itself. In practice,
donors do not understand the difference between the two organizations.
Mayday wants to spend a maximum of 0.9% of its budget on supervision of the work of the White Helmets. 'That is why there
is a lack of independent supervision of the activities and results of the project .'
The money for the White Helmets is transferred to the Syrian border in cash or enters the country via the hawala system.
It is 'problematic' that Mayday does not know how much money is paid via which route . That is why there is a danger that money
has fallen into the hands of armed groups . The cash flow can also indirectly be used for illegal trade. Systematic control
of the money flow is missing.
The White Helmets are active in areas where armed groups are in power that are considered 'unacceptable' for the Netherlands.
Contact between the White Helmets and local administrators who work together with extremist organizations is inevitable.
The seemingly intentional lack of transparency practically guarantees that much of the more than $150 million the White Helmets
received from various governments will have flown into the private pockets of the people who organize the scam.
This blog published several pieces about the White Helmets, mostly pointing out their obviously faked media productions:
Vanessa Beeley, Eva Barlett (vid) and others have tried
for years to point out the nefarious scheme behind the propaganda scam "White Helmets". Roger Waters
rightly calls them (vid) a "fake propaganda construct for
terrorists". But 'western' media loved the dramatic fake photos and videos the White Helmets produced, partly because they could
put them into print and on screen free of any charge. Whoever criticized them and questioned their narratives was
publicly smeared and derided .
The Volkkrant notes:
It is the first time that a Western government states that there are problems with the project.
It will not be the last time. More people will take note, look into the issue and pressure their governments to end their support.
As the Dutch know well, once the dikes break it is impossible to stop the flood. The relentless work of a few engaged writers put
pressure onto the dike and finally broke it. The White Helmet scam will soon come under a flood of public scrutiny and will be swept
away into some dark corner of history.
Just a month ago Germany's Foreign Minister Maas, also
known as a "well
styled NATO call boy", met the White Helmets
front man Raed al-Saleh, who was
denied entry into the U.S.
, and promised him more money. Maas also lauded
the recent 'evacuation of White Helmets' from the Quneitra and Daraa area to Israel which was just another scam. Israel used the
White Helmet cover
to evacuated a number of terrorists commanders it had paid and equipped for years in its war on Syria.
Maas and his NATO colleagues in other countries will soon be asked about the Dutch example. Can they refute the analysis the Foreign
Ministry of their NATO ally Netherland made? Can Maas explain what happened with the 17 million Germany gave to them? In who's pocket
did they end up?
RT just reported that now chlorine has been delivered to the militants in Syria.
One wonders if this little crack in the solid front might now throw a monkey wrench in their cinematographic projects.
I'm from Holland and actually very surprised: never expected Holland to stop funding "Syrian projects" just like that...Still
too late and much harm is done already, but nevertheless happy to hear this. Not 100% sure though if Holland stopped all funding
of FSA groups
My friend Vanessa Beeley has been most effective in promoting the fact that the White Helmets are closely linked to al-Qaeda
terrorists, but I too must claim some of the credit for exposing the White Helmets. The fact that still needs more exposure is
that the White Helmets actually kill children for their fake propaganda videos.
This is what I wrote
on the issue two years ago, quoting from the
original discussion
on ACLOS in March 2015:
Al-Qaeda's propaganda wing the #WhiteHelmets did not win this year's Nobel Peace Prize, despite the massive propaganda campaign
by Western sponsors of terror. The prize would have been vital if the United States were to attack Syria in support of their proxy
terrorists. I am not at all sure the Norwegian Nobel Committee can act independently. They will serve the Empire's interests when
pushed to. Crucial to the outcome may have been the effort to expose the White Helmets and their war propaganda. I will link bellow
to some of the people who have been most vocal in bringing the truth out.
This is the discussion that first brought the White Helmets to my attention. ACLOS was working on solving the Sarmeen gas attack
hoax of March 2015. I believe the White Helmets are involved in actually murdering people to produce their propaganda for war.
The photo above may show one of their victims.
Al-Nusra Font (Jabhat al-Nusra) is the official franchise of al-Qaeda in Syria and works closely with the White Helmets.
Petri Krohn - 27 March 2015 (03:21 UTC)
- The same original content from the first attack has been distributed on YouTube with two different logos. One logo is the
al-Nusra logo that is also seen in these three videos distributed by Coordinating Srmin. The other logo is blue and yellow
and is also seen on the ambulance and the back of the medic. This means that the Coordinating Committee, al-Nusra, and the
ambulance team and their propagandists are all tied closely together. This calls into question the neutrality of the reporting
and the videos.
Charles Wood - 27 March 2015 (03:31 UTC)
- I've seen a group calling themselves "White Helmets" who are active on twitter and have some link to the alleged gas attack
videos. I think they are Civil Defence? Or at least say they are. Links to Jabhat al-Nusra tends to say they aren't neutral.
Petri Krohn - 2 April 2015 (02:23 UTC)
- The White Helmets claim to be a civil defense force specializing in digging up victims from bombed out buildings. They may
in fact be a US State Department funded infowar operation for intervention and a war of aggression in the name of a "No-Fly
Zone" to protect civilians.
Caustic Logic (Adam Larson) - 2 April 2015 (12:58 UTC)
- Here's their site: https://www.whitehelmets.org/ Good news, they're
"unarmed and neutral." Their issue is barrel bombs, often filled with chlorine, and they don't mention the weird type of chlorine
with unusual symptoms... and how there's a neutral need for a "no fly zone." Linked to by an activist video compilation I left
a helpful comment at (if it remains)
Oh, and it specifies "the Syrian Civil Defence - known as the White Helmets." They're the ones with the blue and yellow
logos, and I presume the black-and-yellow blankets. Maybe they're like a new non-neutral replacement for the Syrian Arab Red
Crescent, who continue cooperating with the government and won't even need to try operating in areas like this. I wonder if
there are any issue with the SARC that would lead to such a replacement plan?
Charles Wood - 2 April 2015 (23:47 UTC)
- Their website looks like it came out of some smart New York or London Advertising Agency. In fact it did. It's an obvious
branding exercise using the iconic white helmet as the easy to remember visual key.
I've done some basic snooping and it's associated with The Syria Campaign. I guess the idea is to move up Google rank by
cross-linking the sites.
'white helmets' itself is a product of 'Purpose' a Brooklyn based organisation with offices in London and Rio de Janeiro.
Their 'Team' shows what they are - an upmarket media communications company. The Purpose Team
Certainly no Syrians were involved in creating the White Helmets!
I quote: 'It is encouraging to read that Netherland is showing some moral backbone against the blatant propaganda of failing empire.'
as a senior Dutch journalist I have to temper your enthousiasm. the dutch mainstream-media knew about this since at least 2013,
but preferred to keep silent about this. the msm in the netherlands are just as corrupt as in the USA and the UK, as I have been
pointing out on my weblog for many years now.
Charles Lister at one point list consultant to a marketing and product management company in Doha. I forget the name now but looked
them up at the time. Had very professional looking website and specialized in that sort of work according to their blurbs. Run
onto a few others in that part of the world as well. Both ISIS and white helmets have been marketed with the help of snuff movies.
The Shaikh Group based in Dubai rather than Doha is the company Lister was involved with.
Their marketing website here http://theshaikhgroup.ae
And anther Shaikh Group website here - this time saying they are based in Cyprus.
https://shaikhgroup.org/about_the_shaikh_group/
"The Shaikh Group (TSG) is a political consultancy focused on the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Our mission is to
facilitate dialogue with the peoples of the region and between states in the region, as well as with key international actors.
TSG aims to advance practical initiatives that promote peace, tolerance, mutual security, and shared economic prosperity."
thanks b.. great coverage on a positive development and kudos to @6 petri as well.. thanks for continuing to shine a light on
this..
all the comments are very helpful and informative. thank you..
I first noted a whiff
of bullshit on May 7, 2015. You don't have to be a super-sleuth to detect the smell of excrement. You just need to read the newspaper
with a skeptical eye:
In "
Syria
Is Using Chemical Weapons Again, Rescue Workers Say " Anne Barnard and Somini Sengupta earn their pay as propagandists
for the USG by filing another fallacious story about Syria's use of chemical weapons; fallacious because it is sourced to a
"civilian defense" NGO called White Helmets . An inspection of
the group's web site -- Barrel Bombs! -- linked to in the Barnard-Sengupta article, leaves one with the distinct impression
that it is a CIA front. The allegations of White Helmets are then amplified by USG officials. This is the old familiar propaganda
pattern. You have an "Astro-Turf" organization, an ersatz citizen group of some sort that has been mocked up by a foreign intelligence
agency, make a specious charge, and then that charge is taken up by the United States in the United Nations Security Council
@iano (15)
They didn't realize that them going public with that last one had an implied admittance that they themselves hack into Russian
systems (for what it's worth of course -- I personally don't believe one iota of that story).
I'd be remiss not to thank Petri Krohn for his efforts! We just need several million more dedicated souls like his so we can
overthrow BigLie Media, which is a Hydra infecting most every nation.
When looked at uncompromisingly, the support by governments for terrorists--which existed prior to and has greatly escalated
since the end of WW2--assaults every person on the planet--not just the people under the terrorist's guns . Instead of
promoting wellbeing, violence and war is promoted and praised! And BigLie Media works overtime to manufacture consent for
policies antithetical to the public good.
White helmets, by the sound of it, sounds like something cooked up in London. Just another in a very long line. A very well-connected
Arab friend says if you want something cooked up you go to London not Washington.
While the concept of false flags is becoming almost mainstream I have been researching "projects that were built to fail."
So far I have found Gallipoli in 1915 and the Bay of Pigs and possibly the choice of Haig as top man in WW1 the Brits wanted
as inefficient a general as possible so the war could continue.
My attention got distracted by a very brilliant Australian general
who arrived in Gallipoli and then went on to the Western Front. John Monash had 3 problems: he was an Aussie so a "native," his
parents were German and they were Jewish. Monash created the blueprint of the "blitzkrieg." In the Battle of Hamel in July 1918
he used tanks to shield troops, he used aircraft to spot artillery and drop fresh munitions and hot food onto the battlefield
and a whole host of other innovations. A talented musician he envisioned his plan as an orchestral piece. The battle was won in
93 minutes. What is interesting is that the two most prominent Aussie journalists, C. Bean and Keith Murdoch (father of the demonic
Rupert) were antisemitic and lobbied the Australian PM of the time to get rid of Monash, calling him a "pushy Jew." On the contrary,
Monash was just a brilliant man who cared very much for his troops.
Jim MacGregor and Gerry Doherty are doing amazing work on the origins and the conduct of WWI.
@ karlof1 who wrote: "When looked at uncompromisingly, the support by governments for terrorists--which existed prior to and has
greatly escalated since the end of WW2--assaults every person on the planet--not just the people under the terrorist's guns."
When you write government I assume US empire. The support by them for terrorists is just another facet, along with the military,
NSA, CIA, FBI, etc. of paying as many and varied as needed to control or eliminate the rest of us.
Will the number ever get to paying 1/2 of the population in the old adage reflecting the hubris of this social structure under
the God of Mammon?
Interesting premise, "built to fail." Perhaps the assumptions those projects were based on were grossly incorrect causing them
to fail. Monash performed the #1 rule of the general line officer: do the utmost to protect your troops and provide them with
the tools to achieve victory--such was not the performance of most WW1 general line officers on either side.
@ Lochearn who is correcting my genealogical representation of empire
Yes, you are more correct than I. That said, does it go back even further to the founding of monotheistic religions? We are
referring to social control by an elite in my mind more than the Jewish bankers part of your genealogy. I admit to the bankers
part but see that bankers group as the encourage/control entity for the other monotheistic religions.
Has that system dynamic changed/evolved seriously since the Roman era? We have usury. We have inheritance. We have banking.
The concept of private property evolved along with the mythical moral fig leaf of rule-of-law. We call it the Western form of
"civilization".
Anyway, you are right and I lose track of how to communicate on what level.
I know all about Gallipoli and went to the battlefield. IMO, Churchill's premises about Turkish military ability were all wrong--grossly
so as it was proven. Everything went wrong on top of that. As was the case on every WW1 battlefield, soldiers were wasted without
any thought by the general line officers. The Aussies I shared the excursion to the battlefield with were very boisterous the
night before, but very silent and reverent the next morning as we walked the ground where so many of their brethren were slaughtered
without thought.
I recently watched a two-part video on the 75th anniversary of the Kursk victory followed by one about the battles for Crimea.
80% casualties was the norm for both sides! At times I find it difficult to reconcile my childhood play with little green plastic
soldiers and the reality of war I learned later. I know I'm not alone. There was a massive effort by European and American publics
during the 1920s & '30s to outlaw war, and they came very close to succeeding. Some say they did but were betrayed by their governments
and associated "Liberty Leagues." What's important is that it was once done, so it can and must be done again .
Sorry for the harangue. I'm just pissed that Obama
the Criminal is being given an "ethics in government" award by the University of Illinois when he ought to be in prison along
with so many other members of governments past and present.
OT!! Was going through my Twitter line-up and came upon one by Chinahand that provides a link to a trove of Soviet-era science
texts that are now translated and freely available
online!
bevin, I have two comments about your comment. Firstly, did you know that the average height of Americans is decreasing? Perhaps
it's due to immigration. They used to rank 3rd tallest in the world in 1914 but now rank 37th. Also, I don't think the Scots were
as powerful as you think they were. I only just found out today that slavery for Scottish colliers existed until a hundred years
ago. I find it hard to believe that Scots would even be accepted into British high society with such prevailing attitudes.
sorry, I didn't finish my thought about the decreasing height of American males. I was going to say that it may be due to immigration,
but I think it's another symptom of rampant capitalism.
The Dutch have taken two shots against the official Anglo Zionist narrative on Syria within a week. Interesting.
I wonder if elements of the empire are now trying to stop the perverse leadership of FUKUS and their Israeli/neocon bosses
so as to avoid a conflict with Russia and to let the Syrians end the jihadists in Idlib. Europe cannot have an AlQaida and other
jihadist run Syria anymore than Russsia can. The jihadists will use idlib to plan ops against Europe. Europe would also suffer
most from an armed a conflict with Russia.
Discrediting the white hatted phonies and the other jihadists in Syria certainly helps Assad, Russia and Iran.
I think it's another symptom of rampant capitalism.
I think you have both. Rampant poverty and malnutrition (capitalism) plus more immigrants from Northern Hispanic countries
and parts of Asia where mean stature is a bit less than the existing population (immigration)
Its worse than just height decreasing. IQ, testosterone levels, life expectancy, fertility rates all declining
Capitalism is a tool of the followers of Jacob Frank, Bakunin and Malthus
Malthus believed in promoting premature death: disease, starvation, war, resulting in what is called a Malthusian catastrophe,
which would return population to a lower, more "sustainable," level. Among the policies promoted by Malthus were:
"Instead of recommending cleanliness to the poor, we should encourage contrary habits. In our towns we should make the streets
narrower, crowd more people into the houses, and court the return of the plague. In the country, we should build our villages
near stagnant pools, and particularly encourage settlement in all marshy and unwholesome situations. But above all, we should
reprobate speci c remedies for ravaging diseases; and those benevolent, but much mistaken men, who have thought they were doing
a service to mankind by projecting schemes for the total extirpation of particular disorders."
Bakunin believed violence was necessary to purge the world of the old order to create the new. Every state thus became the enemy,
and the enemy was attacked using terrorism and assassination. In his own words, Bakunin sought, "the unchaining of what is today
called the evil passions and the destruction of what is called public order," and made the declaration: "Let us put our trust
in the eternal spirit which destroys and annihilates only because it is the unsearchable and eternally creative source of all
life -- the passion for destruction is also a creative passion".
And Frank taught the "holiness of sin" . The more radical Frankists sought nihilism," and reversal of values, symbolized by
the change of the thirty-six prohibitions of the Torah into positive commands. Evil is good and Good is Evil. The secret religion
of the NWO philosopher kings (global elite)
The Russian military details that on September 11, the White Helmets and terrorists
from Tahrir al-Sham (commonly known as Al-Qaeda in Syria) held a meeting following the
filming process, in which they selected two out of nine videos for future transfer to the
United Nations and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The
remaining videos are to be used for propaganda on social media networks due to the poor
quality, the military claims.
At the same time, since September 9, the White Helmets have been staging rehearsals of
an alleged chemical attack in Khan Shaykhun, Russian officials say in the same statement,
claiming that the rehearsals feature up to 30 civilians, including a dozen children aged
8-12.
Further claims by the Russian military indicate the White Helmets, along with the
terrorists, are preparing an "actual use of poisonous chorine-based substances" on the people
participating in the filming of the fake videos.
On-the-scene preparations of places for explosions of toxic substances is carried out
by members of Hurras al-Din terrorist group (or the Guardians of Religion Organization, which
is affiliated with Al-Qaeda), the statement claims.
The militants have selected 22 children and their parents from several villages in the
Aleppo governorate who will play parts in staging fake chemical weapon attacks.
Another group of children is comprised of orphans kidnapped from refugee camps, who are
meant to be used for the footage of death scenes. It is currently kept in one of the
buildings of the Ikab prison controlled by Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist group.
Signs of activities to prepare staged chemical weapon attacks were reported in
Kafir-Zait, the military claims, also naming two villages where toxic chemicals have been
delivered to stage provocations.
Some nice outtakes would be helpful – forcing the kids to line up next to chlorine
canister, "disciplining" unruly kids who go off script. etc. Every goddamned MSM reported,
producer and executive who knew or should have known of this children's snuff film should be
arrested, charged, tried and found guilty of murder for hire. The death penalty would be too
lenient. Involved politicians and their masters would be next. As for the perpetrators, let
Syria deal with them.
Nice interview with Zakharova over the Skripal frame job. The good part is at around 14 minutes where the
loud yapping chihuahua, the UK, is put in its place.
It is not a global player by any measure and has nothing
useful to contribute aside from riding Uncle Scumbag's coat-tails to bomb civilians in Syria.
"... The obvious thing for the British side to do would be to request Moscow to detain the two men so they could be interviewed as persons of interest. If this doesn't happen, it smacks of problems holding the official narrative together and I really can't see how the MSM could spin it away. Plus the surviving alleged victims or their families could have a case against the police for failing to investigate properly. ..."
"... They're already spinning it away by saying publicly that the responses they are getting from Russia are 'lies and obfuscation'. ..."
"... It will not make the slightest bit of difference in Britain; the British government will quickly announce, following any presentation of evidence by Russia, that it is all cleverly faked up, and remind people that these are professional intelligence agents, that's what they do, of course it looks convincing. All the more proof that they are what Britain says they are. ..."
Moscow to London: Your move. This is an interesting development.
The obvious thing for the
British side to do would be to request Moscow to detain the two men so they could be
interviewed as persons of interest. If this doesn't happen, it smacks of problems holding the
official narrative together and I really can't see how the MSM could spin it away. Plus the
surviving alleged victims or their families could have a case against the police for failing
to investigate properly.
It will not make the slightest bit of difference in Britain; the British government will
quickly announce, following any presentation of evidence by Russia, that it is all cleverly
faked up, and remind people that these are professional intelligence agents, that's what they
do, of course it looks convincing. All the more proof that they are what Britain says they
are.
"... 'Clearly' is an English term which is subject to national interpretations. In Canada – mostly English-speaking – it traditionally means, "supported by verifiable and compelling evidence", although I hasten to add that Canada cheerfully booted out 'Russian spies' to support its ally, Britain. ..."
"... But in England, 'clearly' might mean 'as required to serve in the cause of political necessity'. In this instance, if the passports/visas/whatever travel documents of the men concerned do not read "GRU Assassin Traveling on Business", then clearly there was an attempt to circumvent British checks. ..."
Two alleged Russian spies who launched the Salisbury attack smuggled novichok into the
UK through Gatwick Airport, the security minister has confirmed.
I see! So now the disciplined and highly trained GRU assassins were spies as well.
Proper jack-of-all-trades!
Ben Wallace, who is currently Minister of State for Security and Economic Crime, " told
the House of Commons there was 'clearly some form of attempt to create a legend to make sure
that they circumvented our checks'.
'No doubt at the other end of that aeroplane journey [in Russia] there was some, I
should think, the baggage checks weren't probably as good as they might be,' he added "
-- because the Russians are all blithering incompetents stands ter reason, dunnit!
" Mr Wallace said requests for Russia to account for what happened in Salisbury had
been met with 'obfuscation and lies', saying their response merely 'reinforces their
guilt'. "
Of course it does! Why don't they just confess to what everyone knows they have done?
'Clearly' is an English term which is subject to national interpretations. In Canada –
mostly English-speaking – it traditionally means, "supported by verifiable and
compelling evidence", although I hasten to add that Canada cheerfully booted out 'Russian
spies' to support its ally, Britain.
But in England, 'clearly' might mean 'as required to
serve in the cause of political necessity'. In this instance, if the passports/visas/whatever
travel documents of the men concerned do not read "GRU Assassin Traveling on Business", then
clearly there was an attempt to circumvent British checks.
"... And the mockery from the Russophobes immediately kicks off in the British press! Travel all the way from Russia to visit Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge? What nonesense! Who are they trying to kid? That's because such a trip is barely imaginable for uncultured morons. ..."
And the mockery from the Russophobes immediately kicks off in the British press! Travel all the way from Russia to visit Salisbury Cathedral and Stonehenge? What nonesense! Who are they trying to kid? That's because such a trip is barely imaginable for uncultured morons.
When I last had the great misfortune to be in England with my family, and, to make matters
worse, in London, my elder children begged and begged that we take a trip to Stonehenge. You
see, they were fascinated by all that they had learnt about the place in their Russian
schools.
We went on an excursion there, calling first at Windsor, then Salisbury, Stonehenge, and,
finally, Bath for afternoon tea before heading off back to London.
Witness the moronity of some of my fellow countrymen in this comment published in today's
Independent:
Well you can say a lot about our Russian friends: semi-educated, semi-civilised,
pathological liars, undemocratic, authoritarian, crypto-fascist, mocked and despised the
world over, but one thing we must concede is that they have a wonderful sense of
humour.
So this delightful, oh-so intelligent looking couple flew all the way to Salisbury to
have a look at the Cathedral clock, but the nasty inclement British weather (unlike tropical
Moscow, of course) forced them to return with undue haste from whence they came.
May I suggest better acting classes and a credible script in future?
Doubtless the Indie's resident Putinite Mary Dejevsky, Comrade Corbyn and the brainless
Prigozhin trolls infesting this site will try and sell it – because they are paid to,
but anyone with an IQ higher than a daisy, ie. the rest of the sentient world, will shake
their heads in disbelief at the knuckle-headed absurdity of this story.
Well, as regards the weather, moron, – for Russians, English snow is "inclement"',
as it is wet shite. They were complaining of being wet to the knees. At the same time, in
Russia it was minus 15C and there was plenty of deep, dry snow, which really would make
Little Englanders like you whine.
Oh, and the person who owns that rag to which you wrote the above shite is owned by one of
those "semi-educated, semi-civilised, pathological liars, undemocratic, authoritarian,
crypto-fascist" Russians whom you so despise.
In the years that I worked in England, in an English coal mine, I worked with quite a few
fellow countrymen who were barely literate. I particularily remember one who often boasted
that he had never read a book since he left school.
Russia: The country with the highest literacy rate in Russia with almost 53% of the
population has tertiary education. It is estimated that 95% of adults in Russia have higher
secondary education and the country spends some 4.9% of GDP on education. 2.Jan 16,
2014
According to a study conducted in late April by the U.S. Department of Education and
the National Institute of Literacy, 32 million adults in the U.S. can't read. That's 14
percent of the population. 21 percent of adults in the U.S. read below a 5th grade level, and
19 percent of high school graduates can't read.Jul 7, 2017
Adult Litercy UK
: Around 15 per cent, or 5.1 million adults in England, can be described as 'functionally
illiterate.' They would not pass an English GCSE and have literacy levels at or below those
expected of an 11-year-old. They can understand short straightforward texts on familiar
topics accurately and independently, and obtain information from everyday sources, but
reading information from unfamiliar sources, or on unfamiliar topics, could cause
problems.
Many adults are reluctant to admit to their literacy difficulties and ask for help. One
of the most important aspects of supporting adults with low literacy levels is to increase
their self-esteem and persuade them of the benefits of improving their reading and
writing.
And the British Foreign Office has replied as follows:
"The government is clear these men are officers of the Russian military intelligence
service – the GRU – who used a devastatingly toxic, illegal chemical weapon on
the streets of our country."
"We have repeatedly asked Russia to account for what happened in Salisbury in March.
Today – just as we have seen throughout – they have responded with obfuscation
and lies."
No obfuscation and lies from the FO, though!
Anything but a confession of guilt is "obfuscation and lies", it seems.
"We have repeatedly asked Russia to account for what happened in Salisbury in
March
I tell you what happened: nothing that the Russian state had anything to do with!
I suggest you ask your Yukie nazi pals for an account of what happened there, and your
pals in Tel-Aviv as well.
Russia, cleverly, has thrown down the gauntlet. If the FCO claims that the story of Petrov
and Boshirov is simply 'obfuscation and lies', then why not ask Russia to help make these
guys available for interview and send a couple of detectives plus interpreter on the next
flight to Moscow?
No matter how the FCO and British government huffs, puffs and tries to blow houses down,
ultimately they will be unable to explain why they haven't sought to question these guys.
Agreed, Fern. This was a very clever move on the chess board. Odd as these 2 characters are,
the latest gambit serves to take this whole matter out of the Harry Potter world of
geo-political magick, and put down to the mundane world of a detective story and criminal
procedures. It pushes the politicians aside to make room for the gumshoes. From this point
onward, the story is a police procedural.
"... In a nutshell: Krutikov's theory is that these 2 "gopniki" earn their daily bread by illegal (or semi-legal) trade in European vitamins and supplement. This is what brings them to Europe and what brought them to Salisbury, most likely (i.e., the purchase of supplements, for resale in Russia). ..."
Krutikov has an
interesting take on these guys. I think I will probably do this story tomorrow, in my
blog, as a "breaking news".
In a nutshell: Krutikov's theory is that these 2 "gopniki" earn their daily bread by
illegal (or semi-legal) trade in European vitamins and supplement. This is what brings them
to Europe and what brought them to Salisbury, most likely (i.e., the purchase of supplements,
for resale in Russia).
While in Salisbury they decided to have a look at the sights; that part rings true; might
as well see some sights.
The semi-legal nature of their "business" accounts for their nervousness; while their
status in the Russian criminal underworld accounts for their horror at Simonyan's assuming
them to be gay. An allegation which they rejected more vehemently than the accusations of
being poisoners!
Krutikov also points attention to another instance of Vladimir Putin's subtle humor.
Recall that when Putin announced the existence of these guys to the world, a couple of days
ago, he used a strange phrase: "There is nothing particularly criminal there."
As usual, Putin is one step ahead of everybody in this ludicrous chess game.
P.S. "никакого
особого
криминала" was the phrase used by
Putin. At the time nobody paid much attention and it was translated as "There is nothing
criminal there," but the actual phrase is "There is nothing particularly criminal there."
Okay, I have to make a factual correction, Krutikov wass wrong about Putin's quote, and one
of his commenters who questioned it, turned out to be correct. (Which is sort of sad for
Krutikov, because he built his blogpost around the humor of Putin's supposedly implication
that the duo are petty thieves.)
So, I found the actual vid of Putin making this utterance, it can be seen on this
link:
Update: The currently reigning theory in the Russian blogosphere is that Petrov and Boshirov
earn their living buying and selling anabolic steroids on the grey market. Simonjan herself
noted that Petrov has the build of a body-builder.
The theory that they are a "gay pair" is also highly plausible. When Simonjan asked them
about their relationship, they spazzed out and refused to answer. Blog commenters point out
that this would be the moment when a man would indignantly mention that he had a wife and
kids, or a girlfriend; but nothing like that ensued.
Other commenters have noted that Salisbury is well-known in the gay subculture for having
a large number of rather excellent gay bars. Something that might have also drawn this couple
there, in addition to seeing the cathedral spire!
In general, Russian press and blogosphere are having a field day with this story.
Agree with James on that one point, namely that the Russian press is becoming too tabloid-y
and going after the sensationalism.
I feel sorry for this duo in that, if they are indeed gay and have now been outed due to what
they call a "horrendous coincidence", then their lives in Russia will be miserable from this
point onward.
Russian society is simply not accepting of two grown men living together in a
relationship.
To add insult to injury, the gutter-commenters on the Russian blogs continue to call them
"pedophiles". Even though (duh!) they are both grown men.
Not sure if they live in Moscow or not. If in Moscow, they might still be able to survive,
as the city is so Western now. But if they live out there in the sticks -- forget it.
Meanwhile, I just thought of something else. If these guys were sophisticated enough to
play the Westie system, then they could adopt a tone of utter outrage, that the British
government is harassing them for being gay. The Brits would have to cave on that one and
issue a humble apology.
I've been thinking along similar lines – that their apparent shiftiness and caginess
about the nature of their work suggests they could be involved in something that's semi-legal
or which walks a fine line between the legal and the not.
We've seen lots of CCTV footage of Petrov and Boshirov in Salisbury but nothing has been
said of their movements in London; what they did there is probably the reason why they flew
to the UK. Either that or the GRU is deficient in training its would-be assassins on the
reliability (non-existent) of British rail services in bad weather.
Once again, Britain is stiff with CCTV. We know from previous discussions that there is CCTV
coverage of the Skripals' street and even their house. Where is the CCTV video of the two GRU
assassins on Skripal's street, or near his house? The British say they have this evidence and
are happily building timelines around it, but where is the proof? If they have it, why don't
they show it? It would shut Russian defenses right down. All we've seen is evidence of the
two being in Salisbury. Apparently being Russian In Salisbury is now like Driving While
Black. Both automatically presuppose you are a criminal.
If they are gay, then the UK is going to have really bad optics with its setup. Gay GRU
agents? According the UK MSM Russian gays are all being arrested and thrown in jail.
"... The Russian Embassy in London has been keeping a record of all the scenarios presented in the UK by the Govt/MSM and at the last count it was stated that there were 40 different, often contradictory, unproven scenarios. ..."
" Even more strange is the idea that it is wildly improbable for Russian visitors to wish
to visit Salisbury cathedral and Stonehenge. Salisbury Cathedral is one of the most
breathtaking achievements of Norman architecture, one of the great cathedrals of Europe. It
attracts a great many foreign visitors. Stonehenge is world famous and a world heritage site.
I went on holiday this year and visited Wurzburg to see the Bishop's Palace, and then the
winery cooperative at Sommerach. Because somebody does not choose to spend their leisure time
on a beach in Benidorm does not make them a killer. Lots of people go to Salisbury
Cathedral. "
I had exactly the same thoughts! Holidays for most British moronic Tweeters means Benidorm
and boooze in "British Pubs" that arte emblazoned with "Fish & Chips" signs.
I mentioned above that before setting off for London in June, 2016, my two eldest insisted
that we include Stonehenge in our itinerary.
We were only in London for 3 days, though, before we set off for England, heading north to
the English lakeland national park.
The British Foreign Office almost immediately reacted to the RT scoop with its usual bluster:
"Lies and obfuscation!"
Interesting accusation off HM government is that!
Since March 4 of this year, the British side has stated that:
Yulia Skripal brought "Novichok" in her suitcase.
The Skripals were poisoned with buckwheat.
The Skripals were poisoned with bouquet of flowers at the cemetery.
The Skripals were poisoned with an UAV drone.
The Skripals were poisoned through air conditioning in the car.
The Skripals were poisoned with an aerosol.
The Skripals were poisoned by Mikhail Savitskis (aka "Gordon") group, consisting of
6 killers.
The killer/s poured "Novichok"onto a door handle.
The Skripals were poisoned with "Novichok" in a form of a gel.
The Skripals were poisoned with a perfume bottle (so it seems "Novichok" is still
liquid).
The killer/s poured "Novichok" in a public toilet.
The killer/s poured "Novichok" in a hotel room.
The Skripals were poisoned by 2 GRU* agents.
"Novichok" is a "5–8 times more lethal than VX nerve agent" and "the most
deadly ever made", though it can't kill even 2 people.
*There has, in fact, been no such organization known as the GRU in Russia since 2010, when
the official name of the unit was changed from ″GRU″ [
Главное
разведывательное
управление -- Glavnoye
razvedyvatel'noye upravleniye ], namely "The Main intelligence Agency", to "The Main
Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation", or
″GU″ [Главное
управление
Генерального
штаба
Вооружённых
Сил Российской
Федерации -- Glavnoye upravleniye
General'nogo shtaba Vooruzhyonnykh Sil Rossiiskoi Federatsii ].
The Russian Embassy in London has been keeping a record of all the scenarios presented
in the UK by the Govt/MSM and at the last count it was stated that there were 40 different,
often contradictory, unproven scenarios.
Last week, the UK Ambassador to the UN, she who resembles a drag-queen well past his
sell-by date, namely the inimitable Karen Pierce, attempted to take the piss out of Russia by
stating at the UNSC that Russia had put forward 40 different accounts of what had happened,
which ludicrous proposals simply proved how lacking in credibility the Russian government
allegations are.
The reality was, however, that in presenting such accounts, Russia was taking the piss out
of Her Majesty's Government and the sensationalist, Russophobic, warmongering British press
and their more than 40 accounts of what happened in Salisbury last March.
The delectable Karen seemed unaware of this fact.
Recall, that Pierce is the woman, a high ranking British diplomat, no less, who believes
that Russia (i.e. the Russian Federation that came into existence in 1991) was founded on
many of Karl Marx's precepts.
Prime Minister Teresa May took
to the floor of the Parliament today to report that the Crown Prosecution Service and Police
had issued warrants for two Russian GRU officials who, they claim, had carried out the Skripal
attacks last March. "We were right," she said with a stiff upper lip, "to say in March that the
Russian State was responsible." Mugshots were released of two people whose names, she declared,
were aliases (how they know they are GRU officials if they don't know their names was not
explained). "This chemical weapon attack on our soil was part of a wider pattern of Russian
behavior that persistently seeks to undermine our security and that of our allies around the
world," she intoned.
At the same time, dire warnings have been issued to Syria and Russia that there will be a
major military response if Syria uses chemical weapons in Idlib. This is despite the fact that
Russia has presented the proof to the OPCW and to the UN that the British intelligence-linked
Olive security outfit and the British-sponsored White Helmet terrorists have prepared a false
flag chlorine attack in Idlib, to be blamed on the Syrian government, to trigger such a
military atrocity by the US and the UK.
Also at the same time, in the US, Washington Post fraudster Bob Woodward released a book
claiming that numerous Trump cabinet officials made wildly slanderous statements about Trump --
all third hand from anonymous sources, of course. Chief of Staff John Kelly called the claims
"total BS," while Secretary of State Jim Mattis called it typical Washington DC fiction, adding
that "the idea that I would show contempt for the elected Commander-in-Chief, President Trump,
or tolerate disrespect to the office of the President from within our Department of Defense, is
a product of someone's rich imagination."
Worse, the New York Times, apparently for the first time, printed an "anonymous" op-ed by
someone claiming to be a "senior official in the Trump administration whose identity is known
to us," under the title: "I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration -- I work
for the president but like-minded colleagues and I have vowed to thwart parts of his agenda and
his worst inclinations." Whether this person is or is not who they claim to be, it is clearly
part of the British coup attempt, as proven in the op-ed itself. After calling Trump amoral,
unhinged, and more, and claiming there is discussion within the Administration of using the
25th Amendment to remove him for mental incompetence, it then states: "Take foreign policy: In
public and in private, President Trump shows a preference for autocrats and dictators, such as
President Vladimir Putin of Russia and North Korea's leader, Kim Jong-un, and displays little
genuine appreciation for the ties that bind us to allied, like-minded nations [read: the United
Kingdom - ed.]. Astute observers have noted, though, that the rest of the administration is
operating on another track, one where countries like Russia are called out for meddling and
punished accordingly, and where allies around the world are engaged as peers rather than
ridiculed as rivals. On Russia, for instance, the president was reluctant to expel so many of
Mr. Putin's spies as punishment for the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain. He
complained for weeks about senior staff members letting him get boxed into further
confrontation with Russia, and he expressed frustration that the United States continued to
impose sanctions on the country for its malign behavior. But his national security team knew
better such actions had to be taken, to hold Moscow accountable."
And, while news about the British drive for war with Russia and their attempted coup against
the government of the United States fills the airwaves and the press, not a single word --
repeat, not a single word -- has been reported in the US or British media about the truly
historic conference which took place on Monday and Tuesday in Beijing, the Forum on
China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAP). Helga Zepp-LaRouche declared this week that this event will
be recognized in history as the end of the era of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Every
African nation except one was represented at the conference in Beijing (the "one" was
Swaziland, the last holdout on the African continent which still maintains diplomatic relations
with Taiwan rather than Beijing).
All but six were represented their head of state. They reviewed the transformation taking
place across Africa due to the Belt and Road Initiative since the last FOCAP meeting in 2015,
and laid out plans for the even more rapid development over the next three years, and on to
2063 -- the target year for full modernization over 50 years, adopted by the African Union in
2013. One after another the leaders of the African nations described the actual liberation
taking place, finally seeing in China the example that real development and the escape from
poverty is possible. The program launched at the 1955 Asian-African Conference in Bandung,
Indonesia, where the formerly colonized nations met for the first time without their colonial
masters, has finally been realized.
But no one reading the western press would even know that this transformative event had
taken place.
Rather, there is only the new McCarthyism, trying to demonize Russia and China, to revive
the "enemy image" which should have been eliminated with the fall of the Soviet Union and the
recognition of the People's Republic of China.
Trump threatens this new McCarthyism, insisting that America should be friends with Russia
and China. No longer will the U.S. accept Lord Palmerston's imperial dictate for the Empire,
that "nations have no permanent friends or allies, only permanent interests." The "special
relationship" is to be no more.
This is the cause of Theresa May's hysterical rant today in the Parliament. Better war, led
by the "dumb giant" America, than to see the Empire destroyed in a world united through a
shared vision of universal development.
Britain's drive for war must be exposed and stopped, along with their Russiagate coup
attempt in the US. A victory for the common aims of mankind is within our grasp, but the danger
is great, and the time is short.
Some interesting insights. Looks like high stake political poker
Notable quotes:
"... While Britain crumbled in compliments of the OPCW experts it had bought for the act, Russia dealt the most powerful bomb attack in Idlib, clearing the way for the Syrian army to destroy the last enclave of American suckers. And thus it struck a blow to the British political elite. After all, all the dances around the Skripals and the subsequent sanctions are designed to prevent what Russia is doing now in Idlib. Not prevented. And this is a demonstration of the weakness of the British ruling class, capable only of biting stealthily behind its heels. ..."
machine translated from the original Russian; excerpted:
The fact is that Russia pursues its policy without regard to their provocations. She defeated the Wahhabis trained by the
West in the Caucasus, snatched Crimea from under the nose. The US scenario in Ukraine broke. Restores the EAEC. In Syria, Russia
completely threw the Anglo-Saxon West off the pedestal, which he held there all the post-war 50 years. That is, with its bombing
of head choppers, Russia has broken the rigid "Full Spectrum Dominance" situation created and maintained by the Americans
since the dissolution of the USSR.
This is a disaster, which the Anglo-Saxon world has nothing to answer nuclear to Russia.
While Britain crumbled in compliments of the OPCW experts it had bought for the act, Russia dealt the most powerful
bomb attack in Idlib, clearing the way for the Syrian army to destroy the last enclave of American suckers. And thus it struck
a blow to the British political elite. After all, all the dances around the Skripals and the subsequent sanctions are designed
to prevent what Russia is doing now in Idlib. Not prevented. And this is a demonstration of the weakness of the British ruling
class, capable only of biting stealthily behind its heels.
But worst of all, the actions in Idlib demonstrate the US weakness. Trump is completely beaten down - by his neocon rivals,
not
Russia. Russia has revealed the preparations for the provocation of the Khimatki in Idlib, which the US rep in the United Nations
has announced to the whole world. With all the details, such number of barrels of chorine delivered to headchoppers
and their color,
as well the path of those barrels to Idlib and places of their secret storage. Now with those revelation it make much less
sense to launch this operation.
But the operation will be. The match will take place in any weather. The United States has already outlined the places on
which they will strike rocket-bomb strikes. The assault will be more decisive than the previous time. Preparation is as if
the US is confident - the chlorine attack will take place. Then, when they decide in the US. Not in Damascus, but in Washington.
That is, in general, all masks are dropped and the States openly prepare for aggression with provocation in a sovereign country
where they are open in the status of an occupier. And even if there is no chemotherapy at all, the American blow will take
place. Too much Russian was battered by bombs of American protιgιs. They are too close to defeat, for which the reason for
finding Americans in Syria will disappear. How can this be allowed? The impact of prestige is necessary and it will be, even
if the Sun falls to the ground and the Mississippi will flow backwards. Only prestige is not visible.
The USA are increasingly falling down replacing the strategy with tactics. The attack on Syria is necessary for Americans not because
they will decide the outcome of the campaign. But because the US needs to introduce its
ground forces to change the course of the war, with all possible negative consequences such as possible the death of the military
personnel and the open clash
with Iran, Syria and Russia. And even with Turkey. With China silently standing behind them the
global consequences of this action are unpredictable. One possible consequence can well be the collapse of NATO. This "Second Vietnam"
might crush not only the American president, but the US itself. The other scenario is that the USA just want to "score a goal of prestige" and leave
the lost match. They will strike at Syria, where again Russian intelligence will reveal in advance the alleged targets of the
strike, withdraw the critical assets from there, and then we have a firework of exploding Tomahawks intercepted by
defenders.
Russia in Idlib is now in a very difficult position due to Turkey, not so much the USA. The repelling of the USA
attach is one thing, but the main danger that it can't achieve too much on the ground de to Turkish interests in the area.
Trump attack would be mainly for domestic consumption, the show created on the4 eve of the congressional elections. And
even repelling the attack can be counterproductive -- Russia risks drowning Trump, instead of somehow supporting
his formidable image and helping to win. Simply because Trump is beneficial to Russia - it's too cool he breaks everything
on what the American power of the past decades was based. Helping his impeachment is not in the national interests of Russia.
That means that Trump must come out of those stupid and counterproductive Tomahawks salvos without losing his face.
The US remains the world hegemon and want to remain as such for a long time. That's why it beats Russia with sanctions.
But Russia does not need to oppose the USA. It just need to help to build a countervailing power. And Berlin, supported by Moscow's cheap gas,
can be countervailing force for London in Europe.
The threat of losing global hegemony is very painful for both the British and Americans. It is so painful that
they organized the collapse of the ruble and this false flag operation
in Salisbury. And then OPSW were intimidated by British special services.
Russia should responds asymmetrically -- by continuing to build up its economy and prosperity of its citizens and ignore such insane and ineffective
actions by London and Washington.
Russia already had shown Erdogan how easily caravans with oil are bombed,
Russia does not want to allow its exports from Syria. And the US will have to withdraw from Syria there sooner or later.
Still, Russia should give Trump the opportunity to finish his term without outright humiliation in Syria. The United States
might not have the second such president, as Russia will not have a second Gorbachev.
"... "Renowned French security expert Paul Barril has let loose a bombshell: the existence of Operation Beluga, a covert Western intelligence scheme intended to undermine Russia and its leaders." ..."
"... Renowned French security expert Paul Barril, in an interview, alleges that Berezovsky was working closely with MI6 and the CIA to discredit Russia and Putin, and that large sums from these agencies were passing through Berezovsky's hands to be paid to individuals to cooperate in these efforts. Barril says Litvinenko was one of Berezovsky's bag men, who passed funds on to others. ..."
"... "Russia has nothing to do with the murder of Litvinenko. The case was fabricated from the beginning. Polonium was chosen as the poison due to its production in Russia, it would implicate Russia. The objective of the whole operation was to discredit president Putin and the FSB. It was done because Russia is blocking US interests around the world, especially in Syria. It was an attempt to weaken Putin's hold on power, to destabilize Russia." ..."
"Polonium was chosen as the poison due to its production in Russia, it would implicate Russia". Exactly. Just as 'Novichok' was
allegedly used in Salisbury, due to it allegedly being developed in Russia (Mirzyanov) even though it wasn't actually used against
the Skripals at all. Maybe this element of the hoax was inspired by Beluga's use of polonium in the Litvinenko affair.
Miheila, the polonium story always seems crazy to me. It relies on Litvinenko being too mean not to buy his own cup of tea. Hardly
a foolproof assassination method.
PAGE 4 OF 4
This follows a similar pattern to Alexander Litvinenko. Walter Litvinenko, his father, believes Alex received a second dose of
agent whilst in hospital. It was a Worlds Apart interview but is now the subject of an Ofcom complaint. Walter said his suspicions
were raised by the secrecy of the British government and the fact that they wouldn't let him see any reports. So he made his own
investigations, and from initially thinking it was Russia, he now believes it was the British government. He returned to Russia
in fear of his life.
"Renowned French security expert Paul Barril has let loose a bombshell: the existence of Operation Beluga, a covert Western
intelligence scheme intended to undermine Russia and its leaders."
Renowned French security expert Paul Barril, in an interview, alleges that Berezovsky was working closely with MI6 and
the CIA to discredit Russia and Putin, and that large sums from these agencies were passing through Berezovsky's hands to be paid
to individuals to cooperate in these efforts. Barril says Litvinenko was one of Berezovsky's bag men, who passed funds on to others.
"Russia has nothing to do with the murder of Litvinenko. The case was fabricated from the beginning. Polonium was chosen
as the poison due to its production in Russia, it would implicate Russia. The objective of the whole operation was to discredit
president Putin and the FSB. It was done because Russia is blocking US interests around the world, especially in Syria. It was
an attempt to weaken Putin's hold on power, to destabilize Russia."
Barril mentions the outspoken Putin foe, financier William Browder, as being in close cooperation with Berezovsky in the discreditation
efforts. He also says he is sure Berezovsky was murdered by his secret service handlers after they realized he was behaving erratically
and had to be silenced so that he wouldn't give them away.
@47 den lille abe / 49 pft.... i mentioned it on the syrian thread yesterday... here is my
comment from that thread...
"yer local scam news from the usa daily press briefing.. aside from acknowledging the
horrific nature of 9-11 inflicted on the usa, there is of course no mention of the horrors
that it inflicted on many many more in the countries outside of the usa, thanks the usa's
phony war on terrorism..but of course, how can you have a war on terrorism, when you are the
terrorism globally? more fun stuff at the link, if you like being propagandized..
from heather nauert - "Next, and this is also related to Syria, I'd like to highlight
this: The Assad regime and Russia continue to falsely accuse the White Helmets through a
massive disinformation campaign, leaving its volunteers at significant risk. Many of you are
familiar with the good work that the White Helmets has – that they have done and that
they continue to do. The White Helmets are a humanitarian organization that has saved
thousands of lives and continues to save civilian lives after bombardments by Russian and
regime military forces. The United States and the international community continue to support
their heroic work."
"Russian and Syrian news services in the US have been censored, but you can still get
streaming jihadist propaganda from al Qaeda-controlled Idlib Province."
"... So they went through the same corridor just like I demonstrated in https://postimg.cc/image/pw7t667ch/ . This means the UK police manipulated the images, i.e. fabricated the evidence. Very interesting to have this confirmed directly.... ..."
I added bold in the quote below:
--- The RT editor-in-chief also touched upon the most puzzling picture of the two, the photo
from the Gatwick airport.
"Here is the picture that puzzled the whole world, Gatwick airport, you are leaving
through a gate literally in the same times, almost the same second. How did it happen?" she
asked.
" We always go together through the same corridor and the same custom service
officer or a policeman. One goes, the other waits. We went through the corridor together, we
always [do it] together .
How did it happen? It's better to ask them [UK police]," Boshirov replied.
---
So they went through the same corridor just like I demonstrated in https://postimg.cc/image/pw7t667ch/ . This
means the UK police manipulated the images, i.e. fabricated the evidence. Very interesting to
have this confirmed directly....
To add to Norwegian@3, George Galloway made a couple of very interesting points,
especially about the time stamp on the photo. He said the Skripals left the house in the
morning, never to return. The "Russian agents" could not have arrived in Salisbury until noon
or thereabouts...hmmmm...and they would have had to paint the doorknob with this deadliest of
poisons in full view of everyone. Perhaps the Russians have learned to time travel or warp
time. I wouldn't put it past them http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/50231.htm
Prime Minister Theresa May made a
statement to accuse Russia of being behind the Skripal poisoning
case . She went to address the parliament right after prosecutors accused two Russian men,
allegedly military intelligence officers, to perpetrate the assassination attempt. These are
the first criminal charges in the case that
has spoiled the West-Russian relations so much. The British government has issued EU arrest
warrants and Interpol red notices to have the two individuals arrested by police in any country
should they leave Russia's territory.
According to the PM, Great Britain and its friends must step up collective efforts against
Russia. Its military intelligence service (the GRU) is to be specifically targeted employing
"the full range of tools from across our national security apparatus." Before making
the speech that
sounded hostile toward Moscow, the PM had talked the matter over with US President Trump
and other friendly world leaders. Ms May is expected to raise the issue at the UN General
Assembly later this month. No doubt, London will ask the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to investigate the case. The UK will probably impose sanctions of its
own and call on others to join. As usual, media "leaks" will pour more fuel on the fire.
Anti-Russia forces in the West will get the second wind.
Ben Wallace, Minister of State for Security at the Home Office,
attributed direct blame on Russian President Vladimir, something Ms. May avoided to do. He
said the Russian leader bears responsibility for the nerve agent attack.
The photos of two men that have visited the UK are not evidence to support the PM' claims.
"We have heard or seen two names, these names mean nothing to me personally," Kremlin
aide Yuri Ushakov
told reporters in Moscow. "I don't understand why this was done and what sort of signal
the British side is sending." But one thing is curtain – the British government
wants as much noise and publicity as possible. It raises hue and cry in an evident attempt
to further deteriorate the West-Russia relations and it does it on purpose. Why now? Because
this is the right time to pursue the hidden agenda.
US Ambassador to Britain Woody Johnson said on Twitter: "The US and UK stand firmly
together in holding Russia accountable for its act of aggression on UK soil." He was quick
to react. Evidently, Mr Johnson wasted no time on waiting for instructions. It had all been
known, discussed and decided before.
By spearheading the anti-Russia campaign in the West, London increases its political weight
before Brexit takes place. With its unity in peril, the West needs something to keep it
together and the Russia's bogey comes in handy.
The second round of US sanctions imposed to punish Russia for the alleged, but never proven,
use of nerve agents, is much tougher than the first one in force since August. It is to take
effect in November – the same month US midterm elections take place.
The "Skripal sanctions" are not introduced by Congress but the State Department. It's up to
the president to impose them or not. If President Trump's party keeps the majority in both
houses, the pressure to prove he is tough on Russia will ease. The president may soften the
sanctions or not impose them at all. The reinvigoration of "Skripal poisoning" campaign will
make it much harder to do. Donald Trump as well as EU leaders will be under constant pressure
to do more to counter Russia.
True, the EU is not interested in whipping up tensions in its relationship with Russia amid
the sanctions war and other things to deteriorate its relationship with the United States. But
on the other hand, Eurosceptics, who are friendly to Moscow, are predicted to win big in the
European parliament election in May. They may get every third vote and have enough seats to
stymie the functioning of the "unreformed" EU as we know it today. It will put into jeopardy
the very survival of the bloc. Many of Eurosceptics want the relations with Russia normalized
and the sanctions lifted. Be it Skripal or something else, an anti-Russia campaign is needed to
attack them. They'll be painted as "useful idiots" or "traitors" promoting Russia's evil plans
to destroy the West. Here again, the imaginary "Russia threat" serves the purpose
perfectly.
The events in Syria are distorted to denigrate Russia but that's happening far away.
Spreading around the stories about Moscow using chemical weapons in Europe may have the desired
effect to keep voters away from throwing their support behind those who can change the European
political landscape.
There is actually nothing new in what the British PM stated. It's not so important what
exactly she said. It's timing that matters. The moment is right for anti-Russia hysteria to be
given a fresh impetus. Will this tactics work? The November elections in the US and the
European elections in May will show. The closer is the vote, the more concocted stories about
the nefarious Russia's activities will come into the spotlight.
"... "I want to address them [the suspects]... [I hope] they contact the media. I hope they appear and tell everything about themselves," ..."
"... "Neither Russia's top leadership nor those with lower ranks, and [Russian] officials, have had anything to do with the events in Salisbury," ..."
"... "It seems very strange that these people have absolutely left what seems to be a very reckless and clear trail of evidence, which almost seems to be designed, or at least would almost inevitably lead to, the conclusions that the police and the authorities have come to today, in other words that Russia were to blame," ..."
"... "bits of evidence that may look pretty compelling but will never be tested in a real court of law." ..."
"... "perfect cover for smuggling the weapon into the country and a perfect delivery method for the attack against the Skripal's front door." ..."
HomeWorld NewsWe know who people named as suspects in Skripal
case are, they are civilians – Putin Published time: 12 Sep, 2018 06:56 Edited time:
12 Sep, 2018 12:57 Get short URL 'Alexander
Petrov' and 'Ruslan Boshirov' are seen in an image handed out by the Metropolitan Police in
London, Britain / Reuters Moscow is aware of who the people named as suspects in the Skripal
case are, President Vladimir Putin said, adding that these people are civilians. Saying that
there is "nothing criminal" about the two, Putin also hopes that the people in
question will eventually come forward and talk to the media.
"I want to address them [the suspects]... [I hope] they contact the media. I hope they
appear and tell everything about themselves," he said, addressing the audience during the
Eastern Economic Forum (EEF) in the Russian city of Vladivostok.
Earlier in September, UK prosecutors named two Russians they suspect of poisoning Sergei
Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury this March. According to London, their names are
Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. Russia denies any involvement and accuses Britain of
spinning the case to stir anti-Russian sentiment.
Beyond identifying them as Russian nationals, the prosecutors gave no indication as to who
the men are.
After London again blamed Russia, implying that officials at the highest levels of power
could be responsible for the poisoning, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov rebuffed the
allegations.
"Neither Russia's top leadership nor those with lower ranks, and [Russian] officials,
have had anything to do with the events in Salisbury," he said at that time.
The Kremlin spokesman added that Putin didn't personally speak to the two individuals
identified by the British authorities as suspects in the case. Russian law enforcement has not
made any moves to prosecute them, Peskov said.
According to the investigators, the suspects who arrived in Britain from Moscow left traces
of the poison used in the attack in the hotel room they stayed in. They were also caught on
CCTV cameras in Salisbury twice, including on the day of the attack, and traveled back directly
to the Russian capital.
This trail of evidence from the supposedly highly-trained perpetrators casts doubt over
Moscow's involvement, according to a number of security experts. "It seems very strange
that these people have absolutely left what seems to be a very reckless and clear trail of
evidence, which almost seems to be designed, or at least would almost inevitably lead to, the
conclusions that the police and the authorities have come to today, in other words that Russia
were to blame," Charles Shoebridge, a security expert and former British military officer,
told
RT. Annie Machon, a former MI5 intelligence officer, said the inquiry into the case has
effectively turned into a trial by media, based on "bits of evidence that may look pretty
compelling but will never be tested in a real court of law."
London also insists that a counterfeit Nina Ricci perfume box was used as container and
delivery device for the chemical used in the poisoning. It was later found by Charlie Rowley in
the town of Amesbury, not far from Salisbury. They also claim that the noxious agent was in a
bottle that had been altered to make it "perfect cover for smuggling the weapon into the
country and a perfect delivery method for the attack against the Skripal's front
door."
Reacting to the prosecutors' statement, Russian envoy to the UN Vasily Nebenzya joked that
the nerve agent attack has so far had only one benefactor – Nina Ricci.
Today's latest offering is that the 'Russians' in the 'mugshots' released last week are
'already dead' having been 'executed by Putin' to stop them talking, forever. Which neatly
avoids the British state asking Russia for help in identifying them. London's failure to do
so was already arousing suspicion amongst a cynical public. There is now no point, the
would-be assassins are now six-feet below the permafrost of Anglo-Russian relations.
The media here have completely ignored the statement of the head of the anti-terrorist
squad of Scotland Yard that he had "No" evidence of Russian state involvement in the crime
in Salisbury, preferring instead the cheap barroom brawling of the British prime minister
on the floor of the House of Commons cheered on by the vulgar popular press and their more
refined elder sisters in the upmarket papers and on the BBC.
FSB arrests ISIS member 'who planned murder of a Donbass leader on behalf of
Ukraine'
The Russian security service, the FSB, says it has arrested an Islamic State operative
who was planning to murder one of the leaders of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's
Republic (DNR) on behalf of the Ukrainian authorities.
The suspected terrorist was identified as Mejid Magomedov, who was born in 1988 in Russia's
southern Dagestan republic. He was arrested on Sunday in Russia's Smolensk region in the
west of the country.
https://www.rt.com/news/438028-fsb-isis-member-ukraine/
Explosive Skripal allegations may blow up in Syria - George Galloway
Today's latest offering is that the 'Russians' in the 'mugshots' released last week are
'already dead' having been 'executed by Putin' to stop them talking, forever. Which neatly
avoids the British state asking Russia for help in identifying them. London's failure to do
so was already arousing suspicion amongst a cynical public. There is now no point, the
would-be assassins are now six-feet below the permafrost of Anglo-Russian relations.
The media here have completely ignored the statement of the head of the anti-terrorist
squad of Scotland Yard that he had "No" evidence of Russian state involvement in the crime
in Salisbury, preferring instead the cheap barroom brawling of the British prime minister
on the floor of the House of Commons cheered on by the vulgar popular press and their more
refined elder sisters in the upmarket papers and on the BBC.
"the statement of the head of the anti-terrorist squad of Scotland Yard that he
had "No" evidence of Russian state involvement in the crime in Salisbury "
Yes. The UK government has lost its marbles in the pursuit of power & money. They
suffer the same disease as their Israeli and US counterparts -- the loss of the life-saving
integrity and intelligence and the triumph of the life-threatening stupidity.
The western governments have become incompetent due to the lack of the populace' supervision.
For any living organism, no feedback means no protective actions ensuring the survival of the
organism.
The Cheneys and Bibis and Blairs of the world are not intelligent enough even to envision the
future for their immediate progeny, nevermind grandkids. These stupid elders are covered in
the blood of the innocent.
Two Russian GRU hit men who apparently spent a considerable amount of their small amount of
time whilst on a mission of death in Merry England mugging in front of CCTV cameras.
And they only killed one person, and not their intended target at that: a junky, drug
pushing bum's alcoholic womanfriend, who unfortunatly was accidently contaminated with the
deadliest nerve poison known to man.
As a Scotland counter-terrorist chief plod said, these were trained professionals in the
killing trade, and as Prime Minister May said, they belong to a tightly disciplined
organization whose orders come directly from the top, meaning the Dark Lord no less.
Simply sickening and despicable!
Good job Russians are a bunch of dickheads, otherwise the whole population of Salisbury
might have been poisoned – or the South of England, even.
It's amazing that so much crisp, instantly-recognizable footage exists of the hit men, almost
as if they were laying out an easily-reconstructable route for observers; at least, as
contrasted with the blurry and ambiguous photo evidence of the Skripals, which seems to rely
on happy snaps by friends as much as government resources. Until they get Yulia on camera to
make her post-Novichok debut, of course – then, it's theatre-quality. In fact, the
quality of British evidence seems to go up markedly as soon as the preceding exhibits are the
object of public derision.
The poison was polonium-210, a rare radioactive isotope, tiny, invisible, undetectable.
Ingested, it was fatal. The polonium had originated at a nuclear reactor in the Urals and a
production line in the Russian town of Sarov. A secret FSB laboratory, the agency's "research
institute", then converted it into a dinkily portable weapon.
Lugovoi and Kovtun, however, were rubbish assassins. The quality of Moscow's hired
killers had slipped since the glory days of the KGB.
It's because they're idiots, see!
Although Russians are a direct to Western civilization and against whom we must be ever on
guard, they are also all congenital dickheads, doomed to failure -- always.
"... . Moreover, a 2014 book by Prof. Graeme MacQueen that I only very recently discovered has made a reasonably persuasive case that the Anthrax killings were intimately connected to the 9/11 attacks themselves, greatly magnifying the malfeasance of our media elites. ..."
"... Economics Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz and others have estimated that with interest the total long-term cost of our two recent wars may reach as high as $5 or $6 trillion, or as much as $50,000 per American household, mostly still unpaid. Meanwhile, economist Edward Wolff has calculated that the Great Recession and its aftermath cut the personal net worth of the median American household to $57,000 in 2010 from a figure nearly twice as high three years earlier. Comparing these assets and liabilities, we see that the American middle class now hovers on the brink of insolvency, with the cost of our foreign wars being a leading cause. ..."
"... Author James Bovard has described our society as an "attention deficit democracy," and the speed with which important events are forgotten once the media loses interest might surprise George Orwell. ..."
"... As President George W. Bush began inexorably moving America toward the Iraq War in 2002, I realized with a terrible sinking feeling that the notoriously pro-Israel Neocon zealots had somehow managed to seize control of the foreign policy of his administration, a situation I could never have imagined even in my worst nightmare ..."
"... Weekly Standard ..."
"... Lenin in Zurich ..."
"... The Terror Enigma ..."
"... 9/11: The Big Lie ..."
"... Popular Mechanics ..."
"... Red Ice Radio ..."
"... Fahrenheit 9/11 ..."
"... Zionism, Militarism, and the Decline of US Power ..."
"... This unfortunate conspiracy of silence finally ended in 2009 when Dr. Alan Sabrosky, former Director of Studies at the US Army War College, stepped forward and publicly declared that the Israeli Mossad had very likely been responsible for the 9/11 attacks, writing a series of columns on the subject, and eventually presenting his views in a number of media interviews, along with additional analyses . ..."
"... Sabrosky focused much attention upon a certain portion of a Dutch documentary film on the 9/11 attacks produced several years earlier. In one fascinating interview, a professional demolition expert named Danny Jowenko who was largely ignorant of the 9/11 attacks immediately identified the filmed collapse of WTC Building 7 as a controlled-demolition, and the remarkable clip was broadcast worldwide on Press TV ..."
"... Guns & Butter ..."
"... The late Alan Hart , a very distinguished British broadcast journalist and foreign correspondent, also broke his silence in 2010 and similarly pointed to the Israelis as the likely culprits in the 9/11 attacks, and those interested may wish to listen to his extended interview . ..."
"... JFK-9/11: 50 Years of the Deep State ..."
"... But oddly enough, without making much effort at all, the American government did quickly round up and arrest some 200 Israeli Mossad agents , many of whom had been based in exactly the same geographical locations as the purported 19 Arab hijackers. Furthermore, NYC police arrested some of these agents publicly celebrating the 9/11 attacks , while others were caught driving vans in the New York area containing explosives or their residual traces. Most of these Mossad agents refused to answer any questions, and many of those who did failed polygraph tests, but under political pressure all were eventually released and deported back to Israel. ..."
"... One month after the 9/11 attacks, an Israeli intelligence officer and a local Jewish activist were caught attempting to sneak weapons and explosives into the Mexican Parliament building, a story that naturally produced several banner-headlines in leading Mexican newspapers at the time but which was totally ignored by the American media. Eventually, under massive political pressure, all charges were dropped and the Israeli agent deported back home. ..."
Although immigration and Hispanic crime were perennial topics in that HBD group, for a few
years after the 9/11 attacks the latter issue was almost entirely displaced by feverish
exchanges on Muslim terrorism and the accompanying Clash of Civilizations. Once again, I was
invariably on the short end of a 99-to-1 divide, with nearly all the others in the group
claiming that destruction of the World Trade Center conclusively proved that we needed to close
our borders to foreign immigrants. I pointed out that since the Arab hijackers involved hadn't
been immigrants, but had generally entered our country on tourist visas, maybe the "War on
Terrorism" should be renamed the "War on Tourism," and we should protect America by completely
closing our borders to the horrifying risks of the latter. Yet everyone ignored my sage
advice.
The 9/11 attacks themselves had astonished me as much as everyone else on the HBD list, but
aside from carefully reading the developing story in the New York Times and my other
morning newspapers, I was too busy with my work to otherwise follow the topic. At first,
everyone seemed certain that there would soon be a wave of follow-up attacks by the dozens or
perhaps even hundreds of other Islamic terrorists remaining in our country, but nothing like
that ever happened. After a few weeks had gone by without any further explosions, even small
ones, I told the other HBD listmembers that I now strongly suspected every last Al Qaeda
terrorist in America had probably died in the suicide attacks of September 11th, and there
wasn't a single remaining operative left behind to commit further mayhem. Many of the others
disagreed with me, but as the months and eventually the years went by, my surprising hypothesis
turned out to be correct.
There was one important exception to this pattern, but it actually served to confirm the
rule. As I wrote a few years ago in my original "American Pravda" article:
Consider the almost forgotten anthrax mailing attacks in the weeks after 9/11, which
terrified our dominant East Coast elites and spurred passage of the unprecedented Patriot
Act, thereby eliminating many traditional civil-libertarian protections. Every morning during
that period the New York Times and other leading newspapers carried articles
describing the mysterious nature of the deadly attacks and the complete bafflement of the FBI
investigators. But evenings on the Internet I would read stories by perfectly respectable
journalists such as Salon 's LauraRozen or the staff of the Hartford
Courant providing a wealth of additional detail and pointing to a likely suspect and
motive.
Although the letters carrying the anthrax were purportedly written by an Arab terrorist,
the FBI quickly determined that the language and style indicated a non-Arab author, while
tests pointed to the bioweapons research facility at Ft. Detrick, Md., as the probable source
of the material. But just prior to the arrival of those deadly mailings, military police at
Quantico, Va., had also received an anonymous letter warning that a former Ft. Detrick
employee, Egyptian-born Dr. Ayaad Assaad, might be planning to launch a national campaign of
bioterrorism. Investigators quickly cleared Dr. Assaad, but the very detailed nature of the
accusations revealed inside knowledge of his employment history and the Ft. Detrick
facilities. Given the near-simultaneous posting of anthrax envelopes and false bioterrorism
accusations, the mailings almost certainly came from the same source, and solving the latter
case would be the easiest means of catching the anthrax killer.
Who would have attempted to frame Dr. Assaad for bioterrorism? A few years earlier he had
been involved in a bitter personal feud with a couple of his Ft. Detrick coworkers, including
charges of racism, official reprimands, and angry recriminations all around. When an FBI
official shared a copy of the accusatory letter with a noted language-forensics expert and
allowed him to compare the text with the writings of 40 biowarfare lab employees, he found a
perfect match with one of those individuals. For years I told my friends that anyone who
spent 30 minutes with Google could probably determine the name and motive of the likely
anthrax killer, and most of them successfully met my challenge.
This powerful evidence received almost no attention in the major national media, nor is
there any indication that the FBI ever followed up on any of these clues or interrogated the
named suspects. Instead, investigators attempted to pin the attacks on a Dr. Steven Hatfill
based on negligible evidence, after which he was completely exonerated and won a $5.6 million
settlement from the government for its years of severe harassment. Later, similar hounding of
researcher Bruce Ivins and his family led to his suicide, after which the FBI declared the
case closed, even though former colleagues of Dr. Ivins demonstrated that he had had no
motive, means, or opportunity. In 2008, I commissioned a major 3,000-word
cover story in my magazine summarizing all of this crucial evidence, and once again
almost no one in the mainstream media paid the slightest attention.
Unlike the 9/11 attacks themselves, I had closely followed the Anthrax terrorism, and was
shocked by the strange silence of the government investigators and our leading newspapers. At
the time, I generally assumed that the attacks were totally unconnected with 9/11 and merely
opportunistic, but I simply couldn't understand how a few minutes a day of reading
Salon and the Hartford Courant on the web could seemingly solve the
front-page whodunit that was baffling everyone at the FBI and the New York Times . It
was around that point when I started to wonder whether the elite media publications I had
always relied upon were merely "Our American Pravda" under a different name
. Moreover, a 2014 book by Prof. Graeme MacQueen that I only very recently discovered has
made a reasonably persuasive case that the Anthrax killings were intimately connected to the
9/11 attacks themselves, greatly magnifying the malfeasance of our media elites.
In theoretical physics, new scientific breakthroughs often occur when known objects are
found to behave in inexplicable ways, thereby suggesting the existence of previously
unsuspected forces or particles. In evolutionary biology, when a biological organism appears to
be acting against its own genetic interests, we may safely assume that it has probably fallen
under the control of a different organism, typically a parasite, which has hijacked the host
and is directing its activities toward different ends. While I couldn't be entirely sure what
was happening to the politics and media of my own country, something very odd and disturbing
was certainly taking place.
Things soon became even much worse. Since the 9/11 attacks had apparently been organized by
Osama bin Laden and he was based in Afghanistan under Taliban protection, our attack on that
country at least seemed rational. But suddenly there also soon appeared talk of attacking
Saddam Hussein's Iraq, which made absolutely no sense whatsoever.
At first I couldn't believe what was taking place, simply awed by the breathtaking power and
dishonesty of "our American Pravda," with the establishment media so easily transforming black
into white and night into day. Once again, quoting from my original article of that title:
The circumstances surrounding our Iraq War demonstrate this, certainly ranking it among
the strangest military conflicts of modern times. The 2001 attacks in America were quickly
ascribed to the radical Islamists of al-Qaeda, whose bitterest enemy in the Middle East had
always been Saddam Hussein's secular Baathist regime in Iraq. Yet through misleading public
statements, false press leaks, and even forged evidence such as the "yellowcake" documents,
the Bush administration and its neoconservative allies utilized the compliant American media
to persuade our citizens that Iraq's nonexistent WMDs posed a deadly national threat and
required elimination by war and invasion. Indeed, for several years national polls showed
that a large majority of conservatives and Republicans actually believed that Saddam was the
mastermind behind 9/11 and the Iraq War was being fought as retribution. Consider how bizarre
the history of the 1940s would seem if America had attacked China in retaliation for Pearl
Harbor.
True facts were easily available to anyone paying attention in the years after 2001, but
most Americans do not bother and simply draw their understanding of the world from what they
are told by the major media, which overwhelmingly -- almost uniformly -- backed the case for
war with Iraq; the talking heads on TV created our reality. Prominent journalists across the
liberal and conservative spectrum eagerly published the most ridiculous lies and distortions
passed on to them by anonymous sources, and stampeded Congress down the path to war.
The result was what my late friend Lt. Gen.
Bill Odom rightly called the "greatest strategic disaster in United States history."
American forces suffered tens of thousands of needless deaths and injuries, while our country
took a huge step toward national bankruptcy. Economics Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz and
others have estimated that with interest the total long-term cost of our two recent wars may
reach as high as $5 or $6 trillion, or as much as $50,000 per American household, mostly
still unpaid. Meanwhile, economist Edward Wolff has calculated that the Great Recession and
its aftermath cut the personal net worth of the median American household to $57,000 in 2010
from a figure nearly twice as high three years earlier. Comparing these assets and
liabilities, we see that the American middle class now hovers on the brink of insolvency,
with the cost of our foreign wars being a leading cause.
But no one involved in the debacle ultimately suffered any serious consequences, and most
of the same prominent politicians and highly paid media figures who were responsible remain
just as prominent and highly paid today. For most Americans, reality is whatever our media
organs tell us, and since these have largely ignored the facts and adverse consequences of
our wars in recent years, the American people have similarly forgotten. Recent polls show
that only half the public today believes that the Iraq War was a mistake.
Author James Bovard has described our society as an "attention deficit democracy," and
the speed with which important events are forgotten once the media loses interest might
surprise George Orwell.
As President George W. Bush began inexorably moving America toward the Iraq War in 2002,
I realized with a terrible sinking feeling that the notoriously pro-Israel Neocon zealots had
somehow managed to seize control of the foreign policy of his administration, a situation I
could never have imagined even in my worst nightmare .
Throughout the 1990s and even afterward, I'd been on very friendly terms with the Neocons in
NYC and DC, working closely with them on issues relating to immigration and assimilation.
Indeed, my December 1999 article "California and the End of
White America" had not only appeared as one of the longest cover stories ever published in
Commentary , their intellectual flagship, but had even been cited as the centerpiece
of its annual fund-raising letter.
I and my other DC friends were well aware of the fanatical views most Neocons held on Israel
and Middle Eastern policy. Indeed, their foreign policy obsessions had been a regular staple of
our jokes and ridicule, but since it seemed unimaginable that they would ever be given any
authority in that sphere, their beliefs had seemed a relatively harmless eccentricity. After
all, could anyone possibly imagine fanatical libertarians being placed in total control of the
Pentagon, allowing them to immediately disband the American armed forces as a "statist
institution"?
Moreover, the complete ideological triumph of the Neocons after the 9/11 attacks was all the
more shocking given their recent political missteps. During the 2000 presidential campaign,
nearly all of the Neocons had aligned themselves with Sen. John McCain, whose battle with Bush
for the Republican nomination had eventually turned quite bitter, and as a consequence, they
had been almost totally been frozen out of high-level appointments. Both Vice President Dick
Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld were then widely regarded as Bush Republicans,
lacking any significant Neocon ties, and the same was true for all the other top administration
figures such as Colin Powell, Condeleeza Rice, and Paul O'Neil. Indeed, the only
Neoconservative figure offered a Cabinet spot was Linda Chavez, and not only was the Labor
Department always regarded as something of a boobie prize in a GOP Administration, but she was
ultimately forced to withdraw her nomination due to her "nanny problems." The highest-ranking
Neocon serving under Bush was Rumsfeld Deputy Paul Wolfowitz, whose seemingly inconsequential
appointment had been almost totally ignored by everyone.
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Most of the Neocons themselves certainly seemed to recognize the catastrophic defeat they
had suffered in the 2000 election. Back in those days, I was on very friendly terms with Bill
Kristol, and when I stopped by his office at the Weekly Standard for a chat in the
spring of 2001, he seemed in a remarkably depressed state of mind. I remember that at one
point, he took his head in his hands and wondered whether it was time for him to just abandon
the political battle, resigning his editorship and taking up a quiet post at a DC thinktank.
Yet just eight or ten months later, he and his close allies were on their way to gaining
overwhelming influence in our government, an eirie parallel to Alexander Solzhenitsyn's
Lenin in Zurich . The totally fortuitous 9/11 attacks and the outbreak of war had
suddenly allowed a small but committed ideological faction to seize control of a gigantic
country.
A thorough account of the Neocons and their takeover of the Bush Administration in the
aftermath of 9/11 is provided by Dr. Stephen J. Sniegoski in his 2008 book The Transparent
Cabal, conveniently available on this website:
Oddly enough, for many years after 9/11, I paid very little attention to the details of the
attacks themselves. I was entirely preoccupied with building my content-archiving software system , and with the little
time I could spend on public policy matters, I was totally focused to the ongoing Iraq War
disaster, as well as my terrible fears that Bush might at any moment suddenly extend the
conflict to Iran. Despite Neocon lies, shamelessly echoed by our corrupt media, neither Iraq
nor Iran had had anything whatsoever to do with the 9/11 attacks, so those events gradually
faded in my consciousness, and I suspect the same was true for most other Americans. Al Qaeda
had largely disappeared, with Bin Laden perhaps hiding in a cave somewhere. Despite endless
Homeland Security "threat alerts," there had been absolutely no further Islamic terrorism on
American soil, and relatively little anywhere else outside the Iraq charnel house. So the
precise details of the 9/11 plots had become almost irrelevant to me.
Others I knew seemed to feel the same way. Virtually all the exchanges I had with my old
friend Bill Odom, the three-star general who had run the NSA for Ronald Reagan, had concerned
the Iraq War and risk it might spread to Iran, as well as the bitter anger he felt toward
Bush's perversion of his beloved NSA into an extra-constitutional tool of domestic espionage.
When the New York Times broke the story of the massive extent of domestic NSA spying,
Gen. Odom declared that President Bush should be impeached and NSA Director Michael Hayden
court-martialed. But in all the years prior to his untimely passing in 2008 , I don't
recall the 9/11 attacks themselves even once coming up as a topic in our discussions.
During those same years, I'd also grown quite friendly with Alexander Cockburn ,
whose Counterpunch webzine seemed a very rare center of significant opposition to our
disastrous foreign policy towards Iraq and Iran. I do recall that he once complained to me in
2006 about the "conspiracy nuts" of
the 9/11 Truth movement who were endlessly harassing his publication, and I extended my
sympathies. Each of us move in different political circles, and that brief reference may have
been the first and only time I heard of the 9/11 Truthers during that period, causing me to
regard them more like an eccentric UFO cult than anything else.
Admittedly, I'd occasionally heard of some considerable oddities regarding the 9/11 attacks
here and there, and these certainly raised some suspicions. Most days I would glance at the
Antiwar.com front page, and it seemed that some Israeli Mossad agents had been caught
while filming that plane attacks in NYC, while
a much larger Mossad "art student" spy operation around the country had also been broken up
around the same time. Apparently, FoxNews had even broadcast a multi-part series on the latter subject
before that expose was scuttled and "disappeared" under ADL pressure.
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But I wasn't sure about the credibility of those claims, though it did seem plausible that
Mossad had known of the attacks in advance and allowed them to proceed, recognizing the huge
benefits that Israel would derive from the anti-Arab backlash. I think I was vaguely aware that
Antiwar.com editorial director Justin Raimondo had published The Terror
Enigma , a very short book about some of these strange facts, bearing the provocative
subtitle "9/11 and the Israeli Connection," but I never considered reading it. In 2007,
Counterpunch itself
published a
fascinating follow-up story about that arrest of that group of Israeli Mossad agents in
NYC, who were caught filming and apparently celebrating the plane attacks on that fateful day,
which turned out to be a much broader operation than I had previously realized. But all these
details remained a little fuzzy in my mind next to my overriding concerns about wars in Iraq
and Iran.
However
Moreover, around that same time I'd stumbled across an astonishing detail of the 9/11
attacks that demonstrated the remarkable depths of my own ignorance. In a Counterpunch
article, I'd discovered that immediately following the attacks, their supposed terrorist
mastermind
, even declaring that no good Muslim would have committed such a deed.
Once I checked around a little and fully confirmed that fact , I was
flabbergasted. 9/11 was not only the most successful terrorist attack in the history of the
world, but may have been greater in its physical magnitude than all such previous terrorist
operations combined. The entire purpose of terrorism is to allow a small organization to show
the world that it can inflict serious losses upon a powerful state, and I had never previously
heard of any terrorist leader denying his role in a successful operation, let alone the
greatest in history. Something seemed extremely wrong in the media-generated narrative that I
had previously accepted. I began to wonder if I had been as deluded as the tens of millions of
Americans in 2003 and 2004 who naively believed that Saddam had been the mastermind behind the
September 11th attacks. We live in a world of illusions generated by our media, and I suddenly
felt that I had noticed a tear in the paper-mache mountains displayed in the background of a
Hollywood sound-stage. If Osama was probably not the author of 9/11, what other huge falsehoods
had I blindly accepted?
A couple of years later, I came across a very interesting column by Eric Margolis, a
prominent Canadian foreign policy journalist purged from the broadcast media for his strong
opposition to the Iraq War. He had long published a weekly column in the Toronto Sun
and when that tenure ended, he used his closing appearance to run a double-length piece
expressing his very strong doubts about
the official 9/11 story .
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In addition, an old friend of mine with strong connections to elite French circles at some
point shared what he regarded as an amusing anecdote. He mentioned that at a private dinner
party in Paris attended by influential political and media figures, France's former Defense
Minister had told the other disbelieving guests that the Pentagon had been struck by a missile
rather than a civilian jetliner. My friend explained that the minister in question was widely
regarded as extremely intelligent and level-headed, thereby proving that even the most highly
reputable individuals may sometimes believe in utterly crazy things.
But I interpreted those same facts very differently. France probably possessed one of the
four or five best intelligence service in the world, and surely a French Defense Minister would
be privy to better information about true events than a typical media pundit. In fact, one of
the earliest books sharply questioning the official 9/11 narrative was 9/11: The Big
Lie by French journalist Thierry Meyssan, which appeared in 2002 and similarly argued that
the Pentagon had been struck by a missile, perhaps suggesting that it may have been partly
influenced by leaks coming from French Intelligence.
I eventually shared that account of the French minister's private opinions with a very
well-connected American individual, someone in our elite Establishment with whom I'd become a
little friendly. His reaction made it clear that he held the same highly unorthodox views about
the 9/11 attacks, although he had never publicly voiced them lest he risk losing his elite
Establishment membership card.
Over the years, all these discordant claims had gradually raised my suspicions about the
official 9/11 story to extremely strong levels, but it was only very recently that I finally
found the time to begin to seriously investigate the subject and read eight or ten of the main
9/11 Truther books, mostly those by Prof. David Ray Griffin, the widely acknowledged leader in
that field. And his books, together with the writings of his numerous colleagues and allies,
revealed all sorts of very telling details, most of which had previously remained unknown to
me. I was also greatly impressed by the sheer number of seemingly reputable individuals of no
apparent ideological bent who had become adherents of the 911 Truth movement over the
years.
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I certainly attempted to locate contrary books supporting the official 9/11 story, but the
only one widely discussed was a rather short volume published by Popular Mechanics
magazine, whose lead researcher turned out to be the cousin of Homeland Security chief Michael
Chertoff. None of the writers appeared to have any serious academic credentials, and they
seemed to generally ignore or deflect some of the strongest pieces of evidence provided by the
numerous scholars and experts involved in the 9/11 Truth movement. Hence, I hardly found their
analysis persuasive, and half-wondered whether Homeland Security had quietly arranged the
publication, which might help explain the extremely odd nepotistic coincidence. Popular
magazines simply do not carry the scientific weight of research professors at major
universities. Perhaps the holes in the official 9/11 narrative were so numerous and large that
no serious scholar could be found to defend it.
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When utterly astonishing claims of an extremely controversial nature are made over a period
of many years by numerous seemingly reputable academics and other experts, and they are
entirely ignored or suppressed but never effectively refuted, reasonable conclusions seem to
point in an obvious direction. Based on my very recent readings in this topic, the total number
of separate near-fatal anomalies in the official 9/11 story has now grown enormously long,
probably numbering in the many dozens. Most of these individual items seem reasonably likely
and if we decide that even just two or three of them are correct, we must totally reject the
narrative that so many of us have believed for so long. The numerous Griffin books, beginning
with his important 2004 volume
had spent 29 years at the CIA , rising to become of its senior figures as Director of its
Office of Regional and Political Analysis, with 200 research analysts serving under him. In
August 2006, he published a remarkable 2,700 word article
explaining why he no longer believed the official 9/11 story and felt sure that the 9/11
Commission Report constituted a cover-up, with the truth being quite different. The following
year, he provided a forceful endorsement to many other highly-regarded
former US intelligence officers .
We might expect that if a former intelligence officer of Christison's rank were to denounce
the official 9/11 report as a fraud and a cover-up, such a story would constitute front-page
news. But it was never reported anywhere in our mainstream media, and I only stumbled upon it
nearly a decade later.
Even nearly all of our supposed "alternative" media outlets were nearly as silent.
Throughout the 2000s, Christison and his wife Kathleen, also a former CIA analyst, had been
regular contributors to Counterpunch , publishing many dozens of articles there and
certainly were its most highly-credentialed writers on intelligence and national security
matters. But editor Alexander Cockburn refused to publish any of their 9/11 skepticism, so it
never came to my attention at the time. Indeed, when I mentioned Christison's views to current
Counterpunch editor Jeffrey St. Clair a couple of years ago, he was stunned to
discover that the friend he had regarded so very highly had actually become a "9/11 Truther."
When media organs serve as ideological gatekeepers, widespread ignorance becomes
unavoidable.
For those so interested, Christison's 2006 article mentioned the strong evidence he found in
a C-Span broadcast of
a two-hour panel discussion on the September 11th terrorist attacks , and especially cited
the documentary Loose Change as an excellent summary of many of the flaws in the
official 9/11 case. The full "Final Cut" version of that film is conveniently available on
YouTube:
With so many gaping holes in the official story of the events seventeen years ago, each of
us is free to choose to focus on those we personally consider most extreme and obvious. Danish
Chemistry professor Niels Harrit was one of the scientists who analyzed the debris of the
destroyed buildings and detected the residual presence of nano-thermite, a military-grade
explosive compound, and I found him quite credible during his hour long interview on Red Ice
Radio . The notion that an undamaged hijacker passport was found in an NYC street after
the massive, fiery destruction of the skyscrapers is totally absurd, as was the highly
incriminating contents of the hijacker luggage recovered in a lost airline bag. And the
testimonies of the dozens of firefighters who heard explosions just before the
collapse of the buildings seems totally inexplicable under the official story. The sudden total
collapse of Building Seven, never hit by any jetliners is also extremely implausible.
Let us now suppose that the overwhelming weight of evidence is correct, and concur with
high-ranking former CIA intelligence analysts, distinguished academics, and experienced
professionals that the 9/11 attacks were not what they appeared to be. We recognize the extreme
implausibility that three huge skyscrapers in New York City suddenly collapsed at free-fall
velocity into their own footprints after just two of them were hit by airplanes, and also that
a large civilian jetliner probably did not strike the Pentagon leaving absolutely no wreckage
and only a small hole. What actually did happen, and more importantly, who was behind it?
The first question is obviously impossible to answer without an honest and thorough official
investigation of the evidence. In the absence of that, numerous, somewhat conflicting
hypotheses have been advanced and debated within the confines of the 9/11 Truth community. But
the second question is probably the more important and relevant one, and I think it has always
represented a source of extreme vulnerability to 9/11 Truthers.
The most typical approach, as generally followed in the numerous Griffin books, is to avoid
the issue entirely and focus solely on the gaping flaws in the official narrative. This is a
perfectly acceptable position but leaves all sorts of serious doubts. What organized group
would have been sufficiently powerful and daring to carry off an attack of such vast scale
against the central heart of the world's sole superpower? And how were they then able to
orchestrate such a massively effective media and political cover-up, even enlisting the
participation of the American government itself?
The much smaller slice of 9/11 Truthers who choose to address this "whodunit" question seem
to be overwhelmingly concentrated among rank-and-file grassroots activists rather than the
prestigious experts, and they usually answer "inside job!" Their widespread belief seems to be
that the top political leadership of the Bush Administration, probably including Vice President
Dick Cheney and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, had organized the terrorist attacks, either
with or without the knowledge of their nominal but ignorant superior, President George W. Bush.
The suggested motives included justification for military attacks against various countries,
supporting the financial interests of the powerful oil industry and military-industrial
complex, and enabling the destruction of traditional American civil liberties. Since the vast
majority of politically-active Truthers seem to come from the far left of the ideological
spectrum, these sorts of notions seem logical and almost self-evident.
Although not explicitly endorsing those Truther conspiracies, filmmaker Michael Moore's
leftist box office hit Fahrenheit 9/11 seemed to raise such similar suspicions. His
small budget documentary earned an astonishing $220 million by suggesting that the very close
business ties between the Bush family, Cheney, the oil companies, and the Saudis were
responsible for the Iraq War aftermath of the terrorist attacks, with the domestic crackdown on
civil liberties being part-and-parcel of the right-wing Republican agenda.
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Unfortunately, this apparently plausible picture seems to have almost no basis in reality.
During the drive to the Iraq War, I read Times articles interviewing numerous top oil
men in Texas who expressed total puzzlement at why America was planning the attack, saying that
they could only assume that President Bush knew something that they themselves did not. Saudi
Arabian leaders were adamantly opposed to an American attack on Iraq, and made every effort to
prevent it. Prior to his joining the Bush Administration, Cheney had served as CEO of
Halliburton, an oil services giant, and his firm had heavily lobbied for the lifting of U.S.
economic sanctions against Iraq. Prof. James Petras, a scholar of strong Marxist leanings,
published an excellent 2008 book entitled Zionism, Militarism, and the Decline of US
Power in which he conclusively demonstrated that Zionist interests rather than those of
the oil industry had dominated the Bush Administration in the wake of the 9/11 attacks.
As for Michael Moore's film, I remember at the time sharing a laugh with a (Jewish) friend
of mine, both of us finding it ridiculous that a government so overwhelmingly permeated by
fanatically pro-Israel Neocons was being portrayed as in thrall to the Saudis. Not only did the
plot of Moore's film indicate the fearsome power of Jewish Hollywood, but its huge success
demonstrated that most of the American public had apparently never heard of the Neocons.
Bush critics properly ridiculed the president for his tongue-tied statement that the 9/11
terrorists had attacked America "for its freedoms" and Truthers have reasonably branded as
implausible the claims that the massive attacks were organized by a cave-dwelling Islamic
preacher. But the suggestion that that they were led and organized by the top figures of the
Bush Administration seems even more preposterous.
Cheney and Rumsfeld had both spent decades as stalwarts of the moderate pro-business wing of
the Republican Party, each serving in top government positions and also CEOs of major
corporations. The notion that they capped their careers by joining a new Republican
administration in early 2001 and immediately began organizing a gigantic false-flag terrorist
attack upon the proudest towers of our largest city together with our own national military
headquarters, hoping to kill many thousands of Americans in the process, is too ridiculous to
even be part of a leftist political satire.
Let's step back a bit. In the entire history of the world, I can think of no documented case
in which the top political leadership of a country launched a major false-flag attack upon its
own centers of power and finance and tried to kill large numbers of its own people. The America
of 2001 was a peaceful and prosperous country run by relatively bland political leaders focused
upon the traditional Republican goals of enacting tax-cuts for the rich and reducing
environmental regulations. Too many Truther activists have apparently drawn their understanding
of the world from the caricatures of leftist comic-books in which corporate Republicans are all
diabolical Dr. Evils, seeking to kill Americans out of sheer malevolence, and Cockburn was
absolutely correct to ridicule them at
least on that particular score.
Consider also the simple practicalities of the situation. The gigantic nature of the 9/11
attacks as postulated by the Truth movement would have clearly required enormous planning and
probably involved the work of many dozens or even hundreds of skilled agents. Directing CIA
operatives or special military units to organize secret attacks against civilian targets in
Venezuela or Yemen is one thing, but ordering them to mount attacks against the Pentagon and
the heart of New York City would be fraught with stupendous risk.
Bush had lost the popular vote in November 2000 and had only reached the White House because
of a few dangling chads in Florida and the controversial decision of a deeply divided Supreme
Court, so most of the American media regarded his new administration with considerable
hostility for those reasons. If the first act of such a newly-sworn presidential team had been
directing the CIA or the military to prepare attacks against New York City and the Pentagon,
surely those orders would have been regarded as issued by a group of lunatics, and immediately
leaked to the hostile national press.
The whole scenario of top American leaders being the masterminds behind 9/11 is beyond
ridiculous, and those 9/11 Truthers who make or imply such claims -- doing so without a single
shred of solid evidence -- have unfortunately played a major role in discrediting their entire
movement. In fact, the common meaning of the "inside job" scenario is so patently absurd and
self-defeating that one might even suspect that the claim was encouraged by those seeking to
discredit the entire 9/11 Truth movement as a consequence.
On the other hand, it does seem entirely plausible that Cheney, Rumsfeld, and other top Bush
leaders may have been manipulated into taking certain actions that inadvertently furthered the
9/11 plot, while a few lower-level Bush appointees might have been more directly involved,
perhaps even as outright conspirators. But that is not the normal meaning of the "inside job"
accusation.
So where do we now stand? It seems very likely that the 9/11 attacks were the work of an
organization far more powerful and professionally-skilled than a rag-tag band of nineteen
random Arabs armed with box-cutters, but also the attacks were clearly not the work of the
American government itself. So who actually attacked our country on that fateful day seventeen
years ago, killing thousands of our fellow citizens?
Effective intelligence operations are concealed in a hall of mirrors, often extremely
difficult for outsiders to discern, and false-flag terrorist attacks certainly fall into this
category. But applying a different metaphor, the complexities of such events may be seen as a
Gordian Knot, almost impossible to disentangle, but which may sometimes easily be cut by asking
the simple question "Who benefited?"
America and most of the world certainly did not, and the disastrous legacy of that fateful
day have transformed our own society and much of the entire world. The endless American wars
soon unleashed have already cost us many trillions of dollars and set our nation on the road to
bankruptcy, while killing or displacing many millions of innocent Middle Easterners. Most
recently, that flood of desperate refugees has begun engulfing Europe, and the peace and
prosperity of that ancient continent is now under severe threat.
Our traditional civil liberties and constitutional protections have been drastically eroded,
and our society placed on the road to becoming an outright police state, with American citizens
now passively accepting unimaginable infringements on their personal freedoms, all originally
begun under the guise of preventing terrorism.
I find it difficult to think of any country in the world that clearly gained as a result of
the 9/11 attacks and America's military reaction, with one single, solitary exception.
During 2000 and most of 2001, America was a peaceful prosperous country, but a certain small
Middle Eastern nation had found itself in an increasingly desperate situation. Israel then
seemed to be fighting for its life against the massive waves of domestic terrorism that
constituted much of the Second Intifada.
According to many analysts, Ariel Sharon had deliberately provoked that Palestinian uprising
in September 2000 by marching to the Temple Mount backed by a thousand armed police, and the
resulting violence and polarization of Israeli society had successfully installed him as Prime
Minister in early 2001. But once in office, his notoriously harsh measures failed to prevent a
wave of continuing attacks, increasingly made by from suicide-bombers, and there was a
widespread opinion that the violence would soon trigger a huge outflow of Israeli citizens,
perhaps producing a death-spiral for the Jewish state. Iraq, Iran, Libya, and other major
Muslim powers were supporting the Palestinians with money, rhetoric, and sometimes even
weapons, and it appeared that Israeli society was beginning to crumble. I remember hearing from
some of my DC friends that numerous Israeli policy experts were suddenly seeking berths at
Neocon thinktanks so that they could relocate to America.
Sharon was a notoriously bloody and reckless leader, with a long history of being willing to
undertake strategic gambles of astonishing boldness, sometimes betting everything on a single
roll of the dice. He had spent decades seeking the Prime Ministership, and having finally
obtained it, he now had his back to the wall, with no obvious source of rescue in sight.
The 9/11 attacks changed everything. Suddenly the world's sole superpower was fully
mobilized against Arab and Muslim terrorist movements, especially those connected with the
Middle East. Sharon's close Neocon political allies in America used the unexpected crisis as an
opportunity to seize control of America's foreign policy and national security apparatus, with
an NSA staffer later reporting that Israeli generals freely roamed the halls of the Pentagon
without any security controls. Meanwhile, the excuse of preventing domestic terrorism was used
to implement newly centralized American police controls that were employed to harass or even
shut down various anti-Zionist political organizations. One of the Israeli Mossad agents
arrested by the police in New York City as he and his fellows were celebrating the 9/11 attacks
and producing a souvenir film of the burning World Trade Center towers told the officers that
"Terrorism is now America's problem." And so it immediately became.
General Wesley Clark reported that soon after the 9/11 attacks he was informed that a secret
military plan had somehow come into being under which America would attack and destroy seven
major Muslim countries over the next few years, including Iraq, Iran, Syria, and Libya, which
coincidentally were all of Israel's strongest regional adversaries and the leading supporters
of the Palestinians. As America began to expend enormous oceans of blood and treasure attacking
all of Israel's enemies after 9/11, Israel itself no longer had as much need to do so, and
partly as a consequence, almost no other nation in the world has so enormously improved its
strategic and economic situation during the last seventeen years, even while a large fraction
of the American population has become completely impoverished during that same period and our
country burdened with an insurmountable national debt. A parasite can often grow fat even as
its host suffers and declines.
As I have emphasized, for many years after the 9/11 attacks I paid little attention to its
details and had only the vaguest notion that there existed an organized 9/11 Truth movement.
But if someone had ever told me that the terrorist attacks had been false-flag events and
someone other than Osama had been responsible, my immediate guess would have been Israel and
its Mossad.
Certainly no other nation in the world can remotely match Israel's track-record of
remarkably bold high-level assassinations and false-flag attacks, terrorist and otherwise,
against other countries, certainly including America and its military. Furthermore, the
enormous dominance of Jewish and pro-Israel elements in the American establishment media and
increasingly that of many other major countries in the West has long ensured that even when the
solid evidence of such attacks were discovered, very few ordinary Americans would ever hear of
them.
The pattern of behavior is really quite remarkable. During the 1940s, even prior to the
establishment of the State of Israel, the various Zionist factions assassinated Lord Moyne, the
British Minister for the Middle East and Count Folke Bernadotte, the UN Peace Negotiator, and
made unsuccessful attempts to kill
President Harry S. Truman and British
Foreign Minister Ernest Bevin , while even discussing the possible assassination of
Prime
Minister Winston Churchill . There seems considerable evidence that the Israeli Mossad
subsequently played a central
role in the assassination of President John F. Kennedy because of the enormous pressure he
was applying to persuade Israel to abandon its nuclear weapons plans. Mossad defector Victor
Ostrovsky warned the American government that Israel was planning to assassinate President
George H.W. Bush in the early 1990s due to the bitter conflict over financial aid, and
apparently those warnings were taken seriously . As recently as 2012, the editor of the
main Jewish newspaper in Atlanta publicly called for the assassination of President Barack Obam a over his
policy differences with Israel.
The history of military and terrorist attacks is even more striking. One of history's
largest terrorist attacks prior to 9/11 was the 1946 bombing of the King David
Hotel in Jerusalem by Zionist militants dressed as Arabs, which killed 91 people and
largely destroyed the structure. In the famous Lavon Affair of 1954 ,
Israeli agents launched a wave of terrorist attacks against Western targets in Egypt, intending
to have them blamed on anti-Western Arab groups. In 1950, there are strong claims that Israeli
Mossad agents launched a wave of false-flag terrorist bombings against Jewish targets in
Baghdad, successfully using those violent methods to help persuade Iraq's large thousand-year
Jewish community to emigrate to the Jewish state. In 1967, Israel launched a deliberate air and sea
attack against the U.S.S. Liberty , intending to leave no survivors, and
ultimately killing or wounding over 200 American servicemen before word of the attack got out
and it was called off.
The enormous extent of pro-Israel influence in world political and media circles meant that
none of these brutal attacks ever drew serious retaliation, and in nearly all cases, they were
quickly thrown down the memory hole, so that today probably no more than one in a hundred
Americans is aware of them. Most of these secret attacks against American and other Western
targets came to light due to chance circumstances, so we may easily suspect that many other
attacks of a similar nature have never become part of the historical record.
Once we accept that the 9/11 attacks were probably a false-flag operation, an absolutely
central clue to the likely perpetrators has been their extraordinary success in ensuring that
such a gigantic wealth of enormously suspicious evidence has been totally ignored by virtually
the entire American media, whether liberal or conservative, left-wing or right-wing.
The only other such extreme cases that come to my mind almost invariably involve either
Jewish issues or Israel. For example, virtually no Americans are today aware of the close Nazi-Zionist
economic partnership of the 1930s that was a crucial factor in the creation of the State of
Israel. Similarly, although our Western media has enshrined it as one of the central events of
the twentieth century, there seems a good likelihood that the Jewish Holocaust of the Second
World War is either substantially or almost entirely fraudulent . Even highly successful
false-flag terrorist operations will tend to leave behind many individual clues, and possessing
the media power to cause this evidence to vanish from perceived reality is an extraordinarily
useful tool for such situations.
Meanwhile, in the particular case at hand, the considerable number of zealously pro-Israel
Neocons situated just beneath the public surface of the Bush Administration in 2001 would have
greatly facilitated both the successful organization of the attacks and their effective
cover-up and concealment, with Paul Wolfowitz, Douglas Feith, Scooter Libby, and Richard Perle
merely among the most obvious names. Whether such individuals were knowing conspirators or
merely had personal ties allowing them to be persuaded to take steps furthering the plot is
entirely unclear.
Most of this information must surely be obvious within knowledgeable circles, and I strongly
suspect that many individuals who had paid much greater attention than myself to the details of
the 9/11 attacks may have quickly formed a tentative conclusion along these same times. But for
obvious social and political reasons, there is an enormous reluctance to publicly point the
finger of blame towards Israel on a matter of such enormous magnitude, so except for a few
fringe activists here and there, they kept their suspicions to themselves and simply remained
silent.
Meanwhile, the leaders of the 9/11 Truth movement probably feared they would be destroyed by
media accusations of deranged anti-Semitism if they did expressed a whisper of such suspicions.
This political strategy may have been necessary, but by failing to name any plausible culprit,
they created a vacuum that was soon filled by "useful idiots" of the "inside job" persuasion,
who pointed an accusing finger at Cheney and Rumfeld, and thereby did so much to discredit the
entire 9/11 Truth movement.
This unfortunate conspiracy of silence finally ended in 2009 when Dr. Alan Sabrosky,
former Director of Studies at the US Army War College, stepped forward and publicly declared that the
Israeli Mossad had very likely been responsible for the 9/11 attacks, writing a series of
columns on the subject, and eventually presenting his views in a number of media interviews,
along with additional
analyses .
Obviously, such explosive charges never reached the pages of my morning Times , but
they did receive considerable transitory coverage in elements of the alternative media, and I
remember seeing the links very prominently featured at Antiwar.com and widely
discussed elsewhere. I had never previously heard of Sabrosky, so I consulted my archiving
system and immediately discovered that he had a perfectly respectable record of
publication on military affairs in mainstream foreign policy periodicals and had also held a
series of academic appointments at prestigious institutions. Reading one or two of his articles
on 9/11, I felt he made a rather persuasive case for Mossad involvement, with some of his
information already known to me but much of it not.
Since I was very busy with my software work and had never spent any time investigating 9/11
or reading any of the books on the topic, my belief in his claims back then was obviously quite
tentative. But now that I have finally looked into the topic in much greater detail and done a
great deal of reading, I think it seems quite likely that his 2009 analysis was entirely
correct.
I would particularly recommend his long 2011 interview on Iranian Press TV, which I first
watched just a couple of days ago. He came across as highly credible and forthright in his
claims: Here's a highly controversial clip from a much
longer radio interview he did in 2010:
Sabrosky focused much attention upon a certain portion of a Dutch documentary film on
the 9/11 attacks produced several years earlier. In one fascinating interview, a professional
demolition expert named Danny Jowenko who was largely ignorant of the 9/11 attacks immediately
identified the filmed collapse of WTC Building 7 as a controlled-demolition, and the remarkable
clip was broadcast worldwide on Press TV and widely discussed on the
Internet.
And by a very strange coincidence, just three days after Jowenko's broadcast video interview
had received such heavy attention,
he had the misfortune to die in a frontal collision with a tree in Holland . I'd suspect
that the community of professional demolition experts is a small one, and Jowenko's surviving
industry colleagues may have quickly concluded that bad luck might come to those who rendered
controversial future opinions on the collapse of the three World Trade Center towers.
Meanwhile, the ADL soon mounted a huge and largely
successful effort to have Press TV banned in the West for promoting "anti-Semitic
conspiracy theories," even persuading YouTube to entirely eliminate its huge video archive of
its past shows.
Most recently, Dr. Sabrosky provided an hour-long presentation at this June's Deep Truth video panel conference , during
which he expressed considerable pessimism about America's political predicament, and suggested
that the Zionist control over our politics and media had grown even stronger over the last
decade.
The late Alan
Hart , a very distinguished British broadcast journalist and foreign correspondent, also
broke his
silence in 2010 and similarly pointed to the Israelis as the likely culprits in the 9/11
attacks, and those interested may wish to listen to his extended interview .
One of the first writers to explore this topic was journalist Christopher Bollyn, and the
details contained in his long series of newspaper articles are often quoted by other
researchers. In 2012, he gathered together this material and published it in the form of a book
entitled Solving 9-11 , thereby making his information on the possible role of the
Israeli Mossad in the attacks available to a wider audience. However, his volume severely
suffers from the typical lack of resources available to the writers on the political fringe,
with very poor organization and frequent repetition of the same points due to its origins in a
set of individual articles. So those who purchase it should be forewarned about these severe
stylistic weaknesses.
Probably a much better compendium of the very extensive evidence pointing to the probable
Israeli hand behind the 9/11 attacks has been more recently provided by French journalist
Laurent Guyénot, both in his 2017 book JFK-9/11: 50 Years of the Deep State and
also his 8,500 word article "9/11 was an Israeli Job" that is
being published as a companion piece to this one. His background in 9/11 Truth issues vastly
exceeds my own very limited investigation of the subject and he provides a far greater wealth
of detail than I could possibly include in this simple summary. While I wouldn't necessarily
agree with all his claims and analysis, the overall account is certainly consistent with my
own.
I think I might as well add a couple of nuggets of my own in support of the Israeli Mossad
Hypothesis.
We would normally expect that terrorist attacks resulting in the complete destruction of
three gigantic office buildings in New York City and an aerial assault on the Pentagon would be
an operation of enormous size and scale, involving very considerable organizational
infrastructure and manpower. Yet in the aftermath of the attacks, the US government undertook
great efforts to locate and arrest the surviving Islamic conspirators, but scarcely managed to
find a single one. Apparently, they had all died in the attacks themselves or otherwise simply
vanished into thin air.
But oddly enough, without making much effort at all, the American government did quickly
round up and arrest
some 200 Israeli Mossad agents , many of whom had been based in exactly the same
geographical locations as the purported 19 Arab hijackers. Furthermore, NYC police arrested some of
these agents publicly celebrating the 9/11 attacks , while others were caught driving vans
in the New York area containing explosives or their residual traces. Most of these Mossad
agents refused to answer any questions, and many of those who did failed polygraph tests, but
under political pressure all were eventually released and deported back to Israel.
There is also another fascinating tidbit that I have very rarely seen mentioned. One
month after the 9/11 attacks, an Israeli intelligence officer and a local Jewish activist were
caught attempting to sneak weapons and explosives into the Mexican Parliament building, a story
that naturally produced several banner-headlines in leading Mexican newspapers at the time but
which was totally ignored by the American media. Eventually, under massive political pressure,
all charges were dropped and the Israeli agent deported back home. I remember first
encountering this extremely suspicious incident in the early 2000s on an
fringe Hispanic-activist website , and the scanned front pages of the Mexican newspapers
reporting the dramatic events were once available elsewhere on the Internet, but after all
these years I can no longer easily locate them. The details of this incident are obviously
rather fragmentary and perhaps garbled, but certainly quite intriguing.
One might speculate that if Islamic terrorists had followed up their 9/11 attacks by also
destroying the Mexican parliament building a month later, Latin American support for America's
military invasions in the Middle East would have been enormously greater. Furthermore, any
scenes of such massive destruction in the Mexican capital by Arab terrorists would surely have
been broadcast non-stop on Univision, America's dominant Spanish-language network, fully
solidifying Hispanic support for President Bush's military endeavors.
I doubt that I've spent more than just a few weeks of my total time reading and researching
that complex topic, most of that only very recently. I am sure that numerous readers far more
knowledgeable than myself will notice various serious errors in my discussion and generously
assist in correcting those. Furthermore, my preparation of this analysis was unfortunately cut
short by the approach of an particular anniversary date, so that under different circumstances
my presentation would have been far more complete and more polished. But I felt there would be
some benefits in making this material immediately available to others, even though many might
already be familiar with most or all of this information.
Readers should therefore regard this as a preliminary version of my article, which I may
render into a more polished form within the next couple of days, a practice that I have never
previously followed.
metadata for the uk police photos show the airport pix used micro$oft photo editing app
back on may 3rd. check the direct download buttons at the police site pages and ignore the
html embed.
"... "There were plenty of baseless allegations against Moscow and concrete sanctions based on them. Apparently, the only winner in this continued theatre of absurdity is Nina Ricci, the product of which got some free ad as a container for the toxic chemical," ..."
The nerve agent attack in Salisbury has so far had only one benefactor – Nina Ricci,
which got free advertising due to a disguise apparently used by the perpetrators to hide the
poison, the Russian envoy to the UN joked. The British investigators said a counterfeit Nina
Ricci bottle was used as a container and delivery device for the chemical used in the poisoning
of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in March. The same container was found by a struggling
couple from Amesbury, who got poisoned themselves. Read more
Speaking at a UN Security Council session on Thursday, Russian envoy Vasily Nebenzya,
denounced Britain for accusing Russia of the crimes, saying that the allegations are not base
on any hard evidence.
"There were plenty of baseless allegations against Moscow and concrete sanctions based
on them. Apparently, the only winner in this continued theatre of absurdity is Nina Ricci, the
product of which got some free ad as a container for the toxic chemical," he said.
Britain says two Russian military intelligence agents tried to kill Skripal with a
weapons-grade chemical weapon, claiming the identification was made by the British
intelligence. Russia denies any involvement and accuses Britain of spinning the case to stir
anti-Russian sentiment.
"... The UK has stirred up the Skripal saga for the sake of waging a broader campaign to kowtow to the anti-Russian rhetoric inside the British government, ex-London mayor Ken Livingstone has told RT. ..."
"... "military intelligence agents" ..."
"... "What struck me over last couple of years seem to me ratcheting up of anti-Russian sentiment almost trying to recreate a Cold War," ..."
"... "a hidden political agenda here as part of broader anti-Russian campaign" ..."
The UK has stirred up the Skripal saga for the sake of waging a broader campaign to
kowtow to the anti-Russian rhetoric inside the British government, ex-London mayor Ken
Livingstone has told RT. The latest smoking gun of allegations against Russia fired by
London, with the British Prime Minister Theresa May claiming that Russian "military
intelligence agents" attempted to murder former spy Sergei Skripal, leaves too many
questions and doubts, Livingstone believes.
"What struck me over last couple of years seem to me ratcheting up of anti-Russian
sentiment almost trying to recreate a Cold War," the former mayor told RT. He stressed
that London's turning its back to Moscow's constant readiness to cooperate and failure to
present to the public a shred of evidence – if there is any – might be a sign of
"a hidden political agenda here as part of broader anti-Russian campaign" inside the
British government.
Livingstone is not the only one who doubts the narrative. Independent political analyst Dan
Glazebrook, who also shared his views with RT, pointed how clumsy the alleged agents should
have been – from taking a train to reach their target to allowing themselves to be caught
on CCTV.
Talking of 5th column, lest forget the solid one in the UK.
Deep State's mouthpiece "The Telegraph" had dedicated several articles to the
identification of alleged Skripal Novichok poisoners, named as two Russian nationals who
briefly entered the UK under the aliases Petrov and Beshorov.
Sycophantic PM Theresa May has gone as far as stating that the suspects are GRU agents,
and pointing the finger at President Putin.
Jeremy Corbyn is being hounded because he is very reserved about the Novichok story.
The UK government is fully embedded with Zionist Israel. This cock-and-bull story, which
details have been nonetheless very well presented, is a very alarming hint that something is
in preparation against Russia, either directly in Syrian, or less directly in the
Ukraine.
@Iris Talking of
5th column, lest forget the solid one in the UK.
Deep State's mouthpiece "The Telegraph" had dedicated several articles to the
identification of alleged Skripal Novichok poisoners, named as two Russian nationals who
briefly entered the UK under the aliases Petrov and Beshorov.
Sycophantic PM Theresa May has gone as far as stating that the suspects are GRU agents,
and pointing the finger at President Putin.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1VqSJCa7RA
Jeremy Corbyn is being hounded because he is very reserved about the Novichok story.
The UK government is fully embedded with Zionist Israel. This cock-and-bull story, which
details have been nonetheless very well presented, is a very alarming hint that something is
in preparation against Russia, either directly in Syrian, or less directly in the Ukraine.
Novichock poisoning false flag (Continued).
A possible explanation of the Novichok story being spun at the moment in the UK is that a
Western/Israeli military attack on Syria is in preparation to stop the Arab Syrian Army from
entering Idlib, the last terrorist stronghold.
Such Western intervention requires the pretext of a chemical attack, that will be staged
in the field by the proxy White Helmets, while UK public opinion will be subdued with
terrorising stories of weapons of mass destruction.
This same pretext was used for the April 2018 Western bombing of Syria. This bombing was
aimed at hitting key Syrian targets, but its scale was finally limited by the intervention of
General Mattis, who dreaded reciprocated actions against the 3000 US servicemen present in
Syria.
"The White Helmets (and an alleged chemical attack) are the last hope for regime change
in Syria"
Very interesting interview of former UK Ambassador Ford by SyrianGirl:
One day after Theresa May's Novichok show at the British Parliament , France's Chief of
Military Staff Francois Lecointre has declared that France is ready to strike Syria should
she dare a "chemical attack" on Idlib.
Both poodles each side of the Channel are barking in synchronism; Israel is pulling on the
leashes and something bad is in preparation.
Here is Francois Lecointre in his brown uniform. Unknown to us stupid plebeians, France
must be surrounded by steppes and deserts for brown to have been chosen as camouflage
colour.
John Wight has written for a variety of newspapers and websites, including the
Independent, Morning Star, Huffington Post, Counterpunch, London Progressive Journal, and
Foreign Policy Journal. The recent development in the Skripals poisoning case is
guaranteed to plunge already dire relations between Moscow and London through the floor. At a
set-piece press conference in London, Neil Basu, head of the London Met's counter-terrorism
police force, positively identified two Russian suspects in the case. He produced CCTV images
of the two individuals along with their names and details of their movements from Russia to the
UK and back again. He also alleged that according to a " working hypothesis " the
suspects smuggled the Novichok substance used in the attempt on the lives of former Russia
intelligence office and British spy Sergei Skripal, and daughter Yulia, into the country with
them from Russia. Read more Names of
'Russian suspects' in Skripal case published by UK don't mean anything to us –
Moscow
The rocket fuel this very significant and very serious development adds to the already
seething anti-Russia sentiment and feeling that dominates the minds of the British political
and media establishment is self-evident. At a time of multiple crises involving Moscow and
London – crises yet to be resolved around the conflict in Syria, tensions over Ukraine,
the presence of NATO troops and military assets close to Russia's western border, sanctions,
etc. – it is extraordinarily worrying that relations between both countries have now
plunged to their lowest point since the end of the Cold War.
That the Russian state is capable of carrying out an attack of this nature is not in doubt.
All states are capable of carrying out such attacks, and all states, including Britain, have
carried them out at various points in their history. But the timing of this particular attack
is key, given that it took place just a few months prior to the start of the World Cup in
Russia, and at a time when the Russian government was extending itself in attempting to repair
relations with the West with a view to achieving normalization.
Then, too, the motive remains impossible to discern. Sergei Skripal had been living openly
under his own name in Salisbury, England, where the attack took place, for some time, so
clearly did not believe that he was in any danger.
The international damage to Russia's reputation as a consequence of being behind such an
attack is likewise not in any doubt.
These points are not, of course, made as infallible proof that the Russian government or
intelligence was not responsible. But they are pertinent in of themselves, given the
context.
Another point worth raising is the sheer crudity of two supposed Russian agents taking a
direct flight to and from the UK to carry out the attack and travelling together both ways.
Such amateurish planning is the stuff of your average Hollywood spy spoof movie rather anything
you would associate with a serious intelligence agency.
Significantly, during his press conference and presentation, Mr Basu did not go as far as
alleging Russian state involvement. Such restraint, however, has long been a foreign land where
the prime minister is concerned.
In her statement to the Commons on this latest development, Theresa May wasted no time in
unleashing a rhetorical artillery barrage against the Kremlin, buoyed by a feral chorus of MPs
who almost to a man and woman had already embraced Russia as the officially designated enemy of
all that is holy and good in the world.
Either the prime minister knows something that the head of the Met's counter-terrorism
police force does not, or we have entered an age when blaming Russia for everything is an
unofficial requirement of the duties of high political office in Westminster.
To be fair to the prime minister though, she's been blaming the Kremlin for this crime
almost since the very day it took place, gleefully riding the wave of anti-Russia hysteria that
had already been whipped up by a mainstream media whose denizens one James Connolly was once
minded to describe as " The inkslingers of the jingo press ."
With her leadership mired in crisis over Brexit, and with her errant former foreign
secretary and putative prime minister, Boris Johnson, currently breathing down her neck with a
looming challenge to her leadership, for the prime minister the timing of this development
could not, politically, be more convenient. For at such moments she is able to give free rein
to the appearance of the kind of strong and robust leadership qualities that are, in truth,
grievously absent.
Going forward, this will only add more grist to the mill of a neocon firmament whose very
existence is predicated on maintaining Russia in the role of existential threat to Western
civilization. A frog's chorus of calls and demands for ever more stringent trade, financial and
economic sanctions against Moscow will reach a crescendo, buttressed by an uptick in the
deployment of troops and military assets to eastern Europe in a futile effort to intimidate and
cow the Kremlin into accepting its prescribed status as a vassal of Washington and its
allies.
Worryingly, in 2018 we have reached the stage that George Orwell described in his classic
novel, 1984: " The enemy of the moment always represented absolute evil, and it followed
that no past or future agreement with him was possible. "
Western ideologues should take a moment to consider that Orwell wrote his classic work as a
warning not a blueprint.
"... Over the past decade or so, a disturbing number of Russian nationals living in Britain have met untimely deaths. The victims – at least 14 – have been high-profile individuals, such as oligarch businessman Boris Berezovsky or former Kremlin security agent Alexander Litvinenko. All were living in Britain as exiles, and all were viewed as opponents of President Vladimir Putin's government. ..."
"... Invariably, British politicians and news media refer to the deaths of Russian émigrés as "proof" of Russian state "malign activity". Putin in particular is accused of ordering "the hits" as some kind of vendetta against critics and traitors. ..."
"... The claims of Russian state skulduggery have been reported over and over without question in the British media as well as US media. It has become an article-of-faith espoused by British and American politicians alike. "Putin is a killer," they say with seeming certainty. There is simply no question about it in their assertions. ..."
Over the past decade or so, a disturbing number of Russian nationals living in Britain have
met untimely deaths. The victims – at least 14 – have been high-profile
individuals, such as oligarch businessman Boris Berezovsky or former Kremlin security agent
Alexander Litvinenko. All were living in Britain as exiles, and all were viewed as opponents of
President Vladimir Putin's government.
Invariably, British politicians and news media
refer to the deaths of Russian émigrés as "proof" of Russian state "malign
activity". Putin in particular is accused of ordering "the hits" as some kind of vendetta
against critics and traitors.
The claims of Russian state skulduggery have been reported over and over without question in
the British media as well as US media. It has become an article-of-faith espoused by British
and American politicians alike. "Putin is a killer," they say with seeming certainty. There is
simply no question about it in their assertions.
The claims have also been given a quasi-legal veracity, with a British government-appointed
inquiry in the case of Alexander Litvinenko making a conclusion
that his death in 2006 was "highly likely" the result of a Kremlin plot to assassinate. Putin
was personally implicated in the death of Litvinenko by the official British inquiry. The
victim was said to have been poisoned with radioactive polonium. Deathbed images of a
bald-headed Litvinenko conjure up a haunting image of alleged Kremlin evil-doing.
Once the notion of Russian evil-doing is inculcated the public mind, then subsequent events
can be easily invoked as "more proof" of what has already been "established". Namely, so it
goes, that the Russian state is carrying out assassinations on British territory.
Thus, we see this "corroborating" effect with the alleged poisoning of a former Russian
double-agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter in Salisbury back in March this year.
uke Harding likes writing books
about things that he wasn't really involved in and doesn't really understand. Unfortunately for
the rest of the world, that covers pretty much everything. His book about Snowden, for example,
was beautifully
taken down by Julian Assange – a person who was actually there.
He's priming the traumatised public for another of his works, this time about Sergei
Skripal. This one will probably be out by Christmas, unless he can find someone else's work to plagiarise , in which case he might
get it done sooner.
It will have a snide and not especially clever title, perhaps a sort of pun –
something like "A Poison by Any Other Name: How Russian assassins contaminated the heart of
rural England" . It will relate, in jarring sub-sub-le Carre prose, a story of Russian
malfeasance and evil beyond imagining, whilst depicting the whole cast as bumbling caricatures,
always held up for ridicule by the author and his smug readership.
There's an extract in The Guardian today. It's not listed as one, but trust me, it
will be in the book. It's title, as predicted above, is sort of a pun (and will probably
be a chapter heading):
Planes, trains and fake names: the trail left by Skripal suspects
You see? Like that film? I don't really get it either but until someone else comes up with
something clever he can copy, Luke is left to his own rather meagre devices.
It starts off surprisingly strong, waiting three whole sentences before lurching violently
into totally unsupported conjecture:
The two men were dressed inconspicuously in jeans, fleece jackets and trainers as they
boarded the flight from Moscow to Gatwick. Their names, according to their Russian passports,
were Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov. Both were around 40 years old. Neither looked
suspicious.
This is, as far as we know so far, true.
The plane trundled down the icy runway. In Moscow the temperatures had fallen below -10C,
not unusual for early March. In Britain it had been snowing.
and so is this. In fact, in googling "Moscow weather March 2018" Harding has displayed an
uncharacteristically thorough approach to research that was rarely (if ever) evidenced in his
previous works.
They had also packed a bottle of what appeared to be the Nina Ricci perfume Premier Jour.
The box it came in was prettily decorated with flowers, it listed ingredients including
alcohol and it bore the words "Made in France".
This is where truth ends and guesses take over: there is no evidence, at all, that these two
men had anything to do with the "perfume bottle" allegedly found by Charlie Rowley on June 27th
and allegedly containing a powerful nerve agent. There is (as far as we know) no fingerprint or
DNA evidence on the bottle, nobody saw them with the bottle, and there's no released CCTV
footage of them holding or carrying the bottle. Saying "it's in their backpack" is meaningless
without any evidence to back it up.
According to the Metropolitan police, the bottle in fact contained novichok, a lethal
nerve agent developed in the late Soviet Union. The bottle had been specially made to be
leakproof and had a customised applicator.
Note he doesn't feel the need to examine, question or even verify the words of the
Metropolitan Police. This is a recurring theme in Harding's works – there are people who
tell the truth (US) and people who lie (RUSSIANS). Evidence is a complication you can live
without.
Moscow's notorious poisons factory run by the KGB made similar devices throughout the cold
war.
Did they? Because he doesn't show any evidence this is true. One thing you can be sure of,
if there had ever been even a whisper about a "modified perfume bottle" in any Soviet archive
or from any "whistleblower currently living in the United States", it would be on the front
page in big black letters.
Petrov and Boshirov were aliases, detectives believe. Both men are suspected to be career
officers with the GRU, Russia's powerful and highly secretive military intelligence
service.
Note use of the word "believe", it makes regular appearances alongside it's buddies:
"suspect" and "probably".
And yes, they "believe" they are aliases because IF they were assassins then obviously they
used aliases. There's no evidence taken from their (currently totally theoretical) visa
applications that point to forgery, nobody at the time questioned their passports. As of today,
we have been given no reason to think they were aliases, except reasoning backwards from
assumed guilt which isn't how deduction works.
In fact, there's more than enough reason to assume they aren't aliases –
Firstly, they passed the visa check, secondly their passports were never questioned, thirdly
they've used them before (see below), and finally just WHY would a Russian spy-come-assassin
use a fake Russian name and a fake Russian passport? That's ridiculous.
The officers' assignment was covert. They were coming to Britain not as tourists but as
assassins.
[citation needed]
Their target was Sergei Skripal, a former GRU officer who spied for British intelligence,
got caught and was freed in a spy exchange in 2010. They were heading for his home in
provincial Salisbury.
Luke doesn't feel the need to dig down into the nitty gritty here – motive is a
trifle, to be added in the footnotes or made up on the spur of the moment when asked at a book
signing. I'm a bit more fussy than that – I feel the need to ask "Why did they release
him in 2010 and then try to kill him in 2018?" If they had wanted to kill him, why not just do
it when he was in prison in Russia between 2006 and 2010? If they wanted to kill him why do it
just weeks before the World Cup? What could they possibly have to gain?
Luke doesn't know, and neither do I.
Their Aeroflot flight SU2588 touched down at 3pm on Friday 2 March. They were recorded on
CCTV going through passport control, Boshirov with dark hair and a goatee beard, Petrov
unshaven and wearing a blue gingham shirt. Both were carrying satchels slung casually over
the shoulder.
This is all true, and completely unnecessary. It's what we in the industry call "filler" or
"padding". Totally meaningless and useless words that do nothing but take up space. Without it,
a lot of Luke's books would only be about 700 words long.
According to police, the pair had visited the UK before.
Way to bury the lead there, Luke.
This is actually quite important isn't it? I mean, when did they visit the UK before? Did
they visit Salisbury then too? Did they have any contact with Sergei Skripal? Were they
travelling under the same names? Were these visits linked with other intelligence work? Were
they just holidays? What kind of assassins would use the SAME FAKE IDS ON TWO DIFFERENT
OCCASIONS?
These are all very important questions, but Luke doesn't ask them. Because Luke is a modern
journalist, and they don't interrogate the claims of the state, just report them. To
Guardian reporters a question mark is just that funny squiggle next to the shift
key.
From Gatwick they caught the train to London Victoria station and then the tube to east
London, where they checked in to the City Stay hotel in Bow. It was a low-profile choice of
accommodation. The red-brick Victorian building is next to a branch of Barclays bank, a busy
train line and a wall daubed with graffiti. Across the road is a car pound and a Texaco
garage.
This just more filler. Totally meaningless packaging material. The prose equivalent of
All-Bran.
On hostile territory, Boshirov and Petrov operated in the manner of classic intelligence
operatives.
In this instance "the manner of classic intelligence operatives" means, flying direct to
London from Moscow, using Russian names and Russian passports (which you've used before),
checking into a hotel with a CCTV camera on the front door, going straight to the hometown of
an ex-double agent, leaving a Russian poison his front door even though he's already gone out,
dumping your unused poison in a charity bin on the high street, going back to your hotel,
smearing poison around that too even though you already dumped it, and then flying directly
back to Moscow without even waiting to see if the plan worked and the target is dead.
This, in Luke's head, is ace intelligence work.
On the day of the hit, according to detectives, the pair made a similar journey, taking
the 8.05am train from Waterloo to Salisbury and arriving at 11.48am.
Yes, they arrived at 11.48, making it absolutely pointless to put poison on the Skripal's
door, as they had already gone out.
The perfume bottle was probably concealed in a light grey backpack carried by Petrov.
It was "probably concealed" in that backpack because, as I said above, there's no evidence
either of those men ever knew the perfume bottle existed. You never see it in their
possession.
Oh, and the backpack would have to contain TWO bottles of perfume – because the police
aren't sure the bottle Rowley found 3 months later was the same bottle, and Rowley reported it
was unopened and wrapped in cellophane. Perhaps Luke should have read the details of the case
instead of trolling IMDB looking for movie titles with "plane" in them or googling "insouciant"
to see if he was using it right.
From Salisbury station the two men set off on foot. It was a short walk of about a mile to
Skripal's semi-detached home in Christie Miller Road.
which doesn't matter, because the Skripals weren't there. They left at 9.15 and there is no
evidence they ever returned.
At Skripal's house the Russians smeared or sprayed novichok on to the front door handle,
police say.
which doesn't matter, because the Skripals weren't there. They left at 9.15 and there is no
evidence they ever returned.
It doesn't matter if Borishov and Petrov re-tiled the bathroom with novichok grouting or hid
novichok in the battery compartment of Sergei's TV remote or replaced all his lightbulbs with
novichok bombs that explode when you use the clapper .according to everything we've been told
so far Sergei and Julia were literally never in that house again.
Luke seems to write a lot about this case, considering he is barely acquainted with the most
basic facts of it.
The moment went unobserved
True. There is not a single piece of footage, photograph or eyewitness placing these men
within a hundred feet of the Skripals, or their house. The "moment went unobserved" is an
incredibly dishonest way of phrasing this, "the moment is entirely theoretical" is rather
fairer. Or, if you want to be honest "it's possible none of this happened".
At some point on their walk back they must have tossed away the bottle, which at this
point was too dangerous to try to smuggle back through customs.
It's all falling into place perfectly isn't it?
At some point the two men, who we never see holding or carrying the bottle, must have
thrown it away because three months later someone else found it.
They took it through customs once but couldn't a second time, because reasons.
Also one of them was smiling a sort of "I just poisoned somebody" smile:
At 1.05pm the men were recorded in Fisherton Street on their way back to the station. They
appeared more relaxed, Petrov grinning even.
Those evil bastards.
By the time Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found collapsed on a park bench
in the centre of Salisbury later that afternoon, the poisoners were gone.
No Luke: By the time Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found collapsed on a
park bench in the centre of Salisbury later that afternoon, the ALLEGED poisoners were
gone.
Alleged is an important word for example, there is a marked difference between being an
ALLEGED plagiarist, and being a
plagiarist .
The visitors were captured on CCTV one more time, at Heathrow airport. It was 7.28pm and
both men were going through security, Petrov first, wheeling a small black case. In his right
hand was a shiny red object, his Russian passport. Police believe the passport was genuine,
his name not. In other words, that it was a sophisticated espionage operation carried out by
a state or state entities.
You see? Nobody thought the passport was fake, which means it was a really good fake
. So the Russian state must have been in on it. This is known as an unfalsifiable hypothesis.
If the passport did look fake, that would be evidence that the men were spies and
therefore the Russian state was in on it.
Harding has created a narrative where there is literally no development that could ever
challenge his conclusions.
Seemingly, the GRU plan – executed two weeks before Russia's presidential election
– had worked perfectly.
This is an example of the cum hoc ergo propter hoc logical fallacy – two things
happen at the same time, therefore they happen for the same reason. It's a maneuver we at OffG
refer to as "the Harding", where you state two separate assertions or facts one after the other
in such a way as to imply a relationship, without ever making a solid statement. I'll give you
an example:
Luke Harding was born in 1968, mere weeks before the brutal assassination of Robert
Kennedy.
Harding is suggesting some sort of connection between the election and the poisoning. He
can't STATE it, because then he has to explain his reasoning – and there isn't any.
Putin, and Russia as a whole, had nothing to gain from poisoning an ex-spy they had released
nearly a decade earlier, especially on the eve of a Presidential election and mere weeks before
the World Cup. There's no argument to be made, so he doesn't attempt to make one, he just makes
a snide and baseless insinuation.
Vladimir Putin, the man whom a public inquiry found in 2016 had "probably" signed off on
the operation to kill Litvinenko. The UK security services say a "body of evidence" points to
the GRU.
"Probably" is also a big word. For example, there's a marked difference between "probably
being a plagiarist" and "being a
plagiarist" .
It seems clear that Moscow continues to view Britain as a playground for undercover
operations and is relatively insouciant about the consequences, diplomatic and political. The
Skripal attack may have misfired. But the message, mingling contempt and arrogance, is there
for all to see: we can smite our enemies whenever and wherever we want, and there is nothing
you can do about it.
This is the second time Luke has used the word "insouciant" in two days, which means that
word of the day
calendar was a probably sound investment, but he forgot to flip it over this morning.
Other than that, this final paragraph is nothing but paranoia.
The Russians were TRYING to make it obvious, to send a message. But were also lazy and
arrogant. And yet also left no solid evidence because they are experts at espionage. They had
no motive except being mean, and couldn't even be bothered to make sure they did it right. They
want us all to know they did it, but will never admit it.
The actual truth of the situation can be summed up in a few bullet points.
Currently:
There is no evidence these men were using forged documents. There is no evidence
these men were travelling under aliases or assumed names. There is no evidence these men ever
had any contact with Sergei Skripal's house. There is no evidence these men ever had any
contact with Sergei Skripal or his daughter. There is no evidence these men were Russian
intelligence assets or had any military training. There is no evidence these men ever possessed
or had any contact with the perfume bottle found by Charlie Rowley on June 27th. They have
visited the UK before, not on intelligence business (as far as we know). Their movements don't
align with the timeline of Skripal's illness.
The entire narrative is created around half a dozen screen caps of two (allegedly) Russian
men, not behaving in any way illegally or even suspiciously. All the rest is fiction, created
by a hack to service an agenda. This isn't one of those "You couldn't make it up" stories, it's
not that incredible. It's just insulting and stupid.
Theresa May demonstrated traits of a psychopath who cling to power using all available to her
means, including criminal. Looks like British version of Hillary.
Notable quotes:
"... despite hysterical news broadcasts and front-page headlines regarding "Russian assassins," the public know nothing more substantively about the events of Sunday, March 4, than they did more than six months ago. ..."
"... May did not detail the intelligence she was supposedly acting on. Instead she singled out Russia as the main enemy of the West that had to confronted, declaring, "This chemical weapons attack on our soil was part of a wider pattern of Russian behaviour that persistently seeks to undermine our security and that of our allies around the world." ..."
"... "Back in March, Russia sought to sow doubt and uncertainty about the evidence we presented to this House -- and some were minded to believe them," May told parliament. "Today's announcement shows that we were right." Except that it doesn't. The new narrative is that "Petrov" and "Boshirov" flew into Gatwick airport on Friday, March 2. CCTV footage purportedly verifies this. They checked into a budget hotel in Bow, east London, and the next day, according to police, travelled to Salisbury, staying in the area for several hours, before returning to London. ..."
"... The pair then returned to Salisbury on Sunday, March 4. Police claim they are shown on CCTV at 11:58 a.m., on Wilton Road, "moments before the attack" on Sergei Skripal. ..."
"... Former UK ambassador Craig Murray asked: "1. Why did two alleged GRU agents travel under false names and fake passports, but still use Russian ..."
"... Murray retweeted a statement from a freelance journalist, Neil Clark, pointing out: "If the two men were identified coming through Gatwick, it is impossible that the police do not know what kind of visa they were travelling on. Something is very wrong here -- ties in with the fact that the photos released [showing grainy images of the men's faces on dark backgrounds] are not UK visa standard photos." ..."
"... at precisely the same second ..."
"... Murray points out that the Skripals left their home at 9:15 a.m. on March 4 and were assumed not to have returned home, before they were found collapsed. "But the Metropolitan Police state that Boshirov and Petrov did not arrive in Salisbury until 11.48 on the day of the poisoning. That means that they could not have applied a nerve agent to the Skripals' doorknob before noon at the earliest." ..."
"... An article on the Off Guardian website noted that the police said the Bow Hotel was "contaminated" with novichok, but no one has been reported ill in six months at the hotel. ..."
"... The government's narrative cannot be taken at face value, especially as it is supplied by the same security services that faked "evidence" of Iraq having "weapons of mass destruction" to justify pre-emptive war against Iraq. ..."
"... Moreover, the timing of the government's latest disclosure is highly suspect. Yesterday, the UK raised its new allegations against Moscow at the United Nations Security Council, after which the US, France, Germany and Canada issued a joint statement that the Russian government "almost certainly" approved the poisoning of the Skripals. ..."
"... The same day the European Union announced it was extending, for a further six months, the sanctions it had imposed on around 150 Russian individuals and 50 companies following the right-wing Western-backed coup in Ukraine in 2014. Complaints of Russian aggression in Crimea have been used to carry through a massive NATO build-up on Russia's borders. ..."
"... These measures unfold as the US renews threats over the operation by forces loyal to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad against Al Qaeda affiliates that control the northwestern province of Idlib. Denouncing the "threat of an imminent Assad regime attack, backed by Russia and Iran," the White House stated that, in the event of a chemical weapons attack, "the United States and its Allies will respond swiftly and appropriately." ..."
The UK government and media have doubled down on their anti-Russian campaign following
Wednesday's announcement by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) that two men have been named as
suspects in the poisoning of former Russian/British double agent Sergei Skripal and his
daughter, Yulia.
The police released passport photos and CCTV images of two men in various locations,
including Gatwick Airport and Salisbury. But despite hysterical news broadcasts and
front-page headlines regarding "Russian assassins," the public know nothing more substantively
about the events of Sunday, March 4, than they did more than six months ago.
CPS Director of Legal Services Sue Hemming said that evidence from counter-terrorism police
meant "it is clearly in the public interest to charge Alexander Petrov and Ruslan Boshirov, who
are Russian nationals," with the attempted murder of Sergei, Yulia and police officer Nick
Bailey.
Prime Minister Theresa May then told parliament that, in addition to the police
investigation, the security and intelligence agencies had conducted their own investigation
and, "based on a body of intelligence, the Government has concluded that the two individuals
named by the police and CPS are officers from the Russian military intelligence service, also
known as the GRU."
She added: "So this was not a rogue operation. It was almost certainly also approved outside
the GRU at a senior level of the Russian state."
The Russian Foreign Ministry has categorically rejected the UK's claims, stating the names
of the two men "do not mean anything to us."
May did not detail the intelligence she was supposedly acting on. Instead she singled
out Russia as the main enemy of the West that had to confronted, declaring, "This chemical
weapons attack on our soil was part of a wider pattern of Russian behaviour that persistently
seeks to undermine our security and that of our allies around the world."
"Back in March, Russia sought to sow doubt and uncertainty about the evidence we
presented to this House -- and some were minded to believe them," May told parliament. "Today's
announcement shows that we were right." Except that it doesn't. The new narrative is that
"Petrov" and "Boshirov" flew into Gatwick airport on Friday, March 2. CCTV footage purportedly
verifies this. They checked into a budget hotel in Bow, east London, and the next day,
according to police, travelled to Salisbury, staying in the area for several hours, before
returning to London.
The pair then returned to Salisbury on Sunday, March 4. Police claim they are shown on
CCTV at 11:58 a.m., on Wilton Road, "moments before the attack" on Sergei Skripal.
The police say two more images show the "suspects at Salisbury train station at 13.50 on
Sunday, 4 March, as they embark on their journey back to London." Another image shows the
"suspects passing through passport control at London Heathrow at 19.28 on Sunday evening (4
March) -- in the image, 'Petrov' is at the front and 'Boshirov' at the back."
May's definitive assertion of Russian authorship was contradicted by Assistant Commissioner
Neil Basu, National Lead for Counter-Terrorism Policing. Asked by the press if he had any
evidence that the two men were Russian State operatives, he said, "No." Basu said in his
statement that "it is likely that they were travelling under aliases and that these are not
their real names."
BBC Security Correspondent Gordon Corera reported that he understood the authorities
identified the pair "a while back" and "may also know their real names." But if so, why are
they not being made public?
Former UK ambassador Craig Murray asked: "1. Why did two alleged GRU agents travel under
false names and fake passports, but still use Russian names and Russian
passports? If they had used EU passports -- say from Lithuania or Estonia for example -- they
wouldn't have needed a visa, thanks to EU freedom of movement agreements, and could still have
spoken Russian without raising suspicion."
Murray retweeted a statement from a freelance journalist, Neil Clark, pointing out: "If
the two men were identified coming through Gatwick, it is impossible that the police do not
know what kind of visa they were travelling on. Something is very wrong here -- ties in with
the fact that the photos released [showing grainy images of the men's faces on dark
backgrounds] are not UK visa standard photos."
Among the glaring oddities in the new account is that the two photos released of "Petrov"
and "Boshirov" shows them both in what appears to be the same space at Gatwick airport at
precisely the same second (16:22:43 on March 2, 2018.) Raising the physically
impossibility, Murray suggests the CCTV images may have been
doctored . The police are now claiming that the two are in different but similar places
passing CCTV cameras at exactly the same time.
The government's latest narrative fails to correspond with claims it has maintained for
months that the Skripals were poisoned by "novichok" being applied to the front door knob of
Sergei's house.
Murray points out that the Skripals left their home at 9:15 a.m. on March 4 and were
assumed not to have returned home, before they were found collapsed. "But the Metropolitan
Police state that Boshirov and Petrov did not arrive in Salisbury until 11.48 on the day of the
poisoning. That means that they could not have applied a nerve agent to the Skripals' doorknob
before noon at the earliest."
An article on the Off Guardian website noted that the police said the Bow Hotel was
"contaminated" with novichok, but no one has been reported ill in six months at the hotel.
Moreover, to contaminate the room "the suspects would have to physically apply the poison to
it, and since they allegedly left [sic] country on March 4th -- the same day as the alleged
attack -- the contamination must have happened BEFORE Sergei Skripal was poisoned."
Also, previously the Metropolitan Police said that it was connecting the poisoning of the
Skripals with that of Dawn Sturgess and her partner Charley Rowley. Dawn died in hospital after
being exposed to what was described as a novichok on July 8. Rowley is now seriously ill with
reported meningitis.
Yet Basu commented, "We don't yet know where the suspects disposed of the Novichok they used
to attack the door, where Dawn and Charlie got the bottle that poisoned them, or if it is the
same bottle used in both poisonings."
The government's narrative cannot be taken at face value, especially as it is supplied
by the same security services that faked "evidence" of Iraq having "weapons of mass
destruction" to justify pre-emptive war against Iraq.
Moreover, the timing of the government's latest disclosure is highly suspect. Yesterday,
the UK raised its new allegations against Moscow at the United Nations Security Council, after
which the US, France, Germany and Canada issued a joint statement that the Russian government
"almost certainly" approved the poisoning of the Skripals.
The same day the European Union announced it was extending, for a further six months,
the sanctions it had imposed on around 150 Russian individuals and 50 companies following the
right-wing Western-backed coup in Ukraine in 2014. Complaints of Russian aggression in Crimea
have been used to carry through a massive NATO build-up on Russia's borders.
May wants the EU to go further and follow the US, which imposed additional sanctions from
August 27 on the basis that Russia had used "chemical weapons in violation of international law
or lethal chemical weapons against its own nationals." This include terminating aid, except on
urgent humanitarian grounds, restricting access to US credit, ending aspects of financing and
prohibiting exports to Russia of "restricted goods or technology." Russia has 90 days to allow
inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to verify it
does not have chemical weapons, or Washington will impose a far more severe set of
sanctions.
These measures unfold as the US renews threats over the operation by forces loyal to the
Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad against Al Qaeda affiliates that control the
northwestern province of Idlib. Denouncing the "threat of an imminent Assad regime attack,
backed by Russia and Iran," the White House stated that, in the event of a chemical weapons
attack, "the United States and its Allies will respond swiftly and appropriately."
Washington and London are not responding out of humanitarian concerns. They have backed the
Al Qaeda-affiliated terror groups in Syria as part of their regime-change operations in the
Middle East, and broader geostrategic objectives against Russia and Iran. As in previous
instances -- Douma in April for example -- Washington's threats amount to an invitation to the
Al Qaeda forces to stage an incident to justify military intervention by the US and its
allies.
On the one hand, the ruling class want us to believe that Russian operations are highly
sophisticated, that we should all live in suspense of when the next incident will occur, that
we should hunger for vengeance, and yet when the media and government provide their
"evidence" it shows that the so-called Russian operatives are incredibly inept. Of course,
what else could be expected from manufactured narratives.
The British ruling class and it's security forces are cold blooded killers for hundreds of
years. There is nothing too savage below them. Nothing they say can be taken at face value.
This whole affair has been a set up from the beginning. As we see know, it is used once
again when needed. Russia is about to make a final push in Syria. This means, if they are
victorious, America and Britain will have been stopped in the Middle East.
England has nothing left to lose. Nothing is off the table for their survival.
Jsut to assume tat two secret agents sent on an assassination plot from the Russian
government would leave such obvious traces is absurd. Using Russian passports, needing a visa
to enter, flying from Russia direct to London and then back... The British want us to think
that the Russian secret service does not know about all the CCTV cameras in London, or
England in general. Or the advanced level of security at Gatwick.
Anti-NATO Russians joke about this "new proof", I have read a funny short poem about it, and
my favorite joke was - looks like there is not even Lestrade in Scotland Yard anymore.
The plot now turned into smuggling operation run by older Skripal, possibly with some participation of this daughter.
There were similar hypothesis about Litvinenko death -- that he was involved n polonium smuggling operation.
The behaviour of two people involved is unprofessional -- they took public transport so they were strictly bounded by train
schedule. But that's logical if they were mules -- used for smuggling some substance to GB.
Notable quotes:
"... As with the fraudulent "Mueller investigation" in the US, despite the united efforts of government officials and a colluding, servile mass-media insisting that there's a (sinister Russian) "there" there, I foolishly thought that the overall absence of actual evidence, or even a plausible rationale connecting the dubious dots, was an overreach that would rapidly reach a fatal point of diminishing returns. ..."
"... But I underestimated the staying power of Big Lies, and the Big Liars who tell them ..."
"... Another oddity, the hotel the men stayed at, which was supposedly contaminated by Novichok as discovered on May the 4th - I did a news search for this hotel for the period March - September 4th and couldn't find a single reference to it being cordoned off or investigated by the police. Did they let people continue to use the hotel without telling them it could be contaminated? ..."
"... EVERYONE knows it's all BS. BUT, everyone talking about it gives it traction. I find this no different than the USA scoundrels worried about Syrian citizens in Idlib. ..."
"... The most worrying angle, as far as I am concerned, is the utter unbelievability of these stories. Exactly in line with 9/11 (three buildings knocked down by two planes), the Boston Marathon bombing, countless supposed multiple murders in the USA that do not seem to have taken place as officially described, MH17, and the Syrian "chemical weapons" attacks. ..."
"... So we had Bolton clearly stating in the media time and time again --- if chemical weapons are found in Idlib it would be a game changer to US policy in Syria, thus prompting those desperate cornered brutal rebels, offering a last way out of there situation. Now we have the prime minister. UK giving a statement about new evidence re Salisbury, chemical Russia. I would put a weeks wage on there being a chemical attack in Syria Idlib enytime now ! This is the UK prime minster aiding a massive brutal crime. ..."
"... It is obvious this whole novichok thing is a false flag op. The only question is why did the UK government did this. ..."
"... UK agencies have a long track record back to before WW2 running operations to get the US into a war. Their recent false flag operations inside the UK are to soften up the US/UK public in advance of the UK managed chemical weapon false flag attack in Syria they are clearly threatening in advance. ..."
"... There are times of the day when 2 passengers could arrive at an empty passport control, enter two different tunnels at the same time and arrive at exactly the same second at equivalent gates. Not many times, because it means that there is no queue at either tunnel. And 16:22 is not one of these times. ..."
"... You think that two members of a highly trained hit squad are going to walk through Heathrow together? You've got to be dreaming. Have you no concept of Operational Security? Dear oh dear... ..."
"... Historian and political analyst Vladimir Kornilov wrote an article for RIA Novosti comparing the famous 1924 SIS forgery, "Zinoviev letter", to the ongoing Skripal affair: https://ria.ru/analytics/20180905/1527822792.html ( machine translation ; the translation is good, except that "the Violins" should read as "the Skripals"). ..."
"... And with all due respect to b I don't think the airport pictures prove much. Who were these two? Why did they go to Salisbury? It looks too sloppy to be GRU. Russian Mafia contract killers is my guess. Unless the whole story is an elaborate MI6 concoction and all the CCTV photos are fake. ..."
"... A beautiful story, this Skripal affair...designed and timed to draw the public into emotional judgments, against reason and logic, immediately prior to the Russian pummeling of jihadi scum. One wonders what sort of blowback arises from such psychological conditioning. Hmmm... ..."
"... As I wrote before, the case reeks of planted evidence. A normal logic of investigation would be to inspect "probable leads" ASAP, and to perform tests ASAP. Instead, the famous door knob was tested with one month delay, and the hotel room, with two month delay. But planting evidence in an improvised mode requires planning and debates how to do it. The logistics of planting evidence are the most plausible explanation why it was done at the place where Skripals lived rather than close to the place where they together lost consciousness. Planting evidence in the hotel is simplicity itself, because it is very easy to do it in a secret lab. ..."
"... Two men (traveling together on Russian passports) are seen leaving a flight from Moscow and (in the most heavily CCTV monitored country in the world), immediately take public transport directly to and from the scene of the crime. ..."
"... Its very hard to imagine that any intelligence agency would be so sloppy as to use their own nationals, own passports, travel together, take direct flights from their own capital, use public transport, make no effort to avoid CCTV, casually dispose of vital evidence where it was certain to be found (a deadly poison left in a brandname perfume box at a charity donation bin? someone was going to open it eventually), etc. There are many more flaws but there are also more significant questions. ..."
"... Is there any strong reason to believe that US or UK intelligence were less likely to poison Skripal than Russia? Did he perhaps have evidence regarding the Steele Dossier they wanted to silence? If so, is there any reason we should not suspect the men in the picture of working for non-Russian intelligence who are deliberately trying to point the finger of blame at Russia? ..."
"... Personally, I think relity is much more mundane: the UK, given its objective reality post-Brexit, simply decided to (re)synchronize (update) its geopolitical position with the USA's. When the USA decided to jump into the madness of Russophobia after Trump's victory, the UK simply had to jump after because it is so dependent on the Americans they kinda didn't have a choice. ..."
"... They need something to try to put pressure on Russia. What tools do they have? "Skripal case", "Russian meddling in elections" (aka "Russian hackers"), "Russian doping", situation in Donbass, illegal detentions/abductions of Russian citizens (Ukraine did it with Kirill Vyshinsky in May, the US did it with Maria Butina recently etc.), cheap provocations with chemical weapons in Syria to accuse Assad/Russia. ..."
"... I would pick three directions - the "Skripal case", fake "chemical attacks" in Syria and deliberate aggravation of the situation in Donbass (terrorist act against DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko is just the beginning) are, apparently (in their opinion), the most effective measures to influence Russia to change its policy in Syria. These tools will be used. Simultaneously, or in a particular order. ..."
"... The key proposition that the police are asserting is that the Skripals were poisoned by 'delayed reaction'. The alleged suspects were out of Salisbury 3 hours before the Skripals exhibited signs of poisoning, nerve agents, however, act immediately. If the 'door handle theory' is not physically possible, which it is not, then that leaves out the assassin hypothesis. Most likely, as I have always said, is that this is about Sergei's skulduggery, he took delivery of the agent from these guys for eventual passing over to the White Helmets via their MI6 handlers. All went pear shaped because of a leaky bottle. Sergei realised something was wrong so hurried his meal so he could check it out, reached the park bench with Julia and the saw that the bottle was leaking and began to feel ill, Julia through the thing away and went down herself. ..."
Some commenters there who claim to be familiar with the airport have already noted that
the men were surely exiting from parallel walkways ("channels"), and/or that the CCTV clock
was simply malfunctioning.
Even if both claims are true, it doesn't explain away the remarkable congruence between
the men's supposedly separate and independent progress through the walkways. Again, some
commenters who purport to be personally familiar with the location assert that there are
visible differences in the "two" walkways shown in the photos-- but to me they look
identical.
This is still another dodgy, ambiguous piece of "evidence" to prop up the ongoing Big Lie.
In the weeks following the Skripal event, the UK officials began making such ludicrous and
incredible assertions that I naïvely expected that their colossal deceit would blow up
in their faces sooner than later.
As with the fraudulent "Mueller investigation" in the US, despite the united efforts of
government officials and a colluding, servile mass-media insisting that there's a (sinister
Russian) "there" there, I foolishly thought that the overall absence of actual evidence, or
even a plausible rationale connecting the dubious dots, was an overreach that would rapidly
reach a fatal point of diminishing returns.
But I underestimated the staying power of Big Lies, and the Big Liars who tell them.
Another oddity, the hotel the men stayed at, which was supposedly contaminated by Novichok as
discovered on May the 4th - I did a news search for this hotel for the period March -
September 4th and couldn't find a single reference to it being cordoned off or investigated
by the police. Did they let people continue to use the hotel without telling them it could be
contaminated? Did nobody notice police and men in hazmat suits there? Or was the name of the
hotel d noticed?
Everyone,,, EVERYONE knows it's all BS. BUT, everyone talking about it gives it traction. I find this no different than the USA scoundrels worried about Syrian citizens in
Idlib. Anything the West says or does is USDA Grade AAA horse hockey.
As to the UK government being able to fake the involvement of GRU agents - remember that
Sergei Skripal himself was a British spy while working for the GRU. Why not others?
The most worrying angle, as far as I am concerned, is the utter unbelievability of these
stories. Exactly in line with 9/11 (three buildings knocked down by two planes), the Boston
Marathon bombing, countless supposed multiple murders in the USA that do not seem to have
taken place as officially described, MH17, and the Syrian "chemical weapons" attacks.
The official explanations of all those stories are so weak and inconsistent that they
would be rejected as plot lines for Dr Who or CSI. So what is their little game? I can think
of two unpleasant possibilities.
They are trying to calibrate exactly how grotesque a set of lies they can pass off
without any public protest or outcry.
They are compiling a list of the few people who are both intelligent and bold enough to
point out the obvious discrepancies in public.
So we had Bolton clearly stating in the media time and time again --- if chemical weapons are
found in Idlib it would be a game changer to US policy in Syria, thus prompting those
desperate cornered brutal rebels, offering a last way out of there situation. Now we have the prime minister. UK giving a statement about new evidence re
Salisbury, chemical Russia. I would put a weeks wage on there being a chemical attack in Syria
Idlib enytime now ! This is the UK prime minster aiding a massive brutal crime.
This prime minister got in to power by a slim margine on the back of 3 false flag terror
attacks 2 in London one in Manchester persuading the public to go for the get tough vote .
Are we gulable or what ?
UK agencies have a long track record back to before WW2 running operations to get the US into
a war. Their recent false flag operations inside the UK are to soften up the US/UK public in
advance of the UK managed chemical weapon false flag attack in Syria they are clearly
threatening in advance.
This is beyond ridiculous that the dried out husk of the UK is beating its chest for war
with Russia. I almost wish that they would get their war and be beaten flat.
Just yesterday the Russian embassy in the UK released this statement: Today marks exactly six months since the Russian citizens Sergei and Yulia Skripal were
taken to Salisbury District Hospital under obscure circumstances...
There are times of the day when 2 passengers could arrive at an empty passport control, enter
two different tunnels at the same time and arrive at exactly the same second at equivalent
gates.
Not many times, because it means that there is no queue at either tunnel.
And 16:22 is not one of these times.
My experience through those boarding bridges is that when boarding people walk normal pace
and when exiting they do so at a faster pace down the bridge. I guess they want get to their
luggage quickly.
Køn @ 14 "In fact anyone insisting that this timestamp is some gotcha loses a lot of
credibility in my eyes."
Don't be a gallah, Køn! You think that two members of a highly trained hit
squad are going to walk through Heathrow together? You've got to be dreaming. Have you no
concept of Operational Security? Dear oh dear...
The two strong-looking men take it in turns to carry what looks like a light backpack which
is kind of odd in itself. If nerve gas had either been sprayed or smeared, one or both would
have to have used a full protective suit, which consists of a bulky gas mask, jacket,
trousers and substantial boots, which would have called for a much bigger backpack.
These photos show the same time but different locations. These are the security barriers
between passport control and the baggage reclaim hall, there are a number of parallel gates
that open automatically and are monitored by CCTV. The high resolution photos on the Met
website show a different camera angles: The Petrov photo shows a white flat surface with a
thin red stripe in the lower right corner and the top of the wall panels on the upper left.
The Boshirov picture show a much wider red stripe (and no white surface) and the top of the
panels is not visible. So you have two different gates entered at the same time.
I'm no expert but allow me to play devil's advocate. What if they have two cameras on
different angles with separate receivers in case one goes offline and their clock is not in
sync so the second camera stamps same time when it's one second later on first. It just seems
that if there was Photoshop involved they would think of changing the timestamp and inserting
person in precisely same angle. Of course it doesn't explain why they would take pictures
from two different cameras, but maybe face appeared clearer?
Which airports have parallel disimabarkation tunnels then? I've been through 4 airports in 3
different countries in the past two months and each time it was a single tunnel. The only
time I've seen two tunnels was when I was on a flight witha first class and even then it sort
of branched off, near the door of the plane.
Could it be the same corridor at two different locations at the same moment? This would
explain the different angles of the cameras, which maybe were placed at a similar location to
the railings etc.
Historian and political analyst Vladimir Kornilov wrote an article for RIA Novosti
comparing the famous 1924 SIS forgery, "Zinoviev letter", to the ongoing Skripal affair:
https://ria.ru/analytics/20180905/1527822792.html
(
machine translation ; the translation is good, except that "the Violins" should read as
"the Skripals").
Deltaeus... kindly please desist from insulting me in anitpodean. I make no assertions about trained or untrained hit squads or how they might behave. I am merely saying that anyone who thinks these timestamps represent anything suspicious
or out of the ordinary is chasing their own tails.
The UK authorities present pictures of two men that travelled together on a flight from
Moscow to London Gatwick. They went through parallel security sluices at the same time as
they were walking together. At which point they were automatically photographed. It could
just as easily have been that the time stamp was 1 second apart or even 2 seconds, or as is
in fact the case, less than 1 second apart. NOTE: They may have triggered the automatic
camera 999ms apart and still had the same timestamp so it is not strictly accurate to say
that they were pictured at exactly the same time. The sluice appears to be about 4 metres
long up to the point where the camera is triggered. I can walk 4 metres in less than 2
seconds. Which does not give a large time frame in which the walking pace of these two men
can diverge.
There is so much more suspicious and contentious in todays UK announcement that it is
ridiculous and counter productive to waste time on an easily explained time stamp.
This is an obvious fabrication of evidence. What they did was to take 2 photos from the same
tunnel using the same camera at different times, but with the camera rotated about 20 degrees
between them (notice the slightly different fish-eye lens distortions). Afterwards they
flipped one of the images horizontally and added time-stamps to the images, but forgot to
change the times between them.
Gatwick not Heathrow. I highly suggest reading the
comments to Craig Murray's blog post. Yes, as here there're some repetitive comments, but
many good points are also raised. Perhaps the best is the lack of a "tag" identifying the
camera location as at the security station you have many CCTV images that are very similar:
Something like Jetway2 Customs4, or some such. IMO, the photos and story are contrived just
as the rest of the hoax is--except for the fact that at least one person has died and likely
the Skripals most certainly--she wanted to return to Russia and take Sergei with her.
Well done UK comrades! So now you will release all the cctv from the original Salisbury
incident so we can see every detail of the cunning ruskies eh! including the entire street
videos, Mill pub and park videos too; and in high resolution this time please. Plus as the
case is solved would you be so kind as to release the complete OPCW reports and the Porton
Down reports too.
Can't have enough open government in the worlds foremost democracy now, can we?
Sy Hersch blames the poisoning of Skripals on the Russian mafia who found out he was working
with MI6 to reveal their European operations.
Could these two guys be of the Russian mafia? Them being not of the Russian IC might
explain how the poison was less than lethal for all who came in contact.
@49 Sorry Sy but your theory doesn't hold up. Teresa May has said they were from the GRU.
Here are her exact words...
"Based on this work, I can today tell the House that, based on a body of intelligence,
the Government has concluded that the two individuals named by the police and CPS are
officers from the Russian military intelligence service, also known as the GRU.
The GRU is a highly disciplined organisation with a well-established chain of command.
So this was not a rogue operation. It was almost certainly also approved outside the GRU at
a senior level of the Russian state."
Here is an interesting side note, relating to the statement made by "Sue Hemming, the CPS
director of legal services" (e.g. as in
this Guardian piece .
We will not be applying to Russia for the extradition of these men as the Russian
constitution does not permit extradition of its own nationals. Russia has made this clear
following requests for extradition in other cases. Should this position change then an
extradition request would be made.
This is a blatant lie. Russia's Constitution (available here in Russian states the following in Article 63,
Section 2:
В Российской
Федерации не
допускается
выдача другим
государствам
лиц,
преследуемых
за
политические
убеждения, а
также за
действия (или
бездействие),
не
признаваемые
в Российской
Федерации
преступлением.
Выдача лиц,
обвиняемых в
совершении
преступления,
а также
передача
осужденных
для отбывания
наказания в
других
государствах
осуществляются
на основе
федерального
закона или
международного
договора
Российской
Федерации.
Which means (my own translation, but Google Translate is your friend if you do not believe
me):
In the Russian Federation it is not permitted to extradite to other states individuals
who are persecuted for their political beliefs, as well as for actions (or inaction) that are
not deemed criminal in the Russian Federation. Extradition of individuals accused of
committing a crime, as well as transfer of convicts to serve their sentences in other states,
is performed on the basis of federal law or international agreements of the Russian
Federation.
I must confess that I am not up on the most current version of Russian criminal law, but I
believe "attempted murder utilizing a banned chemical weapon" does still qualify as a crime
over there, and, moreover, is not considered "political beliefs". But, of course, an official
extradition requests would entail also handing over the Crown's evidence against the accused,
which...well, clearly there is so much of it that the Crown just doesn't wish to share
any.
Perhaps the best is the lack of a "tag" identifying the camera location as at the security
station you have many CCTV images that are very similar: Something like Jetway2 Customs4,
or some such.
Se my post @45 (animation link). The camera location is the same in both images,
they just rotated the camera, and flipped one image horizontally. If you download the MET
"originals" and repeat what I did you find the match to be 100%. With identical time stamps,
you know this is fabricated evidence. There is really no other plausible or (even possible)
explanation.
It isn't the GRU (Glavnoye Razdevyvatel'noye Upravleniye, Main Intelligence Directorate) any
more. In 2010, the name was changed to GU (Glavnoye Upravleniye, Main Directorate).
"Norwegian" is correct. These pics have been tampered with bigly. "Kon" points out that one
has a "red line" while one has a more solid looking red area. That is explained by the
picture flipping and tilting. The red line is a framelike border of something. In one pic we
see that part that's further from the camera and it looks like a slim red line. In the other
pic we see the part of it which is closer to the camera, and is ALSO the corner of the line,
so it appears to be something completely different when it's actually just 2 parts of the
same puzzle.
My bet is that they were taken at different times of day, those tunnels always let natural
light in. Unless a filter was intentionally applied(to further suggest two tunnels). There
has been some photoshop fussing with the other identifying blobs - like the dirt on the
camera lense and on the floors have been erased or blurred in the flipped pic! It's mad
obvious.
Thanks Norwegian, I am posting that gif all over the place.
Thanks for your reply! Another comment mentioned the ability of such digital cameras to
self-crop as both pics are cropped as someone provided the pixel dimensions. IMO, this is
just more BigLie piled atop the preceding BigLies--doubling-down is the Neocon way after all.
All timed with Idlib, no doubt. My question along with many others: Where are the other
passengers having to travel through the same portals?
My explanation: Human images were added to an image(s) of an empty portal(s).
"It is virtually a confession from the police". Yes, one doesn't know whether to be hopeful
of a whistleblower, or just devastated at the incompetence of the so-called intelligence
agencies behind these fabrications. It's hardly ever the former unfortunately.
Nice work with the gif, it appears exactly how you describe it... just amazing fuckery. Re:
the timestamp, its so sloppy it pretty much a taunt: 'none of you sheep give a toss cos
there's not a critical thought amongst ya'
@65 Good question. And with all due respect to b I don't think the airport pictures prove
much. Who were these two? Why did they go to Salisbury? It looks too sloppy to be GRU. Russian Mafia contract killers is my guess. Unless the whole story is an elaborate MI6 concoction and all the CCTV photos are
fake.
It may be the release of this material was scheduled to coincide with the US sanctions
announced a few weeks ago, as those were said to be motivated by the Skripal case, but then
held back for domestic political reasons, as May's position has weakened just the past two
weeks. The bonus gratuitous finger-pointing at Corbyn would serve its purpose today or back
in August.
It all relies ultimately on" a body of evidence gathered by intelligence" and we know from
recent past experiences of anglo/ ameriocan Intelligence that that cannot be trusted to be
either valid or reliable .
Please people these photos were taken in exactly the same place. Nothing has been
rotated.
Notice on the right hand side there is a a small piece of a red security notice in the two
photos. You will need to see the original police photos to see this. In only one of the four
lanes is that possible. The one on the right as viewed from the exit. notice that this is the
only lane where the steel handrail on the right extends so far on the white panel. Two
different photos of the same lane with the same timestamp. ???? I'd say in both images are
fake.
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.1570429,-0.1626642,2a,89.7y,192.36h,83.5t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s5aRAGxER5MlF-9kpw8ZyRQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Ort 17
Yes, it appears, like me, you are enjoying our latest visit to Wonderland where a great many
things are possible... all you need to do is believe. Christopher Steele has done a smackdown
job of reinvigorating the Non Fiction shelves at my library. Who knew high treason and golden
showers could ever work together.
A beautiful story, this Skripal affair...designed and timed to draw the public into
emotional judgments, against reason and logic, immediately prior to the Russian pummeling
of jihadi scum. One wonders what sort of blowback arises from such psychological conditioning. Hmmm...
I wouldn't say these images prove anything either way.
Perhaps they are doctored, but what if they were from customs entry points side-by-side?
The two men have been walking together so presumably they'd go through the customs walkways
at exactly the same time. These are not photos from the walkway off the plane - that much is clear.
On the spectrum of what is going on you have to go from one end (all this evidence is
completely fabricated - these might be images of 'dead men' so no one can step forward to
personally refute them) all the way over to the Brits are telling the truth.
Most likely, it's somewhere in the middle, but impossible to say exactly where.
Even without the time stamp discrepancy I am at loss to understand what the photos prove. Absolutely nothing. I suppose they just want to keep the story in the publics mind in
preparation for the next "Russia did it " false flag. Coming soon to a theater near you.
Ever notice September-November makes for the most exciting times? No wonder many season
premiers start in winter/spring now
Why now, when the CCTV 'evidence' must have been available for months? Just like the Douma
pantomime and subsequent bombing of Syria, this is clearly setting the scene for a western
assault on Idlib, possibly this weekend.
@71 Nice theory, except that the security notice in those police photos appear to be mounted
far too low to correspond with their location in that google maps image, even on the one lane
that you nominate. You can see that best in the "Boshirov" photo where the top-left of the
notice can be seen.
In the google maps image the signs are at head-height, so a line drawn from the ccd to a
"pretend eyeline" in Google Maps would suggest that the security camera would be recording
the bottom-left of that sign, not the top-left corner.
That walk-though was recorded in September 2017.
The security footage was filmed in March 2018.
It isn't a stretch to believe that between these two dates the signs were moved lower and
closer to the guardrail.
Anyone in Ol' Blighty want to walk up to those gates at Gatwick and tell us?
Presumably they were on the same flight? If they have identified the flights - presumably
the Russians would be able to ID these guys at the other end - in some way at least.
Russia needs to do more to get back their national Yulia Skripal . She's been brazenly
abducted by UK regime. If Brit Sh disappear na Russian imagine the fate of Julian Assange if
he steps out of that embassy
@71 Just to be clear about what I am saying, because my previous post may be confusing: if
you look at the two security shots and note the top-left corner ("Boshirov") and left-flank
("Petrov") of those signs then both suggest that the bottom-left corner of that security
notice will be just above (as in almost but not quite level-with) the top of the guardrail.
Unless there is massive foreshortening and distortion in those security camera feeds then
I would suggest that those signs have been moved between September 2017 and March 2018.
In which case, of course, your observation is not going to be valid.
Two Russian nationals . Brits decide they are Russian assassins . Were they seem committing
an assassination ? Imagine any Russian tourist now could be labelled an assassin and abducted
like Yulia Skripal and held incommunicado . Russia should take Britain to court over this
behaviour
As I wrote before, the case reeks of planted evidence. A normal logic of investigation would
be to inspect "probable leads" ASAP, and to perform tests ASAP. Instead, the famous door knob
was tested with one month delay, and the hotel room, with two month delay. But planting
evidence in an improvised mode requires planning and debates how to do it. The logistics of
planting evidence are the most plausible explanation why it was done at the place where
Skripals lived rather than close to the place where they together lost consciousness.
Planting evidence in the hotel is simplicity itself, because it is very easy to do it in a
secret lab.
OTH, pictures have semi-plausible explanation and Ruslan Boshirov is not a frequent name,
probably Muslim (Boshir/Bashir is an Arabic name, ev/ov is a Russian ending).
Two men (traveling together on Russian passports) are seen leaving a flight from Moscow
and (in the most heavily CCTV monitored country in the world), immediately take public
transport directly to and from the scene of the crime.
Its very hard to imagine that any intelligence agency would be so sloppy as to use
their own nationals, own passports, travel together, take direct flights from their own
capital, use public transport, make no effort to avoid CCTV, casually dispose of vital
evidence where it was certain to be found (a deadly poison left in a brandname perfume box at
a charity donation bin? someone was going to open it eventually), etc. There are many more
flaws but there are also more significant questions.
Is there any strong reason to believe that US or UK intelligence were less likely to
poison Skripal than Russia? Did he perhaps have evidence regarding the Steele Dossier they
wanted to silence? If so, is there any reason we should not suspect the men in the picture of
working for non-Russian intelligence who are deliberately trying to point the finger of blame
at Russia?
Leaving that aside, is there any reason not to think the men n the picture may have been
members of organized crime for some reason upset with Skripal? This might explain the lack of
professional tradecraft.
In short, even if we accept that the people in the photographs were responsible for the
poisonings, there has been no evidence presented to link them to the Russian government other
than the fact that they travelled directly from Moscow on Russian passports, a fact that
should actually be seen as making it less likely they were Russian agents.
Fyi, there are 2 terminals at Gatwick, north and south. Though, as Pft, Julian and others
have said, what do these pictures really say at this stage...? Only guilty by the logic of
highly likely.
"Ruslan Boshirov" is supposed to be Tajik. I noticed the last name "Boshirov" too
("Boshir" = Tajik rendering of "Bashir" or "Bashar").
Bashar / Bashir is a common boys' name and surname in some Muslim countries (but maybe not
Iran). Also a common surname among Christian communities in Lebanon. A former governor of New
South Wales had that surname. Both her parents were of Lebanese background.
Ruslan is a common boys' name in Russia and countries that used to be part of the Soviet
Union. It is derived from the Turkic name Arslan. As Tajiks are an Iranian-speaking people, I
am not sure if the name is popular with them. From what I have been able to find out online,
Tajiks seem to prefer Persian names.
Hmm, someone in Britain didn't do their homework terribly well.
Dr. Wellington Yueh , Sep 5, 2018 9:36:16 PM |
link
Heh...it seems to be working. We're now talking about this instead of the Idlib campaign.
Well, if Hersh has the evidence for this, I won't be doubting him. I'm sincerely open to
any good theory -- the only thing I'm certain is that it wasn't the Kremlin: there's simply
no gain for Russia in this.
Personally, I think relity is much more mundane: the UK, given its objective reality
post-Brexit, simply decided to (re)synchronize (update) its geopolitical position with the
USA's. When the USA decided to jump into the madness of Russophobia after Trump's victory,
the UK simply had to jump after because it is so dependent on the Americans they kinda didn't
have a choice.
Maybe, in a parallel universe, if Corbyn had won the 2017 snap election, we could
visualize a different position from the British. But that door is definitely close now -- and
even if he had won, we have to face the fact the UK is simply the natural ally of the USA in
the European Peninsula (the most stable one -- of course there are valuable American
satrapies in Poland, the ex-Yugoslavian republics not-named Serbia, the Baltic States and the
new, desintegrated, nazi-Ukraine; but they are of the military outpost-type, nearer the
"danger").
This is nothing more but an endless conglomeration of lies. Not just mistakes or fallacies,
but a deliberate lies. It is clear for all adequate people who have brains.
Why it is now the British authorities decided to shake off the dust from the forgotten
"Skripal case" and to revive it? Well, Syria is the answer, of course. In particular,
upcoming (in fact, already started) Idlib liberation.
They need something to try to put pressure on Russia. What tools do they have?
"Skripal case", "Russian meddling in elections" (aka "Russian hackers"), "Russian doping",
situation in Donbass, illegal detentions/abductions of Russian citizens (Ukraine did it with
Kirill Vyshinsky in May, the US did it with Maria Butina recently etc.), cheap provocations
with chemical weapons in Syria to accuse Assad/Russia.
I would pick three directions - the "Skripal case", fake "chemical attacks" in Syria
and deliberate aggravation of the situation in Donbass (terrorist act against DPR head
Alexander Zakharchenko is just the beginning) are, apparently (in their opinion), the most
effective measures to influence Russia to change its policy in Syria. These tools will be
used. Simultaneously, or in a particular order.
By the way, one must not exclude possible chemical provocations in Ukraine. Ukrainian
terrorist regime has not used it yet, but all is possible. Especially now, after "Skripal
case" is revived and some fake "chemical attacks" are definitely will happen in Idlib (giving
FUKUS a "legitimate reason" to launch aggression on Syria again). The CyberBerkut hacker team (a kind of Fancy Bears) recently
reported that chemical provocations in Ukraine (in Donbass) are in preparation stage, and
that American instructors participate in organizing of this provocation. Not a fact that this
will happen, of course, but still this possibility must not be ruled out.
As for these two men, "discovered" a half of a year after the incident... For any sane
person, the proposal to believe that these two are GRU agents is an insult to his
intellectual abilities. "GRU agents", who flew direct(!) Flight from Moscow, and flew back
the same direct(!) Flight. "GRU agents", who in general did not even tried to disguise
themselves, and, as if specifically, tried to be caught by all surveillance cameras in the
UK. "GRU agents", who used their passports(!) instead of coming to the UK secretly (for
example, through Ireland). "GRU agents", who left the "Novichok" traces wherever possible,
and then carelessly threw the bottle on the street. "GRU agents", who for some reason decided
to use such a strange, dangerous and uncomfortable method as "poisoning the victim with a
chemical warfare agent(!)" instead of easily and unnoticeably shoot a victim from a gun with
a silencer (or strangle the victim at home). "GRU agents", who did not notice anything for
eight(!) years, and then suddenly woke up and realized that they released Skripal from Russia
"without punishment"...
I can continue this endlessly. The longer the list of lies becomes, the longer the list of
disproof.
@65 virgile.. that is what some of us have concluded from the start.. phony passports or
phony characters - hard to know what one is looking at here, isn't it?
@83 brian.. it is the court of public opinion, brought to us via the western msm... guess
who is winning? msm with ignoramus's in tow, or not? - i agree with your comments @85.. no
evidence whatsoever, but that doesn't stop the russian smearing, which may be the main motive
here on the part of the uk..
@84 piotr.. i agree - planted and long after the fact..
@87 jen.. that is what i got from someone sharing a russian story via translation - which
i shared @42..
from my link at 42 which is a translation from a russian news outlet.. see the link @42 for
more..
"According to official data, Ruslan Boshirov and Alexander Petrov flew on March 2, 2018
from Sheremetyevo to London Gatwick Airport. According to Fontanka, 150 passengers were
registered for the flight of Aeroflot SU2588.
The suspects bought tickets on foreign passports of the "65" series, the document numbers
differ by the last digit: ... 1297 and ... 1294.
Apparently, in the hands of Boshirov and Petrov already had return tickets, and for two
consecutive flights from Heathrow to Sheremetyevo - evening on March 4 and night 5-th. The
British authorities believe that the suspects used the first.
There are almost no open sources of information about Boshirov. According to the
"Fontanka", he was born on April 12, 1978 in Dushanbe, was registered in Moscow in a
25-storey house on Bolshaya Naberezhnaya street.
In 2015, he was brought into two executive proceedings for automobile fines received with
a difference of three days, on July 20 and 23. The oddity is that the production numbers are
not in order. The first assigned 433048, the second - 432322, although they were issued by
one unit - the interdistrict department of bailiffs to collect administrative fines number 1
in Moscow. On the portal of the magistrates of the capital there are no cases of
administrative violations against Ruslan Boshirov. Also it is not in the database of
executive production.
"Fontanka" phoned long-term residents of the "Boshiro" house on the Great Embankment. They
live on the same stairwell. "In the apartment you named, only an elderly woman lives," the
correspondent replied. "We carry her money, she collects for cleaning the cleaner." A man was
never seen in the apartment and was not seen at the entrance. We can only assume that this is
the son of the hostess, who is registered at the address, but who has never lived here. "
Boshirov's network activity is no different either. The pages created under this name and
last name in 2014 are empty. On Facebook, Boshirova has one friend registered, a girl from
Ukraine. The profile "VKontakte" contains information that Boshirov graduated in 2004 from
the geography department of Moscow State University in the direction "Hydrology of the
land".
The shoulder bags held by the two "suspects", as seen in the CCTV stills from the two
airports, are not seen in the Salisbury CCTV footage from the Sunday. Instead, in Salisbury,
the suspect in the black jacket wears a light-coloured backpack on arrival at the train
station, and the suspect in the blue jacket wears what appears to be that same backpack in
the stills from an hour later as they return to the Salisbury train station. Presumably the
backpack carried the applicator and then was later ditched.... but looking at the applicator
itself it is hard to fathom how it would not leak, either in flight or in the backpack, even
inside its alleged box. The Met police report claims that the bottle allegedly discovered
later "contained a significant amount of Novichok."
On the Sunday morning in question, the suspects allegedly walked directly to the Skripal
household from the train station (approximately 25 minutes), poisoned the Skripal door within
minutes of arrival, then immediately returned to the train station. This operation was
allegedly facilitated by a 90 minute "reconnaissance" mission the previous day, although
there are no CCTV images from this mission. Why and how the men knew they would not be seen
at the doorway on Sunday is not explained.
According to the Met Police report, swabs at the suspect's hotel room were done on May 4.
Porton Down alone confirmed the presence of Novichok from these swabs. The Met report adds:
"Two swabs showed contamination of Novichok at levels below that which would cause concern
for public health." ???? As far as I am aware, that Russian suspects may have flown in and
out of Britain on that weekend has been discussed since March, but a positive ID of
"Novichok" in a suspect's London hotel room is new information - strangely never referred to
before. The otherwise entirely circumstantial case depends on the presence of the chemical in
the hotel room, as there is otherwise no direct connection of these men to "Novichuk",
perfume bottles, or the Skripal house (the CCTV footage can only place them in the
"vicinity").
This case retains its improvised nature. Something seems to have been botched somewhere in
the original March events, and the proclamation of Russian guilt was announced too soon and
too unequivocally to back down from. The Novichok in the perfume bottle and now the two
alleged suspects with the alleged trace Novichok in the hotel room appear to be semi-clumsy
additions to the evidence designed to buttress the faulty story after the fact.
This is simply another fine example of the Theory of Tells. The Dark Agents NEVER allow the
strange evidence that they release to the public to be totally coherent or rational. They
always insert impossible artifacts. If the narratives they create were reasonably coherent,
they would never have the proper effect of causing profound cognitive dissonance in the mind
of the public, they could therefor never achieve the necessary degree of fear, uncertainty
and doubt.
That would invite people to ask pertinent questions. There must always be a few strategic
red herrings. So they always leave strategic tells.
They are different photographs a few seconds apart as can be seen by the figures at
the very back of the jetway who move a tiny bit closer to the camera after the first suspect
passes.
However, the timestamps are then fake and represent a mistake on the part of the person
*creating* the evidence. He fucked up and put the same stamp on both pictures.
These pictures were taken a short time apart, but not at the time stamped... i.e. boarding
a different flight. A different flight. The timeline is hokum . They did not fly in
and out at the times stated or on the flights stated.
It is even conceivable that the person cooking the books wanted to include something that
would show it was hokum, that he or she wasn't completely on board. I wonder who it was?
The doors that have those "Do not enter" symbols facing us or the greeting area are open
in b's pictures because the individuals have just passed thru them. Therefore you only
faintly see the grey back of the symbols.
Also, note how in one Google photo the steel guardrails are on paneling right beside the
security signs while in the other Google photos it shows the guardrail separated from the
security signs with an empty panel except for the corridor furthest to the right. So the
correct photo is the former one and the individuals went through two exactly similar
side-by-side corridors simultaneously, which means the photos might be legit. Also, there are
at least two or more cameras on the ceiling facing corridors which explains the different
angles. It looks like photos are authentic.
@86 Well that explains why in one photo there's an extra glass panel and in the other the
panel with the guardrail is beside the panel with the security signs! There are two sets of
corridors in the airport.
The photos in the article are Therefore most likely authentic.
The key proposition that the police are asserting is that the Skripals were poisoned by
'delayed reaction'. The alleged suspects were out of Salisbury 3 hours before the Skripals
exhibited signs of poisoning, nerve agents, however, act immediately. If the 'door handle
theory' is not physically possible, which it is not, then that leaves out the assassin
hypothesis. Most likely, as I have always said, is that this is about Sergei's skulduggery,
he took delivery of the agent from these guys for eventual passing over to the White Helmets
via their MI6 handlers. All went pear shaped because of a leaky bottle. Sergei realised
something was wrong so hurried his meal so he could check it out, reached the park bench with
Julia and the saw that the bottle was leaking and began to feel ill, Julia through the thing
away and went down herself.
Interesting that Theresa May brought up and then dismissed the possibility of a rogue
operation. This tells me she is determined to pin the blame on Putin no matter what. I am
sure that the smarter elements of British security have a pretty good idea of what has
occurred. They will say nothing and they would be quite happy to keep Theresa Mays narrative
out in the public domain. Cooperation from Sergei is guaranteed, he has been caught once
again in a betrayal, as he always does because he is one of lifes losers.
Predictions 1 these guys have a connection to Julia's boyfriend.
Prediction 2 the 'Novichok' is decades old material obtained from the black
market and related to the black market material used in a previous Russian assassination.
The agent would be largely degraded to a less toxic degradation product, that doesn't
matter as its purpose, I believe, is for propaganda not killing. Amateur hour handling with
these ridiculously inappropriate and unsafe containers says a lot.
British Assassination Campaign Targeting Russian Exiles?
Over the past decade or so, a disturbing number of Russian nationals living in Britain have
met untimely deaths. The victims – at least 14 – have been high-profile
individuals, such as oligarch businessman Boris Berezovsky or former Kremlin security agent
Alexander Litvinenko. All were living in Britain as exiles, and all were viewed as opponents of
President Vladimir Putin's government.
Invariably, British politicians and news media
refer to the deaths of Russian émigrés as "proof" of Russian state "malign
activity". Putin in particular is accused of ordering "the hits" as some kind of vendetta
against critics and traitors.
The claims of Russian state skulduggery have been reported over and over without question in
the British media as well as US media. It has become an article-of-faith espoused by British
and American politicians alike. "Putin is a killer," they say with seeming certainty. There is
simply no question about it in their assertions.
The claims have also been given a quasi-legal veracity, with a British government-appointed
inquiry in the case of Alexander Litvinenko making a conclusion
that his death in 2006 was "highly likely" the result of a Kremlin plot to assassinate. Putin
was personally implicated in the death of Litvinenko by the official British inquiry. The
victim was said to have been poisoned with radioactive polonium. Deathbed images of a
bald-headed Litvinenko conjure up a haunting image of alleged Kremlin evil-doing.
Once the notion of Russian evil-doing is inculcated the public mind, then subsequent events
can be easily invoked as "more proof" of what has already been "established". Namely, so it
goes, that the Russian state is carrying out assassinations on British territory.
Thus, we see this "corroborating" effect with the alleged poisoning of a former Russian
double-agent, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter in Salisbury back in March this year.
What actually happened to the Skripals is not known – who are said to have since
recovered their health, but their whereabouts have not been disclosed by the British
authorities. Nevertheless, as soon as the incident of their apparent poisoning occurred, it was
easy for the British authorities and media to whip up accusations against Russia as being
behind "another assassination attempt" owing to the past "established template" of other
Russian émigrés seeming to have been killed by Kremlin agents.
For its part, the Russian government has always categorically denied any involvement in the
ill-fate of nationals living in exile in Britain. On the Skripal case, Moscow has pointed out
that the British authorities have not produced any independently verifiable evidence against
the Kremlin. Russian requests for access to the investigation file have been rejected by the
British.
On the Litvinenko case, Russia has said that the official British inquiry was conducted
without due process of transparency, or Russia being allowed to defend itself. It was more
trial by media.
A common denominator is that the British have operated on a presumption of guilt. The
"proof" is largely at the level of allegation or innuendo of Russian malfeasance.
But let's turn the premise of the argument around. What if the British state were the ones
conducting a campaign of assassination against Russian émigrés, with the
cold-blooded objective of using those deaths as a propaganda campaign to blacken and
criminalize Russia?
In a recent British media interview Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei
Lavrov was typically harangued over alleged Russian malign activity in Britain. Lavrov rightly
turned the question around, and said that the Russian authorities are the ones who are entitled
to demand an explanation from the British state on why so many of its nationals have met
untimely deaths.
The presumption of guilt against Russia is based on a premise of Russophobia, which prevents
an open-minded inquiry. If an open mind is permitted, then surely a more pertinent position is
to ask the British authorities to explain the high number of deaths in their jurisdiction.
As ever, the litmus-test question is: who gains from the deaths? In the case of the alleged
attempted assassination of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, would Russia risk such a bizarre
plot against an exile who had been living in Britain undisturbed for 10 years? Or would Britain
gain much more from smearing Moscow at the time of President Putin's re-election in March, and
in the run-up to the World Cup?
The more recent alleged nerve-agent poisoning of two British citizens – Charlie Rowley
and Dawn Sturgess – in the southern English town of Amesbury revived official anti-Russia
accusations and public fears over the earlier Skripal incident in nearby Salisbury.
The Amesbury incident in early July occurred just as a successful World Cup tournament in
Russia was underway. It also came ahead of US President Donald Trump's landmark summit with
Vladimir Putin in Helsinki.
Again, who stands to gain most from these provocative events? Russia or Britain?
Another revealing twist in the presumed narrative of "Kremlin criminality" came from a
recent interview given to Russian
news media by the daughter of the deceased oligarch Boris Berezovsky. Of course, her side of
the story received no coverage in the British media.
Liza Berezovsky believes that her father's death in 2013, while living in exile in Britain,
was the dirty work of British state assassins. The case has added importance because it links
directly to the previous death of Alexander Litvinenko, who was also living as an exile in
Britain.
Berezovsky's daughter believes that her father wanted to return from Britain to Russia so
that he could live out his old age in his native country. She claims that the oligarch had
vital information on how the death of Litvinenko in 2006, reportedly from radioactive polonium
poisoning, had actually been staged as a smear against Putin and the Kremlin.
Boris Berezovsky, his daughter claims, played a key role along with the British state in
orchestrating the demise of Litvinenko to look like an assassination plot carried out by the
Kremlin. It was Berezovsky who apparently suggested that Litvinenko, with whom he was an
associate, shave off his hair in order to drum up the suspicion of Kremlin poisoning.
Liza Berezovsky contends that, seven years after Litvinenko died, her father was preparing
to divulge the dirty tricks involving the British state and their anti-Russian campaign. She
said the oligarch wanted to atone for his past misdeeds and to make his peace with Mother
Russia. She believes that British state agents got wind of his plans to come clean, which would
have caused them an acute international scandal.
In March 2013, just days before he was due to depart from Britain, the oligarch was found
dead in his mansion near Ascot, in the English countryside, apparently from suicide caused by a
ligature around his neck.
In the end, however, a British civil coroner did not conclude suicide, and left an "open
verdict" on the death. An eminent German pathologist hired by Liza Berezovsky provided
post-mortem evidence that her father's body showed signs of his death having not been
self-inflicted. He was, in their view, murdered.
It is not beyond the realms of possibility that British secret services are running an
assassination program on Russian exiles. These exiles are often used for a time by the British
state as media assets, presented as high-profile critics of the Kremlin and lending testimonies
to much-publicized allegations of "authoritarianism" and "human rights abuses" under Putin.
At some opportune later time, these Russian dissidents can be liquidated by British agents.
Their deaths are then presented as "more proof" of Russian malign activity and in particular
for the purpose of criminalizing President Putin and his government.
Considering how London has become an international haven for Russian oligarchs whose wealth
is often tainted as being proceeds from criminal activity against Russian laws and who
therefore are easily framed as Putin opponents – the British state has ample
opportunities for setting up "assassinations" and anti-Putin provocations.
Such a nefarious British program is by no means unprecedented. During the 30-year armed
conflict in Northern Ireland ending in the late 1990s, it is
documented that the British state ran clandestine assassination campaigns against Irish
republican figures, as well as ordinary citizens, as a coldly calculated political instrument
of state-sponsored terrorism. It was an instrument honed by the British from other colonial-era
conflicts, such as in Kenya, Myanmar (formerly Burma), Malaysia (formerly Malaya), and in
several Arab countries like Bahrain and Yemen, as detailed by British historian Mark
Curtis in his book Web of Deceit.
Adapting such heinous techniques for a contemporary propaganda war against Russia wouldn't
cost any qualms to British state grandees and their agents. Indeed, for them, it would be
simply Machiavellian business-as-usual.
"... The time that "Boshirov and Petrov" were allegedly in Salisbury carrying out the attack is all entirely within the period the Skripals were universally reported to have left their home with their mobile phones switched off. ..."
"... But the Metropolitan Police state that Boshirov and Petrov did not arrive in Salisbury until 11.48 on the day of the poisoning. That means that they could not have applied a nerve agent to the Skripals' doorknob before noon at the earliest. ..."
"... But there has never been any indication that the Skripals returned to their home after noon on Sunday 4 March. If they did so, they and/or their car somehow avoided all CCTV cameras. Remember they were caught by three CCTV cameras on leaving, and Borishov and Petrov were caught frequently on CCTV on arriving. ..."
"... The Skripals were next seen on CCTV at 13.30, driving down Devizes road. After that their movements were clearly witnessed or recorded until their admission to hospital. ..."
"... In general it is worth observing that the Skripals, and poor Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley, all managed to achieve almost complete CCTV invisibility in their widespread movements around Salisbury at the key times, while in contrast "Petrov and Boshirov" managed to be frequently caught in high quality all the time during their brief visit. ..."
"... This is especially remarkable in the case of the Skripals' location around noon on 4 March. The government can only maintain that they returned home at this time, as they insist they got the nerve agent from the doorknob. But why was their car so frequently caught on CCTV leaving, but not at all returning? It appears very much more probable that they came into contact with the nerve agent somewhere else, while they were out. ..."
"... they may have been meeting them, outside the home. The evidence points to that, rather than doorknobs. Such a meeting might explain why the Skripals had turned off their mobile phones to attempt to avoid surveillance. ..."
"... If "Boshirov and Petrov" are secret agents, their incompetence is astounding. They used public transport rather than a vehicle and left the clearest possible CCTV footprint. They failed in their assassination attempt. They left traces of novichok everywhere and could well have poisoned themselves, and left the "murder weapon" lying around to be found. Their timings in Salisbury were extremely tight – and British Sunday rail service dependent. ..."
The time that "Boshirov and Petrov" were allegedly in Salisbury carrying out the attack
is all entirely within the period the Skripals were
universally reported to have left their home with their mobile phones switched
off.
A key hole in the British government's account of the Salisbury poisonings has been plugged
– the lack of any actual suspects. And it has been plugged in a way that appears broadly
convincing – these two men do appear to have traveled to Salisbury at the right time to
have been involved.
But what has not been established is the men's identity and that they are agents of the
Russian state, or just what they did in Salisbury. If they are Russian agents, they are
remarkably amateur assassins. Meanwhile the new evidence throws the previously reported
timelines into confusion – and demolishes the theories put out by "experts" as to why the
Novichok dose was not fatal.
At 09.15 on Sunday 4 March the Skripals' car was seen on CCTV driving through three
different locations in Salisbury. Both Skripals had switched off their mobile phones and they
remained off for over four hours, which has baffled geo-location.
There is no CCTV footage that indicates the Skripals returning to their home. It has
therefore always been assumed that they last touched the door handle around 9am.
But the Metropolitan Police state that Boshirov and Petrov
did not arrive in Salisbury until 11.48 on the day of the poisoning. That means that they
could not have applied a nerve agent to the Skripals' doorknob before noon at the
earliest.
But there has never been any indication that the Skripals returned to their home after
noon on Sunday 4 March. If they did so, they and/or their car somehow avoided all CCTV cameras.
Remember they were caught by three CCTV cameras on leaving, and Borishov and Petrov were caught
frequently on CCTV on arriving.
The Skripals were next seen on CCTV at 13.30, driving down Devizes road. After that
their movements were clearly witnessed or recorded until their admission to hospital.
So even if the Skripals made an "invisible" trip home before being seen on Devizes Road,
that means the very latest they could have touched the doorknob is 13.15. The longest possible
gap between the novichok being placed on the doorknob and the Skripals touching it would have
been one hour and 15 minutes. Do you recall all those "experts" leaping in to tell us that the
"ten times deadlier than VX" nerve agent was not fatal because it had degraded overnight on the
doorknob? Well that cannot be true. The time between application and contact was between a
minute and (at most) just over an hour on this new timeline.
In general it is worth observing that the Skripals, and poor Dawn Sturgess and Charlie
Rowley, all managed to achieve almost complete CCTV invisibility in their widespread movements
around Salisbury at the key times, while in contrast "Petrov and Boshirov" managed to be
frequently caught in high quality all the time during their brief visit.
This is especially remarkable in the case of the Skripals' location around noon on 4
March. The government can only maintain that they returned home at this time, as they insist
they got the nerve agent from the doorknob. But why was their car so frequently caught on CCTV
leaving, but not at all returning? It appears very much more probable that they came into
contact with the nerve agent somewhere else, while they were out.
"Boshirov and Petrov" plainly are of interest in this case. But only Theresa May stated they
were Russian agents: the police did not, and stated that they expected those were not their
real identities. We do not know who Boshirov and Petrov were. It appears very likely their
appearance was to do with the Skripals on that day. But they may have been meeting them,
outside the home. The evidence points to that, rather than doorknobs. Such a meeting might
explain why the Skripals had turned off their mobile phones to attempt to avoid
surveillance.
It is also telling the police have pressed no charges against them in the case of Dawn
Sturgess, which would be manslaughter at least if the government version is true.
If "Boshirov and Petrov" are secret agents, their incompetence is astounding. They used
public transport rather than a vehicle and left the clearest possible CCTV footprint. They
failed in their assassination attempt. They left traces of novichok everywhere and could well
have poisoned themselves, and left the "murder weapon" lying around to be found. Their timings
in Salisbury were extremely tight – and British Sunday rail service dependent.
There are other possibilities of who "Boshirov and Petrov" really are, of which Ukrainian is
the obvious one. One thing I discovered when British Ambassador to Uzbekistan was that there
had been a large Ukrainian ethnic group of scientists working at the Soviet chemical weapon
testing facility there at Nukus. There are many other possibilities.
Yesterday's revelations certainly add to the amount we know about the Skripal event. But
they raise as many new questions as they give answers.
By now anyone with an opinion on the Skripal poisoning has already decided if they believe
the official narrative or not. Still, the event and the ongoing media coverage around it
presents an opportunity to understand more than we might think.
The British government claim is that a "military-grade nerve agent", one of a group of nerve
agents supposedly called 'novichok' (which simply means 'newcomer'), was used by Russia on
Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury. They reach the conclusion that Russia is to blame
because, they claim, the nerve agent used is "of a type developed by Russia."
Russian daily newspaper Kommersant recently released a 6-page
document they claim constitutes the British government's official case against Russia. They
summed up the 'evidence' as follows:
Military-grade Novichok nerve agent positively identified at the UK's Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory at Porton Down, an OPCW-accredited and designated laboratory Novichok
is a group of agents developed only by Russia and not declared under the CWC A violation of
the fundamental prohibition on the use of chemical weapons (Art. 1 CWC) First offensive use
of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War We are without doubt that Russia is
responsible. No country bar Russia has combined capability, intent and motive. There is no
plausible alternative explanation As of Sunday 18 March, we count over thirty parallel lines
of Russian disinformation
Note the 2nd point, that " Novichok is a group of agents developed only by
Russia and not declared under the CWC ."
In an interview with AFP, the former Russian scientist who participated in the development
of "Novichok" in Russia in the 70s and 80s, Vil Mirzayanov, stated that if Russia was not
responsible for the poisoning:
"The only other possibility would be that someone used the formulas in my book to make such a
weapon.
Mirzayanov's book, published
in 2008 , contains the formulas he alleges can be used to create "Novichoks". In 1995, he
explained that
"the chemical components or precursors" of Novichok are "ordinary organophosphates that can be
made at commercial chemical companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and
pesticides."
So the British government claim that this type of nerve agent can only be Russian, and was
only developed by Russia, is demonstrably false. In fact, in her statement to
the House of Commons on 12th March 2018 , British Prime Minister Theresa May contradicted
that claim when she said:
"It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve
agent of a type developed by Russia. This is part of a group of nerve agents known as
'Novichok' . Based on the positive identification of this chemical agent by
world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down. "
In the world of nerve agents, in order to positively identify a sample, you must
have your own sample for comparison and positive identification.
In a judgement at the British High Court on 22nd March on whether to allow blood samples to
be taken from Sergei and Yulia Skripal for examination by the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), evidence submitted by the Porton Down laboratory to the court
(Section 17 i) stated:
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings indicated
exposure to a nerve agent or related compound . The samples tested positive for the
presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent. "
Again, Porton Down must have had a sample of the alleged nerve agent used to
poison Skripal and his daughter. That can mean only one of two things: that Porton Down
obtained the nerve agent from some other party, or manufactured it on site . Porton Down is,
after all, in the business
of producing chemical weapons (ostensibly to test them on anti-chemical weapon equipment).
Note also that the wording used in the quote above includes the possibility that the agent
used on Skripal was not even 'Novichok' but rather a "related compound" or something "closely
related." So even Theresa May's statement that the British MoD had "positively identified"
'Novichok' seems false.
In
an interview with German Deutsch Welle , bumbling UK Foreign Secretary Boris
Johnson was directly asked if scientists at Porton Down had samples of 'Novichok', to which he
replied:
" They do . And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said,
'Are you sure?' And he said there's no doubt."
So the only thing we can presume to be 100% certain of in the poisoning of Skripal
and his daughter is that the nerve agent used was in stock at Porton Down, 8 miles from the
site of the poisoning.
In the 5th point in the British government 6-page 'dossier', the British establishment
claims:
"We are without doubt that Russia is responsible. No country bar Russia has combined
capability, intent and motive. There is no plausible alternative."
We know that other countries have the capability. Claiming to have no doubt about
someone's intent is nonsense. So we're left with motive. Did Russia have a motive to poison
Skripal and his daughter? Motives for a course of action are intrinsically linked to the result
of the action. The obvious and predictable result of using a nerve agent that was originally
developed in Russia in the 1970s to poison a former Russian spy living in the UK and working
for British intelligence is that Russia would be blamed and universally condemned for it. So if
Russia was motivated to further downgrade its reputation on the international stage, then sure,
Russia had motivation to poison Skripal and his daughter.
The problem is that there is no evidence that Russia desires to damage its own reputation in
this way. Is there evidence that anyone else has such motivation? For those that have been
paying attention to world affairs over the past 6 or 7 years, I'll presume that you don't need
me to answer that one.
So when we remove the unfounded and contradictory claims around the Skripal poisoning, the
actual facts of the case are rather limited:
Skripal lived in Salisbury, England, and had
been working for MI5 for 8 years. It is reasonable to assume that he may, therefore, have had
access to sensitive material, possibly useful to foreign governments, including Russia. As
such, he may have posed an 'intelligence threat' if he returned to Russia. According to a close friend , Skripal had
recently decided that he wanted to go back to live in Russia and petitioned the Russian
government to that end. Not long thereafter, Skripal was poisoned with a substance that was in
stock at a British Ministry of Defense facility, 8 miles from where he was living. The British
government blamed Russia for his poisoning. This accusation must be seen in the context of a
years-long anglo-American black propaganda campaign designed to marginalize Russia and thereby
limit its ability to effectively assert itself as a globally influential player. I've heard
people make the argument that any investigations of what really happened in Salisbury can only
ever be guesswork, that we can never be 100% sure. Of course, that's true to a degree,
especially when dealing with evidence which may be held back from public disclosure because of
reasons of "national security". But such people tend to use this line of thinking simply to
avoid taking a position, because taking a position scares some people, especially if it is not
the official position. It's also not very realistic or practical. If we were to hold all
statements and claims to the same level of proof, our court systems would become obsolete.
Rarely is there enough evidence to find a criminal guilty with a 100% degree of certainty.
That's why courts hold the standard of "beyond a reasonable doubt" and allow for
circumstantial evidence.
Insistence on absolute proof fails to recognize that, as humans, we don't navigate our lives
and make decisions on the basis of 100% proof. Instead, we use something akin to 'past form'.
For example, if I intend to take the train at 9.15am from platform 1 in the morning, I cannot
be 100% certain that the train will be there at 9.15am, or that it will be there at all that
day. Instead, I actively assume that it will be there based on the circumstantial evidence I
have accrued through repeated observations that when I go there at that time the train is
there. You could even say that the train is very likely to be there because it has the means,
motive and opportunity.
That's how we go about our daily lives, at least. But in cases of guilt and innocence we
probably need a higher standard. Many suspects may have means, motive and opportunity at the
same time. That doesn't mean they're all guilty. And a history of similar crimes does not
necessarily mean that a suspect is guilty of one particular crime. So what to do in a
case like the Skripal poisoning? The only thing we can do is compare competing hypotheses and
the degrees to which they are consistent with all the facts available. In other words, which
scenario is more likely given the known facts?
In answering the question of who poisoned Sergei Skripal and his daughter, we lack 100%
proof that the British government (or some element thereof) was responsible for the attack,
just as we lack 100% proof that the Russian government was responsible. In fact, the evidence
and reasoning provided by the British government does not actually support the Russian
hypothesis over competing hypotheses, because we would see the same evidence if the attack were
carried out in order to frame Russia. If evidence applies equally to two or more competing
hypotheses, naturally that evidence cannot be used to support one hypothesis over the other,
which is precisely what the British government is doing.
In contrast, the British government's apparent access to the precise nerve agents in
question, close to where Skripal lives, their full access to Skripal himself, their past form
in fabricating evidence of chemical weapons usage by other states, and their clear intent to
wage a vicious and underhanded demonization campaign against Russia, all combine to allow us to
actively assume that the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter was the work of the British
government itself. Is it beyond a reasonable doubt? Perhaps not, but it is currently
the only hypothesis that makes sense given the evidence available. And until more evidence is
made available, it is the only reasonable conclusion to make.
An established web-based essayist and print author, Quinn has been writing incisive
editorials for Sott.net for over 10 years. His
articles have appeared on many alternative news sites and he has been interviewed on several
internet radio shows and has also appeared on IranianPress TV. His articles
can also be found on his personal blog JoeQuinn.net .
It's hard to even decipher the official narrative, it's an incoherent mess, lacking any
motive, lacking any factual content.
Where we have facts, e.g. 3 actual admissions to hospital and compare with the narrative,
130 lives threatened, it's makes May's announcements appear total nonsense
It's all very well western MSM and governments asking us to believe their narratives but
their story lines never make sense ... they just lack logical consistency and tend to have
glaring plot holes .... it's all hypocritical BS
Lol. Is there anyone on SOTT who believes the official narrative?
I've been knitting a sweater waiting for some really good 'official' evidence;
I'm about to start in on a new one and perhaps a blanket after that.
The thing about official narratives is that they try to appeal to the 'plausible lie'
(repeated often enough on the news - and nothing new here to SOTT readers), and in a court of
law (or world opinion) this type of lie, as we know, can do the trick in peoples heads.
Double-down on it all with rolled out authoritarians and the MSN public can be like putty -
moldable.
Thanks for writing such a good article - nice work!
This whole episode disgusts me, and that is what is, an episode, in the pathological drama
that is enfolding in the world today.
It has no bearing or relevance to what is occurring in the real world, it's a staged
political act.
These so called politicians in the west are so inept, they are no longer able to judge or
respond to the will of the people, for which they have been elected I might add, they resort
to extraordinary measures to keep the electorate on side.
Unfortunately, it seems to be missing the mark, evidence all the mass unrest in the US, UK
and Europe.
The so called Austerity measures have done nothing more than to create more chaos on an
already chaotic situation, fueled by emotional fervor.
And of course, we have the MSM fueling the fire. At one time it was described as the 5 th
Estate, No longer, it is a collaborator and cooperator in the message that the political
elite want to send to the masses.
Well it's a free choice one can believe the evidence that is presented from whatever news
source one wants to watch, read or listen to. Personally I think there should be a warning
message, like on food labels, that if one listens, watches or reads the MSM, it is a case of
buyer beware, in the case of MSM, it is a case of your mind beware, and that is the most
important thing as far as I am concerned, ones own personal integrity is not compromised, the
ability to discern truth from lies.
Joan ''...These so called
politicians in the west are so inept,...''
The politicians are not the ones running the show. Big money is. Really big
money. Consortiums of major banks and oil companies for example. The Rockerfeller family is
another one. I forgot the number but I do remember their fortune is unbelievably colossal.
They are in everything. Just a handful of people are running the show from behind the scene.
Surely you know that.
demore Yes I do know that. And what we are witnessing is a show for public consumption
It has no relation to what is happening in th real world. Business with Russia continues,
although they may have to jump more hurdles, the space station continues, banking and finance
continues. trade continues, cultural exchanges continues.
So this is a purely a staged political event to sway the peoples to back a pathological
ideology.
They live in a bubble of there own reality and unfortunately they are trying to get people
to pierce the bubble and enter that reality.
Consider for example this picture which shows Mr. Skripal and his daughter Yulia presumably
in the pub or the restaurant they visited before they collapsed. Who is the third person,
visible in the mirror between them, who took the picture?
Is this third person the MI6 agent Pablo Miller who in 1995 recruited Skripal as British
double agent. Miller who was also involved in handling the MI6 assets Boris Berezovski and
Alexander Litvinenko. Pablo Miller who lives close to Sergej Skripal in Salisbury and is
considered to be his friend? The same Pablo Miller who worked with former MI6 agent
Christopher Steele's Orbis Business Intelligence which created the 'dirty dossier' about
Donald Trump? How deep were the Skripals involved in making up the fake stories in the
anti-Trump dossier for which the Clinton campaign paid more than $168,000 dollars. Did the
Skripals threaten to talk about the issue? Is that why the incident happened?
Without going too far into the gymnastics of the Skripals' poisoning, it is quite probable
Theresa May may have known there was going to be a poisoning of the Skripals, before the
actual poisoning took place. Check the timings of the released 'certainty' data.
Her unprotected visit to the sites should also be a clear indication of 'something'.
What is the name of the 'containing' hospitals, and where is it located?
Isn't this scenario following a distinct parallel path to Iraq's WMD, starting with the
very similar vial, and posture?
I appreciate the good analysis that Joe here and others elsewhere have done to lay bare the
dishonesty and fraud of this staged incident. However, after so many such faked affairs I
think another response is necessary.
1. The First Response by Russia and others should be to flatly and bluntly say it is a
bunch of lying shit. By this I mean that Russia et al should stop being so damned reasonable.
That this sort of stuff should be flung back at the accusers with defiance.
2. Russia et al should inflict immediate and painful measure on the perpetrators. Hit them
hard where it counts. Seize assets, arrest nationals, attack economically, impose sanctions.
Make it clear that whatever they do to Russia can be taken in stride. But the west is fragile
and weak and greedy and so not able to receive return blows. Do this with an air of 'we can
take it, we will dish it out, you can't hadle it'.
3. Split the Europeans. Pitch soft to some countries like Italy but pound others like the
UK. They are weak, they will fold.
4. Announce bold new military undertakings. Up the building of weapon systems. Increase
the reserves, deployment. Make it very clear there will be a price and Russia is prepared to
inflict serious pain.
5. Continue to buddy up to China. Dramatically increase economic protection measure.
Prepare to attack and undermine western currencies and markets.
The bragging and posturing of the west is a gambler's last throw. They cannot maintain by
force or any other means cohesion. Faced with painful resistance parts of the regime will
grow fearful and capitulate. Make for civil war. Let them destroy themselves. This is the
cheapest and safest way to put the lot out of business.
But, China, Russia and honest people in the west need to show some teeth to set this in
motion.
Yeah Ned, but I think that's exactly what they want Russia to do, and they ain't playing that
game. it must be maddening to them to poke and prod them and they are, like you say, so damn
reasonable,
So where is the 'Novichok' talk coming from? Well, someone in the British government
propaganda staff watched the current seasons of the British-American spy drama Strike Back.
(reverse causality IMO - it was planned, possibly predictive programming and
conditioning)
Nina Byzantina points to the summaries of recent episodes:Episode 50 ran in the U.K on
November 21 2017 and in the U.S. on February 23 2018:
Meanwhile, General Lázsló shuts down Section 20, forcing Donovan to work in
secret. She discovers that Zaryn is in fact Karim Markov, a Russian scientist who allegedly
killed his colleagues with Novichok, a nerve agent they invented.
Episodes 51 ran in the U.K on November 28 2017 and in the U.S. on March 2 2018:
Section 20 track Berisovich's meth lab in Turov where Markov is making more Novichok and
destroy it, though Berisovich escapes with Markov.
Episodes 52 ran in the U.K on January 31 2018 and in the U.S. on March 9 2018:
Section 20 track down Maya, a local Muslim woman Lowry radicalised, to a local airport.
When she attempts to release the Novichok, Reynolds shoots her. The Novichok is fake however,
as Berisovich does not want an attack committed in his country. ... By the time Section 20
arrives, Berisovich had already called in the FSB to extract Markov and confiscate the
Novichok. Yuri resurfaces to kill McAllister and Wyatt. However they turn the tables and
strangle him to death. They then manage to engage the FSB and contain the gas. But in the
process Reynolds is exposed. Markov works on an antidote but is killed by the Russians before
he can complete. McAllister improvises and saves Reynolds, before Novin blows up the lab.
Lowry uses the remainder of the gas to kill Berisovich for trying to betray her.
Here is a clip from the series: [ Link ]
See article here: [
Link ]
Sadly, however, facts and logic are not being used by the masses here as the proles have
been sufficiently programmed, that they will 'knee jerk' without analysis, without open
minds, and will do what the PTB's MSM tells them to do.
When absolute proof beyond reasonable doubt that the official story of 9/11 came out; to
wit: the proof of explosive Alumino Sulfate? Nano sized unexploded particles in the dust of
WTC, a friend, newly introduced to the 'bigger truths', asked, 'Well how are they going to
explain this away?"
I told him, just like they did in not talking about WTC7. You never knew about it until
2003 when I told you. Same approach here."
Well, assuming your point is true, the more valid it is, the more it will be ignored.
Given that Russia had ample chance to kill Skripal when he was imprisoned there for
several years, there's obviously a complete lack of a motive on Russia's part. And further
given the abundant means, motive and opportunity of, by, and available to, the British
government, it looks beyond reasonable doubt to me.
The logic behind the official narrative that Russia did it because Skripal was Russian and
'novichok' was originally developed by Russians is not far off believing that standing in a
garage makes you a car. But clearly this is how the UK gov & Co see it.
Well, they're not much of 'intellectual Ferraris', are they. More like three-wheel
bicycles ridden by a child with special educational needs.
By now anyone with an opinion on the Skripal poisoning has already decided if they believe
the official narrative or not. Still, the event and the ongoing media coverage around it
presents an opportunity to understand more than we might think.
I don't even get eye-rolls these days when I talk with True Believers.
I've been noticing that the tactic now employed most often, (other than simply avoiding
eye contact and scurrying away), is to interrupt, be louder, to spin anxious, meandering and
waaaaay-off point diatribes which go on for many minutes at a time without letup, repeatedly
referencing totems and touchstones like, "Scientific peer review is the only thing
separating us from chaos!" -and canned talking points which may or may not have any
bearing on the subject.
Alexander Goldfarb is/was a friend of Sergei Skripal, Alexander Litvinenko,
Boris Berezovsky and Nikolai Glushkov.
Associated with George Soros :
Goldfarb was among the first group of Russian exiles in New York whom
Soros invited to brainstorm his potential Foundation in Russia. In 1991
Goldfarb persuaded Soros to donate $100 million to help former Soviet scientists
survive the hardships of the economic shock therapy adopted by the Yeltsin
government. From 1992 to 1995, Goldfarb was Director of Operations at Soros'
International Science Foundation, with many more Soros projects to follow.
Here is a chronology of Goldfarb's press statements. One gets the impression
that he has prompted TM how to argue.
March 6
Quote : Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Mr Goldfarb said:
"The Russian secret services and the regime of Mr Putin had the motive
and the opportunity to do this. And they did it before. I mean, it's
only natural for any reasonable person to suspect them."
Mr Goldfarb, a close friend of killed dissident Alexander Litvinenko,
said he has a theory as to why Russia could be behind the latest alleged
poisoning.
The microbiologist and activist said it is not a spy theory but instead
a political move.
He said: "It is a political motivation and it has to do with the
elections of the President, which will happen in Russia in about ten
days from now and the major problem for Putin is the turnout because
his main opponent has been barred from participating and he has called
for a boycott of the elections.
"So Mr Putin is worried there are few people who come people who
are apathetic in Russia so this will be used regardless of whether Putin
did it or not.
"He has a way to invigorate his nationalistic and extremely anti-western
rhetoric."
Mr Goldfarb said the "majority" of Russians would perceive the "poisoning"
as the right thing to do as they view Putin as a leader that can "get
his enemies wherever they are across the globe."
Quote : Former-spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter and a policeman have
been poisoned in Salisbury in what is suspected to be a state-sponsored
hit.
But it is not the first time this has happened as Alexander Litvinenko,
who was former Russian secret service officer who defected to the west,
died in November 2006 after he drank tea laced with radioactive polonium-210
at the Millenium Hotel in Mayfair.
His friend Alex Goldfarb appeared on Newsnight to warn that it was
the inaction from the UK on the Litvinenko murder which led to the recent
suspected attempted assassination.
Mr Goldfarb said: "For 10 years the British Government refused to
admit that the Litvinenko murder was a state-sponsored crime and up
to the very public inquiry which happened in 2016 they maintained this
is just a regular criminal matter.
"The moment an English judge ruled that it was a state-sponsored
murder and in all probability ordered by Putin David Cameron went on
TV and said, 'we knew it from day one'.
"So they were trying to keep it quiet to not to annoy Putin and they
invited other attacks like this.
"If the response now will be the same, only words without any actions,
there will be a third and a fourth attempt."
He added: "I would pick the Putin theory because he is the only one
who had a motive and an opportunity too and he has been shown beyond
any reasonable doubt to be involved in the previous assassination
I mean Litvinenko who was my friend.
"He has a motive. His motive is the elections which are coming in
about 10 days and there is a very low turnout expected and he needs
to energise his nationalistic, anti-western electorate."
"So, he wants to portray himself as a tough guy who can get his enemies
anywhere in the world and who has been presenting himself as the only
thing that is protecting Russia and the Russians from the plotting and
the scheming of the west."
Quote : Alex Goldfarb, who knew Glushkov, said he thought his death
was highly suspicious. "I think it's fairly clear it wasn't an accident
or disease. It's either suicide or strangulation, like with Boris [Berezovsky],"
Goldfarb said.
Quote : Police insist they have discovered no connection between
the strangling of former businessman Nikolai Glushkov, 68, at his London
home last Monday and the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his
daughter in Salisbury a fortnight ago.
But Alex Goldfarb, a friend of both men as well as a prominent critic
of Russia, insisted Vladimir Putin must have ordered both hits.
Mr Goldfarb told BBC Radio 4: 'There is no connection in a forensic
sense probably, but if you look at the larger picture of politics, I
am convinced that no murder of this sort could have happened without
the personal approval of Putin or some of his immediate deputies.'
Mr Goldfarb was also close to former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko,
who was murdered with radioactive polonium-210 in London, and exiled
tycoon Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his Surrey home in suspicious
circumstances.
'All of these in my view have the common denominator of Mr Putin
flexing his muscle,' said Mr Goldfarb, a scientist who lives in New
York.
The 10 Main Holes in the Official Narrative on the Salisbury Poisonings: #1 – The
Motive
When I began writing about the Skripal case, I was moved to do so by three main
considerations.
Firstly, I really am passionate for the truth, and whatever the truth happens to be in
this case, I strongly desire it to be made manifest. It was clear to me fairly early on that
this was not happening.
Secondly, I am also very passionate about concepts such as the rule of law, innocent until
proven guilty, and the apparently quaint notion that investigations should precede verdicts,
rather than the other way around. And so when I saw accusations being made before the
investigation had hardly begun, verdicts being reached before the facts were established, I
was appalled -- appalled that this was happening in what we British pride ourselves is the
Mother of Parliaments, and equally appalled that this meant the investigation was inevitably
prejudiced and – pardon the expression – poisoned from the off.
Thirdly, the incident happened to have taken place pretty much on my doorstep, which made
it of even more interest to me.
Nothing I have seen in the intervening time has persuaded me that my initial impressions
were wrong. In fact, the whiff of rodent I first detected has only become stronger as time
has gone on and the case has become -- frankly -- farcical.
"... the United States expelled 60 diplomats back in March, and more recently they have effectively declared economic war on the Russian Federation all in response to unproven and inconsistent assertions of a botched assassination attempt against an old spy in a quiet Wiltshire City. Such a response ought to raise the suspicions of any sentient being that all is not what it appears. ..."
"... The first question to be asked is this: What exactly does she mean by "the motive"? By including that definite article before the word "motive", she implies that there is only one "motive" the ..."
"... it is known -- although woefully unreported because of a media ban -- that Mr Skripal was connected to the man behind the so-called Trump Dossier, Christopher Steele. Personally, I am reasonably convinced that Mr Skripal had a hand in putting this dossier together, given his connections to Steele, and since it was almost certainly authored by a Russian "trained in the KGB tradition" . ..."
"... Might this give a motive to some very powerful groups who are nervous about the origins and details of this dossier coming to light? Yes, of course. Then why is it not a line of possible enquiry? Answers on a postcard to the Department of the Blindingly Obvious. ..."
"... Mrs May had no right to state that the Russian Federation had "the motive". The best she could have said at that stage, without taking other possibilities into account, was that they had "a motive". The motive she does present is particularly feeble and does not explain why the Russian Federation would have wanted Mr Skripal in particular dead, and at that particular time. Mr Skripal's recent activities indicate that there were others with possible motives to assassinate or incapacitate him. dmonished 2 February 2016 by his FBI handler. This was in vault dump. ..."
"... If Sergei was Steele's only "source" obviously his disappearance was essential. ..."
"... My first question is : who is protecting Chris Steele right now ? I think it΄s MI6. But I don΄t think that they are happy to be forced to do that. Maybe there was an order of UK government to hide Steele. Because he meddled in some other things not related to the Dossier, but to Cambridge Analytica and Brexit and Fifa and . ..."
"... Don't understand why standard clean-up operations for fentanyl poisoning are ignored here. it includes protective clothing and hosing down public areas where the fentanyl may be present. Sunday evening clean-up at Maltings was SOP for fentanyl. This is not mysterious. ..."
"... Moving from a fentanyl od diagnosis to an unknown agent occurred Sunday evening. SDH stated that in the announcements on Monday. ..."
"... I am beginning to wonder if Bailey was even poisoned at all. Was it all just a PR exercise? Was he told to get himself to hospital on Tuesday morning so that the nerve agent story would have at least one other person involved. If he was feeling ill, why did he drive himself to hospital he could have collapsed at any second! ..."
"... Two SDH physicians had a completed training in a highly specialized program at Porton Down shortly before 4 Mar. It's been hinted that one or both were on duty 4 Mar. ..."
"... Having followed your excellent blog for some weeks now, I've become convinced that there are four distinct elements to this affair: two opposing clandestine ops, an almost unbelievably idiotic false flag charade, and a random death:- ..."
"... 1. Operation 'Let's Keep Tabs on Sergei'. Run by MI5/6/SB to make sure their double agent doesn't come to any harm or become a triple agent. Electronic tagging, email monitoring, phone tapping, and friendly chats ever now and then. Worked well for years, then the wheels fell off on 4th March. ..."
"... 2. Operation 'Let's Extract Skripal'. Run by an unknown security agency but possibly contracted out to another. Deniable soft extraction so he could be wheeled out later to give evidence concerning the Trump Dossier, with or without his co-operation. The plan included his daughter, because she was needed to ensure Sergei said what he was supposed to say when the time came. Phase One carried out successfully on 4th March. Phase Two delayed by HMG playing silly games, but eventually mission was accomplished. ..."
"... 3. The 'Let's Blame Putin' Charade. When MI6 reported to its ultimate boss that an ex-Russian spy had been poisoned, Boris would have rightly assumed the culprits were probably Russian. But then, remembering how Lavrov humiliated him at that press conference in Moscow last December, he decided to make sure Russia did get the blame and take the rap for it. With the help of the new inexperienced Defence Secretary and others, he came up with a hastily and ill-conceived plan to show that the poison could have only come from Russia, ensuring Russia's guilt. The Home Secretary at the time, Amber Rudd, did not buy into it so had to be replaced, but others including the overworked Theresa May were taken in. The narrative quickly fell apart, but having persuaded the world and his wife of Putin's guilt, there was no going back. The hole Boris dug just got deeper. And all the evidence or the lack of it had to be destroyed. No wonder Boris resigned. ..."
When I began writing about the Skripal case, I was moved to do so by three main
considerations.
Firstly, I really am passionate for the truth, and whatever the truth happens
to be in this case, I strongly desire it to be made manifest. It was clear to
me fairly early on that this was not happening.
Secondly, I am also very passionate about concepts such as the rule of law,
innocent until proven guilty, and the apparently quaint notion that investigations
should precede verdicts, rather than the other way around. And so when I saw
accusations being made before the investigation had hardly begun, verdicts
being reached before the facts were established, I was appalled --
appalled that this was happening in what we British pride ourselves is the Mother
of Parliaments, and equally appalled that this meant the investigation was inevitably
prejudiced and pardon the expression poisoned from the off.
Thirdly, the incident happened to have taken place pretty much on my doorstep,
which made it of even more interest to me.
Nothing I have seen in the intervening time has persuaded me that my initial
impressions were wrong. In fact, the whiff of rodent I first detected has only
become stronger as time has gone on and the case has become -- frankly -- farcical.
Not only that, but the reaction to the case has been simply incredible. For
instance, the United States expelled 60 diplomats back in March, and more recently
they have effectively declared economic war on the Russian Federation all
in response to unproven and inconsistent assertions of a botched assassination
attempt against an old spy in a quiet Wiltshire City. Such a response ought
to raise the suspicions of any sentient being that all is not what it appears.
I still do not have any clear idea of what happened on that day, but what
I am certain of is that the official narrative is not only untrue, but it is
manifestly inconceivable that it could be true. There are simply too many inconsistencies,
too many holes and far too many unexplained events for it to be true. And whilst
part of me would dearly love to leave this wretched case behind for a while,
whilst it is still ongoing, and especially as it is now being used to push us
even closer to the brink of war (economic warfare is often a prelude to military
warfare), I find that hard to do.
What I would therefore like to do in a series of 10 short pieces over the
next couple of weeks or so, is attempt to expose some of the very many holes
in the official narrative. At the end of it, I may well put it all together
into one PDF, so that it can be sent somewhere, where it can be completely ignored
by those that matter. Enjoy!
"In conclusion, as I have set out, no other country has a combination
of the capability, the intent and the motive to carry out such an act."
For the purposes of this piece, I am not interested in her comments on capability
or intent, but simply what she describes as "the motive".
The first question to be asked is this: What exactly does she mean by "the
motive"? By including that definite article before the word "motive", she implies
that there is only one "motive" the motive and that only one party
the Russian Federation possessed this. Which is of course manifest nonsense.
She might at that stage have said that they possessed "a motive", but without
looking into what Mr Skripal was up to, and the contacts he had, she was in
no position to state that they had " the motive".
Imagine the following scenario: A farmer called Boggis is found shot dead
in his barn. It is known that a week earlier, he had a very public quarrel with
another landowner, Bunce, about the boundaries between their lands, and that
the two of them had to be separated before they came to blows. Could it be said
of Bunce that he had "the motive"? Well, it would be reasonable to suggest that
he had "a motive", but without looking into other circumstances and other characters
connected with Boggis, it would be disingenuous to claim that he had "the motive"
as if only he might have had one.
As it happens, Boggis had been committing adultery with the wife of another
neighbouring farmer called Bean, and Bean had found out about this two days
before Boggis was found dead. What now? Does Bean have a motive? Very possibly.
So too might Boggis' wife. Perhaps even Bunce's wife. Who knows without examining
the facts more closely?
And so herein lies the first whiff of rodent. Mrs May asserted that the Russian
Federation possessed "the motive", implying that there was only one possibility,
which is something that could only be ascertained by proper investigation of
Mr Skripal, his circumstances and what he was up to. She therefore committed
what is a most basic fallacy in the investigative process.
The second question to ask is this: she says she set out "the motive" in
her speech, but what actually was that? Here is what she presented as the motive
in her speech:
"We know that Russia has a record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations
and that it views some former intelligence officers as legitimate targets
for these assassinations."
This won't do. Firstly, many countries have records of conducting state-sponsored
assassinations, and not always against their own nationals. But secondly, the
claim that the Russian Federation "views some former intelligence officers as
legitimate targets for these assassinations" is not a motive. At best it is
a claim, but it is not a motive. A motive for an attempted murder, such as this,
would need to give a reason for carrying it out on that particular person at
that particular time. Simply saying that they view some former intelligence
officers as legitimate targets for these assassinations does not explain why
they are supposed to have decided to assassinate this particular man, at this
particular time, especially since they released and pardoned him in 2010. It
also does not explain why they apparently decided to wreck all possible future
spy swaps, since Mr Skripal had been part of such a deal, and assassinating
him would put an end to such deals.
But the most important question to ask is this: are there any other parties
with a possible motive for this crime? Even without a particularly careful investigation
of the details of Mr Skripal's life, contacts and circumstances, I can say assuredly
that there were. For instance, it is known -- although woefully unreported because
of a media ban -- that Mr Skripal was connected to the man behind the so-called
Trump Dossier, Christopher Steele. Personally, I am reasonably convinced that
Mr Skripal had a hand in putting this dossier together, given his connections
to Steele, and since it was almost certainly
authored by a Russian "trained in the KGB tradition" .
Might this give a
motive to some very powerful groups who are nervous about the origins and details
of this dossier coming to light? Yes, of course. Then why is it not a line of
possible enquiry? Answers on a postcard to the Department of the Blindingly
Obvious.
In summary:
Mrs May had no right to state that the Russian Federation had "the motive".
The best she could have said at that stage, without taking other possibilities
into account, was that they had "a motive". The motive she does present is particularly
feeble and does not explain why the Russian Federation would have wanted Mr
Skripal in particular dead, and at that particular time. Mr Skripal's recent
activities indicate that there were others with possible motives to assassinate
or incapacitate him. dmonished 2 February 2016 by his FBI handler. This was
in vault dump.
Fusion GPS only got contract from Hillary April 2016, who then subcontracted
to Steele.
But Steele was FBI asset prior to dossier being started. Was he an asset or
a feeder of MI6 disinformation into US politics/intelligence?
That McCain ended up giving the dossier to Comey, when that dossier was written
by a supposed FBI "asset" would indicate the latter. If Sergei was Steele's only "source" obviously his disappearance was essential.
"CC Pritchard said officers at the scene underwent a "decontamination process"
at Salisbury District Hospital overnight on Sunday and into Monday morning,
after details of the attack became clearer."
But didn't Bailey drive himself in only because he said he didn't feel
well sometime on Monday evening?
@Jo. Yes, one version of the story says Bailey and two colleagues were checked
out at the hospital and then discharged, but that Bailey drove himself back
after feeling unwell and was readmitted.
I want to present my own thoughts on party A and B, that some posters here
have developed.
My first question is : who is protecting Chris Steele right now ?
I think it΄s MI6. But I don΄t think that they are happy to be forced to
do that.
Maybe there was an order of UK government to hide Steele. Because he meddled
in some other things not related to the Dossier, but to Cambridge Analytica
and Brexit and Fifa and .
MI6 has to hide the Skripals, too. The reason is simply to prevent that
Steele, Miller and the Skripals will ever be interrogated by the Trump fraction.
The dodgy dossier became a heavy burden on the UK Government since Steele
became known as the author.
It is an open secret that the UK Government has secretly done everything
possible to prevent Trump's presidency. Who knows what else will come to
light ?
In another post I had mentioned the role of Alexandra Chalupa and her
Ukraine connection. She's an ambassador to the Ukraine for the DNC.
Chalupa collected dirt on Paul Manaford for a long time.She emailed DNC that she'll share sensitive info about Paul Manafort "offline"
including "a big Trump component that will hit in next few weeks" (which
never happened, at least by Alexandra Chalupa).
Then her private Yahoo email account was hacked and a few days later DNC
fired Chalupa. WHY ? Maybe because DNC needed to keep her activities off-site,
where a FOIA can't touch them ?
But what happened on the very day Chalupa is fired ? Oh, Christopher Steele
is hired. What a coincidence.
And what happens FIVE DAYS after Christopher Steele was hired ? Oh, he publishes
his first report on his dossier, a report that discusses FIVE YEARS of investigation.
I mention Chalupa, because I strongly suspect that much of the Trump
dossier goes back to Chalupa's research. These, in turn, are based largely
on information provided by the Ukrainian intelligence service SBU.
The DNC wanted to use this information against Trump, but they couldn΄t
use Chalupa as the source. So the idea was born to hire Steele for the job.
Outsourcing.
The FBI has probably contacted its loyal vassal MI6 and discreetly referred
to "common interests".
Steele then changed the dossier to obfuscate Chalupa's authorship. But he
made decisive mistakes.
One mistake may have been to involve Sergei to some extent.
So I'm assuming that FBI and MI6 have a common interest in preventing
Steele, Miller and the Skripals from speaking.
Maybe MI6 contacted Sergei some time before and offered him to change his
identity. But Sergei refused. However, he was now alarmed and made plans
to return to Russia.
A dilemma for FBI and MI6. They now had to find another way to prevent Sergei
from speaking.
The idea of a Russian nerve agent was born. That killed two birds with one
stone.
Who executed the plan ?
FBI alone
MI6 alone
FBI and MI6 together
A third party that was willing to support the plan. This third party could well be from Ukraine. They hate Russia, they feared
that their share of the Trump dossier could come to light.
Moreover, in the West, they can not distinguish well between Ukrainians
and Russians if the perpetrators were unmasked.
Moreover, various sources, including the German BND, have pointed out that
Ukraine may still have Novichok stocks.
Bailey's job was to shadow the Skripals and report it. But he knew nothing
of the plan.
I think, the attack itself happened in or around the Mill Pub and Bailey
witnessed it.
However, I have no idea if the attack was done open or hidden.
I guess hidden. Something contaminated was being smuggled into the red bag,
perhaps already in the Zizzi, which the Skripals then discovered, wondering
how it came in the bag, and what both were touching.
Bailey was contaminated later, when he touched the same item (maybe a perfume
in gift wrapping) inside the red bag ?
In the run up to and including the war of the Iraq II WMD Debacle, Mi6
were fractured, even the bosses Dearlove and Scarlett that were running
their own pro Blair operations in conflict with the rest of the service.
Dearlove and Scarlett had their own objectives which were not comparable
with each other (personal and professional but mainly personal) or the rest
of their service.
Mi6, Mi5, DiS (or whatever they are all called now) with GCHQ have their
own infighting and conflicts of interest; within themselves, their sister
services, commercial / pension interests and those of the government ..
And of course what is in the best interest of the nation. (the police forces
are inconvenient uneducated, unfocussed rabbles that get in the way if they
involve themselves in anything more than issuing speeding fines)
Add to that Ministers fighting each other, Labour MP's trying harder
to bring down Corbyn than May, the Israeli and US interests ever present
wherever you look.
And top that with the US shambolic lessons to all other developed governments
in the world and the examples they display of their own decorum. Clinton
v Trump. FBI v CIA. (How many intelligence services are there? How many
agendas have they got?) And the Sickly twisted occultist hand the CIA has
in global drug production / distribution, unmetered oil windfalls, blackmail
scams (honey traps, murder, vice, paedophilia). An organisation with limitless
wealth and income streams, zero conscience, morality or single objective
other than to control the surf / goyim / proletariat. No objectives other
than to invoke misery, pain, suffering and death with crime, wickedness,
fear and perpetual global wars so the elite can remain that way and enjoy
their rewards.
And we wonder why Salisbury happened, what it is about, who is doing
something about it, why are they lying and covering up, who is to blame?
Sputnik makes an unfortunate choice of words in trying to paraphrase the
Guardian article:
"The spokesman for Salisbury district hospital, where Charlie Rowley was
taken, told The Guardian that *none* of the hospital's patients was receiving
any nerve agent-related treatment at the moment."
The Guardian article actually says,
"The hospital said it could not speak about individual cases but stressed
it was not treating anyone for the effects of novichok poisoning at the
moment."
So, nine, not nether.
More interesting is that the truth of the strained relationship between
Charlie and his brother is becoming more apparent. A mutual friend told
me a few weeks back that Charlie was estranged from his family by choice.
Hearing that put a very different perspective on his brother's effusively
confusing statements to the press.
Regarding the family relationship, when Charlie was in court for drug dealing
last year (?) he was additionally charged with stealing £2,000 (I think
that was the amount) from Mr Matthew Rowley. So I too remain to be convinced
of the 'brotherly love'.
" he was additionally charged with stealing £2,000 (I think that was the
amount) from Mr Matthew Rowley". That, to me, is a very odd fact. We are
told that Charlie is a drug addict on his uppers (i.e. skint), yet he had
£2000 that his brother (perhaps with an underlying motive to put Chalie
on cold turkey oh, wait, oink, , flap, , oink, , flap, ) sought to relieve
him of responsibility for it.
As to the mangling of the message mentioned by lissnup, both the Guardian
and Sputnik would probably have got the original story from PA, following
which they would then have put their own brand of spin on it.
The identity of the Skripals in contained in the witness statements those
who were present at the time and clearly saw them:
FEMALE DOCTOR: "A doctor who was one of the first people at the scene
has described how she found Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting
and fitting. She had also lost control of her bodily functions. The woman,
who asked not to be named, told the BBC she moved Ms Skripal into the recovery
position and opened her airway, as others tended to her father. She said
she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical
agent on Ms Skripal's face or body. The doctor said she had been worried
she would be affected by the nerve agent but added that she "feels fine."
She clearly states that she found Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a
bench, vomiting and fitting and that she had lot control of her bodily functions.
I don't know of anyone who has the ability to spontaneously evacuate their
bladder and bowl at will, more especially a female in front of a crowd on
onlookers. The doctor put her in the recovery position, that means on her
side, so there would have been visible evidence of Yulia having lost control
of her bodily functions.
FREYA CHURCH: "Sixteen minutes later [that is, after being seen on CCTV],
personal trainer Freya Church, 27, came across the victims slumped on a
bench. She said they seemed 'out of it' and assumed they were on drugs.
"It was a young, blonde and pretty girl and it was definitely the man that's
been pictured in the news the guy that's a spy. She was passed out and
he was looking up to the sky and I tried to get eye contact to see if they
were okay. They didn't seem with it. To be honest I thought they were just
drugged out as they were in a weird state. There are lots of homeless people
here so I just thought they were homeless."
Freya Church clearly identifies them, "It was a young, blonde and pretty
girl and it was definitely the man that's been pictured in the news the
guy that's a spy." She also says "I tried to get eye contact to see if they
were okay", so she had a clear view of their faces.
Destiny Reynolds, 20, who works in Ganesha Handicrafts in the centre,
said: "I saw quite a lot of commotion there were two people sat on the
bench and there was a security guard there. They put her on the ground in
the recovery position, and she was shaking like she was having a seizure.
It was a bit manic. There were a lot of people crowded round them. It was
raining, people had umbrellas and were putting them over them."
She says "It was raining, people had umbrellas and were putting them
over them." so these too would have had a clear view of the Skripal's faces.
Not one of these people, or the other witnesses, has come forward to
say it wasn't the Skripals, unlike DS Bailey, they are not subject to a
gagging order by way of the The Official Secrets Act.
All these witnesses would have assumed they were the Skripals because the
media claimed that they were. So did the Wiltshire police at least, at that
time. This is not of evidential value.
Freya Church has been proven to be an unrelaible witness. Destiny Reynolds
may not have had a clear view of their faces at all, especially as she said
that there was quite a lot of commotion, and "There were a lot of people
crowded round them. It was raining, people had umbrellas and were putting
them over them." How far away was she?
I'm also suspicious of that anonymous 'female nurse'. I had read that
this first responder was a 'male nurse' too. Apparently, s/he was a military
nurse, and had had experience with the African Ebola outbreak. S/he apparently
spent 30 minutes with the Skripals! Was it her who made the original emergency
call?
Besides, descriptions differ. CCTV evidence has been suppressed, and
that alone suggests that they were not the Skripals, and so does the police
interest in the Market walk footage. So, no, I'm not at all convinced.
I've not read any posts here since last night, so this post must be read
bearing that in mind.
I briefly replied to John Bull's four points, but I'd like to say more
on this. His first point related to the surveillance op being conducted
on Sergei. I said more or less that this would have been standard procedure
in this type of case, and the work would have been carried out by MI5 watchers.
In 2006 Special Branch was merged with the Met's Anti Terrorism Branch to
become the Counter Terrorism Command, and I'm pretty sure that DS Bailey
would have been seconded to that organisation, and that he was Sergei's
'front-line' case officer. His roles would be to protect Sergei (an SIS
asset) and to pass on intelligence to MI5's regional liaison officer at
Bristol.
Now John Bull was assuming that those involved in this operation were
one of two competing parties. The second party being covered in his second
point. This is where I disagree. I don't count MI5's role here as being
one of the two parties, for it is at least theoretically neutral.
The other party is not neutral, and that is MI6. It is MI6 who were (and
still probably are) acting in competition with the unknown group. Both groups
were involved in planning a their own Skripal operations prior to 4th March.
Let's call this unknown group, Group X This shadowy group represents certain
US political interests.
This is what I said in my original post (19th at 3.50pm) that first brought
the dual-party theory into the light:
"Let's suppose [the film] was their source of poisoning inspiration.
Let's also suppose that two competing groups became involved at different
stages. Let's say there was a pre-planned, well-organised operation prepared
by group A, but when group B somehow learnt of it, a hurried attempt was
made by group B to scupper group A's plan which might have failed. Just
speculation, but it would account for many anomalies. These two groups could
be two different intelligence agences, or one of them possibly being a rogue
faction within an intelligence agency".
This remains the bare bones of my theory, and I was deliberately being
rather coy about it at the time. Of course, another party that quickly became
involved in all this is the British parliament itself, and I suspect that
MI6 sought urgent advice from government ministers when they realised Group
X's intentions. (They would have only given them information on a need-to-know
basis). MI6, wanting to protect their assets as well as Britain's interests,
attempted to neutralise Group X's plan at short notice. It was the hurried
nature of all this, along with extreme political pressure, that caused mistakes
to be made. Secret heated discussions between the US, UK and *French* governments
have no doubt been going on about this situation ever since 4th March.
I could say much more, but for now, I'll try and catch up with a long
backlog of posts !
Competing groups might explain the 15:47 CCTV image if it was indeed Sturgess
and Rowley, not the Skripals. If the Skripals were to be whisked away alive,
a couple who could be mistaken for them, walking in a direction away from
the point of disappearance and after it could be used, should the need arise,
to deflect from the real circumstances by Group A. However, Group B, hastily
interfering with Group A's plan, causes a public scene, making the red herring
couple a liability instead of an asset which might explain the release
of the footage (part of Group A's original plan) but the lack of an appeal
for help by local authorities (because the plan was FUBAR, making the pre-planned
release of the CCTV footage a mistake).
Miheila, I am not surprised to hear MI5 are in Bristol.
Two other odd occurrences doing to mind. The cricketer Ben Stokes' charging
decision being inexplicably sent to London.
Thanks Noone very interesting. I signed this too, about ending the 'special
relationship', (which in my opinion was toxic and one-sided ever since it
began):
https://action.larouchepac.com/declassifyukdocs
Brexiteers go on so much about 'British sovereignty', yet they ignore
the fact that Britain has effectively been a vassal of the USA for decades.
I'm not saying Kier Prichard did it on his own, and the Met have their burden
to carry, but what this man has achieved in such a short time is truly breathtaking.
Wilts police are now a laughing stock, not just in Salisbury or Wilts
but the UK and internationally. The public trust level must be as low as
it can possibly get. The rank and file must be suffering humiliation, worthlessness,
shame and depression. Motivation must be zero.
What a jerk, why do that to yourself, your reputation, your family, your
colleagues, your force of 20 20 years ? Is he really that thick, so stupid
that he couldn't see this coming and when he did he had a chance to say
enough is enough or is that side of his character so flawed that he is either
too cowardly or just unaware of what people think of him?
"ACC Pritchard said: "I have a huge sense of pride taking over the reigns
as Temporary Chief Constable for a force I have served for more than 20
years.
At least Basu has had the good grace to keep his mouth shut and go into
hiding.
I can't see how he (and others ) can avoid criminal prosecutions but
it won't be long until the civil prosecutions begin which will cost the
tax payers dear. But those who are involved can expect (if they do manage
to stay out of jail) to now spend much of the rest of their lives fighting
litigation
They brought it on themselves and unfortunately us but none more so than
Dawn.
Justice for Dawn!
"Mike has been a fantastic leader and he leaves us in great shape both
in terms of engagement amongst officers and staff and, externally, as evidenced
in our strong Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue
Services (HMICFRS) gradings.
"We are blessed with outstanding officers, staff and volunteers across
our organisation who achieve great things every day and who strive to provide
an excellent service to all of our communities.
"Now is the time to look forward and to continue, as we've always done,
with our values and communities at the heart of everything we do.""
Peter, They are all useless. It seems to be the only qualification needed
these days. Now Jeremy Hunt is calling for more sanctions on Russia this
simply proves that he is ignorant as well as useless.
For years Russia has been dedollarising; Russia will manage just fine
with more British sanctions (and American sanctions for that matter) and
the most damage will be done to British companies that will be shut out
of Russia not because of anything Russia has done but because of what
their own idiotic government has done.
TPTB are cretins!
With immediate effect, I am starting a personal 'buy Russian' campaign.
If I find anything in the shops that is 'made in Russa', I will buy it in
preference to anything made in the EU. Every little helps!
Ditto. There is another country that I and my relatives never buy fresh
produce from, always going for South African or South American alternatives,
or if they're unavailable going without. I can't say publicly which
country as I might get a visit from the boys in blue!
CF
Alexander Goldfarb is/was a friend of Sergei Skripal, Alexander Litvinenko,
Boris Berezovsky and Nikolai Glushkov.
Associated with George Soros :
Goldfarb was among the first group of Russian exiles in New York whom Soros
invited to brainstorm his potential Foundation in Russia. In 1991 Goldfarb
persuaded Soros to donate $100 million to help former Soviet scientists
survive the hardships of the economic shock therapy adopted by the Yeltsin
government.
From 1992 to 1995, Goldfarb was Director of Operations at Soros' International
Science Foundation, with many more Soros projects to follow.
Here is a chronology of Goldfarb's press statements.
One gets the impression that he has prompted TM how to argue.
March 6
Quote : Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today Programme, Mr Goldfarb said:
"The Russian secret services and the regime of Mr Putin had the motive and
the opportunity to do this. And they did it before. I mean, it's only natural
for any reasonable person to suspect them."
Mr Goldfarb, a close friend of killed dissident Alexander Litvinenko, said
he has a theory as to why Russia could be behind the latest alleged poisoning.
The microbiologist and activist said it is not a spy theory but instead
a political move.
He said: "It is a political motivation and it has to do with the elections
of the President, which will happen in Russia in about ten days from now
and the major problem for Putin is the turnout because his main opponent
has been barred from participating and he has called for a boycott of the
elections.
"So Mr Putin is worried there are few people who come people who are apathetic
in Russia so this will be used regardless of whether Putin did it or not.
"He has a way to invigorate his nationalistic and extremely anti-western
rhetoric."
Mr Goldfarb said the "majority" of Russians would perceive the "poisoning"
as the right thing to do as they view Putin as a leader that can "get his
enemies wherever they are across the globe."
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/927751/Russian-spy-poisoned-Salisbury-London-Alexander-Litvinenko-Sergei-Skripal-Putin-spy-swap
March 8
Quote : Former-spy Sergei Skripal, his daughter and a policeman have been
poisoned in Salisbury in what is suspected to be a state-sponsored hit.
But it is not the first time this has happened as Alexander Litvinenko,
who was former Russian secret service officer who defected to the west,
died in November 2006 after he drank tea laced with radioactive polonium-210
at the Millenium Hotel in Mayfair.
His friend Alex Goldfarb appeared on Newsnight to warn that it was the inaction
from the UK on the Litvinenko murder which led to the recent suspected attempted
assassination.
Mr Goldfarb said: "For 10 years the British Government refused to admit
that the Litvinenko murder was a state-sponsored crime and up to the very
public inquiry which happened in 2016 they maintained this is just a regular
criminal matter.
"The moment an English judge ruled that it was a state-sponsored murder
and in all probability ordered by Putin David Cameron went on TV and said,
'we knew it from day one'.
"So they were trying to keep it quiet to not to annoy Putin and they invited
other attacks like this.
"If the response now will be the same, only words without any actions, there
will be a third and a fourth attempt."
He added: "I would pick the Putin theory because he is the only one who
had a motive and an opportunity too and he has been shown beyond any reasonable
doubt to be involved in the previous assassination I mean Litvinenko who
was my friend.
"He has a motive. His motive is the elections which are coming in about
10 days and there is a very low turnout expected and he needs to energise
his nationalistic, anti-western electorate."
"So, he wants to portray himself as a tough guy who can get his enemies
anywhere in the world and who has been presenting himself as the only thing
that is protecting Russia and the Russians from the plotting and the scheming
of the west."
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/928729/bbc-newsnight-russia-spy-war-bbc-news-Sergei-Skripal-assassination-latest-Putin
March 17 DailyNewsUSA
Quote : Alex Goldfarb, a friend of both men as well as a prominent critic
of Russia, insisted Vladimir Putin must have ordered both hits. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MwpV7n-rLTU
March 18
Quote : Police insist they have discovered no connection between the strangling
of former businessman Nikolai Glushkov, 68, at his London home last Monday
and the nerve agent attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury
a fortnight ago.
But Alex Goldfarb, a friend of both men as well as a prominent critic of
Russia, insisted Vladimir Putin must have ordered both hits.
Mr Goldfarb told BBC Radio 4: 'There is no connection in a forensic sense
probably, but if you look at the larger picture of politics, I am convinced
that no murder of this sort could have happened without the personal approval
of Putin or some of his immediate deputies.'
Mr Goldfarb was also close to former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, who
was murdered with radioactive polonium-210 in London, and exiled tycoon
Boris Berezovsky, who was found dead at his Surrey home in suspicious circumstances.
'All of these in my view have the common denominator of Mr Putin flexing
his muscle,' said Mr Goldfarb, a scientist who lives in New York.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5514213/Murder-Putin-critic-linked-Skripal-nerve-agent-attack.html
Could you elaborate on those similarities please? I've had a look but didn't
see any. The CCTV footage is terrible quality but what "image" I get does
not coincide with available photos of Glushkov.
Goldfarb is certainly a person to be avoided with friends like that
who needs enemies? Litvinenko's dad suspects Goldfarb was his son's assassin.
The claim is made in that youtube video that Goldfarb was Skripal's friend
as well. It would not be a surprise but it would be good to obtain confirmation.
I agree, Liane, and have commented here about it. Glushkov has a young,
pretty, blonde daughter. I am not sure if it was the same daughter who reportedly
discovered his body.
"I would like to reassure you all that Nick is receiving medical intervention
and care from highly specialist medical practitioners experienced in these
matters."
Why did Pritchard say "highly specialist medical practitioners experienced
in these matters" instead of something less specific? Who are these "highly
specialist" and "experienced" practitioners? The medics at SDH were quite
humble in the Newsnight programme I am sure none of them would regard
themselves as 'highly specialist and experienced' in treating a nerve agent.
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NEWS5th JuneKier Pritchard says DS Nick Bailey poisoned at Skripal house
Exclusive by Rebecca Hudson @JournalRebecca
EXCLUSIVE
Dt Sgt Nick Bailey.
DETECTIVE Sergeant Nick Bailey was poisoned with a nerve agent when he
and other officers attended Sergei Skripal's home looking for evidence including
signs of drug use or suicide notes.
9
Chief Constable Kier Pritchard told the Journal he had watched evidence
from body-worn cameras used by officers who first attended the scene on
March 4, and that their response to the incident was "first class".
"We would not have known from those first hours what we were dealing
with. At that time we didn't know, and why would they, if there was anything
other than a medical incident, or something that was drug-related or something
more sinister," he said.
CC Pritchard said DS Bailey was one of a team of officers who attended Mr Skripal's home in Christie Miller Road, after the Russian former-spy
and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in the city three months
ago.
He said officers were looking for information to establish a timeline
of events and explain why the Skripals had fallen "gravely ill", as well
as making sure there was nobody else affected.
"That [information] could be a suicide note, it could be evidence of
drugs, it could be evidence of some form of substance," CC Pritchard added.
And he said DS Bailey (pictured) and his family are still receiving support
from Wiltshire Police.
CC Pritchard said: "Nick has been to Wiltshire Police headquarters, he
came in last week and that was a very positive step forward.
"This has been a long three months for many of us can you just imagine
the impact on your children and your wife and your family life when all
you're trying to do is your job? My heart absolutely goes out to Nick and
his family over all that they've suffered."
CC Pritchard said officers at the scene underwent a "decontamination
process" at Salisbury District Hospital overnight on Sunday and into Monday
morning, after details of the attack became clearer.
And, following that, Wiltshire Police set up a "welfare cell" to help
affected officers understand and work through the psychological effects
of the attack.
"We have supported over 90 members of our staff in either one to one
sessions or group meetings," CC Pritchard revealed. "Of course one of those
90 will be Nick Bailey".
CC Pritchard shared his pride in Wiltshire Police, and the citizens of
Salisbury, for their response to the "colossal events".
"We [Wiltshire Police] have the ability and the confidence to be able
to deal with international and global issues. I hope that provides real
confidence to the public of how proud they can be.
"And I want to put on record how proud I am of the community of Salisbury.
They have demonstrated the true brilliance of a community.
"Despite a global issue, and despite the massive impact, the way the
Salisbury general public has responded has been exemplary."
'Spacemen' in The Maltings on Sunday evening officers at the scene underwent
a "decontamination process" at Salisbury District Hospital overnight on
Sunday and into Monday morning
Why would that be? SDH suspected a nerve agent by 6am Monday morning,
not Sunday evening.
The only way anyone could have suspected more than a drug overdose on
Sunday would have been prior knowledge but if someone had prior knowledge
and did not ensure that ALL emergency responders were protected, that would
not just be negligent
The only way anyone could have suspected more than a drug overdose on
Sunday would have been prior knowledge
Yes and no. Don't understand why standard clean-up operations for fentanyl
poisoning are ignored here. it includes protective clothing and hosing down
public areas where the fentanyl may be present. Sunday evening clean-up
at Maltings was SOP for fentanyl. This is not mysterious.
Moving from a fentanyl od diagnosis to an unknown agent occurred Sunday
evening. SDH stated that in the announcements on Monday.
Liane, it wasn't just protective clothing it was the full 'moonsuit' but
not everyone wore one. When I mentioned prior knowledge, I was thinking
of Rob's idea that British intelligence might have got wind of an FBI/CIA
plot to use an agent from Porton Down. If there been any prior knowledge,
then allowing any first responders to be at the scene not wearing full hazmat
gear, would have been a crime in itself.
Remember that Kier Pritchard had his first day on duty on March 5. Maybe
he was not well informed about Bailey΄s part in the case.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu has taken over from Mark Rowley
as the new Assistant Commissioner responsible for leading counter terrorism
nationally on March 5.
March 1 a new temporary assistant chief constable has been selected at Wiltshire
Police. ACC Craig Holden joined Kier Pritchard.
So who was Bailey΄s supervisor on March 4 ? Deputy Chief Constable Paul
Mills ?
I am beginning to wonder if Bailey was even poisoned at all. Was it all
just a PR exercise? Was he told to get himself to hospital on Tuesday morning
so that the nerve agent story would have at least one other person involved. If he was feeling ill, why did he drive himself to hospital he could
have collapsed at any second!
If it was a bit of LARPing, that would at least explain why he didn't
need a tracheostomy.
I am beginning to wonder if Bailey was even poisoned at all.
My guess is that he wasn't. He felt ill and as instructed went to the
hospital on Tuesday to get checked out. Game was on at that point; so, he
was put in a bed for observation and not allowed to leave. Drugged. That
would be surreal, wouldn't it?
As I followed this segment in real time, there was a sense of elation
in the media that they had a third victim. A first responder. Then they
scrambled trying to explain what a DS would have been doing at Maltings;
so, they switched it to he was at the house. Then there were questions as
to why it took so long for the alleged poison to effect him. Somehow that
got dropped as they continued to make different claims about where he'd
been; finally settling on both Maltings and the house.
Paul and Marie, if Bailey was not poisoned the OPCW has to lie !
They took blood samples of all three on March 22. After that Bailey was
released.
I΄m convinced that Bailey was poisoned with the same nerve agent, whatever
agent that might be.
The OPCW did not lie but they were deceived. The OPCW says they checked the identities of the individuals they tested
against IDs. How hard would it be for the government to issue a passport
on the 'name' of Nicholas Bailey?
This raises the question again of how the OPCW acquired the samples they
took away with them. As I understand it the OPCW scientists who came to
the UK are not clinically trained they are effectively lab technicians
so they do not have the training to "take" samples from patients. They
are reported as "collecting samples" but to my knowledge from reading other
reports and articles it was UK medical staff who "took" the samples and
then handed them over to the OPCW. Even if they took the samples in front
of the OPCW, I bet at some point they said something along the lines of
"Oh hang on a minute, I just need to go and put labels on these phials back
in a minute".
Two SDH physicians had a completed training in a highly specialized program
at Porton Down shortly before 4 Mar. It's been hinted that one or both were
on duty 4 Mar.
But Bailey did not check in until 6 March. Were PD specialists there throughout?
Why didn't they just take the patients to PD instead of risking contaminating
a public hospital?
I recall reading at some point that Bailey drove himself to SDH on Monday
morning. Try as I might, however, I couldn't find it again. I know there
is a comment on MoonOfAlabama mentioning the same thing but it does not
have a link.
Then Mark Urban said in the Newsnight programme that Bailey drove himself
there on Tuesday morning .
Those were not PD specialists but SDH physicians that had received PD
training. That might be in addition to PD scientists that SDH spokespersons
have said were there as well. So, plenty of professionals focused on nerve
agent poisoning could have been there during the first 36 hours.
SDH had a whole new unoccupied wing they could have commandeered to isolate
the patients. Also to keep regular SDH staff and their eyes away from the
patients as well. Wouldn't that be preferable to transporting them to PD
with so many eyes watching?
But that was my original point. A training course does not make anyone:
"highly specialist medical practitioners experienced in these matters" Where does the 'experience in the matters' come from?
I'm posting this reply to Max_B here because this is the second time that
there's been no 'reply' option to his posts. No idea why, but the blue word
inthe corner is missing.
If you really "don't care", Max_B, then why on earth are you making such
a fuss over it ? I do care. And after accusing me of getting my facts wrong
(over Lavrov) you apologise to newcomer (Новичoк) Cherrycoke only when s/he
corrected you. Maybe you forgot.
Anyway, you say: "Fentanyl's and Carfentanil *are* nerve agents, I understand
you want to rely on a much narrower definition of nerve agent that only
includes Organophosphates, but that definition is just not accurate".
In your opinion only; not professional opinion which has for decades
treated organophosphate agents as nerve agents, and fentanyls as (narcotic-analgesic
type) incapacitants.
You said, "The substance responsible for the Salisbury and Amesbury incidents
isn't an Organophsophate, that's why they are scrabbling around for a redefinition".
I agree with this, although we are only surmising that the Salisbury/Amesbury
substance is not an organophosphate (due to symptoms), for no-one has actually
specified its nature. And yes, I can see that they are scrabbling around,
and so are you ! Fair enough. But how can this explain why nobody has officially
specified what this chemical is ? As far as I can tell, it doesn't. Why
can't they simply be open about its nature and honest about their scrabbling
?
Yes, of course opioids depress the CNS, but so do lots of substances
such as alcohol, and, yes Peter, even axes ! This does not make them nerve
agents for they do not inhibit acetylcholinestaerase crucial to the definition.
Wikipedia: "Nerve agents, sometimes also called nerve gases, are a class
of organic chemicals that disrupt the mechanisms by which nerves transfer
messages to organs. The disruption is caused by the blocking of acetylcholinesterase".
I perfectly understand the argument over BZ versus Carfentanyl, but surely,
rather than redefine the latter as a nerve agent, why not simply redefine
it as an opioid chemical weapon ? Organophosphate and carbamate pesticides
are officially (and biochemically) nerve agents, but they're not chemical
weapons. In the same way, most opioids are not chemical weapons but some,
such as the fentanyls should be. Salisbury has highlighted this failing,
hence the scrabbling about.
To include certain opioids as nerve agents (rather than opioid CW's),
then the official, long-established and generally-accepted scientific definition
must be changed which would only invite more confusion.
Agreed.
Opioid receptor agonists are not nerve agents.
However, if carfentanil was suspected then unprotected contact with the
victims would not be the protocol.
The true first responders were the heroes.
Unless they knew enough ahead of time to not be afraid.
"The true first responders were the heroes."
And they were who ? By the testimony of some who were aware of them (i.e. the unfeeling Freya
Church) just walked on like The Good Samaritans they most certainly are
not!
Perhaps there was an assumption that in an, allegedly, druggie infested
town like Salisbury, most people would ignore the histrionics of the pair
on the bench and walk on, leaving it to 'the first responders' to deal with
it. Convenient, if it worked.
If, and it is an if, the lady doctor and the nurse rushed to give the two
prone figures first aid without considering their own safety then these
two are the only heroic ones in this shambles.
As of 4 Mar, there has been no known fentanyl overdose in Salisbury. First
responders would have been trained in what to look for and how to proceed
in a fentanyl od situation, but practice makes perfect. There's not that
much difference in the emergency response protocols for fentanyl and carfentanil.
The difference is in the medical treatment in the hours and days after the
first couple of hours, and symptoms, treatments, and responses rather than
tests for the presence of carfentanil is the guide for physicians.
Rob, you are a great one for making lists of questions. You may have this
one on a list already:-
If HMG knew that Russia had declared death to all traitors, what measures
did they take to protect Sergei Skripal, a confirm traitor but also a member
of our security services. And why were those measures so lamentably unsuccessful?
Listen to Javid. The UK has never said what happened, (that's why we
have the Blogmire) and I don't recall ANY Russian account, other than denial
and show us evidence.
Glen needs to improve on his nodding skills. He is about three seconds too
slow.
Time and practice will no doubt improve this.
Having followed your excellent blog for some weeks now, I've become convinced
that there are four distinct elements to this affair: two opposing clandestine
ops, an almost unbelievably idiotic false flag charade, and a random death:-
1. Operation 'Let's Keep Tabs on Sergei'. Run by MI5/6/SB to make sure
their double agent doesn't come to any harm or become a triple agent. Electronic
tagging, email monitoring, phone tapping, and friendly chats ever now and
then. Worked well for years, then the wheels fell off on 4th March.
2. Operation 'Let's Extract Skripal'. Run by an unknown security agency
but possibly contracted out to another. Deniable soft extraction so he could
be wheeled out later to give evidence concerning the Trump Dossier, with
or without his co-operation. The plan included his daughter, because she
was needed to ensure Sergei said what he was supposed to say when the time
came. Phase One carried out successfully on 4th March. Phase Two delayed
by HMG playing silly games, but eventually mission was accomplished.
3. The 'Let's Blame Putin' Charade. When MI6 reported to its ultimate
boss that an ex-Russian spy had been poisoned, Boris would have rightly
assumed the culprits were probably Russian. But then, remembering how Lavrov
humiliated him at that press conference in Moscow last December, he decided
to make sure Russia did get the blame and take the rap for it. With the
help of the new inexperienced Defence Secretary and others, he came up with
a hastily and ill-conceived plan to show that the poison could have only
come from Russia, ensuring Russia's guilt. The Home Secretary at the time,
Amber Rudd, did not buy into it so had to be replaced, but others including
the overworked Theresa May were taken in. The narrative quickly fell apart,
but having persuaded the world and his wife of Putin's guilt, there was
no going back. The hole Boris dug just got deeper. And all the evidence
or the lack of it had to be destroyed. No wonder Boris resigned.
4. A Tragic Death. Four months after Skripal, a couple in Amesbury were
hospitalised for drug misuse; just two of the many cases SDH would have
dealt with during the year. But having been persuaded by HMG that the Skripals
had been poisoned with Novichok-that-only-comes-from-Russia, the local authorities
took no chances and assumed the two from Amesbury had been likewise affected.
HMG, desperate to keep their narrative alive, leapt on the incident to re-ignite
the anti-Russian rhetoric and claim Dawn's death was 'murder', 'a terrorist
act', 'a war crime' etc. etc. The narrative was even more idiotic than the
first one (a scent bottle in a litter bin for four months!) and ironically,
it blew the gaff. They said Dawn was poisoned by the very same Novichok-that-only-comes-from-Russia
and died because she received 10-times the dose Skripal got. But we know
she took eight days to die. It could not have been Novichok.
Perhaps the police should stop trying to hunt down non-existent assassins
and investigate Boris Johnson. The crime? Misconduct in public office, which
carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
When I was writing my scenario below, I started to realise that rather
than satirical it could be factual.
Little Gavin might be working under that man who would be king's tutelage.
Gavin having told the Russians to shut up, does not do well under questioning.
'A tragic death'
If Salisbury and the aftermath was not already crazy, Amesbury hit new heights
of idiocy.
A woman was taken from a house with poisoning in the morning but others
in the house were not taken to hospital for observation.
Later the same day, the other occupant of the same house fell ill. Decontamination
tents were sent to the location but were not used. Instead police put the
second victim in an ambulance with no protection whatsoever.
Just watch this short video and ask yourself what were the police thinking!!**??
Two days after Dawn and Charlie had been admitted to hospital, and as a
direct result of the Amesbury incident, Detective Sergent Erin Martin of
Salisbury CID took the " unusual step " of issuing an official warning
via Wiltshire Constabulary to " drug users " in south Wiltshire
"to be extra cautious" , . "We are asking anyone who may have
information about this batch of drugs to contact the Police", " where the
drugs may have been bought from, or who they may have been sold to."
John, you're poaching my theory ! The one I hinted at in an earlier post
(yesterday I think).
Like you, I'm convinced that two opposing covert ops are involved.
Your point 1. would be standard practice. Sergei would have been subjected
to discreet surveillance by MI5 watchers and GCHQ throughout his British
exile. Most likely heroic DS Bailey was his local case officer. But let's
not forget that Sergei was still working for MI6 and that Pablo Miller was
probably still his controller (line manager). There's a saying, 'once an
intelligence officer; always an intelligence officer' a saying which certainly
holds true for many ex-SIS folk. It was his covert activities that lead
to your next point.
Your point 2. is more or less exactly what I had worked out myself, and
I'll be working on the finer details for some time yet.
Your point 3. is spot on too. This is the opportunistic 'political capital'
angle I mentioned in an earlier post.
Your point 4. I see this as a crude continuation of the above. A further
opportunity. Nothing more.
Eventually, we'll be joining more and more dots together. Good work,
John !
"Party A is British Intelligence, whereas Party B is perhaps some sort
of Trump supporting element of US Intelligence/military. The Skripals are
therefore currently under their protection. Have I got that right?"
Broadly yes; that is the bare bones of what I currently think.
You counter with:
"Party A would be FBI/CIA Intel with nerve agent from US part of Porton
Down, and Party B would be British Intelligence believe what Party A is
about to do is potentially disastrous, and so try to stop it."
I have two particular issues with that idea. I mention them, to see whether
they can be answered in a way that allows us to build a scenario around
your idea.
Firstly, when you say FBI/CIA, what you really mean is Cabal. The FBI/CIA
would be acting on behalf of HRC/DNC/Obama/etc. to remove an individual
who could expose them and throw light on their illegal activities specifically
spying on Trump. Why would May/M_5/M_6 want to stop that? They are in exactly
the same boat and do not want their role to be disclosed either. Also Sergei
was nothing but an expense for HMG; they already had all the information
he was ever going to give them.
Ah, you say, British intelligence didn't like the idea of a nerve agent
being set loose in Salisbury. OK, well why not just have a word with the
FBI/CIA and agree to do it in a way that keeps everyone (except Sergei)
happy. I am sure that between FBI/CIA/M_5/M_6/HMG, there was something that
they could all agree would do the job and not threaten the whole of Salisbury.
Why not just get him at home?
But that isn't my biggest problem.
Secondly, Sergei was on British soil. If HMG/M_5/M_6 got wind of a plan
to kill him, why would they not just take him off the streets immediately?
Get him into protective custody. He had already been to the police to say
he was in fear of his life, so get him somewhere safe. Then there is no
need for any 'nerve agent' attack at all. The FBI/CIA might be a bit miffed
but Trump would not complain; he would say British intelligence did a great
job!
In this case, Bailey visits Sergei on Saturday morning and says: "Right
Sergei, go and get Yulia and then we will take you in. You will be safe
for the rest of your life. All you have to do is give me the SD card and
we will take care of the rest." Job done and it would have saved an awful
lot of ferreting around in rubbish bins ever since.
So if party A was indeed some black op of the FBI/CIA, why did party
B let it proceed right up to 4 March and then try to thwart it at the last
moment, instead of just killing it stone dead? If party B didn't stop the
FBI/CIA earlier and Bailey was sent in to save the Skripals, it rather looks
like they didn't get the SD card anyway
Good points Paul. For now, the only thing I'll say is with regard to the
second problem, which is this. It would all depend on when this plot was
discovered. If it was days or weeks in advance, then yes, you're absolutely
correct. But if it was some time on the morning or even early afternoon
of 4th March, then that would change things. And to be frank, even if there
was a "cover up" of a "cover up" it doesn't look like it was very well thought
through.
If party B discovered the plot on Sunday morning, they would have had
the whole day to find Sergei and take him in. Sergei wasn't trying to hide;
they would have found him easily on council CCTV. There would also have
been police cars all day outside Sergei's house, waiting for him and police
would have been crawling all over the city.
If party B discovered the plot at, say, 2pm and Sergei was not at home,
they still had options. Surely the police would have launched their procedures
for something like a bomb threat. The city would be closed off immediately
and police would have been everywhere. People would have been told to evacuate
the city and get to safety. Given 2 or 3 hours, procedures would exist to
minimise the risk to the general public.
Even if they only had one hour's notice, I can't see the police doing
nothing and allowing a nerve agent to be deployed.
I should add that I still believe that on the Sunday and Monday, the Wiltshire
police were honest and did a proper job. Some very funny details emerged
very quickly by Monday evening they knew that this was a scam and on Tuesday
the Met was brought in to cover it all up.
I should add that I still believe that on the Sunday and Monday, the
Wiltshire police were honest and did a proper job.
Agree.
on Tuesday the Met was brought in to cover it all up.
Disagree. The Met or Met CT was in the lead as early as 7:00 PM on Sunday
and no later than 9:00 PM. Publicly for the next day and a half SFD and
SDH referred to the Met as a 'partner,' but one of the local police seniors
did say on Monday or Tuesday that they were relieved of command on Sunday.
Okay so what do you do with the subsequent statements from SDH/NHS that
have clearly stated that on Sunday evening, SDH contacted NHS "Radiation,
poison, etc." and NHS "Radiation, poison, etc" promptly contacted Met CT?
Did Met CT respond with, "We're busy with our tea and crumpets and it's
not our patch anyway?"
The Monday announcements were issued by SDH and hours later the SPD,
but we now also know that by 06:00 on Monday buzz about unknown agent and
Skripal had spread throughout several UK agencies. Do you seriously think
that SDH and SPD were in the lead that day? That referring to 'partners'
was a simple nicety?
Is there not even a semi-automatic communication link from SPD to Wiltshire
PD and the Met? Shortly after the incident, if we accept a Skripal neighbor
eyewitness, a SPD patrol car stopped at Skripal's house. That indicates
that Skripal has been preliminarily identified as one of the bench people.
Even if that eyewitness is wrong, nobody disputes that a team of police
arrived at Skripal's house sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 PM and by all
accounts gained access to the house and searched it. If the Met or Met CT
had any boots on the ground by then, they wouldn't have had enough to handle
the search on its own. So, of course, local police assets were involved
in this.
Do you think Craig Holden and Cara Charles-Barkwrote the statements they
read on camera on Monday evening? Statements that only covered the barest
of information,
You honestly believe that SPD operated exclusively on this matter from
Sunday evening until Tuesday?
Seemed to me that there was a bit of chaos at the law enforcement end on
Monday as they didn't get much done by that evening statement and when national
reporters were beginning to show up. SPD couldn't ascertain that a crime
had been committed. Was Met CT pushing for a crime? Somebody behind the
scenes with power sure was.
Boris had his script ready to go as soon as Rowley (Met CT) announced
that Skripal was one of the victims.
Marie, I don't know why you are ranting at me, all I did was post a link
that is the official story! Anyway, just to correct a couple of things for you:
" police arrived at Skripal's house sometime between 7:00 and 8:00 PM"
No Bailey was there by 5pm.
" by 06:00 on Monday buzz about unknown agent"
No the buzz by 6am on Monday was about a former Russian spy. The news of
an unknown agent came later on Monday morning.
I find it helpful to be as precise as possible when so much possible evidence
is mushy or conflicts.
SPD has stated that the team of officers including Bailey went to Skripals
house Sunday evening. I don't recall that SPD has given the time of they
arrived. Skripals neighbors reported seeing several police cars and officers
at Skripals house at 7:00. As eyewitnesses aren't generally all that reliable
as to the precise time they observed something, I merely accepted 7:00 as
the earliest and allowed that it could have been as late as 8:00. Either
of which are good enough for a reconstructed timeline.
As to the report from one neighbor that a police car arrived at Skripal's
house at 5:00, there's no other evidence to support that. I'm sort of accepting
a 5:00-5:30 visit by a lone police car because checking on a home of a patient
whose identity would not have been firmly established at that point is sort
of what police do. I could have been Bailey, but I doubt it because it's
too routine. That person wouldn't have entered the house. Likely knocked
on the door and reported back that nobody was home. It's relevance for me
is that it gives a time as to when Skripal had first been identified as
one of the two possible patients.
Key Elements of the Hoax
(I say key because a big part of the Hoax has been to throw in distractions,
red herrings and a ton of irrelevant stuff to confuse and overload the story
It is Not meant to be understood)
The Conflicting advice of Novichoks that Public Health England (PHE)
promulgated compared with that of the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Nerve Agents (the OPCW hadn't put anything out
on Novichok specifically for the simple reason they didn't know anything)
The Director of Public Health England (PHE) Paul Cosford saying that
Novichok actually does take a minimum of 3 hours to take effect after contact
with a large dose
"If you become ill with this stuff (Novichok) from actually coming into
contact with a significant amount of it then its within 6-12 hours, maximum
(that symptoms would occur) 3 hours is the minimum but you have to be
in touch with a large dose.""
PHE Risk to public remains low (Despite being dead). "This Stuff" (Novichok)
take effect in not less than 3 hours IF you get a very large dose through
the skin
OPCW Nerve Agents are deadly, the more toxic they are the deadlier
they are. They are designed to kill. Through Skin contact will present symptoms
in 20 30 mins, (inhalation much quicker)
No CCTV released by police.
Which would establish the actual Time Line rather than that of the Fake
Official Narrative.
It would establish what the Skripals looked like that day and what actually
occurred at the bench (the police don't want us to know either)
It could have saved the lives of the 3 children that Sergei gave bread
to in the park when he first arrived in Salisbury that day if the boys had
been poisoned by Novichok.
Bailey's Body Cam would establish what he did at the bench and Skripal
home.
The Government Lie that it was the Russians that did it and could only
have been them.
I have a tome which addresses means and opportunity, and when I can paste
it to the Blog you will hopefully see it.
I will still bang on about Skripals and only Skripals being the park bench
victims.
We know that they were in Zizzi's after the duck feed with the boys, then
onto the Mill Pub.
As many of the recent posts had pointed out the Mill Pub has lots of CCTV
footage and the police spent quite a long time interviewing the staff. (As
one does in a terror investigation.
The Telegraph was still reporting that the Mill Pub was the last port
of call before the park bench. I think that is true. However, TPTB want
us to "ignore" that location and focus on the Novichok that dripped from
Zizzi's table.
Why?
The US media has send journalists to Salisbury very early.
For example Ellen Barry, NYT. These journalists have influenced the official
narrative to a decisive extent.
He used the Snap Fitness CCTV to establish the fact" that the Skripals
went from Zizzis through Market Walk to the bench.
Rob, just another false translation of what Putin said about traitors.
Listen to Moran΄s interpretation at 2:00 in the video.
Quote : Vladimir Putin's held a town hall session and he was asked about
this five's that had been traded and he said, and this is almost a direct
quote : They will kick the bucket. Trust me. They betrayed their colleagues,
their brothers in arms. And they took thirty pieces of silver and are gonna
choke on all that." [End quote]
At 3:00 Terry Moran shows the CCTV of Snap Fitness.
It΄s outside at the right side of the entrance.
Noone & Liane:
Excellent articles, thanks.
I recommend everyone to watch the video on Liane's link: https://youtu.be/sGqi-k213eE
15 minutes well worth watching.
"Flat Earth New" by Nick Davies. It provides a plausible reason for the
phenomena where all the new media carry the same headline and column with
minor changes it all comes from one source via a single feed that they
all subscribe to (the Press Association, or sometimes Reuters).
We keep talking about the "official narrative". But actually, what is
the official narrative and where does one find it?
I do try to keep up with events around the Skripal case. The media regularly
and frequently cite "sources", official or otherwise. But have there been
any actual authorized statements from the government containing anything
like an "official" version of the events? There was Theresa May's statement
to Parliament in March, but has there been anything since? If so, I must
have missed it (which is quite possible).
For sure there's a media narrative. The media keeps floating new stories
or bits of new information. But the media stories are often either self-contradictory
or just plain nonsensical. Does this amount to an "official narrative"? Is the "perfume bottle" official for example? Or the novichok in the
public toilets? Or are these only media stories?
I read in earlier posts that the police have issued an "official" timeline
(contradicting earlier eye-witness accounts). Is this the case? Is there
really a police timeline that one can look up in any official source, or
is it just another media story?
Most recently the fact (?) was reported apparently as a Guardian exclusive
that the government is "poised" (whatever that means) to submit an extradition
request to Moscow. If true, it would be a very serious act. Has it been
officially documented, or is even this simply another media story?
I apologise if I'm talking rubbish here, but I have the impression that
there no such thing as an "official narrative" beyond what May told Parliament
in March. Everything since then has been media smoke and mirrors. Or an
I missing something?
I totally agree with you.
And it seems none of the media is inclined to pin down and demand the official
story.
It is to the government's advantage to allow the media to run with unnamed
sources to reinforce the Russia dunnit scenario, without themselves committing
to it
When I use the term "official narrative", which I do a lot, I am basically
referring to three simple claims:
That Sergei and Yulia Skripal, along with D.S. Nick Bailey, were poisoned
by a "military grade nerve agent" known as a Novichok.
That responsibility for this act lies with the Russian state.
That the poisoning took place at the home of Mr Skripal, specifically
by the application of the nerve agent to the handle of his front door.
The first two claims have been expressly made by Her Majesty's Government,
whilst the third one has expressly been made by those in charge of the investigation.
There are of course other sub-claims that form a part of this (such as
the day that Yulia and then Sergei were discharged from hospital) but these
three claims are substantially it.
The main problem with the first claim is that the Skripals are alive
and well. The main problem with the second is Russia is absolutely not the
only country or entity that could have produced the alleged substance. And
the main problem with the third claim is that it is a physical impossibility
that 2 people could have come into contact with the alleged substance, and
then collapsed at exactly the same time 4 hours later.
Everything else follows from those three basic, but demonstrably false
claims.
I agree with you completely, Rob, except for you saying that the Skripals
are 'alive and well'. In truth, we can't be sure of this. All we know for
certain is that Yulya was alive at the time the Reuters video was recorded.
I definitely agree with you. Almost nothing is "official" except that
Putin did it (whatever it was).
On your Point 3, what do we make of this post by CharlieFreak ?
I was discussing the 'door handle' theory with a relative about five or
six weeks ago and he was telling me that he had been listening to a BBC
Radio 4 'Today' interview with a Govt Security Minister the previous week
(Ben Wallace?) in which he was asked if Novichok residue had actually been
found by investigators on the door handle. According to my relative who
has been following the case and assumed from all the publicity that nerve
agent residue had been found on the door handle the Minister said it hadn't
but it was a plausible the theory they were working with. As I understand
it the interviewer then rhetorically remarked (without any obvious hint
of irony or incredulity) that presumably it was quite possible that the
'assassins' came back after seeing the Skripals leave the house and wiped
the door handle clean to remove the evidence!!
https://www.theblogmire.com/bbc-crimewatch-reconstruction-of-salisbury-poisonings-shelved/#comment-8643
Can this be? Not even the door handle is "official" ???
john_a,
"Is the "perfume bottle" official for example?"
Officially the Novichok was found in a "small glass bottle" in Charlie
Rowley's flat. No further details were officially given about the container.
It was Charlie who said that he had found a perfume bottle with a known
brand name, which Dawn sprayed on her wrists, and that the contents somehow
got onto Charlie's hands.
Nothing official as far as I know, except that the Hazmat guys searched
the public toilets in QEM park. Some tabloid published a ludicrous story
about Russia using that public toilet as a CW lab.
This has been said many times before, but it's worth repeating that the
police did not say when the Skripals visited the Mill pub, only that it
was "at some time after" they arrived at Sainsbury's car park in Salisbury
city centre. The police must have known more about the exact timing, since
they had plenty of timestamped CCTV footage available to them. 'Unofficially'
according to media reports, they went to Mill before they went to Zizzis,
but there does not appear to be anything to support that version of events.
"Most recently the fact (?) was reported apparently as a Guardian exclusive
that the government is "poised" (whatever that means) to submit an extradition
request to Moscow. If true, it would be a very serious act. Has it been
officially documented, or is even this simply another media story?"
I guess that this is the story that originated from the Press Association
that the Russian assassins were identified from CCTV images. Nothing official
about that, in fact the Security Minister called it "ill informed and wild
speculation". However, the BBC has treated the report very seriously.
https://twitter.com/MarkUrban01/status/1020366761848385536 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-43643025
If the BBC continues to say that, it must have been leaked from some
senior official source that wants the public to believe it, even if that
source does not commit to it publicly.
You ask in another post "Not even the door handle is "official" ???"
The British authorities have not explicitly stated that the Novichok
was found on the door knob, only on the front door: "Specialists have identified
the highest concentration of the nerve agent, to-date, as being on the front
door of the address.".
However, there have been various media reports that the nerve agent was
found on the door handle. Furthermore, Sir Mark Sedwill, the UK's national
security adviser stated in a publicly released letter that Russia had previously
tested the use of door handles as a way of delivering nerve agents.
Sedwill says "DSTL established that the highest concentrations were found
on the handle of Mr Skripal's front door. These are matters of fact." So
I suppose you could call that official.
My thesis: The Skripals did not walk through the Market Walk to the bench.
I want to substantiate this thesis:
We have two CCTVs of people that are NOT the Skripals :
15:47:43 Snap Fitness shows the couple with the red bag. First published
on March 6.
Cain Prince, 28, runs Snap Fitness.
16:08:00 Jenny's restaurant shows three people. First published on March
9.
Mustafa Dalangal, 57, runs Jenny's restaurant .
How did these two CCTVs find their way into the public ?
We know that the police didn΄t publish a single CCTV. Why should they release
this two ?
No, it were some journalists who found the CCTV earlier than the police.
Look at this timeline of March 5 and 6 (Reporter Liam Trim) :
Monday March 5
6pm The BBC reports the man is Sergei Skripal, 66, an ex-military intelligence
colonel who was convicted in Russia of passing state secrets to Britain
7pm At a press conference Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Craig Holden
tells reporters it is not being treated as a counter-terror incident.
Tuesday March 6
09:07 The BBC named Skripal as the man who was found along with a woman
in her 30s, believed to be known to him, on a bench near a shopping centre
shortly after 4pm on Sunday.
09:37 Both supermarkets are open but there are national media providing
coverage close to the police tape.
10:34 Sergei Skripal, 66, was found slumped on a bench in Salisbury alongside
a 33-year-old woman, who the BBC understands is his daughter, Yulia Skripal.
10:53 The latest from the Press Association: As CCTV believed to show the
pair in the moments before they were found slumped on a bench emerged, the
UK's top counter-terrorism officer, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner
Mark Rowley, said: "We have to be alive to the fact of state threats."
10:56 Freya Church, 27, the gym worker, from Salisbury, told the Press Association:
(..)
15:37 BBC home affairs correspondent sums up press conference
He's quite brutally frank here but it's true we did not learn much from
that press conference.
https://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/salisbury-russian-spy-police-substance-1302045
I guess that Craig Holden in the evening of March 5 told reporters about
a man in his 60th and a woman in her 30th were the couple found slumped
on the bench. And I suspect he also mentioned the red bag.
This gave the Press Association the idea to look for the couple on private
CCTVs.
PA was looking for a couple with a red bag and they found it at Snap Fitness.
We know for a fact that PA found the wrong pair.
Had there been another couple on the CCTV with a red bag, then they would
certainly have copied it, too ! So there was no second pair with a red bag
in Market Walk at that time !
Later on March 6 the police arrived at Snap Fitness :
Quote : Snap Fitness manager Cain Prince, aged 28, said: "Police had a good
look at the footage and were interested in these two people. It was the
only image they took away."
Mr Prince added that police said Skripal was "wearing a green coat". [End
quote]
"Police had a good look at the footage" so, the police too didn΄t see
the Skripals in market Walk !
But they found it suspicious that there was a couple who also had a red
bag. So they took it away.
The Sun knew about the Snap Fitness CCTV and the red bag. Why did they
focus on another couple ? Was the red bag couple not on Jenny's restaurant
CCTV ? But they can not have fallen from the sky. I have no logical explanation
other than this : Certain media wanted to create the illusion that the Skripals
walked the Market Walk, although they didn΄t.
Conclusion : Two different reporters have spotted CCTV. But no one has
discovered the Skripals. In short, the Skripals didn΄t walk through the
Market Walk.
Liane, I think you are right. And why did the police take away that image
from Snap Fitness? Because it was the couple on the bench! When the police
searched the CCTV they knew what the bench couple looked like and that was
who they were looking for.
If it had been the real Skripals on the bench, why on earth would the
police have taken away CCTV of a random couple with a red bag, yet not bothered
to take any images of the Skripals?
"Yes Mr Cain, Mr Skripal was wearing a green coat but never mind about
that; I think I will have this picture of these two other people if that's
alright with you."
Another thought, this may explain the switch in the Mill/Zizzi or Zizzi/Mill
timeline. The CCTV couple were clearly not coming from the direction of
the Mill, they were coming from Zizzi.
As the police had made a mistake in releasing the CCTV image, they may
have switched the story round and said it was the Mill first to cover up
the fact that they had (ridiculously) issued a CCTV image of 2 otherwise
random people coming from the wrong direction. By switching it round perhaps
they thought it provided some cover for having issued images of people that
were not the Skripals and left the idea in everyone's mind that the Skripals
had come from the same direction.
Paul, both CCTVs were NOT released by the police but by the press !
This fact forced them to change the story.
Why on earth was the time when the Skripals were in Mill Pub never given,
neither by police nor journalists ?
Something very significant happened in the Mill. It had 12 CCTV cameras operating that day the recordings were all seized
by the police. The Manager was was treated as a terror suspect and interviewed by police
8 times in the first week of the investigation. The Skripals went to the Mill before Zizzis
"As further details of Col Skripal's movements emerged, a source close
to Greg Townsend, manager of The Mill, revealed that he served the Russians
last Sunday afternoon and had since been treated like a "terror suspect",
interviewed by police up to eight times last week.
He said The Mill had 12 CCTV cameras, covering the large open-plan bar
area as well as the upstairs balcony and lavatories overlooking it.
"The pub has obviously remained closed for more than a week and the cordon
widened, but Greg feels like he has been kept completely in the dark, they're
not telling him anything.
"He actually served them. He's had a bit of a time of it all and is a
pending terror suspect.
"He certainly said he's being treated like one. He's had around eight
police interviews.""
Sorry the Telegraph has the opposite to the "Official Narrative" (as it
was then)
"From the car park, it was just a short walk through The Maltings shopping
precinct to Zizzi, where they ate lunch before heading to The Mill pub for
a drink."
The "Official Narrative" was never changed on Dr Davies, the Duck Boys
park location, the cctv pair being one and the same as the bench people
And the Helicopter taking Yuia and / or Sergie changed 3 weeks l was
corrected later in the leading MSM news provider the Spire FM website.
The Official Narrative is a tool of the Hoaxer and because of its unreliability
it means Pants.
Independent Tested Evidence is what is forming the Facts, if they are
false they can easily be refuted abd corrected by New Evidence eg Mill and
Council CCTV
Peter, this prompted me to look at Mr Townend's Facebook page and there
was a link to a piece about his rabbits, which were locked up behind the
police cordon, with no food or water. But thanks to his raising of awareness
on social media, the police stepped in:
"Luckily, the Luckily, Wiltshire Police stepped into the rescue the rabbits
after pub manager's plea was shared more than 100 times across Facebook.
The force today tweeted: 'We have an update on the rabbits stuck at an address
in one of [the] cordons. They have now been given food and water and are
OK. Thanks for everyone's concern.'"
Sadly the cat and the guinea pigs at 47 Christie Miller Road were not
treated with the same care. "All animals are equal, but some animals are
more equal than others" it seems.
Or, possibly, 'all police are dumb, but some are dumber than others'.
Or, one could change 'dumb' to 'unfeeling', or 'callous', or some other
derogatory term.
The cat and the guinea pigs in the Skripal's house would have been raising
hell and the cat would have been trying everything in its repertoire to
get out. Then there's the defecation and urination, the smell must have
been quite ripe. So please tell me how the officers posted outside the Skripals
and Townsend's ignored all this without comment to their superiors?
No idea. The two things that baffle me about the whole incident are:
a) If you look at the photos of police officers standing near the house,
there are three windows that are open. I would have thought the cat could
have got through one of those, and there's probably a catflap on the back
door. The cat, if not the guinea pigs, could surely have gotten away.
b) Why on earth the authorities let on about the condition of the animals.
They're not above being economical with the actualite. Why then did they
not just say, "The cat and the guinea pigs are now safely residing at a
secure location. They do not wish to avail themselves of the services of
the RSPA, or Russian Embassy, and they ask that their privacy be respected."
The affair of the pets was only made public when the Russian embassy began
enquiring about them. Until then it was the Skripals' vet who'd contacted
the police about the pets, and this happened within hours of the poisoning.
Once it became public, the government had to come up with a plausible
cover story claiming that DSB had found them on 4th March. I don't believe
this. The DEFRA vet allegedly involved was, as far as I know, never named,
and the best they could come up with was that the Persian cat, Nash van
Drake (brought over from Russia), had been found in a 'distressed' state,
taken to PD, humanely put to sleep and incinerated. No vet should euthanise
an animal simply because it is distressed. The guinea pigs (also from Russia)
had been found dead due to lack of food and water were also taken off to
PD. I don't believe this story. Rumours of a second cat, Masyanya, bought
in England, began to circulate and it was assumed that this cat had escaped.
Neighbours will know more.
I would like to think that all the pets survived and are now safe. This
may even be true if the Skripals had been 'disappeared' according to a pre-planned
operation. If so, the pets would have been moved elsewhere shortly before
the fateful day, or on that very morning.
HMG hadn't taken into account a second cat, because they weren't aware
of one, but there certainly were two cats and I have videos of them both.
The embassy were only aware of one cat and two guinea pigs, information
that I believe came from Viktoria. As for the rabbits and fish, another
later rumour, perhaps they had been taken away earlier too. The whole pet
story strikes me as very odd. Maybe Howard Taylor, the vet, knows more than
we do. He said, "We phoned the police on day one to offer to help if they
needed it. I thought it unlikely the police would have gone to the house
and not done anything."
On 17th March it was only reported that the animals had been taken away.
It was only on 6/7th April that HMG admitted that the guinea pigs were dead
and the had been suffering.
According to The Sun: Taylor said of Mr Skripal: "He was a nice chap
and we got on well. He never said he was in fear for his life. He used the
vets for some years and I had seen his cat and his guinea pigs." Note: only
one cat mentioned.
"We contacted the police straightaway upon hearing the news that Mr Skripal
had been admitted to hospital, and a number of times afterwards, to make
them aware of Mr Skripal's pets and their needs.
We contacted Porton Down in case the animals may have been taken into
isolation. We also offered to take care of Mr Skripal's pets in his absence.
We were never contacted by the police or Porton Down in return regarding
Mr Skripal's pets".
If we believe this official story, then why haven't the RSPCA prosecuted
the police fotr animal neglect? I'm disgusted by the RSPCA's apparent lack
of interest in this affair. Their press officer, Nicola Walker said:
"It is very sad to hear that these animals have died in such tragic circumstances.
However, we appreciate the emergency services were working in extreme and
dangerous conditions in an incredibly fast-moving operation in an attempt
to keep the public safe. We don't currently know the details of what happened
but, as part of our ongoing working relationship with police, we would like
to see if there is any learning for future operations."
Suzanne Norbury, their South-West Press Officer came up with the same
wording, and:
"Emergency services working in extreme and dangerous conditions incredibly
fast-moving operation an attempt to keep the public safe'
I go along with this assessment: "It's a string of shallow excuses. It's
nonsense. And it comes, not from the police themselves, but from the royal
body supposed to prevent cruelty to animals".
This report may have been inaccurate, but nobody can claim that the existence
of the pets was not known as early as mid March. The family vet also raised
questions at an early stage. The report also shows that somebody thought
the animals were worth "testing".
To me, this is one of the most bizarre inconsistencies in the whole case.
Were the animals removed in mid March (alive) or early April (dead)? Why
are there two different and mutually contradictory stories? What possible
interest could be served by leaving the pets inside the house? And does
it really mean that the police or counter-terror guys never entered the
house before early April? After (supposedly) finding novichok on the door
handle?
What's going on here? Did somebody calculate that a heartbreak story
about starving pets would make us all hate Russia even more? If so, I suspect
it backfired badly. British people love pets, and the story really just
makes the British authorities look inhuman. Especially because it was the
Russians who raised the issue.
Or is the whole sorry saga of the pets just a symptom of the British
authorities losing interest in the whole affair and just trying to walk
away from it in embarrassment?
Also, do the Skripals know the fate of their pets? What have they been
told, and how did they take it?
As I wrote before, it looks like a punishment of Sergei. He really loved
his pets.
Or does anybody here has the impression, that the Skripals were treated
like innocent victims ?
Sterling work as always Paul, thank you.
The note was sent from Frank Beswick (no relation) to Dr David Kelly
the week before he died. Beswick was a colleague of Kelly's at Porton Down
The writer of the letter was Frank Beswick (no relation) to Dr david Kelly,
I don't know whether it was his own letter header (the crest and coat of
arms) or that of the CDE Porton Down but this seems to indicate it was his
own personal crest & Arms
"Frank's scientific work did not interfere with his enthusiasm for voluntary
work with the St John Ambulance, in which he was a senior figure. The promotion
to the rank of commander brother within the Order of St John in 1995 delighted
him and allowed him to design his own coat of arms. This included the badge
of the Chemical Defence Establishment and a heart, a nod back to his early
work in cardiac physiology."
I Hadn't realised before but Beswick and Kelly had worked on detoxing
the island of Gruinard together
"In 1979, following the closure of the Microbiological Research Establishment,
the small microbiology programme fell into his bailiwick and this stimulated
the work to rehabilitate the Island of Gruinard, which had been contaminated
with anthrax in the early 1940s."
Well, there's no heart in the arms on that letterhead so I can't see how
they can be the arms that Beswick chose for himself. Nor do I understand
why the crest is placed separately on the left. It's only the colour and
charges in the escutcheon (shield) that makes a coat-of-arms unique to a
particular family, individual or corporate body. In a sense, the rest is
mere traditional ornament the supporters, crest, helm, motto
Yes, I saw that Hasbrouck one when I did a quick search, but the chevron
is not engrailed and the difference is crucial. It MUST be engrailed (the
internet is still not the best way to search for these things). By the way
the Hasbouck arms would is described as "Purpure, a chevron between three
flambeaus or, flamed proper", so our friend's arms would then be:
"????, a chevron engrailed between three flambeaus (not torches) or (probably),
flamed proper (probably)". I can't guess the field colour (????), and I'm
guessing the likely colours of the torches.
I had forgotten about Ross Cassidy and was checking him out again after
Miheila mentioned him for the list of people who know more that they are
saying and found this from Sky News March 28 2018
Mr Cassidy, 61, has spent many hours with counter-terror detectives investigating
the poisoning, but would not discuss the police operation.
Mr Cassidy got to know Sergei, his wife Lyudmila, his son Alexandr (who
was known as Sasha) and Yulia.
Sergei spent a lot of time out of the country and there were times when
I didn't see him, but he used to call me his English friend. He was very
generous and never forgot my birthday, usually buying me an expensive bottle
of whisky.
On Saturday 3 March, Mr Cassidy drove Mr Skripal to Heathrow to collect
Yulia, who had moved back to Moscow and was visiting her father. It had
been snowing and Sergei asked his pal if they could use his four-wheel-drive
pick-up truck.
Last week, in a court ruling about the Skripals' medical needs, a judge
quoted the consultant treating them in Salisbury district hospital: "The
hospital has not been approached by anyone known to the patients to enquire
of their welfare."
Mr Cassidy was upset by the suggestion there wasn't anyone who cared
enough to want to go and see the Skripals.
He said: "That is misinformation, because we care. I asked the police
several times if we could go and see them, quietly and away from the media,
but I was told quite categorically that we were not allowed. We asked the
question and the answer was 'no'.
"We were also upset that if his family and friends in Russia got to hear
about this lack of concern it would cause them extra anguish."
My questions:
Why wouldn't Ross Cassidy discuss the police operation?
Why wouldn't the police let Sergei's best friend in England, visit him
in hospital?
Did the SDH consultant know that the police were preventing Sergei and
Yulia from having visitors?
If the SDH consultant did know that, then why didn't he tell the judge
that?
I'm glad you picked up on his name.
I included him, because outside the spook community, he's the only person
in England who appears to have known the Skripal family well all four.
No wonder he was questioned for so long. I'll try to answer your questions as I see the situation. Just my opinion.
1.Why wouldn't Ross Cassidy discuss the police operation? Because he'd been threatened with dire consequences if he did. Whatever
they were, they were most likely fabricated. 'National interest' springs
to mind as the justification.
2. Why wouldn't the police let Sergei's best friend in England, visit
him in hospital? Either because he wasn't there or because later- they were afraid that
Sergei would speak. I suspect he was never there at all.
3. Did the SDH consultant know that the police were preventing Sergei
and Yulia from having visitors? Probably none of the SDH staff did.
4. If the SDH consultant did know that, then why didn't he tell the judge
that? SDH declined to be represented in court due to feeling 'uncomfortable'.
As I said in an earlier post, whoever that unnamed doctor was, he/she was
'highly unlikely' to be from SDH, but was rather an MoD 'specialist' brought
in from elsewhere PD or a military hospital.
Ross Cassidy may not have been willing to talk to the media, but I'm
sure he said more to family and friends. Perhaps he'd be willing to talk
to an impartial investigator, but then he might be too afraid of the consequences
which could have been direct threats to him or his family.
He needs to be asked about police activity and visitors at the Skripals,
Sergei's pets (including the alleged rabbits and fish, not to mention Manyϊnya,
the cat who allegedly escaped), any concerns he may have had leading up
to the fateful day, and so much more.
2. Why wouldn't the police let Sergei's best friend in England, visit
him in hospital?
In the US and absent a signed directive by a patient that's either unconscious
or incompetent, only next of kin are allowed to visit the patient. So, it
would be the hospital that denies a friend access to a patient. No need
for police involvement on this matter in this case.
The police, naturally, were looking for information on the patients and
at any conceivable culprits. A double whammy for Cassidy.
According to Ross Casssidy, it was the police who told him that he wasn't
allowed to visit Sergei. Have they any right to do this? If conscious and
talking, Sergei could ask to see any visitor he liked, but this didn't happen
either because he wasn't there, didn't ask, had no friends or because
friends had been prohibited from visiting. We know RC had tried to, but
without success.
In normal circumstances a hospital wouldn't be prohibiting visitors.
Presumably RC had no means of contacting Sergei by phone either, and vice
versa. As far as we know, Sergei has been kept incommunicado ever since
4th March, if indeed he is still alive. A very worrying situation.
According to Ross Casssidy, it was the police who told him that he wasn't
allowed to visit Sergei. Have they any right to do this?
Cassidy's Sky News interview was published on 3/28; so, his interview
took place on or before 3/28. As of that date, both Yulia and Sergei were
officially unconscious or not able to communicate meaningfully. At the direction
of a hospital or for other reasons determined by law enforcement, police
do have that right.
Also, we don't have any idea if at any time Yulia and/or Sergei requested
to see Cassidy.
I see now. As you say the Skripals (or 'bench people') were still officially
unconscious at that time, so it would make sense that no visitors were allowed.
If the Skripals were there and after they had regained consciousness,
it's surely likely that they would have wanted visitors, especially a visit
from Ross Cassidy, Sergei's best friend. But I'm pretty certain that the
authorities would have prevented this at all costs, hence the lack of phone
access and Cassidy's remarks.
These exchanges about whether friends were allowed to visit the Skripals
in hospital inspired me to refresh my memories of the gross deception of
HMG regarding whether the Skripals had any relatives in Russia. At the High
Court ruling by Mr Justice Williams on 22 March, granting permission to
provide the OPCW with samples, he stated "Given the absence of any contact
having been made with the NHS Trust by any family member and the limited
evidence as to the possible existence of family members in Russia, I accept
that it is neither practicable nor appropriate in the special context of
this case to consult with any relatives [of the Skripals] who might fall
into the category identified in s.4(7)(b) of the Act". ('The Act' being
the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and s.4(7)(b) states that before delivering
what is in an incapacitated person's best interests the person ruling (in
this case Mr Justice Williams) must: take into account, in order to consult
them, the views of anyone engaged in caring for the person or INTERESTED
IN HIS WELFARE"). (my emphasis).
This statement was delivered in spite of the fact that the Sun had carried
an interview with Viktoria Skripal on 14 March about her concerns and desire
to visit/make contact with the Skripals. And in spite of the fact that the
Russian Embassy have records that on 6 March "the Embassy informed the FCO
of the request it had received from Viktoria Skripal to provide information
on the condition of her relatives.
https://rusemb.org.uk/fnapr/6481
Apologies for the misplacement of a couple of quotation marks in the above
post. I usually intend to proof read what I have written before sending
but didn't on this occasion as I am conscious that if I exceed a certain
period of time composing my message (I haven't worked out what the time
limit is) the system refuses to post it and I have to start again. That
aside, I think my meaning is clear.
Friends do not enjoy the same privileges to visit patients in hospital
as family does. (This has been a huge factor in why same-sex marriage was so necessary.)
Quote : The colonel's close friend Ross Cassidy, who lives just a few doors
from the property the Russian rented when he first arrived in Salisbury,
said he "was not at liberty to talk."
He declined to say whether his friend had spoken of fears for his life,
adding: "It's a very sensitive investigation of some gravitas. I really
am unable to divulge any information at the moment."
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/06/did-treacherous-past-russian-colonel-finally-catch-salisbury/
I agree with you that Cassidy knows more, but is forbidden to talk about.
I will reply to this, but simply as a test as I can't seem to post this
afternoon,
Maybe Rob is doing some site maintenance.
I do not think SDH were involved in bad practices. The Terror Team and
PD took over.
In fact going to the courts for the second blood sample might have been
required due to SDH "resistance".
Anyone else with posting issues?
If I see that you are posting then it must be my PC or possibly the big
van with a dish on the roof at the end of my street.
A some point people stopped trying to prove the Earth was an irregular ball
shape thing and was spinning around, doing laps of our nearest star at close
on 66k mph.
They didn't stop because it wasn't true, it had just been proven beyond
doubt and there was other stuff to get on with.
Flat Earthers did come along, many having their own reasons, some just
didn't want to believe we were on a ball floating in space and prefer to
live with the idea that we live on a gurt plate.
The Hoax has been proven, the motive is not the most important feature,
murderers go to jail whether their motives are known or not.
The most important thing is to identify who was responsible for Dawn
Sturgess' death and bring them to Justice along with those that have attempted
to cover up the wicked and depraved crime.
The motives may or may not flow from that process but it is rather academic
at the moment to say the least.
Those responsible for Dawn's death are also responsible for the cover
up of the Salisbury Incident. That is what led to Dawn's death.
People responsible include
Mrs May and some of her Ministers
Salisbury and Met Police Chiefs.
These are not wild "Conspiracy Theories". They are cold, hard facts.
And we have the proof that will convict. Beyond reasonable doubt proof that
those people I have mentioned above are involved in the death of Dawn Surgess
and the cover up of the Salisbury and Amesbury Incidents.
Whenever governments bury facts, they are never up to any good. History
is full of examples of facts been hidden and whenever the lid is finally
raised, it is was never for a good reason:
Vietnam war
JFK
Iraq WMD
etc
etc
The problem for TPTB this time is that they are in a different class
to prior events they are completely incompetent, utterly useless, self-important
fools and obvious liars. This is what 'equal opportunity' hiring does! The
good liars are gone.
Just look at all the 'officials' involved and wonder how they ever came
to get the job
I continue to believe that this saga was the reason for Johnson's resignation.
He could have survived May's Chequers debacle but he knows this story will
ruin the rest of his career, so he has done a runner. He will get as much
distance between himself and these events as he possibly can.
Paul,
Once again, I agree with everything you say.
Digressing to a different topic, it is the sheer "incompetence etc etc"
that also explains the shambles that is 'Brexit'. And these incompetents
as I have alluded to elsewhere are these days supported by many incompetent
civil servants. I could see the way things were heading many years ago and
that was one of my reasons for leaving the civil service 15 years ago after
more than 20 years service in the company of many intelligent and honourable
civil servants who were gradually retiring and were also expressing concerns
about the deterioration in standards at all levels. I saw the rot begin
when, about 20 years ago, the civil service opened up vacancies at all levels
of responsibility to people with administrative or managerial experience
but not civil service experience, so they hadn't acquired the ability to
work alongside and in conjunction with legal advisers or technical experts
(e.g. in my case, veterinarians and structural engineers at different times)
which is an ability that develops and improves over an extended period of
time and is integral to the successful functioning of the CS. When I joined
the CS you would attend meetings and observe how such relationships developed
and were used to achieve the intended aim many years before you yourself
might find yourself having to do it. That no longer happens people are
just thrown in at the deep end, managed by incompetent staff and told to
get on with it, with nobody providing knowledge-based 'quality control'.
Whether or not you are a 'Remainer' or a 'Brexiteer' in principle, there
was no hope for negotiations from the outset with the useless shower that
we have in power (scope for a limerick there!). The Brexit considerations
and negotiations have been in the hands of pathetic amateurs who are at
sixes and sevens and who, after so many decades of relying on the EU to
tell them what to do, have completely foregone any ability to think for
themselves. That is the key problem, not the principle of Brexit, which
could have resulted in far more encouraging prospects had it been in the
right hands.
CF
Peter,
Exactly one quality I found to be completely absent in 'newcomers' was
initiative. I inherited someone at middle management level who had been
in that particular policy job for about a year. I routinely asked him to
draft a straightforward (but not 'standard') letter for one of our Ministers
to send to an MP answering questions raised by a constituent about aspects
of our Department's legislation. After all, that was part of his job description.
As a middle manager responsible for that policy area he and even his subordinate
officer should be able to quote chapter and verse and why it had been formulated
in the way it had (e.g. 'based on Article X of EU Council Directive ABC');
at the very least he should have been able to work out the answers from
information to hand or by consulting expert colleagues. We had been given
the standard week or so to produce the draft reply which I could have knocked
up in a couple of hours at most. So when I hadn't been given the draft for
clearance by the morning of the required day and asked him about it he told
me I had been unreasonable to ask him to do it without telling him what
he needed to say! Needless to say, I knocked up the reply in a couple of
hours but had to forego other tasks I was supposed to do that afternoon.
When I joined the CS a Clerical Officer (2 grades below this chap) would
have been asked to provide a first draft. I could bore you with other examples
but, you'll be pleased to hear,I won't. Unfortunately that level of intellect
is all too common nowadays.
Charlie, you've described an operational organizational change that isn't
limited to public institutions. It exists in corporations as well and began
to take hold about thirty years ago. Instead of promoting from within line
staff those who had spent years doing and moved up slowly in managerial
positions as they demonstrated management skills into the managerial ranks,
the concept of 'universal manager' gained a foothold. As if managerial skills
are a special talent and nothing more is required to manage any operation.
In the US, business and government had to absorb all those newly minted
MBAs and those people weren't about to start at the bottom of the operational
ladder.
The two best managers I ever had the pleasure to work for didn't complete
an undergrad college degree. Yes, they did have people skills but they were
also solid in their line technical skills as well. Highly respected by employees,
colleagues, and in the industry. They had a firm grasp of the skill-sets
of their employees, how trustworthy each of their employees were, and were
immune to the sycophants.
Marie
Another change in infrastructure policy that had dire consequences and contributed
to the problems you refer to was the principle that 'no one could be deemed
a failure or to not have the aptitude to succeed with the appropriate training'.
When I began my CS employment the annual report procedure was quite emphatic
and honest about abilities. As a manager there was a range of five graded
boxes you could tick against all aspects of performance, the lowest of which
was 'not good enough', and, if repeated, this could warrant a warning from
personnel (sorry, 'human resources' now) and potentially demotion. There
was also a box where the manager had to enter what grade they thought the
member of staff would have the inherent capability of achieving by the end
of their career! For many people of all ages this was often the grade they
were in at the time but they were realistic and honest enough to accept
that it was probably right. It's arguable whether this last box served a
positive purpose for the majority of staff but, rightly or wrongly, the
intention was to motivate the best staff to continue in the CS rather than
become despondent and quit. It was decided by forward thinking, liberal
minded individuals many years ago now that annual reports should never say
anything negative, and if anything negative needed to be said then the line
management must be at fault for not overcoming their staff member's deficiencies.
George,
Yep. Another problem we are creating for the future although the Govt
will welcome this 'problem' is that in 'the good old days' and up until
the 1990s EVERY single official communication whether written or verbal
had to be recorded on a single officially registered uniquely numbered registry
file. Each file, where documents and 'minutes' were sequentially numbered
in date order, expanded to about 2.5″ thick and some subjects would have
multiple A,B, C etc files. If someone in Office A sent a note to someone
in Office B about a Govt issue it was obligatory to send a paper photocopy
(or carbon copy) to HQ for them to place on the file. Nothing went unrecorded.
Even internal discussions between staff would be summarised on a minute
sheet afterwards, signed by the staff involved and placed on file. The system
had to be run really strictly but it worked and we can look back and identify
why certain decisions were made and by whom. But now, with the advent of
computers and email the significance of keeping central records has gone
and I can guarantee nobody in HQ has a complete historical record of all
deliberations and communications. In years to come, conveniently for the
Govt, key information about what has been going on in this case and other
important matters will be missing.
The motive creating a rift between the Russian and Western states is
obvious. The perpetrators including Yulia in the attack for publicity
too.
It is possible that Skripal was following money laundering via real estate
for Christopher Steele and the mafia did not like it.
But the whole thing was planned for publicity.
Anybody interested in tax havens and investment .
"Perhaps the greatest challenge, with respect to Russia and more generally,
concerns the anonymity of global offshore finance. On this front, the US
administration would find some cooperation from Moscow. Economically, the
Russian treasury has been losing vast sums to offshores. Politically, the
Kremlin is keen to strengthen its control over bureaucrats and oligarchs,
two groups for whom offshore nest eggs provide an alternative to Putin's
Russia. Since 2013, the Kremlin has pursued a "deoffshorization" campaign
encouraging businesses to repatriate capital and stop registering companies
offshore; additional legislation has restricted the Russian state employees'
foreign asset
ownership. A joint US-Russian effort, however limited, at ending the anonymity
of corrupt cash flows in Western jurisdictions would serve the interests
of both countries."
In the interests of accuracy, Simpson has never claimed to have expertise
on Russia. His major calling card is the series of investigative articles
he wrote on Ukraine, circa 2005-2008, when he was a WSJ reporter. In 2014
or 2015 he was hired by Prevezon, the plaintiff in a UK lawsuit against
Browder, and later a defendant in a DOJ lawsuit. When Fusion GPS was hired
by the Washington Beacon to do oppo research on Trump, he knew nothing about
Trump. It was after the Beacon contract ended and approximately two months
after the DNC/HRC campaign hired Fusion and they outsourced the Trump-Russia
oppo research to Steele. (Personally, I suspect that Steele had been engaged
on this long before then but not by Fusion.)
Dylan Martinez who operated the camera at Yulia's post-Novihoax debut, and
who is described as the chief Reuters photographer for UK and Ireland, has
an amusing quote heading his profile page: "When editing photos I look for the truth told in the most beautiful
way."
Yulya Skripal, the embodiment of truth and beauty!
I forgot to mention that Mr Martinez covers "news, sport and the odd feature". Regardless of a possible fake tracheotomy scar, I suppose his Skripal
assignment was highly likely to be the oddest feature of his career.
https://widerimage.reuters.com/photographer/dylan-martinez
'In another curious detail in the filing, the special counsel team said
Papadopoulos had been given $10,000 in cash "from a foreign national whom
he believed was likely an intelligence officer of a foreign country." The
filing noted that the country was "other than Russia." ' CNN
Mueller strangely coy about who gave Papa 10k in cash. Was he an Orbis
collector too?
UK Government and intelligence all over the place :
Quote : Since Trump was surging ahead in the polls and scaring the pants
off the foreign-policy establishment by calling for a rapprochement with
Moscow, the agencies figured that Russia was somehow behind it. The pace
accelerated in March 2016 when a 30-year-old policy consultant named George
Papadopoulos joined the Trump campaign as a foreign-policy adviser. Traveling
in Italy a week later, he ran into Mifsud, the London-based Maltese academic,
who reportedly set about cultivating him after learning of his position
with Trump. Mifsud claimed to have "substantial connections with Russian
government officials," according to prosecutors. Over breakfast at a London
hotel, he told Papadopoulos that he had just returned from Moscow where
he had learned that the Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form
of "thousands of emails."
This was the remark that supposedly triggered an FBI investigation. The
New York Times describes Mifsud as "an enthusiastic promoter of President
Vladimir V. Putin of Russia" and "a regular at meetings of the Valdai Discussion
Club, an annual conference held in Sochi, Russia, that Mr. Putin attends,"
which tried to suggest that he is a Kremlin agent of some sort. But WikiLeaks
founder Julian Assange later tweeted photos of Mifsud with British Foreign
Secretary Boris Johnson and a high-ranking British intelligence official
named Claire Smith at a training session for Italian security agents in
Rome. Since it's unlikely that British intelligence would rely on a Russian
agent in such circumstances, Mifsud's intelligence ties are more likely
with the UK.
After Papadopoulos caused a minor political ruckus by telling a reporter
that Prime Minister David Cameron should apologize for criticizing Trump's
anti-Muslim pronouncements, a friend in the Israeli embassy put him in touch
with a friend in the Australian embassy, who introduced him to Downer, her
boss. Over drinks, Downer advised him to be more diplomatic. After Papadopoulos
then passed along Misfud's tip about Clinton's emails, Downer informed his
government, which, in late July, informed the FBI. (..)
In early September, Halper sent Papadopoulos an email offering $3,000 and
a paid trip to London to write a research paper on a disputed gas field
in the eastern Mediterranean, his specialty. "George, you know about hacking
the emails from Russia, right?" Halper asked when he got there, but Papadopoulos
said he knew nothing.
https://consortiumnews.com/2018/05/31/spooks-spooking-themselves/
PAGE 3 OF 4
Within 30 minutes (15.47 to 16.15) they are in critical condition. Charlie
Rowley describes a similar time-frame for Dawn Sturgess.
7th March Scotland Yard Chief Medical Officer statement
"As your Chief Medical Officer, my message to the public is that this event
poses a low risk to us, the public, on the evidence we have."
METHOD OF DELIVERY
Spray: too risky, the assailants run the risk of contaminating themselves.
Also the doctor said "There was no sign of any chemical agent on Ms Skripal's
face or body".
High pressure syringe: the pressure is so great the vaccine (or nerve
agent) is pumped through the skin and immediately enters the blood stream.
The beauty of this method of delivery is there's no evidence. I think the
assailants grabbed them from behind and delivered the nerve agent directly
into the jugular vein, the site of the attack being at the corner of G&T'S.
The Skripals wouldn't have known what had just happened to them.
DS BAILEY
DS Bailey will have attended a First-Aid course, so his first action would
be to loosen any clothing round Sergei's neck and clear his airway. If you
look at photos of Sergei, he's got quite a thick neck, so DS Bailey probably
had to fiddle a bit with his clothing and this is probably how he was contaminated.
He'd unknowingly come into direct contact with a small amount of residue
nerve agent at the delivery site.
ANTON UTKIN former UN Chemical Weapons Expert in Iraq
Worlds Apart Interview 29th April 2018 Breaking with Conventions?
"Why was Novichok agent determined undecomposed only in the blood of
Yulia Skripal? It was undecomposed. It's supposed to be decomposed under
the metabolism of the body, but they found undecomposed agent in her blood,
but not in the blood of Sergei Skripal, who got heavier exposure to the chemical
agent. That was very strange because it is not clear how it happened that
a fresh agent was in Yulia's blood."
Sounds like he suspects Yulia received a second dose while in hospital.
She was making an unexpected recovery, partly because she's healthy and
partly because of the medical treatment, so somebody gave her another dose.
Sergei wasn't expected to survive because as Anton Utkin said, he "got
heavier exposure to the chemical agent", that combined with any existing
health issues, he was simply expected to die.
PAGE 2 OF 4
"Georgia Pridham, 25, also saw the couple slumped on the bench. She said:
"He was quite smartly dressed. He had his palms up to the sky as if he was
shrugging and was staring at the building in front of him. He had a woman
sat next to him on the bench who was slumped on his shoulder. He was staring
dead straight. He was conscious, but it was like he was frozen and slightly
rocking back and forward."
"Graham Mulcock said: "The paramedics seemed to be struggling to keep
the two people conscious. The man was sitting staring into space in a catatonic
state".
"Destiny Reynolds, 20, who works in Ganesha Handicrafts in the centre,
said: "I saw quite a lot of commotion there were two people sat on the
bench and there was a security guard there. They put her on the ground in
the recovery position, and she was shaking like she was having a seizure.
It was a bit manic. There were a lot of people crowded round them. It was
raining, people had umbrellas and were putting them over them."
Other reports: "Two police officers helped the pair before emergency
services were called at 4.15pm."
Emergency services: "There were several emergency calls."
Channel 4 "Russian Spy Assassination", 26th March 2018
Male witness: "There was a man being sick on the floor, leant over, and
a woman laying on the floor. I didn't see the woman, she was surrounded
by paramedics, but they both looked fairly ill."
EFFECTS OF NERVE AGENT POISONING
Craig Murray's article Knobs and Knockers quote from a scientist "Unlike
traditional poisons, nerve agents don't need to be added to food and drink
to be effective. They are quite volatile, colourless liquids (except VX,
said to resemble engine oil). The concentration in the vapour at room temperature
is lethal. The symptoms of poisoning come on quickly, and include chest
tightening, difficulty in breathing, and very likely asphyxiation. Associated
symptoms include vomiting and massive incontinence. Eventually, you die
either through asphyxiation or cardiac arrest".
EVENTS FROM 15.47 ONWARDS
15.47 CCTV footage, if you analyse the shape of Sergei's head and hairline
with clearer pictures it matches. Two witnesses describe Yulia as having
blonde hair. At this point, neither is showing any signs of nerve agent
poisoning.
16.03 (16 minutes later) Freya Church sees them slumped on the bench.
Minutes later, both are becoming critically ill. From witness statements,
Yulia is worse affected so the doctor attends to her and DS Bailey attends
to Sergei. The reports say two police officers, but I think it was the security
guard.
PAGE 1 OF 4
I think I've worked out how it was done and why DS Bailey was the only other
person affected. It's all down to METHOD OF DELIVERY. The attack took place
between 15.47 and 16.03 near to where they were found. The door handle is
a diversionary technique to draw attention away from this. There's someone
else calling themselves Anonymous, I'll call myself Anonymous-1 see what
happens.
TIMINGS
13.40 Arrive at car park
Feed ducks and walk to pub
Mill Pub (30 minutes)
Walk to Zizzi's
(40 mins have elapsed from arriving at the car park to arriving at Zizzi's)
14.20-15.35 Zizzi's (1 hour 15 minutes, there's specific timings)
(12 minutes after leaving Zizz's they are picked up on CCTV)
15.47 CCTV footage (older man with blonde haired younger woman with red
bag)
(16 minutes later they fall ill from nerve agent poisoning)
16.03 Freya Church see them slumped on bench
(5 other witnesses all see them on bench, with two 'police' officers and
a doctor in attendance)
16.15 Emergency service call(s)
WITNESS STATEMENTS FROM NEWS REPORTS
FREYA CHURCH: "Sixteen minutes later [that is, after being seen on CCTV],
personal trainer Freya Church, 27, came across the victims slumped on a
bench. She said they seemed 'out of it' and assumed they were on drugs.
"It was a young, blonde and pretty girl and it was definitely the man that's
been pictured in the news the guy that's a spy. She was passed out and
he was looking up to the sky and I tried to get eye contact to see if they
were okay. They didn't seem with it. To be honest I thought they were just
drugged out as they were in a weird state. There are lots of homeless people
here so I just thought they were homeless."
FEMALE DOCTOR: "A doctor who was one of the first people at the scene
has described how she found Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting
and fitting. She had also lost control of her bodily functions. The woman,
who asked not to be named, told the BBC she moved Ms Skripal into the recovery
position and opened her airway, as others tended to her father. She said
she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical
agent on Ms Skripal's face or body. The doctor said she had been worried
she would be affected by the nerve agent but added that she "feels fine."
"Witness Jamie Paine told the BBC yesterday: "Her eyes were just completely
white, they were wide open, but just white and she was frothing at the mouth.
And then the man went stiff, his arms stopped moving and still looking dead
straight."
Now here is someone who knows where Yulia is. The photographer in the Reuters
video is of Yulia making her statement is Dylan Martinez.
Reuters written reporters may know where she is as well. Reporting is
by Guy Faulconbridge. Additional reporting by Alistair Smout. Editing by
Simon Robinson and Nick Tattersall. There will be a video cameraman who
knows as well and a video editor.
Do you think you might write to them Rob and ask where she is?
And if they wont tell you, what is their reason for not telling you?
As you know any information we can get is useful Miheila. We could learn
a lot about who has Yulia, by were she was for the Reuters video and yes
you are correct to suggest that she probably isn't there anymore. Thank
you. I think they will slip up soon, its getting to be a way too tangled
web now with far to many people to keep silent.
So tangled, Denise, that I feel it's tangling the neurones in my brain!
Does anyone know when exactly that video was recorded (rather than released),
after all, the statement was mysteriously undated? Could there have been
some kind of embargo on its release until a later date?
Yulia was allegedly released on 10th April, 43 days before the video
was broadcast. According to The Sun, a 'source' claimed that she'd been
released from SDH into another hospital: ''She is in hospital on a military
base for her own protection and to monitor her health." Was the video recorded
at that military base?
Was it USAF Fairford?
Could the CIA have pre-empted MI6's hasty plans for the disappearance
of the Skripals? Perhaps MI6 had nothing planned. Maybe it was a CIA operation
from the beginning. I'll need to think about these scenarios a lot more.
Miheila, if you listen to the Daily Mail version of the video there are
a lot of police sirens at the end including bull horns. That and the aircraft
noise would point to London. It could be US Ambassadors residence in Regents
Park.
In my opinion, it was a rogue FBI op to stop "our guy" going back to Russia.
I think UK authorities knew it was happening and organised medical cavalry
to save Skripals.
HMG are caught out, to admit it would be proof MI6 surrogates were interfering
in US presidential election.
So the Feds made it look like Russia and HMG have to follow the pretence.
In my scenario some of them could be genuine. If the emergency services
were told extra medical/police/fire resources were available for that Sunday
due to the " CBW exercise" that was going on they wouldn't publicly question
it.
Maybe when the Skripals were on the bench they thought it was not "real
world" and that is why they dashed in.
But I think HMG knew Yulia had come to extricate Sergei and knew rogue elements
in UK and US "intelligence community" were trying to assassinate him.
Any contributors on here offering an alternative theory to the Hoax should
be aware (although they may be blissfully unaware) that the Hoax has been
proven.
It is a fact.
So before putting out new theories please recognise that fact and possibly
try the refute / debunk / disemble the fact before you put forward your
take.
Don't get me wrong (although a few will) I think that brainstorming and
testing theories is fine, more than fine it is essential to test ideas and
testament to the progress that this blog has contributed, advanced and assisted
public understanding in the unravelling of the case.
If you have an alternative theory please let it coincide with at least
a few facts.
@Peter
The scientific method (a la Popper): observe, deduce, theorize, predict
(i.e. show how the theory matches/predicts the things observed). And, if
necessary, adduce (i.e. defend the hypothesis).
What is never done is to insist dogmatically that one's pet theory is
the only explanation. This is because it is the duty of every scientifist
to, having produced a theory, seek to demolish it. You aren't doing that,
Peter, instead you are challenging others to demolish it.
I think fact that Sergei Skripal an ex spy may have confused issues? He
may or may not still have been actively doing intelligence but all evidence
points to accidental poisoning by drug addicts sleeping rough.
1. Reported that 40/50 rough sleepers including drug addicts, living in
area at time of Skripal poisoning.
2. Contaminated public lavatories and a "drug den" in park.
3. Council blocked off rough sleepers area and rehomed drug addicts after
Skripal poisoning.
4. Charlie Rowley rehoused at about that time?
5. OPCW not permitted to analyse all ingredients associated with poisoning
which they say makes it very difficult identifying substance
6. Two men (Kim Ferguson and Jamie Knight) forced their way through police
barricade to get to bench where Skripals had been sitting
6. Dawn Sturgess's poisoning looks like classic One Pot Shake and Bake methamphetamine
accident. Fact that fire brigade called and she was in bath suggests explosion
and burns.
7. One Pot Shake and bake produces large amounts of toxins which are dumped.
Public loos in park reported contaminated and report of a drug den there.
8. Skripals, Sturgess and Rowley did not respond to naloxone so not opioid
poisoning, this fits with it being poison from waste left from one pot shake
and bake meth.
9. Salisbury Hospital Doctor said no-one was suffering from nerve agent
poisoning.
"... "Steele notes that he is concerned about the stories in the media about the bureau delivering information to Congress 'about my work and relationship with them. Very concerned about this. *People's lives may be endangered*.'" ..."
"... If Rosenstein knew of Steele's relationship with the Ohrs prior to signing FISA, he already knew that he was signing a BS FISA application – which would be perjury. But if Rosenstein was a 'firewall', it becomes an attempted coup and sedition awkward. ..."
Key quote from Sara Carter's revelations about text messages from Christopher Steele to Bruce
Ohr in October 2017:
"Steele notes that he is concerned about the stories in the media about the bureau
delivering information to Congress 'about my work and relationship with them. Very concerned
about this. *People's lives may be endangered*.'"
Now, this might seem a bit of an aside, but does anyone reading this blog have any idea
when Yulia last came to England prior to 3rd March this year? I'm trying to get an idea of
whether she is likely to have had any idea prior to this visit of what her father was
involved in, or whether she is likely to have learnt about this on this particular visit.
Thanks Rob and we are all grateful for your capacity to harness all the contributors into a
sane dialogue.
Motive indeed:
There are the pleadings by Steele to Ohr for reassurance that the "firewall" is solid! Not
sure what that intends but surely there are a few firewalls in this saga going all the way
back on the US side to the favorite candidate, the candidates party, the party legal team
that employed Fusion GPS, Fusion GPS itself, Orbis, Steele, Sergei, and perhaps Yulia. What
might have been her potential role other than innocent visitor. We now have a clearer view of
her employment trajectory. I would bet the firewalls on the UK side are fully aluminium clad
too, and I anticipate this site and a few other emerging lines of inquiry will penetrate
those.
The furious mother in law angle is a good one and potentially worth a serious look.
Sometimes murders deliver conveniences to unforeseen parties.
The overreach of British interference in the USA election and May's complicity in that
exercise needed a very good redeeming cover and here is a dandy.
The mafiosi angle cannot be ruled out and nor can the Ukrainian possibility given their
intense penetration of the EU playing ground. Perhaps Sergei was investigating things there
too and annoyed the new mafiosi now free to roam.
But I am sure that closer to home there are others that employed Orbis to do interesting
work. How's Bill Browder these days?
Page was the fourth firewall (not Comey), but she is already gone too.
If Rosenstein knew of Steele's relationship with the Ohrs prior to signing FISA, he
already knew that he was signing a BS FISA application – which would be perjury. But if
Rosenstein was a 'firewall', it becomes an attempted coup and sedition awkward.
Nick Bailey
Charlie Rowley
Helicopter pilot
Helicopter paramedics
Land ambulance paramedics
Doctors at Salisbury Hospital
Nurses at Salisbury Hospital
Head of Porton Down
Porton Down scientists
Porton Down workers
These may know more than they are saying:
The Mill staff
Zizzi's staff
Main stream media journalists (D noticed)
Salisbury Journal journalists (D noticed)
It only takes one to talk for the whole house of cards to come crashing down.
All the named witnesses
The ebola nurse
Whoever orgainsed the rapid response from the emergency vehicles
All the police 'searching' for something
Everyone who has seen the CCTV
The guys in hazmat suits on 4 March
People 'highly likely' to know the most, and are saying nothing:
Chris Steele
Pablo Miller (aka Antonio Alvarez de Hidalgo)
MI6 people
GCHQ people
Probably CIA, NSA, US State Dept, SBU, Mossad, etc. (take your pick!)
MI5 people, including any watchers who may have been deployed
FCO people
People who know more than they are saying:
certain people in the Russian Foreign Ministry
GRU, FSB, FAPSI people
People who may know more, and may be willing to speak:
Various Salisbury witnesses, named and unnamed
Ross Cassidy
The Filmers of Distillery Farm??
Regarding "the/a motive", wouldn't Putin's alleged statement of vengeance towards the
defector, Skripal, be enough to convince the UK government of there being at least "a motive"
if not also "the motive"?
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/06/traitors-will-kick-bucket-vladimir-putin-swore-revenge-poisoned/
Also, I guess I need it spelled out for me. Why would Skripal's assassination put an end to
all future spy swaps?
I don't think Putin did it -- he's not so foolish as to have such poor timing politically --
but I'm not so sure the UK government can't legitimately show a possible Russian motive, for
the purpose of helping the UK's own political timing.
Lastly, the commentators' list of complicit conspirators is just too long to make this a
real conspiracy.
But the UK Government must know that Putin's alleged promise to "choke" traitors was
nothing of the sort. It was in fact one of the most blatant propaganda pieces I have ever
seen.
The video in which he allegedly said this appeared on BBC's Newsnight and can be seen at
this link:
But the original can be found at his 2010 Q&A session when he was PM. The relevant
section begins at just after 3 hours 12 minutes, and lasts for about 3 minutes.
As you will see, his answer is basically the diametric opposite to the one the BBC piece
leads you to believe. They basically took what he said, hacked it about to extract the bits
they didn't want their audience to hear, and then put it back together (with some scary
music) to make it sound like he said something he didn't actually say.
Rob, thanks for the satisfactory explanation of Newsnight's deceitfulness. It appears that
Putin didn't give his potential future defector-spies a pass while at the same time shaming
those caught at it as being like a Judas. I wonder, though, how those thinking about possibly
selling out would read Putin's deflecting the former practice of assassination decisions as
resting on a head of state. He said it had evolved to being the decision of a special group
in the security services. Of course he (probably rightly) dissociates his government from now
operating that way. How are we to know apart from there being sufficient evidence to the
contrary? But if Putin and his security services are in truth completely innocent I don't see
how his response could have been any better.
I still don't see why an assassination would put the damper on future spy swaps. Help my
reasoning abilities.
Regarding the claim of there being a growing multitude of unwilling conspirators, I wonder
if this isn't a case, at times, of commentators taking every thought captive to the obedience
of "The Conspiracy Theory".
It might be beneficial for some agency to create a very public internet place where those
caught up as witnesses to the case can come to make their clear statements or confessions
without fear of reprisal. Possible attempts at reprisal could also be broadcast.
I still don't see why an assassination would put the damper on future spy swaps. Help my
reasoning abilities.
Tradition, it's (p)art of the deal. Country A holds a country B spy and country B holds a
country A spy. Both want its own spy back home for any one or more reasons. Why would country
A release the spy it holds in exchange for the one that country B holds if country B reserved
the option to at a later date take out Country A's spy? Spy (or alleged spy) swaps only work
with an implicit agreement that there will be no retaliation by either country against the
individuals included in the swap.
All the ins and outs involved in a spy swap are carefully considered. The swap must appear
as of equal value to the two countries. The inclusion of Skripal in the US-Russia spy swap
appeared odd to those that follow such matters as he had been a UK asset and by 2010 not of
any particularly high-value to the UK. Nothing further has been said about this by the US,
UK, or Russia; so, we're free to concoct a devious plot where none existed.
Marie, Reading what you wrote just triggered a thought usually a spy swap is where, say, US
spies caught and imprisoned in Russia, are exchanged for Russian spies caught and imprisoned
in the US. Each country gets their own nationals back. The individuals were guilty of
espionage in another country and get to go home.
That is not what Sergei was. He was a Russian national, caught and imprisoned in Russia
for treason. How did he ever get to become part of a spy swap?
Why would the UK want to take him? He had no more value to them, he had already been paid
for the information he had handed over so why would the UK agree to take him and pay for his
upkeep? What did the UK get out of the deal?
On the other side of Sergei's deal in 2010, Russia got Anna Chapman back – a Russian
national caught and imprisoned in the US
Have we been fed a pile of BS about what or who Sergei was?
Wondered if anyone would catch that oddity in the Skripal case. Likely contributed to the
head-scratching back in 2010. However, Skripal wasn't the only Russian national released to
the west in that swap. (And I'm not sure all those held by the US were Russian nationals
– nor interested enough to research that.) We're weren't fed BS about Skripal because
he was hardly ever mentioned at all. Remember, Skripal was a walk-in and for the money. Not
important enough to recruit and while he had access to confidential personnel lists he was
useful. (Not as useful as Aldrich Ames and Robert Hanssen were to the USSR but those two were
also walk-ins and the money is important to both.)
My two guesses on this – probably not worth anything –
1) Russia held too few spies to make the deal work. So, he threw in some that were of no
value to Russia and would be of some interest to the west to sweeten the offer. As Obama was
already under criticism for giving up more than he got in his deals, he needed numbers
(spies) to make this one look okay. The UK was told and not asked to accept Skripal. He,
after all, was their guy even if he'd screwed up and exposed the fake rock and blew up the UK
Moscow spy ring (I may be exaggerating on this point). IOW didn't need, didn't want, and had
no use for Skripal. (Also meant they had devote assets to insure he hadn't been turned into a
triple-agent.)
2) The UK asked the US to get Skripal out because they still needed to know exactly what
Skripal had told the Russian investigators. That would mean that they weren't competent
enough to figure that out and/or Skripal was given a far larger role in the UK spy operation
than Russia was able to determine.
I don't have a high opinion of MI6, the CIA, etc., but it's still tough for me to buy
scenario #2. So, I've been going with #1.
So the UK was fulfilling its role as a vassal state
You comment just gave me another thought. Cameron became PM in May 2010 and the spy swap
was in July 2010, so Cameron was then PM. It is a tradition (not a rule) that the next Tory
PM hands out a knighthood to the previous Tory PM – and May hasn't done that yet I
wonder why?
The last time it happened (and that was the first time to the best of my knowledge) was
Margaret Thatcher who refused to give one to Ted Heath – he had to wait until 1992 for
John Major to give him one (if you will pardon the expression!)
At that time, apart from the fact that Thatcher despised Heath politically, it was a very
poorly kept secret that Thatcher's refusal was driven by her knowledge that Heath was a
paedophile.
Nothing to do with the Skripals but it will be interesting to see how long Cameron has to
wait.
So the UK was fulfilling its role as a vassal state
Only if there's truth in my fiction.
May was Home Secretary as of May 2010; so, also probably on board with the spy swap -- or
it was too far along to being a done deal for she and Cameron to nix it when they came into
office.
It was the British government who insisted on Skripal being included in the spy-swap made
between 10 'illegals' (placed as sleepers in the USA at the time, and led by Anna Chapman)
and four national traitors.
These four were of more use to the West than the 10 illegals. Alexander Zaporozhsky and
Igor Sutyagin had spied spying for the USA. Gennady Vasilenko was involved in illegal weapons
possession, and the reasoning for him being included in the swap has never been
disclosed.
"Skripal is considered the more important of the two as far as Britain's security and
intelligence agencies are concerned. He is likely to be debriefed for weeks, if not months.
He will be given a home and pension if he decides to stay in Britain. The future of Sutyagin
[in Britain] is less certain He could yet return to Russia".
Pardon, but where does it say that the UK requested Skripal in the US-Russia spy swap?
Two Russians exchanged in a high-profile "spy swap" were today being debriefed by MI5
and MI6 officers at a secret location close to London.
SOP – wouldn't want to let a triple-agent into the country.
Skripal is considered the more important of the two as far as Britain's security and
intelligence agencies are concerned. He is likely to be debriefed for weeks, if not months.
He will be given a home and pension if he decides to stay in Britain.
Well, Skripal did help to blow up the UK's fake rock spy communication set-up in Moscow.
And the UK wouldn't pass on an opportunity to have Skripal tell them exactly what he'd
spilled to Russian authorities (likely everything). But that "home and pension" not only
fills in a gap about what is publicly known about Skripal but also that the UK accepted that
they were stuck with him as part of the spy swap.
Britain and the US say they have got more out of the spy swap than Russia because the
four men released by Moscow were far more serious individuals than the 10 agents handed over
by the US.
Do you think the UK and US would say they got the short end of the stick in the deal?
Superficially (the ordinary person's level of geo-political understanding), getting for
Russian four nationals (three convicted of espionage, spying for the west and serving
sentences of 15 to 18 years) for eleven low value Russians held by the west doesn't look like
the better part of the bargain. And in the US this could easily have become another
anti-Obama rallying cry for the GOP and their right-wing crazies. That seemed not to have
happened. Probably a too esoteric for that audience.
This is interesting:
One of those released to the US, Alexander Zaporozhsky, was a KGB colonel whose spying
for the US is understood to have led to the unmasking of Robery Hanssen, an FBI officer, and
Aldrich Ames, a CIA officer, two of Russia's most important spies in the US.
If true, the CIA and FBI were in debt to Zaporozhsky and the official FBI and CIA stories
of the unmasking of these two moles if fiction. I suspect that the above claim is the
fiction. Designed to add weight to why Zaporozhsky was accepted in the swap and preserved the
secrecy of whatever info he had actually passed to the US.
For now, I'll stick with my guess that the UK wasn't keen on being stuck with Skripal.
Thanks for your reply, Marie. Just so you know, I don't think the evidence supports the
poisoning having been ordered by Putin. I would only contend that if he had ordered it Putin
would have been anticipating a positive effect. It would have limited the number of UK spy
candidates willing to risk spying against Russia. (Putin probably wouldn't have foreseen the
success of the sanctions campaign.) But, in my opinion, both parties –in the future --
would continue their interest in spy swaps. In spite of the negative consequences of exposing
them to murder, why not get ones spy back and better protect them?
It might be that an imprisoned spy will prefer to complete his prison term than to get
swapped and thus to become a potential target for assassination.
I wonder what Sergei is thinking now. His daughter's life is ruined and may be in
danger.
I often wonder about how they and their family in Russia feel about this awful affair. We
tend to forget the human side of the story, but we shouldn't. Sergei, from all I hear about
him, seemed a decent kind of man. He may have been foolish for being talked into betraying
his country by Pablo Miller, but I don't see him as a bad man at heart. Maybe he was
desperate for money at the time or goinf throufgh a bad patch which would have made him more
susceptible to manipulation. Who knows?
But now his acts have somehow caused lives to fall apart and much I'm sure suffering. It's
my view that all governments are essentially evil (greedy, ruthless and self-serving), and
don't work in the interests of ordinary people – often working against them. The
evidence of history bears this out.
Craig Murray has been adamant that PM didn't recruit Skripal and that Skripal was known as a
walk-in. (It is generally accepted that at some point and for some undefined period of time
that PM was Skripal's handler.)
A "nice" man doesn't endanger the lives of his colleagues for money.
All those on the list aren't conspirators as you think of them. More like further victims
of the conspiracy. They dont know the whole story. They each only know a tiny bit of it. A
bad bit, but have been frightened so badly that they are scared to tell that little bit,
which will lead to the conspiracy unfolding. And make no mistake this is a conspiracy, a
swamp conspiracy of the tallest order.
Bob, it is not a list of "list of complicit conspirators" – it is a list of 'people who
know more than they have said'.
They are not all involved in a conspiracy, they are witnesses to the conspiracy. They each
have a story to tell that would open the lid on a part of what happened – not the whole
story.
Are they silent? I don't know, the MSM has not tried to ask them what they know, maybe
they will be happy to talk, if anyone asks.
Mrs Cooper told Rob that Sergei was wearing leather jacket and jeans – she was happy
to tell what she knew, all Rob had to do was ask. The Sun newspaper which broke the 'duck'
story and went to interview Mrs Cooper did not even bother to ask that question – or if
they did they did not reveal what she said.
The conspiracy continues through indifference of the MSM – sooner of later that will
change.
"... "A Ukrainian political consultant has revealed to Sputnik that former MI6 agent Christopher Steele sought and paid for researchers in Ukraine to concoct fake stories about Donald Trump prior his election as US president to use in the now-infamous dossier that supposedly contained damning evidence of Russia-Trump collusion. ..."
"... Radio Sputnik's Lee Stranahan spoke previously with Ukrainian political consultant and former diplomat Andrii Telizhenko about his connections to a Democratic National Committee (DNC) operative named Alexandra Chalupa who also worked for clients in Ukrainian politics. Chalupa told Politico in January 2017 that beginning in 2015, she pulled on a network of sources she'd established in Kiev and Washington to try and turn up dirt on Trump ..."
"... The BBC is a propaganda organisation. It has even admitted it. http://viewsandstories.blogspot.com/2018/04/bbc-asserts-it-is-propaganda.html ..."
"... The door handle application is a crock. If, as is claimed the alleged Novichok was pure then who made it should be known because of its purity. ..."
"... Browder just wants us to go to war with Russia so he can keep his stolen money, that's not too much to ask! ..."
On 8 July 2018 a lady named Kirsty Eccles asked what, in its enormous ramifications,
historians may one day see as the most important Freedom of Information request ever made. The
rest of this post requires extremely close and careful reading, and some thought, for you to
understand that claim.
Dear British Broadcasting Corporation,
1: Why did BBC Newsnight correspondent Mark Urban keep secret from the licence payers that
he had been having meetings with Sergei Skripal only last summer.
2: When did the BBC know this?
3: Please provide me with copies of all correspondence between yourselves and Mark Urban
on the subject of Sergei Skripal.
Yours faithfully,
Kirsty Eccles
The ramifications of this little request are enormous as they cut right to the heart of the
ramping up of the new Cold War, of the BBC's propaganda collusion with the security services to
that end, and of the concoction of fraudulent evidence in the Steele "dirty dossier". This also
of course casts a strong light on more plausible motives for an attack on the Skripals.
Which is why the BBC
point blank refused to answer Kirsty's request, stating that it was subject to the Freedom
of Information exemption for "Journalism".
10th July 2018
Dear Ms Eccles
Freedom of Information request – RFI20181319
Thank you for your request to the BBC of 8th July 2018, seeking the following information
under the
Freedom of Information Act 2000:
1: Why did BBC Newsnight correspondent Mark Urban keep secret from the licence payers that
he
had been having meetings with Sergei Skripal only last summer.
2: When did the BBC know this?
3: Please provide me with copies of all correspondence between yourselves and Mark Urban on
the
subject of Sergei Skripal.
The information you have requested is excluded from the Act because it is held for the
purposes of
'journalism, art or literature.' The BBC is therefore not obliged to provide this information
to you. Part VI
of Schedule 1 to FOIA provides that information held by the BBC and the other public service
broadcasters
is only covered by the Act if it is held for 'purposes other than those of journalism, art or
literature".
The
BBC is not required to supply information held for the purposes of creating the BBC's output
or
information that supports and is closely associated with these creative activities.
The BBC is of course being entirely tendentious here – "journalism" does not include
the deliberate suppression of vital information from the public, particularly in order to
facilitate the propagation of fake news on behalf of the security services. That black
propaganda is precisely what the BBC is knowingly engaged in, and here trying hard to hide.
I have today attempted to contact Mark Urban at Newsnight by phone, with no success, and
sent him this email:
As you may know, I am a journalist working in alternative media, a member of the NUJ, as
well as a former British Ambassador. I am researching the Skripal case.
I wish to ask you the following questions.
1) When the Skripals were first poisoned, it was the largest news story in the entire
World and you were uniquely positioned having held several meetings with Sergei Skripal the
previous year. Yet faced with what should have been a massive career break, you withheld that
unique information on a major story from the public for four months. Why?
2) You were an officer in the Royal Tank Regiment together with Skripal's MI6 handler, Pablo
Miller, who also lived in Salisbury. Have you maintained friendship with Miller over the
years and how often do you communicate?
3) When you met Skripal in Salisbury, was Miller present all or part of the time, or did you
meet Miller separately?
4) Was the BBC aware of your meetings with Miller and/or Skripal at the time?
5) When, four months later, you told the world about your meetings with Skripal after the
Rowley/Sturgess incident, you said you had met him to research a book. Yet the only
forthcoming book by you advertised is on the Skripal attack. What was the subject of your
discussions with Skripal?
6) Pablo Miller worked for Orbis Intelligence. Do you know if Miller contributed to the
Christopher Steele dossier on Trump/Russia?
7) Did you discuss the Trump dossier with Skripal and/or Miller?
8) Do you know whether Skripal contributed to the Trump dossier?
9) In your Newsnight piece following the Rowley/Sturgess incident, you stated that security
service sources had told you that Yulia Skripal's telephone may have been bugged. Since
January 2017, how many security service briefings or discussions have you had on any of the
matter above.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Craig Murray
I should very much welcome others also sending emails to Mark Urban to emphasise the public
demand for an answer from the BBC to these vital questions. If you have time, write your own
email, or if not copy and paste from mine.
To quote that great Scot John Paul Jones, "We have not yet begun to fight".
Not going in to the details of the Skripals etc but what this goes to show is the
limitations of the FOI Act. The FOI Act was brought in by the Blair Govt but of course was
very much weakened in its final version. Even this was very much regretted by Blair in his
autobiography who said what an 'idiot' he had been to bring it in. Tony, you need have no
fear – powerful institutions like the BBC can block any meaningful probing because of
the limitations of the law.
Spotted this yesterday .5103 "A Ukrainian political consultant has revealed to Sputnik that former MI6 agent
Christopher Steele sought and paid for researchers in Ukraine to concoct fake stories about
Donald Trump prior his election as US president to use in the now-infamous dossier that
supposedly contained damning evidence of Russia-Trump collusion.
Radio Sputnik's Lee Stranahan spoke previously with Ukrainian political consultant and
former diplomat Andrii Telizhenko about his connections to a Democratic National Committee
(DNC) operative named Alexandra Chalupa who also worked for clients in Ukrainian politics.
Chalupa told Politico in January 2017 that beginning in 2015, she pulled on a network of
sources she'd established in Kiev and Washington to try and turn up dirt on Trump , once
his star began to rise in the Republican primary campaign." Etc etc
I can't add any cogency to the (so-far) fruitless quest for information from the BBC, but
last weeks R4 programme (still available on iPlayer) The Reunion, in which the Skripal, and
more recent 'nerve agent' attacks, were discussed and, I thought, neatly tied in with the
'Murder of Georgi Markov in the 1950s, apparently by Bulgarian secret agents, perhaps
deserves examination by listeners and researchers more interested in BBC propaganda.
A panel of 'experts', diplomats, security people, some of whom you may very well knowand who
laid claim to being 'there or thereabouts', concluded that The Skripal's incident bore all
the markings of 'state sponsored' action, though, of course, they would never know until "the
Russian archives are opened".
It all sounded thoroughly convincing (radio does when you're driving on a long-haul, I find)
but it did occur to me that the programme, though ostensibly about the 'murder of Markov' was
intended to draw the listener to inevitable conclusions about the perpetrators of Salisbury
and Amesbury 'poisonings'.
The BBC is very good at obfuscation and I felt this was a good example.
Sorry I cannot be more 'relevant' to your blog of 27/08/18.
Good luck, and please. as they say, keep up the good work.
I remember the excellent 'Media Lens' team have complained about Mark Urban in the past
with his blatant Western bias. For example, like the other overpaid political analysts and
presenters on the BBC, he doesn't question the stated but transparently dishonest premise of
the West – that they are intervening in other nations on a humanitarian basis. Like the
other wastes of space in the mainstream media, he is also quick to mention civilian deaths by
the Russians but not so quick to mention those killed by the West.
As I recall, Urban completely failed to reply to or to address the concerns of Media Lens
in a reasonable way.
"I remember the excellent 'Media Lens' team have complained about Mark Urban in the past
with his blatant Western bias."
Mark Urban is from a Western country and the broadcaster he works for is in a Western
country. Why are you so surprised that both he and the organisation he works for have a
"Western bias"? Is that so abnormal? Would you expect him to have a pro-Chinese or a
pro-Russian or, for that matter, a pro-Brazilian bias and would you be happy if he had? Would
you expect a journalist who works for RT to have an anti-Russian, pro-Western
bias?
Ramifications.
'Recently Aeroflot has been affected by US sanctions and its flights to America face possible
suspension by Washington, as the US government seeks to punish the Kremlin for its alleged
involvement in the poisoning of former double agent and Russian national Sergei Skripal and
his daughter Yulia in Salisbury in March.' https://www.rt.com/trends/aeroflot-russia-airlines-international/
Russian skies could become too expensive for US airlines if Washington targets
Aeroflot
American carriers would face huge financial losses if Russia increases tariffs for the use of
its airspace in response to possible US sanctions targeting the country's largest airline
Aeroflot, an expert has told RT. https://www.rt.com/business/435599-russia-aeroflot-us-sanctions/
Klutzes all! and now the entire story is unravelling thanks to that idiot Alexander Downer
and his mate Halper. I guess their little maltese buddy Joe Mifsud is deeply underground for
a decade or two.
I hadn't really followed the implications until' your list. So there will be a chemical
attack and the OPCW will assign blame to Syria (but also possibly Syria/Russia).
The US have been making it clear that they would hold Russia accountable for any "further"
chemical weapons attacks carried out by Syria. This could used then to remove Russia form the
UN Security Council. Even for the UN to no longer recognise the Russian Government as
legitimate and instead recognise an alternative Russian Government (under Mikhail
Khardovsky). Will China fall in line?
This looks awfully close to the start of a full scale war.
The UN has been turning a blind eye to neo-con murder since 9/11. They are a busted flush.
There is no residual value or purpose for the UN in an age that backs Saudi Arabi to train
terrorists in Myanmar.
As to Senator John McCain the world will be a safer place when this terrorist is finally
removed. The UN is wholly owned by the US. The US neo-cons have sucked every particle of
respectability out of it.
" Those who antagonise the believing Muslim men and women and do not repent will be consigned
to the Fire, to dwell forever therein. " Qur'an. I am immensely proud of Donald trump for
refusing to honour him.
Frightening, and probably part of the plan. I have been reading for the last 2 days a
series of warnings by the Russians that a chemical "attack" is imminent. Not many
translations of this in the MSM. One would think that they wouldn't dare after such warnings,
but I am not optimistic. After all, how many people have read the warnings?
I've seen posts on Twitter about this warning by the Russians and you know what the
counter-argument is that they are putting forward? They contend that it's a double bluff by
the Syrians/Russians. Well, if you're intending to use chemical weapons why wouldn't you make
out that the other side are planning it as a false flag? Trouble is, Western governments will
be more than happy to go along with that in the public eye – let's face it, they know
the real truth of the situation. I note however that the Russian warning mentions the active
role in the planned false flag played by British security firm Olive. I haven't seen any
denial from them so that would suggest to a neutral observer that the Russian allegations do
have some foundation and hopefully will be enough to 'put the wind up' those planning the
event.
Further to my post at 18.08 I see a short and sweet statement on the Sputnik website that
"Olive Group has no involvement" Suzanne Piner, the company's marketing director said. So
there we have it, who are we to disbelieve them??
A great blog, Craig, and lots of good comments. I have two contributions.
1. A recent Spectator blog talked of a 'Stockade of D-notices'. Surely that means more
than the two we know about. So I guess that anyone working in the MSM must have to tread
carefully.
2. We are swimming in a sea of fake news, disinformation, misinformation, deliberate lies
and speculation. I have found only one rock worth clinging onto and it's this. The Porton
Down analyst (CC) who gave evidence to the high court which heard the blood sample
application said the analysis of the Skripals blood indicated exposure to a nerve agent or
related compound (para 17 of the judge's report). It is reasonable to assume they used the
term 'nerve agent' correctly, i.e. belonging to the group of organo-phosphorus compounds
(from the OPCW website). On the assumption CC told the truth, there are only three
possibilities:-
a. The Skripals were exposed to a nerve agent, or
b. They were exposed to a related compound that was not a nerve agent, or
c. The analysis was unable to say whether it was a nerve agent or a related compound.
If it was 'a', why did CC muddy the waters by saying 'or a related compound? Very
unlikely, bearing in mind the sensitivety of the issue.
If it was 'c', is it credible that Porton Down, world leaders in chemical weaponry, were not
able to tell if a substance was a nerve agent or not? I think not.
Which leaves 'b'. That the Skripals were not poisoned by a nerve agent.
I think we should all write to our MPs pointing this out and request a Parliamentary
Question be put to the Secretary of State for Defence (who oversees PD) asking for full
details of those blood tests and for Theresa to be briefed accordingly. She would then be
required under the Ministerial Code to correct her misleading statements to the House which
claimed the Skripals were poisoned by a nerve agent.
Hi Robert – if CC knew for sure they Skripals were exposed to a nerve agent, CC
would not have added 'or a related compound' as it only serves to confuse. CC might have said
it because he/she couldn't tell from the findings – most unlikely – so the only
reason he/she said the words 'or a related compound' was to avoid lying under oath to the
high court.
It all comes down to contaminated crack or whatever they used, especially the
Amesbury folk. They're well known imbibers a friend living there has told me.
I pass this on merely as a possible explanation from 'people who know'.
Hi Paul – yes. At the court hearing, CC was referring to the initial blood analyses
carried out by Porton Down a day or so after the poisoning. But clearly the doubt sown by the
words 'or a related compound' remained at least until 20th March when CC gave that
evidence.
I remember reading that Court of Protection judgement wording at the time and made some
notes about it, plus how this wording compared with that of Gary Aitkenhead's and the
OPCW's:
When comparing the wording from three sources – interview with head of Porton Down,
court hearing and OPCW documents – I think that there is room for the absence of
Novichok in blood samples taken from the Skripals before 22/03.
The Court of Protection judgement before Mr Justice Williams (22/03), (regarding an
application to take blood samples for the OPCW to confirm Porton Down's earlier analysis),
states that earlier blood tests carried out by Porton Down "indicated exposure to a nerve
agent or related compound. The samples tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class
nerve agent or closely related agent." (Please note the "or".) The statement comes at point
17 i):
Then, Gary Aitkenhead, CEO of Porton Down, told Sky News (04/04) that the substance they
found was "..Novichok or from that family.." (Again, please note the "or".) The statement
comes 1:27mins in on this YouTube video, which has a less edited version than on the Sky News
site, plus some interesting notes:
And the OPCW's executive summary, which has been made public, does not mention Novichok by
name, but it says that the results of their tests confirm the findings of the UK relating to
the chemical's identity, and show that the toxic chemical is of high purity. It says that the
name and structure of the toxic chemical are contained in the full classified report of the
Secretariat, available to the state parties of the OPCW.
Taken from points 10, 11 and 12 at:
I have been thinking about this as well. Please note that "nerve agent or related
compound" leaves open the possibility that the compound is not even a nerve agent.
It would be interesting to know the expert definitions of "closely related" and "family"
with regard to "nerve agent" and "novichok".
The general understanding is that it was A-234. This has never been confirmed in a public
statement, however.
Expressions like "nerve agent" subconsciously conjure up dark and sinister evildoing in
the world of James Bond and his "licence to kill", at least in the minds of most British
English speakers. The same psychology is at work when you see "Polite Notice" and
subconsciously read it as "Police Notice". Such notices are invariably unofficial, and often
impolite!
For the mischief makers, however, mere "nerve agent", with its ambiguity and murky
undertones, was not enough; "novichok" will soon be a novichok entry for 2018 in the OED.
("Новичо́к" means "newcomer", "new
guy"–as in freshman, rookie, novice.)
Modern nerve agents were first discovered in the 1930s by German industrial chemists
experimenting with organophosphorus compounds (which are defined by containing a particular
grouping of carbon, phosphorus and oxygen atoms). They were trying to make new insecticides
which would be powerful but safe(ish), but stumbled across tabun, which was powerful but very
unsafe. Given the political situation, and realising the military potential, these chemists
then pursued their research with emphasis on the extremely unsafe, and with huge success.
After 1945, having had no such success themselves, the victorious allies' chemists
"inherited" this German research; the Soviets did particularly well here, as there was much
German manufacturing infrastructure in Poland. Exactly what happened next is obviously kept
very secret, but some refinements were certainly achieved such as VX,
and–allegedly–the Novichoks. Per Chalmers Johnson: "we knew Saddam had WMD; we
had the receipts".
All very interesting (not really), and probably well-understood by a few reading this. A
problem in getting a real understanding of all this novichok/Skripal malarkey lies in some
misunderstandings of the details about the foregoing, of which few will be properly aware,
Craig included. He read history.
Firstly organophosphorus compounds are certainly not inherently toxic; DNA is an
organophosphate, as is RNA, ATP, etc. Boat loads of other basic biochemistry involves this
chemical grouping. To equate "nerve agent" (or "insecticide") with "organophosphate" is a
good start, but nothing more.
Secondly, the idea that nerve agents are new is misleading. Curare (poison) tipped arrows
have been used in South America for millenia, secretions by bufotenine toads similarly used
elsewhere, with many many other examples throughout recorded history (and beyond). These
chemicals could all semantically correctly be termed nerve agents.
Interestingly, although tabun's potency was discovered in the 30s by Schrader er al, it had
been unwittingly synthesised 40-odd years earlier. There's nothing new under the sun.
Thirdly, poisoning by ACE nerve agents (which, allegedly, includes
Новичо́к) is quick and easy(ish) to detect and
interpret in an unambiguous way. Less so more exotic and novel toxins (so obviously not eg
curare or bufotoxins, but along those lines). However, given time, a good analysis is doable
using mass spectrometry, SEM, X-ray crystallography (and other) methods.
In reply to John Bull, I wouldn't say we're "swimming in a sea of fake news, et seq", more
bobbing around like corks. Love the moniker, by the way! It works on so many levels.
I suspect the reason for the wording is that what was identified was an
acetylcholineesterase (ACE) inhibitor, which covers the major nerve agents and other
compounds as well.
Here is one of the really stupid things about the official british story line on the
Skripals. Sergei and Yulia are supposed to have left their home at around 1:30 and both
swiped their hands on the door lever and were then novihoaxed. They drove to town and parked
their car ten minutes later. They then walked through the park and stopped to hand feed the
ducks in the stream and handed bread to the young boys to also feed the ducks. They then went
on to act 2 scene 1 at zizzis or the pub and then act 2 scene two collapsed on the bench.
No young boy or duck was harmed making this play. The military grade novihoax is incapable
of killing a duck, let alone a child as this pair smeared military grade nerve poison on
everything! They have incinerated the zizzi table and heaven knows what has been incinerated
at the pub. They incinerated the Skripals front door, who knows what fate was delivered to
the BMW.
But they cant kill a duck! Mind you they can starve Skripal pets.
I wasn't trying to divert. I know quite a bit about the habits of ducks. You'll very
rarely see a dead duck anywhere in the natural world. Same with swans. They like to die in
private.
I can tell you that it's very unlikely that you'd have any reports of dead ducks in
Salisbury parks.
Before anyone puts this down to more high level trolling, I used to be a wildlife
photographer. And I mean a proper one, i.e one that crawled around in mud for days at a time
filming and photographing ducks.
The ducks were an obvious joke (of derision). The joke has a second level (not hidden);
the young boys didn't die because everyone knows the novichok poisoning story is not
true?
"No ducks or young boys were harmed in the making of this movie!"
All of the above just paraphrases/repeats what uncle tungsten said
You jobs sounds like it was really great, I envy you. But your contribution (here) sucks
big time!
There appears to be a distinct lack of cross contamination.
The Skripal car should be riven with this poison – on the steering wheel- gear stick
etc etc. If so, then reports of it being burned should follow like the table – as the
guinea pigs and the cat were.
It should be all over the bread and all over the assistant duck feeders and the ducks
should have been legion with their webbed feet up in the air.
The door handle application is a crock. If, as is claimed the alleged Novichok was pure
then who made it should be known because of its purity.
If it's Russian that should be provable. So far the proof that it is Russian made has not been shown.
"So far the proof that it is Russian made has not been shown."
Nonsense, the very name novichok is a giveaway, nobody would use a novichok except
Russians.
"They have incinerated the Zizzi table " The significance of the table in this saga
intrigues me. I recall when the 'details' (!!) of events were revealed by the MSM at the
outset we were informed that the table had been covered in nerve agent in the form of a fine
white powder and had to be incinerated. [ In fact it was so badly contaminated even Porton
Down didn't have the capability of storing it safely – that's my facetious 'take' on it
before anyone asks where I read that!]
On the assumption that it was indeed incinerated as a 'risk' item it begs a couple of obvious
questions which the official narrative hasn't explained. First, the time lapse between the
Skripals leaving Zizzis, being identified and their movements traced back to the restaurant
and 'lockdown' being applied to everything in the restaurant: we don't know but I would
hazard a guess an hour minimum. Are we really supposed to believe that the plates, dishes and
cutlery left by the Skripals weren't cleared away in all that time, and the table wasn't
wiped down? Irrespective of whether the nerve agent residue that we are supposed to believe
was being spread all over Salisbury was visible or not, surely whoever cleared the table and
washed up the dishes would definitely have been contaminated if we are to believe what we
have been told about the door handle theory.
Adding to my comment at 12.19, we mustn't also forget that glasses and dishes would also
have been removed from the table during the course of the Skripals' meal as well, not to
mention money or credit cards or card reading machines etc exchanging hands. And the drinking
glasses used at the pub. The more you think about it, the more ridiculous the official line
becomes.
Pink Floyd Legend Roger Waters Slams Skripal Case as 'Nonsense'
The former leader of Pink Floyd has also blasted the White Helmets, a dubious Syrian
volunteer organization which has been accused of staging videos of chemical attacks, as part
of the "propaganda war," echoing the dismissive comments he made earlier this year.
The UK's Momentary Lapse of Reason
In an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestiya, former Pink Floyd member Roger
Waters dismissed the infamous Skripal case as "nonsense." "That the attack on the Skripals
was nonsense is clear to a person with half a brain. But some don't even have one half,
that's why they believe in this absurd," he was quoted as saying by the newspaper.
Rather like Janet Jackson's nipples,
It's been a while since we've seen the Skripals.
Not so long ago they were all over the news
As official drones droned their official views.
They said that in Salisbury wherever you look
Lurked sinister types splashing novichuk.
Door handle specialists had been imported,
Or so the BBC unquestioningly reported.
A laundry list of despicable acts
Only vaguely coincident with the salient facts.
Boris Johnson wasn't sitting on the fence,
He don't need no stinkin' evidence.
'It was them Russkies wot dunnit, no doubt about that',
Said the country's pre-eminent diplomat.
KGB thugs sent to put the boot in,
By Mr. Evil, Vladimir Stalin Putin.
Novichuk's lethality was re-emphasised again,
More deadly than others by a factor of ten.
Yet somehow miraculously the Skripals survived,
In Salisbury General they inconveniently revived.
And that was all we heard for a while
Bar a weird statement in machine-prose style.
Then a curious video right out of the blue
That looked like an advert for flyaway shampoo.
A chilled out Yulia said she was contented,
And consular access had not been prevented,
But no, she didn't want to meet up with her kin
(Not that the government would let them in).
The whole production was charmingly informal,
As though poisoning and exile were perfectly normal.
This remarkable young woman's taken it all in her stride,
Seemingly happy to go along with the ride.
Her boyfriend, her job, her dog and her flat
All peremptorily dumped at the drop of a hat.
The un-fake corporate media performed as tasked
Ensuring awkward questions remained unasked.
And all this ludicrous b-movie rigmarole
Was discreetly d-noticed down the memory hole.
The legal and diplomatic situation's now clear:
'Move along sir, nothing to see here.'
Looks like now they do not even care if this will be exposed as false flag operation.
"The United States has warned Russia that it would be ready to strike Syria again if
President Bashar Assad and his government use chemical weapons in the country, the Bloomberg
news agency said on Friday citing own sources.
According to the agency's sources, the warning was conveyed by National Security Adviser
John Bolton to his Russian counterpart, Nikolai Patrushev, during their Thursday's meeting in
Geneva, Switzerland.
The agency says that Washington "has information that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may
use chemical weapons as he seeks to recapture one of the country's last rebel-held areas"
– in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib.
During the talks with Patrushev, Bolton said the United States would respond with s tronger
military action that it has used in Syria in the past – in 2017 and 2018." Bloomberg and
AMN
*********
"Militants of Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), aided by British intelligence, are preparing to
stage a chemical attack in northern Syria that will be used as a pretext for a new missile
strike by the U.S., the UK and France on facilities of the Damascus government, Russian Defense
Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov announced on August 25.
"According to the information confirmed simultaneously by several independent sources, the
active terrorist grouping Hayat Tahrir al-Sham is plotting a new provocation with the alleged
use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government forces against civilians in the Idlib
province A special group of terrorists who have been trained by specialists of the UK private
military company Olive to handle chemical warfare agents has also arrived in the area of Jisr
ash-Shughur ," Konashenkov said, according to the Russian news agency TASS.
Konashenkov revealed that the U.S. is already preparing for the new missile strike.
According to the statment, the US Navy's destroyer Sullivans with 56 cruise missiles on board
arrived in the Persian Gulf several days ago while a B-1B strategic bomber of the US Air Force
armed with AGM-158 JASSM air-to-surface missiles was redeployed to the al-Udeid air base in
Qatar.
"The actions by Western countries contrary to public statements are aimed at another
dramatic escalation of the situation in the Middle East and at disrupting the peace process
on the territory of Syria," Konashenkov warned.
Earlier this week,
the U.S., the UK and Franc released a joint statement , in which they condemned the alleged
use of chemical weapons by the Damascus government. The three countries vowed to "respond
appropriately to any further use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime."" SF & Russian
MoD
---------------
Bolton, Pompeo and the neocons have made it clear that they at least have not abandoned
Regime Change in Syria as their objective. Whether or not Mattis and Votel are fully on board
with this is unclear to me. They may well be playing some separate game of their own involving
a madcap desire to maintain a US dominated zone in Syria east of the Euphrates River. Trump's
hand is not visible in this for me. Power appears to have fractured in Washington with regard
to ME policy
The Regime Changers seem to believe they will have another bite at the apple during the
Idlib liberation campaign when a White Helmet style "gas attack" can be staged and then used to
obtain Trump's acquiescence in a sizable set of attacks against Syrian forces this time as well
as facilities.
The Israelis seem to be out of the game on this one having made a deal with Russia and Syria
over stability on the Golan front line.
The 'Working Group on Syria, Propaganda Media', which is a group of British academics
who are interested in these matters, published a 'Briefing note' on the alleged chemical
attack in Douma on 7 April 2018, and other alleged chlorine attacks in Syria since 2014,
a few days ago.
I would strongly recommend it to anyone interested in a serious examination of the
evidence on these matters.
In addition to being published on the 'Working Group' site, the note is reproduced on
the blog run by Professor Tim Hayward of Edinburgh, one of its members, and anyone
wanting to comment can do so there.
I am sure it's worthy and that I agree with it, but I struggle with the clunky prose:
telling us that chlorine released in industrial accidents has showed a less devastating
result on the victims and then a few lines later that the effects in Douma could only
have been produced by chlorine if released on an industrial scale. Still clunkier however
have been the attempts of British intelligence to fake chemical attacks. I hope they and
their jihadis do not try one in Idlib, but part of me is curious to see if they can even
be bothered to make it plausible. As one of the targets of their deception I am quite
offended by their carelessness.
Sic Semper optimistic. U.S foreign policy has a mind of its own. The nationalist here
in the States more than likely have very little to do with its change in direction. Like
bond market money, it has a long wide view of the world and its conquest.
The Olive Group, the mercenary firm that Konashenkov named, is under the umbrella of
something called Constellis Holdings, which also owns Academi, the mercenary company
formerly known as Blackwater, the company founded by Eric Prince. The CEO of Constellis
is a man named Jason Deyonker, a University of Michigan classmate of Prince's and the man
who bought out Blackwater, enabling Prince to move his operation to the UAE.
Why Russia, has been so ineffective against this group of crisis actors and the
propaganda they generate, is a little baffling.
Why have they not targeted the individuals and their activities with smart munition
air strikes?
Letting your ally get pummeled by another round of meaningless cruise missile
strikes,right under your nose, and now in proximity to your own forces is going to look
like nothing except weakness.
In the TASS article referred to, Konashenkov names the village near Jisr ash-Shughur
that the chlorine was allegedly delivered to as Halluz.
syria.liveuamap.com shows the village in Latakia province, but more accurate maps,
e.g. Google, seem to show it just inside Idlib, at coords 35.782,36.274. The village is
less than 2km from the Turkish OP at Ishtabraq Mount, itself right on the road linking
Halluz with JaS. Konashennkov even names the group the chemicals were delivered to as
Hizb al-Turkistani al-Islami.
The level of detail in the announcement is interesting. In your opinion Colonel, is
this an attempt to head off a false flag in this specific location, or a wider effort to
deter one - i.e. by signalling that the GRU knows exactly what the various parties are up
to?
As not even Reuters appears to have picked up this announcement (nor the fact that
yesterday a member of the Duma suggested deploying tactical nukes to Syria), I hope
Gerasimov reiterates his April red line announcement. For good measure VVP should do so
too this time - just so there can be no doubt of Russia's position.
IMO, now that Trump is aware of who and what the White Helmets are, he should arrange
for them to be tracked and then blasted into oblivion by some kind of traditional
ordnance. Call it an accident, collateral damage, fortune de guerre, whatever. It would
be useful to avoid another false flag poison gas incident as well as sending a message to
their handlers.
Some intriguing noises coming from China about sending troops for Idlib
operation...
'...Both China's ambassador to Syria as well as its military attache in the
country have raised the possibility of Chinese military operations in Syria alongside
the Syrian government.
Chinese Ambassador Qi Qianjin reportedly stated that the Chinese "military is
willing to participate in some way alongside the Syrian army that is fighting the
terrorists in
Idlib and in any other part of Syria," while military attache Wong Roy Chang reportedly
said the Chinese military could participate in an operation to retake rebel-held Idlib
if Beijing made the political decision for it to do so...'
That from Stratfor earlier this month...
Whether that actually happens is an open question...but it would seem that Russia and
Turkey are huddling to try to iron out a general agreement before shooting begins...
Look at the Skripal affair. The British government's account of what
happened is hilariously unconvincing, and the Foreign Minister himself was
caught red-handed in
a lie of such monstrous proportions
that he was hopelessly compromised
and his remaining audience of five true believers could no longer take anything
he said as factual.
Far from the only example
of his instinctive lying, I might add. But
the British government demands you take them at their word: they can't show
anyone any evidence 'coz it's National Security, innit? but any alternate
narrative other than the official account of what happened is fake news.
Horrific misinformation. Any western authority granted the mandate to rule
on what is misinformation is going to abuse that power to ensure only its
side of a story (which always has at least two) is the one that is heard.
Period. You would like to believe they're above that, but they're not.
Well, that was a longer diversion than I planned; let's get back to Caitlin
Johnstone. Here's what she said, in one of those dozy tweets I dislike so
much.
"Friendly public service reminder that John McCain has devoted
his entire political career to slaughtering as many human beings as possible
at every opportunity, and the world will be improved when he finally dies".
I'm sure it was that last bit that sent the 'fake news' crowd over the
precipice, because we are conditioned as western citizens to never speak
ill of the dead, and the prohibition plainly extends to the almost-dead.
The Undead, if you prefer. That's not the first time Ms. Johnstone, who
is nothing if not plain-spoken, has expressed the conviction that the expiration
of John McCain is an event which is long overdue. It may well be regarded
as insensitive, although I honestly cannot disagree with it, as his continued
persistence on this mortal coil means a continued manifestation of his malign
influence, and he continues to exercise his privilege to speak on behalf
of his constituents to vote for the most destructive course every time it
is offered as an option.
If I may be allowed one more tiny diversion, one I have certainly advanced
before on the unaccountable American fascination with free speech, I believe
it bears directly on Ms. Johnstone's legal right to say insensitive things,
according to established legal precedent. On October 18th, 1998, the Westboro
Baptist Church aka Lunatic Space-Cadets Anonymous
picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard
, a gay man who was beaten unconscious,
tied to a fence and left for dead by a couple of homophobic assailants,
and who died of his injuries. The congregation carried signs which bore
such inflammatory slogans as "No Tears for Queers", "Fag Matt Burns in Hell",
and the more perennial but generalized "God Hates Fags". No action was taken
against the church. The family of a decorated US Marine who died in Iraq
later took Westboro Baptist Church to court for their provocative baiting
at solemn occasions like their son's funeral, and lost. The Supreme Court
of the United States ruled Westboro's right to free speech did not infringe
on the family's right to conduct a funeral without interference.
So any prohibition on publicly wishing John McCain would cease his irritating
evasion of the Grim Reaper is imaginary, faith-based and entirely without
legal merit.
Getting back to the issue, Ms. Johnstone's initial antagonist Patrick
tweeted in response;
"What a miserable, despicable person. You are
the definition of deplorable. I may frequently disagree with Senator John
McCain and Meghan McCain with all due criticism, but they should sue you
for libel. This is disgusting."
What is
libel
? Libel is
"to
publish
in
print
(including
pictures),
writing
or
broadcast
through
radio,television
or
film,
an
untruth
about
another
which
will
do
harm
to
that
person
or
his/her
reputation,
by
tending
to
bring
the
target
into
ridicule,
hatred,
scorn
or
contempt
of
others.
Libel
is
the
written
or
broadcast
form
of
defamation,
distinguished
from
slander
which
is
oral
defamation.
It is
a
tort
(civilwrong)
making
the
person
or
entity
(like
a
newspaper,
magazine
or
political
organization)
open
to
a
lawsuit
for
damages
by
the
person
who
can
prove
the
statement
about
him/her
was
a
lie.
"
Hey, I know let's play lawyer, wanna? No costly law degree required;
I already said we were playing. But since we've already demonstrated that
Ms. Johnstone can't be (successfully) sued for libel for expressing the
opinion that the world will be a better place once John McCain has popped
his pricey tasseled clogs, then the point of libelous contention must be
the allegation that John McCain has availed himself of every opportunity
to vote for policies or undertakings which contributed to the slaughter
of human beings. A customary and absolute defense against the charge of
libel is establishment that the allegedly libelous statement is, in fact,
true. Can we do that? I'll bet we can.
Although he was very much a part of the Vietnam War, John McCain was
not a politician at that time, and Ms. Johnstone specified that he had used
his
political
career to press for military action which resulted
in many casualties. I don't think the modification of 'as many as possible'
would be enforceable under libel laws, as it would be too difficult to prove.
Could there have been even more casualties, on both sides, in any military
action in which Senator McCain had a vote? Probably, but there is no realistic
way to determine if they were either limited or aggravated by his direct
participation in the vote. By the same token, the contribution of his vote
to any casualties which
did
take place is, I think, inarguable.
So let's start with America's next big war the Gulf War against Iraq,
Take One. John McCain
voted for war
. Were there casualties? You could say that; 294 Americans
died in the Gulf War. The UK lost 47. It's worth noting, as an aside, that
Syria was a US ally in the Gulf War, and had 2 of its soldiers killed. How
about Iraqis? Well, nobody seems to have kept a very accurate count they
were, after all, the enemy, and killing them was encouraged and the
official American count
is established from Iraqi prisoner-of-war records,
and was featured in a report commissioned by the US Air Force. It estimates
20,000-22,000 combat deaths overall, in both the air and ground campaigns.
Was that a slaughter? You tell me. And before we move on from the Gulf War,
John McCain
voted
(after the war was over) against providing automatic annual cost-of-living
adjustments for certain veterans' benefits. Four years later, McCain supported
an appropriations bill that underfunded the Departments of Veterans Affairs
and other federal agencies by $8.9 billion. The following year, McCain voted
against an amendment to increase spending on veterans programs by $13 billion.
As of the year 2000, 183,000 U.S. veterans of the Gulf War, more than a
quarter of the U.S. troops who participated, had been declared permanently
disabled by the Department of Veterans Affairs. You may only be 'slaughtered'
if you are dead, but the irrevocable changes for the worse in the quality
of life for thousands of Americans who were only doing what their country
ordered them to do should count for something, what do you say?
Gee; I'm starting to get a little mad at McCain. Well, let's move on.
In 2003, the US government of the day decided that Saddam Hussein had
not learned his lesson the first time, and so this time he had to go. Accordingly,
the USA polled its allies for military forces who were not otherwise occupied,
and had another go at it. John McCain said hell yes, let's get it on.
American military casualties
, 4,287 killed, 30,187 wounded. A bit more
of a slaughter than the first attempt. The advent of ceramic-plate body
armor protected the soldier's body core, so that many more survived injuries
that would have been so horrific they would surely have killed them. The
downside is that many lived who lost limbs too badly damaged to save, and
were crippled for whatever life remained to them. The
Iraqi casualty figures
were again an estimate, although better documented; by the most reliable
count, somewhere between 182,000 and 204,000 Iraqis were killed. Needlessly
and pointlessly slaughtered, many of them; American troops grew so fearful
as a result of the steady drip of casualties among their own that they frequently
opened fire on families in cars with children simply because they did not
obey instructions in a language they did not speak or understand. At Mahmudiya,
in March 2006, Private Steven Green and his co-conspirators
raped and killed
14-year-old Abeer Qassim Hamza, killed her family and
set her body afire to blur the details of the crime. When Iraqi soldiers
arrived on the scene, Green and his fellow murderers blamed it on Sunni
insurgents.
The following year, President Bush approved a 'surge' of 20,000 additional
troops, which John McCain so energetically agitated for that it became known
informally as 'the McCain doctrine'. That's after he claimed in 2004 that
if an elected government in Iraq asked that US forces leave, they would
have to go even if they were not happy with the security situation. He also
recognized, the following year, that Iraqis resented the American military
presence, and the sooner and more dramatically it could be reduced, the
better it would be for everyone. I guess if you lay claim to both sides
of the argument, you're bound to convince someone that you know what you're
doing.
That same year, 2007, John McCain
voted against a requirement for specifying minimum time periods between
deployments
for soldiers deployed to Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation
Enduring Freedom. When they need you back in the meat-grinder, you go, never
mind how many times you've already been there. Let's just keep in mind,
before we leave Iraq, that the entire case for war the second time around
was fabricated with wild tales of awful weapons Saddam supposedly had which
could kill Americans
while they were still in America
, and so he
had to be dealt with. When it was suggested to the Defense Secretary, Donald
Rumsfeld, that America should concentrate on Afghanistan, since that is
where the backers of the 9-11 strike against America had fled, he
mused that there were 'no good targets in Afghanistan'
, although there
were 'lots of good targets in Iraq'. Some researchers suggest he was after
a 'teachable moment' for America's enemies which would convince them of
America's irresistible power. While John McCain assessed that Donald Rumsfeld
was the worst Secretary of Defense ever, his complaint was not that Rumsfeld
was not killing enough people, but that he showed insufficient commitment
to winning the war.
Libya. Hoo, boy. In 2009, John McCain together with fellow die-faster-please
senators Joe Lieberman and Lindsey Graham
visited Tripoli
, to discuss Libya's acquisition of American military
equipment. John McCain assured Gadaffi (his son, actually) that America
was eager to provide Libya with the equipment it needed. Hardly more than
a year later, he espoused the position that Gadaffi must be removed from
power because he had American blood on his hands from the Lockerbie bombing.
In 2011, he visited the Libyan 'rebels', and
publicly urged Washington to consider a ground attack
to forcibly remove
Gaddafi from power. Just a friendly public service reminder; the Lockerbie
bombing was most likely carried out by Syria, was according to pretty
reliable testimony
rigged by the American intelligence services to finger Libya
, and probably
the stupidest thing Gaddafi ever did was to admit to it anyway and pay compensation,
in an effort to move on.
Anyway, more war. What the fuck is it with this guy?
Well, even something so grim as war has its comic moments. What else
would you call it when NATO claims, with a straight face, that the enemy
is
hiding his tanks and artillery from its watchful eye
inside the water
pipes of the Great Man-Made River? What they actually wanted was an excuse
to bomb it which they did,
as well as the pumping stations
which brought abundant fresh water to
the coastal region, in the certain knowledge that it would create a crisis
for the civilian population. Which, by the bye, is against just about every
convention on the subject ever written.
Here are some of the pipe sections, when they were being trucked to the
assembly point. As the article suggests, these sections are 4 meters across;
but remember, that's at their widest point. They are only 4 meters for about
a foot, because a water pipe is a circle.
Libya mostly used the T-72 Main Battle Tank, and those would be the ones
NATO wanted to eliminate, since the others were considerably older. A T-72,
width-wise, would just fit in a 4-meter water pipe, as it is
3.6
meters wide
. However, it's also over 45 tons in weight. The concrete
rings were designed to carry free-flowing water, not a 45-ton tank. Would
they take that kind of weight, distributed only over a 7-meter length? Where
is there an entry point to the water-pipe that is the same width as the
widest diameter of the pipe? As discussed, the water pipe is 4 meters wide
at its widest point. But the T-72 is 2.3 meters high. The tank would only
fit if it was as high as a lunchbox, because the 4-meter width narrows dramatically
from the widest point; it's a circle. Even where it did fit, it would be
supported only on the outer edges of its tracks, and you have to cut the
4-meter measurement approximately in half, because the upper portion of
the tank would have to be above the point where the tracks touched on each
side. The idea was preposterous from the outset, and it speaks to what fucking
simpletons western government believes make up its populations that they
would dare to put such nutjobbery in print. A T-72 could not fit in a 4-meter
water pipe. The notion was demonstrably foolish. But NATO wanted to destroy
the water system, so it made up a reason that would allow it to be a well-meaning
potential victim of deadly violence.
According to
The Guardian
the same source that told you Gadaffi
was hiding his tanks in the plumbing the death toll in the Libyan civil
war prior to the NATO intervention was about 1000-2000. According to the
National Transitional Council, the outfit the west engineered to rule post-Gaddafi
Libya,
the final butcher's bill was about 30,000 dead
. The very day after NATO
folded its tents figuratively speaking, as the western role was entirely
air support for the flip-flop-wearing rebels and went home, al Qaeda
raised its black flag over the Benghazi courthouse
.
Caitlin Johnstone claimed John McCain used his political career to advocate
for military interventions which resulted in the slaughter of large numbers
of human beings. Is that accurate? What say you, members of the jury? In
each of the cases above, John McCain used his political influence, over
and above his vote, to argue, advocate, hector and plead for military intervention
by the armed forces of the United States of America and such coalition partners
as could be rounded up. In each of the cases above, the necessity
of toppling the evildoing dictator was exaggerated out of all proportion,
portrayed as an instant and refreshing liberation for his people, and as
only the first phase of a progressive plan which would turn the subject
country into a prosperous, western-oriented market democracy. In each of
the cases above the country is now a divided and ruined failed state whose
pre-war situation was significantly better than its miserable present. And
in each of the cases above, a lot of people were killed who could otherwise
have reasonably expected to be alive today.
Also, each of the cases above is chronologically separated from the others
by a sufficient span for it to be quite evident what a cluster-fuck the
previous operation was, so that anyone disposed to learn from his mistakes
might have approached the situation differently as it gained momentum, argued
for caution based on previously-recorded clusterfuckery, pleaded for reason
to prevail and for improved dialogue to be a priority. Not John McCain.
He learned precisely the square root of nothing from previous catastrophes,
and plunged into the next catastrophe with the enthusiasm most remarked
among those who are not all there, as the vernacular describes it. He not
only voted for war every time, he expended considerable effort in cajoling
and persuading the reluctant to go along.
Perhaps the introduction here of the
definition for 'warmonger'
would be helpful to the jury. To wit; "O
ne
who
advocates
or
attempts
to
stir
up
war. A person who fosters warlike ideas or advocates war."
Synonyms: hawk, aggressor, belligerent, militarist, jingoist, sabre-rattler.
There, John; I just saved you the trouble of writing an epitaph.
Will the world be a better place once John McCain is gone? Difficult
to say, really, and the present state of affairs in the world argues strongly
that it will not. But it will certainly be no poorer for his passing, and
if he were to be replaced politically by an individual who took the trouble
to do a little research, muse on previous experience, and review all the
available options before voting to send in the Marines why, that would be
a victory for everyone in a world where victory is increasingly not even
a possibility.
Was Caitlin Johnstone right? Broadly speaking, and going on the information
available at the time her statement was made, yes; she was.
151 THOUGHTS ON "
IN THE MATTER OF THE PEOPLE
VS. CAITLIN JOHNSTONE, THE DEFENSE RESTS.
"
Reply
Good article. The same 2000 dead hysteria (a number that included
800 dead Serbs) was used in 1999 to justify the bombing of Serbia.
After the UCK terrorists took over Kosovo together with NATzO, many
more Serbs were butchered than the mostly 1200 terrorists that NATzO
was so worried about. I suspect that McShitStain was a big time
proponent of the gang rape of Serbia as well.
McShitStain is merely a dumb US attack dog. He does his masters'
bidding well and thankfully there is some justice in this world
that he gets cancer. I really do hope he pops off this mortal coil.
I have seen very good people die from brain cancer and it would
be very unfair if this sick nutjob recovered.
We are living through a rather nasty time. The so-called PC left
in the US is totally unhinged and engaged in witch hunts togther
with the lie factory US MSM. I refuse to believe that "antifa" and
all these so-called social justice warriors are real leftists. They
are engaged in fascism and their backers are the corporate oligarchy
of the USA. At this stage it looks like Germany during the 1930s
(no, Trump is not the Hitler equivalent) in that a state of hysteria
has taken over the US political scene. All the Hillary worshippers
(the Democrats are fake "leftists") actually believe the Russia
conspiracy theory crap and want revenge. They also believe CNN and
the rest of the MSM that they can roll over Russia with little effort.
CNN has been a critical booster for all of the US wars since its
formation. It incites Americans to support whatever war criminal
enterprise that the US elites want to engage in. McShitStain is
a cog in this war machine.
The world definitely will be a better place after Jurassic John
goes the way of the dinosaurs if only because whoever replaces him
as Senator for Arizona won't have anything like the grubby contacts
he has all over the world (let alone the scale of such a network)
and will have to build up his/her own set.
Thanks Mark for another fiery post. Be careful you don't combust.
Her sequential-talking-points delivery certainly suggests
she is being groomed, or at a minimum has been prepared for
the question as it is sure to come up. But for someone who claims
that nobody has any idea what the future might bring, she certainly
got a lot of mileage out of her answer.
Amazing how she looks more and more like her mother with
each passing day. By the time she decides that, yes, she
will run for the Presidency, not only will she be a virtual
physical clone but her brain will also have remodelled itself
into Klintonator Killer Kranium Version 2.0.
It would be most ironic if Bubba-hotep had been cuckolded
himself, given his skirt-chasing habit.
Hearsay suggests that she is already so broadly disliked
among those who have had to work for or with her that
it seems probable she would have a really hard time
building a base. Before she could get seriously into
running for public office she would have to convince
the kingmakers that she has real star potential, and
I just don't see it.
Incredible: one Clinton Foundation employee nearly
committed suicide due to the stress caused by Bubba-Hotep
and his li'l princess through their constant meddling
and raising issues that staff were expected to chase.
The Kennedy clan had formerly attempted the
same gambit by pushing Caroline into running
for office; but she failed miserably and retreated
back into private life.
"
Despite furious Western attempts to isolate the Kremlin,
countries still want to collaborate with Russia. By arms sales and
cooperation, Russia is using its military strength to increase its
geopolitical presence in the world".
You don't say!
Interestingly, the commenters to the article (so far) seem just
to say "So what?":
Silly article WE have exercises all the time, including "Live"
firing in the North of Scotland
not to mention the live exercises in which my nephew regularly
participates with his and other British army armoured regiments
on the Canadian prairie.
Of course, there are not a few head-banger readers of the Independent:
I would even doubt
[Europe's]
capacity to remove
Russia from Poland never mind the Baltics if Russia decided to take
them and the only reason they have not decided to do so is the big
stick that is the US military which is especially potent under Trump.
Same with China and Taiwan, Iran and Saudi etc etc.
Only Uncle Sam can hold the Red Beast at bay!
Pentagonbot?
Why not?
If anyone dare argue the "Kremlin" case in the British press,
he is promptly accused of being a "Kremlinbot" and asked such inane
questions as "What's the weather like in St. Petersburg today, Vladimir?"
Galeotti uses the expression "collaborate with Russia" and
not "do business with Russia".
Collaborate?
With the "Evil Empire" against the "Exceptional Nation",
whose "manifest destiny" is to bring freedom and democracy to
the rest of the world -- and billions of dollars to the USA?
Even "collaborate" is a spineless term when referring
to Russia.
The proper word is "appease". As in "appeasing" Hitler,
while also tossing in a Munich reference!
More dirt on McCain, whose source I now forget, but, if I rightly
recall, it was a comment made by a US citizen on some blog way back.
I have posted it before:
Allow me to disparage Mr. McCain (again), with facts. By several
accounts ("Why Does the Nightingale Sing", for example), he only
got into the Naval Academy for a free college degree because Dad
and GrandDad were Admirals, and he should have been kicked out several
times if not for that too. He was a lousy pilot who got into trouble
often and crashed two aircraft because of neglect. He was shot down
on his third mission over Vietnam, and getting captured is not heroic.
What happened over there is difficult to pin down, but upon returning
from POW status, he passed a physical and regained flight status
as a pilot. Yet after he finished 20 years of service that allowed
generous retirement pay, he obtained a 100% VA disability rating
allowing him to collect some $40,000 a year tax free too! The LA
Times mentioned this when McCain was insisting he was fit to serve
as commander in Chief. He now hauls in over $240,000 a year from
the Feds for military retirement, 100% VA disability, social security
retirement, while all the while working full-time in the US Senate.
So is he retired, or disabled, or gainfully employed? He is all
three! This is textbook case of abuse and why or system needs reform
to protect workers against rich welfare kings like McCain.
McCain's loyal wife was disabled in a serious auto accident while
he was a POW. Soon after he returned, McCain dumped her for a wealthy
woman 20 years younger. The Reagans were so angry they never spoke
to him again. He then married his new babe before he officially
got divorced, so there's that bigamy thing.
I don't know why any Arizonian votes for this crazed man, especially
since he's a big advocate for open borders. At a union meeting,
he told workers illegals are needed because Americans are too lazy
to work farm fields, even for $50 an hour.
McCain has never labored his entire life, always on the government
dole now earning ten times minimum wage worker pay, whose increase
he opposes.
McCain grew up wealthy and enjoyed free government health
care his entire life, yet thinks it's nothing commoners deserve.
While running for president and attacking the poor a rare good reporter
asked how many houses he owned. He was unsure, but thought maybe
seven.
Thanks, Mark, for another analysis of the opinion-management
being rolled out across the media.
The stand-out memory I have of the great Ken Kesey novel "One
Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest" is the description of a "pecking party"
inside a battery hen building in which one bird is injured, a speck
of blood appears and the crazed neighbours peck it to death. Unfortunately
they get spattered and their neighbours take up the pecking a bloodbath
ensues. That seems like a decent analogy to the current attempts
to close down any alternative to official narrative promotion.
Thanks, Cortes, and to all my well-wishers. I loved 'One
Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest', it was at least as memorable as
'Flowers for Algernon' for me, and I read them both at around
the same point in my life, when I was in my early 20's.
If it's really true that the centre cannot hold, The Empire
is going to have an increasingly hard time cloaking its lies.
Of course, the west could simply return to the values of brotherhood
and the common struggle it continues to espouse but never really
seriously practiced. But I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for
that to happen.
"Flowers For Algernon" is such a stunning work it's a
real shame that it's not better known (at least in the UK).
On the news management front, I get the sense that the narrative
is slipping away from control. Over a couple of months I've
noticed that the free "Metro" papers have been left unread
in largish amounts on some buses (busy routes) when they
were being snaffled up until recently. People can sense
that they are being herded, I think, and resent it.
This was stated by President Petro Poroshenko, speaking at an
international volunteer and the veterans' forum: "Where we are --
there is the Ukraine."
"Almost 160 thousand combatants remain as operational first reservists",
said Poroshenko.
According to him, all who are in the reserve are ready to take
up arms again and "to do this professionally and with a high degree
of training".
He added that the day after tomorrow, the Ukraine will celebrate
27 years of Independence, but added that the clockr could have stopped
at year 23 if defenders of the Ukraine had not acted against the
aggressor and not defended the Ukrainian land: "The guarantor of
the independence of the Ukraine are the armed forces of the Ukraine!
The guarantor of our freedom, of our statehood, our independence
are 344 thousand combatants in the east of our state."
In Mistecka Arsenal in Kiev has started an international volunteer
and the veteran's forum "Where we are -- there is the Ukraine". The
event will run for two days, on August 22 and 23. The purpose of
the forum is to highlight the need for the formation of a correct
and effective state policy as regards the reintegrating veterans
into society in general and to bring the authorities into this process.
Among the participants are representatives of more than 120 veterans
and volunteer organizations from different regions of the Ukraine
and from abroad.
Got to help all those volunteer batallion fighters to get back
to leading a normal, civilian life after killing civilians at the
front!
"Just a friendly public service reminder; the Lockerbie bombing
was most likely carried out by Syria, was according to pretty
reliable testimony rigged by the American intelligence services
to finger Libya, and probably the stupidest thing Gaddafi ever did
was to admit to it anyway and pay compensation, in an effort to
move on."
Most likely carried out by Syria?
Why is it most likely that Syria was behind the bombing?
I don't know that it was; that was the judgment arrived upon
in the article, and that it was retaliation for something or
other which I also forget. So they probably just put two and
two together and assessed that it was a Syrian payback (or perhaps
had other evidence of which I am unaware), but it suited the
events of the day for it to be Libya. So Libya got framed up
for it.
"We and the Americans bombed Pan Am Flight 103 to persuade
South African foreign minister Pik Botha to sign the Tripartite
Accord; thus with the Americans protecting our vested interests
both political and financial. The destruction of Pan Am
Flight 103 with the Americans demonstrated our intent and
was also a threat, and removing Bernt Carlsson was a convenient
and powerful signal, i.e. nobody is untouchable"
Five passengers on the Pan Am 103 flight were a Defense
Intelligence Agency team carrying a suitcase that contained
a large amount of heroin, documents, cash and travellers'
cheques. The DIA team had been in Lebanon searching for
US hostages held by Hezbollah and had stumbled across a
heroin-trafficking ring led by a Syrian drug baron, Monzer
al Khassar, who was linked to Colonel Oliver North's activities
in ferrying weapons to the Contras in Nicaragua. Al Khassar
himself was close to Rifat al Assad, a brother of the then
Syrian President Hafez al Assad and apparently a CIA asset.
At the same time there were people in the Iranian government
looking for revenge against the US for the USS Vincennes'
shoot-down of the Iranian Airbus passenger jet. A bomb expert
(Ahmed Jibril) from a Syrian-based Palestinian rebel group
was hired. Jibril knew of al Khassar's dope scheme and persuaded
him to fit a bomb inside the heroin suitcase that the DIA
took onto the plane. Another possibility is that al Khassar
and his CIA connections knew that the Iranians were planning
revenge and saw an opportunity to kill two birds (appeasing
the Iranians, wiping out the DIA whistle-blowers who would
have revealed the CIA connection with dope-smuggling) with
one stone.
So if Lockerbie was payback, then it was CIA payback
against the DIA and if it was retaliation, then it was Iranian
retaliation against the USS Vincennes' attack on the Iranian
Airbus.
A question for all the impeach Trump for colluding with Russia
weenies:
How would Cohen know anything about Trump's collusion with Russia?
Why would Trump need a lawyer for this illegal activity? If you
are going to claim that Trump just happened to share this information
with Cohen, then why not anyone else? Is Cohen some sort of consigliere
or confession booth priest for Trump?
This whole farce with Cohen is pathetic BS. Cohen will be told
to say this and that my Mueller and this will be deemed "evidence".
Americans are really a few cards short of a full deck to swallow
this drivel.
BTW, the new consensus emerging amongst the "deplorables" who
do not share the official CNN fake news narrative, is that the dirty
dossier produced by Steele was a Russian machination. This is truly
overwhelming in its retardation. Why the f*ck would Russia undermine
Trump by colluding with Hillary when Hillary was basically foaming
at the mouth to start a war over Russia's intervention in Syria.
Hillary's Democratic Party has ignited the current anti-Russian
hysteria in America, so there is no way that Russia was colluding
with her or her party. Americans are apparently too brainwashed
or dumb to distinguish between the involvement of Russian nationals
and the Russian state. You can find dozens of nationals from any
country to do anything with the right motivation.
"Perhaps the greatest political damage came not from the
felony charges, all of them related to various forms of financial
chicanery, including five counts each for Cohen and Manafort
of income tax evasion, but from Cohen's public statement in
the courtroom of Judge Kimba Wood. In confessing his guilt to
the eight counts, Cohen declared that in two instances, violating
federal laws by using personal funds to suppress politically
inconvenient statements by Playboy model Karen McDougal and
adult film actress Stormy Daniels, he was acting "in coordination
and at the direction of a candidate for federal office."
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/08/22/trum-a22.html
My point is that Cohen's admissions implicating Trump in
carrying out either himself or in concert with others willful
ongoing acts violative of Federal Campaign Finance laws are
CLEARLY sufficient-if substantiated-to oust him from office.
Don't think so??
If the following transgressions were sufficient to 'nail'
their intended targets -which is what happened-
then Trump's acts in attempting to hush up Stormy (supra) COULD
achieve the same result.
Whether or not some faction of TPTB has the WILL to impeach
him is another matter.
"Mueller's strategy of focusing on Cohen and Manafort's
white-collar crimes is perfectly reasonable, even in a probe
directed at Russian interference in the 2016 election. "It's
not unusual for prosecutors to use charges -- Al Capone is
the primary example -- to bring down a criminal conspiracy
in any way they can," Waxman pointed out."
Yup!!!
"Cohen's guilty plea effectively makes Trump an unindicted
co-conspirator. Current Justice Department guidelines say
a sitting president cannot be indicted -- but building a
legitimate criminal case against Trump would make it harder
for Republicans to stand united in opposition to impeaching
the president.
When President Richard Nixon was named an unindicted
co-conspirator by a grand jury, he opted to resign instead
of face impeachment proceedings. Trump seems unlikely to
step down, however. Any further efforts on his part to block
the investigation into his campaign would put the Justice
Department in uncharted territory"
Cohen would be a prosecutor's "dream cooperator: one
who had special insider access to the leader of a powerful,
closed, corrupt organization," former prosecutors Mimi Rocah
and Elie Honig wrote last month. "We used to prosecute mafia
cases. We both know that in the mob -- and perhaps in this
White House -- the right cooperator can bring down the entire
hierarchy."
From links I've already posted , getting a USC Title
18 conviction of Trump is not necessarily
that required to charge him with "High Crimes and Misdemeanors".
Although there is some dispute in legal circles as to what
exactly constitutes a sufficent basis of facts upon which
impeachment can be
based.
There is simply no evidence of Russia collusion.
Anything that Cohen says is pure fabrication. It is
tiresome for this "witness" BS to be "sufficient". Last
year CNN et al. were all hot and bothered by the supposed
bank trail proving Trump's financial links to Putin.
That would have been a story. Cohen can sing anything
that Mueller wants him to as his testicles are twisted
harder.
But it will establish an unsavory precedent that
any sitting president can be taken out merely by selecting
one of his/her aides and then threatening them with
crushing penalties for some silly transgression or other or
they can turn state's evidence. Anyone who ever dreamed
of ascending to the nation's highest office would have
to know that, by facilitating this process, they were
handing the lawmakers the means to remove any future
president.
But, as I said, I don't care. Hillary can't win it
now, Pence is a dink, The Donald would dig in his heels
and fight all the way out, probably causing great damage,
but if he went, so what? He's a dreadful president.
And the USA would be in political chaos.
Trump should have fired Sessions for recusing
himself from this Congress instituted witch-hunt.
The job of Sessions is to be over-seer of the Special
Counsel investigation. Mueller cannot have special
rights, he must follow the rules. Shaking down people
around Trump for tax evasion or assorted other unrelated
crimes is not following the rules. It is pure Inquisition
tactics.
I would not be so quick to write Trump off as
dreadful. He basically sabotaged the two hyped up
cruise missile attacks on Syria. Even though his
hands are tied and his mouth is gagged by US corporate-run
"freedom", he managed to make both those attacks
totally ineffective. If he was a loyal servant of
the US elites, he would have kept sending more and
more missiles and actually ordered NATzO or "coalition"
jets to bomb Syrian targets seriously. The sporadic
Israeli and coalition attacks have been basically
irrelevant.
He is rocking the boat as much as he can. This
creates are sorts of noise. This noise is not a
metric of his efforts and success.
"But it will establish an unsavory precedent
that any sitting president can be taken out merely
by selecting one of his/her aides and then threatening
them with crushing penalties for some silly transgression
or other or they can turn state's evidence."
Precedent set by Bill Clinton's personal Jauvert
Ken Starr, in his multiple indictments of Webster
Hubble.
"Indict my dog. Indict my cat."
A lot of it is Dems paying rethuglicans back
in their own coin.
Clinton's "personal Jauvert" did you mean
Inspector Javert of Les Misιrables?
Much as I appreciate any literary reference,
especially involving Victor Hugo, this allusion
would only hold if Bubba had managed to turn
his life around, become a virtual saint like
Valjean, and devoted his remaining years to
the cause of the oppressed masses.
hahahahahha
We'll see. If the Democrats are successful at having
him impeached, they will probably create a special holiday
recognizing Stormy Daniels, or give her the Presidential
Medal of Freedom or something. I frankly don't care he
beat Hillary, and that's something she can never erase or
cover up.
I imagine they sweated him with the possibility of spending
the rest of his life in prison; all the newspaper accounts of
his testimony spoke of his shaky voice, and it's typically pretty
hard to scare a lawyer. They likely told him that he could just
disappear into the prison system and that there would be nothing
at all he could do about it.
ZURICH (Reuters) One of Switzerland's largest banks, Credit
Suisse, has frozen roughly 5 billion Swiss francs ($5 billion) of
money linked to Russia to avoid falling foul of U.S. sanctions,
according to its accounts, further increasing pressure on Moscow .
Credit Suisse is being cautious in part because of earlier bad
experiences. In 2009, it reached a $500 million settlement with
U.S. authorities over dealings with sanctions-hit Iran.
There have been other instances where European banks have been
punished. In 2014, France's BNP Paribas (
BNPP.PA
)
agreed to pay a record $8.9 billion for violating U.S. sanctions
against Sudan, Cuba and Iran.
Switzerland's banking watchdog FINMA does not require Swiss
banks to enforce foreign sanctions, but has said they have a responsibility
to minimize legal and reputational risks.
I hope the present Russian administration and those yet to come
remember this.
Sounds like the rich Russians who refused to believe their
wealth wouldn't be confiscated in the West just learned a hard
lesson. The "rule of law" is for suckers.
I doubt very many ordinary Russians lost anything, but
they got a pretty useful lesson for free. The west wants
Putin gone so badly that there is no law they will not break,
no amount of hard-earned soft power they will not throw
away, no western business they will not throw under the
bus if they think they will realize that goal.
I wonder whose money this was. Russian offshoring is rather
sneaky and uses all sorts of places like Cyprus and the Cayman
Islands through various instruments. As of 2014, simply keeping
money in a western bank was no longer an option.
So this is either illegal money or Credit Suisse is simply
lying.
That's a good point; some time ago (you're probably correct
that it was 2014, or around there) the Russian government
did somewhat formalize its advice to not keep money in western
banks. As I best remember, it was only mandatory for members
of government. But it seems unlikely the government would
order all its ministers and senators to move all monies
held in western banks out of those banks, and then leave
government funds there itself. So perhaps some oligarch/s
got burned.
Possibly, but I doubt it. Saint Mikhail's money,
what there is left of it, is transparent to western
investigations, and if they could think of a good
reason they would give him a lot more, especially
if he were even remotely popular in Russia and they
thought he might be a candidate for insertion into
Putin's role.
Now Credite Suisse says that Russian accounts have not been
frozen, that the Bank had reclassified certain assets placed
under sanctions. By these actions no Russian customers have
been affected, reports
TASS
.
Meanwhile, in the world's greatest dirty money laundry, it
has been revealed that the London branch of Deutsche Bank has
issued threats to the Russian government.
Deutsche Bank AG threatened to end business with Russia's
government earlier this year in a letter sent to the state demanding
that it provide more information related to know-your-customer
records.
The lender's London branch sent the correspondence in
June saying the business relationship could be terminated if
Russia failed to submit the documents within 30 days. While
that deadline has long since elapsed, Russia never answered
the letter and the German bank hasn't followed up on the initial
request, according to two people with knowledge of the matter.
Arschlφcher!
I was working only yesterday and last week as well in the
main office of Deutsche Bank here in Moscow.
Never saw no Fritzes there, only Ivans. Seemed to be business
as usual to me..
Hmmm ..When the limited hangout truth expose' is found to be
MSM vetted lies:
"Wikileaks formulated its mandate on its website as follows:
"[Wikileaks will be] an uncensorable version of Wikipedia for
untraceable mass document leaking and analysis. Our primary interests
are oppressive regimes in Asia, the former Soviet bloc, Sub-Saharan
Africa and the Middle East, but we also expect to be of assistance
to those in the west who wish to reveal unethical behavior in their
own governments and corporations," CBC News Website wants to take
whistleblowing online, January 11, 2007, emphasis added).
This mandate was confirmed by Julian Assange in a June 2010 interview
in The New Yorker:
******"Our primary targets are those highly oppressive regimes
in China, Russia and Central Eurasia, but we also expect to be of
assistance to those in the West who wish to reveal illegal or immoral
behavior in their own governments and corporations. (quoted in WikiLeaks
and Julian Paul Assange : The New Yorker, June 7, 2010, emphasis
added)*****
Assange also intimated that "exposing secrets" "could potentially
bring down many administrations that rely on concealing reality -- including
the US administration." (Ibid)
From the outset, Wikileaks' geopolitical focus on "oppressive
regimes" in Eurasia and the Middle East was "appealing" to America's
elites, i.e. it seemingly matched stated US foreign policy objectives.
Moreover, the composition of the Wikileaks team (which included
Chinese dissidents), not to mention the methodology of "exposing
secrets" of foreign governments, were in tune with the practices
of US covert operations geared towards triggering "regime change"
and fostering "color revolutions" in different parts of the World."
"The Role of the Corporate Media: The Central Role of the New
York Times
Wikileaks is not a typical alternative media initiative. The
New York Times, the Guardian and Der Spiegel are directly involved
in the editing and selection of leaked documents. The London Economist
has also played an important role.
While the project and its editor Julian Assange reveal a commitment
and concern for truth in media, the recent Wikileaks releases of
embassy cables have been carefully "redacted" by the mainstream
media in liaison with the US government. (See Interview with David
E. Sanger, Fresh Air, PBS, December 8, 2010)
This collaboration between Wikileaks and selected mainstream
media is not fortuitous; it was part of an agreement between several
major US and European newspapers and Wikileaks' editor Julian Assange"
"In the coming month, following Eid al-Adha (August 21st), Iraq
will be on the horns of a dilemma. The Federal Court has confirmed
the results of the manual recount of the May parliamentary elections
with insignificant changes to the previously announced results.
After the holiday the Iraqi coalition that can assemble more than
165 parliamentary seats will have to choose the new ruler of the
country. Whoever is selected as Prime Minister, whether he is pro-US,
pro-Iran or even a neutral personality, will not save Iraq from
serious consequences and difficult years ahead. If the new government
implements the sanctions on Iran announced by interim PM Abadi,
internal unrest and insecurity can be expected in the country. Many
Iraqis, including some armed groups, will refuse what is perceived
as US interference, and US forces themselves will likely come under
fire. If the sanctions are not implemented, Iraq will face serious
US sanctions in turn, international companies will pull out, and
the return of the terrorist group ISIS (ISIL, Daesh) cannot be excluded.
Any decision will certainly have a major effect on the economy of
Mesopotamia, and perhaps even on its security."
"In Iraq, there is no political consensus over strategic decisions:
the unilateral decision on Iran sanctions taken by interim Prime
Minister Haidar Abadi needs parliamentary approval so that the representative
of the Iraqi people can assume responsibility for taking the country
into an unknown future. The Iraqi Foreign Ministry has rejected
Abadi's unilateral decision, and so did most Iraqi political groups
with Ministers in the government. The Iraqi Vice President Nouri
al-Maliki, Abadi's Da'wa party, and many others, rejected the Prime
Minister's action against Iran and in favour of the US. Many said
overtly that "Iraq will certainly not be part of the US plan to
hit Iran."
Before the infallible, exceptional chauvinists get too smug,
they should consider that this missile has essentially no chance
against a maneuvering (i.e. non ballistic) missile with a speed
of Mach 20 such as the "Kinzhal".
The amazing new capability owes much to an active seeker
in the missile rather than the traditional semi-active homing.
What's the drawback to an active seeker? That's right; it is
vulnerable to jamming and decoys.
Active seeking a randomly varying trajectory target is
not a guarantee of success. In addition, Russia is not some
rinky dink banana republic which cannot give the Kinzhal
active trajectory modification capability. It would be a
rather tractable upgrade. The key here is response lag.
A Mach 4+ missile engaging a Mach 10 missile does not have
the time to overcome its response lag.
Also, think of the ESSM as standing still as the Kinzhal
moves at Mach 5+. So there is a narrow cone of interception
that limits the ESSM; it has to attack the Mach 10 missile
from the front. So it must detect it early enough. The standard
design feature of Soviet and Russian anti-ship missiles
is near surface flight below radar detection altitude. The
Kinzhal could be undetected until 14 km from the target.
At Mach 10 this gives it 14000/3320 = 4.2 seconds to impact.
During this small window the ESSM has to launch and reach
top speed. That would take at least 2 seconds. In the remaining
2.2 seconds the Kinzhal can deflect its trajectory much
more easily than the ESSM can respond and thus can effectively
delay it from interception. This requires a trajectory animation
to make vivid. But the US Navy is clearly compensating for
the shock of the Kinzhal characteristics.
That's true, and it's true of all SAMs that their
weakest intercept profile is that against a crossing
target; the textbook approach is head-on. Which presupposes
the unit firing the ESSM is itself the target. If it's
anyone else, the chances of a successful intercept are
reduced, and the higher the crossing rate, the less
the probability, although frankly it would be zero from
the get-go against something so fast. So ESSM cannot
protect another unit unless it is right alongside the
firing unit, and bunching up like that would be inadvisable
for any number of reasons.
However, soft-kill measures enjoy a considerable
advantage over hard-kill, although most of the money
goes to hard-kill because it's so much more glamorous.
In most navies. Not in Russia, though, where ESM, ECM
and decoys are among the most effective and best-tested
in the world. Such systems are made specifically for
active homers, although jammers are effective against
surveillance and acquisition radars as well.
Indeed, a wall of shrapnel from some sort of
"curtain" defense system would go a long way to
shredding the incoming missile. The speed on the
incoming missile makes the shredding easier.
In that the US likely does not have a missile that
is in the same league as the Kinzhal, I wonder what
they used as a target for their testing? Or, its just
a sop to make us Americans feel exceptional?
The US does not have any hypersonic missiles.
It would not have any dummy target that would have
the characteristics of the Kinzhal. Much like all
of its vaunted ABM system tests were against purely
ballistic targets.
They probably ran the numbers in a simulator,
and said sure, we could stop it. They fly missiles
as targets all the time, missiles they have either
captured or bought through third parties. They just
fasten it to the rails on the bottom of a fighter,
turn on the seeker head, and use the plane to simulate
a missile. The plane doesn't fly as fast, of course,
but that is an artificiality that is built into
the test. They simply assume it was flying at the
correct speed, and assess whether you got your chaff
into the air in time to stop the real thing, or
whether your jammer successfully decoyed the seeker.
They can play that one out regardless how fast the
'missile' is going if the head loses lock, it
probably would miss. In that scenario, the 'missile'
flying slower than real time actually works to its
advantage; the real thing would have less time to
reacquire you, if it has that capability, because
its run to the target is a lot shorter.
"A total of 830 gang leaders, more than 86,000 militants, including
4,500 immigrants from the Russian Federation and the CIS countries,
were eliminated,"
Excellent job! Especially in the case of the vermin from the
ex-USSR.
That seems a little arbitrary, considering that British rug-dealer
or whatever he is from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights
keeps saying a little over 10,000 civilians were killed. Is
it possible Russian strikes were so accurate that more than
8 times as many militants were killed as civilians, even with
Uncle Sam helping?
Mind you, I don't think anyone really knows with very much
certainty, because some outfit calling itself the Syrian Center
for Policy Research claims there were over 470,000 killed in
Syria.
I think that there was sufficient sampling by the SAA
and Russian special forces of the various attack locations
to make these numbers credible. Russia was using precision
guided bombing so it had to identify viable targets. Satellites
are not enough. Drones can get a good sense of the militant
count if they are given enough time.
I guess the could put error bars on these numbers. But
the average citizen wouldn't know what to make of them.
Expect more White Helmet jihadi theater. Idlib is basically the
last terrorist enclave of note left in Syria. Assad apparently is
a masochist since he will stage some small and totally pointless
chemical weapons attack to give the US and its minions all sorts
of pretexts to do more harm than this chemical weapons "win" could
ever produce. The SAA now does not have to be spread thin to deal
with a thousands of kilometers long frontline so the Idlib operation
should be a mop up and not some epic battle.
It appears that HRW and other western war enabling organizations
have been running around claiming that Syria uses cluster bombs.
Yeah, if that was the case there would be vast amounts of evidence.
Like there was in Serbia in 1999 after NATzO used cluster munitions.
"The al-Majalah camp attack also referred to as the
al-Majalah massacre[1] occurred on December 17, 2009
when the United States military launched Tomahawk cruise
missiles from a ship off the Yemeni coast on a Bedouin
camp in the southern village of al-Majalah in Yemen,
killing 14 alleged Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula
fighters and 41 civilians,[2][3][4][5][6] including
14 women and 21 children."
Who cares about 41 faceless innocent civilians
when crooks like Litvinenko and Skripal are made
into some sort of heavenly martyrs. Apparently,
it is OK for Mossad to off opponents of Israel,
but if Russia HYPOTHETICALLY does it, then it is
the crime of the millennium. The west is a sick
joke.
I think that train has sailed. No more embarrassingly feeble
cruise missile attacks and no-fly zones are a distant memory.
The main efforts may be focused on sabotaging reconstruction
and unleashing saturation propaganda attacks as cover during
the retreat from Syria.
Maybe, but the American hawks have not just gone to sleep,
and are always trying out a new 'red line' to see if it
will win public support. You're right that they're mostly
just going through the motions, but I get the feeling that
if they ever came up with the right message another Iraqis-ripping-babies-out-of-incubators
story that would resonate with the public, they'd be pretty
glad to get back in there, and it wouldn't take them long
because they haven't actually left yet. They're just marking
time and hoping for a break.
They can and will likely try an over-the-top propaganda
hit piece but a majority of Americans have drama-fatigue.
We are saturated with BS news and no longer care.
The first batch of 100 Armata T-14 tanks have been ordered. Extensive
testing of these tanks will be initiated in 2019. Given all the
testing that has been done already, this is nothing like the case
with ships. This is some sort of formality likely focusing on the
unit failure rate out in the field.
That is a significant number. So much for the theory that
the tank was to be put on ice. I suppose that perhaps 1,000
would be needed to have a strategic impact but 100 is a pretty
good start. The other related systems (the self-propelled artillery,
armored personnel carrier, etc.) may be of equal significance.
I wonder how many of those will be ordered. The self-propelled
artillery sytem in particular seemed to be a breakthrough in
capability.
The Ukrainian army will be the strongest in Europe, said the
President of the Ukraine Petro Poroshenko at a veterans' forum in
Kiev.
According to him, nobody can prevent the Ukraine from joining
NATO, and the army will be so strong, because the Ukrainians are
"fighting for peace".
"We have been completely re-engineering the entire security sector,
including the armed forces, fully to NATO standards. And the main
message that I have brought back from the NATO summit : the doors
of NATO are open for the Ukraine, no matter what Russia says. And
the key message for Russia is: you cannot stop the Euro-Atlantic
integration of our country", Poroshenko is quoted as having said
on the August 22 edition of "NewsOne".
The Ukrainian President noted that the country has to do a
lot of work to do in order to achieve such objectives .
Porky, you fat twat! Russia need say nothing whenever you open
your filthy snout!
When will these retarded fucks ever shut up. Even his vaunted
160,000 strong "reservist" army is certain to be a joke. It
will be a generation before Ukraine can get its army shit together.
That is assuming its economy does not implode. The chances of
economic failure are increasing by the hour.
You beat me to the punch, P.O.! Most of the troops look
like the same, and the Porky figure is clearly a photoshopped
cut-out. The real Porky would not be so stupid as to stand
in front of all those guns.
In that picture you can see about 160 people. How do we know
that's not all of them, just pulled in tight for the shot?
Porky has to keep broadcasting that we're-gonna-be-in-NATO
signal to reassure the Ukrainian public that he's not getting
paid for doing nothing. I am pretty sure the encouragement he
hears for Ukraine to be in NATO is all in his imagination, or
he's just making it up. Ukraine would be an enormous liability,
and I am sure Europe is only too conscious that the United States
would be the most likely to provoke an Article-5 situation using
Ukraine, but it would be Europe who would have to fight the
war.
McCain is walking talking proof that sociopaths are fast-tracked
for success. There never was a man, in my opinion, in US politics
that was more exploitative, coldly calculating and utterly ruthless
than that bag of shit.
But, Mark said it much better with style, slashing wit and evidence.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has published previously classified
documents about the Battle of Kursk on the eve of the 75th anniversary
of that huge Soviet victory over the invading Nazi forces in August
1943.
Of course, the Germans suffered a defeat at Kursk because of
the horrendous cold that is common in Western Russia during the
summer months, not to mention the imported from the USA cans of
Spam that the Red Army infantry chucked between the German armour
track idler wheels so that the tracks would jam.
Maybe the Welsh are visiting Crimea to show their support
for Ukraine! And to blow their symphonic brass instruments of
hope to encourage the prisoners there to pluck up their courage,
against the day they will at last be free.
I would just tell them that, anyway. What could be the answer
to that? Should I show my support for Kiev by staying away from
it?
Verkhovna Rada Deputy Oleg Barna of the "Blok Petro Poroshenko"
has said live on air on the Ukrainian TV channel NewsOne that the
Ukraine armed forces parade in honour of Independence Day "could
give rise to an earthquake in the Kremlin".
We have something to boast about. The parade is a measure
of the patriotism of all citizens who want to see the fighting efficiency
of our army I think that our military march and the rumble of
our armoured vehicles should cause an earthquake in the Kremlin.
Украинские спецслужбы, украинцы должны уделить внимание, возможно
через наших союзников на Кавказе, уничтожению Крымского моста.
-- Игорь Мосийчук
Perhaps with the help of our allies in the Caucusus, the
Ukraine intelligence services and Ukrainians should focus their
attention on the destruction of the Crimea Bridge
-- Ihor Mosiychuk [Ukrainian Supreme Rada Deputy]
I thought they wanted Russia to present it to them as a gift?
As an expression of good will?
If Ukraine wants a massive war so badly, then perhaps that
is what is in the cards. But if there is a third World War,
Ukraine will be utterly destroyed, razed to its foundations.
Its self-satisfied fat-cat leaders do not appear to grasp this,
because life is actually pretty good for them the way it is.
If there is no war, and things go on as they are, eventually
there will be another revolution in Ukraine and the fat oligarch
who runs it will flee for his life. If past performance is any
standard of measure, then the Ukrainians will elect another
rich oligarch, and settle down to hope that things will get
better.
The Yukies decided instead to follow Tom Rogan's recommendation
to destroy the bridge. After all, if the opinion comes from
an American, then it must be the right opinion and the best
option.
The best that Banderastan can do is engage in terrorism.
They can send car bombs or plant IEDs on the road and create
havoc. If they try a military solution, their military will
be heavily degraded.
If 'heavily degraded' means 'run through a meat grinder
and then rolled flat', then yes. The Ukrainian Army
is no match for the Russian Army, and could not even
slow it down, never mind stop it.
Jesus would not stay very long on Twitter. People would
take his tweets all too literally and he would get tired
of having to explain for the umpteenth time that he didn't
believe that a camel really could walk through the eye of
a needle.
Diaspora
, an open alternative to Facebook, has already
been around for quite a few years but as you can imagine is not
so slick. How long until other alternatives start vying for attention
(advertizing)?
FireEye is the same outfit that claimed to have busted a
ring of Russian hackers trying to gain access to American military
secrets. They could tell because the 'cyberweapon' was built
on Russian-language machines, and during working hours in Moscow.
As if Russians smart enough to build an electronic weapon that
evades detection and spreads itself to firewalled machines kept
off the internet would be stupid enough to code in Russian and
leave clues like that which pointed back straight at them. These
days nothing says 'CIA' like use of the Russian language in
contested online communication.
It's curious that we have two emerging narratives, one factual
and one offered as fact. The factual one; the USA has been involved
for decades in dominating the internet, and for generations
in spreading American influence around the world by all available
means, frequently disguised and often under the control if its
intelligence agencies. No country in the world places as high
a priority as the United States on maintaining American control
over the internet and everything that happens on it; the biggest
browsers and the giants of social media are all American. Now
the second narrative suddenly every country which is declared
an enemy of 'American values' is attacking America with sophisticated
social-media and hacking attacks online. Every time an American
security firm 'busts' a new effort, the evidence is always stupidly
obvious, like "Americans should not vote for the Jezebel Hillary
Clinton; if you know what is good for you, you will vote for
Trump, insh' Allah".
Suddenly Iran is launching sophisticated cyber-attacks against
the USA, although they have never done it before and Iran has
only a tiny presence on the internet. Just at the moment when
Washington is looking for a reason to impose crippling sanctions
upon them and institute regime change. A little convenient,
isn't it?
Someone once said or wrote: "The past is a foreign country;
they do things differently there".
I remember how where the Chuckle Brothers came from was
just like my old neck of the woods, but now, in both these
places, heavy industry has come and gone.
It was L.P. Hartley whom I quoted above: just looked
it up.
Scores of asylum seekers who entered Russia with World Cup
fan identity documents are seeking legal help in Moscow, in an attempt
to escape war, political repression and homophobia, a refugee assistance
group has said.
Russia introduced visa-free travel for holders of Fan IDs
during the football tournament this summer, later extending the
measure until the end of 2018 on President Vladimir Putin's orders.
During the tournament, dozens of Fan ID holders reportedly tried
to enter Europe illegally using Fan IDs.
It's always tempting to think that pieces which resonate mean
that one's suspicions have some merit, but, hey, give it up for
Gilbert Doctorow's conclusions
"The family of David Dungay Jr, a 26-year-old Aboriginal killed
at Sydney's Long Bay jail in 2015, have stepped-up their campaign
for justice after footage was played at the New South Wales Coroner's
Court last month revealing the violent assault that led to his tragic
death.
The video was played in the course of an ongoing coronial inquest
into Dungay's killing. It showed that in the moments before he died
five immediate action team (IAT) prison officers stormed Dungay's
cell, restraining him and smothering him face-down on a bed. Dungay
could be heard crying out 12 times that he "couldn't breathe." (SOUND
FAMILIAR??)
The guards attacked Dungay because he allegedly refused to stop
eating biscuits. After being smothered Dungay was hauled into another
cell. Multiple officers once again forced him face-down on the bed
to prevent him from struggling.
Dungay was administered an injection of midazolam, a powerful
sedative that also produces anterograde amnesia. A few minutes later
he had stopped breathing. The officers were still holding him down."
Human6 11 hours ago
Much as I despise him, Orwell did make a valuable observation about
euphemisms and the English language:
****"In our time, political speech and writing are largely the
defence of the indefensible. ***
Things like the continuance of British rule in India, the Russian
purges and deportations, the dropping of the atom bombs on Japan,
can indeed be defended, but only by arguments which are too brutal
for most people to face, and which do not square with the professed
aims of political parties. Thus political language has to consist
largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness."
Spot on!!!!
Oh .and Stooges
"You better watch out, you better not cry
Better not pout, I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He's making a list and checking it twice
Gonna find out who's naughty and nice
Santa Claus is comin' to town
He sees you when you're sleepin'
He knows when you're a wake
He knows if you've been bad or good
So be good for goodness sake"
"Le principal rιsultat de la prιsente vague d'accusations de
harcθlement sexuel est l'ιrosion des droits dιmocratiques ιlιmentaires
aux Ιtats-Unis, incluant la prιsomption d'innocence et l'ιquitι
procιdurale, l'obligation lιgale de la poursuite de faire la preuve
de la culpabilitι de l'accusι hors de tout doute raisonnable. Ces
"gauchistes" qui cιlθbrent cet assaut jouent un jeu trθs dangereux
et rιactionnaire. Comme Lιon Trotsky l'a dιjΰ dit: "La thιorie,
aussi bien que l'expιrience historique, tιmoigne du fait que toute
restriction dιmocratique dans la sociιtι bourgeoise est ιventuellement
dirigιe contre le prolιtariat, de la mκme maniθre que les taxes
tombent ιventuellement sur les ιpaules du prolιtariat." "
Yup!!!
However when contemplating the growth of the ME Too movement,
it's interesting to note the commensurate near deification of vapid
sluts and whores by the MSM whereby manufactured 'celebrity' women-aka
Divas-market the wholesale debasement and sexualization of women
as cnts for sale ..
Here is my take on the priorities of the deep state and its public
face the MSM:
stopping the deplorable rebellion
cutting off the head of the rebellion perceived as Trump
reinstating the Cold War in an effort to derail Rusisa's recovery
and international leadership role
bitch slapping China
The rest involves turning unsustainable debt into establishment
of a feudal world comprised of elites living on Mount Olympus, legions
of vassals and a vast sea of cerebrally castrated peasants to serve
as a reservoir for any imaginable exploitation.
My impression is that around the year 2000 there was supposed
to a new world order. Communism was sabotaged and brought down.
That left the imperialist capitalists in charge, like they were
before 1917. Globalism is a dirty word, since it means global
domination by the USA and its NATzO minions and the countries
that depend on the US empire. This would include, or should
include China and the vanquished Russia (ex-USSR). We saw NATzO
supplant the UN as the world police.
Instead we have Russia in a truly phoenix resurgence into
superpower status. Don't let the clowns try to argue that Russia's
economy is small. It is bigger than Germany's regardless of
the PPP correction, which fails to properly weight the whole
economy since it is fixated on consumer goods and makes a load
of implicit assumptions about which sectors are the biggest.
Militarily, Russia is a match for the USA. Difference in the
number of aircraft carriers mean bupkis. The Syria campaign
shows that the US cannot do anything to stop Russia from severely
undermining its agenda. We saw this 2013 when Russia stopped
the US planned Libya and Serbia style attack on Syria. This
was achieved through deployment of a serious number of Russian
missile cruisers and other navy assets to the Mediterranean.
The US went foaming mad and pulled its Ukraine card. (I am not
sure about the planned timeline for the coup, but I suspect
that a more "democratic" approach to regime change was probably
more desired, this would have frustrated the return of Crimea).
Since 2013, the US and its minions have lost the initiative.
All their big regime change plans are unraveling and they keep
losing the ball. Crimea was a serious loss for these clowns.
The Khuyiv regime is no prize and its day are numbered since
it is watching over an economic collapse. Now they have lost
Syria and Russia will establish a moderate Islamic belt from
Lebanon to Iran to keep the Wahabbi nutjobs at bay. There were
big plans in Washington for Central Asia to be taken over by
Saudi managed jihadis. Russia would be stuck in a religious
war quagmire on its doorstep. But that evil Putin is f*cking
up those plans on a epic scale.
The US deep excrement state is feeling the loss of its promised
dominion of the planet. There was never supposed to be any opposition
after 1991. The 21st century was supposed to be the American
century. But instead we have an economic pole shift to Asia.
The shrinkage of NATzO in the global GDP is not stopping but
accelerating. By 2050, the precious west will be less than 20%
of the world economy. It will cease being an economic Mecca
and all the developing country elites will orient themselves
to the new economic power locus. This is a nightmare for western
capitalist imperialists.
Yes, that seems the case. The strategy to promote moderate
Islam is a brilliant and humane countermove to the Western
games of manipulation of the unfortunate deranged.
For me, I would say that the '
few days of bombing
Serbia
' in 1999 ripped any last vestiges of belief
that the West was
here to help
mega violently
(deliberate bombing of the Chinese embassy) away from
everyone. Of course plenty happened in the years running
up to that event The other is when China joined the
WTO on 11/12/2001 and hit the ground running they
were expected to behave meekly and ask the great white
men for their advice and follow it.
Upon further reflection, Trump is being promoted by the MSM
as the leader of the deplorables an orange straw man. I support
him to the degree that he is confounding the deep state elites
and social engineering.
Anyone find any reference to "Russian trolls" in it, apart from
this: "
It found many tweets that were posted by the same bots
thought to have been used to influence the 2016 election, as well
as marketing and malware bots
"?
I see: "thought to have been used", writes the "journalist".
And on that supposition the Independent "journalist" rests his
case.
It turns out that many anti-vaccine tweets come from accounts
whose provenance is unclear
," said David Broniatowski,
an assistant professor in GW's School of Engineering and Applied
Science.
"These
might be
bots, human users or
'cyborgs' hacked accounts that are
sometimes
taken over by bots. Although it's
impossible to know
exactly
how many tweets were generated by bots and
trolls, our findings
suggest
that
a
significant portion
of the online discourse about vaccines
may be
generated by malicious actors with a
range of hidden agendas."
Equivocation central it's amazing what can pass as a 'study'
these days. What is even more incredible is that we have arrived
at a point in our history when the appearance of debate on a
point is suspicious, and inspires 'researchers' to 'study' the
problem to see who is behind it rather than focusing on why
the point generated debate in the first place. We have arrived
at a point where it is actually unpatriotic to disagree with
the official narrative.
Many more Americans believe vaccines are safe than the astroturfed
'debate' suggests, found the study. Google says bullshit. A
recent Zogby poll of a claimed representative sample group found
only 32% of respondents said they were 'very confident' vaccines
were safe. The same or a similar question was posed 10 years
ago, and the proportion who said they were 'not too confident
has risen 3% since then, while those who said they were 'not
at all confident' in the safety of vaccines went up by 2%. People
are not getting more confident, they're getting less confident.
There; that's my study where's my research grant?
Once again, as soon as the mainstream media finds an argument,
it is quick to blame it on unidentified 'Russian trolls', rather
than addressing the problem. The state narrative is the law.
And the pace is quickening.
No. Just no. The time for this thing to take off, reach altitude
and then fire off its small missile variants is much longer
than any ground based LEO interceptor. The only value of this
system is that it uses cheaper rockets. But cruising at well
under 22 km (U-2 and M-55 top altitude) this flying launch point
is still within the deep of the Earth's geopotential well. Its
speed is also nothing of interest so that the initial velocity
of the rockets it carries are not big enough to matter. May
as well just launch from the ground.
This thing can only loft small sized satellites into orbit.
An example of such a satellite is Scisat-I which is still in
orbit gathering science data.
I smell ulterior motives for this platform. Aside from the
pork barrel aspect, it is a dual use weapons system. It is probably
designed to fly near the border of the "enemy" and carry long
range supersonic missiles and cruise missiles.
As a launcher of satellite interceptor, it might have
some value given its ability to launch closer to the satellite's
ground track (if that is a factor). On the other hand it
or its facilities can be taken out with a single cruise
missile. Russia's mobile anti-satellite interceptors would
seem to be much more survivable.
I suppose the idea is that a number of rockets can be
prepped and then launched at perhaps at a rate of 3-4 per
day perhaps to replenish destroyed satellites as suggested
by the article. But such activities would suggest a general
war and we are back to its vulnerability to a modest attack.
The idea of the plane serving as a cruise missile platform
is interesting but the plane has a fairly short range and
probably is a maintenance nightmare. Wait, that makes it
perfect fit for most defense programs.
The people yelling loudest about myths can be the biggest myth
spreaders out there.
In order to make vaccines useful, they are mixed with adjuvants
which are primarily aluminum based. This creates inflammation at
the location the vaccine is administered with a needle. The macrophages
then consume the pieces of no-active virus or bacteria and the immune
system learns to make antibodies that for that strain. During future
infections the response time is vastly shorter and any mutation
is more likely to not take too long to respond to before effective
antibodies are produced.
The problem with the above is that inducing inflammation involving
aluminum and other molecules in the vaccine concoction can trigger
an auto-immune syndrome in some fraction of a percentage of the
population. Their immune systems are too hyperactive and not particularly
precise in identifying actual foreign molecules instead of similar
ones in the body. A variation on this theme is that Type I diabetics
lose their beta cells due to an auto-immune response triggered by
milk product intake.
The kooks would have everyone not use vaccines. That is not the
solution. But it is a fact that no procedure exists to tag people
with a predisposition to auto-immune reactions and have them dealt
with in a safer way. The real myth is that vaccines are universally
safe. And I have not even gotten into the whole issue of the use
of ethyl-mercury as a vaccine preservative. Both ethyl- and methyl-mercury
are potent neurotoxins.
Released in early 2018, the study's findings found methamphetamine
usage highest in Cyprus, eastern Germany, Finland and Norway. Cocaine,
on the other hand, was both on the rise and most concentrated in
cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK.
Surprising almost no one, wastewater epidemiologists confirmed
"cocaine and psychedelic MDMA (ecstasy) levels rose sharply at weekends
in most cities, while amphetamine use appeared to be more evenly
distributed throughout the week."
The above data is lacking quantification so not as interesting
as it could have been.
Gazprom leads the world in capital expenditure (capex) on global
energy projects, by a wide, wide margin $160 Billion to be spent
on 84 projects worldwide, including Nord Stream II and Turkish Stream.
That's nearly double the spending of its next-closest competitor,
Sinopec, at $87 Billion. Royal Dutch Shell is third, and Exxon a
distant fourth.
If you add Rosneft, that's another $50 Billion in capex for Russia.
Odd behaviour for an isolated country whose economy is in tatters.
One whose government debt is 12.6 % of GDP and declining.
Speaking of government debt, how's that parameter looking for
The Exceptional Nation? Whoa: that's exceptional. Not even much
point in expressing it as a percentage of GDP, I guess.
Just to drive the point home for any who might not have gotten
it, Russia friendless, alone against the world, and reeling from
the bite of American sanctions is outspending the USA nearly three
to one on global energy investments, although its debt is a tiny
fraction of America's out-of-control spending on other important
things, like its bloated defense budget.
Oh, that's right Vladimir Putin is a tyrant and a dictator,
squeezing the country dry in neverending pursuit of self-enrichment.
I almost forgot.
Very well written Mark! It would seem I enjoy your writing most
when you are on a sass and sarcasm roll, of which this particular
piece is a great example. Bravo!
Incidentally this particular issue is something that I had completely
missed. Though it does seem to be part of the recent purge of opposition
voices in social media. A development that I fear may be just starting.
Thanks, Murdock! And I sort of missed it as well, although
I think we cannot be blamed as it seems to have gone into overnight
overdrive based on a silent admission to itself by the west
that it is not winning the propaganda war by simply shouting
"Russians!!!" every time something goes wrong for it. Like many
a fool before, it has gone to the well too many times, and the
audience for that sort of guff is dwindling. So the new game
is restrict what the people read and hear.
For anyone still interested in the Skripal poisoning incident, Rob Slane at The Blogmire has
a new article where he draws attention to this paragraph lifted from The Daily Telegraph:
"Dr Stephen Jukes, intensive care consultant at Salisbury District Hospital, where the
Skripals were treated (and where Rowley and Sturgess were taken), has described trying 'all
our therapies' to keep Sergei and Yulia alive. Due to an astonishing coincidence, two doctors
on duty had just returned from a course at Porton Down, Britain's world-leading equivalent to
Shikhany, when the pair were brought in. Recognising what looked like symptoms of nerve-agent
poisoning, they made sure to include diazepam and atropine in their battery of treatments --
the drugs compensate for some of the effects of acetylcholinesterase blockage -- and plunged
the Skripals into an artificial coma to prevent brain damage."
https://www.theblogmire.com/are-any-mps-prepared-to-ask-the-prime-minister-why-she-appears-to-have-made-a-deeply-misleading-statement-on-26th-march/
Astonishing coincidence, that the two doctors were fresh from a training course at Porton
Down? Maybe not.
Elsewhere Slane states that the Skripals, and Julia especially, made rapid recoveries
after coming out of their induced comas, and that by the time Theresa May made her statement
in Parliament, she may have been aware (or was deliberately left uninformed) that Julia at
least was improving and nowhere remotely near pushing up daisies.
This story is BS like the rest of this hoax. Neurotoxins are not 100% treatable. There is
nerve damage and any military grade toxin such as VX would leave vast amounts of it,
regardless of intervention. So the recovery of the Julia proves she was never exposed to a
neurotoxin.
The average media consumer has never done any research on the subject of various subjects
that are relevant. They think of treatments in cartoon fashion. Take this magic pill and you
are fully cured. No long lasting effects, no lack of cures, etc. A common trope in TV and
movies is the magical antibody. You have a horde of zombies (yet more deep insight into
disease) and some vaccine is going to cure their disorder. Complete and utter rubbish.
An example to show what a failure the common perceptions are about disease is Necrotizing
Fasciitis. It is not the bacteria (strep B type) that consume the "flesh". It is a runaway
cytokine inflammation induced necrosis of cells on a massive scale. Basically it is a genetic
disorder even if bacteria trigger the disease. So how the metabolism responds to a neurotoxin
should be considered. In the case of military nerve agents, the design of the toxin is to
result in rapid death. This prevents various secondary, metabolism-associated pathologies
from manifesting themselves. But in the case of the Skripals, which are pure fiction, we
would have all of these secondary pathologies manifesting themselves.
"Moreover, the effects of nerve agents are very long lasting and cumulative (increased by
successive exposures), and survivors of nerve agent poisoning usually suffer chronic
neurological damage that can lead to continuing psychiatric effects [109]."
USA say that Russia did poison the Skripals in Salisbury.
"The US blamed the attack on Vladimir Putin and said they would be issuing fresh sanctions
in response to the deadly attack.
The state department says Wednesday the sanctions will be imposed on Russia because it
used a chemical weapon in violation of international law.
State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said: "The United States determined under the
Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination Act of 1991 (CBW Act) that
the government of the Russian Federation has used chemical or biological weapons in violation
of international law, or has used lethal chemical or biological weapons against its own
nationals."
Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by Novichok, a
military-grade nerve agent, in the British town of Salisbury in March."
What can I say – perhaps now Russia will batten down the hatches and stop all
this pandering to western partners.
No need to batten down the hatches. Just ignore the yapping NATzO chihuahuas. We have not
even had a proper trial to determine guilt. The US leadership is not some ultimate judicial
body. They can make as many political judgements as they want, but that will do Jack to
Russia.
At this point all the hysterical US-driven sanctions against Russia are totally self
defeating. The monkeys in Washington clearly think that Russia is a banana republic and that
it needs to have access to foreign money and technology to function. They are cleared fucked
in the head.
It would reportedly include more drastic measures, such as downgrading diplomatic
relations, banning the Russian airline Aeroflot from flying to the US and cutting off nearly
all exports and imports.
So, are we talking about RD-180 rocket engines and Americans traveling to the ISS on
Russian rockets? Are we talking about titanium fabrications that Boeing needs for its
aircraft manufacturing?
This Russian hysteria is masking something, something big. My one-track mind suggests
fixated on the idea of an approaching economic collapse and subsequent imposition of martial
law and/or massive levels of censorship; all to be blamed on Russia. The increasingly
frenetic pace of Russian hysteria suggests a near-term sh!t-storm is on the way.
The Russian hysteria is scary as so many citizens over there believe in the Russiagate
nonsense and have been manipulated to feel they have been attacked.
It means therefore that conditions have been created whereby the USA has the support to
attack back.
Putin should never have gone to Helsinki as that escalated the madness.
Trump is emasculated just as obama was and has no power to do anything to block this
pathway to outright confrontation
The Europeans will sit by and watch – Russia has no allies there.,
Europe will stay on the porch and let the big boys duke it out. In the red corner, we have
Vlad – the Terminator. In the other corner, we have Donald – the Orange Haystack.
In another corner we have Bruce – the Red Dragon.
Haystack lumbers out of his corner before the bell rings, makes some nasty gestures and
starts his victory dance. The Terminator stands in his corner, muscular arms folded across
his chest with a wry smile across his face. The Red Dragon is closely studying Haystack with
an inscrutable stare. Haystack exhausts himself and collapses mid-ring. The Terminator and
Red Dragon leave the arena as the Haystack fans seek their autographs. Something like
that.
Perhaps a boxed piano will fall from a ninth-floor balcony and crush Nauert to a rectangular
pizza. I'd pay to see that.
Define 'pandering'. Can you name some concessions the United States has wrung from Russia
in the last two years? I seem to recall the British investigators said there was no proof
that anyone in the Russian government was involved – they simply speculated that
because Novichok could only be made in a state facility, there must be state involvement.
Does the USA have some evidence that the British have not seen yet? Perhaps they found it in
the same place they filed their satellite photography of the Buk missile taking out MH17.
You mean the same Russia that is one of only 7 nation states to have verifiably dismantled
and destroyed their chemical weapon stockpiles as ratified by the OPCW and in compliance to
the CWC? That Russia?
I can't wait for this determination to be made public along with the coinciding evidence
as released by an official judiciary body wielding the requisite jurisdiction and authority
under official auspices of the UN. That's what is meant by determined right? Pretty
unambiguous terminology there.
This entire charade has gone so far beyond farce it's not even comical anymore, just
depressing.
That's an interesting point, because a likely consequence of the continued hysterical
hostility from the west will be opacity where there once was transparency; ie: if the United
States wants to know something about Russian unconventional weapons programs, it will have to
go to extensive and complicated labour to insert a deep-cover spy or persuade an asset that
it can trust to find out the information, never knowing if it is being fed disinformation
deliberately by a double agent, where once it could simply have asked and been invited to
verify the truth itself. International organizations controlled by Washington will be less
and less likely to have a free pass to come in and poke about as they see fit.
In a rare interview, veteran investigative journalist Seymour Hersh talks about his
illustrious career and how he believes the official versions of some the biggest news stories
of our time just don't add up
Here's quite a good collection of references and commentary on the Skripal 'poisoning'. Every
time I read over one of these summaries – and I by no means read this one over in
detail, just skimmed it – some new incongruity jumps out that sailed right past me on
the initial run-through. In this instance, Nick Bailey. The Skripals were supposedly poisoned
by Novichok daubed on the doorknob of their front door, and Bailey was supposedly affected by
the same vector. Yet the Skripals lived it up for about four hours before they showed any
symptoms, while Bailey was affected almost immediately.
Curious thing also is that police officers were initially posted outside the front door
– there were quite a few photos of the two women police officers (one chubby, the other
not so chubby) standing near the driveway – for some time without being affected by any
fumes, until the doorknob story became prominent.
One of the more sinister aspects of the "poisoning" is that all major evidence – the
Zizzi restaurant table, the park bench, the pet animals that starved – has been or is
being destroyed by the British authorities. Even Dawn Sturgess was cremated without anything
in the press about whether her body had been autopsied. If someone blames somebody else for a
murder or some other serious crime, and then covers up or gets rid of important evidence,
what does such behaviour suggest?
Too true, blue. Although the police officers might have stood there until the clap of doom
and not been affected if the agent was present as a gel, and slathered on the doorknob. But
that story always sounded like a crock, because both of them likely would not have touched
the doorknob on the way out, probably only one of them, and the supposed Russian assassins
would not have known if it might have been Yulia. Good assassination plots, as we have been
told the Russians have practiced for decades, ensure that the target is taken out. They're
not particularly squeamish about collateral damage, but in this instance only Yulia might
have succumbed. But assuming it was a gel and it was on the doorknob, much of it might be
assumed to have been removed by the target on the way out, and still Bailey was overcome in
less than half the time of the Skripals, both of whom appear to have been simultaneously
afflicted around four hours after leaving the house.
It's kind of comical, the stubborn and progressive destruction of evidence by the British
authorities, the buying of Skripal's and Bailey's houses at taxpayers' expense, and so on
– it's as if after a brief blink of bewilderment that the official narrative is not
being accepted at face value, the British government is trying to get a do-over.
My God, what has Salisbury done to the Dark Lord? When will his fearful shadow be lifted from
this unhappy city? There has been an explosion in a 'military factory' (not sure what that
means) in Salisbury which has killed at least one person. The MSM has not yet announced the
Russian connection but Luke Harding/The Guardian/The Independent/the Foreign Office/the
entire US State Department/ are, no doubt, manufacturing one as we speak.
Maybe the Russian agents who poisoned the Skripals by smearing a non-lethal fatal nerve
agent on a door handle after pumping it through a car ventilation system after sneaking it
into Yulia's luggage and who then high-tailed it back to Moscow but not before decanting some
of it into a gift-wrapped bottle which they left in a local park where it could be recovered
in a pristine state after four months and used to poison a couple of dumpster-foragers, made
a hitherto unknown deviation from the Kremlin's master plan and hid the remaining nerve agent
in a factory along with a time-controlled detonator so all evidence of their evil doing was
destroyed.
Now the authorities will be telling people that Novichok is highly inflammable and children
should not be allowed to play with Novichok and matches or cigarette lighters.
The Russians engineered it to be that way – a fatal nerve agent that seldom kills,
persistent for months if wrapped in cellophane, explosive and flammable, eats dreams and
makes you lose your job.
This is an interesting analysis shedding some light on how the US intelligence services have gone rogue...
Notable quotes:
"... Most recently, British "special services," which are a sort of Mini-Me to the to the Dr. Evil that is the US intelligence apparatus, saw it fit to interfere with one of their own spies, Sergei Skripal, a double agent whom they sprung from a Russian jail in a spy swap. They poisoned him using an exotic chemical and then tried to pin the blame on Russia based on no evidence. ..."
"... the Americans are doing their best to break the unwritten rule against dragging spies through the courts, but their best is nowhere near good enough. ..."
"... That said, there is no reason to believe that the Russian spies couldn't have hacked into the DNC mail server. It was probably running Microsoft Windows, and that operating system has more holes in it than a building in downtown Raqqa, Syria after the Americans got done bombing that city to rubble, lots of civilians included. When questioned about this alleged hacking by Fox News, Putin (who had worked as a spy in his previous career) had trouble keeping a straight face and clearly enjoyed the moment. ..."
"... He pointed out that the hacked/leaked emails showed a clear pattern of wrongdoing: DNC officials conspired to steal the electoral victory in the Democratic Primary from Bernie Sanders, and after this information had been leaked they were forced to resign. If the Russian hack did happen, then it was the Russians working to save American democracy from itself. So, where's the gratitude? Where's the love? Oh, and why are the DNC perps not in jail? ..."
"... The logic of US officials may be hard to follow, but only if we adhere to the traditional definitions of espionage and counterespionage -- "intelligence" in US parlance -- which is to provide validated information for the purpose of making informed decisions on best ways of defending the country. But it all makes perfect sense if we disabuse ourselves of such quaint notions and accept the reality of what we can actually observe: the purpose of US "intelligence" is not to come up with or to work with facts but to simply "make shit up." ..."
"... The objective of US intelligence is to suck all remaining wealth out of the US and its allies and pocket as much of it as possible while pretending to defend it from phantom aggressors by squandering nonexistent (borrowed) financial resources on ineffective and overpriced military operations and weapons systems. Where the aggressors are not phantom, they are specially organized for the purpose of having someone to fight: "moderate" terrorists and so on. ..."
"... "What sort of idiot are you to ask me such a stupid question? Of course they are lying! They were caught lying more than once, and therefore they can never be trusted again. In order to claim that they are not currently lying, you have to determine when it was that they stopped lying, and that they haven't lied since. And that, based on the information that is available, is an impossible task." ..."
"... "The US intelligence agencies made an outrageous claim: that I colluded with Russia to rig the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. The burden of proof is on them. They are yet to prove their case in a court of law, which is the only place where the matter can legitimately be settled, if it can be settled at all. Until that happens, we must treat their claim as conspiracy theory, not as fact." ..."
"... But no such reality-based, down-to-earth dialogue seems possible. All that we hear are fake answers to fake questions, and the outcome is a series of faulty decisions. Based on fake intelligence, the US has spent almost all of this century embroiled in very expensive and ultimately futile conflicts. ..."
"... Thanks to their efforts, Iran, Iraq and Syria have now formed a continuous crescent of religiously and geopolitically aligned states friendly toward Russia while in Afghanistan the Taliban is resurgent and battling ISIS -- an organization that came together thanks to American efforts in Iraq and Syria. ..."
"... Another hypothesis, and a far more plausible one, is that the US intelligence community has been doing a wonderful job of bankrupting the country and driving it toward financial, economic and political collapse by forcing it to engage in an endless series of expensive and futile conflicts -- the largest single continuous act of grand larceny the world has ever known. How that can possibly be an intelligent thing to do to your own country, for any conceivable definition of "intelligence," I will leave for you to work out for yourself. While you are at it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better than "a skeptical attitude toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be perpetual liars. ..."
In today's United States, the term "espionage" doesn't get too much
use outside of some specific contexts. There is still sporadic talk of industrial espionage,
but with regard to Americans' own efforts to understand the world beyond their borders, they
prefer the term "intelligence." This may be an intelligent choice, or not, depending on how you
look at things.
First of all, US "intelligence" is only vaguely related to the game of espionage as it has
been traditionally played, and as it is still being played by countries such as Russia and
China. Espionage involves collecting and validating strategically vital information and
conveying it to just the pertinent decision-makers on your side while keeping the fact that you
are collecting and validating it hidden from everyone else.
In eras past, a spy, if discovered, would try to bite down on a cyanide capsule; these days
torture is considered ungentlemanly, and spies that get caught patiently wait to be exchanged
in a spy swap. An unwritten, commonsense rule about spy swaps is that they are done quietly and
that those released are never interfered with again because doing so would complicate
negotiating future spy swaps.
In recent years, the US intelligence agencies have decided that torturing prisoners is a
good idea, but they have mostly been torturing innocent bystanders, not professional spies,
sometimes forcing them to invent things, such as "Al Qaeda." There was no such thing before US
intelligence popularized it as a brand among Islamic terrorists.
Most recently, British "special services," which are a sort of Mini-Me to the to the Dr.
Evil that is the US intelligence apparatus, saw it fit to interfere with one of their own
spies, Sergei Skripal, a double agent whom they sprung from a Russian jail in a spy swap. They
poisoned him using an exotic chemical and then tried to pin the blame on Russia based on no
evidence.
There are unlikely to be any more British spy swaps with Russia, and British spies working
in Russia should probably be issued good old-fashioned cyanide capsules (since that supposedly
super-powerful Novichok stuff the British keep at their "secret" lab in Porton Down doesn't
work right and is only fatal 20% of the time).
There is another unwritten, commonsense rule about spying in general: whatever happens, it
needs to be kept out of the courts, because the discovery process of any trial would force the
prosecution to divulge sources and methods, making them part of the public record. An
alternative is to hold secret tribunals, but since these cannot be independently verified to be
following due process and rules of evidence, they don't add much value.
A different standard applies to traitors; here, sending them through the courts is
acceptable and serves a high moral purpose, since here the source is the person on trial and
the method -- treason -- can be divulged without harm. But this logic does not apply to proper,
professional spies who are simply doing their jobs, even if they turn out to be double agents.
In fact, when counterintelligence discovers a spy, the professional thing to do is to try to
recruit him as a double agent or, failing that, to try to use the spy as a channel for
injecting disinformation.
Americans have been doing their best to break this rule. Recently, special counsel Robert
Mueller indicted a dozen Russian operatives working in Russia for hacking into the DNC mail
server and sending the emails to Wikileaks. Meanwhile, said server is nowhere to be found (it's
been misplaced) while the time stamps on the files that were published on Wikileaks show that
they were obtained by copying to a thumb drive rather than sending them over the internet.
Thus, this was a leak, not a hack, and couldn't have been done by anyone working remotely from
Russia.
Furthermore, it is an exercise in futility for a US official to indict Russian citizens in
Russia. They will never stand trial in a US court because of the following clause in the
Russian Constitution: "61.1 A citizen of the Russian Federation may not be deported out of
Russia or extradited to another state."
Mueller may summon a panel of constitutional scholars to interpret this sentence, or he can
just read it and weep. Yes, the Americans are doing their best to break the unwritten rule
against dragging spies through the courts, but their best is nowhere near good enough.
That said, there is no reason to believe that the Russian spies couldn't have hacked
into the DNC mail server. It was probably running Microsoft Windows, and that operating system
has more holes in it than a building in downtown Raqqa, Syria after the Americans got done
bombing that city to rubble, lots of civilians included. When questioned about this alleged
hacking by Fox News, Putin (who had worked as a spy in his previous career) had trouble keeping
a straight face and clearly enjoyed the moment.
He pointed out that the hacked/leaked emails showed a clear pattern of wrongdoing: DNC
officials conspired to steal the electoral victory in the Democratic Primary from Bernie
Sanders, and after this information had been leaked they were forced to resign. If the Russian
hack did happen, then it was the Russians working to save American democracy from itself. So,
where's the gratitude? Where's the love? Oh, and why are the DNC perps not in jail?
Since there exists an agreement between the US and Russia to cooperate on criminal
investigations, Putin offered to question the spies indicted by Mueller. He even offered to
have Mueller sit in on the proceedings. But in return he wanted to question US officials who
may have aided and abetted a convicted felon by the name of William Browder, who is due to
begin serving a nine-year sentence in Russia any time now and who, by the way, donated copious
amounts of his ill-gotten money to the Hillary Clinton election campaign.
In response, the US Senate passed a resolution to forbid Russians from questioning US
officials. And instead of issuing a valid request to have the twelve Russian spies interviewed,
at least one US official made the startlingly inane request to have them come to the US
instead. Again, which part of 61.1 don't they understand?
The logic of US officials may be hard to follow, but only if we adhere to the
traditional definitions of espionage and counterespionage -- "intelligence" in US parlance --
which is to provide validated information for the purpose of making informed decisions on best
ways of defending the country. But it all makes perfect sense if we disabuse ourselves of such
quaint notions and accept the reality of what we can actually observe: the purpose of US
"intelligence" is not to come up with or to work with facts but to simply "make shit
up."
The "intelligence" the US intelligence agencies provide can be anything but; in fact, the
stupider it is the better, because its purpose is allow unintelligent people to make
unintelligent decisions. In fact, they consider facts harmful -- be they about Syrian chemical
weapons, or conspiring to steal the primary from Bernie Sanders, or Iraqi weapons of mass
destruction, or the whereabouts of Osama Bin Laden -- because facts require accuracy and rigor
while they prefer to dwell in the realm of pure fantasy and whimsy. In this, their actual
objective is easily discernible.
The objective of US intelligence is to suck all remaining wealth out of the US and its
allies and pocket as much of it as possible while pretending to defend it from phantom
aggressors by squandering nonexistent (borrowed) financial resources on ineffective and
overpriced military operations and weapons systems. Where the aggressors are not phantom, they
are specially organized for the purpose of having someone to fight: "moderate" terrorists and
so on.
One major advancement in their state of the art has been in moving from real false flag
operations, à la 9/11, to fake false flag operations, à la fake East Gouta
chemical attack in Syria (since fully discredited). The Russian election meddling story is
perhaps the final step in this evolution: no New York skyscrapers or Syrian children were
harmed in the process of concocting this fake narrative, and it can be kept alive seemingly
forever purely through the furious effort of numerous flapping lips. It is now a pure
confidence scam. If you are less then impressed with their invented narratives, then you are a
conspiracy theorist or, in the latest revision, a traitor.
Trump was recently questioned as to whether he trusted US intelligence. He waffled. A
light-hearted answer would have been:
"What sort of idiot are you to ask me such a stupid question? Of course they are lying! They
were caught lying more than once, and therefore they can never be trusted again. In order to
claim that they are not currently lying, you have to determine when it was that they stopped
lying, and that they haven't lied since. And that, based on the information that is available,
is an impossible task."
A more serious, matter-of-fact answer would have been:
"The US intelligence agencies made an outrageous claim: that I colluded with Russia to rig
the outcome of the 2016 presidential election. The burden of proof is on them. They are yet to
prove their case in a court of law, which is the only place where the matter can legitimately
be settled, if it can be settled at all. Until that happens, we must treat their claim as
conspiracy theory, not as fact."
And a hardcore, deadpan answer would have been:
"The US intelligence services swore an oath to uphold the US Constitution, according to
which I am their Commander in Chief. They report to me, not I to them. They must be loyal to
me, not I to them. If they are disloyal to me, then that is sufficient reason for their
dismissal."
But no such reality-based, down-to-earth dialogue seems possible. All that we hear are fake
answers to fake questions, and the outcome is a series of faulty decisions. Based on fake
intelligence, the US has spent almost all of this century embroiled in very expensive and
ultimately futile conflicts.
Thanks to their efforts, Iran, Iraq and Syria have now formed a continuous crescent of
religiously and geopolitically aligned states friendly toward Russia while in Afghanistan the
Taliban is resurgent and battling ISIS -- an organization that came together thanks to American
efforts in Iraq and Syria.
The total cost of wars so far this century for the US is reported to be $4,575,610,429,593.
Divided by the 138,313,155 Americans who file tax returns (whether they actually pay any tax is
too subtle a question), it works out to just over $33,000 per taxpayer. If you pay taxes in the
US, that's your bill so far for the various US intelligence "oopsies."
The 16 US intelligence agencies have a combined budget of $66.8 billion, and that seems like
a lot until you realize how supremely efficient they are: their "mistakes" have cost the
country close to 70 times their budget. At a staffing level of over 200,000 employees, each of
them has cost the US taxpayer close to $23 million, on average. That number is totally out of
the ballpark! The energy sector has the highest earnings per employee, at around $1.8 million
per. Valero Energy stands out at $7.6 million per. At $23 million per, the US intelligence
community has been doing three times better than Valero. Hats off! This makes the US
intelligence community by far the best, most efficient collapse driver imaginable.
There are two possible hypotheses for why this is so.
First, we might venture to guess that these 200,000 people are grossly incompetent and that
the fiascos they precipitate are accidental. But it is hard to imagine a situation where
grossly incompetent people nevertheless manage to funnel $23 million apiece, on average, toward
an assortment of futile undertakings of their choosing. It is even harder to imagine that such
incompetents would be allowed to blunder along decade after decade without being called out for
their mistakes.
Another hypothesis, and a far more plausible one, is that the US intelligence community has
been doing a wonderful job of bankrupting the country and driving it toward financial, economic
and political collapse by forcing it to engage in an endless series of expensive and futile
conflicts -- the largest single continuous act of grand larceny the world has ever known. How
that can possibly be an intelligent thing to do to your own country, for any conceivable
definition of "intelligence," I will leave for you to work out for yourself. While you are at
it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better
than "a skeptical attitude toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be
perpetual liars."
"... However, these gunmen were not local Catholics, they were not part of the IRA or any other Ulster organisation, whoever they were, they were there on the orders of external forces. ..."
"... From the point of view of those who sent those gunmen, the event was a great success, it achieved precisely the results they wanted as it resulted in 13 dead, innocent Catholic civilians and ignited the province of Ulster into decades of awful violence. ..."
"... Who would want to do such a thing, who would want to create an internal conflict inside the British Isles that would greatly influence Britain and it's governments for a quarter of a century? I believe that Bloody Sunday was part of the CIA-lead campaign of false flag terror known as Gladio. Gladio terrorist operations had begun in 1972, three years after Muammar Gadaffi had been placed in power in Libya by a CIA coup and Libya was to be the base of operations for Gladio. ..."
Note
the point made by a Para that all of the members of the British Army killed in the three years
of The Troubles to that point had been the victims of 'highly accurate sniper fire'. Then note
how the situation was setup to place the Paras in the worst possible position – sent in
to a very hot spot where the high ground – the blocks of flats, was occupied by the
enemy, an enemy that was known to have possessed at least one sniper rifle. The Paras were
going to be shot at and the gunfire was almost certain to come from the flats.
Listen to the testimony of the Paras, they are adamant that is indeed what happened –
that multiple weapons opened fire on them from the flats, they were experienced troops and knew
exactly what incoming rifle fire sounded like, they saw the bullets striking the ground around
them. I have no doubt that this is indeed what happened, that the Paras were fired on from the
flats. What happened next was all too predictable -the Paras reacted in the only way they were
trained to react when fired upon – to seek out the source of the gunfire and attack it
immediately.
This was the start of the massacre as the Paras reacted to the gunfire from the flats by
moving forward and shooting at any targets that presented themselves and tragically, the only
targets that day were innocent, unarmed British civilians, young Catholics who were guilty of
little more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The bishop and other Catholics
present on that day are equally adamant that no-one on the civilian side was armed, that none
of the protesters fired on the Paras; I believe they are telling te truth just as much as the
Paras are.
How can both the Paras and the civilians be telling the truth when they hold opposing
testimonies?
I think it is pretty simple and with the benefit of decades of hindsight and the knowledge
of many subsequent false flag events, pretty obvious what really happened. I believe that
gunmen were indeed placed in the flats and perhaps other buildings around 'Aggro Corner' and
those gunmen did indeed fire at the Paras, not with the intention of hitting any of them as
that would provide proof that gunmen were present and active that day, but with the intention
of causing the Paras to react with the hyper aggression which they had been trained to
display.
However, these gunmen were not local Catholics, they were not part of the IRA or any other
Ulster organisation, whoever they were, they were there on the orders of external forces.
Forces that intended to escalate the civil unrest that had wracked the province since 1969 into
a far more belligerent and violent affair where large and highly organised paramilitary forces
like the IRA were formed to battle the British Army and the Ulster Constabulary in what was a
virtual civil war. For this to happen, an event like Bloody Sunday had to take place, innocent
Catholics had to be sacrificed and the British had to look like brutal and murderous
imperialist oppressors.
From the point of view of those who sent those gunmen, the event was a great success, it
achieved precisely the results they wanted as it resulted in 13 dead, innocent Catholic
civilians and ignited the province of Ulster into decades of awful violence.
Who would want to do such a thing, who would want to create an internal conflict inside the
British Isles that would greatly influence Britain and it's governments for a quarter of a
century? I believe that Bloody Sunday was part of the CIA-lead campaign of false flag terror
known as Gladio. Gladio terrorist operations had begun in 1972, three years after Muammar
Gadaffi had been placed in power in Libya by a CIA coup and Libya was to be the base of
operations for Gladio.
Gladio had multiple objectives, in the political climate of the Cold War it aimed to
discredit left wing political groups, more importantly, the aim was to inculcate a climate of
fear among the general populace. This was known as the 'strategy of tension' which was intended
to generate a pervasive sense of fear which would encourage the population to appeal to the
state for protection. I firmly believe that Bloody Sunday and the subsequent 'Troubles' in
Northern Ireland was part of Gladio and that the intelligence services of Britain, the USA and
their NATO allies were directly responsible.
One point Ian that is not clear from the videos Ian is that high above the Bogside along
the City of Derry walls British soldiers fired down from on high into the crowds making
away from the city center for Free Derry Corner. With soldiers separated there is always
danger of crossed signals, soldiers caught in crossfire and officers at cross purposes. All
in all, as you say, it was a disaster. When the Paras are around expect a no-nonsense high
intensity encounter. Whoever, the cad or Hooray Henry was who decided to use the Paras for
crowd arrests deserved to be thumped. Nobody deserved to die that day. Nobody! Soldiers as
you say just follow orders and if confronted with real or probable danger will react
accordingly. And those trained to kill, do just that, kill. Everything in the planning of
that day smacked of deliberate provocation/saber-rattling against a peaceful Civil Rights
protest march. And the planners of the Bogside havoc from their offices at Whitehall proved
a world away from ensuing events on the ground and a far remove from logic or basic common
sense. And God rest the dead!
Has anybody in comments noted how far we have swung from absence of actual PROOF Russia did
the Skripal "poisonings" (or even Litvenenko for that matter?!) to what seems like complete
acceptance of "guilt," even as major international bodies (OPCW, etc., even Porton Down) have
not been able to tie Russia/Putin to these alleged acts of terror or isolate the "novichoks"
genre of nerve agent ? The Red Queen triumphs.
Does mere accusation now stand for "truth" in this inmates-running-the-asylum charade USA
is putting on? If the "big lie" (Lenin, BTW not Goebbels, originally) works this easily, we
are indeed down the chute & over the brink. Orwell is spinning in his grave (gnashing his
teeth).
"... Therefore, we have to deal with facts in the matter. Among the facts, I'd like to point out to the behavior of the investigating party, i.e. the British authorities. "We have proof but won't show them to you, because they are secret" attitude; bypassing normal investigative and judicial channels; unreasonable demands towards Russia they knew full well won't be met and total refusal to cooperate on realistic terms – we saw it for the first time in the Litvinenko affaire. ..."
All I was pointing out was that there were many reasons why Litvinenko was a target
for unfriendly Russian actions
I am pretty sure Litvinenko wasn't particularly loved in Russia: he was a traitor, after
all, and, judging by his actions, a pretty miserable human being. However, building a case on
motive alone is not possible, if for no other reason than because a motive is by definition
subjective. You could analyze until your face turns blue how Putin felt about Litvinenko's
accusations but you'd never come to any firm conclusion, for only Putin can possibly know
that.
Therefore, we have to deal with facts in the matter. Among the facts, I'd like to
point out to the behavior of the investigating party, i.e. the British authorities. "We have
proof but won't show them to you, because they are secret" attitude; bypassing normal
investigative and judicial channels; unreasonable demands towards Russia they knew full well
won't be met and total refusal to cooperate on realistic terms – we saw it for the
first time in the Litvinenko affaire.
The same patters was repeated exactly in the Skripal case. This tells you who is the
"highly likely" culprit, doesn't it? These two scenarios are so much alike, the have the same
author – not necessarily the same person, but definitely the same office.
Viktoria Skripal spoke to her cousin Julia by phone twice in July: the first time on the
4th, when the two argued and Julia blamed Viktoria for the publicity over the poisoning; the
second time towards the end of the month, when Julia apologised to Viktoria after getting
Internet access and reading what had been reported in the media. In one of these phone calls,
Julia revealed her father was still using a breathing tube.
"... The area of contest is now the rest of the world. America will try to convince the rest of the world to join its sanctions against Russia. Russia will try to convince them not to. ..."
Hello,
All of this revolves around the imminent fact that the "honest" British spooks are about to
get exposed when Trump declassifies the hoax documents about Russian interference (lol) in
elections.
I don't understand why Russian economists believe they have to belong to the corrupt,
bankrupt us monopoly dollar system? stop all exports of gas, oil to the europe cowards, and
any other country that continues to steal the wealth of the Russian resources from its
people. A very sick bunch in DC and London.
Turn all of these resources inward to allow the Russian people to prosper, with energy
infrastructure, farming techniques with heated greenhouses, etc... hey you have a lot of real
farmers in Africa that could spawn new agricultural developments in the east Russian
territory, about 15,000 farmers, unbelievable opportunity and resources for Russia to help
people from a racially, evil to the core, government in Africa. Boycott all of Africa. There
are real people getting killed there, no fake news .
This is exactly how the West operates ,especially the US and UK. There you have it , right
out in open for everyone to see.They have been doing this for a long time , especially since
the CIA , part of the shadow government , took control of the Western world. Now it is no
longer covert ,it is right in our face. And why they had JFK assassinated ,because he saw
what he was up against . Kennedy wanted to smash these covert and corrupted organizations
into pieces.
Colluding with West for so many years to put down smaller countries is certainly not a
quality of an angelic government and the country as Russia has been sometimes painted. Why do
we forget tens of millions of Russians abused just across Russian borders, never mentioned by
the government that seems only to care about wellbeing of the criminal oligarchs? Why do we
forget the collusion against Serbian people that lasted for approximately 20 years and led to
the destruction of that small nation? Why do we forget Russian support to numerous UN (
Western) sanctions against many nations around the world? Why do we forget betrayal of Cuba
in such devious way by Mr. Putin? Why such contempt towards own nation and its heroes by
honouring a Nazi-like figure like Netanyahu on the Victory Parade? Why strangulation of N.
Korea? Why ,why.. I actually tend to believe that God is finally acting upon many curses cast
on Russian government and is using the US as his chosen tool. Quite a justice.
I was excoriated and accused of being a liar on RI over the weekend because I quoted this
article, originally published in Pravda. The point was made by the one who did this that no
Russian or Russian sympathizer (such as the author of this article would want additional
sanctions on Russia.
The comparison was that a small amounts of certain types of medicine can be beneficial,
but in large doses can be fatal. The gist of the comment was that a small amount of sanctions
can be good to bring more independence to the Russian economy, but additional sanctions would
be harmful.
Well, now RI itself publishes the article from the idiot Hinchey in asking for more and
more sanctions because of how wonderful they will be for Russia.
The area of contest is now the rest of the world. America will try to convince the
rest of the world to join its sanctions against Russia. Russia will try to convince them not
to.
It could be the Trump was already deposed as a President by Pompeo.
I never understood appointment of Haley and appointment of Bolton if we assume that Trump is not a neocon and does not want to
continue previous administration policies. Haley is kind of Sikh variant of
Samantha
Power. Bolton is probably as bad as Wolfowitz. Pompeo also can be viewed as Hillary 2.0.
Notable quotes:
"... In addition, the US has delivered an ultimatum, saying that if Russia does not give assurances within 90 days that it will no longer use chemical weapons and allow international inspectors to inspect its production facilities, further sanctions will be implemented. But Russia denies it used chemical weapons. Unlike the US, it destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile in accordance with international treaties. ..."
"... The legislation gave a 60-day window to begin implementation of sanctions after the Trump administration determined that the now-British citizen Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by a strain of the Novichok nerve-agent. The US came to that conclusion following an initial determination by the British government. ..."
"... However, the US administration missed the deadline by more than a month. That prompted Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of the House Foreign Relations Committee, to write a letter to Trump some two weeks ago slamming the president for ignoring the deadline. ..."
"... Strangely, a government research facility at Porton Down in Amesbury, not far from Salisbury where the alleged March poisoning took place, examined the strain of Novichok. Porton Down lab does work for British Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, run by the Ministry of Defense, and the Public Health England. ..."
"... All of this makes makes the issue as to why Britain, and even the US, never wanted to share samples taken from the poisoning of the Skripals with Moscow more concerning. Yet, they all went ahead in lock-step to condemn Moscow for the poisoning, without any evidence, suggesting a more sinister reason for lobbying increased sanctions against Russia with the goal of further isolating the country. ..."
"... It reflects the need especially by the US to have a demon in an effort to justify its defense spending to bolster NATO up to the border of the Russian Federation in the form of a new containment policy that launched the Cold War in the first place. ..."
"... With even further sanctions against Russia in the recently passed Defense Department Authorization Bill about to go into effect, it is becoming apparent that the allegations against Russia are politically-motivated, false flag allegations to be used as an excuse for a greater geostrategic reason -- to contain Russia just as the Trump administration is increasingly finding its US-led unilateral world order being challenged more than ever. ..."
"... Trump talks about better relations with Russia, but the actions of his own administration in demonizing Moscow dictate otherwise. ..."
Forget about running the Empire or the American state. Trump isn't even in control of his team US President Donald Trump is not in
control of his own administration, as evidenced by the latest round of sanctions imposed against Russia for the alleged involvement
in the poisoning of the Skripals in the UK in March.
The sanctions came the same day that US Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.,
announced
on a trip to Moscow that he had handed over a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin from Trump calling for better relations
between the two countries. For that reason, the timing appears to be suspect, suggesting strongly that Trump has his own foreign
policy while the Trump administration, comprised mainly of bureaucrats referred to as the Deep State, have their own. Right now,
they appear to be in control, not President Trump, over his own administration, and it is having the adverse effect of further alienating
Washington and Moscow.
The neocons, led by National Security Advisor John Bolton, along with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his United Nations ambassador
Nikki Haley, comprise the Trump " war cabinet " ostensibly aimed at directing a harder line toward Syria, North Korea, Iran
but also Russia. Bolton, in particular, has been outspoken in calling for regime change in some of these countries. Trump not so
much so. In fact, he has said just the opposite. Nevertheless, their anti-Russian flair in Washington has breathed new life into
the neocons who, along with the Democrats, Deep State and much of the mainstream media, have pushed the false narrative of collusion
between Russia and Trump.
This persistent anti-Russian rant and repeated sanctions which have been imposed have had the effect of leading to further threats
of sanctions for questionable reasons, raising the potential prospect of suspension of diplomatic ties.
Even at the height of the Cold War, relations between the US and Russia never reached such low depths as they have now. The latest
sanctions affect primarily dual-use technologies which are civilian products with potential military applications. They include gas
turbine engines, electronics and integrated circuits which will now be denied. Previous sanctions going back to the Obama administration,
however, already imposed bans on many of these dual-use technologies.
In addition, the US has delivered an ultimatum, saying that if Russia does not give assurances within 90 days that it will
no longer use chemical weapons and allow international inspectors to inspect its production facilities, further sanctions will be
implemented. But Russia denies it used chemical weapons. Unlike the US, it
destroyed its chemical weapons stockpile in accordance with international treaties.
Implementation of the sanctions stem from provisions of the Chemical and Biological Weapons Control and Warfare Elimination
Act of 1991.
The legislation gave a 60-day window to begin implementation of sanctions after the Trump administration determined that the
now-British citizen Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned by a strain of the Novichok nerve-agent. The US came to that
conclusion following an initial determination by the British government.
However, the US administration missed the deadline by more than a month. That prompted Rep. Ed Royce, R-Calif., chairman of
the House Foreign Relations Committee, to write a
letter to Trump some two weeks ago slamming the president for ignoring the deadline.
Curiously, the British government hasn't implemented similar sanctions, although the US has. It may reflect the continued uncertainty
among some British politicians and experts over the origin of the Novichok and concern with Britain's trade dependency on Russia.
But since the Americans opted to implement sanctions due to existing legislation, there was apparently no objection from London even
though it initially implemented sanctions by kicking out Russian diplomats from the country.
Moscow, however, vehemently denied that it was involved in the poisoning of Skripal and his daughter. Novichok was created by
Russian scientists during the Cold War but never used on the battlefield. Russian officials asked Britain for evidence of Russian
involvement and called for a joint investigation to be conducted by the Kremlin and British governments.
The British government repeatedly turned down the offer, as did other Western members of the United Nations Security Council,
the US and France, when Moscow sought such a joint investigation.
The US claimed that the information linking the poison to Russia was " classified ."
Strangely, a government research
facility at Porton Down in Amesbury, not far from Salisbury where the alleged March poisoning took place, examined the strain
of Novichok. Porton Down lab does work for British Defense Science and Technology Laboratory, run by the Ministry of Defense, and
the Public Health England.
Results from the examination confirmed the poison was a form of Novichok but importantly could not determine where the poison
had been created or who had used it. This development created further confusion and prompted disputes among politicians.
It is known that samples of Novichok have been in the hands of many
NATO countries for years after
the German foreign intelligence service, the Bundesnachrichtendienst, or BND, had reportedly obtained a sample from a Russian defector
in the 1990s.
The formula was later shared with Britain, the US, France, Canada and the Netherlands, where small quantities of Novichok reportedly
were produced in an effort to develop countermeasures. Porton Down labs similarly had received samples to study. Czech President
Milos Zeman recently admitted that his country synthesized and tested a form of Novichok. Sweden and Slovakia also have the technical
capability to produce the nerve agent, according to Russian officials.
All of this makes makes the issue as to why Britain, and even the US, never wanted to share samples taken from the poisoning
of the Skripals with Moscow more concerning. Yet, they all went ahead in lock-step to condemn Moscow for the poisoning, without any
evidence, suggesting a more sinister reason for lobbying increased sanctions against Russia with the goal of further isolating the
country.
It reflects the need especially by the US to have a demon in an effort to justify its defense spending to bolster NATO up
to the border of the Russian Federation in the form of a new containment policy that launched the Cold War in the first place.
With even further sanctions against Russia in the recently passed Defense Department Authorization Bill about to go into effect,
it is becoming apparent that the allegations against Russia are politically-motivated, false flag allegations to be used as an excuse
for a greater geostrategic reason -- to contain Russia just as the Trump administration is increasingly finding its US-led unilateral
world order being challenged more than ever.
The reason, however, isn't due to anything that Moscow initiated but by Trump himself who isn't in control of his own administration,
and maybe never has been. Many of his campaign promises such as dropping out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or Iranian
nuclear agreement, the threat of sanctions against any company that trades with Iran, his tariff war with US allies are in conflict
with each other, leading to increased world instability. At the same time, Trump talks about better relations with Russia, but
the actions of his own administration in demonizing Moscow dictate otherwise.
F. Michael Maloof is a former Pentagon security analyst.
The announcement of sanctions on Wednesday came despite the fact that the US is entirely
aware that Russia was not responsible for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in Salisbury, UK in
March, he said.
"This is a political demand... this is designed to undercut the overtures from the Trump
administration for President Trump directly and also Senator Rand Paul - now in Moscow - to
warm relations with Russia." Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof echoed that sentiment,
telling RT that "you have Donald Trump's foreign policy and you now have the Trump
administration's foreign policy."
He added that the sanctions are being orchestrated by the deep state to "make the president
look bad and basically to corner him."
[ Exactly. Poisoning was likely executed by MI6 or CIA, to sabotage the US relationship with
Russia at the behest of the Deep State .]
This is attack on ruble. Kind of Magnitsky II set of moves. Strange if view of Trump supposed
attempt to split Russia and China in Helsinki. You should chose a single target in such
cases.
Sanctions weaken the effect of Iranian sanctions. While the goal is to undermine the Russian
economy -- the effect of negative expectations is always stronger than a onetime action -- 90
days allow to avoid big financial losses for major banks. The requirement of inspection of Russia
objects is from Iraq war textbook.
Notable quotes:
"... Russian Ruble has fallen to a new 2018 low against the American dollar. Trading went over 66 rubles to the dollar. ..."
"... This marks almost a 20% devaluation in the currency since April of this year, and the worst valuation since mid-November, 2016. ..."
"... For our part, we reiterated our principle [sic] stands on the events in the UK, which the Embassy had been outlining in corresponding letters to the State Department. We confirmed that we continue to strongly stand for an open and transparent investigation of the crime committed in Salisbury and for bringing the culprits to justice , ..."
"... This pattern of throwing out destructive slander while refusing to provide opportunity for a real answer has permeated American policy towards the Russian Federation with increasing intensity since 2013. ..."
sanctions was
apparently enough to create jitters on the Russian stock exchanges, and the Russian
Ruble has fallen to a new 2018 low against the American dollar. Trading went over 66 rubles to
the dollar.
This marks almost a 20% devaluation in the currency since April of this year, and the
worst valuation since mid-November, 2016.
This incident has not gone unanswered in Moscow. The Russian Embassy in the United States
called for documentation about the source and reasoning behind these new sanctions, as reported by TASS:
The Russian embassy in the United States has called on the US Department of State to
publish correspondence on the introduction of new sanctions on Moscow over the Skripal
incident, the embassy said in a statement.
" For our part, we reiterated our principle [sic] stands on the events in the UK,
which the Embassy had been outlining in corresponding letters to the State Department. We
confirmed that we continue to strongly stand for an open and transparent investigation of
the crime committed in Salisbury and for bringing the culprits to justice , " the
statement reads.
"We suggested publishing our correspondence on this issue. No answer has followed so
far," the Russian embassy added.
This pattern of throwing out destructive slander while refusing to provide opportunity
for a real answer has permeated American policy towards the Russian Federation with increasing
intensity since 2013. It reveals the machinations of a very divided American government,
with the "deep State" or establishment politicians and foreign policy makers completely
unwilling to even give Russia a fair shake at representing itself. This policy is shared by the
United Kingdom, as this
piece by The Duran's Editor in Chief, Alexander Mercouris shows, with this summary of
violations of due process the British authorities are committing with regard to Russia:
(1) The British government is interfering in the conduct of a criminal investigation, with
Prime Minister Theresa May and especially Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson pointing fingers at
who they say is guilty (Russia) whilst the criminal investigation is still underway;
(2) The British government has said that unless Russia proves itself innocent within a
specific time the British government will conclude that it is guilty. As I have explained
previously this
reverses the burden of proof : in a criminal case it is the prosecution which is supposed
to prove the defendant's guilt, not the defendant who must prove his innocence;
(3) The British government refuses to share with Russia -- the party it says is guilty --
the 'evidence' upon which it says it has concluded that Russia is guilty, the evidence in
this case being a sample of the chemical with which it says Sergey and Yulia Skripal was
poisoned.
This violates the fundamental principle that the defendant must be provided with all the
evidence against him so that he can properly prepare his defence;
(4) The British government is not following the procedure set out in Article IX (2) of the
Chemical Weapons
Convention to which both Britain and Russia are parties. This reads as follows
States Parties should, whenever possible, first make every effort to clarify and
resolve, through exchange of information and consultations among themselves, any matter
which may cause doubt about compliance with this Convention, or which gives rise to
concerns about a related matter which may be considered ambiguous. A State Party which
receives a request from another State Party for clarification of any matter which the
requesting State Party believes causes such a doubt or concern shall provide the requesting
State Party as soon as possible, but in any case not later than ten days after the request,
with information sufficient to answer the doubt or concern raised along with an explanation
of how the information provided resolves the matter.
(5) The British authorities are denying the Russians consular access to Yulia Skripal,
though she is a Russian citizen who the British authorities say was subjected to a criminal
assault on their territory.
This is a potentially serious matter since by preventing consular access to Yulia Skripal
the British authorities are not only violating the interstate consular arrangements which
exist between Britain and Russia, but they are preventing the Russian authorities from
learning more about the condition of one of their citizens who has been hospitalised
following a violent criminal assault, and are preventing the Russian authorities from
carrying out their own investigation into the assault on one of their citizens which the
British authorities say has taken place.
I would add that this obstruction of Russian consular access to Yulia Skripal has gone
almost entirely unreported in the British and Western media.
The Americans are playing the same game here, and, regrettably, President Trump's overtures
towards repairing this relationship are almost sure to be torn out from under him by the
actions of this virulent group of people. It is quite possible that this is the very reason for
these new sanctions.
The perspective of the American government as one divided, with a rabid force in favor of
continuing to isolate and vilify a great power in the world for no good reason, is sure to have
repercussions. However, given the gradual realignment of Russia and China to be in closer and
closer partnership, and Russia's increasing prominence in Asian and Eastern Hemisphere affairs,
the end result of this behavior is likely to damage the United States and its standing in the
world over the long run.
6. Focused on violence through brownshirt stormtroopers who beat up any who disagreed
7. Had an intelligence service which focused on crushing dissent and spying on its own
people
8. Placed more power in the central government and state then any Nation before it.
All of the above are things proposed or carried out by leftists. It is almost as if the true
parties espoused by people are those who support individualism and those who support
collectivism. Spoiler alert for the Leftist retards: Power corrupts and Absolute power corrupts
absolutely. Your Statist Sanders Utopia will never come to fruition. The "Kind Socialist
Politicians" will sell you out to the elite in a heartbeat.
All you are doing is focusing the
power of your society into one single glass for the Elite to sip as they assfuck you into
oblivion, Death toll of all of these Statist Nations, IE Imperial Japan, Soviet Union,
Communist China, the People's "Republic" of Korea, etc is over 200,000,000 and counting.
How is it that the acronym NAZI Literally has the word SOCIALIST in it and people still
think they were right wing??? Why is this such a hard concept to grasp for the average
individual?
"Door handle" theory is dead on arrival. the main theory now is that UK government gave Skripals different agent BX
(similar to LSD and which caused hallucinations) and they voluntarily took it in order to start preplanned Skripal false flag
provocation. That's why military nurse accidentally appeared near Skripals soon after poisoning.
Notable quotes:
"... Following the attack on the Skripals, European and US allies took Britain's side on the attack, ordering the largest expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War, reports Reuters . In response, Russia retaliated by expelling Western diplomats, while the Kremlin has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks - while accusing the UK intelligence agencies of staging the attack in order to inflame anti-Russia tensions. ..."
"... Prior to the investigation's focus on the door handle, for a period of almost three weeks there were at least nine other theories proposed by the authorities as to where the Skripals came into contact with the poison. These included the restaurant, the pub, the bench, the cemetery, the car, the flowers, the luggage, the porridge and even a drone. During that time, police officers and investigators were entering and leaving the house, by the door, since it was not known to be the place where the poison was located. ..."
"... Once the door handle theory was established, those who had been in and out of the property during the previous three weeks would naturally have been concerned about the possibility that they had been contaminated. ..."
"... Every officer who entered the house after 4th March, and before the door handle became an object of interest, should have been given a medical examination to check for signs of poisoning. ..."
"... Initial reports about Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey stated that he was poisoned at the bench, after coming to the aid of Mr Skripal and Yulia. However, on 9th March, Lord Ian Blair stated that D.S. Bailey had actually become poisoned after visiting Mr Skripal's house. Since he was thought to have been poisoned with a military grade nerve agent, and since it was thought that this had occurred at Mr Skripal's house, the immediate next step should have been to seal off the house and set up a mobile decontamination unit outside. However, numerous photographs show officers in normal uniforms standing close to the door long after Lord Blair's claim ..."
"... Can the authorities explain how these decisions did not put the health and even the lives of those officers in jeopardy? ..."
"... Before the door handle theory was settled on, the majority of competing theories put out by the authorities tended to assume that Mr Skripal was poisoned long before he went to Zizzis. For example, the flowers, the cemetery, the luggage, the porridge and the car explanations all assume this to be the case. What this means is that according to the assumptions of police at that time, when Mr Skripal fed the ducks near the Avon Playground with a few local boys, at around 1:45pm, he was already contaminated. Yet although this event was caught on CCTV camera, it was more than two weeks before the police contacted the parents of these boys. ..."
"... Can the authorities comment on why they did not air the CCTV footage on national television, in an effort to appeal to the boys or their parents to come forward, and whether the delay in tracking them down might have put them in danger? ..."
"... If the door handle was the place of poisoning, it is extremely likely that the bread handed by Mr Skripal to the boys would have been contaminated. Certainly, areas that he visited after this incident were deemed to be so much at risk that they were either closed down (for example, The Mill and Zizzis, which are both still closed), or destroyed (for instance, the restaurant table, the bench and – almost certainly – the red bag near the bench have all been destroyed). ..."
"... It has been said that one of the reasons the Government is/was so sure that the ultimate culprit behind the poisoning was the Russian state, is the apparent existence of an "FSB handbook" which, amongst other things, allegedly features descriptions of how to apply nerve agent to a door handle. Given that the Prime Minister first made a formal accusation of culpability on 12th March in her speech to the House of Commons, the Government must therefore have been in possession of this manual prior to that day. However, claims about the door handle being the location of the poison did not appear until late March (the first media reports of it were on 28th March). What this means is there was a delay of several weeks between the Government making its accusation, based partly on the apparent existence of the "door handle manual", and the door handle of Mr Skripal's house being a subject of interest to investigators. ..."
"... "We are learning more about Sergei and Yulia's movements but we need to be clearer around their exact movements on the morning of the incident. We believe that at around 9.15am on Sunday, 4 March, Sergei's car may have been in the areas of London Road, Churchill Way North and Wilton Road. Then at around 1.30pm it was seen being driven down Devizes Road, towards the town centre. We need to establish Sergei and Yulia's movements during the morning, before they headed to the town centre. Did you see this car, or what you believe was this car, on the day of the incident? We are particularly keen to hear from you if you saw the car before 1.30pm. If you have information, please call the police on 101." ..."
"... Now that Sergei and Yulia Skripal have been awake and able to communicate for around four months, these details are presumably now all known to investigators. In the normal course of such a high profile investigation, details such as these would be relayed to the public in the hope of jogging memories to prompt more information. And in fact, many such details have been released to the public in this case. Yet, confirmation of Mr Skripal's and Yulia's movements that day remain conspicuous by their absence. ..."
"... These questions have nothing to do with any conspiracy theory. On the contrary, they are all based on the assumption that the two central claims made by the authorities regarding the mode and the method used in this incident are correct. They are, however, very serious and perfectly legitimate questions about the way the authorities have dealt with this incident, on their own terms and on the basis of their own claims . ..."
"... "Reports that the United Kingdom is planning to ask Russia to extradite suspects in a Salisbury poisoning incident are nothing more than a "speculation," a spokesperson for the UK Foreign Office told Sputnik on Monday. ..."
The British government has prepared an extradition request to Moscow for two
Russians they claim carried out the Salisbury nerve agent attack, according to The Guardian ,
citing Whitehall and security sources.
Former Russian double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on
a public bench in Salisbury in early March - which UK authorities believe was due to a nerve
agent called Novichok.
Months later on June 30, nearby residents Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess, a 44-year-old
mother of three, were subsequently treated for exposure to the nerve agent. Rowley recovered
while Sturgess died.
Authorities are operating on the assumption that the Skripals were poisoned using a
novichok-laced perfume bottle or a door handle smeared with the nerve agent, while Rowley may
have picked up said bottle and given to Sturgess, who applied it to her wrists.
Sturgess received a much higher dose than the other three after apparently smearing the
substance on her wrists, having sprayed it from the bottle. Rowley's recovery was helped,
according to a source, by one of the first responders being familiar with the nerve agent,
having been involved in helping the Skripals.
The Porton Down military defence laboratory near Salisbury has examined the novichok found
on the Skripals' doorknob and the perfume bottle, but police have not yet said whether they
are from the same batch. -
The Guardian
UK authorities believe they have pieced together the movements of the two Russians, from
their entry into the UK to their departure after the alleged assassination attempt.
Following the attack on the Skripals, European and US allies took Britain's side on the
attack, ordering the largest expulsion of Russian diplomats since the height of the Cold War,
reports
Reuters . In response, Russia retaliated by expelling Western diplomats, while the Kremlin
has repeatedly denied involvement in the attacks - while accusing the UK intelligence agencies
of staging the attack in order to inflame anti-Russia tensions.
Oddly, Sergei Skripal was linked by
The Telegraph to a consultant with former UK spy Christopher Steele's Orbis Business
Intelligence, who he reportedly had repeated contacts with.
The motive for trying to assassinate the 66-year-old skripal is unknown. Skripal moved to
the UK in a Kremlin-approved "spy swap" in 2010, causing many to question why they would
suddenly try to take him out a decade later.
In July, journalist Rob Slane compiled
10 questions for the UK authorities on the ever-confusing Skripal case:
***
The two most basic claims made by the Government and investigators regarding the method and
the mode in the Salisbury poisoning are these:
That military grade nerve agent was used to poison Mr Skripal
That it was applied to the door handle of his house
These claims raise a number of very obvious questions. For example, how did the assassin(s)
apply such a powerful chemical without wearing protective clothing? How did the people who are
said to have come into contact with the substance not die immediately, or at the very least
suffer irreparable damage to their Central Nervous Systems? How did this military grade nerve
agent manage not only to have a delayed onset, but also managed to affect a large 66-year-old
man and his slim 33-year-old daughter, both of whom would have vastly different metabolic
rates, at exactly the same time?
These are perfectly reasonable questions that deserve reasonable answers. I am aware,
however, that no matter how obvious and rational such questions might be, doing so places one
– at least in the eyes of the authorities – in the camp of the conspiracy theorist.
This is disingenuous. One of the marks of a true conspiracy theorist is that he is someone who
refuses to accept an explanation for an event, even after being presented with facts which fit
and explain it coherently . But when the "facts" presented in a case do not fit the event they
are supposed to explain, and are neither rational nor coherent -- as in the Salisbury case --
then calling the person who raises legitimate questions a "conspiracy theorist" is a bit rich,
is it not?
Nevertheless, for the purposes of this piece, what I'd like to do is work on the assumption
that the "Military Grade Nerve Agent on the Door Handle" claim is correct. And working from
this assumption, I want to ask some questions about how the authorities have handled the case.
The point is this: These questions are not really intended to challenge the official claims;
rather the intention is to ask whether the authorities have handled the case correctly on their
own terms .
1. Prior to the investigation's focus on the door handle, for a period of almost three weeks
there were at least nine other theories proposed by the authorities as to where the Skripals
came into contact with the poison. These included the restaurant, the pub, the bench, the
cemetery, the car, the flowers, the luggage, the porridge and even a drone. During that time,
police officers and investigators were entering and leaving the house, by the door, since it
was not known to be the place where the poison was located.
Can the authorities explain how these officers and investigators were not poisoned?
2. Once the door handle theory was established, those who had been in and out of the
property during the previous three weeks would naturally have been concerned about the
possibility that they had been contaminated.
Can the authorities tell us what steps were taken to reassure these officers?
3. Every officer who entered the house after 4th March, and before the door handle became an
object of interest, should have been given a medical examination to check for signs of
poisoning.
Can the authorities confirm that this took place for every officer?
4. Initial reports about Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey stated that he was poisoned at the
bench, after coming to the aid of Mr Skripal and Yulia. However, on 9th March, Lord Ian Blair
stated that D.S. Bailey had actually become poisoned after visiting Mr Skripal's house. Since
he was thought to have been poisoned with a military grade nerve agent, and since it was
thought that this had occurred at Mr Skripal's house, the immediate next step should have been
to seal off the house and set up a mobile decontamination unit outside. However, numerous
photographs show officers in normal uniforms standing close to the door long after Lord Blair's
claim.
Can the authorities confirm why the house was not sealed off and a decontamination unit set
up immediately after it became known that D.S. Bailey had been there, and why officers with no
protective clothing on were allowed to continue standing guard outside the house for the next
few weeks?
5. Can the authorities explain how these decisions did not put the health and even the lives
of those officers in jeopardy?
6. Before the door handle theory was settled on, the majority of competing theories put out
by the authorities tended to assume that Mr Skripal was poisoned long before he went to Zizzis.
For example, the flowers, the cemetery, the luggage, the porridge and the car explanations all
assume this to be the case. What this means is that according to the assumptions of police at
that time, when Mr Skripal fed the ducks near the Avon Playground with a few local boys, at
around 1:45pm, he was already contaminated. Yet although this event was caught on CCTV camera,
it was more than two weeks before the police contacted the parents of these boys.
Can the authorities explain why it took more than two weeks to track down the boys, who
– as the CCTV apparently shows – were given bread by Mr Skripal?
7. Can the authorities comment on why they did not air the CCTV footage on national
television, in an effort to appeal to the boys or their parents to come forward, and whether
the delay in tracking them down might have put them in danger?
8. If the door handle was the place of poisoning, it is extremely likely that the bread
handed by Mr Skripal to the boys would have been contaminated. Certainly, areas that he visited
after this incident were deemed to be so much at risk that they were either closed down (for
example, The Mill and Zizzis, which are both still closed), or destroyed (for instance, the
restaurant table, the bench and – almost certainly – the red bag near the bench
have all been destroyed).
Can the authorities comment on how the boys, who were handed bread by Mr Skripal, managed to
avoid contamination?
9. It has been said that one of the reasons the Government is/was so sure that the ultimate
culprit behind the poisoning was the Russian state, is the apparent existence of an "FSB
handbook" which, amongst other things, allegedly features descriptions of how to apply nerve
agent to a door handle. Given that the Prime Minister first made a formal accusation of
culpability on 12th March in her speech to the House of Commons, the Government must therefore
have been in possession of this manual prior to that day. However, claims about the door handle
being the location of the poison did not appear until late March (the first media reports of it
were on 28th March). What this means is there was a delay of several weeks between the
Government making its accusation, based partly on the apparent existence of the "door handle
manual", and the door handle of Mr Skripal's house being a subject of interest to
investigators.
Can the authorities therefore tell us whether the Government's failure to pass on details of
the "door handle manual" put the lives of the officers going in and out of Mr Skripal's house
from 5th March to 27th March in jeopardy?
10. On 17th March, Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu said:
"We are learning more about Sergei and Yulia's movements but we need to be clearer around
their exact movements on the morning of the incident. We believe that at around 9.15am on
Sunday, 4 March, Sergei's car may have been in the areas of London Road, Churchill Way North
and Wilton Road. Then at around 1.30pm it was seen being driven down Devizes Road, towards
the town centre. We need to establish Sergei and Yulia's movements during the morning, before
they headed to the town centre. Did you see this car, or what you believe was this car, on
the day of the incident? We are particularly keen to hear from you if you saw the car before
1.30pm. If you have information, please call the police on 101."
Now that Sergei and Yulia Skripal have been awake and able to communicate for around four
months, these details are presumably now all known to investigators. In the normal course of
such a high profile investigation, details such as these would be relayed to the public in the
hope of jogging memories to prompt more information. And in fact, many such details have been
released to the public in this case. Yet, confirmation of Mr Skripal's and Yulia's movements
that day remain conspicuous by their absence.
Can the authorities confirm that the movements of the Skripals that day are now understood,
and that they will be made known shortly, in order that more information from the public might
then be forthcoming?
These questions have nothing to do with any conspiracy theory. On the contrary, they are all
based on the assumption that the two central claims made by the authorities regarding the mode
and the method used in this incident are correct. They are, however, very serious and perfectly
legitimate questions about the way the authorities have dealt with this incident, on their own
terms and on the basis of their own claims .
"Reports that the United Kingdom is planning to ask Russia to extradite suspects in a
Salisbury poisoning incident are nothing more than a "speculation," a spokesperson for the UK
Foreign Office told Sputnik on Monday.
"This is just more speculation. The police investigation is ongoing and anything on the
record will need to come from the Police," the spokesperson said."
Here are ten bombshell revelations and fascinating new details to lately come out of both Sy
Hersh's new book, Reporter , as well as
interviews he's given since publication...
1) On a leaked Bush-era intelligence memo outlining the neocon plan to remake the Middle
East
(Note: though previously alluded to only anecdotally by General Wesley Clark in his memoir and in a 2007
speech , the below passage from Seymour Hersh is to our knowledge the first time this
highly classified memo has been quoted . Hersh's account appears to corroborate now retired
Gen. Clark's assertion that days after 9/11 a classified memo outlining plans to foster regime
change in "7 countries in
5 years" was being circulated among intelligence officials.)
From Reporter: A Memoir
pg. 306 -- A few months after the invasion of Iraq, during an interview overseas with a general
who was director of a foreign intelligence service, I was provided with a copy of a Republican
neocon plan for American dominance in the Middle East. The general was an American ally, but
one who was very rattled by the Bush/Cheney aggression. I was told that the document leaked to
me initially had been obtained by someone in the local CIA station. There was reason to be
rattled: The document declared that the war to reshape the Middle East had to begin "with the
assault on Iraq. The fundamental reason for this... is that the war will start making the U.S.
the hegemon of the Middle East. The correlative reason is to make the region feel in its bones,
as it were, the seriousness of American intent and determination." Victory in Iraq would lead
to an ultimatum to Damascus, the "defanging" of Iran, Hezbollah, Hamas, and Arafat's Palestine
Liberation Organization, and other anti-Israeli groups. America's enemies must understand that
"they are fighting for their life: Pax Americana is on its way, which implies their
annihilation." I and the foreign general agreed that America's neocons were a menace to
civilization.
From Reporter: A Memoir
pages 306-307 -- Donald Rumsfeld was also infected with neocon fantasy. Turkey had refused to
permit America's Fourth Division to join the attack of Iraq from its territory, and the
division, with its twenty-five thousand men and women, did not arrive in force inside Iraq
until mid-April, when the initial fighting was essentially over. I learned then that Rumsfeld
had asked the American military command in Stuttgart, Germany, which had responsibility for
monitoring Europe, including Syria and Lebanon, to begin drawing up an operational plan for an
invasion of Syria. A young general assigned to the task refused to do so, thereby winning
applause from my friends on the inside and risking his career. The plan was seen by those I
knew as especially bizarre because Bashar Assad, the ruler of secular Syria, had responded to
9/11 by sharing with the CIA hundreds of his country's most sensitive intelligence files on the
Muslim Brotherhood in Hamburg, where much of the planning for 9/11 was carried out... Rumsfeld
eventually came to his senses and back down, I was told...
3) On the Neocon deep state which seized power after 9/11
From Reporter: A Memoir
pages 305-306 -- I began to comprehend that eight or nine neoconservatives who were political
outsiders in the Clinton years had essentially overthrown the government of the United States
-- with ease . It was stunning to realize how fragile our Constitution was. The intellectual
leaders of that group -- Dick Cheney, Paul Wolfowitz, and Richard Perle -- had not hidden their
ideology and their belief in the power of the executive but depicted themselves in public with
a great calmness and a self-assurance that masked their radicalism . I had spent many hours
after 9/11 in conversations with Perle that, luckily for me, helped me understand what was
coming. (Perle and I had been chatting about policy since the early 1980s, but he broke off
relations in 1993 over an article I did for The New Yorker linking him, a fervent supporter of
Israel, to a series of meetings with Saudi businessmen in an attempt to land a
multibillion-dollar contract from Saudi Arabia . Perle responded by publicly threatening to sue
me and characterizing me as a newspaper terrorist. He did not sue.
Meanwhile, Cheney had emerged as a leader of the neocon pack. From 9/11 on he did all he
could to undermine congressional oversight. I learned a great deal from the inside about his
primacy in the White House , but once again I was limited in what I would write for fear of
betraying my sources...
I came to understand that Cheney's goal was to run his most important military and
intelligence operations with as little congressional knowledge, and interference, as possible.
I was fascinating and important to learn what I did about Cheney's constant accumulation of
power and authority as vice president , but it was impossible to even begin to verify the
information without running the risk that Cheney would learn of my questioning and have a good
idea from whom I was getting the information.
4) On Russian meddling in the US election
From the recent
Independent interview based on his autobiography -- Hersh has vociferously strong opinions
on the subject and smells a rat. He states that there is "a great deal of animosity towards
Russia. All of that stuff about Russia hacking the election appears to be preposterous." He has
been researching the subject but is not ready to go public yet.
Hersh quips that the last time he heard the US defense establishment have high confidence,
it was regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. He points out that the NSA only has moderate confidence in Russian
hacking. It is a point that has been made before; there has been no national intelligence
estimate in which all 17 US intelligence agencies would have to sign off. "When the intel
community wants to say something they say it High confidence effectively means that they don't
know."
5) On the Novichok poisoning
From the recent
Independent interview -- Hersh is also on the record as stating that the official version
of the
Skripal poisoning does not stand up to scrutiny. He tells me: "The story of novichok
poisoning has not held up very well. He [Skripal] was most likely talking to British
intelligence services about Russian organised crime." The unfortunate turn of events with the
contamination of other victims is suggestive, according to Hersh, of organised crime elements
rather than state-sponsored actions –though this files in the face of the UK government's
position.
Hersh modestly points out that these are just his opinions. Opinions or not, he is scathing
on Obama –
"a trimmer articulate [but] far from a radical a middleman". During his Goldsmiths talk, he
remarks that liberal critics underestimate Trump at their peril.
He ends the Goldsmiths talk with an anecdote about having lunch with his sources in the
wake of 9/11 . He vents his anger at the agencies for not sharing information. One of his
CIA sources fires back: "Sy you still don't get it after all these years – the FBI
catches bank robbers, the CIA robs banks." It is a delicious, if cryptic aphorism.
* * *
6) On the Bush-era 'Redirection' policy of arming Sunni radicals to counter Shia Iran, which
in a 2007 New Yorker article
Hersh accurately predicted
would set off war in Syria
From the
Independent interview : [Hersh] tells me it is "amazing how many times that story has been
reprinted" . I ask about his argument that US policy was designed to neutralize the Shia sphere
extending from Iran to Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon and hence redraw the Sykes-Picot
boundaries for the 21st century.
He goes on to say that Bush and Cheney "had it in for Iran", although he denies the idea
that Iran was heavily involved in Iraq: "They were providing intel, collecting intel The US did
many cross-border hunts to kill ops [with] much more aggression than Iran"...
He believes that the Trump administration has no memory of this approach. I'm sure though
that the military-industrial complex has a longer memory...
I press him on the RAND and Stratfor reports including one authored by Cheney and Paul
Wolfowitz in which they envisage deliberate ethno-sectarian partitioning of Iraq . Hersh
ruefully states that: "The day after 9/11 we should have gone to Russia. We did the one thing
that George Kennan warned us never to do – to expand NATO too far."
* * *
7) On the official 9/11 narrative
From the
Independent interview : We end up ruminating about 9/11, perhaps because it is another
narrative ripe for deconstruction by sceptics. Polling shows that a significant proportion of
the American public believes there is more to the truth. These doubts have been reinforced by
the declassification of the suppressed 28 pages of the 9/11 commission report last year
undermining the version that a group of terrorists acting independently managed to pull off the
attacks. The implication is that they may well have been state-sponsored with the Saudis
potentially involved.
Hersh tells me: "I don't necessarily buy the story that Bin Laden was responsible for 9/11.
We really don't have an ending to the story. I've known people in the [intelligence] community.
We don't know anything empirical about who did what" . He continues: "The guy was living in a
cave. He really didn't know much English. He was pretty bright and he had a lot of hatred for
the US. We respond by attacking the Taliban. Eighteen years later How's it going guys?"
8) On the media and the morality of the powerful
From a recent
The Intercept interview and book review -- If
Hersh were a superhero, this would be his origin story. Two hundred and seventy-four pages
after the Chicago anecdote, he describes his coverage of a massive
slaughter of Iraqi troops and civilians by the U.S. in 1991 after a ceasefire had ended the
Persian Gulf War. America's indifference to this massacre was, Hersh writes, "a reminder of the
Vietnam War's MGR, for Mere Gook Rule: If it's a murdered or raped gook, there is no crime." It
was also, he adds, a reminder of something else: "I had learned a domestic version of that rule
decades earlier" in Chicago. "Reporter" demonstrates that Hersh has derived three simple lessons from that rule:
The powerful prey mercilessly upon the powerless, up to and including mass murder.
The powerful lie constantly about their predations.
The natural instinct of the media is to let the powerful get away with it.
"... Of course, in the 21st century, we no longer torture and assassinate people as we used to, we simply discredit trouble-makers by way of the Press. Above all, there is no more Soviet Union, and consequently no more stay-behind network. But the personnel we used and who were replaced have had to be recycled. ..."
"... A number of elements attest to the fact that these agents first of all led the jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and then, today, against Russia [ 8 ], to the point where they are labelled by the FBI as Gladio B [ 9 ]. The efficiency of this network in the " Greater Middle East " over the last 17 years needs no further proof. ..."
Nonetheless, we may remember that during the Cold War, the United States and the United
Kingdom had created, in all of the allied states, a service designed to combat Soviet influence
– without the knowledge of the national institutions. This system is known to historians
as the stay-behind, and to the public by the name of its Italian branch, Gladio. All over the
world, it was under the joint command of the CIA and MI6, via the World Anti-Communist League
(WACL) [ 3 ],
except for Europe, where it was connected to NATO [ 4 ]
The main operational officials of this stay-behind network (in other words, capable of
becoming clandestine in the case of a Soviet invasion) were the ex-officials of the Nazi
repression. While the French people know that SS captain and head of the Gestapo in Lyon, Klaus
Barbie, became the official representative of the stay-behind network in Bolivia working
against Che Guevara, they do not know, for example, that the Police Prefect for Paris, the
collaborator Maurice Papon, who massacred a hundred Algerians on 17 October 1961, was one of
the leaders of the network in France, working against the FLN [ 5 ]. Here in Damascus where I live,
people remember another SS officer and director of the camp at Drancy, Alois Brunner, who was
placed as an advisor to the Syrian secret services by the CIA and MI6 in order to prevent the
country from swinging over into the Soviet camp. He was arrested by President Bachar el-Assad
as soon as he came to power.
In France, when the stay-behind turned against France, accused it of leaving Algeria to the
Soviets, organised the coup d'état in 1961 and financed the OAS (Organisation de
l'Armée Secrète), President De Gaulle recuperated certain of its agents in order
to form a militia to work against the militia - the SAC (Service d'Action Civique) [ 6 ].
Despite appearances, these stories are not as old as all that - the world of politics still
hosts personalities who were part of the stay-behind network. For example, the current
President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Junker, was the head of Gladio in Luxembourg
[ 7 ].
The first General Secretary of " En Marche ! ", Ludovic Chaker, is allegedly an agent of
the DGSE. He is said to have hired – by accident – a friend of Jawad Bendaoud, "
Daesh's landlord, " as a bodyguard for the candidate Macron. Today he works at the
Elysée where he " doubles " the anti-terrorist task force of Prefect Bousquet de
Florian.
Of course, in the 21st century, we no longer torture and assassinate people as we used to,
we simply discredit trouble-makers by way of the Press. Above all, there is no more Soviet
Union, and consequently no more stay-behind network. But the personnel we used and who were
replaced have had to be recycled.
A number of elements attest to the fact that these agents
first of all led the jihad against the Soviets in Afghanistan, and then, today, against Russia
[ 8 ], to the
point where they are labelled by the FBI as Gladio B [ 9 ]. The efficiency of this network in
the " Greater Middle East " over the last 17 years needs no further proof.
Precisely, the question of the fight against terrorism – or its manipulation - was
handled by the United States secret service, which the Elysée was preparing to
replicate. Oddly enough, the Elysées anti-terrorist task force, directed by Prefect
Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, is already doubled by a " cell " entrusted to an executive of
the President's chief of staff, Admiral Bernard Rogel. According to L'Opinion , this
executive, Ludovic Chaker – who hired Benalla – is a " veteran " agent of the
Direction Générale de la Sécurite Exterieure (DGSE) [ 10 ]
We are not attempting to compare Alexandre Benalla with Maurice Papon, but to enquire
whether an element of an illegal force of repression is in the process of being (re)created in
Europe. Article
licensed under Creative Commons
The articles on Voltaire Network may be freely reproduced provided the source is cited,
their integrity is respected and they are not used for commercial purposes (license CC BY-NC-ND ).
Source : "The Elysée and " Gladio B " ", by Thierry Meyssan, Translation Pete
Kimberley, Voltaire Network , 29 July 2018, www.voltairenet.org/article202201.html
"... Is resettling a terrorist front group in the West a good idea? ..."
"... The White Helmets ..."
"... The Washington Post ..."
"... Syria conflict: White Helmets evacuated by Israel. ..."
"... The BBC story could have been written by the White Helmets themselves or by their press department. Or alternatively by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. First of all, the Israelis do not do humanitarian gestures. They helped bail out the White Helmets at the request of the U.S. because capture by the Syrians would have produced embarrassing revelations about how the group was funded and what its affiliation with terrorists was all about. And Israel's denial of involvement in Syria is nonsense, unless one considers demonstrated collaboration with the terrorist groups punctuated by nearly weekly bombing and missile attacks to be non-involvement. ..."
"... The British too are into the deception up to their eyeballs. The comment by Hunt and Mordaunt is complete fabrication regarding what the White Helmets represent. The same goes for the BBC account of how the group developed, which comes directly from the White Helmet's own propaganda division as amplified by Hollywood and the U.S. and U.K. governments. ..."
"... The White Helmets travel to bombing sites with their film crews trailing behind them. Once at the sites, with no independent observers, they are able to arrange or even stage what is filmed to conform to their selected narrative which consistently promotes tales of government atrocities against civilians to encourage outside military intervention in Syria and bring about regime change in Damascus. The White Helmets were, for example, the propagators of the totally false but propagandistically effective claims regarding the government use of so-called "barrel bombs" against civilians. ..."
"... Peter Ford, British Ambassador in Damascus from 2003-2006, recently described the group in an audio interview saying, "The White Helmets are jihadi auxiliaries. They are not, as claimed by themselves and by their supporters simple rescuers. They are not volunteers. They are paid professionals of disinformation." ..."
"... All their activities are directed at mobilizing Western opinion behind the jihadis with whom they associate. They co-locate their centers with the Al-Qaeda organization known as Al-Nusra and with other militant groups such as Jaish al-Islam. They have in the past been shown associating with and waving the flags of ISIS." ..."
"... The group is currently largely funded by a number of non-government organizations (NGOs) as well as governments, including the United States, Britain and some European Union member states. The U.S. has directly provided $23 million through the USAID (US Agency for International Development) as of 2016 and almost certainly considerably more indirectly. ..."
"... Perhaps the most serious charge against the White Helmets consists of the evidence that they actively participated in the atrocities , to include torture and murder, carried out by their al-Nusra hosts. There have been numerous photos of the White Helmets operating directly with armed terrorists and also celebrating over the bodies of execution victims and murdered Iraqi soldiers. The group's jihadi associates regard the White Helmets as fellow "mujahideen" and "soldiers of the revolution." ..."
"... The White Helmets were and are part and parcel of the attempt to overthrow a legitimate government and install a regime friendly to western, American and Israeli interests. For Israel in particular the ongoing chaos in Syria was and is part of its plan for dividing all of its neighbors into warring ethnicities and sects, making them less viable as threats to the Jewish state. ..."
Is resettling a terrorist front group in the West a good idea?
When is a terrorist group not a terrorist group? Apparently the answer is that it ceases to
be terrorist when it terrorizes someone who is an enemy of the United States. The most
prominent recent example is the Mujaheddin e Khalq (MEK), a murderous Iranian Marxist cult
which assassinated five Americans in the 1970s as part of its campaign against the Shah's
government. It was removed from the State Department terrorist list in 2012 by Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton after it had promised not to kill any more Americans but really because
it had bought the support of prominent politicians to include Elaine Chao, Rudy Giuliani, Newt
Gingrich, and John Bolton. It also had the behind the scenes endorsement of both the Israeli
Mossad and CIA, both of whom have been using it in their operations to kill Iranians and damage
the country's infrastructure. Someone high up in the federal government, perhaps Hillary or
even President Obama himself, must have decided that terrorists who kill only Iranians deserve
a get out of jail free card from the State Department.
There are other examples of cynical doublespeak from the Syrian conflict, including labeling
rebels against the Damascus government "freedom fighters" when in reality they were as often as
not allied with the al-Qaeda affiliated group Al-Nusra or even with ISIS. Frequently they
received training and weapons from Washington only to turn around and either join Al-Nusra and
ISIS as volunteers or surrender their weapons to them.
But perhaps there is no bigger fraud making the rounds than the so-called White Helmets. The
recent media coverage derives from the documentary The White Helmets , which was
produced by the group itself and tells a very convincing tale
promoted as "the story of real-life heroes and impossible hope." It is a very impressive
piece of propaganda, so much so that it has won numerous awards including the Oscar for Best
Documentary Short last year and the White Helmets themselves were nominated for the Nobel Peace
Prize. More to the point, however, is the undeniable fact that the documentary has helped shape
the public understanding of what is going on in Syria, describing the government in Damascus in
purely negative terms.
The fawning Hollywood and Congressional depictions of the group go something like this: "the
White Helmets are an 'heroic' impartial non-government humanitarian volunteer group that
engages in 'first response' emergency rescue and medical treatment for all those who have been
impacted by the fighting in Syria. The Syrian government hates the group because it assists
victims of the fighting who are either rebels or living in rebel held areas. Recently, with the
Syrian Army closing in on the last White Helmet affiliates still operating in the country, the
Israeli government, assisted by the United States, staged an emergency humanitarian evacuation
of the group's members and their families to Israel and then on to Jordan."
Virtually all the mainstream media coverage of the White Helmets is bogus, but by far the
most ridiculous account of the Exodus from Syria came from the BBC. For those who are not
familiar with it, the BBC, which once upon a time had a reputation for journalistic integrity,
has become one of the worst pro-government propaganda shills of all time. Reading its articles
is even worse that having a similar go at The Washington Post , which is the prime
newspaper exemplar of fake news and phony journalism pretending to be a respectable news source
in the United States. Let's face it, Donald Trump has a point. Nearly all of the mainstream
media lies persistently these days but some sources are worse than others. People complain
about Fox, and rightly so, but CNN is the absolute pits when it comes to slanting its coverage,
as is MSNBC.
BBC's article is entitled Syria
conflict: White Helmets evacuated by Israel. It makes the following statements, many
coming directly from Israeli official sources, regarding the White Helmets, its activities and
the group's relationship to some governments, to include Britain:
"The IDF said they had
'completed a humanitarian effort to rescue members of a Syrian civil organization and their
families', saying there was an 'immediate threat to their lives.' The transfer of the displaced
Syrians through Israel was an exceptional humanitarian gesture." "Although Israel is not
directly involved in the Syria conflict, the two countries have been in a state of war for
decades. Despite the intervention, the IDF said that 'Israel continues to maintain a
non-intervention policy regarding the Syrian conflict.'" "A statement from Foreign Secretary
Jeremy Hunt and International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said: 'White Helmets have
been the target of attacks and, due to their high profile, we judged that, in these particular
circumstances, the volunteers required immediate protection. We pay tribute to the brave and
selfless work that White Helmet volunteers have done to save Syrians on all sides of the
conflict.'" "Their official name is the Syrian Civil Defense and it began in early 2013 as an
organization of volunteers from all walks of life, including electricians and builders. Its
main task soon became to rescue civilians in war zones in the immediate aftermath of air
strikes, and it says its volunteers have saved the lives of more than 100,000 people during the
civil war."
The BBC story could have been written by the White Helmets themselves or by their press
department. Or alternatively by the Israeli Foreign Ministry. First of all, the Israelis do not
do humanitarian gestures. They helped bail out the White Helmets at the request of the U.S.
because capture by the Syrians would have produced embarrassing revelations about how the group
was funded and what its affiliation with terrorists was all about. And Israel's denial of
involvement in Syria is nonsense, unless one considers demonstrated collaboration with the
terrorist groups punctuated by nearly weekly bombing and missile attacks to be
non-involvement.
The British too are into the deception up to their eyeballs. The comment by Hunt and
Mordaunt is complete fabrication regarding what the White Helmets represent. The same goes for
the BBC account of how the group developed, which comes directly from the White Helmet's own
propaganda division as amplified by Hollywood and the U.S. and U.K. governments.
Just as important as what is said about the White Helmets' activities is the exclusion of a
great deal of credible negative reporting on the group. The carefully edited scenes of heroism
under fire that have been filmed and released worldwide conceal the White Helmets' relationship
with the al-Qaeda affiliated group Jabhat al-Nusra and its participation in the torture and
execution of "rebel" opponents. Indeed, the White Helmets only operate in rebel held territory,
which enables them to shape the narrative both regarding who they are and what is occurring on
the ground.
Exploiting their access to the western media, the White Helmets thereby de facto
became a major source of "eyewitness" news regarding what was going on in those many parts of
Syria where European and American journalists were quite rightly afraid to go. It was all part
of a broader
largely successful "rebel" effort to manufacture fake news that depicts the Damascus
government as engaging in war crimes directed against civilians, an effort that led to several
attacks on government forces and facilities by the U.S. military.
The White Helmets travel to bombing sites with their film crews trailing behind them.
Once at the sites, with no independent observers, they are able to arrange or even stage what
is filmed to conform to their selected narrative which consistently promotes tales of
government atrocities against civilians to encourage outside military intervention in Syria and
bring about regime change in Damascus. The White Helmets were, for example, the propagators of
the
totally false but propagandistically effective claims regarding the government use of
so-called "barrel bombs" against civilians.
Peter Ford, British Ambassador in Damascus from 2003-2006, recently described the group
in
an audio interview saying, "The White Helmets are jihadi auxiliaries. They are not, as
claimed by themselves and by their supporters simple rescuers. They are not volunteers. They
are paid professionals of disinformation." He noted particularly the large size of the
organization's "press department", saying, "This gives us an idea what the priority is for this
very dubious organization. All their activities are directed at mobilizing Western opinion
behind the jihadis with whom they associate. They co-locate their centers with the Al-Qaeda
organization known as Al-Nusra and with other militant groups such as Jaish al-Islam. They have
in the past been shown associating with and waving the flags of ISIS."
The group is currently largely
funded by a number of non-government organizations (NGOs) as well as governments, including
the United States, Britain and some European Union member states. The U.S. has directly
provided $23 million through the USAID (US Agency for International Development) as of 2016 and
almost certainly considerably more indirectly. Max Blumenthal has
explored in some detail the various funding resources and relationships that the
organization draws on, mostly in Europe and the United States.
Perhaps the most serious charge against the White Helmets consists of the evidence that
they
actively participated in the atrocities , to include torture and murder, carried out by
their al-Nusra hosts. There have been numerous photos of the White
Helmets operating directly with armed terrorists and also celebrating over the bodies of
execution victims and murdered Iraqi soldiers. The group's jihadi associates regard the White
Helmets as fellow "mujahideen" and "soldiers of the revolution."
So Israel's celebrated rescue of the White Helmets was little more than a theatrical
performance intended to perpetuate the myth that the al-Assad government was thwarted in an
attempt to capture and possibly kill an honorable non-partisan group engaged in humanitarian
relief for those caught up in a bloody conflict seeking to oust a ruthless dictator. The
reality is quite different. The White Helmets were and are part and parcel of the attempt
to overthrow a legitimate government and install a regime friendly to western, American and
Israeli interests. For Israel in particular the ongoing chaos in Syria was and is part of its
plan for dividing all of its neighbors into warring ethnicities and sects, making them less
viable as threats to the Jewish state.
The 800 White Helmets rescued reportedly will be resettled in the U.S., Britain and Germany.
One hopes those coming to America can end up in Los Angeles, where they would presumably mingle
with Hollywood big shots and the usual snowflakes while working on their next documentary. As
some of them are most certainly radical Jihadists, it will be interesting to observe exactly
how that will play out.
Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National
Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation that seeks a more interests-based
U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is www.councilforthenationalinterest.org,
address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is
[email protected].
The Skripals' misadventure (contretemps, dust up, theater, bit of bother) is absurd but
did the U.K. government embrace it with alacrity and a vengeance or what?
The only thing
missing was narration by Edgar R. Murrow. Not to mention the Skripals.
The very absurdity of it calls into question anything that preceded it with the same story
line, viz., "Russians are animals."
What anyone needs to be wary of is the people who push this and other "narratives":
"Animal Assad," "religion of peace," "multiculturalism," "propositional nation,"
"comprehensive immigration law reform," "living Constitution," "equality," "hate speech,"
"Iranchiefsponsorofterror," "regime change," "treason," "collusion," "McCarthyism,"
"humanitarian intervention," "global/climate freeze/warming/change/disruption,"
"anti-Semitism," "Judeo-Christian," "target civilians/hospitals," and such like.
"... While you are at it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better than " a skeptical attitude toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be perpetual liars. ..."
"... So you plan to continue this McCarthy Russian BS? You didn't speak out when you got cheated in the primaries, and you didn't seem to care that Hillary was using her own paid troll army. Integrity matters Bernie and you are losing yours. ..."
"... You stopped speaking for me and millions of others when you caved to crooked HRC. No it was NOT clear that Russia was "deeply involved in the election. What is CLEAR is your betrayal of your followers and cover up of the election fraud perpetrated by DNC! Everybody knows... ..."
"... Bernie, that's MIC propaganda. Stop helping it. There are millions of reasons Trump should not be president. We don't need a hyped up corporate fairytale to make that point https://t.co/7FAwb47LtB ..."
"... Democratic party jingoism in 2020 will be extra-ordinary with candidates each trying to out do each other how they will fuck over Putin and the Russian nation. There will be a shit load of public loyalty testing against any third party candidate by the democrats. ..."
It has been clear to everyone (except Donald Trump) that Russia was deeply involved in the 2016 election and intends to be
involved in 2018. It is the American people who should be deciding the political future of our country, not Mr. Putin and the
Russian oligarchs.
However, Sanders had already committed the unforgivable
sin of criticizing the Democratic establishment candidate from the left. There is simply no way of coming back from that treason.
Despite his stance, Sanders has also been constantly presented as another Russian agent, with the Washington Post (11/12/17) asking
its readers, "When Russia interferes with the 2020 election on behalf of Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders, how will liberals
respond?" The message is clear: The progressive wave rising across America is and will be a consequence of Russia, not of the
failures of the system, nor of the Democrats.
It isn't just progressive politicians that are all traitors. Movements like Black Lives Matter are also traitors for Russia.
It is the American people who should be deciding the political future of our country, not Mr. Putin and the Russian oligarchs.
Hey, Bernie. The American people were the ones who should have decided who won the primary, not Hillary, the DNC and the delegates.
That you are blaming Her loss on Russia instead of admitting that the American people rejected her makes you nothing more than
a democratic puppet. How embarrassing for you.
Every Black voter should abandon the DP until they apologize for their disrespect for the BLM and saying that they only started
protesting cops killing Blacks because Russia manipulated them into doing so.
Eichenwald thinks that our intelligence agencies are patriots who have spent their lives working on keeping us safe does he?
I agree with Dmitry Orlov's take on them.
The objective of US intelligence is to suck all remaining wealth out of the US and its allies and pocket as much of it as
possible while pretending to defend it from phantom aggressors by squandering nonexistent (borrowed) financial resources on
ineffective and overpriced military operations and weapons systems. Where the aggressors are not phantom, they are specially
organized for the purpose of having someone to fight: "moderate" terrorists and so on.
....
the US intelligence community has been doing a wonderful job of bankrupting the country and driving it toward financial,
economic and political collapse by forcing it to engage in an endless series of expensive and futile conflicts -- the largest
single continuous act of grand larceny the world has ever known. How that can possibly be an intelligent thing to do to your
own country, for any conceivable definition of "intelligence," I will leave for you to work out for yourself.
While you are at it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better than
" a skeptical attitude toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be perpetual liars. "
And let's not forget how many
coups
and false flag events they had a hand in creating that have cost so much misery and death.
One major advancement in their state of the art has been in moving from real false flag operations, ΰ la 9/11, to fake false
flag operations, ΰ la fake East Gouta chemical attack in Syria (since fully discredited). The Russian election meddling story
is perhaps the final step in this evolution: no New York skyscrapers or Syrian children were harmed in the process of concocting
this fake narrative, and it can be kept alive seemingly forever purely through the furious effort of numerous flapping lips.
It is now a pure confidence scam. If you are less then impressed with their invented narratives, then you are a conspiracy
theorist or, in the latest revision, a traitor.
The real puppets are the ones who believe in this silly story that Russia is pulling Trump's strings and that the GOP are also
Russian puppets. Good grief!
The others show that there are others out there that have seen through this propaganda crap. I'd like to see the breakdown
of Hillary supporters that believe Russia Gate and the Bernie supporters that don't. Most of the Trump supporters think it's phony
so what made Hillary's believe in something that everyone should be laughing at?
You deserve a lot of credit. Russia interfered in your favor, yet you are man enough to admit that they interfered. Thank
you Bernie!
So you plan to continue this McCarthy Russian BS? You didn't speak out when you got cheated in the primaries, and you
didn't seem to care that Hillary was using her own paid troll army. Integrity matters Bernie and you are losing yours.
You stopped speaking for me and millions of others when you caved to crooked HRC. No it was NOT clear that Russia was
"deeply involved in the election. What is CLEAR is your betrayal of your followers and cover up of the election fraud perpetrated
by DNC! Everybody knows...
Bernie, that's MIC propaganda. Stop helping it. There are millions of reasons Trump should not be president. We don't
need a hyped up corporate fairytale to make that point https://t.co/7FAwb47LtB
Democratic party jingoism in 2020 will be extra-ordinary with candidates each trying to out do each other how they will
fuck over Putin and the Russian nation. There will be a shit load of public loyalty testing against any third party candidate
by the democrats.
The democrats (and media cohorts) have become an apocolyptic death cult. The language that comes from them is infused with
the language of conspiracies, violence, treason, aggression and demonization.
And here is the thing, Bernie to survive electorally will have to become a cult member. Effectively he will have to be pro-war
with Russia. He will be giving from the the Left supposed support for aggressive action andmilitarism toward Russia.
I fear that if a democrat becomes president in 2020 (it won't be Bernie), is elected president that in the year of the midterms
in 2022, the US will start a real war with Russia which has a highly likehood of going nuclear.
"... -- William Powell, The Anarchist Cookbook (1971), from memory ..."
"... @thanatokephaloides ..."
"... Finally there's the meeting that Assange's lawyer set up with congress for him to testify to congress and tell them where he got the DNC emails that showed how they rigged the primary. Comey and Schaffer shot that down because it would have killed Russia Gate. Dead and buried and the country could move on. ..."
"... In this case, it is NOT a matter of opinion. It is a matter of FACT. The physical proof that we have right now tells us that the Wikileaks documents did not come from a "hack." We also have physical evidence that someone (no doubt Crowdstrike) manipulated copies of the leaked documents and embedded awkward amateurish evidence to make them look like they were taken by a "Russian" hacker. Here's how we know that: ..."
"... Assange's diplomatic trip to the US in mid-2017 to testify before Congress and prove where the documents came from was emergency-blocked by Comey and Rosenstein. As a consequence, Assange immediately released the extensive Vault 7 documents to the American people so we could forensically recognize the signature techniques that the US intelligence agencies would use to alter downloaded DNC documents and embed fake Russian "fingerprints." We have seen the physical evidence that that occurred. ..."
"... The US has no real physical evidence of a Russian hack or they would never have released the fake evidence. Yet they continue their attack to harm Russia's economy and the continue their attempts to provoke a hot war with Russia. The US motive for this has nothing to do with their fake hacking narrative; it is about crippling Russia (and China) to forestall the rapid rise of Eurasia, which is stripping the Neocons and war-profiteering corporations of their dream for the US to achieve total domination over all other nations. The Entitled Elite want their New American Century back! Their Empire was supposed to rule the world.... ..."
"... @Pluto's Republic ..."
"... While you are at it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better than " a skeptical attitude toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be perpetual liars. ..."
"... third run ..."
"... ~~Author Unknown ..."
"... ~~Martin Luther King Jr. ..."
"... @Unabashed Liberal ..."
"... @Unabashed Liberal ..."
"... ~~Martin Luther King Jr. ..."
"... Democratic party jingoism in 2020 will be extra-ordinary with candidates each trying to out do each other how they will fuck over Putin and the Russian nation. There will be a shit load of public loyalty testing against any third party candidate by the democrats. ..."
Russiagate may technically be about Trump, but in fact most of the "traitors" and Putin Puppets are progressives on the left.
Russiagate officially started in 2015 long before
the DNC hack and the Democratic primaries.
Best approach is to slaughter Donald for his bromance with Putin
Russiagate never was actually about Russia. It's the Democrats' version of Obama's birth certificate. As
Caitlin Johnstone puts it, Russiagate is 9/11 minus 9/11.
TWIT:
Kurt Eichenwald
@kurteichenwald
Bottom line: You either support the patriots in our intelligence community and law enforcement who work endlessly for our
national security, and all of the intelligence agencies of our allies, or you support Putin.
You're either a patriot, a traitor or an idiot. Choose.
10:51 AM-16 Jul 2018
In reality, Russiagate started with Ralph Nader and the
2000 election .
They said a vote for Nader was a vote for Bush. You have a moral duty to vote for the Democrat and to be pragmatic. Your Naderite
purity came at the expense of the poor. Only affluent selfish white guys could afford this type of virtue signaling. In fact,
maybe some of these people were really Republicans in disguise. There were no Russian bots to blame just yet, but clearly some
liberals are unable to imagine good faith criticism of Democrats coming from the left.
The terms " virtue signaling", " purity pony", and of course "White Berniebro" weren't coined yet, but the the stereotype they
describe was formed in 2000. Gore lost and Nader and all his voters, in swing states or not, were vilified. They were worse than
Republicans. They were traitors. Of all the factors that caused Gore's loss, the only one that Democratic partisans really cared
about was Nader.
People that voted for Nader became responsible for the Iraq War, while Democrats who voted for Bush and the Iraq War got a free
pass. Liberals, besides their obvious double-standards when allocating responsibility, made the dubious claim that morality requires
being pragmatic in your voting. And then, as if to prove the basis of their claims to be false, they approach their target audience
in a non-pragmatic way.
The anger on open display is the opposite of pragmatic politics. They don't try to persuade people to vote for the Democrat. They
demand it. It is a moral litmus test, or rather, a judgement of one's very soul. Good people know they have to vote for the Democrat.
Bad people vote for Republicans and the very worst people of all claim to be left, but vote for Stein or maybe even voted for
Clinton, but criticized her. Democratic partisans have no interest in what you say about an issue if they perceive it as in any
way an attack or a criticism of a Democrat. If you are a third party advocate you can forget about being taken seriously on any
issue because you have already self identified as a Satanist and you need to be exorcised from the body politic. Even if you say
you support the Democrat as the lesser evil, you speak as one of the damned and deserve no mercy. Sanders played the game in 2016
exactly the way people said Nader should have played it and he and his supporters were still dismissed.
Like Nader before her, Stein is the absolute
worst traitor of all . Worse than Trump himself.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent.
Jill Stein is a Russian agent. https://t.co/qkDUe6yADd
Maddow cast suspicion on Stein's silence over alleged Russian attempts to interfere with the election to benefit Donald Trump, who
she claimed during her own campaign would govern no differently than Hillary Clinton.
"So everybody's like, 'Wow, how come this like super, super aggressive opposition that we saw from these third-party candidates
-- how come they haven't said anything since this scandal has broken?'" Maddow said.
"I don't know, Jill -- I can't pronounce it in Russian," Maddow said, with apparent sarcasm.
Bernie Sanders, OTOH, did everything he was told he should do. He supported the Democratic establishment candidate, and believed
the Russiagate story.
It has been clear to everyone (except Donald Trump) that Russia was deeply involved in the 2016 election and intends to be
involved in 2018. It is the American people who should be deciding the political future of our country, not Mr. Putin and the
Russian oligarchs.
However, Sanders had already committed the unforgivable
sin of criticizing the Democratic establishment candidate from the left. There is simply no way of coming back from that treason.
Despite his stance, Sanders has also been constantly presented as another Russian agent, with the Washington Post (11/12/17) asking
its readers, "When Russia interferes with the 2020 election on behalf of Democratic nominee Bernie Sanders, how will liberals
respond?" The message is clear: The progressive wave rising across America is and will be a consequence of Russia, not of the
failures of the system, nor of the Democrats.
It isn't just progressive politicians that are all traitors. Movements like Black Lives Matter are also traitors for Russia.
That's because you, Russia, funded riots in Ferguson. See 0 hour I have your connections to Trump archived via Schiller and
Scavino https://t.co/aTUDlCGkYi
If you are still confused about what is treason and what isn't, ask yourself the question: Does the issue advance the narrative
that the Democratic Party is a force for absolute good?
Oh my god: this is how deranged official Washington is. The President of the largest Dem Party think tank (funded in part by
dictators) genuinely believes Chelsea Manning's candidacy is a Kremlin plot. Conspiracy theorists thrive more in mainstream DC
than on internet fringes pic.twitter.com/e8g314iQHT
We still have the 2018 election, and then the long lead-up to the 2020 election. There is nothing to indicate that the rhetoric
won't get a lot more insane. The general indifference of the public doesn't seem to discourage the media and pundits. So how will
it likely look in Fall 2020? Probably like it looked in
1952 .
The purpose of advancing the Communist issue was not to fix the Communist problem -- it was to exploit that problem for political
and ideological advantage. That is how the Republican Party could produce its unhinged 1952 platform, which charged that the Democrats
"have shielded traitors to the Nation in high places," "work unceasingly to achieve their goal of national socialism," and "by
a long succession of vicious acts, so undermined the foundations of our Republic as to threaten its existence." (Does that kind
of talk strike you as overheated? Then you, too, are failing to take the Russia issue seriously.)
There is little to no danger for conservatives and Republicans. All of the danger is for progressives and socialists, and the
angry mob is the Democratic establishment trying to silence left-wing ideas. In comparison, the danger of the GOP to the left-wing
is trivial.
Russiagate officially started in 2015 long before the DNC hack and the Democratic primaries.
I'm finding it harder and harder to believe that people keep posting it as common knowledge and factual -- especially on this
site. Old dkos habits are hard to break, I guess. The speed at which the files were STOLEN prove it was done from within the network.
Not from Russia, or from a van parked down the street. I can only guess that the DNC can't reveal whose network account was used
to do so, because it would blow the bullshit lie of a hack out of the water.
The speed at which the files were STOLEN prove it was done from within the network. Not from Russia, or from a van parked
down the street. I can only guess that the DNC can't reveal whose network account was used to do so, because it would blow
the bullshit lie of a hack out of the water.
There was NO hack.
emphasis in original.
The term usually used by the perpetrator classes for this sort of thing is: "inside job" . And, as
with all other inside jobs, the question really is: "Who's the insider?"
"The easiest way to raise a revolutionary army is to use someone else's; especially if it belongs to your enemy." -- William Powell, The Anarchist Cookbook (1971), from memory
I've seen an article debunking the "hack was a leak" story, but it makes no difference anyway. In my book, the leak/hack just
created a more informed electorate, and that's good for American democracy.
@Deja
The truth is contained in the emails, not in their journey. Remember who else is telling you that the contents of the emails is
less important than how they got there - the Democrats.
@Deja
hypothesis has problems. Don't get me wrong, I think it holds more promise than the 'hack' hypothesis. But right now, really,
we got shit for proof either way? Would honestly look forward to your proof either way, sans the critique of the essayist. Might
I suggest that you criticize the point, not the person, please? Questions remain.
- DNC leak vs hack remains unproven (servers not provided)
- one party consent is complicated. On the tape, there was 3rd party on speaker phone. Were they in one party consent jurisdiction
as well?
- How was CNN able to confirm that this tape was recorded in NY?
in it. This is the point that matters to me. Assange has stated that the emails didn't come from Russia. Craig Murray said
that he was involved with the person who got the information from the DNC computers and that there was no connection to Russia.
The CIAs Vault 7 shows how evidence on computers can be manipulated to make it seem like someone's dawg did the deed. I think
it'd be very sloppy for trained hackers to leave their own footprints on the scene don't you think?
Finally there's the meeting that Assange's lawyer set up with congress for him to testify to congress and tell them where
he got the DNC emails that showed how they rigged the primary. Comey and Schaffer shot that down because it would have killed
Russia Gate. Dead and buried and the country could move on.
It matters profoundly. Knowing the facts surrounding critical political events or social earthquakes can be
epigenetic events. Hard truths can trigger conscious evolution while we are alive and your advanced gene expressions can be
physically inherited, changing the species.
By exercising our own critical thinking and working very hard to see through narratives to the core realities in the universe
and in all things -- we are physically evolving the species into better and more enlightened generations of humans.
In this case, it is NOT a matter of opinion. It is a matter of FACT. The physical proof that we have right now tells us
that the Wikileaks documents did not come from a "hack." We also have physical evidence that someone (no doubt Crowdstrike) manipulated
copies of the leaked documents and embedded awkward amateurish evidence to make them look like they were taken by a "Russian"
hacker. Here's how we know that:
Assange's diplomatic trip to the US in mid-2017 to testify before Congress and prove where the documents came from was
emergency-blocked by Comey and Rosenstein. As a consequence, Assange immediately released the extensive Vault 7 documents to the
American people so we could forensically recognize the signature techniques that the US intelligence agencies would use to alter
downloaded DNC documents and embed fake Russian "fingerprints." We have seen the physical evidence that that occurred.
The US has no real physical evidence of a Russian hack or they would never have released the fake evidence. Yet they continue
their attack to harm Russia's economy and the continue their attempts to provoke a hot war with Russia. The US motive for this
has nothing to do with their fake hacking narrative; it is about crippling Russia (and China) to forestall the rapid rise of Eurasia,
which is stripping the Neocons and war-profiteering corporations of their dream for the US to achieve total domination over all
other nations. The Entitled Elite want their New American Century back! Their Empire was supposed to rule the world....
If that is what your instincts tell you, you should trust them. It's a biological imperative.
It is the American people who should be deciding the political future of our country, not Mr. Putin and the Russian oligarchs.
Hey, Bernie. The American people were the ones who should have decided who won the primary, not Hillary, the DNC and the delegates.
That you are blaming Her loss on Russia instead of admitting that the American people rejected her makes you nothing more than
a democratic puppet. How embarrassing for you.
Every Black voter should abandon the DP until they apologize for their disrespect for the BLM and saying that they only started
protesting cops killing Blacks because Russia manipulated them into doing so.
Eichenwald thinks that our intelligence agencies are patriots who have spent their lives working on keeping us safe does he?
I agree with Dmitry Orlov's take on them.
The objective of US intelligence is to suck all remaining wealth out of the US and its allies and pocket as much of it as
possible while pretending to defend it from phantom aggressors by squandering nonexistent (borrowed) financial resources on
ineffective and overpriced military operations and weapons systems. Where the aggressors are not phantom, they are specially
organized for the purpose of having someone to fight: "moderate" terrorists and so on.
....
the US intelligence community has been doing a wonderful job of bankrupting the country and driving it toward financial, economic
and political collapse by forcing it to engage in an endless series of expensive and futile conflicts -- the largest single
continuous act of grand larceny the world has ever known. How that can possibly be an intelligent thing to do to your
own country, for any conceivable definition of "intelligence," I will leave for you to work out for yourself. While you
are at it, you might also want to come up with an improved definition of "treason": something better than " a skeptical attitude
toward preposterous, unproven claims made by those known to be perpetual liars. "
And let's not forget how many
coups
and false flag events they had a hand in creating that have cost so much misery and death.
One major advancement in their state of the art has been in moving from real false flag operations, ΰ la 9/11, to fake false
flag operations, ΰ la fake East Gouta chemical attack in Syria (since fully discredited). The Russian election meddling story
is perhaps the final step in this evolution: no New York skyscrapers or Syrian children were harmed in the process of concocting
this fake narrative, and it can be kept alive seemingly forever purely through the furious effort of numerous flapping lips.
It is now a pure confidence scam. If you are less then impressed with their invented narratives, then you are a conspiracy
theorist or, in the latest revision, a traitor.
The real puppets are the ones who believe in this silly story that Russia is pulling Trump's strings and that the GOP are also
Russian puppets. Good grief!
meaning the 'Russia Ruse'--IMO, has been an exercise in setting up a scenario under which the PtB can put in place a system
geared toward major social media 'censorship,' and, a face-saving exercise for FSC--just in case she decides to make a third
run in 2020. Heaven forbid!
Mollie/Blue Onyx (Reverting to my original handle)
"Every time I lose a dog, he takes a piece of my heart. Every new dog gifts me with a piece of his. Someday, my heart will
be total dog, and maybe then I will be just as generous, loving, and forgiving." ~~Author Unknown
"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments
are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." ~~Martin Luther King Jr.
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong." ~~W. R. Purche
"... has been an exercise in setting up a scenario under which the PtB can put in place a system geared toward major social
media 'censorship,'
Yup. Dan Coates directory of national intelligence came out and accused Russsia of engaging in a "messaging campaign". So how
does one stop this messaging campaign. Well, back in the day, the answer was to answer bad speech with more and better speech.
Well, with Russiagate both the media and dem/gop establishment have to come to demand censorship from the major social media
platforms. And they have responded. At first they actually didn't and thought the Russia charges were trivial. Until that is,
they were theatened by House and Senate reps. And then they hopped to it.
And just a number of days ago, Facebook proudly announced they took down some nefarious pages who seemed to be engaging in
a message campaign. And turns out they shut down a real group organizing an anti-fascist rally. There are other examples like
this.
The censorship will continue becoming more and more brazen. (BTW, youtube started ths process earlier demonitizing and hurting
a lot of popular, but alternative voices.)
BTW--the Young Turks showed the Coats clip and claimed "see the Russians are still hacking our elections".
I'm truly getting concerned regarding the direction our government appears to be taking when it comes to 'freedom of expression/speech.'
Strangely, many on the 'left' don't seem very concerned. Indeed, because the MSM is so intent on going after DT, many so-called
progressives--including the supposedly more liberal (cough, cough) lawmakers--have become major cheerleaders of the corporatist
media. Go figure.
Mollie/Blue Onyx (Reverting to my original handle)
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went." ~~Will Rogers
"Never, never be afraid to do what's right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society's punishments
are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way." ~~Martin Luther King Jr.
"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong." ~~W. R. Purche
as well as every other person in Trump's administration that is working against him. This is insubordination and if Trump continues
to let them run their mouths then I believe that he is in on this scam and is playing along with it. Why? Look at what has been
happening since he became president. From the increasing Russian sanctions to the internet censorship to the increased military
budget with money that goes to fighting cyber warfare and many other things that are being done because of this new and improved
false flag.
As you stated YouTube has been removing lots of videos, Facebook and Twitter have been censoring alternative media sites that
are not playing along with Russia Gate and Google changed its algorithms so that traffic to those sites are down up to 90% according
to WSWS.
I once thought that this would eventually be exposed for the scam it is, but not any more. It's here to stay. And just like
in 1984 where there was that place where history was changed to fit the narrative of the day, we are seeing that here. Things
that happened last decade are being blamed on Russia hacking. I wouldn't be surprised if the KKK and Jim Crow were blamed on Russia.
This is how out of control it's gotten. And I was so looking forward to seeing Rachel trying to explain to her viewers how she
got things so wrong.
@snoopydawg
His erratic actions are the perfect distraction for the capitalist pigs the same as the "Obama is a Kenyan Muslim Marxist Communist
Fascist Socialist Radical Leftist Feminazi SJW" crap that went on during the last capitalist puppet presidency. Either way, the
world still burns and the pigs make out like bandits in the process. Keeping the plebs at each other's throats is just a bonus
for them.
@snoopydawg
Remember whom you are discussing. Alas, you must be a Russian wolfhound to think R. Madcow could ever be wrong. Apologize, then
stand in the corner until after the midterms when the GRU hauls off recalcitrant Dims and Repugnants failing to swear fealty to
Vladimir Vladimirovich.
"Russiagate is like a mirage. It looks so real from a distance you'll swear it's there and mock anyone who says otherwise,
but once you get up close and examine its component parts you find it's made of nothing but innuendo, spin, unsubstantiated claims
and dishonest omissions.
2:45 PM · Aug 3, 2018"
"
@caitoz
·
Aug 3
Nothing wrong with wanting a full investigation. There's something very, very wrong with pressuring a US president to continually
escalate dangerous cold war tensions with a nuclear superpower without ever backing down based on an "idea" with no evidence.
"
@snoopydawg
Bernie will not be able to say "Oh evil Russia but let's not go to war with them." Diplomacy itself finally became full criminalized
and made tresonous when Trump meet Putin in Finland. Any level of moderation will be attacked as soft on Putin and treasonous.
And I write "pro-war" and not "anti-Russian". One cannot be anti-Russian in any moderate way. Being anti-Russian means supporting
a harsh and aggressive military stance toward their nation. The Russians are after all destroying Western civilization and this
cannot be meant with diplomacy.
And from what I can, every national democratic candidate for House and Senate will follow suite.
For reference, these are the only 10 senators who voted AGAINST giving Trump a $717 billion war budget:
Bernie Sanders
Elizabeth Warren
Ed Markey
Kirsten Gillibrand
Dick Durban
Kamala Harris
Jeff Merkley
Ron Wyden
Mike Lee (R)
Marco Rubio (R)
So much for #Resistance huh?
The others show that there are others out there that have seen through this propaganda crap. I'd like to see the breakdown
of Hillary supporters that believe Russia Gate and the Bernie supporters that don't. Most of the Trump supporters think it's phony
so what made Hillary's believe in something that everyone should be laughing at?
You deserve a lot of credit. Russia interfered in your favor, yet you are man enough to admit that they interfered. Thank
you Bernie!
So you plan to continue this McCarthy Russian BS? You didn't speak out when you got cheated in the primaries, and you didn't
seem to care that Hillary was using her own paid troll army. Integrity matters Bernie and you are losing yours.
You stopped speaking for me and millions of others when you caved to crooked HRC. No it was NOT clear that Russia was "deeply
involved in the election. What is CLEAR is your betrayal of your followers and cover up of the election fraud perpetrated by
DNC! Everybody knows...
Bernie, that's MIC propaganda. Stop helping it. There are millions of reasons Trump should not be president. We don't need
a hyped up corporate fairytale to make that point https://t.co/7FAwb47LtB
Democratic party jingoism in 2020 will be extra-ordinary with candidates each trying to out do each other how they will
fuck over Putin and the Russian nation. There will be a shit load of public loyalty testing against any third party candidate
by the democrats.
The democrats (and media cohorts) have become an apocolyptic death cult. The language that comes from them is infused with
the language of conspiracies, violence, treason, aggression and demonization.
And here is the thing, Bernie to survive electorally will have to become a cult member. Effectively he will have to be pro-war
with Russia. He will be giving from the the Left supposed support for aggressive action andmilitarism toward Russia.
I fear that if a democrat becomes president in 2020 (it won't be Bernie), is elected president that in the year of the midterms
in 2022, the US will start a real war with Russia which has a highly likehood of going nuclear.
"... Some things are now clearer though. The settled narrative has been for months that the initial 'Novichok' attack on the Skripals had been via a "gel" ..."
"... The government claims that the #Novichok poison was a "gel" smeared onto Sergei Skripal's "front door handle". If the #Novichok was in the form of a gel, how could it be in a perfume bottle which are only designed to hold liquids? pic.twitter.com/BV0pUY5uAM ..."
"... More importantly, if this narrative were to be accepted, it doesn't explain how long (several hours) the substance took to work, nor the fact that it became effective on both Skripals at precisely the same moment – despite the huge divergence in their size, weight, age, and state of health. ..."
"... Mr Rowley of course was a criminal – he had been imprisoned for possession of 11 wraps of heroin in Salisbury only a couple of years before – and is still a daily drug-user. In those circumstances, in any normal police investigation, Mr Rowley would himself be a suspect rather than only a victim in this crime. So far as we know this is not the case, though no-one can ask him in his safe house, even through his non-existent television or undelivered newspapers. ..."
"... American filmmaker and radio host Lee Stranahan, who works out of Washington DC, was a house guest of mine last week. During his brief visit to England, he took his camera to Salisbury. Without wishing to spoil the documentary he's working on, I know he won't mind me saying that of the dozens of people he spoke to at the heart of the crime scene, not a single one of them believed the state version of events. ..."
"... "Russian criminals," ..."
"... "Not the Russian state then?" ..."
"... "They are the least likely suspects," ..."
"... "It was Ukraine." ..."
"... "military-grade deadly nerve agent." ..."
"... Think your friends would be interested? Share this story! ..."
'Novichok' survivor Charlie Rowley is in a "safe house" but has been denied
access to television and newspapers, according to his brother. The ever-stranger case of the
Salisbury-Amesbury poisonings gets curiouser and curiouser. Whoever said 'Novichok' was a
"military-grade lethal nerve agent" doesn't know their tables.
For a program which Boris Johnson told us had been 10 years in the making, had cost
(presumably) millions of dollars to develop (and "train" agents to put poison on a
doorknob), a 20-percent success rate must have been a bitter disappointment.
Four out of five of those affected by 'Novichok' – Sergei and Yulia Skripal, Detective
Sergeant Bailey, and Charlie Rowley – have survived the contact, with only poor Dawn
Sturgess, a homeless alcoholic, succumbing to its "deadly" effects.
A polythene bag would have been a rather more effective method of assassination.
Moreover, so little of their "training" had the assassins absorbed that they
apparently "discarded" this valuable deadly nerve agent in a perfume bottle in a park,
coincidentally close to the bench on which the Skripals had been found slumped four months
previous. The bottle miraculously evaded the dragnet of "hundreds of anti-terror police"
working on the case. Thus discarded, the perfume bottle carelessly provided evidence which
could well lead to the indictment of the criminals involved. Doubtless
such carelessness was not in the Russian "training manual" that Mr Johnson said was in
the possession of British intelligence.
No information has emerged as to when or where Mr Rowley and/or the late Ms Sturgess
happened upon this perfume bottle, or why in the middle of the swirl of the Salisbury events
they picked it up, took it home, but either waited until the fateful day to spray it or
alternatively the bottle had lain unattended for weeks – even months – despite the
fine-tooth-comb search of the park by the authorities.
Some things are now clearer though. The settled narrative has been for months that the
initial 'Novichok' attack on the Skripals had been via a "gel" on their front doorknob
(in accordance with the manual and the 10-year training program). Not many believe this any
longer, although unfortunately the taxpayer is committed to a way-above-market-price compulsory
purchase of the house.
Apart from anything else, it is difficult to envisage a gel being dispensed via a spray from
a perfume bottle.
The government claims that the #Novichok poison
was a "gel" smeared onto Sergei Skripal's "front door handle".
If the #Novichok was in
the form of a gel, how could it be in a perfume bottle which are only designed to hold
liquids? pic.twitter.com/BV0pUY5uAM
More importantly, if this narrative were to be accepted, it doesn't explain how long
(several hours) the substance took to work, nor the fact that it became effective on both
Skripals at precisely the same moment – despite the huge divergence in their size,
weight, age, and state of health.
It has always seemed much more plausible to me that the Skripals were attacked either in the
restaurant where they had a leisurely full lunch, and where Mr Skripal was initially reported
as behaving oddly towards the end of the restaurant experience, or on the short walk from the
restaurant to the park bench, or on the bench itself. This would be far more consistent with
their simultaneous collapse and, of course, would explain the perfume bottle discarded
nearby.
The perfume bottle being thrown away at all casts significant doubt that this attack was by
a state (any state) actor at all, unless that state actor wanted the substance to be found and
wanted false inferences of its provenance to be drawn. It makes it much more likely to me at
least that the assailants sprayed something at the Skripals for criminal rather than political
purposes and for reasons we can only, for now, speculate upon.
Mr Rowley of course was a criminal – he had been imprisoned
for possession of 11 wraps of heroin in Salisbury only a couple of years before – and is
still a daily drug-user. In those circumstances, in any normal police investigation, Mr Rowley
would himself be a suspect rather than only a victim in this crime. So far as we know this is
not the case, though no-one can ask him in his safe house, even through his non-existent
television or undelivered newspapers.
It will be evident that I think little of the official state narrative in the
Salisbury-Amesbury affair, but you'd be surprised at the kind of people who agree with me.
American filmmaker and radio host Lee Stranahan, who works out of Washington DC, was a house
guest of mine last week. During his brief visit to England, he took his camera to Salisbury.
Without wishing to spoil the documentary he's working on, I know he won't mind me saying that
of the dozens of people he spoke to at the heart of the crime scene, not a single one of them
believed the state version of events.
I myself spoke to a senior British Army officer at a black-tie event in London last week.
There were hundreds of them there, so I'm not giving his identity away. He asked me, who did I
really think was responsible for the 'Novichok' affair?
"Russian criminals," I answered. "Not the Russian state then?" he pressed. "They are the least likely suspects," I said. At which point this heavily decorated soldier leant over and whispered in my ear, "It
was Ukraine."
He offered no evidence, I should say, and – but for his rank and position – I
wouldn't even bother relaying it. But that is what he said.
Finally, I wish to place on record another of my dissident views on this matter. I do not
believe that the substance used to attack the Skripals, and which we are told killed Ms
Sturgess, was 'Novichok' at all – or any other kind of "military-grade deadly nerve
agent." I am on the trail of this matter and you will be the first to know when I've found
it.
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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
George Galloway was a member of the British Parliament for nearly 30 years. He presents TV and radio shows (including
on RT). He is a film-maker, writer and a renowned orator.
"... As it happens, the same writer – Marco Giannangeli – had disseminated a parallel piece of palpable fiction on 1 September 2013, in the 'Sunday Express', in relation to the Ghouta 'false flag.' ..."
More evidence for the at least passive complicity of GCHQ – for which Matt Tait used
to work, and which Robert Hannigan used to run – in corrupt 'information operations'
comes in a report yesterday on CNN.
'Police have identified two suspects in the poisoning of former Russian double agent
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN
on Thursday.
'The pair left the UK in the wake of the attack on what is believed to have been a
commercial flight, the source added.
'Their departure was revealed in a coded Russian message to Moscow sent after the attack,
which was intercepted by a British base in Cyprus, the source said. The British government
blames the Skripals' poisoning on Russia.'
The base in question is high up in the Troodos mountains, and is formally run by the RAF
but actually a key resource for both GCHQ and NSA in monitoring communications over a wide
area. According to an internal document from the former organisation, it has 'long been
regarded as a 'Jewel in the Crown' by NSA as it offers unique access to the Levant, North
Africa, and Turkey'.
That the quote comes a report in 'The Intercept' in January 2016 revealing that one of the
uses of the Troodos facility is to intercept live video feeds from Israeli drones and fighter
jets brings out how paradoxical the world is. For it also appears to have emerged as an
important resource in 'information operations' in support of 'Borgist' agendas.
The claim about intercepts incriminating the Russians over the Salisbury incident was
first made in a piece by Marco Giannangeli in the Daily Express on 9 April, which followed up
the claims which Colonel de Bretton-Gordon had been instrumental in disseminating, and was
then widely picked up by the MSM.
It was headlined: 'REVEALED: The bombshell Russian message intercepted on DAY of Skripal
poisonings,' and opened: 'AN ELECTRONIC message to Moscow sent on the day former Russian spy
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury included
the phrase "the package has been delivered".'
Supposedly, this 'prompted a young Flight Lieutenant to recall a separate message that had
been intercepted and discounted on the previous day.' The messages were 'understood to have
formed "just one part" of the intelligence packet which later allowed Prime Minister Theresa
May to state it was "highly likely" that Russia was behind the attacks.'
As it happens, the same writer – Marco Giannangeli – had disseminated a
parallel piece of palpable fiction on 1 September 2013, in the 'Sunday Express', in relation
to the Ghouta 'false flag.'
This one was headlined, even more melodramatically, 'Senior Syrian military chiefs tell
captain: fire chemicals or be shot; BRITISH intelligence chiefs have intercepted radio
messages in which senior Syrian military chiefs are heard ordering the use of chemical
weapons.'
Part of the story of how bogus claims about 'smoking gun' evidence from 'SIGINT' were used
to support the attempt to use the Ghouta 'false flag' to inveigle the British and Americans
into destroying the Syrian government was told in my SST post on the incident. However, to
mix metaphors, I only scratched the surface of a can of worms.
In a report on the 'Daily Caller' site on 29 August 2013, Kenneth Timmerman claimed that
the sequence had started with an actual intercept by Unit 8200 – the Israeli equivalent
of GCHQ and NSA.
Claiming to base his account on Western intelligence sources, he suggested that:
'According to these officers, who served in top positions in the United States, Britain,
France, Israel, and Jordan, a Syrian military communication intercepted by Israel's famed
Unit 8200 electronic intelligence outfit has been doctored so that it leads a reader to just
the opposite conclusion reached by the original report.'
While I am not in a position to establish whether his claim is or is not accurate, an AP
report on the same day quoted 'U.S. intelligence officials' explaining that 'an intercept of
Syrian military officials discussing the strike was among low-level staff, with no direct
evidence tying the attack back to an Assad insider or even a senior Syrian commander'.
Meanwhile, Timmerman's claim that 'The doctored report was picked up on Israel's Channel 2
TV on Aug. 24, then by Focus magazine in Germany, the Times of Israel, and eventually by The
Cable in Washington, DC' is supported by links to the relevant stories, which say what he
claims they say.
Moreover, it seems clear that the 1 September 2013 report was an attempt to counter a
– somewhat devastating – critique made in a 31 August post entitled 'The Troodos
Conundrum' by the former British Ambassador Craig Murray, who had been closely involved with
the facility during his time at the Foreign Office (and has written invaluable material on
the Salisbury incident.)
Precisely because of the closeness of the GCHQ/NSA collaboration, Murray brought out,
there was indeed a major problem explaining why claims about 'SIGINT' had been central to the
case made in the 'Government Assessment' released by the White House on 30 August 2013, but
not even mentioned in the Joint Intelligence Community 'Assessment' produced two days
before.
The answer, Murray suggested, was that the 'intelligence' came from Mossad, and so would
not have been automatically shared with the British. But, given the superior capabilities of
Troodos, if Mossad had it, the British should have also. So his claims 'meshed' with those by
Timmerman and the AP, and the 'Express' report looks like a lame attempt at a cover-up.
Again however, one finds the world is a paradoxical place. As I noted in my SST post,
detailed demolitions of the claims about 'SIGINT' in relation to Ghouta were provided both
Seymour Hersh, in the 'Whose sarin?' article, and also on the 'Who Attacked Ghouta?' site
masterminded by one 'sasa wawa.'
Later, it became clear that this was likely to be the Israeli technology entrepreneur Saar
Wilf, a former employee of Unit 8200. So this may – or may not – be an indication
of deep divisions within Israeli intelligence.
Between 18 March and 31 April, a fascinating series of posts on the Salisbury incident
appeared on the 'Vineyard of the Saker' blog. The author, who used the name 'sushi', was a
self-professed IT professsional, who had however obviously acquired an extensive familiarity
with 'chemical forensics' and appeared to have some experience of 'SIGINT.'
In a 14 April post, 'sushi' produced a dismissal of the claims about 'SIGINT' implicating
the Russians over the Salisbury incident quite as contemptuous as that which 'sasa wawa' had
produced in relation to the claims about it incriminating the Syrian government over
Ghouta.
Pointing to the implausibility of the story disseminated by the 'Express', he remarked
that:
'It is doubted that any message traffic is processed on Cyprus. It is more likely that the
entire take is transmitted back to GCHQ in Cheltenham via a fibre optic link. There exabytes
of take are processed, not by a bored flight lieutenant, but by banks of high speed
computers.
'Clearly someone in Cheltenham has committed a programming error. Anyone with any
knowledge of secret communications knows that the code phrase used to confirm a murder in
Salisbury is "small pizza, no anchovies." '
Interestingly, another paper in the 'Express' group made a parallel claim in relation to
the Khan Sheikhoun incident to that about the Ghouta incident, but the story was not picked
up and may indeed have been suppressed.
On 9 April, the paper published a report headlined 'Brit spies' lead role in Syrian air
strikes; RAF BASE IS 'WEAPON.' This claimed that 'within an hour of the airstrike', Troodos
had intercepted communications revealing that nerve gas had been used, and had been delivered
by jets from the Syrian Arab Air Force's Shayrat Air Base.
I was drafting a response to the comment by 'Barbara Ann' – thanks for the link to
the recent posts by Adam Carter – before going out. Returning and reading some very
interesting comments, I think what I wanted to say has more general relevance.
One reason I am reading so much into 'this Dzerzhinsky thing' is the body of accumulating
evidence that people like Tait are part of a system of networks which combine
sanctimoniousness, corruption and stupidity in about equal measures. So some more examples
may be to the point.
Different cases in which I have taken an interest come together in a post by Tait on the
'Lawfare' site on 13 March, entitled 'U.K. Prime Minister's Speech on the Russian Poisoning
of Sergei Skripal: Decoding the Signals.'
In support of the claim that in accusing Russia of a pioneering act of chemical terrorism
Theresa May was relying upon accurate analysis from the 'U.K. intelligence community', Tait
wrote that:
'May then explained that Skripal was poisoned by a "military-grade nerve agent of a type
developed by Russia one of a group of nerve agents known as 'Novichok.'" She is laying out
the basic groundwork for the government's attribution to a nation state and, more
specifically, Russia. At Porton Down, the U.K. has one of the world's best forensic labs for
analyzing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. With the poisoning of Alexander
Litvinenko in 2006, this lab not only established that Polonium-210 was used but also which
reactor in Russia it came from.'
In the event, as is by now well know, Boris Johnson's claim that Porton Down scientists
had told him that the agent which poisoned the Skripals came from Russia was specifically
repudiated by the head of that organisation, Gary Aitkenhead, on 3 April. Our Foreign
Secretary told a flagrant lie, and was exposed.
As I have shown in previous posts on this site, the 'Inquiry' conducted by Sir Robert Owen
into the death of Litvinenko was patently corrupt. Moreover, it seems highly likely that, in
fabricating 'evidence' to cover up what actually happened, Christopher Steele was doing a
'dry-run' for the fabrication of material in the dossier published by 'BuzzFeed.'
In fact, however, Owen's report made quite clear that the role of Porton Down was
marginal. Furthermore, 'Scientist A1' from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston
quite specifically rejected the claim that 'impurity profiling' made it possible to establish
that the source of the polonium was the Avangard facility at Sarov, her arguments being
accepted by Owen. Either Tait has not bothered to read the report or very much of the
coverage, or he is lying.
What Porton Down did do was to use 'impurity profiling', which can produce 'spectra'
identifying even the tiniest traces of substances, to frustrate the attempt to use the 'false
flag' attack at Ghouta on 21 August 2013 to inveigle the American and British governments
into destroying the Assad 'régime' and handing the country over to jihadists.
It may well be that this display of competence and integrity led to a 'clampdown' at the
organisation, which encouraged Boris Johnson to believe he could get away with lying about
what its scientists told him.
A general pattern which emerges is that the same small group of 'disinformation peddlers'
resurfaces in different contexts – and the pattern whereby 'private security companies'
are used to create a spurious impression of independence also recurs.
As I bring out in my piece on Ghouta, two figures who were critical in shaping the
'narrative' acccording to which Syrian government responsibility for the atrocity had been
conclusively proved, were Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, formerly the former commanding
officer of the UK Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, and also NATO's
Rapid Reaction CBRN Battalion, and Dan Kaszeta.
Immediately after the story of the poisoning of the Skripals on 4 March broke, the same
duo reappeared, and have been as critical to shaping the 'narrative' about the later incident
as they were to that about the former.
(For the piece by Kaszeta on 'Bellingcat' which introduced the 'Novichok' theme four days
later, see
https://www.bellingcat.com/... .)
This makes it particular interesting to look at the website of Kaszeta's consultancy,
'Strongpoint Security Limited', in conjunction with the 'Companies House' documentation on
the company.
One would have thought from the website that his company was a small, but hardly
insignificant, player, in the field of 'physical and operational security.' As it happens,
having filed 'Total exemption small company accounts' since its incorporation in May 2011,
last December it filed 'Micro company accounts' for the year to 31 May 2017.
With a turnover of £20,000, staff costs of a bit more than half of that, and a
profit of £394, we can see that although unlike Matt Tait's, Kaszeta's company did
trade, if indeed it was his sole source of income, this pivotal figure in Anglo-American
'disinformation operations' was living on something less than $15,000 a year, at current
exchange rates. (Pull the other one, as we say in Britain.)
This is all the more ironic, as the website brings out quite how critical a figure Kaszeta
has been in obscuring the truth. From the bio he gives, we learn that having started as a
Chemical Officer in the U.S. Army, he worked for 12 years in the White House, dealing with
CBRN matters, before moving to Britain in 2008.
Among the articles to which he links on the site, we see his response in 'NOW Lebanon' in
December 2013 to Hersh's original 'Whose sarin?' piece on Ghouta, -- in which Kaszeta first
introduced the famous 'hexamine hypothesis.'
This – patently preposterous – suggestion that the presence of a single
'impurity' is a 'smoking gun' incriminating the Syrian government has echoed on into the
clearly corrupt OPCW documents purporting to demonstrate that it was responsible for the 4
April 2017 Khan Sheikhoun attack.
Of some interest in understanding where Kaszeta he is coming from is what he describes as
his 'oldest (and most footnoted on Wikipedia)' piece, which is an article published in 1988
on a site called 'Lituanus', on 'Lithuanian Resistance to Foreign Occupation 1940-52.'
As to Colonel de Bretton-Gordon, it is of interest to look at the attempt to 'finger' the
GRU over the Skripal poisoning published under the title 'UK Poisoning Inquiry turns to
Russian Agency in Mueller Indictments' in the 'New York Times' last Sunday, and the response
by the Russian Embassy in London to a question about it.
The response objects that 'while the British authorities keep concealing all information
concerning the investigation into the Salisbury incident, the newspaper has quoted "one
former US official familiar with the inquiry".'
It also asserts that that crucial evidence which has not been made available to the
Russians – and here, as with Ghouta and Khan Sheikhoun, the results of 'impurity
profiling' are critical – appears to have been shared not just with inappropriate
Americans, but with all kinds of others.
And indeed, the Embassy is quite right in suggesting that the claim made by the supposed
creator of 'Novichok', Vladimir Uglev, to the BBC in April about 'all the spectrum data I was
sent recently' has neither been confirmed nor denied. This seems a general pattern –
the 'spectra' which may actually be able to provide definitive answers to questions of
responsibility are only provided to people who can be relied upon to give the 'right'
answers.
The Embassy response also quite fairly refers to a report in the 'Times' also in April,
about the 'intelligence' which had been 'used to persuade world leaders that Moscow was
behind the poisoning' and that the 'Novichok' had been manufactured at the Shikhany facility
at in southwest Russia, which stated that de Bretton-Gordon, 'who had seen the intelligence,
called it very compelling.' He has a long history of lying about CW in Syria – so is
obviously the right person to lie about them in the UK.
It thus becomes interesting to probe into what lies behind the opening of de
Bretton-Gordon's entry on the 'Military Speakers' website ('Real Heroes; Real Stories.')
According to this, he is 'Chief Operating Office of SecureBio Ltd a commercial company
offering CBRN Resilience, consultancy and deployable capabilities.'
From 'Companies House', we learn that the liquidation of 'Secure Bio', which started in in
June 2015, was concluded in August last year. The really interesting thing about the records,
however, is that at the time of the liquidation the company had very large debts, which were
written off, of a kind and in a manner which suggested that de Bretton-Gordon's activities
may have been largely funded by loans from untraceable sources which were not meant to be
repaid.
Actually, with the 'NYT' report we come full circle. Among those quoted is Mark Galeotti
– apparently his admission that he had totally misrepresented the thinking of the
Russian General Staff has not him made more cautious about making extravagant claims about
its Main Intelligence Directorate (misreported as Main Directorate by the 'NYT.')
Also quoted are two figures who play key roles in Owen's Report – the Soviet era-GRU
defector 'Viktor Suvorov' (real name 'Vladimir Rezun') and the former KGB operative Yuri
Shvets. Both of these feature prominently in the posts on the Litvinenko affair to which I
have linked, and both were key members of the 'information operations' network centred around
the late Boris Berezovsky. This now seems to have taken control of American policy, as of
British.
The role of 'Suvorov'/Rezun in attempting to defend the interpretations of Stalin's policy
put forward by MI6 in the run-up to the Second World War, and those asserted later by General
Keitel, and the way he was demolished by the leading American historian of the War in the
East, Colonel David Glantz, and the Israeli historian Gabriel Gorodetsky, is too large a
subject to go into here.
However, it provides further reason to wonder whether the misreadings of Stalin's policy
which caused MI6 to give advice to Chamberlain which helped destroy the last chances of
preventing the Nazi-Soviet Pact, may still be the 'house view' of that organisation. It was,
obviously, the Pact which spelled 'curtains' both for Poland and the Baltics.
There is a pattern of abuse of formerly well regarded institutions to achieve the
propaganda aims of the Deep State establishment. The depths that were plumbed to push the
Iraq WMD falsehoods are well known. Yet no one was held to account nor was there any honest
accounting of the abuse. There have been pretenses like the Owen inquiry that you note.
We see the same situation of sweeping under the rug malfeasance and even outright
criminality through obfuscation and obstruction in the case of the meddling in the 2016
election by top officials in intelligence and law enforcement. Clearly less and less people
are buying what the Deep State sells despite their overwhelming control of the media
channels.
It seems that we are marching towards a credibility crisis similar to what was experienced
in the Soviet Union when no one trusted the contents in Pravda.
What is to be gained by the leadership in Britain in promoting these biological weapons
cases since Litvinenko? In the US it is quite apparent that the Deep State have become
extremely powerful and the likelihood that Trump recognizes that resistance is futile is very
high. Schumer may be proven right that they have six ways from Sunday to make you kowtow to
their dictats.
"... Look at the case, frequently discussed here, of British intelligence services and the fake rock , which had the guts of a Blackberry cellular telephone inside it, in Moscow. This 'rock' was strategically situated so that intelligence assets (you only call them 'traitors' if they are western citizens; Russians who betray their country are dissident heroes) could stroll past and flip messages to the rock, and every so often, British intelligence services could remotely extract it; the 'rock' only had to be touched to charge the batteries. ..."
"... But that was six years after the fact. For six years the British stonewalled and denied, and acted hurt that anyone would believe such an obvious Russian-bullshit story ..."
"... Tony Blair, for example, has never to the best of my knowledge admitted to having lied to influence public opinion in the UK in favour of committing with its partner, the United States, to the Iraq War, which was such a smorgasbord of lies that the weapons-of-mass-destruction whopper was only the biggest. Iraq was wrecked, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and the liars were never punished, nor ever in fact admitted their guilt. In cases where the guilty must begrudgingly admit they lied, nobody does anything about it, the firebolts of celestial retribution never appear, and the liars go on to lie some more with increased confidence. An eager and gullible audience is always ready to swallow some more horseshit. ..."
"... Like now, with the Skripal case. We are supposed to believe mysterious Russian assassins daubed Novichok nerve agent on the Skripals' front doorknob, which transferred to their hands, and then they drove downtown, enjoyed a good meal in a restaurant, and then started feeling poorly, and collapsed on a public bench, victims of a nerve agent much more toxic than VX. Five to eight times, says FOX News . ..."
"... But the Skripals did not die. They were carefully shielded and monitored by the British security services so that they could not be questioned by the public, but they did not die. ..."
"... Perhaps of greatest concern, if chemical-weapons professionals were aware that Novichok could persist in deadly concentrations for months that it was specially engineered to be not only virtually undetectable by NATO sensors, but to remain deadly through the deleterious effects of the elements why did they say nothing when the dozy police assured the public that it was in absolutely no danger? ..."
"... This article is a timely reminder that the UK never stopped fighting the Cold War. I had forgotten about the embarrassing spy rock incident. The (labour) government lies were accepted without question by the media. ..."
"... The Novichok issue fits into this pattern of behaviour. ..."
Uncle Volodya says, "Stupidity is the same as evil, if you judge by the results."
I've been waiting for something to happen for a day, or a week, or a year; with the blood in the ink of the headlines
and the roar of the crowd in my ears. You might ask what it takes to remember but you know that you've seen it before;
when a government lies to a people and a country is drifting to war
Jackson Browne, from "Lives in the Balance"
"People never lie so much as after a hunt, during a war, or before an election."
Otto von Bismarck
During an hour or so of poring over quotes about lying (of course I don't make these up myself), before the snatch of lyric from
"Lives in the Balance" floated into my memory unbidden, I was struck as never before by the prevalence of belief in the
truth always coming out. Lyric after quote after stanza has it that you can lie and lie and lie, but eventually the truth will always
surface, and the liar will be caught.
Is that true? Was it ever true? Perhaps among the congenitally stupid, who labour simultaneously under their guilt and
a suspicion that smarter people (which is everybody else) can read minds; I'm reminded of a story which was set in the American southern
states, in which the probable perpetrator of some petty crime or other was brought into the rural sheriff's office for questioning.
He was told that he must take a lie-detector test. Accordingly, a metal colander, such as is used for washing salad ingredients,
was placed on his head, with wires from it leading to the photocopier. The deputies had put a piece of paper in the copier which
read, "He's Lying!!", and whenever they asked the suspect a question, they would press the 'print' button following the answer, and
out would come a paper which averred that the answer was a lie, which they would show to him. Eventually, confronted with his tapestry
of falsehoods and under the apprehension that he was being measured by other-worldly technology, he confessed. But the local law
enforcement was already well aware that he was guilty they just wanted a confession.
So, perhaps in circumstances like that, in which the liar is a desperate fool, perhaps then the truth always comes out. But in
reality, not only does truth almost never come out, it only does when all possibility of further elaboration on existing lies has
been exhausted. But here's the real kicker when the truth does come out, we are led by philosophers to believe that evangelical
vengeance will be swift to follow. Does that really happen? Perhaps after the liar is dead, he or she goes someplace featuring a
dancing-flames motif, where he or she is prodded the livelong day by imps with little pitchforks. But that sort of forestalls the
satisfaction of justice done in the here and now punishment delayed is punishment denied, am I right?
Look at the case, frequently discussed here, of
British intelligence services and
the fake rock , which had the guts of a Blackberry cellular telephone inside it, in Moscow. This 'rock' was strategically situated
so that intelligence assets (you only call them 'traitors' if they are western citizens; Russians who betray their country are dissident
heroes) could stroll past and flip messages to the rock, and every so often, British intelligence services could remotely extract
it; the 'rock' only had to be touched to charge the batteries.
But that was six years after the fact. For six years the British stonewalled and denied, and acted hurt that anyone would believe
such an obvious Russian-bullshit story; the Foreign Office
scornfully retorted , "We are concerned and surprised
at these allegations. We reject any allegation of improper conduct in our dealing with Russian NGO's ." So receiving surreptitious
messages through a styrofoam rock is just the above-board, in-plain-sight honest dialogue in which foreign embassies everywhere engage;
why the outrage? And when Britain finally admitted what had been going on, minus all the holier-than-thou gilding of trying to build
a better world with Russia through an active and engaged civil society absolutely nothing was done. Not only does the truth not necessarily
ever come out Tony Blair, for example, has never to the best of my knowledge admitted to having lied to influence public opinion
in the UK in favour of committing with its partner, the United States, to the Iraq War, which was such a smorgasbord of lies that
the weapons-of-mass-destruction whopper was only the biggest. Iraq was wrecked, hundreds of thousands of people were killed, and
the liars were never punished, nor ever in fact admitted their guilt. In cases where the guilty must begrudgingly admit they lied,
nobody does anything about it, the firebolts of celestial retribution never appear, and the liars go on to lie some more with increased
confidence. An eager and gullible audience is always ready to swallow some more horseshit.
Like now, with the Skripal case. We are supposed to believe mysterious Russian assassins daubed Novichok nerve agent on the Skripals'
front doorknob, which transferred to their hands, and then they drove downtown, enjoyed a good meal in a restaurant, and then started
feeling poorly, and collapsed on a public bench, victims of a nerve agent much more toxic than VX. Five to eight times,
says FOX News . Ten times more deadly than its better-known predecessors, says Anne Applebaum. But the Skripals did not die.
They were carefully shielded and monitored by the British security services so that they could not be questioned by the public, but
they did not die.
And that's possible in the case of a mild dose of, say, VX (much less deadly than Novichok, remember), as a liquid through a
skin-contact vector, it might take up to two hours for symptoms (local sweating and muscular twitching) to appear, according to the
US Army's Armament, Munitions and Chemical Command Chemical Research, Development and Engineering Center's
Reigle Report . The trouble with that scenario
as applied to the Skripals is that the duration of those effects would be about 3 days for a mild exposure, and 5 days for a severe
exposure. The Skripals showed no such effects; they ate dinner in what must have been to all appearances a normal fashion, and then
collapsed unconscious on a bench outside. Some accounts suggested they had a quantity of foam around their mouths, which might result
from salivation. At least one report says Yulia Skripal had vomited. No reports mentioned excessive sweating and muscular twitching,
both of which are hallmarks of nerve-agent poisoning via liquid (as opposed to gas) exposure through the skin.
There are a couple of other problems with the British approach. We've all seen the pictures of the chemical-warfare types in their
green dung-beetle suits, meticulously taking samples, while unprotected firemen in simple turnout gear with no masks or breathing
apparatus stood just a couple of feet away. VX as a liquid could become a gas, but it'd have to be pretty hot. If that happened,
it would not be persistent beyond a couple of hours. VX as a liquid, under very cold conditions, can actually persist for a couple
of months. Quite a bit colder than it typically is in even England, though, in spring and summer.
Daily averages for Salisbury, UK in March are
above freezing, an average of about 45F, and it customarily gets much warmer going into summer. So you can't have it both ways
if it's a liquid, it's more persistent in its toxicity over time, but that effect is greatly attenuated by temperature. If it's a
gas, breathing apparatus for anyone who might be exposed is an absolute rule.
Another discrepancy came up, in
a timeline of the Skripals'
movements . They left the father's home at some time close to but prior to 1:30 PM, and drove into town. This, it is estimated,
would take about 10 to 15 minutes. They are observed by CCTV entering a multi-story car park in Salisbury at around 1:32 PM. Here
one of the Skripals both of whom apparently touched the front doorknob on the way out, the second one perhaps just for luck then
touched the ticket machine with their bare hand. This machine remained unchecked for 8 days after the event. How many other people
touched it between that time and the time anyone checked it for toxicity? Yet nobody else showed any symptoms.
It was an extremely oddball event, which continues to inspire skeptical questions and scornful refutations. But I don't want to
get too bogged-down in the Skripal affair instead, I want to focus a bit on the more recent incident, the 'poisoning' of Dawn Sturgess
and Charles Rowley, in nearby Amesbury. This incident, also, has featured a wildly-improbable British-government narrative and skeptical
questioning, and one of the foremost skeptical questions has been "How the hell could a nerve agent that did not kill the people
who were its targets accidentally kill a chance victim four months later?"
Enter, stage left, the American Chemical Weapons Expert, who announces that
Novichok was specially engineered to remain persistent over a long time . So that it could, you know, kill incidental victims
months later and further incriminate the country where it is supposed to have originated. That's why it is the go-to poison for Russian
assassins. It might not kill the people you wanted to kill, but it could kill someone totally unrelated, months later. True story.
There are a few things you should know about the expert quoted, Dan Kaszeta. One, he's the Managing Director of
Strongpoint Security (it seems like all the UK's
go-to commentators are executives in the security industry, like FireEye or Crowdstrike). Sounding off in the media, taking a position
which unreservedly supports the government narrative no matter how nutty it is is a good way to get noticed in the security business,
and Strongpoint is a fairly new operation. Two, he's the
resident CBRN expert at Bellingcat . Three, he is not a Trump fan,
broadcasting for his anti-Trump audience
how the President of the United States' motorcade and security detail might be confused, frustrated and sidetracked so that he would
get the message he was not welcome. I can hardly fault Kaszeta for that, since Trump is over-the-top unpopular just about everywhere
he goes, but it's a little unusual to see a former White-House consultant handing out advice on how to screw up a White House visit.
Four, he is a much bigger noise on the CBRN front than you might have imagined if you've never heard of him before, confidently
chatting up the wide-eyed press corps on all things chemical-warfare. And always supporting the UK government's contention that Novichok
was always Russian, only Russian, and that it could not have been anyone else. Here he is,
letting the WBUR
Boston audience know in no uncertain terms, "I don't know anybody who knows how to make it except these guys in Russia. They've
been a deep, dark secret." But their purported engineer, Vil Marzayanov,
claimed their precursors were
ordinary organophosphates which are commercially available; "One should be mindful that the chemical components or precursors
of A-232 and its binary version novichok-5 are ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical companies that manufacture
fertilizers and pesticides [nerve agents, after all, arose from research into pesticides and are really advanced versions of
pesticides]. In my opinion, this research program was premised on the ability to hide the production of precursor chemicals under
the guise of legitimate commercial chemical production of agricultural chemicals . And if America was concerned that its manufacture
was devious and covert, it is kind of difficult to imagine why an American publisher
published a book which featured the
formula for making it, courtesy of Marzayanov, and which anyone can obtain for around $30.00. Is that how you keep something
a deep, dark secret? And obviously the Defense Research establishment at Porton Down, only a couple of miles from the site of the
Salisbury poisoning, had samples of Novichok, since they were able to identify it in a couple of hours. It's beginning to shape up
like the worst-kept deep dark secret in the world.
According to Dan, the Soviets wanted to engineer chemical agents that NATO equipment could not detect. Gosh! Those tricky sons
of bitches. So then they engineered it to be extra-persistent, so it would stay around for months, just to make it fair, so NATO
could have lots of time to take more samples. The thing is, the whole raison d'etre of a nerve agent is that it be non
-persistent; you want it to rapidly and efficiently kill off the enemy, but you want to move your own troops into that same
area in a matter of days, to consolidate your gains and establish your own military presence. Months just doesn't cut it.
Asked why an assassin would use such a distinctive agent, pointing straight back at his own country, Dan suggests that given the
historic secrecy of the project, someone might have reasoned that it would go undetected. Uh huh; sure the Stimson Report came
out in 1995. And the agent used is 'specially engineered to remain a toxic menace for months'.
Here's Dan again , backstopping the White House's assertion that only Assad could have been behind an alleged sarin gas attack
at Khan Sheikhoun; the Russian version, he says, is "highly implausible". "Nerve agents are the result of a very expensive, exotic,
industrial chemical process -- these are not something you just whip up." Oh, dear put John Gilbert, senior science fellow
at the Centre for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, in the "Disagree" column: he says
all you would need to make sarin
is about a 200 square-foot room and a competent chemist.
Two other attributes compound sarin's insidiousness. First, it's not especially hard to produce, in terms of both resources
and expertise. "A competent chemist could make it, and possibly very quickly, in a matter of days," says John Gilbert, a senior science
fellow at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, who spent much of his Air Force career assessing countries' WMD capabilities.
Producing sarin doesn't require any kind of massive facility; a roughly 200 square foot room would do.
According to Dan
yet again, this time in the Los Angeles Times one form of Novichok is as a solid at normal temperatures, and it
might have been deployed as a dust or powder. Uh huh, might have been. But (a) that would have been the least-persistent method except
for as a gas, it would never have lasted four months outside, through rain, and (b) not even a rummy like Charles Rowley would have
tried to pawn off a bottle of dust to his girlfriend as perfume.
Because here we are again, at another 'Novichok' poisoning, and Dan helpfully dispels the myth that Novichok would not still be
around and deadly after four months, by announcing the Soviets specially engineered it to do just that. And not only that they
made it especially for contaminating large areas of land, such as ports, and equipment, like tanks, so that they would be dangerous
for months. That was supposedly 'the idea' when they were developed.
Horseshit. Nerve agents are most effective against unprotected troops in the open, and if you want to contaminate an area the
size of a port, the only possible way you could do it would be with a spray the least persistent form of all. All organophospate-based
nerve agents can be effectively dealt with before unprotected personnel are exposed by spraying and washing contaminated areas
with water; moisture makes them break down quickly. Nobody has engineered a miracle waterproof organophosphate nerve agent. Once
nerve agents are known to have been used, troops in the field are in TOPP (Threat-Oriented Protective Posture) Medium at least, in
full chem suits with breathing apparatus available for rapid donning. Nerve agents were not developed as a weapon of covert assassination,
although they have definitely been used in that role; they were developed as a weapon of mass destruction to be used against a military
adversary who presumably is trained in CBRN countermeasures. They were not developed to spray tanks, in the hope that some mook would
put his bare hand on it two months later, and fall over jerking and drooling. How the fuck would you disperse enough nerve agent
to contaminate an airfield? Fly over with a water-bomber and drench it from end to end? You don't think that might offer a bit of
a clue? If you want to disperse a large amount of nerve agent, it will have to be vaporized, and it will have to be carried in the
dispersal vehicle as a liquid. Liquids are heavy the more you want to disperse, the bigger your dispersal vehicle will have to
be. The Soviet Union developed gas warheads, to be used on a ballistic missile, but if you can land a gas warhead next to an airfield
you might as well go the whole nine yards and blow it up, because a warhead that lies there hissing and dispersing a cloud of vapour
is kind of a giveaway. Unless, of course, you only want to kill the military personnel in the area, and not damage the airfield,
so you can quickly take it over and deploy your own aircraft from it. In which instance you would have been pretty stupid to envelope
it in a toxic nerve agent that is still going to be active next spring. And the whole idea of a nerve agent is to deploy a small
amount of it, using an unobtrusive dispersal vehicle, so as not to call attention to it until personnel in the target area are affected.
It's nice of Dan to try and fill in the blanks the way he did, but there are just too many blanks. The latest story from HM government
is that a perfume bottle was found in Charles Rowley's home, and tests revealed surprise! that it contained Novichok. The story
is that Rowley found it in Queen Elizabeth Park. Somehow, Dawn Sturgess is supposed to have sprayed the contents of the bottle on
her wrists and face, like perfume. Oops! now it's an aerosol, the fastest-acting form of nerve agent, and she probably would have
been affected in minutes at most, not hours. But she was not at Rowley's home, where the bottle was supposedly discovered. So he
either took the bottle with him to meet her, and after noticing her exhibiting symptoms of nerve-agent poisoning, took the bottle
home with him and put it in his house, or they were both affected at roughly the same time, and somebody thoughtfully posted the
bottle to his home address. If she was poisoned at his house, she would not likely have made it out.; remember, it was dispersed
as a vapor. So there is a question as to how the bottle got there, and another as to how it laid there in the park for nearly four
months, until Rowley discovered it.
And how it remained powerful enough to kill after all that time, when the fresh-off-the-shelf
Novichok, four months previously, failed to kill the Skripals. Not to mention how it got there in the first place are we supposed
to believe that highly-trained assassins straight from the Kremlin did the Skripal job, and then tossed away their backup supply
in a local park?
Perhaps of greatest concern, if chemical-weapons professionals were aware that Novichok could persist in deadly concentrations
for months that it was specially engineered to be not only virtually undetectable by NATO sensors, but to remain deadly through
the deleterious effects of the elements why did they say nothing when the dozy police assured the public that it was in absolutely
no danger?
Thanks, Al! Yes, Britain like the USA has a reliable stable of current and ex-military officers
to call upon whenever the broader public starts getting inquisitive or uncomfortable with the official storyline, to get us
back on the path with the uncompromising guarantee of military experience and exotic knowledge the average yokel can never
hope to possess.
General (Ret'd) Wesley Clark, for example, the affable and polished talking head for CNN during the Iraq War
and onetime presidential candidate.
Yes, the term CBRN replaced the old NBCD, Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Defense.
This article is a timely reminder that the UK never stopped fighting the Cold War.
I had forgotten about the embarrassing spy rock incident. The (labour) government lies were accepted without question by the
media.
The Novichok issue fits into this pattern of behaviour.
Thanks for posting those links. I just had a look at Vanessa Beeley's blog and found a
link to an article on how Western NGOs and terrorist groups hire Syrian refugees as actors in
their videos through social media sites (in particular social media sites that advertise
jobs).
Unfortunately (and understandably perhaps, given the risk that might be involved) the
people at Inside Syria Media Center did not go far enough in their investigation to find out
where the money to pay the actors in these "documentaries" comes from.
"... You don't need to "evacuate" aid workers & paramedics, because they have nothing to offer, nothing to fear and want to stay and help people. You DO evacuate special forces & trained proxies. Because you spent money putting them there and the last thing you want is them getting caught or killed. ..."
"... So this is basically a brilliant way of getting hundreds of key ISIS figures our of Syria and resettled into Western countries. Just tidy them up and give them a white helmet. Do these sound like White Helmets to you? ..."
"... Who cares what actually happens to the real White Helmets, the West certainly don't. Especially as the real White Helmets and their families were mainly up in the north, Idlib, hundreds of miles from the Israeli border with no way of getting there. This is a sham. The key ISIS operatives are getting out via Israel while the ones that don't matter are on buses to Idlib, currently blocked as they try to pass through Iranian controlled territory. ..."
White Helmets "Rescued" By Israel Via Golan Heights In Overnight Operation
why?
You don't need to "evacuate" aid workers & paramedics, because they have nothing
to offer, nothing to fear and want to stay and help people. You DO evacuate special forces
& trained proxies. Because you spent money putting them there and the last thing you want
is them getting caught or killed.
So this is basically a brilliant way of getting hundreds of key ISIS figures our of
Syria and resettled into Western countries. Just tidy them up and give them a white helmet.
Do these sound like White Helmets to you?
Maadeh Nassar "The Commander of the 'Golan Knights Brigade", Ahmad Al-Nuhas Commander of
the "Brigade of the Sword of the Levant", Alaa Halaki "Commander of the Ababel army" and Abu
Ratib Nassar, leader of the 'Golan Knights Brigade" escape to Israelearly this morning.
No, me neither.
Who cares what actually happens to the real White Helmets, the West certainly don't.
Especially as the real White Helmets and their families were mainly up in the north, Idlib,
hundreds of miles from the Israeli border with no way of getting there. This is a sham. The
key ISIS operatives are getting out via Israel while the ones that don't matter are on buses
to Idlib, currently blocked as they try to pass through Iranian controlled
territory.
as for the cia,mi6 mossad sas white helmets they put out a statement thanking george
clooney and asking for the return of the oscar lost somewhere in the syriana
White Helmets are Mo$$ad and MI6. A branch of AlQaeda terrorists. The one we were told did
9/11(LOL!). 800 members and their families rescued and will go to germany,Canada, France and
Britain. Possible US too.
the rescue mission This shows you clearly who was behind the war in Syria. through idf
heliborne operations of ISIS leaders, especially the foreign ones. Netanyahu said that TRUMP
and Trudeau asked him to evacuate them.
Some 800 members of the controversial Western-backed White Helmets will be brought to Jordan
through Israel to be reportedly resettled later in the UK, Canada, and Germany. The UN is
overseeing the exodus. Hundreds of the self-described aid workers, who operate exclusively in
rebel-held areas, have crossed into Israel from southwestern Syria overnight on Sunday, German
tabloid Bild reported, citing its own correspondents in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Evacuation of white helmets plus families still ongoing here at syrian israeli border.
Plan is to drive asap to jordan. @BILDpic.twitter.com/KcBOdduM2t
The White Helmets' passage has been facilitated by Israel, according to Bild, which
reports they have been transferred through an Israeli military base. The evacuation kicked
off at 9:30 pm local time on Saturday and was expected to continue into the night. Several
roads were put on lockdown by the army and police as part of preparations for the exodus.
On Sunday morning, the IDF's Twitter account confirmed that Israeli forces had evacuated
"members of a Syrian civil organization and their families" at the request of the US
and "additional European countries." In a number of subsequent tweets, the military
said that some "civilians" were rescued from southern Syria "due to an immediate
threat to their lives," and because Israel wanted to make "an exceptional humanitarian
gesture."
Following an Israeli Government directive and at the request of the United States and
additional European countries, the IDF recently completed a humanitarian effort to rescue
members of a Syrian civil organization and their families
The civilians were subsequently transferred to a neighboring country. Israel continues to
maintain a non-intervention policy regarding the Syrian conflict and continues to hold the
Syrian regime accountable for all activities in Syrian territory
It did not clarify to which organization, if any, the evacuees belonged.
Israel previously
admitted that it has been providing humanitarian assistance to Syrian militants, treating
over 1,000 wounded rebel fighters in its hospitals. According to Israel's ex-Defense Minister
Moshe Ya'alon, the assistance was granted under the condition that the militants would not let
Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) and Al-Qaeda affiliated fighters slip into Israel and
would not do any harm to the population of Druze villages.
However, Israel has been
adamant about not taking in Syrian refugees, with hawkish Defense Minister Avigdor
Lieberman stating last month that while the Jewish state keeps providing "humanitarian aid
to civilians, women and children" camped on the Syrian side of the border, it "will
not accept any Syrian refugee to our territory."
It is supposed that the White Helmets will not stay in the Jewish state for longer than is
needed to transport them to the Jordanian border. The transfer has been confirmed by Jordanian
Foreign Ministry spokesman Ambassador Mohammad al-Kayed, as cited by Ammon News.
Al-Kayed said that Jordan had granted the request on purely humanitarian grounds after
Britain, Canada and Germany each reportedly pledged to take in a share of the White Helmets
fleeing what they describe as potential persecution by Damascus. Last month, Jordan, which
already hosts some 1.3 million displaced Syrians, said it won't take any more in,
stressing the need for a "political solution."
Once in the Jordanian territory, the Syrians will be confined to a specially designated
restricted area where they will stay for a maximum of three months until handed over to one of
the Western countries, Al-Kayed noted , adding that the
scheme should not place any additional burden on Jordan, as the organization of their passage
has been arranged by the UN.
It's yet unclear how the members of the White Helmets, who have on multiple occasions been
reported as dealing with Al-Qaeda-linked militants, will be distributed among the potential
recipients, with Bild reporting that it is yet unknown how many of them will come Germany's
way.
A looming evacuation of the White Helmets from Syria was first reported by CBS News on July
14. The broadcaster reported that the issue was raised by US allies in conversations with US
President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the two-day NATO summit on July 11- July 12.
Reportedly, UK Prime Minister Theresa May personally interceded
on the White Helmets' behalf during Trump's visit to the UK, a day after the summit.
On Friday, CBS News reported
that the operation was to be launched "very quickly" and proceed in accordance with a
joint plan, thrashed out by the US, the UK and Canada.
Millions of YouTube viewers have been captivated by the 'Syrian hero boy' who manages to
rescue a little girl while under gunfire. Now a group of Norwegian filmmakers have told BBC
Trending they are behind it. They say it was filmed on location in Malta this summer with the
intention of being presented as real. Lars Klevberg, a 34-year-old film director based in Oslo,
wrote a script after watching news coverage of the conflict in Syria. He says he deliberately
presented the film as reality in order to generate a discussion about children in conflict
zones. Were they comfortable making a film that potentially deceived millions of people? "I was
not uncomfortable," Klevberg said. "By publishing a clip that could appear to be authentic we
hoped to take advantage of a tool that's often used in war; make a video that claims to be
real. We wanted to see if the film would get attention and spur debate, first and foremost
about children and war. We also wanted to see how the media would respond to such a video."
A tool that's often used in war; make a video that claims to be real. Well, that sounds like
warmongering propaganda to me, but hey, if Norwegian filmmakers want to wrap it up in a candy
coating of concern for children, well, that, too is a tool that's often used in war. When all
else fails, the proponents of war always pull out "save the little children." It used to be
"keep that brute from molesting your women," but now that women are emancipated, sort of, it's
usually "save the little children."
gjohnsit on Wed, 07/18/2018 - 5:35pm
On April 20, CNN finished a report on fake
news with
this statement :
If the channels are monetized -- which InfoWars has previously claimed they are -- the major
newspapers could have unknowingly supported disinformation and conspiracy.
Ads also appeared on The Jimmy Dore Show channel, a far-left YouTube channel that peddles
conspiracy theories, such as the idea that Syrian chemical weapons attacks are hoaxes.
Jimmy Dore questioned whether the attack even happened, and if it did happen, who did
it.
That made him a kook, even with liberals.
I apologize and stand corrected. Someone needs to do something about the Jimmy imposter
who looks like him, has the same show name, and posts videos with titles saying Syrian
chemical attacks are a false flag operation. I don't get why someone would do him dirty like
that.
Yea. False Flag Attack. That would be nuts, amirite?
So the OPCW released their first
report on the Douma chemical attack.
The OPCW released the results of their fact-finding mission regarding allegations of chemical
weapons use in Douma on April 7, 2018. The mission included on-site visits to collect
environmental samples, interviews with witnesses, and data collection. The OPCW writes that
lab analysis of the samples "show that no organophosphorous nerve agents or their degradation
products were detected in the environmental samples or in the plasma samples taken from
alleged casualties." The report does state that "explosive residues" and "various chlorinated
organic chemicals" were found in samples from two sites. The fact finding mission team is
still working on drafting final conclusions.
No organophosphorous nerve agents or their degradation products were detected in the
environmental samples or in the plasma samples taken from alleged casualties."
These findings contradict the White House assessment which was released on April 13th,
just days after the alleged attack. "A significant body of information points to the regime
using chlorine in its bombardment of Duma, while some additional information points to the
regime also using the nerve agent sarin," the White House stated.
Without waiting for a proper investigation President Trump ordered the United States
military to drop more than 100 Tomahawk missiles on Damascus. The U.S. relied on alleged
blood and urine data to justify this attack, but the OPCW makes no mention of any blood or
urine samples.
Despite the fact that the interim OPCW report only mentions chlorine two times, the
corporate media ran several headlines which state that chlorine was found in the samples.
"Interim OPCW report finds proof of chlorine used in Syria's Douma," Al Jazeera wrote.
Reuters ran a story titled "Chemical weapons agency finds 'chlorinated' chemicals in Syria's
Douma," and later issued a correction to clarify that it what the OPCW found was "'various
chlorinated organic chemicals' instead of chlorine." The BBC also changed its headline from
"chlorine gas" to "possible chlorine."
So the OPCW found evidence of a chlorine attack then? No, that isn't what they reported.
Check out what the
MilitaryTimes said about the report.
The team said in its initial report on Douma that two industrial gas cylinders were
discovered at different locations in the town: one on a top-floor patio and the other on a
bed in a top-floor apartment. It said it is working to establish how they got there and
whether they are linked to the alleged attack.
The team said it "needs to continue its work to draw final conclusions regarding the
alleged incident and, to this end, the investigation is ongoing."
Louis Charbonneau, the U.N. director for Human Rights Watch, said the OPCW should "move
quickly to finish its investigation and determine whether a chemical weapon attack
occurred."
So this is essentially what we know and don't know:
1) no nerve agent attack happened
2) the OPCW still hasn't determined if a chemical attack occurred, despite the mainstream media
saying otherwise (i.e. fake news).
3) the only chlorine found was in cylinders on the top floors of apartments.
As for those cylinders, is it likely the Syrian army would sneak them into rebel-held areas,
and carry them to top floors before releasing the chlorine?
Or would they more likely simply drop the chlorine from helicopters?
4) Jimmy Dore has not been proven wrong, and some of what Dore has claimed has been proven
right. Only the MSM has made patently false claims.
So the people doing the most screaming about fake news are the ones most wrong.
I was drafting a response to the comment by 'Barbara Ann' – thanks for the link to
the recent posts by Adam Carter – before going out. Returning and reading some very
interesting comments, I think what I wanted to say has more general relevance.
One reason I am reading so much into 'this Dzerzhinsky thing' is the body of accumulating
evidence that people like Tait are part of a system of networks which combine
sanctimoniousness, corruption and stupidity in about equal measures. So some more examples
may be to the point.
Different cases in which I have taken an interest come together in a post by Tait on the
'Lawfare' site on 13 March, entitled 'U.K. Prime Minister's Speech on the Russian Poisoning
of Sergei Skripal: Decoding the Signals.'
In support of the claim that in accusing Russia of a pioneering act of chemical terrorism
Theresa May was relying upon accurate analysis from the 'U.K. intelligence community', Tait
wrote that:
'May then explained that Skripal was poisoned by a "military-grade nerve agent of a type
developed by Russia one of a group of nerve agents known as 'Novichok.'" She is laying out
the basic groundwork for the government's attribution to a nation state and, more
specifically, Russia. At Porton Down, the U.K. has one of the world's best forensic labs for
analyzing chemical, biological and nuclear weapons. With the poisoning of Alexander
Litvinenko in 2006, this lab not only established that Polonium-210 was used but also which
reactor in Russia it came from.'
In the event, as is by now well know, Boris Johnson's claim that Porton Down scientists
had told him that the agent which poisoned the Skripals came from Russia was specifically
repudiated by the head of that organisation, Gary Aitkenhead, on 3 April. Our Foreign
Secretary told a flagrant lie, and was exposed.
As I have shown in previous posts on this site, the 'Inquiry' conducted by Sir Robert Owen
into the death of Litvinenko was patently corrupt. Moreover, it seems highly likely that, in
fabricating 'evidence' to cover up what actually happened, Christopher Steele was doing a
'dry-run' for the fabrication of material in the dossier published by 'BuzzFeed.'
In fact, however, Owen's report made quite clear that the role of Porton Down was
marginal. Furthermore, 'Scientist A1' from the Atomic Weapons Establishment at Aldermaston
quite specifically rejected the claim that 'impurity profiling' made it possible to establish
that the source of the polonium was the Avangard facility at Sarov, her arguments being
accepted by Owen. Either Tait has not bothered to read the report or very much of the
coverage, or he is lying.
What Porton Down did do was to use 'impurity profiling', which can produce 'spectra'
identifying even the tiniest traces of substances, to frustrate the attempt to use the 'false
flag' attack at Ghouta on 21 August 2013 to inveigle the American and British governments
into destroying the Assad 'régime' and handing the country over to jihadists.
It may well be that this display of competence and integrity led to a 'clampdown' at the
organisation, which encouraged Boris Johnson to believe he could get away with lying about
what its scientists told him.
A general pattern which emerges is that the same small group of 'disinformation peddlers'
resurfaces in different contexts – and the pattern whereby 'private security companies'
are used to create a spurious impression of independence also recurs.
As I bring out in my piece on Ghouta, two figures who were critical in shaping the
'narrative' acccording to which Syrian government responsibility for the atrocity had been
conclusively proved, were Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, formerly the former commanding
officer of the UK Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Regiment, and also NATO's
Rapid Reaction CBRN Battalion, and Dan Kaszeta.
Immediately after the story of the poisoning of the Skripals on 4 March broke, the same
duo reappeared, and have been as critical to shaping the 'narrative' about the later incident
as they were to that about the former.
(For the piece by Kaszeta on 'Bellingcat' which introduced the 'Novichok' theme four days
later, see
https://www.bellingcat.com/... .)
This makes it particular interesting to look at the website of Kaszeta's consultancy,
'Strongpoint Security Limited', in conjunction with the 'Companies House' documentation on
the company.
One would have thought from the website that his company was a small, but hardly
insignificant, player, in the field of 'physical and operational security.' As it happens,
having filed 'Total exemption small company accounts' since its incorporation in May 2011,
last December it filed 'Micro company accounts' for the year to 31 May 2017.
With a turnover of £20,000, staff costs of a bit more than half of that, and a
profit of £394, we can see that although unlike Matt Tait's, Kaszeta's company did
trade, if indeed it was his sole source of income, this pivotal figure in Anglo-American
'disinformation operations' was living on something less than $15,000 a year, at current
exchange rates. (Pull the other one, as we say in Britain.)
This is all the more ironic, as the website brings out quite how critical a figure Kaszeta
has been in obscuring the truth. From the bio he gives, we learn that having started as a
Chemical Officer in the U.S. Army, he worked for 12 years in the White House, dealing with
CBRN matters, before moving to Britain in 2008.
Among the articles to which he links on the site, we see his response in 'NOW Lebanon' in
December 2013 to Hersh's original 'Whose sarin?' piece on Ghouta, -- in which Kaszeta first
introduced the famous 'hexamine hypothesis.'
This – patently preposterous – suggestion that the presence of a single
'impurity' is a 'smoking gun' incriminating the Syrian government has echoed on into the
clearly corrupt OPCW documents purporting to demonstrate that it was responsible for the 4
April 2017 Khan Sheikhoun attack.
Of some interest in understanding where Kaszeta he is coming from is what he describes as
his 'oldest (and most footnoted on Wikipedia)' piece, which is an article published in 1988
on a site called 'Lituanus', on 'Lithuanian Resistance to Foreign Occupation 1940-52.'
As to Colonel de Bretton-Gordon, it is of interest to look at the attempt to 'finger' the
GRU over the Skripal poisoning published under the title 'UK Poisoning Inquiry turns to
Russian Agency in Mueller Indictments' in the 'New York Times' last Sunday, and the response
by the Russian Embassy in London to a question about it.
The response objects that 'while the British authorities keep concealing all information
concerning the investigation into the Salisbury incident, the newspaper has quoted "one
former US official familiar with the inquiry".'
It also asserts that that crucial evidence which has not been made available to the
Russians – and here, as with Ghouta and Khan Sheikhoun, the results of 'impurity
profiling' are critical – appears to have been shared not just with inappropriate
Americans, but with all kinds of others.
And indeed, the Embassy is quite right in suggesting that the claim made by the supposed
creator of 'Novichok', Vladimir Uglev, to the BBC in April about 'all the spectrum data I was
sent recently' has neither been confirmed nor denied. This seems a general pattern –
the 'spectra' which may actually be able to provide definitive answers to questions of
responsibility are only provided to people who can be relied upon to give the 'right'
answers.
The Embassy response also quite fairly refers to a report in the 'Times' also in April,
about the 'intelligence' which had been 'used to persuade world leaders that Moscow was
behind the poisoning' and that the 'Novichok' had been manufactured at the Shikhany facility
at in southwest Russia, which stated that de Bretton-Gordon, 'who had seen the intelligence,
called it very compelling.' He has a long history of lying about CW in Syria – so is
obviously the right person to lie about them in the UK.
It thus becomes interesting to probe into what lies behind the opening of de
Bretton-Gordon's entry on the 'Military Speakers' website ('Real Heroes; Real Stories.')
According to this, he is 'Chief Operating Office of SecureBio Ltd a commercial company
offering CBRN Resilience, consultancy and deployable capabilities.'
From 'Companies House', we learn that the liquidation of 'Secure Bio', which started in in
June 2015, was concluded in August last year. The really interesting thing about the records,
however, is that at the time of the liquidation the company had very large debts, which were
written off, of a kind and in a manner which suggested that de Bretton-Gordon's activities
may have been largely funded by loans from untraceable sources which were not meant to be
repaid.
Actually, with the 'NYT' report we come full circle. Among those quoted is Mark Galeotti
– apparently his admission that he had totally misrepresented the thinking of the
Russian General Staff has not him made more cautious about making extravagant claims about
its Main Intelligence Directorate (misreported as Main Directorate by the 'NYT.')
Also quoted are two figures who play key roles in Owen's Report – the Soviet era-GRU
defector 'Viktor Suvorov' (real name 'Vladimir Rezun') and the former KGB operative Yuri
Shvets. Both of these feature prominently in the posts on the Litvinenko affair to which I
have linked, and both were key members of the 'information operations' network centred around
the late Boris Berezovsky. This now seems to have taken control of American policy, as of
British.
The role of 'Suvorov'/Rezun in attempting to defend the interpretations of Stalin's policy
put forward by MI6 in the run-up to the Second World War, and those asserted later by General
Keitel, and the way he was demolished by the leading American historian of the War in the
East, Colonel David Glantz, and the Israeli historian Gabriel Gorodetsky, is too large a
subject to go into here.
However, it provides further reason to wonder whether the misreadings of Stalin's policy
which caused MI6 to give advice to Chamberlain which helped destroy the last chances of
preventing the Nazi-Soviet Pact, may still be the 'house view' of that organisation. It was,
obviously, the Pact which spelled 'curtains' both for Poland and the Baltics.
More evidence for the at least passive complicity of GCHQ – for which Matt Tait used
to work, and which Robert Hannigan used to run – in corrupt 'information operations'
comes in a report yesterday on CNN.
'Police have identified two suspects in the poisoning of former Russian double agent
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia, a source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN
on Thursday.
'The pair left the UK in the wake of the attack on what is believed to have been a
commercial flight, the source added.
'Their departure was revealed in a coded Russian message to Moscow sent after the attack,
which was intercepted by a British base in Cyprus, the source said. The British government
blames the Skripals' poisoning on Russia.'
The base in question is high up in the Troodos mountains, and is formally run by the RAF
but actually a key resource for both GCHQ and NSA in monitoring communications over a wide
area. According to an internal document from the former organisation, it has 'long been
regarded as a 'Jewel in the Crown' by NSA as it offers unique access to the Levant, North
Africa, and Turkey'.
That the quote comes a report in 'The Intercept' in January 2016 revealing that one of the
uses of the Troodos facility is to intercept live video feeds from Israeli drones and fighter
jets brings out how paradoxical the world is. For it also appears to have emerged as an
important resource in 'information operations' in support of 'Borgist' agendas.
The claim about intercepts incriminating the Russians over the Salisbury incident was
first made in a piece by Marco Giannangeli in the Daily Express on 9 April, which followed up
the claims which Colonel de Bretton-Gordon had been instrumental in disseminating, and was
then widely picked up by the MSM.
It was headlined: 'REVEALED: The bombshell Russian message intercepted on DAY of Skripal
poisonings,' and opened: 'AN ELECTRONIC message to Moscow sent on the day former Russian spy
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury included
the phrase "the package has been delivered".'
Supposedly, this 'prompted a young Flight Lieutenant to recall a separate message that had
been intercepted and discounted on the previous day.' The messages were 'understood to have
formed "just one part" of the intelligence packet which later allowed Prime Minister Theresa
May to state it was "highly likely" that Russia was behind the attacks.'
As it happens, the same writer – Marco Giannangeli – had disseminated a
parallel piece of palpable fiction on 1 September 2013, in the 'Sunday Express', in relation
to the Ghouta 'false flag.'
This one was headlined, even more melodramatically, 'Senior Syrian military chiefs tell
captain: fire chemicals or be shot; BRITISH intelligence chiefs have intercepted radio
messages in which senior Syrian military chiefs are heard ordering the use of chemical
weapons.'
Part of the story of how bogus claims about 'smoking gun' evidence from 'SIGINT' were used
to support the attempt to use the Ghouta 'false flag' to inveigle the British and Americans
into destroying the Syrian government was told in my SST post on the incident. However, to
mix metaphors, I only scratched the surface of a can of worms.
In a report on the 'Daily Caller' site on 29 August 2013, Kenneth Timmerman claimed that
the sequence had started with an actual intercept by Unit 8200 – the Israeli equivalent
of GCHQ and NSA.
Claiming to base his account on Western intelligence sources, he suggested that:
'According to these officers, who served in top positions in the United States, Britain,
France, Israel, and Jordan, a Syrian military communication intercepted by Israel's famed
Unit 8200 electronic intelligence outfit has been doctored so that it leads a reader to just
the opposite conclusion reached by the original report.'
While I am not in a position to establish whether his claim is or is not accurate, an AP
report on the same day quoted 'U.S. intelligence officials' explaining that 'an intercept of
Syrian military officials discussing the strike was among low-level staff, with no direct
evidence tying the attack back to an Assad insider or even a senior Syrian commander'.
Meanwhile, Timmerman's claim that 'The doctored report was picked up on Israel's Channel 2
TV on Aug. 24, then by Focus magazine in Germany, the Times of Israel, and eventually by The
Cable in Washington, DC' is supported by links to the relevant stories, which say what he
claims they say.
Moreover, it seems clear that the 1 September 2013 report was an attempt to counter a
– somewhat devastating – critique made in a 31 August post entitled 'The Troodos
Conundrum' by the former British Ambassador Craig Murray, who had been closely involved with
the facility during his time at the Foreign Office (and has written invaluable material on
the Salisbury incident.)
Precisely because of the closeness of the GCHQ/NSA collaboration, Murray brought out,
there was indeed a major problem explaining why claims about 'SIGINT' had been central to the
case made in the 'Government Assessment' released by the White House on 30 August 2013, but
not even mentioned in the Joint Intelligence Community 'Assessment' produced two days
before.
The answer, Murray suggested, was that the 'intelligence' came from Mossad, and so would
not have been automatically shared with the British. But, given the superior capabilities of
Troodos, if Mossad had it, the British should have also. So his claims 'meshed' with those by
Timmerman and the AP, and the 'Express' report looks like a lame attempt at a cover-up.
Again however, one finds the world is a paradoxical place. As I noted in my SST post,
detailed demolitions of the claims about 'SIGINT' in relation to Ghouta were provided both
Seymour Hersh, in the 'Whose sarin?' article, and also on the 'Who Attacked Ghouta?' site
masterminded by one 'sasa wawa.'
Later, it became clear that this was likely to be the Israeli technology entrepreneur Saar
Wilf, a former employee of Unit 8200. So this may – or may not – be an indication
of deep divisions within Israeli intelligence.
Between 18 March and 31 April, a fascinating series of posts on the Salisbury incident
appeared on the 'Vineyard of the Saker' blog. The author, who used the name 'sushi', was a
self-professed IT professsional, who had however obviously acquired an extensive familiarity
with 'chemical forensics' and appeared to have some experience of 'SIGINT.'
In a 14 April post, 'sushi' produced a dismissal of the claims about 'SIGINT' implicating
the Russians over the Salisbury incident quite as contemptuous as that which 'sasa wawa' had
produced in relation to the claims about it incriminating the Syrian government over
Ghouta.
Pointing to the implausibility of the story disseminated by the 'Express', he remarked
that:
'It is doubted that any message traffic is processed on Cyprus. It is more likely that the
entire take is transmitted back to GCHQ in Cheltenham via a fibre optic link. There exabytes
of take are processed, not by a bored flight lieutenant, but by banks of high speed
computers.
'Clearly someone in Cheltenham has committed a programming error. Anyone with any
knowledge of secret communications knows that the code phrase used to confirm a murder in
Salisbury is "small pizza, no anchovies." '
Interestingly, another paper in the 'Express' group made a parallel claim in relation to
the Khan Sheikhoun incident to that about the Ghouta incident, but the story was not picked
up and may indeed have been suppressed.
On 9 April, the paper published a report headlined 'Brit spies' lead role in Syrian air
strikes; RAF BASE IS 'WEAPON.' This claimed that 'within an hour of the airstrike', Troodos
had intercepted communications revealing that nerve gas had been used, and had been delivered
by jets from the Syrian Arab Air Force's Shayrat Air Base.
"... Repeated requests by Russia to obtain a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing were rejected by the British government in spite of the fact that a military grade nerve agent would have surely killed both the Skripals as well as anyone else within 100 yards. As the latest British account of the location of the alleged poison places it on the door handle of the Scripals' residence, the timetable element was also unconvincing. That meant that the two would have spent three hours, including a stop at a pub and lunch, before succumbing on a park bench. Military grade nerve agents kill instantly. ..."
"... Nevertheless, the politically weak May government, desperately seeking a formidable foreign enemy to rally around against, insisted that Russia, almost certainly acting under orders from Vladimir Putin himself, carried out the killing of a former British double agent who had been released from a Kremlin prison in a spy swap and who was no longer capable of doing any damage to Russia. Putin apparently did all that in spite of the fact that he had an election coming up and would be the host of the World Cup in the summer, an event that would be an absolute top priority to have go smoothly. ..."
Poisoning enemies has a long history with Augustus Caesar's wife Livia allegedly a master of the art, as were the Borgias in Renaissance
Italy. Lately there has been a resurgence in allegations regarding the use of poisons of various types by several governments. The
claims are particularly damaging both morally and legally as international conventions regard the use of poisonous chemical compounds
as particularly heinous, condemning their use because they, when employed in quantity, become "weapons of mass destruction," killing
indiscriminately and horribly, making no distinction between combatants and civilians. Their use is considered to be a "war crime"
and the government officials who ordered their deployment are "war criminals," subject to prosecution by the International Criminal
Court in The Hague.
There are two important poisoning stories that have made the news recently. Both are follow-ups to reporting that has appeared
in the news over the past few months and both are particularly interesting because they tend to repudiate earlier coverage that had
been largely accepted by several governments as well as the media and the chattering class of paid experts that appears on television.
The first story relates to the poisoning of former Russian intelligence agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in March.
There was quite a bit that was odd about the Skripal case, which
relied from the start " on circumstantial evidence and secret intelligence." And there was inevitably a rush to judgment. British
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson blamed Russia less than forty-eight hours after the Skripals were found unconscious on a bench in
Salisbury England, too soon for any chemical analysis of the alleged poisoning to have taken place.
British Prime Minister Theresa May threw gasoline on the fire when she addressed Parliament shortly thereafter to blame the Kremlin
and demand a Russian official response to the event in 36 hours, declaring that the apparent poisoning was "very likely" caused by
a made-in-Russia nerve agent referred to by its generic name novichok. The British media was soon on board with a vengeance, spreading
the government line that such a highly sensitive operation would require the approval of President Vladimir Putin himself. The expulsion
of Russian diplomats soon followed with the United States and other countries following suit.
Repeated requests by Russia to obtain a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing were rejected by the British government
in spite of the fact that a military grade nerve agent would have surely killed both the Skripals as well as anyone else within 100
yards. As the latest British account of the location of the alleged poison places it on the door handle of the Scripals' residence,
the timetable element was also unconvincing. That meant that the two would have spent three hours, including a stop at a pub and
lunch, before succumbing on a park bench. Military grade nerve agents kill instantly.
The head of Britain's own chemical weapons facility Porton Down
even contradicted claims made by May, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, and British Ambassador in Moscow Laurie Bristow. The lab's
Chief Executive Gary Aitkenhead testified that he did not know if the nerve agent was actually produced in Russia, a not surprising
observation as the chemical formula was revealed to the public in a scientific paper in 1992 and there are an estimated twenty countries
capable of producing it. There are also presumed stocks of novichok remaining in independent countries that once were part of the
Soviet Union, to include Russia's enemy du jour Ukraine, while a false flag operation by the British themselves, the CIA
or Mossad, is not unthinkable.
Nevertheless, the politically weak May government, desperately seeking a formidable foreign enemy to rally around against,
insisted that Russia, almost certainly acting under orders from Vladimir Putin himself, carried out the killing of a former British
double agent who had been released from a Kremlin prison in a spy swap and who was no longer capable of doing any damage to Russia.
Putin apparently did all that in spite of the fact that he had an election coming up and would be the host of the World Cup in the
summer, an event that would be an absolute top priority to have go smoothly.
Now there has been an actual death in Amesbury near Salisbury that has been attributed to novichok. On June 30 th ,
Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess were admitted to hospital after being found unconscious. Sturgess died eight days later. The May
government has not yet blamed it on Putin or even on a clumsy Russian operative that might have
inadvertently left behind a vial of poison or a used syringe,
though Home Secretary Sajid Javid came close to that when he suggested
that Russia was using Britain as a "dumping ground for poisons." Police suggestions that the poisoned couple appear to have handled
novichok infused material of some kind before succumbing appears to be contradicted by inability to find the actual source of the
alleged exposure.
British government dancing around the issue notwithstanding, there have been suggestions that the closest source of more novichok
might well be the U.K. government labs at nearby Porton Down, only seven miles from Salisbury and Amesbury, which increases suspicion
about the original story promulgated by Downing Street. Would the British government actually poison an expendable ex-Russian spy
and his daughter to divert attention from a domestic political problem at home? It's worth considering as the "blame it all on Putin
narrative" becomes even less credible.
The second story comes from Syria, where there is also a Russian hand as Moscow is aiding the government of Bashar al-Assad. The
by now notorious April 7, 2018 alleged chemical attack on the rebel-held Syrian city of Douma was widely blamed by Western countries
and the mainstream media on Assad's forces. This resulted in a decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to order massive U.S.-led
retaliatory airstrikes against targets reportedly involved in chemical production in and around Damascus.
Trump blamed
"animal Assad" for
"using nerve agents" and both the media and most European governments followed that line, concluding that Damascus had ordered
the chemical attacks a mere moments after videos purporting to show scores of chemical attack victims first surfaced from rebel sources,
long before U.S. intelligence could have made its own assessment. A 5-page
White House assessment released on April 13th, just days after the alleged attack
asserted that sarin was used at Douma , claiming that "A significant body of information points to the regime using chlorine
in its bombardment of Duma, while some additional information points to the regime also using the nerve agent sarin."
Independent sources warned at the time that
not a single neutral observer was on the ground to confirm that chemical agents launched by the Syrian government had, in fact,
been used, but were ignored. All of the sources reporting the attack were either affiliated with the rebels who occupied the area
or were not physically present in Douma.
Now, finally, three months later, there has been a credible independent report on what was determined about the attack through
chemical analysis of traces recovered in Douma. A preliminary report published last Friday by the Organization for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found no traces of any nerve agent like sarin at the site. The OPCW report
states this clearly : "No organophosphorous nerve agents or their degradation products were detected in the environmental samples
or in the plasma samples taken from alleged casualties."
This means that the Trump Administration claimed to have details relating to an event in a foreign country that it did not know
and could not actually confirm to be true. And it used that as a justification for ordering an airstrike that killed people and destroyed
targets in Syria. Will the White House respond to the OPCW report and apologize, possibly to include reparations for an unjustified
attack on another sovereign nation? Don't hold your breath.
The Salisbury and Douma attacks are illustrative of just what happens when a government is prepared to dissimulate or even lie
to go the extra mile to make a case to justify preemptive action that otherwise might be challenged. Theresa May is, unfortunately,
still in power and so is Donald Trump. In a better world an outraged public would demand that they be thrown out of office and even
possibly subjected to the tender ministrations of the International Criminal Court in The Hague. With power comes accountability,
or at least that should be the rule, but it is a dictum that has for some time been ignored. Even given that, one might hope that
the blunders will not be repeated, but there is not even any assurance that either May or Trump is much given to "lessons learned"
or that a Mike Pence or Boris Johnson would be any better. That is our tragedy.
Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational
foundation that seeks a more interests-based U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is
www.councilforthenationalinterest.org, address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134
and its email is [email protected].
Putin apparently did all that in spite of the fact that he had an election coming up and would be the host of the World
Cup in the summer, an event that would be an absolute top priority to have go smoothly.
[...]
Would the British government actually poison an expendable ex-Russian spy and his daughter to divert attention from a domestic
political problem at home? It's worth considering as the "blame it all on Putin narrative" becomes even less credible.
Mr. Giraldi,
these were my thoughts at first too, but I looked into the case quite extensively over the last several weeks and came to the
conclusion that Putin actually had more of a motive than the British government, et al.
This is my evolution on the Skripals' case:
On Skripal I'm not entirely certain, since I haven't really looked into the case. Also the timing of the incident seems
to be not what Putin would have chosen, in my opinion, since it was too close to the soccer World Cup events/celebrations in
Russia, and Putin usually tries to be conciliatory with the West before big sporting events like that in Russia, e.g. when
he released Khodorkovsky early before the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, for example.
As I said before, I was agnostic about the Skripal case and tried to keep an open mind about it and not reflexively blame
it on (the) Russians (government), but you providing me with this additional information makes me actually more of a believer
in the official Western narrative now.
Repeated requests by Russia to obtain a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing were rejected by the British government
in spite of the fact that a military grade nerve agent would have surely killed both the Skripals as well as anyone else within
100 yards.
It was hilarious to watch yesterday evening, as the presidential plane had been underway for two and a half hours, the consternation
on CNN.
As I expected, the vague accusations about Russian meddling in the elections continued this morning, on CNN.
I remember an interview on CNN before the elections, someoen said 'if Trump wins', the two of CNN burst into laughter.
I do hope Trump survives, politically and fysically.
Luckily is it not very ease to murder a president these days.
On top of that, Sept 11 made many all over the world quite suspicious.
I for one never believed that Russia would be so stupid as to try to murder two former spies in such a stupid way, and without
any motive.
MH17 is a similar case.
Assad also is not stupid, he had no interest whatsoever to use poison gas in Syria.
How Arafat died we still do not know, that was done professionally, or maybe not, if I had to kill him I would try to make his
death look natural, a clear cause.
Who had a motive is quite clear.
Until the unhinged May lets Yulia go freeif she's still aliveand go back to Russia and tell her side of the story, nothing will
change.
The so-called Deep State and its willing toady, the corrupt, lying MSM are accomplices in this False Flag and they are the
ones that should be in the dock at the ICC. But since the ICC is part of the Deep State, don't expect this to happen.
This Russian bashing has gotten completely out of hand. And now that Putin has stated that the sleazy Russian thief oligarch
Browder helped launder 400 million to the DNC-Clinton Mob, it's going to get very interesting, if not dangerous for humanity.
They need a BIG distraction to get the sheeple's thought off the truth that there is NOTHING to the Putin-Trump election meddling,
anything might happen, even a repeat of the Israeli masterminded 9/11 False Flag.
Does 'Lucky Larry' own anymore asbestos-laden skyscrapers?
i would love to make a formal complaint about conspiracies because there are people who will and do make trouble for others. it
has taken me a long time to come to that place but it is no joke as dr. geraldi no doubt knows.
however, one needs the evidence and what has been lacking in all these accusations whether its russia and us elections, chemical
weapons in syria, or supposed poisoning of three people formerly associated with russia, there is suspicion, and there is narrative,
but little in the way of facts. and if any of these accusations were concerning single individual battling mere gossip and innuendo
or other nefarious behaviors, i have learned to discount nothing. look if you can't bring a coupon into a store, wait for coffee
without people launching into fits of fear of life . . . then who knows what triggers people's self defense. it apparently dos
not take much for the supposed superior people to make their inferiors look off kilt. i just take it granted that when i leave
my house, on occasion, i have visitors as "nutty" as that sounds.
but these cases have multiple researchers and resources to bar on the matter and yet, the evidence is either mere narrative,
contradicted or has a variety of explanations just as reasonable or more reasonable. but what we have is an entire population
engaged in manufacturing not one but several cases in which the president of the us actually engaged in treason based on sketchy
financial dealings with russian banks and financial elites.
and i think this article makes the case that people with power who engage in wielding accusations should be held to the standard
of providing evidence. and while i am a little uncomfortable with our president engaging in open debate with our intel community
from overseas, his objection is well put. the process of evidence collection and by independent objective observers is unreasonable.
yet he found it quite convenient to buy the argument by the same intel agencies for said use in syria. the election is over, but
the war about the election, the level of dislike of the elected , i think it is fair to say has never been so widespread and deep
such that members of the government or government agencies would sign up to press the matter.
and quip reflctions about the damage being done and "it's all in one's head" just are insufficient to address the issues.
frankly, i think the country's not outraged because they are "drama fatigued" last week in attempting to capture a stray kitten
who disappearance has me overly stretched i never used to like cats bells rang and doors closed indicating that she had in
fact been enclosed on the patio around two am or so only to discover a cute little skunk was the detainee. whose release required
navigating around the house twice because the door locked actually worked. sometimes the evidence doesn't doesn't reveal what
was expected.
as for the kitten, evidence suggests she managed to punch her way through a steel mesh garage vent. now i suspect that someone
recently punched a hole in those mesh barriers, but that is speculation on my part, even likely speculation. however, minus the
proof that is all it is. a mysterious frustrating event.
With the sad demise of the woman of the couple, the continuing make-up story in MSM makes the twist that the nerve agent was found
in a perfume bottle. While of these two non-Russian people (who allegedly were former drug-addicts) one may suspect that they
pick up any strange bottle from the ground and have a sniff at it, this is completely surrealistic in the case of the Skripals.
The difference couldn't be bigger between these two couples. Anyhow, the clue that brings them four together is the vicinity of
Porton Down, where chemical weapons are stored & tested.
If I had to guess at what's been going on in Salisbury I'd wonder if a lunatic/evil employee at Porton Down has smuggled out something
nasty and is amusing himself with it.
The author laments that May and Trump are still in office.
She will last longer than he will. Trump will be out in three months either by impeachment and conviction or by other means. None
of this clandestine stuff like poisoning but by a military coup. I remember the era of 7 Days in May but that was not serious
just a storey teller weaving a good yarn. Today, we have members of Congress and large numbers of the media(probably over 50 percent)
calling for a Armed Forces take over.
The probable stumbling block is how to skip Pense and go directly to Speaker Paul Ryan. Or how to dispense with the chain of succession
entirely and enshrine Hilary or recall Obama until the emergency is over.
Is Mad Dog the man or will McMaster lead the coup? Remember, anyone wearing more than one star made the elite grade during the
Obama regime and some of the one stars had formative years as O-6 and O-5 while Obama ruled supreme.
Quickly, not instantly. If you had an atropine pen handy, you might survive, though it would leave you immobilised and dazed.
If the Skripals were dosed, it would likely have been at or near the bench where they were found. Residue on their clothing might
be weak enough to not kill the constable.
The only thing the Salisbury incidents provide evidence for is that our culture is prone to hysterical outrage over anything
relating to Russia or Putin.
And that's true even if it were rogue elements in the Russian security services.
What I really loved about the coverage of the Skripal "poisoning" were the pictures of the cops wearing hazmat suits to clean
up the park bench. In the same shot birds were hopping around apparently unaffected by the deadly nerve gas. So we're to believe
that this stuff could kill a big cop but not a 2 pound pigeon .
British secret service and its 3 main children CIA, Mossad, Saudi General Intelligence Agency are morally capable of committing
any horror imaginable against civilians, even their own.
The Anglo-Zionist Empire is desperate to find the One Ring That Rules Them All.
That's so naοve. When you commit a crime and have witnesses in your custody, you make sure they never talk. "Elementary, Watson",
as Holmes used to say.
That's why we have "journalists" and "historians," mass media and skoolink (yooniversities included), and I find it amazing
that the stories change as fast as the agendas.
Oh "These Kids today" that old refrain again, and it's getting old too, all the emphasis on kids anyway, from concerns about
posterity, to the unending posturing about faux parent related concerns sublimated in one way or another to the other mantra:
" oh the Children" thing that phony liberal types do.
But to the point:
What a pity Western "Intelligence" seems to have never heard the story of The Boy Who Cried 'Wolf'.
When do these little monsters ever get a chance to hear childhood stories nowadays glued to their carry style devices, wearable
devices, soon inserted devices , to hear any of the old wisdom? It now isn't all that likely. It is more the kids teaching
the kids in a modern high tech reality version of Lord of the Flies scenario.
When they are inevitably inducted into the professions as they will, replacing remnants of earlier generations that maybe still
had been somewhat exposed to folk tales and stories, or better TV of earlier times, well, don't be surprised that the rank and
file of the intelligence industry, like elsewhere is unable personally to easily navigate anything, much less possessing inborn
sensibility gained from age old culture and all that. Could it be in the whole Fake News genre too, it seems to indicate
some dialectic flaw in thinking, (a priori as it were.) I feel like it's coming from youngsters lacking any frame of reference/experience
blundering, not being held to account!
The Brat Pack was given free reign and away they go arrogant to a fault
What was folk knowledge is a cumbersome, anachronistic, vestigial relic of another era, sought to be replaced soon, by robots.
None of this clandestine stuff like poisoning but by a military coup. I remember the era of 7 Days in May but that was not
serious just a storey teller weaving a good yarn. Today, we have members of Congress and large numbers of the media(probably
over 50 percent) calling for a Armed Forces take over.
Watching too many old movies now , haven't we? LOL!!
The probable stumbling block is how to skip Pense and go directly to Speaker Paul Ryan. Or how to dispense with the chain
of succession entirely and enshrine Hilary or recall Obama until the emergency is over.
Ok, now you need to be put down or at least committed. LOL
I'm glad Litvinenko Sr. is taken care of in his old age by the Russian state:
BAD CHEMISTRY? Ft. Walter Litvinenko, Father of Alexander Litvinenko
Although he chose to leave Russian of his own will, the authorities were unlikely to welcome him back and his dramatic u-turn
looks like a calculated attempt to smooth the way for his return to the country of his birth.
Clearly relishing Mr Litvinenko senior's propaganda gift in the run-up to a presidential election expected to be won by
Vladimir Putin next month, Russian state TV said the unhappy exile had run out of money and that electricity and gas had been
cut off to his tiny Italian flat for non-payment of bills.
[...]
Alexander Goldfarb, the co-author of a book about the murder and a friend of the late Litvinenko, accused Russian TV of acting
in an irresponsible and inhumane manner, saying the Kremlin's propaganda chiefs had exploited his grief and troubled psychological
condition.
"They used the troubled psychological state of an elderly man for propaganda purposes in order to whitewash Alexander's
killers," he said.
"Walter is going through a really tough time in connection with his wife's death a few months ago and feels lonely. It happens
with old people."
Skripals 'were under Russian surveillance' BBC Newsnight
Newsnight's Diplomatic and Defence Editor, Mark Urban, reveals that the Skripals 'were under Russian surveillance' and that
he personally had several meetings with Sergei Skripal last year.
I am very embarrassed for the GRU , they are even more incompetent than the French Secret Service combat swimmers who blew
up the that Greenpeace ship. Russia should have sent a Spetsnaz veteran with his trusty entrenching tool to deal with Skripal.
Or maybe one of their Kamikazi exploding dogs.
Maybe Putin did have them killed or poisoned because Russian intelligence had uncovered their plot to explode a dirty
bomb in London which had been set up so as to implicate the Russians. The plotters were foiled and hoist by their own petard.
I tell you a secret. GRU agents, on direct orders from Putin, killed JFK, burnt Giordano Bruno, crucified Christ, and poisoned
Socrates. What's more, they are also responsible for the extinction of the dinosaurs. Didn't you suspect that?
I did not even know those you named had ever been in the GRU, let alone they were British moles.
If you wake up and there is snow all over the ground, that is circumstantial evidence that it snowed in the night. When a Russian
poisons Russians there is not all this Technical Tom sophistry, and motive is important especially when it supports the circumstantial
evidence.
' Theresa May is, unfortunately, still in power and so is Donald Trump. In a better world an outraged public would demand that
they be thrown out of office '
At least in the case of Trump, the problem with rejecting him is, as it always has been, the alternative.
It's literally oppressive that to date, no superior alternative to Trump has emerged. However, like it or not, one hasn't.
Is there a superior alternative to May? If there is, why didn't Brits get rid of that embarrassment? Next to her even John
Major looks like an outstanding statesman.
Every time I think about it, I do find it truly astonishing that we (the USA) launched a missile salvo into Syria based on an
obvious and now proven false flag, and very few people seem to care. This is one of those glaring, "hidden in plain sight"
contradictions to the narrative which tells me that, while the Deep State is finally losing some ground, its liquidation is far,
far from over and all kinds of things are going to fall apart as this thrashing monster slowly sinks beneath the waves.
Yes, interesting that PG has only now brought to a UR article that rather obvious possible connection between Porton Down and
the nearby poisonings.
I don't think it is one of his major areas of attention. Why else would he include with Trump the unfortunate May as someone
he would like to see people rise up against and throw out of office for offences unstated?
Her performance on Skripal right or wrong is hardly worth mentioning when deciding whether and when she has to go. Compared
to Brexit give it a 2 per cent weighting.
My guess is that we haven't heard the last of Ms. Hyphen-Cortez.
"Ocasio-Cortez hedges criticisms of Israel 'I may not use the right words'
US Politics Philip Weiss on July 15, 2018
Rising Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortex, soon to go to Congress from NY, all but apologized for using words "massacre"
and "occupation" about Israel, saying she spoke as an "activist," and she is no expert on the Middle East and is willing to "learn
and evolve." '
Her performance has included telling bald-faced lies, lies that are easily exposed as lies too. This is rarely if ever going
to add weight to any personal brand, let alone that of a political leader. She's toast!
Putin statement about $400 million 'donation' to Hillary Clinton by MI6-connected Bill Browder in his Helsinki presser is
obviously of great interest. This has given some new insights into the DNC false flag operation dynamics.
Notable quotes:
"... The FBI would get info about these hackers through the CrowdStrike team's disk images, memory dumps, network logs and other reports. CrowdStrike's Robert Johnston also said he worked with FBI investigators during his work at the DNC so the FBI also got some of their info directly. ..."
"... IMHO believing in the Crowdstrike analysis is like believing in Santa Claus. They did propagate unsubstantiated "security porno" like a hack of Ukrainians for a while. After this incident, Dmitry Alperovich looks like a sleazy used car salesman, not like a real specialist and, in any case, his qualification is limited to the SMTP protocol. ..."
"... What if it was Crowdstrike which compiled and planted the malware using Vault 7 tools and then conducted full-scale false flag operation against Russians to deflect allegations that Bernie was thrown under the bus deliberately and unlawfully. They have motivation and means to do this. ..."
PT, regarding your questions: "How did the FBI obtain information about activity on the DNC
and DCCC servers", "what is the source of the information?",
"how do they know what happened on specific dates as alleged in the complaint?", I believe
the answers are implicit in the first part of this news article:
It describes in considerable detail how, STARTING IN SEPTEMBER 2015, the FBI tried
strenuously to alert the DNC to the fact that it was being hacked by Russia, but the DNC,
remarkably, chose to ignore these warnings.
Here's how the article begins:
When Special Agent Adrian Hawkins of the Federal Bureau of Investigation called the
Democratic National Committee in September 2015 to pass along some troubling news about its
computer network, he was transferred, naturally [ sic! ], to the help desk.
His message was brief, if alarming. At least one computer system belonging to the D.N.C.
had been compromised by hackers federal investigators had named "the Dukes," a
cyberespionage team linked to the Russian government.
The F.B.I. knew it well: The bureau had spent the last few years trying to kick the
Dukes out of the unclassified email systems of the White House, the State Department and
even the Joint Chiefs of Staff, one of the government's best-protected networks.
BTW, I sincerely thank TTG for providing this link in one of his previous comments.
The FBI warned the DNC of the Dukes (aka APT29, Cozy Bear) in September 2015. These are
the hackers that the Dutch AIVD penetrated and warned the NSA in real time when they attacked
Pentagon systems in 2015. Their goal seemed to be intelligence collection as one would expect
as the Dutch said they are affiliated with the SVR.
The Fancy Bear hackers (aka APT28) are the ones referred to in the recent indictment of
the GRU officers. They penetrated the DNC systems in April 2016 and weren't discovered until
CrowdStrike identified them. They're the ones who took data and released it through DCLeaks,
Guccifer 2.0 and Wikileaks as part of a coordinated information operation (IO). I'm not at
all surprised that the GRU would lead this IO as a military operation. The FBI would get
info about these hackers through the CrowdStrike team's disk images, memory dumps, network
logs and other reports. CrowdStrike's Robert Johnston also said he worked with FBI
investigators during his work at the DNC so the FBI also got some of their info
directly. There is absolutely no need to take physical possession of the servers.
The detail of some of the GRU officers' online activity indicates their computers were
penetrated by US or allied IC/LEA much like the Dutch AIVD penetrated the FSB computers. This
was probably a main source for much of the indictment's evidence. That the IC would release
information about this penetration for this indictment is extraordinary. Normally this stuff
never sees the light of day. It sets the precedent for the release of further such
intelligence information in future indictments.
IMHO believing in the Crowdstrike analysis is like believing in Santa Claus. They did
propagate unsubstantiated "security porno" like a hack of Ukrainians for a while. After this
incident, Dmitry Alperovich looks like a sleazy used car salesman, not like a real specialist
and, in any case, his qualification is limited to the SMTP protocol.
What if it was Crowdstrike which compiled and planted the malware using Vault 7 tools and
then conducted full-scale false flag operation against Russians to deflect allegations that
Bernie was thrown under the bus deliberately and unlawfully. They have motivation and means
to do this.
Now we also see a DNC motivation of keeping the content of affected servers from FBI eyes
-- Browder money.
"... In my last post I set out the official Government account of the events in the Skripal Case. Here I examine the credibility of this story. Next week I shall look at alternative explanations. ..."
In my last post I set out the official Government account of the events in the Skripal
Case. Here I examine the credibility of this story. Next week I shall look at alternative
explanations.
Russia has a decade long secret programme of producing and stockpiling novichok nerve
agents. It also has been training agents in secret assassination techniques, and British
intelligence has a copy of the Russian training manual, which includes instruction on painting
nerve agent on doorknobs.
The only backing for this statement by Boris Johnson is alleged "intelligence", and
unfortunately the "intelligence" about Russia's secret novichok programme comes from exactly
the same people who brought you the intelligence about Saddam Hussein's WMD programme, proven
liars. Furthermore, the question arises why Britain has been sitting on this intelligence for a
decade and doing nothing about it, including not telling the OPCW inspectors who certified
Russia's chemical weapons stocks as dismantled.
If Russia really has a professional novichok assassin training programme, why was the
assassination so badly botched? Surely in a decade of development they would have discovered
that the alleged method of gel on doorknob did not work? And where is the training manual which
Boris Johnson claimed to possess? Having told the world – including Russia -the UK has
it, what is stopping the UK from producing it, with marks that could identify the specific copy
erased?
The Russians chose to use this assassination programme to target Sergei Skripal, a double
agent who had been released from jail in Russia some eight years previously.
It seems remarkable that the chosen target of an attempt that would blow the existence of a
secret weapon and end the cover of a decade long programme, should be nobody more prominent
than a middle ranking double agent who the Russians let out of jail years ago. If they wanted
him dead they could have killed him then. Furthermore the attack on him would undermine all
future possible spy swaps. Putin therefore, on this reading, was willing to sacrifice both the
secrecy of the novichok programme and the spy swap card just to attack Sergei Skripal . That
seems highly improbable.
Only the Russians can make novichok and only the Russians had a motive to attack the
Skripals.
The nub of the British government's approach has been the shocking willingness of the
corporate and state media to parrot repeatedly the lie that the nerve agent was Russian made,
even after Porton Down said they could not tell where it was made and the OPCW confirmed that
finding. In fact, while the Soviet Union did develop the "novichok" class of nerve agents, the
programme involved scientists from all over the Soviet Union, especially Ukraine, Armenia and
Georgia, as I myself learnt when I visited the newly decommissioned Nukus testing facility in
Uzbekistan in 2002.
Furthermore, it was the USA who decommissioned the facility and removed equipment back to
the United States. At least two key scientists from the programme moved to the United States.
Formulae for several novichok have been published for over a decade. The USA, UK and Iran have
definitely synthesised a number of novichok formulae and almost certainly others have done so
too. Dozens of states have the ability to produce novichok, as do many sophisticated non-state
actors.
As for motive, the Russian motive might be revenge, but whether that really outweighs the
international opprobrium incurred just ahead of the World Cup, in which so much prestige has
been invested, is unclear.
What is certainly untrue is that only Russia has a motive. The obvious motive is to attempt
to blame and discredit Russia. Those who might wish to do this include Ukraine and Georgia,
with both of which Russia is in territorial dispute, and those states and jihadist groups with
which Russia is in conflict in Syria. The NATO military industrial complex also obviously has a
plain motive for fueling tension with Russia.
There is of course the possibility that Skripal was attacked by a private gangster interest
with which he was in conflict, or that the attack was linked to Skripal's MI6 handler Pablo
Miller' s work on the Orbis/Steele Russiagate dossier on Donald Trump.
Plainly, the British governments statements that only Russia had the means and only Russia
had the motive, are massive lies on both counts.
The Russians had been tapping the phone of Yulia Skripal. They decided to attack Sergei
Skripal while his daughter was visiting from Moscow.
In an effort to shore up the government narrative, at the time of the Amesbury attack the
security services put out through Pablo Miller's long term friend, the BBC's Mark Urban , that
the Russians "may have been" tapping Yulia Skripal's phone, and the claim that this was strong
evidence that the Russians had indeed been behind the attack.
But think this through. If that were true, then the Russians deliberately attacked at a time
when Yulia was in the UK rather than when Sergei was alone. Yet no motive has been adduced for
an attack on Yulia or why they would attack while Yulia was visiting – they could have
painted his doorknob with less fear of discovery anytime he was alone. Furthermore, it is
pretty natural that Russian intelligence would tap the phone of Yulia, and of Sergei if they
could. The family of double agents are normal targets. I have no doubt in the least, from
decades of experience as a British diplomat, that GCHQ have been tapping Yulia's phone. Indeed,
if tapping of phones is seriously put forward as evidence of intent to murder, the British
government must be very murderous indeed.
Their trained assassin(s) painted a novichok on the doorknob of the Skripal house in the
suburbs of Salisbury. Either before or after the attack, they entered a public place in the
centre of Salisbury and left a sealed container of the novichok there.
The incompetence of the assassination beggars belief when compared to British claims of a
long term production and training programme. The Russians built the heart of the International
Space Station. They can kill an old bloke in Salisbury. Why did the Russians not know that the
dose from the door handle was not fatal? Why would trained assassins leave crucial evidence
lying around in a public place in Salisbury? Why would they be conducting any part of the
operation with the novichok in a public area in central Salisbury?
Why did nobody see them painting the doorknob? This must have involved wearing protective
gear, which would look out of place in a Salisbury suburb. With Skripal being resettled by MI6,
and a former intelligence officer himself, it beggars belief that MI6 did not fit, as standard,
some basic security including a security camera on his house.
The Skripals both touched the doorknob and both functioned perfectly normally for at least
five hours, even able to eat and drink heartily. Then they were simultaneously and
instantaneously struck down by the nerve agent, at a spot in the city centre coincidentally
close to where the assassins left a sealed container of the novichok lying around. Even though
the nerve agent was eight times more deadly than Sarin or VX, it did not kill the Skripals
because it had been on the doorknob and affected by rain.
Why did they both touch the outside doorknob in exiting and closing the door? Why did the
novichok act so very slowly, with evidently no feeling of ill health for at least five hours,
and then how did it strike both down absolutely simultaneously, so that neither can call for
help, despite their being different sexes, weights, ages, metabolisms and receiving random
completely uncontrolled doses. The odds of that happening are virtually nil. And why was the
nerve agent ultimately ineffective?
Detective Sergeant Bailey attended the Skripal house and was also poisoned by the doorknob,
but more lightly. None of the other police who attended the house were affected.
Why was the Detective Sergeant affected and nobody else who attended the house, or the scene
where the Skripals were found? Why was Bailey only lightly affected by this extremely deadly
substance, of which a tiny amount can kill?
Four months later, Charlie Rowley and Dawn Sturgess were rooting about in public parks,
possibly looking for cigarette butts, and accidentally came into contact with the sealed
container of a novichok. They were poisoned and Dawn Sturgess subsequently died.
If the nerve agent had survived four months because it was in a sealed container, why has
this sealed container now mysteriously disappeared again? If Rowley and Sturgess had direct
contact straight from the container, why did they not both die quickly? Why had four months
searching of Salisbury and a massive police, security service and military operation not found
this container, if Rowley and Sturgess could?
I am, with a few simple questions, demolishing what is the most ludicrous conspiracy theory
I have ever heard – the Salisbury conspiracy theory being put forward by the British
government and its corporate lackies.
My next post will consider some more plausible explanations of this affair.
Although some members of the Western-supported White Helmets may be in the business of
saving lives, the group is also a 'propaganda organization,' author Sy Hersh has told RT's
'Going Underground.'
The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist also spoke about reporting in the United States and
how it changed under the Obama administration, as well as the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and
his daughter in Salisbury, UK.
RT (Russia Today) is a global news network broadcasting from Moscow and Washington studios.
RT is the first news channel to break the 1 billion YouTube views benchmark.
James @23 . The OPCW FFM did visit a warehouse and suspected chemical weapon facility
...but dismissed them both rather quickly.
"2.7 Based on the equipment and chemicals observed during the two on-site visits to the
warehouse and the facility suspected by the authorities of the Syrian Arab Republic of
producing chemical weapons, there was no indication of either facility being involved in
the production of chemical warfare agents. "
So when did the OPCW start putting out "interim" reports ? It appears to be both a
confession and a plea (to their main sponsors). A confession that they haven't got anything
at all to back up the original "Sarin attack" stories and a plea to any possible "experts"
out there who may be able to bend the flimsy evidence they have into evidence of a chlorine
attack. The media is just jumping the gun, probably in the knowledge that those "experts"
will be found before the final report comes out.
These are issues upon which circumstances of war or peace can turn. The OPCW is a disgrace
and discredits itself by being equivocal with language. The authors of its reports know
damn well what the consequences of imprecise language can be and how a glib turn of phrase
can inspire a holocaust response to a civilian population confined to a city where a
belligerent warmonger state can leap on their reports and rain devastation.
NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Shame on the OPCW for publishing a document that has been immediately
twisted. Shame on every senior scientist and every senior administrator for allowing this
to happen.
It would have taken no time at all to use text that was tight enough to leave no room
for gaming by belligerent media and state actors. This is a disgusting performance by a
critical party on which the whole world relies for competency.
Maybe some of the journalists are being dishonest but I see mainly confirmation bias.
The mainstream 'knows' that Assad uses chemical weapons. The mainstream also makes a
distincion between formal and informal thinking. Example about the Yemen war. in general
the war is seen as a proxy war with Iran, but even now I encounter articles which mention
this as claims or suspicions. This is not because there are doubts, but because they are
trying to get things right formally. On this type of formal statements the press is often
willing to be corrected, but it will not change any minds because it's just about the
distinction between 'strictly speaking' and 'extremely plausible'.
So in this case the OPCW mentions something about chlorine, but it leads nowhere. Well,
OPCW are being formal, so they can't state hard conclusions. Informally the hint is enough
to conclude(confirm) that even though there is no hard proof chlorine weapons were used.
Strong confirmation bias at work. Maybe you can just call this bad journalism. I prefer to
see it as a proof that the commonsense of the mainstream is way off.
@SomeGuy
I think you'll find that the reputation of the reporter, journalist and/or analyst is
more important than the site you visit to get your news. Some sites -- those I consider to be
corrupted (e.g., TruthDig)-- will publish articles from many different authors, only a small
fraction of which are reliable truthtellers and not misinformers/ disinformers/
propagandists/ self-censorer-for-job-security. I understand that this is a little pedantic,
but I just want to be clear: you should specifically be asking who to go to rather than where
to go for news and information.
Individual preferences will vary based on where you're from, what langauge(s) you speak
and what your interests are. As a layman and US expat residing in Germany, I've whittled my
primary sources of English geopolitical news down to b at Moon of Alabama, Craig Murray, and
Opinion contributors at RT English. For the awful state of US affairs, I read RT, look out
for stories by Ray McGovern and Philip Giraldi, Glen Ford and Margaret Kimberley, Chris
Hedges, The Saker and Ron Unz. Unz Review links to several of the above sources in its
"Alternative Media" list near the bottom of its homepage. A quick internet search can lead
you to the others.
In general, Western truthseekers must follow the money: stay away from authors funded by
Western governments, media, NGOs, and billionaire philanthropies/foundations/organizations.
Most Western truthtellers are freelancers that establish and maintain their own websites and
rely only on reader contributions or supplement their income with book sales and speaking
engagements.
@SomeGuy
I think you'll find that the reputation of the reporter, journalist and/or analyst is more
important than the site you visit to get your news. Some sites -- those I consider to be
corrupted (e.g., TruthDig)-- will publish articles from many different authors, only a small
fraction of which are reliable truthtellers and not misinformers/ disinformers/
propagandists/ self-censorer-for-job-security. I understand that this is a little pedantic,
but I just want to be clear: you should specifically be asking who to go to rather
than where to go for news and information.
Individual preferences will vary based on where you're from, what langauge(s) you speak
and what your interests are. As a layman and US expat residing in Germany, I've whittled my
primary sources of English geopolitical news down to b at Moon of Alabama, Craig Murray, and
Opinion contributors at RT English. For the awful state of US affairs, I read RT, look out
for stories by Ray McGovern and Philip Giraldi, Glen Ford and Margaret Kimberley, Chris
Hedges, The Saker and Ron Unz. Unz Review links to several of the above sources in its
"Alternative Media" list near the bottom of its homepage. A quick internet search can lead
you to the others.
In general, Western truthseekers must follow the money: stay away from authors funded by
Western governments, media, NGOs, and billionaire philanthropies/foundations/organizations.
Most Western truthtellers are freelancers that establish and maintain their own websites and
rely only on reader contributions or supplement their income with book sales and speaking
engagements.
Of course the "failing" (snark) NY Times, WaPo, and the "fake news" media like CNN, ABC,
NBC, CBS, Fox will not report in any depth the OPCW debunking of their hysterical
reporting on the alleged sarin gas use by the Syrian government as fact.
There have been so many instances of false media narratives from Iraq WMD mushroom
clouds to lies under oath on mass surveillance, that it amazes me why people continue to
believe anything presented by government agencies and their media partners.
I don't think NYT and WaPo will be failing (from a financial point of view) for much
longer - they will be funded by the government -
"The center may provide grants to or contract with specified entities to: support
local independent media to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their
communities"
"Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act"
https://www.congress.gov/bi...
Introduced in the Senate two years ago and not voted on. I'm sure that will generate
massive infusions of funds with Donald J. Trump appointing who runs the "Center for
Information Analysis and Response"
I hear Steve Bannon is looking for work, maybe Trump should just tweet his support and
proposed nominee and get the Senate to vote for it.
Exactly & I think that is changing. b's latest piece cites the BBC being forced to
change a headline saying "Douma attack was chlorine gas" because of a social media
campaign. The Brits at least are starting to see MSM channels for what they are and turn
to 'citizen journalists' & alt media for something closer to the truth. The main
organ of the Borg's propaganda machine is in trouble, at least in the UK.
Barbara, while I am glad some are pushing back against the propaganda of the BBC, I am
very skeptical that Britain in general is turning around from manipulating the public
with false stories. The Skripal affair and the big role they have played in all the false
narratives from Blair's fixing the intelligence on Iraq to "managing" the White Helmets
and of course the murky role they have played in our own election shenanigans.
I am not sure if any mainstream publication in the UK or the US can become credible
anytime soon, unless the entire lot top to bottom are fired and replaced.
Assertions only yes, but with a media fully on message with the Borg project in Syria,
evidence was always going to be a secondary concern.
I believe Trump's response following Khan Sheikoon was forced. Partly by Ivanka's
tears, but mostly by his determination to be the anti-Obama. He simply was not willing to
risk his credibility as CIC, as Obama did by his perceived inaction. Explaining to the
American people, over a largely hostile media, that the attack was a Mossad-assisted
false flag (even if the IC knew/suspected this) was just not feasible, so he responded,
but with a symbolic strike only. Good optics & domestic politics, pure & simple.
Perhaps this option did not even occur to Obama.
Ghouta was totally different. It certainly appeared that had it not been for Mattis we
may not be having this discussion now. But going forward things have changed. The 'Assad
uses CW' propaganda narrative has been degraded by over use (even more so the 'Russian'
Novichok nonsense) and this OPCW report adds to that process. I am not at all sure that
the WH's next effort will be believed by large swathes of voters. Given this, Trump may
now feel able to threaten to unmask these folk for what they are. That threat alone, in
the right ear, may spike their guns for the remainder of the conflict.
I see a pattern emerging in the strategy of the real war here; on the Borg/swamp/Dem
liberal establishment, which seems to be to get them to overplay their hand. Trump seems
to be a master at this everywhere from the White Helmets & Russiagate to Maxine
Waters.
We'll see what Trump believes when the SAA finally moves against Idlib. The Russians have
said they have intel that the White Helmets are preparing yet another false flag chemical
attack in that province. If Trump buys into it, we'll know he's completely compromised.
Also, as I expected the turks have told Syria hands off Idlib -
"A senior adviser to Turkey's president, speaking to VOA on condition of anonymity,
declared Ankara would not stand by if Damascus moved on Idlib. "Idlib is a red line for
us. As you know, we have our forces deployed there," said the adviser."
Americans need to strapped to chairs with their eyes clamped open, Clockwork Orange style.
and shown endless loops of the horrors and war crimes being done in their names.
I would just take issue with one thing in this interview, chlorine was used in WWI and it
WAS lethal the way it was used in 1915. People and animals died in April and May of 1915.
There were also a few "chlorine bombs" lobbed that had some effect early in the war. So for
him to say chlorine is not lethal is false. It's not very effective but can work in certain
circumstances.
Hersh has lost his balls he is trying to play safe how sad. Grow a pair Hersh, you wrote
about the first Syrian Sarin attack that Hillary Authorized that killed over 800 men women
and children. How the Sarin came from Lybia transported through Turkey and given to ISIS.
Chlorine WAS used as part of agent Orange, the defoliant - in Vietnam. The Chlorine by
product created was TCDD, specifically 2, 3, 7, 8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-P-dioxin - a byproduct
of Chlorine. TCDD is cancer-causing and causes other nasty health effects...
White helmets have been caught out staging things, even had 1 of their members pretend to
be hurt or dead for photos. Typical Islamics full of taqiyya and hatred for everything else
blaming anything and everything for their own disasterous ideology.
I watched programs on the White Helmets in Syria and the stories told by witnesses that
said their loved ones were trapped in bombed out buildings and they asked them for help
retrieving their children and the White Helmets told them get them out yourself?? Also people
said that their clothes were always spotless in a war zone??? The White Helmets headquarters
was vacated and there was ISS flags still on the walls where they were for months at a time??
These are no do gooders that's for sure!!!!
Its very hard to find any evidence the white helmets have saved 1 life but i have loads of
them working with ISIS and making fake videos or playing with half dead/dead children with
syringes,ask civilians in Syria and so far never heard of them
In an exclusive interview, investigative journalist Seymour Hersh talks about his recent
report on the assassination of Osama bin Laden, what the Obama administration will not let the
public know and the holes in the presented narrative. Watch the interview with RT's Anya
Parampil.
Shoot, Bin Laden died in a cave in Tora Bora 14 years ago or something from kidney
failure. This raid was fake, fake, fake. For one thing, a dessert people have a tradition of
burial at sea? Come on. Footage used of Bin Laden was all old, and he was yellow from kidney
failure in the late 1990's. The most of the SEAL team was wiped out in what can only be
called a murder by proxy, as they were sent into a known hot zone with a crappy helo.
Coverup. I don't trust anything in the government or the MSM, Watch the Corbett Report from
yesterday to see how we operate. Sickening.
"Obama did authorize a raid to get Bin Laden and the American SEAL Team Six DID fly into
Pakistan and killed Bin Laden and after that everything is simply not true" WTF Hersh? OBL
been dead since 2001 or so. I hope he's just mistaken w/ his 'sources' and not being an
intentional gatekeeper!
I just can't shake the confusion of how much this man sounds and looks like a mix of Alan
Alda (M*A*S*H) and Hickok45. As for the story, if true then all parts of the US government
that were involved in this deserve no better than what Bin Laden got. As for all the people
shouting that Bin Laden was already dead, maybe you should all check your sources, for the
info that this conclusion was based on is not all that reliable/credible either. This version
of events now put forward by Hesh makes more sense than most other theories so far. At least
to those who actually know some about what is happening on the world theatre away from the
public eye. The White House can deny all they want, the net will eventually close around
them.
"Joshua Ryne Goldberg, a 20-year old living at his parents' house in US state of Florida, is
accused of posing online as "Australi Witness," an IS supporter who publicly called for a
series of attacks against individuals and events in western countries.
An affidavit sworn at the time of the arrest says that, between August 19 and August 28,
Mr Goldberg "distributed information pertaining to the manufacturing of explosives,
destructive devices, or weapons of mass destruction in furtherance of an activity that
constitutes a Federal crime of violence".
US Attorney Lee Bentley III, said Goldberg instructed a confidential source how to make a
bomb similar to two used in the Boston Marathon bombings two years ago that killed three
people and injured more than 260 others.
"Goldberg further admitted that he believed the information would create a genuine bomb,"
Agent Berry alleged.
In the leadup to an exhibition in Garland, Texas, at which pictures of the Prophet
Mohammed were to be displayed, "Australi Witness" tweeted the event's address and reposted a
tweet urging people to go there with "weapons, bombs or with knifes".
Yes, Jews can be evil little sh*ts just like Muslims and indeed anyone can. It is the
trend that matters, as nothing is all or nothing, but I repeat myself!
Anyway, I've got a question for you KA, to see if you can be consistent and whether you
possess the supposedly stereotypical Middle Eastern shame mindset of all or nothing.
I'm a British anti-imperialist and I firmly believe that millions of British people should
not start moving to Arab and Muslims countries and colonise them.
As I am an anti-imperialist I also believe that millions of Arabs and Muslims should not
be allowed to move to Britain and furthermore that those who have already come here should go
home.
Do you agree with me? Are you a consistent anti-imperialist? Or are you just playing for
your team to win and conquer all?
From comment of chet380, Jul 7, 2018 7:03:08 PM (19): "Notwithstanding the counter-evidence and the strong counter-arguments, the decision by the OPCW to include references to 'chlorinated
chemical compounds' guaranteed that the 'attack' scenario would continue to be advanced.Is it possible that the UK, US and/or France
put pressure on the OPCW to make the inclusion so they would not have to admit they were wrong and that they were fooled? The fraud
of the White Helmets should have been exposed by the OPCW inspection, but this interim report will give them continued life."
Notable quotes:
"... Interestingly the MI6 outlet in Coventry, the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), does not confirm a 'gas' incident. ..."
"... The "Sarin" organophosphate use the 'rebels' claimed is thereby debunked. No degradation products of such chemicals were found. The "various chlorinated organic chemicals" are unsurprising. Chlorine is widely used for water purification and cleaning and "chlorinated organic chemicals" will be found in any household. ..."
"... The preliminary OPCW report says nothing about the concentrations in which these substances were found. Without knowing the concentrations, which may may be extremely low, one can not come to further conclusion. The report includes none of the witness statements the fact finding mission took. In various TV reports the medical personal of the one hospital involved in the stunt said that none of their patients were affected by chlorine or chemical weapons. ..."
"... After the 'rebels' claimed the 'chemical attack' and published their staged videos of stacked bodies U.S. President Trump tweeted that he would retaliate for the strike. Politically he could not pull back from that even when Secretary of Defense Mattis voiced his doubts about the 'rebel' claims. Trump attacked Syria with a series of cruise missiles most of which were shot down by the Syrian air defense. A civil chemical laboratory was destroyed during the attack but no one was hurt. ..."
"... They cannot admit everything was staged. And the report is not at all clear, so anyone can give it the desired spin. ..."
"... They didn't find anything relevant. See Appendix 3 of the report. There's no mention of traces of chlorine which I would find hard to believe anyway, they refer to chloride Cl- as in NaCl (table salt) or organic chlorides, of which they do name at least one. ..."
"... The Guardian employs Olivia Solon, a digital journalist (whose specialty is in writing about and recommending particular IT consumer hardware or software products) based in California, with no knowledge or access to knowledge about Syria, its politics or history, to write an article defending the White Helmets and defame the investigative journalists Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Beeley. That practice seems to be par for the course for The Guardian and other print and online newspapers. ..."
"... And yes, the corporate MSM is definitely profit-driven. When "news" was separate from "entertainment," there was some free press possible, but once they were combined, any imaginary wall between sponsors and newscasters was removed. ..."
"... Here in the US, CBS was founded by William Paley, who had been in charge of radio propaganda for the US Army Office of Psychological Warfare. CBS was owned by Westinghouse, which became the world's largest military contractor during WW II. ..."
"... Neither CBS and NBC ever generated even 5% of their parent companies revenues. The real profits were in consumer products and war. And so, not just their news, but all of their programming promoted world views that encouraged consumption and war. ..."
"... Almost all reporters covering international news are working for the various government and private intelligence agencies/think tanks and many domestic reporters as well. ..."
"... This has been the case for over 50 years if not a century. Many of the critical reports are likely written by the agencies/think tanks. Many CIA interns work at MSM for example and reporters are recruited as early as college if not high school through thr corporate government education system. ..."
"... Regarding comments of journalists, the problem may not always be with them. There have been countless discussions on the influence of intelligence agencies. Most people would choose to do the right thing when given the choice. However, if the choices are following orders or "suicide by nailgun", most people would choose to live another day. ..."
"... The British-created Anglo-American funded black propaganda organisation, the so-called White Helmets were the primary source for the claims of Sarin use by the SAG in Douma. In as just world, the White Helmets as proven liars would now become international pariahs. That they will still be hailed as heroes in the West and western MSM so just how sick the West and western MSM really are. Perhaps now that the OPCW is free to cast blame for "chemical weapons incidents", they should name and shame the United Kingdom for its black propaganda. ..."
"... Well, we all knew a false flag op was pending. So here it is. Also Trump is a POS. ..."
"... When the White Helmets and the rebels staged the 'Douma' chemical attack they were probably expecting that Douma would not be liberated and that no serious inspection would take place to debunk the 'fake' attack. That was bad luck for them. Contrary to the other chemical "attacks" locations, an inspection on location has taken place early enough and the masks may be falling. ..."
"... There are critically important information here from Vanessa Beelley False Flag Fail: How Syrian Civilians Derailed White Helmet 'Chemical' Stunt in Eastern Ghouta that Bernhardt has not mentioned. ..."
"... The White Helmets specifically stated that the protesters had ruined their chemical attack and ruined their communications with the UN, and that the Americans would not come to their assistance because of it. This incident explains important aspects of the false flag: ..."
"... 1) So close to impending defeat, the terrorists were really desperate to induce the Americans to save them, and really believed they would do so; ..."
"... the conflicting signals given out by the MI6 proxies SOHR I would read as a damage limitation act specifically in response to the civilian protest; ..."
"... It would appear that MI6 feared news of this protest would be spread, so that they needed to protect their proxies. ..."
"... Unfortunately, despite this information being published by Vanessa Beeley, I haven't seen any other mention of it. The protesters endangered their lives by this protest, at least one of them [or another hostage? - this is not clear] was shot dead for it, and all of them were sentenced to death. They deserve due publicity for it and it is really important to an understanding of the incident as a whole. ..."
"... Bernhardt, I am afraid I don't share your apparent confidence in this OPCW report. It is far too little and lopsided after months of investigation, and appears to be designed to test the waters for a decision confirming that chlorine was used as a weapon, and to coordinate with the MSM to prepare the ground for such a decision. In that case, the MSM reaction to the report is highly consistent with such an objective. ..."
"... Why did the the report make no caveats about the chlorine compounds, why did they include no data about concentrations, why did they emphasise the chain of custody of the (probably trivial) chrorine compound samples (and only those samples), why no information on witness testimony, why no mention of the witness testimony in the Hague, why mention (totally irrelevant) testimony of alleged witnesses in Turkey and biological samples taken in Turkey for which no plausible chain of custody exists? ..."
"... This report is a scandal, an outrage. This report itself is a false flag, it is designed to appease those observers who know the incident was a false flag by using carefully ambiguous wording, while preparing the ground for a full-blown 99% dishonest and 100% misleading report condemning the Syrian government. ..."
"... For Trump self inflicted ego wound somebody will pay. ..."
"... If the OPCW can no longer be trusted; then what? The U.S. has done an admirable job of destroying trust between countries. ..."
"... Nice article, however I tend to disagree partially on the last part, the US administration and the alleged rebels are two faces of the same coins, rebels are funded by the administration from various sources and they acr in response to commands from it, see the southern command operations where this approach of command was openly divulged by various reports and accounts. The reason for the Administration to get into Syria was to further weaken the middle eastern countries for a specific and obvious reason, and each strike and wall destroyed goes into this direction..the bigger picture explains it all.. ..."
"... So, as expected, this latest OPCW report will have no effect on the establishment narrative. The good guys vs bad guys scenario is the only approved version, and with no alternative versions being offered in the MSM, it is the one that the most people will believe. ..."
"... I suspect some of the stupidest staged events are just experiments to monitor how many people will simply buy anything. ..."
Syria - OPCW Issues First Report Of 'Chemical Weapon Attack' in Douma
On April 7 2018 Syrian 'rebels' claimed that the Syrian government used chlorine gas and Sarin in an attack on the besieged Douma
suburb near the Syrian capital Damascus. They published a series of videos which showed the dead bodies of mainly women and children.
During the night the incident allegedly happened Douma was hit with artillery and air strikes in retaliation for earlier deadly
attacks by some 'rebels' splinter groups on Damascus city. Jaish al-Islam, the main 'rebel' group in Douma, had already agreed to
leave towards Idleb governorate.
The claim of the 'chemical attack' was made shortly after U.S. President Trump had announced that he wanted U.S. troops to leave
Syria. It was designed to "pull him back in" which it indeed did.
Moon of Alabama published several pieces on the issue:
It seemed obvious from the very first claims of the 'gas attack' that it did not happen at all. The Syrian government had no motive
to use any chemical weapon or an irritant like chlorine in Douma. It had already won. The incident was obviously staged, like others
before it, to drag the U.S. into a new attack on Syria.
Even a prominent opposition outlet said that no 'chemical attack'
had taken place. As
noted on April
9:
Interestingly the MI6 outlet in Coventry, the Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (SOHR), does not confirm a 'gas' incident.
In its version of events some 40 people
died after their shelter collapsed:
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights issued a higher death toll, saying at least 80 people were killed in Douma, including
around 40 who died from suffocation. But it said the suffocations were the result of shelters collapsing on people inside them.
Main stream media, which have quoted SOHR for years, now ignore it and
report of a 'chemical
attack' as if it were a proven reality.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) send a Fact Finding Mission (FFM) to Douma and investigated the
incident. Today it
published an interim report and some technical results:
OPCW designated labs conducted analysis of prioritised samples. The results show that no organophosphorous nerve agents or their
degradation products were detected in the environmental samples or in the plasma samples taken from alleged casualties. Along
with explosive residues, various chlorinated organic chemicals were found in samples from two sites, for which there is full chain
of custody. Work by the team to establish the significance of these results is on-going. The FFM team will continue its work to
draw final conclusions.
The "Sarin" organophosphate use the 'rebels' claimed is thereby debunked. No degradation products of such chemicals were found.
The "various chlorinated organic chemicals" are unsurprising. Chlorine is widely used for water purification and cleaning and "chlorinated
organic chemicals" will be found in any household.
In the technical notes of
the OPCW report note that one of its laboratory found "dichloroacetic acid", "trichloroacetic acid", "chloral hydrate", "trichlorophenol"
and "chlorphenol" in some of the samples its fact finding mission took at the claimed incident sites. These are all substances that
are no surprise in any upbuild environment and especially within any home.
Dichloroacetic acid" is for example "a trace product
of the chlorination of drinking water". Chloral hydrate
is likewise "a minor side-product of the chlorination of water when organic residues such as humic acids are present". The other
substances are also not uncommon and of various household uses.
The other OPCW laboratory found only "No CWC-scheduled chemicals" and "2,4,6-trinitrotoluene" residues in the samples. Trinitrotoluene,
also known as TNT, is an explosive widely used in military ammunition. The second laboratory does not report the chlorinated organic
chemicals the other laboratory found.
The preliminary OPCW report says nothing about the concentrations in which these substances were found. Without knowing the concentrations,
which may may be extremely low, one can not come to further conclusion. The report includes none of the witness statements the fact
finding mission took. In various TV reports the medical personal of the one hospital involved in the stunt said that none of their
patients were affected by chlorine or chemical weapons.
After the 'rebels' claimed the 'chemical attack' and published their staged videos of stacked bodies U.S. President Trump
tweeted that he would retaliate for the strike. Politically he could not pull back from that even when Secretary of Defense Mattis
voiced his doubts
about the 'rebel' claims. Trump attacked Syria with a series of cruise missiles most of which were shot down by the Syrian air defense.
A civil chemical laboratory was destroyed during the attack but no one was hurt.
The now published preliminary OPCW report reinforces the doubts about the 'rebel' claims. There was no 'chemical attack' in Douma.
The incident was staged.
One hopes that Trump has learned from this episode and will in future refrain from violent threats over incidents for which no
plausible and vetted evidence is provided.
Posted by b on July 6, 2018 at 03:23 PM |
Permalink
Thanks for this report, even though in my case you're "preaching to the choir".
I wish I could share your closing optimism: "One hopes that Trump has learned from this episode and will in future refrain
from violent threats over incidents for which no plausible and vetted evidence is provided."
Hope springs eternal. But even though I'm not rabidly anti-Trump, I think he will remain unwilling to refrain, or is incapable
of refraining, from impulsively responding with bluster, bombast, and chauvinistic bumptiousness when his buttons are pushed,
regardless of the validity of the stimulus.
Trump, whose narcissism is second to no one's, is devoid of the introspective humility contemplated by the axiom "Fool me once,
shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me"; his ego will not process the possibility that he can ever be fooled.
Alas! Trump is definitely a "Threaten first and ask questions later" kind of guy.
Thanks for the report b. I was surfing the net as I prepared a meal and saw that the BBC is pushing this hard.
The BBC is even writing about the April chemical weapon scam as being added proof.....sad
The elite keep trying to start a war with anyone to keep the focus off their failure as the "leaders of the free world" BS.
When are the elite going to realize their temper tantrums aren't working?
I hope they don't get their shooting war and I hope their economic war provides their final undoing.....think of the waste
of human and other resources over the past 70 years.....let alone the centuries that the private finance/property scam has been
going on.
Still, Ard-Tagesschau says the following (originally in German): "In the battles for the Syrian rebel stronghold Duma, chlorine
gas was apparently used in April. The OPCW found traces of this in gas cylinder residues."
Sure enough I agree with you B, but
for the MSM the OPCW report reads different.
They cannot admit everything was staged. And the report is not at all clear,
so anyone can give it the desired spin.
"The OPCW found traces of this in gas cylinder residues." Claiming that the OPCW found "traces of chlorine" is like claiming one
found "traces of oxygen" or "traces of hydrogen" when one found water (H2O).
The occurrence of a basic element in a compound
is not a "trace" of the basic element. That's chemistry 001. Journalists nowadays seem to lack most basics of higher education.
They didn't find anything relevant. See Appendix 3 of the report. There's no mention of traces of chlorine which I would
find hard to believe anyway, they refer to chloride Cl- as in NaCl (table salt) or organic chlorides, of which they do name at
least one.
What to expect from the 'Tagesschau' - same old, same old. They're making stuff up again, almost certainly out of willful ignorance
and bias.
@6 b
I figure it's even worse than that. They're not even asking the most basic question: Am I a competent person?
My guess is a great many of these folks avoid asking that question on purpose.
It would seem that a common (and deliberate) ploy used by the MSM these days is to use journalists with no particular knowledge,
experience or insight in an area to write articles that need that knowledge or experience.
The Guardian employs Olivia Solon, a digital journalist (whose specialty is in writing about and recommending particular
IT consumer hardware or software products) based in California, with no knowledge or access to knowledge about Syria, its politics
or history, to write an article defending the White Helmets and defame the investigative journalists Eva Bartlett and Vanessa
Beeley. That practice seems to be par for the course for The Guardian and other print and online newspapers.
Plus The Guardian and others rely on dubious sources like Bellingcat and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, whose credentials
are laughable at best, as "experts" in their chosen areas of reporting.
All the Western MSM are now entirely driven by the pursuit of sales revenue and profit and are now no different from outlets
peddling entertainment. No surprise really when news media outlets are now owned by the same individuals or corporations that
own film studios, TV stations, online media and TV channels, book and comics publishers, and games publishers.
Jen @8. Great point on the strategy of using "journalists" with no background in the topic they're tasked to 'report."
And yes, the corporate MSM is definitely profit-driven. When "news" was separate from "entertainment," there was some free
press possible, but once they were combined, any imaginary wall between sponsors and newscasters was removed.
Still, considering who owns the MSM, I'd say their main purpose is not to sell commercials, but to sell the most profitable
"products" of their owners.
Here in the US, CBS was founded by William Paley, who had been in charge of radio propaganda for the US Army Office of
Psychological Warfare. CBS was owned by Westinghouse, which became the world's largest military contractor during WW II.
NBC was owned by GE, which was also one of the largest military contractors in the world.
Neither CBS and NBC ever generated even 5% of their parent companies revenues. The real profits were in consumer products
and war. And so, not just their news, but all of their programming promoted world views that encouraged consumption and war.
Almost all reporters covering international news are working for the various government and private intelligence agencies/think
tanks and many domestic reporters as well.
This has been the case for over 50 years if not a century. Many of the critical reports are likely written by the agencies/think
tanks. Many CIA interns work at MSM for example and reporters are recruited as early as college if not high school through thr
corporate government education system.
Everyone likes to supplement their income and many are convinced its their patriotic duty to disseminate propaganda. For some
its a chance to join the elite class, even at a low level. Obviously getting the 6-8 corporate entities that own 80% of the media
to go along is not difficult especially as those who go rogue will be punished by members of the business roundtable responsible
for most advertising , which would of course dry up as punishment
Now monitoring the internet and social media with big data analytics allows almost Total Information Awareness. They can see
in real time whats working and to what extent and what is not. They can then fill holes or modify the story as needed. They know
they dont need to get 100% believability. This is why they have not shut down dissenting comments. They are useful, for now.
I suspect some of the stupidest staged events are just experiments to monitor how many people will simply buy anything. At
some point they will feel confident enough to simulate an alien invasion of beings capable of taking human form. This will necessitate
martial law which thw fearful will gladly accept, and a global governement led by the countries with the largest space force.
Funny how the US still needs Russian Rockets to launch satellites so its Space Force has a way to go yet. I guess I wont be around
for the fun since time is not a friend of old men
Regarding comments of journalists, the problem may not always be with them. There have been countless discussions on the influence
of intelligence agencies. Most people would choose to do the right thing when given the choice. However, if the choices are following
orders or "suicide by nailgun", most people would choose to live another day.
Speaking of experiments to monitor how many people will believe anything, some good claims from the MSM come to mind: 40% of
North Koreans are on crystal meth, the Russians killed the last clown in Aleppo, and the Breatharians (people who purportedly
survive on only air and sunlight).
thanks b... unfortunately, i tend to see it much like what @8 jen says... these folks are unsure about their next pay check and
are happy to write with a chatham house /scl / cambridge analytica slant knowing what is expected of them.. they ask no questions
and are unwilling to articulate the false flags that have shaped all this discussion of opcw and chemical attacks in syria.. in
this respect i also agree with @5 pnyx... they are unwilling or unable to raise these questions for fear of dismissal.. more and
more people recognize what a poor state the msm is in today.. that is my hope anyway..
b said:"One hopes that Trump has learned from this episode and will in future refrain from violent threats over incidents for
which no plausible and vetted evidence is provided."
Unfortunately, probably no one here in the land of theater, will ever hear about this report. As to DJT, he'll do whatever
it takes to enhance his appearance with the morons. His learning curve only bends toward his own enhancement. To him and his minions,
truth doesn't matter...
There's unlikely to be any real investigative journalism regarding opcw reports, considering the papers in uk are owned by mega
millionaires who profit from war and the Middle East land grab.oil ect. Plus the owners featured largely in the off shore tax
haven leaks- relavent here not so much regarding tax, but what that hidden money is invested in, Gun running, slave labour, buying
rebels? It's a small world, media moguls own it.
The British-created Anglo-American funded black propaganda organisation, the so-called White Helmets were the primary source
for the claims of Sarin use by the SAG in Douma. In as just world, the White Helmets as proven liars would now become international
pariahs. That they will still be hailed as heroes in the West and western MSM so just how sick the West and western MSM really
are. Perhaps now that the OPCW is free to cast blame for "chemical weapons incidents", they should name and shame the United Kingdom
for its black propaganda.
Thanks Bevin @ 16
I do follow that site, but had'nt looked recently. Really Good, no doubt your aware of 'the canary ' good article on this subject!
Both sites I recommend to one and all.
When the White Helmets and the rebels staged the 'Douma' chemical attack they were probably expecting that Douma would not
be liberated and that no serious inspection would take place to debunk the 'fake' attack. That was bad luck for them. Contrary
to the other chemical "attacks" locations, an inspection on location has taken place early enough and the masks may be falling.
Your early call that the MSM would go with the chlorine findings to support the attack is proving true across the board --
there is not a chance that an admission of having been mistaken is going to happen.
james @13 I think it's clearly true, not just a hope, that fewer and fewer people take the media seriously. Those who still watch
mainstream and cable 'news' programs are a pretty small minority, and the MSNBC/FOX side of that is probably acknowledged even
by most of its consumers, as 'my side' comfort food rather than 'news' as we used to understand it.
The media's lock-step Western-Empire perspective _is_ frightening, but we also need to remember recent election results that
have gone against the empire's wishes. Just a couple days ago in Mexico, for example. Real alternative and real (whether socialist,
left, right, or libertarian) populist media is having an impact, I think, and we may be able to turn things around in the West
before the next world wars start.
Vanessa Beeley interviewed at least two witnesses who - seeing that the government forces were about to liberate Hamouriya
village in Douma from the terrorists under whose control they had suffered for 6 years and thereby feeling empowered - on 6th
March at 3pm decided to publicly protest against the terrorists by marching through Hamouriya carrying Syrian national flags.
They were met by members of the White Helmets and the terrorists, who blamed them explicitly for ruining their chemical weapons
false flag.
Critically importantly, the White Helmets had already released news for the claimed false flag that morning and the night before,
and they had already collected 30 dead bodies from all over Douma and brought them to the hospital, and had already started filming.
The protest critically negated the propaganda message of the false flag chemical attack - if the Syrian Army had really been
dropping chemical weapons on Hamouriya the night before with intent to kill civilian women and children, why would the civilians
immediately afterwards start marching through the city carrying Syrian national flags, and having raised the flag at key points
in the city? It makes the whole flase flag [even more] implausible. The White Helmets then wrapped one hostage in a Syrian flag
and shot him dead as a warning. Fortunately the two witnesses interviewed (and hopefully most of the protesters) were able to
escape soon afterwards with the help of the nearby Syrian Army.
The White Helmets specifically stated that the protesters had ruined their chemical attack and ruined their communications
with the UN, and that the Americans would not come to their assistance because of it. This incident explains important aspects
of the false flag:
1) So close to impending defeat, the terrorists were really desperate to induce the Americans to save them, and really
believed they would do so;
2) Having already announced the false flag the previous night and having collected so many dead bodies in preparation, the
existence of the protest creates a credibility problem for the terrorists and White Helmets, to which they seem to have responded
with various conflicting signals;
3) In particular, the conflicting signals given out by the MI6 proxies SOHR I would read as a damage limitation act specifically
in response to the civilian protest;
4) It would appear that MI6 feared news of this protest would be spread, so that they needed to protect their proxies.
Unfortunately, despite this information being published by Vanessa Beeley, I haven't seen any other mention of it. The
protesters endangered their lives by this protest, at least one of them [or another hostage? - this is not clear] was shot dead
for it, and all of them were sentenced to death. They deserve due publicity for it and it is really important to an understanding
of the incident as a whole.
Bernhardt, I hope you will update the article above to include some of Vanessa Beeley's reporting on this incident.
Bernhardt, I am afraid I don't share your apparent confidence in this OPCW report. It is far too little and lopsided after
months of investigation, and appears to be designed to test the waters for a decision confirming that chlorine was used as a weapon,
and to coordinate with the MSM to prepare the ground for such a decision. In that case, the MSM reaction to the report is highly
consistent with such an objective.
Why did the the report make no caveats about the chlorine compounds, why did they include no data about concentrations,
why did they emphasise the chain of custody of the (probably trivial) chrorine compound samples (and only those samples), why
no information on witness testimony, why no mention of the witness testimony in the Hague, why mention (totally irrelevant) testimony
of alleged witnesses in Turkey and biological samples taken in Turkey for which no plausible chain of custody exists?
Posted by: V | Jul 7, 2018 12:36:26 AM | 25 Finally, straight shooting from the OPCW.
About time...
This report is a scandal, an outrage. This report itself is a false flag, it is designed to appease those observers who
know the incident was a false flag by using carefully ambiguous wording, while preparing the ground for a full-blown 99% dishonest
and 100% misleading report condemning the Syrian government.
The correct response to this report is very loud and active and persistent protest against it.
The Russians should make very strongly worded complaints and criticisms about it both at the OPCW and at the UN (maybe they
have, I wouldn't know).
So, following your logic (which I mostly agree); what value/good are elections?
None, near as I can tell.
Time for something new?
But then I digress; what to do about false flag chemo attacks?
If the OPCW can no longer be trusted; then what? The U.S. has done an admirable job of destroying trust between countries.
ΏHas anyone here read Peter Ford's piece on OPCW? I believe it fits somewhere in the discussion. Unfortunate this choir is so
small. Keep writing and Protest Loudly!
Hi Nice article, however I tend to disagree partially on the last part, the US administration and the alleged rebels are two
faces of the same coins, rebels are funded by the administration from various sources and they acr in response to commands from
it, see the southern command operations where this approach of command was openly divulged by various reports and accounts. The
reason for the Administration to get into Syria was to further weaken the middle eastern countries for a specific and obvious
reason, and each strike and wall destroyed goes into this direction..the bigger picture explains it all..
... to clarify , every "regime" that threatens Israel openly is to be brought down ... Libya, Iraq,, Sudan, Yemen, Syria, Iran
, Egypt's Nasser and the list goes on..
"Yesterday the OPCW reported that, contrary to US and UK assertions in the UN security council, there was no nerve agent attack
on jihadist-held Douma by the Syrian government, precisely as Robert Fisk was execrated by the entire media establishment for
pointing out. The OPCW did find some traces of chlorine compounds, but chlorine is a very commonly used element and you have traces
of it all over your house.
The US wants your chicken chlorinated. The OPCW said it was "Not clear" if the chlorine was weaponised, and it is plain to
me from a career in diplomacy that the almost incidental mention is a diplomatic sop to the UK, US and France, which are important
members of the OPCW.
"Trump's reaction to yet more lying claims by the UK government funded White Helmets and Syrian Observatory, a reaction of
missile strikes on alleged Syrian facilities producing the non-existent nerve agent, was foolish. May's leap for British participation
was unwise, and the usual queue of Blairites who stood up as always in Parliament to support any bombing action, stand yet again
exposed as evil tools of the military industrial complex.
"Hillary Clinton, true to form, wanted more aggressive military action than was undertaken by Trump. Hillary has been itching
to destroy Syria as she destroyed Libya. Libya was very much Hillary's war and almost unreported by the mainstream media NATO
bombers carried out almost 14,000 bombing sorties on Libya and devastated entire cities...."
If you put Murray, MoA, The Skwawkbox, Strategic Culture, Dissident Voice and a few of the better aggregators together you've
got a better Daily Newspaper than The Guardian or Le Monde ever was, far better.
By the way, unless I'm mistaken (it wouldn't be a first!) Ghandi was asked what he thought about Western Civilisation when
he replied that "It would be a good idea". It still is an idea worth looking into. It would look just like socialism.
@28 BM... i think it was daniel who left that link here at moa a few days ago.. i read it..
@29 BM.. i tend to agree with you, but see @6 b for more clarity...
@32 pft... it is my observation that the msm in the usa is so usa centric, they know shit about canada, or the rest of the
world.. i could be wrong, but that is my general view on what ''americans'' consume for news in the usa.. the indoctrination is
heavy.. i would like to think people like @33 V are the norm, but i mostly think people are tuned out of the news - excluding
the older generation - above 60 or 70 especially - who still consume the shit via the tv..
@41 mike.. in other words, the usa foreign policy is built around looking after israel.. most here at moa would agree with
that.. will the usa ever get it's head out of israels ass? one can hope, lol..
This one was real, but even the Aum Shinrikyo sect showed all those years ago how how difficult it is to pull off an effective
chemical weapons attack, requiring an enclosed space like the metro system. But that's never the point. Instilling mass fear and
panic, not to mention being 'news friendly' is what makes such attacks, sponsored proxy false-flag or not, so enduringly popular
. To borrow a well known ad phrase ' Once you pop, you can't stop '
Journalists nowadays seem to lack most basics of higher education. b.
Yes + they have zero comprehension of basic numbers. Amazing. (Nobody wants to read my exs..) Nowadays, they are not supposed
to have any knowledge whatsoever; they have become scribal hacks, merely write, film, show, expose, what they are told or do haphazard
copy-pasta.
They are bought servants, nah compradors, and their presence is completely useless (A.I. and some guidance, input from above
by 7 -say- very smart ppl would do the job faster and cheaper, for the whole W world) they are actors whose function is to pretend
that a 'fourth estate' is necessary to uncover facts, inform the populace, air dissenting points of view, have debates, and so
on Lies.
Aware they are past their sell-date, one can smell the desperation. The reaction is to become more subservient, toe the line,
preserve what can be, become more in-groupy and shaft colleagues who might stray away from the prescribed hyper-rigid guide-lines.
Collectively, they have fantastic potential power and means of control (network savvy, present at the switches, etc.) but they
are so dumbed down and terrified of status and monetary loss they are like deer caught in the headlights, to stay on track they
secretly pray at dawn, conjure the fates, or whatever. The mansion with pool, the ginormous mortgage, Junior, etc. in the US.
In France, the monetary aspect is less vital; being excluded from the movers and shakers, the in-ppl, the heady, sexy, wonderful
Parisian life.. no.. no.. help
Part of how a 'post-truth' environment comes about. The other driver is the underlying aim, i.e. the imposition of one narrative
over another, the Rovian creation of realities which can only be managed by wielding power violent enough to make the 'other
- the people - the adversary' accept and bow down to the proffered narrative, and never object, call out the lies. Using this
template requires careful calculations which, it appears, have gone off kilter in the US.
Maybe one should consider that there were never any Chem-WMD attacks in Syria at all (pace Seymour Hersh, heh, but that is
a personal beef of mine..) - there are always limited hangout ppl who try to cobble up one narrative with another and make a living
out o that.
So far, I'm seeing BBC (as above), al Jazeera, ABC, Reuters, Qatar Tribune twisting the report to say it was a Chlorine attack.
PressTV, RT, and Sputnik News say the report clears SAA.
The latter is an absurd "virtual crime scene" in which crack reporters claim to prove that the Syrian government used chemical
weapons on their own people.
So, as expected, this latest OPCW report will have no effect on the establishment narrative. The good guys vs bad guys
scenario is the only approved version, and with no alternative versions being offered in the MSM, it is the one that the most
people will believe.
O k see if I can help, kind of kill or cure! The shock to us all may be to much ! There is no squirrel !
They made it up, yes I know it's kind of tuff !we all looked for a squirrel they distracted us. There was no people poisoned by
Russians in Salisbury, Amesbury the chlorine attack in Syria yes made up.What the tv and papers said was a lie, to program us
all like a laptop !!!
Whilst we were out squirrel huntin, they got through half of world 3 we never noticed. They formed a dictatorship. Sold all
your urban buildings services and council houses to one an other. And devalued us all by about 60% But i'l go easy for now. Couse
from there on things went down hill !!! Warm regards
By the way, I read somewhere recently that Chlorine rapidly degrades Sarin and therefore no one would use them together. But I
can't find the reference now. Can anybody help?
47. hrc = Bloodthirsty killer; sociopath coming out the gate. Likewise. POS. Trump was not a mass murderer until a couple months
in. Didn't take him long to join the club.
It would seem that a common (and deliberate) ploy used by the MSM these days is to use journalists with no particular knowledge,
experience or insight in an area to write articles that need that knowledge or experience.
I wonder if these "news reporters" were not selected based upon their "sex appeal" to a superior?
Posted by: Pft | @10
I suspect some of the stupidest staged events are just experiments to monitor how many people will simply buy anything.
I agree. These zany false flag events might be designed to map the approach to an asymptote .
(In analytic geometry, an asymptote (/ˈζsɪmptoʊt/) of a curve is a line such that the distance between
the curve and the line approaches zero as one or both of the x or y coordinates tends to infinite stupidity)
It used to be that the only things one could depend on were "death & taxes." Now of
course we must add to that list the very dependable presence of CIA / State Dept lies
parroted by MSM all over the West. Lies which are endlessly repeated in defiance of all
physical reality and often in direct opposition to actual events in the actual world we live
in.
From the Ukraine coup, to Russia-gate, to the "Assad's gassing his own people" regime
change propaganda, to the totally surreal Alice in Wonderland Skripnal poisoning nonsense in
the U.K, the Western MSM have been as dependable as the rising sun.
They can and do provide
fact-free, evidence-free reporting directly from the bowels of the deep state in support of
the neocolonial West, including unending support for the never ending resort to mass violence
the West relies upon to keep the rest of the planet subjugated -- just as it has for the last
500+ years.
In this article, we have attempted to identify the most censored stories of modern times in
Britain. We have asked the opinions of one of the most famous and celebrated journalists and
documentary film-makers of our time, a high-profile former Mi5 intelligence officer, an
investigative journalist with one of the most well-known climate-change organisations, a
veteran journalist of the Iraq war, an ex-army officer, along with the head of one of the
worlds largest charities working against injustice.
One comment from our eclectic group of experts said; "the UK has the most legally protected
and least accountable intelligence agencies in the western world so even in just that field
competition is fierce, let alone all the other cover-ups."
So true have we found this statement to be that we've had to split this article into two
categories – military and non-military, with a view that we may well categorise
surveillance and privacy on its own another time.
Without further ado – here are the most non-military censored stories in Britain since
the 1980s, in no particular order. Do bear in mind that for those with inquisitive minds, some
of these stories you will have read something about somewhere – but to the majority of
citizens, these stories will read like conspiracy theories.
Consequences of American corporate influence over British welfare reforms
The demolition of the welfare state was first suggested in 1982 by the Conservative Prime
Minister, Margaret Thatcher. Using neoliberal politics, every UK government since 1982 has
covertly worked towards that goal. It is also the political thinking used as justification for
the welfare reforms of the New Labour government, which introduced the use of the Work
Capability Assessment (WCA) for all out-of-work disability benefit claimants. Neoliberal
politics also justified additional austerity measures introduced by the Coalition government
since 2010, and the Conservative government(s) since 2015, which were destined to cause
preventable harm when disregarding the human consequences. Much of this is known and in the
public domain.
However, what is less known is a story the government have tried
very hard to gag . The American healthcare insurance system of disability denial was
adopted, as was the involvement of a US healthcare company to distance the government from the
preventable harm created by its use. The private sector was introduced on a wide scale in many
areas of welfare and social policy as New Labour adopted American social and labour market
policies – and the gravity of its effects cannot be understated.
The result? In one 11 month study 10,600 deaths were attributed to the government disability
denial system of screening, with 2,200 people dying before the ESA assessment was even
completed. Between May 2010 and February 2014, an astonishing total of
40,680 people died within 12 months of going through a government Work Capability
Assessment. The government department responsible has since refused to publish updated
mortality totals.
This political and social scandal has been censored, with the author of
THIS truly damning report in trouble with the government for publishing it.
Climate Change, what a British oil giant knew all along
For decades, tobacco companies buried evidence that smoking was deadly, the same goes for
the fossil fuel industry. As early as 1981, big oil company Shell was aware of the causes and
catastrophic dangers of climate change. In the 1980s it was acknowledging with its own research
that anthropogenic global warming was a fact. Then, as the scientific consensus became more and
more clear, it started introducing doubt and giving weight to a "significant minority" of
"alternative viewpoints" as the full implications for the company's business model became
clear.
By the mid-90s, the company started talking about "distinguished scientists" that cast
aspersions of the seriousness of climate change.
THIS REPORT provides proof of Shell's documentation including emails of what they knew and
what they were hiding from the public domain. One document in 1988 confirms that: "By the time
the global warming becomes detectable it could be too late to take effective countermeasures to
reduce the effects or even stabilise the situation."
It was not until 2007 that scientific research eventually took a grip of the problem and
proved what was known all along. However, as Shell did say – it's probably too late to
take effective countermeasures now anyway. There is still persistent quoting of climate science
deniers by the fossil fuel industries.
Government Surveillance
In 2016, the UK was identified as the most
extreme surveillance state in the Western world. However, legislation really only came
about to legalise its use because of the Edward Snowden revelations in 2013. Prior to that, the
British government had created a secret 360-degree mass surveillance architecture that no-one,
including most members of parliament, knew anything about. And much of it has since been deemed
illegal by the highest courts in both Britain and the European Union.
From operation Optic Nerve which took millions of sexually explicit images of an unknowing
public through their devices to a hacking operation called Gemalto – where GCHQ stole the
keys to a global encryption system with 700 million subscribers. The unaccountable spymasters
of the UK have undertaken breathtaking operations of illegality with absolute impunity.
Some other programmes included; Three Smurfs
– an operation to turn on any mobile device so it could listen to or activate the camera
covertly on mobile phones. XKeyScore was basically a Google search engine for spies to find any
data about anyone. Upstream and Tempora hacked into the worlds main cable highway, intercepting
everything and anything globally with a leaked presentation slide from GCHQ on this programme
expressly stating they were intent on "Mastering the Internet". Royal Concierge identified diplomatic
hotel reservations so GCHQ could organise a surveillance operation against dignitaries either
domestic or foreign, in advance.
In truth, Britain is classed as an endemic surveillance state and right now, we only know
what has been uncovered by whistleblowers. This is why people like Julian Assange, Edward
Snowden and others are nothing less than political prisoners of Western governments. They don't
want you to know what they know about you. They also don't want you to know about them, which
is why the architecture is there in the first place. It is not for catching terrorists because
if it was the courts would not deem these surveillance systems as illegal.
Evidence-Based Medical Studies
Over the last few years, medical professionals have come forward to share a truth that, for
many people, proves difficult to swallow. One such authority is Dr. Richard Horton, the current
editor-in-chief of the Lancet – considered to be one of the most well respected
peer-reviewed medical journals in the world.
"The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps
half, may simply be untrue. Afflicted by studies with small sample sizes, tiny effects, invalid
exploratory analyses, and flagrant conflicts of interest, together with an obsession for
pursuing fashionable trends of dubious importance, science has taken a turn towards
darkness."
Across the pond, Dr
Marcia Angell , a physician and longtime Editor-in-Chief of the New England Medical Journal
(NEMJ), which is also considered another one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical
journals in the world, makes her view of the subject quite plain:
"It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published
or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no
pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an
editor of the New England Journal of Medicine".
Many newspapers in Britain take the opportunity to indulge in some shameless click baiting
and report completely false stories simply to gain visitor numbers onto their website –
as in this example by the Mail Online HERE
or
HERE.
The Skripal poisoning and Pablo Millar
D-notice's (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice) are used by the British state to
censor the publication of potentially damaging news stories. They are issued to the mainstream
media to withhold publication of damaging information. One such case was the widespread use of
D-notices regarding the British ex-spy deeply involved in the Skripal/Novichok poisoning case
in Salisbury.
Mainstream journalists, the press and broadcast media were issued with D-notices in respect
of a former British intelligence officer called Pablo Miller. Miller was an associate of
Christopher Steele, first in espionage operations in Russia and more recently in the activities
of Steele's private intelligence firm,
Orbis Business Intelligence .
Steele was responsible for compiling the Trump–Russia dossier, comprising 17 memos
written in 2016 alleging misconduct and conspiracy between Donald Trump's presidential campaign
and the Putin administration. The dossier paid for by the Democratic Party, claimed that Trump
was compromised by evidence of his sexual proclivities (golden shower anyone?) in Russia's
possession. Steele was the subject of an earlier D-notice, which unsuccessfully attempted to
keep his identity as the author of the dossier a secret.
Millar is reported to be Skripal's handler in Salisbury and if Miller and by extension,
Skripal himself were involved in Orbis' work on the highly-suspect Steele-Trump dossier, which
is thought to be the case (for all sorts of reasons – including these D-notices)
alongside representatives of British and possibly US intelligence, then the motivations for the
attempted assassination on the ex-Russian double agent was very wide at best. As it turned out,
blame could not be pinned on Russia's intelligence service, the FSB, no matter how hard the
government tried. This particular part of the Skripal poisoning story remains buried by the
mainstream media.
The City of London – A global crime scene
For over a hundred years the Labour party tried in vain to abolish the City of London and
its accompanying financial corruption. In 1917, Labour's new rising star Herbert Morrison, the
grandfather of Peter Mandelson made a stand and failed, calling it the "devilry of modern
finance." And although attempt after attempt was made throughout the following decades, it was
Margaret Thatcher who succeeded by abolishing its opponent, the Greater London Council in
1986.
Tony Blair went about it another way and offered to reform the City of London in what turned
out to be a gift from God. He effectively gave the vote to corporations which swayed the
balance of democratic power away from residents and workers. It was received by its opponents
as the greatest retrograde step since the peace treaty of 1215, Magna Carta. The City won its
rights through debt financing in 1067, when William the Conqueror acceded to it and ever since
governments have allowed the continuation of its ancient rights above all others.
The consequence? It now stands as money
launderer of the world , the capital of global crime scene with Britain referred to by the
global criminal fraternity to be the most corrupt country in the world.
A 'watchman' sits at the high table of parliament and is its official
lobbyist sitting in the seat of power right next to the Speaker of the House who is
"charged with ensuring that its established rights are safeguarded." The job is to seek out
political dissent that might arise against the City.
The City of London has its own private funding and will 'buy-off' any attempt to erode its
powers – any scrutiny of its financial affairs are put beyond external inspection or
audit. It has it's own police force – and laws. Its dark and shadowy client list
includes; terrorists, drug barons, arms dealers, despots, dictators, shady politicians,
corporations, millionaires and billionaires – most with something to hide. The shocking
Panama Papers, Paradise Papers and Lux Leaks barely scratching the surface
even with their almost unbelievable revelations of criminality.
Keith Bristow Director-General of the UK's National Crime Agency
said in June 2015 that the sheer scale of crime and its subsequent money laundering
operations was "a serious strategic threat to Britain." And whilst much of this activity is
indeed published – the scale of it is not. It is now believed by many investigative
journalists that the City of London is managing "trillions in ill-gotten gains" – not
billions as we have all been told.
State propaganda – manipulating minds, controlling the internet
Reading this you would think this was the stuff of a conspiracy theory – sadly, it's
not. The government, through its spying agent GCHQ developed its own set of software tools to
infiltrate the internet to shape what people see, hear and read, with the ability to rig online
polls and psychologically manipulate people on social media. This was what Glenn Greenwald of
The Intercept confirmed through the Snowden files in 2014. It was not about surveillance
but about manipulating public opinion in ever more Orwellian ways.
These 'tools' now constitute some of the most startling methods of propaganda delivery
systems and internet deception programmes known to mankind. What the Snowden files show are
that the government can change the outcome of online polls (codenamed Underpass), send mass
delivery of emails or SMS messages (Warpath) at will, disrupt video-based websites (Silverlord)
and have tools to permanently disable PC accounts. They can amplify a given message to push a
chosen narrative (GESTATOR), increase traffic to any given website" (GATEWAY) and have the
ability to inflate page views on websites (SLIPSTREAM). They can crash any website (PREDATORS
FACE), reduce page views and distort public responses, spoof any email account and telephone
calls they like. Visitors to WikiLeaks are tracked and monitored as if an inquiring mind is now
against the law.
Don't forget, the government has asked no-one for permission to do any of this and none of
this has been debated in parliament where representative democracy is supposed to be taking
place. There is no protective legislation for the general public and no-one is talking about or
debating these illegal programmes that taxpayers have been given no choice to fund –
costing billions. This is government sponsored fake news and public manipulation programmes on
a monumental scale.
Chris Huhne, a former cabinet minister and member of the national security council until
2012 said – "when it comes to the secret world of GCHQ, the depth of my 'privileged
information' has been dwarfed by the information provided by Edward Snowden to The
Guardian."
The Guardian's offices were then visited by MI5 and the Snowden files were ordered to be
destroyed under threats that if they didn't, it would be closed down – a sign of
British heavy-handedness reminiscent of the East-German Stasi.
Censorship – Spycatcher
'Spycatcher' was a truly candid autobiography of a Senior Intelligence Officer published in
1987. Written by Peter Wright, a former MI5 officer, it was published first in Australia after
being banned by the British government in 1985. Its allegations proved too much for the
authorities to allow it to be in the public domain.
In an interesting twist of irony, the UK government attempted to halt the book's Australian
publication. Malcolm Turnbull, current Prime Minister of Australia, was a lawyer at the time
and represented the publisher that defeated the British government's suppression orders against
Spycatcher in Australia in September 1987, and again on appeal in June 1988. This is the same
man that refuses to assist Julian Assange, an Australian citizen, from his hellhole existence
in the Ecuadorian embassy in London.
The book details plans of the MI6 plot to assassinate Egyptian President Nasser during the
Suez Crisis; of joint MI5-CIA plotting against British Prime Minister Harold Wilson and of
MI5's eavesdropping on high-level Commonwealth conferences. Wright also highlights the methods
and ethics of the spying business.
Newspapers printed in England, attempting proper reportage of Spycatcher's principal
allegations were served gag orders. If they continued, they were tried for contempt of court.
However, the book proved so popular many copies were smuggled into England. In 1987, the Law
Lords again barred reportage of Wright's allegations or sale of books.
The ruling was then overturned, but Wright was barred from receiving royalties from the sale
of the book in the United Kingdom. In November 1991, the European Court of Human Rights ruled
that the British government had breached the European Convention of Human Rights in gagging its
own newspapers. The book has sold more than two million copies. In 1995, Wright died a
millionaire from proceeds of his book.
Censorship – The Internet
To the inquisitive and knowledgeable, censorship of the internet by the British government
is not news. In addition, there have been many reports, especially from independent outlets
complaining about search engines and social media platforms censoring oppositional and
dissenting voices.
Already described earlier in this article is the involvement of the authorities in
strategies to manipulate public opinion and disseminate false narratives in their aims for
control of the internet itself.
A few months ago, the government changed the law to block online content deemed as either
pornographic or of an extremist nature to protect those under 16 years of age. It was
anticipated that approximately 50 websites would be banned altogether. What subsequently
happened was that thousands of websites
disappeared from the internet with no court orders, injunctions, notices or justification.
Even finding out which websites are on that list is a secret.
Over time, like many pieces of legislation that has been abused by the state, websites and
online content that the government of the day does not like will have the perfect tool to
simply press the 'delete' button, pretty much as they have already started doing.
Soon after the Second World War, some of America's richest people began setting up
a
network of thinktanks to promote their interests. These purport to offer dispassionate
opinions on public affairs. But they are more like corporate lobbyists, working on behalf of
those who founded and fund them. These are the organisations now running much of the
Trump administration . These same groups are now running much of Britain. Liam Fox and what
was the Atlantic Bridge and the
Adam Smith Institute are good examples.
They have control of the Conservative party and are largely responsible for years of work
that steered Britain through the EU referendum that ended with Brexit. Tens of £millions
have been spent, mostly undisclosed on making this dream to exploit Britain and its people a
reality. In fact, almost everything in this article is about such organisations. Those hugely
powerful individuals that own search engines and social media platforms along with the banking
industry, the pharmaceutical and medical business, the fossil fuel and arms industries –
they have reached a pinnacle of unprecedented corporate power.
Some of those fully censored stories pushed below the radar by these corporations include;
how over 100,000
EU citizens die every year because of lobbying against workplace carcinogens, how
corporate profits and taxes are hidden, the Tory-Trump plan to
kill food safety with Brexit – to name but a few. And don't forget the corporate
media who are complicit. There are a handful of offshore billionaires that have the ability to
decide what millions should read or see.
The Adam Smith Institute referred to earlier is a good example. It is a mouthpiece for
right-wing extreme neoliberal capitalists. With a turnover of over £130 million and an
operating profit of nearly £17 million, it has received millions of pounds in UK
government funding. That is taxpayers money being used against taxpayers because the ASI does
not believe in the likes of the NHS or civil society in general.
Talking of Dark Money – Brexit and the climate deniers
We recently reported about a
transatlantic network of lobbyists pushing against action on climate change and (latterly)
for Brexit? This group are all based out of one building around the corner from the Palace of
Westminster.
What is much less known is that more recently, these
groups have
lobbied for a Hard Brexit , hoping the UK's withdrawal from the EU will lead to a weakening
of those environmental regulations that hinder future profits. These same groups are also
behind the Tory-DUP pact , currently keeping Theresa May in her job while allowing
hard-line Northern Irish social conservatives to dictate significant parts of the UK's
political agenda, themselves climate change deniers. These are just some of Britain's most
censored stories. There are so many of them that we have had to categorise them, which says
something about how democracy, free speech, civil liberty and human rights are performing in
Britain right now. truepublica.org.uk
"... she's following the lead of the UK's evil intelligence agencies which are waging a psychological and economic war on Russia and Putin just because the oligarchs in the West don't like Putin doing good things for Russia. ..."
On behalf of this side of the pond, I would like to formally apoligize for calling Mr.
Blair, Mr. Bush's poodle. I am also certain that Ms. Skripal, sorry Ms. May, with her fiery
independence, is nobody's poodle either.
Tom , July 5, 2018 at 5:42 am
R U kidding me? Ms. May is a poodle for the UK's intelligence agencies i.e. MI5 and MI6.
The swift movement of her to get on board with the totally discredited blaming of Novichok
and Putin/Russia for the nerve agent attack on the Skripals means she is very evil -- she's
following the lead of the UK's evil intelligence agencies which are waging a psychological
and economic war on Russia and Putin just because the oligarchs in the West don't like Putin
doing good things for Russia.
"... Novichok , the magic Russian military nerve agent jumped on another couple after it stayed low-key for weeks, in order to recover from the humiliation of being unable to kill the Skripals, in spite of being "the most powerful and deadly military agent". ..."
"... I May be wrong regarding this theory, but it is highly unlikely. ..."
The former empire known as Great Britain, was struck again by bad luck:
Novichok , the magic Russian military nerve agent jumped on another couple after it
stayed low-key for weeks, in order to recover from the humiliation of being unable to kill
the Skripals, in spite of being "the most powerful and deadly military agent".
Britain lost the Empire's colonies, its greatness (even if this was built on murder and
theft) , its economic power, and now has lost its mind and its shame .
Britain is currently a pedophile island, full of third world immigrants and given refuge
to all the dictators, criminals, crooks and terrorists in the world. It is laundering money
through its City of London, and this is the only thing keeping that island afloat. It's a
huge latrine with a Crown on top, as I like to describe it.
Now the Russians are randomly "poisoning" ordinary British subjects, because this is what
Brits are. The British government and media immediately knew it was Novichok and the Russians
were behind it. Maybe even Mr. Putin found time to do this.
The Russian team just qualified in the FIFA World Cup quarters ; like Britain did after
beating Columbia. Mr. Putin is practicing on poor Brits. If the Russian team will meet the
Brits in the finals, he may pull a Novichok on them and brazenly win this way, the
finals.
I May be wrong regarding this theory, but it is highly unlikely.
"... Craig Murray pointed out that when actions are discussed or carried out, strategies laid out, Trident is never even mentioned. ..."
"... Britain is a failing Western Democracy just as the US is -- they are getting desperate and trying all kinds of stuff under the general heading of evil Russia. Britain is pathetic when you think about it hollow empty country with no vision or concern for anything but the elites. The entire Western democratic ideal has failed utterly, we live in a multi-polar world now the SCO is far more important than the G7 but May probably doesn't even know what it stands for. Without its association with the US and out of the EU the UK will be about as important as Uruguay or Nauru. ..."
"... I can only conclude the the Ruling Class in GB looks at its own public as completely dimwitted morons, as they apparently believe them willing to swallow this crap. ..."
"... It is just over a week since OPCW was given more powers. Put forward by Britain and backed by the usual coalition of the killing. Pulling another Skripal so soon after that is more than a bit sus. ..."
"... And the unknown substance is now Novichuk. But that 4 day lag, not to worry, 1 day ago the suspects were already identified tying in with the Skripals. The 2 Hitmen with close ties to Russia. ..."
"... Take it from me 90 percent of the British public are dim witted morons that's official from me! No exaggeration! Half just regurgitate what the tv / papers say with out question or thought. The other half have just switched off entirely. Tell them 8,000000 could die in Yemen. There eyes glaze over. ..."
"... Britain was never a democracy. It was masquerading as one in order to placate the unwashed masses. They're definitely in panic mode and whatever they do makes them look insane. ..."
"... I love Guerrero's concept that these stories are prepared more like Novellas... especially the implication that the script for the next episode is written after gauging reaction to the former episode. ..."
"... "I think the take home point is to not live near a chemical weapons lab." Methinks it may be worse than that: just don't live in Britain, these days. Says this sympathetic anglophile. ..."
"... The British can't seem to put the lid back on the vial btw was this the same one used by US Secr of State Colin Powell in 2003 at the UN Security Council before the invasion and occupation of Iraq? The Ayatollahs of Persia be forewarned! ..."
"... After researching everything I could find on Novichok, the only rational and logical conclusion one can draw is the Skripals and this latest couple should be dead. The sad part of this incident and the Skripal affair is how many people actually believe the government's claims. ..."
"... Imagine being Yulia Skripal at this moment. She had a job, a boyfriend, a dog and a home in Russia she may never be able to see again, because the UK government cannot allow her to return home and spill the beans on this sordid affair. If their is any justice in this world, every rational individual should be demanding "FREE Yulia"! ..."
"... I don't think this latest version of the novichok case helps the British case at all as it strongly suggests that there is something else out there killing people than a military grade nerve agent. ..."
"... As for the report in the Daily Telegraph "Salisbury couple are fresh victims of the Novichok attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal", I suspect that is pure bullshit. ..."
"... I've been wondering how The Swamp's inner circle are feeling about the likelihood that Trump and Putin will get along like a house (of cards) on fire. It looks as though the reptiles are more than just a little bit worried... ..."
"... The capacity of some people to believe these lies is seemingly limitless, otherwise they would not bother. Must be hundreds of people fall ill and require emergency treatment each day. Are the Russians to be suspects in each illness requiring workers to go into home wear Hazmat gear and shut down the neighborhood pending tests? ..."
British Government Peddles Warmed Over Novichok Muck
It seems that Theresa May felt a need to stoke some more
Russia hate :
Just as the World Cup had forced the British media to grudgingly acknowledge the obvious
truth that Russia is an extremely interesting country inhabited, like everywhere else, by
mostly pleasant and attractive people, we have a screaming reprise of the "Salisbury
incident" dominating the British media.
All British media outlets report of a middle-aged British couple, Dawn Sturgess and Charlie
Rowley, who fell seriously ill in Amesbury, a town near Salisbury and near the British chemical
weapon site Proton Down. The couple were transported to the Salisbury hospital. They were first
suspected to have taken drugs but the police now
speaks (vid) of a "potential exposure to an unknown substance" and that they "remain in a
critical condition".
The parallels to the poisoning of the British-Russian spy Sergej Skripal and his daughter
four month ago are obvious. The government alleged they were poisoned by a nerve agent of the
Novichok series. Like back in March the British government will soon name the evildoer of this
new drama.
The most curious issue of the current case is that it happened Saturday morning and that
since a lot of local police action took place. But news of the incident emerged only early
today. None of the pieces I read explains the four day long lack of reporting. The British
government obviously prohibited all news of the case until early today and now prohibits to
explain the censoring.
Why?
A "friend of the couple", who has been together with them, was
interviewed by several outlets:
Here's a link to Newsnow's aggregator for the "major incident". FYI: Newsnow and Wikipedia
are fighting the Copyright Directive of the European Parliament tomorrow (July 5th) - so get
the news while you can...
Sam Hobson said: "His eyes were wide open and red, his pupils were like pinpricks."
Yes, exposition to some toxic agents can make the pupils like pinpricks (and newspapers said
that novichok has this effect), but this contraction is not so easy to note, because the
pupil is not the whole iris and the iris doesn't contract.
"A police spokesman said: "At the moment it is not a police incident it is being led by
the fire and the ambulance. It appears that there are three people who have taken drugs
and had a medical incident. They have all been taken to hospital."
A cordon was put in place as a precaution but police say there is "no danger" to anyone
else in the area.
A spokesman for South Western Ambulance Service later told the Journal that only one
patient had been taken to Salisbury District Hospital.
Might it be useful to think in terms of the structuring of TV-novelas? Are such media content events designed for a similiar/identical purpose? Unlike a literary novel, a soap opera series can be produced without having
an idea as to how artistic unity will be achieved with some universal meaning.
Are serial tear-jerker episodes the product of private storyboard conferences? Their requirements would be much simpler and less demanding than those of art. Each episode ends with the equivalent of a lewd embrace of an illicit couple viewed
by an interested, emotionally involved third-party who happens to come in the door.
(this point-of-view would be that of peeping-tom reflex of a mass-media consumer)
The camera is focusing mostly on skin, and a tear in the eye of the intruder, or
else it is a glare of rage... An advantage to the commercial TV content producers
is that they would be able to gauge reaction before publishing succeeding episodes.
Is it the story of some homeless recreational drug users who were accidently poisoned
by a dose of novichalk that Putin intended for a spy sheltering in the British isles
accidently deposited as spare-change into guitar-case of strung-out subway musician...
Maybe it is the case that cops are trained to look at pupils and can easily determine their
size. I could never do that and I doubt anyone who says so without being trained to do so,
and eve then eyesight and lighting needs to be close to to ideal.
Britain must be desperate or they really believe they are pulling this off. They must be
getting backing from factions in Washington, they must have unspoken permission for this.
Britain doing its humble part in the Russia demonizing to support Trident spending.
Craig Murray pointed out that when actions are discussed or carried out, strategies laid
out, Trident is never even mentioned.
Britain is a failing Western Democracy just as the US is -- they are getting desperate and
trying all kinds of stuff under the general heading of evil Russia. Britain is pathetic when
you think about it hollow empty country with no vision or concern for anything but the
elites. The entire Western democratic ideal has failed utterly, we live in a multi-polar
world now the SCO is far more important than the G7 but May probably doesn't even know what
it stands for. Without its association with the US and out of the EU the UK will be about as
important as Uruguay or Nauru.
So, uhm. How does a door handle on Skripal's front door end up contaminating the area near
the bar. Legit curious to see how they'll spin this to tie it all together now
Now that me being an ex-Junkie is out in the open here, i will provide some possible
explanations:
-Contaiminated Class A drugs: Heroin sold on the street is maximum 10% heroin, and 90%
various more or less toxic filler stuff. That may be strychnin (Which is used as rat poison,
and fits the symptoms well expect for hallucinating, valium or related opiates, paracetamol,
aspirin, or 1000 other chemicals the dealer has lying around.
-"Legal highs": in UK and in EU, those new synthetic drugs that are marketed as legal
substitute for cannabis, XTC, cocaine etc. are quite popular, and they are highly dangerous
because of their synthetic nature, and are known to cause severe health problems up to death.
In prisons also in UK those are popular, because inmates can pass drug tests easily. This
couple seems to have prison and hard drugs experience, and is therefore likely, to have known
or used those substances.
Additionally, being homeless, drug users/addicts, they are likely to have trouble with
police, and are an easy target for manipulation by intelligence operatives.
And why should evil Putin try to kill some UK Junkies?
Even BBC will have a pretty hard time to spin this..
Oh, goody!
Now we can have another round of UK authorities spewing ominous ambiguities, full of
Russia-blaming sound and fury, in the Gorgon PM and her rotten Tory government's ongoing
desperate struggle to keep its depraved nose above water.
I can't wait for UK Village Idiot Laureate Boris Johnson to provide another definitive
briefing.
Meanwhile, hmm... I suspect one of those lost, stolen, strayed, or liquidated Skripal pets
might be the perpetrator here.
I certainly agree that this story is worth reporting as farce . At this stage,
though, I hope people will resist that catnip-like intoxication of sifting through the
allegations and factoids to speculate on what it's "really" all about.
I wish this latest afflicted pair well, though. And just to flout my own suggestion and
engage in hypotheticals-- who knows, maybe next thing we know the UK government will pay top
dollar pound to purchase the crime-scene house!
no one really believes the uk anymore... if this doesn't make them a laughing stock,
nothing will..apparently people like bad re-runs and are happy to watch them.. this is the new 2018
version of coronation street i guess..
Today I was totally surprised. Headline in The Guardian: There is a cloud hanging over this World Cup and Fifa must not ignore it
An otherwise brilliant World Cup has been cheapened by the kind of histrionics witnessed in
England's game with Colombia and they have become a cancer in the game
Imagine: nothing in the article refers to Russia! Additionally "otherwise brilliant World
Cup".
I still stick with the food poisoning hypothesis (that doctor's letter sealed the deal for
me).
Both were near the restaurant the Skripals went right before they showed their symptoms.
They were homeless people. The simplest explanation is that they ate the same poisoned batch
in the garbage of the restaurant; or that the restaurant has an unreliable supplier, which
gave them more than one poisoned batch, or the restaurant simply pushes its luck with spoiled
food which, in seafood case, can result in some kind of toxins liberation (the practice of
recycling expired and sometimes even rotten expensive ingredients is common in sofisticated
restaurants).
In the case of the Skripals, the British government got lucky they were Russians, and
seized the opportunity. I don't see how they're going to use this now, since both victims are
British. Unless they want to declare war.
He described taking Mr Rowley to collect a prescription from Boots in Amesbury and on
to eat lunch at Amesbury Baptist Church fair, before returning to his friend's home in
Muggleton Road.
Boots, the church and the green outside it are among several sides in the town and nearby
Salisbury that have been cordoned off by police.
Mr Hobson said Mr Rowley started falling ill around four hours after Ms Sturgess was taken
to hospital, while they were preparing clothes to take to her. "He felt ill and went for a shower. Then his eyes went bloodshot and like two pin pricks,
he began garbling incoherently and I could tell he was hallucinating.
"He was making weird noises and acting like a zombie. It was a zombie-like state. He
slumped against the wall."
Mr Hobson said he called an ambulance and that when paramedics arrived they initially
believed the illness was drugs-related because of his friend's struggle with
addiction.
There are a plethora of substances that have those effects. Novichock is not one. That
just kills you, straight away. No passing out, no hallucinating, and definitely no park
benches. Done. Finished. Dead.
Even cyanide kills very quickly. Although Jim Jones might not agree. If anybody wanted to
kill anybody else through poisoning, they could do it very easily. Ratex (strychnine), takes
days, weeks to kill. Whoever adds that to their product would be killing their market anyway.
Capitalism hasn't gone full circle yet...
Yhis "poisoning" meme is not funny anymore, nor comical, that has worn off. It is in fact
tragic. It is tragic that the lies are so stupid, thick and unbelievable, that the whole
narrative is so crudely pieced together, that it make Pravda' 1970 articles look like
Voltaire's writings.
I can only conclude the the Ruling Class in GB looks at its own public as completely
dimwitted morons, as they apparently believe them willing to swallow this crap.
It is just over a week since OPCW was given more powers. Put forward by Britain and backed by
the usual coalition of the killing. Pulling another Skripal so soon after that is more than a
bit sus.
First post here - the only blog worth the time and effort to contribute to in my
opinion. Seems to me that as the UK and friends bought the OPCW last week, this incident has been
strategically timed so that the OPCW can investigate the 'poisoning' and apportion blame to
Russia just in time for the WC final, or am I being too cynical?
Thanks b for catching the 4 days lag in timeline.
Early morning, July 4th, British time, it was on the Daily Express as "Breaking News" as
in just happening. And the unknown substance is now Novichuk. But that 4 day lag, not to worry, 1 day ago the suspects were already identified tying in
with the Skripals. The 2 Hitmen with close ties to Russia.
UK Police Allege Two Hitmen 'With Close Ties to Russia' Involved in SkripalsLINK
Britain and its allies continue to blame Moscow for being behind the March 2018 attack on
former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter with what UK experts
claim was the A234 nerve agent, although the accusations have not been substantiated.
Russian authorities vehemently reject the allegations as groundless.
The Sun has cited sources in Scotland Yard as saying that "a two-man hit team with close
ties to Russia" orchestrated the alleged poisoning of ex-Russian security agent Sergei
Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the UK earlier this year.
Take it from me 90 percent of the British public are dim witted morons that's official from
me! No exaggeration! Half just regurgitate what the tv / papers say with out question or
thought. The other half have just switched off entirely. Tell them 8,000000 could die in
Yemen. There eyes glaze over.
Britain was never a democracy. It was masquerading as one in order to placate the unwashed
masses. They're definitely in panic mode and whatever they do makes them look insane.
I find it amusing there is no mention on why China is not part of the G7/8. If you believe
the official narrative that China's economy is the second largest in the World, then one
would think China would have a seat at the table. I was half expecting Russia's seat to be
given to China to create a wedge between China and Russia. But we all know why.
James. How I wish nobody believed these fairy tales anymore.
I love Guerrero's concept that these stories are prepared more like Novellas... especially
the implication that the script for the next episode is written after gauging reaction to the
former episode.
One of the witnesses in the BBC article I read reported believing the gas leak story
because electricity to the neighborhood had been cut off. Wonder what that's about?
Did y'all catch "
False Flag Fail: How Syrian Civilians Derailed White Helmet 'Chemical' Stunt in Eastern
Ghouta?"
ah, well...the verdict is in: 'Wiltshire pair poisoned by nerve agent novichok, say police;
Substance deemed responsible for severe illness of Dawn Sturgess and Charlie Rowley'
"Basu added: "I would add that the complex investigation into the attempted murders of Yulia
and Sergei remains ongoing and detectives continue to sift through and assess all the
available evidence and are following every possible lead to identify those responsible, for
what remains a reckless and barbaric criminal act."
"I think the take home point is to not live near a chemical weapons lab." Methinks it may be worse than that: just don't live in Britain, these days. Says this sympathetic anglophile.
UK Nerve Center Porton Down: 'Putin Strikes Again!'
The British can't seem to put the lid back on the vial btw was this the same one used by
US Secr of State
Colin Powell in 2003 at the UN Security Council before the
invasion and occupation of Iraq? The Ayatollahs of Persia be forewarned!
Must have forgotten to scrub the home front door knop of the Skripals or was Yulia's
luggage returned via FedEx? Sloppy work by British Intelligence
Lightning never strikes twice, except near Porton Down. In fact, this second case will
prove the first case was bogus. Were the two KGB agents from the Cold War still around?
After researching everything I could find on Novichok, the only rational and logical
conclusion one can draw is the Skripals and this latest couple should be dead. The sad part
of this incident and the Skripal affair is how many people actually believe the government's
claims.
Imagine being Yulia Skripal at this moment. She had a job, a boyfriend, a dog and a home
in Russia she may never be able to see again, because the UK government cannot allow her to
return home and spill the beans on this sordid affair. If their is any justice in this world,
every rational individual should be demanding "FREE Yulia"!
Oh, but a communist dictatorship can't be in a club with the superior Western Democracies.
Just because they lifted over 700 million people out of poverty who tonight have something to
eat while Western Democracy is starving millions of people deliberately in Yemen, clearly
communists don't understand the free market.
Western Liberal Democracy is an utter and contemptible failure.
That was me - I was being facetious as Putin is not into gangsterism unlike Obama,
Cameron, May, Macron etc.
I don't think this latest version of the novichok case helps the British case at all as it
strongly suggests that there is something else out there killing people than a military grade
nerve agent.
Amesbury is about eight miles from Salisbury and I just can't see how a limited
release of a chemical would create a hot spot several miles away and almost four months
later. A few days later perhaps but not almost four months although I doubt that'd stop some wanker a bellingcat coming up with some dumb theory that's picked up by the MSM.
As for the report in the Daily Telegraph "Salisbury couple are fresh victims of the
Novichok attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal", I suspect that is pure bullshit.
I've been wondering how The Swamp's inner circle are feeling about the likelihood that Trump
and Putin will get along like a house (of cards) on fire. It looks as though the reptiles are
more than just a little bit worried...
The capacity of some people to believe these lies is seemingly limitless, otherwise they
would not bother.
Must be hundreds of people fall ill and require emergency treatment each day. Are the
Russians to be suspects in each illness requiring workers to go into home wear Hazmat gear
and shut down the neighborhood pending tests?
Ghost ship @ 39
Thanks for owning up to that joke ! Hell in these times a bit of humour is good therapy. So
can I stop digging my bunker now !
On a serious note- whether this latest incident proves to be drug over dose or nerve agent is
pretty secondary to how it's being used to beat the Russians with. What this actually is,is
dog whistle politics. A deliberate attempt again to ferment Hate for Russia in the eyes of
the British public. The only trick they know is hate.
The former empire known as Great Britain, was struck again by bad luck:
Novichok , the magic Russian military nerve agent jumped on another couple after it stayed
low-key for weeks, in order to recover from the humiliation of being unable to kill the
Skripals, in spite of being "the most powerful and deadly military agent".
Britain lost the Empire's colonies, its greatness (even if this was built on murder and
theft) , its economic power, and now has lost its mind and its shame .
Britain is currently a pedophile island, full of third world immigrants and given refuge to
all the dictators, criminals, crooks and terrorists in the world.
It is laundering money through its City of London, and this is the only thing keeping that
island afloat.
It's a huge latrine with a Crown on top, as I like to describe it.
Now the Russians are randomly "poisoning" ordinary British subjects, because this is what
Brits are.
The British government and media immediately knew it was Novichok and the Russians were
behind it.
Maybe even Mr. Putin found time to do this.
The Russian team just qualified in the FIFA World Cup quarters ; like Britain did after
beating Columbia.
Mr. Putin is practicing on poor Brits.
If the Russian team will meet the Brits in the finals, he may pull a Novichok on them and
brazenly win this way, the finals.
I May be wrong regarding this theory, but it is highly unlikely.
The woman has the same hairline (off her forehead) and the shape of the man's face looks a
reasonable match.
The CCTV is from a local gym and it was reported, back in March, that the police were only
interested in that part of the CCTV. They must have known who these people were for a long
time, which makes the 4 day delay even more ridiculous.
Can you imagine if they follow this up with another one in Syria? That would be too stupid
but at this point not unfathomable. Seems like they would have tried to make us forget about
Novichok and the lies that were told by May and the MSM about it being something only Russia
could possibly produce. I guess when nobody is held accountable for spreading dangerous
criminal misinformation like that than they just try it again. Even now that there is still
zero evidence and no suspects in the Skirpal incident, none of the countries who expelled
diplomats have apologized and the news hasn't stopped referring to Russia as the only
culprit, so why not give it another go I suppose? Anything to put some smear on the World Cup
maybe, though the details of this story don't seem to make sense yet. As far as Syria, the
NeoCons like Bolton maybe panicking if the rumors that the Syrian government has made some
preliminary deals in regards to lite-reunification and a peace plan with the YPG/SDF. They
may do a "back to back" again and do something drastic in Syria while blaming both on Russia
indirectly..
I've been expecting another Steele dossier. If England make the finals it wouldn't surprise
me if the team get propositioned by some attractive ladies. Of course they will gallantly
resist.
@30 /31 daniel... one can dream, lol... thanks for the videos.. teh vanessa beeley one is
very good.. which brings me to the comment peter mentioned on a previous thread, or maybe
there were a few mentioning it.. the changes to the opcw - to quote the keyphrase from the
usa daily propaganda briefing yesterday "The decision calls on the technical secretariat to
establish arrangements for identifying the perpetrators of chemical weapons attacks in Syria
by using all potentially relevant information..." which essentially means this... all the
money the usa/uk have spent on propaganda to fund the white helmets, syrian civil defense,
'save our syria', chatham house and etc etc - will be accepted as fact, unless proven
otherwise... this will be the grounds for making war on syria with macron, may and trump
being the good poodles for saudi arabia and israel, that they continue to be.. well - that is
what i get from that..
@34 flamingo - thanks for that! just when you think britian can't get any more crazy and
whacked out then it already is - this comes along... a better view on britian at this point
is the whole country has been subject to some form of mind altering drug.. we are witnessing
the byproduct in their msm and political leadership vacuum...
In this episode, we are joined by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Sy Hersh who exposed
NATO nation war crimes of the military-industrial complex. From Abu Ghraib prison in the
Anglo-American war on Iraq to the Mee Lai Massacre, Sy Hersh has exerted a damning scepticism
of the official line. His new book "Reporter - A Memoir" is out now.
What does Seymour say about 9/11? Anyone, including seymour Hersh and Noam Chomski, isn't
worth a damn if they gloss over 9/11. If he's written a book about Dick Cheney and omitted
his major role in making sure 9/11 was the success it was for the neocons, he's a limited
hangout.
RT should bring Hersh on the show as much as possible. The guy is a legend and he is not
allowed to publish his articles anywhere in the US except in a German newspaper.
Is he sure about tht chemical weapons in Syria? What happened then when it was taken out
of Syria by the Authorities - whose name I have forgotten - and verified by the UN? He should
have a chat with Vanessa Bealey.
Good to see Sy on the rounds again - it's been a while. I guess he was finishing his book.
That point about the Russian sample being what proved to Obama that Nusra probably did the
WMD attack - "Red Line" - and called it off - I bet that had a lot to do with the move to
make Russia "beyond the pale" regarding official OPCW reports. Since then, all the tests have
been done remotely, by Turkey, by the UK, by anyone but Russia. I believe that the balance of
the evidence in the entire Syria aggression suggests that the Syrian government never
conducted any chemical attacks, and that any real attacks that took place were done by the
terrorists.
It should be just common sense - groups which are happy to massacre men, women
and children, keep women as slaves, eat livers, etc would have no moral qualms about using
chemical weapons whatsoever. The Syrian government, on the other hand, has always been in
control of the majority of the population in Syria - even in their worst moments before the
Russians came to help - and so any use of such barbaric methods would risk revolt from the
masses.
No president under such a long conflict could remain in power if he were capable of
such brutal and callous methods - in fact, the evidence shows that they have made every
effort to either arrange the surrender or evacuate the belligerents, while allowing for
civilian escape wherever possible.
The whole "brutal dictator" libel never made any sense
about Assad - he remains popular, mingles with the people, has full support from the
military. He is also a rarity for so-called dictatorships in the Middle East - not a military
man, but a civilian doctor. If there were the slightest doubts about him, the military would
have removed him by now - instead, his government and military appear to have both high
morale and widespread support from the people.
Of course, the facts are never a big concern
for the "regime change" crew - but thankfully, their ability to "create facts on the ground"
has weakened immensely over the 20 years of terror the US rulers began in 2001.
richardstevenhack
•
a day ago Must see interview with Sy Hersh, investigative reporter. [SPOILER: He does NOT
talk about the infamous tape about Seth Rich.]
'Propaganda organization': White Helmets 'engage in anti-Assad activities' – author Sy
Hersh
Sy has a new book out called "Reporter" A Memoir" which is mostly autobiographical about his
career as a reporter, with references to his My Lai massacre reporting, his start with the
Chicago papers as a crime reporter, and later experiences.
Very interesting comments on My Lai, on the Syrian war and the chemical attack incidents. He
has pretty much nothing to say about the British Skripal incident except that he's been told by
people in the US that Skripal was reporting to one of Brit intelligence agencies on Russian
Mafia activity in Europe - which he says pretty much indicates who might have wanted to poison
Skripal.
Other patterns on behaviour of British government suggest their nefarious role in Skripal
poisoning scandal
Notable quotes:
"... What else to expect from "Christian colonialists" but hypocrisy and double speak! "Many commit the same crime with a very different result. One bears a cross for his crime; another a crown." ― Juvenal, The Satires ..."
"... Most Christian Colonial wars are fake wars against weak, or weakened, countries for 2 streams of Private Profit using Public Funds. ..."
"... Western looting of Libya netted "someone"(s) more than $1 Trillion in gold and currency reserves alone. Iraq lost historical artifacts of inestimable value. The Friends & Relatives crowd will be perpetually pissed with Putin for ruining Christian Colonialism's plan to loot Damascus. ..."
"... I hate to add another layer of shit on a very deep pile, when it comes to my u k but ! Could the academics here take a look at the time lines concerning the last general election and referendum compared to the 3 terrorist attacks about the same time. That is what kept may in power! Compare to for instances the fake Salisbury incident and east Douma Chem incident. All same patten ! I dug deep but don't let me influence enyone. To add, look at the timing of the grenfail tower fire, re election. I'l just leave this here. ..."
"... Talking about fake wars, bombing functioning ME countries back to the Stone Age and looting them, and "Israel" being a vociferous promoter of the Iraq & Syria Fake Wars, does anyone know how 'lootable' Iran is? ..."
"... Another astonishing thing about all this is the "liberal" media MSM or however you choose to call the corporate establishment press has always gone along with all the coverups. But things have changed and things are changing. ..."
Read Murray's blog entry prior to b's, and it's extremely damning. The May government must be
thrown out and the notables from all post-911 UK governments must be charged with over the
crimes they've committed--including the obstruction of those crimes investigations. This
report also shows we ought to consider Skripal Affair as 100% falsehood as the May government
has less than zero credibility on anything, which is one of the reasons it must be tossed. I
wonder if there're enough Corbynites capable of unseating the "Blue Tories" to bring a new
revitalized People's Labour Party back into power so that justice can be served.
craig murray and b are to be commended for addressing this ongoing issue..
we're back to the issue of accountability and again - nothing has changed..as karlof1 and
worldblee note - this must be addressed and someone must be held accountable for this, or it
will continue.
so - is the uk trying to be like the uae/ksa of the north? maybe they could take up
headchopping as well? i am not sure what country is more backward - uk or usa... in this race
to the bottom, both countries are fully supportive of these regressive regimes in uae/ksa and
fully onside with the war on yemen which they must profit from in order for them to justify
it... for me - justifying murder and mayhem based on profit is a sign of a really sick
culture, but it is fully embraced by many of the so called democratic western countries,
including the one i live in - canada... as far as leadership is concerned - there is a huge
gap and no one is speaking out on any of it in the political spectrum as i know of...
meanwhile we have to thank b and craig murray for shining a light on this as a constant
reminder of just how backward the so called civilized countries are here in 2018..
What else to expect from "Christian colonialists" but hypocrisy and double speak!
"Many commit the same crime with a very different result. One bears a cross for his crime;
another a crown." ― Juvenal, The Satires
There are two aspects of this Christian Colonial (Western) clusterfuck which are particularly
galling for The People in whose name these crimes are committed:
1. Torture was used to extract false confessions.
2. Most Christian Colonial wars are fake wars against weak, or weakened, countries for 2
streams of Private Profit using Public Funds.
----(a) The M-IC makes vast profits from Weapons (win or lose).
----(b) Their wealthy Friends & Relatives get first pick of the spoils of Looting, at a
big discount.
Western looting of Libya netted "someone"(s) more than $1 Trillion in gold and currency
reserves alone. Iraq lost historical artifacts of inestimable value. The Friends &
Relatives crowd will be perpetually pissed with Putin for ruining Christian Colonialism's
plan to loot Damascus.
I hate to add another layer of shit on a very deep pile, when it comes to my u k but !
Could the academics here take a look at the time lines concerning the last general election
and referendum compared to the 3 terrorist attacks about the same time. That is what kept may
in power! Compare to for instances the fake Salisbury incident and east Douma Chem incident.
All same patten ! I dug deep but don't let me influence enyone. To add, look at the timing of
the grenfail tower fire, re election. I'l just leave this here.
Talking about fake wars, bombing functioning ME countries back to the Stone Age and looting
them, and "Israel" being a vociferous promoter of the Iraq & Syria Fake Wars, does anyone
know how 'lootable' Iran is?
Rumors says that Iran has very ancient roots and one imagines it may have artifacts going
back 5000+ years, although I've never heard them talked about.
Another astonishing thing about all this is the "liberal" media MSM or however you choose to
call the corporate establishment press has always gone along with all the coverups. But
things have changed and things are changing.
There is a not quite parallel story to this. The child separations - did you ever hear
from the corp. media about the 5,100+ children separated from their families in 2011 by
Obama. Nor much about how Obama had deported more than Trump at this point in his term.
I try to follow press from several countries and what I notice now is that EVEN MODI is
moving away from the US. The general views is - hay, we want to trade and get along we want
development but we have to deal with this big pain in the ass we have to spend a lot if time
and energy dealing with the US that we could use for development.
Trump is doing the world a favor by bringing all the criminal behavior of the US into the
open, its been there all along.
The liberal press which is hounding Trump over the issue now were silent for a decade when
"liberals" were in power have a Pyrrhic victory, it will come back on them.
If this trade crazy stuff drives Modi to join the B&R the US commercial/corporate
global empire is well and truly over.
Let us appeal to the gods.
SERIOUSLY?!!! - Did Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey have time to visit his home after he was
exposed to the poison but before he exhibited symptoms? Or did someone deliberately pour
bucketfuls of
Novichok into his home?
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who also fell ill after being exposed to Novichok,
receiving £430,000 in compensation for his family home.
Actually I suspect there is nothing wrong with the house. It is Detective Sergeant Nick
Bailey that is too poisonous to be allowed to roam free. He will be given a new identity,
transferred to the USA and released into the custody of some FBI witness protection program. He
must never be allowed to speak to public.
The secret that Nick Bailey must never reveal is that he was poisoned two days after the
Skripals, most likely in the evidence room at the police station by the
£100,000 of cash in the red bag .
Hey B please parse the NYT's front page propaganda piece on the Ghouta chemical event in
today's paper "Horrific Details on Syria Chemical Attacks Left Out, for Now, From U.N.
Report".
The problem the MSMs have is that the World Cup so far has been a success.
Notable quotes:
"... Also just like the Trump bizzo, when his employers dipped out, Steele's unsubstantiated gossip & slander having done nothing useful, Steele leaked his report to the feds. ..."
"... The claims he makes are utterly fantastic ( WARNING the link is to a graun 'long read' and is brimming with tedious & tendentious bulldust) the most laughable being that 'Putin' - always Putin never any of the many thousands of astute bureaucrats who work in the Russian government, stole a bunch of valuable old paintings from the Hermitage and gave them to the blokes on the World Cup venue committee as a bribe. The feds who went through these poor old buggers' lives with a fine tooth comb found nothing to substantiate that libel. ..."
"... The worst thing about these slanders and the harassment of a few old geezers who prefer sport as a mechanism for nations to interact than war, is that these old fellas were all (well just about all) socialists who yeah probably did allow a coupla mill to fall into their wallets, but who were dedicated to their sport remaining egalitarian. They invested billions into developing their sport all over the world especially in Africa, Latin America and the Mid-East where a shortage of venues, kit and professional coaches used to really hold those nations back. ..."
"... The 'clean sweep' of FIFA has opened the door to neolibs who are talking about corporatising the World Cup like the Olympics, then the billions will all go to corporations and their shareholders ..."
"... It is stuff like this about Skirpal's boss Steele, which really opens up the field of suspects on the 'poisoning'. I have no doubt Skirpal would have been the alleged 'proof' for this farrago of tosh. Russia and Qatar got their world cup final, but england and amerika (who were the finalists against Qatar for hosting in 2022) didn't, surely it is the latter two who are more likely to have a grudge against old Sergei. ..."
"... The Western corporate media is a sorry spectacle to behold. The Baltic and the Scandinavian branches are the most pathetic. Combining native stupidity with pig-headed tenacity to hold on to the past. ..."
And another thing - the other day I came a cross an interesting tidbit, I would include a
link if I can remember where I saw it, it may in fact have even been the graun. It goes like
this:
A few years back the FBI raided the FIFA HQ in Switzerland eventually arresting and charging
many FIFA commissioners alleging they were taking backhanders and at the time I, along with
many other sort of assumed that the amerikans shoving their stickbeaks into an organisation
which was none of their damn business was down to an announcement from FIFA president Blatter
that if the Israeli army and police didn't cease harassing the Palestinian team preventing
players from getting to international games by holding the players up at checkpoints, sometimes
for days, FIFA would have no choice but to penalise the Israeli football team who had already
been granted special dispensation by FIFA to play in the Euro conference rather than the ME one
that their geography should have demanded.
Nuttytahoo did his usual 'antisemite' victim whine so it was a reasonable assumption to think
the fed raid the next week was connected.
It may have been the issue which caused the amerikan sheet sniffers to move, but the actual
investigation was caused by something completely different. Two nations competed for the 2018 world cup hosting rights. One was Russia and the second one
was . . .drumroll. . . England! Yep the perfidious poms had put in their bid and one of the tools in their 'kit' was none other
than the old fibber Christopher Steele, who just as with the Trump investigation, did his
'inquiry' by remote control as he is persona non grata in Russia.
Also just like the Trump bizzo, when his employers dipped out, Steele's unsubstantiated gossip
& slander having done nothing useful, Steele leaked his report to the feds.
The claims he makes
are utterly fantastic ( WARNING the link is to a graun 'long read' and is brimming with
tedious & tendentious bulldust) the most laughable being that 'Putin' - always Putin never
any of the many thousands of astute bureaucrats who work in the Russian government, stole a
bunch of valuable old paintings from the Hermitage and gave them to the blokes on the World Cup
venue committee as a bribe. The feds who went through these poor old buggers' lives with a fine
tooth comb found nothing to substantiate that libel.
The other big lie was that while the Russian president was in Qatar finalising the joint gas
pipeline deal he cut another deal of the 'you vote for us we'll vote for you' as world cup host
in 2018 and 2022 respectively. Yeah that sounds just like President Putin tossing Russia's
economic future to the side while he organised a few soccer games - not.
The worst thing about these slanders and the harassment of a few old geezers who prefer
sport as a mechanism for nations to interact than war, is that these old fellas were all (well
just about all) socialists who yeah probably did allow a coupla mill to fall into their
wallets, but who were dedicated to their sport remaining egalitarian. They invested billions
into developing their sport all over the world especially in Africa, Latin America and the
Mid-East where a shortage of venues, kit and professional coaches used to really hold those
nations back.
The 'clean sweep' of FIFA has opened the door to neolibs who are talking about corporatising
the World Cup like the Olympics, then the billions will all go to corporations and their
shareholders.
No one should begrudge these guys the few quid they grabbed, I know puritans hate it but in
a truly tolerant society we should expect that a few otherwise dedicated types will always
'tickle the peter'. I used to get pissed about it in the union movement but the amounts are
usually small compared to turn-over and I'd rather have a dodgy member of the proletariat who
grabs a little in a position of power than a slimy neolib forever manouvering to flog the
entire kit & kaboodle off to a bunch of anonymous 'financiers'.
It is stuff like this about Skirpal's boss Steele, which really opens up the field of
suspects on the 'poisoning'. I have no doubt Skirpal would have been the alleged 'proof' for
this farrago of tosh. Russia and Qatar got their world cup final, but england and amerika (who
were the finalists against Qatar for hosting in 2022) didn't, surely it is the latter two who
are more likely to have a grudge against old Sergei.
The UK hates the idea that the EU that they left would turn to Russia for friendship. Their
propaganda goes along with the USA that shares this apprehension. Now that Trump has
humiliated the EU, the EU is turning toward Russia despite the UK...
The Western corporate media is a sorry spectacle to behold. The Baltic and the Scandinavian
branches are the most pathetic. Combining native stupidity with pig-headed tenacity to hold
on to the past.
"... "The Pentagon planners have probably finally realized just how important the White Helmets are to the regime change operation," ..."
"... "The fact that they have been so successful in proving fake imagery and fake evidence just means that they can be relied upon whenever there is a need for a pretext for another missile attack or even a full-scale invasion." ..."
Washington's decision to resume funding for White Helmets after a brief freeze highlights
how important the controversial group is for the US-promoted regime-change agenda, journalists
and Syrian conflict observers have told RT. "The Pentagon planners have probably finally
realized just how important the White Helmets are to the regime change operation," Mike
Raddie, co-editor of BSNews and an anti-war activist, told RT. "The fact that they have
been so successful in proving fake imagery and fake evidence just means that they can be relied
upon whenever there is a need for a pretext for another missile attack or even a full-scale
invasion."
The anti-war activist recalled how the so-called Syria Civil Defence units, better known as
the White Helmets, have been instrumental in the justification of the US strikes on Syria in
April of 2017, and the trilateral strikes by the UK, France, and the US in April 2018.
Harding is definitely a joke. He is pretty pathetic easily jumping in and trying to milk any
Russian scandal be in Litvinenko, Russiagate, Steele dossier, of Skripals. Any version of events
that he approved can be instantly discarded a lie probably created with MI6 help. So he can serve
as a kind of reliable negative indicator, if you wish.
Applebaum is more dangerous, but still she a typical rabid neocon without any "in depth"
understanding of Russia. the net result of Skripal affair was poisoning Russian-British relation
for decade or so. If this is the price Theresa May wanted to pay to stay in power she should be
prosecuted for abuse of her office.
Notable quotes:
"... The Skripal case: A new Cold War? ..."
"... Applebaum now works at the London School of Economics where she heads, appropriately enough, a program on disinformation and 21st century propaganda. She is a virulent anti-communist and a ferocious warmonger, married to the former foreign minister of Poland. ..."
"... Washington Post ..."
"... editing, contextualising, explanation and redaction ..."
"... Answering a question about the government's use of D-Notices (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice), Morris tried desperately to excuse press censorship. Contradicting reports that the government had issued two D-notices to prevent the media from identifying British intelligence service personnel Skripal was working with, he said there were "very few that we know about, only one." D notices had "changed" and are now "advisory." ..."
"... One audience member pointed out that since the poisoning had been unsuccessful, Russia might not have been responsible and that the government and media had taken the easy way out by blaming Russia. ..."
"... This was dismissed without a serious answer. The newspaper of what passes for the "liberal left" instead proceeded to solidify its alliance with the most right-wing layers of the US and British political and intelligence establishment by churning out anti-Russian propaganda of a distinctly McCarthyite character. ..."
The Guardian's June 4 event, The Skripal case: A new Cold War? was a
blatant attempt to propagandise against Russia in the interests of British imperialism.
The newspaper gave the platform to Anne Applebaum and Luke Harding along with two of its
journalists, Caroline Bannock and Steve Morris, who had covered the Skripal story.
All have uncritically regurgitated the British government's unsubstantiated, contradictory
and constantly shifting claims that the Russian-British double agent Sergei Skripal and his
daughter Julia were poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent by the Putin regime.
Applebaum now works at the London School of Economics where she heads, appropriately
enough, a program on disinformation and 21st century propaganda. She is a virulent
anti-communist and a ferocious warmonger, married to the former foreign minister of
Poland.
After the Russian annexation of Crimea, she called for "total war" against nuclear-armed
Russia in a column in the Washington Post . Closely connected to the highest echelons
of the US state, she is a member of key foreign policy think tanks and sits on the board of
directors of the CIA-linked National Endowment for Democracy.
Harding, long time foreign correspondent for the Guardian , appears to have very
close links to Britain's security services. He has authored books that can only be described as
hatchet jobs on Julian Assange and Edward Snowden, aimed at discrediting them and facilitating
their persecution by the US authorities, as well as innumerable propaganda pieces against
Russia.
The Guardian itself has a long record of dutifully promoting the anti-Russian
warmongering of both the US and British political establishments. It supported the
Western-backed coup in Ukraine in 2014, using allegations of Russian aggression to press for
punitive sanctions against Moscow, British participation in the US intervention in Syria
against the Russian-backed regime of Bashar al-Assad, most recently following fake news of a
chemical weapons attack on Douma. This is in addition to accepting uncritically the allegations
of Russian interference in the US presidential election in 2016.
To underscore the Guardian's political loyalties, another invitee, although not on
the platform, was Sir David Omand, from whom the Guardian has commissioned several
articles over the years.
Omand is a former senior civil servant and head of the Government Communications
Headquarters (GCHQ), the intelligence and security organisation responsible for spying on
people at home and abroad. He is currently a visiting professor at King's College London and
vice-president of the Royal United Services Institute, the leading military think-tank.
It was GCHQ that in 2013 oversaw the operation to destroy the Guardian's hard
drives and memory cards on two computers containing encrypted files from whistle-blower Edward
Snowden, after the British government threatened to jail editor Alan Rusbridger and close the
newspaper over its reporting of the Snowden revelations. The Guardian accepted this
blatant censorship with only token protest.
The newspaper also has form on news control. It stated in 2010 in an infamous editorial
about WikiLeaks, which had provided secret US diplomatic cables to the Guardian and
four other news outlets, that it had only agreed to publish "a small number of cables" to
control the political fall-out from the details of murder, torture, espionage and
corruption they revealed. It added that the newspaper had exercised extreme discretion in the "
editing, contextualising, explanation and redaction " of the documents. [emphasis
added]
The Guardian is acutely aware of the widespread and entirely healthy scepticism
towards anything the government says on Skripal, in the aftermath of lies such as the existence
of Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction" in furtherance of Britain's warmongering. Indeed, the
week before the June 4 event confirmed the need for the Guardian's services in
propping up the government's campaign of lies.
The newspaper led on the report of the supposed murder of Russian journalist Arkady
Babchenko at his apartment in Kiev as the assassination of yet another Putin critic, only for
Babchenko to show up alive and well the very next day at a press conference about his "murder."
Harding wrote lamenting that the stunt "would allow Russia and other unscrupulous governments
to dismiss real events as fake."
At the event itself, focus was placed for the most part on calls to end Russian money
laundering in London and avoiding wherever possible any direct examination of the Skripal case
in favour of sweeping generalisations.
Applebaum rejected any possibility that the Kremlin was not involved in the Skripals'
attempted assassination. She insisted that, having done a lot of research on how Russian
propaganda works, "this was like watching a replay of MH17," the Malaysian passenger jet shot
down over Eastern Ukraine. In that case, "Russia immediately put out dozens of stories, not
just deny it, but using multiple sources, gave out dozens of stories to pollute media with so
much nutty stuff in order to make people draw back and say believe it is all unknowable. That
is their modus operandi, designed for a Russian audience."
Applebaum never indicated that the same might be said about the British government's line on
the Skripal case!
Harding said that assassination was a traditional Russian method of dealing with opponents
going back to Lenin and Stalin and was resurrected in the 1990s when Putin and ex-KGB people
came to power. Unable to cite any example of Lenin assassinating anyone, he roamed willy-nilly
through history citing various assassinations by Stalin, including that of Trotsky, and various
more contemporary alleged assassinations as "proof" of his argument.
There were, he said, two theories about why Russia had tried to kill Skripal.
The first, which Harding rejected, was that after Skripal was released in a spy exchange, he
broke the rules, remained active and embarked on the old spies' lecture trail. The second,
which he "preferred," is that Skripal was "almost irrelevant": not so much the target but an
instrument to frighten and intimidate anyone thinking of cooperating with the West, especially
talking to the Mueller Inquiry in the US into the alleged Russian attempt to subvert the US
2016 election.
After these baseless ruminations, chairperson Mark Rice Oxley asked former GCHQ chief Omand,
sitting in the audience, for his thoughts. Omand was enthused. "It's a great conversation. I
agree with Luke's idea of implausible deniability. Hence the baroque method assassination. The
point is to intimidate.
"I know the team that did the assessment of the nerve agent, attributing it to a Novichok
agent and the Russian state. It was meticulous, like Sherlock Holmes, eliminating
everything.
"No scientific theory is 100 percent reliable, but this was as close as it gets," he
asserted.
He then admitted that it was entirely unclear how applying Novichok to a door handle would
work!
Omand agreed with Harding that the British government "should go after the money," urging
investigative journalists "to dig," saying it "would hurt the people in power around
Putin."
Omand, responding to a question from the chair as to whether British public opinion would be
in favour of increasing hostility to Russia, revealed the extent of the collaboration between
the Guardian and Prime Minister Theresa May's Conservative government.
He said, "You are doing a good job in that regard. My fear is that if things worsen, it
would be necessary to explain The Kremlin could miscalculate, for example with a cyber-attack.
We could be moving into a dangerous period."
Applebaum interrupted, saying, "We know they could do that."
Some questions from the floor revealed public scepticism towards the government and media's
coverage of the Skripal case.
Answering a question about the government's use of D-Notices (Defence and Security Media
Advisory Notice), Morris tried desperately to excuse press censorship. Contradicting reports
that the government had issued two D-notices to prevent the media from identifying British
intelligence service personnel Skripal was working with, he said there were "very few that we
know about, only one." D notices had "changed" and are now "advisory."
Other members of the audience asked where the Skripals were now, reports about them being
given US passports and relocated to the US under fake names, the government's news management,
whether it was coincidence that Porton Down, the government's chemical and biological military
research institute, was so close to the incident, and that it had recently received additional
funding of £48 million.
One audience member pointed out that since the poisoning had been unsuccessful, Russia
might not have been responsible and that the government and media had taken the easy way out by
blaming Russia.
This was dismissed without a serious answer. The newspaper of what passes for the
"liberal left" instead proceeded to solidify its alliance with the most right-wing layers of
the US and British political and intelligence establishment by churning out anti-Russian
propaganda of a distinctly McCarthyite character.
"... Their criticism of Babchenko and the Ukrainian government's media hoax has nothing to do with concern for journalistic integrity or "truth." Quite the contrary: it is motivated by a well justified fear that the crudity of this fraudulent propaganda operation will further discredit the anti-Russia campaign of the imperialist powers, in which the bulk of Western journalists and major bourgeois newspapers and media outlets are fully complicit. ..."
Six days after the Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) revealed that it had staged the
supposed murder of the anti-Kremlin journalist Arkady Babchenko, the Ukrainian government
continues to seek to exploit the case for the anti-Russia campaign even as contradictions and
lies concerning the state operation pile up. (See: "
The New York Times and the murder that wasn't ")
Last Tuesday, the Ukrainian and Western press was filled with media reports about the
killing of Babchenko in Kiev. The journalist, who supported the US-backed far-right coup in
Kiev in early 2014 and the war of the Kiev regime in eastern Ukraine against pro-Russian
separatists, had fled Russia in early 2017 after receiving death threats.
Ukrainian officials and Western media outlets, including the New York Times ,
immediately rushed to blame the killing of Babchenko on Russia. Yet in a stunning turn of
events on Wednesday, Babchenko and the head of the Ukrainian Secret Service held a press
conference to announce that the murder had been staged in a "special operation" allegedly
designed to disclose a murderous plot against Babchenko by the Russian secret service, the
FSB.
At the press conference, Babchenko described how he had faked his fall, put on a T-shirt
that had been shot through to show bullet wounds, and was then covered in pig's blood. His
wife found him lying on the floor and called the ambulance. He was pronounced dead in the
ambulance and brought to a morgue where he started to watch news coverage of his alleged
murder.
The story since presented by the SBU to justify the faked murder and describe the alleged
Russian plot to kill Babchenko resembles a poorly written spy novel, filled with glaring
inconsistencies and blatant lies.
Only two suspects have been identified by the SBU. Boris German is allegedly the man
tasked by the Russian FSB to kill Babchenko. He is the executive director of the
Ukrainian-German weapon manufacturer Schmeisser. There have been reports, but no official
confirmation, that he was in fact working for Ukrainian counterintelligence.
The hit man allegedly hired by German is Oleksiy Tsimbalyuk, who had previously fought in
the civil war in eastern Ukraine for the fascist Right Sector on the side of the Kiev regime.
No explanation has been offered for why Tsimbalyuk, by all appearance an ardent Ukrainian
nationalist and opponent of Russia who has described the killing of Russian soldiers as "an
act of mercy," decided to change sides to kill Babchenko.
The Ukrainian general prosecutor, Yuriy Lutsenko, said that the staging of the murder led
to the disclosure by the suspect of a list of 30 names of journalists whom Russia planned to
kill in Ukraine. This number has since been revised upward, to 47. German was supposedly also
tasked to stockpile secret weapons caches throughout Ukraine. How all of these plots were
connected and how they were to be executed by a handful of people has not been explained.
The SBU also published as proof of Russian involvement the "dossier" the Russian FSB had
allegedly compiled on Babchenko for his "killer." Yet, as the journal meduza has
pointed out, almost the entire biography of Babchenko in the dossier was copied from
Babchenko's Wikipedia article, while all other information had been published by Babchenko
himself on various social media platforms.
The dossier included no information about Babchenko's phone number or address in Kiev,
both of which would have been important for the "killer" and easy for any secret service to
obtain. The only private information in the dossier was Babchenko's registered Moscow address
and his Russian identification and passport numbers, all of which could have been (and in all
likelihood were) revealed by Babchenko to the SBU, but appear to be of no immediate use to a
hired killer in Ukraine.
These contradictions are in addition to more minor lies in the Ukrainian government's
account. For instance, Babchenko, in a very dramatic gesture, apologized to his wife at the
press conference last Wednesday for having made her believe that he was dead. Yet on Thursday
it was revealed that his wife had been in on the plot.
The Ukrainian government has not revealed whether it was aware that the killing had been
faked when it declared that Russia was to blame for Babchenko's "murder."
Babchenko and the Ukrainian government have staunchly defended the media hoax and continue
to seek to use it to whip up the campaign against Russia.
Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko hailed the staged murder as a "brilliant operation"
and said on Ukraine television, "The whole world saw the real face of our enemy It is not
Ukraine you should condemn, but Russia."
He promised that Babchenko and his family would receive around-the-clock protection,
arguing that "Moscow would hardly calm down" and that the Ukrainian secret services were
growing stronger in "fighting Russian aggression."
The advisor to the Interior Ministry Anton Gerashchenko wrote on Facebook: "Even Sherlock
Holmes successfully used the method of faking his own death to effectively investigate
difficult and complicated crimes, however painful that may have been for his relatives and
for Dr. Watson."
Babchenko, who worked for the Russian army in both Chechen wars in the 1990s, posted a
series of vulgar and aggressive comments on Facebook to denounce his critics. In one post, he
pledged "to die at 96 while dancing on Putin's grave."
Responding to criticism in the British press, he wrote: "Dear British press, will you
please go fuck yourselves. If you want to do something useful, you can give me a British
passport and British sanctuary. Then you will have earned the right to lecture me on how I
should save myself and my family. Fucking smart arses!"
He also wrote: "I wish all these moralisers could be in the same situation -- let them
show their adherence to the principles of their high morals and die proudly holding their
heads high without misleading the media."
Babchenko's boss at the Crimean Tatar television network ATR, Ayder Muzhdabayev, described
the journalist's critics to Al Jazeera as "vermin." Muzhdabayev had been the first
to report on Babchenko's alleged death last Tuesday.
Several pro-Western Russian journalists who are close to the liberal opposition have
published op-eds defending Babchenko. However, a few voices also raised concerns.
An editorial by Pavel Kanygin in the pro-liberal Novaya Gazeta argued that
Babchenko had "died as a journalist by breaking professional ethics and engaging in an
unprecedented collaboration with secret services." Another op-ed in the same newspaper
ridiculed the operation as a "parody" on Soviet spy novels and films.
The Russian business daily Vedomosti , which is associated with the Financial
Times and the Wall Street Journal , wrote in an editorial that the Babchenko
operation had "blurred the border between truth and fiction" and would lead to more distrust
in the media.
Similarly, numerous opinion pieces in Western outlets such as the Guardian and
the German Spiegel , which have been heavily involved in the anti-Russia and
anti-Putin campaign, raised concerns about the Babchenko operation and its consequences for
the credibility of the media. The Guardian noted that "by faking Babchenko's murder,
Ukraine has smeared itself," and that it had "handed Russia a massive propaganda
victory."
The New York Times ran an article on Sunday as an exercise in damage control that
was headlined "Faked Killing of a Putin Critic Can't Get Much Murkier. And Yet It Does."
Numerous Western politicians, including German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, have also
criticized how the Ukrainian government handled the case.
Their criticism of Babchenko and the Ukrainian government's media hoax has nothing to
do with concern for journalistic integrity or "truth." Quite the contrary: it is motivated by
a well justified fear that the crudity of this fraudulent propaganda operation will further
discredit the anti-Russia campaign of the imperialist powers, in which the bulk of Western
journalists and major bourgeois newspapers and media outlets are fully complicit.
When the media is controlled by people responsible for false flag operation chances to use investigation to
discredit this false flag operation, no matter how many evidence they have is close to zero
In other word false flag operation is perfect weapon for the "sole superpower" and due to this status entail very little
risks.
Notable quotes:
"... Today's false flag operations are generally carried out by intelligence agencies and non-government actors including terrorist groups, but they are only considered successful if the true attribution of an action remains secret. ..."
"... False flags can be involved in other sorts of activity as well. The past year's two major alleged chemical attacks carried out against Syrian civilians that resulted in President Donald Trump and associates launching 160 cruise missiles are pretty clearly false flag operations carried out by the rebels and terrorist groups that controlled the affected areas at the time. ..."
"... Because the rebels succeeded in convincing much of the world that the Syrian government had carried out the attacks, one might consider their false flag efforts to have been extremely successful. ..."
"... The remedy against false flag operations such as the recent one in Syria is, of course, to avoid taking the bait and instead waiting until a thorough and objective inspection of the evidence has taken place. The United States, Britain and France did not do that, preferring instead to respond to hysterical press reports by "doing something." If the U.N. investigation of the alleged attack turns up nothing, a distinct possibility, it is unlikely that they will apologize for having committed a war crime. ..."
"... The other major false flag that has recently surfaced is the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury England on March 4 th . Russia had no credible motive to carry out the attack and had, in fact, good reasons not to do so. ..."
"... Unfortunately, May proved wrong and the debate ignited over her actions, which included the expulsion of twenty-three Russian diplomats, has done her severe damage. Few now believe that Russia actually carried out the poisoning and there is a growing body of opinion suggesting that it was actually a false flag executed by the British government or even by the CIA. ..."
"... The lesson that should be learned from Syria and Skripal is that if "an incident" looks like it has no obvious motive behind it, there is a high probability that it is a false flag. ..."
False Flag is a concept that goes back centuries. It was considered to be a legitimate ploy
by the Greeks and Romans, where a military force would pretend to be friendly to get close to
an enemy before dropping the pretense and raising its banners to reveal its own affiliation
just before launching an attack. In the sea battles of the eighteenth century among Spain,
France and Britain hoisting an enemy flag instead of one's own to confuse the opponent was
considered to be a legitimate ruse de guerre , but it was only "honorable" if one
reverted to one's own flag before engaging in combat.
Today's false flag operations are generally carried out by intelligence agencies and
non-government actors including terrorist groups, but they are only considered successful if
the true attribution of an action remains secret. There is nothing honorable about them as
their intention is to blame an innocent party for something that it did not do. There has been
a lot of such activity lately and it was interesting to learn by way of a leak that the Central
Intelligence Agency (CIA) has developed a capability to mimic the internet fingerprints of
other foreign intelligence services. That means that when the media is trumpeting news reports
that the Russians or Chinese hacked into U.S. government websites or the sites of major
corporations, it could actually have been the CIA carrying out the intrusion and making it look
like it originated in Moscow or Beijing. Given that capability, there has been considerable
speculation in the alternative media that it was actually the CIA that interfered in the 2016
national elections in the United States.
False flags can be involved in other sorts of activity as well. The past year's two major
alleged chemical attacks carried out against Syrian civilians that resulted in President Donald
Trump and associates launching 160 cruise missiles are pretty clearly false flag operations
carried out by the rebels and terrorist groups that controlled the affected areas at the time.
The most recent reported attack on April 7th might not have occurred at all
according to doctors and other witnesses who were actually in Douma. Because the rebels
succeeded in convincing much of the world that the Syrian government had carried out the
attacks, one might consider their false flag efforts to have been extremely successful.
The remedy against false flag operations such as the recent one in Syria is, of course, to
avoid taking the bait and instead waiting until a thorough and objective inspection of the
evidence has taken place. The United States, Britain and France did not do that, preferring
instead to respond to hysterical press reports by "doing something." If the U.N. investigation
of the alleged attack turns up nothing, a distinct possibility, it is unlikely that they will
apologize for having committed a war crime.
The other major false flag that has recently surfaced is the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and
his daughter Yulia in Salisbury England on March 4th. Russia had no credible
motive to carry out the attack and had, in fact, good reasons not to do so. The allegations
made by British Prime Minister Theresa May about the claimed nerve agent being "very likely"
Russian in origin have been debunked, in part through examination by the U.K.'s own chemical
weapons lab. May, under attack even within her own party, needed a good story and a powerful
enemy to solidify her own hold on power so false flagging something to Russia probably appeared
to be just the ticket as Moscow would hardly be able to deny the "facts" being invented in
London. Unfortunately, May proved wrong and the debate ignited over her actions, which included
the expulsion of twenty-three Russian diplomats, has done her severe damage. Few now believe
that Russia actually carried out the poisoning and there is a growing body of opinion
suggesting that it was actually a false flag executed by the British government or even by the
CIA.
The lesson that should be learned from Syria and Skripal is that if "an incident" looks like
it has no obvious motive behind it, there is a high probability that it is a false flag. A bit
of caution in assigning blame is appropriate given that the alternative would be a precipitate
and likely disproportionate response that could easily escalate into a shooting war.
"... the Obama administration intelligence agencies worked with Clinton to block " Siberian candidate " Trump. ..."
"... The template was provided by ex-MI6 Director Richard Dearlove , Halper's friend and business partner. Sitting in winged chairs in London's venerable Garrick Club, according to The Washington Post , Dearlove told fellow MI6 veteran Christopher Steele, author of the famous "golden showers" opposition research dossier, that Trump "reminded him of a predicament he had faced years earlier, when he was chief of station for British intelligence in Washington and alerted US authorities to British information that a vice presidential hopeful had once been in communication with the Kremlin." ..."
"... Apparently, one word from the Brits was enough to make the candidate in question step down. When that didn't work with Trump, Dearlove and his colleagues ratcheted up the pressure to make him see the light. A major scandal was thus born – or, rather, a very questionable scandal. Besides Dearlove, Steele, and Halper, a bon-vivant known as "The Walrus" for his impressive girth , other participants include: Robert Hannigan, former director Government Communications Headquarters, GCHQ, UK equivalent of the NSA. Alexander Downer, top Australian diplomat. Andrew Wood, ex-British ambassador to Moscow. Joseph Mifsud, Maltese academic. James Clapper, ex-US Director of National Intelligence. John Brennan, former CIA Director (and now NBC News analyst). ..."
"... Dearlove and Halper are now partners in a private venture calling itself "The Cambridge Security Initiative." Both are connected to another London-based intelligence firm known as Hakluyt & Co. Halper is also connected via two books he wrote with Hakluyt representative Jonathan Clarke and Dearlove has a close personal friendship with Hakluyt founder Mike Reynolds, yet another MI6 vet. Alexander Downer served a half-dozen years on Hakluyt's international advisory board, while Andrew Wood is linked to Steele via Orbis Business Intelligence, the private research firm that Steele helped found, and which produced the anti-Trump dossier, and where Wood now serves as an unpaid advisor . ..."
"... Everyone, in short, seems to know everyone else. But another thing that stands out about this group is its incompetence. Dearlove and Halper appear to be old-school paranoids for whom every Russian is a Boris Badenov or a Natasha Fatale . In February 2014, Halper notified US intelligence that Mike Flynn, Trump's future national security adviser, had grown overly chummy with an Anglo-Russian scholar named Svetlana Lokhova whom Halper suspected of being a spy – suspicions that Lokhova convincingly argues are absurd. ..."
"... As head of Britain's foreign Secret Intelligence Service, as MI6 is formally known, Dearlove played a major role in drumming up support for the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of Iraq even while confessing at a secret Downing Street meeting that "the intelligence and facts were being fixed around the [regime-change] policy." When the search for weapons of mass destruction turned up dry, Clapper, as then head of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency, argued that the Iraqi military must have smuggled them into neighboring Syria, a charge with absolutely no basis in fact but which helped pave the way for US regime-change efforts in that country too. ..."
"... Brennan was meanwhile a high-level CIA official when the agency was fabricating evidence against Saddam Hussein and covering up Saudi Arabia's role in 9/11. Wood not only continues to defend the Iraqi invasion, but dismisses fears of a rising fascist tide in the Ukraine as nothing more than "a crude political insult" hurled by Vladimir Putin for his own political benefit. Such views now seem distressingly misguided in view of the alt-right torchlight parades and spiraling anti-Semitism that are now a regular feature of life in the Ukraine. ..."
"... The New York Times ..."
"... describes Mifsud as "an enthusiastic promoter of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia" and "a regular at meetings of the Valdai Discussion Club, an annual conference held in Sochi, Russia, that Mr. Putin attends," which tried to suggest that he is a Kremlin agent of some sort. ..."
"... But WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange later tweeted photos of Mifsud with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and a high-ranking British intelligence official named Claire Smith at a training session for Italian security agents in Rome. Since it's unlikely that British intelligence would rely on a Russian agent in such circumstances, Mifsud's intelligence ties are more likely with the UK. ..."
"... Stefan Halper then infiltrated the Trump campaign on behalf of the FBI as an informant in early July, weeks before the FBI launched its investigation. Halper had 36 years earlier infiltrated the Carter re-election campaign in 1980 using CIA agents to turn information over to the Reagan campaign. Now Halper began to court both Page and Papadopoulous, independently of each other. ..."
"... The rightwing Federalist website speculates that Halper was working with Steele to flesh out a Sept. 14 memo claiming that "Russians do have further 'kompromat' on CLINTON (e-mails) and [are] considering disseminating it." Clovis believes that Halper was trying "to create an audit trail back to those [Clinton] emails from someone in the campaign so they could develop a stronger case for probable cause to continue to issue warrants and to further an investigation." Reports that Halper apparently sought a permanent post in the new administration suggest that the effort was meant to continue after inauguration. ..."
"... Notwithstanding Clovis's nutty rightwing politics , his description of what Halper may have been up to makes sense as does his observation that Halper was trying " to build something that did not exist ." Despite countless hyper-ventilating headlines about mysterious Trump Tower meetings and the like, the sad truth is that Russiagate after all these months is shaping up as even more of a "nothing-burger" than Obama administration veteran Van Jones said it was back in mid-2017. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has indicted Papadopoulos and others on procedural grounds, he has indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for corruption, and he has charged a St. Petersburg company known as the Internet Research Agency with violating US election laws. ..."
"... As The Washington Post noted in an oddly, cool-headed Dec. 2 article , 2, 700 suspected Russian-linked accounts generated just 202,000 tweets in a six-year period ending in August 2017, a drop in a bucket compared to the one billion election-related tweets sent out during the fourteen months leading up to Election Day. ..."
"... Opposition research is intended to mix truths and fiction, to dig up plausible dirt to throw at your opponent, not to produce an intelligence assessment at taxpayer's expense to "protect" the country. And Steele was paid for it by the Democrats, not his government. ..."
"... Although Kramer denies it, The New Yorker ..."
"... But how could Trump think otherwise? As Consortium News founding editor Robert Parry observed a few days later, the maneuver "resembles a tactic out of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's playbook on government-style blackmail: I have some very derogatory information about you that I'd sure hate to see end up in the press." ..."
"... It sounds more like CIA paranoia raised to the nth degree. But that's what the intelligence agencies are for, i.e. to spread fear and propaganda in order to stampede the public into supporting their imperial agenda. In this case, their efforts are so effective that they've gotten lost in a fog of their own making. If the corporate press fails to point this out, it's because reporters are too befogged themselves to notice. ..."
"... "Russiagate" continues to attract mounting blowback at Clinton, Obama and the Dems. Might well be they who end up charged with lawbreaking, though I'd be surprised if anyone in authority is ever really punished. https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-06-02/fbi-spying-trump-started-london-earlier-thought-new-texts-implicate-obama-white ..."
"... I've always thought that the great animus between Obama and Trump stemmed from Trump's persistent birtherist attacks on Obama followed by Obama's public ridicule of Trump at the White House Correspondants' Dinner. Without the latter, Trump probably would not have been motivated to run for the presidency. Without the former, Obama would probably not have gotten into the gutter to defeat and embarrass Trump at all costs. Clinton and Obama probably never recruit British spooks to sabotage and provide a pretense for spying on the campaigns of Jeb, Ted or Little Marco. Since these were all warmongers like Hillary and Obama, the issues would have been different, Russia would not have been a factor, and Putin would have had no alleged "puppet." ..."
"... The irony is that Clinton and Obama wanted Trump as her opponent. They cultivated his candidacy via liberal media bias throughout the primaries. (MSNBC and Rachel Maddow were always cutting away to another full length Trump victory speech and rally, including lots of jibber jabber with the faithful supporters.) Why? Because they thought he was the easiest to beat. The polls actually had Hillary losing against the other GOP candidates. The Dems beat themselves with their own choice of candidate and all the intrigue, false narratives and other questionable practices they employed in both the primaries and the general. That's what really happened. ..."
"... I agree that Hillary wanted Trump as an opponent, thought she could easily win. I've underestimated idiot opponents before, always to my detriment. Why is it that they are always the most formidable? The "insiders" are so used to voters rolling over, taking it on the chin. They gave away their jobs, replaced them with the service industry, killed their sons and daughters in wars abroad, and still the American people cast their ballots in their favor. This time was different. The insiders just did not see the sea change, not like Trump did. ..."
"... Long-time CIA asset named as FBI's spy on Trump campaign By Bill Van Auken https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/05/21/poli-m21.html ..."
"... What the MSM really needed was a bait which they could use to lure more dollars just like a horse race where the track owners needed a fast underdog horse to clean up. I believe the term is to be "hustled". The con men of the media hustlers decided they needed a way to cause all of the candidates to squirm uneasily and to then react to the news that Donald Trump was "in the lead". ..."
"... Those clever media folks. What a gift the Supreme Court handed them. But there was one little (or big) problem. The problem was the result of the scam put Trump in the White House. Something that no conservative republican would ever sign onto. Trump had spent years as a democrat, hobnobbed with the Clinton's and was an avowed agnostic who favored the liberal ideology for the most part. ..."
"... The new guy in the White House with his crazy ideas of making friends with Vladimir Putin horrified a national arms industry funded with hundreds of billions of our tax dollars every year propped up by all the neocons with their paranoid beliefs and plans to make America the hegemon of the World. Our foreign allies who use the USA to fight their perceived enemies and entice our government to sell them weapons and who urge us to orchestrate the overthrow of governments were all alarmed by the "not a real republican" peace-nick occupying the White House. ..."
"... It is probable that the casino and hotel owner in the White House posed an very threatening alternate strategy of forming economic ties with former enemies which scared the hell out of the arms industry which built its economy on scaring all of us and justifying its existence based on foreign enemies. ..."
"... So the MSM and the MIC created a new cold war with their friends at the New York Times and the Washington Post which published endless stories about the new Russian threat we faced. It had nothing to do with the 0.02% Twitter and Facebook "influence" that Russia actually had in the election. It was billed as the crime of the century. The real crime was that they committed the crime of the century that they mightily profited from by putting Trump in the White House in the first place with a plan to grab all the election cash they could grab. ..."
As the role of a well-connected group of British and U.S. intelligence agents begins to
emerge, new suspicions are growing about what hand they may have had in weaving the Russia-gate
story, as Daniel Lazare explains.
Special to Consortium News
With the news that a Cambridge academic-cum-spy
named Stefan Halper infiltrated the Trump campaign, the role of the intelligence agencies in
shaping the great Russiagate saga is at last coming into focus.
It's looking more and more massive. The intelligence agencies initiated reports that Donald
Trump was colluding with Russia, they nurtured them and helped them grow, and then they spread
the word to the press and key government officials. Reportedly, they even tried to use these
reports to force Trump to step down prior to his inauguration. Although the corporate press
accuses Trump of conspiring with Russia to stop Hillary Clinton, the reverse now seems to be
the case: the Obama administration intelligence agencies worked with Clinton to block "
Siberian
candidate " Trump.
The template was provided by ex-MI6 Director Richard Dearlove , Halper's friend and business
partner. Sitting in winged chairs in London's venerable Garrick Club, according to The
Washington Post , Dearlove
told fellow MI6 veteran Christopher Steele, author of the famous "golden showers"
opposition research dossier, that Trump "reminded him of a predicament he had faced years
earlier, when he was chief of station for British intelligence in Washington and alerted US
authorities to British information that a vice presidential hopeful had once been in
communication with the Kremlin."
Apparently, one word from the Brits was enough to make the candidate in question step down.
When that didn't work with Trump, Dearlove and his colleagues ratcheted up the pressure to make
him see the light. A major scandal was thus born – or, rather, a very questionable
scandal. Besides Dearlove, Steele, and Halper, a bon-vivant known as "The Walrus" for
his impressive girth , other participants include: Robert Hannigan, former director
Government Communications Headquarters, GCHQ, UK equivalent of the NSA. Alexander Downer, top
Australian diplomat. Andrew Wood, ex-British ambassador to Moscow. Joseph Mifsud, Maltese
academic. James Clapper, ex-US Director of National Intelligence. John Brennan, former CIA
Director (and now NBC News analyst).
In-Bred
A few things stand out about this august group. One is its in-bred quality. After helping to
run an annual confab known as the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar, Dearlove and Halper are now
partners in a private venture calling itself "The Cambridge Security Initiative." Both are
connected to another London-based intelligence firm known as Hakluyt & Co. Halper is also
connected via two books he wrote with Hakluyt representative Jonathan Clarke
and Dearlove has a close personal friendship with Hakluyt founder Mike Reynolds, yet another
MI6 vet. Alexander Downer
served a half-dozen years on Hakluyt's international advisory board, while Andrew Wood is
linked to Steele via Orbis Business Intelligence, the private research firm that Steele helped
found, and which produced the anti-Trump dossier, and where Wood now serves as an
unpaid
advisor .
Everyone, in short, seems to know everyone else. But another thing that stands out about
this group is its incompetence. Dearlove and Halper appear to be old-school paranoids for whom
every Russian is a Boris
Badenov or a Natasha Fatale . In February 2014, Halper notified US intelligence that Mike
Flynn, Trump's future national security adviser, had grown overly chummy with an Anglo-Russian
scholar named Svetlana Lokhova whom Halper suspected of being a spy – suspicions that
Lokhova convincingly
argues are absurd.
Halper: Infiltrated Trump campaign
In December 2016, Halper and Dearlove both resigned from the Cambridge Intelligence Seminar
because they suspected that a company footing some of the costs was tied up with Russian
intelligence – suspicions that Christopher Andrew, former chairman of the Cambridge
history department and the seminar's founder, regards as " absurd " as well.
As head of Britain's foreign Secret Intelligence Service, as MI6 is formally known,
Dearlove played a major role in drumming up support for the 2003 Anglo-American invasion of
Iraq even while confessing at a secret Downing Street meeting that "the intelligence and facts
were being fixed around the [regime-change] policy." When the search for weapons of mass
destruction turned up dry, Clapper, as then head of the National Imagery and Mapping Agency,
argued that the Iraqi
military must have smuggled them into neighboring Syria, a charge with absolutely no basis in
fact but which helped pave the way for US regime-change efforts in that country too.
Brennan was meanwhile a high-level CIA official when the agency was fabricating evidence
against Saddam Hussein and covering up Saudi Arabia's role in 9/11. Wood not only continues to defend
the Iraqi invasion, but dismisses
fears of a rising fascist tide in the Ukraine as nothing more than "a crude political insult"
hurled by Vladimir Putin for his own political benefit. Such views now seem distressingly
misguided in view of the alt-right torchlight parades and
spiraling anti-Semitism that are now a regular feature of life in the Ukraine.
The result is a diplo-espionage gang that is very bad at the facts but very good at public
manipulation – and which therefore decided to use its skill set out to create a public
furor over alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.
It Started Late 2015
The effort began in late 2015 when GCHQ, along with intelligence agencies in Poland,
Estonia, and Germany, began monitoring
what they said were " suspicious 'interactions' between figures connected to Trump and
known or suspected Russian agents."
Since Trump was surging ahead in the polls and scaring the pants off the foreign-policy
establishment by calling for a rapprochement with Moscow, the agencies figured that Russia was
somehow behind it. The pace accelerated in March 2016 when a 30-year-old policy consultant
named George Papadopoulos joined the Trump campaign as a foreign-policy adviser. Traveling in
Italy a week later, he ran into Mifsud, the London-based Maltese academic, who reportedly set
about cultivating him after learning of his position with Trump. Mifsud claimed
to have "substantial connections with Russian government officials," according to prosecutors.
Over breakfast at a London hotel, he told Papadopoulos that he had just returned from Moscow
where he had learned that the Russians had "dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of "thousands
of emails."
This was the remark that supposedly triggered an FBI investigation. The New York
Timesdescribes
Mifsud as "an enthusiastic promoter of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia" and "a regular at
meetings of the Valdai Discussion Club, an annual conference held in Sochi, Russia, that Mr.
Putin attends," which tried to suggest that he is a Kremlin agent of some sort.
But WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange later
tweeted photos of Mifsud with British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and a high-ranking
British intelligence official named Claire Smith at a training session for Italian security
agents in Rome. Since it's unlikely that British intelligence would rely on a Russian agent in
such circumstances, Mifsud's intelligence ties are more likely with the UK.
After Papadopoulos caused a minor political ruckus by
telling a reporter that Prime Minister David Cameron should apologize for criticizing
Trump's anti-Muslim pronouncements, a friend in the Israeli embassy put him in touch with a
friend in the Australian embassy, who introduced him to Downer, her boss. Over drinks, Downer
advised him to be more diplomatic. After Papadopoulos then passed along Misfud's tip about
Clinton's emails, Downer informed his government, which, in late July, informed the FBI.
Was Papadopoulos Set Up?
Suspicions are unavoidable but evidence is lacking. Other pieces were meanwhile clicking
into place. In late May or early June 2016, Fusion GPS, a private Washington intelligence firm
employed by the Democratic National Committee, hired Steele to look into the Russian angle.
On June 20, he turned in the first of eighteen memos that would eventually comprise
the
Steele dossier , in this instance a three-page document asserting that Putin "has been
cultivating, supporting and assisting TRUMP for at least 5 years" and that Russian intelligence
possessed "kompromat" in the form of a video of prostitutes performing a "golden showers" show
for his benefit at the Moscow Ritz-Carlton. A week or two later, Steele
briefed the FBI on his findings. Around the same time, Robert Hannigan flew to Washington
to brief CIA Director John Brennan about additional material that had come GCHQ's way, material
so sensitive that it could only be handled at "director level."
One player was filling Papadopoulos's head with tales of Russian dirty tricks, another was
telling the FBI, while a third was collecting more information and passing it on to the bureau
as well.
Page: Took Russia's side.
On July 7, 2016 Carter Page delivered a lecture on
U.S.-Russian relations in Moscow in which he complained that " Washington and other western
capitals have impeded potential progress through their often hypocritical focus on ideas such
as democratization, inequality, corruption, and regime change." Washington hawks expressed "
unease " that someone representing the presumptive Republican nominee would take Russia's
side in a growing neo-Cold War.
Stefan Halper then
infiltrated the Trump campaign on behalf of the FBI as an informant in early July, weeks
before the FBI launched its investigation. Halper had 36 years earlier infiltrated the Carter
re-election campaign in 1980 using CIA agents to turn information over to the Reagan campaign.
Now Halper began to court both Page and Papadopoulous, independently of each other.
On July 11, Page showed up at a Cambridge symposium at which Halper and Dearlove both spoke.
In early September, Halper sent Papadopoulos an email offering $3,000 and a paid trip to London
to write a research paper on a disputed gas field in the eastern Mediterranean, his specialty.
"George, you know about hacking the emails from Russia, right?" Halper asked when he got there,
but Papadopoulos said he knew nothing. Halper also sought out Sam Clovis, Trump's national
campaign co-chairman, with whom he chatted about China for an hour or so over coffee in
Washington.
The rightwing Federalist website
speculates that Halper was working with Steele to flesh out a Sept. 14 memo claiming that
"Russians do have further 'kompromat' on CLINTON (e-mails) and [are] considering disseminating
it." Clovis believes
that Halper was trying "to create an audit trail back to those [Clinton] emails from someone in
the campaign so they could develop a stronger case for probable cause to continue to issue
warrants and to further an investigation." Reports that Halper apparently sought
a permanent post in the new administration suggest that the effort was meant to continue
after inauguration.
Notwithstanding Clovis's nutty
rightwing politics , his description of what Halper may have been up to makes sense as does
his observation that Halper was trying " to build something that did not exist ." Despite
countless hyper-ventilating headlines about mysterious Trump Tower meetings and the like, the
sad truth is that Russiagate after all these months is shaping up as even more of a
"nothing-burger" than Obama administration veteran Van Jones said
it was back in mid-2017. Special Prosecutor Robert Mueller has indicted Papadopoulos and others
on procedural grounds, he has indicted former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for
corruption, and he has charged a St. Petersburg company known as the Internet Research Agency
with violating US election laws.
But the corruption charges have nothing to do with Russian collusion and nothing in the
indictment against IRA indicates that either the Kremlin or the Trump campaign were involved.
Indeed, the activities that got IRA in trouble in the first place are so unimpressive –
just $46,000 worth of Facebook
ads that it purchased prior to election day, some pro-Trump, some anti, and some with
no particular slant
at all – that Mueller probably wouldn't even have bothered if he hadn't been under
intense pressure to come up with anything at all.
The same goes for the army of bots that Russia supposedly deployed on Twitter. As The
Washington Post noted in an oddly, cool-headed Dec. 2
article , 2, 700 suspected Russian-linked accounts generated just 202,000 tweets in a
six-year period ending in August 2017, a drop in a bucket compared to the one
billion election-related tweets sent out during the fourteen months leading up to Election
Day.
The Steele dossier is also underwhelming. It declares on one page that the Kremlin sought to
cultivate Trump by throwing "various lucrative real estate development business deals" his way
but says on another that Trump's efforts to drum up business were unavailing and that he thus
"had to settle for the use of extensive sexual services there from local prostitutes rather
than business success."
Why would Trump turn down business offers when he couldn't generate any on his own? The idea
that Putin would spot a U.S. reality-TV star somewhere around 2011 and conclude that he was
destined for the Oval Office five years later is ludicrous. The fact that the Democratic
National Committee funded the dossier via its law firm Perkins Coie renders it less credible
still, as does the fact that the world has heard nothing more about the alleged video despite
the ongoing deterioration in US-Russian relations. What's the point of making a blackmail tape
if you don't use it?
Steele: Paid for political research, not intelligence.
Even Steele is backing off. In a legal paper filed in response to a libel suit last May, he
said the document "did not represent (and did not purport to represent) verified facts, but
were raw intelligence which had identified a range of allegations that warranted investigation
given their potential national security implications." The fact is that the "dossier" was
opposition research, not an intelligence report. It was neither vetted by Steele nor anyone in
an intelligence agency. Opposition research is intended to mix truths and fiction, to dig
up plausible dirt to throw at your opponent, not to produce an intelligence assessment at
taxpayer's expense to "protect" the country. And Steele was paid for it by the Democrats, not
his government.
Using it Anyway
Nonetheless, the spooks have made the most of such pseudo-evidence. Dearlove and Wood both
advised Steele to take his "findings" to the FBI, while, after the election, Wood pulled
Sen. John McCain aside at a security conference in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to let him know that
the Russians might be blackmailing the president-elect. McCain dispatched long-time aide David
J. Kramer to the UK to discuss the dossier with Steele directly.
Although Kramer denies it, The New Yorker found a former national-security
official who
says he spoke with him at the time and that Kramer's goal was to have McCain confront Trump
with the dossier in the hope that he would resign on the spot. When that didn't happen, Clapper
and Brennan arranged for FBI Director James Comey to confront Trump instead. Comey later
testified that he didn't want Trump to think he was creating "a J. Edgar Hoover-type
situation – I didn't want him thinking I was briefing him on this to sort of hang it over
him in some way."
But how could Trump think otherwise? As Consortium News founding editor Robert Parry
observed a few
days later, the maneuver "resembles a tactic out of FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover's playbook on
government-style blackmail: I have some very derogatory information about you that I'd sure
hate to see end up in the press."
Since then, the Democrats have touted the dossier at every opportunity, TheNew
Yorker
continues to defend it , while Times columnist Michelle Goldberg cites it as well,
saying it's a
"rather obvious possibility that Trump is being blackmailed." CNN, for its part, suggested not
long ago that the dossier may actually be Russian
disinformation designed to throw everyone off base, Republicans and Democrats alike.
It sounds more like CIA paranoia raised to the nth degree. But that's what the
intelligence agencies are for, i.e. to spread fear and propaganda in order to stampede the
public into supporting their imperial agenda. In this case, their efforts are so effective that
they've gotten lost in a fog of their own making. If the corporate press fails to point this
out, it's because reporters are too befogged themselves to notice.
Daniel Lazare is the author of The Frozen Republic: How the Constitution Is Paralyzing
Democracy (Harcourt Brace, 1996) and other books about American politics. He has written for a
wide variety of publications from The Nation to Le Monde Diplomatique , and his articles about
the Middle East, terrorism, Eastern Europe, and other topics appear regularly on such websites
as Jacobin and The American Conservative.
Mueller is trying to omit the normal burden of legal liability, "wilful intent" in his
charges against the St Petersburg, social media operation. In a horrifically complex area
such as tax, campaign contributions or lobbying, a foreign entity can be found guilty of
breaking a law that they cannot reasonably have been expected to have knowledge of.
But the omission or inclusion of "wilful intent" is applied on a selective basis depending on
the advantage to the deep state.
From a practical standpoint, omission of "wilful intent" makes it easier for Mueller to get a
guilty verdict (in adsentia assuming this is legally valid in America). Once the "guilt" of
the St Petersburg staff is established, any communication between an American and them
becomes "collusion".
I've always thought that the great animus between Obama and Trump stemmed from Trump's
persistent birtherist attacks on Obama followed by Obama's public ridicule of Trump at the
White House Correspondants' Dinner. Without the latter, Trump probably would not have been
motivated to run for the presidency. Without the former, Obama would probably not have gotten
into the gutter to defeat and embarrass Trump at all costs. Clinton and Obama probably never
recruit British spooks to sabotage and provide a pretense for spying on the campaigns of Jeb,
Ted or Little Marco. Since these were all warmongers like Hillary and Obama, the issues would
have been different, Russia would not have been a factor, and Putin would have had no alleged
"puppet."
The irony is that Clinton and Obama wanted Trump as her opponent. They cultivated his
candidacy via liberal media bias throughout the primaries. (MSNBC and Rachel Maddow were
always cutting away to another full length Trump victory speech and rally, including lots of
jibber jabber with the faithful supporters.) Why? Because they thought he was the easiest to
beat. The polls actually had Hillary losing against the other GOP candidates. The Dems beat
themselves with their own choice of candidate and all the intrigue, false narratives and
other questionable practices they employed in both the primaries and the general. That's what
really happened.
backwardsevolution , June 3, 2018 at 2:50 pm
Realist – good post. I think what you say is true. Trump got too caught up in the
birther crap, and Obama retaliated. But I think that Trump had been thinking about the
presidency long before Obama came along. He sees the country differently than Obama and
Clinton do. Trump would never have built up China to the point where all American technology
has been given away for free, with millions of jobs lost and a huge trade deficit, and he
would have probably left Russia alone, not ransacked it.
I saw Obama as a somewhat reluctant globalist and Hillary as an eager globalist. They are
both insiders. Trump is not. He's interested in what is best for the U.S., whereas the
Clinton's and the Bush's were interested in what their corporate masters wanted. The
multinationals have been selling the U.S. out, Trump is trying to put a stop to this, and it
is going to be a fight to the death. Trump is playing hardball with China (who ARE U.S.
multinationals), and it is working. Beginning July 1, 2018, China has agreed to reduce its
tariffs:
"Import tariffs for apparel, footwear and headgear, kitchen supplies and fitness products
will be more than halved to an average of 7.1 percent from 15.9 percent, with those on
washing machines and refrigerators slashed to just 8 percent, from 20.5 percent.
Tariffs will also be cut on processed foods such as aquaculture and fishing products and
mineral water, from 15.2 percent to 6.9 percent.
Cosmetics, such as skin and hair products, and some medical and health products, will also
benefit from a tariff cut to 2.9 percent from 8.4 percent.
In particular, tariffs on drugs ranging from penicillin, cephalosporin to insulin will be
slashed to zero from 6 percent before.
In the meantime, temporary tariff rates on 210 imported products from most favored nations
will be scrapped as they are no longer favorable compared with new rates."
Trade with China has been all one way. At least Trump is leveling the playing field. He at
least is trying to bring back jobs, something the "insiders" could care less about.
I agree that Hillary wanted Trump as an opponent, thought she could easily win. I've
underestimated idiot opponents before, always to my detriment. Why is it that they are always
the most formidable? The "insiders" are so used to voters rolling over, taking it on the
chin. They gave away their jobs, replaced them with the service industry, killed their sons
and daughters in wars abroad, and still the American people cast their ballots in their
favor. This time was different. The insiders just did not see the sea change, not like Trump
did.
Abe , June 2, 2018 at 2:20 am
"Pentagon documents indicate that the Department of Defense's shadowy intelligence arm,
the Office of Net Assessment, paid Halper $282,000 in 2016 and $129,000 in 2017. According to
reports, Halper sought to secure Papadopoulos's collaboration by offering him $3,000 and an
all-expenses-paid trip to London, ostensibly to produce a research paper on energy issues in
the eastern Mediterranean.
"The choice of Halper for this spying operation has ominous implications. His deep ties to
the US intelligence apparatus date back decades. His father-in-law was Ray Cline, who headed
the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence at the height of the Cold War. Halper served as an aide
to Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney and Alexander Haig in the Nixon and Ford administrations.
"In 1980, as the director of policy coordination for Ronald Reagan's presidential
campaign, Halper oversaw an operation in which CIA officials gave the campaign confidential
information on the Carter administration and its foreign policy. This intelligence was in
turn utilized to further back-channel negotiations between Reagan's campaign manager and
subsequent CIA director William Casey and representatives of Iran to delay the release of the
American embassy hostages until after the election, in order to prevent Carter from scoring a
foreign policy victory on the eve of the November vote.
"Halper subsequently held posts as deputy assistant secretary of state for
political-military affairs and senior adviser to the Pentagon and Justice Department. More
recently, Halper has collaborated with Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, the British
intelligence service, in directing the Cambridge Security Initiative (CSi), a security think
tank that lists the US and UK governments as its principal clients.
"Before the 2016 election, Halper had expressed his view – shared by predominant
layers within the intelligence agencies – that Clinton's election would prove 'less
disruptive' than Trump's.
"The revelations of the role played by Halper point to an intervention in the 2016
elections by the US intelligence agencies that far eclipsed anything one could even imagine
the Kremlin attempting."
Sorry for not commenting on other posts as of yet. But I think I have a different
perspective. Russia Gate is not about Hillary Clinton or Putin but it is about Donald Trump.
Specifically an effort to get rid of him by the intelligence agencies and the MSM. The fact
is the MSM created Trump and were chiefly responsible for his election. Trump is their
brainchild starlet used to fleece all the republican campaigns like a huckster fleeces an
audience. It all ties to key Supreme Court rulings eliminating campaign finance regulations
which ushered in the age of dark money.
When billionaires can donate unlimited amounts of money anonymously to the candidate of
their choosing what ends up is a field of fourteen wannabes in a primary race each backed by
their own investor(s). The only way these candidates can win is to convince us to vote. The
only way they can do that is to spend on advertising.
What the MSM dreamed of in a purely capitalistic way was a way to drain the wallets of
every single one of the republican Super PACs. The mission was fraught with potential
checkmates. Foe example, there could be an early leader who snatched up the needed delegates
for the nomination early on which would have stopped the flow of advertising cash flowing to
the MSM. Such possibilities worried the MSM and caused great angst since this might just be
the biggest haul they ever took in during a primary season. How would they prevent a
premature end of the money river. Like financial vampire bats, ticks and leeches they needed
a way to keep the money flowing from the veins of the republican Super PACs until they were
sucked dry.
What the MSM really needed was a bait which they could use to lure more dollars just like
a horse race where the track owners needed a fast underdog horse to clean up. I believe the
term is to be "hustled". The con men of the media hustlers decided they needed a way to cause
all of the candidates to squirm uneasily and to then react to the news that Donald Trump was
"in the lead".
It was a pure stroke of genius and it worked so well that Carl Rove is looking for a job
and Donald Trump is sitting in the White House.
Those clever media folks. What a gift the Supreme Court handed them. But there was one
little (or big) problem. The problem was the result of the scam put Trump in the White House.
Something that no conservative republican would ever sign onto. Trump had spent years as a
democrat, hobnobbed with the Clinton's and was an avowed agnostic who favored the liberal
ideology for the most part.
What to do? Trump was now the Commander in Chief and was spouting nonsense that the
establishment recoiled at such as Trumps plans to form economic ties with Russia rather than
continue to wage a cold war spanning 65 years which the MIC used year after year to spook us
all and guarantee their billions annual increase in funding. Trump directly attacked defense
projects and called for de-funding major initiatives like F35 etc.
The new guy in the White House with his crazy ideas of making friends with Vladimir Putin
horrified a national arms industry funded with hundreds of billions of our tax dollars every
year propped up by all the neocons with their paranoid beliefs and plans to make America the
hegemon of the World. Our foreign allies who use the USA to fight their perceived enemies and
entice our government to sell them weapons and who urge us to orchestrate the overthrow of
governments were all alarmed by the "not a real republican" peace-nick occupying the White
House.
What to do? There was clearly a need to eliminate this bad guy since his avowed policies
were in direct opposition to the game plan that had successfully compromised the former
administration. They felt powerless to dissuade the Administration to continue the course and
form strategies to eliminate Iran, Syria, North Korea, Libya, Ukraine and other vulnerable
targets swaying toward China and Russia. They faced a new threat with the Trump
Administration which seemed hell bent to discontinue the wars in these regions robbing them
of many dollars.
It is probable that the casino and hotel owner in the White House posed an very
threatening alternate strategy of forming economic ties with former enemies which scared the
hell out of the arms industry which built its economy on scaring all of us and justifying its
existence based on foreign enemies.
So the MSM and the MIC created a new cold war with their friends at the New York Times and
the Washington Post which published endless stories about the new Russian threat we faced. It
had nothing to do with the 0.02% Twitter and Facebook "influence" that Russia actually had in
the election. It was billed as the crime of the century. The real crime was that they
committed the crime of the century that they mightily profited from by putting Trump in the
White House in the first place with a plan to grab all the election cash they could grab.
In the interim, they also forgot on purpose to tell anyone about the election campaign
finance fraud that they were the chief beneficiaries of. They also of course forgot to tell
anyone what the fight was about for the Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch. Twenty seven
million dollars in dark money was donated by dark money donors enabled by the Supreme Court's
decisions to eliminate campaign finance regulations which enabled these donors to buy out
Congress and elect and confirm a Supreme Court Justice who would uphold the laws which
eliminate all the election rules and campaign finance regulations dating back to the Tillman
Act of 1907 which was an attempt to eliminate corporate contributions in political campaigns
with associated meager fines as penalties. The law was weak then and has now been
eliminated.
In an era of dark money in politics protected by revisionist judges laying at the top of
our federal judicial branch posing as strict constructionists while being funded by the
corporatocracy that viciously fights over control of the highest court by a panicked
republican party that seeks to tie up their domination in our Congress by any means including
the abdication of the Constitutional authority granted to the citizens of the nation we now
face a new internal enemy.
That enemy is not some foreign nation but our own government which conspires to represent
the wealthy and the powerful and which exalts them and which enacts laws to defend their
control of our nation. Here is a quote:
When plunder becomes a way of life for a group of men living together in society, they
create for themselves in the course of time, a legal system that authorizes it and a moral
code that glorifies it.
Frederic Bastiat – (1801-1850) in Economic Sophisms
Realist , June 1, 2018 at 4:32 am
Different journalist covering much the same ground:
"Russiagate" is strictly a contrivance of the Deep State, American & British Spookery,
and the corporate media propagandists. It clearly needs to be genuinely investigated (unlike
the mockery being orchestrated by Herr Mueller from the Ministry of Truth), re-christened
"Intellgate" (after the real perpetrators of crime), pursued until all the guilty traitors
(including Mueller) who really tried to steal our democratic election are tried, convicted
and incarcerated (including probably hundreds complicit from the media) and given its own
lengthy chapter in all the history books about "The Election They Tried to Steal and Blame on
Russia: How America Nearly Lost its Constitution." If not done, America will lose its
constitution, or rather the incipient process will become totally irreversible.
Vivian O'Blivion , June 1, 2018 at 6:25 am
Your timing of events is confused.
The deep state didn't try and steal the election because they were overly complacent that
their woman would win. Remember, they didn't try to use the dodgy, Steele dossier before the
election.
What the deep state has done is reactively try to overcome the election outcome by launching
an investigation into Trump. The egregious element of the investigation is giving it the
title "investigation into collusion" when they in all probability knew that collusion was
unlikely to have taken place. To achieve their aim (removing Trump) they included the line
"and matters arising" in the brief to give them an open ended remit which allowed them to
investigate Trump's business dealings of a Russian / Ukrainian nature (which may venture
uncomfortably close to Semion Mogilevich).
If as you state (and I concur) there was no Russian collusion, then barring fabrication of
evidence by Mueller (and there is little evidence of that to date) you have nothing to worry
about on the collusion front. Remember, to date, Mueller has stuck (almost exclusively) to
meat and potatoes charges like tax evasion and money laundering. If however the investigation
leads to credible evidence that Trump broke substantive laws in the past for financial gain,
then it is not reasonable to cry foul.
Seer , June 1, 2018 at 7:02 am
The Deep State assisted the DNC in knocking out Sanders. THAT was ground zero. Everything
since then has been to cover this up and to discredit Trump (using him as the distraction).
Consider that the Deep State never bothered to investigate the DNC servers/data; reason being
is that they'd (Deep State) be implicated.
Skip Scott , June 1, 2018 at 7:29 am
Very true Seer. That is the real genesis of RussiaGate. It was a diversion tactic to keep
people from looking at the DNC's behavior during the primaries. They are the reason Trump is
president, not the evil Ruskies.
Vivian O'Blivion , June 1, 2018 at 8:13 am
We all seem agreed that the Russia collusion is an exercise in distraction. I can't say I
know enough to comment with authority on whether the DNC would require assistance from the
deep state to trash Bernie. From an outsider perspective it looked more like an application
of massively disproportionate spending and standard, back room dirty tricks.
There is a saying; don't attribute to conspiracy that which can be explained by incompetence.
In this case, try replacing incompetence with MONEY.
dikcheney , June 2, 2018 at 5:09 pm
Totally agree with you Skip and the Mueller performance is there to keep up the
intimidation and distraction by regularly finding turds to throw at Trump. Mueller doesnt
need to find anything, he just needs to create vague intimations of 'guilty Trump' and
suspicious associates so that no one will look at the DNC or the Clinton corruption or the
smashing of the Sanders campaign.
Their actual agenda is to smother analysis and clear thinking. Thankfully there is the
forensicator piecing the jigsaw as well as consortium news.
robjira , June 1, 2018 at 11:55 am
Spot on, Seer.
michael , June 1, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Those servers probably had a lot more pay-to-play secrets from the Clinton Foundation and
ring-kissing from foreign big donors than what was released by Wikileaks, which mostly was
just screwing over Bernie, which the judge ruled was Hillary's prerogative. Some email chains
were probably construed as National Security and were discreetly not leaked.
The 30,000 emails Hillary had bit bleached from her private servers are likely in the hands
of Russians and every other major country, all biding their time for leverage. This was the
carrot the British (who undoubtedly have copies as well) dangled over idiot Popodopolous.
Uncle Bob , June 1, 2018 at 10:33 pm
Seth Rich
anon , June 1, 2018 at 7:42 am
Realist is likely referring to events before the election which involved people with
secret agency connections, such as the opposition research (Steele dossier and Skripal
affair).
Realist , June 1, 2018 at 9:32 am
Realist responded but is being "moderated" as per usual.
Realist , June 1, 2018 at 9:31 am
Hillary herself was a prime force in cooking up the smear against Trump for being "Putin's
puppet." This even before the Democratic convention. Then she used it big time during the
debates. It wasn't something merely reactive after she lost. Certainly she and her
collaborators inside the deep state and the intelligence agencies never imagined that she
would lose and have to distract from what she and her people did by projecting the blame onto
Trump. That part was reactive. The rest of the conspiracy was totally proactive on her part
and that of the DNC, even during the primaries.
Don't forget, the intel agencies led by Clapper, Brennan and Comey were all working for
Obama at the time and were totally acquiescent in spying on the Trump campaign and
"unmasking" the identities and actions of his would-be administration, including individuals
like General Flynn. The cooked up Steele dossier was paid for by money from the Clinton
campaign and used as a pretext for the intel agencies to spy on the Trump campaign. There is
no issue on timing. The establishment was fully behind Clinton by hook or crook from the
moment Trump had the delegates to win the GOP nomination. (OBTW, I am not a Trump supporter
or even a Republican, so I KNOW that I "have nothing to worry about on the collusion front."
I'm a registered Dem, though not a Hillary supporter.)
Moreover, if you think that Mueller (and the other intel chiefs) have been on the
impartial up-and-up, why did the FBI never seize and examine the DNC servers? Why simply
accept the interpretation of events given by the private cybersecurity firm (Crowdstrike)
that the Clinton campaign hired to very likely mastermind a cover-up? That is exceptional
(nay, unheard of!) "professional courtesy." Why has Mueller to this day not deposed Julian
Assange or former British Ambassador Craig Murray, both of whom admit to knowing precisely
who provided the leaked (not hacked) Podesta and DNC emails to Wikileaks? Why has Mueller not
pursued the potential role of the late Seth Rich in the leaking of said emails? Why has
Mueller not pursued the robust theory, based on actual evidence, proposed by VIPS, and
supported by computer experts like Bill Binney and John McAfee, that the emails were not, as
the Dems and the intel agencies would have you believe on NO EVIDENCE, hacked (by the
"Russians" or anyone else) but were downloaded to a flash drive directly from the DNC
servers? Why has Mueller not deposed Binney or Ray McGovern who claim to have evidence to
bear on this and have discussed it freely in the media (to the miniscule extent that the
corporate media will give them an audience)? Is Mueller after the truth, or is this a
kangaroo court he is running? Is the media really independent and impartial or are they part
of a cover-up, perpetrating numerous sins of both commission and omission in their highly
flawed reportage?
I don't see clarity in what has been thus far been propounded by Mueller or any of Trump's
other accusers, but I don't think I am the one who is confused here, Vivian. If you want to
meet a thoroughly confused individual on what transpired leading up to this moment in
American political history, just go read Hillary's book. Absolutely everyone under the sun
shares in the blame but her for the fact that she does not presently reside in the White
House.
Vivian O'Blivion , June 1, 2018 at 1:48 pm
You have presented your case with a great deal more detail and clarity than the original
post that prompted my reply. You are also a great deal more knowledgeable than I on the
details. I think we are 98% in agreement and I wouldn't like to say who's correct on the
remaining 2%.
For clarity, I didn't follow the debates and wouldn't do so now if they were repeated. Much
heat very little light.
The "pretext" that the intel agencies claim launched their actions against Trump was not the
Steele dossier, at least that is what the intel agencies say. Either way your assertion that
it was the dossier that set things off is just that, an assertion. I think this is a minor
point.
On the DNC servers and the FBI we are 100% singing from the same hymn book and it all sticks.
Mueller's apparent disinterest in the question of hack or USB drive does rather taint his
investigation and thanks for pointing this out, I hadn't thought of that angle. I still think
Mueller will stick to tax and money laundering and stay well clear of "collusion", so yes he
may be running a kangaroo court investigation but the charges will be real world.
The MSM as a whole are a sick joke which is why we collectively find ourselves at CN, Craig
Murray's blog, etc. I wouldn't like to attribute "collaboration" to any individual in the
media. It was the reference to hundreds of journalists being sent to jail in your original
post that set me off in the first place. When considering the "culpability" of any individual
journalist you can have any position on a spectrum from; fully cognisant collaborator with a
deep state conspiracy, to; a bit dim and running with the "sexy" story 'cause it's the
biggest thing ever, the bosses can't get enough of it and the overtime is great. If American
journalists are anything like their UK counterparts, 99% will fall into the latter
category.
Don't have any issue with your final point. Hillary on stage and on camera was phoney as
rocking horse s**te and everyone outside her extremely highly remunerated team could see
it.
Sorry for any inconvenience, but your second post makes your points a hell of a lot clearer
than the original.
Realist , June 1, 2018 at 4:26 pm
My purpose for the first post in this thread was to direct readers to the article in Unz
by Mike Whitney, not to compress a full-blown amateur expose' by myself into a three-sentence
paragraph. You would have found much more in the way of facts, analysis and opinion in his
article to which my terse comments did not even serve as an abstract.
Quoting his last paragraph may give you the flavor of this piece, which is definitely not
a one-off by him or other actual journalists who have delved into the issues:
"Let's see if I got this right: Brennan gets his buddies in the UK to feed fake
information on Russia to members of the Trump campaign, after which the FBI uses the
suspicious communications about Russia as a pretext to unmask, wiretap, issue FISA warrants,
and infiltrate the campaign, after which the incriminating evidence that was collected in the
process of entrapping Trump campaign assistants is compiled in a legal case that is used to
remove Trump from office. Is that how it's supposed to work?
It certainly looks like it. But don't expect to read about it in the Times."
backwardsevolution , June 1, 2018 at 4:49 pm
Vivian – 90% of all major media is owned by six corporations. There most definitely
was and IS collusion between some of them to bring down the outsider, Trump.
As far as individual journalists go, yeah, they're trying to pay their mortgage, I get it,
and they're going to spin what their boss bloody well tells them to spin. But there is
evidence coming out that "some" journalists did accept money from either Fusion GPS, Perkins
Coie (sp) or Christopher Steele to leak information, which they did.
Bill Clinton passed the Telecommunications Act of 1996 that enabled these six media
conglomerates to dominate the news. Of course they're political. They need to be split up,
like yesterday, into a thousand pieces (ditto for the banks). They have purposely and with
intent been feeding lies to the American people. Yes, some SHOULD go to jail.
As Peter Strzok of the FBI said re Trump colluding with Russia, "There was never any
there, there." The collusion has come from the intelligence agencies, in cahoots with Hillary
Clinton, perhaps even as high as Obama, to prevent Trump being elected. When that failed,
they set out to get him impeached on whatever they could find. Of course Mueller is going to
stick with tax and money laundering because he already KNOWS there was never any collusion
with Russia.
This is the Swamp versus the People.
backwardsevolution , June 1, 2018 at 1:52 pm
Realist – another excellent post. "Is Mueller after the truth, or is this a kangaroo
court he is running?" As you rightly point out, Mueller IS being very selective in what he
examines and doesn't examine. He's not after the whole truth, just a particular kind of
truth, one that gets him a very specific result – to take down or severely cripple the
President.
Evidence continues to trickle out. Former and active members of the FBI are now even
begging to testify as they are disgusted with what is being purposely omitted from this
so-called "impartial" investigation. This whole affair is "kangaroo" all the way.
I'm not so much a fan of Trump as I am a fan of the truth. I don't like to see him –
anyone – being railroaded. That bothers me more than anything. But he's right about
what he calls "the Swamp". If these people are not uncovered and brought to justice, then the
country is truly lost.
Realist , June 1, 2018 at 4:38 pm
Precisely. Destroy the man on false pretenses and you destroy our entire system, whether
you like him and his questionable policies or not.
Some people would say it's already gone, but we do what we can to get it back or hold onto
to what's left of it. Besides, all the transparent lies and skullduggery in the service of
politics rather than principles are just making our entire system look as corrupt as
hell.
michael , June 1, 2018 at 5:00 pm
When Mueller arrested slimy Manafort for crimes committed in the Ukraine and gave a pass
to the Podesta Brothers who worked closely with Manafort, it was clear that Russiagate was a
partisan operation.
backwardsevolution , June 1, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Michael – good point!
KiwiAntz , June 1, 2018 at 1:00 am
Its becoming abundantly clear now, that the whole Russiagate charade was had nothibg to do
with Russia & is about a elaborate smokescreen & shellgame coverup designed to divert
attention away from, firstly the Democratic Party's woeful defeat & its lousy Candidate
choice in the corrupt Hillary Clinton? & also the DNC's sabotaging of Bernie Saunders
campaign run! But the most henious & treacherous parts was Obama's, weaponising the
intelligence agencies to spy (Halper) on the imaginary Mancharian Candidate Trump & to
set him up as a Russia stooge? Obama & Hillary Clinton are complicent in this disgraceful
& illegal activity to get dirt on Trump withe goal of ensuring Clinton's election win?
This is bigger than Watergate & more scandalous? But despite the cheating & stacking
of the card deck, she still lost out to the Donald? And this isn't just illegal its
treasonous & willful actions deserving of a lengthy jail incarceration? HRC & her
crooked Clinton foundation's funding of the fraudulent & discredited "Steele Dosier" was
also used to implement Trump & Russia in a made up, pile of fictitious gargage that was
pure offal? Obama & HRC along with their FBI & CIA spys need to be rounded up,
convicted & thrown in jail? Perhaps if Trump could just shut his damn mouuth for once
& get off twitter long enough to be able too get some Justice Dept officials looking into
this, without being distracted by this Russiagate shellgame fakery, then perhaps the real
criminal's like Halpert, Obama,HRC & these corrupt spooks & spies can be rounded up
& held to account for this treasonous behaviour?
Sean Ahern , May 31, 2018 at 7:25 pm
Attention should be paid also to the role of so called progressive media outlets such as
Mother Jones which served as an outlets for the disinformation campaign described in Lazare's
article.
Here from David Corn's Mother Jones 2016 article:
"And a former senior intelligence officer for a Western country who specialized in Russian
counterintelligence tells Mother Jones that in recent months he provided the bureau with
memos, based on his recent interactions with Russian sources, contending the Russian
government has for years tried to co-opt and assist Trump -- and that the FBI requested more
information from him."
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/10/veteran-spy-gave-fbi-info-alleging-russian-operation-cultivate-donald-trump/
Not only was Corn and Mother Jones selected by the spooks as an outlet, but these so
called progressives lauded their 'expose' as a great investigative coup on their part and it
paved the way for Corn's elevation on MSNBC for a while as a 'pundit.'
Paul G. , May 31, 2018 at 8:46 pm
In that vein did the spooks influence Rachel Maddow or is her $30,000. a day salary
adequate to totally compromise her microscopic journalistic integrity.
dikcheney , June 3, 2018 at 6:57 am
Passing around references to Mother Jones is like passing round used toilet paper for
another try. MJ is BS it is entirely controlled fake press.
Abby , May 31, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Stefan Halper was being paid by the Clinton's foundation during the time he was spying on
the Trump campaign. This is further evidence that Hillary Clinton's hands are all over
getting Russia Gate started. Then there's the role that Obama's justice department played in
setting up the spying on people who were working with the Trump campaign. This is worse than
Watergate, IMO.
Rumors are that a few ex FBI agents are going to testify to congress in Comey's role in
covering up Hillary's crimes when she used her private email server to send classified
information to people who did not have clearance to read it. Sydney Bluementhol was working
for Hillary's foundation and sending her classified information that he stole from the
NSA.
Huma Abedin and Cheryl Mills were concerned about Obama knowing that Hillary wasn't using
her government email account after he told the press that he only found out about it at the
same time they did. He had been sending and receiving emails from her Clintonone email
address during her whole tenure as SOS.
Obama was also aware of her using her foundation for pay to play which she was told by
both congress and Obama to keep far away from her duties. Why did she use her private email
server? So that Chelsea could know where Hillary was doing business so she could send Bill
there to give his speeches to the same organizations, foreign governments and people who had
just donated to their foundation.
Has any previous Secretary of State in history used their position to enrich their spouses
or their foundations? I think not.
The secrets of how the FBI covered for Hillary are coming out. Whether she is charged for
her crimes is a different matter.
F. G. Sanford , May 31, 2018 at 7:48 pm
If Hillary paid a political operative using Clinton Foundation funds – those are tax
exempt charitable contributions – she would be guilty of tax fraud, charity fraud and
campaign finance violations. Hillary may be evil, but she's not stupid. The U.S.Government
paid Halper, which might be "waste, fraud and abuse", but it doesn't implicate Hillary at
all. Not that she's innocent, mind you
Rob , June 1, 2018 at 2:14 am
I need some references to take any of your multitude of claims seriously. With all due
respect, this sound like something taken from info wars and stylized in smartened up a little
bit.
the idea that Stefan Halper was some sort a of mastermind spy behind the so called
"Russiagate" fiasco
seems very implausible considering what he seems to have spent doing for the past 40
years
going back to the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-1980 and his efforts then.
i think he must have had a fairly peripheral role as to whatever or not was going on
behind the scenes from 2016 election campaign, and the campaign to first stop Trump getting
elected, and secondly, when that failed, to bring down his Presidency.
of course, the moment his name was revealed in recent days, would have shocked or
surprised those of in the general
public, but not certainly amongst those in Government aka FBI/CIA/Military-industrial
circles.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 4:36 pm
chris m – Halper is probably one of those people who hide behind their professor (or
other legitimate) jobs, but are there at the ready to serve the Deep State. "I understand.
You want me to set up some dupes in order to make it look like there was or could be actual
Russian meddling. Gotcha." All you've got to do is make it "look like" something nefarious
was going on. This facilitates a "reason" to have a phony investigation, and of course they
make it as open-ended an investigation as possible, hoping to get the target on something,
anything.
Well, they've no doubt looked long and hard for almost two years now, but zip. However, in
their zeal to get rid of their opponent, who they did not think would win the election, they
left themselves open, left a trail of crimes. Whoops!
This is the Swamp that Trump talked about during the election. He's probably not squeaky
clean either, but he pales in comparison to what these guys have done. They have tried to
take down a duly-elected President.
F. G. Sanford , May 31, 2018 at 5:09 pm
His role may have been peripheral, but I seem to recall that the Office of Net Assessments
paid him roughly a million bucks to play it. That office, run from the Pentagon, is about as
deep into the world of "black ops" spookdom as you can get. Hardly "peripheral", I'd say.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:13 pm
F. G. Sanford – yes, a million bucks implies something more than just a peripheral
involvement, more like something essential to the plot, like the actual setting up of the
plot. Risk of exposure costs money.
ranney , May 31, 2018 at 6:17 pm
Chris, I think the Halper inclusion in this complex tale is simply an example of how these
things work in the ultra paranoid style of spy agencies. As Lazare explains, every one knew
every one else – at least at the start of this, and it just kind of built from there,
and Halper may have been the spark – but the spark landed on a highly combustible pile
of paranoia that caught on fire right away. This is how our and the UK agencies function.
There is an interesting companion piece to this story today at Common Dreams by Robert Kohler
titled The American Way of War. It describes basically the same sort of mind set and action
as this story. I'd link it for you if I knew how, but I'm not very adept at the computer.
(Maybe another reader knows how?)
We (that is the American people who are paying the salaries of these brain blocked, stiff
necked idiots) need to start getting vocal and visible about the destructive path our
politicians, banks and generals have rigidly put us on. Does any average working stiff still
believe that all this hate, death and destruction is to "protect" us?
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:07 pm
ranney – when you are on the page that you want to link to, take your cursor (the
little arrow on your screen) to the top of the page to the address bar (for instance, the
address for this article is:
"https://consortiumnews.com/2018/05/31/spooks-spooking ")
Once your cursor is over the address bar, right click on your mouse. A little menu will
come up. Then position your cursor down to the word "copy" and then left click on your mouse.
This will copy the link.
Then proceed back to the blog (like Consortium) where you want to provide the link in your
post. You might say, "Here is the link for the article I just described above." Then at this
point you would right click on your mouse again, position your cursor over the word "paste",
and then left click on your mouse. Voila, your link magically appears.
If you don't have a mouse and are using a laptop pad, then someone else will have to help
you. That's above my pay grade. Good luck, ranney.
irina , May 31, 2018 at 8:13 pm
If you are using a Mac, either laptop w/touch screen or with a mouse, the copy/paste
function
works similarly. Use either the mouse (no need to 'right click, left click') or the touch
screen
to highlight the address bar once you have the cursor flashing away on the left side of
it.
You may need to scroll right to highlight the whole address. Then go up to Edit (there's
also
a keyboard command you can use, but I don't) in your tool bar at the top of your screen.
Click on 'copy'. Now your address is in memory. Then do the same as described above to
get back to where you want to paste it. Put your cursor where you want it to be 'pasted'.
Go back to 'edit' and click 'paste'. Voila !
This is a very handy function and can be used to copy text, web addresses, whatever you
want.
Explore it a little bit. (Students definitely overuse the 'paste and match style' option,
which allows
a person to 'paste' text into for example an essay and 'match the style' so it looks
seamless, although
unless carefully edited it usually doesn't read seamlessly !)
Remember that whatever is in 'copy' will remain there until you 'copy' something else. (Or
your
computer crashes . . . )
ranney , June 1, 2018 at 3:39 pm
Irina and Backwards Evolution – Thanks guys for the computer advice! I'll try it,
but I think I need someone at my shoulder the first time I try it.
backwardsevolution , June 1, 2018 at 8:53 pm
ranney – you're welcome! Snag one of your kids or a friend, and then do it together.
Sometimes I see people posting things like: "Testing. I'm trying to provide a link, bear with
me." Throw caution to the wind, ranney. I don't worry about embarrassing myself anymore. I do
it every day and the world still goes on.
I heard a good bit of advice once, something I remind my kids: when you're young, you
think everybody is watching you and so you're afraid to step out of line. When you're
middle-aged, you think everybody is watching you, but you don't care. When you're older, you
realize nobody is really watching you because they're more concerned about themselves.
Good luck, ranney.
irina , June 2, 2018 at 10:00 pm
I find it helpful to write down the steps (on an old fashioned piece of paper, with old
fashioned ink)
when learning to use a new computer tool, because while I think I'll remember, it doesn't
usually
'stick' until after using it for quite a while. And yes, definitely recruit a member of the
younger set
or someone familiar with computers. My daughter showed me many years ago how to 'cut &
paste'
and to her credit she was very gracious about it. Remember that you need a place to 'paste'
what-
ever you copied -- either a comment board like this, or a document you are working on, or
(this is
handy) an email where you want to send someone a link to something. Lots of other
possibilities too!
mike , June 1, 2018 at 7:43 pm
No one is presenting Halper as a mastermind spy. He was a tool of the deep state nothing
more.
It seems a mistake to frame the "Russiagate" nonsense as a "Democrat vs Republican"
affair, except at the most surface level of understanding in terms of our political
realities. If one considers that the Bush family has been effectively the Republican Party's
face of the CIA/deep state nexus for decades, as the Clinton/Obama's have been the Democratic
Party's face for decades now, what comes into focus is Trump as a sort of unknown, unexpected
wild card not appropriately tethered to the control structure. Simply noting that the U.S.
and Russia need not be enemies is alone enough to require an operation to get Trump into
line.
This hardly means this is some sort of "partisan" issue as the involvement of McCain and
others demonstrates.
One of the true "you can't make this stuff up" ironies of the Bush/Clinton CIA/deep state
nexus history is worth remembering if one still maintains any illusions about how the CIA
vets potential presidents since they killed JFK. During Iran/Contra we had Bush, the former
CIA director now vice president, running a drugs for arms operation out the White House
through Ollie North, WHILE then unknown Arkansas governor Bill Clinton was busy squashing
Arkansas State Police investigations into said narcotics trafficking. Clinton obviously
proved his bona fides to the CIA/deep state with such service and was appropriately rewarded
as an asset who could function as a reliable president. Here in one operation we had two
future presidents in Bush and Clinton both engaged in THE SAME CIA drug running operation.
You truly can't make this stuff up.
Russiagate seems to be in the end all about keeping deep state policy moving in the "right
direction" and "hating Russia" is the only entree on the menu at this time for the whole
cadre of CIA/deep state, MIC, neocons, Zionists, and all their minions in the MSM. The Obama
White House would have gladly supported Vlad the Impaler as the Republican candidate that
beat Hillary if Vlad were to have the appropriate foaming at the mouth "hate-Russia" vibe
going on.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:18 pm
Gary – great post.
irina , May 31, 2018 at 8:18 pm
Roger that. I would really like to see an inquiry re-opened into the
teenage boys who died 'on the train tracks' in Arkansas during the
early years of the Clinton-Bush trafficking. Many questions are still
unanswered. Speculation is that they saw something they weren't
supposed to see.
Mark Thomason , May 31, 2018 at 1:12 pm
This all grows out of the failure to clean up the mess revealed by the Iraq fiasco.
Instead, those who did that remained, got away with it, and are doing more of the same.
Babyl-on , May 31, 2018 at 12:46 pm
So, here is my question – Who, ultimately does the
permanent/bureaucratic/deep/Imperial* state finally answer to? Who's interests are they
serving? How do they know what those interests are?
It could be, and increasingly it looks as if, the answer is – no one in particular
– but the Saud family, the Zionist cabal of billionaires, the German industrialist
dynasties, the Japanese oligarchy and never forget the arms dealers, all of them once part of
the Empire now fighting for themselves so we end up with the high level apparatchiks not
knowing what to do or who to follow so they lie outright to Congress and go on TV and babble
more lies for money.
It's a great contradiction that the greatest armed force ever assembled with cutting edge
robotics and AI yet at the same time so weak and pathetic it can not exercise hegemony over
the Middle East as it seems to desire more than anything. Being defeated by forces with less
than 20% of the US spend.
Abby , May 31, 2018 at 6:36 pm
You're right. They answer to no one because they are not just working in this country, but
they think that the whole world is theirs.
To these people there are no borders. They meet at places like the G20, Davos and wherever
the Bilderberg group decides to meet every year. No leader of any country gets to be one
unless they are acceptable to the Deep State. The council of foreign relations is one of the
groups that run the world. How we take them down is a good question.
Abe , May 31, 2018 at 12:43 pm
Following the pattern of mainstream media, Daniel Lazare assiduously avoids mentioning
Israel and pro-Israel Lobby interference in the 2016 presidential election, and the
Israel-gate reality underlying all the Russia-gate fictions.
For example, George Papadopoulos is directly connected to the pro-Israel Lobby, right wing
Israeli political interests, and Israeli government efforts to control regional energy
resources.
Lazare mentions that Papadapoulos had "a friend in the Israeli embassy".
But Lazare conspicuously neglects to mention numerous Israeli and pro-Israel Lobby players
interested in "filling Papadopoulos's head" with "tales of Russian dirty tricks".
Papadopoulos' LinkedIn page lists his association with the right wing Hudson Institute.
The Washington, D.C.-based think tank part of pro-Israel Lobby web of militaristic security
policy institutes that promote Israel-centric U.S. foreign policy.
The Hudson Institute confirmed that Papadopoulos was an intern who left the pro-Israel
neoconservative think tank in 2014.
In 2014, Papadopoulos authored op-ed pieces in Israeli publications.
In an op-ed published in Arutz Sheva, media organ of the right wing Religionist Zionist
movement embraced by the Israeli "settler" movement, Papadopoulos argued that the U.S. should
focus on its "stalwart allies" Israel, Greece, and Cyprus to "contain the newly emergent
Russian fleet".
In another op-ed published in Ha'aretz, Papadopoulos contended that Israel should exploit
its natural gas resources in partnership with Cyprus and Greece rather than Turkey.
In November 2015, Papadapalous participated in a conference in Tel Aviv, discussing the
export of natural gas from Israel with a panel of current and past Israeli government
officials including Ron Adam, a representative of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
and Eran Lerman, a former Israeli Deputy National Security Adviser.
Among Israel's numerous violations of United Nations Resolution 242 was its annexation of
the Syrian Golan Heights in 1981. Recent Israeli threatened military threats against Lebanon
and Syria have a lot to do with control of natural gas resources, both offshore from Gaza and
on land in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights region.
Israeli plans to develop energy resources and expand territorial holdings in the Syrian
Golan are threatened by the Russian military presence in Syria. Russian diplomatic efforts,
and the Russian military intervention that began in September 2015 after an official request
by the Syrian government, have interfered with the Israeli-Saudi-U.S. Axis "dirty war" in
Syria.
Israeli activities and Israel-gate realities are predictably ignored by the mainstream
media, which continues to salivate at every moldy scrap of Russia-gate fiction.
Lazare need no be so circumspect, unless he has somehow been spooked.
"Among Israel's numerous violations of United Nations Resolution 242 was its annexation of
the Syrian Golan Heights in 1981. Recent Israeli threatened military threats against Lebanon
and Syria have a lot to do with control of natural gas resources, both offshore from Gaza and
on land in the occupied Syrian Golan Heights region."
And water. Rating energy and water, what's at the top for Israel. Israel would probably
say both but Israel shielded by the US will take what it wants. That is already true with the
Palestinians.. The last figure I heard is that the Palestinians are allocated one fifth per
capita what is allocated to Israel's
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 11:59 am
A large swamp is actually an ancient and highly organized ecosystem. Only humans could
create a lawless madness like Washington DC.
irina , May 31, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Yes that is a good description of a swamp. BUT, if it loses what sustains it --
water, in the case of a 'real' swamp and money in the case of this swamp --
it changes character very quickly and becomes first a bog, then a meadow.
I am definitely ready for more meadowland ! But the only way to create it
is to voluntarily redirect federal taxes into escrow accounts which stipulate
that the funds are to be used for (fill in the blank) Public Services at the
Local and Regional levels. Much more efficient than filtering them through
the federal bureaucracy !
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 10:21 pm
But how would one avoid prosecution for nonpayment of taxes?
That seems a very quiet way to be rendered ineffective as a resister.
irina , June 1, 2018 at 2:30 am
The thing is, you don't 'nonpay' them. The way it used to work, through the
Con$cience and Military Tax Campaign Escrow Account, was that you filed
your taxes as usual. (This does require having less withholding than you owe).
BUT instead of paying what is due to the IRS, you send it to the Escrow Account.
You attach a letter to your tax return, explaining where the money is and why it
is there. That is, you want it to be spent on _________________(fill in the blank)
worthy public social service. Then you send your return to the IRS.
When I used to do this, I stated that I wanted my tax dollars to be spent to develop
public health clinics at neighborhood schools. Said clinics would be staffed by nurse
practitioners, would be open 24-7 and nurses would be equipped with vans to make
House Calls. Security would be provided.
So you're not 'nonpaying' your taxes, you are (attempting) to redirect them.
Eventually,
after several rounds of letters back and forth, the IRS would seize the monies from the
escrow account, which would only release them to the IRS upon being told to by the
tax re-director. Unfortunately, not enough people participated to make it a going
concern.
But the potential is still there, and the template has been made and used. It's very
scale-
able, from local to international. And it would not take that many 're-directors' to shift
the
focus of tax liability from the collector to the payor. Because ultimately we are liable
for
how our funds are used !
Bill , June 2, 2018 at 3:19 pm
this was done a lot during the Vietnam conflict, especially by Quakers. the first thing,
if you are a wage earner, is to re-file a W2 with maximum withholdings-that has two effects:
1) it means you owe all your taxes in April. 2) it means the feds are deprived of the hidden
tax in which they use or invest your withholding throughout the year before it's actually
due(and un-owed taxes if you over over-withhold). Pretty sure that if a large number of
people deprive the government of that hidden tax by under-withholding, they will begin to
take notice.
Abe , May 31, 2018 at 11:54 am
Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is an intelligence agency of the government
and armed forces of the United Kingdom.
In 2013, GCHQ received considerable media attention when the former National Security
Agency contractor Edward Snowden revealed that the agency was in the process of collecting
all online and telephone data in the UK. Snowden's revelations began a spate of ongoing
disclosures of global surveillance and manipulation.
For example, NSA files from the Snowden archive published by Glenn Greenwald reveal
details about GCHQ's Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG) unit, which uses "dirty
trick" tactics to covertly manipulate and control online communities.
In 2017, officials from the UK and Israel made an unprecedented confirmation of the close
relationship between the GCHQ and Israeli intelligence services.
Robert Hannigan, outgoing Director-General of the GCHQ, revealed for the first time that
his organization has a "strong partnership with our Israeli counterparts in signals
intelligence." He claimed the relationship "is protecting people from terrorism not only in
the UK and Israel but in many other countries."
Mark Regev, Israeli ambassador to the UK, commented on the close relationship between
British and Israeli intelligence agencies. During remarks at a Conservative Friends of Israel
reception, Regev opined: "I have no doubt the cooperation between our two democracies is
saving British lives."
Hannigan added that GCHQ was "building on an excellent cyber relationship with a range of
Israeli bodies and the remarkable cyber industry in Be'er Sheva."
The IDF's most important signal intelligence–gathering installation is the Urim
SIGINT Base, a part of Unit 8200, located in the Negev desert approximately 30 km from Be'er
Sheva.
Snowden revealed how Unit 8200 receives raw, unfiltered data of U.S. citizens, as part of
a secret agreement with the U.S. National Security Agency.
After his departure from GCHQ, Hannigan joined BlueteamGlobal, a cybersecurity services
firm, later re-named BlueVoyant.
BlueVoyant's board of directors includes Nadav Zafrir, former Commander of the Israel
Defense Forces' Unit 8200. The senior leadership team at BlueVoyant includes Ron Feler,
formerly Deputy Commander of the IDF's Unit 8200, and Gad Goldstein, who served as a division
head in the Israel Security Agency, Shin Bet, in the rank equivalent to Major General.
In addition to their purported cybersecurity activities, Israeli. American, and British
private companies have enormous access and potential to promote government and military
deception operations.
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 12:23 pm
Thanks Abe. Sounds like a manual for slave owners and con men. What a tangled wed the rich
bastards weave. The simple truth is their sworn enemy.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 10:19 pm
Interesting that a foreign power would be given all US communications data, which implies
that the US has seized it all without a warrant and revealed it all in violation of the
Constitution. If extensive, this use of information power amounts to information warfare
against the US by its own secret agencies in collusion with a foreign power, an act of
treason.
Seer , June 1, 2018 at 7:18 am
This has been going on for a LONG time, it's nothing new. I seem to recall 60 Minutes
covering it way back in the 70s(?). UK was allowed to do the snooping in the US (and, likely,
vice versa) and then providing info to the US. This way the US govt could claim that it
didn't spy/snoop on its citizens. Without a doubt Israel has been extensively intercepting
communications in the US..
Secrecy kills.
Sam F , June 1, 2018 at 8:23 am
Yes, but the act of allowing unregulated foreign agencies unwarranted access to US
telecoms is federal crime, and it is treason when it goes so far as to allow them full
access, and even direct US bulk traffic to their spy agencies. If this is so, these people
should be prosecuted for treason.
F. G. Sanford , May 31, 2018 at 11:36 am
To listen to the media coverage of these events, it is tempting to believe that two
entirely different planets are being discussed. Fox comes out and says Mueller was "owned" by
Trump. Then, CNN comes out and says Trump was "owned" by Clapper. Clapper claims the evidence
is "staggering", while video clips of his testimony reveal irrefutable perjury. Some of
President Trump's policies are understandably abhorrent to Democrats, while Clinton's email
server and charity frauds are indisputably violations of Federal statutes. Democrats are
attempting to claim that a "spy" in the Trump campaign was perfectly reasonable to protect
"national security", but evidence seems to indicate that the spy was placed BEFORE there was
a legitimate national security concern. Some analysts note that, while Mueller's team appears
to be Democratic partisan hacks, their native "skill set" is actually expertise in money
laundering investigations. They claim that although Mr. Trump may not be compromised by the
Russian government, he is involved with nefarious Russian organized crime figures. It
follows, according to them, that given time, Mueller will reveal these illicit connections,
and prosecution will become inevitable.
Let's assume, for argument, that both sides are right. That means that our entire
government is irretrievably corrupt. Republicans claim that it could " go all the way to
Obama". Democrats, of course, play the "moral high ground" card, insinuating that the current
administration is so base and immoral that somehow, the "ends justify the means". No matter
how you slice it, the Clinton campaign has a lot more liability on its hands. The problem is,
if prosecutions begin, people will "talk" to save their own skins. The puppet masters can't
really afford that.
"All the way to Obama", you say? I think it could go higher than that. Personally, I think
it could go all the way to Dick Cheney, and the 'powers that be' are in no mood to let that
happen.
Vivian O'Blivion , May 31, 2018 at 12:19 pm
The issue as I see it is that from the start everyone was calling the Mueller probe an
investigation into collusion and not really grasping the catch all nature of his brief.
It's the "any matters arising " that is the real kicker. So any dodgy dealing / possible
criminal activity in the past is fair game. And this is exactly what in happening with
Manafort.
Morally you can apply the Nucky Johnson defence and state that everyone knew Trump was a
crook when they voted for him, but legally this has no value.
There is an unpleasant whiff of deep state interference with the will of the people
(electoral college). Perhaps if most bodies hadn't written Trump's chances off in such an off
hand manner, proper due diligence of his background would have uncovered any liabilities
before the election.
If there is actionable dirt, can't say I am overly sympathetic to Trump. Big prizes sometimes
come with big risks.
David G , May 31, 2018 at 5:14 pm
My own feeling from the start has been that Mueller was never going to track down any
"collusion" or "meddling" (at least not to any significant degree) because the whole,
sprawling Russia-gate narrative – to the extent one can be discerned – is
obviously phony.
But at the same time, there's no way the completely lawless, unethical Trump, along with
his scummy associates, would be able to escape that kind of scrutiny without criminal conduct
being exposed.
So far, on both scores, that still seems to me to be a likely outcome, and for my part I'm
fine with it.
Vivian O'Blivion , June 1, 2018 at 5:29 am
My thoughts exactly. Collusion was never a viable proposition because the Russians aren't
that stupid. Regardless of any personal opinion regarding the intelligence and mental
stability of Donald Snr., the people he surrounds himself with are weapons grade stupid. I
don't see the Russians touching the Trump campaign with a proverbial barge pole.
Bill , June 2, 2018 at 3:26 pm
it just happens that Trump appears to have been involved (wittingly or not), with the
laundering a whole lot of Russian money and so many of his friends seem to be connected with
wealthy Russian oligarchs as well plus they are so stupid, they keep appearing to (and
probably are) obstructing justice. The Cohen thing doesn't get much attention here, but it's
significant that they have all this stuff on a guy who is clearly Trump's bagman.
Steve Naidamast , May 31, 2018 at 3:15 pm
There is also quite an indication that the entire Mueller investigation is a complete
smoke screen to be used as cannon fodder in the mainstream media.
On the one hand, Mueller and his hacks have found nothing of import to link Trump to
anything close to collusion with members of the Russian government. And I am by no means a
Trump supporter by any stretch of the imagination, except as a foil to Clinton. However, even
my minimalist expectations for Trump have not worked out either.
In addition. the Mueller investigation has been spending what appears to be a majority of
its time on ancillary matters that were not within the supposed scope and mandate of this
investigation. Further, a number of indictments have come down against people involved with
such ancillary matters.
The result is that if Mueller is going beyond the scope of his investigatory mandate, this
may come in as a technicality that will allow indicted persons to escape prosecution on
appeal.
Such a mandate, I would think, is the same thing as a police warrant, which can find only
admissible evidence covered by the warrant. Anything else found to be criminally liable must
be found to be as a result of a completely different investigation that has nothing to do
with the original warrant.
In other words, it appears that the Mueller investigation was allowed to commence under a
Republican controlled Congress for the very reason that its intent is simply to go in circles
long enough for Republicans to get their agendas through, which does not appear to be working
all too well as a result of their high levels of internecine party conflicts.
This entire affair is coming to show just how dysfunctional, corrupt, and incompetent the
entirety of the US federal government has become. And to the chagrin of all sincere
activists, no amount of organized protesting and political action will ever rid the country
of this grotesque political quagmire that now engulfs the entirety of our political
infrastructure.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 8:48 pm
Very true that the US federal government is now "dysfunctional, corrupt, and
incompetent."
What are your thoughts on forms of action to rid us this political quagmire?
(other than ineffective "organized protesting and political action")
Have you considered new forms of public debate and public information?
Seer , June 1, 2018 at 7:34 am
All of this is blackmail to hold Trump's feet to the fire of the Israel firsters (such
actions pull in all the dark swampy things). By creating the Russia blackmail story they've
effectively redirected away from themselves. The moment Trump balks the Deep State will reel
in some more, airing innuendos to overwhelm Trump. Better believe that Trump has been fully
"briefed" on all of this. John Bolton was able to push out a former OPCW head with threats
(knew where his, the OPCW head's children were). And now John Bolton is sitting right next to
Trump (whispering in his ear that he knows ways in which to oust Trump).
What actual "ideas" were in Trump's head going in to all of this (POTUS run) is hard to
say. But, anything that can be considered a threat to the Deep State has been effectively
nullified now.
Vivian O'Blivion , June 1, 2018 at 8:22 am
Possible, but Manafort already tried to get his charges thrown out as being the outcome of
investigations beyond the remit He failed.
Brendan , May 31, 2018 at 10:26 am
There's no doubt at all that Joseph Mifsud was closely connected with western
intelligence, and with MI6 in particular. His contacts with Russia are insignificant compared
with his long career working amongst the elite of western officials.
Lee Smith of RealClearInvestigations lists some of the places where Mifsud worked, including
two universities:
"he taught at Link Campus University in Rome, ( ) whose lecturers and professors include
senior Western diplomats and intelligence officials from a number of NATO countries,
especially Italy and the United Kingdom.
Mifsud also taught at the University of Stirling in Scotland, and the London Academy of
Diplomacy, which trained diplomats and government officials, some of them sponsored by the
UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the British Council, or by their own governments."
Two former colleagues of Mifsud's, Roh and Pastor, recently interviewed him for a book
they have written. Those authors could very well be biased, but one of them makes a valid
point, similar to one that Daniel Lazare makes above:
"Given the affiliations of Link's faculty and staff, as well as Mifsud's pedigree, Roh thinks
it's impossible that the man he hired as a business development consultant is a Russian
agent."
Politically, Mifsud identifies with the Clintons more than anyone else, and claims to
belong to the Clinton Foundation, which has often been accused of being just a way of
funneling money into Hillary Clinton's campaign.
As Lee Smith says, if Mifsud really is a Russian spy, "Western intelligence services are
looking at one of the largest and most embarrassing breaches in a generation. But none of the
governments or intelligence agencies potentially compromised is acting like there's anything
wrong."
From all that we know about Joseph Mifsud, it's safe to say that he was never a Russian
spy. If not, then what was he doing when he was allegedly feeding stories to George
Papadopoulos about Russians having 'dirt' on Clinton?
I read somewhere that Mifsud had disappeared. Was that true? If so, is he back, or still
missing?
Chet Roman , May 31, 2018 at 6:21 pm
Here are some excerpts that will answer your question from an article by Lee Smith at
Realclearinvestigations, "The Maltese Phantom of Russiagate".
A new book by former colleagues of Mifsud's – Stephan Roh, a 50-year-old
Swiss-German lawyer, and Thierry Pastor, a 35-year-old French political analyst –
reports that he is alive and well. Their account includes a recent interview with him.
Their self-published book, "The Faking of Russia-gate: The Papadopoulos Case, an
Investigative Analysis," includes a recent interview with Mifsud in which he denies saying
anything about Clinton emails to Papadopoulos. Mifsud, they write, stated "vehemently that he
never told anything like this to George Papadopoulos." Mifsud asked rhetorically: "From where
should I have this [information]?"
Mifsud's account seems to be supported by Alexander Downer, the Australian diplomat who
alerted authorities about Papadopoulos. As reported in the Daily Caller, Downer said
Papadopoulos never mentioned emails; he spoke, instead, about the Russians possessing
material that could be damaging to Clinton. This new detail raises the possibility that
Mifsud, Papadopoulos' alleged source for the information, never said anything about
Clinton-related emails either.
In interviews with RealClearInvestigations, Roh and Pastor said Mifsud is anything but a
Russian spy. Rather, he is more likely a Western intelligence asset.
According to the two authors, it was a former Italian intelligence official, Vincenzo
Scotti, a colleague of Mifsud's and onetime interior minister, who told the professor to go
into hiding. "I don't know who was hiding him," said Roh, "but I'm sure it was organized by
someone. And I am sure it will be difficult to get to the bottom of it."
Toby McCrossin , June 1, 2018 at 1:54 am
" The Papadopoulos Case, an Investigative Analysis," includes a recent interview with
Mifsud in which he denies saying anything about Clinton emails to Papadopoulos. Mifsud, they
write, stated "vehemently that he never told anything like this to George Papadopoulos.""
Thank you for providing that explosive piece of information. If true, and I suspect it is,
that's one more nail in the Russiagate narrative. Who, then, is making the claim that Misfud
mentioned emails? The only source for the statement I can find is "court documents".
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 9:20 am
The election scams serve only to distract from the Israel-gate scandal and the oligarchy
destruction of our former democracy. Mr. Lazare neglects to tell us about that. All of
Hillary's top ten campaign bribers were zionists, and Trump let Goldman-Sachs take over the
economy. KSA and big business also bribed heavily.
We must restrict funding of elections and mass media to limited individual donations, for
democracy is lost.
We must eliminate zionist fascism from our political parties, federal government, and
foreign policy. Obviously that has nothing to do with any ethnic or religious preference.
Otherwise the United States is lost, and our lives have no historical meaning beyond
slavery to oligarchy.
Joe Tedesky , May 31, 2018 at 9:51 am
You are right Sam. Israel does work the fence under the guise of the Breaking News.
Joe
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 8:18 pm
My response was that Israel massacres at the fence, ignored by the zionist US mass
media.
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 11:48 am
The extreme wealth and privileges of oligarchy depend on the poverty and slavery of
others. Inequality of income is the root cause of most of our ills. Try to imagine what a
world of economic equals would be like. No striving for more and more wealth at the expense
of others. No wars. What would there be to fight over – everyone would be content with
what they already had.
If you automatically think such a world would be impossible, try to state why. You might
discover that the only obstacle to such a world is the greedy bastards who are sitting on top
of everybody, and will do anything to maintain their advantages.
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 11:52 am
How do the oligarchs ensure your slavery? With the little green tickets they have hoarded
that the rest of us need just to eat and have a roof over our heads. The people sleeping in
the streets tell us the penalty for not being good slaves.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 12:50 pm
Very true, Mike. Those who say that equality or fairness of income implies breaking the
productivity incentive system are wrong. No matter how much or how little wage incentive we
offer for making an effort in work, we need not have great disparities of income. Those who
can work should have work, and we should all make an effort to do well in our work, but none
of us need the fanciest cars or grand monuments to live in, just to do our best.
Getting rid of oligarchy, and getting money out of mass media and elections, would be the
greatest achievement of our times.
Joe Tedesky , May 31, 2018 at 5:30 pm
An old socialist friend of my dad's generation who claimed to have read the biography of
Andrew Carnegie had told me over a few beers that Carnegie said, "that at a time when he was
paying his workers $5 a week he 'could' have been paying them $50 a day, but then he could
not figure out what kind of life they would lead with all that money". Think about it mike,
if his workers would have had that kind of money it would not be long before Carnegie's
workers became his competition and opened up next door to him the worst case scenario would
be his former workers would sell their steel at a cheaper price, kind of, well no exactly
like what Rockefeller did with oil, or as Carnegie did with steel innovation. How's that
saying go, keep them down on the farm . well. Remember Carnegie was a low level stooge for
the railroads at one time, and rose to the top .mike. Great point to make mike, because there
could be more to go around. Joe
Steve Naidamast , May 31, 2018 at 3:16 pm
"We must restrict funding of elections and mass media to limited individual donations, for
democracy is lost.
We must eliminate zionist fascism from our political parties, federal government, and
foreign policy. Obviously that has nothing to do with any ethnic or religious
preference."
Good luck with that!!!
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 8:19 pm
Well, you are welcome to make suggestions on how to save the republic.
john wilson , May 31, 2018 at 9:10 am
The depths of the deep state has no limits, but as a UK citizen, I fail to see why the
American "spooks" need any help from we Brits when it comes state criminal activity. Sure, we
are masters at underhand dirty tricks, but the US has a basket full of tricks that 'Trump'
(lol) anything we've got. It was the Russians wot done mantra has been going on for many
decades and is ever good for another turn around the political mulberry tree of corruption
and underhand dealings. Whether the Democrats or the Republicans win its all the same to the
deep state as they are in control whoever is in the White House. Trump was an outsider and
there for election colour and the "ho ho ho" look what a great democracy we are, anyone can
be president. He is in fact the very essence of the 'wild card' and when he actually won
there was total confusion, panic, disbelief and probably terror in the caves and dungeons of
the deep state.
Realist , May 31, 2018 at 9:33 am
I'm sure the result was so unexpected that the shadowy fixers, the IT mavens who could
have "adjusted" the numbers, were totally caught off guard and unable to do "cleanly." Not
that they didn't try to re-jigger the results in the four state recounts that were ordered,
but it was simply too late to effectively cheat at that point, as there were already massive
overvotes detected in key urban precincts. Such a thing will never happen again, I am
sure.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 9:36 am
It appears that UK has long had a supply of anti-Russia fearmongers, presumably backed by
its anti-socialist oligarchy as in the US. Perhaps the US oligarchy is the dumbest salesman,
who believes that all customers are even dumber, so that UK can sell Russophobia here thirty
years after the USSR.
Bob Van Noy , May 31, 2018 at 8:49 am
"But how could Trump think otherwise? As Consortium News founding editor Robert Parry
observed a few days later, the maneuver "resembles a tactic out of FBI Director J. Edgar
Hoover's playbook on government-style blackmail: I have some very derogatory information
about you that I'd sure hate to see end up in the press."
Perfect.
Recently, while trying to justify my arguement that a new investigation into the RFK Killing
was necessary, I was asked why I thought that, and my response was "Modus operandi," exactly
what Robert Parry learned by experience, and that is the fundamental similarity to all of the
institutionalized crime that takes place by the IC. Once one realizes the literary approach
to disinformation that was fundamental to Alan Dulles, James Jesus Angleton, even Ian
Fleming, one can easily see the Themes being applied. I suppose that the very feature of
believability offered by propaganda, once recognized, becomes its undoing. That could be our
current reality; the old Lines simply are beginning to appear to be ridiculous
Thank you Daniel Lazar.
Sam F , June 1, 2018 at 8:39 am
The recognition of themes of propaganda as literary themes and modus operandi is helping
to discredit propaganda. The similarities of the CW false-flag operations (Iraq, Syria, and
UK), and the fake assassinations (Skripal and Babchenko) by the anti-Russia crowd help reveal
and persuade on the falsehood of the Iraq WMD, Syria CW, and MH-17 propaganda ops. Just as
the similarities of the JFK/MLK/RFK assassinations persuade us that commonalities exist long
before we see evidence.
Bob Van Noy , June 1, 2018 at 1:11 pm
Many thanks Sam F for recognizing that. As we begin to achieve a resolution of the 60's
Kllings, we can begin to see the general and specific themes utilized to direct the programs
of Assassination. The other aspect is that real investigation Never followed; and that took
Real Power.
In a truly insightful book by author Sally Denton entitled "The Profiteers" she puts
together a very cogent theory that it isn't the Mafia, it's the Syndicate, which means (for
me at least) real, criminal power with somewhat divergent interests ok with one another, to
the extent that they can maintain their Own Turf. I think that's a profound insight
Too, in a similar vain, the Grand Deceptions of American Foreign Policy, "scenarios" are
simply and only that, not a Real possible solution. Always resulting in failure
Sam F , June 1, 2018 at 9:23 pm
Yes, it is difficult to determine the structure of a subculture of gangsterism in power,
which can have many specialized factions in loose cooperation, agreeing on some general
policy points, like benefits for the rich, hatred of socialism, institutionalized bribery of
politicians and judges, militarized policing, destruction of welfare and social security,
deregulation of everything, essentially the neocon/neolib line of the DemReps. The party line
of oligarchy in any form.
Indeed the foreign policy of such gangsters is designed to "fail" because destruction of
cultures, waste, and fragmentation most efficiently exploits the bribery structure available,
and serves the anti-socialist oligarchy. Failure of the declared foreign policy is success,
because that is only propaganda to cover the corruption.
You know, not only Gay Trowdy but even Dracula Napolitano think people like Lazare ,
McGovern, etc. are overblown on this issue.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 1:47 pm
SocraticGadfly – Trey Gowdy hasn't even seen the documents yet, so he's hardly in a
position to say anything. The House Intelligence Committee, under Chairman Nunes, are being
stymied by the FBI and the Department of Justice who are refusing to hand over documents.
Refusing! Refusing to disclose documents to the very people who, by law, have oversight.
Nunes is threatening to hit them with Contempt of Congress.
Let's see the documents. Then Trey Gowdy can open his mouth.
What I take from this head spinning article is the paragraph about Carter Page.
"On July 7, 2016 Carter Page delivered a lecture on U.S.-Russian relations in Moscow in
which he complained that "Washington and other western capitals have impeded potential
progress through their often hypocritical focus on ideas such as democratization, inequality,
corruption, and regime change." Washington hawks expressed "unease" that someone representing
the presumptive Republican nominee would take Russia's side in a growing neo-Cold War
Mr. Page hit the nail on the head. There is no greater sin to entrenched power than to
spell out what is going on with Russia. It helps us understand why terms like dupe and
naïve were stuck on Carter Page's back.. Truth to power is not always good for your
health.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 10:07 am
The tyrant accuses of disloyalty, all who question the reality of his foreign
monsters.
And so do his monster-fighting agencies, whose budgets depend upon the fiction.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:25 am
Daniel Lazare – good report. "It sounds more like CIA paranoia raised to the nth
degree." This wasn't a case of paranoia. This was a blatant attempt to bring down a rival
opponent and, failing that, the President of the United States. This was intentional and
required collusion between top officials of the government. They fabricated the phony Steele
dossier (paid for by the Clinton campaign), exonerated Hillary Clinton, and then went to town
on bringing down Trump.
"Was George Popodopolous set up?" Of course he was. Set up a patsy in order to give you
reason to carry out a phony investigation.
"If the corporate press fails to point this out, it's because reporters are too befogged
themselves to notice." They're not befogged; they're following orders (the major television
and newspaper outfits). Without their 24/7 spin and lies, Russiagate would never have been
kept alive.
These guys got the biggest surprise of their life when Hillary Clinton lost the election.
None of this would have come out had she won. During the campaign, as Trump gained in the
polls, she was heard to say, "If they ever find out what we've done, we'll all hang."
I hope they see jail time for what they've done.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:38 am
Apparently what has come out so far is just the tip of the iceberg. Some are saying this
could lead all the way up to Obama. I hope not, but they have certainly done all they can to
ruin the Trump Presidency.
JohnM , May 31, 2018 at 9:58 am
I'm adjusting my tinfoil hat right now. I'm wondering if Skripal had something to do with
the Steel dossier. The iceberg may be even bigger than thought.
Sam F , May 31, 2018 at 10:18 am
It is known that Skripal's close friend living nearby was an employee of Steele's firm
Orbis.
Chet Roman , May 31, 2018 at 2:58 pm
Exactly, his name is Pablo Miller and he is the MI6 agent who initially recruited Sergei
Skripal. Miller worked for Orbis, Steele's company and listed that in his resume on LinkedIn
but later deleted it. But once it's on the internet it can always be found and it was and it
was published.
robjira , May 31, 2018 at 2:13 pm
John, both Moon Of Alabama and OffGuardian have had excellent coverage of the Skripal
affair. Informed opinions wonder if Sergei Skripal was one of Steele's "Russian sources," and
that he may have been poisoned for the purpose of either a) bolstering the whole "Russia =
evil" narrative, or b) a warning not to ask for more than what he may have conceivably
received for any contribution he may or may not have made to the "dossiere."
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 7:20 am
Interesting details in this article, but we have known this whole Russiagate affair was a
scam from the get go. It all started the day after Trump's unexpected electoral win over
Hillary. The chagrined dems came together and concocted their sore loser alibi – the
Russians did it. They scooped up a lot of pre-election dirt, rolled it into a ball and
directed it at Trump. It is a testament to the media's determination to stick with their
story, that in spite of not a single scrap of real evidence after over a year of digging by a
huge team of democratic hit men and women, this ridiculous story still has supporters.
David G , May 31, 2018 at 10:31 am
"It all started the day after Trump's unexpected electoral win over Hillary."
Not so.
Daniel Lazare's first link in the above piece is to Paul Krugman's July 22, 2016 NY Times
op-ed, "Donald Trump, the Siberian Candidate". (Note how that headline doesn't even bother to
employ a question mark.)
I appreciate that that Krugman column gets pride of place here since I distinctly remember
reading it in my copy of the Times that day, months before the election, and my immediate
reaction to it: nonplussed that such a risible thesis was being aired so prominently, along
with a deep realization that this was only the first shot in what would be a co-ordinated
media disinformation campaign, à la Saddam's WMDs.
Chet Roman , May 31, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Actually, I think the intelligence agencies' (CIA/FBI/DNI) plan started shortly after
Trump gave the names of Page and Papadopoulos to the Washington Post (CIA annex) in a meeting
on March 21, 2016 outlining his foreign policy team.
Carter Page (Naval Academy distinguished graduate and Naval intelligence officer) in 2013
worked as an "under-cover employee" of the FBI in a case that convicted Evgeny Buryakov and
it was reported that he was still an UCE in March of 2016. The FBI never charged or even
hinted that Page was anything but innocent and patriotic. However, in October 2016 the FBI
told the FISA Court that he was a spy to support spying on him. Remember the FISA Court
allows spying on him AND the persons he is in contact, which means almost everyone on the
Trump transition team/administration.
Here is an excerpt from an article by WSJ's Kimberley Strassel:
In "late spring" of 2016, then-FBI Director James Comey briefed White House "National
Security Council Principals" that the FBI had counterintelligence concerns about the Trump
campaign. Carter Page was announced as a campaign adviser on March 21, and Paul Manafort
joined the campaign March 29. The briefing likely referenced both men, since both had
previously been on the radar of law enforcement. But here's what matters: With this briefing,
Mr. Comey officially notified senior political operators on Team Obama that the bureau had
eyes on Donald Trump and Russia. Imagine what might be done in these partisan times with such
explosive information.
And what do you know? Sometime in April, the law firm Perkins Coie (on behalf the Clinton
campaign) hired Fusion GPS, and Fusion turned its attention to Trump-Russia connections.
David G , May 31, 2018 at 4:56 pm
Most interesting, Chet Roman. Thanks.
My understanding is that Trump more or less pulled Page's name out of a hat to show the
WashPost that he had a "foreign policy team", and thus that his campaign wasn't just a hollow
sham, but that at that point he really had had no significant contact at all with Page
– maybe hadn't even met him. It was just a name from his new political world that
sprang to "mind" (or the Trumpian equivalent).
Of course, the Trump campaign *was* just a sham, by conventional Beltway standards: a
ramshackle road show with no actual "foreign policy team", or any other policy team.
So maybe that random piece of B.S. from Trump has caused him a heap of trouble. This is
part of why – no matter how bogus "Russia-gate" is – I just can't bring myself to
feel sorry for old Cheeto Dust.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 6:56 am
Kimberly Strassel of the Wall Street Journal had some good advice:
"Mr. Trump has an even quicker way to bring the hostility to an end.
He can – and should – declassify everything possible, letting Congress and the
public see the truth.
That would put an end to the daily spin and conspiracy theories. It would puncture
Democratic arguments that the administration is seeking to gain this information only for
itself, to "undermine" an investigation.
And it would end the Justice Department's campaign of secrecy, which has done such harm to
its reputation with the public and with Congress."
What do you bet he does?
RickD , May 31, 2018 at 6:44 am
I have serious doubts about the article's veracity. There seems to be a thread running
through it indicating an attempt to whitewash any Russian efforts to get Trump elected. To
dismiss all the evidence of such efforts, and , despite this author's words, there is enough
such evidence, seems more than a bit partisan.
What evidence? I've seen none so far. A lot of claims that there is such evidence but no
one seems to ever say what it is.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:06 am
RickD – thanks for the good laugh before bedtime. I'm with Mr. Merrell and I
actually want to see some evidence. Maybe it was Professor Halper in the kitchen with the
paring knife.
Realist , May 31, 2018 at 9:21 am
Unfortunately, what this guy says is what most Americans still seem to believe. When I ask
people what is the actual hard evidence for "Russiagate" (because I don't know of any that
has been corroborated), I get a response that there have been massive examples of Russian
hacks, Russian posts, tweets and internet adverts–all meant to sabotage Hillary's
candidacy, and very effective, mind you. Putin has been an evil genius worthy of a comic book
villain (to date myself, a regular Lex Luthor). Sez who, ask I? Sez the trustworthy American
media that would never lie to the public, sez they. You know, professional paragons of virtue
like Rachel Maddow and her merry band.
Nobody seems aware of the recent findings about Halpern, none seem to have a realistic
handle on the miniscule scope of the Russian "offenses" against American democracy. Rachel,
the NY Times and WaPo have seen to that with their sins of both commission and omission. Even
the Republican party is doing a half-hearted job of defending its own power base with
rigorous and openly disseminated fact checking. It's like even many of the committee chairs
with long seniority are reluctant to buck the conventional narrative peddled by the media.
Many have chosen to retire rather than fight the media and the Deep State. What's a better
interpretation of events? Or is one to believe that the silent voices, curious retirements
and political heat generated by the Dems, the prosecutors and the media are all independent
variables with no connections? These old pols recognise a good demonizing when they see it,
especially when directed at them.
Personally, I think that not only the GOPers should be fighting like the devil to expose
the truth (which should benefit them in this circumstance) but so should the media and all
the watchdog agencies (ngo's) out there because our democracy WAS hijacked, but it was NOT by
the Russians. Worse than that, it was done by internal domestic enemies of the people who
must be outed and punished to save the constitution and the republic, if it is not too late.
All the misinformation by influential insiders and the purported purveyors of truth
accompanied by the deliberate silence by those who should be chirping like birds suggests it
may well be far too late.
backwardsevolution , May 31, 2018 at 7:53 pm
Realist – a most excellent post! Some poll result I read about the other day
mentioned that well over half of the American public do NOT believe what they are being told
by the media. That was good to hear. But you are right, there are still way too many who
never question anything. If I ever get in trouble, I wouldn't want those types on my jury.
They'd be wide awake during the prosecution's case and fast asleep during my defense.
This is the Swamp at work on both sides of the aisle. Most of the Republicans are hanging
Trump out to dry. They've probably got too much dirt they want to keep hidden themselves, so
retirement looks like a good idea. Get out of Dodge while the going is good, before the real
fighting begins! The Democrats are battling for all they're worth, and I've got to hand it to
them – they're dirty little fighters.
Yes, democracy has been hijacked. Hard to say how long this has been going on –
maybe forever. If there is anything good about Trump's presidency, it's that the Deep State
is being laid out and delivered up on a silver platter for all to see.
There has never been a better chance to take back the country than this. If this
opportunity passes, it will never come again. They will make sure of it.
The greatest thing that Trump could do for the country would be to declassify all
documents. Jeff Sessions is either part of the Deep State or he's been scared off. He's not
going to act. Rosenstein is up to his eyeballs in this mess and he's not going to act. In
fact, he's preventing Nunes from getting documents. It is up to Trump to act. I just hope
he's not being surrounded by a bunch of bad apple lawyers who are giving him bad advice. He
needs to go above the Department of Justice and declassify ALL documents. If he did that, a
lot of these people would probably die of a heart attack within a minute.
mike k , May 31, 2018 at 7:11 am
You sure came out of the woodwork quickly to express your "serious doubts" RickD.
Skip Scott , May 31, 2018 at 8:07 am
Please provide "such evidence". I've yet to see any. The entire prosecution of RussiaGate
has been one big Gish Gallop.
strgr-tgther , May 31, 2018 at 9:39 pm
RickD – Thank you for pointing that out! You were the only one!!! It is a very
strange article leaving Putin and the Russians evidence out and also not a single word about
Stromy Daniels witch is also very strange. I know Hillary would never have approved of any of
this and they don't say that either.
John , June 1, 2018 at 2:26 am
What does Stormy Daniels have to do with RussiaGate?
You know that someone who committed the ultimate war crime by lying us into war to destroy
Libya and re-institute slavery there, and who laughed after watching video of a man that
Nelson Mandela called "The Greatest Living Champion of Human Rights on the Planet" be
sodomized to death with a knife, is somehow too "moral" to do such a thing? Really?
It amazes me how utterly cultish those who support the Red Queen have shown themselves to
be – without apparently realizing that they are obviously on par with the followers of
Jim Jones!
strgr-tgther , June 1, 2018 at 12:17 pm
That is like saying what does income tax have to do with Al Capone. Who went to Alctraz
because he did not pay income tax not for being a gangster. So we know Trump has sexual
relations with Stormy Daniels, then afterward PAID her not to talk about it. So he paid Story
Daniels for sex! That is Prostitution! Same thing. And that is inpeachable, using womens
bodies as objects. If we don't prosecute Trump here then from now on all a John needs to say
to the police is that he was not paying for sex but paying to keep quiet about it. And
Cogress can get Trump for prostitution and disgracing the office of President. Without Russia
investigations we would never have found out about this important fact, so that is what it
has to do with Russia Gate.
"... That did not prevent the "handpicked" authors of that poor excuse for intelligence analysis from expressing "high confidence" that Russian intelligence "relayed material it acquired from the Democratic National Committee to WikiLeaks." Handpicked analysts, of course, say what they are handpicked to say. ..."
"... The June 12, 14, & 15 timing was hardly coincidence. Rather, it was the start of a pre-emptive move to associate Russia with anything WikiLeaks might have been about to publish and to "show" that it came from a Russian hack. ..."
"... "No one has challenged the authenticity of the original documents of Vault 7, which disclosed a vast array of cyber warfare tools developed, probably with help from NSA, by CIA's Engineering Development Group. That Group was part of the sprawling CIA Directorate of Digital Innovation – a growth industry established by John Brennan in 2015. [ (VIPS warned President Obama of some of the dangers of that basic CIA reorganization at the time.] ..."
"... "Scarcely imaginable digital tools – that can take control of your car and make it race over 100 mph, for example, or can enable remote spying through a TV – were described and duly reported in the New York Times and other media throughout March. But the Vault 7, part 3 release on March 31 that exposed the "Marble Framework" program apparently was judged too delicate to qualify as 'news fit to print' and was kept out of the Times at the time, and has never been mentioned since . ..."
"... "More important, the CIA reportedly used Marble during 2016. In her Washington Post report , Nakashima left that out, but did include another significant point made by WikiLeaks; namely, that the obfuscation tool could be used to conduct a 'forensic attribution double game' or false-flag operation because it included test samples in Chinese, Russian, Korean, Arabic and Farsi." ..."
"... The CIA's reaction to the WikiLeaks disclosure of the Marble Framework tool was neuralgic. Then Director Mike Pompeo lashed out two weeks later, calling Assange and his associates "demons," and insisting; "It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is, a non-state hostile intelligence service, often abetted by state actors like Russia."Our July 24 Memorandum continued: "Mr. President, we do not know if CIA's Marble Framework, or tools like it, played some kind of role in the campaign to blame Russia for hacking the DNC. Nor do we know how candid the denizens of CIA's Digital Innovation Directorate have been with you and with Director Pompeo. These are areas that might profit from early White House review. [ President Trump then directed Pompeo to invite Binney, one of the authors of the July 24, 2017 VIPS Memorandum to the President, to discuss all this. Binney and Pompeo spent an hour together at CIA Headquarters on October 24, 2017, during which Binney briefed Pompeo with his customary straightforwardness. ] ..."
"... Another false flag operation? Suddenly false flag operations have become the weapon of choice. Interestingly enough, they are nefariously (always) committed by the US or US allies. MH17 was a false flag with an SU-25 Ukraine jet responsible for downing the passenger jet (to blame Russia). All of the chemical attacks in Syria were false flag operations with the supply of sarin/chlorine made in Turkey or directly given to the "rebels" by the CIA or US allies. The White Helmets were of course in on all of the details. Assad was just simply not capable of doing that to "his" people. Forget that the sarin had the chemical signature of the Assad regime sarin supply. Next it was the snipers who used a false flag operation during the Maidan revolution to shoot protesters and police to oust Yanukovych. Only the neo-Nazis could be capable of shooting the Maidan protesters so they could take power. And then Seth Rich was murdered so he couldn't reveal he was the "real" source of the leak. This was hinted by Assange when he offered a reward to find the killers. ..."
"... The author tosses out that the DNC hack was (potentially) a false flag operation by the CIA obviously to undermine Trump while victimizing Russia. ..."
"... I don't seen any cause to say that any false-flag theory you don't like is merely "tossed out" propaganda. One cannot tell in your comment where you think the accounts are credible and where not. No evidence that the Syria CW attacks "had the chemical signature of the Assad regime sarin supply." ..."
"... There can be no doubt that counterintelligence tools would be pursued by our intelligence agencies as a means to create narratives and false evidence based on the production of false flags which support desired geopolitical outcomes. There would be a need to create false flags using technology to support the geopolitical agenda which would be hard or impossible to trace using the forensic tools used by cyber sleuths. ..."
"... Russia-gate is American Exceptionalism writ large which takes on a more sinister aspect as groups like BLM and others are "linked" to alleged "Russian funding"on one and and Soros funding on another ..."
"... (FWIW, this is a new neoliberal phenomenon when the ultra-rich "liberals" can quietly fund marches on Washington and "grassroots" networking making those neophyte movements too easy targets with questionable robust foundation (color revolutions are possible when anyone is able to foot the cost of 1,000 or 2000 "free" signs or t-shirts -- impecccably designed and printed. ..."
"... Excellent post. Thanks also for reminding me I need to revisit the Vault 7 information as source material. These are incredibly important leaks that help connect the dots of criminal State intelligence activities designed to have remained forever hidden. ..."
"... Actually, both Brennan and Hayden testified to Congress that only 3 agencies signed off on their claim. They also said that they'd "hand picked" a special team to run their "investigation," and no other people were involved. So, people known to be perjurers cherry picked "evidence" to make a claim. Let's invade Iraq again. ..."
"... Mueller is not interested in the truth. He can't handle the truth. His purpose is not to divulge the truth. He has no use for truthtellers including the critical possessors of the truth whom you mentioned. This aversion to the truth is the biggest clue that Mueller's activities are a complete sham. ..."
"... Thanks, Ray, for revealing that the CIA's Digital Innovation Directorate is the likely cause of the Russiagate scams. ..."
"... Your disclaimer is hilarious: "We speak and write without fear or favor. Consequently, any resemblance between what we say and what presidents, politicians and pundits say is purely coincidental." ..."
"... For whatever reason, Ray McGovern chose not to mention the murder of Seth Rich, which pretty clearly points to the real source of the leak being him, as hinted by Assange offering a reward for anyone uncovering his killer. The whole thing stinks of a democratic conspiracy. ..."
"... Ray, from what I have seen in following his writing for years, meticulously only deals in knowns. The Seth Rich issue is not a known, it is speculation still. Yes, it probably is involved, but unless Craig Murray states that Seth Rich was the one who handed him the USB drive, it is not a known. ..."
"... There is a possibility that Seth Rich was not the one who leaked the information, but that the DNC bigwigs THOUGHT he was, in which case, by neither confirming nor denying that Seth Rich was the leaker, it may be that letting the DNC continue to think it was him is being done in protection of the actual leaker. Seth Rich could also have been killed for unrelated reasons, perhaps Imran Awan thought he was on to his doings. ..."
"... Don't forget this Twitter post by Wikileaks on October 30, 2016: Podesta: "I'm definitely for making an example of a suspected leaker whether or not we have any real basis for it." https://www.wikileaks.org/podesta-emails/emailid/36082#efmAGSAH- ..."
"... Mueller has nothing and he well knows it. He was willingly roped into this whole pathetic charade and he's left grasping for anything remotely tied to Trump campaign officials and Russians. Even the most tenuous connections and weak relationships are splashed across the mass media in breathless headlines. Meanwhile, NONE of the supposed skulduggery unearthed by Mueller has anything to do with the Kremlin "hacking" the election to favor Trump. Which was the entire raison d'etre behind Rosenstein and Mueller's crusade on behalf of the deplorable DNC and Washington militarist-imperialists. Sure be interesting to see how Mueller and his crew ultimately extricate themselves from this giant fraudulent edifice of deceit. Will they even be able to save the most rudimentary amount of face? ..."
"... If they had had any evidence to inculpate Russia, we would have all seen it by now. They know that by stating that there is an investigation going on: they can blame Russia. The Democratic National Committee is integrated by a pack of liars. ..."
"... My question is simple, when will we concentrate on reading Hillary's many emails? After all wasn't this the reason for the Russian interference mania? Until we do, take apart Hillary's correspondence with her lackeys, nothing will transpire of any worth. I should not be the one saying this, in as much as Bernie Sanders should be the one screaming it for justice from the highest roof tops, but he isn't. So what's up with that? Who all is involved in this scandalous coverup? What do the masters of corruption have on everybody? ..."
If you are wondering why so little is heard these days of accusations that Russia hacked
into the U.S. election in 2016, it could be because those charges could not withstand
close scrutiny . It
could also be because special counsel Robert Mueller appears to have never bothered to
investigate what was once the central alleged crime in Russia-gate as no one associated with
WikiLeaks has ever been questioned by his team.
Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity -- including two "alumni" who were former
National Security Agency technical directors -- have long since concluded that Julian Assange
did not acquire what he called the "emails related to Hillary Clinton" via a "hack" by the
Russians or anyone else. They found, rather, that he got them from someone with physical access
to Democratic National Committee computers who copied the material onto an external storage
device -- probably a thumb drive. In December 2016 VIPS explained
this in some detail in an open Memorandum to President Barack Obama.
On January 18, 2017 President Obama admitted
that the "conclusions" of U.S. intelligence regarding how the alleged Russian hacking got to
WikiLeaks were "inconclusive." Even the vapid FBI/CIA/NSA "Intelligence Community Assessment of
Russian Activities and Intentions in Recent U.S. Elections" of January 6, 2017, which tried to
blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for election interference, contained
no direct evidence of Russian involvement. That did not prevent the "handpicked" authors of
that poor excuse for intelligence analysis from expressing "high confidence" that Russian
intelligence "relayed material it acquired from the Democratic National Committee to
WikiLeaks." Handpicked analysts, of course, say what they are handpicked to say.
Never mind. The FBI/CIA/NSA "assessment" became bible truth for partisans like Rep. Adam Schiff
(D-CA), ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, who was among the first off the
blocks to blame Russia for interfering to help Trump. It simply could not have been that
Hillary Clinton was quite capable of snatching defeat out of victory all by herself. No, it had
to have been the Russians.
Five days into the Trump presidency, I had a chance to
challenge Schiff personally on the gaping disconnect between the Russians and WikiLeaks.
Schiff still "can't share the evidence" with me or with anyone else, because it does not
exist.
WikiLeaks
It was on June 12, 2016, just six weeks before the Democratic National Convention, that
Assange announced the pending publication of "emails related to Hillary Clinton," throwing the
Clinton campaign into panic mode, since the emails would document strong bias in favor of
Clinton and successful attempts to sabotage the campaign of Bernie Sanders. When the emails
were published on July 22, just three days before the convention began, the campaign decided to
create what I call a Magnificent Diversion, drawing attention away from the substance of the
emails by blaming Russia for their release.
Clinton's PR chief Jennifer Palmieri later admitted that she golf-carted around to various
media outlets at the convention with instructions "to get the press to focus on something even
we found difficult to process: the prospect that Russia had not only hacked and stolen emails
from the DNC, but that it had done so to help Donald Trump and hurt Hillary Clinton." The
diversion worked like a charm. Mainstream media kept shouting "The Russians did it," and gave
little, if any, play to the DNC skullduggery revealed in the emails themselves. And like Brer'
Fox, Bernie didn't say nothin'.
Meanwhile, highly sophisticated technical experts, were hard at work fabricating "forensic
facts" to "prove" the Russians did it. Here's how it played out:
June 12, 2016: Assange announces that WikiLeaks is about to publish "emails related to
Hillary Clinton."
June 14, 2016: DNC contractor CrowdStrike, (with a dubious professional record and multiple
conflicts of interest) announces that malware has been found on the DNC server and claims there
is evidence it was injected by Russians.
June 15, 2016: "Guccifer 2.0" affirms the DNC statement; claims responsibility for the
"hack;" claims to be a WikiLeaks source; and posts a document that the forensics show was
synthetically tainted with "Russian fingerprints."
The June 12, 14, & 15 timing was hardly coincidence. Rather, it was the start of a
pre-emptive move to associate Russia with anything WikiLeaks might have been about to publish
and to "show" that it came from a Russian hack.
Enter Independent Investigators
A year ago independent cyber-investigators completed the kind of forensic work that, for
reasons best known to then-FBI Director James Comey, neither he nor the "handpicked analysts"
who wrote the Jan. 6, 2017 assessment bothered to do. The independent investigators found
verifiable evidence from metadata found in the record of an alleged Russian hack of July 5,
2016 showing that the "hack" that day of the DNC by Guccifer 2.0 was not a hack, by Russia or
anyone else.
Rather it originated with a copy (onto an external storage device – a thumb drive, for
example) by an insider -- the same process used by the DNC insider/leaker before June 12, 2016
for an altogether different purpose. (Once the metadata was found and the "fluid dynamics"
principle of physics applied, this was not difficult to
disprove the validity of the claim that Russia was responsible.)
One of these independent investigators publishing under the name of The Forensicator on May
31
published new evidence that
the Guccifer 2.0 persona uploaded a document from the West Coast of the United States, and not
from Russia.
In our July 24, 2017 Memorandum to President Donald Trump we stated ,
"We do not know who or what the murky Guccifer 2.0 is. You may wish to ask the FBI."
Our July 24 Memorandum continued: "Mr. President, the disclosure described below may be
related. Even if it is not, it is something we think you should be made aware of in this
general connection. On March 7, 2017, WikiLeaks began to publish a trove of original CIA
documents that WikiLeaks labeled 'Vault 7.' WikiLeaks said it got the trove from a current or
former CIA contractor and described it as comparable in scale and significance to the
information Edward Snowden gave to reporters in 2013.
"No one has challenged the authenticity of the original documents of Vault 7, which
disclosed a vast array of cyber warfare tools developed, probably with help from NSA, by CIA's
Engineering Development Group. That Group was part of the sprawling CIA Directorate of Digital
Innovation – a growth industry established by John Brennan in 2015. [ (VIPS warned
President Obama of some of the dangers of that basic CIA reorganization at the time.]
Marbled
"Scarcely imaginable digital tools – that can take control of your car and make it
race over 100 mph, for example, or can enable remote spying through a TV – were described
and duly reported in the New York Times and other media throughout March. But the Vault 7, part
3 release on March 31 that exposed the "Marble Framework" program apparently was judged too
delicate to qualify as 'news fit to print' and was kept out of the Times at the time, and has
never been mentioned since .
"The Washington Post's Ellen Nakashima, it seems, 'did not get the memo' in time. Her March
31
article bore the catching (and accurate) headline: 'WikiLeaks' latest release of CIA
cyber-tools could blow the cover on agency hacking operations.'
"The WikiLeaks release indicated that Marble was designed for flexible and easy-to-use
'obfuscation,' and that Marble source code includes a "de-obfuscator" to reverse CIA text
obfuscation.
"More important, the CIA reportedly used Marble during 2016. In her Washington Post
report , Nakashima left that out, but did include another significant point made by
WikiLeaks; namely, that the obfuscation tool could be used to conduct a 'forensic attribution
double game' or false-flag operation because it included test samples in Chinese, Russian,
Korean, Arabic and Farsi."
A few weeks later William Binney, a former NSA technical, and I commented on
Vault 7 Marble, and were able to get a shortened op-ed version
published in The Baltimore Sun
The CIA's reaction to the WikiLeaks disclosure of the Marble Framework tool was
neuralgic. Then Director Mike Pompeo lashed out two weeks later, calling Assange and his
associates "demons," and insisting; "It's time to call out WikiLeaks for what it really is, a
non-state hostile intelligence service, often abetted by state actors like Russia."Our July 24
Memorandum continued: "Mr. President, we do not know if CIA's Marble Framework, or tools like
it, played some kind of role in the campaign to blame Russia for hacking the DNC. Nor do we
know how candid the denizens of CIA's Digital Innovation Directorate have been with you and
with Director Pompeo. These are areas that might profit from early White House review. [
President Trump then directed Pompeo to invite Binney, one of the authors of the July 24, 2017
VIPS Memorandum to the President, to discuss all this. Binney and Pompeo spent an hour together
at CIA Headquarters on October 24, 2017, during which Binney briefed Pompeo with his customary
straightforwardness. ]
We also do not know if you have discussed cyber issues in any detail with President Putin.
In his interview with NBC's Megyn Kelly he seemed quite willing – perhaps even eager
– to address issues related to the kind of cyber tools revealed in the Vault 7
disclosures, if only to indicate he has been briefed on them. Putin pointed out that today's
technology enables hacking to be 'masked and camouflaged to an extent that no one can
understand the origin' [of the hack] And, vice versa, it is possible to set up any entity or
any individual that everyone will think that they are the exact source of that attack.
"'Hackers may be anywhere,' he said. 'There may be hackers, by the way, in the United States
who very craftily and professionally passed the buck to Russia. Can't you imagine such a
scenario? I can.'
New attention has been drawn to these issues after I discussed them in a widely published
16-minute
interview last Friday.
In view of the highly politicized environment surrounding these issues, I believe I must
append here the same notice that VIPS felt compelled to add to our key Memorandum of July 24,
2017:
"Full Disclosure: Over recent decades the ethos of our intelligence profession has eroded in
the public mind to the point that agenda-free analysis is deemed well nigh impossible. Thus, we
add this disclaimer, which applies to everything we in VIPS say and do: We have no political
agenda; our sole purpose is to spread truth around and, when necessary, hold to account our
former intelligence colleagues.
"We speak and write without fear or favor. Consequently, any resemblance between what we say
and what presidents, politicians and pundits say is purely coincidental." The fact we find it
is necessary to include that reminder speaks volumes about these highly politicized times.
Ray McGovern works for Tell the Word, a publishing arm of the ecumenical Church of the
Savior in inner-city Washington. He was an Army infantry/intelligence officer before serving as
a CIA analyst for 27 years. His duties included preparing, and briefing one-on-one, the
President's Daily Brief.
ThomasGilroy , June 9, 2018 at 9:44 am
"More important, the CIA reportedly used Marble during 2016. In her Washington Post
report, Nakashima left that out, but did include another significant point made by
WikiLeaks; namely, that the obfuscation tool could be used to conduct a 'forensic
attribution double game' or false-flag operation because it included test samples in
Chinese, Russian, Korean, Arabic and Farsi."
Another false flag operation? Suddenly false flag operations have become the weapon of
choice. Interestingly enough, they are nefariously (always) committed by the US or US allies.
MH17 was a false flag with an SU-25 Ukraine jet responsible for downing the passenger jet (to
blame Russia). All of the chemical attacks in Syria were false flag operations with the
supply of sarin/chlorine made in Turkey or directly given to the "rebels" by the CIA or US
allies. The White Helmets were of course in on all of the details. Assad was just simply not
capable of doing that to "his" people. Forget that the sarin had the chemical signature of
the Assad regime sarin supply. Next it was the snipers who used a false flag operation during
the Maidan revolution to shoot protesters and police to oust Yanukovych. Only the neo-Nazis
could be capable of shooting the Maidan protesters so they could take power. And then Seth
Rich was murdered so he couldn't reveal he was the "real" source of the leak. This was hinted
by Assange when he offered a reward to find the killers.
The author tosses out that the DNC hack was (potentially) a false flag operation by the
CIA obviously to undermine Trump while victimizing Russia. It must be the Gulf of Tonkin all
over again. While Crowdstrike might have a "dubious professional record and multiple
conflicts of interest", their results were also confirmed by several other cyber-security
firms (Wikipedia):
cybersecurity experts and firms, including CrowdStrike, Fidelis Cybersecurity, Mandiant,
SecureWorks, ThreatConnect, and the editor for Ars Technica, have rejected the claims of
"Guccifer 2.0" and have determined, on the basis of substantial evidence, that the
cyberattacks were committed by two Russian state-sponsored groups (Cozy Bear and Fancy
Bear).
Then there was Papadopoulas who coincidentally was given the information that Russia had
"dirt" on Hillary Clinton in the form of thousands of emails. Obviously, they were illegally
obtained (unless this was another CIA false flag operation). This was before the release of
the emails by WikiLeaks. This was followed by the Trump Tower meeting with Russians with
connections to the Russian government and the release of the emails by WikiLeaks shortly
thereafter. Additionally, Russia had the motive to defeat HRC and elect Trump. Yesterday,
Trump pushed for the reinstatement of Russia at the G-7 summit. What a shock! All known
evidence and motive points the finger directly at Russia.
Calling everything a false flag operation is really the easy way out, but ultimately, it
lets the responsible culprits off of the hook.
anon , June 9, 2018 at 11:28 am
I don't seen any cause to say that any false-flag theory you don't like is merely "tossed
out" propaganda.
One cannot tell in your comment where you think the accounts are credible and where not.
No evidence that the Syria CW attacks "had the chemical signature of the Assad regime sarin
supply."
CitizenOne , June 8, 2018 at 11:40 pm
There can be no doubt that counterintelligence tools would be pursued by our intelligence
agencies as a means to create narratives and false evidence based on the production of false
flags which support desired geopolitical outcomes. There would be a need to create false
flags using technology to support the geopolitical agenda which would be hard or impossible
to trace using the forensic tools used by cyber sleuths.
In pre computer technology days there were also many false flags which were set up to
create real world scenarios which suited the geopolitical agenda. Even today, there are many
examples of tactical false flag operations either organized and orchestrated or utilized by
the intelligence agencies to create the narrative which supports geopolitical objectives.
Examples:
The US loaded munitions in broad daylight visible to German spies onto the passenger ship
Lusitania despite German warnings that they would torpedo any vessels suspected of carrying
munitions. The Lusitania then proceeded to loiter unaccompanied by escorts in an area off the
Ireland coast treading over the same waters until it was spotted by a German U-Boat and was
torpedoed. This was not exactly a false flag since the German U-Boat pulled the trigger but
it was required to gain public support for the entrance of the US into WWI. It worked.
There is evidence that the US was deliberately caught "off guard" in the Pearl Harbor
Attack. Numerous coded communication intercepts were made but somehow the advanced warning
radar on the island of Hawaii was mysteriously turned off in the hours before and during the
Japanese attack which guaranteed that the attack would be successful and also guaranteed that
our population would instantly sign on to the war against Japan. It worked.
There is evidence that the US deliberately ignored the intelligence reports that UBL was
planning to conduct an attack on the US using planes as bombs. The terrorists who carried out
the attacks on the twin towers were "allowed" to conduct them. The result was the war in Iraq
which was sold based on a pack of lies about WMDs and which we used to go to war with
Iraq.
The Tonkin Gulf incident which historians doubt actually happened or believe if it did was
greatly exaggerated by intelligence and military sources was used to justify the war in
Vietnam.
The Spanish American War was ginned up by William Randolph Hearst and his yellow
journalism empire to justify attacking Cuba, Panama and the Philippines. The facts revealed
by forensic analysis of the exploded USS Maine have shown that the cataclysm was caused by a
boiler explosion not an enemy mine. At the time this was also widely believed to not be
caused by a Spanish mine in the harbor but the news sold the story of Spanish treachery and
war was waged.
In each case of physical false flags created on purpose, or allowed to happen or just made
up by fictions based on useful information that could be manipulated and distorted the US was
led to war. Some of these wars were just wars and others were wars of choice but in every
case a false flag was needed to bring the nation into a state where we believed we were under
attack and under the circumstances flocked to war. I will not be the judge of history or
justice here since each of these events had both negative and positive consequences for our
nation. What I will state is that it is obvious that the willingness to allow or create or
just capitalize on the events which have led to war are an essential ingredient. Without a
publicly perceived and publicly supported cause for war there can be no widespread support
for war. I can also say our leaders have always known this.
Enter the age of technology and the computer age with the electronic contraptions which
enable global communication and commerce.
Is it such a stretch to imagine that the governments desire to shape world events based on
military actions would result in a plan to use these modern technologies to once again create
in our minds a cyber scenario in which we are once again as a result of the "cyber" false
flag prepared for us to go to war? Would it be too much of a stretch to imagine that the
government would use the new electronic frontier just as it used the old physical world
events to justify military action?
Again, I will not go on to condemn any action by our military but will focus on how did we
get there and how did we arrive at a place where a majority favored war.
Whether created by physical or cyberspace methods we can conclude that such false flags
will happen for better or worse in any medium available.
susan sunflower , June 8, 2018 at 7:52 pm
I'd like "evidence" and I'd also like "context" since apparently international electoral
"highjinks" and monkey-wrenching and rat-f*cking have a long tradition and history (before
anyone draws a weapon, kills a candidate or sicc's death squads on the citizenry.
The DNC e-mail publication "theft" I suspect represents very small small potatoes for so
many reasons As Dixon at Black Agenda Report put it . Russia-gate is American Exceptionalism
writ large which takes on a more sinister aspect as groups like BLM and others are "linked"
to alleged "Russian funding"on one and and Soros funding on another
(FWIW, this is a new neoliberal phenomenon when the ultra-rich "liberals" can quietly fund
marches on Washington and "grassroots" networking making those neophyte movements too easy
targets with questionable robust foundation (color revolutions are possible when anyone is
able to foot the cost of 1,000 or 2000 "free" signs or t-shirts -- impecccably designed and
printed.
Excellent post. Thanks also for reminding me I need to revisit the Vault 7 information as
source material. These are incredibly important leaks that help connect the dots of criminal
State intelligence activities designed to have remained forever hidden.
Skip Scott , June 8, 2018 at 1:07 pm
I can't think of any single piece of evidence that our MSM is under the very strict
control of our so-called intelligence agencies than how fast and completely the Vault 7
releases got flushed down the memory hole. "Nothing to see here folks, move along."
I don't think anyone can predict whether or not Sanders would have won as a 3rd party
candidate. He ran a remarkable campaign, but when he caved to the Clinton machine he lost a
lot of supporters, including me. If he had stood up at the convention and talked of the DNC
skullduggery exposed by Wikileaks, and said "either I run as a democrat, or I run as a Green,
but I'm running", he would have at least gotten 15 pct to make the TV debates, and who knows
what could have happened after that. 40 pct of registered voters didn't vote. That alone
tells you it is possible he might have won.
Instead he expected us to follow him like he was the f'ing Pied Piper to elect another
Wall St. loving warmonger. That's why he gets no "pass" from me. He (and the Queen of Chaos)
gave us Trump. BTW, Obama doesn't get a "pass" either.
willow , June 8, 2018 at 9:24 pm
It's all about the money. A big motive for the DNC to conjure up Russia-gate was to keep
donors from abandoning any future
Good Ship Hillary or other Blue Dog Democrat campaigns: "Our brand/platform wasn't flawed. It
was the Rooskies."
Vivian O'Blivion , June 8, 2018 at 8:22 am
An earlier time line.
March 14th. Popadopoulos has first encounter with Mifsud.
April 26th. Mifsud tells Popadopoulos that Russians have "dirt" on Clinton, including "thousands of e-mails".
May 4th. Trump last man standing in Republican primary.
May 10th. Popadopoulos gets drunk with London based Australian diplomat and talks about "dirt" but not specifically
e-mails.
June 9th. Don. Jr meets in Trump tower with Russians promising "dirt" but not specifically in form of e-mails.
It all comes down to who Mifsud is, who he is working for and why he has been "off grid" to journalists (but not presumably
Intelligence services) for > 6 months.
Specific points.
On March 14th Popadopoulos knew he was transferring from team Carson to team Trump but this was not announced to the
(presumably underwhelmed) world 'till March 21st. Whoever put Mifsud onto Popadopoulos was very quick on their feet.
The Australian diplomat broke chain of command by reporting the drunken conversation to the State Department as opposed to his
domestic Intelligence service. If Mifsud was a western asset, Australian Intelligence would likely be aware of his status.
If Mifsud was a Russian asset why would demonstrably genuine Russians be trying to dish up the dirt on Clinton in June?
There are missing pieces to this jigsaw puzzle but it's starting to look like a deep state operation to dirty Trump in the
unlikely event that he went on to win.
Realist , June 8, 2018 at 4:28 pm
Ms. Clinton was personally trying to tar Trump with allusions to "Russia" and being
"Putin's puppet" long before he won the presidency, in fact, quite conspicuously during the
two conventions and most pointedly during the debates. She was willing to use that ruse long
before her defeat at the ballot box. It was the straw that she clung to and was willing to
use as a pretext for overturning the election after the unthinkable happened. But, you are
right, smearing Trump through association with Russia was part of her long game going back to
the early primaries, especially since her forces (both in politics and in the media) were
trying mightily to get him the nomination under the assumption that he would be the easiest
(more like the only) Republican candidate that she could defeat come November.
Wcb , June 8, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Steven Halper?
Rob Roy , June 8, 2018 at 1:33 am
I might add to this informative article that the reason why Julian Assange has been
ostracized and isolated from any public appearance, denied a cell phone, internet and
visitors is that he tells the truth, and TPTB don't want him to say yet again that the emails
were leaked from the DNC. I've heard him say it several times. H. Clinton was so shocked and
angry that she didn't become president as she so confidently expected that her, almost
knee-jerk, reaction was to find a reason that was outside of herself on which to blame her
defeat. It's always surprised me that no one talks about what was in those emails which
covered her plans for Iran and Russia (disgusting).
Trump is a sociopath, but the Russians had nothing to do with him becoming elected. I was
please to read here that he or perhaps just Pompeo? met with Binney. That's a good thing,
though Pompeo, too, is unstable and war hungry to follow Israel into bombing yet another
innocent sovereign country. Thank, Mr. McGovern for another excellent coverage of this
story.
MLS , June 7, 2018 at 9:59 pm
"no one associated with WikiLeaks has ever been questioned by his team"
Do tell, Ray: How do you know what the GOP Congress appointed Special Prosecutor's investigation –
with its unlimited budget, wide mandate, and notable paucity of leaks – has and has not
done?
strgr-tgther , June 8, 2018 at 12:14 am
MLS: Thank you! No one stands up for what is right any more. We have 17 Intelligency
agencies that say are election was stolen. And just last week the Republicans Paul Ryan,
Mitch McConnel and Trey Gowdy (who I detest) said the FBI and CIA and NSA were just doing
there jobs the way ALL AMERICANS woudl want them to. And even Adam Schiff, do you think he
will tell any reporter what evidence he does have? #1 It is probably classified and #2 he is
probably saving it for the inpeachment. We did not find out about the Nixon missing 18
minutes until the end anyways. All of these articles sound like the writer just copied Sean
Hannity and wrote everything down he said, and yesterday he told all suspects in the Mueller
investigation to Smash and Bleach there mobile devices, witch is OBSTRUCTION of justice and
witness TAMPERING. A great American there!
Rob Roy , June 8, 2018 at 1:48 am
strgr-tgther:
Sean Hannity??? Ha, ha, ha.
As Mr. McGoven wrote .."any resemblance between what we say and what presidents,
politicians and pundits say is purely coincidental."
John , June 8, 2018 at 5:48 am
Sorry I had to come back and point out the ultimate irony of ANYONE who supports the
Butcher of Libya complaining about having an election stolen from them (after the blatant
rigging of the primary that caused her to take the nomination away from the ONE PERSON who
was polling ahead of Trump beyond the margin of error of the polls.)
It is people like you who gave us Trump. The Pied Piper Candidate promoted by the DNC
machine (as the emails that were LEAKED, not "hacked", as the metadata proves conclusively,
show.)
incontinent reader , June 8, 2018 at 7:14 am
What is this baloney? Seventeen Intelligence agencies DID NOT conclude what you are
alleging, And in fact, Brennan and his cabal avoided using a National intelligence Estimate,
which would have shot down his cherry-picked 'assessment' before it got off the ground
– and it would have been published for all to read.
The NSA has everything on everybody, yet has never released anything remotely indicating
Russian collusion. Do you think the NSA Director, who, as you may recall, did not give a
strong endorsement to the Brennan-Comey assessment, would have held back from the Congress
such information, if it had existed, when he was questioned? Furthermore, former technical
directors of the NSA, Binney, Wiebe and Loomis- the very best of the best- have proven
through forensics that the Wikileaks disclosures were not obtained by hacking the DNC
computers, but by a leak, most likely to a thumb drive on the East Coast of the U.S. How many
times does it have to be laid out for you before you are willing and able to absorb the
facts?
As for Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan, (and Trey Gowdy, who was quite skilled on the
Benghazi and the Clinton private email server investigations- investigations during which
Schiff ran interference for Clinton- but has seemed unwilling to digest the Strozk, Page,
McCabe, et al emails and demand a Bureau housecleaning), who cares what they think or say,
what matters is the evidence.
I suggest you familiarize yourself with the facts- and start by rereading Ray's articles,
and the piece by Joe diGenova posted on Ray's website.
Realist , June 8, 2018 at 4:12 pm
The guy's got Schiff for brains. Everyone who cares about the truth has known since before
Mueller started his charade that the "17 intelligence agency" claim was entirely a ruse,
bald-faced confected propaganda to anger the public to support the coup attempted by Ms.
Clinton and her zombie followers. People are NOT going to support the Democratic party now or
in the future when its tactics include subverting our public institutions, including the
electoral process under the constitution–whether you like the results or not! If the
Democratic party is to be saved, those honest people still in it should endeavor to drain the
septic tank that has become their party before we can all drain the swamp that is the federal
government and its ex-officio manipulators (otherwise known as the "deep state") in
Washington.
Farmer Pete , June 8, 2018 at 7:30 am
"We have 17 Intelligency agencies that say are election was stolen."
You opened up with a talking point that is factually incorrect. The team of hand-picked
spooks that slapped the "high confidence" report together came from 3 agencies. I know, 17
sounds like a lot and very convincing to us peasants. Regardless, it's important to practice
a few ounces of skepticism when it comes to institutions with a long rap sheet of crime and
deception. Taking their word for it as a substitute for actual observable evidence is naive
to say the least. The rest of your hollow argument is filled with "probably(s)". If I were
you, I'd turn off my TV and stop looking for scapegoats for an epically horrible presidential
campaign and candidate.
strgr-tgther , June 8, 2018 at 12:50 pm
/horrible presidential campaign and candidate/ Say you. But we all went to sleep
comfortable the night before the election where 97% of all poles said Clinton was going to be
are next President. And that did not happen! So Robert Mueller is going to find out EXACTLY
why. Stay tuned!!!
irina , June 8, 2018 at 3:40 pm
Not 'all'. I knew she was toast after reading that she had cancelled her election night
fireworks
celebration, early on the morning of Election Day. She must have known it also, too.
And she was toast in my mind after seeing the ridiculous scene of her virtual image
'breaking the glass ceiling' during the Democratic Convention. So expensively stupid.
Realist , June 8, 2018 at 3:50 pm
Mueller is simply orchestrating a dramatic charade to distract you from the obvious reason
why she lost: Trump garnered more electoral votes, even after the popular votes were counted
and recounted. Any evidence of ballot box stuffing in the key states pointed to the
Democrats, so they gave that up. She and her supporters like you have never stopped trying to
hoodwink the public either before or after the election. Too many voters were on to you,
that's why she lost.
Realist , June 8, 2018 at 3:57 pm
Indeed, stop the nonsense which can't be changed short of a coup d'etat, and start
focusing on opposing the bad policy which this administration has been pursuing. I don't see
the Dems doing that even in their incipient campaigns leading up to the November elections.
Fact is, they are not inclined to change the policies, which are the same ones that got them
"shellacked" at the ballot box in 2016. (I think Obama must own lots of stock in the shellack
trade.)
Curious , June 8, 2018 at 6:27 pm
Ignorance of th facts keep showing up in your posts for some unknown reason. Sentence two:
"we have 17 intelligency (sic) agencies that say ". this statement was debunked a long time
ago.
Have you learned nothing yet regarding the hand-picked people out of three agencies after all
this time? Given that set of lies it makes your post impossible to read.
I would suggest a review of what really happened before you perpetuate more myths and this
will benefit all.
Also, a good reading of the Snowden Docs and vault 7 should scare you out of your shell since
our "intelligeny" community can pretend to be Chinese, Russian, Iranian just for starters,
and the blame game can start after hours instead of the needed weeks and/or months to
determine the veracity of a hack and/or leak.
It's past trying to win you over with the actual 'time lines' and truths. Mr McGovern has
re-emphasized in this article the very things you should be reading.
Start with Mr Binney and his technical evaluation of the forensics in the DNC docs and build
out from there This is just a suggestion.
What never ceases to amaze me in your posts is the 'issue' that many of the docs were
bought and paid for by the Clinton team, and yet amnesia has taken over those aspects as
well. Shouldn't you start with the Clintons paying for this dirt before it was ever
attributed to Trump?
Daniel , June 8, 2018 at 6:38 pm
Actually, both Brennan and Hayden testified to Congress that only 3 agencies signed off on
their claim. They also said that they'd "hand picked" a special team to run their
"investigation," and no other people were involved. So, people known to be perjurers cherry
picked "evidence" to make a claim. Let's invade Iraq again.
More than 1/2 of their report was about RT, and even though that was all easily viewable
public record, they got huge claims wrong. Basically, the best they had was that RT covered
Occupy Wall Street and the NO DAPL and BLM protests, and horror of horrors, aired third party
debates! In a democracy! How dare they?
Why didn't FBI subpoena DNC's servers so they could run their own forensics on them? Why
did they just accept the claims of a private company founded by an Atlantic Council board
member? Did you know that CrowdStrike had to backpedal on the exact same claim they made
about the DNC server when Ukraine showed they were completely wrong regarding Ukie
artillery?
Joe Lauria , June 8, 2018 at 2:12 am
Until he went incommunicado Assange stated on several occasions that he was never
questioned by Muellers team. Craig Murray has said the same. And Kim Dotcom has written to
Mueller offering evidence about the source and he says they have never replied to him.
Realist , June 8, 2018 at 3:40 pm
Mueller is not interested in the truth. He can't handle the truth. His purpose is not to
divulge the truth. He has no use for truthtellers including the critical possessors of the
truth whom you mentioned. This aversion to the truth is the biggest clue that Mueller's
activities are a complete sham.
MLS wrote, "How do you know what the GOP Congress appointed Special Prosecutor's
investigation – with its unlimited budget, wide mandate, and notable paucity of leaks
– has and has not done?"
Robert Mueller is NOT a Special Prosecutor appointed by the Congress. He is a special
counsel appointed by the Deputy Attorney General, Rod Rosenstein, and is part of the
Department of Justice.
I know no one who dislikes Trumps wants to hear it. But all Mueller's authority and power
to act is derived from Donald J. Trump's executive authority because he won the 2016
presidential election. Mueller is down the chain of command in the Executive Department.
That's why this is all nonsense. What we basically have is Trump investigating himself.
The framers of the Constitution never intended this. They intended Congress to investigate
the Executive and that's why they gave Congress the power to remove him or her via
impeachment.
As long as we continue with this folly of expecting the Justice Department to somehow
investigate and prosecute a president we end up with two terrible possibilities. Either a
corrupt president will exercise his legitimate authority to end the investigation like Nixon
did -or- we have a Deep State beyond the reach of the elected president that can effectively
investigate and prosecute a corrupt president, but also then has other powers with no
democratic control.
The solution to this dilemma? An empowered Congress elected by the People operating as the
Constitution intended.
As to the rest of your post? It is an example of the "will to believe." Me? I'll not act
as if there is evidence of Russian interference until I'm shown evidence, not act as if it
must be true, because I want to believe that, until it's fully proven that it didn't
happen.
F. G. Sanford , June 7, 2018 at 8:22 pm
There must be some Trump-Russia ties.
Or so claim those CIA spies-
McCabe wants a deal, or else he won't squeal,
He'll dissemble when he testifies!
No one knows what's on Huma's computer.
There's no jury and no prosecutor.
Poor Adam Schiff hopes McCabe takes the fifth,
Special council might someday recruit her!
Assange is still embassy bound.
Mueller's case hasn't quite come unwound.
Wayne Madsen implies that there might be some ties,
To Israelis they haven't yet found!
Halper and Mifsud are players.
John Brennan used cutouts in layers.
If the scheme falls apart and the bureau is smart,
They'll go after them all as betrayers!
They needed historical fiction.
A dossier with salacious depiction!
Some urinous whores could get down on all fours,
They'd accomplish some bed sheet emiction!
Pablo Miller and Skripal were cited.
Sidney Blumenthal might have been slighted.
Christopher Steele offered Sidney a deal,
But the dossier's not copyrighted!
That story about Novichok,
Smells a lot like a very large crock.
But they can't be deposed or the story disclosed,
The Skripals have toxic brain block!
Papadopolis shot off his yap.
He told Downer, that affable chap-
There was dirt to report on the Clinton cohort,
Mifsud hooked him with that honey trap!
She was blond and a bombshell to boot.
Papadopolis thought she was cute.
She worked for Mifsud, a mysterious dude,
Now poor Paps is in grave disrepute!
But the trick was to tie it to Russians.
The Clinton team had some discussions.
Their big email scandal was easy to handle,
They'd blame Vlad for the bad repercussions!
There must have been Russian collusion.
That explained all the vote count confusion.
Guccifer Two made the Trump team come through,
If he won, it was just an illusion!
Lisa Page and Pete Strzok were disgusted
They schemed and they plotted and lusted.
If bald-headed Clapper appealed to Jake Tapper,
Brennan's Tweets might get Donald Trump busted!
There had to be cyber subversion.
It would serve as the perfect perversion.
They would claim it was missed if it didn't exist,
It's a logically perfect diversion!
F.G., you've done it again, and I might add, topped even yourself! Thanks.
KiwiAntz , June 7, 2018 at 7:30 pm
What a joke, America, the most dishonest Country on Earth, has meddled, murdered &
committed coups to overturn other Govts & interfered & continues to do so in just
about every Country on Earth by using Trade sanctions, arming Terrorists & illegal
invasions, has the barefaced cheek to puff out its chest & hypocritcally blame Russia for
something that it does on a daily basis?? And the point with Mueller's investigation is not
to find any Russian collusion evidence, who needs evidence when you can just make it up? The
point is provide the US with a list of unfounded lies & excuses, FIRSTLY to slander &
demonise RUSSIA for something they clearly didn't do! SECONDLY, was to provide a excuse for
the Democrats dismal election loss result to the DONALD & his Trump Party which just
happens to contain some Republicans? THIRDLY, to conduct a soft Coup by trying to get Trump
impeached on "TRUMPED UP CHARGES OF RUSSIAN COLLUSION"? And FOURTLY to divert attention away
from scrutiny & cover up Obama & Hillary Clinton's illegal, money grubbing activities
& her treasonous behaviour with her private email server?? After two years of Russiagate
nonsense with NOTHING to show for it, I think it's about time America owes Russia a public
apology & compensation for its blatant lying & slander of a innocent Country for a
crime they never committed?
Sam F , June 7, 2018 at 7:11 pm
Thanks, Ray, for revealing that the CIA's Digital Innovation Directorate is the likely
cause of the Russiagate scams.
I am sure that they manipulate the digital voting machines directly and indirectly. True
elections are now impossible.
Your disclaimer is hilarious: "We speak and write without fear or favor. Consequently, any
resemblance between what we say and what presidents, politicians and pundits say is purely
coincidental."
Antiwar7 , June 7, 2018 at 6:23 pm
Expecting the evil people running the show to respond to reason is futile, of course. All
of these reports are really addressed to the peanut gallery, where true power lies, if only
they could realize it.
Thanks, Ray and VIPS, for keeping up the good fight.
mike k , June 7, 2018 at 5:55 pm
For whatever reason, Ray McGovern chose not to mention the murder of Seth Rich, which
pretty clearly points to the real source of the leak being him, as hinted by Assange offering
a reward for anyone uncovering his killer. The whole thing stinks of a democratic
conspiracy.
And BTW people have become shy about using the word conspiracy, for fear it will
automatically brand one as a hoaxer. On the contrary, conspiracies are extremely common, the
higher one climbs in the power hierarchy. Like monopolies, conspiracies are central to the
way the oligarchs do business.
John , June 8, 2018 at 5:42 am
Ray, from what I have seen in following his writing for years, meticulously only deals in
knowns. The Seth Rich issue is not a known, it is speculation still. Yes, it probably is
involved, but unless Craig Murray states that Seth Rich was the one who handed him the USB
drive, it is not a known.
There is a possibility that Seth Rich was not the one who leaked the information, but that
the DNC bigwigs THOUGHT he was, in which case, by neither confirming nor denying that Seth
Rich was the leaker, it may be that letting the DNC continue to think it was him is being
done in protection of the actual leaker. Seth Rich could also have been killed for unrelated
reasons, perhaps Imran Awan thought he was on to his doings.
" whether or not"?!! Wow. That's an imperialistic statement.
Drew Hunkins , June 7, 2018 at 5:50 pm
Mueller has nothing and he well knows it. He was willingly roped into this whole pathetic
charade and he's left grasping for anything remotely tied to Trump campaign officials and
Russians. Even the most tenuous connections and weak relationships are splashed across the
mass media in breathless headlines. Meanwhile, NONE of the supposed skulduggery unearthed by
Mueller has anything to do with the Kremlin "hacking" the election to favor Trump. Which was
the entire raison d'etre behind Rosenstein and Mueller's crusade on behalf of the deplorable
DNC and Washington militarist-imperialists. Sure be interesting to see how Mueller and his
crew ultimately extricate themselves from this giant fraudulent edifice of deceit. Will they
even be able to save the most rudimentary amount of face?
So sickening to see the manner in which many DNC sycophants obsequiously genuflect to
their godlike Mueller. A damn prosecutor who was arguably in bed with the Winter Hill
Gang!
jose , June 7, 2018 at 5:13 pm
If they had had any evidence to inculpate Russia, we would have all seen it by now. They
know that by stating that there is an investigation going on: they can blame Russia. The
Democratic National Committee is integrated by a pack of liars.
Jeff , June 7, 2018 at 4:35 pm
Thanx, Ray. The sad news is that everybody now believes that Russia tried to "meddle" in
our election and, since it's a belief, neither facts nor reality will dislodge it. Your
disclaimer should also probably carry the warning – never believe a word a government
official says especially if they are in the CIA, NSA, or FBI unless they provide proof. If
they tell you that it's classified, that they can't divulge it, or anything of that sort, you
know they are lying.
john wilson , June 7, 2018 at 4:09 pm
I suspect the real reason no evidence has been produced is because there isn't any. I know
this is stating the obvious, but if you think about it, as long as the non extent evidence is
supposedly being "investigated" the story remains alive. They know they aren't going to find
anything even remotely plausible that would stand up to any kind of scrutiny, but as long as
they are looking, it has the appearance that there might be something.
Joe Tedesky , June 7, 2018 at 4:08 pm
I first want to thank Ray and the VIPS for their continuing to follow through on this
Russia-Gate story. And it is a story.
My question is simple, when will we concentrate on reading Hillary's many emails? After
all wasn't this the reason for the Russian interference mania? Until we do, take apart
Hillary's correspondence with her lackeys, nothing will transpire of any worth. I should not
be the one saying this, in as much as Bernie Sanders should be the one screaming it for
justice from the highest roof tops, but he isn't. So what's up with that? Who all is involved
in this scandalous coverup? What do the masters of corruption have on everybody?
Now we have Sean Hannity making a strong case against the Clinton's and the FBI's careful
handling of their crimes. What seems out of place, since this should be big news, is that CNN
nor MSNBC seems to be covering this story in the same way Hannity is. I mean isn't this news,
meant to be reported as news? Why avoid reporting on Hillary in such a manner? This must be
that 'fake news' they all talk about boy am I smart.
In the end I have decided to be merely an observer, because there are no good guys or gals
in our nation's capital worth believing. In the end even Hannity's version of what took place
leads back to a guilty Russia. So, the way I see it, the swamp is being drained only to make
more room for more, and new swamp creatures to emerge. Talk about spinning our wheels. When
will good people arrive to finally once and for all drain this freaking swamp, once and for
all?
Realist , June 7, 2018 at 5:25 pm
Ha, ha! Don't you enjoy the magic show being put on by the insiders desperately trying to
hang onto their power even after being voted out of office? Their attempt to distract your
attention from reality whilst feeding you their false illusions is worthy of Penn &
Teller, or David Copperfield (the magician). Who ya gonna believe? Them or your lying
eyes?
Joe Tedesky , June 7, 2018 at 10:00 pm
Realist, You can bet they will investigate everything but what needs investigated, as our
Politico class devolves into survivalist in fighting, the mechanism of war goes
uninterrupted. Joe
F. G. Sanford , June 7, 2018 at 5:34 pm
Joe, speaking of draining the swamp, check out my comment under Ray's June 1 article about
Freddy Fleitz!
Sam F , June 7, 2018 at 6:59 pm
That is just what I was reminded of; here is an antiseptic but less emphatic last
line:
"Swamp draining progresses apace.
It's being accomplished with grace:
They're taking great pains to clean out the drains,"
New swamp creatures will need all that space!
Unfettered Fire , June 8, 2018 at 11:00 am
We must realize that to them, "the Swamp" refers to those in office who still abide by New
Deal policy. Despite the thoroughly discredited neoliberal economic policy, the radical right
are driving the world in the libertarian direction of privatization, austerity, private bank
control of money creation, dismantling the nation-state, contempt for the Constitution,
etc.
The Ukrainian government's staged assassination of anti-Putin journalist Arkady Babachenko has taken
an even stranger turn, as evidence has emerged that his would-be "Russia-ordered" assassin and the man
who supposedly hired him, both say they worked for Ukrainian counterintelligence, casting serious
doubt on the official story.
To review, Ukrainian authorities announced last Tuesday that Babachenko
had been assassinated after returning home from the store. On Wednesday, Babachenko appeared at a
press conference with Ukrainian authorities
who said that the faked assassination was an
elaborate sting to bust an actual hit planned by Russia
.
Only now we find that the hitman,
Oleksiy Tsimbalyuk
, is an outspoken critic of Russia who says he worked for Ukrainian
counterintelligence -
a claim Ukraine initially denied but later admitted to be true
.
Meanwhile the guy who supposedly hired Tsimbalyuk, Boris L. German, 50, also says he worked for
Ukrainian counter-intelligence, a claim Ukraine denies as its immediately destroys the carefully
scripted, if rapidly imploding, Ukrainian narrative meant to scapegoat Russia for what has been a
"fake news" story of epic proportions, emerging from the one nation that not only was the
biggest foreign donor to the Clinton foundation
, but has made fake news propaganda into an art
form.
Supposed "hitman" Oleksiy Tsimbalyuk
Boris German, suspected of organizing an attempted hit on anti-Putin Russian journalist Arkady
Babachenko sits in a cage during trial in Kiev, Ukraine
The
New
York Times
reports that Tsimbalyuk - a former Russia-hating priest was featured in a
10-minute documentary in January 2017 in which "
he called killing members of the Russian-backed
militias in eastern Ukraine "an act of mercy"
,
further calling into question why Russia
would hire him for the supposed assassination in the first place.
Facebook pictures also reveal Tsimbalyuk wearing a Ukrainian ultranationalist uniform from "Right
Sector," a group deemed to be neo-Nazis.
Given such strong and publicly avowed enmity toward Russia,
it is odd to say the
least that Mr. Tsimbalyuk would be selected to carry out the contract killing of a prominent
Kremlin critic
.
German claims he took orders from Moscow businessman Vyacheslav Pivovarnik - who he says works for
one of Putin's personal foundations.
Ukrainian officials also claim that German has a list of another 30 targets which Moscow wants
to wipe out - something he claims he has since passed onto Kyiv.
Prosecutors claimed German had been given a down payment of $15,000, half what he was promised
for carrying out the hit.
German said: 'I got a call from a longtime acquaintance who lives in Moscow, and in the process
of communicating with him it turned out that he works for a Putin foundation precisely to
orchestrate destabilization in Ukraine.' -
Daily
Mail
"
Six months ago, my old acquaintance contacted me, an ex-citizen of Ukraine, now living in
Moscow
," German told a Ukrainian court, adding "
He works in a personal foundation of
Putin's
- and is in charge of organizing riots in Ukraine and planned acts of terror at the
next presidential elections. He is called Vyacheslav Pivovarnik. This is not a fairy tale, there's
nothing mystical here, everything has been proved."
German's lawyer Eugene Solodko wrote on Facebook that his client was an executive director of
Ukrainian-German firm Schmeisser - the only non-state owned arms producer in the country.
Russia has denied German's claim, with a Putin spokesman saying "No such foundation exists in
Russia. Any allegations about Russia's possible complicity in this staging is just mudslinging. They
do not correspond to reality."
Meanwhile, senior Ukraine officials have been on the defensive since Wednesday, when the head of
security services announced they had staged the death of Babchenko so they could track his would-be
killers to Russian intelligence, a story the
International Federation of Journalists
slammed as idiotic, nonsensical and completely undermining
Ukraine's credibility.
I think that the Ukonazis must have been inspired by their friends at
MI6's and their brilliant execution of the Skripal father and
daughter hit. They needed Jihadi John Brennan to organize things for
them, but he seems to be tied up at the moment. And the Thai
Torturer is still getting comfortable in her new saddle. But I am
confident that she will be able to execute both fake and real
assassinations shortly.
Just when you thought that the US had become a banana republic.
The Ukrainian government, screws shit up as a US puppet that is
beyond belief. Putin is laughing so hard that he won't sleep for
days. Your right about Britain, they have been so influenced by
Soros that they screw everything up as well.
Is this the year that the left falls into the bottomless pit?
How can you screw everything up so bad and still live. Look at the
left in the US, failure upon failure. Their media proclaims
victory, yet know one believes them about anything. The
corporations are keeping them afloat. Not for long!
It's true though, the jews
never were really creative in the first place (that is why
there is no true innovation in the world, these fuckers hold
tight purse strings).
Because they
are
morons. The short-bus crowd seems to think that
every person on earth is as stupid as they; and that these are really smart,
fiendishly clever plots that in reality are Scooby-Do level theatrics at best.
Wouldn't shock me if some Ken doll wearing a blue ascot tore off this guy's
rubber mask to reveal Old Man Joe Biden who's scheme to set his idiot kid up
with the biggest Porsche dealership in Europe was foiled by 'those damn kids.'
"Why are so many people so desperately trying to make Russia look bad and
managing only to make themselves look like morons?"
Public is even dumber.
Just ask any joe or jane on the street. They think all this non-sense is
caused by the Russians, Assad uses chemical weapons, etc
Ukraine - The Babchenko Hoax Was Part Of A Corporate Raid
The case of the death and resurrection of the Russian journalist Babchenko in Kiev is even
more surreal than it seemed so far. According to Ukrainian sources and court documents the
whole hoax was part of an attempt to raid and take over a private company.
Babchenko himself and the man who was hired to "kill" him had cooperated with the main
branch of the Ukrainian national security service (SBU). The "operator", who is accused of
having hired the "killer" for Russia, appeared in court. He claimed to have cooperated with the
Ukrainian counter intelligence agency, which is side branch of the national security service.
The accused "operator" is an executive of a private joint venture and has been under pressure
over claims against his company. There are indications that the whole stunt may have been
staged to get him "out of the way" to then take over the company he leads.
The suggestion is that high levels of the Ukrainian security services staged the whole
affair not only to blame Russia but also for someone's personal gain.
In 2017 Arkady Babchenko, despised in Russia for his open
hostility against its people , came
via Israel to the Ukraine. He was welcome in Kiev for his anti-Russian position. Babchenko
found a job
with ATR , a Crimean Tatar TV station. The fine-print on the ATR websitesays that it "was supported by the
Media Development Fund of the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine".
On May 29 the Ukrainian government claimed that Babchenko had been assassinated. As usual
the death of a journalist hostile to Russia was used by NATO aligned media to blame Russia, the
Kremlin and Putin. That there was zero evidence that Russia was involved did not matter at all.
A photo of the allegedly killed Babchenko laying in his blood emerged.
The very next day the General Prosecutor of the Ukraine Yuriy Lutsenko and the head of the
National Security Service (SBU) Vasyl Grytsak (also written as Hrytsak) held a press conference
and
presented a very alive and happy Arkady Babchenko. He had not been shot at all. The whole
hoax, it was explained, was launched to find the people behind an alleged assassination
campaign originating in Russia. In this official version the Russians hired some Ukrainian
"operator" who then hired the "killer" to assassinate Babchenko. The hired killer told the
police about it and the hoax of Babchenko's death was staged to find the culprits behind the
plot.
All those western "journalists" who had believed Ukrainian government claims without any
evidence and wrote unfounded accusations against Russia were not amused. The Ukrainian
government exposed them as the mere propaganda tools and fools they are. The "journalist"
Babchenko himself,
interviewed by Bloomberg's Leonid Bershidsky, comes off as a naive and rather dim
light.
Yesterday the "hired killer", one Alexey Tsymbalyuk,
went
public . He is a Ukrainian nationalist who had fought against the the Russia supported
entities in eastern Ukraine. He has since become an orthodox priest.
Well done b, how the fok did you see that angle?
Nevertheless, the whole story defies imagination, I mean the scrips are wilder than a 3rd
rate Hollywood flick, but maybe the Ukrainian Idiot unservices watch.
Ukraine has debased itself (Further) with this, the already known connections to the vile
scumbag at Bellincat, Elliot Higgins, made people wary. Now they are not wary, but fully
aware of the lies.
If we keep on being bombarded like this, eventually I will doubt who I am.
funny how the US/UK-established vassal puppet regime in ukraine closely resembles the ones in
africa and south america. i guess you can export sociopathic ayn rand thinking anywhere and
have it turn out roughly the same.
good work. it's always fun to be reminded what actual journalism looks like.
thanks b... that is pretty impressive how insane and whacked out all of these ukrainian
nationals are, not to mention how they have succeeded in providing another example of how the
msm at present is a real joke... i am sure the reporters are not impressed though.. the fact
this story is as convoluted as it is tells me how messed up ukraine and the west are at this
point.. all there attempts to smear and frame russia are looking very unstable at this
point.. add this to the pile of bs that includes the white helmets, syrian defense, moderate
headchoppers, and etc. etc.. i think the point is already passed where ordinary people don't
trust the media as they might have in the past.. this story helps in that regard..
It is also possible that the Russian intelligence have cynically organized the fake murder
affair with the aim of ridiculing and discrediting the western media and the western
intelligence and their impatient leaders.
It could be Russia's revenge on the Skripal affair.
The EU should get serious about admitting Ukraine to the club. It would mean much less
paperwork for lonely European bachelors and there would be an immediate boom in the
camouflage clothing and partially used military equipment business.
If only Poland could be a bit more reasonable about Galicia.
Am a bit confused. Was it Boris Herman the German who headed the joint venture who is
referred to as 'German' in the following text? His fellow victims being SBU head Grytsak and
the Prosecutor General Lutsenko? The bad guys being unnamed creditors..?
Some insignificant imperfections:
line 5: ... As usual the death of a journalist hostile to Russia ...
line 27: ... the German (the count r y) company Schmeisser ...
line 45: ... was on l y one aspect ...
Other than that, another fine piece of investigative reporting!
Virgile, it is hard to imagine how the Russians would have been able to involve the Ukrainian
president, the head of the SBU and the prime minister among others. Those people made those
choices themselves. If those people are all plants of the Russian SVR (foreign secret
service) then they'd be mad to burn them in such a small scale plot and certainly not all at
once.
Wheels within wheels? Yet more evidence that Ukraine has not left the 1990s unfortunately.
Meanwhile, Airbus is palming off old CHC H225 helicopters (that oil workers refuse to fly
in after two catastrophic crashes killing everyone aboard) to the Ukraine.
On the plus side, they will be used by ' ...a variety of security agencies, including
the national police and border guard service.. ' so if they crash they'll mostly kill
scum. Pardon my French. Who's paying for it?
@mbur Am a bit confused. Was it Boris Herman the German who headed the joint venture who
is referred to as 'German' in the following text? His fellow victims being SBU head Grytsak
and the Prosecutor General Lutsenko? The bad guys being unnamed creditors..?
Herman/German is the name of Boris (H and G are often interchangeable in translations from
Russian). Boris is Ukrainian, not German (the country).
The SBU head seems to be on the side opposed to Boris German.
But I admit that I am not totally sure of that. I do not even know who is the bad guy
here.
Who is really raiding the company? Boris, who is the executive who leads the company, or
the former founder/creditor and his companions?
The case is confusing, the stories (not all are quoted above) contradict each other as do
the various people telling them.
It seems clear the Boris German has been under SBU pressure for some time over the company
and credit issue. Now he gets framed as a Russian asset by the SBU while he claims to have
worked for the Ukrainian counter espionage department which is nominally part of the SBU but
still a sort of separate service.
If the SBU wanted him "off the street" to let someone else take over the company they got
their wish fulfilled. The judge put him under 60 days pre-trial custody.
@6 dh
The EU should get serious about admitting Ukraine to the club.
Definitely. An agreement like "full membership for a guaranteed intake/redistribution of
100.000 refuges per annum" would be my favourite option. Only for the fun of it, of
course.
I am not sure that we can take Meduza.io's reporting all that seriously as its agenda is
anti-Russian and, like Arkady Babchenko's Crimean Tatar TV station employer, receives some
funding from the US or a US agency. Although I suppose that like the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights, Meduza journalists do tell the truth occasionally so as to not to compete with
the BBC as a complete propaganda nutcase outfit.
Whether the publicity given to the Babchenko hoax murder in deceiving a gullible Western
news media will translate into success for the SBU in court is another thing. Boris Gherman
may be in pre-trial detention (perhaps for his own safety) but if the court finds in his
favour then what other stunt will the SBU try to pull off to shake him down? They can only
pull off a successful hoax murder stunt once or twice before everyone outside Ukraine becomes
suspicious and cynical.
Meanwhile real Russian journalists working in Ukraine, whether they support or don't
support Russia, probably just found their jobs and their lives more endangered by the SBU
than before.
Ukraine must be in really desperate straits to seize modest-sized industrial assets in the
tens of thousands of US dollars, Mafia-style. It can't be long now before the country's
economy and finances are put under direct control of the IMF if that organisation is to
recover its loans.
et Al @ 13: It will be fun watching Nazis trying to fly those helioopters and crashing them.
The downside is that if they crash in eastern Ukraine or near the border with Russia, you
know who will get the blame.
Britain appears to be the must Russophobic country at the moment, while at least some of the
U.S. elites appear to be more concerned about China. Guardian journalists Shaun Walker and
Luke Harding have conducted a vicious campaign spanning years, and one suspects both are
close to British intelligence (if you can call what they do intelligence). We know that
English hatred of Russia goes back centuries, but there must be something else. Any opinions?
Radiator @ 16: You mean Ukraine should agree to accept Jabhat al Nusra, ISIS and other
headchoppers currently holed up in Idlib once the Syrian Arab Army starts squeezing them into
Turkey and Turkey in turn squeezes them into Europe?
Should be fun watching the Nazis and jihadis fight each other when they're supposed to be
fighting the Donbass fighters.
Slightly off topic ( i apologize, but the various spellings and pronounciations of the actors
in this storey are far too difficult for my poor Newfoundlander's tongue) ...i have been
curious the last few years to find out:
"Who , if anyone, oversees the 'City of London'? I understand it has a special place due to
history of england ....and it seems to me that all of the Financial whoremongers of the world
set up shop in the 'City of London' to do their nefarious evil deeds ....but ...is there
anyone actually in control of the 'City of London', other than the 'COL' itself?
PLease , anyone?
Ukraine must be in really desperate straits to seize modest-sized industrial assets in the
tens of thousands of US dollars, Mafia-style. Posted by: Jen | Jun 1, 2018 5:01:58 PM | 17
We have tall tales explaining what happen, and the reality is too bizarre for some
sensible explanation. Nevertheless, the mechanism behind "sizing modest-sized industrial
assets" is not some nation-level policy, or even "SBU leadership", but most probably some
personal feud. In a classic novel "Dead Souls" that take place "somewhere in Malorossia",
written by Ukrainian born Gogol, the main character participated in a successful corrupt
shakedown that unravelled wh one partner call another "popovich" = a son of Orthodox
clergyman; the insult was probably in doubting membership to dvoryanstvo, the noble
estate.
Corruption fosters something like feudal lord-vassal system, with patrons and clients, an
insult to a client shows ill will to the patron, so disputes concerning smallish enterprises
can percolate toward the top.
Thank you b for a great morning read and laugh. Cynical laugh, that is.
@jen #17: "It can't be long now before the country's economy and finances are put under
direct control of the IMF if that organisation is to recover its loans."
Thanks jen I appreciate your input here. The IMF is the mafia and they are in control in
that they 'issue the permit' to minor oligarchs to steal in return for guaranteed arms
purchases from the IMF primary backers. This is a deeply corrupted system and it is truly
alarming.
I never did see a story on how those two enormous arms depots were destroyed in Ukraine
but it must have seriously damaged the Ukrainian economy as they were all likely headed to
the 'anti isis' fake war games in Africa or the ME.
Oh well any people 40 and under or thereabouts who use this site would be smart to pick their
corporation now, because this will be SOP if the evil arseholes prevail. Sovereign entities
in the form of geographically defined nation states will take a back seat as Google goes to
war with Instagram, snapchat with facebook in the hope that the former FB monolith can be
separated from it's now dominant overlord,
instagram .
Of course the fact that Google shareholders may have neighbors in their gated community whose
hedge fund is big in Instagram will make everything piquant for the un-allied masses who like
their grandparents never got around to 'registering' with any of the pr1cks.
Not sure if these new assertions are credible or not, but either way this escapade is full up
on crazy. When the west says that Ukraine has 'western values,' is this what they mean?
Does Newfoundland support Trust Funds or their like? Ask yourself why there is not public
reporting of the largest trust funds in our Western world....maybe the same reason you don't
know who pulls the strings behind the COL curtain.
To the subject of this posting by b, I think about how many other "two-bit players" the
elite have groomed for disruption of this, that or whatever is needed....public manipulation
by any means and morals are for weaklings sort of attitude.
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukraine, seeking to reassure its Western allies after faking the murder of
a Russian dissident to thwart what it said was a plot on his life, told them on Friday its
ruse led to the discovery of a hit-list of 47 people whom Russia planned to kill
abroad.
Знаєш, просто
серце
сжимається,
коли бачиш, як в
редакціях
телеканалів,
як в офісах --
сьогодні я
бачив реакцію --
я ж про це все
знав, а ніхто в
адміністрації
про це не знав.
You know, it pained my heart when I saw how in the TV channels' newsrooms, in the
offices -- I saw the reaction today -- you see, I knew everything about it, but nobody
in the administration knew about it.
My guess is that those army depots were deliberately allowed to deteriorate to the point
where the munitions "spontaneously" combusted. The Ukrainians are probably treating them as
write-offs, figuring that these can be replaced by free ammunition from the US, Canada or
other countries if they (the Ukrainians, that is) jump up and down often enough and loudly
enough about the encroaching Russian "menace".
The earlier answers were not correct. The Corporation of the City of London is controlled
by its 13 man (naturally!) board. This is known as 'The Crown'. People naturally assume that
term applies to the monarch but this is not the case, it is one of the many passive
deceptions played out on us. The Lord Mayor of the City is a ceremonial role rotated on an
annual basis.
To show who is really in charge consider this. Once a year the Queen turns up at one of
the City gates dressed in her ordinary clothes. She awaits the Mayor who comes out in his
full ceremonial regalia including chain of office. The Queen bows, thens begs permission to
enter the City. So who is sovereign there?
So there was not 'a' British empire as such, but two concurrent empires as the 'Crown
colonies' were all directly owned by the City and not by 'Britain'.
There are many layers of deception played out on us by these evil entities, and the status
of the City is one of them. It is an epicentre of evil in this world. Unsurprisingly we are
not taught any of this stuff at school, and there has never been a BBC documentary on the
matter.
I don't think I want to comment more on this ridiculous farce. It must be
obvious to even the daftest Brexiteer (They are uniquely stupid) that Ukrainistan is "FAIL
!!"
Even a bachelor myself :) I say thank you but NO! Off course there are decent people in
Ukraine, as there are in the US, we just can't hear them. I have met people from all parts of
the world and you can divide them in two: Arseholes and non-arseholes.
The arseholes we just send to Coventry, the non-arseholes are maybe not aligned with your
political opinion, way of life etc. but they always are respectful about their non-alignment,
as you should be to them.
I am a socialist, no a Socialist, and I have conservative friends, it is not a problem, to me
at least.
But Ukraine, sigh, what to do.... Well there is a nice place, where there is nature in
abundance, it is called Pripyat, so if we can export the remaining xx million neo-nazis to the
US and Canada, it can all be a nature reserve, under joint EU-Russian control.
And the US and Canada will be happy, their people have come home, maybe even Israel could be
persuaded to the same trick...
Imagine the Zio's would have free reign on a continent, they can fight or hold marches
together.
Posted by: Den Lille Abe , Jun 2, 2018 5:43:45 AM |
39
I don't think I want to comment more on this ridiculous farce. It must be obvious to even the
daftest Brexiteer (They are uniquely stupid) that Ukrainistan is "FAIL !!"
Even a bachelor myself :) I say thank you but NO! Off course there are decent people in
Ukraine, as there are in the US, we just can't hear them. I have met people from all parts of
the world and you can divide them in two: Arseholes and non-arseholes.
The arseholes we just send to Coventry, the non-arseholes are maybe not aligned with your
political opinion, way of life etc. but they always are respectful about their non-alignment,
as you should be to them.
I am a socialist, no a Socialist, and I have conservative friends, it is not a problem, to me
at least.
But Ukraine, sigh, what to do.... Well there is a nice place, where there is nature in
abundance, it is called Pripyat, so if we can export the remaining xx million neo-nazis to
the US and Canada, it can all be a nature reserve, under joint EU-Russian control.
And the US and Canada will be happy, their people have come home, maybe even Israel could be
persuaded to the same trick...
Imagine the Zio's would have free reign on a continent, they can fight or hold marches
together.
Posted by: Den Lille Abe | Jun 2, 2018 5:43:45 AM |
39 /div
On another note:
Denmark has had a May month with more than 350 hours of sun and almost warmest ever. Several
counties prohibited garden watering.
Malmoe town in Sweden cautioning people not to use sprinklers on their lawns, the waterworks
cant keep up in production. (Sweden has immense freshwater reserves, like Finland) and is a
large country with only 10 million.
And Orangeturd in the WH says climate change is a hoax... I hope to see his Florida Trumpland
in the swells of the Atlantic.
Another Russian oligarchs made by neoliberal reforms in the 1990s
Thomas Piketty
According to our estimates, the offshore assets alone held by wealthy Russians exceed one
year of GDP, or the equivalent of the entirety of the official financial assets held by
Russian households. In other words, the natural wealth of the country, (which, let it be
said in passing, would have done better to remain in the ground to limit global warming)
has been massively exported abroad to sustain opaque structures enabling a minority to hold
huge Russian and international financial assets. These rich Russians live between London,
Monaco and Moscow: some have never left Russia and control their country via offshore
entities. Numerous intermediaries and Western firms have also recouped large crumbs on the
way and continue to do so today in sport and the media (sometimes this is referred to as
philanthropy). The extent of the misappropriation of funds has no equal in history.
There has been an attempt to turn Russian emigres against Russia by threatening their
capital - the sanctions basically warn oligarchs "
not to be close to Putin ".
The case of oligarchs' "closeness to Putin" is less obvious. Any discussion of it should
start with the term "oligarch," which, when it came into broad usage in Russia in the
mid-1990s, referred to a group of people who had succeeded at state capture. The reason the
Putin-era elite rejects the term is that the state turned the tables on those particular
people. Essentially, it captured their assets without confiscating them.
Britains main industry is financial services. Of course they have the main problem if
Russia is not playing by "the rules".
Over all, Russia is disappointing Western investors.
Western oil majors have been attempting to gain access to Russia's enormous oil reserves
since the break-up of the Soviet Union, but have often found themselves stymied by local
oligarchs and domestic politics.
Germany is different as they are not so much interested in financial services but
business. And that
business is seriously hit by sanctions not by the Russian state.
Regarding the City of London corruption cesspit: It's more apt to say that it runs Britain,
rather then the British government controlling it. Think of it as the traditional
world-looting centre of what's left of the English empire, still going strong, although the
empire is just a fag-end of what it was, and the imperial military machine is a shrunken joke
compared to its hey-day - but still killing people and destroying things overseas, and
operating as an assistant attack-dog for the Anglozionist empire in its global looting
operations, even now.
The City appears to operate as a handy top-of-the-range monetary and financial swindling
and laundering centre for the USukiznato-axis powers (and indeed for freebooter gangsters
from anywhere in the world, as long as they come with large sums of money in their hands; a
leading centre for laundering global drugs-trade money, for example); with Frankfurt as a
possible competitor, I suppose. It clarifies matters if you think of the City as a continuing
loot-source for the small English-raj class, who are still the entrenched controllers of most
of what goes or doesn't go in Britain; and think of the Conservative party in Paedominster
(the London parliament) as the political-wing of the raj, in the 'democratic' politics
theatre carried on there, solely to serve the rajistas' perceived interests.
The British tories and their various me-too clones in the other parties loathe like poison
any hint of real, popular, glasnostic democracy, of course, and are in politics to make sure
that it never takes hold in The Isles (Dáil Éireann in Eire being a rather
unwelcome growth in that respect, especially as the island of Eire slides slowly towards
re-unification; with the other rival national parliaments in The Isles, weak though they are
currently, being seen as further irritating thorns in the English-raj class's flesh). One
reason that Jeremy Corbyn and the grassroots support that he attracts are so loathed and so
virulently traduced currently is because they represent a genuine upsetting threat to this
centuries-old traditional arrangement. If JC makes it to Downing Street, expect to see coup
d'etat scams set going to neutralise him one way or another, including lots of CoL
shenanigans - though of course all done in the style of 'A Very British Coup' (qv).
Dear oh dear, seems the Keystone Cops are still alive and well in the Ukraine. Excellent
forensics on this latest insult to the intelligence, well for the minority in any case. I
suppose Ukraine still has a ways to go to get as smooth as the West in its false flags, but
we should in all fairness give a newcomer time to get up to speed. No doubt they will soon be
BS-ing with the best of them.
The British defending the free world: According to the Independent (prolly a lie) the Royal
nave sent a destroyer and a heli to "escort" a Russian "naval" vessel through the Channel...
WTF!!!!
The Channel, last I remembered is International Waterway, like the belts in Denmark, and
everybody can pass. Russian need no foking escort or to be harassed, they have the right like
anybody, to pass through.
The British are getting increasingly annoying, maybe I should ask my European MEP if they
have found a final solution to "The British Problem" namely tell them to fok off.
They are continuously trying to set of Europe in another conflict it does not want. I say we
go fighting, invade and start killing civvies in Birmingham and Chelsea and central London.
We will start at Westminster.
These guys are mad they will get us in another war. Which we abhor.
Foking Tory dimwits, when is the people going to wake up? Their beer is thin, their women
ugly, their climate awful, what makes them so docile?
I can't wait to see the movie. This story has twists and turns worthy of a suspense thriller.
For comic relief, we have the western "news" media, behaving like dunces in the midst of all
this intrigue.
I have counterchecked the Meduza piece I quoted. It is basically a copy of an Interfax
report. The English Meduza version was simply easier to quote. The facts in it are also
confirmed by the longer piece I linked in comment 14.
@BreadonWaters @23 - is there anyone actually in control of the 'City of London', other
than the 'COL' itself?
PLease , anyone?
The City of London is the only part of Britain over which parliament has no authority. In
one respect at least the Corporation acts as the superior body: it imposes on the House of
Commons a figure called the remembrancer: an official lobbyist who sits behind the
Speaker's chair and ensures that, whatever our elected representatives might think, the
City's rights and privileges are protected. The mayor of London's mandate stops at the
boundaries of the Square Mile. There are, as if in a novel by China Miéville, two
cities, one of which must unsee the other.
Several governments have tried to democratise the City of London but all, threatened by
its financial might, have failed. As Clement Attlee lamented, "over and over again we have
seen that there is in this country another power than that which has its seat at
Westminster." The City has exploited this remarkable position to establish itself as a kind
of offshore state, a secrecy jurisdiction which controls the network of tax havens housed
in the UK's crown dependencies and overseas territories.
@Piotr @24 - an excellent explanation.
@Palloy - That article needs a 1 paragraph who-what-when-why-where overview before the
detailed analysis starts, especially when the details are all so dubious.
I have added a bit at the top but I am not sure it helps. This stuff is so unbelievably
crazy that is difficult to summarize.
Den Lille Abe
You just described the fall of the Roman Empire and most other empires in history!
Ah there's hope yet! Cheered us all up no end. I'm with you bro.
Corporation is old English for council,it used to be slang for working for the
council.It was the first enterprise zone in modern parlance to develop the core of
London.
The original six Worshipfull Companies, or Trade Guilds own the CoL corporation.
It owns all the land within the CoL boundaries, its a landlord to the Banking scum,
not the scum itself.
As a member of one of the six Companies attending meetings at Guild Hall, its a combo
of a property managers conference/royal tea party.Hardly SPECTRE.
interesting how the conversation has spun over to the city of london.. i agree with the brief
history @41 somebody offers.. also @42 Rhisiart Gwilym and Den Lille Abe's comments on this
as well..
In the interest of networking, useful ground roots reporting and being less dependent on this
one fantastic site-Moa I'd suggest googling- '
Winter Oak Press. Totally different but heart in the right place !!!
B @ 49: Thanks for clarifying the source of Meduza.io's report.
Interestingly RT.com, quoting Ukranews.com, offers a different view: that Boris Gherman
was framed for plotting a hit on Babchenko after he refused an offer of lenient treatment by
law enforcement officers (for whatever he may have done or not done in the past, including
the recent past) in return for testifying against someone else. https://www.rt.com/news/428392-ukraine-fake-falling-appart/
"... According to ukranews.com, German was offered a deal by the investigators, who
offered him leniency in exchange of testifying against a person who was not named by the
officials. The source said he rejected the offer and also said the businessman works with
arms procurement for the Ukrainian army.
Strana.ua said its source confirmed that German had connections in the arms business.
It also added that he was apparently framed by the Ukrainian law enforcement, which offered
him to take part in a sting operation.
"It was a clear set up, a provocation. Now the man, who came to him with the
suggestion, has disappeared and the SBU claims he was working for the Russian intelligence,
but they don't have any clear evidence to prove it," the source is cited as saying
..."
It was bad enough to have read the vile comments of the toxic troll calling itself 'Den Lille
Abe' above, full of hateful, racist, mysogynist, terroristic and wannabe mass-murdering bile.
Bad enough that he wants to massacre me and countless other civilians in Britain (actually we
already have the UK state-backed ISIS trying to do that, thanks) but to see a whooping chorus
of approval from many other posters was just too much to stomach.
It's bad enough to have to put up with a sinister cabal of warmongering scumbags running
the West, with their corrupt and blackmailed presstitutes blaring out their lies, but when
one of the few places I had hoped to hear a credible and intelligent opposition is sinking to
this level I just despair. I really do.
How should I continue to persuade my countrymen to question the bellicosity of their
rulers? By showing them the vicious poison of Den Lille Abe and its cheerleaders and saying
"hey, these are my pals who are also opposing the empire?".
This creature and his supporters are as bad as the headchoppers themselves and their
powerful sponsors. The pigs in Orwell's Animal Farm.
With a mass sentiment like this proudly on display I cannot continue to recommend this
site to anyone, or link to it. I realise that the internet is full of repulsive cretins like
Den Lille Abe, and that site owners are not responsible for some of the trash that is written
under their articles, but filth like that surely can only harm the excellent work Mr B does
(assuming he does not also agree with their position, and if he does I would be wracked with
guilt for having financially supported him).
It's called empathy! It seems OK to distroy other people's country but not our own?
Self defence is not violence.
Tens of millions killed by the west. But when someone hypathticly points out a picture of
your city being distroyed you suddenly wake up! You just got caught out. We are all equally
important in this world. So please stay and help stop the madness.
@59 I assume you are referring to Den Lille Abe's rather ignorant comment "Their beer is
thin, their women ugly, their climate awful, what makes them so docile?".
I don't see a 'whooping chorus of approval'. I thought it was pretty stupid myself but
anti-British sentiment runs deep here for some reason. I know a lot of people in the UK are
very unhappy about the state of things. I guess they just aren't sure what to do about it.
Perhaps DLA does have a point about docility but he could apply the same standard to
Scandinavia.
@62 The beer isn't bad at all and they import a lot anyway for fussy drinkers. The women do
tend to run a little on the heavy side these days. And the climate can be awful which is why
so many of them moved to Spain. That said I think DLA needs to reflect on his opinion.
" at its deepest level, consensual reality is a fragile thing that can very easily have
nothing to do with truth or fact or actual reality."
At its best - when no" special interests" are manipulating an entry - this describes
Wikipedia.
" the issue was going to be "who did it?" not "was it even done?"
Not even. The whodoneit was already "answered" in the very unveiling of the "news." The
issue was going to be "how are we - who are all goodness and light and truth and freedom -
going to "bring justice" to the perp?"
"See how little it occurred to any of us, even those who make a habit of interrogating
narratives, to ask whether or not it really happened."
And this is why I have been saying I have no reason to believe that the Skirpal poisoning
ever really happened.
If they were meant to be dead, they'd almost certainly be dead.
If they were meant to survive, then why take the chance of actually poisoning them,
regardless of what agent was allegedly used?
"
Meanwhile the guy who supposedly hired Tsimbalyuk, Boris L. German, 50, also says he worked
for Ukrainian counter-intelligence, a claim Ukraine denies as its immediately destroys the
carefully scripted, if rapidly imploding, Ukrainian narrative meant to scapegoat Russia for
what has been a "fake news" story of epic proportions, emerging from the one nation that
not only was the biggest foreign donor to the Clinton foundation , but has made fake news
propaganda into an art form.
"
"
Meanwhile, senior Ukraine officials have been on the defensive since Wednesday, when the head
of security services announced they had staged the death of Babchenko so they could track his
would-be killers to Russian intelligence, a story the International Federation of Journalists
slammed as idiotic, nonsensical and completely undermining Ukraine's credibility.
"
Hiya it is a grey sunday afternoon here with the view out my back window over the back
paddock obscured by a drizzle haze which is atypical for these parts where the weather at
this time of year is either wet in a absolutely p1ssing down but warmish way, or dry, sunny
and pink bits-shriveling cold.
I dunno what's up with that but the break from usual sunday arvo routines has given me time
between the weekly family catch ups via voip to try and learn what howlingpixel a site I have been
using in lieu of wikipedia is about.
I have learned sfa since a net search has only the site's own 'about' page which I will
not consider; being as I never trust that sorta self serving nfo sharing.
Does anyone know any of howlingpixel's history - who runs it, pays for it etc?
Posted by: V | Jun 3, 2018 1:17:51 AM | 70
Thanks V I had seen that as one of the few non howlingpixel references to howlingpixel I
could find - it appears to be some sort of net traffic counter website.
Posted by: Cortes | Jun 3, 2018 3:13:15 AM | 71
There is nothing new under the sun eh. Although must give Pohl his due, the whimper that
humankind seems likely to expire with, was much less predictable in 1953 than it is in
2018.
I'm still a little hopeful that the lack of common geographic proximity will make corporate
entities more difficult to unite mugs behind than nation states have found when cranking up
jingoism.
In 2017 Arkady Babchenko, despised in Russia for his open hostility against its people, came
via Israel to the Ukraine. He was welcome in Kiev for his anti-Russian position.
You mean he was adversarial to the Russian government. That hardly makes him "hostile" to
the Russian people, but that does put his life in danger. Just ask the six journalists from
Novaya Gazeta murdered during Putin's rein.
There is a major logical fallacy in using past criminal cases in justifying present
fakes.
PS:
*Babchenko in Vilnus, 'Open Russia', 12 April 2018 "...the one who is responsible is not
Putin's regime, but Russia", https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaGeiabB6kM
, 4:50 and 9:00
*Just ask the six journalists, -who?
Anna Politkovskaya (well known/look up), Yury Shchekochikhin (illness and suspected
poisoning, 'open verdict'); Baburova (journalist) and Markelov (lawyer, not journalist),
killed by a neo-Nazi couple who were caught and sentenced for life; Estemirova, run into
problems, kidnapped and killed in Chechnya. And number 6 is ?
Why would the suspect have hired the same hitman all at once to carry out multiple crimes
that were so different?
Ukraine's National Security Agency says Boris German (who was named the suspect in
Babchenko's case on May 31) was instructed to do even more than have 30 people killed: he
was also supposed to stockpile secret weapons caches throughout Ukraine. German's lawyer
says his client is the executive director of the Ukrainian-German company "Schmeisser" --
the only private arms manufacturer in Ukraine.
This might explain why Boris German would have been selected to arrange the secret
weapons caches, but it remains unclear why he would have been the man to entrust with the
organization of 30 murders. These two crimes -- the murders and the secret weapons caches
-- appear to be two separate projects.
From a
Meduza piece suggested after the Meduza article b linked above (the 'went' link).
Has anyone seen more information about these weapons caches? Is it true that Schmeisser is
the only 'private' arms manufacturer in the Ukraine?
If b's right that the interior logic of the assassination hoax is about ownership/control
of the company, what is the point of the weapons caches accusation? Perhaps this also gives
SBU cover to either "find" these weapons in the wrong hands or cover over/disavow past trades
they don't want acknowledged. (Makes me think about Paddock in Vegas or the kid caught with
all those guns in California who claimed to be with Omar Mateen and also set up... )
Or maybe this gives 'legal' cover to raid other places in search of those secreted
weapons?
Also, in the Zerohedge piece psychohistorian (~@68) linked, one picture shows Tsymbalyuk
wearing a top with an embroidered swastika. The NYT article b linked above (the Russophobic
link) is only willing to say that "some portray" Right Sector as neo-nazi.
So Denmark now erects fences to keep swine fewer out of Denmark. Cool and good. (Germans are
lax) but Trump is arriwing in London this summer? WTF Is fat piece of garbage to come in via
the idiot British regulations ? He is....
Had he been my pig we would have had him this Christmas, he is growing stale now and too fat,
only winter food is he good for. Gule ærter, Brunkål and so. Any pig will do for
those courses.
I don not live in the "paradise" called England, I live in Scandinavia. We are quite well
off thank you. We have not got much room for you English serfs. :) There you got it. We do
not respect you, because you have always voted "out". No foking go and die in obscurity.
Your idiot public shall bear the consequences as the Germans did in 1945, England is reduced
to a two bit whore, I rejoice personally, as I have ancestors who died at Brit hands 200
years ago-and no repentance!! Germany paid repentance at least morally.
So please fok off. Accordinf to stats you will soon anyway. You are just taking up oxygen
needed by other living stuff, snails etc.
It actually says " Like mobile version of Wikipedia" Then wikipedia rates it 'low/none'.
It appears to be one of those reference sites which scrapes some wikipedia pages as well as
other sources. I'm going to use it in preference to wikipedia esp for non-controversial stuff
eg it had a list of cabinet members of the June 1 Italian Government before anywhere else
(how I stumbled across it from a yandex search) until I know one way or another how objective
it is. I don't wanna give wikipedia any page clicks at all after the Phillip Cross bizzo. If
Howling Pixel is just as biased towards western propaganda I shall look for another source.
We still don't know who funds it. I use an ad blocker so I dunno if it tries to pop at me -
if it does, it doesn't whinge about the blocker.
In the end a reference source is still essential for background info.
Ha ha, great exposé b. - it all just gets nuttier. one couldn't make this up and put
it in a movie, no way.
Ukraine was the country that 'suffered' the most from the USSR dissolution. In terms of
GDP per capita, population, health, 'democratic advances' (depending on definition some are
no good etc.), schooling, flourishing culture, etc.
Why exactly idk, nor does anybody else imho, as there are dozens of partial
explanations.
I favor the happenstance of a collection of particularly crazed and rapacious oligarchs;
being 'rich and large' (thus a prey), and pehaps the East-West thing, in the sense that a
partition into two federated quasi-states might have saved it. Ukr. was color-revolutionized
Orange in 2004, a failure, always does great harm, and no doubt the failure infuriated the W
powers.
Since then it has been mad-cap downhill, its territory subject to carving. Crimea retuned
to Russia (ok), and in other circs. all would have been no prob. The Donbass is now a
separate territory (subject to the foreign-directed GWOT from Kiev), terrible situation, in
limbo, Russia cannot take it over and Kiev cannot re-integrate it, and it cannot become
independent without *massive* outside support which nobody will provide. Galicia seems to be
out of control of the Center as well. (Look up news articles.) In short, Ukraine provides a
terrain for 'proxy wars' as it is large and rich.
and to date US and Germany (>..EU) have lost in Ukr. - Crimea and de facto the
Donbass.
Bombing Yugoslavia, destroying and breaking it up sucessfully can't be repeated in
Ukraine. Which leads to anger, disdain, and victim blaming, and in fine stasis for a
while, and then abandonment. The IMF will continue to 'support' but they hate it.
"You mean he was adversarial to the Russian government. That hardly makes him "hostile" to
the Russian people, but that does put his life in danger."craigsummers@75
He appears to have made himself unpopular by dancing on the graves of the Choir which was
killed, en route to Syria, in a plane crash. Unpopular, that is, with most Russians, Putin
and decent people everywhere.
"Just ask the six journalists from Novaya Gazeta murdered during Putin's rein."
Are they the source of your information?
How many dozens of journalists were killed, every month, when the US, through Yeltsin reined
in Russia? In the past month we have seen three journalists and several medicos killed by
Israel in Gaza, with the enthusiastic support of the US government.
"... The following is the third part of a three-part interview with Professor Piers Robinson, an academic at the University of Sheffield and a member of the Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media. Parts one and two appeared on May 24 and May 25. ..."
"... We initially issued two briefing notes on Skripal. That was partly because some of the people in the Working Group who had been looking at chemical/biological events in Syria had relevant knowledge and were aware that what the British government was saying straight off was inaccurate, i.e., the idea that the nerve agent used was Russian and only the Russians could have produced it, etc. ..."
"... I did feel, because at the time the Syrian government was retaking large portions of territory, that the representation of Skripal might be being exploited as part of a broader propaganda drive against Russia (which was providing military support to Syria). ..."
"... If there was going to be an escalation in Syria, beyond the bombing that occurred, that would take us up against the Russians. There was a good possibility that the Skripal event was going to be exploited as part of a broader anti-Russian propaganda drive. ..."
"... when [Foreign Secretary] Boris Johnson pretty much said it was the Russians who must have poisoned the Skripals, that appeared to be a statement of certainty that was not warranted. And, of course, the recent history of Iraq and UK government claims regarding alleged WMD stockpiles was an important reminder that governments can be strongly motivated to distort and manipulate their claims, especially when intelligence is involved. ..."
"... I think the Skripal poisoning might be connected to events in the US. We do know, because Alex Thomson from Channel 4 tweeted on March 12 that the government had put a D-notice restriction on the reporting of [MI6 agent] Pablo Miller. Professor Paul McKeigue (University of Edinburgh) has issued a new briefing talking about this matter. ..."
"... Pablo Miller was Skripal's handler. He was connected to [former MI6 officer] Christopher Steele. He was responsible for the dossier alleging Trump's collusion with Russia. That, as I understand it, was a key part of initiating proceedings and investigations against Trump. It appears that the dossier was linked to the Democratic National Committee in that they apparently commissioned it. ..."
"... If it is the case that Skripal was in any way connected with that, it forms a possibility that there was a motive for someone other than Russia to have carried out the poisoning. ..."
"... More broadly, there is the possibility that the whole Russia-gate narrative is being used for bigger political purposes -- to influence Trump, to try and shore up action in the Middle East, perhaps on some level to distract Western publics from increasing awareness of how we have been involved in wars in the Middle East. ..."
The following is the third part of a three-part interview with Professor Piers Robinson,
an academic at the University of Sheffield and a member of the Working Group on Syria,
Propaganda and Media. Parts one and two appeared on May 24 and
May 25.
Julie Hyland: What is your estimation of the alleged poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal
by Russia, and how do they relate to the war in Syria?
PR: We initially issued two briefing notes on Skripal. That was partly because some of
the people in the Working Group who had been looking at chemical/biological events in Syria had
relevant knowledge and were aware that what the British government was saying straight off was
inaccurate, i.e., the idea that the nerve agent used was Russian and only the Russians could
have produced it, etc.
I did feel, because at the time the Syrian government was retaking large portions of
territory, that the representation of Skripal might be being exploited as part of a broader
propaganda drive against Russia (which was providing military support to Syria).
If there was going to be an escalation in Syria, beyond the bombing that occurred, that
would take us up against the Russians. There was a good possibility that the Skripal event was
going to be exploited as part of a broader anti-Russian propaganda drive.
It's not something you can pinpoint for sure at this stage because you don't have access to
the information. I don't think we will know the full truth of exactly what is happening for
some time. But you can make an informed judgement call.
What we do know is that the claims being made at the time were not tenable. So when
[Foreign Secretary] Boris Johnson pretty much said it was the Russians who must have poisoned
the Skripals, that appeared to be a statement of certainty that was not warranted. And, of
course, the recent history of Iraq and UK government claims regarding alleged WMD stockpiles
was an important reminder that governments can be strongly motivated to distort and manipulate
their claims, especially when intelligence is involved.
I think the Skripal poisoning might be connected to events in the US. We do know, because
Alex Thomson from Channel 4 tweeted on March 12 that the government had put a D-notice
restriction on the reporting of [MI6 agent] Pablo Miller. Professor Paul McKeigue (University
of Edinburgh) has issued
a new briefing talking about this matter.
Pablo Miller was Skripal's handler. He was connected to [former MI6 officer] Christopher
Steele. He was responsible for the dossier alleging Trump's collusion with Russia. That, as I
understand it, was a key part of initiating proceedings and investigations against Trump. It
appears that the dossier was linked to the Democratic National Committee in that they
apparently commissioned it.
If it is the case that Skripal was in any way connected with that, it forms a possibility
that there was a motive for someone other than Russia to have carried out the poisoning.
More broadly, there is the possibility that the whole Russia-gate narrative is being used
for bigger political purposes -- to influence Trump, to try and shore up action in the Middle
East, perhaps on some level to distract Western publics from increasing awareness of how we
have been involved in wars in the Middle East.
In a related area that people don't usually connect, the same psychological warfare methods
being used in the Middle East are being used in the attack on public education to privatize
education globally.
I've had a degree of dialogue with Piers on Facebook .
Despite the fact that he has done some important work here regards state propaganda and
Syria I have found his political positions very much the typical University sociology
professor , where bourgeois ideology and Post modernism runs rampant .
Not immune to running off a line of expletives and ad hominems as if they constitute an
argument, Piers came to the defence of Eva Bartlett and Vanessa Bealey when I had the
audacity to make a distinction between the defence of Syria against US Imperialism and a
defence of Assad per se and Putin
Both engaged in a somewhat lumpen diatribe on the question, despite the fact that I
clearly never once promoted an Imperialist line . The situation was in fact reminiscent of
what in more recent times the WSWS faced in regards Iran , when it seemingly ''had the
audacity'' to support the Iranian working class against its own bourgeois rulers.
The claims the British government made about the Skripal case are nonsensical. It is
entirely possible that the Skipal's were victims of simple
food poisoning or suffered from an
overdose of Fenatnyl . The British government used the case to increase hostility towards
Russia while diverting the public from its failures in the Brexit negotiations. There is
historic
precedence for such false accusations against the Russian state.
The Skripal case is
also related
to the "Dirty Dossier" the "former" British spy Christopher Steele created to defame U.S.
President Donald Trump. Sergej Skripal
may well have written parts of it . A fact which the British government is
trying to hide .
The Skripal's were probably hurt. The British accusations against Russia caused huge damage
in international relations. But the biggest casualty of the case might be the trustworthiness
of the British media.
Where are the deep investigations, the intriguing questions, the door stepping of witnesses
in this case? Why are no serious questions asked about the dubious claims made about the case?
How did the Skripals survive a nerve agent "ten times as deadly as VX"? Why is there no further
digging into the Steele dossier relation?
More
questions need to be asked. Who is the media servicing with its obsequious behavior?
Why?
---
Previous Moon of Alabama posts on the Skripal case:
On March 7, the British issued a D-notice (Defence and Security Media Advisory Notice) to
the British press formally requesting that they refrain from mentioning the name of Sergei
Skripal's former MI6 handler Pablo Miller or making any reference to him in their coverage of
the poisoning case and the police investigation. A week later, a second D-notice was issued
that reiterated the warning of the first D-notice and putting the press on notice not to
publish any information that could lead directly or indirectly to the identification of Pablo
Miller as Sergei Skripal's handler. http://powerbase.info/index.php/DSMA_notice_7_March_2018 http://powerbase.info/index.php/DSMA_notice_14_March_2018
This explains why the British press, usually notorious for harrying people in the
spotlight for interviews and gossipy information, have been noticeably reticent in
approaching the Skripals - assuming of course, that they have access to them.
This would also explain why Julia Skripal was reading a prepared statement in the video
and why her Reuters interview did not seem like a normal interview. She may have had a minder
close by prepared to intervene in case the interviewer posed a question she was not allowed
to answer.
Is anyone able to find out when the Reuters interview took place? If it took place some
time ago, would the time between Julia Skripal's release and the interview have been long
enough for Julia to recover to the extent where she looks well and appears not to be
suffering traumatic after-effects? And why was it only released on May 23?
The most plausible perpetrators of the original poisoning of the Skripals are some element of
the dysfunctional and evil British deep state, which connects to the American deep state,
which too is diabolical and dysfunctional.
The enormous resources, political and media and choreography and stream of lies,
surrounding the Skripal affair make it obvious as a dysfunctional deep state project.
The alternative explanations: 1) that it was Russia, make no sense whatsoever; 2) that it
was food poisoning is far fetched but possible, and might have been taken advantage of, and
the policeman victim then added, to create the 'right' attempted murder mystery ambience.
That is, those who have been 'protecting' and controlling and hiding away and issuing
statements for and 'restoring health to' the Skripals are very likely those who attacked
them.
Father Skripal is a practised devious sort, who would know the ropes. Thet he is not just
expendable, but an endangered loose end for various reasons now, including the Trump-Russia
false flag.
Has Julia Skripal had unimpeded access to her father since their recovery? If so, a wink
wink nod nod private whispered exchange between the two could have transformed the two into a
potential team effort to stay alive by playing their parts.
If she has not been allowed or had available a moment of private exchange with father
Skripal, then she might still know enough to understand that they are both in extreme
danger.
Father Skripal can likely be bought off. That's what he does for as living. But can
Julia?
Starting to believe that the Skripals were going to transport Novichok somehow into Syria so
that it could be used there In a staged event. The problem was that things may have gone
sideways. Makes sense why the Russians issued a warning of a staged attack and how the Brits
are keeping the couple incommunicado. The Russians could have known about the plot
beforehand.
As I commented here before there are many plausible explanations much more probable than any
of variants U.K. gov or media peddled. And this clear statement under duress sounding to
similar British hostages taken by Saddam Hussein in 2003 declaring that they were healthy ate
good food and were personal guests of Saddam and that they were free to leave anytime but
since they enjoyed themselves immensely they would stay for a while and hence do not worry.
Sounds like Julia Skripal. To support this there is not emphasized fact that they both
seem be to held in separate locations so they could not freely communicate much.
What is looks like that in this multiple bottom story something went wrong and some
desperate solutions have been implemented. Because it is clear now that by keeping them alive
that effectively cut off the family access while if dead family would have claimed bodies and
all those lies would have been exposed, or it was all a false flag to redirect Skripal role
in Trump dossier into made up Putin revenge on those who contributed to it.
Here is my take on all that, which may have not entirely happened as planed along the
scenarios I and others including b proposes.
As far as theory how this happened. I see that Skripal was in it, in fact he prepared and
tested appropriate dose for him as his daughter used as pawn to lend credibility and provide
required Putin evil killing innocent narrative which would be absent if he just killed or
hurt rogue agent.
Skipral himself calibrated that false flag dose of BZ or Fenantyl to make sure no
permanent damage would be done to his daughter and then administered it himself to her and
himself in controlled manner in public place so help would be coming immediately while in his
car they could have possibly lie there for hours before being discovered.
In fact place where he lived Salisbury near Porton Downs was perfect for this since there
was no way that doctors would misdiagnose them as military nerve agent victims which wrong
treatment would possibly caused irreversible damage to victims as doctors would be more
aggressive fearing immediate death of patients and also were immune to propaganda of Novichok
crap since they were experts in this medical field as real and present danger, threat of
exposure of Porton Downs employees was always there.
After recovery is was Skripal, trusted by her as her father, himself as part of psych op
presented the narrative as Putin wanted to kill me and did not care that you happened to be
with me at time of attack. I am so sorry, shit lies.
She was brainwashed or threatened some ways offered lucrative financial arrangement in the
west decided to stay and followed MI6 instructions, fearing she could be killed upon meeting
with Russian diplomats or even recruited family members or upon returning to Russia.
I do not think it would be far fetched to concoct such a thing or similar by MI6 as such
stunts were done before like fake deaths or staged attacks but in this case the point was to
fool British unwitting participants that nerve agent attack happenced as later they did later
in Douma in amateurish way but still it worked as pretext to pre planed aggression on Syria
as in case of Skripals pre planed diplomatic retaliation against Russia before any
investigation was really commenced , such a thing only perpetrators of false flag themselves
would do.
If Skripal was not on it why keep them alive witnesses of conspiracy since I could imagine
as a father myself Skripal would,have been furious of MI6 discovering what amounted to attemp
to kill his daughter and blame Putin one he learned that there was no Novichok crap or any
military nerve agent used.
In fact Fenantyl is deadly if inappropriately handled what just few days after Skripal
affair husband and wife overdosed on Fentanty in California and putting in critical condition
their mother in law trying to revive them in the bedroom, children that never enter the room
by looked through the Door who called 911 were also mildly exposed while a police officer who
entered the room end up in hospital himself.
Whole house was immediately quarantined and covered by tent until, special unit arrived
days later and only then police investigator entered premises. WImilar scenario unfolded in
Salisbury.
What interesting that no emergency or medical personnel in hospital in UK as in California
was hurt since they knew well how to deal with Fenantyl epidemic.
We must remember that despite crazy rhetoric we are dealing with risky but rational people
who were not smart enough to concoct something that would go down the throuta of gullible
public much more smoothly.
Starting to believe that the Skripals were going to transport Novichok somehow into Syria
so that it could be used there In a staged event.
Posted by: P Walker | May 24, 2018 9:39:46 AM | 18
At one point I saw a reference (on Sputnik I think, certainly a Russian source) that both
Skripals Sergei and Yulia were under investigation by Russian intelligence for smuggling arms
(I can't remember if there was a reference to chemical weapons but very possibly) into Syria.
It was slightly mind-jarring at the time since it conflicted with the official position that
Russia had (prior to the incident) no interest in Sergei Skripal. Otherwise I've seen nothing
on that, perhaps because of a criminal investigation in progress in Russia.
Regarding the throat scar - I can imagine that was the result of surgery for long-term
artificial respiration during the hospital-induced coma. If so, the alleged statement that
"the clinical treatment was invasive, painful and depressing" was unequivacally originating
from a technical and third-party source and definately not the patient. The doctor could well
have used that phrase in discussions with government officials, who got so used to it they
repeated it in composing an alleged statement for Yulia, but I am quite certain the patient
herself would not describe it in such a way whether in English or Russian, and whether native
English speaking or native foreign speaking. A patient's description would be much more
focussed on the patient's experience (pain, discomfort, probable dryness of the mucosal
membranes and side-effects resulting from that, etc) rather than "invasiveness" which was the
first word in the statement and thereby the most emphasised.
It was always suspicious that Yulia was "discharged" from the hospital - and therefore away
from her father - when her father was allegedly still under treatment. Yulia was alone in a
foreign country, utterly isolated from friends, family and aquaintances, while her father was
still in hospital undergoing "invasive, painful and depressing" treatment after an alleged
state-sponsored assassination attempt - NO WAY! She would not leave her father
voluntarily.
The statement that she does not want to be contacted by her cousin, grandmother, the Russian
government or anyone else is the real killer of the fairy tale, and is the exact opposite of
the compelling reality of such a traumatic episode. Is she supposed to believe her
grandmother and cousin actively conspired in the assassination plot? There is absolutely know
scenario that could explain such a wish.
i more like the "и принятия
всего
происшедшего." part.
('We need time for full revoery and for accepting all that happenned')
i bet it is as unrussian as unrussian can be.
it also is a bit confusing how she sternly repeats "no one should speak for us but
ourselves" then she herself speak for her father.
Another giveaway is "grateful to Russian embassy" -
"признательна
Российскому
посольству".
It is plain wrong. You do not write "russian" with capital letter in Russian.
And if you mean "Russian Embassy" as some kind of name - then bot hwords would be
capital.
It is yet another case of "thinking English" when authoring this Russian letter from Russian
woman to her Russian relatives...
Craig
Murray again shoots massive holes into the hostage video and PR, further using semantics
and discourse analysis to show the UK government at fault in this affair. A jointly written
article by b and Craig would be a great read since their own investigations are very
advanced, seemingly beyond all others. I for one find Craig's "lion cage" metaphor very
convincing.
A conjecture: Teresa had it done to protect Hillary.
1. Why, out of all places in the UK, Skripal would settle down in Salisbury, the location of
UK's CW labs? We're told that is because his handler, Pablo Miller, lived there. Fine, then
the question becomes: why, out of all places in the UK, Pablo Miller was living close to UK's
CW labs?
2. Why was it necessary to drag Yulia into this mess? A claim could be made that the
alleged Russian assassins needed her to track the location where Sergei lived. But this was
not her first visit to him, so alleged Russian assassins could have tracked his whereabouts
long time ago, then waited for the best moment to kill him. Obviously, it would be better to
kill him when he was alone, not with his daughter. Unless alleged Russian assassins, while
she was still in Moscow, secretly poisoned some object that she then brought to her father.
That is the only explanation why alleged Russian assassins would need Yulia. But British
government is not claiming that; instead, they claim that a toxic substance was applied to
the doorknob. Therefore, Yulia's presence was of no use to alleged Russian assassins. Then we
must conclude that her presence was somehow needed by the British or third-party
false-flaggers, or possibly by Sergei in case he was in on the plot. Otherwise, why not wait
till she leaves?
3. The choice of CW to assassinate Skripal, the fact that he lived next to the main CW lab
in UK (and one of the top CW labs in the world), and the fact that he and Yulia were poisoned
at the end of a three-week CW military exercise in Salisbury Plains, taken together, form a
combination that cannot be explained by mere coincidence. There must be a connection here.
Could British intelligence plan all this 8 years ago when they were selecting the location
where Skripal would live? Hell no. Therefore, it must have been the reverse: a decision was
made to kill or "kill" Skripal and pin it on the Russians, then someone decided to use the
fact that he was living close to the CW lab. However, if that's indeed what has happened,
then it was a very flawed plan from the start, since all these coincidences would be readily
apparent to outside observers. The poisoning false flag would work much better if Skripal was
living in some other region of UK, and there was no CW exercise at the time of his poisoning.
Therefore, either the plan was unintentionally dumb (because of incompetence), or it was
intentionally dumb (people did not want to do it but could not reject the order, so they
decided to sabotage it), or the original plan was entirely different, but it didn't work out,
so they quickly improvised something else and failed to make it convincing due to lack of
time.
Looking at the obvious tracheostomy scar left on her throat, Yulia must have lost all ability
to breathe on her on without ventilatory assistance for some time. A tracheostomy is only
performed after all effort to wean a patient off an endotracheal tube placed orally into the
trachea at the time of respiratory failure is attempted. It seems to me this was much more
than "food poisoning", and Yulia was in a deep coma for a prolonged duration.
This whole thing is very bizarre!
The Russian embassy seems curiously unwilling to file a habeus corpus application to produce
the Skripals and enforce their consular rights. I wonder why?
It can be interesting/useful. Translated today's article in Russian newspaper "Komsomolskaya
Pravda":
"KP"* exclusive: Victoria Skripal told that what her sister pronounced not her text in
the videoclip.
Both specialists and average people right away noticed that [Yulia] Skripal was
constrained, and a text which she has been pronounced was obviously written not by herself.
Yulia's sister Viktoria [Skripal] appeared with the same suspicions. Here's what the woman
told in exclusive interview during the "Komsomolskaya Pravda" radio air.
- Have you seen a written appeal?
- I saw only the appeal where she speaks. I'm glad she's alive and healthy. And i'm very
happy she'd like to come back home.
- Maybe you've noticed some strangenesses in this appeal?
- You mean, strangenesses that she's reading a text?
- What makes you think she's reading a text?
- You don't have to be a great specialist [to notice this]. When a person drop his eyes,
then lift up, then drop his eyes again. Do you know what is invasive therapy?
- No.
- Me too don't know. She too doesn't have a medical education. She is a geographer. I am
an accountant. But i don't know what is invasive therapy. And it can't be a persons speaks so
well, without mistakes. She has her favourite word. We all have our own parasite-word, right?
She used it when she called me by telephone: "ну да, ну
да" (Approximate English translation may be "yeah, yeah", or "well, yeah" - ed.).
But here [in this appeal] she suddenly did not use her words. I.e. it's smoothly, in one
breath. And a little bit slowly for her. Because [usually] she's chatter faster, when she's
talking and nervous.
@John Gilberts: A Russian article I've read today says the 1963 Vienna Convention does not
apply since the Skripals are not under investigation by UK authorities. However, their
relatives may go to a UK court to establish the status of the Skripals and request a meeting
with them.
hoped a thread for Yulia's staged appearance would be forthcoming; because of the
vicissitudes of timing, both B.'s observations and the comments have echoed my own reaction:
in brief, this was at best another UK government/spook "tease".
Aside from joining the chorus, however, I find that I am even more skeptical than
previously of the ostensible cumulative "facts" of the case. Yes, there are some established
"knowns", but too much sketchy and dodgy filler material surrounding them.
Yulia's brief presentation was obviously meticulously staged. But nothing that occurred
during the period of the Skripals' disappearance from public view should be presumed real,
actual, and authentic-- including that tracheotomy scar.
Am I saying that "they" would fake the scar? No; hypotheses non fingo. I'm saying that the
appearance of that scar should not prompt the otherwise "reasonable" surmise or assumption
that it "proves" that Yulia actually received a tracheotomy, that her medical condition
warrants it, etc.
I haven't seen any explanation for the circumstances behind Reuters hosting this tidy
little performance. It manifestly is not a case of some intrepid reporter or news
organization penetrating UK security and getting a "scoop".
As with the previous episodes, this "interview" raises more questions than it answers.
Perhaps its perpetrators hope that it will convince complacent, submissive, incurious
dullards that Yulia seems to have recovered nicely, and that there is no real mystery or
scandal about the Skripals having been poisoned by some Russian operative.
From the resistance , May 24, 2018 4:35:41 PM |
52
@Posted by: BM | May 24, 2018 10:55:51 AM | 29
Agree, "invasive" is, most definitively, a very technical term used only in medical field
by insiders to describe an agressive procedure, mostly consisting in introducing big tubes
with/or cameras inside the body to explore or implant drainages or respirator tubes, which
could imply secondary harm as a possibility but cnosidered less harmful than the necessity of
the exploration or procedure fro the helath of the patient, and which due to that are
performed under anesthesics.
No citizen strange to medical profession could anytime use such term, since it is not of
public domain.
I agree also in that it is difficult believe that a young girl having passed through such
"painful and depressing" experience would not have asked for her close relatives to come in
her support, something that, btw, would have been recommended for any doctor or nurse loyal
to their professional obligation with respect of the well being and full recovering of
patients.
She is obviously quite depressed and most probably psychologically incapable of taking right
decissions, or even counterproductive ones for her, as it usually happens under severe
depression.....
IMO, she is held hostage and under menace of something..her statements sounded like
recited by heart without any hint of personal emotion...She could be under psychiatric drugs,
quite possible...
Here is yet another comparison of the two letters.
In Russian, by Russian :)
Arioch , May 24, 2018 5:12:00 PM |
56karlof1 , May 24, 2018 5:12:50 PM |
57
"Wants
to return home" is the big point not being raised according to Russian political
scientist Igor Shatrov:
"It is unlikely that anyone would want to return to a country accused of poisoning her.
Therefore for me, this phrase is the most significant statement that Julia made."
I must concur. But was that part of the script or said independently?
Seems like B is on a roll lately. That's excellent!
However, I can't agree with the hostage claim proposed here and in many other intelligent
places any longer. For me, the Skripals being merely victims of greater powers involved in
foul play, them being somehow held and silenced against their will - that's completely off
the table.
It's hard to come to terms with it, but the Skripals have been in on the whole charade.
Sergey has been from the beginning, probably in an instrumental way even, but to some degree
Yulia must be complicit in the plot, too.
It's the way she behaves in the Reuters video. Her behavior is actually very
straightforward and lighthearted - and coherently so. No gaps there. She sure shows signs of
being a little nervous, but what media amateur wouldn't be in an interview situation. It's
really only minor nervousness given the fact that the Skripals are at the center of so much
international attention and that the Skripal case is a possible casus belli. She is
unmistakably flirting with the camera and clearly enjoying the attention brought to her. You
can't fake that.
The Russians (and the remaining Skripal family) will have to accomodate the fact that the
Skripals are lost to them. They won't be coming back – because they wouldn't want to.
That talk of returning to Russia "one day" is just that – talk, strategically placed
into the statement and aimed at undermining the Russian ambassador's admirable persistence.
Everything else that she says, or most of it, doesn't matter much. You all are perfectly
right in your analysis of who actually wrote Yulia's script I think, but sadly it's way
beside the point.
The Russian side has likely done so already, but if I were a Russian investigator, I'd
have a look at how well in advance of the flight date Yulia's tickets were booked. The date
as such might be of great importance, too. The Skripal ploy would have been given the green
light by the time Yulia got on that plane. It would have been conceived much earlier and I'd
check that against the airing (or finishing of the movie script) of that weird TV series B
mentioned in one of his earlier articles. In all likelihood, Yulia booked a return ticket,
but just for the sake of completeness, I'd check that, too. Also, what kind of health
insurance did she take out for her trip abroad? Was it really the usual, the bare minimum, so
as not to waste any money on it, or something more extensive? And how much luggage did she
take with her, and what items (not just practical stuff, but some cherished things too,
maybe)? Etc. etc.
HERE WE GO AGAIN!
BBC reporting a hoax phone call to Boris Johnson lasting 20 mins from Russian. Brit
government blaming! Russia Kremlin
So in last 2 days they'v dug up the Scripals again,accused Russia of downing a plain with
a missile,reports of new agression against Syria and as a diversion put N.koria back in the
news.
The same old same old!
We will know see,, within hours maybe days a massive attack on Syria/Iran !
They just did the ground work- anti Russia properganda,public distraction.
It's great to see much skepticism here. I see no reason to accept that the alleged event
happened in the first place. Great Britain, the US and Russia are all perfectly well able to
assassinate a couple of civilians if that is their desire.
If these two are alive, I expect they were meant to be alive. If they were meant to be
alive, I see no reason to risk their deaths by deliberately poisoning them (regardless of the
agent used) and then letting them fall into the hands of an emergency room staff - who could
themselves be poisoned or who might accidentally harm (even lethally) the "victims" by
treating them for the wrong agent.
All of the conjecture about Skirpal's ties to the "dodgy dossier" and even that the Clintons
could be the culprits in the dirty deed is based on the belief that the US has two "major"
political parties in serious opposition to one another. I see no evidence of that.
In this particular instance, we have the Clinton Crime family and The Donald - who have
all been good friends for decades. Their daughters both stated during the campaign that
they've been "best friends" since childhood. That could not have been possible with one of
them living under Secret Service watch, even living in the White House - without close ties
between their parents. Further, both Ivanka and Chelsea stated they expect to remain close
friends even after the election.
This is just plain impossible to imagine if the "fire and fury" of the campaign and all
the nasty stuff said during and since were even just exaggerations of real ideological
differences.
I often describe US politics as akin to US football. The Eagles and the Bears both want to
win any given game or championship. The teams get some bonuses for winning. But they are both
playing the same game, and share the proceeds regardless. It used to be that the two "teams"
had different owners (though of the same elite group), but at least since the rise of the
Clinton/DLC, they even share owners, let alone ideologies and "long game" goals.
So I see no reason to believe any of the partisan kabuki theater that oozes out of our
MSM.
The most interesting aspect of the whole Skripal incident was the imposition of D notices on
the media by the UK government. The reasoning was said to be to protect agent Miller but this
was a lie as Miller's association with Skripal was previously well known and bound to come to
the surface. No, the reasons for the D notices were to protect the government's bizarre
narrative of lies and also the likely poisoner which would be our mysterious policeman caught
up in the incident.
I strongly suspect the charade was intimately linked to british special forces captured
unexpectedly in Gouta, Syria whilst assisting the local jihadis in preparing their next false
flag chemical attack which would have brought in a massive western response to try and change
the direction of the conflict. In other words an act of desperation which led to the comical
situation of the authorities having to make the narrative up as they were going along.
It's a fact that allowing the media to swarm all over the place - even if controlled -
would have invariably thrown up scenarios or situations which would have taken control of the
narrative out of the government's hands.
There are a number of reasons to suspect that Sergei Skripal was, and is, being silenced
because of fears of what he might reveal about the Steele dossier. Although he is a minor
character in this affair, there are many facts -- too many for me to go into here -- that
connect him and his alleged MI6 handler Pablo Miller to Christopher Steele and the
dossier.
The entire official story of what happened to Skripal in Salisbury on 4 March is
unbelievable anyway, but the way that he and his daughter Yulia are now being kept
incommunicado looks even more suspicious. The two of them are apparently not even speaking to
their friends and family after being discharged from hospital, even though Yulia phoned her
cousin Viktoria from the hospital in early April.
Add to this the fact that the British authorities are not doing anything to dispel doubts
that the Skripals are acting of their own free will. They have made no effort to allow either
the Russian embassy, or even an independent third party, to speak to either Sergei or
Yulia.
This all suggests that the Skripals are being detained against their will in order to keep
them quiet about something.
J. Decker , May 19, 2018 at 7:25 am
"British authorities have made no effort to allow either the Russian embassy, or even an
independent third party, to speak to either Sergei or Yulia"
Isn't this disallowed in international relations? And why is Russia rolling over rather
than taking the case to the Hague?
Russia may have decided that taking it seriously would be a mistake by giving it too much
attention with all the distortions that would arrive from the MSM. Putin is a Machiavellian
and doesn't rush into things. I predicted weeks ago that we would hear about the miraculous
efforts of British medicine to "rescue" the Skripals. That's what happened. The Skripals are
being silenced rather than allowed to tell their story. Obvious beyond any doubt.
J. Decker , May 19, 2018 at 7:31 am
Brilliant piece Daniel Lazare. Many thanks! And as well to Consortium News for
broadcasting. I am getting more than I give to you each month in support. You are a a light
to us moths, most others have been put out.
Sam F , May 19, 2018 at 8:42 am
Yes, the isolation of the Skripals strongly suggests UK complicity in the whole
incident.
The lack of transparency requires the presumption of wrongful intent.
Yulia and Sergei Skripal: The father and son whose whereabouts and physical condition are
currently unknown, and whose important story is little-known, massively and scandalously
suppressed and being kept from the awareness of the people of Earth.
Neither U.S. President Donald Trump, U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May nor France President
Emmanuel Macron have offered anything approaching a public statement, by way of explanation
-- over the now "vanished" Yulia and Sergei Skripal.
It is equally important to note and remember that none of these "leaders" have issued
public statements with regard to the Douma, Syria confirmed false flag operation. In
particular, they have not apologized for dangerously and illegally launching over 100
missiles on Syria based on an obvious lie.
***
Question:
Will Donald Trump, Theresa May and Emmanuel Macron rightfully provide their citizens in
America, Britain and France with logical explanations for the massive unresolved
controversies surrounding the Skripal and Douma events?
Answer:
Only if men and women around the Earth join, accumulate sufficient power, and demand
legitimate, honest answers -- making it impossible for them to further obfuscate, deflect
and/or otherwise ignore.
Thanks Rowan @1. Considering all the digital ink spilt at MoA over the Skirpal Affair, I
expected this news to be highlighted.
This Yulia quote struck me:
"I don't want to describe the details, but the clinical treatment was invasive, painful
and depressing... Our recovery has been slow and extremely painful."
Goodness! Considering the US Senate just confirmed a known torturer to run CIA, I must ask
what kind of "treatment" Yulia received. I presume the neck scar is the result of
endotracheal intubation?
And since visual imprints are so important in perception management, I found it
interesting that this young woman, who was last reported in good health sitting on a park
bench, is filmed in her "coming out" video sitting on a bench in a park-like setting. And
she's writing what we must assume is the handwritten note released to the media - on a pad of
paper sitting on the bench next to her! That's a very awkward way to write, especially since
that note is is such legible, neat script.
The BBC article goes on to state:
"Meanwhile, work to decontaminate the Wiltshire city is still under way with the highest
concentration of the Novichok found at the Skripals' front door."
Still decontaminating the town all this time later?
Rowan @ 1, Daniel @ 51: Julia Skripal appeared to be reading or following a prepared script.
For someone who's been in a coma for 20 days, she looked very well indeed and does not appear
to be suffering PTSD.
How would a person in a coma know if the treatment she was receiving was invasive, painful
and depressing?
Novichok is supposed to be an unstable substance that degrades quickly in humid climatic
conditions or in conditions where it comes into contact with water. Is Salisbury being
decontaminated one brick tile, one shrub, one pigeon at a time?
Hmm .. this is what endotracheal intubation looks like but I can't see that a shunt has
been made beneath the throat and between the collar bones. I too was curious about that neck
wound. http://drkashi.science/endotracheal-intubation/
nofollow"
href="https://www.rt.com/uk/427080-skripal-salisbury-nhs-poison/">"Sergei Skripal discharged
from hospital after being poisoned by 'deadly' agent"
The link is to RT, in case anyone missed this report.
It's been a busy "news" week, between significant geopolitical events, the usual US
school massacres, and the bread-and-circuses distraction of a UK Royal Wedding. Perhaps this
is why the above-cited "news" didn't seem to get much attention.
I'll stop enclosing "news" in ironic quotation marks-- the " key on my laptop is
buckling under the strain of overuse. But I used them because every fresh installment of
alleged news about the Skripals simply extends, or exacerbates, the riddle, wrapped in a
mystery, inside an enigma that is l'affaire Skripal.
One reason for the lack of reaction to this latest "development" (those quotes needed
again) is that it is shown through a glass darkly-- the glass being the government controlled
and managed information bubble. Like the earlier "developments", it's eerily
self-contained.
Like many barflies, I have my idiosyncratic axes to grind, soapboxes to climb, bees in
my bonnet, etc. After the mysterious events of 9/11/2001, I coined the term "pernicious
factoids" to describe the bits of manufactured falsehoods and disinformation used to
construct and perpetuate bogus Official Narratives.
For example, not long ago a minor New York Times article about Lee Harvey Oswald's
gravesite began with something like, "When Lee Harvey Oswald shot John F. Kennedy in Dealey
Plaza...". This is a pernicious factoid; they remain embedded like toxic prions in the
collective consciousness, and are regarded as reasonably true, correct, and
meaningful.
Likewise, the other day the Russian ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, gave a
routine press conference. As usual, some wretched would-be UK journalist took issue with
Yakovenko's reiterating that the Russians are required by law to interview the Skripals
personally and directly to confirm their status and wishes.
The questioner hectored the ambassador with the point that Yulia Skripal had released
statements through the police indicating that she, at least, did not wish to
meet personally with Russian officials because she was afraid to do so.
Ambassador Yakovenko, also as usual, patiently-- and a bit too diffidently-- explained
that a third-party statement is not the same as first-hand communication. I get it-- he's a
"real" diplomat, not like the whacked-out modern Western berserker-diplomats. So he's not
about to tear this bumptious idiot's head off.
But I wanted to scream. This is the way pernicious factoids work. Everybody in that
room was at least willing to pretend that yeah, OK, Yulia actually did give the
police that statement. Or a statement. Probably. But hmmm, if one really stops and
thinks about it, everything the public has been told about the circumstances of
the, er, events comes from official sources and/or highly-compromised and untrustworthy
mass-media organizations.
So, the ostensibly remarkable development of Sergei Skripal's recovery from a
"military-grade nerve agent" just circles around the disinformation/memory hole. And, since
these virtual "developments" are largely fact-free, the stories usually pad out the minimal
"news" by revisiting and reiterating the same festering gutpile of pernicious factoids we've
been sorting through for months: the supposed doorknob-smearing, the peculiar aspects of the
"poisoning", etc.
End of rant, but only because my " key is overheating and seizing up. ;)
_____________________________________
Bonus Fun Fact: I was curious about the context of Churchill's "riddle" quote, so I
looked it up. According to the "Phrase Finder" website, it was uttered during an October,
1939 radio broadcast: "I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle,
wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian
national interest."
13 - On the Skripals, no reporter I have read on the release of either Skripal has bothered
to wonder why there are no photos of them at all, especially of the normal press availability
on the hospital steps thanking their doctors, no information on their whereabouts, health or
future plans.
"... Now, it is hard to know what to make of all this, other than to point out that he was speaking to fellow security chiefs. Maybe, among themselves, they find it more morale-boosting to demonise an old enemy than to take on adversaries that have emerged more recently, are more complicated and against which they have so far perhaps had less success. ..."
"... the conclusion has to be that Russia is considered a "safe", useful, and almost eternal enemy by the UK's powers-that-be. Some of us may hope for something better, but it seems a long way away. ..."
The UK's obsession with the Russian bogeyman doesn't stack up Mary Dejevsky The head of MI5 has joined the security
establishment's anti-Putin onslaught. But his organization agrees that Moscow is not the greatest threat
Today's
speech by the head of MI5 , Andrew Parker, has been presented as a first the first time the head of the UK's domestic intelligence
service has delivered a speech abroad, specifically at a conference of security heads in Berlin. But this is the only respect in
which it is a first. It might as accurately be described as the latest in a series of public utterances by UK intelligence chiefs
and top brass, which began last autumn and continued with the
head of GCHQ
addressing a cybersecurity conference in Manchester last month.
"MI5 chief: Kremlin is 'chief protagonist' in campaign to undermine west" Read more
In part, this reflects a deliberate decision by the intelligence services and the government that they should be more open about
what they do, with a view to gaining greater public understanding and expanding recruitment at a time when they face competition
for tech-savvy graduates from richer and less restrictive employers. But this season of intelligence and military speeches has also
facilitated the communication of an apparently co-ordinated message. As a country, the UK now sees
Russia as its prime adversary.
The poisoning of
Sergei Skripal , the former Russian spy, and his daughter in Salisbury took the UK's official anti-Russia stance to new heights.
And its diplomatic success in persuading so many other countries to
expel Russian diplomats in protest the biggest ever "collective expulsion of security agents", we were told seems to have
emboldened London to view itself as the potential leader of an international anti-Russia front, as the Guardian
recently
reported .
The invective produced by Parker today and heavily sold to the media was, in its way, extraordinary. In tone, it was quite
different from the cold war register, which was formal and, well, cold. This attack was populist, direct, and far outside the diplomatic
register. Here is just a sample.
The Kremlin was engaging in "deliberate, targeted, malign activity intended to undermine our free, open and democratic societies".
The west had to "shine a light through the fog of lies, half-truths and obfuscation that pours out of their propaganda machine".
Russia, he said caustically, had as one of its "central and entirely admirable aims to build Russian greatness on the world stage".
But it had repeatedly chosen "to pursue that aim through aggressive and pernicious actions by its military and intelligence services".
In so doing, it risked becoming "a more isolated pariah".
So long as the UK refuses consular access to Yulia Skripal, Russia can with some justification ask just who has a monopoly
on a fog of lies.'
Now, it is hard to know what to make of all this, other than to point out that he was speaking to fellow security chiefs. Maybe,
among themselves, they find it more morale-boosting to demonise an old enemy than to take on adversaries that have emerged more recently,
are more complicated and against which they have so far perhaps had less success. There is a sense too, for the UK at least, that
relations with Russia have been so bad for so long that magnifying the supposed Russia threat is a cost-free enterprise in diplomatic
terms.
It might also be worth considering whether there are budgetary and Brexit angles. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the
US and the UK, in particular, scaled back their government-backed research on Russia and lost a great deal of expertise, which they
are now trying to rebuild. That means they have to make a case for more taxpayers' money, and scare tactics are one way to do that.
For the UK, there may also be the fear that it will find the European Union less inclined to keep London in the intelligence loop,
and at a time when the US is looking a far less reliable ally it might make sense to play up the Russian bogeyman, not least
as Vladimir Putin begins his fourth term in office. Nothing like starting as you intend to go on.
Yet it is still difficult to see the sense in this. Russia has become inured to UK scolding of this kind, and treats it with contempt
as its social media response to Parker's speech shows. What is more, so long as the UK maintains its silence on the Skripals' fate
and refuses consular access to Yulia Skripal, Russia can with some justification, I would argue ask just who has a monopoly on
a "fog of lies".
Nor will the tone necessarily chime well with official views of Russia in Germany and France, which are not necessarily less tough
in practice, but certainly more nuanced, and better informed. The UK seems intent despite recent legislation about dubious money
in London in keeping its diplomatic and business relations with Russia in separate boxes. Germany, for one, does not have that
luxury.
The conclusion has to be that Russia is considered a 'safe', useful, and almost eternal enemy by the UK's powers-that-be
The UK's rhetorical onslaught on Russia is even more puzzling when you examine the security services' own priorities. "Is terrorism
the biggest threat facing the UK?" visitors to the MI5 website are asked in
a pop-up called "fact or fiction". Click no, and this is the response: "The biggest threat we currently face comes from international
terrorist groups and individuals inspired by them. Terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland also continue to pose a serious threat."
Now it is true that the threat from terrorism and Islamic State was also broached by Parker in his speech, but this was not the
section spun in advance to the media; it was not the aspect MI5
wanted above all to be noticed. So the conclusion has to be that Russia is considered a "safe", useful, and almost eternal enemy
by the UK's powers-that-be. Some of us may hope for something better, but it seems a long way away.
Mary Dejevsky is a former foreign correspondent in Moscow
Fake news, trying to create false connections between police psychological issues and a rather dubious UK poisoning false flag.
Via The Guardian
Almost 100 Wiltshire police officers and staff have sought psychological support after the nerve agent attack in Salisbury,
the Guardian can reveal.
Among those who have asked for help were officers who initially responded to the collapse of the former Russian spy Sergei
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, and those who were at or close to the various investigation sites in subsequent days and weeks.
Some reported feeling disorientated and anxious while others were concerned about the possible long-term health effects on
the public.
While the Skripal poisoning story has faded from much of the mainstream media news cycle, as it was increasingly exposed as a
complete hoax and embarrassment for the May government, the Guardian appears to be trying to resurrect "the Russians did"
Novichok narrative.
It is about time your stupid leader and her clown were put on the stage to explain to all the world why they chose to defame
the integrity of Russia in such an unbelievable set of circumstances that only children under the age of ten would not understand
!! How can any Nation since this demonic happening , ever trust this self - centred Bozo from ever making a sensible judgement
for the future of mankind !
UK has lost it completely and the Guardian has fallen prey to the CIA Mockingbird Operation (infiltration and manipulation
of media). Used to be a good paper under Alan Rushbridger and protection of Snowden, Assange etc. Now it has lost it altogether
with useless editorial board. The woman in charge must have something in common with Nikki Haley: incapable of nuance and irrationally
convinced of her being right (without research lots of claims about Assad, Putin etc.).
"... When she assured him that the UK was fully behind the white helmets and that funding would remain in place, there was a cheer from around the house. I'm amazed that Bolton allowed the administration to cut off funding when even the UK idiots in parliament want to fund the propaganda arm of the head choppers. ..."
Posted by: john wilson | May 12, 2018 8:06:41 AM |
7
The question we all want to know is, did Trump appoint lunatic Bolton entirely of his own
volition, or was he forced to appoint this psychopath? The reach of the US deep state seems
to be limitless. A curious thing happened the other day when someone in the US administration
announced that America would no longer be funding the white helmets propaganda outfit. Over
here in the UK parliament an opposition member of parliament was practically foaming at the
mouth with rage and demanded of prime minister Mrs May that the UK would be continuing to
fund the white helmets.
When she assured him that the UK was fully behind the white helmets and that funding
would remain in place, there was a cheer from around the house. I'm amazed that Bolton
allowed the administration to cut off funding when even the UK idiots in parliament want to
fund the propaganda arm of the head choppers.
"They are liars. And they know that they are liars," the late Egyptian writer and Nobel
laureate Naguib Mahfouz once wrote: "And we know that they are liars. Even so, they keep
lying...."
Notable quotes:
"... of a type developed by Russia ..."
"... The western modus operandi is the same in the Skripal case. The Tories rushed to conclusions and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Russian government to prove its innocence, or rather to admit its guilt. How was the so-called novichok delivered to London, did President Vladimir Putin authorise the attack, did Russia lose control of its stockpile? The prime minister and her foreign secretary had in effect declared Russia guilty as charged. No objective police investigation, no due process, no presumption of innocence, no evidence was necessary: it was "sentence first, verdict later", as the Red Queen declared in Alice in Wonderland . ..."
"... The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, stated for the record that "as soon as the rumors, fed by the British leadership, about the poisoning of Skripal appeared, we immediately requested access to this [toxic] substance so that our experts could analyze it in accordance with the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons." After the British ambassador visited the Russian foreign ministry on 13 March to receive the formal Russian reply to the British ultimatum, the foreign ministry in Moscow issued a communiqué: " The [Salisbury] incident appears to be yet another crooked attempt by the UK authorities to discredit Russia. Any threat to take 'punitive' measures against Russia will meet with a response. The British side should be aware of that." The Russian government in fact proposed that the alleged poisoning of the Skripals should be examined by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, according to procedures to which Britain itself had agreed when the OPCW was established in 1997. ..."
"... In the meantime, President Putin weighed in. "I guess any reasonable person [has] realised," he said, "that this is complete absurd[ity] and nonsense. [How could] anybody in Russia allow themselves such actions on the eve of the [Russian] presidential election and the football World Cup? This is unthinkable." In any police inquiry, investigators look for means, motive and opportunity. On these grounds did the trail of guilt lead to Moscow? ..."
"... The British PowerPoint presentation did not stop with its two main canards. It goes on to refer to "Russian malign activity" including, inter alia ..."
"... bourrage de crâne ..."
"... On 14 April, Minister Lavrov at a meeting in Moscow provided the answer. The substance used to attack the Skripals was laced with a substance know as BZ which incapacitates rather than kills and takes longer to work than an instant acting nerve agent which kills immediately. The United States, Britain and other NATO countries have developed this toxin and put it into service; the Soviet Union never did so. ..."
"... how did the perpetrators obtain the BZ toxin and bring it to Salisbury, did MI5 or MI6 authorise a false flag attack against the Skripals, or was it authorised by the British cabinet or by the prime minister alone? Or did British authorities lose control of their stockpiles? The trail of evidence does not lead to Moscow; it leads to London. ..."
"... A prima facie case can be made that the British government is lying about the Skripal affaire . Suspicion always falls upon those who act deviously, who hide behind clever turns of phrase and procedural and rhetorical smokescreens. British authorities are now saying that they have other top secret evidence, which explains everything, but unfortunately it can't be publicised. Nevertheless, the British government appears to have leaked it to the press. The Times published a story about a covert Russian lab producing nerve agents and it spread like wild fire across the Mainstream Media. The Daily Mirror put out a story about a Russian secret assassins' training manual. These stories are laughable. Is the Tory government that desperate? Is the British "everyman" that gullible? ..."
"... The secret assassin's manual reminds me of the 1924 "Zinoviev Letter", a counterfeit document produced by White Russians in Germany, purporting to demonstrate Soviet interference in British elections and planning for a socialist revolution. It was early days of "fake news". Parliamentary elections were underway in October 1924 and the Tories used the letter to attack the credibility of the Labour party. It was whipping up the red scare, and it worked like a charm. The Tories won a majority government. Soviet authorities claimed that the letter was bogus and they demanded a third party, independent investigation to ascertain the truth, just as the Russian government has done now. In 1924, the Tories refused, and understandably so, since they had a lot to hide. It took seventy-five years to determine that "the letter" was in fact counterfeit. ..."
"... déjà vu. ..."
"... "They are liars. And they know that they are liars," the late Egyptian writer and Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz once wrote: "And we know that they are liars. Even so, they keep lying...." ..."
"... The Tories are trying doggedly to maintain control of the narrative. Stakes are high for if it eventuates that the Tories have lied deliberately for political gain, at the risk of destabilising European, indeed world peace and security, the Tory government should be forced to resign and new elections, called. Then, the British electorate can decide whether it wants to be governed by reckless, mendacious Tory politicians who risk to provoke war against the Russian Federation. ..."
On 4 March 2018 it was a foggy day in southern England, and the MI6 Russian spy Sergei
Viktorovich Skripal and his daughter Yulia stepped out for a stroll, stopped at the local pub
in Salisbury, went to lunch at a nearby restaurant, and then took a walk in the park where they
collapsed on a park bench. What had happened to them? Did they suffer from food poisoning? Or
was Sergei Skripal involved in some dark affaire and the object of a hit by persons
unknown, his daughter being an accidental victim?
The police received a call that day at 4:15pm reporting two people in distress. Emergency
services were despatched immediately. The Skripals were rushed to hospital, while the local
police launched an investigation. It began to look like attempted murder, but the police urged
patience, saying it could take months before they might know what had happened and who, if
anyone, was responsible.
The Conservative government decided that it did not need to wait for a police investigation.
"The Russians" had tried to assassinate a former intelligence officer turned informant for MI6.
Skripal went to jail for that, but was released four years later in an exchange of agents with
the United States. Now, "the Russians," so the Tory hypothesis goes, wanted to settle old
scores. Less than 24 hours after the incident in Salisbury, the British foreign secretary,
Boris Johnson, suggested that the Russian government was the prime suspect in what looked like
an attempt gone wrong to assassinate Sergei Skripal.
On 12 March the foreign
secretary summoned the Russian ambassador to inform him that a nerve agent, A-234, had been
used against the Skripals. How did you do it, Johnson wanted to know, or did the Russian
government lose control of its stocks of chemical weapons? He gave the Russian ambassador 24
hours to respond. In point of fact, the Russian government does not possess any stockpiles of
chemical weapons or nerve agents, having destroyed them all as of September 2017.
Later that day, the British prime minister, Theresa May, declared in the House of Commons
that the Skripals, then said to be in a coma, were poisoned with "a military-grade nerve agent
of a type developed by Russia " (italics added) called a 'novichok', a Russian word
having various possible translations into English (beginner, novice, newcomer, etc.). May
claimed that since the Soviet Union was known to have produced this chemical weapon, or nerve
agent (also known as A-234), that it was " highly likely " that the Russian government
was guilty of the attack on the Skripals.
Here is what the prime minister said in the House of Commons: "Either this was a direct act
by the Russian State against our country. Or the Russian government lost control of this
potentially catastrophically damaging nerve agent and allowed it to get into the hands of
others." The hurried British accusations were redolent of those in 2014 alleging Russian
government complicity or direct involvement in the shooting down of Malaysian Airlines MH 17
over the Ukraine. Within hours of the destruction of MH 17, the United States and its
vassals, including Britain, accused Russia of being responsible.
The western modus operandi is the same in the Skripal case. The Tories rushed to
conclusions and issued a 24-hour ultimatum to the Russian government to prove its innocence, or
rather to admit its guilt. How was the so-called novichok delivered to London, did President
Vladimir Putin authorise the attack, did Russia lose control of its stockpile? The prime
minister and her foreign secretary had in effect declared Russia guilty as charged. No
objective police investigation, no due process, no presumption of innocence, no evidence was
necessary: it was "sentence first, verdict later", as the Red Queen declared in Alice in
Wonderland .
On 13 March the Russian embassy informed the Foreign Office that the Russian Federation was
not involved in any way with the Salisbury incident. We will not respond to an ultimatum, came
the reply from Moscow. The eloquent Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, Mariia Zakharova,
characterised the British démarche as a "circus show". Actually, Foreign Office clerks
must have told Boris Johnson that Russia would not respond to such an ultimatum so that it was
a deliberate British attempt to provoke a negative Russian reply.
The Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, stated for the record that "as soon as the
rumors, fed by the British leadership, about the poisoning of Skripal appeared, we immediately
requested access to this [toxic] substance so that our experts could analyze it in accordance
with the Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons." After the British ambassador
visited the Russian foreign ministry on 13 March to receive the formal Russian reply to the
British ultimatum, the foreign ministry in Moscow issued a communiqué: " The [Salisbury]
incident appears to be yet another crooked attempt by the UK authorities to discredit Russia.
Any threat to take 'punitive' measures against Russia will meet with a response. The British
side should be aware of that." The Russian government in fact proposed that the alleged
poisoning of the Skripals should be examined by the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague, according to procedures to which Britain itself had
agreed when the OPCW was established in 1997.
On 14 March the British government expelled 23 Russian diplomats, and a few days later the
Russian side expelled 23 British diplomats and shuttered the offices of the British Council in
Russia. At the same time, the British appealed to their allies and to the European Union to
show solidarity by expelling Russian diplomats.
Twenty-eight countries did so, though for most it was one or two expulsions, tokenism to
appease the British. Other countries -- for example, Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Portugal --
refused to join the stampede. Going over the top, the United States expelled sixty
diplomats and closed the Russian consulate in Seattle. The Russians responded in kind with
sixty expulsions and the closure of the US consulate in St. Petersburg. Momentum seemed to be
building toward a major confrontation. The British prime minister even alluded to the
possibility of
military action .
In the meantime, President Putin weighed in. "I guess any reasonable person [has] realised,"
he said, "that this is complete absurd[ity] and nonsense. [How could] anybody in Russia allow
themselves such actions on the eve of the [Russian] presidential election and the football
World Cup? This is unthinkable." In any police inquiry, investigators look for means, motive
and opportunity. On these grounds did the trail of guilt lead to Moscow?
Momentum is sometimes like a balloon, it blows up and then it suddenly bursts. The British
case against Russia began to fall apart almost from the time it was made. In late March the
Russian newspaper Kommersant leaked a
British PowerPoint presentation sent to eighty embassies in Moscow. It asserted, inter
alia , that the British chemical weapons facility at Porton Down had positively identified
the substance, which allegedly poisoned the Skripals, as a Novichok, "developed only by
Russia". Both these statements are false. On 3 April Porton Down stated publicly that it could
not determine the origin of the substance that poisoned the Skripals. It also came out
that the formula for making a so-called novichok was published in a book by a Russian dissident
and chemist, Vil Mirzayanov, who now lives in the United States. You can buy his book
(published in 2008), which includes the formula, on
Amazon.com . In fact, any number of governments or smart chemists or even bright
undergraduate chemistry students with the proper facilities could make this nerve agent.
Amongst those governments having access to the original formula are Britain and the United
States. The Russian embassy in London noted in a published
report that "neither Russia nor the Soviet Union has ever developed an agent named
'Novichok'." The report further stated that "While Soviet scientists did work on new types of
chemical poisons, the word 'Novichok' was introduced in the West in mid-1990s to designate a
series of new chemical agents developed there on the basis of information made available by
Russian expat researchers. The British insistence to use the Russian word 'Novichok' is an
attempt to artificially link the substance to Russia."
The British PowerPoint presentation did not stop with its two main canards. It goes on to
refer to "Russian malign activity" including, inter alia , the "invasion" of Georgia
in 2008, the "destabilisation" of the Ukraine and the shooting down of MH17 in 2014, and
interference in the US elections in 2016. All of these claims are audacious lies ,
easily deconstructed and unpacked. The referenced events are also unrelated to the Salisbury
incident and were raised in an attempt to smear the Russian Federation. In fact, the British
PowerPoint slides represent vulgar propaganda, bourrage de crâne , as
preposterous as any seen during the Cold War.
As Minister Lavrov pointed out, the Skripal case should have gone for resolution to the OPCW
in The Hague. Russia would then be directly involved in the investigation and would have access
to the alleged toxin, and other evidence to try to determine what had happened and who were the
perpetrators. The British government at first refused to go to the OPCW, and then when it did,
refused to authorise the Russian government to have access to the alleged substance, which had
sickened the Skripals. That idea is "perverse", said British authorities. Actually, not at all,
it is the procedure laid out in OPCW statutes, to which Britain itself agreed but has refused
to respect. When the Russian representative at the OPCW proposed a resolution to the executive
council, that it should respect its own statutes, he could not obtain the required vote of
approval. The British were attempting to hijack the OPCW as a
potential tool against the Russian Federation. Thus far, that stratagem has not worked. On 12
April the OPCW released a report stating
that it had "confirm[ed] the findings of the United Kingdom relating to the identity of the
toxic chemical that was used in Salisbury ." The
report said nothing about the origin of the so-called "toxic chemical". The
British accusation against Russia thus remained unsubstantiated.
What I could not understand when I read the OPCW communiqué, is why the Skripals were
still alive. The OPCW says that the toxic chemical used against the Skripals was "of high
purity". Was it a nerve agent? Oddly, the OPCW published report avoids a straight answer. If it
was a nerve agent, being of "high purity," it should have been instant acting and killed the
Skripals almost immediately. Yet both have survived at the time of this writing. Something does
not make sense. Of course, there could be a simple explanation for this puzzling mystery.
On 14 April, Minister Lavrov at a meeting in
Moscow provided the answer. The substance used to attack the Skripals was laced with a
substance know as BZ which incapacitates rather than kills and takes longer to work than an
instant acting nerve agent which kills immediately. The United States, Britain and other NATO
countries have developed this toxin and put it into service; the Soviet Union never did so.
Traces of A-234 were also identified, but according to experts, such a concentration of the
A-234 agent would cause death to anyone affected by it. "Moreover," according to
the Russian embassy in London , "considering its high volatility, the detection of this
substance in its initial state (pure form and high concentration) is extremely suspicious as
the samples have been taken several weeks since the poisoning," Could Britsh authorities have
tampered with the samples? The public OPCW report gives no details, and refers only to a "toxic
chemical". Nor did the report say that the OPCW had submitted specimens of the substance to a
well-known Swiss lab , which
promptly reported back its surprising results. The OPCW authorities thus lied when they said
that the tests "confirmed" the British identify of the "toxic chemical". Unless Porton
Down knew that the substance used against the Skripals was a BZ type toxin, and so informed the
OPCW, or, unless the Tory government lied in claiming publicly that it was a novichok nerve
agent. The British attempted hijacking of the OPCW has compromised its independence, for the
public report issued on 12 April is misleading. Moreover, since the BZ toxin is made by the US,
Britain and other NATO countries, it begs the same questions, which the Tories put to Moscow:
how did the perpetrators obtain the BZ toxin and bring it to Salisbury, did MI5 or MI6
authorise a false
flag attack against the Skripals, or was it authorised by the British cabinet or by the
prime minister alone? Or did British authorities lose control of their stockpiles? The trail of
evidence does not lead to Moscow; it leads to London.
A prima facie case can be made that the British government is lying about the
Skripal affaire . Suspicion always falls upon those who act deviously, who hide behind
clever turns of phrase and procedural and rhetorical smokescreens. British authorities are now
saying that they have other top secret evidence, which explains everything, but unfortunately
it can't be publicised. Nevertheless, the British government appears to have leaked it to the
press. The
Times published a story about a covert Russian lab producing nerve agents and it
spread like wild fire across the Mainstream Media. The
Daily Mirror put out a story about a Russian secret assassins' training manual. These
stories are laughable. Is the Tory government that desperate? Is the British "everyman" that
gullible?
The secret assassin's manual reminds me of the 1924 "Zinoviev Letter", a counterfeit
document produced by White Russians in Germany, purporting to demonstrate Soviet interference
in British elections and planning for a socialist revolution. It was early days of "fake news".
Parliamentary elections were underway in October 1924 and the Tories used the letter to attack
the credibility of the Labour party. It was whipping up the red scare, and it worked like a
charm. The Tories won a majority government. Soviet authorities claimed that the letter was
bogus and they demanded a third party, independent investigation to ascertain the truth, just
as the Russian government has done now. In 1924, the Tories refused, and understandably so,
since they had a lot to hide. It took seventy-five years to determine that "the letter" was in
fact counterfeit.
The Tories are again acting as if they have something to hide. It is déjà
vu. Will it take seventy-five years to get at the truth? Are there any honest British
cops, judges, civil servants ready to reveal the truth?
There is other evidence to suggest that the British narrative on the Salisbury incident is
bogus. The London Metropolitan Police have sought to prevent any outside contact with the
Skripals. They have taken away a recovered Yulia Skripal to an unknown location. They have
until now denied Russian consular authorities access to a Russian citizen in violation of
British approved consular agreements. Is there any chapter of international law, which the
British government now respects? British authorities have denied access to Yulia Skripal's
family in Russia; they have denied a visa to Yulia's cousin, Viktoria, to visit with her. Are
British spooks grooming Yulia, briefing her to stay on the Tory narrative? Is she being
manipulated like some kind of Manchurian Candidate? Have they induced her to betray her country
in exchange for emoluments, a new identity in the United States, a house, a BMW and money? Are
they playing upon her loyalty to her father? Based on a
statement attributed to Yulia by the London Metropolitan Police, it begins
to look that way . Or, is the message, sounding very British and official, quite simply a
fake? The Russian embassy in London suspects that it is. What is certain is that British
authorities are acting as though they have something to hide. Even German politicians,
amongst others, have criticised the British rush to indict Russia. Damage control is underway.
Given all the evidence, can any person with reasonable abilities to think critically believe
anything the Tories are saying about the Salisbury affair?
"They are liars. And they know that they are liars," the late Egyptian writer and Nobel
laureate Naguib Mahfouz once wrote: "And we know that they are liars. Even so, they keep
lying...." Mahfouz was not writing about the British, but all the same, he could have been. Are
not his well-known lines apposite to the present government in London?
The Tories are trying doggedly to maintain control of the narrative. Stakes are high for if
it eventuates that the Tories have lied deliberately for political gain, at the risk of
destabilising European, indeed world peace and security, the Tory government should be forced
to resign and new elections, called. Then, the British electorate can decide whether it wants
to be governed by reckless, mendacious Tory politicians who risk to provoke war against the
Russian Federation.
Where are the Scripals? How are they feeling these days? (68 days and counting), Are they alive ?
Notable quotes:
"... To clarify: Sergei Skripal has been suspected of playing a role in concocting the fake "Steele dossier" that helped launch the Russiagate NARRATIVE. ..."
"... The "dossier" was also used by Comey's FBI to obtain FISA warrants to monitor Trump campaign communications. (The NSA had intercepts all along but Comey's FBI needed a "provenance.") ..."
"... Like the Hound of the Baskervilles, the absence of questions in the British media speaks volumes. "The truth is the first casualty in a war." ..."
In the meantime, I want to refocus on the Skripal case. There is one outright bizarre thing
which I initially dismissed, but which really is becoming disturbing: the fact that the Brits
are apparently holding Sergei and Iulia Skripal incommunicado. In other words, they have been
kidnapped.
There was this one single telephone call between Iulia Skripal and her sister, Victoria, in
which Iulia said that she was okay (she was clearly trying to reassure Victoria) but it was
clear that she could not speak freely. Furthermore, when Victoria mentioned that she would want
to visit Iulia, the latter reply 'nobody will give you a visa'. After that – full
silence. The Russian consulate has been making countless requests to
have a visit, but all that the Brits have done since is have Scotland
Yard post a letter which was evidently not written by Iulia and which said " I have
access to friends and family, and I have been made aware of my specific contacts at the Russian
Embassy who have kindly offered me their assistance in any way they can. At the moment I do not
wish to avail myself of their services, but, if I change my mind I know how to contact them
". What friends?! What family?! Nonsense!
Her sister tried to contact her many times through various channels, including official
ones, and then in total despair, she posted the following message on Facebook:
" My darling sister, Yulia! You are not communicating with us, and we don't know
anything about you and Sergey Victorivich. I know that I have no right to interfere in your
affairs without asking your permission, but I worry too much. I worry about you and your dad.
I also worry about Nuar. [Nuar is Yulia Skrial's dog, whom she left to stay at a kennel
center, while she was traveling to the UK.] He is now at the dog hotel, and they want to get
paid. We have to decide something what to do with him. I am ready to take him and to take
care of him until you come back home. Besides Nuar, I am concerned about your apartment and
your car. Nothing has been decided about their safety and maintenance. We can help with all
that, but I need your power of attorney in my or my sister Lena's name. If you think that all
of these is important, draw up a power of attorney form in a Russian consulate in any
country. If you won't do that, we will understand and won't interfere in your
affairs.
Vika "
No reply ever came.
I just entered the following query into Google: "
Skripal ". April 10 th has an entry saying that she was released from the
hospital. That is the most recent one I have found. I looked on Wikipedia , the
same thing, there is nothing at all.
I have to admit that when I first heard the Russian complaints I figured that this was no
big deal. I thought " the Brits told the Skripals that Putin tried to poison them, they are
probably afraid, and possibly still sick from whatever it is which made them sick, but the
Brits would never outright kidnap two foreign citizens, and most definitely not in such a
public way ".
I am not so sure anymore.
First, let's get the obvious one out of the way: the fear for the security of the Skripals.
That is utter nonsense. The Brits can organize a meeting between а Russian diplomat in
the UK at a highly protected UK facility, with tanks, SAS Teams on the standby, helicopters in
the air, bombers, etc. That Russian diplomat could speak to them through bullet-proof glass and
a phone. And, since the Russians are all so dangerous, he can be searched for weapons. All
which the Skripals need to do is to tell him/her "thank you, your services are not needed".
Conversation over. But the Brits refuse even that.
But let's say that the Skripals are so totally terrified of the evil Russians, that they
categorically refuse. Even by video-conference. It would be traumatic for them, right?
Okay.
What about a press conference then?
Even more disturbing is that, at least to my knowledge, nobody in the western corporate
media is asking for an interview with them. Snowden can safely speak from Russia and address
even large conferences, but the Skripals can't speak to anybody at all?
But here is the worst part of this: it has been two months already since the Skripals are
held in total secrecy by the UK authorities. Two months, that is 60 days. Ask any specialist on
interrogation or any psychologist what kind of effect 60 days of "specialized treatment" can do
to a person.
I am not dismissing the Russian statements about "kidnapping" anymore. What I see is this:
on substance, the Skripal false flag has crashed and burned, just like MH17 or the Douma
chemical attack, but unlike MH17 or Douma, the Skripals are two witnesses whose testimony has
the potential to result in a gigantic scandal, not just for the May government, but for all
those spineless Europeans who showed "solidarity" with Britain. In other words, the Skripals
will probably never be allowed to speak freely: they must either be killed or totally
brainwashed or disappeared. Any other option would result in a scandal of planetary
magnitude.
I can't pretend like my heart goes out to Sergei Skripal: the man was an officer who gave an
oath and who then betrayed his country to the British (he was a British agent, not a Russian
one as the press writes). Those holding him today are his former bosses. But Iulia? She is
completely innocent and as of April 5 th (when she called her sister Victoria), she
was clearly in good health and with a clear mind. Now she has been disappeared and I don't know
which is worse, the fact that she might never reappear or that she might one day reappear
following months of British "counseling". As for her father, he paid for his betrayal and he
too deserves a better fate than being poisoned, used and then disappeared.
In the big scheme of things (the Zionists war against our entire planet), two individuals
like Sergei and Iulia Skripal might not matter. But I think that the least we can do is to
remember them and their plight.
This also begs the question of what kind of society we live in. I am not shocked by the fact
that the British state would resort to such methods (they have always used them). I am shocked
that in a so-called western "democracy" with freedom, pluralism and "European values" (whatever
that means) the Brits could get away with this.
How about some "solidarity" with the Skripals – you, Europeans?!
As noted on this site some three weeks ago, former British ambassador Craig Murray suggested
some time ago that Sergei and Yulia Skripal were most likely murdered by Western secret
services in order to keep the "Russiagate" fiction (somewhat) alive.
Sergei cannot win – even if he was NOT involved in Russiagate, murdering him creates
flexibility to hang the story on him without contradiction. Yulia is icing on the cake
– "Surely Her Majesty's Government wouldn't murder a pretty girl like Yulia!"
Rather bizarrely, it appears appears that all premises connected with the Skripals are to
be demolished, purely to protect the public, you understand.
To clarify: Sergei Skripal has been suspected of playing a role in concocting the fake
"Steele dossier" that helped launch the Russiagate NARRATIVE.
The "dossier" was also used by Comey's FBI to obtain FISA warrants to monitor Trump
campaign communications. (The NSA had intercepts all along but Comey's FBI needed a
"provenance.")
Whether Skripal was actually involved in inventing the dossier or not, his absence will be
used to milk the narrative afloat a little longer.
Like the Hound of the Baskervilles, the absence of questions in the British media speaks
volumes. "The truth is the first casualty in a war."
Russia should request a third party for instance a well known British public figure as an
intermediary to contact Skripals on behalf of Russia. The UK wil not be able to claim that
such figure will put undue pressure on the Skripals and would be forced to either facilitate
contact or be exposed as actually kidnapping the Skripals.
Potential intermediaries Corbyn, Galloway, UN representative, Tulsi Gabbard. There are
numerous candidates.
In other words, the Skripals will probably never be allowed to speak freely: they must
either be killed or totally brainwashed or disappeared. Any other option would result in a
scandal of planetary magnitude.
That certainly explains why Britain did not kill them with Novichok.
The British are working hard on new super-secret identities for the Scripals. They are so
secret that even the Scripals would not be allowed to know them. Technically, the British
could tell the Scripals their new identities, but then they would have to kill them, in order
to keep them secret.
It is clear that every person including The Saker who write about the Skripals and Russian
affairs do not have the in-depth knowledge of John Helmer the longest serving independent
western journalist in Moscow. In this post by John Helmer dated 23/03/2018
he writes about the British Court of Protection's findings.
Below are two excerpts (in parenthesis his comments) but I implore you to read the whole
article as well as other postings on the potential appointments in Putins new government.
"British High Court Justice David Williams has issued the first court adjudication of
evidence presented by the British Government of what happened to Sergei Skripal and Yulia
Skripal when they succumbed to poisoning in Salisbury on March 4. Following three days of
closed-door hearings this week in London, the judge issued a ruling for publication
yesterday."
"Representing the Skripals, Vikram Sachdeva QC told the judge "that in this case at present
it did not appear practicable or appropriate to seek the views of others who might be
interested in the welfare of Mr Skripal (his mother perhaps) or Ms Skripal (perhaps a
fiancé).
" the Skripals are two witnesses whose testimony has the potential to result in a gigantic
scandal, not just for the May government, but for all those spineless Europeans who showed
"solidarity" with Britain . "
Based on recent history, one can safely bet that there will be no scandal.
The bombing of the Lockerbie plane was an evil crime that took 270 innocent lives, and was
attributed by the official UK/US intelligence centres to the former Libyan government under
late President Gaddafi.
When this government came under NATO attack in 2011, its foreign minister Moussa Koussa
defected and sought refuge in London. He had previously been head of Libyan secret services
for 15 years (!!!), and as such, would have organised and supervised the Lockerbie "terror"
attack.
What did the UK/US governments do with him? Send him to trial at the Hague? Of course not.
He was sent to a safe heaven somewhere in the NATO proxy EAU.
Nobody cares about the victims of false flag attacks, quite the contrary: the less
investigations, the more efficient the false flag.
"... When she assured him that the UK was fully behind the white helmets and that funding would remain in place, there was a cheer from around the house. I'm amazed that Bolton allowed the administration to cut off funding when even the UK idiots in parliament want to fund the propaganda arm of the head choppers. ..."
Posted by: john wilson | May 12, 2018 8:06:41 AM |
7
The question we all want to know is, did Trump appoint lunatic Bolton entirely of his own
volition, or was he forced to appoint this psychopath? The reach of the US deep state seems
to be limitless. A curious thing happened the other day when someone in the US administration
announced that America would no longer be funding the white helmets propaganda outfit. Over
here in the UK parliament an opposition member of parliament was practically foaming at the
mouth with rage and demanded of prime minister Mrs May that the UK would be continuing to
fund the white helmets.
When she assured him that the UK was fully behind the white helmets and that funding
would remain in place, there was a cheer from around the house. I'm amazed that Bolton
allowed the administration to cut off funding when even the UK idiots in parliament want to
fund the propaganda arm of the head choppers.
"... A McClatchy journalist investigated further and came to the same conclusion as I did. The 'leak' to the New York Times was disinformation. ..."
"... Russia has not pinned the Novichok to Sweden or the Czech Republic. It said, correctly, that several countries produced Novichok. Russia did not blame the UK for the 'nerve gas attack' in Syria. Russia says that there was no gas attack in Douma. ..."
"... The claims of Russian disinformation these authors make to not hold up to scrutiny. Meanwhile there pieces themselves are full of lies, distortions and, yes, disinformation. ..."
"... Wait for an outbreak of hostilities on the Ukraine-Donbass front shortly before the beginning of the World Cup competition which is as internationally important as the Olympic Games -- as they did in 2014 with Maidan and 2016 with the Sochi Winter Olympics drug uproar, the CIA will create chaos that will take the emphasis off any Russian success, since as to them, anything negative regarding Russia is a positive for them. ..."
"... No traces of chemical weapons have been found in Douma. This means that not only the US/UK/French airstrikes were illegal under international law but even their political justification was inherently flawed. Similarly, in the Salisbury affair, no evidence of Russian involvement has been presented, while the two myths on which the British case was built (the Russian origin of the chemical substance used and the existence of proof of Russian responsibility) have been shattered. ..."
"... Given the lack of facts, the Tory leadership seems to be adopting a truly Orwellian logic: that the main proof of Russian responsibility are the Russian denials! It is hard to see how they will be able to sell this to their international partners. Self-respecting countries of G20 would not be willing to risk their reputation. ..."
"... The detail of b's analysis that stands out to me as especially significant and brilliant is his demolition of the Guardian's reuse of the Merkel "quote." ..."
"... Related to the above, consider the nature of the recently christened thought-crime, "whataboutism." The crime may be defined as follows: "Whataboutism" is the attempt to understand a truth asserted by propaganda by way of relation to other truths it has asserted contemporaneous with or prior to this one. It is to ask, "What about this *other* truth? Does this *other* truth affect our understanding of *this* truth? And if so, how does it?" ..."
"... Whataboutism seems to deny that each asserted truth stands on its own, and has no essential relation to any other past, present, or future asserted truth. ..."
"... 1984, anyone? ..."
"... The absurd story that the OPCW says there was a 100gm/100mg who knows which on the door and other sites is just so stupid its painful. ..."
"... Presumably the Skripals touch the cutlery, plates and wine glasses in the restaurant, so why weren't the staff there infected as they must have had to pick up the plates etc after the meal. Even the door to the entrance of the restaurant should be affected as they would have to push it open, thus leaving the chemical for other people to touch. Nope, nothing in this stupid story adds up and the OPCW can't even get the amounts of the chemical right. ..."
"... Biggest problem with the world today is lazy insouciant citizens. ..."
"... One very important point Lavrov made was the anti-Russian group consists of a very small number of nations representing a small fraction of humanity; ..."
"... while they have some economic and military clout, it's possible for the rest of the world's nations to sideline them and get on with the important business of forming a genuine Multipolar World Order, which is what the UN and its Charter envisioned. ..."
"... Anything that may not confirm to the 'truth' as prescribed from above must be overwhelmed with an onslaught of more lies or, if that does not work, be discredited as 'enemy' disinformation. ..."
"... Yes, exactly. The Western hegemony, i.e. the true "Axis of Evil" led by the US, and including the EU and non-Western allies, have invented the Perpetual Big Lie™. ..."
"... Witnesses? They're either confederates, dupes, or terrified by coercion. Evidence and/or technical analysis? All faked! A nominally reliable party, e.g. the president of the Czech Republic, makes statements that undermine the Big Lie Nexus? Again-- he's either been bought off or frightened into making such inconvenient claims. Or he's just a mischievous liar. ..."
"... And, as I seemingly never get tired of pointing out, the Perpetual Big Lie™ strategy arose, and succeeds, because the "natural enemies" of authoritarian government overreach have been coerced or co-opted to a fare-thee-well. So mass-media venues, and even supposedly independent technical and scientific organizations, are part of the Perpetual Big Lie™ apparatus. ..."
"... Putting Kudrin -- an opponent of de-dollarization and an upholder of the Washington Consensus -- in charge of Russia's international outreach would be equal to putting Bill Clinton in charge of a girls' school. ..."
"... In the Guardian I only read the comments, never the article. Here, I read both. That is the difference between propaganda and good reporting. ..."
The Grauniad is slipping deeper into the disinformation business:
Revealed: UK's push to strengthen anti-Russia alliance is the headline of a page one piece
which reveals exactly nothing. There is no secret lifted and no one was discomforted by a
questioning journalist.
Like other such pieces it uses disinformation to accuse Russia of spreading such.
The main 'revelation' is stenographed from a British government official. Some quotes from
the usual anti-Russian propagandists were added. Dubious or false 'western' government claims
are held up as truth. That Russia does not endorse them is proof for Russian mischievousness
and its 'disinformation'.
The opener:
The UK will use a series of international summits this year to call for a comprehensive
strategy to combat Russian disinformation and urge a rethink over traditional diplomatic
dialogue with Moscow, following the Kremlin's aggressive campaign of denials over the use of
chemical weapons in the UK and Syria.
...
"The foreign secretary regards Russia's response to Douma and Salisbury as a turning point
and thinks there is international support to do more," a Whitehall official said. "The areas
the UK are most likely to pursue are countering Russian disinformation and finding a
mechanism to enforce accountability for the use of chemical weapons."
There is a mechanism to enforce accountability for the use of chemical weapons. It is the
Chemical Weapon Convention and the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
It was the British government which at first
rejected the use of these instruments during the Skripal incident:
Early involvement of the OPCW, as demanded by Russia, was resisted by the British
government. Only on March 14, ten days after the incident happened and two days after Prime
Minister Theresa may had made accusations against Russia, did the British government invite
the OPCW. Only on March 19, 15 days after the incident happen did the OPCW technical team
arrive and took blood samples.
Now back to the Guardian disinformation:
In making its case to foreign ministries, the UK is arguing that Russian denials over
Salisbury and Douma reveal a state uninterested in cooperating to reach a common
understanding of the truth , but instead using both episodes to try systematically to divide
western electorates and sow doubt.
A 'common understanding of the truth' is an interesting term. What is the truth? Whatever
the British government claims? It accused Russia of the Skripal incident a mere eight days
after it happened. Now, two month later, it admits that it
does not know who poisoned the Skripals:
Police and intelligence agencies have failed so far to identify the individual or
individuals who carried out the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, the UK's national security
adviser has disclosed.
Do the Brits know where the alleged Novichok poison came from? Unless they produced it
themselves they likely have no idea. The Czech Republic just admitted that it
made small doses of a Novichok nerve agent for testing purposes. Others did too.
Back to the Guardian :
British politicians are not alone in claiming Russia's record of mendacity is not a personal
trait of Putin's, but a government-wide strategy that makes traditional diplomacy
ineffective.
Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, famously came off one lengthy phone call with Putin
– she had more than 40 in a year – to say he lived in a different world.
No, Merkel never said that. An Obama administration flunky planted that
in the New York Times :
Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany told Mr. Obama by telephone on Sunday that after speaking
with Mr. Putin she was not sure he was in touch with reality, people briefed on the call
said. "In another world," she said.
When that claim was made in March 2014 we were immediately suspicious
of it:
This does not sound like typically Merkel but rather strange for her. I doubt that she said
that the way the "people briefed on the call" told it to the Times stenographer. It is rather
an attempt to discredit Merkel and to make it more difficult for her to find a solution with
Russia outside of U.S. control.
A day later the German government
denied (ger) that Merkel ever said such (my translation):
The chancellery is unhappy about the report in the New York Times. Merkel by no means meant
to express that Putin behaved irrational. In fact she told Obama that Putin has a different
perspective about the Crimea [than Obama has].
A McClatchy journalist investigated
further and came to the same conclusion as I did. The 'leak' to the New York Times was
disinformation.
That disinformation, spread by the Obama administration but immediately exposed as false, is
now held up as proof by Patrick Wintour, the Diplomatic editor of the Guardian , that
Russia uses disinformation and that Putin is a naughty man.
The British Defense Minister Gavin Williamson
wants journalists to enter the UK reserve forces to help with the creation of
propaganda:
He said army recruitment should be about "looking to different people who maybe think, as a
journalist: 'What are my skills in terms of how are they relevant to the armed forces?'
Patrick Wintour seems to be a qualified candidate.
Or maybe he should join the NATO for Information Warfare the Atlantic Council wants to
create to further disinform about those damned Russkies:
What we need now is a cross-border defense alliance against disinformation -- call it
Communications NATO. Such an alliance is, in fact, nearly as important as its military
counterpart.
Like the Guardian piece above writer of the NATO propaganda lobby Atlantic Council
makes claims of Russian disinformation that do not hold up to the slightest test:
By pinning the Novichok nerve agent on Sweden or the Czech Republic, or blaming the UK for
the nerve gas attack in Syria, the Kremlin sows confusion among our populations and makes us
lose trust in our institutions.
Russia has not pinned the Novichok to Sweden or the Czech Republic. It said, correctly, that
several countries produced Novichok. Russia did not blame the UK for the 'nerve gas attack' in
Syria. Russia says that there was no gas attack in Douma.
The claims of Russian disinformation these authors make to not hold up to scrutiny.
Meanwhile there pieces themselves are full of lies, distortions and, yes, disinformation.
The bigger aim behind all these activities, demanding a myriad of new organizations to
propagandize against Russia, is to introduce a strict control over information within 'western'
societies.
Anything that may not confirm to the 'truth' as prescribed from above must be overwhelmed
with an onslaught of more lies or, if that does not work, be discredited as 'enemy'
disinformation.
That scheme will be used against anyone who deviates from the ordered norm. You dislike that
pipeline in your backyard? You must be falling for
Russian trolls or maybe you yourself are an agent of a foreign power. Social Security? The
Russians like that. It is a disinformation thing. You better forget about it.
Excellent article, in an ongoing run of great journalism.
I am curious - have you read this? https://ratical.org/ratville/JFK/ST/
It purports to be a book by an American military man intimately familiar with the covert ops
portion of the US government. The internal Kafka-esque dynamics described certainly feel
true.
One of the reasons newspapers are getting worse is the economics. They aren't really viable
anymore. Their future is as some form of government sanctioned oligopoly. Two national papers
-- a "left" and a "right" -- and then a handful of regional papers. All spouting the same
neoliberal, neoconservative chicanery.
Genuine journalist Matt Taibbi warned of this sort of branding of disparate views as enemy a
month ago. He was also correct. Evil and insidious. The enemy of a free society.
Wait for an outbreak of hostilities on the Ukraine-Donbass front shortly before the beginning
of the World Cup competition which is as internationally important as the Olympic Games -- as
they did in 2014 with Maidan and 2016 with the Sochi Winter Olympics drug uproar, the CIA
will create chaos that will take the emphasis off any Russian success, since as to them,
anything negative regarding Russia is a positive for them.
I agree that it's difficult to see how the drive to renew the Cold War is going to be
stopped. I presume that, with the exception of certain NeoCon circles, there isn't a desire
for Hot War. Certainly not in the British sources you quote. Britain wouldn't want Hot War
with Russia. It's all a question of going to the limit for internal consumption. Do a 1984,
in order to keep the population in-line.
thanks b... i can't understand how any intelligent thinking person would read the guardian,
let alone something like the huff post, and etc. etc... why? the propaganda money that pays
for the white helmets, certainly goes to these outlets as well..
the uk have gone completely nuts! i guess it comes with reading the guardian, although, in
fairness, all british media seems very skewed - sky news, bbc, and etc. etc.
it does appear as though Patrick Wintour is on Gavin Williamson's propaganda
bandwagon/payroll already... in reading the comments and articles at craig murrays site, i
have become more familiar with just how crazy things are in the uk.. his latest article
freedom no
more sums it up well... throw the uk msm in the trash can... it is for all intensive
purposes, done..
Meanwhile, OPCW chief Uzumcu seems to have been pranked again, this time by his own staff
(this is how I interpret it):
He claimed that the amount of Novichok found was about 100 g and therefore more than
research laboratories would produce, i.e. this was weaponized Novichok.
Q: What is our reaction to the Guardian article on a "comprehensive strategy" to "deepen
the alliance against Russia" to be pursued by the UK Government at international forums?
A: Judging by the publication, the main current challenge for Whitehall is to preserve
the anti-Russian coalition that the Conservatives tried to build after the Salisbury
incident. This task is challenging indeed. The "fusion doctrine" promoted by the national
security apparatus has led to the Western bloc taking hasty decisions that, as life has
shown, were not based on any facts.
No traces of chemical weapons have been found in Douma. This means that not only the
US/UK/French airstrikes were illegal under international law but even their political
justification was inherently flawed. Similarly, in the Salisbury affair, no evidence of
Russian involvement has been presented, while the two myths on which the British case was
built (the Russian origin of the chemical substance used and the existence of proof of
Russian responsibility) have been shattered.
Given the lack of facts, the Tory leadership seems to be adopting a truly Orwellian
logic: that the main proof of Russian responsibility are the Russian denials! It is hard to
see how they will be able to sell this to their international partners. Self-respecting
countries of G20 would not be willing to risk their reputation.
Hmmm... My reply to c1ue went sideways it seems. Yes, The late Mr. Prouty's book's the real
deal and the website hosting his very rare book is a rare gem itself. Click the JFK at page
top left to be transported to that sites archive of writings about his murder. The very important essay by
Prouty's there too.
The detail of b's analysis that stands out to me as especially significant and brilliant is
his demolition of the Guardian's reuse of the Merkel "quote."
This one detail tells us so much about how propaganda works, and about how it can be
defeated. Successful propaganda both depends upon and seeks to accelerate the erasure of
historical memory. This is because its truths are always changing to suit the immediate needs
of the state. None of its truths can be understood historically. b makes the connection
between the documented but forgotten past "truth" of Merkel's quote and its present
reincarnation in the Guardian, and this is really all he *needs* to do. What b points out is
something quite simple; yet the ability to do this very simple thing is becoming increasingly
rare and its exercise increasingly difficult to achieve. It is for me the virtue that makes
b's analysis uniquely indispensable.
Related to the above, consider the nature of the recently christened thought-crime,
"whataboutism." The crime may be defined as follows: "Whataboutism" is the attempt to
understand a truth asserted by propaganda by way of relation to other truths it has asserted
contemporaneous with or prior to this one. It is to ask, "What about this *other* truth? Does
this *other* truth affect our understanding of *this* truth? And if so, how does it?"
Whataboutism seems to deny that each asserted truth stands on its own, and has no
essential relation to any other past, present, or future asserted truth.
The absurd story that the OPCW says there was a 100gm/100mg who knows which on the door and
other sites is just so stupid its painful. This implies that the Skripals both closed the
door together and then went off on their day spreading the stuff everywhere, yet no one else
was contaminated (apart from the fantasy policeman).
Presumably the Skripals touch the
cutlery, plates and wine glasses in the restaurant, so why weren't the staff there infected
as they must have had to pick up the plates etc after the meal. Even the door to the entrance
of the restaurant should be affected as they would have to push it open, thus leaving the
chemical for other people to touch. Nope, nothing in this stupid story adds up and the OPCW
can't even get the amounts of the chemical right.
The problem is,,, most know it's all BS but find it 'easier' to believe or at most ignore, as
then there is no responsibility to 'do something'. Biggest problem with the world today is
lazy insouciant citizens. (Yes,,, I'm a PCR reader) :))
Did you catch the Lavrov interview I linked to on previous Yemen thread? As you might
imagine, the verbiage used is quite similar. One very important point Lavrov made was the
anti-Russian group consists of a very small number of nations representing a small fraction
of humanity; and that while they have some economic and military clout, it's possible for the
rest of the world's nations to sideline them and get on with the important business of
forming a genuine Multipolar World Order, which is what the UN and its Charter
envisioned.
"I cannot sufficiently express my outrage that Leeds City Council feels it is right to ban
a meeting with very distinguished speakers, because it is questioning the government and
establishment line on Syria. Freedom of speech really is dead."
Anything that may not confirm to the 'truth' as prescribed from above must be overwhelmed
with an onslaught of more lies or, if that does not work, be discredited as 'enemy'
disinformation. _______________________________________
Yes, exactly. The Western hegemony, i.e. the true "Axis of Evil" led by the US, and
including the EU and non-Western allies, have invented the Perpetual Big Lie™.
This isn't a new insight, but it's worth repeating. It struck me anew while I was
listening to a couple of UK "journalists" hectoring OPCW Representative Shulgin, and
directing scurrilous and provocative innuendo disguised as "questions" to Mr. Shulgin and the
Syrian witnesses testifying during his presentation.
It flashed upon me that there is no longer a reasonable expectation that the Perpetual Big
Liars must eventually abandon, much less confess, their heinous mendacity. Just as B points
out, there are no countervailing facts, evidence, rebuttals, theories, or explanations
that can't be countered with further iterations of Big Lies, however offensively incredible
and absurd.
Witnesses? They're either confederates, dupes, or terrified by coercion. Evidence and/or
technical analysis? All faked! A nominally reliable party, e.g. the president of the Czech
Republic, makes statements that undermine the Big Lie Nexus? Again-- he's either been bought
off or frightened into making such inconvenient claims. Or he's just a mischievous liar.
And, as I seemingly never get tired of pointing out, the Perpetual Big Lie™ strategy
arose, and succeeds, because the "natural enemies" of authoritarian government overreach have
been coerced or co-opted to a fare-thee-well. So mass-media venues, and even supposedly
independent technical and scientific organizations, are part of the Perpetual Big Lie™
apparatus.
Even as the Big Liars reach a point of diminishing returns, they respond with more of the
same. I wish I were more confident that this reprehensible practice will eventually fail due
to the excess of malignant hubris; I'm not holding my breath.
Is Putin capitulating? Pro US Alexei Kudrin could join new government to negotiate "end of
sanctions" with the West.
Former finance minister Alexei Kudrin will be brought back to "mend fences with the West"
in order to revive Russia's economy. Kudrin has repeatedly said that unless Russia makes her
political system more democratic and ends its confrontation with Europe and the United
States, she will not be able to achieve economic growth. Russia's fifth-columnists were
exalted: "If Kudrin joined the administration or government, it would indicate that they have
agreed on a certain agenda of change, including in foreign policy, because without change in
foreign policy, reforms are simply impossible in Russia," said Yevgeny Gontmakher . . . who
works with a civil society organization set up by Mr. Kudrin. "It would be a powerful
message, because Kudrin is the only one in the top echelons with whom they will talk in the
west and towards whom there is a certain trust."
Putting Kudrin -- an opponent of de-dollarization and an upholder of the Washington
Consensus -- in charge of Russia's international outreach would be equal to putting Bill
Clinton in charge of a girls' school.
It would mark Putin's de facto collapse as a leader. We
shall know very soon. Either way, if anyone wondered what the approach to Russia would be
from Bolton and Pompeo, we now know: they will play very hard ball with Putin, regardless of
what he does (or doesn't do), and with carefree readiness to risk an eventual snap.
Certainly looks like @ 18 is a fine example of what b is presenting.
A good way to extract one's self from the propaganda is to refuse using whatever meme the
disinformation uses, e.g. that Sergei Skripal was a double agent -- that is not a known, only
a convenient suggestion.
Military intelligence is far better described as military
information needed for some project or mission. Not surreptitious cloak and dagger spying.
This is not to say Sergei Scripal was a British spy for which he was convicted, stripped of
rank and career and exiled through a spy swap. To continue using Sergei Scripal was a double
agent only repeats and verifies the disinformation meme and all the framing that goes with
it. Find some alternative to what MSM produces that does not embed truthiness to their
efforts.
I realize it's from one of the biggest propaganda organs in the world... take this New
York Times report of the OPCW's retraction with a 100 grams -- 100mg? -- of salt:
Kudrin is a neoliberal and as such is an
enemy of humanity and will never again be allowed to hold a position of power within Russia's
government. Let him emigrate to the West like his fellow parasites and teach junk economics
at some likeminded university.
"... I am reading Taleb's recent book "Skin in the game" which has interesting material about the disconnection between risky behaviors and their consequences in modern USA. He also has a chapter about the mechanics involved in why minority viewpoints in our culture become dominant. It's an interesting read. ..."
"... Finally, the Police partially acknowledged their mistake and accused the Russians of not having been completely fair play. Indeed, these thuriferous bastards of Vlad the Impaler had put poison on the OUTDOOR handle of the front door of the house. It's infinitely subtle of these savages. The Brit Police did not suspect what strong part it had to make, the unexpected thwarting its learned calculations. Presumption, again and again. Nevertheless, the detectives are formal: the Russians did the trick well. The evidence is obvious. In this dramatic case, we are not going to make a comparison between insular and continental logic. The hour is too serious for these trifles. Lots of laughter. ..."
"... It's very difficult in any case to believe that such a notice could have been issued. Can't see why it would be needed. The scripting of the official story on such matters as this seems to be a joint enterprise between the media and the press officers. That's a time-honoured consensus so why would the media need bullying to stay in line? ..."
"... My personal view on all this is that the No. 10 press officers aren't that good at this new-fangled information stuff. They don't seem to have their hearts in it somehow. Time for them to go back to counting paperclips and for information campaigns to be handled by the experts. The BBC have a proven track record in this field and it's time that was officially recognised. ..."
Sir Mark, bless him, has told an MP during a committee meeting, that the armed forces, MI-5, MI-6 and GCHQ do not know who or
indeed what sickened the Skripals, pere et fille , in Salisbury. He doesn't seem to have mentioned the police. So, basically,
pilgrims, Teresa May, the queen's first minister has insistently and incessantly accused the Russians of a crime of which our British
cousins know precious little. In a closely related development, it is now revealed that the Britishers sealed up Skripal's house
after the poisoning event leaving the black Persian shown above and two guinea pigs to die of thirst and hunger within. It would
seem likely that they knew they were doing this since they would have searched the house first. No? Perhaps they thought that the
cat might be a threat as a being of possible Iranian descent. This is impressive stuff. pl
https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2018-05-01/uk-has-not-yet-identified-skripal-poisoning-suspects
These false flag ops are all so shabby in their execution. The lack of thoroughness and imagination on the part of the governments
running them is really disappointing. For example, if I was running an investigation into the Skripal incident, I would have captured
the cat and rodents and run pathology tests on them to see what bio/chem agents might be in their systems. Also, because they
might escape and become a vector of further infection. That seems like it would be SOP. So I'd do it even if I knew the story
was BS to create the appearance of reality. Then, I could always state that the pets should signs of Russian engineered bio/chem
agents. Could even create a video of the pets dying some horrible death due to the agents. That's more better BS.
And yet, this appears to be a lie as well. An earlier piece in the British news claims the pets were taken to Porton Down for
examination and testing soon after the incident. Seems more likely they eliminated evidence and then came up with the cover story
about how the animals were "forgotten about" and locked in the house for a month, implying totally unimportant for the investigation.
http://metro.co.uk/2018/03/...
I hope she and Johnson pay the price for this folly. May it be steep! Very. very steep.
How these two suckered so many nations foolishly into sending diplomats home reflected respect for UK policy toward Russia.
These nations will need to think long and hard about following any such UK lead in future.
This week, the US took down the Russian flag flying over Russian real estate in Seattle. Shameful!
I don't know much about the dynamics of British politics but as a light observer of British news I wonder why Theresa May remains
prime minister? She became prime minister after the historic Brexit vote. Promptly takes the country to an election and botches
it for the Tories. Then bungles the Brexit negotiations. Runs a floundering government. Now comes up with accusations against
the Russians in the Skripal affair with no evidence presented but looking more foolish as her story comes under scrutiny.
I am reading Taleb's recent book "Skin in the game" which has interesting material about the disconnection between risky behaviors
and their consequences in modern USA. He also has a chapter about the mechanics involved in why minority viewpoints in our culture
become dominant. It's an interesting read.
2 cats and 2 guinea pigs were locked up for 9 days in Skipal's house, in the hope of proving that the Russians are guilty.
When the police reopened the house, they found four bodies. the veterinary faculty is positive, both cats died of starvation.
Guinea pigs, some say, began to be worked by hungry cats, accelerating their deaths. Unspeakable bloodshed. In this whole case,
it's THE revolting detail, among many others. Poor beasts.
Finally, the Police partially acknowledged their mistake and accused the Russians of not having been completely fair play.
Indeed, these thuriferous bastards of Vlad the Impaler had put poison on the OUTDOOR handle of the front door of the house. It's
infinitely subtle of these savages. The Brit Police did not suspect what strong part it had to make, the unexpected thwarting
its learned calculations. Presumption, again and again. Nevertheless, the detectives are formal: the Russians did the trick well.
The evidence is obvious. In this dramatic case, we are not going to make a comparison between insular and continental logic. The
hour is too serious for these trifles.
Lots of laughter.
Presumably there are bigger guns in the background if information that would really threaten national security or the lives
of serving officers is in danger of being released. The D-Notice system itself seems to be a more or less voluntary affair -
It's very difficult in any case to believe that such a notice could have been issued. Can't see why it would be needed.
The scripting of the official story on such matters as this seems to be a joint enterprise between the media and the press officers.
That's a time-honoured consensus so why would the media need bullying to stay in line?
My personal view on all this is that the No. 10 press officers aren't that good at this new-fangled information stuff.
They don't seem to have their hearts in it somehow. Time for them to go back to counting paperclips and for information campaigns
to be handled by the experts. The BBC have a proven track record in this field and it's time that was officially recognised.
It would seem that the so-called British prime minister Theresa May, leader of the
Conservative Party [who heads up a minority Tory Government only kept in power through a
confidence and
supply arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party] has forgotten that there is such a
matter as reality backed up by
solid strong evidence and grounded in
rational fact . It has been a consistent theme of my writings over the last near two years
now that Theresa May is not only a light weight with little leadership talents, but also
unhinged and dangerous. Indeed, Mrs. May has become something of a loose cannon on deck
deluding herself to the truth of the matter that she badly messed up the General Election of
2017 and just about everything else she inherited as prime Minister and her time is long
overdue to Leave 10 Downing Street.
One of the more alarming aspects of the near two-year-old nightmarish May Ministry has been
the near total casual evisceration of consistent truth telling and consistency of position
regarding fundamental political and philosophical questions of judgement and values which goes
to the heart of Leadership. It has not just been the near complete collapse of the UK
Government's negotiating position vis-à-vis Brussels and Michel Barnier. It has not been
the incompetent and disastrous fashion Mrs. May has governed losing one Cabinet minister after
another in rapid succession. It has not just been the lies that Theresa May has poured forth
internally.
It has been the growth under Theresa May and her
Home Office of almost Nazi style black op false flag operations and exercises
- conducted by Mrs. May's personal Gestapo MI5 - as an instrument of government policy in order
to control and manipulate the uneducated masses of the UK and turn the mass of the UK
population into an even more disgusting Peter Bazgallete Endemol style Big Brother
feeding frenzy dump. The distortion of mass public opinion in the UK and the dumbing down
across all sections of society has been deeply disturbing and frustrating to watch, but not the
least bit surprising. In Theresa May's extreme and increasingly desperate quest to hold on to
the title and position of prime Minister, May has become even far more dangerous than I ever
could have imagined. Theresa May is such a shallow empty third rate politician she will say
anything and do anything to hold on to power just for the sake of it to spite her internal Tory
Party enemies such as George Osborne. After less than two years in the job Theresa May has
managed to achieve the unthinkable. She has made Gordon Brown's Premiership look like a model
for stable Government.
May, after botching badly her gift of an early General Election from the powers that be in
Washington DC, has basically conducted the most embarrassing and weak negotiation in modern
political history with the European Union 27. Unable to deliver the massive majority that
elements in DC and Berlin/Brussels were banking on, May has had to resort to increasingly wild,
desperate and highly dangerous tactics to remain in Downing Street, attempting desperately to
shore up and re-invigorate her obviously dying leadership and crumbling administration. Which
brings us to the subject of Russia, a country and people I have tremendous respect and
admiration for and has been treated terribly by the West where I grew up. I am appalled at how
the Russian people have been treated and spoken of and harassed and targeted by the right wing
English Tory Government of Theresa May. Where to begin with? Hillary Clinton's pathetic
whinging and moaning blaming her loss on the Russians? Theresa May's bigoted, xenophobic,
dangerous anti-Russian rhetoric? The EU's expansion and NATO encroachments right up to the
borders of Russia itself in violation of understandings and promises made at the end of the
last Cold War? The 'shock' doctrine capitalism of the West injected without proper thought and
planning post-Gorbachev? Theresa May, let us be blunt, is in the pocket of certain deeply
anti-Russian forces in Washington DC and Brussels. This group of 'foreign policy' and 'national
security' experts and their allies who [seem to be everywhere] hate Russia. For what reason I
think I know and it has all the hallmarks of Nazism.... all over it. It stinks to hell of
Nazism.
Let us be very clear, Russia is not a threat to the UK and has not interfered or attacked UK
vital national interests. Russia is not interested in attacking the UK or UK interests. Russia
is not an enemy of all civilised freedom loving peoples. It is in fact a great guardian of
them. And it has been treated terribly by the West, misunderstood and disrespected beyond
belief. The so-called poisoning of Sergei Skripal was just that, so-called. It never happened.
Sergei Skripal was not poisoned with Novichok. The nerve agent, if one was even used which I
highly doubt, did not come from Russia. The chemical nerve agent is not Russian and did not
come from Russian Labs. The Russian State and Russian Government had nothing to do with it. No
Russian agents, assets, personnel were involved in this most disgusting, appalling, freak show
pathetic English MI5/6 spectacle of Salisbury. One wonders since the English always boast
non-stop about how great their country is and how their intelligence and security services are
the best in the world. In fact they are rubbish. How could Britain's so-called domestic
security service, the all seeing [supposedly], all hearing [supposedly], all knowing
[supposedly] all mighty [supposedly] MI5 allow a chemical nerve agent like Novichok into the UK
and then allow it to be transported to Salisbury and then administered first in Yulia Skripal's
car, then it became the Mill Pub, then it became Zissi Reastaurant, then MI5/6 finally, finally
settled on....the door handle. If this had really occurred like the English State and
Establishment want us to believe and would have us believe then all of Salisbury would be dead
by now if it had really been Novichok. It never happened. The whole Skripal affair was made up
by the wildly anti-Russian CIA/BND controlled Theresa May and her English Nazi style lackeys
whether they be in the English Government, media, local authorities, police or population at
large - and their pay masters in DC and Brussels.
The whole Salisbury/Skripal affair was made up, plotted, stage managed and produced by
British, American and German intelligence services. Everything the UK Government under Theresa
May said about the Salisbury affair was pure lies, scripted and made up as talking points sent
from Washington DC and Brussels. Everything May said, and Boris Johnson, and Amber Rudd and
Philip Hammond with regards to Russia and the Salisbury affair was pure lies. The entire story
the English put forward regarding the Salisbury affair kept changing and there were terrible
inconsistencies. The whole episode from start to finish was a classic English Monty Python
circus act. The Salisbury-Skripal affair was pure English Tory lies. Besides Theresa May who
ran the Home Office when all these terrible things [apparently] were going on, knew all about
it, did not lift a finger to stop it, did not put up a fight or even resign and lead a
rebellion from the backbenches. Theresa May authorised everything she now claims is a terrible
threat to UK National Security. The woman must go. .
The world was told by the British prime Minister the nerve agent used was a military grade
Novichok chemical only from Russia. The creator of Novichok said if exposed to it you either
die a painful slow death or if you do miraculously survive you will be a vegetable the rest of
your life. So how come Yulia Skripal is up and singing and dancing and checking herself out of
the hospital? And what about Sergei Skripal? I've lost track? Is he still in intensive care in
the hospital? Or has he been able to miraculously recover and check himself out? And the police
officer also made a very speedy recovery. The police have still not been able to find any
suspects even though there is a huge and expensive massive police operation under way. The
majority of the English police like MI5 are utterly useless. The Chief Executive of Porton Down
stated that Porton Down was unable to verify that the Novichok chemical agent came from Russia.
The OPCW review was completely flawed and biased against the Russian Government.
Yet Mrs. May seemed to be rather enjoying her pseudo-role as the new found Amazonian
suffragette Wonder Woman FemiNazi, the instrument of the Americans and Germans to take down the
'Evil Empire' of the brilliant and visionary President Vladimir Putin who unlike Theresa May
has got his country back strongly and proudly on its strong feet. I suppose Mrs. May was
desperate for a 'Falklands' style moment to rescue her dying leadership, and for a brief time
it seemed to be working. Mrs. May had successfully wiped off the media agenda any mention of
the crucial and critical final stages of the UK-EU divorce negotiations. There had been a
flurry of right wing press briefing against Jeremy Corbyn in the lead up to the Salisbury
affair just like before the Manchester bombing during the General Election of 2017 which May
called. May and her backers had calculated - that in order to bolster her position, take the
fight to the Russians [which Mrs. Clinton was supposed to have done], weaken Jeremy Corbyn
[which she failed to do fatally last year], change the UK narrative on Brexit and impress May's
supporters - a black op false flag trashing Russia and the Russian people and the great Russian
President on the eve of President Putin's historic fourth election victory and the glorious
World Cup in Moscow - would do the trick nicely for Mrs. May's position. As I have been writing
consistently, if Mrs. May is so desperate and crazy and power mad to hold on to her position
that she is willing to start a war with a vastly superior and vastly stronger country like
Russia, she has completely lost the plot and must go.
After May's appalling power grab at the EU27 Council Summit in March she could not believe
her luck. The EU27 were all lined up behind her as the anti-Russian warrior princess egging her
on to do their bidding in their unofficial war against Russia. This would be the new security
role for Britain in Europe once out of the EU, the anti-Russian Trojan horse leading a robust
and united anti-Russian global coalition in Europe and beyond to effect regime in the Kremlin
on behalf of the EU and their American allies. Unfortunately for Mrs. May the wheels started to
come off this unbelievable, wacky, crazy, ridiculous and extremely dangerous Anti-Russian
foreign policy with another false flag black op in Syria this time. From Salisbury and all the
lies the English told there we jumped to the sands of the Middle East and all the lies that the
Americans have told there along with the British. I could not believe what was going on before
my very eyes.
For a split second it looked like the world was on the brink of an all out war between
American and Russia in the Middle East. Do Mrs. May and her supporters really want to start a
Third World War in the Middle East just so she can pretend to be prime minister for a year or
two more? Douma was carried out by German secret service intelligence, the BND, in conjunction
with the CIA and MI6. Again, this was not the fault of the Russians or Assad Syrian forces, but
rather US backed rebels. However, the consequences of Douma are even more profound
geopolitically than what happens in some provincial English town. Theresa May has succeeded in
driving a wedge between Trump and President Putin and has successfully destroyed any hope of a
rapprochement and detente between Washington DC and Moscow. That is bad for the peace and
security of the international order. Thanks Theresa! The world came very close to a possible
nuclear confrontation between America and Russia, completely unthinkable during the last Cold
War, in the sands of the Middle East only a couple of weeks ago. In this New Cold War, which is
merely a preparation and build up phase to a much bigger confrontation, all the rules of the
old Cold War have changed. I have never felt more ashamed and more embarrassed about being a
British citizen in my life.
The anti-Russian bigotry and racism and xenophobia displayed by the English and their
Government against the Russian people and Russian interests is not something I will ever forget
and has been deeply disturbing, troubling and deeply concerning. I wonder where all this
anti-Russian war mongering is leading? Meanwhile back on the domestic home front after the near
clash between the USA and Russia was avoided, May's Government has been crumbling. May lost a
senior Remain supporter, the Home Secretary Amber Rudd, and has boxed herself into a corner
with her 'good friends' in the DUP who now realise May was just using them for her own ends and
was prepared to drop them quickly once she had achieved what she was ordered to achieve by DC
and Brussels. It will be fascinating to observe who survives this Theresa May Tory English MI5
car crash of Her Majesty's Government. But what I have seen of heard and experienced in England
of the anti-Russian bigotry is something that will remain with me for a lifetime.
"... Testimony by Sir Mark Sedwill, British Prime Minister Theresa May's National Security Adviser, to the House of Commons Defence Committee on 1st May 2018 has now revealed that all the claims about a breakthrough in the Skripal case not to mention the claims about "Gordon" aka "Mihails Savickis" were (as I suspected) nonsense. ..."
"... In other words the investigation is going nowhere and has drawn a complete blank. ..."
"... All this comes hot on the heels of suggestions which are very likely true that the wall of silence which has recently descended on the British media's reporting of the Skripal case is the product of a British government D-Notice , ie. of a formal request by the British government to the media to limit their coverage of the Skripal story on grounds of national security. ..."
"... It has also been suggested that despite formal denials the most likely reason for the D-Notice is the desire of the British authorities to conceal a possible connection between Sergey Skripal, his former MI6 controller Pablo Miller, and Christopher Steele, the compiler of the Trump Dossier. ..."
Amidst speculation that British government has imposed reporting restrictions, British authorities admit they have no suspect
in Skripal case
A week ago the British media were full of reports from the usual anonymous sources of a breakthrough in the Skripal case.
Allegedly the British authorities by comparing CCTV pictures from Salisbury and details of travellers to and from Britain had
been to identify the persons who were supposedly responsible for the attack on Sergey and Yulia Skripal. These stories came with
further stories of a Russian James Bond style assassin "Gordon" aka "Mihails Savickis" who together with his team had supposedly
carried out the attack. The stories about "Gordon" aka "Mihails Savickis" came with a bizarre identikit picture supposedly of him,
which was too ridiculous to take seriously.
In an
article
I wrote for The Duran on 24th April 2018 I expressed skepticism about these claims
.it looks to me as if despite all the claims to the contrary the police investigation of the Skripal case has made little actual
progress. The British seem to have little more knowledge of who carried out the attack on Sergey and Yulia Skripal and why than
they did when the investigation began. Could it possibly be because they are looking in the wrong place?
Testimony by Sir Mark Sedwill, British Prime Minister Theresa May's National Security Adviser, to the House of Commons Defence
Committee on 1st May 2018 has now revealed that all the claims about a breakthrough in the Skripal case not to mention the claims
about "Gordon" aka "Mihails Savickis" were (as I suspected) nonsense.
Here is how Sir Mark Sedwill's testimony is reported by
The Guardian
Police and intelligence agencies have failed so far to
identify the individual or individuals who carried out the nerve agent attack in Salisbury, the UK's national security adviser
has disclosed.
The comments by Sir Mark Sedwill punctured hopes that the police and other security agencies had pinpointed suspects but were
withholding the name or names from the public.
Asked by an MP at a Commons defence committee hearing if he knew the individuals responsible, he replied curtly: "Not yet."
Sedwill, who coordinates the work of the MI6, MI5, the surveillance agency
GCHQ and others, did not elaborate but among problems that have
hampered the agencies is a lack of CCTV coverage in Salisbury compared with London. Known Russian spies based in Britain have
also been investigated and ruled out.
In other words the investigation is going nowhere and has drawn a complete blank.
All this comes hot on the heels of suggestions which are very likely true that the wall of silence which has recently
descended on the British media's reporting of the Skripal case is the
product of a British government D-Notice , ie. of a formal
request by the British government to the media to limit their coverage of the Skripal story on grounds of national security.
It has also been suggested that despite formal denials the most likely reason for the D-Notice is the desire of the British
authorities to conceal a possible connection between Sergey Skripal, his former MI6 controller Pablo Miller, and Christopher Steele,
the compiler of the Trump Dossier.
There are even suggestions that Sergey Skripal may have had a hand in producing the Trump Dossier, and that this was the reason
for the attack on him.
Whilst all this may be true, I have to say that Sergey Skripal identified as a British spy by the Russians in 2004 and isolated
from Russia in the leafy British town of Salisbury since 2010 seems an unlikely source for the Trump Dossier, largely fictitious
though that strange concoction is.
"... Today, Theresa May is claiming -astonishingly – that the UK attack on Syria is "to deter chemical weapons attacks in Syria and the UK". I don't think the motive for a Skripal false flag could be more starkly demonstrated. ..."
"... It is also worth noting that the most ardent supporters of this military action, outside Saudi Arabia and Israel, are the Blairites in the UK and the Clinton Democrats in the USA. The self-described "centrists" are actually the unhinged extremists in today's politics. ..."
"... This attack on Syria is, beyond doubt, a huge success for the machinations of Mohammed Bin Salman. Please do read my post of 8 March which sets out the background to his agenda, and I believe is essential to why we find our nations in military action again today. Despite the fact the vast majority of the people do not want this ..."
March 4 2018 Sergei and Yulia Skripal are attacked with a nerve agent in Salisbury
March 6 2018 Boris Johnson
blames Russia and calls Russia "a malign force"
March 7 2018 Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia arrives in
London for an official visit
March 13 2018 Valeri Gerasimov, Russian Chief of General Staff,
states that Russia has intelligence a fake chemical attack is planned against civilians
in Syria as a pretext for US bombing of Damascus, and that Russia will respond
militarily.
March 19 2018 Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia arrives
in Washington for an official visit
April 8 2018 Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman of Saudi Arabia arrives
in Paris for an official visit
April 8 2018 Saudi funded jihadist groups Jaysh
al Islam and Tahrir al-Sham and UK funded
jihadist "rescue group" The White Helmets claim a chemical weapons attack occurred in
their enclave of Douma the previous day – just before its agreed handover to the Syrian
army – and blame the Syrian government.
April 11 2018 Saudi Arabia pledges
support for attack on Syria
April 14 2018 US/UK/French attack on Syria begins.
I have always denied the UK's claim that only Russia had a motive to attack the Skripals. To
denigrate Russia internationally by a false flag attack pinning the blame on Russia, always
seemed to me more likely than for the Russians to do that to themselves. And from the start I
pointed to the conflict in Syria as a likely motive. That puts Saudi Arabia (and its client
jihadists), Saudi Arabia's close ally Israel, the UK and the USA all in the frame in having a
powerful motive in inculcating anti-Russian sentiment prior to planned conflict with Russia in
Syria. Any of them could have attacked the Skripals.
Today, Theresa May
is claiming -astonishingly – that the UK attack on Syria is "to deter chemical
weapons attacks in Syria and the UK". I don't think the motive for a Skripal false flag could
be more starkly demonstrated.
We do not yet know how many children and other civilians have died so far in what the media
always pretend are magically "pinpoint" attacks on Syria. Denying the "collateral damage" is
part of the neo-con playbook. The danger is that they will not stop but continue to push,
testing how far they can go in weakening Syrian government forces to promote their jihadist
allies on the ground, before they spark a real Russian reaction. That way madness lies.
It is also worth noting that the most ardent supporters of this military action, outside
Saudi Arabia and Israel, are the Blairites in the UK and the Clinton Democrats in the USA. The
self-described "centrists" are actually the unhinged extremists in today's politics.
This attack on Syria is, beyond doubt, a huge success for the machinations of Mohammed
Bin Salman. Please do read my post of 8 March which sets
out the background to his agenda, and I believe is essential to why we find our nations in
military action again today. Despite the fact the vast majority of the people do not want
this
The Carla Ortiz and Jimmy Dore exchange is fascinating. Each in her/his own way is superb.
The Guardian has become boulevard press = tabloid. Nearly every day before and even after the
US election Mrs. Clinton gloated on the front page. Bernie Sanders was no where to be seen
nearly until the election. Now the Guardian is priming its readers for the stomach-churning
royal wedding coming up. No, no more Guardian for me. And they have the gall to ask for money
to turn out articles praising the White Helemts. No! Curtis , Apr 22, 2018 12:32:23 PM |
8
Anonymous 4
BBC took on Vannessa Beeley recently, too. Will NYT and WaPo be next? The anti-Russia agenda
continues along with the anti-truth-in-Syria agenda.
AriusAmerican 5
During the Bush II fiasco, there were anti-war protests. The protests disappeared after Obama
took office. And he was given a Nobel Peace Prize for talking about peace. But everyone went
along with Obama's wars. No protests. And that's how they like it. They want support and tend
to get it from the MSM and party lackeys. And if they don't get support, the one thing they
don't want are massive protests, calls to congress, etc. As long as there's little to no
resistance their war agenda continues.
PS
The HuffPoUK article tears into Beeley but at the bottom has a Russian submission to the
Security Council of a report she did of the White Helmets. That report negates the
article/story! HuffPoUK claims this is part two of a series and that part three will "look at
evidence presented against the White Helmets." That should be interesting.
Anonymous2 | Apr 22, 2018 1:50:23 PM | 12
Curtis
"The anti-Russia agenda continues along with the anti-truth-in-Syria agenda."
I dont get it why these journalists are against finding out what happend (since we dont know that yet)? Most of
these morons have no idea about the conflict at all, and all of a sudden start writing like they are veteran journalists and
have profound knowledge about Syria.
Support of Trump strikes after false flag in Douma characterizes him as neocon and imperialist.
Notable quotes:
"... I know nothing of France, but that Macron fellow seems to be a pure-blooded little weasel. ..."
"... His Rothschild past is well-know, his weasel-like behavior with Trump and Mayhem is typical, he cleverly outmaneuvered the electorate to put his "new party" in power, full of unknowns, after manipulating the weak "socialist" Hollande in the previous government. ..."
"... His domestic policy is to privatise everything, remove the rights workers have gained over the last 70 years, get rid of 120000 jobs (as if others have not tried this for 200 years in France, and it has not helped!) and to do it quickly before people can follow each step. ..."
Bashar was compelled to return to Syria and become the nominal political leader after the death of his very tough, ruthless
father, Hafez al-Assad.
The other day I saw a passing reference to something I'd never before known that Richard Nixon paid a state visit to Damascus
to see that ruthless father. I was gratified the author mentioned the Bushie use of Syria as a place to torture people. Both the
Nixon visit and the routine torture transactions with Syria show that "we" were ok with Syrian dictators just as we were with
all those other dictators coddled by the US.
But when Holy Israel finally gets around to setting up Land Grab #3, suddenly Assad is an obstacle.
France To Revoke Major Award From Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad Briana Koeneman , Katherine Biek Apr 17, 2018
The Legion of Honor is France's highest award. It's presented to citizens who have "demonstrated outstanding merits in the
service of the nation, in a military or a civilian capacity." .
.
.
The move comes just days after France, Britain and the U.S. launched military strikes on targets in Syria in response to the
reported chemical attack. Syria has denied any involvement in the alleged attack.
Genuine Hero Assad suddenly become dirtbag Assad. Except for his success in defeating the latest NATO aggression, what had
changed? I know nothing of France, but that Macron fellow seems to be a pure-blooded little weasel.
Micron(sic) has nothing to recommend him but deviousness. His Rothschild past is well-know, his weasel-like behavior with
Trump and Mayhem is typical, he cleverly outmaneuvered the electorate to put his "new party" in power, full of unknowns, after
manipulating the weak "socialist" Hollande in the previous government.
His domestic policy is to privatise everything, remove the rights workers have gained over the last 70 years, get rid of
120000 jobs (as if others have not tried this for 200 years in France, and it has not helped!) and to do it quickly before people
can follow each step.
If the workers do not work together, not only the railways, but the rest of public services, will go and we'll be as
bad as the USA, which Micron (sic) obviously admires.
We did not know of his likely international delusions of grandeur, but nothing would surprise me now.
backwardsevolution , April 21, 2018 at 9:18 pm
rosemerry good post. I read where Macron's election team was composed of some of the same Americans that got Obama elected.
They just hopped on a plane and repeated the process in France.
"... The media may be banned from reporting, but if my casual interactions with the UK populace are representative, the majority are highly sceptical of .gov - May / BJ 'Putin did it' accusations. ..."
"... One has to wonder why Russia is not calling Britain out on this obvious kidnapping. ..."
"... i had read craig murrays post earlier today...why are they covering up the fentanoyl angle? it's obvious! ..."
"... I think the policeman in this farce is key to everything. If the cause of the Skripal poisoning was fentenyal then why did the policeman become ill? ..."
"... Anyway, if it was a weapons grade chemical agent that the policeman was affected by, why was it he was able to leave hospital a few days later in full uniform looking a picture of health? ..."
"... Originally the story was he was somehow contaminated by the Skripals themselves, but as no one else in the contact chain was affected, and this notwithstanding the fact ambulance and medical had serious hand on contact was affected, it became clear that the policeman had to have another source of contamination. ..."
"... Thus; they invented the magic door knob story. Even this silly story is absurd. The police and the goons didn't investigate the door knob (actually, a door handle lever type) theory until 25 days later when rain and numerous people coming and going at the Skripals's would have worn off any contaminate from the door handle. ..."
"... By the way, they are now telling us the stuff on the door handle was a liquid. How do you get a liquid to stick of a shiny door handle? Apart from the silence of the press, the silence from the medical people is a factor also. They have not signed any official secrets act and they can't be issued with a D notice. ..."
"... the policemen appears like an inside prop for this false flag op... that is what it looks like to me.. forget about it, or him having any relevance or validity, if he is as i am suggesting.. ..."
"... It all seems amazing to me, what a strange world of collapsing empire we live in. Really, why don't the Russians demand at the UNSC the right to visit with Russian citizens? Call for a resolution demanding a visit and force them to veto. ..."
"... The US Drug Enforcement Agency claims that different kinds of Fentanyl, including something known as Carfentanil, can be absorbed through the skin or accidentally inhaled and cause death. ..."
"... Although the Skripal "op" was a success, the planned false flag didn't happen due to SAA's quick advance (with Russian help). Instead, a sloppy false flag was done at the very last minute in Douma just before the Jihadis gave up. This wouldn't save Ghouta so it was possibly motivated by the the desire to solidify anti-Russian sentiment created by the Skripal op. ..."
"... If we assume that the Skripals had been poisoned with fentanyl, we then have to explain how a doctor was able to give the Skripals first aid at the scene where they collapsed without being poisoned by fentanyl herself. ..."
"... @Jen16. Is it not possible the 'potency' of fentanyl is overstated in order to 'sell' the anti-dote? Much like the anthrax 'dote' after 911. I mean most dealers I have met aren't exactly stupid, that being said most aren't lab smart either, it would seem to me there would be a whole lot of dead dealers if 'traces' in the wind can kill. Then there is the anomaly of the Dr. and other's as you brought up in 16. Just a thought. FWIW. ..."
"... This charade has not gone well for May. It has raised serious doubts that the UK can ever be an ally of Trump. The Steele dirt dossier was an attack on Trump's family, presidential campaign and cripples his first term with purile Russia hatred. May and the espionage establishment are the enemy of the USA. After 250 years the British finally won the US war of independence and have enslaved the majority of its media outlets. ..."
"... The state exists to enforce the dominance of elites, all the rest is propaganda, misdirection, Obfuscation or terrorism up to and including total war. ..."
"... The young man Jamie Paine who first found the Skripals on the park bench got some liquid on his skin and apparently didn't suffer from it. ..."
"... The Devon Live report is still in its original form. It links to the first Wiltshire Police statement on the case and quotes from it. Curiously the link is dead. The first official police statement on the Skripal case is "currently unavailable". ..."
"... D-Notices are one of those evils that, once initiated, are never undone. It reminds me a bit of the fraudulent, gauzy "AUMF" used by the United States government as if it were a blank check written by God to wage imperialistic wars kinetic actions of aggression against anyone or anything it deems ripe for pillage or destruction-- at its sole pleasure and discretion, and for eternity. ..."
"... As it is, the D-Notices' ostensible "national security" rationale has proven to be mere camouflage for its true purpose: ensuring that malfeasant officials and operatives are "secure" in their depraved work, and are protected from all inquiries that might expose their heinous wrongdoing. Whoops! ..."
"... I do not know if fentanyl was found in OPCW sample, only British made BZ paralyzingly agent. The question is why? I think doctors in Salisbury who are trained with chemical nerve agents due to proximity to Porton Downs lab instantly knew there was no military nerve agent used there, would they also instantly know that it was Fentanyl since they faced epidemic of opioid overdoses. ..."
"... After recovery is was Skripal, trusted by her as her father, himself as part of psych op presented the narrative as Putin wanted to kill me and did not care that you happened to be with me at time of attack. I am so sorry, shit lies. She was brainwashed offered lucrative financial arrangement in the west decided to stay, thinking she could be killed upon returning to Russia. ..."
"... The fentanyl/BZ/Novichok angle seems eerily like the US/ZATO/MSM fallback position on the BUK missile scam for MH17. By insisting MH17 was brought down by SOME BUK, the story line never gets to the Ukie SU25s seen near MH17 on Russian commercial air-traffic tracking radar. ..."
"... The potential existence of Skripal's dead-man's-switch documentation may have extended well beyond the Steele scam, which would explain the urgency of the deed and why the Skripals are being held incommunicado. The search of the Skripal residence was to find that documentation, easy once the UK cordoned it off due to potential "chemical contamination". ..."
"... Why does this operation seem to have the malodorous stench of Berezovsky's spectre lingering in the background. While Berezovsky himself may be dead, it is safe to assume that remnants of his network are still around. If indeed the Skripals were poisoned, it could very well have been orchestrated by a rogue, non-state actor with embarrassing ties to MI6. In some ways it is reminiscent of the bungled Litvinenko operation (which the British gov't also covered up). ..."
"... Both Pablo Miller and Christopher Steele were known to be associated with Berezovsky. Steele, as his Mi6 handler, would probably have intimate knowledge of Berezovsky's connections and may well have used them as 'Russian sourced' material for his infamous Steele dossier. So Skripal, who consulted on the Steele dossier, is tied to both Miller and Steele who in turn are connected to remnants of Berezovsky's network. The 'suiciding' of Berezovsky (unless sanctioned by Mi6) suggests at least one group of players within this network who have their own agenda. ..."
"... It is possible that the Skripal case and the White Helmets Damascus chemical weapons likely false flag was an attempt of parts of the British (French) and US deep state to force Trump to remain in Syria. ..."
"... Skripal's "dead man switch" is pure fantasy. It assumes that a man who had betrayed his country and was merely an "asset" would be trusted with sensitive info. ..."
Thretha May proved to be a very dangerous woman -- a real political mafiosy.
There has been no recent reporting on the Skripal case in which a British-Russian double
agent and his daughter were poisoned in Salisbury, England. There even seem to be attempts to
change the public record of the case.
The British government alleged that the Skripals were poisoned by Novichok, a deadly nerve
agent, and blamed Russia for it. There are stiill many open questions to ask but the British
media, otherwise not afraid of 'door stepping', are curiously uninterested. We already noted
in early April that the British press was throwing
Novi-Fog™ onto the public. It was repeating outrageous and illogical claims from
"security services" but did no genuine reporting on the Skripal case.
Some photo editor made sense of what the "security services" said and introduced an April
5 London Times piece with a picture of a likely source of the alleged Novichok
poison:
Now the former British ambassador Craig Murray quotes Clive Ponting, another former senior
civil servant, who
suspects that the British government issued a D-Notice. Such a notice forbids British
media to report on an issue. Murray also points to a tweet by Channel 4 correspondent Alex
Thomson from
March 12 in which Thomsen mentions a D-Notice specifically related to Mr. Skripal's MI6
handler:
The D-Notice attempt Thomsen mentioned was too late as some media had already reported the
name of the Skripal's MI6 handler. We spelled
it out on March 8.
One Pablo Miller, a British MI6 agent, had
recruited Sergej Skripal. The former MI6 agent in Moscow, Christopher Steele, was also
involved in the case. Skripal was caught by the Russian security services and went to jail.
Pablo Miller, the MI6 recruiter, was also the handler of Sergej Skripal after he was released
by Russia in a spy swap. He reportedly also lives in Salisbury. Both Christopher Steele and
Pablo Miller work for Orbis Business Intelligence which created the "Dirty Dossier" about
Donald Trump.
We early on suspected
a relation between the "Dirty Dossier" and the Skripal affair:
Here are some question:
Did Skripal help Steele to make up the "dossier" about Trump?
Were Skripal's old connections used to contact other people in Russia to ask about
Trump dirt?
Did Skripal threaten to talk about this?
If there is a connection between the dossier and Skripal, which seems very likely to me,
then there are a number of people and organizations with potential motives to kill him.
Lots of shady folks and officials on both sides of the Atlantic were involved in creating
and running the anti-Trump/anti-Russia campaign. There are several investigations and some
very dirty laundry might one day come to light. Removing Skripal while putting the blame on
Russia looks like a convenient way to get rid of a potential witness.
Whistleblower Clive Ponting,
quoted by Murray , now also suspects that the Skripal case was an 'inside' job that
followed from the 'dirty dossier' fakery:
If [Sergej Skripal] was also involved in the 'golden showers' dossier then elements in the
US would have a reason to act as well. The whole incident was an inside job not to kill
him, hence the use of BZ, but to give him a warning and a punishment. The whole thing is
being treated as though the authorities know exactly what went on but have to cover it
up.
...
I meant to add that the policeman who 'just happened' to be around was almost certainly the
special branch 'minder' who was keeping Yulia under surveillance. The media are not allowed
to mention the existence of a D notice.
There is not only a very curious silence in British media about the Skripal case, but
there seem to be active attempts to remove certain material about the case from the
public.
In 2017 investigative journalist Dilyana Gaytandzhiev reported about
massive air transports of weapons to Syrian 'rebels' under diplomatic cover and got fired
over it. On April 26 she made another interesting find :
The Clinical Services Journal piece Gaytandzhiev had found is from March 5 2018,
the day after the Skripal incident in Salisbury. In its original version it read:
Salisbury District Hospital declared a "major incident" on Monday 5 March, after two
patients were exposed to an opioid .
...
It followed an incident hours earlier in which a man and a woman were exposed to the drug
Fentanyl in the city centre. The opioid is 10,000 times stronger than heroin.
One wonders why such a tiny magazine would bother to change an old story after some
journalist tweeted about it.
The CSJ was
not the only outlet which
mentioned Fentanyl. The local Salisbury Journal
reported it on March 5 and the piece is still up:
Police declared a major incident after a man in his 60s and a woman in her 30s were found
unconscious on a bench in the shopping centre on Sunday.
Emergency services at the scene suspected the substance may have been a powerful drug
called fentanyl , but nothing has yet been confirmed.
They were taken to Salisbury District Hospital where they are in a critical condition in
intensive care.
In November 2017 the Salisbury Journal had reported about an
unrelated fenatanyl overdose case . In 2016 Salisbury had
a spike in Fentanyl OD cases. The local emergency services were surely aware of the
symptoms and effects of such a substance.
It is understood that police suspect fentanyl, a synthetic opiate many times stronger than
heroin, may have been involved . A man and a woman are in a critical condition and up to 10
other people are involved.
Officers and paramedics were called to The Maltings shopping centre in Salisbury after the
man and a woman fell ill. The woman, who was unconscious, was airlifted to Salisbury
district hospital at about 4.15pm, while the man was taken by ambulance.
...
It was recently reported that fentanyl has claimed the lives of at least 60 people in the
UK over the last eight months.
The Devon Live report is still in its original form. It links to the first
Wiltshire Police statement on the case and quotes from it. Curiously the link is dead. The
first official police
statement on the Skripal case is "currently unavailable".
The British press is now totally silent on the Skripal case. Craig Murray and another
former senior civil servant suspect that the government gave order to not report on the
issue. They also suspect, as we did early on, that the case is related to the fake "Dirty
Dossier" which the Clinton campaign ordered up to use it against Donald Trump.
It is not understandable why the British government would give a silencing order if, as
the government alleges, Russia caused the incident.
Why is no public investigation by the media allowed? Where is Yulia Skripal and what is
the health status of Sergej Skripal? Why have they been silenced?
---
Previous Moon of Alabama posts on the Skripal case:
The media may be banned from reporting, but if my casual interactions with the UK
populace are representative, the majority are highly sceptical of .gov - May / BJ 'Putin
did it' accusations.
Heard yesterday in the dispatch warehouse of a rural agri suply business I was
collecting suplies from.
One warehousman to another- "Terry, where the hell is Jeff this morning?" reply from
warehousman 2 "Off sick, poisoned by russians his Mrs says, proof is clasified, but he will
be in next week"
thanks b... the additional info is fascinating.. i had read craig murrays post earlier
today...why are they covering up the fentanoyl angle? it's obvious!
b,
on another and important note - something is wrong with your site, with regard to making
posts on the most recent open thread and even on the previous thread to this... some weird
html script is showing up on both, but i was able to post earlier today on the previous
thread...
I think the policeman in this farce is key to everything. If the cause of the Skripal
poisoning was fentenyal then why did the policeman become ill? Surely he wasn't taking this
drug?
Anyway, if it was a weapons grade chemical agent that the policeman was affected by,
why was it he was able to leave hospital a few days later in full uniform looking a picture
of health?
Originally the story was he was somehow contaminated by the Skripals themselves,
but as no one else in the contact chain was affected, and this notwithstanding the fact
ambulance and medical had serious hand on contact was affected, it became clear that the
policeman had to have another source of contamination.
Thus; they invented the magic door
knob story. Even this silly story is absurd. The police and the goons didn't investigate
the door knob (actually, a door handle lever type) theory until 25 days later when rain and
numerous people coming and going at the Skripals's would have worn off any contaminate from
the door handle.
By the way, they are now telling us the stuff on the door handle was a
liquid. How do you get a liquid to stick of a shiny door handle? Apart from the silence of
the press, the silence from the medical people is a factor also. They have not signed any
official secrets act and they can't be issued with a D notice.
@4 john.. the policemen appears like an inside prop for this false flag op... that is what
it looks like to me.. forget about it, or him having any relevance or validity, if he is as i am suggesting..
Regarding my post above, it has to be said that this assumed 'assassin' must be the most
incompetent one in the world. Surely the obvious way to get this fantasy weapons grade
chemical to Skripal would be via a letter posted through the door, say, in the early
evening. This way Skripal would have most likely died in his bed. By the way, it was a cold
day so how did the 'assassin not know that the Skripals wouldn't be wearing gloves? Even
the 'assassin' in this affair just doesn't add up. Questions, question, easily answered by
lies, lies, and more lies
It all seems amazing to me, what a strange world of collapsing empire we live in. Really, why don't the Russians demand at the UNSC the right to visit with Russian
citizens? Call for a resolution demanding a visit and force them to veto.
Thanks for doing your part to keep this false flag story alive.
It is interesting that Russia has not taken a stronger position in public about their
treatment.
The UK folks sure seem to be getting away with killing this story and expect them to be
successful if they can create another bigger wag the dog event.....not a good sign except
as a good sign that the end is closer.
DS Nick Bailey said, via an intermediary, that life will "probably never be the same." What
an odd thing for a police sergeant to say (perhaps his last words).
from the Telegraph:
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey was discharged from hospital two weeks ago and hasn't been
heard from since, probably a result of the private session Bailey had with the Prime
Minister prior to his release. Bailey wasn't even allowed to make a statement upon his
discharge from hospital. In a statement read by Wiltshire Police Chief Constable Kier
Pritchard on March 22, DS Nick Bailey said he recognises his life will "probably never be
the same" and thanks the public for their "overwhelming" support. . .
here .
The US Drug Enforcement Agency claims that different kinds of Fentanyl, including something
known as Carfentanil, can be absorbed through the skin or accidentally inhaled and cause
death.
(The DEA also reminds its officers to protect their canine companions! My respect for
the DEA has increased 1000 fold.)
Do ex-spies ever get involved in the drug trade? Would accidental exposure to some kind
of Fentanyl explain what happened to the law enforcement officer who was also affected?
Perhaps seafood poisoning is the second most parsimonious explanation.
It doesn't seem unreasonable to initially suspect fentanyl given that fentanyl has killed
many people in UK and elsewhere. Food poisoning was also mooted early on due to Zizzi's
poor health record. But these possibilities smell like distraction from the BZ finding.
AFAIK The best way to "set the scene" for a public spectacle would be an attack with a
fast-acting agent at an opportune time and place. All other "theories" seem to me to be
mis-direction/distraction.
A police officer (DS Bailey) makes a logical choice to deliver the incapacitating agent
as he/she does not arouse suspicion when loitering and accosting the victims. If the
victims fight back, the policeman might be exposed to some of the substance.
Since the British haven't had Yulia appear before even the most loyal media poodles, I
suspect that the Skripals are dead.
I'm not convinced that the MI6 had anything to fear from the Steele dossier. To think
that any US investigator would be allowed to freely interview Skripal, Steele, or other
British "asset" seems a big stretch. And, if tying up loose ends of the Steele dossier was
the motive, it would've been much easier and more effective to have Skripal die quietly (in
bed of a heat attack) than publicly.
So I'm inclined to think that the "operation" was designed to discredit Russia prior to
a planned false flag in Ghouta which was meant to forestall SAA defeat of the takfiri
salafist Jihadis that controlled Ghouta. The confusion and apparent hurried nature of the
"op" (as noted by Jen early on - one of my favorite commentators here) fits with this
theory.
Although the Skripal "op" was a success, the planned false flag didn't happen due to
SAA's quick advance (with Russian help). Instead, a sloppy false flag was done at the very
last minute in Douma just before the Jihadis gave up. This wouldn't save Ghouta so it was
possibly motivated by the the desire to solidify anti-Russian sentiment created by the
Skripal op.
Anyway, that's my best guess as to what really happened. Another clusterfuck in a long
line of clusterfucks.
On April 26th she made an interesting discovery? Really? What about this Russian guy who
nobody bothers to read ? He is a pharmacologist and a knock-out coder and wrote about
Fentanyl on April the 21st.
If we assume that the Skripals had been poisoned with fentanyl, we then have to explain how
a doctor was able to give the Skripals first aid at the scene where they collapsed without
being poisoned by fentanyl herself.
There have been reports from the US about police
officers and emergency first response workers coming into contact with even very minute
amounts of fentanyl and falling unconscious and needing first aid themselves. In one
unusual incident, a police officer had been dealing with several cases, one of which
involved coming in contact with someone who overdosed on fentanyl, and after several hours
he brushed off what looked like dust particles from his uniform with his bare hand. He
collapsed almost straight away and needed hospitalisation. The dust particles turned out to
be fentanyl particles.
The doctor who gave first aid to the Skripals reported no ill effects; she turned
herself in to Salisbury District Hospital after hearing that the couple had been poisoned
by Novichok but she was found to be clear of any poisoning agent.
@Jen16. Is it not possible the 'potency' of fentanyl is overstated in order to 'sell' the
anti-dote? Much like the anthrax 'dote' after 911. I mean most dealers I have met aren't
exactly stupid, that being said most aren't lab smart either, it would seem to me there
would be a whole lot of dead dealers if 'traces' in the wind can kill. Then there is the
anomaly of the Dr. and other's as you brought up in 16. Just a thought. FWIW.
This charade has not gone well for May. It has raised serious doubts that the UK can ever
be an ally of Trump. The Steele dirt dossier was an attack on Trump's family, presidential
campaign and cripples his first term with purile Russia hatred. May and the espionage
establishment are the enemy of the USA. After 250 years the British finally won the US war
of independence and have enslaved the majority of its media outlets.
I would say narrative . Keep it simple. Repeat. Anything that throws doubt or poses
questions is submerged .
Curious that they went to the effort of shutting down the British press and the
scrubbing from search results on skripal and pablo miller. The results for "pablo miller"
in google news UK, US and others throw up almost identical results, even though I recall
seeing his name via google news mentioned early on...
I bet it has nothing to do with the Brussels 'Right to be forgotten!' Directive being
enforced...
But, when I look for him in Quant (under 'All') ...it throws up some interesting links,
but nothing under the 'news'!:
Remember I wrote earlier that I was sure that I had seen Miller's name mentioned on
google news earlier on? Well Quant threw this paywalled Daily Telegraph article from 7th
March (loose the spaces):
Poisoned Russian spy Sergei Skripal was close to consultant https://www. telegraph .co.uk/news/ 2018/03/07/
poisoned-russian-spy-sergei-skripal-close-consultant-linked/
By Robert Mendick, Chief Reporter Hayley Dixon Patrick Sawer, Senior Reporter and Luke
Heighton
A security consultant who has worked for the company that compiled the controversial
dossier on Donald Trump was close to the Russian double agent poisoned last weekend, it has
been claimed.
The consultant, who The Telegraph is declining to identify, lived close to Col
Skripal and is understood to have known him for some time.
Col Skripal, who is in intensive care and fighting for his life after an
assassination attempt on Sunday, was recruited by MI6 when he worked for the British
embassy in Estonia, according to the FSB, the Russian intelligence agency....
#####
It must have somehow slipped through, though probably because the you can't see 'pablo
miller's name in the visible section.
There are some other juicy links from Qwant, including one from the Guardian in 2000
which names Miller:
...which is full of unverifiable claims, including that Putin was almost recruited to
the UK! It always makes me laugh when they bring up the 'apartment bombings were an FSB
false flag to attack Chechnya', but those same people don't even mention Basayev's invasion
of Dagestan on the 7th August 1999 in support of his fellow jihadis who dreamed of a
Caucasian Islamic Emirate in Russia's south, i.e. what was attempted in Syria these last
few years. Keeping Russia weak, something entirely in keeping with US & UK
interests...
I'm pleased to see Antwar.com's stalwart Justin Raimondo's piece come up too.
Its unclear if that happened in all (100%) cases though. Its possible that only in
certain percentage of such cases the rescuers were affected, and in some cases they were
not.
Thus, a full statistic with such cases will have to be provided in order to be able to
make conclusions about this.
The young man Jamie Paine who first found the Skripals on the park bench got some liquid on
his skin and apparently didn't suffer from it. From a March 8 BBC video --
". . .man was frothing from the mouth, I got a little bit on my skin, it wasn't too much, I
just brushed it off." That has never been mentioned in any recent news accounts that I've
seen. We do have other articles mentioning Paine.
Wow! Thanks for picking up and expanding on Murray's blog, b! The planet's populated with
far too many evil English speaking people that must be culled from the herd--and soon!
I did an online search and I don't see frothing at the mouth or jerking motions as a
symptom of fentanyl poisoning. Opiate OD results in dizziness, confusion, sleepiness and
loss of consciousness, low blood pressure, slowed heartbeat and slow breathing, etc.
Also, there is a well-known antidote for fentanyl poisoning: naloxone (aka narcan),
which could've been applied quickly. And, while I'm not an expert, I am not aware of people
being in a coma for weeks due from a fentanyl OD. AFAIK, within days they are dead or
recovered.
Several people have asked why Russia has not raised the issue at the UNSC. I have heard
them raise the issue at the UNSC, (I listened on Ruptly), and so did Lavrov and so did the
Russian ambassador to Britain and so did Maria Zakarova.
The reason no one knows this is because the Mighty Wurlitzer of propaganda is controlled by
the West, not Russia. If they don't report it, people think it didn't happen. But it did.
The Devon Live report is still in its original form. It links to the first Wiltshire
Police statement on the case and quotes from it. Curiously the link is dead. The first
official police statement on the Skripal case is "currently unavailable".
FYI: A copy of the web page has been preserved at the Wayback Machine
@DB. Froth is a good visual indicator, kinda like having a roach clip on your keychain when
u cross a border.
It tells a story......... I doubt the Skirpals got a dose of Gillette.
I am not sure I have seen this angle in the article or comments, fentanyl use would present
the same triage symptoms as BZ. Seems chasing a fentanyl trail gets further from existing
evidence.
D-Notices are one of those evils that, once initiated, are never undone.
It reminds me a bit of the fraudulent, gauzy "AUMF" used by the United States government
as if it were a blank check written by God to wage imperialistic wars kinetic
actions of aggression against anyone or anything it deems ripe for pillage or destruction--
at its sole pleasure and discretion, and for eternity.
But I digress. Just as a matter of logic, it would seem as if the authorities who
created and approved the "D-Notice" procedure presumed that the government would never
become so tyrannical, despotic, and unethical that it would issue such mega-censorship
diktats in bad faith-- i.e., to provide cover for illicit and illegal government
conduct.
As it is, the D-Notices' ostensible "national security" rationale has proven to be mere
camouflage for its true purpose: ensuring that malfeasant officials and operatives are
"secure" in their depraved work, and are protected from all inquiries that might expose
their heinous wrongdoing. Whoops!
______________________________________
That said, I also wonder about Russia's relative official deference, at least publicly,
to the UK authorities' sequestering of the Skripals.
Given the absence of any domestic countervailing force to the British government's
high-handedness-- the UK media consent-manufactories are complicit enough as it is, even
without being gagged by D-Notices-- it would seem that the Russians are the only party able
and willing to "raise a stink" beyond polite formal communications.
Perhaps the comparison is inapt, but compare OPCW representative Aleksandr Shulgin's
recent presentation at the OPCW, and his comments about the faked chemical attack in Syria.
They are directly, forcefully, and appropriately accusatory, and signal that the Russian
government is weary of politely submitting to the UK's abusive and bellicose policies and
conduct.
But there seems to be no corresponding inclination to press the UK authorities over the
reprehensible and unconscionable kidnapping, or worse, of Russian citizens. 'Tis a
puzzlement.
I do not know if fentanyl was found in OPCW sample, only British made BZ paralyzingly
agent.
The question is why? I think doctors in Salisbury who are trained with chemical nerve
agents due to proximity to Porton Downs lab instantly knew there was no military nerve
agent used there, would they also instantly know that it was Fentanyl since they faced
epidemic of opioid overdoses.
As far as theory how this happened. I see that Skripal was in it, in fact he prepared
and tested appropriate dose for him as his daughter used as pawn to lend credibility and
provide required Putin evil killing innocent narrative which would be absent if he just
killed or hurt rogue agent.
Skipral himself calibrated that false flag dose of BZ or Fenantyl to make sure no
permanent damage would be done to his daughter and then administered it himself to her and
himself in controlled manner in public place so help would be coming immediately while in
his car they could have possibly lie there for hours before being discovered.
In fact place where he lived Salisbury near Porton Downs was perfect for this since
there was no way that doctors would misdiagnose them as military nerve agent victims which
wrong treatment would possibly caused irreversible damage to victims as doctors would be
more aggressive fearing immediate death of patients and also were immune to propaganda of
Novichok crap since they were experts in this medical field as real and present danger,
threat of exposure of Porton Downs employees was always there.
After recovery is was Skripal, trusted by her as her father, himself as part of psych op
presented the narrative as Putin wanted to kill me and did not care that you happened to be
with me at time of attack. I am so sorry, shit lies. She was brainwashed offered lucrative financial arrangement in the west decided to stay,
thinking she could be killed upon returning to Russia.
I do not think it would be far fetched to concoct such a thing or similar by MI6 as such
stunts were done before like fake deaths or staged attacks but in this case the point was
to fool British unwitting participants that nerve agent attack happenced as later they did
later in Douma in amateurish way but still it worked as pretext to pre planed aggression on
Syria as in case of Skripals pre planed diplomatic retaliation against Russia before any
investigation was really commenced , such thing only perpetrators of false flag themselves
would do.
If Skripal was not on it why keep them alive as prime witnesses of conspiracy since I
could imagine as a father myself Skripal being furious of MI6 amounted to attemp to kill
his daughter and blame Putin one he learned that there was no Novichok crap or any military
nerve agent used.
In fact Fenantyl is deadly if inappropriately handled what just few days after Skripal
affair husband and wife overdosed on Fentanty in California and putting in critical
condition their mother in law trying to revive them in the bedroom, children that never
enter the room by looked through the Door who called 911 were also mildly exposed while a
police officer who entered the room end up in hospital himself.
Whole house was immediately quarantined and covered by tent until, special unit arrived
days later and only then police investigator entered premises.
What interesting that no emergency or medical personnel in hospital was hurt since they
knew well how to deal with Fenantyl epidemic.
We must remember that despite crazy rhetoric we are dealing with risky but rational
people.
Unless I am mistaken D Notices are issued by the Minister of Defence who, in this instance
is the exceedingly high flying Tory Gavin Williamson. Williamson's previous job was as Tory
Whip -- making sure that there were no rebellions among the MPs at a time when the May
government hangs by a thread and is taking the most extraordinary measures to ensure that
it does not lose a Paliamentary vote.
Williamson's claim to fame, and May's affection, was that he ran the Whip's office as a
blackmail operation-spying on MPs and building dossiers featuring their errors, crimes and
indiscretions. He was very good at this, May, though very unpopular, is spared the fate
that Thatcher suffered-a vote of non confidence by the Tory MPs (the 1922 Committee)-
because Williamson, a thug, has a blackmailer's 'hold' over most of his colleagues.
Using a D Notice in this matter is very unusual- quite how national security would suffer
if the truth were to become widely known is difficult to imagine.
But thanks to the Israeli Embassy's million pound campaign against Corbyn, and a hundred
Fifth Columnists on the Labour benches who prefer May to their party leader, and
Williamson's mafia Parliament isn't working as it ought to.
The fentanyl/BZ/Novichok angle seems eerily like the US/ZATO/MSM fallback position on the
BUK missile scam for MH17. By insisting MH17 was brought down by SOME BUK, the story line
never gets to the Ukie SU25s seen near MH17 on Russian commercial air-traffic tracking
radar.
The pub seafood dish spiked with shellfish toxin is more likely, as it would need to be
ingested with a time-lag after ingestion so mere contact on the bench would not be an
issue. Mossad is too clever to leave anything easily traceable, and will keep injecting
alternative story lines into the British "intel" system and the MSM.
It is obvious this was NOT a UK or even US/CIA/5-Eyes operation. The UK politicians and
intel community had no idea, were caught totally flatfooted, so went to "trusted sources
(Mossad) to find out what to say.
The ONLY way for the UK to manage this massive back-stab by the Rothschild-backed
Israeli Zionists is to just shut down all access to any real info, so some BS stories will
be thrown around to confuse the public and defuse any attempts by real investigators to
piece together the real events.
The fact Skripal was probably involved in the Steele dossier scam may indicate the true
source of the anti-Trump agenda. Why else would Mossad be moved to desperately silence
Skripal, and his daughter on the potential scenario she knew and had come to pick up
Skripal's dead-man's-switch documentation and take it back to Russia for safe-keeping.
Imagine how upset Trumpty Dumbdy would be if he found out the Steele scam was ultimately
set in motion by Nuttyyahoo, or rogue elements in the Israeli gov't/Mossad.
"The first official police statement on the Skripal case is "currently unavailable"."
FYI:
the first report is still available on the Way Back machine Web Archive here, and there are
5 "captures" but only 3 of those show the actual report (through March 2018), starting in
April the text is not available any more....
link
">https://www.wiltshire.police.uk/article/1736/Major-incident-after-two-people-suspected-of-being-exposed-to-unknown-substance-in-Salisbury">link
@33DB. Yes and no depending on where your personal belief fence may be. For myself not
proves...... just seems conspicuously coincidental. Mind you, MSM never played it up to my
knowledge... in either case so..... either way froth no froth all we really know is two
family members from Russia spent time in a London hospital and the UK skreamed Russia did
it way before any reasonable person could be exected to believe it, given the track record,
after that who knows really.
I was curious about the relationship between Trump and the Rothschilds, and why they might
go to such lengths to get Mossad to go 100% rogue and pull off the Skripal attack.
A simple Dog Pile meta-search (Google will probably not give the same results for
obvious reasons) found a story in wide blog circulation from Oct 2016 which said Trump had
recently paid off his debt to the Rothschilds (probably through Goldman Sachs or the like).
The interesting part is the article claims Trump had ALL Rothschilds banned from his Mar a
Lago resort, the reputed quote from the Tweeter in Chief was "I grabbed Jacob (Rothschild)
by the scruff of the neck and kicked him out the back door of Palm Beach of Florida
society". Way to make enemies and influence friends there Donny-boy. The same article
quotes a Trump tweet, "They do not own the world, and they do not have carte blanch to do
whatever they want. If we do not challenge them there will be other issues. We will not be
bullied by them!" http://harddawn.com/trump-banned-rothschilds/
Except for the Trump tweets, the rest of the election-run-up article is full of Trumpty
Dumbdy hopium which has not panned out.
In an Infowars article: "The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a company under the wing
of The Economist, owned by the Rothschild banking family of England, has declared Donald
Trump a "global risk"
Can't see the Economist getting too far off-narrative with the Rothschild cabal, so this
rings true.
So while Infowars and Hard Dawn are not anyone's first choice as sources, they are
quoting Trump himself and a Rothschild media/propaganda organ.
Circle closed, Mossad did it. The UK MI6/5 and politicians didn't know what was
happening until after Israeli/Mossad "trusted sources" gave May and Johnson the script to
feed the MSM .
The potential existence of Skripal's dead-man's-switch documentation may have extended well
beyond the Steele scam, which would explain the urgency of the deed and why the Skripals
are being held incommunicado. The search of the Skripal residence was to find that
documentation, easy once the UK cordoned it off due to potential "chemical contamination".
Just to complicate the matter even more, I have found UK tabloid news reports online dated
7 - 8 March 2018 of a female office worker (who worked in the building next to the Zizzi's
Restaurant franchise in Salisbury) who was taken to Salisbury District Hospital by
paramedics. Links to the reports below:
The reports may not amount to much. The woman could have had a fainting reaction to
something not related to the Skripal poisoning incident.
As of today (29 April 2018) the pizza restaurant remains closed. The uniforms of the
staff who worked there on the Sunday when the Skripals ate at the restaurant were seized
and burned by the authorities.
Apparently traces of a nerve gas agent were said to have been found at the restaurant,
in particular on and around the table where the Skripals ate their lunch (and which has
since been incinerated).
Any word from the owner of the restaurant or workers laid off? Who pays to shut all them
and their families up?
@ A P with the Trump/Rothschild conflict exposure......thanks
If a sane world made the tools of finance public utilities then these social retards
would not have the means to plays these games on the backs of the rest of us.
It is obvious that Yulia Skripal's and her brother's ability to travel freely between
both sides and keep their childhood friends in the secret service community would have cost
their father dearly. He is described as a family man, and could easily be blackmailed with his family.
Fentanyl OD would have very similar symptoms to BZ exposure. There is no doubt in my mind
that the Skripals were exposed to BZ (as confirmed by Swiss lab) and Fentanyl was the
obvious suspect for the medical staff who would not have had full toxicology report by the
time initial report was made.
Seems like UK just started a propaganda campaing against Corbyn sigh, UK Media Claims 'Russian Bots' Tried to Influence Election to Support Corbyn
https://sptnkne.ws/hwDC
51 OPCW says the BZ was in the control samples not the original. All you need to cheat would be one person to switch Novichok and original samples in the
Dutch lab where the samples were split.
A control sample that gives the same exact symptoms as the victims displayed. How
convenient! Of all the millions of organic chemicals they could have chosen for a control
sample........ I'll leave you with that thought.
I'm confused about dropping the Novichok hypothesis.
The explanation of BZ poisoning has been dropped, fine. But what about the presence of
A234? It's not because the initial report mentioned Fentanyl poisoning that this is
correct. Fentanyl is a problem the doctors are familiar with as a 'live' social problem and
it's easy to explain a new case with Fentanyl while in fact it's something else. So it is
possible that afterwards the doctors changed their minds and saw no reason not to comply
with pressure to correct the statement. I don't know if the symptoms the doctors were
presented with were clear enough to exclude confusion.
Gareth Porter has an article about a batch of A234 which has been around since the
nineties, probably in hands of Russian mafia, and which by now has been deteriorated and
would have much less predictable effects when used.
There is a mention of the purity of the traces of A234. There are two interpretations of
that: one is that it is fresh and contains little contaminations. Another is that it has in
fact deteriorated very much but from the proportions of the components it is clear that it
was once a pure product.
I would not exclude the possibility that a very old batch of A234 was used and that the
British were convinced it was from russian origin and intended to take full advantage of
this. It could be that they knew it had russian origin because they had been involved in
acquiring the sample , or it was just a good guess, but the opportunistic use of the
pretext is the same.
Here is some information from Pablo Miller: "Little was known about Miller's life outside
his public clashes with the FSB. He served in the British Army as a member of the Royal
Tank Regiment and the Royal Green Jackets before he joined the Foreign and Commonwealth
Office in 1990. A veterans site for the Royal Tank Regiment shows a 1984 photograph of a
Lt. Pablo Miller patrolling the Green Line in Cyprus, where Miller's LinkedIn profile
indicates he served.
Diplomatic lists show Miller's first foreign posts after joining the FCO were in
Nigeria, first in Abuja and later Lagos beginning in 1992 before he took a job as first
secretary at the British embassy in Estonia in September 1997. He also served as a
counsellor at the British embassy in Warsaw, Poland from 2010 through 2013." (....) In
2000, the FSB identified Miller as the "head of British intelligence in Tallinn," Estonia
and accused him of recruiting an FSB officer later identified as Valery Ojamae." (Source:
Daily Beast)
https://www.thedailybeast.com/pablo-miller-the-mystery-man-who-recruited-putins-poisoned-spy?source=facebook&via=mobile
Why does this operation seem to have the malodorous stench of Berezovsky's spectre
lingering in the background. While Berezovsky himself may be dead, it is safe to assume
that remnants of his network are still around. If indeed the Skripals were poisoned, it
could very well have been orchestrated by a rogue, non-state actor with embarrassing ties
to MI6. In some ways it is reminiscent of the bungled Litvinenko operation (which the
British gov't also covered up).
Both Pablo Miller and Christopher Steele were known to be associated with Berezovsky.
Steele, as his Mi6 handler, would probably have intimate knowledge of Berezovsky's
connections and may well have used them as 'Russian sourced' material for his infamous
Steele dossier. So Skripal, who consulted on the Steele dossier, is tied to both Miller and
Steele who in turn are connected to remnants of Berezovsky's network. The 'suiciding' of
Berezovsky (unless sanctioned by Mi6) suggests at least one group of players within this
network who have their own agenda.
Perhaps you would be considerate enough not to degrade the quality of MOA by posting
'information' sourced from obvious nutjobs such as your sourcing for ' Trump and the
Rothschilds'. To quote a blog, which includes such gems as "FACT CHECK! 69 Million Illegal
Alien Extraterrestrials Voted for Hillary: Mostly True", seems to indicate you are probably
more suited to be commenting over there rather than on MOA.
That idea is probably more plausible than the food poisoning idea: the poison need not
actually have been a nerve gas agent as long as it mimics the symptoms of shellfish
poisoning. The only issue is, who would have put the poison into the food? If the staff had
done it, someone would have noticed because there were no walls or other barriers between
the kitchen and the dining area. One would also expect other diners to have had food
poisoning although it's possible the Skripals were the only diners that day to have eaten
seafood risotto. The second possibility is that someone was with the Skripals while they
were having lunch and managed to pop something into their lunch while they were not
looking.
Of course we would discount other alternatives: that the Skripals were poisoned at The
Mill pub or on the park bench.
V @ 45: Why would we be surprised if Treason'n'Mayhem doesn't flinch if she's been busted
for lying? She's had plenty of practice, another episode of lying is just part of the
regular routine!
Fwiw. DS Nick Bailey. I tend to believe that he was 'sickened,' was not a made-up
character / a real person playing a hoaxy part / and so on.
1 He existed at the Wiltshire Police, enough on the net about him. At one point (2017)
he was stationed very close to the 'park bench' spot. The photo seen everywhere is of an
award ceremony for him for work leading to the arrest of a serial rapist. (2016) Imho his
wife and children exist (no post about that.)
2 How, from where, etc. he arrived at the Skripal collapse park-bench on 4 March (if he
did) is not mentioned in any news article. Expressions used: rushed / speeded / to help --
after coming to the aid of -- first cop on the scene -- after responding to the attack --
as the first response to the attack -- No other info. offered.
Was he on duty? Where was he? How did he arrive? What did he do? How did he get to the
hospital? One article mentions TWO policemen as first responders, as one would expect. Who
was the other one (if 1 = N. B.)? Almost no info about N.B. was given out. At some later
point some articles suggested that he was not poisoned at the scene, or thru contact with
the Skripals, but because he was the first plod to enter the Skripal house. (Imho this last
story was pure speculation / made up, a sort of offshoot of the poisoned knob narrative.
Whatever, if any, poisoning took place, was not at the house, but at the very earliest at
the Zizzi restaurant.)
3 Couldn't find any 'witness' descriptions (e.g. doc who first dealt with Yulia) of the
arrival of the police. Exceedingly strange. Perhaps some exist but I missed them..? One
would expect: When DS Bailey and Plodue rushing to the scene of the deathly murderous
attack realised some nerve agent was suspected a high alert priority emergency order was
immediately called out for a helicopter .. Nothing like that. It is as if all the
'bystander witnesses' simply vanished at some point. I also looked for cell photos of the
park-bench scene and only found ONE possible. Scroll down to pic of Sergei:
4 I found NO news about N.B. beyond the read-out declaration by police, and the
annoucement that he left hosp. on 22 March. The few words available (visit of top plod to
N. B. in hosp and declaration) "very anxious" - "completely surreal" - "life never the same
again" - "find a new normal" seem to fit with..heh.. a lot of stuff incl. BZ, Fentanyl, and
LSD, but not a deadly nerve agent. Heh, not worth much, just a few words. (see Don Bacon as
well.)
All this, imho, signals a clumsy cover-up, gag orders, etc. Which points to unexpected
results, plots gone wrong, clumsy exploitation of events, etc. No way a planned false flag
type conspiracy. (I'm not keen on the links between Skripal and the Steele
dossier.)
@31. ı think the issue we are wondering most about is the abduction of Yulia Skripal.
We know they have addressed the poisoning issue at the UNSC, but wonder about Russia
pressing for the illegal prevention of a Russian citizen accessing her government. There is
zero evidence provided by the British government which suggests Yulia does not want
contact, except the British governments' assertion to that effect. The word of the
abductors is worthless.
your dealing with ............criminals........... who are in charge of top level large
organizations/departments called your government. criminals. the same for terrorists, which
pre-9/11 was just criminals. your dealing with criminals/terrorist who have a hand in their
media to be able to make you think in a hundred directions. which is not necessary.
First. How could UK and US not know about some mossad operation and was caught flat footed?
There responses were quick enough to insinuate that russia did it again in syria not long
after.
Second. How come skripal and his daughter haven't just come out for answers unless they
were in on it? (how they were in, is not really important now, it is obvious, unless i hear
a story about a russian immigrant jumping out of a window, I find her flying to UK was her
one way trip now unless she proves otherwise)
Last. the fact the sample did contain a bit of everything suggests, their intention was to
"hide". remember i said the cctv cameras would have been reviewed by now easily.
the hit on n.korea's brother? there was not really an intention to hide by their
governance.
russia is doing good to ignore such banter, because it is really below the level of even
petty criminals who do things out of necessity as compared to idiots who have power but
still fk it all up. not that putin is not capable of this and probably has so before, but
these actions or inactions speak about someone who is experienced.
On a side note. I viewed US campaign commercials and I saw the words two faced being used
instead of highlighting what they had done or will do....... it has been a nice ride. i
missed the old us but i won't regret her now. =(
"UPDATE: Stupidly I had forgotten this vital confirmation from Channel 4 News (serial
rebel Alex Thomson) of the D Notice in place on mention of Pablo Miller.
(Alex Thomson tweeted on March 12 that a D notice, to protect Skripal's handler,living
nearby, had been imposed in the previous week) https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/
"Back then I did not realise what I now know, that the person being protected was Pablo
Miller, colleague in both MI6 then Orbis Intelligence of Christopher Steele, author of the
fabrications of the Trump/Russia golden shower dossier. That the government's very first
act on the poisoning was to ban all media mention of Pablo Miller makes it extremely
probable that this whole incident is related to the Trump dossier and that Skripal had
worked on it, as I immediately suspected. The most probable cause is that Skripal –
who you should remember had traded the names of Russian agents to Britain for cash –
had worked on the dossier with Miller but was threatening to expose its lies for cash."
A super strong opioid and therefore OD will involve loss, of consciousness, slowed
breathing, pin point pupils and death.
Fentanyl is usually administered via a transdermal patch i.e. across the skin but over an
extended time period, although the junkies I worked with in Sydney had worked out how to
extract the good stuff from the patch in an injectable form. Bang into your arm (or neck if
you're hardcore).
Overdose is EASILY reversed by Narcan /naloxone injected IM. Kicks every opioid molecule
off associated receptors.
I believe an aerosol form was used by Russian special forces in Moscow theatre siege. It
incapacitated terrorists and hostages and unfortunately coused death by positional
asphyxiation to a hundred or so hostages.
I think the idea about Yulia visiting to take Sergei's dead-man-switch back to Russia is
interesting. Reminded me of the report
that they both had turned off their cell phones for four hours between the visit to the
cemetery in the morning and showing up in city center in the early afternoon. Maybe they
went for the documents Sergei had stored in a secret location and had them with them when
they were taken out in the park.
61) actually they do. This here is the OPCW publication on "on-site and off-site
analysis"
They use "scheduled chemicals" for spiking controls which means chemicals that are on
their chemical weapons list.
Spiked samples at OPCW lab would show those control chemicals in a virgin state, and
that's exactly what happened. Problem is, the evidence was exactly the opposite of what
OPCW claimed. Swiss report showed Novichok was in a virgin state and pure form
(definitely lethal to victims, if it was in their blood), that's an evidence IT WAS THE
SPIKE, not BZ.
According to the OPCW lab report the Russians got hold of, it sounded as though remnant
traces of BZ where found plus a A-234 spike (in virgin state). But then medical journal has
Fentanyl.
The Skripals knocked out with Fentanyl, OPOCW blood samples first spiked by MI6 with
A-234 and then spiked by OPCW with a control substance?
Or Skripals knocked out with fast acting Fentanyl, then dosed with BZ, perhaps a day or two
later?
@50 "Family man" Scripal...hmmm...they said that his wife and son are dead (for how
long?)...Then they said that his daughter has been paid 200.000 in to her account as a
money he received from the house sold after his divorce (with second wife that noone even
mentioned or ...his dead wife? I assume one can not divorce his dead wife...) just before
poisoning...
It is possible that the Skripal case and the White Helmets Damascus chemical weapons
likely false flag was an attempt of parts of the British (French) and US deep state to
force Trump to remain in Syria.
It looks like there has been a rift between military and intelligence services.
I do not know about his daughter but it seems to me that he is definitely dead. Or they may
made a deal to play this game for authorities and poisoning never actually happened. Blood
samples were manipulated (and badly)... We may know more about this case after 50 years or
so...Witnesses wouldn't talk scared for their lives. Time and events are running fast and
public easily forgets what happened last week when new "event" plays next week. Hard to
follow all these crooked actors on a political scene...But more and more people are dead
and wars and "revolutions" are everywhere...I am afraid "chicken will come home" soon...
Such power as the UK has retained post-empire has rested on the special relationship with
the U.S. The core of that special relationship has been cooperation between the intel
agencies of the two countries. Before the election, the U.S. intel agencies very much
opposed Trump, and since then they have very much been a part of the so-called resistance
to him. It figures that the UK would want to assist them.
@ 79 What son? As I understand his son is dead and two of them visited cemetery where his
son and wife are...and then again why this money is in his daughter's account?
@ pantaraxia #60: Thanks for pointing that out. Seems the troll farms were/are working
overtime, as I have now found "articles" which use nearly EXACTLY the same two quotes (with
suitable substitutions), but attributed to Putin/Russia. Some days you get the bear, some
days the bear gets you...
The Economist part? The fact that corporatist rag lies as much as any MSM... but the
Economist also definitely toes the Rothschild propaganda line, so that article shows there
is no love lost between them and Trump.
Despite this, my premise stands, if Skripal had damning evidence that the Steele scam
and the larger "Russian collusion scam" was more than just theory, and linked the
Dems/lawyers/spooks back to the Rothschilds, then we have the Zionist connection. Mossad
does the Zionists' dirty work.
So what power-base comes out ahead on this episode? Not the UK for sure... they have
been shown to be incompetent and not in control of what happens on their turf. The Dems
don't gain, as this threw at least temporary focus back onto the
nearly-forgotten-by-the-MSM Steele scam. Trump surely doesn't gain much, not enough to have
the CIA do the deed. Even assuming the CIA would do as Trump asks. Russia/Putin had exactly
zero to gain from this. It may even be a significant loss, because if Yulia was bringing
back her father's dead-man-switch documents to Russia for safekeeping, there's a chance the
FSB might have been able to get them.
Who's left? Given that the Rothchilds have declared Trump "a danger" via the Economist
and elsewhere, one could easily imagine them trying to install, via Trump's impeachment, an
even more rabid Zionist puppet in the form of Pence.
So confusion and disarray all 'round.
"By deception shalt you do war." The Mossad motto.
The effects of BZ are felt about 1/2 hour after exposure and can last for weeks.
Fentanyl could have immediate effect but those effects last only days.
Skripal's "dead man switch" is pure fantasy. It assumes that a man who had betrayed his country and was merely an "asset" would be
trusted with sensitive info.
Whatever help Skripal may have provided to Steele is likely to have been tangential.
Steele almost certainly had other sources that he could call on. But Skripal might make for a good fall guy.
Those who decry Russia's seeming inaction fail to consider that that keeping the Skripal's
incommunicado is a provocation that is meant to illicit threats from Russia that could
further the anti-Russian agenda. By keeping a cool head the Russians have avoided this trap.
No evidence was provided to support this. How many substances are on the control list?
How many times has BZ been used as a control? Show us evidence of labs that have previously
found BZ in samples provided by OPCW. Let independent journalists interview the
technicians.
The lab found 'Novocho' in pure and I pure state. If we believe OPCW assertion that they
have chain of custody (no reason not to at this point) then it's logical to conclude that
the 'Novochok' Is likely to have been administered to Skripal shortly before the sample was
taken.
This leads to the interesting question whether samples were taken from BOTH Skripal's or
only Mr. Skripal. Prehaps Yulia was not given the 'Novochok' and that's why she "recovered"
much sooner?
I've gotten somewhat inured or indifferent to the endless, churning speculation about
what happened to the Skripals, most of which relies upon manifestly unverified and
untrustworthy reports from various complicit individuals and organizations with strong
motivations to deceive the public. But your scenario is indeed novel and quite plausible,
so thanks.
I was reminded of a UK journalist infogandist bumptiously questioning some
Russian embassy official recently; this would-be reporter parried the Russian's complaint
about Yulia's sequestration by sharply positing that Yulia may be averse to meeting with
Russian embassy staff because she "is afraid for her life".
At the time, it was obvious enough that this reporter was advancing the narrative that
demonizes the sinister Russians in every possible manner. But this tendentious query is
certainly consistent with your idea that Yulia is being "played" by both her UK captors and
a complicit father.
_____________________________
Regarding another line of speculation: I have no technical qualifications to assess the
merits of the speculation about the toxic substances. But on general principles of rational
skepticism, I strongly doubt the ambiguous suggestion that an old and/or significantly
deteriorated quantity of A-234 or other "nerve agent", possibly possessed by expatriate
Russian criminals and ne'er-do-wells, was used to poison the Skripals.
I concede that "anything" is possible . But it simply strikes me as implausibly
far-fetched-- and, even worse, it obliquely reinforces the official Big Lie. That is,
postulating the use of some deteriorated chemical weapon: 1) supports the preposterous
original claim that a powerful nerve agent was indeed deployed, and; 2) supports the
speculation that the UK government itself is really a victim, or target, of the "real"
perpetrators.
The UK's official response is not that of an innocent party-- a target or victim--
determined to forthrightly and transparently determine the truth of the matter. Introducing
the red herring of some malicious independent actor(s) using some mysterious supply of an
unpredictable chemical weapon seems inherently disinformational, and further muddies the
water.
Jackrabbit, the policeman recovered quickly, perhaps a dose of Fentanyl only, whereas
Skripals hit with Fetanyl, then later hit with BZ? Or all three hit with Fetanyl only
Skripals recovering about the same time as policeman but held incommunicado.
From the medical journal it seems Fetanyl was the diagnosis (for all three?) in the first
24 hrs. BZ and A-234 only show up in the OPCW report?
Fetanyl in an aerosol, Skripals hit with it at the park bench, whatever it was delivered
in left at the scene? Bailey first copper on the scene picks it up and gives himself a mild
dose?
IMHO, OPCW should release the primary data rather than edited conclusions.
Scientifically, edited conclusions have no value without raw data being available and open
to alternative analysis. For examples, the spectrum generated by a substance added to a
blood sample after it is collected should be different from a substance that the subject
had it his/her organism for several weeks before blood sample was collected. "Detecting" a
substance covers a variety of possibilities. The phenomenon of bending interpretations
according to a pet theory is actually frequent in science setting, but if findings are
important, raw data is re-analyzed, additional experiments may be performed (e.g. is this
stuff REALLY that toxic? can it have a delayed onset of symptoms? what is the chance of
synchronized delayed onset?) Pet theories may misleadingly fit prior experience of the
researchers, help getting funding, help financial stakes of a company etc., and in this
case, promote a certain type of international crisis. Whatever the mischief potential there
may be, releasing primary data became a standard for publications in biomedical research,
and it should apply in this case too.
Jackrabbit
or as you say a mix of Fetanyl and BZ, hospital blood tests picking up the Fetanyl but not
checking for BZ? The policeman receiving a much lighter dose due to handling whatever was
used to administer the stuff.
In 2016 Salisbury had a spike in Fentanyl OD cases. The local emergency services were
surely aware of the symptoms and effects of such a substance.
You might want to reconsider this argument. Your link from the local Newburyport Alefish
wrap refers to Salisbury, Massachusetts, not England. By the way, we locals consider
Fentanyl a perfectly acceptable response to Austerity.
"... Today's false flag operations are generally carried out by intelligence agencies and non-government actors including terrorist groups, but they are only considered successful if the true attribution of an action remains secret. ..."
"... That means that when the media is trumpeting news reports that the Russians or Chinese hacked into U.S. government websites or the sites of major corporations, it could actually have been the CIA carrying out the intrusion and making it look like it originated in Moscow or Beijing. Given that capability, there has been considerable speculation in the alternative media that it was actually the CIA that interfered in the 2016 national elections in the United States. ..."
How False Flag Operations Are Carried Out Today "The lesson that should be learned from Syria and Skripal is that if "an
incident" looks like it has no obvious motive behind it, there is a high probability that it is a false flag"
-- take it from Philip Giraldi, a veteran of the CIA of 20 years
Philip Giraldi Sat, Apr
28, 2018 | 4,379
146
MORE: Politics False Flag is a concept that goes back centuries.
It was considered to be a legitimate ploy by the Greeks and Romans, where a military force would pretend to be friendly to get close
to an enemy before dropping the pretense and raising its banners to reveal its own affiliation just before launching an attack. In
the sea battles of the eighteenth century among Spain, France and Britain hoisting an enemy flag instead of one's own to confuse
the opponent was considered to be a legitimate ruse de guerre , but it was only "honorable" if one reverted to one's own
flag before engaging in combat.
Today's false flag operations are generally carried out by intelligence agencies and non-government actors including terrorist
groups, but they are only considered successful if the true attribution of an action remains secret. There is nothing honorable
about them as their intention is to blame an innocent party for something that it did not do. There has been a lot of such activity
lately and it was interesting to learn by way of a leak that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has developed a capability to
mimic the internet fingerprints of other foreign intelligence services. That means that when the media is trumpeting news reports
that the Russians or Chinese hacked into U.S. government websites or the sites of major corporations, it could actually have been
the CIA carrying out the intrusion and making it look like it originated in Moscow or Beijing. Given that capability, there has been
considerable speculation in the alternative media that it was actually the CIA that interfered in the 2016 national elections in
the United States.
False flags can be involved in other sorts of activity as well. The past year's two major alleged chemical attacks carried out
against Syrian civilians that resulted in President Donald Trump and associates launching 160 cruise missiles are pretty clearly
false flag operations carried out by the rebels and terrorist groups that controlled the affected areas at the time. The most recent
reported attack on April 7 th might not have occurred at all according to doctors and other witnesses who were actually
in Douma. Because the rebels succeeded in convincing much of the world that the Syrian government had carried out the attacks, one
might consider their false flag efforts to have been extremely successful.
The remedy against false flag operations such as the recent one in Syria is, of course, to avoid taking the bait and instead waiting
until a thorough and objective inspection of the evidence has taken place. The United States, Britain and France did not do that,
preferring instead to respond to hysterical press reports by "doing something." If the U.N. investigation of the alleged attack turns
up nothing, a distinct possibility, it is unlikely that they will apologize for having committed a war crime.
The other major false flag that has recently surfaced is the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury England
on March 4 th . Russia had no credible motive to carry out the attack and had, in fact, good reasons not to do so. The
allegations made by British Prime Minister Theresa May about the claimed nerve agent being "very likely" Russian in origin have been
debunked, in part through examination by the U.K.'s own chemical weapons lab. May, under attack even within her own party, needed
a good story and a powerful enemy to solidify her own hold on power so false flagging something to Russia probably appeared to be
just the ticket as Moscow would hardly be able to deny the "facts" being invented in London. Unfortunately, May proved wrong and
the debate ignited over her actions, which included the expulsion of twenty-three Russian diplomats, has done her severe damage.
Few now believe that Russia actually carried out the poisoning and there is a growing body of opinion suggesting that it was actually
a false flag executed by the British government or even by the CIA.
The lesson that should be learned from Syria and Skripal is that if "an incident" looks like it has no obvious motive behind it,
there is a high probability that it is a false flag. A bit of caution in assigning blame is appropriate given that the alternative
would be a precipitate and likely disproportionate response that could easily escalate into a shooting war.
The USA and other transgender members of the "international community" no longer require proof or evidence. They are conditioned
to believe whatever dogshit lies the Jew media's queer coiffed henchmen say. No matter how ridiculous.So as long as they re-enforce
the post-modern soullessness narrative of homosexual auto-eroticism.
There is a reason why TV shows like 'Dancing With The Stars' and 'reality' TV dominate the collective self-absorbed psyche
of meathead robots: one hundred years of Jungian and Freudian conditioning bullshit feed their need for fantasy - anything to
escape their reality of bad hair, 44" waist, drunkenness, base greed, and self-hatred. The Need for Greed.
Just cater to the uneducated swine's basest desires and they'll happily tongue their master's rectums.
The west is into scat porn, gay pride parades, "feeling good about yourself", self-help, getting pissed off at the Walmart
crackheads because they don't stock dildos with the correct curvature you desire, etc.
Tell me how a defunct species of automatic self-loathing shit-eaters with a victim-complex can do anything But believe the
sexy blonde bimbo with an Adam's Apple reciting today's talking points?
The craven papal Jew-worshiping west are quietly self-medicating into non-existence in their prophylactic hygienic masturbatory
GMO ass-perfumed bubbles. Occasionally one of them goes apeshit and shoots-up a school or something.
"...mind controlled automatons controlled through drugs and remote EM voices directing their behavior..."
That sounds like the job description of CIANN.
Dildos with the correct curvature .
Rothflmao
Been reading ya for years illya.
That was by far the most memorable line you've penned this year .
Great rant .
Everything you said Illyak, resonates with me. Your words intelligently crafted. It is a reflection of Western Society, where
virtual signalling has replaced honest discussion.
The Western media creates a vacuum and the masses get sucked into the void, they are in a vegetative state, they disengage
with reality. Even when basic common-sense hits you in the face, these people have the tenacity to accept as gospel the liars
and deceits of their Governments. If you hear BS repeatedly and you are of simple disposition, you will eventually eat the BS,
you will speak it and accept it as de-facto.
Much of the West live in a distorted reality field, these people have been embellished on tropes of 'Western Values' and failing
to operate within the parameters, will ultimately exclude you from the collective mainstream, thus rendering you a conspiracy
theorist or deranged person and further more you will be considered as a maverick person, who's unable to inflict upon thyself
'victim masturbation' or accept that there are other groups (Jews) more deserving than you.
anything that makes Anglosheeple disconnect more from reality, from their own instincts and biology, and from other people
is encouraged by the Empire of SLAVES
My only Flaw in your comment is the 44 inch waist as that is now about the size they Strive to Slim Down to now
A comment made on here about two year's ago has alway's stuck in my mind was "How come British Women's bottom's start behind Their
knee's"
as someone who spent more than a decade living in the US and as many years in the UK - I fully agree with your analysis. You
just forgot to mention religion - and sexual mutilation of baby boys (only in the US are boys routinely circumcised as far as
I know in all other places it's only Jews and Muslims who do it). Religion makes them slavish and fearful of their imaginary and
other masters from early childhood.
Love your Nabokovian Jeremiad by the way!
"Occasionally one of them goes apeshit and shoots-up a school or something."
That reminds me of Winston in Nineteen Eighty Four.
The net was there to catch the outliers. In fact, the state ran the
'resistance'
Not this American! I consider the tax extorting, mafia style Shameless Sam to be treasonous and should be on trial in an International
court and many of the serial lying neocons who have been pushing our tyrannous foreign policy executed. The past five POTUS including
Cheney and HRC should be held accountable.
No member of The Tribe will ever be held accountable for anything, ever....unless they try taking on Russia. Then they will
swing. And the world will rejoice.
This message is lacking viable alternative but still better than nothing.
"Falling" for Dr. Ron Paul would not be "dumb" at all.
It would have saved U.S. of coming collapse....But than why would I care?!
U.S. being aggressor Empire and all, they are doing me a favor really with their votes...
Trump
rimes
the swamp!
Yes, the same tricks keep being played by those in power, and they include more than just false flags.
Why should that be so? Because they still work.
Even the relative failures like the recent one in Syria (relative failure because millions know it was a fraud) give arrogant
leaders who want to do something a public excuse for doing it, even when the excuse is weak and subject to controversy. It is
their own people they are largely aiming at, people breathing the same atmosphere of misinformation and suspicion.
As Lord Acton said, "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."
the bigger problem is that most (or all ) Americans I know don't actually want to hear about what is really going on.
They have been brainwashed from very early to value UNREALITY much more than the actual reality. Once you convince sheeple to
think that way (and to actually fear reality) - they will happily lie to themselves - you don't even need to lie to them any more
More info on "media" at link below.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
ROBERT BRIDGE | 21.04.2018
Useful Idiots? New Yorker Magazine Fails Litmus Test for Media Impartiality on Syrian War
Interesting article at link below.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- –
APRIL 20, 2018
A Tale of Two Atrocities: Douma and Gaza
by DOUG NOBLE
The mainstream media once again have enthusiastically endorsed Donald Trump's latest
strike on Syria, pulled off without Congressional approval and in blatant violation of US and
international law . (emphasis added)
See link below on "media" and "Syria Strikes." Are illegal acts of war "okay"?
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
-- –
APRIL 18, 2018
Out of 26 Major Editorials on Trump's Syria Strikes, Zero Opposed
ADAM JOHNSON
Yaya April 22, 2018 at 9:22 am Good
on Anon for not letting Israel off the hook!
I'm also pleased to see Margolis emphasize the role of Britain, and its talent for brutal
name-calling. Theresa May is especially good at vitriolic descriptions of entitities she wants
the rest of us to hate and revile. This was so evident in the speech her delegate gave to the
OCPW (why that was even allowed is beyond me, since the OCPW is supposed to be impartial) that
it was almost laughable. Well, I actually did laugh at one point. https://www.yayacanada.ca/home/theresa-may-star-of-stage-screen-and-parliament
And kudos big-time to Consortium News for carrying on so beautifully the legacy of your lost
leader. I particularly appreciated the sane and cogent articles concerning the so-called
Russian Hack Myth, and keep them with others in sidebar of my blog.
Strange how the media seems to have moved away from Washington's claims
about a "chemical attack" in Syria just as more and more evidence comes to light that
seriously undermines the US narrative.
The media is reduced to accusing those who question
the narrative -- even with evidence -- of being "conspiracy theorists." Virginia State
Senator Richard Black is a retired US military officer and JAG officer with a Purple Heart
earned in Vietnam.
He is not buying the mainstream media and Trump Administration claims
about the attack. He has followed the Syria war closely and in 2016 even took a trip to
Syria. He joins today's Ron Paul Liberty Report to shine the light on the falsehoods being
spread:
Syria's government forces have discovered a depot of German and UK-manufactured chemical
weapons left by terrorists in the town of Douma, a Syrian official says.
"In the depot with chemical weapons left by terrorists in Douma, we have found chemicals
from Germany, the United Kingdom, from the Porton-Down laboratory in Salisbury," Russia's
Sputnik news agency cited Syria's Deputy Ambassador to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Ghassan Obaid as saying after a briefing in The Hague on Thursday.
Obaid called on OPCW inspectors to visit the site and expressed hope that the inspection
will ultimately prove the allegations against Damascus to be wrong.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova's had said earlier that containers with
chlorine and smoke bombs made in the UK and Germany had been discovered in the territories
freed from militants in Eastern Ghouta region in the suburb of the capital city of Damascus.
New false-flag operations against Damascus are "possible, since our American partners are
once again threatening to take military action against Syria, but we will not allow that,"
Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW), Aleksandr Shulgin, said during a press conference in The Hague on Thursday.
"Two gas cylinders, allegedly dropped by the government forces from helicopters, were found
in two apartments."
One of the cylinders lacked any makeshift upgrades, such as fins, to make it usable as an
aerial munition, and, surprisingly, it was not even deformed .
"It's quite peculiar that the cylinder was not deformed, which doesn't fit its purported
fall from a big altitude on concrete floor."
The other cylinder, while fitted with some crude fins, also remained in nearly pristine
condition despite its "fall."
"The cylinder has partially retained impermeability and is almost undamaged, which is
impossible after a fall from some 2,000 meters , the usual altitude used by the Syrian army
helicopters," Kirillov said.
The cylinder was likely hauled by the "authors of the staged video" from outside, the
official stated, as "multiple chips and dragging marks at the stairwell" indicated. An
apartment below was being used by its owner to breed chickens, and all the livestock
miraculously "made through the so-called chemical attack alive," according to Kirillov.
Assignation of guilt for the alleged chemical attack in Douma continues to be based on
assumptions on Assad's "intent and capabilities" and the White Helmets videos. Interesting to
have such a weak response direct from a senior intelligence bureaucrat.
Her response gets even weaker when asked about claims the videos were faked: "It just
doesn't seem consistent with what the rebels would do."
Wow! The supposed Douma 'chemical attack' killed so many humans, but the chickens survived
unharmed. Luckily the Porton Down assassins were not around to cremate the inconvenient avian
witnesses, unlike the Skripal guineapigs and cat.
"Russian experts performed a detailed analysis of the information on the ground,"
Major-General Igor Kirillov, the head of Russia's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Protection
(RKhBZ) Troops, said. "Two gas cylinders, allegedly dropped by the government forces from
helicopters, were found in two apartments." ... The cylinder was likely hauled by the "authors of the staged video" from outside, the official
stated, as "multiple chips and dragging marks at the stairwell" indicated. An apartment below
was being used by its owner to breed chickens, and all the livestock miraculously "made through
the so-called chemical attack alive," according to Kirillov.
"... Now giving odds on the OPCW report being "inconclusive" --- if I were planning a campaign of fake chemical attacks I would first want to be sure my assets were in place at the OPCW. There is reason to assume that every committee and group of the UN is infiltrated with US assets. ..."
"... "France's Ambassador to the OPCW Philippe Lalliot called the display of Syrians in The Hague 'obscene.'" Apparently it is obscene to present evidence but not staged videos with shaving cream sprayed on the faces of dead bodies. ..."
"... Even better is the unintentionally hilarious comment by the U.K. envoy: "The OPCW is not a theater," said Peter Wilson, Britain's envoy to the watchdog in a statement. ..."
"... Syrian dirty war Backfires on International Media i like how Elijah Magnier refers to the msm - "Salafist Wahabist apologists".... think i will use that too.. ..."
"... I thought western media had sunk as low as it could go until I seen the MSM articles on the witnesses from Douma that are appearing at the Hague. The witnesses are termed 'unidentified people', even though the boy and the doctor, and perhaps several others appeared in the white helmet video and all witnesses are named. ..."
Syria/Russia have assembled a large body of evidence regarding the White Helmets, the
staged filming and other falsifications which show convincingly that no chemical attack
occurred.
Now giving odds on the OPCW report being "inconclusive" --- if I were planning a campaign of
fake chemical attacks I would first want to be sure my assets were in place at the OPCW. There
is reason to assume that every committee and group of the UN is infiltrated with US assets.
"France's Ambassador to the OPCW Philippe Lalliot called the display of Syrians in The
Hague 'obscene.'" Apparently it is obscene to present evidence but not staged videos with shaving cream
sprayed on the faces of dead bodies.
Even better is the unintentionally hilarious comment by the U.K. envoy: "The OPCW is not a theater," said Peter Wilson, Britain's envoy to the watchdog in a
statement.
911's been discussed here from time-to-time. Most agree it's a major false flag. I see it
as the implementation of the Operation Northwoodsplan from
1962 (2 smallish pdfs) for essentially the same geopolitical goals. Such discussions have
previously occurred on Open Threads where they belong. As you see, I really don't have
anything to discuss as I've already made my conclusion and judgement.
false flag attack... very interesting to see now how the Skripal affair and the Douma
incident are going to develop. Because if, for instance, Douma will be widely (i. e. in
Western societies) acknowledged as a false flag attack, and we are pretty close to that -
then this opens a door for the acceptance of former false flag attacks (the so-called
conspiracy theories).
Don't want to go into detail here, but I'm convinced that the majority of terror attacks
in the West in the last twenty years were false flag, i.e. the official story doesn't reflect
what really happened.
From my own research I can say that for 9/11, London 7/7, Boston 2013, Nizza 2016, Berlin
2016.
Again, I don't want to discuss that stuff here. My point is that the unmasking of Douma as
a staged event, or Skripal as false flag, could make these former staged events fall like
domino pieces. Not in days or weeks, but over the years.
I thought western media had sunk as low as it could go until I seen the MSM articles on the
witnesses from Douma that are appearing at the Hague.
The witnesses are termed 'unidentified people', even though the boy and the doctor, and
perhaps several others appeared in the white helmet video and all witnesses are named.
Posted by: Harry Law | Apr 26, 2018 6:32:50 PM |
47
That US,UK and French aggression on 14th April which caused the loss of 3 buildings and no
casualties could go down as the biggest own goal of this war on Syria. Now it is possible that
Syria will acquire the S300 and deny US and Israeli air supremacy.
They can stop Israeli Jets
lobbing missiles from Lebanese airspace, they also have the range to lock on to Israeli Jets
taking off from Israeli airfields. Israel is very concerned, as they should be. The Syrians
should thank Trump, May and Macron.
On the Skripal affair, the best information I've found (trying to keep up) is at Craig
Murray's blog (the following
page as the most recent discussion):
As with this interesting comment:
Clive P April 22, 2018 at 12:29
I have been reading the blogs for some time but this is my first post. Like Craig I was
a senior civil servant but in the ministry of defence not the fco. I had plenty of dealings
with all three intelligence agencies. It seems to me that the reason none of the MSM are
doing any investigating/reporting of the Salisbury affair, apart from official handouts, is
that the government have slapped a D-Notice over the whole incident and it is not possible to
report that a notice has been issued.
Here is another theory as to what happened. The Russians pardoned Skripal and allowed
him to leave (spy agencies have an understanding that agents will always be swapped after an
interval – it's the only protection they have and helps recruitment). In the UK Skripal
would have been thoroughly debriefed by MI6 and MI5 (his ex-handler lives near Salisbury). If
at some point they discovered that Skripal was giving them false information, perhaps he was
told to do so by the FSB as a condition of his release, lives may have been endangered/lost.
If he also was also involved in the 'golden showers' dossier then elements in the US would
have a reason to act as well. The whole incident was an inside job not to kill him, hence the
use of BZ, but to give him a warning and a punishment. The whole thing is being treated as
though the authorities know exactly what went on but have to cover it up.
A D notice is subsequently clarified in the thread as classified/off limits by the UK
government.
Sorry, not clear on the BZ reference, as to what this means.
Would appreciate additional links with info from recent days.
This looks like taken directly from Godfather. "Mafia style governance" in other words ;-)
Notable quotes:
"... The experts just make it up, the pols know this but unless they can prove the military bosses are lying, they have to go along with it. ..."
"... We, us the people, we die, that is our role ..."
"... 'Not in my name': Galloway calls on British public to reject calls for Syria military action: https://www.rt.com/uk/423805-galloway-syria-war-uk/ ..."
"... But who cares about us? Now is Trump and the brainwashed journalists that want a war, nothing seems to be able to stop and reverse this sickness. ..."
By now 18 months in office, agent orange will have reached the same SOP as everyone else who
has political power does when they are dealing with circumstances where A) they lack much experience of dealing with the
issue, and B) there are to quote that other donald who
isn't a duck. "There are many 'known unknowns'".
That is you must defer to the 'experts' not because you necessarily believe their assessment
to be correct, but because they are
the types whose job it is to make such assessments. So that if things do go tits up, king
mandarin cannot be blamed.
He was acting upon "the best advice available at the time" & if things work out then the
trumpet can trumpet his genius strategy.
If they don't work out that's tough, but the bossfella did his/her part.
This has long been held to be the only way an elected leader can survive a war. Everything
is a gamble, so unless you
really know what you are doing/have great outside the loop intelligence, following the advice
of the military bosses is
really the only option they can see. They are weak, vain, self-obsessed and incapable of
understanding how Jo/Joe Shitkicker feels about stuff.
A couple of examples.
The first worked out OK for humans but bad for the warmongers. When GH Bush snared Iraq into
Gulf War 1, the plan had always been to use Iraq's reclamation of their traditional lands from
the Anglo American puppets as an excuse to grab all of Iraq - Kuwait's oil was running out,
which was why the emir had been siphoning off Iraqi oil in the first place. So the American led
band of greedies, crooks & charlatans chased the retreating Iraqis back - bombing shooting
and poisoning em with depleted uranium absolutely mercilessly. But for whatever reason (who
knows? honour, honesty, maybe even humanity or maybe someone paid him off we will never
discover the truth) Norman Schwarzkopf wasn't down with such ruthless murder.
He publicly declared the military objectives had all been met and continuing on wasn't just
pointless it was inhumanity approaching a war crime. GH Arsefeatures must have been ropeable,
but he knew going against Norm's advice was just too fraught. If anything, absolutely anything
went wrong with what was a pretty damned risky plan, as Iraq hadn't been put under siege for
long at all before the attack, there were big numbers of Iran/Iraq war veterans - troops who
hadn't been deployed in Kuwait waiting in Iraq. Bush would take the fall as he had gone against
'expert' advice. No redemption thatcher style for him, so he declared victory and began the
siege which junior tried to finish.
The second example? This is a link to
part 17 of a 26 part documentary on the 1914 to 1918 half of the 20th century eurowar.
It is made by the bbc, but I hasten to add during an all too brief moment in the 1960's when
the BBC had been forced to resile from spewing spurious tales - propaganda, and calling it
fact.
If you haven't seen this series I strongly suggest you get a copy and watch it. This is the
people who fought, chiefly the shitkickers
in the trenches on all sides doing the talking. In addition there is input from the pols' &
military bosses via daily journals & diaries.
Episode 17 is about Ypres which was a piece of Belgian western front which protruded east
across the line the Austro/German troops occupied, aka a salient.
The Brits held the western side, Germany the other.
By 1917 everyone was well sick of the war and the politicians had begun to distrust the
judgement and sometimes the
motives of the military. The Battle of the Somme which cost more than a million brit casualties
had been fought in the
summer of 1916, nothing had been gained. More than a million young men had died for nothing -
absolutely fucking nothing.
Now that the summer of 1917 was approaching the army wanted another 'offensive'. Ypres was the
battlespace they had selected. Once a beautiful town even more striking architecturally than
Bruges, Ypres was leveled by the arseholesi - few if any of whom were Belgium.
So all the brit military bosses (army & navy - the airforce hadn't taken off yet [pun
alert]) were meeting with all the political leaders in the cabinet room.
Lloyd George, the consummate brit pol of the early 20th century, was Prime Minister and he
was extremely skeptical of any big plan, as logic dictated that when both sides were as dug in
& evenly matched as the allies & axis were, the chances of either side achieving
anything beyond the deaths of another million or two humans were slim as New York model.
Watch the doco - Lloyd explains how Haig and his gang had bundles of colourful maps with
arrows pointing every which way, plus a fine art in talking absolute bullshit.
When Lloyd George detects that some of the more gullible pols are lapping up Haig's
nonsense, so he interjects with his doubts - that any further "send em over the top" strategies
can achieve anything other than the death of millions more humans.
The meeting adjourns for lunch. When they all come back the Sea Lord, Admiral Jellicoe, the
man now believed to be responsible for the brit navy's worst maritime disaster ever, the 1916
battle of jutland where 5000 brit sailors were killed in the space of a few hours and Admiral
Beatty who was Jellicoe's 2IC was heard to say offhandly "I say, there seems to be something
wrong with our bloody ships today". Thousands of men die and the elitist prick believes it's
time to be droll. Check out pix of Beatty he always wore his naval cap 'rakishly' forever
playing the jaunty gentleman sailor.
Anyway Jellicoe whose incompetence as the head of the British Grand Fleet resulted in badly
designed ships adopting really dangerous explosive handling practices was so bad the brits had
to make him out to be a hero & promoted him to First Sea Lord, pipes up at the Ypres
meeting straight after lunch , with the claim that the attack must go ahead because if the
Germans keep control of Zeebrugge which is a Belgian port just north of Ypres that was in
German hands & was being used as a submarine base, England will face famine and mass
starvation within a few months as the navy cannot protect their shipping supplies to
england.
It was complete nonsense which Haig and Jellicoe likely dreamed up at lunch. We know it was
a crock because Lloyd George was left with no alternative but to approve warmonger/mass
murderer Haig's plan. The battle went ahead, another million or so died in what the diggers
termed the worst bloody stunt of the war. Long story short; the farmland around Ypres was like
Dutch lowland, constructed below sea level. The artillery barrages had wrecked the drainage
system and the entire battle space turned to mud blood, and corpses - fall into a shellhole
which was easy on the slippery duckboards and you're toast, the mixture of bacteria bubbling
away in the Ypres Soup guaranteed that if you could swim with a full pack and gear, any cut or
wound would become irretrievably infected. The medics played catch up footy behind gangrene,
chopping bits off a bloke until there was nothing left.
These then are the roles:
The experts just make it up, the pols know this but unless they can prove the military
bosses are lying, they have to go along with it.
We, us the people, we die, that is our role
ps watch the doco and see how documentaries can be made.
I challenge anyone to name a modern war prosecuted by the US government and its allies that did not involve at its root the direct
fabrication of blatant lies on enormous levels, both as a casus belli and also to manipulate public opinion in favor of
hostilities.
The clandestine activity represented by these *provocations* isn't even good spycraft. The Skripal case and the latest use
of chlorine gas in Syria are risible, clumsy, amateur attempts to wangle the empire into war that the callowest rube could see
through. And yet, it's working its magic on the media. The politicians, suborned by the war machine, give unanimous bipartisan
assent.
Saddam's WMD, Gulf of Tonkin, etc., etc. And now a ridiculous false flag attack in Syria. Did it take place at all? But the
narrative is all. The press in the USA is more effectively controlled and conformist than in Germany in the late 1930s and nobody
goes around beating up journalists or sending them to a KZ. The Syrian Gov't is winning the civil war, things are going well but
what Assad really needs is to have the crap bombed out of his military by Uncle Sam. What transparent bullshit.
This was a great talk show. Many excellent points made, depicting neoliberal
propaganda as "it is". Must see video.
Notable quotes:
"... That's exactly what we did. Cancelled our cable six months ago and joined TYT ..."
"... All corporate media outlets romanticize and support death and destruction because they believe the public loves it. So give em what they want, and corporate media profits skyrocket. Sad and shameful. ..."
I wonder how proud Bernie would be if he watched any of Jimmy Dores videos.. My TOP
"Progressives" Bernie/Tulsi/Nina/Jimmy/Ronan but there are PLENTY of other great progressives
that I forgot to mention. #Bernie2020#Tulsi2020#JusticeDems2018
Rachel Maddow is another compromised "journalist" failing to cover Syria. Jimmy, I know
you see Maddow the same way I do, so I thought you and your subscribers would want a heads-up
on Aaron Mate's April 12, 2017 article at the Intercept, "MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Sees a
'Russia Connection' Lurking Behind Every Corner." The article includes a video showing Maddow
repeatedly pounding the drum about alleged Russian influence on Trump.
The Intercept's
quantitative study of all 28 Rachel Maddow episodes in the six-week period between February
20 and March 31, showed 53 percent of the broadcasts were Russia-focused segments. Mate
points out "the 'above all else" focus on Russia lacks concrete supporting evidence."
The
article also mentions Maddow is often dubbed one of the smartest TV journalists, but in my
view, if she's so smart, why isn't she honest?
The public doesn't need "smart but unethical"
journalists, because they are a dime a dozen. We need news people with astuteness and
integrity combined. Some of the world's most destructive people have been brilliant but evil.
Anyway, the article is a good read.
Can't we show some pictures of the people WE kill, the children WE kill when we drop our
bombs? Someone pointed out how they show pictures of our missles when they are launched and
none of the damage we do. And we only show pictures of the dead people when THEY drop bombs,
etc. Shouldn't we also show the people we kill.
That's exactly what we did. Cancelled our cable six months ago and joined TYT, and support
several independent youTubers including Jimmy Dore. We need independent media especially
now
The American public, by in large, have no sympathy for the innocent civilians who suffer
the horrific bombing attacks carried out by the U.S. Military. All corporate media outlets
romanticize and support death and destruction because they believe the public loves it. So
give em what they want, and corporate media profits skyrocket. Sad and shameful.
-- Here is the terrorist camp in Turkey, run by a British officer James le Mesurier:
"James le Mesurier founded both Mayday Rescue and the White Helmets after "retiring" from the
British Army and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Mayday Rescue's annual budget is $35
million, with the funds coming from USAID, the UK Conflict Security and Stability Fund, and
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To date, an estimated 3,000 recruits have been through the
Mayday Rescue training programs and deployed into 120 different locations in rebel-held parts
of Syria."
-- Here is another dishonorable British officer, Paul Tilley:
"Tilley ran British government
communications during the Libya invasion, working directly out of 10 Downing Street. In
November 2014, soon after le Mesurier was founding Mayday Rescue and the White Helmets,
Tilley "retired" from the British service to found the strategic communications firm.
Incostrat provides the social media and other communications services for Mayday and
the White Helmets."
– Any Qs about le Mesurier' and Tilley' devotion to militant Islamists and fanatical
Israelis when good money is paid for the devotion??
British government official agencies are the patrons, managers and funders of the White Helmets, who have been the go-to source
for the mainstream Western media reporting on the ongoing Syrian war. For good measure, the U.S. State Department's Agency for International
Development (USAID) has kicked in $23 million to finance Mayday Rescue, the cutout between the White Helmets and the British Ministry
of Defense, the Home Office, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and 10 Downing Street. This is all a matter of public record, yet
no Western major media outlet has bothered to include these "data points" in their lavish coverage of the White Helmets.
Mayday Rescue was founded by James le Mesurier, who founded both Mayday Rescue and the White Helmets after "retiring" from the
British Army and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Mayday Rescue has its headquarters in Istanbul, Turkey, where it runs a training
program for the White Helmet recruits. Mayday Rescue's annual budget is $35 million, with the funds coming from USAID, the UK Conflict
Security and Stability Fund, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To date, an estimated 3,000 recruits have been through the Mayday Rescue
training programs and deployed into 120 different locations in rebel held parts of Syria.
Another element of the British government flowchart backing the White Helmets is the communications and media firm Incostrat,
founded by Paul Tilley, another British Army veteran, who ran the Ministry of Defence's Strategic Communications for the Middle East
and North Africa. Tilley ran British government communications during the Libya invasion, working directly out of 10 Downing Street.
In November 2014, soon after le Mesurier was founding Mayday Rescue and the White Helmets, Tilley "retired" from the British service
to found the strategic communications firm. Incostrat provides the social media and other communications services for Mayday and
the White Helmets.
All very neat.
In January 2015, the British Ministry of Defence renamed its Security Assistance Group (SAG) the 77th Brigade. The name change
was in honor of the legendary World War II era British special warfare operator Orde Wingate, who as a Major General in the British
Army founded the 77th Indian Infantry Brigade, which conducted "long-range penetration" operations in the CBI theater. The renamed
current 77th Brigade, according to its own website, conducts "non-lethal engagement and legitimate non-military levers as a means
to adapt behaviors of opposing forces and adversaries," including information activities and outreach. By its own public description,
the 77th Brigade is "an agent of change." They are nowadays referred to as "Twitter Troops" and "Facebook Warriors."
The Guardian revealed it was spending £2.4m ($3.3m) for private contractors to deliver "strategic communications and media
operations support to the Syrian moderate armed opposition", in what was described as Britain running a "Free Syrian Army press
office".
Jaish al-Islam (Army of Islam), a newly formed coalition of around 50 Islamist factions funded by Saudi Arabia, was one
of the groups considered by Britain to be part of the "moderate armed opposition".
Why is the British government so into neocon themes or are they merely acting at the behest of our neocons?
The British Deep State clearly have a bee in their bonnet about Putin & Russia. Maybe that's why they acted to take down Candidate
Trump during the last election.
The Brits have a long history of antagonistic relations with Russia. The phrase "The Great Game" originally referred British-Russian
power ploys in central Asia in the latter half of the 19th century. Pax Americana has "inherited" some aspects of the British
Empire and British Imperialism. No wonder the Brits want to play along with us in that area. They have history there. The force
of that not to be underestimated.
I bought this book a couple of years ago, but have not done more than skim it yet. The reviews are helpful for getting an idea
of what it's about.
BTW, my current preference is to use the "neocon" label in a more limited fashion referring to those who espouse that philosophy
directly. I think most people working for the empire aren't philosophical true believers so much as ambitious opportunists who
tend to be flexible in their ideology. After reading more history, I came to develop a fondness for that old fashioned label "imperialist."
It explains much on it's own. No extra political ideology is required.
It is very clear that the WH operation is a brain child of the Clinton/Obama regime with British and Saudi participation. The
British actually have conducted the operation.
More to do with Saudi and Arab interests. Doesn't help that they are aligned with Zionists on this matter, but I wouldn't say
neocons are the key factor.
As for Russia the obsession mystifies me; Neocons, Rupert Murdoch, exiled oligarchs and associated riffaff in London throwing
money around, institutional inertia from the cold war?
Thank you for this information. I come here often to get a different perspective from what I hear non-stop on popular "news" outlets.
I had this problem when I was teaching research writing. The journalism majors researched only by calling someone to get nice
quotations about the "facts"--as their source told them. They did not believe in doing any other sort of research really. Got
to beat those deadlines, you know.
Orde Wingate!! Wingnut extraordinaire, as only England can produce them. A proto White Zionist & Likudnik. The Israelis see
him as almost a founding father! I think there's even a statue. He's put out as a military genius but, really he was one of those
special forces types who hover between tactical & operational levels, which disguises the lightweight effect of their operations:
Preferably against light opposition. What he set up in the CBI theatre was glamorized, at the time, because the Brits had screwed
up the defence of Burma so badly. Britain's fading glory, & the Indian Army's biggest & best operations awaited Slim (General).
Read; 'Quartered Safe Out Here'.
Yup. That was my first reaction: Orde Wingate was practically the original Christian Zionist, a real nutjob in terms of his personal
beliefs and politics. Rather telling, if he's seen as the patron saint of the White Helmets.
Tomorrow 26-4 the Russians are flying a number of Syrians to the Netherlands for a press conference of the Russian delegation
with the OPCW.
We'll see if the Syrians will be able to access the Netherlands. Considering the neocon-puppy-status of our glorious prime-minister
(who might have to step-down because of repeatedly lying to parliament) I wouldn't be surprised if this will be refused.
I can think of two other important questions, what is the point of lying? and who exactly do
they think they are fooling?
Firstly it is worth saying that both sides are likely to exaggerate the effectiveness of
their systems, deliberately or otherwise. Let us start with the US claim of 100%
effectiveness of their weapons system and 0% of the Syrian/Russian systems, this is plainly
nonsense. Even with no air defences at all a certain number of malfunctions would be expected
to happen. The Syrian/Russian claims are also likely to be wrong, many of the claimed
intercepts were just as likely to be malfunctions.
So what is the point of lying?
First off, a reputation for unreliability is bad for sales, pure and simple. Nobody is
going to be enthusiastic about spending large amounts of money on stuff that doesn't work
very well, this would apply equally to both sides.
Secondly, the appetite of the general public for war in general and superpower
confrontation in particular is going to be somewhat diminished if it is perceived that the
other side is technologically equal or even superior. This factor is logically going to be
more important to the side likely to initiate conflict.
So who do they think they are fooling?
Potential customers for weapons systems are usually not going to be naive enough to take
the manufacturers claims at face value, they are likely to employ their own experts to assess
the various claims. They will not be completely immune to deception of course.
Each other. Neither side would want their opponents to have the best information
available, for obvious reasons. It is notable that both sides appear to have declined to
fully commit their latest equipment, the Russians in particular. It is likely that both sides
have reasonably good intelligence on what happened, neither side is likely to be fooled
easily.
The general public are the most obvious targets of deception and the most easily fooled.
It is one thing to risk a superpower conflict when your population in general is confident
that you have a clear technological edge and are likely to escape the worst. It would be
quite another matter to get the public on board if they believed they were up against a more
or less equal opponent and were likely to get thoroughly nuked. Once again this logic applies
far more strongly to the side likely to initiate a conflict for they are the ones who must
manufacture consent. For this reason it would appear that the Russians have somewhat less
motivation to lie than their US counterparts.
They lie because they can and after lying their pathetic lives away they are not even
aware that they are lying. Hilary can fall down the steps in front of hundreds of cameras and
lie that she did not fall. Joe Biden can lie to a reporter that he graduated number one in
his law class and totally ignore the school records that he graduated in the bottom of his
law class.
"... The "attack" on Syria had two purposes: a saving of face, and a disposal of old ordnance. ..."
"... I suspect that only Israel had any real interest in saving the face of their hired boogeyman. Trump being a flunky of Israeli, he did what he had to do. ..."
At the same time it is clear that there was an understanding between the governments to
insure that Russian red lines were not crossed. The evidence for the Douma gas attack is
non-existent. The film evidence has now been thoroughly de-bunked as part of the information
operations (propaganda) of the White Helmets scheme funded by the Saudis and largely conducted
by the UK info warriors of 77 Regiment. It seems clear that US DoD was not privy to that IO
project and for that Reason SECDEF Mattis was blind-sided by the deception. The struck targets
(successful or not) have long been known to the US IC as facilities of the former Syrian
Government chemical warfare programs. The Russians were told to stay out of those areas and so
a reasonable compromise was made with a president easily fooled by social media and under heavy
pressure by a population equally easy to deceive.
Nevertheless, most of the missiles failed and that failure must be dealt with.
Col. Pat Lang at his best -- explaining how military systems and strategies work.
But Lang wrote: "It seems clear that US DoD was not privy to that IO project and for
that Reason SECDEF Mattis was blind-sided by the deception."
That would not have happened if Mattis -- and Trump -- included Phil Giraldi and Unz
forum, as well as Lang's own SST in their daily intelligence diet.
Phil Giraldi exposed the White Helmets almost a year ago --
and for Eva Bartlett's on-the-scenes coverage of White Helmets activities in Syria.
The Corbett Report can be found on the Unz Forum. Corbett painstakingly deconstructed a
Guardian hit-piece on Beeley, Bartlett and Tim Anderson, reproducing the emails in which the
Guardian journo accused those independent correspondents of collusion with a Russian
propaganda effort
Unz Forum also hosts the Jimmy Dore show which amplified a corporate-media interviews of
Jeffrey Sachs, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_O2TRzA2ezk
, who told (what is presumably) a large audience that US has been engaged in the deliberate
destabilization of Syria and killing of Syrian citizens since at least 2012, (and that it
should STOP!);
False flags, needed, on both sides. In the West that means catching of-handed the media,
all media, all alternative media, by infusing lies, firehosing bloat, short attention span
snippets to decoy and on, nothing yet invented to the rescue. That seems to work still, since
the public still baits the flying dung, a given, and the scribes and editors, the graphically
endowed complying.
Military back and forth, "arena" sports, pro-wresling, nothing more, nothing much. The
better teams can as well play video games to see who "wins". War is essentially obsolete,
makes the superstructures of the war machines on all sides obsolete. The main reason is
environmental toxicity which blows back with a vengeance, war having no impact on population
numbers, war having an impact on migration numbers and directions though. The migration
effects of local wasteland wars seems to be interpreted by dumb elites globally as
desirable(herding and how to herd large numbers of humanoids), a learning experiment. Our
guess, in the long term, an unefficient weapon.
The information interchanges, essentially deciding on the rules of the local experiment,
of the major players, open up views on how a global elite can function. For now in the early
stages, but since global rule is unavoidable, an encouraging phenomenon.
The back country, our "gens de rien", our "deplorables" yet do not, will never, understand
what is driving their sorry asses. The middle class of "shepherd dogs" tow the line of the de
facto power, no independent thinking to be expected. The internet is as obfuscating as the
printed press and TV ever was. Give or take, seventy percent of it ignorance of
writer-editors, thirty percent of incapacitation to see anything but career and individual
interests in the short term.
Technology(hard and soft, as they go together) has been wrestled from the hands of
independent players, the major example being Asssange, who had an impact on the exact
granular outliers, where it matters, and has been put aside silently by the ones, the only
ones that should be grateful and could have had an impact on using chaos of the masses,
globally, to counter the dummer, short-term policies of the elites, and pressure for faster
and cleaner global rule. The middle class as a whole sucks up to power, they have done so
always historically.
In all, the world goes well, the Chinese are ahead, the Russians and most independant
power nuclei(Iran, Brasil(fell of the wagon), Turkey, most of Asia), now align themselves
regarding systemic thinking. Nationalism of course is dead most local elites know this, even
in the US, and probably Putin, the overt advertising to the Russians just a decoy. Sunny
Islam has no rational stategy, and in the short term, bets everything on breeding.
Consumerism(dead man walking), has truly dumbed down the masses globally, regarless of
other factors. It has been the biggest success of capitalism Western style. Again the world
goes well for having global rule act more decisively, where it matters, to step up local
experiments into global strategy, in the long term.
The main problem to be addressed, since it affects all other burning issues, as ecological
toxicity, and on, by reinforcing these positive tendencies. One single person less, has at
least a fifty percent larger impact than any other measure of redress on survival of the
human race per individual. The local experiments of global attitudes hopefully are a start to
smarter elites behaviour. Our elites have failed for a long time now, anything progress has
been a detour to decay and sludge, and timeliness is pressing.
I think you mean 77th Brigade (a propaganda and psi ops unit).
The 77th Regiment were the East Middlesex -- and were disbanded in 1881.
BTW, the 77th Brigade takes its number from the Chindits -- Orde Wingate's Indian Army
special operations unit, who carried out deep penetration raids against the Japanese in
Burma.
Wingate was a rather fanatical Zionist and helped set-up the Haganah, the precedecessors
of the IDF.
My inclination has been to believe the Russian side from quite early on, mostly on the basis
that the claimed US targeting spread simply doesn't seem credible. To aim 76 missiles and
guided bombs at the Barzeh "complex" seems ludicrous overkill, for a small group of basically
civilian buildings that once were part of the chemical weapons program but according to
recent OPCW inspections are no longer in use as such. The spread suggested by the Russians,
on the other hand, seems much more credible for a punitive strike, especially if you assume
the US did not expect Syrian only defences to work effectively and thus did not plan for much
redundancy.
As this becomes more widely accepted, it makes the US action in Syria much less of a
defeat for Russia (because they had to stand by and watch their ally get pummelled) and much
closer to something that is actually a win for Russia and an embarrassment for the US. It all
helps to push the credibility of Russian air defences to still higher levels.
If the Russian government goes through with the suggested plan to deliver the promised
S300 systems to Syria in response, then this will have been a major defeat for those behind
this shameful incident and this shameful war -- primarily the Israelis and US Israeli lobby,
along with the Saudis. Doing so would be the absolute best way to make those behind the
attack grind their teeth in frustration, so hopefully Russia will go through with it this
time rather than coming to some "compromise" with Israel.
At some point, Russia needs to end the impunity Israel has to strike at Syria at will, and
to declare an exclusion zone over the whole of Syria for all un-invited foreign air forces
(ideally this would include a deal with Lebanon to allow that country also to exclude Israeli
air operations from its own airspace). The need to rebuild Syria is endlessly hampered by
regular attacks and the threat of them. Once the recovery of territory on the ground is
complete or nearly so, the best way to do this would seem to be to first make the Syrian air
defences, backed up by Russian forces in extremis, strong enough for the task. Then to
authorise the Syrians to retaliate to Israeli strikes on a tit for tat basis with missile
attacks on Israeli territory. Then to announce a full exclusion of US and other intruding air
forces, perhaps in conjunction with an offensive to recover territories in the east after
Idlib has been settled.
Imo this is what the Russians need to do if they are to bring the Syrian matter to a
successful conclusion, but it will mean some more tense confrontations with the various US
sphere forces.
Mr. Lang sounds like Mr. Buchanan in his latest piece published here: someone who considers
himself dissident, but who thoughtlessly accepts that his Uncle Sam is the good guy.
The article, especially this paragraph
"The US has been committed to global war for seventeen years. This has been a special kind
of war waged against Islamist guerrillas and terrorists worldwide. Such a war often demands
equipment quite different from that used against states, especially a peer state. In that
context relatively scarce funds have not been devoted to product improvement on things like
TLAM (Tomahawk). Instead the funds available have been devoted to UAVs (drones) and the
incredible costs of large ground forces in the absence of conscription. The Obama
Administration liked to use the armed forces but did not think of them with anything like the
high priority it gave to its social programs. The resulting sequester of defense funding
played a role in the decline of US equipment efficacy against that of the Russians. There
will be a change in that funding."
begs some questions:
1. Does Mr. Lang support the attack on the alleged "Syrian government chemical warfare
connected sites"? He sounds like he does. But why?
2. Does Mr. Lang support US military conscription? He sounds like he does. But why?
3. Does Mr. Lang believe that more money should be spent on US military equipment like
Tomahawk missiles for use against the government forces of Syria and Russia? He sounds like
he does. But why?
I also wonder why Mr. Unz sees this new author as "interesting, important, and
controversial," with a "perspectiv[e] largely excluded from the American mainstream
media."
and for Eva Bartlett's on-the-scenes coverage of White Helmets activities in Syria.
Is the Trump Administration/DoS trying to gaslight us?
US State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert yesterday: we "are very grateful for all
the work the White Helmets continue to do.. on behalf of the US government and coalition
forces.. I just exchanged emails with them the other day peoples bills are still being
paid..'
Maybe there is another possibility.
Merely speculating.
Mr. Trump claims he sent 100 plus missiles to impress whoever he needs to impress. They are
satisfied. He looks tough.But he sends in only 20.
The Russians claim he sent in 100 and they nullified 2/3. They look good.
If 2/3 of 100 were nullified, should there not be more random craters with missile remnants
or duds recovered by the Syrians?
Why would you want our missiles to work against the Russians? This debacle has given us at
least another six months of relative peace. The SAA can now continue clearing out jihadist in
the East. FUKUS won't try again after making some adjustments to harden the electronics, but
that will take some time. The only other option would be an overwhelming attack, winning
through sheer numbers, but in that case the Russians will certainly counterattack, & I
don't think CENTCOM wants to find out first hand how effective Russian offensive missiles
systems are.
Note: If I were to guess, the Tomahawk attack was almost completely neutralized. It was
the B-1, firing at relatively close range, that scored the hit on the "chemical weapons
complex." This is why the Russians are sending the S-300 to Damascus.
If Russia declared Syria an exclusion zone Israel would call that bluff within
weeks.
Presumably it wouldn't be a bluff, and presumably the need for it not to be a bluff is why
the Russians haven't done it yet.
In that theater of operations the Israelis would absolutely massacre the Russian
presence and any reinforcements. Israel would easily take apart any integrated air defense
system and accompanying ground units the Russians could employ by combined commando raid,
ground incursion and air/missile strikes.
This appears to be pure fantasy.
Regardless, Israel isn't going to go to war with Russia merely to defend its freedom to
attack Syria any time it wants. For all the wailing by Israel advocates, it just isn't that
important to them. So long as they can get away with it, they'll do it. When they are forced
to stop, they'll stop.
I believe if Israel sees its existence threatened it will act decisively.
Israel's existence is not meaningfully threatened by the loss of their ability to launch
illegal attacks on Syria at will. The idea that it is, is a lie put about by the Israel lobby
to rationalise and justify its actions.
Is the Trump Administration/DoS trying to gaslight us?
LOL. Why, yes, now that you mention it. Quelle surprise , eh?
The "attack" on Syria had two purposes: a saving of face, and a disposal of old
ordnance.
I suspect that only Israel had any real interest in saving the face of their hired
boogeyman. Trump being a flunky of Israeli, he did what he had to do.
Old ordnance or semi-0ld, revenue must be generated for the MI-complex. The bigger it
grows, the more maintenance it requires. Disposal of old weaponry is just a form of cashflow.
The wealthy and powerful insist on remaining wealthy and powerful. Your money is required to
maintain that wealth and power. You will surrender your money to the powerful, or you will
die. A simple equation.
New air defense systems will soon be delivered to Damascus
the Syrian Defense Ministry "analyzed in detail" the results of the missile attack of
the United States and its allies.
"Based on it, a number of changes have already been introduced into the air defense
system of the country, which will further increase its reliability ," Rudskoy said.
While the air defense systems were not named, it is widely believed to be the S-300
system.
The latest Syria bombing: tactically irrelevant, it showed the foundation of the
F.UK.US-Israel empire, air power, ineffective and was a major strategic defeat.
BBC took on Vannessa Beeley recently, too. Will NYT and WaPo be next? The anti-Russia agenda
continues along with the anti-truth-in-Syria agenda.
AriusAmerican 5
During the Bush II fiasco, there were anti-war protests. The protests disappeared after
Obama took office. And he was given a Nobel Peace Prize for talking about peace. But everyone
went along with Obama's wars. No protests. And that's how they like it. They want support and
tend to get it from the MSM and party lackeys. And if they don't get support, the one thing
they don't want are massive protests, calls to congress, etc. As long as there's little to no
resistance their war agenda continues.
PS
The HuffPoUK article tears into Beeley but at the bottom has a Russian submission to the
Security Council of a report she did of the White Helmets. That report negates the
article/story! HuffPoUK claims this is part two of a series and that part three will "look at
evidence presented against the White Helmets." That should be interesting.
The October 2016 dinner invite was delivered to Waters by a representative for the Corniche
Group, an international holding company belonging to the family of the London-based Saudi
billionaire Hani Farsi. Farsi was seeking Waters' presence at a fundraising dinner he had
organized on behalf of The Syria Campaign.
Beeley and others are getting the same sort of treatment that Alan Winnington and Wilfred
Burchett- both of whom had their passports revoked, by respectively the British and
Australian government.
Winnington told the truth about the Korean war in the Communist Daily Worker while Burchett,
beginning with his reports of Hiroshima, which told the truth about nuclear bombs, later
repeated the offence in Korea and Vietnam.
Their names will be remembered long after the last bits of jewelry and expensive furnishings
have been auctioned off from the homes of the whores who work for the bourgeoisie.
I just posted a link to a Vesti clip at the end of the previous thread, because it seems so
relevant to b's message about the western crackdown on free speech in this information war.
This open thread is coming so close on the heels of that wonderful article, that I want to
double-post here as well as there.
Margarita Simonyan of RT says how she's trying to talk, not to power but to common people,
because there are those among the common people who do speak up and who really do shape public
opinion - not governments. She cited Roger Waters as an example, who was speaking at a concert
and telling the truth about the White Helmets.
She said, someone has to read in order to speak. And someone has to write so someone can
read:
See BBC
interview . One really good sarcasm from Lavrov. Sergey Lavrov comperating UK beahviour with
the famous Lewis Carroll's Alice In Wonderland episode in order to describe the new western
'weird logic' of 'Sentence First, Verdict After' has to be watched repeatedly by all...what a
masterful HardTalk show...exposing the new bench mark in western international discourse.
Sergey Lavrov: No, I said "highly likely" as a new invention of the British diplomacy to
describe why they punish people – because these people are highly likely guilty, like in
Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - when he described a trial. And when they discovered that
the jury could be engaged, then the King said "Let's ask the jury" and the Queen shouted "No
jury! Sentence first – verdict afterwards." That's the logic of "highly likely".
Question: Have you got one shred, shred of evidence to suggest British intelligence tried to
kill Sergei Skripal?
Sergey Lavrov: There is an old Roman criteria "who is to benefit". The UK is grossly
benefiting from the provocations both in Syria and in the United Kingdom itself.
Sergey Lavrov: That's a problem. First, the A-234 agent in highly pure form in high concentration is already raising
suspicions.
Question: It came from Russia. In the former Soviet Union, you invented that.
Sergey Lavrov: Stephen, you are not factual. You may be hard talking, but you are not listening. This chemical substance
indeed was invented in the Soviet Union, then one the inventors fled to the United States and made the formula public. And if you
want to check before raising the issue, please do so, the United States patented this formula; and it was formally taken by United
States special services or the army, I don't remember. But A-234 is a very light, I mean, it seriously damages a person, kills him
of her, but it evaporates very fast; and the sample taken two weeks after the event cannot, according to our scientists, contain
very high concentration.
Notable quotes:
"... 'No, no!' said the Queen. 'Sentence first -- verdict afterwards.' ..."
"... This popular question completely misses the point. The US attack on Syria is a clear and indisputable war crime against a sovereign country regardless of whether Syria used a chemical weapon in driving the Washington supported terrorists from Douma. ..."
"... It is unlikely that the UN Security Council will condemn Washington, which pays 25% of the UN's budget. Moreover, the Security Council is loaded up with Washington's vassals, and they will not vote to censure their liegelord. ..."
"... Putin is wasting his time taking the matter to the Security Council, unless his purpose is to prove that every Western institution is completely corrupt. ..."
"... During the entirety of the Cold War no US ambassador to the UN spoke aggressively and disrespectfully to the Soviet representative as Nikki Haley speaks to the Russian ambassador. During the Cold War no American president would have tolerated Nikki Haley. The crazed bitch would have instantly been fired. ..."
"... Until Washington is effectively resisted, Washington's European vassals, the UN Security Council and the OPCW will stand with Washington. ..."
Many, including Russia's President Putin, have asked why the US launched an illegal attack on Syria prior to the chemical weapons
inspectors examining the site of the alleged chemical attack.
This popular question completely misses the point. The US attack on Syria is a clear and indisputable war crime against a
sovereign country regardless of whether Syria used a chemical weapon in driving the Washington supported terrorists from Douma.
No one acted to stop Washington's war crime. Some of Washington's vassals, such as Germany and Italy, refused to participate in Washington's
war crime, but no one attempted to block it. The impotent UN Security Council, to which Russia is wasting its time appealing, the
EU, NATO, Russia and China themselves did nothing to stop Washington's Nazi era war crime.
Russia said that if Washington's attack harmed its citizens, there would be military consequences, but Russia did not protect
its ally Syria from the attack.
Perhaps it doesn't matter as Washington's attack was carefully conducted so as to have no effect except to serve as a face-saver
for Trump. Apparently no one was killed and no damage was done to anything real except to a facility in which anti-venom for snake
bites was being produced.
On the other hand, it does matter, because of the perception that the American presstitutes have created that it was a great victory
for America over the evil Syrian government and the evil Russian government that supports them. This perception, which the presstitutes
have created with their fake news, justifies the war crime and will lead to more attacks on Syria.
It is unlikely that the UN Security Council will condemn Washington, which pays 25% of the UN's budget. Moreover, the Security
Council is loaded up with Washington's vassals, and they will not vote to censure their liegelord.
Putin is wasting his time taking the matter to the Security Council, unless his purpose is to prove that every Western institution
is completely corrupt. As most informed people already know this, I don't understand the point of proving the known. Putin should
read Eric Zuesse's article before he puts too much faith in the UN.
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/04/17/how-us-has-virtually-destroyed-un.html
As I have written on a number of occasions, I admire Putin's Christian character of sidestepping the beatings he continuously
takes from Washington in order to save the world from the massive deaths of a world war. The problem is that by turning the other
cheek, Putin encourages more aggression from Washington. Putin is dealing with neoconservative psychopaths. He is not dealing with
common sense.
During the entirety of the Cold War no US ambassador to the UN spoke aggressively and disrespectfully to the Soviet representative
as Nikki Haley speaks to the Russian ambassador. During the Cold War no American president would have tolerated Nikki Haley. The
crazed bitch would have instantly been fired.
The Russian government is captured by delusion if the Russians believe that the US government, in which Nikki Haley is Trump's
choice to be America's spokesperson to the world, in which the crazed neoconservative war monger John Bolton is a principal influence
over US military and foreign policy, and in which the President himself is under threat of indictment for wanting to normalize relations
with Russia, has any prospect of avoiding war.
The best chance of preventing the oncoming war is Russian-Chinese-Iranian unity and a defeat for American arms in a regional context
not worth the Washington psychopaths launching of nuclear weapons. Until Washington is effectively resisted, Washington's European
vassals, the UN Security Council and the OPCW will stand with Washington. Once Washington experiences a defeat, NATO will dissolve
and with this dissolution Washington's ability to threaten other countries will lose its cover and evaporate.
Here is a video of someone who was in Aleppo documenting events at the fall of Allepo, and is
also discussing the White Helmets issue on the Jimmy Dore Show
"... RT's Arabic service also tracked down an 11-year old boy filmed in the "attack," and found him in completely good health and able to answer questions of the RT reporter. He told her he was with his mother when they were urged to enter the clinic. "We were outside," the boy said, and they told all of us to go into the hospital. I was immediately taken upstairs, and they started pouring water on me." ..."
"... US still paying White Helmets despite $200mn-aid freeze for Syria recovery, State Dept. confirms | 20 April 2018 ..."
"... This shit just keeps getting deeper, and so many questions to ask, but the main question is why would Trump ever believe any intelligence agency was telling him the truth? The last time I looked, it was the intelligence agencies that lied, leaked, and this time set Trump up. ..."
The celebrated White Helmets of Oscar
fame appeared to have made their own feature film in Duma on the night of the alleged chemical
attack...
At the center of the controversy over an alleged chemical attack in the Damascus suburb
of Duma on April 7 are the White Helmets, a self-described rescue operation about whom an
Oscar-winning documentary was made.
Reporter and author Max Blumenthal has
tracked
the
role of the White Helmets in the Syrian conflict. He reported that the White Helmets were created
in Turkey by James Le Mesurier, a former British MI5 agent. The group has received at least $55
million from the British Foreign Office and $23 million from the U.S. Agency for International
Development as well as millions from the Kingdom of Qatar, which has backed a variety of extremist
groups in Syria including Al Qaeda.
Blumenthal writes,
"When Defense Secretary James Mattis
cited
'social
media' in place of scientific evidence of a chemical attack in Duma, he was referring to video shot
by members of the White Helmets.
Similarly, when State Department spokesperson Heather
Nauert sought to explain why the US bombed Syria before inspectors from the OPCW could produce a
report from the ground, she
claimed
,
'We have our own intelligence.' With little else to offer, she was likely referring to social media
material published by members of the White Helmets.
"
The reference to social media as evidence in the most serious decision a leader can make -- to
engage in an act of war -- is part of a disturbing trend. Then Secretary of State John Kerry pointed
to "social media" as evidence of the Syrian government's guilt in a 2013 chemical attack in the
same Damascus suburb. But as Robert Parry, the late founder and editor of this site,
pointed
out
in numerous reports, Syrian government guilt was far from a sure thing.
Rather than wait for the arrival of a team of experts from the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to assess whether chemicals had even used in this latest incident,
Trump gave the order to bomb.
Gas!
The possible role of the White Helmets in the latest alleged chemical attack was first
revealed by veteran Middle East reporter Robert Fisk,
writing for
The Independent
.
In "The Search for Truth in the Rubble of Douma-And One Doctor's Doubts Over the Chemical
Attacks," Fisk
reported
that
he tracked down 58-year-old Syrian doctor Assim Rahaibani.
A White Helmet (Photo: whitehelmets.org)l
The doctor told Fisk that he learned from fellow physicians who were on duty at the clinic the
night of the attack. Rahaibani said patients were brought in by "jihadi gunmen of Jaish el-Islam
[the Army of Islam]" in Duma and that
the patients appeared to be "overcome not by gas
but by oxygen starvation in the rubbish-filled tunnels and basements in which they lived, on a
night of wind and heavy shelling that stirred up a dust storm."
Rahaibani told Fisk,
"I was with my family in the basement of my home three hundred metres
from here on the night but all the doctors know what happened. There was a lot of shelling [by
government forces] and aircraft were always over Duma at night but on this night, there was wind
and huge dust clouds began to come into the basements and cellars where people lived.
People began to arrive here suffering from hypoxia, oxygen loss."
Rahaibani continued:
"Then someone at the door, a 'White Helmet,' shouted 'Gas!', and a panic began.
People started throwing water over each other. Yes, the video was filmed here, it is genuine,
but what you see are people suffering from hypoxia not gas poisoning."
Fisk writes that,
"
There are the many people I talked to amid the ruins of the town
who said they had 'never believed in' gas stories which were usually put about, they claimed, by
the armed Islamist groups.
These particular jihadis survived under a blizzard of shellfire
by living in other's people's homes and in vast, wide tunnels with underground roads carved through
the living rock by prisoners with pick-axes on three levels beneath the town. I walked through
three of them yesterday, vast corridors of living rock which still contained Russian yes, Russian
rockets and burned-out cars."
Significantly,
Fisk reported that locals told him that White Helmets left with jihadists
bused out of Duma in a deal made with the Syrian government and Russia, which provided security for
the transfer.
Other Reports
Other reporters have corroborated what Fisk found. Reporter Pearson Sharp of One America News, a
conservative Christian TV network and supporter of President Trump,
interviewed
doctors
and witnesses at the clinic.
They also said there was no chemical attack and that strangers
came into the clinic and shouted "Gas!" and filmed the reaction.
RT's Arabic service also tracked down an 11-year old boy filmed in the "attack," and found him
in completely good health and able to
answer
questions
of the RT reporter. He told her he was with his mother when they were urged to enter
the clinic.
"We were outside," the boy said, and they told all of us to go into the
hospital. I was immediately taken upstairs, and they started pouring water on me."
* * *
Ann Wright served 29 years in the US Army/Army Reserves and retired as a Colonel. She was
also a US diplomat and was in US Embassies in Nicaragua, Grenada, Somalia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan,
Sierra Leone, Micronesia, Afghanistan and Mongolia. She resigned from the US government in March
2003 in opposition to the lies the Bush administration was stating as the rationale for the
invasion, occupation and destruction of Iraq. She is the co-author of "Dissent: Voices of
Conscience."
Tags
Politics
The director of the OPCW, Ahmet Uzumcu, a former career
diplomat with the Turk foreign ministry a former Turk
ambassador to the Zionist Apartheid State (7-28-1999 to
6-30-2002). He was also, amazingly, Turkey's former
representative to NATO. Being a Turk with qualifications like
this would make anyone suspect that his credibility was fragile
to nil.
This shit just keeps getting deeper, and so many questions to ask, but the
main question is why would Trump ever believe any intelligence agency was
telling him the truth? The last time I looked, it was the intelligence
agencies that lied, leaked, and this time set Trump up.
Since his son in law enjoys parties out on the Hampton with George
Soros, perhaps ol' George can fill him in and carry the "facts" back to
Trump....first hand. CNN waits.
Trump is a huckster, and is all in for anything related to scamming
Americans and anyone else who would believe what he says or does. It
has nothing to do with 'Intelligence'.
I noticed on the previous alleged gas attack the oppo seemed to look
for the whitest kids possible. I guess they couldn't find enough this
time, but dress them up nice for the cameras lol.
Ha! That's what I was saying before the tomahawk strike... is there a way to
target the white helmets first? Save us from their lies in the future.... I guess
we'll be forced to leave that heavy lifting to Assad and Putin.
"jihadi gunmen of Jaish el-Islam [the Army of Islam]" Galloway posed a question to the British Government and people that
deserves an answer from the likes of their PM.
'Why are we supporting a group that calls itself the Army of Islam?'
Well maybe because they stink on ice and everyone thats pulled their head
out of their ass noticed. Even taken at face values both of these stories
and many others defy basic logic.
That's especially embarrassing since, if this was a staged fake event, the
official experts fell for it or more likely pretending they fell for it.
I'm not sure but MSM might still be pretending to fall for it*.
A good
journalist would be there finding out about the "White Helmets" for
example, who is in charge and by what authority they have being there.
* long list of pretenders includes congress and the dotard.
The possible role of the White Helmets in the latest alleged chemical
attack was first revealed by veteran Middle East reporter Robert Fisk,
writing
for
The Independent
. Actually, Vanessa Beely reported it almost a week
before the honorable Mr. Fisk
"Rogers did not respond to either email, according to journalist Max
Blumenthal, who obtained the messages. Instead of giving the stage to the White
Helmets during his Barcelona concert, Waters denounced the organization.
"The White Helmets is a fake organization that exists only to create
propaganda for jihadists and terrorists.""
RW, despite his Jewish Heritage, has loooooong been outspoken against
Israeli fuckery in Syria, Palestine, Lebanon etc etc
Not to the same
scale/degree as Norm Finkelstein, but he's an intellectual and does it for
a living; not that RW's isn't real smart.
Fact is, due to his music he can reach so many more ordinary people.
Shows you how fucking dumb Clooney & his White Helmets are approaching
Waters, oblivious to the fact he's been calling out Zionists/Others for
decades.
We need more great people like him in the struggle.
In no way MSM will drop "Russiagate" theme. They are way too invested in it. Douma attack changes nothing at all, contary to
the author claims.
Notable quotes:
"... the Russian Conspiracy Theory -- rammed down the throats of everyone around the globe since Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States -- has finally been laid to rest. ..."
"... Russia may or may not act, but it is rather unlikely that they will -- at least in the short term -- as the full combined might of the West is still an overwhelming force that no one nation can contend with. Russia knows this, and they are not stupid. But this is not to say that things cannot, nor will not, change in the future. ..."
"... Meanwhile, the chatter of Russian collusion, via the corrupt and dying MSM has petered out, as even those suffering from an extreme case of brainwashing find it hard to comprehend how a puppet can so easily slap its master across the face and get away with it. ..."
"... If President Trump was truly a puppet of Vladimir Putin -- or at least once was -- then parties in the know would have promptly released the evidence, destroying Trump in the process. The reason why it hasn't happened is simply because the evidence doesn't exist. ..."
"... Hilariously, it is the MSM who cry wolf about fake news and conspiracy theories, while at the same time, pushing their own half-truths, fake news and conspiracy theories. ..."
"... It is sad to see how far the "guardians of the truth" have fallen and how decadent the MSM has become. They are so greedy and corrupt that they have pushed us towards a path that places the West on the precipice of war with a global, nuclear power. ..."
"... The Demorats need impeachment to fire up their base and get their cash. They filed a lawsuit to generate propaganda points for the MSM to wallow in. ..."
"... The Main Stain Media are still pushing the Russia Narrative every chance they get, as a side show now, a little jab here a little jab there not really attached to anything. ..."
But the Russian Conspiracy Theory -- rammed down the throats of everyone around the globe
since Donald Trump was elected the 45th President of the United States -- has finally been laid
to rest.
With a resounding boom as the missiles landed in Syria, the hopes and dreams of the MSM
proving that President Trump is simply a Russian puppet were shattered in one swift tactical
strike.These strikes came at a great risk, as they hit key Syrian assets -- assets that President
Putin and his Russian forces vowed to protect. Acting together
with its joint allies , Britain and France, the United States struck out against Syria for
what the Western Intelligence community claims were chemical attacks against the Syrian
civilian population, orchestrated by its own government.
Whether or not these claims are true is debatable (and highly suspect) but regardless, the
chips have fallen, and we are now in a precarious position as the West once again plunges
itself, ham-fisted, back into the cold war era.
Russian leaders have vowed that there will be consequences for these acts against an ally
they have sworn to protect. Yet to this date, no retaliation has seemed to occur.
Russia may or may not act, but it is rather unlikely that they will -- at least in the short
term -- as the full combined might of the West is still an overwhelming force that no one
nation can contend with. Russia knows this, and they are not stupid. But this is not to say
that things cannot, nor will not, change in the future.
Still, this has come at a cost. Russia has once again been forced into further isolation, as
its Western peers condemn their actions and threaten them with even more trade sanctions.
Pushed to the point of desperation, who knows what actions they will take in the coming
years?
Meanwhile, the chatter of Russian collusion, via the corrupt and dying MSM has petered out,
as even those suffering from an extreme case of brainwashing find it hard to comprehend how a
puppet can so easily slap its master across the face and get away with it.
If President Trump was truly a puppet of Vladimir Putin -- or at least once was -- then
parties in the know would have promptly released the evidence, destroying Trump in the process.
The reason why it hasn't happened is simply because the evidence doesn't exist.
Hilariously, it is the MSM who cry wolf about fake news and conspiracy theories, while at
the same time, pushing their own half-truths, fake news and conspiracy theories.
It is sad to see how far the "guardians of the truth" have fallen and how decadent the MSM
has become. They are so greedy and corrupt that they have pushed us towards a path that places
the West on the precipice of war with a global, nuclear power.
The final nail in the Russian collusion coffin has been put in place, but at what cost?
A dumb article: The Russians have not vowed anything. As Lavrov has stated publicly, "there will be consequences" is a
factual observation, not a vow to revenge anything. Revenge does not help. It is not the way Putin thinks -- Putin thinks in
terms of interests and the trade off between risks/costs and benefits.
"With 4 indictments, 2 guilty pleas, not sure how anyone thinks it's over. AS for the Syria attack. . . "
Four indictments that have NOTHING to do with Trump colluding with Russia and are SOLEY upon the people indicted. Two
guilty pleas for "lying" which your side is advocating that lying is no longer an issue we should care about.
AS FOR SYRIA: Interesting you put the Syria strike on Putin when it was obviously led by Britain and France or are we now
to believe they along with Trump are Putin puppets too? However, you do seem to be FINALLY admitting your "NGO"'s are nothing
but state sponsored shams intent on manipulating the world wide masses to believe their propaganda. After all it was YOUR
people who claimed there was a supposed chemical attack and demanded retaliation.
Keep spinning in circles, as the dog who chases his tail is in a world all of his own making.
Reaper Sat, 04/21/2018 - 09:58 Permalink
BS. The neo-cons know the strike was deliberately ineffective. The Demorats need impeachment to fire up their base and
get their cash. They filed a lawsuit to generate propaganda points for the MSM to wallow in.
JailBanksters Sat, 04/21/2018 - 09:59 Permalink
The Main Stain Media are still pushing the Russia Narrative every chance they get, as a side show now, a little jab
here a little jab there not really attached to anything.
We haven't seen anything like this since the Russians were accused of hacking the Federal Election, over to you Bob.
Well that's right Jim, and now for something completely different.
"... Elena Skripal has granted a power of attorney to Viktoria Skripal allowing her to represent Elena's interests in Russia and the UK (shown in the video at 4:43). That means that the UK government is not allowing a legal representative of Sergei's mother to visit him. ..."
The Investigative Committee of Russia has published a video covering the information it has
collected so far while investigating the Skripal case:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7D6Z_yGEFSY
(in Russian). Three interesting tidbits stand out:
1:40–2:10 Yulia's movements have been traced from the moment she got into a
Moscow taxi to the moment she boarded the plane to London. Taxi driver's identity has been
established, as well as the identities of all passengers who traveled on the same flight as
Yulia; none of them have experienced any health issues. The video shows CCTV footage of Yulia
going through the airport.
4:20–5:10 The British claimed that Skripals had no relatives to represent their
interests. This claim allowed the authorities to obtain the court permission to take blood
samples from unconscious Skripals. However, it was found that Skripals had two relatives living
in Yaroslavl oblast: 89-year old mother of Sergei Skripal, Elena Skripal, and his niece,
Viktoria Skripal. We already know that. Here's what's new: on April 5, Elena Skripal has
granted a power of attorney to Viktoria Skripal allowing her to represent Elena's interests in
Russia and the UK (shown in the video at 4:43). That means that the UK government is not
allowing a legal representative of Sergei's mother to visit him.
7:29–8:21 According to Viktor Holstov, the head of the Center for Analytical
Research on Conventions for the Prohibition of Chemical and Biological Weapons at the Russian
Ministry of Industry and Trade, a 2009 US patent evaluating possible antidotes to
organophosphorous agents states that the antidotes to nerve agents such as sarin and VX are
ineffective against Novichok-class agents. To arrive at such a conclusion, obviously,
Novichok-class agents had to be synthesized in the U.S.
Amazingly BBC newsnight just started preparing viewers for the possibility that there was no
sarin attack, and the missile strikes might just have been for show, i plying Trump did it
for political reasons. Narrative changing a bit.
#Germany's state media senior correspondent (who is in Damascus right now & also visited
Douma) on primetime evening news on German television: "#Douma chemical attack is most likely
staged. A great many people here seem very convinced."
I too hope he will return soon, he seems to be one of the last sane voices of the msm.
Hopefully high viewer rates help to bring him back, but he wouldn't be the first one to
vanish from the screen, despite high ratings.
"... It is perfectly possible that the British government manufactured the whole Salisbury thing. We are capable of just as much despicable behavior and murder as the next. ..."
"... Tucker Carlson of Fox News has it nailed down.... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M28aYkLRlm0 ..."
"... This "civil war" has been nothing but a war for Syrian resources waged by western proxies. ..."
"... So now, In desperation borne out of their impending defeat, the imperialists have staged a chemical attack in a last throw of the dice to gain popular support for an escalation in military intervention. Like military interventions of the past, it is being justified in the name of humanitarian intervention. ..."
Why is the prime minister of the United Kinkdom on the phone discussing whether or not to bomb a Sovereign country with the highly
unstable, Donald Trump?
Can she not make up her own mind? Either she thinks it's the right thing to do or it isn't. Hopefully,
the person on the other end of the phone was not Trump but someone with at least half a brain.
Proof, let's have some proof. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so. Russia is saying it's all a put up job, show us your
facts. We are saying, don't be silly, we're British and besides, you may have done this sort of thing before.
It is perfectly possible that the British government manufactured the whole Salisbury thing. We are capable of just as
much despicable behavior and murder as the next.
Part of the Great British act's of bravery and heroism in the second world war is the part played by women agents who were
parachuted into France and helped organize local resistance groups. Odette Hallowes, Noor Inayat Khan and Violette Szabo are just
a few of the many names but they are the best known. What is not generally know is that many agents when undergoing their training
in the UK, were given information about the 'D' day landings, the approx time and place. They were then dropped into France into
the hands of the waiting German army who captured and tortured and often executed them.
The double agent, who Winston Churchill met and fully approved of the plan was Henri Dericourt, an officer in the German army
and our man on the ground in France. Dericourt organized the time and place for the drop off of the incoming agents, then told
the Germans. The information about the 'D' day invasion time and place was false. The British fed the agents (only a small number)
into German hands knowing they would be captured and the false information tortured out of them.
Source :- 'A Quiet Courage' Liane Jones.
It's a tough old world and we are certainly capable of a Salisbury set-up and god knows what else in Syria.
From The Guardian articles today that I have read on Syria, it makes absolutely clear that if you in any way question the narrative
forwarded here, that you are a stupid conspiracy theorist in line with Richard Spencer and other far-right, American nutcases.
A more traditional form of argument to incline people to their way of thinking would be facts. But social pressure to conform
and not be a conspiratorial idiot in line with the far-right obviously work better for most of their readers. My only surprise
it that position hasn't been linked with Brexit.
Did anyone see the massive canister that was shown on TV repeatedly that was supposed to have been air-dropped and smashed through
the window of a house, landed on a bed and failed to go off.
The bed was in remarkable condition with just a few ruffled bedclothes considering it had been hit with a metal object weighing
god knows what and dropped from a great height.
"More than 40 years after the US sprayed millions of litres of chemical agents to defoliate"
The Defoliant Agent Orange was used to kill jungles, resulting in light getting through to the dark jungle floors & a massive
amount of low bush regrowing, making the finding of Vietcong fighters even harder!
It was sprayed even on American troops, it is a horrible stuff. Still compared to Chlorine poison gas, let alone nerve gases,
it is much less terrible. Though the long term effects are pretty horrible.
Who needs facts when you've got opinions? Non more hypocritical than the British. Its what you get when you lie and distort though
a willing press, you get found out and then nobody believes anything you say.anymore. The white helmets are a western funded and
founded organisation, they are NOT independent they are NOT volunteers, The UK the US and the Dutch fund them to the tune of over
$40 million. They are a propaganda dispensing outlet. The press shouldn't report anything they release because it is utterly unable
to substantiate ANY of it, there hasn't been a western journalist in these areas for over 4 years so why do the press expect us
to believe anything they print? Combine this with the worst and most incompetent Govt this country has seen for decades and all
you have is a massive distraction from massive domestic troubles which the same govt has no answers too.
""I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas against uncivilised tribes," [Winston Churchill] declared in one secret memorandum."
The current condemnation by the international community and international law is good and needs enforcement. But no virtue
signalling where there is none.
But we're still awaiting evidence that a chemical attack has been carried out in Douma, aren't we? And if an attack was carried
out, by whom. But before these essential points are verified, you feel that a targeted military response is justified. Are you
equally keen for some targeted military response for the use of chemical weapons, namely white phosphorus, in Palestine by the
Israaeli military? Unlike Douma, the use of these chemical weapons in the occupied territories by the IDF's personnel is well
documented. But we haven't attacked them yet. Funny that.
Instead of "chemicals" why not just firebomb them - you know like we did to entire cities full of women and children in WW2?
Hamburg 27 July 1943 - 46,000 civilians killed in a firestorm
Kassel 22 October 1943 - 9,000 civilians killed 24,000 houses destroyed in a firestorm
Darmstadt 11 September 1944 - 8,000 civilians killed in a firestorm
Dresden 13/14th February - 25,000 civilians killed in a firestorm
Obviously we were fighting Nazism and hadn't actually been invaded - and he is fighting Wahhabism and has had major cities
overrun...
Maybe if Assad burnt people to death rather than gassing them we would make a statue of him outside Westminster like the one
of Bomber Harris?
Remember the tearful Kuwaiti nurse with her heartrending story of Iraqi troops tipping premature babies out of their incubators
after the invasion in 1990? The story was published in pretty much every major Western newspaper, massively increased public support
for military intervention............................and turned out to be total bullshit.
Is it too much too ask that we try a bit of collective critical thinking and wait for hard evidence before blundering into
a military conflict with Assad; and potentially Putin?
Well, this is the sort of stuff that the Israelis would be gagging for. They want Assad neutralised and they are assisting ISIS
terrorists on the Golan Heights. They tend to their wounded and send them back across the border to fight Assad. What better than
to drag the Americans, Brits and French into the ring to finish him off. Job done eh?
Are you sure you are not promoting an Israeli agenda here Jonathan?
Incidentantally what did we in the west do when the Iraqis were gassing the Iranians with nerve agents in the marshes of southern
Iraq during the Iran Iraq War? Did we intervene then? No, we didn't we allowed it to happen.
Come on frip, you have to admit there was absolutely no motive for Assad's forces to carry out this attack. Why do you think the
Guardian and other main stream media outlets are not even considering the possibility the Jihadi rebels staged it to trigger western
intervention? I know, I know.. it's all evil Assad killing his own people for no other reason than he likes butchering people...
blah blah. The regime change agenda against Syria has been derailed, no amount of false flag attacks can change the facts on the
ground.
More than 40 years after the US sprayed millions of litres of chemical agents to defoliate vast swathes of Vietnam and in the
full knowledge it would be have a catastrophic effect on the health of the inhabitants of those area, Vietnam has by far the highest
incidence of liver cancer on the planet.
Then more recently we have the deadly depleted uranium from US shells that innocent Iraqis are inhaling as shrill voices denounce
Assad.
The Syrian people are heroically resisting and defeating western imperialism. This "civil war" has been nothing but a war
for Syrian resources waged by western proxies.
So now, In desperation borne out of their impending defeat, the imperialists have staged a chemical attack in a last throw
of the dice to gain popular support for an escalation in military intervention. Like military interventions of the past, it is
being justified in the name of humanitarian intervention.
But if we have a brief browse of history we can see that US & UK governments have brought only death, misery and destruction
on the populations it was supposedly helping. Hands off Syria.
Further points about the White Helmets and East Ghouta.
The White Helmets claim to support all Syrian people although when Jaish al-Islam
surrendered to the SAG and were exiled to northern Aleppo (or where ever), all the White
Helmets fled with Jaish al-Islam. I've always thought that volunteer first responders were
honor-bound to stay with the people they support so the White Helmets are really there to
support terrorists like Jaish al-Islam. As that fat f**k, victor of East Aleppo and
high-ranking terrorist official, Sheikh Abdullah al-Muhaysini, said "the White Helmets are
the civil defence of the mujahadeen" and only the the mujahadeen.
There have been stories in the western media claiming that the doctors in Douma who had
the balls to stay behind with their patients (unlike the ball-less White Helmets) and were
denying the attack involved chemical weapons were intimidated by the regime - not something
the reporters actually in Douma seemed to detect, which suggest that people on the ground in
terrorist-controlled areas felt some degree of safety with the Syrian government, enough at
least to risk their lives.
Looking back at Aleppo only about 65% of the local population stayed behind to go under
government control, while in East Ghouta it seems that 80% of the local population stayed
behind to go under government control even those who fled a while back to
government-controlled areas. It looks like the Syrian government really has turned the corner
with its real "heart and minds" approach.
It looks more and more that everything was staged and everything was controlled by Western
intelligence agencies with the specific goal.
Notable quotes:
"... That kind of reminds me of when Ahmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress were explaining how to get rid of Saddam without plunging Iraq into mayhem and destabilising the wider region. ..."
"... If the price of selling arms to Saudi Arabia is having to stage nerve agent attacks in the UK and in Syria, one has to ask: Is it really worth it? ..."
Read Robert Fisk in the Independent. He, as always, has nailed it. The Brits and the US have
no authority to take action with their past record of use of Chemical and Atomic weapons.
The Syrian Negotiation Commission has called for action to deter Assad from killing
civilians. What they envisage is that each time Assad launches a deadly attack on
noncombatants, allied forces reply by taking out one of the strategic assets he uses to
kill civilians. It could be an airfield, it could be a command centre. If the target were
aircraft, that would simultaneously inflict a cost on the regime and deprive it of the
means of dropping its barrel bombs and toxic, yellow cylinders. The objective would be to
make Assad pay a price for killing his own people, a price he has not paid until now.
Eventually, or so runs the hope, he would be deterred.
That kind of reminds me of when Ahmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress were
explaining how to get rid of Saddam without plunging Iraq into mayhem and destabilising the
wider region.
The UK andcFrance bares a heavy responsibility for the current situation in Syria. The
cavalier attitude that the ConDems took to international law during the Arab spring
encouraged the Saudi s and their proxies to distablise the recognised Govt. Assad is no
paragon of virtue, but prior to the insurgency steps were in place to make the country a
better place for its citizens, and whilst its true poltical dissent was not allowed, people
could live their lives and go about their business in safety.
In an interview on BBC 1 on 8 February 2004, UN Weapons Inspector, Hans Blix accused the US
and British governments of dramatizing the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, in
order to strengthen the case for the 2003 war against the government of Saddam Hussein.
Ultimately, no stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction were ever found.
In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, Blix said, "I have my detractors in
Washington. There are bastards who spread things around, of course, who planted nasty things
in the media."
[ It is interesting to note that Allan Ramsay likewise deplored "a friendly alliance
between the camp and the counting-house" for exactly the same reasons (Letters on the Present
Disturbances, p.34). Ramsay maintained that of the evil consequences of such alliance "the
two last wars carried on by England against France and Spain, furnish a most melancholy
illustration. To obtain the sole and exclusive commerce of the western world, in which the
French and Spaniards were their rivals, was the modest wish of our merchants, in conjunction
with our Americans. The fair, and truly commercial, method of effecting this would have been,
by superior skill, industry and frugality, to have undersold their rivals at market: but that
method appearing slow and troublesome to a luxurious people, whose extraordinary expences*
required extraordinary profits, a more expeditous one was devised; which was that of driving
their rivals entirely out of the seas, and preventing them from bringing their goods at all
to market. For this purpose, not having any fleets or armies of their own, the powers of the
State were found necessary, and they applied them accordingly" (ibid., pp.32 f.).
Knorr, K. E. 'Ch02-Part2 British Colonial Theories 1570-1850'. In British Colonial
Theories, 1570-1850. The University of Toronto Press, 1944. ]
Sacrificing women and children to achieve nefarious goals such as preparing the ground for
invasion dictated by economic or geopolitical interests is a typical Western intelligence agencies
plot.
The notion of inaction, of standing by and watching as Assad kills and kills and kills,
racking up a death toll in Syria of 500,000
On May 12, 1996, Madeleine Albright defended UN sanctions against Iraq on a 60 Minutes
segment in which Lesley Stahl asked her "We have heard that half a million children have
died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth
it?" and Albright replied, "We think the price is worth it."'
Sure, here's the UN OPCW investigation report which directly blames the Assad forces for
chemical attacks. Take as much time as you need.
https://undocs.org/S/2016/738
I couldn't find the paragraph which directly blames Assad's forces.
I note it does refer (at para 44) to Assad's allegation that a video had been staged. It
concludes that the patients on the video "appear relatively unaffected by the typical
symptoms.
No red eyes, tearing, paleness, sweating, cyanosis or breathing difficulties can be
observed from the footage. The patients interviewed in the video show little or no signs of
having been exposed to a toxic chemical".
"Charities"? Lol. I'll bet money nearly all of those 'charities' are actually PR fronts for
thuggish Islamist rebels.
A bit like how all the Syrians the Guardian manages to reach for 'skype interviews' are
positively desperate for massive aeriel bombardment of their own country, chastising the west
for not supplying the bearded types with anti-aircraft missiles and even suggesting targets
for American bombs.
I have recently taught two Syrian professionals. Of course Assad is evil, but they tell me
that some of the rebel militias are much more brutal and intolerant than Assad and if they
win Syria will go the way of Libya.
They also told me (which shocked me somewhat) that the
White Helmets tend to be hard line Islamists and send out propaganda videos which Western
media fail to question thoroughly.
"... The "Mannequin challenge" is regarded by many here as demonstrating that the White Helmets are a black op. but I suspect it was a sophisticated effort to discredit the reporting by Vanessa Beeley of the connections between the White Helmets and Al Qaeda/Al Nusra/HTS that seems to have worked. ..."
When the dust has settled in Syria and people get round to writing their memoirs the White
Helmets will be revealed to be nothing more to the British government than a sophisticated
black propaganda op.
Their name Syrian Civil Defence means that Syria's real civil defence is invisbile and
suggests that the White Helmets are part of an alternative Syrian government.
Their nickname, White Helmets, how can anyone believe they're a black propaganda op?
Their MO, helping people and videoing it even though they seem to only help certain people
and disappear when the video cameras stop running.
That they're involved in certain very dubious acts with the terrorists just suggests how evil
the Syrian government must be to "force" their opponents to behave in this way and allow
their supporters in the West to overlook their murderous brutal nature.
The "Mannequin challenge" is regarded by many here as demonstrating that the White
Helmets are a black op. but I suspect it was a sophisticated effort to discredit the
reporting by Vanessa Beeley of the connections between the White Helmets and Al Qaeda/Al
Nusra/HTS that seems to have worked.
@Ghost Ship 24. Total BS logic and totally slanted commentary. I would expect this level of
'analysis' in Guardian commentary but they don't allow commentary.
The White Helmets are terrorist killers who sometimes put on white helmets and do
propaganda that only ever supports their terrorist faction. They are guilty of direct and
complicit in crimes against humanity and they are fully funded by the UK and USA.
The barbarity of the white helmets is in no way a barometer of how bad Assad is. It is a
barometer of the disgraceful terrorism unleashed by western nations against Syrian people and
its government. The white helmets are a measure of the depraved warmongering of the west,
saudi and israeli governments.
I second b's recommendation to watch the Ikhbariya TV short documentary on the alleged attack
(16 min). Here are 13 doctors and nurses who actually worked at the Douma hospitals at the
time of the alleged attack stating plainly that nothing of the sort happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSrRV-zdNic
I think it is clear the "Chemical attack" did not happen. If you are the Empire you surly
have your operatives securely, and secretly stationed within any "independent" OPCW body,
especially if you intend to use "chemical attack" as your justification to slaughter innocent
people for the interests of the AngloZionist/Wahhabi Empire.
Martin Scorsese could not have done a better job. From the grad seines of men in haz-mat
suits around Surrey to the suffocating children in Duma it could hardly be better
orchestrated.
The Empire only needs 30-35% agreement in the public to be successful and so far they have
at least that.
Who is stalling the investigation.. ..? A much more complex affair than the present
hype and simultaneous denial (different factions) of the Douma 'chem attacks.'
White Helmets are not just masquerades of 'charities' who support the Agressors (US-uk-isr
etc.), yes the WH make these clumsy in ya-face false 'savior' vids and so on as propaganda in
Syria. But they fulfill other functions, the 'theatrical' actions on the ground and the vids
don't justify the expense, which is considerable. Happily I can finally quote ppl more
courageous than myself:
Syria: The Darker Side of the NGO Complex. Preying on Children of Conflict.
Feb 2017, 21st Cent Wire, with V. Beeley. (vid 38 mins.)
The "White Helmets" were supported by murdered British MP Jo Cox . Although apparently
a loyal soldier to the war party, Jo became a nuisance to her leftist intellectual husband
and to the war party, so an assassin was called in and a patsy was arranged.
A few days ago (April 14, @314) Bakerpete kindly linked to an article on blogmire.com which
discusses the famous Karl Rove quote about how they, the actors, create reality and while we
study that reality they have already moved on. A quote from Rob Slane (thank you) from the
article:
"Yet while I'm doing so, the narrative is moving on. I'm falling into exactly the trap
that Karl and his disciples have laid. They want two sorts of people: those who just blindly
accept that it was the Russians wot did it, or that it was Assad wot did it; and those who
spend their time asking questions about the official explanations. The first group call the
second group conspiracy theorists and nutters. The second group call the first group dumb
sheeple. And the Globalist Deep State laughs and laughs and laughs as the two groups battle
it out to make sense of what has happened, leaving it free to march on to create the next
reality. Truly I tell you, these Bolsheviks have learnt their Hegelian Dialectics well."
If Rove has set a trap for us, is it a trap we can get out of or avoid falling into in the
first place? And if so, how? If Karl Rove wants these two sorts of people, who are the people
he doesn't want because I want to be one of them. Do I try to predict their next fucking
move? Instead of waiting for today's zerohedge article to appear with the headline "Will
Armenia Be The Next Victim of Western-backed Regime Change" and thinking I should have
guessed that one, maybe I should have been poring over maps, articles weeks, months ago, and
gleefully coming up with the solution: the next area of conflict will be Armenia. Take that,
Karl Rove. But then what?
Or I could go backwards into history to examine where the real power has always been, how
it is wielded, who exactly has wielded it and for what purposes, in order to come up with
patterns and likelihoods of future behaviours and realities. That road gets lonelier the
further you travel down it, and cold winds there await you.
Jen@115 - "...If that's the case, then wouldn't spraying victims of a chlorine gas attack
with water - the White Helmets' standard first-response catch-all medical treatment - only
make most of their symptoms worse?"
I think the mystery visitors to the Douma clinic were just yelling "Gas attack!" without
specifying chlorine as they started the water-dousing panic. They were not White Helmets.
Flushing skin/hair/eyes with reasonable amounts of water would dilute and wash away any
hydrochloric/hypochlorous acid that it happened to create. Spritzing with a spray bottle
would probably be a bad idea for decontamination.
Jesrad@128 - Eglin is home to the stateside part of CENTCOM and the 4th MISG (formerly
PsyOps). Deception of or otherwise 'shaping the opinions of' the American public is part of
their mission. Whatever they don't do, the DoD and State Department does through their
various propaganda efforts directed at American citizens, who are compelled to pay for that
propaganda. Funding Middle East wars is kind of a self-licking ice-cream cone when PsyOps is
part of the budget. Thus, my endearing love for CENTCOM - the pall bearers of western
democracy.
All - The endless Syrian CW narrative has a much more strategic purpose in case anyone
forgot. Israel - SCUDS - CWs. That's why Libya and Iraq were suppose to be and existential
threat to Israel that justified ANY preemptive protective attack. And that was exactly why
Assad/Syria was suppose to be such a threat to Israel - remember? They can't let the CW
narrative die.
Israel needs to keep its own people terrified of Assad's 'hidden' CW-tipped missiles.
Americans must fully believe Assad has a hidden CW stockpile for use on Israel. That way,
when Israel uses the Assad (or maybe ICRG) CW missile false flag to justify a preemptive,
protective attack (and land grab), Americans will willingly send their sons and daughters to
die in a war against them for Israel. Nobody will even question it in the US. I can see Wolf
Blitzer rolling around under a coffee table in Tel Aviv with his gas mask on backwards and
the air raid sirens wailing in the background. CNN: "Wolf! Wolf... for God's sake... Can
you hear me? Are you OK, Wolf? Any Sarin symptoms yet? DAMN YOU, Gasser Assad!"
Angela Merkel is not stupid - things are way worth than that.
She's got a PhD in physical chemistry, and what's rather mind-boggling in that context is the
fact that her husband Joachim Sauer is a professor of chemistry and one of the worlds
foremost experts in surface chemistry.
In the 2000s this guy was in the top 30 list of the worlds most extinguished chemists - let
that sink in for a second.
The couple Merkel/Sauer knows exactly how to evaluate that so-called evidence, yet... - as I
said the situation is way worse as generally anticipated.
"If, as the terrorist supporters claim, Chlorine was used in the 'chemical attack', the
OSCE investigators are unlikely to find any physical evidence of it. Chlorine dissipates
and leaves no unique traces in the dead body." - B
Does the OPCW have any coroners? I believe it leaves scarring in the lungs
"Chlorine required a concentration of 1,000 parts per million to be fatal, destroying
tissue in the lungs , likely through the formation of hydrochloric acid when
dissolved in the water in the lungs (2Cl2 + 2H2O → 4HCl + O2)"
It has been less than two weeks. There should be bodies available to examine unless Assad
has carted them off to his Crematorium in Damascus where he disposes of his victims in front
of his bust of Adolf Hitler.
Well, to answer the final question, it is indeed possible...
Thanks for the peace very well done B. But here comes more work to do. The NZZ today is
publishing a peace about Belgian firms selling 96 t of Isopropanol to Syria which is
described as precursor substance needed for the manufacturing of Sarin, between 2014 and
'16(Nervengift,
https://www.nzz.ch/international/syrien-belgische-firmen-liefern-stoff-fuer-nervengift-ld.1378789)
insinuating the Assad did this. What do you make out of this? It seems to me this is an
important matter to counter.
"... The Russians are stopping the investigation, the BBC informed me, numerous times. Of course they forgot to mention all the real reasons that the UN want to slow them down. Once the OPCW find nothing, they can say 'those pesky Russians stalled the investigation, so that we wouldn't find evidence'. It's brilliant really. Just like the tired old plots from the movies, the UN need some new story writers. Shabby, stale and predictable, to say the least. ..."
..The joint UN-OPCW team was headed by Guatemalan Edmond Mulet who was presumably
vulnerable to blackmail because he was once active in child trafficking as described
here.
If Edmond Mulet is involve in Douma gas investigation, Syria Arab Republic and Russia
Federation are guilty. Beside a child trafficking he's a fucking anti Dr. Assad.. Pls
read NYT below...
How the Security Council Failed the Syria Chemical Weapons Investigators and
Victims
By Edmond Mulet
Dec. 29, 2017
"....From August 2015 to October 2016, a team of investigators looked into eight cases
of the use of chlorine as a chemical weapon and one case involving the use of sulfur mustard.
Three attacks were attributed to the Syrian government and one to the Islamic State. The
Security Council failed to reach agreement on any consequences for these crimes.
A few weeks after an April 4 sarin gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun, Syria, which killed
approximately 100 and injured at least 200, I accepted the job to lead the investigative
team....."
This information was posted by Christian Chuba @ 68:
'... Does the OPCW have any coroners? I believe [chlorine gas] leaves scarring in the
lungs
"Chlorine required a concentration of 1,000 parts per million to be fatal, destroying
tissue in the lungs, likely through the formation of hydrochloric acid when dissolved in the
water in the lungs (2Cl2 + 2H2O → 4HCl + O2)" ...'
If that's the case, then wouldn't spraying victims of a chlorine gas attack with water -
the White Helmets' standard first-response catch-all medical treatment - only make most of
their symptoms worse? The eyeballs need irrigation with water but other symptoms must be
treated differently.
Burning pain, redness, and blisters on the skin if exposed to gas. Skin injuries similar
to frostbite can occur if it is exposed to liquid chlorine
Burning sensation in the nose, throat, and eyes
Coughing
Chest tightness
Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. These may appear immediately if high
concentrations of chlorine gas are inhaled, or they may be delayed if low concentrations of
chlorine gas are inhaled.
Fluid in the lungs (pulmonary edema) that may be delayed for a few hours
"... The first effect of inhalation of chlorine is a burning pain in the throat and eyes,
accompanied by a sensation of suffocation; pain, which may be severe, is felt in the chest,
especially behind the sternum. Respiration becomes painful, rapid, and difficult ; coughing
occurs, and the irritation of the eyes results in profuse lachrymation. Retching is common
and may be followed by vomiting, which gives temporary relief. The lips and mouth are parched
and the tongue is covered with a thick dry fur. Severe headache rapidly follows with a
feeling of great weakness in the legs; if the patient gives way to this and lies down, he is
likely to inhale still more chlorine, as the heavy gas is most concentrated near the ground.
In severe poisoning unconsciousness follows; nothing more is known about the cases which
prove fatal on the field within the first few hours of the "gassing," except that the face
assumes a pale greenish yellow colour. When a man lives long enough to be admitted into a
clearing station, he is conscious, but restless; his face is violet red, and his ears and
finger nails blue ; his expression strained and anxious as he gasps for breath; he tries to
get relief by sitting up with his head thrown back, or he lies in an exhausted condition,
sometimes on his side with his head over the edge of the stretcher in order to help the
escape of fluid from the lungs. His skin is cold and his temperature subnormal; the pulse is
full and rarely over 100. Respiration is jerky, shallow and rapid, the rate being often over
40 and sometimes even 80 a minute ; all the auxiliary muscles come into play, the chest being
over-distended at the height of inspiration and, as in asthma, only slightly less distended
in extreme expiration. Frequent and painful coughing occurs and some frothy sputum is brought
up. The lungs are less resonant than normal, but not actually dull, and fine riles with
occasional rhonchi and harsh but not bronchial breathing are heard, especially over the back
and sides ..."
". . .and the Syrian Government was accountable for the release of sarin in an April
2017 attack in Khan Shaykhun, the head of a Security Council-mandated investigation said
Tuesday."
That may be what he said "on Tuesday", but here's what the actual UN report said on
October 26th of 2017:
"To date the Mechanism has not found specific information confirming whether or not an
SAAF Su-22 operating from Al-Shayrat airbase launched an aerial attack against Khan Shaykhun
on 4 April 2017."
To the best of my knowledge there has been no subsequent report, so the above quote is the
official final statement on the results of the investigation, regardless of anything that Mr.
Mulet may have said at some later date.
Also, if one reads the entire report, he will find numerous hintings, not so very subtle,
about false flag possibilities, and also hinting that the reader should not take everything
in the report at face value. It is a very interesting read, for those things if for no other
reason.
So now we live at a moment in history when non-establishment actors have investigated the
alleged attack in Douma before the OPCW even gets there. And as is clear, and as b posits,
this stalling action holding up the visit is to allow time for someone - anyone, please -
among the establishment forces to come up with a counter to the truth already revealed.
I suspect that the evidence on video - captured by simple enough cameras and spread
through the Internet around the world now - combined with the fact of numerous ordinary folks
strolling around the killing field without suffering any harm, has made this false flag
untenable beyond any saving of face.
Propaganda only works to crowd out the truth, so that people never encounter the truth.
But propaganda doesn't work in open battle against the truth, when people are hearing both
sides. The process takes time, but like water it wears down the tallest wall.
What's really good is that the enemy has shown repeatedly that it doesn't understand the
failure of its tactics, and so it keeps using the old playbook. And with each ploy, the
tactics fail more miserably, and the true evidence accumulates more forcefully. And probably
here in Douma they'll tangle themselves in even more ridiculous fabrications just to keep the
OPCW away forever.
So maybe it won't be this one. Maybe this isn't the ploy that builds and builds to leave a
big enough smoking gun to discredit the entire western apparatus. Perhaps we are not quite
there yet. But it's obvious that Russia thinks we're getting closer.
I'll call it now and say we are in the post-tipping point age of the information war.
The next ploy will fail even more miserably. And the one after that will fail even worse.
And very soon, who knows, a smoking gun could appear that brings the common people out in
their multitudes, in one of those synchronicity moments of truth that the aristocrats and
privileged functionaries of the establishment fear more than anything in creation.
Mulet was in close contact with Hillary Clinton's State Department during this period.
Search his name in Wikileaks' diplomatic cables, and you'll come up with numerous
results.
In essence, he's a tool of western power. The JIM report was just one more act to bolster
the Western narrative. Also, note that his UN-OPCW JIM report was not accepted by either the
UN or the OPCW. After the rejection, he wrote the aforementioned op-ed for the New York
Times , and he most likely was the source of
a leak of OPCW test results to Reuters , which supposedly linked all the sarin attacks to
the Syrian government. This article has been essential in providing "independent"
confirmation of Assad's guilt, even though it's essentially just leftovers from the
politicized JIM investigation.
Recently, Mulet has popped up on 60 Minutes and the neocon Vice News as a
talking head to keep the "Assad gasses his own people" narrative alive. On Vice he
explicitly advocates for the FUKUS air strikes.
The Russians are stopping the investigation, the BBC informed me, numerous times. Of
course they forgot to mention all the real reasons that the UN want to slow them down. Once
the OPCW find nothing, they can say 'those pesky Russians stalled the investigation, so that
we wouldn't find evidence'. It's brilliant really. Just like the tired old plots from the
movies, the UN need some new story writers. Shabby, stale and predictable, to say the
least.
A big part of being the "leader of the free world" is to manage events to fit the narrrative.
Given the US/UK strategy of fake chemical attacks to be blamed on Russia and Syria it is
important that the work of the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons be
managed. OPCW reports deriving from Fact Finding Missions either have to be buried or
prevented.
The OPCW employs an FFM when requested by a country, with the resulting report sent to
that country only. The Salisbury FFM was requested by UK, the FFM report was sent to UK,
where it was buried and will never be publicized.
Douma has a different dynamic because the FFM was requested by Russia, with the ensuing
report bound to be made public, so it was necessary to prevent the FFM from doing its job.
That's when the US puppet Peter Drennan with his Keystone Kops UN police agency was injected
into Douma, to prevent the FFM from taking place.
Gumby @153 -
"Also, note that his UN-OPCW JIM report was not accepted by either the UN or the OPCW"
Okay, I know that people will say that it was rejected at the UN because of the Russia UNSC
veto trump card but do you have a reference to the OPCW rejection?
Assad coercing witnesses in Douma
Yikes, I read the BBC link. I was hoping to find an obvious falsehood because the WH's and
NGO's have been getting sloppy lately but it's the perfect lie . They claim 'to have
heard from' people who have had their families threatened.
So how does one go about refuting this? The lying NGO's in the UK are basically saying
that they got a cell phone call from one of the medical workers left in Syria. Oh, and they
can't tell you who because they will face reprisals. I hate those lying SOB's.
I may have been a bit imprecise there because the OPCW process is extremely murky. But
basically, after Russia vetoed the JIM report at the UN, the U.S. made a proposal to the OPCW
Executive Council to condemn the Syrian government for its use of chemical weapons. I'm not
positive, but my understanding is that if this proposal had succeeded, it would have
essentially adopted the JIM report as an official OPCW document. There's very little
reporting on this maneuvering around this, but here's what the AP said:
Members of the OPCW's Executive Council were scheduled to meet later Friday to debate their
response to the report.
A draft decision put forward by the United States, Colombia, Estonia and Saudi Arabia is
expected to be discussed.
It calls for the council to demand that the Syrian government immediately stop using
chemical weapons and to express "its strong conviction that those responsible for the use
of chemical weapons must be held accountable," according to a copy of the draft text seen
by The Associated Press.
Executive Council decisions are generally adopted by consensus, but with the United
States and its allies at loggerheads with Russia and its supporters, it is likely to be put
to a vote.
The U.S. was forced to withdraw its proposal. Again, the specifics of this are murky, but
you can read Sputnik 's brief report on that here. Russia doesn't have veto power on
the OPCW-EC, meaning, I assume, that the resolution was going to fail in the EC by a vote.:
https://sputniknews.com/world/201711241059415284-us-syria-rejection-opcw/
The upshot of all this is that Mulet's JIM Report is not an official document of either
the UN or the OPCW. Its official status now is essentially just the opinion of its
authors.
By the way, regarding the UN, it's obviously true that Russia exercised it's veto power
against adopting the JIM report. And they also used their veto power to strike down the
proposal to extend the JIM's mandate (which, thanks to the U.S., was voted on before the
JIM's report was even released). However, it's worth noting that the U.S. has a comfortable
built-in majority at the UN, which essentially necessitates a veto to combat. Even many of
the states that backed the U.S. on both of these proposals agreed with Russia that the JIM
was flawed. Russia further argued that its work had become completely politicized. Which is
not surprising given Mulet was head of it
Note for example, the comments by the Ethiopian ambassador:
TEKEDA ALEMU (Ethiopia) expressed regret that the Council had not been able to adopt the
draft resolution since the Mechanism had been created on the basis of consensus. Ethiopia
had voted in favour of the text because there remained credible allegations of chemical
weapons use in Syria, he said, adding that renewing the mandate should ensure continuity of
the Mechanism's work. Despite today's outcome, Ethiopia was hopeful that the Council' unity
would be restored and compromise found, because failure to renew the mandate would be send
the wrong message to the perpetrators. However, today's outcome should not be interpreted
as an a priori endorsement of the Mechanism's report, he cautioned, emphasizing that its
final version was expected to establish clear responsibility for the two incidents
mentioned. Those responsible for the use of chemical weapons should be punished on the
basis of robust and conclusive evidence, he said, underlining, however, that it was
impossible to overlook the concerns of the Russian Federation and Bolivia, which was the
reason why politicization must be avoided.
" QUESTION: Syria, to pick up on where we were on Tuesday with the OPCW still not having
gotten access to Duma and apparently still that situation is still the same. One, do you have
anything to say about that? And secondly, you and I had a little bit of a conversation about
potential – your belief that the Russians and/or Syrians are tampering with any
evidence of the chemical attack. Does the continued delay give you more concern that that
might be the case?
MS NAUERT: Yeah. So to address both your questions, we can confirm that the OPCW team has
still not been able to enter Duma in Syria. It is now 12 days since the attack took place on
men, women, and children, those innocent civilians, in Syria. We have credible information
that indicates that Russian officials are working with the Syrian regime to deny and to delay
these inspectors from gaining access to Duma. We believe it is an effort to conduct their own
staged investigations. Russian officials have worked with the Syrian regime, we believe, to
sanitize the locations of those suspected attacks and remove incriminating evidence of
chemical weapons use.
We have also watched as some people have seemingly been pressured by the government to
change their stories about what actually occurred that night. We have reports from credible
people on the ground who have indicated that they have been pressured by both Russia and
Syria to change their stories, to try to change their stories so that it doesn't appear that
Russia and Syria are responsible for those attacks. We certainly know that Syria is
responsible for those attacks."
Imo, the only reason NATO's unimaginative weasels, dorks and 'boffins' chose chemical
weapons on which to base their childish smear campaign is that Ordinary Citizens are less
familiar with chemical weapons, and their effects, than with most of the violent methods used
to kill and maim people in times of war (and peace).
Napalm is worse than chemical weapons.
So are white phosphorous and Dense Inert Metal Explosives (DIME) used by "Israel" against
Palestinians.
They're worse because the intention is to maim without killing.
I don't know whether to laugh or cry at the irony. So we have Bolton in his first week on
the job and Mattis "The Butcher of Fallujah" authorize an illegal missile strike in response
to an "alleged" chemical weapons attack... both members of the Bush administration that used
white phosphorus and napalm in Iraq.
And who reported it at the time... none other than George Monbiot and The Guardian:
Until last week, the US state department maintained that US forces used white phosphorus
shells "very sparingly in Fallujah, for illumination purposes". They were fired "to
illuminate enemy positions at night, not at enemy fighters". Confronted with the new
evidence, on Thursday it changed its position. "We have learned that some of the
information we were provided ... is incorrect. White phosphorous shells, which produce
smoke, were used in Fallujah not for illumination but for screening purposes, ie obscuring
troop movements and, according to... Field Artillery magazine, 'as a potent psychological
weapon against the insurgents in trench lines and spider holes...' The article states that
US forces used white phosphorus rounds to flush out enemy fighters so that they could then
be killed with high explosive rounds." The US government, in other words, appears to admit
that white phosphorus was used in Falluja as a chemical weapon.
...
There were widespread reports that in March 2003 US marines had dropped incendiary bombs
around the bridges over the Tigris and the Saddam Canal on the way to Baghdad. The
commander of Marine Air Group 11 admitted that "We napalmed both those approaches".
Embedded journalists reported that napalm was dropped at Safwan Hill on the border with
Kuwait. In August 2003 the Pentagon confirmed that the marines had dropped "mark 77
firebombs". Though the substance these contained was not napalm, its function, the
Pentagon's information sheet said, was "remarkably similar". While napalm is made from
petrol and polystyrene, the gel in the mark 77 is made from kerosene and polystyrene. I
doubt it makes much difference to the people it lands on.
Why has the fact finding mission (FFM)of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW) not visited Douma?
The OPCW inspectors are held up by the United Nations Department of Safety and Security
(UNDSS) which has a say about any movement of UN aligned organizations in areas that might be
dangerous. The UNDSS is led by an Australian police / intelligence officer. The holdup seems to
be intended.
On Sunday April 8 videos were published of an alleged 'chemical attack' in Douma near
Damascus. At that time the area was under control of Jaish al-Islam, a Salafi terrorist
organization financed by Saudi Arabia. The various videos from terrorist supporters like the
'White Helmets' were unconvincing. They showed obviously arranged
scenes of an alleged 'barrel bomb' and manipulated bodies of dead children that
had been moved and decorated with shaving foam to superficially fit the claims of a
'chemical incident'. Another video showed people in a hospital being doused with water for no
apparent reason.
An often quoted opposition news outlet, the Syrian Observatory in Britain, denied that a
'chemical attack' had happened. It reported on April 8 of suffocation after a shelter
collapsed due to bombing:
[I]n among the casualties there are 21 civilians including 9 children and 3 women were killed
as a result of suffocation caused by the shelling which destroyed basements of houses as a
result of the violence bombardment that stopped about an hour ago on Douma area.
The 'chemical incident' was likely faked. It suspiciously happened just a few days after
U.S. President Trump had announced the he wanted the U.S. military to leave Syria. A year
earlier
a similar incident was claimed to have happened after a similar announcement by Trump. The
U.S. had responded to the 2017 incident by bombing an empty Syrian airfield. A day after the
incident the Salafi terrorists of Jaish al-Islam gave up and left the area under a ceasefire
deal arranged with the help of the Russian military in Syria. The ceasefire deal does not allow
the Syrian army to enter the area, only the Russian military police is allowed.
Russian military police immediately
entered the area and investigated the house where, allegedly, people were killed by
'chemical weapons'. They found no evidence that such an event had taken place. The Syrian
government asked the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical aWeapons (OPCW) to
investigate the case.
Many internationalnews teams have since
visited the area where the incident allegedly took place. The also visitedthe field hospital shown in
one of the opposition videos. Doctors at that hospital deny (vid) that any patient of theirs had
been affected by a chemical attack. The cases they had seen had breathing difficulties caused
by the inhalation of dust thrown up through exploding bombs and artillery. Alleged 'victims'
shown in the hospital video claim (vid) they were paid to perform.
The regime-change shills are denying that any claims of the hospital staff working in the
now government controlled Douma could be true. Medics are liars, unless they are controlled by
Jihadis. See for example this shoddy propaganda piece by the Guardian:
Syrian medics 'subjected to extreme intimidation' after Douma attack by Martin Chulov in
Beirut and Kareem Shaheen in Istanbul. karlof1 , Apr 19, 2018 12:56:35 PM |
72
According
to Lavrov , the UN security team did come under fire by terrorists who were tipped off as
to who they were and when they'd arrive. Lavrov's
comment echoes that made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov, who
observed "Someone does not want an unbiased professional investigation to take place."
"... Sky News cuts of British General. https://southfront.org/sky-news-cuts-off-former-british-general-while-he-questiones-douma-chemical-attack / ..."
Lloyd Russell-Moyle
(@lloyd_rm)
It is worth noting that the British Government approved exports of dual use precursors for
chemical weapons including sarin to Syria between 2004 and 2012, after the civil war began
and after Assad was accused of using gas. CAEC report (2015): pic.twitter.com/TsvthAcZRR
April 13, 2018
Further down his thread is a tweet where someone has a screen-grab of a Mail Online story
from 2013. It talks about leaked information about clearance given by the US Government for a
British security company to stage a chemical weapons attack in Syria in order to provide a
pretext for bombing.
I have no idea whether this is true or whether it was genuinely from Mail Online, perhaps
someone with more know-how than me could find out.
At first, I laughed at the Russian suggestion that the attack on Douma had been staged.
Now I'm not so sure.
Your article appears to apportion blame solely to Assad and you don't even attempt to address
the opposition in Syria. Nobody seriously questions that the Syrian governments war has
killed many thousands and thousands of civilians. How can you not refer to the international
jihad and the make up of these fighters, as well as the sieges they laid on villages, town
and cities and the cruelty they inflicted upon the people?
The Syrian Arab Army is a composite of Sunni, Shia, Christians, and different ethnicity's,
what convinces you that they have in any way wantonly killed civilians? The soldiers have
family all over Syria, plus no mention of the 300,000+ civilians that have been liberated
from Eastern Aleppo and Eastern Ghouta in the last several months.
I find this article very bizarre indeed. The most simple explanation for the disaster in
Syria is that a sovereign state protected its national interest from an international
contingent of mercenaries. There are Moroccans and Chechnyans, Uighurs and Brits, Saudis as
well as Syrians in this armed army. What other options did a state such as Syria have when
fighting against ISIS, Al Qaida, Al Nusra and 'The Army of Islam', Jaysh Al-Islam? All have
which have direct connections to our major ally in the region, Saudi Arabia.
Somebody correct me if I am wrong but I can not find any reference at all to the enemy in
this article. It's written as if the 8 year war has simply been an extermination war against
civilians and completely out of context with reality.
US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld helped Saddam Hussein build up his arsenal of deadly
chemical and biological weapons. As an envoy from President Reagan 19 years ago, he had a
secret meeting with the Iraqi dictator and arranged enormous military assistance for his war
with Iran. Mr Rumsfeld, at the time a successful executive in the pharmaceutical industry,
still made it possible for Saddam to buy supplies from American firms. They included viruses
such as anthrax and bubonic plague, according to the Washington Post.
The USA provided $1.5 billion worth of Pathogenic, toxigenic and other biological research
materials were exported to Iraq; 1985-89.
1) US based company, Alcolac International exported mustard gas to Iraq; 1987-88.
2) Almost 150 foreign companies supported Saddam Hussein's WMD program; 1975-
3) US directly attacked Iran by hitting Iran's oil platforms; 1987.
4) US directly attacked Iran's navy in unproportioned and unreasonable war; 1988.
5) US shot down Iranian civilian airliner in the Iranian territory; 1988.
This is the equivalent of a pathological paedophile giving a sermon against child abuse
when the US preaches its corrupt moral practices regarding Syria!!!
RT has an article out this morning quoting Lavrov (whose diction is always, impeccably,
exact)
to the effect that Russia now has "no reason to *not* supply its S-300 missile system to
Syria"
in light of the US strike. Several well-sourced Syrian accounts were reporting the sale of
S-300s
to Syria as a done deal, but I think this is premature. Lavrov is asking the US and Israel to
give
Russia a reason not to provide the S-300 to Syria. Lavrov is saying the fate of the S-300 in
the
MIddle East is now open for renegotiation. On the other hand, Lavrov knows that neither the
US
nor Israel can be trusted to abide by the terms of any negotiated outcome. So in the *best*
case
scenario, he may be hoping to gain by this gambit a significant (if temporary) reduction of US
/ Israeli
/ Saudi military interference in the Russian attempt to bring Syria to political
settlement.
Would Israel rather: (1) see the US withdraw from a Syria that does not have the S-300?
(2) see the US remain within a Syria that does have the S-300?
The US will not bomb any Syrian S-300s while Russia is around. Israel would have to
take this task on itself. But does Israel *really* want to take on this task? Given that
it could go very badly in any number of ways?
Posted by: WJ | Apr 20, 2018 11:12:32 AM |
194Don Bacon , Apr 20, 2018 11:20:44 AM |
195
@193
The S-300 carrot & stick has legs.
> May 30, 2013 - Israel could overcome advanced S-300 anti-aircraft missiles if they were
deployed in Syria but any strikes on the system would be difficult.
> Dec 1, 2015 - For Israel, more problematic have been Russia's plans to sell the less
advanced, but hardly less problematic S-300 missile system to both Syria and Iran
Coming after the RF Military spokesmen suggested Syria should be allowed S-300 air
defense, Mr Lavrov joins:
Lavrov: After US-led strikes, Russia has 'no moral barriers' on S-300 deliveries to
Syria RT
Following the US-led bombardment of Syria last week over an alleged chemical attack by
Damascus, Russia says it has no reason to not supply its S-300 missile system to Syria,
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
Moscow agreed with its international partners about 10 years ago to not deliver the
S-300 to Damascus. "We took into consideration their argument that this would destabilize
the situation, despite the missile systems being a purely defensive system," Lavrov said in
an interview to RIA Novosti.
But given the latest spiraling of the crisis – in particular the use of the
alleged Douma chemical attack as pre-text for striking Syria – things may take a
U-turn. While around a decade ago, Moscow "heeded" the calls of its partners and put the
deliveries on hold, the Russian foreign minister said it now has "no such moral
obligation."
In the wake of the US-led operation on Syria, Russia said it may consider sending
supplies of S-300 missile systems to Damascus. Moscow believes it is "possible to return to
mulling over the issue, and not only with regard to Syria but also to other states as
well," Russian General Staff Spokesman General Sergey Rudskoy stated[.]
And in other news, DNC today filed $multi-million lawsuit against Russia, Trump and
Wikkileaks for conspiring to defeat Hillary in 2016.
ZH link
Guess they filed this action without knowing Rudy Guiliani has just joined Trump's legal
team.
First question for Plaintiff: Why was the FBI denied access to the hacked servers?
His name was Seth Rich
Oh, and good luck collecting from Russia and Wikkileaks.
Trump and Hanlon's Razor: Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by
stupidity.
The rest of the Rothschild/Zionist/Deep State swamp has long hidden behind such useful
idiots, including most of the elected/bureaucratic/bankster/militarist puppets infesting NATO
countries.
The Rothschilds et. al. cannot avoid the label of malice, as they have long acted
purposefully on the declaration in the mid-1700's: "I care not who sits on the British throne,
the man who controls the money supply controls the Empire... and I control the money supply."
Baron Mayer Rothschild
"If my sons wanted no wars, there would be none." Baron Mayer Rothschild's wife.
For 300 years the Rothschilds have controlled the political and economic levers that
resulted in the endless line of wars. The Balfour Declaration by which the British gov't
stupidly endorses to this day was written to (and largely by) the Baron Rothschild of that
day.
Attempting to discern intent by the visible layer of the otherwise well-disguised Rothschild
Promised Land agenda is a fools errand.
"By deception thou shalt do war." The Mossad motto. The Rothschild modus
oprandi.
"For 300 years the Rothschilds have controlled the political and economic levers that
resulted in the endless line of wars. The Balfour Declaration by which the British gov't
stupidly endorses to this day was written to (and largely by) the Baron Rothschild of that
day."
If we have allowed these people to yank our chains for the past three centuries, then it
must be because they are a f*ck of a lot smarter and more motivated than the rest of us
stupid Gentiles.
But we believe in a system in which the smartest and most motivated should rise to the
top...
"... The treaties which promise US allies that an attack on them will draw US military support for their collective defence – Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO), Article 4 of the Australia New Zealand US Treaty (ANZUS), Article 3 of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio), and the Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Pakistan and Israel defence treaties – are dead letters. ..."
If you haven't read John Helmer's " Bear and sitting Duck suggest it be added to your
weekend read.
@ S 33
Thanks for clarifying.
A few snips:
US President Donald Trump didn't mean to start a revolution. President Vladimir Putin tried
persuading him not to. But on April 14 the revolution was launched by American warplanes,
surface ships and a submarine.
The outcome is that the US can no longer count on air superiority anywhere in the world
where Russian air defences operate, backed by Russian command-and-control systems. Without
air superiority, the US has no force multiple on the ground of the magnitude required for the
Pentagon to attack; that is, the ratio of American men and firepower the Pentagon calculates
for making sure their enemies on their ground can be defeated.
This is revolutionary, and has spread instantly to every war front -- the Russian lines
with NATO; the Korea-Japan front; the Taiwan Straits and South China Sea for China; and the
Indian Ocean for India and Pakistan.
The treaties which promise US allies that an attack on them will draw US military
support for their collective defence – Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO),
Article 4 of the Australia New Zealand US Treaty (ANZUS), Article 3 of the Inter-American
Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio), and the Japan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan,
Pakistan and Israel defence treaties – are dead letters.
So long, shock and awe – that was the American warfighting doctrine against people
who lack Russian-standard defences. [.]
The S-300, which Iran and Greece operate, and the S-400, which guards the Russian naval
and air bases in Syria and which Turkey is acquiring, are capable of striking both aircraft
and missiles. This is the game-changer for Syrian defence against Israel if the S-300 is
delivered, as the Russian Defence Ministry is now proposing. [.]
Russia has transferred forty Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to Syria' Air Defence.
This is the latest air defence technology (the system is in service since 2012) - a combined
short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system
against aircrafts, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs.
You face the same the liars with the sexed up dossier who went on to murder hundreds of
thousands in Iraq and Libya. This is all too reminiscent of previous interventions
Consider WW1, Suez, Iran 1953, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Yemen and every other western
militarily intervention in the ME - whether directly or by proxy - and identify one that hasn't
just caused more instability, death, violence and displacement than there was already?
e are caught between a rock, in the form of the recklessness of Donald Trump, and a hard
place, shaped by the cruelty of Bashar al-Assad. This is the choice that now confronts citizens
and their representatives in Britain, France and the US. The reasons to resist signing up for
any project led by Trump should be obvious, with the newly published testimony of James Comey,
the FBI director he fired, providing a fresh reminder.
Trump is a congenital liar who is devoid of empathy, a narcissist with a nihilist's view of
the world. These are not mere character defects; they have a bearing on the decisions the de
facto leader of any action in Syria would take. Among the reasons I opposed the 2003 invasion
of Iraq was my fundamental distrust of George W Bush and his circle, especially on the matter
of motive. Trump, with his tweeted mood swings – first, vowing to withdraw from Syria
altogether, then threatening an imminent missile bombardment, then signalling a delay –
makes Bush look like a statesman.
But even if a moral paragon were sitting in the Oval Office, there would be grounds for
restraint. The record of past western military interventions in the Middle East is bloody and
shaming, as the peoples of both Iraq and Libya can testify. Barack Obama, no gung-ho cowboy,
was the commander-in-chief in the latter case. And yet what was originally billed as a discrete
military action to prevent an impending civilian slaughter in Benghazi escalated into a
bombardment that led to regime change and mayhem. It stands as a textbook illustration of
western bombs' ability to make a bad situation worse.
It's clear now that although Assad has 'won' the war a status quo of him ruling a
predominately Sunni country can't be returned to. He seeks to terrorise and punish the
Syrian people under the protection of Russia and Iran.
Even though the army which has made such huge sacrifices for the Syrian state is about 70%
Sunni?
The US and her allies have to intervene, otherwise the rule of international law is
worthless.
Why? Even if your premise above were true, which it isn't, why is it our job to intervene
in every country with an imperfect system? Or are you proposing we bomb every Middle Eastern
country where people are privileged and granted citizenship merely on account of their
religion?
I love these guys who won't do their own research. Why not? Axe to grind? This is just one
example from 2013. There's more but I'm too busy to look up public shit for you.
Spot on look what happened to Sadaam after he switched to the Euro for Iraq oil sales.
Ghaddafi had similar plans.
Without reserve currency status and petrodollar with US economy will collapse under the $21T
dollar debt.
Russia and China have recently agreed a bilateral trade agreement which cuts out the
dollar.
The US cannot permit this ...as always follow the money.
Some people murder others for political and ideological reasons the military industrial
complex starts wars and conflicts ,murdering millions for profit....evil personified
Could this whole drama be because China and Russia are ditching the petrodollar?
I watched the video of the attack and it looks fake to me.. those children are not crying
because of chlorine.. they have their eyes wide open..first thing you do when you have
chlorine in your eyes is touch your face and close your eyes..whole thing looks dodge..just
my opinion. Those children are wide eyed and looking at the camera..something you wouldn't do
if you'd just been gassed.
We, along with the US, France and Gulf states have supported, armed and trained "rebels"
in Syria the whole time. We've had, as have others, special forces operating inside
Syria
So, there would never be rebellions against totalitarian dictators if it weren't for the CIA
and MI6.
I don't buy this. It's very convenient if you're an anti-war person who doesn't want to
face an ethical dilemma. But it's not real.
Here we have a translated transcript of Shulgin's testimony at OPCW's Hague HQ where he
points out the 8 fundamental British lies over the Skripal attack. He prefaces his remarks
thusly:
"I would like to start my speech with the words that belong to the great thinker Martin
Luther, "A lie is like a snowball: the further you roll it, the bigger it becomes".
"This wise aphorism is fully applicable to politics. He who has chosen the path of
deception will have to lie again and again, making up explanations for discrepancies,
spreading disinformation and doing forgery, desperately using all means to cover the tracks
of the lies and to hide the truth.
"The United Kingdom has entered this slippery path. We can clearly see all of this on the
example of the "Skripal case" fabricated by the British authorities, this poorly disguised
anti-Russian provocation accompanied by an unprecedented propaganda campaign, taken up by a
group of countries, and the finalized unprecedented expulsion of diplomats under a
far-fetched pretext. Please, do not try to pass this group for the international community
– it is far from that."
It seems that BZ was detected not only by Spiez, but also by a lab in the Netherlands. The
explanation given is that BZ was added to the specimens in order to validate the competence
of the contracted labs. Furthermore, they attempted to explain away the existence of pristine
Novichok in the specimens in a dosage that would have been fatal, thus confirming that the
Spiez lab did indeed find such pristine Novichok. You can't make this sh*t up.
Oh, what a tangled web! The wonder is not so much that MI5/MI6 would perpetrate such a
false flag, but that they would be so utterly incompetent about it.
Clarification: The reference to "pristine" Novichok is that Spiez found the toxic agent in
a non-degraded form that could not have survived either within the human body or in a
collected specimen. They thought it was a contamination. My opinion is that it was added by
the British before delivering the specimens, just to be sure the contracted labs would detect
it. Also, the fact they claimed to have deliberately contaminated the specimens with BZ is a
clear indication it could just as easily be that the BZ was there from the beginning and the
actual contamination was with the agent from the Novichok family. Zakharova called it
"weird." I'll say!
PavewayIV @143,
Funny you should mention a "preemptive protective attack." The Bush preemption doctrine must
not have been found suitably effective for domestic propagandist purposes; as since then, if
I am not mistaken, the preferred move has been to engineer an actual "event" that the US is
forced to "respond" to. The WMD bombast fit the preemption doctrine. The relatively more
modest "chemical attack" has the advantage of being easily produced whenever necessary. I
think this development signals an advance in the rhetoric of propaganda between Bush II and
Obama. Perhaps the PR folks judged Americans to be finally more stupid than malicious as a
group. Optimistically put.
anti_republocrat @146
I believe there were four samples (2 bio, 2 enviro); I think it is likely that the 2 bio
samples are the ones with BZ in the control. Why? Pure coincidence, procedure, unrelated to
anything, etc. Or because the Skripals, and not their doorknob, were poisoned with BZ.
"Remarkable how Saddam Hussein gassing Iranian troops by the thousand, while world powers
helped him do it and covered for him at the UN is treated as a minor exception to non-use of
chemical"
He also used poison gas to kill thousands of his own Kurdish civilians, the Reagan
administration was in many ways a moral cesspit. They knew exactly what he was doing. A
spokesman said the Iranians - who never used Chemical Weapons on principle - used the poison
gas, on Iraqi Kurds. I think Reagan never really understood this, that is my assessment of
his character, he saw what reality he wanted to see, but nothing else.
" Back then the death toll in Syria stood at around 100,000. More than 400,000 have died
since that day. The proof is there if we can bear to look at it. Inaction, too, can be
deadly"
And how many died after the war was "won" in Iraq. And how many would have died trying to
remove assad. Toppling assad would almost certainly not have brought peace. Your analysis is
simplistic and blinkered and definately doesn't contain any proof of anything. Sometimes
there's just not a solution. The current proposed bombing campaign smacks of
somethingmustbedoneism. Those responsible for the gas attacks must face justice. But it might
have to be further down the line.
Barack Obama did not tell the whole story this autumn when he tried to make the case that
Bashar al-Assad was responsible for the chemical weapons attack near Damascus on 21 August. In
some instances, he omitted important intelligence, and in others he presented assumptions as
facts. Most significant, he failed to acknowledge something known to the US intelligence
community: that the Syrian army is not the only party in the country's civil war with access to
sarin, the nerve agent that a UN study concluded – without assessing responsibility
– had been used in the rocket attack. In the months before the attack, the American
intelligence agencies produced a series of highly classified reports, culminating in a formal
Operations Order – a planning document that precedes a ground invasion – citing
evidence that the al-Nusra Front, a jihadi group affiliated with al-Qaida, had mastered the
mechanics of creating sarin and was capable of manufacturing it in quantity. When the attack
occurred al-Nusra should have been a suspect, but the administration cherry-picked intelligence
to justify a strike against Assad.
In his nationally televised speech about Syria on 10 September, Obama laid the blame for the
nerve gas attack on the rebel-held suburb of Eastern Ghouta firmly on Assad's government, and
made it clear he was prepared to back up his earlier public warnings that any use of chemical
weapons would cross a 'red line': 'Assad's government gassed to death over a thousand people,'
he said. 'We know the Assad regime was responsible And that is why, after careful deliberation,
I determined that it is in the national security interests of the United States to respond to
the Assad regime's use of chemical weapons through a targeted military strike.' Obama was going
to war to back up a public threat, but he was doing so without knowing for sure who did what in
the early morning of 21 August.
He cited a list of what appeared to be hard-won evidence of Assad's culpability: 'In the
days leading up to August 21st, we know that Assad's chemical weapons personnel prepared for an
attack near an area where they mix sarin gas. They distributed gas masks to their troops. Then
they fired rockets from a regime-controlled area into 11 neighbourhoods that the regime has
been trying to wipe clear of opposition forces.' Obama's certainty was echoed at the time by
Denis McDonough, his chief of staff, who told the New York Times : 'No one with whom
I've spoken doubts the intelligence' directly linking Assad and his regime to the sarin
attacks.
We're now in a strange position where the media is actually behind the government. May is
doubtful about bombing because she's a politician and so has to constantly monitor her
popularity, but the only people left still writing in 'newspapers' are still programmed to
want war and bombing because it always used to sell.
The UN duly investigated and in October concluded unambiguously that the Assad regime had
used sarin gas.
You omitted to mention that the same report also concludes that ISIL deployed Sulphur
Mustard, isn't this the same gas that France claims to have evidence regarding the recent
incident?
Besides, how much evidence do we need? Even before Douma, Assad's use of chemical
weapons had been documented seven times this year alone.
The link you provided to back-up this claim contains no substantiative evidence to
attribute those incidents to Assad.
Clearly both sides in this conflict appear to have used chemical weapons, making
assumptions or false accusations of blame at this stage is incredibly dangerous. I'm in total
agreement with Jeremy Corbyn, we need a solid investigation on which the international
community can act. Any potential escalation of this awful conflict must be avoided at all
costs, particularly when it involves a nuclear armed superstate, considering the on-going
humaitarian crisis in Syria and how it has already affected the world. Furthermore we must
not allow a cabinet of a minority government to make any final decisions on the UK
involvement in further militrary action, our elected representatives MUST be allowed
to debate and decide a course of action, otherwise our democracy is in a far worse state than
I could have possibly imagined.
Theresa May leads a minority government propped up by an unlawful bung to a right wing
extremist group. May, her Cabinet of half wits and her self serving party have a mandate for
sweet FA, and that includes killing people in our name.
There is massive, overwhelming opposition in the UK to May's attempt to join Trump &
Macron in bombing Syria and to by-passing our democratic parliament, but who would have
thought it?
The media are generally presenting Theresa May with a free ride to cause death and
destruction on a massive scale. Claiming she's joining an international coalition (even
though it consists of only 2 other countries) and having the backing of the Cabinet and
therefore possessing the authority to go to war.
The reality is that she's virtually politically isolated and working in defiance of the
British people. Labour - and most other opposition parties, including the Lib Dems, SNP,
Plaid, and the Greens are totally against military intervention and calling for a full,
democratic debate in Parliament.
Then the Conservative Party itself is bitterly divided over the issue.
And only 22% of British people would support the war effort, according to a poll in the
Times.
The timing is being forced by Donald Trump and the US, so where's the substance in the
Conservative claim that they're 'taking back control'?
And then any intervention is likely to cost billions, so what about The Deficit? And what
about that magic money tree?
Moreover, the Government maintain we cannot allow such inhumanity in Syria to go
unchallenged. So where is the outcry at defenceless citizens being killed in Gaza? And in
Yemen? And in Saudi Arabia? What accounts for the blatant double standards? What are they not
telling us?
And why does the British Goverment justicfy selling all these lethal and inhumance weapons
to these countries in the first place?
Where is the media reminding the Government of what happened in Iraq, in Libya and in
Afghanistan?, whenever we intervened?
Where is the media remembering the findings of the Chilcott Report?
If this was Labour nationalising the railways or expropriating land in an emergency bill
to launch a massive house-building programme, the BBC and mass media would quote every
adversary and critic they could muster and express total outrage at any attempt to by-pass
Parliament.
The Syrian conflict is a hugely complex quagmire and we enter it at our peril. We need a
much more objective Press to scrutinise Government policy, before this lunacy unravels and
triggers a seriously calamitous hot war between the Superpowers, from which we'd all be
losers.
Jeremy Corbyn is often mocked and scorned by the media for his measured reactions, but his
call for the UK to use its influence to defuse tensions makes him one of the only responsible
and mature political leaders around right now!!
The government and the BBC have been using the words "suspected chemical attack" in Syria and
that Russia is "highly likely" to be responsible for the Salisbury affair.
Now if that isn't official doubt I don't know what is.
Still May happy to drop bombs on this basis without parliamentary approval (if Donald says
so that is)!
This is pathetic. The mouthpieces of the British government (Guardian and BBC) have spent the
last week on a steady pendulum of demanding war, shitting themselves, then when the rhetoric
calms down a bit, demanding war again. The U.K., its security agencies and its house-trained
media are destabilising the world.
"... How about some basic honesty about the role the US and it's allies have played in fostering and continue if this civil war. That, coupled by a complete retreat of US imperial neoliberal ambitions across the entire region, you know, might just be incredibly effective ..."
"... Are we seriously going to pretend we and our allies haven't provided financial, technological, diplomatic, political and military support to this extremely heterogenous group of rebels, without which the whole uprising (a legitimate uprising, sure, but certainly not a viable one) would have been over in a few months, without any of the atrocities, tragedies and destruction of the past 6 years? ..."
"... For Europe and the US to have any credibility the double standards applied has to come to an end ..."
"... Sorry but the arguments in the article don't hold water. Reeks of the longstanding agenda of the war profiteers and the Clinton gang to invade this country. On hypocritical reasons. ..."
Here's an idea Jonathan for another solution. How about some basic honesty about the role
the US and it's allies have played in fostering and continue if this civil war. That, coupled
by a complete retreat of US imperial neoliberal ambitions across the entire region, you know,
might just be incredibly effective
But nor can we watch the brutal dictator slaughter his own people
Why not? We're watching Israelis shoot and kill unarmed Palestinians, we're
watching our favourite Saudis bomb and kill Yemeni civilians, we're watching our
Nobel-winning inspirational Myanmar leader oversee the persecution, massacre and forced
displacement of an entire people, we're watching the North Korean leader oppress and starve
his people while stepping closer to a nuclear war against a currently volatile superpower,
we're watching the Philipino head of state launching a literal war against low-level drug
dealers and junkies, we're watching several central Asian dictators imprison and torture
dissidents and oppress their people while robbing them of their national wealth, we're
watching the Chinese and Russian leaders do pretty much the same, we're watching the Turkish
leader kidnap dissidents from EU countries, imprison thousands of alleged dissidents and
invade a neighbouring country to fight against part of said countries' inhabitants, we're
watching corrupt politicians, media and judges completing the final touches of a coup in the
fifth largest country in the world, and then there's Africa, which is a whole other chapter.
What specifically is it about Syria that made you decide that yeah, all these things are
pretty bad, but that's the one thing we really have to do something about?
Perhaps that was why, five years ago, the House of Commons voted to leave the Assad
regime untouched. Back then the death toll in Syria stood at around 100,000. More than
400,000 have died since that day. The proof is there if we can bear to look at it. Inaction,
too, can be deadly.
Inaction? Really? Are we seriously going to pretend we and our allies haven't provided
financial, technological, diplomatic, political and military support to this extremely heterogenous group of rebels, without which the whole uprising (a legitimate uprising, sure,
but certainly not a viable one) would have been over in a few months, without any of the
atrocities, tragedies and destruction of the past 6 years?
For Europe and the US to have any credibility the double standards applied has to come to an
end. Israel has to comply with UN resolutions and the US has to stop using its veto to block
those resolutions that seek to make Israel comply to international standards of acceptable
behaviour.
If we can't do that we can forget getting Assad or Putin or anyone else to respect
anything we have to say. As it stands the so called West has no moral authority in the Middle
East.
But nor can we watch the brutal dictator slaughter his own people
Why is this supposed slaughter such an imperative when we seem to approve of and even
profit from selling weapons to slaughters elsewhere in the region
Sorry but the arguments in the article don't hold water. Reeks of the longstanding agenda
of the war profiteers and the Clinton gang to invade this country. On hypocritical
reasons.
"... Conveniently missing from this short history of Syria: That the US was actually heavily involved using the CIA in getting rid of Assad. Had that not been the case, perhaps there would have been no prolonged civil war. ..."
"... Oh, I know challenging the holy West and its exceptional leading nation is verboten nowadays, but can we at least be honest about what is really going on today? Syria is being punished for not joining the coalition of the willing in 2003 by being subjected to the same illegal war by false claim as Iraq was then. ..."
Conveniently missing from this short history of Syria:
That the US was actually heavily involved using the CIA in getting rid of Assad. Had that
not been the case, perhaps there would have been no prolonged civil war.
It would be just another dictator, the likes of which can be found all over the world
without columnists noticing it.
Strangely though, all that is deplored is that the US didn't do even more. That they
didn't also do a full blown invasion.
"Why, of course, the people don't want war. Why would some poor slob on a farm want to risk
his life in a war when the best that he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one
piece. Naturally, the common people don't want war; neither in Russia nor in England nor in
America, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But, after all, it is the
leaders of the country who determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the
people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a
Communist dictatorship
Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is
easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for
lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any
country."
– Hermann Goering (as told to Gustav Gilbert during the Nuremberg trials)
Pay for what? Be President of a country marked out for regime change by the West and
successfully managing to fight off the West's proxy armies of terrorists over seven years in
defence of that country?
Oh, I know challenging the holy West and its exceptional leading
nation is verboten nowadays, but can we at least be honest about what is really going on
today? Syria is being punished for not joining the coalition of the willing in 2003 by being
subjected to the same illegal war by false claim as Iraq was then.
Assad has always acted in this like any other authoritarian government anywhere in the Middle
East would, fighting a civil war. Israel is just as ruthless when facing a threat to its
authority.
This mess was financed, planned, egged on and armed by the U.S., it's junior partners and
its clients in Turkey and the Gulf. And it goes back years before the rebellion against
Assad. The Wahabbi rebels have been given billions in cash, arms and training, funneled
through Turkey and the Gulf states.
Now we have Washington, London and Paris shrieking outrage and promising revenge against a
strongman they unleashed as the result of yet another regime change adventure. And then
there's the incredible hypocrisy and cynicism of using Al-Qaeda affiliated actors to do
it.
Assad's wartime iteration, like ISIS, is the result of American greed, ambition, pride and
the old imperialist bent for aggression as a way of imposing its geopolitical will.
Watch the Unbearable video gain. The children are no foaming at the mouth, their colouration
is not cyanotic, they do not appear to be in respiratory distress. The premise of the
argument is not based on fact. These children are not the casualties of a gas attack. GROW UP
and recognize the propaganda.
The article takes a self-righteous moral high ground while calling for some vague affair of
violence. I can't help but notice that these articles by people who pretend to be moderates
and centrists have a habit of turning reality and morality on their head. It's dangerous and
very Orwellian stuff.
The question that I struggle to answer is, "Are journalists like this actually duped by
propaganda themselves, or are they knowingly part of the process of dissemination?"
What I do not struggle to see is that they are undoubtedly part of the prevailing
neolib/neocon philosophy which we rapidly need to dismantle.
Trump strangely immature twits on Douma attack disqualify his as a statesman.
Notable quotes:
"... the strike has been definitely an act of aggression against a sovereign state despite an objection of a permanent SC member, namely Russia. ..."
"... Now the gates of hell are open, international law has been demolished, and this happened because Putin agreed to accommodate Trump's strike, said Ivashov. ..."
"... I'd consider that a good conclusion of the fictional chemical weapons story. The story has fallen to pieces altogether, anyway. The poisoning of Skripal ended with the old spy in good health; with Boris Johnson being caught lying; with [the chemical weapons control body] OPCW refusing to connect Skripal's poison to Moscow; and with Brits keeping Miss Skripal incommunicado under duress, away from her fiancé and the rest of her family, a clear sign of a collapsing story. ..."
"... The Syrian part of this story collapsed as well, after Robert Fisk , one of the very best British Middle East observers (next to David Hirst) visited Douma and delivered a report straight from the donkey's mouth, i.e. as told by a doctor of the clinic videoed by the White Helmets. ..."
"... The Russians actually located some people who are seen in the video, and they say it was staged. ..."
"... An interesting bit of data, proving that preparations for the strike were carried out before the alleged attack, has been published by the Cyprus banking community blog. They say the British air base of Akrotiri on Cyprus had its perimeter urgently strengthened (by the British company Agility) on April 5, that is before the alleged Douma gas attack ..."
"... The OPCW could dispel the mist around both cases, that of Skripal and that of Douma, but do not hold your breath. It appears that OPCW is as integrated into the machinery of the Masters of Discourse as any other international body. Refusal of OPCW to allow Russia to take part in Skripal investigation, despite the clear requirement of its own charter, makes its conclusion doubtful, at best. ..."
"... While inability of OPCW inspectors to enter Douma despite all efforts of Damascus and Russians to facilitate their entry tells us they are not eager to investigate; like they weren't eager to enter Khan Sheykhun last year. ..."
"... please! Trump validated an obvious false flag – again – and launched the strikes before any kind of investigation could have challenged it – again. He's no "hero". He's a weak man at best . Please don't insult real heroes and real bravery. ..."
"... if somebody looks like an idiot, behaves like an imbecile, speaks like a stupid asshat it's very likely you are dealing with an idiot. Stupid bringing boltons and haleys to his circus just had some unforeseen by idiot consequencies. ..."
... Let us face it: Putin did not stop the strike and he didn't make the offender pay a
price for this breach of the Law of Nations.
... ... ...
What is worse, Trump's strike destroyed what was left of the international law structure
established by Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin. These three giants created the UN and its
Security Council in order to avoid such eventualities by forbidding aggression, and the
strike has been definitely an act of aggression against a sovereign state despite an objection
of a permanent SC member, namely Russia.
Now the gates of hell are open, international law has been demolished, and this happened
because Putin agreed to accommodate Trump's strike, said Ivashov.
... ... ...
The Russian military experts here in Moscow told me that out of a hundred missiles fired by
the US and their allies, only one or two were modern cruise missiles ("nice and smart") and
they destroyed the research institute in Barzeh. (It was not a "chemical weapons centre", just
a chemical research institute; it's destruction was a copy-paste of Bill Clinton's bombing of
the pharmaceutical factory in Sudan over a similar pretext.)
All other missiles were old and at the end of their service; they had to be utilised
somehow, and so they were. A few of them might have been downed by Syrian anti-aircraft fire,
others fell without inflicting much damage.
The Russian experts who were in contact with the US military told me that the US military
used this occasion for retraining and refreshing reserve pilots; what they call "a milk run".
This combination of old missiles and less experienced pilots helped to lower the efficiency of
the strike. And both sides, the Russians and the Americans, admitted that the deconfliction
line was operative all the time, to avoid eventualities.
I'd consider that a good conclusion of the fictional chemical weapons story. The story
has fallen to pieces altogether, anyway. The poisoning of Skripal ended with the old spy in
good health; with Boris Johnson being caught lying; with [the chemical weapons control body]
OPCW refusing to connect Skripal's poison to Moscow; and with Brits keeping Miss Skripal
incommunicado under duress, away from her fiancé and the rest of her family, a clear
sign of a collapsing story. Hopefully, Jeremy Corbyn will be able to use May's debacle for
his political advantage.
The Syrian part of this story collapsed as well, after
Robert Fisk , one of the very best British Middle East observers (next to David Hirst)
visited Douma and delivered a report straight from the donkey's mouth, i.e. as told by a doctor
of the clinic videoed by the White Helmets. He said:
"There was a lot of shelling [by government forces] and aircraft were always over Douma at
night – but on this night, there was wind and huge dust clouds began to come into the
basements and cellars where people lived. People began to arrive here [to the clinic]
suffering from hypoxia, oxygen loss. Then someone at the door, a "White Helmet", shouted
"Gas!", and a panic began. People started throwing water over each other. Yes, the video was
filmed here, it is genuine, but what you see are people suffering from hypoxia – not
gas poisoning."
The Russians actually located some people who are seen in the video, and they say it was
staged. (Western media says they were threatened into saying what they said). I have more
trust in Fisk's report, than in the Russian one, but that may be my own prejudice. Anyway, both
versions are not mutually exclusive, they do not contradict each other, but they undermine the
fake story that provided the cue for the strike.
An interesting bit of data, proving that preparations for the strike were carried out
before the alleged attack, has been published by the Cyprus banking community blog. They say
the British air base of Akrotiri on Cyprus had its perimeter urgently strengthened (by the
British company Agility) on April 5, that is before the alleged Douma gas attack . The
second British air base, Dhekelia, carried out similar works on April 12, a week later, before
the decision to strike had been adopted by the British government. The Dhekelia works were done
with great speed and urgency, and road-constructing equipment had to be taken from the nearby
villages of Xylotympou and Ormideia. The payment to the local workers had been routed via HSBC
bank in Hong Kong, they say. And indeed these bases (forcibly retained by Britain) were used
for the strike on Syria.
The OPCW could dispel the mist around both cases, that of Skripal and that of Douma, but
do not hold your breath. It appears that OPCW is as integrated into the machinery of the
Masters of Discourse as any other international body. Refusal of OPCW to allow Russia to take
part in Skripal investigation, despite the clear requirement of its own charter, makes its
conclusion doubtful, at best.
While inability of OPCW inspectors to enter Douma despite all efforts of Damascus and
Russians to facilitate their entry tells us they are not eager to investigate; like they
weren't eager to enter Khan Sheykhun last year.
Meanwhile, the Western media and the Jihadi groups on the ground are busy to create a new
web of lies instead of the old one. Now they say the Fisk report is suspicious because he was
allowed in by the Russians. We can learn of their attitudes from the following twit
"Salih @Salih90119797 Apr 17 More
Replying to @Elizrael
We salute Israel in spite their crimes in Palestine we hope they'll continue their strikes
every part of Syria; Iran regime should comedown"
These "Islamic rebels" are actually Israel's stooges rather than warriors of the Prophet.
Anyway, people who manufactured these beautiful and complicated simulacra, are still around,
and doubtless they will prepare a new one, if it will be necessary. In my view, the two
presidents have made heroic efforts at saving their countries and mankind from destruction;
both risked their good names, their positions, their reputatiosn to go that far. Trump
minimized the bombing, Putin minimized the response.
Both have made some mistakes. Mr Putin made his big mistake when he gave Israel carte
blanche to bomb Syria whenever she feels like it. Israeli strikes (and there were more than a
hundred of them last year) created the air of permissiveness and that allowed Trump to follow
in Israel's footsteps. If Israel bombs Syria, and Russians do not react, why can't Trump? It
appears unfair for the US to be bested by its satellite. If you permit Tom to grab your
girlfriend's pussy without a single objection, you must be expect that Dick and Harry will try
to repeat this feat. Israel created the precedent, the US used it.
I asked Senator Alexey Pushkov, the head of the foreign relations committee, whether he
doesn't think it was a mistake, in hindsight. He justified the policy saying that Russia came
to Syria in order to fight jihadi groups, ISIS, Al Qaeda et al, not Israel. Russia is friendly
to Israel, Iran and Turkey, and it does not want to sort out local disagreements. Pushkov
stressed that Russia always censured Israeli raids on Syria, though it didn't act against them.
As a matter of fact, if Russia criticized Israel, it was done very, very quietly. The only time
this condemnation was made public, happened just now, when the Israeli strike occurred in a
very tense moment.
Mr Trump made a mistake when he fired the missiles instead of firing Mueller. But anyway,
thank you, Mr Trump, for limiting the damage. Try to complete the withdrawal from Syria, while
at it.
What is worse, Trump's strike destroyed what was left of the international law structure
established by Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin.
That was accomplished by Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Gerhard Schroeder when they bombed
Kosovo without an SC resolution – simultaneously transforming NATO from a defensive
pact to an instrument of US imperialism.
The truth can't be hidden any more the army can't just run amuck at will. Trump and Putin are
playing the long game they don't want war they can make more money elsewhere. It's a new day
thank God.
General (Ret) Leonid Ivashov, an important Russian military observer
I would avoid, despite his high public profile, Ivashov as entirely reliable contemporary
military observer. At least I would be very cautious when referencing him. He has his moments
but many of his "predictions", not to speak of advice, were not exactly prescient, to put it
mildly. Paradoxically, it was his consistently grim, almost to the point of being apocalyptic
view of Russia all long that I simply stopped paying attention to him. obviously, reality
turned out to be much different. In the end, him "cooperating" with Dugin is not exactly a
good sign.
This would be too good a result even for the best, latest, and most update systems. The
unimpressive outcome of the attack can be explained easier by Trump's decision to minimise
the damage, as indeed the Israeli military says.
Anything Israel's military says on this issue is irrelevant and, as always, driven by
purely ideological and political considerations. Here is a taste:
Israel's worst nightmare is competent and properly armed Syrian Air Defense and this is
precisely where it is going right now in the area. Per best–subsonic TLAMs of any
variety represent with appropriate targeting within integrated system easy targets for
something like S1s, which were created from the inception as anti-TLAM systems. Recent IAF
strike in Syria (about couple weeks ago) was to prevent deployment of Iranian TOR-M1 in
Syria. So, Israelis' opinions on this issue can not absolutely, especially having IDF
"stellar" record of bluster and boasting, be taken seriously. Here is an opinion of high
ranking US military-intelligence officer which is rather revealing.
Kosovo was Blair's first real taste of bombing the innocents and how he liked it. It was
hardly surprising to see the veteran warmonger popping up yet again after the Douma hoax and
as always he was calling for bombs as the solution. It's always bombs with Blair and it seems
he just can't help himself. Which ever side Blair is backing is certain to be the side which
is wholly in the wrong. This is the trusted Blair principle and with its 100% record of
success, it will save hours of research trying to get a handle on just where the real blame
lies in any given crisis. Interestingly, you could substitute the US for Blair and you would
get the same result.
The main question is whether this Russian fight aversion will encourage the Americans to
carry out a future strike, or whether Trump will rein in his adversaries.
Any potential future strikes will diminish Russian fight aversion. Previous Russian
restraint was commendable and useful but that part of the conflict is over now. Too many
people "in charge" never experienced – or even contemplated – real, personal,
consequences for their actions. This will have to change.
In my view, the two presidents have made heroic efforts at saving their countries and
mankind from destruction; both risked their good names, their positions, their reputatiosn
to go that far. Trump minimized the bombing, Putin minimized the response.
Nigga please! Trump validated an obvious false flag – again – and launched
the strikes before any kind of investigation could have challenged it – again. He's no
"hero". He's a weak man at best . Please don't insult real heroes and real
bravery.
Well, I don't know how you can be certain that it isn't Putin. Those writing the script
might well choose Putin or create another monster to play the role. Putin has been called the
new Hitler by the well known democrat and war criminal: Hillary Clinton; and by the clown
pretending to be a man and British foreign secretary : BoJo. But I'm not sure that Russia
will play the role of Germany. It may well be China. In that case, Hitler will be the Chinese
"dictator"
It will be the "whites" against the yellow peril. The MSM and Hollywood, will of course
"educate" the masses about this new danger for western "democracy" and "values".. I dare
predict that even Russia will be on board
That's unfair competition. Putin is a normal human being, clearly superior in every way
compared to intellectually handicapped nonentities like Trump, Merkel, Macron, May, etc. The
West needs Nixons, De Gaulles, and Kohls to stand a chance.
Suicidal policies of the US have achieved almost impossible: an alliance between Russia
and China. Russian poet Alexandr Blok wrote more than 100 years ago the poem "Scythians".
Here is a relevant part of it (translated by Alex Miller):
We shall abandon Europe and her charm.
We shall resort to Scythian craft and guile.
Swift to the woods and forests we shall swarm,
And then look back, and smile our slit-eyed smile.
Away to the Urals, all! Quick, leave the land,
And clear the field for trial by blood and sword,
Where steel machines that have no soul must stand
And face the fury of the Mongol horde.
But we ourselves, henceforth, we shall not serve
As henchmen holding up the trusty shield.
We'll keep our distance and, slit-eyed, observe
The deadly conflict raging on the field.
We shall not stir, even though the frenzied Huns
Plunder the corpses of the slain in battle, drive
Their cattle into shrines, burn cities down,
And roast their white-skinned fellow men alive
Normally I enjoy Israel Shamir's reporting. However, in this piece he writes as a military
analyst, which he is not.
On the one hand there is nothing to be gained by using satire to describe the recent
strike on Syria. There is nothing funny about it politically or militarily.
Next, it has already been reported on other sites that the Syrian military hardware used
to deflect the large majority of US missiles has been heavily upgraded to support better
responses even when using rather dated missile technology.
Israel Shamir has also recently written in other pieces that Putin has little liking for
Isreal's Netanayu and that in all of the meetings the two had, the Israeli prime minister
received very little to nothing as Putin ignored his requests.
It has also been reported that Syria will receive the upgraded S-300 missile systems. And
it is expected they will be moved into the hands of Syrian troops rather quickly.
In terms of US hardware, there is really no such thing as "old" as much of the hardware is
junk in any case. Since the Vietnam Conflict, US military suppliers have attained a very well
deserved reputation for producing low quality weaponry with only a few exceptions
withstanding (ie: F-16). In fact, all of the recent, major US military systems that have been
placed into operations or trial-testing have proven to be less than adequate for their
tasks.
Finally, quite a number of military analysts have already demonstrated that Russian
missile technology is, at the minimum, ten years in advance of similar US technology. Right
now there is no contest.
The Russians know how to build exceptional equipment at a fraction of the cost that the US
spends on similar equipment. And they will continue to do so.
This is the single reason that the US did not go for the throat in this recent attack as
foolish as it was. What we have now is similar to the US Army facing the Wehrmacht in WWII;
there was no contest between the two as German soldiers and their equipment were far and away
the best in the world at the time. This time however, the US will not be able to count on
overwhelming numerical superiority and its manufacturing prowess to subdue a well armed
adversary since it has lost both a long time ago
This article is a lot of useless verbiage focusing on the kabuki theater by which the masses
need to be distracted.
The reason for this madness has nothing to do with any of the reasons stated. My best
guess is that It has to do with the global ponzi scheme that is the US dollar. Trump goes
along with it because he has been counseled that this is necessary to prevent a global
economic collapse. Same for France and Britain. This discredits the conspiracy theory that
the global elite want a collapse.
What amazes me is that Russia knows what the real reason for this insanity is, but they
also stick to the prescribed talking points. As do the author and most of the commenters
The reason (for Putting being in bed with Israel and generally doing nothing) could be
something as simple as Russia's recognition that it is in no position to take on the
US-Israel combine. Why resist when you fear getting your nose bloodied?
I suspect that if Putin could turn the clock back, he would do so and rewrite his March 1
speech to refrain from bragging about weaponry and abilities that he himself does not seem to
believe in. He is normally a man of very few words, invariably polite in the old nineteenth
century style. So what got into him on March 1?
Yes but those psychopaths don't mind And they don't mind reminding Putin " you don't want
WW3 .Do you ?"
then those psychopaths use the rational thinking on the part of Putin as an endorsement of
their cunning treacherous anti human anti citizen anti civilizatioanl activities .
Well, Trump lost me. He is too much like his enemies. The Deplorables are in desperate need
of leadership. But none of that matters with regard to Syria. What matters is Imperial
aggression, having been blunted, must finally be stopped at Damascus. And this must be done
without provoking a nuclear war. Putin has made much progress toward this end. If he is
successful he will get full credit. Trump will get none.
Playing rope a dope is painful and makes a fighter appear weak. The Anglo/Zio Empire is in
steep decline. Time favors Putin.
Israel is NOT on good terms with Russia. Israel, along with Saudi Arabia, France, Briton
and the United States, is AT WAR with Russia. The difference is the Israelis must keep their
options open. When the U.S. is just another big country in the Americas Russia will be the
arbiter of peace in the region. Israel may have to come to terms with the Palestinians and
may have to give up claims on Lebanon and Syria.
Now, with the neocon madman, Bolton, on board, we will watch our MIIC storm Syria and
confront Russia so that manipulating-Israel can keep Syria's Golan heights which it now
occupies. The true Endgame, of course, is not Syria but IRAN. THE Neocons hold grudges longer
than any.
I agree, civilization-wise Russia is a lot more West than East. The only difference is,
over many centuries Russians learned to live peacefully side-by-side with Muslims and
Buddhists, who represent the Eastern civilization.
That's why I called the alliance between Russia and China almost impossible. It is quite
unnatural. The only driving force for it is the US policy of provoking both Russia and China
at the same time. The US and its obedient vassals in the EU succeeded in building high level
of distrust in Russia, so that ordinary people (not oligarchs, but looks like Putin got a
taste for being popular among the real people, not just the most successful thieves) consider
China a lot more trustworthy than the West. While there is certain level of respect for the
US in Russia, maybe because its bullying is naively straightforward, a large chunk of the
population simply despises spineless, subservient, and utterly hypocritical Europe. I left
Russia in 1991. Back then this was unthinkable. Things changed.
A few years ago Pat Buchanan rightly wrote that Obama administration made sure that when
the US needs Russia as a counterbalance against China, Russia won't be there for them. Trump
faithfully continues this suicidal policy. China has money (enough to finance Russian
projects, projects in Asia and Africa, and seriously undermine the US dollar by introducing
oil futures trading in yuans at the same time), whereas Russia has weapons. Both have very
determined people (as quite a few events in Syria clearly showed). Bottom line is, the US
with all its sidekicks stands no chance against Russia or China separately, and even less
chance against both of them together. I am sure that, being unnatural, the alliance between
Russia and China won't live long after the downfall of the US from its position in the world.
But the way things stand now, it will certainly last until that downfall.
Personally, I am not sure that Pax Sinica is going to be any better than Pax Americana,
but history shows that all dominant Empires eventually lose that position. In the last 20-30
years the US elites did everything to speed up the demise of this particular Empire.
This is the 4th round of jousting in Syria by my count
1) September 17, 2016 – US warplanes "accidentally" hit Syrian airbase right after
cease-fire
2) April 7, 2017 – Trump fires Tomahawks at airbase to punish Assaf for chemical
weapons
30 February 7, 2018 – US decimated pro-regime and Russian mercenary forces
3) April 13, 2018 – UK/US/ France fire missiles to punish Assad for chemical
weapons
This latest one had the makings of beginning a bigger war but through back channels they
both backed down. To their credit, neither military wants to get in to a direct conflict.
"A few years ago Pat Buchanan rightly wrote that Obama administration made sure that when
the US needs Russia as a counterbalance against China, Russia won't be there for them. Trump
faithfully continues this suicidal policy"
One can not dismiss "stupidity" as an explanation. To be an American president one needs
only strong voice, presentation skills and to be ready to serve american"national interest"
which is of course private interests of different groups being the "Israel national interest"
and MIC the most important ones. They're interlinked.
That said, I don't believe those who really have power in the USA and tell the President
what to do, are stupid. So this apparent "US policy of provoking both Russia and China at the
same time" seems to me unconvincing. We do not have enough information to know what is really
going on.
The division between East and West is an artificial one. Of course "west" is not christian
any more. And I don"t know if we can say that "west" was really christian once.
Anyway, Christianity wouldn't have existed without the "East". The Greek Miracle is a Myth.
Plato wouldn't have existed without the "East".
"Personally, I am not sure that Pax Sinica is going to be any better than Pax
Americana"
Well, historically Chinese empire seems to be less aggressive than any other empire we know
of.
They are not interested in civilizing the barbarians But maybe that isn't true anymore.
Empires, like people, do change.
Grudge ?
I fear the hatred among Muslims against Israel and the USA is greatly underestimated.
Maybe Norman Finkelstein understands, in speeches he explained why Israeli jews are of the
opinion that there never can be peace between them and surrounding Muslims, because of what
the zionists did, and still do, to Palestinians.
Therefore, I suspect, the Israeli plans, to a large extent already executed, to destabilise
the whole Middle East.
Putin therefore is their big enemy.
Now Germany is about to buy USA Predators, I predict more terrorist acts in Germany
If Trump hasn't been skinned yet by the neocons in Washington, it's because he
judiciously brought into his camp the worst warmongers, John Bolton and Nikki Haley as
human shields in the case of a neocon attack: nobody can accuse a man whose security
adviser is Bolton and the UN ambassador is Haley of being soft on Putin. Now they can't
voice their indignation. As they say in the army, it's better to have them inside the tent
pissing out than outside the tent pissing in.
if somebody looks like an idiot, behaves like an imbecile, speaks like a stupid asshat
it's very likely you are dealing with an idiot. Stupid bringing boltons and haleys to his
circus just had some unforeseen by idiot consequencies.
As for Putin – it's pure shame, even have no desire to speak about his slick policy.
He's surely not an idiot, but his goals more and more differ from mine.
I hope this praise of Trump is a rhetorical device. The US has committed to law that is
immutable by Congress, which says the US must refrain from use or threat of force (UN Charter
Article 2(4).) "But we used armed force in a feckless, half-assed way" doesn't cut it.
What this sissy fight tells us is that the memory of JFK has taught Trump to choose his
options from the menu – bomb this or that or the other thing. Bitch about the menu, ask
for other options, like peace, and CIA will kill you. As such, Trump is irrelevant to US
conduct. He does what CIA will let him do. US policy continues unchanged.
I disagree in presenting the aggression on Syria as a fight between Trump and Putin.
This aggression against Syria is a terrorist act made by coward and criminal people
throwing bombs and running away. (If they are real christians, they should realized that they
have committed a mortal sin). Yet, on the positive side, it has showned that neither Trump
nor Putin want a real war and the Apocalypse.
Russia in not fighting the Empire because the Empire is managed by the Devil but because
the Empire want to bring Russia to mercy. Russia has no choice; Russia has to fight to avoid
"de passer sous le joug".
The Chinese are dealers and traders, the Empire is their biggest customers, they dont want to
kill their customers as long as they can do business with him. That is probably the rationale
to avoid them being dragged into a conflictual situation.
Both Russia and China are not driven against the Empire by idelogy, only Iran is, and when
Iran is fighting against the Empire, Iran is figthing the Devil.
Russia is involved in the Middle-East crisis almost by accident. The 2 Chechnya wars gave
Russia some real allergy to the terrorists and Tartus is also an important outpost on the
Mediterranean Sea.
The Middle-East crisis is driven by Israel and the Zionists and as long as the zionists
are running the Empire, the crisis will go on. They want to reduce all the Arabs in the
Middle-East to the state of the Palestinians in Gaza. The victims are the people of Syria,
Lybia, Irak, the Yemen and Lebanon and the US, the UK and France do not care.
The US with theirs Europeans dominions are fighting there on behalf the Zionists.
Only a major worldwide economic crisis could bring down the Empire, bring peace to the
Middle-East and push the Israelis to an other migration.
Jatras an excellent commentator who has long experience in DC as a senate advisor and US
diplomat asks the questions that this silly article by Yoda Shamir fails to ask
' The question remains: will the US peacefully relinquish its position as the sole
arbiter of authority, legality, and morality in a unipolar world in favor of a multipolar
order where Russia's and China's legitimate interests and spheres of influence are
respected? Or will we continue to risk plunging mankind into a global conflict?..'
Jatras also gives a great 35 thousand foot overview of the events of recent days and some
of what is being discussed going forward in terms of Syria
And oh yes he does address only tangentially the entire thesis of the silly Yoda Shamir
article here
' There was even some speculation that the whole thing was a charade worked out in
cooperation with the Russians.
Even if true (and it's unlikely) the mere fact that Trump would have to engage in
such a ruse speaks volumes about the weakness of his position.
"Whatever Trump says, America is not coming out of Syria," writes Patrick Buchanan. "We
are going deeper in. Trump's commitment to extricate us from these bankrupting and
blood-soaked Middle East wars and to seek a new rapprochement with Russia is
"inoperative"..'
So much for Yoda Shamir's joustfest
comparing these two articles is a prime example why Jatras is a respected commentator
' 3. Russia is in reality militarily weak and tottering economically. Very plausible,
very plausible indeed. Putin's March 1st boastful speech then makes perfect sense as the
desperate bluff of the desperate leader of a desperate state '
Yet another koolaid addict popping up out of nowhere here on Unz and spreading manure
lavishly
' Another friend who has spoken with military commanders in the CENTCOM AOR told me:
All of the knowledgeable aircraft commanders are usually scared shitless about
the prospect of a legitimate air-to-air skirmish with a SU-30 or any Russian air
superiority fighter '
And this about Russian air defense capability
' Any air defense engineer with a security clearance that isn't lying through his teeth
will admit that Russia's air defense technology surpassed us in the 1950′s and we've
never been able to catch up. The systems thy have in place surrounding Moscow make our
Patriot 3′s look like fucking nerf guns '
' I wrote a piece for the Unz Review yesterday. You can see it over there. There were
over a hundred comments. Most of them were favorable, but some were just awful '
The Russians are predestined to fight 'the West'
Instinctively they have always known this
Rationally they have always tried to explain it away
War and Peace can be read as a coming of age story of the Russian Nation
Somehow the Russian Elite is more susceptible to the lure of 'the West' than the Russian
commoner
The commoner knows in her gut that 'the West' is her mortal enemy
No doubt that Russia will eventually go all the way against 'the West'
Dragging her feet is just the way Russia always has behaved in existential conflicts
When Napoleon and Hitler came knocking on her door she behaved no different
This time it is different though
I sense that Russia will want to finish this conflict for good
I expect they will go full Carthago on 'the West', erasing them from history
Russian leaders do seem remarkably sensible, especially when viewed from a western country
where hysteria is the norm.
It is because of this sensibility I fear the worst. The mass-delusion gripping the Western
political class disconnects them from reality, I can't see this ending well. I would not be
surprised if a Western politician announced: "We need to destroy the world in order to save
it"
Once the Russian Leaders realize the extent of Western delusion the sensible thing to do
might be wiping them out for good.
The only problem with this solution would be that I would be wiped out as well.
The nature of power is evil. It's not about "Jewish power". It's about Power.
Agree completely
Also would say that the whole Israel wagging the US dog is not realistic either
Look rationally at the Empire structure we see the vassals like EU and Nato states plus
Japan South Korea, Taiwan etc always falling obediently in line
Just today Assad called France a 'Slave' and sent back his silly French Legion of
Honor award that they gave him in 2001
Slave just about nicely sums it up
Yet Israel is able to operate with more freedom than the galley slaves why is that ?
It's because Israel is the most valuable of the empire's properties an unassailable
fortress in the most geopolitically important region
One could argue that the power of the US Jewish lobby is the thing that let's Israel
exercise the kind of independence that the slaves cannot
I have no truck with calling Israel out on its crimes against the Palestinians that has to
stop but Israeli society is much smarter and realistic than koolaidland US
I hope it won't come to that, as I live in the US. The hysteria is scary, though. Here it
is fuelled by sore losers, Killary and her handlers: she and most of them are guilty of so
many crimes (real criminal offenses that put normal people to jail for many years) that they
need a distraction. MIC also wants justification for even more money thrown into its maw.
Their greed and the perfidy of various self-proclaimed liberals endanger us all.
Yet Israel is able to operate with more freedom than the galley slaves why is that ?
It's because Israel is the most valuable of the empire's properties an unassailable
fortress in the most geopolitically important region
One could argue that the power of the US Jewish lobby is the thing that let's Israel
exercise the kind of independence that the slaves cannot
In fact quite the opposite. Little Israel controls half a continent (North America) in the
same way that little (Imperial) Britain controlled the Indian sub-continent. When Great
Britain lost India (the Jewel in the Crown) its power was gone, and when Israel loses the US
(its Jewel in the Crown) it's power is also gone.
In another development (probably to run with the Syria script) the UK announces it has a
dossier that proves Russia was experimenting with delivering nerve agents from door handles.
Not as hilarious as breathlessly closing a children's playground near the Skripal's days
after the event for "contamination checks" even though it had been raining in the days in
between (the narrative was presumably the dastardly Russian agents planned to kill a few
innocent kids for good measure).
"Solving Other People's Problems in the Middle East"
Establishment journalists and politicos write and say the darndest things, advanced as
common sense under the sway of reigning nationalist and imperial ideology. Take the New
York Times ' chief White House correspondent Peter Baker. In a page-one "news analysis"
last Sunday, Baker wrote the following about Donald Trump's recent missile strike on Syria:
"The strike brought home Mr. Trump's competing impulses when it comes to Syria -- on the
one hand, his manful chest-thumping intended to demonstrate that he is the toughest one on
the international block, and on the other, his deep conviction that American
involvement in the Middle East since the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, has been a waste of blood
and treasure .He did little to reconcile those impulses with his retaliatory strike to punish
the government of President Bashar al-Assad for a suspected chemical attack a week ago that
killed dozens of people. But then again, he reflected the contradictions of an American
public that is tired of trying to solve other people's problems in the Middle East
." (emphasis added).
The sheer tonnage of bullshit contained in this short passage is striking. Baker lacked the
decency to note that (as everybody knows) Trump's missile spasm was intended to distract U.S.
public attention from his troubled political situation at home. It was a transparent dog-wag
that worked for a day or two.
Most baffling is is French president Emmanuele Macron's fierce reaction. There's no other nation which has suffered so much
from terrorist attacks as France. And yet now its president is determined to use his fighter planes as the de facto airforce for
the the jihadi extremists. Macron went even as far as making his statements with the Saudi prince at his side, the leader of a
country which is known for funding the jihadis!
Weird times.
Jay_Q123 -> RudolphS 13 Apr 2018 16:25
Macron just got back from a few days hanging on out with the Saudi Arabian elite, who have
been the most destructive force in the Syrian war and spreads terrorism all over the world
guaranteed to spend tens of billions on French weapons.
Agreed Macron is so proud about the weapons Saudi Arabia bought of him. And strangely enough
Saudi Arabia supports the ISIS head choppers in Syria, I think of a coincidence. And I didn't
mention the gaz pipeline crossing Syria, that if Russia/Assad win, will be beyond the control
of Europeans, a real bummer, given that Russia controls the supply east of Germany. I guess
civilian death, is the only thing in the forefront of the France/UK/US preoccupations.
Surely, they wouldn't condone civilians dying for geo-political reasons?
Yes, I remember Rice, Cheney, Bush, and Rumsfeld telling the world that they had evidence
that Saddam was hoarding WMD. I'm still waiting to hear what it was. Now M. Macron spouts the
same ambiguous nonsense expecting us to take his word for it.
Trump publicly states that US troops are being withdrawn from Syria. The next thing you
know, Assad is allegedly gassing civilians. That makes a whole lot of sense doesn't it? If
there's a sure-fire way of making sure you're on the wrong end of a bit of American 'shock
and awe,' it's gassing innocents. Assad must have a death wish; or so they'd have us believe.
The more I read about this fiasco, the more I think David Icke is the most rational man on
the planet.
Western neoliberal governments lost the remnants of patina of legitimacy on international
scene and now look like bloodthirsty predators, they always were.
But where is the incontrovertible proof that the regime is in fact responsible for the attack
rather than 'rebel groups' now on the point of final defeat, who'd wish to draw in the major
NATO powers? Why would the regime afford the US, France and UK the pretext to do one thing
that'd undermine Assad's otherwise certain victory? The timing seems odd indeed while Saudi
Arabia, Turkey and Israel act with impunity against minority populations. Each of the latter
has form and interest the destruction of Syria in this proxy war.
The UK thinks it's "highly likely" Assad is to blame for the chemical attack. France says
it has evidence Assad is responsible but won't say what it is. US Secretary of Defence Mattis
believes a chemical attack took place but says there's no evidence. And depending on the day
of the week, Russia believes there was either no chemical attack or if there was then it was
staged by the UK.
And for good measure we appear to be going headlong into war on the basis of all this.
The UN investigations concluded that the chemicals had come from Syrian Army stocks which
there wasn't much doubt about to start with. Where they were less conclusive was the matter
of who had deployed them given the capture of large stocks of munitions by the terrorists
early in the war. On the basis of cui bono? it seems more likely that it was the
terrorist side who sought to provoke Western intervention by staging chemical incidents
rather than the Syrian Government who had little to gain and much to lose from the use of any
kind of WMD.
First Blair holding onto an idiot's shirt tails to attack a Middle Eastern country based
on hearsay and no coherent withdrawal policy. Now we have May and Macron holding the hands of
an even bigger idiot whose populist thoughts change by the minute so no hope of any
withdrawal plan.
Does May and her hawks (Gove, Johnson) really want to be compared with Trump, Kim, Putin,
Assad, W Bush, Blair et al in the history books?
The rebels in Syria have a history of using sarin, chlorine and mustard gas against troops
and civilians. But Washington, London and Paris are completely dummy on this. Not a whisper.
Rather straight to accusations and threats against the regime they have been trying to
overthrow for years.
I don't know who did it. But I know who lies every time they take a breath if they
consider it in their interests. Truth is the first casualty. I don't believe any of them.
Noticeable that the Guardian live coverage provides Western refutations of Russia's claims of
evidence regarding a staged false attack, but doesn't actually cover the evidence the
Russians have provided - testimony from medical staff who claim to be witnesses. Now I'm not
so stupid as to take these claims as gospel, the Russians are just as capable as anyone of
finding a couple of fake or pressured witnesses. However the failure of the Western press to
even elaborate on the evidence, even just to ridicule and debunk it, is suspicious.
"... British governments, both Labour and Conservative, have, in pursuing the so-called 'national interest' abroad, colluded for decades with radical Islamic forces, including terrorist organizations. They have connived with them, worked alongside them and sometimes trained and financed them, in order to promote specific foreign policy objectives. Governments have done so in often desperate attempts to maintain Britain's global power in the face of increasing weakness in key regions of the world, being unable to unilaterally impose their will and lacking other local allies. Thus the story is intimately related to that of Britain's imperial decline and the attempt to maintain influence in the world. ..."
"... But whereas Sharif Hussein was a follower of orthodox Sunni Islam, Ibn Saud adhered to the radical doctrine of Wahhabism, which Winston Churchill was moved to describe as " bloodthirsty ..."
"... British support for the mujahideen, married to the huge support provided by Washington, was indispensable in the eventual success of these self-styled 'holy warriors' in taking control of a country that had embraced modernity and turning it into a failed state mired in religious oppression, brutality, backwardness and poverty. ..."
"... Britain, along with the US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, covertly supported the resistance to defeat the Soviet occupation of the country. Military, financial and diplomatic backing was given to Islamist forces which, while forcing a Soviet withdrawal, soon organized themselves into terrorist networks ready to strike Western targets. ..."
"... Islamic resistance ..."
"... We trust the Western leaders are prepared for the enormous beneficial possibilities that could just possibly open up if the Afghan rebellion were to succeed. ..."
"... Manchester, England is home to the largest Libyan community in Britain, and there is strong evidence to suggest that when the Libyan uprising broke out MI6 facilitated the ability of Libyan Islamists in Britain to travel to Libya to participate in the fighting. Among them was Salman Abedi, who it is thought received military training in the country before being allowed to return to the UK thereafter. ..."
"... This brings us on to Syria and, as with Libya, the question of how so many British Muslims have been able to travel from the UK to Syria via Turkey to take part in the anti-Assad insurgency since 2011? It also brings into sharp focus a policy that has veered between the ludicrous and the reckless. ..."
"... As for the recklessness of Britain's actions in Syria, look no further than the country's recent participation in the illegal missile strikes that were carried out in conjunction with the US and France, justified on the basis of as yet unproven allegations that Syrian government forces had carried out a chemical weapons attack on Douma, just outside Damascus. The only beneficiaries of such actions by the Western powers are Salafi-jihadist groups such as ISIS (whom it was later reported took advantage of the missile strike to mount a short-lived offensive), Al-Nusra and Jaysh al-Islam. ..."
"... The latter of those groups, Jaysh al-Islam, is a Saudi proxy. It was the dominant group in Douma and throughout Eastern Ghouta until the district's liberation by the Syrian Army and its allies with Russian support. ..."
Britain's strategic relationship with radical Islam goes back decades and continues to this
day. There is no more foul a stench than the stench of hypocrisy, and there is no more foul a
hypocrisy than the British government painting Bashar al-Assad as a monster when in truth he
and the Syrian people have been grappling with a twin-headed monster in the shape of
Salafi-jihadi terror and Western imperialism. Both are committed to destroying Syria as an
independent, non-sectarian state, and both are inextricably linked.
Author and journalist Mark Curtis charts in detail
the contours of this history in his book 'Secret Affairs: Britain's Collusion with Radical
Islam':
" British governments, both Labour and Conservative, have, in pursuing the so-called
'national interest' abroad, colluded for decades with radical Islamic forces, including
terrorist organizations. They have connived with them, worked alongside them and sometimes
trained and financed them, in order to promote specific foreign policy objectives. Governments
have done so in often desperate attempts to maintain Britain's global power in the face of
increasing weakness in key regions of the world, being unable to unilaterally impose their will
and lacking other local allies. Thus the story is intimately related to that of Britain's
imperial decline and the attempt to maintain influence in the world. "
As far back as the First World War, when the Middle East began to assume strategic
importance in the capitals of Western imperial and colonial powers, the British ruling class
went out of its way to identify and recruit loyal local proxies in pursuit of its regional
objectives. Britain's relationship with the Arab tribal chief, Ibn Saud, who would go on to
establish Saudi Arabia in the early 1930s, began in 1915 with the Darin Pact, demarcating the
territory then controlled by Saud as a British protectorate.
The following year, the Arab Revolt against the Ottomans erupted. Begun and inspired by
Saud's fierce rival, Sharif Hussein, head of the Hashemite Arab tribe, the revolt was heavily
bankrolled and supported by the British – a period immortalized in the exploits of
British military agent T E Lawrence, known to the world as Lawrence of Arabia.
But whereas Sharif Hussein was a follower of orthodox Sunni Islam, Ibn Saud adhered to the
radical doctrine of Wahhabism, which Winston Churchill was moved to describe as "
bloodthirsty " and " intolerant ." Regardless, when it came to its imperial
interests there was no tiger upon whose back the British ruling class was not willing to ride
during this period, and which, as events have proved, it has not been willing to ride
since.
The most egregious example of this policy, one that continues to have ramifications today,
was the support provided by the UK to the Afghan mujahideen in the late 1970s and 1980s. The
insurgency's objective was the overthrow of Kabul's secular and left-leaning government, whose
crime in the eyes of the Islamist insurgency's US and UK sponsors was that it had embraced the
social and economic model of Moscow rather than Washington during the first Cold War.
British support for the mujahideen, married to the huge support provided by Washington, was
indispensable in the eventual success of these self-styled 'holy warriors' in taking control of
a country that had embraced modernity and turning it into a failed state mired in religious
oppression, brutality, backwardness and poverty.
Mark Curtis again:
" Britain, along with the US, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, covertly supported the
resistance to defeat the Soviet occupation of the country. Military, financial and diplomatic
backing was given to Islamist forces which, while forcing a Soviet withdrawal, soon organized
themselves into terrorist networks ready to strike Western targets. "
While Washington's primary role in channeling military and financial support to the Afghan
mujahideen, known as
Operation Cyclone , may until have succeeded in overshadowing London's role in this dirty
war, declassified British government cabinet papers which were made public in 2010 and
reported in the UK media make grim reading.
They reveal that three weeks after Soviet forces arrived in Afghanistan at the request of
the Afghan government in Kabul, struggling to deal with an insurgency that had broken out in
the countryside, the Thatcher government was planning to supply military aid to the "
Islamic resistance ." A confidential government memo provides a chilling insight into
the insanity that passed for official policy: " We trust the Western leaders are prepared
for the enormous beneficial possibilities that could just possibly open up if the Afghan
rebellion were to succeed. "
It will be recalled that out of the ensuing collapse of Afghanistan emerged the Taliban,
under whose rule the country was turned into a vast militant jihadist school and training camp.
Many of the most notorious Islamist terrorists began their careers there, fighting the Soviets
and then later broadening out their activities to other parts of the region and wider world. In
this regard, Osama bin Laden and Al-Qaeda loom large.
Other notorious names from the world of Salafi-jihadism for whom Afghanistan proved
indispensable include the Jordanian Abu al-Zarqawi, who founded Al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI) during
the US-UK occupation, an organization that would over time morph into ISIS.
Abdelhakim Belhaj and other Libyan Islamists cut their jihadist teeth in Afghanistan in the
1980s. Returning to Libya, they formed the Libyan Islamic
Fighting Group (LIFG) in the eastern city of Benghazi. Though the group may have been
disbanded in 2010, having failed to topple Gaddafi despite repeated attempts to assassinate the
Libyan leader with, it's been
claimed , the support of Britain's MI6, former members of the LIFG, including Belhaj, were
important actors in the 2011 Libyan uprising.
By way of a reminder, the uprising in Libya started in Benghazi and would not have succeeded
without the air support it received from NATO. Britain's then prime minister, David Cameron,
was key in pushing for that air support and the sanction of the UN under the auspices of
Security Council Resolution 1973. Though protecting civilians was central in wording of this
UNSC resolution, it was shamefully distorted to justify regime change, culminating in Gaddafi's
murder by the 'rebels.'
Staying with the LIFG, in the wake of the Manchester suicide-bomb attack in May 2017, which
left 23 people dead and 500 injured, the fact that the bomber, a young Libyan by the name of
Salman Abedi, was the son of a former member of the LIFG, did not receive anything like the
media attention it should have at the time.
Manchester, England is home to the largest Libyan community in Britain, and there is strong
evidence to suggest that when the Libyan uprising broke out MI6 facilitated the ability of
Libyan Islamists in Britain to travel to Libya to participate in the fighting. Among them was
Salman Abedi, who it is thought received military training in the country before being allowed
to return to the UK thereafter.
This brings us on to Syria and, as with Libya, the question of how so
many British Muslims have been able to travel from the UK to Syria via Turkey to take part
in the anti-Assad insurgency since 2011? It also brings into sharp focus a policy that has
veered between the ludicrous and the reckless.
Emblematic of the former was ex-prime minister David Cameron's
claim , which he made during a 2015 Commons debate over whether the Royal Air Force should
engage in air strikes against ISIS in Syria, that fighting as part of the Syrian were 70,000
moderates.
As for the recklessness of Britain's actions in Syria, look no further than the country's
recent participation in the illegal missile strikes that were carried out in conjunction with
the US and France, justified on the basis of as yet unproven allegations that Syrian government
forces had carried out a chemical weapons attack on Douma, just outside Damascus. The only
beneficiaries of such actions by the Western powers are Salafi-jihadist groups such as ISIS
(whom it was later
reported took advantage of the missile strike to mount a short-lived offensive), Al-Nusra
and Jaysh al-Islam.
The latter of those groups, Jaysh al-Islam, is a Saudi proxy. It was the dominant group in
Douma and throughout Eastern Ghouta until the district's liberation by the Syrian Army and its
allies with Russian support.
Given the deep and longstanding ties between London and Riyadh; given the fact,
reported towards the end of 2017, that British military personnel were embedded in a
training role with Saudi forces in Yemen; given the news that a British special forces sergeant was
killed in northern Syria at the end of March this year while embedded with the Kurds, revealing
for the first time that British troops were operating in the country on the ground –
given all that, the question of who else British special forces and military personnel may be
embedded with in Syria is legitimate.
In the context of the British state's long and sordid history when it comes to riding the
back of radical Islam in pursuit of its strategic objectives, readers will doubtless draw their
own conclusions.
John Wight has written for newspapers and websites across the world, including the
Independent, Morning Star, Huffington Post, Counterpunch, London Progressive Journal, and
Foreign Policy Journal. He is also a regular commentator on RT and BBC Radio. John is currently
working on a book exploring the role of the West in the Arab Spring. You can follow him on
Twitter @JohnWight1
An unusual triple alliance is emerging from the Syrian war, one that could alter the balance
of power in the Middle East, unhinge the NATO alliance, and complicate the Trump
administration's designs on Iran. It might also lead to yet another double cross of one of the
region's largest ethnic groups, the Kurds.
However, the "troika alliance" -- Turkey, Russia and Iran -- consists of three countries
that don't much like one another, have different goals, and whose policies are driven by a
combination of geo-global goals and internal politics. In short, "fragile and complicated"
doesn't even begin to describe it.
How the triad might be affected by the joint U.S., French and British attack on Syria is
unclear, but in the long run the alliance will likely survive the uptick of hostilities.
But common ground was what came out of the April 4 meeting between Turkish President Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, and Russian President Vladimir Putin. Meeting
in Ankara, the parties pledged to support the "territorial integrity" of Syria, find a
diplomatic end to the war, and to begin a reconstruction of a Syria devastated by seven years
of war. While Russia and Turkey explicitly backed the UN-sponsored talks in Geneva, Iran was
quiet on that issue, preferring a regional solution without
"foreign plans."
"Common ground," however, doesn't mean the members of the "troika" are on the same page.
Turkey's interests are both internal and external. The Turkish Army is currently conducting
two military operations in northern Syria, Olive Branch and Euphrates Shield, aimed at driving
the mainly Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) out of land that borders Turkey. But those
operations are also deeply entwined with Turkish politics.
Erdogan's internal support has been eroded by a number of factors: exhaustion with the
ongoing state of emergency imposed following the 2016 attempted coup, a
shaky economy , and a precipitous fall in the value of the Turkish pound. Rather than
waiting for 2019, Erdogan called for snap elections this past week and beating up on the Kurds
is always popular with right-wing Turkish nationalists. Erdogan needs all the votes he can get
to imlement his newly minted executive presidency that will give him virtually one-man
rule.
To be part of the alliance, however, Erdogan has had to modify his goal of getting rid of
Syrian President Bashar Assad and to agree -- at this point, anyhow -- to eventually withdraw
from areas in northern Syria seized by the Turkish Army.
Russia and Iran have called for turning over the regions conquered by the Turks to the
Syrian Army.
Moscow's goals are to keep a foothold in the Middle East with its only base, Tartus, and to
aid its long-time ally, Syria. The Russians are not deeply committed to Assad personally, but
they want a friendly government in Damascus. They also want to destroy al-Qaeda and the Islamic
State, which have caused Moscow considerable trouble in the Caucasus.
Russia also wouldn't mind driving a wedge between Ankara and NATO. After the U.S., Turkey
has NATO's second largest army. NATO broke a 1989 agreement not to recruit former members of
the Russian-dominated Warsaw Pact into NATO as a quid pro quo for the Soviets withdrawing from
Eastern Europe. But since the Yugoslav War in 1999 the alliance has marched right up to the
borders of Russia. The 2008 war with Georgia and 2014 seizure of the Crimea were largely a
reaction to what Moscow sees as an encirclement strategy by its adversaries.
Turkey has been at
odds with its NATO allies around a dispute between Greece and Cyprus over sea-based
oil and gas resources , and it recently charged two
Greek soldiers who violated the Turkish border with espionage. Erdogan is also angry that
European Union countries refuse to extradite Turkish soldiers and civilians who he claims
helped engineer the 2016 coup against him. While most NATO countries condemned Moscow for the
recent attack on two Russians in Britain, the
Turks pointedly did not .
Turkish relations with Russia have an
economic side as well. Ankara want a natural gas pipeline from Russia, has broken ground on
a $20 billion Russian nuclear reactor, and just shelled out $2.5 billion for Russia's S-400
anti-aircraft system.
The Russians do not support Erdogan's war on the Kurds and have lobbied for
the inclusion of Kurdish delegations in negotiations over the future of Syria. But Moscow
clearly gave the Turks a green light to attack the Kurdish city of Afrin last month, driving
out the YPG that had liberated it from the Islamic State and Turkish-backed al-Qaeda groups. A
number of Kurds charge that Moscow has betrayed
them .
The question now is, will the Russians stand aside if the Turkish forces move further into
Syria and attack the city of Manbij, where the Kurds are allied with U.S. and French forces?
And will Erdogan's hostility to the Kurds lead to an
armed clash among three NATO members?
Such a clash seems unlikely, although the Turks have been giving flamethrower speeches over
the past several weeks. "Those who cooperate with terrorists organizations [the YPG] will be
targeted by Turkey," says Turkish Deputy Prime Minister
Bekir Bozdag said in a pointed reference to France's support for the Kurds. Threatening the
French is one thing, picking a fight with the U.S. military quite another.
Of course, if President Trump pulls U.S. forces out of Syria, it will be tempting for Turkey
to move in. While the "troika alliance" has agreed to Syrian "sovereignty," that won't stop
Ankara from meddling in Kurdish affairs. The Turks are already appointing governors and mayors
for the areas in Syria they have occupied.
Iran's major concern in Syria is maintaining a buffer between itself and a very aggressive
alliance of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia, which seems to be in the preliminary stages of
planning a war against the second-largest country in the Middle East.
Iran is not at all the threat it has been pumped up to be. Its military is miniscule and
talk of a so-called "Shiite crescent" -- Iran, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon -- is pretty much a
western invention (although the term was dreamed up by the King of Jordan).
Tehran has been weakened by crippling sanctions and faces the possibility that Washington
will withdraw from the nuclear accord and re-impose yet more sanctions. The appointment of
National Security Advisor John Bolton, who openly calls for regime change in Iran, has to have
sent a chill down the spines of the Iranians. What Tehran needs most of all is allies who will
shield it from the enmity of the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia. In this regard, Turkey and
Russia could be helpful.
Iran has modified its original goals in Syria of a Shiite-dominated regime by agreeing to a
"non-sectarian character" for a post-war Syria. Erdogan has also given up on his desire for a
Sunni-dominated government in Damascus.
War with Iran would be catastrophic, an unwinnable conflict that could destabilize the
Middle East even more than it is now. It would, however, drive up the price of oil, currently
running at around $66 a barrel. Saudi Arabia needs to sell its oil for at least $100 a barrel,
or it will very quickly run of money. The on-going quagmire of the Yemen war, the need to
diversify the economy, and the growing clamor by young Saudis -- 70 percent of the population
-- for jobs requires lots of money, and the current trends in oil pricing are not going to
cover the bills.
War and oil make for
odd bedfellows . While the Saudis are doing their best to overthrow the Assad regime and
fuel the extremists fighting the Russians, Riyadh is wooing Moscow to sign onto to a long-term
OPEC agreement to control oil supplies. That probably won't happen -- the Russians are fine
with oil at $50 to $60 a barrel -- and are wary of agreements that would restrict their right
to develop new oil and gas resources. The Saudi's jihad on the Iranians has a desperate edge to
it, as well it might. The greatest threat to the Kingdom has always come from within.
The rocks and shoals that can wreck alliances in the Middle East are too numerous to count,
and the "troika" is riven with contradictions and conflicting interests. But the war in Syria
looks as if it is coming to some kind of resolution, and at this point Iran, Russia and Turkey
seem to be the only actors who have a script that goes beyond lobbing cruise missiles at
people.
"... The best solution being that he defeats all rebel forces as quickly as possible. The UN Chemical Weapons people can then go in ( or even before ) and try to collect some evidence. ..."
"... It is all about oil and supremacy in the region. Since when has our government or that of any western Country - cared about their people. Canon fodder - that is what we are. ..."
'.....Given Russia's presence, it would not be easy...... '
Understatement of the century. If you start bombing strategic military targets you are
quite, likely to hit Russian planes and troops.
As I said yesterday - What is the point ? Assad ( helped by his ally Russia ) has all but
won the war ( which makes his use of chemical weapons surprising / a big mistake ) - The best
solution being that he defeats all rebel forces as quickly as possible. The UN Chemical
Weapons people can then go in ( or even before ) and try to collect some evidence.
Meanwhile, the Saudis are bombing Yemeni children with UK manufactured bombs.
The Syrian situation was made far worse by the USA / France and the UK arming extremist
Islamic groups during the ' Arab Spring ' in an attempt to depose the legitimate ruler of a
sovereign nation.
We don't say much about China's interference in Tibet these days, do we ?
Or the effect of Agent Orange in the Vietnam War ?
"here are many, many notable historians who state the death toll as high as 135,000 "
The biggest single death toll in WWII was the low level firebombing of Tokyo, large areas
of Japans capital city were wiped out. With houses as flammable as you can ever imagine, an
unimaginably horror filled event. The Japanese death toll was around 100,000 dead. You are
saying more died in Dresden?
"On this day, U.S. warplanes launch a new bombing offensive against Japan, dropping
2,000 tons of incendiary bombs on Tokyo over the course of the next 48 hours. Almost 16
square miles in and around the Japanese capital were incinerated, and between 80,000 and
130,000 Japanese civilians were killed in the worst single firestorm in recorded
history." https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/firebombing-of-tokyo
It is all about oil and supremacy in the region. Since when has our government or that of any
western Country - cared about their people. Canon fodder - that is what we are.
OK so let's attack Saudi for what they are doing in Yemen.
And Myanmar for their behaviour. Then there's Mexico, where the cartels keep murdering people. Really, let's apply the same standards everywhere.
How will this proposed action change anything? The Syrians have hidden everything that matters, the Russians will get 90 minutes warning
of the targets .... It's a PR exercise on the usual lines of "Something must be done .... this is something
..... "
Russia has transferred forty Pantsir-S1 air defense systems to Syria' Air Defence.
This is the latest air defence technology (the system is in service since 2012) - a combined
short to medium range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapon system
against aircrafts, helicopters, precision munitions, cruise missiles and UAVs.
Israeli's deep incursions in Syria and the bombing of military bases also used by Russian
military have provided a lot of information about the capabilities and limitations of the Russian
military technology deployed in Syria.
Sure, here's the UN OPCW investigation report which directly blames the Assad forces for
chemical attacks. Take as much time as you need. https://undocs.org/S/2016/738
I couldn't find the paragraph which directly blames Assad's forces.
I note it does refer (at para 44) to Assad's allegation that a video had been staged. It
concludes that the patients on the video "appear relatively unaffected by the typical
symptoms. No red eyes, tearing, paleness, sweating, cyanosis or breathing difficulties can be
observed from the footage. The patients interviewed in the video show little or no signs of
having been exposed to a toxic chemical".
As I've said , I consider the term 'putinbot' - infantile and indicative of a lack of logical
argumentation as it is - as a compliment, since it appears to be code for those who retain
the ability to think for themselves and not fall glumly for the latest official line.
since the OPCW proved it was Putin who tried to murder British civilians with nerve
agents.
Actually, they proved no such thing, but in any case it's irrelevant to the discussion at
hand.
The notion of inaction, of standing by and watching as Assad kills and kills and kills,
racking up a death toll in Syria of 500,000
On May 12, 1996, Madeleine Albright defended UN sanctions against Iraq on a 60 Minutes
segment in which Lesley Stahl asked her "We have heard that half a million children have
died. I mean, that's more children than died in Hiroshima. And, you know, is the price worth
it?" and Albright replied, "We think the price is worth it."'
From tomorrow the weather in some parts of the UK stops being an utter bastard and starts to
look like spring. The sun will get its hat on, hip, hip, hip, hooray!
Go out and listen to the birds, look at the blossom. Lots of good in the world.
Just in case anyone asks for an example of US diverging from Israeli objectives (I realise
that I did not elucidate on that in my post), US air strikes have focused entirely on ISIS
and have, up to now, left the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and Hezbollah alone. There's no
doubt that the Americans are very closely tied to Israeli objectives, but they certainly
aren't being controlled by a 'Zionist elite'.
America still fights for America. As I outlined
above, it's really only the British government that doesn't appear to have anything even
beginning to resemble an independent foreign policy.
Not a single terrorist attack on British soil has been inspired by Shiah Islam. And yet we arm the Wahhabis to dislodge the secular
Assad. Our government is crooked.
I watched RT for the first time last night and it was interesting.
But right now its like we are being ruled by lunatics. It is absolutely sickening. Quite
literally some moron in the White House is tweeting, 'My bombs are bigger than yours' and
'The missiles are coming.' And they still let him in rule one of the most powerful countries
on the Earth with a vast mass of WMD and Theresa May is trying reason with a fucking moron.
Hey Guardian if Trump is talking like this my swearing is the least of our problems, so
please don't moderate. We need someone to Moderate the madmen.
How do you compare a serial killer with twenty kills to one with one kills? Why, they're both serial killers. /That's/ how we compare the blood on our hands to those drenched to our shoulders.
We, along with the US, France and Gulf states have supported, armed and trained "rebels"
in Syria the whole time. We've had, as have others, special forces operating inside
Syria
So, there would never be rebellions against totalitarian dictators if it weren't for the CIA
and MI6.
I don't buy this. It's very convenient if you're an anti-war person who doesn't want to
face an ethical dilemma. But it's not real.
The Syrian Negotiation Commission has called for action to deter Assad from killing
civilians. What they envisage is that each time Assad launches a deadly attack on
noncombatants, allied forces reply by taking out one of the strategic assets he uses to
kill civilians. It could be an airfield, it could be a command centre. If the target were
aircraft, that would simultaneously inflict a cost on the regime and deprive it of the
means of dropping its barrel bombs and toxic, yellow cylinders. The objective would be to
make Assad pay a price for killing his own people, a price he has not paid until now.
Eventually, or so runs the hope, he would be deterred.
That kind of reminds me of when Ahmed Chalabi and the Iraqi National Congress were
explaining how to get rid of Saddam without plunging Iraq into mayhem and destabilising the
wider region.
I'm going to post a comment by another user posted yesterday as he said it far more
eloquently than I could
R Reddington InterestedReader2 1d ago
Your just another armchair warrior.
So you think going to war is a good idea well you first then and dont forget your flack
jacket and rifle.
The media onslaught has moved past the attack in Salisbury by a "weapon of mass
destruction" (quoting Theresa May) which could only be Russian, except that was untrue, and
was extremely deadly, except that was untrue too. It now focuses on an attack by chemical
weapons in Douma which "could only be" by the Russian-backed Assad regime, except there is
no evidence of that either, and indeed neutral verified evidence from Douma is
non-existent. The combination of the two events is supposed to have the British population
revved up by jingoism, and indeed does have Tony Blair and assorted Tories revved up, to
attack Syria and potentially to enter conflict with Russia in Syria.
The "Russian" attack in Salisbury is supposed to negate the "not our war" argument,
particularly as a British policeman was unwell for a while. Precisely what is meant to
negate the "why on earth are we entering armed confrontation with a nuclear power"
argument, I do not know.
Saudi Arabia has naturally offered facilities to support the UK, US and France in their
attempt to turn the military tide in Syria in favour of the Saudi sponsored jihadists whom
Assad had come close to defeating. That the Skripal and Douma incidents were preceded by
extremely intense diplomatic activity between Saudi Arabia, Washington, Paris and London
this year, with multiple top level visits between capitals, is presumably supposed to be
coincidence.
I am not a fan of Assad any more than I was a fan of Saddam Hussein. But the public now
understand that wars for regime change in Muslim lands have disastrous effects in dead and
maimed adults and children and in destroyed infrastructure; our attacks unleash huge
refugee waves and directly cause terrorist attacks here at home. There is no purpose in a
military attack on Syria other than to attempt to help the jihadists overthrow Assad. There
is a reckless disregard for evidence base on the pretexts for all this. Indeed, the more
the evidence is scrutinised, the dodgier it seems. Finally there is a massive difference
between mainstream media narrative around these events and a deeply sceptical public, as
shown in social media and in comments sections of corporate media websites.
The notion that Britain will take part in military action against Syria with neither
investigation of the evidence nor a parliamentary vote is worrying indeed. Without Security
Council authorisation, any such action is illegal in any event. It is worth noting that the
many commentators who attempt to portray Russia's veto of a Syria resolution as invalid,
fail to note that last week, in two separate 14 against 1 votes, the USA vetoed security
council resolutions condemning Israeli killings of unarmed demonstrators in Gaza.
The lesson the neo-cons learnt from the Iraq war is not that it was disastrous. It was
only disastrous for the dead and maimed Iraqis, our own dead and maimed servicemen, and
those whose country was returned to medievalism. It was a great success for the neo-cons,
they made loads of money on armaments and oil. The lesson the neo-cons learned was not to
give the public in the West any time to mount and organise opposition. Hence the
destruction of Libya was predicated on an entirely false "we have 48 hours to prevent the
massacre of the population of Benghazi" narrative. Similarly this latest orchestrated
"crisis" is being followed through into military action at a blistering pace, as the four
horsemen sweep by, scything down reason and justice on the way.
Labour calls for the attack on Douma to be "fully investigated". That sounds unarguable.
But then what? Jeremy Corbyn issued the same call after the chemical attack that killed at
least 74 at Khan Sheikhoun a year ago: demanding there be a "UN investigation and those
responsible be held to account". The UN duly investigated and in October concluded
unambiguously that the Assad regime had used sarin gas. But Corbyn greeted that verdict
with silence.
The report that Mr Freedland provides a link to, actually says:
"5. While the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission in the Syrian Arab Republic works to establish
the facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals for hostile purposes in the
country, it is not mandated to reach conclusions about attributing responsibility for
chemical weapons use. 1 Following a determination by the FactFinding Mission that a specific
incident in the Syrian Arab Republic involved or likely involved the use of chemicals as
weapons, the Mechanism conducts an investigation to identify, to the greatest extent
feasible, the perpetrators, organizers, sponsors or those otherwise involved. In conducting
its investigation, the Mechanism relies on findings of the Fact-Finding Mission regarding the
use of chemicals as weapons in each incident and pursues a rigorous independent examination
of the available information surrounding such use so as to identify, to the greatest extent
feasible, those responsible."
It doesn't appear to be claiming to be concluding "unambiguously that the Assad regime had
used sarin gas." Am I missing something here?
Mr Freedland's allegation that "Corbyn greeted that verdict with silence" is highly
suspect:
"RT:Today, Moscow says it has evidence that rebels have used sarin gas. Earlier Britain
said that Assad forces were behind the chemical attack. But why didn't Britain and the US
come forward with the same sort of hard evidence that Russia has come forward with?
JC: That's an interesting question. I can't speak for the British or the US
governments, but they made these allegations about the use of chemical weapons – and
there are apparently stocks of chemical weapons being held in Syria, which may well have
fallen into opposition hands, or may still be in government hands, or maybe both – but
the assertion was made that they had been used. But no hard evidence came up, and indeed,
there was a great deal of skepticism surrounding the evidence that was never presented. And
the Russian evidence today appears much stronger, and they said they were going to put that
evidence in the hands of the United Nations - that has got to be a good thing. However,
proving or not proving this doesn't end the crisis, there has to be the rapid resumption of
talks by Geneva too, all parties must be involved – including Iran. If we're to bring
about a settlement, there's got to be involvement of Iran, as well as all the different
parties in Syria."
The biggest damage from the strikes on Syria was to the credibility of the US, French and
Airstrip One governments. In the days of dubya at least some effort was put into the false
flags.
Great article, except the USA did not "acquire the Philippine Islands", it invaded! The
Syrian disaster is best explained by a Columbia University professor, who was mistakenly
booked on MSNBC, as Jimmy Dore explains:
"... The Russians have clearly prepared for such an attack ever since the Shayrat strike the very powerful Russian radars in Syria are capable of tracking any flying object and the Syrian SAM batteries are networked into that system and are fed that radar data in real time ..."
"... As for the Pantsir yes this point defense system is the perfect tool to shoot down cruise missiles it is the successor of the Tor SAM system that was designed specifically to shoot down T-hawks ..."
"... The older SAMs did not perform badly according to the Russian MoD assessment the S125 is a 1950s era system that the Serbs used to down two F117s and an F16 much more difficult targets than a T-hawk ..."
If taken at face value, one detail that stands out is that the Russians' original boast
that the missile attack was thwarted by "old Soviet-era air defense" is not true. 47 of the
71 intercepts they claim were done by modern Pantsir and Buk systems that Syria purchased
around 2010. The older systems had noticeably worse performance than the modern systems.
The other interesting tidbit there is that the Russian General claims that "the survey of
this and other facilities revealed neither this number of ammunition fragments nor the
corresponding number of craters". In other words, as FB states above, that even though 25
missiles hypothetically got through in the attacks on Barzeh and Djaramani, the damage on the
ground does not correspond to that many missiles.
' I don't believe that "the fix was in" because the runways of major military airports
were targeted. There was no guarantee that the Pantsir and Buk's would be as effective as
they were. I don't see Putin happily agreeing to have those airport runways put out of
commission. a bit of deconfliction, yes, a total charade, no '
I agree with this on the basis of sound logic. There is no way that we can know the facts
about what kind of communuication and coordination [if any] took place behind the scenes. But
we have a lot of inconsistencies in the US narrative first we were told that eight targets
were going to be hit then, post facto, it was just three.
One of the sites the Barzeh research center in Damascus area was supposedly hit 76 times
this on an area of about one acre [half a hectare...5,000 square meters]. Looking at high
quality pictures of the site after the attack it is clear that adjacent buildings only meters
from the targeted site are undamaged as are light poles surrounding the whole complex as well
as stands of pine trees again only meters away
The idea that 76 450kg high explosive warheads detonated here is visibly absurd and is
quite easy to analyze technically using accepted and authoritative engineering methods for
explosive effects
I consider it proven beyond doubt that there is no chance whatsoever that 76 missiles hit
that site I doubt it would even be one tenth of that
And it is also logical to ask why would you even launch 76 missiles on a one acre complex
that has three buildings a single T-hawk can take out a building or even a ship as seen on
the pentagon show off video below
The answer is obvious of course no military professional would send 76 missiles on one
small target that is simply bullshit
So that brings us to the next logical question if they did not send 76 missiles at Barzeh
where did they go ?
Well that's what makes the story of airfields targeted but the missiles intercepted
believable
Let's remember we are dealing with Proven Liars here everybody knows that recetly
Phil Giraldi had an article here titled 'Liars Lying About Everything '
The few pictures I've seen of interception attempts were all too high in the sky to be
targetting a TLAM or a Storm Shadow which are ground following missiles. They need to fly
high enough to avoid power lines but that's it. (Apparently in Iraq 1, hitting power lines
was the main mechanism by which they and most lost US Marine Corps helicopters were destroyed
).
The professional military people knew what was at stake in limiting the damage engendered by
the war crime engaged in to placate the neocon power structure. Since armageddon was at
stake, even according to Mattis's own statements, he apparently was able to rein Trump in to
some degree, according to this contribution and more clearly from some other reports. We now
also have increasing proof that the "chemical weapons" thing was a provocation, though the
yankee regime's worldwide propaganda wurlitzer keeps playing the same nihilist song. I agree
with others who have concluded that if Mattis is eliminated, that is when we will have to
worry. Presumably, for now, since the normal secrecy is combined with a laudable profound
survival instinct, the military will keep a lid on any investigations this generates. If not,
as Whitney has indicated, we are in deep shit.
What exactly do you know about the flight characteristics of cruise missiles ?
Over on the other thread you first tried to argue that the Barzeh site I discussed in my technical
analysis was not the site of the missile strike
Then when I provided a sat image released by the pentagon and published in newspapers
around the world confirming definitively that the site I analyzed in my original
comment was indeed the site of the missile strike you said this
' I didn't say it was a fake picture. I said it was a demolition site. The same site
being demolished as a conjecture. The best alternative at the moment is that the
payloads were not 450 kg '
I then pointed out to you the physical fact of flight that removing 450 kg from the
nose of a winged cruise missile would shift its center of gravity in the aft direction and
make the missile unflyable
Not being able to argue with the laws of physics you then suggested that the 450 kg
warhead was replaced by an equal weight with less explosive power since we had already
established that the lack of damage to nearby structures was inconsistent with 76 claimed
T-hawk hits on that small site
At which point I mentioned that your statements were on a level with the Prince Charles
infamous 'tampon' phone call hence your new nickname Tampon Phil
Now here you are again just asking for more punishment
You may also wish to consult a topographical map of
Syria to see some of the mountains that these cruise missiles would have to fly over to
reach those inland targets
You will note the north to south mountain chain along the coast including the
Anti-Lebanese Mountains that rise to 10,000 ft
My discussion of the T-hawk technical characteristics in that link above includes such
crucial parameter as wing loading and thrust to weight ratio which determine this flight
vehicle's climb rate and turn rate
' The few pictures I've seen of interception attempts were all too high in the sky to be
targetting a TLAM or a Storm Shadow which are ground following missiles.
They need to fly high enough to avoid power lines but that's it '
And how do they get over those mountains Tampon Phil ?
Are they ground following there too ?
And also please let us know the scaling method you used to determine the height of those
missiles from photos that would be helpful
Yes there is no question that the US would have targeted Syrian airfields apparently a few
did get through at one airfield but the others were fully rejected
Laymen who know nothing about aircraft or missiles do not understand the complexities and
detail involved they simply accept the brochure 'information' presented on wikipedia and such
about the capabilities of such flight vehicles
This does not shed any light on a fascinating and important subject important because now
we have had some air combat between US and Nato airpower [Ship, sub and air launched cruise
missiles vs. Russian air defenses]
Clearly the Russians won there was not a single death on the Syrian side the US did
destroy a few buildings most notably the Barzeh research center in the Damascus area
We can tell the Russians won this round because the US is claiming completely ridiculous
stuff that they launched 76 T-hawks with a combined TNT tonnage of nearly 40 tons yet little
pine shrubs standing 20 feet away are completely intact
I mean how stupid ?
Clearly the US is claiming such a high number of attacks on the three buildings that they
did hit because they failed to hit those airfields and we know that they failed to hit those
airfields because if they did we would have satellite imagery being boastfully released
You can tell as much by the information that is withheld as you can by the information
they give out
Now for some basic technical facts cruise missiles are not hard to shoot down once they
are spotted but the hard part is spotting them because they are small and thus do not bounce
back strong radar reflections
They can fly close to terrain although this is not always the case as I have
explained previously and depends on the ingress route and the type of terrain along that
flight path ie if it is required to fly over mountainous terrain it must fly quite high
In 1999 the Serbs shot down a number T-hawks with their 1950s era Soviet equipment here is
the remains of one T-hawk airframe in the Belgrade Aviation Museum
Once spotted on radar the T-hawks and similar subsonic cruise missiles are sitting ducks
they have no means of evading missile shots either from an air to air missile launched
from a fighter jet or a surface to air missile launched from an air defense battery
A fighter jet relies on a radar warning receiver to alert the crew that it has been
targeted by a missile shot and the crew can instantly commence evasive maneuver which is
basically going into a steep banked turn so as to break radar lock and evade the missile
shot
Cruise missiles have no such RWR and it would be pointless to equipment with such since
they have very poor turning performance
This is due to their very high wing loading which is the ratio of wing area to aircraft
weight a T-hawk weighs about 3,000 lb but has a wing area of only about 10 square feet for a
wing loading of 300 lb/ft^2
That is about three times as high as a passenger jet's wing loading and as much as five
times higher than a fighter jet
Think of wing loading and how it relates to maneuverability by considering a person
carrying a backpack if that person is running and they need to change course having that
extra weight on their back will not let them zigzag like a runner carrying no weight
The same is true for climb performance think of carrying 100 lb in your backpack and
climbing up a set of stairs
The physical laws of flight performance are based on Newtonian Mechanics and cannot be
argued with
The thrust to weight ratio of a cruise missile is about comparable to that of a passenger
jet the thrust of the T-hawks Williams turbofan engine is about 700 lb against a weight of
3,000 lb that is less than 0.25 thrust to weight
A powerful fighter like an F15 will have a thrust to weight ratio of close to unity or
even above ie it's engine thrust is actually equal to or greater than its weight and the
airplane can thus climb straight up like a rocket
So the key in defending against subsonic cruise missiles which fly at about the same speed
as passenger jet, about 500 mph [800 km/hr] is to pick them up on radar
The Russians have clearly prepared for such an attack ever since the Shayrat strike
the very powerful Russian radars in Syria are capable of tracking any flying object and the
Syrian SAM batteries are networked into that system and are fed that radar data in real
time
We also saw in some of those missile intercept videos near the Damascus airport that
Syrian jets were taking off and landing this is because the jets would use their onboard
radar to find the cruise missiles and data link that info back to the SAM batteries
A fighter is easily capable of taking down a cruise missile with an AA shot also but this
all comes down to pilot skill and training something which the SyAAF may not be dealing with
on a regular basis considering their focus on the fight against ground targets in Jihadist
areas
As for the Pantsir yes this point defense system is the
perfect tool to shoot down cruise missiles it is the successor of the Tor SAM system that was designed
specifically to shoot down T-hawks
The older SAMs did not perform badly according to the Russian MoD assessment the S125
is a 1950s era system that the Serbs used to down two F117s and an F16 much more difficult
targets than a T-hawk
The S200 is a huge missile with a 350 km range exceeded only by the latest S400 long range
missile introduced into service only a couple of years ago
It flies extremely fast 2,500 m/s which is about Mach 8 it is even faster than the new
S400 missiles which fly at 2,000 m/s by comparison the USN Raytheon SM6 air defense missile
used on Aegis missile ships flies only at M3.5 about 1,000 m/s
The high speed of the S200 is actually its disadvantage against a slow moving target like
a cruise missile the laws of physics tell us that the faster the vehicle is flying, the
larger its turn radius will be thus the big S200 is not going to do well against cruise
missiles this is not surprising
Overall the Russian MoD version of events is certainly way more credible than the US
version which is full of holes
Looks like it was all about Turkey. "Turkey seems to me to be the swing state here. You cannot isolate Russia without Turkey.
Not only do they uncork themselves form the Black Sea , there will be no NATO fodder with
casualties that no one cares about. Turkey is a big chunk of NATO. This is to sy nothing
about trade. Sanction sound nice and dandy in the US, but in Turkey it wrecks their
economy."
Notable quotes:
"... Suffice it to say, that the information from these US-funded organizations is invariably unreliable. Their sole task is to create a justification for more carnage. ..."
"... In fact, the appointments of warhawks John Bolton and Mike Pompeo to the national security team, suggests that Trump may be planning a major escalation in the near future. The president has aligned himself with a Zionist right-wing fringe who see the conflict as a proxy-war with Iran that must be won in order to establish US-Israeli regional hegemony and maintain a stranglehold on vital resources and pipeline corridors. Trump's missile attack is just a minor skirmish in that much larger war. ..."
"... I am a card carrying deplorable. I prefer Trump to Mueller. But I can no longer defend Trump. He is a Zionist first and an American second. ..."
"... I don't believe that "the fix was in" because the runways of major military airports were targeted. There was no guarantee that the Pantsir and Buk's would be as effective as they were. ..."
"... If Trump gets in trouble for a fake missile attack in response to a fake chemical weapons attack that made use of non-existent WMD, then what can I say? ..."
"... Regardless of Trump's ignorance, who still believes in presidents having real power by status of function alone, Obama never mattered neither, the pot-shots were a worthy experiment on how to apply global rule, by global consensus ..."
"... "Or perhaps we should judge Trump by the company he keeps. Bolton in Washington and Israel/Saudi Arabia in the MENA. The scum of the earth." ..."
"... Yes, I base my opinion of Trump's loyalties on exactly that. It started with his appointment of Nikki Haley and all the Trumpeteers on ZH chanting "keep your friends close and your enemies closer". Just seeing the way his choices of neocons and Goldman Sachs thieves for his inner circle were being defended by people who claimed to have voted for him kept me from defending Trump. ..."
"... Turkey seems to me to be the swing state here. You cannot isolate Russia without Turkey. Not only do they uncork themselves form the Black Sea , there will be no NATO fodder with casualties that no one cares about. Turkey is a big chunk of NATO. This is to sy nothing about trade. Sanction sound nice and dandy in the US, but in Turkey it wrecks their economy. ..."
"... Seems to me that Trump is trying to walk a tightrope here he likely knows the 'chemical' attack is a false flag and his response was designed to appease the zios without actually causing much damage ..."
In short, the attacks accomplished nothing except, perhaps, to temporarily mollify the
warmongering western media and their bloodthirsty puppetmasters in the foreign policy
establishment.
The fact that Trump felt compelled to launch the attacks before the chemical weapons
inspectors from the OPCW had even touched down in Damascus, shows that Washington is not
interested in providing justifications for its criminal aggression. Similar to claims of Russia
hacking the 2016 US elections or the alleged use of toxic nerve agent in the Skripal incident,
the case against Syrian President Bashar al Assad was based on the thin gruel of uncorroborated
allegations by jihadist-linked organizations on the ground whose long history of staging
provocative incidents to foment a crisis is part of the public record. We're not going to waste
our time on that nonsense here. Suffice it to say, that the information from these
US-funded organizations is invariably unreliable. Their sole task is to create a justification
for more carnage.
... ... ...
Some readers will remember that Trump tacitly revealed his motivation for the attacks in a
tweat he delivered just days before the incident. Here's what he said on April 11:
"Much of the bad blood with Russia is caused by the Fake & Corrupt Russia
Investigation, headed up by the all Democrat loyalists, or people that worked for Obama.
Mueller is most conflicted of all (except Rosenstein who signed FISA & Comey letter). No
Collusion, so they go crazy!" The Real Donald Trump
What Trump is saying is that his real enemy is Mueller not Putin. It's Mueller, the bigwig
Dems and the media that are fomenting this Russphobic hysteria and trying to destroy Trump. And
that's what precipitated the 'wag the dog' scenario that unfolded on April 14th. Trump was
trying to get his enemies off his back by incinerating a few empty buildings in Syria. And, it
almost worked, but now information is beginning to leak-out that could be damaging to both
Trump and his chief lieutenants.
... ... ...
...how does one explain this tidbit from RT:
"Before we took the action, the United States communicated with the Russian Federation to
reduce the danger of any Russian or civilian casualties," (US Ambassador to Russia) Jon
Huntsman said, claiming that "all the targets were linked with the Assad regime's illegal
chemical weapons program."
The US ambassador to Russia said that the US strikes were coordinated with Russia to avoid
a great power confrontation." (RT)
Military analyst Publius Tacitus is even more explicit in a post at Colonel Pat Lang's
website, Sic Semper Tyrannis. He says:
"Russia was told where we were going to strike. Russia in turn warned the Syrians. Both
the Syrians and the Russians evacuated key personnel and equipment from the target sites. Any
claim by the United States that we caused devastating damage or destroyed essential
capabilities is total fantasy." (Trump's big Flop in Syria", Publius Tacitus, Sic semper
Tyrannis)
... ... ...
In any event, we can see that the April 14 missile attacks were largely a symbolic
muscle-flexing exercise that was aimed at pacifying Trump's domestic rivals rather than
punishing Assad for crimes he never committed. (It is worth mentioning that there have been
many credible reports that the US used banned substances in its siege of Raqqa last year.) The
fact that Putin limited his response to a perfunctory denunciation, suggests that Trump
achieved his objectives. (In other words, he avoided WW3) Here's part of what Putin said:
"Russia condemns in the strongest possible terms the attack against Syria, where Russian
military personnel are assisting the legitimate government in its counterterrorism
efforts.
Through its actions, the US makes the already catastrophic humanitarian situation in Syria
even worse and brings suffering to civilians. In fact, the US panders to the terrorists who
have been tormenting the Syrian people for seven years, leading to a wave of refugees fleeing
this country and the region.
The current escalation around Syria is destructive for the entire system of international
relations." (Kremlin, RU)
Putin is right. Washington's support for the Sunni extremists in Syria has prolonged the war
and turned the country into a smoldering wastelands. Unfortunately, it does not look like the
US is going to throw in the towel anytime soon. In fact, the appointments of warhawks John
Bolton and Mike Pompeo to the national security team, suggests that Trump may be planning a
major escalation in the near future. The president has aligned himself with a Zionist
right-wing fringe who see the conflict as a proxy-war with Iran that must be won in order to
establish US-Israeli regional hegemony and maintain a stranglehold on vital resources and
pipeline corridors. Trump's missile attack is just a minor skirmish in that much larger
war.
Prof Emeritus Steve Cohen essentially concurs with your analysis. Tonight Cohen expressed
concern that the national drumbeat against Trump essentially checkmates any efforts to repair
US-Russian relations.
As an aside, UR readers are referred to Robert Fisk's very recent report in the UK
Independent that the purported Syrian gas attack actually arose from artillery-induced
asphyxiation in underground tunnels.
I don't believe that "the fix was in" because the runways of major military airports were
targeted. There was no guarantee that the Pantsir and Buk's would be as effective as they
were. I don't see Putin happily agreeing to have those airport runways put out of commission.
a bit of deconfliction, yes, a total charade, no. This could have quite easily escalated
Why fiasco ?
The effectiveness of anything can only be judged by knowing what the objective was.
Those who want Syria, or/and Assad attacked, most of them, have the idea that something was
done.
Difficult for USA propaganda media to state that Trump did nothing.
Then there now is the fact that Syrian systems are quite capable of resisting missile
attacks.
Possibly Israel will think twice before launching another attack.
So in my opinion, what Trump did is possibly a great success.
If Trump gets in trouble for a fake missile attack in response to a fake chemical weapons
attack that made use of non-existent WMD, then what can I say? It's really Trump himself more
than the neocons who's to blame. His refusal to grow a pair and stand up to Washington will
ultimately be his downfall.
What Trump is saying is that his real enemy is Mueller not Putin. It's Mueller, the
bigwig Dems and the media that are fomenting this Russphobic hysteria and trying to destroy
Trump. And that's what precipitated the 'wag the dog' scenario that unfolded on April
14th.
It's long past time for Trump to fire Mueller. The fake 'RussiaGate' investigation is over
and didn't find anything actionable. How much longer is Trump going to allow this little
fishing expedition to go on?
Trump was trying to get his enemies off his back by incinerating a few empty buildings
in Syria. And, it almost worked, but now information is beginning to leak-out that could be
damaging to both Trump and his chief lieutenants.
As a candidate, Trump never hesitated to call out the BS in DC. But if, as president, he
goes along with this kabuki-theater, then he deserves what he gets.
Regardless of Trump's ignorance, who still believes in presidents having real power by status
of function alone, Obama never mattered neither, the pot-shots were a worthy experiment on
how to apply global rule, by global consensus. Next to it, Gaza comes to mind, even the South
African government of "natives" see the potential for Boers containment as inspired by Gaza.
Pot-shots, latter Russia moves, Chinese containment attitudes:
By experimenting, science progresses, the science of governing, the size of experiments,
containment, all these goodies that matter and can make for advancements in efficiently,
ruling the human mess into survival. Building data, in a few years, resulting into something
of predictability in a global context, over longer periods of time. More of this dipping into
the chest of tools.
The element to be accented: local experiments, global intent.
"Or perhaps we should judge Trump by the company he keeps. Bolton in Washington and
Israel/Saudi Arabia in the MENA. The scum of the earth."
Yes, I base my opinion of Trump's loyalties on exactly that. It started with his
appointment of Nikki Haley and all the Trumpeteers on ZH chanting "keep your friends close
and your enemies closer". Just seeing the way his choices of neocons and Goldman Sachs
thieves for his inner circle were being defended by people who claimed to have voted for him
kept me from defending Trump.
I figured that he was getting support from a pool of neocons and that made him one of
them.
The missile attacks confirmed Israels control over the U.S. gov which was proven by the fact
that Israel did 911 and got away with killing some 3000 Americans. Israel and her ziocons
control the U.S. gov lock stock and gun barrel and are destroying America.
Assad has never used gas attacks on the Syrian people , these attacks were perpetrated by
the CIA and the MOSSAD and MI6 and NATOs Operation Gladio, these people are satanist war
mongers straight from HELL.
God bless Assad and Syria and Putin and Russia for standing against these satanic forces
that are HELL bent on destroying Syria.
"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American people
believe is false." CIA director William Casey (CIA director, 1981-1987)
Turkey seems to me to be the swing state here. You cannot isolate Russia without Turkey.
Not only do they uncork themselves form the Black Sea , there will be no NATO fodder with
casualties that no one cares about. Turkey is a big chunk of NATO. This is to sy nothing
about trade. Sanction sound nice and dandy in the US, but in Turkey it wrecks their
economy.
What a bunch of shite. It just shows that Mike Whitney and his fans have no idea of what
is actually going on behind the scenes, and continue to glom on to the MSM shrieks of Mueller
and Russia, Russia, Russia.
If you believe this had anything whatsoever to do with Mueller then you're a chump and
clearly don't even deserve to be enlightened. I would suggest turning off the CNN, but you're
already infected.
Mueller has been cock-blocked and Trump is in command. The revelations to come from the IG
Report and more are going to be delicious. There will be much wailing and gnashing of
teeth.
The point was to send a message to Assad that the US and it's allies are able and willing to
take action should he try to cross the red line drawn around Saudi Arabia. Once the war winds
down and the Syrian state starts regrouping and rebuilding there's naturally going to be a
payback time against the regional actors who poured so many resources into trying to demolish
the Syrian state. This means Saudi Arabia which is vulnerable in a number of ways. SA is a
huge customer and spends billions in the US and allied countries and is thus under the US
umbrella of protection as a valuable ally. There's bound to be a lot of nervousness in Riyadh
right now so the US must demonstrate a willingness to act militarily to them.
So he's brought NATO to the table regarding funding, is about to solve the greatest
crisis/threat to the world by bringing NK to the table re; Denuclearization, and has plans to
solve the ME situation (which you clearly know nothing about) using the GCC.
Yet he's a feckless, nutless POS.
You seem to be somewhat lacking in judgement. Beyond redemption with your TDS. A crazed
loon.
Did you miss the first part of the IG's report? Do you realize what's to come? Nah, it's
all Russia, Russia, Russia nonsense with your ilk.
Keep it up – you keep us amused with your ignorant thrashing about.
You raise points of doubt and effectively deal with them yourself. Putin would have been
very unlikely to have been involved in any detailed negotiations over targets. These would
have been dealt with by his military commanders. If airfields were targeted then it would
appear details were indeed known to the Syrian defenders. This goes some of the way to
explain the abysmal success rate of the US missiles in this fiasco as Mike Whitney and many
others rightly call it. So a hoax it certainly was and one to compare with the hoax gas
attack in Eastern Ghouta.
Trump is in the pockets of the Zionists, and has become a Zionist because the one thing he
understands is which side his bread is buttered on. To make sense of anything we do in the ME, you only need to ask one question: "What does
Israel want."
It just seems like a very dangerous ploy for a meaningless reward (the natural resources
Syria and strategic importance of Syria are very modest).
Maybe true, except for the fact that Syria, under Assad's leadership serves as a
convenient land route over which sophisticated weapons produced in Iran are delivered to
Hezbollah defense forces in Lebanon. In my opinion, this is the primary reason behind current
US and Israeli efforts being made to destroy Assad. The bottom line is that Israel has been
attacking it's weak neighbors for such a long time, until they simply find it impossible to
live with the reality of being unable to invade Lebanon on the slightest pretext. In addition
and more ominous, Hezbollah's leader Hassan Rouhani has publically stated that Hezbollah
defense forces may eventually extend their protection to the Palestinian people held captive
in the Gaza Strip
This is what tomfoolery looks like- when "I love mah Generals" and you allow them to
"lead the way."
At the same time we have a "three-pete" of the absolutely idiotic accusations that Assad used
chem-WMDs on his own civilians. Everyone that uses the internet can ferret out the truth.
This isn't ten years ago. This is 2018. Doesn't Intel realize how immature they appear? I'm
not only mad as hell, I'm SO disappointed in just how stupid the Government of the United
States appears to anyone with half a brain.
I'm ashamed of the Country I thought I loved.
I am a card carrying deplorable. I prefer Trump to Mueller. But I can no longer defend
Trump. He is a Zionist first and an American second.
Seems to me that Trump is trying to walk a tightrope here he likely knows the 'chemical'
attack is a false flag and his response was designed to appease the zios without actually
causing much damage
Iran doesn't want to escalate the situation and give Trump any leverage on Iran deal. Iran
wants to deprive any moral political or legal supports from EU to USA on this.
Trump pulls out. Rest remains same. This will give Iran moral political and legal
authorities to pursue its nuclear program with China and Russia . This will have domino
effects on other areas of these 3 countries – how to conduct business internationally.
So a choreographed coordinated attack works for Iran. Trump is happy. His base angry. His
enemies can't go after him for few hours or days . Mad madam prostitute Nick Halley has to be soothed by Kudlow telling her she was not a
demented rat.
Why are many commenters so excited? Everything is appropriate: fake missile strike in
response to fake chemical weapons use.
That's a good way to put it. Just wish Trump had exercised more restraint in his tweet, he
should not have called Assad a "monster". The real monsters are right here in the US, the
Israel Lobby and the Deep State led by Rod Rosenstein the fucking weasel, and the biggest
monster of them all is right there in the White House with him, Mike Pence, the one who hired
Rosenstein, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton. Pence the Ziocon has been working hard to
subvert Trump since Day 1. He wants to be president.
"Philip May, husband of the UK prime minister, works for a company that is the largest
shareholder in arms manufacturer, BAE Systems, whose share price has soared since the recent
airstrikes in Syria.
The company, Capital Group, is also the second-largest shareholder in Lockheed Martin -- a US
military arms firm that supplies weapons systems, aircraft and logistical support. Its shares
have also rocketed since the missile strikes last week. . . ."
We have got it: Philip Owen believes religiously in the words of Theresa May, Boris
Johnson, and Gavin Willaimson. And, of course, Blair is a paragon of honesty for Philip
Owen.
What are you doing here, on the Unz Review? -- This is not a ziocon stink-tank source of
(dis)information, and this is not the ziocons-controlled MSM's presstitutes' haven.
You make yourself ridiculous by parroting the MSM "wisdom." Your frustration over the
impending defeat of "moderate" terrorists in Syria affects your reason and amplifies your
rabid hatred of Russia. Don't expect any sympathy for your "victimhood" on this site.
"Porton Down is just one of the Pentagon-funded military laboratories in 25 countries
across the world, where the US Army produces and tests man-made viruses, bacteria and toxins
in direct violation of the UN convention . These US bio-laboratories are funded by the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) under a $ 2.1 billion military program–
Cooperative Biological Engagement Program (CBEP), and are located in former Soviet Union
countries such as Georgia and Ukraine, the Middle East, South East Asia and Africa.
The Pentagon-funded military facilities are not under the direct control of the host state as
the US military and civilian personnel is working under diplomatic cover. The local
governments are prohibited from public disclosure of sensitive information about the foreign
military program running on their own territory."
– All statements in this article are sourced, unlike the pronouncement of the miserable
puppets Blair, May, Johnson, and Willaimson.
"... It turns out that news reports citing UOSSM tend *also* to cite or refer to "French intelligence," especially if the report has to do with local conditions or events within Syria. So perhaps the "partnership" between the UOSSM and the White Helmets in Syria represents, in large part, the coordination of British and French military propaganda/intelligence services ..."
"... I had already heard that French intelligence was using Doctors Without Borders (MSF) as cover in Syria, but was not aware that UOSSM in Syria is likely--at least in part--another French intelligence front. ..."
"... My own impression is that the NGO-ification of military and state intelligence of the degree and sophistication we see in Syria is a relatively recent phenomenon, predicated in part on the disseminating capacities of social media platforms. Is this right? ..."
"... My wife and I stopped donating to MSF a few months ago, based on their evident lack of neutrality in Syria. ..."
No, but you just sent me down a fascinating rabbit hole. From what I can tell, there is the already established link between
White Helmets and Mayday Rescue, which seems to be an extension of or front for the 77th.
It turns out that news reports citing UOSSM tend *also* to cite or refer to "French intelligence," especially if the report
has to do with local conditions or events within Syria. So perhaps the "partnership" between the UOSSM and the White Helmets in
Syria represents, in large part, the coordination of British and French military propaganda/intelligence services.
I had already heard that French intelligence was using Doctors Without Borders (MSF) as cover in Syria, but was not aware that
UOSSM in Syria is likely--at least in part--another French intelligence front. How common is this kind of multinational coordination
of intelligence/propaganda front groups, if that is what this is?
My own impression is that the NGO-ification of military and
state intelligence of the degree and sophistication we see in Syria is a relatively recent phenomenon, predicated in part on the
disseminating capacities of social media platforms. Is this right?
"How common is this kind of multinational coordination of intelligence/propaganda front groups, if that is what this is?"
The coordination and interoperability among these special operations units is intense and has grown rapidly over the last decade.
Even in the 80s this joint combined exchange training was the norm. Now it extends into live operations.
This 77th Brigade is an odd mashup linking civil affairs and PSYOP capabilities, but kept within the Tier 1 special operations
community. I never heard of it before, but it's a logical progression. We probably have a similar military capability, but i have
no idea what it is.
My wife and I stopped donating to MSF a few months ago, based on their evident lack of neutrality in Syria. The reply from their
Donor Relations office did nothing to dispel that impression. In it, MSF admitted that "extreme insecurity has forced us to remove
our medical teams from the front lines of the conflict. As a result, in order to do what we can to help alleviate the suffering
of Syrians, we have partnered with several hospitals and medical clinics to provide support, with medical supplies and expertise
from a distance...Though our teams may not be physically present on the front lines, we receive regular reports..."
I think we can guess who those "reports" are from.
Looks like people were bombed and the shelter became full of dust and smoke. That led to some suffocations. Later this was
played as chemical attack.
The scenario is classic. Put artillery near residential houses and mercilessly shell residential building on government
side killing civilians. Wait for return fire which produce its own set of victims. Stage the false flag operation based on
return fire victims and the fact that civilians suffered.
Thanks
for this video. I have had a gut-full of the west and it's lies to take over countries in the Middle East. It's making me sick. What's
happening on a daily basis to the people of Palestine and Syria are war crimes, pure and simple.
The country I live in, Australia,
is not on the side of the good guys. We were not on the right side in Libya and Iraq either. I'm so sick of this shit. This is all
so the US and their creepy allies, including the head-choppin' Saudis, can put a pipeline through Syria to Europe to compete with
Russia and so they can use Syria as a jumping off point to invade Iran. Poor Iran.
The CIA threw out their Democratically elected
leader and installed a Dictator who they kept in place for 48 years, using the Shah's brutal secret police. The US hates the Iranians
for chucking the puppet out. Iran had every right to do so. God knows how they must feel being under constant threat. Israel have
been assassinating their citizens for years and launched the Stuxnet virus (with help from the US) to attack their infrastructure,
accidentally infecting the world, including Australia at the time. Thanks to them, every group in the world now has the code for
that virus. They modified the code and released it again behind Obama's back.
Israel's illegal nukes can't reach Iran but they will
definitely use them against Iran if they can get into Syria to use it as a base for attack. Then what happens to the world? Israel
have demonstrated clearly, their disinterest in Human Rights. The only people on the planet they care about are Israelis. Damn Israel
and damn the US. Macron is a wanna-be Napoleon and Theresa May is Thatcher- Lite. Both of them are sucking on the tail-pipe of that
clown, Trump and are keeping the world in a state of perpetual war. Hands off Syria, wankers!
Aside from this video, there is now overwhelming evidence confirming that this was yet another false flag chemical attack
designed to demonise Assad. This isn't the first time. Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, the Balkans - all suffered a similar fate
designed to hoodwink the public in supporting war and resource grab.
it was only a couple of years ago that Assad and Russia were subjected to the same scenario and proven to be utterly false.
How long must we swallow these crimes? History is replete with the same state-sponsored crimes against populations. Governments
are not acting in our best interests and never have.
Therefore, there is absolutely no excuse for people to believe the utter bullshit spread around the mainstream media which excels
in poor journalism and is determined to push this disgusting propaganda on behalf of their respective governments and intel agencies.
Until the public is prepared to comprehend that such false flag attacks are a long used formula by US-NATO for carving up the
Middle East then it will continue with impunity. I hope everyone shares this video on social media in order to counter lazy thinking
and the obvious lies that characterize what passes for news.
Can't vouch for the authenticity - video claims to be interviewing 13 staff from the hospital
at Douma. It's from a news service privately owned and loyal to Assad. Definitely some of the
same info emerging from Fisk and Sharp.
The video is definitely genuine. I watched it all, and it looked very credible. Fisk mentioned
that the doctors present at the event in their ER were away in Damascus and not available -
there were obviously here making this video. It may be that they were under some constraint,
and not able to speak entirely freely.
The Colonial ratfuckers recent unprovoked, lie-based attack on Syria got me wondering
about Russia's apparent impotence. I'm quite uncomfortable with that notion but can't dismiss
it completely because I can't get a 'handle' on what Russia's strategy is.
Steve Gowans' latest commentary on Syria sets out his summary of US/NATO's Permanent War
agenda in Syria.
Despite its pessimism (if one takes it as a 'realistic' assessment), it goes a long way
toward explaining the magnitude and complexity of the task Russia took on when it agreed to
intervene in Syria.
Being pessimistic, it doesn't broach the subject of potential Bright Sides to the
conflict, or the flaws in the US/NATO Strategy.
One rather obvious flaw which came to mind is the fact that Neoliberal Colonialism has
inflicted pain on almost every country on the planet and have recently underlined their
God-given right to continue doing so ad nauseum - without opposition or consequences.
A correspondent for US network CBS gained access to the alleged attack site in Douma on
Monday. Seth Doane spoke to residents of a building where at least 30 bodies are reported to
have been found.
"All of a sudden some gas spread around us," one man said. "We couldn't breathe, it
smelled like chlorine."
Another resident, who said many members of his family were among those killed, showed the
CBS crew a yellow compressed gas canister that appeared to have punched a hole in the roof of
the building. The canister looked similar to others photographed in the wake of other alleged
chlorine attacks.
A Swedish journalist who also visited the building in Douma said he had felt a discomfort
in his throat and smelled a strong odour as he entered its basement.
"All of a sudden some gas spread around us," one man said. "We couldn't breathe, it
smelled like chlorine."
_____________________________________
The videos showing persons (White Helmets?) rushing into the site of the alleged chemical
attack and pouring water on the "victims" speak for themselves. Likewise, the ancillary
first-person reports by medical personnel: 1) affirming that there were no symptoms of chemical
poisoning among the dead or injured, and 2) corroborating the reports of third parties rushing
in and clamoring "Gas!", "Chemical attack!", etc.
It's obvious enough to any observer with a modicum of rational skepticism that this is the
old "fait accompli" version of the Big Lie: just keep repeatedly and firmly insisting
that X took place (or X never happened), until a critical mass of complacent, credulous, and
submissive useful idiots accept the assertions as fact.
It wouldn't surprise me if, along with all that water being thrown around, a few White
Helmet-types also poured around, or even boiled, some ordinary household laundry bleach to
provide the unmistakable whiff of chlorine gas in the air.
In sleight-of-hand and similar deceptions, once the audience buys into the premise, it only
takes minimal cues to reinforce the fake reality projected by the illusion-master.
I agree calling him "an actor" is wrong, however this particular boy, according to their
(the boy and his father) interview did this for food, he wasn't affected by the dust and
smoke event.
Rossiya 24 TV channel has interviewed a Syrian boy named Hasan Diab who participated in the
filming of the "chemical attack" video. Here is my translation of the article:
Syrian boy Hasan Diab, who was presented in a staged White Helmets video as a victim of a
chemical attack in Douma, revealed the details of its filming.
"We were in a basement. Mom told me there's nothing to eat today, we'll only eat tomorrow.
We heard someone yelling on the street, they yelled "go to the hospital". We ran to the
hospital, and as soon as I have entered, they grabbed me and started to douse me with water.
Then they put us on a bed with other people." -- said the boy during his appearance on
Rossiya 24 channel.
The channel's military reporter Evgeniy Poddubny noted that the boy was compelled to take
part in the video.
"The boy had nothing to eat, he was offered rice, dates, and cookies for this filming." --
said Poddubny.
Hasan's story was confirmed by his father, who added that there had been no chemical
attach in the town.
"When I found out that my child was in the hospital, I asked for time off at my work and
ran there. There were no chemical weapons whatsoever. I smoked on the street and felt
nothing. I entered the hospital and saw my family. The militants gave me dates, cookies, and
rice for participating in that filming and let us go home. My child was fine." -- the boy's
father told the channel.
France used to produce some pretty fine leaders, but lately, it's like a different place.
Hollande was the most ridiculous, gutless thing we ever saw. He was laughably pompous and ineffective and dishonest and even
cowardly, vis a vis the US.
Macron probably ranks second worst. He's making a mess of France, he's blubbering all kinds of nonsense about the EU, he's
busy putting troops in Syria against all international law, he is not liked by the people, and he is virtually a French doormat
for America.
Sarkozy showed the odd bit of promise, but he was largely talk with no worthy efforts. And he was immensely corrupt. Imagine
taking 20 million euros from Qaddafi and then participating in the scheme to kill him? Or the case of the senile woman who was
France's wealthiest woman, from whom he took many millions for his campaigns, doing so in private without other members of the
family or strict legal supervision.
Hard to see the same country we saw in de Gaulle's time and that of his immediate successors.
'I am an equal of Putin' - well, he's right in a way - they're both leaders of a country. Beyond that, there is NO comparison.
Maybe he admires Putin - which is good, if he tries to emulate him, even better because Putin, after all, is one of the few great
current leaders of the world. Macron has a very long way to go, but with many years experience, if he gets the chance, MAY become
a better leader than some, but never will be the match of Putin.
The simple fact is that the US failed to overthrow Assad and thus is defeated in Syria, and the recent episodes are merely the
dying throes of a defeated neoliberal empire
Notable quotes:
"... The truth of this scenario is * one* thing that leads Russia to point out that the US is essentially incapable of acting as a rational international "partner." ..."
I agree with almost everything you say. But, from my perspective, your account and the
account of Kori Schake simplifies and somewhat idealizes the mechanism of--call it--"US
policy." What Trump himself wants the US to do in Syria--disengage completely--may very well be
true. But "US policy" is not determined by what Trump wants, but by the negotiations and
struggles between the President and other powerful state-corporate factions. The ongoing nature
of these negotiations and struggles produces no coherent or rational narrative behind US action
in Syria, but rather a series of self-contradicting escalations and de-escalations, depending
upon who holds the strongest hand at any given moment.
The truth of this scenario is * one*
thing that leads Russia to point out that the US is essentially incapable of acting as a
rational international "partner." It is not *just* the US's deception that makes this so, but
the fact that not even the US' deception in recent years can be gamed, because there is no
*single* coherent aim behind it: not even American deception can be trusted, in other
words.
I find all this pretty convincing. And so I am less certain than some others that *anybody*
is yet in a position to say what the US will do or not do in relation to Syria in the next few
weeks or months. I do think that a careful reading of several reports coming out of the White
House since late February suggest that Trump is neither in control of nor even always aware of
the concrete policies toward Syria and Russia that have been planned and implemented by his
administration. So while I hope that you are right, and that everybody is able to recognize
what is obvious--that there is no way for the US to "win" in Syria at this point without
risking nuclear war--I am unfortunately not convinced that this is so.
We dont have to rely on seeing missile parts to know the Pentagon is lying about the air
strikes. We have high resolution pictures of the target site at the research center and we have
the claim that they hit that site with 76 cruise missiles with 1000 lb warheads! The level of
damage does not match that claim. Not even close.
Carefully examine the photos. One building is still heavily intact...maybe 30-40 %. Only the
smaller one is obliterated. But notice, not only are these rather small college campus size
buildings, each one is hollow. They all have an open courtyard inside. So they are in fact
smaller than they first appear. It would take no more than 3 or 4 missiles to destroy each one,
if that.
We are looking at a strike from about 10 missiles, not 76.
That is an absurd claim, and they were forced into it because that was the only site they
could show extensive damage on. The other two shown were much too small to obscure the truth.
This claim of an electronic attack and the Syrians firing at phantom targets is also absurd.
While Russia certainly networked the Syrian long range radars to tighten up their airspace,
most of Syria's guns and missile systems are elderly.
They are not even digital nor can they be
slaved to a network. For a buk system, for example, to fire on a target...the operator must
acquire that target on his tracking and guidance radar on the launcher. If the target cant be
detected (it's not really there) by the guidance radar, no launch is possible. It doesn't
matter if the networked surveillance radar tells them something is out there, the guidance
radar must lock onto something to fire.
Even more so for some of their other systems. The only thing they would possibly launch
towards a phantom target would be an s 200, on the chance that its semi active homing head
would be operational by the time it was near the presumed target...sort of like getting a jump
on the target.
We have been hearing stories of the financial political corruption increasingly common here
in Britain and in high places.
However confirmation now of one of the most sordid stories - buried of course by the British
apology for news - our MSM.
Theresa May and her family personally have made possibly millions, by the illegal and
unsanctioned attack on Syria the other day.
The British media is silent. But Russia Today has now exposed what is clearly - I would say
in the eyes of most - a resigning matter.
Her family blatantly and it seems secretly making money out of her disgusting warmongering.
Her hands covered in blood from Iraq, Libya, Syria etc etc profiting every time Bae systems are
involved. You couldn't make it up - as they say.
This happened 3 hours ago. Wolf Blitzer can't believe his ears he does his best to argue the
other side, saying well, France and UK joined the bombing, so it must true, you aren't
suggesting everyone was wrong or something? – are you suggesting the president had bad
intelligence? – but Paul isn't buying.
"I still look at the attack and say, you know, either Assad must be the dumbest dictator on
the planet -- or maybe he didn't do it. I have yet to see evidence that he did do it,"
"The only thing that would galvanize the world to attack Assad directly is a chemical
attack. It killed relatively few people compared to what can be killed with traditional bombs
and so you wonder really what logic would there be for Assad to be using chemical weapons,"
We have a feeling this bombing is going to turn into a major scandal as it becomes clear
what is intuitively obvious – it was a false flag, and this time they're going to get
caught on it.
Was the whole thing 3D chess on Trump's part? Did he deliberately go along with the hoax
knowing that he would make sure the hoaxers get caught?, and finally free himself from the
neocon morons in Washington?
What about a fourth type of retaliation, cleaning out the
financier/Zionist/pro-Western/liberal infestation inside Russia? This wouldn't require
China's approval, and would lead to a much healthier and stronger Russia in the long run.
In my view, China has done far more to get itself out of AZ control and on the path to
pursuing its national interests than Russia has. It is depressing to read most Russian blogs
as they keep harping on what needed to be done years ago.
I can hardly believe that I actually read an article like this.
First they delay the OPCW then they claim that Russia and Syria cleaned up the site -
several acres where gas was spread all over but those Russians caN clean it all in 24 hours,
every trace. They can also hide all the bodies.
Now we here that the medical staff are intimidated and can't say who was treated for
what?
But...but...where are the 500 victims???
This is shear desperation and totally P-A-T-H-E-T-I-C
The attempt to coordinate a ground assault of Damascus with a US-Nato aerial bombardment
leading to the decapitation of the regime was a key part of the original March plan as
reported by Theyssan, Magnier, and in a recent Sputnik article detailing the capture of
embedded U.K. operatives in Ghouta. There were reports on the night of the strike of
coordinated al-Islam and Daesh ground attacks in the country, but I do not know the details.
In general, I think the US-UK played through the original March script with modifications
occasioned by necessity, and are now thinking through a plan to repeat that script somehow.
Others disagree. We are probably all wrong.
The public will totally buy it. We have been conditioned to fear the Russians for a reason
after all. Anybody in their vicinity would tell them what they want to hear--otherwise they
could get Skripaled.
Also, the source for the Guardian piece turns out to be a kind of international White
Helmets parent group--the UOSSM. They played a role in the 2017 chemical attack investigation
and later had to withdraw their testimony as unqualified: http://theindicter.com/uossm-admits-that-doctor-reporting-alleged-khan-shaykhun-
aerial-attack-was-not-qualified-to-do-that/
"... In other words, French intelligence blows. (I am referring to the discovered caches of chemical weapons and the elaborate tunnel-structures under Douma.) ..."
From declassified French intelligence dossier on 4/7/18 Douma:
- The French services do not have any information to support the thesis that armed groups in
Ghouta have sought to obtain or have had chemical weapons.
In addition, they believe that a
manipulation of massively disseminated images from Saturday, April 7 is not credible,
especially since the groups present in the Ghouta do not have the means to carry out a
communication maneuver of such magnitude.
In other words, French intelligence blows. (I am referring to the discovered caches of
chemical weapons and the elaborate tunnel-structures under Douma.)
"... War stories, however, have a habit of growing darker. For the same 58-year old senior Syrian doctor then adds something profoundly uncomfortable: the patients, he says, were overcome not by gas but by oxygen starvation in the rubbish-filled tunnels and basements in which they lived, on a night of wind and heavy shelling that stirred up a dust storm ..."
The search for truth in the rubble of Douma – and one doctor's doubts over the
chemical attack
Exclusive: Robert Fisk visits the Syria clinic at the centre of a global crisis
This is the story of a town called Douma, a ravaged, stinking place of smashed apartment
blocks – and of an underground clinic whose images of suffering allowed three of the
Western world's most powerful nations to bomb Syria last week. There's even a friendly
doctor in a green coat who, when I track him down in the very same clinic, cheerfully tells
me that the "gas" videotape which horrified the world – despite all the doubters
– is perfectly genuine.
War stories, however, have a habit of growing darker. For the same 58-year old senior
Syrian doctor then adds something profoundly uncomfortable: the patients, he says, were
overcome not by gas but by oxygen starvation in the rubbish-filled tunnels and basements in
which they lived, on a night of wind and heavy shelling that stirred up a dust storm. . . .
here
"... They've had a weekend to work on the damage control strategy (as they say) and the Wall Street Journal has a slobbery article about how Bolton yielded to Mattis and agreed to fewer targets. ..."
"... If it's true that 2/3 of the missiles were intercepted and the WSJ article is mainly cover up propaganda, it's actually pretty cleverly done (and scary, frankly). I wonder how much of the war history I've been taught over the years is accurate. ..."
"... Trump, lying sack of shit bragging about Bolton and successful hit on Syria.: They didn't shoot one down. The equipment didn't work too well their equipment! blah-blah-blah https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W9jS3-gt7w ..."
"... This is the lying ass many of you still can't condemn! Get over it already - he's a Zionist quisling, always was and still is! ..."
They've had a weekend to work on the damage control strategy (as they say) and the Wall
Street Journal has a slobbery article about how Bolton yielded to Mattis and agreed to fewer
targets.
If it's true that 2/3 of the missiles were intercepted and the WSJ article is mainly cover
up propaganda, it's actually pretty cleverly done (and scary, frankly). I wonder how much of
the war history I've been taught over the years is accurate.
Trump, lying sack of shit bragging about Bolton and successful hit on Syria.: They didn't
shoot one down. The equipment didn't work too well their equipment! blah-blah-blah
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8W9jS3-gt7w
This is the lying ass many of you still can't condemn! Get over it already - he's a
Zionist quisling, always was and still is!
An American journalist who gained access to the war-torn town of Douma, where the US,
France and the UK charged that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad used chemical weapons against
civilians, says he found "no evidence" of a chemical weapons attack. "We were brought in with a
government escort and shown the areas where the chemical attack allegedly happened. We were
able to speak with residents in the area. We were even able to visit the hospital where the
White Helmets showed the videos of people being hosed down," reporter Pearson Sharp of OAN
revealed in a report from the ground in Syria Monday.
"When I went into the town, we didn't know what to expect, but we were brought to one of the
neighborhoods close to where the attack happened. I spoke with a number of residents, probably
about 10 residents in that neighborhood. This was about a block and a half from where the
attack supposedly happened Um, not one of the people I had spoken to in that neighborhood said
that they had seen anything or heard anything about a chemical attack on that day [Saturday,
April 7]," Sharp said.
The reporter said he later spoke with another 30 to 40 residents of the town. "I went up to
random people. I know there's a lot of concern from people that the residents being interviewed
are plants -- they're Russian operatives or they're staged interviews or things like that. We
just randomly went up to different people -- nobody came up to us -- and interviewed probably
30 to 40 people. Consistently, not one person in the town said they heard anything about an
attack," Sharp said.
"When I asked them what they thought the chemical attack was, they told me -- all of
them -- it was staged by the rebels who were occupying the town at that time. They said it was
a fabrication or a hoax. When I asked why, they told me it was because the rebels were
desperate and needed a ploy to help the get the Syrian Army off their back so they could
escape," he continued.
"Residents told me the terrorists staged this to get Western powers to attack the Syrian
Army, so they could escape."
Following the alleged incident in Douma, Trump, UK Prime Minister Theresa May and French
President Emmanuel Macron authorized a military operation to fire missiles at a chemical
research facility near Damascus, a weapons storage site and a command base on Friday night.
Damascus and Moscow maintain that there was no chemical attack by the Syrian state in
Douma.
The report is nowhere to be found on the OANN site. Don't embarrass the Trumpster!
"One America News Network (abbreviated as OANN), is an American conservative cable news
television channel launched on July 4, 2013 that is owned by Herring Networks, Inc. The network
is headquartered in San Diego, California, and operates a news bureau in Washington, D.C. and
New York City.
Originally launched with the intention of targeting a conservative and center-right
audience,OAN states a goal of delivering credible national and international news coverage
throughout the day while its prime time political talk shows illustrate a conservative
perspective.According to the Washington Post, the channel has risen to greater prominence due
to its pro-Trump coverage."
The delay definitely represents a blunder by Syrian government from propaganda purposes, but
war is war and may be British tried to do some additional troubles. Who knows. It now exploited
to the fullest extent possible.
"Part of the concern, Matt, is the longer that it takes to get OPCW inspectors in to take
a look at soil samples and other information that they can get on the ground, that delay
further degrades any evidence that's on the ground. So that is our chief concern. We want
them to be able to get in as quickly as possible, as safely as possible, but we also want
that evidence to be as pure as possible for their investigation."
you mean like how the UK gave that same opportunity to russia when it first blamed russia
for the skripal event? righto..
matt lee last response "QUESTION: Okay. But – so – but you're just saying then
– because the bottom line here is you're saying, "Just trust us."
"QUESTION: But you've not mentioned sarin. You've – or has that actually been --
MS NAUERT: In that background briefing, that was mentioned. We have information that leads
us to believe that both chlorine and sarin were used in the attack.
...
QUESTION: Hi. Thanks. You still stand by the proof that you say the U.S. has on this, right?
You --
MS NAUERT: I certainly do, yes. "
" QUESTION: Could I ask – hi. Could I ask you to square to – square for us
your desire to have the inspectors go in and establish the veracity of evidence on the one
hand, but on the other hand your rush to attack and strike Syria? Could you square that for
us?"
MS NAUERT: The United States has excellent intelligence gathering. Other countries do as
well. We do not take these decisions, we do not make these decisions, lightly. As we saw what
happened with information that led us to believe that sarin and chlorine gas were used in
this most recent attack, the United States, the UK, and France got together, had
conversations about telling Bashar al-Assad that this has to stop. And we believe in the
efforts that took place on Friday night that we showed them that we are very serious about
this, and that the world will stand up, the world will act together, and we will not tolerate
the use of these illegal chemical weapons to kill innocent men, women, and children.
QUESTION: Right. I am trying to understand that the inspectors, the OPCW inspectors, were
supposed to go in on Saturday, and the strike happened Saturday morning. I mean, they
could've waited, like 20 hours, 24 hours, to ensure that the whole world can see that
evidence.
MS NAUERT: Okay, Said, once again, we have our own intelligence. We have our own
intelligence. The OPCW is something that we back strongly, but it can also take quite a bit
of time for the OPCW to gather its information and compile a report. If we look back to last
year – and I can have my colleagues double check this right now – I think it took
quite a few months, at least several months, before the OPCW was able to come out with its
official report about what substance was used on the ground in Khan Shaykhun.
So I would ask you: Should the United States and her allies wait around for Bashar
al-Assad to use more chemical substances on his people? Should we wait around for that formal
investigation that could take months and months when we have seen nine chemical attacks take
place this year alone? I think the United States was right in its decision, backed by our
allies, to take action and show Bashar al-Assad that he will be held to account."
The Chinese newspaper the Global Times agrees with the Saker:
"Washington's attack on Syria where Russian troops are stationed constitute serious
contempt for Russia's military capabilities and political dignity. Trump, like scolding a
pupil, called on Moscow, one of the world's leading nuclear powers, to abandon its "dark
path." Disturbingly, Washington seems to have become addicted to mocking Russia in this way.
Russia is capable of launching a destructive retaliatory attack on the West. Russia's weak
economy is plagued by Western sanctions and squeezing of its strategic space. That the West
provokes Russia in such a manner is irresponsible for world peace Western countries continue
bullying Russia but are seemingly not afraid of its possible counterattack. Their arrogance
breeds risk and danger."
Yes, I also follow the Global Times editorials, and have friends in China
Simon Chow nails it, in my opinion
America is playing checkers (or some other child's game). Russia is playing Chess, and we
know how good they are at that. China is playing Chinese Chess and that is fking impossible
to understand for a westerner subtle does not cover it .. and China has the father
(godfather?) of all generals and military strategists, Sun Tzu . go figure
I agree, the fat lady is out there somewhere warming her vocal chords.
Talking about chess In my humble opinion all the suffering and foreign occupation of Syria
could end in less than a month if Russia would have the guts to threaten (behind closed doors
or overtly) that if the attacks and occupation of Syria will not stop Russia will provide the
weapons necessary to nullify the military superiority of Israel to all relevant enemy of
Israel and of course to Syria. The timed leak in the news that Russia considers providing
S-300 to Syrian is a good start but obviously not firm and strong enough, According to Paul
Craig Roberts "to restate the point once again, the passivity of the Putin government in the
face of Washington's aggressiveness is leading directly to nuclear war and the end of life on
earth". I think Russia can be "passive" by not attacking US but can be very engage by
threatening were it hurts the most the safety of Israel. Cheers
It is an old metaphor. I think it was used on Atimes years ago: Americans play Monopoly,
Russians play chess. Someone added (it could have been me) and Chinese play Go! That was a
response: Americans play poker, the game of the 'achievers'. The response was: Americans play
poker with loaded dices' and if their bluff is called, they pull the gun and 'take it all'.
If I am not mistaken, the verbal joust originated in Australia!
From the rules:
• Sacrifice: Allowing a group to die in order to carry out a play, or plan, in a more
important area.
Interesting
From the Global Times
'Drill a warning to secessionist forces'
The news that the People's Liberation Army will conduct live-fire military exercises in
the Taiwan Straits on April 18 has shocked Taiwan. It is a clear warning against recent
pro-independence activities on the island, especially head of Taiwan's administrative
authority Lai Ching-te's advocacy for independence.
Secessionists should not fantasize that the US will come to their rescue, even though the
US had passed the Taiwan Travel Act. National unity is in the core interest of China, which
is determined and capable of shattering any foreign intervention. Once Beijing decides to
take action, it won't be stopped by any other force.
We believe that if the mainland were to take a military strike against
"Taiwan-independence" forces, Washington would have no effective means other than
protest.
The planned military drills will be a reconfirmation of Beijing's bottom line. Let the
bombing and shooting drills alert Taiwan, rather than letting them actually occur on the
island. The mainland does not wish to end the Taiwan question with a military showdown,
however, how the situation develops depends on how much rationality remains in the Taiwan
administration.
The Ukraine, North Korea .. Sth China Sea .. Syria
Russia, cold war
China, trade war
America is somewhat busy at the moment.
Could it take on a direct confrontation over Taiwan?
I think Syria is too strategically important to be 'allowed to die' .. but, then, I cannot
play Go
What about the 'rumors' that China will build a base in Vanuatu? "We would view with great
concern the establishment of any foreign military bases in those Pacific Island countries and
neighbours of ours," Mr Turnbull said. Ahem!
Could America take on a direct confrontation over Taiwan?
If Taiwan is 500 kilometers off the coast from California, America just might give it a
try. But alas, Taiwan is 500 kilometer off the coast from Fujian Province. Only a deranged
America would take the bite. Let's see if America is deranged. Lately there are signs it is
down that slippery slope.
What I meant, is the China is choosing its timing and confrontation very carefully
America is the next door neighbour who has watched the plum ripen every day, fearing that
pesky Chinese neighbour will steal it and eat it
Not being careful, or just being plain dumb, the American knocked over a hornets nest and
and now too busy dealing with the angry hornets to keep an eye on the plum
Every single country (!) on this list- except for Bolivia – abstained in the latest
UNSC vote to stop aggression against Syria Russia, China, Bolivia voted in favor. USA, UK,
France vited against. With just ONE vote the resolution would have passed
Kazakhstan is a member of the SCO..why did they not join Russia and China to support this
resolution?? I am beginning to think the SCO is just hype.
One thing's for sure: I'm going to miss Bolivia when their term ends this year
The resolution was never going to pass. The US, the UK and France all posses the veto
power of a permanent member of the UNSC. Thus, it does not matter how many voted in favor.
The resolution was defeated.
I think I remember seeing at least one statement from another country that said that there
was purpose of voting in favor of a veto'd resolution. Why bother. Especially when the US is
infamous for blackmailing and armtwisting nations that vote against them. It was only a few
months ago that Nutti Nikki declared the US was 'taking names' of those who opposed the.
There isn't any reason to vote for a resolution that is already and certainly veto'd.
Actually, you see this alot also in bodies like the US Congress. Once a side has the votes to
know they won (or lost), then a single vote doesn't mean anything. Thus a congressperson can
vote a way that pleases the voters (or the lobbyists) and know that they are doing so with no
impact on whether the measure passes or fails. You sometimes see members of congress voting
for and against the same bill so they can take either position in the next campaign!
Anonymous, you are of course correct. It's the SC and not the GA so any veto will bring down
the resolution. Thank you for correcting my mistake. I also understand perfectly your point
about tactical voting.
However:
It would send a powerful message to the empire (and the world) if Russia were not so
isolated in her diplomatic efforts, even if a resolution is vetoed!..As Saker mentioned above
noone seems to care about the higher values of international law. By keeping a low profile
and abstaining these countries are basically confirming that there is no diplomatic way to
stop the aggression.
what is happening to Russia funnily reminds me of what happened to me as a kid – I was
maybe 9.
there was a bully in our neighborhood park where we used to play – he was 3 or 4 years
older than most of us. He used to beat all of us individually (I was the youngest in the
group) – but then I would come behind him when he was not looking and hit him with a
brick etc.
so one day all the kids gathered (not sure whose idea it was – not mine – but I
approved and joined them) and agreed to circle the bully and at 1..2..3..we were all to jump
at him and to start beating him I thought it was a great idea.
so we went there and did that – 1..2..3 – I jumped on the bully and started
kicking him – only to realize that everybody else just stayed where they were. I was
the only one fighting him Even my brother didn't join me.
I hope the same thing does not happen to Russia – but if it does – just be
prepared – and never trust psychopathic Anglo – west
Bolivia has a democracy that has elected governments that actually favor their people over
corporations, and god forbid, that don't favor foriegn (American) corporations over their own
people.
Thus, the US has already declared Bolivia an enemy. They don't seem to be number 1 on the
American kill list, but they are already on the list.
At this point in time, the UNSC is blocked to both sides. Neither side can pass a UNSC
resolution against the other. One side had 2 and now 3 vetos. The other side has 2 vetos.
Nothing is passing.
Which means that neither side can claim UNSC sanction for their wars. Which in turn really
makes any war illegal. Not that any of the Axis of Evil care about that. For the record,
Trump violated the US Constitution in two ways (at least) by attacking Syria, thus, if the
system were honest, he would now be impeached. Of course, the system is not honest, but it is
highly rigged.
Since Russia and China don't seem to be starting any wars of aggression, that lack of
ability to get a UNSC certificate for wars of aggression won't matter much to them. But, also
don't expect them to pass anything condemning the Axis of Evil through the UNSC.
The UNSC is now only for making speeches. Both sides then use these messages in their
psyOps operations. PsyOps is the right word because both sides now view propaganda as warfare
by other means.
Vietnam brought forth the term "hearts and minds." That's what they psyOps wars are
fighting over. The hearts and minds of everyone. Or at least those who are paying attention,
and of course getting more to pay attention to your psyOps is a part of the battle as
well.
The UNSC is thus a tool in these psyOps wars. The Russians make their case. Nutti Nikki
screams, rants and threatens. Each is then used as propaganda both at their own people at
home and at the rest of the world. It will stay that way as long as no one repeats the Soviet
mistake of the Korean War era and gets so fed up with it that they don't bother to show up
and cast their veto.
One interpretation of these comments is that diplomacy is just a bunch of fancy talk to
create fodder for psyops. While NATO and other military organizations may view it that way,
from another perspective, making speeches in a public meeting like this, where a resolution
is on the line, can serve to entrench or resolve conflict. As part of a larger diplomatic
strategy.
The 'hearts and minds' concept originated in the Malaya campaign in the
50's–counter-insurgency–and it was never about hearts and minds, it was about
'killing people in order to save them'– a precursor of 'humanitarian intervention'
–basic BS, in other words.
Part of the so-called psyop then was head-chopping of communist Chinese by the British
soldiers, I seem to recall.
Kazakhstan is one of the founding members of the Eurasian Economic Union. But it has always
made its position clear that its membership is based upon economic and not political union.
So its vote was not all that surprising. It's called hedging your bets.
Russia has a lot of options and none of them involve attacking US/NATO forces directly.
And General Rudskoy already hinted at one of them, the S300 to Syria and to possibly some
other countries. A great idea, but only one of Russia's options.
Following from that, the first thing Russia should do, a long with Iran, Hizbullah and
Syria, is exactly what it has been doing: securing more and more of Syria. Since the last
time AZ axis did this, Syria's situation on the ground is much improved. By the next time
they try, it will be much better still. Eyes on the prize.
Next, the S300. Russia has to impose a painful cost to the enemy without triggering a war.
That's where Israel comes in. Russia needs to help Syria (Russia should not do this herself)
to bring down a handful of Israeli jets and capture their pilots alive. You will see
immediately of the situation changes once 2, 3 or 4 of those most precious of souls are
captured. Your head will spin. They will trade whatever they have to to get them back.
Capturing American pilots would not have anywhere near the same effect. And British or French
pilots? Don't make me laugh. Nobody really cares about the hired help.
Russia also has the option of soft retaliation. The empire has troops all over the world
and faces insurgencies in many places. I'm just sayin'. Sometimes accidents happen when you
are fighting insurgencies.
Believe me, I understand how disgusted you are by the situation. But this has been
Russia's role in the world forever. Defending Europe and the world from the mongols, the
Prussians, the Swedes, Napoleon, the Turks, Hitler has earned Russia zero gratitude. But
nevertheless, many of us see. Even I, who am not a Christian, can see the analogy clear as
day.
Sinking gas/oil platforms of Levithian field by "unknown assistants" might be a similar
"symbolic" response. Similar to US attack of uninhibited buildings, this response by a third
party against an ally of US (nominally ally, in reality the master) would send the message,
without too much of a risk.
Your comments about the Israeli reaction to the loss of its planes and the capture of their
pilots is right. Read the Israeli press and especially the comments that follow the stories.
Israeli hubris is not to be believed. The commenters (much less the article authors)
can´t acknowledge that US missiles were shot down (albeit, with integrated modern
radars, electronic interference, etc, acknowledged) by Syrians with Soviet era junk.
"... Yes it is annoying that USA keeps bombing Syria, and yes it ruins the lives of the families that lose loved ones in such attacks. But they do not hinder the progress of the Syrian army. Which likely will have wrapped up everything that is politically easy to wrap up in Syria this year. The border with Israel, Idlib and the kurds being the last more politically difficult parts. ..."
The consequence has not come yet. Those that expected that Russia would sink every American
vessels and fire of off thermonuclear weapon at Washington, has no real connection to
reality.
Such an action would be the dream of neocons and liberals in the western world. Russia
will win as long as they can avoid a full on attack on Syria by USA and getting themselves
dragged into a conflict with USA or one of its clients.
Yes it is annoying that USA keeps bombing Syria, and yes it ruins the lives of the
families that lose loved ones in such attacks. But they do not hinder the progress of the
Syrian army. Which likely will have wrapped up everything that is politically easy to wrap up
in Syria this year. The border with Israel, Idlib and the kurds being the last more
politically difficult parts.
In reality, Russia and Assad won from this attack I think, it made them look good
internationally, it made USA look bad, Trumps supporters are in an uproar right now.. This is
not like last year when the democrats supported his attack and his base kinda thought it was
acceptable..
This time everyone thinks Trump is a lunatic, even his most fanatic supporters such as
Alex Jones that has been being over backwards to protect Trump have lost hope in him
When Russia unified with Crimea, it lost the international moral initiative which it had,
now, it is absolutely regained it. This attack while it caused no damage to Russia or the war
effort for Syria also gives Russia an excuse to do whatever it wants back.
The consequence of the USA strike could be something like.
1. Giving Syria better and "forbidden" in the style of S400 or S300.
2. Giving Syria more and more advanced pansirs.
3. Giving Syria advance anti-ship missiles, enabling them to take out every USA ship off
their coast.
4. Arming groups that oppose USA over the world state actors or non-state actors, either
covertly or openly with advanced weapons.
5. Revealing classified information about USA that perhaps USA got Russia to agree it would
not reveal. Could be anything, proof perhaps that the USA gold reserve is empty perhaps that
USA did 9/11, anything really.
6. A purge of USA backed fifth columnists inside of Russia.
The consequence will be something alone the line of causing long term severe consequence
for USA but causing no problem for Russia or even being beneficial.
It is well respected in some European countries (exchange of students, graduates,
qualifications, etc. .. see the relations with France for ex.) I couldn't turn up a map of
the district with clear labels / the damage this article gives it a try (don't agree with all
it says, see maps):
It was (imho) just an ordinary lab facility, probably over-used, for multiple purposes,
incl. training students. The very idea that chem weapons were developed / produced there is
grotesque. Note that in the pix of the rubble (google it) one can intuit that it was at least
partially emptied out before the attack. The usual stuff which spills about, like furniture,
computers, file cabinets, curtains, piles of paper, sci. equipment like huge fridges, lab
benches, blackboards, endless chairs, lights, etc. is missing.
OT i liked this post i just read at craig murrays site, so i am reposting it...
"Hatuey April 17, 2018 at 16:11
Let's get back to basics here.
If there's 2 countries in the world that are definitely not in a position to be arguing that
we need to bomb anyone in the middle east, it's Britain and America. Jesus Christ almighty,
that should be the unquestionable starting point in any discussion about human rights there.
The middle east looks like World War Z because of these crackpots.
Once bustling modern cities in the middle east, with hospitals, universities, water, and
everything you'd expect to find in a European city, are now crumbling lifeless carcasses
because of these nutters.
War is peace for these guys. I mean that. Where we worry about war, they worry about peace.
Because who is going to buy their guns and ammo if there's peace? And that's all they are
selling. Coffee's for closers. The more misery and division they sow, the more sales they
reap."
These skirmishes (not skirmishes to those who live or die because of them), even ones that
are war crimes, as this was, seem to me to be in large part ways in which the major powers test
out their combat systems. I would think the Pentagon would like to test the Russian defense
systems, and the Russians can't be completely sorry they got the opportunity to see how those
new systems worked under operational conditions. The winners are the arms manufacturers. The
losers are everybody else.
"... Actually, there is nothing like "American policies" in the Trump era. The Washington Post carried two reports this week underlining the utter confusion within the Trump administration. Even the president is not necessarily the last word. ..."
"... One of these two astonishing reports titled Trump a reluctant hawk has battled his top aides on Russia and lost (here) narrates shocking details on how the former NSA in the White House HR McMaster simply hoodwinked a bumbling Trump into approving the proposal to expel 60 Russian diplomats from the US last month: ..."
"... The second WaPo report (here) narrates how even the famous Nikki Haley can no longer pretend to be Trump's authoritative voice. ..."
Actually, there is nothing like "American policies" in the Trump era. The Washington Post carried two reports this week underlining
the utter confusion within the Trump administration. Even the president is not necessarily the last word.
One of these two astonishing reports titled
Trump a reluctant hawk has battled his top aides on Russia and lost (here) narrates shocking details on how the former NSA in
the White House HR McMaster simply hoodwinked a bumbling Trump into approving the proposal to expel 60 Russian diplomats from the
US last month:
The next day, when the expulsions were announced publicly, Trump erupted, officials said. To his shock and dismay, France and
Germany were each expelling only four Russian officials The president, who seemed to believe that other individual countries would
largely equal the United States, was furious that his administration was being portrayed in the media as taking by far the toughest
stance on Russia
Growing angrier, Trump insisted that his aides had misled him about the magnitude of the expulsions. "There were curse words,"
the official said, "a lot of curse words."
The
second WaPo report (here) narrates how even the famous Nikki Haley can no longer pretend to be Trump's authoritative voice.
I'm reminded of Roman Emperor Caligula (AD 37-41). He had a favorite horse by name Incitatus whom he once planned to designate
as Roman consul. Caligula used to hold parties for friends in the steed's grand stables. In a fit of exuberant joy, he once named
Incitatus a Minister of State.
The Trump presidency has not quite reached that point yet, but bizarre things are happening in the Washington Beltway like in
Caligula's decadent Rome in decline and fall. India will be well advised to keep distance.
"... Lavrov knows the game and he handled it in a mature, sensible way. ..."
"... Thanks for the Lavrov interview transcript - I never could have watched it. Lavrov is 100% real, and the other guy is just an English punk, of the false-tough-rude kind that they have specialized in producing for, all of my life certainly, and perhaps for much longer before then. ..."
"... But it's indicative. No BBC interviewer would normally be that unprofessional. I've got used to BBC presenters moving well clear of the neutral zone but this was out of the ordinary. The interviewer would not have been permitted to employ that attack dog approach were there not a strong consensus behind it. ..."
"... That aggressive and bull-headed consensus is what we've also seen in the Commons and in public statements. I've seen a little of American TV recently and it's equally strong there. ..."
Some, like me, prefer to read transcripts than watch interview videos.
Here's
the BBC/Lavrov HardTalk interview transcript. One is clearly all about objectivity while
the other promotes fantasies. It's entirely possible to remain calm when the facts are on your
side, which tells you why the BBC reporter's agitated.
Thanks for the Lavrov interview transcript - I never could have watched it. Lavrov is 100%
real, and the other guy is just an English punk, of the false-tough-rude kind that they have
specialized in producing for, all of my life certainly, and perhaps for much longer before
then.
But more than that, thanks for this: "entirely possible to remain calm when the facts
are on your side"
Wonderful observation. Something I had never quite seen.
"I just got done watching Lavrov's interview on Hard Talk, which was painful. It's deja vu
all over again for anyone who remembers MSM tactics in 2002-2003."
Very painful indeed. I watched it all through and wished I hadn't.
But it's indicative. No BBC interviewer would normally be that unprofessional. I've
got used to BBC presenters moving well clear of the neutral zone but this was out of the
ordinary. The interviewer would not have been permitted to employ that attack dog approach
were there not a strong consensus behind it.
That aggressive and bull-headed consensus is what we've also seen in the Commons and
in public statements. I've seen a little of American TV recently and it's equally strong
there.
We've been thwarted in the Ukraine, knocked back in Syria, and R2P is losing the little
hold it had. Do we, in this extraordinary BBC interview, see a hint of desperation on the
part of our rulers and mentors?
"... "We the G7 Leaders...fully support all efforts made by the US, the UK and France to degrade the Assad regime's ability to use chemical weapons and to deter any future use, demonstrated by their actions taken on April 13. This response was limited, proportionate and necessary..." ..."
"We the G7 Leaders...fully support all efforts made by the US, the UK and France to degrade
the Assad regime's ability to use chemical weapons and to deter any future use, demonstrated by
their actions taken on April 13. This response was limited, proportionate and necessary..."
Welcome to the 'rules based international order'...
President Macron recently stated that he has „proof" that CW were used in Douma and
that is was the Syrian Army. Now the French govt has released the „evaluation
nationale" but it seems no-one is paying attention to it.
After reading the document carefully one can only reach one conclusion:
There is NO PROOF whatsover in this evaulation and it is obviously addressed to an audience
considered to be incapable of critical thought. The format of the document is rather revealing
because it contains no offical ID from a French „service" or ministry (just
„Republique Francaise") and the authors are unknown (so no official takes personal
responsibility for its content, like the phony „assessment" on CW released by the WH in
2017)
In order to find out who committed a crime, forensic evidence is extremely important, as we
all know from detective thrillers and court-room dramas. But in this case, there is NO FORENSIC
EVIDENCE (no criminal investigation by a CSI-unit). There are only unverified pics and videos
posted on YouTube by the White Helmets (WH).
It is impossible to verify WHERE these pics/vids were taken and also WHEN because the
metadata have been tempered with. The WH of course have NO CREDIBILITY whatsoever, being a
cover for the massive „strategic information" (incessantly demonizing Assad) created by
MI6, who also ran the massive PR for the artificial „rebels" in Syria. (See
voltairenet.org for more on this).
And yet this is the basis for the „assessment" of the French govt. They write that „French experts have analyzed the symptoms (visible in the pics and vids) which can be
described as follows (respiratory distress, asphyxiation, cyanosis, skin-burns, excessive
salivation, etc.) Taken together, these symptoms are characteristic für a CW-attack,
especially for suffocating-agents. The use of asthma-sprays supports the thesis that such
agents were used."
So instead of a forensic examination and autopsy, all we get is an interpretation of
symptoms to fit the frame of the Assad-gasses-his-own-people horror-narrative. To this, they
add statements from anonymous people working (in Douma) for medical NGOs like UOSSM (created in
France in 2011, PR-front group) and SAMS (US directed front group) who claim that about a
hundred people „stormed" their health facilities in Douma and at least 40 died as a
result of the CW-attack.
They use medical staff of course as „CREDIBILITY-ENHANCERS" because in general people
tend to trust doctors, nurses and paramedics, hence the „White Helmets" (and the faux
„nurse" telling the heat-wrenchning, invented tale of the incubator-babies in Iraq) I asked a friend who works for one of the biggest chemical companies in Germany (BASF) about
the symptoms and he said they are consistent with a chlorine-exposure but that does NOT mean
that it could ONLY have been chlorine. Very similar symptoms occur when people have been
exposed to SMOKE-INHALATION (German: Rauchgasvergiftung)
And now it gets really interesting because a video has been released by Russian and Syrian
TV stations in which two medical students who work for the emergency department of the Douma
hospital, say that the people shown in the WH-video had indeed been exposed to
SMOKE-INHALATION. (see links below)
A house in Douma had been hit by an airstrike which caused a fire in the lower floors and
the partial collapse of the upper floors. So these people had breathing difficulties and were
taken to the emergency dept of the hospital where they were given first aid. Suddenly some men
appeared and shouted „this was a gas-attack!". They then began to douse the patients with
cold water (from a hose), which caused panic (children screamed of course). These
„dramatic" scenes were filmed then the strangers disappeared as quickly as they had
arrived.
I cannot verify if these medical students told the truth, but given the political context, I
have much more reason to believe them than the White Helmets or the French DGSE.
Just one more thing, the brochure from BASF about the dangers of chlorine contains one
sentence that caught my eye:
„Wasser verstärkt die oxidative und ätzende Wirkung von Chlor" (Water exacerbates the corrosive effect of chlorine (because hydrochlorid acid is formed
through the moisture
So why would medical experts then hose down these alleged „chlorine" victims? Of
course they would not. So this too, seems to show that the whole scene was staged.
The French govt also argues that the use of CW in East-Ghouta was both in a tactical and
strategical sense a military stroke of genius but I'll spare you the BS except for one
argument:
The „strategic" aspect was that Assad wanted to punish the civilians in
„rebel-held" areas and by creating „terreur et panic" they achieved their aim of
surrender.
„Because the war is not over for Assad, he wants to demonstrate thru these ruthless
attacks, that resistance is futile "
This is baloney of course because the Russians and the SAA are winning and have
painstakingly negotiated with the „rebels" and arranged for them to be evacuated in
buses to Idlib. (Can anyone imagine the US-military doing such a thing after 7yrs of
war?)
AND President Assad knows very well that the civilians in rebel-held areas were captives,
treated like slaves, starved for food (sold by the rebels at exorbitant prices) and brutally
executed if they refused to live under Sharia-law. So there was absolutely no need to
„punish" them for anything.
(„Good heavens!") fmr. British military brass (even SF) now disagree with the French
„evaluation" and their own government:
„Given the operational situation in Eastern-Ghouta on April 7, we estimate with
high-confidence that the responsibility (for the non-existent CW-attack) can be attributed
to the Syrian Regime".
(Sound familiar?)
And finally they put in this „disclaimer" when they say
„Les services francaises are not in the possession of any information which would
support the thesis, that these armed groups in East-Ghouta have endeavored to acquire CW
for themselves or that they were already available to them."/BLOCKQUOTE>
(Now that is a BIG Lie even the MSM knows that the "rebels" have used CW (i.e.in Aleppo
see Scott Ritter on this, Carla del Ponte, Seymour Hersh, Vanessa Beeley, etc.)
„Furthermore we regard a manipulation of the released pictures as implausible,
because the groups present in Ghouta had no access to the means necessary to exercise a
communication-manouver of this magnitude"
this absurd claim does not even deserve a comment )
The biggest lie comes at the end when they claim that
Assad has not declared all his CW to the OPCW, has kept a clandestine CW-programm all the time (since 2013
has intensified the use of CW continually and that the Russians are in on this.
And then follow the (by now familiar) highly-manipulative phrases which are supposed to
be imprinted on our brains now:
Undoubtedly a chemical attack was launched against civilians on April 7 in Douma
There is no other plausible scenario then the action of the SAA as part of a major
offensive to retake East-Ghouta
Russia has undeniably actively supported these operations and the clandestine policy of
the SARG for the use of CW
The French govt also argues that the use of CW in East-Ghouta was both in a tactical and
strategical sense a military stroke of genius but I'll spare you the BS except for one
argument:
The „strategic" aspect was that Assad wanted to punish the civilians in
„rebel-held" areas and by creating „terreur et panic" they achieved their aim of
surrender.
„Because the war is not over for Assad, he wants to demonstrate thru these ruthless
attacks, that resistance is futile "
This is baloney of course because the Russians and the SAA are winning and have
painstakingly negotiated with the „rebels" and arranged for them to be evacuated in
buses to Idlib. (Can anyone imagine the US-military doing such a thing after 7yrs of
war?)
AND President Assad knows very well that the civilians in rebel-held areas were captives,
treated like slaves, starved for food (sold by the rebels at exorbitant prices) and brutally
executed if they refused to live under Sharia-law. So there was absolutely no need to
„punish" them for anything.
(„Good heavens!") fmr. British military brass (even SF) now disagree with the French
„evaluation" and their own government:
„Given the operational situation in Eastern-Ghouta on April 7, we estimate with
high-confidence that the responsibility (for the non-existent CW-attack) can be attributed
to the Syrian Regime".
(Sound familiar?)
And finally they put in this „disclaimer" when they say
„Les services francaises are not in the possession of any information which would
support the thesis, that these armed groups in East-Ghouta have endeavored to acquire CW
for themselves or that they were already available to them."/BLOCKQUOTE>
(Now that is a BIG Lie even the MSM knows that the "rebels" have used CW (i.e.in Aleppo
see Scott Ritter on this, Carla del Ponte, Seymour Hersh, Vanessa Beeley, etc.)
„Furthermore we regard a manipulation of the released pictures as implausible,
because the groups present in Ghouta had no access to the means necessary to exercise a
communication-manouver of this magnitude"
this absurd claim does not even deserve a comment )
The biggest lie comes at the end when they claim that
Assad has not declared all his CW to the OPCW, has kept a clandestine CW-programm all the time (since 2013
has intensified the use of CW continually and that the Russians are in on this.
And then follow the (by now familiar) highly-manipulative phrases which are supposed to
be imprinted on our brains now:
Undoubtedly a chemical attack was launched against civilians on April 7 in Douma
There is no other plausible scenario then the action of the SAA as part of a major
offensive to retake East-Ghouta
Russia has undeniably actively supported these operations and the clandestine policy of
the SARG for the use of CW
Re: but the French stick to their surreal script .
„Given the operational situation in Eastern-Ghouta on April 7, we estimate with
high-confidence that the responsibility (for the non-existent CW-attack) can be attributed to
the Syrian Regime".
I guess this is a matter of national pride and tradition. They invented surrealism after
all. Although "we estimate with high-confidence that" could be also impressionistic:
impressions are the higher truth.
Re: otherwise they could get Skripaled. ??? Does it mean "Do what we say if you do not
want to share the fate of your pets", slow, painful death?
UOSSM looks to be a prime front for French military intelligence. Perhaps their recent
"testimony" is not unrelated to the problems Macron
is having spelling out what, exactly, the French intelligence confirming the attack amounts
to.
The thing is, France, if you want to play with the big boys here, you first need to do a
much better job of impoverishing your citizens, lowering the level of their education,
worsening their health care, and removing all domestic safety nets to the extent that you
can.
Your citizens are uppity and skeptical because they have the relative leisure to think.
Remove from them this leisure, and then they too will believe.
"Then, if you do find a distinction there: where's the distinction between "arming and
training in the field" and "directing and assisting"?"
Unless we're logic chopping I have to confess I can find none. I think Putin's noble but
as yet ineffectual UN Speech - "Do you even now not realise what you have done?" - will
search us home in the coming years, as the facts of what we have done or caused to be done in
Syria surface.
Many years ago I read an account by a young woman in Germany of her experiences up to
1945. Melitta Maschman had been a convinced Nazi and proud of the achievements of the Nazi
years. That pride shines through her account, even though the account was written long after
she had rejected her earlier convictions. Those convictions had been real enough too. From
memory - I don't choose to read the book again - she was one of the few who attempted to keep
the fight going even after the end of the war.
Melitta Maschman had a journey to make. Slowly, after the war, she had to come to terms
with the fact that the time she had been so proud of was a time of horror. That the fighting
men whose achievements she had been so proud of were also implicated in - or responsible for,
as you imply the distinction is hair-splitting - the atrocities of the Eastern Front.
I think her account might have been genuine, as was her post-war rejection, though of
course one can never tell from a book. Genuine or not, on a less dramatic, less monumental
scale, that's the journey English and American patriots must slowly prepare for too. You must
not be too critical if some of us are still reluctant to make that journey.
Update : Interfax reports that the Russian military has discovered a rebel-owned chemical weapons lab in Douma.
The Russian Defense Ministry says that components for Mustard Gas production were discovered along with cylinders of chlorine
at a alb belonging to militants in Douma.
Additionally, Moscow has said it is stunned by a French statement that Russia is obstructing OPCW experts from entering Syria's
Douma (echoing Ambassador Ward's). the Russian foreign ministry confirms OPCW expoerts are already in Douma.
* * *
And on the game goes...
While Russia's foreign ministry warns that Western powers are interfering with OPCW's work in Syria (noting that the chemical
weapons experts' access to Douma is being hampered by remaining militants, supported by Washington),
as Caitlin Johnstone details , we are now being told by US officials (and I assure you I am not making this up) that if the Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons doesn't find evidence that the Syrian government conducted a chemical weapons attack in Douma
last week, it's because Russia hid the evidence .
"It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site,"
reports U.S. Ambassador Kenneth Ward.
"It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission
to conduct an effective investigation."
I guess the idea is that this international top-level investigative team on which tremendous credibility has been placed by the
western world can be thwarted by Russians showing up with a Hoover and spraying some Febreze in the air like a teenage stoner when
mom comes home? I'm not sure, but given the immense dearth of evidence we've been seeing in support of the establishment Douma narrative
and the
mounting pile of evidence contradicting it, it sure does sound fishy.
The Independent 's Robert Fisk has published a report which affirms
the story so many westerners have been dismissing
as Kremlin propaganda for days now after interviewing a doctor from the hospital of the area where the Douma attack was supposed
to have occurred. Dr Assim Rahaibani told Fisk that what was in actuality an outbreak of respiratory distress among occupants of
a dusty oxygen-deprived tunnel was made to look like the aftereffects of a chemical weapons attack when a member of the White Helmets
started shouting about a gas attack in front of a bunch of video cameras. Everyone panicked and started hosing themselves down, but
in the video, according to Rahaibani, "what you see are people suffering from hypoxia -- not gas poisoning."
This report was independently backed up by a reporter from One America News Network named Pearson Sharp, who
gave a detailed account of his interviews with officials, doctors, as
well as many civilians on the street Sharp says he deliberately selected at random in order to avoid accusations of bias. Many people
hadn't even heard that a chemical weapons attack had taken place, and the ones who had said it was staged by Jaysh al-Islam. The
staff at the hospital, including a medic-in-training who was an eyewitness to the incident, gave the same story as the account in
Fisk's report.
The increasing confidence with which these unapproved narratives are being voiced and the increasing discomfort being exhibited
by empire loyalists like Ambassador Ward indicate a weakening narrative in the greater propaganda campaign against the Assad government
and its allies, but don't hold your breath for the part where Fox News and the BBC turn around and start asking critical questions
of the governments that they are meant to be holding to account.
The journalists who have been advancing the establishment narrative on Syria aren't about to start reporting that they've gotten
the entire Syria story assballs backward and have been promoting a version of events manufactured for the benefit of CIA-MI6-Mossad
agendas. You're not about to see CNN, who last year
staged a fake scripted interview with a seven year-old Syrian girl to manufacture support for escalations against Assad, suddenly
turn around and start asking if we're being told the full story about what's happening Syria.
Watch them closely. Watch how they steadfastly ignore the growing mountain of evidence and keep promoting the Syrian regime change
agenda that the western empire has been
working toward for decades . Watch them dismiss all evidence they can't ignore as Kremlin propaganda and shift the narrative
whenever things start to look bad for them. Those riding the crest of the wave of establishment media are too far gone into the blob
to ever admit error and change. The least among us aren't about to stop constructing a public reality tunnel which depicts them as
heroes of truth, tear it all down, and start advancing a narrative which makes them look like fools at best and villains at worst.
It will not happen.
Luckily for us, it doesn't need to. Internet censorship is still far from closing the door on our ability to network and share
information, and we've been very effective at sowing skepticism among the masses. The war propagandists are not nearly as good at
their jobs as they want to believe, and we can beat them.
They work so hard to manufacture support for war because they require that consent. If the oligarchs try to launch a war against
a disobedient nation amidst very clear opposition from the public, they will shatter the illusion of freedom and democracy that their
entire empire is built upon, and then they're exposed. Corporatist oligarchy has succeeded in weaving its web of dominance because
its oppression has thus far remained hidden and its depravity disguised as humanitarianism. They cannot expose themselves by transgressing
a loud NO from the public or else the masses will realize that everything they used to believe about their country, their government
and their world is a lie.
They won't risk that. We can force them into retreating from open war by circulating facts and information and keeping a healthy
level of skepticism circulating among the public. Watch them squirm, move goalposts and shift narratives, and point and yell about
it whenever it happens. We can win the media war against the propagandists. We have truth on our side.
* * *
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That fact-finding body (OPCW) could change the whole paradigm IF it finds conclusive evidence this was a false flag event,
and IF they trumpet their findings to the world, and IF people get all the real ramifications of such a potential finding/announcement.
This said, I fully expect their "findings" to be a masterpiece of ambiguous language and weaslespeak.
This body after all is a creation of politicians and bureaucrats answering to many governments. They, almost certainly, will
"punt."
The OPCW had better release their findings if they contradict the "official" narrative before they fly out from Douma as they
could well end up like the passengers on MH17.
That in itself will be another problem because the "good guys" will know within minutes that Russia did it.
"No conlusive evidence was found" will be the finding which either side can spin to their desire.
Russia - there is no evidence so there was no attack
US - the evidence was no conclusive but only because enough time has passed that it degraded to the point where a good sample
could not be located.....and Russia kept the inspectors from the site in order for this to happen.
I saw an interesting tweet over at Charles Shoebridge. " To be clear, I don't dispute that
as UK govt says cleaning up nerve agent may 'cost millions and take months'. But I do dispute
that the same UK govt and media saying this can also with any consistency then suggest Russia
has cleaned up Douma in just a few days. Jihadists claim that sarin was used as well as
chlorine.
The Russians have in their pocket (filmed I believe) a notable at the Douma (only) hospital
(can't remember who) that has described the White Helmets filming as; a bomb destroyed the
top floor of the hospital and the film crew moved bodies and kids to the basement and doused
them with hoses and sprayed them with Ventolin (asthma inhaler – blue). This provided
the film used to justify the Cruise missile attack Fri 13th. 2018.
The Russians have rumbled the Douma false flag and the OECD chemical weapons investigators
are on their way to the Douma hospital (basement) to find no chemicals, they report in a few
weeks.
Lavrov has said that the British ordered the Douma rebels to make a chemical warfare White
Helmets type movie fast, in desperation, since the Russians/SAA forces attack was moving fast
and they could obtain support bombing. The whole of East Ghouta has been taken by the
SAA.
A decent video exposure on TV, or even a simple web search, completely debunks the 'White
Helmets' that filmed the fake gas attack in the Douma hospital in East Ghouta. Re. my earlier
email.
May didn't wait (in panic) for parliament approval and went ahead with military action (8 of
our missiles wasted at £6.3M). The 11 'handlers' (said to be officers) are not in the hands of the Russians (who have
swopped theirs for ours previously) but are held by the SAA and could well have have spilled
the beans. If they are paraded (filmed) and spill the beans things will get ugly for May et
al.
Two medics from the Douma hospital have been interviewed on video. I ran onto the videos a
day or so back, but cannot find them at the moment.
A bombed building collapsed and caught fire, trapping people in the basement who died of
smoke and dust inhalation and asphyxiation. Some wounded were taken to the hospital, some
with injuries, others needed treatment only for smoke and dust inhalation. This is when the
film crew rushed in shouted chemicals and told everyone to douse themselves with water.
There are two videos of the dead. One I think is actually taken where the people died. The
frothing around the mouth and other discharges look genuine. These victims were then moved to
a different place and videoed to make the 'CW' attack seem more widespread. This is the
second video where bodies are obviously dumped and some shaving cream applied.
Was the goal of the attack to initiate Russia turkey split? If so the attack was very nasty, has typical for British imperial
provocations sophistication, and was pretty successful.
Notable quotes:
"... Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said images of victims of the purported attack were staged with "Britain's direct involvement." ..."
...The Kremlin said Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke with Macron and the two leaders
agreed to coordinate their actions to avoid further military escalation in Syria. It was
unclear how this might influence the direction of events.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said images of victims of the
purported attack were staged with "Britain's direct involvement." He provided no evidence.
As Global times put it: "One of the major characteristics of the Trump administration's diplomacy is willfulness and
recklessness, as if the all-mighty US has the right to do everything. However, the stronger a country is, the greater the
responsibility it has to maintain world peace and order."
Trump's Attack on Syria Shows the US Still Considers Itself a Global Policeman | The Nation
The attack demonstrates that the United States still considers itself to be not simply the indispensable nation
but a global policeman above the law. With the president claiming the right to use military force anywhere without
congressional authorization -- and Congress so supine that, with few honorable exceptions, it does not object -- and the
foreign-policy establishment across the board claiming the right to use force in direct, open, and arrogant
violation of international law, we have reached the point where the US president acts as cop, judge, jury, and
executioner.
With this president, of course, illegality has become the norm. Trump and our allies unleashed the attack even
as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was traveling to Syria to provide an
independent, authoritative investigation of the attack on Douma and determine whether or not in fact chemical
weapons were used, and if so, by whom. Trump preferred, in Alice in Wonderland fashion, sentence first, verdict
after.
To protect the Syrian people from the horrors of alleged chemical-weapons use, we unleash missiles and bombs on
the Syrian people. To enforce an alleged -- and, if true, grotesque -- violation of the international chemical-weapons
ban, we trample the international ban on wars of aggression. Yes, yes, Trump says the mission was "perfect," and
called it -- in an absurd echo of George W. Bush's infamous 2003 pronouncement about the Iraq War -- "mission
accomplished." The media feature the tactical questions of how and what and when. We hear all the usual nonsense
about smart weapons, surgical bombing.
This raid -- celebrated by neocons and their liberal interventionist allies alike -- derives from America's unipolar
moment after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Then the heady liberal interventionists decided,
in Madeleine
Albright's words
, that the United States was the "indispensable nation," that we could act because "we stand
tall and we see further than other countries into the future." From that came the arrogant assumption that the
United States could scorn the same international laws that it had championed at Nuremberg after World War II.
Former State Department official Anne Marie Slaughter spoke for the bipartisan consensus when she tweeted, "I
believe that the US, UK & France did the right thing by striking Syria over chemical weapons . [even] if it is
illegal under international law. But it at least draws a line somewhere & says enough."
We have arrogated to ourselves the right to attack other sovereign countries when they offend our judgments of
proper behavior -- about human rights, against civil war on the European continent, against chemical weapons. Of
course, we do not attack our allies such as Saudi Arabia in Yemen, or Israel in Gaza for engaging in such
activities.
... ... ...
Seeing growing violence in Syria -- sparked by revolt generated by Assad's brutal reign -- Obama decided that like Ben Ali in
Tunisia and Hosni Mubarak in Egypt, Assad must go. Even though Assad posed no threat to the United States, Obama dispatched the CIA
and Special Forces to train and arm the insurgency against Assad. But many of those arms, ostensibly intended for "democratic" rebel
forces, ended up in the hands of ISIS and other
terror groups. The conflicts between Assad, Sunnis, Shiites, Kurds, Turks, and Persians grew more complex. Iran and
Russia came to the aid of a sovereign head of state that the United States, in conjunction with its Gulf "allies,"
had been waging aggressive war to topple.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have been killed; millions uprooted...
Katrina vanden Heuvel is editor and publisher of The Nation.
"... In the absence of a coherent US strategy toward Syria, this latest attack may even stoke the fires of Syrian nationalism. ..."
"... Of course, new regional alignments will become inevitable. Turkey and Israel have backed the US attack. ( here ) The Turks' bazari instincts are legion and President Recep Erdogan senses a historic opportunity to project Turkish power into Syria and realize his "neo-Ottoman" dream. Trust him to overreach. ..."
"... Israel is a bit down due to the messy confrontation at the Gaza border ; or else, it would have jumped into the fray. Israel's best bet will be that the US keeps an open-ended military presence in a Syria that is balkanized and weak and is in no position to reclaim the lost territory in the Golan Heights that are under Israeli occupation since 1967. ..."
"... Tehran has hinted at "regional consequences." But Iran's style will be to avoid direct conflict with the US and opt instead to intensify its political work and consolidate its wide networking with various groups on the ground, which systematically keep undermining the US presence in Syria and Iraq. No doubt, Iran will intensify the politics of "resistance" against Israel. ..."
The US President Donald Trump's mind took a fourth U-turn in almost as many days on Friday
since he began speaking about his decision to withdraw the American forces from Syria and leave
it to "others" to handle the endgame in the conflict. He swung to the extreme threatening a
rain of missiles on Syria, only to back-track a day later to hint there might not be any attack
at all, and finally to announce a joint US-UK-France attack on Friday.
If the former US Deputy Secretary of State Nicholas Burns, an experienced career diplomat,
got the impression that POTUS was playing a video game, it comes as no surprise. Indeed, the
most striking thing about the US strike on Syria is its futility of purpose beyond a symbolic
value to impress the domestic constituency that POTUS is a forceful decision-maker, who unlike
his predecessor Barack Obama, lays down 'red lines' and follows up.
Actually, it is a cowardly stance. Trump hastened to strike just hours before the
investigation by the team from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was due
to begin in Douma – as if time was running out to act with impunity. Clearly, Trump felt
the compulsion to be seen acting. He had no authorization from the Congress nor did he secure a
mandate from the UN Security Council to launch aggression against a UN member country.
"There's an obligation, particularly when dealing with matters of peace and security, to act
consistently with the Charter of the United Nations and with international law in general. The
UN Charter is very clear on these issues.
"The Security Council has primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace
and security. I call on the members of the Security Council to unite and exercise that
responsibility. I urge all Member States to show restraint in these dangerous circumstances and
to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation and worsen the suffering of the Syrian
people."
On the other hand, the attack on Syria was carefully choreographed. Paris has disclosed that
Moscow was informed in advance. Indeed, "deconfliction" proceedures were under discussion
between the Pentagon and Russian Defence Ministry for the past 2-3 days. The attack clinically
targeted alleged chemical weapon sites in three cities in Syria – Damascus, Hom and Hama.
No military bases or assets were attacked. The missiles scrupulously avoided locations where
there could be Russian personnel. Care was taken to avoid "collateral damage". In fact, there
has been no reported casualty. On the whole, it is as if a riveting fireworks show has been
conducted.
The Syrians claim they shot down a number of incoming missiles. But like in the Sherlock
Holmes story, the dog didn't bark – not a single move has been reported by Russia to
intercept the incoming missiles. Moscow simply watched a brawl unfold between the US, UK and
France on one side and the Syrian regime on the other. Moscow instead turned on its propaganda
apparatus to take the maximum advantage of the senseless, almost bizarre missile attack. If the
OPCW team turns in a 'Nil' report from Douma shortly, Russian propaganda can be trusted to go
for Trump's jugular veins.
The US attack will not create any new facts on the ground. The comprehensive victory of the
Syrian regime of President Bashar Al-Assad in the 7-year conflict is becoming an irreversible
reality. Arguably, this could be the last waltz of the western interventionist powers in Syria
who had hoped to overthrow the regime and failed miserably. In the absence of a coherent US
strategy toward Syria, this latest attack may even stoke the fires of Syrian
nationalism.
Russia has spoken of "serious consequences", without elaborating. Will Russia escalate the
situation? Seems unlikely. It is hard to see a Russian reaction on the ground – although
Moscow is watchful that the western strategy ultimately threatens the Russian presence in
Syria. Much depends on the next western move. The NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg is
expected in Ankara on Monday.
In a strongly-worded statement, President
Vladimir Putin has warned that the "escalation in Syria is destructive for the entire
system of international relations. History will set things right, and Washington already bears
the heavy responsibility for the bloody outrage in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Syria." Russia proposes
to convene an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council "to discuss the aggressive actions
by the US and its allies," Putin said.
Of course, new regional alignments will become inevitable. Turkey and Israel have backed
the US attack. (
here ) The Turks' bazari instincts are legion and President Recep Erdogan senses a historic
opportunity to project Turkish power into Syria and realize his "neo-Ottoman" dream. Trust him
to overreach.
Israel is a bit down due to the
messy confrontation at the Gaza border ; or else, it would have jumped into the fray.
Israel's best bet will be that the US keeps an open-ended military presence in a Syria that is
balkanized and weak and is in no position to reclaim the lost territory in the Golan Heights
that are under Israeli occupation since 1967.
All eyes are on Iran. But Tehran will not speak its mind . Tehran's eyes are
cast on the May 12 deadline when Trump must decide on the sanctions waiver to the July 2015
nuclear deal. The big question now is whether Trump would tear up the Iran nuclear deal in the
present circumstances when the US needs the support of its European allies.
Tehran has hinted at "regional consequences." But Iran's style will be to avoid direct
conflict with the US and opt instead to intensify its political work and consolidate its wide
networking with various groups on the ground, which systematically keep undermining the US
presence in Syria and Iraq. No doubt, Iran will intensify the politics of "resistance" against
Israel.
The Russia-Iran partnership in Syria is steadily morphing into an alliance, which is in
mutual interests. The defeat of the US-Israeli-Saudi containment strategy against Iran may turn
out to be the most significant and enduring outcome of this US attack on Syria.
"... Col.-Gen. Rudskoi chose his words carefully by hinting that Russia could also supply countries other than Syria (eg., Venezuela, North Korea, Lebanon, Iraq, etc.) The remark stems from President Vladimir Putin's hugely significant statement on Saturday regarding US attack on Syria when he said, inter alia: "The current escalation around Syria is destructive for the entire system of international relations. History will set things right " ..."
"... Trump's impetuosity to attack Syria is in defiance of the international system and it may open a Pandora's box. Ironically, Israel, as "frontline state", has the highest stakes if the unwritten understanding between the US and Russia unravels. (Moscow had collaborated with the Barack Obama administration and Israel to slow down the supply of S-300 missiles to Iran.) Equally, Turkey will have to think twice before venturing into further land grab in Syria if Damascus regains control of its air space. ..."
"... The Israeli think tank The Institute for National Security Studies had done a very informative paper in 2013 entitled Syria, Russia, and the S-300: Military and Technical Background. ..."
There is no triumphalism in the US, Britain or
France over the missile strike in Syria on Friday. The mood is rather defensive. Indeed,
evidence is still lacking on the alleged chemical attacks in Douma, which was the alibi for the
missile strike. There are no tall claims, either, as regards the effectiveness of the missile
strike in military terms.
On the contrary, Damascus is in upbeat mood. April 14 has been declared a day of
celebrations. After all, the Syrian forces single-handedly faced the Western assault. The
Russian reports underscore that Syrian air defence system was highly effective. The Defence
Ministry said in Moscow on Saturday that there haven't been any Syrian casualty. Moscow attests
that the Syrians shot down as many as 71 missiles out of the total 103 fired by the US, UK and
France. Neither Washington nor London and Paris has so far contradicted the Russian
assessment.
President Donald Trump is the solitary voice crowing about the missile attack. He tweeted
bombastically:
So proud of our great Military which will soon be, after the spending of fully approved
dollars, the finest that our Country has ever had. There won't be anything, or anyone, even
close!
But Trump was grandstanding in front of the domestic audience and avoided making any
specific claims about the success of the strike by his "smart" missiles. In sum, this has been
a theatrical show.
The military balance in Syria now comes into play. For the Syrian regime, this is baptism
under fire. Only recently, the Syrians had shot down an Israeli jet. Now they have scored 70%
hit on Friday.
The Syrians are equipped with Soviet-era air defence systems developed in the 1960s. What if
the Russians upgrade the systems? This is exactly what the head of Russian General Staff's Main
Operations Directorate Colonel-General Sergei Rudskoi hinted in Moscow on Saturday:
"A few years ago, taking into account a pressing request from some of our partners, we
abandoned the supplies of the S-300 missile systems to Syria. Considering the latest
developments, we deem it possible to get back to discussing this issue, not only in relation to
Syria, but to other countries as well."
No doubt, it will be a game changer if Russia equips the Syrian army with deterrent power to
inflict unaffordable costs on potential aggressors. Iran has shown how such a strategy can work
when it helped the Hezbollah in Lebanon to acquire deterrence against Israel.
In fact, Jerusalem Post newspaper has highlighted the Russian general's remark. The paper
notes that if Moscow carries out the threat, "Israel's air superiority is at risk of being
challenged in one of its most difficult arenas And it could be just a matter of time before an
Israeli pilot is killed." The
JP report adds,
Syrian air defenses are largely Soviet-era systems, comprised of SA-2s, SA-5s and SA-6s,
as well as more sophisticated tactical surface-to-air missiles such as the SA-17 and SA-22
systems. The most up-to-date system that Moscow has supplied to the Syrian regime is the
short range Pantsir S-1, which has shot down drones and missiles that have flown over
Syria.
The advanced S-300 would be a major upgrade to Syrian air defenses and pose a threat to
Israeli jets as the long-range missile defense system can track objects like aircraft and
ballistic missiles over a range of 300 kilometers.
The system's engagement radar, which can guide up to 12 missiles simultaneously, helps
guide the missiles toward the target. With two missiles per target, each launcher vehicle can
engage up to six targets at once.
Col.-Gen. Rudskoi chose his words carefully by hinting that Russia could also supply
countries other than Syria (eg., Venezuela, North Korea, Lebanon, Iraq, etc.) The remark stems
from President Vladimir Putin's hugely significant
statement on Saturday regarding US attack on Syria when he said, inter alia: "The current
escalation around Syria is destructive for the entire system of international relations.
History will set things right "
Trump's impetuosity to attack Syria is in defiance of the international system and it
may open a Pandora's box. Ironically, Israel, as "frontline state", has the highest stakes if
the unwritten understanding between the US and Russia unravels. (Moscow had collaborated with
the Barack Obama administration and Israel to slow down the supply of S-300 missiles to Iran.)
Equally, Turkey will have to think twice before venturing into further land grab in Syria if
Damascus regains control of its air space.
"There is no truth to the rumor that, after watching an episode of "Gilligan's Island" on
TV, President Trump ordered a search party sent out for the passengers and crew of the S.S.
Minnow.
But there might be some truth that he does tend to get carried away with what he sees on television. We saw that last week
when he launched a missile strike on the basis of what he admitted was his emotional reaction
to a video.
james • 7 hours ago
maybe someone could tell him the white helmet propaganda videos he's watching are paid for
by usa-uk... it might slow him down a bit...
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) was one lawmaker who opposed Trump's strike on Syria --
noting that only Congress has the power to authorize the use of force except in cases of
self-defense. "President Trump's decision to launch airstrikes against the Syrian government
without Congress's approval is illegal and -- absent a broader strategy -- it's reckless,"
Kaine said in a statement. "Today, it's a strike on Syria -- what's going to stop him from
bombing Iran or North Korea next? The last thing Congress should be doing is giving this
president a blank check to wage war against anyone, anywhere."
Michigan Republican Congressman Justin Amash agreed. "These offensive strikes against Syria
are unconstitutional, illegal, and reckless," Amash said in a tweet . "The next
speaker of the House must reclaim congressional war powers as prescribed in Article I of the
Constitution. @SpeakerRyan has completely abdicated one of his most important
responsibilities."
... ... ...
International Law
Trump's strike on Syria is a violation of international law and the United Nations Charter
-- to which the United States is a party -- according to a number of legal experts. "This
military action is illegal," Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's
National Security Project,
said in a statement . "In the face of constitutional law barring hostile use of force
without congressional authorization, and international law forbidding unilateral use of force
except in self-defense, President Trump has unilaterally launched strikes against a country
that has not attacked us -- and without any authorization from Congress. Doing so violates some
of the most important legal constraints on the use of force."
...the Russian government has reacted with fury to the Trump's strike on Syria -- and is
promising there will be consequences. "The worst apprehensions have come true. Our warnings
have been left unheard," Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov said in a
statement. "A pre-designed scenario is being implemented. Again, we are being threatened. We
warned that such actions will not be left without consequences. All responsibility for them
rests with Washington, London and Paris. Insulting the President of Russia is unacceptable and
inadmissible. The U.S. – the possessor of the biggest arsenal of chemical weapons –
has no moral right to blame other countries."
Iran's Reaction
Iran, which also has forces engaged in Syria, condemned the allied attack. "The attack is the
blatant violation of international laws, as well as ignoring the sovereignty and territorial
integrity of Syria," Bahram Qasemi, spokesman for Iran's Foreign Ministry, said . "No doubt the US and its allies that are
engaged a military intervention in Syria without any substantiated document and before any final
report of the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), and have supposed
themselves as the world police and judge, are responsible for regional and international
repercussions of the adventure, and should be held accountable."
... ... ...
Dave Majumdar is the defense editor for The National Interest . You can follow
him on Twitter:@davemajumdar.
A response from the Russians will probably be that the Syrians and other countries are
supplied with high-quality S300 rockets. Then the US can probably only very limited
countries raid and kill people without being in danger of being shot down.
Don't underestimate the US because we don't use maximum force. There's a reason for
that. We're trying to avoid a wider conflict with Russia and believe me, I don't think they
want it either. Right now, Russia has the upper hand because no Russians in this attack
were killed and no chemical weapons themselves, only the facilities where they make them
were destroyed. This was a waste in my opinion. And if we're afraid of a wider conflict,
then we shouldn't have been there in the first place. I was not gung ho on this
venture.
No, I do not underestimate the Americans. But you are unwise if you underestimate the
Russians. But no matter who is stronger. In any case, a war between you and Russia would
lead to the end of the world. No nation would become immediately. This was the order and it
was not corrected! Mankind has been lucky again.ergeben, result! The nuclear weapons are
detonated. A life on earth is at this huge potential, a spring to 100 mega tons, no longer
possible. Hiroshima had 16 kilos of tons. A mosquito against an elephant. There are no
winners. Therefore, such a confrontation must never be repeated again. Get your men back. I
hope the world woke up this day. If only one rocket had hit a Russian unit, the Russians
would have to fire back immediately. This was the order and it was not corrected! Mankind
has been lucky again.
It really boils down to control of warfare. Nobody at the top (you know who you are)
wants chemical weapons anymore, since they now have so many new toys to play with, so the
objective is to make chemical manufacturing too expensive to use.
On another note, it's been fun watching the bold play and takeover leading to the
divvying up of Syria. This is but another step in the process of forming the New Middle
East. Turkey as the role model for Muslim Democracy.
This whole thing looks like a very carefully orchestrated exit strategy by Trump and his
allies. Just ten days ago Trump announced that U.S forces will be leaving Syria and froze
the funds to be spent in Syria. This obviously must have made hawks in D.C and London very
nervous because leaving Syria in this way would look like loss of prestige for U.S and
allies. So this fake chemical weapons attack was planned and opportunity was given for
Trump and Theresa May to look tough ! Now U.S can leave Syria and Trump can still look like
a tough guy ! The Russians probably don't mind because they will be happy by the departure
of American forces from the Syrian region.
It is amazing how many Americans trolls there are here. These degenerates are wilfully
blind to the mendacity of the most potent evil on earth... America. This evil empire lied
about Iraq's WMDs and attacked it, resulting in 100's of thousands of deaths, but its
degenerate apologists shed nary a tear for the evil of their kind. A pox on all of you.
If Russia decides to let it go, then there should be minimal consequences. If Russia
decides to retaliate militarily in some way, shape or form, then there will be massive
consequences.
Theresa May's
decision to authorise British military action over the skies of Syria by royal prerogative
rather than obtaining the backing of parliament was the wrong thing to do. Even if the prime
minister thinks it was done for the right reasons. It was wrong because the government's plans
should have been articulated so that MPs could have had a chance to endorse – or reject
– a motion to bomb Bashar al-Assad's weapons factories. It was wrong because there was no
emergency – an exception used when after a debate MPs retrospectively endorsed action
against Muammar Gaddafi's
Libya . It was wrong because only prime ministers can recall parliament – and there
was time to do so. It was wrong because decisions about how to police the unlawful use of
weapons of mass destructive terror in Syria turn upon judgment rather than available facts.
Parliament is the best place to assess whether the use of military force serves the overall
interests of a nation in such cases. This is especially true of a government without a majority
of its own. Jeremy Corbyn's resurrection of an old idea for a
war powers act , which would force the PM not to authorise the active and large-scale
deployment of British forces overseas without the approval of the House of Commons, ought not
to be dismissed.
But it should be accompanied by a wider recognition that the days of self-regulation of
cabinet government are over. Observing the parliamentary convention would be better than
creating an act where fractious disagreements over the precise nature of the circumstances in
which the law is to be applied – especially in a situation as fluid and volatile as war
– prevail.
Investigators of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) entered the
Douma district in east of Syrian capital Damascus on Tuesday to start investigating the
allegations of chemical weapons use, state TV reported.
No more details were disclosed about the entry of the team to the previously rebel-held
district, where an alleged gas attack by Syrian troops reportedly killed dozens of people and
triggered off the US-led joint airstrikes on Syria on Saturday morning.
Syria has strongly rejected the allegations as fabrication by the rebels and Western
countries to justify a military attack on the country.
The OPCW investigators, who arrived in Damascus on Saturday, have held several meetings with
Syrian officials.
The Syrian government and its ally Russia had urged the OPCW to send a team to Douma to
investigate the alleged use of chlorine gas.
Syria's Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said his government is keen to cooperate with
the investigators, state news agency SANA reported.
Mekdad said that the investigators had held meetings with the Syrian government and
discussed about carrying out its work with transparency, impartiality, and accuracy.
The US-led military strike on Syria has been widely criticized for prejudgment before the
investigators reach a conclusion on if there was a gas attack or who should be responsible for
it.
It is not the first time that the Syrian government has been accused of using chemical
weapons. In April, 2017, the US launched a similar missile attack on a Syrian air base in the
central province of Homs over the same allegation.
"... It also says a great deal about our media that one of the greatest living British journalists is employed only by The Independent, a newspaper which has become extremely marginal, while other genuine greats like Jon Pilger, with a fantastic pedigree, do not have access to UK mainstream media at all. 60,000 people on average are reading my journalism here every day, but no mainstream outlet will carry it. ..."
Robert Fisk is one of the very few excellent investigative journalists still employed in the
UK. He is twice winner of the British
Press Awards ' Journalist of the Year prize, and seven time winner of the British Press
Awards' Foreign Correspondent of the Year. He is extremely smart and knows the Middle East very
well. He has just made his way – not accompanied by Russian or Syrian government
officials – to Douma and this is what he reports.
If you care to search for Robert Fisk on twitter, the attacks on his reputation and
integrity at this very moment from achieve nothing neo-con trolls and media lackeys are
astonishing. He is in Douma – they are at their desks.
--- Audio link deleted ---
It also says a great deal about our media that one of the greatest living British
journalists is employed only by The Independent, a newspaper which has become extremely
marginal, while other genuine greats like Jon Pilger, with a fantastic pedigree, do not have
access to UK mainstream media at all. 60,000 people on average are reading my journalism here
every day, but no mainstream outlet will carry it.
* is an author, broadcaster and human rights activist. He was British Ambassador to
Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to
2010.https://www.craigmurray.org.uk
PavewayIV thanks, as always I appreciate your thorough analysis.
...and in quantities that would have absolutely killed the Skripals given what was still
there after two weeks...
Indeed, and if A-234 is as strong as reported, it's likely any traces around the Skripals
would have killed the first responders too.
No doubt related to Lavrov's disclosure: this morning (and yesterday in the Sunday Times)
nearly every national UK paper is running a front page version of this story: "Russia
launches cyber war on UK with 'dirty tricks' campaign as PM to face Commons over Syria
strikes" (taken from The Daily Telegraph). This meme is so widespread (BBC Radio 4 also)
that, in itself, it looks like a co-ordinated attempt at scaremongering and
misinformation.
It's designed to make people think that anything they read online that is contrary to the
official FUKUS narrative about Russia/Syria can be given the term 'dirty trick' and
dismissed. And by conflating the Skripal story with Syria (remember the messages about
'package delivered' picked up by '4-Eyes' in Cypress?) then anything Russia says about the
Skripal affair is suspect and "not worthy of your consideration, dear reader".
I see that
The Sun newspaper is now running with this news in it's online version:
RUSSIA and Syria have blocked chemical inspectors from investigating the site of a brutal
chemical attack in Douma, Syria, reports claim.
Russia may even have compromised the site of the April 7 gas attack, according to Ahmet
Uzumcu, Director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
"It's our concern they may have tampered with it to thwart the fact finding
investigation," Mr Uzumcu is quoted as saying by NBC's Bill Neely.
Also see yesterday's
important report by Elijah J Magnier. Ties stuff together.
"... Did Spiez also do a DNA identification to ensure the TRACE metabolized samples actually came from the Skirpals, with no other DNA/chemical indicators which might indicate purposeful contamination or reformulation? Where did the "virgin" samples come from? The doorknob the Skirpals had not touched for longer than it takes for BZ to show symptoms? The chain of custody for all these samples should be 100% airtight, or all analysis is fatally flawed. ..."
"... This still reeks of a Mossad attack/disinfo operation, there are simply too many "flaws" in this to be unintentional. ..."
"... It is not only the current a Director-General who is a NATO-man, the PR women of OPCW was also on NATO payroll. Almost all international bodies are revolving doors for the Western paid personnel. Nobody does a truly honest job if they want the next appointment and advancement. Does anybody still remember the Brazilian Sergio de Mello? He revolved till he got blown up in Iraq. ..."
"... Ok. Ahmed Üzümcü is a former nato representative. This is interesting. What about the rest of the OPCW people? What about the OPCW teams inspecting Douma? Have they any non poodle nationality members? Does anybody know that? ..."
"... I can confirm that the chain of custody was 100% watertight, no worries there. Custody was 100% under iFUKUS control from the moment of contamination of the victims/environment until the completion of all tests and the publication of final reports. That is why the samples were spiked with fresh A-234. ..."
"... During a brief moment when I was viewing CNN yesterday (Alex Witt was playing bad cop most of the time, making sure Russia was suitably demeaned and excoriated for its evil ways) --but, iirc and I may not have done*, someone asked why the FUKUS would endanger people by blowing up locations the US stated they absolutely KNEW held chemical weapons and precursors. The reply was that the Pentagon was certain that since the locations were not in heavily populated areas that the breezes would disperse the poisons safely. ..."
"... The UN has been fully weoponized by the US and it's sock puppet partners in the west. The western powers completely ignore the UN charter while demanding absolute power through the UNSC. It is time for both Russia and China to leave the UN which will lead to a cascade of other countries leaving. It will also end any lingering belief in the legitimacy of the UN. ..."
"... Re: why hospital workers and others have not said anything about the Skripals' situation in a long time, it's very likely everyone, including patients and witnesses from Salisbury have been made to sign nondisclosure agreements. At least that's what happens in Brit series shown on Masterpiece Theatre. ..."
"... Also, DS Nick Bailey may have been sent to the house to get him exposed to whatever the chem agent was, part of being a way to draw attention away from the main site of exposure? BZ may explain the rather interesting description Bailey's written statement included: this line, and only this one, which described any physical or mental reactions he felt from his ordeal: ..."
"... Indeed, and if A-234 is as strong as reported, it's likely any traces around the Skripals would have killed the first responders too. ..."
"... Also see yesterday's important report by Elijah J Magnier. Ties stuff together. Folks, in seeking out and highlighting the truth we going to have our work cut out for us here! [See "have your work cut out (for you)" ..."
"... This is one of the few if only 'miracle recovery' situations in which the victims did not sit down for interviews. I imagine once they have been groomed enough they will sit down for an interview with a trusted news organization. ..."
"... The Spiez lab is a NATO lab. Even though Switzerland is "neutral", it is an associate member of NATO under the NATO Peace Partnership. Spiez has been involved in serious falsifications of analysis results for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)'s work on the use of uranium and depleted uranium weapons. ..."
"... In my opinion, the release of the real report to the Russians was the work of a whistle-blower, for the Spiez lab has highly trained people who take great pride in the generally impeccable quality of the lab's work and its repuration for such. Many of them would have been appalled that their lab was party to some sort of deception. ..."
"... Lavrov was right then, and he's right now. The "Joint Investigation Team" is actually "The Fix Is In Team". The official title is just for show, to make infoganda that impresses the ignorant, complacent, and submissive. It's exactly like the Big Lie that "17 intelligence agencies separately concluded that Russians meddled in US elections". ..."
Were the Skripals 'Buzzed', 'Novi-shocked' Or Neither? - May Has Some 'Splaining' To
Do
The Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, Sergey Lavrov, threw a bombshell at the
British assertions that the collapse of the British secret agent Sergej Skripal and his
daughter Yulia on March 4 in Salisbury was caused by a 'Novichok' nerve agent 'of a type
developed by Russia'. (See our older pieces, linked below, for a detailed documentation of the
case.)
The Skripal poisoning happened on March 4.
Eye witnesses described the Skripals as disoriented and probably hallucinating. The
emergency personal suspected Fentanyl influence.
A few days later the British government claimed that the Skripals had been affected by a
chemical agent from the 'Novichok' series which they attributed to Russia. It insinuated that
the Skripals might die soon.
A doctor of the emergency center at the Salisbury District Hospital publicly asserted
that none of its patients was victim of a 'nerve agent'.
On March 14, after much pressure from Russia, Britain finally invited the Organisation
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to analyze the blood of the victims and to
take environmental samples.
The OPCW arrived on March 19 and took specimen on the following days. It also received a
share of the samples taken earlier by the British chemical weapon laboratory in Porton Down,
which is only some 10 miles away from Salisbury.
The OPCW split the various samples it had in a certified laboratory in the Netherlands
and then distributed them to several other certified laboratories for analysis.
One of those laboratories was the highly regarded Spiez Laboratory in Switzerland which
is part of the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Protection and fully certified.
On April 12 the OPCW
published a public version of the result of the analyses it had received from its
laboratories.
A more extensive confidential version was given to the state members that make up the
OPCW.
During a public speech
yesterday Lavrov stated of the OPCW report:
[A] detailed and fairly substantial confidential version was distributed to the OPCW members
only. In that report, in accordance with the OPCW way of conduct, the chemical composition of
the agent presented by the British was confirmed, and the analysis of samples, as the report
states, was taken by the OPCW experts themselves. It contains no names, Novichok or any
other. The report only gives the chemical formula, which, according to our experts, points to
an agent that had been developed in many countries and does not present any particular
secret.
After receiving that report Russia was tipped off by the Spiez Laboratory or someone else
that the OPCW report did not include the full results of its analysis.
According to Lavrov this is what the Spiez Laboratory originally sent to the OPCW:
"Following our analysis, the samples indicate traces of the toxic chemical BZ and its
precursor which are second category chemical weapons. BZ is a nerve toxic agent, which
temporarily disables a person. The psycho toxic effect is achieved within 30 to 60 minutes
after its use and lasts for up to four days. This composition was in operational service in
the armies of the US, the UK and other NATO countries. The Soviet Union and Russia neither
designed nor stored such chemical agents. Also, the samples indicate the presence of type
A-234 nerve agent in its virgin state and also products of its degradation. "
The "presence of type A-234 nerve agent", an agent of the so called 'Novichok' series, in
its "virgin state", or as the OPCW stated in "high purity", points to later addition to the
sample. The 'Novichok' agents are not stable. They tend to fall rapidly apart. Their presence
in "virgin state" in a sample which was taken 15 days after the Skripal incident happened is
inexplicable. A scientist of the former Russian chemical weapon program who worked with similar
agents, Leonid Rink, says that
if the Skripals had really been exposed to such high purity A-234 nerve agent, they would be
dead.
The whole case, the symptoms shown by the Skripals and their recuperation, makes way more
sense if they were 'buzzed', i.e. poisoned with the BZ hallucinogenic agent, than if they were
'novi-shocked' with a highly toxic nerve agent.
The Spiez Laboratory responded by not denying Lavrov's
claims:
Spiez Laboratory @SpiezLab - 19:49 UTC - 14 Apr 2018
Only OPCW can comment this assertion. But we can repeat what we stated 10 days ago: We
have no doubt that Porton Down has identified Novichock. PD - like Spiez - is a designated
lab of the OPCW. The standards in verification are so rigid that one can trust the findings.
#Skipal
Science Direct has
several excerpts of reports about BZ. The basics:
Agent 15 is also called compound 3-quinuclidinyl benzilate, BZ, or "Buzz." It is a powerful
chemical warfare agent. As one of the most potent psychoactive chemical agents, only a small
amount of BZ is needed to produce complete incapacitation. When used as an aerosol, BZ is
absorbed through the respiratory system (it has no odor). It can also be absorbed through the
skin or the digestive system. It takes approximately 1 h for BZ to take effect, and the
symptoms of exposure include confusion, tremors, stupor, hallucinations, and coma that can
last for more than 2 days.
BZ is a psycho agent 25 times stronger than LSD. It was developed by the U.S. military as an
incapacitating agent. At least 50 tons were produced and filled
into weapon delivery systems. It was allegedly
tested on U.S. soldiers in Vietnam:
Working with the CIA the Department of Defense gave hallucinogenic drugs to thousands of
"volunteer" soldiers in the 1950's and 1960's. In addition to LSD, the Army also tested
quinuclidinyl benzilate, a hallucinogen code-named BZ. Many of these tests were conducted
under the so-called MKULTRA program, established to counter perceived Soviet and Chinese
advances in brainwashing techniques. Between 1953 and 1964, the program consisted of 149
projects involving drug testing and other studies on unwitting human subjects. Although many
human subjects were not informed or protected, Dr. Gottlieb defended those actions by stating
"...harsh as it may seem in retrospect, it was felt that in an issue where national survival
might be concerned, such a procedure and such a risk was a reasonable one to take."
This is what the military tried to achieve with BZ and other psycho agents.
BZ (and LSD) turned out to be impractical as battlefield weapons.
According to British parliament
records BZ was also produced and tested, allegedly on unknowing civilians , by the
British chemical weapon laboratory Porton Down.
The Russian Foreign Minister asserts
that the OPCW suppressed the details of the Spiez Laboratory report:
Nothing is said whatsoever about a BZ agent in the final report that the OPCW experts
presented to its Executive Council. In this connection we address the OPCW a question about
why the information, that I have just read out loud and which reflects the findings of the
specialists from the city of Spiez, was withheld altogether in the final document. If the
OPCW would reject and deny the very fact that the Spiez laboratory was engaged, it will be
very interesting to listen to their explanations.
The current Director-General of the OPCW is the Turkish carrier diplomat Ahmed
Üzümcü who earlier served as the Turkish Permanent Representative to
NATO.
I have no theory how the BZ or the A-234 made it into the OPCW samples or if the Skripals
were really influenced by either of these poisons or are victims of simple shellfish poisoning.
Your guess is a good as mine.
But the story the British government has so far told is full of holes and discrepancies and
makes absolutely no sense at all. The suppression of the Spiez Laboratory report by the OPCW is
a serious breach of its procedures.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May, and the OPCW, have some 'splainin' to do.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama posts on the Skripal case:
Is there any reason to call for investigation when you have corrupt organs like OPCW that
are as biased as any other western statehood on Russia? Russia working in 110% and get like
5% back if lucky.
Charles M
After years of hatred against Russia, WW3 seems pretty logical for the same brainwashed
people that type the propaganda and those who reads it. Daily. This racism sooner or later
leads to war, and extermination.
A possible explanation for the apparent divergences between the OPCW report and the Russian
claims of what the Swiss lab found:
1. The UK requests Porton Down to confirm the presence of A-234 (motivated no doubt by its
"secret intelligence" that the Russians for 10 years had been building up a "small stockpile"
for such purposes).
2. Porton Down confirms the presence of A-234. Whether or not it carried out additional
tests to determine the presence of other possible toxic agents is uncertain.
3. The UK refuses to provide sample(s) to Russia, arguing that the "exchange of
information and consultations" called for by Article IX of the Chemical Weapons Convention
does not mean that they need to provide evidence to the "guilty party".
4. After much prodding by the Russians, the UK belatedly agrees to request "technical
assistance" from the OPCW to confirm its findings. The precise form this request took is
confidential, but one might surmise that it would have been: Please confirm the presence of
the toxic substance A-234 which we have identified in the samples (with the understood
message "no need to waste time and resources looking for other toxic substances").
5. As per its standard protocol, the OPCW sent out the samples to various "partner"
laboratories, of which one was the Spiez laboratory in Switzerland, which is the government
"ABC" lab (atomic, biological, chemical). They are asked to confirm (only) the presence of
A-234.
6. For an unknown reason, the Spiez Laboratory exceeds its mandate and not only confirms
the presence of A-234 but also traces of 3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate, better known by its NATO
code name BZ. The Spiez Laboratory sends its report to the OPCW.
7. The OPCW issues 2 reports (one private, the other confidential) on 12 April. In
response to the specific request made by the UK, the OPCW truthfully confirms that the "toxic
chemical identified by the United Kingdom" was indeed A-234. The formula for this "toxic
chemical" was (apparently) provided in the confidential report.
8.The OPCW also provides the additional information that "this toxic chemical [i.e. A-234]
was of high purity". And for those without the necessary scientific background to digest this
statement, it helpfully adds that this technical conclusion was based on " the almost
complete absence of impurities".
9. As the OPCW had not been asked to confirm the presence of any toxic chemical other than
A-234, it naturally did not take into account the superfluous discovery by the Spiez
Laboratory of traces of BZ.
10. The Russians obtain access to the Spiez Laboratory report -- from a "whistleblower" at
the lab or the OPCW, or by "hacking".
"The standards in verification are so rigid that one can trust the findings." !!! I think
they are saying "The standards in verification are so rigid that you can trust our findings"
(i.e. BZ as well as A-234 in virgin *and* (!) degradation* stage. See also my comments to
your previous post (towards the end of the list of comments).
I believe you got the "virgin" state wrong. What this refers to is the state of the substance
*before* drug metabolism, i.e. before the substance reacts to any great degree chemically
within the body and "degrades". Spiez found A-234 prior to metabolism (virgin) and after
metabolism (degradation) which might point to two separate points in time when these
substances started reacting with chemicals within the body (yes, lastly, it all comes down to
chemistry). Drug metabolism is why drug effects last only a limited time. When the substance
is metabolized (degraded) its specific effects disappear. Here is the Wikipedia entry which
is sufficient to give a general impression. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_metabolism
US and UK media will unlikely report it now, they are too busy driving the war machine,
however the drip drip of evidence coupled with increasing memories of the Iraq dodgy dossier
will eventually break through.
Also, thank you for this vital information: "The current Director-General of the OPCW is the
Turkish carrier diplomat Ahmed Üzümcü who earlier served as the Turkish
Permanent Representative to NATO." This, to me, this goes a long way understanding recent
reports of the OPCW DG regarding the 2 labs that were bombed. My, the puzzle is coming
together!
I am sorry for the many comments but it is not possible to edit comments or reply to them...
"virgin state" is not the same as "high purity". The OPCW report does not echo the Spiez
results when talking about "high purity" but London, just in more sophisticated way (i.e. not
saying "military grade").
Did Spiez also do a DNA identification to ensure the TRACE metabolized samples actually came
from the Skirpals, with no other DNA/chemical indicators which might indicate purposeful
contamination or reformulation? Where did the "virgin" samples come from? The doorknob the Skirpals had not touched for
longer than it takes for BZ to show symptoms? The chain of custody for all these samples should be 100% airtight, or all analysis is
fatally flawed.
This still reeks of a Mossad attack/disinfo operation, there are simply too many "flaws"
in this to be unintentional.
We don't know if OPCW found A-234 in the samples they took, or only in the ones that they
were given by the British, which could easily have been tampered with.
(Note that there are numerous posts pertaining to this subject on the previous
thread.)
It is not only the current a Director-General who is a NATO-man, the PR women of OPCW was
also on NATO payroll. Almost all international bodies are revolving doors for the Western
paid personnel. Nobody does a truly honest job if they want the next appointment and
advancement. Does anybody still remember the Brazilian Sergio de Mello? He revolved till he
got blown up in Iraq.
Ultimately, it all comes down to unlimited printing of US$, used as confetti or in pallet
loads to pay for corruption of everything. Through US$ petro and reserve currency status the
nations are paying to be taken advantage off by global bankers of US, UK and Israel,
including Russia and China. But do not tell me that organisations in the West are corrupt.
Please show me just one which is not.
I wondered why the Skripals were said to be suffering from "hallucinations". I assumed that
really meant they were just saying things that Airstrip One didn't like during their
recovery, but apparently there was a pharmacological reason!
The 30-60 minute time frame for BZ also switches the focus back to the restaurant
(Zizzi's?), and whoever they may have met there. Weren't the original reports that Sergei was
acting erratically (hallucinations?) by the time he left the restaurant?
If the Swiss laboratory got the facts right as presented by Lavrov, many things come out
quite naturally, it seems to me. Here is my guess:
1. the Skripals were poisoned with this BZ stuff, not Novichok.
Q1: Who did it?
2. Novichok was added to the blood probes that were analysed by Porton Down and the OPCW
labs, after these probes were taken. The Skripals never came into contact with Novichok
themselves.
Q2: Who did the manipulation?
3. This means that in fact nobody wanted to kill the Skripals. It was a PR stunt from the
very start in order to demonize Russia. Whether the Skripals conspire or not, is an open and
quite irrelevant question.
Q3: Who planned it?
4. The answer to Q3 can only lie in Britain: It was the British intelligence services -
presumably under government supervision. Who else would have opportunity, motive and benefit
of all this?
5. This also answers the question about the policeman who also showed symptoms: he was the
guy who "poisoned" the Skripals with BX. He might just not have been careful enough, which is
understanable if he is told that the stuff is not so dangerous. This answers Q1.
6. With respect to Q2, I very much hope that this was done in Porton Down, using their own
samples of Novichok, because otherwise this dangerous stuff must have been transported from
somewhere, risking, for instance, killing plane passengers etc., if something went wrong. I
don't think that secret service people are willing to risk their own and the lifes of
innocent people just for such a PR stunt. They surely reduced risks to anybody to a
minimum.
From the resistance trench with love , Apr 15, 2018 10:38:12 AM |
16
@Posted by: Madeira | Apr 15, 2018 9:45:53 AM | 3
Entirely implausible?
Totally implausible, since, in sight of the development of events which have derived from
the unsubstantiated accusation against Russia, it sounds quite weird that the OPCW, a
supposedly independent international organism, would have ommited such a determinant
information for, not only discharge the Russians of responsability, but also to apply a
reasonable doubt about the responsability of many other states which right now have got
dividens from the Skripal hoax by using it as an alibi to strikes Syria with missiles and
remain illegaly in the country indefinitely.
I find totally weird as well that the OPCW did not disclose the totality of the analisis
result, in spite of what the UK could have requested concretely from them, since they are not
there to only hear the demands of the UK, but also from Russia, as part charged and also a
memeber and sucriptor of the OPCW charter, the more when this country has been blamed without
the opportune investigation of the facts.
As historical facts have already proven, the long hand of Bolton in the OPCW is obvious,
and we have that he just landed in the DoS....That every European official is blackmailed by
the US as a norm, so that favouring its geopolitial goals, even at the price of harming most
the countries of the Euroepan officials blackmailed, is already of public domain as
well....
And the answer to "who did it?" points squarely at Mossad. The UK spies/gov't were obviously
caught flat-footed, had no idea it was going to happen, no internal script on which lies they
had hard info about, relying on external "trusted sources".
Ok. Ahmed Üzümcü is a former nato representative. This is interesting. What
about the rest of the OPCW people? What about the OPCW teams inspecting Douma? Have they any
non poodle nationality members? Does anybody know that?
"And the answer to "who did it?" points squarely at Mossad."
If they were poisoned with Novichoks from the beginning then I could see Mossad. But if
this BZ toxin then it MI6 because they would want to ensure the Skripals, their agents, and
any civilians didn't die and only they would be able to uphold the PR narrative that it was
Novichoks by controlling the samples and where they are tested.
One group that could testify on Lavrov's claim is the personnel of Salisbury Hospital. Dr.
Blanshard said that they consulted with experts in the whole world to improve the recovery of
Julia Skripal. Certainly they can say if it was a BZ treatment or a Novichok treatment.
The Novichok narrative was on designed to hold up for a short time. The Ghouta CW attack
should have occurred at peak Novichok, drawing attention away, but was waylaid.
A-234 - there are many highly toxic chemical compounds but only few are developed as Chemical
weapons. Many of the compounds have properties that make them unsuitable for deployment as
CW's. A-234 compound and perhaps all of the compounds in the Russian scientists book may well
have properties that make it/them unsuited to either assassination or as a WMD so a
substitute was used.
Magnier has a new piece out which helps tie in the larger play that the Novichok narrative
was part of.
The larger play failed and now the Russians are hunting down the Brits and taking apart their
narrative.
The picture of the Skripals was taken in the restaurant on that same day? or not, with the
reflection in the mirror. With the new time frame for onset of drug reaction doesn't he
become a "person of interest"?, this strange guy in the mirror?
The official UK government's position was set out when it applied to the court in order to
allow the taking of blood samples for the OPCW:
"The samples tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely
related agent."
If it had been a "Novichock class nerve agent" they would have left it at that, so we can
reasonably conclude that it was a "closely related agent".
But closely related in what sense, nobody is saying. This is a typical lawyer's
manipulation of language and the criteria of the comparison are deliberately omitted. People
naturally assume that it is closely related in a chemical sense but these are lawyers and the
the meaning of the words is whatever they want it to be.
So how could a so-called "Novichok" be "closely related" to BZ? Well, one plausible
explanation could be that the lawyers are actually saying they're both chemical agents
designed to incapcitate. The phrase "closely related to" doesn't have to be anything to do
with the chemical composition. Nobody lied but their "truth" is designed to give a completely
misleading impression. That's lawyers for you.
It also allows the OPCW to agree with the UK government's position without actually
lying.
It is said that 11 UK/US officers 'handlers' of the moderate terrorists have been captured in
a tunnel in East Ghouta (hmm, mayby). However, the US/UK bellicose rhetoric,two false flags
and a Cruise missile show seem to fit the picture. Russian FM Lavrov says the poison used in Salisbury on the Skripal's was not a Novachoc (VX
type - fatal) but the toxin BZ (narcotic, hallucinogenic) and it is definitely US/UK
(Hoffman-LaRosch developed in 1951).
A consultant (Davis) at the Salisbury hospital wrote a letter to the Times saying, "there
are no patients suffering from nerve agents and only 3 who are poisoned". (fact, I saw the
Times letter).
Wikipedia describes the effects of BZ and they exactly fit the delayed, narcotic
hallucinogenic effect of BX (30mins to 4 hours post exposure). The physiological effects of
BZ and VX differ markedly, which is how doctor Davis knew – he is 8 miles from the
Porton Down chemical warfare plant and was therefore 'clued up'. Patients have recovered and
VX etc. kills, stops muscle action, not a poison as such).
In the Independent (today, Comments under the Lavrov story, Sunday 15th) a bathroom fitter
(Ollie Field) says he saw the Skripal's on the bench and thought they were 'whacked out' on
heroin.
Douma False Flag.
The Russians have in their pocket (filmed I believe) a notable at the Douma (only) hospital
(can't remember who) that has described the White Helmets filming as; a bomb destroyed the
top floor of the hospital and the film crew moved bodies and kids to the basement and doused
them with hoses and sprayed them with Ventolin (asthma inhaler – blue). This provided
the film used to justify the Cruise missile attack Fri 13th. 2018.
The Russians have rumbled the Douma false flag and the OECD chemical weapons investigators
are on their way to the Douma hospital (basement) to find no chemicals, they report in a few
weeks.
Lavrov has said that the British ordered the Douma rebels to make a chemical warfare White
Helmets type movie fast, in desperation, since the Russians/SAA forces attack was moving fast
and they could obtain support bombing. The whole of East Ghouta has been taken by the
SAA.
A decent video exposure on TV, or even a simple web search, completely debunks the 'White
Helmets' that filmed the fake gas attack in the Douma hospital in East Ghouta. Re. my earlier
email.
May didn't wait (in panic) for parliament approval and went ahead with military action (8 of
our missiles wasted at £6.3M).
The 11 'handlers' (said to be officers) are not in the hands of the Russians (who have
swopped theirs for ours previously) but are held by the SAA and could well have have spilled
the beans. If they are paraded (filmed) and spill the beans things will get ugly for May et
al.
It is an old photo. I have seen photos of the inside of Salisbury Zizzi which has a very
different interior decoration style. Zizzi's also do not have tableclothes and set tables.
Empty table are always bare.
The chain of custody for all these samples should be 100% airtight, or all analysis is
fatally flawed. Posted by: A P | Apr 15, 2018 10:23:09 AM | 11
I can confirm that the chain of custody was 100% watertight, no worries there. Custody was
100% under iFUKUS control from the moment of contamination of the victims/environment until
the completion of all tests and the publication of final reports. That is why the samples
were spiked with fresh A-234.
Peter AU 1 33
The video of the two medics at the Douma hospital you can find at Voltaire Network, but they
are in French. Hope you can understand French?
The important part about the presence of unmetabolised A-234 in the samples is that it proves
incontrovertably that the analysis was faked implicate the UK's claims. (By 'analysis' here I
specifically mean the entire process from the taking of the samples up until the provision of
the final report; the existence of the leak from Spiez implies that one or more chemists were
doing their job honestly and therefore objected to the fabrications in the final published
reports - indeed there could have been many people involved who were acting entirely honestly
- but at some critical stage within the chain of custody the process was faked).
There are however two possibilities:
a) The samples taken by OPCW were deliberately spiked with a mixture of high purity virgin
A-234 with metabolic derivatives (and/or non-metabolic disintegration products from the
virgin A-234 since it is chemically not very stable??) AFTER the blood samples were taken
from the Skripals.
b) The Skripals were injected with A-234 shortly (probably very few minutes) before the OPCW
experts arrived to take the samples.
Lavrov's statement seems to imply that the blood samples contained both virgin i.e.
unreacted A-234, and metabolic by-products of A-234 (i.e. chemicals produced by A-234 as it
is broken down by the human body). The implications of that are very important - according to
one expert comment I read somewhere (I can't remember where), these metabolic by-products
would have to be in plausible proportions, which would be very difficult to mix in the
test-tube (that expert cited a sports doping case where the analyst spiked the sample with
pure un-metabilised doping drug from a laboratory sample, and was later convicted because he
got it wrong). Maybe these certified OPCW labs are capable of mixing virgin A-234 and
metabolic products in plausible proportions, but that sounds like "rocket science" to me,
i.e. it is a very serious endeavour in itself. That implies that possibility (b) has to be
taken seriously.
Even if the A-234 by-products were not metabolic by-products but simply the products of
disintegration of A-234 through intrisic chemical instability (i.e. without biological
activity) that would also have important implications - such faking would be vastly easier to
accomplish but (it seems to me) would imply gross negligence on the part of the analysts
unless the lack of METABOLIC by-products was spotted and explicitly drawn attention to as
evidence of faking. According to reports, A-234 is metabolised quite rapidly, so the
metabolic by-products should be produced very quickly and not much unreacted A-234 should
remain.
In a previous comment I have already asserted that the phone call to Viktoria Skripal was
faked from the British side by digitally altering the voice characteristics of another person
(i.e. not Yulia Skripal) - the British have this capability and I have personally experienced
it. To my mind the artificial police-managed statements allegedly made by Yulia Skripal, the
denial of visa to Viktoria etc imply that she was by that time already irreversably incabable
of making a statement by herself - i.e. either she was dead, or 'preserved' in a coma under
life support.
I also think that the BZ was more likely administered by aerosol in the park - quite
possibly by the mystery so-called "policeman" (actually from Porton Down or MI6?) - and the
restaurant may well have been a decoy, otherwise the response latency for Sergei and Yulia
would have been more divergent. That should be visible on cctv, but of course that will never
come out. If the BZ was weaponised as an aerosol it would be absorbed very quickly, and the
two victims would be affected at the same time.
* Disclaimer * - I am not an expert! Just an "armchair commenter". I hope "Old
Microbiologist" will respond, as he obviously has detailed experience in this field.
It's getting clear to me now. There are 1980's hold overs on both sides of the pond in the
CIA, MI6, and bureaucracies in both govts who believe that Trump / May are the new Reagan /
Thatcher, destined to destroy Russia a second time. Now all they need is another Pope.
BTW I liked Reagan and the Pope (he lived long enough to condemn the Iraq war). Reagan
knew how to keep the deep state in line but after we won the Cold War they took over the
amateurs starting with Clinton.
So the deep state is unleashing hell on earth because they want to finish off Russia to
achieve world domination.
During a brief moment when I was viewing CNN yesterday (Alex Witt was playing bad cop most of
the time, making sure Russia was suitably demeaned and excoriated for its evil ways) --but,
iirc and I may not have done*, someone asked why the FUKUS would endanger people by blowing
up locations the US stated they absolutely KNEW held chemical weapons and precursors. The
reply was that the Pentagon was certain that since the locations were not in heavily
populated areas that the breezes would disperse the poisons safely.
I somehow cannot believe anyone believes that, but, hey...true believers. Lies to get the
West unto yet another illegal war.
*Hhmmm, maybe I heard that in response to questioning at the Pentagon briefing.
On the little broadcast news I caught, mostly there was chest thumping that the West's
missiles so completely bested the Russian anti-missile equipment. Not a hair on their
chinny-chin-chins (OK, West's missiles don't have hairs, but they are telling fairy tales)
were even touched, according to the reporting based on Pentagon pronouncments.
The UN has been fully weoponized by the US and it's sock puppet partners in the west. The
western powers completely ignore the UN charter while demanding absolute power through the
UNSC. It is time for both Russia and China to leave the UN which will lead to a cascade of
other countries leaving. It will also end any lingering belief in the legitimacy of the UN.
Some thing like the UN is needed but like the League of Nations before it, the past due
date was long ago. It is time for a new organization to arise that takes into account the
fact that the vast majority of the world lives in Asia and acknowledges the complete
irrelevance of the General Assemble vs the power of the UNSC was a big mistake for the world
as it was intended to be by the US.
If Russia and China proposed an organization that would give India, Pakistan, Latin
America & Africa an actual stake in decisions as opposed to just being the victims as
they are now, and the rest of the world a say rather than just an arbitrary security council,
I think they would jump at it. With the vast majority of the world on board I think most of
the Western states would eventually join. The US would never deem to join any thing where
they don't have control. But they completely ignore the UN Charter & international law,
contribute fewer peace keepers than Canada and don't pay their bills any way.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK201480/
says the latency can amount to several hours so I wonder if it can be made to match with the
'door handle' theory {or is that more than a claim}.
"it is currently used as a pharmacological tool (a muscarinic antagonist known as QNB)"
So BZ is over 50 years old, commercially available, and it can point to hm, anyone. Not even
some bigger player with access to advanced laboratory.
Point well made. Although Russia and China have gone part way -- SCO, etc -- it may be the
moment to go big -- an alternative to the UN, along the lines you've described. This might
include the possibility of imposing tariffs on rogue states, as concerns the resolutions of
such groups as the alt-UN climate convention, chemical weapons conventions, and an alt-WTO
that can impose a financial transfer tax on all foreign exchange transactions so that the
organization can be financing, and not have to go begging to Hegemon. Neutral or rotating
sites (not NYC). etc. etc.
I will now be quoting what they sent to the OPCW in their report. You understand that this
is a translation from a foreign language but I will read it in Russian, quote: "Following
our analysis, the samples indicate traces of the toxic chemical BZ and its precursor which
are second category chemical weapons. BZ is a nerve toxic agent, which temporarily disables
a person. The psycho toxic effect is achieved within 30 to 60 minutes after its use and
lasts for up to four days. This composition was in operational service in the armies of
the US, the UK and other NATO countries. The Soviet Union and Russia neither designed nor
stored such chemical agents. Also, the samples indicate the presence of type A-234
nerve agent in its virgin state and also products of its degradation." End of quote.
I was under the impression OPCW Labs (and OPCW itself) were only empowered to discover and
reveal "if a chemical substance(s) was used and if so, what?" Isn't that why Porton Down has
steadfastly refused to say "Russian/made in Russia" re the Salisbury A-234?
Lavrov states he is reading in Russian something translated from another language. However
it seems unlikely that the sentences emboldened would cause any problems in translation?
Perhaps it's a little Lavrov 'embroidery' to see who bites and how they bite?
Re: why hospital workers and others have not said anything about the Skripals' situation in a
long time, it's very likely everyone, including patients and witnesses from Salisbury have
been made to sign nondisclosure agreements. At least that's what happens in Brit series shown
on Masterpiece Theatre.
Also, DS Nick Bailey may have been sent to the house to get him exposed to whatever the
chem agent was, part of being a way to draw attention away from the main site of exposure? BZ
may explain the rather interesting description Bailey's written statement included:
this line, and only this one, which described any physical or mental reactions he felt from
his ordeal:
I "People ask me how I am feeling - but there are really no words to explain how I feel
right now. Surreal is the word that keeps cropping up - and it really has been completely
surreal."
Obviously Russia was correct in the BZ claim, the response by OPCW is disgraceful -
apparently they are now in panic mode trying to come up with a explanation for BZ findings,
apparently you cant trust organs like this today, totally biased.
Also the series was only 10 episodes and supposed to end last year, it was then split into
2 5 episode chucks so the series could end this year, much closer in time and memory to the
Salisbury incident.
I read this chapter at another place last night and my head just swelled up with a song I
learned as a child in Canada and I rearranged and typed it in their comments.
"And Theresa May rolled her wheel barrow, through streets wide and narrow, crying cockles
and mussels alive, alive O."
The tune is perfect for the feelings that swept over me and the situation of a street fish
monger peddling her wares truthfully or not seems to capture the huge pickle she has put
herself into.
"I have no theory how the BZ or the A-234 made it into the OPCW samples or if the Skripals
were really influenced by either of these poisons or are victims of simple shellfish
poisoning. Your guess is a good as mine."
A-234 (Novichok) is an acetylcholine esterase inhibitor, that causes uncontrolled muscle
contraction, and hence vomiting and convulsions. BZ is a paralytic agent, like botulinus
toxin, that causes paralysis and, hence, in severe cases death by asphyxiation. Thus, A-234
and BZ are antagonists, meaning that one would be a logical thereapeutic treatment for
poisoning by the other. There is no mystery therefore that both would be found in the Skripal
blood samples. The question that remains unanswered is which was the poison an which the
prescribed therapeutic agent.
Using BZ would also explain why they keep Skripals out of any media - a simple question from
some journalist like "what did you feel" may lead to them mentioning hallucinations which
immediately throws Novichok bull out of the window.
While technically A-234 and BZ would be expected to cancel out each others' toxic effects,
at least to some extent, A-234 would never be used therapeutically, and I'm pretty sure BZ
also has no recognized medicinal uses (although it's a good experimental tool). I expect that
any physician administering them to humans would lose his or her license, at a very minimum.
In both cases, safer antidotes exist.
Carrie@49 - When the OPCW sends teams to Syria on Fact Finding missions, the teams are given
rather bizarre and restrictive mandates. The one you cite was from previous fact-finding
mission.
The Porton Down analysis confirmation (collecting samples and distributing to OPCW labs)
was in response to a technical assistance request by the UK delegation to the OPCW -
something all OPCW members are allowed to do. We only know in general about what UK asked,
not the specifics. The details of that request are unrelated to the mandate of the Fact
Finding teams you cited.
The exact request made by the UK delegation is confidential. We can only guess what they
asked by what they said in public. Likewise, we can only guess the details of those analysis
by what the UK, the OPCW and Spiez lab said publicly. The lab can say whatever they want to
the OPCW as part of their analysis. The OPCW has been usurped and is no longer impartial (my
opinion, not legal fact). They insulate uncomfortable findings from the public with their
bureaucracy and rules of confidentiality.
The OPCW members themselves could change that, but that would require a majority of the
192 members to agree on something. It's like expecting the government to un-corrupt itself
after it has been usurped. There's simply too much at stake for the smaller nations (foreign
aid, military assistance, lives of children in New York, etc.) to fix the OPCW machine.
Lavrov is saying there was a whistleblower who wanted to make known what was in the Spies
Lab report. Their motivation was because they knew the OPCW was (or already did) cover up the
BZ findings. Of course the OPCW shouldn't have covered that up from it's member states and
those member states should object and demand the full report, but they never will. And for
the exact same reasons they can't and will never fix the usurped machine itself.
What's most interesting is that, if the whistleblower/Lavrov claim about the Spiez Lab
report is true,
1) It's solid proof of sample spiking. That would be the impossibly pure, un-degraded
something-like-A-234 from blood, urine or tissue taken two weeks after the fact, and in
quantities that would have absolutely killed the Skripals given what was still there after
two weeks. Any reasonable lab would interpret that finding as such.
2) The BZ findings explain the Skripals initial condition, and implicate the US/UK/NATO
who developed and weaponized it. The USSR never had BZ weapons or worked with BZ - that was
the west.
Spiez Lab, to it's credit, knows exactly what kind of deception is going on. They
apparently had no intention of weasel-wording their analysis or impugning their lab's
credibility. IF they put those words in their analysis for the OPCW, then it was a kind of
"In your face, LIARS" jab. The lab's lawyers would have approved - don't drag Spiez
into your world domination schemes. The OPCW filtered that out in their public report, and
have the same dilemma as any government agency confronted with whistleblower claims.
In the unusual and rare event that the Spiez analysis ever sees the light of day, the OPCW
will be made to be the fall guy with much fanfare. Not the US or UK, who will just have to
wait to see the results of an independent investigation into the matter. Five years at least
- these things take time. For now, just deny something nobody is allowed to prove.
But things start to make sense when you think of all the things that have occurred in the
last few weeks.
The Russians warned of impending chemical weapons event in Syria, then the Skripals are
found. This makes me wonder. Like father, like daughter? Were they blackmailed or willing
participants? Was Yulia a mule for MI6 with her visit to her father as the cover for the
operation? Was she tasked with transporting chemical weapons on behalf a looming Syria
operation, of weapons produced at Porton Down? Having a Russian national manage to transit
the material via certain points internationally, MI-6/FBI/CIA can then use her own itinerary
to show how it originated from Russia. The same way Mueller and the FBI set up fake terrorist
plots so they could get public convictions for the plotters the FBI created.
So what went wrong? Maybe the precursors were stored incorrectly. Maybe they mixed in a
way that ended up not killing them. That's how they were able to "save" the Skripals in
hospital, because they could tell the ER exactly what the agent was. If Novichok is so
deadly, and since they didn't die, to me, that seems as plausible as anything else. I'm no
expert in chemistry, so I'm not even sure it's possible for the two of them to become ill in
this way.
Then, we had the Saudi Clown Prince all over Europe, and finally in Paris. We know MBS is
the main benefactor for Jaesh al-Islam. SA could have been the coordinator to make the pieces
fall into line. Getting Jaesh and the White Helmets ready to receive a gif from Porton Down.
Dump the chemical weapon in a place, get some bodies to film, then wait for international
teams to arrive to "discover" samples of A-234. The Jihadis in Syria have done this before in
2013.
One has to admit, if there was a gas attack in Syria, and it turned out to be A-234
Novichok, think of how that would have been such a bonanza for Trump, May, Macron, and the
Saudi Clown Prince! But if the Skripals ended up incapacitated, it could explain why the
scrambling of the staged international sh*tshow at the UN and the earnestness of the FUKUS
reaction in all this. In desperation, they went back to the barrel bomb gambit, a substitute
for what they had hoped to do, so then they can go straight into the airstrike.
Why do I think this? Makes sense that Yulia doesn't want to go back to Russia and why the
British/Yanks are keeping her incommunicado. Maybe the Kremlin wants here back, for something
more than just being a Russian national and why the MI-6/CIA won't let her go.
Speaking of which, it's possible the Russians, behind closed doors suspect this and played
their cards well. This might help to explain why the reaction by the Russians was so muted
for the strikes in Syria.
All of this is speculation, right up there with the thermite people, of course, but that's
what everyone is trading in right now, including Paris, London and Washington.
If we assume - for arguments sake, if nothing else - that Lavrov's information is accurate
then the Russians have played their hand in a masterly fashion.
After all, the only way Lavrov can have this information is if the Russians have an
intelligence asset in place.
But where, exactly?
Because of the manner in which this information is released nobody knows if that asset is
inside the Spiez labs (i.e. where the report originated) or at the OPCW (i.e. where the
report was received and then censored).
So this puts everyone in a very difficult position because they don't know how much more
information Lavrov has up his sleeve.
After all, if the source is at Spiez Labs then Lavrov is out of ammo, so to speak. The
OPCW can claim that the BZ information was not confirmed by the other two labs and,
therefore, it is right and proper that it be left out. Lavrov would be in no position to
dispute that even if it were a flat-out lie.
But if the source is inside the OPCW then Lavrov may well have all three lab reports, in
which case the OPCW would be falling into a trap of its own making if it tries to lie its way
out of this. Lavrov would be able to cut them to ribbons by carefully releasing more
info.
That, at least in my opinion, is why the Spiez is being so circumspect, and why the OPCW
is doing a very good impersonation of a rabbit caught in headlights i.e. until they know
where the source of this leak is they can't even begin to rough-up a cover-up.
It is interesting how the "very pure" stuff everybody agrees on is spun in different
ways. "Very pure" was interpreted as meaning "can only have been produced by a state". But thinking about it - of course it is unlikely to have been found "pure" in a sample
taken from the environment. Russian scientists including Mirzayanov seem to unite on not
possible to have been found if Novichok on 19th with rain etc.
2 labs had the samples taken from environment, 2 labs had blood samples.
Hardly anything will have been found in the blood samples.
Althouth some may have had to sign Non Disclosures, it is difficult to understand why MI5 would
even bother since undoubtedly many staff would refuse at from MI5's point of view totally
un-necessary since post the consultant's letter to the Times the Home Office announced that
any further leaks by staff would result in prosecution under the englander official secrets act .
This a
particularly nasty piece of legislation that is an act of parliament dating back to part 1 of
the 20th century euro war. Some people are asked to sign it but that is more about
intimidation than legality since it applies to all public sector employees, contractors and
consultants regardless.
I remember being made to sign it by HR ('personnel' in those days) after getting a telco
techie job as a kid in the bad old days when Aoteraoa public servants were bound by the kiwi
version (they now have the privacy act which is meant to be about freedom of information but
is actually used by every govt agency spokesperson to hide their mistakes regardless giving
out details of medical treatment is one of the big no-nos rightly so too, a nurse in Aotearoa
only just missed out on getting slotted up for a good spell when she told a student's family
at home in India that their daughter had dropped in to the public hospital where she worked
for a termination. The girl copped big damages by kiwi standards).
Anyway england, as soon as the Home Secretary mumbled about the OS Act everybody including
the media who can also be tossed into the slammer for the rest of their naturals for printing
something that is covered by the Act, shut right up. Most especially the original doctor.
PavewayIV thanks, as always I appreciate your thorough analysis.
...and in quantities that would have absolutely killed the Skripals given what was still
there after two weeks...
Indeed, and if A-234 is as strong as reported, it's likely any traces around the Skripals
would have killed the first responders too.
No doubt related to Lavrov's disclosure: this morning (and yesterday in the Sunday Times)
nearly every national UK paper is running a front page version of this story: "Russia
launches cyber war on UK with 'dirty tricks' campaign as PM to face Commons over Syria
strikes" (taken from The Daily Telegraph). This meme is so widespread (BBC Radio 4 also)
that, in itself, it looks like a co-ordinated attempt at scaremongering and
misinformation.
It's designed to make people think that anything they read online that is contrary to the
official FUKUS narrative about Russia/Syria can be given the term 'dirty trick' and
dismissed. And by conflating the Skripal story with Syria (remember the messages about
'package delivered' picked up by '4-Eyes' in Cypress?) then anything Russia says about the
Skripal affair is suspect and "not worthy of your consideration, dear reader".
I see that
The Sun newspaper is now running with this news in it's online version:
RUSSIA and Syria have blocked chemical inspectors from investigating the site of a brutal
chemical attack in Douma, Syria, reports claim.
Russia may even have compromised the site of the April 7 gas attack, according to Ahmet
Uzumcu, Director general of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
"It's our concern they may have tampered with it to thwart the fact finding
investigation," Mr Uzumcu is quoted as saying by NBC's Bill Neely.
Also see yesterday's
important report by Elijah J Magnier. Ties stuff together. Folks, in seeking out and highlighting the truth we going to have our work cut out for us
here! [See "have
your work cut out (for you)"
This is one of the few if only 'miracle recovery' situations in which the victims did not sit
down for interviews. I imagine once they have been groomed enough they will sit down for an
interview with a trusted news organization.
BZ is not a hallucinogenic compound. It is a nerve agent with an unusual high ratio of lethal
dose to symptomatic dose (~400:1). That means the key symptoms of nerve agent poisoning can
be induced by exposure to low levels of agent way below the levels needed to kill someone.
That would protect the attacker as well as not immediately killing the victims.
There was no audited chain of custody for the first samples so traces on Novichok could
have been introduced between the taking of the samples (presumably by a phlebotomist at the
hospital) and its arrival at Porton Down.
The only publicly announced CCTV footage (from a private camera) showed the Skripals en
route from Zizzis to the park bench where they were found. The footage also showed a blonde
haired women leaving the shop(?) hosting the private CCTV camera some minutes after the
Skripals and following the same route. There are claims that she appeared to be carrying a
face mask. She was listed as a person of interest by the local police, but there was no
follow-up once the presence of nerve agent was made public.
This was all before Bailey came down with symptoms. This poisoning was presumably an
unexpected complicating event for those running the false flag. From local media sources, it
appears that he drove himself to Salisbury hospital early Monday morning (5 March probably
before 10:00 am some 18 hours after the attack). The hospital entrance and his car were
subsequently sealed off and decontaminated. It would be interesting to know the temporal
relationship between his arrival and the knowledge that a nerve agent was used.
The false flaggers were then presented with a problem of explaining Bailey's delayed
symptoms. The explanation would have to exclude the possibility of him being poisoned at the
same time as the Skripals to avoid anyone regarding him as an eyewitness. An unidentified
police officer turned up at the Skripal's house (mentioned in local media) around 5pm on
Sunday shortly after the attack. The seems to have provided the false flaggers with a
plausible (to them) source of poisoning, namely the door handle.
How did Bailey actually become contaminated? He was described as an early emergency
services responder (local media). If he was first on the scene, one plausible explanation is
that he was exposed to low amounts of BZ aerosal as one of the Skripals vomitted in his
presence. We know from the nature of BZ that even low levels are capable of inducing
symptoms, probably slowly progressive at those exposure levels. Local media photos of the
hazmat crews show them putting a pile of sawdust/fine sand onto the ground adjacent to the
bench, then scooping it up and putting it into an impermeable container which was then sealed
for disposal. This supports the vomitting hypothesis, which was also observed by later
passers by.
My hypothesis for events: The Skripals were exposed to an aerosol spray of low dose BZ
sprayed into their faces by an unknown person (possibly the blonde woman) whilst sitting at
the bench. Bailey was unintentionally contaminated by a similar lower level aerosol of BZ as
he attended the vomitting Skripal. The desired story of pure Novichok poisoning could not be
explained unless Bailey received a higher dose at a later time from a source that the
Skripals were plausibly in contact with - hence the door handle hypothesis. The door handle
hypothesis would also allow the false flaggers to direct attention away from the possiblity
that the Skripals were attacked at the bench. The trail of the attacker (clearly part of the
false flag team) could then be closed off and covered up.
A-234 according to Mirzayanov and A-234 according to Hoenig have different structures.
Mirzayanov claims that a number of weaker agents developed as part of the Foliant program
were published in the open literature as organophosphate pesticides, in order to disguise the
secret nerve agent program as legitimate pesticide research. So, it was made to be
pesticides. And it can be produced as a number of different pesticides everywhere in the
world.
and From the resistance trench with love | Apr 15, 2018 10:38:12 AM | 16
The Spiez lab is a NATO lab. Even though Switzerland is "neutral", it is an associate
member of NATO under the NATO Peace Partnership. Spiez has been involved in serious falsifications of analysis results for the United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP)'s work on the use of uranium and depleted uranium
weapons.
E.g. the water samples that the UNEP took from missile craters in south Lebanon after the
Israeli assault in August 2006 revealed low enriched uranium, which is what myself and two
other independent researchers, Dai Williams and Dr Chris Busby, had found there. (Our samples
were analyzed at Harwell in the United Kingdom.) However, what was announced in the
preliminary report by the UNEP was NO radiation found.
We confronted the UNEP (Henrik Slotte, head of the Post-Conflict Intervention Unit, and
Mario Buger, the technical officer), and they admitted that the water samples that they had
taken from the craters had been carefully filtered before being tested. Under pressure from
us, Burger returned, took more samples and had them tested properly, at Spiez. He also found
low enriched uranium.
In my opinion, the release of the real report to the Russians was the work of a
whistle-blower, for the Spiez lab has highly trained people who take great pride in the
generally impeccable quality of the lab's work and its repuration for such. Many of them
would have been appalled that their lab was party to some sort of deception.
This would also explain why they went ahead and analyzed the samples for things other than
just what might have been requested, although I am inclined to believe that they were
requested to analyze for everything. This would only heighten the indination of those who did
the work upon discovering that an incomplete -- distorted -- report on thorough
(gündlich) work had been sent to one of the states parties to the Convention that had a
right to know everything.
Lavrov expressed similar doubts about the independence of the international investigation
into the shooting down of Malaysian airliner MH17 in 2014, after floating many alternative
"theories".
"Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says there are a lot of questions regarding the
investigation into the downed MH17 Malaysia Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine, adding that it
is not independent, not comprehensive and not truly international." https://www.rt.com/news/311691-lavrov-mh17-malaysia-asean/
The Joint Investigation Team, consisting of the Netherlands, Malaysia, Ukraine, Belgium
and Australia, concluded that MH17 was shot down by a Russian missile under the control of
Donbas separatists. The Russian government continues to deny this.
My FB feed now has commercial media forwarding UK gov't claim that the Salisbury nerve agent
was "delivered in liquid form", FWIW. So -- what (if anything) is that worth?
Lavrov was right then, and he's right now. The "Joint Investigation Team" is actually "The Fix Is In Team". The official title is
just for show, to make infoganda that impresses the ignorant, complacent, and submissive. It's exactly like the Big Lie that "17 intelligence agencies separately concluded that
Russians meddled in US elections".
The Syrian Civil Defense, more commonly known as the White Helmets, has emerged as one of
the most effective propaganda tools for Islamist militants in Syria, with the group staging
numerous provocations to draw in foreign military intervention to aid the militants in their
quest to establish Shariah law in the Arab state. English singer Roger Waters, who was a member
of the Pink Floyd rock band, slammed the White Helmets as "a fake organization that exists only
to create propaganda for jihadists and terrorists," during a concert in Barcelona on April 13.
His comments were met with cheers from the crowd.
He said the White Helmets encourages governments in the West to attack Syria and he called
on people living in Europe and North America to urge their governments not to do so.
"If we were to listen to the propaganda of the White Helmets and others, we would be
encouraged to encourage our governments to start dropping bombs on people in Syria. This would
be a mistake of monumental proportions for us as human beings," Mr. Waters insisted.
"What we should do is go and persuade our governments not to go and drop bombs on people.
And certainly not until we have done all the research that is necessary so that we would have a
clear idea of what is really going on. Because we live in the world where propaganda seems to
be more important than the reality of what is really going on."
The White Helmets have been suspected of having ties to the al-Qaeda* franchise, with
members of the organization reportedly assisting affiliates of the terrorist group in
executions and other human rights violations.
Many took to social media to praise Mr. Waters for lifting the White Helmet's façade
and exposing the group.
Spanish crowd erupts in cheers as @rogerwaters calls the White
Helmets a "fake organization" fronting for jihadist insurgents and denounces the Western
bombing of Syria. Bricks in the wall of imperial deceptions are crumbling. https://t.co/B515yQUkKY
Until a few days ago, I knew very little about The White Helmets, other than hearing about
their 'good works' .Having tried to find out more about them -- I now think they're a bunch
of Islamist-allied charlatan scumbags, who should have ALL Govt funding withdrawn
IMMEDIATELY.
Mr. Waters is one of many who have been very vocal in their opposition to the strikes
against Syria by the US, France and the UK, which were supposedly carried out in retaliation to
an alleged chemical attack in the city of Douma earlier this month.
An engineer at the now-bombed-out research facility north of Damascus, which the US claims
was the heart of Syria's chemical weapons program, says the labs were making medicine and
testing toys for safety. RT Arabic correspondents have visited one of the main targets of the
US-led missile attack on Syria, the Scientific Studies and Research Center in the Barzeh
district in northern Damascus. The three-story building was pelted with 57 Tomahawk missiles
launched from US warships and 19 air-to-surface missiles, the Pentagon said.
The massive bombardment left it lying in ruins, with its walls and roof almost completely
collapsed and lab equipment scattered around.
The morning after the strike, several media outlets, including RT, AFP, CBS News and others
were given a tour to the former research facility, now little more than a pile of rubble.
"... casualty lists in US newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national indignation ..."
"... repeated acts of violence ..."
"... could be used in a deception operation designed to confuse enemy planes in the air, to launch a surprise attack against enemy installations or in a provocation operation in which Soviet aircraft would appear to attack US or friendly installations to provide an excuse for US intervention. ..."
The story we're told is simple: Syrian President Bashar Assad is an evil maniac who uses
poison gas on his citizens for the sheer entertainment value. As neocon think tank the Atlantic
Council
put it last week, when Assad gasses people, he is simply " indulging an addiction
" -- an addiction which he seems to have only recently acquired, given the fact that before
Syria's war began, American journalists were busy praising the "
educated " and " informed " Assad and marveling at the " phenomenal
" levels of peace and religious diversity within Syria.
In 2006 Diane Sawyer praised Assad during a trip to Syria for the "phenomenal" levels of
religious tolerance and peace in Syria. Funny how he turned into a monster at the exact
moment Washington decided it was time for regime change. https://t.co/24qy6UtFez
Anyway, so intense is Assad's newfound desire for watching Syrian babies foaming at the
mouth, that he is willing to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory by deciding to use these
weapons despite knowing it would provoke worldwide outrage and potentially a major US military
effort to oust him. So, that's the story. Assad is a monster and the world must unite to stop
him.
There are plenty of people who are less than convinced by this narrative, however. One of
them is Peter Ford, the former British ambassador to Syria. Ford told BBC Radio Scotland that " in all
probability " the alleged chemical attack never happened and that the video and image
evidence used as proof by the US and its allies was falsified. There are others who believe
that the attack could have been real, but that the perpetrators were anti-Assad rebels trying
to provoke fresh military action from the US -- in other words, it was very possibly a false
flag event which served its purpose perfectly.
One of the best questions to ask when something like this happens, is: Who benefits? Very
clearly in this case, Assad has not benefited at all, but the rebel groups fighting against him
have.
Whatever the truth about this alleged chemical attack, the notion of false flag events being
used to prompt military action should not be met with such skepticism. The US has a long
history of using lies (or 'fake news' you might call it) as a pretext for war. It is important
to look at recent events in Syria within that context.
Nayirah testimony
Perhaps the most famous of all examples was the heart-wrenching testimony to Congress of a
15-year-old Kuwaiti girl, identified only as Nayirah, which was used to sell the first Gulf War
to the American people in October 1990. An emotional Nayirah told the Congressional Human
Rights Caucus that she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers taking babies out of incubators and leaving
them on the floor to die.
What Americans did not know, was that Nayirah was the daughter of the Kuwaiti ambassador to
the US and she had been coached by the American PR firm Hill and Knowlton. But before the
details of the stunt and false testimony became widely known, it had already been used to sell
America's war against Iraq in 1991.
In 1990 young Nayirah told of seeing Iraqi soldiers pull Kuwaiti babies out of incubators.
Today our delivery of atrocity propaganda is more sophisticated, yet public credulity remains
about the same. pic.twitter.com/l7UYmByl5D
In the 1960s, American military leaders devised plans to bomb US cities and
blame Cuban leader Fidel Castro in order to manufacture public and international support for a
war.
The plan was codenamed Operation Northwoods and what it advocated was nothing short of
horrendous. The American military suggested sinking boatloads of Cuban refugees, hijacking
planes and bombing Miami. The goal was to convince Americans that Castro had unleashed a reign
of terror upon them.
The top brass were even willing to cause US military casualties by blowing up an American
boat in Guantanamo Bay and blaming Cuba. Why? Because, as they put it, " casualty lists in
US newspapers would cause a helpful wave of national indignation " and help manufacture
support for war. The plans were quashed by President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated one
year later, leading some to speculate on a link between those events.
Gulf of Tonkin
Top US officials also distorted
the facts in the lead-up to the Vietnam War and the media dutifully reported the official
narrative as absolute fact, helping launch perhaps the most disastrous war in America's
history.
On August 2, 1964, North Vietnamese torpedo boats attack the USS 'Maddox' while it was on "
routine patrol " in international waters in the Gulf of Tonkin. Two days later, the US
Navy reported a second " unprovoked " attack on the 'Maddox' and the USS 'Turner Joy'
-- a second destroyer which had been sent in after the first attack. President Lyndon B.
Johnson told the American people on TV that " repeated acts of violence " against the
US ships must be met with a strong response. Soon after Johnson appeared on TV, Congress passed
the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which pre-approved any military action that he would take from
that moment on.
The only problem was, there was no second attack on the US ships at all -- and the
allegation that the first attack had been " unprovoked " was also a lie. In reality,
the USS 'Maddox' had been gathering intelligence and providing it to South Vietnamese boats
which were attacking North Vietnam. As for the second attack, the US boats had misinterpreted
radio signals and radar images and spent two hours firing at nothing. Nonetheless, the "
attack " was used to convince the American people to support war.
3. Given the folly of the British government over Iraq and Libya, and its undoubted
misleading of the public over Iraq, it is perfectly reasonable to suspect it of doing the
same thing again. Some of us also do not forget the blatant lying over Suez, and indeed the
Gulf of Tonkin https://t.co/GLzyoPWaDG
Recently declassified
documents show yet more American false flag plotting, this time against the Soviet Union. A
three-page memo , written by
members of the National Security Council, suggested that the US government should acquire
Soviet aircraft which would be used to stage attacks and provide the pretext for war.
Such aircraft, the memo said, " could be used in a deception operation designed to
confuse enemy planes in the air, to launch a surprise attack against enemy installations or in
a provocation operation in which Soviet aircraft would appear to attack US or friendly
installations to provide an excuse for US intervention. "
The government even considered producing the soviet planes domestically in a massive covert
operation. They went so far as to acquire estimates from the Air Force on the cost and length
of time such an operation would take.
In a memo of undisclosed date, the US National Security Council suggested the government
should either buy or covertly produce Soviet aircraft and use them to launch fake attacks,
providing pretext for war https://t.co/d7fPLW6Fxwpic.twitter.com/tVnqbValPP
This is by no means an exhaustive list. Is there even any need to rehash the lies which were
told in the lead-up to the Iraq war? The media here again swallowed the government's lies, one
by one -- and 15 years later, the region is still suffering the consequences and very few
lessons appear to have been learned.
These are not conspiracy theories. They are cold, hard evidence that the US has no qualms
whatsoever about using false flag events and fake evidence to provide pretext for military
action.
Continued lack of critical inquiry from the media, given the severe potential consequences
of escalating the conflict in Syria, is tantamount to a crime.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author
and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
"... For decades, a little-known section of the British Foreign Office – the Information Research Department (IRD) – carried out propaganda campaigns using the international media as its platform on behalf of MI-6. Years before Syria's Bashar al-Assad, Iraq's Saddam Hussein, Libya's Muammar Qaddafi, and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir became targets for Western destabilization and "regime change." IRD and its associates at the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and in the newsrooms and editorial offices of Fleet Street broadsheets, tabloids, wire services, and magazines, particularly "The Daily Telegraph," "The Times," "Financial Times," Reuters, "The Guardian," and "The Economist," ran media smear campaigns against a number of leaders considered to be leftists, communists, or FTs (fellow travelers). ..."
"... After the Cold War, this same propaganda operation took aim at Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Somalia's Mohamad Farrah Aidid, and Haiti's Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Today, it is Assad's, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's, and Catalonian independence leader Carles Puigdemont's turn to be in the Anglo-American state propaganda gunsights. Even Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, long a darling of the Western media and such propaganda moguls as George Soros, is now being targeted for Western visa bans and sanctions over the situation with Muslim Rohingya insurgents in Rakhine State. ..."
"... Through IRD-MI-6-Central Intelligence Agency joint propaganda operations, many British journalists received payments, knowingly or unknowingly, from the CIA via a front in London called Forum World Features (FWF), owned by John Hay Whitney, publisher of the "New York Herald Tribune" and a former US ambassador to London. ..."
When it comes to creating bogus news stories and advancing false narratives, the British
intelligence services have few peers. In fact, the Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6) has led
the way for its American "cousins" and Britain's Commonwealth partners – from Canada and
Australia to India and Malaysia – in the dark art of spreading falsehoods as truths.
Recently, the world has witnessed such MI-6 subterfuge in news stories alleging that Russia
carried out a novichok nerve agent attack against a Russian émigré and his
daughter in Salisbury, England. This propaganda barrage was quickly followed by yet another
– the latest in a series of similar fabrications – alleging the Syrian government
attacked civilians in Douma, outside of Damascus, with chemical weapons.
It should come as no surprise that American news networks rely on British correspondents
stationed in northern Syria and Beirut as their primary sources. MI-6 has historically relied
on non-official cover (NOC) agents masquerading primarily as journalists, but also humanitarian
aid workers, Church of England clerics, international bankers, and hotel managers, to carry out
propaganda tasks. These NOCs are situated in positions where they can promulgate British
government disinformation to unsuspecting actual journalists and diplomats.
For decades, a little-known section of the British Foreign Office – the Information
Research Department (IRD) – carried out propaganda campaigns using the international
media as its platform on behalf of MI-6. Years before Syria's Bashar al-Assad, Iraq's Saddam
Hussein, Libya's Muammar Qaddafi, and Sudan's Omar al-Bashir became targets for Western
destabilization and "regime change." IRD and its associates at the British Broadcasting
Corporation (BBC) and in the newsrooms and editorial offices of Fleet Street broadsheets,
tabloids, wire services, and magazines, particularly "The Daily Telegraph," "The Times,"
"Financial Times," Reuters, "The Guardian," and "The Economist," ran media smear campaigns
against a number of leaders considered to be leftists, communists, or FTs (fellow
travelers).
These leaders included Indonesia's President Sukarno, North Korean leader (and grandfather
of Pyongyang's present leader) Kim Il-Sung, Egypt's Gamal Abdel Nasser, Cyprus's Archbishop
Makarios, Cuba's Fidel Castro, Chile's Salvador Allende, British Guiana's Cheddi Jagan,
Grenada's Maurice Bishop, Jamaica's Michael Manley, Nicaragua's Daniel Ortega, Guinea's Sekou
Toure, Burkina Faso's Thomas Sankara, Australia's Gough Whitlam, New Zealand's David Lange,
Cambodia's Norodom Sihanouk, Malta's Dom Mintoff, Vanuatu's Father Walter Lini, and Ghana's
Kwame Nkrumah.
After the Cold War, this same propaganda operation took aim at Serbian President Slobodan
Milosevic, Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Somalia's Mohamad Farrah
Aidid, and Haiti's Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Today, it is Assad's, Hungarian Prime Minister
Viktor Orban's, and Catalonian independence leader Carles Puigdemont's turn to be in the
Anglo-American state propaganda gunsights. Even Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi, long a darling
of the Western media and such propaganda moguls as George Soros, is now being targeted for
Western visa bans and sanctions over the situation with Muslim Rohingya insurgents in Rakhine
State.
Through IRD-MI-6-Central Intelligence Agency joint propaganda operations, many British
journalists received payments, knowingly or unknowingly, from the CIA via a front in London
called Forum World Features (FWF), owned by John Hay Whitney, publisher of the "New York Herald
Tribune" and a former US ambassador to London.
It is not a stretch to believe that similar and
even more formal relationships exist today between US and British intelligence and so-called
British "journalists" reporting from such war zones as Syria, Iraq, Libya, Yemen, Afghanistan,
and the Gaza Strip, as well as from much-ballyhooed nerve agent attack locations as Salisbury,
England.
No sooner had recent news reports started to emerge from Douma about a Syrian chlorine gas
and sarin agent attack that killed between 40 to 70 civilians, British reporters in the Middle
East and London began echoing verbatim statements from the Syrian "White Helmets" and the
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
In actuality, the White Helmets – claimed by Western media to be civilian defense
first-responders but are Islamist activists connected to jihadist radical groups funded by
Saudi Arabia – are believed to have staged the chemical attack in Douma by entering the
municipality's hospital and dowsing patients with buckets of water, video cameras at the ready.
The White Helmets distributed their videos to the global news media, with the BBC and Rupert
Murdoch's Sky News providing a British imprimatur to the propaganda campaign asserting that
Assad carried out another "barrel bomb" chemical attack against "his own people." And, as
always, the MI-6 financed Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an anti-Assad news front claimed
to be operated by a Syrian expatriate and British national named Rami Abdel Rahman from his
clothing shop in Coventry, England, began providing second-sourcing for the White Helmet's
chemical attack claims.
With President Trump bringing more and more neo-conservatives, discredited from their
massive anti-Iraq propaganda operations during the Bush-Cheney era, into his own
administration, the world is witnessing the prolongation of the "Trump Doctrine."
The Trump Doctrine can best be explained as follows: A nation will be subject to a US
military attack depending on whether Trump is facing a severe political or sex scandal at
home.
Such was the case in April 2017, when Trump ordered a cruise missile attack on the joint
Syrian-Russian airbase at Shayrat, Syria. Trump was still reeling from the resignation of his
National Security Adviser, Lt. General Michael Flynn, in February over the mixing of his
private consulting business with his official White House duties. Trump needed a diversion and
the false accusation that Assad used sarin gas on the village of Khan Sheikoun on April 4,
2017, provided the necessary pabulum for the war-hungry media.
The most recent cruise missile attack was to divert the public's attention away from Trump's
personal attorney being raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, a sex scandal involving
Trump and a porn actress, and a "tell-all" book by Trump's fired FBI director, James Comey.
Although these two scandals provided opportunities for the neo-cons to test Trump with false
flag operations in Syria, they were not the first time such actions had been carried out. In
2013, the Syrian government was blamed for a similar chemical attack on civilians in Ghouta.
That year, Syrian rebels, supported by the Central Intelligence Agency, admitted to the
Associated Press reporter on the ground in Syria that they had been given banned chemical
weapons by Saudi Arabia, but that the weapons canisters exploded after improper handling by the
rebels. Immediately, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and Syrian rebel organizations
operating out of Turkey claimed that Assad had used chemical-laden barrel bombs on "his own
people." However, Turkish, American, and Lebanese sources confirmed that it was the Islamic
State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) that had badly bungled a false flag sarin nerve agent
attack on Ghouta.
Few Western media outlets were concerned about a March 19, 2013, sarin nerve agent by the
Bashair al-Nasr Brigade rebel group linked to the US- and British-backed Free Syrian Army. The
rebels used a "Bashair-3" unguided projectile, containing the deadly sarin agent, on civilians
in Khan al-Assal, outside Aleppo. At least 27 civilians were killed, and scores of others
injured in the attack. The Syrian Kurds also reported the use of chemical weapons on them
during the same time frame by Syrian rebel groups backed by the United States, Turkey, and
Saudi Arabia. The usual propaganda operations – Syrian Observatory for Human Rights,
Doctors Without Borders, the BBC, CNN, and Sky News – were all silent about these
attacks.
In 2013, April 2017, and April 2018, the Western media echo chamber blared out all the same
talking points: "Assad killing his own people," "Syrian weapons of mass destruction," and the
"mass murder of women and children." Western news networks featured videos of dead women and
children, while paid propagandists, known as "contributors" to corporate news networks –
all having links to the military-intelligence complex – demanded action be taken against
Assad.
Trump, now being advised by the notorious neocon war hawk John Bolton, the new National
Security Adviser, began referring to Assad as an "animal" and a "monster." Bolton, along with
Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff Irving Lewis "Scooter" Libby, helped craft similar
language against Saddam Hussein prior to the 2003 US invasion and occupation of Iraq. It was
not coincidental that Trump – at the urging of Bolton and other neocons – gave a
full pardon to Libby on the very same day he ordered the cruise missile attack on Damascus and
other targets in Syria. Libby was convicted in 2005 of perjury and illegally disclosing
national security information.
The world is being asked to take, at face value, the word of patented liars like Trump,
Bolton, and other neocons who are now busy joining the Trump administration at breakneck speed.
The corporate media unabashedly acts as though it never lied about the reasons given by the
United States and Britain for going to war in Iraq and Libya. Why should anyone believe them
now?
Wayne
MADSEN Investigative journalist, author and syndicated columnist. A member of the Society
of Professional Journalists (SPJ) and the National Press Club
Macron is a neoliberal. As such he is a Washington marionette. So what other behaviour you
would expect from him ? He is no Charles de Gaulle
And UN charter was violated by the USA already so many times, that it is difficult to take its existence seriously. The USA
clearly view itself above the law at least since 1991.
"Ten days ago, President Trump was saying 'the United States should withdraw from Syria.' We convinced him it was
necessary to stay." Thus boasted French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday, adding, "We convinced him it was necessary to stay
for the long term."
On Monday, the head of the far-left France Insoumise party, Jean-Luc Melenchon, said that
there was no proof of the chemical attacks which were used as a pretext to the US-led
strikes.
"It's in this context that morals and the adherence to the resolution of the United Nations
does not fully prove advantageous, that we intervened, without any proof. I'm not saying
without certainty or conviction. I'm not saying that intelligence services are incapable of
evaluating the situation," he added.
"But according to international law and international action, we can only act based on proof
confirmed by institutions that are responsible. However, these institutions were in the process
of conducting their investigations at the time of the strikes," he said during parliamentary
debate on the airstrikes.
He further noted that strikes were carried out without a mandate from the United Nations
"I'm adding that not only did we not have any mandate from the United Nations, but we did not
at all consider any regional organization involved in the situation in Syria, or at least
Western ones," he added.
Melenchon went on to stress that the attacks were carried out without consideration of "the
people in whose name we claim to act."
The leader of the far-right Front National, Marine Le Pen, also said that Macron had not
offered any evidence of the use of chemical weapons by the Syrian regime.
On Sunday, Macron defending the strikes claiming that he convinced US President Donald Trump
to keep troops in Syria. Wh ,> 1 hour ago
Think about it, the three stooges strikes chemical sites irresponsibly in order to make
them
airborne to kill more civilians. Fortunately non of the sites that were bombed did NOT
have
any airborne of chemical syndrome, that meant there were no chemical weapon at those
sites. Douma must have been targeted but those missiles were shoot down. They will make
false flag again in order to destroy Douma to erase false evidence.
The technical ability of Porton Down to identify a chemical has never been in doubt, and
the only "finding of the United Kingdom " the OPCW has confirmed is the identity of the
chemical.
But what neither the British Government nor the OPCW have, to the present, acknowledged is
that blood samples from the Skripal's contained two nerve agents, A-234, aka Novichok, plus
3-Quinuclidinyl Benzilate, aka BZ or Buzz.
Novichok is a convulsant (which acts by preventing the breakdown of the neurotransmitter
acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, with the result that muscles go into full
contraction, hence the symptoms of convulsions, vomiting, etc.), whereas BZ is a paralytic
agent (which acts by binding to acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction without
activating them, thereby preventing muscle contraction, hence the symptoms of paralysis and
ultimately death by asphyxiation).
Thus, BZ will serve as an antidote to Novichok poisoning, wheras Novichok will serve as an
antidote to BZ poisoning. So the presence of Novichok in the Skipal blood samples is not
conclusive evidence that Novichok was the poison, rather than the antidote, as I have
discussed here: 3-Quinuclidinyl
Benzilate: The Antidote to Novichok , and here: Novichok:
Russia's Antidote to Seafood Poisoning .
"... And in the later articles posted here, he writes: "That puts Saudi Arabia (and its client jihadists), Saudi Arabia's close ally Israel, the UK and the USA all in the frame in having a powerful motive in inculcating anti-Russian sentiment prior to planned conflict with Russia in Syria. Any of them could have attacked the Skripals." ..."
I have never ruled out the possibility that Russia is responsible for the attack in
Salisbury, amongst other possibilities. But I do rule out the possibility that Assad is
dropping chemical weapons in Ghouta. In this extraordinary war, where Saudi-funded jihadist
head choppers have Israeli air support and US and UK military "advisers", every time the Syrian
army is about to take complete control of a major jihadist enclave, at the last moment when
victory is in their grasp, the Syrian Army allegedly attacks children with chemical weapons,
for no military reason at all. We have been fed this narrative again and again and again.
We then face a propaganda onslaught from neo-con politicians, think tanks and "charities"
urging a great rain of Western bombs and missiles, and are accused of callousness towards
suffering children if we demur. This despite the certain knowledge that Western military
interventions in Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya have had consequences which remain to this day
utterly disastrous.
I fear that the massive orchestration of Russophobia over the last two years is intended to
prepare public opinion for a wider military conflict centred on the Middle East, but likely to
spread, and that we are approaching that endgame. The dislocation of the political and media
class from the general population is such, that the levers for people of goodwill to prevent
this are, as with Iraq, extremely few as politicians quake in the face of media jingoism. These
feel like extremely dangerous times.
"I have never ruled out the possibility that Russia is responsible for the attack in
Salisbury"
Time for timid half-truths is over. If by now you haven't identified the Skripal affair as
the joint UK/US production it is, Act I of the AngloZionist war on Syria, Russia and
humanity, your analysis isn't worth the pixels it's written on. There is zero doubt. Case
closed. Especially after this:
I wish you realize that appeals to skepticism and lines like "I'm not fan of Putin/Assad"
get you nowhere. You are facing a brutal, fact-twisting, intellect-insulting, lying,
propaganda machine. Any concession you make to their "arguments" comes with the smell of
blood. They'll mock your "moderate" views and will try to make you look weak and foolish as
Sky-news did. You can't be only half-brave, half-informed and half-right. And why engage
those shameless liars if not to destroy completely their blatant lies?
When Hungary prepared democratically laws to stop Soros meddling in Hungary Soros phoned
Brussels, spoke to Juncker and Tusk, the next day Timmermans tried to intimidate the
Hungarian government.
Just now there have been Hungarian elections, anti migration and anti Soros Orban was
elected.
European parliament member Sargenti now wants to take Hungary's voting right in the EU
away.
Sargenti is on the 231 member list that seem to be followers of Soros.
As Jimmy Carter once said 'those that want war do not expect that they themselves are going
to be hurt'.
That in the next world war anyone will be more than hurt, killed, the war mongers do not
understand, cannot believe.
Please, why don't you mention the other possibilities, instead of "the Russian one"?
Bit harsh to criticise Craig Murray on that score. I see your point, and it would be a
valid point to raise with an establishment journo who has been generally an effective part of
the anti-Russia propaganda campaign, but Murray has discussed the other options on many
occasions (and been the brunt of some pretty harsh establishment bullying in response).
In this case, it can safely be regarded as just efficient writing.
Even if Assad did use gas, which he obviously didn't, who the heck are the Americans, the
British, and the French to lecture anyone on morality, given that they unlike Assad did
practice chemical warfare, and killed uncounted millions around the globe with "conventional"
means in order to loot them, and to "punish" Assad as the bankster with an Oedipus complex
Macron put it?
Mr Murray lost his job because he stood up for the right thing in 2004 and he has been
abused ever since. His sanity has been called into question ever since he suggested the
British government weren't telling the truth. His brief period in an instiuttion after Blair
sacked him has been brought up more than once.
I suspect Craig's position of apparent open-mindedness has arisen from a lengthy Sky News
TV interview with the appalling Kay Burley. He was careful in an eighteen minute segment not
to give cause for Burley to label him as a Putin bot. He was most careful not to take the
focus off the weakness in the British government's position and I think that was correct.
As soon as you see the tissue of lies emanating from London the innocence of Moscow
follows naturally. Mr Murray was correct not to allow himself to be provoked by Kay Burley
and she was visibly annoyed by her failure.
Sky News tried to bury the confrontation but somebody recorded it and you can find the
interview at craigmurray.org
The ever excellent Campaign Against the Arms Trade is back in the English High Court
again today in its continuing attempts to ban arms sales to Saudi Arabia. It is against
UK law to sell arms to a country which is likely to use them in breach of international
humanitarian law , and that Saudi Arabia consistently and regularly uses British
weapons to bomb schools, hospitals and civilians is indisputable.
Why didn't the High Court ban arm sales to UK army, which is using them in breach of
international humanitarian law, consistently & regularly since its colonial era, in
Vietnam & Korea wars, Blair's Iraq WMD illegal war, Cameron's illegal Libya bombing, and
now May's illegal attack to Syria.
Saudi arabia Yemen's war pale in comparison to UK long history of atrocities. What a
British hypocrite law enacted in a kangaroo judicial system? A country of government infested
with shameless warmonger liars & paedophiles, yet popularly elected by its people. What a
great Anglosaxon-West civilization & glorious demoncrapcy system to be spread around the
world for easy subversion & regime change.
Proven guilty Iraq war criminal Tony Blair is walking free, repeating his same lies again
to push for illegal Syria attack. Yet not a single war protest from UK people. Touch a LBGT
issue or Trumps visit, British will gone hysteria protest in London, oh what a great nation.
World Capital of paedophiles, war criminals & pathological liars.
How can God save the Queen that connive criminals, with stolen wealth soaking with
innocents blood.
I appreciated the frame you provided.
That's a very serious charge against Great Britain -- sadly, I found it a somewhat
compelling and disconcerting.
I suspect that in all of this there are fears that it's a response to enemies without as
opposed to enemies from within. I have no idea where this notion comes from -- that states
can act as authority for UN missions without the consent of the UN. Great Britain's press
here sounds very much like the legal gymnastic of the US to invade Iraq and has much weight
-- I agree.
The chaos in Libya, Syria, the Ukraine is the direct result of US and EU manipulation. I
just don't know how to support "wrongness" on so many levels and consider myself a person of
integrity. The humanitarian crisis in all of the regions is exacerbated by our own violations
of law and foreign policy best practices.
Not a bad article, but superficial. Does not address the why question and the huge
ideological difference between Russia and the 'West' which leads to war.
Agree. Resisting lying provocation to war should be done with what ZUSA terms "moral
clarity." Said another way, No Quarter, No Mercy. If the need is felt to characterize Assad, the only things that needs be said are that he
is the legitimate leader of a sovereign nation, and that attempts to topple him, by ZUSA
& Anglos, are in direct violation of United Nations charter.
I have never ruled out the possibility that Russia is responsible for the attack in
Salisbury, amongst other possibilities.
And I have never ruled out the word which can not be spoken, that ISRAEL was behind both
attacks, to justify getting their US/UK/French lackeys to do in Syria what they can not
without taking losses, attacking Syrian cities with cruise missiles.
Poisoned toothpaste and exploding phones: New book chronicles Israel's '2,700'
assassination operations
Poisoned toothpaste that takes a month to end its target's life. Armed drones. Exploding
mobile phones. Spare tyres with remote-control bombs. Assassinating enemy scientists and
discovering the secret lovers of Muslim clerics.
A new book chronicles these techniques and asserts that Israel has carried out at
least 2,700 assassination operations in its 70 years of existence. While many failed,
they add up to far more than any other western country, the book says.
The main beneficiary of the recent cruise missile attacks against Syria is Israel, so
let's be honest and see what happens.
From an April 2003 Haaretz article:
The war in Iraq was conceived by 25 neoconservative intellectuals, most of them
Jewish, who are pushing President Bush to change the course of history. Two of them,
journalists William Kristol and Charles Krauthammer, say it's possible.
This is a war of an elite. [Tom] Friedman laughs: I could give you the names of 25
people (all of whom are at this moment within a five-block radius of this office) who, if
you had exiled them to a desert island a year and a half ago, the Iraq war would not have
happened.
So, aside from selling weapons to Syria and Iran – and thus, giving up control over
those weapons – what exactly should Putin have done to continue receiving your
approval? Start WW3?
Another question: if this is just a staged play of good cop, bad cop – why does the
puppet master behind the scenes not advance the plot? Why the need for silly diversions into
the bucolic English countryside, and for embarrassing cameos by French boy princes?
Not sure where you are from, but some countries – particularly those that have
experienced it at home – consider war a serious business, not quite the same as a bar
brawl in Dodge City.
I keep hearing that the Qatar – Europe pipeline is the source of the Syria War, what I
cant understand if their so desperate for this why does it need to go through Syria, theres`s
other ways like across SA and up the red sea?
In Murray's first post on the Skripal story, he lists other possible suspects as Orbis
Intelligence (who produced the Steele dossier) and the state of Israel:
And in the later articles posted here, he writes: "That puts Saudi Arabia (and its client
jihadists), Saudi Arabia's close ally Israel, the UK and the USA all in the frame in having a
powerful motive in inculcating anti-Russian sentiment prior to planned conflict with Russia
in Syria. Any of them could have attacked the Skripals."
The West would simply like him to meet his obligations and stop gassing people as there
is an international agreement against killing people that way. Why can't he just stick
to the normal use of high explosives to blast them to pieces?
Why can't he just stick to the normal use of high explosives to blast them to
pieces?
Because that process is still under Israeli patent protection??
Didn't he and various generals plainly state that retaliation would be swift and
immediately delivered to any such platform?
Yes, if Russian military assets in Syria are targeted or hit. The US strike was the
warfare equivalent of a plate smashing fit thrown by a hysterical tranny. Just a loud
demonstration of impotence and fishing for attention. It's better handled unanswered. Now, if
the tranny decides to go in a full abuser mode, Putin may seriously mess up her makeup.
US officials and the presstitutes tell us that the illegal US missile attack on Syria
destroyed chemical weapons sites where chlorine and sarin are stored/manufactured.
This
satellite image, taken Monday morning, shows the Barzah Research and Development Center in
Damascus after it was struck by coalition forces.
If this were true, would not a lethal cloud have been released that would have taken the
lives of far more people than claimed in the alleged Syrian chemical attack on Douma?
Would not the US missile attack be identical to a chemical weapons attack and thus place
the US and its vassals in the same category as Washington is attempting to place Assad and
Putin?
What about it, you chemical weapons experts?
Do chemical weapons only release their elements when they explode from intended use but not
when they explode from being militarily attacked?
There is no evidence in Syria of chemical residue from the chemical weapons facilities
allegedly destroyed by US missiles.
No dead victims.
No reports of hospitals treating Syrian casualties of the American chemical attack.
The OPCW said there was no chlorine and sarin there.
Remember when....March 31, 2005 - The Commission on the Intelligence Capabilities of the
United States Regarding Weapons of Mass Destruction reports that the intelligence community
was "dead wrong" in its assessments of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction capabilities before
the US invasion.
the lendman article suggests that missiles deliberately targeted and destroyed
non-chem-weapons sites that were being used to develop anti-cancer drugs.
that information is completely mistaken because otherwise the official reports would be
incorrect.
And on the left here you'll see our chemistry lab cleverly disguised as an office
building. We have no need for any of the essential components such as reasonable delivery
methods, power supply, storage tanks, pipes, etc. We're cutting edge, unlike all those
American plants:
The Russian envoy to the chemical weapons watchdog group, OPCW, said that non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) funded by the UK and US carried out the April 7 chemical attack in the
Damascus, Syria suburb of Douma.
Russia's permanent representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW), Alexander Shulgin, said Russia has irrefutable evidence that there was no
chemical weapons incident in Douma .
"Therefore, we have not just a "high degree of confidence ," as our Western partners
claim, but we have incontrovertible evidence that there was no incident on April 7 in Douma
and that all this was a planned provocation by the British intelligence services, probably,
with the participation of their senior allies from Washington with the aim of misleading the
international community and justifying aggression against Syria," he stated. -
Sputnik
Shulgin added that the US, UK and France are not interested in conducting an objective
investigation of the attack site. " They put the blame on the Syrian authorities in advance,
without even waiting for the OPCW mission to begin to establish the possible facts of the use
of chemical weapons in Syria ," he said.
The nine-member OPCW mission people has yet to deploy to the city of Douma according to the
organization's Chief, citing pending security issues.
"The Team has not yet deployed to Douma. The Syrian and the Russian officials who
participated in the preparatory meetings in Damascus have informed the FFM Team that there
were still pending security issues to be worked out before any deployment could take place .
In the meantime the Team was offered by the Syrian authorities that they could interview 22
witnesses who could be brought to Damascus ," OPCW Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said as
quoted by the organization.
The Russian Envoy says that the controversial "
White Helmets " were one of the anti-Assad "pseudo-humanitarian NGOs" which staged the
event. As Disobedient Media and others have reported, the White Helmets are funded in large
part by the United States.
"The Syrian Civil Defense Force (aka the White Helmets) is funded in part by United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) . Included here are two links showing contracts
awarded by USAID to Chemonics International Inc. (DBA Chemonics). The first award was in the sum of $111.2 million and has a Period of
Performance (POP) from January 2013 to June 2017. It states that the purpose of the award will
be to use the funds for managing a " quick-response mechanism supporting activities that pursue
a peaceful transition to a democratic and stable Syria ." The second was in the sum of $57.4 million and has a POP from
August 2015 to August 2020. This award was designated to be used in the " Syria Regional
Program II " which is a part of the Support Which Implements Fast Transitions IV (SWIFT IV)
program."
Via Disobedient Media
Moscow says they have confirmed that " these structures [NGOs] on a fee-based basis
cooperate with the governments of the United States, the UK and some other countries ."
Russian experts who conducted the verification of reports on the use of chemical weapons
in the Syrian city of the Douma, found participants of video filming, presented as evidence
of the supposedly occurring chemotherapy, according to the Russian Envoy to OPCW . -
Sputnik
"Everything has been developing according to the script that was prepared in Washington.
There is no doubt that Americans are playing the 'first violin' in all of this . The United
States, the United Kingdom, France and some other countries after the "fake" addition from the
White Helmets and their ilk in Douma, immediately pounced upon the Syrian authorities with
accusations," Shulgin said.
Meanwhile, the U.S. has alerted the OPCW that Russia "may have tampered" with the chemical
attack site in Douma ...
"It is our understanding the Russians may have visited the attack site," U.S. Ambassador
Kenneth Ward said at a meeting of the OPCW in The Hague on Monday.
" It is our concern that they may have tampered with it with the intent of thwarting the
efforts of the OPCW Fact-Finding Mission to conduct an effective investigation ," he said. His
comments at the closed-door meeting were
obtained by Reuters .
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov shot back in a BBC interview, saying " I can
guarantee that Russia has not tampered with the site ."
Earlier, Britain's delegation to the OPCW accused Russia and the Syrian government of
preventing the international watchdog's inspectors from reaching Douma.
The inspectors aim to collect samples, interview witnesses and document evidence to
determine whether banned toxic munitions were used, although they are not permitted to assign
blame for the attack. -
Reuters
"Unfettered access is essential," the British delegation said in a statement. "Russia and
Syria must cooperate."
Moscow says the OPCW delay is due to the Western air strikes. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry
Peskov said the British accusation that Russia was to blame for holding up the inspections was
"groundless".
"We called for an objective investigation. This was at the very beginning after this
information [of the attack] appeared. Therefore allegations of this towards Russia are
groundless ," Peskov said.
***
On Friday we reported that Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow has
"irrefutable evidence" that the attack - which allegedly killed over 40 people, was staged with
the help of a foreign secret service.
" We have irrefutable evidence that this was another staged event, and that the secret
services of a certain state that is now at the forefront of a Russophobic campaign was involved
in this staged event ," he said during a press conference according to AFP.
According to defense ministry spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov, the Kremlin has
evidence that Britain was behind the attack.
Quoted by
Reuters , he said: " We have... evidence that proves Britain was directly involved in
organising this provocation ."
As RT
further adds , the Russian Defense Ministry presented what it says is " proof that the
reported chemical weapons attack in Syria was staged." It also accused the British government
of pressuring the perpetrators to speed up the "provocation." During a briefing on Friday, the
ministry showed interviews with two people, who, it said, are medical professionals working in
the only hospital operating in Douma, a town near the Syrian capital, Damascus.
During a briefing on Friday, the ministry showed interviews with two people, who, it said,
are medical professionals working in the only hospital operating in Douma, a town near the
Syrian capital, Damascus.
During a briefing on Friday, the ministry showed interviews with two people, who, it said,
are medical professionals working in the only hospital operating in Douma, a town near the
Syrian capital, Damascus.
In the interviews released to the media, the two men reported how footage was shot of
people dousing each other with water and treating children, which was claimed to show the
aftermath of the April 7 chemical weapons attack. The patients shown in the video suffered
from smoke poisoning and the water was poured on them by their relatives after a false claim
that chemical weapons were used, the ministry said.
"Please, notice. These people do not hide their names. These are not some faceless claims on
the social media by anonymous activists. They took part in taking that footage," said
Konashenkov.
"The Russian Defense Ministry also has evidence that Britain had a direct involvement in
arranging this provocation in Eastern Ghouta," the general added, referring to the neighborhood
of which Douma is part. " We know for certain that between April 3 and April 6 the so-called
White Helmets were seriously pressured from London to speed up the provocation that they were
preparing ."
According to Konashenkov, the group, which was a primary source of photos and footage of the
purported chemical attack, was informed of a large-scale artillery attack on Damascus planned
by the Islamist group Army of Islam, which controlled Douma at the time. The White Helmets were
ordered to arrange the provocation after retaliatory strikes by the Syrian government forces,
which the shelling was certain to lead to, he said.
The UK rejected the accusations, with British UN Ambassador Karen Pierce calling them
"grotesque," "a blatant lie" and "the worst piece of fake news we've yet seen from the Russian
propaganda machine."
So when will Moscow release their evidence for the whole world to see? Or is it maybe
waiting for the US to first release its own proof that Assad launched the attack?
"... "We managed to find direct participants in the shooting of this video and interview them. Today we are presenting a live interview of these people," ..."
"... "Douma residents in detail told us how the filming was conducted, in what episodes they took part themselves and what they did." ..."
Sergey Lavrov explained
indisputable evidence proves the April 7 Douma CW incident was staged by special services of a
foreign country. The guilty one is either America, Britain, France, Israel, or perhaps elements
from these countries working together. Lavrov said the following: "The mission of the
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has set off to Syria not so quickly
and without abundant enthusiasm but under our and Syrian pressure.
It is due to arrive in
Damascus in the morning of April 14." "We expect the mission to go without any delay to Douma
where Russian specialists who examined this place have not found any confirmations of the use
of chemical weapon." "We have the irrefutable data that this (CW incident) was staged.
(S)pecial services of a country, which is now seeking to be in the first ranks of the
Russophobic campaign, were involved in this staged event." The incident was fake, no evidence
of toxic substances found in Douma, no one ill or hospitalized from chemical exposure, no one
dead. Syria's UN envoy Bashar al-Jaafari said US-supported terrorists
"acquired chemical
substances from Libya a long time ago from the Libyan stock."
"This operation was facilitated
by the Turkish intelligence, Saudi intelligence and the American and French intelligence
services. They smuggled chemicals from Libya to Istanbul on board of civilian airlines and the
guy who was in charge of transporting these substances was a guy named Haitham al-Qassar,"
adding: Damascus "denied maybe 1001 times similar to 1001 nights Arabian nights using any
chemical substances against our own people."
"And we provided all the necessary and required
justifications for saying that. So it's time to digest and metabolize what we are saying."
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman General Igor Konashenkov slammed America and other Western
countries for making "indiscriminate and unfounded accusations" against Syria, adding:
"The
Russian Defense Ministry has plenty of evidence that on April 7, a planned provocation was
carried out in Douma with the aim of misleading the world community."
"The provocation's real
purpose today is clear to everyone – to prod the United States to launch missile strikes
against Syria."
Russia has clear evidence of Britain's involvement in the scheme. Video and
other images of the fake incident were staged.
"We managed to find direct participants in the
shooting of this video and interview them. Today we are presenting a live interview of these
people,"
Konashenkov explained.
"Douma residents in detail told us how the filming was
conducted, in what episodes they took part themselves and what they did."
It was staged, not
real, a transparent hoax exposed to the light of day.
After the filming, individuals involved
fled with foreign help. Days leading up to the April 7 incident,
"London put pressure on
representatives of the so-called White Helmets group in order to facilitate the implementation
of the provocation," Konashenkov added. East Ghouta is totally liberated, over 170,000
residents evacuated to safety, including around 63,000 US-supported terrorists and family
members. Syrian forces now control the enclave, things stabilizing so residents can return home
if they wish.
"Russia reserves the right to counter any attack on Syria," RT reported.
US officials and the presstitutes tell us that the illegal US missile attack on Syria
destroyed chemical weapons sites where chlorine and sarin are stored/manufactured. If this were
true, would not a lethal cloud have been released that would have taken the lives of far more
people than claimed in the alleged Syrian chemical attack on Douma? Would not the US missile
attack be identical to a chemical weapons attack and thus place the US and its vassals in the
same category as Washington is attempting to place Assad and Putin?
The first videos and photos that have emerged on social media show what appear to be the
strikes by the US, the UK and French militaries in the Syrian capital.
Syrian state TV reported that Syria's missile defenses shot down 13 missiles south of
Damascus.
The Chairman of the United States Army Joint Chiefs of Staff General Joseph Dunford,
however, said he was not aware that any missiles were intercepted, adding that the military has
yet to assess the operational data. He confirmed that manned aircraft were involved in the
airstrikes that hit three facilities in Syria that the US claims are part of its chemical
weapons program.
One of the targets was a scientific research center in the greater Damascus area, Dunford
said. The second was "a chemical weapons storage facility" in the vicinity of Homs, which,
according to Dunford, housed sarin and chemical weapons precursors. The third target was also
located near Homs and was identified by the general as a Syrian Army command post and storage
facility.
The blast area of just ONE cruise missile is 150ft/2 = 7000m/2
How many hit this target allegedly? You can even see the matrix caused by the layering of
the photo shopping software when you zoom right in (its not present on the first photo)
Fucking amateur hour LMAO
There really is not even a conspiracy theorist out there who would suggest it was a Syrian
government operation any way. Only batshit crazy raving lunatics have suggested it was the
Syrian government. This is clearly the stupidest thing Trump has done. It makes the USA look
like a bunch of circus freak losers. Very sad and shockingly insane. This is the stupidest
piece of propaganda in modern history. The USA looks very, very bad. It looks like, from any
reasonable perspective, that they are actively aiding terrorists on purpose. Wow. Interesting
cosmetics. Interesting optics.
Its almost as if the USA government hates itself and actually wants a nuclear war where
everyone dies. I think the only thing that should be considered is whether the nutty freaks
in charge are actually humans. Humans are a great disappointment, so likely, yes, human
beings really can be that mentally deficient. Trump really is such a level of mental retard
that he hates himself and wants to be nuked, so he bombs Syria knowing full well they have
nothing to do with it. He hates his career now and wants out.
chlorine gas is no big deal. Sarin is destroyed by fire.... There is a reason everyone
stores these away from People. Not saying Orange is right, by any means in fact the opposite,
but this story is a bit of a reach.
Not necessarily. There is no magic way to make this stuff go away. Incineration doesn't
solve the problems of the metal containers. All of this stuff would be making its way into
their environment, causing illness and death in the coming years. It takes decades to
properly neutralize this stuff. Lighting it up with Tomahawks definitely isn't the best way,
and without a doubt some of it would be immediately released into the surrounding area.
However small or not so small that amount is:
I used to manage a small apartment complex swimming pool. Dry Chlorine was mixed into a
40gal concentrated tank and a small squirt was pumped into the filter circulation all day
long. A newbee once lifted the top off the tank to have a look inside. Lucky I was there
(telling him, don't do thattttttt) I about had to carry him out of the room. There would be
reports all over that area if a few hundred gallons or more of Chlorine had been blasted into
the air.
Russia can do nothing alone. NATO is way too strong.
Notable quotes:
"... my honor is called solidarity ..."
"... my honor is loyalty ..."
"... by not taking any action the Russians also failed to deter any future attacks. But what could the Russians have done? ..."
"... Sic transit gloria mundi ..."
"... Trump demonstrated that the U.S. can still bomb non nuclear countries without regard for the Constitution, international law or common decency. The Deplorables demonstrated that elections will not change anything. Only the death of the U.S. dollar will end Anglo/Zio Imperial aggression. ..."
"... Russia was outgunned, so they did not respond. It was probably a wise decision. They did damage control admirably, and now have an opportunity to improve the Syrian arsenal with obvious justification. ..."
"... Slowly but surely, Russia is tightening the noose in Syria. Air defenses are improving. ..."
"... My precious, too many players want to start a real war between the Mercans and Russians. Aside from the casual suspects (KSA and Israel), Chinese also objectively benefit from the confrontation, which explains their aloofness. Should this come to a nuclear war, Chinese will be the one and only winner. For this old smart monkey is still sitting on the tree, and nothing has changed since Chairman Mao times. ..."
"... For Iran, this war will certainly enhance the Iran-Russia axis and thus may postpone the US aggression. Turkey loves it too because it can play both sides. ..."
"... Ironically, only the USA and Russia will be the biggest losers regardless of the outcome. ..."
"... In UNSC, China has surprisingly took abstained neutral stand, allowing it to play the coordinator role & denying US UK Fr to get any legit for attack. This avoid relegating UNSC into two sides shouting. Nikki Harley was thus preempted her wish of striking with or without UNSC mandate since all ended agreed to let UN conduct independent inspection. Overall, this continue to lock US UK Fr inside UNSC framework. ..."
"... The general idea seems to be containment of Russia, hemming them in within their own borders and cutting them off from being able to extend their influence outward. ..."
"... As part of this any allies of theirs such as Syria come under attack; if the west can't own them then they're to be reduced to chaos and rendered into costly burdens for the Russians. ..."
"... It's all a very cynical and calculated plan that fits into the overall picture of encircling the Russians to stymie their development and influence. NATO expansion up to their borders, the Ukraine coup, encirclement, picking off vulnerable allies, economic warfare and political subversion without end, the pattern is clear. At some point an actual clash might come about, not necessarily now with Syria as the trigger but somewhere all along the entire line of points of friction. Unfortunately it seems inevitable that something bad is going to happen somewhere down the line as the irresistible force meets the immovable object. ..."
"... As a fervent anti-war activist since the sixties, I have been appalled at all the regime change the US has and continues to do around the world including both military covert operations and economic warfare. Well Putin had me at his 2007 Munich speech. ..."
About a month ago Nikki Haley announces to the
UNSC that the USA is ready to violate the rules of this very self-same UNSC should a chemical
attack happen in Syria Then the Russians announced that they have evidence that a chemical
false flag is being prepared in Syria Then a chemical attack (supposedly) takes place (in a
location surrounded and, basically, controlled by government forces!) The OPWC sends
investigators (in spite of western powers loudly proclaiming that no investigation was needed)
The AngloZionists then bomb Syria Next, the UNSC refuses to condemn the violation of its own
rules and decisions Finally, the US Americans speak of a 'perfect strike'
Now tell me -- do you get a sense that this is over?
If you tell me that 32/103 is hardly perfect, I will reply that you are missing the point.
In fact, if anything, 32/103 is further incentive to bomb again!
Let's look at the differently for a second and ask this: what has the AngloZionist attack
actually demonstrated?
The western general public is so terminally zombified that false flag
attacks can now be announced 4 weeks in advance The Europeans now live by the motto " my
honor is called solidarity " (a variation of the SS motto " my honor is loyalty
") Led by the USA, western countries have no objections to wars started in violation of their
own national laws The UN Security Council has no objections to wars started in violation of the
UN Charter and International Law The PRC leaders, in their infinite wisdom, act as if they have
nothing personal at stake and act like bystanders The Israelis, via the UN Neocons, are now in
total control of the Empire and use it to "clean house" next door
Oh, I hear the objections. They go something like this:
But the attack was a dismal
failure! So what? the Empire did not pay any price for executing it. But the US Americans did
blink! The attacked from Jordanian airspace and from the Red Sea! They avoided the Russians
completely! They are afraid of them! So what? They still bombed a Russian ally with total
impunity. But, surely you are not suggesting that the Russians should have started a war
against the USA over a strike which did not even kill a single person?
No, of course not, but by not taking any action the Russians also failed to deter any
future attacks. But what could the Russians have done?
Now *that* is the right question!
Let's look at it a little closer. Roughly speaking, the Russians have a choice of 3 types of
retaliatory measures: political, economic and military. However, each one of them has a
specific set of prerequisites which are currently problematic to say the least:
Measures
Political
Economic
Military
Prerequisites
Assumes a minimal amount of decency, integrity and respect for the rule of law by the
rest of the planet.
Assumes that other countries, especially China, would be willing and able to support
such measures.
Assumes that Russia has the military capability to defeat the AngloZionist
"coalition".
Current reality
Russia can moan, bitch, complain, protest, appeal to higher values, logic or facts --
nobody gives a damn.
The Chinese and the rest of them are not willing to do anything at this time to
support Russia.
Russia can militarily defeat the AngloZionists, but only by risking the future of our
planet.
This really can be summarized a simple sentence: the AngloZionist Hegemony is a threat for
the entire planet, but nobody besides Russia and Iran is willing to take it on. Ain't that an
irony!
The so-called "Christian West" has become a willing host for its Zionist parasite and the
only ones with the courage and moral integrity to take it on are Orthodox Christians and
Muslims! Sic transit gloria mundi indeed
But what is even more important is this: while it is true that the US Neocons did not
succeed in delivering the kind of massive attack they would have wanted to, and while it is
true that the US attack was just about as lame as can be, you need to completely forget about
these facts. Facts simply don't matter. And neither does logic. All that matters are
perceptions!
And the perception is that "we" (the AngloZionist rulers and their serfs) "kicked" Assad's
"ass" and that "we" will "do it again" if "we" feel like it. That is all that matters in the
Empire of
Illusions which the AngloZionist Hegemony has become.
As soon as you understand that, you also will have to agree that Trump was right: it was a
"perfect strike" (again, not in reality, but in the world of illusions created around it).
So now we come full circle.
The AngloZionist Hegemony demands that the entire planet bows down and worships
it . Except for Russia and Iran, everybody meekly goes down on their knees or, at most,
meekly looks away. In their own delusional reality, the 'Mericans feel empowered to smack down
Russia or Iran at anytime. There is nothing Iran can do to stop them, and while Russia can, she
can only do that at the risk of the future of our entire planet.
Now you tell me -- do you really think this is over?
That's clearly a civilian assertion. By no way, the US can defeat Iran, unless they are
ready to send 500 000 grunts there. And they are not. No US president will survive a 10 000
body bag return.
They can use air power for sure, but that will never be enough to force Iran to bow.And
I'm quite sure the Russian will provide them everything they have to help Iran.And China
probably too.
Without even mentioning destruction of Barbaric Saudi and closin Ormuz strait. It's
clearly not over but the US are not as powerful as you think.
Well, firstly, I don't think the future of our planet is at risk, if you mean by that
extinction of life on Earth. Current arsenals can't do that, even in the worst case scenario.
Nor even can they extinct human race either. Lots of deaths? Yes, sure. Extinction? Nope.
Secondly, there is no rule of law because there is no punishment. Once punishment is
delivered, things will change quickly. I agree with you that political or economical
punishment will not work. But military punishment will do. Sink some US carriers or destroy
some Israel bases, and you will see how they become well-behaved.
Trump demonstrated that the U.S. can still bomb non nuclear countries without regard for
the Constitution, international law or common decency. The Deplorables demonstrated that
elections will not change anything. Only the death of the U.S. dollar will end Anglo/Zio
Imperial aggression.
It is not only Russia and Iran that does not bow down. North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela,
Phillipines, China etc. Etc. These countries have done as much as the Russians have. Its not
like Russia sank a carrier or anything and it's not like Russia is defender of the world on a
crusade to defend the planet. They are only acting because they are in the crosshairs.
If America was targeting Cuba, Russia would not say or do anything against America.
While both vessels [USS Winston Churchill, USS Donald Cook] carry as many as 90 Tomahawk
missiles -- the main weapon used in the Friday evening strike on Syria -- neither ship in
the end fired a shot. Instead, according to a person familiar with White House war
planning, they were part of a plan to distract Russia and its Syrian ally from an assault
Assad's government could do little to defend itself against.
It worked. Pentagon officials on Saturday said they faced little resistance to their
targeted attack on what they said were three Syrian chemical weapons facilities. Most of
the Syrian countermeasures, including defensive ballistic missiles, were fired after U.S.
and allied weapons hit their targets, Lieutenant General Kenneth McKenzie said
Saturday.
"No Syrian weapon had any effect on anything we did," McKenzie said. He described the
joint U.S., French and U.K. strike as "precise, overwhelming and effective."
Where can I get correct assessments? For, umm . research yeah.
Russia was outgunned, so they did not respond. It was probably a wise decision. They did
damage control admirably, and now have an opportunity to improve the Syrian arsenal with
obvious justification.
Slowly but surely, Russia is tightening the noose in Syria. Air defenses are
improving. The next step is likely to be an arsenal of anti-ship missile's. If necessary
ICBMs might follow some sort of mutual defense treaty.
At some point, Syria itself will be able to deliver the bloody nose to the USA that is so
necessary for justice and world peace. That point will be reached when Syrian abilities to
inflict pain outweigh the costs of escalation
My precious, too many players want to start a real war between the Mercans and Russians.
Aside from the casual suspects (KSA and Israel), Chinese also objectively benefit from the
confrontation, which explains their aloofness. Should this come to a nuclear war, Chinese
will be the one and only winner. For this old smart monkey is still sitting on the tree, and
nothing has changed since Chairman Mao times.
For Iran, this war will certainly enhance the Iran-Russia axis and thus may postpone
the US aggression. Turkey loves it too because it can play both sides.
Ironically, only the USA and Russia will be the biggest losers regardless of the
outcome. It seems they both realize that and are treading carefully. But can they manage
to get out of the clinch? And for how long they can be avoiding the all-out conflict? So no,
-- it's definitely ain't over. We hates it, but the best is yet to come.
You forget ballsy little Bolivia defends Russia in UN with both votes and condemnation of
barking Nikki. It looks like they are offering all they have -- moral condemnation of Empire
and her vassals.
The reason I give it a lot of weight is that the night before the bombing, either Vanessa
Beasley or Eva Bartlett called in to Israeli News Live and gave 12 points explaining what
Syria was expecting to happen and it seems it pretty well went down as they had said. I'm
sorry I can't find the broadcast link. Apparently the Russians said if the strike went into a
second day they would strike back even if Russians were not hit. Looks like the "strike" was
pretty well pre-determined by both sides.
Gave each side a look at the others capabilities and allowed US a chance to waste missiles
and Northrup sell new ones. Same old, same old.
Every time my country says or does something insane (which is often) this Lee Greenwood
song goes thru my mind with modified lyrics. "Ashamed to be an American, where I'm duped to
think I'm free".
How can it be over ? It is a war in progress. One side of the warring party is creating
they own reality, and present it on the world stage with absolute conviction, and
determination. This fake reality is part of the war game , it should not be considered as
lies or staged events. It is war ! Fake reality is part of the repertoire , just like the
missiles. It is war , no rules just brutal conflict.
The other side not understanding any of it. They are running around , like chickens in the
rain. UNSC talk , talk and talk some more. Nobody give a them. They are counting how many
missiles they intercepted , they are analyzing , they are theorizing . Do something you are
about to be wiped off !
Act 2 . China sells tickets. Total now of two hundred missiles used; nothing much
destroyed. Top brass satisfied. Neocons, mollified. Audience, US, asleep in our seats as
usual.
Act 3 . The big love scene: Trump and Putin do Romeo & Juliet, audience
confused. Back to sleep. China offers no refunds.
The Chinese and the rest of them are not willing to do anything
at this time to support Russia. Russia can militarily defeat the AngloZionists, but
only by risking the future of our planet.
Saker correctly pointed out Russia is showing unnecessary weakness in only moaning &
bitching with empty threats that nobody bother, relegating itself to a weakling gas
station.
But to falsely accused China & the rest not willing to do anything at this time to
support Russia is too far fetch, a foolish remark like a whining self pitied child blaming
everyone for his own spilled milk.
Does Saker expect its few allies China, NK, Cuba, Venezuela, Iran, SAA to launch attack on
US Nato when RuA refused/not permit?
Economically, China is known to have financially back the entire costly war, signed
numerous huge deals worth hundreds of Bil with Russia to booster its sanctioned economy,
deliver re-construction materials, medicine & food for tens of millions soldiers &
Syrians. A astromical cost.
Military, it has also supply lot of weapons & ammunition under so called old contract
with SAA, sent in its most senior advisors & Special forces to help fighting & get
train, esp to mop up Uyghur ISIS terrorists(CIA assets).
It even cut short a mammoth 40 vessels Liaoning a/c strike group drill in SCS to declare a
unprecedented proximate live firing drill in Taiwan Straits, literally forcing existing USN
three strike groups to tied down in SCS. This sent a very clear signal that if US start a hot
war in Syria with Russia, China might open another war front to take back Taiwan which USM
will be overstretched to defend.
Also China despatched its Defense Minister in a high profile visit to Russia, declaring
its military solidarity with Russia against US tyranny (a rare glaring mentioned of US
name directly) . This sent a very strong signal to USM, China may intervene directly or
asymmetrically.
China also took an unusual hard stand in a looming trade war, threatened to fight at all
cost without slight compromise, hence refusing Trumps any leeway to back down while he up
ante to save face.
China foreign ministry further declare the trade war will not limit in trade but shall
utilize all asymmetric tools, including non cooporation in strategic issues, sanction of US
hugely profiting investments in China. Also Trumps redneck farming vote bank was purposely
targeted to pressure him in coming Nov election. With China $4T war chess & US people
resistance, US can ill afford to fight China if Syria war breakout. Every major war will see
USD artificially hike >30% historically for expenditure mileage.
In UNSC, China has surprisingly took abstained neutral stand, allowing it to play the
coordinator role & denying US UK Fr to get any legit for attack. This avoid relegating
UNSC into two sides shouting. Nikki Harley was thus preempted her wish of striking with or
without UNSC mandate since all ended agreed to let UN conduct independent inspection.
Overall, this continue to lock US UK Fr inside UNSC framework.
China Prez Xi also in Baao seminar announced expedite opening of China huge financial
market. This stirred the world into frenzy to prepare for huge investment, skillfully denied
US ability to pull EU, Jp & others to joint US trade war. All US financier & trade
bodies will loathe any trade or hot war that will derail their golden opportunity.
What else happen behind door we won't know. But whatever we can see now, China has done
every heavy lifting it could, very comprehensive & well plan, short of attacking USM in
Syria which it can't with limited projection force.
Yet Saker is accusing China & others are doing NOTHING to help Russia, when Putin is
refusing to even take down a Israel airfield as a warning to USM. Killing a chicken to
frighten the monkey.
Is Saker demonstrating a typical Russian nature, unappreciative & endless blaming,
always ready to throw ally under bus? This might explain why Russia has few or no true
trusted ally, even ex-Soviet countries. Assad Syria & Iran interest are seen routinely
been sacrificed.
Will China one day decided Russia is not a trusted ally afterall to reconsider US G2
invitation?
I think the point of the article was precisely that the US is not as strong as it thinks.
Hence, the attack was all for "show" so the US can perpetuate the delusion it can handle
Russia/Iran. The danger is that this delusion may cause a major misstep, especially if (when)
the US starts believing it's own bullshit and really pokes the bear.
The general idea seems to be containment of Russia, hemming them in within their own
borders and cutting them off from being able to extend their influence outward.
As part of this any allies of theirs such as Syria come under attack; if the west
can't own them then they're to be reduced to chaos and rendered into costly burdens for the
Russians.
It's all a very cynical and calculated plan that fits into the overall picture of
encircling the Russians to stymie their development and influence. NATO expansion up to their
borders, the Ukraine coup, encirclement, picking off vulnerable allies, economic warfare and
political subversion without end, the pattern is clear. At some point an actual clash might
come about, not necessarily now with Syria as the trigger but somewhere all along the entire
line of points of friction. Unfortunately it seems inevitable that something bad is going to
happen somewhere down the line as the irresistible force meets the immovable object.
The problem here is that moving to a multi-polar world will require many countries to
contribute what and where they can as we fight a very entrenched international Cabal. But,
the largest responsibility lies with the people living within the Evil Empire and its vassal
states. Those whose counties are committing these atrocities need to step up and call foul on
their own governments. This is difficult to do since the Project Mockingbird press
continues to spew unbelievable lies on a non-stop basis. But those lies are getting more and
more difficult to believe. Unless your brain is totally disconnected, you have to realize
that what they are saying is inconsistent and illogical.
Besides calling and berating my representatives, signing petitions, etc. I have taken to
wearing a teeshirt with a picture of Putin and the Russian bear (Putin in a suit, not riding
the bear bare chested).
I wear it to all social events for the purpose of starting a discussion. Most Americans
are not engaged. They have little trust in their government and most feel like there is
nothing they can do about it. I live in the mountain west where people are more libertarian
and more willing to fight. I try to provide them with ammunition and point them to places to
go to get "real" news. I tell them not to "believe" any news, but get a variety of points of
view and use their own minds to determine what is true.
A few years ago, I was very disturbed when I kept hearing Dr. Stephen Cohen say that Putin
was the greatest statesman of our time. As I had studied Soviet history in school, I had sort
of kept abreast of what was happening in Russia. As an economist, I was aware of how the
West, especially the USA, came to help Russia with Democracy and "free markets". It was
obvious to me that we were just assisting in selling Russia by the pound to the moneyed
class. I had followed Dr. Cohen over the years as well. But sceptical of his assessment of
Putin, I have gone back and watched and read almost everything Putin has said and watched
what Russia has done and I believe Dr. Cohen is correct.
As a fervent anti-war activist since the sixties, I have been appalled at all the
regime change the US has and continues to do around the world including both military covert
operations and economic warfare. Well Putin had me at his 2007 Munich speech. The one
the West called a rant.
Finally someone was calling out this criminal behavior on an international stage! Putin
has continued with these messages and as far as I can see, Russia is operating accordingly.
No one country, not Russia, not China, no one can destroy this international Cabal on its
own. It will take a concerted effort of all peace seeking people from around the world to
force their governments on a different path. Starting in my case with the people of the
USA.
I emailed the OPCW yesterday. I asked for the location of the Douma inspection
team at precisely the time the research center was attacked. I heard that they
were at the airport and only hours away from the site. I thought this would
give credence to the theory that the site was attacked just so it would
interfere with a proper inspection. They declined to release any info for the
protection of their workers and the integrity of their work. I guess we will
have to wait for the report.
Russia and the Syrian regime have been accused
by western diplomats of denying chemical weapons inspectors access to sites in the town of
Douma, where an attack killed dozens and prompted US-led missile strikes over the weekend.
Russia and Syria had
cited "pending security issues" before inspectors could deploy to the town outside Damascus,
said Ahmet Üzümcü, the director-general of the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons, at a meeting of the OPCW's executive council.
Syrian authorities were offering 22 people to interview as witnesses instead, he said,
adding that he hoped "all necessary arrangements will be made to allow the team to deploy to
Douma as soon as possible".
Meanwhile, the Trump administration delayed action on sanctions against Russians suspected
of helping Syria's chemical weapons programme, contradicting remarks on Sunday by the US envoy
to the UN, Nikki Haley.
It would be legitimate to wonder if the U.S. MIC will stealthily add to the long list of sanctimonious sanctions the interdiction
for any western vassal state to buy the vastly superior Russian weapon systems in a not so distant future. One can feel it coming.
Needless to say this kind of short sighted vision will be the straw that will break the camel's back.
These sanctions are ultimately going to hurt more the USA than Russia because little by little countries are leaving the American
sphere of influence for the more balanced and reasonable Eurasian one. Nobody wants to stay with a maniac like Nikki or a fool
like trump...
The Americans will be begging to be integrated once they hit the bottom.
"... Rouhani told Putin that the joint military strikes against Syria were an "aggressive measure" aimed at boosting the defeated terrorists' morale. ..."
"... He warned that if aggression and blatant violation of international regulations were to become easy and cost-free, "we would witness new instability in the regional and international system." ..."
"... The Russian president, for his part, said the strikes conducted by the US and two Western countries against Syria under any pretext were a blatant violation of international law and an international crime. ..."
"... Putin said the missile attack on Syria was carried out before the announcement of the results of investigations into the use of chemical weapons in the Arab country. ..."
"... Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the Western countries' so-called proof of the purported use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government in the town of Douma was "ludicrous" for experts. ..."
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani says the "aggressive" US move to carry out military strikes
against Syria reveals that Washington has direct ties with terrorists.
"The Americans showed such a reaction when they felt that the terrorists were dislodged
from an important region like Eastern Ghouta," Rouhani said in a phone call with Russian
President Vladimir Putin on Sunday, a day after US-led strikes on Syria.
The strikes, conducted by the United States, France and Britain, hit three sites, one in
Damascus, and two in the city of Homs, which US President Donald Trump claimed were "associated
with the chemical weapon capabilities" of the Syrian government.
The tripartite Western countries announced that strikes were carried out as a punitive
measure against Damascus for a suspected poison gas attack they claimed was purportedly
conducted on April 7 by the Syrian government on Douma, the largest town in Eastern Ghouta near
the Syrian capital, which reportedly killed 60 people and injured hundreds more.
Rouhani told Putin that the joint military strikes against Syria were an "aggressive
measure" aimed at boosting the defeated terrorists' morale.
He warned that if aggression and blatant violation of international regulations were to
become easy and cost-free, "we would witness new instability in the regional and international
system."
"The attack by the US and its allies against Syria showed that we are facing new problems
and issues in the way of a final fight against terrorism in Syria and that we must have more
consultation and cooperation with each other," the Iranian president told his Russian
counterpart.
In a telephone conversation with his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, on Saturday,
Rouhani denounced recent airstrikes against Syria, saying such attacks ran contrary to the
principles of international law and were considered as a blatant sign of support for
terrorism.
"At a time that terrorists are suffering a defeat in Syria on a daily basis, such aggressive
act certainly means support for these defeated groups," the Iranian president said.
US-led attack on Syria, international crime: Putin
The Russian president, for his part, said the strikes conducted by the US and two
Western countries against Syria under any pretext were a blatant violation of international law
and an international crime.
Claims about the use of chemical weapons in Syria are baseless and against the realities on
the ground, he added.
Putin emphasized that Tehran and Moscow have a common stance on many regional and
international developments.
Both Tehran and Moscow are giving Damascus a helping hand in its countrywide
counter-terrorism battles. Iran has been offering military advisory assistance to the national
Syrian army, while the Russian air force is providing air cover to its ground operations.
Putin said the missile attack on Syria was carried out before the announcement of the
results of investigations into the use of chemical weapons in the Arab country.
He added that the United Nations was founded to build consensus among countries, adding that
it should not serve the political interests of certain powers, because it would create more
chaos on the international scene.
The Russian president emphasized that acts of aggression would not stop his country's fight
against terrorism and extremism in the region, particularly in Syria.
He also stressed the importance of more efforts and consultation among Iran, Russia and
Turkey in order to restore peace and stability to Syria after the US-led military strikes.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Saturday that the Western countries'
so-called proof of the purported use of chemical weapons by the Syrian government in the town
of Douma was "ludicrous" for experts.
The Russian top diplomat added that Washington, London and Paris told Moscow that there were
purported "irrefutable facts" as for the suspected chemical attack, so that, they could justify
the strikes that they had delivered earlier in the day.
TAXCOLLECTOR2017, 1 hour ago
Part of the false premise was that Assad used chemicals on the terrorists. When John Kerry
said they were rebels and they needed US support the US has never admitted they are
terrorists. As if US support and presence among the terrorists is irrelevant. Nothing they
have done since 2013 has changed what began in 2011 7 years waited and everyone knows how it
began in Syria. It's only now that the Zionists are having to answer the facts here. Then
again, the facts have answered themselves.
Usa , 1 hour ago
The USA always fights terrorists, they fought Taliban's, Alqaeda. But they ignore ISIS? Rings
bells....They created ISIS, Taliban and Alqaeda
Marek Kolenda , 3 hours ago
Only Russian S409 or S500 can destroy B1 bombers flying on highest altitude.
TAXCOLLECTOR2017 , > Marek Kolenda 1 hour ago
Those bombers are sitting in Turkey.
Bozek Jilek , 4 hours ago
The US gave BILLIONS in Weapons, Arms and Training to Moderate headchoppers and then
pretended to be fighting them, but then rushed into Syria to protect them when they started
losing, hoping and dreaming to get rid of Bashar Assad.
TAXCOLLECTOR2017 , > Bozek Jilek 1 hour ago
The John Kerry speech was all about supporting them in 2013.
Nari, 4 hours ago
The west know where their meat comes from! It comes from the slaughterhouse! Yet those animal
lovers still enjoy the protein the meat offers. So long as they don't see the kill they will
eat the meat.
Point here is the western public know their leaders are behaving badly when it
comes to foreign policy but just as long as the public are spared the gore it's fine to
continue to run the national policy (country) despite the horrific ongoings of their foreign
policy!
How far one can play stupid will ultimately be determined by what is important to
them. If being liked and accepted is their first priority then people will play dumb till
they reach the grave. Passive people only short change themselves! Take your gaze from off
the floor and look at the people you fear, dislike, or are brainwashed about. Being powerless
is a choice!
TAXCOLLECTOR2017 , Nari 1 hour ago
No one ever gave them permission. Most don't take insults well. Few even know the diatribe is
controlled, and would never admit it. That's a tough wall to penetrate.
Miriam , 5 hours ago
Just listen to the regurgitated (weak) excuses by UK politicians and journalists in defence
of the right to withhold vital information by the intelligence services because it comes
under the term "classified". How convenient to keep secret from the public incriminating
material/data that would irreparably damage the reputation of the government and its secret
services when such information would reveal overwhelming guilt in a terrorist act committed
under cover.
NO MORE ZIONISTS , 7 hours ago
STOP FRANCE TERROR --- French President Emmanuel Macron has said that he convinced US
President Donald Trump to keep troops in Syria.
Macron made the remarks in an interview broadcast by BFM TV, RMC radio and Mediapart on
Sunday, where he also defended his country's participation in the joint air strikes on
Syria.
"We convinced him it was necessary to remain there...We have complete international
legitimacy to act in this framework," he said. "We have three members of the (United Nations)
Security Council who have intervened."
The announcement was made several hours after US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki
Haley said that the US would not pull American troops out of Syria until its goals were
accomplished.
Stafford , 8 hours ago
It is well known although often forgotten that the USA intervenes both clandestinely and
overtly in the internal affairs of sovereign states. With the Syrian terrorists, there has
been circumstantial but no particular identification of US activity in specifically
supporting with weaponry the forces against the Syrian Government in the media. It would be
useful if the full text of the OPCW findings about alleged events in Syria were made public.
Great, I voted for Trump in the hopes he would not be a warmonger since Hillary certainly
was. Looks like I should not have bothered after all.
I can only imagine what Putin et al are thinking. They know they and Assad were not behind
that attack, and they know we know, or should know. What this means is that they will have to
come to view our government the same way America used to view the Communists. As dangerous,
fanatical lunatics.
Once you come to view someone not as a rational actor, but as deranged, the dynamics
change, and in very dangerous ways. You cannot appease or come to terms with a lunatic. All
reasonable options begin to disappear, leaving behind only the last resorts.
The Kremlin has accused the US, the UK and France of 'hooliganism' and breaking
international law, after a coordinated series of missile strikes on Syrian airbases last night.
The accusations come as Russia continues to claim chemical attacks by Assad's forces on his own
people were staged by civilian volunteer force the White Helmets. At a highly charged emergency
Security Council meeting, in New York, Russian diplomat Vassily Nebenzia condemned the strikes
as 'unleashing a wave of chaos.' Russia demanded a vote on a UN resolution condemning 'the
aggression' against Syria, but this was struck out by the Security Council.
... ... ...
In a heated exchange with his American counterpart Nikki Haley, Nebenzia said: 'Why are you
seeking to plunge the Middle East into such difficulties, provoking one conflict after another,
pitting one state against another?
... ... ...
A resolution needs at least nine 'yes' votes to be approved.
The vote reflected the deep divisions in the U.N.'s most powerful body, which has been
paralysed in dealing with the seven-year Syrian conflict and chemical weapons use in the
country.
... ... ...
Despite the coalition attacks, Russian channels continue to insist the chemical attacks were
staged by the White Helmets.
A video shared on the embassy's official twitter channel appeared to show two Syrian doctors
who were in Douma, the scene of the attack, declaring that no patients had symptoms specific to
chemical bombs.
The tweet was accompanied with the post: 'Breaking - people from the White Helmets "chemical
attack" video explain how it was staged. Retweet to beat jihadist lies!'
General Disarray, Boom Town Wish You Were Here, United Kingdom, about 9 hours ago
Yes Russia will retaliate and the UK will more than likely be the target....
Russian foreign claims Skripal and Yulia were poisoned by chemical made in UK
Sergey Lavrov says pair were not attacked with novichock but instead with BZ
'This formulation was in the inventory of the US and Britain,' Mr Lavrov said
The Russian foreign minister, Sergey Lavrov, claims former spy Sergei Skripal and his
daughter, Yulia, were poisoned by a non-lethal chemical made in Britain and the US.
Mr Lavrov says the pair were not attacked with novichock but instead with BZ - a toxin never
developed in Russia - which a laboratory in Spiez,
Switzerland, found.
'This formulation was in the inventory of the United States, Britain and other Nato states,'
Mr Lavrov said.
The key unknown is how many rockets were decoys this time
Notable quotes:
"... Were dummy missiles launched to deceive the Syrian defenses? ..."
"... The Pentagon and their friends in the lame stream corp. would never lie to the Amerikan Sheeple would they;-) ..."
"... A dummy cruise missile makes no sense. In order to have similar range/flight characteristics with the real one, you will need more of less the same engine/fuel/navigation/guidance system. And gain what? The cost of the terminal guidance sensor and the explosives? ..."
"... A very important essay that I completely agree with. http://thesaker.is/ask-yourselves-are-we-the-bad-guys/ ..."
"... Let anyone think that anyone in NATO actually cares about the use of chemical weapons, I will point out that the single biggest chemical attack in the last decade--if not well beyond that -- was when the vetted, moderate rebels poisoned the water supply to Damascus early last year. The water was unusable for weeks and killed a lot more than 40 people. ..."
"... The psychopath and sociopath UK/US/France & Co would always trample any rules or laws that they set up to pursue their intestests, be it $$$, be it resources, be it military and/or ideological dominance. ..."
"... War is about propagnda as much as about bombing itself, if not more important. US Army is lying and is confident its helper the MSM will get its message through American people's brains. ..."
"... RT, PressTV, Global Times and other government-affiliated sources are generally more objective than western mainstream media, but I worry that they may omit certain info that is uncomfortable to them. ..."
"... I think I will walk over to my neighbour and de declare his house and car and wife a "vital national interest" and see what happens..... ..."
"... Note that the US Navy ships were in the Red Sea not the Mediterranean - that is to keep them further away from Russia's Kinzhal missiles based in Southern Russia. Immediately after the strike Russia sealed an agreement for the use of a base in Iran - ships in the Red Sea no longer safe! ..."
"... There is nothing new about this. The Empire never accepts its mistakes and failures until its too late. Lets just hope they never kick this habit until its too late. ..."
"... FWIW, the attack pattern yesterday is pretty much what one would expect from a wide-area, short-range air defense probe, not a strike mission. The US and Israel already have the general geographical positions of longer- and mid-range air defense radars and communications networks mapped out for the time being. Taking those out will necessarily mean killing Russian soldiers. They'll only do that when they go all out. ..."
"... Or it was a successful SIGINT/mapping mission, not a strike mission, and neither the Pentagon nor Tel Aviv care to advertise that fact. Russian command staff plays the 'old, dumb Soviet generals' throwback act and brags about their supposed air defense success. In the meantime, they know exactly what happened and why FUKUS did it, and don't care to advertise that fact. Everything is intel to them. ..."
"... Just 22 per cent of the public would support a cruise missile attacks against Syrian military targets, a new poll shows. 43 per cent of the British public oppose missile strikes on Syria, according to the latest YouGov research commissioned by the Times. A significant 34 per cent of respondents said 'don't know'. ..."
"... The high failure rate of these 'Made in USA' missiles will be used to sell the missile stock update in addition to the allocated $10.8 billion for modernization and additional nuclear warhead capabilities. Smedley Butler could have never imagined just how much of a racket war (especially the one of terror) would turn out to be. ..."
"... 100 missiles from US, UK and France is a political commitment, not just a military test. At any rate, the military failure is also a political failure. A year's effort since the 59 Tomahawk attack hasn't improved the success rate. Must be very worrying for the US military. ..."
"... They already pretty much destroyed whatever small chances Trump ever had at being re-elected ..."
report of strike and the description
in the Pentagon
briefing on the strike. According to the Pentagon only three places related to non-existing Syrian chemical weapons were targeted:
This combined military strike was directed against three distinct Syrian chemical weapons program targets.
...
In summary, in a powerful show of allied unity, we deployed 105 weapons against three targets.
It does not make any sense to send 35 cruise missiles against each of those not hardened, not defended targets like the
now destroyed Barzeh research center which
was a small two story building complex
(pic of destruction) and had been
declared free of chemical
weapons and weapon research by the OPCW. Why would the U.S. military use such a high number of precision weapons against only three
targets? This is extremely unusual and does not make sense at all.
The Russians , as well as
othersources on the ground, report in detail of
many more targets:
Four missiles targeted the Damascus International Airport; 12 missiles the Al-Dumayr airdrome, all the missiles have
been shot down.
18 missiles targeted the Blai airdrome, all the missiles shot down.
12 missiles targeted the Shayrat air base, all the missiles shot down. Air bases were not affected by the strike.
Five out of nine missiles were shot down targeting the unoccupied Mazzeh airdrome.
Thirteen out of sixteen missiles were shot down targeting the Homs airdrome. There are no heavy destructions.
In total 30 missiles targeted facilities near Barzah and Jaramana. Seven of them have been shot down.
At least six airports were targeted according to the Russian report. The Pentagon reports no strike on Syrian airports but claims
to have launched a way too high number of cruise missiles for each of the claimed three target. The Syrian opposition outlet SOHR
reports of eight targets and says that at least 65 of the cruise
missiles were downed by the Syrian air defenses. The Russians say 71 were shot down while the Pentagon says none of its cruise missiles
were hit.
At least three other sources confirm the Russian version of events. The Pentagon is lying. The attack was a U.S. attempt to disable
the Syrian air force by destroying its airports. It failed and the Pentagon is hiding that failure. Will the U.S. media report this
discrepancy?
Not unrelated to the strike on Syria is the Skripal case where the mysteries continue to pile up.
I saw a couple of parts of missiles and maybe Russian MOD needs to display the pieces they have collected. Most amerikans believe
their invincibility. In fact they want a second round and Russia does seem to agree there will be another attack before May 12th
now that idlib part deux has started.. ghouta was only to stop the US from taking the city while the army was busy in idlib.
The legality of the US strike has (rightfully) been questioned.
UN Charter, Article 2:
-All Members shall settle their international disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that international peace and security,
and justice, are not endangered.
-All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity
or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations.
Article 51 of the Charter covers self-defense.
Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an armed attack
occurs against a Member of the United Nations, until the Security Council has taken measures necessary to maintain international
peace and security. Measures taken by Members in the exercise of this right of self-defence shall be immediately reported to
the Security Council and shall not in any way affect the authority and responsibility of the Security Council under the present
Charter to take at any time such action as it deems necessary in order to maintain or restore international peace and security.
Obviously the US has not been attacked by Syria so SecDef Mattis has reworded the self defence law. "But as far as the legal
authority under the Article II of the Constitution, we believe the president has ever reason to defend vital American interests,
and that is what he did here tonight under that authority."
here
What "vital American interests" in Syria are being defended? Of course no reporter asked that vital question. Mattis has said
that if Syria employs its chemical weapons against its citizens then it might do the same against US troops so it must be stopped.
Of course the US troops are in Syria illegally, claiming to be anti-ISIS but actually trying to overthrow the Syria government.
So the US creates a vital American interest by illegally occupying a country with military forces and then has to defend that
interest against that country. That's how to Make America Great Again?. . .No.
105 missiles at 3 targets ? How stupid do they think we are ? No I think b might be on to something, a failed attempt to hit the
Syrian airforce, it could be credible....
Are Guardian columnists ignorant or what? The latest ignoramus/useless idiot is
Andrew Rawnsley :
Syria has paid a terrible price for the west's disastrous policy of doing nothing
Has he really missed all the shit the United States, United Kingdom, France, etc. have been doing in Syria or has he just received
a large well-padded brown envelope from MbS? If the US and others such as the democratically-elected governments of Qatar and
Saudi Arabia had stayed out of Syria, the whole shitpile would have been over in weeks if not days. It's Obama, Clinton, Sakozy,
Cameron and all the other useless idiots who are responsible for the mess in Syria.
"What "vital American interests" in Syria are being defended? It is Zionist/Israeli/Rothschild interests being advanced, see the
Oded Yinon Plan. The groundwork for this plan began before the Balfour Declaration, and was simply transferred to the US via the
privately-owned banking cartel, Rothschild-controlled Federal Reserve (created in 1913) when the British Empire sank into irrelevance
for the Zionists post WW1. Don't forget the Barn Rothschild in the 1700's saying "I care not who sits on the British throne, he
who controls the money supply controls the Empire... and I control the money supply." So the US Empire is controlled by those
who control the US-peto-dollar money supply... the US Federal Reserve.
This is why so much of US "foreign policy" makes no logical sense. But include the Rothschilds/AIPAC/etc., plus the Saudi wahabbists
and US "policy" makes completely logical sense.
I hope the US is telling the truth actually. The number of US ships heading that way suggests they want to have so many missles
to launch they will just overwhelm the air defenses. This is scary shit.
Regarding the legal basis for the attacks, Jon Schwarz has an
article up: Donald Trump Ordered Syria Strike Based on a Secret Legal Justification Even Congress Can't See . . .How can this
be constitutional, given the fact that Article I, Section 8 of America's founding document declares that "The Congress shall have
Power To declare War"?
The problems with that line of thinking, it seems to me, are two:
Saying that the Congress has the power to do something doesn't mean that the president can't do the same thing.
A brief attack upon another country doesn't rise to the level of a war, and obviously Trump did not declare war on Syria.
The most important event following the strike was the vote in the Security Council on the Russian resolution condemning the strike.
It lost the vote, but voting with Russia were Bolivia, thank you to the truly democratic President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, and
China. China. Let that sink in for a moment. China. Four nations abstained, so there was a very easy way for China to say, "I
don't have a dog in this fight," and abstain. Or, China, could have voted against the resolution, joining its trading partners
the U.S., Britain, France, Sweden, Poland, etc. But China voted in favor.
This clearly means that when the U.S. starts bombing Russian installations anywhere, they will have to deal with the Chinese
as well as the Russians. This will not happen.
A dummy cruise missile makes no sense. In order to have similar range/flight characteristics with the real one, you will
need more of less the same engine/fuel/navigation/guidance system. And gain what? The cost of the terminal guidance sensor and
the explosives?
I think I was a little late to the discussion on another thread, so if you don't mind I think I'll re-post here:
b (and several commenters) are correct that this Syrian attack was a win for Russia. Russian S-400 and other defensive countermeasures
were 100% effective--not a single iFUKUS aircraft penetrated Syrian airspace and US naval vessels were prevented from striking
Syria. As for the swarm of gnats, the Syrians were allowed to test their own metal and in spite of creative attack vectors also
received an exemplary grade (unlike the US, Russia and its allies seem very good at "teaching a man to fish"), even against Trump's
new, improved missiles. Sure, iFUKUS is able to save a little face by announcing a perfect win, just like they announced the virtually
perfect strike last year (even though Syrian aircraft were taking of from there within a few hours). And I also fear the naval
buildup is a signal that this is not the last chapter in this book, but as for this particular chapter there is a reason the Syrians
are celebrating.
I haven't heard any more about the Russian report that the French didn't actually do anything--they probably kicked the Russian
shin under the table and hissed "Shut up! We already cashed the Saudi check!" The MbS visits to the three protagonists removes
any doubt about the real reason for this attack, but the French definitely seem to be losing enthusiasm for a swim after dipping
their toes in the water and finding it way too hot. [Actually, AP noted that the French might have been tasked with a second wave
attack, but when at some point during the first wave Russia scrambled its aircraft (photos were posted on SyPers, I think, showing
Russian aircraft buzzing around a couple days earlier prominently displaying anti-ship missiles), the second wave was nixed. This
actually sounds quite plausible.]
I think the consequences Russia promised will be mostly in the refusal to let the whole chemical false flag industry story
drop. There was an announcement that Russia knew for a fact that Britain had ordered the E Gouta false flag, which seems like
a pretty strong statement and would indicate not only might the good guys have captured iFUKUS terrorist trainers fessing up to
some of their involvement, along with reportedly captured British CW munitions, but I recall from a year or so ago an Iranian
general chuckling and remarking that they had penetrated all of the iFUKUS command centers and knew everything that was going
on. Russia might be privy to intercepted communications as well, although they no doubt don't want to burn their assets.
Likewise they were tipped by someone at the Swiss lab about the Skripal affair. There was a reason it was Russia who was clamoring
to get the OPCW involved (as the proper authority for this type alleged incident), and it looks like it's paying off. In spite
of the Brits' attempt to carefully limit the scope of that involvement--like a TV lawyer, "Just answer the misleading question!
Yes or No? Did the Porton Down lab find evidence of a toxin that is something like an organophosphate?" Yes, BUT... was obviously
the answer the Brits did not want to get out. So the Skripals were hit with BZ to make a scene and get them into isolation, where
the frame-up of Russia could begin by carefully seeding A-234 about to make the case; but they got nervous when the OPCW inspectors
finally arrived that the "evidence" might be too degraded, since that's what this type of non-persistent agent does, so they re-applied
fresh, new samples straight from the lab. Unfortunately this was duly noted by some brave scientist, that the "evidence" was simply
too perfect, and Russia was tipped off. But now that this evidence is in the hands not just of Russia but of third parties, May
and BJ are going to look very bad indeed.
Let anyone think that anyone in NATO actually cares about the use of chemical weapons, I will point out that the single biggest
chemical attack in the last decade--if not well beyond that -- was when the vetted, moderate rebels poisoned the water supply
to Damascus early last year. The water was unusable for weeks and killed a lot more than 40 people.
Looking at Trump's string of tweets for the morning of April 11, it looks very likely he had to act on Syria or be impeached.
Any time both side of congress and senate are in unison, Trump faces impeachment. This is also the reason Mattis and the pentagon
under him are lying about the Ghouta CW and the effectiveness of the US strike. I doubt there will ever be any major attacks on
Syria or the Russian forces there under Trump, though there may be more symbolic moves if Trump is facing impeachment. Even symbolic
moves have to be sold to the swamp as highly detrimental to Syria and Russia.
Just to say... What a community! And what a host!! B should be super-proud. Probably the sole bar in the world where you walk
in and find people discussing and arguing basing themselves on the UNSC live or on official documents and reports released by
governements and organisations. I doubt you'll find a university where the elite applies the rules followed here.
#1 May 12th, coz the opening of the US embassy in Jerusalem is supposed to happen a couple of days later. Is that what all the
build up of an 'invicible armada' is about?
There is an interesting analysis by A Russian Admiral as to why the attack had such limited success: sputniknews.com/analysis/201804151063583839-syria-us-missile-strike
It makes sense, they had no time to coordinate and probably thought they had a soft target in Syria if they avoided all the Russian
sites. Wrong and it is interesting that the full weapon complement was 300 missiles, perhaps to defend if Russia did attack?
Regarding the 'successful strikes'; my thoughts precisely B. It is telling that nobody in the MSM world was commenting the striking
discrepancy not in terms of missile hits but in terms of targets. Obviously FUKus tried to weaken the Syrian airport infrastructure
and failed badly.
There are rumors the intention was to add more attack rounds but that this intention was thwarted by the start
of the Russian combat aircraft.
Yes, this map is really interesting, the text from 2 days ago goes into detail on strikes that never happened. And if you refresh
the site, all the 2 day ago "strikes" on the map disappear. Nice catch!!
Both Tomahawk and air to surface missiles were used. I had read one report of
missile coming in over Idlib province. These where most likely lauched by the Brits whos planes took off from Cyprus. They may
have launched them off the coast of Turkey, flying over Hatay province Turkey, and Idlib.
US launched air to surface missiles from Jordan. One or more US ships in the Red Sea launched Tomahawks.
There have been a number of comments that thius or that cannot be right because Tomahawks do not do this or that, but what
air to surface missiles were used and what are their flight characteristics?
The brits launched 8? (I forget their name at the moment) according to Russia MoD. The US tried a few of its new 'smart' missiles
(6?), but what other types did US launch from the air?
Amongst this mix, I think there would be quite a variation in flight characteristics.
In follow-on to my earlier post at 22. Jim Stone has some info on why the attack stopped (recall that they had 300 missiles available
for this):
"I am going to stick with my assessment that something big was going to happen that caused the U.S. to stop the attack.
All the cruise missiles could report their status to the launch site, and the U.S. was sitting there watching them vanish before
they reached their targets. "reporting back" was early 90's tech, that the cruise missiles had even then.
So it would have been ominous to watch them vanish, And then suddenly, Russian planes were in the air, preparing to attack.
That did happen, regardless of whatever any claims are.
And within 20 minutes (before they reached their targets) it was suddenly announced that the attack which was supposed to
last for days was suddenly over, after only about an hour. Something big happened, and no one is saying what. My guess is that
Russia made the right threat."
Laws and rules are designed and laid out for the yellow/brown/black people and the powerless small potatoes to obey and follow
through.
The psychopath and sociopath UK/US/France & Co would always trample any rules or laws that they set up to pursue their
intestests, be it $$$, be it resources, be it military and/or ideological dominance.
Remember how the Westerners came to "discover" America and then claimed it theirs without ever asking permission from
the indigenous American who had been living there long before they came. Till now they've been whitewashing their illegal squatterings
and killings as "given" to them because they're "exceptional people" blessed by God .
Remember how the British demanded China to legalise the drug trade when it ran into 20 million tael silver trade deficit. When
China refused, they used guns and boats to force China to take their opium for exchange of China's fine silk, tea and porcelain.
Remember how the stolen diamonds and rubies from India are still sitting on the British crowns, which are worn by HM Queen.
Stealing, lawlessness and bullying are all impregnated in UK/US/Fr's DNA.
After my post @18 I read a recent piece at SST by J. J notes the posture of Trump recently. Arms folded, a look of dejection or
defeat. He has only had this look since being pushed into the Syria strike. The lunatics that are called elected representatives
in the US may soon vote Trump out of office. They want Syria destroyed and Russia crushed under their heel. That is when we will
see war.
War is about propagnda as much as about bombing itself, if not more important. US Army is lying and is confident its helper
the MSM will get its message through American people's brains.
Just shows how schizophrenic US has become. iFUKUS will not back awy from further attacks, I'am sure. Hope Russia is now decided
to supply Syria with S-300 or even S-400.
Does anybody know of a good news aggregator that does not censor/weed out publications that do not conform to "preferred narratives"?
Google News seems to have gotten worse (almost no western indy media at all) as of late and it's become practically useless. NewsNow
is a little better but seems to include a limited number of sources. RT, PressTV, Global Times and other government-affiliated
sources are generally more objective than western mainstream media, but I worry that they may omit certain info that is uncomfortable
to them.
The Pentagon claims that 76 missiles hit Barzeh. Ludicrous.
Posted by: shargash | Apr 15, 2018 11:37:42 AM | 13
Barzeh is also in a densely built-up residential area, according to Sputnik. 76 missiles to hit a few small buildings and only
4 / 8 / 12 for whole aerodromes? That's because Barzeh is a residential area and the missiles are "for the protection of civilians"
after all ...
Note that the US Navy ships were in the Red Sea not the Mediterranean - that is to keep them further away from Russia's
Kinzhal missiles based in Southern Russia. Immediately after the strike Russia sealed an agreement for the use of a base in Iran
- ships in the Red Sea no longer safe!
There is nothing new about this. The Empire never accepts its mistakes and failures until its too late. Lets just hope
they never kick this habit until its too late.
@Peter AU 1 | Apr 15, 2018 1:07:21 PM | 30
I agree, he looks flummoxed but he is a tough guy and he may be able to fight though, although the Bolton hire is scary.
The plus side is the US strike was not a success, no matter how the msm tries to spin it. This may explain why the US is going
to issue all new, shiny Russian sanctions tomorrow.
The new sanctions and this strike will also serve the deep state's objective of blocking any meeting between Putin and Trump,
or maybe not, Putin his a shrewd apple and may see through all of this.
Given relative high success rate of Russian air defence systems, the US just helped prove and advertise the effectiveness of Russian
military equipment. I would be interested to know if Russian military equipment sales go up in the weeks to follow.
This is what some anonymous entity posted at Breaking Defense:(excerpt follows)
The missiles struck at the heart of the Syrian chemical weapons enterprise, taking out three sites, one in Damascus, and two
further north near the city of Homs, that produce and story[sic] chlorine and sarin precursor materials. The strike was remarkable
for the number of widely dispersed assets used to hit the three targets:
From the Mediterranean, the U.S. Virginia-class submarine USS John Warner fired six Tomahawk missiles, and the French frigate
Languedoc launched 3 SCALP missiles.
In the Red Sea, the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Monterrey fired 30 Tomahawk cruise missiles, while the
Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Laboon launched another seven Tomahawks.
In the Arabian Gulf, another Burke, the USS Higgins, shot an additional 23 Tomahawks.
Additionally, U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers launched nineteen 2,000-lb. Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSM). The
extended range variant, which was used in this strike, has a range of about 1,000 km.
British Typhoon and Tornado aircraft also launched 8 2,900-lb. Storm Shadow cruise missiles with a range of over 500 km.
French aircraft shot a further nine SCALPs.
It's not yet clear which bases the allied aircraft launched from, although the B-1s probably came from al-Udeid in Qatar and
Anglo-French aircraft from Europe.
NOTE: "Arabian Gulf" suggests someone in the Pentagon, especially Navy. That's what they do.
b - "The attack was a U.S. attempt to disable the Syrian air force by destroying its airports."
Do you mean the runways, specifically? The tactic of grounding aircraft by damaging runways is used, but it is understood as
a temporary (hours, maybe a day or two) at best no matter how big the crater. Several smaller craters or a deeper crater require
more effort to repair, but do not substantially increase the time the runway is unuseable (hours, days). Typical western scenarios
have cruise missiles or stand-off weapons taking out the air defenses first, followed by aircraft using precision munitions to
destroy all the aircraft and infrastructure.
FWIW, the attack pattern yesterday is pretty much what one would expect from a wide-area, short-range air defense probe,
not a strike mission. The US and Israel already have the general geographical positions of longer- and mid-range air defense radars
and communications networks mapped out for the time being. Taking those out will necessarily mean killing Russian soldiers. They'll
only do that when they go all out.
They need a better picture of the quantity/type of short-range systems defending the longer-range systems, or short-range systems
deeper inside Syria that may not have been noticed or ever turned on. Any intel is intel - positions will change, but you'll know
to focus on an area tomorrow to pinpoint targets if you know they are there today.
On an attack like the one yesterday, you attempt to get a few cruise missiles inside or beyond the longer-range defenses. You
want to appear to attack deeper, high-value targets (actual or suspected) that may defended with short-range SAM systems. Those
systems (Pantsirs in the case of Syria) don't fire up their radars revealing their presence until a missile gets close enough.
So you have to make that happens. You want to make sure they are nervous about a significant attack and watching for one. I think
that part went swimmingly.
The cruise missiles don't even have to strike anything. Probe one site, then maneuver to the next one and probe it. Or probe
a site approaching from one direction/altitude, then divert and approach from a different one. You don't even have to have a specific
target - just buzz an area to see if its defended at all and by what equipment. Everything, including the cruise missile itself,
is gathering data and sending it off to someone. At the end of the mission, run the missile into a plausible target or destroy
it. See? It wasn't a probe, it was a failed strike mission. There were xx number of apparent attacks, so there must have been
xx number of cruise missiles fired. Hah - your expensive cruise missiles are worthless!
It failed and the Pentagon is hiding that failure.
Or it was a successful SIGINT/mapping mission, not a strike mission, and neither the Pentagon nor Tel Aviv care to advertise
that fact. Russian command staff plays the 'old, dumb Soviet generals' throwback act and brags about their supposed air defense
success. In the meantime, they know exactly what happened and why FUKUS did it, and don't care to advertise that fact.
Everything is intel to them.
Soviet leadership were psychopaths and didn't quite understand the US. The Russians, today, know what psychopathy looks like
from up close. The current crop running Israel and the US are just not that clever. Russia can see right through them and realize
how dangerous they are. They know exactly where this is going and what's at stake.
Israel and the US are still obsessed with the success of the 1967 Six Day War. Land-grabs, resource-stealing and Arab-killing
require total air dominance first. That is being arranged. Exhausted opponent forces like the Egyptian troops Israel was facing
in 1967? Check - that is the job of the Saudi and US Special Forces al Qaeda and ISIS contingents - Syrian troops are determined
but exhausted today, and have lost most of their military equipment. [By the way, the Egyptian troops sent to the Sinai in '67
were exhausted because they had been fighting the flip-flop army of northern Yemeni tribes. Nobody defeats the flip-flop army!]
I'm not an army guy so can't speak to whatever the ground invasion of Syria will look like. The writing is on the wall for
me about the Syrian air defenses, though. Russia interrupted the 'destroy all air defenses' phase for a few years, but the Israeli-firster
US deep state demands we finish the job. For Christ's sake, they exhumed Bolton's corpse and a week later Tomahawks are flying.
The US Administration and Pentagon have been well-sheckel'd and properly trained to kiss the ring of MbS for easy cash. Time to
earn that pay... er, make the little people earn that pay. The way to Iran is through Syria and the Israelis and Saudis
are getting impatient.
I wonder how likely it is that the missiles flying towards Barzeh were seen at the time as missiles that overshot any strategic
targets and considered as a lower priority by the air defense forces. Because the three targets the Pentagon got to parade around
feel like a waste of missiles intended to make intercepts look less efficient than they were.
Another hypothesis about the scrambling of Russia jets well after the show started is perhaps to be found in reference to B1 bombers.
Although strike points of US cruise / crude missiles can perhaps be extrapolated from flight paths, the BI (stealth) bombers could
fly in relatively close and launch at targets at the last minute.
Coming up for Trump (in addition to his increased domestic problems) is North Korea. Probably President Kim will now be even more
disinclined to disarm than he previously was. The US: "Trust us, if you disarm we won't take advantage of your weakness.". . .uh-huh.
Paveway, Makes sense. However, we now are informed that Russia is delivering more and more sophisticated anti-aircraft weapons
systems to Syria in response to this attack.
@47
Notice the absence of the destroyer Donald Cook. On that we have this
article from Stars & Stripes: (excerpt)
As images of sick or dying children flooded global media all week, the U.S. guided-missile destroyer USS Winston Churchill
was en route to the Mediterranean to join a flotilla of allied warships, including another U.S. destroyer, the USS Donald Cook.
It was a ruse.
While both vessels carry as many as 90 Tomahawk missiles the main weapon used in the Friday evening strike on Syria
neither ship in the end fired a shot. Instead, according to a person familiar with White House war planning, they were part
of a plan to distract Russia and its Syrian ally from an assault Assad's government could do little to defend itself against.
Without having read all the posted comments, but while in the process of putting together an opinion piece analysis for a French-langauge
newspaper in Switzerland, I can say that the French were involved. The number of weapons used can be explained by a simple fact:
everybody was testing weapons. After such tests, on the manufaturers' websites, one usually finds the desigation "battle tested"
for those thus tested. This increases their salability.
One thing should be perfectly clear by now. The corporate empire's goals will never change. Regime change, and a failed state
in Syria, are a must to further the global hegemony desired.. And, all for the sake of profits.. Hopefully, the alliances strong
enough to blunt this monstrous goal, are not involved in the "war show" going on...
mali 37
Yes. Congress, senate... they seem to have the belief that if the US launches a devastating strike on Syria without caring if
Russians are killed, that the Russians will back off and run home. Pentagon knows that if they do this, Russia will strike back
and with the lunatics in congress and senate trying to run the asylum, this will quickly lead to MAD.
@ 46 link to magneir is worth reading.. i am quoting the last part which is especially interesting..
"Turkish President Erdogan expressed his support and later satisfaction with the US strikes on Syria. Russia answered by asking
him to deliver the city of Afrin to the Syrian government. Iran's special envoy for Syrian affairs Ali Akbar Velayati overtly
stated that the next objective is Idlib. Therefore, it is now feasible for Turkey to pull out of its dozen observation bases around
Idlib, even as Russia pulled out of Afrin prior to the Turkish attack. And Russia expects Erdogan to cancel the previously agreed
sale of the S-400 missiles any day.
Thus, the compass points to Idlib, Rastan, Jisr al-Shoughour and the Syrian Army forces gathering in rural Lattakia, ready
to divide Idlib after liberating the many villages around it.
This will bring the world to the next "chemical attack" appointment in the next operational theatre of the Syrian army and
its allies. Would the US stand by al-Qaeda? Why not? It has never really been a question of the use of chemical weapons, since
the US holds the largest stockpile of chemical weapons worldwide: the real issue is the defeat of the US faced with the dominance
of Russia over the Levant."
also for anyone who missed it.. i was away friday, but the daily usa press briefing propaganda sheet from friday rarely disappoints!' https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/
Posted by: PavewayIV | Apr 15, 2018 2:11:41 PM | 48
Really interesting, thank you! Could it be that this assessment worked both ways; Russia now knows what the US knows and will
make its info moot? As fastfreddie noted, Russia is going to bring Syria new equip. I am inclined to think, even in the face of
your excellent comment, that this was intended to be a serious hit.
I believe our latest Axis of Evil had every intention of
destroying all of Damascus, the Syrian infrastructure, airports, planes, all except for the Russian sites. They were surprised
by Syrian capabilities and cut the mission short.
When the State Dept did their show and tell on the mission, they did not look like people who had won, they looked like people
who had just had an unsettling experience.
The sudden announcement that the US is putting new sanctions on Russia on Monday may be their way of saving face as these are
new, new sanctions from what I have read so far.
The proportion of missile failure was even greater than for the 59 Tomahawk attack a year ago on the Sha'ayrat airbase. In a year
they haven't been able to find a solution. This is quite grave for the US military.
I know Russia has staked out a willingness to continue to exercise diplomacy, but might they at least float some demurs about
hosting Macron in Russia in May?
I think whatever your opinion of the strikes on Friday evening (stateside), there are only two worldviews for which you
would frame and fit the events to line up with that worldview.
I was trying to explain why this is happening to my wife on Friday and why America feels the need to get its rocks off by launching
tomahawks. She had catholic parents who believe in certain issues of eschatology, namely nuclear war, and have drilled the idea
into her since what I am hoping was a safe age to do so. Nonetheless, the intricacies of the Syrian conflict is only understood
by years of following the events. And so it is difficult to unpack these intricacies on her, (would she even care to understand
these) just like how it is difficult to respond to a friend at work when they comment on Assad gassing his own people.
I discovered the Saker's blog during the flareup in Donbass and watched as the airport there changed hands to the east in a
ridiculous display of wanton destruction. From there, the Syrian war became important to me. Almost four years later and we sit
watching the final moments, hoping for peace, but knowing the diabolical forces inhabit our western governments which will not
relinquish their Wolfowitz Doctrine. This we know.
Which leads me to my thought about the two worldviews and which Trump no doubt plays a large part:
To my mind, one can either FEEL that this is indeed a desperate moment of the west OR you feel that the elites
in the west are resigning themselves to the fate of jumping ship, arranging their finances for the move, and are getting ready
to leave western nations (particularly the US) with the check. In other words, these assholes just order the fanciest lobster
in the tank, ordered more than one drink, and are getting ready to sneak out the bathroom window because they can't pay.
So does Donald Trump really LOVE America? Is he a true-believer in the west and is dissed so hard by Sparta that he feels compelled
to go all-in? In my mind, it would be better if he weren't and so would let America fall into the hundred-year darkness which
we are about to descend. And not from nuclear winter will we be shrouded in the cloth of the untouchables, but from weening ourselves
from centralized gov't teets. The only question is, will Putin and co. and Europe's vassal-states allow these orchesTRAITORS to
slip themselves into their realm, cryogenically-frozen to be awoken centuries from now at the right moment when centralization
and globalization again stretches its gnarled-limbs out upon the unsuspecting world.
If the guns stand down, that may be the only thing we can hope for. Certainly never expect the fine-feathered elite to be brought
before the court of public opinion. But then again...Putin is a wily fox.
I love the thinking and analysis. I saw this as combining two major purposes
1) political - to give Trump his diversion, and marshal wavering supporters to show he is a man of action. By attacking the
sites the OPCW had certified were chemical sites (even though empty and de-activated for years) he can claim to have acted decisively
without laying the ground for longer-term US involvement.
2) Militarily - the strike was to identify and weaken the SAS Air Defence system. Targeting airports is futile. Targeting the
Air defence network (radars, mobile missile launchers) is critical. All the airports targeted were key air defense nodes controlled
by the SAA (my guess is others in the north near Aleppo are controlled by Russian elements). Israel claimed it had destroyed most
of the Syrian air defense network in Southern Syria recently. While factually untrue, it does indicate the direction of their
concern (and US concern).
On this level, the 100 missile strike was a test and probably gave the US their much needed info on the electronics of a larger
operation. Once the carrier strike group arrives, with a first wave capability that numbers over 1000 missiles, we will see the
real results of this confrontation.
If this confrontation was won by the Russians, the CSG will threaten, make a show of force, claim success and back off. It
dare not risk a 71 % failure for a 1000 missile attack. If the US feels it has the electronic warfare info it needs to overwhelm
the Syrian systems, IMO it will go for another attack lasting days as the US (pentagon and political types) have been humiliated
by Putin for too long to let it slide. They will still avoid the Russians but they will not leave a bridge, electrical plant,
water plant or other piece of infrastructure undamaged.
Or perhaps what you say is true of the preplanned air attack that was originally to follow the ground invasion of Damascus
by citizen militias (al-Islam led by embedded U.K., US, and Jordanian operatives) in response to a false flag chemical attack
in Ghouta. The rhetorical script was for the most part followed even as the purpose and force of the attack had changed: the purpose
was now to distract from the impending revelations of the U.K. /US Salisbury-Ghouta conspiracy; the force had to account for the
presence of Russian troops across the whole of Syria, as opposed to isolated in one quadrant of the country, as had been the plan
when the original conspiracy was hatched. The Russian discovery of this plot--in early to mid February--undermined the UK US major
operation that was to take down Damascus, leading to a partitioned Syria the major hub or which would be controlled by US and
Israel. No wonder why everybody hates the Russians.
i had seen it when it came out and various posts related to it, but in light of what has happened the past month, it really
needs continued and greater exposure for many more people to see...
Just 22 per cent of the public would support a cruise missile attacks against Syrian military targets, a new poll shows.
43 per cent of the British public oppose missile strikes on Syria, according to the latest YouGov research commissioned by the
Times. A significant 34 per cent of respondents said 'don't know'.
Voters from all main parties were overall against launching cruise missile attacks, but the majority (51 per cent) of 2017
Labour voters oppose the move while the Tories are almost evenly split (33 per cent support strikes, 34 per cent oppose).
However, at 61 per cent, a majority do believe the Syrian government or their allies were "probably" responsible for the chemical
attack in Douma. Only 10 per cent said they thought "the claims are fabrications" or "something else happened".
Over the weekend it was reported by Syrian opposition activists and medics on the ground that over 40 people were killed in
a suspected chemical attack on a rebel-held town near the capital.
The Syrian government and Russia deny both the involvement of Assad, president of Syria, and that chemical weapons were used.
The new YouGov results seem to suggest the British public opposes intervention. But asked whether they would support the enforcement
of a 'no-fly zone' over Syria, an overwhelming 60 per cent said they would back the move.
Deputy political editor Steve Hawkes tweeted: "YouGov polls says 22% back airstrikes 60% a no fly zone. Presumably they have
no idea what a no fly zone would trigger".
-----------------
As we can see, the public is thoroughly miseducated by the media but suspicious. The good news is that Corbyn will not suffer
for his very cautious anti-intervention position, but the imperialists do not suffer particularly either. It is interesting why
there is such a gap between agreeing that "Syrian government is guilty" and supporting the airstrikes.
I can see three reasons for half of the public being in the 61% that believe that "Syrian government probably did something
nasty" and 78% "bombing is Syria is ill-advised". One is the conviction that UK (and the other Western countries) support atrocities
perpetrated by KSA etc., so there is no need to follow from "atrocities" to "stop selling arms", and even less with "intervention".
The second reason is that a large part of the public does not care about human rights in the Middle East but worries that "Islamist"
and/or chaos can be a disastrous replacement of the current government. Even if they believe that it is tyrannical and "guilty".
Third, the wisdom of bombing "just a bit, not to change situation too much" is hard to absorb -- not impossible, but at par
with assorted total BS, like improving your luck by purchasing a crystal (apologies to crystal owners here, perhaps I should change
the example).
It does not make any sense to send 35 cruise missiles against each of those not hardened, not defended targets
Well, not including the costs for the launches, these missiles go for about $ 1.4 million a piece. Times 100, makes for a quick
$ 140 million bucks.
The high failure rate of these 'Made in USA' missiles will be used to sell the missile stock update in addition to the
allocated $10.8 billion for modernization and additional nuclear warhead capabilities. Smedley Butler could have never imagined
just how much of a racket war (especially the one of terror) would turn out to be.
As long as the US and its vassals make a living off of killing innocent people somewhere else, there will be no end to 'missile
strikes', or worse. Since an all out nuclear conflict would also ruin the profit model of the armament industry, it will be as
unlikely to happen as peace.
Mankind needs a lot more evolving in order to survive the psychopathy of its warmongers, war profiteers, poliwhores and presstitutes.
Is there anybody that believes weapons could ever be outlawed on planet earth? The probability of that happening is equal to
the probability for lasting peace.
Not only did Russia seal a deal to use 2 Iranian military airfield, part of the deal was to locate S300 and Pansir systems.
And thats only the bits publically admitted.
So thats the Arabian gulf tied up, and forget about attacking Iran.
A lot of the confusion re success rates and targets is, IMHO, down to the Russian electronic warfare systems, which seem formidable.
FWIW, the attack pattern yesterday is pretty much what one would expect from a wide-area, short-range air defense probe, not
a strike mission.
I'm not sure I agree with that. 100 missiles from US, UK and France is a political commitment, not just a military test. At
any rate, the military failure is also a political failure. A year's effort since the 59 Tomahawk attack hasn't improved the success
rate. Must be very worrying for the US military.
Thanks for that list. It is very informative. As an aside it seems as though they took a page from Russia's book (shooting
Kalibr missiles from the Caspian) and were trying to earn some cred for their flagging tomahawk sales.
I think the real message, a bit subtle but definitely not lost on the Russians, is that any action in the Syrian theater will
immediately bring into play forces from a very wide area.
The US is sending a message about their logistical reserves and their willingness to use it.
This can only be bad news for those hoping for a limited engagement. IF the US is willing to immediately broaden the scope
of the confrontation, then escalation will jump up the steps 2 and 3 at a time.
Thank you b for this treasure of analysis and commmenters. The intellectual effort of all are reassuring.
and thank you Swift @14. That is an interesting surmise and the truth, if it ever emerges will be fascinating. I suspect Theresa
May and her manbag Boris are soon for the knackery but whether it comes as a party spill or a no confidence vote will be worth
watching. Trump cannot be at all comfortable with the realisation that the top government funtionaries of PM, MI6 plus'retired'
spies like Christopher Steele were putting the dirt dossier together that was intended to get Hillary Clinton elected and now
cripples his presidency.
I did notice reports that Sergei Skripal was working on a project with Steele's company and SCL/Cambridge Analytica on a Petersburg
activity. Not seen anything further but perhaps there will be diamonds in the dust there too. SCL, being led by the tightest UK
Tory and deep state gang, is bound to be unravelled by good journalim and loony british hubris in the near future.
This was the last US missile attack on Syria. These things simply don't offer any payoff anymore. They already pretty much
destroyed whatever small chances Trump ever had at being re-elected, highlight growing military impotence of the West, enhance
international standing of Russia and Iran, and lead to increased refugee inflows into Europe. It's all loss and no benefit for
the western powers at this point. Russians get to test and hone their newest weaponry at small cost, while America is being reduced
to permanent damage control and lying to cover up previously lies. US reputation is already in tatters.
In the longer term all of the factors that doom the West - demography, racial tensions, fiscal unraveling, economic atrophy -
will only worsen.
Russians will have to apply extraordinary efforts in order to lose Cold War 2.0. Gorbachev would be able to do it. But not Putin,
the best geopolitical poker player in the world, as David Stockman puts it.
@telescope 83
Regarding Gorbachev, I've long had the feeling that he deliberately collapsed the Soviet Union. You have to consider the times
and the obvious trajectory of the Soviet Union's economy and the pressure put on them by the US. I think Gorbachev saw this and
said "okay, you want to be king of the world here ya go". However there was a much longer game involved and Gorbachev, and anyone
else paying attention, could see the trajectory the US was on as well. I believe the long game of collapse and rebuild was planned
for and that Putin was carefully groomed for his role. It's working.
With all that's going on, why Russia doesn't announce it will no longer be giving US astronauts rides to the space station, effective
immediately, is beyond me.
86
USSR was destroyed by SDI cartoons (those were inexplicably played on Soviet TV 24/7), Russian's desire to freely travel abroad,
and Soviet Union's overall senility and loss of ideological underpinnings. Gorbachev was simply a final result of the deep rot,
just like Trump is in the USA today.
@83
You desperately underestimate the malign intent of the powers that be. Suppose Ukraine just 'happens' to erupt in full scale war
and Russia intervenes to prevent the slaughter of Russian residents? Now put that together with another false flag chemical attack
near Idlib or Jisr al Shugur. Do you really think there would not be enough MSM driven outrage to launch another round of attack???
- perhaps in mid to late May??
Why else is the Saudi backed force of JAI (who have boasted about using chemical attacks) be attacking ISIS in the Idlib pocket
other than to control the sites that will be used (and to collect bodies for proper preparation)??
I have been predicting a major false flag against Russia (to be played out in Syria and the Ukraine) early in the World cup
match process (close to the quarter finals) for months now.
Everything about the present only adds more weight to that analysis. What you see as Trump's impotence and defeat will be portrayed
then as patient tolerance that was rewarded with Russian betrayal - all to call for and justify a major confrontation.
The Khinzal is the navalised version of the Tor surface-to-air missile system, not an anti-ship missile. Perhaps you are thinking
of Kalibr cruise missile which include an anti-ship version. BTW, RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus is within range of Kalibr cruise missiles
launched from the Buyan-M (probably the most potent warship for the price in the world today) of the Caspian Sea Flotilla and
neither the Royal Navy nor the US Navy have any capability on the Caspian Sea.
From wikipedia:
an all-weather low to medium altitude, short-range surface-to-air missile system designed for engaging airplanes, helicopters,
cruise missiles, precision guided munitions, unmanned aerial vehicles and short-range ballistic threats (Anti-Munitions). Originally
developed by the Soviet Union under the GRAU designation 9K330 Tor, the system is commonly known by its NATO reporting name,
SA-15 "Gauntlet". A navalized variant was developed under the name 3K95 "Kinzhal", also known as the SA-N-9 "Gauntlet". Tor
was also the first air defence system in the world designed from the start to shoot down precision guided weapons like the
AGM-86 ALCM day and night, in bad weather and jamming situation. Tor can detect targets while on the move. The vehicle must
stop intermittently when firing, although trials are being conducted to eliminate this restriction.
Given that the RuAF seems to have scared off the USAF over Syria, it makes more sense for the Russians to deliver Tor systems
rather than S-300/S-400 to deal with the next wave of cruise missiles when it arrives.
Art of The Deal was obviously ghost written. We can all bear witness to the fact that Twitter Trump is barely capable of writing
a complete, coherent, adult-styled sentence.
That said, we cannot know what the idiot's principles may be.
His history demonstrates that he is a grande scale con man - rip-off artist. He has used bankruptcy laws to his benefit to
avoid paying his bills. Many have suffered in their "artful dealings" with the disgusting sob.
That said, Hillary and the most of Democrats are on the same page.
re 87 woogs. there's absolutely no need for Russia to do anything. That's Johnson's idea, that the events will lead Russia into
retaliation. But quite false, who would they?
b says and asks,
"...The Pentagon is lying. The attack was a U.S. attempt to disable the Syrian air force by destroying its airports. It failed
and the Pentagon is hiding that failure. Will the U.S. media report this discrepancy?..."
the Ministry of Truth and Propaganda will not acknowledge or look into this discrepancy, you can be certain. It would create
too much cognitive dissonance, the reporter/analyst would be called a putin sympathizer or puppet for questioning too much the
Ministry's version of things
Have you ever seen the very good comedians/satirists interviewed off screen when they are being themselves? Very smart people
that pick up on and emphasize character traits. Trump is one of these.
The treachery of Erdoghan knows no limit. I gather that when an actual invasive move is made (other than the the failed 'uprising'
of the last five years) that it will come through Turkey assisted eagerly by the overexcited Erdoghan. I dont believe Russia or
anyone can ever control him other than with force.
The Idlib battle to finally clear out the Sunni killers will certainly trigger another fake CW 'attack' as the loss of that
many 'freedom fighters' will be intolerable. The current terrorist force in Idlib is elemental to the western/israel/sunni fantasy
of conquer Syria then Iran. Leaving the sunni killers bottled up to fester with each other and occasionally promoting factional
killing sprees may be a better intermediate strategy for Syria. Time is short though, a major US battle fleet is approaching.
This current world war is slow motion and drawn out but it is a world war and we all must work hard to stop the lunacy.
Although strike points of US cruise / crude missiles can perhaps be extrapolated from flight paths, the BI (stealth) bombers
could fly in relatively close and launch at targets at the last minute.
You are confusing the B-1, which is not stealthy, with the B-2 which is. Because of the engineering support they need after
each mission, the B-2s have to fly from their base in the US although I believe they can also operate out of Guam. As there was
no need to enter Syrian airspace to launch missiles, the B-1 was used instead. Also there is the slight problems that might arise
for the US MIC if a B-2 was shot down in Syrian airspace.
Russia HAS stopped shipments and technical "cooperation" of the RD180 rocket engines the US uses to launch to the space station
AND to launch US military/spy satellites. So the US gov't will have to rely on Musk or Branson to get their crap into space? Russia
has also ended tech exchanges in the nuclear industry, which means the US won't be able to retrofit Soviet/Russian design nuke
power plants ot use US-design fuel bundles. Like they were trying to do in Ukraine.
I think that short term 89 is likely right, while long term (10 years or so) 83 is likely also right. But can we make it that
far? The US knows only one game, and it can't win that game any longer. But denial is a bitch.
About three months ago you were convinced that an attack on Lebanon was imminent. Isn't now the best time for such an attack?
A full-blown war with Syria would activate Hezbollah in Lebanon anyway. So why not attack Lebanon first while everyone is expecting
an attack on Syria?
I would not be surprised to see a false flag attributed to Hezbollah just before or just after arrival of US fleet.
After an invasion of Lebanon, Syrian and Iranian governments may declare war. At which point, attacking Syria would be legal.
@92Laguerre:More sanctions tomorrow, a completely ineffective UN and a promise by the incoming Secretary of State to not let Russia
succeed in any sphere tells me that yes, Russia needs to do something. Nothing militarily speaking, but something. If not, soon
the only option will be a military one.
@ Laguerre 92 there's absolutely no need for Russia to do anything
Yes, it's important that US targets like Russia stay principled and legal, and not petty and churlish. That's what impresses
people and especially other governments who favor order over disorder. FM Lavrov is especially strong in that department.
Iran serves as an outstanding example of a country which has been a US target for most of the last fifty years yet has remained
principled and has not only persevered but has benefited. Iran said years ago that the US could not be trusted but they would
join a treaty anyhow, to "curb their nuclear ambitions" in silly US terminology. And look how that is turning out. I look for
North Korea to be similar despite all the US bluster, especially that coming from the new US SecState Pompeo who has recently
enjoyed his news of hundreds of dead Russians. This sort of bad attitude is not one to be copied in a world we expect to be orderly.
89
Ukraine won't "erupt in a full-scale war". That chapter is over. It's a country that is fast withering away in every regard -
and is on course to being a land of dying old people with a total of 16 million in population by 2050. There are no resources
there for even a limited offensive campaign. Increased skirmishes and belligerent jawboning is all that Kiev is good for. Even
the IMF is staying clear of this money-losing opportunity.
What's far more likely is that within 3-5 years we'll see Odessa, Kherson, Zaporozhye and Nikolayev People's Republics emerging
there, while in the west Poland, Romania and Hungary will get emboldened enough to present their land claims on Ukraine's Stalinist
territorial additions.
The rebels in the eastern Qalamoun region of Damascus have agreed to turn in their heavy weapons and to leave this area after
a successful round of talks with the Syrian Arab Army (SAA) and Russian Reconciliation Centre.
According to the agreement, the rebel forces in the key town of Dumayr will begin leaving for northern Syria in the 48 hours.
The remaining rebels in the nearby towns of Al-Nassiriyah, Rahebah, and Jayroud are negotiating with the government currently,
but they are expected to accept the agreement as well.
The rebel factions currently present in this part of the Qalamoun Mountains are the following: Ahmad Al-'Abdo Brigade and
and Jaysh Thuwar Al-Sham of the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
No doubt there'll be more talk of sieges and ethnic cleansing from the western MSM but with the imminent attack by the SAA
on ISIS and other rebels in Yarmouk, Damascus is beginning to look securely under the control of the SAG/SAA and as the idiots
in Washington/London/Paris don't understand, whoever controls Damascus controls Syria. How things have changed since the Harasta
Army vehicle depot came under attack a few weeks ago.
Trump is the Republican Obama. The follow the same model of government: faux populist leader dogged by crazy critics that want
to derail a righteous agenda.
Obamabots gave similar excuses. Real populists simply don't get have a chance of being elected in US money-driven elections.
Why was there only two populists running for President in 2016?
Sanders, Hillay's sheepdog, destroyed the movement that would been the best check on the establishment and the rush to war.
That movement was never going to be allowed to take root. Trump, a friend of the Clinton's was probably meant to prevail.
Rome had bread and circuses. We've got crumbs and tweets.
an important thing that no one seems to be noticing or remarking upon is the split in the western powers....
if the russians are to be believed, France did not fire any missiles, though I seem to recall from the US Ministry of Peace
and Propaganda that supposedly the French destroyer launched some 6-9 missiles or something...
Italy and Germany did not participate, nor Canada, which makes me wonder, why? I think that mainland europe knows where the
future is, and it ain't with the US, a failing power, it's with the One Belt One Road designs by china which will connect Europe
through Russia, Turkey and the central asian nations to China and the far East.
the Brits are US poodles to the end, they will walk over the cliff into nuke war with the US if the Empire demands it, but
the others seem to be hesitating or are not on board. There are simply too many historical, economic and future connections with
Russia and China et. al. to be had by mainland Europe. in spite of the EU going along with many sanctions....now. the future will
be different in the long run.
also of note is that the Brits and the US have been and are the world's main naval powers for over 250 years, and the One Belt
is about naval (through the northern Arctic route, dominated by russia) but most importantly land transport/connection of all
the EurAsian landmass...
Syrians are gearing for National Day celebrations on April 17 commemorating the evacuation of the last French soldier and Syria's
proclamation of full independence and the end of the French mandate of Syria on 17 April 1946. This will be especially noteworthy
this year given the recent display of colonial power frustration.
Syrians are gearing for National Day celebrations on April 17 commemorating the evacuation of the last French soldier and Syria's
proclamation of full independence and the end of the French mandate of Syria on 17 April 1946. This will be especially noteworthy
this year given the recent display of colonial power frustration.
Bakerpete @86
Serious suggestion for you
read Gorbachev, His Life and Times
by William Taubman
Taubman is prof at Amherst
also wrote "Nikita Khruschev"
which won a Pulitzer
Also excellent is Stephen F Cohen,
Failed Crusade: America and the Tragedy of Post-Communist Russia
In USA people say "everyone is entitled to an opinion", so maybe you are entitled to your view.
In England, they say "you are not qualified to have an opinion", and maybe they are right about your views on Gorbachev, because
I do not believe you have informed yourself about the Gorbachev era.
Please read these books and then tell us if your view is influenced by what they say.
I found all of them free online, do you know where/how to look for them? Any decent library will have them.
@mauisurfer 108
Thanks for the reference however I have read both Taubman and Cohen. I would regard that I fall somewhere in the middle; I have
an opinion that I'm quite willing to take responsibility for and yet I am not qualified. If you mean, do I have a degree, published
work, personal access to Gorbachev. Yet, I read very widely, can think for myself, don't have a "reputation" to uphold and am
quite comfortable being proven wrong.
Primarily "you are not qualified to have an opinion" is simply the polite English way of saying "shut up and don't question your
betters. Know your place."
If you live in the US, you can try Jeff Rense's website (www.rense.com) and Zero Hedge (www.zerohedge.com). Rense.com aggregates
news from many different sites (including most recently RT.com, Sputnik and PressTV) and blogs (Paul Craig Roberts, Ron Paul),
many of them quite dubious (Tomato Bubble). Zero Hedge is mainly a financial news blog with a libertarian / free market bias that
aggregates articles from other sites including MoA.
You can try Off-Guardian (www.off-guardian.org) and 21stCenturyWire (www.21stcenturywire.com) as well.
The guy who ghostwrote Art of the Deal felt guilty and confessed his sins in a New Yorker piece during the campaign (he didn't
feel bad enough to give the money back). I found it entertaining and it revealed a bit about Thump.
Thump was a regular feature of the tabloid newspapers for three decades before his election. Merely by virtue of living in
New York and reading the papers during that time, Thump's personality and behavior were on full display, and his character (he
has none) and principles (he has one - his own self aggrandizement) have long been readily evident. His habits of saying anything,
lying constantly, contradicting himself frequently, and regularly breaking contracts and screwing over business associates were
repeatedly on public display. Believe me, I had no interest in this person, but I couldn't avoid learning all about him unless
I ceased to consume news (which, ironically, I have eliminated about 98% of my prior rate of MSM reading and viewing in recent
years).
New Yorkers knew. If we had an actual news media and an actual democratic electoral process featuring a true and rational dissemination
and processing of relevant information during a campaign season, the rest of the country would've known.
Knowing this clown as I do certainly does not make him predictable, as his nature is unpredictability. Not due to craft, or
4th dimensional chess acumen, but due to dishonesty, lack of character, and utter lack of principle save the principle of Me.
He is many things, but unique ain't one of them, particularly among the political leadership class.
(@Ben 75 above) Government we deserve infuckingdeed.
While reading Vanessa Beeley's blog, I saw mentioned in the comments forum a new fake Syrian humanitarian organisation called
Violet Syria. As the name suggests, its "members" wear violet and purple-coloured uniforms. These "aid workers" were spotted assisting
with evacuations of jihadis and their families from East Ghouta recently.
VS's partners include International Rescue Committee (President: David Miliband, former UK Foreign Secretary), the Qatari Red
Crescent, the Asfari Foundation and Danish Muslim Aid.
Farm Ecologist @ 35:
Unfortunately if you want a good cross section of information you'll need to do the legwork yourself and collate the data in your
head. Here are some of the sites I visit regularly; Zerohedge, Automatic Earth, Strike The Root, Strategic-Culture, Sputnik International,
Global Times, Russia Insider, Unz Review, New Eastern Outlook, Dispatches form the Asylum, Vineyard of the Saker, Viable Opposition,
etc.
Each has it's own focus and bias.
So, if I try to deconstruct what just happened to its simplest elements:
-SAAD had a 69% kill ratio on 103 missiles fired (71 downed).
- No Russian systems fired.
-Syria is rumored to possess up to 40 Pantsir S1 launchers that may have been used friday.
-Now talk is RU may deploy newer (S-300VM Antey-2500) batteries to bolster SAAD capabilities.
-Ghouta has fallen leaving too few boots on the ground to exploit any successful aerial offensives.
-Such an offensive would take a massive multi-nation sustained campaign to degrade SY air defenses with probable RU casualties,
the reddest of all lines with catastrophic consequences.
Therefore, I cant see how the US can even strike again with effective results if more CW attacks are staged..
Syria 'chemical attack': Girl seen in hospital video speaks
This is the story of Masa, who survived the suspected chemical attack in Syria, in her own words.
Speaking on Sunday alongside her mother, she described how she and her family were hiding in a basement when a "barrel" dropped.
But, why is that you concede such credibility to this commenter who is developing the most oustanding theories, even when claiming
he is not a military man ?... I do not blame you, since he sounds so self-assured, even when claiming that soviet leadership
were psychopats , with all his cuajo , and he remains so self-assured as before, even when, here this is me who am
pretty sure, the psychiatrist he is not either....
After reading that unsubstantiated assertion, more proper of a totally brainwashed American than of the smart-ass he pretends
to be, I will be considering everything he writes from now on with a grain of salt....
Sliding in such a way finish with any intended analyst, as happens to The Saker, with his usual grudges against everything
which could sound soviet or his rancid grudges against everything which could sound catholic.....
Absolute never exist on the face of Earth, nobody has the exclusive of anything, neither races, countries, nor religions....Continue
looking for the white guys in white hats and black guys in black hats ...
I am familiar with some of these sites and will be sure to have a look at the ones previously unknown to me. I totally agree
that remaining well-informed informed requires ongoing effort.
The impetus for my request was to find a way to get a brief overview of current international events before I start my "real"
job each day. Thanks to the helpful suggestions of MoA readers I am confident that this can be done.
Posted by: Don Bacon | Apr 15, 2018 6:02:15 PM | 107
re Syrian National Day on April 17th.
The US may have planned on that day being a mockery, didn't work. But then again, the US flotilla with its 1000 missiles arrives
on May 14th.
Russia needs to get some container ships in play, fast.
Therefore, I cant see how the US can even strike again with effective results if more CW attacks are staged..
Posted by: Lozion | Apr 15, 2018 6:40:20 PM | 114
The answer to how the US&Co can strike is: volume. If they can bring more missiles to bear than Syria has in place then they will
be able to overwhelm them, that includes Russia's systems UNLESS Russia takes the battle to them and hits the ships, then all
hell will break lose which given the people involved may be what they want. Remember Russia announced their new weaponry but they
don't have them in production in large measure. If you were going to attack them with any chance of winning you have to do so
sooner than later. The US is stupid enough and desperate enough to chance it IMO.
Posted by: cdvision | Apr 15, 2018 6:44:24 PM | 116
Fantastic news, thank you, it negates my fears of conventional Syrian and Russian ground weaponry being overwhelmed mentioned
in my earlier post (123).
What is Russia's red line? Clearly, unprovoked cruise missile attacks on a country they purportedly militarily support and are
deeply engaged in does not cross their red line.
It has been Pentagon policy sense very early in the Cold War - and even during times when they were arguing between themselves
- that war with Russia would mean war with China and vice versa, that policy is unchanged. Along with the underlying policy of
"Global full spectrum domination." These policies have not changed for decades ad are not about to change now.
@ J Swift, 14
Good post but I have 1 correction. S400s were not used. Syria has no S300s or S400s. Hope they get some S300s soon. Russia didn't
engage except for some jamming.
The one clear lesson from the Syrian Adventure is that the Establishment does not tell the truth to the Plebes. The worst
manifestation is their belief in their own propaganda...
Notable quotes:
"... Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU ..."
"... Note to DoD: Russian MOD has said they'll be sending the Syrians S300 systems to defend their air-spaces in the near future. What do you think the success or failure rate was? I'll go with those who see a probable 50% knock-down rate. Some claim that DoD and MOD had a line of communication to deconflict and choreograph the missile strikes, so both would look good in the outcome. I dunno, it's possible. Now to the 'good stuff'..... ..."
"... Russian FM Lavrov claims he has irrefutable evidence that a Foreign State was involved in the Douma False Flag Chemical, stuff. ..."
"... So to whom is Russian FM Lavrov referring to? It'll eventually come out in the wash just exactly whom FM Lavrov was talking about. FM Lavrov has an excellent record of not bluffing, he only says things when he can back it up. ..."
"... The one clear lesson from the Syrian Adventure is that the Establishment does not tell the truth to the Plebes. The worst manifestation is their belief in their own propaganda ..."
"... If however the paid for propaganda from the white helmets has been used to substantiate claims of chemical weapon attacks - as we know it has - then the USA is on shaky ground in terms of ''facts''... that the usa-uk-france - opted to do this attack prior to OPCW investigation tells anyone all they need to know here as i see it.. ..."
Memo to OSD Mattis : Thank you, Thank you, THANK YOU for being the only adult in the room, and walking back the know-nothings
Bolton and crew from the precipice of what in the end would have been nuclear confrontation. (I hope this not just a temporary reprieve,
especially given the NEOCONs continuing hammering for nuclear confrontation)
Note: The NEOCONS will push for President Trump to fire
General Mattis as some are saying will happen in the coming days, if that happens as some say is coming, as the expression goes --
duck. Sadly, President Trump's body language doesn't bode well, he had a dejected look of a man defeated. Maybe he was just worn
out with the incessant whispers of the Bolton NEOCON/LETS-GO-TO-WAR IDIOTS who want to crack our planet in half.
I wouldn't have
blamed Trump if he had headed for the liquor cabinet and had a couple, but he's not built that way. In that way, Trump appears to
be like Putin, he's got better things to do than drown his sorrows. Who get's the Liar of the Week Award, D.C. or Moscow?
For their
claims of strike success versus more defense success regarding the 'allied?' strike on Syrian facilities whose intelligence data
is probably as old as Methuselah (20 plus years old at least), who is truthful and who isn't? DoD claims success with their missiles,
Russian MOD says NOT and claims that 71 out of 103 were neutralized by the Soviet (notice I didn't say Russian) built Air
Defense Systems currently in use by the Syrians.
Note to DoD: Russian MOD has said they'll be sending the Syrians S300 systems to
defend their air-spaces in the near future. What do you think the success or failure rate was? I'll go with those who see a probable
50% knock-down rate. Some claim that DoD and MOD had a line of communication to deconflict and choreograph the missile strikes, so
both would look good in the outcome. I dunno, it's possible. Now to the 'good stuff'.....
Russian FM Lavrov claims he has irrefutable
evidence that a Foreign State was involved in the Douma False Flag Chemical, stuff. Could he be referring in cloaked terms to the
U.S. and its CIA, the U.K. and their MI6, the Israelis and their Mossad? Both MI6 and Mossad are known to use Misdirection aka False
Flag as one of their trade-craft tactics.
So to whom is Russian FM Lavrov referring to? It'll eventually come out in the wash just
exactly whom FM Lavrov was talking about. FM Lavrov has an excellent record of not bluffing, he only says things when he can back
it up. Now for some news that is both bad and good given one's perspective, it appears that Moscow has D.C. in a corner, militarily
and economically speaking.
On the military side, according to a Belgian economist, the U.S. aircraft industry is 40% dependent on
Russian sourced titanium that's used in the production of both military and civilian aircraft. In space operations, the U.S. is dependent
on bilateral cooperation with Russia as Russia supplies rocket engines for use in commercial and satellite launches. Imagine a total
embargo by Moscow, 'could' hamper D.C.'s intelligence gathering (in space anyway). The Russian Federation economic blockade of U.S.
imports of tobacco and wines and spirits would put sad/grim faces on U.S. business. On the economic side, the U.S. appears to have
more muscle than Moscow, and 'could' choke the Russian economy, which Russia has a trump card in it's pocket -- it's force of arms.
So who is telling the truth, Moscow or D.C.? One or the other, or both? J
The one clear lesson from the Syrian Adventure is that the Establishment does not tell the truth to the Plebes.
The worst manifestation is their belief in their own propaganda:
The Steele Dodgy Dossier is facts. It was used to get a FISA Warrant to cover the bugging of Trump Tower. Guccifer 2.0 is a
GRU Colonel who took down Hillary Clinton. Michael Cohen, Trump's lawyer visited a secret Putin Contact in Prague. Russia is behind
the nerve gas attacks In Salisbury England and Syria.
They must. In the Shadow World of the Dump Trump Coup; Media, Contractors and Political Appointees; Russians are heinous villains
subverting democracy; otherwise, they are living on borrowed time awaiting to see if the DOJ Inspector General and Americans connect
the dots.
A war with Russia enriches their compatriots (in the short term) and avoids a day of reckoning.
if given a choice over who is telling the truth verses lying - i think the choice is obvious and it is based on facts...
Russia
is telling the truth and the USA is lying... it is not all black and white like that..
If however the paid for propaganda from the
white helmets has been used to substantiate claims of chemical weapon attacks - as we know it has - then the USA is on shaky ground
in terms of ''facts''... that the usa-uk-france - opted to do this attack prior to OPCW investigation tells anyone all they need
to know here as i see it..
Larvov - now there is a true statesman, unlike the shrill USA ambassador - Nikki Haley, who replaced a previously very shrill
USA ambassador - Samantha Powers... the USA is skating on very thin ice as i see it..
OT but closely related topic: both the U.S. and France have outed themselves. The 'Intelligence Assessments' are based on 'open
source' and evidence collected from NGO's. In other words, nothing other than the nonsense that was already shown to the MSM but
the MSM reported the French and U.S. claims as if it was something new.
"Jeff Seldin ✔ @jseldin ""We've got symptoms described in reports of media, NGOs and other open sources" per the 2nd sr administration official "Those
symptoms don't come from #chorine. They come from nerve agents""
On Topic: In the 'war zone post' they are using the argument that evidence of any damage proves that the Syrians failed to
intercept any missiles at any location. A classic straw man argument.
"... She will face an almighty row in the coming days over going ahead without consulting Parliament. Her defence is that "security and operational reasons" meant the attack had to go ahead overnight. That won't wash with her political critics, and Labour is also pushing for more clarity on the legal justification. ..."
...In 2013, Theresa May's predecessor tried and failed to get
approval for military action against President Assad. There was international alarm, then as
now, about his suspected use of chemical weapons. But MPs rejected David Cameron's plan and he
didn't try again to persuade Parliament it was necessary.
This time, she has avoided that particular obstacle by taking action alongside the US and
France while MPs are away.
Time and again at a press conference at Downing Street this morning the prime minister
spelled out the strikes that took place overnight were limited, targeted and a response to the
suspected use of chemical weapons in Douma.
With no clear indication of public support or consent, she time and again was at pains to
say that she had authorised action for a specific reason - to punish President Assad for
gassing his own people, as the government believes he has.
She will face an almighty row in the coming days over going ahead without consulting
Parliament. Her defence is that "security and operational reasons" meant the attack had to go
ahead overnight. That won't wash with her political critics, and Labour is also pushing for
more clarity on the legal justification.
Legally, the claim to enforce international law on chemical weapons by violent means would return
the world to the era before the advent of the UN Charter. The Charter allows states to use force in
self-defence and, arguably, for the protection of populations threatened by extermination at the hands
of their own government. The use of force for broader purposes of maintaining international security
is also possible. However, such action is subject to the requirement of a mandate from the UN Security
Council.
This arrangement tries to balance the need of states to preserve their security in the face of an
actual or imminent attack through self-defence when strictly necessary with the need to ensure that
force cannot be used as a routine tool of international politics. Hence, international law since 1945
precludes military strikes in retaliation - to teach other states a lesson, as it were - or by way of
reprisal. Reprisals are acts that are in principle unlawful, but they can be excused because they aim
to force a state back into compliance with its international obligations.
Hence, in 1981 Israel was condemned by the UN Security Council when it attacked the Osirak nuclear
reactor in Iraq. Israel had argued that it might contribute to the production of weapons of mass
destruction in the future. A US attack against an alleged chemical weapons facility in Sudan in 1998
in response to US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania was also criticised.
In this instance, the three states mounting the air strikes have taken it upon themselves to force
Syria into compliance with its obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention. Syria joined the
Convention in 2013 as part of the diplomatic settlement that followed the failure of the UK, and the
US, to go through with threatened air attacks after gruesome chemical attacks in Eastern Ghouta. The
Convention prohibits the production, possession and use of chemical weapons. No fewer than 192 states
have signed.
Syria was also subjected to additional duties contained in mandatory Security Council resolution
2118, reinforcing these obligations and providing for the destruction of its chemical weapons
stockpile. In an impressive example of international co-operation, also involving Russia, this was
largely achieved a year later, by September 2014.
Russian veto
However, since then, there have been some 40 recorded instances of alleged chemical weapons use in
Syria. The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has the ability to dispatch
fact-finding missions to determine whether such weapons have actually been used.
A special joint mechanism was set up by the OPCW and the Security Council with a mandate to assign
responsibility for such uses. However, after the mechanism pointed the finger at the Assad government
last year, Russia vetoed its renewal.
An attempt to establish a new mechanism empowered to determine responsibility for the latest use of
chemical weapons in Douma failed this week, again due to a Russian veto in the Security Council.
Russia's own proposed investigatory mechanism, which was opposed by the Western states and others,
would have lacked that power.
The three states intervening in Syria now argue that there was no prospect of obtaining a mandate
from the Council to confront chemical weapons use by Syria. In striking Syria, they claim to have
fulfilled an international public order function of defending the credibility of the prohibition of
the use of chemical weapons in general terms, and enforcing Syria's obligations in particular.
This argument is somewhat reminiscent of the 2003 invasion of Iraq, supposedly to enforce Baghdad's
disarmament obligations imposed by the Security Council in the absence of clear Security Council
authorisation. Moreover, in April of last year, President Trump launched 59 cruise missiles against
the Syrian air-base at Shayrat. It was claimed that the installation had been involved in a chemical
attack in the town of Khan Sheikhun, again to restrain further chemical weapons use.
The blockage in the Security Council on Syria opens up some space for this kind of argument. The
Chemical Weapons Convention provides for referral of grave instances such as the Douma attack to the
Security Council for enforcement action. But the Council could not even agree on a mechanism to
establish responsibility, not to speak of more decisive action to repress future uses of such weapons.
The claim of the three states involved to act instead of the Council, as the world's enforcement
agent of a highly important international rule, is of course being resisted by some. Russia has
already asserted that the attacks flagrantly violate the prohibition of the use of force. The UN
secretary general has also emphasised the need to respect the primacy of the Security Council.
Humanitarian suffering
The arrogation of the functions of the Council by a group of states claiming to act in the common
interest therefore reflects the reality of the present, little Cold War between Russia and the West.
The breakdown of the consensus that facilitates the operation of collective security necessarily
results in unilateral acts and, in consequence, further division.
In addition to the general interest in maintaining the obligation to refrain from chemical weapons
use, Mrs May also referred to the protection of civilians from further chemical attacks to alleviate
further humanitarian suffering. This, in fact, is a stronger and more persuasive legal argument in
favour of the strikes.
In fact, the formal legal argument put forward by the UK government sometime after the prime
minister addressed the nation does not rely on the claim to enforce the terms of the chemical weapons
convention or of resolution 2118.
In 2013, when the use of force was expected after the Ghouta attack, the UK already expressly
invoked the doctrine of humanitarian intervention. A good argument has been made that states can act
in cases of overwhelming humanitarian necessity that cannot be addressed by any other means to protect
populations in danger of imminent destruction.
The doctrine of forcible humanitarian action gained credence throughout the 1990s when it was
applied to rescue the Kurds of northern Iraq and the Marsh Arabs in the south of Iraq from destruction
by Saddam Hussein. It was later employed unopposed in cases including Liberia and Sierra Leone.
However, international division about its application emerged in the wake of the operation on
behalf of the Kosovo Albanians of 1999.
Since then, the UN has embraced the concept that international action can be taken to rescue a
population under immediate threat. However, the doctrine of responsibility to protect (R2P) was
narrowed down to cover operations mandated by the Security Council. Still, a number of states claim a
right to act when the Council cannot.
Innocent civilians at risk of destruction should not pay the price for a political blockage at UN
headquarters in New York. Others, including Russia and China, oppose humanitarian intervention.
The application of this doctrine is not restricted to uses of chemical weapons against civilian
populations. However, given the uncontrollable and indiscriminate effect of chemical weapons, their
use against civilians offers perhaps the clearest trigger for the application of this doctrine.
In this instance, the UK points to the history of repeated uses of chemical weapons by the Syrian
government, adding that it is "highly likely" that further such attacks would follow. Given the
failure of previous attempts to rein in this practice, and the present blockage in the Security
Council, it is argued that no means other than the use of force were available to secure the
humanitarian objective of the operation.
Moreover, it is asserted the force used was strictly limited and specifically targeted at objects
connected with the objective of degrading the capacity to launch future chemical attacks and deterring
such attacks in the future. These arguments conform to the legal requirements for humanitarian
intervention.
It could also be argued that the attacks aim to preserve the national security of the states
involved in the attacks, by way of an extensive right to self-defence. Diluting the protection
stemming from the prohibition of the use of chemical weapons in recent practice posed a threat to all
states.
Of course, every state may defend itself, under some circumstances even before an armed attack
aimed at it has landed on its territory. But the attack must be imminent, leaving no choice of means
and the response must be proportionate to the attack.
In the run-up to the Iraq war of 2003, there was the famous 45-minute claim concerning Iraq's
supposed weapons of mass destruction. Laying the ground for an argument of anticipatory self-defence
against a strike that might come in the future, the UK argued that Iraqi weapons of mass destruction
might reach UK military bases in Cyprus with minimum warning.
But there was no evidence that Baghdad was contemplating such an attack and the argument was
abandoned. Similarly, there is no suggestion in this instance that Syria was preparing to launch an
attack against the US, UK or France.
Marc Weller is Professor of International Law in the University of Cambridge and the editor of
the Oxford University Press Handbook on the Use of Force in International Law.
"... RT.com reported: "According to Konashenkov, the group, which was a primary source of photos and footage of the purported chemical attack, was informed of a large-scale artillery attack on Damascus planned by the Islamist group Army of Islam, which controlled Douma at the time. The White Helmets were ordered to arrange the provocation after retaliatory strikes by the Syrian government forces, which the shelling was certain to lead to, he said." ..."
"... Despite vehemently denouncing the Russian claims, neither Washington nor London made any attempt to factually refute them. In contrast to the categorical statements of the Russian government, backed up by video testimony, Theresa May has only claimed it was "highly likely" that Syria carried out the attack. But even that was more definite than the statements of Defense Secretary Mattis, who declared the United States was still "looking for the actual evidence." ..."
The World Socialist Web Site condemns the strikes against Syria carried out Friday night by US, French and British forces.
The attack is a flagrant and illegal act of aggression. The administrations of American President Donald Trump, French President
Emmanuel Macron and British Prime Minister Theresa May are guilty of a war crime, which poses the danger of triggering a conflict
with nuclear-armed Russia.
The pretext for the attack on Syria is unproven allegations that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's military forces used banned
chemical weapons against US-backed rebel militias in the city of Douma. Russia, which has significant military contingents in Syria
to support Assad's government in its seven-year civil war against predominantly Islamist-based militias, has categorically rejected
the US and allied propaganda. It has openly accused British intelligence of pressuring Syrian rebel organisations to manufacture
a video that purports to show victims of a chemical weapons attack.
A team from the ostensibly independent Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) was scheduled to arrive in
Douma to carry out an inspection of the alleged site this weekend. Trump's order to initiate strikes was calculated to pre-empt such
an inspection and a confirmation by the OPCW that the entire pretext for any attack on Syria was a lie.
The fraudulent basis for the assault was underscored shortly after Trump's broadcast, during the subsequent press briefing by
his defense secretary, General Jim Mattis. Mattis could not provide any coherent details as to the US accusations. Moreover, contradicting
the president's vow of a protracted campaign against Syria, the general appeared to indicate that there would be no more action apart
from the missile strikes that had already taken place.
If this does prove to be the case, the action ordered by Trump will fall far short of what was being demanded within the American
political and media establishment.
Given the extreme vitriol directed against Bashar al-Assad, there is no doubt that advocates of a military strike expected that
any attack would include an attempt to assassinate the Syrian president.
A column in the German journal Die Welt provided one indication of the homicidal nature of what large sections of the
imperialist ruling class internationally want unleashed against Syria. It declared: "War against Assad should be guided by one goal
Can the Assad regime be exterminated (auslφschen) with a missile strike?" In using the term "auslφschen" to refer to the Syrian president,
the German publication adopted a term associated with the extermination of the Jews under the Nazis -- that is, using language that
could have appeared in Hitler's Vφlkischer Beobachter .
Far from the destruction of the Assad government, however, the strike against Syria appears to have had minimal impact. The Russian
military has boasted that Syrian air defenses shot down most of the missiles fired into Syria, and that none of its personnel or
assets in the country were impacted. Bashar al-Assad reportedly walked to his office on Saturday morning.
At this point, the attack has served primarily to underscore the debacle facing the US-led imperialist intrigues for regime-change
in Syria. It will most likely not be long before sections of the American political and media establishment are accusing Trump of
a climb-down and capitulation to Vladimir Putin. Demands will inevitably be made for far more extensive, and murderous, operations.
The propaganda campaign justifying the attack on Syria was concocted to provide a pretext for a massive military onslaught --
not one-off missile strikes.
Facing the prospect of a military rout of its Islamist proxy forces fighting to overthrow the Syrian government, the decision
for an escalation was made in Washington and London, and it was left to the CIA, MI6 and their Syrian agents to manufacture a pretext.
On Friday, the Russian Ministry of Defense provided the most coherent and logical account given so far regarding the incident
in Douma on April 7, which the Western press has unanimously proclaimed a chemical weapons attack on civilians by the Assad government.
"We have irrefutable evidence that it was another staged attack, and the special services of a state which is in the forefront
of the Russo-phobic campaign had a hand in staging it," Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said.
The Russian Defense Ministry showed a video interview with two people, one of whom was a medical student working at Douma's only
operational hospital. The witnesses said that after a Syrian Army artillery barrage hit a building, people suffering from smoke inhalation
were being treated at a hospital. Then, unknown individuals -- later revealed to be associated with the CIA-backed Syrian rebel "White
Helmets" -- ran into the hospital screaming that there had been a chemical weapons attack. They encouraged the victims to douse each
other with water, which they then proceeded to film.
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major-General Igor Konashenkov stated: "We know for certain that between April 3 and April
6 the so-called White Helmets were seriously pressured from London to speed up the provocation that they were preparing."
RT.com reported: "According to Konashenkov, the group, which was a primary source of photos and footage of the purported chemical
attack, was informed of a large-scale artillery attack on Damascus planned by the Islamist group Army of Islam, which controlled
Douma at the time. The White Helmets were ordered to arrange the provocation after retaliatory strikes by the Syrian government forces,
which the shelling was certain to lead to, he said."
Despite vehemently denouncing the Russian claims, neither Washington nor London made any attempt to factually refute them.
In contrast to the categorical statements of the Russian government, backed up by video testimony, Theresa May has only claimed it
was "highly likely" that Syria carried out the attack. But even that was more definite than the statements of Defense Secretary Mattis,
who declared the United States was still "looking for the actual evidence."
With the initiation of attacks on Syria, the US and its allies have signaled that the unravelling of the nominal reasons for war
is irrelevant. Their onslaught is driven by far deeper causes than the lies used to justify them.
What is taking place is directly in line with the analysis of imperialism made by the great 20th century Marxists, Lenin and Trotsky.
World imperialism is undertaking a new re-division of the world. Britain and France want to be recognized as full-scale participants
in the new carve-up of the Middle East and its effective recolonization: their oil corporations do not want to be left out of the
plunder.
All of the governments participating in this new onslaught are crisis-ridden and lack any electoral legitimacy. The vast gulf
between them and their populations is expressed in the fact that none of them has been able to create any broad-based support for
war. According to one YouGov poll, only 22 percent of the British population supports a military strike on Syria.
Moreover, the launching of a major new military campaign is seen in London, Paris, and Washington as a means of implementing police-state
rule, including mass censorship, to prop up their crisis-ridden governments in the face of mounting popular opposition and a growing
strike movement by the working class.
This new conflict will not stop with the attack on Syria, just as the expansion of war did not stop with the invasion of Iraq.
The stage is being set for a confrontation with Iran, Russia and, ultimately, China. More and more, imperialist policy is acquiring
a completely reckless and unhinged character.
So far, the ruling class has been able to rely on the absence of any organized resistance to war. But popular anti-war sentiment
will inevitably take on active forms and meet up with rising opposition to austerity and the destruction of democratic rights.
What happened right after the second direct U.S.-missiles invasion of Syria, which had
occurred on the night of April 13th, could turn out to have momentous implications - far bigger
than the attacks themselves...
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons headlined on April 14th, in the
wake of this U.S.-UK-France invasion of Syria that was allegedly punishing Syria's Government
for allegedly having used chemical weapons in its bombing in the town of Douma on April 7th,
"OPCW
Fact-Finding Mission Continues Deployment to Syria" , and reported that:
The Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) team of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW) will continue its deployment to the Syrian Arab Republic to establish facts
around the allegations of chemical weapons use in Douma.
The OPCW has been working in close collaboration with the United Nations Department of
Safety and Security to assess the situation and ensure the safety of the team.
The OPCW is not part of the U.N., nor of any country; it, instead (as introduced by
Wikipedia
):
is an intergovernmental organisation and the implementing body for the Chemical Weapons
Convention, which entered into force on 29 April 1997. The OPCW, with its 192 member states,
has its seat in The Hague, Netherlands, and oversees the global endeavour for the permanent
and verifiable elimination of chemical weapons.
In conformity with the unchallenged international consensus that existed during the 1990s
that there was no longer any basis for war between the world's major powers, the Convention
sought and achieved a U.N. imprimatur, but this was only in order to increase its respect
throughout the world. The OPCW is based not on the U.N. Charter but on that specific treaty,
the Chemical Weapons Convention, which was formally approved by the U.N.'s
General Assembly on 30 November 1992 and was then opened for signatures in Paris on 13
January 1993. According to the Convention's terms, it would enter into effect 180 days after 65
nations signed it, which turned out to be on 29 April 1997.
So, although the treaty itself received U.N. approval, the recent Russian-sponsored
resolution at the U.N.'s Security Council to have the U.N. endorse the OPCW's investigation of
the 7 April 2018 Douma incident, did not receive U.N. approval. It was instead blocked
by the U.S. and its allies . Nonetheless, though without a U.N. endorsement, the OPCW
investigation into the incident will move forward, despite the invasion.
This fact is momentous, because a credible international inspection, by the world's top
investigatory agency for such matters, will continue to completion, notwithstanding the effort
by the U.S. and its allies on the U.N. Security Council, to block it altogether. This decision
was reached by the OPCW -- not by the U.N.
Among the 192
signers of the Chemical Weapons Convention are U.S., Russia, and Syria, as well as China,
Iran, and Iraq, but not Israel, nor North Korea and a very few other countries. So: all of the
major powers have already, in advance, approved whatever the findings by the OPCW turn out to
be. Those findings are expected to determine whether a chemical attack happened in Douma on 7
April 2018, and, if so, then perhaps what the specific banned chemical(s) was(were), but not
necessarily who was responsible for it if it existed. For example, if the 'rebels' had stored
some of their chemical weapons at that building and then Syria's Government bombed that
building, the OPCW might not be able to determine who is to blame, even if they do determine
that there was a chemical attack and the chemical composition of it. In other words: science
cannot necessarily answer all of the questions that might be legal-forensically necessary in
order to determine guilt, if a crime did, in fact, occur, there.
If the investigation does find that a banned chemical was used and did cause injuries or
fatalities, then there is the possibility that its findings will be consistent with the
assertions by the U.S. and its allies who participated in the April 13th invasion. That would
not necessarily justify the invasion, but it would prove the possibility that there had been no
lying intent on the part of the U.S.-and-allied invaders on April 13th.
However, if the investigation does not find that a banned chemical was used in the Syrian
Government's bombing of that building, then incontrovertibly the U.S.-and-allied invasion was a
criminal one under international laws, though there may be no international court that
possesses the authority to try the case .
So: what is at stake here from the OPCW investigation is not only the international
legitimacy of Syria's Government, but the international legitimacy of the Governments that
invaded it on April 13th. These are extremely high stakes, even if no court in the world will
possess the authority to adjudicate the guilt -- either if the U.S. and its allies lied, or if
the Syrian Government lied.
For us historians, this is very important. And, for the general public, the significance
goes much farther: to specific Governments, to their alleged news media, and to the question
of: What does it even mean to say that a government is a "democracy" or a "dictatorship"? The
findings from this investigation will reverberate far and wide, and long (if World War III
doesn't prevent any such findings at all).
"... Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has denounced from Moscow the role of a Russia-phobic, Western secret service in the White Helmets' staging of the alleged chemical attack in the Ghouta, the rural region at the gates of Damascus, the Syrian capital. ..."
"... Both these declarations took place when Syria had just announced new witnesses regarding the alleged chemical attack, manipulated by Western powers to heighten international tension regarding Syria. ..."
Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs, has denounced from Moscow the
role of a Russia-phobic, Western secret service in the White Helmets' staging of the alleged
chemical attack in the Ghouta, the rural region at the gates of Damascus, the Syrian
capital.
The spokesperson for the Russian army, Igor Konachenkov, has for his part, directly
challenged the United Kingdom.
Both these declarations took place when Syria had just announced new witnesses regarding
the alleged chemical attack, manipulated by Western powers to heighten international tension
regarding Syria.
In a shocking revelation yesterday, at a news conference in Moscow with
Dutch politician Stef Blok, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that Russia has proof
that the Syria gassing was a false flag staged by the 'special services of a foreign
state':
"We have irrefutable evidence that it was another staging, and the special services of a
state which is in the forefront of the Russophobic campaign had a hand in the staging,"
This is important because if Lavrov is not bluffing, and his record is excellent on this, he
usually only says this kind of thing if he can back it up, it will be a political bombshell in
the West over the coming weeks, where large segments of the electorate are furious at their
governments for the missile attacks, and are questioning the justification for launching
them.
Indeed, the only explanation of the attacks that makes any logical sense is that it was a
false flag, because, as has been exhaustively discussed everywhere except the mainstream media
(which for some reason avoids this speculation), Assad would have no conceivable motive for
using gas, because he has won the war, and doing so would only bring in US intervention. The
circumstances certainly do look like a classic false flag situation.
The main suspects for such a false flag would be, MI6, CIA, or Mossad, or some combination
of them collaborating, as they often do. No other allied state, like Saudi Arabia or even ISIS
would do this without approval and oversight from one of these big three.
On the surface it looks like the US/UK/French attack looks suspect at best, because it was
rushed into action before any convincing proof was presented.
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There was very little doubt about it already, but I'm afraid it will still amount to
nothing. No matter which country Lavrov accuses, no matter how bulletproof the evidence,
the media will just hush it up, sweep it under the rug.
I urge everyone with doubts about these matters to look up which country gets
periodically triggered by alleged chemical weapons usage and wants to enact bloody
justice for their usage, while still retaining largest chemical weapons arsenal in the
world. I rest my case.
United States have pledged to destroy its chemical weapons stockpile under the CWC on
April 29, 1997. The deadline was on the same day of 2012. They are 6 years behind
schedule and still possess over 3,000 metric tons of chemical substances of which lethal
dosage is measured in milligrams (that's ONE BILLIONTH of ONE metric ton for our
Customary unit friends) and allegedly would LIKE to get rid of them by 2023.
In comparison, Russian Federation has signed and ratified CWC 8 months later than the US,
possessed 7,000 tons more, and despite going through actual financial default in the
meantime, destroyed all of them Last year.
And they are portrayed as the enemy, we have the sickest possible leadership! such
sickness abounds in their corridors, that any genuine person within immediately is
handling and manipulating Sickness, with nothing significantly clean enough to wash up
the sickness, therefore someone else shall do it shall God almighty Use Russia?
Why don,t you do some thing about it ???
Ring your local station & say you are "SICK" of their Bullshit, if everyone done this
we will have a new paradigm !
You know that they can see the actual stage, they can see the UK/US backed "rescuers"
White Helmets filming their latest show & yet they will call it "disinformation"
because it has come from Russia....I would tend to believe Mr.Lavrov, indeed, the
Russians,though they probably stretch truth at times(all governments do I think) for the
most part I believe they are pretty honest but because they are quiet with it, not
screaming & yelling & tweeting they are not taken seriously....this was obviously
a false flag...you dont get more obvious...I hope the Russians do have
evidence....evidence that the people will see, because as with this strike,the majority
of people are against it,against war in general, this is the UK/US/French govt that are
all in on this. If Russia shows proof...irrefutable as he says, the people will
see....and maybe, we can continue to turn this tide, some say you cannot fight the
powers, that they will always find away to channel the dissent back in and they have,to
thwart the rising up of the people who dare to question our government's true motives,
but it does work & now, we are heading to a new day,I believe, a day of many more
"sheeple" waking to the truth., out of pure war weariness,.alternative media is a big
part! They can't silence everyone...I dont want to be so dramatic as to say"its a
Revolution!" But it is a significant shift because regardless of party...let's be
real,Repubs & dems are basically interchangeable at this point we are people who
believe in truth & peace....we are finding commonality in a desire to stop going to
war, and I do have hope that we can do it...#NoWar ✌
What mechanism exists within the UN Charter for punishment of countries for violating
the Charter? Something HAS TO BE DONE at the UN this time, or the UN may as well cease to
exist.
There is no mechanism. And if there was in the current climate nobody would support
it. No real guts to be found in the UN outside of Russia, Syria and company.
Problem is the UN was Rockefeller created and they are the satanic cult leaders as
front men for the Rothschilds. The very fact there is a satanic temple in the UN building
should tell anyone that this 'august' body was et up to become the de facto 'world
government' and is the biggest threat to mankind as it is a toothless tiger with lots of
growl but no common sense. It should be noted that so many of their 'bodies' are as
corrupt as any private entity such as the IPCC, WHO and the reports mirror subversive
bodies like the Club of Rome who are on record as stating that they would use 'climate
change' as a weapon against countries to control them and punish them using a 'benign'
reason for this control. No one seriously believes 'man made global warming; is a real
thing. Carbon dioxide 'pollution' is a farcical notion as without it this planet dies.
Has anyone ever heard of photosynthesis? Plants and trees take in carbon dioxide and
pumps out oxygen. This is junior school stuff so why does the IPCC talk such garbage as
well as the vaccination scam of WHO and many other corrupt UN bodies.
The UN is a 'rich man's tool' that provides a cover for their machinations and we see
this time and again. There are too many examples to put down here but the UN is merely
there as a foil in some instances for people like Halley and her pro-Israel stance and we
know the US is a ZOG government so no surprises there.
Thanks for the reply. I know what you mean about CO2. The current global average CO2
concentration is about 400 ppm, whereas the ideal for plant growth is 800 ppm. That is
why green houses pump CO2 into their buildings.
But the UN? You are right, it is worse than being non-existent, and run by the Zio
masters.
Unfortunately;
1. The Western "electorate" isn't furious over the missile attacks. The western
"electorate" doesn't know or care.
2. The western "electorate" has absolutely no power whatsoever over their criminal
military dictatorships that do whatever the hell they want.
Don't be silly - small arms against automatic weapons and body armor along with tanks
has ZERO chance of ever working.
Best chance is to starve the beast financially by any means possible, and work to have
the EU vassals start to move away. Which, unfortunately, is almost as tall an order as
attacking the tank with a pistol and a rifle.
Get that PetroDollar to fall, and the USA will collapse. Of course, THAT is when they
will start the nuclear war, selling it the whole time in their Korporate controlled
media.
You shouldn't face a tank with a rifle and a pistol and a rifle Silly. You must
realise this is a war, not a game. 'They' want you dead or enslaved. You just want 'them'
to go away, but it's not going to happen that way.
You must think outside the box if you want a world fit for a child to grow up in and
live. Use your pistols and rifles to take out their talking heads and their politicians.
When state or even county politicians have to start hiring body guards everywhere they
go, you'll have their attention, followed by their balls, and then their hearts.
I agree. The best way is to starve them out. Remove the tax man from the equation. The
system will begin to collapse almost immediately. All those parasites that have been
bleeding you dry the entirety of your life will have to learn to scrounge like you do.
The last I heard, the tax man isn't provided a tank or a laser gun.
You outnumber them. You can be everywhere. They can't. We are faced with a reality
that THEY want YOU dead, if not enslaved. This is serious and requires a solution, not
excuses.
Are you willing to wait for Jesus to come back and fix your problems? He might not
feel up to it for another thousand years. Are you willing to wait for your kids or grand
kids to someday grow a pair of testicles and fix it?
"When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this – you haven't." --
Thomas A. Edison
I agree. There's nothing they can control about random individuals popping them off
when they go about their Daily/nightly lives.
It does take an element of desperation and courage, but we are getting to that stage I'm
afraid.
The problem is that the empire of evil is winning the propaganda war
whereas SAA, Iran and Russia are very weak in the information-war
front. For instance, after the strikes last night, the Syrian government
should have capitalized on it professionally and milked it by
fabricating huge civilian casualties, including the photos of dead women
and children as victims of American and Western aggression.
The information war is the most important front in this war and the empire
is winning it, hands down by fabricating false flag 'chemical' attacks and
other scenarios, using jihadists like "While Helmets" and other groups for
their propaganda, etc. Iran, Russia and Syria need to catch up and organize
an effective propaganda wing in this struggle, not simply react to theirs but go on the
offensive in this front by exploiting every opportunity for their counter information
warfare
I disagree (politely!) If Syria and its allies stoop to imitating Western/Israeli
tactics, all that will result is a fog of disinformation in which people of good will can
find out no reliable facts.
In the long run - and maybe even the short run - it is better to stick religiously to
the exact truth. Then people of good will everywhere will know that when, say, Mr Lavrov
says something they can believe it.
I agree with you in principal but there is a time for information warfare, whether it
is right now or not, we can debate it. There is a time for everything.
(Ecc 3).
Unfortunately you are probably right but then again, lies, like scum, eventually rise
to the top. For example; the reason people admire Putin and Russia is that they are
mostly (mostly - I am not naive) straight-shooters, honest brokers etc if they stoop to
the level of the West, as you suggest Syria should, (and it is a valid argument) then we
are all in real trouble - everyone everywhere on false flags and wholesale lies,
dangerous.
Be careful when you fight monsters that you do not become one.
Agree. It will immediately fail the moment you use your opponents dirty tricks,
BUT.
Both Russia dn Syria could use the false flag openly as a farce, go to UNSC with a farce,
blame US/UK/France for a farce, to show the public its a farce.
That could work, if handled correctly but even if it did work I think it could, in a
way, diminish the Syrians and Russians (?) and even the mostly moronic folk in my country
are slowly (painfully slowly) waking up to the bullshit. Only 22% voted for strikes
against Syria in a very recent poll. If the Idiot Farm I live in is overwhelmingly
against what the Murderer-in-Chief Theresa May did (illegally in every respect) there may
be some hope ? (yeah, I know, dream on.... )
It's weird when you think about it; I live in a rogue terrorist state, that is a member
of a gang of rogue terrorist states, guilty of breaking almost all international laws
regarding military action and the rights of legitimate sovereign states..... it is also
totally fucking depressing....
I am also from a rogue terrorist state that is a member of a gang of rogue terrorist
states, and it is indeed very depressing, not just because of what they are doing in our
name but also because they make me feel ashamed of my country and have stolen away my
belief in it as well as in practically everything else. They leave me with nothing to
respect, admire or look up to. The liars, murderers-in-chief, propagandists, and
so-called leaders that are so disrespectful of international law, destroy our sense of
well-being and chip away at our very souls. Criminals, the lot of them.
How about a non-confidence motion in the UK and impeachment in the US, both for
breaking international law. I don't have a suggestion about that pipsqueak in France.
If only !
I know very little about legislative processes in France and the USA but as I am sure you
are aware a Motion of no-confidence in the Commons would require majority support and at
least half the Labour Party actually want to be MPs for the Tory Party so they can stop
pretending to care about any other human beings whatsoever - it just wouldn't happen. You
generally expect the Blue Scum to bay for blood and lie by breathing but I was staggered
by the ferocity of the Red Tories in their rabid Russophobia. The Labour Party is still
filled with Blairite vermin with just a sprinkling of socialism on top. Jeremy Corbyn is
so very fucked, shot by both sides and, I believe, shot literally (yes murdered) if he
develops a real and genuine chance of walking in to No.10 as Prime Minister.
I don't visit
Conspiracy.com but the Skripal provocation proves just how far the Tories will go to
complete their orders from Tel Aviv. Anyone who has serious and open discussions with
Hamas and Hezbollah (can't remember if it was one or both actually ?) and has the
audacity to NOT condemn them as the most foul monsters to ever crawl the Earth will be
killed before taking the reigns of power in Britain.
How about forming a professional hit squad and assassinate all the actors in these
rotten Western countries. Sorry, just can't come up with a better idea. I'll draw up a
list.
where do you get the idea that the UN is not corrupt? when Iran brought a motion to
the General Assembly for a full investigation of the events of 9/11 members walked out en
masse...
Just let the Liars keep lying, the Truth has already escaped, only so far they are too
arrogant to see their demise coming because of it, unfortunately they have put their own
Citizens on a death sentence so they cant walk unguarded in Public as Assad does, I for
one wouldn't protect them
#1.) Of COURSE it was done by "foreign state".
Since the twats @ the CIA have the same DNA as MOSSAD their payroll is
interchangeable.
#2.) Since the kosher U.N. runs interference for the Jew, (as did the kosher L.o.N
before it), it won't make any difference as AIPAC/Israel say "JUMP", D.C. says "how high
master?"
Sewer nation does as it's TOLD - regardless of how evil/ridiculous their actions make
them appear, how many of their "beloved citizens" die, or how much DEEPER into our
pockets their kosher owners dig via their Central Bank.
RT has the video and interview with one of the civilians in that episode. The
individual turned out to be a doctor who explained that the victims of the "chemical
attack" were actually suffering from smoke inhalation from a conventional explosion, and
that suddenly a group of people ran in with cameras and water and shouts of "it was a gas
attack" which got everybody dousing children with water.
Now the point is, this differs from Lavrov's allegation, which is that a chemical
attack did occur, but was staged by some as yet unnamed state. No idea where this is
going but if Lavrov is right that chemicals were used, then the OPCW will presumably find
them, and that lays to rest the hope that nothing would be found.
So the whole world is occupied wasting time, money and lives on pure hot air???
The chemical attack in Syria never happened.
US is bombing for something that never happened.
OPWC is travelling to Syria to investigate an attack that never happened.
Lavrov has irrefutable proof of something that never happened.
UNSC is having an emergency meeting on something that never happened.
This is absurd in relation to what happens of death and destruction.
Something big must be going on under cover of this constant farce of WWIII? The
cashless society? more money to the Rothschild cartel? NWO transfer?
yup, the US, Russia, and Syria decided that there was a place in the middle of nowhere
that couldn't be further destroyed by bombs and Trump sent the bombers there to appease
all the war mongers.
Spietz lab in Switzerland tested the "Stuff" sent to them by the OPCW regarding/from
the Skripal False Flag in Salisbury
Partly A234 to a "Strength" which would have "Killed Anyone" in contact with it and BZ or
2 which "Has and Is" used by the american british and hato forces
BZ or 2 incapacitates you and does you in for better words for about Four Days or so
Oh my Oh my the Skripals are getting better along with the Well Paid Polis
Dont quote me on exact wording
Trump's publicly announced decision to order the U.S. military out of Syria. The Saudi
financed Salafi 'rebels' in Douma collected bodies, probably from another incident, and stacked
them up in one apartment to stage a scene and to
create fake videos of a 'chemcial attack' which they falsely attributed to the Syrian
government.
Trump pretended to fall for the videos and tweeted
threats against Syria and Russia. Russia threatened to respond with strong force should any
U.S. attack hurt its soldiers or interests in Syria.
The UK and France, who like the U.S. were only recently visited by the Saudi clown prince
and showered with fresh Saudi billions, jumped onto the case. France now
admits that its 'intelligence' of the Douma incident is solely based on the obviously
staged youtube videos and claims made by 'western' financed propaganda operations who cooperate
with the Jihadis.
Yesterday the Russian Defense Ministry accused Britain of
having organized the 'chemical incident':
Today, there are other evidences at the disposal of the Russian military department, which
testify to the direct participation of Great Britain in organizing this provocation in the
Eastern Ghouta.
The Russian party knows for certain that from April 3 to 6, representatives of the
so-called White Helmets were influenced by London for the speedy implementation of the
provocation prepared in advance .
The White Helmets received information that Jaysh al-Islam militants were to conduct a
series of powerful artillery shelling of Damascus on April 3 to 6.
This will promote a response from the government troops, which the White Helmets'
representatives will have to use to carry out provocations with alleged chemical weapons.
The 'White Helmets' are
financed by the British government and are led by a 'former' British military intelligence
officer. The direct accusations against Britain may have been a factor in the hasty launch of
last night's strike. Another was surely the arrival of technicians of the Organisation for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Damascus. These will today investigate the alleged
incident in Douma and will likely find that it did not take place. That the three countries did
not even wait for preliminary results from the investigation must be seen as an admission of
guilt. They know that the 'chemical attack' did not take place.
The U.S. military was wary of any potential conflict with Russia. Intense negotiations took
place over the last week between the Pentagon and the Russian defense ministry. Secretary of
Defense Mattis is said to have talked Trump out of a more serious strike. World War III was
avoided.
Last night some 107 missiles and cruise missiles were fired against two research sites and
eight military airports in Syria by U.S., French and British forces. The Russian and Syrian
forces were warned. People and equipment had been moved. The Russian forces did not directly
respond as their areas in Syria were not targeted. The Syrian air defense managed to shoot
down or divert 71 of the incoming missiles before they reached their target. The Pentagon
claims that none of its missiles were destroyed or diverted from its aim. A well known
Syrian opposition outlet disagrees with the Pentagon's claim:
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights managed to monitored interception by the regime
forces to tens of missiles which targeted their positions and military bases in the Syrian
territory, where several intersected sources confirmed to the Syrian Observatory, that the
number missiles that were downed, exceeded 65 missiles ...
A 60 to 70% air defense success rate against incoming missiles is stunning. Most of these
will have been killed by the Pantsir-S1 systems Russia supplied to Syria. Every Syrian military
airport is now protected by such short range systems and while eight were targeted only one was hit
.
One of the targets that were hit was the undefended Barzah Scientific Research Center near
Damascus. The Pentagon claims that chemical weapons are made or stored there. That claim is
obviously a lie:
In 2013 Syrian joined the Chemical Warfare Convention and gave up all its chemical
weapons.
The OPCW has checked all accessible former chemical weapon sites in Syria and observed
the destruction of the production equipment.
After the equipment was removed the Barzah site was abandoned.
One does not attack a site with normal bombs if one knows that chemical weapons are
stored their. The bombs would distribute the dangerous chemicals and everyone downwind would
be seriously affected.
After the U.S. strikes people can be seen walking through the fresh
ruins . None wear any protection. There surely was nothing 'chemical' there.
The same holds for the Jaramana facility hit by the strikes. The Pentagon's claim that the
strikes hit Syrian 'chemical production and storage facilities' is a lie.
No one has been reported killed by the strikes. The Russian Defense Ministry assessment says that
three people were injured. Further assessments of the strikes can be found here: 1 ,
2 and
3 .
What will be the consequences of these strikes?
Last weeks push by the media, by interventionists and by neoconservatives for a wider war on
Syria (and Russia) has now been calmed down. Even John McCain, who always wants more wars,
seems somewhat
satisfied .
The President of Russia Vladimir Putin issued a strong statement :
An act of aggression against a sovereign state that is on the frontline in the fight against
terrorism was committed without a mandate from the UN Security Council and in violation of
the UN Charter and norms and principles of international law.
The Chinese government likewise laments the
violation of international law and the UN charter.
In ordering the strike President Trump also broke U.S. law specifically the
War Powers Resolution.
A Security Council meeting will take place today but, as the U.S., Britain and France have
vetos, will have no consequences.
One issue the U.S. is certainly not happy about is the successful demonstration of the
Russian supplied air defenses which was used last night against the U.S. strikes. This
announcement from the Russian Defense Ministry statement will create additional headaches:
It is to be stressed that several years ago given the strong request by our western partners,
Russia opted out of supplying the S-300 AD systems to Syria. Taking into account the recent
incident, Russia believes it possible to reconsider this issue not only regarding Syria but
other countries as well .
More countries will now be able to buy and receive state-of-the-art Russian air defense
equipment. Future interferences by the U.S. as well as Israeli strikes against Syria will
become significantly more risky. When Syrian receives the S-300 systems it will have the reach
to detect and attack any Israeli plane flying over Lebanon. Israel has often used Lebanese
airspace to attack targets in Syria. It will soon lose that luxury.
Syria, Iran and Hizbullah all issued statement promising retaliation for the attack. Their
responses will likely come on the ground against U.S. targets and assets in Iraq, Lebanon,
Syria and Israel. The Syrian people in Damascus could observe the success of the air defenses
and were quite
happy with it. They will respond with more support for their government and its plans to
liberate all of Syria.
Trump evaded the public pressure created by the fake 'chemical attack' with a more or less
symbolic airstrike. He tweeted " Mission Accomplished! " I
expect that he will continue to press for an end of U.S. operations in Syria. Whoever
instigated the faked attack has won nothing.
Trumps reaction to the incident is also an invitation to Jihadis and those who influence
them to repeat such stunts whenever it suits them.
The Pentagon keeps the option open for such further 'chemical attack' stunts and U.S.
strikes. It today claimed that Syria still has additional chemical weapon facilities. If this
were really the case why isn't the U.S. demanding an inspection and dismantling of these
facilities by the OPCW? Syria has signed the Chemical Warfare Convention and would have to
accept that.
The obvious U.S. disregard for any international law and for the international organizations
like the UN, the OPCW and IAEA will have serious consequences. The U.S. can now surely forget
about its desire for an disarmament agreement with North Korea. Russia, China and others will
use the example of last night's strikes to disregard international law when it will suit them.
There will be no more favors like holding back S-300 systems or adhering to U.S. sanctions
against other countries.
In the end the instigators of the incident, the U.S., and its partners in crime will have
hurt themselves more with these strikes than they hurt Syria.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama posts on the 'chemical attack' in Douma and its
consequences.
I don't want to give Putin any ideas, but a very simple and elegant solution would be for
Russia to supply Syria and Iran with some turn key nukes. Game, set, match.
the knowns are known
the unknowns will be known soon
north south east and west syria
gas and chemical weapons sites will
be revealed.
not to mention the mobile labs
hero nikki haley un said just now
we are locked and loaded and ready for action jackson.
the mobile labs the fixed buildings
the buildings that become gas labs overnight
all must be targeted after salsbury fair
is it not crystal clear what putin and henchman assad has in store for
innocent uk,france and usa usa not forgetting little isreal.
we must wack a mole
at every known and uknown breach of the rules of sea law and reptile humanity
Seems like a nice assessment of what is known at this moment.
" There are no casualties among civilians and Syrian military servicemen after the US
missiles strikes, according to preliminary data, Head of the Russian General Staff's Main
Operations Directorate Sergei Rudskoi told reporters at a press briefing in the Russian
Defense Ministry on Saturday. " No casualties from US-led strikes on
Syria, emphasizes Russia's General Staff
Sounds like diplomatese for "our red line doesn't seem to have been crossed". Let's hope
things calm down now.
Russia is now talking of delivering S-300's to Syria and other countries. China may well help
with financing this, perhaps even manufacturing.
Global times editorial from 27th March
http://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1095361.shtml
"....It is beyond outrageous how the US and Europe have treated Russia. Their actions
represent a frivolity and recklessness that has grown to characterize Western hegemony that
only knows how to contaminate international relations. Right now is the perfect time for
non-Western nations to strengthen unity and collaborative efforts among one another. These
nations need to establish a level of independence outside the reach of Western influence
while breaking the chains of monopolization declarations, predetermined adjudications, and
come to value their own judgement abilities.
It's already understood that to achieve such international collective efforts is easier
said than done as they require foundational support before anything can happen. Until a new
line of allies emerges, multi-national associations like BRICS, or even the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization, need to provide value to those non-Western nations and actively
create alliances with them.
What Russia is experiencing right could serve as a reflection of how other non-Western
nations can expect to be treated in the not-to-distant future. Expelling Russian diplomats
simultaneously is hardly enough to deter Russia. Overall, it's an intimidation tactic that
has become emblematic of Western nations, and furthermore, such measures are not supported by
international law and therefore unjustified. More importantly, the international community
should have the tools and means to counterbalance such actions...."
The attack by FUKUS on Syria, which was not sanctioned by the UN, is therefore a war crime.
Yet, the motion to condemn this war crime failed to pass the UN Security Council just now
with a margin of 8 to 3 with 4 abstentions. Just another episode of FUKUS turning the UN into
a farce.
Rudskoy did not mention use of the Pantsir S1 in his assesment though I ve read about 40
systems were deployed in Syria but thats academic, a 69% kill ratio is excellent. This isnt
Libya, if the Coalition of the Killing wants to seriously degrade SyAAD, it will take major
hardware..
"Trump evaded the public pressure created by the fake 'chemical attack' with a more or less
symbolic airstrike. He tweeted "Mission Accomplished!" I expect that he will continue to
press for an end of U.S. operations in Syria. Whoever instigated the faked attack has won
nothing."
I really hope this is true, Trump seemed to offer the hope of a saner America, and I hope
he is still on the side of peace.
the democratic depleted uranium beatings will infinity continue
until
assad gives up his hidden gas agents
he says he has none left yet ignores the bell pottinger site intel group rita katz white
helmets movie facts not on the ground
the man is crazy crazy
Indeed a good question is what next. I disagree that Russia and China will disregard
international laws, it's working for them. In particular Putin is very strongly on the side
of lawful actions. You notice how few of the "coalition" there were? Yes, some others mouthed
support but I would assess as a sop for the fools. This has demonstratebly weakened all three
quite deeply. The legal pursuit of the poison investigation is something I see vigorously
done and as publicly as possible. How desperate will the guilty be? Will trouble be stirred
up in Ukraine? The ME has been a safe place for the most part for wholesale slaughter because
it's far from Europe, but Ukraine? Still, I can't see what else can be done in ME without
escalating quite a bit.
Hi,
RT (OPCW) has just reported that the Skripal's poison is likely 3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate
(BZ) -- an atropin like drug. Could be that the doctors knew this from the beginning, the
symptoms of an anti-cholinesterase and an M2 anti-muscarinic are very different. For example
the nerve agent would give you a slow heart rate (Bradycardia [until you had the AVN node
takes over]) whereas the BZ would speed it up a Tachycardia. Also you would have very low
levels of functional cholinesterase in your plasma after a nerve gas attack-- BZ ought not to
change that.
So I think this fits with the Consultant's letter to the Times, which underlines that the
Skripal's toxin was not an anticholinesterase (nerve agent)-- it was something else, BZ, a
very British toxin. So we finally get to the bottom of it, it's beginning to make sense. It
certainly isn't the Russians and it looks like a real false flag-- the only question is `who
done it?'. May is basically busted she made an idiot of herself, she'll simply have to go.
@13 Just a bit of a clarification that is important. OPCW didn't identify the poison, that
was from the Swiss lab. This provides weasel room for the British.
This article is so painfully truthful and so willfully wrong. Yes, yes, what FUKUS did
(brilliant acronym) was evil and wrong and all about lies and might makes right, but SO
EFFING WHAT?! Russia doesn't operate on the basis of truth and righteousness. Russia and its
apologists specifically eschew any such basis for Russian policies, enthusiastically
embracing real-politik and machiavelli - ie Might Makes Right! The vicious games that Russia
has played with its AA systems, dangling them to states that desperately need it, like Iran
and Syria, but never giving it to them or delaying unconscionably, while doling it out
generously to states that do not need it or deserve it, like Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Geez,
Russia makes a point, almost a religious principle, of making the most nookie with the worst
leaders and states in the world. It encourages the rogue actors, those who sneer the most at
international law, whilst claiming to stand by international law. For God's sake, Putin's
best friend seems to be Netanyahu.
Putin needs to start putting real friends before fake new ones, truth before lies, and
needs to decide whether he wants to be on the side of the bullies or on the side of the
bullied. Yes building bridges is important. But Putin isn't doing that. He's clearly on the
side of the global bullies. He just wants to be in the gang. If that perception is wrong, let
him change it.
So prove me wrong, Putin. Follow through on those s-300s to Syria. Throw in some s-400s.
They would have prevented last night. BUT YOU WON'T WILL YOU? No you damn well won't and your
apologists will still defend you. But I think more and more people, all around the world and
in Russia too, are beginning to see through you, to that ugly heart of ice.
Another explanation for Trump's about face on pulling out of Syria is this. He knows that
when FBI (who he is unwilling or unable to reel in) raided Cohen's office they're likely to
have found evidence of raunchy dishonest conduct along with bribes and other crap. No one is
responsible for his embarrassing behavior but him and he may prefer to do as he's told rather
than be shown as a louse and a cad.
Apparently the missiles weren't "make believe" missiles they were pretending to fire, they
were fired but most of them just got shot down.
My first or maybe second thought on this would be, that Russia and the US compromised on a
way so both can save their faces. US gets to bomb something, russia does not take casualties
and doesn't have to prove their "retaliatio against launch platmforms" (have they actually
said that at all?).
It seems this strike does have no tactical or strategic impact at all. Both can declare
themselves top dog.
Maybe it's been agreed on, that mainland syria will stay syrian with russian protection?
Following (german) mainstream media, parallel to jingo rhetorics there have been some "Assad
won and we'll have to come to terms with it" voices lately. This would be my explanation from
an armchair point of view.
After Ghouta and the rest of the smaller terrorist enclaves have been cleared, it will be
interesting to see what will happen to the eastern border / kurdish occupied territory. What
we've seen in the last week might be a prelude to a bigger confrontation in eastern syria?
Any thoughts? Cheers.
Hi Bakerpete,
sorry about that-- I thought the Swiss were part of the OPCW. But I am pretty sure the
Consultant's letter is important in this context-- it's not an nerve agent. So if it is BZ
then -- why did it take so long for them to recover? Did they get a very large dose? [An
alternative idea is that a compound like BZ might be useful in treating nerve gas poisoning,
and the Swiss lab is seeing that. But I don't think it would be any better than atropin in
treating acetylcholine overload].
Certainly this whole episode needs a thorough analysis-- it has really soured our
relationship with Russia, and brought us closer to an extermination event. We can't afford
any more messing around a real war would set us back a thousand years-- it'd would be the end
of science for sure.
@Bakerpete (15). I might be wrong about this, but I believe that the Swiss lab performed the
chemical analysis for the OPCW, and yet the OPCW withheld key portions of the lab's report.
One can reasonably infer that the OPCW is dominated by the Empire and may not be trustworthy.
Nice work, b!
Fewer than 24 hours have passed since the Colonial Christian ratfuckers attacked Syria on the
basis of "evidence" they faked, and anyone interested in the unvarnished truth can Read All
About It at MoA.
How long will it take MSM to catch up? 1 year? 5 years? 20?
"the central nervous systems effects tend to be delayed, you can have a prodomol period of
several hours" https://youtu.be/665A_9Bth6s?t=598
All the evidence points at this moment to BZ being the only chemical that effected the
Skripals, that the government engaged in perjury at the Court of Protection and that the
Skripals were deliberately unnecessarily put into a coma ( Offence against the Person?) to
avoid them being able to communicate or otherwise interfere with the governments ongoing
criminal activity.
Sorry if this was mentioned in the previous comments thread, but Cockburn matter-of-factly
asserts... well, see this excerpt:
Possibly it was the Syrian government's frustration at the continued resistance of part
of Jaysh al-Islam, the Saudi-backed jihadi movement in Douma, that led it to use chlorine
gas. It had done so before without provoking an international reaction, but this time
authentic-looking video was broadcast around the world showing dying children gasping for
breath. The pictures provoked a wave of international fury which culminated in the US-led
airstrikes on 14 April.
I'm not sure what to make of it-- but the bland, cut-and-dried insertion of this
controversial assertion towards the end of the article makes my crap detectors tingle
mightily.
Also, there seems to be an implicit contradiction between the unequivocal claim that the
Syrian government used chlorine gas and the coy "authentic-looking video". I suppose he's
implying that the videos may be fake, but the underlying charge isn't.
This seems to be another example of the trend of having it both ways-- something like
Glenn Greenwald buying into the "Assad did it" mantra, while simultaneously insisting that
he's opposed to the Western interventions justified by such smears and slanders.
Well someone's wrong, and if it's Lavrov it seems there are people in the diplomatic corps
who don't know what has happened yet is tasked to go out and advocate. Not getting basic
facts right looks really, really bad.
@Rob 22 It would be very good is the Swiss did the analysis for OPCW which would make it much
more "authentic". I would regard the opaque report from OPCW to be just typical legal caution
more than something suspicious, at least for now.
@TJ 25, good reminder of the induced coma.
Excellent summary of the situation. Thanks, b - we can always get the straight dope here.
Along with Bakerpete up-thread, I also disagree that Russia and China will use the
lawlessness of the US as reason to flout international law.
We have a world without the ability to enforce the agreements between nations. This is not
a sustainable situation, and there are only two ways to fix it. Either, nations walk away
from existing conventions, form alliances of strength with others, and grow the new order out
of the barrel of a gun. Or, nations work to contain the rogue actors, and to preserve and
reinforce the existing conventions, and make them work wherever they can.
The frameworks and means for both options are largely in place in the world, with
diplomatic relations, treaties, security and trade associations, and the like.
But what would it cost to create, for example, an alternative United Nations, versus the
cost of living with the existing one? What would it take Geo-politically for such a thing to
occur? China, with massive future heft in the world, could contemplate such a future project,
and so could Russia. I assume there is body of analysis that gets continually updated,
addressing this very scenario.
But we're not quite there yet with feasibility. We move closer every time the US pulls
stunts like last night, especially as two European nations join in the same lawlessness. It
remains to be seen how far in Europe this lawless rot will spread. How will domestic politics
punish people like May and Johnson, for example - and Trump for that matter? It remains to be
seen.
I haven't studied this at all, but I suspect this problem of lawlessness must become more
of a front-burner topic in the coming years. And reality being what it is, there are probably
countless shades of gray possible in my simplistic either/or presentation. The question must
begin to be asked around the world: how do we get the west to obey the laws of the world?
Lawfulness can only be enforced by strength of arms, and Russia has shown great dominance
here over the US. And the west is waning as the multi-polar world is waxing, and this dynamic
is everything - the relative strengths change almost daily, and this sets the pace of things
and the timetable for things.
As far as I'm concerned, MAD is back, and the US is cowed by it. And MAD not only prevents
conventional warfare, it also allows it, in various offshore theaters. And I think the US is
cowed by Russia's conventional weaponry, but hides behind MAD as a way not to acknowledge
this fear. The US inflicted a great defeat on itself on Friday night, and the multi-polar
world won a great victory. This has changed the relative strength equation in ways that have
yet to be seen.
But one of the ways, perhaps, is that nations can turn up the volume on the nagging
question, how do we get the west to obey its own laws and agreements? I have great faith in
the sanity of the world's nations to solve this growing dilemma, and I'll be interested to
watch it happen.
Musings on a wonderful Saturday - we are all still alive, and only the missiles, and not
the sky, fell.
Sorry b, Trumpty Dumbdy wasn't "pretending" to fall for those fake videos. It would seem
Mattis managed to talk some sense into the Orange Genius, probably on the strength that he
was the only one in the room that didn't draft dodge. Chickenhawks like Bolton and Trumpty
(bone spurs) would hate being reminded what cowards they were when called to "defend" the
banksters' wars.
Bolton wrote in his Yale 25th reunion book "I confess I had no desire to die in a
Southeast Asian rice paddy. I considered the war in Vietnam already lost."[ Ross Goldberg and
Sam Kahn, "Bolton's conservative ideology has roots in Yale experience" Archived September
24, 2010, at the Wayback Machine., Yale Daily News, April 28, 2005.]
So why would Bolton think continuing/escalating the war in Syria (and going after Iran
asap) was a good idea, as it is "lost" to the US? Maybe because the Rothschilds want the
Zionist Oded Yinon plan to succeed no matter how many non-Jews die to make it happen?
So Trumpty wasted at least $100 million to find out even decades-old Russian S-150/200
anti-missile tech is more than adequate against the US' crap Tomahawk systems. The US
missiles are about as "smart" as its president and the neo-con thinktanksters. Raytheon stock
to jump. I wonder where Raytheon gets its titanium? Not from Russia anymore.
thanks b.. excellent overview and commentary to which i fully agree with..
i can't understand how france can get away with their proof statement based on this "The
French services analysed the testimonies, photos and videos that spontaneously appeared on
specialized websites, in the press and on social media in the hours and days following the
attack." france is more pathetic then i thought... as for the timing of this.. yes - do it
prior to the opcw inspection and do it bypassing international law... this will end badly and
this is just act 1 in what is going to be an escalation into ww3 that is coming down the
pike..
there is no way anything is going to change here... the west is committed to it's
propaganda, false flags and white helmet videos while ignoring international protocol.... how
this that going to end favourably? it's not... thanks for the update..
1. it is clear the West would not dare to confront Russia directly. The world
(particularly China and Europe) will have noted this.
2. The West dare not field its air forces over Syria.
3. it must be very worrying how poorly the stand-off weapons performed.
4. the West is fragmenting, judging by the number of countries that refused to join in,
and even internally in the US - witness the statements of Mattis and his extreme discomfort
in having to lie at the press conference. And as the truth emerges on the Syria and Skripal
false flags, and it will, then the West will fragment even more.
5. if I were shopping for air defences well there is only one place I would be looking
now.
Its a message, and the goal is:
Bachar quit power or we strike Syria like Lyria (falling of state, blow-of
infrastructures).
For US/UK/FR a permawar in Syria is needed for futur false-flags.
If every nation member of the united nation stand up to the criminals members such as USA ,
Great Britain ( not so great after all ) , France and Israel may these members will pay for
illegal behavior , but it seems no body cares for this reason they get away with criminal
U.N. human behavior.
The international community should move the United Nation head quarter out of New York
City.
I think The BRICS should sick rogother more and stand up against the Christian west ( I
emphasize the Christian ) because in the name of Jesus and Christianity , they do the worst
of the worst against humanity from occupation , colonization and on and on to keep their
Christian belly full of food on the back of the poor and unfortunate.
The article they link to is a week old before they even tested. It's unlikely the PR
person in control of the twitter account knows anything except for recent news articles.
That being said, Lavrov is making a pretty big claim out of left field. Completely
unnecessarily as I have no doubt novichoks could be manufactured to frame Russia. If Lavrov
is wrong he's shooting himself in the foot.
Going by b's take, the symbolic strike has taken pressure off Trump. The strike has showcased
what old refurbished Soviet systems and a scattering of Pantsirs can achieve.
Russia would not have held back with its own systems free of charge. Today we hear from
Russia the findings of the Swiss scientists re OPCW Skripal samples.
A number of players have put in a big effort into cornering Trump into attacking Syria and
Russia.
It would be good if the price Russia charged for the strike was solid intel on the conspiracy
that can be made public.
The Australian Media coverage has been on the back back burner through all this .
Ultimately Australia's geostrategic position is made more vulnerable if there is continuing
breakdown of International law and precedence . Many in Australia have been warning (for
thirty years) that Australia's craven support for the Anglo resource wars in Western Asia
will boomerang back on Australia's own safety and security. I fear my country will one day
need a ' rules based order ' that she has so singularly ignored .
Our anglosphere politicians, while standing behind big brother and hurling insults at
Russia and China will leave us in a very bad position when the US is defeated, and it will be
defeated by China/Russia combined.
If their is any sort of shooting war, there will be some extremely pissed off victors.
It is an interview with Stefan Mogl head of the Department of Chemistry in the laboratory.
Mogl is so brilliant a chemist he was able to identify nerve gas from video in an attack back
in 2013, no science needed-
@26
While I tend to think of this as an orchestrated event by the anti-Syrian fighters, let's
keep in consideration that there is a nonzero chance that individual units used chemical
weapons. AFAIK The Syrian government prohibits the use of chemical weapons, but we're still
mired in the fog of war. The OPCW may just announce findings that are totally contrary to
Russian claims.
Syria's military may not have a rigid structure, so there's always a possibility that some
idiots attached to the SAA conducted a chemical weapon attack. That's why a formal
investigation needs to be conducted.
The Western coalition's behavior was one of "I don't care, we're going to stage a show of
force". They're going to run with whatever events they can use to forward their agenda, which
is the continued desire for regime change, countering Iranian influence, and/or for Syria to
be stuck in a state of war.
Ultimately, Syria + Iran + Russia need to win the peace ASAP
@13 cj
From a pharmacological perspective, it would be difficult to find a drug more dissimilar to
anticholinesterases than 3-Quinuclidinyl benzilate (BZ, also called QNB), as the former would
cause activation of all acetylcholine receptors (both muscarinic and nicotinic), while
the latter would inhibit the activity of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.
Antimuscarinic drugs may be used clinically in small doses, e.g., in eye exams to dilate
the pupils. Overdoses as you point out would cause heart rate to increase, as well as dry
mouth, and involuntary muscle jerking. If they reach the brain, such drugs are
incapacitating, causing sedation, amnesia, delirium, hallucinations, and agitation.
Some of these effects are consistent with the reported symptoms of the Skripals when they
were found (MoA March 16): Meanwhile, a doctor who was one of the first people at the scene has described how she
found Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting and fitting. She had also lost
control of her bodily functions.
It's hard to know exactly what symptoms the last statement refers to, but drugs like this
would tend to reduce gastrointestinal activity, so it's not clear if this is a perfect
match.
Don't worry. As usual Australia is 5 years behind events. But is a pragmatic country, and
can and will change sides when it suits. In reality most trade is with SE Asia, and there are
plenty of Asians in Aus, but few Americans. There is no love of America.
And anyhow, the Commonwealth Games is on and Aus have a bagful of medals. So what do you
expect the media to report?
I wouldn't mind sending Julie Bishop to the Syria front line, though.
Reports indicate an Iranian base in Syria has been hit, once again, by Israel. Each such
incident, in which Russia's allies in Syria are attacked by air with impunity, sends a strong
message about Putin and about Russia. At this point, Putin has to be considered complicit in
these attacks. Putin preaches about international law, but his behavior preaches Might Makes
Right. Why does Putin continue to refuse to give Syria the robust air defense it needs if
National Sovereignty is to mean anything for Syria? Or is it only those who have powerful
militaries that get to not only have sovereignty for themselves, but get to have their
neighbor's sovereignty as well?
b, I agree with this: "The direct accusations against Britain may have been a factor in the
hasty launch of last night's strike. Another was surely the arrival of technicians of the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in Damascus."
But I disagree that "Last weeks push by the media, by interventionists and by
neoconservatives for a wider war on Syria (and Russia) has now been calmed down." There are
mixed messages coming out. Mattis emphasizes "one-off" strike and strongly implies that US
strike ensures that no more chemical attacks could be forthcoming "for years;" other
officials spoke of the strike as a whole as an initial "wave", and May seems to be committed
*both* to the position that Assad's chemical munitions have been destroyed *and* to the
position that these strikes represent the new normal of FUKUS strong diplomacy against the
"regime." I think there is still an ongoing power struggle between military lifers like
Mattis and generals in field and anglozionist bureaucrats in FUKUS governments and anything
could still happen, especially with the increased pressure on U.K. re Skripal and Ghouta.
This is exactly the kind of situation in which Israel could tip the scales, disastrously.
To follow up on the question of strategic implications of the success of the Syrian
air-defense, I wonder what the likely take away for Russia and US military intelligence is
from this strike? Was it too symbolic to relay any legit insight as to US ballistic
capabilities and Russian ability to thwart them? The success of even the older technology
manned by the Syrians (if Russia really did not use anything of its own) might lead one to
infer that the S-400's success rate against a similar volume of incoming threats (90-110)
might near 100% effectiveness. Is the US worried that the only way to overcome the S-400
(given Syria's own success) would involve launching missiles in such large quantities at a
time (say 300-400 per wave) as would prove operationally difficult, perhaps impossible, to
sustain in a limited theatre. Another way of putting this: might the US now think that no
direct but limited attack upon Russian interests is even possible, given the superiority of
contemporary Russian defensive ballistic technology?
Added a comment @260 on the thread for the Syria - Threat Of Large War Recedes But May
Come Back thread regarding the Swiss lab's BZ finding. In hindsight, the OPCW weasel-like
wording is twice as damaging as they only confirmed that Spiez (the Swiss Porton Down) found
the same thing as Porton Down. The BZ part was omitted and only available in the classified
report, because the public can't handle the truth! (without stringing up their leaders
from lamp-posts).
BZ has nothing to do with whatever they used in Ghouta for the false flag. I remember
there was a suspicious chemical attack in Homs in 2012 where some of the victims showed signs
consistent with BZ, but others seemed more like nerve agent exposure.
Regarding the attack yesterday, there is only one thing of significance:
Russia did not use any of their SAMs AFIK. This was a Syrian-only response just
like when Israel attacks. Radar help from the Russian network as usual, but it was only
Syrian air defenses that intercepted the incoming Tomahawks and Storm Shadows with their
short- and medium-range SAMs.
I can think of nothing whatsoever that would piss of the Russian military commanders more
than taunting them by forcing them to play such a deadly game.
Russia certainly would have defended against attacks directed at their bases. That's where
you have kind of a WW III problem, though. Tomahawk and Storm Shadow cruise missiles would
never use a direct path - they program in complex mid-course paths and the missiles are
programmed to approach the target from whatever direction is best. It may look like it's
zig-zagging towards one base, then turn abruptly mid-course and target another, then another.
You can't tell where their target is on radar until they actually hit something. Any
of the Tomahawks fired from the Red Sea ship(s) or a B-1 over at Tanf may be targeting
Damascus, or they may continue on and take out Tartous - you just don't know.
See the problem with that for Russia? They would normally just assume any modern cruise
missile traveling any direction within several hundred km of their base is a direct threat,
and the aircraft/ship that fired it are also direct threats. The US would do the same. Nobody
is going to wait until it's obvious they are the target.
Russia had two choices last night:
1) Depend ENTIRELY on assurances from the US/UK/France that Russian sites/personnel would
not be targeted and no missiles would turn at them the last minute. That's insanely risky by
ANY nations' standards, especially if the neighborhood bully is making such a promise to
you.
2) React like any normal military and assume any approaching cruise missile or launching
aircraft/ship is targeting you. You make the problems go away - that's your job. Then WW III
starts, with ZATO shrieking about an unprovoked attack on our aircraft/ships.
I have to wonder what Mattis and Dunford are thinking today. They, more than anyone in the
nuthouse, have to understand the effect this cheap-assed, dishonorable, humiliating trick has
on Russian commanders and Putin.
To the questions raised above regarding Lavrov's relying on an identification by a Swiss lab
of the chemical used against the Skripals:
The linked article in German can be translated on line and, as noted above, this is really
just a statement by the head of that lab, Sefan Mogl, BEFORE the Swiss lab's results, that he
was sure Porton Down must have been correct in identifying the agent as a Novichok because
it's such a highly regarded lab.
Of course, this doesn't really explain where Lavrov got his information, but the RT story
certainly made it sound as though the Russians had somehow gotten a copy of the full
classified report to the OPCW.
Regarding the plethora of comments 'both sides got what they wanted, the U.S. played the
hero, and Russia got off with a slap on the wrist'. Yeah but Russia is continuously cast as
the supervillain in one more deed that will remain in the collective mind of the west.
Putin / Russia have the attitude, don't be distracted by the information war, keep your
eye on the prize. Okay but you risk dying the death of a thousand cuts. Now contrast this
with tiny Israel who has a zero tolerance policy on any negative publicity. If you say
something bad about Israel you disappear, people complain about it but hey, as distasteful as
it is, it looks legal to me. A columnist who uses the word Zionist is not guaranteed a job
anywhere, that's hardball and it looks like the Israeli way pays dividends to them.
The Russian punching bag way? Don't know. People say the 'Empire is dying' is it, or is it
getting its second wind. Maybe Trump / May are the new Reagan / Thatcher, or worse yet, think
they are (Hearing 'God Save the Queen' in my head, make it stop)
The way you have put it there makes me feel more strongly that Russia demanded a very high
price from the US to hold back. It will be interesting to see what happens in the coming days
and weeks. Already, Russia has named the toxin that was used against the Skripals.
everything you need to know about usa-uk-france and all the other weak kneed poodles on the
world stage...
"Russia's UNSC resolution calling to stop aggression against Syria does not receive enough
votes."
i guess nikki haley was trying to stay positive and walked out on this to have her nails
polished or?
You have GOT to be kidding me. I am actually shocked they would admit to this piece of
crap but then again, the sheep in the U.S. just heard, 'French Intelligence confirms Assad's
guilt'. So chalk one up in the Information War, drip, drip, drip.
They actually said, they just reviewed the videos and trust the groups who took them. Oh,
and that it was new production, not recycled images. That is the only thing I believe that it
was freshly staged.
You have to assume in the last week that the Russians pointed out(in rather chilling
terms) what would happen to the US if Russians were harmed or targeted. Gerasimov spelled
this out earlier.
And don't forget there are 4500 American hostages in their mini-bases in Syria that would
now be mince-meat.
I happen to think, after said warning, that Mattis and Dunford pulled this thing back from
the abyss.
Amidst all this mayhem and confusion, has anybody noticed how Assad has shows more quality
then any other leader/politician of this time ? He withstands the most brutal bloodbath by
the terrorists for seven continues years, and has seen the country through against the most
powerful adversaries of this age by not only his intellect but also his restrain and above
all his courage.
I've grown respect for the man.
And just for the record-
Hillary - Assad must go
David Cameroon - Assad must go
John Kelly - Assad must go
Barak Obama - Assad must go
And many others, all of them GONE
But guess who's still there and even more dominating then every passing year.
Ok, can go for BZ, clean forgot about that one, funny what falls between the memory cracks in
something like 50 years, there were no cracks in the memory when it started. BZ was not
regarded as a dangerous type nerve agent, rather an agent used to incapacitate and hinder.
That it produced effects similar to drug OD was reason for resistance to nerve agent which
usually was Sarin (an aerosol) or VX (an oily mist that covered everything - touch at risk).
Mystery abated. Watching the head of Porton Down sit there and lie (blinking eyes a la Tony
Blair), gave the suspicion why Porton Down could not identify source was because Porton Down
was it. Not a wonder they ID so quickly, they had the stuff in stock. Perfidious Albion, when
will ye ever learn. But this could not happen to a finer set of home isle grown political
scoundrels and charlatans. Now to watch the tangled web woven unravel. Best part of living in
interesting times that.
Amidst all this mayhem and confusion, has anybody noticed how Assad has shows more quality
then any other leader/politician of this time ? He withstands the most brutal bloodbath by
the terrorists for seven continues years, and has seen the country through against the most
powerful adversaries of this age by not only his intellect but also his restrain and above
all his courage.
I've grown respect for the man.
And just for the record-
Hillary - Assad must go
David Cameroon - Assad must go
John Kelly - Assad must go
Barak Obama - Assad must go
And many others, all of them GONE
But guess who's still there and even more dominating with every passing year.
@60 Indeed, there was a press conference during which Lavrov pointed out that
1) there was a full classified report to the OPCW prepared by the Swiss.
2) Russia got a hold of it (leak by Swiss?)
3) Lavrov quoted the report as saying:
"Based on the results of the examination, the traces of the toxic chemical BZ and its
precursors belonging to the chemical weapons of the second category in accordance with the
Convention on the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons are found in the samples. The BZ is a nerve
agent temporarily disabling a person. Psychotoxic effect is achieved in thirty- sixty minutes
after application and lasts up to four days. This recipe was in the arsenal of the US Army,
Great Britain and other NATO countries. In the USSR and Russia, the development of such
chemical no connections were made" (Google translated from https://ria.ru/world/20180414/1518659174.html)
4). He then proceeded with a question to the OPCW if the quote had been true why
these findings by the Swiss experts were later dropped from the final document released to
everyone
"If, of course, the OPCW refutes the very fact of using the laboratory of the city of
Spiez, then it would be interesting to hear these explanations," he concluded.
Not saying this happened, but leaking a fake report to the Russians so they go on a
tangent making wild claims would be a great dark PR trick. And one I hope they
considered.
You are wrong. Makes no sense spreading fake info on something that can be verified or
not, but it wouldnt surprise me if the Spiez Lab change its phrasing after the pressure they
sure must encounter now from the west.
"You are wrong. Makes no sense spreading fake info on something that can be verified or not,
but it wouldnt surprise me if the Spiez Lab change its phrasing after the pressure they sure
must encounter now from the west."
Sure it could make sense. If you can get someone to make statements they think are true
but are verifiably false then from a PR standpoint it makes their future statements seem less
reliable. It can make that person seem crazy or guilty.
So its a conspiracy theory now?
You cant spread fake info on something that physically say something else, thus Lavrov will
of course not spread this info if he wasnt sure it
was factual. You suspect Lavrov is a moron. I believe hes not.
What was the point? Last night's attack was like coming home to find your house has been
burgled, only to realise that they took the cushions and then left.
If the chemical 'attack' was staged, or that the US and its allies were in on it - thereby
explaining the rush to strike before the investigation of the OPCW - what was the purpose if
the strikes resulted in seemingly material damage? If not to bring down the Syrian Government
then what? To scupper Syrian peace efforts? I don't follow.
There's a bigger picture here but I can't quite see it.
Salisbury and Douma coming so close together is surely too much of a coincidence. Was
Assad not in fact the real target,
but Russia .?
it looks like iran has set up gas and chemical weapons bases possibly nay probably mobile
maybe mobile analysis states that the labs could be a combination of both fixed and mobile
possibly caravan winnebago portacabin on wheels.
these folks in syria just will not lie dowm.
At Least 20 Dead After Israeli Warplanes Strike Iranian Military Base In Southern Syria:
Reports
@ pat 83... i think there are a few reasons for what seems irrational... it appears that the
usa-uk-france - are being good servants to israel and the neo cons on the one hand... it
saves some face for trump.. it also cements the idea is some weak minds that they wouldn't do
this unless they had proof, even though we know that is b.s. and, it is an ongoing motion
that is ultimately leading towards more of the same and ultimately ww3... the west is saying
- we will believe the white helmet videos immediately and we will wait for the facts after,
but the facts we don't really care about as they can be manipulated by russia/syria.. that is
what i get from all this... - basically slow grind to ww3.. i give it to 2020..
Its just a thought at the moment on Russia charging a heavy price, but if that were the
case, then rock solid info on the conspiracy to frame Russia and corner Trump into attacking
Syria and Russia.
If that where the case, then the Swiss scientist findings may be part of it.
The US would have better access to that type of intel as the US neocons and Zionists are part
of the conspiracy. Something like this would be of benefit to both Trump and Russia, yet it
would be a heavy price as the US military would be passing on what I guess would be
classified secrets.
"F.U.K.U.S. Strikes Syria - Who Won?"
Obviously nobody. This is a lose lose lose game for everybody. And I'm sure this time they
won't wait a year to attack again. The MSM are still producing propaganda enough to fill
whole libraries. In no time they will prepare the next fairy tale. The Israeli government
tries hard to get a reaction from Iran in order to start the real shooting. They want war,
and it's easier to trigger one than to avoid it. So they will succeed.
This is likely silly speculation however with Douma being cleared of terrorists I was
wondering if the missile attack was used to destroy remaining evidence of US and friends
support for said terrorists.
@89
From the unclassified OPCW report:
"12. The name and structure of the identified toxic chemical are contained in the full
classified report of the Secretariat, available to States Parties."
These low level attacks work for all the states involved except Syria. Having enemies is
essential to control those at home. Using weapons feeds the MIC's hungry beast. Flouting
international and domestic law reinforces the idea that the law is what they say it is. They
are above the law. Feeding the public obvious lies without being challenged by MSM provides
assurance the propaganda machine is working well and reinforces the belief that their
citizens are stupid or weak. Nothing to fear there.
Russia has the respect from the US they crave, even if its only fear of military conflict
with an army that can fight back. The market for their weapon systems/missile defense has
never been better and they have more leverage over countries that may be on the US radar in
negotiating trade/military deals
The take home here is we have an Evil Empire not bound by international law or constrained
by their own domestic law since the democratic processes that enforce the laws have been
broken and exist in name only. They will do whatever they choose. Russia and China will go
along and exploit the opportunities presented, taking care direct military conflict is
avoided. The oligarchs must be protected and a foreign enemy directs anger away from
themselves over their increasing neoliberal policies that feed the oligarchs
This is a well scripted soap opera. No wonder Hollywood has not time for making good
movies. Enjoy the show.
Copy-pasting this comment from another blog. Thought the points were salient...
"Consequences of the failed Syrian strike ..
1) Trump looks like .
a) a fool who believes anything on social media
b) a loudmouth blowhard who's tweet is much worse than his bite.
c) has people wondering if he isn't some combination of senile and insane.
2) The US military looks powerless and ineffective (again).
3) The jihadists suffered a major defeat. They played their Trump Card with the fake chem
weapons attack and all it got them was a blown up dismantled old lab complex.
4) Israel showed they are equally powerlless and ineffective with their weak and symbolic
attack on the T-4 airbase.
5) Everyone now knows that it is highly likely that Theresa May is a baldfaced liar.
6) Everyone now knows that Germany will not stand with this coalition.
7) Everyone now knows that even older Russian/Soviet air defense systems can stop a US
missile strike.
8) Everyone now knows that Israel and the US are afraid to fly into Syrian airspace and
challenge those old air defenses. They only launch weak attacks from very long range.
9) Everyone now knows that the governments of the UK and the US both hate democracy. Trump
didn't follow the US Constitution and get even a fig-leaf "use of force" resolution. May had
to directly overturn the Parliamentary democracy and launch her attack on only her say
so.
10) The US just lost access to rocket engines and titanium parts.
11) Everyone now knows that if they are Putin's ally then the US can't hurt them."
Next Astana meeting in one month, May 14-16, exact date not yet set.
Meanwhile, in Idlib, the crazies are killing one another, as they have for over a year.
The Russian plan of pouring all the "retreaters" into one province was brilliant. The
Russians knew each group of AQ, al Nusra and ISIS terrorists would fight one another.
Turkey will protest and try to protect "their guys" but the inevitable will occur. Putin
already allowed Turkey to do its thing against the Kurds. Afrin, and its months long ground
assaults Olive Branch massacres of Kurds is all Erdogan will get.
If he sticks his nose in the final destruction of the Idlib holdouts, he will get slapped
down by Russia.
His place at the table of big three is dependent on agreeing with Putin. The Kurds are
looking to make a deal with Putin for a piece of the Syrian pie.
The US is betting they can scuttle Astana and force everyone to their manipulation of the
Geneva talks.
But Astana has always set the terms and conditions. Geneva is just the use of the UN. If the
US forces the issue, Geneva will be left at the station, so to speak.
The Syrian Opposition, which boycotted Sochi Peace talks in January, have no place to go
but the battlefield. If they don't get into the political development of Syria, they will
lose all relevance.
The US is trying to get an insurgency war started to keep the conflict going, to justify
their staying in Syria.
I suspect the Russian Aerospace will have the last vote on such insurgency. And maybe a
few thousand of Kadyrov's Chechen Spetsnaz who have all the experience in Chechnya, and all
the credibility as Sunnis in Syria to destroy such a bogus insurgency.
The coming summer and autumn will be interesting times.
Ukraine, the World Cup, and the winding down of "civil war" in Syria.
@ cj 13
I need some chemistry help-- Lavrov's statement does not help us (me) see any link between
known OPCW statements on Salisbury and this new chemical "BZ". From what you and others say,
BZ does not seem to correspond in any plausible way to what Porton Down (or UK govt) has
publicly said: Novichoks, or from that class of agents or a closely related agent". Yet Mr.
Lavrov's claims seem to suggest that BZ is not inconsistent with the OPCW confirmation of
Porton Down's identification of the substance (what substance--biophysical analysis of
metabolites in blood and tissue? Or bench quality (vs. weapons grade) high purity substances
found elsewhere--doorknobs, park bench...
Porton Down - officially the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) - tested the
samples and prepared a classified report for that mean-assed May guy and parliament.
May says Novichok - Russia did it and must be disciplined.
DSTL Chief Gary Aitkenhead (Ache-in-head, get it?) pokes head out of rabbit hole and says
that his scientists only identified substance as 'a Novichok-like military-grade nerve agent'
- that's it. Said they didn't make any determination where it came from. Not their job. MI6
and that May guy made that conclusion on source with additional, secret alternative
facts.
Russia cries foul becuause they're allowed to see either the DSTL technical report
(classified by UK and unwilling to share with Russia). May: "How DARE you question the
British Empire! We'll get the OPCW to confirm your guilt." UK delegation to the OPCW
requests technical assistance to verify findings.
OPCW collects Salsbury samples, sends of to some of their five permanent labs. I'm
surprised they didn't send to Porton Down - one of the five - and then hide that fact. In any
case, the Swiss Spiez Lab (Spy's - get it?)gets original DSTL analysis, analyzes the new
samples and confirms Porton Down's findings. Sends classified full analysis and report back
to OPCW.
OPCW prepares the Technical Assistance Report for UK based on their original request,
which was for independent confirmation of DSTL/Porton Down findings. The UK did NOT ask for
nor specify the name of the agent to be confirmed. Just yes/no - do you agree with Porton
Down's findings or not?
UK then tells OPCW Technical Secretariat they can share the still-classified yes/no report
with the rest of the OPCW party states. The otherwise sanitized report either had some
information on the chemical structure without naming it, or the Russians found out what Spiez
found. Russians look at it and say, "What the hell? That's BZ!"
Technical Secretariat prepares dumbed-down summary report as well for public consumption -
obviously without any of the technical detail identifying it as BZ. Russia now demanding that
UK and/or OPCW release the full Technical Assistance Report or the full Porton Down/Spiez
analysis.
That will be considered and rejected, of course. None of the other OPCW members apparently
know or are willing to disclose the BZ detail. Evil gasser Russia left to twist in the
wind.
"The Iraqi weapon. The existence of a BZ-related compound, called Agent-15, in
Iraq's arsenals was revealed in 1998 . Apparently, Iraq possessed large quantities of the
agent since the 1980s. A document found by the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) in
1995 contained a brief reference to this agent and subsequent assessment of relevant
scientific and other background material indicated the size of the stockpile. Soldiers of
3rd Infantry Division, Fort Stewart Georgia found facilities used for the production
of these weapons. The facilities had been closed for several years before the invasion as
dust almost a half inch thick was noted on everything. Records books of personnel who had
entered the buildings and other project related equipment looked as though everything had
been stopped suddenly and it did not appear that the research had ever progressed to a
state of actual production ".
And from this [2014 Wikipedia cached page]:
https://web.archive.org/web/20140618215854/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychochemical_weapon
">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychochemical_weapon">https://web.archive.org/web/20140618215854/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psychochemical_weapon
" Britain was also investigating the possible weaponization of LSD (lysergic acid
diethylamide) and BZ (3-quinuclidinyl benzilate) as nonlethal battlefield drug-weapons
Hungarian researcher Lajos Rosza wrote that records of Hungary's State Defense Council
meetings from 1962 to 1978 suggest that the Warsaw Pact forum had considered a psychochemical
agent such as Methylamphetamine as a possible weapon
.. The United States eventually weaponized the chemical BZ for delivery in the M43 BZ cluster
bomb until stocks were destroyed in 1989 ."
2. Zanders JP: CW Agent Factsheet - Agent-15:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070613005906/http://www.sipri.org/contents/expcon/agent15.html
">http://www.sipri.org/contents/expcon/agent15.html">https://web.archive.org/web/20070613005906/http://www.sipri.org/contents/expcon/agent15.html
)
"Little information is publicly known about Agent-15, except that it is closely related to
BZ. The understanding of its physiological effects is based on studies with the latter agent.
The existence of Agent-15 in Iraq's arsenals was revealed by the British Secretary of
State George Robertson in a statement to the House of Commons on 9 February 1998.
According to the statement, Iraq may have possessed large quantities of the agent since the
1980s. A document found by the UN Special Commission on Iraq ( UNSCOM ) in August 1995
contained a brief reference to Agent-15 and subsequent assessment of relevant scientific and
other background material indicated the size of the stockpile."
"In February 1998, the British Ministry of Defence released an intelligence
report that accused Iraq of having stockpiled large amounts of a glycolate anticholinergic
incapacitating agent known as Agent 15.[citation needed] Agent 15 is an alleged Iraqi
incapacitating agent that is likely to be chemically either identical to BZ or closely
related to it. Agent 15 was reportedly stockpiled in large quantities prior to and during the
Persian Gulf War. The combination of anticholinergic PNS and CNS effects aids in the
diagnosis of patients exposed to these agents.
Also in 1998, there were allegations that elements of the Yugoslav People's Army used
incapacitating agents against fleeing Bosnian refugees during Srebrenica massacre in 1995
that caused hallucinations and irrational behavior. Physical evidence of BZ use in Bosnia is
unsupported, however."
And from the current 2018 Wikipedia page on '3-Quinuclidinyl Benzilate':
"The U.S. Army tested BZ as well as other "psycho-chemical" agents on human
subjects at Edgewood Arsenal in Maryland from 1955 to 1975 , according to declassified
documents."
the BZ was probably in the food at the restaurant (Zizzi) and they may have gotten a huge
dose, it very potent. This would account for the delay -- restaurant to park bench, needs to
be absorbed through the GI tract.
I don't believe the doorknob scenario-- I think you would have to have several milligrams
of nerve agent in a skin permeable solvent DMSO or DMF plus gelling agent to make it stick
and then it would have to be wet to transfer onto the skin and then get absorbed. First, the
target might notice the handle is sticky and wash his/her hands in which case you get no
effect if its done in a minute or so and the water is alkaline as it is in England. Then,
assuming the gel isn't noticed the transfer would be pretty inefficient as the agent has to
be absorbed from a small surface area through the keratin of the skin. If you got things just
right, applied the novichok in a nice anhydrous solvent and no rain got in it and someone
touched it before the solvent evaporated, then you might be able to give a lethal dose.
Having said that, if you absorbed say 0.1mg or so the effects would be pretty immediate
collapse in 15 mins or so. So in my opinion the doorknob scenario is rubbish-- if you could
get it to work the Skripal that touched the handle would have collapsed before getting near
the restaurant.
So I think that there are way too many variables that would need to be optimized to get a
nice transfer. But if you managed to achieve this feat the target would be very sick in about
10 mins or so.
The way to use a nerve agent is to aerosolize it, then its easy to get 1-2mg into the
lungs and onto the mucosa where it is absorbed very fast (Kim's brother), the transfer
through the skin is much more difficult. So my bet is BZ in the food--a huge dose, hence the
consulatant's letter saying its not an nerve agent. It's an anti-cholinergic (like atropin),
not an anti-cholinesterase (nerve gas).
@ Paveway IV -- comment 98
Paveway, I'm not sure whether you've seen Sushi's instalments in the "Curious Incident"
series at the Saker, but perhaps you'd consider looking at the most recent one, instalment 8,
and then examining the hypothetical narrative below.
Sushi,
A superb instalment on a stellar "Curious Incident" series.
I am trying to construct a narrative that accounts for what we have plausible reason to
infer, but which does not rely on any official interlocutors (except perhaps Boris Johnson,
who may not be able to help himself) clearly lying.
First question--and I imagine you might cover this in your next instalment:
Am I correct in thinking that BZ and any of the Novichok / Foliant series are simply not
similar enough to be covered by Porton Down's public description of the substance "in
question" as being:
a) a Novichok
b) or from that class of nerve agent
c) or a closely related compound
BZ isn't a), isn't b) a nerve agent at all and c) is not closely related to any of the
family of compounds that could be in any way considered a Novichok.
Inferences:
1) So, if the finding was actually BZ, when the OPCW confirms the UK's findings, the OPCW is
not confirming any of the statements made along lines a), b) or c).
The OPCW, then, is not
i) confirming that the substance is of a "type developed by Russia" and so it would seem are
either, instead
ii) confirming something the Salisbury medical personnel have been quoted as saying, or
iii) confirming the findings of some other entity that can be plausibly glossed as having
official ("UK") findings, or
iv) are confirming UK findings not made public.
Which is to say that all along there have been at least two substances in play, and a bit
of a bait and switch game, in which "it" is presumed to be specified but the descriptions are
referring to another substance.
For example, the bait is Novichoks, etc. But when we think they are referring to a
substance whose metabolites are found in the Skripals' biophysical samples, that substance
may actually be bench-grade or lab-grade BZ. Some other sample--taken from a park bench, door
knob, restaurant, cemetary headstone, or car ventilation system, may have been tested as
containing highly pure (Porton Down lab-grade) A-234, for example.
Each time we think they are talking about one, they are talking about another, and we
never really pause to re-examine which "it" they are referring to.
Not technically a lie, except perhaps what might initially seem like an "innocent"
exaggeration--"weapons-grade" but actually this, as you note, is a big giveaway. The
substance for which the OPCW is confirming the UK findings, is not weapons grade, but as they
say, virtually without impurities. You are the only source I am aware of who has emphasized
that weapons-grade is not, as the lay person might suppose, highly pure but is in fact marked
by certain impurities from a full-scale production run and perhaps additionally to introduce
changes of viscosity, etc.
Is any of this making sense, and does anything seem factually incorrect here?
Russia announced today that the S-300 long-range air defense system would be provided to the
Syrian air defenses. That would be a game-changer in terms of both detection and range.
Israel is sure to be displeased because it puts Israeli and Lebanese airspace within range.
S-300 radar could also be data-linked with the S-120 and S-200 systems. The increased risk to
Israeli missions over Syria would be immense. IMO that counts as a "very serious consequence"
of the raid. Russia had withheld that system as long as part of a bargaining strategy with
FUKUS. After their display of malice and treachery, the lid on defensive aid to SYAAF has
been removed.
Report from Southfront states that the cruise missiles had their targeting jammed by
Russian EW, i.e. they were mostly wounded ducks by the time they reached Damascus. Syrian air
defense was mostly preventing random ground strikes by off-target missiles, in addition to
getting valuable training. That would explain something I observed in videos of the
shootdowns, that a lot of the targets were on a high arc. That's not my understanding of how
cruise missiles are supposed to be flying in the target area.
What I learned in many years of travel is that politicians in most of they world are
profoundly aware of the long game. In NA (sorry Mexico) they seldom think past the next poll
and never past the next round of elections. Sadly, it seems many commentators here reflect
the same conclusion when they cannot see the long game that must be played to allow the
empire to collapse. There will be thrashing about as the beast gets hyped with its' own
version of weaponized LSD (MSM fear-mongering) and inevitably there will be casualties. No
amount of showdown force will help while the beast is thrashing - it is impossible to
constrain a person in the middle of a fit - and the patience to allow the episode to pass is
exemplary. and necessary if we are to have a future with hope.
Putin and Xi are playing the long game, with profound grief it is Syria that bears the
brunt of the thrashing. May it end quickly
a. non-lethal but incapacitating
b. hard to make a lethal overdose - safe for incapacitations, Skripals could get high dose to
be incapacitated for many days, but suffer no permanent damage that was described for victims
of "novichok" accidents -- like malfunction of the lab hood.
c. delayed action
d. very durable when spread on surfaces, water resistant -- English rain would not be a
problem, and it would be detectable weeks after.
It is manifestly not an assassination weapon, but it could be considered to incapacitate
terrorists or defenders in bunkers or tunnels, a ship crew etc., together with hostages,
civilians etc.
Paul@129 - Old Microbiologist and others are really the ones to ask but
AFIK, a BZ molecule and FOLIANT nerve agents are entirely unrelated
animals in a chemical sense. The only commonality comes when you
consider them under the CWC's "certain toxic chemicals and their
precursors" schedules. The OPCW considers certain incapacitating agents,
including BZ, as potential chemical weapons. BZ is listed as a Schedule
2
Toxic Chemical. 'Novichoks' would be the higher risk/no non-CW use Schedule
1 list.
As far as the UK and OPCW parties playing deception by substitution or
deception by omission in their public statements? I think that's exactly
what Lavrov is hinting at. The UK is implying that only one chemical
toxin - a nerve agent - was found and is being discussed. In hindsight,
the odd use of 'military grade' might just mean 'weaponized'. In the case
of BZ, the powder has to be micronized (ground up in a jet mill) to some
ridiculously tiny size - like a micron - to travel deep into the lungs, but
not so tiny that it is immediately exhaled. I imagine the purity can only
be figured out by having enough undegraded substance to analyze. That's
nearly impossible with a nerve agent with a half-life of hours. BZ has
a half-life of weeks.
No idea if the two can be/were used together or separately or why they
would even do that. The mere presence of both is what's interesting.
If they found both Novichok-whatever AND BZ, then the whole 'Made in Russia'
claim falls apart. It doesn't mean the UK or US absolutely made it either, but
sort of levels off the playing field. The fact that they are trying to keep
everything about BZ secret means they were clearly being deceptive in order
to blame Russia based on just the 'Novichok' part.
Now whether Lavrov's suggestion of BZ is accurate or whether the OPCW or
UK will ever reveal the secret details remains to be seen.
The Russians explicitly state that the Swiss specialists found an "A-234 type" nerve agent
in the samples, along with the BZ. The "A-234" is suspicious because it is a volatile
substance, but was found in its "initial state (pure form and high concentration)" as well as
with products of its decomposition. BZ better fits what happened to the Skripals. A-234 would
not have remained in a pure state for so long -- and would have quickly killed the
Skripals.
This makes the Spiez Labs statement sound even more extraordinarily coy than it did in the
first place. It doesn't say that Spiez found a "Novichok"; it says Spiez trusts that Portdon
Down did.
This seems to come down -- yet again -- to that word "Novichok." My reading: Spiez found,
along with the BZ, an A-234-like compound, but did not want to get into a public argument
about whether or not it was the precise compound developed long ago by the Soviet Union and
loosely identified by some as one of the "Novichoks" (newcomers).
The NYT's Best-Sellers lists undoubtedly includes one of my old favorites:
The US Army's Medical Management of Chemical Casualties Handbook. Just the
thing to curl up with before nodding off in your medically-induced coma.
Here's the
14 pages on BZ, but none of you are allowed to
read it - unless you voted for Trump.
There is no novichok. from the files....
In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents,
'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the
'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published.
(Black, 2016)
I believe that the risk of war with Russia over Syria is growing rather than diminishing.
Although Donald Trump has toned down his idiotic tweet taunts and is no longer vowing an
imminent response, he still has painted himself into a PR corner and his only avenue of escape
is to launch cruise missiles against some obscure Syrian military or political target.
This will not be a mere repeat of the fireworks show from April of 2017, when Trump ordered
up a cruise missile strike on an isolated airfield in the aftermath of another staged
"chemical" attack by Syrian rebels. Trump blamed that supposed attack on Assad but did nothing
in terms of even marginally hurting Syrian military capabilities. But it was a feel good
political moment. Trump beat up the kid in a wheel chair and won praise as a tough guy.
Today the stakes are higher for Trump. The neocons and interventionist hawks are reminding
him that his attack last year accomplished nothing of import. And then they ramp up the stakes
by declaring that a failure to really hurt the Syrian military means that Trump is just a white
version of Obama. Trump is being told by many politicians on both sides of the aisle and a
horde of pundits that he has drawn a red line and must enforce it.
The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has issued a Warning Order to the relevant units
and an Alert/Deployment Order. This means that US forces are moving into position to launch
military operations when given the order to EXECUTE by Donald Trump.
We are not yet at that moment, but it appears to be nigh. Scuttlebutt is that SecDef Mattis
and CIA Acting Haspel are urging caution because there is no supporting intelligence for the
claim that a "chemical weapon" was used. In fact, there is not even confirmation about the
supposed civilian casualties.
I find it precious listening to the bipartisan parade of politicians and pundits decrying
the "murder" of innocent woman and children. I don't see those same folks decrying the bombings
of Hiroshima or Nagasaki. But hey, if you easily are shocked by hypocrisy then you will be in a
catatonic state if you even cursorily follow events and pronouncements in Washington, DC.
Here is what I think is going on. Mattis and Haspel are arguing for a delay in order for the
OPCW to get on the ground and conduct an initial assessment of what really happened. The
problem is that the OPCW is unlikely to find anything. But that will not be taken as proof that
the Syrians or Russians are innocent. The pressure for a strike will still be on.
According to US President Donald Trump, "the purpose of our actions tonight is to
establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical
weapons".
The US and its allies launched more than 100 strikes on Syria in a "one-time shot",
officials at the Pentagon said. According to a Syrian government official, around 30 missiles
were fired in the attack, and a third of them were shot down.
The US used Tomahawk cruise missiles in its strikes in Syria, which were fired at
multiple targets in the country, a US official said.
Joseph Dunford, Washington's top general, said the "precision strikes" hit three targets:
A scientific research centre near Damascus that is allegedly connected to the production of
the chemical weapons; a chemical weapons storage facility near Homs; a command post near the
capital.
Russia's ambassador to the US warned that there would be consequences for the strikes,
adding that it was not acceptable to insult Russia's president.
Iran: Strikes are 'flagrant violation of international law'
Iran's foreign ministry has said the strikes against Syria by the US, UK and France are a
"flagrant violation of international law" that "ignores sovereignty of Syria", Hezbollah's
al-Manar TV said.
UN chief urges restraint after strikes on Syria
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on UN member states "to show restraint in
these dangerous circumstances and to avoid any acts that could escalate the situation and
worsen the suffering of the Syrian people".
"Any use of chemical weapons is abhorrent. The suffering it causes is horrendous. I have
repeatedly expressed my deep disappointment that the Security Council failed to agree on a
dedicated mechanism for effective accountability for the use of chemical weapons in Syria. I
urge the Security Council to assume its responsibilities and fill this gap," he added.
Iran warns of 'regional consequences' of strikes
The Iranian foreign ministry strongly condemned the strikes against Syria by the US, UK
and France.
It also warned of their regional consequences, Hezbollah's al-Manar TV said.
US Democratic leaders cautiously welcome decision on strikes
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer called the strikes "appropriate", but said, "the
administration has to be careful about not getting us into a greater and more involved war in
Syria".
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said: "One night of air strikes is not a substitute
for a clear, comprehensive Syria strategy."
US Republican leaders praise Trump's decision on strikes
US House Speaker Paul Ryan praised Trump's "decisive action in coordination with our
allies", adding: "We are united in our resolve."
Senate Armed Service Committee Chairman John McCain applauded the strikes but says "they
alone will not achieve US objectives in the Middle East."
Syria state TV: Strikes targeting position in Homs were thwarted
"The missiles that targeted a military position in Homs were thwarted and diverted from
their path, and injured three civilians," state news agency SANA said.
Syria state TV: Only material losses at research centre near Damascus
Syrian state media said that the US-led strikes caused material damage at a scientific
research centre in the Barzeh district of Damascus.
The attack destroyed a building that includes a learning centre and laboratories, state
TV said.
Strikes in Syria did not hit areas near Russian bases: Moscow
The Russian defence ministry said that none of the rockets launched in the Syria attack
entered the zones where Russian air defence systems are protecting facilities, Russian press
agency TASS reported.
Protesters in Damascus rally against US-led strikes: reports
Protesters are rallying in Damascus against the US, UK and French military action in
Syria, Lebanese media are reporting.
Amnesty urges Trump to take in Syrian refugees
Amnesty International warned that air strikes on Syria should "minimise harm to
civilians" and urged Trump to take in Syrian refugees.
"All precautions must be taken to minimise harm to civilians in any military action,"
Raed Jarrar, advocacy director for Middle East North Africa at Amnesty International USA,
said in a statement on Saturday.
"The Trump administration must not turn its back on the suffering of men, women, and
children by continuing to ban refugees from entering the United States. It is time for the US
to reopen our doors to people trying to escape from the violence in Syria," Jarrar
added.
Russia: 'Pre-designed scenario is being implemented'
Anatoly Antonov, the Russian ambassador to the US, said on Twitter that Russia "warned
such actions will not be left without consequences".
"A pre-designed scenario is being implemented," he tweeted, adding "again, we are being
threatened".
US officials informed Israel of the timing of the attack, Israeli sources say.
Pro-Assad official: Targets evacuated prior to attack
The Syrian government evacuated the targeted sites days ago thanks to a warning from
Russia, a senior official in a regional alliance that backs Damascus told Reuters news
agency.
"We had an early warning of the strike from the Russians ... and all military bases were
evacuated a few days ago," Reuters quoted the official as saying.
The official added that around 30 missiles were fired in the attack, saying "we are
carrying out an assessment of the material damages".
NATO chief: I support actions of US and allies
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said he supported the actions taken by the US, UK
and France against Syria.
"I support the actions taken by the United States, the United Kingdom and France against
the Syrian regime's chemical weapons facilities and capabilities. This will reduce the
regime's ability to further attack the people of Syria with chemical weapons," Stoltenberg
said in a statement on Saturday.
Syrian opposition leader: All attacks on civilians must stop
Syrian opposition leader Nasra al-Hariri called for the end to all attacks against
civilians in Syria.
"Maybe the regime will not use chemical weapons again, but it will not hesitate to use
weapons the international community has allowed it, such as barrel bombs and cluster bombs,"
Hariri said in a tweet early on Saturday.
Russia: Syria hit as country had 'chance for peaceful future'
Russia's foreign ministry says Syria was attacked at the very moment the country had a
"chance for a peaceful future", Russian news agency RIA reported.
Maria Zakharova, the ministry spokeswoman, wrote on Facebook: "Those behind all this
claim moral leadership in the world and declare they are exceptional. You need to be really
exceptional to shell Syria's capital at the moment when it had gained a chance of a peaceful
future."
The foreign ministry also said that Western media has some responsibility for the attack
on Syria, which was based on its reports, according to RIA.
'Three targets hit'
Joseph Dunford, Washington's top general, said the precision strikes hit three targets -
a scientific research centre near Damascus, a storage facility and command post also near the
capital and a chemical weapons storage facility near Homs.
US top general: US did not notify Russia of targets
Washington's top general, Joesph Dunford, said Russia's forces in Syria had been warned
through existing "deconfliction" channels that Western planes would be in Syrian airspace,
but that Washington had not revealed the target sites or timing in advance.
US chairman of joint chiefs of staff: First wave of attacks ends
US Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford announced the first wave of attacks
has ended.
Syrian state media says US-led strikes hit army depots
Syrian state media called the attacks by the US, France and the UK "a flagrant violation
of international law", adding that the attacks had targeted army depots in the Homs
area.
Russia warned 'such actions won't be left without consequences'
The Russian ambassador to the US said in a statement on the strikes that Russia warned
that "such actions will not be left without consequences".
Mattis: 'Right now, this is a one-time shot'
"Right now, this is a one-time shot, and I believe it has sent a very strong message," US
Secretary of Defense James Mattis said.
Syrian state TV: Syrian air defences responded to attack
Syrian state TV reports that Syrian air defences responded to the strikes by the US, UK
and France
Explosions heard in Damascus
As Trump announced the strikes, explosions were heard from Damascus, Reuters news agency
reported.
Emmanuel Macron confirms France's involvement
French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed France's involvement in the strikes.
UK's Theresa May: Strikes meant to 'deter the use of chemical weapons'
UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed Britain's involvement in the strikes, saying: "We
would have preferred an alternative path. But on this occasion there is none."
She said the strikes were not about "regime change" or "intervening in a civil war", but
were to "deter the use of chemical weapons" by the Syrian government.
"I ordered the United States armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets
associated with the chemical weapon capabilities of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad," Trump
said from the White House late on Friday.
The purpose of the campaign is to "establish a strong deterrent against the production,
spread and use of chemical weapons," the US president said.
I am sorry for re-posting this comment on this thread. But I was wondering what others
thought about the possible scenario outlined below.
There is a Russian claim on April 13 that operatives from either UK, US, or France were
involved in the production of the fake attack. (I am betting these operatives are
UK--either SAS or MI6 field agents). (But it is probable there are also US operatives
there--likely CIA.)
There have been several to my knowledge unconfirmed reports from April 12 that UK,
Israeli, and Jordanian[!] operatives embedded with Jaysh al-Islam in Ghouta were captured
by the SAA.
There is an older late-March report of a UK led conspiracy to directly attack Damascus
in mid-March in the hopes of overturning the Syria government. The attack was to be
coordinated with the Skripal poisoning in the UK and would involve a false-flag chemical
attack; ostensibly followed by the US/NATO decapitation of Damascus from the air. That
comes from Thierry Meysann here: http://www.voltairenet.org/article200232.html
On February 18 the Syrian campaign against Ghouta began with full intensity. The
campaign was presented as a human rights disaster by all Western media outlets.
On March 17 Russia announced its awareness of at least two planned false-flag chemical
attacks: one in Eastern Ghouta involved "American instructors [who] have trained several
groups of insurgents near al-Tanfa in order to hold provocations with chemical weapons in
the south of Syria."
Meysann presents the plot as involving the coordination of Skripal's poisoning with the
staging of a chemical attack in Ghouta, leading to a US/NATO led bombing of Damascus.
Sputnik presents the plot as involving a "ground assault in Damascus" led by UK, Israeli,
and Jordanian operatives supported by massive air support from US/NATO.
One *possibility*, then, is something like this: the coordinated false-flag chemical
attack in Ghouta was originally to lead to another "Syrian" citizen-led mini uprising against
the Assad regime: This "Syrian" uprising, which would really be led by UK/US/Israel/Jordanian
operatives who could pass as Syrians, would aim to infiltrate Damascus from Ghouta and blow a
couple things up; meanwhile, the Skripal affair plus the false chemical attack plus the false
"Syrian" citizen ground-resistance in Damascus would propel the world to call for US/NATO
decapitation of the "regime".
This--or something like it--is perhaps what Russia discovered was afoot, and why Russia
and the SAA so zealously sought to clear out Ghouta from February 18 onward. Russia was aware
that by clearing out Ghouta quickly enough, the full ground attack on Damascus could be
thwarted in time; but there was still the possibility that a chemical attack might be staged
nonetheless. Hence their announcement on March 17. This effectively told the UK/US that the
larger planned coup had been discovered and was not going to happen. The staged attack of
April 8 was supposed to be part of a larger coordinated rush upon Damascus, which would
ensure that the staged attack could never be properly investigated. The US/NATO would bomb
the evidence to smithereens.
It was ultimately perhaps a stupid decision for these operatives to go through with the
staged attack once one could no longer be sure that it would not be investigated owing to the
US/NATO bombing it was supposed to be coordinated with. We'll see.
This could be all wrong. It's just one possible reconstruction. But I don't find it
immediately *im*plausible. Should I?
"... "This is where it gets very interesting and dangerous. Russia has drawn its own redline. Putin and his Generals know for a fact that there was no chemical weapon of any kind used in Syria. They recently warned the world that this kind of staged event was in the offing. They know what they have and have not done on the ground and know the lies spilling from Washington, London and Paris are vicious calumny. They are not a punching bag and are not going to sit back and do nothing. ..."
"... As PT stated, it is unlikely that DJT's ego could accept the sinking of a US Navy ship or a demonstration of the ineffectiveness of some of our missiles. The temptation for him to raise the stakes in escalation would be overwhelming. Remember, the neocons would be whispering in his ear that if we push the Russians just a little more they will submit to "The Greatest President." ..."
"... If an all out nuclear exchange occurred between the US and Russia both countries would be wrecked. Do we really want to risk that? pl ..."
I have the following comment today from
a retired Russian officer.
********
"This is where it gets very interesting and dangerous. Russia has drawn its own redline.
Putin and his Generals know for a fact that there was no chemical weapon of any kind used in
Syria. They recently warned the world that this kind of staged event was in the offing. They
know what they have and have not done on the ground and know the lies spilling from Washington,
London and Paris are vicious calumny. They are not a punching bag and are not going to sit back
and do nothing.
A lot will depend on the "structure" and the "weight" of a possible salvo and how respective
militaries will communicate with each-other. It was indicated strongly by Pentagon that they
are trying to do their utmost in avoiding hitting of Russian regulars in Syria. I am sure that
if within the range of namely Russia's (not Syria's) AD assets any TLAM will be shot down--this
is so to speak "not that big of a deal" scenario. Washington draft-dodgers, however, push for
attack on specifically Russian assets, including Damascus and recently including Douma where
alleged attack took place. The reason being bombing the place of staging of this false flag
into oblivion and then saying that no we can not prove that attack didn't happen. Obviously, it
is not the case anymore, since Douma in under control of SAA and Russian MPs.
Most people in Pentagon and, obviously, some in the so called IC understand consequences of
attacking Russians directly--they know the score, they have calculated probabilities for a
number of contingencies and none of them, obviously, looks good for CENTCOM assets in the area.
But for the BORG there is no way back--and the reasons for that are way larger than Syria. We
are talking about global realignment and major shift in power balance. This is not an easy
thing to take to self-proclaimed "exceptional" people in Washington plus add here their utter
lack of grasp of scales and proportions involved in a purely military aspect--it is difficult
to those who never spent a day in uniform and whose military "expertise" is limited to few
seminars on strategy and weapons and on, not always first class, work by Congressional Research
Service. Thus, on American side we have today not rational players." Pen Name -
Smoothiex12
-------------
In my opinion Smoothiex12 speaks truth. The Russians have decided that they will fight us if
there is more than a symbolic punitive strike in Syria, a strike in retaliation for an event
that even the US MSM now speaks of as "suspected," "alleged" and "reported." The US went to war
against Spain over a suspected attack on the armored cruiser USS Maine. The ship was at anchor
in Havana harbor. It exploded and sank and although the US Navy could not at the time determine
the cause, the Hearst newspaper chain insisted that the Spanish government had destroyed the
ship. The same newspapers had been propagandizing the American people for months with wild
tales of the "monstrous" deeds of the Spaniards toward the Cuban revolutionaries who were
trying to end Spanish rule of the island. This sensationalist grab for circulation triggered
war with Spain. Many years later the US Navy determined that a smoldering fire in a coal bunker
heated a metal wall and that this had detonated the magazine of the ship on the other side of
that bulkhead. Today we have 24/7 TV news vying for ratings. Nothing else matters for them.
They neither understand Syria, nor do they understand what the outcome would be of a US-Russian
war that escalates from a regional response to use of nuclear weapons against the two
homelands.
Mike Pompeo smugly told the US Senate yesterday that American air strikes had killed "a
couple hundred" Russians recently. He obviously likes that idea. At the same time the Russian
government has sent its key political, societal, and scientific cadres to deep underground
shelters built during the Brezhnev era and Russian state media have told the citizenry to
prepare itself for World War III.
As PT stated, it is unlikely that DJT's ego could accept the sinking of a US Navy ship
or a demonstration of the ineffectiveness of some of our missiles. The temptation for him to
raise the stakes in escalation would be overwhelming. Remember, the neocons would be whispering
in his ear that if we push the Russians just a little more they will submit to "The Greatest
President."
If an all out nuclear exchange occurred between the US and Russia both countries would
be wrecked. Do we really want to risk that? pl
"Monica styles"... Trump is fighting fore survival with Tomahawks trying to solve his problem
with junfoism.
Notable quotes:
"... "[I]f this president can decide unilaterally to bomb Syria, I worry that he can make the same decision about North Korea or Iran or other nations. And these decisions are not supposed to be made without consultation and voting by Congress." Unfortunately, Congressional leaders have shown no signs of wanting to hold a debate or have a vote before the attack takes place. ..."
"... The Trump administration has not offered a public legal justification for last year's strikes, and it seems unlikely to offer one this time. That is probably because there is no plausible interpretation of the law that permits the president to initiate hostilities against foreign governments on his own when the U.S. has not been attacked. ..."
"... Daniel Larison is a senior editor at ..."
"... where he also keeps a solo blog . He has been published in the ..."
"... Front Porch Republic, and ..."
"... . He holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago. Follow him on Twitter . ..."
One year since the U.S. illegally launched 59 cruise missiles at Syrian government forces in
response to an alleged chemical weapons attack, the Trump administration is preparing to take
similar military action despite an increased risk of escalation that could lead to the start of
a wider war.
The U.S., France, and Britain have been
preparing to strike the Syrian government over the last several days, and Syria's Russian
patron has threatened the "gravest consequences" in response to an attack. Russia didn't
respond to last year's one-off airstrikes, but Moscow isn't likely to tolerate a larger U.S.
attack carried out with other governments. Syria's government and its allies seem more willing
to
fight back than they were a year ago, and that should give the Trump administration and our
European allies pause. There is a greater risk of great power conflict erupting in Syria than
there has been at any time since the end of the Cold War, and if Russian military personnel are
killed by U.S. or allied strikes there is no telling how quickly things could deteriorate there
and in other parts of the world.
President Trump's public statements have strongly suggested that an attack will be happening
soon, going so far as to
taunt Russia on Twitter that they should "get ready" for the "new" and "smart" missiles
that the U.S. would be using. Some members of Congress have insisted that the president lacks
the legal authority to launch an attack on Syria without their authorization. As Sen. Tim Kaine
(D-Virginia)
put it , "[I]f this president can decide unilaterally to bomb Syria, I worry that he
can make the same decision about North Korea or Iran or other nations. And these decisions are
not supposed to be made without consultation and voting by Congress." Unfortunately,
Congressional leaders have shown no signs of wanting to hold a debate or have a vote before the
attack takes place.
The Trump administration has not offered a public legal justification for last year's
strikes, and it seems unlikely to offer one this time. That is probably because there is no
plausible interpretation of the law that permits the president to initiate hostilities against
foreign governments on his own when the U.S. has not been attacked. There is no provision
in international law that allows a U.S. attack on another government without explicit Security
Council authorization, and we know that this authorization that will never be forthcoming in
this case because of Russia's veto. While the attack is being sold as the enforcement of a norm
against chemical weapons use, it isn't possible to uphold an international norm while violating
the most fundamental rule of international law.
To date, the U.S. and its allies have presented no definitive evidence to support their
claims against the Syrian government. It is entirely plausible that the Syrian government is
guilty of using chlorine or sarin against its enemies and the civilian population, but there
has been no real effort on the part of the U.S. and its allies to prove their accusation before
deciding to act as executioners. Regardless, the U.S. and its allies have no authority to
punish the Syrian government, and in doing so they may do significant harm to international
peace and security.
A U.S.-led attack on the Syrian government could lead to war with Russia or Iran or both at
once, and there is also a danger that it could help set off a war between Israel and Iran.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
said earlier this week that Israel would not "allow" an Iranian military presence to be
established in Syria. The prime minister's threat came on the heels of Israeli strikes inside
Syria that reportedly killed seven Iranians serving alongside the Syrian regime's forces. Iran
has threatened retaliation for the attack, and it has the ability through Hizbullah to make
good on that threat if Israel carries out additional strikes. Israel might use a U.S.-led
attack on Iran's allies in Syria as an excuse to strike more Iranian targets, and Iran might
then respond in kind with missile attacks on Israel. Lebanese, Syrian, and Israeli civilians
would all suffer if that happened, and it would make an already chaotic international situation
even worse.
It is a measure of how divorced from U.S. and allied security our Syria policy has become
that our government is seriously preparing to launch another illegal attack on a government
that hasn't attacked us and doesn't threaten us or our allies. Attacking the Syrian government
won't make the U.S. or any other country more secure, and it will likely weaken the government
just enough to prolong Syria's civil war and add to the suffering of the civilian population.
It is a perfect example of a military intervention that is being done for its own sake with no
connection to any discernible interests or strategy. No one stands to gain from such an attack
except for the ideologues that have incessantly demanded deeper U.S. involvement in Syria for
the last six years.
Daniel Larison is a senior editor at TAC, where he also keeps a solo blog . He has been published
in the New York Times Book Review, Dallas Morning News, Front Porch Republic, and
The Week . He holds a PhD in history from the University of Chicago. Follow him on
Twitter .
Trump launched more then 100 rockets against military and civil object in Syria. Russia decided to stand still as none of Russia
army positions was targeted.
Notable quotes:
"... I dont agree at all, I dont know where this optisim comes from, we are closer to war in a long time, no way west will back now ..."
"... Can Russia prove Brit involvement? IMO, Russia wouldn't be making the statements it's now making if it wasn't 100% certain. And as I posted at previous thread, Russian rhetoric is vociferous in a manner I've never seen previously -- Mad as Hell and not going to take it anymore is my bet. ..."
"... The tipping point was when Johnson(?) compared them to Nazis. The Russians did all the hard work in defeating the Nazis, losing 26 million in the process. They have stopped using the term 'partners' when refering to NATO country diplomats. They now use the term 'correspondents'. That is a subtle sign that they no longer have any respect for the respective countries. They have described the US as 'non-negotiation-capable'. I suspect the UK falls into that now. ..."
"... No one should be surprised of the manipulated videos. Wait until computer altered (DeepFake) videos become more realistic. It will be difficult to separate the lies from the truth. ..."
"... I fear Madman Bolton will prevail over Mad Dog Mattis. The Washington Post has a believable analysis that Trump has too much at stake. He wants to win after blaming Obama on failure. The New York Post has reported a whole entire armada U S warships steaming towards the Middle East. It's up to the Russians now to decide the fate of humankind. ..."
"... Get real, this whole fake chemistry exercise was a great success.....in taking the Gaza shooting gallery off the world press's front pages, just as MH17 was with Operation Protective Edge ..."
"... The "chemical attack" hoax was likely rushed into being as the window of opportunity was rapidly closing. The previous hoaxes relied on tight control of the locations, and the inability to do so this time will prove its undoing. Russian proof of UK involvement could well consist of intercepted communications -- such as arranging the satellite transmissions necessary for dissemination of the videos. ..."
"... Regarding US/UK cover-up attempt. IMO, there are too many witnesses -- hundreds if not several thousands -- and other forms of physical evidence besides testable residues -- which don't exist because there was never any chemical attack. The domestic morass both Trump and May are in require nearly continuous distractions but are vastly different. ..."
"... I fear that the hordes of loonies will convince him to launch an attack to disrupt the OPCW investigation and even target Douma claiming that civilians have been evacuated and only evil storm troopers are there. ..."
"... I hope you're right, but the dotard Donald has shot off so much nonsense that drawing back now might not be an option. He has a notoriously fragile ego, and he needs to at least fire off some missiles to prove his "big hands". ..."
"... The chemical " attack " investigation reminds me of the UN inspectors just before the Iraq war. TPTB can easily make it look like they've " gave peace a chance ", then another attack occurs, forcing the investigators to leave the area. Trump will then have the excuse to launch another strike. I hope Trump is trolling the Zios. ..."
"... The great question is - can 'Western' industry keep burning without explicit , bargain price control of SIBERIAN resources. According to Chomsky the U S has international interests and controls garnering the economic wealth of 50% of the planet . ..."
"... That is *very* interesting. The date corroborates the hypothesis of a premeditated orchestration of the Skripal poisoning with the planned US/NATO decapitation of Damascus in late March (which was to be justified on the basis of Skripal + staged chemical attack + fake "Syrian" unrest in Damascus). ..."
"... It appears that this was done by the same British agency affiliated with individuals involved in creating the utterly fabricated documents used to falsely claim there was collusion between my campaign and Russia. This gives evidence that part of the British government not only attempted to block my election, and then over-turn it, but to falsely lead the US into a war. ..."
"... We have started to root out members of the US deep-state, McCabe, Comey, Ohr and others who have been involved in attempting to overturn a democratic election and foment dangerous hostility with Russia. There will be more of them outed soon. The DOJ Inspector General's report, just released in part, and Congressional investigations show that the conspiracy involved both US officials and associates of British intelligence agencies. This recent evidence of British officials attempting to get the US into a war suggests they were also involved in the intervention in US politics. ..."
"... Its not impossible that there is a rogue element in MI6, but I don't believe they would act without approval by CIA - which may indicate a rogue element there also. I can't (at this stage) believe the UK Govt is in on this. May and Johnson don't have the balls for this; after all, they can't even tell Junker to fuck off. ..."
"... What seems clear to me (based on everything I have read on this board, other blogs like Syrpers, alt news sources and the MSM) is that, beginning with the start of the assault on East Ghouta and intensifying as the SAA and allies achieved unexpectedly rapid success, the reaction of the Coalition of Cruelty has been increasingly strident, with the UK being particularly virulent in its rhetoric. ..."
"... Diplomatic decorum has broken down and the forms and norms of international law no longer being paid even lip service. There is a panicked quality to the false flags that suggest they are improvising on the go. I think this indicates that the western alliance against Assad has already suffered, or is about to suffer, a catastrophic setback in their plans to overthrow the Syrian Government and that the Russians still hold the initiative. ..."
"... It seems to me we're seeing two major elements at work. One is the practically solid wall of propaganda in the media, and two is the biased international institutions, heavily weighted in favor of the previous rulers of the planet, the western world. ..."
"... The propaganda doesn't mean much, because the people who believe it are almost by definition powerless. But it does require a narrative in order to work, and that story-line doesn't have to hold water very tightly, because the media have the populace pretty well saturated. But the flimsiness of the story creates a problem when it's used in more rigorous arenas - which it is, because it forms part of the overall culture generally believed by the institutions, and also believed by the propagandists over time, simply because it forms part of the culture. ..."
"... So the answer to save Syrian lives from their regime is to kill more Syrians. No one will be allowed to kill more women and children than the great western alliance. Have we not said this enough? ..."
"... Well I was wrong. Looks like US and cronies had to strike before any OPCW report. ..."
Today the Russian Defense Ministry accused Britain
of having directed the staged attack:
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov, released statements by medics from Douma's hospital who said a
group of people toting video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing
panic. The medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals.
Herearevideos of that hospital scenes from the 'rebel' propaganda
outlets. The 'treatment' by the 'rebels', dousing with water and administering some asthma spray, is unprofessional and many of the
'patients' seem to have no real problem. It is theater. The real medical personal is seen in the background working on a real patient.
The people in the video scenes were "rent-a-mob" actors which the Russians
say they have found. They also found the medics and
videotaped their statements . They Russian government
claims to know the main culprit:
"Today, the Russian defense ministry has other evidence proving the United Kingdom's direct involvement in the organization of
this provocation in Eastern Ghouta," [Igor Konashenkov, the defense ministry's spokesman] said.
An OPCW technical team has arrived in Damascus. It will investigate the scene and talk to the witnesses.
Cause of the recent panic were a few videos by several propaganda outlets associated with Takfiri 'rebels' in Ghouta. These videos
immediately looked staged to me. Yes, they showed dead people - mainly children - in a basement or apartment. But the bodies were
not in the place where they had died and were probably not, as was claimed, killed by chemical weapons.
In the videos some 20 dead children and a few women lie on the floor as if they were thrown in there. The scene was obviously
manipulated several times. The various videos show the bodies in different positions. They have been moved around for presentation.
Later videos show, for example, a baby in diapers on top of two older kids. In an earlier video that baby is not there.
The 'rebel' claim that the people were killed by chlorine and a nerve agent: "Look, the dead have foam at their mouth." (Foam
at the mouth is wrongly assumed to be a sure symptom of exposure to a nerve agent.)
Yes, they have foam at their mouth. But it seems to be shaving foam and/or some white gel, not a human secretion. We
have seen
this trick before .
The corridor where the cameraman stands at that moment is filled with dead bodies. The body with the white bonnet on its head
lies in a backroom. The detail picture below is turned 180 degree:
A screenshot from the second video. The body with the white bonnet has been moved from the backroom to the corridor and added
to a pile of other bodies.
It is the same body with the same cloth in a different position. It seems obvious that shaving cream or something similar has
been added to the body after it was moved. The shaving cream simulates "foaming at the mouth".
Stephen McIntyre found and collected
several other discrepancies between the various videos from the scene.
The people shown have died. They probably suffocated after a shelter collapsed
as the Syrian Observatory reported on that day . But the videos
were likely not made at the scene of that incident. The bodies had been moved and manipulated. There were likely no chemical weapons
involved in their death.
It would have made no sense at all for the Syrian government to launch a 'chemical attack' on a nonmilitary target in the Douma
situation. Its imminent victory was already guaranteed. The 'rebels' and their supporters had their reasons to fake such an 'attack'.
It was an attempt to drag the U.S. into destroying the Syrian government and its army. It nearly succeeded.
The various 'leaks' and media claims around the staged 'attack' have reached comical grounds.
Biological samples from the area of the alleged chemical attack in Syria have tested positive for chlorine and a sarin-like nerve
agent, according to a US official familiar with the US analysis of the test results.
...
Medical sources and activists in Syria said blood, urine and hair follicle samples were smuggled in batches to Turkey after rebel
groups and their families were pushed out of the area by the Assad regime, CNN reported earlier on Friday.
The sources did not know what happened to the samples after they reached Turkey.
That chain of evidence is joke and the claim is nonsense. There is simply no way to diagnose chlorine exposure in blood, urine
or hair samples.
The Center of Disease Control notes of Chlorine
exposure:
Laboratory criteria for diagnosis:
Biologic: No biologic marker for chlorine exposure is readily available.
...
Chlorine is highly reactive. When it enters the bloodstream it turns into chloride and associates with sodium and potassium and
other basic elements. The natural chloride level in a body is already quite high and changes often. We all eat and naturally dispose
of table salt, aka sodium chloride, each and every day. The chloride level in a body can be measured but it is not a criterion for
chlorine exposure. The 'official' who made those claims to CNN is lying.
The evidence for a 'chemical attack' in Douma is simply not there. The videos provided by the 'rebel' propaganda outlets are manipulated.
Medical personal in Douma dispute their propaganda claims.
Secretary of Defense Mattis spoke out and U.S. allies refused to swallow the faked evidence. Donald Trump pulled back from his
earlier aggressive threats. There will likely be no bombing of Syria and in consequence no violent conflict with Russia.
Trump already began to change the headlines. He just
pardoned
Dick Cheney's former errant boy Scooter Libby. He is preparing the grounds for pardoning his own staff should they be caught up in
the Mueller investigation.
This will give the media enough material to cover throughout the weekend and to forget about attacking Syria.
The staged 'chemical attack' was designed to draw Trump back into the conflict over Syria after he announced that he wants the
U.S. military to pull out. Has it changed his mind? Will those who initiated this stunt, probably the Brits, try again?
Will Russia be able to prove its claim of British involvement? If so could it
free Yulia Scripal ?
Posted by b on April 13, 2018 at 04:12 PM |
Permalink
I dont agree at all, I dont know where this optisim comes from, we are closer to war in a long time, no way west will back now,
no way, the attack will create a huge impact and will come sudden, I suspect within 2 weeks.
Can Russia prove Brit involvement? IMO, Russia wouldn't be making the statements it's now making if it wasn't 100% certain.
And as I posted at previous thread, Russian rhetoric is vociferous in a manner I've never seen previously -- Mad as Hell and not
going to take it anymore is my bet.
My question: When the proof is presented by Russia will Western media be allowed to show it? IMO, it will be presented Saturday
in enough time for it to be front and center on the Sunday political talk shows--IF it's going to be shown and discussed.
I'm hoping you're correct in your outlook. I too am pessimistic after so much bluster and weapons put in place. This is no time
to relax. People in the USA should call their Representatives and the White House. There are previously planned antiwar protests
in several cities this Sunday. https://www.springaction2018.org/
"State Department spokesperson Sara Huckabee, in today's briefing, said they have "proof" the Syrian government is behind the
gas attack." Let's see it. Need to know source of proof. Colin Powell is that you?
"Russian rhetoric is vociferous in a manner I've never seen previously--Mad as Hell and not going to take it anymore is my
bet."
The tipping point was when Johnson(?) compared them to Nazis. The Russians did all the hard work in defeating the Nazis,
losing 26 million in the process. They have stopped using the term 'partners' when refering to NATO country diplomats. They now
use the term 'correspondents'. That is a subtle sign that they no longer have any respect for the respective countries. They have
described the US as 'non-negotiation-capable'. I suspect the UK falls into that now.
No one should be surprised of the manipulated videos. Wait until computer altered (DeepFake) videos become more realistic.
It will be difficult to separate the lies from the truth.
Tannenhouser @4:
That two weeks is related to a claim of the USS Truman Carrier Group (CVN, 6DDG and 4SSGN) leaving port. Apparently it takes
two weeks to get from CONUS to Syria.
I certainly hope that the Russian evidence is made public ASAP, and that it is sold and beyond doubt.
We need to stop the accusations, counter accusation, counter counter accusation. This is becoming like two children in the
back seat of the car winding each up to an inevitable fight.
Unfortunately is will never be allowed on the British MSM, so it will be up to the likes of us to make sure it is as widely
known as possible! If incontrovertible evidence isn't presented soon, i fear more incredulous accusations will be made for example
these ones:-
apparently British 'intelligence' services have just made the discovery that the Russian GRU have had both the Skripal's under
surveillance for FIVE YEARS.
Additionally
The British copy of Russian secret services Assassination Manual, (otherwise known by it's working title of "How to totally
bodge an assassination and ensure your enemies know it was you" [*jk*]), contains a section on how to kill someone by door knob.
This will be used as further 'proof' of guilt! And therefore justification for immediate military strike, possibly before Monday,
so Prime Minster May dosn't have to face the embarrassment of having to back down and have a vote in parliament, (which in theory
at least she could lose, but in practice will win due to the total lack of opposition, and 2 years of propaganda since the last
vote), after they return from Easter Recess.
I fear Madman Bolton will prevail over Mad Dog Mattis. The Washington Post has a believable analysis that Trump has too much
at stake. He wants to win after blaming Obama on failure. The New York Post has reported a whole entire armada U S warships steaming
towards the Middle East. It's up to the Russians now to decide the fate of humankind.
Suggestion the attack will occur tonight (before inspectors arrive):
WaelAlRussi If they don't the momentum will dissipate completely. More people will publicly question the (evidence free
assertions) claims. British parliament may try to vote, etc. Plus markets are closed till Monday (and besides it's Friday the
13th).
Can't recall where I read this info, but elder Skripal was being surveilled by FSB cause working with MI6 and Ukrainian regime.
So, he was being watched, but just how closely? Perhaps to the point where Russia knows UK's lying. In other words, Mr. Skripal
remains in employ of MI6.
Karlofi @ 11: The SAA found a makeshift chemical laboratory near Shifouniyeh in East Ghouta in mid-March. Sharmine Narwani was
one of the first journalists (or probably the only journalist) at the scene just after it was discovered. I do not know of any
others found until the one discovered in Aftris. It could be that news about the Shifouniyeh CW lab has spread like wildfire across
Middle Eastern news media and Western news blogs.
In other news, the SAA found a jihadi film studio (including cameras and filming equipment) in Saqba in East Ghouta.
There is a tempo to this, move/counter-move. Russia has the momentum at the moment but Britain and friends will regroup and come
at it again. I'm afraid the British government has moved beyond the point of retreat. I'm just stunned by the clumsy, mendacious
actions of the British government; they've completely lost control of this.
Trump set his street creds with the MOAB and the 60 Tomahawk missiles early on as the crazy man, the Dr Strangeglove type riding
the missile. the US congress and senate is a drunken lynch mob living in Hollywood hallucinations. If Trump makes the wrong move
they will lynch him. When he rides the missile, the drunken mob cheers and say he looks very presidential. Mad Dog has his street
creds in his name. He is the military expert and when trump rides the missile, mad dog talks to the crowd and the crowd listens.
Each time Trump rides the missile I think he really is crazy, he's going to do it this time.
........
The main problem for the US is mass delusion. They (Clinton types) will take the US to a point that that Russia has no option
to destroy it. Like Putin was/is a man for his time in Russia, Trump is to the US. He does not live in the delusion. He uses twitter
to work the delusional mob.
Get real, this whole fake chemistry exercise was a great success.....in taking the Gaza shooting gallery off the world press's
front pages, just as MH17 was with Operation Protective Edge
Rumors of agreement between Russia and Israel entailing removal of Iranian troops from Syria for guarantee of purely symbolic
strike by US. Have no idea if accurate.
Or is US racing to bomb Ghouta before the extent of its deception becomes impossible any longer to deny? If there is *political*
desperation behind the UK/US urgency to strike quickly, things could get out of hand.
Also: Russia now approved to use Iranian airfield in Hamedan exchange for airfield's use of Pantsir and S-400 SAM defenses:
https://twitter.com/BabakTaghvaee
To me, this agreement suggests somebody is anticipating a more than "symbolic" imminent strike.
The "chemical attack" hoax was likely rushed into being as the window of opportunity was rapidly closing. The previous hoaxes
relied on tight control of the locations, and the inability to do so this time will prove its undoing. Russian proof of UK involvement
could well consist of intercepted communications -- such as arranging the satellite transmissions necessary for dissemination
of the videos.
That the medical personnel who describe the WH theatrical performance can be seen in the WH videos adds tremendous credibility
to the notion of a hoax. This will be confirmed when the OPCW arrives and the 500 alleged wounded victims will have vanished,
and the tests on the rent-a crowd from the videos show nothing. It is predictable that all of this will be obscured or greatly
downplayed by the West's media - but credibility is going to take a massive hit, both globally and with a sizeable minority of
the population. The May government is in serious jeopardy now.
Regarding US/UK cover-up attempt. IMO, there are too many witnesses -- hundreds if not several thousands -- and other forms
of physical evidence besides testable residues -- which don't exist because there was never any chemical attack. The domestic
morass both Trump and May are in require nearly continuous distractions but are vastly different. Events on the global stage
are moving in a direction no longer controllable by UK/US as in the past--their unipolar moment is burning up upon reentry, but
that reality is brutally ignored. And US/UK behavior over this false flag is helping other NATO vassals to reassert their independence.
A massive demonstration's been called for UK this Monday. Perhaps the Social Media weapon so touted during Arab Spring will finally
bite back with a vengeance those who initially manipulated it.
"[UK] credibility is going to take a massive hit, both globally and with a sizeable minority of the population. The May
government is in serious jeopardy now."
This is what I fear @14. It could lead the UK/US to do something drastic: like bombing away the evidence... Arguably this is
how Russia is reading the situation. If an attack comes in the next 24 hours it will be partly through UK political desperation
and things could go south fast.
The earliest link I have come across refering to captured British (SAS?) officers, plus some Saudis, is this one from 8 March
2018 (interesting timing wrt Skripal). It includes a photograph of one of the alleged military officers. Subsequent captures seem
to have been kept tightly under wraps -- those captured were allegedly trying to escape disguisd as civilians. The 11 British
seem to have been captured en masse at two villages in the east Ghouta area.
@21. Im not sure it would have made the front page anyways....Either way interesting thought. Kinda like the OJ white bronco right
when Rwanda was seeing the worst of it, IIRC, or Bruce Springsteen's anti war anthem Wrecking Ball being obliterated by Hannah
Montana's bondage suit wrecking ball.
I fear that the hordes of loonies will convince him to launch an attack to disrupt the OPCW investigation and even target
Douma claiming that civilians have been evacuated and only evil storm troopers are there.
I am hoping that when I read PS 68:30 ... Scatter the nations who delight in war that it was not a coincidence.
That the forces gathering against Syria will disperse.
I hope you're right, but the dotard Donald has shot off so much nonsense that drawing back now might not be an option. He
has a notoriously fragile ego, and he needs to at least fire off some missiles to prove his "big hands".
I still disagree. No doubt everything's correct what you state about the videos and so on, but the war preparations are still
on. The mass media did not change tune, and most important Tronald is not this peace loving guy you make him seem. As long as
the OPCW people are in Syria of course nothing will happen, but after they leave it's shooting time.
The chemical " attack " investigation reminds me of the UN inspectors just before the Iraq war. TPTB can easily make it look
like they've " gave peace a chance ", then another attack occurs, forcing the investigators to leave the area. Trump will then
have the excuse to launch another strike. I hope Trump is trolling the Zios.
Tannenhouser @13:
Yes, deployments are planned well in advance, especially carrier groups. But, adding a few more ships shouldn't be too difficult.
More importantly, their orders can change on a whim. The top speed of their ships is classified which means they can reach the
area much sooner. The two week journey could be seen as a delay tactic, to allow cooler heads to prevail. Maybe they'll get "lost"
and find themselves on an island. ;)
The great question is - can 'Western' industry keep burning without explicit , bargain price control of SIBERIAN resources.
According to Chomsky the U S has international interests and controls garnering the economic wealth of 50% of the planet .
Would be interesting to read a space-age rewrite of Lenin's , ' Imperialism as the Highest Stage of Capitalism ' at this juncture
- and let us hope it is not a puncture !
Thank you. That is *very* interesting. The date corroborates the hypothesis of a premeditated orchestration of the Skripal
poisoning with the planned US/NATO decapitation of Damascus in late March (which was to be justified on the basis of Skripal +
staged chemical attack + fake "Syrian" unrest in Damascus).
If I might conjecture a bit further, perhaps the Skripal attack was rushed on account of the East Ghouta campaign that had
begun in mid-February. Perhaps the fear was that East Ghouta might be cleared before the Skripal attack could supply the link
to the staged chemical attack. (Perhaps the original chemical attack was not to be "staged" but was intended to be real: a *real*
false-flag chemical attack is after all what Russian intelligence suggests.)
The odd thing--or perhaps it is not odd--is that one could make the case that the UK/US has more or less kept to original script
of the play-act, even as it has been shredded before us. They have after all strongly *insinuated* that there is a link between
Skripal and East Ghouta. They are *acting* as though the staged chemical attack really happened. The next step in the plan was
to be a civil "Syrian" ground insurrection in Damascus leading directly to a US/NATO aerial decapitation. The civil "Syrian" ground
insurrection has been taken away from them. But might they not decide to conclude the last act as planned anyhow? If this is right--and
thankfully it is probably not--we should expect to see a major bombardment campaign begin within 24 hours or so.
Perhaps a tad OT. Tom Engelhardt pens an interesting
essay: "A Tale of American Hubris Or Five Lessons in American Defeat." Excerpt:
"Shakespeare would have been fascinated by the hubris of America's leaders in these years (and that was before Mr. Hubris Himself
even hit the White House). It couldn't be clearer today that the military-first grab for an all-American planet proved strikingly
too much for the U.S. to swallow by an Iraqi mile. It never even came close to happening. When the history of American decline
is written, perhaps it will be said that never was there a great power whose leaders so effectively took it down themselves simply
by wanting too much too badly and by woefully misunderstanding the nature of power on this planet. For Washington, the urge to
make Earth into its imperium proved the equivalent of a submarine putting a torpedo into its own bow."
Yes, as Mercouris has suggested, control of the crime scene in Ghouta may make a pre-emptive NATO strike more likely, to intimidate
the inspectors and destroy evidence.
Russia's claim to have proof of Western instigation of the whole false flag might also increase chances of early strike--to
change the subject. Perhaps the Russians would rather the strike come now than wait for the carrier group to arrive.
The great weakness in the Russian position is that the Kremlin and Russian government generally is riddled with western agents.
This means that the unequivocal warnings that Russia is giving are muted by reassurances from Fifth Columnists that there will
be no retaliation and that Russia is afraid of the US.
Such misunderstandings are what lie at the roots of war between powers: each feels that the other will back down, until they don't.
I hope that I am wrong and that the neo-cons are not feeding false intelligence from their agents in Russia to Bolton and Trump.
But given the amateurish nature of the current White House-very much like the idiocy which prevailed in 2003- rationality is likely
to be overborne by loud mouths and bravado.
Of course, if the OPCW inspectors fail to find evidence of a chemical attack in Douma, then it opens up a whole new can of worms
for the west.....who lied? who produced the videos? who published them? Why? Have previous CW attacks been fake now? And...more
importantly....why did our media fall for these fakes hook, line and sinker....nearly bringing us to the edge of a global war....
History repeats itself with remarkable synchronicity. Tsar Putin sent his virtual pro Russian alt-media fleet to Donald Trump's
rescue, to assist with US withdrawal from Syria, whilst UK Zionist media did everything in it's power to block the move, from
Skirpal to E. Ghouta.
U.S. Civil War: The US-Russian Alliance that Saved the Union
We have just experienced a fully staged Cuban Missile Crisis type event, to cover for the US withdrawal from Syria, and it
seems to have bought Donald Trump some time, at least until UK controlled Zionist media regains it's senses and comes back for
more.
Of course it's more like 1862-3 than 1865, and whereas the Union was easily going to win the first Civil War this time the
balance of forces is almost reversed, expecially in terms of the psychological battlespace, and excluding the US military which
remains firmly committed to the Union and Donald Trump, nothwithstanding the multitude of chicken shit weasels like David Petraeus.
Next up, the Congressional Battle of Gettysburg in Novemeber.
The only think Yulia can do to save her life is to escape and try to get to the russian embassy asap.
also the reason state department ngo's are banned in many countries is because they try to stir up trouble for uncooperative governments.
You can bet the farm that Russia has been monitoring all signals traffic throughout Syria. Once the Ghouta capture was underway
they likely jammed signals in that area, which could be why the white helmets still went ahead thinking the larger plan was still
in play.
All in all, a very sloppy job by MI6. And it would have been signed off with the US/CIA.
"Of course, if the OPCW inspectors fail to find evidence of a chemical attack in Douma, then it opens up a whole new can of
worms for the west.....who lied? who produced the videos? who published them? Why? Have previous CW attacks been fake now?"
- Hermius
This is what should happen if we were not on Bizzaro earth and we had a moderately, competent press corp. It would be an actual
'bombshell report' not their moronic 'bombshell reports' on an insignificant flunky getting indicted.
Think about it. The ONE place where inspectors had access to an alleged chemical attack proves to be a hoax. Any logical person
would then think, 'Hmmm ... maybe the other times, where we only relied on videos, those were faked too'.
Melania loves her son. And considering how much trouble the Donald has to be in since she found out (at the same time the entire
western world found out) what he was up to while she was in hospital going thru childbirth pain, well, maybe she just glared over
at the pillow next to hers last night and said "Husband, you are NOT allowed to risk burning the world my son lives in no matter
what anybody else demands, do I make myself clear?" and thereby saved the world. (From the Zionists.) Hell hath no fury?
The Syria affair cannot be separated from US politics and the war by the deep state, the lyin' media and the Dems to overthrow
Trump's presidency -- and if Russia has solid evidence about UK false flag it may give Trump the ammunition to break the Gordian
knot.
Trump's policy since he started campaigning was to get out of Syria because he sees it as wasteful and counterproductive AND
he understands the real conflict for the US is with China, which is getting stronger, and spending US resources in the ME weakens
the US relative to its most critical opponent. And the deep state has frustrated each attempt he made to withdraw from Syria.
If Russia has the goods on the UK, Trump could take the public position "I was totally outraged by the apparent gas attack
in Syria and ready to punish those responsible. Unfortunately I have discovered that it was a hoax staged by officials of the
UK government with the deliberate intent to drag the US into war. That war could have escalated with the involvement of Russia
to ultimately claim millions of lives, many of them American. This is absolutely intolerable behavior from any country and certainly
from one that is supposed to be an ally. I have demanded that the British government identify and prosecute all those officials
involved in planning and conducting this attempt to entrap the US into war.
It appears that this was done by the same British agency affiliated with individuals involved in creating the utterly fabricated
documents used to falsely claim there was collusion between my campaign and Russia. This gives evidence that part of the British
government not only attempted to block my election, and then over-turn it, but to falsely lead the US into a war.
We have started to root out members of the US deep-state, McCabe, Comey, Ohr and others who have been involved in attempting
to overturn a democratic election and foment dangerous hostility with Russia. There will be more of them outed soon. The DOJ Inspector
General's report, just released in part, and Congressional investigations show that the conspiracy involved both US officials
and associates of British intelligence agencies. This recent evidence of British officials attempting to get the US into a war
suggests they were also involved in the intervention in US politics.
Mr Mueller's role as special counsel is being terminated, since it is clear the premise was a seditious hoax perpetrated by
corrupt agents in the US government assisted by parties, and apparently officials, in the UK. Mr Rosenstein is removed from his
position and will be investigated for his role in the criminal acts. I repeat that the US Government expects very swift action
by the UK Government to publicly identify and prosecute all those responsible for this hostile action against the US."
It would retrospectively validate Trump's strong comments about Assad, coupled with the sad fact that he had been deliberately
misled by the agencies and UK government which had attempted to block and destroy his presidency, so no blame for him. It would
allow him to cleanly walk away from Syria while destroying part of the US deep state attacking him and placing them as culpable
in attempting to get the US into a war. It would of course force May and Johnson to resign with a complete reshuffle in the UK,
since the UK, which is not loved by continental Europe, would be totally isolated if the US Government declared it involved in
hostile actions against the US.
Its not impossible that there is a rogue element in MI6, but I don't believe they would act without approval by CIA - which
may indicate a rogue element there also. I can't (at this stage) believe the UK Govt is in on this. May and Johnson don't have
the balls for this; after all, they can't even tell Junker to fuck off.
I agree May and Johnson may not be directly involved but British officials have been running UK policy and operations, especially
on foreign affairs, for centuries. The politicians are mainly there to provide cover and pretend it is a democracy. However, it
is long accepted in the UK political theater that ministers resign when their officials are caught misbehaving. Since neither
May nor Johnson are serious supporters of Brexit, their resignations might benefit that as well.
I think the English or anglo deep state revolves around the monarch. May and Johnson are part of it, small time players, not
decisions makers. They act out their roles as politicians, the script already written.
New York, April 14, IRNA/SANA: If the United States, Britain, and France believe or think that they can attack us and violate
our sovereignty, then we will have to apply Article 51 of the UN Charter which gives us the justified right to defend ourselves.
This is not a threat, like how they threaten us; this is a promise. We will not allow anyone to violate our sovereignty," al-Jaafari
affirmed.
Syria'sresponse might be to hit any number of exposed assets situated within Syria.
We already know what the Russians have said.
I posted yesterday that there are 4500 American hostages in their mini-bases in Syria. They must be worried.
Russia has been given permission again by Iran to base heavy bombers on Iran's military airfields. This gives the lie to those
who said Russia would back down. And it provides a base to complete the cleanup in Syria quickly, which I'm sure they will do.
An interesting part of the deal to use Iran's airfields is that S400 and Pantsirs will be based there also. Saudi Arabia and
Israel take note!
"This could be all wrong. It's just one possible reconstruction. But I don't find it immediately *im*plausible. Should I?"
Posted by: WJ @ 14
Acknowledging that we know little for certain - from the vantage point of a computer screen with all of the disinformation,
propaganda and half-truths flying around the net - about what is actually happening in and around the war zone, yours is certainly
a plausible scenario in my view.
What seems clear to me (based on everything I have read on this board, other blogs like Syrpers, alt news sources and the
MSM) is that, beginning with the start of the assault on East Ghouta and intensifying as the SAA and allies achieved unexpectedly
rapid success, the reaction of the Coalition of Cruelty has been increasingly strident, with the UK being particularly virulent
in its rhetoric.
Diplomatic decorum has broken down and the forms and norms of international law no longer being paid even lip service.
There is a panicked quality to the false flags that suggest they are improvising on the go. I think this indicates that the western
alliance against Assad has already suffered, or is about to suffer, a catastrophic setback in their plans to overthrow the Syrian
Government and that the Russians still hold the initiative.
Notwithstanding the statements that have been made at various times from western leaders and officials about Assad "winning
the war" and "Assad can stay," I think it is obvious that plans to topple his government were never shelved - merely changed.
This was evidenced by the continuing tenacious activity of supposedly defeated ISIS and encircled "rebel" groups - these formations
would have surrendered long ago if they weren't continuing to be supported from the outside and believed that "help was coming."
I don't think the Russians have been fooled by any of it, but they must move in measured increments and "play the game" to avoid
provoking the kind of reaction we are now seeing and which still has the potential to blow up, literally, in everyone's faces.
Who knows what will happen? I prefer to think that saner heads will prevail, but I also think they will not if US/UK/French/Israeli
planners are not convinced that Russia will respond with equal force. I remember reading or hearing somewhere (I can't recall
exactly where, sorry) John McCain telling somebody questioning him, early in the Syrian intervention, that "Russia will do nothing"
if the US imposes a no-fly zone. He repeated it more than once. I think that is part of the War Party calculus. This makes me
nervous about the idea of negotiating even a back-door "Trump face-saving strike" (an option some are hoping for), as this will
cause Russia to lose face, as well as the initiative after recent increasingly forceful statements they have made.
If I were a gambler, I would put my money on the US & UK backing down in the most face-saving way possible. Time is on Syria's
side. But I will not breathe comfortably until that US carrier strike group sailing east is come and gone from the Mediterranean.
Will you start condemning effing Trump once and for all for the effing opportunist that he really is???
It's not Trump that wants to hold back on strikes on Syria; it's Mattis! The only reason the strikes didn't happen yesterday
is because Mattis disagrees with Trump on the scope of this military operation and they have not come to an agreement. Believe
it or not, your darling Trump wants a SUSTAINED and BROAD attack on Syria, yes a PROLONGED ATTACK and Mattis is warning him not
to take that route. Mattis also wants more facts regarding the chemical attack before any military action is taken.
If Trump egomaniac got his way; the bombing would have started already! Trump wants nothing more than to look like the hero
right now and distract from his sordid legal troubles.
When are you going to dump the Trump Kool-Aid and be honest about who Trump really is; nothing more than a Zionist stooge lusting
for power!
Trumpshit, a guy who was doing a predecessor to Stormy when guys his age were being shipped off to Vietnam and he was getting
repeated deferrals for being an entitled sob, has no problem bombing Russians, Syrians and Iranians to save his ass once again!
It seems to me we're seeing two major elements at work. One is the practically solid wall of propaganda in the media, and
two is the biased international institutions, heavily weighted in favor of the previous rulers of the planet, the western world.
The propaganda doesn't mean much, because the people who believe it are almost by definition powerless. But it does require
a narrative in order to work, and that story-line doesn't have to hold water very tightly, because the media have the populace
pretty well saturated. But the flimsiness of the story creates a problem when it's used in more rigorous arenas - which it is,
because it forms part of the overall culture generally believed by the institutions, and also believed by the propagandists over
time, simply because it forms part of the culture.
The second aspect, which is the subverted institutions, is more complex, of course. But not necessarily very sinister. It almost
seems that the culture alone is enough to produce the desired thinking and outcomes, until it starts being challenged. Then it
takes pressure or better lies.
What we're seeing today is an absolute lack of better lies. The bar has been set so low over the decades that no one knows
how to come up with really clever lies anymore. So when the wall begins to crack, all that's left is pressure. Hasty, ill conceived,
brute pressure.
Surely this is what we're seeing? The absurdities of this time are going to get even more surreal. I had to walk away from
Trump's tweets, coming after a month of May and Bojo - the human stomach is not meant for this.
And it has been really distressing to see so many good people across the internet fooled by all this inept theater and cheap
lying, such that they ignore the balance of forces that are so clear to see.
~~
Russia is in a so-called information war, but it's really based on the two elements above, the narrative on the one hand and
influence with the institutions on the other. And the two go together, but the old rulers of the planet are no longer as strong,
and the whole world knows there is a changing of the guard, so even the institutions know that eventually the future will come,
and with enough protective force that they can resist the diminishing pressure.
I think Russia understands all this very well, in its own concepts, and deals with it admirably well. Changing of the guard
is like Dr. Assad's position in Syria before the Russians came, and even since. There have been a lot of battles, a lot of tactics
sacrificed to preserve strategy, a lot of struggles and few clear wins. Until. Until the tide turns, and one day it becomes indisputable
who is winning.
It's important to take the longer view, and not get caught up in the theater and lies. Don't worry, there will be plenty of
opportunities to practice this ;)
Trump already began to change the headlines. He just pardoned Dick Cheney's former errant boy Scooter Libby. He is preparing
the grounds for pardoning his own staff should they be caught up in the Mueller investigation.
In so doing, also thumbing nose at ziocons who outed Plame in retaliation for Joe Wilson's "impertinence."
3 hours ago I wrote, it would be shooting time after the end of the OPCW mission. I was to optimistic. Now lets wait for the Russian
reaction. Or the Iranian one, I guess Iran could be the real target.
So the answer to save Syrian lives from their regime is to kill more Syrians. No one will be allowed to kill more women and
children than the great western alliance. Have we not said this enough?
Russian Duma approved adequate response to military strikes, sanctions both economic and political. By morning we'll have some
idea what that means - assuming the nukes aren't launched
This is sad and unnecessary, although anticipated by the crew here. I refuse to tune into any TV news or mainstream internet source,
cause I am a big fan of truth. RT television is too damn slow to report breaking news (it is 4am in Moscow, but still). So, I
come here for the play by play of tonight's action.
Two twitter feeds I am following are Vanessa Beeley's ( @VanessaBeeley ) and one someone here pointed at the other day (sorry
I don't remember who), @WithinSyriaBlog .
Any other recommendations? With luck, this will be limited to just blowing up some shit tonight, limited casualties, and that
will be it. Sure hope so.
This looks like an impotent strike on a mostly abandoned air base and building. It's thats it then this is no big deal but Russia
must reply not necessarily by killing people but there must be a response
How do you like your Trump savior now??? Strikes are being launched from MULTIPLE locations, including Turkey, Qatar, UAE and
Jordan
Yesterday and earlier many here were being lulled into a false sense of complacency by the usual dose of Trump Kool-Aid while
I warned several times that I had an uneasy feeling there was an element of surprise involved and the strikes were still coming.
Your Tinpot Trump, Zionist stooge is finally showing all his true colors.
The fact that the Empire could not wait for the OPCW team to arrive in Syria and do the work necessary to determine if there was
a chemical release speaks volumes. The war lovers do not care about verification. They want a war whose main purpose is to topple
Assad. I do not see that happening. Meanwhile, the citizens of the countries launching the attack will almost certainly remain
completely in the dark as to actual facts. Their governments and news media are intent on keeping them ignorant.
From Bundy>
quote
Scientific research center in Barzeh (not)!Jumrya is hit
Along with Mazzeh AB.
First wave fired from the east is now over.. More are expected. The ships in the med have not taken part in this.
.
.
.
The 2nd wave of attack began now.
Wave after wave of cruise missiles hitting Syria; it is not stopping. Over 40 minutes of cruise missiles.
They are avoiding all Russian areas but bombing civilian areas as well.
.
.
.
Most of the missile attack has been foiled as of 8 minutes ago. Civilian research center and Red Crescent Housing Center in
heavily-populated Barzeh was hit.
US struck one of Damascus' most densely populated suburbs. Jaramana reporting strikes.
Civilian casualties are being reported in Damascus as at least 2 residential areas have been struck by the US-led force's missiles.
At least 4 dead in one of the strikes.
endquote
This follows the script set out in the Sputnik article linked by me above. I am very afraid that they decided to double down
on the March operation as planned even as it was fallling apart around them. My fear is that, if they do, it will be very hard
to keep the conflict from escalating.
Ironically, having used the OPCW to support their Skripal conclusion, the FRUKUS is in a bind if OPCW comes back with a negative.
As far as bombing the evidence out of existence, we have Russian MPs providing security in East Ghouta as well as providing
security for OPCW once they arrive.
RUSSIAN FIGHTER JETS ARE TAKING OFF FROM LATAKIA BASE RIGHT NOW. HEADING TOWARDS DAMASCUS
The 2nd wave is now over And it came from the west over Lebanon.
.
.
.
US is facing great difficulty hitting its targets in Qtaifah missile base north of Damascus, a third wave is still incoming
Dumays airbase was hit, it is an emptied off everything.
13 US missiles were shot down over al-Kaswa south of Damascus
US launched dozens of decoy missiles, Syrian air defense was able to reveal them according to al-Mayadin
All targeted sites have no Russian air assets or personal present.
"... this strike is illegal. Anybody care? Hello? Anybody? ..."
"... This has huge implications for escalation if Iran and Russia see this as the opportunity to push Trump who they see as flaky and fragile with little understanding of geopolitics ..."
Possible scenarios for a retaliation include attacks by
Iranian-backed militias against U.S. forces in the Middle East, stepped-up incidents against U.S. forces and their
allies within Syria or "asymmetric responses" such as cyberattacks entirely outside the theater itself.
It remains unclear whether the strike will prevent Assad's forces from turning to chemical weapons in the future as
the leader seeks to extend his reach across the country while consolidating gains in the civil war.
... ... ...
But the military intervention also comes as Washington has all but given up on seeking the removal of Assad more
than seven years into Syria's civil war. Trump wants the Pentagon to withdraw US troops after the Kurdish-led
militia Washington is backing in Syria finishes off the remnants of the Islamic State terror group.
The departure of U.S. troops, military strategists say, will probably pave the way for Assad's consolidation of
control in the country, backed by Russia, Iran and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
The result is what Defense Secretary Jim Mattis described in congressional testimony on Thursday as "contrary
impulses." On the one hand, Trump wants the United States to have nothing to do with Syria. On the other, he wants to
dictate norms of behavior on Syria's battlefield that upset him when violated.
... ... ...
Pollack suspects that the Syrian regime and Iran won't retaliate against the United States because they are
ascendant on a battlefield that Trump has promised to leave, and they won't want to engage in any action that could
prevent a U.S. departure that would amount to a big win for them.
Russia could have more of a motive to retaliate, Pollack said, even though before last year's attack on Assad's
airfield, U.S. forces
warned Russia in advance
.
"Russia is the wild card out there," Pollack said, because President Vladimir Putin's interests are bigger than
Syria. "They are about how much [the United States is] allowed to act unrestrained and how much does he want to
demonstrate that he can fight back."
... ... ...
phil100a 17 minutes ago
Innocents die by the 100's of thousands in Syria while great powers play geopolitical chess. It's sickening.
Eisenhower warned us about the Military-Industrial complex - and here we are. Assad is a murdering thug, but how can we say we
are that much better after what we have done in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I want to believe we are a good people; I know that there is no American POTUS who would do exactly what Assad has done, but we
have killed WAY more innocents than Assad.
I don't know what the answer to this is. I would like to see Assad hanging upside-down, dead as a door nail, like Mussolini. I
don't feel tat kind of animus toward people on our side of the globe just as responsible for mayhem and death. Maybe there's
something fundamentally wrong with me. If so, I have millions - 10's of millions - that share my malady.
kropotkin jr
Sooooo . . . this strike is illegal. Anybody care? Hello? Anybody?
kiwifella, 58 minutes ago(Edited)
What an unmitigated mess. This has huge implications for escalation if Iran and Russia see this as the opportunity to push
Trump who they see as flaky and fragile with little understanding of geopolitics. And the biggest risk in this sense is that
Trump lacks the knowledge or temperament to listen to sage advise preferring to surround himself with sycophants and to believe
in his ill-informed gut instinct. Oh, and Fox and Friends...
Really, what could possibly go wrong...
kiwifella, 1 hour ago(Edited)
This whole scenario reminds me of JFK's insightful comment: ""Those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger
ended up inside."
sherm1, 1 hour ago
Is this the Trump Doctrine? If any nation uses chemical weapons against external enemies, or internal disturbances, the United
States of America declares the right to militarily attack that nation, regardless of its political, economic, or security
relationship to that country at the time.
The purpose of this doctrine is to insure that military violence is conducted using conventional weaponry, and in no way takes
s pro or con position about the use of military violence carried out in this manner. In cases where chemical weapons are
necessary to compensate for a deficit of conventional weaponry, the United States of America will assist, as required, in
correcting that deficit.
National sovereignty of any nation is a determination that the United State of America makes on a case by case basis.
somewhatrserious, 1 hour ago(Edited)
The United States of America recognizes Syria as a sovereign state. Syria is a member of the United Nations. Case by case
basis? A nation is, or it is not, sovereign. There is no case by case unless we have withdrawn recognition. To my knowledge, we
have not.
presned, 1 hour ago
The risk doesn't seem so great. Russia is a basket case economy, run down and down at the heels. Syria is a goner, wasted and
ruined. Iran is so self occupied with dreams of controlling the Middle East it hasn't much to fall back on but dreams that will
fail. It is difficult to imagine what Russia wants except the saving of its military base in Syria......the cost grows higher
while Russian resources drain. The Middle East is heading for a division with Iran, Russia and Syria running a limp show while
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAI, Qatar and the other Sunni countries ally with Israel, the US and Europe. Iran's dreams of domination
will die with Syria and a bankrupt Russia.
"... But when such poison gas attacks are mere false flags, or by the new term, "false news", and are used to provoke war, perhaps an all annihilating war, then humanity has turned to what it never should have become – a lowly-lowly herd of brainless zombies. ..."
"... And the saga continues. The saga to drum up war. That's the purpose of it all. Nothing else – Russia, the evil nation, led by an evil leader, must be subdued and conquered. ..."
"... a totally and unprofessionally staged event. As Russian military quickly discovered and reported. ..."
"... The western aggressors, who seek a reason to mass bomb Syria into even more rubble, causing even more death and destitution ..."
"... the US economy is based on war, is based on weapon manufacturing and international banking which finances weapon manufacturing and the exploitation of mineral resources coveted by weapon manufacturing. ..."
"... But, please, do take all your fakeness, from money, to lies, to hypocrisy and more lies and coercion and sanctions and blackmail with you – never to surface again. And give peace a chance – for those who survive your (almost) terminal assault on humanity. ..."
Poison gas is not only deadly, it often provokes a slow suffocating death. That, perpetrated
on innocent children, is particularly cruel.
But when such poison gas attacks are mere false flags, or by the new term, "false news",
and are used to provoke war, perhaps an all annihilating war, then humanity has turned to what
it never should have become – a lowly-lowly herd of brainless zombies.
Is that what we have become – brainless, greedy, selfish beings, no sense of
solidarity, no respect for other beings; I am not even talking about humans, but any living
being.
Poison gas, the weapon of choice for fear.
Poisoning in Salisbury of the former Russian double-agent, Sergei Skripal and his daughter,
Yulia, visiting her dad from Moscow. Poisoning with a nerve gas, called Novichok that was
allegedly made in Russia. In the meantime, we know that nerve gas made in the former Soviet
Union, now non-existent in Russia, was military grade and deadly. The gas used for the alleged
attack was not deadly. We also know by now that the UK – all of their highest officials,
from PM May down the ladder, lied so miserably that they will have a hard time recovering. It
will backfire. Unlike the foreign secretary, Johnson boy pretended their secret bio-gas /
bio-weapon laboratory Porton Down, just 13 km down the road from Salisbury, where the pair was
allegedly found unconscious on a park bench, assured him the gas was made in Russia. Alas, the
laboratories chief chemists testified later to the media that they could not be sure that the
substance was made in Russia. No, of course not.
In fact, Porton Down, working in close collaboration with the CIA, is a highly sophisticated
chemical warfare facility that can easily make the gas themselves – at the grades they
please, deadly or not so deadly, if it should serve a "false news" purpose – which this
did.
Were father and daughter indeed poisoned? – This is a legitimate question. Who has
seen them since the alleged poisoning occurred on 28 March? – They disappeared from the
public eye. Apparently, they are both recovering, Yulia having been released from hospital a
few days ago, but has not been seen by anyone in public, nor been able to talk to the media,
lest she could say "something" the public is not allowed to know. Her father is also recovering
and may be released soon – released from where? – Is this all a farce?
An aunt talked to Yulia from Moscow, where she noticed that Yulia was not free to talk. The
aunt wanted to visit her niece in the UK but was obviously denied a visa.
Where are father and daughter? – Washington has "offered" them a new home and new
identity in the US, to avoid further poisoning attempts how ridiculous! A blind man or woman
must see that this is another farce, or more correctly, an outright abduction. The two won't
have a chance to resist. They are just taken away – not to talk anymore to anyone ever.
– That's the way the story goes. The lies are protected, and the "Russia did it" syndrome
will prevail – prevail in the dumb folded public, in the herd of pigs that we all have
become, as Goebbels would say.
And the saga continues. The saga to drum up war. That's the purpose of it all. Nothing
else – Russia, the evil nation, led by an evil leader, must be subdued and
conquered. But the empire needs the public for their support. And the empire is almost
there. It disposes of a vicious media corporate army – that lies flagrantly about
anything that money can buy. It's like spitting in the face of the world, and nobody seems to
care, or worse, even to notice.
* * *
On the other side of the Mediterranean is Syria. A vast and noble country, Syria,
with a leader who truly loves his people and country, a leader who has despite a foreign
induced war – not civil war – a proxy war, instigated and funded by
Washington and its vassal allies in Europe and the Middle East; Syria, a highly educated
socialist country that has shared the benefit of her resources, free education, free medical
services, free basic infrastructure, with her people. This Syria must fall. Such strength
cannot be tolerated by the all-dominating west. Like Iraq and Libya, also socialist countries
once-upon-a-time, and like Syria, secular Muslim nations, sharing their countries wealth with
the people, such countries must fall.
According to Pentagon planners and those Zion-neofascist thinktanks that designed the PNAC
(Plan for a New American Century), as the chief instrument of US foreign policy, we know since
Wesley Clark, the former Supreme Allied commander and Chief of NATO in Europe (1997-2000)
talked to Democracy Now in 2007, saying that within 5 years seven countries must fall, one of
them is Syria.
Since 2011, the Syrian people have been bombarded by US and NATO and Saudi funded
terrorists, causing tens of thousands of deaths, and millions of refugees. Now, even more
blatantly, US bases are vying to occupying the northern third of Syria, totally illegally, but
nobody says beep. Not even the UN.
The recent fake gas attack on Douma outside of Damascus, has allegedly killed 80 to 120
people, mostly women and children.
Of course, that sells best in the propaganda theatre – women and children. Strangely,
like last time the infamous White Helmets discovered the gas victims, including a gas
canister-like bomb laying on a bed, having been shot through the roof of a house a totally
and unprofessionally staged event. As Russian military quickly discovered and reported.
They called on an independent investigation, one that could not be bought and corrupted by
Washington. President Assad invited a team of investigators to inspect the scene.
Instead of heeding this invitation, Trump, the bully, calls Mr. Assad an "animal" and a
"monster", twittering his brainless aggressions throughout the world. Tell you what, Mr. Trump,
Bashar al-Assad is a far better human being than you are a monster. You and your dark handlers
don't even deserve being called human. Mr. Assad has regard and respect for his people,
attempts to protect them and has so far succeeded with the help of Russia, Iran and Hezbollah,
recovering the last bits of Syrian territory from the terrorist, except of course, the northern
part, where the chief terrorist and the world's only rogue state has itself installed, the US
of A. – Why in the world would Mr. Assad choose to gas his own people? Especially, when
he is winning the war? – People, ask yourself, cui bono (who benefits?) and the
answer is simple: The western aggressors, who seek a reason to mass bomb Syria into even
more rubble, causing even more death and destitution . That's who.
While you, Donald, and those monsters that direct you from behind the scenes, have no, but
absolutely no respect for your people, for any people on this globe, for that matter, not even
for your kind, for your greed-no-end kind of elite, as you bring the world to the brink of an
all-destructive, all killing annihilating war.
Since the other fake event, 9/11, we are, of course, already in a "soft version" of WWIII,
but that's not enough, the United States needs a hard war, so badly it doesn't shy away from
destroying itself. That's how blinded your own propaganda has made you Americans, you generals,
you corporate "leaders" (sic-sic) – and all you Congress puppets. That is the sheer
truth. You better read this and wake up. Otherwise your dead sentence is hastened by your own
greed and ignorance.
Both Russia and the US drafted a Security Council Resolution – which of course are
both not approved, with Nikki Haley lambasting Russia, accusing them of being responsible for
the countless deaths in Syria – pointing again to the children and women, making up the
majority. Again, it sells best in the world of psychological propaganda, while evil Nikki Haley
knows very well who has caused all these deaths by the millions, destitution and refugees by
the millions, tens of millions throughout the Middle East and the world – her own
country, directly or through NATO, the European puppets allies and proxy wars, paid and funded
by Washington and by elbow-twisting her vassals.
On 9 April – UNSC – while Nikki Haley, repeats and over-repeats her lies and
fake accusations, the Russian Ambassador to the UN, Mr. Vassily Nebenzia, listens. And then in
a twenty-minute statement of sheer intelligence, he dismantles all the lies, and lays bare the
truth, about all the fakeness being played out internationally. The depth with which he
addresses the assembly is concise and so brilliant, none of his UK, French and German
counterparts could have ever come close to a statement of this magnitude and excellence. Even
Ms. Haley can't help glancing over ever-so
often to Vassily Nebenzia, as he speaks . Her eyes reveal some kind of hidden admiration
for what he says. – After all, she can't be as dumb as she is paid for to look and
sound.
By now anybody who dares not just reading and listening to the mainstream presstitute "fake
news", but has the courage to dig into the truth news, RT, TeleSur, CGTN, PressTV – and a
few others, or websites like Global Research, The Saker Blog, ICH, NEO, Greanville Post
CounterCurrent, Dissident Voice and many other trustworthy sources – knows about the lies
and the only, but the very only purpose these false flags cum false news serve:
Provoking a war with Russia, subjugating and dividing Syria, and the Middle East and becoming
the hegemonic masters of the universe.
For the simple reason, and hardly anybody talks or writes about it – the US
economy is based on war, is based on weapon manufacturing and international banking which
finances weapon manufacturing and the exploitation of mineral resources coveted by weapon
manufacturing.
The entire war industry with all its associated civil services and industries, of banking,
electronics, aviation, mining . makes up more than half of the US GDP – but of course,
it's never broken down that way. The chosen people will control the world. Well, they do
already – financially at least the western part of our globe. But it's not enough. They
will not stop, before they burry themselves in their own-dug graves, or rather in one massive
mass-grave. But, please, do take all your fakeness, from money, to lies, to hypocrisy and
more lies and coercion and sanctions and blackmail with you – never to surface again. And
give peace a chance – for those who survive your (almost) terminal assault on
humanity.
Can't recall where I read this info, but elder Skripal was being surveilled by FSB cause
working with MI6 and Ukrainian regime. So, he was being watched, but just how closely?
Perhaps to the point where Russia knows UK's lying. In other words, Mr. Skripal remains in
employ of MI6.
Will Russia be able to prove its claim of British involvement? If so could it free Yulia
Scripal?
No way that Yulia Skripal is going to be released. Too dangerous. Absolutely
everyone who was directly involved has been taken off-line, and not allowed to speak. The
doctor who wrote the letter to the Times, the personnel of the hospital who treated the
victims, the cop, and the Skripals themselves. No public word from any. It's a big effort by
the authorities, which shows how sensitive they are.
That would make scene and tie in with a couple of things i read/saw in the early days,
sadly also can't recall where. That Mr Skripal was meeting regularly with MI6/5 handlers and
was giving lectures to the military, which of course may explain why he is living in British
military heartland.
Yet here is the even more unexplainable part of this sorry episode that amounts to the Deep
State waging the Donald. The remaining rebels capitulated on Sunday and the government re-upped
the evacuation deal. That is, the remnants of Jaish al-Islam are now all dead or have boarded
busses--along with their families---and are already in Idlib province.
That's right. There is no opposition left in Douma and it has been liberated by the Syrian
army, including release of the 3,200 pro-government hostages who had been paraded around the
town in cages by the Saudi Arabia funded warriors of Islam who had terrorized it.
According to the Syrian government, no traces of chemicals or even bodies have been found.
They could be lying, of course, but with the OPCW investigators on the way to Douma who in
their right mind would not wait for an assessment of what actually happened last Saturday?
That is, if you are not caught up in the anti-Russian hysteria that has engulfed official
Washington and the mainstream media. Indeed, the Syrian government has now even welcomed the
international community to come to Douma, where the Russians claim there is absolutely nothing
to see:
Speaking with EuroNews, Russia's ambassador to the EU, Vladimir Chizov, said "Russian
military specialists have visited this region, walked on those streets, entered those houses,
talked to local doctors and visited the only functioning hospital in Douma, including its
basement where reportedly the mountains of corpses pile up. There was not a single corpse and
even not a single person who came in for treatment after the attack."
"But we've seen them on the video!" responds EuroNews correspondent Andrei Beketov.
"There was no chemical attack in Douma, pure and simple," responds Chizov. "We've seen
another staged event. There are personnel, specifically trained - and you can guess by whom -
amongst the so-called White Helmets, who were already caught in the act with staged
videos."
In short, if they are lying, it would not be hard to ascertain. Presumably, the Donald could
even send Jared Kushner--flack jacket and all---to investigate what actually happened at
Douma.
Alas, the Donald has apparently opted for war instead in a desperate maneuver to keep the
Deep State at bay.
Either way, we think he's about done, and in Part 2 we will explore why what's about to
happen next should be known to the history books, if there are any, as "Mueller's War".
US prepared to "sustain" strikes until Syrian regime stops using chemical agents - Trump
Media caption US prepared to "sustain" strikes until Syrian regime stops using chemical agents - Trump
President Donald Trump says he has approved US military strikes against Syrian chemical weapons sites, in collaboration with the
UK and France.
The strikes are in response to an alleged chemical attack on the Syrian town of Douma last week.
"A combined operation with the armed forces of France and the United Kingdom is now underway," President Trump said in an address
to the nation.
Explosions were reported near the Syrian capital Damascus.
"We are prepared to sustain this response until the Syrian regime stops its use of prohibited chemical agents," President Trump
said.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May confirmed British involvement, saying there was "no practicable alternative to the use of force".
But she also said the strikes were not about "regime change".
UK strikes carried out by four Tornado jets hit a military site near the city of Homs, which is believed to have housed precursor
materials for chemical weapons, the ministry of defence said.
French President Emmanuel Macron also confirmed his country's participation in the operation.
The strikes were ordered "on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities" of the Syrian government, Mr Trump said.
The US president said the purpose was "to establish a strong deterrent against the production, spread and use of chemical weapons".
"These are not the actions of a man, they are the crimes of a monster instead," he said of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Syria has denied carrying out the attack and its ally, Russia, had warned that Western military strikes would risk starting a
war.
A US official told Reuters news agency that Tomahawk cruise missiles were being used against multiple locations in Syria.
The agency also quoted a witness in Damascus as saying "at least six loud explosions" were heard in the capital.
Syrian state television also confirmed strikes on Damascus. The country's air defences have also been deployed, reports say.
British-based monitoring group the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said strikes had hit the Syrian Scientific Research Facility
in the capital, along with several military sites.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has confirmed that the
Skirpals were
poisoned with a specific "toxic chemical," as alleged by the British government. Both
public statement and classified version, however, decline to offer any specific theories on the
origin of the poison.
That's a problem for Britain, which has been blaming the Russian government for the
poisoning since long before testing began. They identified the poison as Novichuk, and
concluded it was Russia's fault, despite there being other nations with access to the
chemical.
British officials were quick to claim the OPCW report as vindication, since the classified
version reportedly contained the chemical formula for the poison. Yet without any evidence on
where it came from, they're really no better off than before.
The Skirpal poisonings were used by the British government to take major diplomatic measures
against Russia. Russia has denied anything to do with the incident, and offered to help
investigate. Britain has spurned that offer and continued to blame them.
"... Of course no one say the obvious, an attack would be illegal under all circumstances. ..."
"... The dotard has only himself to blame with his completely idiotic "animal Assad" tweets. His complete loss of face is all of his making. He needs to seek professional help for his bipolar disorder. Something is seriously wrong inside that toupee'd dome of his. ..."
"... Same as Greenwald and Tucker Carlson: They both condemn US intervention in Syria yet never once mention US is breaking international laws by
illegally inserting itself inside and occupy Syria. ..."
"... In the video that went viral, Carlson interviewed a lawyer but he never once directly asked or even alluded to the legality of US's presence in and possible attack on Syria. It seems to me that it never came across his mind about the fact the US should also abide by international law and rules. ..."
Wow. I am breathlessly awaiting the firing of the shrieking harpy Haley, now that we know
she went in front of the UNSC and spouted wild claims with no backing evidence.
... and when does the UNSC discuss the 2800 elderly, women and children who perished under
Jaish al-Islam which are referenced in this article? What retaliation against these groups is
POTUS willing to undertake, particularly since this is only a small percentage of civilian
deaths under this and other Saudi supported groups? When can we expect the redoubtable
ambassador from the US to give voice to the outrage of all these civilian deaths? If she can
say that Assad's hands are covered in blood, these groups and their nation state supporters
are literally drowning in the blood of innocents.
IMO, a big fissure within NATO was created by Trump's threat as neither Germany or Turkey
would go along, nor Italy, Hungary and Greece, and likely including Spain and Portugal too.
Clearly, the risks outweighed any potential gain.
Another page is turned, and now on to the next act in the drama.
b, you state "The CBS graphic department revealed their real aim." However, you did not
explicitly point out that the map shown is a map of Iran, not Syria. I was floored when I saw
that on the news last night. I appreciate your subtlety.
The dotard has only himself to blame with his completely idiotic "animal Assad" tweets. His
complete loss of face is all of his making. He needs to seek professional help for his
bipolar disorder. Something is seriously wrong inside that toupee'd dome of his.
I disagree. The phrase "Never said when an attack on Syria would take place." is not a sign
that the threat of large war did recede. It means 'Military told me, we need to wait some
days till everything is in place' namely the aircraft carrier. Magnier may have a vast web of
information but is looking to the situation one sided. You shouldn't give too much attention.
And you shouldn't fall for your own belief of a mainly non militaristic Tronald. His
delusions of grandeur and his nihilism will prevail. Look at the MSM instead. They're
intensifying their Manichean narrative, this is typical for times you want to go to war. And
they will.
What annoys my is J Cole [Informed comment] and Joshua Landis do not mention International
Law and the UN Charter or the OPCW. Both take it as established fact that Chemical Weapons
have been used by the"regime" without any investigation as to whether a chemical attack has
taken place at all or who was responsible for it [the Russians are sure a chemical attack did
not take place] These two Professors care not for any kind of due process nor are they
willing to follow the rules of International Law.
"Nikki Haley, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, on Thursday said the U.S. has
enough proof to act in response to an alleged chemical attack in Syria, and President Donald
Trump is looking at all his options."
I guess zero = enough.
With the OPCW inspectors set to arrive tomorrow and begin work on Sat, my best guess is
the war has been delayed. Not enough time to destroy the evidence.
Uh no he didnt say that, this is what Mattis said according to Sputnik.
""There have been a number of these attacks. In many cases, you know we don't have troops,
we're not engaged on the ground there, so I cannot tell you that we had evidence, even though
we had a lot of media and social media indicators that either chlorine or sarin were used,"
Mattis said, speaking to members of the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday."
Same as Greenwald and Tucker Carlson: They both condemn US intervention in Syria yet never
once mention US is breaking international laws by illegaly inserting itself inside and occupy
Syria.
In the video that went viral, Carlson interviewed a lawyer but he never once directly
asked or even alluded to the legality of US's presence in and possible attack on Syria. It
seems to me that it never came across his mind about the fact the US should also abide by
international law and rules.
The Western loves to preach to us that law and order as well as rule-based international
order yet US/UK/France & Co have always acted above the international laws and rules,
which were actually set up by the Western themselves to frame/tame other countries.
"[.]. The U.S., under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of
ISIS. Where is our Thank You, America?"
Donald J. Trump @realdonaldrump 06:15 12 April 2018
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Twitter-in-Chief, what a twat.
We will see if this war planning is diffused or is it just a delay until May Day. Perhaps he
will now fire Rosenstein, create a furious distraction. The guy does not recognize how deep
are his troubles.
I believe there is a lot of wishful thinking in the interpretation of Trump's tweet
this tweet is in response to criticism
1. that he is giving the Russians notice of the attack (and that means he has colluded w/
the Russians)
2. he is basically stating that he isn't..
3. Top on his mind is the Russia probe - he even interrupted a meeting w/ Generals yesterday
to go into a diatribe about it
Never said when an attack on Syria would take place. Could be very soon or not so soon at
all!
Kd@18: No, Rumour on https://www.facebook.com/Syrianewsdaily/.
I'm not sure if it's true, but if it comes to nuclear war, all the nuclear powers are doomed,
on board or not. China will not be allowed to sit and watch the firework, so it's certainly
their interest to ensure that there is no nuclear war. In this case, the only option is to
call the US bluff and force it to back down before their insanity subsume them entirely.
"Whenever the Syrian army achieves victory in the field, some western countries rise their
voices and intensify their movements in an attempt to change the track of events."
His conference with Iranian Supreme Leader's Top Adviser for International Affairs Ali
Akbar Velayati exuded a confidence that was likely received as reassuring by Syria's public.
Assad's comment reflects the reality of the Terrorist Coalition's behavior since Russia's
entry turned the tide.
While CBS was airing its propaganda, Hannity on Fox (beginning
about 2:30 in video, although watch entirely for overall context) really stirred the pot
beginning with the "Clinton Crime Family," then "Meuller Crime Family," "Comey Crime Family,"
"Deep State Crime Family," and ending with Trump's tweet about the underlying reason for the
intense anti-Russia hysteria. Now I seldom agree with Hannity, but this broadcast hits on all
the big injustice related issues being covered up by Russiagate. Hannity will need to eat the
words he spoke at end regarding Putin/Russia, but his partisan attack on the several Crime
Families is spot on and actually serves the interest of all Americans.
Just one more thing that really pisses me off about the media right now:
(besides the fact that they just regurgitate the constant stream of lies being fed to them
and print headlines like "France has proof Assad regime used CW" just because Macron SAID so.
There is no further reference to it in the article, so repetition of empty claims are all we
need to be "convinced")
They have all -even RT - accepted the (insane) premise that the US has a right (or even a
"moral obligation" to bomb Syria ("inflict enough pain on Assad's regime") and they talk
about "military options" as if it was just a normal thing to do.
Organized violence against a sovereign state (military, economic, covert or other) is not
an "option". It is a CRIME. It is the SUPREME CRIME.
What the US, UK, France and their deranged ME-allies have done to Syria is beyond evil.
Hundreds of thousands are dead or wounded, millions have become refugees or displaced
persons, children are traumatized, the country lies in ruins and the US now illegally
occupies the part of Syria where the oilfields are.
President Assad and the brave men of the SAA have fought for seven yrs against the
foreign-backed, SF-led "moderate" head-choppers, defending their country and - even more so-
their people but they are portrayed in the media as if they were the evil aggressors.
(Imagine, you lived in Syria and it happend to you..)
And the worst of it is, that the very people who organized all these crimes against
humanity still get away with the unbearable charade of posing as moral authorities (!) and
urging "retaliation" in Syria for the suffering of those poor kids ("poisoned" by the
"animal" Assad).
Can anyone pls point out to the Donald, that these videos are just "the incubator babies"
PR-scam on steroids?
Of all the disgusting things that are part of this kind of propaganda, the weaponisation
of empathy is the worst ...what makes us human is being turned into an instrument for the
destruction of whole societies ..
I hate (a word I rarely use) the "churnalists" who enable this demoniziation of Russia,
Iran and Syria and pave the way for WW III. These spineless journos should be indicted and
punished for aiding and abetting USrael/UK and French imperial aggression.
It's interesting that the former Russian Spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, Yulia, had a
seafood lunch several hours before developing symptoms of poisoning.
The timing of the onset of symptoms is consistent not with nerve agent poisoning but with
seafood poisoning.
Seafood poisoing is generally due to the presence of botulinum toxin, which inhibits
release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction, thereby causing paralysis and, in
severe cases, death by asphyxiation.
To counter the toxin, it would be normal to treat patients with an acetylcholine esterase
inhibitor, aka a nerve agent, to maximize the effect of whatever small quantity of
acetylcholine is still being produced.
If the Salisbury Trust Hospital where the Skripals were taken for treatment consulted with
the people at Britain's nearby Porton Down chemical and biological weapons research lab, they
may very well have been supplied by Porton Down with a small dose of British-made Novichok
for use as a botulinum toxin antidote: the perfect set-up for the British Government
incitement to Russophobia.
Yes, it was because of that and not any other reason. A completely incredible false flag
was never an impediment before, but the prospect of an uncontrolable escelatory spiral that
ends in your country's nuclear aniahlation concentrates the mind like nothing else. The US
being abandoned by Britain and France was also a function of the above. If those ex-empires
dreaming of long gone imperial glories could have joined in the slaughter of a helpless
country, they would have done so without a second though and bragged about it. But if it
meant facing the business end of a Kaliber then the thrill wears off pretty fast.
I love the idea I have in my head of behind the scenes negotiations between the US and
Russia about maybe a allowing a "small" strike on a Syrian target with the Russians
responding, No problem! Then we can sink a small British or French vessel and we can call it
even. Perhaps sending they are they sacrificial lamb, May and Macaroni thought better of the
whole affair. And the idea that Germany(?!?!) was ever even considering an attack on Russia
simply boggles the mind. I'm sure Merkel nixt that idea without a second's thought.
The attack is coming, Trump is decieving make people believe "oh he stepped back, no war this
time good.." only to see Trump bomb the next day when no one is prepared.
Juan Cole knows a lot about Iran and mideast, and especially about religion (he is a Bahai).
I have learned a lot by reading his blog for years. When he was appointed to a professorship
at Yale, I was enthused. When this appointment was vetoed by zionists on the Yale Board, I
expressed my regret.
But he lost his perspective when he joined the Hillary team. Clearly he was expecting an
appointment as Assistant Sec/State for Near Eastern Affairs. His devoted support for Hilary
destroyed his ability to appreciate/respect the truth. He became a partisan cheerleader, and
this only increased after Trump won the election.
I used to comment on his blog, but when he began supporting Hillary, he censored my comments.
He never once refuted them, just censored them because they brought up facts that he did not
want known/discussed.
So I have lost all respect for Juan Cole.
I agree with Lysander @31. Russia's very clear statement that there would be a military
response to a U.S. attack must have caused the reevaluation.
With U.S. aircraft downed, there would have to be a new AUMF, a new congressional vote.
Same thing with France and Britain. But a new AUMF would be difficult if not impossible to
clear congress/parliament. That's what short-circuited Obama's plan to bomb Damascus in 2013.
The Brits voted no. Obama decided he had to go to Congress for approval. The public was
overwhelming opposed. So the vote was pulled and Obama accepted Russia's offer for Syria to
destroy its CW stocks.
Unless it's another one-off strike on a military airfield, Trump will need a new AUMF. And
he won't be able to get one.
Russia is being tested because its eagerness to organize flawless World Cup is being
exploited as a perceived vulnerability. Once that event has passed three months from now,
Moscow is bound to become more assertive. The whole western campaign of pressure can only
last one more year even in the best case. It's based on fear and weakness, not on strength
and confidence. And there will be more and more weakness with each passing day. Once the
latest Keynesian stimulus wears off in October 2019, the US will be set on relentless
"japanization" (nearly permanent recession, mounting debt, rapidly aging population), but
from the far more inferior starting point than that of Japan. Given America's low savings
rate, massive trade deficits, racial tensions, and skills-deficient population, the decline
will be significantly more unpleasant, very likely violent.
Russia will absolutely win the Cold War 2.0, because all it has to do to achieve it is wait
it over. All of the hard work at destroying the West is actually done in the western
capitals, by the western governments themselves.
@Cassandra your words are appreciated and pretty much in line with my own feelings.
I notice that you have to look hard to even find mention of Mattis' latest testimony
before the House Armed Services committee. This confirms to me that the media machine is
colluding to bury any story line that doesn't fit the "Assad done it" narrative.
What we have now is analogous to the "Yellow Journalism" era in the late 1800's/early
1900s. No pretense to objectivity. Simply outrageous and scary. Thank goodness for this blog,
sputnik news, zerohedge and a few other alternative media sources.
@29 - please don't judge everyone in US based on our horrible government and media. There
are lots of us who cannot stand what has happened and have voted for guys like Ron Paul who
would have made a real difference. There is no longer any way to vote your way out of this
and probably hasn't been for at least 20 years.
It seems that the US is working with the Russians to identify a few "token" targets to
appease the ziocon war hawks.
In any case the fact that the US, UK & France are willing to militarily strike a
sovereign nation based on fake charges with no due process or verification of evidence shows
how far down the rabbit hole the west has sunk.
The UK is a good example. They made dubious claims of a Russian nerve gas attack and then
proceeded to act out by expelling Russian diplomats. Now despite 80% of the British people
polled opposed to strikes on Syria the May government has authorized these attacks.
Another is France. Macron claims he has evidence that the Syrian government used chemical
weapons while providing no proof. And he is going to participate in these attacks.
When will the toothless court in the Hague charge these people for war crimes? They reek
of hypocrisy with all their righteousness as they haul hapless African dictators to lecture
them on morality.
Pompeo just replied to Cory Booker that Trump has the authority to strike Syria right now
without consulting Congress, without a resolution or act of Congress. The President has NO
authority to strike unless there is an imminent threat!
I fear that all this walk back might be a ruse to fool Syria and Russia into a false sense
of complacency. Again, think Operation Fortitude and replace location of attack with
date of attack. Deception is a military strategy.
"Joshua Landis and J.R. Cole, swallow the propaganda nonsense hook, line and sinker. They
sold out. Their job and reputation requires that they stick to the prevalent narrative."
ain't that the truth...
He is not bombing today because quite a few Israelis including govt are travelling to Poland
for the Shoah anniversary. Once everyone is back home, then the US and the allies will go for
it. They may even spare Douma with the excuse that they don't want to interfere with the OPCW
team and teh so-called site of CW attack.
However there are other specific sites that they want to bomb.
That is a very astute comment. Any escalation with consequences requiring the
congressional reauthorization of force will be avoided, because despite all the propaganda
the "leaders" recognize that the people will come out en masse against yet another war.
Perhaps Russia has calculated as much, and has ensured the US that any strike will result in
just enough American casualties to force the issue back home.
RUSSIA defeated ISIS .... NOT America ..... WWII replay.
The chaos in Syria was winding down. The TRAITORS in the Pentagon had spent 24 months at
$10MILLION a DAY bombing sand. ISIS continued to hold miles long parades of OUR equipment
complete with flags on clear, dry, sunny days, and the TRAITORS in the Pentagon "could not
seem to bomb them". .. https://forzanuova-us.org/2........ http://original.antiwar.com...
Then the Russians came in and blew the ISIS asses off. Have you noticed the parades
ENDED.
ISIS has ZERO antiaircraft abilities. the TRAITORS in the Pentagon could have dropped bombs
from HOT AIR BALLOONS ....... We KNOW who the Pentagon is working for and it is NOT
America.
That would be a "tragedy" for Turkey and Israel who are BOTH genocidally flooding White,
CHRISTIAN Europe with muslum invaders ............. that war had to get going again .....
Deliberately creating refugees to genocidally flood Europe ............ Israel and Turkey
dream of splitting Syria between them ....
Watching this latest episode of the war in Syria play out, I am reminded of the eye-patched
Israeli general, Moshe Dayan, of Seven Day War fame. He extolled the benefits of appearing to
be willing to lash out like a mad dog as a means of keeping one's foes at bay.
Are we consistently underestimating Donald Trump? He did create a billion dollar global
enterprise and then get himself elected POTUS. He may play the goat (or mad dog), but I
suggest he is no fool.
I think you missed the point. I don't think Trump blinked. Trump said he wanted troops out
in six months. The deep state and Israel went wild. Then comes the fake chem attack and
they are all howling at the moon to attack Asaad. Trump wants out not in deeper so he
raises the ante. If we are going to attack, we are going to go BIG. He knows Russia will
have to respond. The deep state hacks don't mind killing other people, but they don't want
to die, so the chickenhawks chicken out. Trump ran on ending the wars. He said a couple of
weeks ago he wanted out of Syria in six months. The person with the widest range of
behavioral strategies is typically going to prevail in any encounter. That is basic NLP.
Trump has no problem making an ass of himself in public in negotiation. That is why the
politicians can't stand him. I think he won this round. They will have to impeach or kill
him to win.
I agree 100% with you Mike, that is exactly how I read it also, but you put it more
succinctly than I could. Trump is mad, unpredictable and dangerous - but not dangerous in the
way that Bolton is*. Despite apparently having some very stupid qualities, he certainly also
has great intelligence abilities (nobody is either "always intelligent" or "always stupid",
rather everybody has a complex mixture of qualities).
If we take the premise that he thought the East Gouta chemical weapons attack allegations
were stupid and totally implausible, what would he have to do, given the political situation
he has with Russiagate and the illogical attacks on him there? If he ridicules the ridiculous
allegations he will be attacked in the same way that he is attacked for ridiculing the
ridiculous Russiagate allegations. He will be accused again of being a "Putin-stooge".
Therefore it would be fitting to his character to instead APPEAR to be enthusiastic about the
attack, while subtly blocking it. If there was no attack, then the OPCW team when they arrive
are not going to find signs of it. Mike's idea of upping the ante here comes in very handy,
because it means the attack has to wait for more forces to arrive, especially the carrier
group that will take over a week.
By reacting hard and fast in favour of bombing Syria before there is any evidence he is
satisfying the warmongers and preventing the warmongers from attacking him - but by demanding
a huge attack he guarantees that it has to wait until after OPCW arrives and finds nothing.
Once OPCW go in and find nothing, anybody who criticises Trump for not bombing Syria will
find themselves in difficulties! He can safely call it off.
If instead he rejected military action from the outset, he would be attacked very hard by
his opponents. Likewise if he said "wait for the investigation first" he would be attacked
especially by the media for "believing Putin". After the OPCW go in and prove there was no CW
attack anyway, Trump's opponents would (a) blame Trump for not wanting to bomb Syria, and (b)
blame Trump for "sabotaging" the OPCW investigation, implying that there was really a CW
attack.
NOTE: I am not defending Trump's behaviour, it is stupid, immensely dangerous, and
catastrophic for international relations - and illegal. I am just describing what I think is
probably his point of view to justify the assertion that maybe Trump has no intention of
starting this war. It is bluff.
* Why would Trump appoint Bolton? Maybe because of similarities in their personalities
(that would be very bad news if that was the reason). But there is another possibility -
maybe Trump thinks Bolton is such a useless and incompetent madman and such an idiot that
Trump can use Bolton to deflect the cravings of the warmongers and transform - through Bolton
- their policies into something so patently absurd that they self-destruct. (Bolton will not
see through the above, for example, he is probably foaming at the mouth in his battle lust
right now). When those policies self-destruct who does Trump blame? Of course Bolton and the
other the warmongers. Again this is a dangerously reckless and destructive way of running
government, but appears to fit in with Trump's personality.
Trump, of course, is a purely domestic president. He has no idea about international
relations, and probably does not even care about international relations.
Macron was feeling the heat of french demonstrations.
Not the demonstrations. In France, unlike Britain, you can't get the nation
behind the government by going to war. People will just say f*ck off. More this is old French
policy, going back to the Mandate. Macron is not very experienced in foreign policy, and he's
just going along with established rules. A mistake, I think, as he hasn't thought out what
might happen if the situation escalates.
If I understand correctly, as I didn't watch it, these remarks were made in the course of
a major interview which was highly signaled in advance, but addressed to the present strikes
in France. Syria was a little by-issue.
Are you writing on behalf of the British government b? Since when do Saudis become
responsible for Britsh ops just because they happened to be required to fund them, as in, pay
us or we'll kill you.
This entire episode has been one big joke on the Rothschild UK. The holders of the Trump's
twitter account needed to cover for a US withdrawal. The UK based Deep State have lost their
bid to keep the US officially involved. Untill Trump is removed prolonging this war is now
entirely up to the Brits.
I am trying to recall a lie perpetrated by the then minister of defense in Israel
that said publicly that Israel was not prepared or readyto go to war ,not at least
for a full six months.
The very next day at sunrise, they struck the Egyptian Air force on the ground
and made mincemeat of it.
Just to add to the above: maybe Trump called up Teresa May and said "Well you know Teresa,
just between you and me, the CW attack if it ever occurred at all was probably a false flag
because why on earth would Assad do such a CW attack when he is having so much success; but
as you know it is US policy to eliminate Assad so I think if we go in at all we should really
go in BIG." May then has doubts!
robert fisk remembers what usa and uk pretend to forget
>
> But it's a different war that I'm remembering today. It's the Iran-Iraq war between 1980
and 1988, when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran. When the Iranians re-crossed their own border and
stormed into Iraq years later, Saddam used gas on thousands of Iranian soldiers – and
civilians, for there were nurses and doctors at the war front.
>
> Funny how we forget this now. We don't talk about it. We have forgotten all about it.
Talk about the "normalisation" of chemical warfare – this was it!
>
> But in our desire to concentrate minds on Syria, we're not mentioning the Iran gassings
– Iran being another one of our present-day enemies, of course – and this may be
because of our lack of official memory.
>
> More likely it's because of what happened: the institutionalisation of chemical warfare,
the use of chemicals by Saddam who was then an ally of the West and of all the Gulf Sunni
states, our frontline Sunni hero. The thousands of Iranian soldiers who were to die were
referred to on Iraqi radio after they crossed the frontier. The "Persian insects" had crossed
the border, it announced. And that's how they were treated.
>
> For the precursors for the Iraqi gas came largely from the United States – one
from New Jersey – and US military personnel later visited the battlefront without
making any comments about the chemicals which were sold to the Iraqi regime, of course, for
"agricultural" purposes. That's how to deal with insects, is it not?
>
> Yet not a soul today is mentioning this terrible war, which was fought with our total
acquiescence. It's almost an "exclusive" to mention the conflict at all, so religiously have
we forgotten it. That was the real "normalisation", and we allowed it to happen. Religious
indeed, for it was the first great battle of the Sunni-Shia war of our time. But it was
real.
>
> Of the thousands of Iranians who were asphyxiated, a few survivors were even sent to
British hospitals for treatment. I travelled with others on a military train through the
desert to Tehran, the railway compartments packed with unsmiling young men who coughed mucus
and blood into white bandages as they read miniature Korans.
>
> They had blisters on their skin and, horrifically, more blisters on top of the first
blisters. I wrote a series of articles about this obscenity for The Times, which I then
worked for. The Foreign Office later told my editors that my articles were "not helpful".
>
> No such discretion today. No fear of being out to get Saddam then – because in
those days, of course, the good guys were using the chemicals. Don't we remember the Kurds of
Halabja who were gassed by Saddam, with gas which the CIA told its officers to claim was used
by the Iranians?
Evidently nothing has happened yet because the assets are not yet in place, as indicated by
Paveway and Don. Mattis seems to be restraining. Trump himself won't be keen on a long war.
So a Big Bang to satisfy the US. Putin will go along with that.
"Mattis seems to be restraining." Agreed. "Seems" being the word under pressure here.
From what I have read today on Southfront and Sputnik, Mattis is now essentially claiming,
somewhat unbelievably, that no decision has yet been made by the President on whether there
will be a strike at all. This statement--if indeed it is that--would appear to run directly
counter to what every major US, UK, and French official--including Trump!--has been claiming
for around two days now.
The most optimistic reading of this is that Mattis remains in direct contact with Russian
generals and has determined on the basis of some kind of miraculous professionalism (I
know....) that there is no way a U.S. led strike of the sort initially proposed could avoid
escalating beyond containment.
So what will happen now--again, optimistically--is either a negotiated smaller symbolic
strike that will prove amenable to both US and Russian political needs, or a deus ex machina
that somehow allows the US and NATO to walk back the strike they had already basically
guaranteed. I don't see this latter option as a real option, frankly.
But the way that Mattis has set things up hinges on the *convincing* production of
evidence of chemical weapon use by Assad in East Ghouta. How will the US pull this off,
exactly, given that Russia controls the "crime scene"?
I'm not a warmonger, but love to see Putin sink one of the submarine.
"According to the UK's Daily Telegraph newspaper, British submarines have been ordered
to move within missile range of Syria, as strikes against the Assad regime are expected as
early as Thursday night."
It was always British intention to cause chaos in Syria, looks like they are going to have
another go st killing more people. Quite illegal of course but it's what Israel and paymaster
Rothschild want.
@29 B and others here have covered the seafood poisoning angle previously. But you cannot get
botulism from fish unless it is improperly preserved (so some sort of brine or oil
preservation). The Clostridium bacteria responsible for producing botulin toxin are
anaerobic, and thus not found in fresh seafood. Additionally, the Skirpals did not
demonstrate the classic symptoms of botulism.
@ 67 laguerre... why can't you just let the white helmets convince you of the merits of this
with tele or video presentation? you have to give the royal press - heather nauert, nyt, wapo
and wsj a few days to put it in print!!
US has used cluster bombs, napalm, white phosphorous, and depleted uranium munitions. Does
not the purported horror at the alleged use of poison gas look a trite hypocriitical?
Add Stephen Zunes (Univ. San Francisco) to the "hook, line, and sinker" list. I wish someone
would/could shed light on "why" these seemingly discerning (in other areas; eg. Palestine)
don't seem to even as basic common sense questions when "analyzing" Syria. It's bizarre, but
common (so maybe not bizarre, just irrational).
Tass reports that Russia has convoked a UNSC meeting with the Secretary-General to attend in
an attempt to:
[.] "preventing the war in Syria against the background of Washington's threats, adding
that a direct military standoff between Russia an United States cannot be ruled out in
current circumstances.
The immediate priority is to avert war.
Russia's U.N. Envoy Nebenzya, when asked whether he meant war between Russia and the
United States, the Russian diplomat replied, "We cannot exclude any possibility,
unfortunately because we saw messages that are coming from Washington, they were very
bellicose. They know we are there"[.]
Assuming the USA/IS/UK/FR... war project for destruction in the middle east will enter a new
phase soon whereby Russia will be directly attacked or have no other way than to respond, I
wonder how events will unfold. Like the diplomacy and Shayrat Airbase, Russia on many cases
gave the USA and its vassals so desperately craving for war the benefit of the doubt but that
time is now long over and it responds in kind. You expel our diplomats? We expel your
diplomats. Quid pro quo, an eye for eye, a tooth for a tooth. The Russian military presense
in Syria is not so close to home which makes it difficult to defend so they would easily be
wiped out I think albeit not without a heavy fight. But there is not a chance Russia would
cave in and submit because the whole Russian Federation would be next. Assuming the war
escalation remains conventional then Russia might strike at places that are closer to home
and that are easier to defend and supplied. The USA, so far from home, has built a giant meat
buffer in Europe where they planted many bases on the Russian border so they would probably
bear the brunt. If then by some NATO pretext, Russia would be attacked on it's own soil I
doubt it will remain limited to conventional warfare but maybe the USA would have already
pressed some red button earlier, Bolton clearly is a fan. Let's hope this is just a far off
horror scenario which will never unfold.
Apr 7, 2018 Ziad Fadel at SyrianPerspective.com reported the capture of 11 British officers
in Eastern Ghouta. See also Farsnews "http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=l3970122001526"
for more information on the plot to attack Damascus from Eastern Ghouta that was foiled by
the Syrian-Russian operations.
Apr 12, 2018 Ziad reports capture of American, Israeli and Saudi forces in Eastern Ghouta
(source Truthmonger) here
Apr 12 2018 - See also this vimeo of Russian radio program here provided by another commenter Robert Sneffjella on The
Vineyared of the Saker blog. Apparently, Chinese analysts believe many Americans (~200?) were
killed in Eastern Ghouta.
In addition to the captured forces, the US sudden rush to hysteria and May's abrupt u-turn
regarding the unproven Douma chemical weapon attack may be explained in part by possible war
crime evidence abandoned in Douma by the militants, evidence that may point directly at the
US, UK, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. A large scale attack on Syria may have as its primary
purpose the destruction of this evidence. To defuse tension, perhaps Syria and Russia should
negotiate release of the remaining US and UK personnel and find a mutually beneficial
agreement with the US regarding the evidence.
The first OPCW inspection group consisiting of 4 persons has arrived in Beruit on
Thursday. The second group is supposed to arrive on Friday but Dr Bashar Al-Jaafari said OPCW
didn't say how many persons would be in the second group when Syrian Embassy in Brussel asked
for their passports to issue them visa. OPCW did nt provide passports for the second team, so
Syria decided to issue them visa at the border between Lebanon-Syria.
It seems a bit strange that OPCW wouldn't either state numbers of people coming nor
provide passports ahead so that Syrian government at least who are coming. Guess US/UK/France
& Co would want to insert some of their preferred "experts" in the second team.
Russians and Syrians on the E. Ghouta ground should be alert.
Were going to see another attack on an empty airbase. Russia will be notified in advance. Ive
read that Syria already moved most of their more modern aircraft to the Russian air bases.
Some of the more brain dead Trump supporters will be thrilled that he did something. It
obviously wont be anything big. Theyre not going to risk war with Russia and I don't think
the Russians are bluffing, they've invested too much to simply watch the Syrian government be
destroyed now.
Although it wont be, it should be a wake up call that he needs to be more careful before
he jumps on Twitter. Like you said, hes forced now to do something even if some of us are
wise enough to see this response will be all for show.
Thank you for the rant cassandra @28, my feelings too. I have been ranting a lot too as I
believe we are owed a forensic report on the Skripals plus a read of their statements to any
and all authorities that interviewed plus a detailed statement of the hospital diagnosis and
response.
This no ordinary circumstance. The world has been driven to the brink of war, millions of
people are threatened by the consequences. This is not a time 'to respect the privacy' of two
people when the ultimate life of so many is threatened.
The grim reaper, Tony Blair, came out salivating for blood just to remind us of the
consequences of lies and deceit as the drivers of war.
We are owed a full and frank exposure of the facts, preferably in an international court,
but certainly in an independent report. Failing that, speak up Yulia, we need to hear the
story.
That was nothing but a bunch of empty verbiage -- totally meaningless. They could not say
where or whom the "samples" came from, could not say who gathered the samples, could not say
who transported the samples, could not say who delivered the samples, could not say what US
entities received the samples, could not say what US entities tested the samples.
No source, no chain of custody.
But we're just supposed to believe all those altogether unsupported assertions.
The first four OPCW inspectors have arrived at Douma. They are free to go anywhere. Russian
military protection.
The rest due tomorrow. By Saturday they will have all the facts in their notebooks.
Not a scrap of evidence. No residue, no corpses, no doctors reporting any victims, no
hospital visits by victims.
A total False Flag. Russian experts were there the next day. Not a trace of any
substance.
Dead were from suffocation (dust, plaster, cement).
The facts exist and its impossible to twist. The terrorists gave up too swiftly. The
Russians went right to the site and videotapped everything within 24 hours.
This isn't Salisbury. It's Douma. And the Americans know they can't sell the False
Flag.
The Russian Generals talking to the Chief of Staff Dunsford and others have made it clear.
You can bomb the desert like you did for four years. But that's it.
US does not want a piece of Russian payback.
Just mark a few buildings with Iranian and Hezbollah flags and slogans out in the middle
of nowhere and the US will blow them up for Bibi. Call it a success. Trump remains #1 in the
mirror, USA is great again. Blah, blah, blah.
You can sell American Exceptionalism to all the dopes of Main Street. They actually
believe this shit.
The notion that Trump is secretly anti-war is absurd, no matter how many times people assume
it. Trump campaigned on a platform of winning. There's no reason to credit his inaction to
anything but his repeated discovery that loser generals won't guarantee an easy win. That's
why so many professionals are being ditched in my opinion.
Trump is emboldened by Xi's opportunism and cowardice. Xi's recent rebuff of North Korea,
coupled with his surrender on trade, suggest that Trump et al. think they can take out Kim
Jong Un personally, then simply pick up the pieces. Very likely Xi thinks the same. Both have
a surprise coming.
The war in Syria will continue indefinitely, based in Idleb, with Turkish clandestine
support from Afrin, with Israel in the Golan Heights and the Kurds in the east. Russia's
massive investment in a victory has failed because Putin never had an endgame. Russia will
bleed money for a naval base of dubious value (save in Putin's addled brain,) even as the
fascist menace in Ukraine builds and builds.
I agree. With the possible qualification that ultimately they don't so much care what we
believe as they want (perhaps) to break Mattis' hold on Trump by piling on the narrative of
inevitability. That they still need to do this suggests, to me at least, that Mattis is at
least holding out. Perhaps I am wrong.
Syria - Threat Of Large War Recedes But May Come Back
It has come back with war criminal Theresa May and her decision tonight.
Opinion polls show most Brits DO NOT SUPPORT THE BOMBING.
And it is totally unacceptable that she is seemingly refusing a parliamentary vote to give
her authority.
Britain is shamed.
He compared Eva Bartlett to some flaming nutter because she challenged him on his, again,
evidence-free contention that Assad uses CW as a habit. It was a truly strange and
disheartening exchange.
GG does important and courageous work. I hope someone, in the post-mortem of this
anti-Syria/Kill!! frenzy (hopefully resolved in favor of letting Syrians determine the future
of their own country) probe why these seeming do-gooders went the counter-factual route on
Syria, separate from all their other seeming inclinations. And by probe I mean harsh and
relentless, answer-seeking, but not defamatory, questioning.
Interesting take by the young Putin.....
In recent documentaries, Putin has shared candid memories of his youth in a working-class
neighborhood of St. Petersburg -- then known as Leningrad. He said he learned lessons there
that have lasted a lifetime.
"The streets of Leningrad taught me 50 years ago that when a fight is inevitable, you must
strike first," was one of the recollections.
Another telling episode was an encounter with a rat in a seedy entrance of his crumbling
apartment building. After he cornered the rodent, it turned back on him and attacked.
"She ran forward and chased me, jumping from one flight of stairs to another and even tried
to leap on my head," he recalled in an interview for a recent documentary. "You shouldn't try
to corner anyone."
Interestingly enough George Galloway was asked on his talk show tonight, If you were Putin
what would you do if the US,UK and France attacked Syria? He said I would come out with all
guns blazing. I agree with that, the West will never stop trying to destroy Syria, the 'West'
needs to be given a bloody nose.
Anyone have confirmation of this? Serbian account claiming
"Today in a TV show on RTS1, military analyst Mr Lazanski said that the likelihood that
the US will give up its attack on Syria is less than 1%, since 2 Arab countries, very close
US allies, already paid for attacking Syria. The money is already handed over, and that's it,
he said."
CanSpeccy @ 29: Mataman @ 65 is right, B has already covered the possibility of seafood
poisoning in a previous post. Just go back to the Main page and skip back a few posts.
It's known that the Skripals ate seafood risotto at the Zizzi's Restaurant outlet in
Salisbury just before their collapse on the bench in The Maltings shopping mall. I checked
the menu online and found the risotto contains mussels. Mussels are notorious as a source of
shellfish poisoning.
It's quite possible also that some of the garnishings in the risotto may have come from
improperly canned food (the main source of botulin poisoning) so you may still be right.
There has been news that the Zizzi's Restaurant Salisbury outlet is to be destroyed along
with the Skripal house. One can understand why the Skripal house might have to be destroyed
(a cheap form of decontamination) but why the restaurant should be destroyed if it has not
been tested for the presence of "nerve gas agent" is another issue altogether. The alacrity
with which the British government and police authorities are destroying valuable evidence
(including the bodies of the Skripals' pet guinea pigs and cat - the guinea pigs having died
of thirst and the cat put down after being found in a state of starvation) is suspicious in
itself and might suggest the actions of a criminal covering his/her tracks.
> "What is it going to take for Christians and conservatives to snap out of this war
fever? What is it going to take for them to give up this ignoble infatuation with Zionist
Israel?"
> When Israel attacks Syria and/or Lebanon, as it clearly intends to do, Hezbollah will
retaliate with its missiles, some of which will surely be directed towards the Mashabim Air
Base, which will be targeted to inhibit the base's ability to bomb Lebanon. And once
Washington is well and truly engaged in what is referred to as "force protection," Israel
will undoubtedly widen the conflict by drawing Iran in through attacks on that country's
identified bases in Syria that are supporting the al-Assad government. The bigger war will
suddenly become America's responsibility after Israel inevitably proves itself incapable of
handling the escalation.
>
> During the recent bilateral military exercises, Air Force Lieutenant General Richard
Clark enthused that American soldiers are "prepared to die for the Jewish state" and also
added that they would "probably" be under the command of Israeli Air Force General Zvika
Haimovitch, who would decide on the involvement of U.S. personnel. Haimovitch commented "I am
sure we will find US troops on the ground to defend the state of Israel."
>
> Does anyone really believe that Syria was behind the latest gas attack in that country?
Does anyone seriously believe that Syria was behind the previous gas attack in that country a
year ago? For that matter, does anyone truly believe that Syria was behind the gas attack of
its own people back in 2013?
>
> Think about it: The U.S. military has been actively engaged in a surreptitious effort to
overthrow the Syrian government for years. The U.S. government -- along with Israel, Saudi
Arabia, and Great Britain -- created, supported, and funded ISIS with the intention of
overthrowing President Assad. After the last gas attack, President Trump bombed Syria in
"retaliation." The U.S. government is looking for any excuse to destroy the Syrian government
(and Iran's). And just as Trump is talking about removing troops from Syria, Assad decides to
launch another gas attack against his own people? You must be kidding! Only the most
naïve people on the planet would believe such a cock and bull story.
>
> Everyone knows that it was Israel that launched those illegal airstrikes against Syria
this week in what can only be regarded as the first wave of Israeli/U.S. airstrikes against
Syria. The Israeli government has not even tried to deny it. And this comes on the heels of
IDF soldiers murdering 20 unarmed (unless you count teenagers who throw stones and rocks at
combat soldiers who are wearing body armor and carrying machine guns as being "armed")
Palestinian protesters (many of them shot in the back by Israeli snipers) a few days ago.
>
> The only reason the United States (and Israel) can get by with these unconstitutional
and unconscionable acts of aggression in the Middle East is because the vast majority of
evangelical Christians who put the warmongering politicians in office have been propagandized
to believe that these wars for Israel are "holy" wars. They believe that the Rothschild
Zionist State of Israel is a reincarnated Biblical Israel. They further believe that this
reincarnated Israel is divinely appointed to have all of the land that God gave to Old
Testament Israel under the Abrahamic Covenant. But as theologian Adam Clarke (1760 - 1832)
wrote in his commentary on the Abrahamic Covenant in Genesis 15:18, "This promise was fully
accomplished in the days of David and Solomon." And so it was. But because Christians have
been brainwashed by Scofieldism, they believe that wars fought against any Arab country -- no
matter how unconstitutional, no matter how illegal, no matter how murderous, no matter how
aggressive, no matter how horrific -- are in accordance with "God's plan for Israel" and,
therefore, divinely justified.
>
> It is of no concern to these misguided Christians how many of their own Christian
brothers and sisters are being slaughtered by the U.S. and Israeli militaries in these wars.
It is of no concern to them how many innocent men, women, and children of all faiths are
being killed in these wars. It is of no concern to them that global nuclear war could break
out at any time as a result of these wars. They think these are "holy" wars. They also
believe that before American cities melt in a nuclear Armageddon they are going to be
"raptured" to heaven and escape all of the consequences of their misinterpreted Biblical
prophecies and mindless political perversions.
>
> If America's Christians were not so blinded by faux-Israel and false theology about
Israel, they would be able to see the world (especially the Middle Eastern world) in a MUCH
different light.
> But here we are: on the precipice of World War III. And for what? To remove a
democratically elected leader in a nation that has attacked NO ONE and that poses absolutely
NO threat to the United States -- or Israel, for that matter -- and against whom there is NO
evidence that he launched a gas attack against his own people.
> What is it going to take for Christians and conservatives to snap out of this war fever?
What is it going to take for them to give up this ignoble infatuation with Zionist Israel?
What is it going to take for them to start being Americans again and stop cheering for these
warmongering politicians who believe the United States is some sort of glorified global
cop?
Mattis said that the U.S. aim in Syria is to defeat Islamic State, not "to engage in the civil war itself." But referring to the
use of chemical weapons, Mattis said that " some things are simply inexcusable, beyond the pale " and require a response. -
Bloomberg
The Wall St. Journal reports that Mattis "brought those concerns
directly to the White House on Thursday, where White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the national security team
didn't agree on a response."
Exactly two weeks ago Mattis met Bolton - telling the bemoustached bringer-of-death "I heard you're actually the devil incarnate,
and I wanted to meet you."
... ... ...
"If these strikes start, it could end very tragically and it's impossible to predict the outcome -- that's the nature of military
actions," said Russian Senator Frants Klintsevich in a phone interview, adding that there are "no madmen" among Trump's top military
advisors. " These are professionals who aren't populists and know what this could lead to. "
Meanwhile, Russia's ambassador to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia issued a stark warning on Thursday that there was a danger the war
could escalate beyond Syria because of Russia's military presence.
"We cannot exclude any possibilities [of war between Russia and the U.S.] unfortunately because we saw messages that are coming
from Washington," Mr. Nebenzia said. " They were very bellicose. "
In an attempt to settle things diplomatically, Russia asked for an open Security Council emergency meeting on Friday morning,
calling for UN Secretary-General Antσnio Guterres to brief the council, according to the Wall St. Journal .
Meanwhile, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says they are sending a team of investigators to Syria
on Saturday to collect samples from the site of the alleged chemical attack last weekend.
Mad props to Mattis for calling him the devil incarnate to his face even if couched tactfully.
But remember, Bolton is just a scare tactic, he isn't really a demented bloodthirsty demon. He wants to go balls out against
a nuclear power over a false flag but it's a bluff. /s
Mad props to Mattis for calling him the devil incarnate to his face even if couched tactfully.
But remember, Bolton is just a scare tactic, he isn't really a demented bloodthirsty demon. He wants to go balls out against
a nuclear power over a false flag but it's a bluff. /s
Let's see. Who's responsible for toppling (or trying to) one strong man after another in the Middle East and leaving the place
in a shit storm? USA! USA! USA!
while President Trump told reporters on Thursday "We're looking very, very seriously, very closely at that whole situation,
and we'll see what happens, folks, we'll see what happens. It's too bad that the world puts us in a position like that."
The lack of self awareness and the victim mentality in this cry-bully statement is breathtaking. Akin to projectile vomiting
on someone them blaming them for smelling disgusting. Extraordinary .
"It was very disconcerting when I saw that an attack is planned on Mosul, an attack is planned. ... Why do we have to talk
about it? Why? I never saw anything like this. Every time we are going to attack somebody, we explain. We're going to attack,
we'll be attacking at three, noon on March 25. I don't know, unless you disagree with me, wouldn't it be better if we were going
to go after Mosul to not say anything and do it, as opposed to announcing -- they're announcing all over television they're planning
to attack Mosul." -- Donald J. Trump
In a White House known for chaos, the process of developing the U.S. response to the Syrian government's alleged latest gas attack
was proceeding with uncharacteristic deliberation, including several national security briefings for President Trump.
But then Wednesday morning, Trump upended it all with a tweet -- warning Russia, the Syrian government's backer, to "get ready"
because American missiles "will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!' "
White House advisers were surprised by the missive and found it "alarming" and "distracting," in the words of one senior official.
They quickly regrouped and, together with Pentagon brass, continued readying Syria options for Trump as if nothing had happened.
But the Twitter disruption was emblematic of a president operating on a tornado of impulses -- and with no clear strategy -- as
he faces some of the most consequential decisions of his presidency, including Syria, trade policy and the Russian interference probe
that threatens to overwhelm his administration.
"It's just like everybody wakes up every morning and does whatever is right in front of them," said one West Wing aide, speaking
on the condition of anonymity to share a candid opinion. "Oh, my God, Trump Tower is on fire. Oh, my God, they raided Michael Cohen's
office. Oh, my God, we're going to bomb Syria. Whatever is there is what people respond to, and there is no proactive strategic thinking."
The president has been particularly livid in the wake of Monday's FBI raids on the home, office and hotel room of Cohen, his longtime
personal attorney. In the days after, he has seriously contemplated a shake-up at the Justice Department in the hopes of curbing
the expanding probe by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, whose referral led to the Cohen raids. Trump is considering firing
Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein, who is overseeing the probe, several people familiar with Trump's private comments said.
By Trump's admission Wednesday on Twitter, Mueller's investigation into Russian election interference and possible obstruction
of justice has consumed "tremendous time and focus." And in denying allegations of wrongdoing, the president seemed to equivocate
in a parenthetical aside: "No Collusion or Obstruction (other than I fight back)," he wrote.
On trade, meanwhile, the president is grappling with the potential economic fallout of his threatened tariffs, especially within
the agriculture sector, which could harm some of the rural states that carried him to electoral victory -- all against the backdrop
of his ongoing effort to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement more favorably for the United States.
Trump also finds himself facing the surprise retirement of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.), signaling more turmoil for the
fractious Republican Party heading into the midterm elections.
These and other pivotal developments come as many of the guardrails that previously helped stabilize the president -- from West
Wing aides to clear policy processes -- have been cast aside, with little evident organization or long-term strategy emanating from
the White House.
This portrait of Trump in the current moment comes from interviews with 21 administration officials, outsider advisers, lawmakers
and confidants, many of them speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive details and conversations.
Save for his Wednesday morning tweet, the president's Syria deliberations have largely been the exception to the chaos engulfing
the White House, underscoring the high stakes of a decision, White House officials said.
President Trump, second from right, speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Monday. (Susan Walsh/AP)
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday afternoon that Trump continues to review options for a military
strike in Syria and that his tweet should not be read as an announcement of planned action.
"We're maintaining that we have a number of options, and all of those options are still on the table," Sanders said. "Final decisions
haven't been made on that front."
The National Security Council met Wednesday afternoon at the White House, chaired by Vice President Pence, to finalize options
that could be presented to the president, Sanders said. She said Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, national security adviser John Bolton
and other senior officials have been in regular contact with their counterparts from Israel, Saudi Arabia, France, the United Kingdom
and other partners around the world as the administration weighs its military options for Syria.
Yet Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) said Wednesday afternoon that he had yet to hear from Trump
or other administration officials about impending action in Syria.
"I have no idea. So far, it appears to me to be bluster," Corker said. "Then I saw a tweet come out about us working with Russia
right after we're getting ready to bomb them, so I mean, who knows? Unfortunately, there are a lot of things announced by the administration
that never come to pass or evolve."
The more general question of U.S. engagement in Syria has confounded and divided the administration. Officials at the White House
and Pentagon, for instance, were blindsided by Trump's pronouncement at a rally in Ohio in late March that U.S. troops would be leaving
Syria "very soon," and in the first hours after the speech, they scrambled to get a sense of what he meant.
Trump initially told aides that he wanted U.S. soldiers and Marines to leave in 48 hours -- an impossible timeline that alarmed
the Pentagon and sent officials racing to dissuade him, two U.S. officials said.
Eventually, Mattis and others persuaded Trump to give the military another six months to wipe out the remnants of the Islamic
State. The timeline was far from ideal but was viewed as a major victory compared with Trump's original timeline, officials said.
Senior U.S. officials describe a president who is operating largely on impulse, with little patience for the advice of his top
aides. "A decision or statement is made by the president, and then the principals -- Mattis or Pompeo or Kelly -- come in and tell
him we can't do it," said one senior administration official. "When that fails, we reverse-engineer a policy process to match whatever
the president said."
On a potential shake-up at the Justice Department, Trump has been receiving a range of advice and has sent mixed signals about
his intentions. Within the White House, advisers have largely counseled caution and urged him not to make changes. White House Chief
of Staff John F. Kelly and counsel Donald McGahn have tried to calm Trump several times, as has Ty Cobb, the White House lawyer handling
the Russia probe.
Yet others, including many in the president's orbit who don't work in the White House, have counseled a more aggressive approach,
saying the raid of Cohen's home and business crossed a line. This advice has left White House staff on edge, nervous about what the
president might do.
Trump, for instance, yelled about Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions for several hours Monday and has continued to
complain about them since. But some described his complaints as just "venting," with one outside adviser saying that while the president
is "steamed and unhappy," that doesn't necessarily mean he's prepared to take action.
"I heard or saw nothing that would suggest he was planning to make a change at the Department of Justice," said Alan Dershowitz,
a retired Harvard Law School professor who dined at the White House with Trump on Tuesday night. He said they mainly discussed the
Middle East and Russia.
Rosenstein, meanwhile, seems to have made peace with any eventuality, said one person who has had a conversation with him. He
understands he might be squarely in Trump's crosshairs, and "is ready for whatever comes and confident in his own behavior."
Trump has also devoted a portion of his days to trade policy. Over the past eight weeks, the president has initiated trade disputes
with several of the largest countries in the world, driving forward pronouncements without fully vetting most of them with key aides.
In some cases, he has backpedaled on his vow to impose steep tariffs on countries such as Germany, Canada and Mexico. But he has
also refused to waive tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from Japan, a major U.S. security ally and trading partner.
Some Senate Republicans fear that Trump's loosely formed trade war with China could end up cratering the agriculture industry
at a time when many Midwestern farmers are preparing to plant crops. China has promised to impose tariffs on U.S. farm exports as
a way of retaliating against Trump's planned tariffs. The White House promised to backstop U.S. farm groups, but they have yet to
share what they would do or how they would do it.
"I don't know what kind of cockamamie scheme we could come up with that would be fair," Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) said Tuesday.
Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn (R-Tex.) was similarly frustrated by Trump's trade agenda. "I think the president has some ideas
about trade that are not generally shared by the Republican conference," he said.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told his frustrated ranks during a closed-door lunch this week to call Trump and air their
trade-related worries, according to a person familiar with the Kentucky Republican's remarks. Roberts and others planned to meet
with Trump on Thursday to discuss the matter.
"... This is developing into a pattern where when it looks like Trump is cornered in to doing something, he jumps aboard the neo-con bus and drives it straight towards the cliff. ..."
"... You asked about Trump and Bolton. Trump was inexplicably a fan of Bolton early on. ..."
"... Trump with his "get ready Russia" tweet ensured all knew the stakes involved in a US attack on Syria. It pulles people out of apathy. From that point on he sits back and waits for others to stop the bus. "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!" ..."
Juan Cole took exactly the same position before the attack on Libya, he is a F'ing CIA troll
plant, what a phony, especially revealing he promotes this B.S. which any 5th grader sees is
phony. Infuriating. He is a totally compromised piece of shit, I actually used to read his
phony blog in the run up to attacking Libya he was all for it, I even reached him by e mail
saying he would lose all credibility and he even responded as if I was out of my mind. He
lost all credibility with me, I don't give a dog turd what he has to say about anything, and
now this. He is a war criminal and should be boycotted if he is still teaching.
@ 107 same sentiments Juan Cole is an imperialist scholar justifying war's and is as culpable
for the deaths and destruction of Libya ... I wonder how he explains to his students the
proliferation of slave-markets and terrorist gangs in 'liberated' Libya
I am probably a bit influenced by Pat Lang's belief that Trump spends his time watching TV
news but it is looking like Trump is far smarter than that. This is developing into a pattern
where when it looks like Trump is cornered in to doing something, he jumps aboard the neo-con
bus and drives it straight towards the cliff.
The two sides of Trump are his history of speaking out against useless costly wars, and the
other side that has increased US military spending and his belief that US should have kept
the Iraqi oil. I guess Trump has no objection to a war if the US will profit from it, but is
not interested in the neo-con ideological wars.
It's a sign of the times that the only apparently sane adult in Trump's cabinet is nicknamed
"mad dog". But don't worry. Everyone has already forgotten all about the butchery in Gaza and
we can get back to "normal" business.
You asked about Trump and Bolton. Trump was inexplicably a fan of Bolton early on. In an
NBC show Meet the Press" appearance in August 2015 Trump cited Bolton as one of the people
whose views he respects on Foreign Policy, leading Mother Jones, a left-oriented magazine to
write: Donald
Trump's Curious Relationship With an Iraq War Hawk : The tycoon decries the US
invasion of Iraq but embraces one of its architects .
A must read to refresh your memory of Trump's position on Middle East when he was a
candidate.
Trump with his "get ready Russia" tweet ensured all knew the stakes involved in a US attack
on Syria. It pulles people out of apathy. From that point on he sits back and waits for
others to stop the bus. "Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get
ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be
partners with a Gas Killing Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!"
@122 - "Everyone has already forgotten all about the butchery in Gaza and we can get back to
"normal" business."
I tend to agree: UK poisoned front door knobs (unfortunately not #10 D Street); Apartheid
racist Zio-fascism murdering indigenous protesters in Gaza; and Spanky Trump and his bordello
babes -- not to forget the end of post-2007/9 BS market 'QE' capitalism at hand.
Basically the UK gov need a distraction from a rise of real traditional Labour sentiment
(traitor & warmonger Tony Blair can't seem to nail Corbyn) -- and on the whole they just
can't seem to accept they won't rate well in World Cup. Sour grapes?
"... Next, there was an consensus view that pleading, reasoning, asking for fairness or justice, or even for common sense, was futile. The Russian view is simple: the West is ruled by a gang of thugs supported by an infinitely lying and hypocritical media while the general public in the West has been hopelessly zombified. The authority of the so-called "western values" (democracy, rule of law, human rights, etc.) in Russia is now roadkill. ..."
"... There was also a broad consensus that the US elites are not taking Russia seriously and that the current Russian diplomatic efforts are futile (especially towards the UK). The only way to change that would be with very harsh measures, including diplomatic and military ones. Everybody agreed that talking with Boris Johnson would be not only a total waste of time, but a huge mistake. ..."
"... Reach your own conclusions. I will just say that none of the "experts" was representing, or working for, the Russian government. Government experts not only have better info, they also know that the lives of millions of people depend on their decisions, which is not the case for the so-called "experts". Still, the words of these experts do reflect, I think, a growing popular consensus. ..."
They all agreed that the AngloZionist (of course, they used the words "USA" or "Western
countries") was only going to further escalate and that the only way to stop this is to
deliberately bring the world right up to the point were a full-scale US-Russian war was
imminent or even locally started.
They said that it was fundamentally wrong for Russia to reply
with just words against Western actions. Interestingly, there also was a consensus that even a
full-scale US attack on Syria would be too late to change the situation on the ground, that it
was way too late for that.
Another interesting conclusion was that the only real question for
Russia is whether Russia would be better off delaying this maximal crisis or accelerating the
events and making everything happen sooner. There was no consensus on that.
Next, there was
an consensus view that pleading, reasoning, asking for fairness or justice, or even for common
sense, was futile. The Russian view is simple: the West is ruled by a gang of thugs supported
by an infinitely lying and hypocritical media while the general public in the West has been
hopelessly zombified. The authority of the so-called "western values" (democracy, rule of law,
human rights, etc.) in Russia is now roadkill.
There was also a broad consensus that
the US elites are not taking Russia seriously and that the current Russian diplomatic efforts
are futile (especially towards the UK). The only way to change that would be with very harsh
measures, including diplomatic and military ones. Everybody agreed that talking with Boris
Johnson would be not only a total waste of time, but a huge mistake.
To my amazement, the
notion that Russia might have to sink a few USN ships or use Kalibers on US forces in the
Middle-East was viewed as a real, maybe inevitable, option. Really – nobody objected.
Reach your own conclusions. I will just say that none of the "experts" was representing, or
working for, the Russian government. Government experts not only have better info, they also
know that the lives of millions of people depend on their decisions, which is not the case for
the so-called "experts". Still, the words of these experts do reflect, I think, a growing
popular consensus.
"... If the chemical attack on Douma really is fictitious as the Russians insist it is then for the first time their control of the crime scene puts the Russians in a strong position to prove it. ..."
"... The point was made forcefully by Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia at the UN Security Council session today, and it also received indirect backing from the UN Secretariat, who admitted that they could not confirm that a chemical weapons attack had happened, and who called upon all sides to show restraint until a proper investigation of the incident had taken place. ..."
"... By now it should surprise no-one that the fact that the Russians are in control of the crime scene and may on this occasion be able to prove conclusively that no chemical weapons attack happened in Douma, instead of deterring a US attack, is actually making it more likely. ..."
"... This is because the credibility of the various 'witnesses' to the Douma attack who are of course the same witnesses who were previously 'witnesses' to the 2013 East Ghouta and the 2017 Khan Sheikhoun attacks is now on the line, as is the credibility of those Western governments first and foremost the US government who believed or who pretended to believe them. ..."
"... We call upon Western politicians to scale down their hawkish rhetoric, to meaningfully consider possible repercussions and to cease the reckless spill over of threats to global security. What military misadventures of the West brought about is well known to us if we consider the examples of Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya. ..."
"... And nobody invested you with the power to act as policemen of the world and as investigators, procurators, judges and executioners all at the same time. ..."
"... We call for your return to the legal fold to comply with the U N Charter and to jointly tackle problems that arise, rather than attempting at each step to advance your egotistical geopolitical game. All of the energy needs to be focused on support for the political process in Syria, to which it is necessary to constructively pull the efforts of all influential players. Russia always stands ready to engage in such cooperation ..."
"... RobinG posted Haley's UN diatribe from yesterday. She hammered away at the "pictures of dead babies" theme. What an embarrassment to the American people. ..."
For the sake of world peace I am beginning to think that impeaching Trump is a good idea. He is doing harm to the stability
of the world. He truly is a bull in a china shop. Upsetting America's internal status quo is a good thing but upsetting the
worlds equilibrium is another. The only country in the world that Trump has not pissed off is Israel how totally and completely
disgusting.
As a result of the total surrender of the Jihadis previously in control of Douma on Sunday, it is the Russian military who
this time are in control of the alleged crime scene.
This has put the Russians in a position where for the first time they are able both to invite the OPCW inspectors to attend
the crime scene and to provide them with protection if they are there, whilst at the same time monitoring and supervising their
work.
If the chemical attack on Douma really is fictitious as the Russians insist it is then for the first time their control
of the crime scene puts the Russians in a strong position to prove it.
The point was made forcefully by Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia at the UN Security Council session today, and
it also received indirect backing from the UN Secretariat, who admitted that they could not confirm that a chemical weapons attack
had happened, and who called upon all sides to show restraint until a proper investigation of the incident had taken place.
Nebenzia followed this up by inviting OPCW inspectors to the scene as early as tomorrow Tuesday.
By now it should surprise no-one that the fact that the Russians are in control of the crime scene and may on this occasion
be able to prove conclusively that no chemical weapons attack happened in Douma, instead of deterring a US attack, is actually
making it more likely.
This is because the credibility of the various 'witnesses' to the Douma attack who are of course the same witnesses who
were previously 'witnesses' to the 2013 East Ghouta and the 2017 Khan Sheikhoun attacks is now on the line, as is the credibility
of those Western governments first and foremost the US government who believed or who pretended to believe them.
I would add that not only is the credibility of the US government and of other Western governments on the line. So is the credibility
of Western journalists who also believed or pretended to believe the 'witnesses'.
Ron Unz posted a video of the Russian envoy's speech at UN today (Apr 11 18).
Rough notes from near the end to the conclusion of his remarks:
"And you are misguided if you think tha thou have friends So called friends of yours are only those who cannot say no to you.
And this is the sole criterion for friendship in your understanding . Russia has friends and unlike yourselves we do not have
adversaries.
We do not view the world through that prism. And yes, international terrorism, that is our enemy. However, we continue to propose
cooperation. This need to be respectful and mutual cooperation, it needs to go towards resolving real and not imagined problems.
And you should be just as interested as we are in such a cooperation.
///
26 min: As permanent members of the Security Council, we bear the main responsibility for the maintenance of international
peace and security. Through the relevant channels, we already conveyed to the US that armed force under mendacious pretexts against
Syria, where, at the request of the legitimate government of the country, Russian troops have been deployed, could lead to grave
repercussions.
We call upon Western politicians to scale down their hawkish rhetoric, to meaningfully consider possible repercussions
and to cease the reckless spill over of threats to global security. What military misadventures of the West brought about is well
known to us if we consider the examples of Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya.
And nobody invested you with the power to act as policemen of the world and as investigators, procurators, judges and executioners
all at the same time.
We call for your return to the legal fold to comply with the U N Charter and to jointly tackle problems that arise, rather
than attempting at each step to advance your egotistical geopolitical game. All of the energy needs to be focused on support for
the political process in Syria, to which it is necessary to constructively pull the efforts of all influential players. Russia
always stands ready to engage in such cooperation .
To conclude, Mr. President, I wish to take this opportunity to request an open briefing of the Security Council on the outcomes
of the UN assessment mission in Raqqa and the situation in the Rahman camp. We see the way of members of the Commission attempting
to create a smoke screen around this issue, which is a result of their actions in Syria, including the operations to rain Raqqa
to the ground through bombings. No chemical provocations will divert attention from this, from what you've done. Thank you.
Nikki Haley was in the room and listening.
RobinG posted Haley's UN diatribe from yesterday. She hammered away at the "pictures of dead babies" theme. What an embarrassment
to the American people.
Trump became really deranged. For a world leader to behave in such a way is unexcusable. Now
even Trump supporters think that he should be removed
But the goal of the USA in Syria is establishing Saudi-friendly Sunni theocracy remains unchanged, since Obama unleashed this
war using Libyan weapons and Islamic mercenaries/volunteers They want to compensate with Syria the fact that Iraq now went to Iran
sphere of influence instead being a countervailing force during Saddam rein.
Notable quotes:
"... This latest Trump-Tweet about "Russia to be ready for new, smart missiles raining down on Syria" is also a negotiating ploy and to save face. Stock markets, even in this volatile times, have hardly budged, and the gold price is where it has been for the past year. ..."
It is long passed the time when any thinking person took Trump-Tweets seriously. Trump,
himself doesn't take them seriously and considers them as 'negotiating tactics'. Remember the
tweets: "Fire & Fury the World has Never Seen Before", "Little Rocket Man" and "Bigger
Nuclear Button", which then ushered in the prospect of a meeting between Trump and Kim Jong
Un?
This latest Trump-Tweet about "Russia to be ready for new, smart missiles raining down
on Syria" is also a negotiating ploy and to save face. Stock markets, even in this volatile
times, have hardly budged, and the gold price is where it has been for the past
year.
There will probably be a well-restricted cruise missile attack on some Syrian-Iranian base
with Russia pre-warned. The long-promised meeting between Trump and Putin will emerge in the
news to discuss the future of Syria. Trump's desire to pull out of Syria will then come about
naturally and as the result of consultations with Putin.
"... The UN has refused to confirm there has been any attack at all. Russia and Syrian government insist there has been no attack and have approached the Organization for the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for an international investigation. The good thing is that the OPCW is deputing two teams of experts to go to Douma later this week. Russia has offered to give them full security protection. ..."
"... Logically, punishment follows a crime that has been committed and it seems no crime has been committed. ..."
"... Perhaps, Trump is indulging in doublespeak and the backdrop could be the criticality that has arisen over Robert Mueller's investigation into his collusion with Russia, which has now dramatically expanded in scope. The FBI raid on the office of Trump's attorney in the White House is a very serious development. Trump is just inches away from being implicated in the charges against him leveled by porn star Stormy Daniels. ..."
"... A US attack on Syria can distract attention from the stormy controversy that may arise if at this point Trump axes Mueller and derails the investigation against him. There are precedents when beleaguered American presidents resorted to diversionary tactic. Bill Clinton fired cruise missiles at Kandahar when the scandal over Monica Lewinsky peaked and he was facing the prospect of impeachment. ..."
"... A US That brings us back to the alleged chemical attack in Douma last weekend. Who would have staged a false flag operation? The finger of suspicion points toward Israel's role. Israel is desperately keen that the US should have a permanent military presence in Syria. ..."
"... Under strong pressure after the raid on his lawyer's office Trump has obviously decided to strike ..."
The United Nations Security Council turned down a compromise resolution on Syria, proposed
by Sweden and seconded by Russia seeking investigation on the alleged chemical attack in Douma.
Five countries supported the resolution with two permanent members – United States and
Britain – opposing it. Earlier, a resolution on the same lines which was supported by
Russia and China was also opposed by the US and Britain.
This is a significant political and diplomatic victory for Russia insofar as only two other
countries joined the US and Britain to oppose the Swedish resolution. Six countries
abstained.
The big question is whether this development portends an impending US attack on Syria,
bypassing the UN. The UN has refused to confirm there has been any attack at all. Russia
and Syrian government insist there has been no attack and have approached the Organization for
the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons for an international investigation.
The good thing is that the OPCW is deputing two teams of experts to go to Douma later this
week. Russia has offered to give them full security protection.
So Trump has a major decision to make. Logically, punishment follows a crime that has
been committed and it seems no crime has been committed. This appears to be a false flag
operation – that is, a fabrication with a view to trigger a sequence of events. That was
how the US invaded Iraq in 2003 and it is an established fact today that Saddam Hussein did not
have any program to develop weapons of mass destruction, as then US Secretary of State Colin
Power had misled the UN Security Council. (Powell later admitted that he was misled by his own
administration.)
One difference in the present case is that Trump has been on record that he wants the
American military presence in Syria to end. That stance and the present threat to launch an
attack on Syria are contradictory. Because, a US attack on Syria will have serious
repercussions, including possibly a showdown with Russia, which would mean a US drawdown in
Syria may not be possible in a conceivable future.
Perhaps, Trump is indulging in doublespeak and the backdrop could be the criticality
that has arisen over Robert Mueller's investigation into his collusion with Russia, which has
now dramatically expanded in scope. The FBI raid on the office of Trump's attorney in the White
House is a very serious development. Trump is just inches away from being implicated in the
charges against him leveled by porn star Stormy Daniels. The CNN says, "There could be
dark and unprecedented times ahead." A US attack on Syria can distract attention from the
stormy controversy that may arise if at this point Trump axes Mueller and derails the
investigation against him. There are precedents when beleaguered American presidents resorted
to diversionary tactic. Bill Clinton fired cruise missiles at Kandahar when the scandal over
Monica Lewinsky peaked and he was facing the prospect of impeachment.
A US That brings us back to the alleged chemical attack in Douma last weekend. Who would
have staged a false flag operation? The finger of suspicion points toward Israel's role. Israel
is desperately keen that the US should have a permanent military presence in Syria. To
that end, Israel is fueling tensions that will take matters to a point that a US withdrawal
from Syria somehow gets stalled. This is also the impression conveyed by DebkaFile, the Israeli
website with links to the intelligence, which specializes in disinformation
tactic.
M.K. Bhadrakumar served as a career diplomat in the Indian Foreign Service for
over 29 years, with postings including India's ambassador to Uzbekistan (1995-1998) and to
Turkey (1998-2001).
This column was first
published at Indian
Punchline , Mr. Bhadrakumar's personal blog. It is republish here with his permission.
Trump is like a cornered rat. The Deep State's Team Mueller is moving from the Russia
collusion nothingburger to investigating everything else about Trump including his past sex
life and business deals. There's a possibility of something there that could cause a perjury
trap or an indictment for violating some obscure criminal statute. Now they may have
important documents seized from his personal attorney Michael Cohen.
The same Cohen who was allegedly in Prague meeting with the Russians according to MI6 man
Christopher Steele who wrote parts of the Steele Dossier which turned out to be a
fabrication.
In the mean time his DOJ and AG is slow rolling the investigation into the conspiracy
against him by Obama's top law enforcement and intelligence officials. The Deep State
continues to confound Trump. He doesn't seem to have a good strategy against their continuous
attacks on him.
Bhadrakumar believes a Wag the Dog confrontation with Russia may bail him out. I don't
think so. The Deep State are out to get him. They failed the first time when the American
voters in the mid-west didn't buy their electoral propaganda. Now they are executing their
insurance policy using Team Mueller as the attack dog.
British retired General Richard Barrons has just confirmed on BBC Radio 4 that a Russian
attack on American ships offshore Syria would result in a wider war. Macron (France), seems
on board. I dunno if this signals a UK about-face or if
Israel, the Israeli lobby and Saudi Arabia are the greatest threats to mankind.
That said it wouldn't hurt Russia to increase its military capabilities in Syria as a
deterrent and Iran and Russia need to end this conflict already. The slow grinding victory
provides too many opportunities for Israel, Saudi and the neocons to create trouble. China
should help.
Lastly, Israel and Saudi should be struck if Syria is attacked. Those two promote wars
because they have impunity. The risk and damage of war must be theirs too.
"The failure of an "innocuous" draft in support of an impartial investigation into the
alleged chemical incident in Syria's Douma is a "litmus test which speaks volumes," Russia's
UN envoy Vassily Nebenzia said. The draft was based on, and "almost completely copied," an
earlier proposal by Sweden. Nebenzia argued that the proposal was stonewalled simply because
it ultimately came from Russia." https://www.rt.com/news/423762-syria-investigation-draft-rejected/
Seems like states like Sweden, Nethetlands, Poland cover the coming warcrime of US bombing
in the UN while US, UK, France will be the ones that do the bombing.
Bhadrakumar predicted that Putin would sell out Assad about 5 years ago. I have stopped
reading his opinion pieces since then. Still, this post makes a refreshing change from your
obsession with EJ Magnier's point of view, b. You need to step back, take a look and use your
own gut on this.
The Americans know this latest 'attack' is bullshit and its planning predates any FBI raid
on Trump's attorney. The Russians were calling this out a month ago. At the same time that
they were being accussed of poisoning the Skripals. There has been scant consideration of the
link between the two. Yet it is a chain of events that was designed to bring us to the point
where the US could form a military alliance with the likes of Britain and France (Britain of
course already exposed to 5 weeks of anti-Russia chemical weapon hysteria, thereby setting up
a win in the minds of the public and in parliament for a vote on intervention/payback) will
launch an attack on the seat of power in Damascus.
This is going to be shock and awe, and Putin is not going to stop it. When dozens of
Russians were killed in the East by US bombing recently, there was no response. Only a denial
that these men ever existed. It was the green light the US axis needed to power up the
engines for the attack we are about to witness.
The only question that remains is whether Assad will be left standing.
"The Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak states that, the blow will be inflicted by the troops of
the United States, Britain and France within the next 24 hours.
According to sources, a total of 22 targets have been identified in Syria, which will be
destroyed by Western aviation – these are facilities in Damascus, Homs, Tartus, Hama,
Deir ez Zor, and Rakka. In particular, it is planned to strike the area of the
Russian military base in Tartus."
Neb , Apr 11, 2018 5:29:58 AM |
24test , Apr 11, 2018 5:31:10 AM |
25
BEIRUT (Reuters) - Russia's ambassador to Lebanon said any U.S. missiles fired at Syria would
be shot down and the launch sites targeted, a step that could trigger a major escalation in
the Syrian war.
MOSCOW (Reuters) - The Kremlin said on Wednesday it hoped all sides involved in Syria
would avoid doing anything that could destabilize an already fragile situation in the Middle
East and made clear it was strongly opposed to a possible U.S. strike on its ally.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov attends a meeting of Russian President Vladimir Putin with
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia March 26, 2018.
REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin
The United States and its allies are considering whether to hit Syria over a suspected poison
gas attack that medical relief organizations say killed dozens of people in the rebel-held
town of Douma near Damascus on Saturday.
The Kremlin said on Wednesday allegations that Syrian government forces had carried out
the chemical weapons attack were not based on real facts and said it wanted an impartial
investigation into the incident.
Asked about comments by Russia's ambassador to Lebanon who said that any U.S. missiles
fired at Syria would be shot down and the launch sites targeted, the Kremlin said it did not
want to comment on such matters.
"As before, we would like to hope that all sides will avoid any steps that a) are not
provoked by anything and b) could significantly destabilize an already fragile situation in
the region," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters.
Reporting by Andrew Osborn; Editing by Katya Golubkova
The media onslaught has moved past the attack in Salisbury by a "weapon of mass
destruction" (quoting Theresa May) which could only be Russian, except that was untrue, and
was extremely deadly, except that was untrue too. It now focuses on an attack by chemical
weapons in Douma which "could only be" by the Russian-backed Assad regime, except there is no
evidence of that either...
I am bit annoyed by the hype in here by some,
Russia has said that they COULD respond IF US strike RUSSIANS inside Syria.
Russia have of course communicated this and WHERE russians are located for US NOT TO bomb
these places.
Outside the box ... , Apr 11, 2018 6:22:12 AM |
33
"Trump has been on record that he wants the American military presence in Syria to end."
I suspect some of the apparent paradox in recent statements about Trump's troops 'leaving
Syria' relate to the future definition of Syria. Erdogan's on the same script with returning
occupied territories to the 'rightful owners' etc.
No one NATO-side is leaving (voluntarily): the old Syria is 'off the map' as far as they
are concerned and the new borders will be drawn -- a la Palestine -- wherever it is
convenient, and by definition, meeting Trump's and Erdogan's criteria.
@32
Well, that's a bit short-sighted. One of these days, Russia needs to make a stand, as it
doesn't make sense at all to let the 'coalition of the willing' incinerate the Syrian Arab
Forces and Syrian civilian infrastructure. After all, what would it be worth fighting
for/having forces deployed once the primary reason for having forces there has vanished.
I agree. I'm no expert, but I also can't see this being a Libya/Iraq re-run; history has
moved too far for that, I believe. The forces opposed to NATO/Israel have made too much
progress, and have everything to lose if the US tries something more than symbolic measures.
Also, I'm hoping that Russia has something up its sleeve to make the US feel some pain
without triggering WWIII. To me it's the latter that's the risk, not some replay of
Libya.
Donald J. Trump
Verified account @realDonaldTrump
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because
they will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing
Animal who kills his people and enjoys it!
10:57 AM - 11 Apr 2018
b , Apr 11,
2018 7:09:35 AM |
40Babyl-on , Apr 11, 2018 7:13:20 AM |
41
"Destroying Syria's air force is one option for Trump"
Ewen MacAskill Defence and intelligence correspondent
Yes, the "liberal" Guardian the "progressive" Guardian full of peace loving people seeking
peace in the world. They would never ever warmonger would they?
16 Pat
Putin recently: "What is the world without Russia in it."
Sounds like a man who will fight. He said with a heavy heart. Also don't you know Russia has
Hawks too - the men who walk in with briefcases-
So what will happen? Putin has the assets in Southern Russia, properly fly time 13 minutes.
Ship killers missiles which are indefensible. I hope Trump goes small or equal to last time
with forwarding warmings. If not I think Putin statement about the 'world' comes into play.
For the world sake I hope sanity prevails.
Reading comments suggesting, as Xpat @ 37 puts it, that Syria will be a re-run of the Iraqi
and Libyan invasions ignores the fact that the US, the UK, France and other Western nations
already have boots on the ground in the form of "advisors" among the jihadis, of whom very
many - most likely even the great majority of them - come from foreign countries. In other
words, Syria has already been subjected to a de facto global invasion. Moreover many of these
"advisors" plus perhaps US and other soldiers wearing rebel insignia and uniforms have been
captured by the SAA recently in East Ghouta.
Also Syrian society is not really comparable to what Libya was in 2011 and Iraq in 2003.
Libya could be overcome because the eastern part of the country, centred around Benghazi, was
less loyal to the Libyan government than the western part. In Iraq, there was significant
Shi'ite resentment towards Saddam Hussein's government - and Shi'ites were one of the larger
religious groups in that country. On the other hand, there is much less sectarianism in
Syria. Syria also adopted a new constitution and political reforms in 2012 which made the
country a parliamentary democracy and reduced the Ba'athist Party to just another (albeit
large) political party with no special privileges.
never underestimate the Donald's gift for contradicting himself
Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump
Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold
War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something
that would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms
race?
Russia watched the Donald playing chicken with North Korea and drew conclusions.
It is an extremely dangerous game, playing chicken, should you decide not to play
chicken.
07564111 @ 31: Any way of finding out how Israel uses water and whether the country is able
to fulfill its water needs or has to import water?
There are old online newspaper articles about how Israel had to import tens of millions if
not several hundred million cubic metres of water from Turkey. This was during Ariel Sharon's
period as Prime Minister (2001? - 2006). Most recent articles are now about how Israel
conserves its water resources and uses desalination and recycling - but not much about
whether such conservation measures are enough to supply all of its needs and certainly
nothing about Palestinians' access to water.
Considering the deep silence of Arab states, will we see KSA and Egypt join the so-called
coalition and attack Shiites simultaneously in Yemen and Syria? KSA certainly dreams of it.
- In the 1st quarter of 2017 there was someone who said that there was a "Civil war" going on
in the US between the Democrats and the Republicans. For a long time I thought that this
person had "gone bonkers". But now with Mueller and the FBI raiding the offices of Trump's
lawyer Micheal Cohen I have changed my mind. There certainly is such a "civil war" going on.
And I fear this "Civil War" will NOT increase "stability" in the US political system.
- David Stockman made a prediction that Trump won't be president when the year 2019 starts.
Leaks of British military personnel captured during the military operation in
the eastern Ghouta.
The claim in this article that Assad's victory is a fait accomplis is often heard these days.
I think it is flaming bunkum. Assad is doomed. He's been set up by his pal Putin, who
repeatedly allowed Syria's enemies to reset, to consolidate and strengthen their positions.
Now Assad 'governs' a chunk of Syria that is crammed full of desperate people and destroyed
infrastructure but lacks resources. Russia appears ready to work out deals with the US and
Turkey and Israel in which they will be guaranteed control over large pieces of Syria. Assad
is in the way of that process going forwards. I doubt he will survive the coming bombing. If
he is smart, he has already left Syria. Perhaps Russia will allow him to take refuge in
Russia, if he finally bows to Russia's 'realpolitik'. Meanwhile Russia is sending the usual
signals that they will only respond to attacks on Syria that directly affect Russia (in an
undeniable way). Perhaps a bit of symbolic fracas will happen between Russia and the US just
to keep up appearances a little bit. Humanity desperately needs some people with good hearts
to take on some leadership roles, but instead we get a steady diet of realpolitik creepos.
If indeed they have foreigners, they will be paraded on TV and the West will blame the evil
dictator to use such practices (another problem is how you prove that the bearded guy is here
for SF and not for djihad as any kid). This and the OPCW landing (it's always possible to
bomb something in Abu Kamal while people travel between Damascus and the Ghouta) will have a
flavor of Irak 2003 redux.
Douma false flag should be judged as a part desperate attempt to reverse gains of Assad in the civil war and create a Sunny
theocracy to compensate for loss on Iraq as a countervailing force for Iran due to Bush Iraq war blunder.
Notable quotes:
"... So Putin was so ignorant that he didn't realize that Syria is a strategic/political extension of Iran into Israel's neighborhood? I don't buy it. Russia wasn't naive about anything, has enjoyed major success in Syria and there's no reason to question its actions.. ..."
"... One side is telling lies. It always amazes me at just how uncritical the media are when really important things are at stake. For me, the rush to action before any investigation betrays that its not the facts that count but what the US wants. Who said shoot first and ask questions later? ..."
"... "Assad's regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory," said senior officials in the defense establishment. ..."
"... So, perfect time for Israel to fabricate claims of an attack from Syria, or maybe stage one somehow to justify their planned 1) assassination of Assad, 2) further destruction of Syrian/Russian air defenses and 3) wide-scale attacks on Iranian anything in Syria. Syria will, of course, deny any attacks on Israel. But the seed for the coming narrative has already been planted with the strikingly odd suggestion of Iranians 'borrowing' Syrian army systems. If Israel can't provoke Syria or Iran to attack, then it will just have to make one happen. ..."
"... Libya is a huge lesson for both Russia and China for their believing the perfidious AZ's preaching of high moral and of law and order. Since then on Rrussia and China are not afraid to use their UN veto rights to fight against the treacherous US/UK/Fr. ..."
"... Syria is surely a very important part of Russia's long term strategy, i.e. its navy base in E. Mediterranrean, for such a foodhold in warm see water had Russia Empire fought quite a few wars, gas and oil business, grain export to ME. ..."
Russia's main impediment is that it cannot allow the conflict to become purely economic,
as it is more vulnerable economically than militarily.
Thus Russia needs to respond to an attack either by doing nothing or by striking with such
force that the West is not given the option of creating an economic blockade while
maintaining its economic advantages.
One option would be to strike Saudi oil fields, which would be devastating to the West
without necessarily leading to a full-blown nuclear war.
@99 So Putin was so ignorant that he didn't realize that Syria is a strategic/political
extension of Iran into Israel's neighborhood? I don't buy it. Russia wasn't naive about
anything, has enjoyed major success in Syria and there's no reason to question its
actions..
One side is telling lies. It always amazes me at just how uncritical the media are when
really important things are at stake. For me, the rush to action before any investigation
betrays that its not the facts that count but what the US wants. Who said shoot first and ask
questions later?
When really smart people do crazy things you know you are missing something important. Why
would anyone in their right mind risk a war with Russia and vice versa? They woulnd't unless
it was part of a mutually agreed script.
Perhaps what happens next is Trump lobs a few missiles on Syria and takes out the USS
Donald and blames Russia for that . Like the USS Maine and USS Maddox. Putin has already
helped make such an allegation believable.
Then we can Prepare for a long Fake War like in Orwells 1984 with skirmishes in places like
Iran, Syria and Ukraine. The real enemy and target is the constitution and the people,
including those in the Democratic West.
A war with a credible enemy replaces the GWOT which
was running on fumes. Putin so kindly made Russia a credible threat to the people with his
public announcement of their new weapons. That was no accident. This will be the end of even
the illusion of Democracy, which is all we have.
Trump will be given dictatorial powers and we may prepare for the Internet kill switch to
be flipped. Maybe Putin and Trump will join China's President as Presidents for life.
I understand your Trotskyist point of view which has many merits. Currently we have nothing
but reactionary regimes all over the planet, of course including the Russian and the Chinese
one.
But still there are some crucial differences. It is the west bloc which wants to inflame
the world, not the Russians and the Chinese. You're right when you speak about an appeasing
Russian approach, but we may not know some important factors.
For instance to an all
confrontational stance you need a prepared army in your back. Maybe this wasn't the case some
years ago. I assume now it's different. Some in the west want go to war, and even if its not
clear if the economic situation is that bad, that it leaves war as the only 'solution' I'm
afraid they will succeed. You should not overestimate the power of rationality.
If the Iranians act against Israel from Syrian territory, Syrian President Bashar Assad and
his regime will be those that pay the price."
That is the clear message from senior officials in the Israeli defense establishment and
IDF after the top adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei called a strike on the
Syrian T-4 air base "Israel's crime" and said the alleged act would "not remain without
response."
"Assad's regime and Assad himself will disappear from the map and the world if the
Iranians do try to harm Israel or its interests from Syrian territory," said senior
officials in the defense establishment.
"Our recommendation to Iran is that it does not try to act, because Israel is determined
to continue on this issue to the very end," the officials said.
And the most telling statement:
Expanding on Liberman's comments, security officials believe that Iran may try to retaliate
to the alleged Israeli attack, either with Iranian weapons transported into Syria from Iran
or by "borrowing" Syrian army systems.
So, perfect time for Israel to fabricate claims of an attack from Syria, or maybe stage
one somehow to justify their planned 1) assassination of Assad, 2) further destruction of
Syrian/Russian air defenses and 3) wide-scale attacks on Iranian anything in Syria. Syria
will, of course, deny any attacks on Israel. But the seed for the coming narrative has
already been planted with the strikingly odd suggestion of Iranians 'borrowing' Syrian army
systems. If Israel can't provoke Syria or Iran to attack, then it will just have to make one
happen.
Note this is all happening at a time when the US is removingswapping carrier strike groups in the Middle East. The Roosevelt and pals left the
PersianArabian Gulf a while back to provoke the
Chineseconduct operations in the South China Sea.
So, no vulnerable carriers in the area right now and not enough destroyers to launch any
kind of sizeable Tomahawk attack.
The Truman CSG with 6,500 sailors just left Newport. It will reach the Mediterranean with
six guided-missile destroyers, a guided-missile cruiser and even a German and Danish
frigate. The Roosevelt CSG only had three destroyers and a cruiser. The Truman CSG will join
the guided-missile destroyer Donald Cook, already in the Mediterranean, which is apparently
being used to bait the Russians for now. I half-expect that to be hit soon in an Israeli
false-flag to 'repurpose' the CSG arriving next week. The Israelis tried the same thing with
the Liberty (to be blamed on UAR/Egypt) in order to drag the US into their Six-Day War.
In any case, there is simply not enough imaginary 'chemical weapons sites' to target in
any cruise missile attack. The real intent of Israel and the US will be (IMHO) to completely
destroy any Syrian air defense capability once and for all. The Syrian Air Force aircraft are
a secondary, far less important target. Without any air defense, the Israeli and Coalition of
Evil can pick them off one-by-one. This scenario puts Russia in a difficult position: it
would have to fire its own SAMs at any aircraft attacking Syria - something it has not done
before. Anything missiles fired at Israeli aircraft up until now has been from Syrian air
defense sites - the Russians only provide a network for all Syrian/Russian radars.
Neither the US nor Israel are going to do much on the ground in Syria until they have
unrestricted air dominance - at least over their head-chopper safe zones. The US has their
DEMC and FSA MaT mercs ready to seize the entire Syrian/Iraqi border, and they can't be
bothered with pesky Russian or Syrian aircraft interfering with that land-grab.
8 years ago, Russia was just in the process of fixing the basket caseshe had become in 1992. Her power had not yet been restored as is the case
now. Also, the internal situation was not what it is now with a just reelected popular
President. Russia may assert herself now. She was not yet as well wed with China and Iran.
A good parallel could be the rise of Germany from 1933 to 1939. From ashes to glory.
Mattis: US 'still assessing' suspected Syria chemical weapons attack.
Defense Secretary James Mattis said Wednesday that the United States and its allies were
"still assessing" reports of a chemical weapons attack in Syria, and that they are working on
options to respond.
"We're still assessing the intelligence, ourselves and our allies. We're still working on
this," Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon prior to meeting with defense officials from the
Netherlands. . .
here
@ PavewayIV with his scenario on the Syria battle plan of empire
Thanks...I don't like what you say but will accept its potential because of your contacts.
I don't think the Western coalition will be successful but can't say why.....more of a
hope
I am beginning to think this situation is like an iceberg with only a bit showing and tons
existing below the surface.......I will ask again....what is China doing during this bullying
of its neighbor?
In a way I am glad to see this crisis developing and hope that it resolves the centuries
long cancer of private finance in our social contract.
In November a 'blue wave' will sweep up Congress for Clintonites, soon after which Trump will
be impeached.
Russia + US friends are organizing a preemptive WW3 lightshow to establish facts between
your ears, as in, a new Cold War.
Why? Because the War on Terror advantages the Clintonite Deep State 'Octopus' crime family;
best to have a new Cuban Missile Crisis now rather than chance an uncontrolled scenario under
Pence.
I'm not sure how the show will play out but certainly both Russia and it's US 'partners'
will achieve their desired goals including the strengthening of large nation states as
against the medievil multipolar NWO preffered by the Transnational Zionist elite and which
Tillerson was working hard to create before he was fired via the same twitter account now
being used to play up the drama in this spirit of the WWF.
Libya is a huge lesson for both Russia and China for their believing the perfidious
AZ's preaching of high moral and of law and order. Since then on Rrussia and China are not
afraid to use their UN veto rights to fight against the treacherous US/UK/Fr.
Syria is surely a very important part of Russia's long term strategy, i.e. its navy base
in E. Mediterranrean, for such a foodhold in warm see water had Russia Empire fought quite a
few wars, gas and oil business, grain export to ME.
There is no doubt Russia will defend its interest in Syria, but at price will it be
willing to pay?
That's why I talk about "vital national interests" , for which Russia will not
hesitate for a second to sacrifice tens of thousands, millions or even tens of millions of
Russian lives, such as Chechen War, Stalingrad War.
19.10.1950 China sent hundreds of thousands of soliers with rudiment weapons, almost no
air support and even no adequate winter uniform to fight against so-called UN Army consisting
of 23 countries (US/UK/Australia/Canada/France/Turkey/Netherlands/Belgium/S. Africa,etc.). It
succeeded in pushing away US Army from Chinese-Korean border to the 38th parallel with
366,145 death and injured from Chinese Army.
I am sure the brave Syrian Army and Syrian people are and will be fighting for their
motherland until the last drop blood as they have been doing for the past 7 years. With
Russian soldiers embedded in SAA, S-400 and Russian Navy are on high alert, any strikes US
& Co want to make against Syria, they have to think of the possible consequence of their
fatal self-destruction.
Take a look at what Bakerpete @68 wrote about Sun Tzu: The fundamental strategies of Sun
Tzu are 1). a leader must look after and improve his own people first, 2). leading an
opponent to defeat himself is the very best outcome and 3). whether victorious or not
open combat should be regarded as a failure.
psychohistorian @60
From what I read China has been and is doing:
Standing firmly with Russia by voting for Russian proposal to investigate the CW and
negating US proposal.
Showing solidarity by public announcing the close cooperation and realtionship between
Chinese Army and Russian Army by Chinese Defensve Minister. This may sound nothing to your
Westerners b/c you are used to Western policians' grandstanding, believe me this kind bold
statement from a top Chinese Minister is very seldom . It really means
something.
Supporting Russian economy by continuousy investing hundreds of billions in Russia
companies and importing Russian products as well as pouring tourists to Russia to counter
the severe economic sanctions imposed on Russia. (Economic sanction itself is actually
another form of hybird war.)
Supplying Syria with food and other urgently needed aids as well as medical needs, for
example 1,000 tons food directly delivered to Tartus, 500 tons to Lebanon for Syrian
refugees.
Providing support in education, medical cooperation and economic development, some are
already under going.
Western MSM does report this kind of information because MSM want to bury it to leave you
with the impression that 1). Russia is alone/isolated in this whole Syrian war issues;
2). to portrait China as selfish/heartless/not caring ; 3) to disheaten the
supporters of resistence to the AZ Empire, a typical divide and rule tatics.
Since the time of Mao, China has always been a vocal and firm supporter of the liberation
movement of ME people, esp. Palestinians.
The US military operational chain of command runs from the President to the Secretary of
Defense to the Combatant Commanders. In this case it is: Trump--Mattis--Votel.
Open letter to the dipshits who are planning to nuke each other....
Just get on with it, please. Im sick of waiting for the inevitable. Every day, doom porn.
Im over it. Just stop talking shit, and nuke each other already. Or else shut up and go home.
For fucks sake, this shit is gonna give me an ulcer, its like Im stuck in traffic that has
slowed down because they think theres gonna be an accident, and don't wanna miss the
potential carnage, and all I wanna do is get home. If the US and EU are such suicidal idiots,
they deserve it. Whoever sets this off, it doesn't matter, you all die, leaving me to my
rural southern hemisphere subtropical peace.
Its Darwinism 101. As much as I like you all,
you've had it coming for a while. Slaughtering each other like fucking animals for centuries,
blaming everybody else, and pissing on the rest of us while trying to convince us its rain.
Keep your pipelines, your WMDs and your ridiculous elections. Keep your Houses of "Lords",
your apeshit crazy senates, and your "democracies". Im ready to kick back and watch them all
get vaporized by your fear and insatiable greed, to watch your "smart" bombs land on your own
fucking heads. All I ask is just please, for goodness sake, leave us poor third world fuckers
out of it. Weve seen enough...
Thanks
Syria news:
> 11 Apr. Russia issued a NOTAM* to close an area next to Syrian territorial waters to
conduct missile exercises on 11-12, 17-19 and 25-26 April, 10.00- 18.00 Moscow time.
Opponent's unauthorized strikes shall be planned accordingly.
> Russian military police will be deployed in Douma from 12 Apr. . . here
*NOTAM -- A Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) is a notice filed with an aviation authority to alert
aircraft pilots of potential hazards along a flight route or at a location that could affect
the safety of the flight. - wiki
It was a week ago today that Turkey, Iran and Russia met in Ankara to discuss ending the
Syria conflict. While the three leaders differ on overall strategies they agree on opposing
Washington.
What were the outcomes of the Ankara summit? According to Kerim Has, a Moscow State
University lecturer, the most concrete and clear result of the summit was the emphasis of all
sides on Syria's sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity. It's clear that neither
the negotiators nor the forces on the ground will accept the creation of a sovereign patch in
Syria under Ankara's control. . .
here
How can the US get back in the picture? Perhaps some bombs and missiles might work? Not
really. In fact it will backfire.
"... After reading more about WHO's Health Cluster partners in Syria, it seemed clear that the Syrian AMERICAN Medical Society was at least one likely source for the reports of 500 chemical victims. ..."
"... And SAMS, like the While Helmets, appears to have motives unconnected to health care. ..."
Syria govt has said Douma has only one hospital, and it received no patients with symptoms of
exposure to chemicals.
But WHO says about 500 people reached "medical centers" with symptoms of exposure to
chemicals.
What medical centers is the WHO referring to? If they're brick-and-mortar clinics with
names, fact checking should be easy. Why haven't they specified?
Regarding the WHO statement that 500 people turned up with chemical-attack symptoms, this is
identified as coming from "Health Cluster partners." From their webpage:
"There are 50 Health Cluster partners at the global level and more than 700 partners in
countries – this is a collective force guaranteeing that the response to health
emergencies becomes more timely, effective and predictable. These partners include
international organizations and UN agencies, nongovernmental organizations, national
authorities, specialized agencies, affected communities, academic and training institutes and
donor agencies."
This raises the question: Exactly who were these "partners" on the ground in an area under
the control of the jihadists?
I guess the NGO that provided the false information to WHO about 500 chemical weapons
patients is the Syrian American Medical Society. SAMS are known for promoting false-flag
chemical weapons provocations in Syria and for having direct connections to the organizers
and killers. By their own admission they have been involved in staging almost 200 false-flag
chemical weapons massacres in the last 7 years.
"Dr. Morad is here today to be an inspiration to all of us." Today, 1 year after the
sarin gas attack on Khan Sheikhoun, UN Ambassador @nikkihaley delivered remarks at a UNSC
briefing on chemical weapons w/Dr. Morad as her guest. SAMS has recorded almost 200 such
attacks in 7 yrs
I would guess the answer is yes to both of your deductions. After reading more about
WHO's Health Cluster partners in Syria, it seemed clear that the Syrian AMERICAN Medical
Society was at least one likely source for the reports of 500 chemical victims.
And SAMS, like the While Helmets, appears to have motives unconnected to health
care.
It might well be that letting Erdogan snack on Afrin was a masterful investment by Putin. With Turkey opposed to NATO intervention,
Iraq not daring to collaborate overtly (no popular support, no majority support among the various armed forces) and Iran working in
concert with Russia to support Syria, opponents of NATO bombing or other escalation can painfully and rather gradually retaliate
against any Us forces ont he ground. Tanf enclave might suffer.
The current plan is to remove all enclaves in the core Syria, so the majority of
people can live securely and securely travel, with highways and railroads cleared from jihadists obstacles. When people work for themselves
they do not need such an enormous external aid, and the benefits of the trade with the West (and the access to Western financial services)
are overrated.
Notable quotes:
"... Russia said it would destroy the platforms that launch the missiles, not only the missiles themselves. Did nobody explain the difference to Trump? ..."
"... It is cynical to say that "Russia needs us to help with their economy". The US under Trump is waging economic war on Russia by implementing more and more economic sanctions. The last round on Friday targeted Russian industrialists, many of whom are not even aligned with Putin. Aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, disliked in the Kremlin, lost 15% of his fortune. The Rubel plummeted against the dollar for two days in a row. U.S. Treasury stooges are now traveling in Europe to press European banks to shut down all services for Russian companies. ..."
"... Well that could be some incriminating info on Trump, perhaps? No idea but interesting poins though. ..."
"... It seems shocking that Russia establishment did not know that US is a fearful bully, or dollars were too good. ..."
"... Just to remind people's that in 2011 it was Medvedev representative of Russian western oligarchic lobby (friendly with Obama and neocons) in Kremlin who was in charge during Arab Spring. It is well documented fact that Assad pleaded with Medvedev in March 2011 for Moscow to deliver already ordered and paid for in 2008 dozens of new combat helicopters as well as massive amount of parts to refurbish and upgrade Russian made warplanes that were also withheld not to upset Israel and US at that time. ..."
"... None of that happened at that time, while at the same time Quadaffi was thrown under the bus by Russians and Chinese UN non veto of the planned NATO agression on Libya, appeasement or coincidence? ..."
"... Once the shooting starts it will only stop if one side decides to stand-down. Which side will do that? Seems politically unacceptable for either side to appear as the loser. Will the fools who started the war stop shooting when their ships wind up on the bottom of the Mediterranean? ..."
"... US war economy needs to offload some ammo in the name of defense. Walking that fine line between raising stock price and getting your arse kicked. ..."
"... MOA is definitely part of this 'collective intelligence of millions of people debunking the lies in real time'. ..."
"... These Neoconservative power-mongers are asking you to accept universal serfdom at their hands or World War III with Russia. You can live as slaves in a pan-global oligarchy of overlapping corporate and bureaucratic interests or you can be nuked. It's your choice. You have 24 to 48 hours to decide. ..."
"... I believe the National Security State's and Israel's goal is to kill Assad at any cost. Chaos is Syria is the goal. Iran would be next step. ..."
"... This is illegal - from the article: "Trump has no authority to order an attack on the Syrian government, which has not attacked the U.S. and doesn't pose any threat to America or its allies. There is no international mandate for military action against Syria, and there is no vital American interest at stake that might conceivably justify an attack." ..."
"... Consider the leaders of the antagonists; May, Macron, Netanyahu, Trump. Each is weak and in trouble internally and are either not driving this madness or are in need of distractions. ..."
"... To fully appreciate the Israeli calls to murder Asad you got to remember that a good part of the ppl who took to the streets in 2011 were thinking Asad is a Mossad spy because after all he had never liberated the Golan. ..."
"... Visit to #EasternGhouta today. Zamalka residents told me that they were displaced from their homes by #NusraFront fighters fm EU, officials told me over 280 British passport holders among them. I was also told these "fighters" will go to #Idlib - Turkey - back to EU. ..."
"... The gloves are off for the alternative media: 21stCenturyWire was taken offline last night (Sibel Edmonds can rejoice). Fort-Russ, SyriaNews.cc and others are also down. Southfront was under attack. ..."
"... Houthis firing tickets at Riyadh and Aramco. Looks like the Houthis at least have the right idea about an effective asymmetric response. ..."
"... One more thing. The current scenario is a prime set-up for demonstrating the old truth that a real war takes on a life of its own very quickly, and can quickly and unexpectedly (i.e. in an "unplanned" way) get out of control. ..."
"... Putin shows again that he is a mature person compared to Trump and it vassals in the EU: Putin: The world is getting more chaotic, but we hope that common sense will prevail https://www.rt.com/news/423835-putin-world-chaos-common-sense/ ..."
"... Trump is a lying ass who insults the intelligence of anyone who would humiliate themselves surrendering to his mega-ego manipulation. When the heat is on, he has no problem throwing his own friends and associates under the bus. ..."
"... I posted the following comment on the past thread but haven't seen it said here so will add. I wonder what China is doing behind the scenes. This seems to me like the time that China needs to stand next to Russia and say NYET! ..."
"... The US are about to attack Syria no matter the findings of OPCW. An attack to try and destroy the Syrian military to prevent the last pockets of jihadis being destroyed. The fake gas attack is a figleaf that will simply be ignored if it falls apart. ..."
"... It is only normal that Putin and Xi will only act forcefully when Russia and China's respectively vital national security under direct threat . Any rational government leaders will do the same except the corrupt ones that would put its moneyed-ones/ruling class' and Isreal's interest ahead of that of their own countries and citizens. ..."
"... Syria has weapons to target US warships, so it's not just Russian retaliation at issue. One of the more powerful verbal truths was hurled at Outlaw US Empire by Russia's UNSC Ambassador who in essence said the world doesn't need/want your hegemony any longer -- act civilized or shut the fuck up! ..."
"... maybe these tweets are some kind of hail mary subversive action by the Donald? letting everyone know about what's coming. I mean, to announce defensive measures would be quite common, but announcing a strike some hours or days beforehand is not seen that often. ..."
"... Trump appears not to understand how deep are his troubles: with Mueller's grab of his personal Attorney's files- Russiagate has morphed into a sex scandal; his base is growing restless over undelivered campaign promises. Trump does Twitter diplomacy and Russia is not amused. The "Russia needs US to help with their economy" is weird. Only 8 months ago Congress passed legislation 419-3 imposing sanctions against Russia, which Trump signed, that limits his authority to lift them. ..."
"... As Putin says, if you know a fight is inevitable, then hit first. ..."
Donald Trump may perceive these bad cop/good cop tweets as a serious way to negotiate with
Russia. They ain't.
Donald J. Trump - @realDonaldTrump - 10:57 AM UTC - 11 Apr
2018
Russia vows to shoot down any and all missiles fired at Syria. Get ready Russia, because they
will be coming, nice and new and "smart!" You shouldn't be partners with a Gas Killing Animal
who kills his people and enjoys it!
Donald J. Trump - @realDonaldTrump - 11:37 AM UTC - 11 Apr
2018
Our relationship with Russia is worse now than it has ever been, and that includes the Cold
War. There is no reason for this. Russia needs us to help with their economy, something that
would be very easy to do, and we need all nations to work together. Stop the arms race?
Russia said it would destroy the
platforms that launch the missiles, not only the missiles themselves. Did nobody explain the
difference to Trump?
There is reason that U.S. relations with Russia are now worse than they have been for some
time and Russia is not responsible for these. The GW Bush administration killed the
Anti-Ballistic-Missile treaty which guaranteed Mutually Assured Destruction and thus strategic
stability. The Obama administration launched a trillion dollar program to ramp up U.S. nuclear
capabilities and ballistic missile defense with the aim of achieving superiority in a nuclear
conflict.
It is cynical to say that "Russia needs us to help with their economy". The US under Trump
is waging economic war on Russia by implementing more and more economic sanctions. The last
round on Friday targeted Russian industrialists, many of whom are not even aligned with Putin.
Aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, disliked in the Kremlin,
lost 15% of his fortune. The Rubel plummeted against the dollar for two days in a row. U.S.
Treasury stooges are now traveling in Europe to press
European banks to shut down all services for Russian companies.
I believe VVPutins measured responses to provocations, relates to a reasonable and prudent
understanding of what resources he has to use in conflict situations...his resources are not
unlimited, and he would prefer not to use them at all, if possible... He has hawks in his own country that want a serious shooting war with the West... Putin himself cannot keep the lid on WW3, solely by himself...
I think this is the first time Russia has explicitly threatened to retaliate against hostile
platforms.
Presumably they're feeling confident in themsleves.
Russia will have to response to any U.S. strike on Syria. It needs to do so to keep face
and the faith of its allies. But it also needs to so in a way that avoids further
escalation.
That would have to be manyfold stronger response then awaited from US strategic planners.
Dangerous game if not impossible to achieve with conventional deterrent.
Something that is very strong, in a different theater and not attributable?
Well that could be some incriminating info on Trump, perhaps? No idea but interesting
poins though.
It is all true but narrative of b how we got he on a brink of shooting war with US is one
sided. Two are needed to tango and Russia tangoed too long enticed by potential benefit for
few oligarchs and detriment to the nation.
Just seven years past and despite unquestioned positive role that Russian played in Syria
mostly to reduce pain and suffering of Syrian people what I read here is unnecessary
whitewashing of Russian initial stand that did nothing but encouraged US and NATO gangsters
to reek chaos that caused tens of thousands dead and injured. It seems shocking that Russia
establishment did not know that US is a fearful bully, or dollars were too good.
Just to remind people's that in 2011 it was Medvedev representative of Russian western
oligarchic lobby (friendly with Obama and neocons) in Kremlin who was in charge during Arab
Spring. It is well documented fact that Assad pleaded with Medvedev in March 2011 for Moscow to
deliver already ordered and paid for in 2008 dozens of new combat helicopters as well as
massive amount of parts to refurbish and upgrade Russian made warplanes that were also
withheld not to upset Israel and US at that time.
Assad was not invited to Moscow at that time while he repeatedly declared that his
military will be able to defeat terrorist insurgence financed by the CIA in a matter of weeks
if Syrian Army is resupplied and paid for already contracts executed.
None of that happened at that time, while at the same time Quadaffi was thrown under the
bus by Russians and Chinese UN non veto of the planned NATO agression on Libya, appeasement
or coincidence?
Russian got their pay off for playing western game in MENA when in 2012 Putin was barely
elected in a quite ridiculous political charade facing CIA/Soros funded failed Moscow Spring
which actually started slippery slope of open western anti-Russian hysterical
embellishments.
What was even more puzzling for those not so sophisticated political analysts was Putin
inconsistent actions and declarations especially in regard to Syria between 2012 and 2014
when he joined US phony peace talks and calling on Assad removal from his post in a some sort
of democratic process only to find out that US do not want peace in Syria but some Saudi run
fiefdom friendly to Israel.
The same appeasement to the west was in Putin attitude to Ukraine until 2014 and its 23
millions of ethnic Russians tolerating rapidly growing western financed Nazism as well his
tolerance of Russia connected Ukrainian oligarchic theft that plunged the country into
economic depression enabling political instability.
At that time Russian minorities in Baltic States were also viciously attacked by security
forces as well by discriminating Nuremberg -- like laws making them, most born there, second
class citizen restricted in ownership and civil rights to organize and to maintain their
culture and language.
All those Putin foreign policies of weakness and submission to the west and that included
reluctance in approach to alliances with China were in sharp contrast to his extreme push to revamp entire military of Russian with
enormous like for Russia military investments and extremely rationalizing it giving them 5
year term to accomplish massive changes while dropping hype about future fancy technologies
for simple solutions that effectively will defend the country from western aggression.
Putin knew what was coming so why Kremlin policies of appeasement and hence encouragement
of bullying and aggression. Who was really in charge?
In fact Putin reacted only when Russian vital national security was directly threatened in
2014 in Crimea where navy bases are located and in 2015 when he realized that western trained
and funded terrorist army commanded by Chechnya Russian speaking terrorists is being prepared
to invade Chechnya after Assad was deposed and the only maditeranian navy base was
threatened.
As always in history policy of appeasement of a bully leads to the same thing ultimate
confrontation, more delayed more costly it is.
So is Putin as Xi for that matter is about to submit their nations to the western
oligarchy even more for their personal advancement at the global oligarchic table or they
split which means war.
I do not think war is coming they have too good thing going and their power is not
threatened by the enslaved people.
Russia roll over?
The U.S. totally fails to understand the Russian character; failing that is a total failure
for any hope of resolving this conflict without war.
Russia will never "bend the knee" to anybody, much less the U.S., in all of its corruption
and contempt for true Christian values.
The U.S. in fact has no idea of the adversary they face; a sure path to defeat!
Once the shooting starts it will only stop if one side decides to stand-down.
Which side will do that? Seems politically unacceptable for either side to appear as the
loser. Will the fools who started the war stop shooting when their ships wind up on the
bottom of the Mediterranean?
How long before somebody decides it's better to use em then lose
em and launches a preemptive strike? You can bet both sides will launch on warning if a
shooting war is in progress.
A key factor is the OPCW, which ought to be deploying to Douma soon. OPCW Will Deploy Fact-Finding Mission to Douma, Syria
THE HAGUE, Netherlands -- 10 April 2018 -- Since the first reports of alleged use of
chemical weapons in Douma, Syrian Arab Republic, were issued, the Organisation for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has been gathering information from all available
sources and analysing it. At the same time, OPCW's Director-General, Ambassador Ahmet
Üzümcü, has considered the deployment of a Fact-Finding Mission (FFM) team
to Douma to establish facts surrounding these allegations.
Today, the OPCW Technical Secretariat has requested the Syrian Arab Republic to make the
necessary arrangements for such a deployment. This has coincided with a request from the
Syrian Arab Republic and the Russian Federation to investigate the allegations of chemical
weapons use in Douma. The team is preparing to deploy to Syria shortly. . . . here
There has been no OPCW report on Salisbury early this week as promised.
" There has been no OPCW report on Salisbury early this week as promised." Just wait soon we will read: "BBC: Chemicals used to poison Skirpal, made in secret lab in Syria"
When I was in high school I was 6'3" and weighed 235, starting linebacker and the team's
leading tackler. My father, who tended to intimidate me, made it very clear to me that big
men do not use their size and strength to their own advantage, and that if he ever heard that
I was bullying anyone, or even throwing my weight around, he would make me rue the day. He
set the example, as he was himself a rather gentle giant type.
There was two exceptions to the rule. First, if I was ever picked upon myself, I was
required to allow three strikes and then I could impose whatever violence I wished upon my
tormentor. Second, if I observed someone smaller being bullied I was free to persuade the
bully to desist using whatever means I had available to me.
My father was not Russian, but I suspect his forefathers would have understood Putin's
quite well.
I've liked Tom Luongo's take on things. MOA is definitely part of this 'collective
intelligence of millions of people debunking the lies in real time'.
Luongo
'We live in an age where the speed of communication is too much for these people to
maintain their lies for very long, if at all.' (this is why the war mongers look for a fast
response)
'Defy the West however you have to Mr. Putin. It's obvious Mr. Trump isn't up to the
job.
These Neoconservative power-mongers are asking you to accept universal serfdom at their
hands or World War III with Russia. You can live as slaves in a pan-global oligarchy of
overlapping corporate and bureaucratic interests or you can be nuked. It's your choice. You have 24 to 48 hours to decide.
You (DT) have to signal that you are in charge and not the paper-hangers and criminals you
were elected to fight against. You want our continued support earn it. Because this is not
Making America Great Again.'
Most likely, in my opinion, a US attack would be against four to six Syrian airfields, an
expansion of last year's attack on one airfield. Syria would currently be moving its aircraft
to more protected airfields. Cratered runways can be repaired quickly. Perhaps some command
& control centers would also be hit. This would make a big splash, but have little or no
long-term results.
This is illegal - from the article: "Trump has no authority to order an attack on the Syrian government, which has not
attacked the U.S. and doesn't pose any threat to America or its allies. There is no
international mandate for military action against Syria, and there is no vital American
interest at stake that might conceivably justify an attack."
Consider the leaders of the antagonists; May, Macron, Netanyahu, Trump. Each is weak and in
trouble internally and are either not driving this madness or are in need of distractions.
If
Russia responds to an attack I would think it needs to hit those who need to be hurt the
most; those in the background. Hitting Israel I believe would be a mistake as it is the most
likely to cause a panic and trigger something really stupid. I'm in the camp that believes
Russia and China (in particular) are working as hard as possible to manage the US collapse
and will back off as much as possible. America's self-destruction is ongoing and the safest
thing to do is give it the space it needs. Yes, many innocent people are dying but the
alternative is many millions dying.
At least half of the American populace is shot through with a deep abiding ignorance.
I wonder if Trump is really as ignorant as he seems or if he is simply reciting his stupid
lines. Compromised by blackmail. Christ, what more shit can they pile on him openly? He's in
deep shit already. Surely they've got something on him in secret that would destroy him
utterly. He seems like a genuinely ignorant ass. Very believable if its theater.
@27
US presidents have been ordering attacks on other countries forever w/o repercussions. It
goes 'way back, to the extermination of the Native Americans.
Russia needs to announce its has discovered who is arming and funding the terrorists!!
Call these countries it and make it explicit that in the event of any US strikes Russia
will hold these countries responsible for the conflict and take whatever measures it deems
appropriate.
And who are these countries?? Why - 5 Arab Monarchies of course!!
Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain & Jordan. Plenty of juicy infrastructure targets there to destroy in an symmetrical response. Don't worry about sinking the USS Sitting Duck - strike asymmetrically
To fully appreciate the Israeli calls to murder Asad you got to remember that a good part of
the ppl who took to the streets in 2011 were thinking Asad is a Mossad spy because after all
he had never liberated the Golan.
British and American forces have been destroyed on a large scale in the Ghouta region, with
the 22nd regiment of the SAS, those surviving the pinpoint Russian bombing, that is, having
to flee on buses in disguise. This is the reason for Skripal plan and the chemical weapons
false flag. This anyway is according to this incendiary report which is worth a watch
whatever you make of it. https://vimeo.com/263728681
Visit to #EasternGhouta today. Zamalka residents told me that they were displaced from
their homes by #NusraFront fighters fm EU, officials told me over 280 British passport
holders among them. I was also told these "fighters" will go to #Idlib - Turkey - back to
EU.
European jihadists are on their way back to Europe. You reap what you sow.
GDP is not the only deciding fact of a war. How many hundred time is US' GDP to that of
Afaghanistan's Taliban? Yet US can't win Taliban in its 17-year long war.
One important issue that many commentators are not addressing is determining the real purpose
of this strike:
1. Is the purpose merely symbolic, and so undertaken with an eye as much toward domestic
politics in the US and UK as toward Syria? If so, then Russia will be unofficially advised of
the strike in advance, targets will be so-called "chemical factories" made up for the US-UK
public's consumption, maybe a few airfields, and that is that.
2. But what if the purpose is not merely symbolic? What if Israel and the US have decided
that, with the now-complete clearing of Ghouta by the Syrian Army, this is their last
plausible chance to decimate the political infrastructure of Syria, break the country, and
divide it up once and for all? If that is the true purpose of the strike, then there is
simply no way it can be undertaken without leading to Russian casualities. Furthermore, its
end result--a Syria transformed into Libya--would be *precisely* the thing that motivated
Russia to get involved in the first place. For Putin, neither unanswered Russian casualties,
nor such an immense, costly, and public foreign policy failure as Syria would then have
proven to be, are without domestic political consequence. Putin would almost necessarily have
to respond militarily in such an event.
So far, however, it remains unclear which kind of strike the proposed strike will be. The
publicity, international coalition, etc. all point to the second kind of strike--the shock
and awe destruction of a nation kind of strike--but the official rhetoric coming from the US
and France is ambiguous.
I am betting that the US/UK/France is partly motivated and pressured by Israel to
undertake the second kind of strike, but recognizes that this will put Putin in an impossible
situation, and will likely result in a great number of US and NATO casualities, escalation to
world war, and quite possibly nuclear conflict. Were I Russia, I would let the US-UK know
that a symbolic strike is acceptable, and work out an understanding of targets, etc. that
Russian troops should avoid. I would also let them know that anything stronger will not only
be defended proportionately, but will immediately result in Russia's asymmetrical attack upon
significant Western interests in the region. Everybody will know this means Israel.
But what do I know. The U.S. can't be trusted, and doesn't act as a rational state-actor,
and that is the problem.
The gloves are off for the alternative media: 21stCenturyWire was taken offline last night
(Sibel Edmonds can rejoice). Fort-Russ, SyriaNews.cc and others are also down. Southfront was
under attack.
I noticed that too about 21stCW and Southfront. Craig Murray's blog has also been under
attack and was down intermittently yesterday. This makes me fear that the kind of strike
envisioned is a nation-destroying kind of strike, not merely a symbolic slap in the face. The
domestic preparations seem to be pointing in this direction.
Putin just said, according to RT: "The World is getting more chaotic, but we hope that common
sense will prevail". My interpretation of this sentence is that Putin is absolutely determined
not to refuse engagement and will take this to its consequences. He "hopes" common sense will prevail but doesn't expect it.
Bill H @22: That's good parenting we need in this world.
0use4msm @45: Before the war starts, the Establishment/Deep State/War Party needs to muffle
the voices telling the truth so as to get its propaganda messages to everyone to manufacture consensus.
One more thing. The current scenario is a prime set-up for demonstrating the old truth that a
real war takes on a life of its own very quickly, and can quickly and unexpectedly (i.e. in
an "unplanned" way) get out of control. For example, what if the US and NATO decide upon a
merely symbolic strike that avoids every Russian troop or piece of military equipment in the
area? But what if Israel, disappointed with this result, uses the cover of the NATO strikes
to engineer its own attack upon either U.S. troops (with the intent to make it appear to be
Syrians or Iranians) or Russian troops (with the intent to make it appear to be US or NATO)?
Suddenly we are in a world war.
So even a merely symbolic strike is extremely dangerous to everybody's interests given the
context of the conflict and the parties who are really driving it.
I have to say that everything keeps pointing back to Israel. And I have to wonder whether
there has not been a pre-arrangment made between Russia and Iran (who has promised
retaliation for the bombing a couple of days ago) that involves the immediate decimation of
Israeli military interests if certain contingencies materialize.
Trump is a lying ass who insults the intelligence of anyone who would humiliate themselves
surrendering to his mega-ego manipulation. When the heat is on, he has no problem throwing
his own friends and associates under the bus.
Trump is all about and for Trump. Hence the name on all the buildings, golf courses and if
he has his way Trump boulevard; USS Carrier Trump, Trump Airport, Trump City, Trump World.
He's the embodiment of what America stands for: absolute depraved power begot through
military and economic tyranny.
So he's telling Putin, don't look at all those sanctions and the billions I'm pouring into
the arms race; just believe your lying eyes; I come in peace, reeely. Trump thinking: We
smoked peace pipe with Native Americans; today the ones that survived the genocide live on
reservation; while we have the tomahawks and live in ivory towers. We're in the Pacific, in
Eastern Europe, almost all over the Middle East. You think we're going to let you (or China)
mess with our supremacy?
@44 - nice summary and I hope we don't end up scenario number 2. As you say the US, UK and
now France no longer behave as rational state actors. Some Russian put it well - "not
agreement capable." I am hoping maybe Russia has some back channels directly to US generals
and maybe Chinese ones as well.
I posted the following comment on the past thread but haven't seen it said here so will add.
I wonder what China is doing behind the scenes. This seems to me like the time that China needs to stand next to Russia and say NYET!
Thanks for the forum for online community b. It has been very meaningful for me and I am
sure others. Hopefully it will continue to be through this coming world event. I apologize in
advance for the aggressive actions of my country ruled by the world elite.....sad
Since I posted this comment on the other thread I have been thinking that China should
cash in enough US Treasuries today to get the attention of my country's puppets.
The US are about to attack Syria no matter the findings of OPCW. An attack to try and destroy
the Syrian military to prevent the last pockets of jihadis being destroyed. The fake gas
attack is a figleaf that will simply be ignored if it falls apart. The US would have taken some readings on Russian EW last year and now think they can defeat
it.
Russia will most likely save the S-300 and S-400 systems for aircraft and rely on EW and
close in defenses for taking out missiles. Syrian bases will most likely take some hits.
The two Russian bases are sovereign Russian territory so any strikes against them are the
same as attacking Russia mainland.
Nothing on whether Russian personal are still spread through the Syrian military or have been
pulled back to the bases. I would think they are still at their jobs and like the pilots and
spetnaz will stand their ground against the ISIS/AQ airforce and navy.
It is only normal that Putin and Xi will only act forcefully when Russia and
China's respectively vital national security under direct threat . Any rational
government leaders will do the same except the corrupt ones that would put its
moneyed-ones/ruling class' and Isreal's interest ahead of that of their own countries and
citizens.
As much as we would like to have the counter balance to the reckless US Empire, but we
have to be realistic.
I don't imagine Russia responding much, beyond marginal countermeasures. The Russians have
had numerous instances of 'falling short' in Syria, so I don't know why this would be
different. I think the major mistake will be the comical repeat of the same judgment errors
that Putin/Russia makes; the thinking that they can trust the West at their word.
The wild cards will be Hezbollah and Iran. They could bypass Russia and wage their own
battles. I'm not sure how successful they would be, but they may be willing to make big
sacrifices.
I think there's a power struggle over Syria between Russia and Iran, because Russia is
more self-interested, and is completely locked in to the global economy
As much as we would like to have the counter balance to the reckless US Empire, but we have
to be realistic.
And if everyone thought this way, Goliath and Hitler would rule the world. Resistance to the Empire should be instinctual second nature and counter balance is
greatest check on supremacy.
Furthermore, I think the Western coalition will hit hard. They've clearly planned this
assault out, and probably have the objective of obtaining full air superiority. Unless
prevented I think there will be a rollback of major gains by the SAA. Russia's going to look really bad at the end of this if they don't have any aces up their
sleeves
My personal belief is that Putin has a very deep understanding of Sun Tzu and his actions
over that past 18 years appears to confirm that. The majority of those reading Sun Tzu
misread him as some great war strategist which is far too simplistic. Some fundamental
tenants are that a leader must look after and improve his own people first, leading an
opponent to defeat himself is the very best outcome and whether victorious or not open combat
should be regarded as a failure.
Actually Mali is fully correct,
you need to understand that its not Russia that is about to be attacked but Syria.
No one likes the psychos in EU/US/Nato that wage war like this but honestly, there is no
realistic resistance to these super military powers. I hate it too but we must be
realistic.
Also NATO+US+EU states outmatch Russia easily in power politically, military, there is no way
Russia could win such a war if this escalates too far.
Syria has weapons to target US warships, so it's not just Russian retaliation at issue. One of the more powerful verbal truths was hurled at Outlaw US Empire by Russia's UNSC
Ambassador who in essence said the world doesn't need/want your hegemony any longer -- act
civilized or shut the fuck up! The voting on the 3 failed UNSC resolutions shows that
sentiment's agreed to by an increasing number of nations. And as expected, the Unipolar power
seeking Outlaw US Empire and its puny vassal nations are trying to stem the rising Multipolar
Alliance tide, which they are failing at and they no it, thus their desperation.
Then we have the captured operatives and NATO/Zionist supplied illegal weapons and
associated factories for their production. IMO, enough evidence currently exists to convict
NATO, GCC, and the Zionists for numerous war crimes in Syria and Iraq--evidence that's
increasingly hard to ignore by the actual International Community--a Community that's no
longer cowed by the Outlaw US Empire as they sign on to the Russo/Sino vision of future
possibilities.
And that's what our ongoing Hybrid Third World War's all about--the drowning Outlaw US
Empire's quest for global hegemony versus the vast majority of nations wanting a peaceful
Multipolar world that seriously addresses the several major crises humanity currently faces
besides HWW3. IMO, if the Empire and its vassals attack, their international standing will
hit rock bottom and serious ostracism will commence.
I appreciate this sentiment from you and many other posters, including the Saker, who has
repeatedly claimed that Russia is not obliged in any sense to save Syria from the
bloodthirsty hegemon. But there are many, including myself, who feel that the term "Russia's
interest" does include an intact Syria, and that, any way you want to slice it, if Syria
falls, this is not only a major and irrevocable blow to the balance of power in the ME, but
also will serve to further cage in and cripple Russia economically.
If the Russians had been
set-up better in Libya to thwart the west blitzkreig on Gaddafi, then a showdown would have
potentially occurred there. Now because of the Russian foothold in Syria, the west seems very
reluctant to order a full-on shock-and-awe. Russia knows this and will not back down. That is
why every dirty trick in the book is being played right now. Russia will not just go silently
into the night. This is a very desperate situation...it is not nor will ever be easy for
Russia to do nothing.
@69 Valid point, but Russia will see a major investment in money and lives become undone. To
capitulate, watch Shock&Awe II, and see hoards (re)overtake D-E-Z and allepo would be
demoralizing to a degree that may be akin to how Germans felt when the Allied troops crossed
the Rhine river
Two observations based on past US aggressive actions:
1) The US rarely if ever directly attacks a country that can genuinely fight back. Look at
how threats against North Korea died down after it became evident that they had successfully
developed nuclear weapons.
2) Americans have a very low tolerance for casualties among their armed forces (that's why
they mostly just drop bombs from a safe height). Look at how a single soldier encountering an
IED in northern Syria a few weeks ago was followed in short order by Trump's apparent
decision to withdraw troops. What would happen if dozens or hundreds started having
"unfortunate accidents"?
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States is still assessing intelligence about last
weekend's suspected chemical weapons attack in Syria, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis
said on Wednesday, striking a cautious tone hours after President Donald Trump threatened
missile strikes.
Asked if he had seen enough evidence to blame Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's forces
for the attack, Mattis said: "We're still assessing the intelligence -- ourselves and our
allies. We're still working on this." He did not elaborate.
Mattis also restated that the U.S. military stood ready to provide military options, if
appropriate, and as determined by Trump.
"Stood ready to provide"? Does that mean that it has not yet been asked? Weird writing ...
After reading Trump's tweets on the Nato countries news site, I started to wonder what type
has Donald Trump been doing business with and made profits. Must be crooks with very low
intelligence. If his tweets are anything to gauge his intelligence with. Does really think
Russia would shake by his ignorant tweets. Israel is the problem. Russia has been too
lenient. Like a typical spoilt-child, Israel behaves with impunity in the international
community. All these absurd theaters are simply to divert attention from the coward and
criminal activities of Israel in Palestine.
maybe these tweets are some kind of hail mary subversive action by the Donald? letting
everyone know about what's coming. I mean, to announce defensive measures would be quite
common, but announcing a strike some hours or days beforehand is not seen that often.
Trump had dinner last night with Alan Deshowitz, Jared Kushner and other advisors, primarily
to discuss the situation in Syria and mid-east policy. So Dershowitz, the chicken little of
anti-Semitism, whose philosophy of life is encapsulated in "is it good for the Jews" is
suddenly the go-to expert on mid-east policy. Sounds like a replay of George Bush's infamous
'six Jews and the president' meeting regarding the fate of Palestine.
We'll see what Russia does if the US, UK, France and Israel bombs Syria. Bluster is one thing
but moving up the escalation ladder is another thing.
The West has destroyed the international legal framework that they created after WWII by
flouting international law and the UN charter. They have acted with impunity for many
decades. The whole Skripal affair and now using this false flag as pretext are just new
examples where facts don't matter.
This will be a major test for Putin. It will be interesting to see how far up the
escalation ladder he is willing to climb.
Looks like Mattis is really the last adult in the room, knows this is dodgy, knows and is on
record saying previous cases were dodgy as well (like was told to Obama back in 2013). One
can hope he can convince Trump, and won't be fired. Bonus points if there's a shooting match
and Mattis puts Bolton in his right place, near the dustbin.
"Russia said it would destroy the platforms that launch the missiles, not only the missiles
themselves. Did nobody explain the difference to Trump?"
What I hope is that some smart general will explain to Trump what it would mean for US
supremacy, if Russia happened to sink an aircraft carrier - considering their force
projection is based on that, and are one half of the US military might (the other being,
obviously, nukes).
@81 test.. i think you are wrong... the reason russia is in syria has a lot to do with what
happened in libya.. they didn't want to see that again... i think the line is drawn here in
syria... i do not believe russia will back down here as you suggest.. we can wait and see..
@65 - I have to question the statement that Russia is completely locked into the global
economy. They produce their own oil, have their own finance system that can be separated from
the west now that the alternative clearing network with China (SWIFT replacement) is online.
And don't forget that the sanctions of the past 5 years have probably backfired on the
West by making Russia stronger. Domestic agriculture and industry has had to fire up in order
to substitute for imports no longer available.
Again, Syria is NOT such a big interest for Russia and thefore wont make a sacrifice for
it. Period.
One might think, given the last 20 years, that overthrowing Syria would not be the last
chapter of the regime change story. Who'd be next? Probably a "westernized" or failed-state
Iran. From there, strategically? Maybe nothing more, maybe some of the former ussr-republics
would see uprising? There's more ways than all-out nuclear war to have russia cut down to
size.
Trump appears not to understand how deep are his troubles: with Mueller's grab of his
personal Attorney's files- Russiagate has morphed into a sex scandal; his base is growing
restless over undelivered campaign promises.
Trump does Twitter diplomacy and Russia is not amused. The "Russia needs US to help with
their economy" is weird. Only 8 months ago Congress passed legislation 419-3 imposing
sanctions against Russia, which Trump signed, that limits his authority to lift them.
Big question; we just read Iran has declared it stands with Syria. What about China?
April 03 China's new defense minister went to Moscow to signal to the `United States Russia
and China's military are close. China is also pissed over the recent U.S.-Taiwan Act. Did we
mention the South China Sea provocations?
Consider the leaders of the antagonists; May, Macron, Netanyahu, Trump. Each is weak and
in trouble internally and are either not driving this madness or are in need of
distractions. Bakerpete 28.
Bakerpete you express a common pov I'm not crit. it, I have expressed similar in near time
past. But. One might just as easily argue the reverse: as these 'leaders' are in touble at
home - imho quite acute for Macron (social unrest and much pol oppo, though it will come to
nothing for next two years) and Trump (PTB, deep state scissions and attacks on his person
which likewise won't grip just now, but that situation is far more volatile, unpredictable),
less dire for May and Netanyahu, > that these 'homey disturbances' serve to obscure, cover
up, distract people from murderous, disastrous foreign policies.
To clarify a simple ex. Some class of workers will demonstrate, strike, .. to preserve
their salaries (rightly so) say in F, -- completely occupied with that they have no care or
time for foreign policy (e.g. Syria)..
Is that the Jihadists now have the formula, 1. fake WMD attack, 2. watch Trump's even
larger attack against the brave Syrian army, 3. rinse and repeat. The Russians will either
have to fight or leave Syria.
My stomach is in knots. The evil people who are running my country are war criminals. My
only comfort is that they cannot lie their way out of God's judgment.
Also NATO+US+EU states outmatch Russia easily in power politically, military, there is no
way Russia could win such a war if this escalates too far.
Posted by: test | Apr 11, 2018 12:20:34 PM | 69
This is NOT about winning. It's about humans' lives and continuous endless wars and regime
changes. Should we allow the super military powers dictates human lives? Fuck NATO, EU, US,
UK, Germany, France....
Russia Federation will return to The Soviet Union or further break up if Putin let Trump
off the hook. China, if Xi Jinping did not retaliate immediately against Trump, more than 1.4
billion's Chinese will stave. Do you think China can win (trades or military) if she decides
to fight US?
It's not about winning but stands your ground or return to when China a century of
humiliation under the western power and Japan.
I cannot believe how oblivious the stock market and the U.S. public is to the possibility
of war. Everyone here has the popcorn ready and is waiting for the midnight plumes like it's
the 4th of July. We are talking about Trump's attorney, the Chinese give back to avoid the
trade war, and we seem to think that the Russians will accept their overdue punishment
because deep down inside, all evildoers know that they deserve to be punished by the Almighty
U.S.
We are a nation of self-righteous morons. Pride comes before a fall.
I didn't mean "geographically", although that would surely be a great goal. All this land
and its resources for only so few people, they surely belong to the strongest, not the ones
that happen to live there.
Also NATO+US+EU states outmatch Russia easily in power politically, military, there is no
way Russia could win such a war if this escalates too far.
I'll chime in here. This is a misconception. What does 'winning' mean? It's not like the
West is going to take Moscow. The Russians will use nukes before they let that happen. Can
the west kick Russia out of Syria? Sure but only after the Russians sink a few capital ships
and possibly an aircraft carrier and then we have Syria on our hands. No one in the West will
consider that a win worth celebrating.
Will the west try an all out blockade on Russia?
Maybe but again Russia has the nuclear war card. If an all out embargo can destroy Russia
then as Putin says, 'what good is a world without a Russia'. A few sanctions fine but they
can't deprive Russia the ability to trade oil with China, India, or South America.
If the media is credible.....WHO has given cover. 7 Hours ago, CNN, the Sun.co.uk, BBC and Sputniknews reporting 'WHO states 500 people
showed signs of chemical attack in Syria." That was quick because only 24 hrs early WHO requested access to E. Ghouta.
We are at the point where the global debt ($237 trillion) will never be repaid, needs to
be extinguished. Other than taking Russia's landmass and resources, What better way than
WW111?
When all else fails, The solution is war.
There appears to be a universal assumption here that Russia will choose to wait, to respond
to a US-French-UK-Israeli attack. This makes sense if you base your assumptions on the
actions of Russia during recent history. However, I am not so sure that will be the case. As
Putin says, if you know a fight is inevitable, then hit first.
One other assumption seems to be that a Russian response will somehow be measured, to be
more or less in proportion to the attack. I am not so sure about that, either. If the damned
fool neocons go ahead with this insanity, then I think all bets are off.
We do not know the extent of Russian offensive or defensive capabilities. I think the
Russians have been playing a waiting game for as long as possible, hoping that push would not
come to shove, but if it did, then they would be fully prepared with both conventional and
unconventional capabilities.
President Trump, Vice President Pence, and Defense
Secretary Mattis. (DoD) On Sunday, President Trump
announced his intention to make those responsible for an alleged chemical weapons attack on
Douma, including the Syrian government and its Russian and Iranian allies, pay a "big price"
for their continued disregard for international law. The next day U.S. Ambassador to the United
Nations Nikki Haley declared
that "The United States is determined to see the monster who dropped chemical weapons on
the Syrian people held to account."
President
Trump reinforced his call for action on Monday, noting that the United States would not sit
back in the face of the alleged use of chemical weapons by Syria. "It will be met, and it will
be met forcefully," the president said, adding that those responsible for the attack will be
held accountable, whether it was Syria, Russia, Iran or "all of them together."
Trump noted that a decision to use military force would be made "over the next 24 to 48
hours."
The pronouncements of imminent military action by the United States are not made in a
vacuum. Russia, which has considerable military forces deployed inside Syria, including
advanced military aircraft and anti-aircraft missile batteries,
has rejected the allegations of chemical weapons use by Syria as a "fabrication," and
promised that any attack on Syria would result in "serious repercussions." Russian forces
inside Syria have reportedly been placed on "full alert" as American naval
vessels capable of launching cruise missiles have arrived off the Syrian coast.
The United States and Russia appear to be heading toward a direct military confrontation
that, depending on the level of force used and the number, if any, casualties incurred by
either side, carries with it the risk of a broader conflict. While Russian (and Syrian) claims
of innocence regarding the alleged chemical weapons attack cannot be accepted at face value,
the fact that the United States has not backed up its own claims with anything other than a
recitation of accusations made by rebel groups opposed to the regime of Bashar al-Assad is
problematic insofar as it shows a rush to judgement on matters of war. Given the potentially
devastating consequences of any U.S.-Russian military clash over Syria, it would be better for
all parties involved to wait for a full and thorough investigation of the alleged attack before
any final decision on the use of force in response is made.
There are two versions of what happened in Douma, a suburb of Damascus home to between
80,000 and 150,000 people. The one relied upon by the United States is provided by rebel forces
opposed to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. According to the Violations Documentation Center (VDC), a non-profit organization
comprised of various Syrian opposition groups funded by the Asfari Foundation and George Soros' Open Societies Foundation , at
approximately
12 p.m. the Syrian Air Force attacked the vicinity of the Saada Bakery using munitions
believed to contain "poisonous gas." The VDC cited eyewitness accounts from members of the
Syrian Civil Defense, or "White
Helmets," who described the smell of chlorine and the presence of numerous bodies assessed
to have succumbed from gas sourced to a Syrian "rocket." Later, at 7 p.m., a second air strike
struck an area near Martyr's Square, again using munitions assessed by eyewitnesses to contain
"poisonous gas." Doctors from the Syrian
American Medical Society (SAMS) described symptoms that indicated that a nerve agent had
been used. Images of victims in the locations allegedly attacked were released by a
rebel-affiliated social media entity known as the "Douma Revolution" and the "White
Helmets."
Douma is part of a larger district known as Eastern Ghouta which has, since 2012, been under
the control of various militant organizations opposed to the regime of Syrian President Bashar
al-Assad. In early February 2018, the Syrian Army, supported by the Russian Air Force, began
operations to recapture the Eastern Ghouta district. The joint Syrian-Russian offensive was as
brutal as it was effective -- by March, Eastern Ghouta had been split into three pockets of
resistance at a cost of more than 1,600 civilian dead. Two of the pockets capitulated under
terms which had the opposition fighters and their families evacuated to rebel-held territory in
the northern Syrian province of Idlib. Only Douma held out, where Salafist fighters from the
"Army of Islam" (Jaish al-Islam) refused to surrender. On April 5, the situation had
deteriorated inside Douma to the point that the rebel defenders had agreed to negotiations that
would lead to their evacuation of Douma; the very next day, however, these discussions had
broken down, and the Syrian military resumed its offensive. The air attacks described by the
VDC occurred on the second day of the resumption of hostilities.
There is a competing
narrative , however, provided by the Russian government and those sympathetic to its
position. After the breakdown of negotiations between the Douma rebels and the Russian
government on April 6, the story goes, the Syrian government offensive to liberate Douma
resumed. The Douma rebels, faced with imminent defeat, fabricated the allegations of a chemical
attack. Russia had warned of such a
provocation back in March 2018, claiming the rebels were working in coordination with the
United States to create the conditions for a massive American air attack against Syrian
government infrastructure.
Shortly after the Syrian government resumed its offensive against Douma (and after the
opposition forces publicized their allegations of Syrian government chemical weapons attacks),
the rebel resistance inside Douma collapsed, with the fighters agreeing to be evacuated to
Idlib. The
Russian military was able to dispatch units to the sites of the alleged chemical weapons
attacks and conduct a survey. According to the state-run Russian news, no evidence of a
chemical weapons attack was discovered. Representatives of the Syrian Red Crescent who claim to have
worked in Douma stated that they have seen no evidence of any chemical weapons use there,
either.
Beyond providing a competing narrative, however, Russia has offered to
open up Douma to inspectors from the Organization for the Prevention of Chemical Weapons , or OPCW, for
a full investigation. This offer was
echoed by the Syrian government , which extended an official invitation for the OPCW to
come to Douma. On April 10, the
OPCW announced that it would be dispatching an inspection team "shortly" to carry out this
work. The forensic technical investigatory capabilities of an OPCW inspection team are such
that it would be able to detect the presence of any chemical agent used in Douma. While the
investigation itself would take days to conduct and weeks to process, its conclusions would,
under these circumstances, be conclusive as to the presence of any prohibited substance.
One major drawback to any OPCW investigation is its inability to assess responsibility for
the presence of any banned substances detected. In prior investigations inside Syria, the OPCW
was able to operate as part of the United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism
(JIM) , an entity specifically empowered by Security Council resolution to make such
determinations. The
mandate of the JIM was not extended , however, after Russia expressed its displeasure over
what it deemed to be the inaccurate and politicized findings regarding previous allegations of
chemical weapons use by the Syrian government. The United States has submitted a resolution to
the Security Council demanding that a new investigatory body be formed that would be able to
provide attribution for any chemical weapons attack inside Syria; whether Russia would veto
such a resolution or allow it to be passed has yet to be seen.
The bottom line, however, is that the United States is threatening to go to war in Syria
over allegations of chemical weapons usage for which no factual evidence has been provided.
This act is occurring even as the possibility remains that verifiable forensic investigations
would, at a minimum, confirm the presence of chemical weapons (thereby contradicting the
Russian claims that no such evidence was detected by its troops), and if the Security Council
passes a resolution allowing for a properly mandated investigation team, actual attribution
could be assigned.
Moreover, President Trump's rush to judgment on Syrian guilt is being done in a highly
politicized environment, coming as it does on the heels of
an FBI raid on the offices of the president's personal attorney . In times such as this, a
president is often attracted by the prospect of "looking presidential" in order to offset
personal problems (one only need to look at President Clinton's decision in August 1998 , at
the height of the Lewinsky scandal, to launch cruise missile attacks on Afghanistan and
Sudan.)
If America is to place its military in harm's way, it needs to be in support of a cause
worthy of the sacrifice being asked of those who serve. Giving the OPCW time to carry out its
investigation in Syria would allow a fact-based case to be made whether military force was
justified or not, as well as support a determination of whether or not the risks associated
with the use of force were warranted. Pulling the trigger void of such information, especially
when Trump is distracted by personal political issues, is not something the American people,
nor their representatives in Congress, should tolerate.
Scott Ritter is a former Marine Corps intelligence officer who served in the former
Soviet Union implementing arms control treaties, in the Persian Gulf during Operation Desert
Storm, and in Iraq overseeing the disarmament of WMD. He is the author ofDeal of the Century: How Iran Blocked the West's Road to
War .
Hagios | Apr 11, 2018 8:50:17 AM |
58 I think that the read target here is the Nord Stream II pipeline. They're currently
unwilling to cancel it out of economic considerations, but they think that they could get away
with cancelling it if NATO attacks Syria and Russia responds with "unprovoked aggression."
NATO's attack IMO will be just large enough that Russia has to respond, then Trump and co. will
cease further military action and continue with economic warfare.
Looks like not only "Theresa May and Boris Johnson knowingly collaborated with covert
agencies to launch the most dangerous and dirty conspiracy since the "Great Syrian Conspiracy"
– or since 9/11". They also tried to connect Russia to false flag attack performed by
White Helmets in Syria.
Notable quotes:
"... Taking the first question – who was responsible – the options have been considered widely by others, with a preference depending on one's particular prejudices, perhaps more than logical analysis would demand. Oddly it seems, while mainstream observers have no reservation in holding Vladimir Putin directly responsible for ordering "the attack" (we may call it that without specifying other details on which we have no reliable or credible evidence), "pro-Russian" analysts seem reluctant to hold Theresa May or Boris Johnson directly accountable. ..."
"... Admittedly, were Putin to have ordered this assassination attempt on Skripal, it would only class him as – well, "like Putin". But to claim that Theresa May and Boris Johnson knowingly collaborated with covert agencies to launch the most dangerous and dirty conspiracy since the "Great Syrian Conspiracy" – or since 9/11 – is a far more serious accusation ..."
"... When blood tests revealed that all the 40 people who had gone to Salisbury hospital believing they may have been suffering from "Novichok" exposure were uncontaminated, a natural reaction should surely have been to gently backtrack, realising that the suspected chemical attack was not very serious, and may even have been due to some other "related agent" – as stated by Porton Down – which wouldn't implicate Russia. ..."
"... It might be overlooked here that we are only considering whether Theresa May and Boris Johnson didn't know what their own intelligence agencies were doing. It is another leap again to consider a situation where those intelligence agencies were also in the dark – as might have been the case if this was an operation devised by the CIA or Mossad without the knowledge of MI5 or MI6. ..."
"... Would those agencies – whose record of intelligence gathering and espionage is formidable – not have considered it strange that an ally's operatives chose to knock off one of their spies in a way that would have framed them as responsible – given the aforementioned proximity of Porton Down? Barring some inexplicable act of sabotage or retribution, only an enemy of the UK could do such a thing, but that of course is the least plausible explanation; Skripal wasn't their spy. ..."
"... Sadly in the light of all these options, we must conclude not only that the UK launched this provocation, but that it was a well-planned and coordinated conspiracy directed at Russia in which leaders and senior ministers were complicit. ..."
"... The alleged crimes for which Russia must be punished include other crimes for which it was not responsible, such as "invading Ukraine" (did I miss that?) shooting down MH17 by proxy, and "meddling" in elections, including their own. Given that Russia has already been punished severely for these aberrations, it is hard to believe that the UK and its allies would have conspired once again as a pretext merely for further punishment for the same crimes; there must be some other and far more serious pretext for this scheme. ..."
"... Is it not significant that the selected tag for the UK operation is "the first use of a chemical weapon in Europe since WW2"? What is the constant refrain we hear from the West and its agents in Syria, other than "Chlorine" attacks, and "Chemical Weapons" being used by the Syrian army against civilians? Is it not more than coincidental that the main source of these stories, of Syria still using Chemical Weapons – and now with Russian assistance ..."
"... Since the Syrian Army launched its campaign to liberate Eastern Ghouta, there has been an incredible propaganda campaign from the MSM here in Australia – and across the Western media – driven by headline video reports every day showing supposed bombing aftermaths in which almost the only people present seem to be White Helmets operatives and young children. News readers now even refer to the White Helmets without having to explain every time that they are "Civil Defence Volunteers". ..."
As we conclude that agents in, or allied to, the UK conducted the "Skripal Operation" as a
provocation, logical conclusions follow; this is a well organised and determined plan with
dangerous intent.
As more and more outlandish and implausible details of the alleged poisoning of the Skripals
by an alleged Russian nerve agent emerge, and the already miniscule possibility that the
Kremlin was somehow responsible is reduced to a vanishing point, our focus needs to turn to
examining the details of what really happened here. It is all too easy to be drawn into
this circus show, which almost seems to be playing with our imaginations.
How for instance could "they" tell that Sergey Skripal had touched his front door with his
right hand, while Yulia had touched it with her left, when they were allegedly contaminated
with the alleged nerve agent? Is this just to distract us from the inexplicable idea that the
Skripals were hit with the most deadly nerve poison known to man, but remained unaffected for
two hours?
All these details help us to establish is that the whole story is false – but we
already knew that within hours of hearing about it; rather this helps us to consolidate our
presumption of Russian innocence into certainty.
In fact, while the realisation that agents or states allied to the US/UK, acting with or
without their governments' consent or knowledge confected this scheme to further their
interests is shocking enough, it is only the first step in analysing the conspiracy. The
important questions that must now be answered are these:
Who was responsible? How long were
they planning this? What is their prime motive? In addition we should consider how they intend
to manage the contingencies, particularly if the targeted countries do not behave as they
predict, or if other unforeseen events force an alteration to their plans.
Most importantly, we should appreciate that those responsible for launching this
exceptionally provocative and dangerous conspiracy quite clearly intend to prevail, by whatever
means necessary. This may well include further false flag attacks, or "provocations" as
Russians call them, so being forewarned is to be forearmed.
Taking the first question – who was responsible – the options have been
considered widely by others, with a preference depending on one's particular prejudices,
perhaps more than logical analysis would demand. Oddly it seems, while mainstream observers
have no reservation in holding Vladimir Putin directly responsible for ordering "the attack"
(we may call it that without specifying other details on which we have no reliable or credible
evidence), "pro-Russian" analysts seem reluctant to hold Theresa May or Boris Johnson directly
accountable.
Admittedly, were Putin to have ordered this assassination attempt on Skripal, it would
only class him as – well, "like Putin". But to claim that Theresa May and Boris Johnson
knowingly collaborated with covert agencies to launch the most dangerous and dirty conspiracy
since the "Great Syrian Conspiracy" – or since 9/11 – is a far more serious
accusation .
So this is not a claim that we can make lightly, nor seriously consider except in the
absence of any other "plausible explanation". The question must be – "is it possible that
such a well-organised and fiendishly criminal conspiracy could take place under the noses of
those leaders without their knowledge?" We might call this "implausible deniability".
To
conclude that this is possible, and that the UK's leaders have been kept – to some degree
at least – in the dark about the plan so that they can speak with the conviction of the
ignorant, does not answer this question except to pose another, which is this:
Would a normally intelligent and reasonable person, albeit with a heavy burden of political
allegiances and agendas, rush to accuse a foreign state of organising a terrorist attack on
their country before there was any conclusive evidence, or even any evidence at all of their
responsibility?
Would May or Johnson not have asked – at least privately – the same questions
that we have all asked, such as "why on earth would Putin do something like this now?" or "what
could Skripal have done or be about to do that would force the FSB to eliminate him?" They
might also wonder why Skripal's assassins chose such a stupid way to fail to kill him –
why not simply bump him off with a bullet, after inviting him to somewhere more convenient than
a shopping centre?
But of course the most obvious question these hopelessly ill-informed leaders must have
asked would be this – why would the Russians try to kill one of their old spies with a
novel nerve agent only a few miles from the only place in Europe that would be able to identify
it?
It beggars belief! And it gets worse – this was only what May and Johnson needed
not to know in the first week.
When blood tests revealed that all the 40 people
who had gone to Salisbury hospital believing they may have been suffering from "Novichok"
exposure were uncontaminated, a natural reaction should surely have been to gently backtrack,
realising that the suspected chemical attack was not very serious, and may even have been due
to some other "related agent" – as stated by Porton Down – which wouldn't implicate
Russia.
But far from it – the public alarm was exacerbated by a circus of white and green men
with gas masks wrapping up cars and other suspect objects in plastic and taking them away,
while the leaders started doubling down on the accusations against the Kremlin. Admittedly this
was politically convenient, with the Russo-phobic UK wanting to bad-mouth Putin in the run up
to Russian Presidential election. But hardly worth risking a military confrontation with Russia
- unless that's what they wanted.
It might be overlooked here that we are only considering whether Theresa May and Boris
Johnson didn't know what their own intelligence agencies were doing. It is another leap again
to consider a situation where those intelligence agencies were also in the dark – as
might have been the case if this was an operation devised by the CIA or Mossad without the
knowledge of MI5 or MI6.
To consider that possibility – that both the leaders and intelligence services in the
UK were only reacting to what they genuinely perceived as a Russian sponsored chemical weapon
attack – is however obligatory, as that is what the UK and its allies are implicitly and
explicitly claiming.
It must also be true that this claim – of "innocence" by MI5 and MI6 - must be
demonstrated before we can conclude that other leaders in Europe and the US and Australia
– who received their information from these intelligence services – are equally in
the dark about the perpetrators of this crime, and innocent of complicity in it.
Would those
agencies – whose record of intelligence gathering and espionage is formidable – not
have considered it strange that an ally's operatives chose to knock off one of their spies in a
way that would have framed them as responsible – given the aforementioned proximity of
Porton Down? Barring some inexplicable act of sabotage or retribution, only an enemy of the UK
could do such a thing, but that of course is the least plausible explanation; Skripal wasn't their spy.
Sadly in the light of all these options, we must conclude not only that the UK launched this
provocation, but that it was a well-planned and coordinated conspiracy directed at Russia in
which leaders and senior ministers were complicit.
All this of course is only to affirm the conclusions and statements of the Russian Foreign
Ministry and Russian intelligence services. (though one only needs a little "intelligence" to
do this).
But it is far from the end of the matter. And again we may draw some serious conclusions
from the mendacious pronouncements of the UK government, broadcast around the world following
the distribution of their "talking points".
The alleged crimes for which Russia must be punished include other crimes for which it was
not responsible, such as "invading Ukraine" (did I miss that?) shooting down MH17 by proxy, and
"meddling" in elections, including their own. Given that Russia has already been punished
severely for these aberrations, it is hard to believe that the UK and its allies would have
conspired once again as a pretext merely for further punishment for the same crimes; there must
be some other and far more serious pretext for this scheme.
The idea that this was done for
some trivial reason – such as spoiling Putin's party at the World Cup, or even to stir up
dissent against him amongst Russians – would be juvenile, and quite obviously
unproductive.
Something far more "Syrious" perhaps, to be equally juvenile? That Russia's actions in Syria
were conspicuously missing from the UK's initial accusations looks like an attempt to conceal
their true agenda.
Is it not significant that the selected tag for the UK operation is "the first use of a
chemical weapon in Europe since WW2"? What is the constant refrain we hear from the West and
its agents in Syria, other than "Chlorine" attacks, and "Chemical Weapons" being used by the
Syrian army against civilians? Is it not more than coincidental that the main source of these
stories, of Syria still using Chemical Weapons – and now with Russian assistance
– comes from the UK's very own news and propaganda agency on the ground in Syria –
the White Helmets?
Since the Syrian Army launched its campaign to liberate Eastern Ghouta, there has been an
incredible propaganda campaign from the MSM here in Australia – and across the Western
media – driven by headline video reports every day showing supposed bombing aftermaths in
which almost the only people present seem to be White Helmets operatives and young children.
News readers now even refer to the White Helmets without having to explain every time that they
are "Civil Defence Volunteers".
And every so often, to jog our memories of the White Helmets' heroic actions, we are
subjected to their "fire-hose porn" from Khan Shaikoun, as they treat the supposed victims of a
Sarin attack with their bare hands!
First, the reports are "unverified", according to The Wall Street Journal [1] and British
Foreign Office [2] and are unconfirmed, according to the US State Department [3]. What's more,
The New York Times noted that it "was not possible to independently verify the reports," [4]
while The Associated Press added that "the reports could not be independently verified."
[5]
Second, according to The Wall Street Journal, it isn't "clear who carried out the attack"
[6] assuming even that one was carried out.
Third, the "unverified photos and videos" [7] which form the body of (unverified) evidence,
were produced by two groups which have an interest in fabricating atrocities to draw the United
States more deeply into the Syrian conflict. Both groups, the White Helmets and Syrian American
Medical Society, are funded by Western governments [8], which openly seek regime change in
Syria and therefore have an interest in producing a humanitarian pretext to justify stepping up
their intervention in the country. The Western government-funded White Helmets and Syrian
American Medical Society are allied with anti-government jihadists and are active only "in
opposition-controlled areas." [9] They, too, are clearly interested parties.
Trump's recent musings about ending the US military occupation of nearly one-third of Syrian
territory, including the country's richest oil fields, was swiftly met by Pentagon opposition,
led by US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The US president reluctantly accepted a continued
occupation, so long as it ends in a matter of months rather than years.
Fabricating an atrocity would pressure Trump to maintain the US occupation indefinitely and
possibly escalate US military intervention in Syria, much to the pleasure of Islamist
insurgents, their White Helmet and Syrian American Medical Society allies, and US war
planners.
If that is the intention, the maneuver appears to have met with success. Trump reacted on
Twitter to the unverified (and unverifiable) reports, by dehumanizing Syrian president Bashar
al-Assad as an "animal," who the US president said was responsible for a "humanitarian disaster
for no reason whatsoever." That the US State Department acknowledged that the reports were
unconfirmed failed to restrain the "shoot-from-the-hip" Trump.
Fifth, a chemical attack by the Syrian government would be manifestly self-defeating, and
therefore would seem to be highly unlikely. The Syrian Arab Army is on the cusp of an all but
inevitable victory in Eastern Ghouta. Why would it cancel its gains by handing the United
States a pretext to continue its military intervention in Syria, in the aftermath of Trump
signalling his intention to withdraw US troops?
Seventh, much of the discourse about chemical weapons in Syria implicitly assumes the Syrian
government has them, despite the country cooperating with the Organization for the Prevention
of Chemical Weapons to eliminate them years ago.
Finally, allegations of chemical weapons use are routinely made against the Syrian
government, and while, through repetition, have been transfigured into received truths, have
all proved to be unverified. Jim Mattis acknowledged this at a February 2 news conference.
Q: Just make sure I heard you correctly, you're saying you think it's likely they have
used it and you're looking for the evidence? Is that what you said?
SEC. MATTIS: We do not have evidence of it we're looking for evidence of it .
Q: So the likelihood was not what your -- you're not characterizing it as a likelihood? I
thought I used -- you used that word; I guess I misunderstood you.
SEC. MATTIS: Well, there's certainly groups that say they've used it. And so they think
there's a likelihood, so we're looking for the evidence.
Q: So there's credible evidence out there that both sarin and chlorine --
SEC. MATTIS: No, I have not got the evidence, not specifically. I don't have the
evidence.
What I'm saying is that other -- that groups on the ground, NGOs, fighters on the ground
have said that sarin has been used. So we are looking for evidence. I don't have evidence,
credible or uncredible. [11]
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence, but neither is
it evidence of guilt. The complete lack of evidence, along with a political context that favors
the production of spurious allegations, suggests that the latest chemical weapons claims are --
like all that have preceded them -- dubious at best.
1. Raja Abdulrahim, "Dozens killed in alleged chemical-weapons attack in Syria," The Wall
Street Journal, April 8, 2018.
2. Ben Hubbard, "Dozens suffocate in Syria as government is accused of chemical attack," The
New York Times, April 8, 2018.
3. Hubbard.
4. Hubbard.
5. Zeina Karam and Philip Issa, "Syrian rescuers say at least 40 people killed in eastern
Ghouta has attack," The Associated Press, April 8, 2018.
6. April 8.
7. Abdulrahim, April 8.
8. Raja Abdulrahim, "Syria airstrikes hit hospitals in rebel territory," The Wall Street
Journal, February 5, 2018; Louisa Loveluck and Erin Cunningham, "Dozens killed in apparent
chemical weapons attack on civilians in Syria, rescue workers say," The Washington Post, April
8, 2018.
9. Abdulrahim, April 8; Abdulrahim, February 5.
10. Hubbard.
11. Media Availability by Secretary Mattis at the Pentagon, Secretary of Defense James N.
Mattis, Feb. 2, 2018,
[Russia on Tuesday vetoed a US-drafted United Nations Security Council resolution that
would have set up an investigation into chemical weapons use in Syria following an alleged
toxic gas attack in rebel-held Douma.
It was the 12th time that Russia has used its veto power at the council to block action
targeting its Syrian ally.
Twelve of the 15 council members backed the measure, including France, Britain, African
countries, Kazakhstan and Kuwait. Bolivia voted against the draft resolution, while China
abstained.]
Why petty China always cave in with US. In the latest resolution China AGAIN abstained.
China is a petty colony and people must boycott its garbage, that is called goods. Chinese
criminal 'leaders' still have their slave mentality. They are nothing but petty slaves in the
service of the mass murderers.
They also voted for illegal sanctions against Iran, N. Korea and any other country that
American criminals and mass murderers wanted to kill their children. Chinese petty 'leaders'
are as criminals as US mass murderers. Down with petty colonies and cowards chinese
'leaders'.
Even Bolivia, a small country has more courage than the petty chinses. Long live
Bolivia
California Democrat Zoe Lofgren and Michigan Republican Justin Amash are
circulating
a bipartisan letter to President Trump, insisting that he seek Congressional authorization
before striking the government of Syria.
Defend our Constitution and oppose endless war. Urge your Representative to sign the Lofgren-Amash letter against unconstitutional
war.
Phone calls are best: US Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121, ask for your Rep. by
name.
You can leave a message after hours. (Name, zipcode, request.)
The White House: (202) 456-1111
' Don't know how true it is, but this is what Veterans Today says about the captured
spooks and weapons lab '
Thanks for the links
Gordon Duff [Vietnam Marine grunt veteran] and Jim Dean of Veterans Today are well
meaning fellows and are on the 'right team' so to speak
They are often dismissed as Conspiracy Kooks and they sometimes go a bit over the top
I suspect this is because they rely on sources that are perhaps somewhat unreliable [VT
says some of these sources are ex intel guys...so some truth bending might go with the
territory...]
Here is what we do know last month the Syrian government did say it found a 'rebel'
chemical weapons workshop and this was reported in Sputnik
and RT
What has been documented much more extensively especially in RT and Sputnik are huge
conventional weapons caches seized by the SAA as it liberates various locations from
terrorists often these weapons are visibly stamped with manufacturer data plates from US and
Nato countries
This is beyond doubt
So the logical question is how are these holed up bearded fanatics in Ghouta who are
surrounded on all sides getting this stuff for the last five years ?
There is a logistics question here who and how has been smuggling this into the besieged
enclave [including possibly chemical weapons] ?
That is really cloak and dagger stuff no doubt and actual verifiable info would be very
hard to come by
So there could be some truth to this idea that various Western spooks or at
least contractors are involved in this game of smuggling in everything from guns to chlorine
[which is readily available]
However it is doubtful that these personnel would have been caught by the advancing
SAA
Even if SAA did capture various Nato operators or agents there it might not be something
that the Russian side would publicize [I'm just guessing as a layman here...Mr. Giraldi would
certainly have a much better grasp on the nuts and bolts of such things...]
So overall I think this is a case where VT is perhaps a bit too optimistic
' We are still waiting for the first verifiable report of a jhadi and or family that has
been killed by one of these "attacks", or a cemetery of the gassed martyrs, or even a
headstone for such.
The amateur script writers forgot about that part '
That's a very good observation
With all these 'gas victims' churned out by the white helmets how is it that no
such 'martyr' graves have ever turned up ?
Or this observation as to how those chemicals might be used that the headchoppers are
cooking up in their workshops
' As for what these could be used for, how about throwing into a cellar filled with
human shield pro-Damascus family members to generate a nice pile of bodies for our
"un-free" Western media '
Photo showing the buses with the freed prisoners below
On March 26 even the French AFP ran this story
' In the largest city of the East Ghouta district, Douma, civilians and military
personnel have been liberated from the "jail of repentance," where they were kept prisoners
for years by Jaish al-Islam terrorists '
There were hundreds of women and children from the city of Adra, which was
captured by terrorists in December 2013. Adra is one of the largest industrial cities in
the suburbs of Damascus.
"In such places, extremists tortured the abducted people, forcing them to repent of
their sins. Thus, they wanted to realize the doctrine of a peaceful revolution. But what
sins do children, who were the greatest number in the prison, have to repent?" the source
asked.
According to the source, there were 3,500 inmates in the prison. The terrorists
used them as a human shield to put pressure on the Syrian army, which did everything
possible to save the lives of the people of the city '
So these are the 'good guys' for whom Dump is sending the United States to war
?
If he is as stupid as all that then I certainly hope that the Russians don't pull their
punches
At this point Dump is beyond redemption the sooner his disillusioned base cuts him loose
the better
Gordon Duff [Vietnam Marine grunt veteran] and Jim Dean of Veterans Today are well
meaning fellows and are on the 'right team' so to speak
No, they most certainly are NOT. The problem is not with them talking about conspiracies,
conspiracies do take place all the time
Problem is these guys are disinformation, especially Duffy.
The fact that Gordon Duff is a "disinfo toad" is certainly no secret. He has openly
admitted that "about thirty percent of what is on Veterans Today is patently false" and
that at least forty percent of what he writes is "purposely partially false".
Gordon Duff, senior editor of the website Veterans Today, published an article on May
20, 2014, that can only be described as rank disinformation that is meant to obscure the
truth about 9-11. To deliberately spread lies about what caused the deaths of thousands of
people on 9-11 is an egregious and unforgivable offense. The Duff article, which was edited
by Jim W. Dean, is so full of errors that it cannot be taken seriously, except perhaps as
evidence of his role as an agent of disinformation about 9-11.
Also, both Duff and Dean were 100% supporters of the ZUS/NATO war on Libya, and became
furious when several readers protested and confronted them in the comment sections, which led
to censorship. Maybe Duffy boy's defense contracts he claims to have in Africa and the ME had
something to do with that.
Red Crescent Says No Evidence of Chemical Attack in Syria's Douma
Patients treated by aid group not exposed to any chemical agents
Jason Ditz Posted on April 9, 2018
The Syrian Red Crescent issued a statement Monday dismissing the allegations of a
weekend chemical weapon attack in the city of Douma. The statement insisted their medical
personnel in the city had found no evidence any such attack took place.
Y ou might think it would be easier if not more foolproof for the warmongers to
stage a fake chemical attack in Syria by 2018 than it was staging the false flag attack on
the WTC in 2001, but even this simple but bogus narrative crumbles under perfunctory
inspection, and the lies stick out like a pitchfork in a goat's ass, or UA 175 stuck in the
middle at WTC 2, a lie for the ages frozen in pixels.
Not that obvious lies have been any detriment to the warmongers of the past, even when
George W. Bush told his whopper about watching the first WTC crash on the boob tube because
"the TV was obviously on."
Well, Shrub is part of the ruling oligarchy, so he's an untouchable with royal jelly or
something, like Blair, who probably caught it from the Queen.
In October 2001, Rudy Giuliani was even knighted by Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II,
who bestowed upon the NYC mayor the modest title of Knight Commander of the Most Excellent
Order of the British Empire ostensibly for his "outstanding help and support to the
bereaved British families in New York."
Of course, successful destruction of WTC evidence had nothing to do with Rudy's award in
the same way that BBC's foreknowledge of WTC 7′s destruction was just one of those
doggone quirky things that happen, during false flags, when the evils hacks can't get their
timing right.
Just one more thing. I noticed that the slim 9/11 articles section has been removed from
the front page at Unz Review. Linh Dinh's article from August 13, 2017 "George Orwell and
Mohammed Atta Were Here" can be found under his name, as can the earlier sole entry in the
now-defunct 9/11 section, author Philip Giraldi's 10-25-2016 article "9/11 Truth?" which drew
over 1,000 comments.
After seeing the 3 Stooges, May, Macron and Trump, locking arms to start another war, I'd
like ours (Larry?) to know that if he becomes a wartime president, it will be difficult to
spend weekends in Mar Largo golfing. Think about it.
Red Crescent Says No Evidence of Chemical Attack in Syria's Douma
Patients treated by aid group not exposed to any chemical agents
Jason Ditz Posted on April 9, 2018
The Syrian Red Crescent issued a statement Monday dismissing the allegations of a weekend
chemical weapon attack in the city of Douma. The statement insisted their medical
personnel in the city had found no evidence any such attack took place.
Crisis Group's Sam Heller wordsmiths a different question, the next question: Can the U.S. Respond to the Syria Chemical Weapons Attack without Risking
Escalation?
After a seemingly sanguine introduction –
So far, no international party has said definitively or presented conclusive evidence
that the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was responsible for the chemical
weapons use. . . .
Heller tightens the frame to fit a preconceived image:
While the lack of access makes it difficult to immediately verify, chemical weapons
use would be consistent with past behaviour by the Syrian government. The government
has repeatedly employed chlorine and, more infrequently, sarin gas against areas under
rebel control , as documented by nonpartisan international bodies such as the United
Nations-established Joint Investigative Mechanism and the Independent International
Commission of Inquiry on the Syrian Arab Republic. Chemical attacks fit within a broader
strategy the government has used of targeting civilians and fighters alike in rebel-held
areas. Through brutal means, this strategy renders these areas highly dangerous and
ultimately unlivable, permitting no viable alternative to government control.
That last bit is problematic: if gassed "areas are rendered unlivable," will the British
be holding hosts of quiet funerals for fallen White Helmet rescuers who entered the areas and
came in body-contact with victims?
Heller next constructs a scenario intended to provide a rationale for the Syrian
government to have made the attack, then reports that
"Syria's T-4 airbase was hit by an apparent Israeli airstrike on the morning of 9 April,
although it remains unclear whether the strike was related to the Douma chemical attack. .
. . from Lebanese airspace . . . killing seven Iranians. . . . "
Though Israel declined to comment, Heller noted that
"Israel also struck the T-4 base in February, after an Iranian drone it said was
launched from the base entered Israeli airspace. "
If all is fair in love and war, one must forebear pointing out the hypocrisy of Israel
attacking a Syrian target from Lebanese airspace in retaliation for Iran flying drones over
Israeli airspace. However, the same logic conveys the right to Iran and/or Syria and/or
Russia to attack an Israeli launching site in retaliation for its attacks on Syria.
But even wars have rules, that civilized people comply with -- statesmen like Sergei
Lavrov and Vladimir Putin understand this. But when the adversary/aggressor is a psychopath
who disdains convention's rules and limits, then what?
Israel is not like a drunk or addict that has hit the wall -- such a person is, at that
point, ready for intensive rehabilitation. But a psychopath is not in that category.
What huge imago made
A psychopathic god?
– W H Auden
How does one deal with a psychopath?
How does one deal with a rabid dog? Can a rabid dog be medicated, or re-trained?
What signals do Israelis send about how an entity that fails to comply with demanded norms
should be treated? Israelis insist that such entities respond "only to force." Projection may
be as close to insight as a psychopath can get.
If it is the case that Israel can only be dealt with by force, that the rabid dog must be
put down, then what are we to make of Phil Weiss's recent claim
that Israel's attacks on Palestinians has caused American Jews to distance themselves from
Israel.
Does that mean they will ignore the mad dog as long as it does not roam on their street, or
does that mean they will agree that for the good of their own neighborhood as well as the
entire community, the dog must be put down?
The press in the USA is more effectively controlled and conformist than in Germany in the
late 1930s
Who controlled the press there and then?
What can be said about the control and conformity of the Soviet, British and American press
of the time?
...and nobody goes around beating up journalists or sending them to a KZ.
That's probably because the usual thugs don't need to do that any longer since
they control virtually everything.
A couple of anecdotes to illustrate my point.:
2 of the reasons we don't hear much about mobsters these days are that the press and
judiciary are owned by them and if you do get something published, you run the risk of getting
snuffed. They probably don't stop at mere blinding anymore.
Victor Riesel was an American newspaper journalist and columnist who specialized in
news related to labor unions. In 1956 a mobster threw sulfuric acid in his face on a public
street in Chicago causing his permanent blindness.
"Treason is a strong word, but not too strong to characterize the situation in which the
Senate is the eager, resourceful, and indefatigable agent of interests as hostile to
the American people as any invading army could be." This indictment launched a
nine-part series of articles entitled "Treason of the Senate."
-David Graham Phillips, Cosmopolitan magazine, February 1906
In 1911 Phillips was shot multiple t imes by Fitzhugh Coyle Goldsborough, a
Harvard-educated scion of a prominent Maryland family, at Gramercy Park in New York City.
The intent of my post was to show that the MSM here is conformist and doesn't like to
stray far from what the USG is claiming and what other journalists are writing. Rather than
explore the topics you raise, as worthy of exploration as they might be, I thought I'd offer
what newspapers around the USA were saying about Saddam's WMD after Powell's UNSC speech;
seems a bit more germane.
The Powell evidence will be persuasive to anyone who is still persuadable.
The Wall Street Journal
Piling fact upon fact, photo upon photo Wednesday, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
methodically demonstrated why Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein remains dangerous to his own
people, Iraq's neighbors
The Los Angeles Times
On Wednesday, America's most reluctant warrior, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,
presented succinct and damning evidence of Saddam's enormous threat to world peace.
Arizona Republic
Saddam Hussein's illicit arsenal of biological and chemical weapons, as well as the
equally illicit means that he possesses to deliver them, poses a tangible and urgent danger
to U.S. and world security. Millions of innocent lives are at risk.
Dallas Morning News
At some point, the world chooses to believe President George W. Bush and Secretary Powell
or the international community chooses to side with Saddam Hussein and those who broadcast
his lies to the world. Powell has painstakingly presented a strong case against Iraq.
Greenville News/South Carolina
Iraq is busted. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell laid out the case clearly. No one
hearing Powell's presentation to the United Nations Security Council could doubt Iraq's
actions and intentions.
Jacksonville Times-Union/Florida
The threat is real and at our door. Sept. 11, 2001, stripped away the belief that the
United States can peacefully coexist with evil. Prove it, they said. Powell has.
Charleston Daily Mail/West Virginia
We are a country always loath to fight unless provoked. The reluctance of Americans to
initiate a war needlessly does the nation credit. But this is not a needless war, nor is it
unprovoked. Powell laid out the need, and explained the provocation, in step-by-step fashion
that cannot be refuted without resorting to fantasy.
Chicago Sun-Times
The Dispatch repeatedly has called on the Bush administration to make a compelling case
that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction and hiding these
efforts from U.N. inspectors. Yesterday, Secretary of State Colin Powell made that case
before the Security Council.
Columbus Dispatch
Powell has methodically proved Iraq's failure to comply with U.N. mandates. With each
passing day, Iraq's own choices move it closer to a war that full compliance would
prevent.
Indianapolis Star
Secretary of State Colin Powell's 90-minute presentation to the U.N. Security Council,
buttressed with surveillance photographs and recorded phone conversations, should remove all
doubt that Iraq's Saddam Hussein has developed and hides weapons of mass destruction, in
violation of U.N. resolutions.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Powell's speech to the U.N. Security Council presented not just one 'smoking gun' but a
battery of them, more than sufficient to dispel any lingering doubt about the threat the
Iraqi dictator poses.
Denver Post
The United States has made a compelling case that Iraq has failed to rid itself of weapons
of mass destruction. This failure violates the U.N. Security Council resolution of late last
year which ordered Iraq to disarm. As a consequence and it is a grave one, the Security
Council must act now to disarm Iraq by force.
Salt Lake City Tribune
Powell has connected enough dots to tie Iraq to al-Qaeda and show that this alliance is a
threat to all of Europe as well as the United States.
Manchester Union Leader
In fact, the speech provided proof that Saddam continues to refuse to obey U.N.
resolutions. Any amount of time he has now to comply fully and openly with U.N. demands
should be measured in days or a few weeks – and no longer.
These ridiculous, suicidal gas attacks by Assad seem to coincide not only with battleground
victories against the head-choppers, but co-incidentally with Israel's murderous attacks on
unarmed Palestinians "throwing stones".
What nobody seems to have picked up is the emphasis – and red lines – on Gas;
gas, gas attacks. Why is gas so much worse than being dismembered, disembowelled, and
mutilated by high explosives? Certainly I would favour unconsciousness and death by gas
before being smashed to pieces by depleted uranium.
These relentlessly repeated claims are an exercise with the dual purpose of providing a
subliminal message about the greatest tragedy in human history, repeated ad nauseam. The
massive 'gassing' of European Jews some 65 years ago. Lest we forget.
It does look rather like those Syrian chemical weapon attacks that happen whenever the rebels
are about to be defeated.
I am pretty sure that it was not ordered within the British government and that most of
the British government don't know where it came from, but are willing to believe it was
Russia.
While the CIA does have plenty of form on assassinations, the risk if they were found to
be assassinating in Britain seems quite high due to the close CIA links with the UK
intelligence sector. But CIA agents could have paid someone else to do it.
Mossad is the one group that can act freely in the UK, has a record of assassinating
scientists, engineers etc here, and unlike CIA, can take the risk of being caught. So it's a
possibility – OTOH Israel has shown a lot less anti-Russian hatred than the US Deep
State has.
Normally I'd assume it was indeed Russia – I thought there was plenty of evidence
the Polonium poisoning was Russia – and it still seems possible, but US or Mossad must
be at least equally likely in this case. It's just possible it could have been British
initiated but I doubt it.
I do think it's most likely the person who actually poisoned them was not an employee of
any agency.
Regarding fukus shenanigans,
How could we omit the CIA/MI6 'greatest hit ', the 1965 genocide of 3M Indonesians
'leftists suspects' , The mother of all regime changes ???
The Skriptal caper looks like kindergarten stuff compared to that 1965
genocide.
fukus orchestrated that bloodbath to remove prez Sukarno cuZ he's pro Beijing. MI6 planted disinfo in HK media about an imminent China sponsored coup , supported by
ethnic Chinese fifth columns.
CIA planted 'evidence' of Chinese supplied arms , to be conveniently 'discovered' by Indon
police . [1]
That devious plot provoked a bloodbath by jihadists death squads against the PKI communists
members and ethnic Chinese indons.
CIA whistle blower, John Mcgehee,
The Indonesian covert action of 1965, reported by Ralph McGehee, who was in that area
division, and had documents on his desk, in his custody about that operation. He said that
one of the documents concluded that this was a model operation that should be copied
elsewhere in the world. Not only did it eliminate the effective communist party
(Indonesian communist party), it also eliminated the entire segment of the population
that tended to support the communist party – the ethnic Chinese, Indonesian Chinese.
And the CIA's report put the number of dead at 800,000 killed. And that was one covert
action. We're talking about 1 to 3 million people killed in these things.
[2]
[1]
U.S. officials were particularly interested in linking the September 30th plotters to
Beijing. They helped to spread stories about China's alleged involvement and reported on
caches of weapons purportedly "discovered" by the Indonesian army with the hammer and
sickle conveniently stamped on them. "
We have bonanza chance to nail chicoms on disastrous events in Indonesia ," Green
wrote the State Department. He urged a "continuation [of] covert propaganda" as one of the
"best means of spreading [the] idea of chicom complicity
'Company ' veterans are so proud of that CIA'S greatest hit,
they still reminiscent fondly over it around the water cooler, until this very day.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Your decrying confirms that the British has done something wrong and they did poison
Skripals in Salisbury England. This unscrupulous false flag op, crying foul and smearing the
innocent for the crime they committed relentlessly is a special signature of the
British/Anglo culture and trait. The following history provides the evidence the above is not
allegation but fact.
Nov 24, 1784, a British gunner on the ship "Lady Hughes" fired cannon against Chinese law
and killed two Chinese in Guangzhou. The British refused to hand over the gunner to the
Chinese authority for trail and called up few hundred armed sailors to stop the Chinese
authority from searching the perpetrator in the British warehouses and living compound.
Anyhow the British was outwitted and the perpetrator was tried by the Chinese, convicted
and executed in according to the Chinese law; during that time the British law also gave
death penalty for the same crime.
The British had been trampling other people's sovereignty and law like India with impunity
for a couple of hundreds of years already by then. Never a British was tried and punished for
the crimes, murder or not, they committed since they supplanted the Spanish. British viewed
themselves above all human beings and not bound by any other people's law. The execution of
the gunner made the British Council of Supercargos feel humiliated and devastated as well as
being impotent and incompetent in the eyes of their superiors in London and their peers
(other Europeans) in Guangzhou.
In order to cover their crimes and failures, the megalomaniac British decried Chinese
legal system was barbaric and sanguinary relentlessly like Anonymous[338] is doing here to
Russia. All the Europeans jumped on the British mudslinging bandwagon for the effort to gain
extraterritoriality in China, so they could steal, loot, plunder, etc. Chinese wealth with
impunity like Elizabeth I's Sea Dogs. Soon after the "Lady Hughes" incident the view that
entire Chinese legal system was barbaric and sanguinary or there is no law in China become
the dominant representation of China ever since.
The British then engineered Opium Wars for the vengeance of their "Lady Hughes"
humiliation, and set to destroy the last nation denying their piracy and other unscrupulous
deeds on the moral high ground. If history can be any guidance, the Anglo is not going to
stop at smearing Russia; more vicious plot is going to come.
Bernhard over at his blog, Moon of Alabama, is advocating for the poisoning being real,
but being traceable to shellfish poisoning. The Skripals had a shellfish dish at a local
restaurant about 40 minutes prior to their discovery on the park bench. While very serious,
and potentially fatal, if addressed with respiratory and cardiac support in a timely fashion,
this poisoning is survivable.
The toxin involved in classic shellfish poisoning is a naturally occurring
neurotoxin, Saxitoxin, which agent remains toxic even after boiling or steaming, exactly the
food preparation techniques likely to be employed in preparing shellfish for consumption.
This is, indeed, what makes it so pernicious.
That the Brits, primed for lies in aid of the Hate On The Rooskies campaign, lit on their
story is unsurprising. Of course, the denial of the authorities at the hospital that
anyone , the Skripals and the supposedly affected policeman, was suffering from
exposure to a chemical weapon, along with the refusal of Porton Down officials to lend
credence to the hoo haw that this was surely traceable to Novichok series chemical agents
identifiably produced by the Russians kind of shot some holes in the big lies.
Anyway, cast an eye at the post at Moon of Alabama. Bernhard is pretty damn good at
winnowing facts from the chaff of propaganda, and when he makes a mistake, he openly
confesses it instead of doubling down on a falsehood.
"... Repeated requests by Russia to obtain a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing have been rejected by the British government in spite of the fact that a military grade nerve agent would have surely killed both the Skripals as well as anyone else within 100 yards. ..."
"... It does look rather like those Syrian chemical weapon attacks that happen whenever the rebels are about to be defeated. ..."
"... Actually, I think that in the end Russia has to thank the British for sending a great message to her traitors and gangsters. ..."
Moving along to the present, we have Prime Minister Theresa May. May has been in serious
trouble, politically speaking. After losses suffered in the recent parliamentary elections, she
is clinging to power and is increasingly unpopular even within her own Conservative Party. So
what do you do when you are in trouble at home? You create a foreign crisis that you have to
deal with. If you are someone as venal as former American President and bottom feeder Bill
Clinton you accomplish that end by firing off a few cruise missiles at a pharmaceutical plant
in Sudan and at some mud huts in Afghanistan. If you are Theresa May, you up the ante
considerably, coming up with a powerful enemy who is threatening you, enabling you to appear
both resolute and strong in confronting a formidable foe. That is precisely what we have been
seeing over the past month relating to the alleged poisoning of former Russian intelligence
agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
There is quite a bit that is odd about the Skripal case. Even the increasingly neoconnish
Guardian newspaper has conceded that "the British case [against Russia] has so far relied more
heavily in public on circumstantial evidence and secret intelligence." And secret intelligence,
so called, has all too often been the last refuge of a scoundrel whenever a government is
selling snake oil to the public. In this case, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson rushed to
judgement on Russia less than forty-eight hours after the Skripals were found unconscious on a
bench in Salisbury England, too soon for any chemical analysis of the alleged poisoning to have
taken place.
Theresa May addressed Parliament shortly thereafter to blame the Kremlin and demand a
Russian official response to the event in 36 hours, even though she had to prevaricate
significantly, saying that the apparent poisoning was "very likely" caused by a made-in-Russia
nerve agent referred to by its generic name Novichok. She nevertheless rallied the backbenchers
in Parliament, who responded with a lot of hearty "Hear! Hear!" endorsements. When Labour
Leader Jeremy Corbyn attempted to slow the express train down by suggesting that it might be
wise to wait in see what the police investigation uncovered, he was hooted down. The British
media was soon on board with a vengeance, spreading the government line that such a highly
sensitive operation would require the approval of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin himself. The
expulsion of Russian diplomats soon followed.
One of the strangest aspects of the Skripal case is what is going on now that daughter Yulia
will soon be out of the hospital and Sergei is no longer in critical condition. A cousin
Viktoria Skripal has offered to fly in from Moscow to provide support for her family, but it is
believed that she will not be able to receive a visa from the British. Russian television aired
a recording of a phone call between the two cousins in which Yulia said that she was
disoriented but improving and that neither she nor her father had suffered permanent damage
from the poisoning. The call ended abruptly and Viktoria Skripal believes that it was scripted
by the British government on a controlled phone line.
Repeated requests by Russia to obtain a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing
have been rejected by the British government in spite of the fact that a military grade nerve
agent would have surely killed both the Skripals as well as anyone else within 100 yards.
As the latest British account of the location of the alleged poison places it on the door
handle of the Scripals' residence, the timetable element is also unconvincing. That means that
the two would have spent three hours, including a stop at a pub and lunch, before succumbing on
a park bench. Military grade nerve agents kill instantly.
A request to have the testing done by the politically neutral Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is in progress, but there is little enthusiasm from the British
side, which does not want a Russian observer to participate in the process. The May government
has already established its own narrative and certainly would have plenty to hide if the whole
affair turns out to be fabricated. And fabricated it might have been as the nerve agent, if it
actually exists, could have been manufactured almost anywhere.
The head of Britain's own chemical weapons facility Porton Down has contradicted claims made
by May, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, and British Ambassador in Moscow Laurie Bristow. The
lab's Chief Executive Gary Aitkenhead has testified that he does not know if the nerve agent
was actually produced in Russia, a not surprising observation as the chemical formula was
revealed to the public in a scientific paper in 1992 and there are an estimated twenty
countries capable of producing it. There are also possible stocks of Novichok remaining in
independent countries that once were part of the Soviet Union, to include Russia's enemy du
jour Ukraine, while a false flag operation by the British themselves, the CIA or Mossad, is not
unthinkable.
The resort to official Orwellian govspeak by the British is remarkable throughout the
process, but is particularly painful reading regarding the treatment of the Skripals' pets, two
guinea pigs and a cat. A spokesman for the Department of the Environment reported that "The
property in Wiltshire was sealed as part of the police investigation. When a vet was able to
access the property, two guinea pigs had sadly died. A cat was also found in a distressed state
and a decision was taken by a veterinary surgeon to euthanize the animal to alleviate its
suffering. This decision was taken in the best interests of the animal and its welfare."
So the presence of squadrons of technicians and cops in the residence did not permit anyone
to take a minute to feed the cat and guinea pigs. And the cat was killed as a purely
humanitarian gesture – it's "best interest" was apparently to die. Sounds familiar,
doesn't it?
Finally, the best argument against the British government's evasions about what took place
in Salisbury on March 4 th remains the question of motive. So the British would have
one believe that Vladimir Putin personally ordered the killing of a former British double agent
who had been released from a Kremlin prison in a spy swap and who was no longer capable of
doing any damage to Russia. He did that in spite of the fact that he had an election coming up
and would be the host of the World Cup in the summer, an event that he would want to go
smoothly. So he deliberately shot himself in the foot on both counts, allegedly because he
wanted to send a message to traitors and also because just can't help himself since he is a
vindictive KGB type whose impulses are pure evil. Does that make sense to the reader? It
doesn't to me. Mulegino1 ,
April 10,
2018 at 4:49 am GMT
A great man once wrote that the "big lie" had a force of credulity among the broad masses, as
the latter were wont to engage in lying about minor quotidian matters of little or no
significance while the big lies were engaged in by the mainstream press, dominated by the
usual tribal suspects...
But here's something else I don't quite understand:
To be sure, President Donald Trump has been exceptional in that he has followed through
on some of the promises he made in his campaign, insisting periodically that he has to do
what he said he would do. Unfortunately, those choices he has made to demonstrate his
accountability to his supporters have been terrible, including moving the U.S. Embassy in
Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, threatening to end the Iran nuclear agreement and
building a wall along the Mexican border.
Now, Trump is a sense-free random number generator, I will fully agree. But you list three
"choices he has made" that you describe as "terrible:" the US embassy move to Jerusalem, the
threats against Iran, and "building a wall along the Mexican border." The first two Trump has
done, and I agree that "terrible" is the right word to describe them. The third thing -- the
border wall -- he hasn't done. And had he done so, it wouldn't have been
"terrible" it would have been the obvious and sensible thing to do. I think he clearly isn't
serious about building the wall, as far as one can discern the intentions of so random an
individual. But your list presents three items in parallel, with one item being quite unlike
the others.
Logic escapes the rabid Neocons, anti Christian Russia crowd and their paid henchmen, or
henchgirls , the likes of Linda Graham. (Grin) Unfortunatley the now feckless Trump is
going to go along with this British yarn and the Neocon wish of destroying Syria.
BTW as of this post your site has still not recovered from the cyber attack it had
today.
"So the British would have one believe that Vladimir Putin personally ordered the killing of
a former British double agent who had been released from a Kremlin prison in a spy swap and
who was no longer capable of doing any damage to Russia. He did that in spite of the fact
that he had an election coming up and would be the host of the World Cup in the summer, an
event that he would want to go smoothly. So he deliberately shot himself in the foot on both
counts, allegedly because he wanted to send a message to traitors and also because just can't
help himself since he is a vindictive KGB type whose impulses are pure evil. Does that make
sense to the reader?"
Absolutely. Under the Putin regime, the body count of his enemies has grown. He put the
"de Thirty-four Russian journalists in the last decade just somehow "died". Occam's Razor
applies here.
Consider also that Putin played a major role in the Russian "Deep State".
It makes complete sense if one simply looks at the British Establishment's prior behavior of
intentionally starting world wars at the order of the Society of the Elect. It's all in the
CFR's archives. Their guilt in starting WW1 is emphatically admitted and documented in
roughly the first 200 pages of the following book. http://www.carrollquigley.net/pdf/Tragedy_and_Hope.pdf
Who is in the Society of the Elect? Read the back pages of http://www.carrollquigley.net/pdf/The_Anglo-American_Establishment.pdf
We have moved way beyond the Skripals case now. Simply put, if US shoots in Syria, Russia
will shoot back this time, yes back at US. USS Donald Duck has been placed as a bait to be
sent to the bottom of Mediterrenain sea by the Russians, similar to Arizona et al at Pearl
Harbour.
Many dissenter websites are currently under attack by the cyber forces of the Western
regimes and Israel, one of them being this one. Another site under attack is my favorite
johnhelmer.com. In addition to saying that he is under attack, the current message from John
is:
WHEN THE RULE OF LAW WAS DESTROYED IN SALISBURY, LONDON AND THE HAGUE, AND THE RULE OF FRAUD
DECLARED IN WASHINGTON, THAT LEAVES ONLY THE RULE OF FORCE IN THE WORLD. THE STAVKA MET IN
MOSCOW ON GOOD FRIDAY AND IS READY. THE FOREIGN MINISTRY ANNOUNCED ON SUNDAY "THE GRAVEST
CONSEQUENCES". THIS MEANS ONE AMERICAN SHOT AT A RUSSIAN SOLDIER, THEN WE ARE AT WAR. NOT
INFOWAR, NOT CYBERWAR, NOT ECONOMIC WAR, NOT PROXY WAR. WORLD WAR.
The West is utterly bankrupt, morally as well as financially and we are experiencing the
Western remedial plan and actions – war!
"In 2016 an official British government inquiry determined that Bush and Blair had indeed
together rushed to war. The Global Establishment has nevertheless rewarded Tony Blair for his
loyalty with Clintonesque generosity. He has enjoyed a number of well-paid sinecures and is
now worth in excess of $100 million."
– The character of Blair and the Establishment is well established: Blair is a major
war criminal supported by the major war profiteers. His children and grandchildren are a
progeny of a horrible criminal.
What is truly amazing is the complacency of the Roman Catholic Church that still has not
excommunicated and anathematized the mass murderer. Blair should be haunted and hunted for
his crimes against humanity.
With age, Blair's face has become expressively evil. His wife Theresa Cara "Cherie" Blair
shows the same acute ugliness coming from her rotten soul of a war profiteer.
Keep in mind how long ago all this is: Skripal was recruited around 1990 and arrested in
2004. Guess that the Russian attitude towards Skripal took the chaos of the 90′s as
mitigating circumstances into account.
Skripal served his sentence of only 13 years till 2010 when he was pardoned and given the
option to leave. Russia did not revoke Skripal's citizenship. The UK issued Skripal a
passport too. On arrival in the UK Skripak was extensively debriefed by UK intelligence
services. Skripal has lived for 8 years in the UK now.
And now out of the blue this incident nicely dovetailing with May ratcheted up anti Russia
language only a few months before this false flag incident and the rapidly failing traction
of the Steele/Orbis/MI6 instigated Russia collusion story on the basis of that fake Trump
Dossier. By the way Orbis affiliated Steele and Miller have been among Skripal's
handlers.
Good article. The Skipnal affair has been an utter disgrace from day one. May & Boris are
a shame on the UK fully reminesent of that utter dog, Blair. The fact that the msm still
babbles on about Russia & Skipnal is indicative of their monumental contempt for the
public & factual balanced reporting .well what's new, I guess ?
Paul Craig Roberts is correct when quoting The Saker:
"The Russian view is simple: the West is ruled by a gang of thugs supported by an
infinitely lying and hypocritical media while the general public in the West has been
hopelessly zombified." -- The Saker
These ridiculous, suicidal gas attacks by Assad seem to coincide not only with battleground
victories against the head-choppers, but co-incidentally with Israel's murderous attacks on
unarmed Palestinians "throwing stones".
What nobody seems to have picked up is the emphasis – and red lines – on Gas;
gas, gas attacks. Why is gas so much worse than being dismembered, disembowelled, and
mutilated by high explosives? Certainly I would favour unconsciousness and death by gas
before being smashed to pieces by depleted uranium.
These relentlessly repeated claims are an exercise with the dual purpose of providing a
subliminal message about the greatest tragedy in human history, repeated ad nauseam. The
massive 'gassing' of European Jews some 65 years ago. Lest we forget.
Until some kind of sanity returns to this planet and war mongering gangsters like the Bush
and Clinton Mobs, Blair, Obama and a host of Pentagon generals, along with their boot-licking
MSM are indicted, tried for crimes against humanity and war crimes, found guilty and
sentences carried out, there will be no peace on Earth, just an endless series of False
Flags, hysterical reactions by the ones who were behind the False Flags and more wars.
Balfour already in 1907 announced war against Germany: Patrick J. Buchanan, 'Churchill,
Hitler and "The unnecessary war", How Britain lost its empire and the west lost the world',
New York, 2008, Balfour, to US ambassador Henry White, 1907, page 48/ 49
Because if it is a put up job by the CIA or MI6 part of the plot would have been that they
weren't actually killed. And if the perpetrators were other than those what motive would the
government have for pretending they were alive?
It does look rather like those Syrian chemical weapon attacks that happen whenever the
rebels are about to be defeated.
I am pretty sure that it was not ordered within the British government and that most of
the British government don't know where it came from, but are willing to believe it was
Russia.
While the CIA does have plenty of form on assassinations, the risk if they were found to
be assassinating in Britain seems quite high due to the close CIA links with the UK
intelligence sector. But CIA agents could have paid someone else to do it.
Mossad is the one group that can act freely in the UK, has a record of assassinating
scientists, engineers etc here, and unlike CIA, can take the risk of being caught. So it's a
possibility – OTOH Israel has shown a lot less anti-Russian hatred than the US Deep
State has.
Normally I'd assume it was indeed Russia – I thought there was plenty of evidence
the Polonium poisoning was Russia – and it still seems possible, but US or Mossad must
be at least equally likely in this case. It's just possible it could have been British
initiated but I doubt it.
I do think it's most likely the person who actually poisoned them was not an employee of
any agency.
Theresa May as more evil than Bill Clinton? That will sound odd to some, but I think it is
true. Hillary is the pure evil half of the Clinton marriage. Bill is simply charming and
filled with a desire to amass enough power to have a group adore him as he finds new panties
to explore.
May is English, and she has the very long line of Brit Empire secret service evil at her
disposal. And her move is a bold one. What it means is that she is signaling that at least if
she is PM, the UK could replace the US as Fearless Leader of the actual New World
Order...
THANK YOU, anyone who give Chump credit for anything, is either a useful idiot, or
controlled opposition.
Trump is, like Obama and H. Clinton (and Bush and B. Clinton Reagan though total control
of US government had not yet occurred then) a Zionist agent.
The media is very good at giving these traitors cover, Obama was the "peace
President/Constitutional scholar, as he made war and shredded the Constitution...
I challenge anyone to name a modern war prosecuted by the US government and its allies that
did not involve at its root the direct fabrication of blatant lies on enormous levels, both
as a casus belli and also to manipulate public opinion in favor of hostilities.
The clandestine activity represented by these *provocations* isn't even good spycraft. The
Skripal case and the latest use of chlorine gas in Syria are risible, clumsy, amateur
attempts to wangle the empire into war that the callowest rube could see through. And yet,
it's working its magic on the media. The politicians, suborned by the war machine, give
unanimous bipartisan assent.
Saddam's WMD, Gulf of Tonkin, etc., etc. And now a ridiculous false flag attack in Syria.
Did it take place at all? But the narrative is all. The press in the USA is more effectively
controlled and conformist than in Germany in the late 1930s and nobody goes around beating up
journalists or sending them to a KZ. The Syrian Gov't is winning the civil war, things are
going well but what Assad really needs is to have the crap bombed out of his military by
Uncle Sam. What transparent bullshit.
Churchill advocated both the use of gas as well as terror, so I find it interesting that
so many suddenly tender hearted "officials" and war criminals now affect squeamishness
regarding the use of it, yet fail to condemn Israel for its hideous, terroristic use of white
phosphorous among other crimes
Winston S. Churchill: departmental minute (Churchill papers: 16/16) 12 May 1919 War
Office I do not understand this squeamishness about the use of gas.
I am strongly in favour of using poisoned gas gasses can be used which cause
great inconvenience and would spread a lively terror
from Companion Volume 4, Part 1 of the official biography, WINSTON S. CHURCHILL, by
Martin Gilbert (London: Heinemann, 1976)
The press in the USA is more effectively controlled and conformist than in Germany in
the late 1930s
Who controlled the press there and then?
What can be said about the control and conformity of the Soviet, British and American
press of the time?
and nobody goes around beating up journalists or sending them to a KZ.
That's probably because the usual thugs don't need to do that any longer since they
control virtually everything.
A couple of anecdotes to illustrate my point.:
2 of the reasons we don't hear much about mobsters these days are that the press and
judiciary are owned by them and if you do get something published, you run the risk of
getting snuffed. They probably don't stop at mere blinding anymore.
Victor Riesel was an American newspaper journalist and columnist who specialized in
news related to labor unions. In 1956 a mobster threw sulfuric acid in his face on a
public street in Chicago causing his permanent blindness.
"Treason is a strong word, but not too strong to characterize the situation in which the
Senate is the eager, resourceful, and indefatigable agent of interests as hostile to
the American people as any invading army could be." This indictment launched a
nine-part series of articles entitled "Treason of the Senate."
-David Graham Phillips, Cosmopolitan magazine, February 1906
In 1911 Phillips was shot multiple t imes by Fitzhugh Coyle Goldsborough, a
Harvard-educated scion of a prominent Maryland family ,at Gramercy Park in New York
City.
Good article.
Still, you authors need to start digging deeper. Trump and his Allies are putting on an
amazing show / act to distract their ( and Humanities going back generations) hidden enemies.
The Bad Guys have for millennia weoponized information, convincing the public, reporters,
and journalists that the rabbit hole ends here, that they don't need to dig any deeper, to
just accept this slightly deeper layer of the onion. That warm and fuzzy feeling from
scratching just a little deeper into to information matrix, isn't enough anymore. You guys
have the intelligence, experience, and ability just do it please!
Actually, I think that in the end Russia has to thank the British for sending a great
message to her traitors and gangsters. Apart from the Skripal case, the UK seems up to
confiscate the wealth Russian expats in the UK looted back home. On the one hand, it's ~
$10bn worth that will be definitely lost for Russia, on the other if the UK's treatment of
Skripal and runaway oligarchs won't heal Russian traitors and gangsters from their blissful
enamourment with England's climate, I don't know what will.
I can't find the comment because the comment archive is down -- I think it was annamaria
who reported that the British were holding assets of Russian oligarchs and that Russia wanted
the funds back. The speculation was that Teresa May would take possession of the assets.
As these two articles state, most of the Russian billionaire oligarchs are Jewish
US Treasury Putin List Features Jewish Billionaires Times of Israel
So at least (conspiracy theory) part of the Skripal scheme is for Teresa May to be an
angel and return their assets to the Jewish billionaires who stole Russian wealth fair and
square.
I am very fond of the British. They have provided a good deal of what makes the US a healthy
and blessed place to live.
But I will admit that I was disappointed in PM Blair on the Iraq invasion and that of
Afghanistan. It seemed so blatantly obvious to me, that I thought there was no way the prime
minister would buy in. I was wrong. But then who would have believed that the Tory's would
abandon natural relations for same sex relations, muchless marriage.
It's unclear how to respond when the leadership is so afraid that they advance anything to
avoid grappling with hard reality. PM May has the hurdle of guiding Great Britain out of the
EU.
I too noticed that and agree with you. Do not understand why the National Guard can only
serve in a supportive, non-enforcement role on the border. Heck, every nation uses its
military to guard its borders. We need to send our military to guard our border. It's really
very simple–no one can enter the US unless they have been admitted legally.
Another thing I don't understand is how these "sanctuary" cities can so blatantly flout
federal law by sheltering illegals from ICE or any federal law enforcement agencies. If any
city does so, the federal government should put them on notice that ALL federal funds will be
cut off.
He makes great points, and I'm encouraged that he's allowed to do so on to a big and
important audience.
I remember when his predecessor, Bill O'Rielly, claimed to have seen the evidence of
Saddam's WMD, and told his audience, on the run up to war, and I was appalled. As indeed, it
turned out he too was lying.
When the ZUSA was entrenched in the highly profitable war on Vietnam, there seemed to be
no way to end it. Protests in the streets and at the universities, and anger at the war and
war pig$ seemed to no avail.
But then a phenomena began. Fragging.
one wonders .
at seven minutes in, Carlson interviews a senator. The senator does his best to lie and
deceive, as only a ZUS senator can. But Tucker eviscerates him on screen.
now if this senator, and others like him, were themselves put into peril by these
serial, treasonous wars for Israel, would they still be so keen to have Americans die,
slaughtering innocent people- to bolster and benefit the main enemy of America; Israel?
I imagine the parent of a young American, who's life was sacrificed to augment the career
of Lindsey Graham. Or other Americans who're fed up with the endless wars for Israel, and are
willing to do something about the treasonous scum who're demanding and foisting all of these
Satanic wars.
Just as Tucker says, any general who advocates for these wars, should be required to
actually visit a battlefield, so too I wonder about the politicians, and how they eventually
have to go home, and live among their constituents. What if some of the worst of them, like
Graham for instance, were to actually suffer some consequence for all the evil he's done, and
continues to do?
Of course I'm not advocating anything illegal. Just ruminating on potential solutions to
the Eternal Wars for Israel – which are nothing more or less than a continuation of the
first two World Wars (for Israel) duh
END the FED!
(or watch your nation bankrupted and looted and made to die for Israel)
Come on yankee , ( as you say USA is a country of unbridled greed. An insatiable appetite
for blood , land , alcohol ,and loot ) . Just return California , Arizona , New Mexico ,
Florida , Nevada , Utah , Colorado and Louisiana to Mexico , and Alaska to Russia ) , and
then, only then , you can talk .
PS , and do not forget to close the 8OO occupation bases the US has around the world , you
will save a lot of money
The intent of my post was to show that the MSM here is conformist and doesn't like to
stray far from what the USG is claiming and what other journalists are writing. Rather than
explore the topics you raise, as worthy of exploration as they might be, I thought I'd offer
what newspapers around the USA were saying about Saddam's WMD after Powell's UNSC speech;
seems a bit more germane.
The Powell evidence will be persuasive to anyone who is still persuadable.
The Wall Street Journal
Piling fact upon fact, photo upon photo Wednesday, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
methodically demonstrated why Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein remains dangerous to his own
people, Iraq's neighbors
The Los Angeles Times
On Wednesday, America's most reluctant warrior, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell,
presented succinct and damning evidence of Saddam's enormous threat to world peace.
Arizona Republic
Saddam Hussein's illicit arsenal of biological and chemical weapons, as well as the
equally illicit means that he possesses to deliver them, poses a tangible and urgent danger
to U.S. and world security. Millions of innocent lives are at risk.
Dallas Morning News
At some point, the world chooses to believe President George W. Bush and Secretary Powell
or the international community chooses to side with Saddam Hussein and those who broadcast
his lies to the world. Powell has painstakingly presented a strong case against Iraq.
Greenville News/South Carolina
Iraq is busted. U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell laid out the case clearly. No one
hearing Powell's presentation to the United Nations Security Council could doubt Iraq's
actions and intentions.
Jacksonville Times-Union/Florida
The threat is real and at our door. Sept. 11, 2001, stripped away the belief that the
United States can peacefully coexist with evil. Prove it, they said. Powell has.
Charleston Daily Mail/West Virginia
We are a country always loath to fight unless provoked. The reluctance of Americans to
initiate a war needlessly does the nation credit. But this is not a needless war, nor is it
unprovoked. Powell laid out the need, and explained the provocation, in step-by-step fashion
that cannot be refuted without resorting to fantasy.
Chicago Sun-Times
The Dispatch repeatedly has called on the Bush administration to make a compelling case
that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein is developing weapons of mass destruction and hiding these
efforts from U.N. inspectors. Yesterday, Secretary of State Colin Powell made that case
before the Security Council.
Columbus Dispatch
Powell has methodically proved Iraq's failure to comply with U.N. mandates. With each
passing day, Iraq's own choices move it closer to a war that full compliance would
prevent.
Indianapolis Star
Secretary of State Colin Powell's 90-minute presentation to the U.N. Security Council,
buttressed with surveillance photographs and recorded phone conversations, should remove all
doubt that Iraq's Saddam Hussein has developed and hides weapons of mass destruction, in
violation of U.N. resolutions.
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
Powell's speech to the U.N. Security Council presented not just one 'smoking gun' but a
battery of them, more than sufficient to dispel any lingering doubt about the threat the
Iraqi dictator poses.
Denver Post
The United States has made a compelling case that Iraq has failed to rid itself of weapons
of mass destruction. This failure violates the U.N. Security Council resolution of late last
year which ordered Iraq to disarm. As a consequence and it is a grave one, the Security
Council must act now to disarm Iraq by force.
Salt Lake City Tribune
Powell has connected enough dots to tie Iraq to al-Qaeda and show that this alliance is a
threat to all of Europe as well as the United States.
Manchester Union Leader
In fact, the speech provided proof that Saddam continues to refuse to obey U.N.
resolutions. Any amount of time he has now to comply fully and openly with U.N. demands
should be measured in days or a few weeks – and no longer.
The Skripal affair is better understood in the context of "sir" Savile' knighthood -- when
the influential pedophile had been raping and molesting kids for 40 years and none stood up
to the criminal. The BBC has dutifully refused to publish anything that would upset "sir"
Savile. The Scotland Yard looked the other way -- precisely as the Establishment ordered them
to do. Savile' specialty were orphans. He was the embodiment of British Establishment.
The British Establishment has done with the concepts of honor. The loudest lying voices
against Russia belong either to the whoring "aristocrats," who found that war profiteering
(by any means) pays well, or the opportunistic parvenu like Gavin Williamson representing the
vulgarity and intellectual inadequacy of the Establishment.
the Senate is the eager, resourceful, and indefatigable agent of interests as hostile
to the American people as any invading army could be."
-David Graham Phillips, Cosmopolitan magazine, February 1906
and to think that was over a hundred years ago
they've only gotten better at it with time
if you read The Protocols, one thing that I remember was the contemptuous way it referred
to the goyim as having the minds and souls of beasts. Lumbering, mindless cattle, chewing
their cud in a kind of catatonic stupor.
what else can we conclude about the kind of people who would vote for Lindsey Graham or
John McCain? These guys get reelected again and again.
The saddest and most tragic thing about The Protocols is that the goyim seem to be as
accommodating to the Elders as any farm animal can be. At least a pig might be apprehensive
of the trip to the slaughter house. I remember a video where a pig jumped out of a moving
truck, and walked off. But the goyim suit up their children and hand them over as cannon
fodder, to be slaughtered on behalf of their enemies.
In the last century, there may have been an excuse for not knowing the nature of the ZUS
government, being as ((they)) controlled virtually every source of information.
But today it's all out there. Today everybody knows that all of these wars are for Israel,
at the direct expense of America's blood and treasure and (I won't say good) name.
And yet, (especially from the Christian churches) the call to suit up the young people to
die in more wars- slaughtering innocents – for our enemies, will resound in the
nation.
If I were a British soldier, told to kill some Russian soldier, because Putin is Hitler..
as my daughter languishes in a mental hospital, having been gang raped into a shell of a
human being, and my son was brutalized by a British aristocrat, but now I'm called up to kill
Russians in a contrived World War, to benefit the pedophile Peerage and their ((patrons)), I
don't know how I'd resist pointing that weapon away from the Russian, and towards England's
true enemies.
Like a gullible person I at first accepted that there was indeed some event that involved the
Skripals. Now I wonder if the entire thing was a scripted hoax, that nothing had hit them,
that it's all fake. It wouldn't be surprising. We seem to be in an age of rule by sociopaths
whose only compass is that of power and riches. The populations of our countries are being
hustled along for the benefit of the few. This can't have a happy ending for the majority of
people. The much vaunted democracy of the west looks like just a fixed shell game.
The little lie is more difficult because the veracity thereof may be observed. A large lie
or untruth is more difficult to observe. Such as what is visible from outer space is not
something anyone can falsify.
' doesn't this prove I was wrong about Trump and his movement all along?
I was very wrong to discount the role of character, personality, and intelligence: Trump
is simply not fit to be President '
Raimondo's reaction to Dump's incredible imbecility re the Syria 'chemical attacks
'
' A child could see through the fake "chemical attack" supposedly launched by Bashar
al-Assad just as his troops defeated the jihadists and Trump said he wanted out of Syria
'
Yes anyone watching that white helmets footage is immediately cringing for those poor kids
being abused as props in a macabre stage play
"More occupation and killing in Crimea "
-- Evidence? It seems that you are very upset that the Kagans' cookies did not deliver.
"One Year Later, Crimeans Prefer Russia:" https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2015-02-06/one-year-later-crimeans-prefer-russia
"How Crimeans See Ukraine Crisis:" https://consortiumnews.com/2016/02/11/how-crimeans-see-ukraine-crisis/
"A Pew poll from April 2014 revealed that 91 percent of Crimean respondents believed
the referendum was free and fair, 93 percent had confidence in Putin, and 85
percent believed Kiev should recognize the results.
Another poll in June 2014, this one from Gallup , showed 94 percent of ethnic
Russians in Crimea thought the referendum reflected the views of the people and 68 percent
of ethnic Ukrainians in Crimea agreed . The poll found that 74 percent believed
that joining Russia would make life better.
A GfK poll from February 2015, sponsored by a pro-Ukrainian group in Canada, revealed
93 percent of Crimeans endorsed the referendum."
-- Still not enough for you?
"Ukraine [post-Maidan] under pressure from West over corruption:"
http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/dec/07/ukraine-under-pressure-from-west-over-corruption-1721487.html
"Enough documents have been released -- citing coup-backed snipers killing dozens of
protesters, US embassy officials planning false flag attacks, extremists downing a passenger
airliner and NATO peddling falsified intelligence -- to make it very clear that the "coup" is
more of an invasion than anything else.
The term, roughly translated as Revolution of Dignity, was cooked up at the Jamestown
Foundation in Washington, well in advance of Victoria Nuland's assumption of the throne as de
facto "Queen of the Ukraine," lording over her subjects, playing the role of "donut
dollie."
The roots of the conflict in the Ukraine with thousands dead and the threat of, minimally, a
wider regional conflict, are attributable to extremist elements in the United States -- those
faces and voices seen and heard promoting the invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq, the
supporters of ISIS/Al Qaeda in Syria -- and the cheerleaders of the continued genocide
against the Palestinian people."
"In 1950, the Nuremberg Tribunal defined Crimes against Peace, in Principle VI,
specifically Principle VI(a), submitted to the United Nations General Assembly, as:
(i) Planning, preparation, initiation or waging of a war of aggression or a war in violation
of international treaties, agreements or assurances;
(ii) Participation in a common plan or conspiracy for the accomplishment of any of the acts
mentioned under (i)."
Bravo, indeed, Annamaria. Beautiful, perfect, resounding, harsh, unforgiving words for a
pair of worthless human vermin masquerading as civilised, intelligent professionals with a
moral compass.
The pair of them – and the entire wide set and grouping of their self-loathing,
White-hating racist political henchmen, hangers-on, groupies, freeloaders and Labour party
pirates and race traitors who have brought my nation to the brink in every possible way
should be publicly hanged and left to rot.
Better still that none of the Moslem-loving filth had ever been born.
"... The details of Skripal case are very entertaining, but not necessary for our understanding. The case was used to install in minds the connection between chemical poisoning and Russia. It is unfair, for Russians destroyed all their chemical poisons under the eyes of Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspectors, but life is often unfair. ..."
"... The attack had never occurred at all, but it was duly reported by the pro-Western media. Thus the game came to a close. Skripal Affair established the connection of Russia and chemical weapons, Eastern Ghouta allowed to use this connection in order to attack Russia. ..."
"... We should not overestimate importance of these media events. The leading Western powers and their media refused to consider different explanations, refused an open inquiry, they went for jugular. Russia has been demonised in 2018, like Germany was demonised in 1940. It was a long and cautious labour. Have a look at this site theday.co.uk -- it is a site for school children and their teachers. You'll be amazed to discover its fervent hatred of Russia and Putin being pumped into hearts and heads of young generation. Such a long planning can't be dependent on an event like poisoning of an ex-spy or even on the fall of a Syrian underground fortress. ..."
"... we prefer a more simple explanation: Jews are well integrated into Western elites, and they promote and support the goals of these elites. ..."
The diplomats' expulsion flabbergasted the Russians. For days they went around scratching
their heads and looking for an answer: what do they want from us? What is the bottom line? Too
many events that make little sense separately. Why did the US administration expel 60 Russian
diplomats? Do they want to cut off diplomatic relations, or is it a first step to an attempt to
remove Russia from the Security Council, or to cancel its veto rights? Does it mean the US has
given up on diplomacy? (The answer "it's war" didn't come to their minds at that time).
The astonished Russians responded all right. They also expelled 60 diplomats, and they made
it painful: all US diplomats engaged in the political department of the Moscow Embassy were on
the non-grata list. The Political department consisted of three sections, dealing with foreign
policy, internal Russian politics and military analysis; the most important centre of data
collection, of liaison with Russian politicians, of military consequences, of Syria and
Ukraine, of North Korea and China, experienced first-class intelligence officers and field
hands -- all gone, including their Political Officer Christopher Robinson (POL). The Russians
expelled Maria Olson, the Embassy's well-known spokesperson, and the Ambassador's interpreter.
They closed down St Petersburg Consulate, an important centre for connecting, influencing and
interacting with the opposition in this 'second capital' of Russia. The US has lost many of its
Moscow hands, people who knew Russia and had developed personal relations with important
Russians. It will take a lot of time and effort for the US State Department and intelligence
agencies to get back to the positions they had lost. The Brits who initiated the deportations
also lost about fifty of their Moscow Embassy staff.
Surprisingly, the mass deportation of so many Russian diplomats had little effect on the
Russian people, as this strike had been neutralised by another painful event, by the Kemerovo
Mall blaze killing 64 cinema-goers including over 40 children. The blaze, even if it weren't
arson (it has not been proven yet) had triggered a massive onslaught of fake news and internet
trolls on the people of Russia. A million underfed Ukrainians were deployed by the Western
psywar on the web to tell the Russians that hundreds of their children had been incinerated,
and that their authorities lie to them. This operation revealed the level of influence and
integration the Western spy agencies have in Russia.
Kemerovo was a good choice for the operation: it is the only ethnic-Russian region ruled by
an old-style local hero who had outlived his wits, the only region that reported indecently
(and unrealistically) high support for Putin in the recent elections, a depressive region of
mines and miners with a big potential for trouble.
Putin managed it rather well by coming personally and dealing with the situation hands on.
He learned the ropes since 2000, when, at the dawn of his first presidential term, the
Kursk submarine went down with all hands. Putin stayed away from the sailors'
families, and acted callous, people said. "It had sunk", Putin replied to the question "What
happened to Kursk ?" (It is said USS Memphis had fired a torpedo at the
submarine, causing the disaster, while the new president had been reluctant to aggravate
relations with Clinton Administration). Now, in 2018, he was very good, full of empathy and
consideration, conveying strength and decisiveness.
Whatever American agency carried out the psyop around Kemerovo, it was very successful, but
its success undermined another operation, that of the Russian diplomats' expulsion. The
Russians did not pay it sufficient attention.
The alleged reason for the expulsion, the poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter, made
very little sense. Even if the old spy were bumped off by his erstwhile employers, such a
reaction would be excessive by all means. He was not a Napoleon (poisoned by the Brits 200
years ago), not a prince of blood, not a great inventor nor a successful spy. He was a retired
ex-spy, a wash-out. Anyway he didn't die, he was just sick for a while. Perhaps he ate
something in the pub that didn't agree with him. This is the opinion of his niece, Victoria,
who is the only person alive who had been in contact with the Skripals since their alleged
hospitalisation.
This affair is so obscure that it beats Rashomon anytime. Russian reporters went around
Salisbury and noticed many incongruences. It is not certain whether Skripals were poisoned at
all, and where they are. Their pets survived the deadly poison, and they had to be destroyed.
This piece of black Russian humour had been forwarded a lot around the net:
Skripal had been poisoned by a most powerful poison, 2 grams will kill half a country
instantly! The Russians
- poisoned him in the restaurant
- no, on the bench
- no, in the car
- No, the door handle was smeared
- No, the suitcase was poisoned
- No, everything in the house was poisoned.
- Oh, and buckwheat was poisoned,
- but they did not die instantly, but walked around somewhere for four hours,
- but the policeman that discovered them almost died on the spot,
- but the poison was instantly identified,
- an antidote was instantly introduced, and Skripals and the policeman were saved;
- The policeman had been discharged next day!
- But they were in coma, and they will never recover!
- but no, the daughter had recovered fast!
- Oh, and dad is revived a miracle!
- and they both are quickly recovering, your strongest poison is useless.
- the restaurant had been surrounded by police in spacesuits
- the park had been surrounded by police in spacesuits
- the house had surrounded by police in spacesuits
- they are in spacesuits, since the poison is deadly dangerous, but next to them are
policemen without protection
- The bench was cut down and removed: it's such a terrible poison that the bench retained
its toxic quality for two weeks;
- but the cat had survived in the poisoned house the policeman had touched Skripal and
nearly died, and the cat survived and the guinea pigs would survive, but they were all
forgotten, and died of hunger in the house;
- and their remains were immediately burned, as they are poisoned by the strongest
poison;
- For two weeks they were poisoned by the strongest poison and survived, and now they had to
be urgently cremated;
- Only guinea pigs died, the cat survived all this poison. It was stressful and hungry, so
they killed it and cremated to make it certain nobody will find the secret etc etc.
The true hero of Skripal saga is the British ex-Ambassador Craig Murray , who followed the
developments and unveiled many of its inconsistencies and outright lies. You may read his
articles and twits to learn the details.
Julia Skripal took a daring step: she called her cousin Viktoria in Moscow. Their
conversation is an amazing document. Julia says that she and her father are in good health;
she doubts Viktoria will be allowed to visit her. Indeed, the British government refused to
grant her visa. The feeling is that Julia is imprisoned.
I spoke with a retired Russian counter-intelligence officer who is familiar with the
subject. He told me Russia never had a Novichok toxic substance: this name was given by
counter-intelligence to A-232 in order to trace the leaks. It worked: a man called Vil
Mirzayanov, an administrator in the chemical labs, leaked the Novichok story, and thus he was
apprehended and arrested. A-232 had been produced in small amounts in 1990s, and some of it
could be stolen and sold in these horrible years, when a full colonel of Russian intelligence
had to moonlight as a taxi driver to supplement his measly $46 monthly salary. In those years,
the poison could be indeed made available, and in one case it was used by criminals.
Theoretically it is not impossible that some of this poison could have been saved and stored by
some criminals; alternatively, it was available to the Americans who dismantled the labs in
1992. Anyway we have no independent proof that Skripals were poisoned by anything at all. If
they survive, if the British and the American intelligence services don't kill them, perhaps we
shall know more. We can definitely exclude the possibility that Russian state agents would go
to Britain to poison an old spy who had been pardoned by Russian president years ago. Even if
he was active in producing Christopher Steele's Trump ("Golden Rain") file, the Russians would
have no compelling reason to kill him at all, and in such an odd way in particular. "If we
would kill him, he would stay killed", concluded my interlocutor.
The details of Skripal case are very entertaining, but not necessary for our
understanding. The case was used to install in minds the connection between chemical poisoning
and Russia. It is unfair, for Russians destroyed all their chemical poisons under the eyes of
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) inspectors, but life is often
unfair.
The connection between chemical poisoning and Russia had been prepared for the forthcoming
event. Eastern Ghouta was an important and well entrenched location of the Syrian rebels. Being
within easy reach from Central Damascus, it provided the rebels with a chance to seize power in
the Syrian capital. As the Syrian army with Iranian and Russian support advanced into Eastern
Ghouta, they learned of the rebel plans to stage a false flag chemical weapon attack, as they
already had done a few times in past. President Putin warned of such a possibility at his joint
(with President Erdogan and President Rouhani) press conference in Ankara last week, a few days
before the alleged attack.
The attack had never occurred at all, but it was duly reported by the pro-Western media.
Thus the game came to a close. Skripal Affair established the connection of Russia and chemical
weapons, Eastern Ghouta allowed to use this connection in order to attack Russia.
We should not overestimate importance of these media events. The leading Western powers
and their media refused to consider different explanations, refused an open inquiry, they went
for jugular. Russia has been demonised in 2018, like Germany was demonised in 1940. It was a
long and cautious labour. Have a look at this site theday.co.uk
-- it is a site for school children and their teachers. You'll be amazed to discover its
fervent hatred of Russia and Putin being pumped into hearts and heads of young generation. Such
a long planning can't be dependent on an event like poisoning of an ex-spy or even on the fall
of a Syrian underground fortress.
The planners of a war on Russia have utilised fear of anti-Semitism for their purposes. I
called this method Anti-semitism Weaponised . Jeremy
Corbyn, the Labour leader, has been blocked and contained by accusations of anti-Semitism. He
was the only leader able to stop Britain's descent into war with Russia. Other Labour MPs and
activists have been attacked over alleged anti-Semitism issue, and -- what a coincidence! --
practically all of them were against demonising Russia; while Friends of Israel -- whether
Conservative or Labour -- were viciously anti-Russian.
This is a correlation that will be discussed at another time, but it is far from obvious
one. Russia has no anti-Semitism; the Russian president is friendly to Israel and to the
powerful Jewish Chabad movement. Russia
has no white nationalism, and little of the alt-right. However, this correlation exists. Shall
we explain it by Jewish hatred of the Orthodox Church, as this Church (active in Russia,
Greece, Palestine and Syria) hasn't been Jewified. Or should we prefer a more simple
explanation: Jews are well integrated into Western elites, and they promote and support the
goals of these elites.
However, people who can withstand accusations of anti-Semitism are the strongest enemies of
the ruling power; they stand against the war with Russia and against attack on Syria, as the
Haaretz newspaper explained in an article called
White Supremacists Defend Assad, Warn Trump: Don't Let Israel Force You Into War With Syria
. The article continues: "Alt-right calls Saturday's chemical attack in Damascus suburb a false
flag operation, claiming it's an effort by Israel and 'globalists' to keep U.S. troops in
Middle East" It quotes David Duke and other untouchables as the only people who reject Israeli
narrative.
Not being a white supremacist (probably I do not qualify) I still applaud these brave men
when they say and do the right thing. Sensitivity to anti-Semitism accusation is a strong
vulnerability of character. Though people like Corbyn have their heart in the right place, they
are weak on this point, and the enemy uses this weakness to neutralize them. There are people
in the left that are not afraid of any accusation, but there aren't many who are resistant to
metum Judaeorum .
Let us hope and pray we shall survive the forthcoming cataclysm.
Theresa May as more evil than Bill Clinton? That will sound odd to some, but I think it is
true. Hillary is the pure evil half of the Clinton marriage. Bill is simply charming and
filled with a desire to amass enough power to have a group adore him as he finds new panties
to explore.
May is English, and she has the very long line of Brit Empire secret service evil at her
disposal. And her move is a bold one. What it means is that she is signaling that at least if
she is PM, the UK could replace the US as Fearless Leader of the actual New World Order...
White Helmets was the greatest war propaganda invention since Goebbels "big lie"
The sheeple might realize that they were duped only when it's too late... It's all very darwinian: Elite is too nasty and common
people are too stupid and too busy with surviving in economic uncertainty to decipher lies
Notable quotes:
"... "the West is ruled by a gang of thugs" ..."
"... It is depressing to see that there are very few people in the MSM speaking out for reason. One of the few ones is Tucker Carlson. ..."
"... The US, British etc. taxpayer funded propaganda arm of Islamists, the media trained "white helmets" are delivering videos that look almost as real as Hollywood products and most of the sheeple in the western world don't question their propaganda narrative. ..."
"... Well here you go Dutti. Both Glen Greenwald and Amy Goodman are out there in media land championing the 'truth' for good old Isramerika. ..."
It is depressing to see that there are very few people in the MSM speaking out for reason. One of the few ones is Tucker Carlson.
Unfortunately, even among friends and acquaintances, the story about "evil Assad killing Children" is often readily believed.
The US, British etc. taxpayer funded propaganda arm of Islamists, the media trained "white helmets" are delivering videos that
look almost as real as Hollywood products and most of the sheeple in the western world don't question their propaganda narrative.
"... "The primary conclusion of this study, based on a pharmacological analysis of the video and photographic evidence, is that the Ghouta Massacre near Damascus on Aug 21.2013 was not a sarin rocket attack carried out by Assad or his supporters. It was a false-flag stunt carried out by the insurgents using carbon monoxide or cyanide to murder children and use their corpses as bait to lure the Americans into attacking Assad." ..."
"Murder in the Sun Morgue" by Dr. Denis O'Brien (neuropharmacology expert):
"The primary conclusion of this study, based on a pharmacological analysis of the
video and photographic evidence, is that the Ghouta Massacre near Damascus on Aug 21.2013 was
not a sarin rocket attack carried out by Assad or his supporters. It was a false-flag stunt
carried out by the insurgents using carbon monoxide or cyanide to murder children and use
their corpses as bait to lure the Americans into attacking Assad."
"... This funding was used, if not entirely, then in part to finance the White Helmets. The Syrian Civil Defense Force website lists Chemonics as its primary supporter alongside NGO Mayday Rescue, who operate out of offices in Turkey, Jordan and Dubai. ..."
The specialists "found no traces of the use of chemical agents" after searching the sites,
the statement said. The center's medical specialists also visited a local hospital but found
no patients that showed signs of chemical weapons poisoning. "All these facts show that no
chemical weapons were used in the town of Douma, as it was claimed by the White Helmets ," the
statement said, referring to the controversial "civil defense" group that was among the first
to report about the alleged attack.
" All the accusations brought by the White Helmets, as well as their photos allegedly
showing the victims of the chemical attack, are nothing more than a yet another piece of fake
news and an attempt to disrupt the ceasefire ," the Reconciliation Center said.
The Syrian Civil Defense Force (aka the White Helmets) is funded in part by United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) . Included here are two links showing contracts
awarded by USAID to Chemonics International Inc. (DBA Chemonics).
The first award was in the sum of $111.2 million and has a
Period of Performance (POP) from January 2013 to June 2017. It states that the purpose of the
award will be to use the funds for managing a "quick-response mechanism supporting activities
that pursue a peaceful transition to a democratic and stable Syria."
The second was in the sum of $57.4 million and has a POP from
August 2015 to August 2020. This award was designated to be used in the "Syria Regional
Program II" which is a part of the Support Which Implements Fast Transitions IV (SWIFT IV)
program.
This funding was used, if not entirely, then in part to finance the White Helmets. The
Syrian Civil Defense Force website lists Chemonics as its primary supporter alongside NGO
Mayday Rescue, who operate out of offices in Turkey, Jordan and Dubai.
Of course, that didn't stop Netflix from producing an Academy Award winning
documentary about the White Helmets. We're sure recently added board member and former Obama
National Security Advisor Susan Rice is happy considering all of the taxpayer money the
previous administration spent funding the group.
"... As before, all "evidence" boils down to White Helmets' report and a video going viral that does not look or sound very convincing. There was no independent verification. The White Helmets have iffy reputation , to put it mildly. The organization is known to pursue political interests of outside actors. ..."
"... No explanation was given to a simple question: what does Syria's government need this attack for? It is victorious everywhere and the operation in Eastern Ghouta has been a success. Douma is the last remaining stronghold still controlled by rebels in the area and will be liberated soon. It's a matter of a few days. The army's combat actions are supported by Russian aviation. What does Syria's government stand to gain by using CW? Nothing. ..."
"... Syria army units are operating in Douma. By launching an attack, the Syrian government would hit its own troops, This argument appears to be largely missing in Western media reports. President Trump has recently promised to withdraw American forces from Syria. Why would President Assad give him a pretext to renege on his word? ..."
What happened in Syria on April 7 had been expected. While raising hue and
cry over the
alleged chemical attack in Douma, a rebel-held suburb of the capital, Western officials and
media wasted no time to put the blame on the Assad government.
The US State Department issued a statement saying that by shielding
Damascus Moscow has breached its international commitments. The administration immediately
called on Russia to cease its support of Syria's government. President Trump wants an
international action. As usual, few people in the West raised their voices to emphasize the
need to investigate first and make conclusions afterwards.
It strikes the eye that Moscow's
warnings about a CW provocation being prepared to dash the rising hopes for peaceful
settlement in Syria appear to be forgotten! The Defense Ministry shared the information that
the ringleaders of Jabhat al-Nusra and the Free Syrian Army were plotting false flag chemical
attacks in areas under their control. Moscow warned but the West did not listen.
It's the same old song and dance. Last year, the Syrian government was blamed for a
sarin gas
attack on Khan Sheikhun that prompted a US cruise missile strike on a Syrian air base. The
American president's approval ratings went up as a result. This time, the alleged attack
occurred right after the Russia-Turkey-Iran summit that took place in Ankara on April 4 to
promote the Syria conflict settlement.
As before, all "evidence" boils down to White Helmets'
report and a video going viral that does not look or sound
very convincing. There was no independent verification. The White Helmets
have iffy reputation , to put it mildly. The organization is known to
pursue political interests of outside actors.
No explanation was given to a simple question: what does Syria's government need this
attack for? It is victorious everywhere and the operation in Eastern Ghouta has been a success.
Douma is the last remaining stronghold still controlled by rebels in the area and will be
liberated soon. It's a matter of a few days. The army's combat actions are supported by Russian
aviation. What does Syria's government stand to gain by using CW? Nothing.
Syria army units are operating in Douma. By launching an attack, the Syrian government
would hit its own troops, This argument appears to be largely missing in Western media reports.
President Trump has recently
promised to withdraw American forces from Syria. Why would President Assad give him a
pretext to renege on his word?
But the world "indignation" against Russia-supported President Assad benefits the extremists
a lot. They are cornered and need time to take a breath and receive support. Actually, the
ballyhoo raised in the West is their only chance to at least slow down the offensive. A
government forces' victory in Douma would deal a heavy blow to terrorist groups, sounding the
death knell for the rebellion. Sounds simple but that's what it is. There is each and every
reason to believe the
incident was staged by terrorists.
Right after the alleged attack, they asked for talks. The ringleaders believe that this is
their chance for a negotiated truce. The militants keep their fingers crossed hoping that NATO
member states which clandestinely support them will get involved one way or another. Just last
February, Secretary of Defense James Mattis warned
Syria of "dire consequences" if it executed chemical strikes. French President Macron said
he would order strikes if CW were used. It's worth noting that today the US president's
National Security Team is led by a person known as a trigger happy hawk advocating the use of
force as a foreign policy tool.
The US and France
have been harboring plans to launch a joint operation in Syria for some time. Only a few
days ago, a contingent of French forces
arrived in Manbij to join American allies there. Actually, a NATO operation has been
launched leaving Turkey, a bloc's member, out in the cold. It's an open secret that
the US-led coalition
pursues the goal of partitioning Syria to "contain" Russia, roll back Iran, win the support
of rich Persian Gulf Arab states to boost lucrative arms trade and bolster the US and France's
clout in the Middle East.
It would be naïve to think that the chemical attack in Syria and the Skripal scandal
are two separate events. They are links in the same chain. With the spy poisoning case
leading nowhere , the
anti-Russia campaign needs a new impetus. The alleged CW attack is a good pretext to spur the
efforts. But any strike in Syria would pose a risk to the lives of Russian servicemen. It could
make Moscow respond. The US-led coalition is playing with fire. And as in the Skripal case, the
reaction is the same - blame first, wait for the results of investigation second. It just shows
that the West is not interested in the truth. It's looking for new pretexts to damage Russia's
reputation and thus reduce its global clout.
"MS NAUERT: Yes. So this is obviously an interagency process. The United States, through the
White House, through the State Department, and others of well – as well, have been having
conversations with our allies and partners overseas. Deputy Secretary – pardon me. Acting
Secretary John Sullivan spoke on two occasions with Foreign Minister[1] Boris Johnson of the UK
yesterday. I believe a readout was provided of that call.
We are looking for a coordinated response, whatever that response might be, to the situation
in Syria."
kinda like the coordinated response over the skripal affair? very good... bozos unite...
ms nauert... "So the United States is convinced and knows that some sort of a chemical
weapon was used."
matt lee question - "QUESTION: The President, though, was pretty clear that there was going
to be a price to pay. I mean, he literally said that. Why – since April 6th of last year,
when he – when they ordered the missile strikes in Syria, and now – or until this
last incident – there have been numerous uses of chemical weapons that have been alleged
in Syria. What makes this one hit that threshold that a price has to be paid?
MS NAUERT: I think, Matt, to answer that question, we have to look at the number of attacks
that have taken place, the pace, how quickly these attacks are now taking place. This will be
the ninth attack using some sort of chemical substance this year alone. It used to be that when
attacks would take place the world would stand up and take attention and it has become, in the
view of the U.S. Government and many others as well, far too common. So I think it's taken the
world to stand up and say this is unacceptable; this is horrific, and we can't stand for this
anymore."
on the israel missiles.. it is all about iran, lol. apparently israel is allowed to bomb
other countries.. no questions asked..
"QUESTION: Okay. This has to do with Iran. And Israel struck Iranian targets at Syria's T-4
Airbase on Sunday, which is the second time in as many months. Do you share Israel's concern
about Iran's presence in Syria?
MS NAUERT: We have talked about this a lot, that Iran supports Hizballah. Iran has sent not
only fighters but also equipment into Syria. Iran has been a bad actor in Syria and other parts
around the world. They have further destabilized the country of Syria. They have also bolstered
the regime of Bashar al-Assad, enabling the regime to be able to commit attacks against
innocent civilians, not just in Eastern Ghouta and elsewhere, but around the country as well.
Of course we're absolutely concerned about Iran's presence or meddling, whether it be through
proxies, in the country of Syria."
@ 60
Matt Lee (AP) is good, but even he won't ever charge the State Dept with being behind the
staging of these fake attacks, obviously fake to anyone with an ounce (milligram?) of sense.
If he did, he would no longer be enabled by State to ask the first question and enjoy other
perks in these State Dept follies. So it's a waltz around minor issues, never getting to the
basic truth of what's going on.
"... US Ambassador to Nato Kay Hutchison said she hoped allies like Britain would join with Washington in a "concerted and joint effort" against President Bashar al-Assad. ..."
"... And a squadron of British special forces - both SAS and SBS - are supporting elite American Delta force soldiers on the ground. ..."
Coalition warplanes are reportedly heading towards Syria as Britain appears ready to join
the US and France in airstrikes.
Civilian airlines have been asked to clear airspace over Syria for the next 48 hours,
according to reports.
And Theresa May has indicated Britain will stand with the US in bringing justice to dictator
Bashar al-Assad over the barbaric chemical attack in Douma last weekend that left around 70
dead.
But UK and US forces were said to be gathering to launch a wave of Tomahawk cruise missiles
at Assad's defences. Eurocontrol said the warning applies for the next 72 hours.
Announcement on US action in Syria 'imminent'
The US is due to make an announcement on action in Syria shortly, according to reports.
Fox News, President Trump's favoured network, is reporting live that an update is
"imminent".
RAF crews could be diverted from attacking Islamic State positions in Iraq and Syria to
smash Assad's remaining chemical weapons silos.
Teams flying Tornado bombers will hit large buildings and bunkers with deadly Storm Shadow
missiles, capable of smashing into complexes before obliterating them.
They will be accompanied by Typhoon crews capable of providing air-to-air fighter protection
against Russian air-crews but also able to launch air-to-ground missiles.
British RAF drones and spy planes will hoover up radio and phone chatter to conduct "battle
damage assessment" missions to examine the targets after they are hit.
US Ambassador to Nato Kay Hutchison said she hoped allies like Britain would join with
Washington in a "concerted and joint effort" against President Bashar al-Assad.
And a squadron of British special forces - both SAS and SBS - are supporting elite American
Delta force soldiers on the ground."
NBC News Russia has figured out how to jam U.S. drones in Syria, officials say
Four U.S. officials said Russia's signal scrambling has seriously affected military
operations.
WASHINGTON -- The Russian military has been jamming some U.S. military drones operating in
the skies over Syria, seriously affecting American military operations, according to four
U.S. officials. The Russians began jamming some smaller U.S. drones several weeks ago, the
officials said.
Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb., reacted to the news of Russian scrambling Tuesday by saying
"Russia wants to undermine our interests at every turn. It is insane to think that Russia
is anything but an adversary," said Sasse.
Duh. This cornhusker struggles to understand the situation. Apparently he's missed the
colorful Haley news lately, with the Russians' hands covered with blood, and also all the
sanctions put on Russia for nothing, etc.. . Insane.. . . That's what passes for a senator
these days.
"... There they found "no trace of any use of chemical weapons," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters Tuesday. He said Russia would propose a U.N. Security Council resolution that would mandate international experts from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons to go to Syria to investigate, under the protection of Russian troops. ..."
But with Russia and Syria having strenuously denied from the outset that any kind of
chemical attack occurred, and with Russian troops now deployed in Douma, it is unclear how much
of an independent forensic investigation into the cause of the deaths will be possible. Russian
troops entered the town Monday under the terms of a surrender deal reached with the rebels the
previous day.
Russia says its representatives already have searched the area and could find no evidence
that chemical weapons were used. Russian experts and members of the Syrian Red Crescent have
visited the hospitals where the victims were treated, Russian officials say, and a video showed
Russian troops arriving at the house where the bodies were found.
There they found "no trace of any use of chemical weapons," Russian Foreign Minister
Sergei Lavrov told reporters Tuesday. He said Russia would propose a U.N. Security Council
resolution that would mandate international experts from the Organization for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons to go to Syria to investigate, under the protection of Russian
troops.
The OPCW later issued a statement saying it had accepted an invitation from the Syrian
government and is preparing a team to travel to Syria "soon."
Mohamad Katoub of the Syrian American Medical Society, which supported medical facilities in
Douma before the Russians entered, said he doubted whether any meaningful evidence would
remain. Local staffers are afraid to give testimony, he said. "In the current situation," he
said, an investigation "is too hard."
Many of the activists, medical staffers and rescue workers with information about the
attacks have since scattered, with many leaving Douma on buses headed north to rebel-held
territory under the terms of the surrender deal reached Sunday between the rebels and the
Russians. Among them was Marhoum, who spoke Tuesday from one of the buses.
"... How to stage a false chemical attack? See the Flag on the on the wall and how a pseudo-doctor leave a young patient to care for his buddy :( ..."
"... Both Trump and Mattis have cancelled travel plans. The Brits French US all want war in Syria. Russia needs to provide good protection to the OPCW team. ..."
Both Trump and Mattis have cancelled travel plans. The Brits French US all want war in Syria.
Russia needs to provide good protection to the OPCW team.
19. Underlines that the Security Council will thoroughly assess how to take action following
the UNIMI's conclusions, and reaffirms in this regard its decision in response to violations
of resolution 2118 to impose measures under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter;
China and Russia will veto anything Chapter VII mentioning as I could probably be used to
interpret it into something allowing for use-of-force - i.e. war.
The United States plans to call for a U.N. Security Council vote on Tuesday on a proposal for
a new inquiry into responsibility for use of chemical weapons in Syria after reports of a
poison gas attack on a rebel-held town, diplomats said.
...
"This is basically a diplomatic set-up," said Richard Gowan, the U.N. expert at the European
Council on Foreign Relations.
"Russia will inevitably veto the U.S. resolution criticizing Assad, and Washington will
use this to justify military strikes," he said. "A breakdown at the U.N. will also make it
easier for France to justify strikes."
The usual suspects hype the issue and push for a large war. I doubt that any significant
strike will happen. The UK seems not be willing for now. The OPCW will deploy to Douma tomorrow
and will likely find nothing of relevance.
Any attack will be completely without evidence that anything happened and Russia has
threatened to strike back.
Hizbullah should let Israel know that it will be the main target of a response to a
'western' attack on Syria. We would then have the fun to see Netanyahoo lobbying Washington
against war.
and Yes, Russia is not there to protect Bachar but to forbid the implementation of the
takfirist terrorist state.
But if any stupidity inclined party attacks Russians in Syria retribution will
follow.
Trump hates criticism. So his response is going to have to be bigger than last year's
Tomahawk display, which was widely dismissed as impotent. The problem here of course is that
it cannot be so much bigger as to demand a Russian response. I wouldn't be surprised if there
were back channel negotiations going on with Russia over an amenable list of Syrian targets.
On the other hand, this could be the grand barbecue. Western governing elites might be
convinced that Russia and Iran can be cowed by "shock and awe." In that case, we're at the
beginning of the end.
Trump sinking so low he called his colleague Assad an animal. Accusing Russia and Iran of
also carrying blame for "the chemical attack". Then with the same posture saying a response
to "the chemical attack" will come within 48. And all this while right from the beginning he
could have decided to not side with USA nurtured wahabbi terrorists in Syria and calling for
an investigation first.
I really wonder if he and his war craving handlers will settle for a none-war-response. I
think there will be some military attack. Maybe USA missiles launched from another nearby
(NATO) country or from a (French/Israeli/...) war ship so the Russian response can be more
easily framed by war inciting presstitutes as an attack on another "innocent" country.
OPCW heading to damascus would have been a good sign were it not for that other time when
during their landing in Damascas another chemical attack was purpetrated by the USA nurtured
wahabbi terrorists and blamed on Assad. Not that this would happen again now but I'm not
putting my hopes on it.
Nikki Haley: - "The U.S. has put forward a draft resolution we've held open & transparent
negotiations [on the text] for weeks we made special efforts with one Council member
(#Russia), adding paragraph upon paragraph "
For weeks?
The CW attack happened only last WE - didn't Trump bomb Syria for Sahaairat last year.
What are FrUKUS planning - or the darlings of Israel doing?
One more @RussiaUN veto on #Syria on @USUN draft resolution setting up an independent &
impartial investigation mechanism on chemical weapons use.
@Chinamission2un abstains. 12 other members voted YES.
"There was no chemical weapons attack," Nebenzia told the council. "Through the relevant
channels we already conveyed to the US that armed forces under mendacious pretext against Syria
– where, at the request of the legitimate government of a country, Russian troops have
been deployed – could lead to grave repercussions."
A few hours earlier, Donald Trump said his administration was on the brink of deciding its
response to the Douma attack. "We are meeting with our military and everybody else, and we'll
be making some major decisions over the next 24 to 48 hours," he said at a cabinet meeting. "We
are very concerned when a thing like that can happen. This is about humanity and it can't be
allowed to happen."
Pressed by reporters, Trump went further, saying: "We'll be making that decision very
quickly, probably by the end of today. But we cannot allow atrocities like that. Cannot allow
it."
Trump ordered airstrikes against a Syrian airbase after a previous chemical weapons attack,
in April last year. The latest use of poison gasprovoked from Trump unprecedented direct
criticism of Putin, something he had previously been at pains to avoid.
... ... ...
In his address, Nebenzia suggested a visit to Douma by the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) might be possible under Syrian and Russian military protection. The
UK envoy to the UN, Karen Pierce, said the Russian proposal was "an offer worth pursuing" but
she added that OPCW inspectors would have to have complete freedom of action and of access.
As a result of the total surrender of the Jihadis previously in control of Douma on Sunday,
it is the Russian military who this time are in control of the alleged crime scene.
This has put the Russians in a position where for the first time they are able both to
invite the OPCW inspectors to attend the crime scene and to provide them with protection if
they are there, whilst at the same time monitoring and supervising their work.
If the chemical attack on Douma really is fictitious – as the Russians insist
it is – then for the first time their control of the crime scene puts the Russians in
a strong position to prove it.
The point was made forcefully by Russia's UN ambassador Vassily Nebenzia at the UN Security
Council session today, and it also received indirect backing from the UN Secretariat, who
admitted that they could not confirm that a chemical weapons attack had happened, and who
called upon all sides to show restraint until a proper investigation of the incident had taken
place.
By now it should surprise no-one that the fact that the Russians are in control of the crime
scene and may on this occasion be able to prove conclusively that no chemical weapons attack
happened in Douma, instead of deterring a US attack, is actually making it more likely.
This is because the credibility of the various 'witnesses' to the Douma attack – who
are of course the same witnesses who were previously 'witnesses' to the 2013 East Ghouta and
the 2017 Khan Sheikhoun attacks – is now on the line, as is the credibility of those
Western governments – first and foremost the US government – who believed or who
pretended to believe them.
I would add that not only is the credibility of the US government and of other Western
governments on the line. So is the credibility of Western journalists who also believed or
pretended to believe the 'witnesses'. That more than anything else explains the hysteria of the
last 24 hours, with the extraordinary warlike statements from Donald Trump and Nikki Haley , and
from
certain Western journalists .
On any logic, since what actually happened in Douma is unconfirmed and disputed, and since
the conditions for an objective investigation this time are there, the correct and proper thing
to do is for no action to be taken until that investigation has taken place.
The reason that logic is not being followed, and why against all reason a military strike is
likely, is because those who want a military strike do not want an objective investigation to
take place, which might expose them as having acted previously on a false basis.
In other words, the military strike is not intended to punish the perpetrators of the
alleged chemical strike in Douma. It is intended to make an objective investigation
impossible.
There is something genuinely bizarre about the latest threatened military strike.
The Battle of East Ghouta is over. The Jihadis there – following their capitulation in
Douma – have lost. A military strike now really would be a case of closing the stable
door after the horse has bolted, and its military rationale appears to be non-existent.
Moreover Donald Trump – the man who is supposed to be the President of the United States
– was only a few days ago saying that US troops would be withdrawn from Syria "very
soon".
Yet the US looks likely to launch a military strike – one which the Russians are
warning risks dangerous escalation – not because it has any clear policy which requires
such a strike, but because it is alarmed by a possible loss of face.
When a nuclear powered superpower launches military strikes for such frivolous reasons the
situation in the world has become very bad and dangerous indeed
Like a Medieval inquisition bereft of any due legal process, Russia is being put on the rack
over the mysterious poisoning of a former Kremlin spy exiled to Britain.
No evidence is presented, just piles of innuendo and Russophobia heaped up into a bonfire.
The prosecution is based solely on pejorative accusations, and the accused – Russia
– is not permitted to fairly contest the incriminating information.
This is the same playbook as seen over alleged Russian "meddling" in the US and European
elections over the past two years. Western politicians, intelligence services, think-tanks and
media are chock-full of allegations and innuendo of "Russian influence campaigns". But no
evidence is ever presented. Not a scrap, not a scintilla. It's a case of presumed guilt, and a
conviction verdict without any facts.
It's the same inquisitorial echo stemming from the unsolved downing of the Malaysian
airliner in July 2014 over Eastern Ukraine, killing nearly 300 people. Recall how British media
were within days of that tragedy irresponsibly peddling disgraceful headlines claiming "Putin
shot down passenger airliner".
This week, British Prime Minister Theresa May's
addressed parliament accusing Moscow of responsibility for the alleged murderous attack on
former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in the southern England town of Salisbury on
March 4.
Far from the Skripal father and daughter being the alleged victims of a Russian
assassination plot, it now seems increasingly apparent that they are being held against their
will by Britain's authorities. In short, hostages of the British state.
From the outset of the alleged poisoning incident in Salisbury on March 4, the official
British narrative has been pocked suspiciously with inconsistencies. The lightning-fast rush to
judgment by the British government – within days – to blame the Kremlin for "a
brazen murder attempt" was perhaps the main giveaway that the narrative was following a script
and foregone conclusion to incriminate Russia.
May be a more correct hypothesis that explains Trump behaviour in Skripal case and Douma supposed gas attack is that Trump was a false flag from the beginning. Being a
newcomer to politics he, like Obama before him, was a perfect bait and switch" candidate.
Hillary statement that he is "unfit for office" proved to be true, but in a different sense then
Hillary implied: in foright policy he proved to be copycat of Hillary, save sex change
operation.
Notable quotes:
"... One month after that attack, which Prime Minister Theresa May ascribed to Russia and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson laid at the feet of Putin himself, questions have arisen: If the nerve agent used, Novichok, was of a military variety so deadly it could kill any who came near, why is no one dead from it? Both the target, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter Yulia are recovering. ..."
"... If the deadly poison was, as reported, put on the doorknob of Skripal's home, how did he and Yulia manage to go to a restaurant after being contaminated, with neither undergoing a seizure until later on a park bench? ..."
"So Donald Trump turns out to be a pretty good liar, even if one has to take into account the fact that he frequently has no idea
what he is talking about. But the prize for lying at a high level has to go to the British as related to what has been going on both
in the Middle East, with Russia, and also in Britain itself. Former Prime Minister Tony Blair was the first master at dissimulation
in 2002 when his intelligence chief Sir Richard Dearlove told him that the Bush White House had decided on war and "the intelligence
and facts were being around the policy" regarding Iraq, meaning that it was ignoring the information that did not support its desire
to create a pretext for invading the country and removing Saddam Hussein. Blair presumably could have derailed the ill-fated invasion
by refusing to go along with the venture, which was a war crime, but instead he fully supported George W. Bush in the attack and
thereby had a hand in America's worst foreign policy disaster ever. In 2016 an official British government inquiry determined that
Bush and Blair had indeed together rushed to war. The Global Establishment has nevertheless
rewarded Tony Blair for his loyalty with Clintonesque generosity.
He has enjoyed a number of well-paid sinecures and is now worth in excess of $100 million." Giraldi
I honestly don't understand why people refuse to acknowledge that we in the West are ruled either by sociopaths, or by people
who are functionally indistinguishable from sociopaths.
This is nothing unique to the United States. Every empire and its rulers were ever thus. What is different is that the American
Empire is larger and more universal in scope and has more tools of propaganda, control, surveillance and destruction at its fingertips
than a Stalin or a Genghis Khan ever dreamed of.
Hubris and sociopathy explain all of the actions that the American Empire has taken to date, and explain what the Empire will
do next.
Has the US brass succumbed to ziocons?
https://www.zerohedge.com/n...
The main questions on the social media: "Why the US is in Syria?" and "Is a war in Syria in America's interests?"
That is what they say. I will believe when I see a video footage with her in it. Even then I
will not believe 100%. We should never forget that we deal with evil pathological liars, crooks
and swindlers.
This part of the statement of Dr. Blanshard, medical director of Salisbury hospital, is
remarkable:
"While I won't go into great detail about the treatment we've been providing, I will say
that nerve agents work by attaching themselves to a particular enzyme in the body which then
stops the nerves from working properly. This results in symptoms such as sickness,
hallucinations and confusion. Our job in treating the patients has been to stabilise
them– ensuring that the patients could breathe and that blood could continue to
circulate. We then needed to use a variety of different drugs to support the patients until
they could create more enzymes to replace those affected by the poisoning. We also used
specialised decontamination techniques to remove any residual toxins."
There was no need for her to go in detail about Julia's recovery, but she did, and what
she says fits much more a food poisoning from fish or shellfish than a military nerve agent.
The bombshell is at the end. "Toxin" is a poison generated by a plant or animal, i.e. a
biological poison. Novichok is no toxin. Doctors are used to formulate careful and
precise.
In my eyes this statement is a slap in the face of the British government and its Novichok
story and a sign that it's going to collapse soon.
Hallucinations is it?
"Nerve agents work by attaching themselves to the particular enzymes in the body, which then
stop the nerves from functioning. This results in symptoms such as sickness and
hallucinations. Our job in treating the patients is to stabilise them, ensuring that they can
breathe and blood can continue to circulate."
I was very skeptical at first, but I've come to regard something food-related as most
likely, like people here at the MoA have proposed. 'b' plus I think 'Jen', is that her
name?
It struck me as conspicuous that Blanshard wouldn't just state what substance exactly they
were dealing with, if said substance was indeed some manufactured military nerve agent. But
since the British government have flung their reputation and credibility down Big Ben by
coming up with this Novichok nonsense, Blanshard can't say anything other than what she did
say.
Also there's no mention of 'poisoning', 'attack' or some such term, which would indicate a
perpetrator actively and intentionally bringing the Skripals into contact with the substance.
It's just 'incident'. Adding to that, the phrase "have been exposed to" suggests
'environmental' to me, and that's what food-borne is.
"... Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who's skepticism convinced 165 countries to not fall for Boris Johnson's lies, says that Johnson has to answer "serious questions". The spin-masters of the May government throw Novi-Fog into Fleet Street to prevent that. ..."
"... Operation 'Save Boris' fills the Fleet Street papers with more lies. It claims that secret intelligence, which can not even be shown to the opposition leader, proves that Russia tested how to smear the nerve agent 'Novichok' on doorknobs ..."
"... Theresa May's government is in serious trouble. It tries to spin its way out of its lies. But the time is working against it. The fog will rise ..."
"... Moon of Alabama ..."
"... Thou Shalt Not Bear False Witness Against Thy Neighbor--a mortal sin. ..."
"... The Telegraph today answered critics that are demanding proof , saying that no beyond-a-reasonable-doubt proof is required because governments are not held to that standard. So what standard should a government be held to a) by other governments? And b) by the people that they represent? They didn't bother to say but the impression I got is "trust us". They are tone deaf. Public trust is worn thin. Do they think we have forgotten being lied into Iraq? Their incessant spying and propaganda? Western support for ISIS criminality? Clinton-DNC collusion? And much more! ..."
"... I would guess the Skripals and the policeman would have a full time minder at their sides to ensure they say nothing that busts the narrative. ..."
"... It might have been pesticide poisoning . If doctors guessed correctly they would have been able to treat it. Pesticide poisoning happens a lot by accident in rural households. ..."
"... Novichok shares characteristics with pesticides so laboratory results may very well be something that can be a pesticide - or Novichok. ..."
"... Good reminder that we fight bees with a "military grade weapon". ..."
"... reminded me of the passport that survived the 9/11 twin towers attack in the USA. ..."
"... I think bevin's correct--Brexit, Corbyn and further vilification of Russia are the motives driving this SNAFU. ..."
"... Russia convened an OPCW Special Executive Council meeting in The Hague on April 4, for "addressing the situation around allegations of non-compliance with the Convention made by one State Party against the other State Party with regard to the incident in Salisbury" on March 4. . . here ..."
"... This is a post by a novelist (red flag, I know) with obv. no credibility that claims that Novichok was in fact the name of a KGB operation to locate leakers in their chemical research staff by feeding disinfo about a chemical super-weapon, and that Mirzayanov (an analytical chemist not directly involved in research or production) was ID'd as a leaker as a result, and turned into a disinfo dispenser. ..."
"... The Skripals apparently ordered seafood risotto at Zizzi's Restaurant in Salisbury. If you look up Zizzi's Restaurant menus on Google, you will see the menus mention risotto with mussels. ..."
"... Mussels can carry algae-related toxins that can cause (among other things) nausea, vomiting and (depending on the toxin involved) even brain damage, memory loss and death. Usually the symptoms set in about half an hour after eating so knowing when the Skripals had lunch and when they arrived at the park bench is critical. ..."
"... The grechka is problematic - how did the policeman get ill? ..."
"... The guinea pigs died from thirst? You'd think if there was nerve gas contamination in the house somewhere, thirst would be the last thing they'd die of. ..."
"... If police had visited the house on March 4, immediately or almost immediately after the Skripals were found, surely they would have found the animals in good condition? Sergei Skripal had apparently had the animals brought over from Russia at considerable expense to himself. One assumes he must have been quite attached to them. Yet when the animals are found, they are malnourished and starving or dead from thirst? ..."
"... So what was DS Nick Bailey doing if he didn't go to the house on March 4? When was he stricken with nerve gas poisoning? ..."
"... Its a common Western practice to point finger to enemies military or research facility. They win regardless of circumstances. ..."
"... Only two words: perfidious Albion... always was and always will be. And this is how the west spins off into the dustbin of history... the newbie way. ..."
"... Folks, the reason for all this anti-Putin nonsense is the one fact that the Syrian government now holds over 11 British officers who were liaised with the terrorists in the Ghouta. ..."
"... And they were caught out of uniform, such that they could be executed as spies under international law. Isn't that a howler?" ..."
"... What sort of libretto would Gilbert and Sullivan compose for this fiasco. Could The Onion do better? Reminds me of Cheech & Chong's skits. ..."
"... If all dogs of wars are now unleashed following some absurd false flag as murky and grotesque as the Skippy affair... we, as human species, are absolutely doomed to live in hell for quite sometimes. ..."
"... The only thing that has been officially confirmed is that blood tests showed breakdown products of organophosphates that were believed to come from a "Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent." I still do not think they have found novichok anywhere in the environment or have collected a sample that could be independently verified to be novichok in some foreign laboratory. At least we have not seen any official confirmation that such a sample exists. Nor have we received information on exactly what compound this "novichok" is claimed to be. ..."
"... I suspect the traces of "novichok" found all over the place, from the Zizzi restaurant to the door handle, are just some ordinary organophosphate pesticide. ..."
"... The Skripals are suffering from "paralytic shellfish poisoning" they received from saxitoxin or tetrodotoxin in the seafood in the Risotto Pesce they ate at the Zizzi restaurant. The Skripals received traces of some organophosphate pesticide from the flowers they left at the graves in the morning. They then left trace on the door handles of the BMW. A video show the BMW driving away from Sergei Skripl's house at 14:55 in the afternoon. This would mean that they visited the house after leaving the pub and entering the Zizzi restaurant, leaving further organophosphate traces on the door knob of the house. ..."
"... Thanks 'B' for keeping the torch lit and shine thru the british lies .. it is so lame and amateurish and i agree for years these propagandist been doing their job the 'easy way' and now they been exposed by the still thinking crowd in the net.. ..."
"... This would suggest that if the breakfast cereal brought to the UK from Russia for Sergei Skripal is tested for "Novichok", it will also test positive for traces of "Novichok". (Unless of course Lord President Vlademort rids the entire Russian Federation of all its agricultural pests with a magnanimous wave of his hand and the utterance of a secret spell.) ..."
A pity endeavor. It were the lies of Theresa May and Boris Johnson that
convinced the other countries , not any factual evidence:
BERLIN (Reuters) - Britain needs to show proof that Russia was behind last month's poisoning of a former Russian double agent
and his daughter in England, the German government's coordinator for Russia said on Thursday.
Gernot Erler said pressure was rising on Prime Minister Theresa May's government after Britain's military research centre,
at Porton Down, said on Tuesday it could not say yet whether the nerve agent used in the attack had been produced in Russia.
" That contradicts what we had previously heard from British politicians and will certainly raise the pressure on Britain to
show further proof that the traces plausibly point to Moscow ," Erler told German broadcaster ARD.
Armin Laschert, head of Germany's most populous state North Rhine-Westphalia and near to Merkel, also
questioned the British
behavior.
The international loss of trust for the British claims is serious. Unless the UK government comes up with a very plausible story
with some real evidence behind it no serious European official will lend it any further support. And no, holding up a tube of white
powder will not be enough.
Opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn, who's skepticism convinced 165 countries to not fall for Boris Johnson's lies,
says that Johnson has to answer "serious questions".
The spin-masters of the May government throw Novi-Fog into Fleet Street to prevent that.
Operation 'Save Boris' fills the Fleet Street papers with more lies. It claims that secret intelligence, which
can not even be shown to the opposition
leader, proves that Russia
tested how to smear the nerve agent 'Novichok' on doorknobs:
Police said last week they believed Russian ex-double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned at home in Salisbury
via their front door.
Now agents have confirmed that Putin's scientists carried out experiments looking at its effectiveness on door handles before
the March 3[sic!] attack.
A security source told the Daily Mail: "We have intelligence that goes beyond Russia made Novichok and stockpiled it.
" We have evidence that they also explored using it as an assassination weapon including on areas such as door handles and
everyday objects. "
"Putin's scientists" experimented and found that two persons leaving a home will both touch the exterior doorknob and reliably
infect themselves with a rain-resistant, "military grade" nerve agent which several hours later has a similar sudden effect on a
33 year old healthy women and a 66 year old man with serious diabetes. That indeed sounds quite plausible to me (not).
The Times was told that the spies found the source of the nerve agent. But the piece is extremely vague and makes little
sense:
There are two different sources: 1. "Security services" which say they know the source but neither name it, nor pin the location
to Russia and 2. a Whitehall spin-master who points to Russia.
Some photo editor made sense of what the "security services" said and introduced the Times piece with a picture of the
likely source:
Behind the wall of Novi-Fog all
the outrageous claims the government made about the case get pushed down the memory hole.
Meanwhile Victoria Skripal, a cousin of Yulia Skripal,
claims
to have been called by Yulia and told that everything is fine. In response(?) the Metropolitan Police
claims to have a statement from Yulia in which she also says that everything is fine. Neither claim is verifiable and both might
well be wrong.
Theresa May's government is in serious trouble. It tries to spin its way out of its lies. But the time is working against
it. The fog will rise:
The OPCW investigation, to which Russia was denied access, will not help May to make a case against Russia. In the best case
for May it will come up with a similar result as Porton Down. It might say that some nerve agent was used on the Skripals but
that it is impossible to pin it to a source. It might say that it can not identify the nerve agent at all. It may find nothing.
Yulia Skripal will have to be released from hospital and is likely to fly home to Russia. She will talk. She is unlikely to
know anything that could help May, but might well say something that lets the whole story fall apart. She will have to watch her
back.
Britain's allies are miffed. They have been lied to and damaged their relations with Russia for no good reason. The Brexit
negotiations will become more difficult as Brussels has lost trust in any British claim or commitment.
Russia will continue to attack May while she has lost the protection from her allies.
The upcoming local elections could well go against the Tories. In 2004 the Spanish Prime Minister Aznar blamed the Basque
ETA for the Madrid train bombing. That was exposed as a lie and
he lost his lead in the polls, the election and his job. When the Skripal case broke and was pinned to Russia the Tories rose
in the polls. But the fall after the exposure of the lies will probably be of equal size.
What will the British government to get out of this situation?
---
Previous Moon of Alabama reports on the Skripal case:
d notice
simple and effective. It has a chilling effect
the gladio diversion crew productions have moved on today it is the knife crime menace in london.all contained on the salisbury
front no dissent in the media places that count.
Thanks for continuing to hammer on this perfidy by the British puppets and their masters.
At the end of your posting you asked what the British government will do to get out of this situation and I can only expect
them to try and top the situation with something to shift focus and so it has to be Huuuuuuge....and not likely in a good way....sigh
When do the aliens come in and save us from our species stupidity?
The Telegraph today answered critics that are demanding proof , saying that no beyond-a-reasonable-doubt proof is required
because governments are not held to that standard. So what standard should a government be held to a) by other governments? And
b) by the people that they represent? They didn't bother to say but the impression I got is "trust us". They are tone deaf. Public
trust is worn thin. Do they think we have forgotten being lied into Iraq? Their incessant spying and propaganda? Western support
for ISIS criminality? Clinton-DNC collusion? And much more!
The link to Sputnik has a link to the video of the Russian
TV show but no English subtitles. Is the an English transcription anywhere? According to the transcription of the recorded conversation,
it is Yulia initiated the phone call and I would think it was the UK that recorded the call and sent it to Russian TV. I would
guess the Skripals and the policeman would have a full time minder at their sides to ensure they say nothing that busts the narrative.
The link to Sputnik has a link to the video of the Russian TV show but no English subtitles. Is the an English transcription
anywhere?
According to the transcription of the recorded conversation, it is Yulia initiated the phone call and I would think it was the
UK that recorded the call and sent it to Russian TV. I would guess the Skripals and the policeman would have a full time minder
at their sides to ensure they say nothing that busts the narrative.
As said before, no #Novichok was used. The Skripals could recover.Now the relative in Moskow asked, what was the order in the
restaurant Zizzi. I think it was severe illness after Meal mess. Toad in the Pond? Not on the list of Zizzi.
The British police have finally started a proper investigation. It has had immediate results, when absolute proof of Russia's
involvement was found under the bench where the Skirpals fell unconscious.
The cracks are starting to show. No evidence. No serious facts. We continue on regardless pumping out the big lies.....Do they
think we don't remember Tony Blair on Iraq, the rush into Afghanistan, the wilful destruction of Libya, which once had the highest
human development index in Africa, the near destruction of Syria triggering a huge migrant crisis. The HMG view on all of these
has been an inversion of the truth. I stopped beleiving anything any British government says to me after Iraq, and my default
setting on this affair was 'false flag'. The Russian ambassador was given over ninety minutes of airtime this afternoon on Sky
and acquitted himself very well, posing, to a Brit, very logical and sensible questions. When is he going to move Writ of Habeus
Corpus for the Skripals? The guy has quite a sense of humour and the irony would be sublime...
So there we were after 1 month waiting for a man with a name and a job title to actually say it was Novichok, and finally one
came along presented as the head of Porton Down.
He heads up dstl, not Porton Down, but the holding group that owns Porton Down
His background is Telecoms not chemistry, and commercial not scientific.
He left the private sector to joined dstl only in December 2017 - barely got his feet behind the desk
Shame Sky didn't bother to ask if he works in Porton Down - I doubt he does.
Even greater shame no one has asked for a chemist from Porton Down to speak up. Maybe Corbyn will ask that, but right now the
pro-Israel lobby is flat out to shut him up in case he mentions Palestine.
So, let me get this straight in my head for once. The Brits 'knew' even before this incident that Russia had been experimenting
with doorknobs as delivery agents of this novichok stuff, yet it took them weeks, and dozens of alternate theories, to yell 'eureka,
I finally have it. I'll go test the doorknobs now.'
It were the lies of Theresa May and Boris Johnson that convinced the other countries, not any factual evidence...
______________________________________________
True enough, but I think it's more correct to say that the lies coerced the other countries rather than "convinced"
them.
That is, they weren't "convinced" in the sense of "rationally persuaded". They were "convinced" the way fictional Mafia Don
"convinced" stubborn or reluctant parties by "making them an offer they can't refuse".
As I say, perhaps this is just a matter of semantics. I suppose that if one tells lies while twisting one's interlocutor's
arm sharply, the interlocutor may be "convinced" as much by the pain as the merits of the lies.
I think the feckless response is driven by seeing the handwriting on the wall, not necessarily believing what's being written.
btw - the un speech from the uk and usa were ridiculous... someone ought to get a manuscript of there words earlier today at the
un special meeting on this and tear them apart... ripe for the taking...
It might have been pesticide
poisoning . If doctors guessed correctly they would have been able to treat it. Pesticide poisoning happens a lot by accident
in rural households.
The binary versions of the agents reportedly uses acetonitrile and an organic phosphate "that can be disguised as a pesticide
precursor."
Mirzayanov gives somewhat different structures for Novichok agents in his autobiography to those which have been identified
by Western experts.[53] He makes clear that a large number of compounds were made, and many of the less potent derivatives
were reported in the open literature as new organophosphate insecticides,[54] so that the secret chemical weapons program could
be disguised as legitimate pesticide research.
Good reminder that we fight bees with a "military grade weapon".
Boris needs to grow a brain. "28 other countries have been so convinced..." is a pretty limp-wristed claim to brag about
when one considers that if the evidence was overwhelmingly Q.E.D. then 194 other countries would be convinced. And Boris could
just STFU and wouldn't need to say anything.
Thank you anonymous #9. I was expecting a mushroom and that reminded me of the passport that survived the 9/11 twin towers
attack in the USA.
These malign fools are klutzes and for that we should be either thankful or terrified. My first thought on reading b's headline
was a rough Brexit will follow.
So, a tad more than 10% of the countries in the world are going along with this provocation. But, as when Ms. Clinton recently
stated that she "won" in all the districts that matter (tripling down on driving that wedge between the "Party of the People"
and the actual people), the countries that are playing along are the only ones that matter.
Meanwhile: Syria, Ukraine, Israeli slaughtering of unarmed protesters and passing laws to "finish 1948," Turkey, Honduras,
Venezuela, Brazil (coup regime set to imprison second former leftist President), mass labor unrest in France, 3 US States school
systems shut down by wild cat strikes, etc. etc. etc.
The only Truth being ascertained in this SNAFU are the lies being unmasked. The diatribes by UK/US "ambassadors" at UNSC are utterly
inane compared to Russian rationality. Germany's essentially said UK's provided zero evidence to back its very serious accusations
and the vast majority of the world agrees. Past behavior is the best predictor of future behavior, and both the UK and Outlaw
US Empire are guilty of casting Big Lies very often to further their Imperialistic Outlaw behavior since 1945--and that's precisely
what's being done now.
I think bevin's correct--Brexit, Corbyn and further vilification of Russia are the motives driving this SNAFU.
The OPCW Director has said that "The mandate of the FFM [Fact-Finding Mission] is confined to establishing only the fact of the
use of chemical weapons" and not to determine accountability. But the recent meeting on April 4 was to consider the UK charges
against Russia, which had EU and US backing.
from a document....
Russia convened an OPCW Special Executive Council meeting in The Hague on April 4, for "addressing the situation around
allegations of non-compliance with the Convention made by one State Party against the other State Party with regard to the incident
in Salisbury" on March 4. . . here
No doubt Mr. Johnson's remarks were considered and proof demanded. There has been no report on the meeting yet, which should
show up
here .
Hi MoA, I wanted to share a funny but tinfoil-y theory that came up on the Russian web very early in the Skripal affair. Briefly,
that Novichok was a bogus gas and a KGB psy op to begin with.
This is a post by a novelist (red flag, I know) with obv. no credibility that claims that Novichok was in fact the name
of a KGB operation to locate leakers in their chemical research staff by feeding disinfo about a chemical super-weapon, and that
Mirzayanov (an analytical chemist not directly involved in research or production) was ID'd as a leaker as a result, and turned
into a disinfo dispenser.
Literally a conspiracy theory (also might be unironic disinfo in itself), but just think how absolutely fucking hilarious it
would be if it turned out that (a) novichok really is bogus and (b) without knowing that, the Brits tried a false flag with what
they thought was a hype Russian superpoison but was actually rubbish unable of killing a 66 y.o. diabetic.
Also, it does kinda play into OPCW's continued refusal to add Novichok to their CW list, despite years of Mirzayanov's advocacy
and even having the formulas.
Posting translation below:
"The tail has wagged the god:
Don't ask for my source, won't give it away anyway. Everything written below is vastly different from what you can find online.
'1. As far back as the early 1980's the Soviet Army stopped considering [chemical weapons] as a worthwhile weapon in a real
war. Around 83-84 a decision was made to stop supplying the army with CWs, decreasing operational stocks of it and moving CW from
the armed forces to long-term storage and weapon disposal facilies. From that time to 1996 no new CW items were supplied to the
army, as well as no instruction materials on usage or defense against them.
2. Mirzoyanov's specialty is analytical chemistry, he was never involved in neither theoretical R&D nor production. He spent
the entire 80's in the First Department.
3. In the second half of the 80's KGB launched a wide-scale disinformation operation, which also had a side objective - expose
leaks. They developed two dozen bogus but very detailed projects for "new chemical superweapons, which cannot be detected by existing
NATO dectors and which is impossible to defend against" (NOVA with its variants, "Novichok" with variants, ASD and others). It
was "Novichok" that passed through Mirzoyanov's hands.
4. R&D and production facility in Kantyubek was reoriented from testing and producing CW and BO [military equipment?] to producing
herbicides and defoliants - mainly for the cotton industry's needs.
5. Mirzoyanov was immediately identified as a leaker, removed from any materials with a real basis behind them in 1990, and
fed a disinformation channel since. In '92 he voluntarily exposed himself by publishing his famous article. Form this moment on
"Novichok" reaches the realm of mass media. In '95 NYT writes about the "new Russian superweapon."
6. NATO had spent $10 bln. creating countermeasures for a fake CW.
7. What really happened in Salisbury is absolutely unclear; the victims' behavior, the actions of the police, medics, or special
services doesn't all fit into a comprehensible picture. Poisoning by a synthetic neurotoxin, analogous to that of the fugu fish,
seems more or less probable.
Summarizing briefly: "Novichok" is not the name of a chemical weapon, but a KGB operation cypher, developed to expose leaks
and feed disinformation.'"
The Skripals apparently ordered seafood risotto at Zizzi's Restaurant in Salisbury. If you look up Zizzi's Restaurant menus
on Google, you will see the menus mention risotto with mussels.
Mussels can carry algae-related toxins that can cause (among other things) nausea, vomiting and (depending on the toxin
involved) even brain damage, memory loss and death. Usually the symptoms set in about half an hour after eating so knowing when
the Skripals had lunch and when they arrived at the park bench is critical.
Unfortunately the table where the Skripals had lunch has now been destroyed. The park bench has been removed from the shopping
mall and who knows what state it's in now?
Also what appears to have been ignored in the official account is whether the Skripals had lunch on their own or if there was
someone else with them at the cemetery, at the restaurant, at the pub or later in the shopping mall. That someone need not have
accompanied them to all four spots where they went on March 4.
I agree with just about everyone here one way or another, but propaganda works and they have the media - they are scoring points.
I watched the Security Counsel meeting this afternoon and I must say the Russians did not do themselves any favors, he was
rambling, sputtering and all over the map. Did not even mention that this agent can be made in many places and other details.
The British argument was polished and thorough, it will convince a great many.
They have lost much but not all of their control of the narrative.
What's really funny and sad is how the story keeps changing.
Do a search for Skripal poisoning and read through the first 2 or 3 pages - you'll see that at various times, it is the Skripal's
car door handle, then it is their house door handle, then it is in their buckwheat (grechka).
The car door is problematic - it was raining.
The house door is problematic - since when do both people leaving both grasp the door handle? Unless maybe they're OCD.
The grechka is problematic - how did the policeman get ill?
Seems pretty weak all around, especially now that Porton Down has specifically stated that there is no evidence of manufacture
in Russia.
(Reuters) - A Russian military research base was identified as the source of the nerve agent used in Salisbury, England,
at a British intelligence briefing for the country's allies, the Times of London reported on Thursday.
The gathering was used to persuade world leaders that Moscow was behind the poisoning and said that the Novichok chemical
was produced at the Shikhany facility in southwest Russia, the Times said. The briefing included suggestions that Shikhany
had been used during the past decade to test whether the nerve agent could be utilized for assassinations abroad, the newspaper
said.
The Guardian made the
same
claim already on March 14th. I do not know if there is any real information or even guesswork here. Both Britain and Russia
may have only one chemical weapons research facility each.
So now the standard has been lowered to a "plausible" connection to Russia. That allows for wild conjecture that will leave the
public even more confused and, ultimately, disinterested. The term "Novi-fog" well describes the Tories' desperate effort to escape
blame for their massive screw-up.
James @ 20, 21: The guinea pigs died from thirst? You'd think if there was nerve gas contamination in the house somewhere,
thirst would be the last thing they'd die of.
Even the story about the animals' fate looks as if it had been cobbled together at the last minute.
If police had visited the house on March 4, immediately or almost immediately after the Skripals were found, surely they
would have found the animals in good condition? Sergei Skripal had apparently had the animals brought over from Russia at considerable
expense to himself. One assumes he must have been quite attached to them. Yet when the animals are found, they are malnourished
and starving or dead from thirst?
So what was DS Nick Bailey doing if he didn't go to the house on March 4? When was he stricken with nerve gas poisoning?
Its a common Western practice to point finger to enemies military or research facility. They win regardless of circumstances.
a) They have a specific location to point to, which "prove" they have intel.
b) If an enemy refuse access to secure facility, that means "they have something to hide."
c) If an enemy allows access and they find nothing, they simply say enemy "has hidden it somewhere else", plus they can spy on
all the other research in that facility.
US does it all the time as well, whether its Iraq, or Iran (Parchin saga is of an epic proportions), etc.
"Folks, the reason for all this anti-Putin nonsense is the one fact that the Syrian government now holds over 11 British
officers who were liaised with the terrorists in the Ghouta. They were captured 2 weeks ago by Syrian Army commandos and
are being held in separate jails around the Damascus area inside heavily guarded military bases. The Brits want them badly before
they are used to implicate England in the mess it helped to create in Syria. Damascus won't budge on this issue and, evidently,
the English are assuming Moscow is not putting pressure on Dr. Assad to release them to Old Blighty. Too bad. And they were
caught out of uniform, such that they could be executed as spies under international law. Isn't that a howler?"
I posted about this possible angle several days ago when word of captured ZioNATO operatives were more rumor-like; instead,
here Ziad makes a definite statement of fact. IMO, if the Syrians do have these spies--and I really hope they do--given the nature
of the war waged against Syria, they will not let them go for any bargain.
It seems English speakers are professional prevaricators -- I certainly had problems with truth-telling until about age 20.
Otherwise, why the myth that the young George Washington being unable to tell a lie? Yet another lie to cover for endless prevarication.
pretty sure the Russians listed the Shikhany facility for the OPCW when they did their verification and monitoring of Destruction
of Russian Chemical warfare stockpiles. Bullshit again , I'm picking, and not even very well researched
@29
Food poisoning? Would the police lie? (trick question). Mar 11, 2018 - Traces of the nerve agent used to poison former Russian
spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia has been discovered at the Zizzi restaurant where they last ate, police have said.
Zizzi food poisoning complaints from Trip Advisor (undercooking):
> Zizzi - The Strand
73-75 Strand, London WC2R 0DE, England (Covent Garden)
November 12, 2016 via mobile
Regrettably our visit last night will be the last! Clearly have food poisoning this morning from undercooked chicken in the Strozzapretti
Pesto, we didn't have lunch so this can be the only place it's originated from.
Safe to say I'll be stuck in bed today!
> Zizzi Union Square, Aberdeen AB11 5RG, Scotland
Having been to Zizzis in St Andrews on numerous occasions we decided to go here before the cinema . .pizza/calzone and chicken
pasta for me...Half an hour into the film my stomach started churning and I felt nauseous. Got home and have had extreme diahorrea
and abdo pain all night. Since all I had yesterday was cereal and toast and jam I think it's safe to conclude I picked this up
at zizzis. DON'T GO....
@34 jen... it is a really poorly written script and appears to be changing quite regularly.... none of it adds up and as many
of us here have said - we are calling bullshit on most all of it.. the story on the pets is further proof that none of this story
holds up with any scrutiny..
Mirzayanov claimed that the Soviet Union developed a binary nerve agent 8-10-times more potent that the American VX. A binary
agent is a compound produced in a chemical reaction from two benign precursors right before use. Such agents offer obvious advantages:
the production is much easier with no extraordinary safety precautions required, storage is also much simplified, no need to stockpile
the actual chemical weapons agent (CWA), there is no problem with stability of the CWA, et cetera. The US spent significant resources
on the binary CWA program of its own. Interestingly, in the original publications of 1992 the agent in question was simply referred
to as binary agent. The name Novichok first surfaced in the 1994 report by Lev Feodorov about the chemical weapons in Russia.
According to Vladimir Uglev, a chemist who worked at the same institute as Mirzayanov on the new series of CWA, the official name
of the program was Foliant. Mirzayanov later confirmed that.
The believable part of the story is that the Soviet Union and later Russia would have a successful chemical weapons program
similar to that in the US. Uglev specifically stated that the Foliant program was meant as the answer to the American VX agent.
The quantities of the agents produced ranged from several milligrams to kilograms, and several hundreds compound were supposedly
synthesized all this points to the development stage of the program. There is no indication that any of the agents were ever
weaponized, i.e. munitions for delivery of the CWA to the enemy were designed, except for the statements of Mirzayanov. However,
by his own admission, he wasn't involved in weaponization, and, thus, he is unlikely to have a firsthand know-ledge about it.
Remarkably, Uglev said that although his group developed several deadly substances, attempts to develop binary formulations failed,
and no binary agents were ever produced.
Uglev's statements regarding his work are much more specific than Mirzayanov's and, thus, more believable. Besides, Uglev,
unlike Mirzayanov, was involved in the actual development of the agents. Mirzayanov's job, as the Head of the Counterintelligence
Department, was to control the space around the institute, and he had no part in developing the technology.
The UK long ago voted in the highest chambers of power to manifest a Trexit, the exit from all forms of the truth. Every day they
prove this more and more.
@ Galvanise #28
Indeed the tail has wagged the God but first and foremost the tail has done the Devil's work. If all dogs of wars are now
unleashed following some absurd false flag as murky and grotesque as the Skippy affair...
we, as human species, are absolutely doomed to live in hell for quite sometimes.
When all it takes is a couple of goofs
strained by some remnants from Vicky's cookies virus pleagues, we are issuing a no-parole sentence on all human beings... further
to be condemned for centuries, our heads hidden in some 'Novi-fogs' of wars... or another.
Perhaps some sort of British standards of living, permanently under some kind of... 'foog'. We have recently learned from the
Pope there is no Hell to go to (cos' we already are in living hell). Then, Foggy Paradise must be empty, deprived from any kind
of wisdom.
The only thing that has been officially confirmed is that blood tests showed breakdown products of organophosphates that were
believed to come from a "Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent." I still do not think they have found novichok anywhere
in the environment or have collected a sample that could be independently verified to be novichok in some foreign laboratory.
At least we have not seen any official confirmation that such a sample exists. Nor have we received information on exactly what
compound this "novichok" is claimed to be.
I suspect the traces of "novichok" found all over the place, from the Zizzi restaurant to the door handle, are just some
ordinary organophosphate pesticide.
A POSSIBLE SCENARIO
The Skripals are suffering from "paralytic shellfish poisoning" they received from saxitoxin or tetrodotoxin in the seafood
in the Risotto Pesce they ate at the Zizzi restaurant. The Skripals received traces of some organophosphate pesticide from
the flowers they left at the graves in the morning. They then left trace on the door handles of the BMW. A video show the BMW
driving away from Sergei Skripl's house at 14:55 in the afternoon. This would mean that they visited the house after leaving the
pub and entering the Zizzi restaurant, leaving further organophosphate traces on the door knob of the house.
Thanks 'B' for keeping the torch lit and shine thru the british lies .. it is so lame and amateurish and i agree for years
these propagandist been doing their job the 'easy way' and now they been exposed by the still thinking crowd in the net..
BTW anyone here know why Col Patrick Lang disable comments on SST ? is he afraid of people posting facts and truth in his site
?
Petri Krohn @ 47: I'd say your story is the most credible interpretation of all the "evidence".
This would suggest that if the breakfast cereal brought to the UK from Russia for Sergei Skripal is tested for "Novichok",
it will also test positive for traces of "Novichok". (Unless of course Lord President Vlademort rids the entire Russian Federation
of all its agricultural pests with a magnanimous wave of his hand and the utterance of a secret spell.)
The police officer DS Nick Bailey who was hospitalised may have had an allergic reaction to the pesticide or to something else
in the Skripal house.
By now, Russia should have learned that arguing with GB is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the
bird is just gonna knock all the pieces over, shit on the board, and strut around as if it won anyway.
The British denial of a visitor visa to a Skripal family relative from Russia is fueling
concern that the whole affair is far more sinister than what the British government and media
have been claiming.
Far from the Skripal father and daughter being the alleged victims of a Russian
assassination plot, it now seems increasingly apparent that they are being held against their
will by Britain's authorities. In short, hostages of the British state.
From the outset of the alleged poisoning incident in Salisbury on March 4, the official
British narrative has been pocked suspiciously with inconsistencies. The lightning-fast rush to
judgment by the British government – within days – to blame the Kremlin for "a
brazen murder attempt" was perhaps the main giveaway that the narrative was following a script
and foregone conclusion to incriminate Russia.
Last week, the saga took several significant twists raising more doubts about the official
British narrative. First, British scientists at the Porton Down warfare laboratory
admitted that they hadn't in fact confirmed the alleged nerve agent used against the
Skripals originated from Russia. That admission spectacularly exposed earlier British
government claims as false, if not barefaced lies.
Secondly, it emerged
that potentially key witness-material was destroyed by the British. Three pet animals in the
Salisbury home of Sergei Skripal were declared dead and their remains incinerated. Autopsies
could have shed light on the nature of the alleged nerve agent used against the Skripals. Why
were the animal remains incinerated? And why did the British authorities disclose the fate of
the animals only after the matter was raised by the Russian envoy to the UN Security Council on
Thursday?
Thirdly, there is the strangely callous way that the British authorities have refused a
visitor visa to a Skripal family relative from Russia who was intending to fly to England to be
with her relatives while they are reportedly recuperating from the alleged poison attack.
Russian national Victoria Skripal revealed on Friday to Russian news media that she was
refused a visa by British authorities to visit her relatives – cousin Yulia and uncle
Sergei – who are reportedly confined to a hospital in Salisbury.
The day before her visa application was rejected, Victoria had a brief
telephone conversation with Yulia. It appears that Victoria recorded the conversation and
made it available to Russian media to broadcast. The transcript shows that Yulia's words were
guarded. She was obviously not comfortable with speaking freely. Their phone call ended
abruptly. But she did manage to advise her cousin in Russia that the latter would probably not
be granted a visitor visa. Why would she say such a thing?
British media quickly tried to smear the Russian cousin, Victoria. A BBC journalist said
that the British authorities "suspected that Victoria was being used as a pawn by the Kremlin".
Russian's foreign ministry hit back at that suggestion, saying it was a despicable slur.
For her part, Victoria Skripal told Russian media that she thinks the British authorities
have "something to hide" by refusing to grant her a permit to Britain in order to visit her
cousin and uncle. Was her visa application rejected by the British authorities because she had
the "audacity" to record the phone call with her cousin and make it available to Russian
media?
Far more plausible is not that Victoria is a "Kremlin pawn" but that the British fear that
Victoria would not be a "London pawn". The worst thing for the British authorities would be for
an independent-minded Skripal relative coming to the Salisbury hospital and asking critical
questions about the nature of why her relatives are being held there.
It would be interesting to see what would happen if several other Skripal relatives in
Russia were to make similar applications for visitor visas to Britain. Surely, the British
authorities could not turn them all down?
For over a month now since the March 4 incident in Salisbury, the Russian consular
representatives in Britain have not been allowed access to the Skripal pair, allegedly being
treated in hospital.
Fair enough, Sergei Skripal is a disgraced former Russian spy who had been living in England
for nearly eight years. He was exiled there by Moscow as part of a spy-swap with Britain's
foreign intelligence MI6 whom Skripal had served as a double agent. It is believed he was given
British citizenship by the London authorities.
However, his daughter, 33-year-old Yulia, is a citizen of the Russian Federation. She was
visiting her father on holiday when the pair became ill – apparently from exposure to a
nerve agent – while sitting in a public park in Salisbury.
Yulia and the Russian authorities are therefore entitled under international law to have
consular contact. The Russian embassy in London has been repeatedly denied access by the
British authorities to one of its citizens. On the face of it, that is an outrageous breach of
international law by the British.
Significantly, Yulia did not express to her cousin during their phone conversation that she
did not want to see the Russian consular people. That phone call was obviously initiated by
Yulia. Her Russian-based cousin at one point asked her, "Is this your phone?".
How Yulia got use of the phone is a good question. Was it a hospital staff member who felt
obliged to allow her a quick call home? Evidently, the call was held in a rushed manner, and
Yulia felt constrained to talk in detail about her confinement. And why would she warn her
cousin in Russia that the latter would not be given a visa before the application result was
known?
It is speculated in British media – most probably at the behest of briefings by
shadowy state officials – that Yulia Skripal does not want to see her cousin, or the
Russian consular representatives. Even though Yulia did not express that in her phone call. If
Yulia didn't want to see her cousin, why would she bother calling her, apparently out of the
blue?
The speculation about Yulia's preferences are based on the official British premise that the
Russian state attempted to carry out an assassination with a toxic chemical on her father. It
is therefore insinuated by the official British narrative that Yulia would not want to see the
Russian authorities.
But that logic depends entirely on the plausibility of the British version of events. That
is, that a Russian state operation used a Russian nerve agent to try to kill Sergei Skripal,
and his daughter as collateral damage.
That British version has relied totally on assertion, innuendo and unverified claims made by
politicians briefed by secret services. Claims which we are now seeing to be unfounded, as the
Porton Down scientists disclosed last week.
At no point have the British produced any evidence to substantiate their high-flown
allegations against Russia. Indeed, Britain refuses to give Russia access to alleged samples in
order to carry out an independent chemical analysis.
The entire British case relies on a presumption of guilt and a despicable prejudice towards
Russia as a malicious actor. That's it entirely. British prejudice and contempt for due
process.
However, what if the Russian government were correct? What if the British state carried out
a macabre false flag operation by stealthily injuring the Skripals with some kind of chemical
in order to blame it on Russia? For the plausible purpose of adding one more smear campaign in
order to demonize and delegitimize Russia as an international power.
No doubt, the situation is disturbing and disorientating especially for Yulia Skripal who
apparently was simply visiting her father in England for a happy family reunion.
More sinister, however, is the apparent lack of free will being afforded to Yulia Skripal.
The British official position simply conflates their innuendo of a Russian plot, an innuendo
which is increasingly untenable.
The denial of a visitor visa to Yulia's family relatives from Russia points to the sinister
conclusion that the British authorities are engaging in a macabre propaganda stunt. Moreover, a
propaganda stunt involving the criminal assault on a Russian citizen and the ongoing illegal
detention of that citizen.
"... "The primary conclusion of this study, based on a pharmacological analysis of the video and photographic evidence, is that the Ghouta Massacre near Damascus on Aug 21.2013 was not a sarin rocket attack carried out by Assad or his supporters. It was a false-flag stunt carried out by the insurgents using carbon monoxide or cyanide to murder children and use their corpses as bait to lure the Americans into attacking Assad." ..."
"Murder in the Sun Morgue" by Dr. Denis O'Brien (neuropharmacology expert):
"The primary conclusion of this study, based on a pharmacological analysis of the
video and photographic evidence, is that the Ghouta Massacre near Damascus on Aug 21.2013 was
not a sarin rocket attack carried out by Assad or his supporters. It was a false-flag stunt
carried out by the insurgents using carbon monoxide or cyanide to murder children and use
their corpses as bait to lure the Americans into attacking Assad."
"... So the idea that the Israelis were trying to provoke a response directed against US assets in order to escalate the conflict seems plausible. But Syria didn't play. ..."
"... Seems like Israel was used to do the dirty work and get Trump out of the corner he had rapidly painted himself into. Trump's response to the fake Douma chemical attack was so over the top that he would have had to carry out a major attack on Syria to justify it. Major meaning much larger than the last one with 59 tomahawks. So probably a hundred tomahawks at least and against a more important target than last time. This the Russians have said they will not allow. So what to do? Have Israel launch a rather minor harassing attack against a base well away from Damascus and so relieve the pressure on Trump to do something. ..."
" Israeli officials have called on the US to attack the Syrian Army, following what they
called a "shocking attack" in Douma. Israel's own crackdown on Gaza protesters was
"self-defense" and not worthy of attention, they said.
Washington must launch a strike against Damascus in response to the alleged chemical
attack in the city of Douma, the Israeli Strategic Affairs and Public Security Minister Gilad
Erdan told the Army Radio on Sunday, commenting on the reports coming from anti-government
groups in Syria. Erdan also said he personally hopes that the US would take military action
against the Syrian government, which he blamed for the attack, the Jerusalem Post reports.
The minister added that the Douma incident shows the "need" for a US troop buildup in
Syria.
The Israeli construction minister and former IDF major general, Yoav Galant, went even
further and called for a military strike aimed directly against the Syrian president.
"[Bashar] Assad is the angel of death, and the world would be better without him," Galant
said. The Israeli opposition leader Isaac Herzog called on the US to take "decisive military
action" against Syria."
So the idea that the Israelis were trying to provoke a response directed against US assets
in order to escalate the conflict seems plausible. But Syria didn't play.
Confusion about the number, type, and source of missiles, and the fate of the synchronized
ISIS attacks in various accounts.
Seems like Israel was used to do the dirty work and get Trump out of the corner he had
rapidly painted himself into. Trump's response to the fake Douma chemical attack was so over
the top that he would have had to carry out a major attack on Syria to justify it. Major
meaning much larger than the last one with 59 tomahawks. So probably a hundred tomahawks at
least and against a more important target than last time. This the Russians have said they
will not allow. So what to do? Have Israel launch a rather minor harassing attack against a
base well away from Damascus and so relieve the pressure on Trump to do something.
So far I'd say it looks like this is what happened. If so then the Russians wisely allowed
Trump to save face. Hopefully that will allow things to blow over. Next couple days should
tell.
"... Given the Operation Gladio infrastructure that has been painstakingly put into place over years by NATO throughout the Levant, it's very easy to conduct these false flag attacks without being caught in the act. Of course, they are never perpetrated without detection since the CIA, MI6 and MOSSAD have their fingerprints all over these purposefully shocking assaults. ..."
"... "tore through a 50th-floor apartment in Trump Tower" ..."
"... Trump also went along with the patently false accusations that the British government aimed at Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals. Not only did Trump unquestioningly agree with the UK's absurd conclusions, he also expelled 60 Russian diplomats and officers based on an outright lie. ..."
We live in an age when it is virtually impossible to confirm whether these incessant
terrorist attacks are real or hoaxes. The Powers That Be have repeatedly demonstrated
their capability and willingness to implement totally fake terror events. They have also shown
their utter inhumanity in the execution of deadly and destructive terrorist operations.
The recent chemical attack in Douma, Syria could be either of these. However, that's not the
point here. The critical issue is that these chemical attacks are being used by the Western
powers to justify their illegal invasions of Syria. Even President Trump appears to be fully on
board with this conspiratorial plot.
Why is Trump aggressively pushing the Neocon agenda in Syria?
The Zio-Anglo-American Axis is quite determined to complete their Greater
Israel project even though Putin's Russia has already wrecked their plans once. See:
Putin's Russia Blows Up
Scheme For 'Greater Israel'
Ever since Trump was elected, the same Zionist Neocons under W. Bush have been appointed to
various positions in the West Wing. John Bolton is only the most recent and notorious of these
hardcore warmongers.
"Bolton appointment proves that Trump is being blackmailed! -- Q²
This continual stacking of the Trump administration with Russophobes and Iran haters is by
purposeful design. It's also no accident of presidential fate that the Trump has allowed
himself to be used to promote war for Israel. In fact, this particular date with
Armageddon has been planned for centuries by the NWO globalist cabal.
The United States, United Kingdom and Israel have proven to the world community of nations
that they will execute any false flag attack anywhere, anytime to advance their New World
Order agenda. A big piece of that agenda is the Greater Israel project. Hence,
the whole world has been witness to one false flag chemical attack after another.
The ZAAA leadership knows that photos of 'apparently' poisoned children -- piled on top of
each other -- is guaranteed to trigger a knee-jerk reaction by the false accusers against the
innocent accused. The British have established a whole network of fraudulent witnesses on the
ground and throughout the UK who routinely provide false testimony about these staged chemical
attacks. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights is one of those fake organizations;
so are the utterly bogus White Helmets .
Given the Operation Gladio infrastructure that has been painstakingly put into place
over years by NATO throughout the Levant, it's very easy to conduct these false flag attacks
without being caught in the act. Of course, they are never perpetrated without detection since
the CIA, MI6 and MOSSAD have their fingerprints all over these purposefully shocking
assaults.
Why does President Trump always go along with these false accusations?
This crucial question must be answered and dealt with sooner than later. The link that
follows discloses information that ought to concern every patriot who voted for Trump to stop
the wars: Trump's
Syria "Withdrawal" Was Textbook US Deception
The timing of Saturday night's fire that "tore through a 50th-floor apartment in Trump
Tower" is quite suspicious. Is someone basically telling the POTUS to go with the Neocon
plan to invade Syria or else his real estate -- worldwide -- will become vulnerable to arson
and other 'mishaps'?
Trump also went along with the patently false accusations that the British government
aimed at Russia for the poisoning of the Skripals. Not only did Trump unquestioningly agree
with the UK's absurd conclusions, he also expelled 60 Russian diplomats and officers based on
an outright lie.
The entire Novichok nerve agent affair can now be seen in its proper light. The British
intelligence community carried out the attempted murder of the Russian double agent for various
reasons; however, the most important was to smear the Kremlin. By flooding the mainstream media
with false stories about the chemical poisoning by Russia, the real perps made it easier to
associate the chemical attack in Douma with Putin's government.
This plot will only thicken until the West has finished its conquest of the Middle East.
Russia especially remains a target of the Neocon Zionists. The globalists will not rest until
President Putin's government has been completely overthrown. They will employ every strategy
and tactic necessary to force a regime change in Moscow as this article delineates: STRATFOR Chief Reveals
Zio-Anglo-American Plot For World Domination .
The following SOTN article has been reposted in its entirety for those who want to read the
real back story.
The context of the entire Russia mania is ludicrous and the fake news is so ridiculous
that war must be close.
A) Congress votes unanimously to sanction Russia for tampering the election by hacking and
everybody in DC makes believe they've never heard of the dead staffer.
B) Putin decides to poison some guy right before their election using a special poison
only Russia has. Their involvement in the "investiagtion" is forbidden,
C) The maverick outsider says the US will be pulling out of Syria and ~ a week later Assad
decides to shoot chemicals at people like no one will ever find out. Trump calls Assad an
animal and blames Putin.
There are a few possibilities. Trump could truly be a dotard moron and believe this shit
or he's being strong-armed.
It's either that or some sort of wacko plan. Even the most ardent deplorables are having a
hard time with this.
"... U.S. government documents declassified in October 2017 admitted that a very high-level 1962 meeting of U.S. government officials separate from the Joint Chiefs of Staff also discussed: The possibility of U.S. manufacture or acquisition of Soviet aircraft . There is a possibility that such aircraft could be used in a deception operation designed to confuse enemy planes in the air, to launch a surprise attack against enemy installations or in a provocation operation in which Soviet aircraft would appear to attack U.S. or friendly installations in order to provide an excuse for U.S. intervention. ..."
Unless you've been living under a rock, by now you know that the British government falsely claimed
that irrefutable evidence proved that the Russian government was behind the poisoning of a former
Russian double agent and his daughter using a "Novichok" nerve agent.
In response, the UK and US
carried out the largest expulsion of Russian diplomats in history.
Now that the wheels have come off this farce, it is interesting to note previous examples of the
West falsely blaming Russia for bad acts.
Official German intelligence service documents show that, in 1994, the German intelligence
services
planted
(original
German
)
plutonium on an airplane coming from Russia, as a way to
frame
Russia for exporting dangerous
radioactive materials which could end up in the hands of terrorists and criminals.
This frame-up job was so successful at
whipping up fear
that it
got German Chancellor Kohl re-elected, and the U.S. used it as an excuse to "help" secure Russia's
nuclear facilities, as a way to get access to Russian nuclear secrets.
While everyone "knows" that the Kremlin poisoned Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko with
radioactive polonium, a very
high-level
French counterterrorism official, Paul Barril, alleges that French, US and UK intelligence worked
together to kill Litvinenko and to frame Russia:
And
see
this
.
U.S. government documents declassified in October 2017
admitted
that
a very high-level 1962 meeting of U.S. government officials separate from the Joint Chiefs of
Staff also discussed: The possibility of U.S. manufacture or acquisition of Soviet aircraft .
There is a possibility that such aircraft could be used in a deception operation designed to
confuse enemy planes in the air, to launch a surprise attack against enemy installations or in a
provocation operation in which Soviet aircraft would appear to attack U.S. or friendly
installations in order to provide an excuse for U.S. intervention.
Newsweek
ran
an article headlined (all caps in original Newsweek title):
U.S. GOVERNMENT PLANNED FALSE FLAG ATTACKS TO START WAR WITH SOVIET UNION, JFK DOCUMENTS
SHOW
The article notes:
The U.S. government once wanted to plan false flag attacks with Soviet aircraft to
justify war with the USSR or its allies, newly declassified documents surrounding the
assassination of President John F. Kennedy show.
***
False flag attacks are covert operations that make it look like an attack was carried out
by another group than the group that actually carried them out.
Indeed, falsely blaming other countries for terrorism or violence is
the oldest way
to create a "justification" for war.
The governments have certainly learned how to mess with the thinking gear of people.
I spent most of my life working with inanimate objects not spending much time
figuring out how people think. Most of the people that I did try to figure out were
personally known to me. It was only in the last few years of my career that I paid
any real attention to how people are manipulated. I knew people were easily
manipulate for years, just think about how the war in Iraq in 2003 was so popular
amoung most people.
Hi, I am from the government. I am here to lie to you. I have so many lies on
top of other lies that sometimes they are true. Even the government has lost
track. I am not sure if even MIC or Israel knows anymore.
The first batch of prisoners released by terrorists in Syria's Douma has reached the capital
city Damascus via the Wafedin humanitarian corridor.
The prisoners were released early on Monday as part of an evacuation deal reached between
the Syrian government and Jaish al-Islam terrorists.
According to the so-called Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which is based in UK, the
militant group has more than 3,500 prisoners and hostages in its prisons in Douma
The evacuations continue with scores of buses waiting to transport the terrorists and their
families out of the besieged city.
In accordance with the deal reached earlier, the militants are permitted to leave along with
their families in return for the release of all prisoners they have been keeping.
Earlier in the day, Russia's military said an operation would begin on Sunday to bring Jaish
al-Islam militants out of their besieged enclave of Douma, located about 10 kilometers
northeast of the center of Damascus.
The agreement came after two days of an intense military showdown in Douma, where Jaish
al-Islam militants reneged on a previous agreement for their evacuation from the area, and
refused to release thousands of kidnapped people.
The militants also launched mortar attacks on several residential neighborhoods inside
Damascus, which left several people killed and injured.
Eastern Ghouta, a besieged area on the outskirts of Damascus which is home to some 400,000
people, has witnessed deadly violence over the past few months, with foreign-sponsored
militants launching mortar attacks on the Syrian capital in the face of an imminent humiliating
defeat.
The US also said yet again that Russia is "ultimately bearing responsibility" for all
chemical incidents in Syria, regardless of who carried them out, after rebel sources accused
Damascus of gassing dozens in Eastern Ghouta's Douma. In other words, even if the "chemical
attack" was carried out by US-backed "rebels", or better yet "ISIS", it's Putin's fault.
"The regime's history of using chemical weapons against its own people is not in dispute,"
said the US State Department, indicating, however, that it was relying on "reports," being
unable to confirm the incident. "Russia ultimately bears responsibility for the brutal
targeting of countless Syrians with chemical weapons."
UN Security Council meets
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council met on Monday to discuss the latest developments - said
Staffen de Mistura, the UN Special Envoy to Syria. " Recent developments carry more than ever
before " the risks contained within the multiple "fault lines in the Middle East" that could
have " absolutely devastating consequences, which are difficult to even imagine ," the official
said, underscoring the possibility that the crisis in Syria may spiral into a larger
international security crisis.
"The United Nations is unable to independently verify or attribute responsibility for this
attack, but we have all parties to show utmost restraint and avoid any further escalation or
confrontation ," de Mistura said.
In other words - let's first chat about that chemical attack before WWIII breaks out.
Russia says Syria chemical attack is a fabrication
Unsurprisingly, Russian officials say they have found no trace of chemical weapons use while
searching through Syria's Douma region - and say that photos of victims posted by the White
Helmets are fabrications, according to Russia's Defense Ministry.
The specialists "found no traces of the use of chemical agents" after searching the sites,
the statement said. The center's medical specialists also visited a local hospital but found
no patients that showed signs of chemical weapons poisoning. "All these facts show that no
chemical weapons were used in the town of Douma, as it was claimed by the White Helmets ," the
statement said, referring to the controversial "civil defense" group that was among the first
to report about the alleged attack.
" All the accusations brought by the White Helmets, as well as their photos allegedly
showing the victims of the chemical attack, are nothing more than a yet another piece of fake
news and an attempt to disrupt the ceasefire ," the Reconciliation Center said. - RT
As well documented by
Disobedient Media and elsewhere, the White Helmets are an organization funded by the United
States which operates throughout various regions within Syria to "help" the anti-Assad effort
while snapping convenient photos of Assad's alleged regime-change-worthy atrocities. Via
Disobedient Media
The Syrian Civil Defense Force (aka the White Helmets) is funded in part by United States
Agency for International Development (USAID) . Included here are two links showing contracts
awarded by USAID to Chemonics International Inc. (DBA Chemonics). The first award was in the sum of $111.2 million and has a Period of
Performance (POP) from January 2013 to June 2017. It states that the purpose of the award will
be to use the funds for managing a "quick-response mechanism supporting activities that pursue
a peaceful transition to a democratic and stable Syria." The second was in the sum of $57.4 million and has a POP from
August 2015 to August 2020. This award was designated to be used in the "Syria Regional Program
II" which is a part of the Support Which Implements Fast Transitions IV (SWIFT IV) program.
This funding was used, if not entirely, then in part to finance the White Helmets. The
Syrian Civil Defense Force website lists Chemonics as its primary supporter alongside NGO
Mayday Rescue, who operate out of offices in Turkey, Jordan and Dubai.
**
Of course, that didn't stop Netflix from producing an Academy Award winning documentary
about the White Helmets. We're sure recently added board member and former Obama National
Security Advisor Susan Rice is happy considering all of the taxpayer money the previous
administration spent funding the group.
"... The "rebel" group now holding out in Douma, Jaysh al-Islam, part of the Islamist opposition to Assad that includes the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda as well as the remnants of ISIS, has itself been credibly accused of using chlorine gas in the course of fighting against Kurdish forces and civilians in Aleppo in 2016. That charge, made by the Kurds, was given extensive publicity by Voice of America, the propaganda arm of the US government. ..."
"... It is possible that Syrian warplanes struck a weapons cache belonging to the rebel group, causing the gas to leak out. More likely, the poison gas was deliberately released by Jaysh al-Islam, at behest of its CIA backers, to provide a pretext for US military intervention. Assuming, that is, that the reports of poison gas exposure are not simply manufactured by the US intelligence agencies for rebroadcast by a servile media. ..."
"... The latest provocation follows a well-worn pattern, from the lies over Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction" to the present. The American intelligence agencies give the signal. Nonstop coverage is immediately launched on cable television, then demands for action are made by the White House and congressional leaders, boosted by editorials written by CIA mouthpieces such as the New York Times. ..."
"... The brazen lies of the media are accompanied by breathtaking hypocrisy. The Times ..."
The "rebel" group now holding out in Douma, Jaysh al-Islam, part of the Islamist
opposition to Assad that includes the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda as well as the remnants of
ISIS, has itself been credibly accused of using chlorine gas in the course of fighting against
Kurdish forces and civilians in Aleppo in 2016. That charge, made by the Kurds, was given
extensive
publicity by Voice of America, the propaganda arm of the US government.
It is possible that Syrian warplanes struck a weapons cache belonging to the rebel
group, causing the gas to leak out. More likely, the poison gas was deliberately released by
Jaysh al-Islam, at behest of its CIA backers, to provide a pretext for US military
intervention. Assuming, that is, that the reports of poison gas exposure are not simply
manufactured by the US intelligence agencies for rebroadcast by a servile media.
What is least likely, from a political standpoint, is that the Assad government, just as it
was on the brink of final victory in Eastern Ghouta after more than five years of bitter
fighting, should suddenly unleash a poison gas attack, which would have no military value but
would invite a savage response from the Trump administration and the other Western powers. A
Syrian government statement pointed this out, declaring that "an army that is progressing
quickly does not need to use any kind of chemical weapons."
According to Al Jazeera and Russian news sources, Jaysh al-Islam has been so thoroughly
defeated that it has struck an agreement to completely withdraw all its militia and their
families from Douma over the next 48 hours or so. Russian troops will reportedly move in to
take control of the city.
Iran's Foreign Ministry rebuffed the US claims of a gas attack in Douma. "Such claims and
allegations by the Americans and some Western countries point to a new plot against the Syrian
government and people, and are an excuse to take military action against them," a spokesman
told the press.
The Russian government denounced the US campaign over the supposed gas attack as a political
provocation aimed at justifying deeper US military intervention in the Syrian civil war. "The
spread of bogus stories about the use of chlorine and other poisonous substances by government
forces continues," the Russian Foreign Ministry said. "We have warned several times recently
against such dangerous provocations. The aim of such deceitful speculation, lacking any kind of
grounding, is to shield terrorists and to attempt to justify possible external uses of
force."
The latest provocation follows a well-worn pattern, from the lies over Iraqi "weapons of
mass destruction" to the present. The American intelligence agencies give the signal. Nonstop
coverage is immediately launched on cable television, then demands for action are made by the
White House and congressional leaders, boosted by editorials written by CIA mouthpieces such as
the New York Times.
The brazen lies of the media are accompanied by breathtaking hypocrisy. The
Times , the Washington Post , NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN and company downplay and
cover up the atrocities carried out by American forces and their allies -- the incineration of
Mosul and Raqqa, the gunning down of demonstrators in Gaza by the Israeli military, the mass
killings in Yemen carried out with US support by Saudi Arabia, even as its crown prince is
feted by the US ruling elite, and the ongoing slaughter in Afghanistan.
The rumor is that Trump himself is a false flag operation ;-)
Notable quotes:
"... I beseech you, sir, to consider the possibility that the supposed chlorine gas attack at Douma, Syria may have been a carefully constructed propaganda fraud on the part of the rebels encircled in Douma. ..."
"... The rebels have been defeated in East Gouta. Their fighters and families are being evacuated to Turkish occupied Jarabulus by air-conditioned bus. How would it benefit the Syrian government to make such an attack in this situation? ..."
"... If he wants to wage war on Syria, Iran and Russia, then he and his family can obtain Israeli citizenship and get themselves elected to the Likud Party. ..."
"... If this goes any further, I won't be voting for him in 2020 and I think many of his supporters feel the same, based on what I have gleaned here and there. ..."
"... Sadly, though, it appears Trump's doubling down on his chemical attacks idiocy and talking himself into a situation where he can't just walk away without doing something stupid even if he wanted t ..."
"... I doubt very much that Gen Mattis and all the other bigwigs involved are unaware of the truth of this incident. The White Helmets etc who staged it didn't do so in order to deceive these 'innocents', but rather to provide them with an excuse to intervene. A mere formality, but, for various reasons, important. ..."
"... The Brits blinked and did not punish the criminal liar Blair. Since then, the war profiteering based on lies has become a national pastime. ..."
"... the risks are asymmetric -- we in the US have very little to fear from war, the deciders have no family at risk, the corporations gain, the front line US soldier has a far lower risk than any other side, so I don't see how we get off the war-war-war track, sorry for the fatalism ..."
"... IAF attack was a classic probing action for SIGINT--what would "light up" in radio diapason during this attack on Russian side. The fact that Israel did not inform Russia, as it was always the case prior, but informed the US is pretty much self-evident fact of what transpired. The target, however, was chosen conspicuously away from any Russian assets in Syria. ..."
I beseech you, sir, to consider the possibility that the supposed chlorine gas attack at
Douma, Syria may have been a carefully constructed propaganda fraud on the part of the rebels
encircled in Douma. Such a fraud would have as its purpose the elicitation of exactly the kind
of response that we are seeing in the Western media. The rebels have been defeated in East Gouta. Their fighters and families are being evacuated to Turkish occupied Jarabulus by
air-conditioned bus. How would it benefit the Syrian government to make such an attack in this
situation?
I hope that you will determine the exact facts of what occurred at Douma before any action
is taken.
I recommend that you send someone competent to Syria to make an on the ground
investigation.
Trump supporters, like myself, sure as hell didn't elect the man to continue the forever war,
let alone escalate it to include nuclear powers. We believed him when he said he would
disentangle us from foreign engagements and focus on rebuilding our country. If he wants to
wage war on Syria, Iran and Russia, then he and his family can obtain Israeli citizenship and
get themselves elected to the Likud Party.
If this goes any further, I won't be voting for
him in 2020 and I think many of his supporters feel the same, based on what I have gleaned
here and there.
Sadly, though, it appears Trump's doubling down on his chemical attacks idiocy and talking
himself into a situation where he can't just walk away without doing something stupid even if
he wanted to:
I doubt very much that Gen Mattis and all the other bigwigs involved are unaware of the truth
of this incident. The White Helmets etc who staged it didn't do so in order to deceive these
'innocents', but rather to provide them with an excuse to intervene. A mere formality, but,
for various reasons, important.
I have sent emails to Senators Kaine and Warner and Representative Wittman asking them to do
what they can "to temper our President's potential response to this incident" and "to ensure
any response our nation undertakes in response to this incident is in the best interests and
in the best traditions of our country."
I join Barbara Ann in encouraging all committeemen to contact their Senators and
Representatives and/or "to Tweet/share this post and its important message to
@SecretaryMattis."
I included this in my emails and included your appeal to Mattis.
"I have serious doubts as to who is responsible for this attack as well as past supposed
chemical attacks in Syria. I also have serious concerns about the rush to judgment over
these attacks and the motivations of those making this rush to judgment. My judgment in
these matters is tempered by my thirty-three years as an Infantry and Special Forces officer
and as a DIA intelligence officer."
I thought that was better than saying that all those lying ass clowns calling for attacks
are chock full of crap.
"John Sullivan [Secretary of State] and Johnson [British Foreign Secretary] agreed that "this
attack bore hallmarks of previous chemical weapons attacks by the Assad regime.."
http://abcnews.go.com/Polit...
The Brits blinked and did not punish the criminal liar Blair. Since then, the war
profiteering based on lies has become a national pastime.
As for the lawyering John Sullivan, "His clients include major oil and gas companies,
consulting, accounting, and financial services firms, petrochemical companies, and
manufacturers. He was also a member of President Bush's Management Council and a member of
the Board of Directors of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wi...
He looks like a Cheney-like opportunist. It is doubtful that he understands what a nuclear
conflict could do to his children.
Trump cannot be in a steady frame of mind given that the FBI has just raided the offices of
Michael Cohen, Trump's longtime counsel, and seized all manner of financial records, emails
etc. Most telling about this action is that the special counsel had no compulsion about
executing a search warrant on the President's personal counsel.
Not sure how Gen. Mattis can get through to Trump if others are pushing the impulsive "fire
and forget" narrative.
I hope Gen. Mattis is a honest American, I pray he succeeds.
http://defence-blog.com/new...
"The Russian military command suddenly puts troops on full combat alert, movements of combat
vehicles and missile systems observe almost all over the country.
An activity of Russian troops is most notable in the Western part of Russia, near the borders
with Ukraine and the Republic of Belarus, as well as in the Transbaikal region and the Far
East. On April 8-9 active movements of a large number of military vehicles and tanks, also
were seen moving of the Iskander missile systems with Air Defence support."
the risks are asymmetric -- we in the US have very little to fear from war, the deciders have
no family at risk, the corporations gain, the front line US soldier has a far lower risk than
any other side, so I don't see how we get off the war-war-war track,
sorry for the fatalism
Trump is saying he will make a decision to attack Syria in the next 24-48 hours, possibly as
soon as "end of day."
The Russians have stated any such attack will have "serious consequences."
I am interested in why Israel decided to use sub-launched cruise missiles this time. Since
they also used aircraft, it can't be because they were concerned their aircraft might be shot
down as in the previous case. Were they hoping that cruise missiles would be assumed to be
US, thus preventing Syria or the Russians from responding? Or that the either Syria or the
Russians would respond against US ships in the Med by mistaking the Israeli cruise missiles
for US? Where were the cruise missiles launched from? Apparently they only launched 8 and 5
of them got shot down by Pantsir air defense. How could a mere 8 cruise missiles be mistaken
for the US, which probably would have used many more? Which suggests that indeed Israel was
trying some sort of provocation, but I can't figure out what.
Today it is being reported that Skripal is going to be shipped off to the US by Britain
with a new identity. Nice way to make sure he never says anything to the press about what
actually happened. I wonder how they intend to shut up Yulia given she's a Russian citizen.
Can we predict that she will "decide" to accompany her father and thus be never heard from
again?
IAF attack was a classic probing action for SIGINT--what would "light up" in radio diapason
during this attack on Russian side. The fact that Israel did not inform Russia, as it was
always the case prior, but informed the US is pretty much self-evident fact of what
transpired. The target, however, was chosen conspicuously away from any Russian assets in
Syria.
Per sub launched Israeli missiles--I don't know about that. Russia has more than enough
ASW assets in and around Tartus, including recently deployed Il-38 with latest Novella ASW
suite to know who and how. For now what is confirmed is the salvo of 8, most likely Delilahs,
5 of which were intercepted while three got through killing 3 and wounding 14 Iranians.
will2713 aka will2.718 short & sweet. Thank you Sir! Of course, they already know or
should know it's a false flag attack, b/ it puts it on the record. Just a quibble, actually
the headchoppers in Idlib don't want these terrible children, they are actually going to
Jarablus from what I've read. Which brings up the next point, Jarablus [edit: was thinking of
Jisr Shagour actually] has been raining fire on Latakia and presents a danger to the Russ
bases, so will it be a game of musical chairs for these takfiris?
Well, that's one shred of comfort in this mess. I hope Mattis sees through this, and Trump
listens to him.
It's been a depressing 24 hours, listening to the Pavlovian responses of reasonably
intelligent people whom I know. They have no idea that they are being softened-up for yet
another installment of the Forever War. And a dangerous installment, with a very real risk of
war with Russia.
Mattis is not the only one who must listen to the honest and competent people: It is the
American Jewish Community at large that needs to act and quickly to put the breaks on
Israel's criminal activities:
http://www.unz.com/article/...
Chemical false flag attacks is the traditional way Syria islamists are calling for the US air support. From comments: "After all
they had lost in Douma - there were no point in Syrian gas attack - the fighting was done. Jaish al Islam must be having a great
laugh at our expensive for falling for their trick of gassing their own people. Let us not help the Islamists."
Anther interesting comment: "With "experts" at president's disposal, seems to me moment Trump announced Syrian withdrawal, at
least one should have anticipated - based on past occurrences - a gas attack aimed to engage US and therefore maintain US presence."
And another " including their mouthpieces at the times manufacture
a chemical attack and claim Assad -- who has no reason whatsoever to do such things -- is some horrible monster that deserves to have
bombs rained down on him. How totally corrupt the MIC has become."
That act reported by White helmets looks like a classic MI6 provocation. Russian investigation has shown that no attack took place.
Moreover the rumors about this false flag were circulating long ago. Russians warned about this possiblity a month or so ago telling
the jihadists prepare such provocation. Looks like all that was needed for Trump is a plausible justification -- the desire to "decapitate"
Assad is too strong to resist.
Notable quotes:
"... Syria is a crappy place primarily because of insane overpopulation and limited water. Getting Assad out is not going to help with population or with water. Moving the entire Syrian population to Europe could be done and they are working on that. ..."
"... With "experts" at president's disposal, seems to me moment Trump announced Syrian withdrawal, at least one should have anticipated - based on past occurrences - a gas attack aimed to engage US and therefore maintain US presence. ..."
President Trump on Monday denounced the suspected chemical weapons attack that killed dozens of people in
Syria over the weekend as a "barbaric act," and said
he will make a decision in the next 24 to 48 hours about whether to retaliate militarily as he did to a similar assault last year.
Congress has skirted their responsibility to authorize war in Syria and Trump is suggesting taking actions that could drag
us into a deep and costly war. The American people deserve to hear this debated in Congress.
Retaliate? They don't even know for sure who it was, could well have been an ally. The place is a mess of competing outside
forces.
Retaliate - and therein lies the problem. Too much to ask that for once they think, discuss, decide a long term policy with
other countries. Last time the 45th tried 'me-big-man-with-bomb' there was no follow up, nothing was done, what was the point?
Look at me I have the biggest, noisiest fire cracker! Pathetic. Careless. Irresponsible. Uniformed. Murderous. The list is endless.
I suppose the President can launch a missile attack, or any military action, based on whatever authority from Congress permitted
the US military to be fighting in Syria in the first place. The more fundamental issue is that Congress long ago ceded to the
President its constitutional responsibility to declare war . This must be corrected with checks restored on the President's power
to deploy the military at will. Otherwise, the US will continue to be in a perpetual state of war, which may be good for the extended
military supply industry but damaging to country as a whole.
What if.....what if this chemical attack was sanctioned not by Assad but by a state or a non-state force that wants the U.S.
to retaliate?
Just why did this chemical attack follow Trump's announced desire to get out of Syria?
Why, also, is Israel urging us to attack now? Could it be to distract from the human rights catastrophe in Gaza?
We all know what John Bolton would have us do.
Where's the proof that this was Assad's work? More WMD ?
Trump wined and dined MBS of Saudi Arabia who has been conducting airstrikes on Yemen with hundreds of casualties, as high
as 68 civilian deaths in one day. It would be hard to imagine a better example of hypocrisy.
Syria is a part of a complex series of issues that make up the problem of Middle Eastern diplomacy. Trump does not have the
capacity to manage any of this. Selling arms to the Saudis to continue their war in Yemen added to the Syrian problem. The cholera
epidemic in Yemen is a form of biological warfare that is killing more civilians than chemical warfare in Syria. Starving the
population of Yemen is also warfare. By supporting the Saudis we have lost the moral high ground in Syria.
Was it the rebels again? Or is it chlorine again? Chlorine is used for several commercial and health purposes--to clean bottles,
to clean water, and for refrigeration. So it is quite easy for a bomb or explosive to hit a container and then there is a serious
gas problem. If pool acid and chlorine are stored together it might be worse when mixed. I do not believe Assad needs to use chemicals
because he has Russians who will do air strikes on his enemies. I call fake news.
The solution to Syria was obvious years ago, if you just wanted to see the obvious. And that was Syria as it had been for years,
in peace, secular, under a government of Assad who, eventually, knew it had to evolve into a more democratic regime . Now that
has changed, and all to Israel΄s advantage. It seems as if the whole world has forgotten that the whole Middle East problem was
born, and is still the Occupation of Palestinian Land. Israel is a thorn in Arab Middle East.The only one that has attacked ALL
its neighbours !
We should do nothing. We need to leave Syria to the Syrian. We can't and musn't involve our military in every tragedy in the
world. There is no doubt in my mind that if we mistakenly and stupidly attack the Syrian Army we are aiding the Jihadist who planned
thit attack. After all they had lost in Douma - there were no point in Syrian gas attack - the fighting was done. Jaish al Islam
must be having a great laugh at our expensive for falling for their trick of gassing their own people. Let us not help the Islamists.
The US government LIES about everything. We know this. This has been proved repeatedly.
Yet, here we are with the US government, and its stenographers in the mainstream media, i.e., the stuff that's not Fake News,
right, assuring us that Assad gassed his own people. Again.
Even if we could believe this, or even if we gave the government the benefit of the doubt for . . . what? . . . its integrity?,
we are after all exceptional, right, how is this America's business?
Yes, other countries shouldn't gas their own people. But countries shouldn't commit war crimes either, and that goes on every
day. America is as dirty as any other country. Despite our treaty obligations, even torture is legal here.
We're supposedly the richest country in the world, but we can barely keep our streets paved and lit. And not only that, but
it is a proven fact that one dollar invested in domestic economics brings back much more return than one dollar spent on bombs.
Trump is right. We need to stomp the madness in the Middle East. The oil companies can pay for their own security with all of
the money they don't pay in taxes.
Right now our cities are clogged with people living in tents and defecating on the sidewalks and in the streets. Look at old
pictures from the Depression. It looks the same today.
The left is seeing Russians responsible for every wrong in the world. The right sees itself as the rescuer of the wrongs of
the world. I pray that this does not move this country into a war with Russia.
This nation needs a "policy". Something with careful thought and backed by facts, expert analysis, and wisdom; Aim first and
carefully.
A "Shoot from the Hip" flourish that can be touted at the next Trump self congratulatory ego rally Will Not Do. Either this
nation has a leader or it doesn't - Trump's move!
One of the few things I liked about Trump was his anti-involvement stance in the middle east. We have SO MUCH to fix and worry
about at home. Nothing that Trump does on immigration, environment, or anything else will make me more angry than dragging us
into another war.
I don't see any ink being given to the very likely possibility that the gas attack was a ploy by rebels to get the US (and
their air cover) to stick around. If you ask the question, "Who benefits?" the Assad regime had nothing to gain by gassing a few
civilians -- they're about to win the war, so why would they? OTOH, the rebels need us badly, and know that we will reflexively
blame Assad.
Just a few days ago, Trump talked about withdrawing from Syria. Now, he says he will decide whether to attack Syria within
the next couple of days. One day we're out, the next day we're in. And just a few days ago, Trump said he didn't like to reveal
his military plans in advance. Now, he is announcing to the world that he is consideration retaliation against Syria. His contradictions
make the U.S. look as if it is led by a very confused commander in chief.
Yes, chemical weapons are barbaric, but who launched the attack? Which faction in this complicated civil war? How does trump
know the answer to this question when no one else does? Why would the U.S. "retaliate" based on speculation, especially after
trump recently said, "we need to get out of there and leave it to someone else"? What good would military action do at this point?
Are we anxious to put our "expensive new military" to the test? So many questions...and an administration unable / unwilling to
answer them. Too bad trump can't simply tweet his way out of this one...
The U.S. should respond militarily to Syria's gas attack only on two conditions:
1. The leaders of all key U.S. allies (European countries, Canada, Japan, S. Korea, Australia, etc.) sign a joint declaration
of support for the action.
2. Each of these countries pays a population-weighted share of the expense of the U.S. military operation.
We are either all in this together, or it's not worth doing.
Let's find out if our allies are willing to back up their pious declarations of condemnation.
I don't get it. Subjecting people, women, children and even men, to crushing, burning, lacerating and penetrating wounds is
par for the course. It's war after all. But poison! Oh the (in)humanity!
Also, anyone think it's weird that Assad does this just when the US is making motions to pull out?
It is impossible to know what is really going on as the world's powers continue to fight this proxy war. The only thing that
is certain is the continued suffering of the Syrian people - including the poor sods who will be conventionally incinerated by
American "retaliation" in a day or so.
The President should have no authority to declare war or commit troops, period. So far, there has been no urgent "national
emergency," as required by the War Powers Resolution, which would justify the President to effectively declare war unilaterally
and yet here we are, with presidents on both sides completely ignoring the Constitution, using the WPA as an enabler to bypass
the text which says that only Congress can declare war.
Saddam used gas on the Iranians and we were good with that. It is not clear about this gas in Syria. These "freedom fighters"
have no compunction about using civilians as human shields. How do we know the truth? They are various branches of Al Quaeda and
given their huge birth rate they don't seem to place much weight on human life in the here and now....maybe they focus on the
afterlife more. So why can't we just leave Assad alone and let him be the strong man there? Yes Syria is a crappy place primarily
because of insane overpopulation and limited water. Getting Assad out is not going to help with population or with water. Moving
the entire Syrian population to Europe could be done and they are working on that.
Trump says he was getting us out of Syria. Much to my relief to this endless war.
And I'm pretty sure the president of Syria, Assad, whose regime has been under attack by both the US supported Syrian rebels
and their ISIS allies did not want the US on their soil. So why would he do something like this? I don't believe he did. By the
way if the US was not meddling over in the M.E. there would be no refugees and fewer immigrants.
"Conventional" deaths by artillery and bullets are perfectly acceptable - when bodies are vaporized, ripped and torn apart
unrecognizably. But use a deadly gas and leave the corpses in "beautiful" condition - there you have crossed the line mister.
Lemme get this straight: The US policy doesn't care *how many* Syrians were killed; it only cares *how* they were killed? Nothing
good can come from such an ethically bankrupt policy.
As painful as it is, the possession of chlorine is not in violation of the standards we all signed in to to stop chemical and
biological weapons. Hence, the agreement under Obama, by almost all standards, worked well. Or at least unless we wanted a few
hundred thousands troop on the ground to search the entire country. This use of chlorine is. Maybe Trump will propose a huge tariff
on chlorine exports to Syria?
What is the logic for Assad to provoke the US right after Trump announces his intention to withdraw? Would it not be more strategic
for the regime to hold off until US troops were withdrawn and then go after the rebels? Does Assad assume that the US response
will be more moderate if we still have troops in country? Any chance this was a rogue action to delay or reverse US plans to withdraw?
If so, who benefits from US continuing to maintain troops in Syria?
With "experts" at president's disposal, seems to me moment Trump announced Syrian withdrawal, at least one should have
anticipated - based on past occurrences - a gas attack aimed to engage US and therefore maintain US presence.
Someone didn't RTFA: " President Trump recently announced his intention to pull US troops
out of Syria - although the neocons that now dominate the Trump national security team have
been aghast at such a suggestion, and have managed to convince the president to slow-roll
this. It remains unclear if they staged the false flag chemical attack in Syria with the help
of Israel, or on their own. "
There is a thread
currently trending about the most recent Syrian gas attack and I can't really tell if its
populated by people with a serious deficiency in critical and analytical thought or whether its
a deliberate attempt to control the narrative. However, after reading more comments than I ever
want to repeat I have to assume this is a coordinated effort.
Looking at whats indisputably clear about the situation:
There appears to have been a gas attack targeting civilians in Syria.
If true, it constitutes a war crime.
There has been no investigation and no evidence exists to assign responsibility.
There are a great many tangents this could take in terms of discussing who was responsible
for past gas attacks in Syria, suffice to say there was a massive effort by Western governments
to link them to the Syrian government and thus provide legitimation for greater direct
intervention.
Given this there are a few extra points that are very clear:
The Syrian Government was very clearly winning the military conflict by a
wide-margin.
Even the US is very clear in admitting the Syrian Government is not fighting against
'rebels' but against IS and Al Qaeda offshoots.
These latter groups are equally open about their willingness to target civilians and have
no qualms about slaughtering women and children. Whether the Syrian Government can be accused
of similar crimes is a matter of debate, with the terrorist groups it is established
fact.
Despite this, the Syrian Government has repeatedly, and very recently, offered ceasefires
that allowed these same terrorist fighters (and their families) to leave areas in which they
were surrounded and almost certain to be overrun.
The Syrian Government would have nothing at all to gain from using gas in the manner of
the recent attack. It would generate no strategic military benefits, it would turn the
civilian population against the government (bear in mind, the majority of the Syrian people,
even the ones who dislike Assad, support the government as a far better alternative to power
falling into the hands of the terrorist groups, most of whom came from outside Syria), and
most importantly it might allow Western States to take military action that would be the only
factor capable of changing the course of the conflict in a way that would benefit the
terrorist groups.
In contrast, the terrorist groups have every reason to carry out such attacks. Their
ideology justifies any sacrifice as long as it furthers their cause and they have displayed a
wanton disregard for any form of human life. They have long had access (through both Turkey
and early seized Syrian Army stockpiles) to chemical weapons. And, they now have only months
if not weeks left before their entire war in Syria grinds to a halt.
Despite the above, the thread originally linked is dominated by comments that do three
specific things:
Condemn Assad and the Syrian government for the attacks (with many suggesting it demands
a strong military response).
Calling out an imaginary Russian bot campaign they say is promoting pro-Assad propaganda
DESPITE the fact that the thread is clearly overflowing with exactly the opposite type of
voice.
Denigrating (by means of Poisoning the Well, Ad Hominem and Appeals to Ridicule) a wide
variety of alternative news sites and sources. For example, claiming that sites which have
supported 9/11 Truth, or are in any way pro-Russia are automatically discredited and
incapable of providing relevant information.
The reason I'm posting this is that the thread in question is one of the most glaring, and
frankly depressing, examples I've seen of people taking a mainstream narrative and attempting
to preemptively crush any and all dissenting views.
My one hope is that the majority of voices in that thread are deliberately manufacturing
this attempt at framing the narrative. Because the alternative, that they represent the actual
opinions of members of the voting public whose otherwise neutral viewpoints have been so easily
swayed by propaganda of the most crude and blunt form, is unbelievably disheartening in regard
to the viability of modern democracies and the ability of alternative news to help promote a
better understanding of the complexities of modern war and the dangers involved in mainstream
media efforts to reduce these issues to puppet-shows populated with morally black (Assad,
Putin) and white ('rebel activists', the White Helmets) characters.
An interesting observation by Paul Joseph Watson. He may have something here. The
coincidence appears to be a bit much.
1) Trump announces plan to pull out of Syria. 2) Deep state says no. 3) Massive chemical
weapons attack bringing worldwide uproar, blamed on Russia/Syria despite them being on the
verge of winning.
When your enemy is nearly defeated, and final victory is at hand, gas your own people so
that nations greater than yours will intervene and destroy you
Despite President Trump
adopting his harshest rhetoric yet
to condemn Russia and the government of Syrian leader Bashar
al-Assad for an alleged chemical attack in rebel-held eastern Ghouta, a missile strike carried out
overnight on a Syrian airfield was not the US's doing.
Instead, Russia and Syria have accused Israel of carrying out the strike on Syria's T-4 airfield,
situated about halfway between Homs (Syria's third-largest city) and Palmyra (famously the site of
ancient ruins).
RT
reports that
two Israeli F-15 jets fired eight guided missiles at the airfield from Lebanese airspace. The jets never
entered Syria.
Of these, Syrian air defenses intercepted five. The attack left roughly 14 people dead, including
Iranians and Syrians, the
Associated Press
reported.
Russia and the Syrian military blamed Israel for a pre-dawn missile attack Monday on a
major air base in central Syria
, saying Israeli fighter jets launched the missiles from
Lebanon's air space.
A war-monitoring group said the airstrikes killed 14 people, including
Iranians active in Syria.
Russia's Defense Ministry said two Israeli aircraft targeted the T4 air base in Homs province,
firing eight missiles. It said Syria shot down five of them while the other three landed in the
western part of the base. Syrian state TV quoted an unnamed military official as saying that Israeli
F-15 warplanes fired several missiles at T4. It gave no further details.
Israel's foreign ministry had no comment when asked about the accusations.
Since 2012,
Israel has struck inside Syria more than 100 times,
mostly targeting
suspected weapons' convoys destined for the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, which has been fighting
alongside Syrian government forces.
Most recently,
Israel hit the same T4 base in February, after it said an Iranian drone that
had violated Israeli airspace took off from the base.
The base, which was used as a launching
pad for counter offensive attacks against Islamic State militants who were at one point stationed
close by, is near the Shayrat air base, which was targeted by U.S. missiles last year in response to a
chemical weapons attack.
Monday's missile attack came hours after President Donald Trump warned there would be a "big price
to pay" after a suspected poison gas attack Saturday on the last remaining foothold for Syrian rebels
in the eastern suburbs of Damascus.
At least 40 people were killed in that assault, including
families found in their homes and shelters, opposition activists and local rescuers said.
Eight missiles were launched by two Israeli Air Force F-15 jets at the T-4 airfield located about
halfway between Homs and the ancient city of Palmyra. Israel previously launched a strike against the
base back in February after an Iranian drone ventured into Israeli airspace, provoking an alarmed
response.
This isn't Israel's first unprovoked attack on a Syrian military installation: most recently,
Israel launched an attack
against a government installation near Damascus almost exactly two months
ago. Before that, the Israelis launched another unprovoked attack
back in September.
Lebanon's Al-Mayadeen reported Monday that Israeli reconnaissance aircraft had been spotted close to
the border with Syria during the attack. The missiles crossed Lebanese airspace over Keserwan and Bekaa
before heading toward Syria.
France, which we had initially suspected might be behind the attack, along with Israel...
While the US was quick to pin the chemical attack in Ghouta - the last rebel stronghold in what's
considered suburban Damascus - on Russia and Assad, the US jumped to a similar conclusion a year ago when
Trump authorized a fusillade of tomahawk missiles to strike a Syrian airbase. It was later learned that
the US had no proof to suggest that attack was orchestrated by Assad's government.
As for Israel's
desire to provoke another regional war, it is understandable in light of growing Iranian influence on its
border, while President Trump recently announced his intention to pull US troops out of Syria - although
the neocons that now dominate the Trump national security team have been aghast at such a suggestion, and
have managed to convince the president to slow-roll this. It remains unclear if they staged the false
flag chemical attack in Syria with the help of Israel, or on their own.
Meanwhile, the Guardian says the IDF views the chaos in the West Wing as the latest sign that it must
take matters into its own hands, and not wait for explicit US approval. However, with a UN Security
Council meeting scheduled for Monday over recent events in Syria, we now wait to see what kind of
response Russia and Assad will decide on, and how Moscow will respond to this provocation by Netanyahu,
who has been friendly - at least superficially - with Putin in recent months.
The natural regional powers are Iran, Turkey
and Egypt. Just look at any population map
and/or economic activity indicators.
Israel has only technology and
'influence' to create a temporary, brittle
form of power. Saudis have only oil and
'influence', ditto.
Hence, by a short-term accident, Israel
and KSA can effectively create death and
destruction in the region, killing babies for
their own greed and power.
BUT ONLY IF THE US HELPS.
The IDF is essentially useless on
the ground, ditto the Saudis, and neither can
handle Russian intel and air superiority on
their own.
So this populist insurrection is
indeed a pivotal moment,
coming as it
does when the global balance is shifting
toward Eurasian integration, global peace and
prosperity. A 'Chinese Peace' with Russian
muscle. The main idea being to not blow up
shiny new Chinese ports, roads, etc.
So the tiny, tiny minority of
war-mongering, globalist traitors in these
very, very few countries (Israel, KSA, and
the 'Five Eyes') has essentially NO other
cards to play. Use WMDs against civilians,
false flags, try to get their own killed to
trigger war fever.
The very best part right now is: we're
already past the tipping point. No one
cares, and almost no one believes them.
Pretty much game over, but a very
dangerous end game.
I think we
should round up all these sociopaths pronto
before they murder more babies.
Take it one step farther. The US public
is on to the con. BUT the US economy
still depends on the MIC. And the MIC
depends on maintaining the constant state
of little brush wars around the globe to
sell their hardware. Every Israeli or KSA
plane, missile, and bomb is stamped "Made
in the USA". As China and Russia step in
to impose peace in Eurasia and the Saudi
oil runs out, the petrodollar ceases to be
the world reserve currency. The US has
two economic pillars: the MIC and Big Ag.
With a failing currency and no customers
for war toys, it becomes locked into the
position of being a global commodity
supplier: pork, wheat, corn, soybeans,
peanuts. Historically, agricultural
commodity suppliers are third-world
nations, forced to accept low prices on
highly-competitive products while paying
high prices for monopolized industrial
goods.
This is the END for global US
dominance. One can understand why the PTB
are desperate to keep going no matter what
the resistance at home or abroad. A major
war is likely. Victory is not.
And if the Syrian Air Force launched missiles from Jordanian
air space against an Israeli Air Base nothing would happen?
By the way, the Golan Heights does not belong to Israel so
they launched from Syrian territory.
Whatever......hopefully no U.S. Ships are in the way.
Five missiles out of eight shot down - by Syrian (old) defense
systems. Not too bad. Russia is not there to stop Israel. It's
there to stop Daesh, which it's done. Smart, patient, focused
strategy.
Missiles hit the Tiyas airbase, known as T4, near the city of Homs. Observers say 14 people
were killed.
Israel, which has previously hit Syrian targets, has not commented. Syria initially blamed
Washington for the strike, but the US, UK and France have all denied involvement.
It is unclear if the strike has anything to do with the suspected chemical
attack.
Russian forces deployed in Syria, including S-400 and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems and
Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters, have been put on a combat alert, according to reports
appearing from local sources in the country's provinces of Tartus and Latakia where Russian
military facilities are located.
Meanwhile, the Israeli TV channel i24NEWS claimed citing US officials that the US military
is going to provide President Donald Trump with "a set of options for carrying out strikes
against the Syrian government".
"Both the Joint Chiefs of Staff and CENTCOM, the US forces in the Middle East, were
compiling target lists and attack options to be presented to Trump and his national security
team within hours, the officials said,"
i24NEWS wrote .
@22 text only...lots of good photos there...site is there for me. but it is very slow...
Last week, Russia and Syria announced the capture of British chemical weapon stockpiles in
East Ghouta along with the capture of a "coalition" command and chemical weapons facility
with all personnel. Taken from the combined statement censored from the western press, from
March 25, 2018
"The Syrian Arab Army and with the help of Russian captured a shipment of chemical weapons
destined for the Eastern Ghouta. These were British weapons produced at Porton Down in
Salisbury. Russian suspects that the Skripal incident is related as by their records,
Skiripal was working at Porton Down as a chemical weapons trafficker in partnership with a
Ukrainian firm. Russia denies attacking Skripal but admits he was under surveillance for his
activities involving support of terrorism in Syria and arms trafficking.
Russia also confirms that there are British, American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence
officers who were caught by the Syrian army in one of the heavily fortified operations rooms
during the invasion of the Syrian army and its allies of the East Ghouta."
VT asked the Syrian government for serial numbers and closeup photographs of chemical
weapons used. Syria sent them to us today.
Today, the Syrian Army captured the following German made poison gas shells, shipped into
Syria though Ukraine and Turkey and delivered to Jeish al Islam by a US CH53 helicopter,
according to statements "allegedly" gotten from POW interrogations.
American, British and Israeli military personnel captured in Syria have confirmed they
were ordered to stage chemical attacks in East Ghouta by their governments.
NYT continue to propagate this false flag day after Russian specialists inspected the area and found not signs of chemical
attack.
Notable quotes:
"... Read comments and agree it seems to be staged to allow the US to be 'forced' to become involved. Ever the good guy, that US. ..."
"... There is no way that this Israeli attack was not coordinated with the Trump administration. ..."
"... Syria had the rebels cornered and had no reason to give US/anybody justification to attack. The Rebels had every reason to do this since their only hope is to get the US/NATO involved. ..."
Big power tensions in the Syria
conflict, already running high after an apparent chemical weapons attack, ratcheted up again on Monday as Syria and
Russia blamed Israel for early morning airstrikes on a Syrian military base that a conflict monitoring group said had
killed 14 people, including fighters from Iran.
The strikes came a day after
President Trump called President Bashar al-Assad of Syria
an "animal"
and warned him and his
Russian and Iranian backers they would have a "big price to pay" after
dozens of people were
killed
on Saturday near Damascus, in what rescue workers said was a chemical attack.
Russia did not respond
immediately to the accusation, though a spokesman for President Vladimir V. Putin rejected Mr. Trump's inflammatory
language. "Assad is the legitimate president of the Syrian Arab Republic," the spokesman, Dmitri S. Peskov, said.
"It's hardly acceptable to apply that sort of abusive wording to a president."
American and French officials
denied that their countries had carried out the airstrikes, and a spokesman for the Israeli military declined to
comment.
The war
in Syria has sucked in fighters from around the world, as well as global powers including Iran, Israel, Russia,
Turkey and the United States, all of which are seeking to advance their interests in the Middle East while avoiding
direct confrontations with the others.
This is probably fake news. There no real reason for foriegn chemical specialists to be present in such a dangerous area.
Presntce of some chanical munitions is more probable, but again why would Great Britain intelligence services authorize such a
shipment which is in direct violation of treates GB signed and chances of being caught are extremely high.
The article contains several pictures that were omitted...
Notable quotes:
"... How long US media and our own Congress can pretend they know nothing about who some of the major terrorist elements are that most are afraid to mention? Their house of cards is crumbling, and "they" will be more dangerous in that situation, as we are talking about some serious crimes here. ..."
"... "The Syrian Arab Army and with the help of Russian captured a shipment of chemical weapons destined for the Eastern Ghouta. These were British weapons produced at Porton Down in Salisbury. Russian suspects that the Skripal incident is related as by their records, Skiripal was working at Porton Down as a chemical weapons trafficker in partnership with a Ukrainian firm. Russia denies attacking Skripal but admits he was under surveillance for his activities involving support of terrorism in Syria and arms trafficking. ..."
"... Russia also confirms that there are British, American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence officers who were caught by the Syrian army in one of the heavily fortified operations rooms during the invasion of the Syrian army and its allies of the East Ghouta." ..."
Our pleading with Syria has been rewarded with these new photos. The SAA has US Coalition
chemical weapons officers in custody; and Russia has told the US, Brits, Israelis, and Saudis
that they will have to deal with Damascus.
How long US media and our own Congress can pretend they know nothing about who some of
the major terrorist elements are that most are afraid to mention? Their house of cards is
crumbling, and "they" will be more dangerous in that situation, as we are talking about some
serious crimes here.
We are suspicious of why the Brits would throw together what appears to us to have been a
sloppy false flag, even to use against Russia, for putting Russia's feet in the fire to get the
Brits people back from Syria and keep this story out of major news distribution.
Is now the time for some of the really guilty to have to pay the piper? We shall see. But
for that to happen, what is left of non-compromised public institutions has to step up to the
plate, when they have shown a hesitancy to do so when their countries really needed them.
We hope they will get to see this and start asking the obvious questions Jim W. Dean ]
Today another chemical weapons stockpile was found in East Ghouta, produced in Germany,
fully weaponized and commercially produced by Merck.
Merck was the primary producer of chemical weapons for Germany in World War I and George
Merck founded the War Research Service along with Frank Olson in 1944, which using captured
Germany and Japanese scientists and research facilities, took control of America's biological
and chemical warfare production which continues to this day in facilities at Fort Meade,
Maryland and at the Lugar Lab in Tibilisi, Georgia in partnership with the current government
of Ukraine. Last week, Russia and Syria announced the capture of British chemical weapon
stockpiles in East Ghouta along with the capture of a "coalition" command and chemical weapons
facility with all personnel. Taken from the combined statement censored from the western press,
from March 25, 2018
"The Syrian Arab Army and with the help of Russian captured a shipment of chemical
weapons destined for the Eastern Ghouta. These were British weapons produced at Porton Down in
Salisbury. Russian suspects that the Skripal incident is related as by their records, Skiripal
was working at Porton Down as a chemical weapons trafficker in partnership with a Ukrainian
firm. Russia denies attacking Skripal but admits he was under surveillance for his activities
involving support of terrorism in Syria and arms trafficking.
Russia also confirms that there are British, American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence
officers who were caught by the Syrian army in one of the heavily fortified operations rooms
during the invasion of the Syrian army and its allies of the East Ghouta."
VT asked the Syrian government for serial numbers and closeup photographs of chemical
weapons used. Syria sent them to us today.
Today, the Syrian Army captured the following German made poison gas shells, shipped into
Syria though Ukraine and Turkey and delivered to Jeish al Islam by a US CH53 helicopter,
according to statements "allegedly" gotten from POW interrogations.
American, British and Israeli military personnel captured in Syria have confirmed they were
ordered to stage chemical attacks in East Ghouta by their governments.
The Americans are still being held along with Israeli's while British prisoners are being
negotiated for. Sources in Damascus told us that representatives of Oman in Damascus approached
the Russian Office of Reconciliation on behalf of Britain for the return of British chemical
warfare personnel.
The shells in the above video are identified as VX gas from British stockpiles.
Russian officials in Syria informed Britain through Oman that they would have to directly
deal with Syria for the return of their personnel. We have received no further information
since, Damascus has remained silent on how or if negotiations were proceeding.
We do know that US Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, a US Army combat veteran of Iraq,
met with both President Assad and Donald Trump, in order to arrange for covert exchange, for
substantial financial consideration, of captured Americans.
Initial introductions for this meeting were done by VT.
Israel bought back a Brigadier General (they claimed he was a colonel) in 2015 that we know
about.
The recent gas attack in Syria, timed as the last terrorists were surrendering for
relocation inside the Douma region of the Ghouta pocket, was planned personally by nominated
presidential advisor John Bolton and President Donald Trump personally, according to highly
placed sources.
Our sources in Russia, highest level, told us the attack was coming based on information
they received from US and Israeli prisoners taken in East Ghouta after an evacuation attempt
failed.
US casualty announcements in this effort have been released over the past few days as
happening in other areas to cover US complicity in terrorism. This dishonors families of the
dead, not just in the misuse of service members to support terrorism but in lying to families
about combat deaths. This shame goes directly to coward Trump!
"The loss of our Marines weighs heavy on our hearts," Maj. Gen. Mark Wise, commanding
general of 3rd MAW, said in a statement.
"Our priority is to provide support for our families and HMH-465 during this critical
time."
The four Marines killed in the crash were Capt. Samuel A. Schultz, First Lt. Samuel D.
Phillips, Gunnery Sgt. Derik R. Holley and Lance Cpl. Taylor J. Conrad."
Other US casualties were listed as a US Air Force F16 that allegedly crashed at Nellis Air
Force Base in Nevada and up to 6 Americans who the US claims were killed by "Kurdish forces" in
the north of Syria.
All died in a failed combined US/Israel rescue operation to remove not only communications
and command personnel but also chemical weapons operations teams as well.
Last week, VT Damascus received evidence that Americans, US Army Special Forces along with
Israeli chemical weapons officers had been captured in East Ghouta. We were told that not only
was a command facility captured with modern weapons but a stockpile of British made 81mm poison
gas mortar shells, numbering in the hundreds, was seized as well.
Video's were viewed by former MOD weapons specialists who identified the green stripe on the
shells seized in East Ghouta as VX gas from British stockpiles.
The Obama administration investigated alleged chemical attacks in 2012 and 2013 and advised
Syria to turn over chemical stockpiles as a way of discouraging terrorists from continuing to
stage chemical attacks to blame on Damascus.
Most efforts had their roots in Britain's MI6 and its affiliates, the Syrian Observatory for
Human Rights and the White Helmets.
The US is currently facing combined military operations against its occupied zone in Syria
by Iraq, Syrian and Russian forces. The US has been told to remove forces from Syria or face a
wider conflict.
The US and Russia have been at war against one another inside Syria for about a month
now.
"... "It is regrettable to say that our Western partners had tried to disrupt today's session. In the beginning they offered to observe a minute of silence in memory of people killed in Khan Sheyhun, Idlib province, Syria. We proposed them to hold a moment of silence to remember all victims of chemical weapons, primarily in Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, and our partners somehow felt uncomfortable. [They] don't want to remember all victims of chemical weapons," said Shulgin." ..."
So nice of him to toss off t hreats on Orthodox Easter Sunday. What a guy.
Who's influencing him? Bolton? FOX? Pompeo? Where does Mattis stand?
Wonder who is actually influencing him.
****
Interesting article at RT about Jaysh al-Islam coming to an agreement with the Syrian
government to leave Duma/Douma and go to Jarablus.
Published time: 8 Apr, 2018 13:56
Edited time: 8 Apr, 2018 15:05
The Islamist group is to leave Douma for the city of Jarablus within 48 hours, SANA reported,
citing an official source. It said a deal to release all the prisoners has been reached.
Damascus agreed to negotiate with one of the last major militant groups holding out in Douma
in a bid to protect civilians and liberate abductees
The radical Islamist group, which has been accused of using civilians as human shields,
earlier agreed to leave the enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the Syrian capital. Jaysh al-Islam
will have to clear barricades and provide maps of minefields that they have laid in the area.
The militants were set to begin withdrawing from the city of Douma on Sunday, the head of the
Russian Defense Ministry's Syrian Reconciliation Center, Major General Yury Yevtushenko has
said.
So...were the negotiations going on while supposedly Syrian was attacking with some sort of
chem bombs?? Weird.
Also, the number of injured and dead has escalated very unbelievably. From about 15 to
thoursands!!
Yes, there is a "strategy" to pretend Russia is a criminal worse than other countries.
They even mentioned the word "weapons of mass destruction" again. It is a very real campaign
in a run up to war.
"It is regrettable to say that our Western partners had tried to disrupt today's
session. In the beginning they offered to observe a minute of silence in memory of people
killed in Khan Sheyhun, Idlib province, Syria. We proposed them to hold a moment of silence
to remember all victims of chemical weapons, primarily in Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq,
and our partners somehow felt uncomfortable. [They] don't want to remember all victims of
chemical weapons," said Shulgin."
The US media reports these attacks, based on information it gets from -- where? They give the
names of organizations but don't reference any documents. Actually they are getting the
information from a small US State Department office in Istanbul. Details follow--
(CNN) -- Several Syrian activist groups Saturday reported that a brutal attack on the
remnants of the rebel-held city of Douma in Eastern Ghouta left dozens of civilians dead and
scores wounded. The groups -- including the White Helmets, the Douma Coordination Committee
and the Ghouta Media Center -- said toxic gas inside barrel bombs dropped by helicopters over
Douma caused people to suffocate and choke.
White Helmets activities have been well documented.
Douma Coordination Committee - they have used twitter and facebook in the past, but those
media are not used currently.
Ghouta Media Center -- "opposition-affiliated"
wiki -- The Local Coordination Committees of Syria started in March 2011
LCCSyria is financed by donations from individual supporters.[7] This is further facilitated
by the "Adopt a Revolution" initiative.[8] Furthermore, the Office for Syrian Opposition
Support, which itself was founded by the United States Department of State and Foreign and
Commonwealth Office[9] and is funded by the Friends of Syria Group, provides "material
support" and "training assistance" to the LCCs
fom The Telegraph, Aug 26, 2012 Britain and US plan a Syrian revolution from an innocuous office block in Istanbul
An underground network of Syrian opposition activists is receiving training and supplies of
vital equipment from a combined American and British effort to forge an effective
alternative to the Damascus regime.
Dozens of dissidents have been ferried out of Syria to be vetted for foreign backing.
Recipients of the aid are given satellite communications and computers so that they can act
as a local "hub" linking local activists and the outside world.The training takes place in
an Istanbul district where handsome apartment blocks line the steep slopes and rooftop
terraces boast views over the Golden Horn waterway.Behind closed doors the distractions of
outdoor coffee shops and clothing boutiques gives way to power point displays charting the
mayhem sweeping Syria.
The schemes are overseen by the US State Department's Office of Syrian Opposition
Support (OSOS) and Foreign Office officials. America has set aside $25 million for
political opponents of President Bashar al-Assad while Britain is granting £5 million
to the cause of overthrowing the regime.
Victoria Nuland, the State Department spokesman, confirmed the OSOS programme last week
and said its full effect would only be seen when President Assad leaves office. "There are
groups inside and outside Syria beginning to plan for that day-after and beginning to plan
for how they might quickly stand up at least that first stage of transition so that we
could move on when Assad goes, because he will go." . . .
here
Fort Russ is reporting that Jaish al-Islam has agreed to leave Douma within the next 48
hours, and will release their hostages as a condition of this BUT they don't cite a source
for this news:
BREAKING: Jaish al-Islam agree to leave Duma within 48 hours
DAMASCUS, April 8 (Xinhua) -- The Islam Army rebels will evacuate the Douma district east
of Damascus and release the kidnapped people under a new deal reached Sunday with the Syrian
government forces, state TV reported.
The priority of the new deal is the evacuation of the kidnapped people in the captivity of
the Islam Army militants in Douma, the last rebel-held area in the Eastern Ghouta countryside
of Damascus.
And the rebel group will evacuate Douma toward the rebel-held city of Jarablus in Aleppo
province in northern Syria near the Turkish border.
Negotiations between the Islam Army militants and the Syrian government were renewed on
Sunday about the situation in Douma after the militants asked to launch new negotiations with
the government after they backed down on a previous deal that technically contained the same
details in Douma.
The state TV said the Islam Army rebels, who have been in of Douma since 2012, have asked
for negotiating with the Syrian government after two days of a wide-scale military offensive
on Douma following the failure of the first agreement.
The Islam Army rebels backed down on the previous agreement with the Russians and the
Syrian side for their evacuation from that district as well as rejecting to release thousands
of kidnapped people.
The militants also launched mortar attacks on several residential areas inside
Damascus.
A day earlier, the Syrian army stormed the frontlines of the Islam Army in Douma from
farmlands east of that area amid a state of collapse and chaos among the militant group,
according to state news agency SANA.
Douma was supposed to witness a similar destiny as other areas in the Eastern Ghouta,
where 43,000 rebels and their families withdrew under a deal with the government toward
rebel-held areas in northern Syria.
Three batches of the Islam Army and families withdrew from Douma recently, but as the
fourth batch was preparing to leave, the agreement about Douma collapsed.
The '666 government is urging a US military attack on Syria in response to the alleged
chemical attack in Douma.
Since that would be likely to trigger a military conflict between the US and Russia, it
also makes 666 involvement in the Salisbury story -- which has played a major role in the
demonisation of Russia and the formation of an international anti-Russian coalition -- more
likely.
"Construction Minister Yoav Galant, a former IDF major-general who is the security figure
closest to Netanyahu, said 'Assad is the angel of death'". He seems to have got the Passover
story seriously mixed up!
Surprise, surprise -- Israieli "opposition" leader Isaac Herzog also called for US
military action against Syria.
"Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai demanded an emergency meeting of the Knesset Foreign
Affairs and Defense Committee to discuss the readiness of the Israieli Homefront for a Syrian
chemical attack on Israiel." Will that be the next false flag?
"... Nikki Haley claims that the US "Will Respond" To Syria Gas Attack Regardless Of Security Council's Decision ..."
"... Last year, the US destroyed more than a dozen aircraft, as well as oil storage facilities and other structures, and killed at least seven people when it fired 59 missiles at Syria's Shayrat Airbase following a chemical weapons attack that the US also pinned on the Syrian government. ..."
"... Both the UK and France have suggested they're considering military action in Syria. UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he and his French and US allies agree there should be "no impunity for those that use such barbaric weapons." ..."
"... However, Johnson added that Monday's emergency meeting of the UN Security Council would be "an important next step in determining the international response" and that "a full range of options should be on the table." ..."
Nikki Haley claims that the US "Will Respond" To Syria Gas Attack Regardless Of Security Council's Decision
Update (4:15 pm ET): US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said during an emergency meeting of
the UN Security Council on Monday that the US would retaliate against the attack in Syria
regardless of what the UN Security Council decides.
"History will record this as the moment when the Security Council either discharged its
duty or demonstrated its utter and complete failure to protect the people of Syria. Either
way, the United States will respond."
She described the victims in graphic terms.
"I could hold up pictures of babies lying dead next to their mothers, in their diapers,
all lying together, dead, ashen blue, open eyed and lifeless, white foam bubbling from their
mouths and noses."
Haley added that "the world must see justice done" in Syria.
* * *
Before heading into his Monday afternoon cabinet meeting, President Donald Trump condemned a
chemical weapons attack in Ghouta, Syria during an impromptu press conference. The president
said "even with the world as bad as it is, you just don't see things like that" before saying
he'd decide on a response "probably by the end of today."
And while the US was "having trouble getting people in" to the town, Trump added that he
would definitively determine which states were involved in the attack - be it Syria, Iran,
Russia (or presumably all three).
With Trump and his most trusted advisors still debating the proper response, several
anonymous Pentagon officials have told the
Washington Examiner that the US is considering several options including a missile barrage
similar to the strike carried out on a Syrian air base last year.
The Israeli F-15s launched a lethal strike on a Syrian airbase early Monday, killing 14
people with
the US's tacit approval .
The options being considered now are similar to the options that were provided to the
president before last year's strike. The US has several ships armed with tomahawk cruise
missiles stationed in the region - including the USS Donald Cook, a guided-missile destroyer
that just completed a port call in Cyprus and got underway in the eastern Mediterranean. The
ship is within range of Syria and could presumably strike at any target the president
orders.
Last year, the US destroyed more than a dozen aircraft, as well as oil storage facilities
and other structures, and killed at least seven people when it fired 59 missiles at Syria's
Shayrat Airbase following a chemical weapons attack that the US also pinned on the Syrian
government.
But according to one official who spoke with
the Examiner , Trump could be considering a "more robust" strike this time around,
considering that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad didn't quite get the message last time.
Both the UK and France have suggested they're considering military action in Syria. UK
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said he and his French and US allies agree there should be "no
impunity for those that use such barbaric weapons."
However, Johnson added that Monday's emergency meeting of the UN Security Council would be
"an important next step in determining the international response" and that "a full range of
options should be on the table."
"... Trump's statement is a particularly stupid piece of revisionism on his part. Trump was opposed to Obama's threatened attack in 2013 , and then as president Trump ordered an illegal military attack on the Syrian government one year ago to punish it for an alleged chemical weapons attack. ..."
"... The danger in having an ongoing illegal military presence in Syria is that it exposes U.S. forces to unacceptable and unnecessary risks and creates the possibility of escalation with the Syrian government and its allies. If Trump orders another illegal attack on the Syrian government or the forces of any of its supporters, it could easily trigger a larger conflict. Russia has given an explicit warning against a U.S. attack this time, saying that it could trigger "the gravest consequences." Even if it doesn't lead to a larger conflict with a nuclear-armed major power, it isn't worth taking the risk for the sake of policing the conduct of a foreign civil war. ..."
"... If Trump were really interested in extricating the U.S. from war in Syria, he would not be engaged in mindless saber-rattling against the Syrian government and its allies. Unfortunately, Trump's bellicosity always seems to take over in these situations. That is what we get from Trump's anti-restraint foreign policy. ..."
"... But the odd thing is, the most stable and invested country in the region is Iran. Crazy as it might sound to an Iran-hater-dead-ender, the country we should be chatting with about Syria is Iran. If we genuinely cared about anything humanitarian. The two countries with the most likely influence over Bashar with the aim of mitigating his violence would likely be Iran and Russia. If we wanted to actually accomplish something we could quietly and diplomatically arrange that chat and encourage some beneficial influence there. ..."
"... If Assad is really the brute that the West portrays him to be he would have been toppled by now. That the Syrian population by and large has stood by him in 6 years of war should tell you something. I make a point to get most of the news about Syria from Christian organisations who live there – and they are all unequivocal. They are now beyond livid of what the US and its allies has allowed and even facilitated to happen there. Tthankfully for them they still have the Syrian Arab Army and Russia to protect them unlike their brethren in Iraq, one of the oldest Christian communities in existence which has been practically wiped out thanks to America's intervention. ..."
"... Clinton ignored the Russian objections to the West's unilateral recognition of Balkan breakaways. Bush, Saakashvili and the usual entourage of the neocon meddler travelling circus that nowadays haunts the Ukraine dismissed both the Russian warnings and the Russian military response. The result was utter failure. ..."
"... Putin might never see an opportunity for a similarly deadly and promising "play" in the circle jerk of Syria free-for-all invasions – Gulf states, Turkey, US, Israel – but if he should ever see an opening, I would expect him to seek another object lesson. His hand might not be strong, but he appears to play it well. ..."
"... Meanwhile, the Kurdish YPG and Syrian government troops ally against NATO partner Turkey, and the US military has repeatedly attacked Syrian regular military and boasts – by leak – about massacring Russian "private military contractors". ..."
"... Iran demonstrated in Iraq that US ineptitude combined with impunitivism provides many openings to stabilize, in a sense, the region. ..."
Trump's statement is a particularly stupid piece of revisionism on his part. Trump was
opposed to
Obama's threatened attack in 2013 , and then as president Trump ordered an illegal military
attack on the Syrian government one year ago to punish it for an alleged chemical weapons
attack. He had no authority to do this, the attack was a flagrant breach of the U.N. Charter,
and it apparently failed to discourage the Syrian government from carrying out similar attacks
later on. The president ordered the "unbelievably small attack" that Obama administration
threatened to launch in 2013, and it made no meaningful difference to the course of the war or
the regime's behavior.
Trump tweeted out earlierin the day that
"President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing Animal Assad. Big price to pay."
He didn't say what that "big price" was or how it will be "paid," but the fact that he thinks
it is a good idea to make threats against the Syrian government's patrons bodes ill for the
future of U.S. policy in Syria. The foreign policy establishment was beside itself last week
when they thought that Trump wanted to withdraw from Syria, but they should be much more
worried that he will launch an illegal attack and plunge the U.S. in even deeper.
The danger in having an ongoing illegal military presence in Syria is that it exposes
U.S. forces to unacceptable and unnecessary risks and creates the possibility of escalation
with the Syrian government and its allies. If Trump orders another illegal attack on the Syrian
government or the forces of any of its supporters, it could easily trigger a larger conflict.
Russia has given an explicit warning against a U.S.
attack this time, saying that it could trigger "the gravest consequences." Even if it doesn't
lead to a larger conflict with a nuclear-armed major power, it isn't worth taking the risk for
the sake of policing the conduct of a foreign civil war.
If Trump were really interested in extricating the U.S. from war in Syria, he would not be
engaged in mindless saber-rattling against the Syrian government and its allies. Unfortunately,
Trump's bellicosity always seems to take over in these situations. That is what we get from
Trump's anti-restraint foreign policy.
It's true that I'm no genius, but after reading as much as I can and thinking it over I still
don't know who is the right horse to back, or what is the right side to be on in Syria. Assad
is a brute, Isis are brutes, the other parties of opposition are useless, and etc., and none
of it has anything to do with us anyway. To Daniel's point, we're keeping an army hanging
around in a volatile and illegal situation for no discernible point.
Except to hate Iran.
The longterm on Syria doesn't look good for anyone. I'm guessing, because of his long
history of ignorance and incoherence, Trump has no plan.
But the odd thing is, the most stable and invested country in the region is Iran.
Crazy as it might sound to an Iran-hater-dead-ender, the country we should be chatting with
about Syria is Iran. If we genuinely cared about anything humanitarian. The two countries
with the most likely influence over Bashar with the aim of mitigating his violence would
likely be Iran and Russia. If we wanted to actually accomplish something we could quietly and
diplomatically arrange that chat and encourage some beneficial influence there.
If Assad is really the brute that the West portrays him to be he would have been
toppled by now. That the Syrian population by and large has stood by him in 6 years of war
should tell you something. I make a point to get most of the news about Syria from Christian
organisations who live there – and they are all unequivocal. They are now beyond livid
of what the US and its allies has allowed and even facilitated to happen there. Tthankfully
for them they still have the Syrian Arab Army and Russia to protect them unlike their
brethren in Iraq, one of the oldest Christian communities in existence which has been
practically wiped out thanks to America's intervention.
"If President Obama had crossed his stated Red Line "
Interesting view. Obama imagined he drew a "red line" that Assad was not to cross, and
allegedly did. Trump's tongue apparently wore a Freudian slip when he rubi-conned this phrase
into twitter.
To make this a turn worthy of Croesumpus, let us just say that if Trump crosses that red
line of his own, a great war criminal will be destroyed.
"In early March 2008, Abkhazia and South Ossetia submitted formal requests for their
recognition to Russia's parliament shortly after the West's recognition of Kosovo to which
Russia was opposed. [The] Russian ambassador to NATO, warned that Georgia's NATO membership
aspirations would cause Russia to support the independence of Abkhazia and South
Ossetia."
Clinton ignored the Russian objections to the West's unilateral recognition of Balkan
breakaways. Bush, Saakashvili and the usual entourage of the neocon meddler travelling circus
that nowadays haunts the Ukraine dismissed both the Russian warnings and the Russian military
response. The result was utter failure.
Putin might never see an opportunity for a similarly deadly and promising "play" in the
circle jerk of Syria free-for-all invasions – Gulf states, Turkey, US, Israel –
but if he should ever see an opening, I would expect him to seek another object lesson. His
hand might not be strong, but he appears to play it well.
Meanwhile, the Kurdish YPG and Syrian government troops ally against NATO partner
Turkey, and the US military has repeatedly attacked Syrian regular military and boasts
– by leak – about massacring Russian "private military contractors".
Iran demonstrated in Iraq that US ineptitude combined with impunitivism provides many
openings to stabilize, in a sense, the region.
By the way, the Vice President of the Association of veterans of special services Berkut
Valery Malevanny spoke about the same, about the Ukrainian trace in an interview with "SP".
According to him, Skripal once worked for the Ukrainian mafia. Namely: on the oligarch
Alexander Perepelichny who was killed in 2012 in London under unclear circumstances.
Was published reports on the financial status Skripal. It turns out that he has a house in
Britain for 270 thousand pounds, a house in Spain for 210 thousand pounds, and a Bank account
is 450 thousand pounds. Where does a simple British intelligence officer get that kind of
money?
In addition, according to MI-5, Skripal regularly flew to Kiev and Odessa. Most likely, it
was about establishing smuggling channels.
So, the Finns have every reason to question the British version of the poisoning of an
ex-GRU officer.
Trump as a "false flag operation," That's rich ;-)
Notable quotes:
"... So the paradox is this: how are the elites herding people towards a new war, while at the same time encouraging thoughts and movements which will be a solid opposition block against military action? ..."
"... Concur. Clinton is sociopathic. Trump is narcissistic. The Deep State uses both. The former willing tool, she cares nothing for anyone but herself. The latter, the psychologists in CIA have his profile and manipulate him like a woman with a velvet glove. His inadequacies are easily stroked. ..."
There is no doubt that Trump is an elite "false flag". Someone who was intended to be simply
PORTRAYED as being anti-establishment, but in reality, one who carried out and amplified
everything the establishment wanted. That much is clear and solidified now.
But here is the real strangeness in the situation:
A quick scan of Twitter and Facebook commentary on this new Syria situation shows that a
clear majority of Americans are opposed to anything that Trump touches. And this includes
military action in Syria, as evidenced from the social media postings. What was once a simple
matter of anti-war opposition has turned into a magnified anti-war plus anti-Trump
opposition.
So the paradox is this: how are the elites herding people towards a new war, while at
the same time encouraging thoughts and movements which will be a solid opposition block
against military action?
I think a rational explanation is that the elites simply got overconfident. They
overplayed their hand. It will indeed come back to bite them. The American people, whether
pro-Trump or anti-Trump, will resist any military action in Syria no matter what. The elites
will have to stop this movement and come up with a new strategy towards war.
"There is no doubt that Trump is an elite "false flag". Someone who was intended to be
simply PORTRAYED as being anti-establishment, but in reality, one who carried out and
amplified everything the establishment wanted. That much is clear and solidified now."
Exactly. The main reason trump is better than Clinton, in my opinion, is all that
opposition to Trump we see, would not be there against a Clinton regime. Both in the u.s. and
international in the west.
Concur.
Clinton is sociopathic. Trump is narcissistic. The Deep State uses both. The former willing
tool, she cares nothing for anyone but herself. The latter, the psychologists in CIA have his
profile and manipulate him like a woman with a velvet glove. His inadequacies are easily
stroked.
Sputnik: But in the case of Litvinenko there's a huge study, it was one of the most thorough
investigations that was conducted by the British, Sir Robert Owen was in charge of that,
although he came to the conclusion that there was sufficient evidence heard in open court to
build a strong circumstantial case against the Russian state. Do you see any parallels between
the two cases? Many people criticized Britain for giving an inadequate response to the
Litvinenko case, do you think that they're compensating for that now?
William Dunkerley: The Litvinenko case, as far as the public description of what happened,
was a hoax in my view. There was no factual basis, the coroner's inquest didn't start until
around five years after his death and before the inquest opened, the British prosecutor Ken
Macdonald had said that he had grave suspicions there was Russian state involvement, grave
suspicions is a long way from having a case, so I don't think that anything that transpired
with Robert Owen's inquest or inquiry has any legitimacy. He was definitely on a witch hunt
looking for Russian state involvement. I was involved with an effort to get that witch hunt
called off and had probably 50 interactions between me and the chancellor's office Chris
Grayling and then Home Secretary Theresa May, and ultimately got them to come along with the
view that I had taken about the case; that Owen was conducting a witch hunt that he wasn't
authorized to do. Theresa May reprimanded Owen for that in the end and subsequently Owen agreed
to remove the search for Russian culpability from the scope of his inquest. That happened at
the end of 2013.
*Mr. Dunkerley is recognized internationally for his research and publications about the
2006 Alexander Litvinenko polonium poisoning.
Deputy Russian Prosecutor General Saak Karapetyan has addressed the case, surrounding the
alleged poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal, who reportedly is no longer in critical
condition. Russian Prosecutor General has accused Britain of violating international law by
classifying Sergei Skripal's, as well as Alexander Litvinenko and Boris Berezovsky cases.
The cases of former intelligence officers Sergei Skripal and Alexander Litvinenko, as well
as the case of former Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky ,
have been unfolding under the same scenario, unfounded accusations are followed by the demands
for sanctions against Moscow, Karapetyan said Monday.
"The anti-Russian campaign around former officer Skripal and his daughter was unfolded by
the UK authorities under a scenario similar to that already used in unfounded accusations
against Russia over the alleged attempted murder of Boris Berezovsky in London in 2003 and the
circumstances of the death of Alexander Litvinenko in the United Kingdom in November 2006,"
Karapetyan told a briefing.
The official noted that in all three cases the demands to introduce sanctions against Russia
had followed groundless claims of Russia's involvement.
On Berezovsky Case
Berezovsky was granted an asylum even though the UK Interior Ministry didn't find any
evidence that there was an assassination attempt on the former Russian businessman, the
official noted.
Russia hasn't received any documents, concerning the death of tycoon Berezovsky and its
cause, Karapetyan noted, adding that Russia submitted 39 requests to the UK for the period from
2006 to 2011 on Berezovsky.
Berezovsky was most interested in killing former Russian intelligence officer Alexander
Litvinenko in November 2006, advisor to Russian Prosecutor General Nikolai Atmonyev said
Monday.
"I have every reason to assert that Berezovsky was interested in eliminating Litvinenko at
that time," Atmonyev told a briefing.
"... Basically, Mirzayanov claims that it is relatively easy to make the Novichok nerve agents. So, some enterprising Arabs could buy a few chemists to make a few tons of it and then spray it all over the little Satan. Do you really think that the Jews who run the United States would allow the publication of information that could lead to thousands of deaths in Israel? ..."
"... Remember, Mirzayanov was given residence (and a University position) in the United States after he was kicked out of Russia. There are also a number of "people who should know" that have stated that there is zero solid evidence for the existence of the Novichok nerve agents. For example: Robin Black in Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents (2016): ..."
"... "In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published." ..."
"... "There has never been a 'Novichok' research project conducted in Russia,... But in the West, some countries carried out such research, which they called 'Novichok,' for some reason." ..."
Remember, the evil people, Theresa May, Stoltenberg, Trump and the rest, are damning
Russia with obvious lies.
The Novichok nerve agents don't even exist.
HERE IS THE PROOF:
The Novichok nerve agents are supposedly much more toxic than the nerve gases VX or Sarin
(and yet the Skripals are still alive!?).
Mirzayanov's book, published in 2008, contains the formulas he alleges can be used to
create Novichoks. In 1995, he explained that "the chemical components or precursors" of
Novichok are "ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical companies
that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides."
Basically, Mirzayanov claims that it is relatively easy to make the Novichok nerve
agents. So, some enterprising Arabs could buy a few chemists to make a few tons of it and then
spray it all over the little Satan. Do you really think that the Jews who run the United States would allow the publication of
information that could lead to thousands of deaths in Israel?
Do you really think they would protect the publisher of such information by giving him
residence in the United States?
Remember, Mirzayanov was given residence (and a University position) in the United States
after he was kicked out of Russia. There are also a number of "people who should know" that have stated that there is zero
solid evidence for the existence of the Novichok nerve agents. For example: Robin Black in
Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents (2016):
"In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve
agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of
the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published."
And, Alexander Shulgin, Russia's representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons (2018):
"There has never been a 'Novichok' research project conducted in Russia,... But in the
West, some countries carried out such research, which they called 'Novichok,' for some
reason."
CONCLUSION: The Novichok nerve agents don't even exist.
@ 17 -- There seem to be lots of weasely things being said about the fate of the Skripal
pets. The big, fluffy black cat with amber eyes should in no way whatsoever have suffered such
depletion of calories that he had to be put down. I fear he was sent to Porton Down to be
"studied," and then "put down."
If there was a water source --dripping faucet, water closet,
most houses have some place a pet can drink from other that his water bowl-- a cat can survive
weeks. My Maine Coon disappeared, but showed up about 3-4 weeks later, ragged coat, unkempt,
very thin, but, when given saline solution by the vet, immediately began to act more normal.
Took a while to get her muscle mass rebuilt, but she survived.
An article from The Sun, dated April 5th, has a photo of Nash Van Drake (what a pretty cat),
and states the specialist chemical weapons investigators did not gain access to the Skripal
residence UNTIL APRIL 4TH!!! We know from photographs that lots of folks wearing moons suits
were around for weeks -- why was nothing done to care for the pets?
I can't find it now through google, but I read a comment or tweet from a vet who had made
repeated offers to care for the pets. These pets should never have suffered to the extent they
did.
Someone in power did not want anyone outside those with enforced silence agreements to see
those pets.
The sickly mog was transported to the Ministry of Defence research laboratory at Porton
Down to be tested, where he was found to be severely malnourished.
The lab's top veterinary officer ruled the pet was in so much pain he should be put
down.
His body was then immediately incinerated to avoid contamination from the deadly nerve
agent Novichok.
Sergei's guinea pigs were also destroyed at the top secret military research facility.
(If there is a hell, may these animal abusers end up there with long and miserable
afterlives.)
"Comrade Putin, we have successfully stockpiled novichoks in secret for ten years, and kept
them hidden from the OPCW inspectors. We have also trained our agents in secret novichok
assassination techniques. The programme has cost hundreds of millions of dollars, but now we
are ready. Naturally, the first time we use it we will expose our secret and suffer massive
international blowback. So who should be our first target? The head of a foreign intelligence
agency? A leading jihadist rebel in Syria? A key nuclear scientist? Even a Head of State?"
"No, Tovarich. There is this old retired guy I know living in Salisbury. We released him
from jail years ago "
"With respect Comrade Putin, are you sure he is the most important target to reveal a
programme we have put so much resource into for ten years?"
"Yes. I sit here every day and I cannot concentrate on the affairs of Russia or the World as
all the time am thinking of Sergei Skripal. I should never have let him out of jail to spend
his life buying lottery tickets and eating in Zizzis. But you must make absolutely certain to
kill him."
"Don't worry Comrade Putin, we have been training in secret novichok assassination
techniques for ten years. We even have an detailed manual explaining our methods. We will
spread the novichok on his outside door handle (fiendish laugh)."
"Are you sure comrade? Is there not a danger it will wash off or get diluted?"
"No Comrade Putin, it never rains in England."
That is, genuinely, in every detail the official British government version of what happened
in Salisbury, including the ten year programme and the secret assassination manual.
Despite this story being one of the most improbably wild conspiracy theories in human
history, it is those who express any doubt at all as to its veracity who are smeared as
"conspiracy theorists" or even "traitors".
All copyright on this article is waived. Feel free to use, translate and republish as you
wish.
Looks like Skripal case was the stage one of the same false flag operation...
Notable quotes:
"... Both Syria and Russia deny a chemical attack took place and have reached an evacuation deal with the rebels. ..."
"... One video, recorded by rescue workers known as the White Helmets, shows a number of men, women and children lying lifeless inside a house, many with foam at their mouths. ..."
US President Donald Trump has lashed out at Syrian President
Bashar al-Assad and his allies Russia and Iran over a suspected chemical attack, saying there will
be a "big price to pay".
Medical sources say dozens of people were killed in an attack on the rebel-held town of Douma on
Saturday. The UN Security Council is expected to discuss the crisis on Monday.
Both Syria and Russia deny a chemical attack took place and have reached an evacuation deal with
the rebels.
Outrage at the alleged use of chemical weapons has been widespread with Pope Francis saying,
"Nothing, nothing can justify the use of such devices of extermination against defenceless people
and populations."
The European Union has called for an "immediate response by the international community".
One video, recorded by rescue workers known as the White Helmets, shows a number of men, women
and children lying lifeless inside a house, many with foam at their mouths.
Other unverified footage shows young children crying as they are treated in a makeshift medical
unit.
However, it has not been possible to verify independently what actually happened, or the actual
number of dead.
The Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations, which runs medical facilities in the Eastern
Ghouta, told BBC News that 70 deaths had been confirmed.
More than 500 people were brought to medical centres with such symptoms, it said, quoting
emergency services in Douma.
A doctor at an overwhelmed hospital in the rebel-controlled town told the BBC's Joel Gunter he
had panicked as his own children coughed from gas seeping into the basement where they were hiding.
A medical student described in horrifying detail how he had treated a dying man.
End of Twitter post by @joelmgunter
A test of resolve
Analysis by James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent
The reported chemical weapons attack on the rebel-held enclave of Douma poses some hard
questions.
For the civilians, the families and children there, can they continue to bear the terror,
bloodshed and inhumanity being rained upon them?
For the militant rebel fighters, do they believe their struggle and continued resistance is
still worth the price they and the civilians are being forced to pay by the Syrian government?
For Russia, how far is it prepared to defend its allies' apparent use of chemical weapons when
its own apparent use of a nerve agent in the UK is subject to so much global condemnation?
And for the international community, how will it respond to what is clearly a test of its
resolve one year on from the Khan Sheikhoun chemical attack?
Will the ritual condemnations be backed by military action in an attempt to deter President
Assad's further use of chemical weapons? Or will the West believe that any escalation would simply
prolong a conflict that many just want to end?
At least 40 people are reported dead in Syria -- including women and children -- after a
suspected chemical gas attack on a rebel-held town near the capital on Saturday, as the State
Department said the reports, if confirmed, would demand "an immediate response."
The Syrian American Medical Society and opposition-linked Syrian Civil Defense
said in a joint statement that at least 40 people had died in the attack in Douma, about 10
miles east of Damascus, and over 500 people, mostly women and children, were injured and
brought to medical centers.
The injuries included difficulty breathing, foaming at the mouth, and burning of the eyes,
according to the organization. It said patients gave off a chlorine-like smell and some had
blue skin, a sign of oxygen deprivation. The alleged attack occurred amid a resumed offensive
by Syrian government forces after the collapse of a truce. The Russian-backed Syrian government
denied that its forces had launched any chemical attack,
Reuters reported . The government said rebels in Douma were in a state of collapse and
spreading false news.
None of the reports could be immediately independently confirmed, both the Associated Press
and Reuters said.
President Trump said on Twitter that the Syrian Army needs to open the area "immediately"
for medical help and verification.
"Many dead, including women and children, in mindless CHEMICAL attack in Syria," Trump
tweeted. "Area of atrocity is in lockdown and encircled by Syrian Army, making it completely
inaccessible to outside world. President Putin, Russia and Iran are responsible for backing
Animal Assad. Big price to pay. Open area immediately for medical help and verification.
Another humanitarian disaster for no reason whatsoever. SICK!"
First responders said they found families suffocated in their homes and shelters, with foam
on their mouths. The opposition-linked Syrian Civil Defense were able to document 42 fatalities
but were impeded from searching further by strong odors that gave their rescuers difficulties
breathing, said Siraj Mahmoud, a spokesman for the group, which is known as the White
Helmets.
"Until this minute, no one has been able to find out the kind of agent that was used,"
Mahmoud said in a video statement.
Looks like Aljazeera tried uncritically
propogate the version of a gas attack put forward by the White Helmets. Which is not compete
impossibility if a bomb or a shell hit a container with chorine gas stored buy the rebels. And
there were large storage of chorine gas (something like 20 tons) discovered already in liberated
from jihadists area or this province along with Western equipment to produce poison gas
munitions.
This Abu Jaafar story smells fiction: after being poisoned he lost conscience was was saved
by somebody. He was poisoned badly enough for his lungs being affected. Them miraculous he became
a recue worker with enough strength to evacuate others.
Unlike the previous false flag now this area in under control of government forces.
Notable quotes:
"... Rescue workers and medical staff have said at least 85 people were killed in the chlorine gas attack - an accusation dismissed by the Syrian government as "farcical". ..."
"... Among those killed, witnesses said, were many women and children who had sought refuge in the basements of buildings to escape heavy bombardment by pro-government forces. ..."
"... The Syrian army said the offensive was in response to deadly shelling by Jaish al-Islam, the last remaining opposition group in Eastern Ghouta, on residential areas in Damascus. Jaish al-Islam denied the allegation. ..."
"... The group is currently in negotiations with the Russian army, a major ally of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad , over a possible evacuation deal, according to reports carried by state media and pro-Syrian opposition Orient TV. Last week, two other rebel groups reached evacuation agreements with the Russians, which resulted in about 19,000 people leaving for the northern province of Idlib. ..."
"... The chemical attack in Douma is the largest of its kind in Syria since April last year, when nerve agent sarin or a sarin-like substance was dropped onto the town of Khan Sheikhoun , killing at least 85 people. ..."
"... On Saturday evening, rescue workers posted videos on social media of people appearing to show symptoms consistent with a gas attack. Some appeared to have white foam around their mouths and noses. ..."
"... He explained many of those who lost their lives were still under destroyed buildings and have not yet been pulled from the rubble. ..."
"... "Others are instantly being buried by their families, so they aren't accounted for in terms of registered numbers," al-Khair said. ..."
By his third frantic dash down the stairs, with a wet piece of cloth over his mouth and a
little girl in each arm, everything went dark for Khaled Abu Jaafar.
"I lost consciousness. I couldn't breathe any more; it was like my lungs were shutting
down," recalled the resident of Douma, in Syria's Eastern
Ghouta .
"I woke up about 30 minutes later and they had undressed me and were washing my body with
water," Abu Jaafar told Al Jazeera on Sunday. "They were trying to make me vomit as my mouth
was emitting a yellow substance."
Abu Jaafar is one of the survivors struggling to cope with the effects of a
chemical attack on Saturday in the besieged town of Douma, the last rebel stronghold near
the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Rescue workers and medical staff have said at least 85 people were killed in the
chlorine gas attack - an accusation dismissed by the Syrian government as "farcical".
Among those killed, witnesses said, were many women and children who had sought refuge
in the basements of buildings to escape heavy bombardment by pro-government forces.
Abu Jaafar, a radio station worker, said that as panicked residents started running around
after the attack, he rushed to one of these hideouts to check on his friends and help get
people out.
"While people were in the shelters, some on the roof managed to see the gas bombs as they
dropped from the planes," Abu Jaafar said, describing what he said was green gas emanating from
the canisters falling from the sky.
"Those who saw them rushed to tell everyone in the basement to evacuate," he added. "I went
up and down the stairs about three times to help evacuate children from the
building."
Evacuation deals
The attack came on the second day of a
fierce ground and air push by pro-government forces after a period of relative calm.
The Syrian army said the offensive was in response to deadly shelling by Jaish al-Islam,
the last remaining opposition group in Eastern Ghouta, on residential areas in Damascus. Jaish
al-Islam denied the allegation.
The group is currently in negotiations with the Russian army, a major ally of Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad
, over a possible evacuation deal, according to reports carried by state media and pro-Syrian
opposition Orient TV. Last week, two other rebel groups reached
evacuation agreements with the Russians, which resulted in about 19,000 people leaving for
the northern province of Idlib.
They included fighters from the Faylaq al-Rahman and Ahrar al-Sham groups, their relatives
and other locals. Rebel groups argued that the evacuation amounts to forced displacement, but
gave in after weeks of intense bombardment. Meanwhile, remaining civilians continue to endure a
bombing campaign and the effects of a crippling government siege that has been in place since
2013.
'Unbearable scenes'
The chemical attack in Douma is the largest of its kind in Syria since April last year,
when nerve agent sarin or a sarin-like substance was dropped onto the town of
Khan Sheikhoun , killing at least 85 people.
Symptoms of a chlorine attack include dyspnea and coughing, as well as intensive irritation
of the mucous membrane and breathing difficulties.
On Saturday evening, rescue workers posted videos on social media of people appearing to
show symptoms consistent with a gas attack. Some appeared to have white foam around their
mouths and noses.
Abu Jaafar said that those who did not manage to evacuate their shelters died instantly.
"There were basements in other buildings with people who didn't see the gas in time. We
entered those buildings and found bodies on the staircases and on the floor - they died while
attempting to exit," he said.
Although some Douma residents rushed to various medical points, a shortage of supplies and
doctors meant that treatment options were limited.
Activists said that several of Douma's clinics and ambulance teams had been hit during the
bombardment campaign, largely disrupting the town's medical assistance capacity.
When we arrived to the roof of the building I was helping at, I saw the lifeless bodies of a
mother in her 50s, with two of her adult daughters and a child with their arms around each
other, all foaming at the mouth
Alaa Abu Yasser
Local activist Alaa Abu Yasser was also among those who tried to help evacuate people.
"I went to a building where about 35 people had died as a result of this attack; the scenes
I saw were unbearable, it's like nothing I have ever seen even in the movies," he told Al
Jazeera, describing the aftermath of the attack.
"As I approached the building, a father was crying hysterically as he dragged his feet
towards us carrying his two children he was hugging them, smelling and kissing them after they
suffocated to death," Abu Yasser added.
Several witnesses speaking to Al Jazeera said that during a chemical attack it is common
practice for people to rush to the top floors and on the roofs of buildings in a bid to avoid
inhaling the gas that tends to "stick to the ground".
"When we arrived to the roof of the building I was helping at, I saw the lifeless bodies of
a mother in her 50s, with two of her adult daughters and a child with their arms around each
other, all foaming at the mouth," said Abu Yasser.
"I mostly saw bodies of women and children in three separate rooms; they've been placed
there to isolate the smell of the gas from those who survived," he added.
Although the White Helmets, a group of rescuers operating in opposition-held areas in Syria,
and Syrian American Medical Society have given a death toll of at least 85, there are fears
that the number of people killed in the attack could be higher.
"The rescue teams have not been able to document all the cases," local activist Mansour Abu
al-Khair told Al Jazeera. "They're overwhelmed and cannot deal with the impact of the
attack."
He explained many of those who lost their lives were still under destroyed buildings and
have not yet been pulled from the rubble.
"Others are instantly being buried by their families, so they aren't accounted for in
terms of registered numbers," al-Khair said.
"We expect the death toll to surpass 100," he added.
From comments: "I was quite surprised the rebels actually went ahead with the so-called gas attack. They didn't, US-France-UK-(Turkey)
did. The rebels are the ones with guns and ammo, the alliance are the ones with actors and cameras. "
Notable quotes:
"... If Trump possesses one talent it must surely be the ability to spot a Con Artist pulling a fast one. If he can't connect the same dots that b has just done then Trump has to be an idiot, and I don't for a second believe that he is an idiot. ..."
"... Just one thing that I should point out: the Syrian Observatory is NOT claiming that there has been a chemical weapons attack on Douma. ..."
"... But the claim that those suffocations were the result of chlorine attack is being made by the white helmets, not (at least so far) by the SOHR. ..."
"... The best time for Putin to respond to a Western provocation isn't now, it's when he effectively has hundreds of thousands of Western hostages in his country - June/July. ..."
"... For White Helmets read Britain. They are British created, funded and operated. May's Government has to be deep in this as well. ..."
"... Never forget that May, Cameron and other conservative MPs crossed the floor of parliament and voted for Blair and the illegal attack on Iraq when Labour MPs refused to support him. ..."
"... I hope that this "news" will just fade away. Sad fact is that whatever Russians say or do it doesn't really matter anymore. A narrative and a rhetoric coming from the US is now at the so low level that any diplomatic language or a talk is rendered obsolete. ..."
"... I also think that is is not up to Trump, but more off to a military and the dark powers around Trump, that he doesn't really understand, to decide what is happing next. If anything. ..."
"... The hostage here is the world cup itself, just as the 2014 Olympics were. And in retrospect it was probably a mistake for Russia to host them, but then who could have predicted all this back in 2007 or 8? ..."
"... At any rate, Russia should resist provocations games or not. Retaliation, if any, should be covert and deniable. Unless the west is dumb enough to openly attack Russian forces. Then a hammer blow to the face is appropriate. ..."
"... If there was such a FF 'gas attack' as we have just seen in Syria while the World Cup was on and the US/UK response (as we've heard previously from Russian/Syrian sources) was to initiate strikes against Syrian Government installations, and then Russia has promised to respond if any of their personnel were killed in these strikes the Russians reserve the right (as they have repeatedly started) to strike back against any US/UK targets responsible for the strikes - ie - shooting US/UK planes out of the sky or sinking US/UK warships, destroyers or carriers in the Eastern Mediterranean. ..."
"... If that level of escalation were to occur (and take note I'm not saying it will because I don't believe Putin will take this bait), but if it were, where could the escalation lead on the part of the US/UK?? ..."
"... These areas are intensely scrutinized by the Russians and the SAA, drones, satellite. It would be good to get some footage of the White Helmets staging this, but of course they are embedded with all the rest of the fighting men elsewhere and are never anywhere near where all the children tend to be targeted. ..."
"... I am confident that JAYSH was not going to negotiate, until after they had finished the "job" for their paymasters...once that was completed, they are ready to negotiate again... ..."
"... But The Donald is saying that there are women and children amongst those affected by the supposed attack, but other sites are reporting on the astonishing fact that there are only children in the broadcast footage.. what amount to a staged play like that of Goutha years ago... ..."
"... July 16, 2017. Newswire. CIA Director Admits Fooling Trump Over Syrian Chemical Weapons Story ( ) The false flag attack, which actually originated from CIA rebel groups in the region, resulted in Trump launching Tomahawk missiles into Syria, killing 15 civilians. Posted because of some interest despite misleading title and dubious source. http://yournewswire.com/cia-trump-syria-chemical-weapons/ ..."
"... I am afraid. Have not been this afraid since election night when Hillary was almost elected. The world lucked out and survived to live another day. Has our luck run out? ..."
"... Sigh, here we go again, just like Skripal case, west acts with propaganda and psyops without any evidence. The stupid TRUMP will of course bomb Syria again along with the disgusting Macron cheered by EU and western media. ..."
"... In the US when a murder occurs and a suspect apprehended there is a trial that can take weeks or months, and the prosecution and the defense present their expert Witnesses. Then at the end of all that a jury usually decides where the person is guilty or not. On the other hand, when a crime is alleged in another country far far away from the US, such as an alleged gas attack in Syria, within days we know exactly who is responsible and on that basis are willing to commit arms, troops and spend billions of dollars to kill people in large quantities and destroy a country. One would think that given the stakes involved a little bit more care might be taken. ..."
"... "Gas" scares the bejesus out of rubes. Makes Great Drama. Triggers, then reinforces historical themes. "The fiend! He gassed his own people!" "Gas Chambers" (Cant' go there!). If there's gas, well, by golly there's got to be a ham-handed, asymmetrical "response" (motherfocker of all bombs!) from the "International Community". ..."
"... BTW, kudos to those who pegged the Skripal incident as prelude to some sort of chemical incident in Syria. It couldn't have been scripted better for a TV program. Oh, wait... ..."
"... The point is that the Russians have been preparing for just such an event for months. Was it not two months ago that the Russians put troops into Damascus to prevent a decapitating strike? A US strike would be a sort of Kursk Offensive, attacking into a well-prepared defence. ..."
NEW YORK (Reuters) - The United States' diplomatic policy on Syria for now is no longer focused on making the war-torn country's
president, Bashar al-Assad, leave power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations said on Thursday, in a departure from the Obama
administration's initial and public stance on Assad's fate.
World leaders expressed shock and outrage Tuesday at reports of a suspected chemical attack in northwestern Syria that killed
scores of civilians, with one UK official suggesting the incident amounted to a war crime.
The US ambassador to the United Nations, Nikki Haley, has told CNN that removing Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power is
a priority, cementing an extraordinary U-turn in the Trump administration's stance on the embattled leader.
The Khan Sheikhun incident had been faked. An international investigation
found that half of the alleged casualties arrived in hospitals before the incident was said to have happened. Nothing followed
after Haley's last announcement. The administration was apparently not willing to go beyond the one-off strike. The flip-flop was
attributed to confusion or infighting
within the Trump administration.
I have the feeling that Russia is loosing patience, and if the US try something it will be big trouble. The speed with which Ghouta
was taken caused problems for the West. I hope Russia will clean up Syria quickly; I think we are approaching a decisive moment.
All of these world leaders walk in lockstep together following the script handed to them. I would leave Damascus in a hurry if
I was living there. The Zionists want to fulfil Isaiah 17.
now we know why the skripals happened. the west is now, today, intent on russia's destruction. putin 'dies' or the west dies.
not since the 1950's era of hiding under desks in elementary school have i felt as though i am living in the 'end times.'
If Trump possesses one talent it must surely be the ability to spot a Con Artist pulling a fast one. If he can't connect the
same dots that b has just done then Trump has to be an idiot, and I don't for a second believe that he is an idiot.
Surely
this is a golden opportunity for Trump to go off-script and shaft those who are trying to con him.
All it would take is one twitter post from him stating that only an dimwit would fall for such an obvious trap, and he will
turn the tables on anyone who shouts that The USA Must Do Something About This!!!!!
Trump's retort would be devastating: there ya' go, Dimwit Number One.
World Cup starts on June 14. Do you really think Putin/Russia will do anything to jeopardize the hosting of that event this close
to the finish line?
I really doubt it.
Who in Russia would be held responsible if a conflict started and the World Cup in Russia was cancelled??
Which Russian politician would be blamed by the people???
Putin will do nothing and will not be provoked. Do you know the best time to respond? It is actually during the World Cup when
hundreds of thousands of EU and foreign nationals will be in Russia - effectively hostages that prevent the West taking over action
against Russia - yep, it's that simple.
The best time for Putin to respond to a Western provocation isn't now, it's when he effectively has hundreds of thousands
of Western hostages in his country - June/July.
Yeah/7: For White Helmets read Britain. They are British created, funded and operated. May's Government has to be deep in
this as well.
Never forget that May, Cameron and other conservative MPs crossed the floor of parliament and voted for
Blair and the illegal attack on Iraq when Labour MPs refused to support him.
Without Theresa May and David Cameron, Blair wouldn't have had the authority to attack.
The Iraqi blood is on her hands.
And Libyan blood.
And Syrian blood.
And now Salisbury and this.
I hope that this "news" will just fade away. Sad fact is that whatever Russians say or do it doesn't really matter anymore.
A narrative and a rhetoric coming from the US is now at the so low level that any diplomatic language or a talk is rendered obsolete.
UK will trumpet this as there is no tomorrow while Skripal case is, in their eyes, hopefully blurring away. Or so they might
think.
I also think that is is not up to Trump, but more off to a military and the dark powers around Trump, that he doesn't really
understand, to decide what is happing next. If anything.
@8, that is impossible. There is no way Russia will harm any of the soccer fans or stop them from leaving if they choose to leave.
The hostage here is the world cup itself, just as the 2014 Olympics were. And in retrospect it was probably a mistake for
Russia to host them, but then who could have predicted all this back in 2007 or 8?
At any rate, Russia should resist provocations games or not. Retaliation, if any, should be covert and deniable. Unless
the west is dumb enough to openly attack Russian forces. Then a hammer blow to the face is appropriate.
With due respect I think you misunderstand what I'm saying about 'hostages'.
If there was such a FF 'gas attack' as we have just seen in Syria while the World Cup was on and the US/UK response (as
we've heard previously from Russian/Syrian sources) was to initiate strikes against Syrian Government installations, and then
Russia has promised to respond if any of their personnel were killed in these strikes the Russians reserve the right (as they
have repeatedly started) to strike back against any US/UK targets responsible for the strikes - ie - shooting US/UK planes out
of the sky or sinking US/UK warships, destroyers or carriers in the Eastern Mediterranean.
If that level of escalation were to occur (and take note I'm not saying it will because I don't believe Putin will take
this bait), but if it were, where could the escalation lead on the part of the US/UK??
Could it lead to Western military strikes of some sort or another?
Could it do that next week? Maybe.
Could it do that while Russia is hosting the World Cup worth hundreds of thousands of Western nationals in Russia? Of course
not. The Western route of escalation is therefore blunted while the World Cup is being hosted while there is no such barrier on
Russian response to Western provocation while the World Cup is being hosted.
Ie - if Russia did respond to US/UK strikes against Syria whilst the World Cup was being hosted by sinking a couple of US destroyers,
what would happen then?
Given the level of Western insanity and the frequency of the outrages being perpetrated, I don't think we will have to wait several
months to see all hell break loose.
WaPo and NYT led the way on this story at news.google. WaPo said that Washington based non-profit Syrian-American Medical Society
(SAMS) issued a joint statement with "opposition-linked Civil Defense" (the usual suspects - The White Helmets). There are lots
of details on the attacks and damage at Douma but only a tiny mention that Jaish al-Islam launched rockets into densely populated
Damascus. Why are there no reports of death and damage in those areas? And where did SAMS come from?
Worth to check out - East Ghouta, Syria. Report of Chinese analysts examined by Russian leading Middle East expert (UK/US military
advisers in Syria, "Skripal case" hysteria etc.)
This is Trump's big chance to redeem himself with the U.S. military ( after "mindlessly" declaring his wish to leave Syria and
the entire area ) and get down on his knees and suck Pentagon cock. He will obligingly do this ( as his girlfriends and wife do
for him ) and "allow " ( as if he has a choice ) the U.S. war machine, to which he has conceded all civilian control, to respond
to the obviously faked and staged false flag chemical attack, in any way they see fit. Russia has already announced that if their
troops in Syria are attacked they will respond by Removing the source of that attack, i.e., sinking the ship that launched the
missiles. So the U.S. military has lit the fuse and as has worried all of us for a very long time : God only knows where this
is headed.
These areas are intensely scrutinized by the Russians and the SAA, drones, satellite. It would be good to get some footage
of the White Helmets staging this, but of course they are embedded with all the rest of the fighting men elsewhere and are never
anywhere near where all the children tend to be targeted.
It's anybody's guess with Trump, remember he said he liked the element of surprise, well, it's hard to spring a surprise when
the MSM, in Europe particularly, is literally screaming for a military response with top page headlines.
It was interesting last night watching various outlets over there and how from a seedling article, a little sidebar headline
no pics, then came a weed of propaganda, they began every 3-4 hours nudging it to the top and the accusations got wilder and and
wilder, ie calling it a 'nerve agent'...
Commenting is now turned back on at SST, look forward to b and others commenting there again. I think the whole idea there
was to be like the Louis Rukeyser show in the old days, genteel host and guests, just an opinion, didn't work out.
I am confident that JAYSH was not going to negotiate, until after they had finished the "job" for their paymasters...once
that was completed, they are ready to negotiate again...
I would recommend not negotiating with Jaysh until the hostages
have been released...I think their attitude will change quickly now that they are surrounded and no escape/rescue is possible...i
wonder how many state agents are stuck inside douma? going to be very embarassing...and it sounds like SAA has a few in custody
already...
"I think the fog is clearing on Trump's thoughts on the matter with his fierce tweet storm mentioning "Animal Assad.""
But The Donald is saying that there are women and children amongst those affected by the supposed attack, but other sites
are reporting on the astonishing fact that there are only children in the broadcast footage.. what amount to a staged play like
that of Goutha years ago...
I think I understand your post better now, thanks for the clarification. I'm not sure that it makes a difference where the
tourists are if I understand your 2nd comment correctly. If envision an escalation to full on war, then it really doesn't matter
if the soccer fans are at home getting disintegrated by Russian nukes or in Russia getting disintegrated by American nukes.
July 16, 2017. Newswire. CIA Director Admits Fooling Trump Over Syrian Chemical Weapons Story ( ) The false flag attack, which
actually originated from CIA rebel groups in the region, resulted in Trump launching Tomahawk missiles into Syria, killing 15
civilians. Posted because of some interest despite misleading title and dubious source.
http://yournewswire.com/cia-trump-syria-chemical-weapons/
SecDef Mattis is a key player in this drama. Mattis didn't buy the fake attack a year ago which no doubt contributed to the
flashy but ineffective US response. Putting the blame for this latest fake attack on Russia and Iran (a difference this time)
suggests an asymmetric non-military response, one designed to grab headlines and then be forgotten. Trump has sanctioned Russia
three times in the past month and bragged about it, so Putin is now his go-to enemy when fake news arises. That Trump strategy
(or lack of it) strengthens Russia domestically and internationally, especially with China, so it works for Putin.
Perhaps the British false flag poisoning may have a dampening effect on world reaction to this false flag. There are many governments
with egg on their face after rushing to throw out the russ diplomats.
Affluent Anglo Soccer guests in Russia would be need be detained for their own safety - a kind of twist on R2P. Very embarrassing
for elite US, UK, EU jet-setting soccer fans to be detained for an indeterminate period. But for their own safety! Here, enjoy
your borscht and caviar.
re: SST
"17 million page views for SST and gone -- I am leaving you. Guest authors, commenters and the various troll nations may continue
if you wish. I may start another blog under "Pat Lang's Blog" but there will not be comments. pl" -- Jun 8, 2017
The SAA launching a chemical attack on Douma makes no sense. The intention with chemical weapons was to deny areas of land to
opposing forces. Now that most modern armies are supplied with effective protection against chemical weapons for individuals and
vehicles, area denial no longer works except to the extent that wearing chemical protection suits hinders movement but this applies
to both sides so nobody benefits and nobody loses.
I am afraid. Have not been this afraid since election night when Hillary was almost elected. The world lucked out and survived
to live another day. Has our luck run out?
Sigh, here we go again, just like Skripal case, west acts with propaganda and psyops without any evidence. The stupid TRUMP
will of course bomb Syria again along with the disgusting Macron cheered by EU and western media.
That is the most plausible scenario. The "intensity" of the US "response" to the False Flag gas (always gas!) attack. remains
to be seen. Pummeling airstrips are generally good stagecraft/showmanship and little else. Airstrips are quickly repaired and
back up to speed in short order.
Beirut (AP) -- An alleged gas attack killed at least 40 people in the eastern suburbs of Damascus, as Syrian rebels agreed
to give up their last foothold in the area, medics and state media reported on Sunday.
...
Meanwhile, state news agency SANA said the Army of Islam group agreed to leave Douma on Sunday, after three days of intensive
government shelling and bombardment.
... The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 80 people were killed in Douma on Saturday, including around 40 who
died from suffocation. But it said the suffocations were the result of shelters collapsing on people inside them.
"Until this minute, no one has been able to find out the kind of agent that was used," said Mahmoud, the White Helmets'
spokesman, in a video statement from Syria.
"The 2017 Shayrat missile strike took place on the morning of 7 April 2017,[1][4] ..the strike was executed under responsibility
of U.S. President Donald Trump, as a direct response to the Khan Shaykhun chemical attack that occurred on 4 Apri"
miss match in timings damn it. The syria event production should have happened same day as bell pottinger salsbury thus creating
another libya quick all in nato depleted uranium party. with movie play and tv show timing and script and emotion are critical
for engagement.
emotion is the gelling agent for consent that is why so many tv and radio news pundit are actor not journalist
In the US when a murder occurs and a suspect apprehended there is a trial that can take weeks or months, and the prosecution
and the defense present their expert Witnesses. Then at the end of all that a jury usually decides where the person is guilty
or not. On the other hand, when a crime is alleged in another country far far away from the US, such as an alleged gas attack
in Syria, within days we know exactly who is responsible and on that basis are willing to commit arms, troops and spend billions
of dollars to kill people in large quantities and destroy a country. One would think that given the stakes involved a little bit
more care might be taken.
"Gas" scares the bejesus out of rubes. Makes Great Drama. Triggers, then reinforces historical themes. "The fiend! He gassed
his own people!" "Gas Chambers" (Cant' go there!). If there's gas, well, by golly there's got to be a ham-handed, asymmetrical
"response" (motherfocker of all bombs!) from the "International Community".
Happy Easter to all our Orthodox Christian friends around the globe. The message is 'never lose hope or live in fear'. Christ
leads in this eternal battle against evil and Satan's minions. This war has brought all civilizations of the land together. The
dying civilization of the ocean will wreck havoc until it expires. There are many paths to that ruin.
Confronting the Son of
God is assuredly one of them. Naturally, the devils have chosen Orthodox Easter to launch this latest perfidy against Russia.
@morongobill #19. There is often a stark difference between what Trump says or tweets and what he actually does. Often he is speaking
and acting for the benefit of various target audiences, sometimes on opposite sides, simultaneously. However, his bellicose response
to the alleged chemical attacks in Syria is cause for worry. Trump is a bully, and he would not wish to appear weak by backing
down from explicitly threatening rhetoric. Besides, he doesn't give a damn about killing Syrians or anyone else.
BTW, kudos to those who pegged the Skripal incident as prelude to some sort of chemical incident in Syria. It couldn't
have been scripted better for a TV program. Oh, wait...
And
2 days ago bbc arabic was running a headline all day about Russian mercenaries flow to Syria on regular commercial flights. There
s a whole world out there in the propaganda addressed to Arab viewers. No time to check if alarabiyya and Aljazeera are now broadcasting
the vids from duma 24/7 as they used to do
Trump is a like a wind-up doll in that he can be easily led astray due to his complete lack of knowledge of foreign and military
affairs. Just tell him children have been "gassed" and he gets angry and wants to strike back. The super hawks can thus wind up
him whenever they really need to him to do something stupid. (I mean, other than the normal stupid things he does all the time
on his own.)
I don't see it as an Israel issue but a "who controls the tools of human exchange" issue that may be about to evolve.....or
not
Certainly the entitlement of some folks will be affected by making finance a global public utility but I think that is a good
thing....
Think of the potential of our species if we can evolve beyond the "social contract" we operate under currently....I am excited
about the potential and measured about the chances of it all happening.
we need to come together as a world community forget about yesterdays semite children of palastine slaughter and deal with animal
assad and the more important children of ghouta
Israeli officials: U.S. must strike in Syria
"Assad is the angel of death, and the world would be better without him."
The United States must attack the regime of Bashar Assad in Syria in response to the regime chemical gas strike on the Syrian
town Douma that killed more than 70 people, Strategic Affairs and Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Sunday.
Speaking on Army Radio, Erdan, who is Netanyahu's number two in Likud, said he hoped US military action against the Assad regime
would be taken again, as it was when the regime used chemical weapons against its people in the past.
@24 Noirette - thanks for that link to the story of how Pompeo gamed Trump into the missile launch (not to call it a "strike")
against Syria last year. I must keep that one for reference.
Good that Trump got those tweets off his chest. We can rest easier now. I wonder if he ever will understand how he's being
played by the people around him? His sentimentality seems to be a weakness they can easily leverage.
Nothing will happen, of course. As lysander suggests, Russia probably will inflict some covert pain on US interests, while
as b reports the FM has already warned of consequences if the US should be stupid enough to do something overt. I really like
lysander's image of the hammer blow to the face as Russian retaliation.
Friends, we are seeing the last days of false flags and the last days of the world caring about western propaganda. How many
Russian diplomats are left for vassal nations to expel? How many times can the UK government disgrace itself, or Trump have a
meltdown on Twitter - and nothing serious ever happens? How many times do we need to see a fleet turn back from Korea - even assuming
it could find its way there in the first place - or US missiles fail to strike their targets, whether in Syria or Yemen?
The greater the bluster, the more crystalline the result of no-result appears to the cooler heads of the world. Which shows
that even when the dog doesn't bark in the night, still the caravan moves on.
Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) tore into President Trump after he put blame on former President Obama following reports of a chemical
attack in Syria.
"Dear @realDonaldTrump: Remember when you launched cruise missiles at a largely empty field in Syria? That unconstitutional
act didn't do very much," Lieu tweeted.
"Remember when you said last week that US is leaving Syria in six months? So what
is your plan? You're the President now. Remember?"
Trump took to Twitter Sunday to condemn the attacks and rail against Obama. "If President Obama had crossed his stated Red
Line In The Sand, the Syrian disaster would have ended long ago! Animal Assad would have been history!" Trump tweeted, referring
to Syrian President Bashar Assad. . .
here
@49 "Just tell him children have been "gassed" and he gets angry and wants to strike back."
He does have a couple of options...neither very appealing. He can ignore the 'gas attack' and be called callous and uncaring.
He can hold off and ask for more evidence and get told he's soft on Putin/Assad.
Imho i find the us statement pretty "soft". "verification" is better than "russia/assad did it". i don't think the us is going
to "strike". the military paradigm has changed. they know, we hope.
Convenient timing to take the focus away for the IDF shooting Palestinian kids and journalist or the botched Skripal show. The
new memo is Assad, gas, Iran, Russia, Putin - repeat.
Look everybody, over there!!!
You gotta hand it to these guys. They've perfected the art of fooling the masses very well.
"Is Trump really willing to escalate towards that?"
More than likely willing and able to take it right up to the wire in the lead up to (and during)
the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia between 14 June to 15 July 2018.
Putin will be at his weakest. UK farce was just an appetizer.
State : "We continue to closely follow disturbing reports on April 7 " . . .which we write, and we decided this time to
pile on Russia. . ."Russia has breached its commitments to the United Nations as a framework guarantor. It has betrayed the Chemical
Weapons Convention . . . yadda yadda". . . here
Don Bacon, 55, Idk. link I posted seemed interesting enough.
There is no straight admission of course (re. > Pompeo fooling Trump) and the whole story may be made up,
but it has the the ring of truth in the sense that it fits with the US top echeleons are mired in dire,
multiple, crossed, struggles. The various factions of the US PTB are not unified, and fighting secretly under the radar,
there is no unified position from the US, so not from the UK either.
@psychohistorian (67) Thanks very much for that posting of actual events on the ground in Douma. They are further reason to believe
that the alleged chemical gas attack was not the work of the Syrian army. Clearly, the rebels were on the ropes and ready for
a knockout blow. We must ask: What might the Syrian government have gained by poisoning civilians and incurring the wrath and
condemnation of the "civilized" world? Absolutely nothing! From a military standpoint, it was completely unnecessary, and from
a public relations standpoint, a predictable disaster. Hence, being rational actors, they would never have chosen to use chemical
weapons under the circumstances. Why is this so hard for Western nations and their media to understand? The only reason that I
can give is that it is in their interest not to understand. It does not comport with their agenda, which is to topple Assad and
weaken Russia.
thanks b and thanks for the many insightful comments...
of course isis is being coddled by the west as a tool for the same agenda that has never been dropped... same deal the freaks
in douma that are unwilling to negotiate... ditto oldenyoungs comments @22... don't worry oy - russia can see thru that..
@27 dh - yes.. we will see how long that lasts.. i made a comment, but it didn't show yet.. the guy is a crank at this point..
@30 Breadonwaters.. good point, but i wouldn't count on it.. the endless propaganda and false flags are relentless and i see
no sign of it stopping.. maybe if the white helmets funding dried up, but that is highly unlikely as well..
@33 don bacon.. sst - 'as the stomach turns' a soap opera that periodically does or doesn't run..
@62 zico... i always ask the question 'what would israel want here?'...
Is Trump about to have an interview with Mueller soon? Is he also trying to set up the US military to get a bloody nose in Syria?
.. so that he can fire a few generals and to try and get back on his campaign promises about pulling back foreign wars?
@Noirette 68 Ok?
Weeelll, okay. . . I will continue to value your comments.
Probably the main point here is that the CIA can't be trusted, which in its history has resulted in several comeuppances, and
should again.
Pat Lang: "Animal" Assad? Our beloved president has once again been watching a bit too much TV news. Does it ever occur to him
to pick up the secure phone and call the watch officer at CIA, NSA or wherever and ask if they think the news reports are correct?
Sure, Pat. If we can't trust the Intelligence Community, then whom can we trust? Our own lyin' eyes?
Amazing. Absolutely amazing. There is a chance Assad did this -- but here's also a chance he would walk in front of a moving train,
or jump out of an airplane. The question is, why? There's no military advantage to this. None. On the other hand, there is stupendous
value to terrorists to conduct a false flag attack.
Americans. Being played by a fiddle, like complete idiots, for... ever.
As I recall, just a few weeks ago, the US was hitting the "Attack No.Ko." circuit hard. Not much came of it, as usual, and to
what end DJT thinks these venting moments will lead, I don't have a clue. But it does follow that not much will come of this other
than us plebs wondering why we have to live under this looming threat of annihilation. At the very least, maybe a few tomahawks
will be unleashed on a few targetted shit-shacks which are being used by sheep herders. Wrong time to take a crap! The MSM needs
a rating boost and exploding outhouses with a million-dollar tomahawk might be able to beat "American Idol" tonight. I'd tune
in.
Duh, here we go again. Syria with help of Russian aerospace forces are winning the war. Why use WMD that would invite US retaliation??????The
discredited NeoCons are not happy with the state of Syria instigated war.Again regime is winning.... And lo and behold Trumpster
called for withdrawal of US forces that are illegally occupying a sovereign country. What are the NeoCon /Likudniks e to do???.Well.....
stage a false flag opps of course. Syria was always the low hanging fruit on way to war with Iran folks.........
Indeed, something Ive also thought about, I would never put my foot in the US if I were the leader of Russia.
I dont see them meeting now when Trump blow it over and over, Trump never seems to learn or he doesnt care, maybe the generals,
and state dep. is in charge of the foreign policy. Hes just a puppet?
Regardless of who makes the decisions in the US, I seriously doubt that the Russians will back down from their thrice stated threat
of direct retaliation against US forces, should the US hit Russian military personnel. The Russian red line has clearly been drawn
and if the US crazies choose to cross it, look out.
I watched the Security Counsel meeting the other day and I thought Russia really blew it. The Russian ambassador was sputtering
and stammering and all over the map and did not provide or mention the ample evidence of the widespread ability to make these
chemicals or any other evidence. While the British simply had to stay on script. Russia looked bad in my view.
Now, with the new "chemical attack" in recent hours BoJo is already calling for a prompt investigation and warns - Russia should
not be allowed to stall it. Why was not Russia out first calling for an independent investigation and demanding proper procedures
and observers?
Russia can't continue to just stand there and get punched.
A question I've been mulling over for sometime that may appear unrelated to this thread but does have a general bearing.
In the lead up and during WW2, when did the German population begin to realize they were the bad guys?
I was quite surprised the rebels actually went ahead with the so-called gas attack. I suppose some sort of combination between
a hard-line faction in Douma, desperate about being about to lose their last foothold, and nutters in the US, like Bolton. Far
too late.
The point is that the Russians have been preparing for just such an event for months. Was it not two months ago that the
Russians put troops into Damascus to prevent a decapitating strike? A US strike would be a sort of Kursk Offensive, attacking
into a well-prepared defence.
I remain convinced that Trump is psychologically unwilling to go ahead with a major war, whatever the people around him.
Trump have recently added Bolton, Pompeo, I mean come on, its obvious that Trump have no "psychologically unwilling" traits
about bombing another nation. He have done it before and will do it again, but beside its not only about Trump but also the ugly
little guy in France, Macron that are as warmongering on Syria.
This gas attack is also, from the US point of view, a sort of "surge". An unwillingness on the part of the US to admit defeat.
Something has to be done to put the US, currently losing, back into the game. Just that facing up to Russia is a bit more complicated
than beating up poorly armed Arab tribes.
@ Laguerre 94 I was quite surprised the rebels actually went ahead with the so-called gas attack. They didn't, US-France-UK-(Turkey)
did. The rebels are the ones with guns and ammo, the alliance are the ones with actors and cameras.
I am a bit confused, did the rebels agree to return to the agreement they defaulted on before or after the supposed "gas" attack?
If before, it was a ruse (or the west set the up), if after, they may have been told by Russia to return to the agreement or be
slaughtered. We live in interesting times and I am most unhappy about it.
"... Russia is warning the U.S. against any "military intervention" in Syria over the government's alleged chemical attack against civilians this weekend, saying any such response would be "unacceptable" and lead to the "most serious consequences". ..."
"... The foreign ministry in Moscow also says in a statement on its website that allegations of the chemical attack are "fabricated," suggesting the claims were invented by rebel forces and the Syrian Civil Defense known as the White Helmets. ..."
"... "We decisively deny that information," the head of Russia's Reconciliation Center in Syria, Major Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, told Interfax, referring to allegations that the chemical attack was caused by a chlorine bomb dropped by pro-Assad forces. ..."
"... Yevtushenko said that after Douma has been retaken by the government, Russia is ready to immediately send its own chemical weapons experts in to "collect data that will confirm the fabricated character" of the allegations. ..."
"... ABC News' Elizabeth McLaughlin and Justin Fishel contributed to this report. ..."
Syrian
Civil Defense White Helmets via AP
WATCH
Syria accused of launching new poison gas attack on
civilians
Russia is warning the U.S. against any "military intervention" in Syria over the
government's alleged chemical attack against civilians this weekend, saying any such response would be
"unacceptable" and lead to the "most serious consequences".
The foreign ministry in Moscow also says in a statement on its website that allegations
of the chemical attack are "fabricated," suggesting the claims were invented by rebel forces and the Syrian Civil
Defense known as the
White Helmets.
"It is necessary to warn again that military intervention under invented and fabricated
pretexts in Syria, where at the request of the lawful government there are Russian military personnel, is
absolutely unacceptable and can lead to the most serious consequences," the statement reads. "The aim of these
false speculations, that have no basis, is to shield the terrorists and the irreconcilable radical opposition, who
reject a political solution, at the same time while trying to justify possible armed strikes from outside."
The alleged attack on Saturday killed 40 in the rebel-held town of Douma, multiple
opposition and rescue groups including told The Associated Press, which was unable to independently verify the
reports.
It came a year and a day after President
Donald
Trump
ordered dozens of strikes on a Syrian regime air base for its alleged use of sarin gas on April 4, 2017,
that killed approximately 100 people, according to the the State Department. More than 30 of the victims were
children. The government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad denied carrying out the attack.
Syrian
Civil Defense White Helmets via AP
This image released early Sunday,
April 8, 2018 by the Syrian Civil Defense White Helmets, shows a child receiving oxygen through respirators
following an alleged poison gas attack in the rebel-held town of Douma, near Damascus, Syria.
more
+
President Donald Trump meanwhile blasted Russian President Vladimir Putin and the
government of Iran for backing Assad, whom Trump dubbed "Animal Assad," in the country's years-long civil war.
The State Department, while unable to confirm reports of chemical weapon use Saturday,
called the alleged attack "horrifying."
"Reports from a number of contacts and medical personnel on the ground indicate a
potentially high number of casualties, including among families hiding in shelters," Nauert said in a release.
"These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by the international community."
The
United Nations
also weighed in, saying that the alleged use of chemical weapons if true is "abhorrent."
"The Secretary-General is particularly alarmed by allegations that chemical weapons have
been used against civilian populations in Douma," a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in
a statement. "While the United Nations is not in a position to verify these reports, the Secretary-General notes
that any use of chemical weapons, if confirmed, is abhorrent, and requires a thorough investigation."
"It is critical that civilians be protected," the statement from spokesman Stephane
Durjarric said. "There has also been shelling on Damascus city, reportedly killing civilians."
The Syrian government has always denied using chemical weapons against opposition forces
or civilians.
But a U.N. war-crimes investigation found the Assad regime was responsible for the
attack last year in Khan Sheikhoun.
The U.N. Commission of Inquiry on
Syria
found in September that Syrian government warplanes dropped a sarin bomb in that attack and that Syrian government
forces have carried out more than two dozen chemical attacks in the course of the country's civil war.
Human Rights Watch
has estimated the Syrian government has committed "at least five more chemical weapons
attacks" since April 2017 when Trump ordered 59 Tomahawk missiles fired on a Syrian airbase. The missiles were
fired after the U.S. said a year ago that Assad was responsible for a sarin gas attack on the area of Khan
Sheikhoun in northwestern Syria, which killed over 100 people.
Russia's military, which has supported Assad, denied the Syrian army is behind the
chemical attack in Douma in Eastern Ghouta on Sunday and accused Western countries of trying to use the alleged
attack for their own ends.
"We decisively deny that information," the head of Russia's Reconciliation Center in
Syria, Major Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, told Interfax, referring to allegations that the chemical attack was caused by
a chlorine bomb dropped by pro-Assad forces.
Yevtushenko said that after Douma has been retaken by the government, Russia is ready to
immediately send its own chemical weapons experts in to "collect data that will confirm the fabricated character"
of the allegations.
"We express our readiness, after the liberation of Douma from militants, to immediately
send Russian specialists in radiological, chemical and biological protection for the collection of data, that will
confirm the fabricated character of these statements," Yevtushenko said.
Yevtushenko then accused "a range of Western countries" of using the allegations of the
attack to try to hinder the Russian-Syrian operation to pull out militants from Douma.
"For that, that theme beloved by the West, the use of chemical weapons by the armed
forces of Syrian Arab Republic, is being used," Yevtushenko told Interfax. He also said the allegations were being
made by groups like the White Helmets, which he accused of "being widely known for their
fake
news
."
The U.S., meanwhile, has supported Kurdish and Arab forces on the other side of the
country as they attempt to eradicate
ISIS
forces
from the country.
The
Associated Press
FILE - This Feb. 2, 2018 file photo
provided by the Syrian rebel group Army of Islam, shows a fighter with the Army of Islam rebel group, firing a
weapon during clashes with government forces in Housh al-Dhawahira in the eastern Ghouta region near Da
more
+
It was less than a week ago that Trump announced during a rally in Ohio that he planned
to get U.S. troops out of Syria "very soon." The timing of the comment caught even senior officials off-guard, a
senior administration official and a U.S. official familiar with the matter told ABC News. He repeated that he
wanted the U.S. military out of the country in a press conference on Tuesday.
"It's time. We were successful against ISIS," Trump said. "We'll be successful against
anybody militarily, but sometimes it's time to come back home -- and we're thinking about that very seriously."
The White House walked back those claims a little on Wednesday, with press secretary
Sarah Sanders telling reporters the president isn't going "to put an arbitrary timeline" on withdrawal.
ABC News' Elizabeth McLaughlin and Justin Fishel contributed to this report.
"... Every time the legitimate Syrian army has the upper hand over the terrorists the west cries "chemical weapons by assad".Seriously. The world has to wake up. ..."
"... Well the ground was laid; with the other false flag chemical attacks, which were never properly investigated, then the Scripal Affair, now this. They probably think they have convinced enough people, through the controlled western media, to have majority support for an attack on Syria. This was the plan all along, to remove Assad, then onto Iran. One problem: Russia is blocking the way to final conquest- will they test Russia's resolve? This could get ugly very quickly, let us hope that reason, and sense prevail. ..."
Tensions are escalating between the US and Russia as Washington says Moscow "ultimately bears
responsibility for these brutal attacks," in reference to a reported chemical attack the US blames on the
Syrian government.
"These reports, if confirmed, are horrifying and demand an immediate response by
the international community," US State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert said in a statement on Sunday.
"The United States continues to use all efforts available to hold those who use chemical weapons, in Syria and
otherwise, accountable The Assad regime and its backers must be held accountable and any further attacks
prevented immediately."
Russia has dismissed as "bogus" reports of the chemical gas attack in Eastern Ghouta, while Damascus
maintains that it has not launched any chemical attacks.
Nauert further called on the Kremlin to stop supporting the Syrian government.
"The United States calls on Russia to end this unmitigated support immediately and work with the
international community to prevent further, barbaric chemical weapons attacks," she said.
Earlier in the day, US President Donald Trump said his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin is to blame along
with Iran.
Iran has strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons by any country in any part of the world, saying
claims about a chemical attack by the Syrian government in Eastern Ghouta are "conspiratorial and illogical."
The US, meanwhile, is suggesting that all options are on the table as White House homeland security adviser
Tom Bossert said nothing should be taken "off the table."
The report came not long after Trump called for withdrawal of US troops from war-ravaged Syria.
Trump has reportedly been butting heads with his military advisers who disagree with immediate withdrawal.
A similar debate over Afghanistan finally ended with Trump acquiescing to indefinite presence of US military
forces there.
The British mission to the United Nations has said in a tweet that the issue is being taken to the UN
Security Council.
"UK, France, US, Poland, Netherlands, Sweden, Kuwait, Peru and Cote d'Ivore have called an emergency meeting
of #UNSC to discuss reports of chemical weapons attack in #Syria. Meeting expected on Monday," it said.
h,
30
minutes ago
Let the people around the world to make a judgment ,WHO IS THE ANIMAL ,Trump or Assad ????
Minaret
,
38
minutes ago
I wish Americans and other EU regimes are condemning Israeli killings of Palestininas in
Gaza few days ago as they condemning this Syria and Russia
Rawson
,
2
hours ago
"Tom Bossert said nothing should be taken ' off the table. ' " I suggest take that Fat
Animal's turd off that table or the Evil House will stink like hell.
read it in its entirety at VETERANSTODAY dot,>
2
hours ago
Proof: Intel Drop, Trump, Bolton behind Syria chemical attacks, confirmed
Germany, Britain, America, Israel, VT provides proof of chemical warfare and war crimes.
By Gordon Duff, Senior Editor - April 8, 2018
We were also concerned that the longer "they" got away with doing this the more innocent
people would be murdered by the alleged protectors of freedom and democracy in the world,
but who we know to be currently be among the worst enemies of mankind.
Their house of cards is crumbling, and "they" will be more dangerous in that situation as
we are talking about some very serious crimes here.
Today another chemical weapons stockpile was found in East Ghouta, produced in Germany,
fully weaponized and commercially produced by Merck.
American, British and Israeli military personnel captured in Syria have confirmed they
were ordered to stage chemical attacks in East Ghouta by their governments.
Alkhair,2
hours ago
The videos released by the Terrorist ( Shall I say Mercenaries ) show very clearly that
the people were not affected by any chemicals. The Children seemed normal yet they were
being hosed with water. There were many adults standing as though they were watching a
drama. When the majority of ' terrorists haveleft why this tiny group insists resisting?
My view is that they have been promised by USA that they will this drama will give USA a
reason to display its ugly face. What about killings over two dozen and seriously shooting
in legs to disable nearly 2000 people in Gaza? Is the Animal in Evil House not aware of
it?
Soloh,
2
hours ago
The hooligans have been doing all possible to legitimize there illegitimate presence in
Syria. Well I hope they are aware of the dangers in trying to bully Russia out....
best in the west
,>
2
hours ago
The USA and NATO are pathetic --- continually accusing Russia--china--iran--and syria of causing trouble
when their is no evidence whatsoever -- sanctions against russia -- a trade war with china -- iran of causing chaos in the middle
east.
And now syria again for as the USA are saying -- using chemical weapons -- i for one am totally sick and
tired of the lies that are told by the insane USA and NATO and no doubt all good people around the world will see through their
lies
So if their is to be a war then i am 100% behind Russia China Iran Syria North Korea -- and all other like
minded countries -- though sadly any war will quickly turn into the last war ever -- as all life on planet earth will be
DESTROYED.
Time Bomb
,
3
hours ago
And....Not a Word or calls for an "emergency meeting" of the UNSC of the killing of
Palestinians that is taking place daily by psychopathic snipers using live ammunition,
Not
a word but all of them jump on the band wagon of the worst criminals in recent history
and all are ready to swallow any of their lies. U.S. is just a Criminal and Rogue "state"!!!
Luke,
3
hours ago
False flags to help West save their terror legion, Russia should use all at their disposal
and stop or severely retaliate when Trump now the puppet of neocons orders strikes. After
than no more talks with rebels all should be pushed out of Douma to stop this game West is
playing with lives of Syrians.
Joe
,
3
hours ago
Every time the legitimate Syrian army has the upper hand over the terrorists the west cries
"chemical weapons by assad".Seriously. The world has to wake up.
rainbow musoke,
4
hours ago
But why can't nations like Iran' Palestians Russia' Koreans 'Africa to initiate
formation of a new world body to replace the current "UN"
A new body tasked with solving 22nd century challenges that this UN has shamelessly
failed..eg the issue of Palestine, Golan, Korean penissula, poverty in Africa, sovereignty
of weak states.. the list is big
Smiley,>
4
hours ago
Well the ground was laid; with the other false flag chemical attacks, which were never
properly investigated, then the Scripal Affair, now this. They probably think they have
convinced enough people, through the controlled western media, to have majority support
for an attack on Syria. This was the plan all along, to remove Assad, then onto Iran. One
problem: Russia is blocking the way to final conquest- will they test Russia's resolve?
This could get ugly very quickly, let us hope that reason, and sense prevail.
Iran has strongly condemned the use of chemical weapons by any country in any part of the
world, saying claims about a chemical attack by the Syrian government in Eastern Ghouta are
"conspiratorial and illogical."
"Such claims and accusations by the Americans and some Western countries signal a new
conspiracy against the Syrian government and nation and a pretext for military action against
them," Iran's Foreign Ministry Spokesman Bahram Qassemi said on Sunday.
He added that using such allegations as a pretext for a military intervention in Syria
would "certainly aggravate the situation in this country and in the region."
He added that terrorists would be emboldened by any act of aggression which would not be in
favor of peace, stability and security in the region and across the world.
"When the Syrian army has the upper hand on the battlefield against armed terrorists, it
would not be rational for it to use chemical weapons," he pointed out.
Qassemi's comments came a few hours after militants and activists linked to them, including
the so-called civil defense group White Helmets, claimed that government forces on Saturday had
dropped a barrel bomb containing poisonous chemicals in Douma, Eastern Ghouta's largest town,
killing and wounding dozens of civilians.
Damascus, in a statement released late on Saturday, strongly rejected the allegation and
said that the so-called Jaish al-Islam Takfiri terrorist group, which has dominant presence in
the town, was repeating the allegations of using chemical munitions "in order to accuse the
Syrian Arab army, in a blatant attempt to hinder the Army's advance."
"The chemical fabrications, which did not serve the terrorists and their sponsors in Aleppo
and Eastern Ghouta, will not serve them today either, as the Syrian state is determined to end
terrorism in every square inch of Syrian territory," read the statement.
Qassemi further said the Islamic Republic, in line with its principle policies and religious
teachings and as a victim of chemical weapons itself, denounces the use of chemical weapons in
any part of the world.
He added that the alleged chemical attack in Eastern Ghouta is not in conformity with the
realities on the ground because the Syrian government has had appropriate cooperation with the
United Nations.
Syria surrendered its stockpiles of chemical weapons in 2014 to a joint mission led by the
US and the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), which oversaw the
destruction of the weaponry. Damascus has consistently denied using chemical weapons over the
past years of conflict in the country.
Western governments and their allies, however, have never stopped pointing the finger at
Damascus whenever an apparent chemical attack takes place.
"... The UK and France are in deep economic trouble and need an external enemy such as Russia using an incident such as the Skripal affair to deflect the people from focusing on removing their government leaders. If all else fails, the UK Royals will have a couple of weddings and babies to take up the front pages for most of this year. Meanwhile, like the Skripals, several UK/EU agents involved in the HillaryGate Steele dossier trail of evidence such as Christophe Steele, Joseph Mifsid, and Gianni Pittella have disappeared: ..."
"... In the UK case of May and BoJo, any alternative will result in a continuation of the decline of the society. To be honest, much of the decline is baked in structural with the loss of income from former "slave" colonies and the decline of North Sea oil and gas reserves. Staying in the EU against the will of the people will continue to further drain resources to Germany, which has structurally colonialized Western Europe. ..."
"... France, like the UK, has extracted the wealth from their former colonies and facing a reduction in tribute from these sources. Macron has attempted to maintain control of some colonies such as Mali and really wants to conquer Syria. I suspect the meetings between Macron and MbS will result in an agreement for Saudi Arabia to buy French weapons while France getting financial aid to expand French troop bases in Syria. ..."
"... Almost all sectors of the French society are protesting against the neo-feudal policies of Macron, FIRE economy participants and his dwarves in the National Assembly. There are strikes among: ..."
"... The EU is also experiencing internal dissent with the Visegrad four (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia) plus Italy and Austria and thus needs an external enemy to distract its members. I suspect that a Ukrainian invasion of DPR/LPR will once again be used as a flash point create "two minutes of hate" against Russia ..."
The UK and France are in deep economic trouble and need an external enemy such as Russia
using an incident such as the Skripal affair to deflect the people from focusing on removing
their government leaders. If all else fails, the UK Royals will have a couple of weddings and
babies to take up the front pages for most of this year. Meanwhile, like the Skripals,
several UK/EU agents involved in the HillaryGate Steele dossier trail of evidence such as
Christophe Steele, Joseph Mifsid, and Gianni Pittella have disappeared:
In the UK case of May and BoJo, any alternative will result in a continuation of the
decline of the society. To be honest, much of the decline is baked in structural with the
loss of income from former "slave" colonies and the decline of North Sea oil and gas
reserves. Staying in the EU against the will of the people will continue to further drain
resources to Germany, which has structurally colonialized Western Europe.
France, like the UK, has extracted the wealth from their former colonies and facing a
reduction in tribute from these sources. Macron has attempted to maintain control of some
colonies such as Mali and really wants to conquer Syria. I suspect the meetings between
Macron and MbS will result in an agreement for Saudi Arabia to buy French weapons while
France getting financial aid to expand French troop bases in Syria.
Somehow, the current revolution in France is blacked out in the Western Media. Videos of
the current revolution are common on Youtube such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g21_myERteQ
Almost all sectors of the French society are protesting against the neo-feudal
policies of Macron, FIRE economy participants and his dwarves in the National Assembly. There
are strikes among:
transportation (rail, airlines, rotating bus and subway workers)
hospital workers
students
teachers (including kindergarden)
retirees
postal workers
television workers
Government workers (Fonctionnaires de France)
lawyers and judges
sanitation workers
EDF and GDF workers (Electricite de France and Gas de France)
Macron has already deployed the CRS assassins and the street war will begin when EU police
and military invade to crush to protestors. This will be far more violent than May 1968 and
may usher in the 6th Republic. Unfortunately, Macron would prefer the cities to burn rather
than resign and turnover the government to the President of the Senate.
The EU is also experiencing internal dissent with the Visegrad four (Hungary, Poland,
Czech Republic and Slovakia) plus Italy and Austria and thus needs an external enemy to
distract its members. I suspect that a Ukrainian invasion of DPR/LPR will once again be used
as a flash point create "two minutes of hate" against Russia : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4zYlOU7Fpk
These EU conflicts will not end peacefully as the system will fight back rather than step
aside.
"... For White Helmets read Britain. They are British created, funded and operated. May's Government has to be deep in this as well. ..."
"... Never forget that May, Cameron and other conservative MPs crossed the floor of parliament and voted for Blair and the illegal attack on Iraq when Labour MPs refused to support him. ..."
Yeah/7: For White Helmets read Britain. They are British created, funded and operated.
May's Government has to be deep in this as well.
Never forget that May, Cameron and other conservative MPs crossed the floor of
parliament and voted for Blair and the illegal attack on Iraq when Labour MPs refused to
support him.
Without Theresa May and David Cameron, Blair wouldn't have had the authority to
attack.
So nice of him to toss off t hreats on Orthodox Easter Sunday. What a guy.
Who's influencing him? Bolton? FOX? Pompeo? Where does Mattis stand?
Wonder who is actually influencing him.
**** Interesting article at RT about Jaysh al-Islam coming to an agreement with the Syrian
government to leave Duma/Douma and go to Jarablus. Published time: 8 Apr, 2018 13:56 Edited time: 8 Apr, 2018 15:05
The Islamist group is to leave Douma for the city of Jarablus within 48 hours, SANA reported,
citing an official source. It said a deal to release all the prisoners has been reached.
Damascus agreed to negotiate with one of the last major militant groups holding out in Douma
in a bid to protect civilians and liberate abductees
The radical Islamist group, which has been accused of using civilians as human shields,
earlier agreed to leave the enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the Syrian capital. Jaysh al-Islam
will have to clear barricades and provide maps of minefields that they have laid in the area.
The militants were set to begin withdrawing from the city of Douma on Sunday, the head of the
Russian Defense Ministry's Syrian Reconciliation Center, Major General Yury Yevtushenko has
said.
So...were the negotiations going on while supposedly Syrian was attacking with some sort of
chem bombs?? Weird.
Also, the number of injured and dead has escalated very unbelievably. From about 15 to
thoursands!!
Yes, there is a "strategy" to pretend Russia is a criminal worse than other countries.
They even mentioned the word "weapons of mass destruction" again. It is a very real campaign
in a run up to war.
"It is regrettable to say that our Western partners had tried to disrupt today's session.
In the beginning they offered to observe a minute of silence in memory of people killed in
Khan Sheyhun, Idlib province, Syria. We proposed them to hold a moment of silence to
remember all victims of chemical weapons, primarily in Vietnam, Cambodia, Iran, Iraq, and
our partners somehow felt uncomfortable. [They] don't want to remember all victims of
chemical weapons," said Shulgin."
There have been some pretty radical reports at VeteransToday. is there anyone that can verify
these claims? or even a good German speaker that can read the labels on chemical munitions
seized by the SAA...or any other supporting reports of captured US UK ISRAELI chemical
experts in East Ghoutta?
So nice of him to toss off t hreats on Orthodox Easter Sunday. What a guy. Who's influencing him? Bolton? FOX? Pompeo? Where does Mattis stand? Wonder who is actually influencing him.
****
Interesting article at RT about Jaysh al-Islam coming to an agreement with the Syrian
government to leave Duma/Douma and go to Jarablus.
Published time: 8 Apr, 2018 13:56
Edited time: 8 Apr, 2018 15:05
The Islamist group is to leave Douma for the city of Jarablus within 48 hours, SANA reported,
citing an official source. It said a deal to release all the prisoners has been reached.
Damascus agreed to negotiate with one of the last major militant groups holding out in Douma
in a bid to protect civilians and liberate abductees
The radical Islamist group, which has been accused of using civilians as human shields,
earlier agreed to leave the enclave of Eastern Ghouta near the Syrian capital. Jaysh al-Islam
will have to clear barricades and provide maps of minefields that they have laid in the area.
The militants were set to begin withdrawing from the city of Douma on Sunday, the head of the
Russian Defense Ministry's Syrian Reconciliation Center, Major General Yury Yevtushenko has
said.
So...were the negotiations going on while supposedly Syrian was attacking with some sort of
chem bombs?? Weird.
Also, the number of injured and dead has escalated very unbelievably. From about 15 to
thousands!!
"... I don't think this Skripal incident was staged. They went out for dinner. Caught very bad food poisoning. British intelligence and May's government jumped on this incident to blame it on Russia. May's poll number were down, and her handling of British exit from the EU was horrendous. This gave her all she needed to get back on her feet politically. ..."
"... White helmets and the Coventry MI6 asset not working in unison. I take it the Ghouta gas attack was supposed to have occurred at the peak of the Russia=novichok meme somewhere between 12th-20th March. ..."
"... Whereas it's clear that Bojo and the Tin Lady are playing a weak hand badly -- and have only been spared by the appalling complicity of virtually the entire panoply of Western media as information warfare adjuncts -- which is in itself a stunning and sickening display of power–it's not clear that Russia has played a stronger hand much more ably ..."
"... The UK and France are in deep economic trouble and need an external enemy such as Russia using an incident such as the Skripal affair to deflect the people from focusing on removing their government leaders. If all else fails, the UK Royals will have a couple of weddings and babies to take up the front pages for most of this year. Meanwhile, like the Skripals, several UK/EU agents involved in the HillaryGate Steele dossier trail of evidence such as Christophe Steele, Joseph Mifsid, and Gianni Pittella have disappeared: ..."
"... The EU is also experiencing internal dissent with the Visegrad four (Hungary, Poland, Czech Republic and Slovakia) plus Italy and Austria and thus needs an external enemy to distract its members. I suspect that a Ukrainian invasion of DPR/LPR will once again be used as a flash point create "two minutes of hate" against Russia ..."
The farce continues. As the Skripals are apparently alive and well the British government
has a problem. When they talk and tell the world that it was actually food poisoning and not a
chemical weapon attack that hit them, the government of Theresa May is toast. The Skripals have
to be kept isolated and eventually
vanished . The CIA might give them a new identity or lock them into one of its black sites.
The Skripals house and the Zizzy restaurant are to be destroyed. (Who will kill the hospital
doctors?)
The "doorknob" theory the UK spread to explain the alleged injury of one policeman is so
outrageously stupid that many doubt it. To counter the mistrust, HMG comes up with an even
more implausible explanation :
Russian agents watched Sergei Skripal for a fortnight and chose to strike on a Sunday morning
so no postmen or delivery men would be exposed accidentally to the nerve agent. Any third
parties touching the door handle before the Skripals would have required the agents to
reapply the gel to the door handle, at the risk of being seen doing so.
Sure, that's why so many neighbors spoke of foreigners milling around in the street for two
weeks (not). And its why there was such a large manhunt right after the incident happened
(not).
Veterinarians in Salisbury post on Facebook that
they had contacted the police several times immediately after they learned that the Skripals
were admitted into hospital. They offered to take care of their cats and guinea pigs. The
police did not react at all. One cat escaped, the Guinea pigs died of thirst and the cat left
behind was so starved that it had to be put down.
i don't get it that britian is offering the skripals a new residence in the usa, or that
they are destroying their house... is destroying and getting rid of the evidence all that
have? i am sure they would like to get rid of the skripals too, not to mention the doctors
and whoever else that doesn't go along with the official script...
Has the penny dropped yet b that the Skripal episode was designed to condemn the Syrian
Government ahead of another staged chemical attack - this time to be hit hard. Those damn
Russians are launching chemical attacks in Britain, and now they are supplying chemicals to
the regime to poison Syrian children...
I don't think this Skripal incident was staged. They went out for dinner. Caught very bad
food poisoning. British intelligence and May's government jumped on this incident to blame it
on Russia. May's poll number were down, and her handling of British exit from the EU was
horrendous. This gave her all she needed to get back on her feet politically.
James Landale, BBC diplomatic correspondent writes
"For Russia, how far is it prepared to defend its allies' apparent use of chemical weapons
when its own apparent use of a nerve agent in the UK is subject to so much global
condemnation?"
Once the Skripals have been vanished, there would no longer be any reason to keep them
alive.
The Douma FF - too little too late? White helmets and the Coventry MI6 asset not working
in unison. I take it the Ghouta gas attack was supposed to have occurred at the peak of the
Russia=novichok meme somewhere between 12th-20th March.
Very nice writing, wit and "ohrwoerm" in general here.
I doubt that anything dramatic will happen in Syria on behalf of US retaliation or
anything sinister in that direction..
US and others have their people in Assad opposing forces and they know exactly what is going
on - on the ground.
What will be interesting is to observe how two Russian citizens will vanish and how the
truth will be pushed under the carpet while Russia will not let this just go.
I am still trying to find the plausable connection between the two. Could somebody
elaborate such option?
Whereas it's clear that Bojo and the Tin Lady are playing a weak hand badly -- and have
only been spared by the appalling complicity of virtually the entire panoply of Western media
as information warfare adjuncts -- which is in itself a stunning and sickening display of
power–it's not clear that Russia has played a stronger hand much more ably .
In sum, the questions, criticisms and suggested avenues of response suggested here, as
well as at the Off-Guardian, John Helmer's blog, the Saker, MoA, and strategic culture.org
(anyone who hasn't seen Rob Slane's 50 questions there really should), has been much richer
and potentially more efficacious than Russia's official demarches have so far been.
At the very least, can a writ of habeus corpus be filed? It will be clear to most of the
world by now that the UK does not want the Skripals to be heard from directly unless and
until their statements will not be those of "tools of the Kremlin." (But it may be that the
Russians are not so keen that they be heard from either, until what they will say can be
determined.)
I would have to think that this trial balloon to have the Skripals relocated with new
identities would be recognized by them as a threat (since at that point they will have been
disappeared). If the Russians are hesitating about what they might say, and about having a
writ of habeus corpus filed, the implied threat from the USUK might be enough to persuade the
Skripals that if they have information embarrassing for the USUK (or for Russia, for that
matter), they had better speak out now, before they are disappeared.
Is anybody getting the shivers like I am? Russian forces deployed in Syria, including S-400 and Pantsir-S1 air defense systems and
Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighters, have been put on a
combat alert , according to reports appearing from local sources in the country's
provinces of Tartus and Latakia where Russian military facilities are located.
The US is getting shivers. The knowledge that Russia is on combat alert - which I accept
as true - must be scaring the shit out of the US generals. Who wants to make the next call,
which ends in death? None of those chickenhawks, for sure.
If you watched Part 1 of the new "Putin" documentary by Andrei Kondrashev a couple of weeks
ago, you may not know that Part 2 is now out, at the Vesti YouTube channel:
If you're a fan, you'll find these two videos very inspiring. We've seen numerous snippets
from the past life of Putin, and anecdotes, but Kondrashev has pulled together more complete
narratives and interviews, including with Putin. Kondrashev is the guy who made "Crimea - the
Way Home" and was interviewing Putin in that one. They obviously have a good relationship.
The scale of Putin's achievement is almost impossible to grasp, and his sheer humanity is
amazing. He came from the honest, working poor, and has never lost this connection, never
stopped being one of them.
The Russians now officially want their money back (approx. 8.6b dollars) from Britain.
(One of the reasons why the Brits wrote the Skripal script? Preemptive strike?) The Coalition will hit SR sooner or later. Israel will move 40km into SR soil and call the
new area a buffer zone (between Golan Heights and the remaining Assad territory).
BTW, Somali authorities seize millions of dollars from UAE plane in Mogadishu.
The UK and France are in deep economic trouble and need an external enemy such as Russia
using an incident such as the Skripal affair to deflect the people from focusing on removing
their government leaders. If all else fails, the UK Royals will have a couple of weddings and
babies to take up the front pages for most of this year. Meanwhile, like the Skripals,
several UK/EU agents involved in the HillaryGate Steele dossier trail of evidence such as
Christophe Steele, Joseph Mifsid, and Gianni Pittella have disappeared:
In the UK case of May and BoJo, any alternative will result in a continuation of the
decline of the society. To be honest, much of the decline is baked in structural with the
loss of income from former "slave" colonies and the decline of North Sea oil and gas
reserves. Staying in the EU against the will of the people will continue to further drain
resources to Germany, which has structurally colonialized Western Europe.
France, like the UK, has extracted the wealth from their former colonies and facing a
reduction in tribute from these sources. Macron has attempted to maintain control of some
colonies such as Mali and really wants to conquer Syria. I suspect the meetings between
Macron and MbS will result in an agreement for Saudi Arabia to buy French weapons while
France getting financial aid to expand French troop bases in Syria.
Somehow, the current revolution in France is blacked out in the Western Media.
Videos of the current revolution are common on Youtube such as: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g21_myERteQ
Almost all sectors of the French society are protesting against the neo-feudal policies of
Macron, FIRE economy participants and his dwarves in the National Assembly. There are strikes
among:
transportation (rail, airlines, rotating bus and subway workers)
hospital workers
students
teachers (including kindergarden)
retirees
postal workers
television workers
Government workers (Fonctionnaires de France)
lawyers and judges
sanitation workers
EDF and GDF workers (Electricite de France and Gas de France)
Macron has already deployed the CRS assassins and the street war will begin when EU police
and military invade to crush to protestors. This will be far more violent than May 1968 and
may usher in the 6th Republic. Unfortunately, Macron would prefer the cities to burn rather
than resign and turnover the government to the President of the Senate.
The EU is also experiencing internal dissent with the Visegrad four (Hungary, Poland,
Czech Republic and Slovakia) plus Italy and Austria and thus needs an external enemy to
distract its members. I suspect that a Ukrainian invasion of DPR/LPR will once again be used
as a flash point create "two minutes of hate" against Russia: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t4zYlOU7Fpk
These EU conflicts will not end peacefully as the system will fight back rather than step
aside.
b: . . . The Skripal's are apparently alive and well
I don't think we should assume that that is true.
Wouldn't their pets have been treated better if the authorities expected them to live?
- if they participated in the farce, they would have given some thought to their pets;
- if they were attacked or simply used for propaganda purposes, the authorities would care
for their pets so as to not further offend them.
Yulia's phone call was weird. Why would she tell her cousin that she won't get a visa? Now
the British are arranging for the Skripal's to disappear into witness protection. Will the
Skripal's ever be allowed to make a public appearance and face questions from reporters? It
appears that that they won't be allowed to. Either they are already dead or the British fear
what they might say if they make a public appearance.
Some mentioned on one of MoA's Skripal threads that we have to be careful about what we
believe and what we assume given that the authorities and press have proven to be biased.
Sounds like good advice.
It seems clear that escalation in Syria direct public attention away from Skripal's
/Salisbury. I don't think it's too much of a stretch (given all that has happened) to think
that that was planned for.
The US, Australia, Canada and 16 EU states are among the countries which have
expelled Russian envoys. Of the sixteen Commonwealth realms, with Queen Elizabeth II as their
head of state, fourteen of them have Russian embassies. But only three of the fourteen (UK,
Canada, Australia) have joined the expulsion.
One of the remaining eleven rebel countries, New Zealand, provided a reason. PM Ardern-- "While
other countries have announced they are expelling undeclared Russian intelligence agents,
officials have advised there are no individuals here in New Zealand who fit this profile. If
there were, we would have already taken action."
The US, Australia, Canada and 16 EU states are among the countries which have expelled
Russian envoys. Of the sixteen Commonwealth realms, with Queen Elizabeth II as their head of
state, fourteen of them have Russian embassies. But only three of the fourteen (UK, Canada,
Australia) have joined the expulsion.
One of the remaining eleven rebel countries, New Zealand, provided a reason. PM Ardern--
"While other countries have announced they are expelling undeclared Russian intelligence
agents, officials have advised there are no individuals here in New Zealand who fit this
profile. If there were, we would have already taken action."
@ 17 -- There seem to be lots of weasely things being said about the fate of the Skripal
pets. The big, fluffy black cat with amber eyes should in no way whatsoever have suffered
such depletion of calories that he had to be put down. I fear he was sent to Porton Down to
be "studied," and then "put down." If there was a water source --dripping faucet, water
closet, most houses have some place a pet can drink from other that his water bowl-- a cat
can survive weeks. My Maine Coon disappeared, but showed up about 3-4 weeks later, ragged
coat, unkempt, very thin, but, when given saline solution by the vet, immediately began to
act more normal. Took a while to get her muscle mass rebuilt, but she survived.
An article from The Sun, dated April 5th, has a photo of Nash Van Drake (what a pretty
cat), and states the specialist chemical weapons investigators did not gain access to the
Skripal residence UNTIL APRIL 4TH!!! We know from photographs that lots of folks wearing
moons suits were around for weeks -- why was nothing done to care for the pets?
I can't find it now through google, but I read a comment or tweet from a vet who had made
repeated offers to care for the pets. These pets should never have suffered to the extent
they did.
Someone in power did not want anyone outside those with enforced silence agreements to see
those pets.
The sickly mog was transported to the Ministry of Defence research laboratory at
Porton Down to be tested, where he was found to be severely malnourished.
The lab's top veterinary officer ruled the pet was in so much pain he should be put
down.
His body was then immediately incinerated to avoid contamination from the deadly nerve
agent Novichok.
Sergei's guinea pigs were also destroyed at the top secret military research
facility.
(If there is a hell, may these animal abusers end up there with long and miserable
afterlives.)
@22
The VT site is really slow, but it works. It looks explosive if true.
It links to this video in arabic which shows chemical weapons made in Germany and England
(Salisbury!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=0&v=oEhUk73t8BA
Britain is, France isn't. Britain destroyed its industrial sector under
Thatcher, and has nothing to offer faced with Brexit. France has a vast agricultural sector
which they can fall back on. The French like revolutions, that's why the present troubles.
Here's a video declaring revolution, from my university, if you can cope with the French,
note the dog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHaV3Hm5g2A.
@22 text only...lots of good photos there...site is there for me. but it is very slow...
Last week, Russia and Syria announced the capture of British chemical weapon stockpiles in
East Ghouta along with the capture of a "coalition" command and chemical weapons facility
with all personnel. Taken from the combined statement censored from the western press, from
March 25, 2018
"The Syrian Arab Army and with the help of Russian captured a shipment of chemical weapons
destined for the Eastern Ghouta. These were British weapons produced at Porton Down in
Salisbury. Russian suspects that the Skripal incident is related as by their records,
Skiripal was working at Porton Down as a chemical weapons trafficker in partnership with a
Ukrainian firm. Russia denies attacking Skripal but admits he was under surveillance for his
activities involving support of terrorism in Syria and arms trafficking.
Russia also confirms that there are British, American, Israeli and Saudi intelligence
officers who were caught by the Syrian army in one of the heavily fortified operations rooms
during the invasion of the Syrian army and its allies of the East Ghouta."
VT asked the Syrian government for serial numbers and closeup photographs of chemical
weapons used. Syria sent them to us today.
Today, the Syrian Army captured the following German made poison gas shells, shipped into
Syria though Ukraine and Turkey and delivered to Jeish al Islam by a US CH53 helicopter,
according to statements "allegedly" gotten from POW interrogations.
American, British and Israeli military personnel captured in Syria have confirmed they
were ordered to stage chemical attacks in East Ghouta by their governments.
The Americans are still being held along with Israeli's while British prisoners are being
negotiated for. Sources in Damascus told us that representatives of Oman in Damascus
approached the Russian Office of Reconciliation on behalf of Britain for the return of
British chemical warfare personnel.
The shells in the above video are identified as VX gas from British stockpiles.
Russian officials in Syria informed Britain through Oman that they would have to directly
deal with Syria for the return of their personnel. We have received no further information
since, Damascus has remained silent on how or if negotiations were proceeding.
We do know that US Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, a US Army combat veteran of
Iraq, met with both President Assad and Donald Trump, in order to arrange for covert
exchange, for substantial financial consideration, of captured Americans.
Initial introductions for this meeting were done by VT.
Israel bought back a Brigadier General (they claimed he was a colonel) in 2015 that we
know about.
The recent gas attack in Syria, timed as the last terrorists were surrendering for
relocation inside the Douma region of the Ghouta pocket, was planned personally by nominated
presidential advisor John Bolton and President Donald Trump personally, according to highly
placed sources.
Our sources in Russia, highest level, told us the attack was coming based on information
they received from US and Israeli prisoners taken in East Ghouta after an evacuation attempt
failed.
US casualty announcements in this effort have been released over the past few days as
happening in other areas to cover US complicity in terrorism. This dishonors families of the
dead, not just in the misuse of service members to support terrorism but in lying to families
about combat deaths. This shame goes directly to coward Trump!
"The Marine Corps identified four Marines killed on Tuesday in a CH-53E Super Stallion
helicopter crash near El Centro, Calif. The Marines were assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter
Squadron (HMH) 465, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air
Station Miramar.
"The loss of our Marines weighs heavy on our hearts," Maj. Gen. Mark Wise, commanding
general of 3rd MAW, said in a statement.
"Our priority is to provide support for our families and HMH-465 during this critical
time."
The four Marines killed in the crash were Capt. Samuel A. Schultz, First Lt. Samuel D.
Phillips, Gunnery Sgt. Derik R. Holley and Lance Cpl. Taylor J. Conrad."
Other US casualties were listed as a US Air Force F16 that allegedly crashed at Nellis Air
Force Base in Nevada and up to 6 Americans who the US claims were killed by "Kurdish forces"
in the north of Syria.
All died in a failed combined US/Israel rescue operation to remove not only communications
and command personnel but also chemical weapons operations teams as well.
Last week, VT Damascus received evidence that Americans, US Army Special Forces along with
Israeli chemical weapons officers had been captured in East Ghouta. We were told that not
only was a command facility captured with modern weapons but a stockpile of British made 81mm
poison gas mortar shells, numbering in the hundreds, was seized as well.
Video's were viewed by former MOD weapons specialists who identified the green stripe on
the shells seized in East Ghouta as VX gas from British stockpiles.
The Obama administration investigated alleged chemical attacks in 2012 and 2013 and
advised Syria to turn over chemical stockpiles as a way of discouraging terrorists from
continuing to stage chemical attacks to blame on Damascus.
Most efforts had their roots in Britain's MI6 and its affiliates, the Syrian Observatory
for Human Rights and the White Helmets.
The US is currently facing combined military operations against its occupied zone in Syria
by Iraq, Syrian and Russian forces. The US has been told to remove forces from Syria or face
a wider conflict.
The US and Russia have been at war against one another inside Syria for about a month
now.
Didn't want to clutter my post with links simply because a Copy&Paste from my post
into google search bar would provide anyone with the related sources.
Russia's Prosecutor General Yury Chaika demanded Britain to return more than 500 billion
rubles to the Russian Federation withdrawn by Russian citizens who are hiding from Russian
justice
"... "Russia is to blame" said Theresa May, without a shred of evidence. The UK government's baseless accusations have led the expulsion of Russian diplomats by 20 countries (18 countries of the EU, plus Canada and the US). and Moscow has responded by expelling Western diplomats. ..."
Skripal could not under any circumstances have been poisoned by a dangerous nerve agent at
his home.
Why?
Because the deadly nerve gas agent would have acted immediately and Skripal would not have
been able to go from his home (in his BMW or otherwise) to the shopping mall where he was
subsequently found (sitting on a bench) and taken to hospital together with his daughter
Yulia.
If Skripal and his daughter had been poisoned by a nerve agent (at his home), he would have
been found at his home rather than on a bench in the shopping mall. This in itself disqualifies
the official reports.
It also suggests that The Porton Down statement to the effect that "Russia was not the
source of the nerve agent" is a "red herring" (totally irrelevant). Why. Because the evidence
amply confirms that Skripal and his daughter were not poisoned by a nerve gas at Skripal's
home.
This obvious fact –which has not been the object of media coverage– is that
Scotland Yard's counterterrorism report on the "Russian hit squad" is not only fake , it
invalidates the UK government's "official" narrative, which is also fake. The lie discredits
the lie.
Lest we forget, this latest fake Scotland Yard counterterrorism report was preceded by a
string of "authoritative" (UK police, government) statements (analyzed and compiled by Stephen
Lendman):
First it was claimed father and daughter Skripal were poisoned by a military-grade nerve
agent while eating lunch at a Salisbury restaurant.
The narrative switched to Yulia unwittingly transporting the nerve agent planted in her
luggage on her flight from Moscow to London.
The story then shifted to Skripal's BMW, the deadly toxin smeared on its handle ,
Next came the claim about the nerve agent perhaps in aerosolized form affecting them
through the vehicle's ventilation system.
The latest official version claims the alleged nerve agent was smeared on the front door
of Skripal's home.
If any of the above accounts were valid, the Skripals, Bailey and at least 38 reported
others exposed to the same toxin would be dead – surely many others as well.
Yet a month later, no one died. Bailey recovered enough to be discharged from
hospitalization. Yulia's doctor said she improved markedly. Days earlier, Sergey was reported
in stable condition.
Russia was not the Source of the Nerve Agent: The Porton Down Statement. Boris Johnson and
the Foreign Office
Her Majesty's Foreign office is in crisis as a result of Porton Down's statement to the
effect that Russia was not the source of the nerve gas.
The justification for expelling Russian diplomats from a number of EU countries no longer
holds? There is no proof that the nerve gas was from Russia.
Will Boris Johnson be forced to resign?
"Russia is to blame" said Theresa May, without a shred of evidence. The UK government's
baseless accusations have led the expulsion of Russian diplomats by 20 countries (18 countries
of the EU, plus Canada and the US). and Moscow has responded by expelling Western
diplomats. Now that the hoax has been fully revealed. What next? Boris Johnson has been asked to explain. A political upheaval in several European countries? Will diplomatic relations be normalized
following these revelations? Unlikely unless there is a backlash from the EU governments which
were deliberately misled by the U.K.
At the moment both the UK government and the media are in denial. The latest statement from
Theresa May's office emphasizes that "[the UK government has] knowledge that within the last
decade, Russia has investigated ways of delivering nerve agents probably for assassination "
(quoted by the Washington Post, April 4, 2018)
The Media's Double Standards in the Coverage of Important Events. The Skripal Novichock
affair versus the Gaza Massacre
A sick Russian double agent and his daughter recovering in hospital, blamed on Vladimir
Putin
Versus
14 innocent Palestinians killed and more than 750 wounded
The "Gaza Massacre" is not front page news. It does not make the tabloids. "Israel is not to
Blame".
Yet these killings were ordered by the Netanyahu government.
Should these 20 Western countries not contemplate the timely expulsion of Israeli
diplomats?
The Porton Down lab at the center of the Skripal poisoning case has a dark history of secret
government-run human testing. The human trials were conducted as part of the UK's war
preparation against the Soviet Union. The military laboratory at Porton Down was the hub of
Britain's biological weapons trials between 1939 and 1989. Ministry of Defence scientists
conducted chemical
experiments on
at least 20,000 military personnel and more than 100 secret germ warfare tests on members
of the public in preparation for a feared chemical attack from the Soviet Union.
This year, the lab was thrust back into the headlines when it was given the responsibility
of determining the substance used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal. The lab's chief executive
has since confirmed the team are
unable to identify the " precise source " of the nerve agent, and the Foreign Office
has denied claiming it was
from Russia – despite Boris Johnson's assertions on just that
point.
The government-run experiments on military personal seriously breached ethical standards,
according to an official report released in 2006. It
followed years of complaints from veterans claiming to have suffered lasting damage to their
health as a result of the trials. During the experiments Porton
scientists dripped liquid nerve gas on the bare arms of 440 men and at one point tested nerve
gas on eight men without the trial participants knowing what it really was. Six men were
exposed to mustard gas for five consecutive days – three of whom suffered burns to their
scrotums. Around 450 men had their eyes exposed to sarin nerve gas.
A 60-page government report released in 2002
detailed tests which exposed millions of people to harmful substances. The tests consisted of
releasing potentially dangerous chemicals and microorganisms over vast areas of Britain –
unbeknownst to the population below.
It also revealed that military personnel were instructed to tell any " inquisitive
inquirer " that the trials were part of a research project into weather and air
pollution.
Designed to test Britain's vulnerability if deadly clouds were released over the country, in
most cases trials used alternatives to biological weapons such as serratia marcescens bacteria
or zinc cadmium sulphide, which was dropped on the public in huge
amounts to mimic germ warfare.
The government insisted the chemical involved was safe, however cadmium is recognised as a
cause of lung cancer and was considered a chemical weapon during World War II. Families living
in the tested areas who have children born with birth defects have demanded
a public inquiry.
In another trial a military ship sprayed bacteria including e.coli and bacillus globigii,
which mimics anthrax, over a five to 10-mile radius along the south coast of England between
1961 and 1968, exposing more than 1 million people to the micro-organisms. In trials designed
to test the vulnerability of government buildings and public transport, bacteria were released
on the London Underground, traveling about 10 miles.
The report also confirmed that during World War II Porton Down produced millions of cattle
cakes spiked with anthrax which could be dropped into Germany to kill livestock on a mass
scale.
Ulf Schmidt, Professor of Modern History at the University of Kent,
estimated in his 2015 book 'Secret Science,' that up to 30,000 secret chemical warfare
experiments were carried out during that time period at Porton Down. It has also been
claimed in most cases the military men were not given enough information to properly give
consent.
The 100-year-old lab has a reported annual budget of £500 million
and employs 3,000 scientists. In 2008 the Ministry of Defence awarded £3 million in
compensation to 360 tested veterans without admitting liability.
Prime Minister May is seen at around the 0:40 (depending upon clip version) mark beating the
cat against a wall.
Also, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrzMhU_4m-g
is the "Burn the Witch" scene. With Putin as the witch it is a fair representation of the type
of justice and deep thought applied to the Skripal case.
Doctors at the Salisbury District Hospital announced today that Sergej Skripal's health is
rapidly improving. He and his daughter Yulia will likely be well again.
It is unlikely that any targeted poisoning with a real 'military grade' nerve agent would
have allowed for such an outcome. This brings us back to food poisoning as a possible cause of
the Skripals' ordeal.
A friend of this blog, Tore , sent us his considerations which we publish
below. He suggest that shellfish poisoning, which is caused by a neurotoxin known as Saxitoxin
or STX, is the real culprit of the Skripal incident. He explains how this would fit to the
observable behavior of the British government and other participants in the drama. In my view
his theory has significant merit.
On Wednesday the niece of Sergej Skripal, Viktoria Skripal, received a phone call from Yulia
Skripal. She was interviewed by a Russian TV station and
suggested that food poisoning might have been the real cause of the calamities her
relatives were in:
"Did they eat a dish that one cannot eat, or is it banned in England?
"The first signs when they were found were very similar to fish poisoning."
Victoria intended to visit the UK and to bring Yulia back home to Moscow. The United Kingdom
just
rejected Victoria Skripal's visa application because she "did not comply with the
immigration rules." No further explanation was given.
For those who have not read our previous posts on the issue we offer a short recap of the
case. Regular readers may want to scroll down to Tore 's part.
Sergej and Yulia Skripal were found on a public bench in Salisbury at about 4pm on March 4.
They had collapsed, were conscienceless and were brought into emergency care at the Salisbury
District Hospital. Local media wrote of a potential Fentanyl overdose.
Half an hour before the Skripal's collapsed they had eaten at Zizzi, a seafood and pizza
outlet.
Over the next days the British government started to make a fuzz about the case. Sergej
Skripal was a British spy who had been caught in Russia, put into jail and, in 2010, exchanged
for Russian spies. The British government hinted of Russian involvement in the Salisbury
incident.
But that story smelled fishy from its very beginning. To target an exchanged spy would
guarantee that no further exchanges would ever happen. Sergej Skripal had
links to the "dirty dossier" about Donald Trump that was created for the Hillary Clinton
campaign. Russia had no good motive, others potentially had one. If there was something
nefarious going on it seemed unlikely that Russia was involved.
I now believe that the British government jumped onto the case because it needed to divert
attention from the seriously bad results of the Brexit negotiations in Brussels. There are
local elections coming up in May and Theresa May's Tory party was lagging in the polls. (There
may have been additional reasons related to a planed 'chemical weapon' surprise in the
east-Ghouta campaign in Syria.)
Whatever it was - the spin-masters in Downing Street 10 saw a chance to convert the
poisoning of the Skripals into something big that would help their political aims. The general
push was to blame Russia. The idea to speak of the fearsome nerve-agent 'Novichok'
came from a spy drama that had just run on British TV.
On March 12 the British Prime Minister Theresa May spoke in Parliament and claimed that the
Skripals were 'attacked' with 'Novichok', a "military grade nerve agent of a type developed by
Russia". It was her "45 minutes"
moment . Russia was declared guilty without any evidence. Britain and other NATO countries
expelled Russian diplomats.
'Novichok' is a name for a group of chemicals that are indeed deadly. But Russia never had a
'Novichok' program. It had worked
on a different class of chemicals than the ones described
in Vil Mirzayanov's 'Novichok' book . Moreover, if 'Novichok' chemicals were involved than
Russia was only one of many suspect. The formulas for 'Novichoks' are known, various military
laboratories have made some and any decent organic chemistry laboratory
can create them too. The U.S., which had produced some of the 'Novichok' agents for itself,
had long
told its diplomats to avoid any discussions about them.
The first serious unraveling of the dubious case came on March 18 when a doctor at the
Salisbury District Hospital
publicly denied that any of its patients had been hurt by a nerve agent. We wrote at that
time:
Commentator Noirette had suggested here that the Skripal case was about food
poisoning or a food allergy, not nerve agents. The Skripals had visited a fish restaurant one
hour before they were found. The letter points into a similar direction. Food poisoning would
also explain why a doctor who gave emergency help to the unconscious Yulia Skripal for over
30 minutes was not effected at all.
To my best knowledge none of the main stream media picked up on the doctor's letter.
It seems that the 'Novichok' fairy-tale the British government plays to us provides for a
happy ending - the astonishing and mysterious resurrection of the victims of a "military
grade" "five to eight times more deadly than VX gas" "nerve agent" "of a type developed by"
Hollywood.
Happy Easter!
The alleged nerve agent should have killed anyone who came even into slight contact with it.
Survival did not fit to the earlier claims by the British government.
Now, just in time for the Orthodox Christian Easter, the condition of Sergej Skripal is
reported to be rapidly
improving. Another Resurrection! Hallelujah!
In my view all the stories we were told about 'Novichok', the 'doorknob' or a 'Russian
attack' are fairy tales. They simply do not make sense.
Commentators of this blog,
Noirette ,
TomGard and others, had discussed several theories of food poisoning. Food poisoning
makes sense but none of the ones discussed here fitted the picture of the case. Last week
Tore , a friend of this blog from Norway, sent me his theory which makes eminent sense
to me.
--- Tore writes :
Craig Murray's described
the pressure on Porton Down to establish that a nerve agent was used in the alleged Skripal
attack. I use 'alleged attack', because there is a fair chance that this was no attack, only a
serious food poisoning from the very start.
The Skripals had a seafood risotto pesce with king prawns, mussels and squid rings at Zizzi,
as reported
here in the Daily Mail on March 6.
This is a dish with a well known reputation as a source of shellfish poisoning.
Symptoms of PSP could begin within a few minutes and up to 10 hours after consumption.
Symptoms of PSP can include:
...
...
Respiratory difficulty, salivation, temporary blindness, nausea and vomiting may also
occur.
In extreme cases, paralysis of respiratory muscles may lead to respiratory arrest and
death within two to twelve hours after consumption. Seriously affected people must be
hospitalized and placed under respiratory care.
Unfortunately, there is no antidote for PSP toxins; however, supportive medical care can
be life saving . For example, persons whose breathing muscles become paralyzed can be put on
a mechanical respirator and given oxygen to help them breath, and people who develop a
cardiac arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm) can be given medications to stabilize their heart
rhythm.
The similarity with symptoms and effect derived from a nerve agent are striking, but no
surprise:
In fact the substance at work in a case of paralytic seafood poison is a neurotoxin called
Saxitoxin (STX) which is among the most potent poisons found in nature. It works the same way
as a nerve agent: It acts on the neurons, preventing normal cellular function and leading to
paralysis and in worst case death. In fact Saxitoxin is so potent that it was weaponized by the
U.S. and used as a chemical weapon - a nerve agent.
The U.S. developed Saxitoxin into a chemical weapon in the 1960s. The U.S. military
designation is TZ. It was also used by the CIA for covert operations and liquidations as
evidenced by the Church commission - see: E xcerpts of CIA inventory 1 , 2 .
Serotoxin is registered by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
as evidenced in the Wikipedia article Saxitoxin . The agent stays active even after
boiling or steaming.
Now back to Porton Down and the pressure to come up with the 'traces of a nerve agent'. The
Saxitoxin could obviously pass as a nerve agent, because it is a nerve agent - but without
mention of its origin - the food poisoning.
The nerve agent claim was released by police on March 7, three days after the incident.
According to the Daily Mail article mentioned above, the hospital alarmed the
police the day after, on March 5, when the staff became aware of Skripal's 'spy credentials',
probably through BBC which first brought the news. This means Porton Down at the most had two
days from first tests to the conclusion 'nerve agent' announced on the 7th.
This also implies that the hospital probably treated the Skripals for a food poisoning from
the start, until they became aware of Skripals credentials the day after. This fits with the
letter to the Times from Stephen Davies, the hospital doctor.
The media storm had been going on for a week when Theresa May on March 12 entered parliament
and announced the 'Novichok'. The blame had been on Russia from the first moment.
Speculation:
Now suppose the government in the meantime had become aware they had a weak case from the
start - because they had rushed Porton Down to a premature conclusion?
There would be no way back for May. The die had been cast. The government had walked out on
a limb from the start, now they had to continue the theater by naming the agent.
No nerve agent would suit their narrative better than 'Novichok'. Developed in USSR, a
substance with some foggy features and many variants - as opposed to other more well known
agents with distinct features. And most important an agent that is not listed in OPCW and which
was deliberately chosen to confuse. [b adds: 'Novichok' was also known to the British and U.S.
public as a 'fearsome Russian agent' through a current spy drama on TV. It increased the
propaganda value.]
The initial reluctance to involve the OPCW also fits into this picture: the decision to
involve OPCW came after May had landed the Novichok claim in parliament on March 12.
The day before, on March 11, police found traces of a nerve agent in the Zizzi
restaurant.
Note that the police inside is unprotected - bigger
Did they find the mussel in the risotto? Or 'Novichok'?
More than three weeks into the investigation this is, as far as I know, the only confirmed
police find of traces of the nerve agent. Zizzi fits in perfectly as the origin of the
poisoning considering the 40 minutes it took before the Skripals passed out on the bench.
Though I wonder how a "military grade nerve agent", destined to kill instantly on the
battlefield, took that long to incapacitate the Skripals.
I am no doctor, nor a specialist in chemistry - only a retired journalist working with open
sources. There are so many curiosities with this case, so many speculations, ...
Here in Norway we have an expression called blodtåke - best translated as blood fog -
when all the media are rushing blindly in one direction, without asking the most elementary
questions.
After I wrote this they found 'Novichok' on the door of the Skripals' home, which makes it
even more unlikely, considering the time frame.
Did they have to divert attention from the restaurant as origin of the poisoning?
There are of course some holes in the above - just regard this as an idea to go along the
line of food poisoning.
End of Tore's deliberations.
---
b here:
Tore's theory of food poisoning with Saxitoxin makes sense. It is a fitting
explanation for what happened in Salisbury and for the murky tale the British government tries
to sell.
(update)
Commenters noted that the theory does not immediately explain what happened to Detective
Sergeant Nick Bailey, who was also treated in the hospital but less severely effected than the
Skripals. Off-Guardian
noted on March 23:
It was announced today that Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey – allegedly the third victim
of the alleged "nerve agent" poisoning in Salisbury, UK – has been released from
hospital.
Bailey did not speak to the press, and no photographs or film of him leaving the premises
and going home have yet emerged.
...
Where Bailey was poisoned, and how he was poisoned is still not clear – which is
puzzling of itself. Was it while attending the Skripals as a first-responder, as
claimed by Theresa May (improbable on the face of it, since CID officers in Britain do
not act as first-responders). Or did he, on the contrary,"
have no direct contact with the Skripals ", as put out by the Daily Mail? Was he poisoned
while searching the Skripals home ? Or
was it somewhere else entirely?
And why did he become poisoned when no one else at the scene, and indeed no one else
anywhere in Salisbury fell ill, or even showed signs of contamination in their bloodwork?
If Bailey was on the scene on Sunday afternoon, it was likely not because he was on duty,
but because he happened to be in the area. Did he have a private lunch? At Zizzi's? With
mussels? We do not know and the government won't say.
(end update)
One of these days the Skripals, Nick Bailey, the doctors at the hospital, or some of the
people at Porton Down will talk and let us know the truth.
The Zizzi website says that the
restaurant in Salisbury is still - four and a half weeks after the incident - "temporarily
closed". If it served healthy food and the Skripals were really poisoned by touching a doorknob
at their home why would that still be the case?
But do not take off your tinfoil hat just yet.
If Saxitoxin was the cause of the Skirpals' illness, the story has still potential for a
decent spy drama. Was the poison in the mussels Zizzi's served of natural occurrence, or had
someone at the CIA rummaged through its old inventory? Who applied the dosage?
In another message Tore notes that there is a foreign member in the British
Joint
Intelligence Commission which advises Downing Street:
Ever since World War II, the chief of the London station of the United States Central
Intelligence Agency has attended the JIC's weekly meetings.
These connections might yet bring us back to Skripal's participation in the 'dirty dossier'
about Trump which MI6 agent Chris Steele prepared for the Hillary Clinton campaign. The U.S.
and the British intelligence services under Clapper and Brennan waged a war against then
candidate Donald Trump. They did not want him to win the election under any circumstance. Were
the Skripals late casualties of this fight?
But no. I would not trust that story any more than I trust the British government's current
tale.
Another possible explanation, more likely that the election manipulation mentioned above, is
a false flag incident solely created to incriminate Russia. It would be a reproduction of the
1994 Operation
Hades , a highly propagandized case made up by the German spy service BND to incriminated
Russia with a (faked) plutonium smuggling case.
Then again - if it looks like food poisoning, Occam's razor says, it might just be that -
food poisoning.
The Skripals' beloved animals though, were
admittedly killed by the British government. The Skripal's should sue the responsible
persons to hell for committing this murder and for
lying about its circumstances.
The United Kingdom is headed for a break-up.
Not
today or tomorrow, mind you but, sooner than anyone would like to handicap, especially in this age of
coalition government at any cost.
By responding to the alleged poisoning of former Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his
daughter Yulia with histrionics normally reserved for The View, Theresa May's government has set the
stage for its own collapse.
Government's fall when the people lose confidence in them. May has bungled everything she has
touched as Prime Minister, from Brexit talks and her relationship with Donald Trump to her response
(or lack thereof) to the escalating level of domestic terrorism and her pathetic campaign during last
year's snap election.
When I confront such obvious ineptitude it's not hard to believe that wasn't the plan to begin
with.
Since her initial meeting with Donald Trump after his election where it looked like the two would
get along, May has become more and more belligerent to both him and his base. While he continues to
affirm our special relationship "The Gypsum Lady" as I like to call her makes mistake after mistake.
The latest of which is pushing everyone east of the Dneiper River in Ukraine to denounce the
Russians and President Vladimir Putin personally for this alleged poisoning in Salisbury a month ago.
The result of which was the largest round of diplomatic expulsions in a century, if not ever.
And now that the whole "Russia did it" narrative has been skewered by May's own experts at Porton
Downs, she stands alone along with her equally inept and embarrassing Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson
and Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson.
The calls for their jobs will only intensify here.
Tinker, Tailor, Traitor, Spy
The whole thing felt from the beginning like a bad Ian Fleming novel. I said from the beginning
this this was a classic false flag to gin up anti-Russian fervor while May's negotiator betrayed
Brexit and pushed to remove Russian businesses from doing business in London.
I'm sorry but it's not a stretch to think this whole thing was cooked up by MI-6. In fact, that's
been my operating assumption for a month now.
The problem was, until a few days ago, I didn't have a good enough reason why.
Putting diplomatic pressure on Russia on behalf of the U.S.'s crazed neoconservative Deep State
just didn't seem like a big enough reward. Neither did cutting Russian businesses out of European
banks to stop contractor and creditor payments associated with the Nordstream 2 pipeline.
Those things felt like nice bonus objectives but not main goals.
And it wasn't until the lead scientists at Porton Downs left May, Johnson and Williamson out to
hang on Monday that the full operation became clear.
By stating that they could not confirm the
origin of the Novichok nerve agent used in the attack on the Skripals the Porton Downs officials
destroyed the credibility of The Gypsum Lady's government.
Therefore, this operation was always about undermining May's government to the point of a
no-confidence vote. This would then be the ultimate betrayal of Brexit in order to preserve the
U.K.'s position in the European Union, which is favored by the political and old-monied British elite.
In short, this was a coup attempt.
And don't think for a second that this is not plausible. Remember it was Margaret Thatcher's own
most trusted people who betrayed her to get the U.K. into the European Union in the first place. This
was why they brought down The Iron Lady.
So, here's the scene:
May and Johnson both get told by trusted advisors that there is incontrovertible proof of Russia's
hand in this. They go with this information with confidence to parliament, the U.N., high-level
meetings with foreign leaders and the press.
They convince their allies to stand strong against the evil Russians who is everyone's bid 'baddie'
at this point.
Trump has to go along with this nonsense even though he is obviously skeptical otherwise there will
be an uproar in the U.S. press about him betraying our most trusted ally for his puppet-master Putin.
To be honest, I don't think these bozos, May and Johnson, were in on the plan. I think they were
being played all along and now will be the patsies.
Just like May was played last year, calling for snap elections. The minute she called them there
were terror attacks all over London, marches against her over public safety. A media campaign which
puffed up Jeremy Corbyn, who they are now destroying for his rightful trepidation about this fairy
tale MI-6 is spinning.
The goal was to weaken May and get Labour back in charge. Corbyn would then be cast aside and a
Tony Blair clone installed as Prime Minister to scuttle Brexit and restore order to
the galaxy,
Europe.
Unfortunately, the DUP got enough of the vote to re-elect a very weakened May and things have limped
along for nearly a year.
Crisis on Infinite Empires
The problem with this however, is like all plans of those desperate to cling to vestiges of former
glory (and the U.K. is definitely the poster child for that), is the crisis of confidence it will
engender.
Make no mistake, Brexit was no mistake.
It's what the people of Britain wanted and they want it more now than in 2016. So, they don't dare
call for a new referendum. But, they are also looking at a third parliamentary vote in as many years.
And that doesn't scream confidence no matter how much markets would prefer the legal status quo.
Opposition to Brexit comes from the entrenched monied power, not from any adherence to globalist
ideology.
But, if Brexit is betrayed through this hackneyed farce of a spy thriller, it won't sit
well with the British people.
Scotland's call for a second referendum will continue to grow
and the Pound will fall alongside the competitiveness of British labor still trapped within a
euro-zone that has done nothing but choke the life out of the economy.
The Pound will begin to sink into irrelevancy as this unfolds. It won't happen overnight, but we
will look back on these events and see them as the trigger points for the path of history.
Between these things and the toxic levels of political correctness as it pertains to Muslim
immigration, the insanity of London liberals and the de facto police state the U.K. has become and you
have a recipe for political unrest that will not be pretty.
Brexit was meant to be the peaceful revolution that put the nail in the coffin of the march to one
world government. It is about to be nullified.
When it is the sun will finally set on what's left of the British Empire.
Support this work by signing up with
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and gain access to the Gold Goats 'n Guns Investment Newsletter, the Private Blog as well as
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The revelation that the
animals had died caused
considerable reaction on social
media with many wondering why it
had taken officials so long to
find the animals despite so much
police activity at the home.
The EUSSR will be
destroyed, there were
attempts by UKIP and
various others to
democratize it a decade or
two ago and they were
unsucessful, the protocols
says that all states must
be democratic before world
government can be
implemented, both the EUSSR
and PRC stand in their way.
"In another major
misjudgement by the US in
January, the supposedly
moderate Secretary of State
Rex Tillerson announced
that the US would be
keeping its forces in Syria
after the defeat of Isis,
and intended to get rid of
President Bashar al-Assad
and roll back Iranian
influence. This ambition
was largely
fantasy
, but
the Russian and Turkish
reaction was
real
. Four
days after Tillerson's
arrogant declaration, the
Turkish army poured into
northern Syria with Russian
permission and within two
months had eliminated the
enclave of Afrin, inhabited
by Kurds who are the only
US ally in Syria. "
As Skripal-Gate Collapses, Will May's
Government Be Next?
My response:
ENGLAND is CORRUPT and an UNGODLY place to
live. If you have been paying attention, it
was these S.O.B.s who were spying on TRUMP
under the direction of the "OBOZO"
administration.
This kind of thing really angers the SHIT
out of me. Since when does ENGLAND have any
input into AMERICA's POTUS election process.
BASTARDS!!!
I HOPE THE WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY CRASHES and
BURNS. JAMES BOND can go pound salt.
So in this case the chain of events looks like: food poisoning -> discovery that the
incident can be used as for the nasty PR campaign against Russia and save May government ->
Novichok claims -> Novichok contamination
The deafening silence of neoliberal MSM is an interesting sign that something went wrong with the PR attack on Russia.
Notable quotes:
"... I doubt that the police were responsible, though it is inevitable that they will be saddled with the blame. I have no doubt that there are police procedures that would see the police remove all pets before sealing a premises. But I doubt very much that the police were anything other that props by that stage i.e. they were not doing anything by the book but, rather, they were Doing As They Were Told. ..."
"... IMHO it could have been food poisoning and it fits the timing perfectly but doesn't explain all the other traces of whatever agent they are presenting as evidence. I still feel that these idiots used an old stock of Foliant agents recovered during the cleanup of the Uzbekistan lab. I believe that Porton Down made their own stock from the formulae they recovered. This doesn't explain the presence of the Novichok A234 which was never developed or a part of the Soviet research.It was developed at Edgewood Arsenal back in the late 90's and published back then. However, the weasel wording of the claims by DSTL are that is was highly likely (read that as we are guessing) that there was Novichok or from the novichok family (meaning it could also be anything). I am a scientists and we use very precise language when describing something. I also have a forensic background and you would never put something like this vague report out there. It is actually embarrassing to be this vague and it would be tossed as evidence. ..."
"... There is not one single mention of a poisoned spy Skripal story nowhere near headline or important news columns to be noticed or seen. Like the story never happened. I am saying the BBC, The Guardian and CNN just forgot that there was any news concerning Russia poisoning or even mention of it. Really? ..."
"... The simplest explanation why the British government should have taken food poisoning as an opportunity for a global PsyOp in a manner, that was definitely highly unprofessional and panic-like, is still the repeated Russian warnings of an imminent large-scale chemical False Flag attack in Syria, to which an attack on the government district was to follow, plus ..."
"... On the other hand, Russia would not waste the opportunities of the evidence on Public Relation. The Kremlin would refer it to reasonably selected confidential military and civil contacts within the EU to bolster the rifts within the imperial camp, especially transatlanticists and their opponents in the European Council. Brexit could have become even more detrimental for the UK. ..."
"... How does Yulia Skripal know that "nobody here" will give her cousin a visa? Is she familiar with the intricacies of the Visa process? The whole phone call sounds like the acoustic equivalent of the device ships in StarTrek have installed - a deflector shield. Calm down things, make her cousin not apply for a visa. This phone call came (just like that) after her cousin started to go public in Russia and probably was identified as a potential disruptor. Yulia Skripal tried to make her not apply for a visa - by assuring her everything and everyone is OK (including Sergey) and then, when Victoria insisted, tackling the Visa issue right away - don't apply the message is, no need to come to the UK and see me. It appears this had to be avoided at all costs. ..."
"... Skripal and a 33-year-old woman are believed to have come into contact with a poisonous substance at the city's Zizzi restaurant, which has since been closed by emergency teams. ..."
Thanks to MoA, the government/media Salisbury England Information Operation doesn't add up.
If exposed to military grade nerve agent 5-8 times more toxic than America's VX, the Skripals
and first responders would be dead. If food poisoning, there should be more victims at
Zizzi's but not the police detective. Clearly the story was made up fast without the facts.
Their pets were incinerated for god's sake. The observable goal of the British Hierarchy is
to stress Russia with more sanctions and to escalate the Syrian world war plus a cover up PM
May's catastrophic handling of Brexit.
As documented here, there are too many coincidences to be happenstance. I am leaning
towards an oligarch faction contracted out a mob hit to take out a "contributor" to Steele's
Dodgy Dossier to give it credence and scare the crap out of everyone else involved. The
Established as an afterthought tasked the incident to promote their greater
ambitions.
'Health Canada advises Canadians to limit their consumption of lobster tomalley to the
equivalent of one lobster tomalley daily for adults, due to the possible presence of PSP.
Health Canada has recommended that children not consume lobster tomalley.'
No notice on limiting shellfish - only lobster re PSP at that link. If bivalve shellfish
could be more toxic than lobster, would a limit also have been mentioned? By weight, if
shellfish acquire similar or less toxicity than lobster then the Skripals must have had a
good feed of mussels.
If Skripals werent in it from the start, they will HAVE to say whatever UK tells them to,
otherwise they might "relapse" and no Easter miracles this time. At least until they get out
of UK. If they will refuse to leave UK because they "fear evil ruskies", then we will know it
was all a sham.
@ Yeah, Right | 67
Same thing I was thinking, it doesnt make any sense. Bottom line: police sealed pets to
starve to death (due to neglect?), and poor cat which was still alive was killed too. Any
normal person by seeing hungry cat would give her food, but no, it was "more merciful" just
to kill it. Worse than animals.. And of course, to avoid any investigation later, burned
them.
I searched using Google for "saxitoxin deaths frequency," which turns up lots of papers on
the subject. From the abstract of one titled, "Marine algal toxins: origins, health effects,
and their increased occurrence" and published in 2000:
"Over the past three decades, the frequency and global distribution of toxic algal
incidents appear to have increased, and human intoxications from novel algal sources have
occurred. This increase is of particular concern, since it parallels recent evidence of
large-scale ecologic disturbances that coincide with trends in global warming."
The paper suggests such poisoning is rare, but obviously it is possible. Further browsing
for "shellfish poisoning" and so forth indicates that such poisoning is frequent enough for
health agencies and governments to warn people about it. Perhaps one could calculate the
frequency by which Russia poisons people, and compare the frequency with which people are
accidentally poisoned by saxitoxin to form a better judgment of the situation.
(First time leaving a comment on this blog. I found your blog somewhat recently because of
Naked Capitalism, and having been reading your posts ever since. )
...
They cannot hide from the truth. The whole world is watching. No one believes Highly
Likely.
...
Posted by: Red Ryder | Apr 6, 2018 6:16:45 PM | 11
Especially when one recalls that 'Highly Likely' is the tr-r-raditional excuse used by the
Judeo-Christian Barbarians, since 2001, for slaughtering 'suspects' (from a safe distance)
without properly identifying them.
All those Afghan Wedding parties, Chelsea Manning's infamous Collateral Murder gun-sight
video in Iraq. And the CIA's Drone campaign is ongoing.
Sorry, but the odds of these two getting food poisoning is one thing but they just happen to
be THE SKRIPALS! getting food poisoning? - no way! Even if there was bad mussels or even if
dozens came down with food poisoning, still THE SKRIPALS just happen to eat there - what are
the odds? IMPOSSIBLE!
UNLESS... the food poisoning was intentional (to silence him re Steele) and then blame
Russia. But if food poisoning was the method, then TPTB would have known better than to go
the nerve agent route. UNLESS... they planned it all along to plant nerve agent but not use
it on the Skripals due to the danger posed to others.
In that case the culprit was norovirus (bane of passenger cruise liners, I believe)
transmitted through raw oysters, improperly prepared razorback clams and staff practices
(such as staff working while they were still sick) that enabled the spread of the
norovirus.
WRW @ 78: Isn't it just possible that if the Skripals had had food poisoning, their condition
would have been treated the same as any other patient with food poisoning - but once hospital
staff noticed that Sergei Skripal had some connection with British security through checking
his medical records, they called police and from then on the Skripals were treated
differently from other patients, and were kept confined or sedated while the authorities
decided that they must have been targeted by Moscow or saw an opportunity to bash the
Russians?
Sometimes, sooner or later, incidents can happen in such a way that most observers would
believe there must be more to them than coincidence and that such incidents must have been
planned. They needn't be planned - all that's needed is someone or a group of people looking
for opportunities to exploit situations, use innocent victims and throw blame onto third
parties.
...
The truth is that (while China may eclipse the US by 2150) it is very likely that this will
be Russia's century. I believe the west know this very well and will do everything they can
to capture Russia's resources and that means continuing isolation of, and tension and
conflict with, Russia.
Btw: If you add Chinese industry, Russian resources and OBOR together it is obvious
that the end of western dominion of the world is coming to an end and that, unfortunately,
greatly increases the risk of a major war.
Posted by: Ace | Apr 6, 2018 9:07:04 PM | 48
That makes a certain amount of sense but overlooks a vital component of the current World
Order. If the current World Order wasn't dominated and controlled by Greedy Rich Pigs then
TRADE would be the friendly and logical way to address any global imbalances in local water,
food and resources availability (to which one could add Funds/Finance).
The underlying problem is, imo, the factoid that the Greedy Rich Pigs crowd got rich by
monopolising essential industries and resources centuries ago and don't want to surrender
their 'right' to OWN everything of value, including politicians, and to continue their
Command of the Gravy Train.
I doubt that the police were responsible, though it is inevitable that they will be
saddled with the blame. I have no doubt that there are police procedures that would see the
police remove all pets before sealing a premises. But I doubt very much that the police were
anything other that props by that stage i.e. they were not doing anything by the book but,
rather, they were Doing As They Were Told.
IMHO it could have been food poisoning and it fits the timing perfectly but doesn't
explain all the other traces of whatever agent they are presenting as evidence. I still feel
that these idiots used an old stock of Foliant agents recovered during the cleanup of the
Uzbekistan lab. I believe that Porton Down made their own stock from the formulae they
recovered. This doesn't explain the presence of the Novichok A234 which was never developed
or a part of the Soviet research.It was developed at Edgewood Arsenal back in the late 90's
and published back then. However, the weasel wording of the claims by DSTL are that is was
highly likely (read that as we are guessing) that there was Novichok or from the novichok
family (meaning it could also be anything). I am a scientists and we use very precise
language when describing something. I also have a forensic background and you would never put
something like this vague report out there. It is actually embarrassing to be this vague and
it would be tossed as evidence.
What I think happened was they used old stock (which would have the correct chemical
fingerprint from Russia having been made there in the first place) but after 38 years the
potency is way off. If the agent was in fact 10 times stronger than VX then perhaps there was
just enough potency left to cause what we saw in the Skripals. This, of course, assumes that
the UK attacked them in the first place which explains their certainty of what agent it was.
However, if it was in fact A234 then you could never attribute this to Russia as it is
actually an American product. If it was one of the original Foliant agents that is something
different but that is not what was claimed. The finding of agent on the doorknobs is
ridiculous and a very bad misstep by the UK. These agents are viscous (like honey) and smell
horrible similar to your household bug sprays. Putting it on a doorknob would be patently
obvious to anyone touching the door and you would examine the goo on your finger and smell
it. Obviously, this didn't happen. So, if agent is present on the doorknob then it was
deliberately put there well after the fact. These agents can be soluble in water (2 of the
Foliant agents are water soluble and 2 are not). If so, it was raining in Salisbury which
would have removed it by rainfall dilution. If it isn't water soluble it was there for 3
weeks.
The persistence of these agents in the environment is not long and it rapidly begins to
decompose, especially if in the presence of sunlight (UV), and disappears. When salting a
battlefield with nerve agent we expect it to remain lethal for 72 hours. These weapons are
designed specifically to keep the enemy forces from travelling through a contaminated area
and the purpose of chemical agents is denial of terrain. You use it when you have a front
line which is too large to defend with your forces at hand or to funnel the enemy attack into
an area where you have amassed your defenses. This is what this stuff is designed to do. You
can also use it to mess up rear area support operations but that is a secondary use. Think of
it as an aerial delivered (artillery or aircraft) temporary minefield. The key word being
temporary. After all, this is the territory you are fighting over and it is useless if it is
permanently poisoned. As the FEBA moves you may end up occupying that area in the days
following a defensive operation. It is possible; however, to attack through a contaminated
area and modern tanks now have air filtration and all combat troops have MOPP gear which will
protect a soldier in that environment. However, anyone who has practiced infantry assaults
wearing full MOPP gear knows how awful that is and how ineffective you are as a soldier. It
is hot, heavy, with poor visibility in a full mask, not to mention inadequate breathing which
is rough at best, plus you are also carrying your basic load so it is an awful experience.
Also by doctrine attacking forces need to have a 3 to 1 force superiority to be successful
and things like chemical agents on the battlefield are force multipliers whereas attacking
forces operating a full MOPP are suffering a force detractor. My point is it is an effective
way to mount a defense and no one would willingly attack through a contaminated area.
So, I see many problems trying to put this together and all of them add up to me to be a
false flag operation which was botched. All the subsequent actions by the UK government
including denial of consular privileges to see their citizens, failure to follow fixed
procedures as mandated by the CWC, long delay in reporting to the OPCW, failure to provide
any physical evidence (GC-MS printouts would be enough), taking the investigation away from
the police, not mounting a manhunt for the perpetrators, changing story over time and the
miraculous recovery of the victims all indicate to me a completely botched operation. I feel
sorry for the British citizens having a government as inept as this is. Of course, mine (the
USA) is far worse but I always respected the UK as being somewhat responsible. Now it looks
like it has fallen down to American levels of ineptitude.
Binary food-poisoning anyone ? With all this talk about creating these mysterious binary
nerve agents, did anyone consider a similar scenario involving two separate strains of
bacteria (or even two of the same/similar strain), from two separate foods.
The Russians and Eastern Europeans spend a lot of time preserving foods (for their long cold
winters) and they can become a source for the Clostridium botulinum bacteria to grow in. So
for breakfast the Skripals have some pickles that Yulia brought with her and a few hours
later the botulinum toxin begins to affect them, but only mildly. Their seafood risotto also
happens to contain traces of Clostridium botulinum and that combined with the original is
enough to knock them out 30 minutes or so later.
Botulism can be hard to track down, but when you have the world's leading experts on it just
down the road at Porton Down it should be easy to get a quick positive test and to have all
the information necessary to treat any victims.
But can you imagine what would happen if you tell the world that a Russian spy has been
poisoned with botulinum toxin, just a few miles away from the world's leading reasearch
centre for that toxin. A different explanation is needed and a quick flood of DSMA-Notices
needs to be issued to prevent any unwanted details emerging whilst the new explanation is
being created.
Bailey the other poisoning victim may have had just a mild dose from the seafood risotto.
claiming that Theresa May got European support by claiming they could prove that the
Skripal poison came from Russia (vetoed by Porton Down). The article asks for an independent
investigation. Deutsche Welle is the German equivalent of BBC.
The Skripals were on the 'kill list' for the known reasons regarding the Steele dossier.
Yulia was just collateral damage. Porton Down had the substance and it was applied to the
house door after the Skripals had left to go about what they had planned to do.
Unscripted, the Skripals come down with a food poisoning from eating at the restaurant.
They are unable to return home, where they would have been poisoned by whatever services
involved. But the cop goes there and comes into contact with whatever was applied there.
Noteworthy is of course, that any assassination will not be perpetrated based on a 10%
chance of succeeding. The people with the abilities to take somebody out do just that.
Although it must also be mentioned that assassinations by means of causing cancer in the
victim are very popular in the valuable West.
Posted by: Old Microbiologist | Apr 7, 2018 3:06:13 AM | 85
I think its military use has shifted since WWI. It is used on civilian populations for
ethnic cleansing, on underground makeshift facilities like tunnels and in PR.
There is not one single mention of a poisoned spy Skripal story nowhere near headline or
important news columns to be noticed or seen. Like the story never happened.
I am saying the BBC, The Guardian and CNN just forgot that there was any news concerning
Russia poisoning or even mention of it.
Really?
I'm not so sure. There are increasing demands to have another referendum over the Brexit
"package". Also, one thing the Conservative Brexiters have overlooked is what happens when
the Labour Party forms a government? Inside the EU there are strict limits and controls to
what it could do to return the UK from a neo-liberal economy to either a social democratic or
democratic socialist economy. Once the UK leaves the EU all those limits and controls
disappear, which is probably why Corbyn is ambivalent about Brexit - he knows we need to
remain part of Europe but not part of the neo-liberal EU ruled by a quasi-dictatorship in
Brussels.
BTW, the UK has been the United States' enforcer inside the EU since it joined.
When the UK voted for Brexit, I suspect that deep-state Washington thought that Poland could
take over as enforcer , but the nationalist politicians in Poland are just not up to
the job. So what could deep-state Washington do? Discredit Theresa May as she is probably the
only Conservative politician capable of getting terms for Brexit that the British electorate
will accept? Put in her place a thoroughly damaged Boris Johnson who would screw it up
completely?
b,
your "best explanation ... " label is a little deceptive, as you yourself concede in the last
paragraphs of your piece. Food poisoning explains the recovery of the Skripals, the
conflicting allegations about means and location of the poisoning and the lies and secrecy
about DS Baileys alledged affection by the poison, nothing more.
The simplest explanation why the British government should have taken food poisoning as an
opportunity for a global PsyOp in a manner, that was definitely highly unprofessional and
panic-like, is still the repeated Russian warnings of an imminent large-scale chemical False
Flag attack in Syria, to which an attack on the government district was to follow,
plus numerous reports of the capture of British Special Forces in Ghouta, which
were, with due reservations, relayed by Maxim A. Suchkov. Suchkov is not in a position to
indulge in levity in such a case.
On the other hand, Russia would not waste the opportunities of the evidence on Public
Relation. The Kremlin would refer it to reasonably selected confidential military and civil
contacts within the EU to bolster the rifts within the imperial camp, especially
transatlanticists and their opponents in the European Council. Brexit could have become even
more detrimental for the UK.
Clinical Presentation:
Ingestion of molluscs contaminated with PSP results in the following clinical picture
(Bower et al, 1981, Kao 1993). Five to 30 minutes from consumption, there is slight
perioral tingling progressing to numbness which spreads to face and neck to moderate cases.
In severe cases, these symptoms spread to the extremities with incoordination and
respiratory difficulty. There are medullary disturbances in severe cases evidenced by
difficulty swallowing, sense of throat constriction, speech incoherence or complete loss of
speech, as well as brain stem dysfunction. Within 2-12 hours, in very severe cases, there
is complete paralysis and death from respiratory failure in absence of ventilatory support.
After 12 hours, regardless of severity, victims start to recover gradually and are without
any residual symptoms within a few days (Bower et al, 1981, ILO 1984, Halstead 1988).
This fits the eyewitness reports of the Skripals on the bank. A women who had watched them
said they were behaving erratic before collapsing. She thought they were way out on drugs.
"I suspect that deep-state Washington thought that Poland could take over as enforcer, but
the nationalist politicians in Poland are just not up to the job."
It is debatable if the current Polish government is barking mad or batshit insane, but in
either case, they lack influence on other countries that an "enforcer" needs. In any case,
what would an "enforcer" enforce? On most matters, the French are eager to please and Germans
usually follow the suit, even if Merkel utters something feisty in a biergarten on
occasion.
We still do not know for a fact how the Skripals were poisoned (several avenues of
"investigation" - buckwheat, door handle, gift, something in a suitcase) and how Detective
Sergeant Bailey fits into this picture. If he was in the house (early stories suggested this)
how did he get in and was he there on his own? Was he in the house at all? Where was he?
The ER consultant and his letter. There is no follow-up by media. There is apparently no
official reaction to the letter. This letter is the only half-way external confirmation there
were 3 people with considerable poisoning. Maybe this letter is not a white hat letter?
I think it is best to just take a step back and look at this from some distance. You then
realize there is not a single thing here you can be sure about. There are no facts; whatever
there is is presented by British government agents (that includes Porton Down). The "defense"
cannot get hold of anything to build a meaningful defense on. Embassy is denied access. Close
relatives are denied access.
How does Yulia Skripal know that "nobody here" will give her cousin a visa? Is she
familiar with the intricacies of the Visa process? The whole phone call sounds like the
acoustic equivalent of the device ships in StarTrek have installed - a deflector shield. Calm
down things, make her cousin not apply for a visa. This phone call came (just like that)
after her cousin started to go public in Russia and probably was identified as a potential
disruptor. Yulia Skripal tried to make her not apply for a visa - by assuring her everything
and everyone is OK (including Sergey) and then, when Victoria insisted, tackling the Visa
issue right away - don't apply the message is, no need to come to the UK and see me. It
appears this had to be avoided at all costs.
Followed by an official confirmation Sergey is recovering, too.
Someone decided that they could not keep the Skripals in intensive care forever since
somehow the doubt is more widespread than expected? Now it is about calming things down? All
is well since the Skripals are fine? Damage control mission?
Someone had a look at Yulia's social media account after March 4.
What torpedoes the food-poisoning theory is that the UK response was so quick, coordinated
and word perfect - till Boris overstepped the mark (he is just an attention seeking buffoon).
So whatever transpired they knew it was coming.
What is odd is that the Skripals are still alive. Maybe its the special Russian DNA.
Thankfully, the medics in Salisbury declined to go with the official line, and stated so,
publicly, early on. The Skripals could, plausibly, have been taken to Porton Down for
sSpecialist treatment", like the Guinea Pigs (it seems the pets have been incinerated - ie
destruction of evidence).
Freya Church, from Salisbury, said: "On the bench there was a couple, an older guy and a
younger girl.
She was sort of leant in on him, it looked like she had passed out maybe.
"He was doing some strange hand movements, looking up to the sky. It looked like they
had been taking something quite strong."
Sergei Skripal was found unconscious on a shopping centre bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire,
along with a woman he is thought to know.
Skripal and a 33-year-old woman are believed to have come into contact with a
poisonous substance at the city's Zizzi restaurant, which has since been closed by
emergency teams.
An interesting hypothesis: May, Johnson and Williamson might be deceived by their own
advisors. In tyhis case this is an operation directed at undermining May's government to the
point of a no-confidence vote in order to stop Brexit and to preserve the UK's position in the
European Union, which is favored by the political and financial elites.
But I doubt the Corbin is the person the British neoliberal want in power.
Notable quotes:
"... And it wasn't until the lead scientists at Porton Downs left May, Johnson and Williamson out to hang on Monday that the full operation became clear. By stating that they could not confirm the origin of the Novichok nerve agent used in the attack on the Skripals the Porton Downs officials destroyed the credibility of The Gypsum Lady's government ..."
"... Therefore, this operation was always about undermining May's government to the point of a no-confidence vote. This would then be the ultimate betrayal of Brexit in order to preserve the U.K.'s position in the European Union, which is favored by the political and old-monied British elite. ..."
"... May and Johnson both get told by trusted advisors that there is incontrovertible proof of Russia's hand in this. They go with this information with confidence to parliament, the U.N., high-level meetings with foreign leaders and the press. They convince their allies to stand strong against the evil Russians who is everyone's bid 'baddie' at this point. ..."
"... Trump has to go along with this nonsense even though he is obviously skeptical otherwise there will be an uproar in the US press about him betraying our most trusted ally for his puppet-master Putin ..."
"... But, if Brexit is betrayed through this hackneyed farce of a spy thriller, it won't sit well with the British people. Scotland's call for a second referendum will continue to grow and the Pound will fall alongside the competitiveness of British labor still trapped within a euro-zone that has done nothing but choke the life out of the economy. ..."
"... Between these things and the toxic levels of political correctness as it pertains to Muslim immigration, the insanity of London liberals and the de facto police state the U.K. has become and you have a recipe for political unrest that will not be pretty. Brexit was meant to be the peaceful revolution that put the nail in the coffin of the march to one world government. It is about to be nullified. When it is the sun will finally set on what's left of the British Empire. ..."
"... That was my gut feeling from the beginning, that it was the MI6 for some internal stuff. I didn't think of Brexit but it makes sense. Either way, Britain has already since decades been geopolitically irrelevant other than as the empire's muscle's sidekick. ..."
"... More like we have privatised so much of our intelligence services, just like the US has got the private sector, working on around 80% of their intelligence. Leaving it to those with minimal knowledge, but, experts in the art of spin, as Elliot Higgins, with his Google Software Certificate, comes to mind. Just one of the experts of the day, with a similar set of skills. ..."
"... Why did British government killed Skirpal's pests? Police search of the Skripal's house was so thorough that in a month they couldn't find his cat and 2 guinea pigs. Now, the police issued the statement full of lies. ..."
"... More then 2/3 of ALL financial transactions are done through the City of London, and the EU has, although there are several contenders, not yet transferred all this to the European Mainland to any major financial center on the Mainland! ...Frankfurt am Main and Paris are the top two contenders. ..."
"... Johnson, as a supervisor for MI6, then is some they want to get rid of? ..."
"... One can look back a few month's before Salisbury and see May out of the blue ratcheting up her Russophobia during speeches on Youtube. Keep in mind that as Home minister from 2010-2016 May must have had direct relations with MI5. ..."
"... Also her carefully scripted language more implying than direct stating offers her a plausible deniability just like Blair exploited. So the fault can be shifted to faulty intelligence or experts. So presenting May as a victim is 'highly likely' too generous. My guess is that she was involved from its inception. ..."
"... May goes to see the EU leaders, next stage signed off, but, we are left in ignorance and low and behold, so many Russian Diplomats are expelled from US and EU nations, just a couple of days after May has been horsetrading? ..."
"... The EU will never be what you Spaniards and we Croats want. We would like something like the US of Europe. All people to be equal. Sweden, Denmark, Germany... want a lot of bantustans in Europe. The name bantustan was used in the RSA during apartheid when they had created a lot of independent states in order to exploit them. My question to you is - if you were a Dane would you like to share "all spoils" with third world countries like Bulgaria, Romania...and tomorrow Bosnia, Macedonia...etc? ..."
"... There is another cover-up taking place in May's government in the midst of the Skripal hysteria, and that is of the decades-old sex rings (organized by Asian Muslims, according to what I have read) that have raped between 1,000-1500 girls in three English towns. It is a sensitive issue, but should rightfully be reported. ..."
"... My only problem with this article is if May's government fails, then there is a serious risk for the globalists that a more ardent Brexiter may end up leading the party! ..."
Putting diplomatic pressure on Russia on behalf of the U.S.'s crazed neoconservative Deep
State just didn't seem like a big enough reward. Neither did cutting Russian businesses out of
European banks to stop contractor and creditor payments associated with the Nordstream 2
pipeline.
Those things felt like nice bonus objectives but not main goals.
And it wasn't until the lead scientists at Porton Downs left May, Johnson and Williamson
out to hang on Monday that the full operation became clear. By stating that they could not
confirm the origin of the Novichok nerve agent used in the attack on the Skripals the Porton
Downs officials destroyed the credibility of The Gypsum Lady's government .
Therefore, this operation was always about undermining May's government to the point of
a no-confidence vote. This would then be the ultimate betrayal of Brexit in order to preserve
the U.K.'s position in the European Union, which is favored by the political and old-monied
British elite.
In short, this was a coup attempt.
And don't think for a second that this is not plausible. Remember it was Margaret Thatcher's
own most trusted people who betrayed her to get the U.K. into the European Union in the first
place. This was why they brought down The Iron Lady.
So, here's the scene:
May and Johnson both get told by trusted advisors that there is incontrovertible proof
of Russia's hand in this. They go with this information with confidence to parliament, the
U.N., high-level meetings with foreign leaders and the press. They convince their allies to
stand strong against the evil Russians who is everyone's bid 'baddie' at this point.
Trump has to go along with this nonsense even though he is obviously skeptical otherwise
there will be an uproar in the US press about him betraying our most trusted ally for his
puppet-master Putin .
To be honest, I don't think these bozos, May and Johnson, were in on the plan. I think they
were being played all along and now will be the patsies.
Just like May was played last year, calling for snap elections. The minute she called them
there were terror attacks all over London, marches against her over public safety. A media
campaign which puffed up Jeremy Corbyn, who they are now destroying for his rightful
trepidation about this fairy tale MI-6 is spinning.
The goal was to weaken May and get Labour back in charge. Corbyn would then be cast aside
and a Tony Blair clone installed as Prime Minister to scuttle Brexit and restore order to the
galaxy, Europe. Unfortunately, the DUP got enough of the vote to re-elect a very weakened May
and things have limped along for nearly a year.
Crisis on Infinite Empires
The problem with this however, is like all plans of those desperate to cling to vestiges of
former glory (and the U.K. is definitely the poster child for that), is the crisis of
confidence it will engender. Make no mistake, Brexit was no mistake. It's what the people of
Britain wanted and they want it more now than in 2016. So, they don't dare call for a new
referendum. But, they are also looking at a third parliamentary vote in as many years.
And that doesn't scream confidence no matter how much markets would prefer the legal status
quo. Opposition to Brexit comes from the entrenched monied power, not from any adherence to
globalist ideology.
But, if Brexit is betrayed through this hackneyed farce of a spy thriller, it won't sit
well with the British people. Scotland's call for a second referendum will continue to grow and
the Pound will fall alongside the competitiveness of British labor still trapped within a
euro-zone that has done nothing but choke the life out of the economy.
The Pound will begin to sink into irrelevancy as this unfolds. It won't happen overnight,
but we will look back on these events and see them as the trigger points for the path of
history.
Between these things and the toxic levels of political correctness as it pertains to
Muslim immigration, the insanity of London liberals and the de facto police state the U.K. has
become and you have a recipe for political unrest that will not be pretty. Brexit was meant to
be the peaceful revolution that put the nail in the coffin of the march to one world
government. It is about to be nullified. When it is the sun will finally set on what's left of
the British Empire.
The problem with this "they made May do it" narrative is that she (and Bojo the
blowhard) were clearly no reluctant stooges. They were relishing their chest thumping,
Russia hating roles, and it is easier to believe they were in fact the architects not the
pawns.
I think Craig Murray understands it best when he said the government had put pressure
on Porton Down scientists to say the agent was made in Russia. Even the Aitkenhead
interview had the fingerprints of government handlers all over it, when, after
"finishing" the interview and taking down the camera, they had to set it up again - it
was in a different position - in order to coerce Aitkenhead to make the absurd claim that
it could only have been made by a state actor.
So it looks like a government orchestrated provocation for political reasons - to puff
up May's "tough" credentials, and get the UK punching above its weight in the
international arena. But all it has really done is strain the already fraying
relationship between the Nato states.
.....it could only have been made by a state actor.....About twenty state actors can
produce it, including Porton Down / the UK.
So it means nothing for people who can think, on the other hand it means a lot for MSM
propaganda and sheepishly population.
George Galloway said it best. Paraphrasing : "England wants you to believe that a
military grade nerve
agent that is classified 10 times more potent than VX, did not kill anyone? They want you
to believe that the nerve agent was on the door handle so when the Shripal's left the
house, the father closed the door and his daughter needed to doubled checked if it was
closed? Really? So, it was so deadly that they managed to get to the car, disappear for a
few hours, then went to a pub followed by a restaurant where, amazingly enough, they felt
well enough to eat a full meal and finally both of them fell at the same time on a park
bench over 4 hours later? Not one investigator or police that went to
the Shripal house, during the investigation got sick?
If you believe that story, you are not a sheep, you are an idiot!"
That was my gut feeling from the beginning, that it was the MI6 for some internal
stuff. I didn't think of Brexit but it makes sense. Either way, Britain has already since
decades been geopolitically irrelevant other than as the empire's muscle's sidekick.
It
never had a vision for Europe (other than to start wars in it since centuries) and never
really wanted to be part of it. What is Britain anyhow except for a very beautiful
country? Isn't that enough? Why do you always have to be important? Look at Portugal,
this often overlooked small country at the edge of Europe where the sun sets in the ocean
as otherwise only in California. We used to be the world's number one empire once, then
number two, and now? It is certainly going to be the place I want to spend my retirement
in. Great weather, rough sea, beautiful beaches, amazing food, and one of the most
friendly people in all of Europe. What's an empire good for?
The problem is that these rich people cannot appreciate anything. Here in Hamburg our
old Hanseatic money is modeled very much after the British way. Golfing, rowing, tennis,
hockey, private boarding schools, the whole shebang. I've been to school with a lot of
them and noticed that they all have this aura of lost sadness that can only be filled by
greed and artificial importance in artificial clubs and such.
A lot of my classmates
ended up managing hedge funds in London, prior to 2008 at least. They still eradiate this
cold, empty sadness, but they meet annually in Bangkok for guess what. I prefer to
appreciate the simple things and instead of clinging to a distant past the British elites
would do well to make room for their common people to do the same, for example by
providing for affordable housing in their cities, especially in London.
Sergei, neither did I and that was the part that was distressing me for the past
couple of weeks. Then it finally hit me while I was on YouTube livestreaming about
this... and I thought... "Yeah, that's the missing piece."
The only part I disagree with is that which the writer states May and Johnson were
actually in on this sell out of Britain. Boris is a buffoon, for working with May, so is
Gove and so are all (who claimed to be BREXITEERS) but as yo whether Johnson is actually
in on it, I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Let's face it though his reputation
is ruined and permanently so as a result of enigmatic blaming the Russians for this gross
miscarriage of justice (guilty until proven innocent).
As for #ShariaAppeaserMay she is
the 'woman' behind keeping the UK in and will be 'the women' who breaks the UK apart. She
is bungling, useless and a traitor to this country and all the foolhardy have stood by
and watche her complete and utter uselessness be the badge Britain wears in future. The
Russians are laughing as #theMaybot destroys her own and UK credibility, she was a liar,
remonaner and appeaser from the beginning.
It won't be long, the country can only be saved by Divine Intervention.
I didn't say they were in on this. Actually I made it a point not to say that. "To be honest, I don't think these bozos, May and Johnson, were in on the plan. I
think they were being played all along and now will be the patsies."
MOSCOW, April 6. /TASS/. The cat and two guinea pigs Sergei Skripal had kept in his
home might have proved an important piece of evidence in the case of the former GRU
colonel's poisoning, because the animals died under very strange circumstances, Russian
Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on her Facebook page, adding that did
not happen because they were cremated.
"At first sight this may look a reason for another portion of
key-witnesses-have-been-eliminated jokes," she said. "In reality, though, they were
really 'crucial pieces of evidence,' if it is true a poisonous substance, according to
some versions, might have been used inside Skripal's house."
Strange search
Zakharova was surprised that the pets reportedly died because they had remained inside
the house all alone without being taken care of.
"How is that? The house was searched but the pets remained unnoticed. The pets of a
man who was suspected to have been poisoned with a nerve gas?!" she said.
Also, Zakharova raised doubts why the cat was euthanized at the Porton Down chemical
laboratory.
"Is this Britain's usual way of treating house pets? Is it quite common?" she
asked.
"That is not all," Zakharova went on to say. "According to media rumors, the guinea
pigs and the cat were cremated. In other words, destroyed, although the pets' bodies
might have served a crucial piece of evidence in the poisoning case."
Zakharova said that according to Russian sources, the British Broadcasting Corporation
(the BBC) did know that pets were remaining in Skripal's house, but kept quiet about
that. "We would like to hear explanations," she added.
Advice to May and Boris: When you're is such a hole, keep digging. LOL!
The moral victor is Corbyn and that may translate in dumping the Blairite backstabbers
within Labour and perhaps a real victory at elections. The upcoming local elections next
month may serve as an indication.
Just for the record - Brexit talks are easy - they went from the win-lose battle of a
cash payment a long while ago and have been on win-win negotiations ever since. The only
rule in these negotiations is that everyone must claim victory over everything so the
publicity is very different from the facts.
Sorry Tom, I do not agree. More like we have privatised so much of our intelligence
services, just like the US has got the private sector, working on around 80% of their
intelligence. Leaving it to those with minimal knowledge, but, experts in the art of
spin, as Elliot Higgins, with his Google Software Certificate, comes to mind. Just one of
the experts of the day, with a similar set of skills.
Now why does Elliot Higgins remind me Atlantic Council, NATO and those behind the
Great Israel Project, so come to mind? So where do Boris and May fit in and who are they
loyal to? If you look at the demonization of Corbyn, together with how they are using the
anti-Semitic card, to go with the Zionist led media, hysteria, behind Jeremy.
The Skripals and Salisbury Plain, were meant to complement another false flag that
was due to go down. Only Russia and Syria prevented it from happening, before those
running the other part of the script, received the message.
How would things have gone, if there was a chemical weapons incident, on the scale of
say 9/11, that happened in Syria, with a minor story, set up at the same time, to accuse
Russia of a CW incident in the UK?
Tim Bell
Bell Pottinger
PR Media Management Litvinenko and good friend Boris Berezovsky
Sans Frontieres
Doctors Without Borders
Journlists Without Borders
White Helmets
Atlantic Council
NATO
Trump Dossier
Christopher Steele
Sergei Skripal
Ukraine
Salisbury Plain and the list goes on
How does it all fit in, with other stories that are running?
All Russiagate Roads Lead To London: Evidence Emerges Of Mifsud's Links To UK
Intelligence...
https://www.zerohedge.com/n...
Jeish Al-Islam's Chemical Weapons Production Workshops Discovered in Eastern
Ghouta
The Syrian army found a number of workshops and facilities in Eastern Ghouta of Damascus
that had been used by Jeish al-Islam terrorist group to produce chemical weapons and
toxic gases...
https://www.veteranstoday.c...
Despots and
Rogues, Met Its
End in South Africa
The British firm Bell Pottinger, hired by
three brothers now caught up in a nationwide
corruption scandal, helped drive racial
tensions to levels not felt since apartheid...
https://www.nytimes.com/201...
"The Skripals and Salisbury Plain, were meant to complement another false flag that
was due to go down. Only Russia and Syria prevented it from happening, before those
running the other part of the script, received the message."
This part at least sounds like a very good explanation.
AM,
You may be right about the motivations behind this being a bit more murky than I put it
in the article. I'm willing to admit I may be wrong here. It's part of what I do, take
things and spin out plausible scenarios.
The net effect, however, will be as I laid out, the loss of confidence in the U.K.
government, it's further isolation and subservience to both the U.S. and the EU will
hasten its demise now that it's alienated both China and Russia over this idiotic
incident.
Why did British government killed Skirpal's pests?
Police search of the Skripal's house was so thorough that in a month they couldn't find
his cat and 2 guinea pigs.
Now, the police issued the statement full of lies.
I wouldn't worry much about the May government, ...it was doomed to fail much sooner,
then later from the day they assumed office, but what the world, and particularly Europe
should be VERY afraid of: the collapse of GREAT @#$%& BRITAIN!
Why? ...what's that piddy little island off the European Mainland got, that the rest
of Europe don't, ...right?
More then 2/3 of ALL financial transactions are done through the City of London, and
the EU has, although there are several contenders, not yet transferred all this to the
European Mainland to any major financial center on the Mainland! ...Frankfurt am Main and
Paris are the top two contenders.
If Great Britain goes to the dogs, all hell is going to break loose on the
Mainland!
We learn that this hoax is indeed a hoax: Russian TV Releases Phone Call Of 'Poisoned' Yulia Skripal Saying Her And Her Father
Are 'Fine'
"Everything's ok. He's resting now, having a sleep. Everyone's health is fine, there's
nothing that can't be put right. I'll be discharged soon. Everything is ok."
it is always Hard to bring the truth to the People when you have the Paedophile
Protection Network the BBC, protecting all the Criminal low lifes and sowing the seeds of
discontent, because people tend to believe what they hear First before the begin to
analyse it, But I beleive that we have a Criminal Government whom have lied and lied and
lied, first lie the Grenfell tower the death figures are a lie i would have said it was
between 300 and 500 and possibly Higher, she is Lying about Brexit and she does have the
Choice to leave it Without Paying a penny for a Union that was created and Controlled by
the USA, And now we have the poisoning of Skripal and His Daughter, because the poison
clearly came from Porton Down, because the have the Antidote and have always had it as
they have Always had the Poison and it was clearly implemented by MI6, as was the
Poison's that Porton Down were Spraying on their own people 40 and 50 Years Ago when the
had little van's Running About The Countryside spraying out toxic poisons that was the
Precurser to chemtrail's, think of all the worst things that Porton Down can do, and all
your Gueses could be Right, To Put It In Spades Porton Down Stinks to High Heaven And
Should Have Been Shut Down 50 years Ago, they have murdered hundreds of People in the
Name Of National Security, the list of lies goes On and On and On.
One can look back a few month's before Salisbury and see May out of the blue
ratcheting up her Russophobia during speeches on Youtube. Keep in mind that as Home
minister from 2010-2016 May must have had direct relations with MI5.
Also her carefully
scripted language more implying than direct stating offers her a plausible deniability
just like Blair exploited. So the fault can be shifted to faulty intelligence or experts.
So presenting May as a victim is 'highly likely' too generous. My guess is that she was
involved from its inception.
The rest of BREXIT does not matter, for those concerned. However, the BREXIT talks
were not going that well. Remember, the EU and all their demands, when we just had to sit
tight, keep the cheque book closed, retain our fishing rights, post exit, walk away from
the legal loopholes, concerned with the EU and the EU gets nought, as we toddle off, in
March 2019. In the meantime, May goes to see the EU leaders, next stage signed off, but,
we are left in ignorance and low and behold, so many Russian Diplomats are expelled from
US and EU nations, just a couple of days after May has been horsetrading?
We will see what comes next. I think that the €urozone will not only survive but
enlarge to Sweden and Denmark. It is true that the €urozone only can continue as a
European Federation, but a European Federation is inevitable if we want Europe to have a
say in global affairs, with a GDP similar to China in size and a much higher income per
head.
The EU will never be what you Spaniards and we Croats want.
We would like something like the US of Europe.
All people to be equal.
Sweden, Denmark, Germany... want a lot of bantustans in Europe.
The name bantustan was used in the RSA during apartheid when they had created a lot of
independent states in order to exploit them.
My question to you is - if you were a Dane would you like to share "all spoils" with
third world countries like Bulgaria, Romania...and tomorrow Bosnia, Macedonia...etc?
Even today, as it is, by law you as EU citizen are not allowed to stay more than three
months - let's say in Italy - if you don't comply some requirements, like a proof that
you work, that you seek a job, that you study... Try to open a bank account in Italy
without those requirements.
No chance.
EU - to my opinion is a big delusion.
Artisans cannot benefit because of language barriers, poor organization to find a
job...Highly skilled people are not needed...
Just imagine this scenario...
The US says to Spain or to Croatia - Whoever wants from now on can go to the US...but
will not get the American citizenship. The person is only eligible to seek work...once
you get the job you can stay/work forever.
How many people would go?
How many skills are marketable?
No single layer, social worker, teacher, administrator, policeman, government employee,
psycholog, politician...would go.
Etc....
There is another cover-up taking place in May's government in the midst of the Skripal
hysteria, and that is of the decades-old sex rings (organized by Asian Muslims, according
to what I have read) that have raped between 1,000-1500 girls in three English towns. It
is a sensitive issue, but should rightfully be reported. The U.K. press is not reporting
much on it, and the American MSM has been silent. Think about it: the uproar created
about the fates of two people (Skripal and his daughter), but the suffering of
potentially 1500 girls suppressed. This is a disgrace. But the British people know and
are demanding a fuller investigation into these crimes.
My only problem with this article is if May's government fails, then there is a
serious risk for the globalists that a more ardent Brexiter may end up leading the
party!
After the Skripal affair, is any more proof required that nothingin neoliberal MSM can be taken at face value? Looks like their
motto is "if at first you don't succeed, lie, lie again."
Notable quotes:
"... So politically devastating is the exposure of Britain's lies that yesterday the Foreign Office deleted a text it sent out on March 22 declaring that the "analysis by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down made clear that this was a military-grade novichok nerve agent produced in Russia." ..."
"... The emergency session of the OPCW called at Russia's request received no answers to the serious questions Moscow insisted Britain had to address. Instead, the UK's representative said Russia could not take part in a joint investigation with Britain into the Skripal affair, as it was "a likely perpetrator." This was given unqualified backing by an EU spokesperson, who demanded that Russia respond to the UK's "legitimate questions" about its alleged continued production of novichoks. ..."
"... No less implicated in this criminal affair is the corporate media, especially the New York Times, which has spent the past month disseminating the raw propaganda issued by London and Washington and baying for Moscow's punishment. At no point did the Times raise a single question about the reliability of the claims of the May government. And now its response to the refutation of the lies is to ignore and bury Aitkenhead's statement. The role of the corporate media in the Skripal provocation confirms the political purpose of the hysterical campaign it has been leading against "fake news," and its insistence that social media be regulated, restricted and monitored. ..."
On Tuesday, Gary Aitkenhead, chief executive of the UK's chemical weapons facility, the Porton Down Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory, told Sky News that scientists had "not verified the precise source" of the material used in the attack in Salisbury on
March 4. Aitkenhead's statement came on the eve of the convening at Moscow's request of the Organisation for the Prevention of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW) at The Hague, which would have exposed the UK government's case. But this resort to damage control only underscores
the monstrous hoax perpetrated by the British and American governments and their European allies.
May told parliament on March 12 that Porton Down was "absolutely categorical" that the "nerve agent" used on the Skripals had
come from Russia. "Based on the positive identification of this chemical agent by world-leading experts at Porton Down," she said,
"the government has concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible" for an "attempted murder" on British soil.
Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson told German broadcaster Deutsche Welle on March 20 that "the people from Porton Down"
were "absolutely categorical" that the source of the nerve agent used against the Skripals was Russia. "I asked the guy myself,"
he said, "and he said 'there's no doubt.'"
So politically devastating is the exposure of Britain's lies that yesterday the Foreign Office deleted a text it sent out
on March 22 declaring that the "analysis by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down
made clear that this was a military-grade novichok nerve agent produced in Russia."
... ... ...
The emergency session of the OPCW called at Russia's request received no answers to the serious questions Moscow insisted
Britain had to address. Instead, the UK's representative said Russia could not take part in a joint investigation with Britain into
the Skripal affair, as it was "a likely perpetrator." This was given unqualified backing by an EU spokesperson, who demanded that
Russia respond to the UK's "legitimate questions" about its alleged continued production of novichoks.
No less implicated in this criminal affair is the corporate media, especially the New York Times, which has spent the past
month disseminating the raw propaganda issued by London and Washington and baying for Moscow's punishment. At no point did the Times
raise a single question about the reliability of the claims of the May government. And now its response to the refutation of the
lies is to ignore and bury Aitkenhead's statement. The role of the corporate media in the Skripal provocation confirms the political
purpose of the hysterical campaign it has been leading against "fake news," and its insistence that social media be regulated, restricted
and monitored.
The absurd speed at which the British Government reacted to the incident probably means that the event was coordinated with
the USA. the fact that The British Government's ignoring of legal frameworks and protocols points to existence of a plan how to fuel
this incident to the British equivalent of Russiagate, facts be damned.
That returns us to the classic question Cue bono? When British government supported by the USA demanded that the Western nations
join in blaming Russia, with no evidence whatsoever only half the EU nations went along, and, while Trump allowed his Administration
to expel Russian diplomats, he himself laid no blame on the Russians, and announced that Moscow could replace their diplomats.
The UK's chemical weapons experts issues a statement which shown that Prime Minister May clearly jumped the gun. The question
is Why? She probably understood the flimsiness of the evidence better then nobody. So why "end justifies the means" act
on her part?
That suggest that we are witnessing just initial steps of multi-step gambit and there can be more victims is this story.
Please remember that Dr. David Kelly was "suicided" after testifying against Blair's "sexed up dossier" that lead to the Iraq War.
Notable quotes:
"... Not only has the British Government acted with lightning speed, it has also ridden roughshod over a number of international legal agreements and protocols. ..."
"... according to the British Government's own timeline , it wasn't until March 14th the day that Mrs May formally announced the culpability of the Russian State to Parliament that she actually wrote to the OPCW to involve them in the case. This is, I understand, contrary to the obligations Britain has as a member of the OPCW, and signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). ..."
"... In addition, the British Government has refused to provide evidence to the Russian Government. Again, my understanding is that this is contrary to the protocols set out in the CWC ..."
"... Why, if it was so sure of its claims, did the British Government feel the need to ignore international agreements to which it is a signatory, and instead act in this opaque and frankly suspicious manner? ..."
"... As mentioned above, the Chief Executive of Porton Down, Gary Aitkenhead has confirmed that the laboratory was unable to identify the origin of the substance used to poison the Skripals. ..."
"... In other words, according to the door theory, the two of them were poisoned by a military grade nerve agent, which then took over three hours to have any effect. Odd, wouldn't you say? ..."
"... Therefore, if they were poisoned at the front door, this would mean that not only did the two of them feel little or no effects for the three hours or so that followed, but it would also mean that a large 66-year-old man and an averagely built 33-year-old woman, of different height, weight and metabolism, somehow succumbed to the effects of poisoning at exactly the same time, some three hours or so later. Again, is that not very odd? ..."
"... Perhaps it is possible to survive a miniscule dose of such a nerve agent. The problem with this is that according to many earlier claims, there were significant traces of the substance in various parts of the City of Salisbury, which indicates that it cannot have been a very miniscule amount that they came into contact with at the door. Which means that we are being asked to believe that they were poisoned by "more than a miniscule amount" of this deadly poison, but both somehow survived, despite neither receiving an antidote (a fact now confirmed by Gary Aitkenhead). Does that not seem improbable? ..."
"... Another possibility that the British Government or intelligence services were behind the incident has been given great credibility by the British Government itself, in its absurdly quick reaction to the incident and its blatant ignoring of legal protocols. ..."
"... If British intelligence had planned a hit job on Mr Skripal using a military-grade nerve agent "of a type developed by Russia", in order to then pin the blame on the Russian Government, I doubt very much that Mr Skripal and his daughter would still be alive, or that the explanation for where the poison was administered would be changing on a daily basis, or that the British Government's evidence to other countries would have been as risible as it was (unless of course our intelligence agencies are as incompetent as such a scenario would require them to be, that is). ..."
I have now asked a total of 50 questions around the Skripal case, which you can find
here
and
here . Having gone back through these questions, as far as I can see only three have been answered by the release of public information
or events that have transpired. These are:
Are they (Sergei and Yulia Skripal) still alive?
If so, what is their current condition and what symptoms are they displaying?
Can the government confirm that its scientists at Porton Down have established that the substance that poisoned the Skripals
and D.S. Bailey was actually produced or manufactured in Russia?
On the first two points we are now told that Yulia Skripal's condition has significantly improved to the point where she is said
to be recovering well and talking. However, although this provides something of an answer to these questions, it also raises a number
of others. Is she finally being allowed consular access? Is she being allowed to speak to her fiancι, her grandmother, or her cousin
by telephone? Most importantly, how does her recovery comport with the claim that she was poisoned with a "military-grade nerve agent"
with a toxicity around 5-8 times that of VX nerve agent?
It is important that reasonable questions continue to be raised, as they not only help clarify the actual issues, but the answers
-- or lack thereof -- are also a good barometer as to how the official narrative stacks up. As a keen observer of the case -- especially
since it took place just a few hundred yards from my home in Salisbury -- I have to say that the official narrative of the British
Government has not stood up to even the most cursory scrutiny from the outset. In fact, there are three crucial issues that serve
to raise suspicions about it, and to my mind these issues are the most important aspects of the case so far:
The absurd speed at which the British Government reacted to the incident
The British Government's ignoring of legal frameworks and protocols
The large number of discrepancies between events and the official narrative
Let's just look at these in turn.
1. The absurd speed at which the British Government reacted to the incident
I remain astonished at the manner and the speed with which the British Government reacted to this incident. There was the speed
with which the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, first pointed the finger of culpability, less than 48 hours after the incident,
and before any investigation or analysis of the substance had taken place. There was the speed with which Porton Down was apparently
able to analyse and identify the substance, even though it is set to take the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) at least three weeks to carry out a similar identification. There was the speed with which the British Government officially
accused the Russian Government of being behind the incident, and the 36-hour ultimatum given to it to prove its innocence without
being given any of the evidence that apparently showed its culpability. There was the speed with which the British Government, armed
with evidence that looked like it was put together by a
rather dull 14-year-old on work experience , managed
to convince a number of other countries to expel diplomats, including 60 from the United States.
Why, if it was so sure of its claims, did the British Government feel the need to act so hastily and recklessly, rather than await
the results of the investigation?
2. The British Government's ignoring of legal frameworks and protocols
Not only has the British Government acted with lightning speed, it has also ridden roughshod over a number of international
legal agreements and protocols.
Firstly, there is the involvement of the OPCW. What ought to have happened is the British Government should have invited the OPCW
in as part of the investigation immediately upon suspicion of the use of a nerve agent. However,
according to the British Government's own timeline
, it wasn't until March 14th the day that Mrs May formally announced the culpability of the Russian State to Parliament that
she actually wrote to the OPCW to involve them in the case. This is, I understand, contrary to the obligations Britain has as a member
of the OPCW, and signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC).
In addition, the British Government has refused to provide evidence to the Russian Government. Again, my understanding is
that this is contrary to the protocols set out in the CWC.
The British Government has also refused to grant the Russian Embassy in London consular access to two Russian nationals, Sergei
and Yulia Skripal, which it is legally obliged to do under Articles 36 and 37 of the 1963 Vienna Convention and Article 35 (1) of
the 1965 Consular Convention.
Why, if it was so sure of its claims, did the British Government feel the need to ignore international agreements to which
it is a signatory, and instead act in this opaque and frankly suspicious manner?
3. The number of oddities and discrepancies in the official narrative
The speed of apportioning blame and the ignoring of international legal agreements might not have looked nearly as suspicious
had the narrative presented by the British Government and the facts on the ground been in harmony with one another. But they have
not been. Instead, many of the actual events that have transpired over the weeks since the incident was first reported simply do
not fit the overarching explanation given. Below are five of the most important:
1. As mentioned above, the Chief Executive of Porton Down, Gary Aitkenhead has confirmed that the laboratory was unable to
identify the origin of the substance used to poison the Skripals. This is in direct contradiction to the claims made by the
Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, who said the following on the
Andrew Marr Show on 18th March :
Obviously to the best of our knowledge this is a Russian-made nerve agent that falls within the category Novichok made only by
Russia, and just to get back to the point about the international reaction which is so fascinating
If it's made only by Russia, as Mr Johnson claimed, then it must have originated in Russia. Right? Yet Mr Aitkenhead says they were
unable to identify where it was made.
Then in an interview with
Deutsche Welle two days after his above comments, Mr Johnson was categorical about the source of the nerve agent as being Russian.
Here's the exchange:
Interviewer: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to find it out so quickly?
Does Britain possess samples of it?
Johnson: "Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton Down, the laboratory "
Interviewer: "So they have the samples
Johnson: "They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said, 'Are you sure?' And he said there's
no doubt."
Who "the guy" is, perhaps we'll never know. The cleaner perhaps? I suppose a politician of Mr Johnson's calibre will happily try
to weasel his way out of the implications of what he said. But to us lesser mortals, it does rather look like he was deliberately
misleading, doesn't it
2. Much of the investigation initially concentrated on where the Skripals were poisoned. Amongst the suggestions made were the
bench on which they collapsed, the Zizzi restaurant where they had eaten, Ms Skripal's luggage or Mr Skripal's car. Then, some 24
days after the incident, it was announced that a high concentration of the "military-grade nerve agent" had been found on the front
door, and that this was the likely place of poisoning. Yet it is known that after leaving the house, Mr Skripal and his daughter
drove into the City Centre, went to the Mill pub, and then to the restaurant where they ate a meal together. In other words,
according to the door theory, the two of them were poisoned by a military grade nerve agent, which then took over three hours to
have any effect. Odd, wouldn't you say?
3. Furthermore, it has been stated that the two of them became ill at the same time on the bench in the Maltings. Therefore,
if they were poisoned at the front door, this would mean that not only did the two of them feel little or no effects for the three
hours or so that followed, but it would also mean that a large 66-year-old man and an averagely built 33-year-old woman, of different
height, weight and metabolism, somehow succumbed to the effects of poisoning at exactly the same time, some three hours or so later.
Again, is that not very odd?
4. The claim that they were poisoned by a military grade nerve agent, of a type said to be 5-8 times the toxicity of VX nerve
agent, is itself surely open to question. Both Mr Skripal and his daughter not only survived, but Yulia Skripal is now said to be
sitting up and talking just weeks later. Perhaps it is possible to survive a miniscule dose of such a nerve agent. The problem
with this is that according to many earlier claims, there were significant traces of the substance in various parts of the City of
Salisbury, which indicates that it cannot have been a very miniscule amount that they came into contact with at the door. Which means
that we are being asked to believe that they were poisoned by "more than a miniscule amount" of this deadly poison, but both somehow
survived, despite neither receiving an antidote (a fact now confirmed by Gary Aitkenhead). Does that not seem improbable?
5. The official explanation that this was planned and authorised at the highest level within the Russian Government would
lead one to believe that the action was carried out by top level agents of the FSB. Yet the mode of attack nerve agent apparently
smeared or sprayed on the door has to be one of the least effective methods that could be used to assassinate anyone. For a start,
it rains a lot in Salisbury, and it did indeed rain on the day of the poisoning. If the substance was left at the front door (assuming
it was the outside), the attacker(s) could have had no guarantee that it would not be washed off before Mr Skripal touched it. Nor
could they have had any guarantee that he, as opposed to his daughter or perhaps a delivery person etc, would come into contact with
it. And of course there is the fact that Mr Skripal is still alive. Does any of this seem consistent with the narrative of a professional,
Kremlin-authorised hit-job.
Conclusion
Where does this leave us? The official narrative would have us believe that the Russian Government authorised the killing of a
has-been (former?) MI6 spy, who it had freed in 2010 and who presumably posed no threat to it, just a week before the Russian election
and weeks before the World Cup, using a nerve agent with an exclusively Russian signature, in a way (on the door) that could not
guarantee the intended target would touch it. This would be difficult enough to swallow by itself, but the British Government's rush
to judgement, disregard for law, and the many discrepancies in the actual events themselves make this scenario absurdly implausible.
Another possibility that the British Government or intelligence services were behind the incident has been given great
credibility by the British Government itself, in its absurdly quick reaction to the incident and its blatant ignoring of legal protocols.
These actions were bound to fuel suspicions about the possibility of its own involvement, and I have to say that such suspicions
are absolutely legitimate precisely because of the way it has behaved. However, it must be said that the oddities and discrepancies
in the case don't lend themselves very well to the idea of a carefully planned false flag. If British intelligence had planned
a hit job on Mr Skripal using a military-grade nerve agent "of a type developed by Russia", in order to then pin the blame on the
Russian Government, I doubt very much that Mr Skripal and his daughter would still be alive, or that the explanation for where the
poison was administered would be changing on a daily basis, or that the British Government's evidence to other countries would have
been as risible as it was (unless of course our
intelligence agencies are as incompetent as such a scenario would require them to be, that is).
My hunch -- and it is just that -- is that Mr Skripal himself was perhaps still working for British intelligence, and may have
been in possession of a nerve agent. Somehow, this involvement went wrong, and he ended up accidently poisoning himself and his daughter
on the bench in The Maltings. The Government then scrambled to concoct a story in order to cover up the real story of a Russian working
for MI6 and handling nerve agents, and so quickly decided to point the finger at that most convenient scapegoat, the Russian Government.
The reason that I'm attracted to this possibility is that it explains all three aspects I have described above, and which I think
are the most important aspects of the case. The rush to judgement -- which looked like panic-mode to me -- could have been an attempt
to divert attention away from the investigation looking at the possibility of Mr Skripal having military grade nerve agent in his
possession. The ignoring of international legal protocols, at least for a time, could have been done to ensure that the case was
not probed by any outside body, which may well have exposed discrepancies. And it could also explain many of the oddities mentioned
above, such as traces of nerve agent apparently being found in various places in Salisbury, since these could have come about because
Mr Skripal was in possession of some sort of nerve agent when he left his house that day.
As I say, this is just a hunch and purely speculative. I am probably wrong. But unless the British Government is able to produce
far better evidence than it has so far produced, to back up the claims it has made, I shall consider it a more credible possibility
than the one they have sold to the British public.
Paul Saunders, associate publisher of the National Interest , interviewed
retired Russian general Evgeny Buzhinsky. Buzhinsky retired from the Russian Armed Forces in
2009 as a lieutenant general.
Paul Saunders: You said recently that the confrontation between the United Kingdom and
Russia over the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury could lead to "the
last war in the history of mankind." What did you mean by that?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: I'm sorry, but the BBC correspondent understood me incorrectly. It is not
between Russia and the UK: it is between Russia and the so-called collective West, led by the
United States by the way. This incident was a crime. In investigating this sort of crime, any
investigator must ask some questions: who stands to benefit? What's the motive? For President
Putin, believe me, he is the last man on Earth to try to do such a terrible thing on the eve of
the Russian presidential elections and the eve of the soccer championship in Moscow. This is a
blatant provocation, but what is the aim of this provocation? I don't know if you've heard the
"breaking news" that the British military laboratory said that there are no clues that indicate
that this poison is of Russian production, which is not surprising to me. So no proof, no
evidence, yet the British government said that "we collected information" -- what information?
-- "and on the basis of that information we are sure this crime was committed by Russians."
The question always asked these days if this is a new Cold War or a second Cold War. I
always state that its worse! In the time of the Cold War, everything was clear: an ideological
confrontation, but there were definite truths, definite red lines, no threats, no sanctions. No
cases such as recently, with U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham has called to press Russia, to isolate
Russia, to economically corner Russia. In my view, it is a very dangerous game to try to corner
and isolate Russia.
Paul Saunders: In your statement though, you seem to suggest that you see a possibility of a
real military conflict between Russia and the West. How do you think something like that could
come about?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: The first place where such a conflict could come about is in Syria.
Recently, some days ago, when the Russians spoke to Dunford [Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
Staff Gen. Joseph Dunford] after the Americans threatened to strike the center of Damascus, and
Russia made a public statement that if the United States strikes the center of Damascus, where
Russian servicemen are located, where the headquarters where Russian police and advisors are,
then Russia will strike back against the cruise missiles and the carriers of the cruise
missiles. In my view, this is very dangerous since U.S. cruise missiles are launched from
warships.
Paul Saunders: So you view that statement by Gen. Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Russian
General Staff, as a very serious threat?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: Yes, it's serious. And I don't think he was joking or just making a
statement to surprise some Americans. No, I am absolutely sure he was serious.
While we're on Syria, there is the subject of chemical weapons. I do appreciate that our
gathered intelligence indicates and can warn the world that terrorists, not the Syrian
government, are the ones deploying chemical weapons in certain locations in provocative
attacks. This results in TV crews being in the right place at the right times, preventing such
provocations. But I think that with such confrontational circumstances that the United States
could decide to strike Damascus.
Paul Saunders: And in that situation, the Russian military would follow through on General
Gerasimov's statement? Many people in the United States would say to themselves that Russia has
a really powerful military force, but President Putin is ultimately a very pragmatic person who
knows that Russia's economy is less than 5 percent of the combined U.S. and European economies
and he would never risk a war like that.
Evgeny Buzhinsky: In the case of war, the economy doesn't matter. 5 percent, 2 percent, 3
percent, it doesn't matter. Because if it ends in war, it will be a very very short war. Do you
think that Russia will go to war with United States for months or years? Of course not.
Paul Saunders: Are you suggesting it would become a nuclear war or it would end very quickly
because of the nature of modern warfare and the conventional weapons at the disposal of the
United States and Russia?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: It is very difficult to predict, but I am sure that any military
confrontation will end up with the use of nuclear weapons between the United States and Russia.
I don't believe that a nuclear confrontation can be controlled; this is an illusion on the part
of the United States.
Paul Saunders: Do you see any dangers elsewhere apart from Syria?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: Possibly Ukraine, if the United States interferes. Ukraine started this,
Russia answered. But I don't think that's very likely.
Paul Saunders: Turning back to the dispute surrounding Mr. Skripal, the United Kingdom
called for solidarity among its allies. Most of the NATO countries also expelled Russian
diplomats. The United States certainly expelled a very considerable number and also closed the
consulate in Seattle. What impact do you think that had inside Russia? What message did the
Russian government and the Russian people take from that strong, coordinated response? Evgeny
Buzhinsky: First of all, I repeat: what happened with Mr. Skripal was a planned provocation. I
don't know if the UK was alone in planning this, but it is a clear-cut provocation attempting
to demonize and isolate Russia. To find a pretext for expelling Russian diplomats. This is why
I am unsure where this confrontational path can lead. What would be next? For example, now the
United States is thinking about their response; they will expel another round of Russian
diplomats. Russia would expel another fifty. Then the United States would expel another fifty.
After that, then what? A freezing of diplomatic relations?
Paul Saunders: Turning back, you mentioned the idea that this all started with a British
provocation, and it certainly seems to be a widespread view in Russia that this was some kind
of provocation, what do you think would be the motive of the British government to do something
like that?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: Well, no offense meant, but I believe that move by Theresa May was
coordinated with Washington. A lot of Russian experts and observers think so. What was the
motive? I don't know, maybe it was an attempt to divert attention from the internal problems
that Theresa May is facing. For example, what was the first item on the agenda during the last
EU summit? Brexit terms, including conditions that aren't favorable for Britain. And after this
provocation? Russia, with discussions about European solidarity against it instead of talking
about Brexit. Maybe that was the real motive.
Paul Saunders: As you can imagine, very few people in the United States or Britain find it
plausible that the British government would do something like that. Do you think there is any
evidence that would suggest something like that may have happened, beyond your view that there
was not really a motive for Russia to do something like that and there is a motive for the
UK?
Evgeny Buzhinsky: I must tell you frankly: I know some people from our intelligence
services, and they're very concerned. Because Mr. Skripal was exchanged via the illegal program
spy swap, there is a worry that this could endanger or ruin the entire mechanism of exchange.
What is the use of this mechanism if people will be killed afterwards? On the Russian side,
there is no motive whatsoever. On the British side, we can only guess.
The British Imperial Lords are in a state of shock. Their frantic effort to save the Empire
came crashing down Tuesday when the scientists at Porton Down refused to lie for the Empire --
refused to say that the nerve agent in the Skripal case came from Russia. Recall that it was
David Kelly, the head of the Defence Microbiology Division at Porton Down and a member of the
inspection team in Iraq, who blew the whistle on Tony Blair's "sexed up" dossier claiming that
Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. As a scientist he refused to lie. Kelly was
"suicided" as a result, and the illegal and genocidal war went on.
This time, neither George W. Bush nor Barack Obama are around to provide cover for the
Empire's lies. President Trump, to the dismay of the British and American oligarchs and press
whores, has refused to say (or tweet) a word about the Russian role in the Skripal case. He
spoke to Putin after the incident without mentioning it, and, just yesterday, told the press
yet again that "getting along with Russia is a good thing, not a bad thing."
SPORTING DANGERS. Ever notice the coincidences? Georgia's invasion timing ? Just when the
lies about Sochi are revealed it's time to move the narrative to Ukraine? Ban Russia from the
Olympics but clear it after. The soccer World Cup will be held in Russia in a
couple of months and it will be held in a dozen Russian cities; the world will see that they're
not miserable s -- holes full of wretched people suffering under Putin's boot. What to do? This
is too big a deal for the governments of soccer-mad countries to dare to boycott. Nerve agent
attack? When that story bursts, then what? It seems that sports are the greatest threat to
world peace.
WADA YA KNOW? Norwegian asthmaticswin ! What a good thing
only Russians dope, isn't it?
WESTERN VALUES ™ . Remember due process? Presumption of innocence? International
agreements? Vienna Convention? Rule of law? Beijing remembers: see below.
GERMANY. Expel 4 diplomats to show "solidarity", approve
Nord Stream . Does that make sense?
UKRAINE. An American survey shows that the mood in Ukraine is bad and expecting worse
. Well, that's one post-Maidan Ukraine expectation that will be fulfilled. Nadia Savchenko, a former Ukrainian
hero, has been arrested inUkraine on
terrorism charges. She dares to suggest that the massacre was a false flag . (Read Ivan
Katchanovski's paper : "This academic
investigation concludes that the massacre was a false flag operation, which was rationally
planned and carried out with a goal of the overthrow of the government and seizure of power. It
found various evidence of the involvement of an alliance of the far right organizations,
specifically the Right Sector and Svoboda, and oligarchic parties, such as Fatherland.
Concealed shooters and spotters were located in at least 20 Maidan-controlled buildings or
areas". Here are
confessions by some of the snipers that your local news outlet has been too busy to tell
you about.)
When a scandal breaks, the discovery of an attempt to cover up is often regarded as even more
reprehensible than the original deeds.
The British government is trying to cover-up the lies it made with its false allegations
against Russia. The cover-up necessitates new lies some of which we expose below.
Yesterday the head of the British chemical weapon laboratory in Porton Down stated that the
laboratory can not establish that the poison used in the alleged 'Novichok' attack in Salisbury
was produced by Russia. This was a severe blow to the British government allegations of Russian
involvement in the poisoning of Sergej and Yulia Skripal.
Now the British government tries to hide that it said that the poison used in the Salisbury
was 'produced in Russia' and that Porton down had proved that to be the case. The government
aligned media
are helping to stuff the government lies down the memory hole.
We all need to make sure that the new lies get exposed and that the attempts to change the
record fail.
Yesterday the British Foreign Office deleted this from its Twitter account:
The March 22 tweet was part of a now interruptedthread which
summarized a briefing on the UK government's response to the Salisbury incident given by the
British Ambassador to Russia, Dr Laurie Bristow, to the international diplomatic community in
Moscow.
After the silent scrubbing of the record was publiclyquestioned the Foreign
Office
admitted that it deleted the tweet:
After it emerged on Wednesday that the tweet had been deleted, the Foreign Office said the
post was removed because it "did not accurately report" the words of Laurie Bristow, the UK's
ambassador to Russia, which the tweet was supposed to be quoting.
Hmm - fool me once ...
All
the tweets in the thread used quotation marks, but none was a literal reproduction of the
ambassador's briefing. Only one of the tweets was deleted. A look at the transcript and video
of the briefing shows that all the tweets , including the deleted one, "accurately reported"
the speech. The cover-up of the false statement the ambassador made thus includes at least one
new lie.
The original tweet said "Analysis by world-leading experts at the Defense Science and
Technology Laboratory at Porton Down made clear that this was a military-grade Novichok nerve
agent produced in Russia . .."
The transcript of the briefing in Moscow - "exactly as it was delivered" -
is (still) available at the Foreign Office website.
The ambassador, reading from a prepared script, recapitulates the event and, according to
the posted transcript, then says:
Four days later the analysts at Porton Down, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory in
the UK, established and made clear that this was a military-grade chemical weapon. One of the
Novichok series; a nerve agent as I said produced in Russia . Porton Down is an Organisation
for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons accredited and designated laboratory.
..
First, there is no doubt that the weapon used in the attack was the military-grade nerve
agent from the Novichok series. This has been confirmed by specialists, our specialists. An
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission is in the UK now to
independently confirm this analysis.
There is also no doubt that Novichok was produced in Russia by the Russian state.
The last line in the -"exactly as it was delivered" - transcript is false. Here is my
transcription from a short Foreign Office video of the briefing (
saved
copy ) which includes the uncut passage of the last two paragraphs quoted above:
... there is no doubt that the weapon used in the attack was the military-grade nerve agent
from the Novichok series. This has been confirmed by specialists, our specialists. On
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission is in the UK now to
independently confirm this analysis.
There is also no doubt that the Novichok was produced in Russia by the Russian state.
The written "exactly as it was delivered" transcript of the briefing says "... that Novichok
was produced ...". At 0:20 in the video I clearly hear the ambassador saying "... that the
Novichok was produced ...". A tiny but very important difference.
The person who put the official captions on the official Foreign Office video agrees with
what I hear and transcribed.
The ambassador referred to " the Novichok", the Novichok he specifically mentioned earlier
in the speech. The Novichok that he said had been detected by Porton Down. The transcript on
the Foreign Office website leaves out the definite article "the". It makes it look as if the
ambassador referred to some unspecified batch of the substance.
The deleted tweet was a faithful rendition of what the ambassador said, it "accurately
reported" it. The transcript the Foreign office posted on its website is false. The ambassador
clearly accused Russia of having produced the very batch that Porton Down analyzed.
Three days earlier Bristow's boss, Foreign Minister Boris Johnson, made the same false claim (vid at 5:32) in an
interview with DW .
Porton Down has now said that it made no such claim.
The ambassador's claim was false. The Foreign Office attempt to cover this up by deleting its
tweet and by posting a not-so-exact transcript only amplifies the falsehood of the original
claims.
The briefing continued to emphasize the "produced in Russia" meme. The phrase occurs four
times.
...
Russia's claims that Novichok could have been produced elsewhere have no credibility. We have
no information to indicate that this agent could have been produced anywhere else except in
Russia. So we have no doubt that the nerve agent was produced in Russia .
...
So the fact that the Novichok was produced in Russia , the fact that Russia has a history of
state-sponsored assassinations, and the fact that Russia has responded with the usual
playbook of disinformation and denial left us with no choice but to conclude that this
amounts to an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom.
The Foreign Office may want to claim that all the above uses of "produced in Russia" were
only references to decades old research and development in the Soviet Union, not to the
"Skripal" case. The highlighted details shows that this is not the case. Any listener to the
briefing surely got the impression that the UK ambassador was talking about the specific batch
analysed by Porton Down.
It highlighted paragraph of Ambassador Bristow's briefing includes several other lies.
'Novichok' agents can and have been produced in other countries than Russia.
In 2016 five nerve agents of the 'Novichok' series were synthesized by Iranian scientists in
cooperation with the OPCW. Details of their production process
were published . In 1998 the US Army's Edgewood Chemical and Biological Center produced
and catalogued 'Novichok' agents. It added the data for the substances to the National
Institute of Standards and Technology Mass Spectral Library. The data was later removed and
U.S. diplomats
were ordered to suppress all international discussion about 'Novichok' agents.
The U.S. military chemical weapon laboratories work in close cooperation with Porton Down.
Porton Down
continues to receive tens of millions of U.S. military research money for its chemical
weapon experiments including tests on animals. The UK government surely knew that 'Novichok'
agents can and have been produced by other actors than Russia.
British and U.S. media aligned with the ongoing anti-Russia campaign now downplay the
earlier claims of the British government.
BBC Radio 4 news at 6:31am today made this comical effort :
"... Russia requested the meeting to address the UK government's suggestion that it was
behind the poisoning ..."
The British government did not make a mere "suggestion". Its ambassador and other officials
stated outright that Russia was the culprit:
"... the fact that the Novichok was produced in Russia .. left us with no choice but to
conclude... "
The New York Times today also uses
the "suggestion" wording (one wonders who 'suggested' that):
The British authorities have blamed Russia for the March 4 poisoning, with Foreign Minister
Boris Johnson suggesting it was " overwhelmingly
likely " that President Vladimir V. Putin had ordered the attack.
On March 16, when the NYT first wrote about Johnson's claims against Russia, it
surely did
not convey that they were only 'suggestive':
Mr. Johnson's remarks were a significant escalation in the dispute between London and Moscow,
directly linking the Russian leader to the poisoning of Sergei V. Skripal and his daughter,
Yulia, in the English city of Salisbury.
The British Prime Minster herself
went way further than just 'suggesting' that Russia was guilty:
[T]he Government have concluded that it is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the
act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal.
Based on that 'conclusion' the British government threw out 23 Russian diplomats from their
embassy in London. There was nothing 'suggestive' with that.
Off-Guardian
points out that another tactic to divert from the earlier false claims is to now declare
Russia guilty of not cooperating with the investigation:
The UK's flagrant hysteria of the last weeks, the war cries and spittle-flecked abuse is all
being airbrushed away and being replaced with the idea the UK simply requested Russian
co-operation and Russia refused – preferring to make nasty insinuations instead.
To claim that Russia did not cooperate is another lie told to cover up for the now debunked
ones. The Chemical Weapons Convention, which Britain and Russia have signed, dictates the
procedures that must be taken when chemical weapon allegations are made. They foresee the
involvement of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
It was the British government that rejected the involvement of the OPCW in the
investigation. It only agreed to do so after Russia insisted on it
:
[Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov] added that a case of alleged use of chemical weapons should
be handled through the proper channel, being the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons (OPCW) – of which both Russia and Britain are members.
"As soon as the rumors came up that the poisoning of Skripal involved a Russia-produced
agent, which almost the entire English leadership has been fanning up, we sent an official
request for access to this compound so that our experts could test it in accordance with the
Chemical Weapons Convention [CWC]," Lavrov said. So far the request has been ignored by the
British side, he added.
The request from the British government to the OPCW
was sent on March 14 , ten days after the incident happened, two days after the Prime
Minister made her "highly likely" claims against Russia and one day after Lavrov publicly
insisted on OPCW involvement.
It is obviously the British government which at first rejected OPCW involvement and not the
Kremlin.
The OPCW is by
statute a technical agency, not a court. It will release a technical assessment of the involved
agent and not a judgment on responsibility or guilt.
The attempted cover-up by the Foreign Office of the lies the British government spread about
the case has already failed. To play down the original strong claims against Russia as mere
'suggestions' is comical. Allegations that Russia was or is holding up a serious international
investigation are also false. It was Britain which at first rejected the CWC and OPCW
involvement.
The fact that the British government even makes these attempts must be seen as
acknowledgement that it has no case and lied in it its official statements to the global
public. It now covers its trail with more lies.
What else is the British government lying about?
---
Previous Moon of Alabama reports on the Skripal case:
Posted by b on April 4, 2018 at 04:18 PM |
PermalinkDaniel , Apr 4, 2018 5:03:11 PM |
8
I posted the following on a earlier b blog, but since this "news" story continues, it seems
appropriate to repeat.
"The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the
masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen
mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our
country.
~ Edward Bernays, "Propaganda," 1928
"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."
~ Karl Rove
And yet, here we are, almost a century after Edward Bernays wrote a book on how the masses
are manipulated, and more than a decade after "Bush's Brain" mocked us, here we are
"judiciously studying" Empire's past action.
Meanwhile, Empire is acting, and "the masses" are acting and reacting across the globe.
And almost no one knows who pulls the strings, let alone are we organizing to overturn their
rule.
"... Russian gangsters &/or their capitalist counterparts, who have connections with state actors ..."
"... One should be mindful that the chemical components or precursors of A-232 or its binary version novichok-5 are ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides. ..."
"... The largest concentration was on their house door. ..."
"... It would be easy to place it there if it were in gel form in the dead of night. ..."
"... the attack was carried out by another state or a non-state entity which had found the technical details of the Russian agent and manufactured its own stocks without being discovered, and had a motive for the attack. ..."
"... What actually happens is it completely distorts the narrative of what people think about things ..."
"... ex falso quodlibet ..."
"... The only thing that makes any sense is the accusation of chemical poisoning by a state power carries with it a level of condemnation that is beyond redemption. It is THE RED LINE. ..."
"... Never knew NC had so many CW/BW experts lurking ..."
"... I'd be mortified that someone carried this over a border ..."
"... But in the meantime, senior leadership has to be terrified (as we all should be too) and given a lot of leeway to figure this out. ..."
Many thanks for making an objective assessment of recent events within the UK that do have
major economic and geopolitical consequences, particularly the growing demand to confront
Putin for crimes most are oblivious too, that actual transgressions, rather than an extreme
Russophobia based on the most flimsiest of evidence that threaten a full scale nuclear
conflagration, which is an existential threat – and still they warmonger.
It is all rather more pernicious than this. essentially we seem to be sleepwalking into a
'Totalitarianism of the Centrists', whereby democratic outcomes must be denied, any dialogue
outside what they deem correct suppressed via the imposition of censorship to save us from
our own opinions, whilst professing a love for liberty and equality – forget wealth
inequality.
We have dived down a rabbit hole where the Overton Window has narrowed to an extent where
light itself cannot penetrate, such are the centrists so assured of their righteousness,
which is to all intent and purposes a cult – one we are required to obey without
question.
Time after time since the British electorate shocked a complacent establishment by voting
to exit the EU, we have witnessed a torrent of abuse heaped on those who dare to disagree. We
witnessed the gerrymandering and utter corruption of the Democratic Party Primaries, we have
witnessed the demonisation and desire to null and void the US November Presidential vote, and
we have witnessed within the UK not only a desire to void the EU vote, but the outcome of
elections even within political groupings, namely the UK's Labour Party.
Indeed, such is the desire by the Establishment to remove Jeremy Corbyn, that the entire
cannon of the MSM has been directed against him, whilst the Establishment forces within the
Parliamentary Labour Party have stooped to ever more devious depths to undermine and
eradicate the Leftist threat, to the extent of issuing early day motions giving carte blanche
to a government to wage war on Putin and Russia.
Should UK political events be of interest to Naked Capitalism and its readers above
economic consideration being given to Brexit?
In a nutshell, yes they do, because if the UK's Establishment fail to eradicate Corbyn,
and by chance he should enter Number 10, the global elite, Atlanticist and full ecosystem of
the Totalitarian Centrists have a real challenge on their hands to maintain an iron consensus
that's existed for 40 years if any breach to this comes into existence – Corbyn acting
as a Standard for others in the West who are sick and tired of an economic system that does
not work, unless of course you belong to that small minority referred too as the 1%.
Thank you Christopher for a superb, excellently put comment. This is what Tariq Ali calls
the ' Extreme Centre ' and how right you and he are. But neoliberalism is a Berlin Wall and
with each day that passes another brick falls out and one day, not so long away I believe, it
will crumble because it can no longer stand the strain of the forces marshalled against it.
They may be disparate at present , but such is the nature of political ' moments' throughout
history that at some point coherence occurs spontaneously and the ' ancien regime'
topples.
I must confess I've not read any of Tariq Ali's material for a while, essentially, and
since january, I've just witnessed such a full-on Establishment assault on Jeremy Corbyn,
with little or no scrutiny whatsoever of the actual Prime Minister, that its become alarming.
And with so much evidence now at hand both sides of the Atlantic, conclusions must be drawn,
namely, our liberal democracy is presently dead – if it were not for the Internet and
independent Blogs, we really would be living a Soviet era dystopia.
This article is not very useful, because it muddles together three separate issues, for
some of which there is evidence and for others only conjecture. A better source for trying to
understand what's going on is this
blog , written by an OPCW specialist.
I have no particular technical insight into this case, or CW in general, and I don't know who
carried out the attack, although I do have a little experience of how governments work. But
we need to get three things sorted out from each other.
First, according to open sources, and at least one leaked US diplomatic telegram, the Soviet
Union did indeed develop new types of chemical agent in the 1970s and 80s for use in a future
war, which were both more lethal than existing agents, and also exempt from the likely
provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention then being negotiated. This suggestion no
longer seems to be controversial. Again, according to open sources, these agents did not need
to be declared to the CWC, and seem not to have been. It has been suggested that they were
destroyed anyway, but we do not know, and if they were not, there was no violation of the
Convention. Thus, the statements by the OPCW and the UK Ambassador last year would be
technically true if Russia had destroyed all stocks of agents declared under the CWC, but not
stocks of these new agents. There have been allegations that the composition of these agents,
and perhaps information on their manufacture and use, may have been passed to other nations,
or been stolen by them. But there is no confirmation of this and no specific nations or
non-state actors have been mentioned. It remains a possibility, though. Because of this
uncertainty, Porton Down has said that the agent used was "of a type developed by Russia."
Because it's hard to prove a negative, we don't know, and may never know, if it was also
produced elsewhere. Thus the new Porton Down statement about which people are getting so
excited, but doesn't actually change anything.
Secondly, it's conceivable that the UK or some other country had completely separate
information about Russian assassination plans. If so, it would not be the kind of thing that
would ever be made public, so that remains supposition. But if you look at the UK government
statements, they don't suggest this. May used the terms "plausible explanations" on 12 March.
In the technical sense, her statement was probably correct: either the agent was used by the
Russians (not necessarily the government) or it was used by someone who had acquired the
formulas and production techniques from them. She was grandstanding, of course, but it's hard
to see what a third alternative would have been: a third country independently developing
exactly the same chemical agents seems very unlikely and there's no evidence for it.
Finally, politics, and here everything is speculation. It's hard to see what possible motive
the Russians would have for this attack, but anything else is just supposition, if not
actually wild speculation.
So shorn of the sabre-rattling the UK government position amounts to saying, "We know the
Russians developed these agents" (accepted) "we believe they failed to destroy them" (quite
possibly true but we have no means of knowing) and "there is no evidence that anyone else has
them" (accepted). The leap from this to blaming the Russian government, and dragging in
Putin, on the other hand, is pure inference, and pure politics.
I don't know whodunnit. The problem is that, whilst the evidence against the Russians (in the
wider sense) is ambiguous, and it seems impossible to find a reasonable motive, there's even
less direct reason to suspect any other specific actor.
So Novichok "does not figure in the Annex on Chemicals of the Chemical Weapons Convention
(CWC)"? Does "does not figure" mean not included? If it is not included does that mean not
banned?
Has there been any roughly similar events in Russia itself? The one that came to mind and
I looked up was Ivan Kivelidi. But that was cadmium poisoning I believe, so other than an
similarly obscure method, different.
I'm no expert on the Convention, but my understanding of it is that there are no 'banned'
substances as such, but 'controlled' substances, on the understanding that signatories are
permitted to have small quantities of nerve agents for research purposes. Hence the Iranians,
quite legally, made five variations of Novichuks (in very small quantities) and declared them
without anyone making a fuss over it. The Convention has a series of schedules of chemicals
which must be declared and facilities storing or manufacturing these compounds must be
available for OPCW inspection.
The Treaty also has an 'all other compounds' category that includes any organophosphate
which would cover non-scheduled chemicals. So far as I'm aware the obligation is to declare
stockpiles and manufacturing facilities of these and allow them to be open for inspection,
but there would obviously be a huge number of such facilities, including most pesticide
factories worldwide.
So far as I'm aware – and I can stand corrected on this – it is not 'illegal'
to have a non-scheduled substance, but there is an obligation to declare the manufacturing
facilities. Again, I can stand corrected on this, but I believe some of the Novichuks were
added to Schedule I after the Iranians reported that they'd synthesized them.
I read somewhere recently that this nerve agent was developed in Uzbekistan (or one of the
other Stan's) and that the production facilities had been cleaned out by the US military, as
the the satellite is now one of their allies? The article also claimed that most agricultural
pesticide producers could formulate is as it is related to insecticides used on crops.
Unless said actors had either produced false evidence in an attempt to justify military
actions before OR was known to make false accusations in order to condemn states they were
planning to attack. See US and UK in 2001. Add that this time around the UK Prime Minister
has every reason to try to distract her country from her incompetence and her government's
dishonest public policy, see Brexit, and there is a great deal of reason to suspect that the
real culprits have nothing to do with the state actor they are accusing.
There have been allegations that the composition of these agents, and perhaps
information on their manufacture and use, may have been passed to other nations, or been
stolen by them. But there is no confirmation of this and no specific nations or non-state
actors have been mentioned.
I can't find the link now, but I believe it was inferred from some statements that in the
past Porton Down had in fact synthesized similar compounds, at the very least so they could
develop techniques for identifying them.
Yes, I didn't want to write a long essay and anyway it's not my subject, but it's worth
pointing out that nations are allowed a Single Small Scale Facility on their territory for,
among other things, making and studying Schedule 1 chemicals (the most dangerous) for
protective and other reasons. I've just looked up the reference in the CWC So many
countries have technical facilities which could, in theory, produce small volumes of these
new agents as well. I hadn't seen the particular report you mention, but I think the basic
point stands – that there's nothing in the public domain to suggest that anyone has an
offensive programme producing more than a few grams of these agents for protective purposes.
And according to the CWC, these sites have to be inspected regularly. If these agents are not
in fact illegal under the CWC (which seems to be the case) then various nations might
reasonably try to synthesise small quantities for protective purposes, but I imagine it would
be very hard to hide the capacity to produce quantities useful for operations. But is there a
chemical engineer in the house?
Quantities needed for operations are on the scale of grams (based on the toxicity of the
substance). Industrial amounts were not used so looking for industrial capacity to produce
might be interesting but I don't see the relevance of doing so.
"US researchers had full access to the Uzbekistan labs"
In the books I mentioned elsewhere the labs had been abandoned years earlier with the
collapse of the Soviet Union. Most of the equipment and documentation had been removed with
the departing Soviets.. So yeah, the US had full access to the wreckage and learned things
but it was considerably different that access to a working lab.
I thought the article here was fine. Your summary didn't add anything except your opinion
that the evidence slightly favors Russia as the culprit. What, for instance, is the problem
with a third country developing exactly the same chemical agent? My impression was that the
formula is known. And all suggested motives are wild speculation.
I have no problem saying there is a reasonable chance Russia did it, but there is also a
reasonable chance someone else did it.
I think your last paragraph is very reasonable. But I don't think you understood what I
was saying, or perhaps I wasn't clear.
The British accusation, once you get past the flag-waving and heavy-breathing, amounts to
saying that one of two things happened. Either (1) the Russian government did it or (2)
someone else did it making use of either the technology or the actual agents developed by the
Russians. In the first case they argue that the Russians are directly guilty, in the second
that they are sort of vicariously guilty, like someone who leaves a gun lying around, or the
instructions on how to make a bomb. The only other possibility, it seems to me, is that
another country, in complete isolation from the Russians, and unknown to anybody, developed
precisely similar agents and had a reason to use them last month. The evidence for that is,
well, not very great.
The main problem, as I suggested, is mixing these sorts of arguments with political ones as
though they were the same. The kind of argument that worries me (though not found on NC, I'm
happy to say) amounts to saying "I loath May, she's having a rough time with Brexit, the US
lied about WMD in Iraq in 2002 therefore the Russians didn't do it, therefore the British
did." These are the sorts of arguments that we should leave to the CT sites to play with.
I understand what you are saying and I agree with your caution on this, but I don't think
I'd agree that the evidence isn't great that other countries have similar agents. I think its
clear that within chemical warfare circles, the cat has been out of the bag, so to speak, for
many years. The evidence would suggest that certainly the US, UK and Iranians have been
studying the compounds and have presumably produced small amounts to do so.
I think the British allegations (1) and (2) as you outline them are only the 'probable'
evidence if strong evidence is produced that the chemical used is closely related to Russian
(or Uzbek) manufactured stocks – i.e. it has the 'chemical fingerprint' of Russian
Novichok. The statement made yesterday by Porton Down came I think very close to stating that
this could not be established.
If you are to use Occams Razor, and work on the assumption that the act was carried out by
a non-State agent (or a rogue element with State connections), then that would suggest the
source was from the research facility an hours walk away from the assassination attempt, not
the alleged ones 5,000 km away.
How would they obtain it? A more plausible hypothesis is that Russian gangsters &/or
their capitalist counterparts, who have connections with state actors, some of whom have a
long standing grudge against Skripal, could have carried out the act. I am not saying that
they did, only that they have a strong motive and possibly the opportunity.
As noted elsewhere in this thread, all it takes is a decent lab to produce this stuff from
the information published on it by the people who developed it. As PK suggests, Occam's Razor
in this instance takes its edge from the very nearby UK chemical weapons facility that
made some effort to down play the information published by the inventors of these agents
back when they published.
My understanding of these agents is that they are a group of agents with a similar basic
structure. Their general formula has been published. A chemical engineer should comment on
how difficult it is to synthesize them. But keeping in mind that a Japanese fringe group was
able to synthesize a nerve agent, my guess is , not very. If the Iranian government is able
to synthesize it, then certainly any large university program in the west can. If they are
variants of organo phosphorus compounds, as most nerve agents are, then add fertilizer and
chemical companies to that list.
The absence of any such evidence,of their synthesis outside of USSR, means nothing. We do not
know what the defense and security establishments in most countries are doing. How many knew
of a weaponized anthrax program at Fort Derrick?
Many actors have a reason to discredit Russia/ Putin. You think otherwise?
So every time someone is murdered with a US made weapon or poisoned with US made
chemicals, or even with chemicals originally invented in the US, sanctions against the United
States are justified, if not WWIII, right?
The best analysis in the UK has been on Craig Murray's Blog, including full transcripts
appearing from the Sky News press interview and other media sites giving a UK Gov. version
– Murray used his own FCO contacts and his website and views have been 100% spot on to
date.
Can't agree, I'm afraid. Murray is good on other things, but here I think he's simply
misunderstood what the UK government was alleging, as I pointed out in comments last
week.
David says: '( ) according to open sources, and at least one leaked US diplomatic
telegram, the Soviet Union did indeed develop new types of chemical agent in the 1970s and
80s for use in a future war, which were both more lethal than existing agents, and also
exempt from the likely provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention then being
negotiated.'
I want to get one thing straight: Were the Soviets in the process of developing or trying
to do so or did they actually successfully make such chemical weapons? I can only suppose
these chemical weapons were in the pipeline when the Chemical Weapons Convention was
finalised and therefore couldn't be listed because they didn't (yet) exist. If so, how do we
know that the Soviets/Russians ever had such weapons? Looking around, I get the impression
there is some uncertainty about the history of Novichok, even though its Russian name works
prejudicially against Russia. However that may be, it is hard to accept that other states
hadn't made the same 'type of' weapon. After all, how is an antidote possible if the poison
is not known. Or is France involved? Everyone seems to assume that the nerve agent came from
outside the UK. Well, how would it every have physically been brought across the UK border.
Or was it manufactured there? Maybe for sale on the streets of London–or even somewhere
in the vicinity of Salisbury.
My understanding from what's been published is that the agents were developed in the 70s
and 80s, and their development was finished by the time of the CWC, which they were anyway
planned to circumvent. I think it's right to say that you don't necessarily "make" and stock
CW, because the literature suggests that they decay rather quickly. So whether the Russians
actually had stocks, or merely the capacity to make them when they needed them, I can't say,
and I doubt if there are many people who know. I think the antidote thing is a bit of a red
herring. These are not poisons. Nerve agents like VX and Sarin worked by paralysing the
muscles, and I remember that during the Cold War (and perhaps since) NATO troops carried
atropine injectors to try to counteract the effects. If these agents worked in the same way,
then I'm not sure there's an "antidote" – more like generic types of emergency
treatment which might save your life.
David: 'My understanding from what's been published is that the agents were developed in
the 70s and 80s, and their development was finished by the time of the CWC, which they were
anyway planned to circumvent.'
You mean the Soviets then agreed to the CWC without declaring their operational 'Novichok'
or their tested procedure to make them. Is this how it went? I really want clarity on this
point. The same CWC last year certified that the Soviet Union's successor state, the Russian
Federation of course, had destroyed all its chemical weapons. It seems to be that a lot of
individuals want to have everything all ways to pin the Skripals' attack on Russia. France
hovers in the background here and on Syria.
David: 'My understanding from what's been published is that the agents were developed in
the 70s and 80s, and their development was finished by the time of the CWC, which they were
anyway planned to circumvent.'
You mean the Soviets then agreed to the CWC without declaring their operational 'Novichok'
or their tested procedure to make them? Is this how it went? I really searching for clarity
on this point. The same CWC last year certified that the Soviet Union's successor state, the
Russian Federation of course, had destroyed all its chemical weapons. It seems to be that a
lot of individuals want to have everything all ways to pin the Skripals' attack on Russia.
France hovers in the background here and on Syria.
Read the second half of the book "The Dead Hand". While not talking about this agent it
covers a lot of this ground. Also "Biohazard" by Alibek and Handelman and "State Secrets" by
Vil Mirzayanov. All published about a decade ago.
Anyone know of any other books that more or less cover this topic?
"The same CWC last year certified that the Soviet Union's successor state, the Russian
Federation of course, had destroyed all its chemical weapons."
The CWC only certifies destruction of declared chemical weapons. Is this stuff on the list
of chemical weapons?
I wonder is this the biggest tell that the average punter must keep an open mind?
Cui Bono?
What benefit accrued to the Russians – diplomatic storm, threat of more sanctions,
possible war?
Of course, if one thinks that Vlad Putin is evil incarnate and loves killing for the sake
of it without thinking about the wider repercussions, and that the rest of the Russian
establishment has absolutely no influence or input into their government, the contention is
perfectly valid. (And of course it helps if we ignore that other governments in the world
have been reported to "eliminate" people they find threatening to their interests or for
other reasons.)
One scenario that might seem plausible has to do with the Steele Dossier. If Steele's
information is correct and Putin does have a sexual and financial blackmailing dossier on
Trump then, as Moon
over Alabama has pointed out, the Skripals probably were deeply involved in providing the
information to Steele..
The fact that this information was available to a fairly low level intelligence probe
would indicate that it is widely known in Russian Intelligence.
Why would such a powerful blackmailing dossier be so widely known? Remember when it was
produced. You have a buffoon reality TV star with political connections that will jump into
any honey-pot intelligence operation you provide. So salacious sexual tapes might easily have
been passed around for entertainment value when Trump would have been considered a low value
asset. Times have changed. Blackmail only works if the blackmailer controls the flow of the
blackmailing information. Putin would want to clamp down on any more leaks about a Trump
dossier. Hence both Skripal and his daughter would be blatantly targeted with a Russian
audience in mind. This is what will happen if you leak no matter where you go..
If Steele was able to obtain information about a Trump dossier then US intelligence
certainly has much more. Releasing the information that Trump is a "Manchurian Candidate" in
our current political situation would provoke a civil war. The Intelligence community could
try to cut the legs out from under Putin's dossier by pushing the Russian collusion story on
Trump's election. Any pro-Russian actions Trump makes will look suspicious to the general
public.. This would also explain the unprecedented attacks by former American Intelligence
chiefs on Trump. i.e. Ex CIA Chief Brennan's recent twee t "When
the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known,
you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history."
This does seem to tie a lot of things together.
1. Why Putin would assassinate the Skripals in such an open manner.
2. The push by Intelligence Services on the story of Russian tampering in the election with
little real evidence.
3. The unprecedented personal attacks on Trump from Clapper and Brennan.
It seems to me that attractive Russian agents who where trying to get their target into
the most embarrassing sexual activities would be very successful with Trump. Also remember
Don Jr. and Eric have both spent quite a bit of time in Russia. Also it seems almost sure
that the Russians would have enough information on money laundering to send the whole family
to jail. Who knows how much that could influence Trump's decision making.
The problem with that narrative is that none of the three people apparently poisoned by
one of the most dangerous chemicals known to man have actually died. Indeed, two out of three
have recovered in less time than some people take to recover from flu.
A less than fatal dose is maybe what was planned. From
the Guardian :
"Circles appeared before my eyes: red and orange. A ringing in my ears, I caught my
breath. And a sense of fear: like something was about to happen," Andrei Zheleznyakov told
the now-defunct newspaper Novoye Vremya, describing the 1987 weapons lab incident that
exposed him to a nerve agent that would eventually kill him. "I sat down on a chair and
told the guys: 'It's got me.'"
By 1992, when the interview was published, the nerve agent had gutted Zheleznyakov's
central nervous system. Less than a year later he was dead, after battling cirrhosis, toxic
hepatitis, nerve damage and epilepsy.
Only time will tell the final effects of the attack. This seems like a very horrible end,
worse then a simple assassination.
Using Novichok points the finger at Russia but also gives them a credible deniability,
(other countries can produce the agent). The target audience (Russians who know of the
dossier) will very clearly understand the warning.
Again this is only a scenario. But I feel that it is as plausible as any other put
forward. My other favorite is Moon of Alabama's guess that Israel might have done it .
Rather, Putin has been accused of similar things. Let's not kid ourselves – no
evidence has been made public, other than hyperventilation and unsubstantiated claims.
Exactly. Russia Hate proponents have banked heavily on blaming them or their allies for
chemical attacks -- this and in Syria –that only appear foolish in terms of any
plausible benefit/risk calculation and which are very open to false flagging. As noted above,
the conduct of the hate campaigns, in which a rush to judgement and attacks on appeals to
caution predominate, is simply alarming to see in societies that are familiar with the value
of careful evidentiary procedures and supposedly take them seriously. That this is coupled
with an utterly hypocritical anti-"fake news" campaign makes the situation seem all the more
desperate.
My impression is that we are witnessing a barrage strategy, in which a succession of
disputable accusations is made and each successive "crime" is used to undermine the
possibility of reconsidering the previous charge. I don't think of this as hysteria, but as
generating an atmosphere in which the threat of a charge of disloyalty and excommunicative
punishment, at least, begins to haunt us. As I've probably said before, one of the Frankfurt
School takes on fascist ideology was that in a sense it really wasn't one. At its core it was
not systematic, but an assertion of a demand to obedience. The fascist would blabber on until
someone objected, and then they would laugh and show them their pistol. As determined by the
Extreme Center, Russia-focused public discourse is headed in that direction.
Jiri Matousek accused the US of weaponizing novichoks at the Edgewood Chemical Biological
Center, as detailed in cables released by Wikileaks. Hard to imagine why a Czech scientist
would make that claim for no reason. While it's always pragmatic to refrain from rushing to
judgement, one of the issues with always insisting on authoritative sources as evidence
before reaching any conclusions is that the people who have the most to lose from that sort
of information being made available to the public are the same people that have
disproportionate control over the so-called authoritative sources.
According to the Russian who developed the chemicals, literally anybody with a modern
chemistry lab could produce them. Also, the chemical structures were published over a decade
ago.
One should be mindful that the chemical components or precursors of A-232 or its
binary version novichok-5 are ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial
chemical companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides.
(Mirzayanov, 1995).
Soviet scientists had published many papers in the open literature on the chemistry of
such compounds for possible use as insecticides. Mirzayanov claimed that "this research
program was premised on the ability to hide the production of precursor chemicals under the
guise of legitimate commercial chemical production of agricultural chemicals".
As the structures of these compounds have been described, any organic chemist with a
modern lab would be able to synthesize bench scale quantities of such a compound. Indeed,
Porton Down must have been able to synthesize these compounds in order to develop tests for
them. It is therefore misleading to assert that only Russia could have produced such
compounds. http://syriapropagandamedia.org/working-papers/doubts-about-novichoks
The claim that "there is no evidence that anyone else has them" (Novichok) is completely
false. The formula for making so-called Novichok nerve agents has been published in a book
that was sold to the public. Iran publicly admitted making such agents years ago to test
them.
Moreover, the UK would need to manufacture Novichok so it could have samples to test.
Simply put, if the UK didn't manufacture Novichok and run tests on it, then it would have no
way of knowing what Novichok type nerve agents look like in a blood sample.
Please note that since it is impossible to prove a negative, for example, prove Martians
never landed on Earth, Russia will never be able to prove it did NOT poison these people.
That is why our courts don't require criminal suspects they didn't commit a crime. Instead,
the state must provide evidence that the suspect is guilty. Putting the burden on Russia to
provide evidence to disprove its guilt is a propaganda trick.
I tried posting this before but it got lost in the intertubes. Suffice it to say, the
reported quote is: not a direct quote, a poor translation, out of context, and not refering
to Skripal.
At the time of the otiginal interview, the media reported the complete oposite meaning,
i.e. Putin says Russian sexret service don't kill traitors!
Occam's razor suggests, to me at least, that the poisoning of the Skripals occurred at the
Salisbury Zizzi restaurant. Interestingly, the Zizzi restaurant chain was recently (Feb,
2015) purchased by Bridgepoint Capital, a private equity firm with headquarters in London.
Bridgepoint appears to have some connections to the UK government, for example Sir Stuart
Rose (knighted in 2008), who sits on the Conservative Bench at the House of Lords, was
appointed to an advisory role in 2010 .
Anyways, just a data point, maybe the Skripals were poisoned somewhere else, but I'd be
intersested to hear if any of the UK-based NC commentariat are familiar with Bridgepoint
Capital, and if they know of any other connections to the UK government or intelligence
agenices that Bridgepoint has.
The largest concentration was on their house door.
Says who? No need to answer, as I know who said it; they are not even close to being
reliable sources of information. The house door claim has only recently been made, after the
claims that it was the car ventlation system, car door handle, Yulia Skripal's luggage, and
Russian porridge(!). My understanding is that these kinds of substances are very volatile, so
please enlighten me how it could reliably be established that it was the front door handle of
Sergei Skripal's house that contained the highest concentration of novichok four weeks after
the poisoning took place? FWIW there are photos of police officers standing by that front
door without any protection that were taken shortly after the poisoning occurred.
Adding: In case you missed it, my reference to Occam's razor referred to where
the Skripals were poisoned.
Ah. The police were also standing near the bench where they collapsed. I don't think that
shows much. The house door possibility was only recently made because it seems that they had
to have comapred all the sites they had been to before they could say that. It would be easy
to place it there if it were in gel form in the dead of night. The car door handle could be
explained by the agent coming off his hand, so this is consistent, though that does not mean
it is true. The others were speculation and clearly so. Russian porridge was ridiculous.
Occam's Razor also can lead to suggesting that they were poisoned where they were because
he lived there and therefore an easier target there. Porton Down could be an accidental
coincidence. Why he chose to live there is another question.
It would be easy to place it there if it were in gel form in the dead of
night.
Exactly, but not necessarily the night before the Skripals were poisoned. My suggestion is
that the poisoning occurred at Salisbury Zizzi restaurant, and that, in light of the
establishment's narrative having come apart at the seams since then, evidence has
subsequently been planted, perhaps, as you speculate, via the placement of a novichok gel on
Sergei Skripal's front door handle.
I mean, seriously, how likely is it that Sergei and Yulia would simultaneously collapse on
a park bench hours after one of them touched a nerve agent covered door when they left the
house that morning?
Not likely, I agree, if the attempted assassination was professionally carried out. But
what if it wasn't and the agent was substandard in qualtiy? I haven't seen anything myself
about the quality of the agent itself.
How many people does it take to close a door? The point I am trying to make is that both
Yulia and Sergei ate at Zizzi bar, presumably at the same time, and then they collapsed,
simultaneously, half an hour later on a park bench. Occam's razor suggests they were poisoned
during that meal. Also, and this is drawing a longer bow, Bridgepoint owns the Zizzi chain
and has connections to the UK government, thus, someone at Bridgepoint may have facilitated
the poisoning by, say, allowing someone from MI5 or MI6 to be there when it was suspected
Sergei and Yulia would be visiting, seeing as it was apparently well known that the Salisbury
Zizzi restaurant was Sergei Skripal's favorite place to dine.
MoA has been all over the place on this issue, he's been casting out a new theory nearly
every day, many of which are as far fetched as the 'Putin did it' ones.
Fair enough, however each change in direction has been accompanied by a summary of why the
change in direction has been made. b at MoA may not be perfect, but it's pretty clear he
disseminates information in good faith, which is more than can be said about any MSM
outlet.
On the contrary I'd say he's merely been offering altenative possibilities to the hysteria
and to the near impossibility that "Putin did it."
It's the MSM that speaks with certainty at every turn despite facts unknown. As someone
pointed out the once ubiquitous word "alleged" seems to have disappeared from our mainstream
journals.
'Yesterday, the Guardian drily reported that the absolute confidence with with the UK
government had pinned the poisoning on the Russian state was looking ill-founded'
I just think that's misleading, because there was never an assertion from the UK
Government that scientists at Porton Down had unambiguously pinned the origin of the nerve
agent as from Russia, only that the scientists had identified it as a nerve agent that had
previously been developed in Russia. I don't think the article says the conclusion was
ill-founded either in so many words, more that it overeggs the significance of the new
statement, as David points out above.
Porton Down worked fast to identify the agent, so they pretty much must have had a sample
to use as a standard. To pinpoint the origin they would need previous analysis of multiple
batches to determine discriminatory trace signatures. As these are binary agents it would be
especially challenging and quite time-consuming, if it was even possible.
Analysis is likely to be based on intelligence as to who was known to have samples of the
agent, and who had motive to take out Skripal, not the science at Porton Down. It is not
unreasonable to want to keep this information out of the public domain. This means it is
unlikely that we will ever be shown proof, or be able to assess for ourselves the quality of
the evidence. However, we equally cannot conclude from this that the evidence does not exist,
and one must presume that the EU and USA were convinced enough by the evidence they were
shown to join the UK in direct action.
What s clear is that the UK is a dangerous place for former Russian spies.
The press in the UK treated the statement as definitive too. They are now trying to
pretend that he was referring to something else in the statement he made by carefully editing
the question asked by the interviewer.
Isn't this just another situation like MH-17, & the supposed Syrian Sarin gas attacks
in which the actual facts are obscured in a political fog ? Perhaps we will never know in any
concrete way the actual truth of the Salisbury affair or the other examples, but there does
appear to a lack of the concept of reasonable doubt which doesn't stop the guilty till proven
innocent lynch mob from pointing accusatory fingers at their favourite big bad wolves.
One thing I am sure of is that Putin is not a fool & due to that conclusion I would
ask " Cui Bono ? ". A question that I was it seems under the mistaken impression was always
asked when trying to prove motive & I cannot think of any way that the affair would
profit the alleged white cat stroker, although I can certainly see how as part of the
constant demonisation of Russia, it profits the mudslingers, which is how I will refer to
them until they provide the sort of proof needed in the opposite of a kangaroo court.
I don't think it will result on it's own in a possible demonstration of the actual
capability of Russia's new weaponry, but I worry that it is another incremental step up a
ladder to nowhere good. Not likely the that the tin pot poodle will send an empty aircraft
carrier to the Crimea, but likely more of the same which appears to be resulting in Russia
becoming more self sustaining, while increasingly being able to hit back in ways that of
course wont hurt those with access to bunkers in any serious way.
It is about faith at the end of the day, as people will believe which version of the truth
suits them – after all we appear to be in a war if only a phony one – but the fog
where the truth is the first casualty is real enough.
With regard to MH aircraft, how about the one missing in the Indian Ocean?
Debris from an aircraft washes up frequently along the African coast from the Horn to the
Cape and the archipelagos to the east, including Mauritius, Rodrigues and Reunion.
Meteo France (Reunion) and France 2 (Envoye Special) are sitting on a report that suggests
the debris is coming from the direction of the Maldives and Chagos / Diego Garcia, due to
currents, and the state of decomposition and what's growing on the debris suggests its coming
from tropical waters mid-Ocean and in a timescale similar to when that MH Boeing 777
disappeared.
The wild goose chase south west of Australia was a way of diverting attention and allowing
the black box battery to run out of juice.
Tony Abbott was happy to engage in that wild goose chase; every dollar he spent was one
dollar closer to impoverishing Australia and making us peasants see the light of the Catholic
church. Just ask Bob Santamaria, or George Pell, for that matter.
& thank you Colonel – it does appear to me that one should carry a box of salt
for immediate use in times like that of present hysteria, to be used when proven liars make
knee jerk accusations, while of course keeping in mind that those who constantly Cry Wolf in
such matters could actually be telling the truth.
Schevardnardze once stated after the wall fell to a group of assembled Westerners that
they had lost their much needed bogeyman – I guess we now have him back as a
replacement for a series of inadequate pretenders.
The UK Government has not presented conclusive evidence that the nerve agent used in the
attempted assassinations of Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia originated in Russia, let
alone that the Russian state was responsible for these crimes
.
The UK Government has not presented any evidence that a nerve agent was used, no evidence
that it was military grade and no evidence that it was from Russia. All we know is a doctor
stating some poisoning was detected.
MoA has all the links and details as to why it is such a blatant lie.
As to what did really happen, why the UK government set up such a scam, and why did so many
countries fall so quickly in line, many theories abound. I would exclude the 'Russian state'
here, as they can only loose and have nothing to gain.
Let me see. Who should we give the benefit of the doubt? The nations that attacked Iraq
and unleashed jihadi violence based on a lie or the guy who stood up like an adult and
prevented the fall of the only truly secular state left in the Middle East?
Ok, let me wield Occam's razor myself.
I don't think anyone seriously (and no I don't mean Johnson) is suggesting that only Russia
ever did or ever could manufacture these agents. Their existence has been known for a while,
and according to experts the formulas have been published, so at least in theory they could
be made by other states/actors assuming they were bloody careful. As PK has noted, the
Iranians, at least, seem to have made them in very small quantities. So in the end we have
three groups of hypotheses, if we exclude accidents, food poisoning, witchcraft etc. :
– the attack was carried out by part of the Russian state, by some other Russian group
(Mafia?) or some other unidentified group (not necessarily Russian) with direct access to the
agent itself in some stored form.
– the attack was carried out by another state or a non-state entity which had found the
technical details of the Russian agent and manufactured its own stocks without being
discovered, and had a motive for the attack.
– the attack was carried out by another state or non-state entity that had quite
independently developed an agent amazingly and coincidentally similar to the Russian agent
without being discovered and had a motive for the attack.
The third seems to me to be barely conceivable, and the second to rely on a motive which so
far no-one has even suggested. The first, to be honest, seems unlikely, but maybe some
variant of it is the least unlikely of the three. Somebody must have done it, after all.
Incidentally, Cui Bono is not a logical argument or a principle of proof, just a point of
departure for enquiry.
[T]he second [scenario] [seems to] rely on a motive which so far no-one has even
suggested Yes, it has been suggested: false flag. But that would just be crazy talk,
right?
"Besides, nowadays, almost all capable people are terribly afraid of being ridiculous, and
are miserable because of it."
― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov
Neverthess, Cui Bono is I believe a useful tool in an attempt to define guilt & as for
the evidence in terms of the alleged nerve agent itself – is Porton Down what one would
describe as being an independent expert ? I did read somewhere that there is an international
agreement which comprises of samples in such incidents being sent to an agreed independent
laboratory for testing, which if true is a path the UK Gov has decided not to follow. I also
wonder about the toxicity of whatever agent was used due to the survival of the daughter,
which does not seem to correspond with what I have read about the deadliness of Novichok
& other varieties of nerve gas – amateurish at the very least which for me doesn't
fit that old KGB dog.
I don't know who carried at the attack but as you are admitting there is reasonable doubt
& i would suggest that in a proper court of law the case for the prosecution would be
about as watertight as a sieve.
From RT via Zerohedge so perhaps caution needed, but if true – a sign of a backdown
?
But what was "it"? Far as I can tell, the only deed that nobody is disputing is that three
people were treated in hospital for poisoning by a chemical agent. It's like tossing a deck
of cards in the air and trying to read them all before they hit the ground.
> the attack was carried out by another state or a non-state entity which had found
the technical details of the Russian agent and manufactured its own stocks without being
discovered, and had a motive for the attack.
As I'm sure you are aware, these technical details were published in a book written by Vil
Mirzayanov that was published in 2008 (IIRC) and has been available to the public since then.
In any case, watching Gavin "go away and shut up" Williamson react like a scorned schoolboy
who thought being one of the popular kids would be enough to allow him to dictate the
narrative was enlightening to me. I would suggest you spend some time learning how to watch
the way people carry themselves, rather than just accepting what they say at face value.
" What actually happens is it completely distorts the narrative of what people think
about things "
– Gavin Williamson comparing Russia's POV on the Skripal case to Nazi propaganda
Cui Bono is not a logical argument or a principle of proof, just a point of departure
for enquiry.
Could you clarify what you mean by this? To me, noting that Putin would have less of a
motivation to do this than, well, anyone who wanted to damage Russia's standing in the
international community and, based on that, reducing one's estimate of the likelihood that he
was actually responsible seems like an entirely reasonable thing to do. In what sense is it
not a logical argument to make?
Again, technically correct in what sense? My issue is I don't really understand the point
being made here. Is it that cui bono is not a formal rule of inference in the same
sense that, say, ex falso quodlibet is? If so, true, but largely irrelevant in a
context such as this one, where a meaningful formal proof of any claim is essentially
impossible. If not, what is being said?
Yes, it's a simple and common logical error. "X benefited from this, so they obviously did
it." Whereas the correct statement would be "X benefited from this so we should look to see
whether there is any actual evidence that they did it." It's a staple of all conspiracy
theories: the classic example is the September 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. "The
Bush administration benefited from this so they must have done it." And there are plenty of
others.
This seems a rather uncharitable interpretation of the discussions being had here. You're
correct that, if someone were to bring up some specific non-Russian actor and assert that
they were obviously the perpetrator because they benefited, they would be in the wrong.
Correct me if I've missed someone, though, but I don't think any of the commentariat are
arguing that we know with certainty that some such actor was behind the attack.
The point, instead, is that we should keep an open mind as to who carried it out, since
there's no substantial evidence backing the official narrative or any particular
counter-narrative. Asking "Cui bono?" is simply one way of countering the nonsensical, but
widely held, idea that no real evidence is needed because the Russians are obviously
to blame; in point of fact, if one puts proper thought into the motivations of the various
parties involved and the evidence that is available, this explanation seems less
likely than many, though not impossible. The bottom line is that, if the UK wants its
accusations to be credible, it must provide more evidence than it has thus far.
Agreed. It's a way of countering lazy thinking, and I would instance subtle and
not-so-subtle hints that the UK government might have dunnit, which requires at least a few
elements of proof rather than just assertions. I think the argument is actually more powerful
if reversed, though, which is that in principle the list of potential perpetrators should be
limited to those who stood to benefit in some way. I'm not sure that Russia even makes it to
the starting line on that basis.
Can we all agree there has been a rush to judgment and that very rush to judgment has
seriously undermined the credibility of the accusations? We went from chemical poisoning to
Putin in a matter of minutes with nothing in between. No perpetrators, no witness statements,
and no release of evidence. The conclusions seem to predate the crime, the denunciations and
diplomatic expulsions coming even before the source of the poison was discovered on the door.
Having unpacked the bag of accusations, the various elements don't seem to neatly fit back
into the bag they came out of. And nothing frustrates real criminal investigators more than
lack of motivation. There is no reason to murder the victims let alone in the manner
ascribed.
The only thing that makes any sense is the accusation of chemical poisoning by a state
power carries with it a level of condemnation that is beyond redemption. It is THE RED LINE.
History tells us that the mere mention of such use renders immediately a judgment of guilt.
There is no going back. Normalization of relations is no longer an option. We must confront
absolute evil with all means necessary before we all end up writhing on the floor in a pool
of our own vomit, blood, and excrement delivered by an unseen power.
All happening at the precise moment May needs a major distraction to avoid being
confronted by the Ultras in her capitulation to the
EU, coincident with awkward
questions about the Steele Dossier being asked across the Atlantic.
Cui bono? Heard much on those stories lately? Just sayin'
The only thing that makes any sense is the accusation of chemical poisoning by a
state power carries with it a level of condemnation that is beyond redemption. It is THE
RED LINE.
Isn't that the whole point of this "Russia did it!" narrative though? A few columnists
were openly celebrating the fact that Trump wouldn't be able to have a private meeting with
Putin after this story broke. They're forgetting that it's Trump and it can still happen
regardless.
Also, if this stuff is 5x more powerful than VX, how did they set up a dose level that
sickened, but has not killed any of the targets?
We are talking a difference of a few hundreds of micrograms between lethal and
dehabilitating.
LD50 for VX is 10 mg, which means that for Novichuk it is on the order of 2mg (2000 μg)
(5x more potent according to reports),
It is not unreasonable to assume that a difference of 200 μg or so, about 0.000007054
ounces is the difference, and not one, but two targets threaded this needle.
Excellent point! But remember the idea that the public will accept the current narrative
is based on the fact that most Americans still believe that Boris and Natashia are
prototypical Russian agents in terms of competency.
Richard North has a fascianting blog post today about the Skripal affair at
eureferendum.com. The post is titled, Salisbury: A crumbling ediface of lies.
Seems so many crazy theories abound that I might offer up one myself :-)
The motive was love. One of the Skripals had an affair with an employee at the nearby
research facility. The cheated spouse found out and decided to end the affair. This
unbalanced individual stole poison from the research facility and then proceeded to try to
kill the Skripals.
The research facility would of course not admit that poison could be stolen so the killer
gets away with it as the facility provides the perfect cover – it could not happen.
That crazy theory has probably been discarded for the more probable: A foreign government
decided to go 'Bond-villain' or rather 'Austin Power -villain' when a simple knifing would
have ensured the deaths. What is the point of a deed if it isn't done with flair and high
risk of failure?
The Sun has an even more fevered scenario – the mother of the daughter's FSB lover
arranged a hit on her from Moscow. I've noticed some of the more lurid rumours are sourced in
that paper, then picked up by the rest of the media.
The issue with this stuff is how to deliver it, not in the manufacture. If I was in UK's
security services, I'd be mortified that someone carried this over a border, carried it
around the UK and finally delivered it to a target without any of their sensors anywhere or
systems picking it up. That alone should frighten us.
The other major issue is when the public disbelieves senior leadership so quickly on
something this serious, that's a major concern especially as the disbelief is fueled by an
adversary.
NC has a lot of political pragmatists that demand facts rather than propaganda lurking. If
you feel the need to equate that to NC commenters assuming they are CW/BW experts then that's
on you.
> I'd be mortified that someone carried this over a border
Which would be a fair reaction, however there is no evidence that any nerve agent was
carried over the UK's border.
Not only that but the only evidence we have of what it was that poisoned those people is
being held by the British government. The same people who were up to their elbows in lies on
the Iraq deal. And to answer TC's point. Yes, everyone should disbelieve our leadership
quickly. They have repeatedly proven themselves untrustworthy. They manipulate us with fear
and they use modern techniques of advertising to march us all in the same direction. Putin is
the good guy in the Middle East and no amount of fear-mongering can make me doubt the facts
on the ground in favor of the idiots that brought us al qa'eda by feeding the jihadis in
Afghanistan and da'esh by feeding jihadis in Iraq and Syria. Cynical use of dangerous crazies
against governments our leaders perceive to be threats to their plans for world domination is
both dangerous and stupid.
Not the same people. The government in 2002 was led by one T Blair, a Labour politician,
who was willing to overlook falsehoods perpetrated by the US so as not to lose a position of
influence in Washington. Some of the present government were at school then, I think.
the brits still seem to be at washington's beck and call, witness the years long
persecution of julian assange, as well as pushing the "white hats" propaganda in syria.
nothing has changed there.
I guess you are still laboring under the delusion that the identity of the employees of
the powerful and moneyed interests that call the shots matters. Blair is an employee of the
people whose votes count–the guys who vote with money. You and I vote with ballots. How
many ballots does it take to buy a condo in the Virgin Islands?
tc rightly asks how the stuff got into the UK if it wasn't produced there. I know nothing
about chemistry or chemical weapons. Yet I can ask questions in response to the answers I've
heard: this stuff is so absolutely fatal that to me it seems inconceivable that it could be
transported by the usual plane, boat, train entering the UK; or being made of two (?)
substances that seem readily available as pesticides and/or fertiliser the nerve poison could
have been made inside the UK itself. So which is it: in or outside the UK.? In the last
instance the explanation for how it entered the UK is the absolute whopper I'm waiting
for.
I add: one way or the other there can only be questions of negligence, incompetence,
failure on the part of the state to protect its inhabitants from such harm: chemical weapons
are not just available for the asking on the streets of London; border guards, police,
intelligence agencies, etc. have failed. Who is responsible? This reminds me of those Saudis
who somehow learned how to fly aircraft into high buildings and succeeded in doing so. How
did they do it? Who failed in their duty to prevent the crime?
chemical weapons are not just available for the asking on the streets of London
Uh. Yes they are.
Fentanyl (cancer painkiller) and the much more toxic Carfentanil (Elephant tranquilliser)
are sold on the street by drug pushers. Carfentanil in particular has a lower LD 50 than
VX!
Which adversary yet to be announced. Time for this again, I guess. Now is the Age of
Advertising. There's a major adversarial component ( Caveat emptor ) in ordinary
business, and some ad-smarts are necessary for self preservation.
Peter Drucker:
Indeed the danger of total propaganda is not that the propaganda will be believed. The
danger is that nothing will be believed and that every communication becomes suspect. In
the end, no communication is being received. Everything anyone says is considered a demand
and is resisted, resented, and in effect not heard at all. The end results of total
propaganda are not fanatics, but cynics–but this, of course, may be even greater and
more dangerous corruption.
Management – Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices by Peter Drucker
Hannah Arendt has said something similar, he might have picked up the idea from her.
Patrick Armstrong
argues that just trying to argue this story on some kind of merits, as we're doing here,
is some kind of mistake.
Good comment Mel. Can't disagree with Drucker here. Arendt called her book on Eichmann '
The Banality of Evil ' . As Jordan Peterson said recently she might have more profitably
called it ' The Evil of Banality ' which is pretty much where we are now with the ' News '
and so simply attempting to analyse any part of this particular story rather than accepting
just the ' known , knowns ' is a waste of energy .
The analysis of this case does not revolve around expert opinion on chemical warfare. The
only people who have the chemical evidence are the British government. And they have proven
quite unreliable in the past. Furthermore, one need no expertise in CW to know that the
western allies have lied before, probably will lie again and to know that Putin does nothing
in a rash manner. That's why I believe the Russian government and disbelieve the British
government. It has nothing to do with CW. Sadly for the west, Putin has been the adult in the
room all along. His actions in Syria were measured and made perfect sense. The west, however,
decided repeat the mistakes of Afghanistan in the 80s and support the very guys who brought
jihad to the west. Our leadership has failed us and the world. Putin is doing the right thing
in Syria and that's why the west is trying to blame him for everything with the possible
exception of the Lindbergh kidnapping. It is disturbing to me that we are so tribal that
people here in the west can't see that.
we don't even know what the stuff is, absent independent testing. as i understand it the
british government hasn't made samples available despite being required to do so.
Hats off to the people at Porton Down.
I can imagine how much pressure was applied to influence their decision.
Thankfully, they were braver than people like Colin Powell.
"And any developments of such geopolitical importance wind up having economic effects."
I'll say! In 51 weeks May and her government are going to be grasping for any ally that they
can find while fending off all those wanting to put the boot in. Russia may have been willing
to provide a few loans or deliveries of LPG gas on credit but I would say that bridge has
been well and truly burned. May and Johnson essentially used flamethrowers on it. Maybe then
they can take note of Saudi Arabia and gather up any remaining Russian oligarchs, stick them
in the Mayfair, and hang them upside down until they cough a few billion up for Her Majest's
Treasury.
Look, the whole fiasco was bogus from start to finish. Boris Johnson is now lying his face
off by saying that he never actually said that the Russians did it (he did) and May is
backtracking as the Salisbury attack is now coming under international scrutiny. I would like
to see if I cannot place the whole thing into some sort of context. May fingered the Russians
from the get-go and the usual suspects all signed up for her accusations. Dare I say it, as
if there was some sort of coordination behind the scenes. Trump not only ran with it, he
jumped into a Humvee and then floored it. Treaties and diplomatic practices have been ignored
or trashed on both sides of the Atlantic so I am wondering what was the benefit that hoped to
be gained.
There is the disruption of the upcoming FIFA games (as happened with the Olympics) but that
would only be a side benefit. It may be that the west wants to occupy eastern Ukraine with a
UN force (NATO in disguise) and this effort would have helped neutralize the Russians. It may
be to distract the Russians from Syrian but that is coming to a close. What I do wonder is
something that has been brought up several items and that a "reform" of the UN Security
Council has been suggested. Either Russia would be kicked out or perhaps there would be a
majority rule introduced to neutralize both China and Russia here. If Russia was under
international suspicion, it may have helped give the impetus for this "reform" to be carried
out. Maybe not a compelling theory but you do not organize an international effort on this
scale without some major benefit in mind.
You gave me a good laugh: 'neutralise both China and Russia' on the Security Council by
introducing a majority rule. Maybe that will end up neutralising the US, the UK and some
other bigwigs instead? No we're supposed to buy into the prejudice that things only go wrong
at the UN because of Russia and China? I'm doing my best to maintain a semblance of sanity
and I'm failing badly.
No, my idea is that both Russia and China block many votes that would give legal cover to
illegal actions in the UN that it is a hindrance to the west. Libya is an example when the
west gets what it wants by lying to both countries what a Resolution is all about. Remember
the number of times that the west wanted to put Syria on the hit list because they "gassed
their own people" and bomb the Syrian Army? Ask Nikki Haley how she feels about Russia in the
UN Security Council. Most of those that sit on the UN Security Council are either western
countries or vassal countries, hence a desire for a majority vote instead of having to have
all members agree to an action.
I'd say that Dmitry Orlov covered the topic well, and soon after the ludicrous charges
were being bellowed by the U.S. and U.K. governments.
Here is just one point that he made, a point that should, on its own, raise extremely
serious doubt about Russian government involvement:
Then there is the question of timing. Russia's presidential elections will take place in
just a few days, on March 18. This is a particularly inopportune time to cause an
international scandal. What possible urgency could there have been behind killing a
pardoned former spy who no longer possessed any up-to-date intelligence, was living quietly
in retirement, and at that moment was busy having lunch with his daughter? If the Russian
government were involved in the poisoning, what possible reason could have been given for
not waiting until after the election?
Unlike Orlov I can believe that Russia is behind this incident. When the Romanovs were
Czars and still in charge it wasn't a good idea to talk smack about or cross Mother Russia.
But I'm pretty sure that if Putin ordered somebody killed that they'd already be dead. The
fact that British spies have been acting like a crazy ex-lover ever since Brexit leads me to
think it isn't Putin. It isn't hard to imagine that the Brits would leave a dead animal on
somebody's porch, or a park bench, with the way they've acted.
Steele didn't write his dossier and start interfering in the US presidential election
until Brexit occurred. For all the media hysteria on this side of the pond about foreign
influence during our election they blithely ignore the fact that Steele wasn't alone and
another "former" British spook from GCHQ involved himself in our domestic politics. They
haven't attempted this kind of operation in the US since WWII when they attempted to smear
Adolf Berle and torpedo Henry Wallace's political career / presidential campaign as far as I
know.
On the other hand, their "willing handmaidens" in the US intelligence community are
receiving a taste of their just deserts. How many of them openly fantasized about murdering
Snowden?
Y'all are kinda running with a narrative thats presented from talking heads. Sad! Its
doesnt matter if its X mg, or door handles or someone said this or that or wave an agreement
signed before cocktails.
The real issue is that someone has this stuff near a major city, is walking/driving around
with it, and knows how to deploy it safely against a target who is security conscious. And no
one is sure who it is or how much of it they have. So, quarantining a likely suspect makes a
lot of sense – you can always say ooppss, sorry Boris. But in the meantime, senior
leadership has to be terrified (as we all should be too) and given a lot of leeway to figure
this out.
I see you don't follow this site. We are not "running a narrative". Go check our New Cold
War section in Links We've been regularly featuring articles from people who were skeptical
of the "Putin done it" claims from the get go, when that was a very much a minority view.
No one except the British government has the evidence of a) what the substance was b) how
it got there and c) how sick the Skripals really are. Note that they have not been allowed
visits from their government nor have they been allowed to be interviewed or even pictured in
the press. Anyone who believes the British government even one iota is very gullible indeed.
Naivete in great abundance here. Assuming that when Blair left the lies left with him. Wow!
Just wow!
Amongst all the learned posturing about "who done it" there are some much simpler
questions that need to be asked, and answered.
The UK lab states that the nerve agent was from the Novichuk "family". Irrespective of
which nerve agent it was, how did it end up in a UK city, who brought it there, and how did
an ex Russian spy, his daughter and a British Police Officer end up in hospital having come
in to contact with said compound???
Novichuk is not available in B&Q or Homebase (DIY stores for non-UK readers) It is a
military grade nerve agent and not something than be cooked up in the average terrorist
kitchen, and is quite likely to kill whoever is handling it, let alone the target.
In the 70's I spent time in the British Army in W Germany running around in my "noddy
suit" (NBC protective clothing which we hoped would work!!) in anticipation of the Warsaw
Pact putting in to effect its threat to be at the Channel ports within 5 days of any conflict
starting. We knew that Chemical and Biological weapons were likely to be used by Warsaw Pact
troops to contaminate our supply depots, and the Soviets knew that NATO would probably use
tactical nuclear weapons to stop the enemy tank armies. The chemical weapons would probably
arrive by artillery shells, but the downside to using such weapons is that once used, the
threat of death is the same for both sides.
There was a previous killing of an ex-Soviet spy in London using Polonium. The
availability of polonium is about the same as laying your hands on a nerve agent IE, State
Players Only.
The targets were the same, ex Soviet citizens who had been spying for the other side, and
caught and expelled from Russia. As the UK had given citizenship and refuge to the ex spies,
one has to ask who would be interested in killing them in vengeance?
Given that there are very few sources for Novichuk, and its use as targeted on a former
Russian spy living in a very pleasent British Cathedral city, the conclusions are very
limited.
we dont even know what was used, so how can we say "there are few sources" for it? that
means we don't know who used whatever it was, we certainly can't conclude it was the
russians.
Because the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom made a statement to Parliament stating
that the agent concerned came from the Novichuk family.
If you don't believe the UK PM then perhaps you might understand why many in the UK and
Europe also do not believe the statements made by the President of Russia and the Russian
Government.
The attempted murder of a British Citizen and his Russian daughter and a British Police
Officer is a very serious matter, but for a Prime Minister to lie to Parliament is a
resignation matter, and possibly cause for a General Election. Politicians lie much of the
time or are "economical with the truth" but you cannot deliberately lie to Parliament and
expect to survive!
yeah the president of the us made statements about saddam wmd's, and so did the prime
minister of the uk. and yet, both survived and prospered. i don't believe politicians's
statements, i believe evidence. so far, no convincing evidence has been provided.
There have been suggestions that these were binary agents, similar to those developed by
the US in the 1980s, which consist of two agents which are only lethal when mixed together.
If they were brought into the UK, then they would have been safe to carry and not aroused
suspicion. In any case, in years of travel into and out of the UK I have never seen anything
resembling a CW detector. Mixing them together would have been a different issue, of
course
I was due to mix up some binary agents in the morning to repair a ding in my bumper. The
two part epoxy resin will hopefully not decimate the neighbourhood, and I will try not to get
it on my hands (sic!!)
I'm skeptical of international rules against nerve agents. Clearly something administered
by someone made the Skirpals deathly ill. Little story: When I was 20 the military screwed up
a test of nerve agent at Dugway Proving Grounds. It was carried by the wind beyond its test
range and killed a large herd of sheep. Dead as rocks. So two years ago when that very hearty
band of Central Asian antelope, the Saiga, were all found mysteriously dead – all of
them – and the incident was determined to have been caused by some fungus or virus, I
was more than a little suspicious. Close to that time there were teams of western researchers
looking at the Aral Sea and how to bring it back to life since it is currently a veritable
toxic waste dump, now an almost dry sea bed and the toxins are blown around capriciously by
the wind. People conducting research there were Americans. No doubt some Brits as well. And
now the Skirpals? Sorry to connect such estranged dots. Just thinkin.
In 1942 the British Government tested what the effect of anthrax would be if used in WW2
on a small Scottish island. The island is still uninhabited and anthrax spores can still be
found.
Chemical warfare was used in WW1 with devastating effect on the troops concerned, hence
the concerns in WW2 and later that an enemy might use them again. So devastating and
unpredictable are things like poison gas that neither side used them in WW2, but the threat
or possibility of its use had a considerable effect on the UK civilian population who all had
to carry gas masks at all times.
It is the possibility of an enemy using Chemical and Biological weapons which causes fear
in a population, far beyond the effects of it actually being used.
The UK became used to the threat of IRA bombings on the mainland and the population coped
with that and persevered, but as the PM stated to Parliament, the Salisbury incident was the
first time that someone had deployed a nerve agent on UK soil, and that is the question that
must be answered. Who manufactured and/or released the nerve agent to someone to deploy
against a UK target who was a former Russian spy who had worked for the UK. This was not a
random attack on the Underground or Parliament, but a targeted attack on a single family, and
this is not the first time a former Russian spy has been killed in the UK using a means only
available to a State Player.
I would have thought that authority to deploy a nerve agent on foreign soil, especially
against a NATO nuclear power, would have to be given at Presidential/Prime Minister level in
any government. Given the paranoia of such weapons falling in to the wrong hands, the
politicians are not likely to delegate use authority outside their office.
The US doctrine is that Chemical and Biological weapons are no different than Nuclear
weapons and the response will be the same. This is because the US destroyed their stockpiles
of chemical and bio weapons.
The United States declared a large chemical arsenal of 27,770 metric tons to the OPCW
after the CWC came into force in 1997. Along with Russia, the United States received an
extension when it was unable to complete destruction of its chemical stockpiles by 2012.
A 2016 OPCW report declared that the United States had destroyed approximately 90
percent of the chemical weapons stockpile it had declared as the CWC entered into force
; nearly 25,000 metric tons of the declared total of 27,770. The United States has
destroyed all of Category 2 and Category 3 weapons and is projected to complete
destruction of its Category 1 weapons by 2023 ;.
Novichok poisons were used by a non-state player in the 90s. It killed a banker and his
secretary in Moscow. Either by a business rival or personal matter apparently. The russian
police back then questioned all the scientists who were in the Novichok program.
So what you write is patently untrue, historically and of course on its face. Someone in
Porton Down, in Iran, in the US, Uzbekistan or of course Russia (probably more but those we
at least know of) could get their hands on it for their own ends. Even if it's just something
as simple as to sell it for cold hard cash to some "friend".
Please remember the anthrax scare in the US in the early 2000s: those were US made spores
but we can assume not even evil mastermind Cheney would have done this. Compared to Cheney,
Putin should be sainted or just given a Nobel.
Actually, CW has generally been pretty ineffective militarily, and counter-measures were
quickly developed in WW1. There are no proven examples of it having influenced the outcome of
a major engagement in the 20th century, with the possible exception of one point in the
Iran/Iraq War in the 1980s. It's subject to all sorts of problems of weather, wind direction
etc. In the Cold War, the Soviets planned to use absolutely enormous quantities of it
(thousands of tonnes) but essentially as a nuisance, to force NATO troops to fight in NBC
suits, rather than in the expectation of causing enormous casualties. As you say, the main
effect of CW is fear, and we've certainly had that.
It was extremely effective, even in primitive form, in WWI, that's why it was banned* from
war (but not on civilians/civil war) afterward. Bad for MIC business.
Sorry, it caused a lot of fear when it was first used, but counter-measures were developed
very quickly. Covering your face with a urine-soaked cloth was as effective as anything. CW
was considered inhuman, which is why there were measures to ban it, and it's potential
effectiveness was massively overestimated in the 1930s. It was fear of the potential effects,
rather than actual experience, which was important.
"Conclusive Evidence is Lacking" makes the UK government's case sound stronger than it is,
as if all that were needed were a few more pieces of the puzzle to fit and this thing would
be air tight.
Rather, as John Laurits has pointed out, the UK government has not presented ANY evidence
other than their say-so.
There is a considerable difference between who authorised such an operation, and the
people who actually carried out the attack.
You need one man or woman, probably the HOS, to authorise a nerve agent attack on the soil
of a NATO nuclear armed power.
You would probably need 5 people to actually carry out the attack on the ground and the
actual nerve agent could have come in to the UK in a Diplomatic Bag. The actual on-site team
could be from the security service of the country who authorised the attack and who probably
supplied the nerve agent, or the actual on-site team could have been from a third party
country who have friendly relations with those wanting the attack carried out.
I seem to remember that the Bulgarians have form in doing sub-contract killings with an
umbrella!!
There is no sub contract killing by bulgarians. The one killed back then was a bulgarian
dissident, attacking the bulgarian government or rather their elite persons back then and
killed by bulgarians for bulgarian reasons.
Yes, the KGB delivered the weapon, but as people wrote before: whenever someone now kills
with a gun, we blame the chinese, not the gunman. After all, they invented gunpowder.
I think this idea has great potential. China needs to be put in its place anyways.
As an observer on this out of control train called humanity, I stand in awe of the
collective gullibility of Western societies. This is same country and media that was
complicit in the Iraq war
Former UK prime minister Tony Blair could face war crimes charges as a result of the
long-anticipated Chilcot report into the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a Liberal Democrat peer
told the House of Lords on Tuesday.
The second-worst case of denying access to anti-war voices was ABC in the United States,
which allowed them a mere 7 per cent of its overall coverage. The worst case was the BBC,
which gave just 2 per cent of its coverage to opposition views – views that
represented those of the majority of the British people.
"Libya: Examination of intervention and collapse and the UK's future policy options," an
investigation by the House of Commons' bipartisan Foreign Affairs Committee, strongly
condemns the U.K.'s role in the war, which toppled the government of Libya's leader Muammar
Qaddafi and plunged the North African country into chaos.
By June 10, Cherif Bassiouni, who is leading a UN rights inquiry into the situation in
Libya, suggested that the Viagra and mass rape claim was part of a "massive hysteria".
The BBC went on to add another layer just a few days after Bassiouni humiliated the ICC
and the media: the BBC now claimed that rape victims in Libya faced "honour killings". This
is news to the few Libyans I know, who never heard of honour killings in their country.
The vast quantities of ordnance dropped since the start of Operation Shader against IS
in 2014 seriously undermines the claim by ministers that the RAF has not caused any
civilian casualties in the three-year-long bombing campaign, and has prompted calls for an
investigation.
Scenes in the 2013 BBC Panorama special Saving Syria's Children reveal that the
award-winning team of reporter Ian Pannell and cameraman Darren Conway OBE were embedded
with jihadi group Ahrar al-Sham which, according to Human Rights Watch, had three weeks
earlier worked alongside Islamic State (IS) and al-Qaeda affiliate Jabhat al-Nusra as one
of "the key fundraisers, organizers, planners, and executors" of an attack in which at
least 190 civilians were killed and over 200 – "the vast majority women and children"
– were kidnapped.
All these interventions are violations of international law and war crimes.
IF the British intelligence services were involved in the Skripal case they have
quite the wicked sense of humor why on earth would Putin in the midst of an international
demonization campaign and on the eve of Russian elections and World Cup attempt to kill a
Russian ex-spy with a Russian nerve agent eight years after being released?
Putin was obviously trying to ingratiate himself to Theresa May by drawing attention away
from her capitulation on Brexit, and to Robert Mueller by drawing attention away from the
fact that his Trump investigation is based on BS possibly about to be outed by the no longer
talking Skripal.
There has been no real information provided at all, why should any of this be believed at
all? It's all one world threatening, "look at that over there!!!" distraction.
Your links to prior deceptions are an excellent frame through which to view the whole
kerfuffle.
I'm not unsympathetic, but let's not overstate it. The first is just grandstanding which
has no legal basis. The second is bad behaviour by the BBC but is by no stretch of the
imagination a crime, the third is true but there's no actual crime involved, the rape myth is
despicable but it's not a crime to spread it, the fourth is not proof of anything and ignores
the fact that the law of war recognises it is not possible to avoid non-combatant deaths
altogether, and the last, whilst showing questionable judgement by the BBC wouldn't be a
crime committed by their journalists even if it were true.
No matter how unlikely the idea that the Russian government was responsible may appear ,
"British governments and the BBC have done or said bad things in the past" is not an argument
in this case. There are better ones.
The attack against Libya by UK and France was a war crime, any way you slice it.
The handling of the UN resolution about a no fly zone for Libya was a further war crime or
international crime.
The attack by Britain on Iraq was a clear war crime.
We live thankfully in a post Nuremberg world. Unless it's a "Nuremberg only applies to
losers". That one you have to decide for yourself.
Yes the law only applies to losers as opposed to the winners as in Libor rate rigging,
sanction busting, money laundering bankers & the like, unless as in the cases of Madoff
& the Shrek guy you are foolish enough to rob the wealthy.
As David states in the eyes of the law none of examples above from foreign interventionism
are crimes in the legal sense. They are merely examples of moral bankruptcy which it appears
to me at least is nowadays one of the qualities required in order to become a winner or to at
least hang on to one's rice bowl. It is sad that success is apparently measured by comparison
to those who at least in my opinion, appear to consist mainly of dead fish eyed slaves to
power & unsatiable appetite.
why wasn't the invasion a war crime? have bush and cheney visiting switzerland recently?
nobody is going to prosecute them for it, since the us is still the dominant military power,
but doesn't mean they didn't commit a crime.
It was a crime in my view, but in terms of the law in which David was judging the events
nobody was prosecuted, as the law is only for the losers like Saddam Hussein, Milosevich etc.
I was perhaps rather clumsily attempting to make the point that the law is the winning elites
ass, & those who serve their interests, also gain a certain amount of absolution from
what I would describe as variations of immorality.
what do you mean it has no legal basis. the invasion of iraq was a war crime, and blair
facilitated it. aggressive war is not legal under the un charter.
France seems to be getting a free pass in the news about the Salisbury investigations.
Just why exactly did the British need to call in the French in the first place? What
knowledge did they have that the British did not have at their chemical warfare establishment
just up the road from Salisbury? I know that they were involved in declaring Sarin to be
identified going by the sample as supplied by the Jihadists from Syria from a chemical
attack. Did that 'expertise' help them to be qualified in identifying the sources of chemical
attacks? The Russians were certainly interested to know-
https://eadaily.com/en/news/2018/04/01/russian-embassy-sends-questions-on-skripal-case-to-french-foreign-ministry
If he fails to keep his mouth shut I wouldn't be surprised to learn in the tabloids in the near future of his (sadly fatal)
penchant for auto-erotic asphyxiation.
""Johnson also said that "none of us have forgotten" about the "barbaric" chemical weapons attack in Syria a year ago.""
Translation: "none of us have forgotten" about the "barbaric" chemical weapons attack in Syria a year ago "which was done by
our Al Qaeda and ISIS proxies with the help of our special forces stationed in Syria."
that's all they learn in boarding schools - how to lie and lie and be good psychopaths: charming, fake, easy to bribe and natural
traitors, obsessed with money and status.
And above all how to develop that exhagarated catatonic accent so valued by Anglosheeple
I know many of these Public school boys - from Malborough, Harrow etc
Look no further than you local electric and gas suppliers who are likely publicly traded with a monopoly on the most traded
commodities in the world. Why does a human necessity have a monopoly - follow the money.
Lol....that's what I think, from my experience with dealing with retarded psychopaths. They just don't back down until you
directly address them and call them out on their bullshit, or just plain fucking slam them against the wall.
So err...is it going to be an "accidental" nuclear launch or dirty bomb, or I don't know.....a Russian ISIS attack? The possibilities
are endless with these slimey limey cunts. They're barely out of the European Union, yet are already faltering like a mule loaded
with lead.
Agreed, and some just go nuts when called out. It's worse than just the Brits. Trump is clearly somewhat on board, and Macron
seems to want a distraction, too.
Trump is in love with himself, Macron is in love with a granny, and Boris Johnson belongs to the fucking zoo with the gorillas.
What a world we live in, when the voices of reason are coming from Russia, China and Iran, and the irrational tantrum turd
throwing is coming from the West.
I might also politely remind you and others of Russia's ability to disable the US Aegis missile system, including the Raytheon
Tomahawk missile using a highly advanced electronic warfare suite known as Khibiny.
You do not need due process to hang him now neither :-) Ain't that cute when the process of law finally breaks down. Happens
when you support banksters operating a ponzi scheme to rob people...
Stupid cunt is a better description. He is supposed to be the number 1 diplomat but he is a classic attention seeking snowflake
who wants to be PM.
He blamed Russia immediately. Then tells everyone not to be Russiaphobic and then the stupid cunt compares attending the WC
the same as Hitler's 1936 Olympics.
Guy is out of his depth and making Britain look stupid.
Portland Down say they do not know where the nerve agent was manufactured (Portland down would have the records of OPCW to
check). Maybe Russia would have the data relating the nerve agent to a NATO stockpile. Note: If the nerve agent was so deadly
how come the person delivering it; is not ill?
Given this talk about "military-grade", it sounds more like something an American MIC manufacturer would make. Overpriced and
ineffective when used.
Three people affected. Hours after contact. Yet all three survived, in spite of the lack of antidote, as the BBC has reported.
Doesn't sound pretty "military-grade" to me. And if it is "military grade", should we even be shitting our pants at the constant
fearmongering over WMDs? If this is what military grade is capable of for terrorism, we're clearly spending way to much money
for this particular threat, now aren't we?
I don't buy the 'no antidote' business. Nerve agents work by blocking receptors in the nervous system. Atropine breaks this
block restoring normal nervous system action. The cop who was affected was talking within days yet the Skirpals were unconscious
for weeks, until Julia Skirpal made a 'miraculous' recovery. Did the cop get atropine?
If he fails to keep his mouth shut I wouldn't be surprised to learn in
the tabloids in the near future of his (sadly fatal) penchant for
auto-erotic asphyxiation.
""Johnson also said that "none of us have forgotten" about the "barbaric"
chemical weapons attack in Syria a year ago.""
Translation: "none of us have
forgotten" about the "barbaric" chemical weapons attack in Syria a year ago
"which was done by our Al Qaeda and ISIS proxies with the help of our special
forces stationed in Syria."
that's all they learn in boarding schools - how to lie and lie and be good
psychopaths: charming, fake, easy to bribe and natural traitors, obsessed
with money and status.
And above all how to develop that exhagarated
catatonic accent so valued by Anglosheeple
I know many of these Public school boys - from Malborough, Harrow etc
Look no further than you local electric and gas suppliers who
are likely publicly traded with a monopoly on the most traded
commodities in the world. Why does a human necessity have a monopoly -
follow the money.
Fifteen countries voted against Russia's bid, while six voted for it and 17 abstained.
"Unfortunately, we haven't been able to have two-thirds of the votes in support of that decision. A qualified majority was needed,"
Russian ambassador Alexander Shulgin told reporters, adding " Russia as well as other states that are members of the Executive Committee
have been pushed aside from this investigation ."
UK's Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson brushed aside Russia's request, calling it a "ludicrous proposal" designed to "undermine"
the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) investigation.
"Russia has had one goal in mind since the attempted murders on UK soil through the use of a military-grade chemical weapon -
to obscure the truth and confuse the public," Johnson said. " The international community has yet again seen through these tactics
and robustly defeated Russia's attempts today to derail the proper international process ." Johnson also said that "none of us have
forgotten" about the "barbaric" chemical weapons attack in Syria a year ago.
"After the OPCW-UN investigation found that the Syrian regime was responsible, Russia blocked that body from doing any more work,"
he said.
Russia wants to discuss a letter sent by UK Prime Minister Theresa May to the UN Security Council which says it's "highly likely"
that Moscow was behind last month's nerve agent attack.
Meanwhile ,
as we reported yesterday , the chief scientist from the UK's Porton Down military laboratory facility, Gary Aitkenhead, told
Sky News that they had been unable to prove that the novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal came from Russia.
"We were able to identify it as novichok, to identify that it was military-grade nerve agent," Aitkenhead said. " We have not
identified the precise source, but we have provided the scientific info to government who have then used a number of other sources
to piece together the conclusions you have come to. "
**PAGING COLIN POWELL. IS THERE A MR. POWELL IN THE BUILDING?**
The Porton Down chief scientist said that establishing the Novichok's origin required "other inputs," some of which are intelligence
based and which only the government has access to.
Aitkenhead added: " It is our job to provide the scientific evidence of what this particular nerve agent is, we identified that
it is from this particular family and that it is a military grade, but it is not our job to say where it was manufactured ."
So whose job is it to determine where the Novichok was manufactured?
That said, it was also noted that the nerve agent involved required "extremely sophisticated methods to create, something only
in the capabilities of a state actor," and that there is no known antidote to Novichok - nor was any administered to either of the
Skripals.
Aitkenhead would not say whether the Porton Down facility had manufactured or maintained stocks of Novichok - long rumored to
be the case.
" There is no way anything like that could have come from us or left the four walls of our facility ," said the chief.
Boris Johnson has come under fire since the Porton Down chief's statement, as Johnson lied, saying in an interview two weeks ago
that Porton Down officials told him there was "no doubt" that the nerge agent came from Russia .
The Foreign Office told Sky News that Johnson "misspoke," which is apparently UK officialspeak for "he totally lied, but nobody
will hold him accountable for it."
Perhaps Johnson "misspoke" in his rush to locate a hairbrush?
The evil people, Theresa May, Stoltenberg, Trump and the rest, are damming Russia with obvious lies.
The Novichok nerve agents probably don't even exist.
HERE IS THE PROOF:
The Novichok nerve agents are supposedly much more toxic than the nerve gases VX or Sarin.
Mirzayanov's book, published in 2008, contains the formulas he alleges can be used to create Novichoks. In 1995, he explained
that "the chemical components or precursors" of Novichok are "ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical
companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides."
Basically, Mirzayanov claims that it is relatively easy to make the Novichok nerve agents.
So, some enterprising Arabs could buy a few chemists to make a few tons of it and then spray it all over the little Satan.
Do you really think that the Jews who run the United States would allow the publication of information that could lead to thousands
of deaths in Israel?
Do you really think they would protect the publisher of such information by giving him residence in the United States?
Remember, Mirzayanov was given residence in the United States after he was kicked out of Russia.
There are also a number of "people who should know" that have stated that there is zero solid evidence for the existence of
the Novichok nerve agents. For example: Robin Black in Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents (2016):
"In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed
in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly originating from a dissident Russian
military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published."
And, Alexander Shulgin, Russia's representative to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (2018):
"There has never been a 'Novichok' research project conducted in Russia,... But in the West, some countries carried out such
research, which they called 'Novichok,' for some reason."
CONCLUSION: The Novichok nerve agents don't even exist.
The use of the "projection" technique (essentially accusing your opponents of doing the very things you yourself are doing)
in official circles has become widespread. It's biggest proponent is, of course, Shitlery who, as an example, recently accused
Trump of using his position to enrich himself and his family (Um....?). Now BoJo has the chutzpah to accuse Russia of obfuscation
and lies. Same technique. Specifically:
" Russia has had one goal in mind since the attempted murders on UK soil through the use of a military-grade chemical weapon
- to obscure the truth and confuse the public," Johnson said. " The international community has yet again seen through these tactics
and robustly defeated Russia's attempts today to derail the proper international process ."
And, of course, psychopaths actually believe their projections which allows them to speak with a straight face. And the MSM,
naturally, just blindly "reports" what they say. The internet is the only source of real information and the true investigative
journalism of any integrity. Which is, of course, why they are trying so hard to censor and close the sources of truth.
you can see here their modus operandi - one of the first NSA leaks by Snowden/Greenwald. There is a slide there called the
Gambits For Deception - all the tricks are there - how to never admit when caught lying, how to cover the small move by the big
one - basically all the BS this fat ugly clown is using are there:
projection is everything. America banned the Huwawie Chinese cell phone because they thought it was a threat. What are all
those Apples in China? Not even to speak about domestic use.
"... I think the Skripal story is where the liars finally meet their Waterloo. They got away with MH17, with Litvinenko, with killing Nemtsov, with Magnitsky, with using gas in Syria ... They got away with the snipers on Maidan Square. There is much more stretching back over the years Iraq, Georgia 2008 etc, but I don't want to belabor the point. ..."
"... contemptuous mockery ..."
"... That's not what the Porton Down chief said 3 April.. He said they could not identify the poison as having been manufactured in Russia. Johnson said a fortnight ago that he was told at Porton Down that there was no doubt about where it had come from. Am I missing something? Is that not an outright lie that he told Nemtsov's daughter in the interview and others? ..."
Points 2 and 3 really struck me, because, if he is right, than a large part of the effort in the alt-media to rebut this nonsense
is in fact only doing more harm.
I think the Skripal story is where the liars finally meet their Waterloo. They got away with MH17, with Litvinenko, with killing
Nemtsov, with Magnitsky, with using gas in Syria ... They got away with the snipers on Maidan Square. There is much more stretching
back over the years Iraq, Georgia 2008 etc, but I don't want to belabor the point.
Skripal is just another miserable false flag right from their playbook followed up with a timed avalanche of lies in the media,
and you can see how, considering what they got away with before, they think they can pull it off again.
It's obvious nonsense brought to you by proven liars.
The point of propaganda is to leave an impression after the details have been forgotten.
To get involved in discussing the minutiae of the story is to help the propagandists' aims.
Therefore treat it as a badly constructed story that is failing to convince.
Do this by analyzing the comments on the news stories which (at least the ones I've looked at) show that people are skeptical.
Also mock the meanderings of the story: At the restaurant! In the car! On the doorstep! Incredibly lethal but strangely
ineffective. Miraculous recovery of daughter. Baby wipes as effective protection. Reminiscent of White Helmets and their flip
flops, rubber gloves and paper masks; but, come to think of it, it's the same authors in both stories. Who, after so many lies,
are becoming overconfident and sloppy.
It's a startlingly incompetent theatrical production and should be responded to with contemptuous mockery .
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Johnson has now clearly been exposed as a liar in this Nemtsova interview [20 March, 2018] with him on DW:
Nemtsova: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to find it out so quickly?
Does Britain possess samples of it?
Johnson: Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton Down, the laboratory
Nemtsova: So they have samples
Johnson: They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said, "Are you sure?" And he said there's
no doubt. We have very little alternative but to take the action that we have taken. But I must say the difference between this
time and what happened 12 years ago with Alexander Litvinenko is also that there is much more sympathy in the international community,
far more understanding of the kind of behaviour that Russia has been engaged in in the last few years. And round the table in
Brussels, talking to all the other European countries, there's hardly anybody who hasn't experienced directly or indirectly some
kind of malign or disruptive behaviour.
Again:
Nemtsova's question to Johnson:
You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to find it out so quickly?
Johnson's answer:
When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton Down, the laboratory they were absolutely categorical and
I asked the guy myself, I said, "Are you sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
That's not what the Porton Down chief said 3 April.. He said they could not identify the poison as having been manufactured
in Russia. Johnson said a fortnight ago that he was told at Porton Down that there was no doubt about where it had come from. Am I missing something? Is that not an outright lie that he told Nemtsov's daughter in the interview and others?
I would be very careful about pursuing this line of reasoning. From my understanding due to the fact that the substance didn't
kill them instantly this means it's impossible that such a nerve agent was used. If we accept what this specialist from Porton
Down Say's that means that we are conceding that he actually DID indeed receive such a nerve agent from the crime scene which
is in itself a lie.
Formula: Concede to 1 lie whereby the line of reasoning rests on the presumption of a non sequiter.
Basically this scientist is still either lying or more likely he was handed fake evidence due to the chain of custody issue.
mmm if anybody is generally in touch with Mr Armstrong i would urge him to add this line of reasoning to his points.
IMO the use of term false flag is devastating to the case is it implies that the attack took place but the purpose was to blame
the pesky Putinites however this is far less plausible (occams razor and whatnot) than THEY JUST SIMPLY MADE IT UP, as they're
very well known to do in the past. I.e. colin Powell presenting a vial of white powder VS Colin Powel sneaking the alleged wmd's
into the country and screaming "look! They dun have it!!!". This is especially important considering that there has been NO EVIDENCE
OF AN ACTUAL ATTACK TAKING PLACE, which is basically what we need to take them to task for.
Note that comments in most Western media are CENSURED.
Comments that jeopardize the decided narrative are simply deleted and profiles with repeated "wrong opinions" (its normally people
who refer to facts) are simply kicked out without explanation.
It happens in "Daily Beast", m.m. and in about all Scandinavian newspapers.
I am 58 and have Never seen the Real Truth the Full Truth only LIES put in such a way that if they get Totally Caught they
can disclaim the Lies then the show goes on.
bbc - msm all liar's and working for the british "regime's"
You can only use these debunk tools with open minded free people.
To question the government and authorities as written in MSM is impossible.
Any attempt by you or anybody to question the MSM narrative will make people feel unsafe and uncomfortable and make them reject
you because you/we have made them feel uncomfortable.
Even with close friends, you can pursuade them to question the narrative and feel doubt about the case, but they will still
refuse to make a personal stand because it jeopardize their relationship with the power.
"If the Authorities lie there is probably a good reason for it, in any case its not my business".
Western people are brainwashed to the state of Matrix and its done by semantics where Authority has decided which words are
negative and which words are positive.
This leads peoples thoughts through planned pipes with stop and contra valves like in a drainage system where you will feel uncomfortable
if you use words the power has decided are negatives.
You can see the absurd result on West television shows.
ISIS members are excused in MSM because "its their culture", "they have had a bad childhood", "we try to resocialise them", saying
Authority give them a cover and positive perception.
Muslim women with scarf are smeared in MSM as a "threat to our western values" and "oppressed by men" giving people a negative
perception.
When you now speak with Western people they will feel negative and look down on intelligent moslem women and feel positive and
admire mass murders because the System has dictated this perception. Pure Matrix.
BoJo the British Clown and his entourage, in refusing to provide samples and/or their analysis to Russia, has apparently never
heard of the concept of 'discovery', where the accused is afforded a review of all 'evidence' against them.
The Brits have now effectively turned the Magna Carta into the Magna Farta. This is no laughing matter.
This is not an isolated false flag. Allegedly the Baldrick styled cunning plan is just a lead up to Theresa's ff nuke attack
on London to be blamed on Russia. The Satanic Tory Party have really sunk to the depths of psychopathic paranoid insanity. Will
The Queen save us?
"... You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it? ..."
(This is a 'working thread' to collect various items related to the alleged 'Novichok'
incident in Salisbury and the fate of the British spy Sergej Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
For a wider overview of the case please check our longer write-ups linked at the end of this
post.)
The Russian government sent fourteen specific questions to the British
government and thirteen questions to
the OPCW . There seems to be some French involvement in the investigation of the alleged
nerve agent and Russia ask why that is the case.
Alexander Yakovenko, the Russian ambassador to Britain, further increased the pressure on
Theresa May by publicly asserting
that the Skripal case was a 'provocation' carried out by British intelligence.
Telepolis
points out (in German) that this would not be the first time that a 'western' service would
stage such a 'provocation'. The Skripal case is indeed quite comparable to Operation Hades .
On August 10 1994 German officials in Munich 'found' 363 grams of plutonium on a plane
coming from Moscow. They immediately asserted, that the plutonium 'must' have come from a
Russian reactor. There was a lot of media panic, international political noise and condemnation
of Russia.
Time Cover August 29 1994
This put pressure on the Russian government to increase its security at its nuclear sites.
The U.S. offered to 'help' with nuclear security and thus got easy access to Russia's nuclear
secrets. The case broke in the mid of the federal election campaign in Germany and helped
chancellor Kohl to get re-elected.
Months later first leaks appeared, enterprising reporters dug deeper into the story and it
started to unravel.
Der Spiegel filled ten
pages (in German) with the explosive story.
SPIEGEL Cover May 10 1995
"The BND's Nuke Hustle"
"How German secret agents invented the plutonium hazard"
It turnedoutthat the
plutonium was not from Russia but had been planted by the German equivalent of the
MI6, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND). Later leaks and counter-leaks created a convoluted
story to hide the truth behind it. A parliamentarian commission
investigated the case but the Kohl government eventually shut it down without any political consequences.
Shortly thereafter the deeply involved BND head, Bernd Schmidbauer, was sent into
retirement.
The Russian depict the 'Novichok' case as a staged 'provocation'. There is a historic
antetype for such a 'provocation' by a 'western' intelligence service. That gives the Russian
claim some significant merit.
---
It took only nine month for the 1994 'Operation Hades' story to fall apart. The 'Novichok'
fairy-tale may now see an even earlier end.
Chief executive of Porton Down research laboratory has told Sky News scientists have not
been able to prove the Novichok nerve agent used to poison Sergei and Yulia Skripal came from
Russia or establish its country of origin
Mind the gap, Mrs. May. Mind the credibility gap.
Video of
Mr. Aitkenhead's Sky News interview. (Nice word play included : He only
provides scientific evidence. The government may additionally have 'other' (i.e. unscientific)
evidence to make a case.)
In light of the Proton Down statement we can now state that Boris Johnson, on March 20
on DW , proved to be an 'absolutely categorical' liar:
You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to
find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
BJ: Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton
Down, the laboratory
So they have the samples
BJ: They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said, "Are
you sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
In the interview Boris Johnson tried to preemptively put any eventual fault in the case on
Porton Down. Today he received the response.
The update carefully distinguishes and discusses the various chemical substances and
research programs relevant to the British 'Novichok' claims. The 'Novichok' nerve agents Vil
Mirzayanov describes in his book seem to differ from the substances other Russian scientists
talked about in their recent interviews. The U.S. though, as well as other countries, has
evidently worked on some of the substances described by Mirzayanov and concealed these efforts
from the OPCW. The Working Group concludes:
The UK government has asserted that "No country bar Russia has combined capability, intent
and motive" to carry out the Salisbury poisonings. Published studies show that these
compounds can be synthesized at bench scale (sufficient for an assassination) in other
countries. The UK government's declared case therefore rests only on subjective judgements of
"intent and motive", which are open to question.
---
A few days ago Victoriya Skripal, a cousin of Yulia Skripal, was interviewed by the Russian
website MKRU (Ru). The Stalkerzone provides an
English translation of the full interview . From it we learn that:
Victoriya Skripal tried to get information on her allegedly poisoned cousin Yulia and
uncle Sergej from the British embassy in Russia since March 5. She also unsuccessfully tried
to contact the hospital in Salisbury. She heard from the Russian embassy in Britain that
Yulia is awake, can eat and drink and can say a few words.
Shortly before the incident Yulia had gained access to some $200,000 owned by her
deceased brother. This, for now, seems to have nothing to do with the case.
Sergej Skripal is not a lone man but has a number of friends and family in Russia and in
Britain who visited him regularly in Salisbury.
Sergej Skripal has two cats and two guinea pigs. Victoriya Skripal asks: What happened to
them? (They licked the doorknob and turned into walking-dead?)
Victoriya Skripal wants to travel to Britain and bring at least Yulia back home with
her.
Victoriya Skripal apparently also did
an interview with the Mail Online (or the Mail plagiarized its piece from
MKRU ). There seems to be no additional information in it.
---
British officials spread various theories about where and how the Skripal's were poisoned.
According to 'official' leaks to the British press the alleged nerve agent was smeared to the
door of Sergej Skripal's car, was in a pizza, in Yulia Skripal's luggage or perfume, or in the
car's air vent. I may have been sprayed by a mini drone, or the stuff was smeared onto to the
doorknob of Skripal's house or maybe it was, as claimed yesterday,
in buckwheat cereals brought from Russia on Sergej Skripal's request.
In my view none of these explanation is plausible. The multitude of the discussed
possibilities alone shows that either no one has a clue of what happened and how it happened,
or someone is trying to bury the case in a heap of misinformation. We shall call this phenomena
'Novi-fog'. It unmasks headlines like this one as mere propaganda: Poisoned
Door Handle Hints at High-Level Plot to Kill Spy, U.K. Officials Say . "It was on the
doorknob (maybe)! Thus Putin himself did it!"
---
John Helmer, who reports from Moscow, documents
that the British government is breaking several British laws as well as international
agreements by keeping the family and the consular service of the Russian embassy in Britain
away from the Skripals.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama reports on the Skripal case:
From the Guardian, Porton Down experts claim the nerve agent was Novichok but say they can't
prove it was produced by Russia. Also, Yulia seems to have recovered spontaneously from the
alleged military grade nerve agent as no antidote is available to counteract the effects.
That's some military grade weapon!
Downing Street has issued a plea for "proportionate" action from Russia to the Salisbury
poisoning row after its foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned that relations with the
west are now worse than during the cold war.
It is Highly Likely that the British did it.
They had the means, the manpower, the interest, and a purpose (motive).
The proof is they can't prove that anyone else, much less the Russians did it.
They were 8miles away with all the technical means to produce a poison.
They have acted like any criminal does when exposed. They blame others, particularly,
their obsessed enemy against whom they have acted vilely and criminally before.
So, elementary police work, fundamental analysis points only to the UK for the Salisbury
attempted assassination of their own paid stooge and his hapless daughter.
Just as in the case of the Germans, the US was the most beneffited from the false flag op,
since that way gained access to Russian nuclear facilities.
This time around this was plotted to justify a false flag chemical attack on Ghouta who could
have justified their illegal and unjustifiable stand in Syria, as well, as spreading a thick
fog over the presence and capture of their coalition´s SF in the terrain which would be
an scandal in case of becoming of public knowledge after the terrorist attacks that have been
place so far in European soil since 9/11 2001, an definitive crushing for the low rates of
popularity for both, May and Trump, not to mention Macron who just have suffered some several
weeks of general strike against his draconian ( to French standards ) labour reforms, and
which where nowhere mentioned in the "alt-media" since there was much more important issues
to report about, like the Skripal case....
IMNSHO, the main sin of V.V.Putin was not included in the part of his 1st March speech of
adress to the nation about state-of-the-art thachtical weapons, but in the first part related
to the necessity of betterment of people´s living conditions, by increasing wages and
housing access and conditions of habitability for families and young people, grant access of
those gifted to all the varied scoop into the Russian educational system so as nobody with
will and capacity gets out without the possibility of developing its strenghts, improvement
on health care system and elders care system so as life expectancy spands increasingly,
favour maternity conditions for working couples, and so on, and so on...
You have that this was broadcasted to the four winds, so as, everybody with a Smartphone
or IT connection could test that while in the US and especialy in Europe, the so called
"welfare state" is being dismantled at galloping pace, without nothing left to loot from the
working masses except the pensions system, and this only at few corners of Europe, here they
come, not only the Chinese, trying to get increasing number of people from amongst their
millions of citizens out of poverty every year, but now also, as in the times of the USSR,
Russia is offering just the contrary to what the Western powers, in their obscene richness,
are offering ot their enslavized working masses.
Now, you tell me that the class strugle has finished and has no sense nowadays....Of
course, nobody from the upper middle class who were those which in the higuest numbers voted
for Trump, in the hope that that way they would achieve a considerable lowing in taxes, is
going to tell you about this. You will onkly learn it from your peers, those who use Twitter,
even at the risk of being targetted by the same Intelligence Services who perform the flase
flags ops to obnubilate you and act as attack dogs of the elites trying to shut up and
demonize every time one of your peers shows its nose at their "blogs".....
"Porton-Down experts unable to verify the source of Novichok". From what I read, this is
simple not possible. The chemical was made in a lab more than 20 years ago, so there would
have to be a new batch. No samples from the previous lab were ever collected in the West;
instead, Western experts either had samples from an industrial facility in Uzbekistan that
does not exists anymore or samples they they had made themselves. Thus Porton-Down could
check if it was their own product (unless someone made another batch there without telling
the colleagues and using different sources of "raw" materials), and provide the history of
the substance by citing Mirzayanov.
It is different if we are talking about large stocks military of poison that was either
used before or had samples collected by
outsiders like OPCW. But every laboratory batch can be different.
That said, governments that joined UK in expelling Russian diplomats will probably stick
to "belief" in the argument about "the only suspect that had all three: motivation, technical
ability and characteristic brutality". I expect Boris Johnson 20 years from now claiming that
"knowing all the facts, he would do the same thing" and he could even slavishly imitate Tony
Blair "I passionately believe that ...".
https://www.gov.uk/government/people/gary-aitkenhead
"Gary has spent his career in the development and supply of mission-critical wireless
communications solutions to public safety, industrial and transportation sectors.
He has previously held senior global positions at Sepura and at Motorola Solutions, where
he had commercial responsibility for sales, services, operations and product management.
As Dstl's Chief Executive, Gary will lead an organisation of over 3,800 scientists and
engineers providing specialist, and in many cases world-leading expertise, across a
wide-range of disciplines...."
@ b who wrote:
"
Mind the gap, Mrs. May. Mind the credibility gap.
"
When one relies on a series of lies to move the public instead of truthful need, you can
end up twisting slowly in the wind, like May is currently doing.....couldn't happen to a
nicer puppet.
What a circus! Too bad it is so meaningful to humanities future. And now the Pope has
taken away the revenge of Hell for these folks. It is almost like there is no incentive to do
good and avoid evil.
Often wondered what the planned abort scenario was for 9/11 .
If the CIA etal had indeed wired the towers with explosives how would they go about
deinstalling said explosives if there
had been a major muck up and the plans for 9/11 were called off or delayed?
"Training exercises" is a good cover.
When Mossad was caught by an alert bystander planting a bomb under a car in Tel Aviv, it
was later announced that it had all been a "training exercise gone awry". http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8377746.stm
"September 8, 2001: Bioterrorism Exercise Is Held at a New York Airport
Edit event
A training exercise is held at New York's La Guardia Airport, based around the scenario of
a terrorist attack with a biological weapon"
And, you probably recall that active anthrax was being shipped, although "no one was at
fault", for years all over the place.
That is, anthrax created by the Pentagon that was "believed to be inactive" was actually live
anthrax and being shipped around the world. But no one was at fault.
Thus, if someone decided to pull the plug on 9/11 and had to remove the explosives from
the towers they could have declared
"training exercise has gone awry". The Pentagon could merely declare that they had held an
adjunct exercise in the towers and what the biological terror exercise thought was inactive
anthrax was actually live and the
towers would need to be evacuated while decontamination took place.
What does this and other reports tell us about the UK?
That it is owned and operated by criminal vermin.
Like the US.
These vermin are psychopaths or at least sociopaths.
They have murdered millions since the end of Cold War v1.
They intend to murder millions more in Cold War v2 (not so cold!) before they are
neutralized.
I hope my children survive until those vermin are eradicated.
i.e. The British government's assertions are based exactly on subjective interpretations
of supposed motive and method. The repeated "no other plausible explanation" - which the
French officials are now parroting - continues to place the onus on Russia to prove the
negative. It's a neat trick, as long as the media faithfully sticks to the talking points.
Which they will. Soon there will be an attempt to re-focus the topic away from annoying
details towards the alleged "pattern of aggression", such as May's statements today that
"standing up to Russia" will continue at least through Putin's new term.
The story just grows more and more embarrassing. I mean. if you want to frame someone, at you
get your act together!! no plodders!
And the the eternal Bumbling Boorish turns up, spout liars as never before!
Please FO Britain out to somewhere Titanic sank and do the same. You will not be missed and
the air in Europe is cleaner than without Minitrumpistan.
These idiots will lose face in an epic proportion when if one can prove Russia didn't do it,
considering how much fuss they made and how they humiliated Russia by expelling scores of
diplomats. And Russia will be able to openly ask for some kind of excuse or reparation of a
high order.
Meanwhile, the UK government seems to be glad to bury yet another case of mass gang-rapes
of British girls in yet another British town, because, fuck a thousand of their young
citizens, when a couple of foreigners get food-poisoning or whatever it's obviously of
highest importance...
It seems Novichok are the chemicals described in Mirzanyanov's book and are different to
those described by Russian/Soviet scientists who actually researched and developed various
compounds.
US/UK ensured no discussion or research into any of these compounds took place at OPCW and
elsewhere.
An ace tucked up their sleeve for future use.
With the UK now backing down? - or at least its case starting to fall apart - on its
novichok made in Russia claims, the ace has been used and nothing to show for it. It makes me
think a CW attack in Ghouta with very large number of victims was to be the pretext for an
almost instant attack on Syria and the Russian forces there.
I suspect Russian intel operations are as good as their weapons systems so they most likely
took out whatever crew of jihadists were to poison the victims. Then came the direct Russian
warning to the US and after that the sacking of Tillerson followed a few days later by the
sacking of McMaster.
From the a portion of the Mercouris article, it appears that the High Court Judge was misled
by counsel as to the applicability of the Consular Conventions, because they had not been
incorporated into British domestic law -- this is false as they had been so incorporated.
Counsel for the Official Solicitor, the agency representing MS. Skripal's interests, is duty
bound to inform the Judge about his error immediately after learning of it.
To add to my post @23 If the UK novichok narrative was a prep for the main play in Syria then
the narrative would only need to hold up for a couple of weeks, when attention would shift to
a large CW attack in Ghouta quickly followed by a US attack on Syria.
https://tomgard.blog/
Very interesting material, albeit in German. It may be that the GB´s amok run against
Russia could have to do with British, Israeli and US soldiers or consultants, who were
arrested in Ghouta after the Islamists lost.
As soon as i read the Telepolis article this morning, i just was stunned.
Despite me being of 6 or 7 years old at the time, i remember the media hype... And while i
wasnt able to connect the dots myself, because i obviously wasnt old enough the graps the
details or even the story at the time, i find it strange, that NO ONE in german MSM could see
the parallels, other then the small, non MSM Telepolis outlet (Which is one of the few german
media sources i follow daily).
Anyway, good to see, that this article has become known to B... As i think this is a big
part of the puzzle.
Suppose there were no military grade nerve poison, at least originally and whatever such
poison that was 'found' had been planted at a later time as required by the story told the
public. The refusal to provide samples to Russia or admit qualified people in to see the
victims and take stock of their medical conditions is exactly what would cover such a
scenario, and the later application of referenced stock would be likely exposed if Russian
scientists were to obtain samples.
How to cover one's posterior? How better than invite a close 'friend' to come in and also
do 'certified' testing on the samples you give them that confirm by 'independent' scientific
authority exactly your shabby, falling apart story. The world has some cop-on that Macron's
integrity has been and still is a marketable product at modest price and would go to any
length to accommodate a fine fellow PM as is Theresa May in her hour of need; she after all
gave a billion Pounds Sterling to DUP to join her to continue her stewardship of the British
Parliament, for Macron's assistance (read French establishment under Macron's direction)
several multiples of the DUP's haul could be made available at moment's notice - funny how
public treasuries work in such emergency.
What a fine kettle of fish the PM and her Parliament has made of that now 'Scuppered Isle'
(or was that sceptre'd isle?). Buckingham Palace might consider dismissing the current
Parliament and suggest to the subjects not to return most of the incumbents, or else Charles
will be king. That ought to keep the hoi polloi in line.
"If you watch the interview, the sentence where he says it would probably need a state to
make it is tacked on to the end. If you look closely, not only has the shot changed, the
camera and tripod have actually moved. I strongly suspect government handlers who would have
been in that room watching him were unhappy with his interview and wanted something which
implicated Russia more, so added a bit onto the end."
" ...It's Novichok or from that family... " he says later but at the beginning he
says 'it is Novichok'. Does he mean the known variants of Novichok or 'similar' agents?
Not to mention what does "We have not identified the precise source..." mean?
Precise source of where the agent came from or precise type of 'Novichok or novichok family'?
It's not like the interviewer made an effort to find out.
Oh, and it appears that the video skips or is edited at 00:46 seconds but there is no skip
in audio.
And I don't know if it is how they did the video, but the background looks as if it is
videoshopped in. Gary has very sharp lines around him. Maybe it is just 'enhanced' but it
still looks odd to me.
Vis the 00:46 skip/edit he's saying:
"and that it's, uh" - skip/edit - "military grade agent..". Did he fluff his lines?
The nanothermite used was applied as paint, so it would be extremely hard to remove. Also,
it must be recalled that preparations for 911 occurred during Clinton's presidency, thus
begging three questions: Did Clinton know? Did Gore know? Did Bush know? The Saudis were
clearly involved as it was a Saudi company that did the "remodeling" work at the Trade
Complex.
Killing/Murdering innocents for political goals seems to be a pastime only associated with
European nations and their spawn, like the Outlaw US Empire.
Kudos to b for recalling this previous false flag example of a very similar type!!
MoA has outstanding detectives! Too bad we're not actually employed so the
Truth can be told.
>>>> Peter AU 1 | Apr 3, 2018 2:57:15 PM | 25
Too late for East Ghouta CW black op as the final transfer of jihadists has already started -
why would Syria or Russia use CW against defeated groups?
1st batch of Jaish al-Islam rebels and their families have left Douma Wafideen crossing in
preparation for their transfer to Jarablus
A couple of days ago the jihadists tried to stage an 'incident' involving jihadists with
suicide belts blowing themselves up on buses transferring families to Idlib but Syrians and
Russians were tipped off perhaps by high-ranking double agents within jihadist groups and
forty suicide belts and their wearers were captured, so no atrocity.
Aitkenhead uses the term Novichok. Novichock is supposedly a family or group of chemicals
each having a specific name or designation code. UK has specifically accused Russia of using
agent A-234, yet it seems Porton Down cannot narrow the substance down to a specific chemical
compound withing a group.
The original statement from Porton Down was "Novichok or similar chemical", meaning they
cannot even say what chemical group the substance analysed belongs to.
So May now says they have other evidence that it was the Russians wot did it (intelligence,
but not to be revealed). It's ridiculous.
There are no new photos of the sufferers. Neither of the cop, who is supposed to have got
out of hospital, nor of Yulia, who is said to have come back to consciousness. Not a single
sign. Something is seriously wrong with the public explanation. The cop, being apparently in
reasonable health, should have been able to give an interview, but no, it hasn't been
done.
In the questions Russia has put to OPCW, the last four...
10. Has the OPCW's Technical Secretariat approved the disclosure of the investigative
material by the UK to the EU countries (according to available information, France has become
fully involved in the investigation)?
Who tricked Boris Johnson and May into this? When BND and Kohl did the plutonium stuff they
could be sure Russia would play along - and they did though it might have cost Kohl something
in negotiations.
What did it cost May to get EU countries and the US along?
The development came as a former Russian general warned the response to the Salisbury the
attack could trigger "the last war in the history of mankind".
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Evgeny Buzhinsky said the West was "cornering
Russia and to corner Russia is a very dangerous thing".
He added: "If the situation develops in the way it is now, it will end up in a very bad
outcome."
Write a hundred times: It is not possible to start a war against Russia, it is not
possible to start a war against Russia and China, it is not possible to start a war against
Russia and China and Iran .....
@37 peter - last question.. it appears there is some concern over the impartiality and
objectivity of the opcw.. as we saw in the case of khan shaykhun, "The OPCW-UN Joint
Investigative Mechanism,[15][16][17][18] the governments of the United States, United
Kingdom, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France, and Israel, as well as Human Rights Watch have
attributed the attack to the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad" in spite of the fact
it was the town was held by al nusra! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khan_Shaykhun_chemical_attack
i think russia is right to be skeptical of the opcw's impartiality and objectivity
here...
The integrity of the Porton Down scientists has thrown a wrench into the Mossad plan. Mossad
got away with it in the Litvinenko caper, so rinse and repeat with a new "Russia-only
poison".
The non-scientist Brits don't have any answers beyond what the Zionist/US/NATO Deep State
told them to say because Mossad did it, probably without UK gov't knowledge at even the
highest/secret levels. (Easier to ask forgiveness than permission) The various
"locations/methods' being floated would have been salted with chemical "indicators" by Mossad
to make the confusion of potential scenarios plausible for the presstitutes and politicios to
regurgitate on-cue.
As I understand it, Porton Down must have a sample of A-234 in order to be able to identify
the agent used in the attack as A-234--a record of the fingerprint to match the recovered
fingerprint. However, Porton Down's saying it does not have any samples of A-234; so,
if it lacks samples, how can it discover the match?
The there's the further BS about the Skripals not having any close relatives or others
able to help.
Lies, Lies, Lies!
Oh, and did you hear what China's Defense Minister, currently visiting Moscow,
has said : "The Chinese side came [to Moscow] to let the Americans know about the close
ties between the Russian and Chinese armed forces." I really doubt he's lying.
Over at John Delacour's twitter site, he asks a simple question, "A simple question for
@MetPoliceUK, @WiltshirePolice, @BorisJohnson/#Fakes_R_us et al.
Where was Sergey #Skripal's car going at 2:55pm on Sunday 4th April when you assure us he was
eating risotto chez Zizzi?
There is a video clip from the Daily Mirror allegedly showing Skripal's car. John has done
lots of good work with the CW attacks in Syria. This dog is not letting go of the bone.
#9 Fatima Manoubia excellent post.
#23 Peter AU Syria and perhaps some local politics, Brexit, EU, discrediting Corbyn.
@Laguerre 36 The cop, being apparently in reasonable health, should have been able to give an
interview, but no, it hasn't been done.
PM May had a private meeting with DS Bailey on March 15 in hospital, before he was released.
Quite unusual. There's no other reason than collusion, as May herself might say.
Regarding impartiality and honesty, they are rare if not unknown qualities in every
government agency everywhere (based on my small sampling). Nearly everybody has a price. One
must get an informed opinion from a source that couldn't benefit from a wrong decision, and
wouldn't suffer from an honest one. That's difficult, but not impossible. In this case where
could one find an impartial lab for the test and evaluation? Perhaps in China or India.
Meanwhile my guess is that Porton was given an order to report (1) novichok and (2) Russia,
and they came most of the way with novichok, and probably Russia given #10's deduction powers
from the indicators provided.
BBC headline :
Florida shooting: Students defy transparent school bags rule
"The rules about the clear rucksacks, which were provided free to students, came into effect
on Monday as classes resumed after the spring break. Other security measures announced last
month include mandatory new ID badges for students, with plans also in place for
airport-style metal detectors.
"But students have argued that the new bags will not prevent future attacks and infringe
their privacy."
Mr. Corbin missed an excellent opportunity to score a goal!
Instead, he preferred to join the warmongers on duty, even after asking for care in the
investigations.
Like anyone without a spine, he was swept away by general hysteria.
Curtain, Mr. Corbin...
Sad.
Madame May is not walking back on any of this. She has doubled down: Daily Express UK,
reporting on Mr. Aitkenhead's interview with SkyNews, has this morsel:
Porton Down experts NOT able to prove Salisbury nerve agent was Russia made LINK
[.]
Mr Aitkenhead added there was no known antidote to novichok, and that none has been
administered to either Sergei or Yulia Skripal. He declined to say whether the lab had
developed or keeps stocks of novichok, but rejected suggestions it had come from Porton
Down.
[.]The latest developments come after retired Russian Lieutenant-General Evgeny
Buzhinsky warned that relations between Russia and the West could become "worse" than the
Cold War and "end up in a very, very bad outcome"
Mr Buzhinsky told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "A real war, worse than a cold war is a
real war, it will be the last war in the history of mankind."
A Downing Street spokesman responded: "As the Prime Minister has made clear, the UK
would much rather have in Russia a constructive partner ready to play by the rules.
"But this attack in Salisbury was part of a pattern of increasingly aggressive Russian
behaviour, as well as a new and dangerous phase in Russian activity within the continent
and beyond.
"As the Prime Minister has said, we must face the facts, and the challenge of Russia is
one that will endure for years to come."
OPCW said its executive council would meet in the morning in The Hague to discuss the
UK's Government's claim that Russia was behind the attack.
I have a few questions for Madame May. Recall you stated this nerve agent {Novichok} was 5
to 8x more toxic than VX? Mr. Aitkenhead has stated "there was no known antidote to
novichok, and that none has been administered to either Sergei or Yulia Skripal."
The Skripals are alive, Yes!? Daughter Yulia is up, eating, talking. How is that for a
miracle?.
I read one report Yulia's social media account was accessed while she was in a coma.
Lazarus.
Apart from general movilizations of elders in Spain claiming for pensions of dignity and
for maintaining the public pension system which saw several days of demonstrations which
conflued with the women´s day demonstrations...
Several general strikes in France during the last month of March. The strike of the French
railway workers, which will last until June, has the support of students, elders, hospital
staff and postal workers. That's how the French streets are today.
@46 daniel.. that bbc headline ""Russian spy: Source of nerve agent 'not identified'" tells
one all they need to know of what a lying sack of bs the uk has become on all levels, but
especially it's public state run media... the bbc tries to be as pathetic as may and boris
and succeeds!!
@47 lysias... your comment is worth repeating.. not enough folks know this.. " Israel has
not signed the chemical weapons ban, and is not subject to inspection by the OPCW." immediate
suspicion ought be cast on israel as a consequence... what a friggin' team player they are
hey? i guess that is why the usa/canada and a bunch of other loser nations love them so
much!
@53 likklemore.. quote from the article ""As the Prime Minister has made clear, the UK
would much rather have in Russia a constructive partner ready to play by the rules." what
bullshite! she means like how israel plays by the rules, by not being a member of the opcw
and not being subject to inspection... what a gang of lousy thiefs and liars they all
are!
On March 30 the Washington Post , the blog site of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, published
a report about the expulsion of some 'western' diplomats from Russia. The move was an expected
and proportional retaliation for the expulsion of Russian diplomats from some 'western'
countries.
The piece was originally published under the headline:
One by one Russia tells European ambassadors of latest diplomatic expulsions
This is visible in the web-address (URL) of the piece which was formed from the original
headline when it was first published.
The editors apparently disliked the original headline. It was factually correct but did not
create enough reason to hate Russia. The original headline was therefore replaced with a
factually false one:
For the record: "They", i.e. the ambassadors, learned of no such thing. Russia has not
expelled any ambassador. The report below the false headline does not claim that Russia did
such.
The blatant falsehood of the headline was immediately
pointed out in the comments to the piece. The @WashingtonPost Twitter account was notified of the 'mistake'.
Three days later the Post has not taken any corrective action. The fake news
headline is still up on its website. Most visitors of the Washington Post site will
not read the piece. They skim the headlines of the site and get a daily dosage of Russia-hate
from it.
The slogan of the Post , prominently displayed under its name, is " Democracy
Dies in Darkness ". When it peddles such sable propaganda it becomes obvious that the
paper hates democracy and an informed public. To curry favor with thuggish tyrants, as Post
owner Bezos does, is obviously more profitable than factual reporting.
40 Commando Royal Marines and The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have staged the UK's biggest annual exercise to
prepare troops for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) operations. Exercise TOXIC DAGGER is supported by Dstl,
along with Public Health England (PHE) and The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), and is the largest exercise of its kind in the
country.
Specialists in CBRN from Dstl and AWE are able to create realistic exercise scenarios based on the latest threat information.
Completing the training and exercising against these scenarios provides a challenging programme for the Royal Marines to demonstrate
their proficiency in the methods to detect, assess and mitigate a CBRN threat.
The three-week programme included Company-level attacks and scenarios concerning CBRN vignettes, concluding with a full-scale
exercise involving government and industry scientists and more than 300 military personnel.
Major Rob Garside, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, said:
Working with Dstl means we have the most up-to-date information and a realistic exercise. This ensures we are well prepared
for a CBRN operating environment. It is vital we can make rapid decisions and are able to protect and support specialists who
come in to deal with any incident. On operations these specialists are on hand to advise and we must ensure we already have a
strong understanding of their capabilities and what they require of us as a military force.
The Dstl lead for CBRN exercises said:
40 Commando would be first on the ground in the event of a CBRN incident. We ensure they're up to date on the latest threats
and make the exercise truly realistic. They not only have to provide a fighting force in an unstable environment, they must also
be able to assess the scene and know what they're dealing with.
That's where Dstl, PHE, AWE and the Defence CBRN Centre come in, as we provide the technical information the Marines require.
"... Speaking in Moscow, Lavrov said there was "a lot of talk about a 'cold war', about the situation being worse than it was during the classic cold war, because then there were some rules, and some decency was observed". ..."
"... It came as a former Russian military official Lt-Gen Evgeny Buzhinsky warned that the conflict could even end up as "the last war in the history of mankind". In a thinly veiled threat, he said the diplomatic crisis could result in a "very, very bad outcome" and accused the west of "cornering Russia" which, he argued, was a "very dangerous thing". ..."
"... The deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, called the poisoning of Sergei Skripal a "provocation arranged by Britain" in order to justify high military spending because "they need a major enemy". ..."
"... Russia is also keeping up the pressure on the UK to provide consular access to Skripal's daughter, Yulia, now she is recovering in a Salisbury hospital. ..."
"... Lavrov said it was outrageous that the UK was not letting diplomatic staff see Yulia Skripal . The Russian embassy in London claims the UK is in breach of article 36 of the Vienna convention by refusing consular access to a Russian national. ..."
"... Russia also warned it would not accept any international scientific findings on the nerve agent used to poison the Skripals unless its scientists were involved in testing the nerve agent samples. Moscow spelt out its conditions for cooperation before an emergency meeting it has convened for Wednesday of the executive of the Organisation for Prevention of Chemical Weapons in The Hague. ..."
"... Alexander Shulgin, Russia's permanent representative to the OPCW, complained that Russian scientists have been barred from the tests owing to British objections. ..."
Russian ministers suggest that British secret services carried out Skripal poisoning to
distract from Brexit
Tue 3 Apr 2018 10.03 EDT Last modified on Tue 3 Apr 2018 12.34 EDT Downing Street has issued
a plea for "proportionate" action from Russia to the Salisbury poisoning row after its
foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, warned that relations with the west are now worse than during
the cold war.
Theresa May is visiting Scandinavia next week with the international security threat from
Russia expected to be at the top of the agenda.
Speaking in Moscow, Lavrov said there was "a lot of talk about a 'cold war', about the
situation being worse than it was during the classic cold war, because then there were some
rules, and some decency was observed".
He added: "I believe that our western partners, I mean primarily the United Kingdom, the
United States and some countries that blindly follow them, have cast away all decency, they are
resorting to open lies, blatant misinformation."
It came as a former Russian military official Lt-Gen Evgeny Buzhinsky warned that the
conflict could even end up as "the last war in the history of mankind". In a thinly veiled threat, he said the diplomatic crisis could result in a "very, very bad
outcome" and accused the west of "cornering Russia" which, he argued, was a "very dangerous
thing".
The deputy foreign minister, Alexander Grushko, called the poisoning of Sergei Skripal a "provocation
arranged by Britain" in order to justify high military spending because "they need a major
enemy".
However, Downing Street in effect called for calm at its weekly briefing for political
reporters, simply saying it expected the wider dispute with Russia would not be settled for a
long time. A No 10 spokesman said: "We need to respond in a proportionate way to this aggressive
behaviour from Russia and that's what we're doing."
He added: "As the prime minister has made clear, the UK would much rather have in Russia a
constructive partner ready to play by the rules. But this attack in Salisbury was part of a
pattern of increasingly aggressive Russian behaviour, as well as a new and dangerous phase in
Russian activity within the continent and beyond. As the prime minister has said, we must face
the facts, and the challenge of Russia is one that will endure for years to come."
Russia is also keeping up the pressure on the UK to provide consular access to Skripal's
daughter, Yulia, now she is recovering in a Salisbury hospital.
Reports from Russia claim that a cousin has contacted the British and Russian authorities to
be given permission to go to the UK to be by her bedside.
Downing Street raised the possibility that the 33-year-old may have requested that consular
access be denied. It said access was based on a number of considerations "including consent
from the individual".
Russia also warned it would not accept any international scientific findings on the nerve
agent used to poison the Skripals unless its scientists were involved in testing the nerve
agent samples. Moscow spelt out its conditions for cooperation before an emergency meeting it has convened
for Wednesday of the executive of the Organisation for Prevention of Chemical Weapons in The
Hague.
The OPCW is the internationally recognised body responsible for overseeing the 1997 chemical
weapons convention and has been testing samples provided by British scientists from the
Skripals.
The first results about the nature of the poison - which the UK believes to be novichok, a
nerve agent of Russian origin – are expected in days. Alexander Shulgin, Russia's
permanent representative to the OPCW, complained that Russian scientists have been barred from
the tests owing to British objections.
Russian Envoy to US: Skripal Case Pretext to Launch Long-Planned Smear Campaign
01.04.2018 The Russian Ambassador to the United States, Anatoly Antonov, said
on Sunday that the Skripal case was a pretext to carry out a provocation against Russia that
has been in the planning stages for a long time.
"The developments in the United Kingdom served just as a pretext to carry out a provocation
against Russia that was planned a long time ago. We have closely monitored, who attended the US
Embassy in Moscow recently, what kind of people [attended it]," Antonov said in an interview
with Russia's Channel Five.
Read more at https://sputniknews.com/us/201804011063108307-russia-usa-envoy-pretext-skripal/
Russia
Claims Skripal Poisoning Was Staged By UK Intelligence
by Tyler Durden
04/01/2018
Russia's Ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, says that London's reluctance to share
information on the March 4 poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal has led Moscow to
suggest that London authorities actually perpetrated the crime.
"We have very serious suspicion that this provocation was done by British intelligence,"
Yakovenko told Russia's NTV channel – adding however that Moscow had no direct proof, but
that the UK's behavior constitutes strong circumstantial evidence in support of their
theory.
Read more at
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-04-01/russia-claims-skripal-poisoning-was-staged-uk-intelligence
Yulia
Skripal "improving rapidly": The unravelling of the Russian Novichok narrative
By Chris Marsden 31 March 2018
When placed in the context of the global anti-Russia propaganda campaign spearheaded by
Britain's Conservative government, Thursday saw the greatest Easter miracle since Christ rose
from the dead.
For weeks, the world's media has cited uncritically government claims that double agent Sergei
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned March 4 with a "weapons grade" nerve agent,
known as a Novichok.
The agent was described as so deadly that the comatose Skripals were unlikely to ever recover,
and that if they did they would be brain damaged and physically compromised. On Wednesday there
were even media headlines that their life support might have to be turned off.
Read more at https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2018/03/31/yuli-m31.htmlRussian MFA Releases 14 Questions Addressed to UK on 'Fabricated Skripal Case'
31.03.2018 The complete list of questions has been published on the Russian
Foreign Ministry's website.
On March 31, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in London sent a note to the British Foreign
Service with a
list of questions regarding the 'fabricated
Skripal case '.
Russia is asking the UK to explain why Moscow was denied consular access to the Skripal case,
why France was involved in the investigation, what made the Britons believe that the nerve
agent was of Russian origin and does the UK have samples of the so-called "Novichok."
Yet another question focuses on the information about the antidotes used to treat the Skripals
and the fact that the UK medics had possession of these substances on site.
Read more at
https://sputniknews.com/russia/201803311063103452-russia-uk-skripal-case-russian-ministry-questions/
Which
countries are expelling Russian diplomats?
31 Mar 2018
Twenty-five European countries, Australia, Canada and the US have announced that they will be
expelling 123 Russian diplomats over the coming week.
Days later Russia responded in kind, expelling an equal number of diplomats from those
countries, except Belgium, Hungary, Georgia and Montenegro. It also announced that the UK
diplomatic mission to Moscow will have to cut staff by another 50 diplomats.
Last week, the UK expelled
23 Russian officials . In addition, Bulgaria and Luxemburg recalled their ambassadors from
Moscow for consultations.
Read more at
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/03/countries-expelling-russian-diplomats-180326191614898.html
Last
Act Of 'Novichok' Drama Revealed – "The Skripals' Resurrection"
Diplomat reminds that NATO inherited Czechoslovakia's chemical industry potential
March 29, 2018
Earlier NATO slashed the staff of the Russian mission to 20 from 30
MOSCOW, March 29.
/TASS/. NATO countries are using the chemical industry potential of the Czech Republic and its
developments in the sphere of protection from chemical warfare agents, Russian Foreign Ministry
spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said on Thursday.
The diplomat thus commented on the statement by the Foreign Ministry of Russia, which
mentioned the Czech Republic among the countries that had been developing the nerve agent
called Novichyok and used, as the UK claims, to poison former Russian military intelligence
officer Sergei Skripal.
"The work codenamed Novichyok was conducted in Great Britain, the
US, the Czech Republic and Sweden. The results achieved by these countries to create new
chemical agents of this type are reflected in more than 200 open sources of NATO countries,"
the spokeswoman said, noting that Czechia had been carrying out research into chemical
protection within the Warsaw Treaty Organization.
"In all media outlets, there are publications on this theme, which say that after the
organization's dissolution, the Czech scientific potential in this field was sought by its new
western partners and inherited by NATO," Zakharova said.
The Czech army performed special missions in the Middle East, including the work to
eliminate the consequences of the use of chemical weapons in Kuwait, the Russian Foreign
Ministry's spokeswoman said.
The publications existing in the media on the activity of scientific centers for the study
of chemical warfare agents in the Czech Republic make it possible to conclude that "an
important place in this research is held by nerve agents called Novichyok according to the
western classification, the Russian diplomat noted.
Thus, Czech scientists were numerously awarded grants of the NATO Science Committee. Also,
the NATO center for the protection against mass destruction weapons operates in the town of
Vyskov on Czech territory, Zakharova said.
"The development of antidotes and the so-called binding substances and ferments to absorb
the components of nerve agents is a separate area of the research of [Czech] toxicologists. The
Czech side is conducting research in close cooperation with NATO structures," Zakharova said,
noting that "the free possession by the Czech chemists of the characteristics of Novichyok-type
chemical agents "is evidence that this information is widely accessible."
"No one has accused or is accusing Prague of anything. We never make any accusations as
compared to British colleagues. We only say that even in the media space – and this is
not propaganda, these are not Russian media outlets but these are Czech publications –
there is a large amount of materials confirming the Czech potential in the sphere of chemical
research. This simply has to be taken into account," the Russian diplomat
concluded.
Diplomats' expulsion and Skripal case
On March 4, former Russian military intelligence officer Sergei Skripal, who was earlier
sentenced in Russia for spying for the UK, and his daughter Yulia were found unconscious on a
bench near the Maltings shopping center in Salisbury, UK. Police said they had been exposed to
the impact of a nerve agent.
UK's top officials claimed later that the nerve agent had allegedly been developed in
Russia. Prime Minister Theresa May, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, Defense Secretary Gavin
Williamson and others rushed to accuse Russia of being involved, while failing to produce any
evidence.
Moscow refuted the accusations of involvement in the incident and stated that neither the
Soviet Union nor Russia have ever done research into that toxic chemical.
Without providing
any proof, London expelled 23 Russian diplomats and suspended all planned high-level bilateral
contacts. Moscow reciprocated with expelling 23 British diplomats, ordering the closure of
Britain's consulate in St. Petersburg and terminating the operations of the British Council in
Russia.
On March 26, the United States declared 60 Russian diplomats personae non gratae. Among them
were 46 diplomats from the embassy in Washington, two from the consulate general in New York
and 12 more from Russia's mission to the United Nations.
Germany, Canada, Poland and France followed suit by expelling four Russian diplomats each.
Lithuania, Moldova and the Czech Republic expelled three diplomats, while Australia, Albania,
Denmark, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands – two. Belgium, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia,
Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Finland, Croatia, Sweden and Estonia each ordered the expulsion of
one Russian envoy. Meanwhile, Ukraine made the decision to expel 13 Russian diplomats.
NATO slashed the staff of the Russian mission to 20 from 30. Bulgaria and Luxembourg
recalled their envoys for consultations.
Russia's Foreign Ministry promised that those countries' hostile steps would not be left
unanswered.
40 Commando Royal Marines and The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have
staged the UK's biggest annual exercise to prepare troops for Chemical, Biological,
Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) operations. Exercise TOXIC DAGGER is supported by Dstl, along
with Public Health England (PHE) and The Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), and is the largest
exercise of its kind in the country.
Specialists in CBRN from Dstl and AWE are able to create realistic exercise scenarios based
on the latest threat information. Completing the training and exercising against these
scenarios provides a challenging programme for the Royal Marines to demonstrate their
proficiency in the methods to detect, assess and mitigate a CBRN threat.
The three-week programme included Company-level attacks and scenarios concerning CBRN
vignettes, concluding with a full-scale exercise involving government and industry scientists
and more than 300 military personnel.
Major Rob Garside, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, said:
Working with Dstl means we have the most up-to-date information and a realistic exercise.
This ensures we are well prepared for a CBRN operating environment. It is vital we can make
rapid decisions and are able to protect and support specialists who come in to deal with any
incident. On operations these specialists are on hand to advise and we must ensure we already
have a strong understanding of their capabilities and what they require of us as a military
force.
The Dstl lead for CBRN exercises said:
40 Commando would be first on the ground in the event of a CBRN incident. We ensure they're
up to date on the latest threats and make the exercise truly realistic. They not only have to
provide a fighting force in an unstable environment, they must also be able to assess the scene
and know what they're dealing with.
Russia's Embassy in London has sent a list of 14 questions to the UK Foreign Ministry, demanding that it reveals details of the
investigation into the nerve-agent poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
The questions
, provided in full below, include a demand to clarify whether samples of the nerve agent А-234 (also known as "Novichok") have
ever been developed in the UK. The embassy's statement calls the incident that started the recent diplomatic row a " fabricated
case against Russia."
1. Why has Russia been denied the right of consular access to the two Russian citizens, who came to harm on British territory?
2. What specific antidotes and in what form were the victims injected with? How did such antidotes come into the possession of
British doctors at the scene of the incident?
3. On what grounds was France involved in technical cooperation in the investigation of the incident, in which Russian citizens
were injured?
4. Did the UK notify the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) of France's involvement in the investigation
of the Salisbury incident?
5. What does France have to do with the incident, involving two Russian citizens in the UK?
6. What rules of UK procedural legislation allow for the involvement of a foreign state in an internal investigation?
7. What evidence was handed over to France to be studied and for the investigation to be conducted?
8. Were the French experts present during the sampling of biomaterial from Sergei and Yulia Skripal?
9. Was the study of biomaterials from Sergei and Yulia Skripal conducted by the French experts and, if so, in which specific laboratories?
10. Does the UK have the materials involved in the investigation carried out by France?
11. Have the results of the French investigation been presented to the OPCW Technical Secretariat?
12. Based on what attributes was the alleged "Russian origin" of the substance used in Salisbury established?
13. Does the UK have control samples of the chemical warfare agent, which British representatives refer to as "Novichok"?
14. Have the samples of a chemical warfare agent of the same type as "Novichok" (in accordance to British terminology) or its
analogues been developed in the UK?
A similar list, containing 10
questions
, was sent to the French Foreign Ministry by the Russian Embassy in Paris. According to the document, Moscow wanted to know on
what grounds France was involved in the British investigation into the Skripal poisoning.
Russia also demanded explanations on what made French experts conclude that the substance used in Salisbury attack was nerve agent
А-234 and that it was of Russian origins. The final question on the list read: "Have the samples of a chemical warfare agent
of this type or its analogues been developed in France and if so, for what purpose?"
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were discovered on a bench in Salisbury in early March, with the UK claiming a Soviet-designed
nerve agent was used against them. Without a proper investigation being carried out, London said it was "highly likely" that Russia
was responsible for the attack and introduced sanctions against the country, including the expulsion of Russian diplomats.
Moscow has denied all accusations, decrying them as a "provocation," and demanded proof from the British side. However,
London refused to cooperate with Russia on the case, denying its consular staff access to Russian citizen Yulia Skripal and turning
down the request to provide a sample of the toxic substance in question.
"... All over the world there is deep skepticism regarding the claims made by the UK government. This is more than justified. The faces may have changed since Blair's Labour Party produced its "dodgy dossiers" to justify war against Iraq in 2003, but not the hypocrisy, scheming and intrigue that the British bourgeoisie have developed to a fine art. ..."
When placed in the context of the global anti-Russia propaganda campaign spearheaded by
Britain's Conservative government, Thursday saw the greatest Easter miracle since Christ rose
from the dead.
For weeks, the world's media has cited uncritically government claims that double agent
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned March 4 with a "weapons grade" nerve
agent, known as a Novichok.
The agent was described as so deadly that the comatose Skripals were unlikely to ever
recover, and that if they did they would be brain damaged and physically compromised. On
Wednesday there were even media headlines that their life support might have to be turned
off.
Yet Thursday saw reports from Salisbury NHS foundation trust that 33-year-old Yulia is no
longer in a critical condition and was "conscious and talking."
Yulia's apparent recovery blows a hole in an official narrative that, by rights, should sink
it forever. Instead, as has happened on repeated occasions, the story will no doubt be modified
as required. Nothing must be allowed to prevent the UK, in alliance with the United States,
from continuing its push for further economic sanctions and the expulsion of diplomats to
justify pre-existing plans for military aggression on Russia's borders and in the Middle
East.
There are innumerable inconsistencies, contradictions and flat out lies in the case made
against Russia. Above all there has been no convincing political explanation advanced as to why
Russia would target the Skripals.
Nor is there anything linking the attempted murder of the pair to anyone -- least of all the
Russian state and the government of President Vladimir Putin. For the government, everything
hangs on the single assertion, based on undisclosed "findings" from Britain's Porton Down
chemical weapons facility, that the Novichok nerve agent used was "of a type" developed in
Russia and was so sophisticated, and its delivery so complicated, that a "state actor" must
have been involved.
Maintaining this lie has involved an accumulation of smaller lies, which depended on their
being accepted without question by the media. Even before the news regarding Yulia, this web of
deceit was in danger of unravelling.
Initial reports after the March 4 discovery of the Skripals reported as the likely cause of
their illness a "white powder" that was identified as the "opioid fentanyl." It was not until
March 6 that Russia was officially suggested for possible involvement and March 7 before the
Metropolitan Police first stated that a nerve agent was used.
On March 8, it was announced that a police officer, later named as Sgt. Nick Bailey, was
seriously ill in hospital because he was one of the first responders to the incident. Police
added that 21 people had received (unspecified) treatment.
Four days later, March 12, with hundreds of police and military personnel roaming Salisbury
dressed in biohazard suits, sealing off the bench area where the Skripals were found, cordoning
off the Zizzi restaurant at which they had dined earlier, etc., Prime Minister Theresa May told
Parliament that Porton Down had identified the nerve agent as of Russian origin. It was
therefore "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for the poisoning.
Russia has repeatedly denied possession of Novichoks, which were developed in the former
Soviet Union. It has pointed out that other states now hostile to Russia, including Ukraine,
could have possession and that its formula and the scientists involved are now both available
to the UK and the US.
However, the issue raised by recent events is whether there is any proof whatsoever that a
military-grade nerve agent was involved in the assassination attempt. Three related issues are
of significance -- what a Novichok is, how it is delivered and what it is supposed to do.
After its supposed identification, Novichok was described as being "five to 10 times more
lethal" than VX and sarin and, like them, either a liquid or a gas.
One of its creators, Vil Mirzayanov, who defected to the US, was interviewed March 16 by the
Guardian , describing it as the "most powerful and unique chemical weapon in the
world. "
No non-state actor had the capability of "weaponising" Novichok. "You can kill yourself it
is impossible without high technical equipment No one country has these capabilities like
Russia, because Russia invented, tested and weaponized Novichok."
"I believe they brought [in a] binary version," Mirzayanov said. "It's two ampules, small
containers, like a big bullet, put them together in a spray or something, and after that, some
mechanism which is mixing them, a couple seconds and after that you're shooting It could touch
any skin and in a couple minutes would take effect."
Upon exposure "the effects are fast and dramatic." The nervous system is hit, victims are
unable to breathe, they "cough and foam at the mouth," the "effects on the digestive system
trigger vomiting," "muscles convulse Many of those affected will wet themselves and lose
control of their bowels."
Given this account, the story of white powder naturally had to be abandoned. And it had to
be explained how a Novichok was delivered in a way that allowed for such complexities and still
meant that the Skripals left home for seven hours, during which time they went to the local
pub, had a meal at a restaurant and only then collapsed.
The first story was that Yulia had unwittingly brought the agent into the country after it
was planted in her suitcase. The second story is that it was placed on the Skripal's clothes --
supposedly accounting for the delayed impact. The third was that it was pumped as a gas through
the air conditioning of the Skripal's car.
None of this made sense and things worsened after no one else suffered any ill effects.
Various figures were given of hospital attendees, but all were released without treatment. On
March 22, DS Bailey left Wiltshire Hospital -- making his own recovery several days in advance
of Yulia.
Amid this debacle, May spoke in Parliament Tuesday boasting of the expulsions of 100 Russian
diplomats by 18 nations, including 60 told to quit the US.
Speaking at the start of a debate on national security and Russia, May declared that Sergei
and Yulia Skripal "remain critically ill in hospital. Sadly, late last week, doctors indicated
that their condition is unlikely to change in the near future, and they may never recover
fully."
If Yulia's recovery two days later were not embarrassing enough, the police also chose that
day to announce that the delivery of the Novichok to its intended victims had been carried out
by smearing it on the front door of Sergei's house!
No explanation was offered as to how this unsophisticated ruse remained undiscovered for
weeks, or why no one other than the Skripals and DS Bailey had been impacted. Instead, the
Metropolitan Police terrorist unit announced that it was now cordoning off a children's play
area near the Skripal's home, while handing back control of the London Road cemetery, where
Sergei's wife and son are buried, the Maltings shopping centre and the Ashley Wood complex to
the Wiltshire police.
All over the world there is deep skepticism regarding the claims made by the UK
government. This is more than justified. The faces may have changed since Blair's Labour Party
produced its "dodgy dossiers" to justify war against Iraq in 2003, but not the hypocrisy,
scheming and intrigue that the British bourgeoisie have developed to a fine art.
"... Was whatever happened on March 4 to father and daughter Skripal something other than what the official narrative reported? ..."
"... On March 31, Fort Russ reported that Yulia Skripal , Sergey's daughter, "visited her 'Vkontakte' (social media) page on the morning of March 7" – three days after the alleged poisoning incident. The official narrative claimed she and her father were in a coma, poisoned by a deadly military-grade nerve agent. It's possible someone else hacked into her site, but for what reason, surely not UK or US operatives, wanting no information conflicting with the official narrative getting out. If hacking occurred, forensic analysis could determine it, nothing suggesting it so far. ..."
"... On March 29, Salisbury District Hospital Dr. Christine Blanshard explained Yulia's condition improved markedly. She's "conscious and talking," no longer in critical condition. Was she ever as ill as officially reported, or if so, what is the hospital's diagnosis? Will Sergey Skripal's condition be reported improved ahead, recovering steadily? ..."
"... Clearly, whatever may have affected them wasn't a military-grade nerve agent. They and other Salisbury residents they had contact with would have been dead in minutes if poisoned by something this deadly. A few obvious lessons can be drawn from the above information. Never accept official narratives at face value on most everything – including major media reports. Most often they're meant to deceive, not accurately explain things. ..."
"... The alleged Skripal incident is the latest US/UK political assault on Russia – public enemy number one in Washington and London. Almost surely more provocative shoes will drop ahead, likely more serious, the trend heading in this direction. If Washington could pull off the elaborate mother of all 9/11 false flags, most Americans still believing the official Big Lie, staging the Skripal affair by the US and Britain would be simple by comparison. Escalating US/UK-led hostility toward Russia heads things perilously toward East/West confrontation – the ominous risk of nuclear war. ..."
Was whatever happened on March 4 to father and daughter Skripal something other than
what the official narrative reported?
Did anything at all happen? Were the Skripals poisoned or ill for another reason? Did
Britain conceal the truth about the whole ugly business – a scheme to frame Russia for
what it had nothing to do with?
When inflammatory headlines unquestionably support the official narrative, bet on
disinformation and Big Lies substituting for truth-telling.
Russia was framed for perhaps what never happened – at least not as officially
claimed.
On March 31,
Fort Russ reported that Yulia Skripal , Sergey's daughter, "visited her 'Vkontakte' (social
media) page on the morning of March 7" – three days after the alleged poisoning incident.
The official narrative claimed she and her father were in a coma, poisoned by a deadly
military-grade nerve agent. It's possible someone else hacked into her site, but for what
reason, surely not UK or US operatives, wanting no information conflicting with the official
narrative getting out. If hacking occurred, forensic analysis could determine it, nothing
suggesting it so far.
On March 29, Salisbury District Hospital Dr. Christine Blanshard explained Yulia's
condition improved markedly. She's "conscious and talking," no longer in critical condition.
Was she ever as ill as officially reported, or if so, what is the hospital's diagnosis? Will
Sergey Skripal's condition be reported improved ahead, recovering steadily?
Clearly, whatever may have affected them wasn't a military-grade nerve agent. They and
other Salisbury residents they had contact with would have been dead in minutes if poisoned by
something this deadly. A few obvious lessons can be drawn from the above information. Never
accept official narratives at face value on most everything – including major media
reports. Most often they're meant to deceive, not accurately explain things.
The alleged Skripal incident is the latest US/UK political assault on Russia –
public enemy number one in Washington and London. Almost surely more provocative shoes will
drop ahead, likely more serious, the trend heading in this direction. If Washington could pull
off the elaborate mother of all 9/11 false flags, most Americans still believing the official
Big Lie, staging the Skripal affair by the US and Britain would be simple by comparison.
Escalating US/UK-led hostility toward Russia heads things perilously toward East/West
confrontation – the ominous risk of nuclear war.
That's the scary reality ahead if madness defining US policy isn't curbed.
"... "the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War II." ..."
"... "deals with its enemies." ..."
"... "They realized that they have screwed up big time [with the Litvinenko poisoning] and decided to change their tactics a bit. Therefore, they do not show [any evidence] now, but keep it all in secret waiting for Russia to react to it. If there was, as they say, the 'Russian trace' there, everything would have been clear long time ago," ..."
"... "It's the same with Sasha [Aleksandr], if there was the 'Russian trace,' it would emerge over and over again up to this day. But the Scotland Yard was not looking for a criminal. Scotland Yard was covering the tracks," ..."
"... "Now they do not want to show these tracks altogether, since they know they will have to cover them up the same way as with Sasha." ..."
"... "It will be very difficult to hide it all. And they will eventually fail. They will be caught, and Theresa May will be very ashamed. And this clown, their Foreign Minister [Boris Johnson] – he will be very ashamed too." ..."
"... "They are hostages, all of them are hostages of the American authorities, who strive for the world dominance. As long as that's the case – they will kill the Russians, they'll kill anybody who's against it," Litvinenko said. The wealthy Russians in the UK "are all dependent on the authorities... They are being kept only for their money. And when something happens, they will be blatantly robbed, like it happened to Berezovsky." ..."
"... "It's not beneficial for them if Skripal stays alive. And this girl – she knows nothing. Skripal knows. She simply came to visit her father and got into this," Litvinenko said. "They'll let his daughter walk away, probably. But if she knows anything, she won't get out of it either." ..."
Fugitive Russians in the UK are effectively "hostages" of Western spy agencies, the father
of Alexander Litvinenko, an intelligence officer who was poisoned in London a decade ago, told
RT, sharing his insight on the Skripal case. Walter Litvinenko used to support the theory of
Russia's involvement in the 2006 poisoning of his son, Alexander, in London, but he changed his
mind after years of analyzing the inconsistencies of the investigation. London said that the
fugitive Russian intelligence officer was poisoned with a highly radioactive Polonium-210.
Despite an inconclusive investigation, it pinned the blame on Moscow, while the incident was
branded as the first ever act of "nuclear terrorism." Russia has vehemently denied the
allegations of its involvement in the incident. Read more UK may have staged Skripal
poisoning to rally people against Russia, Moscow believes
The poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury on
March 4, was, in turn, labeled"the first offensive use of a nerve agent
in Europe since World War II." While it bears similarities to the poisoning of Litvinenko,
it was handled with different tactics, Walter Litvinenko told RT.
Litvinenko senior says the poisoning of his son was designed as a widely-publicized
false-flag operation to show the world that Moscow was extremely "cruel," and the way
that it allegedly "deals with its enemies." The ongoing Skripal scandal, in its turn,
was launched to provoke a reaction from Russia, he believes.
"They realized that they have screwed up big time [with the Litvinenko poisoning] and
decided to change their tactics a bit. Therefore, they do not show [any evidence] now, but keep
it all in secret waiting for Russia to react to it. If there was, as they say, the 'Russian
trace' there, everything would have been clear long time ago," Litvinenko said.
He believes that, given the different goal, the ongoing investigation is significantly less
transparent than it was back in 2006, since it is easier to hide the truth from the beginning
than to try and swipe it under the rug afterward.
"It's the same with Sasha [Aleksandr], if there was the 'Russian trace,' it would emerge
over and over again up to this day. But the Scotland Yard was not looking for a criminal.
Scotland Yard was covering the tracks," Litvinenko stated. "Now they do not want to
show these tracks altogether, since they know they will have to cover them up the same way as
with Sasha."
The Skripal scandal would eventually backfire on those who initiated it, Litvinenko said.
"It will be very difficult to hide it all. And they will eventually fail. They will be
caught, and Theresa May will be very ashamed. And this clown, their Foreign Minister [Boris
Johnson] – he will be very ashamed too."
Devil's bargain
Litvinenko, who lost his son after the former officer of the Russian security service FSB
fled Russia for London and cooperated with MI6 and Spanish police, says people like Alexander
find themselves in a situation where they effectively become hostages of foreign governments
and intelligence agencies. He said it applies to both the rich and powerful who have left
Russia after having run-ins with the law, such as the late oligarch Boris Berezovsky, as well
as less prominent citizens such as Sergei Skripal.
"They are hostages, all of them are hostages of the American authorities, who strive for
the world dominance. As long as that's the case – they will kill the Russians, they'll
kill anybody who's against it," Litvinenko said. The wealthy Russians in the UK "are all
dependent on the authorities... They are being kept only for their money. And when something
happens, they will be blatantly robbed, like it happened to Berezovsky."
The fugitive oligarch, once one of the wealthiest Russians, was found dead at his home in
the UK in 2014. The investigation did not conclusively determine whether he hanged himself with
a scarf, or if he was strangled. Prior to his mysterious death, Berezovsky had lost most of his
assets and his wealth waned.
Given the previous suspicious deaths of Russian nationals on British soil, Skripal's fate
looks quite grim, Litvinenko believes. The daughter of the former double agent, Yulia, however,
might get out of this situation alive, as she was seemingly in the wrong place at the wrong
time. Assuming she was of no interest to the intelligence services, the recent reports on
Yulia's conditions improving do not look that "miraculous," Litvinenko said.
"It's not beneficial for them if Skripal stays alive. And this girl – she knows
nothing. Skripal knows. She simply came to visit her father and got into this," Litvinenko
said. "They'll let his daughter walk away, probably. But if she knows anything, she won't get
out of it either."
The current state of anti-Russia hysteria is reminiscent of earlier dark chapters of
American history, including the rush to war in Iraq of the early 2000s and McCarthyism of the
1950s, Patrick Henningsen observes.
If there's one thing to be gleaned from the current atmosphere of anti-Russian hysteria in
the West, it's that the US-led sustained propaganda campaign is starting to pay dividends. It's
not only the hopeless political classes and media miscreants who believe that Russia is
hacking, meddling and poisoning our progressive democratic utopia – with many pinning
their political careers to this by now that's it's too late for them to turn
back.
As it was with Iraq in 2003, these dubious public figures require a degree of public support
for their policies, and unfortunately many people do believe in the grand Russian
conspiracy , having been sufficiently brow-beaten into submission by around-the-clock fear
mongering and official fake news disseminated by government and the mainstream media.
What makes this latest carnival of warmongering more frightening is that it proves that the
political and media classes never actually learned or internalized the basic lessons of
Iraq , namely that the cessation of diplomacy and the declarations of sanctions (a prelude
to war) against another sovereign state should not be based on half-baked intelligence and
mainstream fake news . But that's exactly what is happening with this latest Russian
'Novichok' plot.
Admittedly, the stakes are much higher this time around. The worst case scenario is
unthinkable, whereby the bad graces of men like John Bolton and other military zealots, there
may just be a thin enough mandate to short-sell another military conflagration or proxy war
– this time against another nuclear power and UN Security Council member.
Enter stage right, where US President Donald Trump announced this week that the US is moving
closer to war footing with Russia. It's not the first time Trump has made such a hasty move in
the absence any forensic evidence of a crime. Nowadays, hearsay, conjecture and social media
postings are enough to declare war. Remember last April with the alleged "Sarin Attack" in
Khan Sheikhoun , when the embattled President squeezed off 59 Tomahawk Cruise missiles
against Syria – a decision, which as far as anyone can tell, was based solely on a few
YouTube videos uploaded by the illustrious
White Helmets . Back then Trump learned how an act of war against an existential enemy
could take the heat off at home and translate into a bounce in the polls. Even La
Résistance at CNN
were giddy with excitement and threw their support behind Trump, with some pundits describing
his decision to act as "presidential."
As with past high-profile western-led WMD allegations against governments in Syria and Iraq
(the US and UK are patently unconcerned with multiple allegations of
'rebel' terrorists in Syria caught using chemical weapons ), an identical progression of
events appears to be unfolding following the alleged 'Novichok' chemical weapon poisoning of
retired British-Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury,
Wiltshire on March 4.
Despite a lack of evidence presented to the public other than the surreptitious "highly
likely" assessments of British Prime Minister Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson,
President Trump once again has caved into pressure from Official Washington's anti-Russian
party line and ordered
the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats – whom he accused of being spies. Trump also
ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, citing speculative fears that Russia
might be spying on a nearby Boeing submarine development base. It was the second round of US
expulsions of Russian officials, with the first one ordered by the outgoing President Obama in
December 2016, kicking out 35 Russian diplomats and their families (including their head chef)
and closing the Russian Consulate in San Francisco, with some
calling it "a den of spies".
Trump's move followed an earlier UK action on March 14th, which expelled 23
Russian diplomats also accused of being spies. This was in retaliation for the alleged
poisoning of a retired former Russian-British double agent in Salisbury, England.
The 'Collective' Concern
It's important to understand how this week's brash move by Washington was coordinated in
advance. The US and the UK are relying on their other NATO partners, including Germany, Poland,
Italy, Canada, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands, Estonia and Lithuania – to create the
image of a united front against perceived 'Russian aggression.' As with multilateral military
operations, multilateral diplomatic measures like this are not carried out on a whim.
Aside from this, there are two seriously worrying aspects of this latest US-led multilateral
move against Russia. Firstly, this diplomatic offensive against Russia mirrors a NATO
collective defense action, and by doing so, it tacitly signals towards an invocation of Article
5. According to
AP , one German spokesperson called it a matter of 'solidarity' with the UK. Statements
from the White House are no less encouraging:
"The United States takes this action in conjunction with our NATO allies, and partners
around the world in response with Russia's use of a military grade chemical weapon on the soil
of the United Kingdom -- the latest in its ongoing pattern of destabilizing activities around
the world," the White House
said . "Today's actions make the United States safer by reducing Russia's ability to spy on
Americans, and to conduct covert operations that threaten America's national security."
What this statement indicates is that any Russian foreign official or overseas worker in the
West should be regarded as possible agents of espionage. In other words, the Cold War is now
officially back on.
Then came this statement: "With these steps, the United States and our allies and partners
make clear to Russia that its actions have consequences."
In an era of power politics, this language is anything but harmless. And while US and UK
politicians and media pundits seem to be treating it all as a school yard game at times, we
should all be reminded that his is how wars start.
The second issue with the Trump's diplomatic move against Russia is that it extends beyond
the territorial US – and into what should be regarded at the neutral zone of the United
Nations. As part of the group of 60 expulsions, the US has expelled 12 Russian diplomats from
the United Nations in New York City. While this may mean nothing to jumped-up political
appointees like Nikki Haley who
routinely threaten the UN when a UNGA vote doesn't go her way, this is an extremely
dangerous precedent because it means that the US has now created a diplomatic trap door where
legitimate international relations duties are being carelessly rebranded as espionage
– done on a whim and based on no actual evidence.
By using this tactic, the US is casting aside decades of international resolutions, treaties
and laws. Such a move directly threatens to undermine a fundamental principle of the United
Nations which is its diplomatic mission and the right for every sovereign nation to have
diplomatic representation. Without it, there is no UN forum and countries cannot talk through
their differences and negotiate peaceful settlements. This is why the UN was founded in the
first place. Someone might want to remind Nikki Haley of that.
On top of this, flippant US and UK officials are already crowing that Russia should be
kicked off the UN Security Council. In effect, Washington is trying to cut the legs out from a
fellow UN Security Council member and a nuclear power. This UNSC exclusion campaign been
gradually building up since 2014, where US officials have been repeated blocked by Russia over
incidents in
Syria and the Ukraine . Hence, Washington and its partners are frustrated with the UN
framework, and that's probably why they are so actively undermining it.
Those boisterous calls, as irrational and ill-informed as they might be, should be taken
seriously because as history shows, these signs are a prelude to war.
Also, consider the fact that both the US and Russia have military assets deployed in Syria.
How much of the Skripal case and the subsequent fall-out has to do with the fact that US
Coalition and Gulf state proxy terrorists have lost their hold over key areas in Syria? The
truly dangerous part of this equation is that the illegal military occupation by the US and its
NATO ally Turkey of northeastern Syria is in open violation of international law, and so
Washington and its media arms would like nothing more than to be history's actor and bury its
past indiscretions under a new layer of US-Russia tension in the Middle East.
Another WMD Debacle?
Is it really possible to push East-West relations over the edge on the basis of anecdotal
evidence?
Former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig
Murray , highlighted the recent British
High Court judgement which states in writing that the government's own chemical weapons
experts from the Porton Down research facility could not categorically confirm that a Russian
'Novichok' nerve agent was actually used in the Salisbury incident. Based on this, Murray
believes that both British Prime Minster Theresa May and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, and
Britain's deputy UN representative Jonathan Allen – have all lied to the public and the
world when making their public statements that the Russians had in fact launched a deadly
chemical weapons attack on UK soil. Murray states
elaborates on this key point:
"This sworn Court evidence direct from Porton Down is utterly incompatible with what Boris
Johnson has been saying. The truth is that Porton Down have not even positively identified this
as a 'Novichok', as opposed to "a closely related agent". Even if it were a 'Novichok' that
would not prove manufacture in Russia , and a 'closely related agent' could be manufactured
by literally scores of state and non-state actors.
"This constitutes irrefutable evidence that the government have been straight out lying
– to Parliament, to the EU, to NATO, to the United Nations, and above all to the people
– about their degree of certainty of the origin of the attack. It might well be an attack
originating in Russia, but there are indeed other possibilities and investigation is needed. As
the government has sought to whip up jingoistic hysteria in advance of forthcoming local
elections, the scale of the lie has daily increased."
Murray has been roundly admonished by the UK establishment for his views, but he is still
correct to ask the question: how could UK government leaders have known 'who did it' in advance
of any criminal forensic investigation or substantive testing by Porton Down or an independent
forensic investigation by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)?
One would hope we could all agree that it's this sort of question which should have been
given more prominence in the run-up to the Iraq War. In matters of justice and jurisprudence,
that's a fundamental question and yet, once again – it has been completely bypassed.
Murray is not alone. A number of scientists and journalists have openly questioned the UK's
hyperbolic claims that Russia had ordered a 'chemical attack' on British soil. In her recent
report for the
New Scientist , author Debora MacKenzie reiterates the fact that several countries could
have manufactured a 'Novichok' class nerve agent and used it in the chemical attack on Russians
Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury.
The New Scientist also quotes Ralf Trapp, a chemical weapons consultant formerly with the
OPCW, who also reiterates a point worth reminding readers of – that inspectors are only
able to tell where molecules sampled in Salisbury have come from if they have reference samples
for the ingredients used.
"I doubt they have reference chemicals for forensic analysis related to Russian CW agents,"
says Trapp. "But if Russia has nothing to hide they may let inspectors in."
Even if they can identify it as Novichok, they cannot say that it came from Russia, or was
ordered by the Russian government, not least of all because the deadly recipe is available on Amazon for
only $28.45 .
It should be noted that a substantial amount of evidence points to only two countries who
are the most active in producing and testing biological and chemical weapons WMD – the
United States and Great Britain. Their
programs also include massive 'live testing' on both humans and animals with most of this
work undertaken at the Porton Down research facility located only minutes away from the scene
of this alleged 'chemical attack' in Salisbury, England.
Problems with the Official Story
If we put aside for the moment any official UK government theory, which is based on
speculation backed-up by a series of hyperbolic statements and proclamations of Russian guilt,
there are still many fundamental problems with the official story – maybe too many to
list here, but I will address what I believe are a few key items of interest.
The UK police have now released a statement claiming that the alleged 'Novichok' nerve agent
was somehow administered at
the front door of Sergie Skripal's home in Wiltshire. This latest official claim
effectively negates the previous official story because it means that the Skripals would have
been exposed a home at the latest around 13:00 GMT on March 4th, and then drove into town,
parking their car at Sainsbury's car park, then having a leisurely walk to have drinks at The
Mill Pub, before for ordering and eating lunch at Zizzis restaurant, and then finally leaving
the Zizzis and walking before finally retiring on a park bench – where emergency services
were apparently called at 16:15 GMT to report an incident.
Soon after, local police arrived on the scene to find the Skripals on the bench in an
"extremely serious condition." Based on this story, the Skripals would have been going about
their business for 3 hours before finally falling prey to the deadly WMD 'Novichok'. From this,
one would safely conclude that whatever has poisoned the pair was neither lethal nor
could it have been a military grade WMD. Even by subtracting the home doorway exposure leg of
this story, the government's claim hardly adds up – as even a minor amount of any real
lethal military grade WMD would have effected many more people along this timeline of events.
Based on what we know so far, it seems much more plausible that the pair would have been
poisoned at Zizzis restaurant, and not with a military grade nerve agent.
When this story initially broke, we were also told that the attending police officer who
first arrived on the scene of this incident, Wiltshire Police Detective Sgt. Nick Bailey
– was "fighting for his life" after being exposed to the supposed 'deadly Russian nerve
agent'. As it turned out, officer Bailey was treated in hospital and then discharged on March
22, 2018. To our knowledge, no information or photos of Bailey's time in care are available to
the public so we cannot know the trajectory of his health, or if he was even exposed to the
said "Novichok'.
In the immediate aftermath, the public were also told initially that approximately 4o people
were taken into medical care because of "poison exposure". This bogus claim was promulgated by
some mainstream media outlets, like Rupert Murdoch's
Times newspaper . In reality, no one showed signed of "chemical weapons" exposure, meaning
that this story was just another example of mainstream corporate media fake news designed to
stoke tension and fear in the public. We exposed this at the time on the UK Column News here:
To further complicate matters, this week we were told that Yulia Skripal has now turned the
corner and is in recovery, and is speaking to police from her hospital bed. If this is true,
then it further proves that whatever the alleged poison agent was which the Skripals were
exposed to – it was not a lethal, military grade nerve agent. If it had been, then most
likely the Skripals and many others would not be alive right now.
Unfortunately, in this new age of state secrecy, we can expect that most of the key
information relating to this case may be sealed indefinitely under a national security letter.
In the case of Porton Down scientist
David Kelly , the key information is sealed (hidden) for another 60+ years (if we're lucky,
we might get to see it in the year 2080). This means that we just have to take their word for
it, or to
borrow the words of the newly crowed UK Defence Secretary
Gavin Williamson – any one asking questions, "should just go away and shut up." Such
is the lack of decorum and transparency in this uncomfortably Orwellian atmosphere.
While Britain insists that it has 'irrefutable proof' that Russia launched a deadly
nerve-gas attack to murder the Skripals, the facts simply do not match-up to the rhetoric.
The Litvinenko Conspiracy
It's important to note that as far as public perceptions are concerned, the official Skripal
narrative has been built directly on top of the Litvinenko case.
In order to try and reinforce the government's speculative arguments, the UK establishment
has resurrected the trial-by-media case of another Russian defector, former FSB officer
Alexander Litvinenko, who is said to have died after being poisoned with radioactive
polonium-210 in his tea at a restaurant in London's Mayfair district in late 2006.
Despite not having any actual evidence as to who committed the crime, the British
authorities and the mainstream media have upheld an almost religious belief that the Russian
FSB (formerly KGB), under the command of Vladimir Putin, had ordered the alleged radioactive
poisoning of Litvinenko.
The media mythos was reinforced in 2016, when a British
Public Inquiry headed by Sir Robert Owen accused senior Russian officials of 'probably
having motives to approve the murder' of Litvinenko. Again, this level of guesswork and
speculation would never meet the standard of an actual forensic investigation worthy of a real
criminal court of law, but so far as apportioning blame to another nation or head of state is
concerned – it seems fair enough for British authorities.
Following the completion of the inquiry, Sir Robert had this to say: "Taking full account of
all the evidence and analysis available to me, I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko
was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."
Contrary to consensus reality (popular belief), Owen's inquiry was not at all definitive.
Quite the opposite in fact, and in many ways it mirrors how the Skripal case has been presented
to the public. Despite offering no evidence of any criminal guilt, Owen's star chamber
maintained that Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the operation to assassinate Litvinenko. Is
"probably" really enough to assign guilt in a major international crime? When it comes to high
crimes of state, the answer seems to be yes .
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova , that UK
inquiry was "neither transparent nor public" and was "conducted mostly behind doors, with
classified documents and unnamed witnesses contributing to the result "
Zakharova highlighted the fact that two key witnesses in the case – Litvinenko's chief
patron, a UK-based anti-Putin defector billionaire oligarch named Boris Berezovsky, and the
owner of Itsu restaurant in London's Mayfair where the incident is said to have taken place,
had both suddenly died under dubious circumstances.
The British authorities went on to accuse two Russian men in the Litvineko murder –
businessman Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun. Both have denied the accusations. Despite the
lack of any real evidence, the United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control
blacklisted both Lugovoi and Kovtun, as well as Russian persons Stanislav Gordievsky, Gennady
Plaksin and Aleksandr I. Bastrykin – under
the Magnitsky Act ,
which freezes their assets held in American financial institutions, and bans them from
conducting any transactions or traveling to the United States.
Notice the familiar pattern: even if the case is inconclusive, or collapses due to a lack of
evidence, the policies remain in place.
Despite all the pomp and circumstance however, Owen's official conspiracy theory failed to
sway even Litvinenko's own close family members. While Litvinenko's widow
Marina maintains that it was definitely the Russian government who killed her husband,
Alexsander's younger brother Maksim Litvinenko, based in Rimini, Italy, believes the British
report "ridiculous" to blame the Kremlin for the murder of his brother,
stating that he believes British security services had more of a motive to carry out the
assassination.
"My father and I are sure that the Russian authorities are not involved. It's all a set-up
to put pressure on the Russian government," said Litvinenko to the Mirror newspaper, and that
such reasoning can explain why the UK waited almost 10 years to launch the inquiry his
brother's death.
Maxim also said that Britain had more reason to kill his brother than the Russians, and
believes that blaming Putin for the murder was part of a wider effort to smear Russia.
Following the police investigation, Alexander's father Walter Litvinenko, also
said that he had regretted blaming Putin and the Russian government for his son's death and
did so under intense pressure at the time.
For anyone skeptical of the official proclamations of the British state and the mainstream
media on the Litvinenko case, it's worth reading the work of British journalist Will Dunkerly
here .
With so many questions hanging over the actually validity of the British state's accusations
against Russia, it's somewhat puzzling that British police would say they are still 'looking
for similarities' between the Skripal and Litvinenko cases in order to pinpoint a modus
operandi.
The admission by the British law enforcement that their investigation
may take months before any conclusion can be drawn also begs the question: how could May
have been so certain so quick? The answer should be clear by now: she could not have known it
was a 'Novichok' agent, no more than she could know the 'Russia did it.'
A Plastic Cold War
Historically speaking, in the absence of any real mandate or moral authority, governments
suffering from an identity crisis, or a crisis of legitimacy will often try and define
themselves not based on what they stand for, but rather what (or who) they are in opposition
to. This profile suits both the US and UK perfectly at the moment.
Both governments are limping along with barely a mandate, and have orchestrated two of the
worst and most hypocritical debacles in history with their illegal wars in both Syria and
Yemen. With their moral high-ground a thing of the past, these two countries require a common
existential enemy in order to give their international order legitimacy. The cheapest, easiest
option is to reinvigorate a framework which was already there, which is the Cold War framework:
Reds under the bed. The Russian are coming, etc.
It's cheap and it's easy because it has already been seeded with 70 years of Cold War
propaganda and institutionalized racism in the West directed against Russians. If you don't
believe me, just go look at some of the posters, watch the TV propaganda in the US, or read
about the horrific McCarthyist blacklists and political witch hunts. I remember growing up in
America and being taught "never again" and "we're past all of that now, those days of
irrational paranoia are behind us, we're better than that now." But that madness of the past
was not a fringe affair – it was a mainstream madness, and one which was
actively promoted by government and mainstream media.
You would have to be at the pinnacle of ignorance to deny that this is exactly what we are
seeing today, albeit a more plastic version, but just as immoral and dangerous. Neocons love
it, and now liberals love it too.
Dutifully fanning the flaming of war, Theresa May has issued her approval of the NATO
members diplomatic retaliation this week exclaiming, "We welcome today's actions by our allies,
which clearly demonstrate that we all stand shoulder to shoulder in sending the strongest
signal to Russia that it cannot continue to flout international law."
But from an international law perspective, can May's
'highly likely' assurances really be enough to position the west on war footing with Russia?
When Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn asked these same fundamental questions on March 14th, he was
shouted down by the Tory bench, and also by the hawkish Blairites sitting behind him.
Afterwards, the British mainstream press launched yet another defamation campaign against
Corbyn, this time
with the UK's Daily Mail calling the opposition leader a "Kremlin Stooge", followed by
British state broadcaster the BBC who went through the effort of creating a mock-up graphic of
Corbyn in front of the Kremlin (pictured above) apparently wearing a Russian hat, as if to
say he was a Russian agent . It was a new low point in UK politics and media.
Considering the mainstream media's Corbyn smear alongside the recent insults hurled at Julian
Assange by Tory MP Sir Alan Duncan who stood up in front of Parliament and called the
Wikileaks founder a "miserable worm", what this really says is that anyone who dares defy the
official state narrative will be beaten down and publicly humiliated. In other words, dissent
in the political ranks will not be tolerated. It's almost as if we are approaching a one party
state.
Would a UN Security Council member and nuclear power really be so brazen as to declare
de facto war on another country without presenting any actual evidence or completing a
genuine forensic investigation?
So why the apparent rush to war? Haven't we been here before, in 2003? Will the people of
the West allow it to happen again?
As with T2ony Blair's WMD's in 2003, the British public are meant to take it on faith and
never question the official government line. And just like in 2003, the UK has opened the first
door on the garden path, with the US and its 'coalition' following safely behind, shoulder
to shoulder. In this latest version of the story, Tony Blair is being played by Theresa
May, and Jack Straw is being played by Boris Johnson.
On the other side of the pond, a hapless Bush is hapless Trump. Both Blair and Straw, along
with the court propagandist Alastair Campbell – are all proven to have been liars of the
highest order, and if there were any real accountability or justice, these men and their
collaborators in government should be in prison right now. The fact they aren't is why the door
has been left wide open for the exact same scam to be repeated again, and again.
Iraq should have taught us all to be skeptical about official claims of chemical weapons
evidence, and to face the ugly truth about how
most major wars throughout history have waged by the deception – and by western
governments. What does it tell us about today's society if people still cannot see this?
That's why it was wrong to let Blair, Bush and others off the hook for war crimes. By doing
so, both the British and Americans are inviting a dark phase of history to repeat itself again,
and again.
It's high time that we break the cycle.
Author Patrick Henningsen is a global affairs analyst and founder of independent news and
analysis site 21st Century Wire, and host of the SUNDAY WIRE weekly radio show broadcast globally
over the Alternate Current Radio Network (ACR).
Trump is a businessman, and the biggest and most profitable business is a military
spending. PR and advertising campaigns (like Salisbury ) are just a part of the game to keep
wheels moving.
Leo , March 31, 2018 at 9:15 pm
One more note. At first I was puzzled by the stupidity of those who produced this cheap
B-movie scenario of this Skipal show. Now I must admit that they are much smarter than I
previously thought. As Joseph Goebbels said, the more unbelievable lie the easier to make
people believe in it. And that is very simple to explain. Those who would try to analyse the
unanalysable will not be able to come to a definite conclusion and there will be always a
room for a doubt. Good job!
Abby , April 1, 2018 at 1:01 am
Moon of Alabama has been covering this and the latest post shows that this was planned as
far back as 2009. Hillary is involved with this and while she was SOS she told her staff not
discuss the book that had the information on how to make the poison. This is a little
convenient, don't you think?
Good grief, there are so many holes in this story that I'm just frankly dumbfounded that
people can't see through them. The timeline of where they got poisoned and then the number of
people who had been exposed to it kept going up.
geeyp , April 1, 2018 at 3:03 am
To Stephen J. Gray: I agree with you 200%, and have said the exact same thing for years
now. What a let down when the last President declared justice was off limits for these
scoundrels! How the world could look now if justice was served then! Patrick J. Henningsen's
piece here and his site 21st Century Wire, along with working with Vanessa and Eva, fill us
in on what has transpired in Syria more than any other place, and I am pleased to see him
represented here. I also love seeing him on "Crosstalk" on RT.
The current crop of "leaders" in the UK share the same trait -- the complete lack of
dignity. It seems that immorality has become a prerequisite for entering the UK politics.
Guess, The Friends of Israel have succeeded in educating Brits in accordance with Mossad'
ethics, "By way of deception thou shalt do war."
Realist , March 31, 2018 at 4:51 pm
There is always reality and, offered in its place, the risible Washington narrative.
Clearly, the world knows the difference just about every time, yet the world hegemon and its
NATO vassals insist on the preposterous mythology and most of the rest go along out of fear.
It's a frustrating trap that honest and rational people everywhere are forced to accept,
unless they want to war in one form or another with the great bully. You go along with the
Red Queen's six impossible things imagined before breakfast or it's off with your head!
We know the identities of the figureheads in whose name these outrages are
promulgated–moral sell-outs for political grandeur like D.J. Trump, Nikki Haley and now
John Bolton. What piques my curiosity would be the names of those powers lurking in the
shadows who pull the strings of these figureheads. Who are the psychopaths that have been
firmly directing Washington's endless wars with no deviation in their prosecution regardless
of campaign promises, elections and warm bodies occupying offices? Who are the monsters that
have put us on a certain collision course for nuclear war with Russia ginned up with an
un-ending litany of lies, frame-ups, false narratives and aggressive military moves? Would it
be people we've heard about? Is Sheldon Adelson essentially the defacto czar of the "Western
alliance?" Or is he also only a front for truly Deep Slimeballs pulling the strings at the
depths of the Deep State?
If the pope's pronouncements on hell, which presently has some prominent Catholics
disconcerted that pain and suffering forever and ever without end is not a reasonable
position for an all-knowing and all-loving diety to take, is the likely truth then, for many
unfortunates, hell actually ends when their stay on earth is terminated courtesy of the
blood-thirsty Washington maniacs who play god.
Sam F , April 1, 2018 at 8:17 am
Yes, the ultimate influencers are the great question. Those who follow the money and
follow the motive find the nature of oligarchy and its factions, if not its commanders. Our
tyranny is a subculture of bullies using all available forms of power: direct force, economic
power, social, and information power, and in all modes of bribery, threat, and deception. We
owe everything to our gangsters.
Abe , March 31, 2018 at 5:09 pm
"The fact that the alleged creator of Novichok agents – Vil Mirzayanov – fled
to and currently lives in the United States suggests the West has both knowledge of and the
means to create Novichok agents themselves.
"The UK's presumption that "only Russia" could have produced the agents when the creator
of Novichok lives in the United States – and British labs clearly have access to the
poison – is at face value contradictory and dishonest.
"Since the UK has refused to produce any tangible evidence, including producing samples
under its obligations to the Chemical Weapons Convention, all that is left for the
international community to consider is the source of these accusations. [ ]
"Just as the US and UK did during the lead up to the Iraq War in 2003, an avalanche of
propaganda is being produced to stampede the world into backing whatever long-ago elected
course of action the West has decided to take against Russia.
"In the hindsight of whatever course of action the UK and its allies decide to take in the
coming days, weeks, and months based on the Skripal incident, who will play the role of
'Curveball' who supposedly duped Theresa May in making her Powell-style accusations before
declaring her Bush-style retaliation?
"And considering the ramifications for the West regarding its lies in the lead up to Iraq
and the fallout the West has faced in the aftermath of Iraq's destruction, what do Western
policymakers expect to gain from an incident many times more transparently staged and
self-serving against a world increasingly skeptical of their claims and actions?"
"The fact that the alleged creator of Novichok agents – Vil Mirzayanov – fled
to and currently lives in the United States suggests the West has both knowledge of and the
means to create Novichok agents themselves." very significant fact .if it was reported
before, it flew right by me, although I was aware that Western "scientists" took samples of
the Aral Sea stockpile during Yeltsin's chaotic administration.
Fred , March 31, 2018 at 7:08 pm
Here's a link to Moonof Alabama discussing Soviet defector Vil Mirzanyanov who wrote a
book about his chemical work for the USSR; he now lives in Princeton, NJ.
Thanks Fred, the Zakharova interview was particularly revealing considering that the
"Russian sounding" name "Novichok" was invented by Western sources, the Tory claim reeks of
tampering with the facts. It reminds me of the sloppy "Steele investigation" into alleged
Russian hacking where a trail of Russian "clues" seemed to be inserted by Christopher Steel's
Fusion GPS. The fact that Steele himself is linked to both MI-6 and the DNC effort to hang
Hillary's election loss on Putin should shift all suspicion onto the accusers, but.alas, the
msm is not in the business of informing the public.
Abby , April 1, 2018 at 1:02 am
Moon of Alabama has updated the information on this and links it to Hillary. Gee, what a
surprise, ehh?
Thanks Kathryn, both the article and the comment thread raise a lot of questions(the
thread never ends). Many of the comments seem to be from people with considerable knowledge
of the chemical composition and its possible effects,
Curious , March 31, 2018 at 9:01 pm
As the article states above, the book and recipe re: Vil Mirzayanov can be bought on
Amazon for $28.45. This information has certainly been known by chemists worldwide.
Zachary Smith , March 31, 2018 at 5:32 pm
The UK police have now released a statement claiming that the alleged 'Novichok' nerve
agent was somehow administered at the front door of Sergie Skripal's home in Wiltshire.
This latest official claim effectively negates the previous official story because it means
that the Skripals would have been exposed a home at the latest around 13:00 GMT on March
4th, and then drove into town, parking their car at Sainsbury's car park, then having a
leisurely walk to have drinks at The Mill Pub, before for ordering and eating lunch at
Zizzis restaurant, and then finally leaving the Zizzis and walking before finally retiring
on a park bench – where emergency services were apparently called at 16:15 GMT to
report an incident.
This is the material for a badly written cheap novel, yet the Brits have been pushing it
and their Allies have been pretending to believe it. WHY is the big question I'd like to have
answered. There were dozens of ways the Skripals could have been quietly murdered, yet
somebody decided to use a method designed to gain maximum publicity.
In order to try and reinforce the government's speculative arguments, the UK
establishment has resurrected the trial-by-media case of another Russian defector, former
FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who is said to have died after being poisoned with
radioactive polonium-210 in his tea at a restaurant in London's Mayfair district in late
2006.
Given a high probability Israel murdered Arafat with Polonium two years earlier, it was
just naturally the turn of the Russians to be the villains. Likely blame was assigned by the
Brits using the same method as now – Write the names of all the possible nations who
could have done the deed on large pieces of paper. Tape the ones with "Russia" on the south
side of a room, and those with all the other suspects on the north side. Make sure your
blindfolded dart thrower is pointed south, and you've solved the mysteries of the two deadly
poisons.
Maxim Litvinenko's opinion on his brother's poisoning and his father's regretting being
coerced by British authorities into believing his son was targeted by Putin add a
particularly relevant wrench into the Tory narrative. Thank you, Patrick Hennigsen, for some
very trenchant insights into the web of intrigue.
mrtmbrnmn , March 31, 2018 at 6:52 pm
Vietnam: The Gulf of Tonkin Attack of the Radar Blips (Hanoi Bridge For Sale Cheap!) Gulf
War I (Kuwaiti babies pitched out of incubators), Iraq War: Saddam Has WMDs! (Baghdad Bridge
For Sale Cheap!), Putin Invades Crimea (Kiev Bridge For Sale Cheap!) Syrian Sarin Gas Attacks
(White Helmet videos at 11), Putin Novichoks Ex-Russian Spy (double agent) & daughter in
Salisbury UK (Theresa May: "Who ya gonna believe, me or your lying eyes") And, of course, now
and forever, Trump = Putin. The hits just keep coming. Shades of the Reichstag Fire and
Poland Invades Germany. Rogue Nation USA and its pusillanimous NATO "partners" continuously
spew out lies to their ever-gullible Gen Pop, because it works! Again and again and
again.
Jeff , March 31, 2018 at 7:24 pm
Where, pray tell, is the UN in all this? The United States has been fomenting coups and
"regime changes" for decades. The UN should be standing up and calling the US out instead of
supinely agreeing to eject 10 Russian delegates to the UN.
geeyp , April 1, 2018 at 3:18 am
Jeff: Agreed. The UN has lost the plot for some time now. Their mission was peace
originally, and the US can't have that. Nicki Hoeky is clueless and is not doing a damn thing
to help us.
Dave P. , March 31, 2018 at 8:29 pm
"By using this tactic, the US is casting aside decades of international resolutions,
treaties and laws. Such a move directly threatens to undermine a fundamental principle of the
United Nations which is its diplomatic mission and the right for every sovereign nation to
have diplomatic representation. Without it, there is no UN forum and countries cannot talk
through their differences and negotiate peaceful settlements. This is why the UN was founded
in the first place. Someone might want to remind Nikki Haley of that."
Reminding Nikki Haley would not make any difference. Nikki Haley does not have the
intelligence, knowledge, character or any capacity for deep thinking. Nor does his boss
possess much of it. John Bolton has no regard for U.N., and is completely devoid of any
humanitarian impulses. He is as close as it could be of being considered as a complete
barbarian. There is Mike Pompeo there sitting at the table. You know how he is like. So,
there you have it.
And there is nothing to cheer about across the Atlantic. Theresa may, Boris Johnson, Gavin
Williamson . . . It is as bad as it gets. Merkel, Macron, Stoltenberg, and the rest of the
Flock in those Vassal States follow the orders.
As Henneningsen points out in the article, this latest provocation by The West, in all
probability this staged event at Salisbury, is indeed very dangerous. World may be edging
towards a nuclear war. There are no sane voices left in the Ruling Establishments in The
West.
Joe Tedesky , April 1, 2018 at 1:26 am
Dave I agree. In fact Dave, if you were the international war criminals of all time then
wouldn't it be wise to destroy the very fabric of what stands for international justice? It's
either the UN, or NATO, and in this case it's destroy the UN in order to drag down more
allied nations into this carnival of destruction under the banner of NATO. So I agree Dave,
it isn't to how it appears that TPTB want to bring the UN down, as it is that the TPTB are
taking the UN down as we speak of this heavy conundrum being laid before us. Believe it not,
in Sheldon's eyes Nikki is doing a fantastic job of it.
We are going to war Dave. We are fast moving towards that place where the closer we get to
war that the more criticism of war will be deemed traitorous. Starting to paying attention
will have a whole new meaning. Joe
Dave P. , April 1, 2018 at 3:02 am
Joe, yes, you are right on that; they are taking the UN down as we speak . Under Bush,
when Bolton was at UN, they were talking about dissolving the UN. Immediately after this
staged event in Salisbury, the British politicians were talking about kicking Russia out of
UN Security Council. It all seems preplanned.
Russia is the biggest country in the World, its population is more than twice that of U.K.
and also of France. Its GDP (in PPP) is one and one half times of U.K's. And most of the
U.K.'s economy is Finance and Tourism, and London being the World Center of money laundering,
and residence of all these oligarchs/financial crooks, and Corrupt Elite from all over the
third world countries; you name it all this ill gotten wealth is pouring into London. It is
amazing that the Ruling Elite in U.K. are talking as if they are still in the nineteenth or
early twentieth century – ruling over a good portion of the World. It seems to me that
if the shooting starts, U.K's paper economy is going to crumble.
Unfortunately, there is not much out there to hope for. They – The West – are
going not only to take the UN down, but take the World down with it into some type of dark
ages again.
mike k , March 31, 2018 at 8:47 pm
Nothing new to readers here, but of course it's all true. The Empire seeks more war.
Has it ever been otherwise?
mike k , March 31, 2018 at 9:20 pm
Politicians and the media are not there to learn anything but how to make money and gain
more power through the corrupt, lying games they play. They all made money off the Iraq war,
and that is all they care about, period.
Syd , March 31, 2018 at 9:34 pm
Don't the Brits realize that if there's any kind of shooting war with Russia, and any
Russian city is attacked,that the Russians can and will bomb British cities to retaliate, not
to mention the resulting ecalation,almost certainly up to nuclear? Why aren't a million Brits
on the streets demanding peaceful resolution of this and future crises?
jose , March 31, 2018 at 9:52 pm
Dear Sad: your question may sound simple but it is a complex one;It involves numerous
factors interwoven that create the right conditions for war. I think that Brits are not on
the streets might be due to apathy, ignorance, disinterest, or sheer historical amnesia.
According to Richard Sanders, "The historical knowledge of how war planners have tricked
people into supporting past wars, is like a vaccine. We can use this understanding of history
to inoculate the public with healthy doses of distrust for official war pretext narratives
and other deceptive stratagems. Through such immunization programs we may help to counter our
society's susceptibility to "war fever."
jose , March 31, 2018 at 9:43 pm
I believe that these war mongers cannot help themselves when it comes to lying and
deceiving their own people to promote war. Consequently, it is up to the people to put a stop
to their nefarious ambitions; According to Richard Sanders, "Military plotters know that the
majority would never support their wars, if it were generally known why they were really
being fought
If asked to support a war so a small, wealthy elite could shamelessly profit by ruthlessly
exploiting and plundering the natural and human resources in far away lands, people would
'just say no.'" If people chose to be spectators rather than participants into their own
affairs, then they deserve what is coming to them. It is simple math.
Skeptigal , March 31, 2018 at 10:14 pm
An excellent analysis, I always enjoy reading your articles, thank you.
The perpetrators do not care whether the allegations can be supported by evidence or if
the science makes sense or if there's a logical motive. All that's important is that the
damage is done and the endgame achieved. The attack has to be blatant to ensure attention is
focused on it and fingers are pointed in the right direction. Government officials can always
rely on the MSM and the brain dead public to support them. People are easily propagandized. A
video on propaganda by Dr. Jerry Kroth on 21st Century Wire is well worth watching. Whoever
is behind the incident get away with it because they feel they are above all laws.
In the Skripal case, once again all the mindless sheeple have the wool pulled over their
eyes, while bleating their approval of the excessive measures taken by the UK and allies that
are disproportionate to the crime. Not long ago, our local TV station had an online poll
asking people if they agree with expelling the Russian diplomats and 81% replied "yes". Many
of the comments on the MSM sites are very negative toward Russia over this incident.
History will repeat itself again and again, a long as anyone questioning the official
narrative is attacked and discredited, people are fed propaganda, media is censored, and the
laws and justice system fail again and again.
Abby , April 1, 2018 at 12:54 am
Will the people of the USA believe another WMDs lie? Of course they will. They have been
doing it since Herheinous lost the election. They are believing that because she lost. Can
anyone imagine what they would say if it was Trump throwing out these ridiculous lies? They'd
say that he is nuts for even thinking it.
The PTB knew that people would never believe another WMDs type story so they came at
people with this softer WMDs type propaganda and lo and behold they are buying it. SMDH!
jimbo , April 1, 2018 at 2:36 am
"carnival of warmongering"
A better title IMO.
I chat online and hang out here in Japan with a number Brits and North Americans and they
don't seem to care or scoff at my thoughts which wholeheartedly go along with Patrick's,
(whom, along with the UK Column team, have podcasts which I never miss.) It seems people have
shut off their critical thinking abilities and when I pipe up with my line about how a huge
psy-op is being played on us by our own governments (which admittedly to a "normy" does sound
whacky), after the scoffing and incredulousness at how evil Russia could possibly be
innocent, they will end the discussion with a sure fire discussion ender: they don't give a
shit. I am truly privileged to be alive in this amazing present with the greatest toys and
gizmos ever invented and yet there's Trump and May and my "friends" pissing in my sandbox.
WTF??? How can the words and deeds my heroes like John Lennon and MLK be suddenly wrong?
Maybe we should all stop giving a shit about this crap. My mother, a firebrand back in the
day, is blissfully unaware of anything due to Alzheimer's and she's fine! But Mom wouldn't
have scoffed. I'd have had a loving fellow traveler had she not been stricken. Maybe the most
irksome thing is how people are profiting off these lies and dangerous provocations.
Conspiracy theory skeptics always say that someone would have talked. That this crap is
happening under our noses with only some outlets of the alternative media "saying something"
still it goes on and maybe only a war will shake them hard enough to be "woke." Or not. One
thing is how much fun the alternative side is. I used to like to read "Consumer Reports" and
loved how they got away with ripping apart cars that real companies surely sweated bullets to
make. I also liked the way they lauded some products. Nowadays, CR would be a sometimes right
but still fake consensus driver like "Snopes" or "Vice News." While I'm rambling, a shout out
to James Corbett. You have got to see his dissection of the Sibel Edmunds Twitter melt
down.
geeyp , April 1, 2018 at 3:49 am
Yes, I agree with you. I quit paying attention long ago (approximately 12 years ago) to
the msm, of whom I used to work with. The most useful thing for me is to not give a shit what
they do. It seems to help; I don't have the funding to fight them, though I can counter
anyone who might defend them. You mentioned "Consumer Reports" and fake news, refresh my
memory, were they also along with either "Popular Science" or "Popular Mechanics" agreeing
with the NIST lie that fires destroyed the three towers?
Emmet Sweeney , April 1, 2018 at 3:22 am
The political class in America and UK do what their Zionist paymasters tell them. They're
not stupid, they know perfectly well Russia had nothing to do with this.
LookHow , April 1, 2018 at 5:42 am
We have to stop putting the blame on our politicians and take responsibility as a people.
It is clear that our elected officials serve somebody else's agenda so we have to change the
system. We need to create a democracy where decisions such as diplomatic relations, is voted
upon by the people. A more direct democracy is possible today and we need it.
Don't believe in mass insanity? You should. We all should. Even considering the most
dastardly murder of someone, what type of reasoning would lead us to risk the murder of
thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions. We have to acknowledge that it is not about
them, it is about us, that we are willingly being led toward the precipice and feeling self
righteous in doing so.
These politicos didn't care to learn any lessons from Iraq! They will lie about anything
to retain power. Their 'overlords' who control them pull their marionette strings.
At "The Duran" website Alexander Mercouris has a piece titled "Furious China Ramps Up
Support for Russia on Skripal, Calls West's Actions 'Outrageous' ". The Global Times, English
language organ of China's ruling Communist Party, published a scorching op-ed and 13
paragraphs are printed in Mercouris' piece. It is well worth reading, as is The Duran a good
site to know of. Some very powerful points are made in the piece, please read it.
Not even mentioned in that piece is that China has just launched the petroyuan as exchange
for oil purchase, and Russia is their largest supplier of oil. Other countries that are sick
of Western bullying are also attempting to get off the dollar and China has leverage to aid
them. So does Russia, which has no debt. The US as a debtor nation relies only on its guns to
maintain dominance. The West is a 'beast' lashing out to keep control.
"... In order to try and reinforce the government's speculative arguments, the UK establishment has resurrected the trial-by-media case of another Russian defector, former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko, who is said to have died after being poisoned with radioactive polonium-210 in his tea at a restaurant in London's Mayfair district in late 2006. ..."
It's important to note that as far as public perceptions are concerned, the official Skripal
narrative has been built directly on top of the Litvinenko case.
In order to try and reinforce the government's speculative arguments, the UK
establishment has resurrected the trial-by-media case of another Russian defector, former FSB
officer Alexander Litvinenko, who is said to have died after being poisoned with radioactive
polonium-210 in his tea at a restaurant in London's Mayfair district in late 2006.
Despite not having any actual evidence as to who committed the crime, the British
authorities and the mainstream media have upheld an almost religious belief that the Russian
FSB (formerly KGB), under the command of Vladimir Putin, had ordered the alleged radioactive
poisoning of Litvinenko.
The media mythos was reinforced in 2016, when a British
Public Inquiry headed by Sir Robert Owen accused senior Russian officials of 'probably
having motives to approve the murder' of Litvinenko. Again, this level of guesswork and
speculation would never meet the standard of an actual forensic investigation worthy of a real
criminal court of law, but so far as apportioning blame to another nation or head of state is
concerned -- it seems fair enough for British authorities.
Following the completion of the inquiry, Sir Robert had this to say: "Taking full account of
all the evidence and analysis available to me, I find that the FSB operation to kill Litvinenko
was probably approved by Mr Patrushev and also by President Putin."
Contrary to consensus reality (popular belief), Owen's inquiry was not at all definitive.
Quite the opposite in fact, and in many ways it mirrors how the Skripal case has been presented
to the public. Despite offering no evidence of any criminal guilt, Owen's star chamber
maintained that Vladimir Putin "probably" approved the operation to assassinate Litvinenko. Is
"probably" really enough to assign guilt in a major international crime? When it comes to high
crimes of state, the answer seems to be yes .
According to Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova , that UK
inquiry was "neither transparent nor public" and was "conducted mostly behind doors, with
classified documents and unnamed witnesses contributing to the result "
Zakharova highlighted the fact that two key witnesses in the case -- Litvinenko's chief
patron, a UK-based anti-Putin defector billionaire oligarch named Boris Berezovsky, and the
owner of Itsu restaurant in London's Mayfair where the incident is said to have taken place,
had both suddenly died under dubious circumstances.
The British authorities went on to accuse two Russian men in the Litvineko murder --
businessman Andrey Lugovoy and Dmitry Kovtun. Both have denied the accusations. Despite the
lack of any real evidence, the United States Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control
blacklisted both Lugovoi and Kovtun, as well as Russian persons Stanislav Gordievsky, Gennady
Plaksin and Aleksandr I. Bastrykin -- under the
Magnitsky Act , which
freezes their assets held in American financial institutions, and bans them from conducting any
transactions or traveling to the United States.
Notice the familiar pattern: even if the case is inconclusive, or collapses due to a lack of
evidence, the policies remain in place.
Despite all the pomp and circumstance however, Owen's official conspiracy theory failed to
sway even Litvinenko's own close family members. While Litvinenko's widow
Marina maintains that it was definitely the Russian government who killed her husband,
Alexsander's younger brother Maksim Litvinenko, based in Rimini, Italy, believes the British
report "ridiculous" to blame the Kremlin for the murder of his brother,
stating that he believes British security services had more of a motive to carry out the
assassination.
"My father and I are sure that the Russian authorities are not involved. It's all a set-up
to put pressure on the Russian government," said Litvinenko to the Mirror newspaper, and that
such reasoning can explain why the UK waited almost 10 years to launch the inquiry his
brother's death.
Maxim also said that Britain had more reason to kill his brother than the Russians, and
believes that blaming Putin for the murder was part of a wider effort to smear Russia.
Following the police investigation, Alexander's father Walter Litvinenko, also
said that he had regretted blaming Putin and the Russian government for his son's death and
did so under intense pressure at the time.
For anyone skeptical of the official proclamations of the British state and the mainstream
media on the Litvinenko case, it's worth reading the work of British journalist Will Dunkerly
here .
With so many questions hanging over the actually validity of the British state's accusations
against Russia, it's somewhat puzzling that British police would say they are still 'looking
for similarities' between the Skripal and Litvinenko cases in order to pinpoint a modus
operandi.
The admission by the British law enforcement that their investigation
may take months before any conclusion can be drawn also begs the question: how could May
have been so certain so quick? The answer should be clear by now: she could not have known it
was a 'Novichok' agent, no more than she could know the 'Russia did it.'
"... "the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since World War II." ..."
"... "deals with its enemies." ..."
"... "They realized that they have screwed up big time [with the Litvinenko poisoning] and decided to change their tactics a bit. Therefore, they do not show [any evidence] now, but keep it all in secret waiting for Russia to react to it. If there was, as they say, the 'Russian trace' there, everything would have been clear long time ago," ..."
"... "It's the same with Sasha [Aleksandr], if there was the 'Russian trace,' it would emerge over and over again up to this day. But the Scotland Yard was not looking for a criminal. Scotland Yard was covering the tracks," ..."
"... "Now they do not want to show these tracks altogether, since they know they will have to cover them up the same way as with Sasha." ..."
"... "It will be very difficult to hide it all. And they will eventually fail. They will be caught, and Theresa May will be very ashamed. And this clown, their Foreign Minister [Boris Johnson] – he will be very ashamed too." ..."
"... "They are hostages, all of them are hostages of the American authorities, who strive for the world dominance. As long as that's the case – they will kill the Russians, they'll kill anybody who's against it," Litvinenko said. The wealthy Russians in the UK "are all dependent on the authorities... They are being kept only for their money. And when something happens, they will be blatantly robbed, like it happened to Berezovsky." ..."
"... "It's not beneficial for them if Skripal stays alive. And this girl – she knows nothing. Skripal knows. She simply came to visit her father and got into this," Litvinenko said. "They'll let his daughter walk away, probably. But if she knows anything, she won't get out of it either." ..."
Fugitive Russians in the UK are effectively "hostages" of Western spy agencies, the father
of Alexander Litvinenko, an intelligence officer who was poisoned in London a decade ago, told
RT, sharing his insight on the Skripal case. Walter Litvinenko used to support the theory of
Russia's involvement in the 2006 poisoning of his son, Alexander, in London, but he changed his
mind after years of analyzing the inconsistencies of the investigation. London said that the
fugitive Russian intelligence officer was poisoned with a highly radioactive Polonium-210.
Despite an inconclusive investigation, it pinned the blame on Moscow, while the incident was
branded as the first ever act of "nuclear terrorism." Russia has vehemently denied the
allegations of its involvement in the incident. Read more UK may have
staged Skripal poisoning to rally people against Russia, Moscow believes
The poisoning of former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury on
March 4, was, in turn, labeled"the first offensive use of a nerve agent
in Europe since World War II." While it bears similarities to the poisoning of Litvinenko,
it was handled with different tactics, Walter Litvinenko told RT.
Litvinenko senior says the poisoning of his son was designed as a widely-publicized
false-flag operation to show the world that Moscow was extremely "cruel," and the way
that it allegedly "deals with its enemies." The ongoing Skripal scandal, in its turn,
was launched to provoke a reaction from Russia, he believes.
"They realized that they have screwed up big time [with the Litvinenko poisoning] and
decided to change their tactics a bit. Therefore, they do not show [any evidence] now, but keep
it all in secret waiting for Russia to react to it. If there was, as they say, the 'Russian
trace' there, everything would have been clear long time ago," Litvinenko said.
He believes that, given the different goal, the ongoing investigation is significantly less
transparent than it was back in 2006, since it is easier to hide the truth from the beginning
than to try and swipe it under the rug afterward.
"It's the same with Sasha [Aleksandr], if there was the 'Russian trace,' it would emerge
over and over again up to this day. But the Scotland Yard was not looking for a criminal.
Scotland Yard was covering the tracks," Litvinenko stated. "Now they do not want to
show these tracks altogether, since they know they will have to cover them up the same way as
with Sasha."
The Skripal scandal would eventually backfire on those who initiated it, Litvinenko said.
"It will be very difficult to hide it all. And they will eventually fail. They will be
caught, and Theresa May will be very ashamed. And this clown, their Foreign Minister [Boris
Johnson] – he will be very ashamed too."
Devil's bargain
Litvinenko, who lost his son after the former officer of the Russian security service FSB
fled Russia for London and cooperated with MI6 and Spanish police, says people like Alexander
find themselves in a situation where they effectively become hostages of foreign governments
and intelligence agencies. He said it applies to both the rich and powerful who have left
Russia after having run-ins with the law, such as the late oligarch Boris Berezovsky, as well
as less prominent citizens such as Sergei Skripal.
"They are hostages, all of them are hostages of the American authorities, who strive for
the world dominance. As long as that's the case – they will kill the Russians, they'll
kill anybody who's against it," Litvinenko said. The wealthy Russians in the UK "are all
dependent on the authorities... They are being kept only for their money. And when something
happens, they will be blatantly robbed, like it happened to Berezovsky."
The fugitive oligarch, once one of the wealthiest Russians, was found dead at his home in
the UK in 2014. The investigation did not conclusively determine whether he hanged himself with
a scarf, or if he was strangled. Prior to his mysterious death, Berezovsky had lost most of his
assets and his wealth waned.
Given the previous suspicious deaths of Russian nationals on British soil, Skripal's fate
looks quite grim, Litvinenko believes. The daughter of the former double agent, Yulia, however,
might get out of this situation alive, as she was seemingly in the wrong place at the wrong
time. Assuming she was of no interest to the intelligence services, the recent reports on
Yulia's conditions improving do not look that "miraculous," Litvinenko said.
"It's not beneficial for them if Skripal stays alive. And this girl – she knows
nothing. Skripal knows. She simply came to visit her father and got into this," Litvinenko
said. "They'll let his daughter walk away, probably. But if she knows anything, she won't get
out of it either."
40 Commando Royal Marines and The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have staged the UK's biggest
annual exercise to prepare troops for Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) operations.
Exercise TOXIC DAGGER is supported by Dstl, along with Public Health England (PHE) and The Atomic Weapons
Establishment (AWE), and is the largest exercise of its kind in the country.
Specialists in CBRN from Dstl
and AWE are able to create realistic exercise scenarios based on the latest threat information. Completing the
training and exercising against these scenarios provides a challenging programme for the Royal Marines to
demonstrate their proficiency in the methods to detect, assess and mitigate a CBRN threat.
The three-week programme included Company-level attacks and scenarios concerning CBRN vignettes, concluding
with a full-scale exercise involving government and industry scientists and more than 300 military personnel.
Major Rob Garside, from 40 Commando Royal Marines, said:
Working with Dstl means we have the most up-to-date information and a realistic
exercise. This ensures we are well prepared for a CBRN operating environment. It is vital we can make rapid
decisions and are able to protect and support specialists who come in to deal with any incident. On
operations these specialists are on hand to advise and we must ensure we already have a strong understanding
of their capabilities and what they require of us as a military force.
The Dstl lead for CBRN exercises said:
40 Commando would be first on the ground in the event of a CBRN incident. We ensure
they're up to date on the latest threats and make the exercise truly realistic. They not only have to
provide a fighting force in an unstable environment, they must also be able to assess the scene and know
what they're dealing with.
That's where Dstl, PHE, AWE and the Defence CBRN Centre come in, as we provide the
technical information the Marines require.
All this "door knob" hypothesis smells with MI5/MI6 falsification. An interesting note about stupid and evil presstitutes in
NYT, who bought it.
Notable quotes:
"... The Skripal attack was clearly a total cock-up but that didn't matter. All the UK/US wanted was an/any excuse to vilify Russia – no evidence required, it is all Kabuki. That is why the 5-eyes (excluding NZ) and Nato (excluding Turkey) fell in line with the recent expulsions – no evidence required. The whole point was to show Putin that 'the West' doesn't need evidence – the more ridiculous the better! Everyone knows that Russia didn't do it... but will kick Russia anyway, if it continues on its current path. ..."
"... As for the Skripal "script" and its timing, my speculation is that its purpose was to set the stage for a false flag chemical attack to be blamed on Russia supported Damascus to sell an offensive from the southern flank by US forces in Jordan while missile strikes rained from the Eastern Med ..."
"... Graham: US leaving Syria would be 'single worst decision' Trump could make -- Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday cautioned President Trump against pulling American troops out of Syria, saying that doing so would be "a disaster in the making." ..."
"... Again the US has supported anti-government forces and invaded a foreign country, destroyed part of it while killing, injuring and displacing millions of people. The locals want the US out. Wouldn't we? ..."
"... NYT has a bombshell scoop! A material so poisonous that the Skripals have not died, and was spread by allegedly "[going] up to the front door" and smearing it on their outside door handle. This kind of stealth could only come from Russia and Putin... Bonus points attempted by doing a Nexis word search on what the CIA liars said regarding DNC emails.. ..."
"... So the Prime Minister said that Porton Down had positively identified the substance as a Novichok nerve agent. The statement from Porton Down says that their tests indicated that it was a Novichok agent or closely related agent. Are these two statements saying exactly the same thing? . . here ..."
"... If the nerve agent is so potent per NYT description, how came the Skripals went to the pub and restaurant having beers and food with no signs of discomfort after having touched the nerve agent smeared on their house door? ..."
"... This is nerve agent not timebomb. Just how stupid can NYT let itself be? ..."
@Lozion, no. 31 What do you think of the veracity of the following comment recently posted
on Zero Hedge? Sorry, I have no links - just the comment:
'The UK's persecution of Russia arises from two unreported incidents in Syria during
operations in Eastern Ghouta. In late February, the SAA's special force unit trapped a group of
UK Special Forces in a siege, near Kafr Batna settlement. That incident occurred a few days
after another unit of UK Special Forces was captured near Nashabiyah!
London didn't want to deal with Assad and sought to negotiate their release with Russia,
with Oman as a mediator. Moscow replied that it was the jurisdiction of Syrian military
authorities. Mattis's visit to Oman on March 11 was to attempt to secure the release of a US
officer and two Israelis also captured in the same operation in Eastern Ghouta.
The UK and US governments (deep state?) see risks rising in Syria and since Russia refuses
to back down, pressure on other fronts had to be increased to raise the stakes for Moscow.
The Skripal attack was clearly a total cock-up but that didn't matter. All the UK/US
wanted was an/any excuse to vilify Russia – no evidence required, it is all Kabuki. That
is why the 5-eyes (excluding NZ) and Nato (excluding Turkey) fell in line with the recent
expulsions – no evidence required. The whole point was to show Putin that 'the West'
doesn't need evidence – the more ridiculous the better! Everyone knows that Russia didn't
do it... but will kick Russia anyway, if it continues on its current path.
Speculation: was the Skripal plan put together by the CIA (deep state) and MI6 (with UK
government support) behind Trump's back, which pretty much forced him to go along with the
expulsions etc., is that one of the reasons why he has now announced US troops will be leaving
Syria altogether?'
@33 miss lacy. Well, yes there have been reports of captured UK and other SF in East Ghouta
along with denials so its confusing. There most probably were a few caught but this is such a
delicate political matter that their release is I think negotiated in secret by the parties
involved. A grey area seems to exist around SF since no one wants to have theirs paraded as
war trophies, a tacit agreement of "dont ask, dont tell" is likely enforced.
As for the Skripal "script" and its timing, my speculation is that its purpose was to set
the stage for a false flag chemical attack to be blamed on Russia supported Damascus to sell
an offensive from the southern flank by US forces in Jordan while missile strikes rained from
the Eastern Med but this was scraped in the nick of time due to the SAA's faster advance then
expected and capture of militants chemical labs, leaving the UK to deal with the mess created
by the failed op.
My opinion is that we went through a real CLOSE CALL around mid-March but
thanks to Gerasimov, Shoigu and Rudskoy multiple warnings and rapid pace of the EG operation,
we are still here to discuss it..
Graham: US leaving Syria would be 'single worst decision' Trump could make -- Sen. Lindsey
Graham (R-S.C.) on Sunday cautioned President Trump against pulling American troops out of
Syria, saying that doing so would be "a disaster in the making."
Which means it's probably a good idea. The claim in Washington is that Obama made a
mistake in pulling troops out of Iraq. In fact, he had no choice because Bush-II had signed a
treaty (w/o Senate advice & consent) to pull out in December 2010. So it was done. Obama
had no choice.
Syria isn't the same, but it's similar. Again the US has supported anti-government forces
and invaded a foreign country, destroyed part of it while killing, injuring and displacing
millions of people. The locals want the US out. Wouldn't we?
I'm reminded of what Mike Hastie said. "One day while I was in a bunker in Vietnam, a
sniper round went over my head. The person who fired that weapon was not a terrorist, a
rebel, an extremist, or a so-called insurgent. The Vietnamese individual who tried to kill me
was a citizen of Vietnam, who did not want me in his country. This truth escapes millions."
--Mike Hastie, U.S. Army Medic, Vietnam 1970-71
NYT has a bombshell scoop! A material so poisonous that the Skripals have not died, and was
spread by allegedly "[going] up to the front door" and smearing it on their outside door
handle. This kind of stealth could only come from Russia and Putin... Bonus points attempted
by doing a Nexis word search on what the CIA liars said regarding DNC emails..
"LONDON -- British officials investigating the poisoning of Sergei V. Skripal, a former
Russian double agent, believe it is likely that an assassin smeared a nerve agent on the door
handle at his home. This operation is seen as so risky and sensitive that it is unlikely to
have been undertaken without approval from the Kremlin, according to officials who have been
briefed on the early findings of the inquiry.
Because the nerve agent is so potent, the officials said, the task could have been carried
out only by trained professionals familiar with chemical weapons. British and American
officials are skeptical that independent actors could have carried out such a risky operation
or obtained the agent without approval at the highest levels of the Russian government --
almost exactly the same phrase that American intelligence agencies used in October 2016, when
they first attributed the hacking of emails from the Democratic National Committee to a team
of Russian hackers.
In her statement to the House of Commons on 12th March 2018, the British Prime Minister,
Theresa May stated the following:
"It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade
nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. This is part of a group of nerve agents
known as 'Novichok '. Based on the positive identification of this chemical
agent by world-leading experts at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton
Down" [my emphasis added].
In the judgement at the High Court on 22nd March on whether to allow blood samples to be
taken from Sergei and Yulia Skripal for examination by the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), evidence submitted by Porton Down to the court (Section 17 i)
stated the following:
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings
indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound . The samples tested
positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent "
[my emphasis added].
So the Prime Minister said that Porton Down had positively identified the substance as a
Novichok nerve agent. The statement from Porton Down says that their tests indicated that it
was a Novichok agent or closely related agent. Are these two statements saying exactly the
same thing? . .
here
@37 ...re: door handle, grabbed by both father and daughter exiting the apartment
Novichok nerve agents . . .Within the environment, these agents react with water to
degrade, including moisture in the air, and so in the UK they would have a very limited
lifetime.
"Because the nerve agent is so potent, the officials said, the task could have been carried
out only by trained professionals familiar with chemical weapons. "
daffyDuct @37
------------------------------------------------- If the nerve agent is so potent per NYT description, how came the Skripals went to the pub
and restaurant having beers and food with no signs of discomfort after having touched the
nerve agent smeared on their house door?
This is nerve agent not timebomb. Just how stupid can NYT let itself be?
Russia's embassy in London has sent a list of questions, 14 to be specific, to the British Foreign
Ministry on the poisoning of Sergey and Yulia Skripal which include a demand to clarify whether
samples of the nerve agent "Novichok" have ever been developed in the UK.
The Russian embassy's statement calls the incident that started the
recent diplomatic row
a "
fabricated case against Russia."
The
questions published
by the Russian Foreign Ministry's official website have been translated below:
Why has Russia been denied the right of consular access to the two Russian citizens, who came
to harm on British territory?
What specific antidotes and in what form were the victims injected with? How did such antidotes
come into the possession of British doctors at the scene of the incident?
On what grounds was France involved in technical cooperation in the investigation of the
incident, in which Russian citizens were injured?
Did the UK notify the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) of France's
involvement in the investigation of the Salisbury incident?
What does France have to do with the incident, involving two Russian citizens in the UK?
What rules of UK procedural legislation allow for the involvement of a foreign state in an
internal investigation?
What evidence was handed over to France to be studied and for the investigation to be
conducted?
Were the French experts present during the sampling of biomaterial from Sergey and Yulia
Skripal?
Was the study of biomaterials from Sergey and Yulia Skripal conducted by the French experts
and, if so, in which specific laboratories?
Does the UK have the materials involved in the investigation carried out by France?
Have the results of the French investigation been presented to the OPCW Technical Secretariat?
Based on what attributes was the alleged "Russian origin" of the substance used in Salisbury
established?
Does the UK have control samples of the chemical warfare agent, which British representatives
refer to as "Novichok"?
Have the samples of a chemical warfare agent of the same type as "Novichok" (in accordance to
British terminology) or its analogues been developed in the UK?
The Duran's Alexander Mercouris
added
some
necessary points to the growing mystery and confusion of the Skripal poisoning:
These theories have included claims that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were (1) sprayed with the
supposedly deadly chemical by a passer-by; (2) sprayed with the supposedly deadly chemical by an
aerial drone; (3) contaminated by the supposedly deadly chemical which was brought from Russia in
Yulia Skripal's suitcase where it had been hidden by some third party; and (4) were poisoned by
having the supposedly deadly chemical somehow inserted into Sergey Skripal's car.
The British and other critics of Russia have recently taken to citing as 'proof' of Russian
guilt the fact that the Russians have supposedly been proposing various theories about
who
might
have poisoned Sergey and Yulia Skripal.
The British who unlike the Russians have control of the crime scene and samples of the poison
have however been at least as busy proposing various theories about
how
Sergey
and Yulia Skripal were poisoned.
In both cases the fact that the Russian media and the British media though not it should be
stressed the Russian or British governments have been busy engaging in their respective
speculations about who who and how Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned is not proof of guilt.
Rather it suggests ignorance, which if anything (especially in Russia's case) is an
indicator of innocence.
As I have said on many occasions, it is the guilty who so far from engaging in a variety of
different speculations tend to come up with a single alternative narrative to explain away the
facts, which they then pass off as the truth in order to provide themselves with an alibi.
As to the present theory that Sergey and Yulia Skripal came into contact with the chemical
agent on their front door note the following:
(1)
The British police have not said whether the chemical agent was smeared on
the outside of the door or on the inside of the door.
If it was smeared on the outside of the door, then it was an extremely reckless act which might
have easily poisoned a delivery person to the house such as a postman.
If it was smeared on the inside of the door, then whilst it might have been placed there by a
burglar, the greater probability must be that it was placed there by a visitor.
If so then it is likely that either Sergey or Yulia Skripal or possibly both of them have some
knowledge of the identity of this person. That might make the fact that Yulia Skripal is said to
be recovering and is now conscious a matter of great importance for the solution of this mystery.
(2)
If Sergey and Yulia Skripal really were poisoned with the chemical agent by
coming into contact with it because it was smeared on their front door, then that would mean that
the chemical agent took 7 hours to take effect.
Russian ambassador to Britain Alexander Yakovenko has claimed that the British authorities have
told him that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by nerve agent A-234, a Novichok type agent
which is supposedly "as toxic as VX, as resistant to treatment as soman, and more difficult to
detect and easier to manufacture than VX".
I am not a chemist or a chemical weapons expert, but such a slow acting poison seems at variance
with the descriptions of
A-234
and
VX
which
I have read.
(3)
The suggestion that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by coming into
contact with the chemical agent on their front door must for the moment be treated as no more than
a theory. It does however appear to confirm the presence of the chemical agent in the house.
If the latest theory that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by coming into contact with a
chemical agent smeared on their front door begs many questions, then the news that Yulia Skripal
is
apparently
recovering well
from the effect of her poisoning, and is now conscious and speaking and is no
longer in intensive care, though extremely welcome, in some ways adds further to the mystery.
even if the lies are proven, 90% of the
popualation won't see the proof...
And they know it.
Hell, first time they said "Russia" in the investigation, I knew it was
a hoax.
And then they started blasting Russia in every TV show, comedy show,
news... you name it.
They really really really want a war.
And if we don't have a WOIII in the next 10 years, the world population
will be to big to be fed. Yep, there's actually a timer that says there's
an endgame.
Yes these morons are playing with 7 billion lives and yes it is time to
pray,to pray for their demise ,but dont live in fear if your numbers up its up
dont let them manage you through fear.
The biggest problem the Russians have, and have had in a number of situations, is
that they present well formed arguments and questions that, unfortunately, require a
modicum of intelligence and effort to follow. The UK and US governments are simply
appealing to the lowest denominator with jingoistic, shallow, junk - as usual; but
it works!
How could the emergency doctors so quickly identify this as a particular chemical
agent and its source, when no Brit doctors have never seen such poison or its
effects? Who identified the agent so quickly?
I confess to an immediate bias in this matter. The entire charade has false flag
written all over it and has been obvious since a week after the incident.
What
interests me here is the insistence on the French involvement. I confess an
immediate bias against Macron, by the way.
Posted by: Babyl-on | Mar 31, 2018 9:23:43 AM |
12
@2-Gravatomic ---
The UK has been quite brazen about flaunting 500 years of jurisprudence (innocent until...)
and multiple international rules/laws and customs.
In my view this is Imperial behavior. The AngloZionist/Wahhabi Empire coming out into the
open. No need to bother hiding behind "democracy" any more no need to honor "the rule of law"
except to disgrace it.
Invasions and belligerence, aggression against all opponents - open demand for "Global full
spectrum domination." nothing will stand in the way - starve millions in Yemen so what its
nothing to the willingness to slaughter in the tens of millions to achieve regime change in
Moscow and Peking.
. .Eating in the restaurant might have brought the stuff into their system. 36,
39
from Scientific American
Nerve agents are bioavailable from the gut - that is, they can absorb into the body after
being eaten. That route of delivery isn't well studied, but is consistent with the slightly
slower onset of symptoms in Sergei and Julia Skripal. In comparison, nerve agents
administered via aerosol or spray are effective very quickly -- Kim Jong-Nam died shortly
after facial exposure to nerve agent VX in a Malaysian airport. . .
here
I wondered why the OPCW did not add "Novichok" because it never had been synthesized. Vil
himself said it was tested on dogs in Uzbekistan. This explains it.
So, why would the US and the UK not want the new guy on the block be known?
1998. I believe Vil Mirzayanov had come to the US before 1998.
"The fact is that back in 1998 when we looked through another version of the spectral
library, which was published by the National Bureau of Standards of the United States (NBS), we
found a substance there that we found interesting since it was an organophosphorus substance.
And we realized that it must have a strong lethal effect. Now it turns out that, judging by the
name of this substance, it was just the same nerve agent, A-234," Igor Rybalchenko said."
"The most interesting detail in this story is in the following versions of the database,
which usually only expand, they are constantly replenished, more and more substances, we did
not find this record. And I can't explain where is it now," the Russian military chemist
said."
1999. The US and Uzbekistan sign bilateral agreement:
"Earlier this year, the Pentagon informed Congress that it intends to spend up to $6 million
under its Cooperative Threat Reduction program to demilitarize the so-called Chemical Research
Institute, in Nukus, Uzbekistan. Soviet defectors and American officials say the Nukus plant
was the major research and testing site for a new class of secret, highly lethal chemical
weapons called ''Novichok,'' which in Russian means ''new guy."
Seems Vil gave the US the recipe and US forked out 6 million USD to get additional
intelligence. Then, radio silence.
+++
From the start, the Salisbury incident and the warnings by Russia over potential false flags
involving chemical weapons in East Ghouta seemed to be linked to me, like accusing your enemy
of what you yourself are doing; at the minimum, discredit Russia, at the maximum, be able to
claim Russia planted evidence.
So what threat is the US using that caused Macron to turn so quickly, Ecuador to suddenly
cut off all communication to Assange, European countries to expel Russian diplomats and a few
other things that has happened. Makes me wonder if the US neo-cons and the anglo elite are
about to go for broke. Perhaps try and pull a blatant coup in the US or start a major war or
both.
Posted by: AriusArmenian | Mar 31, 2018 11:56:52 AM |
29
The US and its Anglosphere and EU vassals are doubling down into a much more dangerous stage
of confrontation with the coalescing multifarious East.
They thought that using nazis and fascists to take control of Ukraine would break Russia.
They thought that breaking apart Syria would open the way to Iran. They thought that
threatening to annihilate would break North Korea. They threaten China with trade wars. But
with each attack the East coalesces further and gains more strength.
The US led West is probing to find the weak link to break apart the East to thereby pick up
the pieces. The West projects its internal disintegration onto the rest of the world.
Some people in Washington adviced me not include Novichok formulas in my book State
Secrets: An Insider's Chronicle of the Russian Chemical Weapons Program because they could
be used by terrorists. I'm explaning that this argument out of touch. Novichok chemical
agents cannot be produced by any terrorists because of insurmontable difficulties of their
production without highly educated personell, scientists and engineers. This argument is
prventing to put Novichok agents under the Control of Chemical Weapons Convention.
One reason for hushing up Mirzayanov's book is, as Russia has already noted, it provides a
blueprint for terrorists to design CW nerve agents--it abets terrorism--which is against the
law. And that begs the question, why hasn't Mirzayanov been arrested along with the
publisher? Russian Foreign Ministry issued a statement saying USG was responsible for
financing the book's publication, but I can't find the link to that currently.
IMO, USG wanted no novichok sample in OPCW database as it wanted to use it without being
caught. IMO, Iran did its work as a result of the Zionist's murders of Iranian scientists.
The cables present an excellent example of the ways USG is able to frame issues in order to
cover up its international transgressions and illegalities--yet further proof as if more were
needed proving it most certainly is the Outlaw US Empire.
British did performed nasty experiments on humans involving sarin in the past
Notable quotes:
"... Whatever affected the Skripals initially could have been food poisoning or a reaction to having something put in their drinks. We do not know if the Skripals were acting on their own while visiting the cemetery, eating at Zizzi's Restaurant in Salisbury, having drinks at The Mill (or Mill's) and then walking to the park bench at Maltings shopping pall where they were later found unconscious. The fact that the table at Zizzi's where the two ate has been taken away and apparently is now incinerated should arouse suspicion. Suppose there was a third person at the table with them? ..."
"... As far as is known, skin contact with a nerve gas agent is just as deadly as ingesting it through the lungs. There is the case of a young RAF engineer, Ronald Maddison, who volunteered for a trial back in the 1950s conducted by British authorities at the Porton Down laboratory. He was told the trial was to test a flu vaccine. During the trial two drops of sarin were dropped onto his skin. He died nearly straight away. ..."
Simplest explanation may be that no nerve gas agent of any kind (Novichok or otherwise) was
used.
Whatever affected the Skripals initially could have been food poisoning or a reaction to
having something put in their drinks. We do not know if the Skripals were acting on their own
while visiting the cemetery, eating at Zizzi's Restaurant in Salisbury, having drinks at The
Mill (or Mill's) and then walking to the park bench at Maltings shopping pall where they were
later found unconscious. The fact that the table at Zizzi's where the two ate has been taken
away and apparently is now incinerated should arouse suspicion. Suppose there was a third
person at the table with them?
There is that photo (from a source which an Australian-based MoA commenter - BTW not me -
posits may be connected to Cambridge Analytica) of the Skripals which MoA put up on a recent
post, said photo having been taken on the day the Skripals were found poisoned. The photo shows
a reflection of someone in the mirror behind the Skripals with a camera.
After being hospitalised, the Skripals could have been kept under heavy sedation even after
the initial poisoning episode passed.
As far as is known, skin contact with a nerve gas agent is just as deadly as ingesting it
through the lungs. There is the case of a young RAF engineer, Ronald Maddison, who volunteered
for a trial back in the 1950s conducted by British authorities at the Porton Down laboratory.
He was told the trial was to test a flu vaccine. During the trial two drops of sarin were
dropped onto his skin. He died nearly straight away.
I should think if atropine is applied to the nervous system a week or two after the initial
exposure to complete the enzyme chain reactions that enable normal breathing, that's being a
bit tardy. The nerve gas works by disrupting the enzyme actions, causing muscles that control
breathing to remain contracted and in effect become paralysed. The person dies from
asphyxiation caused by this paralysis. That's my understanding anyway - I'm not a
physician.
Do we know who investigated the murder of said mobster and how it came in the open that it
was a 'novichok' class agent? Was it Russian authorities/police?
Yes, Russian state agencies investigated. Three agencies gave chemical analysis
evidence to the Kivelidi case: The Forensic Institute of the Russian Ministry of Internal
Affairs, The Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
and even the State Research Institute for Organic Chemistry & Technology itself (that is,
the body who the nerve agents' creators supposedly worked for). All agreed that the substance
uncovered in Kivelidi's phone was "a highly toxic organophosphate compound of a kind used in
the production of chemical weapons". As far as I can tell, though, only Mirzayanov categorised
the compound later as a "Novichok". The term didn't appear in the original case, I don't think.
It was, however, determined that the dose consisted of a 5mm droplet that worked immediately
and killed Kivelidi within a few days, and his secretary even sooner.
The theories of high-profile lawyer Boris Kuznetsov are interesting in this case. He
represented Khutsishvili, the man finally charged with Kivelidi and his secretary's murder (but
released early). Kuznetsov's principal idea seems to be that Leonard Rink was offered a deal by
the FSB. Rink is known only to have served a one year sentence for producing and selling nerve
agents on the black market (supposedly 8-9 ampules). He was used as evidence against
Khutsishvili, essentially incriminating himself as supplier of the nerve agent through an
intermediary, only for charges against him for other sales and trafficking of poisons to expire
years later without prosecution. Rink got off scot free in the end.
Kuznetsov, who has fled Russia (one of his highest profile cases was representing the
families of the submariners killed in the Kursk fiasco), reckons the true recipient of Rink's
leaked nerve agents were rogue FSB, with Khutsishvili the fall guy. An interesting minor
character in the Kivelidi case was Kivelidi's bodyguard - whose first day at work was the day
of his client's poisoning, and who quit the very next day. And who, Kuznetsov alleges, turned
out to be a former KGB officer in the same division as Lugovoi, the man later at the centre of
the Litvinenko poisoning case.
God only knows...
I've taken this information from several Kuznetsov interviews in the Russian press and a
review of the Kivelidi case court documents from Novaya Gazeta
(which describes at one point the period of onset for that category of poison as 0.5 to 5
hours).
Posted by: Crndbeef | Mar 31, 2018 6:00:26 PM |
77hojo , Mar 31, 2018 6:02:36 PM |
78
b@7 - The claim about the banker murdered with a novichok-like substance (which is what bjd@6
was asking about) is in the link you provided for the
Soviet scientist Vladimir Uglev , not in the link to the machine-translation of the
Leonid Rink interview.
Unfortunately all the article had to say about this was in the following paragraph (which
doesn't fully answer bjd's questions):
" One of these substances was used to poison the banker, Ivan Kivelidi and his secretary
in 1995. A cotton ball, soaked in this agent, was rubbed over the microphone in the handset
of Kivelidi's telephone. That specific dose was developed by my group, where we produced all
of the chemical agents, and each dose which we developed was given its own complete
physical-chemical passport. It was therefore not difficult to determine who had prepared that
dose and when it was developed. Naturally, the investigators also suspected me. I was
questioned several times about this incident. "
After keeping the chemicals developed in the soviet union buried for so long, to the
extent of ensuring OPCW did not look into or list it, why blow it just on the Skripals just
to kick a few diplomats out? The Skripal operation is more like an operation to get it in the
public eye and associated with Russia before the main event. I suspect the main event was
Ghouta and has been foiled, perhaps by discovering the chemicals or the sacking of Tillerson
or both.
This
short Twitter thread focuses on Uk's motive for attack on Skripals. East Ghouta's
liberation has seen the capture of several UK/NATO special ops personnel: "#UK's persecution
of Russia" has to do w/ serious, underreported development in #Syria that occurred shortly
before #Salisbury." A Russian analyst named Satanovsky is being cited; perhaps Yevgeny
Satanovsky of Moscow's Middle East Institute. The scenario's certainly plausible.
Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 30, 2018 8:58:44 PM |
180...
The vile Ruskies are capable of nefarious activities that cannot be proven using ordinary legal
standards, say, by finding a proof, but now NATO allies got wiser and decided to move forward
without falling for "Putin's trap", i.e. delaying any response until some proofs are found. No,
no, no! The very fact that nothing concrete can be found attests to the skill of perpetrator,
and the combination of (1) ability (2) motivation and (3) brutality leaves only one possible
culprit. ... Posted by: Piotr Berman | Mar 30, 2018 5:32:52 PM | 162
Yes! It's 911 all over again... Everyone was quick to forget that, despite the scale of the damage, 911 was simply a criminal
act and should have been the subject of a very thorough Police/judicial investigation with
unlimited power to subpoena witnesses and suspects - to seek incontrovertible
"evidence".
There is no doubt that this has been in the pipeline for quite a while & that it has gone tits up. Everything else is speculation, guess work and intuition.
It is such a tortured, black comedy, obviously poorly accepted by everyone except the US and UK, it cannot be taken seriously.
Which is also why it cannot be the prelude to a war with Russia and China. If this carnival of liars is deemed the causus belli of WWIII, it is a crude insult to every American sailor who was killed in service at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, the last real causus belli.
I, for one, hope it is the absolutely necessary precursor to a military take-over of the US government by patriotic officers in the armed forces who are watching Mueller's investigation unfold who have heard all the lies told by the leaders of the FBI & CIA.
They are already aware of the corruption of the Members of Congress having seen how the procurement of weapon systems is based not on quality but on the location of military factories in their districts.
I believe the Deep State supports this coup d'etat as the only means of getting America back on sound financial footing in an age when the population explosion has just signaled the end of capitalism as we knew it in the last century and the end of enough easy to find and produce oil.
I also believe that the Arab Spring was the code name for the neocon's premeditated destruction of the Middle East, turning nations into piles of rubble for the express purpose of creating a tidal wave of refugees into the low birthrate nations of Eastern Europe, where their presence alone was sure to raise the GDPs of their new homes in OCEANIA.
Yes, I believe that the only alternative to WWIII is the gradual creation of Orwell's NINETEEN EIGHTY-FOUR with US, UK & EU the core of Oceania.
OCEANIA -- the worst, most repressive of Orwell's three Super States.
nationofbloodthirstysheep | Mar 31, 2018 5:33:53 PM |
71
Maybe I'm technically off-topic in regard to today's MOA post, I tend to regard any MOA Skripal post to be part of a
continuing discussion.
It seems to me that what one might call "synchrony of affect" would be such an obvious contradiction to "doorknob" or
any other delayed reaction thesis that it would have been covered, and probably has been, by now somewhere in the
Skripal thread.
In case it hasn't, here's the obvious:
Apparently both Skripals were stricken almost simultaneously within a few minutes of appearing perfectly fine on CCTV.
The latest UK theory has it that they both touched a doorknob a number of hours earlier! a woman in her 30s and a man
twice her age both succumbed to a poison on that doorknob within a minute or two of each other - several hundred minutes
later!
Engineering a toxin capable of producing that effect must've been incredibly complex; probably the product of a
brilliant mind, Boris Johnson's perhaps.
My top three picks are 1: Bad clams in the Risotto 2: Aerosol in the face in front of the bench 3. All fake, staged
by the white helmets.
@71 That's a great point. Given their difference in weight, Sergei and Julia could not
have possibly collapsed in sync 7 hours after touching the door knob. The only
explanation for such a perfectly simultaneous onset of symptoms -- if they were poisoned at
all -- is something happening to them shortly before they collapsed.
The route for entering the body is of importance for the period required for the nerve
agent to start having effect. It also influences the symptoms developed and, to some
extent, the sequence of the different symptoms. Generally, the poisoning works faster when
the agent is absorbed through the respiratory system than via other routes. This is because
the lungs contain numerous blood vessels and the inhaled nerve agent can therefore rapidly
diffuse into the blood circulation and thus reach the target organs. Among these organs,
the respiratory system is one of the most important. If a person is exposed to a high
concentration of nerve agent, e.g., 200 mg sarin/m3 (see table) death may occur within a
couple of minutes.
Poisoning takes longer when the nerve agent enters the body through the skin. Nerve
agents are more or less fat-soluble and can penetrate the outer layers of the skin.
However, it takes some time before the poison reaches the deeper blood vessels.
Consequently, the first symptoms do not occur until 20-30 minutes after the initial
exposure but subsequently the poisoning process may be rapid if the total dose of nerve
agent is high. The toxic effect of nerve agents depends on them becoming bound to an
enzyme, acetylcholinesterase, and thereby inhibit this vital enzyme's normal biological
activity in the cholinergic nervous system.
karlofi1. I've read of captures/deaths of US/UK/Israeli Special Ops in Syria multiple times,
but never an "official" acknowledgement from any side. I expect at least some of these stories
are true, which tells me that no one is being completely honest publicly about what's going on
there.
Further down that Twitter feed you posted I saw this photo of The deadly doorknob dated 7
March.
This is a hypotheses about why he will not die and how he can be used after magical
resurrection. just a hypotheses.
I think the most close analogy is Stormy Daniels case Trump bullied by the prostitute with
whom long ago he had a fling and now she's suing him on the issue of contract what was signed
by her to keep her silent.
So she took money from him for silence, then and now she did not return the money and freely
slings mud. Since the civil suit it can last years and years this is a defamation by any other
name. And one tells the stripper (her current occupation after glorious porno star career) got
so much many to her lawyers! And with around 300 dollars per hour, even the cheapest lawyer
costs substantial sum for piece of paper he produces and each court meeting he attends.
The idea is that if Trump does not want to resign, let's create him enough stress so that he
can enjoy the ride. The former stripper is perfect for this dirty role as she has not decency
by definition. She can act scandalous and dirty, as she was trained by her craft.
In this sense West can't get to Putin private life, his whole personal life a secret and he
sits in Russia/ Or Skripal is a good substitute to Stormy Daniels in this particular case. They
can street him for a long time, like they did previously with Litvinenko and MH17.
After Skripal magically recovers he like Story can hire advocates and sue Putin. And money
magically will be available. As well as maybe a support group of activists from the White
helmets. Lawsuits will be filed against Putin in courts of London and European curt for human
rights, and several other courts, you name it. In short everywhere to provide the maximum
coverage in mass media and make that scandal as louder and as dirty as possible. How long many
British elite want to play this record is unclear, but want to play it very loud for sure.
The goal is simple. Get on Putin nerves. Isolate him by harassing anyone who tries to
cooperate with him. for example if Merkel wants to shake hands with Putin Western MSM will
scream and see Merkel shakes hands with the poisoner! Remember there is a case against him in
the court of London about Skripal poisoning.
Everybody should stand against the tyrant! Who not with us, is the Putinist! Who would not
jump is Moskal! And so 100,000 times. Until total exhaustion. Like a pack of dogs hunt a fox.
In the end, creating nervousness and uncertainty make difficult to impossible any constructive
dialogue with the West. And meantime British tilt the situation in their favor in EU too.
Moreover, the series of expulsions of ambassadors is not over. The British now need to
rebuild the iron curtain, at least a part of it. This way it is easiest to lie and deceive
British public. If nobody travels to Russia personally, you can tell a lot of takes with
impunity. This is how they play North Korea card, and with repeat this with Russia.
The question arise. What is the counter game against perfidious Albion, if such counter-game
exists?
"... "We have very serious suspicion that this provocation was done by British intelligence," Yakovenko told Russia's NTV channel. He clarified that Russia has no direct proof of this suspicion, but the behavior of the British government constitutes strong circumstantial evidence in support of this theory. ..."
"We have very serious suspicion that this provocation was done by British intelligence,"
Yakovenko told Russia's NTV channel. He clarified that Russia has no direct proof of this
suspicion, but the behavior of the British government constitutes strong circumstantial
evidence in support of this theory.
The diplomat added that London had gained both short-term and long-term benefits from the
poisoning. The short-term gain is that Theresa May's government managed to spin this story to
whip up support both at home and in Europe, while sidelining its failures to negotiate more
favorable terms for exiting the European Union, Yakovenko said. The long-term benefit is that
it improved London's standing in the ongoing confrontation between the West and Russia.
"The Britons are claiming a leading role in the so-called containment of Russia. To win
support from the people and the parliament for this containment of Russia, a serious
provocation was required. And the Britons may have done a really savage one to get this
support," he said.
The ambassador said that details of British investigations into the deaths of several
high-profile people with Russian ties have been kept from the public. These include former
Russian intelligence officer Aleksandr Litvinenko, Georgian tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili,
fugitive Russian businessman Boris Berezovsky and Russian whistleblower Aleksandr Perepilichny.
He said he hoped there would be a public disclosure of relevant facts in relation to the
Skripal case.
"I am sure Russia will not allow the Britons to escape the legal field. They will have to
give answers," he said.
After the poisoning in Salisbury, the UK convinced some of its allies to follow its lead by
expelling Russian diplomats. The US was the most receptive to the call, kicking 60 Russians out
of the country, which dwarfed the UK's expulsion of 23 people. European countries that chose to
show solidarity with London expelled between one and four diplomats each. Ukraine expelled
13.
Russia hit back with reciprocal expulsions of foreign diplomats. It also demanded that
Britain downsize its diplomatic mission in Russia to that of Russia in Britain, affecting over
50 jobs.
It took a long time before the 2001 US anthrax attacks were solved. (The initial attribution
was totally wrong.) The ultimate explanation was that an anthrax scientist (Bruce Ivins) was
worried that funding for his research would be cut back. A similar motive cannot be excluded
out of hand for Skripals, especially given proximity of Porton Downs. Already, there has been a
huge infusion of cash into Porton Downs, as there was into anthrax research after Ivins'
attack. A quote from
https://www.wcpo.com/news/our-community/from-the-vault/from-the-vault-local-scientists-hatred-for-uc-sorority-led-to-national-panic-terror-attack.
FBI Director at the time, Robert Mueller -- yes, that Robert Mueller -- said Ivins'
livelihood was in jeopardy when the Department of Defense wanted to end anthrax vaccinations
because of side effects later called "Gulf War Syndrome." And when the U.S. was attacked on
Sept. 11, Ivins capitalized on the paralyzing fear sweeping the nation.
"The anthrax vaccine program to which he had devoted his entire career was failing,"
according to the "Amerithrax" report from the Justice Department. "Short of some major
breakthrough or intervention, he feared that the vaccine research program was going to be
discontinued."
After the anthrax attacks in 2001, however, Ivins' program experienced a rebirth.
b comments that the case against Ivins (yes, made by Mueller, that Mueller) was all bullshit.
At the time I too looked into the case that they had against him. What was completely wrong
was that Ivins had prepared the Anthrax spores in his personal lab. I too read the FBI report
that described the equipment in that lab. Having experience in this field, I found it was
very close to impossible for him to have prepared the samples that were used in the anthrax
attacks. However, the facilities at Fort Dietrick do have that capacity. If Ivins used those
facilities it would not have been possible for him to use them without accomplices or at the
least without witnesses to his use of those facilities.
That is what the Mueller report covered up at the very least. It remains quite possible
that Ivins was not involved at all.
B. and others have already noted that the official conclusion that Bruce Ivins committed
suicide is, in a word, bogus.
But I can't resist adding the piquant detail that the authorities claimed that he killed
himself with an overdose of Tylenol with codeine. Despite the presence of some codeine,
Tylenol is a truly odd choice for suicide. It is potentially toxic, and overdoses
cause liver damage that can be eventually fatal-- but overdoses are reportedly painful to
endure, and are by no means sure to be fatal.
We're expected to believe that Ivins was so distraught and irrational that he "chose" this
means because he wanted to "sleep", and was either oblivious or indifferent to the
above-cited drawbacks.
Yet, Ivins was a microbiologist, vaccinologist, and senior biodefense researcher at the
United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases. He presumably had, or
could easily acquire, an understanding of the effects of Tylenol-- and he had a laboratory
full of ultra-lethal toxins to boot. Yet when the moment of truth came, he reached for a
bottle of... Tylenol?
It's déjà vu all over again. How many "other ones" do Western authorities
think we have to pull?
b @20. Thanks for setting the record straight on the UNSOLVED Anthrax terrorist attack in the
US. FBI Director Mueller testified to Congress that Saddam Hussein was responsible! That was
Mueller's role in selling the "intelligence" to invade Iraq. Once it became known that the
anthrax came from the US Army, he tried to pin it on an innocent man and then closed and
buried the case.
Questions of the Russian Party to France on the fabricated UK against Russia "The Case of
the Violins"
618-31-03-2018
On March 31, the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Paris sent a note to the French
Foreign Ministry with a list of questions to the French side on the "trick of the Skrypals"
trumped up against Russia:
1. On what basis was France involved in technical cooperation in the UK investigation of
the Salisbury incident?
2. Did France send an official notification to the OPCW on the connection to technical
cooperation in the investigation of the Salisbury incident?
3. What evidence was transferred to France by the UK in the framework of technical
cooperation?
4. Did the French specialists attend the sampling of the biomaterial from Sergei and Yulia
Skripaly?
5. Was the study of French biomaterials by Sergey and Yulia Skripaly conducted by French
specialists? If so, in which laboratory?
6. On the basis of what signs did the French experts conclude that a combatant poisonous
substance such as "Newbie" (in British terminology) or its analogues was used?
7. What expertise does France have in the field of studying warfare agents of this type or
its analogues?
8. On the basis of what signs (markers) did the French specialists establish the "Russian
character" of the origin of the substance used in Salisbury?
9. Does France have control samples of the combatant poison agent "Rookie" (in British
terminology) or its analogues?
10. Have any samples of a chemical warfare agent of this type or its analogues been
developed in France, if so, for what purposes?
If only we could go back to the original John Thaw/ Kevin Whatley Inspector Morse team of a
quarter century ago:
The old Jaguar sways around a corner.
Where are we going Lewis?
Salisbury, Sir. Special assignment. Poisoning.
Ah yes, Salisbury Steak, I always got indigestion from it myself.
No Sir, Russian spies and some kind of nerve agent.
Hm... Have they cordoned off the crime scene?
No sir, as yet they haven't defined a crime scene.
Odd. How about suspects?
No sir, there are no suspects and they haven't looked for any.
Who's the lead investigator?
No investigation is being conducted sir. Well they are looking over the front door of the
victim's house carefully, especially the knob. And they have his BMW in custody.
Despicable! Bloody German cars, that is! Hm... Any data back from the coroner yet?
Actually no sir, nobody seems to have died. Two people have disappeared and are said to
be sick.
Disappeared? Let me guess, an old man and a young woman, probably said to be related.
Starting to sound like a bloody soap opera.
Both in hospital, we hear.
Ah, closer to prime time anyway.
What does pathology say? Stomach contents? Blood tests?
Nothing available yet sir.
When did this happen?
Nearly a moth ago sir.
Morse turns to Lewis. What's going on with CID in Salisbury? No crime scene, no
detective, no suspects, two people claimed to be sick. Russians you say? What is their
Embassy doing?
Nothing sir, our PM kicked them out of the country.
So what do we know?
A father and daughter are said to have been found on a park bench unconscious in late
afternoon in near freezing temperatures.
Poison, you say. So they were removed from a park bench unconscious by an ambulance crew
wearing chemical protective suits. Have all of the surfaces involved, especially victim
clothing, been tested for residues? Do we have transcripts from interviews of the ambulance
crew?
Negative to all of that sir. One strange thing though. All of this happened within a few
miles of the UK's main chemical weapons research station, and there was a simulated chemical
weapon attack being conducted at the same time in Salisbury. Oh, and there was a TV program
running an episode with a similar theme, in a three part series bracketing the incident.
Lewis, be a good chap and pull over right here if you don't mind. This whole discussion
gives me a sudden terrible thirst and that pub up there has the best deal on a pint with fish
and chips.
Right you are sir. Fade to opera, one of the many poisoning scenes in the
repertoire.
Voice of Morse in the background. Just one thing Lewis, I've been meaning to ask you for a
long time. Why do they call it the UK? It's not a kingdom, it's a Queendom and has been for
what, at least my life time?
Right you are sir, but what with British accents and all, it might be confusing. Queendom
sounds a bit like that rubber thingy that you put on your pee pee for sex.
Speak for yourself Lewis.
Dot dot dot dash dash. The theme music rings out in Morse code. How I miss John
Thaw.
Very interesting twist--that governments would have been denying the existence of Foilant
agents precisely because they were having success in developing new weapons along those
lines. Also interesting is the new "14 Questions" reported by RT, the Duran, etc.:
1. Why has Russia been denied the right of consular access to the two Russian citizens, who
came to harm on British territory?
2. What specific antidotes and in what form were the victims injected with? How did such
antidotes come into the possession of British doctors at the scene of the incident?
3. On what grounds was France involved in technical cooperation in the investigation of
the incident, in which Russian citizens were injured?
4. Did the UK notify the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) of
France's involvement in the investigation of the Salisbury incident?
5. What does France have to do with the incident, involving two Russian citizens in the
UK?
6. What rules of UK procedural legislation allow for the involvement of a foreign state in
an internal investigation?
READ MORE: Skripal case becomes even weirder
7. What evidence was handed over to France to be studied and for the investigation to be
conducted?
8. Were the French experts present during the sampling of biomaterial from Sergey and
Yulia Skripal?
9. Was the study of biomaterials from Sergey and Yulia Skripal conducted by the French
experts and, if so, in which specific laboratories?
10. Does the UK have the materials involved in the investigation carried out by
France?
11. Have the results of the French investigation been presented to the OPCW Technical
Secretariat?
12. Based on what attributes was the alleged "Russian origin" of the substance used in
Salisbury established?
13. Does the UK have control samples of the chemical warfare agent, which British
representatives refer to as "Novichok"?
14. Have the samples of a chemical warfare agent of the same type as "Novichok" (in
accordance to British terminology) or its analogues been developed in the UK?
Not only are many of the questions very good ones, and ones that have been raised in this
bar, but what is up with the sudden appearance of so many questions about France. Obviously
the Russians know something, just wonder what it is.
Russian elite already views May's government as bandits, who staged this despicable provocation. So stakes for British elite are
very high.
And the way May government tried to capitalize on this "poisoning" is really like going "all in". May clearly went what French call
"va bank". Reckless statement of Johnson, who is a very weak diplomat, but no fool, if a clear testament that they expect to prevail
with pretty weak cards. With ultimate reliance on power of the USA to secure favorable outcome.
Looks more and more that this is a part of Russiagate, or color revolution against Trump, however you want to call the effort: the
collusion between the intelligence heads of the Obama administration with British intelligence to oust President Trump.
The Russian Foreign Ministry is now openly pointing the possibility of a UK intelligence involvement. That sheds a very bad light
on EU vassals who without any questioning and with any proof immediately fell into line behind Theresa May.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry even said this was a tool used by the Europeans and the United States to try to get unity at a point
when they were completely disunified. And this is the old geopolitical game, that in order to create unity you create a war, and then
everybody has to fall into line before attacking Iran.
Compare with Ron Paul views on this incident: www.youtube.com
Notable quotes:
"... The UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, in a speech late on Wednesday waxed lyrical about how the Skripal episode represented a turning point in the west's approach to Russia, but his officials are aware that this mood can easily dissipate as other considerations, such as commerce, energy security or the Middle East come into play. ..."
"... The UK will try to push for further measures against Russia at the June meeting of the EU heads of state. If it is ambitious, it may may challenge German support for Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline from Russia that could put European energy demand at the mercy of Moscow. ..."
That does not mean the crisis will necessarily end there, or that the crisis is contained.
Russia, whose standing among the international community
is badly damaged, is determined to do go further to clear its name, or at least throw up enough chaff so that a chunk of western
public opinion doubts the British intelligence service's account of Skripal's poisoning. Moscow has already suggested a meeting on
Monday of the executive of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to have "an honest conversation" about
the poisoning.
The OPCW is studying samples provided by the UK of the novichok nerve agent allegedly used, but does not have the ability
to judge the identity of the person that
placed the agent by the door of Skripal's house . But the Russian foreign minister, Sergei Lavrov, is determined to put the UK
on the defensive and has already claimed that "if our western partners dodge the meeting then it will be further evidence that every
thing that is happened is a provocation".
Russia has also responded to the apparent recovery of Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned alongside her father. She may be able to
provide insights into how the poisoning occurred, or even reveal whether she knows of some other motive by some other non-state actor.
The British intelligence services will be debriefing her as soon as her health permits. It would clearly be a huge embarrassment
for the UK government if it emerged she believed the Russian state was not involved.
As it is, the UK government is aware that some allied leaders, despite the public show of solidarity, face skeptical voters at
home who are either against a confrontation with Vladimir Putin, or expect more convincing proof to be provided.
The UK foreign secretary, Boris Johnson,
in a speech late on Wednesday waxed lyrical about how the Skripal episode represented a turning point in the west's approach
to Russia, but his officials are aware that this mood can easily dissipate as other considerations, such as commerce, energy security
or the Middle East come into play.
The UK will try to push for further measures against Russia at the June meeting of the EU heads of state. If it is ambitious,
it may may challenge German support for Nord Stream 2, the gas pipeline from Russia that could put European energy demand at the
mercy of Moscow.
Russia's embassy in London has sent a list of questions, 14 to be specific, to the British Foreign
Ministry on the poisoning of Sergey and Yulia Skripal which include a demand to clarify whether
samples of the nerve agent "Novichok" have ever been developed in the UK.
The Russian embassy's statement calls the incident that started the
recent diplomatic row
a "
fabricated case against Russia."
The
questions published
by the Russian Foreign Ministry's official website have been translated below:
Why has Russia been denied the right of consular access to the two Russian citizens, who came
to harm on British territory?
What specific antidotes and in what form were the victims injected with? How did such antidotes
come into the possession of British doctors at the scene of the incident?
On what grounds was France involved in technical cooperation in the investigation of the
incident, in which Russian citizens were injured?
Did the UK notify the OPCW (Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons) of France's
involvement in the investigation of the Salisbury incident?
What does France have to do with the incident, involving two Russian citizens in the UK?
What rules of UK procedural legislation allow for the involvement of a foreign state in an
internal investigation?
What evidence was handed over to France to be studied and for the investigation to be
conducted?
Were the French experts present during the sampling of biomaterial from Sergey and Yulia
Skripal?
Was the study of biomaterials from Sergey and Yulia Skripal conducted by the French experts
and, if so, in which specific laboratories?
Does the UK have the materials involved in the investigation carried out by France?
Have the results of the French investigation been presented to the OPCW Technical Secretariat?
Based on what attributes was the alleged "Russian origin" of the substance used in Salisbury
established?
Does the UK have control samples of the chemical warfare agent, which British representatives
refer to as "Novichok"?
Have the samples of a chemical warfare agent of the same type as "Novichok" (in accordance to
British terminology) or its analogues been developed in the UK?
The Duran's Alexander Mercouris
added
some
necessary points to the growing mystery and confusion of the Skripal poisoning:
These theories have included claims that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were (1) sprayed with the
supposedly deadly chemical by a passer-by; (2) sprayed with the supposedly deadly chemical by an
aerial drone; (3) contaminated by the supposedly deadly chemical which was brought from Russia in
Yulia Skripal's suitcase where it had been hidden by some third party; and (4) were poisoned by
having the supposedly deadly chemical somehow inserted into Sergey Skripal's car.
The British and other critics of Russia have recently taken to citing as 'proof' of Russian
guilt the fact that the Russians have supposedly been proposing various theories about
who
might
have poisoned Sergey and Yulia Skripal.
The British who unlike the Russians have control of the crime scene and samples of the poison
have however been at least as busy proposing various theories about
how
Sergey
and Yulia Skripal were poisoned.
In both cases the fact that the Russian media and the British media though not it should be
stressed the Russian or British governments have been busy engaging in their respective
speculations about who who and how Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned is not proof of guilt.
Rather it suggests ignorance, which if anything (especially in Russia's case) is an
indicator of innocence.
As I have said on many occasions, it is the guilty who so far from engaging in a variety of
different speculations tend to come up with a single alternative narrative to explain away the
facts, which they then pass off as the truth in order to provide themselves with an alibi.
As to the present theory that Sergey and Yulia Skripal came into contact with the chemical
agent on their front door note the following:
(1)
The British police have not said whether the chemical agent was smeared on
the outside of the door or on the inside of the door.
If it was smeared on the outside of the door, then it was an extremely reckless act which might
have easily poisoned a delivery person to the house such as a postman.
If it was smeared on the inside of the door, then whilst it might have been placed there by a
burglar, the greater probability must be that it was placed there by a visitor.
If so then it is likely that either Sergey or Yulia Skripal or possibly both of them have some
knowledge of the identity of this person. That might make the fact that Yulia Skripal is said to
be recovering and is now conscious a matter of great importance for the solution of this mystery.
(2)
If Sergey and Yulia Skripal really were poisoned with the chemical agent by
coming into contact with it because it was smeared on their front door, then that would mean that
the chemical agent took 7 hours to take effect.
Russian ambassador to Britain Alexander Yakovenko has claimed that the British authorities have
told him that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by nerve agent A-234, a Novichok type agent
which is supposedly "as toxic as VX, as resistant to treatment as soman, and more difficult to
detect and easier to manufacture than VX".
I am not a chemist or a chemical weapons expert, but such a slow acting poison seems at variance
with the descriptions of
A-234
and
VX
which
I have read.
(3)
The suggestion that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by coming into
contact with the chemical agent on their front door must for the moment be treated as no more than
a theory. It does however appear to confirm the presence of the chemical agent in the house.
If the latest theory that Sergey and Yulia Skripal were poisoned by coming into contact with a
chemical agent smeared on their front door begs many questions, then the news that Yulia Skripal
is
apparently
recovering well
from the effect of her poisoning, and is now conscious and speaking and is no
longer in intensive care, though extremely welcome, in some ways adds further to the mystery.
This is not very plausible hypothesis... But the fact that Steele indeed was "curator" of
Skripal in Moscow (and later at MI6 Russian desk) is true.
Notable quotes:
"... Important to note, too, this report says, is that absolutely no one in the West is even bothering to ask why Russia would break the first cardinal rule of "spy etiquette" in targeting a spy involved in a spy-swap -- which neither the Soviet Union or Russia has done even once in over 70 years ..."
"... Professor Anthony Glees, the director of the Center for Security and Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, points out by correctly stating that if the Russia did, indeed, poison Skripal, "no one will ever do a swap with them again" -- and who asks the logical question: "If Russia had really wanted to kill Skripal, why didn't they execute him when they had him in custody?" ..."
"... With Michel Chossudovsky, the award-winning author, Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the University of Ottawa, having just warned that "the entire Western world is insane, and that the Western politicians, and presstitutes who serve them, are driving the world to extinction", this report concludes, among the handful of experts left to explain where this current Russia hysteria in the West is leading to is the former President Ronald Reagan administration official Paul Craig Roberts -- and whose warning issued, just days ago, is both simple and dire: "World War III Is Approaching". ..."
Though the specifics of the offer made to the FSB by Sergei Skripal in order to secure his
returning home to Russia remain more highly classified than this general report allows, it does
confirm that Yulia Skripal was discussing this issue with her father, on 4 March, when they
were both attacked and left in critical condition -- with the Telegraph news service in London
then
documenting that all internet links between Sergei Skripaland Christopher Steele's Orbis
Business Intelligence were being taken down.
At the same time all the internet links between Sergei Skripal and the creators of the fake
"Trump Dossier" were being scrubbed from existence, this report continues, the British
government suddenly began blaming Russia for the nerve gas attack on him and his daughter --
but when Russia asked for evidence proving this, the British outright refused to produce it as the Chemical
Weapons Convention, that the UK has signed, along with Russia, demands they do -- and when
questioned in the British Parliament by Labor Leader Jeremy Corbyn as to why this was so, saw
Prime Minister Teresa May's forces jeer and shout him down -- followed by British Defence
Secretary Gavin Williamson saying "Russia should go away
and shut up".
With President Putin stating in the Security Council meeting that he was " extremely
concerned " by the destructive and provocative stance of the UK, this report continues, the
British government, nevertheless, has continued to ratchet up it hysteria by blocking a United Nations Security
Council draft sponsored by Russia calling for an "urgent and civilized investigation"
incident in line with international standards -- and that led Russian Senator Sergey
Kalashnikov to warn:
The West has launched a massive operation in order to kick Russia out of the UN Security
Council Russia is now a very inconvenient player for the Western nations and this explains all
the recent attacks on our country.
Important to note, too, this report says, is that absolutely no one in the West is even
bothering to ask why Russia would break the first cardinal rule of "spy etiquette" in targeting
a spy involved in a spy-swap -- which neither the Soviet Union or Russia has done even once in
over 70 years -- and as Professor Anthony Glees, the director of the Center for Security and
Intelligence Studies at the University of Buckingham, points
out by correctly stating that if the Russia did, indeed, poison Skripal, "no one will ever
do a swap with them again" -- and who asks the logical question: "If Russia had really wanted
to kill Skripal, why didn't they execute him when they had him in custody?"
Other logical questions about this supposed nerve gas attack on Sergei Skripal and his
daughter Yulia being suppressed in the West, this report notes, are those such as:
Did Skripal help Steele to make up the "dossier" about Trump?
Were Skripal's old connections used to contact other people in Russia to ask about Trump
dirt?
Did Skripal threaten to talk about this?
Was the lonely old man Sergei Skripal preparing to go back to his homeland
Russia?
Did he offer some kind of "gift" as apology to the Russian government that his trusted
daughter would take to Moscow?
Did someone find out and stop the transfer?
With Michel Chossudovsky, the award-winning author, Professor of Economics (emeritus) at the
University of Ottawa, having just warned that "the entire
Western world is insane, and that the Western politicians, and presstitutes who serve them, are
driving the world to extinction", this report concludes, among the handful of experts left to
explain where this current Russia hysteria in the West is leading to is the former President
Ronald Reagan administration official Paul Craig Roberts -- and whose warning issued, just
days ago, is both simple and dire: "World War III Is Approaching".
Hoarsewhisperer | Mar 30, 2018 8:58:44 PM |
180...
The vile Ruskies are capable of nefarious activities that cannot be proven using ordinary legal
standards, say, by finding a proof, but now NATO allies got wiser and decided to move forward
without falling for "Putin's trap", i.e. delaying any response until some proofs are found. No,
no, no! The very fact that nothing concrete can be found attests to the skill of perpetrator,
and the combination of (1) ability (2) motivation and (3) brutality leaves only one possible
culprit.
...
Posted by: Piotr Berman | Mar 30, 2018 5:32:52 PM | 162
Yes! It's 911 all over again...
Everyone was quick to forget that, despite the scale of the damage, 911 was simply a criminal
act and should have been the subject of a very thorough Police/judicial investigation with
unlimited power to subpoena witnesses and suspects - to seek incontrovertible "evidence".
Mercouris has reprinted an article in full from the Global Times. It looks like the
Skripal rubbish has been the catalyst for the creation of a defensive block of nations. The
relevant section...
"Until a new line of allies emerges, multi-national associations like BRICS, or even the
Shanghai Cooperation Organization, need to provide value to those non-Western nations and
actively create alliances with them.
What Russia is experiencing right could serve as a reflection of how other non-Western
nations can expect to be treated in the not-to-distant future. Expelling Russian diplomats
simultaneously is hardly enough to deter Russia. Overall, it's an intimidation tactic that
has become emblematic of Western nations, and furthermore, such measures are not supported
by international law and therefore unjustified. More importantly, the international
community should have the tools and means to counterbalance such actions."
This is a fight to save Us led global neoliberal empire. Nothing more nothing less. Cohen is
right about connections between Skripal case and Russiagate. Skripal case is a British attempt to
save Russiagate.
Notable quotes:
"... Diplomacy kept the nuclear peace during the preceding Cold War, but the mass expulsions -- even pending the Kremlin's response -- seriously undermines the diplomatic process. They even criminalize it, as illustrated by denunciations of Trump's phone conversation with Putin and by widespread political-media demands after he expelled a large number of Russia's diplomats that he do "more" -- such demands ranging from more sanctions on Russia to more military responses in Syria, Ukraine, and elsewhere -- to prove he is not under Putin's control. ..."
"... Identifying all expelled diplomats as "intelligence officers" is also misleading. Posting intelligence officers as diplomats has long been a mutual de facto arrangement tacitly, if not explicitly, agreed upon and known by both sides. Moreover, the designation might apply to embassy officials who study the other country's economic, social, cultural, or political life. They gather and report "information." ..."
"... Recently, US-backed proxies apparently killed a number of Russian citizens also operating there. The Kremlin, through its Ministry of Defense, issued an ominous warning: If this happens again, Moscow will strike militarily not only at the proxies but also at US forces in the region who provided the weapons and launched the missiles. The same razor's edge could easily occur where the United States and Russia are also eyeball-to-eyeball, as in Ukraine or the Baltic region. (Again, as Trump is being crippled to the extent that he probably could not negotiate a crisis the way President Kennedy did the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.) ..."
"... the extreme demonization of Putin and growing Russophobia in the United States are elevating today's small, less formidable Russia into a threat even graver than was the Soviet Union, against which US nuclear weapons were developed and intended. And this, again, in the context of diminished diplomacy and Trump's diminished capacity to negotiate. ..."
"Russiagate" and the Skirpal affair have escalated dangers inherent in the new Cold
War beyond those of the preceding one.
1. "Russiagate" and the attempted killing of Sergei and Yulia
Skripal in the UK have two aspects in common. Both blame Putin personally. And no actual facts
have yet been made public.
§ Having discussed the fallacies of "Russiagate" often and at length, Cohen focuses on
the Skripal affair. Putin had no conceivable motive, especially considering the upcoming World
Cup Games in Russia, which both the government and the people consider to be very prestigious
and thus important for the nation. No forensic or other evidence has yet been presented as to
the nature of the purported nerve agent used or whether Russia still possesses it; or, even if
so, whether Russia really is the only state whose agents did so; or when, where, and how it was
inflicted on Skripal and his daughter; or why they and many others said to have been affected
by this "lethal" agent are still alive. Nonetheless, even before the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons has issued its obligatory tests, and while refusing to give the
Russian government a required sample to test, the British leaders declared that it was "highly
likely" Putin's Kremlin had ordered the attack.
§ Nonetheless, on this flimsy basis, Western governments, led by the UK and reluctantly
by the Trump administration, rushed to expel 100 or more Russian diplomats -- the greatest
number ever in this long history of such episodes.
§ It should be noted, however, that not all European governments did so, and a few
others in only a token way, thereby again revealing European divisions over Russia policy.
2. This episode increases the risk of nuclear war between the United States and
Russia.
§ Ever since the onset of the Atomic Age, the doctrine of Mutual Assured Destruction
has kept the nuclear peace. This may have changed in 2002. when the Bush administration
unilaterally withdrew from, thereby abrogating, the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Since
then, the United States and NATO have developed 30 or more anti-missile defense installments on
land and sea, several very close to Russia. For Moscow, this was an American attempt to obtain
a first-strike capability without mutual destruction. The Kremlin made this concern known to
Moscow many times since 2002, proposing instead a mutual US-Russian developed anti-missile
system, but was repeatedly rebuffed.
§ On March 1, Putin announced that Russia had developed nuclear weapons capable of
eluding any anti-missile system, described it as a restoration of strategic parity, and called
for new nuclear-weapons negotiations.
§ American mainstream political and media elites derided Putin's announcement.
Following the evaluation of several American nuclear experts, four Democratic senators appealed
to (now former) Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to (in effect) respond positively to Putin's
appeal. Nothing came of it. Shortly after the Russian presidential election on March 18,
President Trump himself, in a congratulatory call to Putin, proposed that they meet soon to
discuss the "new nuclear arms race." Trump was widely traduced as having revealed further
evidence that he was "colluding" with Putin, perhaps
§ The result has been, reflected in the mass expulsion of
Russian diplomats, even more fraught US-Russian relations and with them, of course, the
increased risk of nuclear war.
3. Many Americans, including political and media elites who shape public opinion, have
been deluded into thinking, especially since the pseudo–"American-Russian friendship" of
the Clinton 1990s, that nuclear war now really is "unthinkable." That the mass expulsion of
diplomats was merely "symbolic" and of no real lasting consequence. In reality, it has become
more thinkable.
§ Diplomacy kept the nuclear peace during the preceding Cold War, but the mass
expulsions -- even pending the Kremlin's response -- seriously undermines the diplomatic
process. They even criminalize it, as illustrated by denunciations of Trump's phone
conversation with Putin and by widespread political-media demands after he expelled a large
number of Russia's diplomats that he do "more" -- such demands ranging from more sanctions on
Russia to more military responses in Syria, Ukraine, and elsewhere -- to prove he is not under
Putin's control.
( Identifying all expelled diplomats as "intelligence officers" is also misleading.
Posting intelligence officers as diplomats has long been a mutual de facto arrangement tacitly,
if not explicitly, agreed upon and known by both sides. Moreover, the designation might apply
to embassy officials who study the other country's economic, social, cultural, or political
life. They gather and report "information." )
§ In this connection, historians remind us of how the great powers gradually "slipped"
into World War I. The lesson is the crucial role of diplomacy, now being undermined. Consider,
for example, Syria. Recently, US-backed proxies apparently killed a number of Russian
citizens also operating there. The Kremlin, through its Ministry of Defense, issued an ominous
warning: If this happens again, Moscow will strike militarily not only at the proxies but also
at US forces in the region who provided the weapons and launched the missiles. The same razor's
edge could easily occur where the United States and Russia are also eyeball-to-eyeball, as in
Ukraine or the Baltic region. (Again, as Trump is being crippled to the extent that he probably
could not negotiate a crisis the way President Kennedy did the 1962 Cuban missile
crisis.)
4. The causes of the new risks of nuclear war are not "symbolic" but real and primarily
political.
§ As diplomacy is diminished, the militarization of US-Russian relations increases.
§ Every weapon developed as extensively as have been nuclear weapons have eventually
been used. Washington dropped two atomic bombs, genetic predecessors of their nuclear
offspring, on Japan in 1945. (Before 1914, some people thought gas, the new weapon of mass
destruction, would never be widely used in warfare.)
§ On both sides today, but especially in Washington, there is talk of developing "more
precise nuclear warheads" that could be usable. Use of even a "small, precise" nuclear weapon
would cross the Rubicon of apocalypse.
§ Meanwhile, the extreme demonization of Putin and growing Russophobia in the
United States are elevating today's small, less formidable Russia into a threat even graver
than was the Soviet Union, against which US nuclear weapons were developed and intended. And
this, again, in the context of diminished diplomacy and Trump's diminished capacity to
negotiate.
Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian Studies and Politics at NYU and
Princeton
"... "Are we playing cards here or dealing with serious matters? Is this a game of poker or international relations?" Maria Zakharova said when asked by Sky News correspondent John Sparks if Moscow accepted that "Russia has a serious credibility problem," ..."
"... "Is it a sort of international game within the rules set by the UN Charter or, alternatively, is it an unrestricted use of force and pressure?" she said, questioning the behavior of the UK and the US. ..."
"... Zakharova explained that "for decades, it was the West that taught others, including Russia, that force should not be used. Neither should political or ideological pressure." Yet, she noted when Moscow accepted the Western rules and "became an open and transparent international player," and showed that the world can be "multi-polar," then it "felt no longer being accepted." As an example, she mentioned the US interfering in Russia's energy supply deals with Europe. ..."
"... Zakharova then asked the British journalist a question: "Do you think that after the anti-Iraq campaign, Western nations – the nations that were part of the coalition – deserve being trusted?" ..."
"... But Sparks refused to answer, saying that he wasn't a representative of the British government. And when offered to share his personal opinion on the matter, he replied: "That's not my concern. That's not why I am here. I think you are deflecting." ..."
"... She said that countries that refuse to cave into this pressure and spoil relations with Moscow, like Turkey, "show a responsible approach to international law." Zakharova warned that "tomorrow or the day after tomorrow any country could become a victim of a provocation," like the one Russia currently faces. ..."
It is more appropriate to question the credibility of the West, which pressures other
countries to express "solidarity" and invade Iraq on a false pretext, than that of Russia, the
spokeswoman for the Foreign Ministry said. "Are we playing cards here or dealing with
serious matters? Is this a game of poker or international relations?" Maria Zakharova said
when asked by Sky News correspondent John Sparks if Moscow accepted that "Russia has a
serious credibility problem," as a large group of countries simply don't believe its
denials in the case of the poisoning of double agent Sergei Skripal.
"Is it a sort of international game within the rules set by the UN Charter or,
alternatively, is it an unrestricted use of force and pressure?" she said, questioning the
behavior of the UK and the US.
Zakharova explained that "for decades, it was the West that taught others, including
Russia, that force should not be used. Neither should political or ideological pressure." Yet,
she noted when Moscow accepted the Western rules and "became an open and transparent
international player," and showed that the world can be "multi-polar," then it
"felt no longer being accepted." As an example, she mentioned the US interfering in
Russia's energy supply deals with Europe.
Zakharova then asked the British journalist a question: "Do you think that after the
anti-Iraq campaign, Western nations – the nations that were part of the coalition –
deserve being trusted?"
But Sparks refused to answer, saying that he wasn't a representative of the British
government. And when offered to share his personal opinion on the matter, he replied: "That's
not my concern. That's not why I am here. I think you are deflecting."
Speaking about the solidarity of a large group of countries, she said that this is something
that should not come out of "pressure," as it happened after former double agent
Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were poisoned with a Soviet-designed nerve agent in
Salisbury in early March. Zakharova said the way counties expelled between one to four
diplomats at different times and under different pretexts, shows that it was done "under
colossal pressure."
She said that countries that refuse to cave into this pressure and spoil relations with
Moscow, like Turkey, "show a responsible approach to international law." Zakharova
warned that "tomorrow or the day after tomorrow any country could become a victim of a
provocation," like the one Russia currently faces.
"... As I pointed out a couple of weeks back, for me the most likely suspect for the Skirpal poisoning was a headchopper who was getting trained in chemical warfare at Porton Downs. The wannabe mass muderer went into town for a spot of luncheon and was angered by the sound of two people talking Russian, his last lab in Gouta had been bombed by Russians, so he sloshed a few drops of nerve juice onto the Skirpals fettucine marinaras while they were distractedly arguing over exchange rates thw rouble to quid rate has been going up and down quicker than whore's drawers since the moronic englanders blindly backed brexit). ..."
"... It is the proximity of Salisbury to Porton Downs that is the biggest unanswered 'coincidence' in this affair, leading one to conclude that the Skipals may merely have been an unfortunate target of convenience. ..."
Posted by: Debsisdead | Mar 30, 2018 10:41:56 AM |
113
@carrie | Mar 30, 2018 9:40:24 AM | 110
As I pointed out a couple of weeks back, for me the most likely suspect for the Skirpal
poisoning was a headchopper who was getting trained in chemical warfare at Porton Downs. The
wannabe mass muderer went into town for a spot of luncheon and was angered by the sound of two
people talking Russian, his last lab in Gouta had been bombed by Russians, so he sloshed a few
drops of nerve juice onto the Skirpals fettucine marinaras while they were distractedly arguing
over exchange rates thw rouble to quid rate has been going up and down quicker than whore's
drawers since the moronic englanders blindly backed brexit).
Now it is true I may have been jesting when I first posted that hypothesis but it has
considerably more logic to it than anything maybot has claimed, and is supported by evidence
that America had been supplying CW manufacturing equipment to jihadist chem warfare factories.
They have also been subcontracting out their chem and bio jobs to Porton - most likely since
the embarrassment caused at their own facility back in the noughties when some of the bio
worker/s posted out the homebrand anthrax to assorted media and political figures who they
didn't appear like very much, if at all.
It is the proximity of Salisbury to Porton Downs that is the biggest unanswered
'coincidence' in this affair, leading one to conclude that the Skipals may merely have been an
unfortunate target of convenience.
A scene somewhat along the lines of the bloke from Syria hypothesis also explains the
englander government's hamfisted and deceitful actions. Making a loud noise about the victims
while failing to mention Porton Downs proximity to Salisbury for the first couple of weeks has
created a big distraction away from something which is at heart just another USuk fuck-up.
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 30, 2018 12:12:55 PM |
120
March 7 is interesting. The term 'nerve agent' entered the Skripal narrative on 7th, and as
far as I can find in looking up news articles from that time period, is also the day when the
poisoned policeman entered the narrative.
118
March 7 is interesting. The term 'nerve agent' entered the Skripal narrative on 7th, and as far
as I can find in looking up news articles from that time period, is also the day when the
poisoned policeman entered the narrative.
"... At the moment, it seems the policeman was poisoned on the 5th or 6th when there where already pics of people in protective suits. The story on the policeman has chopped and changed a lot - he was a first responder, he was poisoned at the house ect ect. ..."
"... I should have highlighted that DS Bailey was initially discharged from hospital after a check up. ..."
"... Chemical weapons attack field drill on the same day. ..."
"... "I think the confusion in the policeman part of the narrative is that he was poisoned perhaps two day later, and had to be fitted into the narrative retrospectively." ..."
"... I think the policeman was thrown into the mix because the female doctor who gave the girl cpr on the spot, the ambulance attendees and driver were all right as rain. They needed another "on the scene" victim to drown out the obvious, that whatever "it" was was not contagious. There is also the young man who first found them who said he got spittle on his sleeve from the male but brushed it off (with his bare hand) and that was that. Whatever it is, it is clearly not the super awesome awful evil Russian elixir. ..."
HuffPo has him entering hospital on March 4, but no mention of his going to the Skripal
residence. "He was taken to Salisbury District Hospital after responding to the attack" on the
Skripals. So, to emergency some time after initially responding to the couple on March 4 and
released on March 22. No mention of his going to the house.
Bailey's statement was read by Chief Constable Kier Pritchard and, to my ear, it sounded
like a careful, well written PR release. Basically little information. The experience was
"surreal" came the closest to describing how he felt. And that's the part usually run on the
broadcast TV news I saw. No mention of how he was treated, whether he had any physical therapy.
Has anyone heard he speak? or is that area of lingering effects of the exposure to...whatever
it was?
Jawbone, the article you link to is dated march 22. Articles dated 5th/6th of march are
needed.
At the moment, it seems the policeman was poisoned on the 5th or 6th when there where already
pics of people in protective suits. The story on the policeman has chopped and changed a lot
- he was a first responder, he was poisoned at the house ect ect. I think the confusion in
the policeman part of the narrative is that he was poisoned perhaps two day later, and had to
be fitted into the narrative retrospectively.
I assume it is true that the police officer caught it from the door handle same as the
front door being the place of the strongest distribution of the chemical agent as this fact
does not support any proof of Russian state involvement. Quite the contrary - it works more like a Mafia warning, whoever might get it the postman,
a neighbour, Skripals does not matter.
> It is confirmed that a police officer, later confirmed as DS Nick Bailey, is fighting
for his life in hospital.-- Mar 8
> The pair are in a critical condition in a local hospital. A police officer who helped
investigate is in serious condition, and a total of 21 people have received medical
treatment. Former London police chief Ian Blair said Friday that a police officer who is in
serious condition visited Skripal's house -- perhaps a hint that the nerve agent may have
been delivered there. Blair told BBC radio that Det. Sgt. Nick Bailey "has actually been to
the house, whereas there is a doctor who looked after the patients in the open who hasn't
been affected at all. There may be some clues floating around in here." -- Mar 9
> DS Nick Bailey is seriously ill in hospital having visited the home of Skripal after the
defector and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on Sunday
afternoon. Investigators want to know whether Bailey visited the scene where the two Russians
were found and was poisoned there or by items there, or whether the officer was contaminated
on his visit to Skripal's home. Sources say that, while it is not certain, it is believed
more likely that Bailey became contaminated on his visit to the home. -- Mar 9
> But last night it emerged the police officer who also fell ill after responding to the
incident, visited Mr Skripal's home before he collapsed. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey
remains in a serious condition in hospital. According to reports, he tended to the victims at
the scene and then visited both the Skripal home.A source told The Times: "He was at both
places. "First he was where they collapsed, trying to help them, then he went to the house,
in that order." -- Mar 10
> DS Bailey, who was among the first to attend to Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia,
before possibly examining their red BMW, where it is thought the nerve agent Novichok may
have been placed, was initially discharged from hospital after a check up. He later admitted
to Accident and Emergency at Salisbury District Hospital feeling extremely unwell. DS Bailey
is now described as in a stable condition -- Mar 15
> Concern for the family of the police officer who went to the aid of the poisoned Russian
spy has grown after Army and police sealed off his street and began work to remove his car
for examination. Speculation grew that Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey may have carried traces
of the nerve agent Novichok home with him after attempting to resuscitate Sergei Skripal and
his daughter Yulia. -- Mar 15
> PM Theresa May visits Salisbury and meets privately with DS Nick Bailey . His car
is removed from his home as part of the investigation.-- Mar 15
> The police officer who was hospitalized after rushing to help a former Russian spy and
his daughter suffering from a poison attack in Salisbury, England, was discharged Thursday
[Mar 22]. Bailey was treated at Salisbury District Hospital for several weeks after being
exposed to the same deadly and rare nerve agent that the U.K. government says was used to
target former intelligence officer Sergie Skirpal, 66, and Yulia, 33. -- Mar 22
Chemical weapons attack field drill on the same day.
Krollchem | Mar 30, 2018 12:23:13 AM | 78
There is always a "drill" taking place in the immediate vicinity addressing the same problem
(terrorists, shooters, CW) whenever these events happen isn't there? A drill was happening on
9/11 and has been every time right up to the latest at a Florida school.
I detect that the medics at Salisbury are not reading from the official script. Someone
mentioned Yulia has been moved from Salisbury hospital. This is worrying. Hope she doesn't
suddenly have a relapse.
"I think the confusion in the policeman part of the narrative is that he was poisoned perhaps
two day later, and had to be fitted into the narrative retrospectively."
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 30, 2018 1:14:20 PM | 128
I think the policeman was thrown into the mix because the female doctor who gave the girl cpr
on the spot, the ambulance attendees and driver were all right as rain. They needed another
"on the scene" victim to drown out the obvious, that whatever "it" was was not contagious.
There is also the young man who first found them who said he got spittle on his sleeve from
the male but brushed it off (with his bare hand) and that was that. Whatever it is, it is
clearly not the super awesome awful evil Russian elixir.
"... From the beginning this story had more holes than a block of swiss cheese. It has only gotten worse with a cast of characters descending into buffoonery. ..."
"... No amount of mockery will make those shameless ashamed. The US, Britain and their fellow travelers have spent so much time and energy in falsehoods they no longer know what truth and reality are. This extends across the spectrum from foreign affairs to economics and finance. Falsity pervades. It is all about PR and marketing now. Baghdad Bob is us. ..."
1. It's obvious nonsense brought to you by proven
liars.
2. The point of propaganda is to leave an impression after the details have been forgotten.
3. To get involved in discussing the minutiae of the story is to help the propagandists'
aims.
4. Therefore treat it as a badly constructed story that is failing to convince.
5. Do this by analysing the comments on the news stories which (at least the ones I've looked
at) show that people are sceptical.
6. Also mock the meanderings of the story: At the restaurant! In the car! On the doorstep!
Incredibly lethal but strangely ineffective. Miraculous recovery of daughter. Baby wipes as
effective protection. Reminiscent of White Helmets and their flip flops, rubber gloves and
paper masks; but, come to think of it, it's the same authors in both stories. Who, after so
many lies, are becoming overconfident and sloppy.
It's a startlingly incompetent theatrical production and should be responded to with
contemptuous mockery .
Thank you Mr. Armstrong. It is reassuring to know that there are some here in Canada who
question the prevailing narrative. I find it deeply troubling that we have abandoned the
principal of due process. Where will that end?
What Ms Nauert and her bosses are missing is that very few people take the USA seriously
any more in the international sphere. No wonder Putin is so amused in that video JohnA linked
to (@ #1).
About the only thing left for the US establishment to make people take them seriously is
to threaten to blow up the world. The trouble is they don't even realise that this will be
the end result if they use the nukes they like to wave around. That's what Putin has been
trying to make them understand - so far without much success.
From the beginning this story had more holes than a block of swiss cheese. It has only gotten
worse with a cast of characters descending into buffoonery. We've been educating the masses
for how many years. For sure they haven't read enough poetry:
Died some, pro patria,
non "dulce" non "et decor" . . .
walked eye-deep in hell
believing in old men's lies, then unbelieving
came home, home to a lie,
The overall story given us is that Julia Skripal journeys to her father -- a convicted and
released British agent-- from Russia to Salisbury. The following morning they visit her
mother's grave north of town, drive to an Italian eatery in downtown Salisbury (all caught on
security cameras) and walk past more security cameras through a public passageway to a
downtown, riverside park. They sit down on a park bench and 15 - 20 minutes later pass out. A
patrolling policeman tries to rouse them, calls Emergency Services and has them transported
to hospital. Another policeman, a detective, is sent to the Skripal house and immediately
falls ill. (So the mystery poison takes 4 hours to affect the Skripals and 15-30 minutes to
affect the detective.)
Before any blood tests are done, the UK Prime Minister denounces Russia for using a Soviet
researched, but never manufactured nerve agent, with a name invented by a BBC TV
thriller-series 5 month earlier. The following day, the chief medical doctor of the Salisbury
hospital denies that the Skripals and the detective were treated for any nerve agent.
Meanwhile the Russians demanded that the British abide by a signed anti-chemical weapon
convention and turn over whatever blood or other evidence backing the claim to an
international agency. The Russians also demand Consular access to Julia Skripal, still a
Russian citizen.
A month later, the British grant permission for the relevant International chemical
watchdog to search for evidence. By now whatever evidence lay around the Skripals in their
house, car, cemetery, restaurant and in their blood is long-gone history. (Since the Skripals
have been heavily sedated for the period, we and they don't know what else has been injected
into them since they passed out.)
My personal theory is that Skripal, a British double-agent, agreed to ingest poison,
something like Valium, after he and his daughter had lunch. They moved to the park bench and
waited for the material to render them unconscious, as the Skripal house was somehow
poisoned, awaiting the detective's arrival.
What Prime Minister May et al did not know about was the existence of a Chemical Weapons
Treaty, an agency in Belgium to enforce the Treaty and a protocol to follow. Russia invoking
the Treaty caught them flat-footed, hence the hysterical behavior and statements by the Prime
Minister, Foreign Minister and a month-long delay before the international agency was allowed
access to the still comatose Skripals.
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analyzed and the findings
indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound. The samples tested positive for the
presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent"
Or a "related compound" or "related agent"? I imagine there are quite a few countries that
have related agents.
I think if the Kremlin poisoned Skripal they would have made sure he died from it and didn't
recover.
Sounds like a set up to me.
No amount of mockery will make those shameless ashamed. The US, Britain and their fellow travelers have spent so much time and energy in
falsehoods they no longer know what truth and reality are. This extends across the spectrum
from foreign affairs to economics and finance. Falsity pervades. It is all about PR and
marketing now. Baghdad Bob is us.
Big business are managed such that their stock is the product. Management's are
incentivized to make that product rise not to insure the business of products that satisfy
consumer needs and wants. There is no incentive to build intergenerational franchises. The
Wall St mindset of making a quick buck has permeated everywhere.
Old notions of honor and stewardship have gone the wayside. I was born in the Depression
and grew up in a different era. The world has changed in many ways yet the fundamental
principles remain although temporarily masked by hubris. Thucydides observations of human
nature ring true millenia later.
If you discuss it as if it were serious, you keep the story alive. From a propaganda point
the story is simple: Putin=Russia=Enemy. Argue with the details and you become part of a
discussion on how much of an enemy? and enemy in other cases but not this and so on.
Much better to robustly assume anyone of sense understands the story is a lie and laugh at
how idiotic anyone who believes it is.
The Russian Foreign Ministry on Wednesday demanded London prove British spies did not poison
a former double agent in England, saying in the absence of such proof it would regard the
incident as an attempt on the lives of Russian citizens. Ties between London and Moscow are
badly strained by the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in
Salisbury. Britain alleges Russia was to blame, but Moscow says it had no involvement. "An
analysis of all the circumstances...leads us to think of the possible involvement in it (the
poisoning) of the British intelligence services," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
It looks more and more plausible that this is a pretty audacious provocation similar to
Steele dossier and "DNC hack" (whcih actually was a leak)
Notable quotes:
"... I'm not saying the Russians didn't do it, I am saying there are other possibilities. We are not supposed to assign responsibility for crime in this way, saying there is a bad guy in the neighborhood and therefore it must be him. So far, there has been no real evidence at all that it was the Russian state that did it. ..."
"... It looks to many people like this may just be a silly amateur mixture of different insecticides. ..."
"... Other questions arise. The British government has been telling us that this is ten times more powerful than a standard nerve agent. Thankfully, so far, nobody has been killed. Why isn't this deadly agent more effective? Why is it that the doctor who administered first aid to Yulia Skripal was completely unaffected, even though he had extensive physical contact with her? ..."
"... if you were Vladimir Putin and you had this secret nerve agent, why would you blow your cover by using it on this retired spy who you released from prison years ago? The whole scenario is utterly implausible. ..."
"... Another false flag like they did with Iraq and literally the same criminals and co conspirators. ..."
Craig Murray: I'm not saying the Russians didn't do it, I am
saying there are other possibilities. We are not supposed to assign responsibility for crime in
this way, saying there is a bad guy in the neighborhood and therefore it must be him. So far,
there has been no real evidence at all that it was the Russian state that did it.
I find it remarkable that the very day this happened the British government was announcing
that it was the Russian state that was behind this. They couldn't possibly have had time to
analyze any of the evidence. It is as though this is being used as a trigger to put prearranged
anti-Russian measures into place and to "up" the Cold War rhetoric. You can't help get the
feeling that they are rather pleased this has happened and were even expecting it to
happen.
DB: This is coming out of the European Union today: "The European Union strongly
condemns the attack that took place against Sergei and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, England on
March 4 that also left a police officer seriously ill. The lives of many citizens were
threatened by this reckless and illegal action. The European Union takes extremely seriously
the UK government's assessment that it is highly likely that the Russian Federation is
responsible."
CM: This phrase "highly likely" admits that they don't have the evidence to back this
up. It's a speculation.
DB: They say that the poison is consistent with what the Russians have used in the
past.
CM: The claim is that this is one of a group of nerve agents known as a Novichok. The
Novichok program was being run in the 1980's by the Soviets. The idea was to develop chemical
weapons which could be quickly put together from commercial pesticides and fertilizers. They
came up with a number of theoretical designs for such weapons.
Until now, the official position of the British government and the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons was that there was doubt as to whether they actually produced
any of these. As of now, they haven't been put on the banned list, precisely because the
scientific community has doubted their existence. So the British government's ability on
day-one to identify this was quite remarkable.
Novichok is not a particular weapon but a class of weapon. Russia is by no means the only
country capable of producing this kind of weapon. In 2016, the Iranians succeeded in producing
several Novichok weapons and they reported their results to the Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Their motivation was that they were concerned that they
themselves might be attacked by chemical weapons, possibly from Israel. There are at least a
couple dozen countries who have the technical capability to create this type of nerve
agent.
In order to take blood samples from the Skripals, who were both in a coma, doctors had to
get court approval. And in giving evidence to the High Court, two scientists stated that the
Skripals had been poisoned by a Novichok nerve agent or a "closely related agent." It looks
to many people like this may just be a silly amateur mixture of different
insecticides.
Other questions arise. The British government has been telling us that this is ten times
more powerful than a standard nerve agent. Thankfully, so far, nobody has been killed. Why
isn't this deadly agent more effective? Why is it that the doctor who administered first aid to
Yulia Skripal was completely unaffected, even though he had extensive physical contact with
her?
DB: But some people will say that the only country that would want to silence a
former Russian spy would be Russia.
CM: Our foreign secretary, Boris Johnson, has gone on record as saying that the
Russians have been secretly stockpiling this chemical weapon for a decade and have had a secret
program of assassination techniques. But if you were Vladimir Putin and you had this secret
nerve agent, why would you blow your cover by using it on this retired spy who you released
from prison years ago? The whole scenario is utterly implausible.
Why would Russia wish to ruin its international reputation with this entirely gratuitous
violence against an old spy? Skripal was exchanged as part of a spy swap. If people are going
to swap spies and then kill them, there won't be any spy swaps in the future. A KGB person like
Putin is the last person who is going to destroy the system of spy swaps.
Randy Credico: Mr. Murray, there has been a concerted effort to defame you and
undermine your credibility. What effect has this had on you and your family?
CM: It has been really quite unpleasant. The mainstream media has permitted no doubt
at all. All of them are just printing government propaganda. I went on social media to post my
doubts about this story being too convenient and too easy. My first piece on this, "Russian to
Judgment," had millions of viewers. That brought upon me the wrath of the establishment. I
became the recipient of hundreds of pieces of Twitter abuse in which I was called a nut and a
conspiracy theorist.
RC: Who stands to benefit from this attack?
CM: It adds fuel to the new Cold War. The armaments industry are the primary people
who benefit. This kind of thing is very good for defense budgets. It is very good news for the
spies and security services. Here in the UK the industry employs over 100,000 people. In a
country of 60 million, this is a strong and very highly paid interest group. All of these
people are seeing a major ramping up of their budgets. When the people feeding-in the
intelligence are the same people who are benefiting financially from that story, then you have
to worry. And particularly for right-wing politicians this is a cheap way of getting
support.
DB: Mr. Murray, I don't think that we can separate this from the so-called
"Russiagate frenzy." Can you state unequivocally that there were substantial leaks from the
DNC, as opposed to hacks?
CM: I can promise you that what came out of the DNC were leaks. They were from
somebody who legally had access to the information. It was not an outside hack, not by the
Russians, not by anyone.
Without a public inquiry and the presentation of the raw analytical data that whoever did
the forensics collected, the method they used, the testimony of the technician involved under
oath – standard criminal justice procedures – there's really no basis for making
any claims at this point.
What that reveals is that the British tabloid press and the British government have some
kind of agenda that they're pushing with this story; Cold War 2.0 seems to be the name of the
game. There's nothing new about this strategy, it's been going on ever since Putin rejected
ExxonMobil's bid for a 51% controlling stake in Yukos in 2003, and soon after, arrested
Khodorkovsky and exiled Berezovsky and Gusinsky. Ho hum.
Abe , March 30, 2018 at 4:53 pm
"Considering the lack of actual evidence the UK has provided and the British government's
verified history of fabricating claims regarding the use of WMDs to advance it and its
allies' geopolitical agendas – the burden of proof never rested upon Russia.
"Just as the US and UK did during the lead up to the Iraq War in 2003, an avalanche of
propaganda is being produced to stampede the world into backing whatever long-ago elected
course of action the West has decided to take against Russia.
"In the hindsight of whatever course of action the UK and its allies decide to take in the
coming days, weeks, and months based on the Skripal incident, who will play the role of
'Curveball' who supposedly duped Theresa May in making her Powell-style accusations before
declaring her Bush-style retaliation?
"And considering the ramifications for the West regarding its lies in the lead up to Iraq
and the fallout the West has faced in the aftermath of Iraq's destruction, what do Western
policymakers expect to gain from an incident many times more transparently staged and
self-serving against a world increasingly skeptical of their claims and actions?
"Still, the accusations are serious and the prepared responses from the West will
assuredly further endanger global peace and stability. That the alleged attack took place on
British soil means that – unlike in Syria – there is no UNSC the West must pass
through before taking matters into its own hands.
"This fact alone – following years of frustration in the face of Russia's veto power
upon the UNSC in regards to Syria – makes the nature of the Skripal incident even more
suspicious. The UK appears to have a pretext and a clear path toward escalation before it
– how far it and its allies are prepared to go remains to be seen."
Dear Abe: you make very good points that can be easily verified. Personally, I believe
that this article goes beyond lying and fake news: It reminds me of the term GASLIGHTING
which "is a form of manipulation that seeks to sow seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or
in members of a targeted group, hoping to make them question their own memory, perception,
and sanity. Using persistent denial, misdirection, contradiction, and lying, it attempts to
destabilize the target and delegitimize the target's belief." In a sane world, people should
demand from the British government hard evidence so it's accusation of Russia being the
culprit could be credible. Instead, we only read innuendo, speculation, and fabrication. The
burden of proof should rest on the accuser (England) not Russia (target). Good post Abe.
john wilson , March 30, 2018 at 5:14 pm
My concern is the chain of custody of the Skripal's blood samples. I would hope that the
UN chemical weapons inspectors would be present at the taking of the blood samples and take
them away themselves. If they are just given the samples taken by the hospital earlier and
these samples have been handled by 'government people', then they will most certainly have
been spiked with the nerve agent in question. One way or another, May's criminal government
operatives won't let there be any possibility of the sample being found not to have nerve
agent in them.
Sam F , March 30, 2018 at 7:46 pm
Yes, there should be a UN standard of evidence and provenance thereof, beneath which
accusations cannot be made and retaliations are considered aggressions. That would discourage
false-flag provocations.
Brendan , March 30, 2018 at 5:56 pm
The official British narrative of what happened in Salisbury is just physically
impossible, if you think about the supposed version of events:
Someone, and possibly a second person, makes contact with an extremely powerful nerve
agent that has been placed on a door knob. Several hours later, after travelling in a car,
drinking in a pub, eating in a restaurant and walking through a park, the two people are
critically injured when the nerve agent suddenly kicks into action. This effect probably
happens within less than a minute, since neither of them was able to call for help. Nobody
else at the scene is affected, not even a doctor who physically handles one of the victims
while treating them.
To top it off, more than three weeks later, one of the victims makes a rapid recovery,
apparently in a single day, and is able to eat, drink and talk.
This amazing recovery from a lethal nerve agent is the kind of event that would normally
be expected to make headlines as The Miracle of Salisbury. However it only gets mentioned as
a minor item in media reports, in spite of the huge amount of coverage given to the poisoning
and its political consequences.
The media seems afraid to even acknowldge that there's something unusual about this whole
story. If they did, they'd have to ask certain questions: Is that how military grade nerve
agents really work? Are our governments telling us lies?
Zachary Smith , March 30, 2018 at 7:35 pm
This amazing recovery from a lethal nerve agent is the kind of event that would normally
be expected to make headlines as The Miracle of Salisbury .
A drop of nerve gas will kill in seconds, and the Evil Russian Poison was at least ten
times as powerful, and one of the Skiprals has started to recover. A blurb and a headline I
saw recently:
"She Is Risen!"
Last Act Of 'Novichok' Drama Revealed – "The Skripals' Resurrection"
The people involved now have a problem of gracefully backing away from this nutty
story.
"I find it remarkable that the very day this happened the British government was
announcing that it was the Russian state that was behind this".
Exactly like MH17. I am surprised Mr Murray did not mention the parallel himself.
Tom Welsh , March 30, 2018 at 6:02 pm
"What if you were subpoenaed before Congress, would you take the fifth or would you tell
that story?"
As Mr Murray is not a US citizen, I don't think Congress has any power to subpoena him.
And he certainly couldn't "take the fifth", which is a constitutional protection available
only to US citizens.
At a time when the US government is trying to set itself up as some kind of world
government, it is extremely important to be perfectly clear about the limits of its power and
authority.
Sam F , March 30, 2018 at 9:38 pm
Congress could ask him to cooperate, or request his subpoena via diplomatic channels under
bilateral treaties. I don't know whether (under UK law) he could be penalized for claiming a
bad memory, but coerced testimony could not be used against him in the US. Constitutional
rights explicitly apply to all persons, not just US citizens.
David G , March 30, 2018 at 10:29 pm
"And he certainly couldn't 'take the fifth', which is a constitutional protection
available only to US citizens."
Just as a point of information, that is categorically false.
But I hope the ambassador doesn't find himself in front of any U.S. Congressional panel or
grand jury if his position is that he will assert that the DNC documents were a leak and not
a hack, and then refuse to go into any further detail. A person can get into legal trouble
that way.
Benjamin aye , March 30, 2018 at 6:08 pm
The truth concerning this skripal case is that the Russians are not involved in this
poisoning.threr are some concept to understanding this situation.first after the incident the
British government knew immediately the sort of nerve agent that was used to poison them.if
the British on its own have not work on such agent it will be quite difficult to know
immediately. This is because you must have a sample of the original so u can make comparison
to ascertain your findings. Secondly there is a report that said that the skripal first had
contact of the nerve agent at door post of his house,so how is it possible that they went to
the cementary without having contact there,went to a cafe without having contact there and
visited other places without making contact with the people there. As at these points the
agent radiant level is still pretty high yet nobody had contacted the gas but hours later a
police person that came to their rescue contact it.there is an irony to this case. Thirdly
according to get experts concerning the novirchok nerve agents they are ten time powerful
than the VX agents.if a VX agent that was use against the brother of north Korea takes
10minutes to die after been attack with the VX them with novirchok it should take a minute to
end their lives.so how come they were Abel to survive,from the deadly reputation accord to
the novirchok nerve agents where did the British get the antidote to the nerve agents.
fouthly.this skripals case have have another conspiracy theory that is yet to be attained.it
wasn't by accident that skripals were targeted.in order to removed the public attentions from
the fallout of briext, to increased the defence budgets,to rally around the NATO sportive
alliances which will show to the British pollution that after briext the UK can still muscle
up allies to it aid.
backwardsevolution , March 30, 2018 at 6:27 pm
George Galloway, British politician and former candidate for the mayor of London,
said:
"Why do I not believe you? Let me count the ways. You're not looking for anyone in
connection with the attack on the Skripals. There is no manhunt, no all points alert, no
description, no identikit drawing, no CCTV. No suspects. That means you already know what
happened. #Russia"
Dick , March 30, 2018 at 7:10 pm
Choose for yourself which of the following Seven Rules of Propaganda apply to the current
Skripal affair:
Avoid abstract ideas – appeal to the emotions. – When we think emotionally, we
are more prone to be irrational and less critical in our thinking; making it easier for the
citizenry to believe the absurd!
Constantly repeat just a few ideas. Use stereotyped phrases. – This could be stated
more plainly as 'Keep it simple, stupid!' or 'Lie, lie lie, repeat, repeat, repeat'.
Give only one side of the argument and obscure history. – Any historical perspective
is ignored keeping the citizenry focused on the here and now.
Demonize the enemy or pick out one special "enemy" for special vilification. – Putin
and Russia; enough said.
Appear humanitarian in work and motivations. – Used this technique to validate
foreign interventions or ongoing conflicts where the term 'Right to Protect' for
justification.
Obscure one's economic interests. – For example, the invasion of Iraq was all about
oil and the control over the resources; not WMD.
Monopolize the flow of information. – This mainly entails setting the narrative by
which all subsequent events can be based upon or interpreted in such a way as to reinforce
the narrative. The narrative does not need to be true; in fact, it can be anything that suits
the monopoliser as long as it is based loosely upon some event. It is critical to have at
least majority control of media and the ability to control the message so the flow of
information is consistent with the narrative.
Sam F , March 30, 2018 at 8:32 pm
The Iraq war motive was the Israeli plan to fragment surrounding states, as they have long
done. Oil companies could expect no low price deals from a country in need of reconstruction,
and in fact the US oil companies did not get much of the oil even at competitive prices. The
"It's the oil, stupid" concept is just zionist propaganda.
Zachary Smith , March 30, 2018 at 7:18 pm
CM: I think that the Russians have the sense not to overreact.
Overreaction is bad, but if I were sitting in Russian ruling councils, I'd be pushing for
either a severe restriction of diplomatic relations with the UK, or a complete cut-off. The
"mother country" has gone ape****, and is clearly the ringleader for whatever it is that's
happening. The latest provocation by the Brits has been to order the crew off a just-landed
Russian airliner, and conduct a "search".
Scotland Yard has denied its officers carried out a search of the plane.
A spokeswoman told Daily Star Online: "I've spoken to our control room at London
Heathrow and have confirmed that it is not our force."
The Foreign Office told the BBC that Border Force officals boarded the flight and
Aeroflot was "willing to cooperate with UK authorities if explanation given".
The pilot refused to leave, so they kept him in the cockpit while the "Border Force" did
whatever they were doing. Planting evidence? Wouldn't put it past them.
Again, at a minimum I'd cut the diplomatic staff of the UK in Russia to the Ambassador and
maybe one secretary. But I'd favor sending them all home and doing any necessary
communications second-hand through the Swiss Embassy.
One advantage of diplomatic restraint in such a case is that the provocateur discredits
himself, whereas escalation serves as distraction. So Russia may wait until the baselessness
of the hysteria becomes clear to the public. The aircraft cockpit search shows hysteria and
malice without reason, like the final stages of a witch-hunt craze. If not verified as CW, or
nothing but "trust us" emerges, the witch hunters will be discredited.
I like the hypothesis that a US/UK/Israeli agent/employee (at Porton Down lab if it was
CW) did this on his own initiative, taking the Skripal house as a convenient target, just to
make a splash and a provocation. For example, a zionist UK grad student at Porton Down.
Others there or among his associates would likely have spoken about such incidents. Quite
possibly a connection with the many false-flag CW incidents in Syria by US/UK/Israeli
supported "rebels." This would certainly be a focus of any serious investigation.
Jeff , March 30, 2018 at 9:03 pm
Mr. Murray is a very polite soul. At this point, quite frankly, I'm terrified. Up to this
point, the reality is that we have been beating up on little countries who don't have a
prayer of fighting back. Russia and China are not those countries. I don't know how many
nuclear weapons China has but Russia has enough to destroy the United States. Again, I don't
know about China but I know that Russia has non-nuclear weapons that can reach the US. Both
separately and together they can seriously hurt the United States. I see no need to get into
that kind of pissing contest.
David G , March 30, 2018 at 10:39 pm
Regarding your feeling of terror, Jeff, to quote the comic/movie "Watchmen": "Don't be
alarmed. That indicates only that you are still sane."
"Because of the nerve poison attack, NATO also imposed punitive measures against Russia.
Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg announced that seven employees of the Russian NATO
representation would be deprived of accreditation. In addition, the Russian delegation will
be limited to 20 of the current 30 employees. The NATO countries had already condemned the
attack on Skripal earlier this month and expressed their solidarity with Great Britain ."
It must have been very heartening for the war gangs and war criminals of NATO [1] to see
the solidarity of their members all voicing their criticism of Russia despite there being no
proof that Russia was behind this attack in Salisbury, England. Oh well, to paraphrase an old
saying, "war criminal birds of a feather always stick or fly, bomb, and kill together."
[read more at link below] http://graysinfo.blogspot.ca/2018/03/solidarity-among-war-criminals.html
Randal Marlin , March 30, 2018 at 10:36 pm
Craig Murray's makes an important observation concerning the official language about the
Skripal poisoning and the language used by media.
Official language, as he notes, talks about "a weapon of a type developed by Russia." But
newspapers and some politicians use the expression "Russian weapon," or "a weapon that could
only have come from Russia." I find it hard to believe that British and U.S. scientists could
not duplicate or come up with an equally toxic equivalent to a Novichok nerve agent.
What I do see is the same kind of repetition of the "Russians did it" meme to reinforce an
anti-Russian and anti-Putin mind-set. The same kind of repetition was used to get people to
accept the "weapons of mass destruction" deception supporting the U.S. second Iraq war in
2003.
This forms one part of a collage of different Putin-implicating events all of which
collectively propagate the image of a power-hungry, dangerous man who must be stopped.
Georgia and Ukraine are cited, but without careful attention to circumstances, so that he
appears much more evil than a full understanding of events would warrant.
The outrage against Putin's alleged "meddling" in the last U.S. presidential election seems
greatly overblown when weighed against the U.S. meddling in the Russian presidential election
of 1996, where U.S. advisors reportedly helped Boris Yeltsin get re-elected (Time Magazine,
cover story, July 15, 1996). He turned out to be a disaster for Russia, leading to support of
Vladimir Putin .
What I like about Consortium News is that it seems to understand the danger of letting
contestable factual claims go unchallenged, letting them crystallize into settled beliefs in
people's minds. The danger is that a set of beliefs will be widely enough held that only a
few more prods, tied to deeply held beliefs about American exceptionalism, will lead the U.S.
into war yet again, against more formidable foes than hitherto and with even more disastrous
results.
When alleged facts are contestable, and have bearing on important political matters, reasons
for doubting them should be kept alive. The mass media prefer simplicity, because most people
find complexity off-putting. But policies founded on illusions do not hold out much promise
of a peaceful world.
All of this is not to sing praises of Putin, who has a lot of blood on his hands, but to
prevent misunderstandings that make another world war more possible.
Thanks again to Craig Murray and Consortium News.
Another false flag like they did with Iraq and literally the same criminals and co
conspirators. Remember Colon Powell at the U.N. with his vials of talc and artists renditions of mobile
labs, nice brush work. The anthrax was made in a US military lab.They even tried to blame a Muslim scientists for
stealing it. More lies.
"... This 6-paged PDF is a powerful evidence of another intellectual low of British propaganda machine. Open it and you can tell that substantially it makes only two assertions on the Skripal case, and both are false ..."
"... The fifth version is a rather more elaborate development of the previous point. There is circumstantial evidence, a version outlined by the Daily Telegraph , that Skripal may have had a hand in devising Christopher Steele's 'Trump Dossier'. ..."
"... The authors of this "report" mixed up a very strange cocktail of multitype allegations, none of which have ever been proven or recognized by any responsible entity ..."
The UK government's presentation on the Salisbury incident, which was repeatedly
cited
in recent days as an "ultimate proof" of Russia's involvement into Skripal's assassination attempt, was
made public earlier today.
This 6-paged PDF is a powerful evidence of another intellectual low of British propaganda machine. Open it and you can tell
that substantially it makes only two assertions on the Skripal case, and both are false:
First.
Novichok is a group of agents developed only by Russia and not declared under the CWC " a false statement .
Novichok was originally developed in the USSR (Nukus Lab,
today in Uzbekistan, site completely decommissioned according to the US-Uzbekistan agreement by 2002). One of its key developers,
Vil Mirzayanov , defected to the United States in 1990s,
its chemical formula and technology were openly published in a number of chemical journals outside Russia. Former top-ranking British
foreign service officer Craig Murray specifically
noted
this point on March 17:
Craig Murray
I have now been sent the vital information that in late 2016, Iranian scientists set out to study whether novichoks really could
be produced from commercially available ingredients.
Iran succeeded
in synthesizing a number of novichoks. Iran did this in full cooperation with the OPCW and immediately reported
the results to the OPCW so they could be added to the chemical weapons database.
This makes complete nonsense of the Theresa May's "of a type developed by Russia" line, used to parliament and the UN Security
Council. This explains why Porton Down has refused to cave in to governmental pressure to say the nerve agent was Russian. If Iran
can make a novichok, so can a significant number of states .
Second.
" We are without doubt that Russia is responsible. No country bar Russia has combined capability, intent and motive. There
is no plausible alternative explanation " an outstanding example of self-hypnosis. None of the previous items could even remotedly
lead to this conclusion. The prominent British academician from the University of Kent Prof. Richard Sakwa has
elaborated on this on March 23 the following
way:
Rather than just the two possibilities outlined by Theresa May, in fact there are at least six, possibly seven. The first is that
this was a state-sponsored, and possibly Putin-ordered, killing This version simply does not make sense, and until concrete evidence
emerges, it should be discounted
The second version is rather more plausible, that the authorities had lost control of its stocks of chemical weapons. In the early
1990s Russian facilities were notoriously lax, but since the 2000s strict control over stocks were re-imposed, until their final
destruction in 2017. It is quite possible that some person or persons unknown secreted material, and then conducted some sort of
vigilante operation
Third.
The third version is the exact opposite: some sort of anti-Putin action by those trying to force his policy choices
Forth
The fourth version is similar, but this time the anti-Putinists are not home-grown but outsiders. Here the list of people who
would allegedly benefit by discrediting Russia is a long one. If Novichok or its formula has proliferated, then it would not be that
hard to organise some sort of false flag operation. The list of countries mentioned in social media in this respect is a long one.
Obviously, Ukraine comes top of the list, not only because of motivation, but also because of possible access to the material, as
a post-Soviet state with historical links to the Russian chemical weapons programme. Israel has a large chemical weapon inventory
and is not a party to the OPCW; but it has no motivation for such an attack (unless some inadvertent leak occurred here). Another
version is that the UK itself provoked the incident, as a way of elevating its status as a country 'punching above its weight'. The
British chemical weapons establishment, Porton Down, is only 12 kilometres from Salisbury. While superficially plausible, there is
absolutely no evidence that this is a credible version, and should be discounted.
Fifth.
The fifth version is a rather more elaborate development of the previous point. There is circumstantial evidence,
a version outlined by the Daily Telegraph
, that Skripal may have had a hand in devising Christopher Steele's 'Trump Dossier'.
The British agent who originally recruited Skripal, Pablo Miller, lives in Salisbury, and also has connections with Orbis International,
Steele's agency in London. In this version, Skripal is still working in one way or another with MI6, and fed stories to Steele, who
then intervenes massively in US politics, effectively preventing the much-desired rapprochement between Trump and Putin. Deep anger
at the malevolent results of the Steele and British intervention in international politics and US domestic affairs prompts a revenge
killing, with the demonstration effect achieved by using such a bizarre assassination weapon.
Sixth.
The sixth version is the involvement of certain criminal elements, who for reasons best known to themselves were smuggling the
material, and released it by accident. In this version, the Skripals are the accidental and not intended victims. There are various
elaborations of this version, including the activities of anti-Putin mobsters. One may add a seventh version here, in which Islamic
State or some other Islamist group seeks to provoke turmoil in Europe.
Do you wish to know our refutations of any other substantial "hard evidence" against Russia in the UK paper? Sorry, but that
is all. The primitive information warriors in what used to be the heart of a brilliant empire, today are incapable of designing
an even slightly plausible (they love this word, right?) document on a super-politicized case.
What follows is even more depressing. Slide 3 is dedicated to some sort of anatomy lesson:
Slide 4 seemingly represents a real "honey trap". Just look at it:
The authors of this "report" mixed up a very strange cocktail of multitype allegations, none of which have ever been proven or
recognized by any responsible entity (like legal court or dedicated official international organization). Of course we are not committed
to argue on every cell, but taking e.g. " August 2008 Invasion of Georgia " we actually can't understand why the
EU-acknowledged Saakashvili's aggression
against South Ossetia is exposed here as an example of "Russian malign activity"
Have you totally lost your minds, ladies & gentlemen from the Downing Street?
HuffPo has him entering hospital on March 4, but no mention of his going to the Skripal
residence. "He was taken to Salisbury District Hospital after responding to the attack" on the
Skripals. So, to emergency some time after initially responding to the couple on March 4 and
released on March 22. No mention of his going to the house.
Bailey's statement was read by Chief Constable Kier Pritchard and, to my ear, it sounded
like a careful, well written PR release. Basically little information. The experience was
"surreal" came the closest to describing how he felt. And that's the part usually run on the
broadcast TV news I saw. No mention of how he was treated, whether he had any physical therapy.
Has anyone heard he speak? or is that area of lingering effects of the exposure to...whatever
it was?
Jawbone, the article you link to is dated march 22. Articles dated 5th/6th of march are
needed.
At the moment, it seems the policeman was poisoned on the 5th or 6th when there where already
pics of people in protective suits. The story on the policeman has chopped and changed a lot
- he was a first responder, he was poisoned at the house ect ect. I think the confusion in
the policeman part of the narrative is that he was poisoned perhaps two day later, and had to
be fitted into the narrative retrospectively.
125 I assume it is true that the police officer caught it from the door handle same as the
front door being the place of the strongest distribution of the chemical agent as this fact
does not support any proof of Russian state involvement.
Quite the contrary - it works more like a Mafia warning, whoever might get it the postman,
a neighbour, Skripals does not matter.
several snippets on DS (Detective Sgt) Bailey
> It is confirmed that a police officer, later confirmed as DS Nick Bailey, is fighting
for his life in hospital.-- Mar 8
> The pair are in a critical condition in a local hospital. A police officer who helped
investigate is in serious condition, and a total of 21 people have received medical
treatment. Former London police chief Ian Blair said Friday that a police officer who is in
serious condition visited Skripal's house -- perhaps a hint that the nerve agent may have
been delivered there. Blair told BBC radio that Det. Sgt. Nick Bailey "has actually been to
the house, whereas there is a doctor who looked after the patients in the open who hasn't
been affected at all. There may be some clues floating around in here." -- Mar 9
> DS Nick Bailey is seriously ill in hospital having visited the home of Skripal after the
defector and his daughter were found slumped on a bench in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on Sunday
afternoon. Investigators want to know whether Bailey visited the scene where the two Russians
were found and was poisoned there or by items there, or whether the officer was contaminated
on his visit to Skripal's home. Sources say that, while it is not certain, it is believed
more likely that Bailey became contaminated on his visit to the home. -- Mar 9
> But last night it emerged the police officer who also fell ill after responding to the
incident, visited Mr Skripal's home before he collapsed. Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey
remains in a serious condition in hospital. According to reports, he tended to the victims at
the scene and then visited both the Skripal home.A source told The Times: "He was at both
places. "First he was where they collapsed, trying to help them, then he went to the house,
in that order." -- Mar 10
> DS Bailey, who was among the first to attend to Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia,
before possibly examining their red BMW, where it is thought the nerve agent Novichok may
have been placed, was initially discharged from hospital after a check up. He later admitted
to Accident and Emergency at Salisbury District Hospital feeling extremely unwell. DS Bailey
is now described as in a stable condition -- Mar 15
> Concern for the family of the police officer who went to the aid of the poisoned Russian
spy has grown after Army and police sealed off his street and began work to remove his car
for examination. Speculation grew that Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey may have carried traces
of the nerve agent Novichok home with him after attempting to resuscitate Sergei Skripal and
his daughter Yulia. -- Mar 15
> PM Theresa May visits Salisbury and meets privately with DS Nick Bailey . His car
is removed from his home as part of the investigation.-- Mar 15
> The police officer who was hospitalized after rushing to help a former Russian spy and
his daughter suffering from a poison attack in Salisbury, England, was discharged Thursday
[Mar 22]. Bailey was treated at Salisbury District Hospital for several weeks after being
exposed to the same deadly and rare nerve agent that the U.K. government says was used to
target former intelligence officer Sergie Skirpal, 66, and Yulia, 33. -- Mar 22
Chemical weapons attack field drill on the same day.
Krollchem | Mar 30, 2018 12:23:13 AM | 78
There is always a "drill" taking place in the immediate vicinity addressing the same problem
(terrorists, shooters, CW)whenever these events happen isn't there? A drill was happening on
9/11 and has been every time right up to the latest at a Florida school.
I detect that the medics at Salisbury are not reading from the official script. Someone
mentioned Yulia has been moved from Salisbury hospital. This is worrying. Hope she doesn't
suddenly have a relapse.
"I think the confusion in the policeman part of the narrative is that he was poisoned perhaps
two day later, and had to be fitted into the narrative retrospectively."
Posted by: Peter AU 1 | Mar 30, 2018 1:14:20 PM | 128
I think the policeman was thrown into the mix because the female doctor who gave the girl cpr
on the spot, the ambulance attendees and driver were all right as rain. They needed another
"on the scene" victim to drown out the obvious, that whatever "it" was was not contagious.
There is also the young man who first found them who said he got spittle on his sleeve from
the male but brushed it off (with his bare hand) and that was that. Whatever it is, it is
clearly not the super awesome awful evil Russian elixir.
Russia now openly accused Britain in the attempt to kill Skripals. Also each new British
version of poisoning have larger and larger holes in it. Britain tries to deflect
accusations
Many people now view May Skripals gambit (in which Skripals were just pawns -- unclear
winning or unwilling) as an attempt to save Russiagate in the USA -- operation conduction jointly
with rogue elements of the USA intelligence agencies against Trump.
Notable quotes:
"... Mikhailov said Theresa May should resign for misleading world opinion. ..."
Zakharova said nobody had cancelled the agreement, which she said still had force in
international law. The UK is likely to argue that an agreement between the UK and the Soviet
Union is not enforceable in court and there is no reason to give Russia access to a woman it
apparently tried to kill. Russia challenged claims made by Dean Haydon, Britain's
counter-terror police chief, that the Skripals
first came into contact with the nerve agent from their front door .
... ... ...
"Traces of the nerve agent have been found at some of the other scenes detectives have been
working at over the past few weeks, but at lower concentrations to that found at the home
address," Haydon said on Wednesday.
Maj-Gen Alexander Mikhailov, from the Russian security agency FSB, claimed that if it was
true the poisoning had happened on the doorstep then the Skripals would have died instantly and
would not made it as far as the park where they were found slumped on a bench.
Mikhailov said Theresa May should resign for misleading world opinion.
Both sides are waiting for a report from the OPCW, which sent experts to visit the scene in
Salisbury and is studying samples of the nerve agent.
Dmitry Peskov, the press secretary of Russian president Vladimir Putin, said it was
difficult to guess what other options for anti-Russian measures Britain could take.
"As for the UK, due to the fact that now it is a fairly unpredictable country in relations
with the Russian Federation, it is difficult for us to judge what other options can be
considered, and what can be the basis for this," Peskov said.
Skripal never defected - he was caught spying for Britain in Russia in 2004, judged and
sentenced and then exchanged in 2010. He is a traitor who got caught. Not a defector.
"... The Russian foreign ministry also said in the absence of that evidence it will consider the case a murder attempt on Russian citizens as part of a "massive political provocation". ..."
Russia has said the UK most prove British intelligence services did not poison former spy
Sergei Skripal.
The Russian foreign ministry also said in the absence of that evidence it will consider the
case a murder attempt on Russian citizens as part of a "massive political provocation".
Russia's accusation is its bluntest yet as it continues to deny involvement in the poisoning
of former double agent Mr Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury on 4 March.
From comments: "...the incident is a clear false flag to mark Russia as an aggressor nation. The issue serves as the dead
cat on the table. "
Notable quotes:
"... Moon of Alabama ..."
"... Seems to me the behavior of the British government, including the infantile stupidity of Boris Johnson, points directly at its (the government's) culpability versus say Russian gangsters with a grudge against Sergei. I base this on these behaviors of secrecy, inconsistency, incomplete information, leaping to accusations plus heroizing the officer and now the hospital staff. Indeed bless me "she is risen" b! How sweet! (BTW this last is sardonic; I'm very happy Yulia is making it.) ..."
"... The term is attributed to Lynton Crosby, a political strategist who has managed campaigns of right-of-centre parties in several countries. Boris Johnson, who employed Crosby during London mayoral elections explains the term thus: ..."
"... "There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining room table – and I don't mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend, is that everyone will shout, 'Jeez, mate, there's a dead cat on the table!' In other words, they will be talking about the dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking about the issue that has been causing you so much grief." ..."
"... If Yulia Scribal fully recovers she will be subjected to one of the most intensive debriefing sessions of all time. Imagine her saying she wants to see the Russian ambassador or even Putin because she felt unsafe in the UK. Or causes the UK of attacking her! ..."
"... "To respond to it rationally, as Russia tries to do, makes little sense." Exactly. Tit for tat isn't enough. It's a matter of dignity to stop completely any contact with governments behaving that low. The message delivered must be unmistakably clear. ..."
"... in the last year and a few months, a shift in the balance of power has been happening, global movement toward allying with Russia-China. ..."
"... I predicted early on in this affair that the Skirpals would amazingly "recover" - because there was no poison attack of any kind, just a shoddy attempt at a false flag event. The Skirpals were in on it from the beginning. ..."
"... Novichok is said to be highly toxic and lethal when absorbed through the skin, but it's interesting that the young man Jamie Paine who first found the Skripals on the park bench got some liquid on his skin and apparently didn't suffer from it. From a March 8 BBC video -- ". . .man was frothing from the mouth, I got a little bit on my skin, it wasn't too much, I just brushed it off." That has never been mentioned in any recent news accounts that I've seen. We do have other articles mentioning Paine. ..."
"... UK have stated A-234 was the agent used. According to the Russian scientists book A-234 is volatile, it would evaporate relatively quickly. On the poisoning, food poisoning or deliberate depends on if the narrative was opportunistic or planned. I think the narrative was planned before hand which would make it deliberate poisoning. From what I make of it, their symptoms are similar to organophosphate pesticide poisoning, and that would fit with Porton Down term of "or similar chemical". ..."
"... MH17 was an anglo/US hit job. I start to see now why no Australian rep went with the Malaysians to collect the victims and the planes black boxes. The Dutch at least had the decency to go with the Malaysian's and pick up their own people. ..."
"... As I repeated already many times here it is a moderate overdose, volunteer or not of fentanyl and then they were kept in medically induced coma for weeks not to be able repudiate their lies ..."
"... There is a lot of somewhat pointless discussion about nerve agents, do Novichoks exist, who makes them, feasibility of production etc, etc. To a certain extent, this is all irrelevant as the incident is a clear false flag to mark Russia as an aggressor nation. The issue serves as the dead cat on the table ..."
"... @ francis 11: Excellent point, a poisoned door knob should have afflicted only one of them ..."
"... It seems like every time the Brits try to revise the story, it gets worse! ..."
"... Lastly, there are several reports that the US leaned on virtually everyone in the world very, very hard to attempt to drum up "support" for May. In my experience, you only get so many over-the-top favors to ask/demand, and the US had to burn one to try to save their sanctions. ..."
"She Is Risen!" - Last Act Of 'Novichok' Drama Revealed: "The Skripals'
Resurrection"
It seems that the 'Novichok' fairy-tale the British government plays to us provides for a
happy ending - the astonishing and mysterious resurrection of the victims of a "military grade"
"five to eight times more deadly than VX gas" "nerve agent" "of a type developed by"
Hollywood.
The condition of Yulia Skripal, who was poisoned with a nerve agent in Salisbury along with
her father, is improving rapidly , doctors have said.
Salisbury NHS foundation trust said on Thursday the 33-year-old was no longer in a
critical condition, describing her medical state as stable.
Christine Blanshard, medical director for Salisbury district hospital, said: "I'm pleased
to be able to report an improvement in the condition of Yulia Skripal. She has responded well
to treatment but continues to receive expert clinical care 24 hours a day."
...
Her father's condition is still described by the hospital as critical but stable.
Only yesterday the Skripals chances to survive
was claimed to be 1 out of 99. Nerve agents are deadly weapons. A dose of ten milligram of
the U.S. developed VX nerve agent will kill 50% of those exposed to it. The 'Novichok' agents
are said to be several times more deadly than VX.
It seems less and less likely that the British government claim about 'Novichok' poisoning
is actually true. Way more likely are other explanations, for example food poisoning or an
allergic shock soon after eating out at a fish restaurant.
The claims of a nerve agent and 'Novichok'
seem to have been taken from the script of the British-American spy drama Strike Back (
clip ) which
recently ran on British and U.S. TV. The sole purpose of the 'Novichok' drama is to implicate
and damage Russia.
The evidence is beside the point: here was the opportunity to close-off Trump's 'illusion' of
a possible détente with Russia. The narrative is all. We will likely never know the
full story.
Yulia and Sergej Skripal were found unconscious on the afternoon of March 4.
The U.S. State Department says that its campaign to use the Skripal incident as a tool
against Russia started on March 6, only two days after the incident and six full days before
the British government raised accusations against Russia.
In her press briefing on March 27 the U.S. State Department spokeswomen Heather Nauert
talked
about the coordinated ousting of Russian diplomats by some "western" countries:
Our Deputy Secretary Sullivan, Assistant Secretary Wess Mitchell, and many others in the
building across the interagency process have worked tirelessly over the past three weeks to
achieve this unprecedented level of cooperation and also coordination. The end result –
151 Russian intelligence personnel sent home to Moscow – is a testimony of how
seriously the world takes Russia's ongoing global campaign to undermine international peace
and stability, to threaten the sovereignty and security of countries worldwide, and to
subvert and discredit Western institutions.
The above quote is from Nauert's prepared remarks, not the more free wheeling Q&A
section.
"It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military grade nerve
agent of a type developed by Russia.
This is part of a group of nerve agents known as 'Novichok'."
(See our earlier pieces, linked below, for many details on 'Novichok' and its history.)
May's announcement was similar to Tony Blair's "45 minutes" claim. A lie, concocted in a
common propaganda operation with the U.S. government. As the Downing Street Memossaid of the preparations for the war on
Iraq:
C reported on his recent talks in Washington. There was a perceptible shift in attitude.
Military action was now seen as inevitable. Bush wanted to remove Saddam , through military
action, justified by the conjunction of terrorism and WMD. But the intelligence and facts
were being fixed around the policy.
There are several details that debunk the 'Novichok' thesis.
The specialists in the British chemical weapon laboratory in Porton Down, which
gets millions of U.S. military research dollars, did not agree with the 'Novichok' claim
for whatever effected the Skripals. May's phrase "of a type developed by Russia' was
politically negotiated. As ambassador Craig Murray provided
:
I have now received confirmation from a well placed FCO source that Porton Down scientists
are not able to identify the nerve agent as being of Russian manufacture , and have been
resentful of the pressure being placed on them to do so. Porton Down would only sign up to
the formulation "of a type developed by Russia" after a rather difficult meeting where this
was agreed as a compromise formulation.
But was there really a nerve agent involved?
A doctor who administered first aid to Yulia Skripal for 30 minutes was not effected at all. The emergency services
suspected the victims had received on overdose of fentanyl.
Doctor Steven Davies, who leads the emergency service of the Salisbury District Hospital,
wrote in a letter to the London Times :
Sir, Further to your report "Poison exposure leaves almost 40 needing treatment", (Mar 14),
may I clarify that no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in
Salisbury and there have only been ever been three patients with significant poisoning.
A Court of Protection
judgment about the Skripals issued on March 22 quotes as witness a Porton Down chemical and
biological analyst:
Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings indicated
exposure to a nerve agent or related compound . The samples tested positive for the presence
of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related agent .
"Indicated exposure" is a rather weak formulation. It means that no 'novichok' was found but
decomposition products of something that may have been a nerve agent or not. A blood sample may
"test positive" for all kinds of stuff but that does not say anything about the amount or about
the lethality of any of the "positive tested" elements. The 'Novichok' nerve agents are
organophosphates like many of the usual insecticides are. These break down relatively fast. A
walk through a field freshly sprayed with some insecticide or the domestic use of such a
product might leave similar decomposition products in the bloodstream as a nerve agent
attack.
The Court of Protection also said that no relative or friend contacted the authorities about
the Skripals. That was
evidentlyfalse
(ru).
Today, 25 days after the incident, the police say they suspect that the Skripals were
poisoned
from the front door of their home. Today, 25 days after the incident, they removed the
front door. I believe that this decision was based on a "most plausible story" guess and not on
material evidence. If the door had tested positive for a nerve agent it would have been removed
weeks ago. This is, like those people in high protection suits roaming around Salisbury, just
theater.
The Skripals were said to have left their home at 9:00am in the morning. They collapsed
relatively sudden at 4:00pm in the afternoon. Is this seven hour delay consistent with being
severely affected by a "military grade" highly toxic nerve agent? I doubt it.
But even if a nerve agent of the 'novichok' type was involved the jump to allegations
against Russia is completely baseless. David B. Collum is Professor for Organic Chemistry
at Cornell University. He really, really knows this stuff:
Dave Collum @DavidBCollum - 12:54 AM - 27 Mar 2018
I will say it again: Anybody who tells you this nerve agent must have come from Russia is a
liar--a complete and utter liar. They are simple compounds.
The Skripals are getting better. Good for them. But their resurrection from certain death is
a further dint in the British government's claim of 'nerve agent' 'of a type developed by
Russia'.
The whole anti-Russian campaign constructed out of it is just ridiculous and deeply
dishonest. The five page propaganda handout the
British provided to other governments is a joke. It provided no solid facts on the case. To
respond to it rationally, as Russia tries to do,
makes little sense .
An editorial
(recommended) in the Chinese Global Times captures the utter disgust such behavior
creates elsewhere:
The fact that major Western powers can gang up and "sentence" a foreign country without
following the same procedures other countries abide by and according to the basic tenets of
international law is chilling.
...
Over the past few years the international standard has been falsified and manipulated in ways
never seen before.
...
It is beyond outrageous how the US and Europe have treated Russia. Their actions represent a
frivolity and recklessness that has grown to characterize Western hegemony that only knows
how to contaminate international relations. Right now is the perfect time for non-Western
nations to strengthen unity and collaborative efforts among one another.
Resurrection or not - the result of the 'Novichok' nonsense will not be to our 'western'
favor.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama reports on the Skripal case:
this story was bullshit from the get go and a frame up of russia, but now the lid comes off
to reveal more craziness.. wow..
thanks b.. it is deeply dishonest as you state... none of these state actors are going to
take back any of there actions or words on any of this either... that is the really
disgusting part... again, it is an issue of no accountability and actions absent facts that
the west are operating on f/t... very disturbing.. white helmets is one thing... getting the
leaders of western dumbocracy to act according to propaganda 101 is another thing... no one
can take any of these western countries seriously again, but until the next episode - and
there will be more, no doubt - it is the same as usual....
i note pat lang has nothing to say on it.. he seems too busy holding up his idea of the
good ole' days when there were good people and bad people.. too bad the usa has sunk to such
a deplorable state..
Her resurrection also comes not long after it was determined OPCW could take blood
samples.
As it took three weeks with constant Russian pressure to have OPCW involved, her resurrection
may not have been part of the original narrative.
As the saying goes, the fun never stops!
A stalwart minority of "alternative" news and analysis sites like MOA has published
compelling critiques of this rotten Western Hegemony-pimped Big Lie from the beginning.
The UK authorities' campaign of simultaneously suppressing factual information and instead
bloviating a series of dodgy claims, outright falsehoods, and escalating scurrilous smears
kept both critics and the public off balance for a long time.
But it was predictable that events-- facts on the ground-- would eventually emerge that
could not be explained away by more facile nonsense and rhetorical Russophobic Sturm und
Drang.
So I again pose the question I've been nattering on about for weeks now: since the UK
government chose to put itself far out on a greasy limb, what is their anticipated
endgame?
Unlike the US, older governments in the UK and EU have a tradition of resigning in the
face of scandal-- once attempts to weather the scandal have been exhausted, at any rate.
It would be delicious to see the despicable Gorgon May and UK Village Idiot Laureate Boris
Johnson get their well-deserved comeuppance. In fact, it would be too good to be true.
Thus, I assume that the Big Liars will somehow contrive to "tough it out", and double down
on the facile nonsense and rhetorical Russophobic Sturm und Drang.
Well, MI6, to move this farce along, must have given Yulia some of the
antidote for the nerve agent they gave her and her father almost a month ago. The US and UK have been working on a diabolical 'coma inducing' nerve agent since the CIA sent Otto Warmbier to Pyongyang with an early version of what they poisoned the Skripals with.
Whether Yulia wakes up and starts screaming "Russia did it" or implies it, remembering seeing a Russian diplomatic limousine speed off after she and her father sniffed the gorgeous bouquet of poisoned flowers.
But we're just going to have to wait to see what the latest twist in the plot PM Miss Marple has invented for the whole world to start "oohing" and "ahhing" about.
A lot depends now on Yulia. Has she been following the news? Will she say anything to
implicate Russia? A cynic might even suggest her recovery is conditional.
There's no logic in it; it doesn't make sense, and I don't think it needs to make
sense, because essentially what the media is doing is propagandizing the population in favor
of the madman theory. That's critical to do when you're trying to start aggression against a
country. We had it with Gaddafi, we had it with Saddam Hussein, with Assad, with Kim Jong-un.
'These are madmen who are irrational. We cannot do business with them. We cannot make a deal
with them. They do crazy things that make no sense.' This is exactly what the propaganda is
doing; I'm just surprised that more people aren't questioning it, [since it's been] done over
and over and over.
This is part of a media background buzz against which a false flag (probably in Ukraine)
will appear just as the World Cup event gains world wide media traction.
I believe that rather than follow the previous two olympic models, where the false flag of
country-sponsored doping was endlessly repeated with decreasing effect, this false flag
attack will come during the event, creating a shame-filled spectacle of the semi-final teams
withdrawing and flying home in protest against Russian response - no matter what it may
be.
The resurrection of Julia is a miracle. All resurrections are. In the night of easter , Mr.
Skripal may recover also. I hope, there is a press conference soon.
A tweet said, her first words were :" It tastet not as chicken"
My cynical guess is that the next twist and turn in this story will be that she becomes the
Bana Al-Abed of the poisoning saga. The story was dying, and this is just the next phase.
The thought has occurred to me that perhaps Sergei and Yulia Skripal are being subjected to
isolation, sedation and other forms of sensory deprivation that were the hallmark of
psychological experiments conducted in the US, Canada and possibly Britain over at least two
decades from the 1950s on as part of the MK ULTRA program and related programs. Keeping Yulia
Skripal in isolation for three weeks while claiming that she was in critical condition and
then announcing a change in her condition might fit the bill.
I should add that I have always suspected that what caused the Skripals to fall
unconscious in the first place was food poisoning.
"Stable" and "improving" do not exclude the possibility of severe brain injury and total
disability. It is not unusual for such cases to be initially reported as "critical", and
later stable or improving after immediate medical risks pass, but then one hears nothing more
about them (in ordinary cases) because neural recovery stalls. Fingers are crossed however;
there is still hope.
That aside, the reporting here on this case has been invaluable.
Perhaps Mr. Moon has already addressed this somewhere, >?, however I have a question. So
they are moving all these criminals and families to Idlib; but that is still inside Syria, so
what is the plan there ? Are they going to accede Idlib to these people ? Of course there are
other problems like how to get Turkey and the U.S. out of country, and what to do with the
traitorous Kurds aligned with the U.S., nothing very resolved there as to an outcome. I just
keep reading they are allowing terrorists to vacate out to Idlib, but what could be the end
game there ? Carpet bombing ?
re: perhaps Sergei and Yulia Skripal are being subjected to isolation 16
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at a news conference in Moscow that "we have again
demanded to be guaranteed access to Yulia as she is a Russian citizen. I hope the British
side can fulfill its obligations under the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations."
....A cynic might even suggest her recovery is conditional.
Then, call me a cynic...Indeed I have become one since 5 years already in the world of the
"alt-media"....The first thing I thought of this "sudden" recovery is its possible relation
with the claim by dozens of states on seeing proofs of the assertions of the UK officials,
especially after many in the EU have "suffered", according with words whispered into Russian
Foreign Ministry officials´ ears, an "unsurmontable pressure" to join the ferenzy in
the expelling of diplomats...Take into account that some European countries have only
accepted expelling one or two diplomats...
We are not sure that the Skripals were not into the play themselves...
Another possibility, in case they are not into the play, may be that Yulia could be being
blackmailed for to corroborate UK claims, under the menace of her father not recovering
ever....
To this point, I fear, any dirty trick/foul play by the UK / US must be taken into
consideration.. I wonder whether they can fall lower already...
NYTimes, Mar 29:
The British government has not made its evidence public, but has shared it with major allies,
who have said that they agree with London's conclusions. -- here
State Dept Briefing, Mar 27:
QUESTION: Another one on Russia. You talk about certainty about knowing that Russia was
responsible. Can you say anything about the process that got you to – the U.S. to
certainty?
MS NAUERT: Well, we stand strongly with our ally, with the UK. And when the UK tells us that
they have proof that they know Russia was responsible, we have every reason to believe them.
-- here
The problem with this whole story is the complete lack of public information on the
specifics. First, let's consider the general case of poisoning with organophosphates - with
range in toxicity from the common organophosphate pesticides, which many people have heard of,
like malathion and chlorpyrifos (implicated in many farmworker posionings) through to the
highly toxic German 'G-Agents' (invented by German chemists and stockpiled by the Nazis in
World War II), i.e. sarin and tabun and soman, and further derivatives like VX and the
claimed Novichok agents, synthesized by British and Soviet weapons programs during the Cold
War. These vary in terms of the small carbon fragments surrounding the organophosphate core
of the molecule
So, given a sample of clothing or something similar contaminated with an organophosphare,
how does one analyze it and determine the molecular structure? It's the same for the
pesticide as for the nerve agent, you use analytical chemical techniques, which are found in
the scientific literature, for example:
"A new single-drop microextraction (SDME) followed by gas chromatography–mass
spectrometry techniques were used to determine the dimethoate, methyl parathion, ethion
(organophosphates) and permethrin (pyrethroid) pesticides in water samples. The parameters
linearity, linear range, precision, accuracy, sensitivity and robustness were studied for
validation of the SDME/GC–MS method."
GC-MS is just gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, a common analytical method for the
analysis of volatile chemicals. You want to use the clothing on the victim or hair or skin
swabs, since once in the bloodstream, these compounds may be actively degraded after exerting
their effects (i.e. you'd find metabolites). The results of the analysis are compared to
known libraries of organophosphate toxins to determine their identity, If Porton Down
scientists and technicians are competent, they will have created such libraries of all know
OP toxins for the purpose of rapid identification (this is their job description)
So the first thing to do would be to isolate the victim's clothing and conduct forensic
analysis, right? So where is that data, where are those results? They exist, but have not
been presented; this is understandable since such evidence should be presented at a trial or
inquiry. In a public inquiry or lawsuit or criminal case related to pesticide poisoning, all
this evidence would be presented to the judge/jury and the analyst who did the work would be
called to the stand to present his or her forensic work, they'd be cross-examined in detail,
etc. Only then would guilt or innocence be determined, that's the normal course of
events.
This has all been completely bypassed in favor of hysterical propaganda speeches, as far
as I can see. There's nothing reliable to base any opinion about what happened yet on. So
everyone trying to use this event for their own PR agendas, they're just playing some game.
The only way to sort it out is to have a public inquiry, and the way things are going,
arguments about 'national security' and 'state secrets' will be used to prevent the
analytical data from being shown to the public.
Seems to me the behavior of the British government, including the infantile stupidity of
Boris Johnson, points directly at its (the government's) culpability versus say Russian
gangsters with a grudge against Sergei. I base this on these behaviors of secrecy,
inconsistency, incomplete information, leaping to accusations plus heroizing the officer and
now the hospital staff. Indeed bless me "she is risen" b! How sweet! (BTW this last is
sardonic; I'm very happy Yulia is making it.)
The context now stretches forward to failure of "diplomacy" coming up in April-May in
North Korea as Kim gathers his alliance closer to his vest, and whether EU countries will
back out of the Iran deal, with Mattis constrained to withhold much madder dogs in
Bolton-Pompeo who will likely be calling for military response. The attitudes I detect in
both British and US State Department "thinking" suggest a chortling hubris not ready for a
very serious comeuppance. Donald, I think, will wilt further.
So now Russia has said they will boot 150 westerners, plus close the St Petersburg consulate,
and the US is claiming foul because . . .there's no reason to do so!
One of the child's physicians consulted the medical toxicologist at Poison Control to
discuss the child's care and to ask how long the atropine and pralidoxime should be
continued. The medical toxicologist explained that malathion can stay in fatty tissue such as
the brain for up to 14 days and that there are case reports of needing to use these antidotes
for up to 30 days.
Incidentally, claims that only state actors can make nerve agents are unreliable; this
chemistry is widely known and is all based on the same general concept of organophosphate
synthesis of pesticides. Sarin synthesis was conducted by IG Farben affiliates in the early
1940s on a very large scale; the main issue is making sure the chemists aren't killed while
making the stuff. The basic protocol and lists of required equipment can be found by anyone
with a library card and an internet connection, and as long as they have the equivalent of a
college organic chemistry degree, they'll be able to understand it.
The Japanese cult Aum Shinrikyo managed it (they had an experienced chemist in the cult).
In addition, small sealed glass vials of this stuff could have made it onto the international
market after the breakup of the Soviet Union; that's a normal means of storing small amounts
of such toxic chemicals for analytical purposes.
Of course, if it turns out to have been sarin instead of some other mystery OP nerve
agent. . . Wait and see, I suppose.
Obviously a fake story and Novichok doesn't seem to exist.
But we are still debating the extent to which Russia is an aggressive nation - this is
superb work by the black PR forces of the West.
We should be debating just how US&Nato are aggressive towards Russia. Very Very in any
objective view.
"NHS officials are also understood to be monitoring several people for signs of health
problems after coming into potential contact with the Novichok agent. They are thought to
include neighbours, postal staff, the first uniformed officers to arrive at the scene."
Weren't they supposed to wash their clothes weeks ago, or burn them? If the poison was
still in the environment, then why are people allowed to walk about in town. Why was the town
promoting free parking to lure back visitors.
The term is attributed to Lynton Crosby, a political strategist who has managed campaigns
of right-of-centre parties in several countries. Boris Johnson, who employed Crosby during
London mayoral elections explains the term thus:
"There is one thing that is absolutely certain about throwing a dead cat on the dining
room table – and I don't mean that people will be outraged, alarmed, disgusted. That is
true, but irrelevant. The key point, says my Australian friend, is that everyone will shout,
'Jeez, mate, there's a dead cat on the table!' In other words, they will be talking about the
dead cat – the thing you want them to talk about – and they will not be talking
about the issue that has been causing you so much grief."
http://www.dailymirror.lk/article/When-the-dots-are-connected-you-get-a-dead-cat-147293.html
Are we supposed to believe that Russia brought a nerve agent into the UK just to attack the
Skripals? Or did a Russian agent buy it on the street in London or even get it from a
clandestine Russian chemical weapons factory in the UK? Someone has literally made this up
out of whole cloth. I find it especially farcical that the chemical is always labeled
'weapons grade': now you must be looking under your bed every night before you go to sleep.
'Schoolyard grade' would be the most benign category.
If Yulia Scribal fully recovers she
will be subjected to one of the most intensive debriefing sessions of all time. Imagine her
saying she wants to see the Russian ambassador or even Putin because she felt unsafe in the
UK. Or causes the UK of attacking her!
Side2 27
The Australian foreign minister equivocated on the Skripal case . She pointedly observed that
non Russian government state players could have been behind the attack.
Australians - some of us - are acutely aware that the 'western ' world may be overextended
and moving towards some sort of (catastrophic ? ) military defeat .
Australia , as in 1942 at Singapore may find herself very much alone . Many see the Skripal
embroglio as a sign the US / Anglo world is panicking and malfunctioning !
WHen did the DI Nick Baily who fell ill, supposedly from the same poison as the Skripals,
actually go to the Skripal residence?
Was there someone adding to the amount of whatever it was which made 3 people ill,
ensuring that someone besides the two Skripals got sick to some extent
"To respond to it rationally, as Russia tries to do, makes little sense."
Exactly. Tit for tat isn't enough. It's a matter of dignity to stop completely any contact
with governments behaving that low. The message delivered must be unmistakably clear.
Also, has it been confirmed by any authority that Bailey did indeed go to he residence?
Guardian reported they were told he did...so is this just being buried? Or it's an inaccurate
report?
@36 Ashley seems to me neocon-ism has been unraveling fast, a sign of it Trump's victory with
follow-up the diminished success of the US military in Syria ("success" that is in terms of
State Department Clinton-style regime change policies etc). At the same time, in the last
year and a few months, a shift in the balance of power has been happening, global movement
toward allying with Russia-China.
The trend for the West and its State Department geniuses is
downward, weakening, at which point the cornered beast may turn (or want to turn)even more
vicious. So to the propaganda. If the Skripal affair is result of food poisoning, say, not
something plotted, it has been (and will be) leaped onto with a very large and flush-faced
"Aha!" type behavior to get JQ Public in line. It's particularly disturbing to find the
low-level of "intelligence" being exhibited by these "leaders" who are stupid enough to
provoke something really serious. The Russians meanwhile are enhancing their popularity by
being rational and leader-like.
I predicted early on in this affair that the Skirpals would amazingly "recover" - because
there was no poison attack of any kind, just a shoddy attempt at a false flag event. The
Skirpals were in on it from the beginning.
As wikipedia notes, the main difference between sarin-like OP agents and VX-like OP agents
is that the former is more gas-like, and the latter more liquid-like:
"The danger of VX, in particular, lies in direct exposure to the chemical agent persisting
where it was dispersed, and not through its evaporating and being distributed as a vapor
(i.e., it is not a "vapor hazard"). VX is considered an area denial weapon due to these
physical and biochemical characteristics."
Since nobody has said anything about the claimed 'Novichok' agents. The (so far completely
unsupported) claim is this (link below):
"The nerve agent used in an attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal was part of the Novichok
family, the British government has revealed. This group of nerve agents was developed in
Russia as part of a secret chemical weapons programme codenamed 'Foliant' in the 1970s and
80s."
Not much of a 'reveal', more like a 'claim.' This is an interesting bit of Cold War
history though; US and British bioweapons and chemical weapons programs were most active from
the late 1940s to the late 1960s, while the Soviet ones were ramped up from the 1970s to the
1980s (see Foliant, Biopreparat). Crazy bastards,, wasn't getting torched with nuclear
weapons enough? Of course, the CIA and KGB were big advocates of the bio/chem approach, for
dirty tricks, which extended to using drugs like LSD on unsuspecting politicians, etc.
Sociopathic lunatics, the lot of them.
Regardless, nobody knows if the claimed agent was liquid-like, in which case, it could be
tracked all over the place by people's shoes, etc. None of it really makes much sense at this
point, and without a public inquiry, it probably never will. No plans for one of those
anytime soon, is there?
"Scientists at Porton Down would have been able to identify the agent, he adds, because
the laboratory has been assembling information on potential threats for decades. 'What they
will have done is made these chemicals, suspecting they were part of the Soviet or Russian
arsenal,' Hay says. Then chemists at Porton Down would have 'assessed their structure and put
them into a library of reference materials', he adds."
So yes, some of these materials could have walked out of Porton Down, that's possible.
Wonder if they're taking an inventory? Not that they'd ever say.
The Skripals must have been in on it. Blackmail not necessary. Money Will do. Yulia wakes up first. She is more sympathetic than him. Now there can be only one murder charge and if he wakes, only attempted murder. I just read about Otto Warmbier. In a coma for 16 months in North Korea; dead 6 days after being returned home. Did anyone see his body? Open casket or closed? Cremated? Given antidote and new identity?
Farce is the primary thought, black farce. Sometimes I see May acting as Mr Steptoe Snr in
that ridiculous British comedy, Steptoe and Son (decades ago).
I guess there will be savings for the western fools with less diplomats and then the
Russian Federation will have many less meddlers to shadow around. So good economic outcomes
all round, sigh.
There is no clown hat that I can imagine that would be silly enough to suit May, Johnson,
or Nikki Haley. I can imagine the Australian foreign minister wearing something inspired by
a galah and kangaroo tail, with a hint of emu neck and head. It might be a fun competition to
sponsor same though.
Novichok is said to be highly toxic and lethal when absorbed through the skin, but it's
interesting that the young man Jamie Paine who first found the Skripals on the park bench got
some liquid on his skin and apparently didn't suffer from it. From a March 8 BBC
video -- ". . .man was frothing from the mouth, I got a little bit on my skin, it wasn't
too much, I just brushed it off." That has never been mentioned in any recent news accounts
that I've seen. We do have other articles mentioning Paine.
Paine is also mentioned in a March 6 euronews article:
Eyewitness Jamie Paine raised the alarm in the southern English city.
"It was like her body was dead," he said, of the woman, who police says was known to
Skripal.
"Her legs were really stiff... you know when animals die, they have rigor mortis. Both her
legs came together when people pulled (her), and when she was on the floor her eyes were just
completely white. They were wide open but just white and frothing at the mouth. Then the man
went stiff: his arms stopped moving, but he's still looking dead straight." . .
here
And also in a March 6 CBS news article:
''When she was on the floor, her eyes were just completely white," said Jaime Paine, who
found the couple and alerted police. "They were wide open but just white and (she was)
frothing at the mouth. Then the man went stiff. His arms stopped moving, but he's still
looking dead straight." . .
here
. . . and another on March 12.
UK have stated A-234 was the agent used. According to the Russian scientists book A-234 is
volatile, it would evaporate relatively quickly.
On the poisoning, food poisoning or deliberate depends on if the narrative was opportunistic
or planned.
I think the narrative was planned before hand which would make it deliberate poisoning. From
what I make of it, their symptoms are similar to organophosphate pesticide poisoning, and
that would fit with Porton Down term of "or similar chemical".
MH17 was an anglo/US hit job. I start to see now why no Australian rep went with the
Malaysians to collect the victims and the planes black boxes. The Dutch at least had the
decency to go with the Malaysian's and pick up their own people.
With MH17 it took two weeks to push the EU into sanctioning Russia which and only then so
called international team and Australian reps went to the site.
With Novichok, it only took a couple of days to get the EU on board so I think plenty of
planning by UK and fellow travelers in the US before the Skripal's were poisoned.
Last time I checked British private intelligence contractors followed opposite goals.
Not to mention the split in British "elites". Theresa May waited before the jumped - or rather was pushed - from March 3 to March
12. If she is lucky she can get rid of Boris Johnson over this.
As I repeated already many times here it is a moderate overdose, volunteer or not of fentanyl
and then they were kept in medically induced coma for weeks not to be able repudiate their
lies, even thinking of killing them eventually but when their narrative fell apart regardless
they are no longer needed as props of this abhorrent false flag ploy and in fact they are
suppose to recover somewhat otherwise they would have to send bodies to Russia which would authoritively debunk U.K. lies.
There is a lot of somewhat pointless discussion about nerve agents, do Novichoks exist, who
makes them, feasibility of production etc, etc. To a certain extent, this is all irrelevant
as the incident is a clear false flag to mark Russia as an aggressor nation. The issue serves
as the dead cat on the table.
If setting up Russia as an aggressor nation is the aim of the exercise, how could
organizers create the scenario? The story line apparently chosen is that the victims were
poisoned with a military grade weapon that could only be produced by Russia.
The OPCW-sanctioned samples will show that the material given to Porton Down did indeed
contain Skirpal DNA removing the prime objection of tampering as a possible means by which
the supposed nerve agent was found in the sample. Ipso facto - the samples were not tampered
with and 'Russia done it'.
The Skirpals are then no longer needed and their statements after recovery can be
dismissed as the result of slight brain damage arising from OPCW-verifed posioning by proven
Russian nerve agent.
The reality - they could have been poisoned by common organophosphate weedkiller. These
products are readily available and are capable of leaving traces in the blood stream similar
to a real nerve agent, just waiting to be detected by the likes of Porton Down.
"Initially, this type of poisoning can cause watery eyes and excess salivation .
Breathing difficulties often occur. Individuals affected by these poisons sometimes
experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach cramps. In addition, the fingernails and
lips can become blue. The person might develop a headache and feel both dizzy and weak
. They might also experience anxiety, convulsions and possibly slip into a coma
. Organophosphate is especially dangerous because it can be easily absorbed through the
skin and cause paralysis and death in a short period of time. ... Severe poisoning can
lead to permanent paralysis or brain damage ."
Most of the publicly described symptoms before and after hospital admission are covered. It
would also explain the presence of apparent nerve agent degradation products in the blood.
And it would also not endanger the general public. Post-incident hype about passers-by being
affected could be created safe in their knowledge that there will be no problems from masses
of people dying or overwhelming the medical services with associated high public/media
interest and troublesome relatives.
One question - how could the hypothetical 'military grade nerve agent' aka weedkiller be
applied to the Skirpals and the Skirpals alone without endangering the person who carried out
the attack? If the person was known to the Skirpals, (s)he could get close without arising
suspicion. (S)He would then be in a position to dose both with a suitable amount of
poison.
How about accidental self-poisoning during the incident? The attacker might wear some kind
of hand protection but the poison may be dispersed into his/her face, for example. The person
would move away from the crime scene to avoid appearing to be a victim/witness and being
questioned. The possible later appearance of symptoms would be planned for. The attacker
could attend hospital some time later once the nature of the chemical agent was known
publicly, allowing him/her to be treated with the antidote (atropine injection?) in hospital
and probably make a safe and quick recovery. Maybe in these circumstances, (s)he would treat
themselves at the first sight of symptoms using a disposable atropine autoinjector then call
for help if necessary?
54
Accurate doses in their meals.
"How about accidental self-poisoning during the incident?" If it's a pesticide or
herbicide organophosphate farmers would, or would have, used the shit.
And so at least one of the many Big Lies begins to unravel. Time for a No Confidence vote and
subsequent change in government. Does anyone know what % of UK believes this May/Johnson Big
Lie?
At this point there are so many points that are patently ridiculous about this whole Skripal
affair it's hard to know how to summarize it...good job, b. A few random thoughts:
@ francis 11: Excellent point, a poisoned door knob should have afflicted only one of
them. But more to the point, now that the killer plot du jour is the home door, it leads to
more incompatible "facts." In order for May and friends to have even a speck of justification
for rushing to judgment rather than investigating, they were stuck with the narrative that
they were poisoned, and it had to be a "military grade" (implicitly ruling out all the
regular people who wanted Skripal dead) "nerve agent" (really scary like only war criminals
use) and "of a kind invented in the USSR" (implying this particular sample must have come
from Russia). But by picking an obscure, originally Soviet agent, they are stuck with
incredibly deadly, quick acting, volatile, etc.
So if one Skripal was poisoned with something
that the lab janitor said would have killed him or her before they could get to their car,
and just the residue from this evaporating substance would seriously sicken a strapping young
detective within minutes, forcing him to the hospital, how did the Skripal(s) getting the
full dose traipse around town half a day, even feeling a bit peckish so as to stop at two
different places to eat and drink? You simply can't have it both ways, May. It seems like
every time the Brits try to revise the story, it gets worse!
Also, it's so easy to get caught up in the "means" of the mystery, because it is so
laughably preposterous, but we should never forget the "motive." On the part of the RF, not
only zero (hell, he only had a half dozen years left on his original sentence--not a death
sentence), but less than zero to do something at the worst possible time from a Russian point
of view (right before election, with EU support for sanctions fading fast, NordStream 2
finally looking to be past all hurdles, etc.). The flip side of that coin shows that this bad
timing was indeed what was critical to the Brits and US--why else they just HAD to
immediately expel diplomats, etc? After all, if they were indeed quite sure the Russians had
done it, wouldn't there be every reason in the world to proceed with a very public
investigation, dragging Putin's name through the mud, actually prolonging the affair, and
THEN expel diplomats and anything else you want to do once you've proven to the world what
shits the Ruskies are?
The hastily thrown together (and now falling apart) "crisis" might be because the other,
more carefully planned black eyes for election eve Russia fell apart at the last minute.
There was a major nerve gas false flag (serendipitous) and follow-up military strikes set in
Syria, but the SAA advanced too quickly and probably along with special ops folks managed to
prevent the three planned attacks. Not only did the US/Israel/NATO lose the chance to
besmirch Russia and strike Syria hard, it was such a screw up some are saying it cost
Tillerson his job.
Then there was the attack on the Donbass, which was fully prepped to
spring just before the election -- troops and heavy weapons had massed at the borders, US
weapons had arrived, even lanes through mine fields had been cleared, Porky had his orders.
But then the DPR (with FSB help, no doubt) discovered the traitors in the LPR government who
had planned to sabotage defenses, there are reports of a near mutiny among regular Ukie
soldiers who didn't feel like getting chewed up again, and then an actual coup against Porky
was barely foiled --all sufficient that the Ukrainian op fizzled.
No doubt the US and NATO
were aghast that their two carefully planned March surprises were no-gos. So when something
happened to the Skripals, I suspect the powers that be thought "well, it ain't much, but we
can make it work!"
Lastly, there are several reports that the US leaned on virtually everyone in the world
very, very hard to attempt to drum up "support" for May. In my experience, you only get so
many over-the-top favors to ask/demand, and the US had to burn one to try to save their
sanctions. They may have got their wish short term, but they may hear a lot more "no"s next
time they want something--especially if this ultimately turns out to be a massive
embarrassment as is likely.
That's an interesting observation. Drill to protect against the exact event that happened.
That help to supress internal investigation, if some details of the plot are accidentally leaked
and some people inside start asking questions.
Off topic, but I think this is important. With false flags there always seems to be a drill
going on at the same time, a drill that weirdly, and coincidentally of course, mimics the
reality that follows (the list is long and easy to Google). So we have the poison incident in
Salisbury that stinks to high heaven, but no mention of a drill.
Then I came across a statement by the Royal Navy that a drill had taken place on Salisbury
plain at the same time as the poison incident:
What purpose does the training exercise or "drill" in a false flag perform? From my research
I can say, first, it is to protect a participant who is arrested by police showing up: "Hey,
I'm on a drill, here's my badge." Secondly it allows control, key people in place, over the
whole scenario: "Move on, nothing to see here." Maybe there are other reasons.
This whole thing is one HUGE false flag, from start to where ever it finishes. The lies
are so thick that they obscure all vision. If any of that family (father or daughter) still
possess a Russian passport, then they are still citizens of Russia and the UK government is
REQUIRED to release them and information. But that will not be forthcoming.
The sooner the Kremlin lowers the boom, the better; the longer this stretches out, the more
obscure the facts become and the closer we come to global annihilation.
DOES ANYONE realize that the poison was found in their home??? That is how the policeman made
contact with it. THAT alone implies that the victims MAY have been complicit in their own
poisoning !?
That is very interesting regarding the policeman's exposure. If true, and I'm confident it
is, it puts the boots to Canadian media accounts of the Skripal's enjoying the sunshine on a
park bench - only to be sprayed in the face from an aerosol device - carried by a Russian
agent. I also cannot dismiss the highly coincidental plot of a British TV detective show -
aired in November, 2017 - of a "Novichok" attack in Great Britain. I'm not looking for weak
conspiratorial links, but I cannot dismiss them either.
The Russian government is not involved. The man was retired and all happened a long time
ago. The only thing that I don't feel comfortable with is why attack her daughter. She is
totally innocent.
Logic indicates that some of those who were affected by the betrayal (he was a traitor) found
at last an opportunity to settle old acccounts whithout the Russian government knowing
it.
Of course the West is using this attack to lay blame on Putin, they found a golden
opportunity to throw dirt at him and continue with the demonization. It is my hunch that he
is very angry at those who did it.
Britain can't point the finger without providing Russia with all the evidence.
I don't believe in false flag theories in this case, as the West would be sending a wrong
message to those potential recruits (more Russian traitors).
"... Dilyana Gaytandzhieva is a Bulgarian investigative journalist and Middle East Correspondent. Over the last two years she has published a series of revealing reports on weapons smuggling . Two months ago South Front published her investigation into the Pentagon bio laboratories in 25 countries across the world. Her current report provides an overview of the Pentagon-funded experiments at the secretive UK military laboratory Porton Down near Salisbury, where an ex-Russian spy and his daughter were allegedly poisoned with a nerve agent. ..."
"... By Dilyana Gaytandzhieva exclusively for SouthFront ..."
"... Twitter/@dgaytandzhieva ..."
"... The Porton Down Lab is located just 13 km from the site where Sergei Skripal and his daughter were found and from where they were rushed to hospital. ..."
Dilyana Gaytandzhieva is a Bulgarian investigative journalist and Middle East
Correspondent. Over the last two years she has published a series of revealing reports on
weapons smuggling . Two months ago South Front published her investigation into the Pentagon bio laboratories
in 25 countries across the world. Her current report provides an overview of the
Pentagon-funded experiments at the secretive UK military laboratory Porton Down near Salisbury,
where an ex-Russian spy and his daughter were allegedly poisoned with a nerve agent.
By Dilyana Gaytandzhieva exclusively for SouthFront
The Pentagon has spent at least $70 million on military experiments involving tests with
deadly viruses and chemical agents at Porton Down – the UK military laboratory near the
city of Salisbury. The secretive biological and chemical research facility is located just 13
km from where on 4 th March former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia
were found slumped on a bench following an alleged Novichok nerve agent poisoning.
The Porton Down Lab is located just 13 km from the site where Sergei Skripal and his
daughter were found and from where they were rushed to hospital.
Information obtained from the US federal contracts registry reveals that the Pentagon's
Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has funded a number of military projects
performed at the UK
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) , or Porton Down, over the last decade.
Among them: experimental respiratory infection of non-human primates (marmosets) with Anthrax,
Ebola virus, Marburg virus, Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, Western equine encephalitis
virus, and Eastern equine encephalitis virus. The US Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) has
also funded experiments on animals which were exposed to chemical agents such as Sulfur Mustard
and Phosgene gas. Phosgene gas was used as a chemical weapon during World War I where it was
responsible for about 85 % of the 100,000 deaths caused by chemical weapons.
DTRA has also been granted full access to DSTL scientific and technical capabilities, and
test data under a 2011 contract for the
collaboration and exchange of scientific and technical capabilities with the UK Ministry of
Defence.
At least 122,000 animals used for military chemical and biological experiments
at Porton Down
Animal experiments are classified as confidential in the UK. Under section 24 of the Animals
(Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, it is a criminal offence to disclose certain information
about animal experiments in the UK.
Only zionist agents dribble conspiracy theories about Skripal's recent life- and all
as a SMOKESCREEN hiding the truth.
MI5/6 (the actual names of intelligence agencies in the UK don't matter- in reality
they are all the same, unlike in the USA) simply chose Skripal as the best candidate for
their false-flag.
Like the Libyan Embassy shooting false flag that killed a policewoman to gain the
interest and sympathy of the british public, a policeperson had to be directly 'injured'.
His daughter likewise proved the inhuman nature of the Russian assassins, and also a
direct Russian connection since she, unlike her father, lived in Russia.
MI5 concocts the STORY first, and THEN recruits the actors. That's how true experts
handle psy-ops. British intelligence perfected these methods running circles around the
nazis during WW2. Did you know, for instance, that Churchill's most famous radio speeches
were written by BBC drama writers and spoken by a BBC voice impersonator? Churchill was
such a coward, he legged it to a safe country retreat whenever he heard German bombers
were likely to strike London. And at the time BBC made its evening broadcasts, Churchill
was always too drunk to speak publicly anyway. Churchill was an IDEA put together by
british psy-op experts when he took power to fight WW2. The man himself was a pathetic
alcoholic who could be trusted to do nothing by himself at his advanced age.
Britain is more dangerous than any of you here can comprehend. Britain does not fight
with its fists- the fists of the USA do very nicely when blunt force is needed. Britain
fights with its brain. And that brain is dirty and devious and clever beyond all
conception.
It is a british psy-op to present current PUPPETS like May and Johnson as the
sub-normal clowns they are, so you'll draw an incorrect conclusion as to the actual
potential of those who really rule the UK.
The day before Trump even expelled Russian UN personal from NY (illegal under the UN
treaties), the Russian embassy was so clueless, it even directly asked Trump to interceed
with the British. America is really Britain II, built by transfering astonishing amounts
of the wealth Britain gathered from its Empire to the USA AFTER the so-called 'revolution
of independence'. Without Britain's Empire wealth, America could never have grown the way
it needed to, before becoming economically independent AFTER WW1.
Blair was never anyone's 'poodle', but is actually king of the Fabians- the 'ingsoc'
of Orwell's 1984. Today the three main political parties in Britain are all in the hands
of Blair loyalists. In the House of Commons the Conservatives, Liberals and Labour all
work together to ensure new Blair police state and warmongering laws are given the
approval of both Houses. Blair's supremacy in the UK makes Putin's supremacy in Russia
seem like a joke by comparison.
Once a person reaches real power in the UK, it is a perfect psy-op to have that person
MOCKED in the public press, so the public cease to worry about the power that person
actually wields. LAUGHTER defuses emotional pressure. When british peeps laff at Blair,
they stop fearing him and his deeds- which means they will not attempt to throw up real
opposition to him.
Likewise you'll see the zionists here use terms like 'bumbling' and 'lies' and
'incompetence' and 'laughable' to describe the details and handling of the most
successful false flag in Human History. Are you stupid enough to think british
intelligence needs your 'respect' to function perfectly? What they need is for you to buy
the narrative they sell. In this case the narrative is "this was anything BUT a perfect
false flag by the british"
While I was in US Army Special Forces we were routinely taught and briefed on the use
and effects of chemical weapons, including nerve agents such as VX.
The simple fact is that if Skripal and his daughter were exposed to a military grade
VX "like" nerve agent they would have died within a minute. And because these nerve
agents are "persistent" anybody who handled the bodies would have also died. They would
not be "sick" and in hospital.
Although I am not a chemical warfare exert (but I do know many retired soldiers who
are), it is blatantly obvious to me that the entire Skripal narrative is an outright lie.
Why have no chemical warfare experts stepped forward to denounce this utter
falsehood?
On Thursday, High Court Justice David Basil Williams handed down a ruling on the medical condition of the Skripals. It contained
evidence from the consultant treating them in Salisbury District Hospital, which stated that the facility had "not been approached
by anyone known to the patients to enquire of their welfare."
Ross Cassidy, a haulage contractor, has been Sergei Skripal's neighbor since 2010. He said that he has been prevented from visiting
Skripal and his daughter Yulia in hospital, and that he believes they are so critically ill there is no hope they will be revived.
"That is misinformation, because we care," he told Sky News, referring to the consultant's statement. "I asked the police several
times if we could go and see them, quietly and away from the media, but I was told quite categorically that we were not allowed.
We asked the question and the answer was 'No.'"
"We've already been told they will be severely mentally impaired and I don't think they would want that. I think death would probably
be merciful."
Three weeks after the A-234 nerve-agent (also known as Novichok) attack in Salisbury, Sergei and his daughter Yulia remain in
a critical condition. According to court documents, Sergei is listed as unable to communicate.
Meanwhile in Russia, the Skripals' extended family say that they have been unable to find out where exactly Sergei and Yulia even
are. "I would like to know how [Sergei and Yulia] are where they are," Sergei's niece, Viktoria Skripal, said.
"We are all grown-ups and we don't believe in miracles, but I can't stop thinking maybe it's not them. Maybe a miracle will happen
and it'll turn out not to be them. Maybe they'll get better. But everyone is saying that even if they recover, the long-term prognosis
is not good.
Viktoria said that if she could go to the UK to see them, she would but her number-one priority is to protect Sergei's ailing
mother from finding out about her son's attack. The family fears the news could prove fatal for the 90-year-old woman.
"Our priority is to protect our grandmother, so that she does not hear anything. She will not know until the very last moment,"
Viktoria said. "She will know when this situation is somehow resolved; that is, if there is a logical end. If the story ends badly,
we will tell her that they fell ill."
Viktoria Skripal said that, while she was unsure who was responsible for the nerve-agent attack, she did say that her uncle had
never expressed fears for his safety and did not consider himself to have any enemies.
"Who did it? I don't really know. Our side say it was the British secret services, the British say it was the Russians. I don't
know and I don't want to hazard a guess.
"Even if the special services did it why is it so clumsy? I believe that it was beneficial to some third party to quarrel between
the two countries. Someday we will get answers to all the questions."
The Salisbury doctor says that no one has been admitted suffering from nerve gas poisoning, and only three people have been
treated for poisoning (of a different kind, presumably).
But the UK government says that the Skripals were attacked with a novichok agent "of a type developed in Russia" - and apparently
knew this with high confidence within a few days, although OPCW will take weeks to identify the poison.
The lawyer for the government said in court that no one has asked to see the Skripals.
But the Russian embassy has asked repeatedly, and now we learn that Mr Skripal's neighbour has asked and been turned away by
police.
Who the hell do those people think they are fooling? Their lies are impossible to conceal or reconcile.
The Skripals are probably being held in an apartment with military guards on them....unable to even see daylight lest they
flag someone on the street, or they are in such a remote area,perhaps being held in a bunker type of place.
Yes its a bit 'Hollywood' but is it that far out of the realm of possibility given the lengths the US &_UK governments seem willing
to go to to demonize Russia? They may have even been killed by the UK govt....we know this happens.The family is absolutely in
the right to question & they deserve answer, closure....what can we do here?
How are we to help these people get answered,I am American and I have had to watch this evil demonization of Russia ramp up with
every day...its gone from haha,Trump has a man crush on Putin to possible murder of these people in an effort to boost some political
agenda.Its time for someone to explain...
The problem for the Brits and yanks is that theatre may pass for "evidence" once. And it's been used and the bitches were caught
red-handed. They keep at it - only punish themselves by loss of the remainders of credibility.
no courtney, they're unfortunately beyond all help, and will be shortly wheeled out in this macabre theatre show in the 3rd
act, so the whole world can see how " evil" Putin and Russia are, its all very carefully orchestrated for maximum propaganda effect
When you say Brits, please refer to our cretinous government? Until the anti-Russia troll factories began work on the popular
press comments, just a few days ago, it was evident that ordinary Brits were having none of it. Clearly that didn't please our
overlords, so they brought in the trolls.
i consider a person to be English, Irish, Scotch or Welsh, unless they drank the empire kool aid.
i also make the distinction between real Americans and USA loving pedophiles, sheep and never do wells.
The hole is far too big to plug. Hopefully UK's Banker entitlement program is about to crash. Shameless Sam and its 20 NATO
Mafia style looting collusionors dramatizing another WMD illusion. The west has gone pathetic and rabid. The photo is impressive!
None of it adds up. Together with the fact that Russia got rid of their chemical weapons. Unlike the US, who have also invested
$70 million, in Porton Down,
There is a seriously good article, over on South Front, which raises many more questions. Not forgetting Ukraine, and the American
bio-weapons laboratories in Ukraine. No doubt, which is why Urkraine were sending chemical weapons to Syria.
Canister of chemical weapons, with love from Ukraine to Syria.
the world will get plenty of photos after OPCW "report" , its pure, post normal, post evidence theatre, then all those countries
that didn't expel Russian diplomats can also pile in, oh, plus boycott World Cup
Litvinenko was poisoned with polonium, a radioactive element and still there were plenty of videos of him in the news although
he should have been isolated. Even his wife and son were filmed with him in hospital. Why such secrecy now? I suspect that Skripal
and daughter have played their parts in this scenario and are now enjoying the money they were paid for this simple act. Was his
daughter single?
The complete lack of the Skripals' current hospital images is so very telling. Think about it, Alexander Litvinenko's death
bed pictures (him still alive and blinking) were posted all over the media as much as they could be to make sure the narrative
of "evil Russia" is kept in the memories of all who don't bother to look into the facts (the majority). These images are so vital
to keeping the West is good vs. Russia is bad narrative alive and well ahead of the facts. If they could post pictures of the
Skripals, they absolutely would, as this is a huge advantage to a retarded narrative. So this in itself (lack of pictures broadcast
on a continuous cycle to the entire world to paint Russia as the demon lair before the world cup starts) is extreme proof that
something is very wrong with their cooked up and ridiculous narrative.
Salisbury Nerve Agent Attack Reveals $70 Million Pentagon Program At Porton Down
The Pentagon has spent at least $70 million on military experiments involving tests with deadly viruses and chemical agents
at Porton Down the UK military laboratory near the city of Salisbury. The secretive biological and chemical research facility
is located just 13 km from where on 4th March former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia were found slumped on a
bench following an alleged Novichok nerve agent poisoning.
https://www.naturalblaze.co...
Eol Awki, I read your comment above from my phone while laying in a dentist chair waiting
for needles, drills --- and I laughed so much i nearly fell out.
Of course, I was a bit "wired" anyway, but it was quite an achievement for which I would like
to thank you - very much.
Galloway already had a video up a couple of days after the occurrence ... he was
always pointing out that the Skripals were poisoned AFTER they had already returned to
their home ... no talk about a park bench at all ... now more info is coming out that
there was a training exercise that took place the day before the event ... so it's all
according to the usual scripting ... and the usual Hollywood set with all the usual
crisis actors .... should have been red-flagged before it started ... and send out the
safety car ... like follow the leader and do not pass ...
I read about the military exercise, the day before. Always happens. Never thought I
would end up having so much respect for George Galloway, but, he is the only UK
politician or ex-politician, that I actually respect.
"... In addition to expelling the diplomats, Trump ordered the closure of the Russian consulate in Seattle, Washington. The decision cited the consulate's proximity to a US submarine base and to Boeing production facilities, implying the diplomats were really intelligence operatives. ..."
"... That was echoed by White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah, who told reporters the expulsion is aimed at "significantly degrading their intelligence capabilities around the world, not just in the US." ..."
"... "coordinated with NATO allies," ..."
"... "brazen and reckless" ..."
"... "highly likely" ..."
"... "Thousand-year Reich" ..."
"... "joined at the hip" ..."
"... "entangling alliances," ..."
"... "blindly follow the principle of Euro-Atlantic unity at the expense of common sense, the rules of civilized state-to-state dialogue and the principles of international law," ..."
"... "up to the Russian government and up to Putin," ..."
"... "special relationship" ..."
"... "What we are witnessing now is part of a long-term program of unbridled Russophobia," ..."
"... "what took so long" ..."
"... "Russian oligarchs" ..."
"... "The Roman Empire had no need for diplomacy. Nor does the United States, ..."
The decision to expel 60 Russian diplomats suggests that President Donald Trump is either
following the siren call of 'entangling alliances,' or taking the lead in escalating the
conflict with Moscow to appease domestic critics. Not only did Trump's order affect more than
twice as many diplomats as the March 14 move by London, it accounts for more than half of the
total Russian diplomats expelled by various US allies on Monday. Monday's action is the biggest
expulsion of alleged "intelligence officers" since the Cold War and the largest in US
history, according to US ambassador to Russia, Jon Huntsman.
Though Trump campaigned on the "America First" foreign policy , openly
critical of the nation-building and "humanitarian" interventions his predecessors engaged in,
little of that remains after the first year of his presidency. The media and the opposition
Democrats appear to have buttonholed the president with never-ending accusations that he is
somehow "soft" on Russia.
In reality, the current administration has taken the hostility toward Moscow, inherited from
Barack Obama's second term, and turned it up a notch, from pressuring Russian media to register
as foreign agents and approving the sale of anti-tank missiles to
Ukraine, to expelling more Russian diplomats and shutting down consulates
.
In addition to expelling the diplomats, Trump ordered the closure of the Russian consulate
in Seattle, Washington. The decision cited the consulate's proximity to a US submarine base and
to Boeing production facilities, implying the diplomats were really intelligence
operatives.
That was echoed by White House deputy press secretary Raj Shah, who told reporters the
expulsion is aimed at "significantly degrading their intelligence capabilities around the
world, not just in the US."
Shah said the move was "coordinated with NATO allies," and represented a US
response to Russia's "brazen and reckless" actions, namely, the alleged nerve agent
attack that reportedly injured former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in Salisbury,
UK, three weeks ago.
16 EU states now expelling 33 Russian diplos
🇩🇪 Germany 4
🇵🇱 Poland 4
🇨🇵 France 4
🇨🇿 Czech 3
🇱🇹 Lithuania 3
🇮🇹 Italy 2
🇩🇰 Denmark 2
🇳🇱 Netherlands 2
🇪🇸 Spain 2
🇱🇻 Latvia 1
🇫🇮 Finland 1
🇪🇪 Estonia 1
🇷🇴 Romania 1
🇸🇪 Sweden 1
🇭🇷 Croatia 1
🇭🇺 Hungary 1
British authorities have asserted that Russia was "highly likely" to have been
behind the incident, but have refused to provide any evidence to back up Prime Minister Theresa
May and Foreign Minister Boris Johnson's words. Johnson even went so far as to compare Russian
President Vladimir Putin to Adolf Hitler - twice! -
though it was Russia that carried the disproportionate burden in defeating Hitler's
"Thousand-year Reich" in the Second World War.
On March 14, May ordered the expulsion of 23 Russian
diplomats. Russia retaliated by expelling the same number of British diplomats, as well as
shutting down the consulate in St. Petersburg and British Council operations in Russia.
Seasoned observers of international relations might note that it is usually Britain that
follows the US lead – whether in the 1999 attack on Yugoslavia, the 2003 invasion of
Iraq, or the 2011 regime change operation in Libya – and not the other way around. Yet,
according to White House's Shah, the US is "joined at the hip" with the UK on this.
What gives?
This needs to be emphasized. The majority of the EU countries did not join in this mass
expulsion. As for those that did, expulsions were mostly pro forma, undertaken in order to
keep the British happy. Why then the wildly disproportionate response from Trump? https://t.co/4FldvIS80W
America's first president, George Washington, warned way back in 1796 of the danger of
"entangling alliances," which would draw the newly created country into foreign wars
on behalf of allied governments. Such alliances would also lead to poor relations with other
nations and distort US policies to favor the wishes of its allies over the will of the American
people.
Yet today's US policymakers, from the highest officials of the Trump administration to the
NeverTrump think-tanks, treat it as an article of faith that the US is strong because it has
entangling alliances with countries all over the world, and a military presence all over the
planet.
Washington and other allies of London "blindly follow the principle of Euro-Atlantic
unity at the expense of common sense, the rules of civilized state-to-state dialogue and the
principles of international law," the Russian Foreign Ministry said , condemning the expulsions.
Shah's comments, that the US relationship with Russia is entirely "up to the Russian
government and up to Putin," as if Washington had no agency in the matter, certainly seems
to suggest that Trump is all tangled up in the "special relationship" with London.
However, there is also the possibility that Trump or some of his advisers are pursuing
hostility towards Moscow in order to counter the narrative of 'Russian collusion' – which
originated from the Hillary Clinton campaign after the humiliating loss in the 2016 election,
and continues to be pushed by many in the US media and the Democratic party.
"What we are witnessing now is part of a long-term program of unbridled
Russophobia," Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told Rossiya-1 TV.
Reporters covering the White House presented a good example on Monday. In the rare moments
when they digressed from discussing Trump's alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels,
reporters mostly wanted to know "what took so long" to expel the diplomats and why
more is not being done against Russia. CNN's Jim Sciutto finally got a question, only to demand
more sanctions against "Russian oligarchs" and Putin personally.
No matter what Trump does against Russia, it fails to mollify his critics, who see evidence
of his "collusion" with Moscow in absolutely everything.
Closing Russia's consulate in Seattle hurts Americans in our Northwest who want to visit
Russia, not Putin's oligarchs. Typical misdirection by Trump Administration.
Trump didn't have an option to keep the 60 Russian spies posing as diplomats in the US,
but I guarantee he looked for one. He also hasn't criticized Putin or implemented all of the
sanctions Congress passed against Russia. Trump's a traitor & shouldn't be president.
#ImpeachTrump
Whatever the intent behind Monday's decision, its timing and execution were certainly
problematic. The expulsion of diplomats came as Russia was collectively mourning the deaths of
64 people, many of them children , in
a mall fire in the Siberian city of Kemerovo. Adding insult to injury sounds like really poor
diplomacy, no matter who's behind it.
Then again, as the former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali noted in his 1999
memoir, Washington sees no need for diplomacy when power will do.
"The Roman Empire had no need for diplomacy. Nor does the United States, " wrote
Boutros-Ghali.
Authored Among
Western political leaders there is not an ounce of integrity or morality . The Western print
and TV media is dishonest and corrupt beyond repair. Yet the Russian government persists in its
fantasy of "working with Russia's Western partners." The only way Russia can work with crooks
is to become a crook. Is that what the Russian government wants?
Finian
Cunningham notes the absurdity in the political and media uproar over Trump (belatedly)
telephoning Putin to congratulate him on his reelection with 77 percent of the vote, a show of
public approval that no Western political leader could possibly attain. The crazed US senator
from Arizona called the person with the largest majority vote of our time "a dictator." Yet a
real blood-soaked dictator from Saudi Arabia is feted at the White House and fawned over by the
president of the United States.
The Western politicians and presstitutes are morally outraged over an alleged poisoning,
unsupported by any evidence, of a former spy of no consequence on orders by the president of
Russia himself. These kind of insane insults thrown at the leader of the world's most powerful
military nation -- and Russia is a nation, unlike the mongrel Western countries -- raise the
chances of nuclear Armageddon beyond the risks during the 20th century's Cold War. The insane
fools making these unsupported accusations show total disregard for all life on earth. Yet they
regard themselves as the salt of the earth and as "exceptional, indispensable" people.
Think about the alleged poisoning of Skirpal by Russia. What can this be other than an
orchestrated effort to demonize the president of Russia? How can the West be so outraged over
the death of a former double-agent, that is, a deceptive person, and completely indifferent to
the millions of peoples destroyed by the West in the 21st century alone. Where is the outrage
among Western peoples over the massive deaths for which the West, acting through its Saudi
agent, is responsible in Yemen? Where is the Western outrage among Western peoples over the
deaths in Syria? The deaths in Libya, in Somalia, Pakistan, Ukraine, Afghanistan? Where is the
outrage in the West over the constant Western interference in the internal affairs of other
countries? How many times has Washington overthrown a democratically-elected government in
Honduras and reinstalled a Washington puppet?
The corruption in the West extends beyond politicians, presstitutes, and an insouciant
public to experts. When the ridiculous Condi Rice, national security adviser to president
George W. Bush, spoke of Saddam Hussein's non-existent weapons of mass destruction sending up a
nuclear cloud over an American city, experts did not laugh her out of court. The chance of any
such event was precisely zero and every expert knew it, but the corrupt experts held their
tongues. If they spoke the truth, they knew that they would not get on TV, would not get a
government grant, would be out of the running for a government appointment. So they accepted
the absurd lie designed to justify an American invasion that destroyed a country.
This is the West. There is nothing but lies and indifference to the deaths of others. The
only outrage is orchestrated and directed against a target: the Taliban, Saddam Hussein,
Gaddafi, Iran, Assad, Russia and Putin, and against reformist leaders in Latin America. The
targets for Western outrage are always those who act independently of Washington or who are no
longer useful to Washington's purposes.
Orchestrations this blatant demonstrate that Western governments have no respect for the
intelligence of their peoples. That Western governments get away with these fantastic lies
indicates that the governments are immune to accountability. Even if accountability were
possible, there is no sign that Western peoples are capable of holding their governments
accountable. As Washington drives the world to nuclear war, where are the protests? The only
protest is brainwashed school children protesting the National Rifle Association and the Second
Amendment.
Western democracy is a hoax. Consider Catalonia. The people voted for independence and were
denounced for doing so by European politicians. The Spanish government invaded Catalonia
alleging that the popular referendum, in which people expressed their opinion about their own
future, was illegal. Catalonian leaders are in prison awaiting trial, except for Carles
Puigdemont who escaped to Belgium. Now Germany has captured
him on his return to Belgium from Finland where he lectured at the University of Hesinki
and is holding him in jail for a Spanish government that bears more resemblance to Francisco
Franco than to democracy. The European Union itself is a conspiracy against democracy.
The success of Western propaganda in creating non-existent virtues for itself is the
greatest public relations success in history. Tags Politics
"... I do not know who poisoned the Skripals, how it was done, or for what reason. I continue to keep an open mind. But I do know one thing. It looks like Mrs May has some explaining to do. ..."
On Monday 12th March , the Prime Minister of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Theresa
May, stood up in Parliament and made the following claim as part of her 36-hour ultimatum to
the Russian Federation:
"Mr Speaker, this morning I chaired a meeting of the National Security Council in which we
considered the information so far available. As is normal, the Council was updated on the
assessment and intelligence picture, as well as the state of the investigation.
It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade
nerve agent of a type developed by Russia. This is part of a group of nerve agents
known as 'Novichok' .
Based on the positive identification of this chemical agent by world-leading experts
at the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down ; our knowledge that
Russia has previously produced this agent and would still be capable of doing so; Russia's
record of conducting state-sponsored assassinations; and our assessment that Russia views
some defectors as legitimate targets for assassinations; the Government has concluded that it
is highly likely that Russia was responsible for the act against Sergei and Yulia Skripal [my
emphasis]."
"Mr Speaker, on Monday I set out that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a
Novichok: a military grade nerve agent developed by Russia [my emphasis]."
Let's break this down. The three key parts of Mrs May's claim are as follows:
That the experts at Porton Down had made a positive identification of the
substance used to poison Mr Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.
That this positive identification concluded that it was a military-grade
nerve agent .
That this positive identification was that the substance was part of a group
of nerve agents known as 'Novichok' .
In a judgement at the High Court on 22nd March on whether to allow blood samples to be
taken from Sergei and Yulia Skripal for examination by the OPCW, the evidence submitted by
Porton Down (in section 17 i), stated the following:
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound . The samples
tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely related
agent [my emphasis]."
Let's break this down. The three key parts of the evidence given by Porton Down to the High
Court are as follows:
That the analysis at Porton Down indicated the substance used to poison Mr
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia.
That this indication was not able to positively identify whether the
substance used was actually a nerve agent (much less a military-grade nerve agent), and left
open the possibility that it may have been a related compound .
That this indication could not positively identify whether the
substance was part of a group of nerve agents known as 'Novichok', or whether it was a
closely related agent .
Mrs May's statement claims positive identification of a military grade nerve agent of the
"Novichok" class of chemical weapons. Porton Down's evidence to the High Court shows that no
such positive identification took place.
Two statements. Both cannot be true.
I do not know who poisoned the Skripals, how it was done, or for what reason. I continue to
keep an open mind. But I do know one thing. It looks like Mrs May has some explaining to
do.
There are a lot of issues around the case of Sergei and Yulia Skripal which, at the time of writing, are very unclear
and rather odd. There may well be good and innocent explanations for some or even all of them. Then again there may
not. This is why it is crucial for questions to be asked where, as yet, there are either no answers or deeply
unsatisfactory ones.
Some people will assume that this is conspiracy theory territory. It is not that, for the
simple reason that I have no credible theory -- conspiracy or otherwise -- to explain all the details of the incident
in Salisbury from start to finish, and I am not attempting to forward one. I have no idea who was behind this
incident, and I continue to keep an open mind to a good many possible explanations.
However, there are a number of oddities in the official narrative, which do demand answers and clarifications. You
don't have to be a conspiracy theorist or a defender of the Russian state to see this. You just need a healthy
scepticism, "of a type developed by all inquiring minds!"
Below are 30 of the most important questions regarding the case and the British Government's response, which are
currently either wholly unanswered, or which require clarification.
1.
Why have there been no updates on the condition of Sergei and Yulia Skripal in the public
domain since the first week of the investigation?
2.
Are they still alive?
3.
If so, what is their current condition and what symptoms are they displaying?
4.
In a recent
letter to The Times
,
Stephen Davies, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, wrote the following:
"Sir, Further to your report ("Poison exposure leaves almost 40 needing treatment", Mar
14) may I clarify that no patients have experienced nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury and there have only ever been
three patients with significant poisoning."
His claim that "
no patients
have experienced
nerve agent poisoning
in Salisbury" is remarkably odd, as it appears to flatly contradict the official narrative. Was this a slip of
the pen, or was it his intention to communicate precisely this -- that no patients have been poisoned by a nerve agent
in Salisbury?
5.
It has been said that the Skripals and Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey were poisoned by "a
military grade nerve agent". According to some claims, the type referred to could be anywhere between five and eight
times more toxic than VX nerve agent. Given that just
10mg of VX is reckoned to be the
median lethal dose
, it seems likely that the particular type mentioned in the Skripal case should have killed
them instantly. Is there an explanation as to how or why this did not happen?
6.
Although reports suggested the involvement of some sort of nerve agent fairly soon after the
incident, it was almost a week before
Public Health England
issued advice to those who had visited The Mill pub or the Zizzi restaurant in Salisbury on
the day that the Skripals fell ill. Why the delay and did this pose a danger to the public?
7.
In their advice, Public Health England stated that people who had visited those places, where
traces of a military grade nerve agent had apparently been found, should wash their clothes and:
"Wipe personal items such as phones, handbags and other electronic items with cleansing or baby wipes and
dispose of the wipes in the bin (ordinary domestic waste disposal)."
Are baby wipes acknowledged to be an effective and safe method of dealing with objects that may potentially have
been contaminated with "military grade nerve agent", especially of a type 5-8 times more deadly than VX?
8.
Initial reports suggested that Detective Sergeant Bailey became ill after coming into contact
with the substance after attending the Skripals on the bench they were seated on in The Maltings in Salisbury.
Subsequent claims, however,
first aired by former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Lord Ian Blair on 9
th
March
, said that he came
into contact with the substance at Sergei Skripal's house in Christie Miller Road. Reports since then have been
highly ambiguous about what should be an easily verifiable fact. Which is the correct account?
9.
The government have claimed that the poison used was "a military grade nerve agent
of a
type
developed by Russia
". The phrase "of a type developed by Russia" says nothing whatsoever about
whether the substance used in the Salisbury case was
produced
or
manufactured
in Russia. Can the
government confirm that its scientists at Porton Down have established that the substance that poisoned the Skripals
and DS Bailey was actually
produced
or
manufactured
in Russia?
10.
The former ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, has claimed that sources within the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) have told him that
scientists at Porton Down would not agree to a statement about the place of origin of the substance
, because they
were not able to establish this. According to Mr Murray, only under much pressure from the Government did they end up
agreeing to the compromise wording, "of a type developed by Russia", which has subsequently been used in all official
statements on the matter. Can the FCO, in plain and unambiguous English, categorically refute Mr Murray's claims that
pressure was put on Porton Down scientists to agree to a form of words and that in the end a much-diluted version was
agreed?
11.
On the occasion that the FCO did attempt to refute Mr Murray's claims
, the wording they used included a
straightforward repetition of the same phrase "of a type developed by Russia". Is the FCO willing and able to go
beyond this and confirm that the substance was not only "of a type developed by Russia", but that it was "produced"
or "manufactured" in Russia?
12.
Why did the British Government issue a 36-hour ultimatum to the Russian Government to come up
with an explanation, but then refuse their request to share the evidence that allegedly pointed to their culpability
(there could have been no danger of their tampering with it, since Porton Down would have retained their own sample)?
13.
How is it possible for a state (or indeed any person or entity) that has been accused of
something, to defend themselves against an accusation if they are refused access to evidence that apparently points
to their guilt?
14.
Is this not a clear case of the reversal of the presumption of innocence and of due process?
15.
Furthermore, why did the British Government issue an ultimatum to the Russian Government, in
contravention of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) rules governing such matters, to
which both Britain and Russia are signatories, and which are clearly set out in
Article 9, Paragraph ii of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)?
16.
Given that the investigation,
which has been described by the man leading it
as being "an extremely challenging investigation" and as having "a
number of unique and complex issues", and given that many of the facts of the case are not yet known, such as when,
where and how the substance was administered, how is it possible for the British Government to point the finger of
blame with such certainty?
17.
Furthermore, by doing so, haven't they both politicised and prejudiced the investigation?
18.
Why did the British Government feel the need to come forward with an accusation little more
than a week into the investigation, rather than waiting for its completion?
19.
On
the Andrew Marr Show
on 18
th
March, the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, stated the following:
"And I might just say in response to Mr Chizhov's point about Russian stockpiles of chemical weapons. We
actually had evidence within the last ten years that Russia has not only been investigating the delivery of nerve
agents for the purposes of assassination, but it has also been creating and stockpiling Novichok."
Where has this intelligence come from and has it been properly verified?
20.
If this intelligence was known before 27
th
September 2017 the date that the
OPCW issued a statement
declaring the completion of the destruction of all 39,967 metric tons of chemical weapons
possessed by the Russian Federation why did Britain not inform the OPCW of its own intelligence which apparently
contradicts this claim, which they would have had a legal obligation to do?
21.
If this intelligence was known after 27
th
September 2017, why did Britain not
inform the OPCW of this "new" information, which it was legally obliged to do, since it allegedly shows that Russia
had been lying to the OPCW and had been carrying out a clandestine chemical weapons programme?
22.
Also on the Andrew Marr show, Mr Johnson made the following claim after a question of whether
he was "absolutely sure" that the substance used to poison the Skripals was a "Novichok":
"Obviously to the best of our knowledge this is a Russian-made nerve agent that falls within the category
Novichok made only by Russia, and just to get back to the point about the international reaction which is so
fascinating."
Is the phrase "to the best of our knowledge" an adequate response to Mr Marr's request of him being "absolutely
sure"?
23.
Is this a good enough legal basis from which to accuse another state and to impose punitive
measures on it, or is more certainty needed before such an accusation can be made?
24.
After hedging his words with the phrase, "to the best of our knowledge", Mr Johnson then went
beyond previous Government claims that the substance was "of a type developed in Russia", saying that it was
"Russian-made". Have the scientists at Porton Down been able to establish that it was indeed "Russian-made", or was
this a case of Mr Johnson straying off-message?
25.
He also went beyond the previous claim that the substance was "of a type developed in Russia"
by saying that the substance involved in the Skripal case "falls within the category Novichok
made only by Russia
"?
Firstly, is Mr Johnson able to provide evidence that this category of chemical weapons was ever successfully
synthesised in Russia, especially in the light of the OPCW's Scientific Advisory Board stating as recently as 2013,
that it has
"insufficient information to comment on the existence or properties of 'Novichoks
'
"?
26.
As Craig Murray has again pointed out
, since its 2013 statement, the OPCW has worked (legally) with Iranian
scientists who
have
successfully synthesised these chemical weapons. Was Mr Johnson aware that the category
of "Novichok" chemical weapons had been synthesised elsewhere when he stated that this category of chemical weapons
is "made only by Russia"?
27.
Does the fact that Iranian scientists were able to synthesise this class of chemical weapons
suggest that other states have the capabilities to do likewise?
28.
Is the British Government aware that the main plant involved in attempts to synthesise
Novichoks in the 1970s and 1980s was based not in Russia, but in Nukus in Uzbekistan?
29.
Does the fact that the US Department of Defence decontaminated and dismantled the Nukus site,
under an agreement with the Government of Uzbekistan
, make it at least theoretically possible that substances or
secrets held within that plant could have been carried out of the country and even back to the United States?
If there are any journalists with integrity and inquisitive minds still living in this country, I would be grateful
if they could begin doing their job and research the answers to these sorts of questions by asking the appropriate
people and authorities.
P.E. Ace
says:
March 26, 2018 at 12:40 pm
The government (incl Porton Down) have no proof novichok was used: a cautious and not even cynical
interpretation of the Court of Protection judgment regarding evidence in the Skripal case points to bluffing on
the side of May, Johnson and Williamson. It all comes down to the use of the word "related" and the words
"closely related".
According to the judgement, the Porton Down Chemical and Biological Analyst provided
following evidence:
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the
findings indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound."
"The samples tested positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent or closely
related agent."
The quotes are from paragraph 17 in Mr Justice Williams's judgement issued 22 March 2018.
Macron, Merkel and Trump now weigh extradition of Russian diplomats based on the UK government's hasty
conclusion that novichok was used.
Please also note that the formula for novichok can be found in Mirzayanov's book that you can buy on the US
site of Amazon. I was able to see the formula in the Appendix via amazon's browsing facility (chemical A-232).
Reply
Stewart Dredge
says:
March 25, 2018 at 7:05 pm
Some more questions:
Why was there no massive police "national manhunt" after the event?
A person or persons armed with "the deadliest nerve agent known to man" had just carried out a botched
attempted murder on the streets of an English town and was presumably still at large. He/she/they had failed in
their task and was/ were presumably desperate and on the run. Did they still carry the lethal substance? Were
they perhaps infected themselves? Were they a danger to other Russian dissidents, police or members of the
public?
So why does there appear to have been little or no attempt to identify, find and arrest them? Why no request
for anyone witnessing anything suspicious or warnings not to approach anyone behaving strangely?
Also, why are journalists not behaving the way journalists do in such circumstances? Why are Mr Skripals
Salisbury friends not being door-stepped to ask about what he is like, whether he ever talks about his past,
his family or his hopes for the future. Why are they not asking his neighbours about the sort of people, if
any, come and go at his house. He seems to have been a friendly, gregarious chap who often drank with friends
at the local pub. What did the bar staff and the other regulars make of him?
And what about the "shouting" incident in the restaurant? One member of staff appears to have reported "He
started screaming. He just didn't look right.' Where are the media interviews with staff and diners to expand
upon this? Why are the UK media and police acting so unlike the UK media and police normally act after such
incidents?
I am no conspiracy theorist and I do not believe that any government could successfully "silence" hundreds of
police officers and journalists even if one wanted to. It may be that the UK authorities know exactly what
happened and are playing a long, waiting game. But the utterances of May, Johnson and co suggest otherwise. It
may be that the OPCW will clarify everything but Johnson's utterances about the substance being proved to be a
novichok and that only the Russians can make it are false and demonstrably so the public's confusion can only
continue.
Reply
Rob Slane
says:
March 25, 2018 at 7:15 pm
Thanks Stewart. These are very good questions. The ones regarding the lack of "manhunt" are especially good
and to the point. I am thinking of a follow-up set of questions, and if you don't mind, I might use this one
(accredited to you, of course).
Like you, I am no conspiracy theorist, but there is something extraordinary about the facts (or lack of
them) in this case, that really don't add up.
mikhas
says:
March 24, 2018 at 11:54 am
Another inconsistency is that there are many pictures showing police and others running around in Hazmat suits
together with f.ex the fire brigade that clearly do not. Shouldn't they all wear such suits? Even May were
strutting around with no protection at all
If a military grade nerve agent was used everybody in the
vicinity of the attack, including the murderer should have died and the entire town evacuated
Reply
Gerd Mόller
says:
March 23, 2018 at 9:27 pm
what is with eating fish in zizzi resataurant and drinking cold beer and then ending vomitting on a bench in a
park? Too much TV on novochock in England
Reply
steve Hayes
says:
March 21, 2018 at 11:24 am
The fact that the corporate media are not asking these (and other) question is not because they are stupid; it
is because they are paid propagandists.
We cannot expect them to report accurately. But what we can do is
learn from the history of their mendacious journalism.
Ray Joseph Cormier
says:
March 21, 2018 at 12:41 am
Buy the same logic Russia is guilty because they developed the chemical weapon 30 years ago, then England is
guilty of the murder of Kin Jong Un's half brother by VX in Malaysia because it was developed in England.
Reply
United front against Kremlin is a coup for Theresa May
Catherine
Philp, Diplomatic Correspondent
The largest mass expulsion of Russian spies from the West is a significant diplomatic achievement for Theresa May at a
time when she could badly use one.
Her failure to persuade Donald Trump to back the Paris climate agreement or make
him see the wisdom of the Iran nuclear deal has undermined Britain's claim to act as a bridge between Europe and the
United States.
Similarly, Brexit means Britain is loosening its bonds with Europe, relinquishing its role in steering the EU's
relations with the rest of the world.
President Donald Trump has ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats and the closure of
the Russian consulate in Seattle. It comes in response to the poisoning of Sergei Skripal in
Salisbury, which the UK has blamed on Russia. The move follows major diplomatic pressure by the
UK on its allies to follow their lead in expelling Russian diplomats. The Russian embassy in
Washington had previously urged Trump not to heed the "fake news " on Skripal's
poisoning.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has accused Moscow of being behind the poisoning of the
former spy Skripal and his daughter in the town of Salisbury in early March.
Breaking: US to expel 48 Russian embassy workers in Washington, D.C. and 12 at the Russian
mission to the U.N. U.S. says they were intel officers using diplo status as cover.
pic.twitter.com/mRuwY8Tes6
Of the 60 diplomats expelled, 12 formed part of the Russian mission to the United Nations.
In a statement, US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley said the 12 Russians in question had "
abused their privilege of residence" in the US and had "engaged in espionage
activities that are adverse to our national security."
Russia could seize the assets of European and American companies operating in the country in
retaliation for any economic sanctions imposed by the West amid tensions over the Ukraine
crisis, a top Russian senator has warned.
Andrey Klishas, chairman of the upper house committee on constitutional law, told RIA
Novosti that a team of lawyers are preparing a federal bill that would enable Russian president
Vladimir Putin and the government to confiscate foreign-owned property in Russia, including
assets owned by private companies.
"All sanctions must be mutual," Klishas said. "We are only suggesting that instead of
threatening each other with sanctions we should together with our partners calmly read the
Ukrainian Constitution and understand what has happened in this sovereign country".
"The main thing we are trying to achieve, whether our European and American partners want it
or not, is to make others listen to our legal arguments and adequately react to them."
Conservative MP Brooks Newmark, a member of parliament's influential Treasury Select
Committee, suggested that the UK could hit Russian business assets and bank accounts in
turn.
He told HuffPostUK: "We can economically hurt Putin and his cronies as well, we can put a
huge amount of economic pressure on them. They have enormous business interests in the UK and
bank accounts here, too."
The White House earlier this week called off trade talks with Russia. President Barack Obama
warned earlier this week that if Russia 'continued on its current trajectory" then the US was
prepared to impose "a whole series of steps -- economic, diplomatic -- that will isolate Russia
and will have a negative impact on Russia's economy and its standing in the world."
In response, foreign minister Sergey Lavrov told the UN Human Rights Council: "Those who try
to interpret the situation as a type of aggression and threaten sanctions and boycotts, are the
same who consistently have encouraged the sides to refuse dialogue and have ultimately
polarised Ukrainian society."
A spokesman for the Russian Foreign Ministry said: "Moscow has explained to the Americans,
repeatedly and demonstrably, why their one-sided punitive measures are not matching the
standards of civilized relations between nations. If this fails to take effect, we will have to
retaliate, and not necessarily in a mirror way."
"... What matters is the referenced "aide memoire" which the Russian MFA produced for distribution to the ambassadors for conveyance to their capitals. That document is here: Official Statement of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the "Skripal Case" http://thesaker.is/official-statement-of-the-russian-ministry-of-foreign-affairs-on-the-skripal-case/ ..."
"... The document raises a number of questions about the case which the British appear to be avoiding answering and also points out that there is a procedure under the Convention For The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons" which Russia alleges the British are not following. ..."
"... Mercouris believes the intent of Britain was to get a UNSC Resolution blaming Russia (which Russia would veto) and then getting NATO to impose wide-ranging sanctions against Russia under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty and that this isn't going to happen. ..."
"... It's important to note that the language Theresa May has been using blames Russia for a "chemical attack on Britain" which is an act of war and can be used to invoke NATO Article 5. ..."
"... But it seems most of the parties decided to duck that serious step and left May hanging. Depending on what new details come out about the Skripal attack, I suspect the whole affair may end back-firing against Britain. ..."
"... The role of May & Johnson was so obvious and it defied the human dignity to such extend that others did not dare to participate in the provocation. ..."
Movement on the Skripal case from Russia. They called together ambassadors from numerous
nations to the Foreign Ministry and held a two-hour meeting to discuss the British
allegations against Russia. The video of that is here:
Russian MFA summons all ambassadors to a meeting on Skripal case (MUST WATCH!!!)
Although the headline says "Must watch", I wouldn't bother. I watched it and it was mostly
a waste of time. There was one statement bringing up the point that all that is known about
the alleged "Novichok" agent comes from one Russian defector to the US who is working for the
US and what that means for the validity of any statement about those agents.
The document raises a number of questions about the case which the British appear to
be avoiding answering and also points out that there is a procedure under the Convention For
The Prohibition of Chemical Weapons" which Russia alleges the British are not
following.
Alexander Mercouris at The Duran analyzes the EU response to the British allegations in a
UNSC meeting which occurred on March 14th.
Although the EU publicly claims (and repeated these claims in the Russian MFA meeting
referenced above) solidarity with Britain, the UNSC meeting was considerably more muted in
terms of ascribing the Skripal attack to Russia. Mercouris believes the intent of Britain
was to get a UNSC Resolution blaming Russia (which Russia would veto) and then getting NATO
to impose wide-ranging sanctions against Russia under Article 5 of the NATO Treaty and that
this isn't going to happen.
It's important to note that the language Theresa May has been using blames Russia for
a "chemical attack on Britain" which is an act of war and can be used to invoke NATO Article
5.
In other words the British referral to the UN Security Council had the purpose of
preparing the ground for an emergency NATO summit at which Britain would invoke Article
5.
But it seems most of the parties decided to duck that serious step and left May
hanging. Depending on what new details come out about the Skripal attack, I suspect the whole
affair may end back-firing against Britain.
It is hard to wrap one's mind around the stupidity of the Skripal affair, considering that
the UK (or perhaps the Friends of Israel in the UK) decided to use the case of poisoning of a
Russian citizen Julia Skripal (and her father) during her visit to the UK, as a ground for
Article 5 -- before any evidence is collected and before a thorough investigation is
conducted.
The role of May & Johnson was so obvious and it defied the human dignity to such
extend that others did not dare to participate in the provocation.
"... No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in such a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a botched smuggling operation . Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast cash? Were they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium into powder and kill anyone who ingested it. ..."
"... Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we can deduce what happened. He was a mule . The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys Ltd (Britain's Blackwater)? ..."
Boris Berezovsky
Save As we all know Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by polonium, a rare radioactive
substance. The main narrative blamed it all on Vladimir Putin of Russia. The rationale rested
on little other than because Litvinenko was a Putin critic . This was the quick line in mass
media, and it was on all the typical war propaganda channels.
There are many things wrong with the "Putin did it" story. For one, there is no motive ,
even with Litvinenko being a critic of Russia, he was no threat whatsoever to Putin. The man
worked with Chechen terrorists and the Israeli-Russian oligarchs . But assuming that there was
a sufficient motive to kill him, think about this: Why would Russia use a very rare, very
expensive, and easily traceable radioactive substance to kill him instead of some cheap poison
or just shooting him? Why risk smuggling radioactive material into the UK which is an act of
war?
Yet that is exactly what the UK/US media would have you believe. They want to say that Putin
had someone sneak into the UK with polonium and poison Litvinenko with it. It just isn't
plausible. It's actually absurd.
Alexander Litvinenko who was formerly FSB fled to the UK to avoid court prosecution in
Russia, worked for a shady Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky. Boris Berezovsky just so happens
to be the Israeli-Russian oligarch who lived in London after fleeing the Russian judicial
system for a multitude of crimes too long to list. He was on Interpol's most wanted list. Here
is the grand prize. After the US and UK press branded Putin with the poisoning despite there
being Zero evidence, (something the US is very well known for now) investigators were tracking
down the traces of Polonium in the UK. They detected traces of Polonium at Berezovsky's office
and residence! Now I do not know about you, but in my place of work, and certainly in my house,
I do not have rare radioactive substances. Polonium is not something you just get at the market
or pick up by accident walking through the park.
No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in such
a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a botched
smuggling operation . Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast cash? Were
they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium into powder
and kill anyone who ingested it.
Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we can
deduce what happened. He was a mule . The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he
get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys
Ltd (Britain's Blackwater)?
The "Putin did it" smear case has never made sense. First of all, the amount of polonium 210
in play would have cost millions of dollars. That amount is too expensive to purchase and too
large to go unnoticed if it were stolen. The only way to obtain such a quantity would be on a
well organized black market that had a connection to a nuclear facility. It would certainly
help organized crime if the nuclear powered supplier they received the Polonium from was not
subjected to international inspections or part of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Such a
country, ( Foreign country A ) which denied they even built nuclear weapons for decades, would
certainly also deny selling their Polonium byproduct as well.
Is it possible to hide that from the press? Yes. The media would ignore this for the same
reason the media ignores them stealing nuclear secrets and building hundreds of nuclear weapons
in Dimona, then throwing whistle blowers who took pictures of their warheads, in jail.
Litvinenko was in Israel, where he met Leonid Nevzlin the CEO of Yukos shortly before he
died. If you wanted to buy/steal radioactive material that would be the place. What was he
negotiating with Nevzlin? We learned Alexander had been an informant in a case that led to the
arrest of nine Georgian and Russian Mobsters in Spain, including Alexander Gofstein a lawyer
for Yukos who apparently was laundering money.
The downfall began when Georgian Mob Boss Zakhar Kalashov was arrested in May 2006. The scam
was similar to what the old Five Families of New York had done, when guys like Meyer Lansky
took profits from illegal gambling businesses and funneled them into buying up real estate in
Florida. In the European case, the mob was taking illegal funds and buying up real estate in
Spain as well as making investments into legitimate businesses .
Litivnenko's associates, Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, who both had met with him the day
of the poisoning, were also both hospitalized. They left traces of Polonium in Hamburg as they
had taken the trip to Germany before meeting Litvinenko. It appears all three were involved in
a smuggling operation, but for who?
Short answer: Russian Oligarch Boris Berezovsky's employee Alexander Litvinenko died from
over exposure to Polonium in a botched smuggling operation. That is why traces of it were at
Boris's house and on the planes Litvinenko was riding to and from Israel. The smear on
Putin/Russia using a highly traceable 10 million dollar poison to kill a critic is about as
plausible and rational as saying we have "British Intelligence" about Niger.... This
transparent bogus lie was a quick and shamelessly sloppy explanation to cover up how and why
this man in the UK had a radioactive poison in his body. Polonium only has a half life of 138
days.
Litvinenko had been in Israel to visit Yukos's CEO, just shortly before he died. And it's an
open secret that Israel has nuclear weapons, the only place without nuclear safeguard or
inspections. Traces of polonium were also on the British Airway planes that Litvinenko took to
and from Israel. So they would have the means, location, and the timing fits, but let's just
blame Putin, "The New Hitler" as Neocons have dubbed him?
Why the fuss about a conspiracy claiming that Putin put Litvinenko on a hitlist and poisoned
him? Well as wacky as that story is, it was probably the best they could come up with on short
notice. Boris knew once the police found out how Litvinenko died that there would be a lot of
explaining to do. He also knew that if the investigation went forward that they could find more
of this Polonium on his properties. So they just claimed the KGB was trying to kill them
all.
Some History
This is not the first time that Berezovsky tried to pin a murder on someone else and claim
that all the damning evidence pointing to him was a frame . There are the notorious cases (in
Russia) of Ivan Litskevich and Vlad Listyev.
Ivan Listkevich was the general director of the Omsk oil refinery, easily the best refinery
in Russia. Abramovich and Berezovsky planned to take over the refinery and make it part of
Berezovsky's Sibnef (which it now is). Listkevich resisted. Ivan had outside investments from
LUKoil (10% of the stock) and CS First Boston. So in no way was he threatened to sink. Omsk was
in the best location, had the latest equipment, and was well positioned to continue to soar.
They serviced the biggest oil producers in Russia. Naturally Ivan did not want to be swallowed
by Sibnef. August 19, 1995 Ivan was found drowned in the Irtysh River. I doubt he went there to
swim. Five days later Sibnef (Gazprom) took over . August 24th 1995, using his good buddy
Yeltsin, Berezovsky got a Presidential Decree №872, to order a transfer of all the
state's share in Omsk as well as 4 other companies to Sibnef. Then in 1996 Boris and Roman
privatized Sibnef through a series of Loans-for-Shares' auctions which were a complete scam run
through front companies and offshore banks. Yeltsin approved of it.
The case may leave doubts in the mind until one learns about the murder of Vlad Listyev. In
1994 Boris attacked one of his rivals over control of a media outlet. Part of the attack was
broadcast all over TV and came to be known as "faces in the snow" as Boris's rival's bodyguard
were forced at gun point to lie face down in the snow. Shortly after a 90mph high speed chase
and attacking rival Gusinsky's MOST guards and pinning Gusinsky in his own building, Berezovsky
would take control of ORT (channel 1) through an illegal non-public "auction" and gain a near
media monopoly.
For details on that I recommend reading "God Father of the Kremlin" if you can still find
it. It was written by the senior editor of Forbes in Russian who holds a Ph.D in
Russian history, Paul Klebnikov. For the record Paul Klebnikov was killed after publishing his
book on the Oligarchs , particularly on Boris, who is on the cover. He was shot four times in
Moscow while leaving work and then died in the hospital after getting stuck on an elevator.
After the Gusinsky event, Boris had another problem. Vladislav Listyev. Listyev was probably
the most popular talk show host in Russia and a TV producer. He was a business partner with
Boris but the problem was he was not crooked. As general director of ORT he decided to fix a
multi-million dollar leak in the company and indirect way of Boris paying people off in the Mob
to do dirty work, as well as paying himself by spending money for ads in other companies owned
where he also ran the advertising sales. He had an offer from Sergei Lisovsky to buy up the
sector. Negotiations never went through and Vlad had a different idea.
On Feb 20th 1995 Vlad announced that he would break the monopoly of Boris and Sergei . He
called for a moratorium on ORT advertising until they could work out ethical standards. As you
can imagine that did not make Boris or the rest of the mob happy. Eight days later Boris
personally met with "Nikolai", a mafia boss, and handed him a hundred thousand dollars in cash.
This was witnessed by two police officers who were monitoring the Mob. Prior to that Boris's
lacky Badri offered money to a different gangster but that man was arrested before he could do
what was asked of him and he confessed this in jail. On March 1st the day after Berezovsky paid
a second Mob Boss, Vlad Listyev was shot in the back at the entrance of his home .
Guilty as sin, with a confession against Badri as well as being personally witnessed by two
police, offering another mob boss money, Boris was desperate. He was inches away from being
arrested. Boris's TV network was cut out of government subsidies after the police raided it and
it was subject to bankruptcy. Fellow media giant and friend Ruppert Murdoch promised to invest
in the network and bail him out . How nice. And we all know where Murdoch stands. This
relationship might also explain why Fox News and Sky News in the UK were so blatantly
cheerleading the "Putin killed Litvinenko" conspiracy story.
But here is the real kicker. It is just as outrageous and far fetched as the Litvinenko
poisoning. Boris concocted a story for Yeltsin which was recorded on video tape produced by
Irina Lesnevskaya a producer at ORT and a friend of Yeltsin's wife. The tape claimed that it
was all a big conspiracy against Berezovsky and that the real culprit (who had no motive other
than to frame Boris [apparently able to hire a gun to kill Vlad but not Boris?]) was none other
than bitter rival Gusinsky of Most Bank, whom Boris had already tried to kill once.
Yeltsin was paranoid of Gusinsky's political ambitions and Boris knew this. Boris also
blamed X-KGB and said Vlad was killed by the MOST group, and not the mob he was witnessed
meeting with a week after Vlad was going to break his monopoly. (Sounds like "Iraq moved the
nonexistent WMDs to Syria just to make the US look bad." give me a break) Boris claimed to be
set up because he was loyal to Yeltsin as was his new media outlet.
Yeltsin, ever a partner in cover ups, not to mention a drunk and a thief, got Boris out of
trouble once again by firing the lead investigators in the case, which intimidated others to
drop it. There was a huge public outcry. A TV personality had been killed. ORT created a new
company called ORT advertising with a monopoly to sell ads on commission no less, and the
boss-man chosen was none other than Sergei Lisovsky . Wow, how utterly shameless.
If you can speak Russian or if you can find an English copy of the Boris/Lesnevskaya tape
transcript sent to Yeltsin, it's going to make you very angry. It is about as plausible as
saying Putin risked an act of war with the UK to kill a critic who worked for both a criminal
as well as terrorist.
Who Done It?
So we know what didn't happen. But there still remains a "who done it." The quickest way to
get to the bottom of this is to see who is lying the most and loudest, because that is usually
who has the most to hide .
Remember Anna Politkovskaya? She was killed on Putin's birthday and the alternative press
and the 'mindlessly accepting any conspiracy' types who fell for it, tried to use that
circumstantial "evidence" to blame the murder on Putin.
These are the same types that claim Russia bombed its own apartment buildings to start a war
with Chechnya omitting the fact that the apartment bombing took place five months after the war
has already started, and the "sources" trying to blame the FSB were none other than Boris's
lacky Litvinenko and well known plagiarist David Satter, who wrote for the PNAC co-founders' Weekly Standard , which gave the world all the bogus lies about Iraq's WMD and
connection to the September 11th attacks. Robert Kagan, the paper's cofounder with William
Kristol, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Times calling "Speaking of Iraq" which
pushes every erroneous prewar scare tactic there was. His wife Victoria Nuland is the same
woman who was recorded on the phone saying "F" the EU and openly talking about who would be a
good replacement Prime Minister in Ukraine. She chose Arseniy Yatseniuk, who she called "Yatz"
and he did become the prime minister of Ukraine a month later after the coup. Everything out of
this faction's mouth has been blindly anti-Russian.
There is a huge difference between conspiracy and kookpiracy. Getting away from the
outlandish unsubstantiated claims about Anna's death, let's uncover something factual. Anna
Politkovskaya was the journalist who had published three different articles on how SOMEONE was
testing Polonium on Chechen children . Gee! Where have we seen THAT scenario before? Anna's
articles were published in the Novaya Gazeta in 2006 and she was killed October of
that same year.
The Washington
Post then makes this clever claim. "Leonid Nevzlin, a former Yukos oil company
shareholder and Russian exile currently living in Israel, told the Associated Press in late
November that Litvinenko had given him a document related to a dossier on criminal charges made
by Russian prosecutors against people connected to Yukos. Nevzlin, who is charged by Russian
prosecutors with having organized killings, fraud and tax evasion, claimed Litvinenko's
inquiries may have provided a motive for his poisoning"
Notice who else is in that Washington Post article (Scaramella) and who was
planting the ideas that Putin had killed both Litvinenko and Anna. How crazy is that to use
polonium to murder someone...Scaramella is a rotten one. After Anna's lawyer Stanislav Markelov
was murdered in 2009 followed by the murder of one of her key informants in Chechnya, Natalia
Estemirova the same year, there was a retrial in Anna's case which went to the Supreme Court.
Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov stirred up a public disgust when he said about Anna's
informant Natalia Estemirova on Radio Liberty "She was a woman...who had never possessed any
honor, dignity or conscience."
The prosecution cornered Dmitry Pavliutchenkov a former policeman who in turn confessed
Lom-Ali Gaitukayev was who negotiated the contract killing and behind him he suspected Boris
Berezovsky . Dmitry was sentenced to 11 years in jail. Five men were found guilty in her
murder. Three were the Chechen brothers who had been acquitted in the first trial and they went
to prison. Rustam Makhmudov and Lom-Ali Gaitukayev got life sentences in 2014. Berevsovsky had
died the year before in March of 2013.
The most troubling thing here is not that mob did something illegal or that the Western
press jumped the gun to do a anti-Russian witch hunt. All of that is pretty run of the mill.
It's not even that Israel secretly has nukes and is involved with organized crime. Again, image
my lack of shock. It's not even the multiple murders that are most troubling. The most
troubling part of this story is what the ultimate purpose of that much Polonium was for and why
it was in the UK. The potential for a dirty bomb is enormous. With the current climate of ISIS
and disgruntled youth in Europe joining the mercenary forces to fight Israel's enemies in Syria
and Lebanon, a dirty bomb in the UK is not an unimaginable scenario. Just having such a thing
could also hold leverage over politicians there too. The source of the Polonium should have
been traced and potential sources should also be subject to inspection.
William
Dunkerley on April
30, 2015 12:11 pm The news stream is replete with articles that falsify information in
order to vilify Putin. The Arafat polonium poisoning is an example. But according to a
March 17, 2015 AP report citing French experts, "Yasser Arafat was NOT poisoned by
polonium. Good for AP for exposing that polonium nonsense. It's rare to find these stories
debunked in the Western media. The long-running malicious narrative in Litvinenko saga is
more the norm. The mainstream story is utterly false and without merit. I documented that
in my book "The Phony Litvinenko Murder." Why do people believe all this specious rubbish?
Largely it's a result of a phenomenon called "confirmation bias." I explain that process in
detail in my book "Ukraine in the Crosshairs." The Ukrainian crisis is just one more
example of how Putin's enemies have skillfully taken advantage of confirmation bias to
snooker the masses.
Ryan Dawson on
January 19, 2016 7:49 pm I also debunked the Arafat myth given that there is no way
it would survive so long with such a short half life. Would you like your book to go in
our library ? I'll read
it then maybe we can talk about it.
Mandatum Mandat on February
10, 2016 4:47 am What is your source for the claim that Litvinenko left a radioactive
trail after his trip to Israel? Can't find any discusssion of this claim other than your own
material.
In a game of one-up-man-ship, UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has been blowing the
proverbial bridges between Russia and the western world to pieces in the last several weeks
with comments that have really been beyond the pale. He suggested that Russian President Putin
was the person that gave the go ahead for the attempted assassination of a former Russian spy
in England. He then absolutely blew that out of the water by claiming yesterday that holding
the World Soccer Cup in Russia was akin to Hitler's 1936 Olympics. This last point I personally
took huge exception to, because the fact is the 25 million or so Soviets that died actually
fighting Hitler saved England fro German invasion - an invasion that England would have lost
hands down. In truth, Johnson might just as well of accused modern day Israel of being a Nazi
state. That's just how bizarre Johnson's attack on Russia was. And perhaps more importantly in
the scheme of things, how incendiary the attack was.
What is becoming clear is that the US, and its western allies, are laying the groundwork for
a massive war, perhaps a world war, with Eurasia and its allies in the Middle East. With the
appointment of Bolton on the same day as Trump signed the first trade action against China (and
he emphasized it was the first of many) the signs are very clear. The West is going to war with
the East. The likely initial targets are Syria, and Iran. Any attack on Iran is a declaration
of war on Russia. Iran after all is not just an important ally to Russia, but it sits right on
the border with Russia. In other words, Russia would be pulled into such a war out of
self-defence if for no other reason.
Bearing Russia's position in mind, think back to last week when Russia announced a number of
new generation weapons it stated were untouchable by Western anti-missile capabilities. It is
quite obvious that Russia is attempting to dissuade the West from its intended push against one
of Russia's most strategic interests - Iran. It's also quite evident from Trump's gestures
today that he is completely unmoved by Russia's message. That can only mean one thing - we are
going to war. When I say we, I mean the West. As someone who has served, and the son of a World
War II veteran I am disgusted by Western aggression toward Eurasia. Yes, I said Western
aggression. Have a look around at all the conflicts going on. They're all going on around
Russia's or China's backyard - not so much in the West...
Nobody knows for certain how this
will play its deadly hand out. One thing is for certain, scrapping of the Iran Nuclear
Agreement appears imminent. Also, a reigniting of the Saudi/Iran conflict is sure to follow.
The West will need an easily understandable excuse to attack Iran, and that can only be one of
three things really: an attack on Israel; coming to the aid of Saudi; or a North Korea style
action against Iran having a nuclear weapon once the aforementioned agreement is unilaterally
cancelled.
This won't be a picnic for the West though. Leave a direct conflict with Russia and China
out of the equation for the moment. Consider that a Saudi/Iran conflict, or an Israeli/Iran
conflict would have the affect of tripling oil prices over night. Then consider a massive sell
off on the stock market. Factor in the US Federal Reserves increases in its over night lending
rates. All these things, and quite a few economic problems not mentioned here, would plummet
the Western economies into a cataclysmic spiral. The markets are very jittery as it is, sensing
as they do that things have gone quite far off the tracks. Many people have said to me that
such an economic collapse would cause Eurasia to fall as well, but I always answer that
statement like this: "Remember in 2008 when the market collapsed? China sent 250 million people
home to their villages, without a job, and that was that. There was no revolt, or any social
turmoil. If that happened in the US or any Western economy, there would be civil insurrection
almost over night. Therein lies the difference. While China would be hurt, it can sustain the
blow. The Western world cannot. In other words, a war of economic attrition."
I don't know if there is anything the ordinary citizen can do to forestall this madness - as
one American recently said to me: "all I can do is vote". But, I suggest if you like the world
in one piece and you are concerned about the end of humanity, get out and say something. Be
accountable to yourself, to humanity, and the world. Don't be a sheeple.
I have the same worries. The mainstream media here in Germany, which is entirely and 100%
under CIA control, has been ramping up anti-Russia propaganda since weeks. I didn't think it
would be possible after the Ukraine conflict but it is even worse now. The comments of this
filthy lunatic Boris Johnson but also of his boss-bitch Theresa May have been way below any
line of decency. It's even below the kind of rhetoric Hitler has used when he talked about
other statesmen such as (this fat, ugly war-criminal and mass murderer) Winston
Churchill.
But it's not "the West" that is going to war, it is the Anglo-American establishment.
"West" is an artificial propaganda term that should not be used anyway, because all it
denotes is the countries dominated by Anglo-America. Germany and France, the only countries
powerful enough to stop Anglo-American madness, are usually dancing to the tune of
Warshington and London, but I am not so sure if they will really go all the way here,
especially with Iran. Also and despite all the propaganda, while German and French people may
not trust Russia and see Putin as a "dictator", they also see the US regime (especially with
the Trumpet in charge) as nothing but a dangerous, trigger-happy war machinery. There is no
way you could sell a war against Iran to them, also not the rest of Europe including Britain.
I even have doubts about whether the American public would swallow such a war.
Either way, it will be a disaster for the "West" - economically, politically, militarily.
In fact, it will be the end of the "West" and of the Anglo-American empire including the
Zionist colony. So in the end there might be a great result of yet another horror. What
Russia really needs to do now is to give both Syria and Iran the full power of Russian air
defence.
Evidence submitted by the British government in court today proves, beyond any doubt, that
Boris Johnson has been point blank lying about the degree of certainty Porton Down scientists
have about the Skripals being poisoned with a Russian "novichok" agent.
Yesterday in an interview with Deutsche Welle Boris Johnson claimed directly Porton Down
had told him they positively identified the nerve agent as Russian:
*You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to
find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton Down, the
laboratory
So they have the samples
They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said, "Are you
sure?" And he said there's no doubt.*
I knew and had published from my own whistle blowers that this is a lie. Until now I could
not prove it. But today I can absolutely prove it, due to the judgement at the High Court
case which gave permission for new blood samples to be taken from the Skripals for use by the
OPCW. Justice Williams included in his judgement a summary of the evidence which tells us,
directly for the first time, what Porton Down have actually said...
Having spent some time in Germany, I have to agree with these comments. If you think the
Propaganda is bad in the US and the UK, in Germany it is even worse. It is almost as if they
are in competition to be the most servile and obedient to their masters. It is if history
doesn't even exist. It is 1941 all over again. The difference being Germany has nothing to
fight with and if it comes to war they will be absolutely pulverized to nuclear ash.
This is how stupid the media is to hype this Anti-Russian propaganda 24/7, 7 days a week.
There is no real "alternative" news that I could find either. If there is a silver lining in
all this though, is that many Germans don't take the media seriously at all anymore. When you
overcook the pot, this is what can happen. Just like that fool Boris Johnson. He has now
compared Putin to Hitler and the 1936 olympics. How stupid can this buffoon be? You think you
can just carry on with business as usual once this stupid provocation with the poisoned spy
blows over after saying something like that? He hasn't just insulted Putin, he has insulted
all of Russia who sacrificed more than any other country to stop Hitler. I can't believe what
low IQ clowns the UK is producing as politicians these days. It is really scraping the bottom
of the barrel.
"... On 16 March, the Main Directorate for High-Priority Cases of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal investigation into the attempted willful murder of Russian citizen Yulia Skripal committed by dangerous means in the territory of the United Kingdom. ..."
"... The Western countries' action on the fabricated 'Skripal case' contravenes the norms of international law and the general practice of inter-State relations, as well as the common sense itself. Naturally, we run a detailed record of all that, and when time comes, those guilty will inevitably be brought to justice. ..."
Russian aide-memoire to clarify the state of affairs as regards the so-called 'Skripal
case'
On 12 March 2018, Prime Minister of Great Britain Theresa May, addressing the House of
Commons, said it was "highly likely" that the Russian Federation was responsible for the
poisoning of former GRU colonel, double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia Skripal
on 4 March 2018 in Salisbury, with a nerve agent identified according to British
classification as A-234.
The United Kingdom has publicly raised a question about Russia's "concealing" and
"using" part of its chemical arsenal, thus alleging that Russia has "violated" its
obligations under the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production,
Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction (CWC) -- one of the most
effective multilateral treaties in the disarmament and non-proliferation field, which was
initiated, among others, by our country.
Thus, the United Kingdom has come out against Russia as well as against the Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) itself and the tremendous work that has been
done within this organization during the last two decades, including with participation of
the United Kingdom.
Pursuant to the requirements of Article III of the CWC, the Russian Federation submitted
a full and complete declaration of all its chemical weapons stockpiles. That data was
thoroughly checked and verified by the inspection teams of the OPCW Technical Secretariat.
The fact of the full elimination of Russia's chemical arsenal has been officially confirmed
by the authorized international institution -- the OPCW.
On 12 March 2018, given the gravity of the accusations brought against our country, the
Russian Embassy in London sent a note verbale to the Foreign Office of Great Britain
requesting access to the investigation materials, including samples of the chemical agent
that British investigators were referring to, so that it could be tested by our experts in
the framework of joint investigation.
Thus, we proposed to act in accordance with paragraph 2 of Article IX of the CWC. It
stipulates that States Parties to the Convention should first make every effort to clarify
and resolve, through exchange of information and consultations among themselves, any matter
which may cause doubt about compliance with the CWC. Under the provisions of that Article,
Russia would be ready to respond to the United Kingdom's request within 10 days.
Unfortunately, the British side rejected that option and, instead of following the
existing norms of international law, chose to unscrupulously politicize the issue.
British Prime Minister Theresa May suggested that a special Security Council meeting to
discuss the matter be held on 14 March 2018. Suspecting that London would play dirty,
Russia insisted on making the Security Council's meeting open.
It is incomprehensible what the British side was trying to achieve by bringing the issue
to the UNSC. This matter by no means falls within the mandate of the UNSC. It is quite
obvious that all discussions are pointless until the OPCW gives its assessment of the
Salisbury incident (it is important to know whether a nerve agent was actually used; if it
was, how the likely origin of the chemicals was determined; what, and on what basis,
actions were taken with regard to the victims, etc.).
On 14 March 2018, British Prime Minister Theresa May, apparently having come to senses,
finally sent a letter to Director-General of the Technical Secretariat of the OPCW Ahmet
Üzümcü (circulated to all OPCW Executive Council Member States on 15 March
2018) inviting the OPCW Technical Secretariat "to independently verify the analysis" of the
British investigation into the Salisbury incident.
As indicated in the press release by the British Foreign Office of 18 March 2018,
following the letter by Ms Theresa May, the UK's Permanent Representative to the OPCW
invited experts of the OPCW Technical Secretariat to visit the United Kingdom to carry out
an independent analysis of the findings of the British Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory at Porton Down in connection with the Salisbury incident. On 19 March 2018, OPCW
experts arrived in the United Kingdom.
Russia expects the OPCW to make an official detailed account of developments around the
'Skripal case'. We proceed from the understanding that the OPCW Technical Secretariat shall
conduct a full-fledged independent investigation in accordance with all relevant provisions
of the CWC.
Russia has more and more questions both in legal and practical terms. And we intend to
seek answers through the OPCW.
Russia states that it has not used chemical weapons against Great Britain. We suppose
that the attack on the Skripals with toxic chemicals shall be deemed a terrorist act. As
Yulia Skripal, a Russian citizen, is among the victims to the incident, we propose
cooperation with the British Side under Article IX of the CWC.
We would like to ascertain the following issues.
Where, how, and by whom were the samples collected from Sergei and Yulia Skripal? How
was it all documented? Who can certify that the data is credible? Was the chain of custody
up to all the OPCW requirements when evidence was collected?
Which methods (spectral analysis and others) were used by the British side to identify,
within such a remarkably short period of time, the type of the substance used ("Novichok"
according to the western classification)? As far as we know, to do that, they must have had
a standard sample of such agent at their disposal.
And how do these hasty actions correlate with Scotland Yard's official statements that
"the investigation is highly likely to take weeks or even months" to arrive at
conclusions?
What information and medical effects led to a hasty decision to administer antidotes to
the aggrieved Skripals and the British policeman? Could that hastiness lead to grave
complications and further deterioration of their health status?
Which antidotes exactly were administered? What tests had been conducted to make the
decision to use these drugs?
How can the delayed action of the nerve agent be explained, given that it is a
fast-acting substance by nature? The victims were allegedly poisoned in a pizzeria (in a
car, at the airport, at home, according to other accounts). So what really happened? How
come they were found in some unidentified time on a bench in the street?
We need an explanation why it is Russia who was accused on the 'Skripal case' without
any grounds whatsoever, while works to develop the agent codenamed "Novichok" in the West
had been carried out by the United Kingdom, the USA, Sweden and the Czech Republic. There
are more than 200 open sources publications in the NATO countries, highlighting the results
that those countries achieved in the development of new toxic agents of this type.
Even from purely humanitarian perspective London's action appears simply barbaric. On 4
March 2018 (as British authorities themselves claim) a nerve agent attack against Russian
citizen Yulia Skripal was committed in the territory of the United Kingdom.
Russian Federation has demanded exhaustive information on the course of investigation
into the Salisbury incident involving a Russian citizen (the Russian Embassy in London sent
the relevant note verbale on 12 March 2018).
The United Kingdom is breaching elementary rules of inter-State relations and is still
denying, without any explanation, Russian officials' consular access to Yulia Skripal
envisaged by the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. For more than two weeks now,
we have not been able to credibly ascertain what happened to our citizen and what condition
she is actually in.
On 16 March, the Main Directorate for High-Priority Cases of the Investigative
Committee of the Russian Federation initiated a criminal investigation into the attempted
willful murder of Russian citizen Yulia Skripal committed by dangerous means in the
territory of the United Kingdom.
The investigation will be conducted in accordance with the Russian legislation and the
norms of international law. Highly qualified experts will contribute to the
investigation.
The investigators stand ready to work together with the competent authorities of the
United Kingdom. We expect a cooperative approach of the British side.
In the UN Security Council as well as in the OPCW and at other international fora, the
Russian Federation has been a consistent and insistent proponent of thorough, comprehensive
and professional investigation of all crimes involving toxic chemicals, and of bringing
perpetrators to justice.
We are ready to engage in full-scale and open cooperation with the United Kingdom in
order to address any concerns whether in bilateral format or within the OPCW and other
international instruments, working within the purview of international law.
As a responsible member of the international community and a bona fide State Party to
the CWC Russia will never speak the language of ultimatums or answer informal and
word-of-mouth questions.
The Western countries' action on the fabricated 'Skripal case' contravenes the norms
of international law and the general practice of inter-State relations, as well as the
common sense itself. Naturally, we run a detailed record of all that, and when time comes,
those guilty will inevitably be brought to justice.
Looks like replay of Litvinenko polonium poisoning affair and MH17 tragedy. There was already a plan before the insident and it
was activated immediately. Brits really refined the art of false flag poisoning became classics in the genre...
Subsequence actions of EU suggest existence of a very strong US pressure. So much for Trump administration desire of detente
with Russia.
Notable quotes:
"... Therefore, the British Government has violated its obligations under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations by denying consular access for the Embassy to the Russian citizens. We continue to insist that the access and full information on the condition of our compatriots, whom nobody has seen since 4 March, should be provided. ..."
"... On 12 March, 8 days after the day of poisoning, I was summoned by Foreign Secretary Johnson, who put forward a 24-hour ultimatum to explain the Russian Government's position by the end of the next day. The question was put like following: either the incident in Salisbury was a direct act of the Russian Government against the UK or the Russian Government had lost control of a nerve agent that the Foreign Secretary identified as A-234, and allowed it to get into the hands of others. ..."
"... Next hour Prime Minister May updated the House of Commons about the incident in Salisbury using the same words as Secretary Johnson did at our meeting, except that she introduced the term "Novichok", a bizarre Russian name to use with regard to a chemical substance, in a clear attempt to additionally and quite artificially link the incident to Russia. ..."
"... On 14 March the Prime Minister gave another statement on the incident in Salisbury in the House of Commons, where she announced an expulsion of Russian diplomats and other hostile and provocative measures against Russia. She provided no proof of Russia's alleged involvement in the incident and made a conclusion that, as she put it, it was "highly likely" that Russia was responsible for it. Thus, the British Government again built its official position on pure assumptions. ..."
The Number 1 rule in Britain is to start any statement with a joke. Unfortunately, it's not a
time to joke. The issue I am going to raise is too serious.
On 5 March 2018 we heard media reports announcing that the day before two Russian citizens
Sergei and Yulia Skripal were poisoned in Salisbury. Sergei Skripal is one who has dual
citizenship. First of all I would like to wish all the victims, including Detective Sergeant Nick
Bailey, who also suffered from this incident, speedy recovery and well-being.
The Embassy has immediately requested the British authorities to share information about the
incident and details of the ongoing investigation.
Unfortunately, 18 days have passed since the day of the incident and we have not received any
official information from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or police on the investigation
thereof. The British authorities refused to provide samples of the chemical substance. The
legitimate consular access to the Russian citizens under the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular
Relation has not been granted.
The only response we received from the British authorities was a Note Verbale about medical
condition of Yulia Skripal. It did not go further than the official public statements, according to
which she was reportedly critically ill, but in a stable condition. The Foreign Office refused to
share information on Sergei Skripal, citing his British citizenship.
Therefore, the British Government has violated its obligations under the Vienna Convention
on Consular Relations by denying consular access for the Embassy to the Russian citizens. We
continue to insist that the access and full information on the condition of our compatriots, whom
nobody has seen since 4 March, should be provided.
On 12 March, 8 days after the day of poisoning, I was summoned by Foreign Secretary Johnson,
who put forward a 24-hour ultimatum to explain the Russian Government's position by the end of the
next day. The question was put like following: either the incident in Salisbury was a direct act of
the Russian Government against the UK or the Russian Government had lost control of a nerve agent
that the Foreign Secretary identified as A-234, and allowed it to get into the hands of others.
Next hour Prime Minister May updated the House of Commons about the incident in Salisbury
using the same words as Secretary Johnson did at our meeting, except that she introduced the term
"Novichok", a bizarre Russian name to use with regard to a chemical substance, in a clear attempt
to additionally and quite artificially link the incident to Russia.
Next day, on 13 March the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs gave a statement on the incident
in Salisbury and strongly protested against evidence-free accusations and provocations by the
British authorities. It was emphasized that Russia is not to be talked to in ultimatums, and that
in any case we can only properly consider the matter after we receive samples of the chemical
substance to which UK is referring to and after the UK complies with the Chemical Weapons
Convention that stipulates cooperation between States Parties, for which Moscow is ready. Without
that there is no sense in the British statements.
On 14 March the Prime Minister gave another statement on the incident in Salisbury in the
House of Commons, where she announced an expulsion of Russian diplomats and other hostile and
provocative measures against Russia. She provided no proof of Russia's alleged involvement in the
incident and made a conclusion that, as she put it, it was "highly likely" that Russia was
responsible for it. Thus, the British Government again built its official position on pure
assumptions.
The Embassy again requested the British authorities to cooperate under the Chemical Weapons
Convention on bilateral basis or through the OPCW Executive Council and share information and the
samples of the toxic substance. Due to the pressure of the Russian side, the Prime Minister at last
sent a letter to the Director-General of the OPCW Technical Secretariat on 14 March and requested
assistance in verifying British analysis.
As I understand, the OPCW experts arrived to the UK this Monday. We do not know their mandate.
But I hope they will follow all the necessary procedures and principles of the CWC, including
ensuring a proper chain of custody of the samples, if there are any. They would also need to check
how that was possible that the British authorities managed to designate the nerve agent used as so
called "Novichok" and its origin so quickly. Could it mean that it is highly likely that the
British authorities already had this nerve agent in their chemical laboratory in Porton Down, which
is the largest secret military facility in the UK that has been dealing with chemical weapons? Is
it a coincidence that this chemical weapons facility is only 8 miles away from the site of the
incident? How did doctors decide what antidotes to administer to the victims? Russian experts were
puzzled by how quickly the British authorities managed to designate the nerve agent allegedly used
in Salisbury and how this correlates with Scotland Yard's official statements that "the
investigation is highly likely to take weeks or even months" to arrive at conclusions.
We are sure that the results of the Technical Secretariat assistance mission should be reported
to the OPCW Executive Council.
A few words about lack of cooperation from the British side.
Instead of imposing a 24-hour deadline the UK could and should have referred to paragraph 2 of
Article IX of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which requires the State Parties to make every
effort to clarify and resolve through exchange of information and consultations any matter which
may cause doubt about compliance with the Convention. A State Party which receives a request from
another State Party shall provide as soon as possible, but in any case not later than 10 days after
the request, information sufficient to answer the doubt or concern. If they requested information
from Russia on 12 March, they would have received it by 22 March.
The British side did not send a request to Russia and is not willing to talk to Russian
representatives in the Hague, where the OPCW Technical Secretariat is located. Instead an
anti-Russian campaign has been launched in the UK.
To make the story short, Britain has, without any evidence, blamed Russia of poisoning of three
people and continues to refuse to cooperate. We cannot accept that.
There is another case, which worries us very much. From the British media, and again not from
the British authorities, we have learned about the death of the Russian citizen Mr Nikolai
Glushkov. The Embassy has also learned from the press that the police investigating Mr Glushkov's
death assumes that he could have died from "compression on the neck", suggesting he was strangled.
In full accordance with the 1963 Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, the Embassy
immediately requested by a Note Verbale full information on the circumstances of the death of the
Russian national and on the investigation, but has not received any meaningful response from the
Foreign Office so far. Moreover, it seems that the British side is deliberately ignoring our
requests and continues to avoid any contacts with the Embassy on this matter.
To summarize what have been said before a Q/A session, I would like to say that the burden of
proof lies with the British authorities. By now no facts have been officially presented either to
the OPCW, or to us, or to UK's partners, or to the public.
We can't take British words for granted.
The UK has a bad record of violating international law and misleading the international
community, which includes invading Yugoslavia (78 days of bombardment), Iraq and Libya under false
pretexts, and supporting the coup d'ιtat in Ukraine. I would like to quote President Ronald Reagan,
who frequently referred to the Russian proverb "trust but verify".
History shows that British statements must be verified.
Litvinenko wasn't
poisoned by Putin - He was likely smuggling the polonium that killed him Ryan
Dawson ANC Report
Sun, 26 Apr 2015 22:44 UTC
Boris Berezovsky
Save As we all know Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by polonium, a rare radioactive
substance. The main narrative blamed it all on Vladimir Putin of Russia. The rationale rested
on little other than because Litvinenko was a Putin critic . This was the quick line in mass
media, and it was on all the typical war propaganda channels.
There are many things wrong with the "Putin did it" story. For one, there is no motive ,
even with Litvinenko being a critic of Russia, he was no threat whatsoever to Putin. The man
worked with Chechen terrorists and the Israeli-Russian oligarchs . But assuming that there was
a sufficient motive to kill him, think about this: Why would Russia use a very rare, very
expensive, and easily traceable radioactive substance to kill him instead of some cheap poison
or just shooting him? Why risk smuggling radioactive material into the UK which is an act of
war?
Yet that is exactly what the UK/US media would have you believe. They want to say that Putin
had someone sneak into the UK with polonium and poison Litvinenko with it. It just isn't
plausible. It's actually absurd.
Alexander Litvinenko who was formerly FSB fled to the UK to avoid court prosecution in
Russia, worked for a shady Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky. Boris Berezovsky just so happens
to be the Israeli-Russian oligarch who lived in London after fleeing the Russian judicial
system for a multitude of crimes too long to list. He was on Interpol's most wanted list. Here
is the grand prize. After the US and UK press branded Putin with the poisoning despite there
being Zero evidence, (something the US is very well known for now) investigators were tracking
down the traces of Polonium in the UK. They detected traces of Polonium at Berezovsky's office
and residence! Now I do not know about you, but in my place of work, and certainly in my house,
I do not have rare radioactive substances. Polonium is not something you just get at the market
or pick up by accident walking through the park.
No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in such
a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a botched
smuggling operation . Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast cash? Were
they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium into powder
and kill anyone who ingested it.
Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we can
deduce what happened. He was a mule . The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he
get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys
Ltd (Britain's Blackwater)?
The "Putin did it" smear case has never made sense. First of all, the amount of polonium 210
in play would have cost millions of dollars. That amount is too expensive to purchase and too
large to go unnoticed if it were stolen. The only way to obtain such a quantity would be on a
well organized black market that had a connection to a nuclear facility. It would certainly
help organized crime if the nuclear powered supplier they received the Polonium from was not
subjected to international inspections or part of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Such a
country, ( Foreign country A ) which denied they even built nuclear weapons for decades, would
certainly also deny selling their Polonium byproduct as well.
Is it possible to hide that from the press? Yes. The media would ignore this for the same
reason the media ignores them stealing nuclear secrets and building hundreds of nuclear weapons
in Dimona, then throwing whistle blowers who took pictures of their warheads, in jail.
Litvinenko was in Israel, where he met Leonid Nevzlin the CEO of Yukos shortly before he
died. If you wanted to buy/steal radioactive material that would be the place. What was he
negotiating with Nevzlin? We learned Alexander had been an informant in a case that led to the
arrest of nine Georgian and Russian Mobsters in Spain, including Alexander Gofstein a lawyer
for Yukos who apparently was laundering money.
The downfall began when Georgian Mob Boss Zakhar Kalashov was arrested in May 2006. The scam
was similar to what the old Five Families of New York had done, when guys like Meyer Lansky
took profits from illegal gambling businesses and funneled them into buying up real estate in
Florida. In the European case, the mob was taking illegal funds and buying up real estate in
Spain as well as making investments into legitimate businesses .
Litivnenko's associates, Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, who both had met with him the day
of the poisoning, were also both hospitalized. They left traces of Polonium in Hamburg as they
had taken the trip to Germany before meeting Litvinenko. It appears all three were involved in
a smuggling operation, but for who?
Short answer: Russian Oligarch Boris Berezovsky's employee Alexander Litvinenko died from
over exposure to Polonium in a botched smuggling operation. That is why traces of it were at
Boris's house and on the planes Litvinenko was riding to and from Israel. The smear on
Putin/Russia using a highly traceable 10 million dollar poison to kill a critic is about as
plausible and rational as saying we have "British Intelligence" about Niger.... This
transparent bogus lie was a quick and shamelessly sloppy explanation to cover up how and why
this man in the UK had a radioactive poison in his body. Polonium only has a half life of 138
days.
Litvinenko had been in Israel to visit Yukos's CEO, just shortly before he died. And it's an
open secret that Israel has nuclear weapons, the only place without nuclear safeguard or
inspections. Traces of polonium were also on the British Airway planes that Litvinenko took to
and from Israel. So they would have the means, location, and the timing fits, but let's just
blame Putin, "The New Hitler" as Neocons have dubbed him?
Why the fuss about a conspiracy claiming that Putin put Litvinenko on a hitlist and poisoned
him? Well as wacky as that story is, it was probably the best they could come up with on short
notice. Boris knew once the police found out how Litvinenko died that there would be a lot of
explaining to do. He also knew that if the investigation went forward that they could find more
of this Polonium on his properties. So they just claimed the KGB was trying to kill them
all.
Some History
This is not the first time that Berezovsky tried to pin a murder on someone else and claim
that all the damning evidence pointing to him was a frame . There are the notorious cases (in
Russia) of Ivan Litskevich and Vlad Listyev.
Ivan Listkevich was the general director of the Omsk oil refinery, easily the best refinery
in Russia. Abramovich and Berezovsky planned to take over the refinery and make it part of
Berezovsky's Sibnef (which it now is). Listkevich resisted. Ivan had outside investments from
LUKoil (10% of the stock) and CS First Boston. So in no way was he threatened to sink. Omsk was
in the best location, had the latest equipment, and was well positioned to continue to soar.
They serviced the biggest oil producers in Russia. Naturally Ivan did not want to be swallowed
by Sibnef. August 19, 1995 Ivan was found drowned in the Irtysh River. I doubt he went there to
swim. Five days later Sibnef (Gazprom) took over . August 24th 1995, using his good buddy
Yeltsin, Berezovsky got a Presidential Decree №872, to order a transfer of all the
state's share in Omsk as well as 4 other companies to Sibnef. Then in 1996 Boris and Roman
privatized Sibnef through a series of Loans-for-Shares' auctions which were a complete scam run
through front companies and offshore banks. Yeltsin approved of it.
The case may leave doubts in the mind until one learns about the murder of Vlad Listyev. In
1994 Boris attacked one of his rivals over control of a media outlet. Part of the attack was
broadcast all over TV and came to be known as "faces in the snow" as Boris's rival's bodyguard
were forced at gun point to lie face down in the snow. Shortly after a 90mph high speed chase
and attacking rival Gusinsky's MOST guards and pinning Gusinsky in his own building, Berezovsky
would take control of ORT (channel 1) through an illegal non-public "auction" and gain a near
media monopoly.
For details on that I recommend reading "God Father of the Kremlin" if you can still find
it. It was written by the senior editor of Forbes in Russian who holds a Ph.D in
Russian history, Paul Klebnikov. For the record Paul Klebnikov was killed after publishing his
book on the Oligarchs , particularly on Boris, who is on the cover. He was shot four times in
Moscow while leaving work and then died in the hospital after getting stuck on an elevator.
After the Gusinsky event, Boris had another problem. Vladislav Listyev. Listyev was probably
the most popular talk show host in Russia and a TV producer. He was a business partner with
Boris but the problem was he was not crooked. As general director of ORT he decided to fix a
multi-million dollar leak in the company and indirect way of Boris paying people off in the Mob
to do dirty work, as well as paying himself by spending money for ads in other companies owned
where he also ran the advertising sales. He had an offer from Sergei Lisovsky to buy up the
sector. Negotiations never went through and Vlad had a different idea.
On Feb 20th 1995 Vlad announced that he would break the monopoly of Boris and Sergei . He
called for a moratorium on ORT advertising until they could work out ethical standards. As you
can imagine that did not make Boris or the rest of the mob happy. Eight days later Boris
personally met with "Nikolai", a mafia boss, and handed him a hundred thousand dollars in cash.
This was witnessed by two police officers who were monitoring the Mob. Prior to that Boris's
lacky Badri offered money to a different gangster but that man was arrested before he could do
what was asked of him and he confessed this in jail. On March 1st the day after Berezovsky paid
a second Mob Boss, Vlad Listyev was shot in the back at the entrance of his home .
Guilty as sin, with a confession against Badri as well as being personally witnessed by two
police, offering another mob boss money, Boris was desperate. He was inches away from being
arrested. Boris's TV network was cut out of government subsidies after the police raided it and
it was subject to bankruptcy. Fellow media giant and friend Ruppert Murdoch promised to invest
in the network and bail him out . How nice. And we all know where Murdoch stands. This
relationship might also explain why Fox News and Sky News in the UK were so blatantly
cheerleading the "Putin killed Litvinenko" conspiracy story.
But here is the real kicker. It is just as outrageous and far fetched as the Litvinenko
poisoning. Boris concocted a story for Yeltsin which was recorded on video tape produced by
Irina Lesnevskaya a producer at ORT and a friend of Yeltsin's wife. The tape claimed that it
was all a big conspiracy against Berezovsky and that the real culprit (who had no motive other
than to frame Boris [apparently able to hire a gun to kill Vlad but not Boris?]) was none other
than bitter rival Gusinsky of Most Bank, whom Boris had already tried to kill once.
Yeltsin was paranoid of Gusinsky's political ambitions and Boris knew this. Boris also
blamed X-KGB and said Vlad was killed by the MOST group, and not the mob he was witnessed
meeting with a week after Vlad was going to break his monopoly. (Sounds like "Iraq moved the
nonexistent WMDs to Syria just to make the US look bad." give me a break) Boris claimed to be
set up because he was loyal to Yeltsin as was his new media outlet.
Yeltsin, ever a partner in cover ups, not to mention a drunk and a thief, got Boris out of
trouble once again by firing the lead investigators in the case, which intimidated others to
drop it. There was a huge public outcry. A TV personality had been killed. ORT created a new
company called ORT advertising with a monopoly to sell ads on commission no less, and the
boss-man chosen was none other than Sergei Lisovsky . Wow, how utterly shameless.
If you can speak Russian or if you can find an English copy of the Boris/Lesnevskaya tape
transcript sent to Yeltsin, it's going to make you very angry. It is about as plausible as
saying Putin risked an act of war with the UK to kill a critic who worked for both a criminal
as well as terrorist.
Who Done It?
So we know what didn't happen. But there still remains a "who done it." The quickest way to
get to the bottom of this is to see who is lying the most and loudest, because that is usually
who has the most to hide .
Remember Anna Politkovskaya? She was killed on Putin's birthday and the alternative press
and the 'mindlessly accepting any conspiracy' types who fell for it, tried to use that
circumstantial "evidence" to blame the murder on Putin.
These are the same types that claim Russia bombed its own apartment buildings to start a war
with Chechnya omitting the fact that the apartment bombing took place five months after the war
has already started, and the "sources" trying to blame the FSB were none other than Boris's
lacky Litvinenko and well known plagiarist David Satter, who wrote for the PNAC co-founders'
Weekly Standard , which gave the world all the bogus lies about Iraq's WMD and
connection to the September 11th attacks. Robert Kagan, the paper's cofounder with William
Kristol, wrote an op-ed in the Washington Times calling "Speaking of Iraq" which
pushes every erroneous prewar scare tactic there was. His wife Victoria Nuland is the same
woman who was recorded on the phone saying "F" the EU and openly talking about who would be a
good replacement Prime Minister in Ukraine. She chose Arseniy Yatseniuk, who she called "Yatz"
and he did become the prime minister of Ukraine a month later after the coup. Everything out of
this faction's mouth has been blindly anti-Russian.
There is a huge difference between conspiracy and kookpiracy. Getting away from the
outlandish unsubstantiated claims about Anna's death, let's uncover something factual. Anna
Politkovskaya was the journalist who had published three different articles on how SOMEONE was
testing Polonium on Chechen children . Gee! Where have we seen THAT scenario before? Anna's
articles were published in the Novaya Gazeta in 2006 and she was killed October of
that same year.
The Washington
Post then makes this clever claim. "Leonid Nevzlin, a former Yukos oil company
shareholder and Russian exile currently living in Israel, told the Associated Press in late
November that Litvinenko had given him a document related to a dossier on criminal charges made
by Russian prosecutors against people connected to Yukos. Nevzlin, who is charged by Russian
prosecutors with having organized killings, fraud and tax evasion, claimed Litvinenko's
inquiries may have provided a motive for his poisoning"
Notice who else is in that Washington Post article (Scaramella) and who was
planting the ideas that Putin had killed both Litvinenko and Anna. How crazy is that to use
polonium to murder someone...Scaramella is a rotten one. After Anna's lawyer Stanislav Markelov
was murdered in 2009 followed by the murder of one of her key informants in Chechnya, Natalia
Estemirova the same year, there was a retrial in Anna's case which went to the Supreme Court.
Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov stirred up a public disgust when he said about Anna's
informant Natalia Estemirova on Radio Liberty "She was a woman...who had never possessed any
honor, dignity or conscience."
The prosecution cornered Dmitry Pavliutchenkov a former policeman who in turn confessed
Lom-Ali Gaitukayev was who negotiated the contract killing and behind him he suspected Boris
Berezovsky . Dmitry was sentenced to 11 years in jail. Five men were found guilty in her
murder. Three were the Chechen brothers who had been acquitted in the first trial and they went
to prison. Rustam Makhmudov and Lom-Ali Gaitukayev got life sentences in 2014. Berevsovsky had
died the year before in March of 2013.
The most troubling thing here is not that mob did something illegal or that the Western
press jumped the gun to do a anti-Russian witch hunt. All of that is pretty run of the mill.
It's not even that Israel secretly has nukes and is involved with organized crime. Again, image
my lack of shock. It's not even the multiple murders that are most troubling. The most
troubling part of this story is what the ultimate purpose of that much Polonium was for and why
it was in the UK. The potential for a dirty bomb is enormous. With the current climate of ISIS
and disgruntled youth in Europe joining the mercenary forces to fight Israel's enemies in Syria
and Lebanon, a dirty bomb in the UK is not an unimaginable scenario. Just having such a thing
could also hold leverage over politicians there too. The source of the Polonium should have
been traced and potential sources should also be subject to inspection.
William
Dunkerley on April
30, 2015 12:11 pm The news stream is replete with articles that falsify information in
order to vilify Putin. The Arafat polonium poisoning is an example. But according to a
March 17, 2015 AP report citing French experts, "Yasser Arafat was NOT poisoned by
polonium. Good for AP for exposing that polonium nonsense. It's rare to find these stories
debunked in the Western media. The long-running malicious narrative in Litvinenko saga is
more the norm. The mainstream story is utterly false and without merit. I documented that
in my book "The Phony Litvinenko Murder." Why do people believe all this specious rubbish?
Largely it's a result of a phenomenon called "confirmation bias." I explain that process in
detail in my book "Ukraine in the Crosshairs." The Ukrainian crisis is just one more
example of how Putin's enemies have skillfully taken advantage of confirmation bias to
snooker the masses.
Ryan Dawson on
January 19, 2016 7:49 pm I also debunked the Arafat myth given that there is no way
it would survive so long with such a short half life. Would you like your book to go in
our library ? I'll read
it then maybe we can talk about it.
Mandatum Mandat on February
10, 2016 4:47 am What is your source for the claim that Litvinenko left a radioactive
trail after his trip to Israel? Can't find any discusssion of this claim other than your own
material.
President Donald Trump is preparing to expel dozens of Russian diplomats from the U.S. in
response to the nerve-agent poisoning of a former Russian spy in the U.K., two people familiar
with the matter said Saturday.
Trump agreed with the recommendation of advisers and the expulsions are likely to be
announced on Monday, the people said, though they cautioned that Trump's decision may not be
final. Trump is prepared to act but first wants to be sure European allies will take similar
steps against Russia, aides said.
U.S. officials are working through the weekend to develop a coordinated response with the
Europeans, one of the people said, after British Prime Minister Theresa May this week rallied
support for a tough rebuke.
As early as Monday, a number of European nations also are expected to expel Russian
officials, including Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the Czech Republic. France and Germany
backed May's call for tougher action, though their exact plans are less clear.
The U.S. considers the diplomats to be spies, carrying out intelligence activities under
cover as embassy staff, one of the people said. Trump's action would follow a similar move by
May, who ordered 23 Russians that she said were spies to leave Britain over the attack on the
former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter.
The advisers reached recommendations for a U.S. response to the U.K. attack at a National
Security Council meeting on Wednesday and honed the proposals on Friday. Trump discussed the
issue Friday with U.S. Ambassador to Russia Jon Huntsman, Deputy Secretary of State John
Sullivan, FBI Director Chris Wray, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, Deputy Attorney General
Rod Rosenstein, Defense Secretary James Mattis, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats,
outgoing National Security Adviser H.R. McMaster and others, two people said.
All of the people familiar with the discussions asked not to be identified.
Deputy White House Press Secretary Raj Shah told Bloomberg on Saturday, "The United States
stands firmly with the United Kingdom in condemning Russia's outrageous action. The president
is always considering options to hold Russia accountable in response to its malign activities.
We have no announcements at this time."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov declined to comment.
A battle within the White House over how to best address the provocations of Russian
President Vladimir Putin has been intensifying. The internal divisions flared this week after
Trump congratulated Putin on his recent re-election without first reviewing written guidance
that he not do so, a person familiar with the matter said.
Trump has meanwhile reshaped his national security staff. On Thursday, he announced he would
replace McMaster, who favored a tougher public posture toward Putin, with John Bolton, the
former ambassador to the United Nations who has promoted military action against Iraq, Iran and
North Korea. That move came just a week after the president fired Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson, who had also adopted a more confrontational stance toward Russia, and nominated Mike
Pompeo, the CIA director, to replace him.
Congress has pressured Trump to get tougher on Putin and passed legislation in August giving
lawmakers the power to block the president from lifting punitive U.S. measures imposed after
Russia's incursion into Ukraine. Substantively, Washington's policy toward Russia has become
tougher in recent months, though Trump's critics say he has dragged his feet in responding to
Putin's provocations.
Relationship Priority
Trump has agreed to adopt increasingly tough policy stances on Russia. But the president
places a priority on maintaining a personal relationship with the Russian president, won't
publicly attack him, and doesn't see any benefit to the U.S. in confronting Putin in one-on-one
encounters, one administration official said Thursday.
Trump defended his call with Putin on Twitter Wednesday, dismissing those who "wanted me to
excoriate him."
"They are wrong!" Trump wrote. "Getting along with Russia (and others) is a good thing, not
a bad thing."
May earlier this month condemned Russia for the nerve-agent attack that critically injured
the former Russian spy and his daughter. A British police officer was also hospitalized. May
said the 23 Russians she ordered to leave Britain were undeclared spies, and she has sought the
cooperation of other countries in her campaign to punish Moscow.
Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman, said on Friday night that "the United States
is considering a range of options to respond to Russia's outrageous actions in the U.K., both
to demonstrate our solidarity with our ally and to hold Russia accountable for its clear breach
of international norms and agreements."
She added that the State Department "doesn't have any actions to announce today."
"... The British press and its political puppets are determined to convince the British public that there is a massive threat from Russia and even that the Kremlin influenced the disastrous referendum vote to quit the European Union, the Brexit debacle. The affair of the spy Skripal has provided much ammunition, and the newspapers have been effective in increasing the level of anti-Russian fervor and intensifying international tension. It's poison, Hitler and out-of-control government ministers that sell British newspapers. ..."
The British government and media continue to proclaim that Russia was undeniably responsible
for the incident, while ignoring the
statement on March 20 by Ahmet Uzumcu, director general of the UN's Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, that "the OPCW has deployed experts to the UK and they will
collect some samples." When asked about indications of the origin or type of substance
alleged by the highest British authorities to be Russian, Mr Uzumcu said he "cannot project
the outcome of such technical work," and that analysis will take "three weeks ahead at
least."
Some of the media have attempted to provide objectivity. For example the BBC reported that Skripal "was jailed for 13
years by Russia in 2006. He was convicted of passing the identities of Russian intelligence
agents working undercover in Europe to the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, MI6. In July 2010,
he was one of four prisoners released by Moscow in exchange for 10 Russian spies arrested by
the FBI as part of a swap. He was later flown to the UK." The man was a proven spy who had
betrayed his own countrymen, and almost the only person to talk any sense about the matter was
a former British Ambassador to Russia, Tony Brenton, who said that "the fact that [Skripal]
blew a whole range of Russian agents, there may be personal animosities there. In most
Russians' minds he would be categorized as a traitor. There are people there who would be
delighted to see him dead."
But balance and objectivity do not sell newspapers, and neither do they provide headlines
for politicians who are anxious to jump on publicity bandwagons. Enter the colorful British
defense minister
Gavin Williamson who announced that "Putin has made it quite clear that he has hostile
intent towards this country. We've been seeing the build-up of his forces across the Eastern
Front and in terms of what they're doing over many years now -- we have to wake up to that
threat and we have to respond to it." Then on March 15 Williamson
declared that Russia should "go away and shut up," which illustrated the maturity of the
British government's approach to international affairs.
The level of official pronouncements was further lowered by yet another Johnson declaration that "By using a specific
type of nerve agent known to be developed in Russia, it was a sign that no former Russian agent
was immune and no-one could escape the long arm of Russian revenge," and on March 20 he dragged
up the old faithful, Hitler, who is always a winner for attention in the UK. One pontificating
politician
proclaimed that "Putin is going to use it [the World Cup Competition] in the way Hitler
used the 1936 Olympics" and Johnson hastened to chime in and say "I think that your
characterization of what is going to happen in Moscow, the World Cup, in all the venues -- yes,
I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right. I think it's an emetic prospect, frankly,
to think of Putin glorying in this sporting event."
Hitler and football are major players in Britain's propaganda war against Russia. Everyone
reads about football, and mere mention of Hitler sends British hearts pounding in patriotic
fervor. What these people don't realize is that insulting Russia by bringing in Hitler is a
sure and certain way of uniting the Russian people in support of their government and
fortifying their present understandable contempt for little Britain. The Russians had some
twenty million civilians
and over ten million members of
the armed services killed in the war begun by Hitler when he invaded Russia in Operation
Barbarossa on June 22, 1941. To in any fashion equate present-day Russia with Hitler's Germany
is obscene, malevolent and preposterous to a degree that appears impossible for the British
government and most of the media to understand.
The British press and its political puppets are determined to convince the British
public that there is a massive threat from Russia and even that the Kremlin
influenced the disastrous referendum vote to quit the European Union, the Brexit debacle.
The affair of the spy Skripal has provided much ammunition, and the newspapers have been
effective in increasing the level of anti-Russian fervor and intensifying international
tension. It's poison, Hitler and out-of-control government ministers that sell British
newspapers.
Brian Cloughley writes about foreign policy and military affairs. He lives in Voutenay
sur Cure, France.
A simple question: Where is Julia Skripal, a citizen of Russain Federation, who was taken by
the UK secret services and whisked away to some undisclosed location? There have been no
photographs of either her father (British citizen) and Julia since the odd incident in a city
of Salisbury that is a few miles away from the UK's main lab of chemical weaponry research.
"Porton Down is situated just northeast of the village of Porton near Salisbury, in
Wiltshire, England. a site of the Ministry of Defence's Defence Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl) – known for over 100 years as one of the UK's most secretive and
controversial military research facilities , occupying 7,000 acres." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porton_Down
Support the [ISIS] troops [in a war for Israel]!
http://thesaker.is/syrian-war-report-march-22-2018-syrian-army-gets-control-of-harasta-militants-withdraw/
"Over 40 tonnes of toxic agents have been found in the areas liberated from militants
Damascus has officially confirmed its readiness to assist in any investigation into a
chemical attack in Syria. However, international organizations have refused to cooperate with
the Syrian government, practically conniving with terrorist organizations in their
illegal activity. The Syrian Foreign Ministry pointed out that more than 40 tonnes of
chemical warfare agents have been discovered on the territories liberated from terrorist
s the international community prefers turning a blind eye to the real facts in which chemical
weapons are used in Syria against the government troops and civilians. .."
"... London and NATO have neither produced physical evidence of Kremlin involvement, nor established a motive for a hypothetical Russian attack. Nor has London explained why, if the Kremlin wanted Skripal dead because he spied for Britain in the 1990s and early 2000s, it did not execute him after convicting him of spying in 2006, and instead sent him to Britain four years later in exchange for Russian spies jailed by London. ..."
"... Instead, a simplistic narrative accusing Moscow has emerged: If a crime appears to target countries or individuals hostile to the Russian government, NATO governments and media conclude within hours that it is self-evident that the Kremlin is responsible. ..."
"... And, after the US invaded and occupied Iraq, as it became clear that Iraq had no WMDs and was not responsible for the attacks, it emerged that the particular anthrax strain used in the attacks had in fact been created by Washington's own WMD program at Fort Detrick, Maryland. A US scientist, Steven Hatfill, was rumored to be responsible, investigated, and ultimately cleared. ..."
"... In the Skripal attack, it is unclear how Moscow would benefit. ..."
"... the Skripal attack hands Putin's enemies inside NATO an ideal diplomatic and political weapon to use against him. ..."
"... The benefits flow, rather, to sections of the British and European ruling class who are stoking war hysteria against Russia, and sections of the American ruling elite, particularly around the CIA and the Democratic Party, working with them to discredit Trump as a supposed agent of Russia. The Skripal attack allows these factions to place enormous pressure on rival sections of the European ruling class, notably in the French and German governments, who are calling for a European military policy independent from the United States and closer ties to Russia. ..."
"... Yesterday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States has "full confidence" in the British assessment of the attack -- a statement he implicitly contradicted by then declaring that Russia was only "likely responsible." Despite firing Tillerson shortly after he made those statements, Trump echoed Tillerson's accusation of Russian complicity, declaring, "It sounds to me like it would be Russia, based on all the evidence they have." ..."
"... Porton Down is not a reliable source, however. It has a long record of illegal or covert testing of biological and chemical weapons on British citizens. These include the 1942 contamination with anthrax spores of Gruinard Island, which the British government was compelled to decontaminate in 1986; the unlawful death of Ronald Maddison in 1953 during trials of sarin gas on British servicemen; and the 1963-1975 spraying of biological weapons in Lyme Bay. The British government paid out 3 millions pounds to victims of such tests in 2008, without admitting liability. ..."
The World Socialist Web Site holds no brief for the kleptocratic business oligarchy
that emerged in Russia from the Stalinist bureaucracy's restoration of capitalism in the Soviet
Union in 1991. It cannot be ruled out that a faction of Russian intelligence, acting with or
without the knowledge of President Vladimir Putin, may have poisoned Skripal.
But London and NATO have neither produced physical evidence of Kremlin involvement, nor
established a motive for a hypothetical Russian attack. Nor has London explained why, if the
Kremlin wanted Skripal dead because he spied for Britain in the 1990s and early 2000s, it did
not execute him after convicting him of spying in 2006, and instead sent him to Britain four
years later in exchange for Russian spies jailed by London.
Instead, a simplistic narrative accusing Moscow has emerged: If a crime appears to
target countries or individuals hostile to the Russian government, NATO governments and media
conclude within hours that it is self-evident that the Kremlin is responsible.
In fact, in international politics, the simple and obvious answer all but inevitably fails
to reveal the complex web of political and economic interests that produce a given event or
policy. Were the Skripal attack to be a Le Carré spy novel, the accusations so far would
likely take up the first 10 pages of the book, after which the real story would unfold over the
next 400 pages. The questions that must be posed in such cases are: what is the credibility of
the accuser, and, above all, cui bono (who benefits from the crime)?
To those who say it is obvious that Russia poisoned Skripal, it is worth recalling the 2001
anthrax attacks in the United States, in which a deadly strain of anthrax was mailed to many US
officials in Washington, killing 5 people and infecting 17 more, shortly after the September 11
attacks. There again, media immediately blamed the attacks on obvious targets of US-UK war
threats -- the Iraqi regime's weapons of mass destruction (WMD) program and its alleged ties to
Al Qaeda. These all proved to be lies, serving Washington's foreign policy interests as it
sought to go to war in Iraq.
And, after the US invaded and occupied Iraq, as it became clear that Iraq had no WMDs
and was not responsible for the attacks, it emerged that the particular anthrax strain used in
the attacks had in fact been created by Washington's own WMD program at Fort Detrick, Maryland.
A US scientist, Steven Hatfill, was rumored to be responsible, investigated, and ultimately
cleared.
It still remains unclear to this day which US officials were involved in carrying out the
anthrax attacks. The FBI closed the investigation in 2010 after pinning the blame on another
scientist, Bruce Edwards Ivins, who had committed suicide in 2008. However, the US National
Academy of Sciences found in 2011 that the US government did not have sufficient scientific
evidence to definitively assert that the anthrax used in the attacks came from Ivins.
In the Skripal attack, it is unclear how Moscow would benefit. The attack took
place shortly before this weekend's elections in Russia, and as the NATO powers ramp up a
confrontation with Russia over their failed war for regime change in Syria that has seen US
forces attack and kill Russian military contractors in Syria in recent weeks. Rather, the
Skripal attack hands Putin's enemies inside NATO an ideal diplomatic and political weapon to
use against him.
The benefits flow, rather, to sections of the British and European ruling class who are
stoking war hysteria against Russia, and sections of the American ruling elite, particularly
around the CIA and the Democratic Party, working with them to discredit Trump as a supposed
agent of Russia. The Skripal attack allows these factions to place enormous pressure on rival
sections of the European ruling class, notably in the French and German governments, who are
calling for a European military policy independent from the United States and closer ties to
Russia.
Thus, on Monday, former French President François Hollande issued a sharp if barely
veiled attack in Le Monde on his successor, Emmanuel Macron, who is working closely
with Berlin. Asserting that current NATO policy allows Moscow and the Syrian government to
"liquidate its opposition and massacre its own people," Hollande called for a confrontation
with Moscow: "Russia has been rearming for several years, and if Russia is threatening, it must
be threatened."
Yesterday, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the United States has "full
confidence" in the British assessment of the attack -- a statement he implicitly contradicted
by then declaring that Russia was only "likely responsible." Despite firing Tillerson shortly
after he made those statements, Trump echoed Tillerson's accusation of Russian complicity,
declaring, "It sounds to me like it would be Russia, based on all the evidence they
have."
Under these conditions, and after the experience of the anthrax attacks, it must be said
that factions of the British and American states themselves are prime suspects in the Skripal
attack.
London has based its allegations against Russia entirely on the shifting analyses of its
Porton Down biochemical warfare facility, located coincidentally only 10 miles from Salisbury.
Initially, London alleged that Skripal had been exposed to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid more
powerful than heroin. On March 7, however, British officials alleged that the poison was a
nerve gas like sarin or VX, without explaining why Porton Down, a facility that has for decades
specialized in producing nerve gases, failed to correctly identify one after it was used.
On Monday, May alleged that the nerve gas in question is in fact "novichok," a special
chemical weapon initially produced by the Soviet government. However, London has refused
Moscow's requests to actually provide it with samples of the substance used in the Salisbury
attack for analysis, as required by the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). As of now, at least,
the case against Russia is based on the say-so of the Porton Down facility.
Porton Down is not a reliable source, however. It has a long record of illegal or covert
testing of biological and chemical weapons on British citizens. These include the 1942
contamination with anthrax spores of Gruinard Island, which the British government was
compelled to decontaminate in 1986; the unlawful death of Ronald Maddison in 1953 during trials
of sarin gas on British servicemen; and the 1963-1975 spraying of biological weapons in Lyme
Bay. The British government paid out 3 millions pounds to victims of such tests in 2008,
without admitting liability.
None of the allegations directed by such sources against Russia on the still-murky Skripal
poisoning case have a shred of credibility. Only a full, objective international public
inquiry, whose findings are published in real time as the inquiry progresses, can establish the
truth of what took place. In the meantime, it is a critical measure of self-preservation for
workers in America, Europe and around the world to oppose the ruling elite's stoking of war
hysteria against Russia and the danger of an all-out confrontation between the world's main
nuclear-armed powers.
Does provide a plausible alternatvie explanation. Given the recent elevation of Bolton and
the EU acceptance of the May claims it is likely that we are entering a period similar to
that of June 1914 when Europe commenced sleepwaling toward war.
If you find the above to be a credible explanation then please provide it to others so
they may realize their government may not be acting in the best interest of the public.
The article is reposted at Craig Murray request, as his site was at the time under denial of
service attack: "This website remains under a massive DOS attack which has persisted for more
than 24 hours now, but so far the defences are holding. Some strange form of "ghost banning" is
also affecting both my twitter and Facebook feeds. So please (a) Feel free to repost, republish,
translate or spread this article anywhere and anyway you can. All copyright is waived.
Notable quotes:
"... The emphasis is mine. This sworn Court evidence direct from Porton Down is utterly incompatible with what Boris Johnson has been saying. The truth is that Porton Down have not even positively identified this as a "Novichok", as opposed to "a closely related agent". ..."
"... This constitutes irrefutable evidence that the government have been straight out lying – to Parliament, to the EU, to NATO, to the United Nations, and above all to the people – about their degree of certainty of the origin of the attack. It might well be an attack originating in Russia, but there are indeed other possibilities and investigation is needed. As the government has sought to whip up jingoistic hysteria in advance of forthcoming local elections, the scale of the lie has daily increased. ..."
"... It does not take a degree in chemistry to understand that something related to a class can be half of all poisons in the world. ..."
"... A closely related agent" has no precise scientific meaning. It could mean "in the same chemical class" as Novichok but of indeterminate chemical structure at this time; or it could mean having the same toxicological effect as novichok, but not necessarily in the same chemical class (although this could refer to mode of synthesis, rather than of structural type). ..."
"... In either case, what it means is that they do not know the precise molecular structure of the agent concerned – and iif they don't know that, they cannot sign it to Russia – or anyone else. ..."
"... The statement to the Court proves beyond any credible argument that the UK Government are simply lying, either to the court, or to the rest of us. ..."
"... 'This has been confirmed by specialists, our specialists. An Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission is in the UK now to independently confirm this analysis.' Or, to put it another way, the task of the OPCW is NOT to conduct an independent analysis, but to AGREE WITH 'our specialists'. ..."
"... What's a "related compound"? Could it be something as ordinary as sheep dip or weedkiller? Could they be described as "nerve agents", even if they're not usually thought of in that sense? ..."
"... If the Skripals really are in a Salisbury NHS hospital then It's safe to conclude that no nerve agent was involved at all. This is because of the comments of the consultant and the the fact that they're still alive ..."
"... Could it be argued that all nerve agents are "closely related" and then speculated that the wording of the testimony was arrived at in a way of compromise between the scientist(s) and the government? ..."
"... Also, do we know if the blood sample was taken from the police officer who (it would appear) made sudden recovery? Can him being discharged from hospital be seen as a way to avoid giving the blood sample? ..."
Evidence submitted by the British government in court today proves, beyond any doubt, that
Boris Johnson has been point blank lying about the degree of certainty Porton Down scientists
have about the Skripals being poisoned with a Russian "novichok" agent.
Yesterday in
an interview with Deutsche Welle Boris Johnson claimed directly Porton Down had told him
they positively identified the nerve agent as Russian:
You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to
find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton Down,
the laboratory
So they have the samples
They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said, "Are you
sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
I knew and had published from my own
whistleblowers that this is a lie. Until now I could not prove it. But today I can
absolutely prove it, due to the
judgement at the High Court case which gave permission for new blood samples to be taken
from the Skripals for use by the OPCW. Justice Williams included in his judgement a summary of
the evidence which tells us, directly for the first time, what Porton Down have actually
said:
The Evidence
16. The evidence in support of the application is contained within the applications
themselves (in particular the Forms COP 3) and the witness statements.
17. I consider the following to be the relevant parts of the evidence. I shall identify the
witnesses only by their role and shall summarise the essential elements of their
evidence.
i) CC: Porton Down Chemical and Biological Analyst
Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings indicated
exposure to a nerve agent or related compound. The samples tested positive for the presence
of a Novichok class nerve agent OR CLOSELY RELATED AGENT.
The emphasis is mine. This sworn Court evidence direct from Porton Down is utterly
incompatible with what Boris Johnson has been saying. The truth is that Porton Down have not
even positively identified this as a "Novichok", as opposed to "a closely related agent".
Even if it were a "Novichok" that
would not prove manufacture in Russia , and a "closely related agent" could be manufactured
by literally scores of state and non-state actors.
This constitutes irrefutable evidence that the government have been straight out lying
– to Parliament, to the EU, to NATO, to the United Nations, and above all to the people
– about their degree of certainty of the origin of the attack. It might well be an attack
originating in Russia, but there are indeed other possibilities and investigation is needed. As
the government has sought to whip up jingoistic hysteria in advance of forthcoming local
elections, the scale of the lie has daily increased.
On a sombre note, I am very much afraid the High Court evidence seems to indicate there is
very little chance the Skripals will ever recover; one of the reasons the judge gave for his
decision is that samples taken now will be better for analysis than samples taken post
mortem.
"findings indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound. The samples tested
positive for the presence of a Novichok class nerve agent OR CLOSELY RELATED AGENT."
Yes, they're not even saying it was a nerve agent, much less in the Novichok class of
fluorophosphates, much less which among those hundred+ compounds. That fits with the
Salisbury Hospital emergency room doctor's letter to The Times in which he states exactly 3
people have been treated there, all for poisoning, with none receiving antidotes for nerve
gases. I wondered about that at the time, why not say Novichok-5 like in the fume hood
accident at the Russian chemical warfare plant (which was treatable with atropine).
Here is the attending physician saying not only is the 41 bystander bit complete hooey but
"no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury" though the 3
were "significantly poisoned". By what, if not a nerve agent, maybe norborene or strychnine?
The latter "causes poisoning which results in muscular convulsions and eventually death
through asphyxia."
March 16 2018
The Times
Sir, Further to your report ("Poison exposure leaves almost 40 needing treatment", Mar
14), may I clarify that no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in
Salisbury and there have only ever been three patients with significant poisoning. Several
people have attended the emergency department concerned that they may have been exposed. None
has had symptoms of poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood tests performed have
shown no abnormality. No member of the public has been contaminated by the agent
involved.
Stephen Davies
Consultant in emergency medicine, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
In a letter to The Times Dr Davies writes that no patients experienced symptoms other than
the three with "significant poisoning". "Several people have attended the emergency
department concerned that they may have been exposed," he adds. "None has had symptoms of
poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood tests performed have shown no abnormality.
No member of the public has been contaminated by the agent involved."
The Guardian, flip-flopping daily between uber-patriotic chest-thumping and skepticism,
actually ran a well-researched article today
Andrew Roth and Tom McCarthy Thu 22 Mar 2018 05.00 GMT
"Before former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia collapsed on a park bench in
Salisbury on 4 March, the only other person confirmed to suffer the effects of novichok was a
young Soviet chemical weapons scientist Circles appeared before my eyes: red and orange. A
ringing in my ears, I caught my breath. And a sense of fear: like something was about to
happen," Andrei Zheleznyakov told the now-defunct newspaper Novoye Vremya, describing the
1987 weapons lab incident that exposed him to a nerve agent that would eventually kill him.
"I sat down on a chair and told the guys: 'It's got me.'"
The Court evidence said @17.V ZZ: Treating Consultant.
a)Mr Skripal is heavily sedated following injury by a nerve agent.
b)Ms Skripal is heavily sedated following injury by a nerve agent.
This differs from the Porton Down evidence 17 i) CC: Porton Down Chemical and Biological
Analyst
Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analysed and the findings indicated
exposure to a nerve agent or related compound. The samples tested positive for the presence
of a Novichok class nerve agent OR CLOSELY RELATED AGENT.
Why isn't the Consultant more precise since he must have been given the exact Porton Down
evidence in order to treat them.
no wonder your website is under attack there are those opposed to letting the truth slip
out.. they are some of them.. boris needs to be taken out to pasture
Has Nick Bailey been asked to give the OPCW a new blood sample? Surely he should be asked.
At least there is no consent issue, since he has recovered sufficiently to be discharged from
hospital and he is fully able to give his consent or withhold it if he wishes. He probably
has been asked, and there is no reason why taking a sample from him should have been
mentioned in the judgment about taking samples from the Skripals, but I would still like to
know.
I hope people do circulate this post by Craig as widely as they can. But note that it is
not only Boris Johnson who has directly lied. Theresa May has also directly lied – and
in her case, she has lied to the House of Commons. By parliamentary convention, a minister
who has lied to the House should RESIGN, as John Profumo did in 1963.
If Jeremy Corbyn wishes to rise to the moment, he must at the earliest opportunity, which
is to say TOMORROW, bring the matter of these lies to the House of Commons. He must directly
accuse the prime minister of lying to the House and call on her to resign .
He should also call for Boris Johnson to come to the House and explain why he lied to
Deutsche Welt.
Boris Johnson a liar???? Whoever would have think that?
Pardon my sarcasm. This is important and irrefutable evidence that the UK Government are
twisting the facts to suit an agenda that is not in the interests of the general populous,
but aimed at retaining their tenuous grip on power. That has always been the Conservative
policy – get into power and stay in power at any price. They don't have any answers to
the problems the UK or wider world faces. They are not even looking for answers. Any solution
would erode the privilege and security of their cronies and masters.
BTW – I don't have much less contempt for the other political parties. But the
Conservatives are the most contemptible/despicable at the moment. Maybe we could start
referring to the the robotic Ms May as the Contemptible Party Leader? Leader of the
Contemptibles? Etc.
i know that it is pointless, but let me explain something that should not need to be
explained. If HMG really identified the nerve agent used in Skripal poisoning then its
submission to court would have said: the nerve agent A-2617 was identified .
Instead, HMG submitted: the nerve agent of the class Novichok and then broadened it
even beyond class to "or closely related agent".
It does not take a degree in chemistry to understand that something related to a class
can be half of all poisons in the world.
Perhaps we will hear from Boris now that the secret intelligence that only he is privy to
proves that Lucretia Borgia has been a secret Russian agent with a license to kill.
" A closely related agent" has no precise scientific meaning. It could mean "in the
same chemical class" as Novichok but of indeterminate chemical structure at this time; or it
could mean having the same toxicological effect as novichok, but not necessarily in the same
chemical class (although this could refer to mode of synthesis, rather than of structural
type).
In either case, what it means is that they do not know the precise molecular structure
of the agent concerned – and iif they don't know that, they cannot sign it to Russia
– or anyone else.
But indeed, even if they did have a precise chemical structure, given that the synthetic
processes have been published, even then they could not in any scientifically meaningful
sense, ascribe its synthesis to Russia – or anyone else.
The statement to the Court proves beyond any credible argument that the UK Government
are simply lying, either to the court, or to the rest of us.
"I don't think anyone is disputing that it was 'produced in Russia' originally." That's
disputed. By the OPCW. So, there was a program to attempt to develop these theoretical
weapons in the Soviet Union (Uzbekistan) No evidence that the program was successful
according to OPCW.
'This has been confirmed by specialists, our specialists. An Organization for the
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons mission is in the UK now to independently confirm this
analysis.' Or, to put it another way, the task of the OPCW is NOT to conduct an independent
analysis, but to AGREE WITH 'our specialists'.
You've got them rattled Craig. Already the story is no longer screaming headlines, just
faded mentions, even in the Daily Heil.
The nice part is that the British establishment may yet see blood running in the street.
Theirs, if they loose control of the narrative!
Who can forget the rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights look of fear on Boris's face the
morning after Brexit vote. – Boris booed and jeered as he leaves his house after
Brexit, 24 June 2016 – Urban Picture UK – Youtube – – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1EtnpulrIg
In the 90's young Boris used to write Eurosceptic articles for the Sunday Telegraph
– really hard hitting pieces of writing, or so it seemed. Then along came Sir James
Goldsmith's Referendum Party, a political organisation perfectly suited to Johnson's rhetoric
you would have thought, except it wasn't: as soon as the new party appeared BoJo suddenly
changed his tune – all of a sudden leaving the EU became a very bad idea with Goldsmith
being described as a dangerous demagogue and readers were warned in no uncertain terms not to
vote for him. It was as if Boris was taking orders from someone above.
The Skripals are both in a coma in hospital after the nerve agent attack in Salisbury and
therefore unable to give their consent to blood samples being taken or tested. A judge has
given doctors permission to take blood samples from the former Russian double agent Sergei
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, so that tests can be carried out by chemical weapons
experts.
How come Doctors had to wait so long? Doctors have been given the legal right to take
blood samples from unconscious or incapacitated drivers without their consent. The change
– under the provisions of the 2002 Police Reform Act – comes into effect on
Tuesday. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2288574.stm
A spokesperson for the Home Office said the provision, which took effect Oct. 1, gives
doctors "a power, but not a duty" to take the samples. The British Medical Association (BMA),
which had urged the government to change the law, has issued guidelines for MDs. It says
there should be "a clear separation between the 'CLINICAL' care the patient is receiving and
any forensic procedures with which patients are asked to cooperate." Dr. Michael Wilks, chair
of the BMA's Ethics Committee, says the association rarely supports taking samples without
patients' consent, but in this case there is "a clear public interest" in having it done. He
also pointed out that the law would help clear the names of some drivers. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC140489/
How much more of a public interest is it to save two peoples lives?
"Blood samples from Sergei Skripal and Yulia Skripal were analyzed and the findings
indicated exposure to a nerve agent or related compound. The samples tested positive for the
presence of a Novichok class nerve agent OR CLOSELY RELATED AGENT."
What's a "related compound"? Could it be something as ordinary as sheep dip or
weedkiller? Could they be described as "nerve agents", even if they're not usually thought of
in that sense?
As for Johnson. I've watched his lies and obfuscation connected with the idiotic Garden
Bridge project for the last two years. Some £46 million of public money was wasted on
that because of him, never mind the disastrous Heatherwick new bus for London, the Dangleway,
the Arcelor Mittal Orbit, the dodgy deal about West Ham getting the Olympic stadium. He has
no conscience. He does not give a damn about anything other than Boris Johnson.
In a German TV disscussion programme last night, Anthony Glees was calling for a boycott
of the World Cup in Russia and actually said:
"Boris Johnson would not have accused Putin if he didn't have any proof". ( Glees' is quoted
in German here: https://twitter.com/maischberger/status/976580438222360576
) He should try that line on a British audience, especially a London one.
The doctors could have taken the blood of the Skripals on 4th of March and helped to save
their lives see my comment above. If they die, could this be manslaughter?
"c) The main consideration ought to be the beliefs and values that would be likely to
influence the decision if Mr Skripal or Ms Skripal had capacity. An individual subjected to
such an attack with personally catastrophic consequences would want to see it fully and
properly investigated and that all appropriate steps to identify the perpetrators (individual
and state) have been taken so that they can be held to account."
A 'full and proper investigation' into the Salisbury incident would HAVE to include the UK
government's agreement to supply Russia with blood samples from Mr and Ms Skripal, in
accordance with CWC procedures and with Russia's request in keeping with those procedures. As
Russia alone hold the formulaic records by which to accurately measure the toxic type in the
Skripals blood (should those toxins be Russian in origin), any investigation which excludes
Russian participation can in no way be considered as "fully and properly" conducted.
Furthermore, any effort to second-guess and thereby disregard whatever results a Russian
participation may provide to an investigation can only be considered as an attempt against
its 'full and proper' conclusion.
If the Skripals really are in a Salisbury NHS hospital then It's safe to conclude that
no nerve agent was involved at all. This is because of the comments of the consultant and the
the fact that they're still alive
Could it be argued that all nerve agents are "closely related" and then speculated
that the wording of the testimony was arrived at in a way of compromise between the
scientist(s) and the government?
Also, do we know if the blood sample was taken from the police officer who (it would
appear) made sudden recovery? Can him being discharged from hospital be seen as a way to
avoid giving the blood sample?
"... Ultimately, Britain is not a factor in foreign affairs. Having withdrawn from the EU, they've vanished up the USA's asshole. The US controls their Fisher-Price nuclear deterrent and their increasingly atavistic veto. ..."
"... The determining geopolitical factor is Russia's missile announcement. It re-established MAD, but that's not all. It also created a capability for proportional response to the entire range of US force that effectively counters all US use and threat of force. ..."
Interesting detail about illegal British war propaganda in breach of ICCPR Article 20. Of
particular note is the report of Pompeo's role in the blame game for the failed provocation.
Ultimately, Britain is not a factor in foreign affairs. Having withdrawn from the EU,
they've vanished up the USA's asshole. The US controls their Fisher-Price nuclear deterrent
and their increasingly atavistic veto.
The determining geopolitical factor is Russia's missile announcement. It
re-established MAD, but that's not all. It also created a capability for proportional
response to the entire range of US force that effectively counters all US use and threat of
force. There's no more game of chicken. Russia can discipline the US with localized
humiliation and global rout without recourse to mutual destruction.
The Russian program of coercion to peace is already taking effect:
In these talks, Russia is in a position to impose not just nuclear disarmament but
demilitarization. They've turned the clock back to the Eisenhower/Herter peace plan. That is
a very good thing.
"MS NAUERT: Yeah. Okay. So, as many of you know, Russia – yeah, I think it was
yesterday – said that this could have come – the poisoning could have come from
yet another country, which is ridiculous. I mean, we put out a statement about that, saying
that is a joke that it could have come from another country. We've seen Russian claims like
this before, when Russia claimed not to be responsible for its little green men in Ukraine,
where Russia claimed to not be responsible for the downing of the Malaysian Air flight in
2014 over Ukraine. We've seen Russia continue to perpetuate the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
They make a lot of claims. I think it's pretty clear we stand by the Brits, as do many other
countries, that Russia's responsible for this."
Also on Thursday, the media reported that Moscow can reveal the identity of spies sent as
part of 23 employees of the British Embassy in Russia after the announcement of persona non
grata Russian diplomats in London.
Elena Vrach , 1 hour ago
Yes, there is a question the despite equal number of expelled diplomats, the level of
damage is different and is higher for Britain. Because ironically, EVERYONE assumes that
British authorities expelled Russian diplomats as a part of propaganda circus "Oh Oh Oh
Novichok".
But on those who were expelled by Russia there is a stamp "MI6" because for Russia it does
not make sense to resort to propaganda action -- they expelled those who really were harmful
for their security trying to decimate British MI6 capabilities in their country -- and that
means that all or most of expelled are iether undercover agents of MI6, or are closely
connected with MI6.
Which means effectively the end of their career as MI6 undercover agents. Which is one of
the unanticipated effects of this round of Skripal scandal...
It would be funny if WikiLeaks soon publish some list with their positions in MI6.
My own country is looking particularly shabby at the moment, over a number of topical news
stories:
The alleged Salisbury attack, and in particular the disgraceful and shameful British
government response to it and the lockstep backing for it by the establishment media. Rush to
judgement, childish government and diplomatic ranting, Iraq War-style manipulation of
seemingly laughably inadequate evidence to "fit the facts around the policy", massive
jingoistic propaganda effort.
Intelligence and security community involvement in the manipulative anti-Trump hysteria in
the US.
Now, the related Cambridge Analytica/SCL Elections story and the comical performance in
presumably giving time to cover up information on that company's servers with a convenient
court delay in issuing a search warrant:
The information commissioner will have to wait until at least Friday to enter the
offices of Cambridge Analytica after a high court judge adjourned the hearing into her
application for a warrant.
The commissioner, Elizabeth Denham, announced on Monday night that she planned to
request an urgent warrant to enter the company's London offices, after it was revealed that
it had been given information from 50m Facebook profiles without users' permission.
.
On Tuesday, crates were seen being removed from the central London office that Cambridge
Analytica shares with other tenants. No one on the scene would comment on the origin of the
crates, and the ICO said it was not involved in their removal.
The effectiveness of US sphere establishment media propaganda can be judged from the
widespread belief that Russia was likely responsible for the alleged attack in Salisbury,
when in reality the case against Russia is almost literally
non-existent . One survey suggested as few as 26% even questioned the state approved and
propaganda-imposed version (poll conducted 14th/15th March):
"As for the tragedy that you mentioned, I found out about it from the media. The first thing that entered my head was that if
it had been a military-grade nerve agent, the people would have died on the spot," said Putin.
"Secondly, Russia does not have such [nerve] agents. We destroyed all our chemical weapons under the supervision of international
organisations and we did it first, unlike some of our partners who promised to do it, but unfortunately did not keep their promises."
Despite the tensions, Putin said Moscow was ready to cooperate with London: "We are ready to cooperate, we said that straight
away. We are ready to take part in the necessary investigations, but for that there needs be a desire from the other side and we
don't see that yet. But we are not taking it off the agenda, joint efforts are possible."
"I think any sensible person would understand that it would be rubbish, drivel, nonsense, for Russia to embark on such an escapade
on the eve of a presidential election."
"... I think that in much of the world The World Cup is a bigger deal than the Olympics. I knew some athletes here in Canada who had their athletic careers ended by our boycott of the 1980 Olympics (after years and years of hard work). I'm surprised western intelligence agencies have not done more to undermine Russia's world cup. They may yet. ..."
"... Outside of North America the World Cup is definitely a much bigger event than the Olympics. ..."
"... I just thought we would see the same nonsense we saw to undermine the Sochi Olympics, this just seems much more than just derogatory media coverage, or officials boycotting attending the event. I was interested to see Professor Richard Sakwa, his book on the Ukraine crisis is probably the best out there, interviewed on RT regarding this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcKQ-4Qqel0 ..."
I think that in much of the world The World Cup is a bigger deal than the Olympics. I
knew some athletes here in Canada who had their athletic careers ended by our boycott of the
1980 Olympics (after years and years of hard work). I'm surprised western intelligence
agencies have not done more to undermine Russia's world cup. They may yet.
Outside of North America the World Cup is definitely a much bigger event than the
Olympics. I already have my tickets for England v Panama in Nizhny Novgorod, as well as
a second round match in Moscow.
I don't care much for the Olympics, although I do like the Winter Olympics. I just
thought we would see the same nonsense we saw to undermine the Sochi Olympics, this just
seems much more than just derogatory media coverage, or officials boycotting attending the
event. I was interested to see Professor Richard Sakwa, his book on the Ukraine crisis is
probably the best out there, interviewed on RT regarding this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcKQ-4Qqel0
Theresa May was definitly deciving british people about nerve gas attack
"either the British authorities are unable to protect from a terrorist attack on their territory or staged the attack themselves.
Notable quotes:
"... a Russian chem-tech said yesterday if the Russians had done it they would be dead. Even today they were poisoned in their homes is held to, after which they could drive to a pub and a meal (for which they waited 20 minutes) then out to a park bench . . . succumbing almost three hours later. ..."
"... I'm looking forward to an accurate timeline of what happened and when it happened. ..."
"... another gas pipeline inspired madness as NordStream 2 approaches implementation. This is supported by the voltairnet report (especially the sacking of Tillerson). The oil, coal, nuclear lobbies are desperate to profit from gas to EU and that is not going to happen from Russian gas pipelines. ..."
"... the UK is the homeland of Christopher Steele who assembled the Trump smut dossier. That was done with the connivance of MI6 and the UK conservative party in support of Hillary Clinton and against Trump. ie The UK not Russia set out to interfere in the USA elections and have been exposed. ..."
"... IMO, the Brits have made a massive mistake, a grave error, that they are now very much aware of -- their hoax has blown up in their faces, and there's no way out other than sweeping the entire affair down the memory hole or under the rug. And with the advent of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the entire government's shifted to damage control. ..."
"... But there will be some that it doesn't fit easily with and the example of David Kelly will help as a salutary warning to anyone considering reflecting on the morals and ethics of a situation. ..."
"... Just so Mrs May and PHE are clear; A Dissipated, Weaponised Nerve Agent in the air and on surfaces in the Streets of Salisbury (or anywhere else) Is FUCKING DANGEROUS - BIG TIMEY ..."
"... Porton Down employees might get away with lying, Blair did get away with lying but it will be interesting how Mrs May is going to explain this one. ..."
"... Why do you call Wolfowitz, Bremmer and Rumsfeld clueless? Has it occurred to you they knew exactly what they were doing -- the destruction of Iraq -- and got away with it? ..."
"... I cannot understand why so many commenters assume that a toxic agent had anything to do with this obvious false flag charade. I wonder if Skripal or his daughter were actually sick at all, or merely doing a crisis acting job. ..."
"... Actually, there is zero evidence that anything happened at all. ..."
"... It's interesting to see how the Salisbury thing ties in with Brexit negotiations. Clearly the Tories are in disarray and probably pinning their hopes on a strongly worded anti Russian statement from the OPCW. They may be out of luck. ..."
a Russian chem-tech said yesterday if the Russians had done it they would be dead. Even today they were poisoned in their homes is held to, after which they could drive to a pub and a meal (for which they waited
20 minutes) then out to a park bench . . . succumbing almost three hours later.
I'm looking forward to an accurate timeline of what happened and when it happened.
Thank you b and all contributors. This is one great community to share ideas with. I am firmly of the belief that this venomous
drivel by May and her UK parrots is:
1: another gas pipeline inspired madness as NordStream 2 approaches implementation. This is supported by the voltairnet
report (especially the sacking of Tillerson). The oil, coal, nuclear lobbies are desperate to profit from gas to EU and that is
not going to happen from Russian gas pipelines.
2: the UK is the homeland of Christopher Steele who assembled the Trump smut dossier. That was done with the connivance
of MI6 and the UK conservative party in support of Hillary Clinton and against Trump. ie The UK not Russia set out to interfere
in the USA elections and have been exposed.
More dust in the eyes is needed. So kill 2 birds with one stone as they say at Porton Down and voila, a poisoned traitor and
daughter are found dying.
As the Afghanistan people discovered more than a century ago, you can't trust any British envoy.
The amusing part of this tale is how the UK suckered Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN. The shame and embarassment that
Yankees must be feeling after they even had a war of independence from these lying, treacherous Tory fools. Trump needs to reassign
Haley to the new embassy in the arctic circle.
Shamir's Unz Review article cited
and linked by Don Bacon @13 which I relink here provides some explosive material at its conclusion that none of the Unz commentators
addressed, which I found rather odd given its importance.
IMO, the Brits have made a massive mistake, a grave error, that they are now very much aware of -- their hoax has blown up in
their faces, and there's no way out other than sweeping the entire affair down the memory hole or under the rug. And with the
advent of the Cambridge Analytica scandal, the entire government's shifted to damage control.
Got to say it would be a bit of a mind fuck for an honest scientist at Porton Down to be instructed to lie.
Of course the Developed Vetting Process kinda gets the right people in those positions where they actually believe not telling
the truth is their duty when circumstances require it.
But there will be some that it doesn't fit easily with and the example of David Kelly will help as a salutary warning to anyone
considering reflecting on the morals and ethics of a situation. But their job, when all is said and done, involves extending the
science of humans' ability to kill other humans in more novel, ingenious and grotesque ways.
Once they come to terms with that they must accept what they are, and lying is a very minor blemish on what their souls have
become.
But Doc Davies unabashed and vibrant (could also read naive and stupid) did speak out.
No retraction, no correction from the Doc himself, the NHS trust, Public Health England (PHE) or any other government authority
says to me he told it as it was; nobody in Salisbury was poisoned by nerve agent (weaponised or otherwise)
Which ties in with Putin's observations - that stuff doesn't make you unwell, it kills you - and Mrs May' passing on of PHE
advice; "as Public Health England has made clear, the risk to public health is low." whilst reassuring us in the same statement that; "It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent"
Just so Mrs May and PHE are clear; A Dissipated, Weaponised Nerve Agent in the air and on surfaces in the Streets of Salisbury
(or anywhere else) Is FUCKING DANGEROUS - BIG TIMEY
Porton Down employees might get away with lying, Blair did get away with lying but it will be interesting how Mrs May is going
to explain this one.
Porton Down is okay financially. They earned it! news report: Britain will invest 48 million pounds in a new chemical warfare
defence centre at its Porton Down military research laboratory, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said on Thursday.
Yes, very interesting article on background/history of novichok and the various reasons for keeping it secret. Perhaps most
important point to note is the following: "Probably all major laboratories that conduct research on poison gas, such as 'Porton Down' in England, Edgewood in the US
and the Dutch TNO, have already synthesized novichoks a long time ago."
Why do you call Wolfowitz, Bremmer and Rumsfeld clueless? Has it occurred to you they knew exactly what they were doing --
the destruction of Iraq -- and got away with it?
I cannot understand why so many commenters assume that a toxic agent had anything to do with this obvious false flag charade.
I wonder if Skripal or his daughter were actually sick at all, or merely doing a crisis acting job.
Curious that they have been
spirited away from anyone who might assess their condition. And the notoriously deadly nerve agent apparently did not do it's
job on them. Because there was no nerve agent involved. Now after a long lapse of time some concocted nerve agent may be produced
to back up the whole scam.
Meanwhile Scripal and daughter will be held away from prying eyes in "protective custody".
PeacefulProsperity , Mar 21, 2018 10:24:08 PM |
90
Yes, Meyssan as always has the best intel about the real stuff behind the scenes. B's reporting has recently been also stellar.
Thanks! UK has always been behind every US aggression, not the other way round. Besides read Myron Fagan...
The US and EU are wandering away from the UK script on Russia. Jean-Claude Juncker and Donald Trump have both undermined Theresa
May's attempt at a united front against the Kremlin, as both men congratulated the president on his successful re-election. News report:
A message from European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker congratulating Vladimir Putin on his reelection as Russian
president was called "shameful" and "nauseating" by British Conservatives.
Ashley Fox, a Tory MEP, said on Tuesday that it was remiss of Juncker not to have mentioned the poisoning of a Russian former
spy and his daughter in Salisbury, southern England.
" To congratulate Vladimir Putin on his election victory without referring to the clear ballot-rigging that took place
is bad enough. But his failure to mention Russia's responsibility for a military nerve agent attack on innocent people in my
constituency is nauseating ,"
@97: It's interesting to see how the Salisbury thing ties in with Brexit negotiations. Clearly the Tories are in disarray and
probably pinning their hopes on a strongly worded anti Russian statement from the OPCW. They may be out of luck.
"... They mentioned although the Turkish officials have said they are ready to help evacuation of al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board) terrorists from Eastern Ghouta to take them to Idlib, this seems to be a cover as they really mean to rescue their special foreign forces that among the ranks of the Al-Qaeda-affiliatetd Al-Nusra in Syria. ..."
"... According to the sources, a sum of 960 foreign agents have so far been transferred to these specific regions after the terrorist groups allowed evacuation of civilians on March 15... ..."
"... It seems that there is a significant effort by the United States, the United Kingdom, France and Germany to provoke a military confrontation with Moscow. How else are we able to interpret threats from Macron to strike Damascus, together with his ominous advice to foreign journalists not to go to Damascus in the coming days and, for those already there, to leave the capital immediately? There has even been chatter within diplomatic circles that suggest that UN personnel are leaving Damascus.... ..."
"... Russian military representatives have reiterated that in the event of an attack, they will respond by hitting both the missiles launched as well as the ships from which the missiles were launched ..."
"The sources said that after the army's expanding march in Eastern Ghouta and failure of
the US-Israeli plot to conduct an effective offensive on Damascus, the US command center
has rushed to to evacuate allied militants and agents operating for Israel, Jordan and NATO
from the region.
They mentioned although the Turkish officials have said they are ready to help
evacuation of al-Nusra Front (Tahrir al-Sham Hay'at or the Levant Liberation Board)
terrorists from Eastern Ghouta to take them to Idlib, this seems to be a cover as they
really mean to rescue their special foreign forces that among the ranks of the
Al-Qaeda-affiliatetd Al-Nusra in Syria.
Therefore, the US has ordered Jeish al-Islam, Faylaq al-Rahman and other terrorist
groups to allow evacuation of civilians from Eastern Ghouta to army-held regions in a bid
to provide the ground for these foreign agents to also leave Ghouta in disguise and enable
the Turkish intelligence service to send them to specified regions in al-Tanf and Northern
Syria which are under the control of the US troops," they
.... According to the sources, a sum of 960 foreign agents have so far been
transferred to these specific regions after the terrorist groups allowed evacuation of
civilians on March 15... ."
"According to reports, terrorists stationed in Al-Tanf received 20 tons of chlorine gas
and detonators, disguised as cigarette packs, in order to attack in an area under the control
of the terrorists that is densely inhabited by civilians. ...
It seems that there is a significant effort by the United States, the United Kingdom,
France and Germany to provoke a military confrontation with Moscow. How else are we able to
interpret threats from Macron to strike Damascus, together with his ominous advice to foreign
journalists not to go to Damascus in the coming days and, for those already there, to leave
the capital immediately? There has even been chatter within diplomatic circles that suggest
that UN personnel are leaving Damascus....
Russian military representatives have reiterated that in the event of an attack, they
will respond by hitting both the missiles launched as well as the ships from which the
missiles were launched ."
Am I correct in assuming that the long-term US/UK/Israel plan is to use false-flag events
blamed on P (spy poisonings, election tampering, MH17, Syria poison gas, etc.) to force R off
the UNSC, then set up a Rus gov in exile (similar to the ploy used recently to steal Libyan
cash), transfer the UNSC role to the exile Rus gov, and with all this to give the Rus elite
sufficient political cover at home to "take out" an ever-popular P, by any means necessary?
Concurrently, a Syria false-flag gas attack is blamed on P, missiles launched on Syria to
make sure Rus sinks a few Anglo warships and a few thousand expendable sailors are sunk, (as
Ukraine warring restarts) then the open warfare, limited to the Med, with UK/US/Is certain
they can outlast Rus, who will be stunned into surrender by the use of limited yield
nukes?
Are the warmongers overplaying their hand? I keep seeing references to hair-on-fire
hysteria of the elite doorkeepers being due to them seeing this trap in the Med as the last
chance to take Rus out in a bid to try to save the NWO project.
Because we all know the State Dept. is expert in hiring and directing jihadis to do dirty
work. Thank heaven the CIA saved us!
...The whole thing smells like a dead fish.
The part about Porton Down getting creative with sarin samples' chain of custody has been
alleged before, and I suppose State could have asked Britain to use its mercs to pull off an
event.
However, since Sy Hersh points out embedded people were explicitly warned about the Apr
'17 conventional attack ahead of time for their own safety (and the Syria plane cleared its
mission with the Deconflict folks, and knew all along it was being tracked), the likelihood
that a different group pulled the current sandbagging job must be considered.
So, fair question: Does State have its own intel / black operations team? Thought it was a
consumer not producer.
The part about Porton Down getting creative with sarin samples' chain of custody has been
alleged before, and I suppose State could have asked Britain to use its mercs to pull off an
event.
However, since Sy Hersh points out embedded people were explicitly warned about the Apr '17
conventional attack ahead of time for their own safety (and the Syria plane cleared its mission
with the Deconflict folks, and knew all along it was being tracked), the likelihood that a
different group pulled the current sandbagging job must be considered.
So, fair question: Does State have its own intel / black operations team? Thought it was a
consumer not producer.
"Russia did it" is a meme designed to scapegoat Russia to cover the Democrat's Asses for
losing the 2016 election, and to enable continuation of the Forever Wars since the fall of
Raqqa.
Facebook user data was fed into the analytics system that enabled Cambridge Analytica and the
Trump campaign to effectively target voters at a minimal budget. They won Donald Trump the
swing states and the election.
It wasn't the Russians, it was our own social media companies who sold user data to the
Trump campaign which convinced liberals not to vote in swing states.
From what I learned about this Skripal affair and what we're expected to believe -- i.e., the
official U.K. government version -- is ludicrous. Farcical. I'm talking Fargo and
Burn After Reading kind of farcical. And is anyone a little alarmed that the same
Monty Python-esque goofball is behind the attempted subversion of Trump's election in
collusion with U.S. Deep State with a ludicrous 'Golden Showers' dossier was also the U.K.'s
weapon to subvert FIFA and Russia in the World Cup and was an associate of Skripal.
"... The UK has a long record of misdoings, he said, including the support of coup in Ukraine and the invasion of Iraq. "This is like talking to overweight alcoholics and drug users that have lost any sense of dignity." ..."
"... Their plan was to fabricate an attack against an ex-double agent in Salisbury and at the same time a chemical attack against the " moderate rebels " in the Ghouta. The conspirators' intention was to profit from the efforts of Syria to liberate the suburbs of its capital city and the disorganisation of Russia on the occasion of its Presidential election. Had these manipulations worked, the United Kingdom would have pushed the USA to bomb Damascus, including the Presidential palace, and demand that the United Nations General Assembly exclude Russia from the Security Council. ..."
"... However, the Syrian and Russian Intelligence Services got wind of what was being plotted. They realised that the US agents in the Ghouta who were preparing an attack against the Ghouta were not working for the Pentagon, but for another US agency. ..."
"... And there's the additional evidence that some kind of False Flag attempt fell apart at Eastern Ghouta + Trump's discovery that the Deep State was planning to take him by surprise (the immediate dismissal of Tillerson). ..."
Lord Robertson, Secretary General of NATO, wrote a draft resolution invoking Article 5 in
the Washington treaty -- the famous 'musketeer clause' -- as a consequence of the terror
attacks: "The Council agreed that if it is determined that this attack was directed from
abroad against the United States, it shall be regarded as an action covered by Article 5 of
the Washington Treaty, which states that an armed attack against one or more of the Allies in
Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all."
There was a reservation. Article 5 would not be formally activated before "it is
determined that this attack was directed from abroad". Apparently, NATO had a suspect. But
the forensic evidence was still pending, and hence also the formal invocation of Article
5.
Formally, this evidence was provided by Frank Taylor, a diplomat with the title of Ambassador
from the US State Department . The first bombs fell in Kabul on 7 October 2001 [the
slaughter of civilians by the US/NATO had begun].
Article 5 of the Washington Treaty emphasises the right to self-defense and reads:
"Nothing in the present Charter shall impair the inherent right of individual or collective
self-defence if an armed attack occurs against a Member of the United Nations, ." That is,
military action is forbidden in the absence of an armed provocation , and the legality
of the attack on Afghanistan depends exclusively on the evidence presented in Frank Taylor's
report. But it was classified together with the minutes from the pertinent
meetings.
We are still at war seventeen years later. Five countries have been destroyed, hundreds of
thousands of people killed and millions displaced. Refugees are swarming the roads of Europe,
trillions of dollars have been spent on weapons and mercenaries and our grandchildren have
been shackled with endless debt."
-- Oded Yinon plan' fanatics, oilmen, banksters, MIC, "ambassadors," "lords," and "elected
leaders of the free world " -- None of the war criminals has been punished. Guess, their
children and grandchildren will be paying for the scoundrels' cowardice and lies.
"The Day, a news website that produces short articles about current affairs meant to be
used as teaching aids in British schools , has offered students two alternatives to
believe about Vladimir Putin: he is either Europe's "most dangerous leader since Hitler," or
a puffed up figure attacking other nations out of weakness."
-- Was it a Friend of Israel that has concocted the definitions?
"Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko has held a press conference in London, denying the
Kremlin was involved in the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia using
military-grade nerve agent.
"Britain has without any evidence blamed Russia for poisoning three people and continues
to refuse to cooperate," he said.
The UK authorities are violating Vienna Convention by not giving Russia access to
Skripals, because Skripal has dual citizenship (the UK and Russia), Russian Ambassador to the
UK Alexander Yakovenko said.
The Russian embassy has immediately requested details and materials of the case, the envoy
stated.
While 10 days have passed, Moscow has received no response, while London has refused to
pass samples of the poisonous substance allegedly used to attack Skripal.
Then Yakovenko turned a little darker, seemingly indicating concerns that this was nothing
but a false-flag operation (via SputnikNews)
The envoy called for checking how could British experts find out the exact type of the
nerve gas used to poison Skripal . [Good question!]
Commenting on the death of former top manager of Russian Aeroflot airline Nikolai
Glushkov, the ambassador stated that "we cannot take Britain's words on trust."
Alexander Yakovenko said that Britain has provided no proof of Russia's alleged
involvement in the nerve agent attack.
He suggested that the samples of the so-called Novichok nerve gas could have already been
in possession of a laboratory, which is located just miles away from Salisbury .
"We have been refused consular access to our Russian citizen Yulia Skripal ,"
Russian Ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko said.
The UK is ignoring requests on case of Russian businessman Glushkov who died in London,
ambassador stated.
Russian experts puzzled how UK managed to determine type of nerve gas in Skripal
case, in days, but not weeks or months.
The UK has a long record of misdoings, he said, including the support of coup in
Ukraine and the invasion of Iraq. "This is like talking to overweight alcoholics and drug
users that have lost any sense of dignity."
Boris Johnson [the self-proclaimed "passionate Zionist") compared Russia's hosting of this
year's World Cup to the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany. Russians respond: "Nobody has the
right to insult the Russian people, who defeated the Nazis."
"The US special forces deliver 20 tons of chlorine gas to Al Qaeda terrorists in Syria
order to execute a false flag for the purposes of blaming Damascus and Moscow."
"It seems that there is a significant effort by the United States, the United Kingdom,
France and Germany to provoke a military confrontation with Moscow. How else are we able to
interpret threats from Macron to strike Damascus, together with his ominous advice to foreign
journalists not to go to Damascus in the coming days and, for those already there, to leave
the capital immediately? There has even been chatter within diplomatic circles that suggest
that UN personnel are leaving Damascus.
This could be psychological warfare, or it could be a prelude to war. With the stakes so
high, we cannot afford to ignore any detail, even if it may be disinformation. The American
attack seems imminent, with mounting signs of movements of American and Russian warships in
the Mediterranean in attack formation.
Russian military representatives have reiterated that in the event of an attack, they will
respond by hitting both the missiles launched as well as the ships from which the missiles
were launched. Things are getting pretty dicey, and the risk of a direct confrontation
between the United States and the Russian Federation are rising with every passing hour. The
transfer of numerous US aircraft from Incirlik, Turkey, to Al-Azrak, Jordan, is another
indication of preparations for an attack, since the forces moved to Jordan are close to the
Al-Tanf base. The proposed strategy could involve an assault on the city of Daraa, for the
purposes of securing the borders between Syria and Jordan and Syria and Israel.
The warnings raised by Lavrov and Gerasimov appear unprecedented, given that they detail a
plan already set in course, evidently approved at the highest levels and aimed at
provoking and justifying an attack on Syria ; and attack that would encompass the Russian
forces in Syria. "
The Zionists control Britain and the U.S. and are planning to start WWIII using Syria and
Iran as the precursor and nothing is going to stop this Zionist drive for a Zionist NWO no
matter what the cost in lives or money, these satanic bastards are bound and determined to
have a war with Russia and so it shall be done.
These satanic bastards have deep underground military bases that they think they can
survive a nuclear war in and so they might, but what will be left, by the way these bases are
known as DUMBs, and are connected by a tunnel system through out the U.S. and Britain, if
anyone doubts this , do some research , it is true.
Mr. Meyssan wrote the first book, in 2002, to assert that 9/11 was a False Flag attack by
what we now call the 'Deep State". 9/11 The Big Lie came out in English in 2003. I believe
that Meyssan is living in exile from France in Syria. He was one of the first reporters to
show that the attacks upon Assad and Syria were being run by foreign intelligence operatives
and their terrorist minions like ISIS.
I am glad that Mr. Unz has run this very important article on the present intrigue.
This excellent article is why I visit this site. Doing the work that the Jewstream media
refuses to do. I knew "something was rotten in Denmark"! It is very, very good that the world
has leaders such as our great President Trump and powerful (take no bull) Putin. As far as
Merkel and May go the sooner the door hits them on the Ass the better.
Hilarious nonsense! Thierry Meyssan is a specialist in conspiracy theories and could be
called a "9/11 negationist". One can assume that, in his eyes, the Salisbury attack,
regardless of who might have carried it out, has not worked to Putin's advantage.
Dutch voters behaved badly, so the toys are taken away. No more 'referanda' for you.
The disintegration will accelerate: more new faces, local parties, rebellion parties. And,
of course, more clowns (hello Boris, now climb down from that tree).
Brussels is having urgent off-sites with think-tank geniuses how to stop it. So far they
have come up with: more 'media control' (propaganda), more outreach, drastic new restrictions
('you like the old Europe? -- xenophobe!, no travel for you'), and a circular management
refresh, Macronism .
One thing I doubt the globo-liberal EU obsessives will ever do is to actually listen to
the 'misguided' people. It has been preliminary decided to simply label any resistance as '
Russian subversion '. That buys some time, but they have no long term solutions, or
even coherent ideas. This will get more entertaining. Boris J-man might actually climb up
that tree before this is over
There is structural Globalist government and all participants as Theresa May are only
puppets. All western leaderships are only participants. So far only Trump is the one who is
resisting.
The orders are coming from Rothschild. He ordered now that Russia must be destroyed or at
least neutralized. I am convinced that Russia's government is fully aware of what is going
on.
Just a while ago Russia commissioned three nuclear armed submarines. Not long time ago
Putin ordered nuclear drill over all country. I would guess that Russia already a while ago
is on war preparation mode. Looks like the west lost its mind.
Concerning economy Britain is in trouble. French were strongly opposing Britain to join
EU. That was because England is the main competitor for French food exports. One thing from
this will be good. Barb be qui season is coming and beef will be now cheep.
Well I felt so unattracted by what I had read that I thought it would be helpful to see if
any of the UR Commenters who can make sense would give an assessment.
Thank you for the information. It doesn't make him sound like a person who is well placed
to make the claims to knowledge he has about what went on in England.
The main Brussels' battle cry is 'populism'. In my opinion, populism is simply opposing
political mainstream. But this mainstream is disintegrating, Hollande abolished the French
socialist party, Parti Socialiste.
In Germany Schulz, former EU top man, SPD member, the Socialist Party Germany, even had to
step down as chairman in order to make SPD members agree with the SPD coalition with Merkel's
CDU. Schulz obviously left his overpaid Brussels job in order to become chancellor.
But also Merkel policies are breaking down. Her minister of the Interior, police, border
control, immigration, naturalisation, granting asylum, Seehofer, states that he will
reinstate border controls, as the EU does nothing. Polls show that 76% of Germans agree with
him.
What most Germans do not know is that oral instructions were given in Merkel's former
chancellor period to customs and border police, not to stop any immigrant at the borders.
Merkel and Seehofer now disagree on Islam, Merkel 'the Islam belongs to Germany', Seehofer
'the Islam is in Germany'. But in how far the German people and culture can be saved in the
long run one wonders. Demographic calsulations show that with present differences in birth
rates in 30 to 40 years time 30 to 40% of the Germans will be Muslims. As Merkel said
'they're here already'. What Merkel's objectives are or were, she if often compared to the
sfinx. In any case Mutti, mom, cannot last much longer.
E European countries reject Muslim immigrants. However, after the Muslim immigrants have
been naturalised, under present EU rules, they can settle anywhere in the EU, so the eastern
countries cannot keep them away. If they want to settle in hostile communities is the
question.
" Looks like the west lost its mind. " Rothschild, Bilderberg, is not the west, nor is
AIPAC and AEI. However, former Shell CEO Van der Veer is chairman of a NATO strategic
advisory committee.
Now go back and read the article and then re-assess what A436 said, Wally.
It doesn't make him sound like a person who is well placed to make the claims to
knowledge he has about what went on in England.
He's talking about whether Thierry Meyssan would really have access to the people and
information that could confirm this story of conspiracy and its uncovering.
The British government and certain of its allies, including US Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson, have attempted to launch a Cold War against Russia.
Their plan was to fabricate an attack against an ex-double agent in Salisbury and at
the same time a chemical attack against the " moderate rebels " in the Ghouta. The
conspirators' intention was to profit from the efforts of Syria to liberate the suburbs of
its capital city and the disorganisation of Russia on the occasion of its Presidential
election. Had these manipulations worked, the United Kingdom would have pushed the USA to
bomb Damascus, including the Presidential palace, and demand that the United Nations
General Assembly exclude Russia from the Security Council.
However, the Syrian and Russian Intelligence Services got wind of what was being
plotted. They realised that the US agents in the Ghouta who were preparing an attack
against the Ghouta were not working for the Pentagon, but for another US agency.
In Damascus, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fayçal Miqdad, set up an
emergency Press conference for 10 March, in order to alert his fellow citizens. From its
own side, Moscow had first of all tried to contact Washington via the diplomatic channels.
But aware that the US ambassador, Jon Huntsman Jr, is the director of Caterpillar, the
company which had supplied tunneling materials to the jihadists so that they could build
their fortifications, Moscow decided to bypass the usual diplomatic channels.
No, you don't need to be IN England. But you do need to have at least a small record of
qualifications and credibility to get readers to move past those first paragraphs which look
like the script of a movie starring Jennifer Lawrence as an FSB triple-agent.
A comment from Randal on another thread that gets to the point:
The only suggestions that the Russians were responsible for the incident come from
exactly the same kinds of people who told us about Iraq's WMD and the supposed Libyan
humanitarian emergency. And yes, about supposed suicidal Syrian government uses of chemical
weapons that are conveniently just big enough to provide their enemies with yet another big
stick to beat them with, but not enough to give them any material advantage.
And there's the additional evidence that some kind of False Flag attempt fell apart at
Eastern Ghouta + Trump's discovery that the Deep State was planning to take him by surprise
(the immediate dismissal of Tillerson).
It appears the Russians are losing their patience with the proof-less accusations from The
UK.
Russian ambassador Alexander Yakovenko has held press conference in London, denying the
Kremlin was involved in the attempted murder of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia using
military-grade nerve agent.
"Britain has without any evidence blamed Russia for poisoning three people and continues
to refuse to cooperate," he said.
The UK authorities are violating Vienna Convention by not giving Russia access to Skripals,
because Skripal has dual citizenship (the UK and Russia), Russian Ambassador to the UK
Alexander Yakovenko said.
The Russian embassy has immediately requested details and materials of the case, the envoy
stated.
While 10 days have passed, Moscow has received no response, while London has refused to pass
samples of the poisonous substance allegedly used to attack Skripal.
Then Yakovenko turned a little darker, seemingly indicating concerns that this was nothing
but a false-flag operation... (via
SputnikNews )
The envoy called for checking how could British experts find out the exact type of the
nerve gas used to poison Skripal.
Commenting on the death of former top manager of Russian Aeroflot airline Nikolai
Glushkov, the ambassador stated that "we cannot take Britain's words on trust."
Alexander Yakovenko said that Britain has provided no proof of Russia's alleged
involvement in the nerve agent attack.
He suggested that the samples of the so-called Novichok nerve gas could have already been
in possession of a labaratory , which is located just miles away from Salisbury.
"We have been refused consular access to our Russian citizen Yulia Skripal," Russian
Ambassador to the UK Alexander Yakovenko said.
The UK is ignoring requests on case of Russian businessman Glushkov who died in London,
ambassador stated.
Russian experts puzzled how UK managed to determine type of nerve gas in Skripal case, in
days, but not weeks or months.
The UK has a long record of misdoings, he said, including the support of coup in Ukraine
and the invasion of Iraq.
UK Prime Minister May is set to warn at a summit in Brussels that Vladimir Putin's brazen
flouting of international law represents a threat democracies across the continent.
And then the ambassador turned his attention to the shocking comments from UK foreign
secretary Boris Johnson who compared the Russian World Cup to Hitler's 1939 Olympics...
Johnson recently raised the bar for the UK government's barrage of accusations against
Moscow to a new level. The British foreign minister compared Russia's hosting of this year's
World Cup to the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany.
"I think the comparison with 1936 is certainly right. It is an emetic prospect to think of
Putin glorifying in this sporting event," he told a receptive Foreign Affairs Committee on
Wednesday.
"This statement is totally disgusting, it is not appropriate for any foreign minister,"
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
"Undoubtedly, [this remark] is offensive and unacceptable."
Additionally, Mr Yakovenko condemned the comments today, saying:
"Nobody has the right to insult the Russian people, who defeated the Nazis.'"
But The UK's propaganda is not just for adults, they are indoctrinating the kids too...
In case pupils in the UK don't understand the headlines on Russia and its president, a
special publication for kids explains how "toxic Putin" is poisoning the Wes t, without
bothering to distinguish between fact and allegation.
The Day, a news website that produces short articles about current affairs meant to be used
as teaching aids in British schools, has offered students two alternatives to believe about
Vladimir Putin: he is either Europe's "most dangerous leader since Hitler," or a puffed up
figure attacking other nations out of weakness.
"... We see that the British authorities are becoming increasingly nervous, which is logical. The clock is ticking. They have driven themselves into a corner. Ultimately, they will have to answer a growing number of questions, but they have no answers. ..."
"... The inference that they have made a mess of things but Russia is responsible anyway and must be held accountable is the wrong kind of logic. This logic may be good for a British or US movie, but it does not work in real life, especially in relations with Russia. ..."
"... It is becoming increasingly obvious that the attack on the Skripals in Salisbury is most likely a clumsy staged provocation. We must expose those who have orchestrated this attack and the reasons behind it. ..."
"... To be continued ..."
"... I have not watched the whole video. Will watch later. It appears, UK is defining the ground and terrain to fight, and Russia is obviously following. In that way, Russia is always on the defensive of what UK is dictating.. even if it is false which it is and that is the fight. ..."
"... Cut it short, Russia must realise that this is the new way to fight now. It cannot rely on facts and international laws and conventions alone as a defense.. Its not enough like the way it is doing now. It must quickly turn the situation around and determine the space to fight and how UK is to fight this of course without going to war. ..."
We are glad to see you at the Foreign Ministry on this cold wintry day that nevertheless
carries a promise of spring.
We are grateful to you for responding so quickly to our invitation, which we issued only
yesterday.
The situation is indeed unusual. There is an urgent need for a non-politicised and highly
professional discussion of the Skripals' poisoning case. We have distributed a position paper.
We ask you to bring it to the notice of your governments.
The language of this position paper, just as any other such paper, is dry legalese with
technical details.
It would be wrong to invite you here just to say this. I propose that we hold an open
discussion in this closed diplomatic group.
Let us look at hard facts, beginning with the humanitarian aspects of the case at hand.
On March 4, 2018, two people, one of them Russian citizen Yulia Skripal, were attacked in
Salisbury, a flourishing city in the south of England.
Various versions of the circumstances of this tragedy have been voiced in the UK. They
highlight the use of chemical agents, which the British call Novichok, for some reason. All of
these versions do not stand up to any criticism.
In this situation, UK officials have laid the blame on Russia hastily, hysterically and
without presenting any evidence, and demanded explanations from us.
I would like to repeat that it was a Russian citizen who has been attacked in the UK. Logic
suggests two possible variants. Either the British authorities are unable to ensure protection
against such terrorist attacks on their territory, or they were directly or indirectly involved
in the preparation of this attack on a Russian citizen. There is no other alternative.
We are surprised, to put it mildly, that the British authorities had denied even consular
access to the Russian citizen who has been attacked contrary to the elementary norms of
civilised interstate relations. They are prevaricating, but at the same time they distribute
video footage from the hospital where the Skripals are allegedly being treated. But this only
raises more questions.
The British have refused to share the information obtained by their investigators and have
not replied to the Russian requests regarding Yulia Skripal. We have no reliable information
about what happened to this Russian citizen over the past two weeks and why this happened to
her. This is hard to comprehend: these events are unfolding in the 21st century in a country
that is considered civilised.
Naturally, demanding any explanations from Russia in this situation is simply absurd. Russia
does not owe anything to anyone in this context, and it cannot be held accountable for the
activities or inactivity of the British authorities in their national territory.
We see that the British authorities are becoming increasingly nervous, which is logical.
The clock is ticking. They have driven themselves into a corner. Ultimately, they will have to
answer a growing number of questions, but they have no answers.
The inference that they have made a mess of things but Russia is responsible anyway and
must be held accountable is the wrong kind of logic. This logic may be good for a British or US
movie, but it does not work in real life, especially in relations with Russia.
It is becoming increasingly obvious that the attack on the Skripals in Salisbury is most
likely a clumsy staged provocation. We must expose those who have orchestrated this attack and
the reasons behind it.
Doubling down by the Empire. Russia is hardening up fast but still displaying manners and
offering goodwill! I'm afraid that is going nowhere excepting support is offered by the
traditional friends of Russia as usual.
So far, no answer to the question: "And what is next?"
Things on the war front? Well, the Empire wants their war dammit! And how dare Russia
deprive them of it!
I'm afraid tensions were only ratcheted up and the word de-escalation has been removed
from all Empire Dictionaries. Oh Boy!
I listened to all this. The idiot who represented the UK (actually not an idiot, she was just
doing her job and no doubt in private would admit it was stupid) just parroted out May's
previous words and never addressed any of the substantive questions raised; the EU and US
speakers merely talked about solidarity with the UK.
Telling was the fact that the Russian main man referred to the US rep as someone he had
never seen before, and was presumably from the State Dept.
None of the Russian requests for data or access to their citizens were dealt with.
The Russian side were well prepared, and the fact that they are pursuing this in this way
indicates they have nothing to hide and are pissed off.
I'm increasingly convinced that Russia is playing for a bit more time. It truly does feel
like a game of chess.
"I'm increasingly convinced that Russia is playing for a bit more time."
But why? IMHO the only possible reason could be gaining sufficient time to clear the
roaches from East Ghouta in Syria -- why? because it would eliminate one more of the possible
false flag locations, and possibly provide more time to beef up the defenses in Syria.
I get the feeling that Russia is adopting a posture, a bit like a boxer puts up his dukes
to guard against his opponents blows.
Kudos to the Venezuelan representative, who 1) stood up in Russia's defense against a
backdrop of "solidarity" with the UK (I guess meaning whatever story they concoct we will
pretend to believe) and 2) seems to be the only foreign diplomat in Moscow who bothered to
learn Russian.
"Concerned that Americans may be watching "foreign propaganda" (or something different
than what is offered on the mainstream media menu) Representatives Seth Moulton (D-MA) and
Elise Stefanik (R-NY) introduced the Countering Foreign Propaganda Act.
In practice, it would force RT to do even more reporting to the US government than it
currently does under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) and will also force it to
broadcast every 30 minutes a message saying it is funded by, and is "under editorial control"
of, a foreign government. Apparently, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will also
be the arbiter of who is under editorial control and who is not, because the BBC and France
24 would not be forced to disclose the origins of their funding, according to Foreign Policy
(FP) -- presumably, because their messaging is simply accidentally, sort of, in line with
that of the British and French governments respectively.
RT's stance on a potential crackdown in the US was summarized by its editor-in-chief,
Margarita Simonyan: "When the high from FARA is no longer hard enough, the representatives
switch to even harder legislation."
The US branch of RT came into the focus of the American mainstream public after the
election of Donald Trump as president. The channel starred in a controversial report by the
Office of the Director for National Intelligence, which alleged that RT's coverage of
American problems like fracking or the killings of black people by police amounted to
infringing on US democratic institutions."
Headline story on RT: "Peskov says ex-spy has zero value; no need to poison him."
Implication: "We only poison people of value."
If I were the spokesperson of Russia, I wouldn't even entertain the idea that Russia
poisons people. If I were a pro Russian television network, I wouldn't treat this story as
anything but Milli Vanilli.
Still think Margie "the true liberal" is your friend?
I would like to make an observation regarding the name given by Briton and others of this
lethal nerve agent, "Novichok". It seems to have appeared out of thin air, or the
imaginations of some. As has been pointed out, here in the conference, this was a fictional
name used in a TV show in Briton.
The point is this, "Novichok" is perhaps as to what the "Khorasan Group" was in the waning
days of the Obama regime. Do you remember the "Aboslute Terror!.com"(tm) that was surrounding
this fictional group of terrorists as trumpeted by Obama himself? Similarities are not
inconsequential in that a nefarious political goal is the point of the obfuscation and
lies.
What is that goal? I can't answer that question, but to speculate, I would guess that the
oligarchs of the West have decided that the potential for nuclear annihilation is worth
risking for unrestricted free market economic world domination in the short term.
I have not watched the whole video. Will watch later. It appears, UK is defining the
ground and terrain to fight, and Russia is obviously following. In that way, Russia is always
on the defensive of what UK is dictating.. even if it is false which it is and that is the
fight.
In that way, no matter what facts are presented (which is what Russia is doing) Russia
will always start from what they are accused of. Right there, UK is choosing what Russian
reaction would be.
Cut it short, Russia must realise that this is the new way to fight now. It cannot
rely on facts and international laws and conventions alone as a defense.. Its not enough like
the way it is doing now. It must quickly turn the situation around and determine the space to
fight and how UK is to fight this of course without going to war.
A very good point, well made. I've learned myself that conforming to Marquis of Queensbury
rules when engaged in a conflict with a street fighter can be somewhat counter-productive.
You cannot counter lies and medacity with an appeal to truth. I wonder how these mouthpieces
reading their government's lines can truly sleep at night.
its heartbreaking watching this. It reminds me of the poaching of the great animals of Africa
-- Russia does everything right and just -- and the shameful poachers use nothing honorable
or decent in their wish to destroy. There has been nothing but dishonesty and untruth from
Britain (and the west) in this whole affair -- no one even knows where or how the victims of
this 'chemical attack' are -- and that there's only be two victims -- a chemical attack kills
multiple people
I shall listen to the whole thing to get a better grasp of the context of certain speeches,
remarks. TASS yesterday posted a report ( http://tass.com/politics/995445 ) that represents their
own summary: "Russian Foreign Ministry suggests US could have orchestrated Skripal saga."
While appreciating Russian humor, I dashed off a message to my German friends, as follows
(translated):
Incredible! -- No I believe it. Watch the selected-emphasized sections below. The Russians
have the knife in, and they are turning it, very slowly. Delicious!
"It is likely that this could have been orchestrated from across the pond. [Note
that Yermakov -- and he comes from the MoD, not the MFA -- throws May's "highly probable"
back into her face, but he provides indirect evidence, which May did not do. Note also that
it is indeed "likely". That has been my argument the whole time, except that I told you the
Americans -- the Trump-Americans -- set a trap for May and she walked into it. Yermakov is
saying the same thing: just watch and listen.]
„It is no secret to anyone that the UK's closest partner is the only state
officially keeping the largest arsenals of chemical weapons in the world." [How true, but ist
he USA theUK's "closest partner" really? Actually, since the British launched their
anti-Trump cvampaign -- with Christopher Steele / MI6 -- the two have been at war with one
another. Yermakov seems to play innocent on that point, even naive, but if the Americans set
the trap, then the British set themselves up by believing that what May did was wha their
closest partner wanted them to do. And now May is in deep sh**.]
Yermakov further,"is most likely a new grossly falsified and unlawful
provocation." Against Russia, yes, of course, fa false flag, and illegal. But also against
the UK? That is left ambiguous.?
"It only has to be solved who stood behind this and which goals pursued." -- Yes,
indeed, who was behind the false flag, and what were the aims? This hast o be solved,
clarified. Yermakov poses these questions openly and round about, not limited to Russia. Do
the British know who was behind the false flag, and what the aims were? Do they have any
interest in finding out? Yermakov does not launch counter-accusations at the British.
„Only one thing is clear that Russia has absolutely no complicity in this
at least for one simple reason: such a scheme is simply inadmissible and it is
disadvantageous for us by all parameters." Russia's innocence is clear, and, in fact, the
British know that themselves. It would be insulting to claim the British believe their own
propaganda. And,
"At the same time, Great Britain has quite a different track record," the senior
diplomat said, adding that former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair had openly admitted his lies
about the situation around Iraq." Ah, yes, Blair lying about Irak WMD, but whether he was
trapped into that lie or not, at least it is obvious he was doing it to justify actions that
were not in the first place British actions, it was Bush's war.
„"One only has to guess who and for what purpose is now trying to plunge
Great Britain into a new dirty and again losing venture for London from the very outset
against Russia *this time,*" -- "One" has to guess, and "one" can be Russian, some Russsian
who guesses, or it can be a Brit. And "one" is going to "guess" about who is plunging Britain
into a dirty and loosing venture against Russia. Wow! -- Let's unravel this. Russia has
nothing to do with intelligence war-maneuvers of the Americans against England. If -- that
thatg is "highly likely" -- the Americans set the trap, plunging Britain into a losing
venture agaisn Russia, implied not to be in British interests, the Russians did not
„collude" in setting the trap. Leave Russia out of the game. England is being dragged
into something. Yermakov has "empathy" for the British in this dilemma. The British may well
think that they were dragged into the Irak-WMD charade and the war, so who is dragging
Britain into a losing game „this time"?]
„"the British authorities are beginning to get ever more nervous" as "they
have driven themselves into a deadlock" -- [Really a pity, right? That really hurts, you are
invited / or dragged onto the gang-plank, thinking you are doing the right thing, and their
your "closest partner" steps off the plank and you plunge into the depths. Sure you get
nervous, sure you see you brought onto yourself, you are in a blind-alley. -- You can only do
what Yermakov did if you have the upper-hand and you know it. Russia via Yermakov is not out
for retaliation, Russia extends the open hand , Russia is merciful. Remember the scene in
Schindler's list, where a Nazi camp-commander was about to shoot a little boy because there
were still stains in the bathtub the boy was supposed to have cleaned? And Schindler tells
the Nazi: real power ist to forgive, and the Nazi, who thinks he is powerful and wans power,
lays down his rifle. How merciful the Russias are is ytilll to come. ]
Moscow considers the Salisbury attack to be an act of terror against Russian
citizens carried out on UK soil, he stressed. -- -- So Moscow wants access to the Skripals,
Yulia in particular.
Now comes the icing on the cake, the knife begins to turn. "The senior Russian
diplomat called on the British to put their hatred against Russia aside for a moment, as well
as their "island way of thinking." "I mean no offence, I think highly of the British
diplomacy and this is the reason why I feel ashamed for you when I hear such things,"
Yermakov added, stressing that in the past, Russian diplomats had learned much from their
British colleagues and British experts and now they were calling them for dialogue.. [Of
course the British hate the Russians, but don't let that hate get in the way of properly
assessing the British situation in this trap. If Russians are anything, they are professional
and objective. Of course, Russian diplomats learned from British diplomas: they know
double-dealing also, but Russians do it openly -- open double dealing, and that is what
Yermakov was doing the whole time. Why would Russia do that? -- It's simple: "to split
Europe." That is what the British accuse Russia of doing, but Russia is not doing it the way
the British think, they are going to split Europe because the British have handed over the
lever to do it, because the British are shaming themselves with their nonsense propaganda,
and they know they are losing because it is so shameful. The British were tricked, Russia
does not play tricks. The Russians win because they put truth on the table: if the British
continue with their shameful behavior, they have no chance to play any leaves in Europe. They
know it, that is why they are nervous, that is their own dead-end. Now, when Blair lied,
dragging Britain into the Iraq war, it unleashed destruction, which does not bother the
British as long as others are destroyed. But now they are on the receiving end, it is their
own destruction which is at stake.
wow -- the British diplomat in the audience has a brutal speech -- well written -- its so
hard to defend oneself against untruth -- when its calculated -- at 53:55
It is foolish to believe that explanation will bring to your side those who are implacably
oriented against you because they take it as a sign of weakness.
"A military grade, novichok, nerve agent developed by Russia". So they didn't make then ?
'Developing' isn't making, just in case your education didn't cover this rather unsubtle
distinction. "Barrage of distortion and disinformation" Have you looked in the mirror of late
?? Pathetic.
I think the UK representative went a bit off-script when she said "Russia produced" -- the
official script is "Russian developed". I suspect that she may get a reprimand for that.
One the one hand I am amazed, on the other hand, not. Has anyone listened to the full session
or read the TASS release? ( http://tass.com/politics/995445 ) If not, please do so,
and show some of what the Russians call "respect," which means just listen carefully.
I do not wish to offend, as the Russian "senior diplomat" said, but I am ashamed to hear
such baseless gossip as "It appears, UK is defining the ground and terrain to fight, and
Russia is obviously following" or "You cannot counter lies and medacity with an appeal to
truth" (cited examples being by no means exhasutive).
Do you realize, have you registered the *fact* that the Russians said "Russian Foreign
Ministry suggests US could have orchestrated Skripal saga"?, which a load of backup to that
suggesion.
"... By doing do, the British government adopted the theories of Professor Amy Knight. On 22 January 2018, this US Sovietologist published a very strange book -- Orders to Kill -- the Putin régime and political murder . The author, who is " the " specialist on the ex-KGB, attempts to demonstrate that Vladimir Putin is a serial killer responsible for dozens of political assassinations, from the terrorist attacks in Moscow in 1999 to the attack on the Boston Marathon in 2013, by way of the execution of Alexandre Litvinenko in London in 2006 or that of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow in 2015. However, she admits herself that there is absolutely no proof of her accusations. ..."
"... The European Liberals then joined the fray. Ex-Prime Minister of Belgium Guy Verhofstadt, who presides their group in the European Parliament, called on the European Union to adopt sanctions against Russia. His counterpart at the head of their British party, Sir Vince Cable, proposed a European boycott of the World Football Cup. And already, Buckingham Palace announced that the royal family has canceled their trip to Russia. ..."
"... Responding to the Prime Minister, Blairist deputy Chris Leslie qualified Russia as a rogue state and demanded its suspension from the UN Security Council. Theresa May agreed to examine the question, but stressed that the outcome could only be decided by the General Assembly in order to avoid the Russian veto. ..."
"... During the public debate which followed, UK chargé d'affaire Jonathan Allen represented his country. He is an agent of MI6 who created the British War Propaganda Service and gives active support to the jihadists in Syria. He declared -- " Russia has already interfered in the affairs of other countries, Russia has already violated international law in Ukraine, Russia has comtempt for civilian life, as witnessed by the attack on a commercial aircraft over Ukraine by Russian mercenaries, Russia protects the use of chemical weapons by Assad ( ) The Russian state is responsible for this attempted murder ". The permanent representative for France, François Delattre, who, by virtue of a derogation by President Sarkozy, was trained at the US State Department, noted that his country had launched an initiative to end the impunity of those who use chemical weapons. He implied that the initiative, originally directed at Syria, could also be turned against Russia. ..."
"... Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya pointed out that the session had been convened at London's request, but that it is public at Moscow's request. He observed that the United Kingdom is violating international law by treating this subject at the Security Council while keeping the OPCW out of its enquiry. He noted that if London had been able to identify the " Novotchik ", it's because it has the formula and can therefore make its own. He noted Russia's desire to collaborate with the OPCW in the respect for international procedures. ..."
"... Throughout its long history, England has never hesitated to lie and betray its oath in order to defend its interests. This is how it earned its French nickname of " perfide Albion " (after the Latin name for England) ..."
"... local parties are the winners, winners also are national anti establishment parties, despite the demonizing of these populists, that represent the opinions of a significant portion of the population. ..."
"... As Belgium and Germany, governing our country becomes more and more difficult. The country seems to be more and more divided between those who trust the government, and those with deep distrust. ..."
The British government and certain of its allies, including US Secretary of State Rex
Tillerson, have attempted to launch a Cold War against Russia.
Their plan was to fabricate an attack against an ex-double agent in Salisbury and at the
same time a chemical attack against the " moderate rebels " in the Ghouta. The conspirators'
intention was to profit from the efforts of Syria to liberate the suburbs of its capital city
and the disorganisation of Russia on the occasion of its Presidential election. Had these
manipulations worked, the United Kingdom would have pushed the USA to bomb Damascus, including
the Presidential palace, and demand that the United Nations General Assembly exclude Russia
from the Security Council.
However, the Syrian and Russian Intelligence Services got wind of what was being plotted.
They realised that the US agents in the Ghouta who were preparing an attack against the Ghouta
were not working for the Pentagon, but for another US agency.
In Damascus, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fayçal Miqdad, set up an
emergency Press conference for 10 March, in order to alert his fellow citizens. From its own
side, Moscow had first of all tried to contact Washington via the diplomatic channels. But
aware that the US ambassador, Jon Huntsman Jr, is the director of Caterpillar, the company
which had supplied tunneling materials to the jihadists so that they could build their
fortifications, Moscow decided to bypass the usual diplomatic channels.
The Syrian army seized two chemical weapons laboratories, the first on 12 March in Aftris,
and the second on the following day in Chifonya. Meanwhile, Russian diplomats pushed the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to get involved in the criminal
investigation in Salisbury.
In the House of Commons, British Prime Minister Theresa May violently accused Russia of
having ordered the attack in Salisbury. According to her, the ex-double agent Sergueï
Skripal and his daughter were poisoned by a military nerve gas of a type " developed by
Russia " under the name of " Novitchok ". Since the Kremlin considers Russian citizens who
have defected as legitimate targets, it is therefore highly likely that they ordered the
crime.
" Novitchok " is known by what has been revealed by two Soviet personalities, Lev Fyodorov
and Vil Mirzayanov. The scientist Fyodorov published an article in the Russian weekly Top
Secret (Совершенно
секретно) in July 1992, warning about the
extremely dangerous nature of this product, and warning against the use of old Soviet
weaponry by the Western powers to destroy the environment in Russia and make it unlivable. In
October 1992, he published a second article in the News of Moscow
(Московские
новости) with a counter-espionage executive,
Mirzayanov, denouncing the corruption of certain generals and the traffic of " Novitchok " in
which they were involved. However, they did not know to whom they may have sold the product.
Mirzayanov was first of all arrested for high treason, then released. Fyodorov died in Russia
last August, but Mirzayanov is living in exile in the United States, where he collaborates
with the Department of Defense.
Russian ex-counter intelligence officer Vil Mirzayanov defected to the United States. Now
83 years old, he comments on the Skripal affair from Boston.
" Novitchok " was fabricated in a Soviet laboratory in Nurus, in what is now Uzbekistan.
During the dissolution of the Soviet Union, it was destroyed by a US team of specialists.
Uzbekistan and the United States, by necessity, have therefore possessed and studied samples
of this substance. They are both capable of producing it.
British Minister for Foreign Affairs Boris Johnson summoned the Russian ambassador in
London, Alexandre Iakovenko. He gave him an ultimatum of 36 hours to check if any " Novitchok
" was missing from their stocks. The ambassador replied that none was missing, because Russia
had destroyed all of the chemical weapons it had inherited from the Soviet Union, as
witnessed by the OPCW, which had drawn up a certified report.
After a telephone discussion with Boris Johnson, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in
turn condemned Russia for the attack in Salisbury.
Meanwhile, a debate was under way at the UN Security Council concerning the situation in
the Ghouta. The permanent representative for the US, Nikki Haley, declared -- " About one
year ago, after the sarin gas attack perpetrated in Khan Cheïkhoun by the Syrian
régime, the United States warned the Council. We said that faced with the systematic
inaction of the international community, states are sometimes obliged to act on their own.
The Security Council did not react, and the United States bombed the air base from which al
Assad had launched his chemical attack. We are reiterating the same warning today ".
The Russian Intelligence Services handed out documents from the US staff. They showed that
the Pentagon was ready to bomb the Presidential palace and the Syrian Ministries, on the
model of what it had done during the taking of Baghdad (3 to 12 April 2003).
Commenting the declaration by Nikki Haley, the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, who
had always called the attack in Khan Cheïkhoun a " Western manipulation ", revealed that
the false information which had led the White House into error and triggered the bombing of
the Al-Chaayrate air base, had in fact come from a British laboratory which had never
revealed how it came to possess its samples.
The Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs published a Press release condemning a possible
US military intervention, and announcing that if Russian citizens were harmed in Damascus,
Moscow would riposte proportionally, since the Russian President is constitutionally
responsible for the security of his fellow citizens.
Bypassing the official diplomatic channels, Russian Chief of Staff General Valeri
Guerassimov contacted his US counterpart General Joseph Dunford to inform him of his fear of
a false flag chemical attack in Ghouta. Dunford took this information vey seriously, and
alerted US Defense Secretary General Jim Mattis, who referred the matter to President Donald
Trump. In view of the Russian insistence that this piece of foul play was being prepared
without the knowledge of the Pentagon, the White House asked the Director of the CIA, Mike
Pompeo, to identify those responsible for the conspiracy.
We do not know the result of this internal enquiry, but President Trump acquired the
conviction that his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, was implicated. The Secretary of State
was immediately asked to interrupt his official journey in Africa and return to
Washington.
Theresa May wrote to the General Secretary of the United Nations accusing Russia of having
ordered the attack in Salisbury, and convened an emergency meeting of the Security Council.
Without waiting, she expelled 23 Russian diplomats.
Published one month and a half before the attack in Salisbury, Amy Knight's book presents
what was to become MI5's thesis. The author herself maintains that she has not the slightest
proof of what she is claiming.
At the request of President of the House of Commons Interior Committee Yvette Cooper,
British Secretary for the Interior Amber Rudd announced that MI5 (Military Interior Secret
Services ) is going to re-open 14 enquiries into deaths which, according to US sources, were
ordered by the Kremlin.
By doing do, the British government adopted the theories of Professor Amy Knight. On
22 January 2018, this US Sovietologist published a very strange book -- Orders to Kill --
the Putin régime and political murder . The author, who is " the " specialist on
the ex-KGB, attempts to demonstrate that Vladimir Putin is a serial killer responsible for
dozens of political assassinations, from the terrorist attacks in Moscow in 1999 to the
attack on the Boston Marathon in 2013, by way of the execution of Alexandre Litvinenko in
London in 2006 or that of Boris Nemtsov in Moscow in 2015. However, she admits herself that
there is absolutely no proof of her accusations.
The European Liberals then joined the fray. Ex-Prime Minister of Belgium Guy
Verhofstadt, who presides their group in the European Parliament, called on the European
Union to adopt sanctions against Russia. His counterpart at the head of their British party,
Sir Vince Cable, proposed a European boycott of the World Football Cup. And already,
Buckingham Palace announced that the royal family has canceled their trip to Russia.
The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, announced that it might ban the channel Russia
Today as a retaliatory measure, even though RT has on no occasion violated British
law.
The Russian Minister for Foreign Affairs summoned the British ambassador in Moscow to
inform him that reciprocal measures would soon be indicated in retaliation for the expulsion
of Russian diplomats from London.
President Trump announced on Twitter that he had fired his Secretary of State, with whom
he had not yet been in contact. He was replaced by Mike Pompeo, ex-Director of the CIA, who,
the night before, had confirmed the authenticity of the Russian information transmitted by
General Dunford. On his arrival in Washington, Tillerson obtained confirmation of his
dismissal from White House General Secretary General John Kelly.
The ex-CEO of the largest
multinational in the world, ExxonMobil, thought he was untouchable. But to his great
surprise, Rex Tillerson was brutally dismissed by Donald Trump. The former believed he was
serving the Anglo-Saxon world, while the latter considers him to be a traitor to his country.
Ex-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is a product of the Texan middle class. He and his
family worked for the US Scouts, of whom he became the National President (2010-12).
Culturally close to England, he did not hesitate, when he became President of the
mega-multinational Exxon-Mobil (2006-16), not only to wage a politically correct campaign
favouring the acceptance of young gays into the Scouts, but also to recruit mercenaries in
British Guiana. He is said to be a member of the Pilgrims Society, the most prestigious of
Anglo-US clubs, presided by Queen Elizabeth II, a number of whose members were part of the
Obama administration.
During his functions as Secretary of State, the quality of his education provided a bond
for Donald Trump, considered by US high society to be a buffoon. He was in disagreement with
his President on three major subjects which allow us to define the ideology of the
conspirators -
Like London and the US deep state, he thought it would be useful to diabolise Russia in
order to consolidate the power of the Anglo-Saxons in the Western camp ;
Like London, he thought that in order to maintain Western colonialism in the Middle East, it
was necessary to favour Iranian President Cheikh Rohani against the Supreme Leader of the
Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Khamenei. He therefore supported the 5+1 agreement.
Like the US deep state, he considered that the swing of North Korea towards the United
States should remain secret, and be used to justify a military deployment which would be
directed in reality against the People's Repubic of China. He was therefore in favor of
official talks with Pyongyang, but opposed to a meeting between the two heads of
state.
While Washington was still in shock, Theresa May spoke once again before the House of
Commons to develop her accusation, while all around the world, British diplomats spoke to
numerous inter-governmental organisations in order to broadcast the message. Responding
to the Prime Minister, Blairist deputy Chris Leslie qualified Russia as a rogue state and
demanded its suspension from the UN Security Council. Theresa May agreed to examine the
question, but stressed that the outcome could only be decided by the General Assembly in
order to avoid the Russian veto.
The North Atlantic Council (NATO) met in Brussels at the request of the United Kingdom.
The 29 member states drew a link between the use of chemical weapons in Syria and the attack
in Salisbury. They then decided that Russia was " probably " responsible for these two
events.
In New York, the permanent representative of Russia, Vasily Nebenzya, proposed to the
members of the Security Council that they adopt a declaration attesting to their common will
to shed light on the attack in Salisbury and handing over the enquiry to the OPCW in the
respect of international procedures. But the United Kingdom refused any text which did not
contain the expression that Russia was " probably responsible " for the attack.
During the public debate which followed, UK chargé d'affaire Jonathan Allen
represented his country. He is an agent of MI6 who created the British War Propaganda Service
and gives active support to the jihadists in Syria. He declared -- " Russia has already
interfered in the affairs of other countries, Russia has already violated international law
in Ukraine, Russia has comtempt for civilian life, as witnessed by the attack on a commercial
aircraft over Ukraine by Russian mercenaries, Russia protects the use of chemical weapons by
Assad ( ) The Russian state is responsible for this attempted murder ". The permanent
representative for France, François Delattre, who, by virtue of a derogation by
President Sarkozy, was trained at the US State Department, noted that his country had
launched an initiative to end the impunity of those who use chemical weapons. He implied that
the initiative, originally directed at Syria, could also be turned against Russia.
Russian ambassador Vasily Nebenzya pointed out that the session had been convened at
London's request, but that it is public at Moscow's request. He observed that the United
Kingdom is violating international law by treating this subject at the Security Council while
keeping the OPCW out of its enquiry. He noted that if London had been able to identify the "
Novotchik ", it's because it has the formula and can therefore make its own. He noted
Russia's desire to collaborate with the OPCW in the respect for international
procedures.
The United Kingdom published a common declaration which had been cosigned the night before
by France and Germany, as well as Rex Tillerson, who at that moment was still US Secretary of
State. The text reiterated British suspicions. It denounced the use of " a neurotoxic agent
of military quality, and of a type developed by Russia ", and affirmed that it was " highly
probable that Russia is responsible for the attack ".
The Washington Post published an op-ed piece by Boris Johnson, while the US
Secretary of the Treasury, Steven Mnuchin, established new sanctions against Russia. These
are not connected to the current affair, but to allegations of interference in US public
life. The decree nonetheless mentions the attack in Salisbury as proof of the underhand
methods of Russia.
Throughout its long history, England has never hesitated to lie and
betray its oath in order to defend its interests. This is how it earned its French nickname
of " perfide Albion " (after the Latin name for England)
British Secretary for Defence, the young Gavin Williamson, declared that after the
expulsion of its diplomats, Russia should " shut up and go away " (sic). This is the first
time since the end of the Second World War that a representative of a permanent member state
of the Security Council has employed such a vocabulary in the face of another member of the
Council. Sergueï Lavrov commented -- " He's a charming young man. He must want to ensure
his place in History, by making shock declarations [...] Perhaps he lacks education ".
In the space of four days, the United Kingdom and its allies have laid the premises of a new
division of the world, a Cold War.
However, Syria is not Iraq and the UNO is not the G8 (from which Russia has been excluded
because of its adhesion to Crimea and its support of Syria). The United States are not going to
destroy Damascus, and Russia will not be excluded from the Security Council. After having
resigned from the European Union, then having refused to sign the Chinese declaration about the
Silk Road, the United Kingdom thought to improve its stature by eliminating a competitor. By
this piece of dirty work, it imagined that it would acquire a new dimension and become the "
Global Britain " announced by Madame May. But it is destroying its own credibility.
Yesterday were the Dutch municipal elections. The losers were the governing parties at
national level. Winners the local parties. Trust in 'elite' politicians is diminishing
further.
We yesterday also had our last referendum, the referendum law no longer exists. As with
all previous referenda, we voted against government policy, this time the law that gives
secret services the legal right to spy on anyone.
As with all referenda, our vote will not have any effect, as when in 2005 we voted against
the EU, and two years ago against the EU Ukraine association treaty.
Nevertheless, democracy functions. As I wrote, local parties are the winners, winners
also are national anti establishment parties, despite the demonizing of these populists, that
represent the opinions of a significant portion of the population.
As Belgium and Germany, governing our country becomes more and more difficult. The
country seems to be more and more divided between those who trust the government, and those
with deep distrust.
Two of the worst American false flags are responsible for the killing in North Korea and
Vietnam. The killing of it's own people is not a moral dilemma for the Deep State.
Meyssan has often voiced the opinion that Trump & Putin have an understanding. We can't,
and will probably never know the truth of this opinion, but when one watches their body
language and behaviour together such as was openly displayed at the APEC summit in Vietnam,
one sees that they are very comfortable with each other.
One of the things that the Kremlin understands is that the US, and specifically its
foreign policy determinations, is rat's nest of various vested and/or rogue interests pulling
in their various directions, and that by virtue of Washington's chaotic politics much of what
seems to be foreign policy is executed without the knowledge, much less control of the
President, or even the State & Defence Departments.
The reality is that both Russia and China want (for different reasons) a healthy USA to
sit at a newly constituted round table of Great Powers. There are factions within the
US that agree with them, and that the road to Global Hegemony is a dead end. Trump's election
has opened a window of opportunity to allow the US to de-throttle, and even back away from
that goal should those factions gain the upper hand. From what we see, they are making
progress.
There's still a political battle royal ahead for them, but there's also factions within
the US' allies whose fortunes will take a turn for the worse should they succeed. They will
naturally ally with those in the US who's goal is Empire. As it is, with current developments
in DC, and the Syrian gambit backfiring, said factions are panicking and it should surprise
no-one to see ill-conceived and executed attempts to reverse their fortunes.
I think the Skripal case is a textbook example of just that kind of thing happening. A
farcical caricature of a false flag operation gone awry, and no plausible narrative in
sight.
That the once great UK is reduced to 3 blind mice standing in for Ministers of what are
normally a nation's 3 most powerful ministries shows just how far from its moorings the West
has drifted. One is almost embarrassed for them as they thrash around.
Saker posted a video on his site of a meeting called by the Kremlin of all ambassadors.
It's astonishing, frankly.
MAY-DAY, MAY-DAY don't write checks with insufficient funds on hand, May, America doesn't
need the UK pimping a war with Russia, we can't pay for the ones with have now!
One thing about the neo-conservatives, who have thoroughly penetrated the Tory government of
British Prime Minister Theresa May and, due to the reality television show savant nature of
Donald Trump, are rapidly filling as many vacancies in the US administration as possible, is
that they are consistent. Neocons, who make no secret of their desire for major military
conflagrations, have dusted off an old playbook with regard to the nerve agent poisoning of
Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England. The convoluted
charges made by the British government bear all the hallmarks of the Polonium-210 radiation
poisoning of ex-Russian intelligence agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died in London in
2006.
In June 2008, the British government conceded that the government of British Labor Prime
Minister Tony Blair concocted and exaggerated claims about Russia's involvement in the
Litvinenko poisoning in 2006. Apparently, the present government of Mrs. May believes rational
people have no memories of what transpired in Britain twelve years ago.
The British intelligence services, which had their own relationship with Litvinenko, could
no longer manage to suppress overwhelming evidence that the poisoning of Litvinenko was the
result of a plot by anti-Vladimir Putin criminal syndicates based in Britain, Israel, Ukraine,
and Poland to embarrass the Russian government.
Suspicions about the role of the exiled Russian-Israeli criminal syndicates in the poisoning
of Litvinenko, including that which was headed by Litvinenko's friend, wanted Russo-Israeli
oligarch Boris Berezovsky, re-surfaced after former Russian Prime Minister Yegor Gaidar became
violently ill after eating breakfast at a conference he was attending in Dublin, Ireland.
Ireland's banking secrecy laws has made it a favorite location for the Eurasian-Israeli
Mafia.
Berezovsky's own suspicious death in March 2013 discovery of Berezovsky's body in his Ascot
estate in England suggested that the anti-Russian crime syndicates, which work closely with
hedge fund billionaire troublemaker George Soros and the Central Intelligence Agency,
eliminated Berezovsky because he was about to reveal the nature of the syndicates to the
Russian government. Most media reports coming out of Britain, at the time, claimed that
Berezovsky died from natural causes. A few others suggested suicide or murder. Interestingly,
Berezovsky had recently received medical treatment in Israel.
Berezovsky's expatriate friends in Britain and Israel included exiled oligarchs who were
subjects of Russian arrest warrants. These included Russian-Israeli businessman Leonid Nevzlin,
the former chief executive officer of Yukos Oil, who was the subject of a Russian arrest
warrant for murder, embezzlement, and tax evasion. Nevzlin, a former head of the Russian Jewish
Congress, resided in Tel Aviv under the protection of the Israeli government. Nevzlin's exiled
Russian-Israeli comrades included Vladimir Dubov, a major Yukos shareholder, and wanted
oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky. The wanted ex-Yukos officials, who are now allied with the
expatriate former chief of Yukos and ex-convict, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, have also been linked to
wealthy British businessman Jacob Rothschild.
Berezovsky ran from exile a major support network for Chechen terrorists. One of their
leaders, Ahmed Zakayev, was a close associate of Berezovsky and Litvinenko.
Just like Litvinenko, Yulia Skripal had her own reported connections to Russian and Western
intelligence services, suggesting that she, like Litvinenko, had embarked on a dangerous life
as a double or triple agent. Yulia Skripal worked for the "information center" at the US
embassy in Moscow and at the Holiday Inn in Southampton in England. Hotel jobs are a preferred
"non-official cover" position for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6). Until his
arrest by Russian authorities, Sergei Skripal was a paid agent for MI-6. In 2010, he was given
asylum in Britain after a major spy swap between the United States and Russia.
The nerve agent reportedly used on Skripal and his daughter was a "Novichok" ("Newcomer"),
one of a series of binary agents allegedly developed in the Soviet Union during the Cold War.
These nerve agents were also apparently stockpiled at the British biological and chemical
warfare research facility at Porton Down, a mere eight miles from Salisbury, where the Skripals
took ill.
But the existence of Novichok is, itself questionable. Claims about Novichok originally came
from Vil Mirzayanov, a Soviet chemical weapons scientist who claimed to have invented Novichok
at a facility in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1994, Mirzayanov fled to the United
States, where he came under the control of the CIA. In 2016, Dr. Robin Black, the chief of the
Detection Laboratory in Porton Down, published an academic paper that questioned the veracity
of Mirzayanov's Novichok claims.
The poisoning of the Skripals was followed shortly by the death in London of Berezovsky's
longtime business colleague and friend Nikolai Glushkov. British police called Glushkov's death
"suspicious," citing as the cause "compression to the neck." Berezovsky died as the result of a
hanging, believed by police to be a "suicide." Radioactive traces of the Polonium-210 used to
poison Litvinenko were traced to Berezovsky's office at 7 Down Street, in London's Mayfair
district. In 2008, Badri Patarkatsishvili, Berezovsky's Georgian-Israeli business partner,
collapsed and died at his home a mere 15 miles from Berezovsky's English estate. The death of
the 52-year old was determined by authorities to be the result of a "heart attack."
Much more than circumstantial evidence suggests that Berezovsky, Glushkov, and
Patarkatsishvili were murdered by exiled opponents of the Russian government, who also happen
to be kingpins in the Eurasian-Israeli mafia that uses Britain as a major base of operations.
Britain is favored by these criminal syndicates because of the close working relationship they
have with British and American intelligence agencies, as well as with Soros, who maintains a
residence in London.
Just as with the unfounded allegations about Russia made by British government officials in
the wake of the Litvinenko death, current British officials found it difficult to keep their
stories straight or factual. One such official was Foreign Secretary Boris London, the
dim-witted former mayor of London who has been dubbed "the British Trump," a reference to the
US president.
Johnson laughingly claimed that Russia directed "the use of a nerve agent on the streets of
the UK, on the streets of Europe, for the first time since the Second World War." Just as with
the Trump administration's wanton use of "fake news" and "alternate facts," Johnson was engaged
in making up a "false history." There is no evidence that any chemical weapons, let alone nerve
agents, were used by Germany against Britain during the Second World War. A British mustard gas
attack on Adolf Hitler and his army unit near Ypres, France – an attack that landed
Hitler in a military hospital with burnt lungs and partial blindness – convinced the
German dictator not to use chemical weapons against Britain or the Soviet Union.
Although the Nazis maintained stockpiles of tabun and sarin nerve agents, Hitler forbid his
generals from employing them in battle, except for the use of asphyxiating gas agents by SS
chemical warfare troops in clearing caverns and catacombs in Sevastopol and Odessa of Soviet
military personnel and civilians who had sought refuge from the invading German army. And,
although the Nazis used hydrogen cyanide and carbon monoxide to murder millions of Jews, Roma,
Soviet prisoners of war, and others in concentration camps throughout Europe, Johnson's
statement about the use of nerve agents on British and European streets in World War II is
ludicrous, as well as patently false. What is not false is that British generals dissuaded
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill from using poison gas and anthrax on German population
centers in World War II. Of course, Churchill was a great promoter of the use of poison gas,
directing the use of debilitating lachrymatory gas ("tear gas") and deadlier mustard gas
against rebels in Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq, in 1920.
In the world of British intelligence "make-believe" it is sometimes more revealing to
discover the true nature of MI-6 operations from the movies. The screenwriters of the James
Bond film, "Casino Royale," recognized the nature of the real life international mobsters who
engage in such matters as assassinations of individuals for propaganda purposes. In the film,
not only is a Montenegro-based Eurasian mob ring – Montenegro is one of the centers for
the Eurasian-Israeli syndicates – featured as engaging in international terrorism in
order to manipulate the stock market, but there is a reference by "M" (Judi Dench) that a
similar mob ring engaged in stock "put" options before the 9/11 attacks, in order to make tons
of money on the world markets. It appears that fictional spies know more about such intrigue,
such as the murders of Litvinenko, Berezovsky, Patarkatsishvili, and Glushkov and the
poisonings of the Skripals and Gaidar to bring about international crises, than do their
real-life counterparts and intellectual dullards like Boris Johnson and Theresa May.
This supposedly MI6-connected presstitute promoted Steele dossier. Now he promotes the war
with Russia.
His idea is confiscate cash from Russian oligarchs. He forgot that British have investments
in Russian that can also be gone.
Notable quotes:
"... Expulsion of diplomats is a temporary setback but the PM might have done more ..."
"... There is one area where the Russian elite is vulnerable. It keeps its money in the west, with much of it laundered in London and via UK corporate entities and banks. Unlike in Soviet times when apparatchiks enjoyed superior Moscow apartments, Putin's friends are multibillionaires, with yachts, villas, planes and other international assets. ..."
"... May could have frozen the luxury properties of tycoons such as Alisher Usmanov or Igor Shuvalov, Russia's deputy prime minister, whose handsome London flat overlooks the Ministry of Defence. She didn't. Oligarchs, of course, are not officials. But they are useful intermediaries who enjoy their fortunes at Putin's pleasure. ..."
Expulsion of diplomats is a temporary setback but the PM might have done more
... ... ...
There is one area where the Russian elite is vulnerable. It keeps its money in the west,
with much of it laundered in London and via UK corporate entities and banks. Unlike in Soviet
times when apparatchiks enjoyed superior Moscow apartments, Putin's friends are
multibillionaires, with yachts, villas, planes and other international assets.
An entire class of British professionals service Russia's super-rich. They include lawyers,
public relations executives, real estate firms, headmasters and accountants. It is this last
group which sets up complex offshore-managed structures used for the purposes of money
laundering. They went unmentioned by May.
And on the question of what to do about Russian cash, May was vague. The measures she
suggested on Wednesday were aspirational. They included bringing to bear the capabilities of
law enforcement against "serious criminals and corrupt elites". This happens already. But
hard-pressed officers from the National Crime Agency admit prosecuting wealthy perpetrators is
difficult and time-consuming.
May could have frozen the luxury properties of tycoons such as Alisher Usmanov or Igor
Shuvalov, Russia's deputy prime minister, whose handsome London flat overlooks the Ministry of
Defence. She didn't. Oligarchs, of course, are not officials. But they are useful
intermediaries who enjoy their fortunes at Putin's pleasure.
"... It looks like Political Hollywood thinks like this: if the scheme works, there is no need to change anything and it can be re-played with the same success, just different actors. That why this new "Russian poisoning scandal" looks to me like copy-cat of Litvinenko case with polonium replaced with equally mysterious and fascinating Novichok nerve gas. Which may or may not exist... ..."
"Former MI5 spy Sergei Skripal reported to the police about fears for his life the day
before the poisoning". My impression is that I already watched quite similar movie.
I don't really like Hollywood scripts, and for some time I am quite indifferent to Oscar,
and in General to the whole factory production.
Because when you buy a t-shirt or sneakers or fast food, quality standards matter to you. It
is good to know that for example a t-shirt should be wearable at least for a year or so. When
you watch a Hollywood movie with a similarly level of predictability which they try to present
as a high quality, you feel like a very old man. In such movies you can guess all the
Director's and scenario moves, the whole synopsis approximately 15 minutes into the movies. And
it does no matter if this is a Hollywood Thriller, or a Western, or a detective, or a Comedy,
or mystery. It iether causes cognitive dissonance or simply boredom.
I usually watch movies late in the evening. In recent years, about a third of these
Hollywood moves affected me as a sleeping pill, I really fell asleep on the couch. And I
usually watch only most popular, most successful Hollywood movies, often Oscar nominated, not
some second rate crap.
But let's return to Skripal, those sacrificial lamps or pawns in some big game. Here we see
the same scenario as with Litvinenko. A person used like a preservative long ago who managed to
get to London by a lucky chance, and found himself under close watch of Berezovsky and MI5.
They extracted from Litvinenko as much useful staff as they could leaving a disgruntled person
with limited assets. But in this non-waste technology world they managed to find use even for a
worn body of this "thrown like dirty napkins into waste basket" individual.
It looks like Political Hollywood thinks like this: if the scheme works, there is no need to
change anything and it can be re-played with the same success, just different actors. That why
this new "Russian poisoning scandal" looks to me like copy-cat of Litvinenko case with polonium
replaced with equally mysterious and fascinating Novichok nerve gas. Which may or may not
exist...
The same is true about our "collective Western partners" attempt to present this poisoning
as a "casus belli". Well, this is a standard scheme to initiates the regime change in a certain country and start killing its
inhabitants. "Use of chemical weapons". So boring. It was used so many time in Syria, Libya and elsewhere by our
Western partners puppets, that it might also make me sleepy watching this nonsense on TV. As if it
does not touch the lives of many thousands of people. With whom our "Western partners" play a
very nasty "shooter" videogame with real victims. Including woman and children.
By the way, the case of Grigory Rodchenkov, I'd now would not worry about the KGB
too much. I would
worry a lot about Western intelligence agencies. Which might sooner or later, might decide to use
his cadaver to make yet another false flag operation, yet another nasty anti-Russian move.
However, this is a completely different story. And the carcass of Rodchenkov no longer belongs
to him in any case. He sold his for some number of silver coins, along with his soul.
Surprisingly this Guardian presstitute has some sound thoughts ;-)
Theresa May was probably pushed by Big Uncle. It is inconceivable that she behaved so
arrogantly and foolishly on her own, even taking into account that any confrontation with Russia
might prolong the life of her cabinet.
All-in-all this false flag operation looks like the first step is some gambit designed by
British intelligence services against Russia. With Scripals as sacrificed pawns. It is amazing
how "false flag friendly" poisoning cases are. Uncomfortable evidence can always be hidden under
that smoke screen of "state secrecy".
There might be strong desire to confiscate Russian oligarch money as one of the motives for
the current May goverment hysteria. That's explains why members of parliament jumped so high on
orders, and why the reaction was so bipartisan. Because the attempt to spoil the World Cup looks
so petty, that it is smells with the USA, not British intelligence serves. After all British team
is a favorite. But such attempts were numerous in the past, so you never know. Sochi was the most
recent example.
Notable quotes:
"... Theresa May's language in the wake of events in Salisbury has been unhelpful, given our history of provoking Russia ..."
"... The prospect has certainly taken British minds off Brexit. It has exhilarated the press. It has given Theresa May an immense boost and helped the defence lobby in its campaign for more money. There is nothing democracy seems to enjoy so much as contemplating war, to unite it and raise its spirits. It is never unpopular -- beforehand. ..."
"... Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the west has revelled in the humiliation of Russia. Every act of the EU and Nato after 1989 was to the same destructive end. Russia's neighbours were welcomed into the EU. Nato extended its defensive border to the edge of the Russian Federation, despite then president Boris Yeltsin (and to an extent Germany) pleading with the west "not to play with fire". ..."
"... As Yeltsin plunged into his botched privatisations in the 1990s, London egged them on by opening its banks to handle Russia's stolen billions. Britain was complicit in creating the world's greatest kleptocracy, brazenly and for a quarter of a century. Even this week, the prime minister lacked the guts to face down the City of London and call a halt to Russian money laundering. ..."
Theresa May's language in the wake of events in Salisbury has been unhelpful, given our
history of provoking Russia
Do we really want war with Russia? Do we want to risk one, even a tiny one? The prospect
has certainly taken British minds off Brexit. It has exhilarated the press. It has given
Theresa May an immense boost and helped the defence lobby in its campaign for more money. There
is nothing democracy seems to enjoy so much as contemplating war, to unite it and raise its
spirits. It is never unpopular -- beforehand.
... ... ...
Parliament parroted the same nonsense. The Tories' Tom Tugendhat said the poisoning "if not
an act of war, was certainly a warlike act". Labour's Chris Leslie and John Woodcock worked
themselves into a lather over "our country under attack" and "the gravity of the threat Russia
poses to this nation". In these bidding wars of exaggeration, words lose all meaning.
... ... ...
Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the west has revelled in the
humiliation of Russia. Every act of the EU and Nato after 1989 was to the same destructive end.
Russia's neighbours were welcomed into the EU. Nato extended its defensive border to the edge
of the Russian Federation, despite then president Boris Yeltsin (and to an extent Germany)
pleading with the west "not to play with fire".
As Yeltsin plunged into his botched privatisations in the 1990s, London egged them on by
opening its banks to handle Russia's stolen billions. Britain was complicit in creating the
world's greatest kleptocracy, brazenly and for a quarter of a century. Even this week, the
prime minister lacked the guts to face down the City of London and call a halt to Russian money
laundering.
All this is a grim echo of how the allies treated Germany after Versailles in 1919. They
rubbed its nose in defeat, occupying its territory, destroying its dignity and stripping it of
its flimsy wealth. Germany eventually found refuge in dictatorship.
... ... ...
Camus wrote that "plagues and wars take people equally by surprise". The idea that Skripal
may be the Franz Ferdinand of the next European conflict may seem ludicrous. Yet the west's
responses to post-Soviet Russia, however reasonable in the short term, have been disastrous in
general. A war with Russia would be the west's fault.
"... Senior Russian diplomatic and military officials have accused the UK of hiding and possibly planning to destroy evidence in the investigation into the Salisbury nerve agent attack. ..."
Senior Russian diplomatic and military officials have accused the UK of hiding and possibly planning to destroy evidence
in the investigation into the Salisbury nerve agent attack.
The comments came during a remarkable briefing at Moscow's foreign ministry given for all foreign ambassadors in Russia, to lay
out the country's argument for why it is not responsible for the attack on former double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter,
Yulia, on 4 March.
Britain says they were poisoned with a nerve agent known as novichok and has blamed Russia for the attack, but Moscow has
fiercely denied any involvement. The case has prompted the two countries to expel diplomats in a tit-for-tat dispute.
Speaking to a lecture hall of diplomats, Vladimir Yermakov, deputy head of the ministry's department for non-proliferation,
suggested that the UK was "hiding facts" about the case that may later "disappear".
Laurie Bristow, the British ambassador to Russia, did not attend and the ambassadors of other major allies, including the US,
Germany and France, also boycotted the briefing.
But one British diplomat did go. Emma Nottingham condemned the "disinformation" coming from the Russian government during the
briefing, which was closed to the press but streamed live online.
"Russia has offered us so far no explanation of how this agent came to be used in the United
Kingdom and no explanation as to why Russia has an undeclared chemical weapons programme in
contravention of international law," Nottingham told the five-person panel.
"We are not obliged to give anything to Great Britain," Yermakov replied to Nottingham. "It
is an attack on Russian citizens on the territory of Great Britain, so why don't we carry out a
joint investigation?"
Yermakov also suggested that Russia may not accept the conclusions of an investigation by
the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons as fact.
"It is not possible to evaluate what happened in Salisbury within the framework of the
convention and within the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons," he said in
remarks translated by Interfax. "Deeper expert evaluations will be needed, and in any case we
need to conduct our own investigations for Russia to be able to draw any conclusions."
"... "Arafat and Litvinenko: an Interesting Turn to a Mysterious Story",
http://wipokuli.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/arafat-and-litvinenko-an-interesting-turn-to-a-mysterious-story/
..."
Notable quotes:
"... "Arafat and Litvinenko: an Interesting Turn to a Mysterious Story", http://wipokuli.wordpress.com/2013/11/13/arafat-and-litvinenko-an-interesting-turn-to-a-mysterious-story/ ..."
Cue bono in both cases points to British government
"... The widow of poisoned former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko has denied he
worked for the British intelligence service MI6, a claim made by Russian businessman Andrey
Lugovoy in Moscow last week. ..."
"... The widow of former Russian FSB officer Aleksandr Litvinenko, who was murdered in London
in 2006, admitted that her husband cooperated with the British intelligence services MI5 and MI6.
..."
"... The father of late Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko says he pursued a smear
campaign against the Russian government out of grief, but changed his mind after Aleksandr's
widow revealed his son had been working for British intelligence. ..."
"... It was Berezovsky and Goldfarb. That's it. Goldfarb knows all about atomic energy. How
do you think Aleksandr was first infected with Polonium-210? Why do you think this case has been
dragging for so long? Why has there been no court case? Because they don't have anything, and if
a real court case were to open, it will become apparent who was behind it!" the man said.
..."
"... Aleksandr Goldfarb is the head of Berezovsky's Civil Liberties' Fund. In the weeks prior
and after Litvinenko's death he took the role of an unofficial spokesman for the man, putting the
blame for the crime on the Kremlin ..."
"... For those keeping score, Boris Berezovsky was later found hanging from the ceiling of
his Ascot mansion. ..."
"... There are many things wrong with the "Putin did it" story. For one, there is no motive ,
even with Litvinenko being a critic of Russia, he was no threat whatsoever to Putin. The man
worked with Chechen terrorists and the Israeli-Russian oligarchs . But assuming that there was a
sufficient motive to kill him, think about this: Why would Russia use a very rare, very
expensive, and easily traceable radioactive substance to kill him instead of some cheap poison or
just shooting him? Why risk smuggling radioactive material into the UK which is an act of war?
..."
"... No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in
such a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a botched
smuggling operation . Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast cash? Were
they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium into powder and
kill anyone who ingested it. ..."
"... Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we
can deduce what happened. He was a mule . The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he
get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys Ltd
(Britain's Blackwater)? ..."
"... Litvinenko was in Israel, where he met Leonid Nevzlin the CEO of Yukos shortly before he
died. If you wanted to buy/steal radioactive material that would be the place. What was he
negotiating with Nevzlin? We learned Alexander had been an informant in a case that led to the
arrest of nine Georgian and Russian Mobsters in Spain, including Alexander Gofstein a lawyer for
Yukos who apparently was laundering money ..."
"... The British military Radiation and Chemical Warfare Center is just down the road, so
they will have had experts on scene pretty rapidly. Latest local rumor is that it's fentanyl, or
some derivative thereof. They had to decontaminate A&E and cancel hospital appointments.
..."
"... The local police and medical personnel are on the ball, I used to know a few. Link to
local paper - they are quite good too http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/ ..."
"... Another false flag. MI5 poisons prominent russian 'baddies' so they can blame it on
Russia. Makes Russian look bad, great for propaganda. ..."
"... Litvinenko said, "Mario Scaramella poised me," from his death bed. Enough said. This has
gonnne on too long. WW# is enviable with a rapturous lying press living and believing in a James
Bond geo political spy moves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Scaramella ..."
"... Polonium, mystery substance, blah, blah, blah! These James Bond spy thriller techniques
smell more of MI6 or CIA than Russia. MI6 and CIA have always been drama queens. ..."
"... Why do drama queen things when you can Seth Rich or Michael Hastings this couple?
..."
"... These are the real professionals. What, if anything happened here is rank amateur- they
should study how its done.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/RANCHO/POLITICS/BODIES.php#axzz58vFYg ..."
"... the us and uk intelligence services would not allow you to leave when they are finished
with you as you become a liability in tough financial times.the UK killed the bastard like they
killed litvinenko. ..."
How many times is ZH going to dredge up the discredited fable about Putin ordering
Litvinenko's murder?
First, nobody heard Litvinenko's "deathbed confession" except Alexander Goldfarb, who had
a grudge against Putin and who worked with other shady Russian exiles in London like Boris
Berezovsky.
Litvinenko's wife changed her story. The 2007 version:
The widow of poisoned former Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko has denied he
worked for the British intelligence service MI6, a claim made by Russian businessman Andrey
Lugovoy in Moscow last week.
The 2011 version:
The widow of former Russian FSB officer Aleksandr Litvinenko, who was murdered in London
in 2006, admitted that her husband cooperated with the British intelligence services MI5
and MI6.
From Litvinenko's father in 2012:
The father of late Russian security officer Aleksandr Litvinenko says he pursued a smear
campaign against the Russian government out of grief, but changed his mind after
Aleksandr's widow revealed his son had been working for British intelligence.
Litvinenko's father later told Scotland Yard who he thought was responsible:
" It was Berezovsky and Goldfarb. That's it. Goldfarb knows all about atomic energy. How
do you think Aleksandr was first infected with Polonium-210? Why do you think this case has
been dragging for so long? Why has there been no court case? Because they don't have
anything, and if a real court case were to open, it will become apparent who was behind
it!" the man said.
Boris Berezovsky is an exiled Russian tycoon, who was found guilty of embezzlement in
Russia in an absentia trial. He is currently living in Britain, where he enjoys political
asylum.
Berezovsky employed Litvinenko, who took part in numerous campaigns the billionaire
waged against the Russian government.
Aleksandr Goldfarb is the head of Berezovsky's Civil Liberties' Fund. In the weeks prior
and after Litvinenko's death he took the role of an unofficial spokesman for the man,
putting the blame for the crime on the Kremlin .
Lots of loose ends and unanswered questions about Litvinenko point to British intelligence
and the Russian/Israeli mafia. Which is why Putin must be blamed.
There are many things wrong with the "Putin did it" story. For one, there is no motive ,
even with Litvinenko being a critic of Russia, he was no threat whatsoever to Putin. The man
worked with Chechen terrorists and the Israeli-Russian oligarchs . But assuming that there
was a sufficient motive to kill him, think about this: Why would Russia use a very rare, very
expensive, and easily traceable radioactive substance to kill him instead of some cheap
poison or just shooting him? Why risk smuggling radioactive material into the UK which is an
act of war?
The main thing it is that ANY radioactive substance is traceable to its point of
origin.
There is one country which has not signed the nuclear non proliferation treaty and whose
radioactive material can nto be traced ,you guessed it:IS>>>RA>>>EL
Alexander Litvinenko who was formerly FSB fled to the UK to avoid court prosecution in
Russia, worked for a shady Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky. Boris Berezovsky just so
happens to be the Israeli-Russian oligarch who lived in London after fleeing the Russian
judicial system for a multitude of crimes too long to list. He was on Interpol's most wanted
list. Here is the grand prize. After the US and UK press branded Putin with the poisoning
despite there being Zero evidence, (something the US is very well known for now)
investigators were tracking down the traces of Polonium in the UK. They detected traces of
Polonium at Berezovsky's office and residence! Now I do not know about you, but in my place
of work, and certainly in my house, I do not have rare radioactive substances. Polonium is
not something you just get at the market or pick up by accident walking through the park.
No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in
such a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a
botched smuggling operation . Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast
cash? Were they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium
into powder and kill anyone who ingested it.
Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we can
deduce what happened. He was a mule . The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he
get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys
Ltd (Britain's Blackwater)?
And here comes the best part:
Litvinenko was in Israel, where he met Leonid Nevzlin the CEO of Yukos shortly before he
died. If you wanted to buy/steal radioactive material that would be the place. What was he
negotiating with Nevzlin? We learned Alexander had been an informant in a case that led to
the arrest of nine Georgian and Russian Mobsters in Spain, including Alexander Gofstein a
lawyer for Yukos who apparently was laundering money .
The British military Radiation and Chemical Warfare Center is just down the road, so they
will have had experts on scene pretty rapidly. Latest local rumor is that it's fentanyl, or
some derivative thereof. They had to decontaminate A&E and cancel hospital
appointments.
The local police and medical personnel are on the ball, I used to know a few. Link to
local paper - they are quite good too http://www.salisburyjournal.co.uk/
Have NOT read. This is the oil, everything you heard and seen pure BS. Litvinenko said,
"Mario Scaramella poised me," from his death bed. Enough said. This has gonnne on too long.
WW# is enviable with a rapturous lying press living and believing in a James Bond geo
political spy moves. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Scaramella
ALLRIGHT,
I confess, I poisoned them (with a snickers bar) I am two sheets to the wind with my Make
glorious Vodka for my successful job. Please inform Vlad it went well.
Laughable propaganda comrade ah yes Wikipedia a totally "reliable" source, in which anyone
can "update" posts
And further - as if this hit man would ever implicate Putin fucking idiot. You are correct
about this having gone on for too long. When will Putin be charged with that crime as well as
the numerous other "suspicious deaths" Very similar to cuntlery body count. I wonder why that
is? hmm
As everyone knows Langley write and update all Wiki information. So you use them as the
Devils advocate. If they reveal this you can take it as a starting point. ( The 'Company
wants to pin it on the Russian/Putin ) as they point out Scaramella wanted to be a CIA spy
and had been refused, well o course he helped Whack/poisoned Litvinenko . Might get him his
dream job he had been after ALL HIS LIFE. Polonium is easy to source as well as it is used
extensive throughout South east Asia as a anti static xxxx on weaving machines involved in
Clothing manufacturing.
Don't worry agent Shadewell got it all worked out. Look over their.
Or his final statement? Cemetery in North London . [32]
On 25 November, an article attributed to Litvinenko was published by the Mail on Sunday Online entitled Why I
believe Putin wanted me dead...
[2] In his last statement he said about Putin:
this may be the time to say one or two things to the person responsible for my present
condition. You may succeed in silencing me but that silence comes at a price. You have
shown yourself to be as barbaric and ruthless as your most hostile critics have claimed.
You have shown yourself to have no respect for life, liberty or any civilised value. You
have shown yourself to be unworthy of your office, to be unworthy of the trust of civilised
men and women. You may succeed in silencing one man but the howl of protest from around the
world will reverberate, Mr Putin, in your ears for the rest of your life. May God forgive
you for what you have done, not only to me but to beloved Russia and its people.
[33]
Polonium, mystery substance, blah, blah, blah! These James Bond spy thriller techniques
smell more of MI6 or CIA than Russia. MI6 and CIA have always been drama queens.
Why do drama queen things when you can Seth Rich or Michael Hastings this couple?
When you sell out your country by giving the names of lots of Russian spies, why would you
be surprised to get what you probably deserve? After all, you are a turncoat, a traitor. You
can rail at Putin all you want. You knew the risks in selling out your country. Hard to fault
Putin for making an example of you for others to note.
I wonder if the First Responders who initially were dispatched to what would at first
appear to be a drug overdose were also injured by whatever substance was used? The GRU used
to tell their recruits: Walk through the door and leave by the chimney.
the us and uk intelligence services would not allow you to leave when they are finished
with you as you become a liability in tough financial times.the UK killed the bastard like
they killed litvinenko.
the judge who was in charge of the investigations said"it's PROBABLY the Russians who
killed him". I cannot believe a judge would say probably? where is the evidence
asshole???
"... "Berezovsky's expatriate friends in Britain and Israel included exiled oligarchs who were subjects of Russian arrest warrants. These included Russian-Israeli businessman Leonid Nevzlin, the former chief executive officer of Yukos Oil, who was the subject of a Russian arrest warrant for murder, embezzlement, and tax evasion. Nevzlin, a former head of the Russian Jewish Congress, resided in Tel Aviv under the protection of the Israeli government. Nevzlin's exiled Russian-Israeli comrades included Vladimir Dubov, a major Yukos shareholder, and wanted oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky. The wanted ex-Yukos officials, who are now allied with the expatriate former chief of Yukos and ex-convict, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, have also been linked to wealthy British businessman Jacob Rothschild. ..."
"... "Much more than circumstantial evidence suggests that Berezovsky, Glushkov, and Patarkatsishvili were murdered by exiled opponents of the Russian government, who also happen to be kingpins in the Eurasian-Israeli mafia that uses Britain as a major base of operations. Britain is favored by these criminal syndicates because of the close working relationship they have with British and American intelligence agencies, as well as with Soros, who maintains a residence in London." ..."
"One thing about the neo-conservatives, who have thoroughly penetrated the Tory government
of British Prime Minister Theresa May and, due to the reality television show savant nature
of Donald Trump, are rapidly filling as many vacancies in the US administration as possible,
is that they are consistent. Neocons, who make no secret of their desire for major military
conflagrations, have dusted off an old playbook with regard to the nerve agent poisoning of
Russian double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England. The convoluted
charges made by the British government bear all the hallmarks of the Polonium-210 radiation
poisoning of ex-Russian intelligence agent Alexander Litvinenko, who died in London in
2006.
"In June 2008, the British government conceded that the government of British Labor Prime
Minister Tony Blair concocted and exaggerated claims about Russia's involvement in the
Litvinenko poisoning in 2006. Apparently, the present government of Mrs. May believes
rational people have no memories of what transpired in Britain twelve years ago.
"The British intelligence services, which had their own relationship with Litvinenko,
could no longer manage to suppress overwhelming evidence that the poisoning of Litvinenko was
the result of a plot by anti-Vladimir Putin criminal syndicates based in Britain, Israel,
Ukraine, and Poland to embarrass the Russian government.
"Suspicions about the role of the exiled Russian-Israeli criminal syndicates in the
poisoning of Litvinenko, including that which was headed by Litvinenko's friend, wanted
Russo-Israeli oligarch Boris Berezovsky, re-surfaced after former Russian Prime Minister
Yegor Gaidar became violently ill after eating breakfast at a conference he was attending in
Dublin, Ireland. Ireland's banking secrecy laws has made it a favorite location for the
Eurasian-Israeli Mafia.
"Berezovsky's own suspicious death in March 2013 discovery of Berezovsky's body in his
Ascot estate in England suggested that the anti-Russian crime syndicates, which work closely
with hedge fund billionaire troublemaker George Soros and the Central Intelligence Agency,
eliminated Berezovsky because he was about to reveal the nature of the syndicates to the
Russian government. Most media reports coming out of Britain, at the time, claimed that
Berezovsky died from natural causes. A few others suggested suicide or murder. Interestingly,
Berezovsky had recently received medical treatment in Israel.
"Berezovsky's expatriate friends in Britain and Israel included exiled oligarchs who
were subjects of Russian arrest warrants. These included Russian-Israeli businessman Leonid
Nevzlin, the former chief executive officer of Yukos Oil, who was the subject of a Russian
arrest warrant for murder, embezzlement, and tax evasion. Nevzlin, a former head of the
Russian Jewish Congress, resided in Tel Aviv under the protection of the Israeli government.
Nevzlin's exiled Russian-Israeli comrades included Vladimir Dubov, a major Yukos shareholder,
and wanted oligarch Vladimir Gusinsky. The wanted ex-Yukos officials, who are now allied with
the expatriate former chief of Yukos and ex-convict, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, have also been
linked to wealthy British businessman Jacob Rothschild.
"Berezovsky ran from exile a major support network for Chechen terrorists. One of their
leaders, Ahmed Zakayev, was a close associate of Berezovsky and Litvinenko.
"Just like Litvinenko, Yulia Skripal had her own reported connections to Russian and
Western intelligence services, suggesting that she, like Litvinenko, had embarked on a
dangerous life as a double or triple agent. Yulia Skripal worked for the 'information center'
at the US embassy in Moscow and at the Holiday Inn in Southampton in England. Hotel jobs are
a preferred 'non-official cover' position for the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI-6).
Until his arrest by Russian authorities, Sergei Skripal was a paid agent for MI-6. In 2010,
he was given asylum in Britain after a major spy swap between the United States and
Russia.
"The nerve agent reportedly used on Skripal and his daughter was a 'Novichok'
('Newcomer'), one of a series of binary agents allegedly developed in the Soviet Union during
the Cold War. These nerve agents were also apparently stockpiled at the British biological
and chemical warfare research facility at Porton Down, a mere eight miles from Salisbury,
where the Skripals took ill.
"But the existence of Novichok is, itself questionable. Claims about Novichok originally
came from Vil Mirzayanov, a Soviet chemical weapons scientist who claimed to have invented
Novichok at a facility in the Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic. In 1994, Mirzayanov fled to
the United States, where he came under the control of the CIA. In 2016, Dr. Robin Black, the
chief of the Detection Laboratory in Porton Down, published an academic paper that questioned
the veracity of Mirzayanov's Novichok claims.
"The poisoning of the Skripals was followed shortly by the death in London of Berezovsky's
longtime business colleague and friend Nikolai Glushkov. British police called Glushkov's
death 'suspicious,' citing as the cause 'compression to the neck.' Berezovsky died as the
result of a hanging, believed by police to be a 'suicide.' Radioactive traces of the
Polonium-210 used to poison Litvinenko were traced to Berezovsky's office at 7 Down Street,
in London's Mayfair district. In 2008, Badri Patarkatsishvili, Berezovsky's Georgian-Israeli
business partner, collapsed and died at his home a mere 15 miles from Berezovsky's English
estate. The death of the 52-year old was determined by authorities to be the result of a
'heart attack.'
"Much more than circumstantial evidence suggests that Berezovsky, Glushkov, and
Patarkatsishvili were murdered by exiled opponents of the Russian government, who also happen
to be kingpins in the Eurasian-Israeli mafia that uses Britain as a major base of operations.
Britain is favored by these criminal syndicates because of the close working relationship
they have with British and American intelligence agencies, as well as with Soros, who
maintains a residence in London."
Aside from the obvious legalized bribery (Citizens United), the absolute control of the
corrupt 2-party system, the oligarchic and utterly undemocratic mass media, etc., we also had
the case in 2000 that a bunch of unelected dictators-for-life "decided" the US election,
clearly unlawfully. Bush vs. Gore.
Yes, US is in no position to be lecturing anybody about "democracy". But US is not short
on chutzpah in any political realm.
If elections resulted in real change, Yankees wouldn't have them. All theater for the
zombies, aka the voting class. Only zombies would argue over the merits of the candidates.
The US needs very little from its citizens. These includes obedience, widespread ignorance
and the unquestioned belief they live in a Democracy because voting happens.
The best slaves are the ones that lack the intelligence to recognize their own slavery.
The happiest slaves know that voting is a rigged sham but don't care because the right master
leads them.
Now, that I believe. Due to dismal school system (purely parochial, no national standards,
local boards full of ignoramuses decide what kids are taught in school) too many Americans
sincerely believe that the world consists of three roughly equal parts: Main street,
out-of-town, and overseas. I guess the election results in the last few decades show this
clearly.
Alas, I stayed with USA friends, well educated middle class, where CNN was the only 'news'
source.
Three other USA acquaintances I visited in their homes, cannot remember having seen a
newspaper other than a local one about marriages and funerals.
The USA reminded me of the Peking court, that, when British warships were reported on the
coast, responded with 'there had been so many pirates already'.
In the Badlands, in a very small café, I identified myself as Dutch, from Holland,
Netherlands. When all this did not ring bell I mentioned Europe, the first time in my life.
This was understood.
Anon from TN
Maybe I overestimate American citizens (I work at a top-rate University and communicate
mostly with faculty and grad students), but I'd like to come to their defense. CNN (as well
as FOX news, NYT, and other MSM) represent the views of the lower half of US citizens by IQ.
As far as I can tell, blatant lies of Western propaganda achieved among the people with
brains the same result as the Soviet propaganda: even if they state something truthful for a
change, people would doubt that.
You're truly delusional if you think CNN does NOT represent average American thinking, at
least a large paart of it. Last week I suffered through a luncheon of 5 mature adults
extolling Rachel Maddow. Sickening.
"... Well, the party lime is pretty different: "Treat Russia Like the Terrorist It Is. Whether the Skripal poisoning can be conclusively pinned on Moscow is beside the point." https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2018-03-09/u-k-spy-poisoning-treat-russia-like-the-terrorist-it-is ..."
"... The fact that neither Putin personally nor Russia benefits from the death of Skripal is obvious to any sane person. ..."
"... In addition, statements that gas called "Novichok could be made only in Russia is a known lie. This poison was created forty years ago in the USSR, so to have this gas can, at a minimum, all countries of the former Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. The inventor of the gas has fled to the US, and the chemical composition of the gas is known and now it can be manufactured it any relatively developed country. ..."
"... It would be possible not to poison Skripal by gas, but simply to strike on the head by the bust of Dzerzhinsky. It would be the same level of evidence, of the guilt of the FSB, the KGB successor of the successor of the VChK. ..."
"... Basically, we have a political elite who needs an enemy to distract their own people from what they are doing and oh, do they miss the Soviet Union. ..."
I'm a socialist. I don't understand how a conservative is getting this so right! There is a mad
rush to judgment and anyone who wants to ask questions is getting accused of being unpatriotic.
Quite a sensible article. The fact that neither Putin personally nor Russia benefits from
the death of Skripal is obvious to any sane person.
In addition, statements that gas called "Novichok could be made only in Russia is a
known lie. This poison was created forty years ago in the USSR, so to have this gas can, at a
minimum, all countries of the former Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. The inventor of the gas
has fled to the US, and the chemical composition of the gas is known and now it can be
manufactured it any relatively developed country.
It would be possible not to poison Skripal by gas, but simply to strike on the head by
the bust of Dzerzhinsky. It would be the same level of evidence, of the guilt of the FSB, the
KGB successor of the successor of the VChK.
At the end of 1980s there was a project started by KGB supposed (1) to detect possible channels
of security leakage, and (2) to begin spreading misinformation to potential adversaries.
Different names were used to test different security leaks. The name "NOVICHOK" used to
identify misinformation given to one of suspects, Vil Mirzayanov who was not chemist but rather
a clerk. Very soon this security leakage was detected, and tons of other misinformation
supplied to Mirzayanov, who was immediately secretly discharged from access to any real
project. Mirzayanov was allowed to publish this fake info in NYT (around 1992-95?), and then to
escape from Russia in 1995.
Since that time NATO has spent about $10 billions to develop protection tools against this
fake "NOVICHOK"
P.S. The Russian word NOVICHOK stands for "a newbie"; from Russian grammar point of view,
there is no chance such word to be assigned to any chemical weapon. It was assigned to
Mirzayanov who was "a newbie" to this sort of projects at that time.
Cui bono: every murder of a Russian dissident/defector/oligarch/critical journalist, cannot
possibly have happened on Putin's orders or with his tacit approval, because it reflects badly
on Russia.
So, we have two possible explanations: some Western intelligence agency is murdering those
people, probably without the knowledge of their own government (you'd have think that someone
in elected office would have stopped such a programme by now); or the Russian Putin opposition
is killing its own people, both in Russia and abroad. If the goal of such an operation is the
destabilization of the Putin regime through Western sanctions, it is obviously not working.
You say cui bono, I say Occam's razor. Putin takes out those who might threaten him, raises
his popularity, the sanctions are used to cover up his own disastrous economical policies, and
in the end nothing changes.
We *knew* Iraq had no nukes, and we knew that the Bush administration lied, and we knew that
"WMD" is the kind of BS we make up when there are no nukes.
Buchanan is not arguing in good faith. What Maine, Tonkin and WMD are about is *lies*, lies
in service of criminal acts of aggression, lies to facilitate a premeditated violation of the
Constitution as well as international law.
That is frankly a more important issue than the – justified and necessary –
doubts regarding the attempted Skripal assassination and the motives behind it.
This is also true of an ongoing campaign employing drones – some controlled by CIA
illegal combatants – and kill teams to implement collective punishment and ideological
cleansing by means of sustained assassination – based on "signatures" provided by the
likes of Google or Booz Allen. The US has no standing to judge the assassination attempts of
others, just as our government can no longer meaningfully speak out on aggressive acts of war,
collective punishment, and torture. A house divided cannot stand for anything.
You say that the burden of proof is on the accused? That works in many parts of the world,
but I hope that we here in the US have had a better standard of Justice. The burden of proof
falls upon the accuser, in this case Britain. There is no ther standard that America should
accept if we are to remain true to American principals. Not that I expect that our current
oligarchy will care about principals.
Exactly. Putin's long term strategy is an integrated Pan-Eurasian economic architecture in
which Europe would be a major customer segment. That is why the EAEU was stood up by Russia and
the BRI stood up by China. With supporting investment platforms like the AIIB to enable the
initiatives.
Given that objective, why would Russia/Putin seek to totally wreck its relationship with
Europe? More importantly what would be the motive and objectives for Russia to attack Poland
and the Baltic Republics – the fear-monger threats du jour? When an overrun of Poland
would create 30+ million subversive malcontents that Russia would have to govern, and when
there are only minority ethnic Russian populations in the Baltics?
The driving force behind the illogical and incoherent demonization of Russia is the
Washington War Party that froths up the political environment with the militarized
fear-mongering. Because as Fran Macadam notes, there's Big Money in it. And the Neocon
war-monger mouthpieces need some Big Enemies to keep themselves relevant, busy and living very
large on the $200K – $600K salaries they collect at the bought off Think
Pimp Tanks.
A crazed U.S. foreign policy that has been completely militarized is a train wreck waiting
to happen. And us taxpayers will yet again be stuck with the bills to clean up the
wreckage.
Sovietologists? Now this, more than anything else, explains the reflexive anti-Russia
hysteria. Who cares what historians dealing with the twentieth century Soviet Union think about
current events? Historians provide useful insight, yes, but that does not mean they are
conversant with current events. What you are doing is throwing in a fear laden buzzword.
Basically, we have a political elite who needs an enemy to distract their own people from
what they are doing and oh, do they miss the Soviet Union.
Our leaders are enthusiastic about being aggressive with the Russians, but the America Empire
has a problem attracting enough volunteers to join the military.
For example, the Air Force has a shortage of 2,000 pilots and the Navy has a shortage of
mechanics that they need to work on their on their aircraft.
The U.S. and Britain showed more respect to Joseph Stalin, the Butcher, than it has shown to
Putin. The demonization of Putin in all the mainstream media outlets is the tip-off to me that
Putin must be a pretty good guy doing some good things for Russia.
"If the world hates you know that it has hated me first. If the world loves you it is
because you belong to the world." -- Jesus Christ
>>Given the poison used it means one to two things -- either it was Russian secret
services or the Russians have lost control over their poisons. Either one is a nasty thought.
Why? It was presumably created 40 years ago. Pretty much to time for information to spread
around.
E.g., Kim's brother was presumably (again) poisoned by VX. Does it mean that it was MI-6? It's
a British invention after all.
In any case, this story stinks, pardon for a word pun. A 'military grade agent' and no
casualties. How could it be?
>>Why do it? To prove they can. To prove that no matter where you go they can get
you -- that there is no safety.
Safety from what? This guy was non-entity, nobody knew him. More importantly, he has been
already punished and pardoned, so double no sense.
>>I am sure Gary Kasparov is feeling a bit worried right now and Bill Browder is
thinking of moving somewhere new.
Well, I'd suspect that Rodchenko and Khodorkovskiy are more evident sacrificial targets.
Pat asks important questions. Unless we ever see the "evidence" to which Boris Johnson refers,
or other direct evidence that this hit (and others) in Britain was directed by the Kremlin,
it's worth continuing to ask them.
"Who benefits?" Indeed, it could be rogue Russian agents or Western agents attempting to
further drive a wedge between the West and Russia.
But it could also be Putin signalling that the Russia which held onto traitorous spies
between 2006 and 2010 is over.
It could be him simply trying to show that he can reach people inside the West, a pure flexing
of muscle, a warning to future would-be traitors and Western governments. It could be to
make America's allies nervous about Putin's relationship with his American puppet, Trumpolini.
It could be just Putin sowing chaos and attempting to create discord among Western
governments.
Skepticism about the latest pronouncements is valid, but Occam's Razor still applies. If it
growls like a Russian bear and kills like a Russian bear
Who could be so phillistine as to suggest, on the eve of the World Cup, that Premier Andropov's
KGB protege', Major Putin, would one day stoop to whacking a traitorous defector from the Party
Line ?
>>Skepticism about the latest pronouncements is valid, but Occam's Razor still
applies. If it growls like a Russian bear and kills like a Russian bear
Occam's Razor, my backside. Some guys from MI-5 tried to kill him like they killed David
Kelly and Gareth Williams before. It's as credible as it gets, exactly the same amount of
evidence.
"... So a non lethal dose of nerve agent, as would be possible with a handling error, a trace from an imperfect seal perhaps of a small sample, happens within a few miles of a facility, the only facility in Britain, that has quantities of that particular nerve agent on hand. If you can believe Boris Johnson. One victim is connected to the false flag 'chemical attacks' occurring in Syria. I wonder how good security really is at Porton Down? ..."
The British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson now
admits that Porton Down (illegally?) had 'Novichok' agents BEFORE the incident happened.
Deutsche Welle: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did
you manage to find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
BJ: Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton
Down, the laboratory
DW: So they have the samples
BJ: They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said,
"Are you sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
No doubt = "of a type developed by Russia" NOT= "made by Russia"!
So a non lethal dose of nerve agent, as would be possible with a handling error, a trace
from an imperfect seal perhaps of a small sample, happens within a few miles of a facility,
the only facility in Britain, that has quantities of that particular nerve agent on hand. If
you can believe Boris Johnson. One victim is connected to the false flag 'chemical attacks'
occurring in Syria. I wonder how good security really is at Porton Down?
First of all British did have the poison they detected. Otherwise they would be unable to
detect "Novichok" (if there was such substance and this is not just a myth).
Notable quotes:
"... Pat asks, Cui bono? I would say rogue players in the deep state right here in the US along with their brethren in the military/industrial/intelligence complex. ..."
"... Of course, that makes me a conspiracy theorist. But I actually saw war as a young man based upon lies. By the way, in the lead-up to the illegal invasion of Iraq, I told people at work that this war would eventually rival the military blunder in Vietnam. The propaganda reminded me so much of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. They all laughed at me and essentially said I was an old Vietnam veteran living in the past. They aren't laughing now. ..."
I served as a medical corpsman in Vietnam and ever since then I have been a card-carrying
skeptic of my own country. But I saw the human face of a war based upon lies and propaganda
that became the worst foreign policy debacle in our nation's history. If we would get into a
shooting war over this affair, we would have to bring back the draft to prosecute this war
against Russia. Then the proverbial "merde" would definitely hit the fan.
And when Kim Sung Un assassinated his half-brother in Malaysia, the VX nerve agent was used.
The UK invented this agent in the 1950s at its government laboratory. But not one nation blamed
Great Britain as the culprit.
Pat asks, Cui bono? I would say rogue players in the deep state right here in the US
along with their brethren in the military/industrial/intelligence complex.
Of course, that makes me a conspiracy theorist. But I actually saw war as a young man
based upon lies. By the way, in the lead-up to the illegal invasion of Iraq, I told people at
work that this war would eventually rival the military blunder in Vietnam. The propaganda
reminded me so much of the Gulf of Tonkin resolution. They all laughed at me and essentially
said I was an old Vietnam veteran living in the past. They aren't laughing now.
"... DW: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you manage to find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it? ..."
"... DW: So they have the samples ..."
"... The "White Helmets" propaganda group in Syria was founded and is run by the former(?) British army intelligence officer James Le Mesurier with British and U.S. government money. His former(?) colleague de Bretton-Gordon is running the parallel Syria chemical weapon scam. Both profit from their government financed operations. ..."
"... Other British agents involved in the Skripal case are Pablo Miller who recruited Skripal for the MI6. He was a friend of Skripal, also lived in Salisbury and worked for Christopher Steele, the former(?) MI6 agent who produced the 'dirty dossier' about Donald Trump for the Clinton campaign. Both are involved with Russian mafia emigres in Britain like Boris Berezovski and the deceased Alexander Litvinenko who's father says that he was killed by an MI6 or CIA guy. ..."
"... How could the British government be sure of "Russian" involvement within a week and even expel Russian diplomats when the primary chemical experts on the issue will need three weeks for their first analyses and the British police predicts a several months long investigation? ..."
"... Moon of Alabama ..."
"... I doubt the MSM will let the public know that NoviChok was a term coined by a ex-soviet scientist, perhaps to sell a book, after he moved to the US. In general the western public will continue think the Russians researched and produced this deadly stuff called Novichok and were lying about doing so. Perception management. ..."
"... So a non lethal dose of nerve agent, as would be possible with a handling error, a trace from an imperfect seal perhaps of a small sample, happens within a few miles of a facility, the only facility in Britain, that has quantities of that particular nerve agent on hand. If you can believe Boris Johnson. One victim is connected to the false flag 'chemical attacks' occurring in Syria. I wonder how good security really is at Porton Down? ..."
"... "Novichok" is not the name of the CW, but the code name of a KGB disinformation operation -- per Andrey Lazarchuk here (at end of Shamir post) ..."
"... When Russia were asking for evidence and pushing for an OPCW investigation, this was just stalling according to the Brits. When the Uk gave their evidence to OPCW, they had no blood test results, no documented data of traces of poison or any other tests. ..."
"... Relying purely on propaganda to push it through, perhaps relying on bigger things happening in Syria to pull attention away and prevent any serious investigation taking place. ..."
"... Boris and May seem to be no more than extremely enthusiastic cannon fodder in this game, now having to see the narrative through on their own. ..."
"... A very strongly worded statement ..."
"... The "attack" on the Skripals is described as a "gross folly" by Russia and as a hoax by numerous writers and others like myself. The more the Outlaw US Empire and its vassals try to smear Russia, the more their credibility diminishes. Combined with the Cambridge Analytica revelations, the plan to demonize Russia has grossly failed as the real demons get revealed. ..."
"... "Bypassing the official diplomatic channels, Russian Chief of Staff General Valeri Guerassimov contacted his US counterpart General Joseph Dunford to inform him of his fear of a false flag chemical attack in Ghouta. Dunford took this information vey seriously, and alerted US Defense Secretary General Jim Mattis, who referred the matter to President Donald Trump. In view of the Russian insistence that this piece of foul play was being prepared without the knowledge of the Pentagon, the White House asked the Director of the CIA, Mike Pompeo, to identify those responsible for the conspiracy.".. ..."
"... "We do not know the result of this internal enquiry, but President Trump acquired the conviction that his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, was implicated. The Secretary of State was immediately asked to interrupt his official journey in Africa and return to Washington.". ..."
"... Don Bacon @13 linked to a piece at UNZ Revue and the note by Andrey Lazarchuk at the bottom of the article which is interesting. According to that, Mirzayanov was Identified as a leak early on, and then used to transmit false information. It is noticeable that Mirzayanov Used a letter plus three digits for the designation code of the chemicals, whereas the scientist that actually worked on developing new compounds uses a letter plus four digits for the designation codes. ..."
"... The compounds Mirzayanov has in his book, A-232 and so forth, were most likely genuine compounds that had been discarded by the soviet scientists, given a new designation code and a name for the group and fed to Mirzayan. ..."
Russian Scientists Explain 'Novichok' - High Time For Britain To Come Clean
(Updated)
A week ago we asked
if 'Novichok' poisons are real. The answer is now in: It is 'yes' and 'no'. Several Russian
scientist now say that they once researched and developed lethal poisons but they assert that
other countries can and have copied these. 'Novichok', they say, is a just western propaganda
invention. They see the British accusations as a cynical plot against Russia. The people who
push the 'Novichok' accusations have political and commercial interests.
The British Prime Minister Theresa May
insinuated that the British-Russian double agent Sergej Skripal and his daughter Yulia, who
collapsed on March 4 on a public bench in Salisbury, were affected by a 'Russian' nerve
agent:
It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve
agent of a type developed by Russia . It is part of a group of nerve agents known as Novichok
.
Theresa May's claims are highly questionable.
Maria Zakharova, spokeswomen of the Russian Foreign Ministry: "'Novichok' has never
been used in the USSR or in Russia as something related to the chemical weapon
research" - bigger
A highly potent nerve agent would hurt anyone who comes in contact with it. But the BBC
reported that a doctor who administered first aid to the collapsed Yulia Skripal for 30 minutes
was not affected at all .
Another doctor, Steven Davies who heads the emergence room of the Salisbury District Hospital,
wrote in a letter the London Times :
"... no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury and there
have only been ever been three patients with significant poisoning."
The name 'Novichok' comes from a book
written by Vil Mirzanyanov, a 1990s immigrant to the U.S. from the former Soviet Union. It
describe his work at Soviet chemical weapon laboratories and lists the chemical formulas of a
new group of lethal substances.
AFPinterviewed
the author of the 'Novichok' book about the Salisbury incident:
Mirzayanov, speaking at his home in Princeton, New Jersey, said he is convinced Russia
carried it out as a way of intimidating opponents of President Vladimir Putin.
...
The only other possibility, he said, would be that someone used the formulas in his book to
make such a weapon .
"Russia did it", says Mirzanyanov, "OR SOMEONE WHO READ MY BOOK".
A 'Novichok' nerve agent plays a role in the current seasons of the British-American spy
drama Strike
Back which broadcasts on British TV. Theresa May might have watched this clip (vid) from the
series. Is it a source of her allegations?
The Russian government rejects the British allegations and demands evidence which Britain
has not provided. Russia joined the Chemical Weapon Convention in 1997. By 2017 it had
destroyed
all its chemical weapons and chemical weapon production facilities. Under the convention only
very limited amounts of chemical weapon agents are allowed to be held in certified laboratories for
defense research and testing purposes. The U.S. has such laboratories at Fort Detrick in
Frederick, Maryland , the British lab is in Porton Down, a few miles from Salisbury. The
Russian lab is in Shikhany
in the southern Saratov Oblast. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW)
audits these laboratories and their declared stocks "down to the milligram level".
The spokeswoman for the Russian Foreign Ministry and famous high heels folk dancer (vid) Maria Zakharova
explains in a TV interview (vid, English
subtitles) that 'Novichok' was not and is not the name of any Soviet or Russian program. The
word was introduced in the "west" simply because it sounded Russian.
Western media claimed that Vil Miranzayanov is the developer of the 'Novichok' chemicals. It
turns out that this is not the case. Interviews with two retired Russian chemists, both
published only yesterday, tell the real story. The Russia news agency RIA Novostnitalked with
Professor Leonid Rink (
machine translation ):
Did you have anything to do with creating what the British authorities call the "Novice"?
- Yes. This was the basis of my doctoral dissertation.
At that time I worked in Shikhany, in the branch of GosNIIOKhT (State Research Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Technology, during Soviet times was engaged in the development of
chemical weapons), was a leading researcher and head of the laboratory.
Professor Rink says that:
'Novichok' or 'novice' was never used as a program name. New Soviet formulas had
alphanumeric codes.
Several new nerve agents were developed in Shikhany in the 1970s and 80s.
These new substances can cause immediate deadly reactions when applied to humans.
Vil Mirzayanov was head of the chromatographer group, chemists who deals with the
separation and analysis of various mixtures of substances. He was responsible for
environmental control and not a developer of any new substances.
The Associated Press
summarizes other parts of the interview with Professor Rink:
Rink told Russia's state RIA Novosti news agency Tuesday that Britain and other western
nations easily could have synthesized the nerve agent after chemical expert Vil Mirzayanov
emigrated to the United States and revealed the formula.
Echoing Russian government statements, Rink says it wouldn't make sense for Moscow to
poison Sergei Skripal, a military intelligence officer who spied for Britain, because he was
a used asset "drained" by both Russia and Britain.
He claims Britain's use of the name Novichok for the nerve agent is intended to convince
the public that Russia is to blame.
The English-Russian magazine The Bell
interviews another Russian scientists involved in the issue:
The Bell was able to find and speak with Vladimir Uglev, one of the scientists who was
involved in developing the nerve agent referred to as "Novichok". [...] Vladimir Uglev,
formerly a scientist with Volsk branch of GOSNIIOKHT ("State Scientific-Research Institute
for Organic Chemistry and Technology"), which developed and tested production of new lethal
substances since 1972, spoke for the first time about his work as early as the 1990s. He left
the institute in 1994 and is now retired.
– The Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs insists that there was no research nor
development of any substance called "Novichok", not in Russia, nor in the USSR. Is that
true?
– In order to make it easier to understand the subject matter, I will not use the
name "Novichok" which has is now commonly used by everyone to describe those four substances
which were conditionally assigned to me to develop over a period of several years. Three of
these substances are part of the "Foliant" program, which was led by Pyotr Kirpichev, a
scientist with GOSNIIOKHT (State Scientific-Research Institute for Organic Chemistry and
Technology). The first substance of a new class of organophosphorous chemical agents, I will
call it "A-1972", was developed by Kirpichev in 1972. In 1976, I developed two substances:
"B-1976" and "C-1976". The fourth substance, "D-1980", was developed by Kirpichev in the
early 1980s. All of these substances fall under the group referred to as "Novichkov", but
that name wasn't given to the substances by GOSNIIOKHT.
All four chemical agents are "FOS" or organophosphorous compounds which have a nerve
paralyzing effect, but they differ in their precursors, how they were discovered and in their
usage as agents of chemical warfare.
The four substances were developed by Pyotr Kirpichev and Vladimir Uglev. These substances
were not readily usable by the military as they could not be safely transported and used in the
field like binary chemical weapons can. Once
synthesized they were extremely dangerous. Professor Leonid Rink, working later in a different
group, tackled the problem but did not succeed. Uglev confirms that Vil Miranzayanov was not
involved in the development at all. His group was responsible chemical analysis and for
environmental control around the laboratory.
Vladimir Uglev, like Renk and Miranzayanov, notes that these agents "of a type developed by
Russia" can now be produced by any sufficiently equipped laboratory, including private
ones.
Uglev mentions a criminal use of one of the agents in the 1990s:
One of these substances was used to poison the banker, Ivan Kivelidi and his secretary in
1995. A cotton ball, soaked in this agent, was rubbed over the microphone in the handset of
Kivelidi's telephone. That specific dose was developed by my group, where we produced all of
the chemical agents, and each dose which we developed was given its own complete
physical-chemical passport. It was therefore not difficult to determine who had prepared that
dose and when it was developed. Naturally, the investigators also suspected me. I was
questioned several times about this incident.
Journalist Mark Ames, who worked in Moscow at that time, remarks :
This muddles the narrative a bit -- "novichok" used in 1995 Moscow mafia poison hit on top
mobster Ivan Kivelidi. So:
1) novichok [is] in mob hands too
2) used during reign of #1 Mobfather Boris Yeltsin, Washington's vassal
Uglev further notes that blood samples from the Salisbury victims, which Moscow demands but
Britain has not handed over, can show what agent (if any) were involved and "where the specific
dose was produced and by whom."
A new article in the New Scientists
confirms the claims by the Russian scientists that the 'Novichok' agents which may have
affected the Skripals may have been produced elsewhere:
Weapons experts have told New Scientist that a number of countries legally created small
amounts of Novichok after it was revealed in 1992 and a production method was later
published.
In 2016 Iranian scientists, in cooperation with the OPCW,
published production and detection methods for such agents. It is likely that the various
government labs secretly re-developed and produced these chemicals for their own purposes even
prior to the Iranian publication.
[ UPDATE ] In an interview with Deutsche Welle British Foreign Minister Boris
Johnson
admits that Proton Down had (illegal?) 'Novichok' agents when the incident in Salisbury
happened:
DW: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did you
manage to find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
Boris Johnson: Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people
from Porton Down, the laboratory
DW: So they have the samples
Boris Johnson: They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I
said, "Are you sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
But Porton Down did not agree with the British government to claim that the supposed nerve
agent was "made by Russia." It only agreed to
the compromise formulation "of a type developed by Russia" i.e. it could have been made
anywhere. [End Update]
The claims by the British government that a. the Skripals were affected by a nerve agent and
that b. Russia was involved in the Skripal incident because it has some exclusive access to
these agents seem both baseless. Unless there is significant further evidence the British
incrimination of Russia looks like a cynical plot invented for political and/or commercial
purposes.
As usual in the military-industrial complex the people who push such scares, are the ones
who profit from them.
The British Morning Starpoints
to one former British military intelligence officer, Colonel (rtd) Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, as
a common protagonist in the Skripal case, in the claims of Syrian chemical weapon use and in
commercial interests around chemical weapon defense:
Quoted daily by multiple media outlets on the Skripal case, de Bretton-Gordon has become a
very public expert, relied upon for unbiased comment and analysis by the British and foreign
media on chemical weapon threats from Salisbury to Syria.
He is a former assistant director of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Land
Forces with the Ministry of Defence. Before that de Bretton-Gordon was commanding officer of
Britain's Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear (CBRN) Regiment and Nato's Rapid
Reaction CBRN Battalion.
While his CBRN background is often mentioned, his military intelligence links are rarely
referred to publicly.
Long before the Salisbury event, de Bretton-Gordon was urging greater government
expenditure on chemical protection counter-measures and equipment.
...
de Bretton-Gordon is managing director CBRN of Avon Protection Systems, based in Melksham,
Wiltshire.
...
In 2017, the company made £50m from its US military contracts and a further
£63.3m from other "protection and defence" revenue.
The former(?) army intelligence officer is also deeply involved in the "moderate rebels"
chemical weapon scams in Syria:
On April 29 2014, the [Daily Telegraph] reported that it "obtained soil samples collected
from sites of chemical attacks inside Syria by Dr Ahmad -- a medic whose real identity cannot
be revealed for his own protection -- who had previously received training in sample
collection by western chemical weapons experts.
"Mr de Bretton-Gordon, a British chemical weapons expert and director of Secure Bio, a
private company, was one of the trainers."
And who carried out the tests? None other than de Bretton-Gordon himself.
The "White Helmets" propaganda group in Syria was founded and is run by the former(?)
British army intelligence officer James Le Mesurier with British and U.S. government money. His
former(?) colleague de Bretton-Gordon is running the parallel Syria chemical weapon scam. Both
profit from their government financed operations.
Other British agents involved in the Skripal case are
Pablo Miller who recruited
Skripal for the MI6. He was a friend of Skripal, also lived in Salisbury and worked for
Christopher Steele, the former(?) MI6 agent who produced the 'dirty dossier' about Donald Trump
for the Clinton campaign. Both are involved with Russian
mafia emigres in Britain like Boris Berezovski and the deceased Alexander Litvinenko who's
father says
that he was killed by an MI6 or CIA guy.
While the British government blamed the Russians just a week after the incident in Salisbury
happened it now seems interested in delaying any further investigations. It took more than two
weeks after the incident for the British government to invite the OPCW to help with the case.
The head of the OPCW says it will take another three
weeks for the organization to analyze the samples the British laboratory now handed over.
The British police requires
several months to find out what happened to the Skripals.
How could the British government be sure of "Russian" involvement within a week and even
expel Russian diplomats when the primary chemical experts on the issue will need three weeks
for their first analyses and the British police predicts a several months long
investigation?
The Russian scientist and their government have explained their history and position in
relation to 'Novichoks' and the Skripal incident. It is high time now for the British
government, its scientists at Porton Down and its greedy mafia of former(?) British
intelligence officer and their criminal Russian emigres to come clean about their own roles in
it.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama reports on the Skripal case:
How could the British government be sure of "Russian" involvement within a week when the
primary chemical experts on the issue will need three weeks for their first analyses and
the police predicts a several months long investigation?
Because they're hard out lying -- their political lives depended on it.
Thank you, b, for including the commercial possibilities when writing about the
military/intelligence escapades perpetrated by the US and it's minions. Few others in the
media ever look at these incidents from an economic point of view, yet we live in a world
where Markets are worshiped as the Prime Mover.
Cui Bono? always seems to be a useful approach in determining motives and
connections.
And oops... here is Hamish de Bretton-Gordon prophesying on BBC in 16 February 2018:
"In the new "Cold War" with Russia, Nato must be prepared for chemical weapon usage.
Though Russia and the US have destroyed their chemical stocks, they still maintain the
capability to produce new ones, and there is speculation that research has been done on new
super chemicals many times more potent than nerve agents like Sarin and VX.
All have seen how effective chemical weapons have been in Syria and Iraq, especially in
fighting in built-up areas, and if there is conflict between East and West we must now assume
that chemical weapons will be used.
This sadly being the case, quite apart from the very real threat of terrorist use,
anywhere any time, Nato needs to re-invest in its chemical defence capabilities and be
prepared to fight in this "dirty" environment - or we could quickly be rolled over by a
concerted attack from the East.
B, you are mean. You are denying Theresa May her Margaret Thatcher moment where she
gets to stand up in Parliament and make a momentous speech about the United Kingdom standing
tall on behalf of the world.
Why make a reference ... 'since WW2', even Hitler never used chemical weapons, wouldn't a
reference to WW1 have been more appropriate? Oh yeah, by invoking WW2 you can make a rather
obvious parallel between Putin and Hitler. Go for it Theresa May, hell always has room for
more liars, especially self-righteous ones.
Thanks b. I think UK was relying on full US support to push the Novichok scam through, which
was not forthcoming. The brits will most likely end with some egg on their faces, but I
doubt the MSM will let the public know that NoviChok was a term coined by a ex-soviet
scientist, perhaps to sell a book, after he moved to the US. In general the western public
will continue think the Russians researched and produced this deadly stuff called Novichok
and were lying about doing so. Perception management.
An excellent analysis as seems to be almost always the case here. As always, Canada plays
devil's little helper. FM Chrystia Freeland proposed a motion condemning Russia which passed
unanimously. As was the case when Canada bombed Libya. No proof necessary...
Establishing that Porton Down probably lied about having analyzed traces of the fragmentation
(!) products of the allegedly used poison raises other questions. Why did they choose such a
thorny path? Why didn't they use ricin against the background of the poisoning of Georgi
Markov by a secret service of a Warsaw Pact country? Why not botulinum? Both are by no means
traceable to an origin and this enhances a suspicion against FSB or GRU based on the identity
of the victims.
A manifest thesis, often brought about, those typical assassination weapons were dismissed
because they are useless in a bigger follow-up incident. It is often assumed the use of
"novichok" was meant either as precursor or threat with a false flag attack in Syria, but
that is against logic. DoS annonced to hold Russia responsible for a weapons grade chemical
attack in Syria months ago, also hinting at bringing it to the ICC. They could have used, or
can use VX to mimic a "Russian" attack in Syria.
But with the EU it's different! Perpetrators in Porton Down and within the British
Government had to assume, that they might have to go an "extra mile" in implicating Russia in
a chemical attack on the European Continent to deny the EU the loophole of accounting it to
"Sarin" and "ISIS".
The preliminary result: A lightning fast postponement of Brexit for 9 month to the end of
2019, to British conditions afaik. Brussels denied them to the UK fiercely even around 8 days
before. It's not all about Russia - at least not directly.
The British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson now
admits that Porton Down (illegally?) had 'Novichok' agents BEFORE the incident happened.
Deutsche Welle: You argue that the source of this nerve agent, Novichok, is Russia. How did
you manage to find it out so quickly? Does Britain possess samples of it?
BJ: Let me be clear with you When I look at the evidence, I mean the people from Porton
Down, the laboratory
DW: So they have the samples
BJ: They do. And they were absolutely categorical and I asked the guy myself, I said,
"Are you sure?" And he said there's no doubt.
No doubt = "of a type developed by Russia" NOT= "made by Russia"!
So a non lethal dose of nerve agent, as would be possible with a handling error, a trace
from an imperfect seal perhaps of a small sample, happens within a few miles of a facility,
the only facility in Britain, that has quantities of that particular nerve agent on hand. If
you can believe Boris Johnson. One victim is connected to the false flag 'chemical attacks'
occurring in Syria. I wonder how good security really is at Porton Down?
Great ongoing coverage of this trumped up situation.
I believe that this event was suppose to be another war igniting spark that is fizzling
out. Maybe the approach is to overwhelm folks with a multitude of "could be" situations with
Russian names until ignition and blast off. If they get ignition then they can bury all the
fake scaffold leading to the spark.
I keep hoping for a flip by one of he slimeball insiders to tell the world how the
puppeteers of our world keep the play of empire in motion. Then maybe some eyes will
open.
"I think, in the first instance, if I may respectfully say to the Kremlin detectives, we
will trust to the technical experts of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical
Weapons. Let's see what their assessment is. That's the proper procedure that the UK has to
follow under the Chemical Weapons Treaty. And, you know, I just have to say that I find the
Russian position about what has happened to this Novichok increasingly bizarre."
When Russia were asking for evidence and pushing for an OPCW investigation, this was
just stalling according to the Brits. When the Uk gave their evidence to OPCW, they had no
blood test results, no documented data of traces of poison or any other tests.
Relying purely on propaganda to push it through, perhaps relying on bigger things
happening in Syria to pull attention away and prevent any serious investigation taking
place.
Boris and May seem to be no more than extremely enthusiastic cannon fodder in this
game, now having to see the narrative through on their own.
"Vil Mirzayanov was head of the chromatographer group, chemists who deals with the separation
and analysis of various mixtures of substances. He was responsible for environmental control
and not a developer of any new substances."
This seems to impinge on Mirzayanov's credibility as he said he was one of the developers
of the agent. Neil Clark
muses about how the famous fictional detective Poirot would investigate this alleged
crime.
A
very strongly worded statement issued jointly by Russia's Foreign and Defense
Ministries declares: "either the British authorities are unable to protect from a terrorist
attack on their territory or staged the attack themselves... Russia owes nothing and can bear
no responsibility for the actions or lack of actions on British soil."
The "attack" on the Skripals is described as a "gross folly" by Russia and as a hoax
by numerous writers and others like myself. The more the Outlaw US Empire and its vassals try
to smear Russia, the more their credibility diminishes. Combined with the Cambridge Analytica
revelations, the plan to demonize Russia has grossly failed as the real demons get
revealed.
Posted by: turk 151 | Mar 21, 2018 11:56:33 AM | 20
Thierry Meyssan's article blew me away:
"Bypassing the official diplomatic channels, Russian Chief of Staff General Valeri
Guerassimov contacted his US counterpart General Joseph Dunford to inform him of his fear of
a false flag chemical attack in Ghouta. Dunford took this information vey seriously, and
alerted US Defense Secretary General Jim Mattis, who referred the matter to President Donald
Trump. In view of the Russian insistence that this piece of foul play was being prepared
without the knowledge of the Pentagon, the White House asked the Director of the CIA, Mike
Pompeo, to identify those responsible for the conspiracy."..
"We do not know the result of this internal enquiry, but President Trump acquired the
conviction that his Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, was implicated. The Secretary of State
was immediately asked to interrupt his official journey in Africa and return to
Washington.". .
"[Tillerson was replaced by Mike Pompeo, ex-Director of the CIA, who, the night before,
had confirmed the authenticity of the Russian information transmitted by General
Dunford."
Don Bacon @13 linked to a piece at UNZ Revue and the note by Andrey Lazarchuk at the
bottom of the article which is interesting.
According to that, Mirzayanov was Identified as a leak early on, and then used to transmit
false information. It is noticeable that Mirzayanov Used a letter plus three digits for the
designation code of the chemicals, whereas the scientist that actually worked on developing
new compounds uses a letter plus four digits for the designation codes.
The compounds Mirzayanov has in his book, A-232 and so forth, were most likely genuine
compounds that had been discarded by the soviet scientists, given a new designation code and
a name for the group and fed to Mirzayan.
The UK will never come clean on their disinformation campaign. They are petty and stupid to
think the UK is and can be kept somehow 'great'. They are actually the evidence of the
decline of the UK.
Further to my post @24. Have UK used some discarded soviet chemical compounds that has been
used in a cold war disinformation operation to poison the Skripols and the policeman?
If this is the case, Russia would have the old soviet records of the disinformation
operation ready to rock and roll. Maybe the Brits may have walked into a trap?
thanks b... great overview and especially the last half of your post where this kind of info
never gets discussed.. pointing out that the messengers are also profiting from what they are
saying is necessary and critical to be able to put the comments in perspective...
shills everyone of them - Colonel (rtd) Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, James Le Mesurier, and
especially boris the idiot johnson..
my favourite question in the comments today so far..
"I wonder how good security really is at Porton Down?
According to the interview with Prof. Rink, a "military grade formulation" does not follow
from the public data disclosed by Vadim Miranzayanov, because beside the main compound it is
necessary to have "auxiliary ingredients", and Miranzayanov did not have access to the
complete formulations, he had a technical role in the development of "main components".
Therefore full chromatography of samples would disclose if the chemist working for the
perpetrator(s) had a knowledge of the full formulation or not. There is also an explanation
how word "novichok" was used, and indeed, it was used.
@23 Fecund Stench.. the folks over at
emptywheel are very slow to figure that out... i guess the russian/trump hatefest must
continue in at a number of blogs that used to be intelligent and insightful...
„In 2016 Iranian scientists, in cooperation with the OPCW, published production and
detection methods for such agents. It is likely that the various government labs secretly
re-developed and produced these chemicals for their own purposes even prior to the Iranian
publication."
THERE IS NO SOLID EVIDENCE for this „Iranian Publication". (The visible source is
Craig Murray.)
It appears that MoA, too has fallen for this probable canard, which was filtered thru
and spread (unwittingly) by Craig Murray to make it appear „credible".
Ryan De Vooght-Johnson the stated „author" of this article is not a
research-scientist but (was) the „commissioning editor" for a magazine called
„Bioanalysis", published (among many others) by a company called Future Science Ltd.
based in the north of London. (Part of the „Future Science Group")
BIOANALYSIS specialises in „Biomedicine" and „Drug R&D" (including
analytical research about Doping) not exactly „nerve agents". (They do know about
mass spectrometry, though)
Ryan De Vooght-Johnson apparently no longer works for the FSG, since a search for his
name brought only results in the archives from 2013. As a „comissioning editor" he
selected the articles which also included „sponsored" articles. So was he paid to
publish this?
There is something very fishy about this article (what Iranian source?) and every time I
open the website it starts to flash continually (is this just happening to me?) so it is
impossible to read the whole thing. I managed to make a screenshot (from the top half) and
zoomed in. (To me at least) this looks like a cut and paste job there are some strange dots
above the headline)
I asked Press TV to comment (could they deny of verify the claim?) but received no
answer so far.
Moreover THERE IS NO MENTION of this alleged „Iranian" breakthrough on the OPCW
website and Murray's claim (expressed in the headline „Iranian chemists identify
chemical warfare agents" clashes with this statement published by RT on March 16:
There
is no record of the Novichok group of nerve agents having been declared by a state party to
the Chemical Weapons Convention," the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
(OPCW) said in a press release on Friday.
The funny thing is, there is also no record of this „press-release" on the OPCW
website. In fact, the search-term „Novichok" yields no result at all. This is all
very strange, to say the least.
Seen in a geopolitical context, this „revelation" might have been planted with
Craig Murray (who spread it to refute the claim that „Novichoks" must be
„Russian") in order to smear Iran – by insinuating they are developing
„chemical weapons" in violation of the CWC (now that JPCOA is being discarded by
Trump, they need new political amunition ).
I have reached the conclusion that all this „novichok"-saga is a Red Herring. We
ought so concentrate more on the WHY, not he HOW (as with „9/11").
A SHOCKING TALE OF THREE CITIES (Washington, Salisbury, Damascus)
In Salisbury, England two people are found „slumped", allegedly „poisoned"
with an NA on a park-bench. HMG issues wild accusations against Russia. Days later the US
Secretary of State is being fired. Meanwhile the SAA and their Russian allies are gaining
more and more control over „rebel-held" Ghouta. Three different stories ? Not
really.
Here is the article which connects the dots perfectly: (and it is much more important
than the „Cambridge Analytics" stuff )
Cassandra, your post is nearly unreadable the way it is, but I also looked into Ryan De
Vooght-Johnson.
I found his bio. Lives in UK and writes for science journals.
TomGard came up with a separate document in one of the earlier novichok threads and it
does look like Iran has worked with OPCW on these chemicals and has published its
research.
The information is correct. Published in 'Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry'. It's
not been taken down (yet). Doing so now would be futile, anyways. Here's the link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/rcm.7757
@37 cassandra.. i have read the article, but nowhere in the article do i see any refutation
of
the article that both b and criag murray linked to on iranian chemists identify russia
chemical agents... what am i missing? thanks...
We've lost something in the political, intellectual, and legal culture. It used to be that
if a person posits an extraordinary claim, then he is under the obligation to provide evidence
for the claim. That's the way the Western world usually works. Keep that in mind as you read
the following headline:
"Theresa May has given Vladimir Putin's administration until midnight on Tuesday to explain
how a former spy was poisoned in Salisbury, otherwise she will conclude it was an 'unlawful use
of force' by the Russian state against the UK." [1]
This is similar to the age-old tactic, "Have you stopped beating your wife yet?" If you say
yes, then you have just admitted that you are guilty of committing a crime. If you say no, then
you are still guilty of committing a crime.
Theresa May's promiscuous accusation will never work in a sane world where the rules of
evidence are respected and applied consistently. You simply cannot accuse someone of a crime
and expect the same person to produce evidence that he is not guilty. It just doesn't add up.
In fact, one needn't be a politician or even a lawyer to realize that May's position simply is
crazy.
That seems to be one reason why Russia isn't taking May seriously at all. What May and New
World Order agents need to do is simply this: produce rigorous evidence which shows that Russia
is culpable. But there is something else here.
When May was asked in 2016 if she was prepared to authorize a nuclear strike on thousands
upon thousands of men, women and children in the Middle East, she responded by saying:
In a rational world, this is inexplicable. Let's just do some thought experiment here. Let's
suppose that Russia is guilty. Could it be that Russia was simply following May's prevailing
vision? Could it be that Russia was actually universalizing May's ideology?
May is ready to use nuclear weapons on thousands of perceived enemies, but other countries
cannot do the same! How in the world did they elect these people as leaders of the so-called
free world? This is not even differential equations or mathematical physics. This is common
sense which applies to every human being on the planet.
What we are seeing here is that New World Order agents like May are desperate because Russia
has humiliated them in Syria. NWO agents are still perpetuating the chorus that Assad has to
go. But Assad, Russia and Iran are still exposing war mongers in the region. How long did it
take the United States to obliterate Iraq? Just a few months. Libya? Just a few months.
But Syria? Well, both Russia and Iran are saying enough is enough. May and other puppets of
the Zionist regime obviously do not like that. Therefore, they are summoning implausible
scenarios in order to keep the Zionist expedition in countries in the Middle East alive and
well. But Russia isn't taking those people seriously at all. [2]
[1] Anushka Asthana, Andrew Roth, Luke Harding and Ewen MacAskill, "Russian spy
poisoning: Theresa May issues ultimatum to Moscow," Guardian , March 13, 2018.
[2] "Judgment Day: Putin's midnight deadline has terminated, so what will Theresa May do
next?," Russia Today , May 14, 2018.
Britain has yet to identify the assassin who tried to murder the double agent Sergei Skripal
and his daughter, Yulia, in Salisbury, England.
But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson knows who ordered the hit.
"We think it overwhelmingly likely that it was (Russian President Vladimir Putin's)
decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the U.K."
"Unforgivable," says Putin spokesman Dmitry Peskov of the charge, which also defies "common
sense." On Sunday, Putin echoed Peskov: "It is just sheer nonsense, complete rubbish, to think
that anyone in Russia could do anything like that in the run-up to the presidential election
and the World Cup. It's simply unthinkable."
Putin repeated Russia's offer to assist in the investigation.
But Johnson is not backing down; he is doubling down.
"We gave the Russians every opportunity to come up with an alternative hypothesis and they
haven't," said Johnson. "We actually have evidence that Russia has not only been
investigating the delivery of nerve agents for the purposes of assassination but has also
been creating and stockpiling Novichok," the poison used in Salisbury.
Why Russia is the prime suspect is understandable. Novichok was created by Russia's military
decades ago, and Skripal, a former Russian intel officer, betrayed Russian spies to MI6.
But what is missing here is the Kremlin's motive for the crime.
Skripal was convicted of betraying Russian spies in 2006. He spent four years in prison and
was exchanged in 2010 for Russian spies in the U.S. If Putin wanted Skripal dead as an example
to all potential traitors, why didn't he execute him while he was in Kremlin custody?
Why wait until eight years after Skripal had been sent to England? And how would this murder
on British soil advance any Russian interest?
Putin is no fool. A veteran intelligence agent, he knows that no rival intel agency such as
the CIA or MI6 would trade spies with Russia if the Kremlin were to go about killing them after
they have been traded.
"Cui bono?" runs the always relevant Ciceronian question. "Who benefits" from this criminal
atrocity?
Certainly, in this case, not Russia, not the Kremlin, not Putin.
All have taken a ceaseless beating in world opinion and Western media since the Skripals
were found comatose, near death, on that bench outside a mall in Salisbury.
Predictably, Britain's reaction has been rage, revulsion and retaliation. Twenty-three
Russian diplomats, intelligence agents in their London embassy, have been expelled. The Brits
have been treating Putin as a pariah and depicting Russia as outside the circle of civilized
nations.
Russia is "ripping up the international rulebook," roared Defense Secretary Gavin
Williamson. Asked how Moscow might respond to the expulsions, Williamson retorted: Russia
should "go away and shut up."
Putin sympathizers, including Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, have been silenced or
savaged as appeasers for resisting the rush to judgment.
The Americans naturally came down on the side of their oldest ally, with President Donald
Trump imposing new sanctions.
We are daily admonished that Putin tried to tip the 2016 election to Trump. But if so, why
would Putin order a public assassination that would almost compel Trump to postpone his efforts
at a rapprochement?
Who, then, are the beneficiaries of this atrocity?
Is it not the coalition -- principally in our own capital city -- that bears an endemic
hostility to Russia and envisions America's future role as a continuance of its Cold War role
of containing and corralling Russia until we can achieve regime change in Moscow?
What should Trump's posture be? Stand by our British ally but insist privately on a full
investigation and convincing proof before taking any irreversible action.
Was this act really ordered by Putin and the Kremlin, who have not only denied it but
condemned it?
Or was it the work of rogue agents who desired the consequences that they knew the murder of
Skripal would produce -- a deeper and more permanent split between Russia and the West?
Only a moron could not have known what the political ramifications of such an atrocity as
this would be on U.S.-British-Russian relations.
And before we act on Boris Johnson's verdict -- that Putin ordered it -- let us recall:
The Spanish, we learned, did not actually blow up the battleship Maine in Havana Harbor in
1898, which ignited the Spanish-American War.
The story of North Vietnamese gunboats attacking U.S. destroyers, which led to the Gulf of
Tonkin Resolution and 58,000 dead Americans in Vietnam, proved not to be entirely
accurate.
We went to war in Iraq in 2003 to disarm it of weapons of mass destruction we later
discovered Saddam Hussein did not really have.
Some 4,500 U.S. dead and tens of thousands of wounded paid for that rush to judgment. And
some of those clamoring for war then are visible in the vanguard of those clamoring for
confronting Russia.
Before we set off on Cold War II with Russia -- leading perhaps to the shooting war we
avoided in Cold War I -- let's try to get this one right.
"... . Mirzoyanov as a source of leakage was identified immediately. In the 1990, he was removed from all real work, through he remained a conduit of disinformation. In 1992, he revealed himself voluntarily by publishing the well-known article. From that moment, the Novichok attracted media interests. In the 1995, NYT wrote about the "new Russian super-weapon". ..."
"... What actually happened in Salisbury is unclear; nor the behavior of the poisoned, nor the actions of the police, doctors, special services do not add up to the whole picture. More or less plausible is the poisoning with a synthetic neurotoxin, similar to the toxin of fugu fish. ..."
"... Brief summary: "Novichok" is not the name of the CW, but the code of the KGB operation carried out to identify the mole (the information leakage channel), as well as the supply of disinformation. ..."
This brief note by Andrey Lazarchuk has been published in the social networks. It is
interesting, and it agrees with revealed facts. Whether it is true or not – remains to
be seen. Here is his text in verbatim translation:
Do not ask for the source of the information, I will not give it up. Everything written
below is very different from what you can find on the web.
1. Already in the early 1980s, the Soviet Army ceased to treat CW (Chemical Weapons) as a
weapon that could be used in real war conditions: approximately in 1983-84 it was decided to
cease CW supplies to the army, reduce operational reserves and take out CW from the troops to
long-term storage warehouses and landfills for destruction. At the same time and until 1996,
there were no new CW products supplied to the army, neither new instructions for use and
protection.
2. Mirzoyanov, majoring in chemistry and analytics, never worked at theoretical
developments or practical synthesis. All 1980s he worked in the administration (First
Department).
3. In the second half of the 1980s, the KGB carried out a large-scale operation to
dis-inform the enemy, which also had the side-line task of identifying information leakage
channels. Twenty "fake" but very detailed projects were developed for "a new chemical
super-weapon that is not detected by existing NATO detectors and from which there is no
protection" (NOVA with indices, "Novichok" with indices, ASD and others). The Novichok passed
through the hands of Mirzoyanov.
4. The factory-laboratory in Kantyubek in the late 70′s was re-profiled from the
creation and testing of CW and BW for the production and testing of herbicides and defoliants
– mainly for the needs of the cotton industry.
5. Mirzoyanov as a source of leakage was identified immediately. In the 1990, he was
removed from all real work, through he remained a conduit of disinformation. In 1992, he
revealed himself voluntarily by publishing the well-known article. From that moment, the
Novichok attracted media interests. In the 1995, NYT wrote about the "new Russian
super-weapon".
6. NATO had spent more than $ 10 billion on defence against this fake weapon.
7. What actually happened in Salisbury is unclear; nor the behavior of the poisoned, nor
the actions of the police, doctors, special services do not add up to the whole picture. More
or less plausible is the poisoning with a synthetic neurotoxin, similar to the toxin of fugu
fish.
Brief summary: "Novichok" is not the name of the CW, but the code of the KGB operation
carried out to identify the mole (the information leakage channel), as well as the supply of
disinformation.
"... It parallels 9/11, whereby contradictory evidence has been 'pushed.' The targets seem to be two, 1) the proles [as usual] and 2) Putin/Russia [danger, nukes!] ..."
"... But (1) makes no sense; as no Iraqi WMDs showed, a) the CCC [= covert criminal cabal] went ahead anyway, telling the proles: "Bite your bum!" The proles are powerless passengers, and voting is futile anyway since x = y. ..."
"... And (2) should have *no* effect at all; Putin was always going to be and has now been re-elected, and from Crimea, E.Ukr and especially Syria, Russia appears to have the rogue-regimes' measure. A proof = refugees now streaming out of Ghouta into [comparative] freedom, say. ..."
"... Let us posit some 3rd party, whose name some dare not mention? "Do what we say and nobody gets hurt" seems to have lost its oomph and 'smartest crims on the planet' looks definitely jaded. Confounded by inconvenient reality, perhaps? ..."
So if the Mossad did it on British soil, you can bet your last penny that both the CIA
and MI5/6 not only knew before hand but participated in the details
It's a publicity stunt; recall Bernays' "torches of freedom." It parallels 9/11,
whereby contradictory evidence has been 'pushed.' The targets seem to be two, 1) the proles
[as usual] and 2) Putin/Russia [danger, nukes!]
But (1) makes no sense; as no Iraqi WMDs showed, a) the CCC [= covert criminal cabal]
went ahead anyway, telling the proles: "Bite your bum!" The proles are powerless passengers,
and voting is futile anyway since x = y.
And (2) should have *no* effect at all; Putin was always going to be and has now been
re-elected, and from Crimea, E.Ukr and especially Syria, Russia appears to have the
rogue-regimes' measure. A proof = refugees now streaming out of Ghouta into [comparative]
freedom, say.
So, given the apparently threadbare psyop, a) with what purpose, and b) cui bono?
Especially (b), UK could end up with a very bad case of 'egg all over its face.'
Let us posit some 3rd party, whose name some dare not mention? "Do what we say and
nobody gets hurt" seems to have lost its oomph and 'smartest crims on the planet' looks
definitely jaded. Confounded by inconvenient reality, perhaps?
When it comes to choosing between a conspiracy and a stuff-up? Well, here we seem to have
both. In spades. *OR* : We haven't seen the 'surprise' ending yet?
There is absolutely nothing totally duplicitous, nothing evil, that British secret service
(meaning both MI5 and MI6) will not do, and in fact has not done.
The British Empire operated as something at least akin to utterly amoral. It saw itself as
beyond good and evil in any historic sense. As it was born of rebellion against Christendom,
that not only makes sense but also was all but inevitable.
Anglo-Saxon Puritanism was a Judaizing heresy. Judaizing heresy will produce culture that
is pro-Jewish specifically and more generally will reflect ways of doing and being and
thinking, ways of defining morality, that are in step with the Talmud. And that may be summed
as: amoral will to power based on faith that one's group is the superior race/nation that
should rule the world by any means necessary.
The British Empire did not die in any sense. The British Empire's direct rule simply moved
to DC and NYC. America is now the chief operating officer of the British Empire. WASP culture
and its rather unique form of amoral imperialism still rules the world and intends to crush
every opposition into dust – for the uplifting of poor brown and black brothers and
sisters, and for freedom for all, and other selfless good works.
Who poisoned the hapless idiot Russian double agent and his daughter? In general, some
part of the British secret service, which includes the CIA and the Mossad and the Saudi
General Intelligence Presidency.
"... May accusations implies that the British authorities have both a control sample (to determine if the quantities found would
be lethal) and samples from a few different labs to confirm that the fingerprint was from lab A not lab B for example. How did they
got those ? ..."
"... Also from scant information available suggests that the most plausible hypothesis is a false flag operation which probably
proceeded in two steps (with the first step not necessary accomplished by those who run the second step; it can be two different groups).
..."
"... There is certainly a reasonable list of suspects, most more credible than the Russian state. Perhaps one can also separate
out the crime in to two parts, those who committed it, and those who have sought to exploit it. ..."
May and Johnson are probably examples of the level of the degeneration of British elite.
May accusations implies that the British authorities have both a control sample (to determine if the quantities found would
be lethal) and samples from a few different labs to confirm that the fingerprint was from lab A not lab B for example. How did
they got those ?
Also from scant information available suggests that the most plausible hypothesis is a false flag operation which probably
proceeded in two steps (with the first step not necessary accomplished by those who run the second step; it can be two different
groups).
First some poison like Fentanyl was mixed into food or drinks or taken by Skripals themselves either as masked as some other
medication, or as a part of narcoaddict fix. Fentanyl is known for previous use in assassinations. It killed more than 21K people
in the USA in 2016
On the second stage, which occurred when Skripals were already hospitalized nerve agent was planted in several places, including
home and the police investigator became the first victim. Poisoning of "opponent of the regime" provides ideal conditions for
a false flag operation as the cloud of secrecy can be used to subvert the investigation and pursue the agenda with the complete
impunity. The government can essentially decree the "truth" in such cases. It also provides tremendous propaganda effect.
And British are not shy from experimenting on humans with poison gases either. It took 50 years for Porton Down chemical research
centre to come clean on poisoning a British soldier with Sarin telling him it was a flu test. Poor fella.
The first step can also be plot by some group connected with William Browder of Magnitsky death fame (
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-25190975 ), Berezovsky
associates or some other "Russian mafia in London" groups. The fact that Skripal has such an expensive car suggests that he was
participating in some business dealings, probably as a part of some London-based exiles group. UK government is not know for extreme
generosity toward such people as Skripal.
The question arise why the UK government went this path. It well might be the USA pressure (like in case of Iraq invasion)
or internal considerations that such step will be beneficial to the May government survival. Or both.
My impression is that his is just a first (and somewhat clumsy executed) step in multi step gambit in which Scripals were just
sacrificial lamps. Pawns is a bigger game.
The next steps might be related to Would Cup and/or confiscation of assets of Russian oligarchs in London to put pressure on
Putin and possibly initiate with their hands a "regime change" in Russia.
Available timelines suggest that initial poisoning took around half an hour to incapacitate them, which is not typical for
a nerve gas.
CCTV footage shows them walking around 3:47 p.m. 16:15 GMT: emergency services received the first report of an incident ??:??
Police found the pair on a bench outside Zizzi in an "extremely serious condition"
If we assume that they were poisoned at Zizzi with fentanyl or something similar they survived for more then an hour, which
is not atypical in cases of narcotics overdose. Moreover Scripal lost emotional control at the restaurant which also happens when
a narcoaddict wants to take his fix and can't. That does not explain why the daughter was also affected, though.
Only this sequence of events can explain what the doctor who treated the daughter for 30 min and first responders suffered
no consequences.
The "Doctor" who, so the BBC reported, "asked not to be named" is surely a prime suspect. Not only was she the only person
known to be in the vicinity of the Skripals closest to the time they were poisoned, but she was aksi the person best able to have
planted nerve agent contamination where the Skripals were allegedly incapacitated.
As for the Skripals, who have disappeared from view and to whom the daughter has been denied contact by a Russian embassy representative,
perhaps they are already settling into new identities, their old selves eventually to be declared dead, despite heroic efforts
by, um, well we're not sure who, since no one subjected to a nerve agent was admitted as a patient by the local hospital.
There is certainly a reasonable list of suspects, most more credible than the Russian state. Perhaps one can also separate
out the crime in to two parts, those who committed it, and those who have sought to exploit it.
The "hate for Trump" by the establishment, is a total canard.
Trump is OWNED by the same Zionist mafia filth that own May, which is the same Zionists
that own the media in America and Britain.
As when Obama (also a Zionist puppet, mainly because Obama was a coward, unlike Trump
who has been groomed to be a zionist puppet) was in office, he was provided a FAKE conflict
with the "birthers". American politics are all about subterfuge, distraction, divide and
conquer.
The so called "attacks on Trump", are simply meant to drive the right to support him,
precisely the way the "attacks on Obama", drove the left to ignore Obama's neocon ways, and
defend him.
England is run by the Zionists, Washington is run by the Zionists, Wall Street IS
Zionist, as it the media and the entire entertainment industry, as well as the "social
Media", Trump is from Jew York City, owes his fortune to Jewish Bankers, and yet, so many
buy this ridiculous narrative of Trump, the anti establishment warrior, a meme that is
ludicrous.
So, instead of discussing Trump's lies about border enforcement, his lies about leaving
Syria, his lies about rebuilding infrastructure, he are distracted with lies about "sexual
harassment", and "Russia Gate"...and sadly many buy right into it.
" [...] The so called "attacks on Trump", are simply meant to drive the right to support
him, precisely the way the "attacks on Obama", drove the left to ignore Obama's neocon ways,
and defend him. [...]"
Exactly. Orange Clown's whole campaign was a calculated "bait and switch" scam from the
beginning, IMO.
I believe that Orange Clown is a "deep cover" or "sleeper" agent that's been groomed and
"waiting in the wings" for his masters' beck and call. And the call came at the end of the
Obama administration, with the agenda not only stalled but exposed like never before; with
Russia and China rising; and the U.S. falling behind. As I see it, the political ascendancy
of Orange Clown is a sign of his masters' increasing desperation.
I believe that Orange Clown's mission – as puppet president of last resort –
is to present (apparently by way of a series of reckless provocations) ultimatum to Russia
and China: "either cede your sovereignty to the empire and start taking orders, or it's war"
or something like that.
And I believe the relocation of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem was intended to show the
world (in case there's any doubt) just who it is that's calling the shots here and running
everything in the U.S. (IOW they're taking off the mask as they demand surrender).
Some people woke up when Orange Clown attacked the Syrian airbase with cruise missiles,
but unfortunately it seems there are still many people who absolutely refuse to accept that
Orange Clown is a fraud, no matter what he does (or fails to do). Paul Craig Roberts is an
example of someone who should know better, but who continues to imply that Orange Clown is
just a helpless "babe in the woods"; a nice guy in a bad situation.
"... Washington's gratuitous raising of tensions with Russia that we have been witnessing for many years is so reckless and irresponsible that we need some relief from the depression of it all. Perhaps I am grasping at straws, but here are some hopeful developments. ..."
"... As important as Amb. Murray's factually uncontested findings are, the main point is that no laboratory has reported any finding that such a nerve agent was used on Skirpal and his daughter. We don't even know if any attack occurred on Skirpal. The corrupt British government has provided no evidence of any attack and no evidence of any nerve agent. ..."
"... What is the real reason for the British government's completely obvious blatant lies? What is the real reason for the complete failure of the media to investigate and report an alleged event? ..."
"... How much more evidence does the world need that the Western media is nothing but a collection of liars devoid of all integrity who serve as a Propaganda Ministry for undeclared government agendas? The Skripal Affair is the final nail in the coffin of the Western media. ..."
"... This article was originally published on Paul Craig Roberts Institute for Political Economy. ..."
"... Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is a frequent contributor to Global Research. ..."
Originally
from: Novichok and Russia-Gate: Finally, Some Good News By Dr. Paul Craig Roberts Global
Research, March 20, 2018
Washington's gratuitous raising of tensions with Russia that we have been witnessing for
many years is so reckless and irresponsible that we need some relief from the depression of it
all. Perhaps I am grasping at straws, but here are some hopeful developments.
An establishment journalist, Michael Goodwin, the chief political columnist for the New
York Post and a former bureau chief for the New York Times, has blamed the New York Times and
Washington Post for the destruction of journalistic
standards in the United States.
-- James Kallstrom , an Assistant Director of the FBI, told Fox News that high-ranking
people throughout the US government coordinated a plot to help Hillary Clinton avoid
indictment:
"I think we have ample facts revealed to us during this last year and a half that
high-ranking people throughout government, not just the FBI, high-ranking people had a plot
to not have Hillary Clinton, you know, indicted.
"I think it goes right to the top. And it involves that whole [Russiagate] strategy --
they were gonna win, nobody would have known any of this stuff, and they just unleashed the
intelligence community. Look at the unmaskings. We haven't heard anything about that yet.
Look at the way they violated the rights of all those American citizens."
Senator Rand Paul vows to block the appointments of Mike Pompeo and Gina Haspel as
Secretary of State and Director of the CIA. Read
and rejoice .
It is possible that the firing of Deputy FBI Director McCabe has opened for public
exposure the plot hatched by the CIA, FBI, Departments of Justice and State, Hillary Clinton,
and the Democratic National Committee to cover up Hillary's felonies and to falsely accuse
Donald Trump of conspiring with Russian President Putin to steal the US presidential
election. If Trump doesn't chicken out, it is possible to put Brennan, Comey, McCabe,
Hillary, and many others in prison for their egregious and bold assaut on American democracy
and the rule of law. These prosecutions would break the power, of much of it, of the secret
national security state, and, thereby, make it possible for Trump to return to his campaign
promise to normalize relations with Russia. If these relations are not normalized, war will
be the result. But at least now there is a chance.
British Ambassador Craig Murray has successfully exposed
the deception practiced by the utter corrupt British government in its false allegation
that the Russian government used a nerve agent to poison two people on a bench in England.
The British government's scientists have far more integrity than the British government and
flatly refused to sanction the government's claim about the nerve agent. This forced the
corrupt May government to use the wording "of a type developed by Russia."
Amb. Murray goes on to establish that there is no evidence that Russia ever developed such a
nerve agent and that the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) found no
such agent when it oversaw and verified Russia's destruction of Russian chemical weapons. Amb.
Murray reports that the only known synthesis of what is being called "Novichok" occurred in
2016 by Iran in cooperation with the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in
order to test whether formulas published in a book many years ago could actually produce such
an agent.
Amb. Murray exposes the utterly corrupt presstitutes that comprise the Western media for
never once asking the corrupt UK government about its hedge words, "of a type developed by
Russia" and for their efforts to silence him with libel and slander.
As important as Amb. Murray's factually uncontested findings are, the main point is that
no laboratory has reported any finding that such a nerve agent was used on Skirpal and his
daughter. We don't even know if any attack occurred on Skirpal. The corrupt British government
has provided no evidence of any attack and no evidence of any nerve agent.
What is the real reason for the British government's completely obvious blatant lies?
What is the real reason for the complete failure of the media to investigate and report an
alleged event?
How much more evidence does the world need that the Western media is nothing but a
collection of liars devoid of all integrity who serve as a Propaganda Ministry for undeclared
government agendas? The Skripal Affair is the final nail in the coffin of the Western
media.
*
This article was originally published on Paul Craig Roberts Institute for Political
Economy.
Dr. Paul Craig Roberts is a frequent contributor to Global Research.
"The freaky British Government headed by a haggard Prime Minister is accusing President Putin personally of poisoning a former
Russian spy and his daughter by nerve gas. This move on the part of British Intelligence is intended to portray President Putin as a
criminal before the Presidential elections and to make a hodgepodge of allegations to divide the pro-Russian allies inside the
European Union and implant hatred for Putin within the British community."
Notable quotes:
"... I had not known Craig Murray, the former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan was still on the planet. He was one of the bright lights of the sad War of Terror when he blew the story of the terror regime running Uzbekistan. ..."
"... It used the US war as a smokescreen to round up all of their political opponents as "terrorists", to torture and kill, and then fed phony confessions to US Intel that nobody seemed very interested in knowing they were bogus. Murray at the time said 10,000 were murdered. ..."
"... military grade ..."
"... no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter. ..."
"... We did not need Murray's revelations, however valuable, to come to this conclusion ourselves. The day before Mrs May made her statement to the House of Commons, Neil Basu, the newly appointed assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police for counter-terrorism, who is in charge of the Skripal enquiry, told the press, in a formal statement, that the investigation was highly complex and that it would take a long time, probably "weeks." ..."
"... This enquiry, which broke the law under which it was conducted because Section 2 of the Enquiries Act of 2005 forbids such enquiries from ruling on criminal or civil liability, was in turn as convincing as the similar 2004 Hutton inquiry into the death of the scientist David Kelly. The Hutton report was widely ridiculed as an establishment stitch-up, which it was. ..."
"... The author of the Litvinenko report, a former judge acting on orders from Theresa May, concluded that President Putin ordered Litvinenko's assassination. Very similar arguments that only the Russians could have done it because only they have these poisons have now resurfaced about Skripal. ..."
"... Moreover, the same toxicologist, the late Professor John Henry of Imperial College, London, was the source of both the theory about Litvinenko's poisoning and also of the similar theory about Viktor Yushchenko, the Ukrainian politician who stood for president in 2004 and who developed acne during the campaign. ..."
[
Editor's Note
:
RT is finally hitting its stride on the nerve agent poisoning, albeit it two
days late. We were afraid this might be day number three, but its afternoon postings had some meat on their
bones.
We are still mystified at VT how the Brits think anyone is going to believe their cock-and-bull story. On
the contrary, we think they are pushing a hoax, based on their publicly making claims they admit not having
evidence for.
They are not suffering from stupidity, but are over confident in their ability to bluff their way through
it.
I had not known Craig
Murray, the former British Ambassador to Uzbekistan was still on the planet. He was one of the bright lights
of the sad War of Terror when he blew the story of the terror regime running Uzbekistan.
It used the US war as a
smokescreen to round up all of their political opponents as "terrorists", to torture and kill, and then fed
phony confessions to US Intel that nobody seemed very interested in knowing they were bogus. Murray at the
time said 10,000 were murdered.
When Murray passed this gruesome information on to his diplomatic superiors, they were not interested.
This current case is another example, as I had warned after 9-11, that if you don't nail them, they just
come back at you later, having no fear of retribution from the public.
Litvinenko
killed himself while smuggling a few million dollars of Polonium
VT's Ian Greenhalgh
has a great story up, debunking the earlier Polonium poisoning of
Russian defector Litvinenko and the usual British coverup done there.
Traces of Polonium on the plane seats Litvinenko had flown on proved he had been transporting it,
obviously in a smuggling endeavor. Be sure to read Ian's piece.
As it was worth a few million dollars, VT can assure you the Russians don't have to spend that much to
knock somebody off, even for a defector. Forgive me, but I have to say that is overkill.
Our revenge for putting us all through the Russian fear porn hoax is to organize call campaigns to
British embassies everywhere, and let them know how ghastly we feel their behavior has been here. The phone
number in DC is 202-588-6500.
The police commissioner says it is a complicated case that will take weeks for a preliminary report, and
then British politicians are all pretending to have it figured out, but are keeping how they did that a
secret. Gosh, might someone be lying to us?
Jim W. Dean
]
Whitehall might regret the day for its playing us all for fools
First published
March 15, 2018
There is no proof of Russia's guilt in the Skripal poisoning. The case recalls previous
allegations of poisoning which turned out to be either unproven or false, writes John Laughland.
Congratulations to Craig Murray for getting there first. The colorful former British ambassador to
Uzbekistan, turned anti-establishment dissident after he was sacked from the Foreign Office in 2004, has
published on his
blog
some
key texts by authoritative scientists which cast serious doubt on the British government's claims about
what happened to the former double agent, Sergei Skripal, and why.
Murray and his sources have
unearthed texts from 2016, 2013 and 1995 by, respectively, a scientist at Porton Down, the secret British
military chemical weapons installations which is 20 minutes from Salisbury where Skripal was found last
week; a scientist at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, the statutory body created
by the 1997 Convention on Chemical Weapons but which London has ignored and bypassed in its spat with
Moscow; and by the Russian defector scientist, Vil Mirzayanov, who is the sole source for the claim that
the Soviet Union started to manufacture so-called novichok ("newbie") nerve agents in the 1980s,
allegedly now used to poison Skripal.
Two of these texts, for which Murray does not provide links, are available online
here
and
here
.
The first two show, long before anyone had heard of Sergei Skripal, that the existence of novichoks has
not been confirmed.
Mirzayanov's 1995 paper says that they could be manufactured
anywhere, for instance by any laboratory which can make fertilizer or pesticide, and that the factory
where they were allegedly developed by the Soviet Union is in Uzbekistan, a country which has not been
under Moscow's control since 1991 but where the Americans had a military base until 2005
.
In other words, even if it is true that Skripal was poisoned by this nerve agent, novichoks are not "
military
grade
". There is therefore no proof that they are manufactured in Russia and no grounds for
claiming, as Theresa May
did
on
March 14 in the House of Commons, that there is "
no alternative conclusion other than that the
Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr Skripal and his daughter.
"
On the contrary, there are plenty of alternative conclusions available at this stage. The fact that
these texts date from long before the Skripal affair only increases their credibility.
We did not need Murray's revelations, however valuable, to come
to this conclusion ourselves. The day before Mrs May made her statement to the House of Commons, Neil
Basu, the newly appointed assistant commissioner of the Metropolitan Police for counter-terrorism, who is
in charge of the Skripal enquiry, told the press, in a formal statement, that the investigation was
highly complex and that it would take a long time, probably "weeks."
Mrs. May's statement and that of Commissioner Basu cannot both be true: if the police investigation is
still ongoing, there are no grounds even for making allegations, let alone for saying that guilt has been
proved.
Mrs. May's proclaimed lack of doubt is hardly convincing, since it was she who, as home secretary,
ordered
the
Litvinenko enquiry to be opened, seven years after Alexander Litvinenko's death, and then later
instructed evidence given to it by the British intelligence services to be kept
secret
.
This enquiry, which broke the law under which it was conducted because Section 2 of the
Enquiries
Act
of 2005 forbids such enquiries from ruling on criminal or civil liability, was in turn as
convincing as the similar 2004 Hutton
inquiry
into
the death of the scientist David Kelly. The Hutton report was widely ridiculed as an establishment
stitch-up, which it was.
The author of the Litvinenko report, a former judge acting on orders from Theresa May, concluded
that President Putin ordered Litvinenko's assassination. Very similar arguments that only the Russians
could have done it because only they have these poisons have now resurfaced about Skripal.
Moreover, the same toxicologist, the late Professor John Henry of Imperial College, London, was
the source of both the theory about Litvinenko's poisoning and also of the similar theory about Viktor
Yushchenko, the Ukrainian politician who stood for president in 2004 and who developed acne during the
campaign.
The theory that Yuschenko had been poisoned by his "
pro-Russian
" rival,
Viktor Yanukovich, was widely accredited at the time, even though the clinic in Vienna, on whose
premises the original claim of poisoning had been announced, formally denied, in a statement on its
website, that it had authorized or approved the diagnosis.
In fact, as I learned by telephoning the medical director of the clinic which published the denial,
he had received death threats for questioning Yushchenko's story. In five years as president of
Ukraine, moreover, with the whole apparatus of the state at his disposal, Yushchenko was never able to
find anyone responsible for what happened to him and the affair has now been closed for years.
The whole thing, to put it bluntly, was a load of rubbish. There
are no known cases of fatal poisoning by dioxin in the history of medicine, and the Dutch toxicologist
who claimed to have found dioxin in Yushchenko's blood as I also found out when I rang him too was
in reality a food scientist who admitted to me that he had no way of knowing how it had got there.
He added that the dose was so small that it would hardly have killed a rat, let alone a human
being. Yet this ridiculous theory was widely believed to be true, including by professors of medicine,
and it served its purpose in getting Yushchenko elected.
So there is a history of such poisoning allegations going back a decade and a half. Such
accusations tap into some very deep psychology indeed: Russia plays in these allegations the role
attributed to Jews in the Middle Ages, who were regularly accused of poisoning wells or of bearing the
plague.
Each of our modern witch-hunts feeds off the previous one and the theory snowballs over time. The
unproved allegations of yesterday become the elements of proof for today. Those of us who cried foul
back in 2004 may well be proved right about Sergei Skripal but by that time everyone will have
forgotten him and moved on to something else.
John Laughland for RT.
John Laughland is a historian and political scientist who has been Director of Studies at the
Institute of Democracy and Cooperation in Paris since 2008. He is the author of several books, the
most recent of which is 'A History of Political trials from Charles I to Charles Taylor'.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are
solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
Probably Brits. Maybe Benyammerin? Certainly US thug state aware. Most likely the 3 Axis
of Evil members conspired. Fellow was expendable. Daughter murdered for shock value.
Judaized West not ethical not moral.
Any way this event only helped Pres Putin. And 1500 international observers certify legit.
US will need 1500 for NYC alone in 2020 to prevent Demos from stealing.
"... no specific schooling for his role as witch-finder -- he just came with a passionate belief in the righteousness of his own actions. ..."
"... Keeping our press free is the best way to counter Kremlin propaganda ..."
"... both literally and metaphorically ..."
"... Russian aggression ..."
"... Russian state propaganda is no joke & it shouldn't be on London Underground ..."
"... n simple terms: he doesn't like the idea of a 'state-sponsored ' message which is not coming from his state, so wants to use the power of the state to make absolutely sure no one hears anything his state doesn't like. See? ..."
"... withdrawing licence from Putin's propaganda arm Russia Today ..."
"... f all mankind minus one, were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in silencing mankind, ..."
Never mind that the presumption of innocence is a hallmark of a fair judicial system and
indeed a civilized country. The Sun says it was Putin who did it, and so does John Woodcock MP,
so that settles it. Trial by media and neocon propagandists has replaced due process.
Unlike in the 1970s, when Britain was truly a vibrant democracy, political debate is today
vigorously policed with dissident voices hounded by obnoxious 'Witch-finder Generals' who
clearly model themselves on the late Matthew Hopkins
, a man who traveled East Anglia on horseback hunting for heretics. It was said of Hopkins that
he had " no specific schooling for his role as witch-finder -- he just came with a
passionate belief in the righteousness of his own actions. " With such an attitude he'd
surely have a nice job working for the Rupert Murdoch media empire today.
Truly, what a state we're in. People -- believe it or not -- have been banned from
membership of political parties on the basis on tweets or Facebook postings they made years
ago. Employers are contacted too if the 'wrong' views are expressed on social media. Everyone
it seems must conform and only express 'politically correct' opinions which the 21st Century
witch-finders deem acceptable. That means no questioning of the official War Party narrative on
foreign policy -- and joining in with the current Establishment-induced wave of Russophobia. Or
else. Just look at the vile attacks made by 'Inside the Tent' state and corporate media
journalists on Craig Murray, the former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, for his daring to
challenge the official narrative on the Salisbury poisonings.
On Being a Dissenting Voice in 2018 - I just thought I might give you a little taste of
what it means to your personal life to express dissent from the government line in the UK in
2018. Let me start with this combined effort from the UK's most popular https://t.co/UN886iUjEG
There have been some chilling statements made in the past week, but arguably none more so
than those made in a Sunday newspaper
column by Ruth Davidson, the 'progressive' leader of the Scottish Conservatives. In an
article entitled in its hard copy version " Keeping our press free is the best way to
counter Kremlin propaganda ," Davidson claimed that Britain was being poisoned " both
literally and metaphorically " by " Russian aggression ." In order to protect
Britain's vigorous free media, we must "pull the plug" on RT.
I live less than 15 miles from where George Orwell is buried and I could swear I heard him
turning in his grave on Sunday night. Repeat after me: To keep the press free we must close
television stations To keep the press free we must close television stations. War is Peace.
Slavery is Freedom!
'The clamour'?! It's only coming from you - The Times- who have run an obsessive &
very nasty campaign to try and get @RT_com taken off air and second-rate
NeoCon politicians desperate to curry favour with your owner Rupert Murdoch. https://t.co/TXmTla4lRW
Davidson is one of a small but vociferous group of witch-finders who want RT taken off air.
Lord Adonis is another. The unelected peer, whose only elected office was as a Lib Dem/SDP
councilor in leafy North Oxford in the 1990s, was incensed when he saw RT's witty adverts on
the London Underground last year. " Russian state propaganda is no joke & it shouldn't
be on London Underground ," the baron tweeted . He then said he
would be taking the matter up with 'the Commissioner.' As Simon Rite noted for RT: "I n
simple terms: he doesn't like the idea of a 'state-sponsored ' message which is not coming from
his state, so wants to use the power of the state to make absolutely sure no one hears anything
his state doesn't like. See? "
On March 15, the pompous, censorious peer tweeted that he had written to UK media regulator
Ofcom, requesting that they consider " withdrawing licence from Putin's propaganda arm
Russia Today " -- which according to him is "not a news channel."
Perhaps we should move to a system whereby Lord Adonis designates what is or is not a "
news channel "? We can't leave it to ordinary viewers in Sunderland or Southampton to
decide, can we?
Rights activist Peter Tatchell in hot water over calls for Russian officials' children to
be expelled from UK schools -- https://t.co/YCGcIMnwWh
Then there are the recent comments of Peter Tatchell. The 'rights activist' is another
'liberal' who is currently advocating some pretty illiberal measures. On Sunday, on Twitter, he
called for the 'seizure' of the UK assets of Putin-linked officials and their families and for
their children to be expelled from British schools. Got that? Children expelled from school not
because they are unruly or have been taking drugs, but because of who their mums and dads are.
The parallels with Nazi Germany circa 1935 spring readily to mind.
The sad truth is that hatred of Russia and Russians has not only become an acceptable form
of racism in the 'politically correct' Britain of 2018, it's almost de rigueur for anyone who
wants to progress in politics and the media. What an indictment that is of the present system.
The more we talk of 'tolerance,' the less 'tolerant' our public life has become.
The phenomenon of liberal totalitarianism -- and I don't think it's hyperbolic to call it
that -- needs to be openly discussed, before it's too late. It's already too late for some.
Entire countries such as Libya -- which not so long ago enjoyed the highest standard of living
in the whole of Africa -- have been destroyed in order to 'save' their people from a leader the
'liberals' deem is beyond the pale. Whether the people want to be saved is neither here nor
there. The Western 'liberal' always knows best. He's superior to everyone else. He has the
right to decide who should lead countries thousands of miles away, which elections are 'free
and fair' and which ones are fixed. Liberalism used to be an ideology which protected the
individual and his rights. Now that it has merged with neo-conservatism, it oppresses the
individual and reduces our rights. It seeks to ban, to bomb, to destroy. And all done in the
name of 'moderation' and 'fighting extremism.'
Old-style liberalism took its cue from John Stuart Mill, the author of 'On Liberty,' who
warned of the dangers of suppressing opinions we don't like. "I f all mankind minus one,
were of one opinion, and only one person were of the contrary opinion, mankind would be no more
justified in silencing that one person, than he, if he had the power, would be justified in
silencing mankind, " Mill famously wrote.
New-style liberalism by contrast takes its cue from neocon ideologues and obsessive Cold War
warriors who want to clamp down on dissident voices.
An important turning point in the descent of liberalism into totalitarianism was the
'humanitarian' bombing of Yugoslavia in 1999 and in particular the targeting by NATO of Serbian
TV. Sixteen workers were killed in a missile strike in the early hours of April 23, which also
severely damaged a nearby Russian Orthodox Church. It was hailed by the truly demonic US envoy
Richard Holbrooke
as a " positive development. "
NATO justified the attack on the grounds that RTS was broadcasting anti-NATO 'propaganda.'
British Prime Minister Tony Blair declared that bombing television
stations was " entirely justified ."
It's worth remembering that even the Luftwaffe, at the height of the Blitz, didn't bomb the
BBC having demanded that it hand the microphone to Joseph Goebbels.
The way we can strike back against this new liberal totalitarianism is to refuse to be cowed
by it. We must not be afraid to express views which we genuinely hold, even if it does mean
being targeted by witch-finders or NATO 'democracy bombs.' The more we speak our minds, the
more it will encourage others to speak out too. Anti-free speech bullies who are destroying the
Enlightenment values they claim to support, can only succeed if they '
gaslight ' us into submission and people decide to bite their tongues. That way -- the
cowardly way -- leads to a thousand deaths, as Shakespeare put it; the valiant by contrast,
taste death only once.
Question More, as the RT the motto says. And don't let those who want us to question less
get away with it.
"... Mirzoyanov, majoring in chemistry and analytics, never worked at theoretical developments or practical synthesis. All 1980s he worked in the administration (First Department). ..."
"... Mirzoyanov as a source of leakage was identified immediately. In the 1990, he was removed from all real work, through he remained a conduit of disinformation. In 1992, he revealed himself voluntarily by publishing the well-known article. From that moment, the Novichok attracted media interests. In the 1995, NYT wrote about the "new Russian super-weapon". ..."
"... What actually happened in Salisbury is unclear; nor the behavior of the poisoned, nor the actions of the police, doctors, special services do not add up to the whole picture. More or less plausible is the poisoning with a synthetic neurotoxin, similar to the toxin of fugu fish ..."
"... Brief summary: "Novichok" is not the name of the CW, but the code of the KGB operation carried out to identify the mole (the information leakage channel), as well as the supply of disinformation. ..."
The Salisbury poisoning played an important role in the Russian elections. Practically all
Russian publications expressed indignation and didn't propose any explanation. This brief note
by Andrey Lazarchuk has been published in the social networks. It is interesting, and it agrees
with revealed facts. Whether it is true or not – remains to be seen. Here is his text in
verbatim translation:
Do not ask for the source of the information, I will not give it up. Everything written
below is very different from what you can find on the web.
1. Already in the early 1980s, the Soviet Army ceased to treat CW (Chemical Weapons) as a
weapon that could be used in real war conditions: approximately in 1983-84 it was decided to
cease CW supplies to the army, reduce operational reserves and take out CW from the troops to
long-term storage warehouses and landfills for destruction. At the same time and until 1996,
there were no new CW products supplied to the army, neither new instructions for use and
protection.
2. Mirzoyanov, majoring in chemistry and analytics, never worked at theoretical
developments or practical synthesis. All 1980s he worked in the administration (First
Department).
3. In the second half of the 1980s, the KGB carried out a large-scale operation to
dis-inform the enemy, which also had the side-line task of identifying information leakage
channels. Twenty "fake" but very detailed projects were developed for "a new chemical
super-weapon that is not detected by existing NATO detectors and from which there is no
protection" (NOVA with indices, "Novichok" with indices, ASD and others). The Novichok passed
through the hands of Mirzoyanov.
4. The factory-laboratory in Kantyubek in the late 70′s was re-profiled from the
creation and testing of CW and BW for the production and testing of herbicides and defoliants
– mainly for the needs of the cotton industry.
5. Mirzoyanov as a source of leakage was identified immediately. In the 1990, he was
removed from all real work, through he remained a conduit of disinformation. In 1992, he
revealed himself voluntarily by publishing the well-known article. From that moment, the
Novichok attracted media interests. In the 1995, NYT wrote about the "new Russian
super-weapon".
6. NATO had spent more than $ 10 billion on defence against this fake weapon.
7. What actually happened in Salisbury is unclear; nor the behavior of the poisoned,
nor the actions of the police, doctors, special services do not add up to the whole picture.
More or less plausible is the poisoning with a synthetic neurotoxin, similar to the toxin of
fugu fish .
Brief summary: "Novichok" is not the name of the CW, but the code of the KGB operation
carried out to identify the mole (the information leakage channel), as well as the supply of
disinformation.
Of course, like most articles about Putin, no evidence is provided.
I'm sick of fake news. I'm sick of the constant barrage of claims with no evidence. I
don't care who makes them. If you want people to pay any attention, provide evidence.
Otherwise, I might as well waste my time watching CNN.
"... Just like MH17, or the alleged (but fake) poison gas attacks in Syria, the policy has been to launch an initial barrage of accusations completely unsupported by the slightest shred of evidence – and then drop the matter abruptly, leaving the public with a strong impression of "Russian wickedness" although nothing has actually been proved. ..."
"... Skripal and daughter cheap, convenient, collateral damage for the warmongers. A person trained to handle organic nerve material introduces it into Skripal's car, they go for a morning drive and stop to have a pizza. After pizza, they begin to feel a little queasy. Go sit on a park bench. A passing citizen sees them, calls for medical assistance. Doctor says probably poisoned by toxic agent. Doctor knows it was not highly refined military grade. ..."
"... Car is lifted by straps so as not poison others and hauled to Potent Downs or whatever the Nerve Agent Factory is called. Now it can be doctored to fit the crime and I don't mean the Russians. How am I doing? Got a better tale? ..."
"... Now, I do understand that you – and most Brits – think that you are special. That there is one set of rules for you, and another for the ' others '. You have been conditioned by propaganda to assert this without any shame and to demonise Russia based on decades of half-witted stories (most taken out of context and exaggerated). Why would anyone take you seriously? ..."
"... People who walk around saying that they are exceptional, meaning they are 'Gods', or that they talk 'to God', are generally ignored or kept in an institution. Claiming that you are 'exceptional and special' is the same as claiming that you are divine – that's what it has meant historically. ..."
"Sir, Further to your report ("Poison exposure leaves almost 40 needing treatment", TIMES Mar
14)' may I clarify that no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in
Salisbury and there have only ever been three patients with significant poisoning. Several
people have attended the emergency department concerned that they may have been exposed. None
has had symptoms of poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood tests performed have
shown no abnormality. No member of the public has been contaminated by the agent
involved."
Stephen Davies. Consultant in emergency medicine, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust.
Meanwhile, a doctor who was one of the first people at the scene has described how
she found Ms Skripal..She said she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying "there was no
sign of any chemical agent on Ms Skripals face or body."
The woman, who asked not to be named, told the NNC she moved Ms Skripal into the recovery
position and opened her airway, as others tended to her father.
she said she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical
agent on Ms Skripal's face or body.
The doctor said she had been worried she would be affected by the nerve agent, hut added that
she "feels fine".
Some nerve agent.
We read that Vladimir Putin's passport was found three days later at the scene.
One wonders how the Skripals are right now. Have they recovered completely, or partially? Are
they still deathly ill? Has one or both of them died?
In any case, why have there been no public announcements of these important facts? It is
useless to cite privacy, when the government hastened to trumpet the case – and its own
dubious conclusions – as publicly as possible.
Just like MH17, or the alleged (but fake) poison gas attacks in Syria, the policy has been
to launch an initial barrage of accusations completely unsupported by the slightest shred of
evidence – and then drop the matter abruptly, leaving the public with a strong
impression of "Russian wickedness" although nothing has actually been proved.
Incidentally, I wonder where the Skripals are and why. Apparently the Russian government
applied for consular access to Yulia (who is a Russian citizen) but this was bluntly refused
– against all norms of international law and civilized behaviour.
Skripal and daughter cheap, convenient, collateral damage for the warmongers. A person
trained to handle organic nerve material introduces it into Skripal's car, they go for a
morning drive and stop to have a pizza. After pizza, they begin to feel a little queasy. Go
sit on a park bench. A passing citizen sees them, calls for medical assistance. Doctor says
probably poisoned by toxic agent. Doctor knows it was not highly refined military grade.
How does the doctor know this: He is just down the street from the British Nerve Agent
Factory and has been trained to recognize and treat real exposures to potent nerve agents. A
policeman ends up in same hospital as Skripal because he sees car parked overtime or
illegally, opens door to check for ownership gets zapped by toxic agent. Car is lifted by
straps so as not poison others and hauled to Potent Downs or whatever the Nerve Agent Factory
is called. Now it can be doctored to fit the crime and I don't mean the Russians. How am I
doing? Got a better tale?
Good, understanding that you are a joke is the first step on the road to possible
recovery.
Try for once to imagine a reverse scenario: an Englishman dies under suspicious
circumstances in a provincial town in Russia. (Or 3-4 of them over 15-20 years.) He was
considered a 'traitor' by UK for whatever reason. Immediately Russia declares that it was an
' unacceptable attack on Russia's sovereignty, that Britain did it, and that it is 'highly
likely' that Teresa May ordered it herself' . Russian government also says that they will
not disclose any details, show no evidence and will not even allow basis diplomatic protocol
for UK embassy. Why? For reasons of ' state security '. Wouldn't any rational outsider
consider that a joke?
Now, I do understand that you – and most Brits – think that you are
special. That there is one set of rules for you, and another for the ' others '. You
have been conditioned by propaganda to assert this without any shame and to demonise Russia
based on decades of half-witted stories (most taken out of context and exaggerated). Why
would anyone take you seriously?
People who walk around saying that they are exceptional, meaning they are 'Gods', or
that they talk 'to God', are generally ignored or kept in an institution. Claiming that you
are 'exceptional and special' is the same as claiming that you are divine – that's what
it has meant historically.
"... Not to mention that we are currently on version #5 (poisoned in the car, where apparently a British cop and more than 30 other people rode with him, if we are to believe previous statements). Only a hopeless moron can stage a provocation without inventing a coherent set of plausible lies beforehand. He did it, right in the middle of Britain in Salisbury, next to the British chemical weapons facility. Credo quia absurdum. ..."
"... Actually, having no definite story, and constantly updating the narrative with ridiculous red herrings, is probably the best way to go with a fake terror attack. With a different herring to pursue each day, the truth seeking citizen soon becomes exhausted and relapses back into the normal pattern of going to work and feeding a family, but with a reinforced sense of their own lack of power to either control, or even understand the world in which they live. ..."
"... This is the end time of democracy. We are now entering an age of psycho-totalitarianism. People do what the elite require because their brainwashed friends, neighbors, and children otherwise turn against them. They are demonized and humiliated as racists, anti-Semites, dog whistlers and all the rest of the bullshit lexicon of political correctness not for their actions but merely for their thoughts. ..."
Anon from TN
Yes, this is the British version of Russiagate, no doubt: no evidence, numerous versions
that contradict each other, lots of hot air and finger pointing. At the moment we do not
know what Skripal was poisoned with or by whom, we can't even be sure that anyone was
poisoned with anything. All we have is hot air, just like with Iraq WMD. From the same very
"reliable" sources: British intelligence services and British PM. Neither ever lies, just
ask Tony Blair. Not to mention that we are currently on version #5 (poisoned in the
car, where apparently a British cop and more than 30 other people rode with him, if we are
to believe previous statements). Only a hopeless moron can stage a provocation without
inventing a coherent set of plausible lies beforehand. He did it, right in the middle of
Britain in Salisbury, next to the British chemical weapons facility. Credo quia
absurdum.
Actually, having no definite story, and constantly updating the narrative with
ridiculous red herrings, is probably the best way to go with a fake terror attack. With a
different herring to pursue each day, the truth seeking citizen soon becomes exhausted and
relapses back into the normal pattern of going to work and feeding a family, but with a
reinforced sense of their own lack of power to either control, or even understand the world
in which they live.
This is the end time of democracy. We are now entering an age of
psycho-totalitarianism. People do what the elite require because their brainwashed friends,
neighbors, and children otherwise turn against them. They are demonized and humiliated as
racists, anti-Semites, dog whistlers and all the rest of the bullshit lexicon of political
correctness not for their actions but merely for their thoughts.
"... Please do not insult Britain because it does not need any other party (Ukraine, Georgia) to organize a false-flag such as this. Any reasonable person would understand that such mad rush to judgment and frantic lying by the British regime are closely related to the organizers of the poisoning. They could be one and only. ..."
"... I predicted at the start of the Skripal affair that will end up the same as the MH17 case: "truth established" without any good facts or based on secret facts, we move on. ..."
"... If somehow truth does surface, as with Iraqi WMD, then exactly the same strategy will be used by the British regime as by the US regime before: faulty intelligence and misleading (Porton Down) scientists. ..."
"... How many Porton Down scientists will be suicided a few weeks before daughters wedding, if the truth of the Russian WMD comes out, just as David Kelly regarding Iraqi WMD? ..."
"... Britain had a stronger motive to generate a major confrontation with a well-defined enemy than Theresa May, who has been under fire by the media and pressured to resign by many in her own Conservative Party. ..."
"... Really don't understand why Giraldi classifies this as "wild". Has he completely missed the numerous 'false flags' by UK initiated and financed 'White Helmets'? Every time UK/US intend to incite public outrage some 'chemical' incident was faked in Syria. ..."
"... The hate of the UK establishment for Trump is only rivaled by its hate for Russia, so MI5/6 playing May (who only a few weeks before Salisbury out of the blue ratcheted up her anti Russia rhetoric) like a fiddle was provided with what she needed. However looks like given the number of exotic deaths concentrated in the UK some MI5/6 idiot now made the mistake of more than he can fake. ..."
"... Quite astonishingly, given the lack of news coverage – At a London airport in public view, Prince Bandar apparently 'committed suicide' over a week ago, on 12 March 2018, when the UK refused entry to Bandar video said to be of Bandar jumping to his death, on YouTube ..."
"... So we have one of the best-known celebrity Saudi Arabian princes – who had threatened Russia – suddenly dead in a shocking and dramatic public 'suicide' at a London airport – yet this is 'not news' according to our overlords, tho Bandar's death and funeral prayers etc seem leading news across Muslim outlets ..."
"... Obviously we have a Western Permitted News Committee telling all major Western media outlets what is 'news', for our own good ..."
"... British media intel 'sources' have proposed different employ of the poison, from a 'hit squad' followed Yulia from Moscow, to the poison was planted in her luggage at Moscow, to the poison was introduced to Skripal's car via the ventilation system. ..."
"... When the 'backstop' lies differ so widely, it points to likelihood the British haven't a clue as to what actually happened, but the default position is 'the Russians did it' ..."
Please do not insult Britain because it does not need any other party (Ukraine, Georgia)
to organize a false-flag such as this. Any reasonable person would understand that such mad
rush to judgment and frantic lying by the British regime are closely related to the
organizers of the poisoning. They could be one and only.
I predicted at the start of the Skripal affair that will end up the same as the MH17 case:
"truth established" without any good facts or based on secret facts, we move on.
If somehow truth does surface, as with Iraqi WMD, then exactly the same strategy will be
used by the British regime as by the US regime before: faulty intelligence and misleading
(Porton Down) scientists.
How many Porton Down scientists will be suicided a few weeks before daughters wedding, if
the truth of the Russian WMD comes out, just as David Kelly regarding Iraqi WMD?
"And to throw out a really wild possibility, one might observe that no one in Britain had a
stronger motive to generate a major confrontation with a well-defined enemy than Theresa May,
who has been under fire by the media and pressured to resign by many in her own Conservative
Party."
Really don't understand why Giraldi classifies this as "wild". Has he completely missed
the numerous 'false flags' by UK initiated and financed 'White Helmets'? Every time UK/US
intend to incite public outrage some 'chemical' incident was faked in Syria.
Look 'Rusiagate' Trump dossier has UK tail waggles US dog all over it. That Russiagate has
been faltering increasingly over the last few months with recently the House Intelligence
Committee declaring there is none. So some new impetus was required. Steele is too closely
connected to MI5/6 to presume innocence on their behalf.
The hate of the UK establishment for Trump is only rivaled by its hate for Russia, so
MI5/6 playing May (who only a few weeks before Salisbury out of the blue ratcheted up her
anti Russia rhetoric) like a fiddle was provided with what she needed. However looks like
given the number of exotic deaths concentrated in the UK some MI5/6 idiot now made the
mistake of more than he can fake.
On the topic of Russia-related deaths in Britain -
Everyone knows Saudi Prince Bandar – 'Bandar Bush' thanks to his close public ties
with the George Bush family – Bandar who reportedly threatened Putin with
Saudi-sponsored terrorist attacks inside Russia Bandar has long been the perhaps best-known
Saudi prince in the world
Quite astonishingly, given the lack of news coverage – At a London airport in public
view, Prince Bandar apparently 'committed suicide' over a week ago, on 12 March 2018, when
the UK refused entry to Bandar video said to be of Bandar jumping to his death, on
YouTube
So we have one of the best-known celebrity Saudi Arabian princes – who had
threatened Russia – suddenly dead in a shocking and dramatic public 'suicide' at a
London airport – yet this is 'not news' according to our overlords, tho Bandar's death
and funeral prayers etc seem leading news across Muslim outlets
Obviously we have a Western Permitted News Committee telling all major Western media
outlets what is 'news', for our own good
British media intel 'sources' have proposed different employ of the poison, from a 'hit
squad' followed Yulia from Moscow, to the poison was planted in her luggage at Moscow, to the
poison was introduced to Skripal's car via the ventilation system.
When the 'backstop' lies differ so widely, it points to likelihood the British haven't
a clue as to what actually happened, but the default position is 'the Russians did
it'
"... After her first speech, May summoned the Russian Ambassador and demanded that he address the allegations, but Moscow reasonably enough demanded a sample of the alleged nerve agent for testing by relevant international bodies like the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons before it could even respond to the British accusations. It was a valid point even supported in Parliament questioning by opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, but May and her government decided to act anyway. ..."
"... That in turn suggests a false flag, with someone having an interest in promoting a crisis between Russia and Britain. If that someone were a country having a sophisticated arms industry possessing its own chemical weapons capability, like the United States or Israel, it would be quite easy to copy the characteristics of the Russian nerve agent, particularly as its formula has been known since it was published in 1992. The agent could then be used to create an incident that would inevitably be blamed on Moscow. Why would Israel and the United States want to do that? To put pressure on Russia to embarrass it and put it on the defensive so I would be forced eventually to abandon its support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Removing al-Assad is the often-expressed agenda of the Israeli and American governments, both of which have pledged to take "independent action" in Syria no matter what the United Nations or any other international body says. The redoubtable Nikki Haley is already using the incident to fearmonger over Moscow's intentions at the U.N., warning that a Russian chemical attack on New York City could be coming. ..."
"... Once upon a time suggesting that a democratically elected government might assassinate someone for political reasons would have been unthinkable, but the 2016 election in the United States has demonstrated that nothing is impossible, particularly if one is considering the possibility that a secret intelligence service might be collaborating with a government to help it stay in power. An incident in which no one was actually killed that can be used to spark an international crisis mandating "strong leadership" would be just the ticket. ..."
There are a number of problems with the accepted narrative as presented by May and the
media. Merriam-Webster dictionary defines a nerve agent as "usually odorless organophosphate
(such as sarin, tabun, or VX) that disrupts the transmission of nerve impulses by inhibiting
cholinesterase and especially acetylcholinesterase and is used as a chemical weapon in gaseous
or liquid form," while Wikipedia explains that it is "a class of organic chemicals that disrupt
the mechanisms by which nerves transfer messages to organs." A little more research online
reveals that most so-called nerve agents are chemically related. So when Theresa May says that
the alleged agent used against the Skripals as being "of a type" associated with a reported
Russian-developed chemical weapon called Novichok that was produced in the 1970s and 1980s, she
is actually conceding that her own chemical weapons laboratories at Porton Down are, to a
certain, extent, guessing at the provenance and characteristics of the actual agent that might
or might not have been used in Salisbury.
Beyond that, a military strength nerve agent is, by definition, a highly concentrated and
easily dispersed form of a chemical weapon. It is intended to kill or incapacitate hundreds or
even thousands of soldiers. If it truly had been used in Salisbury, even in a small dose, it
would have killed Skripal and his daughter as well as others nearby. First responders who
showed up without protective clothing, clearly seen in the initial videos and photos taken near
the site, would also be dead. After her first speech, May summoned the Russian Ambassador
and demanded that he address the allegations, but Moscow reasonably enough demanded a sample of
the alleged nerve agent for testing by relevant international bodies like the Organization for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons before it could even respond to the British accusations. It
was a valid point even supported in Parliament questioning by opposition Labour leader Jeremy
Corbyn, but May and her government decided to act anyway.
May's language also conveys uncertainty. She used "it appears" and also said it was "highly
likely" that Moscow was behind the poisoning of Skripal but provided no actual evidence that
that was the case, presumably only assuming that it had to be Russia. And her government has
told the public that there is "little risk" remaining over the incident and that those who were
possibly exposed merely have to wash themselves and their clothes, hardly likely if it were a
military grade toxin, which gains it lethality from being persistent on and around a target.
She made clear her lack of corroboration for her claim by offering an "either-or" analysis:
either Russia's government did it or it had "lost control" of its nerve agent.
As noted above, May's argument is, to a certain extent, based on character assassination of
Russians – she even offered up the alleged "annexation" of Crimea as corroboration of her
view that Moscow is not inclined to play by the rules that others observe. It is a narrative
that is based on the presumption that "this is the sort of thing the Russian government headed
by Vladimir Putin does." The British media has responded enthusiastically, running stories
about numerous assassinations and poisonings that ought to be attributed to Russia, while
ignoring the fact that the world leaders in political assassinations are actually the United
States and Israel.
There are a number of other considerations that the May government has ignored in its rush
to expand the crisis. She mentioned that Russia might be somewhat exonerated if it has lost
control of its chemical weapons, but did not fully explain what that might mean. It could be
plausible to consider that states hostile to Russia like Ukraine and Georgia that were once
part of the Soviet Union could have had , and might
still retain, stocks of the Novichok nerve agent. That in turn suggests a false flag, with
someone having an interest in promoting a crisis between Russia and Britain. If that someone
were a country having a sophisticated arms industry possessing its own chemical weapons
capability, like the United States or Israel, it would be quite easy to copy the
characteristics of the Russian nerve agent, particularly as its formula has been known since it
was published in 1992. The agent could then be used to create an incident that would inevitably
be blamed on Moscow. Why would Israel and the United States want to do that? To put pressure on
Russia to embarrass it and put it on the defensive so I would be forced eventually to abandon
its support for President Bashar al-Assad in Syria. Removing al-Assad is the often-expressed
agenda of the Israeli and American governments, both of which have pledged to take "independent
action" in Syria no matter what the United Nations or any other international body says. The
redoubtable Nikki Haley is already using the incident
to fearmonger over Moscow's intentions at the U.N., warning that a Russian chemical attack
on New York City could be coming.
And to throw out a really wild possibility, one might observe that no one in Britain had a
stronger motive to generate a major confrontation with a well-defined enemy than Theresa May,
who has been under fire by the media and pressured to resign by many in her own Conservative
Party. Once upon a time suggesting that a democratically elected government might
assassinate someone for political reasons would have been unthinkable, but the 2016 election in
the United States has demonstrated that nothing is impossible, particularly if one is
considering the possibility that a secret intelligence service might be collaborating with a
government to help it stay in power. An incident in which no one was actually killed that can
be used to spark an international crisis mandating "strong leadership" would be just the
ticket.
Philip M. Giraldi, Ph.D., is Executive Director of the Council for the National
Interest, a 501(c)3 tax deductible educational foundation that seeks a more interests-based
U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East. Website is www.councilforthenationalinterest.org,
address is P.O. Box 2157, Purcellville VA 20134 and its email is [email protected]
.
Here's an interesting related piece that was linked to in Craig Murray's comments page. It
deals with the quote by the UK government, in support of their accusation of Russia, of
Putin's words in 2010, when he said: "Traitors will kick the bucket, believe me. Those other
folks betrayed their friends, their brother in arms, whatever they got in exchange for it,
those 30 pieces of silver they were given, they will choke on them." The context as stated by
the UK government was "when we think about who benefits" [from the attack on the Skripals],
and the clear intention was to try to create the impression that Putin had threatened to kill
traitors, which is of course exactly how this quote was subsequently misrepresented.
There is of course a familiar "track record", or "pattern of behaviour" here, when one
considers how Israel lobbies of various kinds intentionally misrepresented Iranian words
about the Zionist regime "vanishing from the pages of history" as a threat to attack
Israel.
The piece is long, and I've posted it below for reference because I do not know if the
website in question will necessarily be around for long. Hopefully the moderators will put it
under a [More] tag so it remains, but does not clog up the thread. There are embedded
reference links in the text at the source.
No, on the occasion in question Putin did not say that traitors would be killed. The
quote in your question comes from a March 5, 2018 broadcast of BBC Newsnight. It is a
concatenation of three soundbites from a three-minute statement in which Putin says that
Russia no longer kills traitors. The soundbites come from the last paragraph of his
statement in which Putin paints a melodramatic picture of traitors as broken men living out
their remaining days in abject misery leading to an early death.
The actual fate of enemies of the Russian state is beyond the scope of the question and
this answer. Instead we will discuss the beliefs on this subject which Putin was attempting
to instill. He was inviting the Russian people to picture traitors dying friendless and
alone Men Without a Country in apartments strewn with empty vodka bottles.
The translation in the BBC broadcast alters the tone of Putin's statement and broadens
the meaning of his words to the point that, when they are read in the style used by Western
comedians portraying Putin, they seem to convey veiled threats of violence.
The Story Spreads
The next day (March 6th) the composite soundbite from the BBC broadcast appeared at the
head of article on the website of The Sun, now shorn of all even the context provided in
the BBC broadcast. The article describes the statement as a "threat to 'choke traitors'",
thereby changing the BBC's poor translation into an unambiguously false one.
The day after that (March 7th) the Independent put up an article with its own version of
the BBC video. The article incorrectly identifies it as a video which "re-emerged online"
and describes Putin's words as "apparent death threats".
Also on March 7th the Telegraph described Putin's words unambiguously as a "death
threat". This despite the fact that in 2010 they had reported on the very same statement
and found exactly the opposite meaning in it. What is more, now Putin's words were not
simply spoken close to the time of Sergei Skripal's release, they are now actually about
him.
On March 7th on Good Morning Britain Piers Morgan asked Alexander Nekrassov (former
Kremlin adviser) what Putin had meant by "kick the bucket". They each considered the
other's interpretation of the phrase ridiculous. (Not surprising since Mr. Morgan was
interpreting the Putin's words in the BBC's poor translation while Mr. Nekrassov was
presumably interpreting Mr. Putin's actual words which, at least for this phrase, can be
heard in the BBC broadcast.) Neither one of them seemed to know the context of the
quote.
On March 12th the video was mentioned in an editorial in the New York Times. The
editorial links to the March 7th article in the Independent and quotes the translation from
the video. The editors seem to have obtained some information about the TV show during
which the statement was made, but this is a bit garbled too. In particular their
description of the question is incorrect and they make no mention of the overall import of
Putin's answer.
Earlier Western Press Coverage of Putin's Statement
Putin's statement attracted some press coverage in the West at the time he made it. At
the time the press had the full text of the statement and did not interpret it as a threat
against traitors:
•Vladimir Putin: Russian secret services don't kill traitors (The Telegraph)
•Vladimir Putin says Russian secret service no longer kills traitors (Mirror)
Putin refers to the exposure and arrest of agents of the Illegals Program on June 27,
2010. The Illegals Program (which is the name given it by the US Department of Justice)
planted Russian sleeper agents in the United States under cover as private citizens.
In July of 2010 the ten spies arrested in the United States were exchanged for three
Russian nationals who had been convicted of high treason for espionage one of whom was
Sergei Skripal. (This appears to be his only connection to the affair.) In August the
deported Russian spies were "warmly greeted" by Vladimir Putin who "led them in singing
patriotic songs".
After the program was exposed, the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service began an
investigation in an attempt to determine whether the agents had been betrayed. Suspicion
fell on one Colonel Aleksander Poteyev who was in charge of undercover spying in the US. He
is thought to have fled Russia a few days before the arrest of the undercover agents. Where
he is now is unclear, but the opinion in the Russian press is that he went to the US, that
his children are also in the US, and that he may or may not have died in 2016.
The Statement
In the quote in question Putin is commenting on this affair. He is speaking during the
program Direct Line: A Conversation with Vladimir Putin in December 2010. Direct Line is a
marathon ask-me-anything-style show which he does once a year. The broadcast is on Youtube
(the question is asked at about 3:12:15 and Putin concludes his answer at about 3:15:15)
and there is a written transcript. Here is an English translation. The parts included in
some form in the quote from your question are in bold:
M. Sittel: Vladimir Vladimirovich, I'm taking a question from the website, this time it
is a personal one. It is clearly written by someone who loves memoirs. "When you spoke of
the recent spy scandal, you noted: traitors do not live long. The leaders of many
countries, as know from recollections, have signed orders for the the liquidation of the
enemies of the homeland oversees. The French have done so, the Israelis. Have you, as the
head of state, had occasion to make such a decision in the past?"
V.Putin: I do not think that the leaders of state signed such orders personally even in
the past. That is the work of the special services. And during Soviet times, in Stalin's
time, it is no secret, there were special subunits which carried out, including (these were
military subunits, it was not all they did), which when necessary carried out such
assignments: the liquidation of traitors. Such subunits were themselves liquidated long
ago.
It is known that actual many, say the Israeli special services used such methods, yes,
all things considered, as for today, far from all have given this up even now. The Russian
special services do not use such means.
With regard to traitors, they will curl up on their own, I assure you. That's because
Here we have this latest instance of betrayal in which they exposed a group of our
illegals. And these are officers! Do you get it? Officers. A man betrayed his friends, his
comrades in arms. These are people who laid their entire lives on the altar of patriotism.
What is it like to learn a language at native level, leave behind one's relatives, not to
be able to bury one's loved ones? Think about that for a minute! Someone has given his
entire life to serve his homeland and now this brute comes along who betrays people like
that. How is he going to live with that for the rest of his life? How will he look his
children in the eye, the swine?! Whatever went on there, whatever 30 pieces of silver those
people may have gotten, they will stick in their throat, I assure you. To spend your whole
life trying to keep out of view, to be unable to talk with your loved ones, it means that
someone who chooses such a fate will be regretting it a thousand times over.
So the quotation in the form you cite is garbled and has been interpreted in a manner
which is at odds with the original context which is a specific denial that Russia
assassinates traitors.
Notes on Translation
The word "загнуться" famously
translated "kick the bucket" literally means "to curl up" or "to curl down". What it means
here is open to interpretation. The translation "kick the bucket" can be found in
Wiktionary as a possible translation of a very informal use of the word. @bashbino's
assertion that such use refers to decline and death rather than sudden death is probably
correct. I suspect it is an allusion to the way plants whither and die. In 2010 the phrase
was translated "they will croak all by themselves" (The Telegraph, NBC News)
In translating "прятаться" as
"trying to keep out of view" I am trying to leave the question of whether the traitor is
hiding from assassins or simply from people he cannot look in the eye up to the reader's
interpretation. This word can refer to social avoidance such as the behavior of a child who
hides behind his mother's skirt.
The phrase "колом
станут у них в
горле" refers to difficulty swallowing due to revulsion, not
difficulty breathing. To make this clear I have translated it "will stick in their
throat".
The other hypothesis is that initial poisoning was done using fentanyl based mixture. Then it
was molded into nerve gas attack to create the false flag and blame Russia. In other words nerve
gar might be planted on the scene after Skripals were hospitalized.
Notable quotes:
"... The UK Government then, with the MI6, used the episode to forge a chemical attack on British soil, probably surfing on the wave of the already mentioned popular spy show that is airing right now in Britain. ..."
"... It is very likely a chemical attack never happened. It was probably a case of lack of sanitary fiscalization of the British services sector. But the UK has the means to forge the evidence, and give the OPCW (the OPCW is probably in the pockets of the West, but still, some formality may be necessary) "novichok" samples it already had in Porton Down (plausible deniability). ..."
"... Worst case scenario for the UK, however, some lower heads of the MI6 and the government will roll in order to preserve plausible deniability, so it was a low risk, low reward false flag operation by the British. ..."
It was, most probably, a case of poor sanitary conditions in the restaurant/pub the
Skripals visited, which resulted in a mass intoxication by food poisoning of circa 40 people
-- the Skripals being two of them. Those people went to the nearest hospital, while the
Skripals were intercepted by, probably, the MI6. It is very possible they are under captivity
right now (assuming they are alive).
The UK Government then, with the MI6, used the episode to forge a chemical attack on
British soil, probably surfing on the wave of the already mentioned popular spy show that is
airing right now in Britain. This is a powerful semiotic weapon, because entertainment
can, and is, used as a weapon of unconscious mass manipulation (manipulation of the
collective imaginary). The British people -- already inclined to be anti-Russian, given the
recent geopolitical events and its MSM propaganda warfare -- quickly (because it was mixed
with the unconscious) connected the dots the Government wanted them to connect (false
wisdom).
It is very likely a chemical attack never happened. It was probably a case of lack of
sanitary fiscalization of the British services sector. But the UK has the means to forge the
evidence, and give the OPCW (the OPCW is probably in the pockets of the West, but still, some
formality may be necessary) "novichok" samples it already had in Porton Down (plausible
deniability).
Russia was not affected: Putin was reelected with more votes (both in relative and
absolute terms) than in the last election, and Pavel Grudinin (the candidate of the West)
received just 12.xx% of the votes -- the worst result by the Communist Party since the fall
of the USSR -- the UK will have to transmute this episode into a hot war if it wants to
extract more fruits of this episode.
Worst case scenario for the UK, however, some lower heads of the MI6 and the
government will roll in order to preserve plausible deniability, so it was a low risk, low
reward false flag operation by the British.
"... There are similarities the Skripal poisoning and the 1997 poisoning of Khaled Mashal in Jordan. The poison used may be the same fentanyl based mixture. ..."
"... The thing that really made me suspect Israel was the claim by Boris Johnson that Russia has a secret program that develops novichok type chemical weapons for assassinations ..."
"... I do not think the British found out about the alleged Russian program by themselves. They received the information, along with the disinformation from a foreign intelligence service. Most likely this was Israeli Mossad. Why would Mossad feed the British lies about a Russian assassination program, unless they wanted to pin their own assassinations on Russia. ..."
In the previous open thread I posted a long analysis of the alleged war preparation of a NATO
land invasion of Syria, which I later published on The Duran . The thing that prompted
me to write this was Boris Johnson's latest allegations about a Russian assassination
program. In the end I left this speculation out of the published version.
The United States may be about to start a land invasion of Syria. The offensive would
start from the U.S. base at the Al Tanf border crossing and extend through Abu Kemal to the
American and Kurdish-held areas on the eastern bank of the Euphrates. The troops would be
supplied through Jordan. It is possible that Britain would also take part in this
operation.
The 2,400 man strong U.S. 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived in Haifa in Israel on
March 14, 2018 aboard the three US Navy ships of the Iwo Jima amphibious ready group. The
Marines may be on their way to the Al Tanf base through Jordan. Another 200 U.S. troops are
said to have arrived in Al Tanf the previous week. Unconfirmed rumors claim that an
additional 2,300 British troops also arrived at the base along with Challenger tanks and
Cobra and Black Hawk helicopters.
It now seems evident that to real reason for the poisoning of Sergei Skripal was to
drum up British support for a war against Syria and Russia. One must must thus ask who would
most gains from such a war. If my analysis below is correct, then the answer would be Israel.
Several things make Israel a likely suspect for the poisoning:
Israel has a long history of assassinations abroad.
Israel is not a OPCW member and has an active CW program.
Mossad can perform hostile actions in Britain and still be counted as friendly. If
they got caught in the act, they would simply be deported in secrecy.
There are similarities the Skripal poisoning and the 1997 poisoning of
Khaled Mashal
in Jordan. The poison used may be the same fentanyl based mixture.
Netanyahu is the current prime minister of Israel. He also ordered the 1997
assassination attempt on Mashal.
The thing that really made me suspect Israel was the claim by Boris Johnson that Russia
has a secret program that develops novichok type chemical weapons for assassinations. It is
most likely true that Russian laboratories have been working in novichoks, like all major
weapons laboratories in the West. The part about assassinations is disinformation.
I do not think the British found out about the alleged Russian program by themselves. They
received the information, along with the disinformation from a foreign intelligence service.
Most likely this was Israeli Mossad. Why would Mossad feed the British lies about a Russian
assassination program, unless they wanted to pin their own assassinations on Russia.
So what was the plan then? To cease the assets Russian president's close associates - "the
kind of people who have Putin on speed dial"? To raise the level of Russophobia in GB to cosmic
level in an attempt to save May's government by splitting Labor Party on this monumental "national security" fake
)"
While split of Labor Party (which like Democratic Party in the USA has it is own faction of warmonger of Hillary Clinton
style) can help conservatives, the big fish they are trying to fry is probably Russia, not Corbyn/Labor party...
But they got more then they hoped for: probably some improvement of Brexit negotiating position and no doubt the military
companies benefit from all this
In other words they managed to kill several birds with one stone ?
B's link to the BBC piece on how well it's all going indicates a smugness asking for
take-down, in my view.
Among senior ministers and officials, there's quiet satisfaction that the Russia crisis
seems to be going according to plan. Maybe even better.
According to one senior government source, "it's gone at least as well as we'd
hoped".
I had to look at this phrasing hard to try to decipher the "it's" in how well it's all
gone. "According to plan" is also peculiar, but I sense the smugness in the reporter here is
oblivious to implications "the plan" was to add to the Russia hysteria and please the
Americans.
The "it's" must mean the intent to blame the Russians, flakey and insubstantial as it is,
and the sheep-like falling into line reported on (again smugly) in terms of items to tick
off. This clumsy language suggests something sinister, not merely stupid, is happening.
I would like to hear more on the speculation Skripal was mixed up with Steele and the
dossier. Have they been observed together recently? What suggests this connection in terms of
recent activity?
"... There is a tendency on the left to underestimate the fear that Corbyn inspires in The Establishment. They think that because he is a rather moderate Socialist in the old, and generally discredited, Social Democrat tradition he is no threat to the ruling class. In reality he is much more of a threat than someone that they can pin labels like extremist on. He showed as much in the last election when, despite blatant sabotage from the Party Staff, he came very close to victory. ..."
"... Operations like this one in Salisbury were mounted regularly in Northern Ireland and before that in the colonies. And these people don't work for their bosses, they work for themselves. They do as they please. They act withimpunity, the Old Boys network protects them. ..."
"... And they aren't very careful. They don't feel that they need to be-after all who wants to protect Putin or Corbyn? And they know that the neo-cons and Israel are with them. There is a good article in The Morning Star today https://www.morningstaronline.co.uk/article/mask-military-industrial-complex ..."
"... It could very well be that they have unmasked the name, and rank, of the guy behind the plot to smear the two men that the Neocons fear and hate most: Putin and Corbyn. And, while doing so, to earn rewards from the oligarchs in London who are behind most of the killings being blamed on Russia. ..."
My guess is that this affair is the work of a circle of agents within British intelligence
circles. And that it was aimed at embarrassing the Labor Party and stalling what has been
looking like Corbyn's inexorable rise to power.
There is a tendency on the left to underestimate the fear that Corbyn inspires in The
Establishment. They think that because he is a rather moderate Socialist in the old, and
generally discredited, Social Democrat tradition he is no threat to the ruling class. In
reality he is much more of a threat than someone that they can pin labels like extremist on. He
showed as much in the last election when, despite blatant sabotage from the Party Staff, he
came very close to victory.
One thing that everyone understands is that The Establishment and the governing Tories in
particular, are in disarray. Nobody is in charge. Anyone who wants to take an initiative can do
so without fear of May, Johnson or the alleged leadership.
And the Intelligence services in Britain, including many of the Armed Forces, are arrogant
enough and well enough connected to the right wing.
Operations like this one in Salisbury were mounted regularly in Northern Ireland and
before that in the colonies. And these people don't work for their bosses, they work for
themselves. They do as they please. They act withimpunity, the Old Boys network protects
them.
It could very well be that they have unmasked the name, and rank, of the guy behind the
plot to smear the two men that the Neocons fear and hate most: Putin and Corbyn. And, while
doing so, to earn rewards from the oligarchs in London who are behind most of the killings
being blamed on Russia.
This story has also been uncovered, took 50 years for Porton Down chemical research centre
to come clean on poisoning a British soldier with Sarin telling him it was a flu test. Poor
fella.
"... The vast majority of people have already had drummed into them the fact (sic) that novichok could only be produced in Russia, so this will of course be interpreted as conclusive proof that "Putin did it". The real push for dramatic measures (e.g., World Cup) will begin at that point. ..."
It is reported that the OPCW is already carrying out tests on "samples taken from Salisbury".
This will presumably take some time, but eventually (2 weeks?) there will be an announcement
that it is indeed Novichok.
The vast majority of people have already had drummed into them the fact (sic) that
novichok could only be produced in Russia, so this will of course be interpreted as
conclusive proof that "Putin did it". The real push for dramatic measures (e.g., World Cup)
will begin at that point.
there had to be a physical person who did it and that means that person can be found
– the beauty of the luggage story was that it could be written off as a clever remote
attack
BMW has a good security system; this would require a risky break-in with a non-zero chance
of getting caught
the release of the substance in a car cannot be controlled – it could happen in a
crowded place, there could be an accident, Skripal could loan the car, etc
So I am skeptical, no 'intelligence' agency is this un-intelligent. Someone is releasing
more scenarios (luggage, car, drinks, ) to confuse the narrative and let it linger in the
media as in 'well, it was possible and if not that, maybe this was possible'. I don't know
who that 'someone' is, but it is not Boris Johnson or Teresa May. They clearly know
nothing.
The Senators' argument is that dependence on Russian gas undermines European security.
Whereas to the Russians, it is obvious that the Americans wish to replace cheap Rusian
piped gas with expensive liquefied American gas, which is a bi-product of fracking for oil
and currently in surplus. Some frackers in Canada are even having to pay someone to take
their gas.
Surprisingly, no one has yet pointed out that Russia could deliver Novichok to the whole
of Europe via Nordstream 2.
Meanwhile, a doctor who was one of the first people at the scene has described how she
found Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting and fitting. She had also lost
control of her bodily functions.
The woman, who asked not to be named , told the BBC she moved Ms Skripal into the
recovery position and opened her airway, as others tended to her father.
She said she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical
agent on Ms Skripal's face or body.
The doctor said she had been worried she would be affected by the nerve agent, but added
that she "feels fine".
So that mystery woman, an alleged doctor, who asked not to be named, who was the first
person to see the Skripals stricken, has disappeared. Obviously, she's the prime suspect. But
the BBC and the British "intelligence services" are just too dumb to see it.
I would like to point out that at the moment we do not know not only what Skripal was
poisoned with or by whom, we can't even be sure that anyone was poisoned with anything. All we
have is hot air, just like with Iraq WMD. From the same very "reliable" sources: British
intelligence services and British PM.
Notable quotes:
"... He said Mr Skripal appeared annoyed that their main course had taken 20 minutes to arrive – and appeared in a hurry to leave. ..."
"... 'They were only there for about 45 minutes. It was a quick lunch. He just wanted to get out of there. She was silent, perhaps embarrassed. ..."
I think the Skripals won't be able to talk at all. They are in a coma, and either they
will stay there, or they will wake up with massive brain damage, unable to think much, let
alone tell us what happened to them.
If they even know. For all we know they might have just as little idea why they were
almost killed as the rest of us. If it was Russia killing a traitor - then it must have
come out of the blue. If it was a false flag - ditto. So even if they woke up in full
possession of their mental faculties, they might know nothing more than anyone else.
Apparently the murderer(s) struck them without any personal contacts. So they won't even
know how they were poisoned. Just suddenly felt ill, and then lost consciousness. Or
something similar.
For all we know they might have just as little idea why they were almost killed as the
rest of us.
It would nonetheless be interesting to know why they (or at least he) was so upset in the
restaurant immediately before, another story (along with the doctor who treated them for 30
minutes with no subsequent ill effects) that has disappeared down the memory hole.
How the 'poisoned' spy plot unfolded: Sergei Skripal and his daughter left Zizzi
after arguing over a risotto before being found collapsed on a bench
The restaurant, in Castle Street, was busy when they arrived, but they declined the
seats offered to them at the front, instead selecting ones at the back, close to the
kitchen.
They began with a starter of garlic bread to share followed by two glasses of white
wine. . .
But within minutes Mr Skripal had become angry, a witness said. 'I think he was swearing
in Russian,' said the man, who did not want to be named.
'She was just sitting there quietly, and didn't really say anything. They were both
smartly dressed, she was in a black coat.
'They were speaking to each other in Russian.'
He said Mr Skripal appeared annoyed that their main course had taken 20 minutes to
arrive – and appeared in a hurry to leave.
He was going absolutely crazy, I didn't understand it and I couldn't understand him.
'They had not been seen for a little while by the front of house staff, but I think it
was more than that. He just wanted his food and to go. He was just shouting and losing his
temper. I would have asked him to leave. He just said "I want my food and my bill".
'The waiter took him the bill at the same time as the main course, which was
unusual.
'I don't think they paid all of the bill. I think they were given a discount because he
was so angry and agitated. He had to wait about 20 minutes for his main course.
'I think it was easier for the staff just to give him money to leave as he was so
angry.
'They were sitting by themselves at the back of the restaurant but I think people were
pleased when they left.
'They were only there for about 45 minutes. It was a quick lunch. He just wanted to
get out of there. She was silent, perhaps embarrassed. '
The script is really a replica of the one that previously worked out in the Litvinenko case
over a decade ago
Notable quotes:
"... Giving the British story the benefit of the doubt, let's see what would compel Russia's secret services to go after Skripal. In Russia, he was convicted and sentenced for treason, then pardoned and released to the British in a prisoner exchange that included ten Russian spies who had worked in the US, including the rather memorable Anna Chapman [image, left]. It is a very important rule of the spy business that those released in a spy swap are never acted against; if this rule were violated, the resulting bad faith would make spy swaps impossible to negotiate. Thus, if the Russian authorities were to order the hit on Skripal, this would not just be immoral and illegal. That would be neither here nor there, since there are instances where raison d'état obviates the need for such scruples. Worse than that, such behavior would have been unprofessional. ..."
"... The attack on Skripal is by no means an isolated incident; there have been multiple suspicious murders of high-profile Russians within the UK for which no adequate explanation has been given. There is a consistent pattern: a strange murder; an instantaneous leap to "blame Russia"; and an attempt to exploit the incident politically. It would be beneficial to put this incident in context, but that would require a much longer article. ..."
"... Under direction from their colleagues in the US, and closely following a script previously worked out in the Litvinenko case over a decade ago, the British secret services, in close coordination with the British government and the press, poisoned Skripal and his daughter using a nerve agent obtained from Britain's military research base at Porton Down in order to obtain an excuse to compromise the World Cup games in Russia this summer and also to create a scandal immediately before the Russian presidential election. ..."
"... As far as Skripal himself well, that's just a really sad story: reputation ruined, life ruined, living in exile, wife dead from cancer, son dead from liver failure, and now this. All for the sake of serving as a warning unto others, which is: Don't trust the Anglos, for they are devious and without shame. ..."
Britain is in a media frenzy over the recent poisoning of the former Russian intelligence
service colonel turned British spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury, England.
British PM Theresa May demanded that Russia explain itself, claiming that they were poisoned
using a nerve agent called "Novichok" (Russian for "Newbie") that was a product of Soviet
biological weapons research. It is no longer produced and the destruction of its stockpiles has
been verified by international observers. However, its formula is in the public domain and it
can be synthesized by any properly equipped chemical lab, such as Britain's own Porton Down,
which, incidentally, is just an 18-minute drive from Salisbury.
May provided no evidence to back up her claims of Russian complicity in the attempted
murder. Russia's Foreign Ministry has requested that Britain turn over all available evidence
to back up its accusation of chemical weapons use (under the terms of the Chemical Weapons
Convention Britain must do so within 10 days) but Britain has refused. Therefore, Russia's FM
Sergei Lavrov has announced that Russia will not be responding to such baseless
allegations.
An important key to spotting a false flag is that the "knowledge" of who is to blame becomes
available before any evidence is in. For example, in the case of the shooting down of Malaysian
Airlines MH-17 over Eastern Ukraine, everyone in the West was convinced that "pro-Russian
separatists" were to blame even before the means could be established. To date, it isn't
understood how they could have done it given the equipment they had at their disposal.
In this [Salisbury] case, Russia was accused almost immediately, while British FM Boris
Johnson was quick to volunteer that Britain should not send its team to the World Cup in Russia
this summer, disclosing the real reason behind the assassination attempt.
Is there anything new and different behind this latest provocation? Not really; it seems
like a replay of the Litvinenko assassination back in November 2006. The choice of an exotic
poison (Polonium 210), the lack of evidence (the British claimed that compelling circumstantial
evidence exists but haven't provided any), and the instantaneous leap to "blame Russia" are all
the same. The Russians offered to prosecute whoever is responsible if only the British would
provide them with the evidence, but the British have failed to do so.
Giving the British story the benefit of the doubt, let's see what would compel Russia's
secret services to go after Skripal. In Russia, he was convicted and sentenced for treason,
then pardoned and released to the British in a prisoner exchange that included ten Russian
spies who had worked in the US, including the rather memorable Anna Chapman [image, left]. It
is a very important rule of the spy business that those released in a spy swap are never acted
against; if this rule were violated, the resulting bad faith would make spy swaps impossible to
negotiate. Thus, if the Russian authorities were to order the hit on Skripal, this would not
just be immoral and illegal. That would be neither here nor there, since there are instances
where raison d'état obviates the need for such scruples. Worse than that, such behavior
would have been unprofessional.
Then there is the question of timing. Russia's presidential elections will take place in
just a few days, on March 18. This is a particularly inopportune time to cause an international
scandal. What possible urgency could there have been behind killing a pardoned former spy who
no longer possessed any up-to-date intelligence, was living quietly in retirement, and at that
moment was busy having lunch with his daughter? If the Russian government were involved in the
poisoning, what possible reason could have been given for not waiting until after the
election?
The attack on Skripal is by no means an isolated incident; there have been multiple
suspicious murders of high-profile Russians within the UK for which no adequate explanation has
been given. There is a consistent pattern: a strange murder; an instantaneous leap to "blame
Russia"; and an attempt to exploit the incident politically. It would be beneficial to put this
incident in context, but that would require a much longer article.
You would be justified in thinking that none of this makes much sense. Given the dearth of
evidence, to make sense of this story we are forced to indulge in a bit of conspiracy theory.
However, if a conspiracy theory is what it takes to produce the simplest, most elegant and most
internally consistent explanation, then that in itself can be considered as circumstantial
evidence for the existence of a conspiracy. My simple and consistent explanation, expressed in
a single sentence, is as follows:
Under direction from their colleagues in the US, and closely following a script
previously worked out in the Litvinenko case over a decade ago, the British secret services, in
close coordination with the British government and the press, poisoned Skripal and his daughter
using a nerve agent obtained from Britain's military research base at Porton Down in order to
obtain an excuse to compromise the World Cup games in Russia this summer and also to create a
scandal immediately before the Russian presidential election.
This is deplorable, of course, but there is a silver lining to this cloud as far as Russia
is concerned: Britain (and, by association, the US) will now have a much harder time recruiting
double agents from inside the Russian government, since their recruitment prospects will now
know that they will remain vulnerable even if they escape, or are pardoned and exchanged.
Clearly, the British consider them disposable and see it fit to kill them in exotic ways, then
to exploit the incident for political purposes.
As far as Skripal himself well, that's just a really sad story: reputation ruined, life
ruined, living in exile, wife dead from cancer, son dead from liver failure, and now this. All
for the sake of serving as a warning unto others, which is: Don't trust the Anglos, for they
are devious and without shame.
Writer Dmitry Orlov is an American author of ten books including, The Five Stages of
Collapse . Learn more about his current projects and support his work at Patreon . This article was originally published at
Club Orlov
.
The perfect murder (attempted). No evidence at all...
To me it actually looks very imperfect. Something definitely happened, but the reaction and political management suggest chaos.
The term 'murky' is very appropriate.
The way it has been set-up requires follow-ups: clarify the fate of Skripals, 'nerve agent' specifics, and the 'Russia-did-it'
accusations. If it is not addressed it will be embarrassing. If there was a script, or conflicting scripts, it has gone beyond
that. Both Russia and UK are in a bind, a mutually destructive embrace, one will have to let go.
My theory is that it has more to do with Skripals and less with geo-politics. Crimes tend to happen among people who know each
other. And Julia just flew in the day before. If Skripals talk, it could get interesting (so they probably will not be allowed
to talk).
In most scenarios it leaves a major boo-boo on Boris's face, but given his face we might not notice...
You did not address my main point there may have been no nerve agent involved at all, then some form of poison. It is true
that A&E doctors are not fully qualified to diagnose nerve agent effects, but things become really suspicious when this is followed
by the British own nerve agent production lab identifing the "nerve agent" but disallowing OPCW from doing its own checks.
If OPCW was the same as IOC, not following the procedures that the UK Government signed under would be unnecessary. The problem
for the British is that they do not control OPCW as much as they control WADA and IOC. OPCW procedures are crystal clear and it
is very hard to cheat.
"... My impression is that the nerve agent was introduced to the scene after Skripals were hospitalized as a doctor attended the
daughter for 30 min before the ambulance came. She did not develop any symptoms. So at this moment they lost conscience at the bench
there was no nerve gas on the scene. It might well be something else. ..."
I think the Skripals won't be able to talk at all. They are in a coma
How do you know that?
Has there been any public report on the medical condition of the Skripals? I haven't been able to find one. If you know of
such a report, will you please provide a link. In the meantime, one should keep in mind the statement of the Salisbury hospital
consultant, Steohen Davies, that:
no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury
So either (1) the Skripal's were not exposed to Novichok or any other nerve agent, or (2) though exposed to a nerve agent,
they were not treated at the hospital, which would be odd, though not impossible. Perhaps they were taken to the British chemical
weapons lab at Porton Down, just seven miles from Salisbury, where, presumably, there are specialists in detoxification of those
exposed to nerve agents.
But unless you adhere to (1) or (2), it would seem that you have to conclude that the Skripal's were not exposed to a nerve
agent. In other words, that the whole story is probably a sham, a fake terror attack, a story concocted to befuddle the plebs
and justify some new imperial aggression.
My impression is that the nerve agent was introduced to the scene after Skripals were hospitalized as a doctor attended the
daughter for 30 min before the ambulance came. She did not develop any symptoms. So at this moment they lost conscience at the
bench there was no nerve gas on the scene. It might well be something else.
IMHO this looks like an opening salvo in multi-step combination. Clumsy first step. It might well be designed to confiscate
a part of Russian money in London banks and thus create the motive for Russian oligarchs to remove Putin. Kind of color revolution
launched by disgruntled oligarchs.
That's probably why the UK government does not really care, if that is told to people true or not. Officials produce crazy
statements and generally behave quite carelessly, as if they completely despise public and truth dos not matter for them one bit.
The support of the USA is all that matter. Look for example at the most recent statement of Boris Johnson. But they needed the
pretext for further actions, be it another witch hunt or something more serious and they succeeded.
Their actions look completely logical if the resulting hysteria is needed just for a few weeks to start the next round of sanctions
against Russia. It might well be that the real goal is confiscation of "ill gotten" money of Russian oligarchs both to push them
to act against Putin and to compensate for Brexit losses
"... Does the idiot Johnson know what a "doctrine" is? Does he know how long they take to formulate and how long a time period they govern? Does he realise how hopeless the British government is looking, given that it took the view "a few months ago" that a foreign power was carrying out acts of war against Britain, but, don't worry, they're aware that they need to find themselves a new "doctrine", and they're on the job? ..."
"... As for "increasingly think", he's not supposed to be at a fucking debating society or at a high table somewhere. He's supposed to be the foreign minister. He's been asked in parliament whether Britain is at war or not. ..."
"... Boris Johnson is personally probably too off his head on cocaine to understand any of what's going on – he can talk the talk, or at least he can do the facial gestures, but he hasn't got a clue how to walk the walk – but consider what such guff says about the government as a whole. I mean not just the bunch of backhander-taking pricks in the cabinet, but both them and the permanent government of this country. ..."
"... Steering wheel? What's a steering wheel? Chop chop. Snort. ..."
One anonymous British blogger known only as '_N' wrote a rather prescient retort to the
Boris bluster that I felt was worth quoting in full:
Does the idiot Johnson know what a "doctrine" is? Does he know how long they take to
formulate and how long a time period they govern? Does he realise how hopeless the British
government is looking, given that it took the view "a few months ago" that a foreign power was
carrying out acts of war against Britain, but, don't worry, they're aware that they need to
find themselves a new "doctrine", and they're on the job?
As for "increasingly think", he's not supposed to be at a fucking debating society or at
a high table somewhere. He's supposed to be the foreign minister. He's been asked in parliament
whether Britain is at war or not.
Boris Johnson is personally probably too off his head on cocaine to understand any of
what's going on – he can talk the talk, or at least he can do the facial gestures, but he
hasn't got a clue how to walk the walk – but consider what such guff says about the
government as a whole. I mean not just the bunch of backhander-taking pricks in the cabinet,
but both them and the permanent government of this country.
Steering wheel? What's a steering wheel? Chop chop. Snort. This does major damage
to MI6.
MI6's main work is to collect intelligence from foreign sources. The higher up those sources
are, the more they have to present themselves as who they really are: the British secret
intelligence service. Above all an agent handler needs to win the trust of his potential
asset.
That means that before the aset gets caught and tortured or jailed, the agency has to look
after them. Any fears? Tell your handler. If the asset gets jailed, then oh DEAR, Sergei, how
terrible – swap him out of jail when the opportunity arises. Oh, and don't ask him to pay
for his own ticket from Vienna. That's what happened with Skripal.
They didn't swap him out because he would be able to help them much after his release, they
swapped him out because both MI6 and the FSB must look good in the eyes of their potential and
actual sources.
If an asset gets rubbed out on the street in Britain, or badly hurt in an attempt to rub
them out, that does NOT look good for MI6, however many articles may appear in the British
media saying "Putin" and "Russian spy" and "poison". That propaganda works fine for the
sheeple, but it damages MI6's image in a market they care about much more – potential and
actual foreign sources.
There is more than one market for the media narrative. The sheeple blame it on Putin, yes.
But if you're a colonel in Islamabad, a civil servant in Ankara, or a businessman in Donetsk,
and you're thinking of selling information to MI6, or you're already doing it, you want to know
that they'll protect you if you get into deep shit.
You want to know that, even if they tricked or "coerced" you in the first place into working
for them. That swapped out British asset might be you one day. You won't blame this attack on
Putin, you'll blame it on Britain. So expect the line to be put out – not necessarily in
the mainstream media – that Skripal was a dirty bastard who tried to get one over on his
kind hosts.
The Russians Didn't Do It
Make no mistake, the poisoning of Sergei Skripal is part of an on-going and long-running psy
war between Russia and the West, whoever carried out this attack had the intent of blackening
Russia's image in the minds of the British people. However, do you think Russia's psywar guys
give a toss about their image among the British and western sheeple or about "Russophobia" in
those markets?
Fear and talk in the said markets about how Russian psywar guys are manipulating politics
and media in the west (which they are) is GOOD for the Russian psywar effort, not BAD. Why?
Because it implies to western populations that western rulers are WEAK, unable to control what
goes on in western countries. That is really awful for morale. This is all in Psychological
Warfare 101.
In short, the more bleating there is in Britain and the West about Russian manipulation of
politics and media in those countries, the more the Russian psy war guys celebrate.
In psywar it's often very difficult to know the effect of what you've done. It's not like
bombing a factory, when you can see the aftermath from your satellite. Often you don't find out
what effect you've had, or you find out much later or in unexpected ways. If the other side is
complaining to its sheeple about your terrible psywar capabilities and successes all the time,
then you ARE finding out, and the news is that you're doing GREAT.
The psywar for WW3 has already begun. That's a normal thing with psywar: it begins before
physical conflict and continues after it. I doubt a date has been set for the start of the
physical-conflict stage but it won't be too far in the future.
Morale in Russia, unlike in the West, is very high. I mean morale in the sense that concerns
war planners. Conversely, morale in Britain and the West, particularly among the military, is,
quite frankly, abysmal.
The fact that Putin is not bleating like a crybaby about how foreign psywar agencies are
undermining his country is closely related to how his government is perceived among the Russian
sheeple, aka "morale". In my opinion, the west is far more likely to collapse than Russia.
Qui Bono
At the end of the day, the people who benefit from this crass and obvious attempt to ratchet
up the tension between Russia and the West and to poison the minds of the British people
against Russia is all too clear – it is the Zionist criminals who control Israel and the
US.
Why is an even more obvious answer, they are pushing the world ever closer to World War 3
and poisoning a former Russian spy on the streets of Britain is their way of sowing in the
minds of the British sheeple the notion that the Russians, and particularly Putin, are both
belligerent and reckless enough to disregard international law and justice, to ignore British
sovereignty and carry out a brutal murder on the streets of a quiet English town.
The message they wish to inculcate is one of fear and loathing of the big, bad Russian bear,
a clear psy op to prepare the British sheeple for the upcoming war with Russia.
"... Craig Murray is an author, broadcaster and human rights activist. He was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to 2010. ..."
"... The idea that Russia is behind this attack is implausible, but that did not prevent the UK government from launching into an aggressively impertinent confrontation of Russia, and then using the Russian government's understandably annoyed response as supposed further evidence of supposed Russian guilt. ..."
"... After an initial scepticism the usual US sphere suspects (the US, France, Germany) lined up behind the British government's spurious feigned outrage, presumably having been reassured that the UK government would not seek to invoke NATO's Article 5). ..."
"... Am I wrong in thinking that there are thousands of Russians living in Germany, USA, Italy, Cyprus and so on but they are only poisoned in the UK? If I am mistaken on this then I apologies. ..."
"... If this letter is genuine then there has never been any nerve agent in Salisbury. ..."
There is no doubt that Skripal was feeding secrets to MI6 at the time that Christopher
Steele was an MI6 officer in Moscow, and at the the time that Pablo Miller, another member of
Orbis Intelligence, was also an MI6 officer in Russia and directly recruiting agents. It is
widely reported on the web and in US media
that it was Miller who first recruited Skripal. My own ex-MI6 sources tell me that is not quite
true as Skripal was "walk-in", but that Miller certainly was involved in running Skripal for a
while. Sadly Pablo Miller's LinkedIn profile has recently been deleted, but it is again widely
alleged on the web that it showed him as a consultant for Orbis Intelligence and a consultant
to the FCO and – wait for it – with an address in Salisbury. If anyone can recover
that Linkedin entry do get in touch, though British Government agencies will have been active
in the internet scrubbing.
It was of course Christopher Steele and Orbis Intelligence who produced for the Clinton camp
the sensationalist dossier on Trump links with Russia – including the story of Trump
paying to be urinated on by Russian prostitutes – that is a key part of the "Russiagate"
affair gripping the US political classes. The extraordinary thing about this is that the Orbis
dossier is obvious nonsense which anybody with a professional background can completely
demolish, as
I did here . Steele's motive was, like Skripal's in selling his secrets, cash pure and
simple. Steele is a charlatan who knocked up a series of allegations that are either wildly
improbable, or would need a high level source access he could not possibly get in today's
Russia, or both. He told the Democrats what they wish to hear and his audience – who had
and still have no motivation to look at it critically – paid him highly for it.
I do not know for certain that Pablo Miller helped knock together the Steele dossier on
Trump, but it seems very probable given he also served for MI6 in Russia and was working for
Orbis. And it seems to me even more probable that Sergei Skripal contributed to the Orbis
Intelligence dossier on Trump. Steele and Miller cannot go into Russia and run sources any
more, and never would have had access as good as their dossier claims, even in their MI6 days.
The dossier was knocked up for huge wodges of cash from whatever they could cobble together.
Who better to lend a little corroborative verisimilitude in these circumstances than their old
source Skripal?
Skripal was at hand in the UK, and allegedly even close to Miller in Salisbury. He could add
in the proper acronym for a Russian committee here or the name of a Russian official there, to
make it seem like Steele was providing hard intelligence. Indeed, Skripal's outdated knowledge
might explain some of the dossier's more glaring errors.
But the problem with double agents like Skripal, who give intelligence for money, is that
they can easily become triple agents and you never know when a better offer is going to come
along. When Steele produced his dodgy dossier, he had no idea it would ever become so prominent
and subject to so much scrutiny. Steele is fortunate in that the US Establishment is strongly
motivated not to scrutinise his work closely as their one aim is to "get" Trump. But with the
stakes very high, having a very loose cannon as one of the dossier's authors might be most
inconvenient both for Orbis and for the Clinton camp.
If I was the police, I would look closely at Orbis Intelligence.
To return to Israel. Israel has the nerve agents. Israel has Mossad which is extremely
skilled at foreign assassinations. Theresa May claimed Russian propensity to assassinate abroad
as a specific reason to believe Russia did it. Well Mossad has an even greater propensity to
assassinate abroad. And while I am struggling to see a Russian motive for damaging its own
international reputation so grieviously, Israel has a clear motivation for damaging the Russian
reputation so grieviously. Russian action in Syria has undermined the Israeli position in Syria
and Lebanon in a fundamental way, and Israel has every motive for damaging Russia's
international position by an attack aiming to leave the blame on Russia.
Both the Orbis and Israeli theories are speculations. But they are no more a speculation,
and no more a conspiracy theory, than the idea that Vladimir Putin secretly sent agents to
Salisbury to attack Skripal with a secret nerve agent. I can see absolutely no reason to
believe that is a more valid speculation than the others at this point.
I am alarmed by the security, spying and armaments industries' frenetic efforts to stoke
Russophobia and heat up the new cold war. I am especially alarmed at the stream of cold war
warrior "experts" dominating the news cycles. I write as someone who believes that agents of
the Russian state did assassinate Litvinenko, and that the Russian security services carried
out at least some of the apartment bombings that provided the pretext for the brutal assault on
Chechnya. I believe the Russian occupation of Crimea and parts of Georgia is illegal. On the
other hand, in Syria Russia has saved the Middle East from domination by a new wave of US and
Saudi sponsored extreme jihadists.
The naive view of the world as "goodies" and "baddies", with our own ruling class as the
good guys, is for the birds. I witnessed personally in Uzbekistan the willingness of the UK and
US security services to accept and validate intelligence they knew to be false in order to
pursue their policy objectives. We should be extremely sceptical of their current anti-Russian
narrative. There are many possible suspects in this attack.
Craig Murray is an author, broadcaster and human rights activist. He was British
Ambassador to Uzbekistan from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of
Dundee from 2007 to 2010.
The scam must be so obvious and damaging that even a 'believer' in the other obvious scams
(Litvinenko) and the 'illegal' occupation of Crimea and 'parts of Georgia' must disassociate
from it. I think that he might know more than simple conjectures about the role of the third
party he alludes cautiously to, the party which has not only the motives to do it, but also
the means and opportunities to operate freely under the radar which never sees it.
Here is one thing i noted about this meme In the American film 'The sum of all fears' the
term novochok is used "novochok binary nerve agent" Now if you are going to lie, coat tailing
on a BS yank movie is going to have advantages is it not? How many millions saw that movie?
How many other movies are used to pre-imbed this type of predictive programming? More than a
few is my guess . The instant i heard the 'novochok' claim i immediately recalled that movie
and the terror it had gathered into it's celluloid.
In my opinion there is not a shred of evidence that Russia did it, and there is no
motive.
The motive is the other way round, it fits in the climate of demonising Russia.
Maybe the prelude to war, the last one, not a human being will survive.
Great to see this promoted at Unz. It's a vital story at the moment, which shines a very
unflattering light on the UK government and should make anyone foolish enough to think the
problems that were exposed over the manipulation of the country into the Iraq war in 2003
were particular to the government of Tony Blair or to that issue, think again. The truth is
that the misrepresentation of intelligence, the blustering suppression of dissent by
bombastic pseudo-patriotism, and the lockstep mainstream media support for it, are all
endemic to the UK (and US, mutatis mutandis).
Murray stands at the opposite end of the political spectrum from me, and we would agree
about very little outside of this kind of thing. But I salute his courage and persistence in
standing up to the inevitable bullying and pressures that are brought to bear on people
raising this kind of thing. Not as perniciously thuggish as the pressures placed upon race
realist and English nationalist dissidents, but perhaps more menacing in some ways.
It is interesting to note that Murray – a longstanding UK dissident who has been
making trouble for the authorities publicly since at least 2004, states (see Bothered by
Midgies, linked above) that: " In 13 years of running my blog I have never been exposed to
such a tirade of abuse as I have for refusing to accept without evidence that Russia is the
only possible culprit for the Salisbury attack ". That partly reflects the shame he has
brought upon the few members of our mainstream media (so called journalists working for the
BBC, Sky, Guardian, Telegraph, Times, Independent (sic!), etc) still able to feel it, by
doing their job when they had notably failed. It also reflects the importance of the work he
is doing.
The idea that Russia is behind this attack is implausible, but that did not prevent the UK
government from launching into an aggressively impertinent confrontation of Russia, and then
using the Russian government's understandably annoyed response as supposed further evidence
of supposed Russian guilt.
After an initial scepticism the usual US sphere suspects (the US,
France, Germany) lined up behind the British government's spurious feigned outrage,
presumably having been reassured that the UK government would not seek to invoke NATO's
Article 5). The confrontation they have initiated will be far more costly to us all in the
long run than the crime itself (grim though that has surely been for the individuals
affected), and so it is vital for those few who can see through the blizzard of propaganda to
continue to rip holes in the UK government's increasingly threadbare case.
The substance they claim was used is of Russian origin.
There is a motive for Russia to have carried out the attack – killing a
traitor.
There is supposedly a "track record" of Russia committing such crimes.
There's no other hypothesis.
These points are all bunk, as set out below, and the information obtained by Murray has
helped hugely in establishing that fact. But none of the refutations is remotely complicated
or hard to spot, and any honest journalist should have been confronting the government with
them from day one.
1 The substance they claim was used is of Russian origin.
As Murray has highlighted, the most the British government can say is that the substance
they allege was used was "of a type developed by Russia", and in fact it could have been
produced in any other country over the past ten years and was in fact produced in Iran in
2016 under OPCW supervision. So the fact that it was originally developed in Russia decades
ago is evidence of nothing.
2 There is a motive for Russia to have carried out the attack – killing a
traitor.
In fact Skipal was a spy who was unmasked by the Russians, tried, convicted and
imprisoned. His offence was clearly not considered particularly serious, as treasons go,
because he was only given 13 years in prison, and he was clearly considered no longer a
threat because he was subsequently exchanged for some Russian spies.
3 There is supposedly a "track record" of Russia committing such crimes.
There is no track record of the Russians killing exchanged former spies. Indeed British
intelligence effectively admitted that because they were quite happy for Skripal to live
openly under his own name, with his address in the public domain and no protection given to
him, unlike for instance organised crime witnesses who do actually face enemies with a track
record of killing them.
4 There's no other hypothesis.
Of course there are plenty of other hypotheses with at least as much plausibility as the
dubious case against Russia. Any of the governments seeking to promote and foment
confrontation of Russia, over Ukraine or Syria, or just for internal political benefits, had
a motive for committing this crime, and doing it in the method (a "wmd" attack on British
soil) guaranteed to create the maximum hysteria and propaganda value. That brings the US,
Israel, the Ukraine and the UK into the frame, all of whom would certainly have had the
capability to manufacture the substance. Then there are issues around the shadowy criminal
and political elements with whom Skripal was potentially involved, from Russian mafia to the
US security state figures currently mixed up with British intelligence in the ongoing
anti-Russian/anti-Trump nonsense.
In reality there is no shortage of alternative hypotheses. It's just that the BBC like the
rest of the mainstream media failed to mention any of them. As usual, acting as stenographers
for the powerful, rather than agents of truth.
Considering the Brits dragged us into two World Wars and a bunch of lesser but nevertheless
costly messes, why the f *** do we listen to, much less believe, anything they say that
points even in the general direction of conflict with Russia?
Does anyone in American leadership even fathom that the UK have a big chip on their
shoulder for us knocking them off the top of the list of great empires and adding insult to
injury by essentially forcing them to dismantle their empire, and then pushing them into a
vassal state of the EU so we could better manage them as but one of many vassals?
Am I wrong in thinking that there are thousands of Russians living in Germany, USA, Italy,
Cyprus and so on but they are only poisoned in the UK?
If I am mistaken on this then I apologies.
There is one 'track record', Litvinov, killed by polonium.
What secret service would be so dumb as to use this, pointing immediately to state murder
?
Accidents, and suicides are quiet methods for keeping people silent for all times.
The Ukrainian pilot that, according to Russia, by accident shot down MH17, just committed
suicide.
I wonder if he was suicided.
Sensational murders, or attempted murders, have quite different purposes.
Blaming someone.
Who believes that Arafat was not murdered, does anyone believe that the Diana accident was
an accident, who believes the Hess and Kelly suicides ?
Why was Palme murdered, who indeed thinks that Anna Lyndh was killed accidentally, that
Barschel committed suicide, that Mölleman died accidentally ?
And so on, and so forth.
There is one 'track record', Litvinov, killed by polonium.
Even if one chooses to believe the pretty dubious story concocted to blame that event on
the Russian government, it doesn't represent any "track record" relevant to the Skripal case.
Litvinenko was a former KGB/FSB thug who had found himself on the wrong side of a Kremlin
power struggle and fled justice. He was not, like Skripal, a previously unmasked, tried,
convicted, jailed and exchanged former spy.
Who says that there is no proof that Putin did it? Boris Johnson personally found a ripped off shirt next to the bench of Scripals and "Vlad
WOS HIER" spray painted on the nearest wall.
Seriously, there was apparently an interesting letter from the Salisbury hospital to The
Times:
Sir, Further to your report ("Poison exposure leaves almost 40 needing treatment", March 14),
****** may I clarify that no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning
in Salisbury and there have only ever been three patients with significant poisoning .
****** Several people have attended the emergency department concerned that they may have
been exposed. None has had symptoms of poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood
tests performed have shown no abnormality. No member of the public has been contaminated by
the agent involved.
Stephen Davies,
Consultant in emergency medicine, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust
If this letter is genuine then there has never been any nerve agent in Salisbury.
And all of a sudden there is a GB EU agreement over a trade transition period.
I wondered why May set up the poison gas murder show.
I now wonder if this show was the price she was asked to pay, making GB the enemy of Russia,
preventing GB trade with Russia.
It reminds me of a new mafia member, asked to commit a crime, to show that he's real
criminal.
Russian President Vladimir Putin has dismissed allegations that Russia was behind the early
March poisoning of former double-agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter in Salisbury. It is
"nonsense and absurd to claim that Russia would do anything like that before the elections
and the World Cup," Putin said, touching on the subject for the fist time since the
incident. He was responding to a reporter's question in his campaign headquarters, as early
results of Sunday's presidential election indicated his landslide victory.
"Concerning this tragedy that you've mentioned, I learned about it from the media,"
Putin told reporters.
He dismissed the theory that it was a military-grade toxic agent that was used in the
poisoning, because if that were the case "people, of course, would have died on the
spot."
"It's an obvious fact, you should simply understand that," he said.
The Skripals, 66-year-old Sergei and 33-year-old Yulia, were found slumped on a bench in
Salisbury on March 4. They remain in hospital, in critical but stable condition.
Moscow is open to working with London to investigate the poisoning, provided the UK is
willing, which is not the case at the moment.
"We have not seen this so far, but we keep that on the agenda while planning our
bilateral work," Putin said, adding that Russia is ready "to discuss any issues and
overcome any difficulties" with London.
Moscow does not possess any chemical weapons stockpiles, Putin said.
"Russia doesn't have such means, and we have destroyed all our chemical weapons under the
supervision of international observers," he stated, adding that Russia was the first to get
rid of its arsenals while other countries "have promised [to do the same], but have not met
their commitments yet, unfortunately."
Earlier, the Russian Foreign Ministry said that, contrary to UK Prime Minister Theresa May's
claims that there could be "no alternative conclusion other than the Russian state was
responsible," the toxin could have originated from the UK itself, Slovakia, the Czech
Republic or Sweden.
Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova stated on Saturday that the project
"is not the creation of Russia or the Soviet Union," pointing to the fact that several
countries have been researching the substance since the 1990s, when many former Soviet
scientists fled to the West.
On Sunday, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson doubled down on his accusations that
Russia was complicit in the incident, claiming that the UK has been collecting evidence "over
the past 10 years" of Moscow devising deadly nerve agents for the purpose of assassination.
Moscow has requested samples of the alleged nerve agent to be provided to Russia through
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) channels, but the request has been
repeatedly rebuked by the UK.
"... CUI BONO ? Who Benefits? MIC, NeoCons, Zionists, Rothschilds banking cartel. ..."
"... Why the HELL would Russia, or anyone else, bother to use such a messy, traceable and complicated method to kill this guy? Especially when there are SO MANY WAYS it could have been done that wouldn't have garnered all the attention, and that would have left no traces? They could have sent someone to shove him in front of a train or something, or staged a 'botched robbery'. ..."
You're not "just sayin'", you're just babbling. Just as Assad would never be stupid enough
to use chemical weapons when he's already winning bigly, Russia would never be stupid enough
to use chemical weapons on a has-been spy, when there's a hundred other ways to kill him.
Anybody who insists on the chemical weapons narrative in either of these cases is pushing a
narrative, not having a discussion. Why are you pushing this narrative, I wonder, my little 5
month old "Warrior for freedom."?
Seriously...I think these 'conspiracy theorists' have been watching too many Hollywood
movies.
This is what I want to SCREAM every time I hear this shit...Why the HELL would Russia, or
anyone else, bother to use such a messy, traceable and complicated method to kill this guy?
Especially when there are SO MANY WAYS it could have been done that wouldn't have garnered
all the attention, and that would have left no traces? They could have sent someone to shove
him in front of a train or something, or staged a 'botched robbery'.
Reminds me of the stupid assassination methods the CIA wanted to use on Castro...poisoning
his beard? Really? Well, aside from the fact that it is just too 'Wile E. Coyote' to be taken
seriously, did anyone ask, if such an assassin could get close enough to poison his beard,
why he wouldn't go with a more dependable method?
Well we know that. But the real point I want to make is that Russia always reacts to such
nonsensical and outright false accusations; Russia always responds, rejects of course the
accusations but usually with lengthy explanations, and with suggestions on how to come to the
truth – as if the UK and the west would give a shit about the truth – why are they
doing that? Why are you Russia, even responding?
That is foolish sign of weakness . As if Russia was still believing in the goodness of the
west, as if it just needed to be awakened. What Russia is doing, every time, not just in this
Skripal case, but in every senseless and ruthless attack, accusations about cyber hacking,
invading Ukraine, annexing Crimea, and not to speak about the never-ending saga of Russia-Gate,
Russian meddling and hacking into the 2016 US Presidential elections, favoring Trump over
Hillary. Everybody with a half brain knows it's a load of crap. Even the FBI and CIA said that
there was no evidence. So, why even respond? Why even trying to undo the lies, convince the
liars that they, Russia, are not culpable?
Every time the west notices Russia's wanting to be a "good neighbor" – about which the
west really couldn't care less, Russia makes herself more vulnerable, more prone to be accused
and attacked and more slandered.
Why does Russia not just break away from the west? Instead of trying to 'belong' to the
west? Accept that you are not wanted in the west, that the west only wants to plunder your
resources, your vast landmass, they want to provoke you into a war where there are no winners,
a war that may destroy entire Mother Earth, but they, the ZionAnglo handlers of Washington,
dream that their elite will survive to eventually take over beautiful grand Russia. That's what
they want. The Bashing is a means towards the end. The more people are with them, the easier it
is to launch an atrocious war.
The Skripal case is typical. The intensity with which this UK lie-propaganda has been
launched is exemplary. It has brought all of halfwit Europe – and there is a lot of them
– under the spell of Russia hating. Nobody can believe that May Merkel, Macron are such
blatant liars that is beyond what they have been brought up with. A lifelong of lies pushed
down their throats, squeezed into their brains. Even if something tells them – this is
not quite correct, the force of comfort, not leaving their comfort zone- not questioning their
own lives – is so strong that they rather cry for War, War against Russia, War against
the eternal enemy of mankind. – I sadly remember in my youth in neutral Switzerland, the
enemy always, but always came from the East. He was hiding behind the "Iron Curtain".
The West is fabricating a new Iron Curtain. But while doing that, they don't realize they
are putting a noose around their own neck. Russia doesn't need the west, but the west will soon
be unable to survive without the East, the future is in the east – and Russia is an
integral part of the East, of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), that encompasses
half the world's population and controls a third of the world's economic output.
Mr. Putin, you don't need to respond to insults from the west, because that's what they are,
abusive insults. The abject slander that Johnson boy threw at you is nothing but a miserable
insult; you don't need to respond to this behavior. You draw your consequences.
Dear President Putin, Dear Mr. Lavrov, Let them! Let them holler. Let them rot in their
insanity . – Respond to the UK no longer with words but with deeds, with drastic deeds.
Close their embassy. Give all embassy staff a week to vacate your country, then you abolish and
eviscerate the embassy the same way the US abolished your consulates in Washington and San
Francisco – a bit more than a year ago. Surely you have not forgotten. Then you give all
Brits generously a month to pack up and leave your beautiful country (it can be done –
that's about what Washington is forcing its vassals around the globe to do with North Korean
foreign laborers); block all trade with the UK (or with the entire West for that matter), block
all western assets in Russia, because that's the first thing the western plunderers will do,
blocking Russian assets abroad. Stealing is in their blood.
Mr. Putin, You don't need to respond to their lowly abusive attacks, slanders, lies. You and
Russia are way above the level of this lowly western pack. Shut your relation to the west. You
have China, the SCO, the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), Russia is part of the OBI –
President Xi's One Belt Initiative – the multi-trillion development thrive, emanating
from China, connecting continents – Asia, Africa, Europe, South America – with
infrastructure, trade, creating hundreds of millions of decent jobs, developing and promoting
science and culture and providing hundreds of millions of people with a decent life.
What would the west do, if suddenly they had no enemy, because the enemy has decided to
ignore them and take a nap? China will join you.
Everything else, responding, justifying, explaining, denying the most flagrant lies, trying
to make them believe in the truth is not only a frustrating waste of time, it's committing
political suicide. You will never win. The west doesn't give a hoot about the truth –
they have proven that for the last two thousand years or more. And in all that time, not an
iota of conscience has entered the west's collective mind. The west cannot be trusted.
Period.
Putin is all too happy to see West tirelessly attack and insult Russia as this kind of
antagonism solidifiers Russian people unity and support for the Czar Vladimir. He does not
need to lift a finger, just report the news from abroad. All economic and social problems are
now secondary in Russia with this vicious anti-Russia campaign in the West and its weekly
russophobic hysteria.
If you would listen to Putin who does give long interviews regularly you see that he
understands that all of the money and energy being directed toward war is retarding the
growth he and his people want to see in Russia.
That country has paid dues we can't get our minds around between the soviet overthrow of
the government and WW2, never mind Stalin's years of the gulag. There is a free Russian movie
with English titles on Youtube and it's called The Chekist. Strongly think it's worth your
time to watch it.
The governments of these "big player" countries put on kabuki theater, because behind
closed doors and through back channels, they are working together to enslave the peoples.
That's why Russia keeps responding.
We're witnessing classic psychopathic warfare. Psychopaths play mind games. They make
outrageous accusations and force you to spend thousands of hours spinning your wheels in an
attempt to Prove A Negative.
I know because I worked for a psychopath who did it frequently, maintaining a culture of
fear even among the executive board members. One nice fellow was so affected by the stress
that he developed cancer and died. (The manipulative SOB didn't have the balls to attend the
funeral. Too bad.)
Again, this is classic psychopathy. I was singled out at one point for something special,
being accused in front of the Board of something "Too Horrible To Describe" (those exact
words), but if I apologized for "it" then there would be an opportunity to make amends.
Obviously, I had no idea, and got so rattled (I was a stupid kid) that I nearly burst into
tears. A few minutes after I left, I heard them all laughing about it. People are not human
beings to a psychopath, they're instruments to be manipulated.
The average American zombie may still be clueless to this, but Russian officials
understand, surely. America and its vassals are a Pathocracy. The directives and messaging
coming out of Washington and other corners are going to get a lot more zany, because
psycohpaths are nothing if not imaginative when it comes to rationalization and avoidance of
responsibility.
I'm convinced of 2 things: 1) Russia's strategy is to document everything like crazy for
the purpose of providing a chronicle when SHTF (letting the psychopaths dig their own hole,
in other words), and 2) When SHTF, it will not involve Russia directly at all. Things are
going to get so loony that rational Americans will rise up. In other words, Revolution is
inevitable as long as pscyhopaths are allowed to continued to grind everything that's good
about the West into the dirt.
Psychopaths: Expect no sympathy when it all comes down. For all the terror and death that
you have rained upon the rest of the world since WW2, you deserve everything coming to
you.
Psychopaths enjoy the thrill of lying and sowing discord amongst anyone they can bully,
i.e. Staff in lower positions, (yes the chief burger flipper can be a psychopath to the
junior burger flippers - it's not all about CEO's). They also bully anyone smaller, weaker or
less fortunate than themselves. A lot of them do get locked up, but too many roam free.
Agreed. I think the author is missing the point. In my opinion, the Russians are speaking
to western people, not the corrupt leaders, when they expose the truth, and they're gaining
credibility in the process. With the constant barrage of lies the West receives from the
media and the imperialistic misdeeds constantly committed by the U.S. govt, Russia's best
propaganda campaign is simply stating the truth.
Seriously...I think these 'conspiracy theorists' have been watching too many Hollywood movies.
This is what I want to SCREAM every time I hear this shit...Why the HELL would Russia, or anyone else, bother to use such a
messy, traceable and complicated method to kill this guy? Especially when there are SO MANY WAYS it could have been done that
wouldn't have garnered all the attention, and that would have left no traces? They could have sent someone to shove him in front
of a train or something, or staged a 'botched robbery'.
Reminds me of the stupid assassination methods the CIA wanted to use on Castro...poisoning his beard? Really? Well, aside from
the fact that it is just too 'Wile E. Coyote' to be taken seriously, did anyone ask, if such an assassin could get close enough
to poison his beard, why he wouldn't go with a more dependable method?
I blame the wildly dumbed down and complicit media here in the US and in our "allies" abroad. They spit out whatever the government
feeds to them without a single ounce of effort to validate the stories they frantically preach to the ignorant public. Damn, I
can't believe how many times people will be duped into trillion dollar wars and they still are die hard believers in the ethics
and truthfulness of the US gov't. Morons---
It makes little sense that Russia would assassinate someone using a technique that would immediately implicate them. I'm surprised
they didn't happen to "find" the assassin's Russian passport lying on the ground next to the victims! <
I disagree. If a government is going to terminate a spy they don't botch the job by letting him get to a hospital. In Putin's
Russia they know how to terminate most efficiently. I may be wrong but this is a pretext for something more aggressive/dangerous.
The secretiveness of the May government is not helping. However it looks as though the police officer who was also
incapacitated, Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey, who thankfully is on the road to recovery (as are the Skripals), was not the
officer who found them slumped on the bench. It seems that he was incapacitated after he went to the Skripal's home, also in
Salisbury. Since he was a detective, not a beat officer, that would make sense.
... ... ...
Although they have been very free with their accusations against President Putin, who faces re-election, the May government
have been less than forthcoming in backing up their offensive allegations with evidence. They have not even identified the
variant of Novichok used to try and murder the Skripals and DS Bailey. (Under the doctrine of transferred malice the
intelligence officers who carried out the attack, almost certainly from GO2, are criminally responsible for the attempt to
murder the officer.)
Moreover the May government has not made a sample available to the Russian government, as they are obliged to under the
Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). They haven't even forwarded a sample to the highly competent Technical Secretariat of the
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, established under CWC Article VIII. The May government clearly has
something to hide.
... ... ...
The Cui Bono principle
The 'who gains?' principle is a valuable intelligence analysis tool. President Putin had
nothing whatsoever to gain by whacking Col Skripal. Although he was a convicted traitor he had
been pardoned and exchanged in a spy swap. Moreover his daughter was living openly in
Moscow. Col Skripal himself is reported to have had fairly recent contact with the Russian
Embassy in Kensington Gardens.
Not even the old KGB ever went back on a spy swap. They would have regarded it as
nekulturny . The SVR, Russia's external intelligence service, are highly professional.
They're also very nice people. As an agency they would be even less likely than the
KGB to go back on a spy-swap. No one would ever do a swap with them again.
The UK's failure to send a request to Moscow over the Skripal case via Organization for
Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) channels points to a lack of legal basis for a proper
investigation, Russia's Foreign Minister said. "The fact, that they [UK officials]
categorically rejects to file an official request and deliberately and arrogantly fan
anti-Russian rhetoric in the public sphere bordering on hysteria, indicates that they clearly
understand they have no formal pretext to go down a legal road," Lavrov said on Friday,
referring to the British authorities' allegations that Russia, and, notably, President Vladimir
Putin, were behind the plot to poison the former double agent and his daughter. Read more
Instead, UK officials have tried to "move all this to the sphere of political rhetoric,
to Russophobia in the hope that, as it was in many other cases, the West will align,"
Lavrov said.
The Russian top diplomat argued that British PM Theresa May's accusatory tirade in the
Parliament, as well as the summoning of the Russian ambassador in the Foreign Office, cannot
serve as a substitute for the formal proceedings envisaged in the Convention for Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons.
Claims made by British authorities to the contrary are "absolutely illiterate,"
Lavrov stressed, noting that the UK must file an official request in writing if it genuinely
seeks to elicit the truth. For the moment being, Russia is still waiting for British
authorities to submit such a request under the framework of the convention, he said.
The fact that the UK government is unwilling to question its own snap judgments should be a
cause for concern in a society that prides itself as a democracy, Lavrov said. He was referring
to the outrage that was sparked by Labor Party leader Jeremy Corbyn when he was heckled by the
MP after he cautioned them against drawing instant conclusions in the case and asked for
concrete evidence of Russia's culpability.
"So I think the right approach is to seek the evidence; to follow international treaties,
particularly in relation to prohibited chemical weapons, because this was a chemical weapons
attack, carried out on British soil," Corbyn's spokesman said following the debate, which
led to him being ostracized by the media.
On Thursday, Corbyn doubled down on his dissent, writing an op-ed for the
Guardian that said: "To rush way ahead of the evidence being gathered by the police, in a
fevered parliamentary atmosphere, serves neither justice nor our national security."
While UK Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said that the UK would allow the international OPCW
experts in The Hague to review the British analysis of the sample, the UK refuses to enact the
mechanism in the OPCW that calls for a thorough investigation, Lavrov said, adding that "if
you appeal to this organization, you must comply with the provisions of the Convention that
stipulate filing a request to us, because we are suspected of being a country of origin and
even the country which had used this poisoning agent, and, providing us with samples of this
agent, so we, together with OPCW experts, can analyze it."
However, "the British don't want to use any of this," he added, noting that when
other countries express solidarity with the UK's stance, it looks like a "total sham and an
insult to the common sense."
Meanwhile, Johnson claimed that London was "entirely in conformity with OPCW
procedures" on Friday, alleging that the evidence of Russia's involvement in the incident
is "overwhelming."
"... The Russians were allegedly researching, in the "Novichok" program a generation of nerve agents which could be produced from commercially available precursors such as insecticides and fertilizers. ..."
"... My FCO source, like me, remembers the extreme pressure put on FCO staff and other civil servants to sign off the dirty dossier on Iraqi WMD, some of which pressure I recount in my memoir Murder in Samarkand. She volunteered the comparison to what is happening now, particularly at Porton Down, with no prompting from me. ..."
"... Separately I have written to the media office at OPCW to ask them to confirm that there has never been any physical evidence of the existence of Russian Novichoks, and the program of inspection and destruction of Russian chemical weapons was completed last year. ..."
"... OPCW inspectors have had full access to all known Russian chemical weapons facilities for over a decade including those identified by the "Novichok" alleged whistleblower Mirzayanov and last year OPCW inspectors completed the destruction of the last of 40,000 tons of Russian chemical weapons ..."
I have now received confirmation from a well placed FCO source that Porton Down scientists are not able to identify the nerve gas
as being of Russian manufacture, and have been resentful of the pressure being placed on them to do so. Porton Down would only sign
up to the formulation "of a type developed by Russia" after a rather difficult meeting where this was agreed as a compromise formulation.
The Russians were allegedly researching, in the "Novichok" program a generation of nerve agents which could be produced from commercially
available precursors such as insecticides and fertilizers. This substance is a "novichok" in that sense. It is of that type. Just
as I am typing on a laptop of a type developed by the United States, though this one was made in China.
To anybody with a Whitehall background this has been obvious for several days. The government has never said the nerve agent was
made in Russia, or that it can only be made in Russia. The exact formulation "of a type developed by Russia" was used by Theresa
May in parliament, used by the UK at the UN Security Council, used by Boris Johnson on the BBC yesterday and, most tellingly of all,
"of a type developed by Russia" is the precise phrase used in the joint communiquι issued by the UK, USA, France and Germany
on Thursday
:
This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve agent
in Europe since the Second World War.
When the same extremely careful phrasing is never deviated from, you know it is the result of a very delicate Whitehall compromise.
My FCO source, like me, remembers the extreme pressure put on FCO staff and other civil servants to sign off the dirty dossier
on Iraqi WMD, some of which pressure I recount in my memoir Murder in Samarkand. She volunteered the comparison to what is happening
now, particularly at Porton Down, with no prompting from me.
Separately I have written to the media office at OPCW to ask them to confirm that there has never been any physical evidence
of the existence of Russian Novichoks, and the program of inspection and destruction of Russian chemical weapons was completed last
year.
Did you know these interesting facts?
OPCW inspectors have had full access to all known Russian chemical weapons facilities for over a decade including those
identified by the "Novichok" alleged whistleblower Mirzayanov and last year OPCW inspectors completed the destruction of the last
of 40,000 tons of Russian chemical weapons
By contrast the program of destruction of US chemical weapons stocks still has five years to run
Israel has
extensive stocks of chemical weapons but has always refused to declare any of them to the OPCW. Israel is not a state party
to the Chemical Weapons Convention nor a member of the OPCW. Israel signed in 1993 but refused to ratify as this would mean inspection
and destruction of its chemical weapons. Israel undoubtedly has as much technical capacity as any state to synthesize "Novichoks".
Until this week, the near universal belief among chemical weapons experts, and the
official
position of the OPCW, was that "Novichoks" were at most a theoretical research program which the Russians had never succeeded
in actually synthesizing and manufacturing. That is why they are not on the OPCW list of banned chemical weapons.
Porton Down is still not certain it is the Russians who have apparently synthesized a "Novichok". Hence "Of a type developed by
Russia". Note developed, not made, produced or manufactured.
It is very carefully worded propaganda. Of a type developed by liars.
UPDATE
This post prompted another old colleague to get in touch. On the bright side, the FCO have persuaded Boris he has to let the OPCW
investigate a sample. But not just yet. The expectation is the inquiry committee will be chaired by a Chinese delegate. The Boris
plan is to get the OPCW also to sign up to the "as developed by Russia" formula, and diplomacy to this end is being undertaken in
Beijing right now.
I don't suppose there is any sign of the BBC doing any actual journalism on this?
Craig Murray is an author, broadcaster, human rights activist, and former diplomat. He was British Ambassador to Uzbekistan
from August 2002 to October 2004 and Rector of the University of Dundee from 2007 to 2010. The article is reprinted with permission
from his website .
Former US Army Psychological Warfare officer Scott Bennett, Theresa May, Jeremy Corbyn,
Martin Summers, Tony
Gosling
www.thisweek.org.uk
Fri 16 March 2018
The Russian Ambassador to the UK is giving an interview now to RT's Anastasia Churkina about
the chemical-poisoning of a former Russian spy allegations being made by PM Theresa May and the
British government against Russia and President Putin.
The Main Points:
It is obvious the charges by the UK against Russia about this "poisoning" incident are false,
and expose a deeper strategy of deceit to obtain political objectives. the British government
is refusing to answer any questions, provide any material, invite international scientific
inspections, and have tried to emotionally hyperventilate this fake story into a nightmare
reality. Why? The Globalist UK-EU-US-SOROS types are desperate to ignite a war in order to hide
in its flames. The "psychological operation" seems to be attempting to achieve the following
objectives:
The political-career stabilization of the establishment Prime Minister Theresa May, who
has been slipping into madness and oblivion since BREXIT;
The demonization of Russia as an easy enemy that distracts the public away from the slow
destruction of civil liberties and rights and freedoms by the rising police state;
The cultivation and preparation of the public mind to be receptive to increased
domination and control by the government;
The expansion of the "chemical weapon" narrative as a potential threat against "New
York", as claimed by US UN Rep Nikki Haley, as well as other UK-US-NATO members;
The potential "suspension" of the BREXIT and European Union break-up using this incident
as a "call to reverse course and re-integrate the European Union with Britain and France as a
matter of "continental security against Russia";
The manipulation of American President Donald Trump to buy in and partner in the lie, and
participate in the political war as a pre-text for the military one brewing;
Justify increased military movement of weapons into Ukraine, Syria, and Yemen to try and
counter Russia-Iran's success in the Syrian war against Wahhabi-Saudi-Israeli terrorists
pushing ISIS/AL NUSRA to try and destabilize Syrian President Bashar Assad;
The blow back will be a separation of the thinking people from the mindless idiots in
society, and an increase in social distrust and hostility towards the politicians and media and
government institutions fomenting instability and the destruction of personal civil liberty
through manufactured national hysteria. Essentially they've cried wolf far too many times to be
given any respect by truthful citizens.
Having warned it would retaliate proportionately, this morning Russia did just that when it
expelled 23 British diplomats - the same number as the UK kicked out a few days earlier as
punishment for Moscow's alleged poisoning of a former double agent. It also ordered the closure
of the UK consulate in St Petersburg and the Moscow British Council, a cultural and educational
organization.
Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned the British ambassador to Moscow and told him
that the measures are "in response to the provocative actions of the British side and the
unsubstantiated accusations" against Russia, the ministry said. Russia gave the British
diplomats one week to leave. "If further actions of an unfriendly nature are taken against
Russia, the Russian side reserves the right to take other retaliatory measures," the ministry
said.
You like my comments on the Team of Sycophants? You have not seen what I will write about
the Democrats. Pelosi? She is a self centered wretch enriched by her silicon valley admirers
through no merit of her own who despises the people her father fought for. HC? I hope she is
a drunk. I could like her better if she is. Her contempt for ordinary Americans who do not
share her adolescent utopian revolutionary ideals is laughable. Perhaps Wellesley did that to
her. My uncle endowed a chair there but I never liked him. pl
Trump seems unable to manage and keep a team of people of exceptional ability because he
fears a cabal forming that will 'capture' him and steal his glory?
Hannity and Bolton are definitely his type of sycophants, distrusted by the establishment
and desperate for power.
When will someone/something put a halt to this AIPAC/Israel/Neo-con march to war with Iran
and possibly Russia?
I consider myself a Progressive who hates the establishment Democratic Party. The Russia
hate is off the rails and dangerous. WTF is going on in this country? Have they lost their
friggin minds?
Hear! Hear! Even NPR agrees with.... Donald J. Trump:
"The claim Black and Hispanic unemployment are at or near record lows. The short answer
Trump's numbers are right," ...... "Trump is right that African-American unemployment hit a
record low in December. The unemployment rate for black Americans is currently 6.8 percent,
the lowest level recorded since the government started keeping track in January 1972..... And
he's also right that the Hispanic unemployment rate is down a point over the last year"
Larry Wilkerson writes:
"Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's defense minister, is scheduled to give the keynote address at
the Jerusalem Post's conference in New York in April. The title of his address is published
as "The Coming War With Iran." Any American citizen who believes this White House team will
not involve the U.S. in Israel's war needs to check into a mental ward." http://lobelog.com/the-most-important-hearings-of-the-young-century/
Colonel Lang I think our president wants and demands admirers and not advisers. With what I
have experienced back here in Lotus Aters town, that self centred mentality fits with Beverly
Hills star types, and Goldman Sachs fund managers
which the combination of this two personality brings to mind a CAA agent.
McCabe has been fired today....48 hrs before he was due to retire and be able to collect his
20 year pension....seems a little too vengeful to me.
Was there ever any real investigation into his alleged favoring of Hillary in the FBI
investigation? I don't remember the details.
Former U.S. Army General Barry McCaffrey says, "Reluctantly I have concluded that President
Trump is a serious threat to US national security. He is refusing to protect vital US
interests from active Russian attacks. It is apparent that he is for some unknown reason
under the sway of Mr Putin." https://twitter.com/mccaffreyr3/status/974748724176941056
And now, apparently on this Friday night, the Deputy Director of the FBI, Andrew McCabe, who
is at this time perhaps not the official deputy director any more but who was on the payroll
with accumulated vacation or sick leave or a similar such thing, was officially fired from
the Bureau.
This is two days before he could retire with full benefits, as he turns 50 years of age on
Sunday. Since he is most likely a civil service employee, even at his job as the number two
person at the FBI, he would be covered by federal civil service law. I am not familiar with
the federal process, but a civil service employee can usually contest the termination of
employment, although it is in an "administrative proceeding", which has different rules than
a lawsuit. The result of an administrative hearing can be appealed into a regular trial court
in Texas, but with restrictions and limits on the rules of evidence and procedure that govern
civil lawsuits. The federal rules regarding the appeal of an administrative ruling may be
similar.
The battle lines with the "special counsel" Mueller are being more clearly drawn, as
McCabe is quoted in the article as saying--
"This attack on my credibility is one part of a larger effort not just to slander me
personally, but to taint the FBI, law enforcement, and intelligence professionals more
generally. It is part of this Administration's ongoing war on the FBI and the efforts of the
Special Counsel investigation, which continue to this day. Their persistence in this campaign
only highlights the importance of the Special Counsel's work."
The situation creates the classic case of McCabe as a "disgruntled former employee".
Everybody knows what that means....
I remember well Powell's performance at the UN with CIA director literally backing him up. I
knew he was lying, it was clear to anyone who bothered to read Knight Ridder.
Wilkerson's role was never clear to me, but I accept your evaluation.
If the Boss surrounds himself with sycophants, were are told what to expect:
Therefore a wise prince ought to hold a third course by choosing the wise men in his state,
and giving to them only the liberty of speaking the truth to him, and then only of those
things of which he inquires, and of none others; but he ought to question them upon
everything, and listen to their opinions, and afterwards form his own conclusions. With
these councillors, separately and collectively, he ought to carry himself in such a way
that each of them should know that, the more freely he shall speak, the more he shall be
preferred; outside of these, he should listen to no one, pursue the thing resolved on, and
be steadfast in his resolutions. He who does otherwise is either overthrown by flatterers,
or is so often changed by varying opinions that he falls into contempt.
Come on, all you people. This has been the most entertaining soap opera in Washington since
Bill Clintons zipper trouble. There has not been any real damage to the country (and maybe a
few benefits) and may not be in the future.
Pat, us Democrats are not bad people, we just have shitty leaders and no vision, but in
that regard, the Republicans are catching up.
McCabe is brutally fired a day short of his 20 years, Sessions is humiliated on a daily
basis, Tillerson was shafted everytime he went overseas trying to fix Trump's mistakes. Now,
how many in the Trump administration and in government are going to 'work for the president'
as opposed to 'working for themselves'.
Fear is not the tool of the effective manager.
There may be plenty of irony, but that does not make it implausible. We have witnessed a
progression of lamer and lamer ducks in this administration. Why not just use a video
substitute and let Fox News take over White House operations?
The firing of McCabe shows how petty Trump is and his lack of a moral code. It is true
that not all Republicans are bad. My wife, until recently, was one all her adult life.
I went to my monthly science lecture last evening, conducted by a neighbor, and he will
rejoin the federal government this fall as a Senior Science Advisor.( He spent 30 years
before retirement in that capacity) I would wish that more people as capable as he is would
help run the country, regardless of the dumb people that get elected.
The good news about the dismal current condition is that standards may be raised in the
future in an effort to make this just an educational interlude.
Wilkerson told me (through a mutual friend) well be fore the UN debacle that he and Powell
had the situation under control and that I should shut up. It was also Wilkerson who
persuaded Powell not to take any intel analysts to CIA when they went to be briefed by Tenet
and company. why did he do that? Hey! Why would such semi-divine beings as he and Powell need
expert help? pl
I am no big fan of Pelosi but she has been a very effective leader as this Atlantic article
states. Just one example, she very effectively stopped Bush junior's Social Security
privatization plan.
Ah, but firing him days before his pension vested is beautiful. Too vengeful? I think not;
it's exactly what he deserved. Why let a DB like that glean the rewards of double or even
triple dipping?
So Wilkerson had/has no conscience. WH Favors? How shallow can a person be? WH Favors? Blink,
blink? Why Powell didn't slap the dog shit out of Wilkerson I'll never understand.
Back to Mattis, what was he waiting for (saying he needed more 'intel' for extraction of
the wounded/dying?), a note sent through Fedex or UPS? To leave men to die in the field the
way Mattis did. Arghhh.
I also have not seen anywhere where Mattis experienced combat except from a 'comfortable'
position. That explains a lot why Mattis seems to be so gung ho on getting U.S. into another
unnecessary war.
Former/Retired CIA Director John O. Brennan says, "When the full extent of your venality,
moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes known, you will take your rightful place as
a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history. You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will
not destroy America...America will triumph over you." https://twitter.com/JohnBrennan/status/974978856997224448
Spare me the adjectives......he'fired. And if, significant if, he is guilty of what the
published reports say is, if that is confirmed by an independent inspector general's report,
and the text of that report matters here, then to hell with him he deserves to be fired.
If Sessions had not (wrongly, it turns out) recused himself and cleaned out the DOJ (as
expected) Trump would not have been riding him.
If Tillerson had followed Trump's direction on Iran, he probably would still be in his
job.
As for McCabe, that's life in the fast lane.
He was too clever by half and got in over his head.
If anything, this whole McCabe/Strozk/Page and whoever else attempt at "plotting" shows the
incompetence of these pinheads.
If Strozk was the FBI's top CI guy (texting like a teenage girl), no wonder the Chinese and
Russians are running wild.
But to truly drain the swamp Trump has to get rid of hundreds, maybe thousands, more of the
self-enriching parasite class.
For years Wilkerson spent great effort providing Colin Powell 'cover' on the allegations
that he was in the loop on all the 'enhanced interrogation tactics' (torture), while Powell
himself was quiet on the issue. And when CP was pushed he was vague e.g. stating that he
didn't have "sufficient memory recall" about the meetings referenced; that he had
participated in " many meetings on how to deal with detainees "; and that he was not "aware
of anything that we discussed in any of those meetings that was not considered legal "
Of course it later came out that he was at the meetings, knew exactly what was going on,
but said nothing. The bottom line? Wilkerson lied and lied...
Well, if all the reports of her liquor bills for supplying the plane on tax-paid trips back
and forth to California when she was speaker of the House are true, she IS a drunk. And on
top of that I worry that all the Botox is now really affecting her brain.
She and Hillary really give being a woman something to cringe about. I, as a woman, would
like her better if she joined the transgender movement so as to prove they aren't just voting
as their husbands tell them to.
Brennan, Comey, Clapper; McCabe, Strzok, Page and others unknown politicized the Intelligence
community through incompetence and malfeasance and left it a smoking wreck. They are
delusional if they think that their contemptible bit of work has not been recognized for what
it is by both active and retired members of that community.
It has almost nothing to do with Trump. John Brennan is an ass. In fact Trump's flailing
around and leadership by tweet has only delayed the day of reckoning for the FBI with the CIA
hiding in the tall grass and still unscathed. Lay that on Trump and Pompeo. Wray, a Trump
appointment...wait, who is Wray and where is he?
I would call Trump's swamp draining efforts thus far a piss poor job and his FP efforts have
been plagued by piss poor appointments and piss poor performance. He himself is more in the
swamp than out of it and a Bolton appointment would put him in it over his ears.
Trump right now has one thing going for him: he's not Clinton; and that advantage is rapidly
disappearing. He either stops behaving like a NY real estate lout with a pinky ring or he's
going to blow himself and who knows what else to kingdom come.
I despise the leftists that are attempting to take control of the country and, to the extent
that the Democrat party has aligned with them (a large extent), I despise them too. Tucker
Carlson is doing a fantastic job countering the left and I guess Hannity plays an important
role in keeping anti-lefty outrage at the boiling point. We need people like him to keep
morale high for the foot soldiers in the culture war. He isn't supposed to be a source of
input for the generals.
That said, at a personal level, Hannity is, to me, an ignorant blow hard and he gives me a
headache every time I listen to him for more than a minute or two. That is what politics in
the USA has come down to; escalating rhetoric and counter rhetoric. If one side became more
circumspect then the other side would drown them out with wild rants. So they all rant on
with increasing fury. That is Hannity's role in all of this.
People here defending McCabe need to have their heads and moral compasses examined. I see
how it goes. No one in DC can ever be punished for breaking the law because one of the
parties will declare it to be politically motivated and 50% of the country (+/-) will buy
into that narrative. I have seen several comments by former FBI stating that McCabe got what
he deserved.
There are other ways to interpret the departure of McMaster (if it's real). The Boss and
the section chief have some differences of opinion or style, but they aren't hostile to each
other at a fundamental level. The section chief agrees to depart amicably and goes to work in
a different area to which he carries and propagates the vision of the Boss. Post departure,
the Boss and Chief maintain communications. I've seen this happen in private sector
companies. I think this approach is unsettling to those with traditional views of how a
bureaucratic career works.
Thank you Colonel. Your most recent short hand about POTUS being a boss, and being so
absolutely, mixes well with the previous and pithy, 'that the deal is everything, and there
are no fouls in service to achieving that everything.'
It would be interesting to learn how that classic boss=god top down approach mixes with
the military approach of the various 21st century generals who have come into the
administration. There are a number of different and basic top down approaches in the private
sector.
Isn't retired Army General 'Jerry' Boykins available?
"When the full extent of your venality, moral turpitude, and political corruption becomes
known, you will take your rightful place as a disgraced demagogue in the dustbin of history.
You may scapegoat Andy McCabe, but you will not destroy America...America will triumph over
you."
My. my so Totsky of him.
If Evil Tzar Vladimir IV is selected again on Sunday, the Cruelly Clueless Crew better
hope and pray he doesn't drop the Doomsday Dime or when "America" sees what they were a part
of on July 17th 2014, well, "...America will triumph over you" will become a prophetic
fulfillment.
Why are you quoting the words of a Traitor named John Brennan? He committed 'Sedition'
against a duly elected/sworn in POTUS called Trump. Sedition is under the 'Treason' Statute
which upon conviction is punishable by death, and there is no statute of time limitations.
What Brennan did, he can be incarcerated for up until his dying day! Brennan hung himself
with his own rope, and he's too narcissistic arrogant to realize it.
On another note it appears that the Trump dossier was created, financed, and orchestrated
by MI6, which is (if I'm not mistaken) a U.K. 'Governmental Agency', which by defination the
British Government actively conspired to overthrown a sitting U.S. President.
So.....do we now get to squash MI6 for the arrogant gnat they really are?
May owes Trump an formal official apology for MI6's actions of war.
There are rumors that the double agent GRU Colonel Skripal was offering the Russian
Government to turn states evidence against MI6 and provide the Russian Government with all
the 'stuff' about the MI6 created Trump Dossier in return for his being able to return to
Russia to see his daughter married.
All signs point to Skripal's poisoning was orchestrated and performed by the British
Government (spelled MI6/MI5) to hide the fact that the Trump Dossier was created by the
British Government (spelled MI6) to overthrow a sitting U.S. President.
The Russian Government had already convicted/incarcerated/realeased Skripal of Treason,
they would have had nothing to gain by poisoning British MI6 Asset double agent GRU Colonel
Skripal.
My bad, not only does British PM May owe U.S. President Trump a formal apology for the
British Government's (spelled MI6) attempted overthrow of a sitting U.S. President with their
Trump Dossier, but also the Queen of England Queen Elizabeth herself and British King
Apparent Prince William himself, as May acts as their formal agent. The sitting Queen/King of
England rules England, not the PM as the PM are nothing more than their face persona
agents.
The fellow at Conservative Treehouse described the Mattis/Trump row (several days before it
blew over) as a "Black Hat Hunting" exercise. Trump and Mattis put out the row story in a
compartmentalized fashion in order to barium meal the leaker in the NSC. Sounds plausible.
I really thought that Andrew McCabe would be allowed to retire and disappear into
obscurity. Instead Jeff Session just took a shot at the FBI, Five Eyes intelligence community
and the Media Mogul coup plotters. All Clinton, Bush and Obama appointees and supporters must
go to the ground. The federal government will seize up. Anyone who thinks their future is at
risk has a reason to assist invoking the 25th Amendment. The Trump Family will fight back.
This is the start of an oligarch mob war fought by Deplorables against the ruling
credentialed Consiglieres.
Meanwhile, even the NewsHour reports on the threat of a new Hezbollah-Israel conflict
which will inevitably escalate into a shooting war with Iran and then draw in nuclear armed
Russia.
Ah if only the USA were Florence in the 1400's.
While many have read and excoriated the Prince, few have studied the sources from whence that
little handbook was drawn.
Enjoy: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Discourses_on_Livy
In my own little library is one of his lesser works:'
https://www.amazon.com/Art-War-Niccolo-Machiavelli/dp/0226500403/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1521313961&sr=8-12&keywords=machiavelli+war
Given the evidence of his career, it is obvious that Pres. Trump is well versed in the art of
manipulating sycophants. Rich men attract parasites like magnets attract iron filings. Since
Pres. Trump was still rich when he won the presidency after 40+ years being a sycophant
magnet, I think he is able to fluster them now as he has for decades. It is also obvious over
his career that he picks good people for the job he wants done and when it is done he moves
on to the next job and the next batch of appropriate people.
Granted this is not the norm for politicians, but it is for builders. You don't use the
foundation or utilities contractor for the stucco work nor the stucco contractor for the
interior decoration work. These things should be obvious but the talking heads insist on
trying to put Pres. Trump into a politician pigeonhole. He doesn't because he isn't.
It is enjoyable that the talking heads still insist on taking his every word literally while
simultaneously refusing to allow that he is a serious man with an excellent control of
language and nuance when it serves him.
"Provocation will be used as pretext by #US & allies to launch strikes on military and
govt infrastructures in #Syria, we are registering the signs of the preparations. Strike
groups of the cruise missile carriers been formed in Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, Red Sea" -
@mod_russia
You mean Black and Hispanic unemployment were great under Barack? Why oh why did those
voters abandon the democratic candidate. I'm sure the Russians make African American's stay
home on election day. Hilary 2020!
''These things should be obvious but the talking heads insist on trying to put Pres. Trump
into a politician pigeonhole''
Well he's sort of like a political pigeon playing chess...he struts onto the board, knocks
over all the pieces, sh-ts on the board and declares himself the winner.
But the game continues.
Trump says Mueller better not cross his red line and get into his business.
So Mueller crosses Trump's red line:
2 days ago - WASHINGTON -- The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has subpoenaed the
Trump Organization business records in recent weeks to turn over documents, including some
related to Russia, according to two people briefed on the matter. The order is the first
known instance of the special counsel demanding records ....
So yesterday Trump's attorney says :
''"I pray that Acting Attorney General Rosenstein will follow the brilliant and courageous
example of the FBI Office of Professional Responsibility and Attorney General Jeff Sessions
and bring an end to alleged Russia collusion investigation manufactured by McCabe's boss
James Comey based upon a fraudulent and corrupt dossier,"
I think we are all past the "there is no difference between the parties" rhetoric. There IS a
difference...and the consistent damage across the board being done by the GOP. I have no
doubt...and, as a historian, NO doubt...that the Democrats can screw up just as badly. They
do, however, come from a very different place---and it has the virtue of being much more
protective of the people and land of the USA.
I know we come from different life experiences, Pat, but our country is seriously at risk
and it will be the differences between the parties that will count from here on out until
that day when we can all start pulling in the same direction.
There is a certain amount of demographic inevitability going on here. All to the good for
some of the marginalized Americans. I don't think Trump (or anyone) can really claim
credit....although I do find Trump being factually correct about something, quite refreshing.
Remember---"coincidence is not causation."
"... Chris Williamson, the Labour MP for Derby North, said Labour MPs who had decided Moscow was "unequivocally" to blame were "baying for blood" and he suggested they face de-selection. ..."
But a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn has suggested moderate Labour MPs who blame Russia for spy
poisoning are "enemies" who should be deselected.
Chris Williamson, the Labour MP for Derby
North, said Labour MPs who had decided Moscow was "unequivocally" to blame were "baying for
blood" and he suggested they face de-selection.
And the Kremlin also ramped up its language, launching a withering response to Defence
Secretary Gavin Williamson, who had suggested Russia should "go away and shut up".
Major-General Igor Konashenkov, a spokesman at Russia's defence ministry, accused Mr
Williamson of engaging in "market wench talk", adding that it reflected his "intellectual
impotency".
Sorry, I should have said: it's an interview of one of the Novichok scientists, Vladimir Uglev, done in 1993. He says that
the compounds were successfully synthesised and tested, and would be easy for others to produce as long as they had the technology.
He also makes some references to corruption and deceit in the Soviet military research system.
says "Organophosphate nerve agents (OPNAs) are some of the most widely used and proliferated chemical warfare agents. As evidenced
by recent events in Syria, these compounds remain a serious military and terrorist threat to human health because of their toxicity
and the ease with which they can be used, produced and stored.
The theoretical possibilities for nerve agents derived from the Schedule 1.A.1 and 1.A.3 core structures exceed 270000"
This article says "Russia's chemical weapons commander was a Mossad target"
Russia's stockpile being destroyed is a red herring. This is tiny amounts of nerve agent that anyone who can purchase the commonly
available ingredients can make provided they have the technical knowhow and that's a huge proviso. Russia invented these and
could do it. The Israelis could do it too.
May is surely being sincere there's no reason to think otherwise. We come back to who wants to kill this Russian "traitor"
and b) the recently strangled person at the top of Russia's most wanted list. Russia having form for these things doesn't help
their denials
The Iranian paper is very interesting. Thye ran some lab syntheses of Novichok compounds using two separate precursors (presumably
the so-called 'safe binary agents') at low levels to minimise exposure. They say nothing about the effectiveness of combining
the two compounds in the variable conditions of pressure, humidity and temperature in a non-lab environment.
One of the so-called 'safe' binary components they utilised is methylphosphonic difluoride. This is used in other binary cw
weapons (eg M687 artillery shell) to produce sarin or soran. Rather than being safe in the common sense, it is described as reactive
and corrosive (not surprising given it contains fluorine). It may cause burns, is rapidly absorbed through the skin and may cause
symptoms of mild nerve agent exposure. It strikes me that rather than going through the rigamarole of relying on exposure untested
uncontrolled binary agents, exposure to methylphosphonic difluoride may be sufficient. It is also a standard cw component so it
could be produced almost anywhere with suitable lab facilities.
Further reading reveals more details. It is not simply a malter of combining to two 'safe' precursor copmpounds and bingo!
lots of nasty cw nerve agent. They are mixed together in the presence of a third chemical to produce an intermediate compound
which is then converted to the desired nerve agent by the presence of 'alcohols'. This is certainly a long way from the Clown
Car comedy description of how these things are supposed to work. This also suggests that whatever was used to poison the people,
it was almost certainly not a nerve agent derived from novichok compounds released haphazardly in the house, restaurant, etc.
Craig, you must read the paper the article cites. Relevant quotes are:
"All the chemicals required for the microsynthesis of O-alkylN-[bis(dimethylamino)methylidene]-P-methylphosphonami-dates were
purchased from Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO,USA), Fluka (Neu-Ulm, Germany), and Merck (Darmstadt,Germany), and were used as received.
Methylphosphonicdifluoride (Scheme 1, cpd 1) was synthesized by use of amethod described elsewhere.[18]Isopropanol-d6was preparedby
reduction of acetone-d6by sodium borohydride."
Interpretation: trivial to obtain ingredients. Next we have the preparation itself. After some simple moves you can make with
standard benchtop equipment we have the following line about safety:
"It should be noted that, due to the extreme toxicityof these materials, the separation and purification of CWC-related
chemical are very difficult and thereforeshould be carried out only by a trained professional in an efficient fume cupboard equipped
with an active charcoal filtration system."
So all you need is a slightly better than standard fume cupboard!
Not just another country, any fucking polytechnic can make this stuff in small quantities.
"... I am aware however of many provocations carried out by NATO close to and even within Russian borders. The U.K. seems to be teeming with Yeltsin-era plutocrats such as Bill Browder who have been sustaining a drumbeat of 'emnity' towards Putin and the Russians for the last five years at least and no doubt have been applying their ill-gotten largesse to U.K. politicians. ..."
"... FSB/GRU or whoever, they do have a track record. It just isn't _this_ track record. The MO has changed radically, from precise, targeted and fairly discreet, to a vast mess of colateral damage without even a fatality to show for it, despite the claim that they used the most lethal poison in the world. ..."
"... Still no apparent motive, no obvious benefit for mother Russia, and no clear identification of the agent, much less its source. ..."
"... Compared to this, evidence for Iraqi WMD was rock solid. But by all means, let's thunder away with outraged self-righteousness on the world stage. ..."
"... The Novichok agent is produced in other country's than in Soviet Union, they have at least acknowledged it. They Novichok agent today at Totalförsvarets forskningsinstituts, in Sweden! ..."
"... "Every time the west notices Russia's wanting to be a "good neighbor" – about which the west really couldn't care less, Russia makes herself more vulnerable, more prone to be accused and attacked and more slandered." ..."
"... Great reporting Craig and a devastating indictment of UK journalism. So why are May, Johnson and Williamson spouting misleading claims? ..."
"... I cannot believe the tories are daft enough to want war with Russia but I do think they want to divert the funds that could be used to mitigate austerity straight into our arms industry and dwindling military. Williamson has been on that track for the last few months. ..."
"... Of course Corbyn has had some success with voters and whipping up anti-Russia hysteria and using it to blacken Corbyn with the electorate is a handy bonus. "Standing up to Putin" is depicted as playing well for May in the media, another bonus. ..."
"... Will it fizzle out now the Russians have done their tit for tat expulsions? Is a chemical weapons false flag about to happen in Syria to justify more coalition bombing? Who knows? ..."
" a track record of emnity" Care to expand on this? I am unaware of any emnity towards the
UK on the part of the Russian Federation in recent years.
I am aware however of many
provocations carried out by NATO close to and even within Russian borders. The U.K. seems to
be teeming with Yeltsin-era plutocrats such as Bill Browder who have been sustaining a
drumbeat of 'emnity' towards Putin and the Russians for the last five years at least and no
doubt have been applying their ill-gotten largesse to U.K. politicians.
Educate me. Perhaps I haven't been watching the right television.
BTW Did Israel have a motive to destabilise the U.S. when they attacked the U.S.S.
Liberty?
FSB/GRU or whoever, they do have a track record. It just isn't _this_ track record. The MO
has changed radically, from precise, targeted and fairly discreet, to a vast mess of
colateral damage without even a fatality to show for it, despite the claim that they used the
most lethal poison in the world.
Still no apparent motive, no obvious benefit for mother
Russia, and no clear identification of the agent, much less its source.
Compared to this,
evidence for Iraqi WMD was rock solid. But by all means, let's thunder away with outraged
self-righteousness on the world stage. Good reviews and trebles all around, eh?
The Novichok agent is produced in other country's than in Soviet Union, they have at least
acknowledged it.
They Novichok agent today at Totalförsvarets forskningsinstituts, in Sweden!
"Det är inte möjligt att Sverige är källan till nervgiftet Novitjok
som användes mot den tidigare ryske dubbelagenten Sergej Skripal och hans dotter,
säger kemvapenexperten Rikard Norlin till DN.
Anledningen är att nervgift endast finns på Totalförsvarets
forskningsinstituts avdelning för CBRN-skydd i Umeå.
– Vi har bra koll på våra substanser och redovisar allt till OPCW,
organisationen för förbud mot kemiska vapen, säger Norlin till tidningen."
"Every time the west notices Russia's wanting to be a "good neighbor" – about which
the west really couldn't care less, Russia makes herself more vulnerable, more prone to be
accused and attacked and more slandered."
Great reporting Craig and a devastating indictment of UK journalism. So why are May,
Johnson and Williamson spouting misleading claims?
I cannot believe the tories are daft enough to want war with Russia but I do think they
want to divert the funds that could be used to mitigate austerity straight into our arms
industry and dwindling military. Williamson has been on that track for the last few months.
£48 mill for Porton Down for agreeing to weasel words is just for starters. Cheap
compared to £1 bill for the DUP. Of course Corbyn has had some success with voters and
whipping up anti-Russia hysteria and using it to blacken Corbyn with the electorate is a
handy bonus. "Standing up to Putin" is depicted as playing well for May in the media, another
bonus.
Will it fizzle out now the Russians have done their tit for tat expulsions? Is a
chemical weapons false flag about to happen in Syria to justify more coalition bombing? Who
knows?
Once Putin's 1 March speech sinks in all we'll be left with by the Autumn is a clamour
that Britain must spend more on defence. Or give up Brexit and join the EU military?
Posted by: the pessimist | Mar 16, 2018 2:03:28 PM |
21
Very reminiscent of the MH17 campaign that was used to bully the reluctant Europeans into
imposing sanctions on Russia. Accusations were made and a narrative put forward immediately
without presenting clear evidence or waiting for an investigation. Through repetition this
narrative has become dogma in the West despite the fact that supporting evidence has still not
been forthcoming. It seems that after 9-11 it became clear that quickly putting out a
narrative, with the support of the press, and demonizing anyone with any public stature who
questions the basic story could be successful, even when there were thousands of eye witnesses
and many flaws in the official explanation. The facts, or what really happened no longer matter
once the narrative has taken root.
My question is what kinds of threats are being used to keep potential dissenters in line
now. French banks were punished over the mistrial deal and it was abandoned. Now the stakes
seem to be higher and the risk of defections has increased, so what is the stick?
"... The former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, who visited the site at Nukus, said it had been dismantled with US help. He is among those advocating scepticism about the UK placing blame on Russia. ..."
"... In a blog post , he wrote: "The same people who assured you Saddam Hussein had WMDs now assure you Russian 'novichok' nerve agents are being wielded by Vladimir Putin to attack people on British soil." ..."
"... The UK government case rests not just on its argument that novichok was developed in Russia, but what it says is past form, a record of Russian state-sponsored assassination of former spies. ..."
"... Murray, in a phone interview, is undeterred, determined to challenge the government line, in spite of having been subjected to a level of abuse on social media he had not experienced before. ..."
"... "There is no evidence it was Russia. I am not ruling out that it could be Russia, though I don't see the motive. I want to see where the evidence lies," Murray said. "Anyone who expresses scepticism is seen as an enemy of the state." ..."
The question now is whether all of Russia's chemical weapons were
destroyed and accounted for. Theresa May – having identified the nerve agent used in the
Salisbury attack as novichok, developed in Russia – told the Commons on Wednesday that
Russia had offered no
explanation as to why it had "an undeclared chemical weapons programme in contravention of
international law". Jeremy Corbyn introduced a sceptical note, questioning whether there was
any evidence as to the location of its production.
The exchanges provoked a debate echoing the one that preceded the 2003 invasion of Iraq over
whether UN weapons inspectors had overseen the destruction of all the weapons of mass
destruction in the country or whether Saddam Hussein had retained secret hidden caches.
On social media, there were arguments that the novichok could have come from some part of
the former Soviet Union other than Russia, such as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan or Ukraine, or some
non-state group, maybe criminals.
The years following the fall of the Berlin Wall were chaotic, with chemical weapons
laboratories and storage sites across the Soviet Union abandoned by staff who were no longer
being paid. Security was almost non-existent, leaving the sites at the mercy of criminal gangs
or disenchanted staff looking to supplement their income.
"Could somebody have smuggled something out?" Amy Smithson, a US-based biological and
chemical weapons expert, said to Reuters. "I certainly wouldn't rule that possibility out,
especially a small amount and particularly in view of how lax the security was at Russian
chemical facilities in the early 1990s."
It took almost a decade before order was restored, in part through stockpiles being
transferred to Russia from other parts of the former Soviet Union and in part through help from
US and other western experts.
Novichok was developed at a laboratory complex in
Shikhany, in central Russia, according to a British weapons expert, Hamish de
Bretton-Gordon, and a Russian chemist involved in the chemical weapons programme, Vil
Mirzayanov, who later defected to the US. Mirzayanov said the novichok was tested at Nukus, in
Uzbekistan.
The former British ambassador to Uzbekistan, Craig Murray, who visited the site at Nukus,
said it had been dismantled with US help. He is among those advocating scepticism about the UK
placing blame on Russia.
In a blog post , he wrote:
"The same people who assured you Saddam Hussein had WMDs now assure you Russian 'novichok'
nerve agents are being wielded by Vladimir Putin to attack people on British soil."
A Russian lawyer, Boris Kuznetsov, told Reuters he was offering to pass to the British
authorities a file he said might be relevant to the Salisbury case. It details an incident when
poison hidden in a phone receiver killed a Russian banker and his secretary in 1995. The poison
came from an employee at the state chemical facility who sold it through intermediaries –
in an ampule placed in a presentation case – to help reduce his debts.
The UK government case rests not just on its argument that novichok was developed in Russia,
but what it says is past form, a record of Russian state-sponsored assassination of former
spies.
Murray, in a phone interview, is undeterred, determined to challenge the government line, in
spite of having been subjected to a level of abuse on social media he had not experienced
before.
"There is no evidence it was Russia. I am not ruling out that it could be Russia, though I
don't see the motive. I want to see where the evidence lies," Murray said. "Anyone who
expresses scepticism is seen as an enemy of the state."
In the nature of the internet, someone somewhere knows the truth but usually search
engines and governments make sure you don't find it. Ever.
But occasionally the internet gods smile. If you are obsessed with electric bicycles, long
time UK Pedelecs poster flecc knows all about Polonium 210 and why the Litvinenko 'Russia did
it' story was a pack of lies. – Polonium 210 is _not_ just available in Russia. It is
and was commercially available from the U.S.
– Fancy that department! Why the UK government 'Russia did it' Litvinenko story was
a pack of lies, by flecc, today (17/3/18) at 1:48 PM post #28622 – Pedelecs UK
–
How amusing that when someone tries that 'murder a Russian dissident and blame Russia'
wheeze one time too often, the truth falls out of the cupboard in spades! Combine that with
the lies about the apparent false flag Skripal attack –
Thanks b for your continued heavy lifting. Btw, other serious journalists are now citing your
diligence on this plot.
Yes, I 'm in on the dots to the Steele dossier "likely" that Skripal was very helpful and
must be silenced; his daughter too since he may have confessed to his part.
Falling apart it is. How was The Mirror, (UK), allowed to publish this article?
Before it is pulled, take a read. Below are just snips.
The Dark Secrets of Porton Down: Inside controversial defence lab which developed VX
nerve agent and used human 'guinea pigs' More than 20,000 people have been tested on at the top secret lab which is concentrating
on gas attack defences LINK
It is one of Britain's most secretive sites, remaining shrouded in mystery for more than
100 years. [.]
The 7,000 acre site, near Salisbury, is one of the UK's most secretive and controversial
military research facilities and the oldest chemical warfare research installations in the
world.
Scientists from Porton were among the first to create biological weapons as well as one
of the world's most lethal chemical weapons, but now its main purpose is to support the
military and help combat terrorism.
Porton Down opened in 1916 as the War Department Experimental Station for testing
chemical weapons during WW1.
Scientists at the lab researched and developed weapons agents used by the British
military during the war such as chlorine, mustard gas and phosgene.[.]
The base was later named the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment.
Chemical weapons were tested on site. Scientists built cannisters full of poison gas that
could be released by a timer and they also filled shells with it and released them at
targets.
But many of the shells failed to explode meaning the fields are still full of the active
chemical agents.
Now Porton concentrates on devising defensive measures against gas attacks after its
chemical and biological weapons programme was closed down in the 1950s.
On the government's website it says: "To help develop effective medical countermeasures
and to test systems, we produce very small quantities of chemical and biological
agents.
"They are stored securely and disposed of safely."[.]
Human experiments
Since 1916 more than 20,000 people have taken part in studies at the base.
Porton Down's experiments on humans have been widely criticised as it is alleged some human
'guinea pigs' were duped into taking part in tests.
Tests were carried out on servicemen to try and determine the effects of nerve agents on
humans - with one recorded death due to a nerve gas experiment.
Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison died aged 20 in 1953 after taking part in sarin nerve
agent toxicity tests.
.[.]
Viruses
Initial samples of the Ebola virus were sent to the Porton Down lab in 1976.
The lab now allegedly contains samples of some of the world's most aggressive diseases
including Ebola, anthrax and the plague.[.]
Aerial release trials
Between 1953 and 1976 a number of aerial release trials were carried out to help the
government understand how a biological attack might spread across the UK.
The government said: "Given the international situation at the time these trials were
conducted in secret."
And added: "The information obtained from these trials has been and still is vital to
the defence of the UK."
Two separate and independent reviews concluded the trials did not have any adverse
health effects on the UK population.[.]
Aliens
There has been speculation over the years that alien bodies could be hidden at the
sight.
But the government has said: "No aliens, either alive or dead have ever been taken to
Porton Down or any other Defence Science and Technology Laboratory site."
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia was not worried by
international expressions of support for the UK and challenged Britain to "provide some
confirmation".
He said: "Sooner or later, the British will have to show some proof to those 'colleagues'
who say they are with UK on this; sooner or later will have to stand up its accusations."
The Russian foreign ministry has called Mrs May's allegations "insane" and the Russian
Embassy in Britain has described the order for diplomats to leave as "unacceptable, unjustified
and short-sighted".
In response to the UK's sanctions, Russia's foreign ministry announced it would:
Expel 23 British diplomats - who have been given one week to leave Moscow
Close the British Consulate in St Petersburg
End the activities of the British Council, which promotes cultural ties between the UK
and Russia and language learning
It said it was responding to "provocative actions" by Britain - and "unproven accusations"
that the Russian state was behind the poisoning.
Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said the UK is "playing politics" and not taking into
account an international pact on chemical weapons.
He said if the UK sends Moscow a formal request for an explanation under the Chemical
Weapons Convention, Russia will respond within the set 10-day time limit.
Russia has also requested to be given a sample of the nerve agent used.
The Russian Ministry of Defence has called the UK's Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson a
"vulgar old harpy" after he said Russia should "go away and shut up".
Major-General Igor Konashenkov said that "the extreme level of the intellectual impotence"
of Mr Williamson confirmed London's accusations amounted to nothing.
"Long ago, Great Britain became the cosy nest not just for the world's turncoats, but also
of all kinds of headquarters for producing fake scandals," he added.
Meanwhile, a suspect in the 2006 murder of former FSB officer Alexander Litvinenko has told
Russian news agency Interfax that determining responsibility has to be done by "serious expert
analysis".
Andrei Lugovoi, who is now a
Russian MP, said: "Any chemist or physicist will tell you that in order to determine the
involvement or non-involvement of a country, there must at least be some serious expert
analyses carried out at a serious expert level.
"When such statements are made within a few days (of the incident), the only thing this
shows is the irresponsibility of the person who makes them. It may also indicate that to find
the truth is not the aim."
History lesson time! Here's how WW2 started . I do not mean the background causes or
the more proximal Soviet-German and British-Polish pacts. I mean the trigger .
The trigger was a number of false flag attacks carried out by German forces wearing
Polish uniforms , collectively given the name "Operation Himmler". The best known incident
occurred at Gleiwitz , just inside the German border,
where "Polish" (but really German) forces attacked a German radio station on the night of 31
August 1939. The German forces murdered a German farmer, dressed him as a saboteur, and
deposited his body at the scene as if he had been killed during the assault. This attack, along
with alleged ethnic cleansing of German residents by the Polish authorities and a number of
other false-flag attacks carried out by the German SS (in which the bodies of concentration
camp prisoners were left behind), was used as "justification" for the German invasion of Poland
the next morning.
The murdered German farmer had previously been known, or so it is said, for sympathising
with Poles, and he was killed by injection with a chemical.
"... "a robust dialogue with Russia on all the issues" ..."
"... And another question pops up. Why is the UK refusing to give Russia the samples of the deadly substanc e known as Novichok that it says was used to poison the former spy? Isn't it because the real poison was not Novichok but some other agent developed at Porton Down? Could be. You never know. This guess would at least explain the refusal. ..."
"... Nothing can be said for certain but it's only natural to look at what we know and make guesses. That's what analysts are for. Maybe this scenario wasn't what happened, but there is nothing to rule it out. ..."
"... After all, Mr. Skripal and his daughter got immediate emergency medical assistance. It arrived at once. Intelligence services? Who knows, but the victims were injected with an unknown substance almost immediately. Someone had known in advance that they'd need help. This is an undeniable fact. Another coincidence? Aren't there too many of them? ..."
"... Anyway, the work to determine exactly what substance poisoned Mr. Skripal and his daughter was done nowhere else but Porton Down. Wasn't it amazing how quickly they were able to say with absolute certainty that the nerve agent was Russian-produced Novichok? They are unbelievably talented people because normally that takes some time. ..."
"... The Russiagate scandal in the US appears to be dying down . The Skripal case, as well as the furor raised over the events in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, will breathe new life into the ongoing, well-orchestrated attacks on Moscow. ..."
Voices were heard calling for a detailed investigation before any final conclusions were
reached. Labor Leader Jeremy Corbyn
said the UK needed "a robust dialogue with Russia on all the issues" and warned
against cutting off ties. He came under harsh criticism in Parliament, although the only thing
Mr. Corbyn wanted was some evidence to go on before pointing the finger at Moscow. He just
wondered why the government had not made a formal request for information in accordance
with Article 9, clause 2 of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC)? He got an emotional
response, but nobody explained why the procedures described in the convention had not been
invoked.
And what if Mr. Skripal pulls through and offers quite a different story? What if new
witnesses appear whose testimony moves the investigation in a different direction?
The UK evidently does not want to go the whole nine yards to uncover the truth. It prefers
to make accusations first and launch a halfhearted investigation second.
There is a very important fact that has been almost completely ignored by the British media.
Where did the poisoning take place? Yes, we know, the name of that sleepy town is Salisbury.
That's where Mr. Skripal lives. On March 16, Defense Secretary Gavin Williamson
announced that the UK would spend 48 million pounds ($67 million) on a new chemical-warfare
defense center. It will be built at Porton
Down , a military research laboratory that has manufactured
the nerve agents VX and sarin.
Where do you think that lab is located? Right, less than eight miles from Mr. Skipal's home
in Salisbury. Vladimir Pasechnik , a senior Soviet
expert on biological warfare, who defected to the UK in 1989, worked there. He died in 2001.
Russia again? Not a chance. Where he lived was no secret and he had worked there quietly for so
many years. It's the research he did at the Porton Down laboratory that was kept under lock and
key. He quit the laboratory in 2000 to set up a business of his own. Since he was no longer
working for the government, he was in a position to reveal awkward information. You never know
about the people involved in hush-hush activities, and the timing of the events could be a
coincidence. But it might not be.
The UK officially ceased all activities associated with nerve gas development in 1989 but
scandalous stories about Porton Down have been leaked much
more recently. The people who worked in the facility were dying under the most suspicious circumstances.
In 2010, the Daily Mail
published a very interesting report about these mysterious deaths -- all related to the
development of nerve agents -- which was a fact that had been kept under wraps before. Porton
Down featured prominently in all those stories. Wouldn't this be a good time to remember those
in connection with Mr. Skripal's poisoning?
And another question pops up. Why is the UK refusing to give Russia the samples of the
deadly
substanc e known as Novichok that it says was used to poison the former spy? Isn't it
because the real poison was not Novichok but some other agent developed at Porton Down? Could
be. You never know. This guess would at least explain the refusal.
Nothing can be said for certain but it's only natural to look at what we know and make
guesses. That's what analysts are for. Maybe this scenario wasn't what happened, but there is
nothing to rule it out.
After all, Mr. Skripal and his daughter got immediate emergency medical assistance. It
arrived at once. Intelligence services? Who knows, but the victims were injected with an
unknown substance almost immediately. Someone had known in advance that they'd need help. This
is an undeniable fact. Another coincidence? Aren't there too many of them?
Anyway, the work to determine exactly what substance poisoned Mr. Skripal and his daughter
was done nowhere else but Porton Down. Wasn't it amazing how quickly they were able to say with
absolute certainty that the nerve agent was Russian-produced Novichok? They are unbelievably
talented people because normally that takes some time.
What next? The UK does not want to go it alone. It has raised the issue in the UN. It
has approached NATO.
The Skripal case will be added to the agenda at the March 22–23 EU summit and even the
talks on Brexit.
The Russiagate scandal in the US appears
to be dying down . The Skripal case, as well as the furor raised over the events
in Eastern Ghouta, Syria, will breathe new life into the ongoing, well-orchestrated attacks on
Moscow.
These days the divided West
faces many challenges . Just look at the divisions threatening NATO and the EU. There is
nothing better than an external enemy, even an imaginary one, to keep the West united and led
by the US. That's where Russia comes in. We may never know who is to blame for the attempt on
Mr. Skripal's life -- it's not important for those who are leading the anti-Russia campaign. No
opportunity to pour more fuel on the fire of anti-Russia sentiments should be passed up. The
British government seems up to the task.
Theresa May is like the Queen of Hearts in Alice-in-Wonderland: "Verdict first, trial
afterwards" Indeed, she goes further: "Sentence first and no trial" - not even evidence!
"... the most encouraging thing is the reaction of readers of the Daily Mail , i was reading only this morning the hatchet job they did on RT, its not one the readers agreed with incidentally, at the time i read the article over 700 people had responded, the best rated where from those totally against the MSM narrative, the best thing our establishment could do is listen to the people, unfortunately they won't, encased in their bubble environment of Westminster ..."
"... resistance, or a form of inoculation to MSM propaganda is growing, the elite establishment are now on the back foot, question is how will they respond ban RT, or this blog ??? .i suspect the gloves will come off very soon ..."
"... Given the total lack of proper investigation, Craig is one of the few making any sense. I would expect an event like this, if treated normally as a crime, to take months of investigation before anyone could be accused. ..."
"... I see no reason why we have to jump to accusing Russia and I'm glad that Craig, rather than delving into conspiracy theory, is simply confirming that we can't know without a lot more investigation ..."
"... Pants down, she swiftly places a bucket over her head, and expels 23 of her own diplomats from Russia. Then accidentally falls into the embrace of her arch-Brexit enemies Germany and France. Side-splitting comedy. Never had such a good laugh at the expense of the hapless Tories. ..."
"... With Christopher Steele, Pablo Miller, Sergei Skripal in the UK script of the moment – the official deception is at a place of convergence. ..."
The line that novichoks can only be produced by Russia is now proven to be a complete lie.
As I previously proved by referencing their publications, in 2013 the OPCW scientific advisory
committee note the evidence was sparse that novichoks had ever been successfully produced, and
in 2016 that was still the line being published by Porton Down in 2016. You can find the hard
evidence of all that
here .
I have now been sent the vital information that in late 2016, Iranian scientists set out to
study whether novichoks really could be produced from commercially available ingredients.
Iran succeeded in synthesising a number of novichoks. Iran did this in full cooperation
with the OPCW and immediately reported the results to the OPCW so they could be added to the
chemical weapons database.
This case of unclear wording needs clearing up in a matter when little or no media
attention seems to be on the victims, the hospital etc. :
The Times published a letter from Stephen Davies (Consultant in Emergency Medicine, Salisbury
NHS Foundation Trust) on the 16th March. 'Sir, further to your report ('Poision Exposure Leaves Nearly 40 needing Treatment'), may
I clarify that no patients have experienced symptoms of nerve agent poisoning in Salisbury
and there have only ever been three patients with significant poisoning. Several people have
attended the emergency department concerned that they may have been exposed. None has had
symptoms of poisoning and none has needed treatment. Any blood tests performed have shown no
abnormality. No member of the public has been contaminated by the agent involved.'
That first sentence .carefully worded or carelessly worded?
May claimed that the nerve agent was Novichok, developed in the USSR. In order to identify
it, the UK experts had to have had a sample of it. Since neither the USSR, nor Russia, have
ever been known to export it, we should assume that it was synthesized within the UK. The
formula and the list of precursors are in the public domain, published by the scientist who
developed Novichok, who has since moved to the US. Thus, British scientists working at Porton
Down could have synthesized it themselves. In any case, it is not possible to determine in
what country a given sample of the substance was synthesized, and the claim that it came from
Russia is not provable.
It was claimed that the victims -- Mr. Skripal and his daugher -- were poisoned with
Novichok while at a restaurant. Yet how could this have been done? The agent in question is
so powerful that a liter of it released into the atmosphere over London would kill most of
its population. Breaking a vial of it open over a plate of food would kill the murderer along
with everyone inside the restaurant. Anything it touched would be stained yellow, and many of
those in the vicinity would have complained of a very unusual, acrid smell. Those poisoned
would be instantaneously paralyzed and dead within minutes, not strolling over to a park
bench where they were found. The entire town would have been evacuated, and the restaurant
would have to be encased in a concrete sarcophagus by workers in space suits and destroyed
with high heat. None of this has happened.
In view of the above, it seems unlikely that any of what has been described in the UK
media and by May's government has actually taken place. An alternative assumption, and one we
should be ready to fully test, is that all of this is a work of fiction. No pictures of the
two victims have been provided.
One of them -- Skripal's daughter -- is a citizen of the Russia
This was posted by RT there's more to the story just I have copied this part obviously to
get the truth out there
the most encouraging thing is the reaction of readers of the Daily Mail , i was reading
only this morning the hatchet job they did on RT, its not one the readers agreed with
incidentally, at the time i read the article over 700 people had responded, the best rated
where from those totally against the MSM narrative, the best thing our establishment could do
is listen to the people, unfortunately they won't, encased in their bubble environment of
Westminster
resistance, or a form of inoculation to MSM propaganda is growing, the elite establishment
are now on the back foot, question is how will they respond ban RT, or this blog ??? .i
suspect the gloves will come off very soon
No conspiracy theories here. Given the total lack of proper investigation, Craig is one of
the few making any sense. I would expect an event like this, if treated normally as a crime,
to take months of investigation before anyone could be accused.
I see no reason why we have
to jump to accusing Russia and I'm glad that Craig, rather than delving into conspiracy
theory, is simply confirming that we can't know without a lot more investigation
May must resign. She scripted the farce about Abu Qatada who was eventually deported to
Jordan, a country which hosts joint Saudi – Israeli terrorist training camps which were
used for training Daesh. The present farce about Salisbury stars the same cast of buffoon MPs
from both sides of the House, ra-ra-ing against Russia while USUKIS who started the proxy war
against Syria is hiding under the bed.
Pants down, she swiftly places a bucket over her head,
and expels 23 of her own diplomats from Russia. Then accidentally falls into the embrace of
her arch-Brexit enemies Germany and France. Side-splitting comedy. Never had such a good
laugh at the expense of the hapless Tories.
Here in North America we're witness to a campaign of propaganda that is of a DNA strand
with the Salisbury story.
In late 2016 a private outfit named CrowdStrike fabricated word of an "Ukrainian artillery
hack" by the GRU – this provided CrowdStrike and the US intell community the needed
"high confidence" re Russia being responsible for a DNC "hack" – and this (amplified by
recitation of CS agent Dmitri Alperovitch et al's false claims in the Washington Post etc.)
preceded Obama's sanctions against Russia.
It appears now as if neither the Republicans nor the Democrats will really want to reveal
all – and are moving to settle on "no collusion" but will avoid the "no hack" evidence
as the latter would harm the ongoing military desire to stoke a war, cold or hot, with
Russia.
With Christopher Steele, Pablo Miller, Sergei Skripal in the UK script of the moment
– the official deception is at a place of convergence.
Thank you for helping dispel the smoke-and-mirrors.
"... The anti Russia propaganda industry I believe was geared up to mobilize on an expected East Ghouta gas attack. OK the "industry" would not be privy to the details of such a false flag. But could it be they have gone off prematurely by assuming this Salisbury "event" was the intended pretext. ..."
"... Certainly there appears a degree of pre planned organization in the response to this false provocation ..."
"... I'm a major fan of Prime Minister May. What arouses my suspicions here is the refusal to this point of Her Majesty's government to submit samples of the poison to independent 3rd-party analysis. ..."
"... I've NEVER been antiwar, but DO oppose no-exit, no-win wars. The British public has a great deal of historical experience with such conflicts. Could this affair be the prelude to yet another? ..."
This is what a false flag operation is about: you need to carefully plant impurities that
point to the desired target. Compare with Vault 7. Can it be a chemical Vault 7 available
somewhere?
The anti Russia propaganda industry I believe was geared up to mobilize on an expected
East Ghouta gas attack. OK the "industry" would not be privy to the details of such a false
flag. But could it be they have gone off prematurely by assuming this Salisbury "event" was
the intended pretext.
Certainly there appears a degree of pre planned organization in the response to this false
provocation
My chemistry background is laughable (B in high school, D in college) and the only "legal"
course I took was called Sociology of Law.
The Romans had the line "Cui bono?" The rough translation (10th grade Latin) is "Who
benefits?"
Russia's President Vladimir Putin is an honor graduate of the KGB's foreign branch. It
stands to reason he wouldn't hesitate to have an ex-spy assassinated if he thought it served
the Russian interest. But in this case, what is that interest?
I'm a major fan of Prime Minister May. What arouses my suspicions here is the refusal to
this point of Her Majesty's government to submit samples of the poison to independent
3rd-party analysis.
Due to nearsightedness, I never served in the U.S. Army; had I the common sense of a goat,
I would have served in the Navy Supply Corps. I've NEVER been antiwar, but DO oppose no-exit,
no-win wars. The British public has a great deal of historical experience with such
conflicts. Could this affair be the prelude to yet another? Thank you all.
"... You have obviously been at the crime scene, have witnessed the comatose bodies of the Skripals and after analyzing the Novitchok samples you meticulously collected, have reached the inescapable conclusion ..."
"... Nice sarcasm. Well deserved for those "Novichok hot heads", who claim that it is plausible that a military grade nerve gas was used. Actually initial reports were about a synthetic opioid, not any nerve gas ( https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/ex-russian-agent-sergei-skripal-critical-condition-was-poisoned-by-fentanyl-1665286 ) ..."
"... I am amazed that people do not understand the level of absurdity of using nerve gas in such a case. It's really like ignorance has no boundaries. I understand that some people did not manage to graduate from a university or take a decent organic chemistry course, but still, this is simply amazing and very disturbing to read such posts. Especially here. ..."
You have obviously been at the crime scene, have witnessed the comatose bodies of the
Skripals and after analyzing the Novitchok samples you meticulously collected, have reached
the inescapable conclusion
I am amazed that people do not understand the level of absurdity of using nerve gas in
such a case. It's really like ignorance has no boundaries. I understand that some people did
not manage to graduate from a university or take a decent organic chemistry course, but
still, this is simply amazing and very disturbing to read such posts. Especially here.
If it was a nerve gas my question to "Novichok hot heads" here is who the assassin
was?
You need either to place a can or some punctured packet under the bench (probably
impossible) or spray the liquid on the victim from a short distance. The latter is a very
dangerous exercise if you are not wearing a respirator and protection gear.
Remember the place was under surveillance -- bad for any assassination. Also in lethal
concentrations, the gas kills the victims in several minutes. But Skripals survived
unattended for an hour or more and there was only one other seriously affected person -- a
policeman, while doctor who treated Skriplal's daughter on the bench was unaffected.
I do not see any reasonable way to administer the gas in this environment without
affecting many other people including any passerby, or the doctor who treated Skripal's
daughter
Yes, it certainly looks like a provocation, the "false flag" operation. The Brits and the Banks needed the US and the EU to join
the fight.
Notable quotes:
"... The most plausible goal of the whole "Operation Skripal" was poisoning UK-Russia relations and hopefully bringing the US and EU to impose new round of sanctions on Russia. In this sense it reminds Litvinenko case (which brought huge propaganda benefits to the UK and the hysteria lasted several months, if memory does not fail me). ..."
"... One thing I can't understand in "Operation Skripal" is how such an assassination (if we assume that this is an assassination) was accomplished. ..."
"... The gas (if it really exists, which is yet another question) supposedly is really deadly. If this was not gas but some substance infused with this agent (which would be extremely strange and risky method), you need to get it into the drinks, which means 100% chances of your detection. ..."
"... Moreover in case of the gas the difficulties look insurmountable -- to get it to the victim you need to mix components and shortly after spray it from a short distance, hoping the you mixed them correctly. The place where Skripals were found unconscious is a really bad place for such an exercise as there probably several cameras which record the events on the bench. ..."
"... So IMHO it looks like assassination without an assassin ..."
"... suggested traces of the opiate fentanyl -- a synthetic toxin many times stronger than heroin -- had been detected at the scene. ..."
Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best
he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia,
nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of a country who determine
the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or fascist dictorship, or a
parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked (by a Russian sounding chemical weapon Novichok), and
denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism (https://www.craigmurray.org.uk - Craig Murray has been most viciously attacked
for not accepting the official story without any evidence) and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
Hermann Gφring
That's a perfectly applicable variation of the famous quote.
The most plausible goal of the whole "Operation Skripal" was poisoning UK-Russia relations and hopefully bringing the US and
EU to impose new round of sanctions on Russia. In this sense it reminds Litvinenko case (which brought huge propaganda benefits
to the UK and the hysteria lasted several months, if memory does not fail me).
BTW exiled Russian oligarchs like Khodorkovski ( https://www.voltairenet.org/article168007.html
) also could easily stage such a false flag operation using their interconnections with both Russia and Israel.
One thing I can't understand in "Operation Skripal" is how such an assassination (if we assume that this is an assassination)
was accomplished.
The gas (if it really exists, which is yet another question) supposedly is really deadly. If this was not gas but some
substance infused with this agent (which would be extremely strange and risky method), you need to get it into the drinks, which
means 100% chances of your detection.
Moreover in case of the gas the difficulties look insurmountable -- to get it to the victim you need to mix components
and shortly after spray it from a short distance, hoping the you mixed them correctly. The place where Skripals were found unconscious
is a really bad place for such an exercise as there probably several cameras which record the events on the bench.
Unless it was the daughter who did this (in this case authorities have definitely all the necessary evidence of the crime committed)
chances of an attacker to survive such an attack are slim, and changes not being recorded on one or more camera are virtually
non existent.
If there was a human assassin, he/she risks to be immediately dead or severely injured as even in minimal concentrations such
a gas reliably kills a person within two minutes or so. Antidote might help to survive, but how effective it is depends on the
dose you can get.
If some robotic disperser was used, then it will be found as unlike in case of an explosive device the activation does no destroy
it.
Also unclear why target the daughter, unless we are dealing with some botched amateur false flag operation in best traditions
of ISIS Syria false flag operations.
Moreover, Skripals spent around an hour on a bench in a comatose state and were helped by a doctor who was not affected in
any way. See timeline at
So IMHO it looks like assassination without an assassin . There are some absurd statements that the poison was spiked
in their drinks either in the pub or at the restaurant:
Later their collapse was used to stage a false flag operation, when in fact there was no any gas involved, and at this point,
a grandiose propaganda show with the decontamination of the area started.
"... The immense media scare and publicity of the Skripal case is likely centrally directed. Someone is pressing NATO countries as well as thoughtful politicians to get on the side of the aggressive anti-Russian campaign. The French government spokesperson first rejected the accusations Theresa May made against Russia. It demanded proof: ..."
"... " We don't do fantasy politics. Once the elements are proven, then the time will come for decisions to be made," Griveaux told a news conference shortly after May said she was expelling Russian diplomats and suspending bilateral talks. ..."
"... A day later and without further evidence coming into light France folded and joined others in accusing Russia because someone allegedly used a poison "of a type developed by Russia". ..."
"... What we are seeing here with the Skripal incident and the "Novichok" claims is a gigantic propaganda campaign comparable to the 2001 Anthrax scare in the U.S. and the whole "weapons of mass destruction" campaign that heralded the U.S./UK war on Iraq. ..."
"... Moon of Alabama ..."
"... thanks b.. you are covering all the bases here.... it is a clear frame up with serious ramifications...why the politicians of the west are so intent on this begs the question.. who are these politicians working for?? it clearly is not in the interest of its citizens... ..."
"... So what happened in the interim that caused the Russia hysteria? As I pointed out in the previous thread, on March 6 Browder began giving testimony to a UK Commons select committee where he stated it was a "Kremlin hit" and "I believe they want to kill me. They haven't figured out a way yet where they can kill me and get away with it." As The Times put it: "Since he said that, suspicions have deepened that the Russian state was behind the poisoning..." ..."
"... I guess everybody is aware of the potential rhyming of history with this "attempted" assassination. So good to refer to Saker's latest, I find that though he is not a native to the US, his observations concur with many of those I have made on my own in my adult life regarding life and the inhabitants and the cultural starus quo regarding life in America. ..."
"... It's not difficult to comprehend how an entire culture can be whipped up into an irrational unexamined frenzy. ..."
"... Perhaps Peter Lavell is right in his hypothesis that wars begin from a loss of prestige? Well, that and trade wars traditionally escalate? I wonder what will happen next, every day, things are getting worse to quote the Jamaican song. ..."
"... You are correct about the apparent connection between TV shows and what's happening. Same thing with 9/11. Remember when Condsleazy Rice said they never considered Airplanes used to fly into buildings... Then look at the TV show premier Lone Gunman? ..."
"... I read that Yulia, on the bench, was vomiting, had lost control of her bowels, and was conscious. It sounded to me like mushroom poisoning. (Not ricin, anthrax, sarin ) ..."
"... Very reminiscent of the MH17 campaign that was used to bully the reluctant Europeans into imposing sanctions on Russia. Accusations were made and a narrative put forward immediately without presenting clear evidence or waiting for an investigation. ..."
"... Through repetition this narrative has become dogma in the West despite the fact that supporting evidence has still not been forthcoming. It seems that after 9-11 it became clear that quickly putting out a narrative, with the support of the press, and demonizing anyone with any public stature who questions the basic story could be successful, even when there were thousands of eye witnesses and many flaws in the official explanation. The facts, or what really happened no longer matter once the narrative has taken root. ..."
"... Its disgusting to see how all the western media, states use this incident as a warmongering effort. These people are really sick in their heads. Also, note how propaganda works in the west, EVERY JOURNALIST, EVERY POLITICIAN toe with the propaganda line, isn't it amazing? Not only how it works but that there is NO DISSENT? Heinous! ..."
"... "If we want to prevent a unpredictable clash between nuclear armed powers, which could kill millions within just a few moments, we must all publicly voice our doubts and expose the false accusations made against Russia and other countries." Exactly. I strongly hope many more will do so. By now Boris 'the menace' Johnson accuses Putin personally. This man wants to go down history as the one who ignited the world. ..."
"... In December 2017, the BBC was given unprecedented access to Porton Down. They produced a 1 hour documentary on the place including details on animal and human experimentation. The video was available up to a few days ago. It has now been removed. Original BBC page - video not available: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b07hx40t Video link at head of this page: [Edit: the page itself is now unavailable] http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/inside-porton-down-britains-controversial-12192830 It is still available here: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x65otqg ..."
"... The empire needs enemies to justify the hundreds of billions given to the MIC corporations. Enemies will continue to be manufactured. Screw the needs of the people. ..."
"... Browder!? Given that guy's history and background, the fact his name comes up in connection with this at all makes him #1 suspect, to my mind. He's a master at getting away with murder by dragging the red herrings of Putin and Russia across the trail. ..."
"... If we assume though that the Skripals poisoned themselves at home (accidentally or deliberately), then between the time they left home, had lunch (during which time they apparently had to wait 40 minutes for their meal), then went to a local pub for drinks and went to the shopping mall park bench, and the time they were found unconscious, with Julia Skripal vomiting, fitting and defecating, at least 90 - 120 minutes (up to 2 hours then) must have passed. They are now in Salisbury District Hospital in a critical condition. ..."
"... Compare and contrast his condition with the Skripals' condition. I think it is very likely that what contaminated the police officer is not the same thing that afflicts the Skripals. Could Bailey have been used to plant something at the Skripals' home and in doing so contaminated himself? ..."
"... Also we must ask why the Skripals have not been moved to a specialist hospital. ..."
"... The cui bono question's answer is those wanting at all/any costs to keep the Unipolar status of the Outlaw US Empire intact--an impossible task given the resources of the Multipolar Alliance. ..."
"... I see many parallels to 911's aftermath and the MH17 shootdown in this Big Lie promotion. Unfortunately, I don't see relations improving for quite a long time. ..."
"... So Glushkov was killed after the Salisbury incident same as Berezovsky (Glushov's partner) got killed after the Litvinenko case. ..."
"... Both the Litvinenko case or the Skripal case either completely incompetent or planned to cause a public crisis. ..."
"... Maybe the Skripals were poisoned for some unrelated reason. Or they simply overdosed on fentanyl. ..."
"... The event was piggybacked a few days later for promoting the War on Russia. Traces of some 'novichok' agent were left around Salisbury to be found by Porton Down experts. ..."
"... What if the "policeman" was actually the one who administered the poison and they just call him a policeman? ..."
"... The 'Skripal affair' is yet another chapter in a very long and inept but mesmerizing for many western geo-political 'soap opera', but without the soap. The constant theme: Russia is the enemy. And Russia really is the enemy, because it alone has effectively stood militarily up to the explicit adopted US geo-political doctrine of global military 'Full Spectrum Dominance'; also, Russia is an effective opposition to the implicit ambition of the insane western dominant-oligarchic-network of achieving global financial, political, and cultural 'full spectrum dominance'. ..."
"... Now there are numerous sub-stories – agendas – involved, but what they amount to are many threads in the playing out of what appears to be turning out to be an unsuccessful attempt at centralized global totalitarianism. Russia is out of western control. ..."
"... The completely unhinged 'Russia did it' outpouring of bs obsession of much of the American establishment and media in response to the Trump election glitch, again, is at core a recognition that Russia really is the enemy: the enemy of GMO food, the enemy of molesting children, the enemy of the western militaristic depravities, of western mass media's and politics' culture of deception. ..."
"... So I interpret the Skripal affair as a truly pathetic and desperate but thematic ploy that will over time rebound on the liars. The incident will underline the insane extent to which brazen stupid lies are relied upon by the western establishment. Notable is how immediately 'on cue' the foaming at the mouth indignation over Russia's 'terrible deed' has been in much British mass media and among British politicians. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Was it Orwell who noted that the great English cultural failing was hypocrisy? ..."
"... This is an outstanding post. The best and most important article that I have read in the years that I've visited here. I don't know how you do it. I believe that the Skripals were attacked with a nerve poison; but not the highly toxic binary "newcomer" agent identified by the Prime Minister. This incident is serving two purposes; to silence a likely source for the Steele Dossier and as a False Flag to further scapegoat Russia. It is inconceivable that the Russian Federation did it. This is too dangerous and not in their national interests. ..."
"... Western democracies have been overthrown by corporate mafia families. The military, intelligence officers, and civil servants, who worked for the public good, have vanished. The hysteria is so great my only conclusion is that the decision has been made to go to war. Withdrawal from Syria is impossible. Last night, NewsHour reported "Syria's war keeps raging, amid threats of a new Hezbollah-Israel conflict". An American war with Iran is inevitable. It will draw in NATO and Russia. This will be five nuclear powers at war. The Apocalypse is inevitable. ..."
"... So what's the end game? Is the Predator Class preparing to start Hot War with Russia sometime real soon? Everyone knows that once the shooting starts things would rapidly escalate into a nuclear confrontation that can easily spin out of control? Are we seriously mobilizing down that path? This is shaping up to be worst disaster since the Cuban Crisis which the Deep State also instigated... JFK vowed to terminate the CIA- Deep State and was taken out by the Dulles- CIA Wet Works Division in retaliation. ..."
"... up to 38 people have reportedly been poisoned but their names have not been released and no photos of them have as yet been released. ..."
"... It's a pretty strange poison that has varying effects on different people. The doctor who gave first aid was unaffected as well. But the narrative has been inconsistent from one day to the next. This suggests that most of what we are reading, seeing or hearing on the news is being improvised on the fly. We need to reserve judgment on who is responsible until more details become available (if they ever do). ..."
"... In Orwells 1984 one cant help but question if the perpetual war between the 3 nations is real or not. The purpose of war is clear, that is to consume the excesses of industrial production, while keeping the populace in relative poverty to keep them controllable. The populace is then further controlled by fear of the enemy rival state and can be coerced into accepting their diminished lifestyle and supporting the ruling regime . The limited amount of human life that is expended in these unending conflicts turns this perpetual war into a twisted peace; "War is Peace." ..."
"... The West is using the Skripal poisoning to strip Russia of credibility when it defends Syria against false flag chemical weapons attacks staged by their Takfiri dupes to facilitate military attacks by the West on Syria. In effect they are saying is that Russia is such an egregious offender regarding the use of chemical weapons that they cannot be believed when they come to the defense of the Syrian government...in fact, they are inferring that Russia is more than likely complicit in these chemical weapon attacks. With obliging media houses and an unthinking general population its foolproof. ..."
"... We know too little to completely rule out the possibility mentioned early on of a possible joint suicide attempt (supported by the references to fentanyl patches, which seems an odd thing for first responders to have made up if there wasn't something going on). ..."
"... The rest is theater, with the beautiful part being to demand Russia prove it did not use "their" nerve agent, one which appears to have been mostly a theoretical exercise by the USSR that did not really pan out and was likely never actually produced, such that anything "found" could be that damned stuff. Prove this is NOT unicorn shit! ..."
"... He had reportedly made recent appearances at the Russian embassy, maybe just renewing passport and registration documents, but what if it was more? ..."
"... As to the hegemonic west, there will be no war. What we're seeing now IS the war. This is all they have to throw at Russia, and China and Iran, etc. This is how they fight, using all the power they can gather, and this is all they have. Putin on March 1 destroyed all possible military options for them, beyond spiteful attacks on the defenseless, and the suicide moves of proxies. ..."
The government decreed 'truth' about the Skripal case has many discrepancies. The connection
of the case to Russia is much weaker than the propaganda claims. But doubt and dissent about it
are not
allowed to prevail .
The political response to the incident around the British-Russian double-agent Sergej
Skripal and his daughter started slowly. On Sunday, the 4th of March, Skripal and his daughter
were found unconscious on a public bench in Salisbury, England. The local police and emergency
services took care of them.
Only on March 8 did the case start to make larger waves. The BBC reported :
Addressing the House of Commons, the home secretary [Rudd] said the attack was "attempted
murder in the most cruel and public way".
...
She refused to speculate on whether the Russian state might have been involved in the attack,
saying the police investigation should be based on "facts, not rumour" .
Besides Skripal and his daughter one police officer was affected:
A police officer, who was in intensive care, is now "stable and conscious", Wiltshire's chief
constable said.
It is unclear where the officer is thought to have contacted the alleged poison. Some
reports
said it was at Skripal's house, others say that it was at the bench where the Skripal's
collapsed.
But a doctor and others who administered first aid were not affected at all:
Meanwhile, a doctor who was one of the first people at the scene has described how she found
Ms Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting and fitting. She had also lost control of
her bodily functions.
The woman, who asked not to be named, told the BBC she moved Ms Skripal into the recovery
position and opened her airway, as others tended to her father.
She said she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical
agent on Ms Skripal's face or body.
The doctor said she had been worried she would be affected by the nerve agent, but added
that she "feels fine".
This seems to exclude a highly toxic poison or a substance that is taken up through the
skin. But how then was the police officer affected?
The Skripal's are said to be still alive. No details about the alleged poison were published
and no medical bulletin about their current state.
After a slow start the British government is now making an
immense show out of the case by involving the army and by sending out lots of people in
obviously unnecessary high protection gear.
It also planted lots of rumors. On March 9 it was
said that the poison likely came from inside Mr. Skripal's house. Three days ago claims
were made that it was smeared on the door handle of Skripal's car,
today it is supposed to have come out of the suitcase of Skripal's daughter. All these
claims are based on leaks from anonymous official sources. It is likely that none of them is
true.
Today, twelve days after the incident, it is still unknown what chemical substance the
alleged poison exactly is and where and how it was administered.
Former British ambassador Craig Murray reports that the British chemical weapon laboratory
at Porton Down, just 8 miles from where the incident happened, is unsure
about what substance (if any) was actually involved:
I have now received confirmation from a well placed FCO source that Porton Down scientists
are not able to identify the nerve gas as being of Russian manufacture , and have been
resentful of the pressure being placed on them to do so. Porton Down would only sign up to
the formulation "of a type developed by Russia" after a rather difficult meeting where this
was agreed as a compromise formulation.
Blaming Russia for the use of a poison "of a type developed by Russia" (i.e. the Soviet
Union) is like blaming Germany for all current Heroin addicts because the Deutsche Reich
company Bayer developed the mass-production of Heroin as a sedative for coughs.
In her "45 minutes"
speech on March 12 Theresa May used this wording:
It is now clear that Mr Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve
agent of a type developed by Russia. It is part of a group of nerve agents known as Novichok.
"Of a type developed by Russia" is now the standard formulation that the British government
and its allies are using. This is supposed to refer to a zoo of chemical substances, the
Novichoks, that back in the 1980s a Soviet laboratory in today's Uzbekistan may have researched
as potential chemical weapons. There are serious
doubts , including from a leading Porton Down scientist, that these Novichoks actually
exist.
Someone in the British government propaganda apparatus probably watched the current seasons
of the British-American spy drama Strike Back . Nina Byzantina
points to the summaries of recent
episodes:
Episode 50 ran in the U.K on November 21 2017 and in the U.S. on February 23 2018:
Meanwhile, General Lázsló shuts down Section 20, forcing Donovan to work in
secret. She discovers that Zaryn is in fact Karim Markov, a Russian scientist who allegedly
killed his colleagues with Novichok , a nerve agent they invented.
Episodes 51 ran in the U.K on November 28 2017 and in the U.S. on March 2 2018:
Section 20 track Berisovich's meth lab in Turov where Markov is making more Novichok and
destroy it, though Berisovich escapes with Markov.
Episodes 52 ran in the U.K on January 31 2018 and in the U.S. on March 9 2018:
Section 20 track down Maya, a local Muslim woman Lowry radicalised, to a local airport. When
she attempts to release the Novichok , Reynolds shoots her. The Novichok is fake however, as
Berisovich does not want an attack committed in his country. ... By the time Section 20
arrives, Berisovich had already called in the FSB to extract Markov and confiscate the
Novichok . Yuri resurfaces to kill McAllister and Wyatt. However they turn the tables and
strangle him to death. They then manage to engage the FSB and contain the gas . But in the
process Reynolds is exposed. Markov works on an antidote but is killed by the Russians before
he can complete. McAllister improvises and saves Reynolds, before Novin blows up the lab.
Lowry uses the remainder of the gas to kill Berisovich for trying to betray her.
Isn't it astonishing how life follows the course of last week's TV drama? Or did the TV
drama follow a larger pre-written script? (Remember the X-Files pilot episode (vid) in March 2011 which
predicted 9/11?) Who really gave the British government the idea to blame Russia and Novichoks
for the incident that involved the Skripals? Were it the experts at Porton Down, some spy drama
on current TV or a propaganda agency?
The Soviet chemist Vil Mirzanyanov, who now lives in the U.S., is the only person who claims
that Novichocks were real chemical weapons.
Neither Porton Down nor the OPCW have accepted that claim. In
2007 Mirzanyanov wrote a still
available book about his work at the Soviet laboratory in Uzbekistan and published the
chemical formulas of some alleged Novichok substances. But, as Mirzanyanov
concedes , such Novichok substances, if these were involved at all, are by no means an
exclusively Russian issue. Vil Mirzanyanov's much publicized book made sure of that. As today's
Wall Street Journal
explains :
That publicity led its chemical structure to be leaked, making it readily available for
reproduction elsewhere , said Ralf Trapp, a France-based consultant on the control of
chemical and biological weapons.
"The chemical formula has been publicized and we know from publications from
then-Czechoslovakia that they had worked on similar agents for defense in the 1980s ," he
said. " I'm sure other countries with developed programs would have as well. "
...
"The understanding at the time was that even though Russia was working on it and developing
it, they didn't actually stockpile Novichok agents or precursors, " said Mr. Trapp.
The formulas are known and several other countries have worked on similar stuff. Anyone with
a decent laboratory and some expert knowledge can make such poisons. This explains why the
experts in Porton Down would not blame Russia and why the British government, eager to blame
Russia, can only talk about "a type developed by Russia".
The WSJ piece also explains why it will be difficult to find out from where, when
and how the alleged poisons came to Salisbury:
The components used to make Novichok are readily available, but their short lifespan and the
risks involved in using it demand professional expertise, scientific and arms experts
said.
...
Finding a trail of Novichok would be more difficult because it is carried in two parts that
are combined to create a viscous liquid only shortly before use, said Mr. Trapp.
Mr. Trapp is a seriousexpert on the issue. He says that
the Novichok agents are binary agents made from readily available substances and have a short
live span. These characteristics will make it practically impossible to find a real
culprit.
Russia, which the British government and now also its allies blame without presenting
evidence, had no reason to attack the Skripal's. Mr. Skripal, the British double agent, was
released from a Russian jail in a 2010 spy-swap. He has lived openly in Britain for eight
years. If this was an act of Russian revenge why wait so long? Killing him would also endanger
those Russian spies who came back to Russia in exchange for Skripal's freedom. It would impede
any future exchange. There is no plausible reason for Russia to do such, especially not in
current atmosphere.
There must be other reasons why Skripal was attacked, if he was, with some more recent
motive than the one attributed to Russia.
Elijah Magnier, with decades of experience as war correspondent,
tries to fit the incident into the larger picture of the U.S.-Russian proxy war in the
Middle East:
The US and the International community tried to stop the battles of al-Ghouta to no avail.
This prompted Washington to exercise its favourite hobby of imposing sanctions on Russia,
without succeeding in stopping the Syrian army (fighting without its allies – except
Russia) from recovering its control over Ghouta. The answer came immediately from Moscow by
bombing Daraa and hitting al-Qaeda's area of influence in an indication as to where the
future theatre of military operations is expected to be.
Again, events are moving very fast: the US response came quickly through its UK ally when
Britain took advantage of the poisoning of the former Russian spy Sergey Skripal in London to
accuse Moscow of being behind his assassination . The message here is clear: all means are
legitimate for the control of the Middle East, specifically Syria.
I am not sure that this claim fits the timeline. The British already hinted at Russian
culpability on March 8. Reuters reported the March 12 Deraa bombing
at 1:16 PM . The British prime minister May
raised her accusations against Russia only a few hours later. To prepare and negotiate her
statement with Porton Down likely took longer than that.
The Skripal incident has its origin in something different, likely in his supposed
involvement
in the dirty Steele dossier which targeted Donald Trump. ( More interesting
background to the Skripal-Steele connection can be found at UKColumn .) May's
statement was not prompted by the Syrian-Russian bombing in Deraa governorate but is a part of
the general anti-Russian campaign.
Magnier is right though to point out that a further escalation is quite possible:
The Syrian war is far from being a normal one. It is THE war between two superpowers and
their allies, where US and Russian soldiers are directly involved on the ground in a war of
domination and power. The lack of victory in the US eyes is worse than losing a battle. Even
more, the victory of Russia and its allies on Syrian soil in any battle is therefore a direct
blow to the heart of Washington and its allies .
...
The superpowers are on the verge of the abyss , so the danger of falling into a war of cosmic
proposition is no longer confined to the imagination or merely a sensational part of
unrealistic calculations.
The immense media scare and publicity of the Skripal case is likely centrally directed.
Someone is pressing NATO countries as well as thoughtful politicians to get on the side of the
aggressive anti-Russian campaign. The French government spokesperson first
rejected the accusations Theresa May made against Russia. It demanded proof:
" We don't do fantasy politics. Once the elements are proven, then the time will come for
decisions to be made," Griveaux told a news conference shortly after May said she was
expelling Russian diplomats and suspending bilateral talks.
A day later and without further evidence coming into light France folded and
joined others in accusing Russia because someone allegedly used a poison "of a type
developed by Russia".
The British opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn
warned of taking steps against Russia without first presenting evidence. He was immediately
assaulted in a vicious propaganda campaign.
Even the hat of British opposition leader Corbyn was photoshopped by BBC Newsnight
to make him look "Russian".
(If RT would do similar it would immediately lose its UK license.) - bigger
Corbyn
folded and now even makes claims that May has never made:
Theresa May was right on Monday to identify two possibilities for the source of the attack in
Salisbury, given that the nerve agent used has been identified as of original Russian
manufacture.
Theresa May's careful wording "of a type developed by Russia" does not imply a specific
agent nor Russian manufacturing. Corbyn fell into the trap.
What we are seeing here with the Skripal incident and the "Novichok" claims is a
gigantic propaganda campaign comparable to the 2001 Anthrax scare in the U.S. and the whole
"weapons of mass destruction" campaign that heralded the U.S./UK war on Iraq.
Provoking Russia further will not end well. Rattlesnakes are shy, but at some point they
have no other way
out than to bite.
If we want to prevent a unpredictable clash between nuclear armed powers, which could kill
millions within just a few moments, we must all publicly voice our doubts and expose the false
accusations made against Russia and other countries.
---
Previous Moon of Alabama pieces on the Skripal case:
I doubt the masses of the West is capable of standing up to their government. They have been
cowed. It is a pessimistic acknowledgement but I don't think anything short of hot war at
home could wake up the average European or American any more. Heaven knows the kind of
chemical that has been mixed with their food, but my observation is that most Westerners have
become apathetic. And there is no leader to show them the way. Like Barack Obama, if Jeremy
Corbyn becomes the Prime Minister of the UK he would be a disappointment. You have seen the
sign of it.
The Skripal propaganda offensive is likely designed to soften up European and American voters
for the long-sought bombing of Damascus. The French foreign ministry is
making threats again today . The good news is that McMaster is
rumored to be on his way out the door.
"There must be other reasons why Skripal was killed"
If he had died, wouldn't that be announced loudly and repeatedly? Even if he was still
seriously ill this long after the incident you'd think we would hear something about it. The
silence is deafening, no?
thanks b.. you are covering all the bases here.... it is a clear frame up with serious
ramifications...why the politicians of the west are so intent on this begs the question.. who
are these politicians working for?? it clearly is not in the interest of its citizens...
that
is a shame corbyn has also folded... using these terms ""of a type developed by Russia" is so
flimsy as to generally not even require a response, but may as leader of the uk and other
world leaders have been quick to cast blame on russia without providing any proof.. we are at
the same place we were at with the war on iraq - which has been proven to be based on false
premises... the big difference is russia is not iraq... i can't believe the leaders of the
west are this stupid and subservient to the interests of moving towards ww3 here...
my own thought is this has been in the works all along.. frame russia... russia stopped
the regime change game and for that they must be punished... the shit is going to hit the fan
and we will be lucky to avert it... these bimbos for world leaders need to be removed, now as
opposed to later - but there appears to be no one to replace them..
On Sunday, the 4th of March, Skripal and his daughter were found unconscious on a public
bench in Salisbury, England. ...
Only on March 8 did the case start to make larger waves.
So what happened in the interim that caused the Russia hysteria? As I pointed out in the previous thread, on March 6 Browder began giving testimony to a UK
Commons select committee where he stated it was a "Kremlin hit" and "I believe they want to
kill me. They haven't figured out a way yet where they can kill me and get away with it." As
The Times put it: "Since he said that, suspicions have deepened that the Russian state was
behind the poisoning..."
They could suffer from
botulism.
That could explain neurotoxin poisoning symptoms (including paralysis) without doctors and
nurses being affected. Still does not explain how that police officer got it. Hm.
Responding to 'Steve'; 'cowed' suggests 'beaten into submission' but my take (as a U.S.
citizen & resident for nearly 70 years) is that 'buffaloed' is more apt. American's faith
in the leaders & sources we've trusted (wrongly) to provide us the information needed to
maintain a functional democracy have now been proven to be unworthy of that faith.
50% of
registered voters couldn't even muster the interest in the '16 elections to bother to vote
and that outcome was determined by a archaic body formed to insure the continued rule of
white supremacist Christian male land owners (and, oh boy! Did they win big on that one!).
The 'official media outlets' (NYT, WaPo, MSNBC, CNN, Faux[NOT]News, etc.) have all been shown
to be highly partisan propaganda organs on a par with Soviet Russia's 'Pravda' (WaPo is
commonly called 'Pravda on the Potomac') so we've also been entirely 'gaslighted' and the
vast majority are adrift, not knowing what to believe or how to sort out reasonable
'alternative' news outlets (e.g.; ConsortiumNews, this site, RT, MPN, Telesur, etc. - IMO)
from outlets spouting hysterical propaganda (e.g.; InfoWars, Media Matters - IMO). In the
absence of trustworthy leaders or news sources I think the majority of my fellow citizens
find themselves either too paralyzed with indecision to make decisive choices other than to
abandon themselves to their 'Party of choice' and 'go with the flow'.
... Americans might begin seeing U.S. regime-change operations, among other
disastrous foreign policy choices, in a different light. Had we ever suffered the direct
consequences of war on our territory, we might be more empathetic with those upon whom we
unleash our 'democracy promotion'. But, these things haven't happened so the vast majority of
Americans are emotionally 'removed' from such empathy, or for some like the NeoCons' "better
them than us" & "well, they deserve it". The American political system is entirely broken
and dysfunctional. I see nothing hopeful in the future.
I guess everybody is aware of the potential rhyming of history with this "attempted"
assassination. So good to refer to Saker's latest, I find that though he is not a native to
the US, his observations concur with many of those I have made on my own in my adult life
regarding life and the inhabitants and the cultural starus quo regarding life in America.
Arguments that seem to ring true to nature are much more plausible to me than the
"propaganda" emanating from the UK and it's allies, but many of my friends and relatives are
impossible to speak to at this point, they seem to me so "off centered." It's not difficult
to comprehend how an entire culture can be whipped up into an irrational unexamined frenzy.
I'd forgive it completely if I didn't think that it was partly due to the habitual making of
poor choices, wherther coerced through societal pressure, or by personal convenience, mainly
for short term gain, and over a long period of time. Perhaps Peter Lavell is right in his
hypothesis that wars begin from a loss of prestige? Well, that and trade wars traditionally
escalate? I wonder what will happen next, every day, things are getting worse to quote the
Jamaican song.
Now a murder investigation has been launched into the death of Nikolai Glushkov. a close
associate of Boris Berezovsky (purported to be his right hand man) who was found dead on
Monday.
The Met police's counter-terrorism command, which has led the investigation from the
outset, was retaining its lead role in the investigation "because of the associations Mr
Glushkov is believed to have had", the force said.
"At this stage there is nothing to suggest any link to the attempted murders in
Salisbury, nor any evidence that he was poisoned," the police said in a statement.
Thanks b for your continued heavy lifting. Btw, other serious journalists are now citing your
diligence on this plot.
Yes, I 'm in on the dots to the Steele dossier "likely" that Skripal was very helpful and
must be silenced; his daughter too since he may have confessed to his part.
Falling apart it is. How was The Mirror, (UK), allowed to publish this article?
Before it is pulled, take a read. Below are just snips.
The Dark Secrets of Porton Down: Inside controversial defence lab which developed VX
nerve agent and used human 'guinea pigs' More than 20,000 people have been tested on at the top secret lab which is concentrating
on gas attack defences LINK
It is one of Britain's most secretive sites, remaining shrouded in mystery for more than
100 years. [.]
The 7,000 acre site, near Salisbury, is one of the UK's most secretive and controversial
military research facilities and the oldest chemical warfare research installations in the
world.
Scientists from Porton were among the first to create biological weapons as well as one
of the world's most lethal chemical weapons, but now its main purpose is to support the
military and help combat terrorism.
Porton Down opened in 1916 as the War Department Experimental Station for testing
chemical weapons during WW1.
Scientists at the lab researched and developed weapons agents used by the British
military during the war such as chlorine, mustard gas and phosgene.[.]
The base was later named the Chemical Defence Experimental Establishment.
Chemical weapons were tested on site. Scientists built cannisters full of poison gas that
could be released by a timer and they also filled shells with it and released them at
targets.
But many of the shells failed to explode meaning the fields are still full of the active
chemical agents.
Now Porton concentrates on devising defensive measures against gas attacks after its
chemical and biological weapons programme was closed down in the 1950s.
On the government's website it says: "To help develop effective medical countermeasures
and to test systems, we produce very small quantities of chemical and biological
agents.
"They are stored securely and disposed of safely."[.]
Human experiments
Since 1916 more than 20,000 people have taken part in studies at the base.
Porton Down's experiments on humans have been widely criticised as it is alleged some human
'guinea pigs' were duped into taking part in tests. Tests were carried out on servicemen to try and determine the effects of nerve agents on
humans - with one recorded death due to a nerve gas experiment.
Leading Aircraftman Ronald Maddison died aged 20 in 1953 after taking part in sarin nerve
agent toxicity tests.
.[.]
Viruses
Initial samples of the Ebola virus were sent to the Porton Down lab in 1976.
The lab now allegedly contains samples of some of the world's most aggressive diseases
including Ebola, anthrax and the plague.[.]
Aerial release trials
Between 1953 and 1976 a number of aerial release trials were carried out to help the
government understand how a biological attack might spread across the UK. The government said: "Given the international situation at the time these trials were
conducted in secret." And added: "The information obtained from these trials has been and still is vital to
the defence of the UK."
Two separate and independent reviews concluded the trials did not have any adverse
health effects on the UK population.[.]
Aliens
There has been speculation over the years that alien bodies could be hidden at the
sight. But the government has said: "No aliens, either alive or dead have ever been taken to
Porton Down or any other Defence Science and Technology Laboratory site."
Sorry but IMO no one is FALLING into a trap. These people know what they're doing. One gets
tired of hearing how Trump has been trapped into provoking Russia. Paul Craig Roberts seems
to believe it but after watching his actions I don't buy it at all. He never had any
intentions of settling with Russia nor easing out of the empire wars.
You are correct about the apparent connection between TV shows and what's happening. Same
thing with 9/11. Remember when Condsleazy Rice said they never considered Airplanes used to
fly into buildings... Then look at the TV show premier Lone Gunman?
Everything in the West is scams and/or lies. Nothing the governments put out, whether
economics or geopolitics are even close to accurate. The west is owned lock, stock and barrel
by the central banks are fascism economically and very nearly Nazism politically. Their
citizens are unskilled, uneducated, and have very little in the way of cognitive skills,,,
all necessary for tyrants to exist in the open as they do today.
Very good analysis b. Too bad reading comprehension in the West is at a 3rd grade
level.
Without a good description of the toxin / poisonous substance / other agent, it is not
possible to speculate. I read that Yulia, on the bench, was vomiting, had lost control of her
bowels, and was conscious. It sounded to me like mushroom poisoning. (Not ricin, anthrax,
sarin ) The only clue commensurate with 'nerve gas' or some other poison that could act
rapidly through skin by touch / contact (touching the ill person, a contaminated surface,
etc.) is that a policeman fell ill, but where is he, what are his symptoms, and how is he
doing? Maybe that was just hype, etc. (see b, top post.) This is contradictory - as b
points out - with the Doc not being affected in the least. (I'm not a toxicologist, this
is just common sense.)
Point is, if I stated that some cooking, veggie identification mistake, or some attempted
mayhem with mushrooms possibly as an insult miscalculated gone very wrong is what took place
here, nobody could disprove or even seriously challenge my theory, for now. (Not saying that
took place, only that there are no facts, no way of judging.)
The reaction of GB Gvmt., then the US, France, etc. is another matter altogether, in the
present climate it is par for the course. A Russian ex-spy almost dying (if that is the
case?) is obviously to be laid at the door of arch-devil Putin. This type of hysteria is
actually a sign of weakness, of bewilderment, of not knowing where to turn, what to do, etc.,
and exploiting situations in the silliest ways. The UK at any rate has gone past a peak
propaganda point, imhho.
I don't see a link for the account of the doctor who administered first aid. Great analysis. This is only something I noticed diving into the article a second
time.
Very reminiscent of the MH17 campaign that was used to bully the reluctant Europeans into
imposing sanctions on Russia. Accusations were made and a narrative put forward immediately
without presenting clear evidence or waiting for an investigation.
Through repetition this
narrative has become dogma in the West despite the fact that supporting evidence has still
not been forthcoming. It seems that after 9-11 it became clear that quickly putting out a
narrative, with the support of the press, and demonizing anyone with any public stature who
questions the basic story could be successful, even when there were thousands of eye
witnesses and many flaws in the official explanation. The facts, or what really happened no
longer matter once the narrative has taken root.
My question is what kinds of threats are being used to keep potential dissenters in line
now. French banks were punished over the mistrial deal and it was abandoned. Now the stakes
seem to be higher and the risk of defections has increased, so what is the stick?
Jonathan Freeland at The Guardian writes today that while due process and rules of evidence
are a foundation of democracy, they do not apply in this case because Putin is diabolically
evil. Freeland claims that since the responsibility for this "chemical weapons attack" is
obvious, no delay should be permitted to suss out the silly details - because the evil
Russians and their western enablers will use the time to "fog" the minds of the western
peoples and seed doubt. He proposes immediate action to isolate the "murderous tyrant",
through blacklists, freezing bank accounts, and unspecified action to counteract the intent
to exploit "democratic and legal traditions as weaknesses." (i.e. - calls for more clarity
play into Putin's hands).
The above is fascist twaddle, aimed at common citizens and also directly at Corbyn.
Freeland should be called out as such, I believe The Guardian limited its comment section for
a reason (other western media outlets have done the same over the past year). It seems
whipping up this non-story was at least 50% directed at Corbyn and reflects domestic UK
politics, but has taken a life of its own. The May government likely did not think out
possible consequences of going code red, and if Craig Murray's sources are correct that the
"findings" of the CW specialists are compromised intelligence produced under pressure, then
some seismic backlash may yet await. Certainly Freeland felt the need to bring up the 2003
experiences, if only to argue its not the same. The abject mediocrity of the politicians and
many of their supporters in the media is acute, and there's a real good chance they will
impale themselves on their own swords.
When progressive, social programs only have spineless, timid fools like Corbyn and Sanders to
front them, it is no wonder why so many socialist states states have been founded by
psychopaths like Lenin.
Thank you for continuing to raise your voice about the ongoing myth making in our world.
Are we ever going to discuss the Western social contract that has an elite cabal owning
the global financial system and everything else forever and ever? That is where the power
comes from that is fueling our sick world, IMO
Patron: Her Majesty Elizabeth II
President: HRH the Duke of Kent, Lt. Col. Rtd.
Chairman: The Rt Hon the Lord Hague of Richmond
Senior Vice President: General David Petraeus, US Army. Rtd .
Its disgusting to see how all the western media, states use this incident as a warmongering
effort. These people are really sick in their heads. Also, note how propaganda works in the west, EVERY JOURNALIST, EVERY POLITICIAN toe with
the propaganda line, isn't it amazing? Not only how it works but that there is NO DISSENT?
Heinous!
@22 jayc.. i wonder if freeland is any relation to our foreign minister here in canada -
crystia freeland? she's also a real buffoon whenever the word russia leaves her lips...
""Frankly speaking, in international practice we never encountered such behavior at the
state level when very serious accusations are being brought up against a country – our
country in this case – with such wording as 'apparently,' 'most likely' and so on," the
press secretary said. Such an approach "contradicts not only international law, but common
sense as a whole," he added. quote from Dmitry Peskov
What sounds more and more like war fever is becoming quite frightening. But it's interesting
to see that people are still sneering at those who point out that we appear to be on the
verge of war, as they have been sneering for years. We've been at this precipice for a long
time. The difference is that now we seem to be toeing the edge. In the end it is all theater
though, bloody theater. The end goal is the same as ever, a global police state, an Orwellian
world.
Jeremy Corbyn: " Theresa May was right on Monday to identify two possibilities for the
source of the attack in Salisbury, given that the nerve agent used has been identified as of
original Russian manufacture. Either this was a crime authored by the Russian state; or that
state has allowed these deadly toxins to slip out of the control it has an obligation to
exercise. If the latter, a connection to Russian mafia-like groups that have been allowed to
gain a toehold in Britain cannot be excluded.
On Wednesday the prime minister ruled out neither option. Which of these ultimately
prove to be the case is a matter for police and security professionals to determine.
Hopefully the next step will be the arrest of those responsible. "
I don't see any signs that the statement is manipulated or not of Corbyn's writing. What a
disappointment he is! Instead of keeping his back straight, as b correctly pointed out, he
completely folded into the anti-Russia frenzy. Without a shred of proof it's the Russian
government be it directly or indirectly through Russian mafia. What about MI5/6 creating a
desired political situation or as stated earlier by b, suicide or preventing a handover of
some sort (remember to what lengths the USA went with Snowden, Miranda and Morales). Corbyn
just proved to be a sellout just like any other politician in power.
"If we want to prevent a unpredictable clash between nuclear armed powers, which could kill
millions within just a few moments, we must all publicly voice our doubts and expose the
false accusations made against Russia and other countries."
Exactly. I strongly hope many more will do so.
By now Boris 'the menace' Johnson accuses Putin personally. This man wants to go down history
as the one who ignited the world.
@31 xor... corbyn could have said a lot of things... what i find amazing is it has to be
russia.. no consideration that another state player would consider such a thing - like
ukraine which clearly has an axe to grind with russia, under their present us masters, or
israel, which are unhappy with the changes that haven't worked out according to plan in
syria... they are at the top of the list of possibilities... corbyn is showing himself to be
another stooge (- not stoge ghosthip!) for the empire..
Indeed, note also that it is "of course" Russia's fault that we are on the verge of war,
rather NOT the hysterical anti-russian stance past years no no move on, sigh.
@Bakerpete - I hear the the English team will boycott the World Cup after the group stage.
@farm ecologist - I have corrected that "killed" in my piece. It was wrong. Thanks for
pointing it out.
@pantaraxia - I didn't know of that Browder connection. Sounds plausible.
@likklemore - , other serious journalists are now citing your diligence on this
plot.
Who would that be?
Also: Please don't quote news-sources at such length
@Noirette - yes, there are several other explanations for the Skripal's falling ill. The
first local reports (link in my first piece) said that Fentanyl had been found at the bench.
Other (unrelated) reports show that it is quite available in Salisbury.
@Norumbega - I don't see a link for the account of the doctor who administered first
aid.
The doctor part is in the BBC piece linked some lines before that passage
The "Russia did it" meme becomes more and more shrill and desperate every day. Trump's
reticence is because he owes Russians mucho money, not because of any thing else. Business
uber alles for him. Screw the working scum of the U$A and the globe.
The empire needs enemies to justify the hundreds of billions given to the MIC
corporations. Enemies will continue to be manufactured. Screw the needs of the people.
From Craig Murray's article and from a comment I found at anther site, it seems likely that
Portland Down have established that the poison used (or at least detected on the sample
tested) was an AChE inhibitor. Apparently other tests can be adapted to check for an AChE
inhibitor. Nerve agents designed for CW are AChE inhibitors, but so are all the chemicals in
this very long list at wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcholinesterase_inhibitor.
Barring such scenarios like announcing a discovery of nerve poison when some mild poison was
added to food that Skripals ate just by state fiat, probably some "Novichok" matching
published molecular structure was made, and as surmised by experts before, the stuff is not
particularly lethal -- you should not add Roundup to your food either, but if you do, there
is still some hope; using Novichok instead of soy souse may be similar.
If the molecules were indeed "Novichok" and not particularly lethal, it is very hard to
fathom why Russians would resort to it. One can imagine a diabolic plot to discredit western
governments by causing the latter to go ape, but really, isn't it enough to watch and comment
what they do already?
One argument for Russian involvement is that while many intelligence agencies would be
capable of doing it, only Russians would be sufficiently barbaric and brutal to go with
something like that. Civilized countries would use different methods. Drones. A team of 48
assassins with poisonous injections, administered to the target in a quiet hotel room without
disturbing the public (take that, drones!). And, in the name of Norway, they NEVER do it in
bucolic suburbs.
"..on March 6 Browder began giving testimony to a UK Commons select committee where he
stated it was a "Kremlin hit" and "I believe they want to kill me. They haven't figured out
a way yet where they can kill me and get away with it."
Browder!? Given that guy's history and background, the fact his name comes up in
connection with this at all makes him #1 suspect, to my mind. He's a master at getting
away with murder by dragging the red herrings of Putin and Russia across the trail.
40
As yet the UK has been unable to give OPCW the molecular structure or chemical makeup of the
poison. UK representative gave a statement to OPCW including the UK 'evidence". This included
neither designation code of a known substance nor chemical makeup of an unknown substance.
Considering that this crap is not very solid for May I was wondering how far she would go to
keep this from blowing back on her. Do the father and daughter die? If they are allowed to
recover how will they be presented to the media? Then I had a really frightening thought;
what if the police officer dies? Then all bets are off and no amount of real evidence will
fix this.
To me, this is more reminiscent of the justification of the Iraq invasion Version 2.
Saddam's Iraq was required to prove they did NOT have chemical weapons to lift crippling
sanctions regimes, rather than western governments bearing the onus of proving Iraq DID have
chemical weapons. As usual, the west made lots of grandiose accusations but little in the way
of credible evidence.
Theresa May is doing the same thing, demanding the Russian Federation show cause why they
shouldn't be regarded as being guilty as sin (although I don't understand why anyone would
think Russian operatives would be so unprofessional as to use a nerve agent that could be
linked to their home country rather than simply shoot him and make it look like a robbery
gone wrong... like Seth Rich?).
It's the same trick / tactic. It's very difficult to prove a negative, if not downright
impossible.
So much for innocent until proven guilty, a bedrock of jurisprudence pretty much the world
over. Western governments don't seem to able to live up to their own self-declared
principles.
I guess that this is the only strategy Her Majesty Government may have. Whatever the
formula, OPCW would have to give the only possible opinion that it had to be produced by a
secret lab that could be located in at least 50 different countries. UK and Russia had easier
time locating Skripals than most, but they were not living in hiding, so any international
reporter could track them (some passing command of Russian and English highly recommended,
but not necessary).
Next, OPCW could actually test the substance, and in case of mediocre lethality (poor rats
sacrificed in testing!), the case of distinct "Russian" brutality of the incident would be
rather weak, and the suspicions could be directed at the civilized countries.
I've also come to a similar conclusion as you have, that the Skripals were hit by food
poisoning. It is known that they went to Zizzi's in Salisbury for a seafood risotto lunch.
For those who don't live in the UK or have not visited there (both apply to me), the
restaurant is part of the Zizzi restaurant franchise in the UK. I've been told by a UK-based
commenter at The New Kremlin Stooge blog that the food (Italian cuisine) is vile.
Botulism might be possible - it doesn't cause unconsciousness but it does cause eyelids to
droop so the victim appears to look unconscious - and ciguatera poisoning (symptoms include
nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and various neurological symptoms that can last for years) from
eating fish is also a possibility. Shellfish poisoning is another possibility. Cooking does
not remove or destroy the toxins. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ciguatera https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paralytic_shellfish_poisoning
If we assume though that the Skripals poisoned themselves at home (accidentally or
deliberately), then between the time they left home, had lunch (during which time they
apparently had to wait 40 minutes for their meal), then went to a local pub for drinks and
went to the shopping mall park bench, and the time they were found unconscious, with Julia
Skripal vomiting, fitting and defecating, at least 90 - 120 minutes (up to 2 hours then) must
have passed. They are now in Salisbury District Hospital in a critical condition.
Detective Sergeant Nick Bailey goes to their home after the Skripals are found, finds
something and passes out almost straight away. He is also being treated in Salisbury District
Hospital. His condition is serious but not critical. He apparently is able to talk although
AFAIK no-one outside the police has been able to interview him.
Compare and contrast his condition with the Skripals' condition. I think it is very likely
that what contaminated the police officer is not the same thing that afflicts the Skripals.
Could Bailey have been used to plant something at the Skripals' home and in doing so
contaminated himself?
Also we must ask why the Skripals have not been moved to a specialist hospital.
@bakerpete.. the sad part, aside from those possibilities - are the many innocent people who
have died as a result of war, the war on iraq that blair and bush authored for one.. does
Britain want a repeat of that here? looks like they are crazy enough, given their political
leaders at this moment..
i have to say there are more salient and intelligent points made in this comment section than
the entirety of US MSM. a low bar, but still noteworthy.
i immediately thought of the reptilian brit wanker who said "russia is at our doorstep fer
realz! moar military welfare plz!" a week or so before this incident. in lieu of any actual
threat, this litvinenko redux was thrown together. also the steele dossier. and syria.
there are so many moving parts to the anti-russia(/china) machine that it's difficult to
pinpoint which cog is turning the hardest.
what stands out to me for the UK specifically (besides another disappointing case of
corbyn lacking spine to match his heart) is that the same western media and politicians who
over the past months have painted may as a "BrexitTard" (when she's actually just a typical
neoliberaltard) and mocked her obvious lack of leadership qualities (or even basic intellect)
are suddenly treating her as a pasty version of colin powell holding his little vial. ditto
boris johnson who has been derided as "brit trump" but overnight has credibility because "the
enemy of russia is my friend". i guess if they can rehab subhuman neocons like kristol and
frum then anyone can get a "cold war makeover".
as for WWIII and such, i try to stay positive. there are still a lot of rich twats with
money invested in various russian ventures and china would definitely join in on russia's
side if nukes became a real possibility. alone, a stalemate in war with the west. together,
start watching "the road" and adapting your favorite recipes for human meat since that's all
we'll have to eat. plus you can always count on good old fashioned western cowardice should
the draft be reinstated and rejected by the coddled masses.
Excellent points! The cui bono question's answer is those wanting at all/any costs to keep the Unipolar
status of the Outlaw US Empire intact--an impossible task given the resources of the
Multipolar Alliance.
I see many parallels to 911's aftermath and the MH17 shootdown in this Big Lie promotion.
Unfortunately, I don't see relations improving for quite a long time.
We know that the western " advisers " in Aleppo were exfiltrated through buses with opaque
windows when the city went back to the Syrian state. The Russians allowed this. Now they are
so angry that they probably have refused the same thing to happen for the advisers still in
Ghouta. Wouldn't this explain a lot of things?
Seeing the first photo, becomes very easy to know the origin of White Helmets: the seed never
falls too far from the tree.
Bunch of incompetent idiots! They do not even get a picture with a minimum of credibility?
Are the English people so stupid as to swallow this shit?
If we want to prevent a unpredictable clash between nuclear armed powers, which could kill
millions within just a few moments, we must all publicly voice our doubts and expose the
false accusations made against Russia and other countries.
With due respect, I beg to differ.
If we must all publicly - do - anything let's choose something measurable with a permanent
long-term benefit. Western Democracy has been infected with a cancer called Neoliberalism (=
Privatise Everything).
It can be treated, and cured, by demanding that our local MPs propose, endorse, and PASS Laws
making it illegal for politicians to accept, and for anyone at all to offer, 'political
donations'. Refusal to do so may safely be interpreted as a reliable indicator that he/she is
representing the interests of an entity other than the people who voted for him/her and
should step down so that The People can select a trustworthy replacement.
That's Step 1 towards disinfecting Democracy and until The People have gotten off their
asses and tried it, I don't want to hear, and won't listen to, any more feeble-minded
whingeing about 'bad' government.
The truth on the British Russian scene is coming out slowly.
This here is the
BBC
When Britain wanted to extradite ex-KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi over the death of Kremlin
critic Alexander Litvinenko, the press noted that Mr Lugovoi had been linked to a supposed
escape attempt for Glushkov in 2001.
So Glushkov was killed after the Salisbury incident same as Berezovsky (Glushov's partner)
got killed after the Litvinenko case.
Both the Litvinenko case or the Skripal case either completely incompetent or planned to
cause a public crisis.
Coverup in full process. Ain't the first time in Syria nor will it be the last.
Syria requires a decisive victory by one side or the other.
How much pain can the US take? We already know the Russians feel pain differently.
They show it with their heroic acts of immolation rather than capture. For Russia, Syria is not an option. It is as necessary to be there as it is to have Crimea
and the port for the Black Sea Fleet. Russia has returned to the ME, to the Mediterranean, to
North Africa (Egypt-Libya).
The US refuses to accept Russia as a great power.
When it finally takes notice of the body count from payback that is coming, from tactics that
cannot win in Syria, from a strategy based on hegemony and Exceptionalist ideology, then the
US will retreat. Syria will be decided by missiles (and missile defenses). That is why it is clear, Russia
will prevail.
Maybe the Skripals were poisoned for some unrelated reason. Or they simply overdosed on
fentanyl.
The event was piggybacked a few days later for promoting the War on Russia. Traces of
some 'novichok' agent were left around Salisbury to be found by Porton Down experts.
This may be a bit too complex to pass Occam's razor. But suppose there is an opportunistic
infowar operation just waiting for the right trigger event to launch their false-flag
spin.
"Rather, an unemotional reading of the international situation reveals that this
conclusion [imminent end of world] is hyperbole, and that all previous indicators suggested
that events would expectedly move in this direction. Instead of being "out of control",
everything is actually "under control" -- the US and its allies are only doing what Russia
had already predicted they would, and it's difficult to imagine that anyone in the Kremlin is
surprised by the latest twists and turns in the New Cold War."
I've noted numerous comic strips reflecting on the issue of truth telling, one asking if
it's okay to lie since the President and media lie all the time; the answer being no, it's
never okay to lie--5 during this past week alone.
Pepe Escobar's been busy thus week with 3 articles published at atimes.com, 2 related to
BRI, while this one examines why it's
Putin's fault that he continues to win.
"We know that the western " advisers " in Aleppo were exfiltrated through buses with opaque
windows when the city went back to the Syrian state. The Russians allowed this. Now they are
so angry that they probably have refused the same thing to happen for the advisers still in
Ghouta. Wouldn't this explain a lot of things?"
Posted by: claudeS | Mar 16, 2018 5:07:10 PM | 52
Most probably. Indeed, I think the Russians should retaliate by disclosing once for all
the "real" role of the US and "its allies" in Syria, to the knowledge of all the US and,
especially, European citizens who have suffered and have been submitted to martial law on
account of the same terrorists they are supporting, trainning, arming and advising in Syria.
This issue of falsely accusing Russia has gone too far.
BTW, that not only were "advisors" who fled from Alepo, but when the "Baba Amro caliphate"
fell down to the SAA, some UK and French spies disguised as journalist of very renown media
were caught and allowed to leave through a corridor straight to Lebanon in a truce...That was
at the very beginning of the war....
More correctly, William of Ockham's Razor, or even Aristotle's, the first documented
exposition of the Law of Parsimony. No such person as Occam, an invention. See here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occam%27s_razor
I don't think there was a slow response to the event. Rather the press seemed remarkably well
prepped in what was just a temporary closure of an A&E for non-urgent customers.
Plenty of TV and radio coverage on the same day. Lots more coverage the next day.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wiltshire-43289194
True there was a drip drip feed of news, and direct references to Senior Sources waited
for a few days. But it all seemed pretty well staged managed to me.
As well as Craig Murray's good comments on "of a type developed by Russia", I'd also add
that I have yet to see any official with a name and a title actually say it was Novichok or
even a nerve agent. May says her intelligence services say so. No one says it in their own
name. Very like WMD.
IRAN DID IT! There is a publication online from
November 2016 by Iranian scientists that describes the synthesis of Novichok agents. The
paper includes precise synthesis instructions, including where to source the raw materials.
The synthesized compounds may not be the exact ones most suitable for weaponization, but they
resemble A-230 sited A-242 in the literature.
All the chemicals required for the microsynthesis of O-alkyl
N-[bis(dimethylamino)methylidene]-P-methylphosphonamidates were purchased from
Sigma-Aldrich (St. Louis, MO, USA), Fluka (Neu-Ulm, Germany), and Merck (Darmstadt,
Germany), and were used as received. Methylphosphonic difluoride (Scheme 1, cpd 1) was
synthesized by use of a method described elsewhere.[18] Isopropanol-d6 was prepared by
reduction of acetone-d6 by sodium borohydride.[19]
Unlike the other articles in the Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry journal
this article is available for free with all diagrams.
The Iranian researchers synthesised five 'Novichok' agents, along with four deuterated
analogues. They were all O-alkyl N-[bis(dimethylamino)methylidene]-P-methylphosphonamidate
compounds (i.e. molecules with the typical nerve agent phosphorus group coupled to
N,N,N'N'-tetramethylguanidine). The O-alkyl group was varied, with the methoxy, ethoxy,
isopropoxy, phenoxy, and 2,6-dimethylphenoxy derivatives being prepared. The syntheses were
carried out on a micro-scale in order to minimize exposure.
The 'Skripal affair' is yet another chapter in a very long and inept but mesmerizing for many
western geo-political 'soap opera', but without the soap. The constant theme: Russia is the
enemy. And Russia really is the enemy, because it alone has effectively stood militarily up to
the explicit adopted US geo-political doctrine of global military 'Full Spectrum Dominance';
also, Russia is an effective opposition to the implicit ambition of the insane western
dominant-oligarchic-network of achieving global financial, political, and cultural 'full
spectrum dominance'.
Now there are numerous sub-stories – agendas – involved, but what they amount
to are many threads in the playing out of what appears to be turning out to be an
unsuccessful attempt at centralized global totalitarianism. Russia is out of western control.
The completely unhinged 'Russia did it' outpouring of bs obsession of much of the American
establishment and media in response to the Trump election glitch, again, is at core a
recognition that Russia really is the enemy: the enemy of GMO food, the enemy of molesting
children, the enemy of the western militaristic depravities, of western mass media's and
politics' culture of deception.
And with Russia out of control, China has had a chance to strengthen itself, and
straighten its back, and many other countries are trending in that direction. The unipolar
ambition is unraveling.
The US dollar as reserve currency, and the US domination of IMF and World Bank are at
stake. And sensible populist policies pertaining to finance may begin to infiltrate the debt
slavery system that currently dominates and hobbles so many countries.
So I interpret the Skripal affair as a truly pathetic and desperate but thematic ploy that
will over time rebound on the liars. The incident will underline the insane extent to which
brazen stupid lies are relied upon by the western establishment. Notable is how immediately
'on cue' the foaming at the mouth indignation over Russia's 'terrible deed' has been in much
British mass media and among British politicians. The hypocrisy is breathtaking. Was it
Orwell who noted that the great English cultural failing was hypocrisy?
All the above doesn't make the situation any less dangerous. Insanity and stupidity are
not great qualities for influential people with nuclear weapons to have, or when facing those
with nuclear weapons.
This is an outstanding post. The best and most important article that I have read in the
years that I've visited here. I don't know how you do it. I believe that the Skripals were attacked with a nerve poison; but not the highly toxic
binary "newcomer" agent identified by the Prime Minister. This incident is serving two
purposes; to silence a likely source for the Steele Dossier and as a False Flag to further
scapegoat Russia. It is inconceivable that the Russian Federation did it. This is too
dangerous and not in their national interests.
Western democracies have been overthrown by corporate mafia families. The military,
intelligence officers, and civil servants, who worked for the public good, have vanished. The
hysteria is so great my only conclusion is that the decision has been made to go to war.
Withdrawal from Syria is impossible. Last night, NewsHour reported "Syria's war keeps raging,
amid threats of a new Hezbollah-Israel conflict". An American war with Iran is inevitable. It
will draw in NATO and Russia. This will be five nuclear powers at war. The Apocalypse is
inevitable.
interesting post on this topic here with some interesting
info, to which i am going to quote - from the comment section..
Paul Greenwood John Jones • 18 hours ago
Dr David Kelly worked at Porton Down, when he informed Andrew Gilligan about his
reservations on WMD following inspections in Iraq he was "suicided"
John Jones Paul Greenwood • 17 hours ago
Yes, David Kelly worked physically at Porton Down as part of his job for DSTL at the
time. There is a large wiki entry on the Hutton Enquiry and of the post mortum on Dr Kelly
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/... Again, worth a read - I suspect a few people have a different interpretation than you on
the scientists tragic death .
Paul Greenwood John Jones • 17 hours ago
I am sure they do as they do on Skripal's situation, whatever that might be. Do you know
if he is alive/dead/ventilated or in hospital or inside Porton Down ?
John Jones Paul Greenwood • 16 hours ago
From BBC news I understand that both Skripal anf his daughter and the Police Sargeant. are
in hospital in Salisbury, I think the PM.even spoke to the Police Sargeant.
I genuinely doubt that the Dstl site at Porton Down has either the hospital nor isolation
facilities /protocols needed for a care situation.
Question: Did police sergeant Nick Bailey also eat the seafood risotto at the Zizzi restaurant? In fact, did all the 20 people alleged to
have been affected have the same dish for lunch?
Those criticising Corbyn-for remarks quoted, without context in the media which hates him-
are unconsciously succumbing to the Establishment's game which is to use this false flag to
crush dissidents and, in particular (at a time when the internal campaign to clear out the
Blairite apparatchiki sabotaging the Labour Party is at a climax, with the selection by the
NEC of a new full time General Secretary due within a few days) the Labour Left.
The left has never been closer to power in its long history. The British ruling class live
in fear of Corbyn declaring independence from the media, the punditocracy, the deep state and
the City of London. They fear him because he promises to reform the tax system, renationalise
the utilities, clean up the relationshop between Westminster and the kleptocracy, leave the
EU and question the purpose of NATO.
These things may not impress anyone here but they make The Establishment in the UK tremble in
fear. And their equivalents around Europe too dread the example of a revitalised welfare
state, a reversal of Thatcherism and neo-liberalism and one of the main leaders of the Stop
the War movement of 2003 coming to power.
If Corbyn uses the opportunity to point out that the crooked oligarchs who hate Putin are
hand in glove with the City and the Tories, good luck to him. If he suggests that they may
well be involved in assassinations in the UK, he could be right- what he has not claimed is
that there is any evidence at all of Russian governmental involvement.
Let's look at the Big Picture: the only people in the US close to power who want war with
Russia are the neo-cons. And most of them (Krystol, Boot, Frum etc) are just web cam whores
selling warmongering language because it is easy work.). Nobody seriously believes that the
full spectrum domination of the globe is anything more than an old pipedream, the last whiff
of the Manifest Destiny gas which was almost empty when Frederic J. Turner was a lad.
There will be wars but only where there are no formidable enemies- the USA will fight anyone
who doesn't have an air force or long range missiles.
The main enemy of the US ruling class and its equivalents throughout the west and in most of
the world is the people -- it is them that they fear and hate. And for ages they have kept them
waiting for justice, for their share of the wealth that they have created by claiming that
war is coming, that the pocket money for kids, the pension funds, the budget for new
hospitals must be spent on weapons, to keep the Yellow Peril or the Red Menace at bay.
It has been crystal clear since 1990 that there is no longer any justification for
postponing the peace dividend, guaranteeing basic social and economic rights (eg the Four
Freedoms from WW II), addressing the problems of the environment, evicting the exploiter from
his place at every family's dinner table; putting an end to those living off the homeless and
the unemployed, blackmailing the sick, enslaving the vulnerable.
And those-too many of whom are elderly baby boomers who have become fearful of change- unable
to see what needs to be done- and that it needs doing sooner rather than later- that
demographic is shrinking, along with newspaper readership, believers in the MSM and those
who, with straight faces, can call a choice between Trump and Clinton (and their clones
around the world) a political contest.
The bottom line is that, thanks to b and others like him or ready to share these posts, we
all know that the Skrival story is bullshit from soup to nuts. We know who benefits from such
lies and hysterical campaigns and it is not us, or the rest of the 99% of the world's
population who matter..
What they/we want is a community in which we can live together in peace stop wasting our
precious lives on the ideology, practice and organisation of war and murderous competition
and the first tiny step in that direction involves replacing our evil rulers with people more
in tune with our desires and more receptive to our wishes.
So what's the end game? Is the Predator Class preparing to start Hot War with Russia sometime real soon? Everyone
knows that once the shooting starts things would rapidly escalate into a nuclear
confrontation that can easily spin out of control? Are we seriously mobilizing down that path? This is shaping up to be worst disaster since
the Cuban Crisis which the Deep State also instigated... JFK vowed to terminate the CIA- Deep
State and was taken out by the Dulles- CIA Wet Works Division in retaliation.
The ? was asked above about 'how do all the EU puppets all of a sudden agree with PM May et
al?'. Well, maybe one should make a study of how blackmail works...just sayin'...!
The loss of the Middle East is in prospect for the US, now the UK, France and Germany are
proposing to the other EU members, sanctions against Iran because of their missile defence
program and 'meddling in the Middle East' an obvious sop to Donald Trump.Why are the UK
population being propagandized so much, could this be the reason.....
"Of course the people don't want war. But after all, it's the leaders of the country who
determine the policy, and it's always a simple matter to drag the people along whether it's a
democracy, a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no
voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you
have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of
patriotism, and exposing the country to greater danger."
Petri Krohn @ 72: Depending on who you read or listen to, up to 38 people have reportedly
been poisoned but their names have not been released and no photos of them have as yet been
released.
It's a pretty strange poison that has varying effects on different people. The doctor who
gave first aid was unaffected as well. But the narrative has been inconsistent from one day
to the next. This suggests that most of what we are reading, seeing or hearing on the news is
being improvised on the fly. We need to reserve judgment on who is responsible until more
details become available (if they ever do).
Thanks for that. It is quite obvious that strategy is being used again. Where are the
countervailing forces today? Perhaps only you, I and the rest of the 99%
How to get the 99% to stand up and say NO! And as other have written, we need a
replacement/upgrade strategy for our governmental leadership so they all work for us and not
the 1%.
I derive some pleasure in seeing events seemingly bringing our cultural dysfunction to a
crisis, manufactured or otherwise, because the period of social flux provides opportunity for
human growth and evolution......will that potential be realized?
Posted by: xor | Mar 16, 2018 2:43:34 PM | 31
re Corbyn selling out
Is he selling out or is he leaving options open while avoiding confrontation. He may recall
what happened to Kelly.
In Orwells 1984 one cant help but question if the perpetual war between the 3 nations is real
or not. The purpose of war is clear, that is to consume the excesses of industrial
production, while keeping the populace in relative poverty to keep them controllable. The
populace is then further controlled by fear of the enemy rival state and can be coerced into
accepting their diminished lifestyle and supporting the ruling regime . The limited amount of
human life that is expended in these unending conflicts turns this perpetual war into a
twisted peace; "War is Peace."
I cant help but think China, Russia and the West are playing the same game with some
additional actors in the Middle East taking sides in the pretend conflict. Eric Prince chosen
by China to head security for its BRI. Russia leaving business unfinished in Syria. Madness.
Putins public declarations of new weapon systems play right into US hands to get larger
defense budgets in a time of larger deficits due to tax cuts. He knows as well as anyone the
US knows of their capabilities.
On the other side the Trump-Kim silliness. Absurd Russia Gate in US that a 10 yo should be
embarrassed to believe in , and this nonsense by May in the UK.
Its all theater IMO. No wonder there are no good movies out there as Hollywood writers are
too busy scripting our reality and translating into Russian and Chinese
news report
The White House sought to quash suggestions that President Trump is too soft on Moscow
Thursday, ordering sanctions against Russians alleged to have participated in election
meddling and joining allies to condemn the Kremlin for an attempted murder in Britain.
The moves took many skeptical observers by surprise, given that the administration has long
been accused of being too sympathetic to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The West is using the Skripal poisoning to strip Russia of credibility when it defends Syria
against false flag chemical weapons attacks staged by their Takfiri dupes to facilitate
military attacks by the West on Syria.
In effect they are saying is that Russia is such an egregious offender regarding the use of
chemical weapons that they cannot be believed when they come to the defense of the Syrian
government...in fact, they are inferring that Russia is more than likely complicit in these
chemical weapon attacks.
With obliging media houses and an unthinking general population its foolproof.
Terrific set of articles, b. Really, even the most cursory overview of actual, known facts,
viewed in the known political webs and the known modus operandi of the Western intelligence
(sic) services, there is truly no way it was a Russian "hit." Not sure what really happened,
but sure it wasn't that.
Actually I'm curious about the factor that seemed to have changed--the daughter. Something
about her appearance brought this to a head. Did she visit regularly, or was this a
portentous meeting? And did she bring good news or bad? We know too little to completely rule
out the possibility mentioned early on of a possible joint suicide attempt (supported by the
references to fentanyl patches, which seems an odd thing for first responders to have made up
if there wasn't something going on). I have seen two pictures of the daughter, and the recent
one showed she had lost a lot of weight. That could be healthy, but what if she came to tell
Pop that she had terminal cancer, or his request to be allowed to return to Russia was
denied. He is friendless and unhappy in a strange country...suicide might not be ridiculous.
And only after did it dawn on some MI6 smearmeister how timely it would be to say it was an
assassination, performed in the only conceivable way that would immediately implicate Russia.
The rest is theater, with the beautiful part being to demand Russia prove it did not use
"their" nerve agent, one which appears to have been mostly a theoretical exercise by the USSR
that did not really pan out and was likely never actually produced, such that anything
"found" could be that damned stuff. Prove this is NOT unicorn shit!
Perhaps more likely, though, would be an alternative. He had reportedly made recent
appearances at the Russian embassy, maybe just renewing passport and registration documents,
but what if it was more? What if he had been approached with the proposition that since he
was the "Russian source" in the Steele dossier, and Russia is tiring of the incessant
Russiagate stuff and thought perhaps there was information he could provide which would
further discredit Steele? Britain would no longer be safe, so best if he retuned to Russia
and be reunited with his daughter. Daughter arrived either to finish sealing the deal, and/or
to provide some cover with respect to the return visit to Russia. Western agencies are tipped
off (no doubt they have many eyes on Steele an his associates), fear Dad might have talked
too much to Daughter, so both are killed, at which point the above theater takes over.
Not enough information to know, of course, but it is curious why the poisoning now, and
why him, and why with his daughter? It just seems her appearance on the scene might be tied
in with the timing.
Reading up on the AChE inhibitors, the grouping that CW nerve agents belong to, I find that
thre is a huge amount of ongoing research into new chemical structures both for pesticides
and medicine.
The known CW nerve agents were stumbled upon during research for agricultural purposes, but
when found too toxic, further developed as chemical weapons.
It seems likely, going by Craig Murray's second article, that Portland Down has detected an
organophosphorus chemical of some type - as yet, the chemical structure unknown. For a nerve
agent or AChE inhibitor to be known as a chemical weapon, it has to have been manufactured
for that purpose.
The three people poisoned by some form of organophosphorus AChE inhibitor, chemical
structure as yet unknown. Non military as all three victims alive, but as organophosphorus
AChE inhibitors are non reversible, will most likely never recover from whatever state they
are in now. The facts seem to end with three people being poisoned by an unidentified organophosphorus
AChE inhibitor. There would be many thousands of these left over/put aside from other
research.
The rest, military grade nerve agent, only Russia can produce it, Novichok, ect ect is all
narrative.
clarification Re., "as organophosphorus AChE inhibitors are non reversible, will most
likely never recover from whatever state they are in now."
Not necessarily. Like other enzymes, AChE gradually turns over in the body. Thus, assuming
the victim survives, the poison should be eliminated via the body's normal metabolic and
excretory mechanisms, and the irreversibly inhibited AChE gradually replaced by newly
synthesized molecules.
To compare, ASA/aspirin is an irreversible inhibitor of an enzyme called cyclooxygenase,
whereas ibuprofen inhibits the same enzyme, albeit in a reversible manner.
The only way to deal with pure black propaganda as a series of cases under umbrella of Putin
did it MH17 etc all., and Russia gate or rather Russia hate campaign and with all the coming
soon more nonsense and vicious attack of wounded and dying political animals in the west
trying to prove themselves useful relevant to global oligarchy before they have their asses
kicked as ineffective tools for manipulation and confusion of enslaved masses is to ignore it
as it is only a theatrical performance aimed to scare people into submission under fake
threat of war.
Putin meek or no real response for the series of provocations since at least 2012 is
telling the truth of reality of situation namely scared populations. Works for all sides and
is beneficial for all trusted politicians who only lie when their lips are moving.
Putin was poling in high fifties to low sixties in 2012 recently polled in eighties and
even in nineties when more viciously attacks on Russia was unleashed. What not to like, seen
as defended of mother Russia under senseless accusations would rise polls even of hatred
Yeltzin as Russian Byzantine politics dictates and what brought support for widely hated
Stalin even after mass cleansing of the party and wiping out families deemed his enemies ,
Russians stood up for him as a symbol of the nation. Putin did not loose on any of that
nonsense and in contrast consolidate his power while in the same time build consensus among
supporting oligarchy, even Berezovsky change his mind about Putin along that lines.
Also a joke of sanctions against Russia brought no harm to Russia but only benefit as they
shed dependence of the west but to Europe and helped to create chaos and let a bunch of
puppets of Washington to take over roles of frontmen creating conditions of another bailout
this time, since 2008 bailout of banks, multinationals, insurance companies, car companies,
and hitech and energy companies now we witness bailout of MIC and war industry on all sides .
You want to see nukes flying let May seize all assets of Russian oligarchy in UK but that
will never happen, Putin meek attempt of doing so in Russia made him western target so he
backed down as releasing Chodakovsky and others like double agents proved.
Do not be fooled, the only war that is coming is vicious war against ordinary people
forced into slavery by united global oligarchy who are loosing their propaganda edge as more
people wake up from torpor of national politics.
I agree totally with your points. The Skripal affair is more than unraveling, it's
rebounding with every wrong action it takes. In its overblown hysteria and vitriol, it is
destroying, far more than enforcing, the power of mass lies in the UK - in my view.
@73 bevin -
Agreed that the UK is very alarmed by Corbyn, in the ways you state. I appreciate your
summary, I hadn't seen any news about what he said yet. I confess I was falling into
disappointment. Silly me.
And of course, it's always been the war of the rich against the poor, on a planet that
produces abundance for all, but for the plunderers who become and remain rich by stealing
from the poor. This is the only war there ever was, with greed at its root.
~~
As to the hegemonic west, there will be no war. What we're seeing now IS the war. This is
all they have to throw at Russia, and China and Iran, etc. This is how they fight, using all
the power they can gather, and this is all they have. Putin on March 1 destroyed all possible
military options for them, beyond spiteful attacks on the defenseless, and the suicide moves
of proxies.
What we are hearing in this latest opportunistic attack on Russia is the howl of insane
rage, and the tantrums of willful children who are actually provoking to be slapped, just to
return them to their senses.
I think Russia will be judicious with that slap, and execute it perfectly, with as much
mercy as the situation allows. The US has been begging for it for a long time, and Russia has
had plenty of time to plan multiple scenarios. Syria would be an excellent place for it to
happen.
"... The haste in which the accusations and accompanying propaganda campaign were put in motion indicates a panicked decision made under pressure from the Puppet Masters of Washington. ..."
"... Likely the investigation will be a reprise of the MH17 case, where obstruction and obfuscation were used until the case passed out of the goldfish memory of the people. ..."
1) The police have appealed for info on where Sergei Skripal's BMW was between 1pm and 1.40pm on 4 March, the day of the attack.
Wasn't his car tracked? What's this about even if it wasn't?
2) According to her
cousin , Yulia Skripal is engaged to a "high-ranking security official". Sounds like FSB. Was he her boyfriend when she was
living in England for five years after he dad got swapped in 2010?
3) Who has Sergei Skripal worked for? The British and Russian governments both say that when he was in the GRU (Russian military
intelligence) he was actually passing secrets to MI6. He pleaded guilty to that crime and was sentenced to jail for it. His family,
however, deny that he was a traitor. Could he possibly have been working for the Berezovsky organisation?
perhaps he was helping pablo miller and christopher steele work on a dossier that became very central to the mueller investigation
anything is possible and i wouldn't discount this either
N_:"Could he possibly have been working for the Berezovsky organisation?"
More likely for the Orbis, together with Pablo Miller and and Christoper Steele.
But this one was a very close Berezovsky friend, and "Nikolai Glushkov, 68, the right-hand man of the deceased oligarch Boris
Berezovsky, Mr Putin's one-time fiercest rival, was found dead at his London home on Monday."
Seems to be likely that those two (Skripal and Glushkov) were used by the Orbis to get information for the Steele's "Trump
Dossier" through their old connections in Moscow.
Yulia Skripal was a go-between, a courier, because information of that kind was unlikely coming in and out via cell phones, it
was delivered by a courier.
Now, as Steele is about to be brought to the US and to be questioned by various US Gov. organization, now is the time to do some
cleaning. No information holders, no couriers, no witnesses no problems whatsoever for the Orbis, for Christopher Steele, for
Pablo Miller and others. No doubt there are plenty of cleaners working for the Orbis who can stage any kind of "poisoning".
Teresa May and her Tory Govt have got themselves in a bind. They have made accusations against the Russian Govt, without proof
or a credible motive shown. They have failed to go thru' the correct OPCW channels and have blocked a resolution at the UN for
an investigation into the Skripal case.
It is inconceivable that the Lawyers around the Govt Civil Service could have allowed these accusations to be made on such
spurious grounds.
The haste in which the accusations and accompanying propaganda campaign were put in motion indicates a panicked decision
made under pressure from the Puppet Masters of Washington.
Indications are this is connected to Syria and a rapidly closing window of false flag/ chemical attack , to justify an invasion.
That horse has now bolted and the cleaning of the Augean stables has arrived.
The OPCW will eventually investigate, but we must remember that many of our International bodies have been contaminated by
Washingon infiltration.
OPCW did not cover itself in glory during the last several chemical attacks in Syria and the samples taken passes thru; several
dubious channels before presentation to OPCW.
Likely the investigation will be a reprise of the MH17 case, where obstruction and obfuscation were used until the case
passed out of the goldfish memory of the people.
No matter, the mud has been thrown at Russia and it will stick proof or no. It is the way of the world and the PTB know it.
Clyde Davis: " until I hear a more convincing explanation I'm sticking to my guns."
1. Russian dissident oligarchs: loads of money; baleful influence and financial tentacles extend into the very heart of the
UK establishment; all sorts of dodgy connections in the former Soviet Union; zero scruples; hate Putin.
2. Ukraine: fascist regime; involved in a war with Russia already; just as likely to have access to old Soviet Novichok (if it
exists) as Russia; just as capable of manufacturing it as Russia if it doesn't; zero scruples; hate Putin.
3. Turkey: angry because they're losing a proxy war with Russia in Syria; already have their own chemical weapons programme; perfectly
capable of manufacturing this stuff; previous in targeted assassinations; zero scruples; hate Putin.
4. Saudi Arabia: angry because they're losing a proxy war with Russia in Syria; loads of money; baleful influence and financial
tentacles extend into the very heart of the UK establishment; happy to export or facilitate terrorism anywhere in the world including
their supposed 'allies'; zero scruples; hate Putin.
5. Anti-Trump forces in the US: Demented in their obsession with 'Trump-Russia' collusion; angry because they're losing a proxy
war with Russia in Syria; already have access to Soviet Novichok (if it exists); perfectly capable of manufacturing it if it doesn't;
previous in targeted assassinations; zero scruples; hate Putin.
6. Israel: angry because they're losing a proxy war with Russia in Syria; probably the best military/scientific capability in
the world; certainly capable of manufacturing this stuff; previous in targeted assassinations; zero scruples when pursuing what
they believe to be their own best interests; hate Putin.
To me this is a repeat of the MH17 case study with its:
Propaganda preparation media full of shot down Uki military planes vs. media full of CW victims in Syria for which
Russia is to blame,
"Rush" to judgement whodunit former Australian Prime Minister Abbot publicly pointed finger at the Russian rebels
in Ukraine 7 hours after the shootdown vs. the UK Prime Minister blames Russia a day after her event,
Soviet Union = Russia when convenient the Soviet designed and made BUK becomes the exclusively Russian made BUK
vs. the Soviet Designed CW becomes the exclusively Russian produced CW (with a touch of the good old British propaganda maybe
Russia lost control over it! => well, maybe US "lost control" over it when it was helping it's client Uzbekistan destroy it)
Logic matters not let us find a BUK coming all the way from Russia instead of looking at tens of such systems
operated by the Uki troops, apparently four near the area where the shoot down happened vs. let us look at poison or a trained
chemist coming all the way from Russia (how when one cannot get even a small bottle of drink on a plane?) whilst there is a
British own source 12 km away,
When questions arise and contrary items of evidence come out, just ignore and keep drumming "the proven facts" (the
science is settled) from the blame package prepared in advance an alternative, facts-supported explanation will never be
accepted no matter what.
The post-modern West operates on evidence-free pure emotion-eliciting narratives ("Putin killed my baby") on the shoulders
of MSM and troll farms. Any unauthorised explanation, such as Mr Murray's, is declared a conspiracy theory to be ridiculed.
Above mean that Ukraine, Malaysia and Malaysia Airlines bore certain responsibilities with regards to the operations of flight
MH17 based on national an international law.
Russia has very bad lawyers. The investigation is completed.
By Craig Murray, former British intelligence officer, former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan,
and Rector (i.e. Chancellor) of the University of Dundee. Originally published at CraigMurray.org.uk .
As recently as 2016 Dr Robin Black, Head of the Detection Laboratory at the UK's only
chemical weapons facility at Porton Down, a former colleague of Dr David Kelly, published in an
extremely prestigious scientific journal that the evidence for the existence of Novichoks was
scant and their composition unknown.
In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents,
'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the
'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published.
(Black, 2016)
Robin Black. (2016) Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Yet now, the British Government is claiming to be able instantly to identify a substance
which its only biological weapons research centre has never seen before and was unsure of its
existence. Worse, it claims to be able not only to identify it, but to pinpoint its origin.
Given Dr Black's publication, it is plain that claim cannot be true.
The world's international chemical weapons experts share Dr Black's opinion. The
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is a UN body based in the Hague. In
2013 this was the report of its Scientific Advisory Board, which included US, French, German
and Russian government representatives and on which Dr Black was the UK representative:
[The SAB] emphasised that the definition of toxic chemicals in the Convention would cover
all potential candidate chemicals that might be utilised as chemical weapons. Regarding new
toxic chemicals not listed in the Annex on Chemicals but which may nevertheless pose a risk
to the Convention, the SAB makes reference to "Novichoks". The name "Novichok" is used in a
publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported investigating a new class of nerve
agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The SAB states that it has insufficient
information to comment on the existence or properties of "Novichoks". (OPCW, 2013)
OPCW: Report of the Scientific Advisory Board on developments in science and technology for
the Third Review Conference 27 March 2013
Indeed the OPCW was so sceptical of the viability of "novichoks" that it decided –
with US and UK agreement – not to add them nor their alleged precursors to its banned
list. In short, the scientific community broadly accepts Mirzayanov was working on "novichoks"
but doubts he succeeded.
Given that the OPCW has taken the view the evidence for the existence of "Novichoks" is
dubious, if the UK actually has a sample of one it is extremely important the UK presents that
sample to the OPCW. Indeed the UK has a binding treaty obligation to present that sample to
OPCW. Russa has – unreported by the corporate media – entered a demand at the OPCW
that Britain submit a sample of the Salisbury material for international analysis.
Yet Britain refuses to submit it to the OPCW.
Why?
A second part of May's accusation is that "Novichoks" could only be made in certain military
installations. But that is also demonstrably untrue. If they exist at all, Novichoks were
allegedly designed to be able to be made at bench level in any commercial chemical facility
– that was a major point of them. The only real evidence for the existence of Novichoks
was the testimony of the ex-Soviet scientist Mizayanov. And this is what Mirzayanov actually
wrote.
One should be mindful that the chemical components or precursors of A-232 or its binary
version novichok-5 are ordinary organophosphates that can be made at commercial chemical
companies that manufacture such products as fertilizers and pesticides.
"At this stage, only gross ignorance or dishonesty can explain anyone seriously claiming
there's a rational motive for the Russian government to have done this."
Notable quotes:
"... When Putin's cruising to an easy win and the only concern is whether the turnout is 60% or 70%, the claims he wants it for election purposes are pretty stupid, and become untenable when you consider the very real diplomatic, propaganda and soft power costs Russia will bear for this, and coming at a particularly bad time as well on several counts, with Syria on a knife edge in relation to (even more) open US military aggression, the NordStream II pipeline facing new attempts to block it, and the World Cup coming up. ..."
"... Frankly, if the idea of trying to murder someone in Britain, using a "wmd" in the most hysteria-inducing propaganda-favouring method possible, had been suggested to Putin by one of his security apparatchiks I suspect the man would have been guarding ice floes in the Arctic within a few hours. ..."
"... And that's not even considering that this individual (Skripal) wasn't a thuggish, troublemaking fugitive from Russian justice like Litvinenko, but rather a former spy who had already been unmasked, tried and imprisoned by the Russians (his offence was considered so serious he got a whole 13 years), and then exchanged after a few years inside. He was considered so endangered by British intelligence that they didn't even bother hiding his identity, and his address was in the public domain. ..."
"... At this stage, only gross ignorance or dishonesty can explain anyone seriously claiming there's a rational motive for the Russian government to have done this. ..."
"... And by the same exact token, there's no reason to get breathless about the idea that it could have been one of the parties who are real beneficiaries of this propaganda surge -- any of the countries currently engaged in confrontation of Russia in Syria and elsewhere, or that criminal elements connected to the Russian exile "mafia" types could have obtained it from a lab in, say, Ukraine, or that some of the shadowy US and UK security state contacts involved in the campaign to overturn the election of Trump might have used it as a twofer – to get rid of Skripal if he had information they wanted kept secret and set the pretext for the currently ongoing campaign against Russia. ..."
"... All a lot more plausible than the idea that the Russian government was stupid enough to do this to itself, gratuitously ..."
Scenarios for operations are written by somebody. Possibly the same people who also write
screenplays for TV and Hollywood. We know many writers who worked for intelligence services
(Flemming, Greene, LeCarre.) In Six Days of Condor they wanted to keep the scenario secret
and have it removed form popular circulation in a thriller books. But here is opposite
situation. The operation is basically a psy-op so it is public where you want to convince
people that something happened. I can see a point of injecting it as movie drama first so it
will become more believable when it eventually happens. But still the simplest explanation of
laziness and plagiarism can't be excluded.
Others have already explained why Purin and cronies might decide now was a good time to
kill a traitor and be accused of it.
Nobody has yet credibly done so. When Putin's cruising to an easy win and the only concern
is whether the turnout is 60% or 70%, the claims he wants it for election purposes are pretty
stupid, and become untenable when you consider the very real diplomatic, propaganda and soft
power costs Russia will bear for this, and coming at a particularly bad time as well on
several counts, with Syria on a knife edge in relation to (even more) open US military
aggression, the NordStream II pipeline facing new attempts to block it, and the World Cup
coming up.
Frankly, if the idea of trying to murder someone in Britain, using a "wmd" in the most
hysteria-inducing propaganda-favouring method possible, had been suggested to Putin by one of
his security apparatchiks I suspect the man would have been guarding ice floes in the Arctic
within a few hours.
And that's not even considering that this individual (Skripal) wasn't a thuggish,
troublemaking fugitive from Russian justice like Litvinenko, but rather a former spy who had
already been unmasked, tried and imprisoned by the Russians (his offence was considered so
serious he got a whole 13 years), and then exchanged after a few years inside. He was
considered so endangered by British intelligence that they didn't even bother hiding his
identity, and his address was in the public domain.
At this stage, only gross ignorance or dishonesty can explain anyone seriously claiming
there's a rational motive for the Russian government to have done this.
Do I think Russia is involved with the Skripal hit? Of course. .Because of the poison
involved, they (Rus/Putin) almost certainly did it.
That's the poison that Porton Down declined to claim they could identify as having come
from Russia and were only prepared to say is "of a type developed by Russia"?
The poison that the main source for (a former Soviet dissident living in the US) put the
formulae for in his book published ten years ago, and who was quoted a few days ago as saying
that either Russia did it, or someone else who'd read his book?
Of course, exiled dissidents backing up the latest US propaganda campaign against their
former home's government is hardly anything new – that was one of the main methods by
which we were lied into the Iraq War. It's rather cutely naïve for one such to openly
admit that anybody else with the resources (such as the UK, the US or Israel, for a start,
and probably anybody else with access to state resources, such as Ukraine) could have
manufactured the supposedly incriminating substance over the past ten years.
So the idea that the particular chemical allegedly used is in the slightest evidence of
its origin is completely untenable. Nevertheless, that seems to be the only real piece of
"evidence" relied upon for the convenient rush to judgement by the usual suspects.
I just happen to be reading "Rise and Kill First" – the secret history of Israel's
targeted assassinations.
Roughly 700 pages of text and notes about one country's targeted killings so I'm really
not in a 'how could this be' frame of mind with regard to Russia.
Absolutely. And by the same exact token, there's no reason to get breathless about the
idea that it could have been one of the parties who are real beneficiaries of this propaganda
surge -- any of the countries currently engaged in confrontation of Russia in Syria and
elsewhere, or that criminal elements connected to the Russian exile "mafia" types could have
obtained it from a lab in, say, Ukraine, or that some of the shadowy US and UK security state
contacts involved in the campaign to overturn the election of Trump might have used it as a
twofer – to get rid of Skripal if he had information they wanted kept secret and set
the pretext for the currently ongoing campaign against Russia.
All a lot more plausible than the idea that the Russian government was stupid enough to do
this to itself, gratuitously.
"... As to boorish words of the British Defense Minister regarding Russia, it seems that in the absence of the real results of the professional activity, rudeness is the only weapon remaining in the arsenal of the Her Majesty's Military. ..."
Major General Igor Konashenkov of the Russia MoD replies
to the British Defense Secretary's comment that "Russia should shut up and go away":
"The rhetoric of an uncouth shrew demonstrated by the Head of the British Ministry of
Defense makes his utter intellectual impotence perfectly evident. All this confirms not only
the nullity of all accusations towards Russia we have been hearing from London for the last
several years but also that the "accusers" themselves are nonentities.
Great Britain has long turned not only into a cozy nest for defectors from all over the
world but also into a hub for all sorts of fake news-producing agencies: from the British
"Syrian Observatory for Human Rights" to the created by a British intelligence officer
pseudo-Syrian "White Helmets".
As to boorish words of the British Defense Minister regarding Russia, it seems that in the
absence of the real results of the professional activity, rudeness is the only weapon
remaining in the arsenal of the Her Majesty's Military."
Why Russian intelligence services should kill someone of no consequences in UK using some exotic, only in Russia made stuff, is
beyond comprehension. Btw, it is not even sure if Novichok was used at all because UK refuses to provide samples and formula is known
to many now.
The whole behavior of UK is of the guilty party and BBC coverage demonstrates that quite well. Most probably this is yet another
false flag operation by CIA/MI6 job rogue elements hell-bent of Russophobia.
Mr Nebenzya said Mr Skripal was a "perfect victim which could justify any unthinkable lie," and asked if the attack was "something
which benefits Russia on the eve of presidential elections and the world football championships?"
"I can think of a number of countries who would benefit from this incident and [from] blaming Russia," he said.
On state television and social media, Russian citizens and media commentators have espoused similar theories in starker terms.
Conspiracy theories implicating the UK and its allies in the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal have been widely shared in order
- adherents claim without evidence - to attack Russia.
'They love poison in the UK'
A news bulletin on state Rossiya 1 TV accused Britain of masterminding the attack on the Skripals.
In a bizarre and unsubstantiated claim, the Rossiya 1 report referenced the plot of Sky TV series Strike Back in its allegations.
"They started preparing the UK public for the so-called Russian aggression with the use of a nerve paralytic agent at the end
of last year," a Rossiya 1 correspondent said.
"It is well known that the Strike Back series is funded and created with the direct involvement of the British special services,"
he added.
The television series is based on a book authored by former SAS soldier Chris Ryan published in 2007.
An interviewee on Rossiya 1 identified as a "former FSB [Federal Security Service] Major General" said "all this is a well-planned
provocation," adding "they love poison in the UK".
'Remarkable coincidence'
On Telegram and VKontakte, a Russian-language social network, similar allegations have circulated among pro-Kremlin channels.
Much speculation centred on videos of Mr Skripal's 2004 arrest that had been uploaded to YouTube in the days before the attack.
The timing of the uploads, little more than a week before the Skripals collapsed in Salisbury, led to accusations of British complicity.
Posting in Russian, one Twitter user calling themselves 'Uruguayan Intelligence' claimed
the YouTube channel
Group M was "moderated from Britain", an assertion also made on Russian state TV.
It is unclear if there is any evidence for the claim - Rossiya 1 made it citing "some information" - but despite one news presenter's
declaration the upload was "a remarkable coincidence," it is not immediately obvious what it is supposed to prove. In any case, reports
on Telegram suggest the decision to post the videos - and other footage of "successful detentions" - was made as long ago as 2017
for a "website for veterans".
Could Ukraine be involved?
Former FSB chief Nikolai Kovalyov, a Russian MP, suggested on Tuesday Ukraine could be involved. Tensions between Russia and Ukraine
have been high since Russia's annexation of the Crimea in 2014.
"Given that all this [nerve agent] was stored on the territory of the republics of the former Soviet Union," he said, "a Ukrainian
trace cannot be ruled out".
"The beneficiaries are England, America and indirectly Ukraine, because it is interested in showing Russia as an aggressor state."
There is no evidence suggesting Ukraine's involvement.
'Rhetoric from a vulgar woman'
The worsening of tensions between Russia and the UK has also been reflected in the language used by Russian officials.
After the British Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said Russia should "go away and shut up", Russia's Defence Ministry spokesman
Igor Konashenkov described it as "the rhetoric of a vulgar woman from a bazaar".
"Perhaps he lacks education," suggested Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
"This is trash... can you imagine who we are dealing with?" said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova on Rossiya 1 TV
on 14 March in reference to British government officials.
"These people have no idea about professionalism, diplomacy, international law, any international organisations. Second, they
are simply liars. Real, fully-fledged liars."
Russia's ambassador to London, Alexander Yakovenko, told Rossiya 24 TV on Friday that Moscow had not received the answers it needed
from Britain concerning the condition of Mr Skripal and his daughter and progress in the investigation.
"Unfortunately, the British often indulge in adopting such a colonial manner," he said.
bad faith and parochial bellicosity on the part of the all the major powers of the
time
Some of it sounds familiar, but not all. I was pointing out that there are major
differences between today and 1914, but it is extremely volatile and dangerous like then.
At least some in the West have made a decision to deal with Russia now before it gets
stronger. Or to create a much better 'defensive' perimeter for the future. Ukraine, Baltics
and probably Georgia, maybe Turkey have been lined up on Russia's border, with Nato bases and
soldiers. There was the failed attempt to push Russia out of its key Navy base in Crimea.
Syria war will go on to bleed and demoralise Russia, maybe in a few other places. Squeeze the
economy by financial isolation. Use media demonisation to create pressure on the Westernised
Russian elites.
Will that start a war like in 1914? That's where the differences come in. Russia cannot be
today described as ' bellicose ', and neither can large parts of the West. Only some
in the West are bellicose. Germany, Italy and to some extent France want to continue or even
increase business with Russia.
There is also no such thing as a traditional war between Russia and the West – it
would be over in 1-2 days (if that), basically a suicide. It could still happen, but we need
more events before we get there.
Earlier today
we reported that the world got that much closer to a second Cold War after Russia said it
would expel UK diplomats in retaliation to Theresa May's decision to kick out 23 Russians,
while expanding its "blacklist" of US citizens in response to yesterday's Treasury sanctions.
That's when things turned south fast because roughly at that time, the U.K.'s top diploma,
Boris Johnson, directly accused Vladimir Putin, saying it was " overwhelmingly likely " that he
personally ordered the nerve-agent attack on British soil.
In a dramatic escalation of a diplomatic crisis between the two countries, the Foreign
Secretary said the U.K.'s problem was not with the Russian people but with the Russian
leader.
"Our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin and with his decision - and we think it
overwhelmingly likely that it was his decision - to direct the use of a nerve agent on the
streets of the U.K., on the streets of Europe, for the first time since World War II,"
Johnson said in London.
Predictably, the Kremlin was furious, said that blaming Putin personally for Skripal's
poisoning is "shocking and unforgivable."
Speaking to Interfax, Putin's press secretary Dmitry Peskov said that "We have said on
different levels and occasions that Russia has nothing to do with this story" and added that
"any references to our president is nothing but shocking and unforgivable diplomatic
misconduct."
Johnson's statement was a "diplomatic blunder" on the part of the UK foreign secretary,
Peskov said, adding that the Kremlin remains "puzzled" by the conduct of the British
authorities during the Skripal crisis.
The diplomatic tension increased further Friday afternoon when London's Metropolitan Police
said it is treating as murder the death of Nikolai Glushkov, a close associate of Putin
opponent Boris Berezovsky -- a one-time billionaire who was himself found hanging dead in 2013
in his house outside London.
The Kremlin's press secretary also expressed belief that "sooner or later the British side
would have to present some kind of comprehensive evidence of Russia's involvement, at least, to
their partners France, the US, Germany, who declared solidarity with London in this situation."
Moscow earlier asked the UK to provide materials in the Skripal case, but received a negative
answer.
Johnson's claims of Putin's personal involvement weren't the only example of over-the-top
rhetoric by UK officials during the Skripal crisis. UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said
on Thursday that Russia "should go away and shut up" when asked about Moscow's possible
response to British sanctions.
In response, Russia's Defence Ministry said Williamson was an "intellectual impotent" and
Lavrov said he probably lacked education. "Well he's a nice man, I'm told, maybe he wants to
claim a place in history by making some bold statements," Lavrov said. "Theresa May's main
argument about Russia's guilt is 'Highly probable', while for him it's 'Russia should go and
shut up'. Maybe he lacks education, I don't know."
The False Flag nerve agent attack on Skripal and his daughter merely presents the
opportunity to distract the British people from the Brexit imperative.
The British government/Parliament has no desire to separate from the EU, and they have
nothing but contempt for the commoners, so they must call upon British intelligence services
to fabricate a False Flag terrorist attack against two Russian ex-pats who represent
absolutely no value to international espionage and attempt to kill them with poorly
engineered chemical weapons.
Then the international community conveniently blames Russia.
If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe
it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the
political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally
important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the
mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the
State.
Seems the Deep State is getting desperate. Obama interferes in the Brexit vote..Johnson is
interfering in the Russian vote. Bumper stickers back in the 60's.."What if they gave a war
and nobody came?" Unfortunately, nukes negate that question. We are all invited and going to
participate. Idiots are running the asylum. Duck and cover..ha!
During the latest debate between Russian presidential candidates, Zhirinovsky literally
erupted about Theresa May's absurd nerve gas psychodrama. Seriously, I've never seen so much
fire packed into a two-minute clip.
A couple of choice excerpts (but you really should watch):
"If they give us an ultimatum our Commander-in-Chief should deploy the Baltic Fleet to
the shores of Britain. They might respond, but Khrushchev once told the UK: 'A couple of my
missiles can eliminate your isles.' It shut them up for twenty years."
"Someone poisoned a filthy turncoat spy, and they blame entire Russia. They threaten to
bomb our whole country of 150 million. A cyber-attack, a war - they're nuts. British Prime
Minister Mey, May, or whatever, has gone mad. The lady who's never been to war. Like
Thatcher, who'd never been to war, but started one over the Falkland Isles in Argentina.
And, this one is starting a war in Europe."
The Brits are genuinely good people. My wife much enjoyed herself there on a trip three
years ago - except with being threatened with arrest for possessing some Walmart pepper
spray. They are much dependent on a warfare economy. Caught between the EU and DC with
economic pressure from China, they hooked their wagon to Washington and must play the phony
"it was a Russian assassination" game. It's a matter of survival. They are experts at war and
torment having run the world or been top dog for well over two centuries. America could help
Britain by eliminating all neocons from our government. All this fuss over Hillary's crimes
and Comey etc - small potatoes. We have to go after Bush Jr. and make him answer for 9/11.
That's the core issue festering in our national soul. Few will talk about it. We need to pull
Bush from his hidey-hole and get him on trial. Everything else will then resolve.
When an event occurs that that fundamentally changes the dynamics of global geopolitics,
there is one question above all others whose answer will most assuredly point to its
perpetrators. That question is "Cui bono?" If those so indicted are in addition found to have
had both motive and means then, as they say in the US, it's pretty much a "slam-dunk" .
Discounting the Official Narrative as the absurdity it
so clearly is, there are just two organisations on the entire planet with the expertise,
assets, access and political protection necessary to have both executed 9/11 and effected its
cover-up to date (ie the means). Both are Intelligence Agencies - the CIA and the Israeli Mossad whose motives were arguably the most
compelling. Those motives dovetailed perfectly with the NeoconPNAC agenda, with it's explicitly stated need for
"...a catastrophic and catalyzing event - like a new Pearl Harbor" [1] in order to
mobilise US public opinion for already planned wars, the effects of which would be to destroy
Israel's enemies.
Meanwhile, a doctor who was one of the first people at the scene has described how she found Ms Skripal
slumped unconscious on a bench, vomiting and fitting. She had also lost control of her bodily functions.
The woman, who asked not to be named, told the BBC she moved Ms Skripal into the recovery position and opened her airway, as others
tended to her father.
She said she treated her for almost 30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical agent on Ms Skripal's face or body.
The doctor said she had been worried she would be affected by the nerve agent, but added that she "feels fine".
Yes, it certainly looks like a provocation, the "false flag" operation. The Brits and the Banks needed the US and the EU to join
the fight.
Notable quotes:
"... The most plausible goal of the whole "Operation Skripal" was poisoning UK-Russia relations and hopefully bringing the US and EU to impose new round of sanctions on Russia. In this sense it reminds Litvinenko case (which brought huge propaganda benefits to the UK and the hysteria lasted several months, if memory does not fail me). ..."
"... One thing I can't understand in "Operation Skripal" is how such an assassination (if we assume that this is an assassination) was accomplished. ..."
"... The gas (if it really exists, which is yet another question) supposedly is really deadly. If this was not gas but some substance infused with this agent (which would be extremely strange and risky method), you need to get it into the drinks, which means 100% chances of your detection. ..."
"... Moreover in case of the gas the difficulties look insurmountable -- to get it to the victim you need to mix components and shortly after spray it from a short distance, hoping the you mixed them correctly. The place where Skripals were found unconscious is a really bad place for such an exercise as there probably several cameras which record the events on the bench. ..."
"... So IMHO it looks like assassination without an assassin ..."
"... suggested traces of the opiate fentanyl -- a synthetic toxin many times stronger than heroin -- had been detected at the scene. ..."
Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best
he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia,
nor in England, nor for that matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of a country who determine
the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or fascist dictorship, or a
parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders.
That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked (by a Russian sounding chemical weapon Novichok), and
denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism (https://www.craigmurray.org.uk - Craig Murray has been most viciously attacked
for not accepting the official story without any evidence) and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
Hermann Gφring
That's a perfectly applicable variation of the famous quote.
The most plausible goal of the whole "Operation Skripal" was poisoning UK-Russia relations and hopefully bringing the US and
EU to impose new round of sanctions on Russia. In this sense it reminds Litvinenko case (which brought huge propaganda benefits
to the UK and the hysteria lasted several months, if memory does not fail me).
BTW exiled Russian oligarchs like Khodorkovski ( https://www.voltairenet.org/article168007.html
) also could easily stage such a false flag operation using their interconnections with both Russia and Israel.
One thing I can't understand in "Operation Skripal" is how such an assassination (if we assume that this is an assassination)
was accomplished.
The gas (if it really exists, which is yet another question) supposedly is really deadly. If this was not gas but some
substance infused with this agent (which would be extremely strange and risky method), you need to get it into the drinks, which
means 100% chances of your detection.
Moreover in case of the gas the difficulties look insurmountable -- to get it to the victim you need to mix components
and shortly after spray it from a short distance, hoping the you mixed them correctly. The place where Skripals were found unconscious
is a really bad place for such an exercise as there probably several cameras which record the events on the bench.
Unless it was the daughter who did this (in this case authorities have definitely all the necessary evidence of the crime committed)
chances of an attacker to survive such an attack are slim, and changes not being recorded on one or more camera are virtually
non existent.
If there was a human assassin, he/she risks to be immediately dead or severely injured as even in minimal concentrations such
a gas reliably kills a person within two minutes or so. Antidote might help to survive, but how effective it is depends on the
dose you can get.
If some robotic disperser was used, then it will be found as unlike in case of an explosive device the activation does no destroy
it.
Also unclear why target the daughter, unless we are dealing with some botched amateur false flag operation in best traditions
of ISIS Syria false flag operations.
Moreover, Skripals spent around an hour on a bench in a comatose state and were helped by a doctor who was not affected in
any way. See timeline at
So IMHO it looks like assassination without an assassin . There are some absurd statements that the poison was spiked
in their drinks either in the pub or at the restaurant:
Later their collapse was used to stage a false flag operation, when in fact there was no any gas involved, and at this point,
a grandiose propaganda show with the decontamination of the area started.
Even if the Russian government had ordered Skripal's kidding, no way would they be so sloppy
as to spew toxins all over the place sickening innocent people. If the backward North Koreans
can do a targeted chemical-based assassination, the Russians certainly can. This is yet
another Anglo-Zionist insult against Russian technical knowhow.
We all know the KGB is smart and crafty and so is Putin. So for unknown reasons, they want to
kill a retired Russian spy living openly in London. Do these brilliant people choose to:
1. Use a dangerous nerve agent that must be smuggled into England, is easily traceable to
Russia, is dangerous to the assassin, and difficult to employ and ensure a kill?
Or:
2. Pay a desperate drug addict to club him on the head on the street and steal his
wallet?
"... This diagrams this chemist put in his tweets are from the Wikipedia article on Novichoks. They are hardly definitive. And he never answers the question Craig poses about how can Porton down say the stuff they have is from Russia when they have no Russian control sample with which to compare it. ..."
"... Saying that all samples of the stuff have the same chemical formula just demolishes his own argument. Even Jeremy Corbyn says it's about the trace impurities, but even then a sample from the same, known source ( indeed, batch) would be needed. ..."
So the chemist takes one of his arguments greatest weaknesses attempting to make it a
strength. That the Russians wanted to be the chief suspects!
Well of course they did, which state wouldn't wish to be vilified on the world stage, to
take an inevitable hit to its economy and international standing, who wouldn't enjoy the
imposition of yet more sanctions, and finally who could say hand on heart they don't secretly
want to have their assets frozen? Not a euphemism.
That a state assassins first priority would be to put as much distance between the state and
the evidence should be patently obvious.
The Chemists suggestion that it would help to scare Russians at home is frankly ridiculous,
after having inevitably thought about it for some time if this was the best he could offer, it
does show the question around motive is the most tricky for the bullshitters. The other
suggestion, wishing to scare poor old Blighty cos she's got no mates is equally if not more
risible.
If 'Porton Down' just showed the mass spectra obtained of the samples without any
structural formulas that would count as a piece of evidence to many of us.
This diagrams this chemist put in his tweets are from the Wikipedia article on Novichoks.
They are hardly definitive. And he never answers the question Craig poses about how can
Porton down say the stuff they have is from Russia when they have no Russian control sample
with which to compare it.
Saying that all samples of the stuff have the same chemical formula
just demolishes his own argument. Even Jeremy Corbyn says it's about the trace impurities,
but even then a sample from the same, known source ( indeed, batch) would be needed.
Perhaps Russia will instruct a
challenge
inspection of Porton Down? On my quick reading, an inspection would have to go ahead
unless three-quarters of the OPCW council block it within 12 hours. (Possibly a "stop" is
different from a "block" and only requires a majority?)
Considering UK behavior towards Russia as a slap on face , Russia not only should but must
demand immediate release of all information available to UK on this case and samples. It
should be done in aggressive manner and backed by international law to which UK is a signer.
Someone must put the money where mouth is or shut up and go away .
"... In 2014, a highly credible source – a high ranking French security expert by the name of Paul Barril exposed the existence of a plot to demonise Putin and thus destabilise and weaken Russia; it is called Operation Beluga. ..."
"... Operation Beluga ..."
"... William Dunkerley is author of Ukraine in the Crosshairs. He is a media business analyst, principal of William Dunkerley Publishing Consultants, and a Senior Fellow at the American University in Moscow. ..."
"... Najadi says the interview drew out the converse revelation that Litvinenko was actually killed by "an Italian who administered the deadly polonium 210." What's more, he astonishingly says, the operation was carried out under the auspices of the US and UK. ..."
"... The Phony Litvinenko Murder ..."
"... Litvinenko Murder Case Solved ..."
"... "According to Paul Barril, Litvinenko was himself working for the late Boris Berezovsky [a Russian fugitive oligarch that made London his home] who, according to Barril, was in turn working for and with the British intelligence service MI6. Barril said, 'Litvinenko has betrayed his employers, Berezovsky and the MI6, and has pocketed large sums of money, millions of US dollars, that were destined for agent provocateurs within the Berezovsky clan. The sole goal was to globally discredit Putin and the Russian Federation. This Western intelligence operation was directed from Washington DC and London. Its code name is Beluga.'" ..."
"... Najadi says, "These new revelations from Captain Paul Barril now open a new window to the truth about the motive for killing Alexander Litvinenko." ..."
"... Now the Litvinenko scandal takes on a new proportion. It's no longer just an incessantly long-running murder mystery. It just might be the telltale sign of an enormous geopolitical provocation that is wreaking havoc with world stability. ..."
You would have to have been in a coma or otherwise unconscious to not have heard the one
about the two poisoned Russians on an English park bench and how those evil Russians did it,
the news media has talked of little else in the past week.
Despite giving this story immense amounts of air time, the media have completely failed to
apply even the most rudimentary standards of journalism, they have done a shockingly bad job of
reporting on this case.
They have utterly failed to do their job and ask the relevant questions such as: Who was
this Russian? Why was he poisoned? Who was he associated with? Who might want him dead? Who has
he upset? etc; the sort of basic questions that should be asked right at the beginning, the
moment the story broke.
Instead, all we have been given, in lieu of actual journalistic reporting, is a bunch of
talking heads, many of them members of the UK government, all of them bleating about how
reckless and downright murderous the Russians are to have brazenly attacked someone on English
soil.
Where is the evidence? Where is the investigative reporting? The media has simply accepted
whole and unquestioning the 'Russia did it' claim of Theresa May, obediently following the
government's narrative, not once allowing a dissenting voice to be heard lest it asks even the
simplest question or expresses even a glimmer of doubt.
What happened to that most proudly held tradition of English law – that one is
innocent until proven guilty? Instead of applying that standard of English justice to Vladimir
Putin, we have simply accepted he is guilty because Theresa May and Boris Johnson said so.
This is not the first time this has happened, a little over a decade ago, the death of
Russian Alexander Litvinenko in London was also blamed on Putin. Litvinenko was not murdered on
Putin's orders, there was never even a single shred of evidence to support that claim;
furthermore, there was a mass of evidence to point to a completely different group of
people.
However, the British government and media steadfastly ignored all the inconvenient facts and
simply blamed Putin, exactly the same as they are today over Sergei Skripal and his
daughter.
Litvinenko's death was most likely accidental, the result of mishandling of the Polonium-210
he was engaged in smuggling. Litvinenko was an ex-FSB officer who, like many of his former
comrades, was now in the employ of the Khazarian mafia. He worked for Boris Berezevsky as a
mule, transporting nuclear materials back and forth to Israel.
This is made obvious by the places that traces of Polonium-210 were found: on the British
Airways planes that flew Litvinenko back and forth to Israel, in Boris Berezovsky's house, in
the offices of businesses owned by Berezovsky
Were Berezovsky and his Khazarian mafia associates investigated, did the media look into the
background to this story? Nope, they simply piled the blame on Putin, regardless of the
complete lack of evidence, just as they have done this week in the Skripal case.
There have been a great deal of similar cases of 'blame Putin' in recent years, the
Litvinenko and Skripal cases are simply the most well known. When so many accusations are aimed
at one man and so little evidence is presented to support those accusations, one has to wonder
if there is some kind of plot to demonise Putin.
Well, wonder no more for there is clear evidence that such a plot exists in the form of a
long-running operation by the intelligence services of the West, primarily the US and Britain,
but no doubt aided by the Mossad and others.
In 2014, a highly credible source – a high ranking French security expert by the
name of Paul Barril exposed the existence of a plot to demonise Putin and thus destabilise and
weaken Russia; it is called Operation Beluga.
This bombshell was reported by one reporter for one online publication and thus went
unnoticed, certainly no-one in the mainstream media made any mention of it, lest their 'Putin
did it' narrative was holed beneath the waterline and sunk with all hands by this
bombshell.
You can read the article that exposed the existence of Operation Beluga below;
precious little else is known about this operation, but VT is investigating and will report
what we learn in the near future.
William Dunkerley is author of Ukraine in the Crosshairs. He is a media business
analyst, principal of William Dunkerley Publishing Consultants, and a Senior Fellow at the
American University in Moscow.
Renowned French security expert Paul Barril has let loose a bombshell: the existence of
Operation Beluga, a covert Western intelligence scheme intended to undermine Russia and its
leaders.
Is that what's behind much of the threatening rhetoric now going back and forth between the
US and Russia?
Barril exposed Operation Beluga in a recent interview with Swiss businessman Pascal Najadi
on the 2006 Alexander Litvinenko death case. Litvinenko was a reputed former spy who many
believe was murdered with radioactive polonium on orders of Vladimir Putin.
Najadi says the interview drew out the converse revelation that Litvinenko was actually
killed by "an Italian who administered the deadly polonium 210." What's more, he astonishingly
says, the operation was carried out under the auspices of the US and UK.
In my books The Phony Litvinenko Murder and Litvinenko Murder Case Solved
I've written about an Italian connection. But I can't confirm that Barril is talking about the
same person.
Here's what Najadi told me:
"According to Paul Barril, Litvinenko was himself working for the late Boris Berezovsky
[a Russian fugitive oligarch that made London his home] who, according to Barril, was in turn
working for and with the British intelligence service MI6. Barril said, 'Litvinenko has
betrayed his employers, Berezovsky and the MI6, and has pocketed large sums of money, millions
of US dollars, that were destined for agent provocateurs within the Berezovsky clan. The sole
goal was to globally discredit Putin and the Russian Federation. This Western intelligence
operation was directed from Washington DC and London. Its code name is Beluga.'"
Barril's comments deserve serious consideration. A former officer of the French Gendarmerie
Nationale, he's been dubbed "Supercop" in France. Barril is cofounder of the GIGN French
antiterror group, and has also served in French presidential security. During his career he has
led several private security companies, as well.
Najadi says, "These new revelations from Captain Paul Barril now open a new window to
the truth about the motive for killing Alexander Litvinenko."
Litvinenko's death has been a hot topic for officials within British officialdom. A UK
coroner's inquest failed to reach a verdict on the manner and cause of Litvinenko's death, even
after the passage of almost ten years. Then a politically-motivated official inquiry was
authorized by Prime Minister David Cameron. Its final report hypothesized that Putin was behind
the death, but it failed to produce any credible evidence. (See "Six Reasons You Can't Take the
Litvinenko Report Seriously")
Britain had accused two Russians of poisoning Litvinenko. But the UK prosecutor failed to
make his case against them, claiming that he had only "grave suspicions" about who's to
blame.
Then there was the aborted coroner's inquest, and finally a report was issued under
suspicious circumstances by a discredited judge who lacked the basic qualifications for
conducting an official inquiry. (See "Britain Allowed Unqualified Judge to Decide Litvinenko
Case. Now Inquiry Report Must Be Recalled" and "Discredited Litvinenko 'Judge' Sends Parliament
Untrustworthy Verdict.")
Now the Litvinenko scandal takes on a new proportion. It's no longer just an incessantly
long-running murder mystery. It just might be the telltale sign of an enormous geopolitical
provocation that is wreaking havoc with world stability.
In the run-up to the American presidential election many of the candidates have talked very
tough on dealing with Russia's role in the world. I wonder how many of them have bought into
the Beluga scheme.
As we all know Alexander Litvinenko was poisoned by polonium, a rare radioactive substance.
The main narrative blamed it all on Vladimir Putin of Russia. The rationale rested on little
other than because Litvinenko was a Putin critic. This was the quick line in mass media, and it
was on all the typical war propaganda channels.
There are many things wrong with the "Putin did it" story. For one, there is no motive, even
with Litvinenko being a critic of Russia, he was no threat whatsoever to Putin. The man worked
with Chechen terrorists and the Israeli-Russian oligarchs.
But assuming that there was a sufficient motive to kill him, think about this: Why would
Russia use a very rare, very expensive, and easily traceable radioactive substance to kill him
instead of some cheap poison or just shooting him? Why risk smuggling radioactive material into
the UK which is an act of war?
Yet that is exactly what the UK/US media would have you believe. They want to say that Putin
had someone sneak into the UK with polonium and poison Litvinenko with it. It just isn't
plausible. It's actually absurd.
Alexander Litvinenko who was formerly FSB fled to the UK to avoid court prosecution in
Russia, worked for a shady Russian oligarch, Boris Berezovsky. Boris Berezovsky just so happens
to be the Israeli-Russian oligarch who lived in London after fleeing the Russian judicial
system for a multitude of crimes too long to list. He was on Interpol's most wanted list. Here
is the grand prize.
After the US and UK press branded Putin with the poisoning despite there being Zero
evidence, (something the US is very well known for now) investigators were tracking down the
traces of Polonium in the UK. They detected traces of Polonium at Berezovsky's office and
residence!
Now I do not know about you, but in my place of work, and certainly in my house, I do not
have rare radioactive substances. Polonium is not something you just get at the market or pick
up by accident walking through the park.
No experienced mob boss like Berezovsky would be dumb enough to murder an underling in such
a manner either. Therefore his death was an accident. It was mostly likely it was a botched
smuggling operation. Why was he moving such a dangerous substance? Did he need fast cash? Were
they planning to create a dirty bomb? Such a "smoky bomb" would turn the Polonium into powder
and kill anyone who ingested it.
Traces of Polonium were found on the planes that Litvinenko had been on. So I think we can
deduce what happened. He was a mule. The questions remain, why did he have it?, Where did he
get it? What was he going to do with it? Why was it in the offices of Berezovsky and Erinsys
Ltd (Britain's Blackwater)?
The "Putin did it" smear case has never made sense. First of all, the amount of polonium 210
in play would have cost millions of dollars. That amount is too expensive to purchase and too
large to go unnoticed if it were stolen. The only way to obtain such a quantity would be on a
well organized black market that had a connection to a nuclear facility. It would certainly
help organized crime if the nuclear powered supplier they received the Polonium from was not
subjected to international inspections or part of the nuclear nonproliferation treaty. Such a
country, (Foreign country A) which denied they even built nuclear weapons for decades, would
certainly also deny selling their Polonium byproduct as well.
Is it possible to hide that from the press? Yes. The media would ignore this for the same
reason the media ignores them stealing nuclear secrets and building hundreds of nuclear weapons
in Dimona, then throwing whistle blowers who took pictures of their warheads, in jail.
Litvinenko was in Israel, where he met Leonid Nevzlin the CEO of Yukos shortly before he
died. If you wanted to buy/steal radioactive material that would be the place. What was he
negotiating with Nevzlin? We learned Alexander had been an informant in a case that led to the
arrest of nine Georgina and Russian Mobsters in Spain, including Alexander Gofstein a lawyer
for Yukos who apparently was laundering money.
The downfall began when Georgina Mob Boss Zakhar Kalashov was arrested in May 2006. The scam
was similar to what the old Five Families of New York had done, when guys like Meyer Lansky
took profits from illegal gambling businesses and funneled them into buying up real estate in
Florida. In the European case, the mob was taking illegal funds and buying up real estate in
Spain as well as making investments into legitimate businesses.
Litivnenko's associates, Dmitry Kovtun and Andrei Lugovoi, who both had met with him the day
of the poisoning, were also both hospitalized. They left traces of Polonium in Hamburg as they
had taken the trip to Germany before meeting Litvinenko. It appears all three were involved in
a smuggling operation, but for who?
Short answer: Russian Oligarch Boris Berezovsky's employee Alexander Litvinenko died from
over exposure to Polonium in a botched smuggling operation. That is why traces of it were at
Boris's house and on the planes Litvinenko was riding to and from Israel. The smear on
Putin/Russia using a highly traceable 10 million dollar poison to kill a critic is about as
plausible and rational as saying we have "British Intelligence" about Niger . This transparent
bogus lie was a quick and shamelessly sloppy explanation to cover up how and why this man in
the UK had a radioactive poison in his body. Polonium only has a half life of 138 days.
Litvinenko had been in Israel to visit Yukos's CEO, just shortly before he died. And it's an
open secret that Israel has nuclear weapons, the only place without nuclear safeguard or
inspections. Traces of polonium were also on the British Airway planes that Litvinenko took to
and from Israel. So if they would have the means, location, and the timing fits, but let's just
blame, Putin "The New Hitler" as Neocons have dubbed him?
Why the fuss about a conspiracy claiming that Putin put Litvinenko on a hitlist and poisoned
him? Well as wacky as that story is, it was probably the best they could come up with on short
notice. Boris knew once the police found out how Litvinenko died that there would be a lot of
explaining to do. He also knew that if the investigation went forward that they could find more
of this Polonium on his properties. So they just claimed the KGB was trying to kill them
all.
Some History
This is not the first time that Berezovsky tried to pin a murder on someone else and claim
that all the damning evidence pointing to him was a frame. There are the notorious cases (in
Russia) of Ivan Litskevich and Vlad Listyev.
Ivan Listkevich was the general director of the Omsk oil Refinery easily the best refinery
in Russia. Abramovich and Berezovsky planned to take over the refinery and make it part of
Berezovsky's Sibnef (which it now is). Listkevich resisted. Ivan had outside investments from
LUKoil (10% of the stock) and CS First Boston.
So in no way was he threatened to sink. Omsk was in the best location, had the latest
equipment, and was well positioned to continue to soar. They serviced the biggest oil producers
in Russia. Naturally Ivan did not want to be swallowed by Sibnef.
August 19, 1995 Ivan was found drowned in the Irtysh River. I doubt he went there to swim.
Five days later Sibnef (Gazprom) took over. August 24th 1995, using his good buddy Yeltsin,
Berezovsky got a Presidential Decree №872, to order a transfer of all the state's share
in Omsk as well as 4 other companies to Sibnef. Then in 1996 Boris and Roman privatized Sibnef
through a series of Loans-for-Shares' auctions which were a complete scam run through front
companies and offshore banks. Yeltsin approved of it.
The case may leave doubts in the mind until one learns about the murder of Vlad Listyev. In
1994 Boris attacked one of his rivals over control of a media outlet. Part of the attack was
broadcast all over TV and came to be known as "faces in the snow" as Boris's rival's bodyguard
were forced at gun point to lie face down in the snow.
Shortly after a 90mph high speed chase and attacking rival Gusinsky's MOST guards and
pinning Gusinsky in his own building, Berezovsky would take control of ORT (channel 1) through
an illegal non-public "auction" and gain a near media monopoly.
For details on that I recommend reading "God Father of the Kremlin" if you can still find
it. It was written by the senior editor of Forbes in Russian who holds a Ph.D in Russian
history Paul Klebnikov. For the record Paul Klebnikov was killed after publishing his book on
the Oligarchs, particularly on Boris, who is on the cover. He was shot four times in Moscow
while leaving work and then died in the hospital after getting stuck on an elevator.
After the Gusinsky event, Boris had another problem. Vladislav Listyev. Listyev was probably
the most popular talk show host in Russia and a TV producer. He was a business partner with
Boris but the problem was he was not crooked.
As general director of ORT he decided to fix a multi-million dollar leak in the company and
indirect way of Boris paying people off in the Mob to do dirty work, as well as paying himself
by spending money for ads in other companies owned where he also ran the advertising sales. He
had an offer from Sergei Lisovsky to buy up the sector. Negotiations never went through and
Vlad had a different idea.
On Feb 20th 1995 Vlad announced that he would break the monopoly of Boris and Sergei. He
called for a moratorium on ORT advertising until they could work out ethical standards. As you
can imagine that did not make Boris or the rest of the mob happy.
Eight days later Boris personally met with "Nikolai" a mafia boss, and handed him a hundred
thousand dollars in cash. This was witnessed by two police officers who were monitoring the
Mob. Prior to that Boris's lacky Badri offered money to a different gangster but that man was
arrested before he could do what was asked of him and he confessed this in jail. On March 1st
the day after Berezovsky paid a second Mob Boss, Vlad Listyev was shot in the back at the
entrance of his home.
Guilty as sin, with a confession against Badri as well as being personally witnessed by two
police, offering another mob boss money, Boris was desperate. He was inches away from being
arrested. Boris's TV network was cut out of government subsidies after the police raided it and
it was subject to bankruptcy.
Fellow Media giant and friend Ruppert Murdoch promised to invest in the network and bail him
out. How nice. And we all know where Murdoch stands. This relationship might also explain why
Fox News and Sky News in the UK were so blatantly cheerleading the "Putin killed Litvinenko"
conspiracy story.
But here is the real kicker. It is just as outrageous and far fetched as the Litvinenko
poisoning. Boris concocted a story for Yeltsin which was recorded on video tape produced by
Irina Lesnevskaya a producer at ORT and a friend of Yeltsin's wife. The tape claimed that it
was all a big conspiracy against Berezovsky and that the real culprit (who had no motive other
than to frame Boris [apparently able to hire a gun to kill Vlad but not Boris?]) was none other
than bitter rival Gusinsky of Most Bank who Boris had already tried to kill once.
Yeltsin was paranoid of Gusinsky's political ambitions and Boris knew this. Boris also
blamed X-KGB and said Vlad was killed by the MOST group, and not the mob he was witnessed
meeting with a week after Vlad was going to break his monopoly. (Sounds like "Iraq moved the
nonexistent WMDs to Syria just to make the US look bad." give me a break) Boris claimed to be
set up because he was loyal to Yeltsin as was his new media outlet.
Yeltsin ever a partner in cover ups, not to mention a drunk and a thief, got Boris out of
trouble once again by firing the lead investigators in the case which intimidated others to
drop it. There was a huge public outcry. A TV personality had been killed. ORT created a new
company called ORT advertising with a monopoly to sell ads on commission no less, and the
boss-man chosen was none other than Sergei Lisovsky. Wow how utterly shameless.
If you can speak Russian or if you can find an English copy of the Boris/Lesnevskaya tape
transcript sent to Yeltsin, it's going to make you very angry. It is about as plausible as
saying Putin risked an act of war with the UK to kill a critic who worked for both a criminal
as well as terrorist.
Who Done It?
So we know what didn't happen. But there still remains a "who done it." The quickest way to
get to the bottom of this is to see who is lying the most and loudest, because that is usually
who has the most to hide.
Remember Anna Politkovskaya? She was killed on Putin's birthday and the alternative press
and the 'mindlessly accepting any conspiracy' types who fell for it, tried to use that
circumstantial "evidence" to blame the murder on Putin.
These are the same types that claim Russia bombed its own apartment buildings to start a war
with Chechnya omitting the fact that the apartment bombing took place five months after the war
has already started, and the "sources" trying to blame the FSB were none other than Boris's
lacky Litvinenko and well known plagiarist David Satter, who wrote for the PNAC co-founders'
Weekly Standard, which gave the world all the bogus lies about Iraq's WMD and connection to the
September 11th attacks.
Robert Kagan, the paper's cofounder with William Kristol, wrote an op-ed in the Washington
Times calling "Speaking of Iraq" which pushes every erroneous prewar scare tactic there
was.
His wife Victoria Nuland is the same woman who was recorded on the phone saying "F" the EU
and openly talking about who would be a good replacement Prime Minister in Ukraine. She chose
Arseniy Yatseniuk, who she called "Yatz" and he did become the prime minister of Ukraine a
month later after the coup. Everything out of this factions mouth has been blindly
anti-Russian.
There is a huge difference between conspiracy and kookpiracy. Getting away from the
outlandish unsubstantiated claims about Anna's death, let's uncover something factual. Anna
Politkovskaya was the journalist who had published three different articles on how SOMEONE was
testing Polonium on Chechen children. Gee! Where have we seen THAT scenario before? Anna's
articles were published in the Novaya Gazeta in 2006 and she was killed October of that same
year.
The Washington Post then makes this clever claim. "Leonid Nevzlin, a former Yukos oil
company shareholder and Russian exile currently living in Israel, told the Associated Press in
late November that Litvinenko had given him a document related to a dossier on criminal charges
made by Russian prosecutors against people connected to Yukos. Nevzlin, who is charged by
Russian prosecutors with having organized killings, fraud and tax evasion, claimed Litvinenko's
inquiries may have provided a motive for his poisoning"
Notice who else is in that Washington Post article (Scaramella) and who was planting the
ideas that Putin had killed both Litvinenko and Anna. How crazy is that to use polonium to
murder someone Scaramella is a rotten one.
After Anna's lawyer Stanislav Markelov was murdered in 2009 followed by the murder of one of
her key informants in Chechnya Natalia Estemirova the same year, there was a retrial in Anna's
case which went to the Supreme Court.
Chechen president Ramzan Kadyrov stirred up a public disgust when he said about Anna's
informant Natalia Estemirova on Radio Liberty "She was a woman who had never possessed any
honor, dignity or conscience."
The prosecution cornered Dmitry Pavliutchenkov a former policeman who in turn confessed
Lom-Ali Gaitukayev was who negotiated the contract killing and behind him he suspected Boris
Berezovsky. Dmitry was sentenced to 11 years in jail. Five men were found guilty in her murder.
Three were the Chechen brothers who had been acquitted in the first trial and they went to
prison. Rustam Makhmudov and Lom-Ali Gaitukayev got life sentences in 2014. Berevsovsky had
died the year before in March of 2013.
The most troubling thing here is not that mob did something illegal or that the Western
press jumped the gun to do a anti-Russian witch hunt. All of that is pretty run of the mill.
It's not even that Israel secretly has nukes and is involved with organized crime. Again,
imagine my lack of shock.
It's not even the multiple murders that are most troubling. The most troubling part of this
story is what the ultimate purpose of that much Polonium was for and why it was in the UK. The
potential for a dirty bomb is enormous. With the current climate of ISIS and disgruntled youth
in Europe joining the mercenary forces to fight Israel's enemies in Syria and Lebanon, a dirty
bomb in the UK is not an unimaginable scenario.
Just having such a thing could also hold leverage over politicians there too. The source of
the Polonium should have been traced and potential sources should also be subject to
inspection.
"... For requesting evidence of Russian culpability in the poisoning of former spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, UK Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn has been denounced by PM Theresa May and even members of his own party. ..."
"... he British government demanded that Russia offer an explanation, but then rejected a Russian request to share a sample of the nerve agent that was used in the poisoning. ..."
"... JEREMY CORBYN: Our response must be both decisive and proportionate, and based on clear evidence. If the government believes that it is still a possibility that Russia negligently lost control of a military grade nerve agent, what action is being taken through the OPCW with our allies? I welcome the fact the police are working with the OPCW, and has the prime minister taken the necessary steps under the Chemical Weapons Convention to make a formal request for evidence from the Russian government under Article 9.2? How has she responded to the Russian government's request for a sample of the agent used in the Salisbury attack to run its own tests? Has high resolution trace analysis been run on a sample of the nerve agent? And has that revealed any evidence as to the location of its production or the identity of its perpetrators? ..."
"... My first reaction having listened to the clip you played by Jeremy Corbyn is that's one very courageous man. It's not clear even his own Labour Party supports what he said. ..."
"... So, I kind of quarrel with your opening sentence that relations are as bad as they've been since the end of the Cold War. I say, no they're worse than they were during the Cold War. I jotted down just a few reasons. Let me just rattle them off and then we'll get to this, any other event you want to talk about. The reason this new Cold War is more dangerous is we already have three fronts that are fraught with hot war. That's where the NATO buildup in the North Baltic and the Black Sea, Ukraine, and Syria. Remember in Syria, it appears to be the case that American proxies have already killed Russian citizens. So, we don't know what's going to come next. ..."
"... Secondly, two of these fronts are directly on Russia's borders, not in Berlin as was the case during the preceding Cold War, right on Russia's borders in the Baltic region and in Ukraine. Thirdly, there has been such demonization of the Kremlin leader, Putin, unlike anything that was the case during the old Cold War with Kremlin communist leaders, and along with it a kind of a Russophobic attack on Russia itself the old Cold War was about communism. This one seems to be about Russia just in general. And then you get this lightning speed of news as with this nerve agent, with people weighing in without any authority or any knowledge, very very quickly, and it's spreading before anybody has a time has time to reflect, and think, an actual expert opinion come to the fore. ..."
"... Theresa May is, perhaps, among the weakest prime ministers in modern history. She's holding on for dear life. Jeremy Corbyn is an extraordinary figure. His party, his Labour Party, which is not very good on Russia related issues either, didn't approve of what he said. But he said the right thing. He said, "There's no evidence. While we search for evidence, we need to continue a robust dialogue with Russia." That's exactly right. ..."
"... And whether he'll prevail or not, I don't know, but it is interesting, isn't it, that unlike in the United States, the leader of the opposition, which is what Corbyn is, and potentially a prime minister, is setting himself against this reckless Cold War behavior on the part of the British government. All I can say is I wish we had such a person in American high politics. ..."
"... The latest in a continuing campaign of fear and violence, staged for a hapless public, designed to lend legitimacy to authoritarianism and fascism foisted upon our domestic population; brought to you by the same Fear Inc. that capitalized on the Charlie Hebdo massacre ..."
"... With such careless rush to judgement, circumventing due process, as has been demonstrated time and again by a class of corrupt and covetous warmongers posing as public officials and their equally corrupt mainstream propaganda machine, literally everything uttered by the likes of Teresa May and her cohort of psychopathic political charlatans must be viewed with incredulity. ..."
For requesting evidence of Russian culpability in the poisoning of former
spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter, UK Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn has been denounced by PM Theresa May and even members of his
own party. We discuss the case with Stephen F. Cohen, Professor Emeritus of Russian Studies at New York University and Princeton
AARON MATΙ: It's The Real News. I'm Aaron Matι. Ties between Russia and the West are at their lowest point since The Cold War,
and a new spat over a poisoning in Britain has sunk them even lower. The British government is blaming Russia for the poisoning of
former Russian spy, Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the British town of Salisbury.
The two remain in critical condition after ingesting what the British government says is a military-grade nerve agent made by
Russia. The British government demanded that Russia offer an explanation, but then rejected a Russian request to share a sample of
the nerve agent that was used in the poisoning. Speaking today in parliament, British Prime Minister Theresa May said Russia's response
so far proves their culpability.
THERESA MAY: There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of
Mr. Skripal and his daughter. And for threatening the lives of other British citizens in Salisbury, including Detective Sergeant
Nick Bailey. This represents an unlawful use of force by the Russian state against the United Kingdom. And as I set out on Monday,
it has taken place against the backdrop of a well established pattern of Russian state aggression across Europe and beyond. It
must therefore, be met with a full and robust response, beyond the actions we have already taken since the murder of Mr. Litvinenko
and to counter this pattern of Russian aggression elsewhere.
AARON MATΙ: As part of the measures against Russia, May announced the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats, the single biggest such
expulsion in three decades. That drew a response from Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who pressed May to hand over evidence.
JEREMY CORBYN: Our response must be both decisive and proportionate, and based on clear evidence. If the government believes
that it is still a possibility that Russia negligently lost control of a military grade nerve agent, what action is being taken
through the OPCW with our allies? I welcome the fact the police are working with the OPCW, and has the prime minister taken the
necessary steps under the Chemical Weapons Convention to make a formal request for evidence from the Russian government under
Article 9.2? How has she responded to the Russian government's request for a sample of the agent used in the Salisbury attack
to run its own tests? Has high resolution trace analysis been run on a sample of the nerve agent? And has that revealed any evidence
as to the location of its production or the identity of its perpetrators?
AARON MATΙ: The dispute over the poisoning has gotten so serious, that there has been speculation of NATO invoking Article 5,
which bounds member states to defend others in the event of an attack. So far, Downing Street has tamped down talk of Article 5,
but Theresa May has been summoning support from key allies, including the US
Joining me is professor Stephen Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at New York University and Princeton. Welcome, Professor
Cohen.
You have been warning for a long time that we are in the midst of a new Cold War. What are your thoughts today as you see now
tensions escalating between Britain and Russia, with now Britain ordering the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats following the expulsions
that have happened in the US to Russian diplomats as a result of the Russiagate controversy?
STEPHEN COHEN: My first reaction having listened to the clip you played by Jeremy Corbyn is that's one very courageous man.
It's not clear even his own Labour Party supports what he said. In the essence of what he said is Theresa May has no evidence,
and yet she's prepared to ratchet up already a bad relationship with Russia based on this. They haven't produced any evidence. Let's
put it like that. This alarms me because, I've said this before on your broadcast, but it's almost never said in the mainstream and
it's hard to get an American discussion of it, is that whether we call our relationship with Russia a new cold war or not, it certainly
is. The point is it's so much more dangerous than the preceding Cold War. I could even argue that the situation today is in some
ways more dangerous than the Cuban Missile Crisis.
So, I kind of quarrel with your opening sentence that relations are as bad as they've been since the end of the Cold War. I say,
no they're worse than they were during the Cold War. I jotted down just a few reasons. Let me just rattle them off and then we'll
get to this, any other event you want to talk about. The reason this new Cold War is more dangerous is we already have three fronts
that are fraught with hot war. That's where the NATO buildup in the North Baltic and the Black Sea, Ukraine, and Syria. Remember
in Syria, it appears to be the case that American proxies have already killed Russian citizens. So, we don't know what's going to
come next.
Secondly, two of these fronts are directly on Russia's borders, not in Berlin as was the case during the preceding Cold War, right
on Russia's borders in the Baltic region and in Ukraine. Thirdly, there has been such demonization of the Kremlin leader, Putin,
unlike anything that was the case during the old Cold War with Kremlin communist leaders, and along with it a kind of a Russophobic
attack on Russia itself the old Cold War was about communism. This one seems to be about Russia just in general. And then you get
this lightning speed of news as with this nerve agent, with people weighing in without any authority or any knowledge, very very
quickly, and it's spreading before anybody has a time has time to reflect, and think, an actual expert opinion come to the fore.
AARON MATΙ: One person who has been pillared in the media today is Jeremy Corbyn, the Labour leader who we heard from before.
And I wanna play more of his speech of his comments today, to the British parliament.
JEREMY CORBYN: And while suspending planned high level contact, does the prime minister agree that it is essential to maintain
a robust dialogue with Russia in the interest of our own and wider international security?
AARON MATΙ: That's Jeremy Corbyn speaking today, calling today for. "a robust dialogue with Russia." So, Professor Cohen, for
saying that, Corbyn was widely mocked, including by members of his own party. I'm wondering if you can comment on that, the import
of that, not just for this specific case, but overall, this attitude towards having dialogue, calling for dialogue with Russia being
somehow worthy of scorn and contempt.
... ... ...
STEPHEN COHEN: But I've heard some of these people saying privately that we need this, but I don't hear them saying it publicly.
Look, I did live in England and get educated there partly many, many years ago, and I followed British politics. So, I don't have
great authority, but two things come to mind. Theresa May is, perhaps, among the weakest prime ministers in modern history. She's
holding on for dear life. Jeremy Corbyn is an extraordinary figure. His party, his Labour Party, which is not very good on Russia
related issues either, didn't approve of what he said. But he said the right thing. He said, "There's no evidence. While we search
for evidence, we need to continue a robust dialogue with Russia." That's exactly right.
And whether he'll prevail or not, I don't know, but it is interesting, isn't it, that unlike in the United States, the leader
of the opposition, which is what Corbyn is, and potentially a prime minister, is setting himself against this reckless Cold War behavior
on the part of the British government. All I can say is I wish we had such a person in American high politics.
AARON MATΙ: Well, that's a good segue to the next part of our discussion where we're gonna talk more about the role right now
of Russiagate in US politics. Professor Stephen F. Cohen, professor emeritus of Russian studies at Princeton University and New York
University, thank you.
And thank you for joining us on The Real News.
Stephen F. Cohen is professor emeritus of Russian studies, history, and politics at New York University and Princeton University.
The latest in a continuing campaign of fear and violence, staged for a hapless public, designed to lend legitimacy to authoritarianism
and fascism foisted upon our domestic population; brought to you by the same Fear Inc. that capitalized on the Charlie Hebdo
massacre (See Youtube | StormCloudsGathering | 02m:43s " Charlie Hebdo Shootings - Censored Video " [
https://youtu.be/yJEvlKKm6og ])
With such careless rush to judgement, circumventing due process, as has been demonstrated time and again by a class
of corrupt and covetous warmongers posing as public officials and their equally corrupt mainstream propaganda machine, literally
everything uttered by the likes of Teresa May and her cohort of psychopathic political charlatans must be viewed with incredulity.
"... Russian Envoy to the UN #Nebenzya: Curious fact. Although Russia stopped all its CW programmes in 1992, the UK & the US received specialists/defectors & documentation on these projects incl. so-called Novichok in mid-1990s, continued researching CW as evidenced by open sources ..."
"... .@RussiaUN: in 1992 Russia closed all Soviet chemical weapons programmes. Some of the scientists were flown to the West (incl UK) where they continued research. To identify a substance, formula and samples are needed means UK has capacity to produce suspected nerve agent. ..."
"... Craig Murray's excellent essay's been heavily attacked, and he's written a stimulating and educational response that further bolsters the initial essay. Quite interesting the so-called journalists supporting May's propaganda. ..."
"... Oh dear, in sacred Europe!! How about the West using nerve agents on a grand scale against its enemy Iran in the Middle East (since the Second World War)? Twenty thousand Iranians were killed on the spot by nerve gas, according to reports, with thousands of people hospitalized. According to Iraqi documents, assistance in the development of chemical weapons was obtained from firms in many countries, including the United States, West Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France. A report stated that Dutch, Australian, Italian, French and both West and East German companies were involved in the export of raw materials to Iraqi chemical weapons factories. ..."
"... This is the same sort of "highly likely" language that has worked so well with the false-flag attacks in Syria. It's obviously "highly likely" that there is no actual evidence. ..."
In joint statement, world leaders agree Russia behind nerve agent attack on former spy
This is the joint statement of the whirled leaders:
We, the leaders of France, Germany, the United States and the United Kingdom, abhor the attack that took place against Sergei
and Yulia Skripal in Salisbury, UK, on 4 March 2018. A British police officer who was also exposed in the attack remains seriously
ill, and the lives of many innocent British citizens have been threatened. We express our sympathies to them all, and our admiration
for the UK police and emergency services for their courageous response.
This use of a military-grade nerve agent, of a type developed by Russia, constitutes the first offensive use of a nerve
agent in Europe since the Second World War. It is an assault on UK sovereignty and any such use by a State party is a clear
violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and a breach of international law. It threatens the security of us all.
The United Kingdom briefed thoroughly its allies that it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack. We
share the UK assessment that there is no plausible alternative explanation, and note that Russia΄s failure to address the legitimate
request by the UK government further underlines its responsibility. We call on Russia to address all questions related to the
attack in Salisbury. Russia should in particular provide full and complete disclosure of the Novichok programme to the Organisation
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
Our concerns are also heightened against the background of a pattern of earlier irresponsible Russian behaviour. We call
on Russia to live up to its responsibilities as a member of the UN Security Council to uphold international peace and security.
. .
here
Russian Envoy to the UN #Nebenzya: Russia destroyed all of its chemical weapons arsenals by 2017, a fact attested by @OPCW.
No research, development or manufacturing of projects codenamed Novichok has ever been carried out in Russia, all CW programmes
were stopped back in 1991-92
-
Russian Envoy to the UN #Nebenzya: Curious fact. Although Russia stopped all its CW programmes in 1992, the UK & the US received
specialists/defectors & documentation on these projects incl. so-called Novichok in mid-1990s, continued researching CW as
evidenced by open sources
-
later:
-
.@RussiaUN: in 1992 Russia closed all Soviet chemical weapons programmes. Some of the scientists were flown to the West (incl
UK) where they continued research. To identify a substance, formula and samples are needed means UK has capacity to produce
suspected nerve agent.
Craig Murray's excellent essay's been heavily attacked, and
he's written a stimulating and
educational response that further bolsters the initial essay. Quite interesting the so-called journalists supporting May's
propaganda.
. . . the first offensive use of a nerve agent in Europe since the Second World War
Oh dear, in sacred Europe!! How about the West using nerve agents on a grand scale against its enemy Iran in the Middle East (since
the Second World War)? Twenty thousand Iranians were killed on the spot by nerve gas, according to reports, with thousands of
people hospitalized. According to Iraqi documents, assistance in the development of chemical weapons was obtained from firms in
many countries, including the United States, West Germany, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and France. A report stated that
Dutch, Australian, Italian, French and both West and East German companies were involved in the export of raw materials to Iraqi
chemical weapons factories.
. . . it was highly likely that Russia was responsible for the attack
This is the same sort of "highly likely" language that has worked so well with the false-flag attacks in Syria. It's obviously
"highly likely" that there is no actual evidence.
"... For conclusive confirmation a coincidence of what is called 'retention times' would also be required against a standard. The retention time is the time it takes for the compound to 'show itself' at the end of the long thin tube inside the Gas Chromatograph. Different chemicals hold on to the tube with varying tenacities. and hence give various rates of elution. ..."
"... So what is being implied here, is that the authorities have both: A control sample (to determine if the quantities found would be lethal) and samples from a few different labs to confirm that the fingerprint was from lab A not lab B for example. ..."
OK I'll bite. As a former industrial organic chemist, both synthetic organic, pilot plant, and QC (quality control), post-doc,
this smells to me.
Regarding the synthesis, as I understand it, this class are binary agents, i.e. non-lethal till mixing, so the two 'halves' could
be made without specialist kit. Even active nerve agents could be prepared using a just fume cupboard, and the right PPE. Nothing
too special required other than non shaky hands. Could be made anywhere the precursors are available. We worked with HF, OsO4, Thallium
etc in such environments.
Regarding the analysis. Typically small quantities are analysed (I used to install them) using GCMS. Gas Chromatography Mass spectrometry.
This can detect down to femtogram levels.
OK.
So there exists databases of substances and their breakdown patterns under fragmentation, which can give possible matches to known
compounds. This compound may have been on there. However, for an allegation of such seriousness, these would be 'indicative' rather
than 'conclusive'. For conclusive confirmation a coincidence of what is called 'retention times' would also be required against
a standard. The retention time is the time it takes for the compound to 'show itself' at the end of the long thin tube inside the
Gas Chromatograph. Different chemicals hold on to the tube with varying tenacities. and hence give various rates of elution.
So a professional forensic scientist, I would hope, would do the following.
Run a GC-Mass Spectrum to confirm the molecular weight.
Check against a database for possible compounds which correspond to that molecular weight and fragment pattern (there may
be a few, it may not be unambiguous at this stage)
Check for the presence of other impurities, and the ratio of the main ingredient to these, which would give you the 'fingerprint'
Run the sample of unknown concentration against a standard of known concentration to determine the amount of active ingredient
in the sample.
Compare the 'fingerprint' to database of other 'fingerprints' in a library.
Only when this fingerprint matches the fingerprint from a library can you determine the origin. Even then you can not say
who administered the substance, but you would have an avenue to explore.
OK so a good forensic laboratory would have access to the following. A synthetically pure sample of known weight and impurity
profile. Finger prints of samples from 'sources of concern'
So what is being implied here, is that the authorities have both: A control sample (to determine if the quantities found would
be lethal) and samples from a few different labs to confirm that the fingerprint was from lab A not lab B for example.
"... Many trails point to the fact that Russia is responsible ..."
"... It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it. Something that should never ever happen and we're taking it very seriously as I think are many others. ..."
"... There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable for the attempted murder of Mr. Skripal and his daughter." ..."
"... our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin, and with his decision, and we think it overwhelmingly likely that it was his decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the streets of the UK for the first time since the Second World War ..."
"... (That is assuming it was indeed Novichok, since Britain is being close-handed about sharing the data with Russian authorities.) ..."
Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov plainly stated that to refuse this assistance is a
direct violation of the Chemical
Weapons Convention which states that the country suspected of being the place of origin of
a toxic agent is to be contacted first in the event of that agent's use.
One would wonder "why not?" At least one ought to.
But in the meantime, Russia is not taking this matter lying down. More, there is even a bit
of humor.
The temperature of relations drops to
-2 -3, but we are not afraid of cold weather. pic.twitter.com/mand9YyoaE
Firstly, Moscow has opened its own investigation into the attempted murders of the Skripals
on its own. In addition, they have also opened an investigation into the suspected murder of
Nikolay Glushkov, a Russian businessman, which also happened in London.
And of course,
when asked by a reporter from Reuters if Moscow would expel British diplomats, Foreign
Minister Lavrov smiled and said, "We will, of course."
Even US President Donald Trump is seen by some news agencies to be "joining the dogpile"
against Russia, though as it has been noted elsewhere here on The Duran , Mr. Trump's
response suggests very tacit agreement, but in such a way as to leave plenty of opening, as the
American president seems to have a cooler approach to this matter.
The primary allegation has this sort of structure:
" Many trails point to the fact that Russia is responsible ." – German
Chancellor Angela Merkel
" It certainly looks like the Russians were behind it. Something that should never
ever happen and we're taking it very seriously as I think are many others. " – US
President Donald Trump
" There is no alternative conclusion other than that the Russian state was culpable
for the attempted murder of Mr. Skripal and his daughter." – UK Prime Minister
Theresa May
" our quarrel is with Putin's Kremlin, and with his decision, and we think it
overwhelmingly likely that it was his decision to direct the use of a nerve agent on the
streets of the UK for the first time since the Second World War " – UK Foreign
Minister Boris Johnson
But again these are allegations, and there is no conclusive evidence that verifies any of
this aside from the point that Novichok was used. (That is assuming it was indeed Novichok,
since Britain is being close-handed about sharing the data with Russian authorities.) At
best this is circumstantial evidence leading to a wild assumption, and at worst it is
conjecture much like that which has been the banner topic in the United States for 16 months
concerning Russia and Donald Trump's election.
All words, no facts. Makes a person feel a bit like this man
"... How do you know Skripal was murdered? Even the British haven't claimed that. In fact we don't even know that Skripal was injured. There have been no photos, no medical statements, we are just expected to believe all the fake news. ..."
"There are only three scenarios explaining the murder of Skripal "
How do you know Skripal was murdered? Even the British haven't claimed that. In fact we
don't even know that Skripal was injured. There have been no photos, no medical statements,
we are just expected to believe all the fake news.
But hey, highly likely has become overwhelmingly likely so why should we quibble.
"... Since it seems that Russia's steadfast promise to defend its men and women in Damascus has effectively staved off a US attack, the western alliance did the next best thing to attacking Russia in Syria it decided to frame Russia for something that happened on English soil. - Let's Talk About Motive in The Skripal Case: Let's Talk About Syria ..."
Just read a very interesting supposition by Adam Garrie, which strikes a very true note:
Since it seems that Russia's steadfast promise to defend its men and women in Damascus has effectively staved off a US attack,
the western alliance did the next best thing to attacking Russia in Syria it decided to frame Russia for something that happened
on English soil. -
Let's Talk About
Motive in The Skripal Case: Let's Talk About Syria
So, spite. Wounded ego.
And further demonstration of the west's pitiful lack of means to do anything much real in this world except kill people unprepared
to fight back. What will it do as more and more prepare to fight back? Ask Kim. Ask Duterte, Maduro, Erdogan.
There's a CCTV camera on the traffic light opposite the restaurant (or was in Google St View June 2017)
here . When will they release the video, or was the camera "not
working"?
"... A former KGB officer told The Daily Beast that Western assumptions that these deadly concoctions must have been devised and authorized by the state showed a deep misunderstanding of Russia. ..."
"... Vassiliev, who became a KGB historian after retiring from the service, said the deaths of Skripal's wife, son and brother in recent years made this look more like a mafia revenge attack than a Kremlin-sanctioned mission. ..."
The Porton Down facility has been home to Britain's defense and technology research since reports emerged from First World War
battlefields that the Germans had killed 140 British soldiers with chlorine gas in January 1915. Coincidentally, the highly secretive
facility is located on the outskirts of Salisbury, just seven miles from where former Russian military intelligence colonel Sergei
Skripal and his daughter, Yulia, were found on Sunday.
Samples were being analyzed within hours of the discovery after local police began to feel a physical reaction and officers raced
to shut down the areas of contamination. Witnesses reported seeing the victims unconscious, with their eyes rolled back, and foaming
at the mouth.
Skripal and his daughter were isolated immediately. About 24 hours after the attack, it was determined that they were suffering
from some sort of nerve agent in their system. While Skripal has stabilized, his daughter remains in critical condition; both are
being treated in the intensive care unit, along with a police officer who was called to investigate this mysterious illness.
Based on their symptoms and the contamination patterns, scientists who spoke to The Daily Beast are convinced this was a nerve
agent attack and not radiation exposure, a cyanide attack, or a biological weapon.
"In these recent cases, the symptoms described like frothing at the mouth, vomiting, convulsions and coma -- that's more likely
a nerve agent," said Timothy Erickson , chief of
medical toxicology at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital and faculty at Harvard Medical School. Erickson published a
paper last year in the journal
Toxicology Communications about last the
fatal
February 2017 attack on Kim Jong Nam , the half-brother of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, which used VX -- short for "Venomous
agent X."
VX was invented by British biological warfare experts at Porton Down, the very same facility where tests are underway this week.
Sarin and VX -- dangerous neurochemicals that disrupt nerve-organ messaging and shut down basic bodily functions -- are the most
popular of the agents, but others with similar properties do exist.
A senior intelligence source told the BBC that it is believed sarin and VX were not the agents used, posing the question: What
was used instead and what can that tell us about the source?
Around World War II, Nazi scientists synthesized an entire "G-class" of nerve agents that not only included sarin, but also soman,
cyclosarin, and tabun, variants that also debilitate the nervous system.
They were discovered accidentally
while manufacturing pesticides , which can have similar effects on humans, but they remain extremely difficult to produce.
Mark Bishop , a chemical weapons specialist
in nonproliferation at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California, said that producing them requires
a technical capacity and scientific know-how that isn't possible in many places. "It's tricky," Bishop said. "It requires a pretty
high level of expertise for producing chemicals."
Bishop said it was possible but highly unlikely that the Russians had developed a totally new nerve agent. "They're probably making
an attempt [to create other nerve agents], but it's tough. There's no real incentive to create a new nerve agent -- they already
work so well. The only motivation to create a new one would be if they wanted them to not be identified as chemicals or to fly under
the radar."
One option that is unlikely but potentially alarming is that Russia has finally succeeded in its Soviet era mission to create
a new class of nerve agents referred to as novichoks
whose molecules were not detectable through modern lab testing methods. "They tried to keep it a secret, and there's pretty skimpy
evidence that it was happening," Bishop cautioned. "But it's an interesting possibility that would point directly to the Russians."
No matter what substance was used, conclusively tracing the orders back to the Kremlin will prove difficult.
... ... ...
Judging by the rush to secure Skripal's home, the restaurant where he shared lunch with his daughter, the pub where they retired
afterwards, and the hospital where they were treated, it seems there were fears that contaminated footprints were indeed being left
along the way.
...The police officer, Nick Bailey, who was affected later at second-hand was so severely afflicted that he had to be treated
in intensive care, although he is now conscious and talking.
The weapons experts at Porton Down will be examining every molecule and the patterns of the substance's distribution around Salisbury
in the hope that they can find a specific chemical signature that will allow this agent to be traced back to its source.
... ... ...
A former KGB officer told The Daily Beast that Western assumptions that these deadly concoctions must have been devised and
authorized by the state showed a deep misunderstanding of Russia.
"People actually underestimate the level of corruption in Russia -- any Russian will tell you that the corruption is so high that
you can get anything, anything you want," said Alexander Vassiliev. "You want polonium? You get it -- just pay the money."
Vassiliev, who became a KGB historian after retiring from the service, said the deaths of Skripal's wife, son and brother
in recent years made this look more like a mafia revenge attack than a Kremlin-sanctioned mission.
"I was a cadet in the KGB spy school exactly at the time when Putin was -- we had the same training, we had the same instructors,
we had the same textbooks, so I always have an idea about how he is thinking," he said. "Intelligence services in civilized countries
don't do revenge -- emotions shouldn't have a place in espionage -- it's not like two guys got drunk in Moscow, decided to go to
Britain and kill a traitor, it doesn't work like that."
"Of course, he was a traitor -- he committed high treason. In the Soviet Union he would have been executed, definitely," said
Vassiliev. "But you only want to kill someone in espionage if you expect this guy to bring further damage to your country or your
intelligence agency."
Where Vassiliev, the scientific community and the British authorities all agree, is on the brazenness of this attack, which could
never have gone unnoticed.
Bishop, the weapons expert in California, said the failure to immediately kill the targets -- and incidental poisoning of 21 people
-- suggested that this was a sloppy job. "Nerve agents are pretty potent, and you don't need a high concentration to kill someone,"
he said. "It's really surprising that they're still alive. Either it was not a potent nerve agent or it was not administered efficiently
or it was impure and the proper concentration was not transferred."
Vassiliev agreed. "Generally it doesn't look like a special service operation because the whole thing was done in the daylight,
as far as I understand. On the other hand you can never be sure about it because many things can go wrong, there could have been
a mistake -- no secret agent is perfect."
"... "A briefing paper by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated: "We believe it better to maintain a dialogue with others if we want to influence their actions. Punitive measures such as unilateral sanctions would not be effective in changing Iraq's behaviour over chemical weapons, and would damage British interests to no avail." ..."
A Quick Chemical Weapons History of Western Imperial Hypocrisy...
The latest UNSC 'meeting' occurring yesterday - at the behest of the ever yapping US poodles 'across the pond', is available
for viewing - (in it's a bit over an hour in it's entirety). I think that you might find find this video documentation of one
of the most farcical UNSC sessions to take place probably since the now infamous Colin Powell high kabuki theater piece - when
he comically held up for the council members - a vial of a "white power" substance that, I believe, turned out to be nothing more
than a packet of "Saccharin" hastily appropriated from the UN's commissary earlier that morning for "demonstration purposes ONLY!".
I think, He should have taken it a tad further and pretended to accidentally" drop the vial on the chamber floor - just to see
how the other UNSC members listening to his CIA inspired ruse would have responded. I'm sure that everyone attending would've
all had a great laugh together and then would have unanimously approved the west's request to bomb all thing Iraqi into oblivion.
What I think that you'll find of interest here, is not only the main parties (UK & the RF) presentations before the council,
but also the presentations of the remaining 13 Security Council members - including, of course. Ms. Haley's saccharin & sanctimonious
speech of the USA's eternal bond of solidarity with it's favorite, very well manicured pet poodle..eh.. ally: the UK. I especially
found the Chinese predictably short, but carefully parsed statement, along with those from African and South American SC ambassadors.
Finally, bringing this whole mock-moral unipolar charade full circle, below is the historically damning Wikipedia page on the
Halabja (but...he gassed his own people) massacre by Saddam Hussein on the evening of March the 16th, 1988 - nearly 2 months into
George the First's term, and near the end of the western supported Iran/Iraq war. One of the very best pretzeled presentational
pretenses came from none other that the now theatrically aggrieved sovereign "kingdom":
"A briefing paper by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office stated: "We believe it better to maintain a dialogue with
others if we want to influence their actions. Punitive measures such as unilateral sanctions would not be effective in changing
Iraq's behaviour over chemical weapons, and would damage British interests to no avail."
The very first announcement made by Boris Johnson after the alleged terrorist act on the
British soil was " British footballers will not attend the championship in Russia" -- before
(BEFORE!) any investigation has been conducted.
The UK still refuses to provide the
required-by-law materials to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapon.
The
whole "communication" with Russian re Skripal case has exposed a stunning incompetence of the
UK government across all departments, beginning with the incompetent Mrs. May and Mr. Johnson
and down to the US Sec of Def Gavin Williamson (a Diaper-Boy with the expertise in fine china
and ceramic countertops).
"... "Has high-resolution trace analysis been run on a sample of the nerve agent that revealed any evidence as to the location of its production or identity of its perpetrators? The government should work with the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons." ..."
Such a strong expression of righteousness from peterAUS -- and careful omission, a la
Quartermaster, of a simple fact articulated by Corbin:
"Has high-resolution trace analysis
been run on a sample of the nerve agent that revealed any evidence as to the location of its
production or identity of its perpetrators? The government should work with the Organization
for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons."
But the UK government refuses to provide samples to
the OPCW. Why, peterAUS?
Is it too much to ask for the evidence? Or you want to compete with
the soy-boy Gavin Williamson, the former seller of ceramic countertops? Perhaps you should
watch the BBC documentary about Gladio before making your allegedly righteous rants re Saker.
And please, spare us your ziocon' "defense" of Western society.
The Saker's most important theme in this article is that the whole Western so called
Civilization is built largely on the capacity to LIE, (IE not tell the truth when one knows
the truth). Lying is the most fundamentally destructive actions in any culture and in the
West it is not only essential for success it is revered. I am so disgusted with the West that
it is best for this charade and circus to come to an end, and it seems that the Lying Liars
as Al Franken called them years ago have internalized there own Bull $hit and believe it
absolutely. Yes, Johnny, you can put your hand on the red hot stove and nothing will happen.
Go ahead, put it on there and see!!! Dumber than Dirt and God Damn F-n Proud of it too!! The
new Western Motto!!
The former Soviet scientist, Vil Mirzanyanov, who 'blew the whistle' and wrote about the
'Novichoks', now lives in a $1 million home in the United States. The AFP news agency just
interviewed him about the recent incident:
Mirzayanov, speaking at his home in Princeton, New Jersey, said he is convinced Russia
carried it out as a way of intimidating opponents of President Vladimir Putin.
"Only the Russians" developed this class of nerve agents, said the chemist. "They kept
it and are still keeping it in secrecy."
The only other possibility, he said, would be that someone used the formulas in his book
to make such a weapon.
"Russia did it", says Mirzanyanov, "OR SOMEONE WHO READ MY BOOK".
The book was published in 2008 and is available at Amazon as hardcover, paperback or for
$8.16 as an electronic file. It includes a number of formulas which, Mirzanyanov says, could
be used to produce those chemical agents.
..But neither Porton Down nor the OPCW seem convinced that this is possible. They may
believe that Mirzanyanov is just full of it.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has not recognized
Novichoks as chemical weapons because it found scant evidence that they exist at all. The
U.S. and the UK are both part of the organization and both agreed with this evaluation:
The name "Novichok" is used in a publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported
investigating a new class of nerve agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The
OPCW's Scientific Advisory Board states that it has insufficient information to comment on
the existence or properties of "Novichoks". (OPCW, 2013)
As recently as 2016 Dr Robin Black, Head of the Detection Laboratory at the UK's only
chemical weapons facility at Porton Down , a former colleague of Dr David Kelly,
published in an extremely prestigious scientific journal that the evidence for the existence
of Novichoks was scant and their composition unknown.
In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve
agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of
the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published. Robin
Black. (2016) Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents. Royal
Society of Chemistry
"... "We believe that Russia was responsible for this attack, and we call on the Russian government to answer all questions related to this incident, and to provide full information to the OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]. No nation -- Russia, China, or anybody else, any other nation -- should be using chemical weapons and nerve agents," McMaster said, following what critics have called a belated Wednesday statement casting blame on Moscow for the attack on Skripal. ..."
If H.R. McMaster is on his way out of the White House, he's going out with two middle fingers raised and pointed in the direction
of the Kremlin.
"Russia is also complicit in [Syrian dictator Bashar] Assad's atrocities," McMaster, President Trump's national security adviser,
said Thursday during an appearance at a discussion of the Syrian civil war held at the U.S. Holocaust memorial museum.
His voice raised, McMaster used harsher and more moralistic language than his boss does in characterizing Russia's geopolitical
influence, and unequivocally blamed the Kremlin for "the abhorrent nerve agent attack" on a former double agent,
Sergei Skripal , and proposed "serious political and economic consequences" for Russian aggression.
"We believe that Russia was responsible for this attack, and we call on the Russian government to answer all questions related
to this incident, and to provide full information to the OPCW [Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons]. No nation --
Russia, China, or anybody else, any other nation -- should be using chemical weapons and nerve agents," McMaster said, following
what critics have called
a belated Wednesday statement casting blame on Moscow for the attack on Skripal.
McMaster's brief remarks, lasting under 20 minutes, came as the Army three-star general is the subject of furious speculation
that Trump will soon fire him and install hardliner ex-ambassador John Bolton atop the National Security Council. His capstone achievement
thus far has been a Russia-and-China-centric
security strategy
that has been conspicuously out of step with Trump's rhetoric and actions toward both countries.
"Russia has done nothing to encourage Assad to ensure delivery of humanitarian aid, to respect ceasefires and de-escalation agreements
or to comply with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2254's call for a U.N.-monitored political process," McMaster said.
Those remarks suggested that Trump got suckered during his 2017 rounds of personal diplomacy with Vladimir Putin. In November,
Trump and Putin issued a joint statement firmly
pledging support for what is known as the 2254 Process -- though critics considered it a cover for Moscow to continue ensuring support
for its client, Assad -- that "took note" of Assad's "recent commitment to the Geneva process and constitutional reform and elections
as called for under UNSCR 2254."
"... The UK will promptly expel 23 Russian diplomats without waiting for the end of the investigation. Which means that from now on the investigation is highly politicized and tainted in a sense that it will be conducted by people who proved the existence of Iraq WMD in the past: ..."
"... This is one step further from the "self-indictment as a formal proof" used in Show Trials. Now it looks like "suspicion is the formal proof." ..."
"... Both cyberspace and poisoning with exotic chemical agents proved to be a perfect media for false flag operations designed to poison relations between nations and fuel war-style demonization. ..."
The UK will promptly expel 23 Russian diplomats without waiting for the end of the investigation. Which means that from now
on the investigation is highly politicized and tainted in a sense that it will be conducted by people who proved the existence
of Iraq WMD in the past:
Moscow refused to meet Mrs May's midnight deadline to co-operate in the case, prompting Mrs May to announce
a series of measures intended to send a "clear message" to Russia.
These include:
Expelling 23 diplomats
Increasing checks on private flights, customs and freight
Freezing Russian state assets where there is evidence they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals
or residents
Ministers and the Royal Family boycotting the Fifa World Cup in Russia later this year
Suspending all planned high-level bilateral contacts between the UK and Russia
Plans to consider new laws to increase defences against "hostile state activity"
Mrs May told MPs that Russia had provided "no explanation" as to how the nerve agent came to be used in the UK, describing
Moscow's response as one of "sarcasm, contempt and defiance".
The use of a Russian-made nerve agent on UK soil amounted to the "unlawful use of force", she said.
So it looks more and more like a well planned multi-step propaganda operation, not an impromptu action on the part of GB. Kind
of replica of Russian election influence witch hunt in the USA with the replacement of cyberspace and elections with chemical
agents and poisoning.
So inconsistencies that were pointed in this thread (such as the mere fact that three people exposed are still alive) do not
matter anymore.
The verdict now is in.
This is one step further from the "self-indictment as a formal proof" used in Show Trials. Now it looks like "suspicion
is the formal proof."
Both cyberspace and poisoning with exotic chemical agents proved to be a perfect media for false flag operations designed
to poison relations between nations and fuel war-style demonization.
First Steele dossier. Now Skripals.. What's next ?
Notable quotes:
"... But even to an outsider, and even if we take it all at face value, that official account of the Wiltshire poisoning is nowhere near solid enough to justify the steps taken. "If you have a weak argument, shout louder" is sufficient therefore to explain the surprising volume of anti-Russian PR coming out of London just now. ..."
"... I think they're probably shouting loud enough to gain their point. A sufficient number of us in the UK public will accept that Wiltshire incident as further proof of Putin's malevolence. We will therefore accept further anti-Russian measures. ..."
"... For the Westminster bubble all our eggs are in the American neocon basket. One could say that the respective swamps are inextricably connected. What's in it for our politicians is nothing less than the maintenance of a comfortable and familiar status quo. There's therefore no choice but to be more Roman that Rome when it comes to pursuing neocon objectives. ..."
"... As ever therefore it all centres around Trump. Is he getting dragged along by his neocons? Or is he now one of them? ..."
"... Trump is not only up against his own establishment. He's up against the European establishment as well. Hence the hammering he's getting from our European press and politicians. Hence also the dossier scandal, which for my part I now see for certain as a joint attempt by the American/UK status quo supporters to weaken or unseat Trump. ..."
Kooshy - I should have checked down-thread before submitting my comment. Then I'd have seen that "London Bob" (87) had given
a brief account of what is happening in Westminster.
"London Bob" explains something that puzzles some in the UK (and bothered me a lot over Syria). Why isn't Corbyn, the opposition
leader in the House of Commons and now stronger than he was, coming out with all guns firing against the present anti-Russian
hysteria? He'd have plenty of ammunition, that's for sure.
As that brief account explains, he's in no position to do so. He's leading a divided party. He has some support from within
his party rank and file but not from many of his own colleagues in the House. We now see, incidentally, some of his colleagues
making public statements that are only a hair's breadth away from disavowing Corbyn or his spokesmen.
In addition Corbyn is already suspected of being anti-patriotic and doesn't want to give his opponents a bigger stick to beat
him with on that.
Therefore resistance to the current Russophobia from within the Westminster bubble is likely to be weak.
Also in this thread DH is casting a sceptical eye over the Wiltshire poisoning. It's an indication of how far down public discussion
in the UK has gone that specialists in the UK who know their stuff no longer get airtime while people like Luke Harding, who plainly
don't, are all over the media. This blanking out of the voice of reasoned criticism in the UK media is, I suspect, already proving
counterproductive for the status quo. It merely reinforces that general public feeling, evident to some extent in the Brexit vote,
that we do at least know we're being conned even if we don't always know how. I don't know how widespread that feeling is in this
case.
But even to an outsider, and even if we take it all at face value, that official account of the Wiltshire poisoning is
nowhere near solid enough to justify the steps taken. "If you have a weak argument, shout louder" is sufficient therefore to explain
the surprising volume of anti-Russian PR coming out of London just now.
I think they're probably shouting loud enough to gain their point. A sufficient number of us in the UK public will accept
that Wiltshire incident as further proof of Putin's malevolence. We will therefore accept further anti-Russian measures.
What's in it for us? As you perhaps indicate, bent money will be running like the devil away from London, which one would think
can't be good news for the City or for the London property market. Hence the repeated calls for European and American solidarity;
if the Russian expatriates can simply move their fortunes to other Western boltholes that's going to leave Westminster looking
ineffectual.
I don't accept the argument I sometimes see put forward that we, and the East Europeans for that matter, are at present dragging
the Americans along with us. However weak the American economy is or is said to be, there's no question but that ours is considerably
more fragile. For the Westminster bubble all our eggs are in the American neocon basket. One could say that the respective
swamps are inextricably connected. What's in it for our politicians is nothing less than the maintenance of a comfortable and
familiar status quo. There's therefore no choice but to be more Roman that Rome when it comes to pursuing neocon objectives.
So when it comes to the various neocon establishments, the little dogs can kick up more racket but it's still the big dog running
the show.
As ever therefore it all centres around Trump. Is he getting dragged along by his neocons? Or is he now one of them?
If the first, then it's accurate to see this as many of us here have seen it from the start. Trump is not only up against
his own establishment. He's up against the European establishment as well. Hence the hammering he's getting from our European
press and politicians. Hence also the dossier scandal, which for my part I now see for certain as a joint attempt by the American/UK
status quo supporters to weaken or unseat Trump.
If the second then all is still not lost. Better to have the cronies falling out amongst themselves - and it's evident at least
that that's happening - than have them as united as they were before Trump.
"... This entire Russian hysteria reminds me of the old western movies where a crowd gathers outside the sheriff's office being manipulated into hysteria by rabblerousers shouting "Hang the Bastard". The rabble rousers are the media and government ministers and the crowd is the western public. No need for evidence evidence since everyone knows he is guilty! The west has descended into a pit of their own filth. ..."
Relations
between Britain and Russia have become so toxic now that anyone working with Russian news media
is liable to be condemned as a stooge or traitor.
Senior Labour party member John McDonnell, the shadow finance minister, has conceded this
week that fellow opposition politicians "may be banned from appearing on Russian news media"
following the furore over allegations that Moscow carried out an assassination attempt in
Britain last week.
Other reports
have called on Britain's state media regulator, Ofcom, to cancel the broadcast license for
Russian government-owned news outlet RT. That move is being touted as "appropriate retaliation"
for Moscow's alleged involvement in the apparent poison attack on Sergei Skripal and his adult
daughter.
The pair have been hospitalized following an
incident in their adopted home town of Salisbury on March 4, in which it appears they were
exposed to a lethal nerve agent. Disgraced Russian agent Sergei Skripal had been living in the
southern England town for the past eight years following his exile to Britain in 2010 as part
of a spy exchange.
After much fevered speculation in British media, the Conservative
Prime Minister Theresa May followed up this week by
telling lawmakers in the House of Commons that "it was highly likely Russia was
responsible".
The main incriminating factor cited is that the poisonous substance has been
supposedly identified by British authorities as " novichok
" -- a Soviet-made nerve agent, similar to VX and other weaponized organophosphate compounds.
Moscow has categorically denied any involvement in the apparent murder bid on the Skripals.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has derided May's parliamentary address as "a circus show".
Let's back up a moment. May's claims of "highly likely" are eerily reminiscent of American
and British "high confidence" about weapons of mass destruction allegedly in Iraq and Syria; or
American and British "high confidence" about alleged Russian meddling in elections. It seems to
be always a case of assertion-without-evidence which is either eventually disproven, as with
WMDs in Iraq, or reliant on endless repetition by dutiful news media.
As for the British prime minister's supposed "smoking syringe" implicating Moscow because of
an alleged Soviet military-grade nerve agent "novichok", that depends on the word of British
military intelligence. How do we know novichok was actually used? It could have been any number
of highly-toxic related organophosphate chemicals.
Even if novichok was deployed to injure the Skripals that is far from proof of any Russian
connection. We can be sure Britain and other Western states have also developed their own
stocks of novichok. How easy it would be to use the chemical as an apparent fingerprint framing
the Kremlin, in the same way that the CIA and NSA can leave digital fingerprints framing
enemies for seeming cyber-attacks.
The official British position implicating Russia over the
Salisbury poisoning is tenuous, to say the least. But what is astounding is how the British are
toxifying relations with Russia based on no objective evidence.
When Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn stood up in parliament this week to reply to Theresa May's
speech, he was roundly vilified by Tory lawmakers and sections of the British media because he
did not "condemn" Russia over the Salisbury incident.
This is the toxic war-like climate that has been engendered in Britain owing to relentless
Russophobia whipped up by politicians and lynch-mob media mentality.
Russia is found "guilty" without any facts, based upon a ludicrous theory of revenge against
a has-been spy who had been living undisturbed in England for eight years. We are expected to
believe that Moscow would order his assassination with an identifiable Soviet-era chemical
weapon on the eve of its own presidential elections.
What's much more plausible is that the British authorities staged the event as a propaganda
stunt to frame and further demonize Russia. Theresa May probably hasn't a clue that she is
being manipulated by her own secret services, as are other British politicians media.
May
claims that the latest incident comes "against a backdrop of well-established Russian state
aggression". One could far more reasonably argue "a backdrop of British and Western
Russophobia".
There are many possible reasons for why British state forces would want to polarize
international relations even more than they already are with Russia.
Notably, the poisoning incident has led to
calls for greater military build-up by NATO forces on Russia's borders. That's an obvious
win for the British military-industrial complex.
Another factor is that Britain seems to be using the latest debacle as a way to further
damage European relations with Russia, demanding that Germany and France show "solidarity" by
condemning Moscow. This could be related to European energy geopolitics in which London and
Washington have a shared interest in sabotaging the soon-to-be-completed
Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline from Russia to Europe.
But one other tangible outcome is the way that Russian news media are being targeted with
even more venom. On the back of sensational claims that Russia "carried out a brazen attempt to
murder innocent civilians on our soil", the climate is now conducive to censoring
"Kremlin-backed news organizations" like RT and Sputnik.
As mentioned above, senior Labour
figures like John McDonnell, who is normally strongly independent-minded, are obligingly
calling for fellow members of their party to stop appearing on RT.
This Orwellian-like Russophobia is creating a situation in which anyone working with Russian
news media is prone to be labeled traitorous. Former British politicians like George Galloway
and Alex Salmond who have gone on to host programs for RT will, we can be sure, be subjected to
intense pressure to quit.
A sign of how hysterical the Russophobia has become is a
call this week in British media for Manchester United manager José Mourinho to
renege on his recent deal with RT as a football pundit during this summer's World Cup
tournament.
The same intimidatory atmosphere applies to all public figures and journalists who associate
with Russian news media. It's a global witch-hunt orchestrated to silence dissenting views.
Working with Russian news media is now tantamount to taking a poison pill.
Russian channels like RT and Sputnik have brought a refreshingly critical perspective to
many international events.
When American, British and other European politicians decry "Russian meddling in elections"
what they are really vexed about is the Russian news media performing a legitimate and laudable
function of properly informing the public. Denigrating Russian media as "Kremlin-sponsored
influence campaigns" is a desperate attempt by Western states to shut down critical voices.
The poisoning incident of Sergei Skripal and his daughter is conveniently having a broadside
toxic impact on relations with Russia for any number of ulterior objectives for the British
authorities.
One objective that seems to be clearly emerging is the way in which the Russophobia is being
used to incriminate Russian news media and anyone who might associate with them. That's partly
a reflection of how successful Russian news media have become in exposing Western governments'
crimes.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not
necessarily reflect those of Information Clearing House.
We have presidential elections in Russia on March 18, and this incident happens right before
the elections. How convenient. And who gains by this ? Russia ? I think not. This false flag
was instigated to vilify both Russia and Putin and give NATO an excuse to exist. The military
industrial complexes in the US and Western Europe will, of course, be overjoyed, as now they
expect more money. However, as far as I can see, many people are not buying this highly
transparent piece of nonsense.
Assumptions of guilt upon public accusation unless and until the accused undertakes the
almost impossible task of proving the negative appears to be the prevalent trend amongst
so-called "western democracies" everywhere.
I seem to recall US President Trump recently
saying something about "take the gun first, go through due process second" and many others
appear to agree with that approach ... although the designated 'villains' deserving that
treatment may vary.
"Theresa May probably hasn't got a clue she is being manipulated by her own intelligence
services"
Yes she does, she fully knows what is going on and is on board with it. If these vile
creatures succeed in bringing the unthinkable upon their citizens I sincerely hope there will
be enough people left who know where the blame lies and who will hunt down these evil scum
and deal with them adequately.
"Ratcheting up the Hysteria and Propaganda" for the "Final Battle" against all "evildoers."
(i.e. "evildoers of the world unite....the Anglo-American democracies.)
This entire Russian hysteria reminds me of the old western movies where a crowd gathers
outside the sheriff's office being manipulated into hysteria by rabblerousers shouting "Hang
the Bastard". The rabble rousers are the media and government ministers and the crowd is the
western public. No need for evidence evidence since everyone knows he is guilty! The west has
descended into a pit of their own filth.
As to MOTIVE. i have also read that this Russian man and his daughter were caught up in AND
HAD INTIMATE KNOWLEDGE that
British M16 actually CREATED THE INFAMOUS "RUSSIAN DOSSIER"....not Christopher Steele
alone...........and since this information is a bombshell [UK Intel trying to unseat Trump]
that this man and his daughter were knowledgable of AND THEY HAD REQUESTED PERMISSION TO
REPATRIATE HOME TO RUSSIA.........."somebody" decided to OFF the two..... I wonder who that
"somebody" might be?
Dennis Morrisseau
USArmy Officer [Vietnam era] ANTI-WAR
Lieutenant Morrisseau's Rebellion
FireCongress.org
LIBERTY UNION founder
Second Vermont Republic, VFM
POB 177, W. Pawlet, VT 05775 [email protected]
802 645 9727 9727
poor rupert murdoch, his plans for billions of profit via Genie Energy from the resources of
southern syria are being curtailed by russia. you have to feel for the guy, its only right
that he uses his media empire to whine about it!
We are witnessing a full court press by the US, Western Europe, Japan, Australia and Canada.
The leaders of these nations and their obedient news outlets are going all out to confront
Russia militarily, economically, politically and diplomatically. The hysteria stirred up by
Western politicians and their subservient media seems to be driven by an agenda to isolate
Russia from the rest of the world. The West is cynically using these unsubstantiated
allegations to malign, discredit and demonize Russia so as to undermine its international
standing. These repeated accusations seem like a page right out of NAZI Minister of
Propaganda Joseph Goebbels' "A lie told once remains a lie but a lie told a thousand times
becomes the truth ..If you repeat a lie often enough people will believe it." The
assassination of this Russian double agent Sergei Skripal couldn't have come at a more
opportune time for Prime Minister Theresa May whose popularity was sagging in the polls. The
incident, irrespective of how disingenuous, provided her with a flag waving call to arms
against the alien Russian 'aggressor." This all fits in quite neatly with other orchestrated
allegations of Russian electoral interference, Russian trolls and hacking of DNC emails
disseminating from US politicians and Intelligence Services.
This bellicose fear mongering taking place throughout the West is happening while NATO is
literally on Russia's doorstep. How should Russia react to this mass hysteria? Their troops
aren't on the borders of Western Europe, the US or Canada. Russia doesn't have 700 military
bases in 70 countries throughout the world nor has it invaded other countries or conducted in
regime change as has the US and NATO.
It therefore doesn't seem illogical, given the provocative rhetoric coming from the US, UK
and Western Europe, that from a Russian perspective Russia is probably facing the greatest
challenge from the West since Hitler's 1941 invasion "Operation Barbarossa." Of course the
advent of nuclear weapons and intercontinental missiles in the last 72 years will hopefully
be enough to reign in the crazies in Washington and London's 10 Downing Street.
"... It's sad that people even watch things such as BBC,CBC,NBC,ABC, CNN, etc. when every one of them parrots the same talking points, and they have repeatedly been outed as disinfo and pure propaganda outlets. ..."
"... Most interesting to me is that people can now see where their MP's stand WRT war - because this sure smells like the run-up to Libya. We already knew where the US would stand, same position for nearly a century. ..."
"... Only bankers benefit from war, and with the current global debt bomb, they are all in for declaration of "force majeure"- rest assured on that. ..."
Lying in bed listening to Australian government media propaganda . Endless parroting about
the ' rules based order ' , ' the rising power of ( guess) and now Boris Johnson informing us
that the world is insensed at Russian aggression . It is funny and absurd , sad and deadly !
It's harder and harder to laugh at this nonsense. Just when you thought it could not get more
ridiculous, something like this happens. I keep hearing that our masters are preparing us for
war with Russia. All those people who keep saying 'war is coming', 'prepare for World War
III', etc., you do realize that your life will be over, along with everyone you know, and ...
human civilization?
When I read
this hysterical panegyric on Observer.com (or at least as much of it as I could stomach),
I couldn't help but think of the Hate Week speech delivered by an Inner
Party member in the movie version of George Orwell's 1984 !
It's sad that people even watch things such as BBC,CBC,NBC,ABC, CNN, etc. when every one
of them parrots the same talking points, and they have repeatedly been outed as disinfo and
pure propaganda outlets. The only "waking up" that I see anywhere is among those few
that are neither progressive or conservative, and they are waking up to a nightmare. I am
glad this is all talking - if fur truly starts flying, there isn't anywhere to hide from all
this.
It's straight out of Bernays - just keep doubling down and throwing it up all over the
media outlets. I get ashamed that critical thinking exists only in a few places like MOA. Yet
even here, people seem to divide themselves right along the lines that all this claptrap
designates at times.
All you need to sort this out is a simple exercise in "cui bono", same as ever - and
Russia had nothing to gain, even in the intel arena.
Most interesting to me is that people can now see where their MP's stand WRT war - because
this sure smells like the run-up to Libya. We already knew where the US would stand, same
position for nearly a century.
Only bankers benefit from war, and with the current global debt bomb, they are all in for
declaration of "force majeure"- rest assured on that.
This post suggest that one of the motivation fro the attack can be connected with imlications
for GB of Steele dossier fiasco.
Notable quotes:
"... Ironically, while I think the notion that the Russian authorities would have organised this kind of attack now is peculiarly preposterous, I think there are a very large number of suspects -- including both state actors and some non-state. So, for example, Ukrainian oligarchs would very likely be in a position to organise such an operation. ..."
"... A possible element in the story is that both 'BuzzFeed' and Christopher Steele face very serious potential problems in lawsuits relating to the 'dossier.' Both have been sued by Aleksej Gubarev and XBT, while the former also has to face actions from the Alfa oligarchs, Michael Cohen, and Carter Page. ..."
"... The best way of avoiding a disaster for both 'BuzzFeed' and Steele -- which could have large knock-on implications -- may be to reinforce the already prevalent climate of hysteria, so that even the most preposterous claims in the dossier can be made to seem reasonable. ..."
Ironically, while I think the notion that the Russian authorities would have organised
this kind of attack now is peculiarly preposterous, I think there are a very large number of
suspects -- including both state actors and some non-state. So, for example, Ukrainian
oligarchs would very likely be in a position to organise such an operation.
Moreover, if they did, the British authorities would have very little option but to cover
up for them.
One thing which is striking me forcibly is the way that the claims about a long history of
assassinations of 'dissidents' in the UK in the 'investigation' by 'BuzzFeed' last June, of
which the centrepiece was a long piece entitled 'From Russia With Blood' are now being
recycled all over the place.
A possible element in the story is that both 'BuzzFeed' and Christopher Steele face very
serious potential problems in lawsuits relating to the 'dossier.' Both have been sued by
Aleksej Gubarev and XBT, while the former also has to face actions from the Alfa oligarchs,
Michael Cohen, and Carter Page.
The best way of avoiding a disaster for both 'BuzzFeed' and Steele -- which could have
large knock-on implications -- may be to reinforce the already prevalent climate of hysteria,
so that even the most preposterous claims in the dossier can be made to seem reasonable.
I think the problem goes well beyond the foreign policy establishment and most definitely
includes the generals and a variety of other people and institutions in and out of
government.
While BHO did restrain some of the aggression that we are now seeing, I suspect that the
Deep State was confident that HRC or some Team R muppet (Jeb!) would win the next election,
so all they had to do was bide their time.
"... Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece? ..."
Why of course the people don't want war. Why should some poor slob on a farm want to risk his
life in a war when the best he can get out of it is to come back to his farm in one piece?
Naturally the common people don't want war: neither in Russia, nor in England, nor for that
matter in Germany. That is understood. But after all it is the leaders of a country who
determine the policy and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is
a democracy or fascist dictatorship, or a parliament or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no
voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you
have to do is tell them they are being attacked (by a Russian sounding chemical weapon
Novichok), and denounce the peace makers for lack of patriotism
( https://www.craigmurray.org.uk – Craig Murray has
been most viciously attacked for not accepting the official story without any evidence) and
exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.
Rattlesnakes have a terrible reputation. Here were I live, in Florida, we have the biggest
rattlesnakes on the planet, the Eastern Diamondback (
Crotalus adamanteus ). They are huge and can reach well over 2m (6ft) in length and
weigh up to 15kg (30lbs). The Eastern Diamondback's venom is not the most potent out there, but
they can deliver *a lot* of it. So, yes, it is a formidable creature. But it is also a gentle
creature and truly very shy one.
Eastern Diamonbacks are also a stunningly beautiful creatures. I confess that I absolutely
love them.
For all their reputation for nastiness, Eastern Diamonbacks will never ever attack you if
they can avoid it . I have seen a lot of these snakes on my hikes, I have manipulated them
(with a hook), and I have seen my German Shepherd come nose to nose with one (literally) and
that Eastern Diamondback did not strike. Why? Because these snakes will do everything they can
to avoid having to bite you.
First and foremost, they hide. Really well. You can stand right next to a large Eastern
Diamondback and never notice it. You can walk right by, and it won't move, or rattle its tail,
and you will never know that it was there. Camouflage is their first line of defense.
Then, if discovered, they will rattle their tails. If needed, very loudly. You can easily
hear the rattle from an Eastern Diamondback from 5m (15ft) away. More than enough distance to
easily avoid it.
Furthermore, if given the chance, the Eastern Diamondback will retreat and hide.
Finally, when cornered a lot of them try what is called a "dry bite": they do bite you, but
deliver no venom. Why? Because you are not prey, so what would be the point of envenomating
you? The Eastern Diamondback does not want you dead, it wants you to let it live!
I was once told by a park ranger in Arizona that the profile of a typical rattlesnake bite
victim is: white, male, with tattoos and the famous last words " hold my beer and watch
this! ".
Why am I telling you all this?
Because that is exactly what I see happening before my horrified eyes.
Russia is the Eastern Diamondback desperately trying to do all it can to avoid to have to
strike. The West is the drunk idiot full of hubris, arrogance and a very mistaken sense of
invulnerability saying " hold my beer and watch this! ".
Keep in mind that in a confrontation with a drunken human the Eastern Diamondback is most
unlikely to survive. And it knows that, and that is why it does everything it can to avoid such
a confrontation in the first place. But if cornered or attacked the Diamondback will strike.
Hard. Want to see what such a strike looks like?
Well I said: "I hope that this is true but I cannot discount the other possibility that Trump has once again been fooled by
the intelligence and the media into appointing a tool of the deep state to replace Tillerson. He was fooled in Syria and the World
applauded or rather the World media applauded loudly. Hopefully he was not fooled by that contrived story. If that is the case
then it is bad news for all of us and might lead to further hostilities against Russia."
Having further researched Mike Pompeo's history it seems he is a war hawk who will align to blame Russia for the attack on
Sergei Skripal and his daughter. Further he has been a strong critic of the nuclear deal with Iran forged under Obama and has
also been a strong republican supporter of every republican strategy for national defense including keeping Guantanamo Bay open
indefinitely etc. This would support my doubts that the appointment of Secretary of State Pompeo would do much to ratchet down
international tensions in the hot spots around the World where the US has chosen to portray our "enemies" as military targets
to be conquered rather than other nations with their own sovereign rights to be dealt with through diplomacy.
The most alarming idea is to launch a war with Iran since they have negotiated a nuclear disarmament strategy with the Obama
administration leaving them in a precarious situation of being vulnerable to a change in strategy by the US of negotiation towards
a threat of armed force intervention coming from the US. Trump calls the Iran deal a terrible deal and so does Pompeo. How it
is a terrible deal seems to be the same accusation that the US launched against Saddam Hussein in Iraq. It is only a terrible
deal for Iran as it was for Iraq to believe that they could disarm under UN supervision in the hopes it would prevent an attack
by the US.
I fear that the lessons of the potential new anti Iranian strategy to cancel out our deals with Iran will only convince the
North Koreans that any pursuit of a peace with the USA will ultimately result in our reneging on the deal at the first arrival
of our stated goals to get NK to disarm and will turn on them even if they comply with western demands that they must dismantle
their nuclear arsenals.
The Iranian Nuclear deal is in peril with the appointment of Pompeo and the result will be that North Korea will see no advantage
in cooperating with an adversary which on the one hand forges peace treaties and on the other hand revokes them by the politically
shifting winds in Washington headed by a president who cannot see the forest from the trees and is easily influenced by people
he "connects with" as though that is reason enough to surround himself with those people and appoint them to high positions.
The politically shifting instability in Washington with the firings of high officials alone would be reason enough for any
foreign nation to doubt the credibility of any policy being put forth. Stability is what is essential to create the foundation
for trust. Without an honest and consistent foreign policy it will be impossible to gain the trust of foreign leaders. As long
as the administration is led by the nose by the media and acts in unpredictable ways there can be no shared basis for trust which
is essential for peace.
What we have in Washington is the expansion of domestic political unrest and the contention of our national elections flaring
over into blame of foreign influences and the externalization of blame for our current sociopolitical divide.
This is the fertile ground laced with the fertilizer for war or at the least a military buildup to war.
There is no greater threat than a World Superpower nation that shifts almost weekly on its policies and has open disputes with
its appointed leaders which results in that nation repeatedly reshuffling the cards and changing its positions on foreign policy.
I pray that the current leadership will come to grips with its own internal struggles and find a reasoned path towards maintaining
the fragile peace that we all depend on.
"... There is no proof that the Russians were responsible and there is ample circumstantial evidence that there have been similar attempts many former governments to conduct false flag operations to create the appearance of enemy involvement in crimes boosted by the media in a rush to judgement where the home government would benefit from a story blaming the enemy state for deeds they were responsible for. Do you think we are not capable of the same crimes we routinely accuse other nations of? Do you believe every news story you hear and call every dissenting voice fake? ..."
"... The question of who benefits from the accusations that Russia was behind the gassing of Sergei Skripal and his daughter lies at the heart of the question of who really benefits from the news blitzes like the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter? ..."
"... Again, who benefits? Are the Russians benefiting from this assassination attempt? I think not. They are now corralled by the western press as having committed one more grievous crime. Why would they do this? Would their reasons be to empower the west to vilify them? Would they time their attack precisely at a time when the British were questioning their decision to exit the European Union was being called into question? How would their decision to unite against a Russian threat influence their decision? ..."
"... That's how you kill him if you want to frame the Russian state for the death. ..."
"... "Putindiditism" is definitely the new plague sweeping the West, infecting everyone, who was once able to think straight but is now incapable of critical thinking or even common sense. ..."
There is no bigger paid fake news than our commercial news corporations which will soon be able to propagandize us free of
the Internet Neutrality rules which allow free discourse and debate thanks to the FCC ruling to end Net Neutrality which will
end free speech for the tiny so called "fake news" sites like this. Fake only in the fact they counter the main stream propaganda.
Admittedly you have found a hole in the story with some speculation being proposed by the author that connections to the Steele
Report and the proximity of some supposed British nerve gas factory plays into the story. It is fake news as far as speculation
that the British were involved since there is no proof of that either but how as that different from the fact free accusations
that the Russians were responsible?
Personally I agree that the allegations that the British were behind it are unfounded but so are the allegations that Russia
was behind it. It is a rush to find guilt on both sides unsupported by evidence and deserving its day in a court of law,
There is no proof that the Russians were responsible and there is ample circumstantial evidence that there have been similar
attempts many former governments to conduct false flag operations to create the appearance of enemy involvement in crimes boosted
by the media in a rush to judgement where the home government would benefit from a story blaming the enemy state for deeds they
were responsible for. Do you think we are not capable of the same crimes we routinely accuse other nations of? Do you believe
every news story you hear and call every dissenting voice fake?
The purpose of this site is to examine the all too real possibilities that our own governments are capable of perpetrating
the same kinds of lies that our publicly announced "enemies" are accused as responsible for and to call into question their own
motives for doing so.
The question of who benefits from the accusations that Russia was behind the gassing of Sergei Skripal and his daughter
lies at the heart of the question of who really benefits from the news blitzes like the poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter?
The article may be flawed with speculations but the underlying question remains "Who Benefits" Surely it is not the Russians
who could have killed Sergei Skripal many years ago if they felt the need to kill him. They surely had ample means to do so being
a world superpower and master at spying and controlling their assets.
It is the fault of our judgement and our ability to understand how international relations are controlled to not see how we
can easily be fooled by a disinformation campaign aimed at aligning our nations around a guilty verdict based on false evidence.
Again, who benefits? Are the Russians benefiting from this assassination attempt? I think not. They are now corralled by
the western press as having committed one more grievous crime. Why would they do this? Would their reasons be to empower the west
to vilify them? Would they time their attack precisely at a time when the British were questioning their decision to exit the
European Union was being called into question? How would their decision to unite against a Russian threat influence their decision?
Clearly there is more to this story than meets the eye and clearly there is much to be gained by creating a foreign enemy to
rally the people.
So what is the risk? The risk is that by marginalizing the Russians and constantly keeping them out in the cold (war) the West
will face an renewed existential threat and will only exacerbate tensions with a fully nuclear armed Russia.
This is great news for the arms manufacturers. They will reap giant profits as we descend into Cold War II.
So really you should be asking yourself who benefits and the only answer that is reasonable is the arms manufacturers and the
military.
The agitation on the western side for blaming Russia for everything is economically motivated for profit.
That much is not speculation.
Realist , March 14, 2018 at 3:39 am
If the Russians wanted him dead he would have died of a tragic accident, due to mindless street violence, or of an armed robbery
gone wrong years ago, not ritually assassinated on the public square using a military grade "weapon of mass destruction" made
only at highly secured government facilities (like the shop down the street). That's how you kill him if you want to frame
the Russian state for the death.
mrtmbrnmn , March 13, 2018 at 11:43 pm
"Putindiditism" is definitely the new plague sweeping the West, infecting everyone, who was once able to think straight
but is now incapable of critical thinking or even common sense. Teresa May sounds as demented and desperate as our own Queen
of You Owe Me during her failing campaign. "Highly likely" are Intelligence (duh) Community weasel words for "we're makin' this
sh up".
However, had the Sore Loser won, we might have been spared all these fairy tales and connivings and cut straight to Operation
Barbarossa 2018. The true cold hearts' desire of all these berserkers and their fellow travelers barreling helter-skelter down
the highway to hell and dragging the rest of us with them. What is to be done??
"... The US undoubtedly hopes to get all of NATO to respond to an attack by Russia on the US in a country that the US is illegally occupying. I dunno. All the old colonial powers in Europe are pretty much US lapdogs. so it's hard to say what they'll do. ..."
"... Whether that message be a straightforward one by Russia that traitors always pay in the end, or a double-game, "false flag" one by the U.K. or U.S. to make it look like Russia, or some even more convoluted scenario it's still more about communication than killing. ..."
I think it is much much worse than what you are suggesting. I think the governmental actor in question is either the US or
the UK. Most likely the US with the UK as co-conspirator. It strikes me as odd that not only the Skripals but also Litvinenko
who was murdered on British soil with polonium 210, another governmental action only weapon.
While on the one hand, these chemical/nuclear agents were known to be possessed by Russia, that doesn't mean that they weren't
also possessed by us.
The US military would want samples of the nerve agent to work on possible antidotes and defenses. Polonium 210 is just an element.
It can be made by anybody who has a research nuclear reactor.
The US is (unsuccessfully so far) attempting to isolate Russia as they prosecute their pursuit of ousting the elected government
of Syria.
My take is that we are working up to attacking the government of Syria to protect "our" "moderate" rebel scum in Syria.
And we won't have any kind of UN resolution to misinterpret. I don't know how we're going to try to spin it but look for an
attack in Ghouta sometime soon.
The US is trying to forestall a Russian response but the Russians have come out and said that an attack by the US would result
in a Russian response.
The US undoubtedly hopes to get all of NATO to respond to an attack by Russia on the US in a country that the US is illegally
occupying. I dunno. All the old colonial powers in Europe are pretty much US lapdogs. so it's hard to say what they'll do.
David G , March 13, 2018 at 2:20 pm
"The obfuscations of the British reinforce in [sic] the view that Skripal was dangerous to the anti-Trump forces and the authorities
therefore sought to have them removed."
If it is true (and I don't take it as proved at this point) that an ultra-powerful, military nerve agent that nobody is supposed
to even possess in 2018 was employed here, then whoever is responsible was trying to send a message, not just kill somebody unsuccessfully
kill, for that matter, at least so far.
Whether that message be a straightforward one by Russia that traitors always pay in the end, or a double-game, "false flag"
one by the U.K. or U.S. to make it look like Russia, or some even more convoluted scenario it's still more about communication
than killing. That's because anybody with the resources to get hold of this exotic toxin could easily have killed Skripal
in a more mundane (and reliable) manner, if that was their primary goal.
Therefore, I disagree with James O'Neill's hypothesis that this was somebody trying to silence Skripal because of the Steele
dossier: if that were the case, we'd have a dead victim and a conventional cause of death, albeit possibly made to look like an
accident or suicide.
Linda Wood , March 13, 2018 at 6:54 pm
David G, your point here is really important.
If it is true that an ultra-powerful, military nerve agent that nobody is supposed to even possess in 2018 was employed
here, then whoever is responsible was trying to send a message, not just kill somebody it's still more about communication
than killing. That's because anybody with the resources to get hold of this exotic toxin could easily have killed Skripal in
a more mundane (and reliable) manner, if that was their primary goal.
Not only does the use of such a toxin identify the killer as a government actor, whether Russian or U.S. or UK, it sends the
message that whoever it is, they are dangerous, lawless, and willing to take the risk, knowing they have identified themselves
as one of very few possible actors.
Just as the note in the anthrax attack stated, "WE HAVE THIS ANTHRAX", the question we have to ask in response is a kind of
John le Carre quote: Who is speaking here?
alley cat , March 13, 2018 at 2:07 pm
There are infinite ways to eliminate someone without using a chemical that can be traced directly to you. The only operators
who would use Novichok would be those trying to fan the flames of hysteria against Russia. The idea that Russians would deliberately
incriminate themselves in this manner when they had nothing to gain by it doesn't even pass the straight-face test.
Israel Shamir posted an article on Unz Review that ties Putin's speech on March 1 with the growing threats by U.S. leaders
to intervene militarily in Syria if the Syrian government "uses chemical weapons again." As if the Syrian government had any motive
to use chemical weapons when it has all but won the war.
The Russians have contemptuously dismissed the absurd allegations against the Syrian government, and will do the same with
respect to the allegations of Russian complicity in the assassination of Skripal.
But the military balance of power has shifted since Putin's latest speech. The Russian president has now drawn a line in the
sand by giving U.S. leaders a clear warning that Russia has the capability to put a quick end to illegal U.S. meddling in Syria,
and the will to do so.
Only complete, deluded, fools would doubt Putin's resolve. Thank God humanity is safe, since the people running the U.S. are
all level-headed, intelligent, and reasonable.
"The formula in a book you can buy on Amazon for 30 bucks, the stuff's not listed the OPCW's list of deadly nerve agents, to
the stuff being stored in the former Soviet states, but Russia being the only one of those former Soviet states that destroyed
their stockpiles of chemical & bio weapons to the satisfaction of the OPCW, no less, 'Hallelujah' statements, and all.
The United States and Uzbekistan have quietly negotiated and are expected to sign a bilateral agreement today to provide American
aid in dismantling and decontaminating one of the former Soviet Union's largest chemical weapons testing facilities, according
to Defense Department and Uzbek officials.
Earlier this year, the Pentagon informed Congress that it intends to spend up to $6 million under its Cooperative Threat Reduction
program to demilitarize the so-called Chemical Research Institute, in Nukus, Uzbekistan. Soviet defectors and American officials
say the Nukus plant was the major research and testing site for a new class of secret, highly lethal chemical weapons called "Novichok,"
which in Russian means "new guy."
Let us guess who got full access to the equipment, technical documentation and all those agents
Where is Christopher Steele? did he not have means and motive and oportunity ?
Why has the russians not highlighted these connections after all the daughter is a russian citizen she has to be somewhere
in hospital or kidnapped in a safe house.
Does not the russian embassy have a right to make sure this young lady is safe and happy to stay at her new porton down home.
And look what got announced today problem reaction solution new investments new buildings for the chemical weapons facilities
at porton down what a concy dink 50 million for what testing dodgy sim samples .
"... Clearly the brits were out to get Trump via Steele. That has been a long term objective as Trump is not an 'authorzed' agent for the deep, dependable State. ..."
"... Either the Russophobes are so deluded by their fear and hatred or they are intentional set on a course of action that could result in nuclear war. http://viewsandstories.blogspot.co.uk/2018/03/russian-to-judgement.html ..."
Clearly the brits were out to get Trump via Steele. That has been a long term objective as Trump is not an 'authorzed'
agent for the deep, dependable State.
Skripal is too well informed and deeply dangerous to be alive now. I guess the unexpected survival issue can be sorted out
soon enough. So there you go, fail in afghanistan, iran, iraq, syria, USA, where next for the Brits? fail in the EU. They certainly
fail in the believeabilty challenge.
Nop , March 14, 2018 at 10:44 am
Frankly, this false flag is so blatantly gauche that I suspect it's something the Ukraine cooked up.
It is perhaps telling that the media coverage is clearly designed to obscure rather than reveal. The Russian to judgement in
this has obvious parallels with the situation immediately prior to the invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Here's a thought: maybe the Soviet Union looked into the manufacture of these "novichoks" but decided that, nah, they don't work
all that well in practice e.g. mixing the binary components in the field isn't an exact science, so the end result can range from
Instant Death to Oh, Shit, Nobody Has Died And A Lot Of Innocents Are In Hospital.
Utterly unacceptable for any respectable KGB agent.
But some of the dudes who were working on those "novichoks" (dudes now out of work, remember) defected to the West with some
diagrams and some tall tales of how stupendously clever they are and how astonishingly lethal their wares.
So places like Porton Down test the chemistry in the laboratory and, sure enough, under lab conditions the chemistry is astonishingly
lethal.
They don't test it in the field because, well, why would they?
Fast forward to this week, and Someone has the Bright Idea to use some "novichoks" in a false-flag operation.
Why not? Everyone tells them that they are astonishingly lethal, and the lab tests back that up. What could go wrong?
So they do, and they find out what the Soviets found out decades ago.
Which is that this stuff is utter shit under field conditions: your target's don't die an instant death and innocent people
who come to their aid get very, very sick.
Because that is the point that everyone in the MSM won't talk about: if this was supposed to be a hit then it was badly botched.
The nerve agent didn't kill, the assassins didn't *confirm* the kill, the radius of the effect wasn't contained, and other people
were contaminated.
Hardly the hallmarks of an agency that DEVELOPED this nerve agent, is it. But maybe the hallmark of no-hopers who didn't really
understand what they were using.
In the whole comment section there was only one commenter acidbot66 who questioned the windown of this false flag British operation.
This particular commenter despite annoing use of ALL CAPS provides interesting line of arguments including the following: " British
experts investigating the case are FROM THE VERY SAME AGENCY who advised Blair to go to WAR against Iraq on NON EXISTING Chemical weapons
of mass destruction."
Four year of war propaganda took toll on US people if you assume that WaPo attract a special type of commenters ;-)
Prime Minister Theresa May announced Wednesday that her government will expel 23 Russian diplomats from Britain. It will be the
biggest expulsion of Russian diplomats from the country since 1985 -- marking a return to the large-scale diplomatic ejections that
took place during the Cold War.
...May's government lists 58 Russian diplomats in Britain, which means that almost 40 percent of them are being expelled.
county kerry 2 hours ago
Why poison , instead of a knife or gun ?
acidbot66
If Russians wanted to be known they would live a Putin's picture on the scene.
acidbot66
The British believes it is more Sensationalist
and will catch more audience...
(Edited)
Decisions CANNOT be emotional. Hard evidence is required in ANY COURT of law. ANYONE MUST act according to international LAW not
emotion or some sort of RUSSOPHOBIA so often affecting Americans and its European cronies.
NO ONE can be condemned based on CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE and that is in ANY CIVILIZED nation on this planet!
Although Russians may be involved HARD evidence MUST be presented BEFORE the judgment!
acidbot66 3 hours ago (Edited)
Nothing has been VERIFIED you IDIOT.
Nothing has been PROVEN as yet...
Not even VERIFIABLE EVIDENCE have been presented!
Evidences come before judgment, RIGHT?
Is this the way it works in Britain?
acidbot66, 15 minutes ago
No Proof. No Evidence.
That should be the national Motto of Russia.
Russia is as guilty as Sin and y0u know it BORIS. 3 hours ago "freedoms that democracy brings"
You mean like the "FREEDOMS" exposed by Edward Snowden?
Or the "FREEDOMS" for the military to MURDER innocents as disclosed by Julian Assange?
YOU ARE JOKING US ALL!
marph 3 hours ago
Theresa May's wonderful smoke screen would leave behind the toxic Brexit impact off the headlines. In a volatile world that
we need alliances and not isolations.
Beside that, a hypocrite Conservative administration should in fact ban receiving donations from Russia.
As it was reported that since 2010, the Conservative party has received more than $5m donation from Russian oligarch and their
linked businesses, what a bunch of hypocrite...
"... The UK will promptly expel 23 Russian diplomats without waiting for the end of the investigation. Which means that from now on the investigation is highly politicized and tainted in a sense that it will be conducted by people who proved the existence of Iraq WMD in the past: ..."
"... This is one step further from the "self-indictment as a formal proof" used in Show Trials. Now it looks like "suspicion is the formal proof." ..."
"... Both cyberspace and poisoning with exotic chemical agents proved to be a perfect media for false flag operations designed to poison relations between nations and fuel war-style demonization. ..."
The UK will promptly expel 23 Russian diplomats without waiting for the end of the investigation. Which means that from now
on the investigation is highly politicized and tainted in a sense that it will be conducted by people who proved the existence
of Iraq WMD in the past:
Moscow refused to meet Mrs May's midnight deadline to co-operate in the case, prompting Mrs May to announce
a series of measures intended to send a "clear message" to Russia.
These include:
Expelling 23 diplomats
Increasing checks on private flights, customs and freight
Freezing Russian state assets where there is evidence they may be used to threaten the life or property of UK nationals
or residents
Ministers and the Royal Family boycotting the Fifa World Cup in Russia later this year
Suspending all planned high-level bilateral contacts between the UK and Russia
Plans to consider new laws to increase defences against "hostile state activity"
Mrs May told MPs that Russia had provided "no explanation" as to how the nerve agent came to be used in the UK, describing
Moscow's response as one of "sarcasm, contempt and defiance".
The use of a Russian-made nerve agent on UK soil amounted to the "unlawful use of force", she said.
So it looks more and more like a well planned multi-step propaganda operation, not an impromptu action on the part of GB. Kind
of replica of Russian election influence witch hunt in the USA with the replacement of cyberspace and elections with chemical
agents and poisoning.
So inconsistencies that were pointed in this thread (such as the mere fact that three people exposed are still alive) do not
matter anymore.
The verdict now is in.
This is one step further from the "self-indictment as a formal proof" used in Show Trials. Now it looks like "suspicion
is the formal proof."
Both cyberspace and poisoning with exotic chemical agents proved to be a perfect media for false flag operations designed
to poison relations between nations and fuel war-style demonization.
"... The Russians are sure to respond to the British expulsion of Russian diplomats from London by expelling a comparable number of British diplomats from Moscow. ..."
"... The reciprocal expulsions of diplomats will of course also make it more difficult for the British to maintain their intelligence operation in Moscow. ..."
"... Since this appears to be rather extensive, and seems to involve far more 'democracy promotion' activity (ie. meddling in Russian domestic politics) than anything the Russians do in Britain, the Russians will probably also be quietly pleased about it. ..."
After days of hysteria and of mounting speculation, and after having stoked up by her
statement on Monday expectations of stern action against Russia to stratospheric levels,
Theresa May produced a package of 'sanctions' today which do no more than expose the weakness
of Britain's hand.
The expulsion of 23 diplomats – who have one week to leave
Increased checks on private flights, customs and freight
The freezing of Russian state assets where there is evidence they may be used to threaten
the life or property of UK nationals or residents
Ministers and Royal Family to boycott the Fifa World Cup in Russia later this year
The suspension of all planned high level bi-lateral contacts between the UK and
Russia
Note that none of these sanctions include any of the supposedly draconian steps which have
been spoken about over the last few days.
Theresa May for example appeared to rule out a blanket visa ban and sweeping asset freezes
on wealthy Russians coming to London. It is clear that ideas for a boycott by the England team
of the World Cup in Russia and for the complete severing of diplomatic relations with Russia
have been abandoned if they were ever considered.
Reports in the media have also confirmed that the idea of launching a cyber attack against
Russia has been ruled out, since the British quietly acknowledge that Russia has immeasurably
greater cyber resources with which to retaliate than Britain does.
As to whether or not Ofcom will now strip RT of its broadcasting licence, Maria Zakharova's
threat to expel
all British media outlets from Russia is having a chilling effect, with the British media
apparently now quietly lobbying the British government against doing it.
By way of example, The Times of
London , the newspaper which has been leading the British media's offensive against RT, now
has this to say, tucked away at the bottom of a meandering editorial with the woolly and
meaningless headline 'An Unstable World'
The Kremlin has threatened to expel British journalists from Moscow should London shut
down the Russian propaganda channel RT. That would be ill advised. Britain stands for nothing
if not free speech. Mrs May should stick to the evidence in the Skripal case, identifying the
culprits and bringing maximum international force to bear to punish them personally.
It is interesting to see how the British media suddenly discovers free speech also applies
to Russian media when its own interests are threatened.
It is still possible that Ofcom may follow up on its threats against RT, but that is now
looking rather less likely.
As for the measures Theresa May announced today not only will they not affect Russia in the
slightest, but they are actually counterproductive.
The Russians are sure to respond to the British expulsion of Russian diplomats from
London by expelling a comparable number of British diplomats from Moscow.
Since Russia is by far the more powerful country, it is the British who need to maintain a
strong diplomatic presence in Moscow to retain relevance. By contrast Russia, as a Great Power,
has no need to maintain a strong diplomatic presence in Britain, which is nowadays a second or
even third rank power.
The reciprocal expulsions which are now going to happen will not therefore affect Russia's
position as a Great Power in the slightest. They will however further marginalise the British
in international diplomacy.
The same is true of the British decision to sever bilateral contacts with Russia.
Apart from Boris Johnson's recent ill-starred to Moscow, there have in fact been barely any
bilateral contacts between the Russian and British governments for years, even though it is
again Britain as the weaker country which needs these contacts in order to retain relevance,
not Russia.
As it happens I expect the Russians to greet the news that they are going to be spared
further meetings with Boris Johnson with a quiet sigh of relief.
As for Boris Johnson himself, how he hopes to cut an important figure in international
diplomacy when he is now prevented from visiting Moscow – the capital of one of the
world's Great Powers – by his own government, completely escapes me. The reality is that
no one takes him seriously anyway.
The reciprocal expulsions of diplomats will of course also make it more difficult for
the British to maintain their intelligence operation in Moscow.
Since this appears to be rather extensive, and seems to involve far more 'democracy
promotion' activity (ie. meddling in Russian domestic politics) than anything the Russians do
in Britain, the Russians will probably also be quietly pleased about it.
Adam
Exhilarating to see the establishment cage rattled.
Projection being the psychological flaw of choice for Tories, one could surmise you yourself
might be trying to get lecture income, Craig is not touting for business here. In fact he is
only surfacing on this blog when establishment lies reach the level of preposterous –
dangerous .It was so completely obvious that Mrs May was lying today to parliament that Jeremy
Corbyn refused to corroborate her lies. If she had said something reasonable, such as ' we are
unable to identify the poison or attribute blame, then the leader of the opposition light have
agreed with her suspicions. But she lied, like Blair over Iraqi wmd.
She and her bunch of Tory war criminals who have used Islamist terror in Libya Syria and
Iraq have used highly emotive language today. Rather strange for a party that is propped up
only by bribing the DUP. Even more strange to find you on the wrong side of history, the Mr
Hyde side.
" Plus, there are several plausible motives for the Russian government to have not
only conducted an attack, but conducted one which could be traced back to them by the West
and denied with some plausibility to their "electorate", aiding an embattled Putin who has
an election to rig on Sunday after having spent a lot of money on war while halving the
Russian GDP, and asserting "Russian strength" on the world stage. "
I have an open mind as to who did it, so if you can describe a plausible Russian motive
I'd be interested. And you don't persuade me that there is one. Putin does not have to
"rig" the election. He will win more than 60% because he has mass support, and the
candidate who comes second will probably get less than 10%. That's not because of
ballot-stuffing and nobody in Russia seriously thinks it is. His electoral propaganda (I've
looked at "light grey" stuff, i.e. not with his campaign's stamp but most people know it's
from them) is focusing on turnout. The idea that another candidate might win is literally
(and I mean literally) presented as a joke. Yes this is probably a bit good for Putin
internally, but probably not as much as it is for the Tory minority government internally.
From a Russian point of view I doubt it would be worth jeopardising business relations with
Britain for.
On Russian GDP you are more than 20 years out of date. It halved in the 1990s and then
recovered and soared. It's about 3% lower than it was in 2015 now.
What is this "world stage" you refer to? When people talk about propaganda I always ask
"to which market?" Do you think everyone would ostracise Russia at international meetings
if they don't do an occasional Georgy Markov job in Britain?
I'll help you, though. If you want a plausible Russian motive, here is one: they,
like the leaders of other major countries, know war is coming .
Of course that would also make it plausibly a British action, or indeed the action of a
third country.
" I don't think you have the means to completely discount the possibility that this
is indeed another Russian assassination (and it's not like they haven't murdered people
on British soil before) "
Agreed it could have been a Russian attempted assassination. (Fortunately, as far as we
know, nobody has died from this attack yet.) But how long is your list of assassinations
that you believe have been carried out in Britain by the Russian government?
As recently as 2016 Dr Robin Black, Head of the Detection Laboratory at the UK's only
chemical weapons facility at Porton Down, a former colleague of Dr David Kelly, published in an
extremely prestigious scientific journal that the evidence for the existence of Novichoks was
scant and their composition unknown.
In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents,
'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the
'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published.
(Black, 2016)
Robin Black. (2016) Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Yet now, the British Government is claiming to be able instantly to identify a substance
which its only biological weapons research centre has never seen before and was unsure of its
existence. Worse, it claims to be able not only to identify it, but to pinpoint its origin.
Given Dr Black's publication, it is plain that claim cannot be true.
The world's international chemical weapons experts share Dr Black's opinion. The
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) is a UN body based in the Hague. In
2013 this was the report of its Scientific Advisory Board, which included US, French, German
and Russian government representatives and on which Dr Black was the UK representative:
[The SAB] emphasised that the definition of toxic chemicals in the Convention would cover
all potential candidate chemicals that might be utilised as chemical weapons. Regarding new
toxic chemicals not listed in the Annex on Chemicals but which may nevertheless pose a risk
to the Convention, the SAB makes reference to "Novichoks". The name "Novichok" is used in a
publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported investigating a new class of nerve
agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The SAB states that it has insufficient
information to comment on the existence or properties of "Novichoks". (OPCW, 2013)
OPCW: Report of the Scientific Advisory Board on developments in science and technology for
the Third Review Conference 27 March 2013
Indeed the OPCW was so sceptical of the viability of "novichoks" that it decided –
with US and UK agreement – not to add them nor their alleged precursors to its banned
list. In short, the scientific community broadly accepts Mirzayanov was working on "novichoks"
but doubts he succeeded.
"... If your country becomes a haven for dodgy people, like Berezovsky, then dodgy things are likely to happen. ..."
"... In some ways on the political right the neocons are more dominant than they are in the US. The Murdoch empire controls a huge chunk of the right leaning media and pumps out the usual tropes, with the added hysteria of the tabloid press of this country. Sadly we saw the replacement of Emily Blunt's uncle Crispin as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, a realist replaced by fellow Conservative but Zionist Tughendat. The neocons and the Blairites have the numbers in the Commons. ..."
"... On the left they have been traumatised by the election of Trump and the vote for Brexit. They have dutifully followed the Russia smokescreen of the Democrats in the US. ..."
"... Here, the 1914 analogy can be seen in the rapid insistence that friends and allies of Britain must also stand tall and denounce the Russians - evidence be damned - lest the alliance crumble. ..."
"... This will permit the "unlawfull chemical weapon attack" meme to grow just as Russiagate has done, with unproven allegations presented as settled fact, requiring "action" in response. ..."
"... Further, by this reaction, the British government has assured the investigation into whatever happened will be politicized, and that any information countering the government's charges will be suppressed so to prevent a loss of face. ..."
There are more unsavoury types who have fallen foul of the law and/or the Kremlin who then
base themselves in London. If your country becomes a haven for dodgy people, like
Berezovsky, then dodgy things are likely to happen.
In some ways on the political right the neocons are more dominant than they are in the
US. The Murdoch empire controls a huge chunk of the right leaning media and pumps out the
usual tropes, with the added hysteria of the tabloid press of this country. Sadly we saw the
replacement of Emily Blunt's uncle Crispin as Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select
Committee, a realist replaced by fellow Conservative but Zionist Tughendat. The neocons and
the Blairites have the numbers in the Commons.
On the left they have been traumatised by the election of Trump and the vote for
Brexit. They have dutifully followed the Russia smokescreen of the Democrats in the US.
Crucially though Corbyn was elected leader of the Labour party and continues to poll well.
Blairites, the press and the Israelis have launched an unrelenting campaign to unseat him and
damage him electorally. This has not worked, Israel looks to have lost the political left. If
you thought Trump was pro Russia, anti-interventionist and NATO skeptical then Corbyn is even
mores so, with the added bonus of being fiercely critical of Israel.
Finally we have also seen continuing cuts to the defence budget, The military industrial
complex has been eagerly jumping on the Russia bandwagon to try to stop this.
Add in the Saudi/Arab lobby and Syria and it is a perfect storm. The hysteria is because
they are losing, not winning.
I'll add two articles on the Skripal affair that I like.
May's British government is in a weak position domestically, with the fear and loathing of
Corbyn motivating a certain hysteria since last years snap election. What has transpired this
week appears direct from the Thatcher playbook. What is stunning is, for all the bluster,
they have reached a verdict without a trial, without any evidence at all of an "attempted
murder", without even being able to explain what happened. To then wrap their denunciations
in the banner of standing tall for "our values" and sticking up for the "rules-based system"
while trampling on the logic and procedure of the basic justice system - that's just crazy
and rather thoughtless.
Here, the 1914 analogy can be seen in the rapid insistence that friends and allies of
Britain must also stand tall and denounce the Russians - evidence be damned - lest the
alliance crumble.
This will permit the "unlawfull chemical weapon attack" meme to grow just as
Russiagate has done, with unproven allegations presented as settled fact, requiring "action"
in response.
Further, by this reaction, the British government has assured the investigation into
whatever happened will be politicized, and that any information countering the government's
charges will be suppressed so to prevent a loss of face.
Unfortunately, although the pieces by both Séamus Martin and Craig Murray to which
you link are much better than most MSM coverage, among many problems with them is the rather
basic one that both accept without question an unproven assumption that is fundamental to the
whole British case against Russia over Skripal – that a class of lethal CW called
'Novichoks' actually exists.
A relevant post has just appeared on the site of a 'Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and
Media' recently set up by a group of British academics. It is co-authored by Paul McKeigue,
Professor of Statistical Genetics and Genetic Epidemiology at Edinburgh University, and Piers
Robinson, Professor of Politics, Society and Political Journalism' at Sheffield University,
and is entitled 'Doubts about "Novichoks".'
In the Commons on 12 March, Theresa May claimed that 'world-leading experts at the Defence
Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down have established that Skripal was poisoned
with one of a 'group of nerve agents known as Novichok,' developed by Russia.
Until recently the head of the detection laboratory at Porton Down was Dr Robin Black. As
McKeigue and Robinson note, back in 2016 this 'world-leading expert' on chemical weapons
– he really is that – published a chapter in a book on 'Chemical Warfare
Toxicology' entitled 'Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare
Agents.'
The link to this at the site of the Royal Society of Chemistry is at the end of the piece
by McKeigue and Robinson – a free download if one registers. I would very strongly
recommend the whole chapter to anyone seriously interested in getting to grips with issues to
do with chemical weapons, as it provides an authoritative account accessible to those without
a scientific background.
Of particular interest in relation to May's accusations against Russia is the fact that
Black specifically states that the existence of the Russian programme to which she refers was
unconfirmed as of his writing:
'In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve
agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of
the "Foliant" programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published.'
What he is suggesting is that in the course of the – OPCW-monitored –
destruction of the Russian chemical weapons programme, no evidence emerged confirming the
claims by Mirzayanov. For this to be consistent with the Prime Minister's claims, some pretty
radical assumptions have to be introduced.
As McKeigue and Robinson also note, a similar scepticism was expressed in a March 2013
report by the Scientific Advisory Board on the OPCW – again, the link is in the
'Working Group' document:
'[The SAB] emphasised that the definition of toxic chemicals in the Convention would cover
all potential candidate chemicals that might be utilised as chemical weapons. Regarding new
toxic chemicals not listed in the Annex on Chemicals but which may nevertheless pose a risk
to the Convention, the SAB makes reference to "Novichoks". The name "Novichok" is used in a
publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported investigating a new class of nerve
agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The SAB states that it has insufficient
information to comment on the existence or properties of "Novichoks".'
Of course, it is possible that, since Dr Black wrote, both Porton Down and the OPCW have
received conclusive evidence vindicating the claims by Mirzayanov. It is even just remotely
conceivable – very remotely conceivable – that all these people are part of a
conspiracy to cover the devastating information revealed by Mirzayanov. But those who want to
argue this owe us at least an attempt to provide a coherent account of how this might be
so.
And then, it has to be born in mind that there is a long history of people in the West
accepting, without critical examination, claims from 'dissidents' and 'defectors' from the
former Soviet Union and now Russia.
In this connection, I would refer people to two reports from Judith Miller. One, from 1999
in the 'New York Times', is entitled 'U.S. and Uzbeks Agree on Chemical Arms Plant Cleanup'.
It both accepts Mirzayanov's claim's at face value, and suggests American officials also did
this.
Another, published yesterday in the 'City Journal' is entitled 'Chemical Weapons are Back,
Thanks to Russia; The banned agents are increasingly being used for assassination and
terror.'
The 'City Journal' is an outlet with which I was unfamiliar. At first glance, and
particular in the light of their publishing Judith Miller, it seems to me it might usefully
be retitled 'Still useful idiots, after all these years, and proud of it', or 'Inside the
bubble, and terrified of having it pricked.'
If this seems extreme, have a look at her article.
Compounding the confusion is the fact that various Russians quoted repudiating Theresa
May's accusations have not denied that the 'Novichoks' programme existed. In general, these
seem to me to be people who could not be expected to have a grasp of the detailed history of
the Soviet chemical weapons programme, and this would not be the first time that such figures
have opened their big mouths in response to questionable accusations and in so doing given
these unmerited credibility.
However, these are not matters which need to be prejudged. What we clearly need is
clarification about the actual state of the evidence about 'Novichoks' from people who are
well-informed, both on the Western and Russian sides. Maybe if some people in the Western MSM
actually did some journalism, as it used to be understood, we might get it.
It would not be sufficient to establish Russian responsibility to establish that the
programme to create 'Novichoks' actually existed, but it would seem rather close to a
necessary condition. Until the problems raised by McKeigue and Robinson are cleared up, it
really is premature to conduct any discussion of the Skripal poisoning on the basis of the
assumption that it did.
Meanwhile, it is difficult to see what possible grounds there can be for the apparent
reluctance of the British to supply the Russians with samples for testing.
An intriguing question is raised by the arguments made by McKeigue and Robinson. Clearly
something was tested at Porton Down, and some kind of results produced. If in fact
'Novochoks' do not exist, what was it that was tested, and what were the results?
As with the test results from Porton Down and other laboratories on samples from incidents
where CW have been used in Syria, one comes back to the urgent need to have the actual test
results in the public domain, and the obvious implausibility of claims that 'sources and
methods' considerations mean that this cannot be done.
Incidentally, Professor McKeigue is also the author of what I take to be a highly cogent
demolition of the report of the UN/OPCW 'Joint Investigative Commission', issued last
October, which blamed the Syrian government for the Khan Sheikhoun sarin atrocity, to which I
have referred in earlier comments.
Among other things, his argument provides very strong reasons to suspect that intense
pressure was put on people at the OPCW to collaborate in the cover-up of a 'false flag.' It
thus becomes perfectly natural to ask whether similar pressure may have been put on people at
Porton Down.
The fact that Theresa May simply assumed away the possibility of a 'false flag' would seem
reason at least to a range of possibilities regarding her role – ranging from very
great naivety to actual collusion in a cover-up of a 'false flag.'
If she wants to prove such suspicions are groundless, she should order the disclosure of
the kind of information I have suggested needs to be made public – just as General
Mattis should order the disclosure of the test results relevant to Syrian CW incidents which
publicly available evidence indicates must be available to him.
In all these cases, what we most of all simply need are the charts showing the 'spectra'
of the various compounds identified by the testing processes. It is difficult to see any
cogent 'sources and methods' grounds for not disclosing these. Once they were disclosed, an
informed discussion by people with relevant scientific competence would become possible.
Until they are disclosed, suspicion will be unavoidable that those who do not want to see
them disclosed are afraid of what such informed discussion would reveal.
"... But of course the investigation is a side show in this piece of orchestrated political theater - in much the same way as is Mueller's indictment of Russian trolls, who have no prospect of being brought to trial. God forbid they should actually catch the perpetrator. I'd put money on their being a state actor, just not that state. ..."
Even if Novichok exists, it seems unlikely that it was used here. Supposedly these things are
10x more toxic than VX, in which case anyone exposed to even the smallest quantity of it
would be as dead as a doornail. Yet by some miracle no-one has actually been killed in this
incident.
Thanks for the link to the 'Doubts about "Novichoks"' article, this is very
encouraging. The second point made by the authors is that
"..any organic chemist with a modern lab would be able to synthesize bench scale quantities
of such a compound."
Now Theresa May is not a scientist and may believe that a chemical compound can
be 'Russian'. But you are right to speculate about pressure having been put on the boffins at
Porton Down, as they will know better and seem to be choosing not to say so.
Given that the means in this crime now seems to be open to a far wider range of suspects,
I would hope that the investigation would give at least some consideration to motive and
opportunity. But of course the investigation is a side show in this piece of orchestrated
political theater - in much the same way as is Mueller's indictment of Russian trolls, who
have no prospect of being brought to trial. God forbid they should actually catch the
perpetrator. I'd put money on their being a state actor, just not that state.
i will just say this.. as for dr. robin black - perhaps he is not at liberty to say that
porton down followed the instructions in Mirzanjaov's book 'state secrets' - as b so aptly
puts it ""Russia did it", says Mirzanjaov, "OR SOMEONE WHO READ MY BOOK"... either that, or
he knows and is unwilling to state this openly.. i don't know, but what i really want to know
is how does porton down verify it is this novichuk, without ever having been familiar with
it? that part is hard to fathom... and, if it can be reproduced, how can the uk ascertain
with such certainty that it was produced in russia? too many questions remain and the rush to
a conclusion seems really shoddy on the part of the uk leadership...
The hysteria that Russia did it is so total I completely missed that the victims are still
alive. Like CP, I remember Basic Training, with nerve gas, if you didn't get the protective
gear on; you died. This is very very strange. "Newcomer" nerve agents are binaries that are
relative non-toxic but when mixed highly toxic; five times greater than VX. The policeman was
exposed at the house. Yet the victims left home, drove into town, dined and collapsed on the
park bench. I don't see how one mixes Russian military grade nerve agents without chemical
protective gear and respirator and not die instantly. Perhaps someone mixed together an
organophosphate compound in a clandestine laboratory that the victims were exposed to; but,
that completely destroys the PM's narrative.
by Justin Raimondo
Posted on
March 15, 2018 March 14, 2018 The latest example of alleged Russian perfidy – the
poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter, Yulia – is yet another case of
faith-based attribution. In accusing Russia of some heinous crime – in this instance, the
murder of a former double agent working for MI6 – one needn't present any real evidence:
it's only necessary to point the finger at the Kremlin. And of course we haven't had any real
evidence proffered by the British government: Prime Minister Theresa May simply declared that
Russia is the culprit and gave a midnight deadline for the Kremlin to explain how "
its nerve weapon " – as NBC reported it – was used to attacked Skripal on
British soil. She has since announced the
expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats.
... ... ...
This is a replay of the Litvinenko affair
, which was based on similarly dubious
"evidence.": even the official British government report was ambiguous about Russia's alleged
responsibility for poisoning the exiled anti-Putin propagandist. It says that Putin "
probably approved" the murder.
Probably. No need for exactitude in these matters: after all, we're only talking
about a country with enough nuclear weapons aimed at us – and the Brits – to wipe
out the entire population of the planet. So "probably" is good enough.
Alexander Litvinenko was involved with
all sorts of dubious characters , many of them linked to the Russian Mafia: any one of a
number of these fine fellows could've killed him. As more of Skripal's story comes out, one
suspects that the same will prove true in his case.
That won't stop the War Party from concocting yet another conspiracy theory pointing to the
all-powerful Vladimir Putin as the source of all that's bad in the world.
Don't fall for it: instead, ask the question that's pinned to the top of my
Twitter feed: Where's the evidence ?
"... That Washington's principal focus currently is on attacking another country (Russia) which due to USA incompetence is punching far above its weight in world affairs. The latest anti-Russia attacks center on a sick Russian spook and some Facebook ads (new weak USA sanctions just announced) are two examples of USA weakness (together with its Europe puppets, also losers). ..."
"... It is the obvious finale of Pax Americana, the period of controlling USA global influence now coming slowly to an inglorious end due to USA incompetence. Coincidentally, the USA is faced with overwhelming problems domestically in many fields, including citizen disparity, health care, transportation, crime and unemployment. So let's celebrate the potential shift against a forced USA withdrawal on the world scene and a possible improvement in domestic policy. ..."
That Washington's principal focus currently is on attacking another country (Russia) which
due to USA incompetence is punching far above its weight in world affairs. The latest
anti-Russia attacks center on a sick Russian spook and some Facebook ads (new weak USA
sanctions just announced) are two examples of USA weakness (together with its Europe puppets,
also losers).
It is the obvious finale of Pax Americana, the period of controlling USA global influence
now coming slowly to an inglorious end due to USA incompetence. Coincidentally, the USA is
faced with overwhelming problems domestically in many fields, including citizen disparity,
health care, transportation, crime and unemployment. So let's celebrate the potential shift
against a forced USA withdrawal on the world scene and a possible improvement in domestic
policy.
It won't happen soon though, as the current incompetent president is advocating huge
increases in wasteful military spending including the expansion of an army which has no
productive purpose to exist at all.
"... He alleged the Salisbury attack was a false-flag attack, possibly by the UK itself, intended to harm Russia's reputation. "Most probable source of this agent are the countries who have carried out research on these weapons, including Britain," Nebenzia said. ..."
"... The Russian ambassador sought to turn the tables on the UK, claiming that Theresa May's letter to the UN, outlining UK grounds for accusing Russia, was itself a "threat to a sovereign state". ..."
"... "The letter contains completely irresponsible statements which are even difficult for me to comment on using diplomatic vocabulary," the Russian envoy said. ..."
"... In her statement on behalf of the US, Haley said: "Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning: the United States stands in absolute solidarity with Great Britain. The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent," Haley said. ..."
UK spy poisoning: Russia tells UN it did not make nerve agent used in attack
Russian envoy suggests Britain itself may have been behind the attack as UK allies support London's assertion
... ... ...
In his response, the Russian envoy to the UN, Vassily Nebenzia, told the council: "No scientific research or development under
the title novichok were carried out." He alleged the Salisbury attack was a false-flag attack, possibly by the UK itself, intended
to harm Russia's reputation. "Most probable source of this agent are the countries who have carried out research on these weapons,
including Britain," Nebenzia said.
The Russian ambassador sought to turn the tables on the UK, claiming that Theresa May's letter to the UN, outlining UK grounds
for accusing Russia, was itself a "threat to a sovereign state".
"The letter contains completely irresponsible statements which are even difficult for me to comment on using diplomatic vocabulary,"
the Russian envoy said.
He later told reporters that the case belonged at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague.
"We are ready to cooperate," he said.
Allen pointed out that the UK had already called in the OPCW to take part in the investigation. He described extensive evidence
that novichok nerve agents had been developed by the Soviet Union and bequeathed to Russia.
In her statement on behalf of the US, Haley said: "Let me make one thing clear from the very beginning: the United States stands
in absolute solidarity with Great Britain. The United States believes that Russia is responsible for the attack on two people in
the United Kingdom using a military-grade nerve agent," Haley said.
... ... ...
The French ambassador, Franηois Delattre, made a similar declaration backing the UK position, offering "the full support and complete
solidarity of France for the UK".
Possibility that Skripal flipped again and was killed in such a way as to put all the blame on Russians should not be
discarded. That actually explains why his daughter was hurt.
"In cases like the poisoning of Sergei and Yulia Skripal, the only way to proceed is by identifying the evidence which proves
with certainty, what happened; or failing that, proves with certainty what did not happen.
Perpetrators, co-conspirators, method, motive, intention - all come later, if they come at all..."
John Gilberts @96. One of the first and fundamental rules of natural justice is to hear both sides.
Audi alteram partem (or audiatur et altera pars) is a Latin phrase meaning "listen to the other side", or "let the other side
be heard as well". It is the principle that no person should be judged without a fair hearing in which each party is given the
opportunity to respond to the evidence against them.
On this occasion the Russians are being accused without being presented with any evidence or ability to test the nerve agent
[Lavrov has said this is required under the Chemical weapons convention].
The same thing happened over the claim by the US/UK of the use of chemical weapons in Syria. Missiles were sent killing men,
women and children before any investigation was initiated, all contrary to International law. The US/UK are rogue states, Putin
must hit back hard to any further illegal actions against them or their allies in Syria.
Very little attention has so far been directed to Skypal dautgher; her presence has surely added an emotional element but no part
in the plot.
And then it just happen when she came to visit ?
- One first consideration: if it was a vendetta from Vlad why then to wait so many years and acting just when the daugther is
meeting the father ?
- Second point any agent on Russian official (or not) disposal team would have been stricly prohibited to use anything more chemical
than a lead pipe.
- remember this turn coat did it for money, supposedely collaborated on the Steele garbage can for money, so did the daughter
bring somme message from Russia of the bribe and return home specy against informations on the Steele dossier ?
The possibility that British intelligence sent scores of its own agents to almost certain death in occupied Holland during the
Second World War has been raised by the release of Foreign Office files kept secret for 60 years.
The disclosure that more than 50 Dutch agents working for the Special Operations Executive (SOE) may have been sacrificed as
part of a complicated "double double agent" game played against the Germans is likely to provoke heated debate in the Netherlands.
The agents, trained in Britain to carry out sabotage, were parachuted straight into the arms of the waiting enemy, which had
penetrated the entire SOE network in Holland. Almost all were subsequently executed in concentration camps.
in another case
All The King's Men" (Collins, 1988) homosexual Freemason, Deputy Head of MI-6, Sir Claude Dansey (1876-1947.)
Dansey deliberately placed a known german agent, Henri Dericourt, at the heart of the french ressistance Prosper organization.
Dericourt, a French pilot, was responsible for organizing the nighttime shuttling of agents and materiel in and out of France.
in the wake of D-Day June 6, 1944, hundreds of acts of sabotage were committed by the French Resistance -- with one exception.
There were none in the north and north west where they mattered most.
There, the "Prosper" and related "Scientist" networks had been mopped by the Gestapo in 1943. Prosper's courageous young leader,
Francis Anthony Suttill, 34, was languishing in a concentration camp.
He and scores of British agents were later executed, along with over 10,000 members of the French Resistance. One hundred and
sixty plane loads of armaments 2600 containers -- including tons of sten guns and explosives, were seized by the Nazis. (193)
MI-6 placed their own man Nicolas Bodington in SOE to vouch for Dericourt and block all efforts by SOE (Special Operations
Executive) to uncover the traitor. Bodington actually met with Baumelburg on a visit to Paris in 1943. They all had known each
other before the war. It was Bodington who introduced Baumelburg to Dericourt.
nothing new
a gay mi6 mason gave up the top teams from other depts within the british government because of rivalry in this case the soe.
more tea vicar benign normalcy
The
city
of London (and the conservative party) is full of pro Putin Russian money same as Russian money hostile to Putin.
It is highly likely that the - very unprofessional, messy - attack was done by people trying to embarrass Putin before the
election. That would be the Russian opposition - Chechen, Russian - whose center is in London plus the part of MI6 that would
become obsolete with an end to the cold war.
So Russians are fighting it out in a city dependent on their (largely illegal) money especially under the conditions of Brexit
- which may have been funded by both Russian factions to escape EU controls. It is not a good position to be in as the head of
a party sponsored by Russians.
May sanctioning Russian "pro Putin" money in the city of London would endanger the city's business model - that money is safe
there. It would also cut funds sponsoring the Conservative Party.
The moment that I read about this I assumed that the daughter had been sent to deliver a message (or, more likely, an offer) to
Skripal to flip one more time, and unfortunately for both of them "Western" spooks got wind of it and decided that This Can Not
Be Allowed To Happen.
Hence the hit, and also the need to stage the hit so that the very people who sent her could be blamed for the resulting mayhem.
80
The other angle is, he may already have flipped. Six years in jail and then pardoned. The Ukraine Joan of Ark, much touted in
MSM, pardoned, no longer the Joan of Ark one back in Ukraine and talking of peace. Dropped off the MSM radar very quickly.
All of these distractions must work as planned; there is a never ending drama; ramped up and down; played out ad infinitum.
The play behind the curtain is of course what is deemed important; but hard to focus with all the chatter.
War is coming to Syria; the U.S. is going to make a move (East Ghouta?) soon. They're boxed in and must find out just what Russia
can/will do.
Damn stupid move if it's made.
Skripal is just a pawn; but damned effective, so far, it would seem. TM is far more stupid than she looks.
@84 Ah, yep, so you did. So it's not just me who is paranoid....
A general question for the readership here: in the history of Soviet/Russian "hits" on exiled dissidents (and let's not kid
ourselves, there have been some) how many times have innocent bystanders become collateral damage?
I don't know the answer, which is why I'm asking: do the Russians have an MO of taking great care that no citizen of the host
country is put in danger when an assassination attempt is made on an expat Russian?
Because that police officer first-responder is now fighting for his life, which does suggest that whoever did this was either
so sloppy or so callous that they didn't seem to give any consideration to the possibility that innocent Brits would be put in
danger.
Which strikes me as very in-Russian like but, then again, what do I know?
Lavrov as usual gives a logical response to the warmongering UK clowns. "Russia is not responsible," Sergei Lavrov said during
a televised press conference with the Indonesian foreign minister in which he suggested that Moscow would not comply with a Tuesday
deadline set by Theresa May to deliver an explanation or face retaliation.
Lavrov said Moscow's requests to see samples of the nerve agent have been turned down, which he called a violation of the Chemical
Weapons Convention outlawing the production of chemical weapons.
"We have already made our statement on this case," he said. "Russia is ready to cooperate in accordance with the convention
to ban chemical weapons if the United Kingdom will deign to fulfil its obligations according to the same convention."
In his remarks Lavrov said that under the convention, Russia would have ten days to reply to an official accusation by the
United Kingdom for the use of a banned substance inside its borders. [The Guardian]
"... The Russian diplomats also claimed that "it's obvious that by opting for unilateral and non-transparent methods of investigating this incident, the British authorities have once again tried to unleash an indiscriminate anti-Russian campaign." ..."
"... Moscow said that it was "unacceptable and unworthy" for the UK leadership to further escalate tensions in relations with Russia "in pursuit of its own deplorable political aims." ..."
"... Russia had previously said that it's open to cooperation with the UK on the Skripal case if it's carried out in accordance with international law and Moscow is treated as an equal partner in the probe. Russia has also officially requested that the UK provide all the case files regarding the incident, but was turned down. ..."
"... If the Skripals had been shot with a Smith & Wesson found at the scene, that's all the evidence May needs to prove the United States are responsible? ..."
"... Firstly , he had done all the damage he could possible have done to Russian intelligence interests: there is no way he would have been 'traded' in a prisoner-swap otherwise ..."
"... Secondly : using a chemical agent that is so strongly associated with Russia? That would be such monumentally poor tradecraft that it beggars belief. It would be as stupid as the Mossad scrawling passages from the Talmud in the hotel room in which they killed al-Mabouh ..."
"... Thirdly , and most importantly: prisoner-swap individuals are the nearest thing there is to sacrosanct in the intelligence game. If Russia offed one of the people that it had swapped out , it would undermine the implied 'protected' status of people it had managed to swap back . ..."
"... As all y'all know, I am the last person to ascribe consistency or competence to state security and intelligence appratuses and their apparatchiki - but I would consider it massively unlikely that the Russians dunnit in such a hamfisted and stupidly detectable way. ..."
"... That would pretty much require the Pommie government to hurl accusations at someone, otherwise the whole " The UK produces significant quantities of biological weapons at Porton Down " narrative would clamber to the top of the problem sheet, and would have a new adjunct: " baddies can acquire deadly toxins - for a price - from corrupt individuals within the program ". ..."
Shortly after the Russian embassy in the UK
reacted angrily to Britain's expulsion of 23 diplomats after Theresa May accused Russia of
using a chemical weapon on UK soil, saying that it considers "this hostile action as totally
unacceptable, unjustified and shortsighted" and adding that "all the responsibility for the
deterioration of the Russia-UK relationship lies with the current political leadership of
Britain", the Russian foreign ministry double down and warned that the UK's "hostile actions"
against Russia under the pretext of the poisoning of ex-double agent Sergei Skripal are an
"unprecedented provocation" which won't be left without a response.
The British move is "an unprecedentedly rude provocation, which undermines the foundations
of a normal dialogue between our countries," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said that "the British government chose confrontation with Russia" instead of
completing the investigation and using international formats "including those in the framework
of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons."
The Russian diplomats also claimed that "it's obvious that by opting for unilateral and
non-transparent methods of investigating this incident, the British authorities have once again
tried to unleash an indiscriminate anti-Russian campaign."
Moscow said that it was "unacceptable and unworthy" for the UK leadership to further
escalate tensions in relations with Russia "in pursuit of its own deplorable political
aims."
"Needless to say, our response measures will not be long in coming," the Foreign Ministry
concluded.
Russia had previously said that it's open to cooperation with the UK on the Skripal case if
it's carried out in accordance with international law and Moscow is treated as an equal partner
in the probe. Russia has also officially requested that the UK provide all the case files
regarding the incident, but was turned down.
Below is the response from the Russia Foreign Ministry so far:
The March 14 statement made by British Prime Minister Theresa May in Parliament on
measures to "punish" Russia, under the false pretext of its alleged involvement in the
poisoning of Sergey Skripal and his daughter, constitutes an unprecedented, flagrant
provocation that undermines the foundations of normal dialogue between our countries.
We believe it is absolutely unacceptable and unworthy of the British Government to seek to
further seriously aggravate relations in pursuit of its unseemly political ends, having
announced a whole series of hostile measures, including the expulsion of 23 Russian diplomats
from the country.
Instead of completing its own investigation and using established international formats
and instruments, including within the framework of the Organisation for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons – in which we were prepared to cooperate – the British
Government opted for confrontation with Russia. Obviously, by investigating this incident in
a unilateral, non-transparent way, the British Government is again seeking to launch a
groundless anti-Russian campaign.
Needless to say, our response measures will not be long in coming
Separately, when the Russian embassy was asked about the unexpected death of Nikolay
Glushkov who as we reported yesterday was an associated of billionaire anit-Putin oligarch
Boris Berezovsky, it said: "Regretfully, the Embassy has received no information whatsoever
regarding the circumstances of the death of Mr Glushkov. The investigation is not transparent,
the British side appears not inclined to cooperate. This can only cause regret. Today the
Embassy made an official request to provide all the information in possession of the British
side regarding this Russian citizen whose death, as you said, appears mysterious."
"Overall, we are surprised with UK authorities' reluctance and unwillingness to provide us
with full details of both the poisoning of Russians Sergei and Yulia Skripal and the death of
Nikolay Glushkov."
We expect it is only a matter of time before Putin is personally blamed for Glushkov's death
next.
On the one hand they try to distract from their multiple failures and create or follow
obvious false flag attacks against Russia, on the other hand they detain patriots like Lauren
Southern, Martin Sellner etc. and also try to silence Tommy Robinson who are just voicing
their opinion about the disastrous Multi-Kulti policies of western Europe:
Usually a Russian who stole his way into serious wealth and then quickly bolted and left
the country to live high on the hog. Many reside in London and NYC and can't remember one
getting poisoned in the US.
Putin is such a fuck-up. Wasn't it obvious that this was going to happen? And no, Russian
denials of responsibility carry no weight. Remember how they denied that the invading troops
in Ukraine were really Russian? Yeah, that pretty much destroyed their credibility
forever.
Yeah and WMDs in Iraq certainly "made" US credibility LOL. Do you think Putin would want
to take out this double agent in the most extravagant way possible shortly before March 18th
when he could have done it quietly while he was in Russia? Take your head out of your ass and
think about cui bono? You're lapping up their stinking bullshit again.
This is MI5 handiwork, local chemical facility couple of miles from Salisbury. Its pretty
pathetic.
The game is up. The fuckers were exposed for the head-chopper scum that they are in Syria
for the whole world to see while they pretended to be white knight virtuosos of peace, and
now the best they can do is blame Russia Russia Russia because Russia is the reason they
failed to install Wahhabis in Syria!
Indeed. It's hard to believe that Skripal wouldn't have a very good idea of who just tried
to kill him. The fact that the British have put a muzzle on him tells you everything you need
to know. The longer Skripal goes without saying anything while in British custody, the more
certain you can be that when he does open his mouth, it'll be because they are forcing him to
say something he doesn't want to say.
One thing you can say about Clown World®, at least it's entertaining to watch.
Ummm...let's see if they die in hospital, if they aren't already dead. The Russians have
been denied a consular visit. And where is Christopher Steele?
Note that Jeremy Corbyn is the only one in Parliament who asked for proof to be provided
before such action was taken.
Note also that Assange is a bit of a cunt saying that the Russian moves are already "gamed
out". Jumping the gun aren't we Julian? WHERE IS THE FUCKING PROOF RUSSIA WAS EVEN
INVOLVED??
Skripal was an associate of Christopher Steele and Pablo Martin. Skripal is the one who
fed the Russian side of the Trump dossier and was likely paid to do so. Israel Mossad also
had the means with the chemicals and assassin's to pull it off. Zionist pissed because Russia
helping Syria.
US/UK also have motive. Skripal could tell the truth about dossier. Was he on Mueller or
Congressional list of inquiries?
A public park bench is a difficult covert assassination spot. They had to loose
consciousness so fast that they did not try to flee or draw attention, yet they are still
barely alive. How was the nerve agent delivered? Plus, the assassin had to be sure there was
no public surveillance or phone cams to incriminate him/her.
Notice that the Brits aren't handing over any information to Russia. Just an ultimatum. Is
that diplomacy? They aren't handing anything over because it is all made up out of whole
cloth. Russia isn't so stupid to kill a well-known Russian in such an exotic way when bullets
work just as well. Do you think Russians would go to such an exotic murder method which would
point to them? This is a false flag, which is why NOTHING has been submitted to Russia. Just
a lot of hot air from May the Witch.
I remind you that the US SUPPORTED the VIOLENT OVERTHROW of a PROPERLY ELECTED GOVERNMENT
in order to INSTALL their PRO-NATO, PRO-EURO, PUPPET GOVERNMENT. Russia saw where this was
going and ensured access to the Naval Base they have had for over 200 YEARS. Seeing yet
ANOTHER NATO move next to Russia and being thrown out of their only warm-water port, they
acted to keep what is rightfully theirs. You, sir, are a complete dupe of the MSM.
On Wednesday, September 15, the Israeli army surrounded the Palestinian refugee camp
of Shatila and the adjacent neighborhood of Sabra in West Beirut. The next day, September 16,
Israeli soldiers allowed about 150 Phalangist militiamen into Sabra and Shatila.
The Phalange, known for their brutality and a history of atrocities against
Palestinian civilians, were bitter enemies of the PLO and its leftist and Muslim Lebanese
allies during the preceding years of Lebanon's civil war. The enraged Phalangist militiamen
believed, erroneously, that Phalange leader Gemayel had been assassinated by Palestinians. He
was actually killed by a Syrian agent.
Over the next day and a half, the Phalangists committed unspeakable atrocities,
raping, mutilating, and murdering as many as 3500 Palestinian and Lebanese civilians, most of
them women, children, and the elderly. Sharon would later claim that he could have had no way
of knowing that the Phalange would harm civilians, however when US diplomats demanded to know
why Israel had broken the ceasefire and entered West Beirut, Israeli army Chief of Staff
Rafael Eitan justified the move saying it was "to prevent a Phalangist frenzy of revenge." On
September 15, the day before the massacre began, Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin told
US envoy Morris Draper that the Israelis had to occupy West Beirut, "Otherwise, there could
be pogroms."
Almost immediately after the killing started, Israeli soldiers surrounding Sabra and
Shatila became aware that civilians were being murdered, but did nothing to stop it. Instead,
Israeli forces fired flares into the night sky to illuminate the darkness for the
Phalangists, allowed reinforcements to enter the area on the second day of the massacre, and
provided bulldozers that were used to dispose of the bodies of many of the victims.
On the second day, Friday, September 17, an Israeli journalist in Lebanon called
Defense Minister Sharon to inform him of reports that a massacre was taking place in Sabra
and Shatila. The journalist, Ron Ben-Yishai, later recalled:
'I found [Sharon] at home sleeping. He woke up and I told him "Listen, there are stories
about killings and massacres in the camps. A lot of our officers know about it and tell me
about it, and if they know it, the whole world will know about it. You can still stop it." I
didn't know that the massacre actually started 24 hours earlier. I thought it started only
then and I said to him "Look, we still have time to stop it. Do something about it." He
didn't react."'
On Friday afternoon, almost 24 hours after the killing began, Eitan met with
Phalangist representatives. According to notestaken by an Israeli intelligence officer
present: "[Eitan] expressed his positive impression received from the statement by the
Phalangist forces and their behavior in the field," telling them to continue "mopping up the
empty camps south of Fakahani until tomorrow at 5:00 a.m., at which time they must stop their
action due to American pressure."
On Saturday, American Envoy Morris Draper, sent a furious message to Sharon
stating: 'You must stop the massacres. They are obscene. I have an officer in the camp counting the
bodies. You ought to be ashamed. The situation is rotten and terrible. They are killing
children. You are in absolute control of the area, and therefore responsible for the
area.'
The Phalangists finally left the area at around 8 o'clock Saturday morning, taking
many of the surviving men with them for interrogation at a soccer stadium. The interrogations
were carried out with Israeli intelligence agents, who handed many of the captives back to
the Phalange. Some of the men returned to the Phalange were later found executed.
About an hour after the Phalangists departed Sabra and Shatila, the first journalists
arrived on the scene and the first reports of what transpired began to reach the outside
world.
Bullshit.....Western elites have become laughingstock of the world.
The constant drama and pandering to non-evidence-based emotional appeals is getting
tiring.
It looks like Western governments are in dire need of the low-IQ crowd for their
legitimacy with each new passing contrived scandal and conflict, meant to direct attention
towards every single foreign bogeyman other than themselves.
you need to educate yourself in order to conduct an intelligent discussion at ZH.
start here:
" The financial sector exploits an astonishing political privilege: the City of London is
the only jurisdiction in the UK not fully subject to the authority of parliament. ...
The City is a semi off-shore state, a bit like the UK's crown dependencies and overseas
territories, ...
Even the more orthodox financial institutions deploy a succession of scandalous practices:
pension scams, endowment mortgage fraud, the payment protection insurance con, Libor
rigging."
You think the on-going history of the wrongs of a society of international bankers,
aristocrats and other powerful men and women running things in England is irrelevant?
May is a puppet of the oligarchic monsters which run her nation, the US and Israel. Putin
is the only leader of a major power on the world stage with enough courage and integrity to
oppose them. It is Russia under Putin which is defeating ISIS in Syria and not the false-flag
nations of Britain, the US or Israel. If this evil cabal would simply stop supplying and
paying the terrorists the war in Syria would abruptly end.
The bankster cabal first spread their control from England to the American colonies and
after the 1776 American Revolution, which was essentially against them, they manipulated to
regain complete financial control over US finances and assets until through their bankster
agents in the US they succeeded by the end of the 19th century, administering the final coup
de grâce in 1913 with the enactment of the Federal Reserve Act.
This same cabal is directly responsible for all the major wars of the 20 th
century. In Britain, the US, and most Western nations, they control finances, the media, most
politicians, the entertainment industry, and most research, historical education and
publications. They control both the left and right political wings in British and American
politics. They rule by causing endless division in the moderate majority of the citizenry and
they constantly remain hidden from any real scrutiny or accountability. They purse
monopolistic control of everything they touch. Like the monopolistic control of the diamond
industry, they are now seeking complete control of the energy sector mainly through extreme
sanctions and military conquest. The wars in the Middle East and aggression against Russia
and other nations attempting to control their own oil and gas resources is the major link to
complete global hegemony.
The purpose of their long regime-change operation and war against the Syrian government is
to divide that nation both for additional territory for Israel, and for complete control of
the vast Mid East oil and gas reserves together with a British-American controlled pipeline
through Syria. There is no regard for the devastation they have caused to that nation or to
the slaughter of hundreds of thousands of innocent people and the displacement of millions.
They organized, trained, armed, supplied, deployed and payed both the so-called "moderate
terrorists" and the radical Deash (ISIS, ISIL, & IS) terrorists.
They are the most evil, greedy, plundering counterfeit human beings on the face of the
earth, and they do not have and cannot have the support of any truly God-fearing people
anywhere even if they call themselves Christians, Jews, or Muslims.
As much as I'd love for Putin to reveal details of all the false flag operations it will
go unreported and classically refuted (without supporting evidence other than "it's the
Russians, what did you expect them to say?").
The power of the establishment lies with the lies - and the MSM that propagate them.
Does anyone besides me get the impression that the deep state in the US is in cahoots with
the deep state in the UK and that it was likely the CIA that poisoned that double agent just
to stir up more shit with Russia?
The UK-US elites are getting desperate. They know the game is up. Many people are no
longer buying the stupid shit they're selling. These clowns don't have the ability to back
down, they will go full retard. It's what empires do when ruled by degenerates and pedophiles
coked up on hubris and lawlessness.
Brazen, should have read National Security council Twitter. More folks know, than don't,
that this is FF to manufacture consent for war on Russia cuz Russia and Syria moping up the
terrorists enclaves in E.Ghouta. Only a few are deceived. But Corporate media want folks
thinking that most believe.
They dont. House of cards falls when JUSA screams chemical attack in Syria (planned) and
attacks Damascus with JUSA military hardware. And Russia retaliates....
Read..
Novichok is FIVE TIMES MORE POTENT than VX and yet nobody died. Rather curious eh? VX was
used on Kim's half brother and he died within minutes. They are obviously lying.
Novichok is FIVE TIMES MORE POTENT than VX and yet nobody died. Rather curious eh? VX was
used on Kim's half brother and he died within minutes. They are obviously lying.
If Novichok was actually used, then dozens would have been killed in that area. Even the
TARGET survived! Wake up rationalists!
Just like Hitler invaded Ukraine after the winter was over, the EU and UK attack Russia
over this bs after winter is over otherwise the gas lines would be shut off. The earlier in
the spring, the better. This timing is not an accident.
It also takes the focus off of the current FBI FISA abuses in the US. FBI deputy who was
bribed by Clinton and the DNC to obstruct justice was fired today.
The UK is so incredibly out of line here. Of course it's not really "the UK", it's the
global banking class who is trying to instigate a war as a major distraction from what really
ails planet earth. And that problem is a totally unpayable global debt, a situation that is
going to end in world-wide economic catastrophe, a catastrophe cause by... you guessed it,
the same global banking class who is screaming for an excuse for what's coming, and which
they themselves caused. But of course I'll bet 97% of ZH readers already understand this
fully. It's the rest of the world who are going to get absolutely blindsided that I worry
most about.
'But its the only "evidence" we've got'. Classic frame up. Pull someone over, drop some
coke on them...they become a "Drug Dealer"...drop some Russian coke on them...and they become
a Russian drug dealer. Simple confabulation which skews the objective nature of any
investigation. There is also alot of word association at play here. Not in any order, but
when we hear, "Nerve Agent", "Assassination", "Putin"...it imprints a certain degree of
relativity...between these commonly used words so that they define their own, new meaning of
those words...making them synonymous and therefore the sheeple will come to their "OWN"
informed conclusions that Putin, in fact, did assassinate with a Russian nerve agent. Making
it that much easier to steer public opinion as needed.
If Deep State UK-US starts war with Russia....can we all agree that we dont accept that
and they will need to be taken down? NO MORE WAR! NO WAR WITH RUSSIA!
The British Secret Service, once lauded as the best in the World is a pale imitation of
comic outfits like the Keystone Cops, their false flags are pure theatre, one could be
forgiven thinking that some thespian luvvie was directing operations; maybe the usual Secret
Service recruitment grounds of Oxford and Cambridge are only teaching drama studies courses
these days. A few of their LESS pathetic attempts of cloak and daggery of recent years;
Robin Cooke offends Blair, so Robin Cooke an experienced fell walker falls off a cliff to
his death
Alexander Litvinenko is poisoned by Polonium, a completely unnecessary act seeing as he
was already dying of cancer,
Gareth Williams a researcher at GCHQ fails to show for work for a week, but against all
official protocols which require GCHQ for safety and security reasons to check WHY he failed
to show, and check why he had not as required made his period check ins, GCHQ ignored his no
show for a week; and when his apartment was eventually searched they found him dead locked up
in a hold all bag.
At the inquest it was the official story that he had locked himself in the bag in some
sort of bizarre sex game, to add credence to this it was stated that numerous womens dresses
in his wardrobe. Under cross examination the Police admitted that the dresses were still in
their original wrappers and had not been worn, and had been bought from Oxford street stores
whose prices were way above what Gareth Williams could afford, it was also revealed by
forensic experts that it was impossible for him to have locked himself into the hold all.
The Coroner recorded a verdict of death in suspicious circumstances and ordered the Police
to reopen the case, they have not. What information had Gareth stumbled upon which proved
fatal to his health.
The UK government's claims are simply preposterous - the Russians are the last people who
would off Skripal.
Firstly , he had done all the damage he could possible have done to Russian intelligence
interests: there is no way he would have been 'traded' in a prisoner-swap otherwise;
Secondly : using a chemical agent that is so strongly associated with Russia? That would
be such monumentally poor tradecraft that it beggars belief. It would be as stupid as the
Mossad scrawling passages from the Talmud in the hotel room in which they killed al-Mabouh (who, truth be told, was probably offed by rivals - Mossad will work for anyone at a price,
so long as the target is not a political ally of the Zionist Occupiers of Palestine).
Thirdly , and most importantly: prisoner-swap individuals are the nearest thing there is
to sacrosanct in the intelligence game. If Russia offed one of the people that it had swapped
out , it would undermine the implied 'protected' status of people it had managed to swap back
. It would risk setting off a wave of reprisal killings of people who had been out of the
game for decades - which would severely dry up the ability to recruit clandestine assets
(part of the whole offer is promising the traitor that they would, if discovered, be included
in a swap - these swaps happen all the time ... occasionally folks like Aldrich Ames discover
that immediate swap is not always possible, but at least Ames is not dead).
As all y'all know, I am the last person to ascribe consistency or competence to state
security and intelligence appratuses and their apparatchiki - but I would consider it
massively unlikely that the Russians dunnit in such a hamfisted and stupidly detectable
way.
It's far more likely that Skripal was a buyer's conduit, acquiring the chemical agent from
a source inside Porton Down... and fucked up its handling.
That would pretty much require the Pommie government to hurl accusations at someone,
otherwise the whole " The UK produces significant quantities of biological weapons at Porton
Down " narrative would clamber to the top of the problem sheet, and would have a new adjunct:
" baddies can acquire deadly toxins - for a price - from corrupt individuals within the
program ".
That would add another headache to the beleaguered premiership of Theresa May.
I can't figure out what the hell is going on these days in UK, are they looking are they
looking to exit the Europe only or the rather exit out of the world. What do they really
want? Do they really think they can isolate Russia out of Europe?
Would that bring more
security for UK? IMO, they must be crazy if they think American population will allow or come
to protect them again, while the two-ocean security no longer is viable in era of ICBMs.
As
colonel predicts a pre-war condition is forming on the two far ends of our outdated two ocean
protection.
"No British outlet will work in Russia if London shuts down RT - Foreign Ministry"
"... This is a time chosen to do most harm to Russia, with both the elections and the World Cup imminent. ..."
"... I really do not think that Putin gives a toss about the Skripals, and with the daughter living in Russia, Skripal was probably careful not to put her in danger. Which means it is even more unlikely to be Russia. We never do our own dirty work of course, that is what 'special relationships' are for. ..."
"... Listening to ex-CIA agent Philip Giraldi speak about the particular nerve agent used against Skirpal, it seem clear that not only would Skripal now be dead but quite a few other people in the nearby area would also be dead, such is the potency of the named agent. ..."
"... If we take into account the accusations against Russia of using chemical weapons in Syria, which again were suspect. Then we can plainly see that this latest event in England, can at the very least be seen in a similar light. ..."
"... This is what confuses me about the incident, how was it administered and how come they are not dead? Novichok agents are not widely known but I did find some information from https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/neuroscience/novichok-agent ..."
"... If Novichok was found in Zizzi then either the attempted murderers followed Skripal there or Skripal himself was carrying it. Unless the agent placed it in the targets food (very carefully), every other method I can think of had a large chance of killing members of the public and the agents themselves. ..."
"... As Skripal was outside when he become unconscious the most likely method is that someone walking past sprayed the powder in his face. Assuming of course it was Novichok. A slower acting agent would make things a lot easier and safer. ..."
"... Assuming of course that the whole thing wasn't faked. ..."
"... Excellent article. The UK media and Westminster are suffering from mass hysteria again just like, as you correctly state, they did with Saddam Hussain. It seems to be a case of guilty until proved innocent. ..."
"... The UK authorities actions in Salisbury seem either inept or suspicious. Shortly after finding Skripal and his daughter, and realising this was a nerve gas attack, I'd have expected an evacuation of the surrounding area, if not the whole town. Once they determined it was from the Novichok (spelling, Craig?) family, at least one of which is extremely powerful, it seems perhaps more likely the whole town should have been evacuated rather than a recommendation to those in the bar and restaurant to wash their clothes etc. ..."
"... There would also be a manhunt underway to try and find the perpetrator(s). ..."
"... what is saddest about this incident is that the UK public have been infected by JamesBondism for generations, and spooks are very "sexed up" ..."
"... Major Alert ! Britain is undefended against Chemical Attack. Whether from False Flag, Terrorists, Russian or Israeli. The Threat Response demonstrated a complete shambolic readiness and zero contingency planning. ..."
"... Russia has humiliated the US, UK, Israel and Saudi Arabia in the middle east with its successful support of Syria. This could well be an attempt at retaliation. Qui buno ? Putin? Lest we forget, they do this kind of stuff, but are rarely caught. ..."
"... Here was a documented and utterly undeniable false flag, inside job, with Israel/US fingerprints all over it, does anybody remember how the media howled at the time, blaming Iraq, compounding the prevalent fear so soon after 9/11. Remember how silent they were when it turned out to be yet another one of their gigantic lies. ..."
"... Anthrax: The Forgotten False Flag and the Illegal Invasion of Iraq https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BP2G-cejYhI ..."
"... Another false flag lie that helped launch a war. The Incubator Babies Conspiracy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v94WsjWKQ3U ..."
"... I expect May knows full well it wasn't the Russians behind this poisoning attack. The whole pantomime is necessary so they can turn a blind eye to the real perpetrators, for which our government probably gets some favour in return. ..."
"... YES! It was [like] the White Helmets. Now it all makes sense. The discrepancies form a pattern called British state bullshite. ..."
The assassination of a Hamas commander in Dubai is confirmed as a Mossad operation, it will not be the first time that Israeli
agents have used or tried to obtain foreign passports.
Forty-nine-year-old Mahmoud ¬al-Mabhouh was found dead in his room at the Al-Bustan Rotana hotel last month, and within days
Hamas officials claimed he had been murdered as part of a secret operation by the Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service.
Dubai police said yesterday they were looking for 11 suspects with regard to the killing, all carrying European passports six
from Britain, three from Ireland and one each from France and Germany. Dubai's police chief said the assassination was a foreign
intelligence operation by Israel.
Two suspected agents were jailed for six months in 2004 in New Zealand for trying to falsely obtain a New Zealand passport.
They were caught when an immigration official noticed a passport applicant was speaking with an American or Canadian accent.
Helen Clark, then prime minister of New Zealand, criticised Israel for behaving in a way "unacceptable internationally by any
country". She said at the time: "The breach of New Zealand laws and sovereignty by agents of the Israeli government has seriously
strained our relationship with Israel.
Agents from Mossad were caught with foreign passports, triggering diplomatic rows. In 1997, two using forged Canadian passports
were arrested in Amman after trying to assassinate Khalid Meshal, a Hamas official by spraying poison into his ear!
The agents were quickly captured & their mission backfired spectacularly. Israel was forced to hand over an antidote that saved
Meshal's life & had to release Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the Hamas spiritual leader, from prison, while also incurring the anger of
key Arab ally Jordan. That operation was carried out while Binyamin Netanyahu was prime minister.
I was already assuming that Putin would have nothing to do with this. He has too much to lose, while others have too much to
gain. Simply looking at Syria, where the intentions of the West, together with it's Gulf allies, have been thwarted, would be
enough of a reason. This is a time chosen to do most harm to Russia, with both the elections and the World Cup imminent.
I thought that May would have shown more common sense, but seems to have been easily bullied into following the ideas of the
American Press, or even the Russian haters in UK. That said, there was probably also a trigger; a reason to bump him off anyway,
where that was combined with the intention to cause most harm to Russian interests, (If they have to do it, then they might as
well achieve the most from it.) The question is 'Why did they have to do it and to whom was he a threat or nuisance? I really
do not think that Putin gives a toss about the Skripals, and with the daughter living in Russia, Skripal was probably careful
not to put her in danger. Which means it is even more unlikely to be Russia. We never do our own dirty work of course, that is
what 'special relationships' are for.
Stepping back for a moment, I'm now even more convinced that the nerve agent attack in Sailsbury was staged.
Listening to ex-CIA agent Philip Giraldi speak about the particular nerve agent used against Skirpal, it seem clear that
not only would Skripal now be dead but quite a few other people in the nearby area would also be dead, such is the potency of
the named agent.
So why has this whole event come about, is it an attempt to damage Putin's election chances? In my opinion Putin will still
win comfortably though definitely not fairly.
Is it some sort of payback for the somewhat not proven fully attempts of Russian hacking in the US and Germany.
If we take into account the accusations against Russia of using chemical weapons in Syria, which again were suspect. Then
we can plainly see that this latest event in England, can at the very least be seen in a similar light.
Apparently these agents only require a few mg to kill, being more deadly than other nerve agents. Novichok is believed to be
in powder form and starts to act in seconds, with death in minutes.
If Novichok was found in Zizzi then either the attempted murderers followed Skripal there or Skripal himself was carrying
it. Unless the agent placed it in the targets food (very carefully), every other method I can think of had a large chance of killing
members of the public and the agents themselves.
As Skripal was outside when he become unconscious the most likely method is that someone walking past sprayed the powder
in his face. Assuming of course it was Novichok. A slower acting agent would make things a lot easier and safer.
Excellent article. The UK media and Westminster are suffering from mass hysteria again just like, as you correctly state,
they did with Saddam Hussain. It seems to be a case of guilty until proved innocent.
The UK authorities actions in Salisbury seem either inept or suspicious. Shortly after finding Skripal and his daughter,
and realising this was a nerve gas attack, I'd have expected an evacuation of the surrounding area, if not the whole town. Once
they determined it was from the Novichok (spelling, Craig?) family, at least one of which is extremely powerful, it seems perhaps
more likely the whole town should have been evacuated rather than a recommendation to those in the bar and restaurant to wash
their clothes etc.
what is saddest about this incident is that the UK public have been infected by JamesBondism for generations, and spooks
are very "sexed up" . The John Hale book "The Whistleblower" points out that "secret agents"(at least the management -grade)
are similar the world over, rather as "special forces" men are surely interchangeable merely of different nationalities.
So the public is receptive to a Hollywood-style scenario where truth is the first casualty. We start from the position that
we are the good guys, together with our good friends, like the Yanks and the Israelis. And end at the same point. It's a win-win
situation for the media moguls and sleazy politicians, whose combined honour is about the same as the amount of whatever required
to kill "x" number of double/triple/quadruple agents. A wonderful weapon of mass distraction, stage management of the highest
order. Grotesque.
So to hold Putin responsible we have to believe that a) he successfully concealed CW stock from OPCW inspectors in order to
achieve certification and then b) within 6 months of doing so, reveals that he has such material by ordering it to be used to
assassinate a low-value target in a way and location that guarantees the material being identified, being impossible to conceal
and causing much outraged publicity. Thus losing, or at least losing credibility for, Russian compliance with the Chemical Weapons
Convention.
Brilliant article. I agree with all of that, except the bit about Crimea. The Russians were already legally there, hosting
their Black Sea Fleet, where they had been since 1783. They didn't shoot anyone, and the population of Crimea voted overwhelmingly,
to again become a part of Russia. If that hadn't have happened, Crimea's fate would be even worse than that of the Donbass, with
very heavy casualties in Sevestapol, and quite probably a hot shooting war between Russians already stationed there, and American
mercenaries if not their full army. The Americans obviously wanted to take Sevastpol from the Russians, and were defeated without
a shot being fired. WWIII has so fare been avoided (I hope).
Otherwise, one of the best things you have ever written.
The Crimea referendum vote must have been because of the economy. Remove the Russian fleet from Sebastopol, and the Crimean
economy would have been up the creek, with nothing to replace it from Kiev.
The US were fully determined to take over Sevastopol and the naval base. So much so they had drawn up plans and for putting
contracts out to tender. They would certainly have kept the Crimean economy afloat.
Crimea was the main target for the US coup in Kiev. To deprive Russia of its Black Sea naval base.
The first one to rule out is Russia. So blaming Russia is the game here. Could be Mossad, they would be favourites. The cold
war goes on, Russia are an impediment to the West in the M/E, the key area for control of energy, the crucial big weapon as they
see it. The US deep state do not trust Trump and try to smear his victory crying Russian involvement. Now they strike back and
interfere in Russian elections! They won't like his art of the deal sit down with NK, he's off message to them. These things are
all distractions for the mass of people. The BBC was primed ready to launch the Russia story on QT last Thursday, straight out
the blocks no evidence required.
If it were Mossad I think the job would have been done properly. To me it's got a distinctively British, naff quality, from
the botched assassination attempt right up to the bumbling police response.
"If it were Mossad I think the job would have been done properly."
Not at all. Mossad have botched lots of assassinations and false-flags, going back to the Lavon Affair in Cairo in 1954. In
any case, the point here was not to kill the guy, but to put the blame on Putin.
The Crimean authorities have relied on the well-known Kosovo precedent, a precedent our Western partners created themselves,
with their own hands, so to speak. In a situation absolutely similar to the Crimean one, they deemed Kosovo's secession from Serbia
to be legitimate, arguing everywhere that no permission from the country's central authorities was required for the unilateral
declaration of independence.
The UN's international court, based on Paragraph 2 of Article 1 of the UN Charter, agreed with that, and in its decision of
22 July 2010 noted the following, and I quote verbatim: No general prohibition may be inferred from the practice of the Security
Council with regard to unilateral declarations of independence.
UN's Int. Court No prohibition may be inferred from the practice of the Security Council regarding unilateral declarations
of independence
So today the BBC website is linking to http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/415742.stm
where Uzbekistan's inheritance of chemical weapons facilities was dismantled with US experts.
Many possibilities arise for continuation of that work by Russia's enemies .. any comment from Our Man in Uzbekistan, Craig?
Major Alert ! Britain is undefended against Chemical Attack. Whether from False Flag, Terrorists, Russian or Israeli. The Threat Response demonstrated a complete shambolic readiness and zero contingency planning.
Forget about the threat from Russia, they can turn Britain (in totality) into a smouldering radioactive waste ground. The UK
cannot countermeasure this threat, it cannot defend against it and it seems the only reprisal it can take is not to send our brave
footballers to the World Cup.
Who are doing the most killings in the world? It's not the jihadies.
But thanks to HMG's response to the Salisbury incident the jihadies now know how to paralyse Britain.
Even a low grade co-ordinated Chemical Attack across multiple sites, pubs, restaurants, transport hubs, shopping centres, sports
venues etc will crate chaos (terror)
They still don't know what the toxin was, they don't know where it came from, who delivered it, how it was administered or
why. (the why is the most important of these, fat old blokes are easy to kill this needed to be global news).
We do however know about the route the pair took, where they ate, drank. What flowers were put on a grave, a car recovered,
a helicopter (don't mention the helicopter spreading a chemical weapon over Salisbury). The house, the red bag the brave Detective
sgt first on the scene, before uniformed constables or ambulance and his visit to the victims home.
We know lots now but we still don't know what, who and why but we do know how to cripple Britain
Thank you HMG for making that known and making us less safe.
Craig is correct about Mossad. There are many instances of assassination.
In 1992, an El Al Boeing 747 cargo plane crashed near Schipol airport and Avner Cohen reports that it had a shipment of DMMP,
used in the manufacture of sarin nerve gas. From the Israeli government's public reaction to this tragedy, it seems that the policy
of ambiguity and opacity that surround Israel's use and deployment of nuclear weapons, developed by Israel as a strategy to contain
and threaten the Arab states without the danger of alienating US support, is also being followed in dealing with the problem of
Israel's refusal to ratify the Chemical Weapons treaty and join the Biological Weapons Treaty.
Russia has humiliated the US, UK, Israel and Saudi Arabia in the middle east with its successful support of Syria.
This could well be an attempt at retaliation. Qui buno ? Putin? Lest we forget, they do this kind of stuff, but are rarely caught.
Here was a documented and utterly undeniable false flag, inside job, with Israel/US fingerprints all over it, does anybody
remember how the media howled at the time, blaming Iraq, compounding the prevalent fear so soon after 9/11. Remember how silent
they were when it turned out to be yet another one of their gigantic lies.
An excellent piece. The Russian scare is almost certainly nothing more than a smokescreen so the real perpetrators can get
away. We have seen this tactic in all the recent terrorist attacks, complete with the huge police search that inevitably turns
up nothing except red herrings, and certainly not any ringleaders.
And leaving aside which state was behind this, why aren't there any clues about the would-be assassins?
I expect May knows full well it wasn't the Russians behind this poisoning attack. The whole pantomime is necessary so they can
turn a blind eye to the real perpetrators, for which our government probably gets some favour in return.
"Russia will not respond to Britain's request to explain its alleged role in the attempted murder of a former Russian spy in
the UK until Moscow is allowed access to the case materials, foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said."
Looks like Russia's Foreign Minister, has called May's bluff. But I'm pretty sure that the Tory government, see's the production
of hard evidence and supplying said evidence to Russia as a non starter.
Its far more important to achieve a consensus from their allies, which it looks like they have, and move forward with implementing
some sort of retribution, which ever form it takes.
Another interesting post by Craig. So basically lots of states could have used Novichok, including the UK at Porton Down, just
a few miles from where the young woman was treated for vomiting by a doctor who wasn't wearing any protection.
The Israeli hardliners certainly have more to gain in muddying waters, causing distractions from their Palestinian atrocities
and in addition tweak the Russian noses for discouraging their participation, opposing Shia elements. The Israelis could, of course,
depend on support from Tories and May/Patel in particular!
Meanwhile the BBC are playing down Donald Trump's shock removal of Rex Tillerson, whose been replaced by Mike Pompeo, as Secretary
of State.
Tillerson who was the US Secretary of State has been very vocal on the alleged nerve agent attack in Salisbury Tillerson
had no qualms about blaming Russia.
"... Iraq is a country, in which, even the most pro-American Iraqis (outside of the Kurdish dominated region), will, at this very moment (2017.09.28.17h03 NA EDT) be 100% deciding that they have been screwed! And not very nicely, at that. ..."
First of all, thank you Andrei Martyanov for the very informative analysis/article. Also, thank you Ron Unz for this supporting
addendum.
I am very much interested in further information concerning the U.S. military establishments seeming (increasingly alluded
to) weak assessment/intelligence of Russian military capability, especially armaments.
Iraq is going to be a topic of (likely dramatically) increasing heat and attention (in the uncensored press which reports on
the issues that are the most important to everyone alive, like this web site). The 'referendum' in the Kurdish dominated area
of Iraq will make the 24 month long reverse polarization of Turkey (from NATO/US partner to Russian partner) look like an indecisive
epic.
If anyone thought the 'war' in Iraq was going poorly for the Americans before, 'they ain't seen nothing yet'! Also, the passing
the point of no return for Turkey; they've had enough lies and disingenuous promises from the Euroangangstas; their future association
to the U.S. and (western) Europe will be exclusively from the Eurasian-centric multi-polar world perspective, under which they
will prosper as well or better than they ever have before.
Iraq is a country, in which, even the most pro-American Iraqis (outside of the Kurdish dominated region), will, at this
very moment (2017.09.28.17h03 NA EDT) be 100% deciding that they have been screwed! And not very nicely, at that.
With all of this Russiaphobia (let us not forget that this emanating as a deflection from the revelations a corrupt candidate
who was cheating to win a party's nomination for the U.S. presidential candidate), it is highly politically incorrect to reference
how far ahead V. Putin's geopolitical movement is compared to the west, especially the civil war crippled U.S.A..
One can see so much thoughtfulness and 'communication' in the completely unnecessary flight path, through Iraq of the
bombers delivering their payloads. In fact, it could be the most telling aspect of the entire operation!
Iraq is lost to the western empire.
Unfortunately, the response to on-ground western-empire supported aggression in the Kurdish-dominated region of Iraq, and likely
in other Kurdish dominated middle eastern regions (outside of Iran), will like be decisive and therefore brutal (but, alas, understandable).
"... The British government is now demanding that Russia make a full disclosure of its Novichok programme by Tuesday evening. A Russian denial that such a programme existed will be taken as proof of guilt. ..."
I think the underlying assumption of your post - that a Novichok programme existed - is
open to serious doubt.
The only source for the story of a Soviet/Russian programme to develop a new class of
military nerve agents codenamed Novichoks is a defector in the 1990s named Vil Mirzayanov. He
claimed that one of these compounds was 5 to 8 times more toxic than VX and that production
of these compounds had continued after the Chemical Weapons Convention came into effect. He
explained the many publications in the open literature by Soviet chemists on compounds with
similar structures as a deception to provide cover for secret research on other more toxic
compounds, and gave structures for these compounds.
A review of chemical warfare agents in 2016 ( http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/chapter/bk9781849739696-00001/978-1-84973-969-6)
by Robin Black, who had just retired as head of the detection lab at Porton Down, states that
there is no independent confirmation of Mirzayanov's claims about the chemical properties of
Novichok compounds.
The report of the OPCW's Scientific Advisory Board's meeting in April 2013 made a similar
statement, and did not recommend adding these compounds or their precursors to the list of
scheduled chemicals banned or restricted under the CWC. The members of the scientific
advisory board included people who, like Black, were heads of western chemical defence labs.
These labs would almost surely have undertaken experimental tests of Mirzayanov's claims
about the toxicity of these compounds. So if members of the scientific advisory board who
were in a position to know the results of these experiments did not recommend adding these
compounds to the list of scheduled chemicals, we can reasonably infer that they were not
found to be military grade nerve agents.
The British government is now demanding that Russia make a full disclosure of its
Novichok programme by Tuesday evening. A Russian denial that such a programme existed will be
taken as proof of guilt.
If this really was a nerve gas there are multiple unexplainable details. For example, the
doctor who fist treated both on the bench did not develop any symptoms. Another strange thing is
that handing of the case violated standard protocols of dealing with military agents (which
includes evacuation of the neighborhood). Another strange thing is why anybody on the scene is
still alive? Why Skripals developed symptoms on the bench if nerve against was in this home. Who
would be both instantly killed at home, if their home was contaminated with this substance.
So it might well be that Skripals suffered from something else. And nerve can well be
introduced later as a part of false flag operation against Russia, which used (can well be
accidental) collapse of both the Skripals (collapse, which can among other things be caused by
narcotics).
Note that No.2 and No.3 suggest that two agents were used.
Notable quotes:
"... whereas there was a doctor who looked after the patients in the open, who hasn't been affected at all ..."
"... the poison cannot have been fast-acting for them at home ..."
"... the poison was faster-acting for Sgt Bailey because he developed symptoms almost immediately at the Skripal house ..."
At the moment, according to police and government releases and the British state media, the
crime scene in Salisbury is being combed by at least 250 police officers; with another 180
military personnel specializing in chemical warfare. Dozens more electronic surveillance and
cyber-warfare agents are also engaged. The crime scene locations include the Skripal house; the
cemetery graves of Skripal's wife and son; the Mill public house where Skripal and his daughter
had a drink; the Zizzi restaurant where they ate before collapsing; and the public areas where
they walked between house, pub, restaurant, the Maltings shopping precinct, and park bench.
At least 240 pieces of evidence have reportedly been identified as such, not counting the
Skripal house, and 200 witnesses interviewed, including Wiltshire Police Detective Sergeant
Nick Bailey. He developed symptoms after being despatched to the Skripal house. That is, after
the Skripals had been found and hospitalized.
According to Lord Ian Blair, a former Metropolitan Police Commissioner, "there are some
indications that the police officer who was injured had been to the house, whereas there
was a doctor who looked after the patients in the open, who hasn't been affected at all .
So there maybe some clues floating around in here." Blair said this on the BBC.
His disclosure, also
confirmed in several newspapers, provides the first certainty in the case: the Skripals
came into contact with the poison for the first time inside their own home. They then went out
to the pub and the restaurant.
Certainty No. 2 – the poison cannot have been fast-acting for them at home
.
Certainty No. 3 – the poison was faster-acting for Sgt Bailey because he developed
symptoms almost immediately at the Skripal house .
Follow the next eleven certainties.
Certainty No. 4. Prime Minister Theresa May has identified the poison as a "military
grade nerve agent part of a group of nerve agents known as Novichok." Listen to May making her
announcement in the House of Commons yesterday.
... .... ...
After they had left their home on Sunday afternoon, the Skripals spent more than an hour
before developing symptoms. It is certain, therefore, that there were two sites of active
poisoning. The Skripals must have carried the poison from their home through the streets to the
mall, the pub, and the restaurant, before they were exposed. The large numbers of police,
special service agents and soldiers have been deployed in order to trace the route the Skripals
took, and all points at which they stopped, in order to identify, measure and map all
concentrations, then dilute or destroy them for public safety.
Certainty no. 7. The British forces have inventoried all contents of the Skripal
home, and verified all deliveries to the house, including mail and packages before last Sunday.
They are certain to know if there are traces of the chemical components required for the
Novichok combination, and whether these traces are in separate locations of the house. It is
certain they have asked themselves how the nerve agent was active in the house to strike Sgt
Bailey, but inactive for the Skripals until hours later.
Certainty No. 8. The British secret services and the Porton Down Defence Science and
Technology Laboratory near Salisbury know what contact, if any, there has been recently between
Skripal, his British secret service contacts and the Porton Down lab.
Certainty No. 9. The British Government agencies have informed Prime Minister May if
samples of Novichok components, and of the active nerve agent itself, are in stock at Porton
Down.
Certainty No. 10 The Prime Minister has not informed the House of Commons if Novichok
is -- or was until Sunday evening -- in stock at Porton Down.
Certainty No. 11 . Although the British, American, and Russian secret services have
the electronic capability to have been monitoring the Skripal house, Yulia Skripal on her
travel from Moscow to Salisbury, and Sergei Skripal at home, in advance of the poisoning, they
are unlikely to have been doing so on Sunday afternoon. British sources add that the security
perimeter for the Porton Down establishment doesn't extend the nine kilometres (twelve by road)
to Salisbury town.
However, it is certain, the sources acknowledge, that in retrospect the British and American
services will have identified all unusual mobile telephone, other electronic signals and
encrypted messaging around the Skripals on Sunday, including computer, internet and mobile
telephone signals the Skripals sent and received before the Sunday events. Just as certainly,
the Russian services will have the retrospective capacity to follow the communications of all
their agents in the vicinity, if any there were. It is sure that if there had been a Russian
operation targeting Skripal, an unusual volume of electronic evidence would now be visible to
the British and Americans -- and the Russians would know it.
If Skripal was actually murdered, that would be an indication of the MAGNITUDE of the problem
he posed to someone.
HENCE: almost certainly a clean-up operation by the Russiagate organizers in DC who are
beginning to feel the heat.
It may be that there is now another DC faction who has decided that Brennan's Russiagate
costume play has gone far enough and it's time for the adults to take over.
This was probably carried out by Mi6 for the Steel dossier reasons but also to bolster their
shattered ego's after Putin's announcement re his nuclear weapons. More sanctions will just
backfire as the last ones did and surely anything more than a symbolic response from NATO
would only happen if they are complete idiots......oh wait a minute!
"Today the Embassy sent a note to the Foreign Office reiterating that Russia is not involved
in the Salisbury incident and outlining the above mentioned demands for joint
investigation."
The embassy added: "UK Ambassador Laurence Bristow was summoned to Russia's ministry of
foreign affairs, where first deputy FM Vladimir Titov strongly protested the evidence-free
accusations by the UK authorities of Russia's alleged involvement in the poisoning of Sergei
Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
"It was stated that the actions of the UK authorities are a clear provocation and that the
Russian Federation was not involved in the incident that took place in Salisbury on March 4,
2018." * * *
Meanwhile, the Press Association reports that Russia has warned Britain to "consider the
consequences" of mounting a retaliatory cyber strike after the Salisbury spy poisoning.
In a fresh sign of the escalating diplomatic tension sparked by the case, the Russian
Embassy cautioned against "such a reckless move".
...
The Government has not publicly disclosed the options under consideration but reports on
Tuesday suggested one possibility was a cyber counter-attack.
Responding to the speculation, the Russian Embassy in the UK said: "Statements by a number
of MPs, 'Whitehall sources' and 'experts' regarding a possible 'deployment' of 'offensive
cyber-capabilities' cause serious concern.
"Not only is Russia groundlessly and provocatively accused of the Salisbury incident, but
apparently, plans are being developed in the UK to strike Russia with cyber weapons.
"Judging by the statements of the Prime Minister, such a decision can be taken at
tomorrow's meeting of the National Security Council.
"We invite the British side to once again consider the consequences of such a reckless
move."
Additionally, Zakharova stated that British Prime Minister Theresa May apparently
has no actual facts concerning the poisoning of former Russian military intelligence Colonel
Sergey Skripal and his daughter Yulia.
"No one knows anything, including Theresa May, who has no actual fact in her hands,"
Zakharova told the 60 Minutes program on the Rossiya-1 television channel.
Finally,
following reports that Britain's media regulator Ofcom said Russian broadcaster RT could
lose its UK licence if Theresa May's government determines that Moscow was behind the poisoning
of a former Russian double agent in England this month, Russia's foreign ministry threatened retaliation:
"...not a single British media outlet with work in Russia if London shuts RT."
Agreed. Who the fuck does May think she is? Other than confirming that this is a false
flag backed by a "rich uncle" with Russian sanctions and Nord Stream 2 front and centre?
So, with no evidence at all, the utterly incompetent PM, Theresa May, demands action from
Russia within 24 hours – which is completely different to the protocol set out in the
1993 Chemical Weapons Convention, which has 165 signatories including the UK and Russia .
WTF!!!!
How can anyone have allowed her to make such an embarrassing error? Whoever is advising
her does not even know the terms of international agreements the UK has signed?
What on earth is going on? The PM is making a total laughing stock of the UK!
Yes, and the elites in Britain have had their own people under their thumb since forever.
Maybe, just maybe, we are going to start to the see the beginning of some grass root
movements to slice and dice some of the old guard. Just enough so the rest of them take
notice, or rather, are put on notice.
Dipshit may claimed that this "Novichok" nerve agent was used to kill thousands of people
during her rant, when it is clear that it NEVER made it past the laboratory and was used in a
small empty field test. And on top of that, Novichok hasn't been even seen by anyone since
the late 80's, it's actual existence is highly questionable... hell, knowing how drugs are,
the shit probably expired and broke down to something harmless after sitting around for 30+
years...
The UK won't release a sample of the nerve gas to Russia?
Because there maybe an impurity in the nerve gas? And the nerve agent sample could tell
Russia what production batch and the Russians would be able to track it. The UK is unwilling
to allow this.
It was reported, the nerve gas target was still working for Russia, sending data to the
Russian military. Proof of this would dispel the theory one of Russians defectors was killed
by the Russians. It doesn't make sense, and the Russians wouldn't kill an asset.
One should look at who has the most to gain from stirring it up against Russia.
Would Russia kill a defector who was working for the Russians? No. Would Russia kill
someone after Putin made the comment in the Megyn Kelly Putin interview, Putin saying if
someone gives us poison, the poison would be given back, or another translation, If they give
Russia poison, they will be consumed by their own poison.
The operative word is "poison". In the same interview Putin cites different nationalities
could be responsible for the alleged Russian meddling in the US presidential election. The
speculative Putin statement has been taking out of context by US media wanting to disrupt
Russia, Putin statement it could have been Jews doing the manipulation of the US presidential
election.
The nerve gas attack is the work of the Mossad. It is a warning to Putin.
A nerve gas attack in broad day light, at this time, wouldn't be a Russian tactic. The
Russians are smarter and more capable than using a Russian nerve agent.
It was TOO DRAMATIC made for TV propaganda. Netanyahu was making the Iran war speech in
NYC and then the Netahyahu and Trump stating the Iran war is on. Israel war hawk CIA director
Pompeo wouldn't risk it during the Russia election manipulation probe. Too dangerous with
limited reward. So no US gain.
Who gains? Israel and the plan to use the Americans as the beast of burden for a new round
of wars for Israel. Putin must be warned, and be made a permanent enemy with no possible
chance of a Russia US reset.
Kelly Putin interview "poison" and "Jew" both taken out of context.
double agent reporting to Russia is an asset for Russia
the new US Israel relation with promises from Trump to attack Iran.
The event develop under scenario, which is very close to Litvinenko poisoning and MH17
investigation. Both now are suspected to be false flag operation to demonize Russia.
How about conducting a chemical WMD strike in the heart of U.K? How about Mr. Putin,
O.J. Simpson style, saying "I didn't do it" while at the same time saying "the man deserves
to die." How about poisoning a British police officer who did his duty to render aid along
with about 20 other people? How about that even if the victims, your traitor along with
innocent U.K. citizens survive the immediate effects, they can become permanently disabled
and end up in a nursing home with people having to feed you and clean you up?
How about you admitting that you have not a shred of credible evidence for all your
hysterical hyperventilation about this trivial incident?
How about you admitting that you cannot produce any remotely credible motivation for
Russia doing this, when the costs to Russia of increased confrontation will massively
outweigh any possible gains?
The only suggestions that the Russians were responsible for the incident come from exactly
the same kinds of people who told us about Iraq's WMD and the supposed Libyan humanitarian
emergency. And yes, about supposed suicidal Syrian government uses of chemical weapons that
are conveniently just big enough to provide their enemies with yet another big stick to beat
them with, but not enough to give them any material advantage.
Basically your idea is that the Syrians and Russians do these things just because they
can, because in your opinion they are evil and stupid. And simultaneously, of course, so
fiendishly cunning that they are threats to the world if not suppressed.
"... Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday Moscow's requests to see samples of the nerve agent have been turned down, which he called a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which outlaws the production of chemical weapons. He insisted that Russia is "not to blame" for the poisoning. ..."
"... Lavrov said on Tuesday Moscow is willing to cooperate with the probe but suggested that London would be "better off" complying with its international obligations "before putting forward ultimatums." ..."
Britain says U.S. President Donald Trump has assured Prime Minister Theresa May that the
U.S. is "with the U.K. all the way" and said Russia must provide clear answers about the
nerve-agent poisoning of a former spy.
May's office says Trump and the British leader spoke by phone on Tuesday afternoon.
... ... ...
It says Trump "said the U.S. was with the U.K. all the way, agreeing that the
Russian government must provide unambiguous answers as to how this nerve agent came to be
used."
Russia says it will not meet a British deadline of midnight Tuesday to provide answers
unless the U.K. shares samples of the nerve agent
___
6:00 p.m.
Russia's Foreign Ministry has sternly warned Britain against shutting the office of Russian
state-funded RT television, saying it will lead to the closure of British media's bureaus in
Moscow.
The ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova, said in televised remarks Tuesday that "not a
single British media outlet will be able to work in our country if they close RT."
Zakharova's statement came in response to a warning by British media regulator Ofcom that RT
could be stripped of its broadcasting license in the U.K. in the wake of the nerve agent attack
on former spy Sergei Skripal.
Britain has given Russia until midnight Tuesday to explain how a Russian-made nerve agent
came to be used in an English city, or face retaliatory measures.
___
5:15 p.m.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel says Russia must provide "quick answers to the legitimate
questions posed by the British government" about the poisoning of an ex-spy and his
daughter.
Merkel's office said the German leader spoke by phone on Tuesday with British Prime Minister
Theresa May and condemned the nerve agent attack "in the sharpest manner."
The chancellor assured May that she took Britain's assessment about Russia's likely
responsibility for the attack "extraordinarily seriously."
Merkel urged Russia to "comprehensively and immediately" reveal its chemical weapons program
to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
___
4:30 p.m.
A lawyer says a Russian businessman who had associated with a prominent critic of the
Kremlin who died in London in 2013 also has been found dead in the British capital.
Andrei Borovkov told Russian media outlets on Tuesday that his client, Nikolai Glushkov, has
died, but said he was unaware of the time and circumstances.
Reports in British and Russian media say Glushkov, who was in his late 60s, was found dead
at his home in southwest London.
London's Metropolitan Police force says officers are investigating the "unexplained" death
of a man found at a house in the New Malden area late Monday. It did not identify him by
name.
Glushkov was a friend of Boris Berezovsky, a Russian oligarch who died in London in 2013. An
inquest failed to determine whether he had killed himself or died from foul play.
London police say counterterrorism detectives are leading the investigation "as a precaution
because of associations that the man is believed to have had."
Police say there is no evidence to suggest a link to the March 4 poisoning of former spy
Sergei Skripal and his daughter.
___
3:50 p.m.
Britain's representative to the global chemical weapons watchdog says Russia has "failed for
many years to declare chemical weapons development programs which date from the 1970s" and
London has demanded that Moscow now "come clean."
Ambassador Peter Wilson told reporters Tuesday that London wants "Russia to declare these
programs now."
British Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that a military-grade nerve agent was used in
the attack on former Russian spy Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia, and that
Russia was "highly likely" to blame.
Wilson also refuted a claim by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that Britain would be
breaching the treaty that outlaws chemical weapons if it refuses to share with Moscow samples
of the nerve agent.
___
3:35 p.m.
Britain's media regulator says Kremlin-backed news channel RT could lose its license to
broadcast in the U.K. in the wake of the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal.
The channel has repeatedly been criticized by regulator Ofcom for breaching impartiality
standards, and some British lawmakers have called for it to be shut down.
The regulator said Tuesday that it has a duty "to be satisfied that broadcast licensees
remain fit and proper to hold their licenses."
Ofcom said it had written to ANO TV Novosti, which holds RT's U.K. broadcast licenses,
saying that if Russia is found to be behind the attack, "we would consider this relevant to our
ongoing duty to be satisfied that RT is fit and proper."
Britain has given Russia until midnight Tuesday to explain how a Russian-made nerve agent
came to be used in an English city, or face retaliatory measures.
___
3:10 p.m.
Denmark's prime minister has said "the use of chemical weapons in a peaceful English town
brings back memories of the Cold War."
Lars Loekke Rasmussen was commenting Tuesday on the poisoning of a former Russian spy and
his daughter in southern England.
Loekke Rasmussen told Denmark's TV2 that his country would consult "with our allies what
countermeasures it can lead to."
The Danish government leader also expressed "sympathy with the people affected and
solidarity with Britain."
May told Britain's Parliament it is "highly likely" Russia was to blame for the March 4
attack. British police and intelligence reports say that Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia
Skripals were poisoned by a military grade nerve agent produced in Russia.
___
2:50 p.m.
The Russian Foreign Ministry says it has handed the British ambassador a note of protest
regarding the accusations leveled against Moscow over last week's poisoning of an ex-Russian
spy.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia remain hospitalized in critical condition after being
exposed to a military-grade nerve agent.
British Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed retaliatory measures if Russia offers no
explanation for how the nerve agent developed in the Soviet Union came to poison the former spy
and his daughter in a British city.
The Russian Foreign Ministry says it has summoned British Ambassador Laurie Bristow and
handed him a protest note over the "baseless accusations" leveled against Russia. The ministry
dismissed the reaction of British authorities to the attack as "provocative" and said it
suspects the poisoning is "another unscrupulous attempt of the British authorities to discredit
Russia."
___
2:30 p.m.
British police say the investigation into the chemical agent attack on a former Russian spy
will last many weeks, and that they are not declaring a person of interest yet in the
probe.
In a brief statement outside police headquarters, new counter-terror chief Neil Basu offered
more details on the movements of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia before they were
attacked in the English town of Salisbury on March 4. He appealed to the public to come forward
if they saw the pair that day.
Basu says the public will see much police activity in and around the city over the coming
days and that they should not be alarmed.
Basu also revealed for the first time that Skripal was a British citizen -- a fact that
might color the government's response to the incident.
___
2:15 p.m.
Germany's foreign minister says Berlin is "very concerned" about the poisoning of the
poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in England and is voicing solidarity with
Britain.
Sigmar Gabriel said in a statement that he spoke by phone Tuesday with British Foreign
Secretary Boris Johnson. He said that "we condemn this attack with a banned chemical weapon in
the strongest terms."
Gabriel said that the perpetrators must be brought to justice and added: "If it is confirmed
that Russia is behind this, that would be a very serious matter."
Gabriel is to be replaced as foreign minister by Heiko Maas, who is a member of the same
party, when German Chancellor Angela Merkel's new government takes office on Wednesday.
___
1:45 p.m.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said "it sounds" like Russia was responsible for the
poisoning of an ex-spy and his daughter in England.
Trump told reporters he will discuss the attack on Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in
southern England with British Prime Minister Theresa May on Tuesday.
"It sounds to me that they believe it was Russia and I would certainly take that finding as
fact," Trump said. He added the U.S. will condemn Russia if it agrees with Britain's
findings.
His comments came after May told Parliament it is "highly likely" Russia was to blame for
the attack.
British police and intelligence reports say that the Skripals were poisoned by a military
grade nerve agent produced in Russia.
___
12:40 p.m.
British police have cordoned off a parking lot ticketing machine in the southwestern city of
Salisbury as authorities retraced the steps of a former Russian spy and his daughter targeted
in a chemical weapons attack.
The ticketing machine near a shopping center in Salisbury, 90 miles (145 kilometers)
southwest of London, was covered by a tent similar to those at other sites where Sergei Skripal
and his daughter Yulia were seen during a March 4 excursion into the city.
A bench where the pair were found and markers for Skripal's son and wife in a nearby
graveyard are also beneath tents.
Authorities say the pair were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent and that Russia is
"highly likely" to be behind it. Prime Minister Theresa May is demanding an explanation.
___
12:25 p.m.
The French Foreign Ministry says the nerve agent attack on former spy Sergei Skripal and his
daughter in Britain is "a totally unacceptable attack."
Without mentioning Russia, the ministry said in a statement that France repeatedly expressed
"its refusal of impunity for those who use or develop toxic agents."
According to the statement, Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian spoke with his British
counterpart, Boris Johnson, to express France's solidarity to "a top and strategic ally."
___
12:20 p.m.
A senior European Union official is calling for an EU-wide response to the poisoning of a
former spy amid questions over whether Russia is to blame.
European Commission Vice President Frans Timmermans said Tuesday that "we cannot have nerve
gas being used in our societies. This should be addressed by all of us."
He told EU lawmakers in Strasbourg, France, that "it is of the utmost importance that those
who are responsible for what has happened see very clearly that there is European solidarity,
unequivocal, unwavering and very strong."
Timmerman's appeal is a show of solidarity amid tense negotiations on Britain's departure
from the EU next year.
Ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent in
England last week and remain in critical condition.
___
Noon
British Home Secretary Amber Rudd says police and the domestic security service will look
into a number of deaths in Britain that may be linked to Russia.
In a letter made public Tuesday, Rudd says the government takes seriously allegations that
some 14 deaths may have some links to Russia.
"In the weeks to come, I will want to satisfy myself that the allegations are nothing more
than that," Rudd said. "The police and MI5 agree and will assist in that endeavor."
BuzzFeed News reported in 2017 that some 14 deaths in Britain and the United States dating
back to 2006 may have been linked to Russia. The cases include some prominent critics of
Russian President Vladimir Putin including oligarch Boris Berezovsky and whistle-blower
Alexander Perepilichny.
The list also includes former spy Alexander Litvinenko, killed by radioactive tea in 2006, a
killing that British officials have linked to the Russian government.
___
11:50 a.m.
The British representative to the world's chemical weapons watchdog says it is highly likely
that Russia is implicated in the nerve agent attack on a former spy and his daughter "by
failure to control its own materials or by design."
Ambassador Peter Wilson told the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons on Tuesday that "I did not expect to have to brief this council on the
first offensive use of a nerve agent of any sort on European territory since World War II."
British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his
daughter had been poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed in the Soviet
Union.
Wilson has called the attack "not just a crime against the Skripals. It was an
indiscriminate and reckless act against the U.K., which put the lives of innocent civilians at
risk." His comments to the closed-door meeting were tweeted by his delegation.
___
11:30 a.m.
The chairwoman of the upper chamber of the Russian parliament says Britain is trying to
influence this weekend's Russian presidential election by accusing Moscow of poisoning an
ex-spy.
Sergei Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent in an
English city last week and are in the hospital in critical condition.
Valentina Matviyenko, who is the third most senior official in Russia, said on Tuesday the
British prime minister's statement aims to "exert influence and pressure" on the March 18
vote.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday Russia is "highly likely" to be
responsible for the attack.
___
11:20 a.m.
A former chief of Russia's main domestic intelligence agency says another post-Soviet nation
could be the source of a rare nerve agent that Britain said was responsible for poisoning a
Russian ex-spy in an English city last week.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday that Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his
daughter had been poisoned with Novichok, a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed in
the Soviet Union near the end of the Cold War.
Nikolai Kovalyov, former chief of the FSB, told the Russian news agency on Tuesday that
Novichok used to be stored in different parts of the Soviet Union, including Ukraine, which
have since become independent nations, and that Ukraine or another post-Soviet nation could be
the source of it.
Britain has asked the Russian ambassador in London to explain how the nerve agent turned up
in the English city of Salisbury, leaving Skripal and his adult daughter in critical
condition.
___
11:15 a.m.
Russian news agencies say the Foreign Ministry has summoned the British ambassador in Moscow
over the poisoning of a Russian ex-spy.
The foreign ministry was quoted by Russian wires as saying that the ambassador must visit
the ministry later on Tuesday.
Britain says a military-grade nerve agent developed by the Soviet Union was used in the
poisoning of Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. It has demanded a response from Moscow.
___
10:40 a.m.
The chief of the world's chemical weapons watchdog says that those responsible for the nerve
agent attack on a former Russian spy and his daughter "must be held accountable."
In a speech Tuesday to the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of
Chemical Weapons, Director-General Ahmet Uzumcu said British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson
called him Monday evening to inform him of the results of investigations into the attack on
66-year-old Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia.
British Prime Minister Theresa May told Parliament that Russia is "highly likely" to blame
for poisoning Skripal and his daughter with a military-grade nerve agent.
Uzumcu says that, "It is extremely worrying that chemical agents are still being used to
harm people. Those found responsible for this use must be held accountable for their
actions."
Uzumcu's comments to the closed-door meeting were released by the OPCW.
___
10:30 a.m.
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says Russia will only cooperate with Britain on the
investigation into last week's poisoning of an ex-Russian spy if it receives samples of the
nerve agent that is believed to have sickened the ex-spy and his daughter.
Lavrov told reporters on Tuesday Moscow's requests to see samples of the nerve agent have
been turned down, which he called a violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which outlaws
the production of chemical weapons. He insisted that Russia is "not to blame" for the
poisoning.
British Prime Minister Theresa May said on Monday Russian ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his
daughter had been poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent of a type developed in the Soviet
Union. May said Russia has until the end of Tuesday to explain how the substance ended up in
Britain.
Lavrov said on Tuesday Moscow is willing to cooperate with the probe but suggested that
London would be "better off" complying with its international obligations "before putting
forward ultimatums."
___
9:35 a.m.
Britain's government is considering how to deal with the poisoning of an ex-spy as it awaits
a Russian government response to its claim that Russian was involved.
Officials said Tuesday Prime Minister Theresa May is reviewing a range of economic and
diplomatic measures.
May has said it is "highly likely" Russia was involved in the nerve agent poisoning of
66-year-old Sergei Skripal and his 33-year-old daughter Yulia. Both remain in critical
condition.
The prime minister says Russia has until the end of Tuesday to explain its actions in the
case, which focuses on a former Russian military intelligence officer who was convicted of
spying for Britain and then released in a spy swap.
Former foreign minister David Miliband has urged May to seek support from Europe and the
United States.
Trump is President today because in the Republican primaries he faced a fractured slate, many
of whom, like Trump, had no business thinking they should be President; and in the election,
he faced a corrupt government grifter without political talent whose only salient asset was
that she was the wife of a former President, the one who destroyed the bully pulpet. Without
the Clintons, there is no Trump.
Trump assumed office with no political friends, with some good ideas that resonated with
old line Democrats and people who were tired of 16 years of a disastrous over militarized
foreign policy and aimless failing or failed interventions; but unfortunately he had neither
tactics, strategy, or personnel to carry those ideas forward; and as if these deficits
weren't enough, through some combination of misfeasance and malfeasance, the outgoing
Administration, the Intelligence swamp, and the Democratic Party extremists combined to
cripple him with a hastily concocted crisis in our relations with Russia. Finally, Trump did
not help himself by surrounding himself with Generals and family members, something he had
not signaled he would be doing during the campaign.
Trump tapped Tillerson for State precisely because it was reasonable at the time to
believe that Tillerson could be instrumental in restoring correct relations with Russia.
Alas, it was not to be: neither Trump nor Tillerson were up to steering out of the maelstrom.
Still, Trump did not serve himself well by the chickenshit way he got rid of Tillerson.
So how are things now lining up: Trump; Mattis; Pompeo; a career bureaucrat from an
undistinguished time frame (to say the least) at CIA: and the perfectly awful, hopelessly
unqualified, ranting fool, Nikki Haley.
Over in GB, Theresa May lays down a 24 hr ultimatum: does this idiot know what an
ultimatum is and what it means and where it leads? Is there a .300 hitter in the bunch?
The UK and Israeli elites undoubtedly count among the second order "influencers" that I
mentioned, but in the end the US can't use them as excuses. They are only allowed to
"influence" the US so strongly because it suits so many powerful people in the US for them to
do so, and the "influence" certainly goes both ways, in Britain's case at any rate.
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me". Israel has been manipulating US
policy and culture for decades, and Britain has been doing so for a century and more.
However, it's a bit absurd to pretend that the scope and scale of British "influence" has
even approached that of Israel and its lobbies, certainly in recent decades. British
"influence" is nowadays mostly just being useful for particular factions within US politics
and government.
"... In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published. (Black, 2016) ..."
"... Additionally the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has not recognized Novichoks as chemical weapons because it found scant evidence that they exist at all. ..."
"... [The SAB] emphasised that the definition of toxic chemicals in the Convention would cover all potential candidate chemicals that might be utilised as chemical weapons. Regarding new toxic chemicals not listed in the Annex on Chemicals but which may nevertheless pose a risk to the Convention, the SAB makes reference to "Novichoks". The name "Novichok" is used in a publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported investigating a new class of nerve agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The SAB states that it has insufficient information to comment on the existence or properties of "Novichoks". (OPCW, 2013) ..."
"... Theresa's May claims that the Skripals were poisoned with 'Novichok' agents is highly questionable. Her claim that only Russia could be responsible for this is obviously bollocks. ..."
"... But most disturbing about the case are not the false claims Theresa May makes. She is in deep political trouble over the Brexit negotiations and other issues and needs any political diversion that she can get. Blaming Russia for something is en vogue and might help her for a while. ..."
"... No, the most troubling issue is the behavior of the media who fail to point out that May's claims are bluster and that there is no evidence at all that supports her claims. The only paper that is somewhat skeptical is the Irish Times ..."
"... The British opposition leader Corbyn was right today when he demanded that she produces evidence for her claims. A few more pushes and her house of cards will surely come down. ..."
"... it seems to me Russia bashing is really en vogue and nobody important comes out to call May - and Boris - miserable liars. We are lingering at the border of a mayor war. ..."
"... remembering what was written by Arthur Conan Doyle: "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact". ..."
"... I have little faith that the truth will change matters since it will be suppressed by the anti-Russian media and the political class. It's very depressing--although not surprising--that we find ourselves in this state. ..."
"... Its amazing how easily propaganda works in the west, this is nothing but a psy-operation. ..."
"... Surely the British must have CCTV footage of the perpetrator. Why is does not one seem to be interested in who the person is? Why are there no descriptions from staff and patrons? ..."
"... If they have not been able to identify the perpetrator, why have they not published photos and tried to identify this person. If the perpetrator is still at large in the UK, are they not a threat to other people? Why are the British not trying to find this person? ..."
"... Corbyn is being savaged in the corporate press for questioning May's proof. There's even a hint of yet another leadership challenge within in Labour. If the Blairites are able to claim Corbyn's scalp based on this, one has to truly marvel at the miracle powers of propaganda. ..."
"... Information-, propaganda- and proxy war against Russia had begun in 2012 at least ..."
"... WWIII has already started and we are just witnessing the latest battle/scrimmage. ..."
"... Worthwhile to add the rush to judgement into the "claims fall apart" mix? As the Russians pointed out at OPCW meeting, there's a longstanding agreed procedure to investigating claims of chemical weapons use. ..."
"... Since I read about the "sanctions" I am quite sure, this isn't about Russia at all. It is about blackmailing the EU. Additional stopping North Stream 2. ..."
"... After 6 years of attacks on Putin the only shocking is that we see weak and meek response of Russians for another provocation. Did they not know for sure that a series of provocations were and are coming? ..."
"... This Global McCarthysm is nothing but the expression of panic among political puppets of oligarchic ruling elite that their embellishments are no longer effective in fooling and dividing of population into self destructive herds and that they themselves will be disposed of when their no longer effective lies will be replaced by war and violence within societies all over the world. ..."
Theresa May's 'Novichok' Claims Fall Further Apart
The British government claims that
'Novichok' poisons, developed 30 years ago in the Soviet Union, affected a British double
agent. Such substances may not exits at all.
The 'whistleblower' for the 'Novichok' program and poisons published some chemical formulas
that should enable any decent laboratory to reproduce them. But neither the existence of the
claimed program nor the existence of the alleged substances were ever accepted by the
scientific community.
The highly constructed drama around the alleged
poisoning of a British double agent Skripal and his daughter has thus turned into a surreal
play. The British government has so far given no evidence that the Skripal's were poisoned at
all, or were poisoned by someone else. No detailed medical bulletin was published. The British
accusations against Russia lets one assume that a suicide attempt has been excluded. Why?
There is no independent evaluation of the alleged poison. The British government claims that
its own chemical weapon laboratory at Porton Down, only a few miles from where the incident
happened, has identified the poison as one of the 'Novichok' chemicals.
But in 2016 a leading chemist at Porton Down published a piece in a scientific journal that
denied that such chemicals exist. (Tim Hayword and Craig Murray both
point this
out ):
As recently as 2016 Dr Robin Black, Head of the Detection Laboratory at the UK's only
chemical weapons facility at Porton Down, a former colleague of Dr David Kelly, published in
an extremely prestigious scientific journal that the evidence for the existence of Novichoks
was scant and their composition unknown.
In recent years, there has been much speculation that a fourth generation of nerve
agents, 'Novichoks' (newcomer), was developed in Russia, beginning in the 1970s as part of
the 'Foliant' programme, with the aim of finding agents that would compromise defensive
countermeasures. Information on these compounds has been sparse in the public domain, mostly
originating from a dissident Russian military chemist, Vil Mirzayanov. No independent
confirmation of the structures or the properties of such compounds has been published.
(Black, 2016)
Robin Black. (2016) Development, Historical Use and Properties of Chemical Warfare Agents.
Royal Society of Chemistry
Additionally the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has not
recognized Novichoks as chemical weapons because it found scant evidence that they exist at
all. The U.S. and the UK are both part of the organization and both agreed with this
evaluation:
The OPCW's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) appeared to doubt the existence of "Novichoks",
and did not advise that the compounds described by Mirzayanov, or their precursors, should be
designated as Scheduled Chemicals that should be controlled under the Chemical Weapons
Convention:
[The SAB] emphasised that the definition of toxic chemicals in the Convention would
cover all potential candidate chemicals that might be utilised as chemical weapons. Regarding
new toxic chemicals not listed in the Annex on Chemicals but which may nevertheless pose a
risk to the Convention, the SAB makes reference to "Novichoks". The name "Novichok" is used
in a publication of a former Soviet scientist who reported investigating a new class of nerve
agents suitable for use as binary chemical weapons. The SAB states that it has insufficient
information to comment on the existence or properties of "Novichoks". (OPCW, 2013)
The former Soviet scientist, Vil Mirzanjaov, who 'blew the whistle' and wrote about the
'Novichoks', now lives in a $1 million home in the
United States. The AFP news agency just interviewed
him:
Mirzayanov, speaking at his home in Princeton, New Jersey, said he is convinced Russia
carried it out as a way of intimidating opponents of President Vladimir Putin.
"Only the Russians" developed this class of nerve agents, said the chemist. "They kept it
and are still keeping it in secrecy."
The only other possibility, he said, would be that someone used the formulas in his book
to make such a weapon.
"Russia did it", says Mirzanjaov, "OR SOMEONE WHO READ MY BOOK".
The book was published in 2008 and is available
as hardcover, paperback or for $8.16 as an electronic file. It includes a number of formulas
which, Mirzanjaov says, could be used to produce those chemical agents. But neither Porton Down
nor the OPCW seem convinced that this is possible. They may believe that Mirzanjaov is just
full of it.
One customer reviewing Mirzanjaov's book
remarked :
[Needs] an editor to throttle back his epic "i'm an epic awesome martyr" stuff and stick to
the science.
State secrets is by far the most long winded and painfully slow novel on chemical weapons
written by a disgruntled defected scientist from Russia I have ever read! If you want to hear
an employ with delusions of grandeur moan about every person he ever worked with then this is
the book for you, otherwise don't waste your sweet time. Seriously! Nothing happens except
Vil somethingkov helps make things that kill people for 30 years, gets a (sort of)
conscience, defects, and constantly whinges about.....everything.
Vil Mirzanjaov promoted his book in a 2009 video . Shortly after he published
his book he blogged
an explanation why he included formulas in it:
While I was writing my book "State Secrets: An Insider's Chronicle of the Russian Chemical
Weapons Program", some people from Washington persistently advised me not to include the
formulas of the chemical agents of the Novichok series in my book.
...
I asked why it would be a bad idea to publish this information, since it would be for the
safety of all people. Then the governments would work to have those chemical agents and their
precursors included into the Control List. They responded, "Terrorists could use them for
their criminal actions." This kind of reasoning is used all the time now to scare people and
prevent any discussion. We are already used to ignoring a lot of real problems thanks to
that.
Mirzanjaov further points out that only experienced personal in well equipped laboratories
would be able to use his formulas. State actors have such laboratories, like the British Porton
Down, but terrorists do not have such capabilities.
Mirzanjaov urged to included the substances he described into the OPCW list of controlled
material. But the OPCW, as seen above, rejected that. Neither its scientific board nor the head
of a Porton Down laboratory were convinced that these substances or the Soviet program
Mirzanjaov described existed at all.
The Soviet chemical weapon laboratory in which Mirzanjaov had worked was in Uzbekistan, not
in Russia as Theresa May falsely claims. The laboratory was dismantled with the
active help of the United States .
Theresa's May claims that the Skripals were poisoned with 'Novichok' agents is highly
questionable. Her claim that only Russia could be responsible for this is obviously
bollocks.
The existence of the substances as described by Vil Mirzanjaov is in serious doubt. But if
he is right then any state or company with a decent laboratory and competent personal can
produce these substances from the formulas and descriptions he provides in his book. That is at
least what Mirzanjaov himself says.
But most disturbing about the case are not the false claims Theresa May makes. She is in
deep political trouble over the Brexit negotiations and other issues and needs any political
diversion that she can get. Blaming Russia for something is en vogue and might help her for a
while.
No, the most troubling issue is the behavior of the media who fail to point out that
May's claims are bluster and that there is no evidence at all that supports her claims. The
only paper that is somewhat skeptical is the Irish Times which
finds it highly unlikely that the Russian government is behind the poisoning.
May demanded and got a NATO meeting on the case. But the statement NATO issued afterwards was
extremely weak. It only offered support in conducting the British investigation and it asked
Russia to respond to the British questions. Neither did it support the claims May made, nor did
it take any measures against Russia. A French spokesperson said "We don't do fantasy politics"
and demanded '
definite conclusions ' on the case before deciding anything. No support was given to May by
the Trump administration.
The story May wants to tell has way too much holes to be sustainable. The involvement of the
British double agent Skripal
in the fake Steele dossier about Trump is likely the real story behind the incident. No
international support is coming for May. The British opposition leader Corbyn was right
today when he demanded that she produces evidence for her claims. A few more pushes and her
house of cards will surely come down.
Posted by b on March 14, 2018 at 03:17 PM | Permalink
Interesting that a Senate Democrat of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Robert Menendez, brings
in the case of the murder of Kim Jong Un´s brother, Kim Jong-Nama, since, for the same
token, on the arbitrarious asignation of guilt against Russia for having fabricated Novichok
in the past decades, the poisonous substance which finished Kim Jong-Un´s brother was
the nerve agent VX, as well fabricated by the UK in the past, and probably also today, as was
stated by Annie Machon in the last Crosstalk by Peter Lavelle about this case.
Thus, the same requests made to the Russian governement, we assume, could well be directed to
Theresa May´s government.
What this pantomime is about, is that those West countries implicated in the Syrian
nightmare, seeing their terrorists proxies being definitely defeated and so their goals sent
to waste, at the hands of the SAA and their allies, amongst whom they are the RF, do not know
already what to invent next to try to paint Russia as the agressor when it is getting
increasingly clear, even in the public light, out of the so called "alt-media", that that
label fits better with them.
They, simply, are in panicking that Mr. Putin gets elected once more time and the paradigm
shift is definitely completed....
For desperation, they even do not bother to appoint people who carry a warrant for abuse
of human rights in Europe...Although this increasingly resembles a western titled "The City
Without Law"....
Another question would be, why none of the affected by the alleged poisoning have been yet
accesed by any relative or official of its country ( as could be the case of Yulia Skripal )
since they did not died after all..... You go to see whether this is real or is simply a new
"Manequin Challenge" like those performed by the "White Helmets", a renowned, even at Oscars
level, broadcasting enterprise created by another MI6 "ex-spy", James LeMesurier....This
increasingly seem to be the next profit niche of London...Theater!...But of the worst
kind...
Not to mention that there are some declaration by a female doctor, who arrived at the
event location at the first moments, and who was not affected in any way by any poison, on
the contrary to the alleged poisoned policeman placed some meters away...
Also, it is said that the Skripals went out of the restaurant where they were eating quite
airated, arguing...
Enough data to take months of inquiries even for the very sharp Sherlock Holmes...Even
"Murder in the Orient Express" took, well, a whole travel in the orient Express of the
lasting of those of past decades, to be solved by Agatha Christie....That Theresa May and the
Democrats/Republicans in the USA, have already the case solved speaks volumes of cui
bono ....and who could be interested in solving the case asap without any evidence and a
proper investigation to their benefit...
Note to spies: if ever becoming a Russian spy and then deciding to switch sides--DO NOT go to
London. No UK, period. Mexico or Argentina increasingly look attractive. LOL.
Interesting. I hope you're right with your confidence. Although it seems to me Russia bashing
is really en vogue and nobody important comes out to call May - and Boris - miserable liars.
We are lingering at the border of a mayor war.
Where's Jim Jones when you need him to serve up some of his koolaid to the numerous
politicos and propagandists pushing the Russiagate Big Lie, for they surely deserve several
pitchers full each.
Given the degree of effort Pompeo's used in pushing Russiagate, I can't wait for his first
meeting with Lavrov or Putin.
The sooner Corbyn is able to become British PM, the better for all excepting the
corrupt.
In the MEF Territorial Office in Salisbury, England, the Inspector Watson summarizes to
Commissioner Golphar the known facts:
"- a man was found unconscious in a park;
- he turns out to be a former Russian spy who worked for Britain in the '90s, arrested but
freed by the Russians themselves 8 years ago.
from the analysis it turns out to have been contaminated with a substance created in the
former Soviet Union decades ago ... that has hit also other people nearby"
The Inspector halts to speak for a while, then asks loudly: "Who could have been to do all
that?"
"Elementary, my dear Watson", the Commissioner immediately responds with a flash of
cunning in his eyes: "It was Russia, of course!"
But immediately afterwards he becomes pensive and among himself says in a low voice:
"... or not?", remembering what was written by Arthur Conan Doyle: "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact".
In the homeland of Sherlock Holmes, does anyone remember that sentence?
In the House of Commons and the UK press, May's ploy sure is working. Now she is a "War Prime
Minister" who may be able to hang onto power -- and even gain more powers through legislation.
Let's not forget that in the US, Bush 2 was failing miserably until 9/11 -- then his rating
zoomed up and America happily went to war behind him, or at least its hapless soldiers did.
Even if the UK's far -- fetched narrative is shown to be completely inaccurate, I have little
faith that the truth will change matters since it will be suppressed by the anti-Russian
media and the political class. It's very depressing--although not surprising--that we find
ourselves in this state.
I imagine the Tories are chortling right now with little thought that they are bringing a
world war closer through their reckless actions.
i) Absolutely deadly - you need total body protection with positive pressure suit and
self-contained rebreather.
ii) Just your average toxic industrial chemical - tyvek suit, boots, gloves and gasmask.
iii) Meh - come across worse on a Friday night outside a curry house.
iv) All of the above
at the same time.
Its amazing how easily propaganda works in the west, this is nothing but a psy-operation. Anyway, there seems to be a one effort to kick Russia out of UNSC by the brittish as a
"response".
May trying to be Maggie. Haha. I have never read spy novels, so there are a few things about this incident that I don't
understand.
• If the Skripals were hit with a military grade toxin, why are they not dead?
• If they were being taken out by the FSB, MI6, CIA, or even Mossad, surely they
would have done the job properly?
• Even if Skripal contributed dodgy info to Steel dossier, why would that justify
silencing him?
• Why would anyone do a hit in a pizza care in mid-afternoon, when the perpetrator
would be obvious to staff and patrons? Would not an ex-spy be on the alert for an attack in
such a place.
• Surely the British must have CCTV footage of the perpetrator. Why is does not one
seem to be interested in who the person is? Why are there no descriptions from staff and
patrons?
• If the British have identified the person from CCTV footage, why are they not
slamming the Russians with their identity, rather than making vague claims about the source
of the toxin.
•If they have not been able to identify the perpetrator, why have they not published
photos and tried to identify this person. If the perpetrator is still at large in the UK, are
they not a threat to other people? Why are the British not trying to find this person?
There is a different possibility that no one seems to have raised: Skripal is old and ill. His son died recently. He is stuck in dreary England, separated
from his friends and family. He has become depressed. His daughter came to visit because she
was concerned about his mental health. He decided to commit suicide and put his daughter's
shame to an end. As an ex-spy, he had a suicide pill. He used it to kill himself and his
daughter. He failed to complete the task.
Corbyn is being savaged in the corporate press for questioning May's proof. There's even
a hint of yet another leadership challenge within in Labour. If the Blairites are able to
claim Corbyn's scalp based on this, one has to truly marvel at the miracle powers of
propaganda.
The statement of OPCW 2013 means nothing at all. The Scientific Advisory Board "included US,
French, German and Russian government representatives and on which Dr Black was the UK
representative" (Murray). Information-, propaganda- and proxy war against Russia had begun in
2012 at least. So in the SAB they had a stalemate. Russia couldn't say anything without
incriminating itself, the Germans normally know nothing and the representatives of US, French
and UK could well have had motives to be quiet about things they knew or had.
Two years ago, the Independent reported on new historical research which found that during
the Cold War, the British government "used the general public as unwitting biological and
chemical warfare guinea pigs on a much greater scale than previously thought."
...
Less well-known, though, is the fact that members of the British armed forces "were
experimented on with Sarin, the deadly nerve gas, as late as 1983 at the Government's
defence research centre at Porton Down," according to Ministry of Defence documents
obtained by The Telegraph. Operation Antler, as the police investigation into the
experiments was called, found that the nerve agent trials had gone on as late as 1989.
thanks b.. this story is a load of bs with nothing substantive to back it up.. and of course
the scribes for the empire are only too willing to not ask questions! i look forward to the
time when sanity returns to international affairs.. at this point, russia seems like the only
stand up player on the scene...
i love the info you found in mirzanjaov.. "Russia did it", says Mirzanjaov, "OR SOMEONE
WHO READ MY BOOK". - brilliant!! i guess that pays for the house and all else... you are a
good stooge mirzanjaov!
# b who wrote:
"
No, the most troubling issue is the behavior of the media who fail to point out that May's
claims are bluster and that there is no evidence at all that supports her claims.
"
We read your blog because those media organizations are controlled by the same elite that
have their fist up May's ass.
The City of London was around before the US Fed, as was the British empire. I read
recently that London has the most millionaires of any city in the world.
The God of Mammon religion is my name for the global private financial system (BIS, SWIFT,
IMF, World Bank, etc) and all the national private Central Banks and the money systems within
all Western nations. That "sacred" construct of our social contract is under attack and what
you see is their response so far.
WWIII has already started and we are just witnessing the latest battle/scrimmage. When/if
there is another Bretton Woods meeting of the geopolitical elite to decide where the
financial control will/should be going forward, then we will see if the centuries old cabal
of families that have ruled our world will give up that power or reset the human experiment
with nukes.
Worthwhile to add the rush to judgement into the "claims fall apart" mix? As the Russians
pointed out at OPCW meeting, there's a longstanding agreed procedure to investigating claims
of chemical weapons use.
(Following up the other thread) Since I read about the "sanctions" I am quite sure, this
isn't about Russia at all. It is about blackmailing the EU. Additional stopping North Stream
2.
Stopping North Stream might well be a zero-sum game for Russia. It can't fail sustaining
the world price of gas and this might compensate Russia for disadvantages of Asian
markets
Some good questions there, but better than the CCTV footage would be hearing the MI6
person in charge of supervising every movement by Skripal, since, as claimed by Annie Machon
at the same Crosstalk program I pointed out at my previous comment, every double agent has
its own agent behind it, as a protection protocol ( and also for securing he is not a
triple...I guess )...
Nah, EU is of course as hysterical against Russia as UK is, but what can they do? Why
should they do anything is another question.
Its like these people are looking for war all because a Russian spy is hurt. Are they
insane?
The Official Enemy always does *exactly* the wrong thing:
- Saddam Hussein hid WMD even as war loomed
- Gaddafi ordered a massacre certain to bring 'intervention'
- Assad launched a gas attack exactly as inspectors entered Damascus
- And now Putin...
I haven't yet seen the Russian Ambassador yet, but the UN Security Council's special
meeting over this had been universally condemning Russia/Putin. Naturally, this was
especially full-throated from Trump's UN Embarrasor, Nimrata "Nikki" Randhawa "Haley."
What would be required to have Russia removed from the UNSC?
AT the UN, the US provides evidence
supporting the UK's claim that 'Putin done it' in the Skirpal case.
By one of those amazing coincidences, the western media has rediscovered the MH17
incident, and the infamous Spanish air traffic controller Carlos. He has been interviewed by
Radio Liberty and a group of Romanian investigative journalists. He claims he received
$48,000 USD from 'Russian sources' for his part in the incident.
221 john gilberts.. thanks.. nice to know the loser freeland is being given a large platform
to her anti russia rhetoric under the canuck flag too.. geez, but sometimes i wish canada
wasn't so stupid and dishonest catering to the usa and etc, but alas.. as a canuck i am very
disappointed that she is anywhere near a position of power.. working with soros has it's
merits..
@24 tomgard.. i think blackmailing the eu is a smaller part of it..i could be wrong..
isolating russia seems like the main meal.. russia is viewed as a threat by the usa/uk and
probably a few other players that will go unnamed..
@33 daniel question.. i am sure china would go along with it, lol - NOT... in fact - they
would be next... too bad the un security council actually represents a few level headed
players - the uk/usa not being one of them!
Fucking Theresa May should stick to do her job, as in protecting British citizens and
ensuring their safety. Like, for instance, in Telford, where more than thousand kids have
been gang-raped for decades, and authorities kept shut about it - a case that the usually
very loud Me-Too crowd is being suspiciously quiet about as well. But no, it's so much easier
just to make shit up and bash Russia like the Brits have been doing since Crimean War.
In case some haven't,
Craig Murray's essay b linked to and I relink here is quite the blockbuster, or rather
Maybuster. Russia's UNSC rep only needed to announce Craig's conclusion to destroy the
credibility of UK, US, France, and any other nation stupid enough to back May's crazy
assertions.
As Garrie proposes , May certainly rivals Blair for worst UK PM ever.
After looking at this for the second time, it appears there is a possible way. It appears
a precedent was set via UN General Assembly Resolution, UN Res. 1668 & 2758, where
support from 2/3 of the membership is needed. Although the resolutions addressed specifically
to the China/Taiwan question, it could be used against Russia. However, it requires an
alternate capital with support from a significant population.
Another obstacle I see is from pro-UN supporters, who wouldn't tolerate Russia, or any
other nation, being excluded from the UN. By allowing any member to leave the UN would be
repeating the mistakes from it's predecessor, League of Nations. Yes, there's been cases
where nations stopped it's participation, but the UN didn't consider them gone; just absent.
The UN concept was never meant to be some governing body. Unfortunately, there's considerable
efforts to make it one.
In the end, the possibility of excluding Russia from either the UNSC and or UN is
ZERO.
After 6 years of attacks on Putin the only shocking is that we see weak and meek response of
Russians for another provocation. Did they not know for sure that a series of provocations
were and are coming?
Will the wait another 6 months to expel British MI6 spies masquerading as diplomats this time
because of coming Easter and children of those agents of war and death may suffer spoiled
holidays.
It is clear now that this timid response is due to Russian oligarchs, Putin supporters,
vital interests in the west are being challenged or even threatened.
Did they not know that in medical schools of psychiatry they warn new doctors not to
succumb to mental patient's delusions by trying to reason with him or her, trying to explain
reality since it only aggravates psychosis and leads to violence.
This Global McCarthysm is nothing but the expression of panic among political puppets of
oligarchic ruling elite that their embellishments are no longer effective in fooling and
dividing of population into self destructive herds and that they themselves will be disposed
of when their no longer effective lies will be replaced by war and violence within societies
all over the world.
The Soviet Union boycotted UNSC meetings some time around the Korean War -- that is how the
imperialist forces got to call themselves UN forces, because USSR didn't veto the resolutions
in question.
Where the idea came from that Russia could be removed from the SC I have no idea, it is a
nonsense reflecting the propaganda overhang that the US and its satellites can do anything
that they want. They can't. And their power is declining daily.
This idiocy from the UK is a direct measurement of the actual impotence of the UK government
which has nothing left to do but to scare up the elderly (most people under 50 either don't
follow the MSM or know them to be lying) the only demographic that will support them in an
election. The story is aimed at embarrassing Corbyn, who they hate and fear, by calling up
the Blairites to disassociate themselves from Labour.
It has worked: the usual treacherous MPs, the remains of those who pushed for war in Iraq and
called for war in Libya and Syria, have come out in support of May and the MI6. This makes it
much more likely that they will not be running for Labour again. Which is good news.
The bad news is that so long as b and the handful of bloggers like him continue to shoot down
these propaganda balloons when they are still only a few dozen feet in the air, the Political
caste and the Ruling Class will attempt to silence them.
Mercouris at
The Duran provides more info related to additional threats and their counters.
Just one example:
"Meanwhile the Russians have also been accusing the British of ignoring the Chemical
Weapons Convention, which they say stipulates joint investigations of incidents like the
Skripal attack."
Certainly not least, it's suggested that May didn't listen to what Putin had to say on 1
March.
March Madness, and I don't mean basketball. Western nations lack diplomats and sane
leaders not led by Big Lies. I read the Doomsday Clock to declare 11:59:45!
I worked on Pathogen security and storage in UZ (as well as GE, KZ others) and they ain't
secure take my word for it.
Wanna steal something nasty? Just bribe the staff at the Georgia NCDC in Tbilisi (for
example) . Would love to have stayed in UZ but they closed Juliano's . No reason to extend
contract there!
The speed with which British authorities blades Putin strongly suggests false flag operation: "I am alarmed by the security, spying and armaments industries' frenetic efforts to stoke
Russophobia and heat up the new cold war. I am especially alarmed at the stream of cold war
warrior "experts" dominating the news cycles."
Notable quotes:
"... From Putin's point of view, to assassinate Skripal now seems to have very little motivation. If the Russians have waited eight years to do this, they could have waited until after their World Cup. The Russians have never killed a swapped spy before. ..."
"... Just as diplomats, British and otherwise, are the most ardent upholders of the principle of diplomatic immunity, so security service personnel everywhere are the least likely to wish to destroy a system which can be a key aspect of their own personal security; quite literally spy swaps are their "Get Out of Jail Free" card. You don't undermine that system – probably terminally – without very good reason. ..."
"... It is worth noting that the "wicked" Russians gave Skripal a far lighter jail sentence than an American equivalent would have received. If a member of US Military Intelligence had sold, for cash to the Russians, the names of hundreds of US agents and officers operating abroad, the Americans would at the very least jail the person for life, and I strongly suspect would execute them. Skripal just received a jail sentence of 18 years, which is hard to square with the narrative of implacable vindictiveness against him. If the Russians had wanted to make an example, that was the time. ..."
"... Sadly Pablo Miller's LinkedIn profile has recently been deleted, but it is again widely alleged on the web that it showed him as a consultant for Orbis Intelligence and a consultant to the FCO and – wait for it – with an address in Salisbury. If anyone can recover than Linkedin entry do get in touch, though British Government agencies will have been active in the internet scrubbing. ..."
"... It was of course Christopher Steele and Orbis Intelligence who produced for the Clinton camp the sensationalist dossier on Trump links with Russia – including the story of Trump paying to be urinated on by Russian prostitutes – that is a key part of the "Russiagate" affair gripping the US political classes. The extraordinary thing about this is that the Orbis dossier is obvious nonsense which anybody with a professional background can completely demolish, as I did here . ..."
"... If I was the police, I would look closely at Orbis Intelligence. ..."
"... To return to Israel. Israel has the nerve agents. Israel has Mossad which is extremely skilled at foreign assassinations. Theresa May claimed Russian propensity to assassinate abroad as a specific reason to believe Russia did it. Well Mossad has an even greater propensity to assassinate abroad. And while I am struggling to see a Russian motive for damaging its own international reputation so grieviously, Israel has a clear motivation for damaging the Russian reputation so grieviously. Russian action in Syria has undermined the Israeli position in Syria and Lebanon in a fundamental way, and Israel has every motive for damaging Russia's international position by an attack aiming to leave the blame on Russia. ..."
"... Both the Orbis and Israeli theories are speculations. But they are no more a speculation, and no more a conspiracy theory, than the idea that Vladimir Putin secretly sent agents to Salisbury to attack Skriapin with a secret nerve agent. I can see absolutely no reason to believe that is a more valid speculation than the others at this point. ..."
"... I am alarmed by the security, spying and armaments industries' frenetic efforts to stoke Russophobia and heat up the new cold war. I am especially alarmed at the stream of cold war warrior "experts" dominating the news cycles. ..."
The "novochok" group of nerve agents – a very loose term simply for a collection of
new nerve agents the Soviet Union were developing fifty years ago – will almost certainly
have been analysed and reproduced by Porton Down. That is entirely what Porton Down is there
for. It used to make chemical and biological weapons as weapons, and today it still does make
them in small quantities in order to research defences and antidotes. After the fall of the
Soviet Union Russian chemists made a lot of information available on these nerve agents.
And one country which has always manufactured very similar persistent nerve agents is Israel.
This Foreign Policy magazine (a very establishment US publication) article
on Israel 's chemical and biological weapon capability is very interesting indeed. I will
return to Israel later in this article.
Incidentally, novachok is not a specific substance but a class of new nerve agents. Sources
agree they were designed to be persistent, and of an order of magnitude stronger than sarin or
VX. That is rather hard to square with the fact that thankfully nobody has died and those
possibly in contact just have to wash their clothes.
From Putin's point of view, to assassinate Skripal now seems to have very little
motivation. If the Russians have waited eight years to do this, they could have waited until
after their World Cup. The Russians have never killed a swapped spy before.
Just as diplomats, British and otherwise, are the most ardent upholders of the principle
of diplomatic immunity, so security service personnel everywhere are the least likely to wish
to destroy a system which can be a key aspect of their own personal security; quite literally
spy swaps are their "Get Out of Jail Free" card. You don't undermine that system –
probably terminally – without very good reason.
It is worth noting that the "wicked" Russians gave Skripal a far lighter jail sentence
than an American equivalent would have received. If a member of US Military Intelligence had
sold, for cash to the Russians, the names of hundreds of US agents and officers operating
abroad, the Americans would at the very least jail the person for life, and I strongly suspect
would execute them. Skripal just received a jail sentence of 18 years, which is hard to square
with the narrative of implacable vindictiveness against him. If the Russians had wanted to make
an example, that was the time.
It is much more probable that the reason for this assassination attempt refers to something
recent or current, than to spying twenty years ago. Were I the British police, I would inquire
very closely into Orbis Intelligence.
There is no doubt that Skripal was feeding secrets to MI6 at the time that Christopher
Steele was an MI6 officer in Moscow, and at the the time that Pablo Miller, another member of
Orbis Intelligence, was also an MI6 officer in Russia and directly recruiting agents. It is
widely reported on the web and in US media
that it was Miller who first recruited Skripal. My own ex-MI6 sources tell me that is not quite
true as Skripal was "walk-in", but that Miller certainly was involved in running Skripal for a
while. Sadly Pablo Miller's LinkedIn profile has recently been deleted, but it is again widely
alleged on the web that it showed him as a consultant for Orbis Intelligence and a consultant
to the FCO and – wait for it – with an address in Salisbury. If anyone can recover
than Linkedin entry do get in touch, though British Government agencies will have been active
in the internet scrubbing.
It was of course Christopher Steele and Orbis Intelligence who produced for the Clinton camp
the sensationalist dossier on Trump links with Russia – including the story of Trump
paying to be urinated on by Russian prostitutes – that is a key part of the "Russiagate"
affair gripping the US political classes. The extraordinary thing about this is that the Orbis
dossier is obvious nonsense which anybody with a professional background can completely
demolish, as
I did here . Steele's motive was, like Skriapin's in selling his secrets, cash pure and
simple. Steele is a charlatan who knocked up a series of allegations that are either wildly
improbable, or would need a high level source access he could not possibly get in today's
Russia, or both. He told the Democrats what they wish to hear and his audience – who had
and still have no motivation to look at it critically – paid him highly for it.
I do not know for certain that Pablo Miller helped knock together the Steele dossier on
Trump, but it seems very probable given he also served for MI6 in Russia and was working for
Orbis. And it seems to me even more probable that Sergei Skripal contributed to the Orbis
Intelligence dossier on Trump. Steele and Miller cannot go into Russia and run sources any
more, and never would have had access as good as their dossier claims, even in their MI6 days.
The dossier was knocked up for huge wodges of cash from whatever they could cobble together.
Who better to lend a little corroborative verisimilitude in these circumstances than their old
source Skripal?
Skripal was at hand in the UK, and allegedly even close to Miller in Salisbury. He could add
in the proper acronym for a Russian committee here or the name of a Russian official there, to
make it seem like Steele was providing hard intelligence. Indeed, Skripal's outdated knowledge
might explain some of the dossier's more glaring errors.
But the problem with double agents like Skripal, who give intelligence for money, is that
they can easily become triple agents and you never know when a better offer is going to come
along. When Steele produced his dodgy dossier, he had no idea it would ever become so prominent
and subject to so much scrutiny. Steele is fortunate in that the US Establishment is strongly
motivated not to scrutinise his work closely as their one aim is to "get" Trump. But with the
stakes very high, having a very loose cannon as one of the dossier's authors might be most
inconvenient both for Orbis and for the Clinton camp.
If I was the police, I would look closely at Orbis Intelligence.
To return to Israel. Israel has the nerve agents. Israel has Mossad which is extremely
skilled at foreign assassinations. Theresa May claimed Russian propensity to assassinate abroad
as a specific reason to believe Russia did it. Well Mossad has an even greater propensity to
assassinate abroad. And while I am struggling to see a Russian motive for damaging its own
international reputation so grieviously, Israel has a clear motivation for damaging the Russian
reputation so grieviously. Russian action in Syria has undermined the Israeli position in Syria
and Lebanon in a fundamental way, and Israel has every motive for damaging Russia's
international position by an attack aiming to leave the blame on Russia.
Both the Orbis and Israeli theories are speculations. But they are no more a speculation,
and no more a conspiracy theory, than the idea that Vladimir Putin secretly sent agents to
Salisbury to attack Skriapin with a secret nerve agent. I can see absolutely no reason to
believe that is a more valid speculation than the others at this point.
I am alarmed by the security, spying and armaments industries' frenetic efforts to stoke
Russophobia and heat up the new cold war. I am especially alarmed at the stream of cold war
warrior "experts" dominating the news cycles. I write as someone who believes that agents of
the Russian state did assassinate Litvinenko, and that the Russian security services carried
out at least some of the apartment bombings that provided the pretext for the brutal assault on
Chechnya. I believe the Russian occupation of Crimea and parts of Georgia is illegal. On the
other hand, in Syria Russia has saved the Middle East from domination by a new wave of US and
Saudi sponsored extreme jihadists.
The naive view of the world as "goodies" and "baddies", with our own ruling class as the
good guys, is for the birds. I witnessed personally in Uzbekistan the willingness of the UK and
US security services to accept and validate intelligence they knew to be false in order to
pursue their policy objectives. We should be extremely sceptical of their current anti-Russian
narrative. There are many possible suspects in this attack.
"... "seem to have forgotten about that very quickly and, rather than being cautious, there's a drive to blame Russia immediately." ..."
"... "outright accusatory statements" made mid-way though the investigation are "part of the anti-Russia hype that continues in the West." ..."
"... "We need to see the evidence. And the people of both Russia and the United States, and the world, are savvy enough to see the evidence and be able to make their own judgement. We haven't seen that evidence," ..."
"... "Why would Russia leave a signature like that, it's similar to some of the hacking that has been going on leaving Cyrillic [script] in the hacking codes. If this all was orchestrated by the Russian government, why would they be leaving such a trail?" ..."
"... "defies logic and common sense." ..."
"... "what will happen will be sanctions, some diplomatic expulsions." ..."
"... One possible response floated by MPs was a boycott of the World Cup in Russia by the England national football team. While the topic was not raised personally by May, if it turns out to be the case, such a decision will go down in history as, arguably, the most unpopular one ever taken by an incumbent PM, "apart from Brexit delay," ..."
It's hard to believe that the investigation that is being conducted by the UK authorities is
impartial, what with the surrounding media frenzy and the vast record of highly politicized
intelligence coming from the authorities, Dr Tara McCormack, lecturer in International Politics
at the University of Leicester, told RT.
McCormack noted that the media and the lawmakers are reluctant to reflect on these mistakes.
They "seem to have forgotten about that very quickly and, rather than being cautious,
there's a drive to blame Russia immediately."
Former Pentagon official Michael Maloof echoed the point, saying that the "outright
accusatory statements" made mid-way though the investigation are "part of the anti-Russia hype
that continues in the West." Bringing up how the UK government sided with the US in the
false claim that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, he said it's hard to take any
such assertions at face value.
"We need to see the evidence. And the people of both Russia and the United States, and
the world, are savvy enough to see the evidence and be able to make their own judgement. We
haven't seen that evidence," Maloof said.
Timed to Russia's election
The timing of the attack, on the verge of Russia's presidential election and its
circumstances, notably the use of a Soviet nerve agent, begs the question: "Why would
Russia leave a signature like that, it's similar to some of the hacking that has been going on
leaving Cyrillic [script] in the hacking codes. If this all was orchestrated by the Russian
government, why would they be leaving such a trail?" Maloof asked, pointing out that it
"defies logic and common sense."
With MPs calling Russia names and touting a host of potential sanctions, NATO retaliation
and a ban on RT broadcasting, it's still up to the UK government to decide what measures to
take, Dr McCormack noted. Asserting that she doesn't believe May will back down from her
initial allegations against Russia, she theorized that "what will happen will be sanctions,
some diplomatic expulsions."
One possible response floated by MPs was a boycott of the World Cup in Russia by the England
national football team. While the topic was not raised personally by May, if it turns out to be
the case, such a decision will go down in history as, arguably, the most unpopular one ever
taken by an incumbent PM, "apart from Brexit delay," Jon Gaunt said.
Why would Putin be interested in a has-been spy he could have killed long ago? On the other
hand, might certain people connected with the Trump dossier be keen to silence sources, now that
Sessions is investigating the FISA warrants and at the same time, implicate Russia?
Notable quotes:
"... as usual - the west under the leadership of the usa /uk - need no proof... assertions and innuendo is all that is needed! ..."
"... Interesting they allowed the possibility that the gas, if made in Russia, could have been stolen. Is that because they thought the sheeple might actually wonder about the anthrax released after 9/11, which came from a US facility, and which nobody ever accused the government of unleashing? ..."
"... In testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee (on 3 November, 2017), it was stated that Daniel Jones (a member of Fusion GPS), had described Fusion as a "shadow media organization helping the government," and was funded by a "group of Silicon Valley billionaires and George Soros." ..."
"... Steele has refused to comment about which projects he involved Miller but given Miller's Russian contacts, it is not credible that the Trump dossier was not one of them – in which case it is also not credible that Skripal was also not involved. ..."
"... Why would Putin be interested in a has-been spy he could have killed long ago? On the other hand, might certain people connected with the Trump dossier be keen to silence sources, now that Sessions is investigating the FISA warrants and at the same time, implicate Russia? ..."
"... Edit: The PM has said that the nerve agent was 'Novichok' which is 5 to 8 times more potent than VX... and the authorities waited 5 days to send the army in and over a week to tell people to wash their clothes and other items? ..."
as usual - the west under the leadership of the usa /uk - need no proof... assertions
and innuendo is all that is needed!
i swear they are gearing up for something with russia, whether it be war in syria, thanks
that freak haleys words from earlier today, or this, or something... it is non stop..
What is this "known" Russian never agent? Who else manufactures it? Does UK (or could it as a
"special project")? Particularly, in the lab right down the street?
Interesting they allowed the possibility that the gas, if made in Russia, could have been
stolen. Is that because they thought the sheeple might actually wonder about the anthrax
released after 9/11, which came from a US facility, and which nobody ever accused the
government of unleashing?
EDIT: Apparently May is alleging the chemical involved is a novichok, which was supposedly
produced by the USSR from the 1970s to the 1990s. Assuming all this is true, I found the
following interesting excerpt from Wikipedia in terms of who may have access to the chemical
(aside from the Russian state and/or ((Russian)) mafia):
One of the key manufacturing sites was the Soviet State Scientific Research Institute for
Organic Chemistry and Technology (GosNIIOKhT) in Nukus, Uzbekistan. ... Since its
independence in 1991, Uzbekistan has been working with the government of the United States to
dismantle and decontaminate the sites where the Novichok agents and other chemical weapons
were tested and developed.
Funny, didn't see anything in May's speech about that.
In reply to Fucking fascist UK with by Perimetr
Vote up!
In 1995, Sergey Skripal was recruited by an MI6 undercover agent, Pablo Miller, who at the
time was posing as Antonio Alvarez de Hidalgo and working at the British Embassy in Tallinn,
Estonia.
Pablo Miller was exposed in the early 2000s, after multiple Russians were arrested for
spying and fingered Miller as their recruiter. One of Miller's other recruits was Alexander
Litvinenko. [Note: Polonium was also used to murder Arafat – the source is said to have
been Israel's Dimona reactor.]
Miller and Skripal met frequently: Skripal (whose codename was "Forthwith") passed the
entire Russian military intelligence telephone handbook to Miller, containing details of more
than 300 of his colleagues in Russian intelligence. In 2006 Skripal was jailed.
After the spy swap in 2010, Skripal decided to resettle in Salisbury, where Pablo Miller
also lived. In 2015 Miller retired and received an OBE for services to Her Majesty's
Government. No doubt Miller was Skripal's minder and was probably the reason Skripal had gone
to Salisbury.
According to his LinkedIn entry (deleted a few days ago), Miller worked as a consultant
for Christopher Steele – Miller is the consultant whose name was withheld by the
Telegraph. Steele's Orbis Business Intelligence was hired by Fusion GPS in 2016 to research
Trump.
In testimony to the Senate Intelligence Committee (on 3 November, 2017), it was stated
that Daniel Jones (a member of Fusion GPS), had described Fusion as a "shadow media
organization helping the government," and was funded by a "group of Silicon Valley
billionaires and George Soros."
Between 26 November, 2017 and 10 January, 2018 George Soros (who is a prolific tweeter)
was silent. Not a single tweet. Why, where was he?
Steele has refused to comment about which projects he involved Miller but given Miller's
Russian contacts, it is not credible that the Trump dossier was not one of them – in
which case it is also not credible that Skripal was also not involved.
Join the dots.... cui bono? Why would Putin be interested in a has-been spy he could have
killed long ago? On the other hand, might certain people connected with the Trump dossier be
keen to silence sources, now that Sessions is investigating the FISA warrants and at the same
time, implicate Russia?
Edit: The PM has said that the nerve agent was 'Novichok' which is 5 to 8 times more
potent than VX... and the authorities waited 5 days to send the army in and over a week to
tell people to wash their clothes and other items?
In reply to May: Umm, our investigations by Shitonya Serfs
"Either this was a direct act by the Russian State against our country, or the Russian
government lost control of this potentially catastrophically damaging nerve agent and allowed
it to get into the hands of others," May told lawmakers in London on Monday.
Russia wasted little time in dismissing May's assessment. Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria
Zakharova called her statement a " circus act ." The onus is on the
U.K. to act decisively this time given criticism it responded weakly to the 2006 murder of
Russian ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko.
"... Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Monday called the poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain "an egregious act" and added, "It appears that it clearly came from Russia." ..."
"... The statement, made in an interview with reporters at the end of a five-nation tour of Africa, was the clearest statement yet from the Trump administration, after several days of equivocation in which American officials declined to explicitly blame Russia for the March 4 attack. ..."
Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson on Monday called the
poisoning of a former Russian spy in Britain "an egregious act" and added, "It appears that it
clearly came from Russia."
The statement, made in an interview with reporters at the end of a five-nation tour of
Africa, was the clearest statement yet from the Trump administration, after several days of
equivocation in which American officials declined to explicitly blame Russia for the March 4
attack.
"I've become extremely concerned about Russia," Mr. Tillerson said in the interview. "We
spent most of last year investing a lot into attempts to work together, to solve problems, to
address differences. And quite frankly, after a year, we didn't get very far. Instead what
we've seen is a pivot on their part to be more aggressive."
He added: "And this is very, very concerning to me and others, that there seems to be a
certain unleashing of activity that we don't fully understand what the objective behind that
is. And if in fact this attack in the U.K. is the work of the Russian government, this is a
pretty serious action."
"... The pair were found unconscious and slumped on a bench near the Maltings shopping centre. Police stated that two became ill at around 13.30 p.m. Police arrived on the scene at around 16.15 p.m., after being alerted by a concerned member of the public. ..."
"... Financial Times, ..."
"... Daily Mirror's ..."
"... If the Putin regime were indeed set on killing Skripal and his daughter, some explanation needs to be made as to motive. Skripal's daughter lived and worked in Russia and made regular trips back and forth. ..."
"... At least one other person released from jail in Russia would appear to have been a much more likely target of the Putin regime than Skripal, if indeed its intention was to prevent anti-Russian activities. Igor Sutyagin developed into a prominent anti-Putin figure in the UK, becoming a fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defence and intelligence think-tank. ..."
"... RUSI is central to the formulation of British imperialism's anti-Russian policy. Even the Guardian's ..."
"... Under conditions in which the NATO powers, including Britain, are seeking to utilise any pretext to justify their ongoing encirclement of Russia's border, Putin authorizing the murder of two people on the streets of the UK would be a propaganda gift to his opponents. ..."
"... The response of the government and media to these events must be placed in the context of the concerted drive by London to demonize Russia. Only last week the Times ..."
"... This followed a January speech given at RUSI by General Sir Nick Carter, the Chief of the General Staff of the British Armed Forces, in which he declared that the UK had to actively prepare for war with Russia and other geo-political rivals. ..."
"... Moon of Alabama has cited a London Daily Telegraph article stating that Sergei Skripal was close to a security consultant (fingered in MoA comments as Pablo Miller) who has worked for Christopher Steele. This security consultant apparently recruited Skripal in Estonia in 1995 and also lives in Salisbury (which as some have noted is some 13 km from Porton Down, site of a UK Ministry of Defence military research lab). ..."
"... If MoA's speculations have any substance, I should think Boris Berezovsky's suicide in 2013 merits closer attention. ..."
"... The UK and M16 is probably behind this murder as a step in helping the USA pile up fake evidence about alleged Russian crimes to justify the USA in its plan to go to war against Russia. ..."
"... These characters and entities (CIA or MI-6), are capable of unthinkable evil, such us disposing of those people just to be able to blame Russia-Putin once more. No holds barred. ..."
"... Cui Bono indeed. There is absolutely no reason the "Putin regime" as you insist on calling the Russian government, or Putin personally would gratuitously kill some completely irrelevant long-retired and already pardoned double agent who had long ago given British Intelligence every scrap of information he knew while knowing the only possible outcome would be a huge propaganda campaign against Russia and Putin personally just two weeks before the Presidential election. ..."
"... On the other hand, for MI6, the CIA, and the creatures behind them, it makes perfect sense to have their now useless former spy perform one last unwitting "service" for the Western Oligarchy by providing yet another pretext for ramping up their campaign of anti-Russian hysteria. As a fringe benefit, they don't have to pay his pension anymore. ..."
Nobody of us can really know what happened in London with the Russian ex-double agent they
tried to kill.
But Russians would be foolish to let the agent leave from Russia to try to assassinate him many
years afterwards, at the eve of their Presidential Election.
DK Anti-Russia campaign follows alleged poisoning of former UK/Russian double
agent and daughter
The British government and mass media have mounted a hysterical anti-Russian campaign
centered on the still unexplained circumstances surrounding the hospitalisation of former
British double agent Sergei Skripal and his daughter, after they were found unconscious on a
bench in Salisbury on Sunday.
Initial reports Monday stated that Skripal, aged 66, may have ingested fentanyl, a synthetic
opioid many times stronger than heroin, which can be fatal in small doses.
On Tuesday, the other person hospitalized was identified as Skripal's 33-year-old daughter,
Yulia, who was also said to be in a critical condition.
Skripal is a former colonel in Russia's GRU, the military intelligence service. He spent
four years in jail in Russia after being found guilty in 2006 of passing secrets to MI6, the
UK's foreign intelligence service. He was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
Skripal served four years before being released in 2010, when he was pardoned by Russia as
part of a well-publicized 10-person spy swap between the US, the UK and Russia. He moved to the
UK where he has lived for the past seven years.
The pair were found unconscious and slumped on a bench near the Maltings shopping
centre. Police stated that two became ill at around 13.30 p.m. Police arrived on the scene at
around 16.15 p.m., after being alerted by a concerned member of the public. It was
announced Wednesday that a police officer is also in critical condition after attending the
incident. The Skripals visited a nearby restaurant, Zizzi's, which was cordoned off, as well as
a local pub, The Bishop's Mill.
By Tuesday, despite nothing of substance being reported by the police, the government and
media had effectively declared the incident an act of terrorism, with the finger pointing at
Russia's Putin government. References to an opioid being involved were dropped, with media
reports saying the government's secret chemical lab at Porton Down was as yet unable to
identify the substance. Wiltshire police announced that London's Metropolitan Police
counter-terrorist unit would be taking over the investigation.
In parliament, Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson spoke about the "disturbing incident in
Salisbury" and stated, "Although I am not now pointing fingers, because we cannot point
fingers, I say to governments around the world that no attempt to take innocent life on UK soil
will go either unsanctioned or unpunished," He then referred to Russia as a "malign and
destructive force" and warned that if Moscow were found to be involved, the government would
"take whatever measures we deem necessary to protect the lives of the people in this country,
our values and our freedoms."
In another pointed reference to Russia, he stated that the case had "echoes of the death of
Alexander Litvinenko in 2006" -- the former officer in Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB,
the successor to the KGB), who died on November 23, 2006 after having been granted asylum in
Britain in 2000. The UK, backed by the US have long claimed that the Putin regime ordered the
killing despite no evidence being presented in an official British inquiry in 2016 -- other
than the presence of the radioactive substance polonium.
Johnson threatened that England could consider boycotting the soccer World Cup in Russia
this summer.
Every newspaper, apart from the Financial Times, led with hysterical anti-Russian
headlines . The Sun blared, "Red Spy in UK Poison Terror," with an accompanying story
referring to "fear over a Kremlin backed hit " The Daily Mirror's headline was "
'Assassins' on British street".
In an article in the Spectator , columnist Ed West posed the question, "Will
Britain stand up to Russia?"
By the evening, despite Newsnight anchor Kirsty Wark introducing the story by saying, "so
far we know nothing about what happened to them, if they were poisoned and if they were, by
whom," the BBC's flagship news programme was dedicated to a narrative that Russia was
responsible and that Skripal and his daughter were likely victims of an attack by Russia
intelligence operatives.
The media have reported the deaths of Skripal's wife, his son and his older brother as
mysterious events requiring investigation. His wife died of cancer in 2012 in Britain.
The following day the DailyTelegraph asserted that "Putin swore death on
poisoned Russian spy." The Times went with "MI5 believes Russians tried to kill former
spy."
On Wednesday morning, the government convened its COBRA committee, which meets during
periods of national emergencies. On Wednesday evening, Met Police Assistant Commissioner Mark
Rowley announced that Skripal and his daughter were subjected to an attack by a "nerve agent,"
with it being classified as a case of "attempted murder."
No information released by the authorities can be taken at face value. All reports attest
that Skripal was supposedly politically inactive. He evidently did nothing to hide his
identity, buying a house for £260,000 in his real name and applying to join a railway
social club. He regularly bought lottery scratch cards and purchased food from a local Polish
food store.
If the Putin regime were indeed set on killing Skripal and his daughter, some
explanation needs to be made as to motive. Skripal's daughter lived and worked in Russia and
made regular trips back and forth.
At least one other person released from jail in Russia would appear to have been a much
more likely target of the Putin regime than Skripal, if indeed its intention was to prevent
anti-Russian activities. Igor Sutyagin developed into a prominent anti-Putin figure in the UK,
becoming a fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) defence and intelligence
think-tank.
RUSI is central to the formulation of British imperialism's anti-Russian policy. Even
the Guardian's main advocate against the Putin regime, columnist Luke Harding, was
forced to acknowledge that Sutyagin "gave lectures on Vladimir Putin's darkening state, and
kept a high public profile. Skripal, by contrast, eschewed London. He settled with Liudmilla
[his wife] in the comparative quiet of Wiltshire. "
Asking the question who would benefit from the deaths of Skripal and his daughter, there
would appear to be no obvious reason why the Putin government would authorize such an act.
Putin is currently campaigning in the last stretch of the 2018 presidential election, which
takes place on March 18. He is expected to be re-elected.
Under conditions in which the NATO powers, including Britain, are seeking to utilise any
pretext to justify their ongoing encirclement of Russia's border, Putin authorizing the murder
of two people on the streets of the UK would be a propaganda gift to his opponents.
The response of the government and media to these events must be placed in the context
of the concerted drive by London to demonize Russia. Only last week the Times devoted
its front page, an op-ed piece and an editorial to bellicose calls by senior military figures,
including second in command of the armed forces, Sir Gordon Messenger, for an increase in
military spending, naming Russia as the power that must be confronted.
This followed a January speech given at RUSI by General Sir Nick Carter, the Chief of
the General Staff of the British Armed Forces, in which he declared that the UK had to actively
prepare for war with Russia and other geo-political rivals.
Moon of Alabama has cited a London Daily Telegraph article stating that Sergei Skripal was
close to a security consultant (fingered in MoA comments as Pablo Miller) who has worked for
Christopher Steele. This security consultant apparently recruited Skripal in Estonia in 1995
and also lives in Salisbury (which as some have noted is some 13 km from Porton Down, site of
a UK Ministry of Defence military research lab).
When will people realize, here in America, that everything Russia is meant to manufacture
consent for a world war against Russia? Why are our people so stupid?
The UK and M16 is probably behind this murder as a step in helping the USA pile up fake
evidence about alleged Russian crimes to justify the USA in its plan to go to war against
Russia.
Is it possible that instead of Putin or the Russian government being responsible for
Skripal death more shadowy figures from his past decided to seek revenge from some past
action? After all these people move in murky unpleasant circles and the past can catch up
with one eventually.
These characters and entities (CIA or MI-6), are capable of unthinkable evil, such us
disposing of those people just to be able to blame Russia-Putin once more.
No holds barred.
Makes me laugh (kind of bitterly though) how the media's labelled the recent bout of cold
weather insistently and repeatedly as "the beast from the East" blaming Russia for it! All of
a piece with planting anti Russian seeds in the pleb's mind.
Cui Bono indeed. There is absolutely no reason the "Putin regime" as you insist on calling
the Russian government, or Putin personally would gratuitously kill some completely
irrelevant long-retired and already pardoned double agent who had long ago given British
Intelligence every scrap of information he knew while knowing the only possible outcome would
be a huge propaganda campaign against Russia and Putin personally just two weeks before the
Presidential election.
On the other hand, for MI6, the CIA, and the creatures behind them, it makes perfect
sense to have their now useless former spy perform one last unwitting "service" for the
Western Oligarchy by providing yet another pretext for ramping up their campaign of
anti-Russian hysteria. As a fringe benefit, they don't have to pay his pension
anymore.
Incidentally, according to Canadian TV "news", his daughter lives in Moscow and was
just visiting him in Britain. So apparently the FSB had no particular interest in killing her
as they could easily have arranged a low profile "car accident" or something similar in
Moscow at any convenient time. Whenever some high profile murder is promptly attributed to
"Putin", "the Putin Regime" or "the Russians" and a huge obviously pre-arranged propaganda
campaign swings into full throated shrieking, usually shortly before some important
international event being held in Russia like the World Cup Soccer matches or the
Presidential Election, always ask: Cui Bono.
Putin has levels of approval ratings, unknown to the leaders of any country in the world.
The only ones worrying about his reelection, are the despicable enemies of Russia, parroting
US media anti Putin campaign.
By the way, how come that the indispensable country, home to 327 million people, can not even
field a team in the Football World Cup in Russia this summer.
Even little Uruguay with a population of 3 million, is going to be there. Everybody who is
somebody in the civilized world, is going to be in Russia for the cup, but the US.
In the US, where everything is named for the opposite of what it actually is, the name
"Football" is reserved for a game where you carry an object which is not shaped like a ball
with your hands instead of kicking a round, ball shaped object with your foot.
Kind of like the "Forest Protection Act" removes logging protecting from National
Forests and the "Clean Air Act" removes anti-pollution regulations from big polluters like
coal fired power stations.
Here in Canada the "Seal Protection Act" makes it illegal to protect seals, among other
"named the opposite of what they actually do" laws.
George Orwell nailed it in "1984". "War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is
Strength".
"... As far as one can tell from what the British have revealed about this attempted killing is that the agent is an organophosphate triester acety choline (ach) inhibitor. ..."
"... This is a class of chemicals that include hundreds if not thousands of different compounds. As a matter of fact most of these compounds can be synthesized in very simple labs if there is an individual that has the knowledge. It would be possible to put together such a lab in a single family house with a natural gas, electric hook ups and a good kitchen sink along with a few thousand dollars to purchase the right flasks, pumps and temperature controllers. ..."
"... The suggestion by May that Russia is one of the only countries in the world capable of making this stuff is totally laughable. In the last 80 years the organophosphate neurotoxins have been used by and produced by dozens of countries as insecticides. ..."
"... At this point there close to zero evidence that the agent used to intoxicate the Skripils was something uniquely available to Russia. ..."
"... When in trouble at home, create trouble abroad. ..."
What is totally insane about all of these allegations against Russia is that so far they have
not identified the nerve agent that was used against Skrpil and his daughter. As far as one
can tell from what the British have revealed about this attempted killing is that the agent
is an organophosphate triester acety choline (ach) inhibitor.
This is a class of chemicals
that include hundreds if not thousands of different compounds. As a matter of fact most of
these compounds can be synthesized in very simple labs if there is an individual that has the
knowledge. It would be possible to put together such a lab in a single family house with a
natural gas, electric hook ups and a good kitchen sink along with a few thousand dollars to
purchase the right flasks, pumps and temperature controllers.
The suggestion by May that Russia is one of the only countries in the world capable of
making this stuff is totally laughable. In the last 80 years the organophosphate neurotoxins
have been used by and produced by dozens of countries as insecticides. These chemicals were
discovered by German chemists in the 1920s.
The difference between an insecticide and a
chemical warfare agent is no more than a simple side chain about the phosphate core.
At this point there close to zero evidence that the agent used to intoxicate the Skripils
was something uniquely available to Russia.
Well, I place my completely subjective assessment on Mossad wot dun it.
Motive?
Russia is in 'its backyard' and screwing up its plans (destroying
IS/ISIL/ISIS/DAESH/Whatever), or at least limiting its options.
Means?
Lots of Israeli Russians to pick from for the job, probably previously unactivated ones
for this special one off. As 'b' has pointed out already, this agent is not 'magic' or
unknown to the West.
Opportunity?
Upcoming 2018 Football World Cup in Russia, Presidential elections. Timed for maximum
impact to give allies (CIA probably and by extension MI6/whatever) a sliver of opportunity to
try and push for collective action to limit or control Russia in the ME and elsewhere.
It all rather smacks of desperation though, which is why I think of Nut&Yahoo who was
yet again 'interviewed' last week by the cops. When in trouble at home, create trouble
abroad. It's also a pretty dumb move (considering the close relations between Russia &
Israel) which I hope will back fire and probably won't work out as planned (as everything
else planned by the West hasn't). If Russia fingers Nut&Yahoo for this, then they will
call the shots, i.e. he'll have to fall on his sword and Russian troops will retake the
Golan. Actually I expect the latter to happen regardless. No one else can do it without being
bombed.
Anyways, that's my massive speculation for what it is worth. Not a lot!
If the UK has any doubt, I'm sure there are '17 intelligence agencies' in the US who will
back them up all the way! And they're so good, they don't even need to see any evidence to
know for sure!
May's using the trusted-old projection propaganda ploy for her constituents. I await the CCTV
footage showing the pair being gassed on that public park bench only 8 miles away from a very
sensitive military installation. Seems the only people sniffing the bait are from 5-Eyes,
English-speaking nations, as proven by how the media's playing along. The UK's drowning as it
continues its slide into irrelevancy after its brief affair as #1 planetary hegemon.
Meanwhile, Mercouris and
Escobar
provide the underlying reasons why UK/US are so frantic.
Remember when that building fire killed scores of people, they called for calm and patience
until the full investigation is done, not to jump to any conclusions and all that jazz, song
& dance. Where is now the famous British attitude "Keep calm and carry on"?
The UK poisoned spy is just part of an intensive US/UK/France propaganda effort. US and
France on Syria and UK on Russia. Haley in the UN saying US will act on its own unless UNSC
demand imediate no conditions 30 day ceasefire in Ghouta, Macron fiddling with his CW red
line and now May/UK ramping up the propaganda on Russia.
Ghouta must have been very important to these pricks.
Wonderful thing the Internet. I have just found this 1993 document that contains a long
interview with one of the 'inventors' of Novochuk. It is amazing stuff, as is the rest of the
document.
It is part of the 'what can we do to turn Soviet tanks into plowshares' plan back then
with interviews with key players. Found in a JPRS report available through DTIC.
I can't cut and past as its a huge pdf that also takes a bit of time to load. Check out
pages 18/19/20.
From what's emerging now, it seems there simply were no assassins wandering round Salisbury.
Instead, it appears Mr Skripal for some reason has a house full of nerve gas, or enough
of it at least to take out himself, his daughter and a policeman who inspected the
premises.
The PM has said that the nerve agent was 'Novichok' which is 5 to 8 times more
potent than VX... and the authorities waited 5 days to send the army in and over a week to
tell people to wash their clothes and other items?
"Sergej Skripal and his daughter were poisoned with a military grade nerve agent of a
type developed by Russia.
MILITARY grade? Well then, Mrs. Prime Minister... that's pretty God damn serious
then. Because everyone knows the Russian CONSUMER -grade nerve agents are crap. I
think they sell them on Amazon (Free shipping with Amazon Prime).
Like I said in a previous thread Novichok was part of the plot of the recent "Strike Back:
Retribution" TV series on Sky TV, Rupert Murdoch's 21st Century Fox owns a 39.14% controlling
stake in Sky PLC. So a TV series by a billionaire supporter of Teresa May just happens to
make a fictional TV series around a nerve agent and Bad Russians(TM) and is put on TV just
before Teresa May accuses Bad Russians(TM) of using said nerve agent. This is not a
coincidence.
Nerve agents including Sarin and VX are manufactured by the British Government in Porton
Down, just 8 miles from where Sergei Skripal was attacked. The official British
government story is that these nerve agents are only manufactured "To help develop
effective medical countermeasures and to test systems".
The UK media universally accepted that the production of polonium by Russia was conclusive
evidence that Vladimir Putin was personally responsible for the murder of Alexander Litvinenko.
In the case of Skripal, po-faced articles like
this hilarious one in the Guardian speculate about where the nerve agent could possibly
have come from – while totally failing to mention the fact that incident took place
only eight miles from the largest stock of nerve agent in western Europe.
The investigation comprises multiple strands. Among them is whether there is any more of
the nerve agent in the UK, and where it came from.
Chemical weapons experts said it was almost impossible to make nerve agents without
training. "This needs expertise and a special place to make it or you will kill yourself.
It's only a small amount, but you don't make this in your kitchen," one said, speaking on
condition of anonymity.
Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, a former commanding officer at the UK's chemical, biological and
nuclear regiment, said: "This is pretty significant. Nerve agents such as sarin and VX need
to be made in a laboratory. It is not an insufficient task. Not even the so-called Islamic
State could do it."
Falling over themselves in the rush to ramp up the Russophobia, the Guardian quotes
"One former senior Foreign Office adviser suggested the Kremlin was taking advantage of
the UK's lack of allies in the US and EU. He said the British government was in a "weaker
position" than in 2006 when two Kremlin assassins poisoned the former FSB officer Alexander
Litvinenko with a radioactive cup of tea.
The adviser said the use of nerve agent suggested a state operation "
It certainly does. But the elephant in the room is – which state?
"... Russophobia is extremely profitable to the armaments, security and spying industries and Russophobia reinforces intellectually challenged voters in their Tory loyalty. Ramping Russophobia is the most convincing motive for the Skripal attack. ..."
"... Steele was an MI6 undercover agent in Moscow around the time when Skripal was recruited and handed over Russian secrets to the MI6. He also ran the MI6 Russia desk so anything about Skripal will have passed through him. It is very likely that they personally knew each other. Pablo Miller, who worked for Steele's private company, lived in the same town as Skripal and they seems to have been friends since Miller had recruited him. Miller or someone else attempted to cover up the connection to Steele by editing his LinkedIn entry. ..."
"... Unfortunately it is likely that the British government, and its U.S. cousin, will come up with some "blame Russia" story for the gullible people and leave it at that. That story will involve some "brazen and reckless" Russian plot and an "outrageous" attempt by Putin himself to publicly kill a friend of Britain with some with highly dangerous weapon of mass destruction. This will then be used to throw up new tensions, to put more sanctions on Russia and to sell more weapons. ..."
"... Ms Rudd told MPs it was an "outrageous crime", adding that the government would "act without hesitation as the facts become clearer". ..."
"... One day the pendulum will swing back hard and merciless at these criminal warmongers and war profiteers. Disgusting how low what goes for 'homo sapiens' can sink. ..."
It was not Russian vengeance for Skripal's earlier spying. He had been in Russian jails for four years and lived openly in Salisbury
for eight. There was plenty of time to off him. Russia certainly does not need any more anti-Russian propaganda in "western" media.
If a Russian service would want to kill someone it would do so without making such noise.
The former British ambassador Craig Murray suspects a different motive and culprit:
Craig Murray @CraigMurrayOrg - 10:21 AM
- 8 Mar 2018 Russophobia is extremely profitable to the armaments, security and spying industries and Russophobia reinforces intellectually
challenged voters in their Tory loyalty. Ramping Russophobia is the most convincing motive for the Skripal attack.
Ambassador Murray also points
out that Salisbury, where the incident took place, is just 8 miles away from Porton Down, a chemical weapon test site run by
the British government. As the BBC noted in a report about
the place:
... chemical agents such as VX and mustard gas are still manufactured on site ...
I believe that Craig Murray is wrong. Russophobia can be stoked without attempting to publicly kill a retired spy and his daughter.
More likely motives can be found in the tight connection to another important affair. The British Telegraph
reports today :
A security consultant who has worked for the company that compiled the controversial dossier on Donald Trump was close to the
Russian double agent poisoned last weekend, it has been claimed.
The consultant, who The Telegraph is declining to identify, lived close to Col Skripal and is understood to have known him
for some time.
...
The Telegraph understands that Col Skripal moved to Salisbury in 2010 in a spy swap and became close to a security consultant
employed by Christopher Steele , who compiled the Trump dossier.
The British security consultant, according to a LinkedIn social network account that was removed from the internet in the past
few days , is also based in Salisbury.
On the same LinkedIn account, the man listed consultancy work with Orbis Business Intelligence, according to reports.
Meduzanamed the man
the Telegraph declines to identify as:
Pablo Miller, who at the time was posing as Antonio Alvarez de Hidalgo and working in Britain's embassy in Tallinn. Russia's Federal
Security Service says Miller was actually an undercover MI6 agent tasked with recruiting Russians.
Orbis is Christopher Steele's company which was paid by the Clinton campaign to make up or find 'dirt' about Trump. Sergei Skripal
was an agent
Steele
himself was likely involved with :
Steele had spent more than twenty years in M.I.6, most of it focussing on Russia. For three years, in the nineties , he spied
in Moscow under diplomatic cover. Between 2006 and 2009, he ran the service's Russia desk, at its headquarters, in London. He
was fluent in Russian, and widely considered to be an expert on the country.
Steele was an MI6 undercover agent in Moscow around the time when Skripal was recruited and handed over Russian secrets to
the MI6. He also ran the MI6 Russia desk so anything about Skripal will have passed through him. It is very likely that they personally
knew each other. Pablo Miller, who worked for Steele's private company, lived in the same town as Skripal and they seems to have
been friends since Miller had recruited him. Miller or someone else attempted to cover up the connection to Steele by editing his
LinkedIn entry.
Here are some question:
Did Skripal help Steele to make up the "dossier" about Trump?
Were Skripal's old connections used to contact other people in Russia to ask about Trump dirt?
Did Skripal threaten to talk about this?
If there is a connection between the dossier and Skripal, which seems very likely to me, then there are a number of people and
organizations with potential motives to kill him. Lots of shady folks and officials on both sides of the Atlantic were involved in
creating and running the anti-Trump/anti-Russia campaign. There are several investigations and some very dirty laundry might one
day come to light. Removing Skripal while putting the blame on Russia looks like a convenient way to get rid of a potential witness.
Update: Steele's company issued a
weak denial of Skripal's involvement in the dossier:
Sources close to Orbis, the business intelligence firm run by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who was behind a dossier of
compromising allegations against Donald Trump, said Mr Skripal did not contribute to the file. But they could not say whether
Mr Skripal was involved in different investigations into the US President for other interested parties.
The most curious point in the affair though is the visit of the daughter. She had just come from Moscow to visit her lonely father
when both were poisoned in a rather sensational way. There must be some reason why she was involved in this.
Did she have a bad message for him?
Did they both decide that suicide was the only way out?
Was locally bought Fentanyl involved as the local press had reported?
or
Was the lonely old man Sergej Skripal preparing to go back to his homeland Russia?
Did he offer a some kind of "gift" as apology to the Russian government that his trusted daughter would take to Moscow?
Did someone find out and stop the transfer?
The above questions are all highly speculative. But the connection between Steele and Skripal is way too deep to be irrelevant
here. It certainly deserves more digging.
Unfortunately it is likely that the British government, and its U.S. cousin, will come up with some "blame Russia" story for
the gullible people and leave it at that. That story will involve some "brazen and reckless" Russian plot and an "outrageous" attempt
by Putin himself to publicly kill a friend of Britain with some with highly dangerous weapon of mass destruction. This will then
be used to throw up new tensions, to put more sanctions on Russia and to sell more weapons.
That official story though is unlikely to be the true one.
Ms Rudd told MPs it was an "outrageous crime", adding that the government would "act without hesitation as the facts become
clearer".
Yeah, right. Like the illegal invasion of a sovereign foreign country based on the lies by the same 'government', with a million+
casualties among the middle eastern population. That kind of outrageous crime , correct?
One day the pendulum will swing back hard and merciless at these criminal warmongers and war profiteers. Disgusting how
low what goes for 'homo sapiens' can sink.
The key question is "Why now", after so many years ? This guy was exchanged by Russians. It he was such a threat to Russia they would keep him in jail. this is an interesting
question. And it looks like in current circumstances cuo bono test firmly points to British as it can poison World cup in Russia.
Intelligence services recently extended the activities of sabotage of sport events and teams of adversaries so there is nothing new
to it. In a way this somewhat similar line of attack to previous attempts to undermine international sporting events in Russia. British
Foreign Office quick reaction suggests exactly that.
Notable quotes:
"... Russia spent millions it really couldn't afford on the World Cup the worlds eyes are on Russia. Putin needs this kind of attention on him his leadership, election and his money like a hole in the head. Gov will up defence spending who wins..Putin or IMC. ..."
"... You clearly identify Russian motive and willingness to kill an ex-spy along with others who are, or may prove too troublesome. Fair enough. Just be sure that western intel agencies would have no qualms doing the same ..."
Russophobia is extremely profitable to the armamaments, security and spying industries and Russophobia reinforces intellectually
challenged voters in their Tory loyalty. Ramping Russophobia is the most convincing motive for the Skripal attack.
Russia spent millions it really couldn't afford on the World Cup the worlds eyes are on Russia. Putin needs this kind of attention
on him his leadership, election and his money like a hole in the head. Gov will up defence spending who wins..Putin or IMC.
You clearly identify Russian motive and willingness to kill an ex-spy along with others who are, or may prove too troublesome.
Fair enough. Just be sure that western intel agencies would have no qualms doing the same
One final observation on the Skripal case (for now): this stuff is so toxic. We don't
know what the stuff is: nevertheless, we know it is so toxic, can only be made by a
state, and needs careful expert handling. We know this because every paper and TV channel has
by now emphasised that this stuff is so toxic, etc. If we missed the "nerve agents and
what they do to you" coverage: we can ascertain for ourselves from the men in the hazmat
suits, the this stuff must be so toxic. The Army have now been deployed: on hand after
completing the largest CW exercise ever held, 'Toxic Dagger'; they are now employing their
specialist skills to carry out "Sensitive Site Operations" because this stuff is you get it
by now. In another piece of pure theater: police in hazmat suits were examining the grave of
Alexander and Liudmila Skripal because even after a year or more buried underground, you
can't be too careful, because this stuff is A woman from the office next to Zizzi was taken
ill (maybe she had the risotto con pesce) because even after a week, and next door, traces of
this stuff can still be
11 (or 16) people were hospitalised from the effects of 'this stuff': the first attending
officer, Nick Bailey, is only just out of ICU and lucky to be alive. The Skripal's are not so
lucky: and on "palliative care" according to H de Bretton-Gordon. Yet the eye-witness calling
himself 'Jamie Paine' was close enough to get coughed on; and the unnamed passing doctor and
nurse that attended the Skripals at the scene, clearing their airways, are all fine (despite
being hospitalised). Yet PC Bailey nearly died? Funny that?
When first you practice to deceive: someone in the propaganda department must have noticed
this glaring inconsistency. Enter, stage right, former Met Chief Ian (now Lord) Blair (guess
who was leading the Met when Litvinenko was poisoned?): to clarify that PC Bailey was
contaminated when he was the first officer to enter the Skripal's home -- not attend them in
Salisbury. This allowed the Torygraph and Fox to speculate that Yulia brought a contaminated
present for her father (which she kept in a drawer for a week, because this stuff is
so toxic?). The Torygraph's previous spin: that Skripal was poisoned for his
contributions to the Pissgate dossier were torpedoed by Orbis (Steele's company). Speaking on
Radio 4: after pushing the Buzzfeed "14 other deaths" dodgy dossier; Blair said "So there
maybe some clues floating around in here." Yes, clues that you are lying? This is pure
theater: only it is more Morecambe and Wise than Shakespeare.
Check out the report from C4News (mute
the sound).
Two guys plodding around in fluorescent breather suits, another couple with gas masks,
but behind them firemen in normal uniform and no gas masks and the reporter 20 feet in front,
in civvies with no protective gear at all .
Virulent nerve agent threat? Theatre, and not very convincing at that.
"... As for murray's theory, i think you're both right. while i doubt the primary reason was to gin up more russophobia (they usually just make stuff up out of thin air and it usually works) it is a pleasant side effect for the brit officials who have recently been groveling for more war profiteering under the pretense of "russia on our doorstep". ..."
"... They seem to have the same mentality rahm emanuel had when he said (regarding the 2008 collapse that decimated giant swathes of the US economy) "never let a good crisis go to waste". ..."
"... The whole affair gets curiouser and curiouser. Now there's a report that the Skripals were poisoned at HOME. And then succumbed later, elsewhere? And what about the other 21 people reportedly affected and treated? Huh?? ..."
"... I believe Craig Murray. Anyone who remembers the 9/11 Anthrax scare that threatened US decision makers? ..."
"... The BBC has reported that a "source familiar with the investigation" said the nerve agent was "likely to be rarer than sarin or VX". This suggests that the ground is being prepared for announcing a result that will implicate Russia. ..."
"... Kaszeta's comments are relevant because he works closely with Bellingcat and it appears from his output that since 2013 he has been used to channel information originating from western intelligence services about alleged chemical attacks, based on his status as an independent expert with his company Strongpoint Security. The accounts filed for this company show that its turnover was not enough to provide Kaszeta with a living, raising obvious questions about who or what was paying him. ..."
"... There we go Britain to raise Sergei Skripal poisoning case with Nato allies ..."
"... Similar case in California, Were they addicts? http://abc7.com/2-dead-in-possible-fentanyl-exposure-in-fontana-home/3197127/ ..."
as mentioned above, the UK is saturated with CCTV cameras. in all the MSM screeching i have yet to hear about any footage being
examined.
As for murray's theory, i think you're both right. while i doubt the primary reason was to gin up more russophobia (they
usually just make stuff up out of thin air and it usually works) it is a pleasant side effect for the brit officials who have
recently been groveling for more war profiteering under the pretense of "russia on our doorstep".
They seem to have the same mentality rahm emanuel had when he said (regarding the 2008 collapse that decimated giant swathes
of the US economy) "never let a good crisis go to waste". maybe an even better analogy would be churchill praying for a german
attack to justify his bloodlust as seen in dresden and other firebombing targets.
the fact that putin has elections and the media came out with the story that this move would ensure after the elections that other
spies won't have any doubts.....are prepared statements. if your spies were in syria from rus and from us. i think most people
know who would have the heavier conscience. and in fact it is reminding their own what they are worth to them .... genius. actually.
before cctv were widespread among civil infrastructure, the opponents against the idea realized that people can just erase
the time stamp and put on different ones and have actors act it out and placed onto television as proof. but we see they usually
go for the afp reported from cnn report from 50 agencies unnamed unsourced deparment heads, circular fun.
i am not so much interested in the videos from nearby stores and streets, as if one really were to investigate, looking through
weeks of tapes is not difficult. i am more interested in Britain next move.
i think it would be easier to britain to just mute this guy permanently if he were to wake up with ideas that it wasn't putin
its a big problem for all the milking they are doing on it.
a. he makes it out of the hospital and comes out and becomes anti putin fanatic and makes it believable.
b. he makes it out of the hospital and goes back to normal life.
c. he makes it out of the hospital and is immediately gunned/poisoned by "russians".
d. he doesn't make it out of the hospital and goes back to normal life anyways.
e. he doesn't make it out of the hospital......but his daughter does.
f. he doesn't make it out of the hospital and is in coma indefinitely.
g. he is dropped from the news altogether due to security censorship.
The whole affair gets curiouser and curiouser. Now there's a report that the Skripals were poisoned at HOME. And then succumbed
later, elsewhere? And what about the other 21 people reportedly affected and treated? Huh??
The police sgt. that became ill wasn't at the initial scene, he later searched the home of the two victims. So someone is making
the assumption that they may have been poisoned at their home since that is where the police officer who later became ill was
assigned.
There is a possible scenario that he was in possession of a nerve agent, and accidentally poisoned himself and his daughter
Porton Down is only 8 miles down the road
I believe Craig Murray.
...
Posted by: somebody | Mar 10, 2018 5:45:04 AM | 63
Craig Murray smelt a rat and made his suspicions clear, publicly. Whether Murray's speculation is better or worse than anyone
else's is unresolved and could remain that way, if History is any guide.
We seem no closer to discovering the ID of the instigators of the sordid and spectacularly public murder of Kim Jong-nam.
The BBC has reported that a "source familiar with the investigation" said the nerve agent was "likely to be rarer than sarin
or VX". This suggests that the ground is being prepared for announcing a result that will implicate Russia.
Kaszeta on bellingcat.com
brings up the story of "novichoks" a class of organophosphate compounds allegedly developed as military nerve agents in the USSR.
Russian chemists published papers in the open literature on these compounds from the 1960s to the 1980s. The story that they were
developed for military use and given the name "novichok" comes from a defector in the 1990s, Vil Mirzayanov. An
authoritative review
by Robin Black notes that there is no independent evidence supporting Mirzayanov's claims about the properties of these compounds.
Kaszeta's comments are relevant because he works closely with Bellingcat and it appears from his output that since 2013
he has been used to channel information originating from western intelligence services about alleged chemical attacks, based on
his status as an independent expert with his company Strongpoint Security. The accounts filed for this company show that its turnover
was not enough to provide Kaszeta with a living, raising obvious questions about who or what was paying him.
65, Hw... Murray has a lot more insider information than he lets on, often couching it as speculation, probably partly to protect
sources. He can be admirably or foolishly blunt at times ("z' is b'sh!")but with delicate issues, he often alludes at things insteda
of saying outright. He has retained deep connections with many (at least partially like-minded) people at the FCO, the diplomatic
corps and (indeed) MS5 and 6.
"Novichok" was just used in the plot of the latest Strike Back TV series, from the Wikipedia article-"She discovers that Zaryn
is in fact Karim Markov, a Russian scientist who allegedly killed his colleagues with Novichok, a nerve agent they invented"
65, Hw... Murray has a lot more insider information than he lets on.
...
Posted by: Petra | Mar 10, 2018 10:45:44 AM | 67
His Former British Ambassador status bolsters his street cred. OTOH one imagines that he is acutely aware of the line dividing
whistle-blowing from treason.
On the other, other hand, b is a quite diligent and competent sleuth too, and has more than a passing interest in military/defense
intrigue and intel.
The British government is talking war with Russia over a mysterious incident that is claimed
to have taken place on Sunday March 4, just a few kilometres from the secrecy shrouded British
biological and chemical warfare research and development facility at Porton Down in Wiltshire.
I say claimed since we have very little information confirming what exactly took place outside
of government statements and we have seen no photographs of the alleged victims in their
hospital beds to convince us that the alleged victims did fall ill and are being treated.
However, let us assume that the incident as described did take place.
The mystery consists in the fact that the victims, former Russian colonel of military
intelligence, Sergei Skripal, and his daughter, were not under any known threat from Russia.
Skripal was charged and convicted in Russia in 2006 of being an asset of the British Secret
Intelligence Service, MI6, and handing over secret information to the British. He was jailed,
but in a spy swap in 2010 was pardoned and allowed to leave Russia for Vienna, then Britain,
where he has been living ever since. Why he was pardoned is difficult to determine, unless it
was necessary legally to effect the swap with the British. In any even the Russians had washed
their hands of him but it seems the British had other uses for him, as their expendable man for
a provocation against Russia.
The facts as the British government states them are that Skripal and his daughter, visiting
from Russia, met for lunch in Salisbury, the town outside of which Porton Down is located. The
purpose of the daughter's visit is not known. According to ever changing media accounts
witnesses in a restaurant reported that Skripal appeared to be agitated and angry and left in
that state with his daughter following. Agitated and angry about what we do not know.
Half an hour later it is said that the two of them were found slumped over on a public
bench. Some early media accounts state that it was thought they had taken too much fentanyl and
were vomiting and that their illness may have been self-induced. But very quickly the British
government claimed that they had been poisoned by some chemical or nerve agent and immediately
cast the blame on Russia though the investigation had just begun. The incident was immediately
taken out of the hands of the local police and handed over to the Counter-Terrorism Police,
formerly known as Special Branch, though the government refused to call it a terrorist
incident. A meeting of the British government high-level emergency committee, Cobra, was
called. Why this was done for what appears to be an assault or attempted murder or a
self-induced accident is a good question. But the answer lies in the immediate propaganda
campaign mounted in the British press against Russia.
On Thursday the 8th of March the British government claimed that they had identified a
"nerve agent" as the substance used. Yet the BBC quotes on the same day a woman physician who
attended at the scene saying that she found Mrs. Skripal slumped unconscious on a bench
vomiting and fitting. She had lost control of her bodily functions. The physician, who asked
not to be named, told the BBC she moved the daughter into the recovery position and opened her
airways as others tended to her father. The doctor stated that the she treated her for almost
30 minutes, saying there was no sign of any chemical agent on her face or body and that though
she had been worried she would be affected by a nerve agent so far she "feels fine."
Yet, the British media published on Thursday a photograph of a police officer who they say
attended the scene and who they claim was made ill and placed in intensive care but is now
stable and recovering. The two stories do not add up, as it would seem the doctor was in closer
physical contact with the two victims than the police officer yet the doctor has suffered no
symptoms at all.
The Guardian quoted Andrei Lugovoi, another former Russian agent, accused of Litvinenko's
murder by the British as stating that Skripal had been pardoned in Russia so no one from there
is after him. " "I don't rule out that this is another provocation by British. Whatever happens
on British territory, they start yelling: 'He was killed, he was hung, he was poisoned!' and
that Russia is to blame
for everything. This is to their advantage." Igor Sutyagin, yet another Russian traitor flown
to Russia in 2010 in an exchange of spies-also said, "I don't think that Mr. Skripal would be
targeted, because he was pardoned."
To add to the mystery the British government refuses to name the alleged nerve agent. To
create more drama the British Home Secretary, Amber Rudd, stated that it was not Sarin or VX
but something "very rare." I think we can expect that they will choose the right dramatic
moment to name something and state that only Russian labs can make it. That is their modus
operandi. They certainly do not want to state that VX was involved since VX was developed in
1952 at Porton Down near the sight of the incident; for that would lead to necessary
investigations into security at that facility and whether personnel there were involved.
However, despite the fact that Porton Down is in the business of manufacturing chemical warfare
agents including nerve agents and that logic would dictate that the Porton Down authorities
would be barred from being investigators into a case in which they could be involved the
British government immediately assigned Porton Down to identify the substance that might have
been used.
That the Russians may be correct that this incident is another NATO arranged provocation
must be seriously considered. Despite the fact there is no evidence whatsoever that Russia had
anything to do with this incident, the British government was quick to label Russia as the
villain of the piece and the mass media dutifully acted in lock step and put out the word.
Boris Johnson called Russia a "malign and disruptive force' and made threats about pulling the
UK out of the World Cup to be held in Russia this year. The attempts by the NATO alliance to
throw Russia out of the Olympics on trumped up doping charges were largely successful and now
we see another attempt to disrupt a sports event that is important to world football fans and
to Russia. Johnson added that Britain would act "robustly' of Moscow is found to be
involved.
The Russian embassy in London stated the allegations of Russian involvement are untrue and
that the "script of yet another anti-Russian campaign has already been written." It seems so
and the script has some pages to run yet. One has to wonder what the role of the British
intelligence services is in this for the BBC also reports that Skripal still kept the company
of British intelligence agents. So one has to ask, for what reason? What was his continuing
role as an asset of MI6? What was their role on that day?
But that line of inquiry will not be followed. All the British media are linking this
incident to the case of Alexander Litvinenko, another Russian who was supposedly poisoned with
radioactive tea. Evidence that cronies of his were involved were ignored in favour the line
that Russia was behind it though no evidence has ever been put forward to support that claim.
They are also making the claim that this "very rare" substance must be from a state military
stockpile, so the statements to come from the British government can be predicted.
This incident has echoes of the case of Georgi Markov, the Bulgarian dissident killed in
London in 1978 by a ricin pellet injected into his leg by means of an umbrella it was said,
though it was no doubt done with an air pistol. That murder was quickly blamed on the KGB and
Bulgarian government agents but there is evidence that in fact the murder was arranged by MI6
as was the murder of media magnate Robert Maxwell in 1991, who had documents relating to the
Markov murder in his possession, according sources such as Richard Cottrell in his book Gladio
and accounts by former British intelligence agent Gordon Logan.
The Skripal incident also brings to mind the death of Dr. David Kelly in 2003 whose
mysterious death in woods near his home, was officially attributed to "suicide." He is thought
by many to have been assassinated by the British secret services and CIA to keep him from
revealing secrets about the war in Iraq. He worked at Porton Down as head of microbiology.
He in turn is connected to other scientists at Porton Down who have died under questionable
circumstances, for instance, Dr. Richard Holmes, whose body was found in the same woods as Dr.
Kelly, in 2012, two days after going for a walk, and one month after resigning from Porton
Down, and to Vladimir Pasechnik's death in November 2001, another Russian defector, who
allegedly died of a stroke. His death was not announced until a month later and by British
intelligence. Dr. Kelly had been involved in his debriefing when he left Russia.
Sir Edward Leigh, a member of the Parliamentary Defence Committee, in the British Parliament
stated, "the circumstantial evidence against Russia is very strong. Who else would have the
motive and the means?" The answer to that of course is that the British government has the
motive and the means. What would Russia benefit from harming a has-been like Skripal and
causing all this fuss? None. What benefit does Britain have and NATO? The answer again is
provided by Sir Richard who went on to state "The only way to preserve peace is through
strength," carefully echoing Trump's foreign policy. He continued, "and if Russia is behind
this, this is a brazen act of war, of humiliating our country and defence is the first duty and
spending 2% of the budget on defence is not enough." There is the motive right there. To
justify an increase on defence spending and to hit Russia yet again with propaganda warfare to
justify NATO's continuing aggression against Russia.
Russia has volunteered to cooperate in the "investigation" but to what end? The script is
already written, the drama will unfold, the consequences will flow and they will lead not to
peace and cooperation but to more hostility and war.
Christopher Black is an international criminal lawyer based in Toronto. He is known for
a number of high-profile war crimes cases and recently published his novel " Beneath the
Clouds . He writes essays on international law, politics and world events, especially for
the online magazine "New Eastern
Outlook."
Introduction of new sanctions and confiscating some Russian property were probably the idea behind this, most probably,
false flag operation.
Notable quotes:
"... In a late-breaking report, the Sun confirmed that May is preparing to name Russia as the perpetrator of the attack on Sergei Skripal, a spy who was turned over to the UK in 2010 as part of a swap with Russia, after receiving confirmation from her intelligence chiefs. ..."
"... Of course, by blaming Russia for the attack, May be inadvertently doing Putin a favor. With Russian elections set for next weekend, blaming Russia after such a short investigation could bolster Putin's claims that Western powers are actively conspiring against him. Some have speculated that Russia could've planned the attack for exactly this purpose, while others have pointed out that it bears some hallmarks of a false flag attack intended to frame Russia. ..."
"... Former British Ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton said yesterday: "The more Putin can point to Western hostility and aggression, the more he rallies the Russian people around him". ..."
"... So, once again, a Western power is blaming Russia for an attack, citing an obscure piece of Russian law which declares that foreign assassinations must be approved by the Russian president. ..."
"... MI6 false flag attack? How much do you want to bet? ..."
"... Note that the UK military has been trying to hype the Russian threat for the last several weeks to get more money to expand the UK war machine. ..."
Barely a week after UK Home Secretary Amber Rudd warned the country not to
"jump
to conclusions" about who was behind a nerve gas attack on a former Russian double-agent, it appears Prime Minister Theresa May
is about to do just that...
In a late-breaking report,
the Sun
confirmed that May is preparing to name Russia as the perpetrator of the attack on Sergei
Skripal, a spy who was turned over to the UK in 2010 as part of a swap with Russia, after receiving
confirmation from her intelligence chiefs.
An intelligence assessment explaining the findings is reportedly being delivered overnight, and
will be on May's desk in the morning. The attack, which occurred at a shopping center in a quiet
suburban area, led to the hospitalization of
21 people,
and left Skripal, his daughter Yulia and a local officer who responded to the scene in
critical - but stable - condition.
The "tell" - as it were - was the presence of certain chemicals which are believed to
have been developed in a Russian laboratory.
The announcement is expected to take place
at 11 am during a meeting of May's National Security Council. A formal charge against Moscow could be
unveiled before the House of Commons could as early as this afternoon.
May might even go as
far as blaming Russian President Vladimir Putin personally for ordering the hit.
In their report to Mrs May, The Sun has learned that MI5 and MI6 chiefs will cite the very rare
substance used on ex-spy Sergei Skripal and daughter Yulia as key evidence of the Kremlin's
involvement.
It is believed to have been developed in the SVR Russian foreign spy service's notorious
Yasenevo laboratory.
Mrs May will then summon an emergency meeting of her National Security Council at 11 am to
decide on the scale of Britain's retaliation.
The result of the finding could be more economic sanctions against Russia (which is still facing
sanctions tied to the annexation of Crimea).
However, UK ministers are still undecided on exactly how and when to retaliate.
A "full spectrum" package of expulsions and economic sanctions has been drawn up, along
with a plea for international support for them.
Of course, by blaming Russia for the attack, May be inadvertently doing Putin a favor. With Russian
elections set for next weekend, blaming Russia after such a short investigation could bolster Putin's
claims that Western powers are actively conspiring against him. Some have speculated that Russia
could've planned the attack for exactly this purpose, while others have pointed out that it bears some
hallmarks of a false flag attack intended to frame Russia.
Given the recent criticism that May is being "soft" on Russia, the timing of the announcement also
bears some hallmarks of a purely political decision meant to strengthen May's hand.
But it is feared that a strong reaction ahead of Russia's presidential elections next Sunday may
play into Putin's hands.
It is suspected that the Russian ruler sanctioned the brazen nerve agent attack simply to goad
Britain into a reaction that he can strike back against and look like a strongman standing up to
the West to voters.
Former British Ambassador to Russia Sir Tony Brenton said yesterday: "The more Putin can point
to Western hostility and aggression, the more he rallies the Russian people around him".
Sir Tony added: "Russia is number one on a list of suspects that doesn't include a
number two".
In a hint of action to come, the Chancellor said: "If there were to be an involvement of a
foreign state, then obviously that would be very serious indeed and the government would respond
appropriately.
Philip Hammond also told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show that Britain will not be humiliated by the
attack, that breaks every rule in the international book.
He added: "The vast resources that have been deployed and the high level assets that we have
been able to use show that nobody is laughing at us.
"This is a very serious investigation. Let's see where it leads us."
Mrs May came under mounting pressure last night from campaigners and her own MPs to hit
back at Russia.
So, once again, a Western power is blaming Russia for an attack, citing an obscure piece of Russian law which declares that
foreign assassinations must be approved by the Russian president. That, and some chemical markers that purport to trace back to
a Russian lab. Whether or not May decides to pursue sanctions, one thing is clear: Putin's words from an address he made to
Parliament earlier this month - where he unveiled a new nuclear weapon capable of bypassing NATO missile defenses - are resonating
more and more.
Theresa May is a frozen cunt, but Boris Johnson is, well Before running
his mouth and threatening to boycott the World Cup 2018 in Russia, he
should've checked the FIFA's rules.
According to
the Telegraph
,
A boycott would risk breaching FIFA's tournament
regulations, which dictate that "all participating member associations
undertake to play all of their matches until eliminated from the FIFA World
Cup".
Article 6 of those regulations states that any association that
withdraws could face sanctions,
"including the expulsion of the
association concerned from subsequent FIFA competitions"
[that
would be the World Cup 2022 in Qatar].
The Brits don't seem to mind being spied on by the GCHQ, they don't care
about the CCTV cameras everywhere, but if you take away their soccer/football,
they WILL pick up pitchforks and torches and they WILL fuck you up.
That's why Boris is backpedaling, "We will not send the UK government's
representatives".
Hey, Boris, I have a deal for you let Julian Assange go and you can keep
your
BritBob
! ;-)
In their report to Mrs May, The Sun has learned that MI5 and MI6
chiefs will cite the very rare substance used on ex-spy Sergei Skripal
and daughter Yulia as key evidence of the Kremlin's involvement.
Everyone knows that MI5/MI6 were responsible for this, which is why they
have no choice other than blaming the Russians.
Theresa May knows who did it. She also knows what will happen to her if
she deviates from the official script given to her by MI5/MI6.
This makes absolutely no sense and has all the hallmarks of a CIA/MI6
false flag to keep the pressure on Russia in a Europe (particularly
Germany) leaning back towards opening trade with Russia.
It is also
interesting that NONE of the UK media have disclosed the fact that
Christopher Steele was a close associate. Might it be assumed that
much of Steele's "information" came from here? If so, and if
disclosed, it might be "inconvenient" for this person to be
questioned? But inconvenient for whom? Therein lies the answer.
In 1995, Sergey Skripal was
recruited
by
an MI6 undercover agent, Pablo Miller, who
at the time was posing as Antonio Alvarez
de Hidalgo and working at the British
embassy in Tallinn, Estonia.
Pablo
Miller was exposed in the early 2000s,
after multiple Russians were arrested for
spying and fingered Miller as their
recruiter. One of his recruits was
Alexander Litvinenko.
Miller and Skripal met frequently:
Skripal (whose codename was "Forthwith")
passed the entire Russian military
intelligence telephone handbook to Miller,
containing details of more than 300 of his
colleagues in Russian intelligence. In
2006 Skripal was jailed.
After the spy swap in 2010, Skripal
decided to resettle in Salisbury, where
Pablo Miller also lived. In 2015 Miller
retired and received an OBE for services
to Her Majesty's Government. No doubt
Miller was Skripal's minder and was
probably the reason Skripal had gone to
Salisbury.
According to his LinkedIn entry
(deleted a few days ago), Miller worked as
a consultant for Christopher Steele
Miller is the consultant whose name was
withheld by the Telegraph. Steele's Orbis Business
Intelligence was hired by Fusion GPS in
2016 to research Trump.
In testimony to the Senate Intelligence
Committee (on 3 November, 2017), it was
stated that Daniel Jones (a member of
Fusion GPS), had described Fusion as a
"shadow media organization helping the
government," and was funded by a "group of
Silicon Valley billionaires and George
Soros."
Between 26 November, 2017 and 10
January, 2018 George Soros (who is a
prolific tweeter) was silent. Not a
single tweet. Why, where was he?
Steele has refused to comment about
which projects involved Miller but given
Miller's Russian contacts, it is not
credible that the Trump dossier was not
one of them in which case it is also not
credible that Skripal was also not
involved.
They sure do have a Russia bug up their butts. What's the real story? We'll
never know. But this sounds like the bogus Syrian gas attacks. Oh, well.
Russia will be incentivized to build up it's own industries and not be
reliant in any way on the West. Probably best for everybody in the long
run.
UK Must plead for War on Russia, it has too many problems at home which
threaten the Regime.
A) Planned Inflation, Big City Living, Rents, Cost of Living, Debts, Pounds
Expanded in new Finance/FIREs, just like dying empire
B) Dis-Unity, Polarization, Social Media, Alternative News, Fake News, People
know of Lies from Govt not Monarchy
C) Type Three Crisis, No Deflation, No Growth, Output Gap continues after 10
years... GINI Income Inequality is well known
They have teams working 24/7 on making shit up, namely the MI6 and the US
alphabet soup agencies, plus a whole array of PR firms. That being said, money
sure buys you serious propaganda firepower, but not brains.
Why would Putin
kill a spook who had been in jail in Russia, that he had swapped years ago and
who lived in Britain with no further connection to Russian intelligence? If he
had wanted the dude dead, why wait so long? Why not kill quietly when he was
in jail in Russia?
On the other hand, Litvinenko had been an MI6 agent, and so is Skripal. It
would seem that being an MI6 agent is not very good for your health,
especially when you are more use to them dead than alive.
Let alone the bombing of flight 9268 (
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-34687990
)
after you knew all of your assets inside Ukraine during the siege by the "DPR" in
the Donbass airport incident left you "gutted" in May 2014... And Russian special
forces kicking the ever loving shit out of your SAS in Syria which has meant total
defeat for the Anglo-Zionist operation(s)?...
Take your time answering sweetie!... And above all else... PLEASE be
"THOUGHTFUL"!!!
After the over and over again false flag chemical attacks in Syria, which
have so far failed to spark a wider war, MI6 decides to try their luck with
the domestic variety.
I hope she has more evidence than '
the chemicals are know to be used by
the Russians
'. The Islamic terrorist attacks and policy of
importing immigrants hailing from the very nations that spawn the terrorists
is becoming deeply unpopular, enter the Russian bogeyman. TPTB need to
mobilize a new external threat to keep the peasants compliant to outrageous
revocation of rights, freedoms and true equalities. For example a perceived
imminent threat from Russia would provide extenuating circumstances to sell a
non-Brexit Brexit deal that essentially in all but name thwarts the
referendum.
I just don't see how offing some historic traitor on foreign
soil in such a public and exotic way is of any benefit to Russia.
As the Russia dun it meme/narrative Special Neocon Investigation dies a slow
death across the Atlantic, its vassal tag-team/ugly twin, in the City of
London, pick up the mantle/batton in order to prolong the mind-fuck.
The
sinister publishing group, News Corp ( Permanent Member of 5 Eyes Security
Council ) via its sister WSJ rag, The Sun, are once again CHOSEN as the
Official Conduit Flag-Bearers by the Ministry of Truthy Leaks.
This is not a false flag when the supposed gas attack occurred about eight
miles from where there is a UK government facility that experiments with such
agents?
Note that the UK military has been trying to hype the Russian threat
for the last several weeks to get more money to expand the UK war machine.
There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign policy agenda for a very long time.
It also seems clear that influential journalists, such as Glenn Simpson was before founding Fusion GPS, along with his wife Mary Jacoby, have been strongly involved in this
Notable quotes:
"... There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign policy agenda for a very long time. It also seems clear that influential journalists, such as Glenn Simpson was before founding Fusion GPS, along with his wife Mary Jacoby, have been strongly involved in this. ..."
"... Important support for these strategies was provided by the 'StratCom' network centred around the late Boris Berezovsky, which clearly collaborated closely with MI6. As was apparent from the witness list at Sir Robert Owen's Inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, which produced a report based essentially on a recycling of claims made by the network's members, key players were on your side of the Atlantic notably Alex Goldfarb, Yuri Shvets, and Yuri Felshtinsky. ..."
"... it seems to me the usa and uk have been tied at the hip for a very long time... when it comes to foreign affairs policy and wars - the one will always vouch for the other without hesitation... it tells me the relationship is really deep.. ..."
"... I and my friends consider it a given that most, if not all, anglo-zionist moves in the ME are to "provide a definitive solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the area. " It is an open secret that the izzies are the reason why a few Russians, some Turks, lots of Kurds and countless Arabs are dying in the Syrian battlefields. Another open secret: the takfiris and kurds have been, and are, supported by the West. That the "masters of the universe" have been conceiving and doubling down on such disastrous policies give lie to their much-vaunted "intelligence". ..."
"... It is the very FACT of Trump even getting elected at ALL which outrages and terrifies them so much. They are used to seeing themselves as successful manipulators and engineers of every major event. They were engineering the whole electoral battlespace to get Clinton elected. The mere fact of Trump's victory in the teeth of their Electoral Engineering for Clinton is an act of defiance which they will not tolerate. ..."
"... And if they fail to bring Trump down at all, they will stand revealed as being defeatable. And this is their big fear. That if people see they have defeated the Borg once on keeping Trump in the teeth of Borg's efforts, that people might try to defeat and smash down the Borg on another issue. And then another. And then another after that. ..."
"... Because it is not possible to do on fundamental level yet, especially with US foreign policy establishment and so called consensus being built almost entirely, in ideological and, most importantly, cadres senses, on the ultimate exceptionalist agenda in which Russia is the ultimate obstacle and enemy. Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp. ..."
"... They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress West's posture; say 2040 ..."
"... In 1977 Zbigniew Brzezinski, as President Carter's National Security Adviser, forms the Nationalities Working Group (NWG) dedicated to the idea of weakening the Soviet Union by inflaming its ethnic tensions. ..."
"... State Department official Henry Precht will later recall that Brzezinski had the idea "that Islamic forces could be used against the Soviet Union. The theory was, there was an arc of crisis, and so an arc of Islam could be mobilized to contain the Soviets." [Scott, 2007, pp. 67] In November 1978, President Carter appointed George Ball head of a special White House Iran task force under Brzezinski. Ball recommends the US should drop support for the Shah of Iran and support the radical Islamist opposition of Ayatollah Khomeini. This idea is based on ideas from British Islamic expert Dr. Bernard Lewis, who advocates the balkanization of the entire Muslim Near East along tribal and religious lines. The chaos would spread in what he also calls an "arc of crisis" and ultimately destabilize the Muslim regions of the Soviet Union ..."
"... About relation Steele-MI6, well, you never leave your IS. Or to put it in another way, you are never out of the scope of your past IS ..."
"... No, three years at tops and could be much sooner if dimes starting dropping by exposed people that don't want to take the fall for their superiors whom they always detested. One possible thing to get the process started sooner is if the recent Russian Intelligence delegation to DC that Smoothie mentions on another thread gave the current administration, as a diplomatic courtesy of course, the audio recordings of Madame Sectary Nuland's infamous mental meltdown at Kaliningrad. No telling what beans were spilled in her moment of panic, but I am willing to bet key names were dropped. Either way the time is coming. ..."
"... Especially, once American policy-makers who saw and experienced war (Ike, George Marshall's generation) departed things started to roll down hill with Reagan bringing on board a whole collection of neocons. ..."
"... Unawareness is always dangerous, a complete blackout in relations between two nuclear powers is more than dangerous--it is completely reckless. Again, the way CW 1.0 is perceived in the current US "elites" it becomes extremely tempting to repeat it. Electing Hillary was another step in unleashing CW 2.0 by people who have no understanding of what they were doing. ..."
"... Obama started crushing US-Russian relations before any campaigns were launched and before Trump was even seriously considered a GOP nominee, let alone a real contender. New confrontation hinged on HRC being elected. In fact, she was one of the major driving forces behind a serious of geopolitical anti-Russian moves. Visceral Russo-phobia became a feature in HRC campaign long before any Steele's Dossier. This was a program. ..."
"... IMO, the bigger problem for American not shying away from wars, or being silent about them , is when your home, your mom and dad' home, the town you grew up in, are immune and away from the war. ..."
"... The security and safety of the two oceans, encourages or at least, in an all volunteer military makes it a secondary problem for regular people, to worry about. ..."
"... A particular interesting feature of those on the British side in which we now know Christopher Steele must have played a leading role were the bizarre gyrations those responsible were going through trying to explain away the extraordinary fact that when he had broken the story of his poisoning, Litvinenko had pointed the finger of suspicion at his Italian associate Mario Scaramella. ..."
"... Of course later reports in the Steele Dossier go hand in hand with a larger public relations campaign. Creating reality? Irony alert: as informer/source I would by then know what the other side wants to hear. ..."
Steele, Shvets, Levinson, Litvinenko and the 'Billion Dollar Don.'
In the light of the suggestion in the Nunes memo that Steele was 'a longtime FBI source' it seems worth sketching out some background,
which may also make it easier to see some possible reasons why he 'was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate
about him not being president.'
There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time. It also seems clear that influential journalists, such as Glenn Simpson was before founding Fusion
GPS, along with his wife Mary Jacoby, have been strongly involved in this.
This agenda has involved hopes for 'rιgime change' in Russia, whether as the result of an oligarchic coup, a popular revolt, or
some combination of both. Also central have been hopes for a further 'rollback' of Russia influence in the post-Soviet space, both
in areas now independent, such as Ukraine, and also ones still part of the Russian Federation, notably Chechnya.
And, crucially, it involved exploiting the retreat of Russian power from the Middle East for 'rιgime change' projects which it
was hoped would provide a definitive solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the
area.
Important support for these strategies was provided by the 'StratCom' network centred around the late Boris Berezovsky, which
clearly collaborated closely with MI6. As was apparent from the witness list at Sir Robert Owen's Inquiry into the death of Alexander
Litvinenko, which produced a report based essentially on a recycling of claims made by the network's members, key players were on
your side of the Atlantic notably Alex Goldfarb, Yuri Shvets, and Yuri Felshtinsky.
The question of what links these had, or did not have, with elements in U.S. intelligence agencies is thus a critical one.
In making some sense of it, the fact that one key figure we know to have been involved in this network was missing at the Inquiry
the former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared on the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007 is important.
Unfortunately, I only recently came across a book on Levinson published in 2016 by the 'New York Times' journalist Barry Meier,
which is now hopefully winging its way across the Atlantic. From the accounts of the book I have seen, such as one by Jeff Stein
in 'Newsweek', it seems likely that its author did not look at any of the evidence presented at Owen's Inquiry.
Had he done so, Meier might have discovered that his subject had been, as it were, 'top supporting actor' in the first fumbling
attempt by Christopher Steele et al to produce a plausible-sounding scenario as to the background to Litvinenko's death. A Radio
4 programme on 16 December 2006, presented by the veteran BBC presenter Tom Mangold, had been wholly devoted to an account by Shvets,
backed up by Levinson. Both of these were, like Litvinenko, supposed to be impartial 'due diligence' operatives.
The notion that any of them might have connections with Western intelligence agencies was not considered. The publicly available
evidence of the involvement of Shvets, whose surname means 'cobbler' or 'shoemaker' in Ukrainian, in the processing of the tapes
of conversations involving the former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma supposedly recorded by Major Melnychenko, which had played
a crucial role in the 2004-5 'Orange Revolution' was not mentioned.
Still less was it mentioned that claims that the very dangerous late Soviet Kolchuga system, which made it possible the kind
of identification of incoming aircraft which radar had traditionally done, without sending out signals which made the destruction
of the facilities doing it possible, had been sold by Kuchma to Iraq had proven spurious.
What Shvets had done had been to take genuine audio in which Kuchma had discussed a possible sale, and edit it to suggest
a sale had been completed.
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
As a former television current affairs producer, I can talk to you of the marvels which London audio editors can produce, very
happily. Unfortunately, the days when not all BBC and 'Guardian' journalists were corrupt stenographers for corrupt and incompetent
spooks, as Mangold and his like have been for Steele and Levinson, are long gone.
All this has become particularly relevant now, given that Simpson has placed the notorious Jewish Ukrainian mobster Semyon Mogilevich
and the 'Solntsevskaya Bratva' mafia group centre stage in his accounts not simply of Trump and Manafort, but also of William Browder.
For most of the 'Nineties, Levinson had been a, if not the, lead FBI investigator on Mogilevich.
(On this, see the 1999 BBC 'Panorama' programme 'The Billion Dollar Don', also presented by Tom Mangold, which has extensive interviews
both with Mogilevich and Levinson at
In the months leading up to Levinson's disappearance, a key priority for the advocates of the strategy I have described was to
prevent it being totally derailed by the patently catastrophic outcome of the Iraqi adventure.
Compounding the problem was the fact that this had created the 'Shia Crescent', which in turn exacerbated the potential 'existential
threat' to Israel posed by the steadily increasing range, accuracy and numbers of missiles available to Hizbullah in hardened positions
north of the Litani.
These, obviously, provided both a 'deterrent' for that organisation and Iran, and also a radical threat to the whole notion that
somehow Israel could ever be a 'safe haven' for Jews, against the supposedly ineradicable disposition of the 'goyim' sooner or later
to, as it were, revert to type. The dreadful thought that Israel might not be necessary had to be resisted at all costs.
What followed from the disaster unleashed by the Anglo-American 'own goal' in toppling Saddam was, ironically, a need on the
part of key players to 'double down.' Above all, it was necessary for many of those involved to counter suggestions from the Russian
side that going around smashing up 'rιgimes' that one might not like sometimes blew up in one's face.
Even more threatening were suggestions from the Russian side that it was foolish to think one could use jihadists without risking
'blowback', and that there might be an overwhelming common interest in combating Islamic extremism.
Another priority was to counter the pushback in the American 'intelligence community' and military, which was to produce the drastic
downgrading of the threat posed by the Iranian nuclear programme in the November 2007 NIE and then the resignation of Admiral William
Fallon as head of 'Centcom' the following March.
So in 2005 Shvets came to London. He and his audio editors had another 'bite at the cherry' of the Melnychenko tapes, so that
material that did in fact establish that both the SBU and FSB had collaborated with Mogilevich could be employed to make it seem
that Putin had a close personal relationship with the mobster.
All kinds of supposedly respectable American and British academics, like Professors Karen Dawisha and Robert Service, have fallen
for this, hook, line and sinker. It gives a new meaning to the term 'useful idiot.'
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
In a letter sent in December that year by Litvinenko to the 'Mitrokhin Commission', for which his Italian associate Mario Scaramella
was a consultant, this was used in an attempt to demonstrate that Mogilevich, while acting as an agent for the FSB and under Putin's
personal 'krysha', had attempted to supply a 'mini atomic bomb' aka 'suitcase nuke' to Al Qaeda. Shortly after the letter was
sent Scaramella departed on a trip to Washington, where he appears to have got access to Aldrich Ames.
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
At precisely this time, as Meier explains, Levinson was in the process of being recruited by a lady called Anne Jablonski who
then worked as a CIA analyst. It appears that she was furious at the failure of the operational side at the Agency to produce evidence
which would have established that Iran did indeed have an ongoing nuclear programme, and she may well have hoped would implicate
Russia in supplying materials.
There are grounds to suspect that one of the things that Berezovsky and Shvets were doing was fabricating such 'evidence.' Whether
Levinson was involved in such attempts, or genuinely looking for evidence he was convinced must be there, I cannot say. It appears
that he fell for a rather elementary entrapment operation which could well have been organised with the collaboration of Russian
intelligence. (People do get fed up with being framed, particular if 'rιgime change' is the goal.)
It also seems likely that, quite possibly in a different but related entrapment operation, related to propaganda wars in which
claims and counter claims about a polonium-beryllium 'initiator' as the crucial missing part which might make a 'suitcase nuke' functional,
Litvinenko accidentally ingested fatal quantities of polonium. A good deal of evidence suggests that this may have been at Berezovsky's
offices on the night before he was supposedly assassinated.
It was, obviously, important for Steele et al to ensure that nobody looked at the 'StratCom' wars about 'suitcase nukes.' Here,
a figure who has played a key role in such wars in relation to Syria plays an interesting minor one in the story.
Some time following the destruction of the case for an immediate war by the November 2007 NIE, a chemical weapons specialist called
Dan Kaszeta, who had worked in the White House for twelve years, moved to London.
In 2011, in addition to founding a consultancy called 'Strongpoint Security', he began a writing career with articles in 'CBRNe
World.' Later, he would become the conduit through which the notorious 'hexamine hypothesis', supposedly clinching proof that the
Syrian government was responsible for the sarin incidents at Khan Sheikhoun, Ghouta, Saraqeb, and Khan Al-Asal, was disseminated.
Having been forced by the threat of a case being opened against them under human rights law into resuming the inquest into Litvinenko's
death, in August 2012 the British authorities appointed Sir Robert Owen to conduct it. (There are many honest judges in Britain,
but obviously, if one sets out to find someone who will 'cover up' for the incompetence and corruption of people like Steele, as
Lord Hutton did before him, you can find them.)
That same month, a piece appeared in 'CBRNe World' with the the strapline: 'Dan Kaszeta looks into the ultimate press story: Suitcase
nukes', and the main title 'Carry on or checked bags?' Among the grounds he gives for playing down the scare:
'Some components rely on materials with shelf life. Tritium, for example, is used in many nuclear weapon designs and has a twelve
year half-life. Polonium, used in neutron initiators in some earlier types of weapon designs, has a very short halflife. US documents
state that every nuclear weapon has "limited life components" that require periodic replacement (do an internet search for nuclear
limited life components and you can read for weeks).'
What Kaszeta has actually described are the reasons why polonium is a perfect 'StratCom' instrument. In terms of scientific plausibility,
in fact there were no 'suitcase nukes', and in any case 'initiators' using polonium had been abandoned very early on, in favour of
ones which lasted longer.
For 'StratCom' scenarios, as experience with the 'hexamine hypothesis' has proved, scientific plausibility can be irrelevant.
What polonium provides is a means of suggesting that Al Qaeda have in fact got hold of a nuclear device which they could easily
smuggle into, say, Rome or New York, or indeed Moscow, but there is a crucial missing component which the FSB is trying to provide
to them. By the same token, of course, that missing component could be depicted as one that Berezovsky and Litvinenko are conspiring
to suppl to the Chechen insurgents.
In addition, the sole known source of global supply is the Avangard plant at Sarov in Russia, so the substance is naturally suited
for 'StratCom' directed against that country, which its intelligence services would rather naturally try to make 'boomerang.'
According to Glenn Simpson, Christopher Steele is a 'boy scout.' This seems to me quite wrong but, even if it were true, would
you want to unleash a 'boy scout' into these kinds of intrigue?
As it is not clear why Kaszeta introduced his accurate but irrelevant point about polonium into an article which was concerned
with scientific plausibility, one is left with an interesting question as to whether he cut his teeth on 'StratCom' attempting to
ensure that nobody seriously interested in CBRN science followed an obvious lead.
In relation to the question of whether current FBI personnel had been involved in the kind of 'StratCom' exercises, I have been
describing, a critical issue is the involvement of Shvets and Levinson in the Alexander Khonanykhine affair back in the 'Nineties,
and the latter's use of claims about the Solntsevskaya to prevent the key figure's extradition. But that is a matter for another
day.
A corollary of all this is that we cannot yet at least be absolutely confident that the account in the Nunes memo, according
to which Steele was suspended and then dismissed as an FBI source for what the organisation is reported to define as 'the most serious
of violations' the unauthorised disclosure of a relationship with the organisation is necessarily wholly accurate.
Who did and did not authorise which disclosures to the media, up to and including the extraordinary decision to have the full
dossier, including claims about Aleksej Gubarev and the Alfa oligarchs, in flagrant disregard of the obvious risks of defamation
suits, and who may be trying to pass the buck to others, remains I think less than totally clear.
thanks david... fascinating overview and conjecture..
it seems to me the usa and uk have been tied at the hip for a very long time... when it comes to foreign affairs policy
and wars - the one will always vouch for the other without hesitation... it tells me the relationship is really deep..
Thank you very. As ever you have illuminated a few more things for me. Kaszeta's involvement is interesting. He is someone
I am in the middle of researching in relation to Higgins and Bellingcat.
I think the English are using you, they are unsentimental empirical people that only do these that benefit the Number One.
The chief beneficiary of the Coup in Iran was England and not US.
That Newsweek piece about Levinson is very superficial to me.
Re: Levinson
# Who suggested to who 'first' the Iran caper...Anne Jablonski to Levinson or Levinson to Jablonski? It was reported earlier
by Meier that in December 2005, when Levinson was pitching Jablonski on projects he might take on when his CIA contract was approved
he sent her a lengthy memo about Dawud's potential as an informant.
# Ira Silverman, the Iran hating NBC guy, pitched a Iraq caper to Levinson with Dawud Salahuddin, as his Iran contact and Levinson
went to Jablonski with it.
# And what was with Boris Birshstein, a Russian organized crime figure who had fled to Israel and Oleg Deripaska, the "aluminum
czar" of Russia whose organized crime contacts have kept him from entering the United States jumping in to help find Levinson?
The FBI allowed Deripaska in for two visits in 2009 in exchange for his alleged help in locating Levinson but obviously nothing
came of it.
I think there were more little agents/agendas in this than Levinson and Jablonski and US CIA.
As usual a wonderful analysis. I admire your insight, integrity and courage. I wish you could write more on why the Borg
is so much against Trump, even though they have Kushner, Adelson and Co. running interference for them.
I and my friends consider it a given that most, if not all, anglo-zionist moves in the ME are to "provide a definitive
solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the area. " It is an open secret that
the izzies are the reason why a few Russians, some Turks, lots of Kurds and countless Arabs are dying in the Syrian battlefields.
Another open secret: the takfiris and kurds have been, and are, supported by the West. That the "masters of the universe" have
been conceiving and doubling down on such disastrous policies give lie to their much-vaunted "intelligence".
"There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time. "
David as usual fascinating work connecting the dots. One question that comes to my mind is about the above point you are making.
Is it your understanding or believe that these IC individuals on both side of Atlantic, are pursuing/forcing their (on behalf
of the Borg) foreign policy agenda outside of their respected seating governments? If not, why is it that incoming administration
cannot stop them? So far I can't see any strategic changes on US foreign policy toward ME or Russia, at tactical level yes but
not fundamentally.
I am not David Habakkuk, obviously. But I will venture a little opinion anyway. It is not enough that the Borgists get their
policy preferences. If it were, then Kushner, Adelson and Co. running interference would be enough for them.
It is the very FACT of Trump even getting elected at ALL which outrages and terrifies them so much. They are used to seeing
themselves as successful manipulators and engineers of every major event. They were engineering the whole electoral battlespace
to get Clinton elected. The mere fact of Trump's victory in the teeth of their Electoral Engineering for Clinton is an act of
defiance which they will not tolerate.
And if they fail to bring Trump down at all, they will stand revealed as being defeatable. And this is their big fear.
That if people see they have defeated the Borg once on keeping Trump in the teeth of Borg's efforts, that people might try to
defeat and smash down the Borg on another issue. And then another. And then another after that.
So that is why the Borg cares so much. They view the Trump election as an insurgency, and they view themselves as waging a
counterinsurgency, which they dare not lose.
Thanks for your analysis. I always enjoy and learn from your posts. I wish you would post more often.
In my non-expert opinion, the Borg and the media were all in for Hillary. They were convinced that she was gonna win. To curry
favor with the Empress who would be certainly crowned after the election they were eager and convinced that their lawlessness
would become a badge for promotion and plum positions in her administration. In their conceit, they believed they could kill two
birds with one stroke. They could vilify Putin and create the mass hysteria to checkmate him, while at the same time disparage
and frame Trump as The Manchurian Candidate to seal their certain electoral victory.
Unfortunately for them voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin didn't buy their sales pitch despite the overwhelming
media barrage from all corners. Even news publications who have only endorsed Republican candidates for President for over a century
endorsed her.
Trump's election win caused panic among the political establishment, the media and the Deep State. They were already all-in.
Their only choice was to double down and get Trump impeached. Now their conspiracy is beginning to unravel. They are doing everything
possible to forestall their Armageddon. Of course they have many allies. This battle is gonna be interesting to watch. Trump is
clearly getting many Congressional Republicans on side as his base of Deplorables remains solidly behind him. That is what's befuddling
the Borg pundits.
So far I can't see any strategic changes on US foreign policy toward ME or Russia, at tactical level yes but not fundamentally.
Because it is not possible to do on fundamental level yet, especially with US foreign policy establishment and so called
consensus being built almost entirely, in ideological and, most importantly, cadres senses, on the ultimate exceptionalist agenda
in which Russia is the ultimate obstacle and enemy. Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp.
This swamp (Borg, deep state, etc.) still thinks that it can use Cold War 1.0 Playbook and address very real and dangerous
American economic issues. They are wrong, since most of them didn't read the playbook correctly to start with.
They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress
West's posture; say 2040.
You are right CWII is very much desired and on agenda, but i am not sure of setup, the setup/board has been changed tremendously
and IMO benefits the Asian side of Bosphorus, for one thing technology is no longer exclusive, and financial burden is heavier
on atlantic side.
''Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp. ''
The locust keep trying and trying, destruction is their life's work.
'1977-1981: Nationalities Working Group Advocates Using Militant Islam Against Soviet Union'
In 1977 Zbigniew Brzezinski, as President Carter's National Security Adviser, forms the Nationalities Working Group (NWG)
dedicated to the idea of weakening the Soviet Union by inflaming its ethnic tensions. The Islamic populations are regarded
as prime targets. Richard Pipes, the father of Daniel Pipes, takes over the leadership of the NWG in 1981. Pipes predicts that
with the right encouragement Soviet Muslims will "explode into genocidal fury" against Moscow. According to Richard Cottam, a
former CIA official who advised the Carter administration at the time, after the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1978, Brzezinski
favored a "de facto alliance with the forces of Islamic resurgence, and with the Republic of Iran." [Dreyfuss, 2005, pp. 241,
251 - 256]
'November 1978-February 1979: Some US Officials Want to Support Radical Muslims to Contain Soviet Union'
State Department official Henry Precht will later recall that Brzezinski had the idea "that Islamic forces could be used
against the Soviet Union. The theory was, there was an arc of crisis, and so an arc of Islam could be mobilized to contain the
Soviets." [Scott, 2007, pp. 67] In November 1978, President Carter appointed George Ball head of a special White House Iran task
force under Brzezinski. Ball recommends the US should drop support for the Shah of Iran and support the radical Islamist opposition
of Ayatollah Khomeini. This idea is based on ideas from British Islamic expert Dr. Bernard Lewis, who advocates the balkanization
of the entire Muslim Near East along tribal and religious lines. The chaos would spread in what he also calls an "arc of crisis"
and ultimately destabilize the Muslim regions of the Soviet Union
"There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time."
Yes, that is what appears to be just what is coming to light. I wonder just what position Trey Gowdy is going to have since
he won't be running for re-election. The rage from the left is palpable. I'm sure the next outraged guy on the left will know
how to shoot straighter than the ones who shot up Congressman Scalise or the concert goers at Mandalay Bay.
"They are wrong, since most of them didn't read the playbook correctly to start with."
-- If they have read the important books at all... The ongoing scandal has been revealing a stunning incompetence of the "deciders."
Too often they look comical, ridiculous, undignified. This is dangerous, considering their power.
England preferred NAZI Germany to USSR, this is well known. As to what would have happened, the outcome of the war, in my opinion,
did not depend on US participation in the European Theatre. All of Europe would have become USSR satellite or joined USSR.
"unsentimental empirical people"? Absolutely disagree with you. Now the Iranians, they strike me as a singularity unsentimental
people. Just general impressions, mind you.
Yes, US was the first country to proudly deliver Manpads to be used by "rebels" (Mojahadin later Taleban) against USSR in Afghanistan
back in 80s. And, as per the architect of support for the rebels (Zbigniew Brzezinski) very proud of it with no regret. With that
in mind, I don't see how western politicians, the western governments and their related proxy war planers, will be regretting,
even sadden, once god forbid we see passenger planes with loved ones are shot down taking off or landing at various western airports
and other places around the word. Just like how superficialy with crocodile tears in their eyes they acted in aftermath of the
terrorist events in various western cities in this past 16 years. Gods knows what will happens to us if the opposite side start
to supply his own proxies with lethal anti air weapons. "Proudly", I don't think anybody in west cares or will regret of such
an escalation.
I think it likely that what Meier produces is only a 'limited hangout', and am hoping that when the book arrives it will contain
more pointers.
It is important to be clear that one is often dealing with people playing very complicated double games.
An interesting document is the 'Petition for Writ of Habeus Corpus' made on behalf of Khodorkovsky's close associate Alexander
Konanykhin back in 1997,when the Immigration and Naturalization Service were apparently at least cooperating with Russian
attempts to get hold of him. An extract:
'During the immigration hearing FBI SA Robert Levinson, an INS witness, confirmed that in 1992 Petitioner was kidnapped and
afterwards pursued by assassins of the Solntsevskaya organized criminal group. This organized criminal group is reportedly the
largest and the most influential organized criminal group in Russia, and operates internationally.'
Note the similarities between the 'StratCom' that Khonanykin and his associates were producing in the 'Nineties, and that which
Simpson and his associates have been producing two decades later.
Another useful example is provided by a 2004 item in the 'New American Magazine', reproduced on Konanykhin's website:
'One of those who testified on behalf of Konanykhine was KGB defector Yuri Shvets, who declared: "I have a firsthand knowledge
on similar operations conducted by the KGB." Konanykhine had brought trouble on himself, Shvets continued, when he "started bringing
charges against people who were involved with him in setting up and running commercial enterprises. They were KGB people secretly
smuggling from Russia hundreds of millions of dollars . This is [a] serious case, and I know that KGB ... desperately wants to
win this case, and everybody who won't step to their side would face problems."'
So 'first hand knowledge', from a Ukrainian nationalist look at what the Chalupas have been doing, it seems not much has
changed.
For a rather different perspective on what Konanykhin had actually been up to, from someone in whose honesty if not always
judgement I have complete confidence, see the testimony of Karon von Gerhke-Thompson to the House Committee on Banking and Financial
Services hearings on Russian Money Laundering. In this, she described how she had been approached by him in 1993:
'"Konanykhine alleged that Menatep Bank controlled $1.7bn [£1bn] in assets and investment portfolios of Russia's most prominent
political and social elite," she recalled. She said he wanted to move the bank's assets off shore and asked her to help buy foreign
passports for its "very, very special clients".
'In her testimony to the committee Ms Von Gerhke-Thompson said she informed the CIA of the deal, and the agency told her that
it believed Mr Konanykhine and Mr Khodorkovsky "were engaged in an elaborate money laundering scheme to launder billions of dollars
stolen by members of the KGB and high-level government officials".
Coming back to Steele's 'StratCom', in July 2008, an item appeared on the 'Newnight' programme of the BBC which some of us
think should by then have been rechristened the 'Berezovsky Broadcasting Corporation' in which the introduction by the presenter,
Jeremy Paxman, read as follows:
'Good evening. The New Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, was all smiles and warm words when he met Gordon Brown today. He
said he was keen to resolve all outstanding difficulties between the two countries. Yada yada yada. Gordon Brown smiled, but he
must know what Newsnight can now reveal: that MI5 believes the Russian state was involved in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko
by radioactive poisoning. They also believe that without their intervention another London-based Russian, Boris Berezovsky, would
have been murdered. Our diplomatic editor, Mark Urban, has this exclusive report.'
When Urban repeated the claims on his blog, there was a positive eruption from someone using the name 'timelythoughts', about
the activities of someone she referred to as 'Berezovsky's disinformation specialist' when I came across this later, it was
immediately clear to me that she was Karon von Gerhke, and he was Shvets.
She then described a visit by Scaramella to Washington, details of which had already been unearthed by my Italian collaborator,
David Loepp. Her claim to have e-mails from Shvets, from the time immediately prior to Litvinenko's death, directly contradicting
the testimony he had given, fitted with other evidence I had already unearthed.
Later, we exchanged e-mails over a quite protracted period, and a large amount of material that came into my possession as
a result was submitted by me to the Inquest team, with some of it being used in posts on the 'European Tribune' site.
What I never used publicly, because I could only partially corroborate it from the material she provided, was an extraordinary
claim about Shvets:
'He was responsible for bringing in a Kremlin initiative that was walked Vice President Cheney's office on a US government
quid pro quo with the Kremlin FSB SVR involving the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky a cease and desist on allegations of a politically
motivated arrest of Khodorkovsky, violations of rules of law and calls from Russia's expulsion from the G 8 in exchange for favorable
posturing of U.S. oil companies on Gazprom's Shtokman project and intelligence on weapon sales during the Yeltsin era to Iraq,
Iran and Syria, all documented in reports I submitted to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and MI6.
'Berezovsky's DS could not be on both sides on that isle. His Kremlin FSB SVR sources had been vetted by the CIA and by the
National Security Council. They proved to be as represented. As we would later learn, however, he was on Berezovsky's payroll
at same time. The FSB SVR general he was coordinating the Kremlin initiative through was S. R. Subbotin, the same FSB SVR general
who was investigating Berezovsky's money laundering operations in Switzerland during the same timeframe. His FSB SVR sources surrounding
Putin were higher than any Lugovoy could have ever hoped to affiliate with.
'R. James Woolsey (former CIA DCI), Marshall Miller (former law partner of the late CIA DCI William Colby), who I coordinated
the Kremlin initiative through that Berezovsky's DS had brought in were shocked to learn that he was affiliated with Berezovsky
and Litvinenko. He was in Berezovsky's inner circle and engaged in vetting Russian business with Litvinenko. He operated Berezovsky's
Ukraine website, editing and dubbing the now infamous Kuchma tapes throughout the lead up to the elections in the Ukraine. Berezovsky
contributed $41 million to Viktor Yushchenko's campaign, which he used in an attempt to force Yushchenko to reunite with Julia
Tymoschenko. It failed but would succeed later after Berezovsky orchestrated a public relations initiative through Alan Goldfarb
in the U.S. on behalf of Tymoschenko.'
Having got to know Karon von Gerhke quite well, and also been able to corroborate a great deal of what she told me about many
things, and discussed these matters with her, it is absolutely clear to me that she was neither fabricating nor fantasising. What
later became apparent, both to her and to me, was that in the 'double game' that Shvets was playing, he had succeeded in fooling
her as to the side for which he was working.
It seems likely however that the reason Shvets could do what he did was that quite precisely that many high-up people in the
Kremlin and elsewhere were playing a 'double game.' In this, Karon von Gerhke's propensity for indiscretion of which I, like
others, was both beneficiary and victim could be useful.
An exercise in 'positioning', which could be used to disguise the fact that Shvets was indeed 'Berezovsky's disinformation
specialist', could be used to make it appear that 'intelligence on weapon sales during the Yeltsin era to Iraq, Iran and Syria'
was actually credible.
This could have been used to try to rescue Cheney, Bush and their associates from the mess they had got into as a result of
the failure of the invasion to provide any evidence whatsoever supporting the case which had been made for it. It could also have
been used to provide the kind of materials justifying military action against Iran for which Levinson and Jablonski were looking,
and for similar action against Syria.
Among reasons for bringing this up now is that we need to make sense of the paradox that Simpson clearly in collusion with
Steele was using Mogilevich and the 'Solnsetskaya Bratva' both against Manafort and Trump and against Browder.
There are various possible explanations for this. I do not want to succumb to my instinctive prejudice that this may have been
another piece of 'positioning', similar to what I think was being done with Shvets, but the hypothesis needs to be considered.
A more general point is that people in Washington and London need to 'wise up' to the kind of world with which they are dealing.
This could be done quite enjoyably: reading some of Dashiell Hammett's fictions of the United States in the Prohibition era, or
indeed buying DVDs of some of the classics of 'film noir', like 'Out of the Past' (in its British release, 'Build My Gallows High')
might be a start.
Very much of the coverage of affairs in the post-Soviet space since 1991 has read rather as though a Dashiell Hammett story
had been rewritten by someone specialising in sentimental children's, or romantic, fiction (although, come to think of it, that
is really what Brigid O'Shaughnessy does in 'The Maltese Falcon.')
The testimony of Glenn Simpson seems a case in point. The sickly sentimentality of these people does, rather often, make one
feel as though one wanted to throw up.
"They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress
West's posture; say 2040.}
No, three years at tops and could be much sooner if dimes starting dropping by exposed people that don't want to take the
fall for their superiors whom they always detested. One possible thing to get the process started sooner is if the recent Russian
Intelligence delegation to DC that Smoothie mentions on another thread gave the current administration, as a diplomatic courtesy
of course, the audio recordings of Madame Sectary Nuland's infamous mental meltdown at Kaliningrad. No telling what beans were
spilled in her moment of panic, but I am willing to bet key names were dropped. Either way the time is coming.
- If they have read the important books at all... The ongoing scandal has been revealing a stunning incompetence of the "deciders."
Too often they look comical, ridiculous, undignified. This is dangerous, considering their power.
My coming book is precisely about that. Especially, once American policy-makers who saw and experienced war (Ike, George
Marshall's generation) departed things started to roll down hill with Reagan bringing on board a whole collection of neocons.
Unawareness is always dangerous, a complete blackout in relations between two nuclear powers is more than dangerous--it
is completely reckless. Again, the way CW 1.0 is perceived in the current US "elites" it becomes extremely tempting to repeat
it. Electing Hillary was another step in unleashing CW 2.0 by people who have no understanding of what they were doing.
Obama started crushing US-Russian relations before any campaigns were launched and before Trump was even seriously considered
a GOP nominee, let alone a real contender. New confrontation hinged on HRC being elected. In fact, she was one of the major driving
forces behind a serious of geopolitical anti-Russian moves. Visceral Russo-phobia became a feature in HRC campaign long before
any Steele's Dossier. This was a program.
I think the failure of Deciders is nothing new - Fath Ali Shah attacking Russia, or the abject failure of the Deciders in 1914.
Europe is still not where she was in 1890.
I read the post and responses early on, so forgive me if this point has been addressed in the meantime. If the memo information
on non-disclosure of material evidence to the warrant issuing court is accurate, as soon as that information came to the attention
of the authorities (clearly some time ago) there was a duty on them (including the judge(s) who issued the warrants) to have the
matter brought back before the court toot sweet. If that had happened it would surely be in the public domain, so on the assumption
the prosecutors and maybe even the judge didn't see the need to review the matter, even purely on a contempt/ethics basis, the
memo information only seems convincing if the FISA system is a total sham. I really doubt that.
IMO, the bigger problem for American not shying away from wars, or being silent about them , is when your home, your mom and
dad' home, the town you grew up in, are immune and away from the war.
The security and safety of the two oceans, encourages or at least, in an all volunteer military makes it a secondary problem
for regular people, to worry about. As I remember that wasn't the case at the end of VN war when i first landed here. At
that time even though the war was on the other side of the planet and away from homeland, still people, especially young ones
in colleges were paying more attention to the cost of war.
Diana West has uncovered some interesting "Red Threads" (6 part article at dianawest-dot-net) on all the Fusion GPS folks. Seems
ole Russian speaking Nellie Ohr got herself a ham radio license recently. Wonder why she would suddenly need one of those? They
are all Marxists with potential connections back to Russia.
Been there. I am also a latecomer to SST. You have to read the back numbers. How? My IT expertise dates from the dawn of the internet
and was lamentable then but I find Wayback sometimes allows easier searches than the SST search engine. A straight search on google
also allows searches with more than one term. This link -
- gets you to a chronological list and for recent material is sometimes quicker than fiddling around with search engines. "Categories"
on the RH side is useful but then you don't get some very informative comments that cross-refer.
If those sadly elementary procedures fail resort to the nearest infant. There's a blur of fingers on the keyboard and what
you want then usually appears. Never ask them how they did it. They get so fed up when you ask them to explain it again.
"Who is David Habakkuk?" That's a quantum computer sited, from internal evidence you pick up from time to time, somewhere in
the Greater London area. Cross references like you wouldn't believe and over several fields, so maybe he's two quantum computers.
The "Borg"?. Try Wittgenstein. Likely a prog but you can't be choosy these days. Early on in "Philosophical Investigations"
(hope I get this right) he discusses the problem of how you can view as an entity something that has ill-defined or overlapping
boundaries. The "Borg" is that "you know it when you see it" sort of thing. A great merit of this site is that the owner and many
of the contributors know it from inside.
In general you may regard your new found site as a microcosm of the great battle that is raging in the West. It's a battle
between the (probably apocryphal but adequately stated) Roveian view of reality that regards truth as an adjunct to or as a by-product
of ideology and Realpolitik and the objective view of reality as something that is damned difficult to get at, and sometimes impossible,
but that has a truth in it somewhere that is independent of the views and convictions of the observer. It's a battle that's never
going to be won but unless it tilts back closer to common sense it can certainly be lost and the West with it.
Clearly the Labor Party in the UK preferred the USSR to Nazi Germany. (cepting that short interlude where the Soviets signed the
Agreement with Hitler, and the Left Organized Leadership all across Europe, for the most part, lined up with Hitler). But for
the most part, Labor was Left.
Elements (the ones that won out in the end) of the Conservative Party loathed both Hitler and Stalin. An element of the Conservative
Party was sympathetic, but only up to a certain point, with the Nazis. This ended in 1939, sept.
So I don't think it fair, or accurate, to say 'England prefered the Nazis....and even if it not those things, it certainly
not "well known", except to the people who have used the false premise to butter their wounds from supporting Stalin in his Pact
with Hitler. Or are inclined to bash the British in general.
All right, perhaps I should have said "The English Government". Google "Litvinov", you may discover how the English Government
pushed Stalin to make a deal with Hitler to buy USSR time.
Witness the infamous State Department protest memo calling for more war on Syria.
The State Department employees that signed that memo were sure that HRC would win and that their diligent work in pushing the
Deep State agenda would sure be rewarded.
Since entering office, Trump appears to have taken the line that if he gives the Deep State everything it demands, he will
be allowed to remain in office, even if he is not allowed to remain in power.
jonst That's broadly accurate, but specifically Attlee brought the motion of no confidence in Chamberlain, which the conservative
appeasers won but which led to Churchill's opportunity. Attlee was essential in cabinet to Churchill's resistance after the retreat
of the BEF.
FM
What are you doing here? You said you dislike the military. Are you really in the Spanish Basque country? Bilbao maybe? break
- David Habakkuk is a private scholar of the Litvinenko murder and Soviet/Russian politics and intelligence affairs. His surname
comes from Wales where in the 18th (?) Century the ancestral village were all "chapel" and changed their surnames to Old Testament
names. His father was master of one of the Cambridge colleges and David is himself a graduate of Cambridge. pl
The hard, blinding truth:
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/02/05/will-conspiracy-trump-american-democracy-go-unpunished/
"In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it,
and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting
their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations." Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
This troll showed up recently at b's place doing the same accusations. There is group that is running sacred and pulling out
all the stops in "info ops" side of the spectrum. The damn fools don't or, most probably, won't get thru their thick heads and
even thicker hearts that it is a failed strategy that turns bystanders into their opponents.
Here for your edification is the definitive analysis of the GOP memo by Alexander Mercouris over at The Duran.
And it is a masterpriece - and quite long, possibly his longest analysis of anything so far. He buries the counterarguments
being passed around by the Democratic opposition and the anti-Trump media.
Mercouris writes on legal affairs alongside his foreign policy stuff and he writes with a lawyer's precision. And in this article
he points out that the GOP memo is writter as a legal document - probably by Trey Gowdy - with additional political insertions
by Nunes. So it should properly be referred to as the "GOP memo" or the "Gowdy memo", not the Nunes memo."
Why this is important is that the GOP memo is basically written as a defense lawyer would in contesting a case -- this case
being the FISA warrant application. Which means its orientation is proving failure to disclose relevant and material information
to the FISA court and in some cases rising to the point of contempt of court.
"Seeking transparency and cooperation should not be this challenging," Grassley said in a statement after posting a heavily
redacted version of the criminal referral that he and GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sent to the Justice Department
last month. " The government should not be blotting out information that it admits isn't secret. "
I suppose DOJ/FBI believe that by obstructing, stalling and obfuscating they can buy time and that the Republicans in Congress
will get tired of the games and go home. This seems like a pretty straightforward memo, highlighting the discrepancy between Steele's
court filings and the FBI's version of Steele's discussions with them. Grassley is pointing out that either Steele or the FBI
is lying.
What is interesting is the difference in process and ability between the House & Senate. The House can release their memos
on its own, even if not declassified by the Executive, whereas the Senate requires the Executive to declassify it's memos that
are based on classified documents.
We have not had a self declared communist on SST before although LeaNder in her youth may have come close to that exalted status.
You might want to read the wiki on me and the CV I have posted on the blog to avoid tedious accusations of this or that. I am
thought by some to have some knowledge of the ME so please do not try to lecture me about how much you love the Arabs. I speak
their language and have lived with them for a long time. There are people who write to SST who are pro-Trump and some who are
anti-Trump. I seek a mixture of views so long as personal insult and invective are eschewed. Personally, I do not belong to a
political party and would describe myself as an original intent, strict constructionist.
Trump is the constitutionally and legally elected president of the United States. Your descriptors with regard to him are,
in my opinion, only plausible if seen from the point of view of various kinds of leftist including Marxist-Leninists like you.
You sound very smug and self-satisfied but we will see if you can have an open mind at all. pl
Found him, Ali Babacan XVPM, XFM and M of finance. Yes god forbid, if he is a decendent of Ardisher Babakan and another claimant
to Iranian throne, which CIA and Soros can jump on. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Babacan MBA from
Northeestern
I do not believe Trump is a misogynists - he stated publicly that he likes beautiful women. I also do not think he is a racist.
I think he is the first US leader in many decades who has been willing to publicly talk about US problems. For most other US politicians
- they largely live in "the best of all possible worlds".
Colonel - sincere apologies if my comment above disrupted the discussion on a fascinating article.
David Habakkuk - I should say that "Quantum Computer" referred solely to the ability to gather and collate great amounts of
material. It's an ability I admire. On Steele, you are among other things setting out something that is unfamiliar to me though
not to most others here, I imagine, and that is the milieu in which he is or was working as a UK Intelligence operative. That
you have also done in previous articles; it doesn't seem to be a particularly savoury milieu. As far as Steele's US activities
are concerned, from you I'm not getting the picture of a lone operative, all ties with MI6 neatly severed, working solo in the
States on some chance assignment in 2016. I'm getting the picture of someone still very much in the swim and selected because
of that.
The only problem with that second picture is the dossier, or the 30% or so of it - what Comey, I think it was, described as
"salacious and unverified". Surely that's got to be amateur night. Not something that a practised professional working with other
professionals would put his hand to. Does that not support the picture of an ex-operative who's gone off the rails and is fumbling
around unsupervised?
The Steele affair touched a nerve. One is always I suppose aware that IC professionals are getting up to all sorts and it doesn't
seem improbable that "all sorts" includes political stuff and smear campaigns. But it's not heaps of corpses in Syria or farm
boys being sent to certain death in the Ukraine. And even within the UK Intelligence Community and their contractors or whatever
they're called, compared with what our IC people have done in the ME or compared with what one fears Hamish de Bretton Gordon
might have got himself involved in, Christopher Steele's just a choirboy. Nevertheless there's something deeply repellent about
what he did. Whatever your view of Trump there he was, newly elected, obviously wanting to make a go of it, and already faced
with difficulties. Then some chancer throws "Golden Showers" in his face and makes his position, not maybe for the insiders but
for the general public, that bit more untenable.
So from a UK perspective the question of whether Steele was acting in concert with others in the UK becomes important. If he
was truly working solo then that from a UK point of view is regrettable but one of those things. In that case MI6 would just have
to tighten up its controls on what ex-operatives get up to, put out the appropriate disclaimers, and that's the end of it as far
as the UK is concerned. But if Golden Showers and the rest of it was a "Welcome Mr President" from UK IC professionals as a group
then those professionals should be hung drawn and quartered together with whoever set them on.
I've read your article several times now and apart from the fact that much of what you pull together isn't material I'm up
on, it doesn't seem to me that you're definitely coming to one conclusion or the other. There are many more facts to come out
so perhaps this question is premature, but do you think Steele was acting in concert with others in the UK or was he, at least
as far as the UK is concerned, working solo?
Most Iranian females Named Fatima/ Fatimah after prophet' daughter, call themselves Fati, and if they are of aristocrat type,
they are called Bibi Fati Khanam, which is honorable lady Fati and if they are westernized they become Fay or Fifi.
Much of your commentary seems directed to David Habakkuk and PT rather than I. I don't think the FBI would have started to
pay him until he left UK service. pl
Colonel - Further apologies - I should have submitted comment 79 as two items.
Yes, the question about Steele was in response to DH's article. The UK side of the affair is I suppose only a small part of
the question you and your Committee are examining but it's a dubious part however one looks at it. Although it's early days yet
I was hoping DH, with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the UK intelligence scene, might feel able to cast more light on that UK
side.
Cortes - " ... where, exactly, do you expect the great public to look beyond the initial scabrously defamatory storytelling about
the "golden showers"? "
I don't think one can expect the public, at least in the UK, to look very far beyond the initial scandal. The investigations
and enquiries presently under way in the US are complex and are taking place in a different system. This member of the UK public
wouldn't be able to give you a coherent account of those enquiries and I doubt many of my fellows could.
So we have to take on trust, most of us, what we're told. As far as I can tell the underlying theme from the BBC and the media
is generally that Trump is subverting the American Justice system in order to ensure his own misdemeanours aren't investigated.
Some of us take that as gospel. Others of us assume that the politicians and the media are untrustworthy and ignore them. I
doubt many of us go into much more detail than that. Therefore the original story will stick in our minds.
But for some in the UK there are questions in there as well. How come the UK got mixed up in all this? How much did the UK
get mixed up in it?
When I belatedly started looking at the Litvinenko mystery, as a result of a strange email provoked by comments of mine on
SST which arrived in my inbox in March 2007 from someone who turned out to be a key protagonist, it was rather obvious that improvised
and chaotic 'StratCom' operations had been put into place on both the Russian and British sides to cover up what had happened.
A particular interesting feature of those on the British side in which we now know Christopher Steele must have played
a leading role were the bizarre gyrations those responsible were going through trying to explain away the extraordinary fact
that when he had broken the story of his poisoning, Litvinenko had pointed the finger of suspicion at his Italian associate Mario
Scaramella.
When I started delving, I came across some very interesting pieces on Scaramella and related matters posted on the 'European
Tribune' website by a Rome-based blogger using the name 'de Gondi' in the period after the story broke.
His actual name is David Loepp, by profession he is an artisan jeweller specialising in ancient and traditional goldsmith techniques,
and I already knew and respected his work from his contributions to the transnational internet investigation into the Niger uranium
forgeries an earlier MI6 clusterf**ck.
So in May 2008 I posted a longish piece on that site, setting out the problems with the evidence about the Litvinenko case
as I saw them, in the hope of reactivating his interest. This paid off in spades, when he linked to, and translated a key extract
from, the request from Italian prosecutors to use wiretaps of conversations with Senator Paolo Guzzanti in connection with their
prosecution of Scaramella for 'aggravated calumny.'
The request, which up to not so long ago was freely available on the website of the Italian Senate, was denied, but the extensive
summaries of the transcripts provided a lot of material.
The extract from the wiretap request which David Loepp posted, which like Litvinenko's letter containing the claims he and
Yuri Shvets had concocted about Putin using Mogilevich to attempt to supply Al Qaeda with a 'mini nuclear bomb' is dated 1 December
2005, contains key pointers to the conspiracy. It concludes:
'A passage on Simon Moghilevic and an agreement between the camorra to search for nuclear weapons lost during the Cold War
to be consigned to Bin Laden, a revelation made by the Israeli. According to Scaramella the circle closes: camorra, Moghilevic-
Russian mafia- services- nuclear bombs in Naples.'
Subsequent conversations make clear that Scaramella left on 6 December 2005 for Washington, on a trip where he was to meet
Shvets. The summary of a report on this to Guzzanti reads:
'12) conversation that took place on number [omissis] on December 18, 2005, at 9:41:51 n. 1426, containing explicit references
to the authenticity of the declarations of Alexander Litvinenko acquired by Scaramella, to the trustworthiness of the affirmations
made by Scaramella in his reports to the commission and to the meetings Scaramella had with Talik after having denounced them
[presumably Talik and his alleged accomplices]. (They can talk with HEIMS thanks to the help of MILLER. SHVEZ says that he had
been a companion of CARLOS at the academy; SHVEZ has already made declarations and is willing to continue collaboration. Guzzanti
warns that a document in Russian arrived in commission in which the name of SCARAMELLA appears several times, these [sic] say
that directives to the contrary had been given to Litvinenko. Scaramella says that he went to the meeting with TALIK in the company
of two treasury [police] and a cop, Talik spoke of a person from the Ukrainian GRU who would be willing to talk and a strange
Chechen ring in Naples. Assassination attempt against the pope, CASAROLI was a Soviet agent.)'
The summary of a later conversation also refers to 'MILLER':
'conversation that took place on number [omissis] on January 13, 2006, at 11:22:11 n. 2287, containing references to Scaramella's
sources in relation to facts referred in the Commission, the means by which they were obtained by Scaramella from declarations
made abroad, the role of Litvinenko, also on the occasion of declarations made by third parties and the credibility of the news
and theses given by Scaramella to the commission (Scaramella reads a text in English on the relation between the KGB and PRODI.
Guzzanti asks if its credibility can be confirmed and if the taped declarations can be backed up; Scaramella answers that there
were two testimonies, Lou Palumbo and Alexander (Litvinenko), and that the registration made in London at the beginning of the
assignment [Scaramella's?] had been authenticated by a certain BAKER of the FBI. As he translates the text from English, Scaramella
notes that the person testifying does not say he knows Prodi but only that he thinks that Prodi ...; all those who worked for
the person testifying in Scandinavia said that Prodi was "theirs." The affair in Rimini, Bielli is preparing the battle in Rimini.
Meetings with MILLER for the three things that are needed. Polemic about Pollari over the pressure exerted on Gordievski.)'
In the exchanges on my May 2008 post, I mentioned and linked to some extraordinary comments on a crucial article by Edward
Jay Epstein, in which Karon von Gerhke claimed that his sceptical account fitted with what her contacts in the British investigation
had told her. When that July I came across her equally extraordinary claims in response to the BBC's Mark Urban piece of stenography
which Steele may also have had a hand in organising I found she was referring to precisely that visit to Washington by Scaramella
which had been described in the wiretap request.
As you can perhaps imagine, the fact that 'Miller' had featured in the conversations with Guzzanti both as a key contact, who
could introduce Scaramella to Aldrich Ames (which is who 'Heims' clearly is), and with whom there had been meetings about 'the
three things that are needed' made me inclined to take seriously what Karon von Gerhke said about his role.
In December 2008, I put up another post on 'European Tribune', putting together the material from David Loepp and that from
Karon von Gerhke but not discussing the references to 'Miller.' As I had hoped, this led to her getting in touch.
Among the material with which she supplied me, which I in turn supplied to the Solicitor to the Inquest, were covers of faxes
to John Rizzo, then Acting General Counsel of the CIA. From a fax dated 23 October 2005.
'John: See attached email to Chuck Patrizia. Berezovsky alleges he is in possession of a copy of a classified file given to
the CIA by Russia's FSB, which he further alleges the CIA disseminated to British, French, Italian and Israeli intelligence agencies
implicating him in business associations with the Mafia and to ties with terrorist organizations. Yuri Shvets was authorised/directed
by Berezovsky to raise the issue with Bud McFarlane scheduled for Thursday. McFarlane is unaware the issue will be raised with
him.'
From a fax dated 7 November 2005:
'John: I am attaching an email exchange between Yuri Shvets and me re: 1) article he published on his Ukraine website on alleged
sale of nuclear choke to Iran, which I reproached him on as having been planted by Berezovsky and 2 the alleged FSB/CIA document
file that Berezovsky obtained from Scaramella, which Yuri acknowledges in his e-mail to me. Like extracting wisdom teeth to get
him to put anything on paper, especially in an e-mail! [NAME REDACTED BY ME DH] is the source McFarlane referred Yuri to re:
Berezovsky's visa issue. She proposed meeting Berezovsky in London. Alleged it would take a year to clear up USG issues and even
then could not guarantee him a visa. She too has access to USG intelligence on Berezovsky. Open book.'
From a fax dated 5 December 2005:
'John. From Mario Scaramella to Yuri Shvets to my ears, the DOJ has authorised Mario Scaramella to interview Aldrich Ames with
regard to members of the Italian Intelligence Service agent recruited by Ames for the KGB. Scaramella, as you may recall, is who
gave Boris Berezovsky's aide, a former FSB Colonel [LITVINENKO DH], that alleged document number to the FSB file that the CIA
disseminated on Berezovsky a file that Bud McFarlane's "Madam Visa" [NAME REDACTED BY ME DH] is alleged is totting off to
London for a meeting with Berezovsky, who has agreed to retain her re: his visa issue. Quid pro quo's with Berezovsky and Scaramella
on the CIA agent currently facing kidnapping charges for the rendition of the Muslim cleric? Scott Armstrong has a most telling
file on Scaramella. Not a single redeeming quality.'
In the course of very extensive exchanges with Karon von Gerhke subsequently, we had some rather acute disagreements. It was
unfortunate that her filing was a shambles a crucial hard disk failed without a backup, and the 'hard copies' appeared to be
in a chaotic state.
However, the only occasion when I can recall having reason to believe that was deliberately lying to me was when David Loepp
unearthed a cache of documentation including the full Italian text of the letter from Litvinenko containing the 'StratCom' designed
to suggest that Putin had attempted to supply a 'mini nuclear bomb' to Al Qaeda. Having been asked to keep this between ourselves
for the time being, Karon insisted on immediately sending it to her contacts in Counter Terrorism Command, and then produced bogus
justifications.
Time and again, moreover, I found that I could confirm statements that she made see for example the two posts I put up on
the legal battles following the death in February 2008 of Berezovsky's long-term partner Arkadi 'Badri' Patarkatsishvili in June
and July 2009, which were based on careful corroboration of what she told me.
(I should also say that I acquired the greatest respect for her courage.)
And while Owen and his team suppressed all the evidence from her, and almost all of that from David Loepp, which I had I provided
to them, the dossier about Berezovsky is described in a statement made by Litvinenko in Tel Aviv in April 2006, presented in evidence
in the Inquiry.
Other evidence, moreover, strongly inclines me to believe that there were overtures for a 'quid pro quo', purporting to come
from Putin, but that this was a ruse orchestrated by Berezovsky.
Part of the purpose of this would almost certainly have been to supply probably bogus 'evidence' about arms sales in the Yeltsin
years to Iraq, Iran and Syria. Moreover, I think there was an article on the second 'Fifth Element' site run by Shvets about the
supposed sale of a nuclear 'choke' whatever that is to Iran.
The likelihood of the involvement of elements in the FBI in these shenanigans seems to quite high, given what has already emerged
about the activities of Levinson. Also relevant may be the fact that the 'declaration' which was part of the attempt to frame
Romano Prodi was authenticated, in London, by 'a certain BAKER of the FBI.')
The critical issue here is the provenance of the samples and not the sophistication of the techniques used in the analysis
itself or its instrumentation.
The paragraph that you have quoted:
"To figure out signatures based on various synthetic routes and conditions, Chipuk says that the synthetic chemists on his
team will make the same chemical threat agent as many as 2,000 times in an ..." reeks of intellectual intimidation - trying to
brow-beat any skeptic by the size of one's instrument - as it were."
And then there is a little matter of confidence level in any of the analysis - such things are normally based on prior statistics
- which did not and could not exist in this situation.
David, it's no doubt interesting to watch how attention on Victor Ivanov in another deficient inquiry on the British Isles, was
managed in that inquiry. If I may, since he pops up again in the Steele dossier. You take what's available? Is that all there
is to know?
I know its hard to communicate basics if you are deeply into matters. Usually people prefer to opt out. It's getting way too
complicated for them to follow. You made me understand this experience. But isn't this (fake) intelligence continuity "via" Yuri
Svets what connects your, no harm meant I do understand your obsession with the case, with what we deal with now in the Steele
Dossier? Again, one of the most central figures is Ivanov.
Of course later reports in the Steele Dossier go hand in hand with a larger public relations campaign. Creating reality?
Irony alert: as informer/source I would by then know what the other side wants to hear.
By the way, babbling mode, I found your Tom Mangold transcription. It felt it wasn't there on the link you gave. I used the
date, and other search terms. Maybe I am wrong. Haven't looked at what the judge ruled out of the collection. Yes, cozy session/setting.
why California, Kooshy #18? California among other things left this verbal trace, since I once upon time thought a luggage storage
in SF might be free/available now: this is my home, lady.
Tourists from many -- but not all -- foreign nations wishing to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to
obtain any visa prior to travel. For those travelers, upon-arrival travel permits are stamped valid for 14 days by Kish officials.
Who are the not all? Can we assume Britain is not one of those?
The German link is different. How about the Iranian?
another Ivanov. I struggled with names (...) in Russian crime novels, admittedly. But that's long ago from times Russian crime
and Russian money flows and rogues getting hold of its nuclear material surfaced more often in Europe. 90s
"... There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign policy agenda for a very long time. It also seems clear that influential journalists, such as Glenn Simpson was before founding Fusion GPS, along with his wife Mary Jacoby, have been strongly involved in this. ..."
"... Important support for these strategies was provided by the 'StratCom' network centred around the late Boris Berezovsky, which clearly collaborated closely with MI6. As was apparent from the witness list at Sir Robert Owen's Inquiry into the death of Alexander Litvinenko, which produced a report based essentially on a recycling of claims made by the network's members, key players were on your side of the Atlantic notably Alex Goldfarb, Yuri Shvets, and Yuri Felshtinsky. ..."
"... it seems to me the usa and uk have been tied at the hip for a very long time... when it comes to foreign affairs policy and wars - the one will always vouch for the other without hesitation... it tells me the relationship is really deep.. ..."
"... I and my friends consider it a given that most, if not all, anglo-zionist moves in the ME are to "provide a definitive solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the area. " It is an open secret that the izzies are the reason why a few Russians, some Turks, lots of Kurds and countless Arabs are dying in the Syrian battlefields. Another open secret: the takfiris and kurds have been, and are, supported by the West. That the "masters of the universe" have been conceiving and doubling down on such disastrous policies give lie to their much-vaunted "intelligence". ..."
"... It is the very FACT of Trump even getting elected at ALL which outrages and terrifies them so much. They are used to seeing themselves as successful manipulators and engineers of every major event. They were engineering the whole electoral battlespace to get Clinton elected. The mere fact of Trump's victory in the teeth of their Electoral Engineering for Clinton is an act of defiance which they will not tolerate. ..."
"... And if they fail to bring Trump down at all, they will stand revealed as being defeatable. And this is their big fear. That if people see they have defeated the Borg once on keeping Trump in the teeth of Borg's efforts, that people might try to defeat and smash down the Borg on another issue. And then another. And then another after that. ..."
"... Because it is not possible to do on fundamental level yet, especially with US foreign policy establishment and so called consensus being built almost entirely, in ideological and, most importantly, cadres senses, on the ultimate exceptionalist agenda in which Russia is the ultimate obstacle and enemy. Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp. ..."
"... They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress West's posture; say 2040 ..."
"... In 1977 Zbigniew Brzezinski, as President Carter's National Security Adviser, forms the Nationalities Working Group (NWG) dedicated to the idea of weakening the Soviet Union by inflaming its ethnic tensions. ..."
"... State Department official Henry Precht will later recall that Brzezinski had the idea "that Islamic forces could be used against the Soviet Union. The theory was, there was an arc of crisis, and so an arc of Islam could be mobilized to contain the Soviets." [Scott, 2007, pp. 67] In November 1978, President Carter appointed George Ball head of a special White House Iran task force under Brzezinski. Ball recommends the US should drop support for the Shah of Iran and support the radical Islamist opposition of Ayatollah Khomeini. This idea is based on ideas from British Islamic expert Dr. Bernard Lewis, who advocates the balkanization of the entire Muslim Near East along tribal and religious lines. The chaos would spread in what he also calls an "arc of crisis" and ultimately destabilize the Muslim regions of the Soviet Union ..."
"... About relation Steele-MI6, well, you never leave your IS. Or to put it in another way, you are never out of the scope of your past IS ..."
"... No, three years at tops and could be much sooner if dimes starting dropping by exposed people that don't want to take the fall for their superiors whom they always detested. One possible thing to get the process started sooner is if the recent Russian Intelligence delegation to DC that Smoothie mentions on another thread gave the current administration, as a diplomatic courtesy of course, the audio recordings of Madame Sectary Nuland's infamous mental meltdown at Kaliningrad. No telling what beans were spilled in her moment of panic, but I am willing to bet key names were dropped. Either way the time is coming. ..."
"... Especially, once American policy-makers who saw and experienced war (Ike, George Marshall's generation) departed things started to roll down hill with Reagan bringing on board a whole collection of neocons. ..."
"... Unawareness is always dangerous, a complete blackout in relations between two nuclear powers is more than dangerous--it is completely reckless. Again, the way CW 1.0 is perceived in the current US "elites" it becomes extremely tempting to repeat it. Electing Hillary was another step in unleashing CW 2.0 by people who have no understanding of what they were doing. ..."
"... Obama started crushing US-Russian relations before any campaigns were launched and before Trump was even seriously considered a GOP nominee, let alone a real contender. New confrontation hinged on HRC being elected. In fact, she was one of the major driving forces behind a serious of geopolitical anti-Russian moves. Visceral Russo-phobia became a feature in HRC campaign long before any Steele's Dossier. This was a program. ..."
"... IMO, the bigger problem for American not shying away from wars, or being silent about them , is when your home, your mom and dad' home, the town you grew up in, are immune and away from the war. ..."
"... The security and safety of the two oceans, encourages or at least, in an all volunteer military makes it a secondary problem for regular people, to worry about. ..."
"... A particular interesting feature of those on the British side in which we now know Christopher Steele must have played a leading role were the bizarre gyrations those responsible were going through trying to explain away the extraordinary fact that when he had broken the story of his poisoning, Litvinenko had pointed the finger of suspicion at his Italian associate Mario Scaramella. ..."
"... Of course later reports in the Steele Dossier go hand in hand with a larger public relations campaign. Creating reality? Irony alert: as informer/source I would by then know what the other side wants to hear. ..."
Steele, Shvets, Levinson, Litvinenko and the 'Billion Dollar Don.'
In the light of the suggestion in the Nunes memo that Steele was 'a longtime FBI source' it seems worth sketching out some background,
which may also make it easier to see some possible reasons why he 'was desperate that Donald Trump not get elected and was passionate
about him not being president.'
There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time. It also seems clear that influential journalists, such as Glenn Simpson was before founding Fusion
GPS, along with his wife Mary Jacoby, have been strongly involved in this.
This agenda has involved hopes for 'rιgime change' in Russia, whether as the result of an oligarchic coup, a popular revolt, or
some combination of both. Also central have been hopes for a further 'rollback' of Russia influence in the post-Soviet space, both
in areas now independent, such as Ukraine, and also ones still part of the Russian Federation, notably Chechnya.
And, crucially, it involved exploiting the retreat of Russian power from the Middle East for 'rιgime change' projects which it
was hoped would provide a definitive solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the
area.
Important support for these strategies was provided by the 'StratCom' network centred around the late Boris Berezovsky, which
clearly collaborated closely with MI6. As was apparent from the witness list at Sir Robert Owen's Inquiry into the death of Alexander
Litvinenko, which produced a report based essentially on a recycling of claims made by the network's members, key players were on
your side of the Atlantic notably Alex Goldfarb, Yuri Shvets, and Yuri Felshtinsky.
The question of what links these had, or did not have, with elements in U.S. intelligence agencies is thus a critical one.
In making some sense of it, the fact that one key figure we know to have been involved in this network was missing at the Inquiry
the former FBI agent Robert Levinson, who disappeared on the Iranian island of Kish in March 2007 is important.
Unfortunately, I only recently came across a book on Levinson published in 2016 by the 'New York Times' journalist Barry Meier,
which is now hopefully winging its way across the Atlantic. From the accounts of the book I have seen, such as one by Jeff Stein
in 'Newsweek', it seems likely that its author did not look at any of the evidence presented at Owen's Inquiry.
Had he done so, Meier might have discovered that his subject had been, as it were, 'top supporting actor' in the first fumbling
attempt by Christopher Steele et al to produce a plausible-sounding scenario as to the background to Litvinenko's death. A Radio
4 programme on 16 December 2006, presented by the veteran BBC presenter Tom Mangold, had been wholly devoted to an account by Shvets,
backed up by Levinson. Both of these were, like Litvinenko, supposed to be impartial 'due diligence' operatives.
The notion that any of them might have connections with Western intelligence agencies was not considered. The publicly available
evidence of the involvement of Shvets, whose surname means 'cobbler' or 'shoemaker' in Ukrainian, in the processing of the tapes
of conversations involving the former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma supposedly recorded by Major Melnychenko, which had played
a crucial role in the 2004-5 'Orange Revolution' was not mentioned.
Still less was it mentioned that claims that the very dangerous late Soviet Kolchuga system, which made it possible the kind
of identification of incoming aircraft which radar had traditionally done, without sending out signals which made the destruction
of the facilities doing it possible, had been sold by Kuchma to Iraq had proven spurious.
What Shvets had done had been to take genuine audio in which Kuchma had discussed a possible sale, and edit it to suggest
a sale had been completed.
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
As a former television current affairs producer, I can talk to you of the marvels which London audio editors can produce, very
happily. Unfortunately, the days when not all BBC and 'Guardian' journalists were corrupt stenographers for corrupt and incompetent
spooks, as Mangold and his like have been for Steele and Levinson, are long gone.
All this has become particularly relevant now, given that Simpson has placed the notorious Jewish Ukrainian mobster Semyon Mogilevich
and the 'Solntsevskaya Bratva' mafia group centre stage in his accounts not simply of Trump and Manafort, but also of William Browder.
For most of the 'Nineties, Levinson had been a, if not the, lead FBI investigator on Mogilevich.
(On this, see the 1999 BBC 'Panorama' programme 'The Billion Dollar Don', also presented by Tom Mangold, which has extensive interviews
both with Mogilevich and Levinson at
In the months leading up to Levinson's disappearance, a key priority for the advocates of the strategy I have described was to
prevent it being totally derailed by the patently catastrophic outcome of the Iraqi adventure.
Compounding the problem was the fact that this had created the 'Shia Crescent', which in turn exacerbated the potential 'existential
threat' to Israel posed by the steadily increasing range, accuracy and numbers of missiles available to Hizbullah in hardened positions
north of the Litani.
These, obviously, provided both a 'deterrent' for that organisation and Iran, and also a radical threat to the whole notion that
somehow Israel could ever be a 'safe haven' for Jews, against the supposedly ineradicable disposition of the 'goyim' sooner or later
to, as it were, revert to type. The dreadful thought that Israel might not be necessary had to be resisted at all costs.
What followed from the disaster unleashed by the Anglo-American 'own goal' in toppling Saddam was, ironically, a need on the
part of key players to 'double down.' Above all, it was necessary for many of those involved to counter suggestions from the Russian
side that going around smashing up 'rιgimes' that one might not like sometimes blew up in one's face.
Even more threatening were suggestions from the Russian side that it was foolish to think one could use jihadists without risking
'blowback', and that there might be an overwhelming common interest in combating Islamic extremism.
Another priority was to counter the pushback in the American 'intelligence community' and military, which was to produce the drastic
downgrading of the threat posed by the Iranian nuclear programme in the November 2007 NIE and then the resignation of Admiral William
Fallon as head of 'Centcom' the following March.
So in 2005 Shvets came to London. He and his audio editors had another 'bite at the cherry' of the Melnychenko tapes, so that
material that did in fact establish that both the SBU and FSB had collaborated with Mogilevich could be employed to make it seem
that Putin had a close personal relationship with the mobster.
All kinds of supposedly respectable American and British academics, like Professors Karen Dawisha and Robert Service, have fallen
for this, hook, line and sinker. It gives a new meaning to the term 'useful idiot.'
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
In a letter sent in December that year by Litvinenko to the 'Mitrokhin Commission', for which his Italian associate Mario Scaramella
was a consultant, this was used in an attempt to demonstrate that Mogilevich, while acting as an agent for the FSB and under Putin's
personal 'krysha', had attempted to supply a 'mini atomic bomb' aka 'suitcase nuke' to Al Qaeda. Shortly after the letter was
sent Scaramella departed on a trip to Washington, where he appears to have got access to Aldrich Ames.
(See http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20160613090333/https://www.litvinenkoinquiry.org/evidence .)
At precisely this time, as Meier explains, Levinson was in the process of being recruited by a lady called Anne Jablonski who
then worked as a CIA analyst. It appears that she was furious at the failure of the operational side at the Agency to produce evidence
which would have established that Iran did indeed have an ongoing nuclear programme, and she may well have hoped would implicate
Russia in supplying materials.
There are grounds to suspect that one of the things that Berezovsky and Shvets were doing was fabricating such 'evidence.' Whether
Levinson was involved in such attempts, or genuinely looking for evidence he was convinced must be there, I cannot say. It appears
that he fell for a rather elementary entrapment operation which could well have been organised with the collaboration of Russian
intelligence. (People do get fed up with being framed, particular if 'rιgime change' is the goal.)
It also seems likely that, quite possibly in a different but related entrapment operation, related to propaganda wars in which
claims and counter claims about a polonium-beryllium 'initiator' as the crucial missing part which might make a 'suitcase nuke' functional,
Litvinenko accidentally ingested fatal quantities of polonium. A good deal of evidence suggests that this may have been at Berezovsky's
offices on the night before he was supposedly assassinated.
It was, obviously, important for Steele et al to ensure that nobody looked at the 'StratCom' wars about 'suitcase nukes.' Here,
a figure who has played a key role in such wars in relation to Syria plays an interesting minor one in the story.
Some time following the destruction of the case for an immediate war by the November 2007 NIE, a chemical weapons specialist called
Dan Kaszeta, who had worked in the White House for twelve years, moved to London.
In 2011, in addition to founding a consultancy called 'Strongpoint Security', he began a writing career with articles in 'CBRNe
World.' Later, he would become the conduit through which the notorious 'hexamine hypothesis', supposedly clinching proof that the
Syrian government was responsible for the sarin incidents at Khan Sheikhoun, Ghouta, Saraqeb, and Khan Al-Asal, was disseminated.
Having been forced by the threat of a case being opened against them under human rights law into resuming the inquest into Litvinenko's
death, in August 2012 the British authorities appointed Sir Robert Owen to conduct it. (There are many honest judges in Britain,
but obviously, if one sets out to find someone who will 'cover up' for the incompetence and corruption of people like Steele, as
Lord Hutton did before him, you can find them.)
That same month, a piece appeared in 'CBRNe World' with the the strapline: 'Dan Kaszeta looks into the ultimate press story: Suitcase
nukes', and the main title 'Carry on or checked bags?' Among the grounds he gives for playing down the scare:
'Some components rely on materials with shelf life. Tritium, for example, is used in many nuclear weapon designs and has a twelve
year half-life. Polonium, used in neutron initiators in some earlier types of weapon designs, has a very short halflife. US documents
state that every nuclear weapon has "limited life components" that require periodic replacement (do an internet search for nuclear
limited life components and you can read for weeks).'
What Kaszeta has actually described are the reasons why polonium is a perfect 'StratCom' instrument. In terms of scientific plausibility,
in fact there were no 'suitcase nukes', and in any case 'initiators' using polonium had been abandoned very early on, in favour of
ones which lasted longer.
For 'StratCom' scenarios, as experience with the 'hexamine hypothesis' has proved, scientific plausibility can be irrelevant.
What polonium provides is a means of suggesting that Al Qaeda have in fact got hold of a nuclear device which they could easily
smuggle into, say, Rome or New York, or indeed Moscow, but there is a crucial missing component which the FSB is trying to provide
to them. By the same token, of course, that missing component could be depicted as one that Berezovsky and Litvinenko are conspiring
to suppl to the Chechen insurgents.
In addition, the sole known source of global supply is the Avangard plant at Sarov in Russia, so the substance is naturally suited
for 'StratCom' directed against that country, which its intelligence services would rather naturally try to make 'boomerang.'
According to Glenn Simpson, Christopher Steele is a 'boy scout.' This seems to me quite wrong but, even if it were true, would
you want to unleash a 'boy scout' into these kinds of intrigue?
As it is not clear why Kaszeta introduced his accurate but irrelevant point about polonium into an article which was concerned
with scientific plausibility, one is left with an interesting question as to whether he cut his teeth on 'StratCom' attempting to
ensure that nobody seriously interested in CBRN science followed an obvious lead.
In relation to the question of whether current FBI personnel had been involved in the kind of 'StratCom' exercises, I have been
describing, a critical issue is the involvement of Shvets and Levinson in the Alexander Khonanykhine affair back in the 'Nineties,
and the latter's use of claims about the Solntsevskaya to prevent the key figure's extradition. But that is a matter for another
day.
A corollary of all this is that we cannot yet at least be absolutely confident that the account in the Nunes memo, according
to which Steele was suspended and then dismissed as an FBI source for what the organisation is reported to define as 'the most serious
of violations' the unauthorised disclosure of a relationship with the organisation is necessarily wholly accurate.
Who did and did not authorise which disclosures to the media, up to and including the extraordinary decision to have the full
dossier, including claims about Aleksej Gubarev and the Alfa oligarchs, in flagrant disregard of the obvious risks of defamation
suits, and who may be trying to pass the buck to others, remains I think less than totally clear.
thanks david... fascinating overview and conjecture..
it seems to me the usa and uk have been tied at the hip for a very long time... when it comes to foreign affairs policy
and wars - the one will always vouch for the other without hesitation... it tells me the relationship is really deep..
Thank you very. As ever you have illuminated a few more things for me. Kaszeta's involvement is interesting. He is someone
I am in the middle of researching in relation to Higgins and Bellingcat.
I think the English are using you, they are unsentimental empirical people that only do these that benefit the Number One.
The chief beneficiary of the Coup in Iran was England and not US.
That Newsweek piece about Levinson is very superficial to me.
Re: Levinson
# Who suggested to who 'first' the Iran caper...Anne Jablonski to Levinson or Levinson to Jablonski? It was reported earlier
by Meier that in December 2005, when Levinson was pitching Jablonski on projects he might take on when his CIA contract was approved
he sent her a lengthy memo about Dawud's potential as an informant.
# Ira Silverman, the Iran hating NBC guy, pitched a Iraq caper to Levinson with Dawud Salahuddin, as his Iran contact and Levinson
went to Jablonski with it.
# And what was with Boris Birshstein, a Russian organized crime figure who had fled to Israel and Oleg Deripaska, the "aluminum
czar" of Russia whose organized crime contacts have kept him from entering the United States jumping in to help find Levinson?
The FBI allowed Deripaska in for two visits in 2009 in exchange for his alleged help in locating Levinson but obviously nothing
came of it.
I think there were more little agents/agendas in this than Levinson and Jablonski and US CIA.
As usual a wonderful analysis. I admire your insight, integrity and courage. I wish you could write more on why the Borg
is so much against Trump, even though they have Kushner, Adelson and Co. running interference for them.
I and my friends consider it a given that most, if not all, anglo-zionist moves in the ME are to "provide a definitive
solution to the inherently intractable security problems of a Jewish settler state in the area. " It is an open secret that
the izzies are the reason why a few Russians, some Turks, lots of Kurds and countless Arabs are dying in the Syrian battlefields.
Another open secret: the takfiris and kurds have been, and are, supported by the West. That the "masters of the universe" have
been conceiving and doubling down on such disastrous policies give lie to their much-vaunted "intelligence".
"There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time. "
David as usual fascinating work connecting the dots. One question that comes to my mind is about the above point you are making.
Is it your understanding or believe that these IC individuals on both side of Atlantic, are pursuing/forcing their (on behalf
of the Borg) foreign policy agenda outside of their respected seating governments? If not, why is it that incoming administration
cannot stop them? So far I can't see any strategic changes on US foreign policy toward ME or Russia, at tactical level yes but
not fundamentally.
I am not David Habakkuk, obviously. But I will venture a little opinion anyway. It is not enough that the Borgists get their
policy preferences. If it were, then Kushner, Adelson and Co. running interference would be enough for them.
It is the very FACT of Trump even getting elected at ALL which outrages and terrifies them so much. They are used to seeing
themselves as successful manipulators and engineers of every major event. They were engineering the whole electoral battlespace
to get Clinton elected. The mere fact of Trump's victory in the teeth of their Electoral Engineering for Clinton is an act of
defiance which they will not tolerate.
And if they fail to bring Trump down at all, they will stand revealed as being defeatable. And this is their big fear.
That if people see they have defeated the Borg once on keeping Trump in the teeth of Borg's efforts, that people might try to
defeat and smash down the Borg on another issue. And then another. And then another after that.
So that is why the Borg cares so much. They view the Trump election as an insurgency, and they view themselves as waging a
counterinsurgency, which they dare not lose.
Thanks for your analysis. I always enjoy and learn from your posts. I wish you would post more often.
In my non-expert opinion, the Borg and the media were all in for Hillary. They were convinced that she was gonna win. To curry
favor with the Empress who would be certainly crowned after the election they were eager and convinced that their lawlessness
would become a badge for promotion and plum positions in her administration. In their conceit, they believed they could kill two
birds with one stroke. They could vilify Putin and create the mass hysteria to checkmate him, while at the same time disparage
and frame Trump as The Manchurian Candidate to seal their certain electoral victory.
Unfortunately for them voters in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin didn't buy their sales pitch despite the overwhelming
media barrage from all corners. Even news publications who have only endorsed Republican candidates for President for over a century
endorsed her.
Trump's election win caused panic among the political establishment, the media and the Deep State. They were already all-in.
Their only choice was to double down and get Trump impeached. Now their conspiracy is beginning to unravel. They are doing everything
possible to forestall their Armageddon. Of course they have many allies. This battle is gonna be interesting to watch. Trump is
clearly getting many Congressional Republicans on side as his base of Deplorables remains solidly behind him. That is what's befuddling
the Borg pundits.
So far I can't see any strategic changes on US foreign policy toward ME or Russia, at tactical level yes but not fundamentally.
Because it is not possible to do on fundamental level yet, especially with US foreign policy establishment and so called
consensus being built almost entirely, in ideological and, most importantly, cadres senses, on the ultimate exceptionalist agenda
in which Russia is the ultimate obstacle and enemy. Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp.
This swamp (Borg, deep state, etc.) still thinks that it can use Cold War 1.0 Playbook and address very real and dangerous
American economic issues. They are wrong, since most of them didn't read the playbook correctly to start with.
They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress
West's posture; say 2040.
You are right CWII is very much desired and on agenda, but i am not sure of setup, the setup/board has been changed tremendously
and IMO benefits the Asian side of Bosphorus, for one thing technology is no longer exclusive, and financial burden is heavier
on atlantic side.
''Establishment in saturated with neocons and likes. They are the swamp. ''
The locust keep trying and trying, destruction is their life's work.
'1977-1981: Nationalities Working Group Advocates Using Militant Islam Against Soviet Union'
In 1977 Zbigniew Brzezinski, as President Carter's National Security Adviser, forms the Nationalities Working Group (NWG)
dedicated to the idea of weakening the Soviet Union by inflaming its ethnic tensions. The Islamic populations are regarded
as prime targets. Richard Pipes, the father of Daniel Pipes, takes over the leadership of the NWG in 1981. Pipes predicts that
with the right encouragement Soviet Muslims will "explode into genocidal fury" against Moscow. According to Richard Cottam, a
former CIA official who advised the Carter administration at the time, after the fall of the Shah of Iran in 1978, Brzezinski
favored a "de facto alliance with the forces of Islamic resurgence, and with the Republic of Iran." [Dreyfuss, 2005, pp. 241,
251 - 256]
'November 1978-February 1979: Some US Officials Want to Support Radical Muslims to Contain Soviet Union'
State Department official Henry Precht will later recall that Brzezinski had the idea "that Islamic forces could be used
against the Soviet Union. The theory was, there was an arc of crisis, and so an arc of Islam could be mobilized to contain the
Soviets." [Scott, 2007, pp. 67] In November 1978, President Carter appointed George Ball head of a special White House Iran task
force under Brzezinski. Ball recommends the US should drop support for the Shah of Iran and support the radical Islamist opposition
of Ayatollah Khomeini. This idea is based on ideas from British Islamic expert Dr. Bernard Lewis, who advocates the balkanization
of the entire Muslim Near East along tribal and religious lines. The chaos would spread in what he also calls an "arc of crisis"
and ultimately destabilize the Muslim regions of the Soviet Union
"There is reason to suspect that some former and very likely current employees of the FBI have been colluding with elements
in other American and British intelligence agencies, in particular the CIA and MI6, in support of an extremely ambitious foreign
policy agenda for a very long time."
Yes, that is what appears to be just what is coming to light. I wonder just what position Trey Gowdy is going to have since
he won't be running for re-election. The rage from the left is palpable. I'm sure the next outraged guy on the left will know
how to shoot straighter than the ones who shot up Congressman Scalise or the concert goers at Mandalay Bay.
"They are wrong, since most of them didn't read the playbook correctly to start with."
-- If they have read the important books at all... The ongoing scandal has been revealing a stunning incompetence of the "deciders."
Too often they look comical, ridiculous, undignified. This is dangerous, considering their power.
England preferred NAZI Germany to USSR, this is well known. As to what would have happened, the outcome of the war, in my opinion,
did not depend on US participation in the European Theatre. All of Europe would have become USSR satellite or joined USSR.
"unsentimental empirical people"? Absolutely disagree with you. Now the Iranians, they strike me as a singularity unsentimental
people. Just general impressions, mind you.
Yes, US was the first country to proudly deliver Manpads to be used by "rebels" (Mojahadin later Taleban) against USSR in Afghanistan
back in 80s. And, as per the architect of support for the rebels (Zbigniew Brzezinski) very proud of it with no regret. With that
in mind, I don't see how western politicians, the western governments and their related proxy war planers, will be regretting,
even sadden, once god forbid we see passenger planes with loved ones are shot down taking off or landing at various western airports
and other places around the word. Just like how superficialy with crocodile tears in their eyes they acted in aftermath of the
terrorist events in various western cities in this past 16 years. Gods knows what will happens to us if the opposite side start
to supply his own proxies with lethal anti air weapons. "Proudly", I don't think anybody in west cares or will regret of such
an escalation.
I think it likely that what Meier produces is only a 'limited hangout', and am hoping that when the book arrives it will contain
more pointers.
It is important to be clear that one is often dealing with people playing very complicated double games.
An interesting document is the 'Petition for Writ of Habeus Corpus' made on behalf of Khodorkovsky's close associate Alexander
Konanykhin back in 1997,when the Immigration and Naturalization Service were apparently at least cooperating with Russian
attempts to get hold of him. An extract:
'During the immigration hearing FBI SA Robert Levinson, an INS witness, confirmed that in 1992 Petitioner was kidnapped and
afterwards pursued by assassins of the Solntsevskaya organized criminal group. This organized criminal group is reportedly the
largest and the most influential organized criminal group in Russia, and operates internationally.'
Note the similarities between the 'StratCom' that Khonanykin and his associates were producing in the 'Nineties, and that which
Simpson and his associates have been producing two decades later.
Another useful example is provided by a 2004 item in the 'New American Magazine', reproduced on Konanykhin's website:
'One of those who testified on behalf of Konanykhine was KGB defector Yuri Shvets, who declared: "I have a firsthand knowledge
on similar operations conducted by the KGB." Konanykhine had brought trouble on himself, Shvets continued, when he "started bringing
charges against people who were involved with him in setting up and running commercial enterprises. They were KGB people secretly
smuggling from Russia hundreds of millions of dollars . This is [a] serious case, and I know that KGB ... desperately wants to
win this case, and everybody who won't step to their side would face problems."'
So 'first hand knowledge', from a Ukrainian nationalist look at what the Chalupas have been doing, it seems not much has
changed.
For a rather different perspective on what Konanykhin had actually been up to, from someone in whose honesty if not always
judgement I have complete confidence, see the testimony of Karon von Gerhke-Thompson to the House Committee on Banking and Financial
Services hearings on Russian Money Laundering. In this, she described how she had been approached by him in 1993:
'"Konanykhine alleged that Menatep Bank controlled $1.7bn [£1bn] in assets and investment portfolios of Russia's most prominent
political and social elite," she recalled. She said he wanted to move the bank's assets off shore and asked her to help buy foreign
passports for its "very, very special clients".
'In her testimony to the committee Ms Von Gerhke-Thompson said she informed the CIA of the deal, and the agency told her that
it believed Mr Konanykhine and Mr Khodorkovsky "were engaged in an elaborate money laundering scheme to launder billions of dollars
stolen by members of the KGB and high-level government officials".
Coming back to Steele's 'StratCom', in July 2008, an item appeared on the 'Newnight' programme of the BBC which some of us
think should by then have been rechristened the 'Berezovsky Broadcasting Corporation' in which the introduction by the presenter,
Jeremy Paxman, read as follows:
'Good evening. The New Russian President, Dmitri Medvedev, was all smiles and warm words when he met Gordon Brown today. He
said he was keen to resolve all outstanding difficulties between the two countries. Yada yada yada. Gordon Brown smiled, but he
must know what Newsnight can now reveal: that MI5 believes the Russian state was involved in the murder of Alexander Litvinenko
by radioactive poisoning. They also believe that without their intervention another London-based Russian, Boris Berezovsky, would
have been murdered. Our diplomatic editor, Mark Urban, has this exclusive report.'
When Urban repeated the claims on his blog, there was a positive eruption from someone using the name 'timelythoughts', about
the activities of someone she referred to as 'Berezovsky's disinformation specialist' when I came across this later, it was
immediately clear to me that she was Karon von Gerhke, and he was Shvets.
She then described a visit by Scaramella to Washington, details of which had already been unearthed by my Italian collaborator,
David Loepp. Her claim to have e-mails from Shvets, from the time immediately prior to Litvinenko's death, directly contradicting
the testimony he had given, fitted with other evidence I had already unearthed.
Later, we exchanged e-mails over a quite protracted period, and a large amount of material that came into my possession as
a result was submitted by me to the Inquest team, with some of it being used in posts on the 'European Tribune' site.
What I never used publicly, because I could only partially corroborate it from the material she provided, was an extraordinary
claim about Shvets:
'He was responsible for bringing in a Kremlin initiative that was walked Vice President Cheney's office on a US government
quid pro quo with the Kremlin FSB SVR involving the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky a cease and desist on allegations of a politically
motivated arrest of Khodorkovsky, violations of rules of law and calls from Russia's expulsion from the G 8 in exchange for favorable
posturing of U.S. oil companies on Gazprom's Shtokman project and intelligence on weapon sales during the Yeltsin era to Iraq,
Iran and Syria, all documented in reports I submitted to the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and MI6.
'Berezovsky's DS could not be on both sides on that isle. His Kremlin FSB SVR sources had been vetted by the CIA and by the
National Security Council. They proved to be as represented. As we would later learn, however, he was on Berezovsky's payroll
at same time. The FSB SVR general he was coordinating the Kremlin initiative through was S. R. Subbotin, the same FSB SVR general
who was investigating Berezovsky's money laundering operations in Switzerland during the same timeframe. His FSB SVR sources surrounding
Putin were higher than any Lugovoy could have ever hoped to affiliate with.
'R. James Woolsey (former CIA DCI), Marshall Miller (former law partner of the late CIA DCI William Colby), who I coordinated
the Kremlin initiative through that Berezovsky's DS had brought in were shocked to learn that he was affiliated with Berezovsky
and Litvinenko. He was in Berezovsky's inner circle and engaged in vetting Russian business with Litvinenko. He operated Berezovsky's
Ukraine website, editing and dubbing the now infamous Kuchma tapes throughout the lead up to the elections in the Ukraine. Berezovsky
contributed $41 million to Viktor Yushchenko's campaign, which he used in an attempt to force Yushchenko to reunite with Julia
Tymoschenko. It failed but would succeed later after Berezovsky orchestrated a public relations initiative through Alan Goldfarb
in the U.S. on behalf of Tymoschenko.'
Having got to know Karon von Gerhke quite well, and also been able to corroborate a great deal of what she told me about many
things, and discussed these matters with her, it is absolutely clear to me that she was neither fabricating nor fantasising. What
later became apparent, both to her and to me, was that in the 'double game' that Shvets was playing, he had succeeded in fooling
her as to the side for which he was working.
It seems likely however that the reason Shvets could do what he did was that quite precisely that many high-up people in the
Kremlin and elsewhere were playing a 'double game.' In this, Karon von Gerhke's propensity for indiscretion of which I, like
others, was both beneficiary and victim could be useful.
An exercise in 'positioning', which could be used to disguise the fact that Shvets was indeed 'Berezovsky's disinformation
specialist', could be used to make it appear that 'intelligence on weapon sales during the Yeltsin era to Iraq, Iran and Syria'
was actually credible.
This could have been used to try to rescue Cheney, Bush and their associates from the mess they had got into as a result of
the failure of the invasion to provide any evidence whatsoever supporting the case which had been made for it. It could also have
been used to provide the kind of materials justifying military action against Iran for which Levinson and Jablonski were looking,
and for similar action against Syria.
Among reasons for bringing this up now is that we need to make sense of the paradox that Simpson clearly in collusion with
Steele was using Mogilevich and the 'Solnsetskaya Bratva' both against Manafort and Trump and against Browder.
There are various possible explanations for this. I do not want to succumb to my instinctive prejudice that this may have been
another piece of 'positioning', similar to what I think was being done with Shvets, but the hypothesis needs to be considered.
A more general point is that people in Washington and London need to 'wise up' to the kind of world with which they are dealing.
This could be done quite enjoyably: reading some of Dashiell Hammett's fictions of the United States in the Prohibition era, or
indeed buying DVDs of some of the classics of 'film noir', like 'Out of the Past' (in its British release, 'Build My Gallows High')
might be a start.
Very much of the coverage of affairs in the post-Soviet space since 1991 has read rather as though a Dashiell Hammett story
had been rewritten by someone specialising in sentimental children's, or romantic, fiction (although, come to think of it, that
is really what Brigid O'Shaughnessy does in 'The Maltese Falcon.')
The testimony of Glenn Simpson seems a case in point. The sickly sentimentality of these people does, rather often, make one
feel as though one wanted to throw up.
"They act and believe that they are Olympians. You have to wait for them to age and die before any substantive change in Fortress
West's posture; say 2040.}
No, three years at tops and could be much sooner if dimes starting dropping by exposed people that don't want to take the
fall for their superiors whom they always detested. One possible thing to get the process started sooner is if the recent Russian
Intelligence delegation to DC that Smoothie mentions on another thread gave the current administration, as a diplomatic courtesy
of course, the audio recordings of Madame Sectary Nuland's infamous mental meltdown at Kaliningrad. No telling what beans were
spilled in her moment of panic, but I am willing to bet key names were dropped. Either way the time is coming.
- If they have read the important books at all... The ongoing scandal has been revealing a stunning incompetence of the "deciders."
Too often they look comical, ridiculous, undignified. This is dangerous, considering their power.
My coming book is precisely about that. Especially, once American policy-makers who saw and experienced war (Ike, George
Marshall's generation) departed things started to roll down hill with Reagan bringing on board a whole collection of neocons.
Unawareness is always dangerous, a complete blackout in relations between two nuclear powers is more than dangerous--it
is completely reckless. Again, the way CW 1.0 is perceived in the current US "elites" it becomes extremely tempting to repeat
it. Electing Hillary was another step in unleashing CW 2.0 by people who have no understanding of what they were doing.
Obama started crushing US-Russian relations before any campaigns were launched and before Trump was even seriously considered
a GOP nominee, let alone a real contender. New confrontation hinged on HRC being elected. In fact, she was one of the major driving
forces behind a serious of geopolitical anti-Russian moves. Visceral Russo-phobia became a feature in HRC campaign long before
any Steele's Dossier. This was a program.
I think the failure of Deciders is nothing new - Fath Ali Shah attacking Russia, or the abject failure of the Deciders in 1914.
Europe is still not where she was in 1890.
I read the post and responses early on, so forgive me if this point has been addressed in the meantime. If the memo information
on non-disclosure of material evidence to the warrant issuing court is accurate, as soon as that information came to the attention
of the authorities (clearly some time ago) there was a duty on them (including the judge(s) who issued the warrants) to have the
matter brought back before the court toot sweet. If that had happened it would surely be in the public domain, so on the assumption
the prosecutors and maybe even the judge didn't see the need to review the matter, even purely on a contempt/ethics basis, the
memo information only seems convincing if the FISA system is a total sham. I really doubt that.
IMO, the bigger problem for American not shying away from wars, or being silent about them , is when your home, your mom and
dad' home, the town you grew up in, are immune and away from the war.
The security and safety of the two oceans, encourages or at least, in an all volunteer military makes it a secondary problem
for regular people, to worry about. As I remember that wasn't the case at the end of VN war when i first landed here. At
that time even though the war was on the other side of the planet and away from homeland, still people, especially young ones
in colleges were paying more attention to the cost of war.
Diana West has uncovered some interesting "Red Threads" (6 part article at dianawest-dot-net) on all the Fusion GPS folks. Seems
ole Russian speaking Nellie Ohr got herself a ham radio license recently. Wonder why she would suddenly need one of those? They
are all Marxists with potential connections back to Russia.
Been there. I am also a latecomer to SST. You have to read the back numbers. How? My IT expertise dates from the dawn of the internet
and was lamentable then but I find Wayback sometimes allows easier searches than the SST search engine. A straight search on google
also allows searches with more than one term. This link -
- gets you to a chronological list and for recent material is sometimes quicker than fiddling around with search engines. "Categories"
on the RH side is useful but then you don't get some very informative comments that cross-refer.
If those sadly elementary procedures fail resort to the nearest infant. There's a blur of fingers on the keyboard and what
you want then usually appears. Never ask them how they did it. They get so fed up when you ask them to explain it again.
"Who is David Habakkuk?" That's a quantum computer sited, from internal evidence you pick up from time to time, somewhere in
the Greater London area. Cross references like you wouldn't believe and over several fields, so maybe he's two quantum computers.
The "Borg"?. Try Wittgenstein. Likely a prog but you can't be choosy these days. Early on in "Philosophical Investigations"
(hope I get this right) he discusses the problem of how you can view as an entity something that has ill-defined or overlapping
boundaries. The "Borg" is that "you know it when you see it" sort of thing. A great merit of this site is that the owner and many
of the contributors know it from inside.
In general you may regard your new found site as a microcosm of the great battle that is raging in the West. It's a battle
between the (probably apocryphal but adequately stated) Roveian view of reality that regards truth as an adjunct to or as a by-product
of ideology and Realpolitik and the objective view of reality as something that is damned difficult to get at, and sometimes impossible,
but that has a truth in it somewhere that is independent of the views and convictions of the observer. It's a battle that's never
going to be won but unless it tilts back closer to common sense it can certainly be lost and the West with it.
Clearly the Labor Party in the UK preferred the USSR to Nazi Germany. (cepting that short interlude where the Soviets signed the
Agreement with Hitler, and the Left Organized Leadership all across Europe, for the most part, lined up with Hitler). But for
the most part, Labor was Left.
Elements (the ones that won out in the end) of the Conservative Party loathed both Hitler and Stalin. An element of the Conservative
Party was sympathetic, but only up to a certain point, with the Nazis. This ended in 1939, sept.
So I don't think it fair, or accurate, to say 'England prefered the Nazis....and even if it not those things, it certainly
not "well known", except to the people who have used the false premise to butter their wounds from supporting Stalin in his Pact
with Hitler. Or are inclined to bash the British in general.
All right, perhaps I should have said "The English Government". Google "Litvinov", you may discover how the English Government
pushed Stalin to make a deal with Hitler to buy USSR time.
Witness the infamous State Department protest memo calling for more war on Syria.
The State Department employees that signed that memo were sure that HRC would win and that their diligent work in pushing the
Deep State agenda would sure be rewarded.
Since entering office, Trump appears to have taken the line that if he gives the Deep State everything it demands, he will
be allowed to remain in office, even if he is not allowed to remain in power.
jonst That's broadly accurate, but specifically Attlee brought the motion of no confidence in Chamberlain, which the conservative
appeasers won but which led to Churchill's opportunity. Attlee was essential in cabinet to Churchill's resistance after the retreat
of the BEF.
FM
What are you doing here? You said you dislike the military. Are you really in the Spanish Basque country? Bilbao maybe? break
- David Habakkuk is a private scholar of the Litvinenko murder and Soviet/Russian politics and intelligence affairs. His surname
comes from Wales where in the 18th (?) Century the ancestral village were all "chapel" and changed their surnames to Old Testament
names. His father was master of one of the Cambridge colleges and David is himself a graduate of Cambridge. pl
The hard, blinding truth:
https://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2018/02/05/will-conspiracy-trump-american-democracy-go-unpunished/
"In keeping silent about evil, in burying it so deep within us that no sign of it appears on the surface, we are implanting it,
and it will rise up a thousand fold in the future. When we neither punish nor reproach evildoers, we are not simply protecting
their trivial old age, we are thereby ripping the foundations of justice from beneath new generations." Aleksandr I. Solzhenitsyn
This troll showed up recently at b's place doing the same accusations. There is group that is running sacred and pulling out
all the stops in "info ops" side of the spectrum. The damn fools don't or, most probably, won't get thru their thick heads and
even thicker hearts that it is a failed strategy that turns bystanders into their opponents.
Here for your edification is the definitive analysis of the GOP memo by Alexander Mercouris over at The Duran.
And it is a masterpriece - and quite long, possibly his longest analysis of anything so far. He buries the counterarguments
being passed around by the Democratic opposition and the anti-Trump media.
Mercouris writes on legal affairs alongside his foreign policy stuff and he writes with a lawyer's precision. And in this article
he points out that the GOP memo is writter as a legal document - probably by Trey Gowdy - with additional political insertions
by Nunes. So it should properly be referred to as the "GOP memo" or the "Gowdy memo", not the Nunes memo."
Why this is important is that the GOP memo is basically written as a defense lawyer would in contesting a case -- this case
being the FISA warrant application. Which means its orientation is proving failure to disclose relevant and material information
to the FISA court and in some cases rising to the point of contempt of court.
"Seeking transparency and cooperation should not be this challenging," Grassley said in a statement after posting a heavily
redacted version of the criminal referral that he and GOP Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina sent to the Justice Department
last month. " The government should not be blotting out information that it admits isn't secret. "
I suppose DOJ/FBI believe that by obstructing, stalling and obfuscating they can buy time and that the Republicans in Congress
will get tired of the games and go home. This seems like a pretty straightforward memo, highlighting the discrepancy between Steele's
court filings and the FBI's version of Steele's discussions with them. Grassley is pointing out that either Steele or the FBI
is lying.
What is interesting is the difference in process and ability between the House & Senate. The House can release their memos
on its own, even if not declassified by the Executive, whereas the Senate requires the Executive to declassify it's memos that
are based on classified documents.
We have not had a self declared communist on SST before although LeaNder in her youth may have come close to that exalted status.
You might want to read the wiki on me and the CV I have posted on the blog to avoid tedious accusations of this or that. I am
thought by some to have some knowledge of the ME so please do not try to lecture me about how much you love the Arabs. I speak
their language and have lived with them for a long time. There are people who write to SST who are pro-Trump and some who are
anti-Trump. I seek a mixture of views so long as personal insult and invective are eschewed. Personally, I do not belong to a
political party and would describe myself as an original intent, strict constructionist.
Trump is the constitutionally and legally elected president of the United States. Your descriptors with regard to him are,
in my opinion, only plausible if seen from the point of view of various kinds of leftist including Marxist-Leninists like you.
You sound very smug and self-satisfied but we will see if you can have an open mind at all. pl
Found him, Ali Babacan XVPM, XFM and M of finance. Yes god forbid, if he is a decendent of Ardisher Babakan and another claimant
to Iranian throne, which CIA and Soros can jump on. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ali_Babacan MBA from
Northeestern
I do not believe Trump is a misogynists - he stated publicly that he likes beautiful women. I also do not think he is a racist.
I think he is the first US leader in many decades who has been willing to publicly talk about US problems. For most other US politicians
- they largely live in "the best of all possible worlds".
Colonel - sincere apologies if my comment above disrupted the discussion on a fascinating article.
David Habakkuk - I should say that "Quantum Computer" referred solely to the ability to gather and collate great amounts of
material. It's an ability I admire. On Steele, you are among other things setting out something that is unfamiliar to me though
not to most others here, I imagine, and that is the milieu in which he is or was working as a UK Intelligence operative. That
you have also done in previous articles; it doesn't seem to be a particularly savoury milieu. As far as Steele's US activities
are concerned, from you I'm not getting the picture of a lone operative, all ties with MI6 neatly severed, working solo in the
States on some chance assignment in 2016. I'm getting the picture of someone still very much in the swim and selected because
of that.
The only problem with that second picture is the dossier, or the 30% or so of it - what Comey, I think it was, described as
"salacious and unverified". Surely that's got to be amateur night. Not something that a practised professional working with other
professionals would put his hand to. Does that not support the picture of an ex-operative who's gone off the rails and is fumbling
around unsupervised?
The Steele affair touched a nerve. One is always I suppose aware that IC professionals are getting up to all sorts and it doesn't
seem improbable that "all sorts" includes political stuff and smear campaigns. But it's not heaps of corpses in Syria or farm
boys being sent to certain death in the Ukraine. And even within the UK Intelligence Community and their contractors or whatever
they're called, compared with what our IC people have done in the ME or compared with what one fears Hamish de Bretton Gordon
might have got himself involved in, Christopher Steele's just a choirboy. Nevertheless there's something deeply repellent about
what he did. Whatever your view of Trump there he was, newly elected, obviously wanting to make a go of it, and already faced
with difficulties. Then some chancer throws "Golden Showers" in his face and makes his position, not maybe for the insiders but
for the general public, that bit more untenable.
So from a UK perspective the question of whether Steele was acting in concert with others in the UK becomes important. If he
was truly working solo then that from a UK point of view is regrettable but one of those things. In that case MI6 would just have
to tighten up its controls on what ex-operatives get up to, put out the appropriate disclaimers, and that's the end of it as far
as the UK is concerned. But if Golden Showers and the rest of it was a "Welcome Mr President" from UK IC professionals as a group
then those professionals should be hung drawn and quartered together with whoever set them on.
I've read your article several times now and apart from the fact that much of what you pull together isn't material I'm up
on, it doesn't seem to me that you're definitely coming to one conclusion or the other. There are many more facts to come out
so perhaps this question is premature, but do you think Steele was acting in concert with others in the UK or was he, at least
as far as the UK is concerned, working solo?
Most Iranian females Named Fatima/ Fatimah after prophet' daughter, call themselves Fati, and if they are of aristocrat type,
they are called Bibi Fati Khanam, which is honorable lady Fati and if they are westernized they become Fay or Fifi.
Much of your commentary seems directed to David Habakkuk and PT rather than I. I don't think the FBI would have started to
pay him until he left UK service. pl
Colonel - Further apologies - I should have submitted comment 79 as two items.
Yes, the question about Steele was in response to DH's article. The UK side of the affair is I suppose only a small part of
the question you and your Committee are examining but it's a dubious part however one looks at it. Although it's early days yet
I was hoping DH, with his encyclopaedic knowledge of the UK intelligence scene, might feel able to cast more light on that UK
side.
Cortes - " ... where, exactly, do you expect the great public to look beyond the initial scabrously defamatory storytelling about
the "golden showers"? "
I don't think one can expect the public, at least in the UK, to look very far beyond the initial scandal. The investigations
and enquiries presently under way in the US are complex and are taking place in a different system. This member of the UK public
wouldn't be able to give you a coherent account of those enquiries and I doubt many of my fellows could.
So we have to take on trust, most of us, what we're told. As far as I can tell the underlying theme from the BBC and the media
is generally that Trump is subverting the American Justice system in order to ensure his own misdemeanours aren't investigated.
Some of us take that as gospel. Others of us assume that the politicians and the media are untrustworthy and ignore them. I
doubt many of us go into much more detail than that. Therefore the original story will stick in our minds.
But for some in the UK there are questions in there as well. How come the UK got mixed up in all this? How much did the UK
get mixed up in it?
When I belatedly started looking at the Litvinenko mystery, as a result of a strange email provoked by comments of mine on
SST which arrived in my inbox in March 2007 from someone who turned out to be a key protagonist, it was rather obvious that improvised
and chaotic 'StratCom' operations had been put into place on both the Russian and British sides to cover up what had happened.
A particular interesting feature of those on the British side in which we now know Christopher Steele must have played
a leading role were the bizarre gyrations those responsible were going through trying to explain away the extraordinary fact
that when he had broken the story of his poisoning, Litvinenko had pointed the finger of suspicion at his Italian associate Mario
Scaramella.
When I started delving, I came across some very interesting pieces on Scaramella and related matters posted on the 'European
Tribune' website by a Rome-based blogger using the name 'de Gondi' in the period after the story broke.
His actual name is David Loepp, by profession he is an artisan jeweller specialising in ancient and traditional goldsmith techniques,
and I already knew and respected his work from his contributions to the transnational internet investigation into the Niger uranium
forgeries an earlier MI6 clusterf**ck.
So in May 2008 I posted a longish piece on that site, setting out the problems with the evidence about the Litvinenko case
as I saw them, in the hope of reactivating his interest. This paid off in spades, when he linked to, and translated a key extract
from, the request from Italian prosecutors to use wiretaps of conversations with Senator Paolo Guzzanti in connection with their
prosecution of Scaramella for 'aggravated calumny.'
The request, which up to not so long ago was freely available on the website of the Italian Senate, was denied, but the extensive
summaries of the transcripts provided a lot of material.
The extract from the wiretap request which David Loepp posted, which like Litvinenko's letter containing the claims he and
Yuri Shvets had concocted about Putin using Mogilevich to attempt to supply Al Qaeda with a 'mini nuclear bomb' is dated 1 December
2005, contains key pointers to the conspiracy. It concludes:
'A passage on Simon Moghilevic and an agreement between the camorra to search for nuclear weapons lost during the Cold War
to be consigned to Bin Laden, a revelation made by the Israeli. According to Scaramella the circle closes: camorra, Moghilevic-
Russian mafia- services- nuclear bombs in Naples.'
Subsequent conversations make clear that Scaramella left on 6 December 2005 for Washington, on a trip where he was to meet
Shvets. The summary of a report on this to Guzzanti reads:
'12) conversation that took place on number [omissis] on December 18, 2005, at 9:41:51 n. 1426, containing explicit references
to the authenticity of the declarations of Alexander Litvinenko acquired by Scaramella, to the trustworthiness of the affirmations
made by Scaramella in his reports to the commission and to the meetings Scaramella had with Talik after having denounced them
[presumably Talik and his alleged accomplices]. (They can talk with HEIMS thanks to the help of MILLER. SHVEZ says that he had
been a companion of CARLOS at the academy; SHVEZ has already made declarations and is willing to continue collaboration. Guzzanti
warns that a document in Russian arrived in commission in which the name of SCARAMELLA appears several times, these [sic] say
that directives to the contrary had been given to Litvinenko. Scaramella says that he went to the meeting with TALIK in the company
of two treasury [police] and a cop, Talik spoke of a person from the Ukrainian GRU who would be willing to talk and a strange
Chechen ring in Naples. Assassination attempt against the pope, CASAROLI was a Soviet agent.)'
The summary of a later conversation also refers to 'MILLER':
'conversation that took place on number [omissis] on January 13, 2006, at 11:22:11 n. 2287, containing references to Scaramella's
sources in relation to facts referred in the Commission, the means by which they were obtained by Scaramella from declarations
made abroad, the role of Litvinenko, also on the occasion of declarations made by third parties and the credibility of the news
and theses given by Scaramella to the commission (Scaramella reads a text in English on the relation between the KGB and PRODI.
Guzzanti asks if its credibility can be confirmed and if the taped declarations can be backed up; Scaramella answers that there
were two testimonies, Lou Palumbo and Alexander (Litvinenko), and that the registration made in London at the beginning of the
assignment [Scaramella's?] had been authenticated by a certain BAKER of the FBI. As he translates the text from English, Scaramella
notes that the person testifying does not say he knows Prodi but only that he thinks that Prodi ...; all those who worked for
the person testifying in Scandinavia said that Prodi was "theirs." The affair in Rimini, Bielli is preparing the battle in Rimini.
Meetings with MILLER for the three things that are needed. Polemic about Pollari over the pressure exerted on Gordievski.)'
In the exchanges on my May 2008 post, I mentioned and linked to some extraordinary comments on a crucial article by Edward
Jay Epstein, in which Karon von Gerhke claimed that his sceptical account fitted with what her contacts in the British investigation
had told her. When that July I came across her equally extraordinary claims in response to the BBC's Mark Urban piece of stenography
which Steele may also have had a hand in organising I found she was referring to precisely that visit to Washington by Scaramella
which had been described in the wiretap request.
As you can perhaps imagine, the fact that 'Miller' had featured in the conversations with Guzzanti both as a key contact, who
could introduce Scaramella to Aldrich Ames (which is who 'Heims' clearly is), and with whom there had been meetings about 'the
three things that are needed' made me inclined to take seriously what Karon von Gerhke said about his role.
In December 2008, I put up another post on 'European Tribune', putting together the material from David Loepp and that from
Karon von Gerhke but not discussing the references to 'Miller.' As I had hoped, this led to her getting in touch.
Among the material with which she supplied me, which I in turn supplied to the Solicitor to the Inquest, were covers of faxes
to John Rizzo, then Acting General Counsel of the CIA. From a fax dated 23 October 2005.
'John: See attached email to Chuck Patrizia. Berezovsky alleges he is in possession of a copy of a classified file given to
the CIA by Russia's FSB, which he further alleges the CIA disseminated to British, French, Italian and Israeli intelligence agencies
implicating him in business associations with the Mafia and to ties with terrorist organizations. Yuri Shvets was authorised/directed
by Berezovsky to raise the issue with Bud McFarlane scheduled for Thursday. McFarlane is unaware the issue will be raised with
him.'
From a fax dated 7 November 2005:
'John: I am attaching an email exchange between Yuri Shvets and me re: 1) article he published on his Ukraine website on alleged
sale of nuclear choke to Iran, which I reproached him on as having been planted by Berezovsky and 2 the alleged FSB/CIA document
file that Berezovsky obtained from Scaramella, which Yuri acknowledges in his e-mail to me. Like extracting wisdom teeth to get
him to put anything on paper, especially in an e-mail! [NAME REDACTED BY ME DH] is the source McFarlane referred Yuri to re:
Berezovsky's visa issue. She proposed meeting Berezovsky in London. Alleged it would take a year to clear up USG issues and even
then could not guarantee him a visa. She too has access to USG intelligence on Berezovsky. Open book.'
From a fax dated 5 December 2005:
'John. From Mario Scaramella to Yuri Shvets to my ears, the DOJ has authorised Mario Scaramella to interview Aldrich Ames with
regard to members of the Italian Intelligence Service agent recruited by Ames for the KGB. Scaramella, as you may recall, is who
gave Boris Berezovsky's aide, a former FSB Colonel [LITVINENKO DH], that alleged document number to the FSB file that the CIA
disseminated on Berezovsky a file that Bud McFarlane's "Madam Visa" [NAME REDACTED BY ME DH] is alleged is totting off to
London for a meeting with Berezovsky, who has agreed to retain her re: his visa issue. Quid pro quo's with Berezovsky and Scaramella
on the CIA agent currently facing kidnapping charges for the rendition of the Muslim cleric? Scott Armstrong has a most telling
file on Scaramella. Not a single redeeming quality.'
In the course of very extensive exchanges with Karon von Gerhke subsequently, we had some rather acute disagreements. It was
unfortunate that her filing was a shambles a crucial hard disk failed without a backup, and the 'hard copies' appeared to be
in a chaotic state.
However, the only occasion when I can recall having reason to believe that was deliberately lying to me was when David Loepp
unearthed a cache of documentation including the full Italian text of the letter from Litvinenko containing the 'StratCom' designed
to suggest that Putin had attempted to supply a 'mini nuclear bomb' to Al Qaeda. Having been asked to keep this between ourselves
for the time being, Karon insisted on immediately sending it to her contacts in Counter Terrorism Command, and then produced bogus
justifications.
Time and again, moreover, I found that I could confirm statements that she made see for example the two posts I put up on
the legal battles following the death in February 2008 of Berezovsky's long-term partner Arkadi 'Badri' Patarkatsishvili in June
and July 2009, which were based on careful corroboration of what she told me.
(I should also say that I acquired the greatest respect for her courage.)
And while Owen and his team suppressed all the evidence from her, and almost all of that from David Loepp, which I had I provided
to them, the dossier about Berezovsky is described in a statement made by Litvinenko in Tel Aviv in April 2006, presented in evidence
in the Inquiry.
Other evidence, moreover, strongly inclines me to believe that there were overtures for a 'quid pro quo', purporting to come
from Putin, but that this was a ruse orchestrated by Berezovsky.
Part of the purpose of this would almost certainly have been to supply probably bogus 'evidence' about arms sales in the Yeltsin
years to Iraq, Iran and Syria. Moreover, I think there was an article on the second 'Fifth Element' site run by Shvets about the
supposed sale of a nuclear 'choke' whatever that is to Iran.
The likelihood of the involvement of elements in the FBI in these shenanigans seems to quite high, given what has already emerged
about the activities of Levinson. Also relevant may be the fact that the 'declaration' which was part of the attempt to frame
Romano Prodi was authenticated, in London, by 'a certain BAKER of the FBI.')
The critical issue here is the provenance of the samples and not the sophistication of the techniques used in the analysis
itself or its instrumentation.
The paragraph that you have quoted:
"To figure out signatures based on various synthetic routes and conditions, Chipuk says that the synthetic chemists on his
team will make the same chemical threat agent as many as 2,000 times in an ..." reeks of intellectual intimidation - trying to
brow-beat any skeptic by the size of one's instrument - as it were."
And then there is a little matter of confidence level in any of the analysis - such things are normally based on prior statistics
- which did not and could not exist in this situation.
David, it's no doubt interesting to watch how attention on Victor Ivanov in another deficient inquiry on the British Isles, was
managed in that inquiry. If I may, since he pops up again in the Steele dossier. You take what's available? Is that all there
is to know?
I know its hard to communicate basics if you are deeply into matters. Usually people prefer to opt out. It's getting way too
complicated for them to follow. You made me understand this experience. But isn't this (fake) intelligence continuity "via" Yuri
Svets what connects your, no harm meant I do understand your obsession with the case, with what we deal with now in the Steele
Dossier? Again, one of the most central figures is Ivanov.
Of course later reports in the Steele Dossier go hand in hand with a larger public relations campaign. Creating reality?
Irony alert: as informer/source I would by then know what the other side wants to hear.
By the way, babbling mode, I found your Tom Mangold transcription. It felt it wasn't there on the link you gave. I used the
date, and other search terms. Maybe I am wrong. Haven't looked at what the judge ruled out of the collection. Yes, cozy session/setting.
why California, Kooshy #18? California among other things left this verbal trace, since I once upon time thought a luggage storage
in SF might be free/available now: this is my home, lady.
Tourists from many -- but not all -- foreign nations wishing to enter Kish Free Zone from legal ports are not required to
obtain any visa prior to travel. For those travelers, upon-arrival travel permits are stamped valid for 14 days by Kish officials.
Who are the not all? Can we assume Britain is not one of those?
The German link is different. How about the Iranian?
another Ivanov. I struggled with names (...) in Russian crime novels, admittedly. But that's long ago from times Russian crime
and Russian money flows and rogues getting hold of its nuclear material surfaced more often in Europe. 90s
"... We haven't heard a single fact, we only watch TV coverage, where your colleagues speak fervently with serious faces that if it is Russia, the response will be that Russia will remember forever. It's not serious, it's propaganda at its finest and pressing hysteria " ..."
"... "I want to remind people that Litvinenko's death was also attributed to Russia, but hasn't been investigated, because court proceedings, which were called 'public,' were in fact closed. They were carried out in a very strange way, and numerous facts, which emerged throughout investigation, haven't come into the public domain. ..."
"... "We offered our assistance and cooperation; however, British justice decided that they are above this, and it was enough just to come out with a verdict which is not inclusive," ..."
Russophobia called to account as Russian Foreign Minister offers Moscow's help, confronting the British for uncooperative
attitude towards Moscow
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated that his government is willing to cooperate with an ongoing
British investigation into the poisoning of former Russian spy Sergey Skripal and his daughter, Yulia. However,
Lavrov blasted the allegations that this was an act committed by the will of the Russian government, calling
these 'hysteria' and 'propaganda.'
We haven't heard a single fact, we only watch TV coverage, where your colleagues speak fervently with
serious faces that if it is Russia, the response will be that Russia will remember forever. It's not
serious, it's propaganda at its finest and pressing hysteria "
RT.com notes in their newspiece that Skripal died, but this appears to be a mistake
. What is true is that
Sergey's wife and son died in 2012 and 2017. At the time of this report, both Sergei and Yulia are in the
hospital in critical condition. In fact, there have been 21 people in total who have received medical treatment
as the result of the poisoning, which made many of them also seriously ill.
The nature of the agent used in this poisoning is not specifically known publicly, but the
British police did state that this was a 'nerve gas'
that was used. They have also stated that this was a
targeted assassination attempt.
The present climate of Russophobia and hysteria concerning 'all things Russia' has increased the ease at
which hysterical accusations abound in this situation. Lavrov called all this to account in addressing the
parallels attempted between this attack on the Skripals and the death of Alexander Litvinenko in 2006, which
was determined to have been caused by radiation poisoning from polonium-210. The foreign minister had this to
say:
"I want to remind people that Litvinenko's death was also attributed to Russia, but hasn't been
investigated, because court proceedings, which were called 'public,' were in fact closed. They were carried
out in a very strange way, and numerous facts, which emerged throughout investigation, haven't come into the
public domain.
"We offered our assistance and cooperation; however, British justice decided that they are above
this, and it was enough just to come out with a verdict which is not inclusive,"
Lavrov added, saying
that many facts linked to the tragedy have been
"swept under the carpet."
Those interested in the matter should turn to countries they wish to find answers from, not to
"propaganda channels,"
Lavrov added.
If you are interested in Higgins and 'Bellingcat', you might want be interested in a
'Working Group on Syria, Propaganda and Media' which has recently been set up by a group of
British academics.
At the moment, work which has already been done is being prepared for publication on the
site. However, some of it has already appeared on the blog of one of the members, Tim
Hayward.
This includes a detailed discussion of the report of the 'Joint Investigative Mechanism'
on the Khan Sheikhoun attack by Paul McKeigue.
His professorship, at Edinburgh, is in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics. This
means that, unlike most of us interested in these matters, with the obvious exception of
Theodore Postol, he has a grasp of a lot of relevant science.
A basic tool of his trade is a technique called 'Bayesian analysis', one of whose many
applications is to separate out genetic factors in disease from others. His use of it in the
piece may make bits of it somewhat hard going for those of us whose scientific education
stopped at school.
But if you are interested in a demonstration of the way that the kind of pure charlatanry
propagated by Higgins and Kaszeta has come to be accepted uncritically by supposed impartial
international bodies, you should read the piece.
Also on Hayward's blog is an article which was submitted to the Guardian's 'Comment is
Free' page, in response to a piece by Olivia Solon smearing those who have had the temerity
to suggest that the 'White Helmets' may be something less than a band of disinterested
charity workers, and an account of the attempts of the 'Working Group' to get a response from
the paper.
Thanks for the link. But what Mattis has said relates to the latest accusations, not early
ones. Key paragraphs:
'A deadly sarin attack on another rebel-held area in April 2017 prompted President Donald
Trump to order a U.S. missile strike on the Shayrat airbase, from which the Syrian operation
is said to have been launched.
'"We are on the record and you all have seen how we reacted to that, so they would be
ill-advised to go back to violating the chemical (weapons) convention," Mattis said.'
So he is not repudiating the conventional wisdom according to which sarin was used at Khan
Sheikhoun, and the possibility of a military response to a fresh 'false flag' is left open.
Unless he is basing his accusation on credible evidence, this to be blunt, comes close to
inciting jihadists to atrocity.
The extent -- and unscrupulousness -- of the mounting propaganda campaign in relation to
the recently claims is well brought out in a piece by Rick Sterling in 'Consortium News' on
Sunday. Whether those involved are still hoping to precipitate a serious American military
intervention, and whether those hopes might be realistic, I cannot say.
This makes the detailed demonstration by Professor McKeigue of the frankly farcical nature
of the 'Joint Investigative Mechanism' report into Khan Sheikhoun, to which I linked, all the
more important. In addition to exposing the total dependence of its analysis on a completely
incredible claim about the aircraft which is supposed to have delivered the chemical weapon,
and discussing much other evidence, he brings out a key point about developments in 'chemical
forensics' over the past years.
As well as the 1995 sarin attacks, the 2001 anthrax letter attacks led to an enormous
investment of money and intellectual energy in the development of analytical techniques
making it possible to identify perpetrators of chemical weapons incidents. A fascinating
article entitled 'Tracing a Threat' by Bethany Halford in 'Chemistry & Engineering News
World' in February 2012 provides a good picture of what the state of play was at that
time.
She quotes an expert called Joseph Chipuk, from a consultancy called 'Signature Science'
in Austin, explaining how the 'spectra' -- different wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation
associated with different 'impurities' in samples, including 'environmental' ones, such as
soil, fragments of weapons, and clothing -- can be matched with reconstructions of possible
'synthetic pathways'.
The levels of sophistication of which this kind of analysis was already capable, he made
clear, are close to breathtaking:
'To figure out signatures based on various synthetic routes and conditions, Chipuk says
that the synthetic chemists on his team will make the same chemical threat agent as many as
2,000 times in an "almost robotic manner," following a database that tells them exactly what
conditions to use. They then hand off the product to the analytical chemists, who look at all
the tiny impurities that turn up along with the toxic chemical -- "the stuff that's down in
the weeds," as Chipuk describes it. From there, the hundreds or, in some cases, thousands of
spectra that are collected go to statisticians and computer scientists who work their magic
to tease out the unique attribution signatures.'
At the end of the article, Halford quotes Chipuk again making clear that improvement is
continuous in a way that is making it quite extraordinarily difficult to fool analysts who
are genuinely looking for the truth -- as not only Dan Kaszeta but, very regrettably, key
figures at the OPCW and some of its 'Designated Laboratories' do not appear to be:
'"The fact is that technology continues to improve, instrumentation continues to improve,
and computers continue to improve. The chances of someone being able to slip by undetected
are getting smaller and smaller," says Signature Science's Chipuk. "If you were to choose to
do something like this, the science is going to catch up to you."'
In relation to the claims now being made, what is initially at issue is simply the
question of whether the 'impurities' identified by the 'spectra' in samples from the
incidents at Khan Sheikhoun, Ghouta, Saraqeb, and Khan Al-Asal match.
What characterised the 'hexamine hypothesis' as put forward by Kaszeta was the -- close to
surreal -- suggestion that a single substance, hexamine, was a 'smoking gun'. To anyone who
had taken the trouble to read easily accessible discussions of the methodology, such as
Halford's piece, it would be apparent that it is simply ludicrous to base a claim on a single
substance -- particularly given that hexamine is also used in explosives.
In the 'Reuters' report on 30 January, we were told:
'Two compounds in the Ghouta sample matched those also found in Khan Sheikhoun, one formed
from sarin and the stabilizer hexamine and another specific fluorophosphate that appears
during sarin production, the tests showed.'
So we have an -- unidentified -- compound which supposedly establishes that the hexamine
did indeed form part of the sarin production process, rather than of the explosive charge.
And we are then told of the presence of another compound, which are told is 'another specific
fluorophosphate': why not tell us which?
To anyone interested in actually making sense of the evidence, to have a mere two
compounds mentioned, and those not adequately identified, suggests an alternative
possibility: that people who knew details of the 'synthetic pathway' by which Syrian
government sarin had been synthesised leaked them to those who were producing the substance
for a 'false flag.' It would have been beyond the capabilities of a relatively primitive
operation to produce any kind of close fit -- to get a couple of compounds to match would
probably not have been difficult at all.
If this suspicious interpretation if false, there is a very simple way to refute it -- and
General Mattis is in a perfect position to do this.
The close links between the American and British 'intelligence communities' have been
stressed in comments on this thread. It is clear that in relation to Syrian chemical weapons,
there was a division of labour.
Analysis of 'environmental' samples was concentrated at the British OPCW-certified
facility, the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory at Porton Down in Wiltshire.
Meanwhile, preparations for the dismantling of the Syrian chemical arsenal were the made at
one of the two American OPCW-certified laboratories, the U.S. Army's Edgewood Chemical
Biological Center in Maryland.
The destruction of the 581 tonnes of the sarin precursor methylphosphonyl difluoride, or
DF, aboard the specially kitted out vessel 'M.V. Cape Ray' in the Mediterranean was announced
in August 2014. In the extensive reporting on the preparations for this, it was made
absolutely clear that -- as one would expect -- the vessel was equipped with a proper
analytical laboratory, with OPCW scientists involved as well as those from the Edgewood
Center.
In a post entitled 'Sentence First -- Verdict Afterwards?' shortly after the Khan
Sheikhoun attack, and then in two 'open letters' to the members of our Defence and Foreign
Affairs Committees, I pointed to the mass of evidence suggesting that the test results from
different incidents did not match each other or those from the stocks destroyed on the 'Cape
Ray.'
The publicly available evidence, I argued, provided strong reason to believe that results
from Porton Down and the OPCW confirmed the claim made by the Russians, supposedly on the
basis of tests from their own OPCW-certified laboratory, that the sarin used at Khan Al-Asal
and Ghouta was a 'cottage industry' product. This was also what Seymour Hersh claimed that
tests carried out at Porton Down had revealed about the sarin used at Ghouta - he used the
term 'kitchen sarin.'
What the Reuters report has -- perhaps inadvertently -- confirmed is that Porton Down had
in fact tested 'environmental' samples from the Khan Al-Asal incident on 19 March 2013, the
first where sarin was used in Syria, by suggesting that tests from that incident as well as
those at Ghouta and Khan Sheikhoun matched the results from the stocks on the 'Cape Ray':
'Laboratories working for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
compared samples taken by a U.N. mission in the Damascus suburb of Ghouta after the Aug. 21,
2013 attack, when hundreds of civilians died of sarin gas poisoning, to chemicals handed over
by Damascus for destruction in 2014.
'The tests found "markers" in samples taken at Ghouta and at the sites of two other nerve
agent attacks, in the towns of Khan Sheikhoun in Idlib governorate on April 4, 2017 and Khan
al-Assal, Aleppo, in March 2013, two people involved in the process said.
'"We compared Khan Sheikhoun, Khan al-Assal, Ghouta," said one source who asked not to be
named because of the sensitivity of the findings. "There were signatures in all three of them
that matched."'
Can anyone seriously believe that if the tests we know to have been done on at Porton Down
had established what this 'source' who does not have the guts to the identify himself claims,
this fact would not have been trumpeted to the skies -- first when the results from Ghouta
matched those from Khan Al-Asal, and then when both matched those from the 'Cape Ray'?
Allright -- sometimes the practically incredible turns out to be true. But if he has any
evidence on which to base his claims, General Mattis should have the courage of his
convictions, and order the disclosure of the relevant 'spectra.'
You are wrong about this. That the 'chain of custody' principle has been flagrantly
violated in the reports of the 'Fact-Finding Mission' and the 'Joint Investigative Mechanism'
is patently the case, and in itself reason why the almost unanimous acceptance of these in
the MSM is scandalous. But that is a separate issue.
The reasons why the test results from the various laboratories were critical were set out
last April in my '"Sentence First -- Verdict Afterwards"?' piece, and the two 'open letters'
to the members of the Defence and Foreign Affairs Committees pointing out the need for
clarification as to what was being claimed about the test results.
Let me recap, and update.
An example of the kind of 'chemical forensics' one needs in incidents like this was
provided by the analysis of test results on 'shell and soil' samples purporting to derive
from the Khan Al-Asal incident on 19 March 2013 which formed part of the document from the
Russian OPCW-certified laboratory which was submitted to the UN Secretary-General on 9 July
that year.
On 4 September, as part of the attempt to stop the visible attempt to use Ghouta to create
an unstoppable momentum towards the destruction of the Syrian government, more details of
what looks like an expanded version of the original document were made public by the Russian
Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In it they claimed that:
'shell and soil samples contained nerve agents -- sarin gas and diisopropylfluorophosphate
-- not synthesized in an industrial environment, which was used by Western states for
producing chemical weapons during World War II.'
It was also made clear that the conclusions rested upon precisely the kind of very complex
analysis Bethany Halford is describing:
'We highlight that the Russian report is extremely specific. It is a scientific and
technical document containing about 100 pages with many tables and diagrams of spectral
analysis of the samples. We expect that it will significantly assist in the investigation
into this incident by the UN. Unfortunately, it has in fact not started yet.'
Unfortunately, the detailed 'spectra' have not been released, but they have certainly been
analysed by experts at the OPCW and that organisation's 'Designated Laboratories' in the
West, including Porton Down. We know that the results from the materials tested on the 'Cape
Ray' will show a sarin precursor 'manufactured in an industrial environment.'
To prove what Mattis and others want to claim it is necessary that the 'spectra' from none
of the other tests match those in the Russian report, and the 'markers' from the 'Cape Ray'
materials are the same as those from Khan Sheikhoun, Ghouta, and Khan Al-Asal. If there are
serious 'chain of custody' problems, the 'markers' from the four sets of tests might not be
sufficient to establish Syrian government culpability -- a lack of a match would be quite
sufficient to establish that the indictment cannot be accepted as it stands.
As I brought out in my post last April, the publicly available evidence -- of which
Hersh's 'Red Line and Rat Line' article and subsequent interviews form an important part --
strongly suggests the Russian claims that the toxin used in both Khan Al-Asal and also Ghouta
was 'cottage industry', as they put it, or 'kitchen sarin', as he put it, are correct.
It is simply not a refutation of these claims to treat one compound supposed to validate
the 'hexamine hypothesis', and an unspecified fluorophosphate, which could be the
diisopropylfluorophosphate reported by the Russians, or hexafluorophosphate, as conclusive
evidence. (The implications, or lack of them, would be quite different, depending on which
compound it was.)
And all this hush-hush whisper-whisper from 'diplomats and scientists' who are not
prepared to be identified, as well as assurances from that supposedly 'independent' expert
Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon, only add to the grounds for scepticism. As I brought out in
my post, he is under the strongest possible suspicion of having been involved in covering up,
and quite possibly colluding in, the 'false flags.'
If they have evidence to support the case, then let Western governments produce the
'spectra' -- as also should the Russians. We do not need complete reports, which may need to
be kept secret for perfectly good reasons -- simply the 'many tables and diagrams' which must
exist. Once these were out in the open, then it would be much easier to have an informed
argument.
Most of this ground I covered last April. However, there is some crucial new context. Part
of this is provided by a report in 'The Intercept' last October, entitled 'NSA Document Says
Saudi Prince Directly Ordered Coordinated Attack By Syrian Rebels On Damascus.' As it
explains:
'According to a top-secret National Security Agency document provided by whistleblower
Edward Snowden, the March 2013 rocket attacks were directly ordered by a member of the Saudi
royal family, Prince Salman bin Sultan, to help mark the second anniversary of the Syrian
revolution. Salman had provided 120 tons of explosives and other weaponry to opposition
forces, giving them instructions to "light up Damascus" and "flatten" the airport, the
document, produced by U.S. government surveillance on Syrian opposition factions, shows.'
This was on 18 March -- the day before Khan Al-Asal. Further relevant context is provided
by a piece in February 2017 on the 'Monitor on Massacre Marketing' site by Adam Larson,
entitled 'What happened on March 19, 2013?' which is subtitled 'The First Bodies Tossed
Across Obama's "Red Line" in Syria.'
This starts by reviewing the -- ample -- evidence that the Khan Al-Asal attack came at a
point where there was very visible enthusiasm on the part of a lot of people in the United
States and Western Europe for intervention in support of the 'Assad must go' agenda, so that
he had every incentive to avoid chemical weapons use, and the insurgents every incentive to
produce a 'false flag.'
And Larson goes on to note that 'Ironically, the first solid news of the feared chemical
attack came in the form of a Syrian government announcement on March 19 that their forces had
been gassed by "terrorists" in a town just west of Aleppo" -- that is, the Shi'ite town of
Khan Al-Asal.
There follow detailed reviews of the evidence of another incident on the same day, in
which the victims appeared to be insurgents, at the Damascus suburb variously transliterated
as Otaybah and Uteibah, and more fragmentary and puzzling evidence about events at Homs.
And Larson goes on to suggest that a three-pronged 'false flag' was planned for 19 March,
in Aleppo, Damascus and Homs -- the country's three largest cities. This would obviously fit
very well with the NSA intercept, in that it would suggest that the intent was to portray
these as Assad's savage response to the attacks in Damascus, thus, hopefully, generating
unstoppable momentum for American military intervention.
This seems to me eminently plausible, but it leaves open two possible interpretations of
Khan Al-Asal. When insurgents who are difficult to control are given access to weapons like
sarin, there is an obvious possibility of matters developing in unexpected directions, either
as the result of their bungling an attack, or succumbing to the temptation to use it against
government forces.
However, a different set of unintended consequences is also possible. It could be that
Syrian intelligence, perhaps with the assistance of Russian and/or Iranian, and with a
combination of 'SIGINT' and 'HUMINT' methods quite possibly being deployed, knew precisely
what was going on -- and had double agents inside the groups preparing the 'false flags.'
Rather than wait until the inevitable chorus calling for all-out air strikes began, it
could well have made sense to turn one of the incidents into a 'false flag' within a 'false
flag.'
The anti-Assad camp would then have been effectively 'snookered.' They would have faced a
situation where they would know that, if they acceded to the calls from the Syrians and
Russians for a proper UN/OPCW investigation, making a rigorous use of 'chemical forensics',
these would implicate the insurgents. And if the evidence suggested that it was these who had
crossed Obama's 'red line', it would have been game and set, and probably match, to the
Syrian and Russian governments.
Irrespective of people's views on what interpretation is plausible in relation to Khan
Al-Asal, the important point is that strategies which rely strongly on convert action -- as
the 'régime change' projects I outlined in the current post do -- are inherently
liable to run out of control. The uncontrollability of their instruments, and the possibility
of covert action meeting covert action in return, are always liable to generate unintended
consequences which can escalate.
As soon as the possible that an impartial investigation would implicate the insurgents was
real, in relation to Khan Al-Asal, irrespective of whether the imputation would have been
justified, the alternative to facing a complete collapse of their projects in Syria, for
Western governments, was inherently likely to be at best covering up, at worst colluding in,
further 'false flags.' Moreover, intense pressure had to be mounted, to ensure that what were
supposed to be sources of independent expertise supported their cover-ups.
This pattern, I am suggesting is common both to history of the 'StratCom' in which
Christopher Steele has been involved, and that relating to chemical weapons use in Syria.
Particularly when the 'Fourth Estate' ceases to do its job, a likely result is the
progressive systematic corruption of institutions.
You have read one of the articles on what James Mattis said on Friday about sarin? He quite
clearly states that the United States has no evidence that the Syrian government has used
sarin. Given the way, the French, British, German, etc. intelligence services share
information, that suggests that if James Mattis is speaking the truth then no one in NATO,
except perhaps for Turkey given Erdogan's recent behavior, has any evidence either. This
means that both incidents, East Ghouta and Khan Shaykhoun, and any other incidents that are
alleged by the terrorists to have involved sarin are not what they are claimed to be in
western msm and most western politicians. Bellingcat and all the other NGOs who have made
similar claims about sarin are all wrong.
"... Russophobia is extremely profitable to the armaments, security and spying industries and Russophobia reinforces intellectually challenged voters in their Tory loyalty. Ramping Russophobia is the most convincing motive for the Skripal attack. ..."
The former British ambassador Craig Murray suspects a different motive and culprit:
Craig Murray @CraigMurrayOrg - 10:21 AM - 8 Mar 2018 Russophobia is extremely profitable to the armaments, security and spying industries and Russophobia reinforces
intellectually challenged voters in their Tory loyalty. Ramping Russophobia is the most convincing motive for the Skripal
attack.
When we look at how the corporate media is spinning this story, it seems to me that Craig
Murray's theory about using the incident to ramp up Russophobia has its merits.
This case looks more and more like Litvinenko II -- another false flag designed to implicate Russia a fuel anti-russian hysteria.
British MI6 are masters in such provocations.
Along with sabotaging Moscow soccer tournament this also can also be an attempt to distract from MI6 role is creation of Steele
dossier too.
Notable quotes:
"... Having worked for Russia's Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU) since the Soviet era, Sergey Skripal was recruited in 1995
by the British agent Pablo Miller, who at the time was posing as Antonio Alvarez de Hidalgo and working in Britain's embassy in Tallinn.
Russia's Federal Security Service says Miller was actually an undercover MI6 agent tasked with recruiting Russians. ..."
"... The first reports about Miller's work in Russia emerged in the early 2000s, after multiple Russians arrested for spying fingered
Miller as their recruiter. For example, former tax police Major Vyacheslav Zharko says it was Miller who recruited him. He says it was
Boris Berezovsky and former Federal Security Service (FSB) agent Alexander Litvinenko who introduced him to British intelligence agents.
Zharko surrendered himself to Russian officials when he learned about the British authorities' suspicions that another former FSB officer,
Andrey Lugovoi, had poisoned Litvinenko with polonium. ..."
"... Litvinenko also worked for MI6 ..."
"... Skripal, however, never turned himself in. For nine years, according to the FSB, he collaborated actively with British intelligence,
transmitting information about Russian agents. ..."
"... Who/what paid Skripal a $472,000 house and a pension? That is way more than the reported $100,000 he earlier got. What did
he do to earn the higher pay? ..."
"... Seems Skripal was a British spy at the end. If he required killing, it would have happened long ago as b asserts. Clearly,
he knew something dangerously compromising to make himself a target. ..."
"... If b is too moral to consider killing injuring unrelated, innocent people for propaganda as it was 9/11 whoever did it, he
must wake up. These days, days of phony YT,FB Twitter reality, the only value is propaganda value nothing else, anybody will be thrown
under the bus if this fits aims of ruling elite even some oligarchs who are rich only because their submit to rape of ruling elite as
high paid prostitute while the rest are raped for free ..."
"... If fact they will supress details of that crime just to obfuscate obvious perpetrators in a cloud of conspiracy theories in
fact mining people's brains busy them up like little ants like Bitcoin miners waste electricity and computer power for delusional quest
of riches ..."
"... Sources close to Orbis, the business intelligence firm run by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who was behind a dossier
of compromising allegations against Donald Trump, said Mr Skripal did not contribute to the file. But they could not say whether Mr
Skripal was involved in different investigations into the US President for other interested parties. ..."
"... It's interesting how quickly the denial from steele comes out... Is skripal dead yet, or still alive? i wonder if he comes
back, what he says? i guess we will never know either way... ..."
"... Media management and playing the old "backs to the wall boys & girls, its the blitz all over again" is what the 'counter-terror'
mob do. ..."
"... The initial cops played the whole thing really low key, it seemed as though they wanted to get to the bottom of whatever happened,
but their replacements 'counter-terror' appear to devote more time and energy to seducing credulous journos than they do trying to find
out what actually did occur. ..."
"... Over in the states there have been reports about carfentanil poisoning responders to overdoses because of trace amounts. It
is reported as 100 x as powerful as fentanyl. So maybe a chemical cousin is a possible consideration. ..."
"... B's suggestion that Skripal might be longing to return to and die in Russia, and that he was offering a "gift" to Moscow via
his daughter (or maybe even a letter apologising for his treachery and begging for forgiveness, Berezovsky-style) is a stroke of genius.
Makes me think that Boris Berezovsky's death merits more attention and cannot be brushed off as a suicide. ..."
"... On a park bench, they were discovered. I'll bet my best fishing lure that location's covered by a CCTV whose footage will provide
all the answers--unless we aren't to be shown, due to national security or some such. ..."
"... Meanwhile The Guardian is spewing its usual bilge : Russian spy attack inquiry widens after medics treat 21 people ..."
"... The longer Skripal and his daughter stay alive, the more propaganda can be rung out of his death. Be worth watching to see
how many sanctions and laws the UK can push through before he finally snuffs it. ..."
On Sunday a former British-Russian double agent and his daughter were seriously injured in a mysterious incident in Salisbury,
England. The British government
says that both were hurt due to "exposure to a nerve agent". Speculative media reports talk of Sarin and VX, two deadly nerve-agents
used in military chemical weapons. Anonymous officials strongly hint that 'Russia did it'.
New reports though point to a deep connection between the case and the anti-Trump/anti-Russia propaganda drive run by the Obama
administration and the Hillary Clinton election campaign.
Sergei Skripal
once was
a colonel in a Russian military intelligence service. In the early 1990s he was
recruited by
the MI6 agent Pablo Miller. He continued to spy for the Brits after his 1999 retirement. The Russian FSB claims that the British
MI6 paid him $100,000 for his service. At that time a Russian officer would only make a few hundred bucks per month. Skripal was
finally uncovered in 2004 and two years later convicted for spying for Britain. He was sentenced to 18 years and in 2010 he and other
agents ware exchanged in a large spy swap between the United States and Russia. Skripal was granted refuge in Britain and has since
lived openly under his own name in Salisbury. His wife and his son died over the last years of natural causes. The only near relative
he has left is his daughter who continued to live in Russia.
Last week his daughter flew to Britain and met him in Salisbury. On Sunday they went to a pub and a restaurant. At some point
they were poisoned or poisoned themselves. They collapsed on a public bench. They are now in intensive care. A policeman one the
scene was also seriously effected.
Authorities have declined to name the substance to which the pair is suspected to have been exposed,
but :
Local media had on Monday reported the substance found at the scene to be similar to fentanyl: a lethally strong opioid available
even on Salisbury's soporific streets.
I think this event is a ramp to offing Knesia Sobchak prior to or just after the national poll. She is a pawn of the West.
She has been directed to consolidate the disparate liberal opposition campaigns by the use of primaries...which would just happen
to result in her primacy. The idea is to have her win enough vote it can be alleged that she has embarrassed Putin...and then
they six her using VX. Her father was close go Putin during Putin's early years in St Pete. The BBC has been running chaff out
the foot saying Putin killed his mentor Anatoly Sobchak. Knesia has been moved into position. She will be offed to harm Putin's
reputation but also to place e a complex wound in him. The West are monsters
Ms Rudd told MPs it was an "outrageous crime", adding that the government would "act without hesitation as the facts become
clearer".
Yeah, right.
Like the illegal invasion of a sovereign foreign country based on the lies by the same 'government', with a million+ casualties
among the middle eastern population.
That kind of outrageous crime , correct?
One day the pendulum will swing back hard and merciless at these criminal warmongers and war profiteers. Disgusting how low
what goes for 'homo sapiens' can sink.
I was wondering if Grigory Rodchenkov was in danger of meeting the same fate by some of the more unsavory elements of U.S. Intelligence
Agencies. He would become a poster boy for Russian assassinations on U.S. soil.
One thing about Rodchenkov, if the doping was not state sponsored, what motive would have have for doing it on his own, is
there enough money in the Olympics that individual athletes would bribe him or would it make him look better if his athletes did
better? I don't buy that it was state sponsored, or at least there is no evidence to that affect.
Having worked for Russia's Military Intelligence Directorate (GRU) since the Soviet era, Sergey Skripal was recruited in
1995 by the British agent Pablo Miller, who at the time was posing as Antonio Alvarez de Hidalgo and working in Britain's embassy
in Tallinn. Russia's Federal Security Service says Miller was actually an undercover MI6 agent tasked with recruiting Russians.
The first reports about Miller's work in Russia emerged in the early 2000s, after multiple Russians arrested for spying
fingered Miller as their recruiter. For example, former tax police Major Vyacheslav Zharko says it was Miller who recruited
him. He says it was Boris Berezovsky and former Federal Security Service (FSB) agent Alexander Litvinenko who introduced him
to British intelligence agents. Zharko surrendered himself to Russian officials when he learned about the British authorities'
suspicions that another former FSB officer, Andrey Lugovoi, had poisoned Litvinenko with polonium.
Litvinenko also worked for MI6 ..
Skripal, however, never turned himself in. For nine years, according to the FSB, he collaborated actively with British
intelligence, transmitting information about Russian agents.
Nikolai Luzan, who calls himself a colonel and a veteran of Russia's security agencies, wrote a detailed book about how
the British recruited Sergey Skripal. Luzan says his book, "A Devil's Counterintelligence Dozen," is an "artistic-documentary
production."
If we assume that Luzan's account is generally accurate, then Skripal was recruited during a long-term assignment in Malta
and Spain, where he "got greedy."
...
Further on:
Skripal led a quiet life in Salisbury, where he reportedly bought an average house for 340,000 British pounds (about $472,000).
His neighbors describe him as an ordinary, reasonably friendly pensioner. When he moved to the area, he even invited the whole
street over for a housewarming party.
It's unclear why Skripal decided to resettle specifically in Salisbury, but LinkedIn indicates that Pablo Miller -- the
MI6 agent who recruited him -- lives in the same town. In 2015, the year he retired, Miller received the Order of the British
Empire for services to Her Majesty's Government.
Skripal's wife, Lyudmila, lived with him in Salisbury until her death a few years ago. His son died from liver failure in
2017 in St. Petersburg.
It must be Pablo Miller who worked with Steele ...
Who/what paid Skripal a $472,000 house and a pension? That is way more than the reported $100,000 he earlier got. What
did he do to earn the higher pay?
Seems Skripal was a British spy at the end. If he required killing, it would have happened long ago as b asserts. Clearly,
he knew something dangerously compromising to make himself a target. The UK's fairly well covered by CCTV; I'd be very interested
in what those in Salisbury observed. The incident has La Carre written all over it.
If someone like MI6 for FSB wanted him dead they would be instantly in a car accident of robbery attempt, they whoever they are,
wanted this to thing to prolong in time to feed the press Russia gate and wanted people like b to follow the trap since most of
the info here can be found just after few clicks, will be picked up by rational people.
If b is too moral to consider killing injuring unrelated, innocent people for propaganda as it was 9/11 whoever did it,
he must wake up. These days, days of phony YT,FB Twitter reality, the only value is propaganda value nothing else, anybody will
be thrown under the bus if this fits aims of ruling elite even some oligarchs who are rich only because their submit to rape of
ruling elite as high paid prostitute while the rest are raped for free .
If fact they will supress details of that crime just to obfuscate obvious perpetrators in a cloud of conspiracy theories
in fact mining people's brains busy them up like little ants like Bitcoin miners waste electricity and computer power for delusional
quest of riches .
In the society of control ruling elite controls everything it needs to control and hence is responsible for this. Case closed.
The Russian double agent poisoned in Salisbury may have become a target after using his contacts in the intelligence community
to work for private security firms, investigators believe.
Sergei Skripal could have come to the attention of certain people in Russia by attempting to "freelance" for companies run
by former MI5, MI6 and GCHQ spies, security sources say.
... Sources close to Orbis, the business intelligence firm run by former MI6 agent Christopher Steele, who was behind a dossier
of compromising allegations against Donald Trump, said Mr Skripal did not contribute to the file. But they could not say whether
Mr Skripal was involved in different investigations into the US President for other interested parties.
It's interesting how quickly the denial from steele comes out... Is skripal dead yet, or still alive? i wonder if he comes
back, what he says? i guess we will never know either way...
For me it was particularly suss when the Leceister Police who are the coppers on the ground in Salisbury were heavied by Scotland
Yuk ( or 'the met' as englander papers call that gang of proven torturers & murderers) to
turn the Skripsky investigation over to the 'counter-terror squad'
- the mob of thugs whose skillful manipulation of england's media combined with
evidence falsification made their
indicted murder of Brazilian electrician
Jean Charles de Menezes seem like an heroic act by playing the old honest whitefella card - "all those brownfellas look the same,
who can tell the difference?" . No copper, not the killers or the idiot in charge suffered any disciplinary actiion, much less
a criminal one. IIRC the policeperson in charge who claimed to be 'in the bathroom' at the time of de Menzeses murder, one Cressida
Dick, is now chief commissioner, the boss of Scotland Yuk.
The local coppers know the area and will have a rapport with witnesses that a mob of arseholes in sharp suits backed by balaclava
wearing armed heavies is unlikely to enjoy, so why grab the gig especially since it is certain to remain unsolved?
Well partly that, to make sure it remains unsolved, but also because counter-terror plays the press release regurgitators who
are englander 'journos' like a fine old violin. Questions about fentanyl being a nerve agent get tricky? Spin the chooks a yarn
about evil a-rabs you have met.
Kalen is right. Such a flamboyant killing is not how modern intelligence agencies dispose of problems. Unless they want to draw
attention to their work.
Maybe there's a bunch of people around the Christopher Steele dossier thinking of talking. What better way to shut them up
than to knock off a Steele source.
It could always be a simple & rather human explanation - The daughter was struggling for cash at home, dad was old but refused
to die & had a stash of cash from his past, she knocked him off to get an earlier inheritance but being an amateur at this she
did herself in too, which would be poetic justice...?
It is highly unlikely that fentanyl was the toxin that poisoned Skribal and his daughter. That hypothesis should be excluded at
this point.
The main reason for this is that the patrol man who discovered them also came down with similar symptoms. Fentanyl is extremely
toxic when injected intravenously. But not to any one coming into contact with them, touching them or even performing mouth to
mouth resusication.
There are numerous acetyl choline inhibitors (e.g. sarin, vx, and many other similar compounds that have never been approved
for chemical warfare) that can cause symptoms if someone comes into contact with an intoxicated patient especially one has be
exposed externally.
Also the Portland Down lab has identified an ACE inhibitor (of course, that is part of the British military and they could
very easily be lying.)
In any case, this looks like a nerve toxin poison, fentanyl is not in that class.
Fentanyl patchs are used to control intense chronic pain...If he resigned from GRU because of health issues, as the "Meduzas"
affirm, it might be related to this chronic pain and so he could well be a patient using this drug for pain control.....
Thus,
fentanyl is not a nerve agent, but an anesthesic in any case....All could well be a performance...to blame the Russians and contribute
to scare the population about them previous to some machination to be mounted at......Do not forget that that factory of mannequin
challenges broadcasts, the White Helmets, is also a British "enterprise", creation of "former" MI6 LeMesurier....
Yesterday when questions about fentanyl were raised, the sick policeman was identified, up until that point all that had been
said was that the bill first on the scene were admitted to be checked out by medics. Today the close to death's door copper is
in fine fettle once again. I leave it up to others to decide whether he was crook (sick - an Oz term) or the imported police were
crooks (lying).
Media management and playing the old "backs to the wall boys & girls, its the blitz all over again" is what
the 'counter-terror' mob do. If they were really opposed to scaring the bejeezuz outta englanders which is what their name
implies they would A) be better at preventing actions which they hadn't cranked up themselves for entrapment and B) not imagine
it was on the up and up to terrify the burghers of Salisbury with yarns about possible 'nerve agent' on the loose that were placing
the town's population at risk.
The initial cops played the whole thing really low key, it seemed as though they wanted to get to the bottom of whatever
happened, but their replacements 'counter-terror' appear to devote more time and energy to seducing credulous journos than they
do trying to find out what actually did occur. The form of this gang of sleek deceitful killers means that just because they
claim this local woodentop was poisoned, it doesn't mean that is what actually befell him.
Over in the states there have been reports about carfentanil poisoning responders to overdoses because of trace amounts. It
is reported as 100 x as powerful as fentanyl. So maybe a chemical cousin is a possible consideration.
It seems that MI6 was keeping Sergei Skripal on a tight leash by having him live in Salisbury close to Pablo Miller who must be
the old fellow's minder as well as recruiter. One way of keeping Skripal on this leash must be to supply him with an addictive
painkiller, for whatever pain he is suffering (physical, perhaps psychological?), and fentanyl fits the bill.
Fentanyl also fits the bill for a poisoning agent that also affected the police officer who attended the Skripals. The fentanyl
epidemic is apparently forcing emergency and first-response personnel to re-evaluate procedures in handling patients so that they
themselves are not affected by sniffing fentanyl accidentally.
B's suggestion that Skripal might be longing to return to and die in Russia, and that he was offering a "gift" to Moscow
via his daughter (or maybe even a letter apologising for his treachery and begging for forgiveness, Berezovsky-style) is a stroke
of genius. Makes me think that Boris Berezovsky's death merits more attention and cannot be brushed off as a suicide.
Nobody died. Only 3 remain in hospital and are not endangered.
On a park bench, they were discovered. I'll bet my best fishing lure that location's covered by a CCTV whose footage will
provide all the answers--unless we aren't to be shown, due to national security or some such.
The question raised by the link offered by Oyyo at 6 (at least 21 affected by the "neurotoxin"), the comments offered by Debisdead
at 21, and the note from Craig Murry about the nearby chemical site: Was this an attack targeting Skripal at all, or some other
kind of "misadventure"? There are so many opportunities to use this kind of incident, by entities capable of spinning it this
way and that, that it doesn't give to us individuals reading the news much hope of ever learning the truth.
A police officer in East Liverpool, Ohio, collapsed and was rushed to the hospital after he brushed fentanyl residue off his
uniform, allowing the drug to enter his system through his hands. The officer had apparently encountered the opioid earlier
in the day while making a drug bust.
Fenatanyl acts on the nervous system so could be described as a "nerve agent", particularly by a British politician or civil servant.
In addition to the three inpatients**** who are currently receiving treatment in relation to the incident, in line with Public
Health England guidance, which asked anyone who was in the area and is concerned because they feel unwell to come forward,
the Trust has seen and assessed a number of people who did not need treatment.
**** - These are Sgt Nick Bailey & the two original victims.
The longer Skripal and his daughter stay alive, the more propaganda can be rung out of his death. Be worth watching to see
how many sanctions and laws the UK can push through before he finally snuffs it.
"... As part of their defense, BuzzFeed issued a subpoena to the DNC for information which might help them defend against Gubarev's lawsuit by verifying claims in the dossier - including "digital remnants left by the Russian state operatives," as well as a full version of the hacking report prepared by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. ..."
"... Since the DNC wouldn't let the FBI look at the server and instead relied on the report prepared by CrowdStrike (founded by Russian expat Dimitri Alperovitch - who sits on the very Anti-Russian Atlantic Council along with Evelyn " oops! " Farkas. The AC is funded by the US State Department, NATO, Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukranian Oligarch Victor Pinchuk, who apparently owns the Ukrainian gas company Joe Biden's son is on the board of). ..."
"... If the DNC is compelled to turn over the full CrowdStrike report and "digital remnants," perhaps Gubarev would then present a counter-analysis by researcher Forensicator which CrowdStrike apparently "missed" - revealing that the DNC files were copied at 22.6 MB/s - all but confirming that the files had to have been copied locally by an inside source. Many have speculated that DNC IT staffer Seth Rich, whose murder is still unsolved, was the source of the emails provided to WikiLeaks. ..."
"... Word of BuzzFeed's suit against the DNC comes on the heels of a Monday revelation that the news outlet hired a former top FBI and White House cybersecurity official to fly around the globe on a secret mission to corroborate various claims in the dossier. ..."
"... The probe is being conducted by Anthony Ferrante - formerly the FBI's top official in charge of "cyber incident response" at the U.S. National Security Council under the Obama administration. Ferrante is leading the investigation from his new employer, D.C.-based business advisory firm, Forensic Technologies International (FTI) consulting reports Foreign Policy ..."
"... Wouldn't it be funny if BuzzFeed proves the DNC wasn't hacked? ..."
BuzzFeed is suing the
cash-strapped Democratic National Committee (DNC) to force them to hand over information
related to the "Steele Dossier" that might help the news outlet defend itself against a lawsuit
lodged by a Russian businessman who was named in the document. Three separate lawsuits have
been launched against BuzzFeed in connection to the January 11, 2017 publication of the
dossier, which states that Russian tech executive Aleksej Gubarev used his web hosting
companies to hack into the DNC's computer systems.
The dossier, without substantiation, said Gubarev's U.S.-based global web-hosting
companies, XBT and Webzilla, planted digital bugs, transmitted viruses and conducted altering
operations against the Democratic Party leadership.
While one key name in the dossier was blackened out by BuzzFeed, Gubarev's was not. He
alleges that he was never contacted for comment, suffering reputational harm in the process.
-
Foreign Policy
As part of their defense, BuzzFeed issued a subpoena to the DNC for information which might
help them defend against Gubarev's lawsuit by verifying claims in the dossier - including
"digital remnants left by the Russian state operatives," as well as a full version of the
hacking report prepared by cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike.
Since the DNC wouldn't let the FBI look at the server and instead relied on the report
prepared by CrowdStrike (founded by Russian expat Dimitri Alperovitch - who sits on the very
Anti-Russian Atlantic Council along with Evelyn "
oops! " Farkas. The AC is funded by the US State Department, NATO, Latvia, Lithuania, and
Ukranian
Oligarch Victor Pinchuk, who apparently owns the Ukrainian gas
company Joe Biden's son is on the board of).
"As part of the discovery process, BuzzFeed is attempting to verify claims in the dossier
that relate to the hacking of the DNC," said BuzzFeed spokesman Matt Mittenhal in a statement.
"We're asking a federal court to force the DNC to follow the law and allow BuzzFeed to fully
defend its First Amendment rights."
Last month, the DNC claimed that providing the requested information would expose the DNC's
internal operations and harm the party politically (it's always someone else's fault, no?).
"If these documents were disclosed, the DNC's internal operations, as well as its ability to
effectively achieve its political goals, would be harmed ," said DNC lawyers.
If the DNC is compelled to turn over the full CrowdStrike report and "digital remnants,"
perhaps Gubarev would then present a counter-analysis by researcher Forensicator which
CrowdStrike apparently "missed" - revealing that the DNC files were copied at
22.6 MB/s - all but confirming that the files had to have been copied locally by an inside
source. Many have speculated that DNC IT staffer Seth Rich, whose murder is still unsolved, was
the source of the emails provided to WikiLeaks.
Word of BuzzFeed's suit against the DNC comes on the heels of a Monday revelation that the
news outlet hired a former top FBI and White House cybersecurity official to fly around the
globe on a secret mission to corroborate various claims in the dossier.
The probe is being conducted by Anthony Ferrante - formerly the FBI's top official in charge
of "cyber incident response" at the U.S. National Security Council under the Obama
administration. Ferrante is leading the investigation from his new employer, D.C.-based
business advisory firm, Forensic Technologies International (FTI) consulting reports
Foreign Policy.
At FTI, Ferrante launched what's now been a months-long stealth effort chasing down
documents and conducting interviews on the ground in various countries around the world. His
team directed BuzzFeed lawyers to subpoena specific data and testimony from dozens of
agencies or companies across the country and assembled a cyber ops war room to analyze that
dat a, according to sources familiar with the work.
Considering that much of the Steele dossier came from a collaboration with high level
Kremlin officials (a collusion if you will), one has to wonder exactly what channels
Ferrante and FTI have tapped in order to access such information.
Wouldn't it be funny if BuzzFeed proves the DNC wasn't hacked?
"... Amazing how no on in the echelons of U.S. leadership ever questions why Assad always launches his WMD attacks as soon as his forces have Syria's Al Qaeda affiliate on the run. ..."
"... I am hearing that Russia has temporarily banned Turkish aircraft from flying in Syrian airspace, including Afrin. Plus there are reports that the Syrian Armed Forces are stationing AAA and SAM systems in the north. Erdogan may have outlived his usefulness to Putin. ..."
"... My SWAG is that Haley knows she is lying and does not care. Right now the Deep State wants its war on Syria as a prelude to a war on Iran, so Haley is for war as long as that will advance her career. ..."
"... If tomorrow the Deep State were to declare for the Khmer Rouge, she would scream for the death of Lon Nol Imperialists and Enemies of the People(R) with the most touching sincerity. ..."
"... 'Between May and June, 2016, Sheldon Adelson contributed $250,000 to Haley's 527 political organization, A Great Day, funds that she used to target four Republican state senate rivals in primaries. Adelson was the largest contributor to her group, which raised a total of $915,000.' ..."
"... I don't understand why we think Nikki Haley shouldn't be who she is, and should pursue policies other than what she does. IMO, she is no different than Samantha Power. They both are/were equally anti-Russia, anti-Iran, anti-Syria, and pro-Israel pro KSA, and have same position with regard to NK or China, so what is the difference, what has changed. ..."
"... It would have been either the "F* Europe" Tonia Nuland or the rapporteur social worker to Israel Wendy Sherman who is stilllearning all the dirty tricks from Madeleine. ..."
"... I agree with the good Colonel's assessment, except on one point. I don't think Mattis is being biased; to put it in less kinder terms, I think he's being a willing political hack. ..."
1. Nikki Haley is either completely gullible or is in thrall to some collection of Borgists at State. Someone remarked of a previous
US Secretary of State that "if only he were still alive this would not happen." Unfortunately he was still alive and in office. Much
the same could be said of Rex Tillerson. Haley is now tub thumping for US air attacks on Syria. This a reprise of several previous
US assertions of Syrian Arab Government (SAG) use of chemical weapons including the East Ghouta and Khan Sheikhoun fiascos. After
Khan Sheikhoun the SAG invited US and UN investigations of the air base but somehow this was not accepted. Now James Mattis is asserting
that the SAG is manufacturing chemical munitions although the US has no evidence of this as yet. I believe this is called "confirmation
bias?"
2. As shown above , the SAA is committed to elimination of the East Idlib pocket. The jihadis are without re-supply and will progressively
be running out of the means of resistance. This should not take too long and is actually a good idea before proceeding further into
Idlib Province to the west. I believe I expressed an opinion as to the wisdom of such a move.
3. The SAA has begun shelling the Turkish strong point (observation post) at Al-Eis. The Turks have been attempting tricky cleverness
by claiming that they are occupying the hill at Al--Eis un accord with a Russian/Iranian/Turkish de-escalation igreement. In fact
IMO they are seeking to position themselves so as to impede SAG liberation of Idlib Province. pl
Amazing how no on in the echelons of U.S. leadership ever questions why Assad always launches his WMD attacks as soon as his forces
have Syria's Al Qaeda affiliate on the run.
kooshy,
Colonel Lang, did you see this news on AMN, "Syrian Army allows massive YPG convoy to travel to Afrin from their lines'
God only knows what is going on in Syria? it's a mess, was that to stop the Turks going to Al Eis.
james said in reply to kooshy... ,
and further to that - this also from AMN -
"BEIRUT, LEBANON (7:53 P.M.) The Syrian Arab Army or allied paramilitary groups or both have reportedly started shelling the
freshly established positions of Turkish forces in the southern countryside of Aleppo province according to both opposition and
pro-government sources.
Opposition sources says that Syrian Army and allied Iranian-linked paramilitary groups have unleashed artillery fire onto recently
established positions of the Turkish Army in the strategic Al-Eis area of southern Aleppo province."
It seems she is attracted by John Bolton, her destructive, cunning and IMO rather malicious hard core neocon predecessor. She
twittered this insight in July 2017:
"Great to see @AmbJohnBolton back @USUN. Thanks to his years of public service to our country, he continues to share great
advice & wisdom."
His great advice and great wisdom? Ah yes ...
I had the pleasure that an indian senior (20+ years of service) UN guy back then did explain me what he did when US ambassador
at the UN, and how and why it was cunning what he did, and how and why it was destructive and what he was after. It turned my
stomach to get it explained to clearly.
So, unlike Haley, I always thought Bolton was a ruthless, destructive, nutty, if cunning, nasty man. I never seen his "wisdom".
Rather I saw an arsonist who likes to play with fire.
For Haley he, with all his "wisdom", is an inspiration. He was also inspirational for Trump, but not inspirational enough.
Bolton didn't make it to Secretary of State ... because of his moustache. See? How very maverick-ish to make a difficult decision
on so simple grounds.
Ah well, perhaps Trump is daily being too savaged by his hair thing on his head. I assume that having to face mirrors likely
can be a terror.
Whatever about that moustache, and assuming that the story is correct - I for my part don't see the problem in what is over
Bolton's mouth but that what comes out of it.
Donald Trump passed over a potential candidate for Secretary of State because of bushy moustache, according to insiders
close to the incoming US President.
Several of Mr Trump's associates said they thought that John Bolton's brush-like moustache was one of the factors that handicapped
the bombastic former United Nations ambassador in the sweepstakes for the role.
"Donald was not going to like that moustache," said one, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "I can't think of anyone that's
really close to Donald that has a beard that he likes."
Whats going on ? Iran wants influence and bases as far as the sea, to enable it to convince the Israelis to emigrate en masse.
The West want to stop them now, everyone except Hezbollah will want to stop them when the last FSA / AQ /etc have almost died
off, and Erdogan want to continue mugging people as a form of foreign policy.
Run those actions simultaneously and you have the current outcome.
I am hearing that Russia has temporarily banned Turkish aircraft from flying in Syrian airspace, including Afrin. Plus there are
reports that the Syrian Armed Forces are stationing AAA and SAM systems in the north.
Erdogan may have outlived his usefulness to Putin.
A small number of US and troops from other coalition countries have been in the Manbij area since August 2016 when it was liberated
from the headchoppers. More were sent in 2017 when TFSA from the Euphrates Shield enclave started threatening Manbij. No secret
there, it has been previously announced publicly.
I have happily discovered an analyst who has consistently been right on many aspects of the way the Syrian conflict has played
out, despite its manifold complexities. If you find one that claims to be able to "see" ahead, I'd suggest he/she may better be
described as a clairvoyant.
As to things being "fixed" - I guess an expectation that such a state is attainable, or indeed desirable - betrays something
of one's ontological preferences. In any case, Syria appears to me to be an object lesson in the futility of such expectations.
My SWAG is that Haley knows she is lying and does not care. Right now the Deep State wants its war on Syria as a prelude to a
war on Iran, so Haley is for war as long as that will advance her career.
If tomorrow the Deep State were to declare for the Khmer Rouge, she would scream for the death of Lon Nol Imperialists and
Enemies of the People(R) with the most touching sincerity.
In fact, most of our elected and unelected career politicians exhibit similar levels of mendacity, on a level that is indistinguishable
from sociopathy. Just that in Haley it's more shameless and obvious. Maybe she is not as good an actress as some, I don't know.
With respect to the allegations surrounding the usage of chemical weapons, yesterday the UN Security Council had an open meeting
to discuss the situation in Syria.
The meeting was held to consider a letter submitted by the Secretary General to the Council on February 1 concerning the latest
report from the Director General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons.
The member states were seeking to have the Security Council President issue a statement condemning the recent reports of the
usage of chemical weapons in Syria, but they were unable to achieve the needed consensus.
Russia submitted a resolution that would replace the OPCW-United Nations Joint Investigative Mechanism which had been shut
down. However the proposal is not acceptable to the United States in its current form for the reasons stated.
Follows is a summary of the meeting as prepared by the UN secretariat:
Amid New Reports of Chemical Weapons Use in Syria, United Nations Top Disarmament Official Says International Community Obliged
to Enact Meaningful Response http://www.un.org/press/en/2018/sc13196.doc.htm
Ambassador Haley may be pushing for US military action in response to the most recent claims of chemical weapons usage in other
forums, but she did not call for such action during the UN Security Council meeting.
As to Defense Secretary Mattis, he spoke to the Press on February 2 at which time he issued a warning and expressed concerns
about the usage of Sarin gas.
Q: Can you talk a little bit about the chemical weapons that were -- the State Department was talking about just a little bit
yesterday, that mentioned chlorine gas? Is this something you're seeing that's been weaponized or just give us a sense.
SEC. MATTIS: It has.
Q: It has. Okay.
SEC. MATTIS: It has. We are more -- even more concerned about the possibility of sarin use, the likelihood of sarin use, and
we're looking for the evidence. And so that's about all the more I can say about it right now, but we are on the record, and you
all have seen how we reacted to that, so they'd be ill-advised to go back to violating the chemical convention.
Then later on during the same press briefing:
"Q: Can I ask a quick follow up, just a clarification on what you'd said earlier about Syria and sarin gas?
SEC. MATTIS: Yeah.
Q: Just make sure I heard you correctly, you're saying you think it's likely they have used it and you're looking for the evidence?
Is that what you said?
SEC. MATTIS: That's -- we think that they did not carry out what they said they would do back when -- in the previous administration,
when they were caught using it. Obviously they didn't, cause they used it again during our administration.
And that gives us a lot of reason to suspect them. And now we have other reports from the battlefield from people who claim
it's been used.
We do not have evidence of it. But we're not refuting them; we're looking for evidence of it. Since clearly we are using --
we are dealing with the Assad regime that has used denial and deceit to hide their outlaw actions, okay?
Q: So the likelihood was not what your -- you're not characterizing it as a likelihood? I thought I used -- you used that word;
I guess I misunderstood you.
SEC. MATTIS: Well, there's certainly groups that say they've used it. And so they think there's a likelihood, so we're looking
for the evidence.
Q: Is there evidence of chlorine gas weapons used -- evidence of chlorine gas weapons?
SEC. MATTIS: I think that's, yes --
Q: No, I know, I heard you.
SEC. MATTIS: I think it's been used repeatedly. And that's, as you know, a somewhat separate category, which is why I broke
out the sarin as another -- yeah.
Q: So there's credible evidence out there that both sarin and chlorine --
SEC. MATTIS: No, I have not got the evidence, not specifically. I don't have the evidence.
What I'm saying is that other -- that groups on the ground, NGOs, fighters on the ground have said that sarin has been used.
So we are looking for evidence. I don't have evidence, credible or uncredible."
"The Syrian government's chemical weapons stockpile has been linked for the first time by laboratory tests to the largest sarin
nerve agent attack of the civil war, diplomats and scientists told Reuters, supporting Western claims that government forces under
President Bashar al-Assad were behind the atrocity."
"The Syrian government may be developing new types of chemical weapons, and U.S. President Donald Trump is prepared to consider
further military action if necessary to deter chemical attacks, senior U.S. officials said on Thursday."
As to the Friday media briefing by Secretary Mattis on February 2, Reuters reported:
On Monday, February 5, the Bild, a German outlet published a report alleging that Iran was supplying Syria with missiles to
deliver chemical weapons and that some of the materials in the weapons came from Germany. The report analyses missiles with gas
canisters allegedly used in a chemical weapons attack in Douma, Damascus on January 22, 2018.
The Bild article relies on work carried out by an entity known as Syrians for Truth and Justice and the online investigative
journalist website Bellingcat operated by Eliot Higgins.
Also read the following reports posted on the Bellingcat website:
December 2, 2017 - New Attack by Toxic Gases on a Battlefront in Harasta- Damascus Countryside "Testimonies Confirm Using "Organophosphorus
Compounds" https://www.stj-sy.com/en/view/344
January 21, 2018 - Exposure of Six Civilians to Poisonous Substances in Eastern Ghouta- Damascus Countryside
https://www.stj-sy.com/en/view/391
February 5, 2018 - Syrian Forces Use Chemical Weapons in Duma for a Second Time in a Month. Joint Report: Bellingcat & Syrians
for Truth and Justice https://www.stj-sy.com/en/view/413
(Do not shoot the messenger. As to the Bild report, the summary relies on Google translate, the original article being in German.
Since the Bild report relies on work done by Bellingcat and Syrians For Truth and Justice, I have linked to various reports providing
details of alleged chemical weapons attacks in Syria since July, 2017 produced by these entities for your reference.)
This is all you need to know about Haley and why Trump (or rather Adelson) appointed her to the UN.
'Between May and June, 2016, Sheldon Adelson contributed $250,000 to Haley's 527 political organization, A Great Day, funds
that she used to target four Republican state senate rivals in primaries. Adelson was the largest contributor to her group, which
raised a total of $915,000.'
(Not coincidentally, however, Sheldon Adelson was the GOP's and Trump's single biggest donor)
"Perhaps Adelson gained an unusual interest in South Carolina's state senate, but it seems more likely the investment was a
show of support for Haley's hawkish pro-Israel positions. Adelson, who is also the largest donor to the extreme right-wing Zionist
Organization of America (ZOA), has long pushed stridently anti-Iran positions, suggesting in late 2013 that Washington detonate
a nuclear weapon in Iran's territory unless Tehran complied with demands that it completely abandon its nuclear program.
And, as Weiss wrote, Haley had come through for Adelson already in 2015, when she signed without any reservation the first law
against boycotts of Israel -- about the same time as Adelson convened an anti-BDS summit in Las Vegas.'' https://lobelog.com/nikki-haley-neocon-heartthrob/
Colonel,
Today at House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing :
Former Ambassador Ford: -If purpose to deter Iran from attacking Israel, perhaps we should have troops in Israel instead of eastern Syria.
-US forces in eastern Syria. Iranians in western Syria. Our forces about 350 miles from Iranians. Not likely Iranians going to
leave Syria. Mistake to think Russians will push them out. Hi-level consultations btw us, Israel Jordan to develop menu of options
about how to deter.
-when I was US ambassador in Syria in 2007, Iranians were there. Iranians long been there. They don't need a road/land bridge.
They fly things into Damascus airport.
Thought he has learnt his lessons, but I must be hoping for too much !
That the reports of SAA shelling of the Turks comes from "opposition resources" needs no caveat.
That there is also a report claiming that the shelling of the Turks comes from Iranian militia also needs no caveat. Clearly
someone wants to blame both the SAA and Iran, which dovetails neatly with the US/Israel desire to "roll back Iran" out of Syria
as well as get a full-scale US/NATO/Israel war on Syria started, which has been the goal from Day One of the Syria crisis.
The new rise of "chemical WMD" charges against Syria clearly also feed into the now-confirmed continued desire of the US/Israel
for a full-scale air campaign against Syria.
As I believe I've mentioned before, it ain't over until it's over. The US clearly has not given up a desire to go to war with
Syria as a precursor to Israel and the US taking out Hizballah (to the degree that is possible) which is also a precursor to starting
a war with Iran.
Also, read a report the other day that John Bolton is still considered a candidate for Secretary of State should Tillerson
be forced out at some point, which I still think is quite likely. Such an appointment would signal the absolute end of any notion
of Trump being interested in rapprochement with Russia and would also guarantee war with Iran.
Because John Bolton is a raving neocon lunatic - which is what the moustache tells you.
I don't understand why we think Nikki Haley shouldn't be who she is, and should pursue policies other than what she does.
IMO, she is no different than Samantha Power. They both are/were equally anti-Russia, anti-Iran, anti-Syria, and pro-Israel pro
KSA, and have same position with regard to NK or China, so what is the difference, what has changed.
IMO, they are not selected to pursue US foreign policy, they are only there as Israel'gate keepers, they are just there to
make sure nothing against the interests of Israel passes, just like, what just happened in UNSC on Jerusalem. IMO, US for her
own policies, doesn't give a damn about UN or UNSC, she does what she wants, and when she wants, and are not shy saying it like
it is.
She is there as the Israel' veto power over the rest of the word, in case something not kosher comes up to UNSC. IMO, US' UN
ambassadors only job is to protect Israel at UN, they are a retribution from the elected president of US (of either political
party0 to Israel lobby for helping them getting elected. If Nikki is a gift for Adelson' money, whoever Hillary would have appointed
to UN, would have been a gift to Haim Saban or another billionaire Israeli first SOB. This country' sovereignty has been successfully
hijacked in almost 50 years.
Nevertheless, I believe WE the People are the sole responsible party for loss of control, as well as what Nikki does and who
she does it for.
In response to these claims, the YPG has issued a statement denying the claim, saying the Turkish military fired artillery
shells containing a chemical weapon, which harmed their forces, so they moved to the high ground, while the jihadists remained
in the low lying areas, so suffering the consequences.
You wrote "everyone except Hezbollah will want to stop [Iran from spreading its influence and bases] ...".
You sir, are wrong. There are a lot of people in the world, and certainly in the Arab world (including Sunnis) who see Iran's
influence as a welcome counterweight to the US/UK/Israel. They remember what happened in 1953 and don't buy into what CNN is pushing.
I say this based on face to face discussions I have had with Arabs.
"THE HAGUE, Netherlands 7 February 2018 Recent allegations about the use of chemical weapons in the Syrian Aran Republic
continue to be of grave concern to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
The OPCW Fact-Finding Mission (FFM), whose mandate is "to establish facts surrounding allegations of the use of toxic chemicals
for hostile purposes in the Syrian Arab Republic", is investigating all credible allegations and provides regular reports for
consideration by States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). A rigorous methodology is employed for conducting an
investigation of alleged use of chemical weapons. The FFM report will take into account corroboration between interviewee testimonies;
open-source research; medical reports and other relevant documentation as well as the characteristics of any samples obtained
by the FFM. The FFM works closely with States Parties including the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.
The FFM's mandate is to determine whether chemical weapons or toxic chemicals as weapons have been used in Syria; it does not
include identifying who is responsible for alleged attacks.
OPCW Director General, Ambassador Ahmet άzόmcό reiterated: "Any use of chemical weapons is a violation of the Chemical Weapons
Convention and the hard won international norm prohibiting these weapons. Those responsible for their use must be held accountable.
These abhorrent weapons have no place in the world today."
In turn, in my view, the UN Security Council needs to reach an understanding on the re-establishment of a OPCW-United Nations
Joint Investigative Mechanism so that those responsible for the use of chemical weapons are brought to account.
whoever Hillary would have appointed to UN, would have been a gift to Haim Saban or another billionaire Israeli first SOB.
It would have been either the "F* Europe" Tonia Nuland or the rapporteur social worker to Israel Wendy Sherman who is stilllearning
all the dirty tricks from Madeleine.
sure... but tell me john, how does the opcw offer any credibility to itself, if it is relying on eyewitnesses in the jihadi held
area of Khan Shaykhun???
it is fine for the same countries that have been pushing for regime change in syria to say ''they believe''' syria is responsible,
but that is not proof and it really sullies there reputation and the opcw's further as i see it.. al nusra were in control of
the area at the time... these are the friendly headchopper crew that turkey seems to have in their backpocket at present and who
they are using to further there exercise in afrin.. now, maybe al nusra has had a name change again, so forgive me if i don't
have the up to date name for them... for all i know, they are now called the 'syrian democratic forces' or turkish free syrian
army - 2 other names that sound straight out of a hollywood script.. if i sound cynical - you are reading me correctly.. the western
gov'ts - usa, uk, or even israel, saudi arabia, turkey and france need to stop using international organizations for there own
political ends and start being honest brokers in finding peace, as opposed to dividing up sovereign countries like syria.. thanks..
john - for another example of the blame game that the usa has gotten so in the habit of doing with regard to these chemical weapon
attacks - i call them false flags, as that is just what they are to me, take a look at the stupidity coming via the daily press
briefing from yesterday... all bluster and bullshit with nothing to substantiate any of it.. is this all the usa is capable of
nowadays? see down towards the bottom of the link for the relevant comments on this topic.. https://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2018/02/278014.htm
I agree with the good Colonel's assessment, except on one point. I don't think Mattis is being biased; to put it in less
kinder terms, I think he's being a willing political hack.
"... I would bet my life that the BBC reporter received her narrative from the UK FCO- bankrolled White Helmets who have produced all propaganda from the terrorist besieged areas/frontlines such as East Aleppo, Daraa and Idlib. ..."
I don't think enough people appreciate just how influential the great 'liberal' news platforms like the Guardian and the NYT and
Washington Post are, out there in the rest of the western empire the rest take their lead from them, the 'framing' of events and
stories. Foreign journalists, especially those specialising in the coverage of the Anglo-Saxon world, follow the BBC/Guardian
closely, because well, they would never lie, would they unthinkable. This means that if the state were to succeed in 'capturing'
the Guardian this alone would have enormous implications for how liberals and the soft left see the world and what's going on.
It's also important to remember and understand that the British really invented modern propaganda during WW1 with the aim of
bringing world opinion over to the British side and especially influencing the public in the United States, as a vital war aim
was to drag the US into the war when it became obvious that the UK would never defeat Germany without direct American military
support. That basic truth isn't being talked about very much, is it, even though we're supposed to be thinking about WW1, where
most of the coverage looks like 'fake news' to me but that's probably another story.
The British were so good at selling their version of the 'truths' of WW1 that the Nazis attempted to copy them and set up their
own Ministry of Propaganda, only they weren't a successful as the British who had so many advantages compared to the Germans,
chiefly the Germans were forced to twist the truth totally out of recognition as they were, after all, living under an openly
fascist dictatorship.
@MichaelK: "It's also important to remember and understand that the British really invented modern propaganda during WW1"
I can vouch for that as a personal reaction. Recovering from fever in WW2, I idled away the time by perusing some bound newspaper
articles from WW1; you know, the sort of thing you find in doctors waiting rooms and hospital libraries. I was appalled at the
viciousness of the anti-German propaganda, especially against the Kaiser; the WW1 atmosphere seemed far more savage than what
I was reading from WW2 British papers against the Nazis; the latter often had a touch of gentle humour, such as Low's cartoons
in the Daily Express about Hit&Muss on their Axis.
I was a loyal Guardian reader for 35 years and have witnessed it's decline to the extent I now refuse to buy it. The paper is
now owned by the Guardian Media Group which is run by a high-powered Board comprising elite, well-connected people from the "corporate
establishment". I stopped buying the Guardian some years ago because I was sick and tired of being lied to by blatant propaganda
or omission of the truth which didn't fit into their worldview narrative. This coincided with the rise of the alternative media
which was able to search for the truth without having a hidden agenda.
It is up to existing Guardian readers to decide if they only want to believe what they read in the main stream media or if they
want to find a more balanced view of the world by doing some research of their own by consulting a wide range of "trusted" media.
My comments in The Guardian were moderated a long time ago and I have become so disgusted with the paper that I no longer even
grab a free one when shopping in Waitrose.
Thankfully there are many of us who still comment on their facebook page to counter their lies and propaganda particularly on
Syria.
Very good questions particularly as I have just spent 5 weeks in Syria trying to enter the Eastern Ghouta enclave without success
because it is a "hot" military zone with no access for the safety of the foreign journalists. I even tried various other avenues
which included entering a Syrian government-established refugee camp near Douma and East Ghouta that had been set up to receive
and treat civilians who had been injured or not given treatment by the terrorist factions occupying Ghouta, Douma & Jobar to the
East of the City of Damascus.
Ghouta, to my knowledge and according to my personal experience as a journalist in Syria, is out of bounds for the time being
because of high risk of sniping or shelling from the terrorist factions controlling those areas.
Having entered what was once, the REAL Syria Civil Defence HQ in Jobar and having peered through the sandbags at the windows
into Jobar and having seen the ghostly snipers moving in the lunar landscape of houses and destroyed buildings, I would respect
the decision by the Syrian Govt & military to protect journalists from being in the vicinity of such extremists.
However, despite not being able to enter the actual zone, I did gather enough testimony from refugees in Damascus, NGOs, Russian
humanitarian operators etc to know that the "starvation" is a non-issue based on the number of convoys that have entered E Ghouta.
The issue is the Western backed terrorists who, as in East Aleppo and Madaya, are taking delivery of the supplies and stockpiling
them, eking them out to civilians who pay the highest price or depriving civilians deliberately in order to maintain the "starvation"
propaganda that facilitates the faux-humanitarian intervention by the NATO-aligned NGOs and organisations.
I would bet my life that the BBC reporter received her narrative from the UK FCO- bankrolled White Helmets who have produced
all propaganda from the terrorist besieged areas/frontlines such as East Aleppo, Daraa and Idlib.
It's a classic propaganda piece. The takeaway message throughout the article is "Russia did it". Tillerson even says no matter
who did it or what actually happened, Russia bears responsibility. Count how many towns variations of that message appear in the
article. It's prime purpose is to keep the RussiaDidIt project alive and hammer Russia's "guilt" into the public mind.
"... Historians will come to view Aug. 8, 2008, as a turning point no less significant than Nov. 9, 1989, when the Berlin Wall fell. Russia's attack on sovereign Georgian territory marked the official return of history, indeed to an almost 19th-century style of great-power competition , complete with virulent nationalisms, battles for resources, struggles over spheres of influence and territory, and even -- though it shocks our 21st-century sensibilities -- the use of military power to obtain geopolitical objectives. ..."
"... Administration officials said Mr. Putin had miscalculated and would pay a cost regardless of what the United States did, pointing to the impact on Russia's currency and markets. "What we see here are distinctly 19th- and 20th-century decisions made by President Putin to address problems," one of the officials said. "What he needs to understand is that in terms of his economy, he lives in the 21st-century world, an interdependent world." ..."
"... The dossier's claim that Putin talked about the "ideals-based international order" also rings false. Putin only ever refers to Western ideals when saying that Western countries' leaders are hypocrites for not adhering to them. ..."
"... The more straightforward explanation is that, knowing that this is opposition research, Steele and his sources provided information that rang true with what the client already believed and would want to hear. This is the first report in the seriesin effect, a teaser trailerand no consultant working on a monthly retainer is going to tell you in the first memo that his services aren't needed. If Steele had indicated that there was no dirt to investigate, the $15,000/mo. (as estimated by Vanity Fair ) contract wouldn't have lasted longer than a month or two. ..."
"... The dossier's use of the phraseology "Trump and his team" and "Trump team" and the like is confusing in reference to the pre-2016 campaign period. Other than his lawyer Michael Cohen, there's nothing I've seen to indicate that the other Trump campaign people mentioned by name in the dossier (Paul Manafort and Carter Page) knew Trump before 2016. By all appearances, the key members of Trump's team before 2016 were his children, and maybe his talent agent. ..."
"... It also seems out of character for Trump to have the foresight and planning that it would take to seek out intelligence on Hillary Clinton several years back. Several years ago, Trump and the Clintons were friends , and the Clintons attended Trump's wedding and Bill and Donald played golf together. ..."
"... Russians are very cautious about what they talk about, even amongst each other. Therefore, with the story about [sexual acts] in the Moscow Ritz Carlton, the idea you have managed to triple source it via an employee at the hotel, a serving FSB [Russian security service] officer, and the security officer at the hotel, who inevitably will be at least a former FSB or GRU [Russian intelligence agency] officer It just doesn't make sense. If such a thing had taken place, it would be a Russian state secret. ..."
"... Seems more likely that it's just a piece of "scuttlebutt" that Steele's sources, pressed to find anything juicy on Trump, saw in the newspaper or in a news search on Google or on Russian search engine Yandex . ..."
"... Whatever the truth of the matter, Page is clearly someone who was very keen to network with powerful Russians in 2016 and was not shy about leveraging his affiliation with the Trump campaign to do it. ..."
"... But at the same time, this would also mean Page was a loose cannon and a huge potential liability to the Trump campaign. Igor Sechin is, and was in July 2016, on the Specially Designated Nationals list of Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control. This means that it's a crime for any US citizen to do any business with Sechin personally (though not with Rosneft as a corporate entity). ..."
"... Page, by all appearances, is reckless and kind of an idiot . He had to have known that his activities (even if they were limited to just non-treasonous networking with Russians) carried a huge risk of blowback for Trump. He didn't care. Carter Page's willingness to toe the Russian line on foreign policy, publicly and on the record, goes beyond even what the most Russophile Western expats in Moscow say in private conversations. I think it's a perfectly valid question to ask why and how Carter Page came to be affiliated with the Trump campaign, why he visited Russia alone at least twice in 2016, and what contacts he's had with Russian officials (he definitely met with some of them, at least at the New Economic School graduation reception on Jul. 8, at which there were several senior Russian officials present and Carter Page was commencement speaker and an honored foreign guest). ..."
"... And why send him to give a public university commencement speech in which he rails against US foreign policy, ensuring wide media coverage? ..."
"... A meeting with a Trump adviser on the sidelines of such a noisy, high-profile tripwith both the Russian and foreign press speculating in real-time what the hell Page was doing in Moscowseems like an extremely incautious setting for a meeting to discuss the most scandalous quid pro quo since the secret protocols to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. ..."
"... To sum up, I have serious doubts that a meeting took place as described. But I also think that Carter Page wasat the very leasttrying to leverage his connection to Trump in Russia for personal gain at the very earliest opportunity he got. ..."
"... *This report doesn't have a date. However, the July 19 report is numbered "2016/94" and the July 26 report is numbered "2016/097" so it seems like this is where the report should go. ..."
"... This is the central allegation against the Trump campaign that there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to take actions aimed at defeating Hillary Clinton in the 2016 election. The one thing that I'd add (or, rather, remind) is that by late July, the story of allegations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election was in full swing . Manafort's history in the former Soviet Union was being widely reported . Carter Page, as mentioned above, had traveled to Moscow for unknown purposes a few weeks before, a trip that was covered in the Russian and US media. ..."
"... What I'd like to point out here -- in terms of the timing of the information in this report -- is that the DNC hacked e-mail dumps on WikiLeaks that led to Debbie Wassermann Schultz resigning as head of the DNC happened on July 22, 2016 , and even before the WikiLeaks dumps the DNC had been attributing the hack to Russia. ..."
"... Since this report refers to the WikiLeaks dump of DNC e-mails that happened on July 22, even though it's undated we know that the report must have been made after that, as well as after the Republican National Convention that happened on July 18, as well as after reports had emerged that the Trump team had been behind a change in the Republican Party platform to remove a reference to providing lethal arms to Ukraine. The allegation made here closely tracks what was being reported in the media at the time. ..."
"... FBI director James Comey made a point of saying that US intelligence services were struck by how unusually noisy the Russians had been in their election interference, as if they wanted to be discovered. ..."
"... *The actual date on the report is "26 July 201 5 " (in the British style), but since it refers to events that happened as recently as June 2016, and based on the news reports that said that Steele was hired in June 2016, I assume this is just a typo. ..."
"... This strains credulity. So there's a single Russian emigre who not only knows the internal mood of the Trump team, but also knows what the Russian leadership is thinking (about a matter that, remember, according to the dossier is top-top secret)? And I know what you're thinking well, if they were in collusion, of course there's such a person. But who is it? You'd think that there couldn't be too many people who fit this description being a Russian emigre, close to the Trump campaign, and also with top-level Kremlin access. ..."
"... This is described as someone's opinion so it's hard to argue against or fact-check. I will note that the e-mails from John Podesta's Gmail account started being published by WikiLeaks in October 2016, and since the e-mails run only through March 2016, and given that WikiLeaks usually takes time to prepare for a dump, whoever broke into Podesta's Gmail account was likely very active at the time when this report was dated. If you believe that it was the Russians who broke into Podesta's Gmail account, then this intelligence report is precisely wrong. Eleven days after this report, on August 10, Guccifer 2.0 published the personal contact info of 200 prominent Democrats, so if you believe that Guccifer 2.0 was the alter ego of the Russian government, this intelligence report was precisely wrong. ..."
"... This report is dated precisely one week before Sergei Ivanov was dismissed from his post and moved to a less political role as Putin's special envoy for the environment. If you want to be charitable to the dossier, you could say that this report foreshadows Ivanov's dismissal (later reports say that the dismissal was unexpected). But on the other hand, clearly Ivanov's move to his new position was already in the works on Aug. 5 it was reported that rumors of the move had been circulating since spring. Why hadn't Steele's "well-placed and established" sources heard those rumors? ..."
"... Peskov is widely considered not to be an independent political player in the Kremlin. He is seen as being a sort of assistant to Putin in addition to his role as spokesman, but someone who likes the spotlight, celebrity and glamour a bit too much. ..."
"... About Turkey: Peskov started his career in the Russian diplomatic corps as a Turkey specialist and worked as the third secretary of the Russian embassy in Ankara in the early '90s. He speaks Turkish. So hearing him mentioned in connection with Turkey makes some sense. ..."
"... Russia was reported to have given advance warning to Erdogan, based on intelligence intercepts, that a coup was being planned. Peskov denied these reports. Just a few weeks earlier, Turkish president Erdogan had apologized to Putin for shooting down a Russian fighter jet on the Turkey-Syria border and Medvedev had announced that Russia would begin lifting the sanctions it had imposed on Turkey in connection with the incident. ..."
"... So in early August 2016 it seemed like Russia-Turkey relations had turned a corner and were being handled quite well as a matter of fact, over the course of 2016, Turkey went from being the US's partner on Syria to being in a de facto alliance with Russia . The turnaround is stunning in January 2016 , the US and Turkey were conducting joint operations in Syria, and in January 2017 , Turkey and Russia were conducting joint operations in Syria. Whoever was handling Russia's relationship with Turkey, they did a good job by any objective measure hard to see how this can be considered "botched." ..."
"... Around this time , there was a lot of speculation in the media about whether Trump would drop out of the race. It's remarkable how the "intelligence" in the dossier follows what was being reported in the news at the time. ..."
"... Ivanov was leading the operation to "hack the US election" literally days before he was fired? That doesn't make sense. ..."
"... This ethnic Russian associate of Trump who is it? Is it Sergei Millian ? He's supposed to be Source D , a "close associate" of Trump, but he might also be the ethnic Russian (even though Millian is technically from Belarus) associate referred to here and elsewhere. ..."
"... Here we have Carter Page telling the maybe-Millian about his collusion with Russian intelligence on the DNC leaks. Do people really go around confessing crimes willy-nilly? According to this dossier, they do. ..."
"... The big Trump campaign news of August 2016, of course, was that on Aug. 17, Steve Bannon replaced Paul Manafort as head of Trump's campaign. This news was absolutely huge. If Steele's source would have said on Aug. 9 that Bannon would be replacing Manafort, or even that a change of campaign management was being discussed, then in retrospect, you would have to admit that this source was well-informed. But if on Aug. 9, this source was talking about "a rethink and a likely change of tactics," s/he either was not very close to the campaign or was holding back on Steele. ..."
"... So this associate was so close to the campaign that he was privy to all of the team's discussions about collusion with the Russians, but he didn't know that Steve Bannon was about to be named as the new campaign head? ..."
"... But my main beef with this paragraph involves the phrase "kick-back payments to MANAFORT as alleged." Manafort wasn't accused of receiving kickbacks (as I'll explain in a moment, that doesn't make any sense) he was accused of being paid cash by Yanukovich's political party in an off-the-books scheme, and this was widely covered in the press after the story broke in The New York Times on Aug. 14. ..."
"... That's not a kickback. A kickback is when a government or other organization is offering a contract to an outside contractor, typically in a competitive bid situation, and then when the winner is selected the winner kicks back some of the contract proceeds to the person who manipulated the contract selection process. ..."
"... So if there were kickbacks involved in Manafort's work for Yanukovich, it would've been Manafort kicking back money to Yanukovich, not the other way around. ..."
"... However, what Manafort was actually accused of in the press -- receiving money not properly accounted for under Ukrainian law -- is a crime under American law only if he received income that he didn't report to the IRS, or engaged in money laundering, even if an indisputable "documentary trail" emerges. ..."
"... It is difficult to imagine Putin and his inner circle being fearful of political vulnerability and embarrassment in connection with Manafort. As even Julia Ioffea journalist opposed to both Trump and Putinconceded i n a recent article i n The Atlantic , the political consulting work that Manafort did for Yanukovich and others in the former Soviet Union was hardly unusual. ..."
"... Just to point out there's a certain implication in the dossier's description of Manafort's work for Yanukovich that this work was "exposed" during the 2016 US election campaign. That's not the case. Manafort just wasn't a household name before 2016, so no one cared. He was just another American political consultant who was more than happy to offer his services to unsavory foreign politicians, like Sandra Bullock's character in "Our Brand is Crisis." ..."
"... Manafort's work for Yanukovich was public knowledge in Ukraine as early as 2005, and was reported actively in the Ukrainian press. By 2016 it was part of Manafort's resume. ..."
"... The report on the Alfa Group (yes, Steele spelled it wrong) is actually the only place in the whole dossier where the dossier was ahead of the mainstream news cycle. The report doesn't give any context for why a special report on the relationship between Putin and Alfa was requested. But on Halloween 2016, the story broke that in Spring and Summer 2016, white-hat hackers had been tracking electronic communications between Trump's e-mail server and an Alfa-Bank (part of Alfa Group) computer in Russia, posting their findings on Reddit so it was in the public domain but you really had to be paying attention (as apparently a few New York Times journalists and probably the FBI were). I doubt that Steele or his sources were following hacker forums on Reddit. ..."
"... So here's what I think happened: by September, Steele's ultimate client was the Democrats. Someone tipped off the Hillary Clinton campaign (and/or the Clinton-aligned group that was paying Fusion GPS / Orbis) about the electronic link to Alfa, and then Orbis (Steele) got a call asking for an intelligence report on Alfa Group's connections to Putin, without saying why. However, since it was on the phone, the Orbis person heard it as "Alpha Group," and their Russian sources didn't correct the error. ..."
"... Vladimir Putin was deputy mayor of St. Petersburg from 1992 to 1996 . In August 1996 Putin moved from St. Petersburg to Moscow to be Deputy Chief of the Presidential Property Management Directorate (Yeltsin was president at the time, of course). He needed a new job because his boss, St. Petersburg mayor Anatoly Sobchak , lost his re-election bid. ..."
"... Alfa-Bank was a direct competitor to Khodorkovsky's Bank Menatep (a subsidiary of Rosprom) at the time. So there's no way Fridman and Aven used Govorun to deliver cash to Putin when Putin was deputy mayor of St. Petersburg. The dates don't line up. There was an 8-month gap after Putin left St. Petersburg and before Govorun started working at Alfa. ..."
"... How could Steele's sources have made this mistake? Because Govorun's Wikipedia page omits his time at Rosprom, and makes it look like Govorun worked at Alfa-Bank from 1993 to 2000. This is why you don't prepare your report based on Wikipedia, kids! ..."
"... Or if Steele was feeling particularly lazy, he could've gone to Trump's Twitter feed, where Trump proudly told his millions of followers that he'd just spent the weekend with Aras Agalarov and that he wanted to do more business with him. Maybe in Steele's world, being "well-placed" to hear intel about Trump's connections with Russian businesspeople means reading Donald Trump's tweets? ..."
"... There's no other word but "fraud" to describe an "intelligence report" that tries to make it look like the connection between Trump and the Agalarov family is some kind of inside information that you'd need "well-placed sources" to obtain. It took some serious balls for Steele to present it that way, since all anyone would have to do is Google the names mentioned in the report and it would be instantly clear that the intelligence was worthless. ..."
"... Hmm. This is the intelligence that Hillary's people were getting less than one month from Election Day. Intelligence that they paid for. Makes you feel sorry for her; I strongly suspect she was being conned with these reports. ..."
"... In December 2016, Rosneft did indeed sell 19.5% of its shares to two investors using a complicated financing structure. Some have pointed to this as an example where the dossier correctly predicted something would happen. However, the sale of 19.5% of Rosneft to an investor was part of Russia's privatization plan for 2016, which the Russian government announced in December 2015 , and the timeline for the privatization (referring to the 19.5% figure) was updated throughout the year . Anyone who was following Russian business news in 2016 knew that Rosneft was planning to sell 19.5% to an investor that year. ..."
"... Sucks to be Michael Cohen! Unless the dossier is true, he should sue for libel. ..."
"... Sechin is a very big deal in Russia, and a total badass that you don't want to mess with. He is an intimidating guy who is as serious as a heart attack. Carter Page is a dumbass. But the account of this conversation makes it sound like Page was running the meeting like a seasoned pro, leaving Sechin hanging, keeping things vague and noncommittal. I, on the other hand, think that Sechin would never bother meeting with a nobody like Carter Page to discuss something as consequential as billion-dollar oil deals and international relations unless Page had made his bona fides abundantly clear. ..."
"... "Unexpectedly." This looks suspiciously like ass-covering as to why Steele's earlier reports dated mere days before Ivanov's dismissal, containing statements attributed directly to Ivanov, made no mention that these were his last days on the job. ..."
"... Most political observers believed at the time that it was Bernie Sanders, not Russia, who pushed Hillary Clinton away from supporting TPP. This is because Bernie Sanders said openly that he was pressuring Hillary to drop support for TPP. Strangely, the only place where the "veterans' pensions ruse" was ever reported was in the Steele dossier, and the media haven't been tipped off to it to this day. Dodged a bullet! Remember, this is after Putin had supposedly directly ordered all Kremlin insiders, all of whom are tried-and-true Putin loyalists, not to talk about these matters even in private. ..."
"... Steele's team has made the bold decision to misspell Paul Manafort's name as MANNAFORT (Mannafort from heaven?) throughout this report. ..."
"... Gubarev sued BuzzFeed and its editor-in-chief for libel and slander and, lacking any basis other than the dossier itself for these allegations, BuzzFeed blacked out the identifying information. ..."
"... This is quite a cinematic portrayal of hacking. The implication seems to be that there were teams of hackers in a room somewhere and they were ordered to "stand down." Is that how hacking works? Especially in this case, where the hacking that resulted in the 2016 DNC and Podesta leaks had taken place several months before this alleged meeting? This also seems to contradict the declassified US intelligence community findings that said that the hacks were done by Russian government hacker teams called "Cozy Bear" and "Fancy Bear" that were working for the GRU, a Russian intelligence agency that isn't mentioned once in the dossier. The Romanian angle apparently refers t o Guccifer 2.0, who claimed to be Romanian but was also believed to be a Russian intelligence agency alter ego only pretending to be Romanian. If these were Russian government hackers, why would they be ordered to cross international borders and "lay low" in Bulgaria, a member of NATO? ..."
"... Also, given that Russia allegedly had huge wins in their 2016 election meddling, why would they be so stingy as to demand that Trump pay his share for the hacking? Especially if they were so concerned about covering their tracks? This only would implicate the Trump campaign and create a paper trail leading directly to Trump transition team members in the United States, plus they would be involving themselves in a criminal conspiracy to violate US money laundering laws, RICO and the like. ..."
"... Andrew Bacevich needs to study more deeply about Syrian history and politics, since his description of Syrian president Bashar Assad as a brutal dictator fits as a description of Bashar's father Hafez Assad but is inaccurate in relation to Bashar Assad, who seems to have a rather gentle personality and is actually one of the more benign leaders in the Middle East. ..."
"... Under that new constitution, in 2014 he ran in a free election observed by international observers against two other politicians and was reelected president. He has promised that if he loses the next election he will step down. ..."
"... Nevertheless Assad has been systematically demonized by the governments and MSM of the US, UK, and France, as well as by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Demonization is a technique that is often used to prepare the way for regime change, and it is not based on objective analysis. ..."
"... Similar tactics were used in Ukraine in February 2014 by ultranationalist Right Sector sharpshooters, who were seen shooting Maidan demonstrators. The deaths of the demonstrators were then blamed on the police. ..."
"... "'From the start the protest movements were not purely peaceful. From the start I saw armed demonstrators marching along in the protests, who began to shoot at the police first. Very often the violence of the security forces has been a reaction to the brutal violence of the armed rebels.' ..."
"... opposition is armed and frequently employs brutality and violence, only in order then to blame the government. ..."
"... For an objective overview of the context of the events of 2011 in Syria that led to the international war against the elected Syrian government, see Stephen Gowans, "The Revolutionary Distemper in Syria That Wasn't." ..."
"... Also see Gowans' well-researched 2016 book 'Washington's Long War on Syria.' The US has been demonizing and trying to overthrow the Syrian government for several decades now, above all because it is the only remaining semi-socialist nation in the Middle East and has single-payer national health insurance, support for the elderly, and free college education for all. Assad is no saint, but he is one of the more democratic and forward-looking leaders in the Middle East today. ..."
Andrew Bacevich needs to study more deeply about Syrian history and politics, since his description of Syrian president
Bashar Assad as a brutal dictator fits as a description of Bashar's father Hafez Assad but is inaccurate in relation to Bashar
Assad, who seems to have a rather gentle personality and is actually one of the more benign leaders in the Middle East.
Bashar Assad had planned to be a doctor, and he studied medicine for two years in the UK before being ordered to return to
Syria by his father after his elder brother died in an accident. Although there were some excesses by the police in 2011, Bashar
Assad quickly relaxed some old security laws and pushed for a new democratic constitution, which was promulgated in 2012.
Under that new constitution, in 2014 he ran in a free election observed by international observers against two other politicians
and was reelected president. He has promised that if he loses the next election he will step down.
Nevertheless Assad has been systematically demonized by the governments and MSM of the US, UK, and France, as well as by
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar. Demonization is a technique that is often used to prepare the way for regime change, and it is
not based on objective analysis. Although Assad is often called a butcher who gasses his own people, experts such as Theodore
Postol of MIT and others have shown that not a single allegation of gassing by the Syrian government under Assad has ever been
proven. In addition, many of the excesses by the Syrian police against demonstrators in 2011 seem to have been initiated by armed
members of the Muslim Brotherhood and Al Qaeda in Syria, who quickly infiltrated the demonstrations.
There have even been allegations that jihadi sharpshooters on rooftops shot demonstrators in false-flag attacks.
Similar tactics were used in Ukraine in February 2014 by ultranationalist Right Sector sharpshooters, who were seen shooting
Maidan demonstrators. The deaths of the demonstrators were then blamed on the police. In the case of Syria:
"Syrian-based Father Frans van der Lugt was the Dutch priest murdered by a gunman in Homs . His involvement in reconciliation
and peace activities never stopped him from lobbing criticisms at both sides in this conflict. But in the first year of the crisis,
he penned some remarkable observations about the violence this one in January 2012:
"'From the start the protest movements were not purely peaceful. From the start I saw armed demonstrators marching along
in the protests, who began to shoot at the police first. Very often the violence of the security forces has been a reaction to
the brutal violence of the armed rebels.'
"In September 2011 he wrote: 'From the start there has been the problem of the armed groups, which are also part of the opposition
The opposition of the street is much stronger than any other opposition. And this opposition is armed and frequently employs
brutality and violence, only in order then to blame the government. '"
For an objective overview of the context of the events of 2011 in Syria that led to the international war against the elected
Syrian government, see Stephen Gowans, "The Revolutionary Distemper in Syria That Wasn't."
Also see Gowans' well-researched 2016 book 'Washington's Long War on Syria.' The US has been demonizing and trying to overthrow
the Syrian government for several decades now, above all because it is the only remaining semi-socialist nation in the Middle
East and has single-payer national health insurance, support for the elderly, and free college education for all. Assad is no
saint, but he is one of the more democratic and forward-looking leaders in the Middle East today.
If this is true, then this is definitely a sophisticated false flag operation. Was malware Alperovich people injected specifically
designed to implicate Russians? In other words Crowdstrike=Fancy Bear
Images removed. For full content please thee the original source
One interesting corollary of this analysis is that installing Crowdstrike software is like inviting a wolf to guard your chicken.
If they are so dishonest you take enormous risks. That might be true for some other heavily advertized "intrusion prevention" toolkits.
So those criminals who use mistyped popular addresses or buy Google searches to drive lemmings to their site and then flash the screen
that they detected a virus on your computer a, please call provided number and for a small amount of money your virus will be removed
get a new more sinister life.
"... Disobedient Media outlines the DNC server cover-up evidenced in CrowdStrike malware infusion ..."
"... In the article, they claim to have just been working on eliminating the last of the hackers from the DNC's network during the past weekend (conveniently coinciding with Assange's statement and being an indirect admission that their Falcon software had failed to achieve it's stated capabilities at that time , assuming their statements were accurate) . ..."
"... To date, CrowdStrike has not been able to show how the malware had relayed any emails or accessed any mailboxes. They have also not responded to inquiries specifically asking for details about this. In fact, things have now been discovered that bring some of their malware discoveries into question. ..."
"... there is a reason to think Fancy Bear didn't start some of its activity until CrowdStrike had arrived at the DNC. CrowdStrike, in the indiciators of compromise they reported, identified three pieces of malware relating to Fancy Bear: ..."
"... They found that generally, in a lot of cases, malware developers didn't care to hide the compile times and that while implausible timestamps are used, it's rare that these use dates in the future. It's possible, but unlikely that one sample would have a postdated timestamp to coincide with their visit by mere chance but seems extremely unlikely to happen with two or more samples. Considering the dates of CrowdStrike's activities at the DNC coincide with the compile dates of two out of the three pieces of malware discovered and attributed to APT-28 (the other compiled approximately 2 weeks prior to their visit), the big question is: Did CrowdStrike plant some (or all) of the APT-28 malware? ..."
"... The IP address, according to those articles, was disabled in June 2015, eleven months before the DNC emails were acquired meaning those IP addresses, in reality, had no involvement in the alleged hacking of the DNC. ..."
"... The fact that two out of three of the Fancy Bear malware samples identified were compiled on dates within the apparent five day period CrowdStrike were apparently at the DNC seems incredibly unlikely to have occurred by mere chance. ..."
"... That all three malware samples were compiled within ten days either side of their visit makes it clear just how questionable the Fancy Bear malware discoveries were. ..."
Of course the DNC did not want to the FBI to investigate its "hacked servers". The plan was well underway to excuse Hillary's
pathetic election defeat to Trump, and
CrowdStrike would help out by planting evidence to pin on those evil "Russian hackers." Some would call this
entire DNC server hack an
"insurance policy."
"... William Roebuck, the American embassy's chargé d'affaires in Damascus, thus urged Washington in 2006 to coordinate with Egypt and Saudi Arabia to encourage Sunni Syrian fears of Shi'ite Iranian proselytizing even though such concerns are "often exaggerated." It was akin to playing up fears of Jewish dominance in the 1930s in coordination with Nazi Germany. ..."
"... A year later, former NATO commander Wesley Clark learned of a classified Defense Department memo stating that U.S. policy was now to "attack and destroy the governments in seven countries in five years," first Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. (Quote starts at 2:07 .) ..."
"... So the answer was not to oppose the Islamists, but to use them. Even though "the Islamist surge will not be a picnic for the Syrian people," Gambill said, "it has two important silver linings for US interests." One is that the jihadis "are simply more effective fighters than their secular counterparts" thanks to their skill with "suicide bombings and roadside bombs." ..."
"... The other is that a Sunni Islamist victory in Syria will result in "a full-blown strategic defeat" for Iran, thereby putting Washington at least part way toward fulfilling the seven-country demolition job discussed by Wesley Clark. ..."
"... The U.S. would settle with the jihadis only after the jihadis had settled with Assad. The good would ultimately outweigh the bad. This kind of self-centered moral calculus would not have mattered had Gambill only spoken for himself. But he didn't. Rather, he was expressing the viewpoint of Official Washington in general, which is why the ultra-respectable FP ran his piece in the first place. ..."
"... The parallels with the DIA are striking. "The west, gulf countries, and Turkey support the opposition," the intelligence report declared, even though "the Salafist[s], the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI [i.e. Al Qaeda in Iraq] are the major forces driving the insurgency." ..."
"... ancien régime, ..."
"... With the Saudis footing the bill, the U.S. would exercise untrammeled sway. ..."
"... Has a forecast that ever gone more spectacularly wrong? Syria's Baathist government is hardly blameless in this affair. But thanks largely to the U.S.-backed sectarian offensive, 400,000 Syrians or more have died since Gambill's article appeared, with another 6.1 million displaced and an estimated 4.8 million fleeing abroad. ..."
"... So instead of advancing U.S. policy goals, Gambill helped do the opposite. The Middle East is more explosive than ever while U.S. influence has fallen to sub-basement levels. Iranian influence now extends from the Arabian Sea to the Mediterranean, while the country that now seems to be wobbling out of control is Saudi Arabia where Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman is lurching from one self-induced crisis to another. The country that Gambill counted on to shore up the status quo turns out to be undermining it. ..."
"... It's not easy to screw things up so badly, but somehow Washington's bloated foreign-policy establishment has done it. Since helping to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Gambill has moved on to a post at the rightwing Middle East Forum where Daniel Pipes, the group's founder and chief, now inveighs against the same Sunni ethnic cleansing that his employee defended or at least apologized for. ..."
"... The Frozen Republic: How the Constitution Is Paralyzing Democracy ..."
"... I do not believe than anyone in the civil or military command ever believed that arming the jihadists would bring any sort of stability or peace to the region. I do not believe that peace was ever an interest of the US until it has once again gained hegemonic control of central Asia. This is a fight to retain US global domination – causalities do not matter. The US and its partners or co-rulers of the Empire the Saud family and the Zionist oligarchy will slaughter with impunity until someone stops them or their own corruption defeats them. ..."
"... The Empire can not exist without relentless ongoing slaughter it has been at it every day now for 73 years. It worked for them all that time but that time has run out. China has already set the date for when its currency will become fully freely exchanged, less than 5 years. ..."
"... Even the most stupid person on earth couldn't think that the US was using murdering, butchering head choppers in a bid to bring peace and stability to the middle East. The Neocons and the other criminals that infest Washington don't want peace at any price because its bad for business. ..."
"... It's the same GROTESQUE caricature of these wars that the mainstream media always presents: that the U.S. is on the side of good, and fights for good, even though every war INVARIABLY ends up in a bloodbath, with no one caring how many civilians have died, what state the country is left in, that civilian infrastructure and civilians were targeted, let alone whether war could have been prevented. For example, in 1991, shortly after the first Gulf War, Iraqis rose up against their regime, but George H. Bush allowed Saddam to fly his military helicopters (permission was needed due to the no-fly zones), and quell the rebellion in blood – tens of thousands were butchered! Bush said that when he told Iraqis to rebel, he meant the military generals, NOT the Iraqi people themselves. In other words, the U.S. wanted Saddam gone, but the same regime in place. The U.S. never cared about the people! ..."
"... The military-industrial-complex sicced Mueller on Trump because they despise his overtures towards rapprochement with the Kremlin. The military-industrial-complex MUST have a villain to justify the gigantic defense [sic] spending which permeates the entire U.S. politico-economic system. Putin and Russia were always the preferred demon because they easily fit the bill in the minds of an easily brainwashed American public. Of course saber rattling towards Moscow puts the world on the brink of nuclear war, but no matter, the careerism and fat contracts are all that matter to the MIC. Trump's rhetoric about making peace with the Kremlin has always mortified the MIC. ..."
"... This is a rare instance of our elites battling it out behind the scenes, both groups being reprehensible power hungry greed heads and sociopaths, it's hard to tell how this will end. ..."
"... Lets be clear: The military-industrial-complex wants plenty of low intensity conflict to fuel ever more fabulous weapons sales, not a really hot war where all those pretty expensive toys are falling out of the sky in droves. ..."
"... On 24 October 2017, the Intercept released an NSA document unearthed from leaked intelligence files provided by Edward Snowden which reveals that terrorist militants in Syria were under the direct command of foreign governments from the early years of the war which has now claimed half a million lives. ..."
"... The US intelligence memo is evidence of internal US government confirmation of the direct role that both the Saudi and US governments played in fueling attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure, as well as military targets in pursuit of "regime change" in Syria. ..."
"... Israel's support for terrorist forces in Syria is well established. The Israelis and Saudis coordinate their activities. ..."
"... An August 2012 DIA report (written when the U.S. was monitoring weapons flows from Libya to Syria), said that the opposition in Syria was driven by al Qaeda and other extremist groups: "the Salafist, the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI are the major forces driving the insurgency in Syria." The "deterioration of the situation" was predicted to have "dire consequences" for Iraq, which included the "grave danger" of a terrorist "Islamic state". Some of the "dire consequences" are blacked out but the DIA warned one such consequence would be the "renewing facilitation of terrorist elements from all over the Arab world entering into Iraqi Arena." ..."
"... The heavily redacted DIA memo specifically mentions "the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared Salafist principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran)." ..."
"... To clarify just who these "supporting powers" were, mentioned in the document who sought the creation of a "Salafist principality," the DIA memo explained: "The West, Gulf countries, and Turkey support the opposition; while Russia, China, and Iran support the regime." ..."
"... The DIA memo clearly indicates when it was decided to transform US, Saudi, and Turkish-backed Al Qaeda affiliates into ISIS: the "Salafist" (Islamic) "principality" (State). NATO member state Turkey has been directly supporting terrorism in Syria, and specifically, supporting ISIS. In 2014, Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle's reported "'IS' supply channels through Turkey." DW exposed fleets of hundreds of trucks a day, passing unchallenged through Turkey's border crossings with Syria, clearly bound for the defacto ISIS capital of Raqqa. Starting in September 2015, Russian airpower in Syria successfully interdicted ISIS supply lines. ..."
"... The usual suspects in Western media launched a relentless propaganda campaign against Russian support for Syria. The Atlantic Council's Bellingcat disinformation operation started working overtime. ..."
"... The propaganda effort culminated in the 4 April 2017 Khan Shaykhun false flag chemical incident in Idlib. Bellingcat's Eliot Higgins and Dan Kaszeta have been paraded by "First Draft" coalition media "partners" in a vigorous effort to somehow implicate the Russians. ..."
"... In a January 2016 interview on Al Jazeera, former director of the Defense Intelligence Agency Michael Flynn admitted that he "paid very close attention" to the August 2012 DIA report predicting the rise of a "declared or undeclared Salafist Principality" in Syria. Flynn even asserts that the White House's sponsoring of terrorists (that would emerge as Al Nusra and ISIS) against the Syrian regime was "a willful decision." ..."
"... Flynn was interviewed by British journalist Mehdi Hasan for Al Jazeera's Head to Head program. Flynn made it clear that the policies that led to the "the rise of the Islamic State, the rise of terrorism" were not merely the result of ignorance or looking the other way, but the result of conscious decision making ..."
"... General Flynn explained to Hersh that 'If the American public saw the intelligence we were producing daily, at the most sensitive level, they would go ballistic.' Hersh's investigative report exposed a kind of intelligence schism between the Pentagon and CIA concerning the covert program in Syria. ..."
"... The article raises a very serious charge. Up till now it appeared that supplying weapons to Al Qaeda affiliates in Syria was just another example of Pentagon incompetence but the suggestion here is that it was a concerted policy and it's hard to believe that there was no one in the Pentagon that was privy to that policy who wouldn't raise an objection. ..."
"... That it conformed with Israeli, Saudi and CIA designs is not surprising, but that there was no dissension within the Pentagon is appalling (or that Obama didn't raise objections). Clark's comment should put him on the hot seat for a congressional investigation but, of course, there is no one in congress to run with it. The policy is so manifestly evil that it seems to dwarf even the reckless ignorance of preceding "interventions". ..."
"... The DIA report released by Gen. Flynn in 2012 predicted the Islamic State with alarm. That is why Flynn was fired as Director of DIA. He objected to the insane policy of supporting the CIA/Saudi madness and saw it as not only counter-productive but disastrous. His comments to AlJazeera in 2016 reinforced this position. Gen Flynn's faction of the American military has been consistent in its opposition to CIA support of terrorist forces. ..."
"... I see Gen. Flynn as a whistleblower. The 2012 report he circulated saw the rise of the Salafist Islamic state with alarm ..."
"... Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, director of the DIA between 2012 and 2014, confirmed that his agency had sent a constant stream of classified warnings to the civilian leadership about the dire consequences of toppling Assad. ..."
"... Thank you. Gen Flynn also urged coordination with Russia against ISIS, so it doesn't take much to see why he was targeted. ..."
"... The use of Islamist proxy warriors to help achieve American geo-political ends goes back to at least 1979, including Afghanistan, Bosnia, Libya, and Syria. One of the better books on 9/11 is Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed's "The War On Truth: 9/11, Disinformation, and the Anatomy of Terrorism". The first section of that book – "The Geopolitics of Terrorism" – covers, across 150 well-sourced pages, the history and background of this involvement. It is highly recommended for anyone who wishes to be better informed on this topic. ..."
"... Jaycee, actually you have to go back much further than that to WW2. Hitler used the marginalized Turkic people in Russia and turned them into effective fighters to create internal factions within the Soviet Union. After Hitler lost and the Cold War began, the US, who had no understanding of the Soviets at the time radicalized and empowered Islamist including the Muslim Brotherhood to weaponize Islam against the Soviet Union. ..."
"... All these western imperial geostrategic planners are certifiably insane and have no business anywhere near the levers of government policy. They are the number one enemy of humanity. If we don't find a way to remove them from power, they may actually succeed in destroying life on Earth. ..."
"... There is a volume of evidence that the war criminals in our midst were arming and training "jihadists." See link below. http://graysinfo.blogspot.ca/2016/10/the-evidence-of-planning-of-wars.html ..."
"... Incompetence and stupidity are their only defense because if anyone acknowledged that trillions of dollars have been made by the usual suspects committing these crimes, the industrialists of war would face a justice symbolized by Nuremberg. ..."
"... The American groupthink rarely allows propaganda and disinformation disturb: endless wars and endless lies and criminality, have not disturbed this mindset. It is clever to manipulate people to think in a way opposite of truth so consistently. All the atrocities by the US have been surrounded by media propaganda and mastery of groupthink techniques go down well. Mention something unusual or real news and you might get heavily criticized for daring to think outside the box and doubt what are (supposedly) "religious truths". Tell a lie long enough and it becomes the truth. ..."
"... The CIA was a key force behind the creation of both al Qaeda and ISIS. Most major incidents of "Islamic Terrorism" have some kind of CIA backing behind them. See this large collection of links for compiled evidence: http://www.pearltrees.com/joshstern/government-supporting/id18814292 ..."
"... This journalist and other journalists writing on some of my favorite Russian propaganda news websites, have reported the US empire routinely makes "deals with the devil", the enemy of my enemy is my friend, if doing so furthers their goal of perpetual war and global hegemony. Yet, inexplicably, these journalists buy the US empire's 911 story without question, in the face of many unanswered questions ..."
"... Bin Laden (CIA staffer) and a handful of his men, all from close allied countries to the US, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, delivered the 2nd Pearl Harbor on 911. What a timely coincidence! We accept the US Empire provides weapons and military support to the same enemy, and worse, who attacked us on 911, but one is labeled a "conspiracy nut" if they believe that same US Empire would orchestrate 911 to justify their long planned global war. One thing about being a "conspiracy nut", if you live long enough, often you will see your beliefs vindicated ..."
"... So many questions, and so much left unanswered, but don't worry America may run out of money for domestic vital needs but the U.S. always has the money to go fight another war. It's a culture thing, and if you ain't into it then you just don't pay no attention to it. In fact if your life is better off from all of these U.S. led invasions, then your probably not posting any comments here, either. ..."
"... From the October 1973 Yom Kippur War onward, the United States had no foreign policy in the Middle East other than Israel's. Daniel Lazare should read "A clean break: a new strategy for the Realm". ..."
"... For the majority of amoral opportunists of the US, money=power=virtue and they will attack all who disagree. ..."
"... I am stunned that anyone could be so foolish as to think that the US military machine, US imperialism, does things "naively", bumbling like a helpless giant into wars that destroy entire nations with no end in sight. One need not be a "conspiracy theorist" to understand that the Pentagon does not control the world with an ever-expanding war budget equal to the next 10 countries combined, that it does this just because it is stuck on the wrong path. No! US imperialism develops these "big guns" to use them, to overpower, take over and dominate the world for the sake of profits and protection of the right to exploit for private profit. ..."
"... Daniel Pipes, from what I've read of him, is among those who counsel the U.S. government to use its military power to support the losing side in any civil wars fought within Israel's enemy states, so that the wars will continue, sparing Israel the threat of unified enemy states. What normal human beings consider a humanitarian disaster, repeated in Iraq, Syria and Libya, would be reckoned a success according to this way of thinking. The thinking would appear to lead to similar treatment of Iran, with even more catastrophic consequences. ..."
"... I think this pattern of using Salafists for regime change started already in Afghanistan, with Brzezinski plotting with Saudi-Arabia and Pakistan to pay and train Osama bin Laden to attack the pro Russia regime and trying to get the USSR involved in it, also trying to blame the USSR for its agression, like they did in Syri"r? ..."
"... Yes, the Brzezinski/Reagan support of fanatic insurgencies began in AfPak and was revived for the zionists. Russia happened to be on the side more or less tending to progress in both cases, so it had to be opposed. The warmongers are always the US MIC/intel, allied with the anti-American zionist fascists for Mideast wars. ..."
"... Sheldon Adelson, Soros, Saban all wanted carving up of Arabic states into small sectarian pieces (No Nasseric pan-Arabic states, a threat to Israël). And protracted wars of total destruction. Easy. ..."
"... Of course, they were told (by whom?) that the jihadists were 'democratic rebels' and 'freedom fighters' who just wanted to 'bring democracy' to Syria, and get rid of the 'tyrant Assad.' 5 years later, so much of the nonsense about "local councils" and "white helmets" has been exposed for what it was. Yet many 'free thinking' people bought the propaganda. Just like they do on Russiagate. Who needs an "alt-right" when America's "left" is a total disgrace? ..."
When a Department of Defense intelligence
report about the Syrian rebel movement became public in May 2015, lots of people didn't
know what to make of it. After all, what the report said was unthinkable – not only that
Al Qaeda had dominated the so-called democratic revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad
for years, but that the West continued to support the jihadis regardless, even to the point of
backing their goal of creating a Sunni Salafist principality in the eastern deserts.
Journalist James Foley shortly before he was executed by an Islamic State operative in
August 2014.
The United States lining up behind Sunni terrorism – how could this be? How could a
nice liberal like Barack Obama team up with the same people who had brought down the World
Trade Center?
It was impossible, which perhaps explains why the report remained a non-story long after it
was released courtesy of a Judicial Watch freedom-of-information
lawsuit . The New York Times didn't mention it until
six months later while the Washington Post waited more than a year before
dismissing it as "loopy" and "relatively unimportant." With ISIS rampaging across much of
Syria and Iraq, no one wanted to admit that U.S. attitudes were ever anything other than
hostile.
But three years earlier, when the Defense Intelligence Agency was compiling the report,
attitudes were different. Jihadis were heroes rather than terrorists, and all the experts
agreed that they were a low-risk, high-yield way of removing Assad from office.
After spending five days with a Syrian rebel unit, for instance, New York Times reporter
C.J. Chivers
wrote that the group "mixes paramilitary discipline, civilian policing, Islamic law, and
the harsh demands of necessity with battlefield coldness and outright cunning."
Paul Salem, director of the Carnegie Middle East Center in Beirut,
assured the Washington Post that "al Qaeda is a fringe element" among the rebels, while,
not to be outdone, the gossip site Buzzfeed published a
pin-up of a "ridiculously photogenic" jihadi toting an RPG.
"Hey girl," said the subhead. "Nothing sexier than fighting the oppression of tyranny."
And then there was Foreign Policy, the magazine founded by neocon guru Samuel P. Huntington,
which was most enthusiastic of all. Gary Gambill's " Two Cheers for Syrian
Islamists ," which ran on the FP web site just a couple of weeks after the DIA report was
completed, didn't distort the facts or make stuff up in any obvious way. Nonetheless, it is a
classic of U.S. propaganda. Its subhead glibly observed: "So the rebels aren't secular
Jeffersonians. As far as America is concerned, it doesn't much matter."
Assessing the Damage
Five years later, it's worth a second look to see how Washington uses self-serving logic to
reduce an entire nation to rubble.
First a bit of background. After displacing France and Britain as the region's prime
imperial overlord during the 1956 Suez Crisis and then breaking with Egyptian President Gamal
Abdel Nasser a few years later, the United States committed itself to the goal of defeating
Arab nationalism and Soviet Communism, two sides of the same coin as far as Washington was
concerned. Over the next half-century, this would mean steering Egypt to the right with
assistance from the Saudis, isolating Libyan strong man Muammar Gaddafi, and doing what it
could to undermine the Syrian Baathist regime as well.
William Roebuck, the American embassy's chargé d'affaires in Damascus, thus
urged
Washington in 2006 to coordinate with Egypt and Saudi Arabia to encourage Sunni Syrian fears of
Shi'ite Iranian proselytizing even though such concerns are "often exaggerated." It was akin to
playing up fears of Jewish dominance in the 1930s in coordination with Nazi Germany.
A year later, former NATO commander Wesley Clark learned of a classified Defense Department
memo stating that U.S. policy was now to "attack and destroy the governments in seven countries
in five years," first Iraq, then Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Iran. (Quote starts
at 2:07 .)
Since the United States didn't like what such governments were doing, the solution was to
install more pliable ones in their place. Hence Washington's joy when the Arab Spring struck
Syria in March 2011 and it appeared that protesters would soon topple the Baathists on their
own.
Even when lofty democratic rhetoric gave way to ominous sectarian
chants of "Christians to Beirut, Alawites to the coffin," U.S. enthusiasm remained strong.
With Sunnis accounting for perhaps 60 percent of the population, strategists figured that there
was no way Assad could hold out against religious outrage welling up from below.
Enter Gambill and the FP. The big news, his article began, is that secularists are no longer
in command of the burgeoning Syrian rebel movement and that Sunni Islamists are taking the lead
instead. As unfortunate as this might seem, he argued that such a development was both
unavoidable and far from entirely negative.
"Islamist political ascendancy is inevitable in a majority Sunni Muslim country brutalized
for more than four decades by a secular minoritarian dictatorship," he wrote in reference to
the Baathists. "Moreover, enormous financial resources are pouring in from the Arab-Islamic
world to promote explicitly Islamist resistance to Assad's Alawite-dominated, Iranian-backed
regime."
So the answer was not to oppose the Islamists, but to use them. Even though "the Islamist
surge will not be a picnic for the Syrian people," Gambill said, "it has two important silver
linings for US interests." One is that the jihadis "are simply more effective fighters than
their secular counterparts" thanks to their skill with "suicide bombings and roadside
bombs."
The other is that a Sunni Islamist victory in Syria will result in "a full-blown strategic
defeat" for Iran, thereby putting Washington at least part way toward fulfilling the
seven-country demolition job discussed by Wesley Clark.
"So long as Syrian jihadis are committed to fighting Iran and its Arab proxies," the article
concluded, "we should quietly root for them – while keeping our distance from a conflict
that is going to get very ugly before the smoke clears. There will be plenty of time to tame
the beast after Iran's regional hegemonic ambitions have gone down in flames."
Deals with the Devil
The U.S. would settle with the jihadis only after the jihadis had settled with Assad. The
good would ultimately outweigh the bad. This kind of self-centered moral calculus would not
have mattered had Gambill only spoken for himself. But he didn't. Rather, he was expressing the
viewpoint of Official Washington in general, which is why the ultra-respectable FP ran his
piece in the first place.The Islamists were something America could employ to their advantage and then throw away
like a squeezed lemon. A few Syrians would suffer, but America would win, and that's all that
counts.
The parallels with the DIA are striking. "The west, gulf countries, and Turkey support the
opposition," the intelligence report declared, even though "the Salafist[s], the Muslim
Brotherhood, and AQI [i.e. Al Qaeda in Iraq] are the major forces driving the insurgency."
Where Gambill predicted that "Assad and his minions will likely retreat to northwestern
Syria," the DIA speculated that the jihadis might establish "a declared or undeclared Salafist
principality" at the other end of the country near cities like Hasaka and Der Zor (also known
as Deir ez-Zor).
Where the FP said that the ultimate aim was to roll back Iranian influence and undermine
Shi'ite rule, the DIA said that a Salafist principality "is exactly what the supporting powers
to the opposition want in order to isolate the Syrian regime, which is considered the strategic
depth of Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran)."
Bottle up the Shi'ites in northwestern Syria, in other words, while encouraging Sunni
extremists to establish a base in the east so as to put pressure on Shi'ite-influenced Iraq and
Shi'ite-ruled Iran.
As Gambill put it: "Whatever misfortunes Sunni Islamists may visit upon the Syrian people,
any government they form will be strategically preferable to the Assad regime, for
three reasons: A new government in Damascus will find continuing the alliance with Tehran
unthinkable, it won't have to distract Syrians from its minority status with foreign policy
adventurism like the ancien régime, and it will be flush with petrodollars from
Arab Gulf states (relatively) friendly to Washington."
With the Saudis footing the bill, the U.S. would exercise untrammeled sway.
Disastrous Thinking
Has a forecast that ever gone more spectacularly wrong? Syria's Baathist government is
hardly blameless in this affair. But thanks largely to the U.S.-backed sectarian offensive,
400,000
Syrians or more have died since Gambill's article appeared, with another 6.1 million
displaced and an estimated 4.8 million fleeing abroad.
U.S.-backed Syrian "moderate" rebels smile as they prepare to behead a 12-year-old boy
(left), whose severed head is held aloft triumphantly in a later part of the video. [Screenshot
from the YouTube video] War-time destruction totals around $250
billion , according to U.N. estimates, a staggering sum for a country of 18.8 million
people where per-capita income prior to the outbreak of violence was under $3,000. From Syria,
the specter of sectarian violence has spread across Asia and Africa and into Europe and North
America as well. Political leaders throughout the advanced industrial world are still
struggling to contain the populist fury that the Middle East refugee crisis, the result of
U.S.-instituted regime change, helped set off.
So instead of advancing U.S. policy goals, Gambill helped do the opposite. The Middle East
is more explosive than ever while U.S. influence has fallen to sub-basement levels. Iranian
influence now extends from the Arabian Sea to the Mediterranean, while the country that now
seems to be wobbling out of control is Saudi Arabia where Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman is
lurching from one self-induced crisis to another. The country that Gambill counted on to shore
up the status quo turns out to be undermining it.
It's not easy to screw things up so badly, but somehow Washington's bloated foreign-policy
establishment has done it. Since helping to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, Gambill has
moved on to a post at the rightwing Middle East Forum where Daniel Pipes, the group's founder
and chief, now inveighs against the same Sunni ethnic cleansing that his employee
defended or at least apologized for.
The forum is particularly well known for its Campus Watch program, which targets academic
critics of Israel, Islamists, and – despite Gambill's kind words about "suicide bombings
and roadside bombs" – anyone it considers the least bit apologetic about Islamic
terrorism.
Double your standard, double the fun. Terrorism, it seems, is only terrorism when others do
it to the U.S., not when the U.S. does it to others.
Daniel Lazare is the author of several books including The Frozen Republic: How the
Constitution Is Paralyzing Democracy (Harcourt Brace).
Babyl-on , December 8, 2017 at 5:26 pm
I do not believe than anyone in the civil or military command ever believed that arming
the jihadists would bring any sort of stability or peace to the region. I do not believe that
peace was ever an interest of the US until it has once again gained hegemonic control of
central Asia. This is a fight to retain US global domination – causalities do not matter. The US
and its partners or co-rulers of the Empire the Saud family and the Zionist oligarchy will
slaughter with impunity until someone stops them or their own corruption defeats them.
The Empire can not exist without relentless ongoing slaughter it has been at it every day
now for 73 years. It worked for them all that time but that time has run out. China has
already set the date for when its currency will become fully freely exchanged, less than 5
years. When that happens the world will return to the gold standard + Bitcoin possibly and US
dollar hegemony will end. After that the trillion dollar a year military and the 20 trillion
debt take on a different meaning. Before that slaughter non-stop will continue.
john wilson , December 9, 2017 at 6:31 am
Really, Baby-lon, your first short paragraph sums this piece by Lazare perfectly and makes
the rest of his blog seem rather pointless. Even the most stupid person on earth couldn't
think that the US was using murdering, butchering head choppers in a bid to bring peace and
stability to the middle East. The Neocons and the other criminals that infest Washington
don't want peace at any price because its bad for business.
Babyl-on and John Wilson: you have nailed it. The last thing the US (gov't.) wants is
peace. War is big business; casualties are of no concern (3 million Koreans died in the
Korean War; 3 million Vietnamese in that war; 100's of thousands in Iraq [including Clinton's
sanctions] and Afghanistan). The US has used jihadi proxies since the mujahedeen in 1980's
Afghanistan and Contras in Nicaragua. To the US (gov't.), a Salafist dictatorship (such as
Saudi Arabia) is highly preferable to a secular, nationalist ruler (such as Egypt's Nasser,
Libya's Gaddafi, Syria's Assad).
So the cover story of the jjihadi's has changed – first they are freedom fighters, then
terrorists. What does not change is that in either case they are pawns of the US (gov't.)
goal of hegemony.
(Incidentally, Drew Hunkins must be responding to a different article.)
Exactly Baby right on, Either USA strategists are extremely ignorant or they are attempting
to create chaos, probably both.
Perhaps not continuously but surely frequently the USA has promoted war prior to the last 73
years. Native Genocide , Mexican Wars, Spanish War, WWI ( USA banker repayment war)
Richard , December 9, 2017 at 5:24 pm
Exactly Babylon! Looks like consortiumnews is turning into another propaganda rag. Assad
was allied with Russia and Iran – that's why the U.S. wanted him removed. Israel said
that they would preferred ISIS in power over Assad. The U.S. would have happily wiped out 90%
of the population using its terrorist proxies if it thought it could have got what it
wanted.
Sam F , December 10, 2017 at 8:50 am
CN tends to make moderate statements so as to communicate with those most in need of
them.
One must start with the understandings of the audience and show them that the evidence leads
further.
Richard , December 10, 2017 at 10:27 am
Sam F, no, it's a DELIBERATE lie in support of U.S. foreign policy. The guy wrote: "the
NAIVE belief that jihadist proxies could be used to TRANSFORM THE REGION FOR THE BETTER." It
could have been written as: "the stated justification by the president that he wanted to
transform the region for the better, even though there are often ulterior motives."
It's the same GROTESQUE caricature of these wars that the mainstream media always
presents: that the U.S. is on the side of good, and fights for good, even though every war
INVARIABLY ends up in a bloodbath, with no one caring how many civilians have died, what
state the country is left in, that civilian infrastructure and civilians were targeted, let
alone whether war could have been prevented. For example, in 1991, shortly after the first
Gulf War, Iraqis rose up against their regime, but George H. Bush allowed Saddam to fly his
military helicopters (permission was needed due to the no-fly zones), and quell the rebellion
in blood – tens of thousands were butchered! Bush said that when he told Iraqis to
rebel, he meant the military generals, NOT the Iraqi people themselves. In other words, the
U.S. wanted Saddam gone, but the same regime in place. The U.S. never cared about the
people!
Either Robert Parry or the author wrote that introduction. I suspect Mr Parry – he
always portrays the president as having a heart of gold, but, always, sadly, misinformed;
being a professional journalist, he knows full well that people often only read the start and
end of an article.
Drew Hunkins , December 8, 2017 at 5:31 pm
What we have occurring right now in the United States is a rare divergence of interests
within our ruling class. The elites are currently made up of Zionist-militarists. What we're
now witnessing is a rare conflict between the two factions. This particular internecine
battle has reared its head in the past, the Dubai armaments deal comes to mind off the top of
my head.
Trump started the Jerusalem imbroglio because he's concerned about Mueller's witch
hunt.
The military-industrial-complex sicced Mueller on Trump because they despise his overtures
towards rapprochement with the Kremlin. The military-industrial-complex MUST have a villain
to justify the gigantic defense [sic] spending which permeates the entire U.S.
politico-economic system. Putin and Russia were always the preferred demon because they
easily fit the bill in the minds of an easily brainwashed American public. Of course saber
rattling towards Moscow puts the world on the brink of nuclear war, but no matter, the
careerism and fat contracts are all that matter to the MIC. Trump's rhetoric about making
peace with the Kremlin has always mortified the MIC.
Since Trump's concerned about 1.) Mueller's witch hunt (he definitely should be deeply
concerned, this is an out of control prosecutor on mission creep), and 2.) the almost total
negative coverage the press has given him over the last two years, he's made a deal with the
Zionist Power Configuration; Trump, effectively saying to them: "I'll give you Jerusalem, you
use your immense influence in the American mass media to tamp down the relentlessly hostile
coverage toward me, and perhaps smear Mueller's witch hunt a bit ".
This is a rare instance of our elites battling it out behind the scenes, both groups being
reprehensible power hungry greed heads and sociopaths, it's hard to tell how this will
end.
How this all eventually plays out is anyone's guess indeed. Let's just make sure it
doesn't end with mushroom clouds over Tehran, Saint Petersburg, Paris, Chicago, London, NYC,
Washington and Berlin.
Abe , December 8, 2017 at 7:57 pm
Trump's purported deviation from foreign policy orthodoxy regarding both Russia and Israel
was a propaganda scam engineered by the pro-Israel Lobby from the very beginning. As Russia-gate fiction is progressively deconstructed, the Israel-gate reality becomes
ever more despicably obvious.
The shamelessly Israel-pandering Trump received the "Liberty Award" for his contributions
to US-Israel relations at a 3 February 2015 gala hosted by The Algemeiner Journal, a New
York-based newspaper, covering American and international Jewish and Israel-related news.
After the event, Trump did not renew his television contract for The Apprentice, which
raised speculation about a Trump bid for the presidency. Trump announced his candidacy in
June 2015.
Trump's purported break with GOP orthodoxy, questioning of Israel's commitment to peace,
calls for even treatment in Israeli-Palestinian deal-making, and refusal to call for
Jerusalem to be Israel's undivided capital, were all stage-managed for the campaign.
Cheap theatrics notwithstanding, the Netanyahu regime in Israel has "1000 percent" support
from the Trump regime.
Drew Hunkins , December 8, 2017 at 8:10 pm
If Trump were totally and completely subservient to Netanyahu he would have bombed
Damascus to remove Assad and would have bombed Tehran to obliterate Iran. Of course thus far
he has done neither. Don't get me wrong, Trump is essentially part and parcel of the Zionist
cabal, but I don't quite think he's 1,000% under their thumb (not yet?).
I don't think the Zionist Power Configuration concocted Trump's policy of relative peace
with the Kremlin. Yes, the ZPC is extremely powerful in America, but Trump's position of
detente with Moscow seemed to be genuine. He caught way too much heat from the mass media for
it to be a stunt, it's almost torpedoed his presidency, and may eventually do just that. It
was actually one of the very few things Trump got right; peace with Russia, cordial relations
with the Kremlin are a no-brainer. A no-brainer to everyone but the
military-industrial-complex.
Abe , December 8, 2017 at 10:59 pm
Russian. Missiles. Lets be clear: The military-industrial-complex wants plenty of low intensity conflict to
fuel ever more fabulous weapons sales, not a really hot war where all those pretty expensive
toys are falling out of the sky in droves.
Whether it was "bird strike" or something more technological that recently grounded the
"mighty" Israeli F-35I, it's clear that America isn't eager to have those "Inherent Resolve"
jets, so busily not bombing ISIS, painted with Russian SAM radar.
Russia made it clear that Trump's Tomahawk Tweet in April 2017 was not only under totally
false pretenses. It had posed a threat to Russian troops and Moscow took extra measures to
protect them.
Russian deployment of the advanced S-400 system on the Syrian coast in Latakia also
impacts Israel's regional air superiority. The S-400 can track and shoot down targets some
400 kilometers (250 miles) away. That range encompasses half of Israel's airspace, including
Ben Gurion International Airport. In addition to surface-to-air missiles installations, Russian aircraft in Syria are
equipped with air-to-air missiles. Those weapons are part of an calculus of Israeli aggression in the region.
Of course, there's much more to say about this subject.
Surely, Drew, even the brain washed sheep otherwise known as the American public can't
seriously believe that their government armed head choppers in a bid to bring peace to the
region, can they?
Drew Hunkins , December 9, 2017 at 1:34 pm
Yup Mr. Wilson. It's too much cognitive dissonance for them to process. After all, we're
the exceptional nation, the beacon on the hill, the country that ONLY intervenes abroad when
there is a 'right to protect!' or it's a 'humanitarian intervention.' As Ken Burns would say:
Washington only acts "with good intentions. They're just sometimes misplaced." That's all.
The biggest global empire the world has ever seen is completely out of the picture.
mike k , December 8, 2017 at 5:34 pm
When evil people with evil intentions set out to do something in the world, the result is
evil. Like Libya, or Iraq, or Syria. Why do I call these people who killed millions for their
own selfish greed for power evil? If you have to ask that, then you just don't understand
what evil is – and you have a lot of company, because many people believe that evil
does not even exist! Such sheeple become the perfect victims of the evil ones, who are
destroying our world.
john wilson , December 9, 2017 at 6:36 am
Correction, Mike. The public do believe that evil exists but they sincerely think that
Putin and Russia are the evil ones'
mike k , December 9, 2017 at 5:41 pm
One of the ways to avoid recognizing evil is to ascribe it to inappropriate, incorrect
sources usually as a result of believing misleading propaganda. Another common maneuver is to
deny evil's presence in oneself, and believe it is always "out there". Or one can feel that
"evil" is an outmoded religious concept that is only used to hit at those one does not
like.
Mild - ly Facetious , December 8, 2017 at 6:22 pm
Oh Jerusalem: Requiem for the two-state solution (Gas masks required)
On 24 October 2017, the Intercept released an NSA document unearthed from leaked
intelligence files provided by Edward Snowden which reveals that terrorist militants in Syria
were under the direct command of foreign governments from the early years of the war which
has now claimed half a million lives.
Marked "Top Secret" the NSA memo focuses on events that unfolded outside Damascus in March
of 2013.
The US intelligence memo is evidence of internal US government confirmation of the direct
role that both the Saudi and US governments played in fueling attacks on civilians and
civilian infrastructure, as well as military targets in pursuit of "regime change" in
Syria.
Israel's support for terrorist forces in Syria is well established. The Israelis and
Saudis coordinate their activities.
Abe , December 8, 2017 at 6:27 pm
An August 2012 DIA report (written when the U.S. was monitoring weapons flows from Libya
to Syria), said that the opposition in Syria was driven by al Qaeda and other extremist
groups: "the Salafist, the Muslim Brotherhood, and AQI are the major forces driving the
insurgency in Syria." The "deterioration of the situation" was predicted to have "dire consequences" for Iraq,
which included the "grave danger" of a terrorist "Islamic state". Some of the "dire consequences" are blacked out but the DIA warned one such consequence
would be the "renewing facilitation of terrorist elements from all over the Arab world
entering into Iraqi Arena."
The heavily redacted DIA memo specifically mentions "the possibility of establishing a
declared or undeclared Salafist principality in eastern Syria (Hasaka and Der Zor), and this
is exactly what the supporting powers to the opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian
regime, which is considered the strategic depth of the Shia expansion (Iraq and Iran)."
To clarify just who these "supporting powers" were, mentioned in the document who sought
the creation of a "Salafist principality," the DIA memo explained: "The West, Gulf countries, and Turkey support the opposition; while Russia, China, and
Iran support the regime."
The DIA memo clearly indicates when it was decided to transform US, Saudi, and
Turkish-backed Al Qaeda affiliates into ISIS: the "Salafist" (Islamic) "principality"
(State). NATO member state Turkey has been directly supporting terrorism in Syria, and
specifically, supporting ISIS. In 2014, Germany's international broadcaster Deutsche Welle's reported "'IS' supply
channels through Turkey." DW exposed fleets of hundreds of trucks a day, passing unchallenged
through Turkey's border crossings with Syria, clearly bound for the defacto ISIS capital of
Raqqa. Starting in September 2015, Russian airpower in Syria successfully interdicted ISIS supply
lines.
The usual suspects in Western media launched a relentless propaganda campaign against
Russian support for Syria. The Atlantic Council's Bellingcat disinformation operation started
working overtime.
The propaganda effort culminated in the 4 April 2017 Khan Shaykhun false flag chemical
incident in Idlib. Bellingcat's Eliot Higgins and Dan Kaszeta have been paraded by "First
Draft" coalition media "partners" in a vigorous effort to somehow implicate the Russians.
Abe , December 9, 2017 at 12:26 pm
In a January 2016 interview on Al Jazeera, former director of the Defense Intelligence
Agency Michael Flynn admitted that he "paid very close attention" to the August 2012 DIA
report predicting the rise of a "declared or undeclared Salafist Principality" in Syria. Flynn even asserts that the White House's sponsoring of terrorists (that would emerge as
Al Nusra and ISIS) against the Syrian regime was "a willful decision."
Flynn was interviewed by British journalist Mehdi Hasan for Al Jazeera's Head to Head
program. Flynn made it clear that the policies that led to the "the rise of the Islamic State, the
rise of terrorism" were not merely the result of ignorance or looking the other way, but the
result of conscious decision making:
Hasan: "You are basically saying that even in government at the time you knew these groups
were around, you saw this analysis, and you were arguing against it, but who wasn't
listening?"
Flynn: "I think the administration."
Hasan: "So the administration turned a blind eye to your analysis?"
Flynn: "I don't know that they turned a blind eye, I think it was a decision. I think it
was a willful decision."
Hasan: "A willful decision to support an insurgency that had Salafists, Al Qaeda and the
Muslim Brotherhood?"
Flynn: "It was a willful decision to do what they're doing."
Holding up a paper copy of the 2012 DIA report declassified through FOIA, Hasan read aloud
key passages such as, "there is the possibility of establishing a declared or undeclared
Salafist principality in Eastern Syria, and this is exactly what the supporting powers to the
opposition want, in order to isolate the Syrian regime."
Rather than downplay the importance of the document and these startling passages, as did
the State Department soon after its release, Flynn did the opposite: he confirmed that while
acting DIA chief he "paid very close attention" to this report in particular and later added
that "the intelligence was very clear."
Lt. Gen. Flynn, speaking safely from retirement, is the highest ranking intelligence
official to go on record saying the United States and other state sponsors of rebels in Syria
knowingly gave political backing and shipped weapons to Al-Qaeda in order to put pressure on
the Syrian regime:
Hasan: "In 2012 the U.S. was helping coordinate arms transfers to those same groups
[Salafists, Muslim Brotherhood, Al Qaeda in Iraq], why did you not stop that if you're
worried about the rise of quote-unquote Islamic extremists?"
Flynn: "I hate to say it's not my job but that my job was to was to to ensure that the
accuracy of our intelligence that was being presented was as good as it could be."
Flynn unambiguously confirmed that the 2012 DIA document served as source material in his
own discussions over Syria policy with the White House. Flynn served as Director of Intelligence for Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC)
during a time when its prime global mission was dismantling Al-Qaeda.
Flynn's admission that the White House was in fact arming and bolstering Al-Qaeda linked
groups in Syria is especially shocking given his stature. The Pentagon's former highest ranking intelligence officer in charge of the hunt for Osama
bin Laden confessed that the United States directly aided the Al Qaeda terrorist legions of
Ayman al-Zawahiri beginning in at least 2012 in Syria.
Abe , December 9, 2017 at 12:44 pm
Mehdi Hasan goes Head to Head with Michael Flynn, former head of the US Defense
Intelligence Agency
"Flynn would later tell the New York Times that this 2012 intelligence report in
particular was seen at the White House where it was 'disregarded' because it 'didn't meet the
narrative' on the war in Syria. He would further confirm to investigative journalist Seymour
Hersh that Defense Department (DoD) officials and DIA intelligence in particular, were loudly
warning the administration that jihadists were leading the opposition in Syria -- warnings
which were met with 'enormous pushback.' Instead of walking back his Al Jazeera comments,
General Flynn explained to Hersh that 'If the American public saw the intelligence we were
producing daily, at the most sensitive level, they would go ballistic.' Hersh's investigative
report exposed a kind of intelligence schism between the Pentagon and CIA concerning the
covert program in Syria.
"In a personal exchange on his blog Sic Semper Tyrannis, legendary DoD intelligence
officer and former presidential briefer Pat Lang explained [ ] that the DIA memo was used as
a 'warning shot across the [administration's] bow.' Lang has elsewhere stated that DIA
Director Flynn had 'tried to persuade people in the Obama Administration not to provide
assistance to the Nusra group.' It must be remembered that in 2012 what would eventually
emerge as distinct 'ISIS' and 'Nusra' (AQ in Syria) groups was at that time a singular entity
desiring a unified 'Islamic State.' The nascent ISIS organization (referenced in the memo as
'ISI' or Islamic State in Iraq) was still one among many insurgent groups fighting to topple
Assad.
"In fact, only one year after the DIA memo was produced (dated August 12, 2012) a
coalition of rebels fighting under the US-backed Revolutionary Military Council of Aleppo
were busy celebrating their most strategic victory to date, which served to open an
opposition corridor in Northern Syria. The seizure of the Syrian government's Menagh Airbase
in August 2013 was only accomplished with the military prowess of fighters identifying
themselves in front of cameras and to reporters on the ground as the Islamic State of Iraq
and al-Sham.
"Public embarrassment came for Ambassador to Syria Robert Ford who reluctantly confirmed
that in fact, yes, the US-funded and supplied FSA commander on the ground had personally led
ISIS and Nusra fighters in the attack (Ford himself was previously filmed alongside the
commander). This after the New York Times publicized unambiguous video proof of the fact.
Even the future high commander of Islamic State's military operations, Omar al-Shishani,
himself played a leading role in the US sponsored FSA operation."
"one first needs to understand what has happened in Syria and other Middle Eastern
countries in recent years. The original plan of the US and Saudi Arabia (behind whom stood an
invisible Israel) was the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad and his replacement with Islamic
fundamentalists or takfiris (Daesh, al-Qaeda, Jabhat al-Nusra).
"The plan involved the following steps:
sweep away a strong secular Arab state with a political culture, armed forces and
security services;
generate total chaos and horror in Syria that would justify the creation of Israel's
'security zone', not only in Golan Heights, but also further north;
start a civil war in Lebanon and incite takfiri violence against Hezbollah, leading
to them both bleeding to death and then create a "security zone", this time in Lebanon;
prevent the creation of a "Shiite axis" of Iran/Iraq/Syria/Lebanon;
continue the division of Syria along ethnic and religious lines, establish an
independent Kurdistan and then to use them against Turkey, Syria, Iraq and Iran.
give Israel the opportunity to become the unquestioned major player in the region and
force Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait and everyone else to apply for permission from Israel
in order to implement any oil and gas projects;
gradually isolate, threaten, undermine and ultimately attack Iran with a wide
regional coalition, removing all Shiite centers of power in the middle East.
"It was an ambitious plan, and the Israelis were completely convinced that the United
States would provide all the necessary resources to see it through. But the Syrian government
has survived thanks to military intervention by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah. Daesh is almost
defeated and Iran and Hezbollah are so firmly entrenched in Syria that it has driven the
Israelis into a state of fear bordering on panic. Lebanon remains stable, and even the recent
attempt by the Saudis to abduct Prime Minister Saad Hariri failed.
"As a result, Saudi Arabia and Israel have developed a new plan: force the US to attack
Iran. To this end, the 'axis of good"' (USA-Israel-Saudi Arabia) was created, although this
is nothing new. Saudi Arabia and the other Arab States in the Persian Gulf have in the past
spoken in favor of intervention in Syria. It is well known that the Saudis invaded Bahrain,
are occupying it de facto, and are now at war in Yemen.
"The Israelis will participate in any plan that will finally split the Sunnis and Shiites,
turning the region into rubble. It was not by chance that, having failed in Lebanon, they are
now trying to do the same in Yemen after the murder of Ali Abdullah Saleh.
"For the Saudis and Israelis, the problem lies in the fact that they have rather weak
armed forces; expensive and high-tech, but when it comes to full-scale hostilities,
especially against a really strong opponent such as the Iranians or Hezbollah, the
'Israel/Wahhabis' have no chance and they know it, even if they do not admit it. So, one
simply needs to think up some kind of plan to force the Shiites to pay a high price.
"So they developed a new plan. Firstly, the goal is now not the defeat of Hezbollah or
Iran. For all their rhetoric, the Israelis know that neither they nor especially the Saudis
are able to seriously threaten Iran or even Hezbollah. Their plan is much more basic:
initiate a serious conflict and then force the US to intervene. Only today, the armed forces
of the United States have no way of winning a war with Iran, and this may be a problem. The
US military knows this and they are doing everything to tell the neo-cons 'sorry, we just
can't.' This is the only reason why a US attack on Iran has not already taken place. From the
Israeli point of view this is totally unacceptable and the solution is simple: just force the
US to participate in a war they do not really need. As for the Iranians, the Israeli goal of
provoking an attack on Iran by the US is not to defeat Iran, but just to bring about
destruction – a lot of destruction [ ]
"You would need to be crazy to attack Iran. The problem, however, is that the Saudis and
the Israelis are close to this state. And they have proved it many times. So it just remains
to hope that Israel and the KSA are 'crazy', but 'not that crazy'."
The article raises a very serious charge. Up till now it appeared that supplying weapons to
Al Qaeda affiliates in Syria was just another example of Pentagon incompetence but the
suggestion here is that it was a concerted policy and it's hard to believe that there was no
one in the Pentagon that was privy to that policy who wouldn't raise an objection.
That it
conformed with Israeli, Saudi and CIA designs is not surprising, but that there was no
dissension within the Pentagon is appalling (or that Obama didn't raise objections). Clark's
comment should put him on the hot seat for a congressional investigation but, of course,
there is no one in congress to run with it. The policy is so manifestly evil that it seems to
dwarf even the reckless ignorance of preceding "interventions".
Linda Wood , December 8, 2017 at 10:24 pm
There WAS dissension within the Pentagon, not only about being in a coalition with the
Gulf States and Turkey in support of terrorist forces, but about allowing ISIS to invade
Ramadi, which CENTCOM exposed by making public that US forces watched it happen and did
nothing. In addition, CENTCOM and SOCOM publicly opposed switching sides in Yemen.
A senior commander at Central Command (CENTCOM), speaking on condition of anonymity,
scoffed at that argument. "The reason the Saudis didn't inform us of their plans," he said,
"is because they knew we would have told them exactly what we think -- that it was a bad
idea.
Military sources said that a number of regional special forces officers and officers at
U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) argued strenuously against supporting the Saudi-led
intervention because the target of the intervention, the Shia Houthi movement -- which has
taken over much of Yemen and which Riyadh accuses of being a proxy for Tehran -- has been
an effective counter to Al-Qaeda.
The DIA report released by Gen. Flynn in 2012 predicted the Islamic State with alarm. That
is why Flynn was fired as Director of DIA. He objected to the insane policy of supporting the
CIA/Saudi madness and saw it as not only counter-productive but disastrous. His comments to
AlJazeera in 2016 reinforced this position. Gen Flynn's faction of the American military has
been consistent in its opposition to CIA support of terrorist forces.
Thanks, I never read anything about it in the MSM (perhaps Aljazeera was an exception?).
However, this doesn't explain Gen. Flynn's tight relationship with Turkey's Erdogan who
clearly backed the Al Qaeda affiliated rebels to the point of shooting down a Russian jet
over Syria.
Sam F , December 10, 2017 at 8:57 am
The fighter shoot-down incident was before Erdogan's reversals in Syria policy.
Linda Wood , December 8, 2017 at 10:28 pm
I see Gen. Flynn as a whistleblower. The 2012 report he circulated saw the rise of the
Salafist Islamic state with alarm.
B. THE SALAFIST, THE MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD, AND AQI ARE THE MAJOR FORCES DRIVING THE
INSURGENCY IN SYRIA.
C. THE WEST, GULF COUNTRIES, AND TURKEY SUPPORT THE OPPOSITION; WHILE RUSSIA, CHINA, AND
IRAN SUPPORT THE REGIME.
C. IF THE SITUATION UNRAVELS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A DECLARED OR
UNDECLARED SALAFIST PRINCIPALITY IN EASTERN SYRIA (HASAKA AND DER ZOR), AND THIS IS EXACTLY
WHAT THE SUPPORTING POWERS TO THE OPPOSITION WANT, IN ORDER TO ISOLATE THE SYRIAN REGIME,
WHICH IS CONSIDERED THE STRATEGIC DEPTH OF THE SHIA EXPANSION (IRAQ AND IRAN).
D. THE DETERIORATION OF THE SITUATION HAS DIRE CONSEQUENCES ON THE IRAQI SITUATION AND
ARE AS FOLLOWS:
–1. THIS CREATES THE IDEAL ATMOSPHERE FOR AQI TO RETURN TO ITS OLD POCKETS IN
MOSUL AND RAMADI, AND WILL PROVIDE A RENEWED MOMENTUM UNDER THE PRESUMPTION OF UNIFYING THE
JIHAD AMONG SUNNI IRAQ AND SYRIA ISI COULD ALSO DECLARE AN ISLAMIC STATE THROUGH ITS UNION
WITH OTHER TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN IRAQ AND SYRIA, WHICH WILL CREATE GRAVE DANGER IN
REGARDS TO UNIFYING IRAQ AND THE PROTECTION OF ITS TERRITORY
Lieutenant General Michael Flynn, director of the DIA between 2012 and 2014, confirmed
that his agency had sent a constant stream of classified warnings to the civilian
leadership about the dire consequences of toppling Assad. The jihadists, he said, were in
control of the opposition. Turkey wasn't doing enough to stop the smuggling of foreign
fighters and weapons across the border. 'If the American public saw the intelligence we
were producing daily, at the most sensitive level, they would go ballistic,' Flynn told me.
'We understood Isis's long-term strategy and its campaign plans, and we also discussed the
fact that Turkey was looking the other way when it came to the growth of the Islamic State
inside Syria.' The DIA's reporting, he said, 'got enormous pushback' from the Obama
administration. 'I felt that they did not want to hear the truth.'
j. D. D. , December 9, 2017 at 8:33 am
Thank you. Gen Flynn also urged coordination with Russia against ISIS, so it doesn't take
much to see why he was targeted. Ironically, the MSM is now going bananas over his support
for nuclear power in the region, which he had tied to desalination of sea water, toward
alleviating that crucial source of conflict in the area.
Abbybwood , December 9, 2017 at 11:24 pm
I believe Wesley Clark told Amy Goodman that he was handed the classified memo regarding
the U.S. overthrowing seven countries in five years starting with Iraq and ending with Iran,
in 2001, not 2006. He said it was right after 9/11 when he visited the Pentagon and Joint
Chief of Staff's office and was handed the memo.
jaycee , December 8, 2017 at 7:19 pm
The use of Islamist proxy warriors to help achieve American geo-political ends goes back
to at least 1979, including Afghanistan, Bosnia, Libya, and Syria. One of the better books on
9/11 is Nafeez Mosaddeq Ahmed's "The War On Truth: 9/11, Disinformation, and the Anatomy of
Terrorism". The first section of that book – "The Geopolitics of Terrorism" –
covers, across 150 well-sourced pages, the history and background of this involvement. It is
highly recommended for anyone who wishes to be better informed on this topic.
One disturbing common feature across the years have been US sponsored airlifts of Islamist
fighters facing defeat, as seen in Afghanistan in late 2001 and just recently in eastern
Syria. In 2001, some of those fighters were relocated to North Africa, specifically Mali
– the roots of the Islamist insurgency which has destabilized that country over the
past few years. Where exactly the ISIS rebels assisted some weeks ago were relocated is yet
unknown.
turk151 , December 9, 2017 at 10:03 pm
Jaycee, actually you have to go back much further than that to WW2. Hitler used the
marginalized Turkic people in Russia and turned them into effective fighters to create
internal factions within the Soviet Union. After Hitler lost and the Cold War began, the US,
who had no understanding of the Soviets at the time radicalized and empowered Islamist
including the Muslim Brotherhood to weaponize Islam against the Soviet Union.
Hence the birth of the Mujaheddin and Bin Laden, the rest is history.
j. D. D. , December 8, 2017 at 7:57 pm
The article does not support the sub-headline. There is no evidence provided, nor is there
any evidence to be found, that Washington's policy in the region was motivated by anything
other than geopolitical objectives.
David G , December 9, 2017 at 7:25 am
I think that phrasing may point to the hand of editor Robert Parry. The incredible value
of CN notwithstanding, Parry in his own pieces (erroneously in my eyes) maintains a belief
that Obama somehow meant well. Hence the imputation of some "naïve" but ultimately
benevolent motive on the part of the U.S. genocidaires, as the whole Syria catastrophe got
going on Obama's watch.
Anon , December 9, 2017 at 9:14 am
The imputation of naivete works to avoid accusation of a specific strategy without
sufficient evidence.
Skip Scott , December 9, 2017 at 9:45 am
Although I am no fan of Obama, and most especially the continuation of the warmongering
for his 8 years, he did balk at the "Red line" when he found out he was being set up, and it
wasn't Assad who used chemical weapons. I don't think he "meant well" so much as he knew the
exact length of his leash. His bragging about going against "The Washington playbook" was of
course laughable; just as his whole hopey/changey thing was laughable with Citigroup picking
his cabinet.
All these western imperial geostrategic planners are certifiably insane and have no
business anywhere near the levers of government policy. They are the number one enemy of
humanity. If we don't find a way to remove them from power, they may actually succeed in
destroying life on Earth.
"Official Washington helped unleash hell on Syria and across the Mideast behind the
naïve belief that jihadist proxies could be used to transform the region for the better,
explains Daniel Lazare." What a load of old rubbish, naïve belief indeed. it is difficult to believe that
anyone could write this stuff with a straight face.
Linda Wood , December 8, 2017 at 10:37 pm
Incompetence and stupidity are their only defense because if anyone acknowledged that
trillions of dollars have been made by the usual suspects committing these crimes, the
industrialists of war would face a justice symbolized by Nuremberg.
Zachary Smith , December 8, 2017 at 11:37 pm
That Gary Gambill character "outed" himself as a Zionist on September 4 of this year. He
appears to have mastered the propaganda associated with the breed. At the link see if
you can find any mention of the murders, thefts, ethnic cleansing, or apartheid of his
adopted nation. Blaming the victim may be this fellow's specialty. Sample:
The well-intentioned flocked in droves to the belief that Israeli- Palestinian peace was
achievable provided Israel made the requisite concessions, and that this would liberate the
Arab-Islamic world from a host of other problems allegedly arising from it: bloated
military budgets, intolerance of dissent, Islamic extremism, you name it.
Why tackle each of these problems head on when they can be alleviated all at once when
Israel is brought to heel? Twenty years later, the Middle East is suffering the
consequences of this conspiracy of silence.
The American groupthink rarely allows propaganda and disinformation disturb: endless wars
and endless lies and criminality, have not disturbed this mindset. It is clever to manipulate
people to think in a way opposite of truth so consistently. All the atrocities by the US have
been surrounded by media propaganda and mastery of groupthink techniques go down well.
Mention something unusual or real news and you might get heavily criticized for daring to
think outside the box and doubt what are (supposedly) "religious truths". Tell a lie long
enough and it becomes the truth.
It takes courage to go against the flow of course and one can only hope that the Americans
are what they think they are: courageous and strong enough to hear their cherished truths
smashed, allow the scales before their eyes to fall and practise free speech and free
thought.
Theo , December 9, 2017 at 6:35 am
Thanks for this article and many others on this site.In Europe and in Germany you hardly
hear,read or see any of these facts and their connections.It seems to be only of marginal
interest.
The CIA was a key force behind the creation of both al Qaeda and ISIS. Most major
incidents of "Islamic Terrorism" have some kind of CIA backing behind them. See this large
collection of links for compiled evidence:
http://www.pearltrees.com/joshstern/government-supporting/id18814292
triekc , December 9, 2017 at 8:27 am
This journalist and other journalists writing on some of my favorite Russian propaganda
news websites, have reported the US empire routinely makes "deals with the devil", the enemy
of my enemy is my friend, if doing so furthers their goal of perpetual war and global
hegemony. Yet, inexplicably, these journalists buy the US empire's 911 story without
question, in the face of many unanswered questions.
Beginning in the 1990's, neocons who
would become W's cabinet, wrote detailed plans of military regime change in Middle East, but
stating they needed a "strong external shock to the United States -- a latter-day 'Pearl
Harbor", to get US sheeple to support increased militarism and global war. Few months after W
took office, and had appointed those war mongering neocons to positions of power, Bin Laden
(CIA staffer) and a handful of his men, all from close allied countries to the US, Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Egypt, delivered the 2nd Pearl Harbor on 911. What a timely coincidence! We
accept the US Empire provides weapons and military support to the same enemy, and worse, who
attacked us on 911, but one is labeled a "conspiracy nut" if they believe that same US Empire
would orchestrate 911 to justify their long planned global war. One thing about being a
"conspiracy nut", if you live long enough, often you will see your beliefs vindicated
Joe Tedesky , December 9, 2017 at 11:27 am
You commented on what I was thinking, and that was, 'remember when al Queda was our enemy
on 911'? So now that bin Laden is dead, and his al Queda now fights on our side, shouldn't
the war be over? And, just for the record who did attack us on 911?
So many questions, and so much left unanswered, but don't worry America may run out of
money for domestic vital needs but the U.S. always has the money to go fight another war.
It's a culture thing, and if you ain't into it then you just don't pay no attention to it. In
fact if your life is better off from all of these U.S. led invasions, then your probably not
posting any comments here, either.
Knowing the Pentagon mentality they probably have an 'al Queda combat medal' to pin on the
terrorists chest. Sarcasm I know, but seriously is anything not within the realm of
believable when it comes to this MIC establishment?
Christene Bartels , December 9, 2017 at 8:53 am
Great article and spot on as far as the author takes it. But the world is hurtling towards
Armageddon so I'd like to back things up about one hundred years and get down to brass
tacks.
The fact of the matter is, the M.E. has never been at total peace but it has been nothing
but one colossal FUBAR since the Ottoman Empire was defeated after WWI and the Allied Forces
got their grubby, greedy mitts on its M.E. territories and all of that luscious black gold.
First up was the British Empire and France and then it really went nuclear (literally) in
1946 when Truman and the U.S. joined in the fun and decided to figure out how we could carve
out that ancient prime piece of real estate and resurrect Israel. By 1948 ..violà
..there she was.
So now here we sit as the hundred year delusion that we knew what the hell we were doing
comes crashing down around us. Seriously, whoever the people have been who thought that a
country with the historical perspective of a toddler was going to be able to successfully
manage and manipulate a region filled with people who are still tribal in perspective and are
still holding grudges and settling scores from five thousand years ago were complete and
total arrogant morons. Every single one of them. Up to the present moment.
Which gets me down to those brass tacks I alluded to at the beginning of my comment.
Delusional crusades lead by arrogant morons always, always, always end up as ash heaps. So, I
would suggest we all prepare for that rapidly approaching conclusion accordingly. For me,
that means hitting my knees.
Gregory Herr , December 9, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Middle Eastern people are no more "tribal" or prone to holding grudges than any other
people. Middle Eastern people have exhibited and practiced peaceful and tolerant living
arrangements within several different contexts over the centuries. Iraq had a fairly thriving
middle class and the Syrians are a cultured and educated people.
Gregory Herr , December 9, 2017 at 10:07 pm
Syrian society is constructed very much within the construct of close family ties and a
sense of a Syrian homeland. It is solely the business of the Syrian people to decide whether
the socialist Ba'ath government functions according to their own sense of realities and
standards. Some of those realities may include aspects of a necessitated national security
state (necessitated by CIA and Israeli subterfuge) that prompts shills to immediately
characterize the Assad government as "an authoritarian regime" and of course that's all you
need to know. Part of what pisses the West off about the Syrians is that they are so
competent, and that includes their intelligence and security services. One of the other parts
is the socialist example of government functioning in interests of the general population,
not selling out to vultures.
It bothers me that Mr. Lazare wrote: "Syria's Baathist government is hardly blameless in
this affair." Really? Well the Syrian government can hardly be blamed for the vile strategy
of using terrorist mercenaries to take or destroy a people's homeland–killing horrific
numbers of fathers, mothers, and children on the way to establish some kind of Wild West
control over Damascus that can then be manipulated for the typical elite deviances. What was
purposely planned and visited upon the Syrian people has had human consequences that were
known and disregarded by the planners. It has been and continues to be a grave crime against
our common humanity that should be raised to the roof of objection! People like Gambill
should be excoriated for their crass appraisal of human costs .and for their contrived and
twisted rationalizations and deceits. President Assad recently gave an interview to teleSUR
that is worth a listen. He talks about human costs with understanding for what he is talking
about. Gambill doesn't give a damn.
BASLE , December 9, 2017 at 10:46 am
From the October 1973 Yom Kippur War onward, the United States had no foreign policy in
the Middle East other than Israel's. Daniel Lazare should read "A clean break: a new strategy
for the Realm".
Sam F , December 10, 2017 at 9:08 am
Yes, Israel is the cut-out or fence for US politicians stealing campaign money from the
federal budget.
US policy is that of the bribery sources and nothing else. And it believes that to be
professional competence.
For the majority of amoral opportunists of the US, money=power=virtue and they will attack
all who disagree.
"Official Washington helped unleash hell on Syria and across the Mideast behind the
naïve belief that jihadist proxies could be used to transform the region for the better,
explains Daniel Lazare."
Lazare makes the case very well about our amoral foreign policy but I think he errs in
saying our aim was to "transform the region for the better." Recent history, going back to
Afghanistan shows a very different goal, to defeat our enemies and the enemies of our allies
with little concern for the aftermath. Just observing what has happened to the people where
we supported extremists is evidence enough.
Peace on Earth, Goodwill toward men. We hope the conscience of our nation is bothered by
our behavior but we know that is not true, and we sleep very well, thank you.
Marilyn Vogt-Downey , December 9, 2017 at 11:18 am
I am stunned that anyone could be so foolish as to think that the US military machine, US
imperialism, does things "naively", bumbling like a helpless giant into wars that destroy
entire nations with no end in sight. One need not be a "conspiracy theorist" to understand
that the Pentagon does not control the world with an ever-expanding war budget equal to the
next 10 countries combined, that it does this just because it is stuck on the wrong path. No!
US imperialism develops these "big guns" to use them, to overpower, take over and dominate
the world for the sake of profits and protection of the right to exploit for private
profit.
There is ample evidence–see the Brookings Institute study among many
others–that the Gulf monarchies–flunkies of US imperialism–who "host"
dozens of US military bases in the region, some of them central to US war
strategy–initiated and nourished and armed and financed the "jihadi armies" in Syria
AND Libya AND elsewhere; they did not do this on their own. The US government–the
executive committee of the US ruling class–does not naively support the Gulf monarchies
because it doesn't know any better! Washington (following British imperialism) organized,
established and backed these flunky regimes. They are autocratic, antediluvian regimes,
allowing virtually civil rights, with no local proletariat to speak of, no popular base. They
are no more than sheriffs for imperialism in that region of the world, along with the Zionist
state of Israel, helping imperialism do the really dirty work.
Look at the evidence. Stop the totally foolish assessment that the US government spends
all this money on a war machine just to "naively" blunder into wars that level entire
nations–and is not taking on destruction of the entire continent of Africa to eliminate
any obstacles to its domination.
No! That is foolish and destructive. Unless we look in the face what is going on–the
US government since its "secret" intervention in Afghanistan in the 1970s and 1980s, has
recruited, trained, armed, funded and relied on jihadi armies to unseat regimes and
destabilize and destroy populations and regimes the US government wants to overthrow, and
destroy, any that could potentially develop into an alternative model of nationalist,
bourgeois industrial development on any level.
Wake up!!! The evidence is there. There is no reason to bumble and bungle along as if we
are in the dark.
Randal Marlin , December 9, 2017 at 11:26 am
Daniel Pipes, from what I've read of him, is among those who counsel the U.S. government
to use its military power to support the losing side in any civil wars fought within Israel's
enemy states, so that the wars will continue, sparing Israel the threat of unified enemy
states. What normal human beings consider a humanitarian disaster, repeated in Iraq, Syria
and Libya, would be reckoned a success according to this way of thinking.
The thinking would appear to lead to similar treatment of Iran, with even more catastrophic
consequences.
Behind all this is the thinking that the survival of Israel outweighs anything else in any
global ethical calculus.
Those who don't accept this moral premise but who believe in supporting the survival of
Israel have their work cut out for them.
This work would be made easier if the U.S. population saw clearly what was going on, instead
of being preoccupied with salacious sexual misconduct stories or other distractions.
Zachary Smith , December 9, 2017 at 2:43 pm
A Russian interceptor has been scrambled to stop a rogue US fighter jet from actively
interfering with an anti-terrorist operation, the Russian Defense Ministry said. It also
accused the US of provoking close encounters with the Russian jets in Syria.
A US F-22 fighter was preventing two Russian Su-25 strike aircraft from bombing an
Islamic State (IS, former ISIS) base to the west of the Euphrates November 23, according to
the ministry. The ministry's spokesman, Major General Igor Konashenkov described the
episode as yet another example of US aircraft attempts to prevent Russian forces from
carrying out strikes against Islamic State.
"The F-22 launched decoy flares and used airbrakes while constantly maneuvering [near
the Russian strike jets], imitating an air fight," Konashenkov said. He added that the US
jet ceased its dangerous maneuvers only after a Russian Su-35S fighter jet joined the two
strike planes.
If this story is true, then it illustrates a number of things. First, the US is still
providing ISIS air cover. Second, either the F-22 pilot or his commander is dumber than dirt.
The F-22 may be a fine airplane, but getting into a contest with an equally fine non-stealth
airplane at eyeball distances means throwing away every advantage of the super-expensive
stealth.
Israel obtained operational nuclear weapons capability by 1967, with the mass production
of nuclear warheads occurring immediately after the Six-Day War. In addition to the Israeli
nuclear arsenal, Israel has offensive chemical and biological warfare stockpiles.
Israel, the Middle East's sole nuclear power, is not a signatory to the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty.
In 2015, the US-based Institute for Science and International Security estimated that
Israel had 115 nuclear warheads. Outside estimates of Israel's nuclear arsenal range up to
400 nuclear weapons.
Israeli nuclear weapons delivery mechanisms include Jericho 3 missiles, with a range of
4,800 km to 6,500 km (though a 2004 source estimated its range at up to 11,500 km), as well
as regional coverage from road mobile Jericho 2 IRBMs.
Additionally, Israel is believed to have an offshore nuclear capability using
submarine-launched nuclear-capable cruise missiles, which can be launched from the Israeli
Navy's Dolphin-class submarines.
The Israeli Air Force has F-15I and F-16I Sufa fighter aircraft are capable of delivering
tactical and strategic nuclear weapons at long distances using conformal fuel tanks and
supported by their aerial refueling fleet of modified Boeing 707's.
In 1986, Mordechai Vanunu, a former technician at Dimona, fled to the United Kingdom and
revealed to the media some evidence of Israel's nuclear program and explained the purposes of
each building, also revealing a top-secret underground facility directly below the
installation.
The Mossad, Israel's secret service, sent a female agent who lured Vanunu to Italy, where
he was kidnapped by Mossad agents and smuggled to Israel aboard a freighter. An Israeli court
then tried him in secret on charges of treason and espionage, and sentenced him to eighteen
years imprisonment.
At the time of Vanunu's kidnapping, The Times reported that Israel had material for
approximately 20 hydrogen bombs and 200 fission bombs by 1986. In the spring of 2004, Vanunu
was released from prison, and placed under several strict restrictions, such as the denial of
a passport, freedom of movement limitations and restrictions on communications with the
press. Since his release, he has been rearrested and charged multiple times for violations of
the terms of his release.
Safety concerns about this 40-year-old reactor have been reported. In 2004, as a
preventive measure, Israeli authorities distributed potassium iodide anti-radiation tablets
to thousands of residents living nearby. Local residents have raised concerns regarding
serious threats to health from living near the reactor.
According to a lawsuit filed in Be'er Sheva Labor Tribunal, workers at the center were
subjected to human experimentation in 1998. According to Julius Malick, the worker who
submitted the lawsuit, they were given drinks containing uranium without medical supervision
and without obtaining written consent or warning them about risks of side effects.
In April 2016 the U.S. National Security Archive declassified dozens of documents from
1960 to 1970, which detail what American intelligence viewed as Israel's attempts to
obfuscate the purpose and details of its nuclear program. The Americans involved in
discussions with Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and other Israelis believed the country was
providing "untruthful cover" about intentions to build nuclear weapons.
mike k , December 9, 2017 at 6:38 pm
The machinations of those seeking to gain advantages for themselves by hurting others, are
truly appalling. If we fail to name evil for what it is, then we fail as human beings.Those
who look the other way as their country engages in an organized reign of terror, are
complicit in that enormous crime.
Den Lille Abe , December 9, 2017 at 8:54 pm
The path the US has chosen since the end of WWII has been over dead bodies. In the name of
"security", bringing "Freedom" and "Democracy" and complete unconstrained greed it has
trampled countless nations into piles of rubble.
To say it is despised or loathed is an overwhelming understatement. It is almost universally
hated in the third world. Rightly.
Bringing this monstrosity to a halt is a difficult task, and probably cannot be done
militarily without a nuclear war, economically could in the end have the same outcome, then
how?
Easy! Ruin its population. This process has started, long ago.
The decline in the US of health, general wealth, nutrition, production, education, equality,
ethics and morals is already showing as cracks in the fabrics of the US.
A population of incarcerated, obese, low iQ zealot junkies, armed to teeth with guns, in a
country with a crumbling infrastructure, full of environmental disasters is 21 st century for
most Americans.
In all the areas I mentioned the US is going backwards compared to most other countries.
So the monster will come down.
turk151 , December 9, 2017 at 10:20 pm
I think you are being a little hard on the incarcerated, obese, low iQ zealot junkies,
armed to teeth with guns
I am not sure who is more loathsome the evangelicals who were supporting the Bush / Cheney
cabal murderous wars until the bitter end or the liberal intelligentsia careerist
cheerleaders for Obama and Hilary's Wars in Iraq and Syria, who also dont give a damn about
another Arab country being destroyed and sold into slavery as long as Hillary gets elected.
At least with the former group, you can chalk it up to a lack of education.
Linda Wood , December 10, 2017 at 1:52 am
This is possibly the most intelligent and hopeful discussion I have read since 9/11. It
says that at least some Americans do see that we have a fascist cell in our government. That
is the first step in finding a way to unplug it. Best wishes to all of you who have written
here. We will find a way to put war out of business.
Barbara van der Wal-Kylstra , December 10, 2017 at 2:46 am
I think this pattern of using Salafists for regime change started already in Afghanistan,
with Brzezinski plotting with Saudi-Arabia and Pakistan to pay and train Osama bin Laden to
attack the pro Russia regime and trying to get the USSR involved in it, also trying to blame
the USSR for its agression, like they did in Syri"r?
Sam F , December 10, 2017 at 9:18 am
Yes, the Brzezinski/Reagan support of fanatic insurgencies began in AfPak and was revived
for the zionists.
Russia happened to be on the side more or less tending to progress in both cases, so it had
to be opposed.
The warmongers are always the US MIC/intel, allied with the anti-American zionist fascists
for Mideast wars.
Luutzen , December 10, 2017 at 9:15 am
Sheldon Adelson, Soros, Saban all wanted carving up of Arabic states into small sectarian
pieces (No Nasseric pan-Arabic states, a threat to Israël). And protracted wars of total
destruction. Easy.
mike k , December 10, 2017 at 11:05 am
The US Military is part of the largest terrorist organization on Earth. For the super rich
and powerful rulers of that US Mafia, the ignorant religious fanatics and other tools of
Empire are just pawns in their game of world domination and universal slavery for all but
themselves. These monsters of evil delight in profiting from the destruction of others; but
their insatiable greed for more power will never be satisfied, and will become the cause of
the annihilation of every living thing – including themselves. But like other sold out
human addicts, at this point they don't really care, and will blindly pursue their nightmare
quest to the very end – and perhaps they secretly hope that that final end of
everything will at last quench their burning appetite for blood and gold.
Joe Tedesky , December 10, 2017 at 11:12 am
I'm leaving a link to a very long David Swanson article, where Mr Swanson goes into quite
a lot of detail to how the U.S. wages war.
What's interesting of course is how not just Washington, but much of the 'left' also
cheered on the jihadists.
Of course, they were told (by whom?) that the jihadists were 'democratic rebels' and
'freedom fighters' who just wanted to 'bring democracy' to Syria, and get rid of the 'tyrant
Assad.' 5 years later, so much of the nonsense about "local councils" and "white helmets" has
been exposed for what it was. Yet many 'free thinking' people bought the propaganda. Just
like they do on Russiagate. Who needs an "alt-right" when America's "left" is a total
disgrace?
All signs of sophisticated false flag operation, which probably involved putting malware into DNC servers and then
detecting and analyzing them
Notable quotes:
"... 6 May 2016 when CrowdStrike first detected what it assessed to be a Russian presence inside the DNC server. Follow me here. One week after realizing there had been a penetration, the DNC learns, courtesy of the computer security firm it hired, that the Russians are doing it. Okay. Does CrowdStrike shut down the penetration. Nope. The hacking apparently continues unabated. ..."
"... The Smoking Gun ..."
"... I introduce Seth Rich at this point because he represents an alternative hypothesis. Rich, who reportedly was a Bernie Sanders supporter, was in a position at the DNC that gave him access to the emails in question and the opportunity to download the emails and take them from the DNC headquarters. Worth noting that Julian Assange offered $20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Rich's killer or killers. 8. 22 July 2016. Wikileaks published the DNC emails starting on 22 July 2016. Bill Binney, a former senior official at NSA, insists that if such a hack and electronic transfer over the internet had occurred then the NSA has in it possession the intelligence data to prove that such activity had occurred. ..."
"... Notwithstanding the claim by CrowdStrike not a single piece of evidence has been provided to the public to support the conclusion that the emails were hacked and physically transferred to a server under the control of a Russian intelligence operative. ..."
"... Please do not try to post a comment stating that the "Intelligence Community" concluded as well that Russia was responsible. That claim is totally without one shred of actual forensic evidence. Also, Julian Assange insists that the emails did not come from a Russian source. ..."
"... Wikileaks, the protector of the accountability of the top, has announced a reward for finding the murderers of Seth Rich. In comparison, the DNC has not offered any reward to help the investigation of the murder of the DNC staffer, but the DNC found a well-connected lawyer to protect Imran Awan who is guilty (along with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz) in the greatest breach of national cybersecurity: http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/29/wasserman-schultz-seemingly-planned-to-pay-suspect-even-while-he-lived-in-pakistan/ ..."
"... I'm afraid you're behind the times. Wheeler is no longer relevant now that Sy Hersh has revealed an FBI report that explicitly says Rich was in contact with Wikileaks offering to sell them DNC documents. ..."
"... It's unfortunate for the Rich family, but now that the connection is pretty much confirmed, they're going to have to allow the truth to come out ..."
"... Mr. Dmitri Alperovitch, of Jewish descent (and an emigre from Russia), has been an "expert" at the Atlantic Council, the same organization that cherishes and provides for Mr. Eliot Higgins. These two gentlemen - and the directorate of Atlantic Council - are exhibit one of opportunism and intellectual dishonesty (though it is hard to think about Mr. Higgins in terms of "intellect"). ..."
"... Alperovitch is not just an incompetent "expert" in cybersecurity - he is a willing liar and war-mongering, for money. ..."
"... One could of course start earlier. What is the exact timeline of the larger cyberwar post 9/11, or at least the bits and pieces that surfaced for the nitwits among us, like: Stuxnet? ..."
"... Scott Ritter's article referenced in PT's post is terrific, covering a ton of issues related to CrowdStrike and the DNC hack. You need to read it, not just PT's timeline. In case you missed the link in PT's post: ..."
"... His article echoes and reinforces what Carr and others have said about the difficulty of attribution of infosec breaches. Namely that the basic problem of both intelligence and infosec operations is that there is too much obfuscation, manipulation, and misdirection involved to be sure of who or what is going on. ..."
"... The Seth Rich connection is pretty much a done deal, now that Sy Hersh has been caught on tape stating that he knows of an FBI report based on a forensic analysis of Rich's laptop that shows Rich was in direct contact with Wikileaks with an attempt to sell them DNC documents and that Wikileaks had access to Rich's DropBox account. Despite Hersh's subsequent denials - which everyone knows are his usual impatient deflections prior to putting out a sourced and organized article - it's pretty clear that Rich was at least one of the sources of the Wikileaks email dump and that there is zero connection to Russia. ..."
"... None of this proves that Russian intelligence - or Russians of some stripe - or for that matter hackers from literally anywhere - couldn't or didn't ALSO do a hack of the DNC. But it does prove that the iron-clad attribution of the source of Wikileaks email release to Russia is at best flawed, and at worst a deliberate cover up of a leak. ..."
Notwithstanding the conventional wisdom that Russia hacked into the DNC computers, downloaded emails and a passed the stolen missives
to Julian Assange's crew at Wikileaks, a careful examination of the timeline of events from 2016 shows that this story is simply
not plausible.
Let me take you through the known facts:
1. 29 April 2016 , when the DNC became aware its servers had been penetrated (https://medium.com/homefront-rising/dumbstruck-how-crowdstrike-conned-america-on-the-hack-of-the-dnc-ecfa522ff44f).
Note. They apparently did not know who was doing it. 2, 6 May 2016 when CrowdStrike first detected what it assessed to be a Russian
presence inside the DNC server. Follow me here. One week after realizing there had been a penetration, the DNC learns, courtesy of
the computer security firm it hired, that the Russians are doing it. Okay. Does CrowdStrike shut down the penetration. Nope. The
hacking apparently continues unabated. 3. 25 May 2016. The messages published on Wikileaks from the DNC show that 26 May 2016
was the last date that emails were sent and received at the DNC. There are no emails in the public domain after that date. In other
words, if the DNC emails were taken via a hacking operation, we can conclude from the fact that the last messages posted to Wikileaks
show a date time group of 25 May 2016. Wikileaks has not reported nor posted any emails from the DNC after the 25th of May. I think
it is reasonable to assume that was the day the dirty deed was done. 4. 12 June 2016, CrowdStrike purged the DNC server of all malware.
Are you kidding me? 45 days after the DNC discovers that its serve has been penetrated the decision to purge the DNC server is finally
made. What in the hell were they waiting for? But this also tells us that 18 days after the last email "taken" from the DNC, no additional
emails were taken by this nasty malware. Here is what does not make sense to me. If the DNC emails were truly hacked and the malware
was still in place on 11 June 2016 (it was not purged until the 12th) then why are there no emails from the DNC after 26 May 2016?
an excellent analysis of Guccifer's role : Almost immediately after the one-two punch of the Washington Post article/CrowdStrike
technical report went public, however, something totally unexpected happened -- someone came forward and took full responsibility
for the DNC cyber attack. Moreover, this entity -- operating under the persona Guccifer 2.0 (ostensibly named after the original
Guccifer , a Romanian hacker who stole the emails of a number of high-profile celebrities and who was arrested in 2014 and sentenced
to 4 ½ years of prison in May 2016) -- did something no state actor has ever done before, publishing documents stolen from the DNC
server as proof of his claims.
Hi. This is Guccifer 2.0 and this is me who hacked Democratic National Committee.
With that simple email, sent to the on-line news magazine,
The Smoking
Gun , Guccifer 2.0 stole the limelight away from Alperovitch. Over the course of the next few days, through a series of
emails, online posts and
interviews
, Guccifer 2.0 openly mocked CrowdStrike and its Russian attribution. Guccifer 2.0 released a number of documents, including a massive
200-plus-missive containing opposition research on Donald Trump.
Guccifer 2.0 also directly contradicted the efforts on the part of the DNC to minimize the extent of the hacking,
releasing the very donor lists
the DNC specifically stated had not been stolen. More chilling, Guccifer 2.0 claimed to be in possession of "about 100 Gb of data"
which had been passed on to the online publisher, Wikileaks, who "will publish them soon." 7. Seth Rich died on 10 July 2016.
I introduce Seth Rich at this point because he represents an alternative hypothesis. Rich, who reportedly was a Bernie Sanders supporter,
was in a position at the DNC that gave him access to the emails in question and the opportunity to download the emails and take them
from the DNC headquarters. Worth noting that Julian Assange offered
$20,000 for information leading to the arrest of Rich's killer or killers. 8. 22 July 2016. Wikileaks published the DNC emails
starting on 22 July 2016. Bill Binney, a former senior official at NSA, insists that if such a hack and electronic transfer over
the internet had occurred then the NSA has in it possession the intelligence data to prove that such activity had occurred.Notwithstanding the claim by CrowdStrike not a single piece of evidence has been provided to the public to support the conclusion
that the emails were hacked and physically transferred to a server under the control of a Russian intelligence operative.Please do not try to post a comment stating that the "Intelligence Community" concluded as well that Russia was responsible.
That claim is totally without one shred of actual forensic evidence. Also, Julian Assange insists that the emails did not come from
a Russian source.
Wikileaks, the protector of the accountability of the top, has announced a reward for finding the murderers of Seth Rich.
In comparison, the DNC has not offered any reward to help the investigation of the murder of the DNC staffer, but the DNC found
a well-connected lawyer to protect Imran Awan who is guilty (along with Debbie Wasserman-Schultz) in the greatest breach of national
cybersecurity:
http://dailycaller.com/2017/07/29/wasserman-schultz-seemingly-planned-to-pay-suspect-even-while-he-lived-in-pakistan/
Seth Rich's family have pleaded, and continue to plead, that the conspiracy theorists leave the death of their son alone and have
said that those who continue to flog this nonsense around the internet are only serving to increase their pain. I suggest respectfully
that some here may wish to consider their feelings. (Also, this stuff is nuts, you know.)
"We also know that many people are angry at our government and want to see justice done in some way, somehow. We are asking
you to please consider our feelings and words. There are people who are using our beloved Seth's memory and legacy for their own
political goals, and they are using your outrage to perpetuate our nightmare."
"Wheeler, a former Metropolitan Police Department officer, was a key figure in a series of debunked stories claiming that Rich
had been in contact with Wikileaks before his death. Fox News, which reported the story online and on television, retracted it
in June."
I'm afraid you're behind the times. Wheeler is no longer relevant now that Sy Hersh has revealed an FBI report that explicitly
says Rich was in contact with Wikileaks offering to sell them DNC documents.
It's unfortunate for the Rich family, but now that the connection is pretty much confirmed, they're going to have to allow
the truth to come out.
Mr. Dmitri Alperovitch, of Jewish descent (and an emigre from Russia), has been an "expert" at the Atlantic Council, the same
organization that cherishes and provides for Mr. Eliot Higgins. These two gentlemen - and the directorate of Atlantic Council
- are exhibit one of opportunism and intellectual dishonesty (though it is hard to think about Mr. Higgins in terms of "intellect").
Take note how Alperovitch coded the names of the supposed hackers: "Russian intelligence services hacked the Democratic National
Committee's computer network and accessed opposition research on Donald Trump, according to the Atlantic Council's Dmitri Alperovitch.
Two Russian groups ! codenamed FancyBear and CozyBear ! have been identified as spearheading the DNC breach." Alperovitch
is not just an incompetent "expert" in cybersecurity - he is a willing liar and war-mongering, for money.
The DNC hacking story has never been about national security; Alperovitch (and his handlers) have no loyalty to the US.
PT, I make a short exception. Actually decided to stop babbling for a while. But: Just finished something successfully.
And since I usually need distraction by something far more interesting then matters at hand. I was close to your line of thought
yesters.
But really: Shouldn't the timeline start in 2015, since that's supposedly the time someone got into the DNC's system?
One could of course start earlier. What is the exact timeline of the larger cyberwar post 9/11, or at least the bits and
pieces that surfaced for the nitwits among us, like: Stuxnet?
But nevermind. Don't forget developments and recent events around Eugene or Jewgeni Walentinowitsch Kasperski?
The Russia thing certainly seems to have gone quiet.
Bannon's chum says the issue with pursuing the Clinton email thing is that you would end up having to indict almost all of
the last administration, including Obama, unseemly certainly. Still there might be a fall guy, maybe Comey, and obviously it serves
Trump's purposes to keep this a live issue through the good work of Grassley and the occasional tweet.
Would be amusing if Trump pardoned Obama. Still think Brennan should pay a price though, can't really be allowed to get away
with it
Scott Ritter's article referenced in PT's post is terrific, covering a ton of issues related to CrowdStrike and the DNC hack.
You need to read it, not just PT's timeline. In case you missed the link in PT's post:
Also, the article Carr references is very important for understanding the limits of malware analysis and "attribution". Written
by Michael Tanji, whose credentials appear impressive: "spent nearly 20 years in the US intelligence community. Trained in both
SIGINT and HUMINT disciplines he has worked at the Defense Intelligence Agency, the National Security Agency, and the National
Reconnaissance Office. At various points in his career he served as an expert in information warfare, computer network operations,
computer forensics, and indications and warning. A veteran of the US Army, Michael has served in both strategic and tactical assignments
in the Pacific Theater, the Balkans, and the Middle East."
His article echoes and reinforces what Carr and others have said about the difficulty of attribution of infosec breaches.
Namely that the basic problem of both intelligence and infosec operations is that there is too much obfuscation, manipulation,
and misdirection involved to be sure of who or what is going on.
The Seth Rich connection is pretty much a done deal, now that Sy Hersh has been caught on tape stating that he knows of
an FBI report based on a forensic analysis of Rich's laptop that shows Rich was in direct contact with Wikileaks with an attempt
to sell them DNC documents and that Wikileaks had access to Rich's DropBox account. Despite Hersh's subsequent denials - which
everyone knows are his usual impatient deflections prior to putting out a sourced and organized article - it's pretty clear that
Rich was at least one of the sources of the Wikileaks email dump and that there is zero connection to Russia.
None of this proves that Russian intelligence - or Russians of some stripe - or for that matter hackers from literally
anywhere - couldn't or didn't ALSO do a hack of the DNC. But it does prove that the iron-clad attribution of the source of Wikileaks
email release to Russia is at best flawed, and at worst a deliberate cover up of a leak.
And Russiagate depends primarily on BOTH alleged "facts" being true: 1) that Russia hacked the DNC, and 2) that Russia was
the source of Wikileaks release. And if the latter is not true, then one has to question why Russia hacked the DNC in the first
place, other than for "normal" espionage operations. "Influencing the election" then becomes a far less plausible theory.
The general takeaway from an infosec point of view is that attribution by means of target identification, tools used, and "indicators
of compromise" is a fatally flawed means of identifying, and thus being able to counter, the adversaries encountered in today's
Internet world, as Tanji proves. Only HUMINT offers a way around this, just as it is really the only valid option in countering
terrorism.
There are probably two factors here: The first is the real anger of Arab population against aggression by the USA and European states
(mainly GB and Frnace). That what produces radicalized Muslims who can commit terrorist attacks.
The second factor is the desire of intelligence agencies to exploit those attacks for thier own purposes. For example,
it is quite possible, that they are standing idle to the most stupid of them and disrupt others, more dangerous.
Notable quotes:
"... How many Muslims are needed to drive one suicide car? Five, of course. What's the best, most lethal vehicle for the purpose?
The compact Audi A3, naturally. ..."
"... From 9/11, Charlie Hebdo, Paris' Bataclan Concert Hall, Berlin's Christmas Market to Barcelona, etc., Muslim mass murderers
seem expert at leaving behind their identity papers. ..."
"... Classic examples of this type of "lost and found id" were Oswald's lost wallet and James Earl Ray's dropped bundle of documents
(ML King) ..."
"... Arab folks are brimming with anger that is now being met by the anger of the natives. ..."
"... I think the author misses the role of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, who appear to be the main financiers of the work performed
by the above American Israel Empire. ..."
"... Perhaps the term Petrodollar Empire would be more accurate? As a bonus, it also complies better to the rules of political correctness.
..."
"... I am always deeply skeptical of these false flag claims. We bomb and kill arabs daily, yet create magnificent conspiracy theories
to explain how it is someone else blowing crap up in vengeance. ..."
"... Why would Israel need to frame Muslim bombers when so many are so willing to do the job themselves and avenge their dead? Israel
certainly pulls our strings to conduct the bombardment and they control American politics why would they need to fabricate murders
of random faceless Spaniards? How does that keep American taxpayers footing the bill for Zionism? ..."
"... It's really pretty simple isn't it? Before we decided to throw in with England and help genocide the Palestinians we had few
problems with arabs. Now we've expanded our mission to include Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, etc and our blowback is serious. The arabs
are doing what I'd do if a foreign power bombed my family. I could not care less what happens to Israelis or arabs. We need to either
nuke the entire Arab world or leave it the hell alone none of them are worth a single American life. ..."
How many Muslims are needed to drive one suicide car? Five, of course. What's the best, most lethal vehicle for the purpose?
The compact Audi A3, naturally. What's the best time to stage such an attack? 1:15AM, grasshopper, when there are almost nobody
on the Paseo Maritimo. Finally, what should you wear for such a momentous and self-defining occasion? Fake suicide vests, stupid,
because they serve no purpose besides giving cops an excuse to perforate you immediately.
... .. ...
Astonishingly moronic, the five Muslims in Cambrils made all the worst choices possible, but the rest of their "terrorist cell"
weren't any smarter, it is said.
Eight hours earlier, a van had killed 14 people and injured 130+ more in Barcelona, and the purported driver of that van, 22-year-old
Younes Aboyaaqoub, had rented the vehicle with his own credit card. Very stupid. He also left his IDs in a second van, meant as a
get-away car.
From 9/11, Charlie Hebdo, Paris' Bataclan Concert Hall, Berlin's Christmas Market to Barcelona, etc., Muslim mass murderers
seem expert at leaving behind their identity papers. Otherwise, the official narrative can't be broadcast immediately. Wait
a week or a month for a proper investigation, and the public won't have any idea what you're talking about, fixated as they are on
a Kardashian pumped up buttocks or Messi goal.
List of Passport / ID documents found at terrorism attack scenes at least 8, including those Linh Dinh mentions above
(1) 11 Sep 2001 passport found in NYC towers rubble tho aeroplane had 'turned to vapour'
(2) 7 Jul 2005 London bomboings ID of '4th bomber' allegedly 'found by UK police'
(3) 7 Jan 2015 Charlie Hebdo, passport in car in front of Paris Jewish deli where Mossad meets
(4) 13 Nov 2015 Bataclan Paris passport flew from body 'after killer exploded his suicide vest'
(5) 14 Jul 2016 Nice France lorry attack 'passport found'
(6) 19 Dec 2016 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'ID found', after 24 hours of searching lorry cab
(7) 22 May 2017 Manchester UK 'suicide bomber leaves ID' at scene amidst another 'terror on 22nd'
(8) 17 Aug 2017 Barcelona deadly terror attack by white van, 'Spanish passport found in van'
Also related & of interest
'Mossad did the Barcelona attack' Israel heavily involved with Barcelona police from Aangirfan on her site
@Brabantian List of Passport / ID documents
found at terrorism attack scenes - at least 8, including those Linh Dinh mentions above
(1) - 11 Sep 2001 passport found in NYC towers rubble tho aeroplane had 'turned to vapour'
(2) - 7 Jul 2005 London bomboings - ID of '4th bomber' allegedly 'found by UK police'
(3) - 7 Jan 2015 Charlie Hebdo, passport in car in front of Paris Jewish deli where Mossad meets
(4) - 13 Nov 2015 Bataclan Paris passport flew from body 'after killer exploded his suicide vest'
(5) - 14 Jul 2016 Nice France lorry attack 'passport found'
(6) - 19 Dec 2016 Berlin Christmas market lorry attack 'ID found', after 24 hours of searching lorry cab
(7) - 22 May 2017 Manchester UK 'suicide bomber leaves ID' at scene amidst another 'terror on 22nd'
(8) - 17 Aug 2017 Barcelona deadly terror attack by white van, 'Spanish passport found in van'
Also related & of interest
'Mossad did the Barcelona attack' - Israel heavily involved with Barcelona police - from Aangirfan on her site
http://aanirfan.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/mossad-did-barcelona-attack.html
http://aanirfan.blogspot.co.uk/2017/09/barcelona-false-flag-part-3.html
https://wikispooks.com/wiki/Lost_and_Found_ID
Classic examples of this type of "lost and found id" were Oswald's lost wallet and James Earl Ray's dropped bundle of documents
(ML King)
Dinh, you are a fool. The Spanish police until the last two decades were always a bit trigger happy. And then you forget the
Guardia Civil. They were the people in charge of keeping Franco's Spain quiet, and it was quiet like the grave. The really funny
part is the Arab folks are brimming with anger that is now being met by the anger of the natives. Read the Blood of Spain,
and see the complicated relationship between Franco's Moros and how they ravaged parts of Spain during the Civil War. The really
ironic part is these "radicalized" kids are simply fodder for the papers back home, and an excuse to begin the round ups and mass
deportations.
Fascism is now returning to Europe because of the liberal insanity of open borders and mass immigration.
Nice read, indeed. Regarding the main idea of the article, that the:
" .. American Israel Empire is working nonstop to deform the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and, frankly, the rest of the
world."
I think the author misses the role of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States, who appear to be the main financiers of the work
performed by the above American Israel Empire.
Perhaps the term Petrodollar Empire would be more accurate? As a bonus, it also complies better to the rules of political
correctness.
Which seems more likely prima facie , Muslim terrorism or that the whole thing was faked? The whole premise of this
article seems to be that it's simply ludicrous that a Muslim would ever do something like ram a car into a crowd of people.
It's like in the great movie by Kurosawa, Yojimbo, one guy playing both sides one against the other. Except Sanjuro was a good
guy trying to kill a bunch of thugs and bring peace to the town, while our globo-masters prefer to see innocent people being murdered
and the world in chaos.
Linh, the Orlando video seems obviously fake. For those who look for those things, there are plenty of give-aways. But what's
your point with the Barcelona video? I don't speak Spanish or Catalan, as the case may be, but he seems to be fairly dispassionate
and therefore not bullshitting. I do hope there was a point you were making. There is enough in what you say, so that your linguistic
showing off is a pointless irritation. I would like to make my point with a pointless Hindi quip, but my phone doesn't support
the script.
What Merkel has done in Germany is incredible. She took in a million, a million and a half refugees, and there has been no
major problem. It has been a great success, a miracle."
Yeah....good luck with that! By the time this all sorts out historically Merkel will rate lower than ol Schickelgruber.
Mutti.....Europes greatest "Crazy Cat Lady"!
"and there has been no major problem"
Except for a few stabbings, shootings and bombings as well as general malaise and waste of taxpayer's money, but what is that
compared to the glory of diversity?
Well, I guess Germany had too few kebab shops
"By the time this all sorts out historically Merkel will rate lower than ol Schickelgruber."
The problem of politics and especially democracy is that politicians act for short term gains, but their decisions affect everybody
else in the long term. By the time the Scheiίe hits the fan Merkel and her friends will be happily retired in Switzerland or Monaco.
You'd have to be blind and stupid not have noticed this convenient habit of Muslim terrorists. I wonder why the IRA/ Baader
Meinhof/Brigata Rossi or the westher,men didn't have the same habit?
You'd have to be blind and stupid not have noticed this convenient habit of pseudo moslem terrorists. I wonder why the IRA/
Baader Meinhof/Brigata Rossi or the Weathermen didn't have the same habit?
I fixed that for you, mate. The frequency of this seemingly ritual habit is amazing I agree. It is certainly one for the Coincidence
Theorists out there.
A Collection of Interesting, Important, and Controversial Perspectives Largely Excluded from the American Mainstream Media
I am here reminded of Jerry Seinfeld's wise observation that "Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason."
I would advise Ron Unz to take this saying to heart and to spike the execrable Linh Dinh from these pages, and his butt-buddy
Revusky, too.
I am here reminded of Jerry Seinfeld's wise observation that "Sometimes the road less traveled is less traveled for a reason."
Seinfeld would have been wiser if he had said that it's always less travelled for a reason. That reason is invariably
along the lines of it being less convenient, more arduous, and more challenging. It often takes you to uncomfortable places, and
you have to leave your beloved baggage behind.
Most people naturally choose to walk the broad level path that's been thoughtfully laid out for them. It doesn't go anywhere at
all, except maybe in a giant circle, so that it doesn't matter where they start or where they stop, but they get to keep and even
accumulate baggage along the way and that's what travelling is all about, isn't it?
@utu Looks like Linh Dinh was turned
by Revusky. Everything must be a hoax. This is their starting position: It is a hoax until proven otherwise.
And Revusky comes up with his cheap schtick about the "emotional register." As if he ever seen true reactions of real people
who lost relatives? All his life like all the hoax mongering youtube yahoos he was exposed to movies with the overacted emotional
displays by actors and this formed the baseline for the youtube yahoos and Revusky. So when he sees more measure reactions of
real people he thinks it must be bad acting. Yes, if you haven't noticed, the real life is full of bad acting, you fool.
More interesting would be to read about how is the bromance evolving? Actually real life is usually quite authentic which is
the 'real' part and since several big "terror"events have had some inexplicable aspects to them suggesting the involvement of
trickery it would be wise to suspect that of other events too. If you've been mugged while walking in the street a couple of times
it would be completely rational and indeed prudent if you crossed the street to avoid a stranger, or clutched a hidden weapon
as a stranger approached. This is natural and the survival instinct at work.
As to the emotional register, most people have not studied acting yet they can spot poor acting on TV or in a movie very quickly
because they have experienced human behaviour their entire lives. When the behaviour or physical action doesn't match the dialogue
or situation it appears very odd to us. Some people are more observant than others, this is why professional actors like to study
the traits and quirks of people.
Linh Dinh has written some really excellent articles as many commenters have approved and stated as much but if you don't like
them why bother reading or commenting? Jonathan Revusky too has written some very worthwhile articles in my opinion but he doesn't
seem to take criticism well and has made a few enemies here but again, if you don't like them why not spend your time reading
the work of other people?
i agree that the passports left behind all the time are a little bit weird. when some shit goes down, among friends, we jokingly
ask if they found the passports yet? but it could also be that they want to leave them behind, as a martyr signature or something
maybe. like now they recruited irma for their cause..saying god is on their side.
but then again..i am susceptible to consider weird shit. like the boston bombings for example. I saw a very strange video of a
simulation of a bombing attack which looked very real, like tv footage, but maybe that's the point of a good simulation.
we live in weird times. information flow is corrupted and not to be trusted. stanislaw lem wrote about it 40years ago and I always
think about it reading news.
The American Israel Empire, the Anglo Zionist Conspiracy, the Jew Bolshevik plot
How do the Jews have time for all that and make so much money, run their dentistry, legal, media, entertainment empires and
lust after blond shiksa cheerleaders as well?
Maybe it's from those gefilte fish they eat, or from the chopped liver they do even better than this sample produced by Linh Dinh.
Millions of us have been aware of the "Empire" for years now Linh. We just don't have access to the media expression as you
do. We tend to be quiet about it until we sense a person or group is open to this Truth. Most people think inside the box because
it's safe, comforting, and lacks unpleasant reactions. We who want the Truth value your articles, because we really do believe
that "The Truth will set you free."
Francisco, a typical teacher of philosophy and never a real philosopher. Most of this "refugees" are permanent immigrants,
that's why this "refugee crisis" is just a way to accelerate the capitulation of Europe. Real refugees came back to their countries
when they have opportunity. In the end the most effective way to stop middle east conflicts must be done via exposition of real
(((criminals))), the direct responsible for all this shit. Only the truth can solve any problem and (((problem))).
Teacher of history's philosophy, what most of this "philosophers" are. Real philosophers learn/or invent and teach real or
valid philosophical methods of thinking/analytical-critical thinking and of course subsequent action/application.
The author is claiming it's all fake because the participants were inept and stupid. They possibly were being monitored and
followed all along. That doesn't make it a staged fake event. "Kosher Nostra"? What's that supposed to mean? Jews are scapegoated
for what Muslims do and have been doing for close to fourteen hundred years? It took the Spanish hundreds of years of struggle
to free themselves from Muslim overlordship and now they're just supposed to wash their brains of any historical memory? Those
third worlders written about so lovingly add nothing to Spain besides just some food joints. The author doesn't live there anyway
so why is he telling them how to live?"Drugged and inflamed" is not necessarily true of all of America. The author is probably
an alcoholic and needs to stop hanging around craphole taverns with all those dysfunctional boozers.
Conspiracy theories like those expressed in this article and in many of the comments are for those either lacking the good
sense to appreciate that the world is complex or the intellectual patience to sort through that complexity.
In the absence of these qualities, conspiracy nuts come up with unified theories that "explain everything" (e.g., the Jews
control the world).
Actually moving out of the basement of their mom's house, or even losing their virginity, might help, but most of these sweaty
little pamphleteers are lost causes whose lives rarely extend beyond a circle of like-minded friends and the insular concerns
expressed in their over-heated and under-read blogs.
@DFH Which seems more likely prima
facie , Muslim terrorism or that the whole thing was faked?
The whole premise of this article seems to be that it's simply ludicrous that a Muslim would ever do something like ram
a car into a crowd of people.
Which seems more likely prima facie, Muslim terrorism or that the whole thing was faked?
The whole premise of this article seems to be that it's simply ludicrous that a Muslim would ever do something like ram a car
into a crowd of people.
I am always deeply skeptical of these false flag claims. We bomb and kill arabs daily, yet create magnificent conspiracy
theories to explain how it is someone else blowing crap up in vengeance.
Why would Israel need to frame Muslim bombers when so many are so willing to do the job themselves and avenge their dead?
Israel certainly pulls our strings to conduct the bombardment and they control American politics why would they need to fabricate
murders of random faceless Spaniards? How does that keep American taxpayers footing the bill for Zionism?
It's really pretty simple isn't it? Before we decided to throw in with England and help genocide the Palestinians we had
few problems with arabs. Now we've expanded our mission to include Iraq, Iran, Syria, Libya, etc and our blowback is serious.
The arabs are doing what I'd do if a foreign power bombed my family. I could not care less what happens to Israelis or arabs.
We need to either nuke the entire Arab world or leave it the hell alone none of them are worth a single American life.
How stupid must you be to not see that the American Israel Empire has rigged every aspect of your reality?
...The pattern of human nature that they use is called the Stockholm syndrome.
It has been documented that a group of people can be turned against themselves when they are captured and terrorized, and in
the process, they are propagandized to believe that the terrorizers themselves are the true victims. The terrorists tell the those
they captured, that they are doing this because they themselves are the real victims.
The syndrome is that the captured group begin to sympathize with their terrorists. They take to heart that the terrorists are
indeed victims, and that they should be supported. .
@ChuckOrloski "... none of them are worth
an American life."
Stan d Mute,
The dangerous thing about your rather common conclusion (above) is the stinky fact that, for the sake of creating Greater Israel,
Neoconservatives are in your "Amen Corner" and also would green light the "nuking" of Iran.
Thank you.
Neoconservatives are in your "Amen Corner" and also would green light the "nuking" of Iran.
Don't paint me with your misrepresentation. I wrote " nuke the entire Arab world " Your Iran reply is a strawman.
Few neocons would endorse my suggestion to either obliterate the Middle East (drill for oil through the glass) or abandon their
first loyalty of Zionism and all resulting meddling and murdering in the region.
Cry me a river. No sympathy from me. This article is completely one sided. What kind of investigative reporting is this when
the author didn't even interview the police and review the evidence, but simply hurl out accusations through hearsay from the
average guys on the street.
"... Stated Binney: "Now what he (Mueller) is talking about is going into the NSA database, which is shown of course in the (Edward) Snowden material released, which shows a direct access into the NSA database by the FBI and the CIA Which there is no oversight of by the way. So that means that NSA and a number of agencies in the U.S. government also have those emails." ..."
"... "Yes," he responded. "That would be my point. They have them all and the FBI can get them right there." ..."
"... And the other point is that Hillary, according to an article published by the Observer in March of this year, has a problem with NSA because she compromised Gamma material. Now that is the most sensitive material at NSA. And so there were a number of NSA officials complaining to the press or to the people who wrote the article that she did that. She lifted the material that was in her emails directly out of Gamma reporting. That is a direct compromise of the most sensitive material at the NSA. So she's got a real problem there. So there are many people who have problems with what she has done in the past. So I don't necessarily look at the Russians as the only one(s) who got into those emails. ..."
"... GAMMA compartment, which is an NSA handling caveat that is applied to extraordinarily sensitive information (for instance, decrypted conversations between top foreign leadership, as this was). ..."
Binney also proclaimed that the NSA has all of Clinton's deleted emails, and the FBI could gain access to them if they so wished.
No need for Trump to ask the Russians for those emails, he can just call on the FBI or NSA to hand them over.
Binney referenced
testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in March 2011 by then-FBI Director Robert S. Mueller in which Meuller spoke
of the FBI's ability to access various secretive databases "to track down known and suspected terrorists."
Stated Binney: "Now what he (Mueller) is talking about is going into the NSA database, which is shown
of course in the (Edward) Snowden material released, which shows a direct access into the NSA database by the FBI and the CIA
Which there is no oversight of by the way. So that means that NSA and a number of agencies in the U.S. government also have those
emails."
"So if the FBI really wanted them they can go into that database and get them right now," he stated of Clinton's
emails as well as DNC emails.
Asked point blank if he believed the NSA has copies of "all" of Clinton's emails, including the deleted correspondence, Binney
replied in the affirmative.
"Yes," he responded. "That would be my point. They have them all and the FBI can get them right there."
Binney surmised that the hack of the DNC could have been coordinated by someone inside the U.S. intelligence community angry
over Clinton's compromise of national security data with her email use.
And the other point is that Hillary, according to an
article published by the Observer in March
of this year, has a problem with NSA because she compromised Gamma material. Now that is the most sensitive material at NSA. And
so there were a number of NSA officials complaining to the press or to the people who wrote the article that she did that. She
lifted the material that was in her emails directly out of Gamma reporting. That is a direct compromise of the most sensitive
material at the NSA. So she's got a real problem there. So there are many people who have problems with what she has done in the
past. So I don't necessarily look at the Russians as the only one(s) who got into those emails.
The Observer defined the GAMMA classification:
GAMMA compartment, which is an NSA handling caveat that is applied to extraordinarily sensitive information (for instance,
decrypted conversations between top foreign leadership, as this was).
Over a year before Edward Snowden shocked the world in the summer of 2013 with revelations that have since changed everything
from domestic to foreign US policy but most of all, provided everyone a glimpse into just what the NSA truly does on a daily basis,
a former NSA staffer, and now famous whistleblower, William Binney, gave excruciating detail to Wired magazine about all that
Snowden would substantiate the following summer.
We covered it in a 2012 post titled "
We Are This Far From A Turnkey Totalitarian State" Big Brother Goes Live September 2013." Not surprisingly, Binney received
little attention in 2012 his suggestions at the time were seen as preposterous and ridiculously conspiratorial. Only after the
fact, did it become obvious that he was right. More importantly, in the aftermath of the Snowden revelations, what Binney
has to say has become gospel.
Binney was an architect of the NSA's surveillance program. He became a famed whistleblower when he resigned on October 31,
2001, after spending more than 30 years with the agency. He referenced testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in March
2011 by then-FBI Director Robert S. Mueller in which Meuller spoke of the FBI's ability to access various secretive databases
"to track down known and suspected terrorists."
The Last but not LeastTechnology is dominated by
two types of people: those who understand what they do not manage and those who manage what they do not understand ~Archibald Putt.
Ph.D
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expansion, except in the sense that "security" means operational freedom. You can find references to Russia's nuclear weapons, though, which are described as defensive, designed "to counter US forces and weapons systems." [vii] Try finding that on the BBC. I should mention that even "defensive" nukes can be launched accidentally.
© missannawebb / Instagram In one of the least surprising developments in an ongoing story, the Sun newspaper has been forced to remove a report from its website in which a Russian model claims Vladimir Putin is trying to kill her. The article has since been removed " for legal reasons, " and, some are speculating, probably for some 'truth' reasons as well.
'Putin wants me dead': Russian 'model' seduces UK tabloids with new Salisbury poisoning claims
'Alexander Petrov' and 'Ruslan Boshirov' are seen in an image handed out by the Metropolitan Police in London, Britain / Reuters Moscow is aware of who the people named as suspects in the Skripal case are, President Vladimir Putin said, adding that these people are civilians. Saying that there is "nothing criminal" about the two, Putin also hopes that the people in question will eventually come forward and talk to the media.
British prosecutors name the 2 Russians suspected of poisoning the Skripals
Names of 'Russian suspects' in Skripal case published by UK don't mean anything to us – Moscow
British PM says two suspects in Skripals poisoning case are Russian military intelligence officers
'No cause for further investigation' into 14 deaths of people linked to Russia – May
MARK CHAPMAN August 22, 2018 at 3:55 pm
White Helmets are helping Syrian militants prepare 'false flag' chemical attack – Idlib residents
'Propaganda organization': White Helmets 'engage in anti-Assad activities' – author Sy Hersh to RT
France
obeys Trump, cosigns his lies on Syria and justifies
Here's how US Intelligence warned Obama of doubts Assad
Hersh Vindicated? Turkish Whistleblowers Corroborate Story
UN accuses Syrian rebels of carrying out sarin gas attacks
Claims of Syrian Chemical Weapons Attacks Are Total B.S.
Who Is the
Real Culprit Behind the Chemical Attacks in
FILE PHOTO: U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell holds up a vial that he described as one that could contain
anthrax © Ray Stubblebine / Reuters Use of the term 'false flag' is often met with raised
eyebrows and accusations of conspiracism. But false flags are a very real and very present
feature of geopolitics -- and denying that is simply denying reality. Last week, the United
States, along with the United Kingdom and France, bombed Syrian government targets, ostensibly
in retaliation for an alleged chemical attack which was carried out one week before in the city
of Douma.
President Trump, second from right, speaks in the Cabinet Room of the White House on Monday. (Susan Walsh/AP)
via
A guard at one of
the lab entrances at Porton Down, October 1968. © C. Woods / Getty Images
Russia has 13
questions to OPCW over Skripal case
UK may have
staged Skripal poisoning to rally people against Russia, Moscow believes
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