Friday, January 6, 2017

With entire world watching, US "intelligence community" mocks its employers the American taxpayers by leaking "secret" intel anecdote to media. Globally hyped Obama "intelligence" report received Thursday was leaked to media on Thursday by "a senior US intelligence official." Sensational media headlines omit disclaimer that data should be viewed with caution, are subject to interpretation. US "intelligence community" obviously scorns and thus endangers lives of all Americans. Status Quo War Machine that lost 2016 election is ginning up deadly Russia hysteria to return themselves to power

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1/5/17, "NBC and Washington Post Rush to Present “Anonymous Sources” Again," tcth, sundance 

"See if you can notice something familiar?











"How did NBC get "an exclusive look into the top secret report he (Obama) was presented?" Who gave them this report and why? Politics!" Donald J. Trump twitter  

♦ NBC: “A senior U.S. intelligence official with direct knowledge confirmed to NBC News that the report on Russian hacking delivered to President Obama Thursday says that U.S. intelligence picked up senior Russian officials celebrating Donald Trump’s win.

The source described the intelligence about the celebration, first reported by the Washington Post, as a minor part of the overall intelligence report, which makes the case that Russia intervened in the election”. (more)

♦ WaPo: “Senior officials in the Russian government celebrated Donald Trump’s victory over Hillary Clinton as a geopolitical win for Moscow, according to U.S. officials who said that American intelligence agencies intercepted communications in the aftermath of the election in which Russian officials congratulated themselves on the outcome (more)"...

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NBC News report: "The source also noted, however, that communication intercepts are viewed with caution because they are subject to interpretation."... 

1/5/17, "Top Russians Celebrated When Trump Won, Intel Report Says: Source," 

"A senior U.S. intelligence official with direct knowledge confirmed to NBC News that the report on Russian hacking delivered to President Obama Thursday says that U.S. intelligence picked up senior Russian officials celebrating Donald Trump's win. 

The source described the intelligence about the celebration, first reported by the Washington Post, as a minor part of the overall intelligence report, which makes the case that Russia intervened in the election. 

"Highly classified intercepts illustrate Russian government planning and direction of a multifaceted campaign by Moscow to undermine the integrity of the American political system," said the official. 

"The source also noted, however, that communication intercepts are viewed with caution because they are subject to interpretation."... 
   
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(continuing): "This MSM construct is almost identical to how the entire Russian Conspiracy Narrative originated a month ago:
 
wikileaks-duck
FLASHBACK:  […] In essence, the MSM takes a politically manipulated original intelligence claim and pushes a political media angle within a manufactured story of their own creation.
When the media reports on their own media reports the concentric circle of a self fulfilling narrative expands toward the infinite horizon of nothingness.
Reminder: ♠ The Washington Post is the MSM media outlet for the CIA.  ♦ CNN is the MSM media outlet for the U.S. State Department. ♣ Bloomberg is the MSM media outlet specializing in the Mamet Principle, and gaslighting….and ♦ AP / Reuters / NBC and Alphabets are typical leftist MSM."
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Added: Rising hysteria about Russia fills 2 needs for Official Washington: Military Industrial Complex needs a lucrative war, and anti-interventionist President Trump must be blunted. 'Endless war' status quo just voted out by Americans must be ignored. Oligarchs and their media are pummeling US taxpayers 24/7 with the idea that US taxpayer dollars and blood must be spent--in this case to take out Putin (later on, someone else). Hillary camp wants war with Russia more than ever, existential threat of ISIS has smoothly transitioned to existential threat of Russia. How we can stop this-Krieger 

1/5/17, "Very Powerful People in the U.S. Government Want War – This is Their Sales Pitch," Liberty Blitzkrieg, Michael Krieger











"The rising hysteria about Russia is best understood as fulfilling two needs for Official Washington: the Military Industrial Complex’s transitioning from the “war on terror” to a more lucrative “new cold war” – and blunting the threat that a President Trump poses to the neoconservative/liberal-interventionist foreign-policy establishment.

By hyping the Russian “threat,” the neocons and their liberal-hawk sidekicks, who include much of the mainstream U.S. news media, can guarantee bigger military budgets from Congress. The hype also sets in motion a blocking maneuver to impinge on any significant change in direction for U.S. foreign policy under Trump.

– From the post: Who Benefits from War with Russia? (1/2/17)

The following will probably be one of the most important articles I’ve ever written. After spending some time watching the recently concluded intelligence briefing to the U.S. Senate, I’ve determined it to be one of the most disturbing and ominous things I can remember. I have several takeaways from what I saw, and none of them are good.

Before I get started, I want to remind you of something I wrote last summer in the piece, Japanese Government Shifts Further Toward Authoritarianism and Militarism.

"One of the most discomforting aspects of Neil Howe and William Strauss’ seminal work on generational cycles, The Fourth Turning (1997), is the fact that as far as American history is concerned, they all climax and end with massive wars.

To be more specific, the first “fourth turning” in American history culminated with the Revolutionary War (1775-1783), the second culminated with the Civil War (1861-1865), while the third ended with the bloodiest war in world history, World War II (1939-1945). The number of years between the end of the Revolutionary War and the start of the Civil War was 78 years, and the number of years between the end of the Civil War and the start of World War II was 74 years (76 years if you use America’s entry into the war as your starting date). Therefore, if Howe and Strauss’ theory holds any water, and I think it does, we’re due for a major conflict somewhere around 75 years from the end of World War II. That brings us to 2020.

The more I look around, the more signs appear everywhere that the world is headed into another major conflict. From an unnecessary resurgence of a Cold War with Russia, to increased tensions in the South China Sea and complete chaos and destruction in the Middle East, the world is a gigantic tinderbox. All it will take to transform these already existing conflict zones into a major conflagration is another severe global economic downturn, something I fully expect to happen within the next 1-2 years. Frighteningly, this puts on a perfect collision course with the 2020 area."

One of the main reasons I opposed Hillary Clinton so vehemently, was I felt she embodied the neocon, neoliberal, military-intelligence-indsustrial complex’s burning desire for a global confrontation with Russia, as well as continued disastrous imperial adventures all over the world. Many of us hoped that with her loss, cooler heads would prevail and the American public might receive a much needed respite from never-ending war. This has not happened.

If anything, those in the Hillary camp have become even more aggressive and unhinged in their bloodlust, and appear willing to do “whatever it takes” to start a fight that will result in unimaginable devastation for the American public. This has become such an overwhelming concern to me, I felt the need to discuss what those of us who wish to avoid this outcome must do.

First, we need to understand the motivation of those driving us in this disastrous direction. Their primary motivation is pretty simple, a desire to retain power and status. They can see the writing on the wall when it comes to the disintegration of status quo authority and credibility, and they fundamentally understand the need to focus on an outside enemy in order to distract attention away from internal failures.

Second, we need to understand where we are in the war-creating process. We must acknowledge that very powerful interests have already decided they want this war. To them, this isn’t about weighing facts and being reasonable, they’ve already made up their minds. As such, we are currently in the sales process.

Right at this very moment, we are being sold on this war by the media, politicians, intelligence agencies, as well as various other vested interests who benefit from imperial dominance abroad (unlike the vast majority of us who are severely harmed by it). When you understand that this is simply a huge sales pitch to herd the American public like sheep into a conflict that is not in their best interests, then everything you see and hear around you starts to make sense.

Just in case you doubt my theory that certain people have already decided they want this war, watch the following diatribe by neocon chickenhawk Lindsey “I never saw a war I didn’t like” Graham.

The only thing more disturbing than Graham’s endless rock-throwing lust, is what Director of National Intelligence, James Clapper, said at the end of it: “I find myself in complete agreement with what he just said, and I appreciate it.” The lunatics are indeed running the asylum.

This is very important. James Clapper admits he wants to throw rocks at Russia. Why? Because in his opinion, Russia provided genuine information to Wikileaks which was embarrassing to the Democratic Party, and Hillary Clinton lost an election. Let’s just assume for a second that U.S. intelligence does have proof that Putin ran the operation and sent it to Wikileaks for the expressed purpose of helping Trump. If that can be proven, I absolutely think it is meaningful information, and I think the American people should be aware of it. However, would I be willing to get into a war with Russia over it? Certainly not. Would most Americans? I doubt it. To summarize, the American people don’t want war, but many D.C. politicians and special interests do. This divergence makes the situation all the more dangerous.

We need to understand that those who want this war will be absolutely relentless. The sales pitch will not end until they get exactly what they want. This is where all of us critical thinkers need to play a key role. We must be prepared to diligently analyze all unsubstantiated official claims, and push back against the war-mongers, because we know for certain the oligarch-owned corporate media won’t. We must be prepared to inform our fellow citizens about what’s happening so that we don’t fall victim to a cheap sales pitch with devastating consequences. Unfortunately, we must also be prepared for a possible deep state false flag if the current sales tactic falls on deaf ears. 

This is not to say that in the course of human events war is never necessary. Sometimes it’s simply thrust upon you, but we’re nowhere near that point. Moreover, the fact so many people are pushing this conflict forward based on what is actually a pretty trivial accusation in the grand scheme of things, should be seen as particularly problematic. Which brings me to the most important point of all.

America cannot win a global war of such a scale if it is based on false pretenses and in the absence of exceedingly strong public support. This support does not exist. Will this serve as a necessary restraint against the masters of war and their devious plans? It’s too early to tell, but I do know that if we are unnecessarily pushed into a global conflagration, it will not end well for us. If this is the road our twisted status quo insists on taking us down, let us never forget who they are and the self-serving motivations behind their actions.

Finally, let me conclude with the following observation:

















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Thursday, January 5, 2017

Outgoing spy chief James Clapper says Russians "did not change any vote tallies or anything of that sort"-Jan. 5, 2017

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Clapper submitted his resignation on Nov. 17, 2016, effective Jan. 20, 2017. Added: US teen "hacked" Clapper email and rerouted his home phone to the Free Palestine Movement, Jan. 2016 report....The current psy-op is not primarily aimed at Russia as much as it is targeting the American people to “summon the will” to go to war with Russia. The Endless Foreign War industry has a death grip on the US and US taxpayer dollars without which it couldn't exist. 

1/5/17, "DNI Clapper: Russians Did Not Change Any Vote Tallies in U.S. Elections," CNS News, Melanie Hunter

"Director of National Intelligence James Clapper admitted to the Senate Armed Services Committee on Thursday that the Russians did not alter vote counts in the U.S. election.

"They did not change any vote tallies or anything of that sort," Clapper said under questioning from Chairman John McCain (R.-Ariz.)

Clapper further implicitly conceded that whatever the Russians might have done in making Democratic National Committee emails available to the public, the outcome of the U.S. presidential election nonetheless reflected "the choices" of American voters.

"We had no way of gauging the impact that—certainly the intelligence community cannot gauge the impact--it [Russian cyber activities] had on the choices the electorate made," Clapper told McCain.

Later in the hearing, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark) asked Clapper, “the intelligence community says, ‘It would be extremely difficult for someone – including a nation-state actor to alter actual ballot counts or election results by cyberattack or intrusion,’ and you say to that earlier today as well that we have no evidence that vote tallies were altered or manipulated in anyway?”

“That’s correct,” Clapper said.

When asked to give a preview to the committee of what will be submitted in a classified report to Congress later on the motive of Russia’s cyberattack, Clapper said there was “more than one motive,” but he refused to specify what the motive would be. Clapper acknowledged, however, that ascertaining motives of foreign leaders is a hard task.

“In your 50 years of intelligence, is ascertaining the motives, plans and intentions of foreign leaders among the hardest tasks that we ask our intelligence services to perform?” Cotton asked.

“It always has been,” Clapper responded.

“There’s a widespread assumption – this has been expressed by Secretary Clinton herself since the election - that Vladimir Putin favored Donald Trump in this election,” Cotton said.

He noted that during the election, President-elect Donald Trump proposed increasing the defense budget “to accelerate nuclear modernization, to accelerate ballistic missile defenses, and to expand and to accelerate boosting missile defenses, and to expand and accelerate oil and gas production, which would obviously harm Russia’s economy.”

“Hillary Clinton opposed or at least was not as enthusiastic about all those measures. Would each of those put the United States in a stronger strategic position against Russia?” Cotton asked.

“Certainly anything we do to enhance our military capabilities—absolutely,” Clapper said. 


“There’s some contrary evidence despite what the media speculates that perhaps Donald Trump is not the best candidate for Russia,” Cotton said."

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Added: US teen hacked emails of top US spy James Clapper and CIA boss John Brennan. Teen rerouted Clapper family phone number to Free Palestine Movement-BBC, Computer World, Jan. 2016:

1/13/2016, "Hacker hits US spy chief James Clapper's personal accounts," BBC

"The US director of national intelligence has had several of his personal online accounts hacked, his office has confirmed. 

A spokesman said the matter had been "reported to the appropriate authorities", but declined to say more. 

As director of national intelligence, James Clapper serves as a key adviser to the US president on security matters including cyberthreats. 

It follows a similar cyber-attack on the CIA's director (Brennan) in October. 

The Motherboard news site reported on Tuesday that it had been contacted by a young hacker who had claimed responsibility. Motherboard reported the teenager had said he was part of the same group - Crackas With Attitude (CWA) - behind the earlier breach.

The youth said he had broken into Mr Clapper's personal email, his Verizon phone and internet account settings and a Yahoo email account belonging to Mr Clapper's wife. 

The BBC understands that Mr Clapper's office has only seen evidence that the hacker actually accessed Sue Clapper's email and the couple's family phone number. 

It appears that the teenager altered the phone number's settings so that calls were rerouted to a spokesman for the Free Palestine Movement, a cause the CWA says it supports. 

Motherboard said the hacker had also passed on what he claimed was a log of home calls Mr Clapper had recently made and received."...
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Oct. 19, 2015, "CIA boss John Brennan's personal email 'hacked'," BBC

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"(James) Clapper became DNI in 2010 and acts both as head of the 17-agency intelligence community and a lead adviser to President Barack Obama on intelligence issues." 1/27/2015     
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As of Jan. 2016, James "Clapper (Director of National Intelligence) had taken no steps to keep his phone number or home address hidden as both can reportedly be found via a simple Google search. That’s “insane” according to information security expert Michael Adams; he told Motherboard, “If I’m the Director of National Intelligence of the United States of America nobody is going to know where the [bleep] I live, nobody is going to have my [bleep] phone number or address.”" In 2015, "one of the CWA hackers originally dubbed a teenage stoner – took control of CIA Director John Brennan’s personal email account." 

Jan. 13, 2016, "Hackers took over Director of National Intelligence's phone and personal email," ComputerWorld.com, Darlene Storm

James Clapper
"Hackers flying under the banner of Crackas With Attitude took over Director of National Intelligence James Clapper's Verizon My FiOS account and forwarded all his calls to the Free Palestine Movement."

"If you were Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and confused colleagues inquire as to why they keep reaching the wrong number when they try to call you, then it would have to be embarrassing to explain that hackers had taken over your Verizon My FiOS account and all your calls are being forwarded to the Free Palestine Movement.

Social engineering is apparently no less effective for a group of hackers flying under the banner of Crackas With Attitude (CWA) than it has been in the past when Cracka – one of the CWA hackers originally dubbed a teenage stoner – took control of CIA Director John Brennan’s personal email account. 

This time, “Cracka” told Motherboard’s Lorenzo Franceschi-Bicchierai that CWA had taken control of "a series of accounts connected to Clapper, including his home telephone and internet, his personal email, and his wife’s Yahoo email. While in control of Clapper’s Verizon FiOS account, Cracka claimed to have changed the settings so that every call to his house number would get forwarded to the Free Palestine Movement.” CWA is aligned with the #FreePalestine movement. 

Cracka claimed the group was “pretty sure” Clapper didn’t know he’d been hacked, but a spokesman for Clapper, Brian Hale, said the Office of the Director of National Intelligence was “aware of the matter and reported it to the appropriate authorities.”"...

[Ed. note: Where are you finding "appropriate authorities" when the top US official on computer safety isn't an "authority"?]

(continuing): "After Cracka handed over Clapper’s home number to Motherboard and Franceschi-Bicchierai called it, Paul Larudee, the co-founder of the Free Palestine Movement, answered. Larudee confirmed that he had been getting calls by people trying to call Clapper. 

Clapper had taken no steps to keep his phone number or home address hidden as both can reportedly be found via a simple Google search. That’s “insane” according to information security expert Michael Adams; he told Motherboard, “If I’m the Director of National Intelligence of the United States of America nobody is going to know where the [bleep] I live, nobody is going to have my [bleep] phone number or address.”

CWA also provided Motherboard with a phone number allegedly belonging to Clapper’s wife, screenshots of their Verizon FiOS account, her Yahoo account, and a list of call logs to Clapper’s home number, including Vonna Heaton, a former senior executive at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. She seemed shocked to receive a call from a journalist and politely ended the call. 

Cracka, using a different Twitter account this time, taunted various agencies in the U.S. intelligence community, but that’s not surprising since most of the agencies are already on the long list of CWA’s enemies.

Besides previously targeting CIA Director John Brennan, Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, White House Deputy National Security Advisor Avril Haines, and FBI Deputy Director Mark Giuliana, CWA claimed to have gained access to the national Joint Automated Booking System (JABS), a database of arrest records, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the FBI's Virtual Command Center. After CWA dumped personal details of 2,400 government employees, the Internet Crime Complaint Center warned police and public officials of an increased risk of being the target of cyber-attacks and doxing." Image from Medill DC 

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Added: Ginning up the American masses for war with nuclear armed Russia:

"The reality is that the U.S. government, working hand-in-glove with the Times and other mainstream American publications, has been waging such an information war against Russia for at least the past several years.... This current psy-op is not primarily aimed at a foreign adversary as much as it is targeting the American people."... 

The Washington Post published an op-ed on Oct. 6, 2016 by a US neocon urging Americans to "summon the will" to have war with Russia:

Oct. 16, 2016, "New York Times’s Absurd New Anti-Russian Propaganda," Robert Parry, Consortium News

"‘Regime Change' in Moscow?

Further feeding Russia’s fears, prominent Americans, including at least one financed by the U.S. government, have called for a "regime change" project in Moscow."


[10/7/16, "A prominent neocon paymaster, whose outfit dispenses $100 million in U.S. taxpayers’ money each year, has called on America to “summon the will” to remove Russian President Putin from office

....The neoconservative president of the U.S.-taxpayer-funded National Endowment for Democracy [NED] has called for the U.S. government to “summon the will” to engineer the overthrow of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that the 10-year-old murder case of a Russian journalist should be the inspiration. Carl Gershman, who has headed NED since its founding in 1983, doesn’t cite any evidence that Putin was responsible for the death of Anna Politkovskaya
but uses a full column in The Washington Post on Friday to create that impression, calling her death “a window to Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin autocrat whom Americans are looking at for the first time.”"...]  

(continuing): "Yet all Americans hear about is the unproven allegation that Russia was responsible for hacking into Democratic Party emails and exposing information that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has tried to keep secret, such as the content of her speeches to Wall Street investment banks and other special interests....

The reality is that the U.S. government, working hand-in-glove with the Times and other mainstream American publications, has been waging such an information war against Russia for at least the past several years, including promotion of dubious charges such as the so-called Magnitsky case which was largely debunked by a courageous documentary that has been virtually blacklisted in the supposedly “free” West.

The Times also has embraced the U.S. government’s version of pretty much every dubious claim lodged against Moscow, systematically excluding evidence that points in a different direction. For instance, regarding the shootdown of the Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, the Times ignored a published Dutch (i.e. NATO) intelligence report stating that the only powerful anti-aircraft missiles in the area capable of hitting MH-17 were under the control of the Ukrainian military.

While it may be understandable that the Times opts to embrace claims by a Ukrainian-dominated investigation that the Russians were responsible – despite that inquiry’s evidentiary and logical shortcomings – it is not journalistically proper to ignore official evidence, such as the Dutch intelligence report, because it doesn’t go in the preferred direction. If the Times were not acting as a propaganda vehicle, it would at least have cited the Dutch intelligence report as one piece of the puzzle. 

The Times’ relentless service as the chief conveyor belt for anti-Russian propaganda has drawn at least some objections from readers, although they are rarely acknowledged by the Times....

The pattern has clearly shown that – as with Iraq in 2002-2003 – the Times’ editors see their role as preparing the American people for war."


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Added:  

10/28/16, "Selling ‘Regime Change’ Wars to the Masses," Consortium News, John Pilger 

"Trump is considered a serious threat to the status quo maintained by the vast national security machine that runs the United States, regardless of who is in the White House.

The CIA wants him beaten. The Pentagon wants him beaten. The media wants him beaten. Even his own party wants him beaten. He is a threat to the rulers of the world – unlike Hillary Clinton who has left no doubt she is prepared to go to war with nuclear-armed Russia and China.... 

Without a shred of public evidence, Clinton has accused Russia of supporting Trump and hacking her emails. Released by WikiLeaks, these emails tell us that what Clinton says in private, in speeches to the rich and powerful, is the opposite of what she says in public. 

That is why silencing and threatening Julian Assange is so important. As the editor of WikiLeaks, Assange knows the truth. And let me assure those who are concerned, he is well, and WikiLeaks is operating on all cylinders. 

Today, the greatest build-up of American-led forces since World War Two is under way – in the Caucasus and Eastern Europe, on the border with Russia, and in Asia and the Pacific, where China is the target. 

Keep that in mind when the presidential election circus reaches its finale on Nov. 8. If the winner is Clinton, a Greek chorus of witless commentators will celebrate her coronation as a great step forward for women. None will mention Clinton’s victims: the women of Syria, the women of Iraq, the women of Libya. None will mention the civil defense drills being conducted in Russia. None will recall Edward Bernays’s “torches of freedom.”... 

In 1946, the Nuremberg Tribunal prosecutor said of the German media: “Before every major aggression, they initiated a press campaign calculated to weaken their victims and to prepare the German people psychologically for the attack. In the propaganda system,

it was the daily press and the radio that were the most important weapons.”"

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Added: NY Times Tom Friedman says Putin is a threat to "basic civilized norms" and "we" must "step it up" to put a stop to him. Of course, war with nuclear Russia could end life on earth for all of us: 

 

10/5/16, "New ‘Group Think’ for War with Syria/Russia," Consortium News, Robert Parry 

 

"The (NY)Times’ Friedman, who was infamously wrong about the Iraq War and pretty much everything else, is still considered a premier American columnist who is courted to make high-profile public appearances. 


Now, Friedman wants to escalate tensions with nuclear-armed Russia, apparently with the sloppily thought-through mission of imposing another "regime change" this time in Moscow.... 

Friedman cites a scholar named Robert Litwak in claiming that “Putin’s departure from standard great-power competition — encouraging a flood of refugees and attacking the legitimacy of our political system — ‘is leading to shifts in global politics that could have revolutionary consequences, even if Putin is not motivated by revolutionary ideology.’”

Friedman’s solution to this highly questionable if not imaginary problem is to increase the pain on Putin and Russia, saying “it’s now clear that we have underestimated the pressure needed to produce effective engagement, and we’re going to have to step it up. This is not just about the politics of Syria and Ukraine anymore. 

It’s now also about America, Europe, basic civilized norms and the integrity of our democratic institutions.”"... 

[Ed. note: So Islamism is off the hook as the greatest threat to "basic civilized norms?"]. 

(continuing): "While it’s always tempting to dismiss Friedman as a nitwit, the sad reality is that he is an influential nitwit who helps shape “elite” American public opinion. He is now contributing to a new “group think” that is even more dangerous than the one he helped construct in 2002-2003 regarding the Iraq War. 

Today, this new “group think,” which — like the Iraq one — is based on a false or selective reading of the facts, could lead to a nuclear war that could end life on the planet." 

"[For more on this topic, see Consortiumnews.com’s “Do We Really Want Nuclear War with Russia?” and “Obama Warned to Defuse Tensions with Russia.”]"

 
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Wednesday, January 4, 2017

1994 Philadelphia Democrat absentee ballot vote fraud ruling flipped Pa. State Senate from Dem. to Republican, 'massive scheme' by Democrats in heavily Democrat North Philadelphia district. Absentee ballot abuse has increased with growth of Hispanic voters in inner cities-NY Times, 2/19/1994

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1/18/1995, "U.S. HIGH COURT LETS VOTE REVERSAL STAND THE SECOND DISTRICT CASE WAS THE FIRST IN WHICH A FEDERAL JUDGE HAD REVERSED AN ELECTION OUTCOME." Philadelphia Inquirer
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2/19/1994, "Vote-Fraud Ruling Shifts Pennsylvania Senate," NY Times, Michael deCourcy Hinds, Philadelphia


In making such a sweeping move, the judge, Clarence C. Newcomer of Federal District Court here, did for the Republicans what the election had not: enable them to regain control of the State Senate, which they lost two years ago. 

Judge Newcomer ruled that the Democratic campaign of William G. Stinson had stolen the election from Bruce S. Marks in North Philadelphia's Second Senatorial District through an elaborate fraud in which hundreds of residents were encouraged to vote by absentee ballot even though they had no legal reason -- like a physical disability or a scheduled trip outside the city -- to do so. 


"Substantial evidence was presented establishing massive absentee ballot fraud, deception, intimidation, harassment and forgery," Judge Newcomer wrote in a decision made public today.

The district, which includes white, black and Hispanic neighborhoods, is overwhelmingly Democratic by registration. Nonetheless, campaign workers testified that widespread voter apathy had prompted them to promote a "new way to vote" to insure a victory. 

Door to Door for Votes 

In addition to specific instances of wrongdoing, the state Republican Party, which filed the suit, contended that the door-to-door solicitation of votes by the Democrats was not permissible under the state election code, which says the Philadelphia County Board of Elections "shall deliver or mail" the ballots to a voter. 

The city, whose lawyers represented the board of elections, contended that the statute was open to broad interpretation, but throughout the hearing Judge Newcomer made it clear that he did not agree.

Indeed, the two Democrats on the three-member board of elections, an elected body, testified that they were aware of the voter fraud, had intentionally failed to enforce the election law and had later tried to conceal their activities by hurriedly certifying the Democratic candidate as the winner.

Judge Newcomer ordered that Mr. Stinson, a 49-year-old former assistant deputy mayor of Philadelphia, be removed from his State Senate office and that Mr. Marks, a 36-year-old lawyer and former aide to United States Senator Arlen Specter, be certified the winner within 72 hours.

"This is extraordinary relief," Judge Newcomer wrote. "However, it is appropriate because extraordinary conduct by the Stinson campaign and the board tainted the entirety of the absentee ballots." 

The two parties agreed that Mr. Marks would not try to enforce the order and take his seat until the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit here reviewed an appeal that Mr. Stinson said he planned to file on Tuesday. [US Supreme Court let the decision stand, 1/18/1995]

At stake is the result of a special election held last November to fill the seat made vacant by the death of a Democratic senator. The election was crucial because the party that won the seat also won control of the 50-member State Senate. 

The judge decided to hear the case after state election officials and state courts rejected the Republicans' claims. The Republicans have an appeal pending before the state's highest court. They went to Federal court on the ground that there were violations of the Voting Rights Act and Civil Rights Act. 

The Democrats, fearing that the court would rule against them, suddenly adjourned the State Senate on Monday, two days ahead of schedule. But when the Senate reconvenes next month, barring any successful Democratic appeal, Republicans will control the Senate by outnumbering Democrats by 26 to 24. 

Republican leaders minimized the effect of today's ruling, saying they were eager to work with Gov. Robert P. Casey, a Democrat, on reforming the state's health care and welfare systems. 

Ralph J. Teti, the lawyer for Mr. Stinson, said in an interview, "We believe, as we have said from day one, that a Federal Court has absolutely no jurisdiction in a purely state law proceeding when there are appeals pending in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court." Mr. Teti noted that five or six state judges had already reviewed Mr. Marks's case and that they had all dismissed it on procedural grounds without considering the merits. 

The dispute has also captured the attention of the national Republican Party, which asserted that the accusations of voter fraud were particularly egregious. But some election experts noted today that there have been many larger cases of voter fraud in Chicago and Louisiana in the 1970's and Alabama in the 1980's. 

The case involving the Philadelphia seat, however, may be the largest example involving fraudulent absentee ballots. 

Sharp Turnaround 

Mr. Marks won 564 more votes at voting booths than his Democratic opponent. But Mr. Stinson won the election by 461 votes after he obtained 80 percent of the 1,757 absentee ballots cast.

Legal experts said that Judge Newcomer's decision was highly unusual because he threw out all of the 1,757 absentee ballots. The judge wrote in his ruling, "The will of the electorate is reflected in the votes cast on the voting machines." 

In justifying his decision to throw out all of the absentee ballots, he cited a similar situation in Alabama. In that case, the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit, in Atlanta, ruled in 1986 that there was no need to be "mathematically precise" when a candidate has engaged in "massive" violations of election law. 

The abuse of absentee ballot applications and the ballots themselves, which are typically written in English, has apparently become more widespread with the increasing number of Hispanic voters in the inner cities, according to Arlene C. Rubin, executive director of Project LEAP -- which stands for Legal Elections in All Precincts -- a Chicago-based organization that monitors elections. 

"Vote fraud is moving out of the polling places and into people's living rooms," Ms. Rubin said.

In the meantime, two criminal investigations are being conducted, one by the State Attorney General Ernest D. Preate Jr. and the other by the Justice Department."

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 http://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/19/us/vote-fraud-ruling-shifts-pennsylvania-senate.html


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Obama lines up US troops on Russia border, desperate to force US taxpayers into World War III, annihilation of the planet, or at least another endless foreign war they don't want and can't afford

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1/4/17, "WAR GAMES: US sends special forces to RUSSIAN BORDER as Nato is poised to strike back against Vladimir Putin’s ‘aggression’, " The Sun UK, Mark Hodge 

"PRESIDENT Obama has deployed US special forces troops along Lithuania’s border with “aggressive” Russia.

Tensions between Washington and the Kremlin have reached Cold War levels amid reports Vladimir Putin is deploying nuke-ready missiles in the Russian province of Kaliningrad – which borders Poland, Belarus and Lithuania."...


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DHS FBI 12/29 report opens with disclaimer that its accuracy isn't guaranteed. In any case doesn't allege that Russians gave Democrat or Podesta emails to Wikileaks, doesn’t even mention Wikileaks-Washington's blog (It's impossible to 'disagree' with a report that doesn't report anything)

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12/29/16, "What The Russian Hacking Report DOESN’T Say," Washington's Blog

"The report itself is only five and a half pages long in large print (with another 7 pages for future security recommendations). It’s important to note what the report does NOT say…It does NOT allege any of the following:

It doesn’t claim that it’s accurate. Instead, the report starts with a disclaimer, and uses the same type of weasel words – “as is”, “does not provide any warranties of any kind regarding any information” – that someone selling a lemon uses when he doesn’t want to talk about the fact that the blasted thing won’t run and doesn’t want to get sued for intentional misrepresentation or wilful concealment.... 

It doesn’t mention Wikileaks…not even once.  In other words, the report does not allege that the Russians gave any Democratic Party or Podesta emails to Wikileaks....






  • It doesn’t address American intelligence services’ less-than-stellar history of truthfulness, and the fact that they routinely skew intelligence to justify preordained policy outcomes.
It doesn’t address the fact that – according to the Los Angeles Times – the U.S. interfered in foreign elections 81 times between 1946 and 2000…compared to only 36 times by the Ruskies....

In other words, the report really doesn’t say much of anything."

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Added:

12/14/16, "Obama Intelligence Officials Refuse To Brief Congress on Promoted “Russian Hacking Conspiracy"," tcth, sundance

"As further evidence of the politicization of the CIA (Central Intelligence), headed by John Brennan; and DNI (Director of National Intelligence) James Clapper, the agencies are refusing to brief congress on their claim the “Russians Hacked the U.S. Election”.

On Monday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes sent a letter to DNI James Clapper requesting the director immediately brief congress (Friday, December 16th).  Both Clapper  and Brennan are now refusing to explain their public claims.

On November 17th Director Clapper told congress there was no basis to identify Russia’s involvement in the DNC and Podesta email leaks release by WikiLeaks in the run up to the election.
However, last week the Washington Post and New York Times claimed officials within the DNI and CIA held proof of Russia hacking the election.

There are many people, ourselves included, who see these DNI/CIA stories as truly nothing more than a political stunt from two highly politicized intelligence agencies, with two highly politicized political operatives in Brennan and Clapper.

The fact that both agency heads would refuse to brief congress on the issue is further evidence the entire construct is demonstrably false, intended solely to create an anti-Trump narrative and undermine the incoming presidency.

Here’s the press release from House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes:

“It is unacceptable that the Intelligence Community directors would not fulfill the House Intelligence Committee’s request to be briefed tomorrow on the cyber-attacks that occurred during the presidential campaign.
The legislative branch is constitutionally vested with oversight responsibility of executive branch agencies, which are obligated to comply with our requests. The Committee is vigorously looking into reports of cyber-attacks during the election campaign, and in particular we want to clarify press reports that the CIA has a new assessment that it has not shared with us.
The Committee is deeply concerned that intransigence in sharing intelligence with Congress can enable the manipulation of intelligence for political purposes. The Committee will continue its efforts and will insist that we receive all the necessary cooperation from the relevant leaders of the Intelligence Community.”  (read more)

There is mounting evidence the entire President Obama intelligence apparatus has been compromised beyond repair....See here."...

 

 

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Nobel Peace Prize winner Obama has sold more weapons than any other US president since World War II. Most Obama weapons ended up in the Middle East. Under Obama, selling weapons became the job of all diplomats-which really increased exports. Saudi Arabia was his #1 customer-Motherboard

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1/3/17, "Obama’s Administration Sold More Weapons Than Any Other Since World War II," motherboard.vice.com, Farid Farid 

"President Barack Obama, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, will leave office in a few weeks with the dubious honor of having sold more weapons than any other American president since World War II. And experts say President-Elect Donald Trump will most likely sell even more. 

Most of the arms deals totaling over $200 billion in the period from 2008 to 2015 have ended up in the Middle East, according to a Congressional Research Service report published in December. The report, produced by the non-partisan government agency attached to the Library of Congress, breaks down the weapons sold which included surface-to-air missiles, tanks, and supersonic combat aircraft.

Focusing on arms deals to developing nations, the extensive report found that Saudi Arabia was the top arms importer with deals worth around $94 billion from 2008-2015. Under Obama the overall sales, pending delivery of equipment and specialised training for troops, to Saudi Arabia alone has ballooned to $115 billion.

Saudi Arabia is spearheading a coalition of Arab nations in a bombing campaign closing in on two years against the insurgent Houthi militias in Yemen, who took over the capital Sanaa in September 2014. The United States has sent special operations forces to assist the Arab coalition in a grinding war that has seen over 10000 killed, 2.2 million displaced and nearly half a million children on the brink of famine from the ensuing crisis.

Earlier this month, the United States decided to halt future sales of precision-guided munitions, which are supposed to hit specific targets and minimize collateral damage, to the Gulf kingdom citing civilian deaths in Yemen. But experts are skeptical this will deter Saudi Arabia from continuing to fuel its regional proxy wars.

“Frankly it was a really minor and temporary punishment. I don’t view it as a major consequence and it is more symbolic than anything,” said Cole Bockenfeld, deputy director of policy at Project on Middle East Democracy.

He pointed to the US partially suspending military aid to Egypt after the military overthrew the unpopular government in July 2013 as another example of the lack of political will of the Obama administration to rock relations with its allies. The Congressional report, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations 2008-2015, noted that Egypt was the biggest recipient of arms deliveries last year worth $5.3 billion.

Although the highly lucrative global market for arms dipped to around $80 billion in 2015 compared to $89 billion in 2014, the US still ranked first in weapons sales with $40 billion in inked deals.

“What’s changed during the Obama administration is that increasing arms sales has become a standardized component of diplomacy at all levels of government, not just in the defense department,” Bockenfeld told Motherboard. “For US diplomats to become the salesmen, that has been a new element which really increased exports.”

Russia remains the United States’ closest competitor with around 20 percent share of the market. Its most important client is India, which was the second largest arms importer behind Saudi Arabia at $34 billion over a period of seven years, as well as Latin American countries such as Venezuela.

Under Putin, Russia has ramped up its military footprint in the Middle East by supporting Bashar Al Assad’s regime in Syria, driving the Qatari and Saudi-backed rebels out of Aleppo earlier this month with multiple civilian casualties. It has been accused of using incendiary weapons such as TOS1A and BETAB-500 that burn their victims and have flattened whole areas of eastern Aleppo.

As the proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran involving Syria and Yemen continue to devastate the region, there is hardly any sign of demilitarization. Qatar alone signed deals for more than $17 billion last year and has vowed to continue supporting the battered rebels, even if president elect Donald Trump pulls back military support for them. 

Read More: Thousands of Scientists Say We Need a Global Ban on Autonomous Weapons 

Trump recently lambasted defense firm Lockheed Martin for their $400 billion F-35 fighter jet program with the Pentagon as ‘out of control’ spending on Twitter, but Bockenfeld sees no major change in policy from the outgoing Obama administration.

“I do expect US arms exports to increase under Trump,” he said. “I don’t see the use of arms sales as leverage as very likely in the next administration.”"





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Monday, January 2, 2017

Germany considers scrapping minimum wage for refugee and migrant workers. Employers welcome the idea-UK Mirror, 1/2/17

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1/2/2017, "Germany considers SCRAPPING minimum wage for refugee and migrant workers," express.co.uk, Ross Logan

"GOVERNMENT officials in Germany are considering scrapping the minimum wage for some unqualified refugees and migrants, according to a new report."

"A joint paper by the ministries of employment, education and finance suggests allowing employers to hire migrant staff under a "mandatory internship" scheme as they work towards professional or industry qualifications, exempting companies from paying the minimum wage. 

Migrant workers would instead be given a "training renumeration" during this period, the report proposes.

According to German newspaper  Süddeutschen Zeitung, a refugee with a foreign degree would still have undertake the internship until their qualifications were equal to a German one. 

The idea has been tentatively welcomed by Federal Association of German Employers, which advocates the creation of internship opportunities without the obligation to pay minimum wage.

Such an move would encourage more companies to offer professional qualifications, the association said, which would otherwise be put off paying trainees the obligatory salary.

However, the association said the scheme should not be limited to refugees and migrants, saying the rules should apply to all foreign and German nationals undertaking such training. 

Yesterday, the first day of 2017, the new minimum wage of €8.84 was introduced in Germany, up from €8.50. 

The propsal has been met with scepticism by the German Federation for Trade Unions, which fears refugees with little idea of their legal rights could be exploited for cheap labour.

It also raised concerns that it could be "water on the mills of the right-wing populists, who like to make the claim that foreigners 'take Germans' jobs away because they are cheaper to have' mood against refugees". "


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