Trump era: Fascist dawn, or road to liberation?

[angelburst29]

US actor Steven Seagal, who also has Russian citizenship, has been appointed the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative for the Russian-US humanitarian ties, the ministry said on Saturday.

04.08.2018 - Steven Seagal Appointed Special Representative for Russian- US Humanitarian Ties
Steven Seagal Appointed Special Representative for Russian-US Humanitarian Ties

"Steven Seagal has been appointed a special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry for the Russian-US humanitarian ties. The task is to contribute to further development of the Russian-US relations in the humanitarian area," the ministry said in a statement on Facebook.

The ministry stressed that this was a post related to social and political matters without a "monetary reward."

Seagal received Russian citizenship in November 2016.


August 4, 2018 - Steven Seagal Appointed Special Representative On Russia-U.S. Humanitarian Ties
Steven Seagal Appointed Special Representative On Russia-U.S. Humanitarian Ties

Hollywood actor Steven Seagal is now in charge of deepening art, cultural, and youth ties between the two countries.

Russia’s Foreign Ministry announced Saturday that it had made Hollywood actor and action movie star Steven Seagal its special representative for Russian-U.S. humanitarian ties, Reuters news agency reports.

The actor is now in charge of deepening art, cultural, and youth ties between the two countries. As Reuters notes, U.S.-Russia relations have gotten worse over the past couple of years. U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of meddling in American elections.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said that Seagal would receive no salary, and added that the actor’s appointment is “a case of people’s diplomacy intersecting with traditional diplomacy.”

The 66-year-old actor, who appeared in more than 60 movies, told Russia Today the following.

“I’ve always tried to do everything possible to help Russian-American relations to improve. I was working towards without having an official status and now it is a great honor for me to do the same officially.”

According to the same outlet, the actor is known to be a long-time supporter of Russia, and he has visited the country on numerous ocassions. Seagal received Russian citizenship in 2016. The actor is now, as the Russian Foreign Ministry put it, meant to “contribute to the further development of Russian-American relations in the humanitarian sphere, including interactions in the fields of culture, art, public and youth exchanges, among other things.”

As The Guardian noted in November 2016, Putin personally handed Seagal his Russian passport, congratulated the actor, and hailed the manouver as the beginning of normalization of the relations between Russia and the United States. Seagal’s familiy is originally from Russia, but other celebrities have been granted Russian citizenship for various reasons. For instance, veteran French actor Gérard Depardieu was given a Russian passport in 2013, after becoming a tax exile.

According to Reuters, Seagal’s movies – Under Siege and Sniper: Special Ops, in particular – are popular with Russian audiences. Vladimir Putin is also a fan of the kind of martial arts Seagal typically practices in his famous action films.

The admiration appears to be mutual. As The Guardian noted, Seagal called Putin “one of the great living world leaders” and even performed with his blues band in Crimea.


CNN Politics ✔ @CNNPolitics

Russia has appointed actor Steven Seagal as a "special representative" on US-Russian humanitarian ties https://cnn.it/2M1P05n
4:07 PM - Aug 4, 2018

Apart from having been granted Russian citizenship, Seagal has been granted Serbian citizenship. As Newsweek reported, after getting his Serbian citizenship, the actor vowed to bring business and Hollywood to the Balkan country.

It seems no coincidence that Seagal has both Russian and Serbian citizenship. Serbia, which is looking to join the European Union, has refused to sever its ties with Russia. More recently, as Bloomberg reported, Serbia refused to join Europe’s sanctions on Moscow earlier this year.

Published on Nov 25, 2016 (2:11 min.)
It is official - Steven Seagal gets his Russian passport from Putin.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1026163135575719937

IS A NEO-LIBERAL "FIFTH COLUMN" OF REPUBLICANS JOINING WITH DEMOCRATS TO IMPEACH TRUMP?
Snip of Transcript Included:
Carlos Gonzalez By Harley Schlanger
August 3 - From the beginning of Donald Trump's 2016 election campaign, there was no doubt he would face fierce opposition from the Democratic Party, whose nominee Hillary Clinton raised questions about her opponent's mental stability.

For example, at a campaign rally on June 2, 2016, in San Diego, she taunted him for expressing a willingness to cooperate with Russian President Putin: "I'll leave it to the psychiatrists to explain his affection for tyrants," she quipped.

This attack, before the formal opening of the FBI's "Get Trump" task force at the end of that month, presaged the narrative of "Russian meddling" and "Trump collusion", which has dominated the opposition to Trump since his election shocked Clinton's supporters, who arrogantly assumed that she would win. In the two months between his election victory and his inauguration, the word "impeachment" was increasingly heard, as stunned Democrats in the U.S. and Hillary backers overseas -- for example, in the U.K., where the Russiagate story had been launched by imperial geopoliticians in the intelligence community -- schemed for ways to overturn the result of the election.

Run Time / 26:36

 

[angelburst29]

Washington's reaction to Steven Seagal's appointment as the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties.

06.08.2018 - 'Deeply Honored': Seagal Says Takes Post of Russia Special Envoy Seriously
"Deeply Honoured': Seagal Says Takes Post of Russia Special Envoy Seriously

The Russian Foreign Ministry said Saturday that Seagal, who received Russian citizenship in 2016, has been appointed the ministry's special representative for the Russian-US humanitarian relations. The ministry stressed that Seagal’s post is non-remunerated and is related to social and political matters. The unpaid role will be similar to the UN goodwill ambassador positions.

Steven Seagal‏Verified account @sseagalofficial 6h6 hours ago

I am deeply humbled and honoured to have been appointed as a special representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry in charge of Russian and American Humanitarian ties. I hope we can strive for peace, harmony and positive results in the world. I take this honour very seriouslypic.twitter.com/LTuUxsk1aZ

Meanwhile, Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has criticized on Sunday the appointment of Hollywood actor Steven Seagal as Moscow’s special representative for the Russian-US humanitarian ties.

Desperate … Is Seagal a Russian citizen now? This will be 'interesting‘: Russia has appointed Steven Seagal as a special representative to improve relations with America,“ McFaul wrote on Twitter, attaching reports on Seagal’s appointment.

Notably, the actor played a Russian diplomat in 2009's "Driven to Kill", which was partially set in St. Petersburg but filmed in the U.S. and the Czech Republic.


05.08.2018 - US State Dept. Convoked Russia's Charge d'Affaires Over Moscow Alleged Medding
US State Dept. Convoked Russia’s Charge d’Affaires Over Moscow Alleged Meddling

Dmitry Zhirnov, the minister-counselor of the Russian Embassy in the United States, was summoned by US Assistant Secretary Wess Mitchell over allegations about the use of social media by Moscow to foment division in the United States, the State Department spokeswoman said on Sunday.

"Assistant Secretary [Wess] Mitchell convoked #Russia Chargé Zhirnov to answer for the Kremlin’s attempts to use social media accounts to promote violent and divisive causes in the U.S. – we will not tolerate this aggressive interference," spokeswoman Heather Nauert wrote on Twitter.

On Thursday, the State Department spokeswoman praised Facebook’s recent decision to delete accounts run from abroad that aimed to sow division and violence in the United States. The diplomat also urged Russia and other actors to halt what she called attempts to subvert the US democratic process and instructions.

The US authorities have been accusing the Kremlin of conducting malign activities aimed at meddling in the US internal affairs, such as the 2016 presidential election, namely, with the use of social media.

Moscow has said that Russia did not interfere with other states’ internal affairs, and denied the US allegations as unfounded.


Aug 1, 2018 - Mike Huckabee says he may buy home in West Bank settlement
Mike Huckabee says he may buy home in West Bank settlement

Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee has symbolically taken part in the building of an Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
The former governor of Arkansas laid bricks and spread cement Wednesday in a new neighborhood in Efrat. He says he may one day "purchase a holiday home" there.

Huckabee, whose daughter Sarah Huckabee Sanders is the White House press secretary, says he's sure President Donald Trump would have been pleased to join him, "because he is a builder and he loves to see construction sites."

The evangelical Christian says Trump is now "building a new world order."

Israel captured the West Bank in the 1967 Mideast war. The Palestinians and much of the international community consider the hundreds of thousands of settlers that now live there to be an obstacle to peace.

 

[Voyageur]

Meanwhile, Former US Ambassador to Russia Michael McFaul has criticized on Sunday the appointment of Hollywood actor Steven Seagal as Moscow’s special representative for the Russian-US humanitarian ties.

Desperate … Is Seagal a Russian citizen now? This will be 'interesting‘: Russia has appointed Steven Seagal as a special representative to improve relations with America,“ McFaul wrote on Twitter, attaching reports on Seagal’s appointment.

If an when the 'book' is written on McFaul, perhaps he will have to answer to "The Russian agency’s official spokesman, Alexander Kurennoi, told the news agency Interfax on Tuesday that McFaul is one of the Americans suspected of involvement in Browder’s illegal activities."

Wonder if Mr. Seagal writes books too?

 

[angelburst29]

If an when the 'book' is written on McFaul, perhaps he will have to answer to "The Russian agency’s official spokesman, Alexander Kurennoi, told the news agency Interfax on Tuesday that McFaul is one of the Americans suspected of involvement in Browder’s illegal activities."

Wonder if Mr. Seagal writes books too?

Michael McFaul is a drinking buddy of John McCain and his sidekick Lindsey Graham and parrots their anti-Trump/anti-Russia polemics.
Need I - say more? And all three "patriots" are involved in an impeachment campaign against Trump.

C.a. provided a link to an excellent article on "the swamp tactics in D.C."! (Thanks C.a. )

August 3, 2018 - IS A NEO-LIBERAL "FIFTH COLUMN" OF REPUBLICANS JOINING WITH DEMOCRATS TO IMPEACH TRUMP?

The work of a handful of diligent Republican Congressmen, such as Devin Nunes and Jim Jordan, has produced voluminous evidence that the Russiagate story was concocted to prevent Trump from following through with his campaign pledges to end the policies of the Bush-Obama era. Their investigations have confirmed the reports produced by the LaRouche organization, which show that the real meddling in the election was by British intelligence officials, through their collusion with Obama intelligence officials, and the Clinton campaign, which paid for the fully discredited dirty dossier against Trump compiled by "ex-MI6" operative Christopher Steele. That dossier was used by the FBI to get FISA warrants to spy on Trump campaign officials, and provide "talking points" to media opposition to his presidency.

Despite this evidence, which highlights the corruption of the FBI and Justice Department networks engaged in the campaign against Trump, many of the Republicans who produced the evidence undercut their work by insisting that there was Russian meddling, only it was on behalf of Hillary Clinton! This explains why almost all Republicans joined with the Democrats in August 2017 to pass harsh anti-Russian sanctions, to "punish" Russia. This line continues to be pushed by Republicans today. On July 31, at a National Cyber Summit sponsored by the Department of Homeland Security, Vice President Mike Pence asserted that "Russia meddled in our 2016 elections," in an effort to "sow discord and division," calling this "an affront to our democracy" and vowing that "it will not be allowed." (Two guesses - as to what camp - Pence belongs to? First doesn't count.)

~~~
As for my opinion on Steven Seagal, I have developed a deep respect and admiration for his work in humanitarian endeavors! Although, he's well known for his acting career, few are aware that Seagal has been involved and has worked "without fanfare or high publicity" in many humanitarian efforts - for many years. (He walks "softly" but carries a big stick, in a manner of speaking.)

I have "an even deeper respect and hold in admiration - Sergey Lavrov" and the Russian Foreign Ministry for their efforts in trying to formulate a neutral bridge (Seagal), as another means of communication, towards a peaceful resolution between our Countries.

06.08.2018 - Seagal to Handle Preservation of US Memorial Sites Linked to Russia - Ministry
Seagal to Handle Preservation of US Memorial Sites Linked to Russia - Ministry

US actor Steven Seagal, in the post of Russian Foreign Ministry special representative, will handle cultural, art, science, education and sports projects, and will also address preservation of US memorial sites connected with Russia, the Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.

In the new capacity, Steven Seagal will promote the development and implementation of various bilateral cooperation projects in the sphere of culture, art, science, education, sports, public and youth exchanges, will participate in relevant events in Russia and abroad, maintain contacts with American partners," the statement said.

"Moreover, the special representative will join efforts to preserve memorial sites in the United States, which are connected with Russia, study and popularize the legacy of Russian America and other pages of our common history," it said.

 

[angelburst29]

Aug. 6, 2018 - Paul Manafort trial: Rick Gates, former business partner, testifies they conspired on false tax returns, phony bank docs
Paul Manafort trial: Defense pins falsified tax returns on Rick Gates

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – Paul Manafort’s former business partner told a federal court jury that he engaged in a seven-year criminal conspiracy with his former boss in which he assisted in filing false tax returns, failed to disclose multiple foreign bank accounts and provided phony documents to banks to acquire millions of dollars in loans.

Testifying during the trial of the former Trump campaign chairman, who is accused of tax and bank fraud, Gates said he helped maintain secret accounts in Cyprus, the Grenadines and the United Kingdom.

And at Manafort’s direction, Gates testified that he did not disclose the accounts to his accountants or federal tax authorities.

Gates, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI earlier this year, acknowledged his own criminal activity in open court as Manafort sat just a few feet away at the defense table.

Manafort’s attorneys went on the attack earlier Monday, asserting that Gates directed accountants to falsify Manafort’s tax returns because he had “embezzled millions of dollars” from their consulting firm.

Manafort attorney Kevin Downing told U.S. District Judge T.S.Ellis III that he intended to present evidence of the embezzlement during questioning of a Manafort accountant who testified last week that she knowingly filed false tax returns on Manafort’s behalf.

On Monday, Cynthia Laporta, who was provided immunity against prosecution in exchange for her testimony, told a federal court jury that Gates often provided late or incomplete information when she requested additional material for the preparation of Manafort’s business and personal returns.

“It was difficult to follow,” Laporta said of Manafort’s financial operations. “I relied on Rick Gates ... The information I had was his representation.”

Gates pleaded guilty to conspiracy and lying to the FBI earlier this year. As part of his plea agreement with the government, Gates said he agreed to cooperate with prosecutors during their prosecution of Manafort, adding that he had provided investigators with documents, emails and text messages documenting years of interactions with Manafort. Gates faces up to 71 months in prison at sentencing.

Among his actions on behalf of Manafort, Gates said he characterized hundreds of thousands of dollars in income as loans to reduce Manafort’s tax liability and pushed accountants to reclassify some loans as income to qualify for loans or seek more favorable lending rates.

Gates, who answered rapid-fire questions from prosecutor Greg Andres in a low monotone, also acknowledged padding his own expense accounts without Manafort’s knowledge, siphoning “several hundred thousand” dollars from the secret accounts.

The siphoned money, Gates said, was directed to his own account in the United Kingdom and also was never to disclosed to his own accountants or the government.

The last time Gates appeared in a courtroom, he arrived on a dreary February day in a full beard and left quickly after entering a guilty plea and pledging his cooperation with the government.

On Monday, the clean-shaven witness arrived just after 4:15 p.m., and his stay was not expected to be brief. The government was expected to question Gates for up to three more hours Tuesday.

Andres, the prosecutor, walked Gates through the web of foreign accounts which Manafort used to finance a life of extravagance – clothes, cars and homes.

Last week, haberdashers, construction contractors, a realtor and a Mercedes-Benz car dealer all testified that their bills – representing millions of dollars – were paid with international transfers wired from Manafort's accounts.

Gates told the jury that he remained in near constant contact with Manafort over the years. They sometimes talked multiple times a day, met in person, exchanged emails and texts.

“Mr. Manafort requested during the year that we did not disclose foreign bank accounts,” Gates testified.

Early in his testimony, Gates detailed the terms of his own plea agreement, including the scope of the international conspiracy with Manafort.

Jurors, who have heard frequent references to Gates in the previous week of testimony, appeared to be riveted by the former political operative’s live testimony.

A packed courtroom gallery – along with a crowd in an overflow courtroom three floors below where a closed-circuit broadcast is beamed – watched in silence.

Gates never broke eye contact with the prosecutor during his testimony, even as Manafort locked his sights on the witness.

During a brief break, as the lawyers huddled at the bench with the judge, Manafort continued to watch his former associate who spent the time flipping the pages of a thick binder containing government exhibits, including copies of their prior correspondence.

The case against Manafort – 18 criminal counts of tax evasion, bank fraud and conspiracy – is the first to be tried by special counsel Robert Mueller and focuses on Manafort's business dealings. It doesn't directly have to do with Manafort's work for President Donald Trump.

Gates, who served as a deputy to Manafort on Trump's campaign team, did not directly refer to his work for the president Monday.

Instead, asked by Andres to provide of an accounting of his previous posts, Gates, 46, told the jury only that he worked on a "presidential" campaign.


07.08.2018 - Richard Gates Says During Court Testimony He Committed Crimes With Manafort
Richard Gates Says During Court Testimony He Committed Crimes With Manafort

Richard Gates, a key witness in former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort's case, admitted in the court that he was involved in criminal activity and committed crimes with the defendant, according to media reports.

When asked whether he was involved in criminal acts with Manafort or breached the law, Gates who was the defendant's longtime business partner said, "Yes," NBC News reported.

Manafort is on trial on charges of bank and tax fraud. Prosecutors are focusing on his luxurious lifestyle as a result of the money he earned in Ukraine while avoiding to pay taxes.

During the testimony, Manafort's former business partner said that Manafort directed him to report overseas income as loans to lower his taxable income, Reuters reported. Gates also testified that he stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Manafort by filing false expense reports.

Richard Gates is considered one of the key witnesses in Manafort's case. He earlier pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and lying to the FBI and agreed to cooperate with investigators.


07.08.2018 - US DoJ Reveals Names of Russians Recently Arrested on Money Laundering Charges
US DoJ Reveals Names of Russians Recently Arrested on Money Laundering Charges

The US Department of Justice released to Sputnik on Monday the names of four Russian nationals arrested by the US authorities in Los Angeles, California, on charges of money laundering.

Justice Department spokesperson Nicole Navas Oxman told Sputnik that the four individuals detained on August 1 and 2 are: Stanislav Lisitskiy, Aleksei Livadnyi,Nikolay Tupikin and Kirill Dedusev.

The Justice Department also said that another Russian national, Maxim Suverin, was arrested on July 30 in Boston, Massachusetts, via a criminal complaint.

Earlier, that Russian Consulate General has sent an inquiry to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get an access to the arrested Russian citizens.

DoJ Spokesman Oxman also told Sputnik that seven Russian nationals and citizens of former Soviet Union republics are among 25 defendants in a fraud and money laundering case.

Oxman said on Monday that the most recent arrests of Russian nationals in the US state of California is related to a multimillion-dollar fake advertisement scheme for cars.


06.08.2018 - FBI Arrests Four Russian Citizens on Money Laundering Charges - Consulate
FBI Arrests Four Russian Citizens on Money Laundering Charges - Consulate

The Russian Consulate General has sent an inquiry to the Federal Bureau of Investigation to get an access to the arrested Russian citizens.

"We sent the request to the FBI asking to gain consular access to the detained Russians and to get information on their lawyers," Consulate General press secretary Alexey Topolsky told Sputnik on Monday.

The time period for the reply is regulated by the agreement between the countries — three days, according to the press secretary. This is the time frame in which the access should be granted, at the discretion of the US authorities.

Between August 1 and 3, the New York branch of Federal Bureau of Investigation detained four Russian citizens over suspicion of money laundering and conspiracy to commit fraud," the Consulate General said on Twitter.

One suspect was detained in Boston and transferred to New York, two others are in Los Angeles. The location of the fourth one remains unclear, according to the Consulate General.


07.08.2018 - Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star May Get Removed
Trump's Hollywood Walk of Fame Star May Get Removed

US President Donald Trump may soon be stripped of his Hollywood Walk of Fame star, if members of the West Hollywood City Council vote to do so on Monday night.

According to council documents, Trump's treatment of women is among the various reasons cited by those in favor of the move.

"The City Council will consider adopting a resolution urging the Los Angeles City Council and Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to remove President Donald J. Trump's star from the Hollywood Walk of Fame, due to his disturbing treatment of women and other actions that do not meet the shared values of the City of West Hollywood, the region, state and country," the agenda item for Monday's meeting states.

 

[Ca.]

Fox Business Published on Aug 6, 2018 / 4:04
Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton on how the FBI released 70 pages of heavily redacted records, which showed that ex-British spy Christopher Steele was admonished and deemed unsuitable as a confidential human source.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1026381133519286272

https://twitter.com/x/status/1026580109162176514

https://twitter.com/x/status/1026485619625738240

 

[Ca.]

WATCH: Ocasio-Cortez Stumbles, Claims Upper Middle Class ‘Does Not Exist’ In America
https://ilovemyfreedom.org/watch-ocasio-cortez-stumbles-claims-upper-middle-class-does-not-exist-in-america/?utm_source=stonewall&utm_medium=twitter
August 7, 2018
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez continues to make bizarre claims, leading many to believe that she has absolutely no clue what she is talking about regarding key issues.

During an interview on the podcast “Pod Save America,” the 28-year-old New York socialist and Democratic candidate said America does not have an “upper middle class,” a statement that even liberal networks have noted is not true.

Her comments came in response to being asked about how establishment Democrats are hesitant about the party embracing socialism.
In response, Ocasio-Cortez launched into a diatribe about how the older Democratic establishment figures can either get on board with socialism or step aside:

“We don’t have a party that has been investing in their future. Some of these Democrats have been working on their own reelection to make an investment in future party leadership. They were campaigning most when we had more of an American middle class. This upper middle class is probably more moderate but that upper middle class does not exist anymore in America.” Watch below:

Ocasio-Cortez blamed President Donald Trump’s economic policies, the GOP tax cuts, and deregulation for a “rising income inequality” that she claims is “destroying the upper middle class.”

Of course, there’s just one huge problem her claim: it is utterly false.

According to CNN, the middle class has been consistently growing in recent years, particularity since Trump took office a year and a half ago.

Economists at American Enterprise Institute also published a study detailing how the upper and middle class in America is growing significantly in recent years. As the middle and upper middle class grow, the number of Americans who are considered “poor” is also shrinking.

Yes, the America middle class is disappearing. At least as defined by the above WSJ chart. 38% of US families were middle class in 1979 vs. 32% in 2014.​

But where did that 7% go? Well, of the five income groups (poor, lower middle class, middle class, upper middle class, and rich) displayed, the bottom three got smaller, the top two bigger.​

The poor shrank by 4.5 percentage points, the lower middle class by 6.8, the middle class also by 6.8% But the upper middle class got a lot bigger, expanding by 16.4 points, and the rich by 1.8 points.​

So, Ocasio-Cortez’s claim was grossly inaccurate on two fronts. While the upper and middle class in America has been growing significantly in recent years, the lower class has also been shrinking.

This means that as Trump’s economic policies continue to take effect — tax cuts, wages rising, more jobs — more people are moving upward from lower to middle class, and more are going from the middle to upper class. This is also true with previous administrations, who had economic successes with their own policies.

Here’s a graphic from The Wall Street Journal displaying the statistics:

The 28-year-old socialist has been on just about every liberal cable news program and show since she defeated 10-term New York Democrat Rep. Joe Crowley in June’s primary.

When she’s not openly calling for other Democrats to support her plans for socialism in America, she is calling for ICE to be abolished, President Donald Trump to be impeached, the minimum wage to be raised to $15/hr nationally, and government-sponsored “free” medicare and college tuition for everyone

Ocasio-Cortez has been caught a number of time making false and misleading statements since her victory.

As her radical ideologies and ideas are being heralded by the Left, she continues to prove to many that she had no earthly idea what she is talking about.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027083235933802496

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027086272504913920

You can always count on the neocons in Congress to ignore reality, ignore evidence, and ignore common sense in their endless drive to get us involved in another war. Last week, for example, Senators John McCain (R-AZ), Lindsey Graham (R-NC), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), and others joined up to introduce what Senator Graham called “the sanctions bill from hell,” aimed at applying “crushing” sanctions on Russia.

Senator Graham bragged that the bill would include “everything but the kitchen sink” in its attempt to ratchet up tensions with Russia.

Sen Cory Gardner (R-CO) bragged that the new sanctions bill “includes my language requiring the State Department to determine whether Russia merits the designation of a State Sponsor of Terror.”

Does he even know what the word “terrorism” means?

Sen Ben Cardin (D-MD) warns that the bill must be passed to strengthen our resolve against “Vladimir Putin’s pattern of corroding democratic institutions and values around the world, a direct and growing threat to US national security.”

What has Russia done that warrants “kitchen sink” sanctions that will “crush” the country and possibly designate it as a sponsor of terrorism? Sen. Menendez tells us: “The Kremlin continues to attack our democracy, support a war criminal in Syria, and violate Ukraine’s sovereignty.”

There is a big problem with these accusations on Russia: they’re based on outright lies and unproven accusations that continue to get more bizarre with each re-telling. How strange that when US Senators like Menendez demand that we stand by our NATO allies even if it means war, they attack Russia for doing the same in Syria. Is the Syrian president a “war criminal,” as he claims? We do know that his army is finally, with Russian and Iranian help, about to defeat ISIS and al-Qaeda, which with US backing for seven years have turned Syria into a smoking ruin. Does Menendez and his allies prefer ISIS in charge of Syria?

And how hypocritical for Menendez to talk about Russia violating Ukraine’s sovereignty. The unrest in Ukraine was started by the 2014 US-backed coup against an elected leader. We have that all on tape!

How is Russia “attacking our democracy”? We’re still waiting for any real evidence that Russia was involved in our 2016 elections and intends to become involved in our 2018 elections. But that doesn’t stop the propagandists, who claim with no proof that Russia was behind the election of Donald Trump.

These Senators claim that sanctions will bring the Russians to heel, but they are wrong. Sanctions are good at two things only: destroying the lives of innocent civilians and leading to war.

As I mentioned in an episode of my Liberty Report last week, even our own history shows that sanctions do lead to war and should not be taken lightly. In the run-up to US involvement in the War of 1812, the US was doing business with both France and the UK, which were at war with each other. When the UK decided that the US was favoring France in its commerce, it imposed sanctions on the US. What did Washington do in response? Declared war. Hence the War of 1812, which most Americans remember as that time when the British burned down the White House.

Recent polls show that the majority of Americans approve of President Trump’s recent meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Among Republicans, a vast majority support the meeting. Perhaps a good defeat in November will wake these neocon warmongers up. Let’s hope so!

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027040991260360704

 

[angelburst29]

Well, that didn't take long - for the Deep State to manipulate a frontal attack on Seagal - actually, it was expected!?! Never pass up an opportunity to defame an opponent? I'm surprised, the Deep State didn't try to connect Seagal - to the acclaimed "Trump's Golden Shower's Moscow escapade" in Christopher Steele's discredited dossier? But then, good script writers are really hard to come by - in Hollywood these days.

10.08.2018 - Under Siege 3? Steven Seagal Faces More Sexual Assault Charges - Reports
Under Siege 3? Steven Seagal Faces More Sexual Assault Charges – Reports

Earlier, allegations of sex assault were denied by the 65-year old Hollywood actor, who said that the allegations were a "modern-day witch hunt" initiated by "deep state fascist liberals and the secret government."

Los Angeles prosecutors have lodged new sex assault charges against action movie star and martial artist Steven Seagal, according to the news website Deadline.

"A sexual assault case was presented yesterday [August 8] by the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) involving Steven Seagal. It remains under review," the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office said.

The office added that the LAPD is also investigating sex assault cases involving actor Anthony Anderson and producer Harvey Weinstein.
It wasn't clear whether the investigation was related to the allegations, made public in March, that Seagal had seduced a young woman in the early 1990's.

In late January, Seagal reportedly decried earlier allegations as a "witch hunt", saying in his open appeal that "we are living in a place where literally no one cares who is guilty and who is innocent, who is wrong and who is right.

"And the only thing they care about is are you on their side or are you on the other side, and how can they make money by destroying the lives of those on the other side, and how they can get better ratings and how can they can get more people to read their trash," he added.

On July 6, Seagal was appointed the Russian Foreign Ministry's special representative for Russian-US humanitarian ties. The actor, who is best known for the Under Siege films, obtained Russian citizenship in November, 2016.

Weinstein's case is one the more prominent high-profile scandals involving sexual misconduct among famous and powerful men in the US, including comedian Bill Cosby, CBS and PBS host Charlie Rose and NBC host Matt Lauer. If convicted Weinstein will face up to 54 years behind bars.


Back-dated 12.01.2016 - Seagalovic Now? Hollywood Star Steven Seagal Scores Serbian Citizenship
Seagalovic Now? Hollywood Star Steven Seagal Scores Serbian Citizenship

The famous aikido master, who has an "Aikido 7th Dan," was invited to train Serbian police forces in Aikido. Seagal has practiced the Japanese martial art since he was seven years old, and used his abilities many times in movies. He is known for the films: "Machete," "Half Past Dead," "Submerged," and "Today You Die."

During his December visit, Seagal was honored with a "Karic Brothers Fund" award for humanitarian activities. The actor said he was proud to accept an award which was also given to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Seagal is respected in Russia not only for his professional aikido and film careers, but also for his political support for Moscow in light of current tensions between Russia and the West. The actor, invited to Russia to demonstrate his aikido skills in early December 2015, told journalists he had Russian roots and loved the country.


Back-dated 04.09.2015 - Russia and America Need to Get Along - Steven Seagal
Russia and America Need to Get Along - Steven Seagal

Steven Seagal shared his vision of how Russian-American relations should develop.

Published on Sep 4, 2015 (1:41 min.)

During his visit to the Eastern Economic Forum in Vladivostok, the legendary martial artist and movie star Steven Seagal expressed his disdain for US politicians 'playing propaganda games.' "Lot of Americans love Russia, lot of Russians love America," said Seagal. "And this is the only way we're gonna survive, to love each other and help each other."


10.08.2018 - N Korea Blasts US Officials Over Calls for Sanctions 'Against Trump's Intention'
N Korea Blasts US Officials Over Calls for Sanctions 'Against Trump's Intention'

Some high-profile White House officials cling to what Pyongyang called an "outdated acting script." The statement comes shortly after the US envoy to the UN and Trump's top national security aide noted that North Korea lags on denuclearization.

In a statement published by the state news agency KCNA on Thursday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry commented on what it called obstacles to the implementation of the June 12 Trump-Kim agreement, blasting US attempts to build up "international pressure."

It said that Pyongyang had stopped nuclear and missile tests, dismantled a nuclear test ground and returned the remains of US soldiers killed in the 1950-53 Korean War, warning, however, that the implementation of the joint North Korea-US statement would be impossible if the US followed an "outdated acting script."

The Ministry accused high-level American officials of "going against the intention of President Trump" by "making baseless allegations against us and making desperate attempts at intensifying the international sanctions and pressure."

Pyongyang also noted that it was still willing to stick to a broad agreement made at the landmark Trump-Kim summit in June.

This follows a statement by the US ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who warned on Thursday that Washington was "not willing to wait for too long" for North Korea to work towards denuclearization.

Her comments came the day after Trump's national security adviser, John Bolton, said that North Korea had not made the necessary progress toward denuclearization, adding that Washington wouldn't reduce pressure on Pyongyang until it gives up its nuclear weapons.


10.08.2018 - German Businesses Urge EU, Berlin to Defend Against US Anti-Russian Sanctions
German Businesses Urge EU, Berlin to Defend Against US Anti-Russian Sanctions

The German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations (OAOEV) said on Friday that US extraterritorial sanctions on Russia contradict the principles of democracy and called for the European Union and Germany to "decisively defend" themselves against US restrictions no matter what countries they target.

"All attempts to apply US extraterritorial sanctions violate our democratic sovereign rights, that is why we should decisively defend ourselves against such attempts no matter what countries these measures target," Wolfgang Buchele, the OAOEV chair, said, as cited by the organization.

Buchele expressed hope that the European Union and Germany, in particular, would stand by its position that US sanctions toward non-US enterprises contradicted international law.

On Wednesday, Washington announced new anti-Russian sanctions over Moscow’s alleged use of chemical weapons in England's Salisbury against former Russian spy Sergei Skripal in March. The new sanctions ban exports of electronic devices and dual-use components to Russia. Further restrictions, including banning Russian carrier Aeroflot's US flights, limiting diplomatic ties and halting US exports, may be avoided if Washington confirms that Russia "is no longer using chemical or biological weapons."

Russia has repeatedly denied involvement in Skripal's poisoning. Moscow has pointed to the lack of evidence and said the UK authorities refuse to cooperate with Russia in probing the Salisbury incident as per international law.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that Washington's justifying new sanctions by the Salisbury incident was unacceptable and illegitimate. Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova pledged that Russia would retaliate with similar measures.


10.08.2018 - Lavrov Tells Pompeo About Russia's 'Categorical Rejection' of New US Sanctions
Lavrov Tells Pompeo About Russia's 'Categorical Rejection' of New US Sanctions

Earlier, the US State Department announced new sanctions on Moscow over the allegations of involvement in poisoning of former Russian intelligence officer Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia in the United Kingdom in March.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov held a telephone conversation with US State Secretary Mike Pompeo, touching upon the issue of Washington's new sanctions against Russia.

"The Russian side expressed categorical rejection of Washington's recently announced sanctions referring to the allegedly available information on Russia's involvement in the so-called Skripal case," Lavrov told Pompeo, as cited by the Russian Foreign Ministry.

The minister stressed that neither the United States nor the United Kingdom nor any other side had provided a single fact to substantiate the accusations.

Lavrov and Pompeo also discussed the situation in Syria and some other issues addressed by US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Helsinki summit on July 16, according to the ministry.


09.08.2018 - US Senator McCain Praises New Anti-Russia Sanctions
US Senator McCain Praises New Anti-Russia Sanctions

US Senator John McCain said in a statement on Thursday that he is pleased to see that new sanctions will be imposed on Russia on August 22 in connection with the nerve agent attack against the Skripals, but added that Congress must make sure the measures are fully implemented.

"Good to see State Dept. moving forward with new sanctions on Putin's Russia for its chemical attack in Britain. Congress must continue to exercise strong oversight to ensure these sanctions are swiftly & fully implemented," McCain said in a Twitter message.

The recently introduced restrictions anti-Russian sanctions include a complete ban on the export of electronic devices and dual-use components to Russia, while the next package may also entail considerable US exports restrictions and a decrease in the level of diplomatic relations.


09.08.2018 - US Bankers Do Not Support Possible Sanctions Against Russian State Debt - AmChem
US Bankers Do Not Support Possible Sanctions Against Russian State Debt - AmCham

US bankers do not welcome Washington's possible sanctions against Russia's state debt, because new restrictions, if imposed, may harm US interests, Alexis Rodzianko, the president and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Russia, told Sputnik on Thursday.

"The timing of new sanctions is not clear. If they concluded that the Skripals were poisoned by Russia now, then why did they order 62 [diplomats] out before they came to such a conclusion? It remains unclear, whether they have some new information or it is a stunt to defuse tensions around the Senate's new [extensive sanctions] bill [blocking operations with Russia’s sovereign debt]," Rodzianko said in an interview on Thursday.

He went on to say that the ban on dual-use technology, possibly stipulated by the first wave of the latest sanctions, was nothing new.

The AmCham CEO noted that US bankers do not favor the idea of imposing sanctions on Russian state debt, earlier expressed by the senators.

"We see debates; this was not the case with the [Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act] CAATSA. That is why there is hope that this law, if adopted, will be more of a more scoping nature, meaning that it will be emotional rather than legally binding," Rodzianko added.

On Wednesday, Russia's Kommersant newspaper published the full text of a new US sanctions bill introduced in late July. The US senators specifically aim to block dollar-denominated transactions by Russian banks and US nationals' operations with the country's sovereign debt.


10.08.2018 - Sanctions Non-Conductive to Resolving Disputes - China on US Anti-Iran Penalties
Sanctions Non-Conductive to Resolving Disputes - China on US Anti-Iran Penalties

Sanctions or threats to impose them never resolve disputes, which can be resolved only through dialogue, Chinese Foreign Spokesperson Lu Kang said Friday commenting on the re-imposition of US sanctions against Iran.

"China has always believed that imposing sanctions on any occasion, or threats to impose them, cannot resolve disputes. Only dialogue and negotiations can solve the problem," Lu said.

He also stressed that Beijing had always opposed unilateral sanctions and extraterritorial jurisdiction.

On Tuesday, the first package of US sanctions against Iran, previously lifted under the Iran nuclear deal, was reinstated following the United States' withdrawal from the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), also known as the Iran nuclear deal. The sanctions target Iran's acquisition of dollar bank notes, trade in gold and other metals, transactions related to the Iranian rial, as well as the other countries' transactions and trade activities with Iran.


10.08.2018 - 'This is China, Leave Immediately': PLA Sends US Spy Plane Stern Warning
'This is China, Leave Immediately': PLA Sends US Spy Plane Stern Warning

A US Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane flying over the contested Spratly Islands refused to alter its flight course after receiving six separate warnings from the People's Liberation Army telling it to leave the area at once.

The incident, which took place Friday, saw the US spy plane with a CNN reporter on board flying at 16,500 feet above sea level over Chinese garrisons, ignoring repeated messages from the PLA urging the US plane to "leave immediately and keep far off to avoid any misunderstanding."

Each time, the US Navy responded with the canned line: "I am a sovereign immune United States naval aircraft conducting lawful military activities beyond the national airspace of any coastal state. In exercising these rights guaranteed by international law, I am operating with due regard for the rights and duties of all states."

For the report, aimed at demonstrating China's militarization of the Spratlys, the US spy plane flew over four separate islands,
finding Chinese Coast Guard vessels, runways, hangers, radar installations and power plants, among other facilities.

Last week, China and the 10 countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) agreed to conduct regular military exercises without countries from outside the region in a possible Chinese bid to exclude the US from the region's affairs.

Earlier this summer, PLA Lt. Gen. He Lei said that China had a sovereign right to deploy its military forces and equipment in the Spratly Islands and warned that "anyone who criticizes China's actions is trying to interfere in its domestic affairs."

US warships and aircraft have conducted regular freedom of navigation missions in the region, with Beijing decrying these as a violation of Chinese sovereignty.

In recent years, China has reclaimed many reefs in the South China Sea through dredging operations and the creation of artificial islands. Last month, it was reported that the Chinese military had begun testing its jamming equipment deployed in the region alongside surface-to-air and anti-ship cruise missiles.

The South China Sea, where the Spratlys are located, is a crucial waterway through which some $3.4 trillion in trade (over one-third of the global total) passes each year. The territories also include large fishing, oil and gas resources, making them highly contested among countries in the region. Along with China, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brunei, the Philippines and Taiwan each have claims over portions of the maritime territory.

 

[Laura]

It really is amazing to me how the Deep State can go after a really popular individual and totally destroy them by defamation. But then, I experienced a similar tactic via the Vinnie Bridges gang, so I recognize the taste of it.

Anybody recall how they went after the Dixie Chicks because of Natalie Mains comment about George Bush?

 

[Ca.]

Who’s the boss? US officials work behind Trump’s back to broker NATO deal – report
US President Donald Trump is deemed a hurdle to foreign policy by his own administration, the New York Times has alleged, in an explosive piece detailing the lengths high-level officials would go to to circumvent the POTUS.

According to the New York Times, national security adviser John Bolton and other officials worked together to ensure that July’s NATO declaration –usually called a comminiqué– was complete before Trump even touched down in Brussels for the summit.

Signed after every summit, the communiqué is usually a boilerplate document that in drab foreign policy language reaffirms member states’ commitment to the venerable alliance. This time around, the communiqué included some harsh words for Russia and NATO also vowed in it to step up its military presence in Eastern Europe.

In the lead-up to the meeting, Bolton sent demands to Brussels via the US ambassador to NATO, Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The Times referenced five senior American and European officials as sources for the story, who spoke to the media juggernaut on condition of anonymity. They say that NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg apparently backed Bolton’s directive during a gathering of NATO ambassadors on July 4.

The NATO representatives agreed to have their work completed by July 6, four days before Trump touched down in Brussels. According to the Times’ sources, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo were also eager to have the terms ‘locked down’ early, to avoid a repeat of the G7 summit one month earlier.

At the G7 summit in June, Trump rattled the US’ allies by announcing tariffs on EU steel and aluminum, asking why Russia could not be invited back into the elite club of nations, arriving late to meetings, and by withdrawing his signature from the group’s communiqué when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his own tariffs on US products after Trump had left the summit.

While Trump’s team may have been keen to avoid any drama in Brussels, the firebrand president still left his own mark on the NATO gathering.

As the summit opened, Trump used a working breakfast with Secretary General Stoltenberg –usually a drab affair– to unload on Germany for signing a gas pipeline deal with Russia, while relying on US protection against an alleged Russian threat.

"Germany is [a] captive of Russia because it is getting so much of its energy from Russia. They pay billions of dollars to Russia and we have to defend them against Russia,” he said. “And I think that’s very inappropriate.”

From there, Trump spent the two-day summit haranguing allies over their military spending. NATO members all pledge to spend at least two percent of their GDP on defense, a target that only five of the 28 member states meet. The US spends more on defense than all other NATO states combined: Almost $700 billion, or 3.6 percent of GDP.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1016729137409486853

While Trump’s aides may have scrambled behind the scenes to get the communiqué together before the president arrived, his behavior at the much-talked-about summit could not have come as a surprise to anybody.

Throughout his campaign and presidency, Trump consistently talked about pressuring NATO allies to pay their fair share of defense costs, and more than once mulled pulling the US out of the military alliance.

Disagreements

The trio of Mattis, Pompeo, and Bolton have all had their differences with Trump in the past.

Defense Secretary Mattis has publicly disagreed with Trump on NATO, on climate change, and on moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. Mattis also spoke out in favor of keeping the US in the Iran deal –which guaranteed Iran some sanctions relief in exchange for a halt on its nuclear weapons program– last year.

Pompeo too has publicly contradicted Trump on a number of occasions. The Secretary of State has publicly denied the existence of a ‘deep state’ – contradicting Trump’s assertions that shadowy forces within the intelligence community are working against him.

READ MORE: Mattis calls space a ‘developing war zone,’ mulls creating combatant command before Space Force

After Trump’s summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in July, Pompeo again went against Trump, claiming that North Korea was still a nuclear threat, while Trump had declared the threat over.

Before the high-stakes summit with Kim took place, it appeared that Bolton was actively attempting to sabotage the talks. The Kim regime sees nuclear weapons as a key bargaining chip, that could prevent it from going the way of Saddam Hussein in Iraq or Muammar Gaddafi in Libya.

Bolton’s suggestion that denuclearization would follow the “Libyan model” was seen as directly attempting to sabotage the talks at worst, or a colossal gaffe at best. Pyongyang called Bolton “repugnant” and threatened to pull out of the summit in response, leaving Trump to walk back on Bolton’s remarks, promising Kim a different fate than Gadaffi.

https://twitter.com/x/status/997072304143151109

Despite the disagreements, all three have managed to hold down their jobs in a White House characterized by its high staff turnover. As far as Trump is concerned, they must be doing something right.

Other News:

Nearly 40 kg of cocaine seized in massive bust
3 days ago CTV News

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028056640422068225

Dice Trump que Obrador es un caballero absoluto - Quadratín

Nearly two tonnes of powder believed to be cocaine seized in Guerrero
Decomisa la Marina casi 2 toneladas de cocaína en costas de Guerrero - Quadratín

Published on Aug 10, 2018

https://twitter.com/x/status/1027887824584888320

Woman Arrested at Otay Mesa Smuggling 7,000 Oxycodone Pills
https://timesofsandiego.com/crime/2...-at-otay-mesa-smuggling-7000-oxycodone-pills/
August 10, 2018 San Diego
A 28-year-old woman was arrested at Otay Mesa Port of Entry after agents caught her trying to smuggle 7,000 Oxycodone pills and 188 pounds of other various narcotics into the United States in her car

The driver arrived at the San Diego-area inspection station out of Mexico in a 2006 Dodge Caliber about 4 a.m. Thursday, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection public affairs.

Using an imaging system, CBP officers discovered suspicious anomalies in the dashboard, back seat, quarter panels and rear bumper of the vehicle. The personnel then discovered and removed 56 wrapped packages containing fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and the Oxycodone tablets.

The combined street value of the haul of narcotics would have been about $988,000, according to the federal agency.

CBP officers seized the contraband and vehicle and turned over the suspect, a U.S citizen whose name was not released, to Homeland Security. She was booked into Las Colinas women’s jail in Santee on suspicion of narcotics smuggling.

 

[thorbiorn]

[...]
10.08.2018 - German Businesses Urge EU, Berlin to Defend Against US Anti-Russian Sanctions
German Businesses Urge EU, Berlin to Defend Against US Anti-Russian Sanctions

The German Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations (OAOEV) said on Friday that US extraterritorial sanctions on Russia contradict the principles of democracy and called for the European Union and Germany to "decisively defend" themselves against US restrictions no matter what countries they target.

"All attempts to apply US extraterritorial sanctions violate our democratic sovereign rights, that is why we should decisively defend ourselves against such attempts no matter what countries these measures target," Wolfgang Buchele, the OAOEV chair, said, as cited by the organization.

Buchele expressed hope that the European Union and Germany, in particular, would stand by its position that US sanctions toward non-US enterprises contradicted international law.

[...]

If there were any holes in the Skripal case, the PTB cement them by taking grotesquesly disproportionate steps, leaving many if not most average people convinced of the truth of the lie.
But are the latest collection of Anti-Russian sanctions really Anti-Russian or anti something more.
In my view Anti-Russian sanctions could also be interpreted as being Anti-European. Below are some observations that might support such a position.

From an economic point of view, the German business community has long understood and argued that they suffer from these socalled Anti-Russian sanctions too. In fact almost the whole EU has suffered, some countries and industrial sectors more than others.

At the same time the conflict in Ukraine or should we say, the invasion of the Ukraine by the US intelligence services and in general most of Eastern Europe by NATO, has helped to increase regional tension and has thus helped to create "a need" for US troops. For example there was:
"Talks on more US troops in Poland 'very advanced': president"
(http://www.thenews(dot)pl/1/9/Artyk...e-US-troops-in-Poland-very-advanced-president).
And:
"Norway Asks For Doubling Of U.S. Troops, Deployed Closer To Russia" https://www.rferl(dot)org/a/norway-asks-doubling-us-troops-deployed-closer-russia-/29287685.html Reports Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty. One Norwegian politician put it differently,

[...]"We received a number of requests from the US. There are talks at the political level, but I cannot provide concrete details," Frank Bakke-Jensen was quoted as saying.

One of the options, as reported by Verdens Gang, is an increase in the number of US marines; they have been stationed at Værnes, on the Western coast of Norway, since January 2017. Last week, Colonel Doug Bruun told the Norwegian newspaper Adresseavisen about plans to double the US marines' presence from 330 to 650. Reports about potentially transferring them over the Arctic Circle to the northern province of Troms also emerged. Previously, though, the US Marine Corps also announced plans to make Værnes its main base in Europe.

Norway offers excellent cover in the many deep fjords and extensive mountain regions. BTW. The current GS of NATO Jens Stoltenberg, was prime minister during the 2011 Norway attacks. At the time many asked, why Norway? Critical investigators later noticed several unanswered questions for which very high officials most likely would have an explanation.

In early July there was this which illustrates that the "investments" in Germany are important :

https://www.stripes.com/news/former...ermany-would-be-a-big-win-for-russia-1.535699
Former Army Europe boss: Pulling US troops from Germany would be a big win for Russia
[...]
There are now about 32,000 permanently stationed American troops in Germany, which hosted the majority of the 300,000 troops stationed in Europe during the Cold War.
[...]
To pull out en masse would “throw away 70 years of effort and investment by allies as well as multiple administrations, Republican and Democrat,” Hodges said in an interview with Stars and Stripes. He expressed confidence that Pentagon planners would agree to keep troop levels in Germany on the current scale. [...]

At the same time the Eastern corners of Europe are being mobilized; like Georgia
Close Combat: NATO Troops Train With Georgians
https://www.rferl(dot)org/a/gerorgia-nato-exercise/29426458.html
And

For example, the force-on-force training at Hohenfels was the first opportunity for the brigade to become multinational, incorporating a Ukrainian company, a Romanian company, a Hungarian battalion and an Albanian light infantry company.
[...]
Romanians and Ukrainians were effective in bolstering dismounted capabilities, including clearance operations in thick vegetation where tanks can’t go or conducting reconnaissance and clearance through urban centers within the training course in advance of a tank company.

Ukraine are not an official member of NATO, but their assistance is a phone call away, just as NATO military instructors operate in Ukraine.
And there was:

[...]NATO and the European Union continue to have a dialogue about military freedom of movement between countries, Hodges added. Earlier this year, the U.S. general advocated for what he was calling a military Schengen Zone, which would allow easy movement across borders, much like the Schengen Zone in Europe allows ease of movement for EU citizens.
[...]
He has since moved away from the term because it has become associated with uncontrolled migrant flow and instead is referring to the notion as “cross-border military mobility.”[...]

Instead of having only uncontrolled migrant flow, will there be uncontrolled military flow as well?

There is no doubt that the US troops are being placed in more European countries. And with "cross-border military mobility" the same forces will be plenty, if sent in to operate actively in the European NATO countries themselves, whether to curb or to spread "local unrest." If the edge of the sword may not be sharp enough for Russia, it is more suitable for the EU.

So far European politicians in general appear to be unaware of this possibility while they swallow the Anti-Russian sanctions narrative - line, hook and sinker! The countries that support this developement of tension apparently think they are in control. They play with their toys close to the border of the country they perceive as an opponent, a danger and then what happens? https://sputniknews.com/europe/201808081067047681-estonia-missile-nato-drills-spain/ Perhaps it was just and accident, a human error or a hardware malfunction, we don't know, but is there anyting wrong in pointing out that if the command of a whole plane can be taken over by a remote controller, and if a military drone can fire a missile, then what would technically prevent the weapons system of a military jet from being handled by a remote controller for a short period of time allowing time to fire a missile - by mistake?
These Anti-Russians sanctions, with all they entail, really do not serve the interest of most people in the EU.

 

[Ca.]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028710542544920576

‘She’s a lowlife!’ Trump explodes over former aide Omarosa’s claims of his ‘racist’ rants
Edited time: 12 Aug, 2018 09:00
President Trump has called his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a “lowlife,” after the former contestant on the Apprentice reality tv show, in her upcoming memoir, accused the US leader of being racist.

“Lowlife. She’s a lowlife,” Donald Trump said Saturday, after being asked by a New York Times correspondent if he feels “betrayed by Omarosa?”

After her abrupt dismissal last December, Newman wrote 'Unhinged: An Insider Account of the Trump White House,' her memoir in which she claims Trump used the “N-word” when he hosted the reality show. The aide was referring to a long-rumored but yet-to-surface recording of Donald Trump that, she argues in her book, might have cost her job at the White House.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028367684218572800

“On this phone conversation, I was told exactly what Donald Trump said — yes, the N-word and others in a classic Trump-goes-nuclear rant — and when he'd said them,” Newman says in her book, according to excerpts.

On Friday, she told National Public Radio that she’d heard the tape personally. In addition to the racism allegations, in ‘Unhinged’, which is due to hit store shelves next week, she also reveals that Trump’s re-election campaign offered her a contract in exchange for a non-disclosure agreement after her ouster from the White House for “serious integrity issues.”

Before Trump accused Newman of being a “lowlife,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders dismissed the content of the claims revealed in the book.

“Instead of telling the truth about all the good President Trump and his administration are doing to make America safe and prosperous, this book is riddled with lies and false accusations,” Sanders said in a statement. “It's sad that a disgruntled former White House employee is trying to profit off these false attacks, and even worse that the media would now give her a platform, after not taking her seriously when she had only positive things to say about the President during her time in the administration.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028738574005530624

12 Aug 2018 Video
Sunday on MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said President Donald Trump’s “whole thing is ‘Make America White Again.'”

Pelosi said, “We’re going backward, and the president with all of his statements is the master of the dog whistle. Everything he has done, whether it’s taking babies out of the arms of their moms, whether it’s issues that relate to health care in our country, access to services and the rest is — his whole thing is ‘Make America White Again.’ That’s his thing. He can say a nice thing today in a tweet, but the fact is his actions speak louder than his words.”

https://twitter.com/x/status/1028746202639216640

 

[Voyageur]

Anybody recall how they went after the Dixie Chicks because of Natalie Mains comment about George Bush?

Yes:

 

[angelburst29]

‘She’s a lowlife!’ Trump explodes over former aide Omarosa’s claims of his ‘racist’ rants
Edited time: 12 Aug, 2018 09:00
President Trump has called his former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman a “lowlife,” after the former contestant on the Apprentice reality tv show, in her upcoming memoir, accused the US leader of being racist.

“Lowlife. She’s a lowlife,” Donald Trump said Saturday, after being asked by a New York Times correspondent if he feels “betrayed by Omarosa?”

After her abrupt dismissal last December, Newman wrote 'Unhinged: An Insider Account of the Trump White House,' her memoir in which she claims Trump used the “N-word” when he hosted the reality show. The aide was referring to a long-rumored but yet-to-surface recording of Donald Trump that, she argues in her book, might have cost her job at the White House.

I think, the description "Unhinged" perfectly reflects Omarosa's mental stability?

Along with her other "claims", she accuses Trump "of pushing a secret document in his mouth - chewing it - and swallowing it"?Well, anyways, that claim would perfectly explain the discrepancy - of why "it took over two hours" instead of the "scheduled one hour" secret one-on-one meeting between Trump and Putin that was held in Helsinki? Putin kept his end of the bargain - by providing documented proof to Trump during their hour long conversation but didn't anticipate - it would take Trump - another hour to digest the information? Mystery solved!

11.08.2018 - Ex-White House Employee Claims Trump Swallowed Secret Document
Ex-White House Employee Claims Trump Swallowed Secret Document

According to Omarosa, in 2017 she saw President Trump pushing into his mouth a document after a meeting with his then lawyer Michael Cohen, The Washington Post writes.

"I saw him put a note in his mouth," she writes in her book. "Since Trump was ever the germaphobe, I was shocked he appeared to be chewing and swallowing the paper. It must have been something very, very sensitive."


12.08.2018 - Happy Ending Included? Public Laughs Off Donald Trump's 'Text Massages' Typo
Happy Ending Included? Public Laughs Off Donald Trump's 'Text Massages' Typo

Trump's tweet gaffe has made social media users scratch their heads and try to guess why the FBI would give "text massages," whatever that means, to Andrew McCabe.

On Saturday, in his stinging Twitter tirade against the FBI probe into Russia's alleged US election meddling, President Donald Trump wrote "text massages" instead of "text messages." The rant was deleted and then retweeted without the typo.


Donald J. Trump ✔ @realDonaldTrump

Why isn’t the FBI giving Andrew McCabe text messages to Judicial Watch or appropriate governmental authorities. FBI said they won’t give up even one (I may have to get involved, DO NOT DESTROY). What are they hiding? McCabe wife took big campaign dollars from Hillary people.....
9:17 AM - Aug 11, 2018

The gaffe caused some internet users to raise their eyebrows.


Og Bobby Johnson @MrOgJohnson

Replying to @realDonaldTrump

I need somebody to give me a massage via text. Is that part of sexting? That sounds freaky, let me call my wife.
6:16 AM - Aug 12, 2018


The Hoarse Whisperer @HoarseWisperer

“I’m rubbing your back. Now I’m rubbing your neck. Reaaaally rubbing your shoulders now.”

I just gave you guys a “text massage”.

That’ll be $50. PayPal is fine.
5:14 PM - Aug 11, 2018


AFA 2020 @captscott019

Replying to @realDonaldTrump and 2 others

I'd like a text massage with my covfefe.
8:35 AM - Aug 12, 2018