Each day at just after midnight Eastern, a post like this one is created for contributors and readers of this site to upload news links and video links on the issues that concern this site. Most notably, Islam and its effects on Classical Civilization, and various forms of leftism from Soviet era communism, to postmodernism and all the flavours of galloping statism and totalitarianism such as Nazism and Fascism which are increasingly snuffing out the classical liberalism which created our near, miraculous civilization the West has been building since the time of Socrates.
This document was written around the time this site was created, for those who wish to understand what this site is about. And while our understanding of the world and events has grown since then, the basic ideas remain sound and true to the purpose.
So please post all links, thoughts and ideas that you feel will benefit the readers of this site to the comments under this post each day. And thank you all for your contributions.
This is the new Samizdat. We must use it while we can.
Turkish soccer players in Germany continue to show inciting backing for Turkish occupying forces in North Syria+++
The Turkish national soccer players are currently horrifying the world of soccer! In the European Championship qualifiers against Albania (1:0) and France (1:1) they provoked with saluting gestures. The Union of European Football Associations is investigating.Players of the Lower Bavarian amateur team Türkspor Mainburg from the district of Kelheim (10th league) had also cheered one of their goals with a military salute on Sunday afternoon in their 4:2 win against the SG Wildenburg/Biburg.The Bavarian Football Association (BFV) commented on the incident, saying on its homepage that it “will not tolerate such inciting behaviour and that each individual case will be brought before the sports court”. It also says: “Players who misuse the game for politically motivated incitement can be guilty of discriminatory behaviour […] and face severe penalties.In addition to the BFV, the Northeast German Football Association as well as the associations from Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein threatened copycats with penalties. In Herne, North Rhine-Westphalia, a similar incident had occurred over the weekend…
More:
https://searchlight-germany.blogspot.com/2019/10/turkish-soccer-players-in-germany.html
https://twitchy.com/gregp-3534/2019/10/17/theyre-fighting-back-angry-commuters-attacked-extinction-rebellion-protesters-in-london-after-they-stopped-train-service/
This is one of those feel good vids. Just a teensy little glimmer of hope.
It takes time for the public to get fed up enough to move on their own, think about the amount of indoctrination the left has done to ensure there won’t be individuals fighting back. If takes time to break that mold, the mold is starting to crack and unless the police are ordered to arrest those who took action they will grow.
Arrests after Kurdish protest is attacked by Turks in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. As can be heard in one of the videos, the Turks shouted Allahu Akhbar. In Dutch:
https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/187337/Tientallen-aanhoudingen-na-demonstratie-Koerden-en-Turken-in-Rotterdam#
Terrorists Zeroing in on Soft Targets in Kashmir Valley to Create Maximum Fear – Indian Think Tank (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/interviews/201910171077071463-terrorists-zeroing-in-on-soft-targets-in-kashmir-valley-to-create-maximum-fear—indian-think-tank/
“Terrorists based in India’s Kashmir Valley are now creating a maximum amount of fear and uncertainty in the minds of people through targeted “soft killings”, an Indian political analyst told Sputnik on Thursday.
The murder of an apple trader and a brick kiln worker from the Indian states of Punjab and Chhattisgarh, respectively, in two separate attacks on Wednesday reflected a “tactic to ensure that normalcy doesn’t return to Jammu and Kashmir State in any way”, Sushant Sareen, Senior Fellow at the Observer Research Foundation (ORF), a New Delhi-based think tank, told Sputnik in an interview.
Wednesday’s terror attacks in the Kashmir Valley’s Shopian and Pulwama districts have increased the civilian death toll to three since Monday, ringing alarm bells within the local business community and among businesses outside the region.
So deeply ingrained is the feeling of fear that small business proprietors and truck drivers are now reportedly fleeing the Kashmir Valley without collecting their consignments.
“Wednesday’s terror strike must not be seen as a random act. Terrorists are now identifying soft targets to instil fear in people, the objective being to achieve ‘maximum impact for minimum order’. This terror attack is not an ordinary, random act,” Sareen said.
“Once you start targeting people from other parts of the country who come as tourists or for a business engagement, or for a pilgrimage; who actually have no real connection with the ongoing happenings in Kashmir, they will stop going or coming, and this will have a debilitating impact on the region’s economy and the well-being of the local people,” he went on to say.
When asked if Wednesday’s attacks represent a resurgence of attacks of the 1980’s and the 1990’s in Kashmir, which led to the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandit community, Sareen said: “Targeted killings aren’t limited to India.”
“They do take place in other parts of the world. For instance, in Pakistan, in the aftermath of the 2007 Lal Masjid siege, we have seen and heard of targeted killings occurring in that country’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA).”
One of the victims of the latest terror strike has been identified as Punjab-based Charanjeet Singh. He was killed while on a business trip Kashmir’s Shopian district. Another was Sethi Kumar Sagar, a Chhattisgarh state resident employed in a brick kiln in the state’s Pulwama district. He was killed near a railway station.
A third person was Sanjeev Singh, an aide of Charanjeet Singh. He was critically injured in Wednesday’s attack.
Police said one of the assailants was suspected to be from Pakistan.
Asked how the Indian government should respond, Sareen said: “… Terrorism will not end anytime soon. We, as in most countries, are still in search of effective ways to counter insurgency, to stop it. We have to accept that there is no quick-fix solution to neutralise this menace. It will happen again and we just have to be aware and alert.”
Wednesday’s killings came two days after a truck driver identified as Sharief Khan was killed. As many as 15 people have been detained in response to the attack. Police in south Kashmir said the killings are part of a strategy used by terrorists: to strike at the trading community, which so far had refused to be cowed down.
Relations between India and Pakistan have been tense for decades. Relations between the two nuclear-armed nations dipped to a new low in February this year after New Delhi pinned blame on Islamabad for sponsoring Pulwama terror attack (14 February) in Kashmir claimed by terror group Jaish-e-Mohammad.
India carried out a retaliatory strike to destroy the banned group’s infrastructure across the border in Pakistan’s Balakot area, only to be followed next day by a dogfight between Indian and Pakistan forces.
The Kashmir issue dates back to 1947, when both countries became independent from Britain. Both rule part of the Kashmir region, but claim the entire region in full.”
Stay tough, Mr. PM Modi!
Creepy tards ethnically cleanse J&K, then it’s majority rule? Salami-slicing a country till it’s gone? Rohingya-ing, bah!
Sorry, Hussein Salami [a real name, a real terrorist]. You’re now face-to-face with a WALL: A diminutive, huggable, yet _determined_ Hindu leader who inspires millions of his citizens.
They’ve “discovered” Israel and Jews. It’s love. Demonstrative people: vast twitter streams with holiday blessings, team sports fans, condolences for every misfortune (even bad weather on Sabbath).
Hindu-Americans commiserate with Jewish-Americans trying to wean our minorities off the Demonrat plantation. Declaiming sinister CAIR-connections, evil MB-media lies. Unfortunately, neither movement has much success.
Swedish Police Deploy Surveillance Drones to Stop Crime Wave in Blighted Areas (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/society/201910171077068599-swedish-police-deploy-surveillance-drones-to-stop-crime-wave-in-blighted-areas/
“Footage from surveillance drones flying around what are formally called “particularly vulnerable areas” will be used as evidence in a trial to get a conviction if witnesses are absent.
On 17 October, the Malmö Police will use drones with camera surveillance in some of Sweden’s third-largest city’s most blighted residential areas in order to prevent ongoing crime.
The drones are seen as a complement and aid to police officers who work around the clock in the areas.
“Pictures from the drones help us to get a quicker look at events and thereby also get to the current location faster,” Johannes Dontsios, group manager for the local police area Malmö South, said in a statement.
The police have the right to surveil a scene with a camera without permission in case of a high risk of serious crime. The purpose of such surveillance is therefore to prevent, stop or detect crime. The police are also entitled to use the film material during investigation and prosecution work.
“This means that the footage can be used as evidence in a trial, which can sometimes be decisive for getting a convict in, say, the absence of witnesses,” Johannes Dontsios explained.
The maiden flight of surveillance drones in Malmö will take place on 17 October 2019 between 13:00 and 23:00. Drone operators are not permitted to film in private apartments and other privacy-compromising locations, only in public places.
The Malmö police debuted the use of drones earlier this month, deploying them during a football match between MFF and IFK Gothenburg on 6 October.
The three districts of Nydala, Hermodsdal and Lindängen, where drone surveillance will commence operation today, all feature in Sweden’s list of “particularly vulnerable areas”.
This is in effect an official euphemism for a no-go zone or ghetto. To be classified as a “particularly vulnerable area”, a district has to tick off one or several criteria, such as ‘parallel structures’ of authority, a lack of policing, religious extremism, rampant crime, and segregation. As of 2019, Sweden had 22 of those.
All the three districts have in recent months been hit by serious crime including murder, street shootings and explosions.”
France’s Macron Warns Against Igniting ‘Civil War’ in Wake of Fierce Hijab Debates – Reports (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/europe/201910171077071500-frances-macron-warns-against-igniting-civil-war-in-wake-of-fierce-hijab-debates—reports/
“France descended into a fresh round of debate regarding the place of the Islamic headscarf in public places this week after a National Rally politician suggested that a Muslim woman accompanying her son on a school trip to a local parliament should have removed her hijab on the parliament building’s premises.
President Emmanuel Macron of France has warned against “mixing between issues of immigration, radicalization, communitarianism and secularism,” and warned that “such mixing would lead to civil war,” FranceInfo has reported, citing a source in Elysee Palace.
According to the Elysee, the president wants to avoid the “stigmatisation” of Muslims in French society. The Elysee also accused “some opposition leaders” of crossing a “yellow line,” a probable reference to Union for a Popular Movement politician Xavier Bertrand’s recent remarks on “Islamism” being “gangrene” for France.
Macron briefly touched on the headscarf debate on Wednesday following the meeting of the Franco-German Council in Toulouse, saying that while France’s laws on secularism must be respected, “we must also respect the freedom to believe and not to believe, this is secularism.”
France recently plunged into a fresh debate on the place of Islamic headscarves in public spaces after National Rally party politician Julien Odoul suggested that a regional council assembly in eastern France should have forced a Muslim woman accompanying her son on a school trip to a local parliament to remove her hijab. Odoul made his comments amid tensions in the wake of the shock killing of four Paris police officers by a radicalised Muslim colleague on October 10.
According to FranceInfo’s source, President Macron wants Minister of the Interior Christophe Castaner to continue a ‘dialogue on Islam in France’, both at the local and national level. An unnamed close associate of the president told the outlet that Macron has not excluded a speech on public secularism, but that such a speech is not on the agenda for the immediate future.
French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe told parliament there was no need for a new law on school accompaniment to address the Islamic veil, but promised to continue fighting to “defend secularism.”
Earlier this week, a group of French public figures wrote an open letter to Le Monde calling on President Macron to publicly condemn Odoul’s remarks, and to emphasize that Muslims in general “have a place and our society” and should not be “monitored, stigmatised or denounced for the practice of their religion.”
The secular nature of the French state is governed by the 1905 law on the Separation of the Churches and the State, which provides for the freedom of religion, but also the secularism (‘laicite’) of the state. French law prohibits girls from wearing headscarves inside state schools, and state workers including teachers are not allowed to wear religious symbols in the classroom.”
Political Elites Are Untouchable No More
McCarthy on Trump meeting: Was more productive without Pelosi
Pelosi: Trump had a meltdown over my questions on Syria
Pelosi Compares Dems’ Impeachment Inquiry To The American Revolution
SUCCESS! Daily Star under official investigation for FAKE news
World War 3: Turkey’s Erdogan calls for ‘ARMY of Islam’ to ATTACK Israel on all sides (express, Oct 17, 2019)
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/936954/World-War-3-Turkey-Erdogan-army-of-Islam-Israel-war-attack-all-sides-latest-news
“TURKEY’S President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) have announced they want to create an “army of Islam” to wage war against Israel, it has been revealed.
Less than a month ago the Turkish state’s mouthpiece the daily Yeni ?afak ran an article for Erdogan titled “A call for urgent action” and on the newspaper’s website headlined “What if an army of Islam formed against Israel?”
It called for the 57 member states of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to form a joint army to simultaneously attack Israel from all sides.
The article said: “If the member states of the OIC unite militarily, they will form the world’s largest and most comprehensive army.
“The number of active soldiers would be at least 5,206,100, while the defence budget would reach approximately $175billion (£124billion).”
This was accompanied by an interactive map providing formation of military forces for a joint Muslim attack on Israel.
The article provided additional details of the plan, saying: “It is expected that 250,000 soldiers will participate in the first of a possible operation.
“Land, air and naval bases of member states located in the most critical regions will be used.
“Joint bases will be constructed in a short period of time… It is possible for 500 tanks and armoured vehicles, 100 planes and 500 attack helicopters and 50 ships to mobilise quickly.”
Erdogan did not deny his support for the report and has on several occasions said he would like to resurrect the Ottoman Empire.
The tyrant has established military bases in Qatar and Somalia and recently reached an agreement with Sudan to acquire a Sudanese island in the Red Sea to be used as a military base.
He has also repeatedly threatened to invade Greek islands in the Mediterranean and has recently invaded Syria under the pretext of fighting Kurdish terrorism.
Erdogan has also locked up journalists and activists who have spoken out against his regime.
But the European Union is urging members to approve a further €3.7billion (£3.28billion) to help Turkey deal with Syrian refugees who arrived in their country.
Brussels will now push to get Turkey the extra €2.7 billion (£2.4billion) from national governments, some of whom may be unwilling to pump new cash into the country.
Europe’s relations with Erdogan has been fraught in recent years but the EU depends on Turkey to keep a tight lid on immigration from the Middle East, where the war in Syria has killed hundreds of thousands and pushed millions from homes.
However, a draft document seen by Politico notes that if countries do not contribute and order the money be taken from the EU budget only, “standard EU rules would apply and the member states would be excluded from the governance of the facility (for refugees in Turkey).”
Top EU officials will meet Erdogan on March 26 in the Bulgarian city of Varna despite misgivings among many on the European side.
The bloc’s top migration official Dimitris Avramopoulos will announce on Wednesday that the European Commission proposes the extra funding on projects benefiting Syrian refugees in Turkey.
Turkey has accepted 3.5 million refugees from Syria, and the EU is already spending a first €3billion (£2.1billion) instalment to help them.”
I’m not impressed by raw numbers.
With so many officers removed as “coup-plotters”, I wonder about morale in the army of this filthy Turk. Jihadis tend to be ragged, not as disciplined or effective as a fighting force. We shall see.
The competence of the officers and the discipline of the troops are what matters, Turkey has a major problem since the coup, there are many weaknesses that can be exploited.
One of the problems the US faces is the way Obama purged the officer corp, a purge that Trump is slowly reversing. He has to do this slowly because of the Dems and their resistance to all he does. I don’t know how much of the US military is combat ready but it is a lot more then when he took office.
On an JINSA chat-line today Clare Lopez said:
“[Erdogan’s] been declaring intent to wage jihad vs Kurds, Cyprus, Greece, Balkans & more – Erdogan’s the one whose security services aided & abetted jihadis plus equipment & weapons from all over the world to cross Turkish territory en route to & from Syrian battlefields, where they went to fight along with the Islamic State
“And Erdogan’s the one who harbors a HAMAS espionage cell on Turkish territory that targets Israel, all paid for directly thru Turkish banks by the Islamic Republic of Iran
At the Center for Security Policy, we tried to warn about what was coming a full 18 months ago:
https://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/2018/04/17/new-book-ally-no-more-details-jihadist-threat-from-turkey/
…but nobody listened – and now Erdogan has formally launched his jihad…and just as Hitler did not stop with the Sudetenland, neither will Erdogan stop w/the Kurds – naked aggression is never stopped w/mere pleas & sanctions
We and others will pay for this decision in blood & treasure. Wish it could be otherwise.”
……
……
It was a heated (and draining) discussion. Many of our favorite analysts blew off steam.
Best scenario: A [presumably] demoralized Turkish army stages a REAL coup, kicks out this sultan-wannabe, and gets the country back on a secular track. Unlikely, but who knows?
Best scenario: A [presumably] demoralized Turkish army stages a REAL coup, kicks out this sultan-wannabe, and gets the country back on a secular track. Unlikely, but who knows?
We can pray, not just that this happens we also need to pray that any Operatives we have trying to get this to happen don’t get caught.
Beto During Debate: Americans WILL Comply With Gun Confiscation
Knife crime hits new record high with rises of up to 50 per cent in some areas – as number of offences solved hits low (telegraph, Oct 17, 2019)
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2019/10/17/knife-crime-hits-new-record-high-england-wales-7-last-year/
“Knife crime has risen to a new record high with some forces seeing increases of up to 50 per cent in just a year – as the proportion of offences solved has fallen to a low of just 7.4 per cent.
Police recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument increased by seven per cent to 44,076, its highest since figures started being compiled in 2011, according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Bedfordshire suffered the biggest rise with knife crime rising by 57 per cent to 688 offences, followed by Suffolk (46 per cent to 230), Dyfed-Powys (45 per cent to 253), City of London 43 per cent to 57), North Yorkshire (41 per cent to 315) and Greater Manchester (35 per cent to 3,437).
There was, however, a 14 per cent fall in homicides where a knife or sharp instrument was involved, to 248 offences, mainly driven by a decrease in London.
The Metropolitan Police, which has dramatically stepped up its use of stop and search and surged officers into crime hotspots, has managed to hold knife crime level, with just a 0.1 per cent rise to 14,966 in the year to June
While the overall murder rate fell by five per cent from 719 to 681, there was, however, a four per cent rise in firearms offences to 6,734, driven by weapons such as stun guns, CS gas and pepper spray.
There was also an 11 per cent rise in robbery in the last year to 88,177 offences following consistent rises since 2015.
Robbery has increased by 76 per cent in four years with 41 per cent of offences recorded in London. It is now at its highest level since 2007 although some of the rise could be attributed to changes in recording practices.
The number of crimes solved across England and Wales has halved in four years from 15 per cent in 2015 to 7.4 per cent in the 12 months to the end of June 2019.
It means fewer than one in 12 offences – a total of 393,112 – resulted in a suspect being charged or summonsed to court.
The previous year the figure was 8.7 per cent, and the figure in the 12 months to March 2019 was 7.8%.
It was down to 1.4 per cent for rape, 3.3 per cent for sexual offences and 5.4 per cent for theft offences.
As detections fell, rising number of crimes did not lead to prosecution. The proportion judged “not in the public interest” to prosecute rose to 1.5 per cent.
Cases where the victim did not support action was up from 20.7 per cent to 22.8 per cent. Other evidential difficulties accounted for 9.8 per cent, up from nine per cent.
In total, police recorded crime rose by seven per cent to more than six million incidents. Excluding fraud and computer misuse offences, this stood at 5.27 million – an increase of six per cent.
The number of crimes of violence against a person rose by 15 per cent in the previous 12 months to almost 1.7million, while public order offences rose by nine per cent to 445,945.
There was a ten per cent increase in theft from a person offences to 109,096, while vehicle offences increased by three per cent to 469,915.
There was a 15 per cent increase in fraud offences, according to the Crime Survey of England and Wales, based on a panel of 50,000 people’s experience of crime.
Burglary offences saw a four per cent fall to 417,416.
Joe Traynor, from the ONS Centre for Crime and Justice, said: “While overall levels of violence have remained steady, the number of offences involving a knife has continued to increase across England and Wales.
“However, the number of homicides where a knife or sharp instrument was involved decreased, driven by falls in London.
“There is a mixed picture in the total number of knife crime offences across police forces with the Metropolitan Police recording little change in the last year.””
WATCH: Climate Protesters Climbing on London Underground Trains Physically Removed by Angry Public (breitbart, Oct 17, 2019)
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/10/17/watch-climate-protesters-climbing-london-underground-trains-physically-removed-angry-public/
Mandatory Abortions For All – Democratic Debate Analysis
Hong Kong assembly in chaos; attack on democracy leader a ‘chilling signal’
HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s parliament descended into chaos on Thursday, with lawmakers dragged out by security guards for heckling leader Carrie Lam as they demanded an inquiry into a brutal attack on a prominent human rights activist ahead of a major rally.
The knife and hammer attack on Jimmy Sham, which left him bloodied and lying in the street on Wednesday night, was designed to intimidate protesters and incite violence ahead of Sunday’s march, pro-democracy lawmaker Claudia Mo told reporters.
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“This very vicious attack took place practically on the eve of the call for yet another massive protest in Hong Kong on Sunday. We can’t help feeling that this entire thing is part of a plan to shed blood on Hong Kong’s peaceful protests,” she said.
The second day of turmoil in the Legislative Council, after Lam was forced to cut short her annual policy speech on Wednesday due to heckling and broadcast it via video instead, underscores the political rift in the city, with no end in sight to more than four months of anti-government protests.
“Regarding the current situation we are facing, we need to be united against violence, say no to violence,” Lam said in the chamber and again defended her efforts to end the crisis.
https://www.oann.com/amnesty-urges-hong-kong-to-probe-bloody-attack-on-pro-democracy-leader/
UN labor body: Qatar pledges to end ‘kafala’ employment laws (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/labor-body-qatar-pledges-end-kafala-employment-laws-66322466
“The energy-rich nation of Qatar is pledging to fully eliminate a labor system that ties foreign workers to their employer and requires them to have their company’s permission to leave the country.
That’s according to the United Nations’ International Labor Organization, which said Wednesday that Qatar planned to end the so-called “kafala” system there.
The ILO says workers would be able to freely change employers under draft laws described as being “expected to come into force by January 2020.”
The ILO also says Doha also is considering a minimum wage.
Qatar, whose citizens enjoy one of the world’s highest per-capita incomes due to its natural gas reserves, partially ended the “kafala” system in 2018.
This comes as Qatar will host the 2022 FIFA World Cup in the Arabian Peninsula nation.”
Rutgers professor blames Trump for obese black women
By Jeff Dunetz October 17, 2019
There is Trump Derangement Syndrome, and then there is lunacy. Ever since he moved into the Oval Office, liberals have found a way to blame just about everything on the president. (During the Obama administration, they blamed everything on George W. Bush). But this lady has crossed over the line into frothing-from-the mouth crazy.
Rutgers University women’s and gender studies professor Brittney Cooper suggested on a TV program that racism and President Donald Trump are the reason for obese black women. Regular readers of LU may recall some of Prof. Cooper’s previous theories. In 2015, for example, she professed to opine that Christian conservatives worship an “a**hole” God and a “white supremacist Jesus.” I say professed because earlier the earlier the same month, she confessed that she makes stuff up about how the Right thinks of Jesus because she hates them so much.
Campus Reform reports that Cooper appeared on the show “Black Women OWN the Conversation” on the Oprah Winfrey Network and belched out her theory that Trump creates stress and that means black Women are obese because of him.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2019/10/17/rutgers-professor-blames-trump-for-obese-black-women/
Libya official: Gunmen kill 2 women, 3 kids near capital (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/libya-official-gunmen-kill-women-kids-capital-66340134
“Gunmen killed two women and three children of the same family while they were driving on a highway near the capital, Tripoli, less than a week after an airstrike slammed into a house killing at least three civilians, a health official said Thursday.
The city has been the scene of fighting between rival militias since April. A U.N.-supported but weak government holds the capital, but the self-styled Libyan National Army — which is associated with a rival government in the country’s east — is trying to seize it…”
Pakistan silences army’s critics with raids, terror charges (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/pakistan-silences-armys-critics-raids-terror-charges-66342442
Sen. Richard Blumenthal proposes criminalizing criticism of fake news
By Ben Bowles October 16, 2019
First came the year-old but newly revived parody video of Donald Trump murdering members of the press and his political opponents in a church. Never mind that the president had nothing to do with the creation of the video or that he condemned it. The video had been made, and that’s all that mattered. New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman appeared on CNN where she accused Trump of “inciting” violent imagery.
CNN’s own Brian Stelter took it a step further, attempting to link the video to an actual shooting in a New Hampshire church. Never mind that the massacre in question occurred a day before the New York Times broke the story on the Trump parody video.
Desperate times call for desperate measures, which if you’re a Democrat means more governmental regulation. Enter Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Dem-Conn.) to propose a bill that makes threatening or attacking anyone doing fact gathering or news operations a federal crime.
In the video, which appears below, Blumenthal makes the claim that some attacks on journalists have been fatal, which is true. In 2008, for example, a gunman named Jarrod Ramos shot and killed five employees at an Anapolis, Md., newspaper with a shotgun. But the massacre had nothing to do with the politics of either the paper or the gunman but was over an article the paper had published about his being placed on probation, which enraged him.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2019/10/16/sen-richard-blumenthal-proposes-criminalizing-criticism-of-the-news/
FM: Iraq will only repatriate IS fighters who are Iraqis (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/fm-iraq-repatriate-fighters-iraqis-66341981
“Iraq will only take back its own citizens and their families who fought with the Islamic State group in Syria, not those from other countries, Iraq’s foreign minister said Thursday…”
Indonesia arrests 40 militant suspects ahead of inauguration (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/indonesia-arrests-36-militant-suspects-ahead-inauguration-66337389
“Indonesia’s elite anti-terrorism unit went on a busy 24-hour spree to root out suspected Islamic militants ahead of a presidential inauguration this weekend that will be attended by Asian leaders and Western envoys.
At least 40 suspects have been detained by the counterterrorism squad, known as Densus 88, in eight provinces, including four who were captured on Thursday, national police spokesman Dedi Prasetyo said. The sweep followed a tipoff about possible attacks against police and places of worship in several areas.
Six of the arrested militants, including a woman, were presented in a news conference Thursday in orange detainee shirts and under heavy guard at the police headquarters.
They were not identified by police, who also displayed explosive chemicals for bomb-making, knives, jihadi books, airsoft guns and rifles with silencers and sniper scopes they said were seized from the suspects.
Another police spokesman, Muhammad Iqbal, said Wednesday among the arrested suspects were two female police officers who have been radicalized and were willing to be suicide bombers…”
Greece: 12 detained in Turkey protest (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/greece-12-detained-turkey-protest-66339298
“Police in northern Greece have detained 12 people who evaded security and staged a protest against Turkey’s attacks in Syria at the birthplace of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, founder of modern Turkey.
The protesters entered the grounds of the Ataturk Museum in the northern city of Thessaloniki on Thursday and unfurled a banner before being detained by guards and police. The museum grounds are shared by the Turkish consulate. A Greek anarchist group claimed responsibility for the incident and posted a video of the protest online.
A peaceful protest was also held in Athens.
Turkey launched a military offensive in Syria last week to attack Kurdish militants allied to the United States and create a corridor to resettle Syrian refugees. But the attacks have been strongly condemned by Ankara’s western allies.”
Kurdish commander: Trump approved deal with Russia, Damascus (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/kurdish-commander-trump-approved-deal-russia-damascus-66338120
“The U.S. President Donald Trump did not oppose a deal struck between the Syrian Kurdish-led forces, Russia and the Syrian government in Damascus to protect against a Turkish offensive in northeastern Syria, the commander of the force said as his fighters battled a new push by Ankara-backed fighters to seize a strategic border town.
The commander of the Kurdish-led forces, Mazloum Abdi, said Trump essentially gave the go-ahead for the deal in a phone call Monday…”
Cyprus police pick up 21 migrants who crossed dividing line (abcnews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cyprus-police-pick-21-migrants-crossed-dividing-line-66337693
“Cyprus police say they have rounded up 21 people believed to be migrants who crossed over from the breakaway north of the ethnically divided island nation.
Police said the migrants hail from countries including Congo, Mali, Guinea, Cameroon, Nigeria, Bangladesh and Pakistan. They include at least one pregnant woman and seven youths.
They were spotted early Thursday in a suburb of the country’s divided capital after walking across a U.N. buffer zone separating the north from the internationally recognized south.
All 21 were taken to a migrants’ reception center on Nicosia’s outskirts.
Cyprus officials say most migrant arrivals to Cyprus come through the country’s northern part where Turkish Cypriots have declared independence that’s recognized only by Turkey.”
Bonfire of the preconceptions: The Trump letter warning Erdogan against his planned invasion of Syria
By J.E. Dyer October 17, 2019
his update is best made with relatively little commentary. One important point is that every news organization has said multiple White House sources confirm it is the letter Trump sent to Erdogan on 9 October, after their phone conversation on 6 October.
Fox News has a clip of the press conference in which Trump referred to the letter and offered to release it. See the 0:40 mark.
https://libertyunyielding.com/2019/10/17/bonfire-of-the-preconceptions-the-trump-letter-warning-erdogan-against-his-planned-invasion-of-syria/
BBC – Turkey’s Erdogan ‘threw Trump’s Syria letter in bin’
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan put US President Donald Trump’s letter “in the bin”, the BBC has been told.
In the letter dated 9 October, and sent after US troops were pulled out of Syria, Mr Trump told Mr Erdogan: “Don’t be a tough guy. Don’t be a fool!”
President Trump was urging Turkey not to launch a military offensive against Kurdish-led forces in northern Syria, but Mr Erdogan ignored this request.
US Vice President Mike Pence is now in Ankara to push for a ceasefire.
The US has faced intense criticism for the withdrawal of troops, which critics say gave Turkey the green light to launch the military attack.
In recent years, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) alliance has been a critical ally to the US in the fight against the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.
There are fears that the destabilisation of northern Syria could lead to a jihadist resurgence.
The SDF is dominated by the members of a Kurdish militia called the People’s Protection Units (YPG).
What did Trump’s letter say?
In his letter to President Erdogan, Mr Trump wrote: “Let’s work out a good deal! You don’t want to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy – and I will.
“History will look upon you favourably if you get this done the right and humane way. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen.”
In response, Turkish presidential sources told BBC Turkish: “President Erdogan received the letter, thoroughly rejected it and put it in the bin.”[…]
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-50080737
Multicultural Malmö: Police Disarm Multiple Explosive Devices (breitbart, Oct 17, 2019)
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2019/10/17/multicultural-malmo-police-disarm-multiple-explosive-devices/
“Police in Malmö disarmed several devices in the southern Swedish city that were later confirmed to be explosives.
The officers were made aware of the first device at around 10 am on Tuesday outside the entrance of a building in Fosie, not far from the notorious “vulnerable” no-go area of Rosengård, Swedish broadcaster SVT reports.
Evelina Olsson, a local police spokeswoman, said that the object was found “at the entrance to a company located in an industrial area in Malmö”.
“We have blocked off a fairly large area and the National Bomb Protection unit is in place together with several police patrols and is working on the case. We have asked people in nearby buildings to stay indoors,” Olsson added.
Shortly after 2 pm, the residents and workers in the area were allowed to come outdoors as the situation was deemed safe.
An employee of a business in the area claimed that there had been multiple explosive devices found, a fact Olsson later confirmed. “We have found that there were several objects with explosive substances. National Bomb Protection has disarmed the objects in place and now forensic technology has taken over,” she said.
Another witness told Swedish newspaper Sydsvenskan that each object, of which there were allegedly five in total, looked like a thermos with white sticks taped to them.
The paper claims that criminal gangs in the city had previously used thermos containers as homemade bombs.
Sweden has seen a surge in explosions and bombings across the country in 2019, up 45 per cent according to some estimates.
Targets for the explosions have varied from residential buildings to police stations. The most recent suspected attack occurred at a police station in Staffanstorp earlier this week and saw the doorway of the station damaged in what was described as a powerful blast.”
6:35 p.m.
Two U.S. fighter jets launched airstrikes Wednesday to destroy ammunition that was left behind when American forces left a cement factory south of Kobani, Syria.
The factory had served as a coordination center for the U.S.-led coalition and Kurdish forces in the fight against the Islamic State group.
U.S. Army Col. Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the coalition, says the F-15E fighter jet strikes were pre-planned and destroyed ammunition stored at the Lafarge Cement Factory.
He says all coalition personnel and “essential tactical equipment” had left the base before the strike.
Most of the 1,000 U.S. forces in Syria are being withdrawn over the coming days and weeks because of the Turkish invasion into northern Syria and the attack on Kurdish forces.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/latest-trumps-syria-move-drawing-165641753.html
US conducts airstrike on weapons storage site as troops pull out of Syria
==============================================
Two US Air Force F-15 jets conducted an airstrike targeting an American munitions storage bunker at a US base in Syria Wednesday in order to prevent the munitions and other equipment from falling into the hands of armed groups, two US defense officials told CNN.
“On Oct. 16, after all Coalition personnel and essential tactical equipment departed, two Coalition F-15Es successfully conducted a pre-planned precision airstrike at the Lafarge Cement Factory to destroy an ammunition cache, and reduce the facility’s military usefulness,” US Army Col. Myles Caggins, a spokesman for the US-led military coalition fighting ISIS, confirmed in a statement Wednesday.
A US defense official told CNN that no other forces were nearby at the time. Had they been, it’s possible the decision to bomb the munitions might have been aborted because it might have been perceived as an attack on whatever forces were nearby.
This is the first known instance where the US has had to destroy equipment as it conducts a rapid pullout from northern Syria, following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal order which was announced Sunday in the face of an expanding Turkish military offensive targeting America’s one-time allies in the fight against ISIS, the Syrian Kurds.
The strike took place at the US military compound at the Lafarge Cement Factory, which is located between Kobanî and Ain Issa and is close to the Turkish border. The compound served as “the headquarters of the de facto Defeat-ISIS coalition in Syria” prior to its being vacated.
On Tuesday Caggins said that the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces “set fire to, then vacated, its facilities and equipment” as “Turkish-backed militias advanced towards the Lafarge Cement Factory.”[…]
https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/16/politics/us-airstrike-storage-site-syria/index.html
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Il raid della Coalizione per coprire i segreti della Francia
Un raid chirurgico, di quelli che devono essere perfetti, in grado di non lasciare traccia. È questo l’ordine ricevuto dai piloti dei due F-15 che si sono alzati in volo sulla Siria nella giornata di ieri per bombardare non una postazione jihadista, non un covo di terroristi né tantomeno una milizia legata a un nemico, bensì un’ex base della Coalizione internazionale: l’ex cementificio Lafarge, a Jalabiya.
I piloti hanno eseguito gli ordini impartiti (forse americani, come riportato da The Aviationist). Questa notte, il portavoce di Inherent Resolve, il colonnello Myles B. Caggins, ha pubblicato un tweet che non lascia dubbi: “Il 16 ottobre, dopo che tutto il personale della Coalizione e l’equipaggiamento tattico essenziale hanno abbandonato la posizione, due F-15Es della Coalizione hanno condotto con successo un attacco aereo di precisione pre-pianificato pressola fabbrica di cemento di Lafarge per distruggere un deposito di munizioni e ridurre l’utilità militare della struttura”. Un comunicato scarno, quasi anonimo, ma che racchiude uno dei punti più oscuri di questo ritiro degli Stati Uniti e soprattutto della trama misteriosa che si nasconde nell’intricato ginepraio del nord della Siria. Perché quella base non è soltanto un ex cementificio, ma la struttura dove sono stati presenti per anni i reparti speciali e i servizi segreti dell’intelligence francese. Di quella stessa Francia che adesso vuole ritirarsi insieme agli Stati Uniti non avendo più il supporto logistico degli americani.
Il problema è che ogni ritiro lascia anche dei segreti. Lo ha fatto capire il Pentagono in queste ore, visto che esiste il rischio che i russi che prenderanno il controllo di alcune basi che appartenevano agli Usa vengano a conoscenza anche di minime segreti lasciati per errore dai servizi. E questo timore, molto probabilmente, è anche nelle menti di diversi funzionari dei servizi segreti francesi, visto che quella base rappresenta ancora oggi uno dei lati più oscuri della già complessa missione della Francia in Siria.
Come scritto su questa testata, l’ex cementificio Lafarge è uno dei nodi da sciogliere degli intricati rapporti tra servizi segreti francesi, Stato islamico e forze della Coalizione internazionale. Numerose inchieste hanno individuato alcuni inquietanti legami tra alcune cellule dell’Isis e dirigenti della Lafarge che, a quanto rivelato dai giornali e confermato anche dalla procura francese, avrebbero versato delle tangenti ad alcuni gruppi terroristi per continuare a lavorare nello stabilimento di Jalabiya. I giornalisti di Le Monde avevano addirittura trovato un lasciapassare dato dalle cellule dell’Isis ai camionisti che trasportavano cemento dall’impianto proprio per evitare che i miliziani fermassero il trasporto. Come riportò il Fatto Quotidiano, il messaggio contenuto nel lasciapassare non dà adito ad alcun tipo di dubbio: “Si pregano i fratelli combattenti di lasciar passare ai checkpoint questo veicolo che trasporta il cemento di Lafarge, sulla base di un accordo che abbiamo concluso con quell’impianto”. Un documento che ha incastrato tutto il gruppo (poi diventato svizzero a seguito della fusione del 2015 con la Holcim), tanto che la magistratura transalpina ha voluto vederci chiaro.
I governi francesi hanno sempre mostrato una certa dose di imbarazzo nel dare spiegazione. L’inchiesta del resto è una vera e propria spina nel fianco per Emmanuel Macron e per il suo predecessore, François Hollande, che per molti anni hanno continuato a operare in Siria e a non far luce su questo mistero che potrebbe anche voler dire che Parigi ha visto (e forse tollerato) passaggi di denaro dai dirigenti francesi allo Stato islamico vicino Aleppo. L’ex ambasciatore francese in Siria, Eric Chevallier, ha continuato a ribadire per anni di non aver tenuto incontri con i dirigenti di Lafarge. Testimonianza ben diversa da quella di Christian Herrault, che all’epoca era dirigente di Lafarge, e che invece ha rivelato che ogni sei mesi i rappresentanti facevano visita ai rappresentati del Qaui d’Orsay, la sede degli Esteri di Parigi. E che per molto tempo da Parigi è arrivata una sola indicazione: rimanere a operare in Siria.
Che questi incontri siano avvenuti o meno, quello che è certo è che il pagamento c’è stato (si parla di una tangente di 123 milioni di euro). Come è altrettanto vero che i reparti speciali francesi hanno preso possesso dell’ex cementificio trasformandolo nella base dei servizi segreti della Francia nel nord-est della Siria. Il Dgse non poteva ovviamente non sapere cosa fosse quel cementificio. E come gli Usa hanno bombardato la base americana a Kobane, prima che le milizie filo-turche (o i russi) arrivassero nell’area, così hanno fatto i due F-15 con la base di Jalabiya. Un raid che può rivelare molto sui segreti di Macron.
https://it.insideover.com/guerra/il-raid-della-coalizione-per-coprire-i-segreti-della-francia.html
JUNE 28 2018 – Lafarge charged with complicity in Syria crimes against humanity
French cement firm suspected of paying nearly €13m to Isis and other militants
The French cement giant Lafarge was charged on Thursday with complicity in crimes against humanity and financing terrorists, for allegedly paying millions to jihadists, including the Islamic State group, to keep a factory open in war-torn Syria.
The company, whose Syrian subsidiary paid the armed groups through intermediaries, has also been charged with endangering the lives of former employees at the cement plant in Jalabiya, northern Syria.
Lafarge, which has since merged with Swiss firm Holcim, immediately said it would appeal against the charges.
The French rights group Sherpa, one of the plaintiffs in the case, said it was the first time that a parent company anywhere in the world had been charged with complicity in crimes against humanity.
The allegations are the most serious against a French company in years.
A panel of three judges in Paris ordered Lafarge to hand over €30m (£27m) to authorities as a security deposit ahead of the trial.
Eight former executives, including the former chief executive Bruno Lafont, have already been charged with financing a terrorist group and/or endangering the lives of others over Lafarge’s activities in Syria between 2011 and 2015.
Lafarge is suspected of paying nearly €13m to Isis and other militant groups to keep the Jalabiya plant running long after other French companies had pulled out of Syria.
The payments by the Lafarge Cement Syria (LCS) subsidiary were considered a “tax” in exchange for which militants allowed free movement of the company’s staff and goods inside the war zone, according to investigators.
It is claimed that some of the cash was also used to buy petrol and other raw materials from suppliers close to Isis.
A source close to the inquiry said investigators also suspected that Lafarge sold cement to Isis.
Lafarge, which merged with Holcim in 2015, said it would take legal action to get the charges dropped, insisting that the company as a whole was not responsible.
“We deeply regret what happened in our Syrian subsidiary and as soon as we were informed, we immediately took firm measures,” said Beat Hess, board president of LafargeHolcim. “None of the people charged is part of the company today.”
The company acknowledged in a statement that its “supervision of its Syrian subsidiary did not allow it to identify failures arising from an unprecedented breach of internal rules and regulations by people who have left the group”.
The criminal charges “do not fairly reflect Lafarge’s responsibilities” for what happened, it added.
The Sherpa rights group hailed the decision to charge the company, saying it was “a decisive step in the fight against the impunity of multinationals operating in armed conflict zones”.
It had launched the legal case against Lafarge alongside the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) and 11 former employees.
“The activities of Lafarge in Syria, in a context where extremely violent crimes had been committed – even right outside the factory – are a perfect illustration of how multinationals can feed conflicts,” said the ECCHR legal director, Miriam Saage-Maass.
“That the courts are finally recognising the scope and seriousness of these allegations is absolutely historic.”
[…]
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jun/28/lafarge-charged-with-complicity-in-syria-crimes-against-humanity
WoW, that’s heavy-
MARCH 2018 – Syrian operation: Lafarge faces probe over Isis payments
Cement company is alleged to have paid off jihadis to keep a plant open
[…]
https://www.ft.com/content/7ef75794-1283-11e8-940e-08320fc2a277
MARCH 2017 LafargeHolcim’s reputation at risk over alleged links with Isis
Business partner of Isis and financier of terrorism. It is not an accusation a leading European industrial group would welcome. But it is one that has been used to describe LafargeHolcim, the Swiss-listed cement company as it faces allegations of associating with terrorist groups in war-torn Syria.
Some of the allegations against the company, which had a plant in Jalabiya in north eastern Syria, include paying protection money to militants and have now come to the attention of French prosecutors and human rights groups.
Company rejects ‘concept’ of terrorist financing and says employee safety ‘priority’[…]
https://www.ft.com/content/406b06fe-05b6-11e7-aa5b-6bb07f5c8e12
SAUDI ARABIA – 35 foreigners killed in bus crash in Saudi city of Medina
Thirty-five foreigners were killed and four others injured when a bus collided with another heavy vehicle near the Muslim holy city of Medina, Saudi state media said Thursday.
The accident on Wednesday evening involved a collision between “a private chartered bus… with a heavy vehicle” near the western city, a spokesman for Medina police said, according to the official Saudi Press Agency.
Those involved were Arab and Asian pilgrims traveling from Medina to Mecca, according to local media, which carried pictures of the bus engulfed in flames and with its windows blown out.
[…]Transport challenge
Transporting worshippers around the holy sites, particularly during the hajj, is a huge challenge for Saudi Arabia. During the pilgrimage, the roads can be chaotic with thousands of buses creating interminable traffic jams at all hours.
[…]As part of efforts to diversify its oil-dependent economy, the ultra-conservative kingdom wants to foster a year-round religious tourism sector that attracts millions of pilgrims.
Up until last month, it only issued visas to Muslim pilgrims, foreign workers and recently to spectators at sporting or cultural events, but tourists are now allowed to visit as part of the drive to prepare the biggest Arab economy for a post-oil era.
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2019/10/17/35-foreigners-killed-in-bus-crash-in-saudi-city-of-medina
Commuters turn on Extinction Rebellion as protesters target the Tube
The backlash to the Extinction Rebellion (XR) demonstrations turned nasty on Thursday morning when a protester was dragged from the roof of a Tube train by angry commuters.
Activists targeted Canning Town station as Londoners set about getting to work.
Nigel Farage slams Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal
Sky News – In full: Farage on the PM’s proposals and extending deadline for general election
PART 3: CNN Field Manager: Zucker’s 9am Calls ‘BS;’ “…Totally Left-Leaning…Don’t Want to Admit it”
DAILY MAIL – 500 more men and boys are freed from a THIRD Nigerian Islamic school where they were chained up, molested and beaten amid fears thousands of children are being held at other sites
Police have freed around 500 more men from a third Islamic school in Nigeria
Many of the men had been chained to walls and beaten, according to police
It comes after more than 300 men and boys were freed from second school
School was established by a Muslim cleric 40 years ago and teaches the Koran
Families enrolled relatives to learn scripture and be treated for drug addiction
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7580845/500-men-boys-freed-Nigerian-Islamic-school.html
New police raid frees 500 more students from abusive Islamic school
ARBAEEN 2019 – Calgary
ARBAEEN 2019 -IRAQ
ARBAEEN 2019 IRAQ
ARBAEEN – KARBALA – IRAQ
@Thanks, Martin~But I don't dare listen to much of this caterwauling. Parrot-brain kicks in, earworm is ghastly.
.... the big day is only tomorrow ....- they say there will be around 45 millions pilgrims in Karbala ...
some pics on this page :
https://en.mehrnews.com/photo/151332/Karbala-on-eve-of-Arbaeen-ceremonies
=======================================
.... and maybe a melancholic Scarlatti sonata before going to bed ....So lovely, I'll listen *again* before bed.m(_ _)m
I'm used to Scarlatti on harpsichord. This piano piece is more crisp, yet melancoly as you say.ty, Martin
m(_ _)m
Ep. 1090 Big Cracks Emerge in the Latest Hoax. The Dan Bongino Show 10/17/2019
EXCLUSIVE: FBI Claims the DOJ Is Lying! Refuses to Locate Any Seth Rich Records in FOIA Request!EXCLUSIVE: FBI Claims the DOJ Is Lying! Refuses to Locate Any Seth Rich Records in FOIA Request!
Despite Prior FBI Statements that Seth Rich’s DNC Computer and Emails Were Investigated, FBI Now Claims No Related Docs in FOIA Request. Attorney Requesting Documents Demands Court Step In.
We reported on September 19th…
that Texas businessman Ed Butowsky filed a lawsuit where he outed reporter Ellen Ratner as his source for information on Seth Rich. The DNC operative was murdered in the summer of 2016 in Washington DC. His murder was never solved. According to the lawsuit Seth Rich provided WikiLeaks the DNC emails before the 2016 election, not Russia.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2019/10/exclusive-fbi-claims-the-doj-is-lying-refuses-to-locate-any-seth-rich-records-in-foia-request/?utm_source=Email&utm_medium=the-gateway-pundit&utm_campaign=dailyam&utm_content=daily
Ellen Ratner (Fox News) tells of her meeting with Julian Assange on Nov. 5 2016
Fires burn on Barcelona streets as police clash with demonstrators
Female Athlete Speaks Out Against Transgender Athletes
Beheading video – Turkish soldiers ??? Syria ??? Lebanon ???
https://twitter.com/diabassm555/status/1184528106113163265
APRIL 2017 – MEMRI – Warning: EXTREMELY GRAPHIC VIDEO – Footage of Turkish Soldiers Decapitating Fallen Kurdish Fighters (Archival)
This extremely graphic video shows the decapitation of fallen Kurdish fighters by Turkish soldiers.
This is archival footage the exact date of which is unknown.
One of the Turkish soldiers is heard saying that they avenge the blood of Turgut Kurtçu and Efe Osman Apaydin, two Turkish soldiers who, according to Internet reports, were killed fighting the PKK on April 23, 2017 in Sirnak, Turkey.
Soldier 1: “[Turgut Kurtçu,] Efe Osman Apayd?n your blood has been avenged.”
Soldier 2: “May his soul be glad.”
Soldier 1: “Take [a photo].”
Soldier 3: “You are not sending the photos using WhatsApp, right?”
Soldier 1: “Don’t send them using WhatsApp.”
Soldier 4: “Bluetooth, bluetooth.”
Soldier 1: “From device to device.”
Soldier 5: “Definitely.”
https://www.memri.org/tv/archival-turkish-soldiers-decapitate-falles-kurdish-fighters/transcript
=================================================
https://www.memri.org/tv/archival-turkish-soldiers-decapitate-falles-kurdish-fighters
When Russian mercenaries first came to shore up the Assad regime, they were offered a bonus for each severed head.
Then they became too enthusiastic. The practice was discontinued.
Not the very best Russian citizens, ya know?
This seems to be the video link here
https://twitter.com/diabassm555/status/1184176983061729286
GRAPHIC
Jonathan Spyer’s got a new article in the WSJ:
Putin Is the New King of Syria
The U.S. withdrawal makes Russia the new arbiter of everyone’s interests, including Israel’s.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/putin-is-the-new-king-of-syria-11571264222
Schiff Pressured Witness To Say Trump Pressured Ukraine To Investigate Biden, Report Says
Democrat House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff reportedly pressed U.S. special representative to Ukraine Kurt Volker in a secret meeting on October 3 to say that President Donald Trump pressured Ukrainian officials to investigate former Vice President and current Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden.
https://www.dailywire.com/news/breaking-schiff-pressured-witness-to-say-trump-pressured-ukraine-to-investigate-biden-report-says?utm_source=cnemail&utm_medium=email&utm_content=101719-news&utm_campaign=position1
twitter @realDonaldTrump
Great news out of Turkey. News Conference shortly with VP and SecPompeo. Thank you to RTErdogan. Millions of lives will be saved!
This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some “tough” love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!
This is a great day for civilization. I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this “Deal” for many years. Millions of lives will be saved. Congratulations to ALL!
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1184895160871571456
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Turkey agrees to pause attacks in northern Syria for five days as Kurds retreat
Vice President Mike Pence said Thursday that the United States and Turkey had agreed on a five-day Turkish cease-fire, days after the country’s forces launched an offensive in northern Syria.
“It will be a pause in military operations for 120 hours while the United States facilitates the withdrawal of the YPG from the affected areas in the safe zone. And once that is completed, Turkey has agreed to a permanent cease-fire,” Pence said alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in Ankara, Turkey, referring to the mostly Kurdish fighting force.
The withdrawal of the Kurds from the border area has “literally already begun,” Pence said. Turkey views the Kurdish fighters as terrorists, though the United States worked closely with them in the fight against the Islamic State.
President Donald Trump, who was in Texas for a campaign rally, told reporters later Thursday that “this is an incredible outcome.”
“Everybody said this is tougher than we thought. When those guns start shooting, they tend to do things. But I will tell you, on behalf of the United States, I want to thank Turkey, I want to thank all of the people who have gotten together and made this happen,” Trump said, noting that the outcome was “incredible.”
Pence said that the agreement entails no further U.S. sanctions on Turkey. Once the permanent cease-fire is in effect, the U.S. sanctions imposed on Monday in retaliation for the country’s incursion will be withdrawn, he said.
The Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said that the agreement was not a “cease-fire” shortly after Pence spoke. Turkey will continue to control the border zone, Cavusoglu said, according to state media.
Pence declined to cite specific concessions made by Turkey, though he added that those will be evident when the full agreement is made public.
“The agreement today, first, ends the violence, which is what President Trump sent us here to do,” Pence said. “We have also achieved an opportunity, by working with YPG to move out of the area, to create more peace and security and stability in that buffer zone.”
He said that the United States had repeated assurances from the Kurdish fighters that they will leave the border zone, and that they “greatly welcome the opportunity for a cease-fire, to make a safe and orderly withdrawal from those areas in the safe zone where they still have a presence, and we are very confident that that’s already taking place.”
The announcement came after Pence and Pompeo met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Pence said that negotiations lasted more than five hours with Erdogan and his team.
Prior to the Pence-Pompeo press conference, Trump tweeted about “great news” coming out of the meeting in Turkey, claiming that “millions of lives will be saved.”
“I spoke to President Trump just a few moments ago. And I know the president is very grateful for President Erdogan’s willingness to step forward, to enact this cease-fire, and to give an opportunity for a peaceful solution to this conflict that commenced one week ago,” Pence said.
Pence said the cease-fire also involved a Turkish agreement to take no military action against the strategic border town of Kobani, which was taken by Syrian forces allied with President Bashar Assad on Wednesday.A
“In addition, the United States and Turkey have both mutually committed to a peaceful resolution and future for the safe zone, working on an international basis to ensure that peace and security defines this border region with Syria,” he said.
Pence hailed the cease-fire as a “great contribution to security in this region, and a great contribution to the strong and enduring relationship between the United States of America and Turkey.”
Trump had faced bipartisan scrutiny for his withdrawal of U.S. troops from Syria, which prompted Turkey’s attack on the Kurdish-held region. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a staunch Republican ally, called Trump’s decision to withdraw troops from the area the “biggest mistake of his presidency.”
Trump conceded Thursday that his tactics were unconventional, but suggested that was to his advantage.
“I took a lot of heat from a lot of people, even some of the people in my own party, but they were there, in the end, they were there, they were all there,” Trump said. “Look, this is about the nation, this isn’t about Republicans or Democrats.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/17/us-and-turkey-agree-to-cease-fire-in-syria-vice-president-mike-pence-announces.html
crock of bull
Amb. Dore Gold:
American withdrawal and the future of Israeli Security
America’s withdrawal from the Middle East validates the long-standing Israeli view that it must not rely on external guarantees, but rather do what’s necessary to defend itself, by itself. Israel’s former UN Ambassador makes the case for the incorporation of the Jordan Valley.
https://www.the-american-interest.com/2019/10/16/american-withdrawal-and-the-future-of-israeli-security/
Iran and Its Proxies Build Up Strength in Northeast Syria
According to Syrian anti-regime activists, Iran and its proxies currently control at least seven towns on the east side of the Euphrates River in Syria’s Deir al-Zour province. This includes full military authority and executive administration exerted by nearly 4,500 armed personnel, some from Iran’s IRGC, others from Shia militias such as the Baqir Brigade, Fatemiyoun Brigade, al-Hashd al-Shabi, and the various groups that call themselves “Syrian Hizbullah.”
Iran is building two new military bases in the area: one in the suburbs of Mayadin, and a larger one in al-Bukamal called “Imam Ali.” Although the Shia militias in Deir al-Zour include Afghan and Pakistani factions, Iraq’s al-Hashd al-Shabi serves as Iran’s main financial conduit in the province, particularly in al-Bukamal. Local Syrian recruits are paid directly by the IRGC, whose financial incentives are attracting unemployed, impoverished Syrian men as well as foreign fighters.
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/what-is-iran-up-to-in-deir-al-zour
This is sickening.
WHAT IS IRAN UP TO IN DEIR AL-ZOUR?
Tehran and its proxies have been exerting hard and soft power in northeast Syria, combining military consolidation with economic, social, and religious outreach in order to cement their long-term influence.
• Opening the door for proxies
• Marginalizing Assad’s Proxies
• Paying and Housing Fighters
• Funding Educational and Religious Indoctrination
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/what-is-iran-up-to-in-deir-al-zour
U.S. SHould Harness Local Disenchantment
Lululemon Workers Claim They Are Assaulted, Abused at Bangladesh Factory – Report (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/society/201910171077077263-lululemon-workers-claim-they-are-assaulted-abused-at-bangladesh-factory—-report/
“Bangladeshi factory workers creating products for Canadian luxury athleisure brand Lululemon claim that they are physically and verbally assaulted by their managers, a new report by the Guardian reveals.
According to the Guardian, female workers at the factory provided the outlet with “detailed accounts” about how they regularly face “physical violence” and “humiliation at the hands of their managers,” who call them “whores,” “sluts” and “prostitutes.” The factory is owned by Youngone Corporation, a Lululemon supplier.
The workers also said that they are verbally and physically abused by management if they break any rules or leave earlier than expected.
In addition, they are paid around $110 a month, which is slightly less than the price of a single pair of leggings sold by the company. The workers also allege that they are forced to work overtime for no additional pay. Lululemon is expected to post around $3.8 billion in sales this year, and last year made a post-tax profit of $258 million.
“I was sick, so one day I left work at 5 p.m. but I informed the line supervisor. He told his bosses I left without telling anyone, and the next day, when I went to work, the technician in charge of my line slapped me,” one worker at the factory told the Guardian.
“He slapped me so hard my cheeks turned red, and everyone asked me what happened. I couldn’t tell them the actual story. I just told them I had allergies,” she added.
It’s not just female workers that are treated unethically. One male worker at the factory revealed that men are sometimes treated “badly” as well.
“They treat men badly too. Sometimes they beat male workers too. I never got beaten myself, but I have seen other people get beaten up,” the worker said.
Ironically, earlier this month, Lululemon announced a partnership with the United Nations Foundation (UNF) to launch a program to address the mental and physical health of humanitarian workers. The program is set to provide mindfulness, yoga and self-care training to humanitarian aid workers around the world to address issues like “burnout, compassion fatigue, and stress-related physical, mental, and relational effects reported by UN staff members,” a press release explains.
According to the company’s website, Lululemon doesn’t own its manufacturing facilities, but it takes “great care” in choosing “manufacturing partners.”
“Our approach is to build relationships with factories that are aligned with our values and meet our sourcing expectations,” the website adds.
However, given the recent Guardian report, it doesn’t seem that Lululemon is selecting the right manufacturing partners, like it claims.
Following the release of the Guardian report, the company said it had launched an investigation.
“A responsible supply chain starts with us and we are committed to upholding ethical sourcing practices globally. Our Vendor Code of Ethics consists of best in class industry standards. We require that all vendors share our values and uphold a consistent set of policies that live up to our Code. We do not tolerate any violation of this Code. Upon learning of the reports about a facility in Bangladesh, we immediately launched an investigation. There are currently no orders planned for this factory, and we will take appropriate action based upon the findings of our investigation,” a statement obtained by the Guardian reads.”
Damascus Opposes Idea of Autonomous Kurdistan, No Conditions for That in Syria – Assad’s Adviser (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201910171077077617-damascus-opposes-idea-of-autonomous-kurdistan-no-conditions-for-that-in-syria—assads-adviser/
“Syrian president’s political adviser Bouthaina Shaaban on Thursday described US-Turkey agreement on ceasefire in northern Syria as “unclear.”
Syrian president’s political adviser said that Damascus is categorically against the establishment of Kurdish autonomy in Syria as there are no reasons for that in the country.
“Of course we cannot accept it,” Shaaban said in an interview with al-Mayadeen television responding to the question of whether Damascus could accept a “copy” of Iraqi Kurdistan on its territory.
“There are no grounds for this [Kurdish autonomy] … We will never be able to speak about it from such an angle, since Syria consists of many ethnic and religious layers, and we do not say that someone is a Kurd, or someone follows such and such religion, we simply don’t say that. The majority of the Kurds are a precious part of our society for us, but some Kurdish organizations have made a political decision that is contrary to the interests of the country,” Shaaban stressed.
“The ceasefire agreement announced by the US and Turkey is unclear,” Shaaban also said in an interview with al-Mayadeen television.
“As for the term a ‘security zone,’ it is incorrect: what Turkey really implies is a zone of occupation,” she added.
Earlier, Senior Kurdish official Aldar Khalil welcomed on Thursday the agreement between the United States and Turkey on a ceasefire in Syria.
Previously, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan held negotiations with US Vice President Mike Pence in Ankara that lasted more than 4 hours. The parties agreed to suspend the Turkish operation in Syria for 120 hours to facilitate the withdrawal of the Syrian Kurds’ militia to a distance of about 30 kilometres (some 20 miles) from the border with Turkey.”
UN Reports ‘Unprecedented’ Increase in Afghan Civilian Casualties Since June (sputniknews, Oct 17, 2019)
https://sputniknews.com/asia/201910171077077381-un-reports-unprecedented-increase-in-afghan-civilian-casualties-since-june/
“A new United Nations quarterly report found “unprecedented levels of violence” against civilians in Afghanistan as the US-led war begins its 18th year.
The quarterly report by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) published on Thursday raised the alarm about unprecedented civilian casualties in the country. The previous quarter saw a 42% increase in civilian casualties over the previous year, and July was the single most violent month since records began in 2009.
“For the sixth year in a row, UNAMA has recorded more than 8,000 civilian casualties in the first nine months of the year, underlining that Afghans have been exposed to extreme levels of violence for many years, despite the statements of parties to the conflict to prevent and mitigate harm to civilians,” the report states. “UNAMA urges parties to redouble their efforts to protect civilians from harm.”
Primarily at fault for the spike in civilian casualties was the Taliban, by itself responsible for 46% of civilian casualties. Daesh-Khorasan, a franchise of the Islamic State that recently set up shop in the Central Asian country and finds itself sharply at odds with the Taliban, was responsible for another 12%, and together, all pro-government forces, including US forces and the Afghan Armed Forces, accounted for 28% of casualties. Crossfire during firefights was credited with 9% of casualties, and 4% were due to “undetermined anti-government elements.”
All told, between January 1 and September 30, 2019, the UN documented 8,239 civilian casualties: 2,563 deaths and 5,676 injuries. July alone saw 1,589 civilian casualties, with 425 deaths and 1,164 people injured.
The report notes that the leading cause of casualties was “the combined use of suicide and non-suicide improvised explosive devices (IEDs),” responsible for 42% of the total; ground engagements were responsible for 29%, while aerial attacks were responsible for 11%. However, aerial attacks remain the primary culprit for civilian deaths, accounting for 23% in the first nine months of 2019.
That should come as no surprise: a September 30 strike report by US Air Forces Central Command found the US had run the most airstrikes in Afghanistan of any month since October 2010, with 1,043 bombs being dropped on targets. US Defense Secretary Mark Esper noted that, especially after peace talks with the Taliban broke down early in the month, the US “did pick up the pace considerably” of its air attacks on Taliban and Daesh targets. That report also noted that August saw more airstrikes than any month in 2019.
“Although civilian casualties from suicide and complex attacks decreased compared to 2018, the significant spike in violence from these incident types during the third quarter is notable,” the UN says. “While civilian casualties from ground engagements were down by 15 per cent at the midyear point, UNAMA documented a significant increase of this incident type in the third quarter of 2019. This caused levels of civilian casualties from ground engagements from the first nine months of 2019 to reach similar levels to those from that incident type in the same time period of 2018. This is due in part to civilian casualties caused by indirect fire during the presidential election in the third quarter.”
“The impact of Afghanistan’s conflict on civilians is appalling; every verified number is a person, someone’s relative – mother, father, daughter, son,” Fiona Frazer, UNAMA’s human rights chief, said in a Thursday press release accompanying the report. “The United Nations will continue its advocacy work with all parties to the conflict until Afghanistan reaches the only acceptable number of civilians killed and injured in the conflict: zero.”
The US-led war in Afghanistan entered its 18th year on October 7, having begun in 2001 when US forces invaded the country to overthrow the Taliban government for its role in facilitating al-Qaeda’s terror attacks in the US the previous month. The Taliban became an insurgent force, deriding the new pro-Washington government set up in Kabul as a US puppet.
According to the Costs of War Project at Brown University, by August 2016, more than 111,000 Afghans had been killed in the war since 2001, including civilians, soldiers and militants, but the group cautions that total deaths due to indirect causes of the war might reach as high as 360,000. A more recent but constrained estimate by the UN found that roughly 16,000 civilians have been killed in the war since 2009.”
American Sports Leagues Love Chinese Money
This video re Rockerfeller’s involvement in Canadian Oil protestors is available till October 31st.
It’s a must-watch:
Where in the video please? Not sure I can handle 30 minutes of this enviro-bilge without antiemetics.
Beto admits Cops Will Go Door-to-Door to CONFISCATE AR-15s