EU Sanctions on Russia to be Extended – No Veto or Discussion Allowed

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This article was originally written for Russia Insider: http://russia-insider.com/en/politics/eu-sanctions-russia-be-extended-no-veto-or-discussion-allowed/ri11858

In conversations with Russian news agency TASS EU diplomats and officials outline the undemocratic means whereby the decision to extend the sanctions will be imposed.

by Alexander Mercouris

Recently I wrote a piece for Russia Insider discussing how the EU really works.

I pointed out that the veto small states supposedly have over key EU decisions is a fiction.

Decisions are made by a small group who decide things between themselves and who because they control the EU’s bureaucracy can impose their decisions on everyone else.

An EU official – someone described as “close to the European Council” (the EU’s main policy making body) has basically confirmed as much in an interview with the Russian news agency TASS.

The subject discussed was the sectoral sanctions the EU has imposed on Russia, which are due to expire on 31st January 2016.

Chess in the Age of ISIS

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by Tom Mysiewicz

“Iraq is breaking up before our eyes and it would appear that the creation of an independent Kurdish state is a foregone conclusion.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman to John Kerry in Paris, 26 June 2014

“The goal is to proclaim a ‘Kurdistan’ straddling the border between Iraq and Syria, and then expel the Syrian populations who live there, followed by the transfer of 10 million Turkish Kurds to this new state.”

Thierry Meyssan, 2015

Unfolding now is a multidimensional chess game comprising centuries-old animosities, petrodollars, pipelines, a neo-Ottoman sultanate, plans for balkanizing the Mid East into manageable ethnic states, Israeli energy plans and oligarchs, Neoconservatives, the U.S. military-industrial complex, Daesh-ISIS, NATO, the EU, Kurdistan, Ukraine and a gaggle of nation states. I first addressed this hard-to-fathom situation in my 2014 piece “War With ISIS: Multiplexing a New World Order.”

Week 10 of the Russian Intervention in Syria: the “Assad must go” policy leads to war with Russia, Iran & Hezbollah

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This column was written for the Unz Review:http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-ten-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-the-assad-must-go-policy-leads-to-war-with-russia-iran-and-hezbollah/

The “news” that Israel and Turkey are systematically violating international law is hardly news at all. After all, we all know that Turkey has been regularly bombing the Kurds in Iraq and Syria, that Turkey still illegally occupies northern Cyprus just like the Israelis have been bombing Syria and Lebanon for decades and that they are still illegally occupying Palestine. 

Swann Galleries Africa-American Fine Art Live Auction

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This auction, African-American Fine Art, starts at 2:30 PM EST on Tuesday, December 15 and will feature 150 lots of exclusive artwork. Invaluable is teaming up with Swann Auction Galleries to allow remote bidding online. The style of art in this auction includes cityscapes, portrait, abstract.

Here are a few noteworthy lots:

Lot 49: Norman Lewis (1909-1979), Untitled

Estimated Price: $250,000 - $350,000

Oil on linen canvas, circa 1958. 1295x1625 mm; 51x64 inches. Signed in oil, lower left. This masterful mid-century composition is a newly discovered and important example of Norman Lewis's painting. In 1955 Norman Lewis won the Carnegie International Award in Painting making him the first African-American artist to receive this prestigious prize. Then in 1956, Lewis was selected to represent the United States in American Artists Paint the City, an exhibition of 46 works by 36. Lewis joined fellow Willard Gallery artists Lionel Feininger and Mark Tobey; he and Jacob Lawrence were the only African-American artists included.

Russia in an invisible war

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Source: http://oko-planet.su/politik/politiklist/301881-rostislav-ischenko-rossiya-v-nevidimoy-voyne.html

Rostislav Ischenko

Translated by Seva

Russia in an invisible war

How could Russia in just 20 years, without wars or other perturbations, rise from a semi-colony to an acknowledged world leader, equal among the top ones?

Kitchen “strategists”, who sincerely believe that massive nuclear strike is the universal solution to any international problem (even the hottest one, close to military confrontation), are unhappy about the moderate position of the Russian leadership in the crisis with Turkey. However, they deem insufficient even direct participation of the Russian military in the Syrian conflict. They are also dissatisfied with the Moscow’s activities on the Ukrainian front.

The Middle East War SITREP December 5th, 2015 by John Rambo

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A quick note: I do apologize for how late this SitRep is. Unfortunately I too must obey the great capitalistic system and submit to their demands (holiday hours) and the CIA is not known for its Christmas bonuses.

It seems great events unfold every 2 weeks in Syria. The downing of a Russian Su-24 by a Turkish F-16 fighter has been the highlight. Russian retaliation has been a complete exposure of Turkish connections within the Islamic States oil trade, the near carpet bombings and artillery barrages of the Islamist Turkmen frontline near the Turkish border inside Syria, and the a more active role in interfering in Turkish geostrategic opportunities. [Source] [Source] [Source]

The Western media quickly rewrote the narrative to obfuscate the facts and to reinforce falsehoods (such as the fabrication that the Su-24 was inside Turkish space when it was shot down and that Turkey responded appropriately). Turkey quickly ran to NATO to hold an emergency meeting.

NATO Is A Terror Organisation By Any Standard ! See Proof

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After this proof, If anyone ever had any doubts about the involvement of NATO (Turkey and Americans) in Daesh (ISIS) then that is no longer necessary. All evidence has been given. NATO is a terror organisation by any standard.

Russian Defense Ministry has presented photos of oil delivery convoys at Syria-Turkey border, the head of the Russian General Staff’s operative command said.

The general staff has irrefutable evidence on Turkey's involvement in illegal oil trade. Moscow has called on Turkey to open access to the places where, according to the retrieved Russian intel, Daesh oil trade centers are located:
"If there is nothing there — then the territories in question should be inspected," the Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov stressed. 

The NATO destruction of the RuAF SU-24 Fencer and Turkish murder of the Russian servicemen

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Russia’s Interdiction of ISIS-Turkey Oil Trade and Attacks on Turkmen jihadi militants Poses Risk of Enlargement of Syrian Conflict

UPDATED

By: JiminNH

The increasing velocity of events in Syria indicates that the conflict may be ready to spill over into a larger conflagration and direct conflict between the forces of the AZ hegemon and the Resistance thereto. A couple of apparently un-related events have rapidly coalesced into armed conflict between an NATO member state and Russia, the consequences of which are yet to be revealed, but unlikely to be anything but more fuel on the fires of the not only the Syrian conflict but the war between the AZ empire and Russia.

Turkey Attacks Russia in Syria SITREP by Scott

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Official statement of the Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation

Russian Su-24 aircraft shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter on its way to the Hmeymim airbase

The Russian Su-24 aircraft was shot down on its way to the Hmeymim airbase in the territory of the Syrian Arab Republic by a Turkish F-16 fighter.

Analysis of the objective monitoring data definitely showed that there had not been any violation of the Turkish air space.

Nigerian Passport Renewal: Renewal application form and fees.

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Renewing a Nigerian passport can come from a lot of diverse reasons and can be done without breaking a sweat to government and the general population. Nigeria Passport renewal can be finished over the Internet, via mail, or in person at an a government passport office. (There is a great online Nigerian Passport Renewal service than can also help you with Payment and send all the necessary documents to you via e-mail for processing at the nearest Nigerian consulate or Embassy. There method of Payment is Paypal or Money transfer. See that service here)

What is Daesh’s endgoal?

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by Non-Zionist Anglo Observer

The Saker’s excellent analysis on the position in Syria ‘after Paris’ poses several possibilities as to why Daesh appears to have a death wish, but frankly confesses to finding none of them satisfactory.

Under such circumstances, it is usually the best policy to eschew inherently unprovable conspiracy theories  (particularly since unrealistic ones do us all a grave disservice by potentially leading people to reject our points about the actually barely concealed and very real ‘conspiracy’ of the Anglo-Zionists and their allies to use Wahhabi terrorists as a weapon of foreign policy).

Better, I would suggest, to reach for the simple razor this predictive text stubbornly refuses me to allow to name!

USA SitRep November 21 by Auslander

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SitRep, Auslander goes behind enemy lines

I have just returned from a trip to USA. It matters not why I had to go, it simply suffices to say it was not my choice and it will in all probability be my last journey west baring an emergency that requires my presence. I am getting old and such long journeys are pretty hard in regards to the time and strain of so many hours in flight.

7th of the Russian Intervention in Syria: dramatic surge in intensity

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This column was written for the Unz Review:http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-seven-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-dramatic-surge-in-intensity/

This week was clearly dominated by two major events: the terrorist attacks in Paris and the Russian official declaration that Kogalymavia Flight 9268 was, indeed, destroyed by a bomb.

First, I would notice that contrary to so many prediction that the Russians, Egyptians and other nations involved would lie and cover up this attack, this did not happen. Both the Russians and the Egyptians were open and honest about this attack from day 1. There is something to be learned here: while some politicians clearly have lost the ability to speak the truth even if they tried to, others did not. While lying is the standard operating procedure for most (all?) of “western” (Empire-run) states, this is still not the case everywhere else. It is simply wrong to assume that Russia is some kind of “anti-USA” and that the Kremlin has a policy of systematic deception like the White House. To the extend that Russia could be considered an “anti-USA” this ought to include categorically different methods and motives.

Samson Siasia's mother kidnapped in Bayelsa

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Madame Ogere Siasia, the Mother of Samson Siasia, Nigeria's former international soccer star and current coach of the Under - 23 Dream team was captured from her home at Odoni community of Sagama Local Council Area of Bayelsa State in the early hours of today Nov. seventeenth.

Naija Gist reported that Observers say the armed kidnappers raged the home of the lady, dragged her out of her home and into a waiting  motorcycle. The Bayelsa state police command's representative, ASP Ansinim Butswat confirmed the scene and said the police is working towards saving her.

ISIL Financed by 40 Countries, Including G20 Member States - Putin

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Putin said at the G20 summit that Russia has presented examples of terrorism financing by individual businessmen from 40 countries, including from member states of the G20.

"I provided examples related to our data on the financing of Islamic State units by natural persons in various countries. The financing comes from 40 countries, as we established, including some G20 members," Putin told reporters following the summit.

Why France?

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 Nigerian News
First I wish to express my condolences to the families of all the victims of the terror attacks last week. No matter the reason for the attacks, there will always be innocent victims; those should be remembered.

What I write below are some stray thoughts on a question that has been bugging me since I heard the news regarding the attacks in Paris. Maybe I am completely off the mark here yet I keep wondering: Why all these attacks took place in France?

Why not Brussels or Amsterdam or London or Rome or Berlin?

Week 6 of the Russian Intervention: A 1st major success for the Syrian Forces

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This column was originally written for the Unz Review:http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-six-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria-a-first-major-success-for-the-syrian-armed-forces/

Finally. After weeks of gruelling combat the Syrian armed forces have liberated the Kuweyres air base in northern Syria. This is a huge victory for the Syrians because during the 2,5 year long siege of the airbase it had become an important symbol of the Syrian determination to resist the Takfiris in general and, especially, Daesh which had deployed its best fighters to maintain the siege of the base and prevents its liberation. In fact, the Takfiris did resist with everything they had up to the last moment. For those of you interested in video and photos of the combats and liberation of Kuweyres I would recommend the site of Colonel Cassad and specifically these posts: (in Russian)

http://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/2472071.html

http://colonelcassad.livejournal.com/2470426.html

Did Russia just “gently” threaten the USA?

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News Nigeria
Interesting stuff today.  A major Russian TV channel just aired a report about Putin meeting with his top military commanders.  I don’t have the time to translate what Putin said word for word, but basically he said that the USA had refused every single Russian offer to negotiate about the US anti-missile system in Europe and that while the US had initially promised that the real target of this system was Iran, now that the Iranian nuclear issue had been solved, the US was still deploying the system.  Putin added that the US was clearly attempting to change the world’s military balance.  And then the Russian footage showed this:

Russia’s intervention in Syria – a reality-based evaluation

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It has been over one month since the Russians launched their military and political operation in Syria and the time for hyperbole and flag waving has clearly passed.  Gone are the “most anticipated showdown in recent history” along with rumors of MiG-31s, Russian paratroopers, “thousands” of military personnel, ballistic submarines and other such nonsense.   And, contrary to what some wrote, none of what happened was “coordinated with the White House”.  What I propose to do today is to evaluate what has really has happened and to look at the Russian options for the future.  But first, a short restatement of what really took place.

Week Five of the Russian Intervention in Syria: The Russians Are Digging in

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This column was originally written for the Unz Review: http://www.unz.com/tsaker/week-three-of-the-russian-intervention-in-syria/

Whether this tragedy was directly linked to the war in Syria or not, there is no doubt that the downing of Kogalymavia Flight 9268 was the main event of the past week. Since I have covered this issueelsewhere, I shall not return to it in detail again here. I will just repeat here my personal conclusion that this tragedy will not impact the Russian operation in Syria or affect the political situation inside Russia. As for the cause of the tragedy, there are increasing indications that both western and Russian security services have come to a tentative conclusion that it was, indeed, a bomb. On Friday, the head of the Federal Security Service has recommended canceling all flights to Egypt and the evacuation of all the Russian citizens in Egypt (roughly 70,000 people). Several EU countries have also taken similar measures.