Open Thread - 26 December 2017

pl

Comments

[Christian Chuba]

A comment on Trump's national security doctrine, I read it as 'U.S. uber alles'.

The remarkable thing is to see the complete disappearance of the anti-war left. On CNN, their reaction was, Trump is talking the talk but not walking the walk. They were miffed that he had a polite phone conversation with Putin. It's not enough to send weapons to Ukraine, call the Russians and Chinese revisionist powers, have aggressive air patrols near Crimea, maintain sanctions in perpetuity, have a massive increase in Defense spending, and expand NATO, you have to be rude to Putin on every possible occasion, perhaps even allow a terrorist attack.

Some see this as a big fake out to satisfy the Neocons, he's got me eating grass too (picture Defensive End missing a Running Back in a football game). I guess we just have to wait to see what the next 3yrs bring.

BTW this link shows the flight pattern of U.S. surveillance aircraft as they take off from Bulgaria and fliesl along the coast of Sevastopol http://russia-insider.com/en/us-keeps-loitering-coast-russian-naval-base-sevastopol-russia-adds-second-s-400-air-defense-battery

[turcopolier]

All

Several weird things today: 1. A sixteen year old girl and her family are in jail in Israel today because she slapped an Israeli soldier whilst he was going about his duties an an occupier. He is probably two or three years older than she. A columnist in Haaretz is writing that when she is released she should be set upon in the night so that she can be taught a lesson (and presumable all the other Aghabs as well). 2. DJT tweeted this AM he has fed the ACA a poisoned pill in removal of the individual mandate and that the ACA will die of that. And that at some point the GOP and the Dems will get together and figure out a new medical plan. IOW he's through with it and is moving on. The MSM including Fox manage to "understand" that as DJT raising the issue again. Incredible. 3. Nikki Haley continues to threaten the world with our displeasure. More craziness. pl

[ann]

Russia to have a nuclear presence in Syria. According to RT. And how will Israel react to having Russian nukes closer than Irans non existent nukes.
www.rt.com/news/414261-russia-permament-bases-syria-nuclear/ I think Nikki Haley might have another fit.

[Kooshy]

Colonel, FYI, our well informed, and, on top of it all, UN ambassador Nikki the bookkeeper, is hoping for a newly independent island nation of “Binomo“ rising from bottom of South China Sea, and delivered by Santa to her huge Christmas tree in Guatemala.
https://www.rt.com/news/414086-prank-nikki-haley-russia-place/

[J]

Torture of Saudi detainees in Riyadh by hired Mercenaries
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20171226-mysterious-death-of-saudi-officer-at-ritz-carlton-hote/

Saudi royal brigadier, Ali bin Abdullah al-Jarash al-Qahtani. It is believed the officer died as a result of torture at the hands of interrogators at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Riyadh. He was arrested on charges of corruption linked to the sons of the late King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz”.

In Israel an Israeli MP calls a Palestinan prisoner a dog to the prisoner's mother.
https://www.rt.com/news/414272-israeli-knesset-palestinian-woman-prisoners/

[EEngineer]

All signs that the citizens of the imperial court have poisoned themselves with their own propaganda. Apparently they've collectively forgotten that it all started out as a con for the rubes. An exceedingly dangerous condition.

I was surprised neither China or Russia vetoed the recent UN sanctions on North Korea. I can see how the SCO countries would want to play for time, but I wonder if throwing NK to the wolves makes war more likely rather than less so. I could see Iran interpreting it as being on deck (next, a baseball term), and the Neocons as a green light.

And so few seem to care... It's almost as if they've been conditioned to want war.

I was dragged to the latest Star Wars movie this weekend. Explosion porn... For a story ostensibly about sacrifice and honor, it had so many silly comic book jokes I was almost surprised it didn't have a laugh track.

[ked]

She might even unfriend them on FB.

[ISL]

Ann, this is important. Here is the link so it works directly.

https://tinyurl.com/y8999vhk

[ISL]

Hmmm, Dear Colonel, if it doesn't reply under ann's email, please post this version.

Russia to have a nuclear presence in Syria. According to RT. And how will Israel react to having Russian nukes closer than Irans non existent nukes.
www.rt.com/news/414261-russia-permament-bases-syria-nuclear/ I think Nikki Haley might have another fit.

- from Ann

Ann, this is important. Here is the link so it works directly.

https://tinyurl.com/y8999vhk

[Steve G]

Fifty year anniversary of
Hitting the Yellow foot prints
MCRD San Diego.
How time flies when
Your having fun!!
Happy New Year to our
Host and to all the committee
🥂🍾👍👌👀

[GF]

Oil pipeline explosion in Libya sends WTI oil price higher:
https://oilprice.com/Energy/Oil-Prices/Libyan-Pipeline-Explosion-Pushes-Brent-Prices-Upward.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+oilpricecom+%28Oil+Price.com+Daily+News+Update%29

[Quartered Safe Out Here]

Not only is Nikki "taking names", she intends to take those names to the Principal's Office and it's all going into the countries' Permanent Record (school teacher humor).

[Brad Ruble]

I wish we could see this on American television

[Account Deleted]

Colonel

I saw the slapping incident covered by Haaretz, including an Op. Ed. by Gideon Levy. Have you a link to the piece to which you refer? An opinion of the kind you describe (diametrically opposed to Levy's piece) would indeed be weird for Haaretz.

Levy questions whether an "intifada of slappings" may succeed where the two previous, more violent versions, failed. I am inclined to agree that on-camera non-lethal mass action of this kind by obviously defenseless women could indeed have more impact than traditional versions of resistance. The Occupier will always counter violence with much more of the same, but a sustained attempt to emasculate and embarrass the IDF's fearless warriors at every opportunity, as they go about the everyday business of occupation, could be interesting.

A belated Merry Christmas to all Outposters.

[Lyttenburgh]

Last month or two, "Vovan" and "Lexus" presented their book on Moscow's bookfair - For whom the Phone Rings. Fun read, providing not only transcriptions of their phonecalls, but also the background information - how they acquired the phone number, who connected them to their victim, how they prepared for the prank, the context and consequences. Most of all they targeted Mikhail Saakashvili. The most damaging their prank was for Ihor Kolomoisky, back when he was still governor.

Oh, and Julia Ioffe (kicked out from the Politico) mentioned them two raskals in her latest (unreadable) article for the Atlantic - What Putin really wants.

[Lyttenburgh]

On the new National Security Doctrine – excellent! The US does not mince words and states clearly, that both China and Russia are “resurgent” and “revisionist powers”, who “threaten the world order”. The US dominated unipolar world order that’s it. Which, again, is true.

If Obama/Clinton had their way, Russia will be listed among the “threats to the national security” such as ISIL, Ebola and DPRK. Well – who remembers about Ebola’s outbreak and ISIL is losing its memeticness by hour. The esteemed members of the establishment (the legislative branch) also would have liked to see Russia among such “top priority national security threats” as Iran and DPRK.

Instead we, Russia, are in China’s company. Not bad, not bad at all. Cuz the US can’t negotiate with Iran, North Korea and ISIL without losing a face. With China – now, here a sort of détente is possible.

[D]

@EE

"Apparently they've collectively forgotten that it all started out as a con for the rubes."

Exactly. And that condition seems to appertain to the formation of most domestic and foreign policies emanating from Washington these day. That's what you get in a country where folks like to gorge themselves on the swill of cable news and talk radio.

[turcopolier]

Barbara Ann

Ben Caspit https://www.almasdarnews.com/article/prominent-israeli-journalist-calls-rape-palestinian-women/

pl

[JamesT]

Perhaps I should not be quoting Debka, but I find this fascinating and it isn't being reported anywhere else.

Debka claims that the White House has decided to quietly withdraw from all its ties with the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority and Mahmoud Abbas. Furthermore:
- US-Palestinian interaction is to be suspended – not just at the senior levels but in day-to-day interchanges.
- The US will halt its contributions to the UN Work and Relief Agency (UNWRA), an estimated one billion dollars per annum.
- The Trump administration will not make any public announcement of the cutoff of financial aid to the Palestinians. Since the funds are mostly earmarked for specific economic projects, each allocation will simply be held back on the pretext of the need for a “reappraisal.”

Since I see US funds for the Palestinian Authority as a way for US taxpayers to subsidize the Israeli occupation, this looks to me like another way for Trump to harm's Israel's interests while pretending to be Israel's best friend.

https://www.debka.com/trump-administration-snap-ties-palestinians-no-peace-plan-no-monetary-aid/

[Fred]

ISL,

Why don't you read this crap before you post some click-bait crap. "host up to 11 Russian warships, including those with a nuclear power plant. "

Russian ships with "nuclear power" plants have been sailing the Med for years. You might be surprised to know they may or may not have nuclear weapons onboard even if they have a conventional power plant. That's been true for years too. Where have you and "ann" been for the last few decades to not know that.

[Bill H]

No, most don't "read this crap," and apparently don't even read headlines very carefully before freaking out. How does, "Russia begins development of Syrian bases to host nuclear warships & warplanes" translate to nuclear weapons?

[jld]

Disinformation?
As I understand it the base is to have nuclear POWERED ships, not nuclear weapons.

[J]

Colonel, PT,

Has Larry Sanchez stepped over the line?

https://intelnews.org/tag/larry-sanchez/

[J]

Colonel,

It also appears that both Brennan and Morrell are knee deep in it as well.

[J]

Were ex spoofers now in the UAE involved do you think?

http://www.neonnettle.com/news/3402-journalist-who-vowed-to-expose-george-soros-found-dead