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Thread: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

  1. Link to Post #1561
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    ‘When camera gone they leave people under rubble’ – Aleppo residents on Western-backed White Helmets

    By David on 15 December 2016 GMT




    ‘Western-funded activists called the ‘White Helmets’ have been making headlines, with the MSM
    praising them as ‘Heroes of Peace’ for their work. However, Aleppo residents recently liberated
    by Syrian government forces have a different opinion.RT’s Lizzie Phelan, who is on the ground
    in Aleppo, spoke to some survivors that accused the anti-government activists of being “camera
    posers, thieves, and raiders.” One went so far as to accuse the White Helmets of intentionally
    killing his daughter.’



    Start the video at 7:24

    Source

    https://www.rt.com/news/370344-white...ampaign=chrome


    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    Heartbreaking stories of children in the Aleppo warzone seem to be a useful tool in
    the mainstream media campaign against Syria and Russia. Bana al-Abed, aged 7, is
    one such medium – despite questions over her tweets' agenda and who’s really
    behind them.

    ===================================================
    ===================================================

    Civilians making social media pleas from Aleppo actually activists with MSM primetime access

    By David on 15 December 2016 GMT



    ‘Social media coming out of Aleppo has gone into overdrive. Well-articulated video pleas
    alleging near-death snake their way into the mainstream. There’s just one issue: these
    aren’t just any civilians, but activists and filmmakers – with spots on primetime TV.
    And according to the host of ‘In the Now’, Anissa Naouai, it barely takes an internet
    search to quickly verify their identities.The narrative is the same each time: that an
    all-out genocide is taking place; that the Assad forces are going from city to city killing
    their own people and taking no prisoners; and that Aleppo’s rebels valiantly look death
    in the face as they endure alleged Russian bombardment.’

    Read more: Civilians making social media pleas from Aleppo actually activists with MSM primetime access

    https://www.rt.com/news/370364-aniss...tter-shelling/

    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    'We had very strong anti-Russian agenda over last few years' - frmr London mayor Livingstone



    The pullout of more than 5,000 militants and their families through a humanitarian
    corridor has begun in eastern Aleppo, the Russian General Staff said. Wounded
    rebels will be evacuated by the Russian Reconciliation Center with International Red
    Cross involvement.

    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    Humanitarian action in Aleppo conflict highly politicized - Red Cross regional director



    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    The pullout of more than 5,000 militants and their families through a humanitarian
    corridor is under way in eastern Aleppo. Wounded rebels are evacuated by the
    Russian Reconciliation Center with International Red Cross involvement. RT
    discussed the evacuation operation with Robert Mardini, the Red Cross's Regional
    Director for the Middle East.


    ===================================================
    ===================================================



    Aleppo Syria battle: Evacuation of rebel-held east
    1 minute ago

    short vid on link...http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38329461

    More than 3,000 people have been evacuated in buses and ambulances from a
    besieged rebel-held enclave in the Syrian city of Aleppo, officials say.The
    International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says the full evacuation of
    civilians and rebels is likely to take several days.Government forces, backed by
    Russian allies, took nearly all remaining rebel-held parts of Aleppo this week.

    It represents a major victory for President Bashar al-Assad.

    He hailed the "liberation" of Aleppo and said history was being made.

    The evacuation of civilians, rebels and their families had been due to take place on
    Wednesday but an earlier ceasefire deal collapsed."Some 3,000 civilians and more
    than 40 wounded, including children, were brought out," the head of the ICRC in
    Syria, Marianne Gasser, said after two convoys left."No-one knows how many
    people are left in the east, and the evacuation could take days," she added.
    The evacuees are being transferred to rebel-held areas in neighbouring Idlib province.

    Read more...
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-38329461

    ====================================================
    ====================================================



    Boris Johnson summons Russia and Iran ambassadors
    4 hours ago

    Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has summoned Russia and Iran's UK ambassadors
    to discuss his "concern" over the countries' actions in Syria

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-38332030

    Aleppo: Beginning of the end? BBC News



    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    The BBC's Middle East Editor Jeremy Bowen explains what happens next in Aleppo.
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 15th December 2016 at 22:17.

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  3. Link to Post #1562
    UK Avalon Member Cidersomerset's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Russia is not the source of DNC leaks to Wiki ....

    Quote Julian Assange is fine - see this post -

    https://projectavalon.net/forum4/show...=1#post1120801
    Thanks for heads up...

    Sean Hannity FULL Interview with Julian Assange 12/15/16



    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    Full Interview by based Sean Hannity with based Julian Assange
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 19th December 2016 at 17:41.

  4. Link to Post #1563
    France Honored, Retired Member. Hervé passed on 13 November 2024.
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Unable dealing with unbearable truth of criminal complicity, West displays 'Meltdown of Sanity'

    Finian Cunningham Strategic Culture Foundation
    Sat, 17 Dec 2016 10:41 UTC



    Aleppo

    The US and its terrorist-sponsoring partners are seeing their criminal regime-change project in ruins, as the Syrian army and its allies win a spectacular victory to retake the strategically important city of Aleppo.

    Western governments and their flunkies at the UN are cynically, perversely decrying a «meltdown of humanity».

    Closer to the truth is their own «meltdown of sanity». This is because the official Western narrative about the Syrian war is finally being exposed on a glaring scale.

    The exposure for the whole world to see is one of a systematic, fake propaganda cover that concealed a criminal enterprise - an enterprise involving terrorist proxies, or fake moderate rebels, whom the Western governments have sponsored for the past six years in a conspiracy to overthrow the government of Syria. The gravity of this systematic crime committed by Washington and its various partners is now unfolding.

    Unable to cope with their own cognitive dissonance over the criminality, the Western governments and their complicit corporate news media are resorting to outright denial and to compounding lies with even more lies.

    Instead of dealing with the reality that Syrian state forces have recaptured Aleppo from brutal, illegally armed groups, which the West and its regional clients have bankrolled and armed, the West distorts the dramatic victory as the «fall of Aleppo». One report on American channel CNN even referred to the victorious Syrian army and its allies as «persecutors».

    With typical unhinged emotion, US ambassador to the UN Samantha Power cited unverified reports of civilians being executed in Aleppo, and slammed Syria and its allies Russia and Iran for having «no shame». It is Power and her Western partners-in-crime, including top UN officials, who should be hanging their heads in shame.

    Among the hysterical soundbites about alleged atrocities and slaughter being lobbed around this week was this from UN «humanitarian» official Jens Laerke who said Aleppo was seeing a «meltdown of humanity». Catchy words, but divorced from reality.

    Western news media outlets were screaming headlines alleging summary executions of women and children by the Syrian army and its Russian, Iranian and Lebanese allies as they moved in to finally retake the whole of the northern city.

    Outgoing UN chief Ban Ki-Moon talked in disparaging tones about an «uncompromising military victory», while his underlings Rupert Colville and Jan Egeland decried «hellish» conditions and «war crimes» committed by Syria and Russia.

    The problem is that all these sensational, reckless assertions are based on unverified claims by anonymous «activists» or persons involved with militants - militants who are integrated with terror groups like Jaysh al Fatah, Jabhat al Nusra, Ahrar al Sham and Nour al din al Zenki. All of them affiliated with the internationally proscribed Al Qaeda terrorist network - which the Western governments claim to be at war with.

    It truly is a grotesque revelation when Western governments and UN officials publicly spout propaganda on behalf of terrorist groups.

    Samantha Power and her British counterpart at the UN Matthew Rycroft cited UN «reports» of 82 civilians being executed, including 11 women and 13 children, by the pro-government Syrian forces during the final hours of recapturing Aleppo. But the same UN «reports» were themselves based on unverified sources supposedly embedded among the terrorists. This is not reportage. It is simply recycling rumors aimed at saving the necks of terrorist groups.

    The simple fact of the information coming from unverified sources did not stop the UN, Power, Rycroft and the raft of Western media outlets, including the Washington Post, CNN, Guardian, Independent, France 24 etc, presenting the claims as if they were fact.

    Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused Western governments and their dutiful, unquestioning news media of spreading «fake news» about the dramatic events in Syria this week. Lavrov pointed out that none of the alleged atrocities were acknowledged by independent humanitarian groups.

    Syria's ambassador to the UN Bashar al Jaafari also refuted the claims of atrocities that Western counterparts appeared to be so perplexed by.

    Western governments and media outlets persisted in their gory fantasies despite abundant video footage that even they themselves were broadcasting which showed thousands of civilians calmly walking away from militant-held pockets of Aleppo towards the Syrian state forces. Is that the behavior of people who are being massacred, summarily executed, slaughtered?

    One of the most absurd distortions was this from France 24. The state-owned broadcaster of one of the countries that has supplied weapons and propaganda cover to terrorists in Syria over the past six years described this week how «people in government-held areas of Aleppo were celebrating». Given that the Syrian government holds virtually all of Aleppo that means that the vast majority of Syrians were celebrating. Yet France 24 roils its words to contrive a false division between pro and anti-government populations.

    The more logical and truthful depiction is that Syrian civilians are at last able to flee from terror gangs that have held them under siege. But in reporting that the whole false Western narrative about what has been going on in Aleppo and Syria for the past six years would implode like a house of cards.

    Why aren't the Western news media interviewing the tens of thousands of civilians who have now managed to flee from the defeated terrorist groups? Why don't the Western media ask questions about the nature of their captivity? Such as, why could they not escape from militant-held eastern Aleppo until now? What do these civilians think of the Syrian army and its allies who have crushed the militants?

    The curious, gaping absence of any testimonies carried by the Western media from the thousands of liberated civilians in Aleppo is mirrored by the same curious, gaping absence of testimonies from thousands of civilians liberated elsewhere in Syria by the army over the past year.

    That's because those civilians are telling media outlets which are willing to report, such as the Syrian state broadcaster SANA, as well as RT, Press TV and Al Manar, that their nightmare siege imposed by the Western-backed terrorists is over. If Western media outlets were to actually bother to conduct real journalism they would go into liberated areas of Aleppo and other towns and villages across Syria and report that life is returning to happy normalcy for these families and communities.

    The truth is Aleppo was invaded by Western-backed mercenaries in July 2012, who turned the eastern side of the city into a den ruled under a reign of terror. A twisted, demented caliphate run by head-chopping Wahhabi jihadists was imposed. Like Syria as a whole, these mercenaries were sanitized in the West as «moderate, pro-democracy rebels» - albeit somehow supposedly «intermingled» with jihadi extremists.

    If that were the case, then where are these supposed «moderates» now that the last den of the «rebels» in Aleppo has been routed?

    The stark absence of «moderate», «pro-democracy», «Western-value-supporting rebels» emerging from the ruins of Aleppo is as stark as the absence of petrified civilians denouncing Syrian army «atrocities» or Russian «war crimes».

    In one resounding moment this week, the Western narrative about Aleppo, and the Syrian war more generally, has collapsed in a pile of dust. No amount of denials and further distortions can hide the exposure of Western lies and propaganda fabrications.

    So ironically, Western media outlets have recently whipped up the phenomenon of «fake news» in the context of trying to discredit Russia over alleged electoral interference in the US and Europe.

    What Syria has demonstrated is that the real culprits of peddling false news, and more gravely false narratives, are the Western governments and their conceited, self-important news media.

    Unable to deal with the unbearable truth of criminal complicity, the official West is displaying a meltdown of sanity.

    Aleppo and Syria will one day emerge again from the present ruins. No such recovery from ruins will be made by the ignominious Western governments and their lying, criminally complicit media.


    Related:
    UN's 'Mother Theresa' Samantha Power insinuates Russia is not capable of shame

    Aleppo starts uncovering Washington's bloody evil designs

    Former London Mayor: Russia no threat to US, spends one-tenth US does on military

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Really? Time will tell, maybe...

    http://www.voltairenet.org/article194590.html

    Voltaire Network — The Security Council meets in secret, Friday 16 December 2016 at 17.00 universal time - NATO officers were arrested this morning by Syrian Special Forces in a bunker in East Aleppo.

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  8. Link to Post #1565
    France Honored, Retired Member. Hervé passed on 13 November 2024.
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    See, proof of Russian aggression! Russian Defense Ministry confirms $1.6 billion budget cut in 2017


    Sputnik Sat, 17 Dec 2016 14:27 UTC



    © Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin Deputy Defense Minister Tatiana Shevtsova

    The Russian defense budget is expected to shrink by six percent or 100 billion rubles (some $1.62 bln) in 2017, Deputy Defense Minister Tatiana Shevtsova said Friday.

    Shevtsova clarified that in monetary terms the expenditures by the Defense Ministry would be cut by around 100 billion rubles, but would not affect remuneration of servicemen or military retirement pensions.

    "According to draft budget for 2017-2019 prepared by the Finance Ministry, the federal expenditures will be reduced by six percent," Shevtsova said.

    The Russian Defense Ministry transferred more than 41 billion rubles (about $664 million) to the federal budget this year from sales of illiquid assets and property rent.

    "As for the revenues part of the budget, today 99.8 percent of Russian Defense Ministry's income plan was implemented. We ensured the transfer of over 41 billion rubles to the federal budget profit for the needs of the Russian economy. It is our activity, when we lease something or sell illiquid [assets]," Shevtsova told journalists. She added that the level of execution of the federal budget in 2016 was expected to reach 99.9 percent. According to Shevtsova, the Russian Defense Ministry has not misused state funds in the past three years.

    ==========================================

    ... compared to the $ 1/2 dozen trillions the Pentagon has no clue what happened to them...

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  10. Link to Post #1566
    France Honored, Retired Member. Hervé passed on 13 November 2024.
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Quote Voltaire Network — The Security Council meets in secret, Friday 16 December 2016 at 17.00 universal time - NATO officers were arrested this morning by Syrian Special Forces in a bunker in East Aleppo.



    Report: Fourteen US Coalition military officers captured by Syrian Special Forces in Aleppo!


    By Patrick Henningsen and Vanessa Beeley
    21st Century Wire, Fri, 16 Dec 2016 22:49 UTC



    © Vanessa Beeley for 21st Century Wire Syrian Army soldier holds up Al Nusra Front (al Qaeda in Syria) flag in the Umayyed Mosque, Old City, after government troop liberated terrorist-occupied East Aleppo this week

    According to two reports coming out of Aleppo today, at least 14 US Coalition military officers were captured this morning in an East Aleppo bunker by Syrian Special Forces.

    This story was quietly leaked by Voltaire.net, who announced,"The Security Council is sitting in private on Friday, December 16, 2016, at 17:00 GMT, while NATO officers were arrested this morning by the Syrian Special Forces in a bunker in East Aleppo."

    Fares Shehabi MP, a prominent Syrian Parliamentarian and head of Aleppo's Chamber of Commerce published the names of the Coalition officers on his Facebook page on the 15th December (emphasis added):
    • Mutaz Kanoğlu - Turkey
    • David Scott Winer - USA
    • David Shlomo Aram - Israel
    • Muhamad Tamimi - Qatar
    • Muhamad Ahmad Assabian - Saudi
    • Abd-el-Menham Fahd al Harij - Saudi
    • Islam Salam Ezzahran Al Hajlan - Saudi
    • Ahmed Ben Naoufel Al Darij - Saudi
    • Muhamad Hassan Al Sabihi - Saudi
    • Hamad Fahad Al Dousri - Saudi
    • Amjad Qassem Al Tiraoui - Jordan
    • Qassem Saad Al Shamry - Saudi
    • Ayman Qassem Al Thahalbi - Saudi
    • Mohamed Ech-Chafihi El Idrissi - Moroccan
    Listen to Fares Shehabi's interview on the Sunday Wire radio show: 'Liberation Aleppo'

    In addition to Voltaire.net, the other original report was provided by Damascus-based Syrian journalist Said Hilal Alcharifi. According to Alcharifi, captured "NATO" officers were from a number of member states including the US, France, Germany and Turkey, as well as Israel. Here is his statement (translated from French):
    "Thanks to information received, Syrian authorities discovered the headquarters of high ranking western/NATO officers in the basement of an area in East Aleppo and have captured them alive. Some names have already been given to Syrian journalists, myself included. The nationalities are US, French, British, German, Israeli, Turkish, Saudi, Moroccan, Qatari etc. In light of their nationalities and their rank, I assure you that the Syrian government have a very important catch, which should enable them to direct negotiations with the countries that have tried to destroy them."
    Although these initial reports describe the individuals in question as "NATO" officers, it's unlikely they would have been carrying NATO colors on a covert operation - and might be more accurately labeled as US Coalition officers. Note that early reports suggest that these are not standard 'street rebel' or jihadi terrorists but actual Coalition military personnel and field commanders.

    21WIRE have also received unconfirmed reports yesterday that militants had fired a missile into Ramousa area and then tried, unsuccessfully, to get cars out of East Aleppo. It's possible this incident could be related to today reports of captured western operatives.

    This report from the Syrian Arab News Agency (emphasis added):
    "The agreement on evacuating militants and weapons from the eastern neighborhoods of Aleppo city has been suspended after terrorist groups breached it, special sources told SANA correspondent in Aleppo.

    The sources said that the suspension of the agreement will remain in place until obtaining guarantees that oblige the terrorist groups to abide by all the agreement's provisions, stressing on the Syrian side's full adherence to the agreement and its keenness to end the bloodshed and restore security and stability to the entire city of Aleppo."

    Earlier, SANA reporter said that the terrorist groups have breached the agreement as they smuggled heavy weapons, including TOW missiles, heavy machineguns and kidnapped people via the buses and cars transporting terrorists and their families towards the southwestern countryside of Aleppo city.

    The reporter added that the terrorist groups fired shells and sniper bullets on the buses and ambulances at al-Ramousseh crossing, noting that the Syrian Arab Red Crescent (SARC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) which are supervising the evacuation process had to withdraw all buses and cars from the crossing.

    Over the past 24 hours, some 8079 terrorists and members of their families were evacuated on ten batches via busses and ambulances from the neighborhoods of Salah-Eddin, al-Ansari, al-Mashhad and al-Zibdiyeh to the southwest countryside of Aleppo city"
    If true, then this latest news would also mean that both the Syrian and Russian governments would have additional leverage going forward in any bilateral negotiations with the US-led Coalition.

    If, however, this story is kept under wraps by NATO member governments and summarily blacked out by the US and European media outlets, then it might indicate that a deal has been struck, albeit behind the scenes, for the return of captured NATO operatives in exchange for other concessions.

    If today's report from East Aleppo is accurate, this might also help explain the hysterical behavior by the US State Department and western UN officials who have been demanding "an immediate ceasefire" - despite the fact that 99% of East Aleppo has already been liberated by Syrian government forces.

    The western establishment hysterical reactions to Al Nusra's defeat in Aleppo have included wild claims that the Syrian Army had 'unleashed death squads,' on its own residents in East Aleppo and were openly 'executing women and children in the street,' and 'burning children in the street,' as well what appear to be more fictional reports circulated in US media mainly by Michael Weiss of The Daily Beast via CNN,claiming that Syrian Army was committing "mass rape" against residents of East Aleppo. His article entitled, "Women in Aleppo Choose Suicide Over Rape, Rebels Report," made a number of outlandish claims including:
    "Activists and rebels in the besieged city say mass executions have begun and children are burned alive as Assad's Iranian- and Russian-backed forces move in."
    Not surprisingly, aside from unnamed "UN sources", Weiss claims to have got his information from none other than the discredited US and UK-financed pseudo 'NGO' known as the White Helmets.

    Back in September, numerous reports suggested that a western command center located behind terrorist-held lines had been targeted and destroyed by a Russian missile strike. Prof Michel Chossudovsky wrote:
    "The US and its allies had established a Field Operations Room in the Aleppo region integrated by intelligence personnel. Until it was targeted by a Russian missile attack on September 20, this "semi-secret" facility was operated by US, British, Israeli, Turkish, Saudi and Qatari intelligence personnel."
    This report was neither admitted, nor was it denied by US Coalition sources at the time. However, one mainstream Israeli source, The Times of Israel, did report the incident.

    For anyone who has been paying close attention to the Syrian Conflict, seeing NATO special forces or "contractors" working with 'rebel' or terrorist fighters inside of Syria is nothing unusual. Numerous reports have been filed of British soldiers assigned to fighting groups to help with training, strategy and logistics. In June 2016, The Telegraph admitted that British special forces were helping one rebel group, "... with logistics, like building defences to make the bunkers safe," said one 'rebel' fighter. Other reports, including the LA Times which detailed CIA operations used to arm militants, including Al Nusra Front (al Qaeda in Syria) who were the terrorist force in charge in East Aleppo. Other revelations of US covert involvement include The New York Times, and also information on US (NATO by another name only) covert operations provided to the Wall Street Journal.

    Throughout fighting in the Donbass in eastern Ukraine, during the period of May 2014 to the present, numerous incidents have been reported where NATO military soldiers and operatives have been both spotted, and captured by rebel forces, and in most cases these reports have been muted, more than likely because of 'horse trading' taking place as an extension of wider diplomacy.

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  12. Link to Post #1567
    UK Avalon Member Cidersomerset's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Turkish media: Russian ambassador shot



    Published on 19 Dec 2016
    Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was shot at an art exhibition
    in Ankara, Turkey's official Anadolu news agency reported.

    ====================================================



    Russian ambassador Andrei Karlov shot dead in Turkey
    2 minutes ago
    From the section Europe



    Andrei Karlov was visiting a photo gallery in the Turkish capital

    A gunman has shot dead Russia's ambassador to Turkey, Andrei Karlov, apparently
    in protest at Russia's involvement in the Syrian conflict.Several other people were
    reportedly also injured in the attack, a day after protests in Turkey over Russia's
    military intervention in Syria.

    read more......

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-38369962

    ===================================================

    Footage from in front of the building in Ankara where Russian ambassador was shot



    Published on 19 Dec 2016

    The Russian envoy to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was wounded after a gunman
    stormed into a building where the opening ceremony of a Russian photo exhibition
    was being held.

    ===================================================

    BREAKING: Russian ambassador dies following shooting attack in Ankara



    Started streaming 35 minutes ago


    The Russian envoy to Turkey, Andrey Karlov, was wounded after a gunman stormed into a building where the opening ceremony of a Russian photo exhibition was being held.

    RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 19th December 2016 at 17:47.

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    UK Avalon Member Cidersomerset's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Syria hands over evidence of mustard gas attack by rebels on civilians to OPCW


    Published on 18 Dec 2016

    Syrian authorities have handed over a batch of documents with the evidence of a rebel
    use of banned chemical agent against civilians near Aleppo to the international chemical
    watchdog. Samples from the shell containing mustard gas are to be delivered to The Hague.

    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    ‘Syrian conflict is war of interventions, not civil war, as mainstream media put it’




    Published on 18 Dec 2016
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 19th December 2016 at 18:14.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    ‘The people of Aleppo are alive’: Breathing life back into ruined city



    Published on 19 Dec 2016

    Two weeks since the liberation of the Alshaar neighborhood in eastern Aleppo
    by the Syrian army, life is gradually resuming its course. More locals are returning
    to breathe life into devastated streets as heavy machinery clears the rubble.


    ==================================================
    ==================================================

    Demining Aleppo: Russian sappers remove mines and IEDs in Syrian school



    Published on 17 Dec 2016
    A group of Russian sappers performed a mine clearance operation at a school in Aleppo.

    ==================================================
    ==================================================


    Hundreds of militants evacuated from eastern Aleppo via humanitarian corridor



    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    20 passenger busses and 10 ambulances were seen taking a reported 900 militants
    with their families out of eastern Aleppo via the 21km Salaheddin corridor.
    The motorcade was being accompanied by humanitarian workers and employees of
    the Reconciliation Center. Ambulances were carrying injured people who could not
    be safely transported by other means.

    ==================================================
    ==================================================

    Militants evacuated from eastern Aleppo by night after Syria govt & rebels reach deal



    Published on 15 Dec 2016
    20 passenger busses and 10 ambulances have been provided to evacuate the
    militants, while around 100 cars are being used by the militants themselves.
    The motorcade was being accompanied by humanitarian workers and employees of
    the Reconciliation Center. Ambulances were carrying injured people who could not
    be safely transported by other means.
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 19th December 2016 at 19:12.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Sudden Ukrainian offensive in Lugansk ends in heavy losses and retreat

    J. Arnoldski Fort Russ Mon, 19 Dec 2016 19:12 UTC



    Since yesterday evening, reports have been incoming from the frontline in Lugansk that the Ukrainians have violated the Minsk Agreements for the nth time, this time shelling militia positions with artillery and attempting an offensive on the Uglegorsk and Debaltsevo fronts in the Lugansk People's Republic.

    The attack has been halted, but firefights are ongoing. The attack was presumably being led by neo-Nazi volunteer battalions.

    The Ukrainian Armed Forces shelled the residential area of Kalinovka near Debaltsevo 150 times with artillery prohibited by the Minsk Agreements before attempting to break through the defense positions of the Lugansk People's Militia.






    The head of the directorate of the LPR's People's Militia, Oleg Anashchenko, has reported from the scene of the battle: "UAF attempts to break through the defenses of the LPR in the Kalinovka and Logvinovo districts have ended in failure. Over the course of the poorly planned attempt at breaking through in the direction of Kalinovka, the enemy has suffered heavy losses and returned to its original positions to regroup forces, replenish its losses, and prepare for active combat operations. All attempts to penetrate our defenses have ended in complete failure for Kiev's punitive forces."

    According to Ukrainian sources, five Ukrainian troops were killed and 26 were wounded. Reports have since come in that more than 35 have been wounded, most being evacuated to the military hospital while others could not be withdrawn from the battlefield due to intense artillery fire. Ukrainian volunteer Yurii Mysyagin from Dnepropetrovsk has suggested that the number of dead has risen to six. The official "Anti-Terrorist Operation" headquarters has released significantly lower figures, counting only five dead and six wounded.

    Earlier, the Lugansk People's Militia claimed that "no fewer than 30 of Kiev's troops have been killed and no less than two armored vehicles have been destroyed."

    Several sources on both the Ukrainian and Donbass sides have suggested that the sudden Ukrainian offensive could have been connected to internal squabbles, namely, the Ukrainian state's acquiring of the infamous oligarch Igor Kolomoysky's Privatbank, Ukraine's largest commercial credit institution.


    Related:
    Ukraine nationalizes Kolomoisky's PrivatBank that holds 36% of all domestic deposits

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    An update to post # 1566:
    Update (Dec. 19): Syria's UN envoy, Bashar al-Jaafari read the names of these foreign military and intelligence officers at a UN press conference today, saying they are currently in E. Aleppo strongholds and trying to escape. Here's the relevant part (full video here):

    As Jaafari says, this is the reason for the hysterics from the West over the past days (and weeks, and months). Ever since Aleppo was encircled, the Western military "instructors" embedded with terrorists groups were trapped. The West and its allies desperately wanted to get them out and avoid a PR nightmare. They failed.

    Jaafari: "We are going to catch them and show them to you."

    We highly recommend readers watch Jaafari's full Q&A session. Despite the utter seriousness of the topics, he absolutely slams several of the ignorant journalists with some hilarious responses. To one question about the foreign military officers, he corrects the journalist, saying, "No, no, they are 'Syrian moderate opposition' - genetically modified."

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Quote Posted by Hervé (here)
    An update to post # 1566:[INDENT]Update (Dec. 19): Syria's UN envoy, Bashar al-Jaafari read the names of these foreign military and intelligence officers at a UN press conference today, saying they are currently in E. Aleppo strongholds and trying to escape.
    Here's a report, from a source I am not familiar with, that there were quite a few more US, UK, French and Dutch military specialists trapped with the rebels in Aleppo. The report is at BRITISH AND US TROOPS ALONGSIDE JIHADISTS IN ALEPPO (FreeNations.net).

    The report begins:

    ==========
    BRITISH AND US TROOPS ALONGSIDE JIHADISTS IN ALEPPO

    Posted By: Rodney Atkinsonon: December 18, 2016

    230 US Army instructors and 54 British troops, 8 French and two Dutch artillery specialists were trapped in Aleppo with ISIS jihadists by Syrian and Russian forces. The Americans asked the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov to keep this quiet – for obvious reasons! I have this from a reliable source.
    ==========
    My quite dormant website: pauljackson.us

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    Cool Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Just 4 weeks ago US warned citizens of possible terror attacks on markets like Berlin's

    Claire Bernis Free Thought Project Mon, 19 Dec 2016 00:01 UTC


    © Michael Sohn/AP

    Monday night, a tractor-trailer truck plowed into a bustling Christmas market in Berlin, Germany, killing at least nine people — possibly many more — and wounding scores of others.

    UPDATE: Local police now confirm 12 people were killed and 48 others injured in the attack, and German media is reporting the driver of the truck was a Pakistani immigrant who entered Germany in February, although that has not been confirmed.

    According to reports from local media, police believe the incident to be an attack, and are treating it as a terror incident.

    Quote
    Sky News Newsdesk Verified account ‏@SkyNewsBreak

    German media: Police say first indications from investigation suggest truck crash was an attack on Christmas market in Berlin
    "We can confirm nine fatalities & many injured. A lot of our colleagues are at #Breitscheidplatz to investigate the background," the official police account tweeted.

    "It looked like [it was done] on purpose," a police officer who witnessed the incident toldBerliner Zeitung.

    "Lorry just ploughed through Christmas market in #berlin. There is no road nearby. People crushed. I am safe. I am safe," tweeted Emma Rushton with a picture from the chaotic scene. There is, indeed, a road nearby the market, so it is unclear what Rushton meant.

    "We heard a loud bang," Rushton told CNN. "We started to see the top of an articulated truck, a lorry ... just crashing through the stalls, through people." She added, "There's no way it was an accident."

    Another eyewitness described dozens of people unconscious on the ground.

    "Local media reports suggested the vehicle ran into the market outside the landmark Kaiser Wilhelm memorial church on Monday evening. They said police at the scene had said initial indications pointed to an attack," the Guardian reports.

    A journalist from Berliner Morgenpost described the aftermath as a "gruesome scene."

    Reports indicated the driver took no care to avoid hitting people and traveled at a high rate of speed through the open-air holiday market.

    Interestingly, the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning last month cautioning Americans in Europe about attending Christmas holiday events — including, specifically, markets like this onestating:
    The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, particularly during the holiday season. U.S. citizens should exercise caution at holiday festivals, events, and outdoor markets. This Travel Alert expires on February 20, 2017.

    Credible information indicates the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh), al-Qa'ida, and their affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in Europe, with a focus on the upcoming holiday season and associated events. U.S. citizens should also be alert to the possibility that extremist sympathizers or self-radicalized extremists may conduct attacks during this period with little or no warning. Terrorists may employ a wide variety of tactics, using both conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests.
    In fact, the State Department specifically mentioned terror attacks that had taken place in Germany and other European nations, warning additional attacks might still occur:
    While extremists have carried out attacks in Belgium, France, Germany, and Turkey in the past year, the Department remains concerned about the potential for attacks throughout Europe.
    Chaos unfolded after the truck drove headlong into the market around 8 p.m. — what would have been its busiest hour. According to Bild Berlin editor-in-chief Julian Reichelt, cited by Reuters, a massive security operation is currently underway, and "The scene certainly looks like a reminder of what we have seen in Nice."

    On Bastille Day in Nice, a truck driver drove through a massive crowd gathering for a parade, leaving at least 80 people dead and several hundred injured.

    Police later detained the suspected driver of the truck nearby — and confirmed his putative accomplice, the passenger, died after being detained shortly after the vehicle crashed.

    Police also asked people to stay away from the scene and not rush to conclusions until a thorough investigation concludes.

    Related:
    9 dead, many injured as truck plows into Christmas market in Berlin in likely terrorist attack

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Updates:

    No doubt Berlin truck incident was terrorist attack - German Interior Ministry
    German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere said there is "no doubt" that the truck incident at a Christmas market in Berlin was a terrorist attack.

    "At this point, we have no doubt that this horrific crime was a terrorist attack," de Maiziere told a news conference on Tuesday. He added that there is no evidence so far to indicate the suspect is linked to Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS/ISIL) or any other terrorist group.
    Pakistani refugee named as Berlin attack suspect by minister, police not sure they agree
    The man, suspected of ramming a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin on Monday, is a Pakistani refugee aged 23, the German Interior Minister confirmed. Meanwhile, police say they aren't sure if that man is the perpetrator.

    Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere has confirmed that Naved B., who was arrested on suspicion of carrying out the Berlin truck attack, is from Pakistan and had applied for asylum earlier this year. He arrived in Germany last December and arrived in Berlin in February. De Maiziere also said the suspect denies the charges.

    A Polish haulier, who also was a cousin of the victim and owner of the truck, said he lost contact with the driver on Monday at 4pm local time, according to the newspaper. It is still unclear how the Pakistani suspect managed to get into the truck.

    Ariel Zurawski, the haulier who owned the truck, told Polish television he noticed that the vehicle was maneuvering in a strange way before the attack. "Someone was making forward and backward movements as if he was learning how to drive," said Zurawski. He added that "someone was in the cabin" by the time he lost contact with the original driver.
    Berlin police detained 'wrong man,' truck attacker still at large, armed
    The Pakistani suspect arrested following the truck attack in the German capital reportedly had no involvement in the crime. The actual perpetrator is armed and still at large, Die Welt reports, citing high-ranking security sources.

    "We have the wrong man," Die Welt cited a Berlin police official as saying. "And thus a new situation. The actual perpetrator is still at large and armed, and can inflict more damage."

    The source said that all police and special forces units in Berlin have been informed and put on high alert.

    Speaking at a press conference, Berlin police chief Klaus Kandt said investigators are unsure if the Pakistani man arrested shortly after the truck attack was actually the driver who rammed the vehicle into a crowd at the Christmas market.

    "As far as I know it is in fact uncertain whether that really was the driver," he said.

    Despite the heightened security alert, the preparations for New Year's Eve celebrations will continue as planned, Kandt added.

    Entrances to all Christmas markets will be guarded by police officers armed with submachine guns, and security barriers will be erected.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Quote ... the U.S. State Department issued a travel warning last month cautioning Americans in Europe about attending Christmas holiday events — including, specifically, markets like this onestating:
    The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the heightened risk of terrorist attacks throughout Europe, particularly during the holiday season. U.S. citizens should exercise caution at holiday festivals, events, and outdoor markets. This Travel Alert expires on February 20, 2017.

    Credible information indicates the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL or Da'esh), al-Qa'ida, and their affiliates continue to plan terrorist attacks in Europe, with a focus on the upcoming holiday season and associated events. U.S. citizens should also be alert to the possibility that extremist sympathizers or self-radicalized extremists may conduct attacks during this period with little or no warning. Terrorists may employ a wide variety of tactics, using both conventional and non-conventional weapons and targeting both official and private interests.

    One killed, two wounded by gunman in Wiesbaden, Germany


    Sputnik Tue, 20 Dec 2016 13:11 UTC


    A woman was killed and two men were injured and hospitalized after shooting took place in central-western German state of Hesse, according to local police.


    A woman was killed and two other people were wounded in a shootout in central-western German state of Hesse, local police said Tuesday.
    "A woman was killed this morning... In addition, two men were injured and hospitalized," Wiesbaden city police said in a statement, adding that the motives behind the attack are unclear.
    Additional forces and a helicopter have been deployed in search operations for the suspect said to be 20-30 years old.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Who Profits from Turkey’s ‘Sarajevo Moment’?

    by Pepe Escobar
    counterpunch.org
    December 21, 2016



    Photo by Nico Kaiser | CC BY 2.0

    Let’s cut to the chase: Ankara 2016 is not Sarajevo 1914. This is not a prelude to WWIII. Whoever plotted the assassination of the Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov – a cool, calm, collected old-school diplomat – risks a mighty blowback.

    The assassin, Mevlut Mert Altintas, was a 22-year-old police academy graduate. He was suspended from the Turkish National Police (TNP) over suspected links to the Fethullahist Terrorist Organization (FETO) after the failed July 15 putsch against Erdogan but returned to duty in November.

    It’s no secret Gulenists heavily infiltrate the TNP; so a particular outcome of the attack will be an, even more, relentless Erdogan/AKP crackdown on the Gulen network. The Turkish investigation will have to focus not only on the (major) security service fail at Ankara’s modern art center – but way beyond. It’s not very reassuring that Turkish Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu put out a terse statement a very long three hours after the facts.

    The killer in a black suit and tie shouted slogans about revenge “for Aleppo” – the requisite “Allahu Akbar” included – in both Turkish and broken Arabic, something that might establish a connection to an Islamist group’s rhetoric, although that’s not conclusive evidence.

    Timing is crucial. The hit happened only one day before the Foreign Ministers of Russia, Turkey and Iran were scheduled to meet in Moscow for a key Syria strategic discussion. They were already closely in touch for the past few weeks on how to strike a comprehensive deal on Aleppo – and beyond.

    And this right after the crucial, previously established Putin-Erdogan agreement, which implied no less than thousands of “moderate rebels” responding to Turkey’s commands being able to use a “corridor” out of Aleppo. Ankara was fully on board with the plan. That in itself eliminates the possibility of an Ankara-provoked false flag.

    President Putin for his part made it very clear he wants to be informed on who “directed” the killer. That’s something that could be interpreted as subtle code for Russian intel already very much in the know.

    The Big Picture

    On the bilateral front, Moscow and Ankara are now working close together on counter-terrorism. Turkey’s defense minister was invited to Russia for anti-air defense system negotiations. Bilateral trade is booming again, including the creation of a joint investment fund. On the all-important energy front, Turkish Stream, despite the Obama administration’s obsession about its derailment, became the subject of state law in Ankara earlier this month.

    Atlanticists are appalled that Moscow, Ankara and Tehran are now fully engaged in designing a post-Battle of Aleppo Syrian future, to the graphic exclusion of the NATO-GCC combo.

    It’s under this context that the recent alleged capture of a bunch of NATO-GCC operatives – deployed under the US-led-from-behind “coalition” – by Syrian Special Forces in Aleppo must be interpreted.

    Syrian member of Parliament Fares Shehabi, the head of the Chamber of Commerce in Aleppo, published the names of the apprehended coalition officers; most are Saudi; there’s one Qatari; the presence of one Moroccan and one Jordanian is explained by the fact Morocco and Jordan are “unofficial” GCC members.

    And then there’s one Turk, one American (David Scott Winer) and one Israeli. So NATO shows up only via two operatives, but the NATO-GCC link is more than established. If this information proceeds – and that’s still a big “if” – these may well be coalition military personnel and field commanders, formerly advising “moderate rebels” and now a formidable bargaining chip in the hands of Damascus.

    Both NATO and GCC remain absolutely mum; not even non-denial denials have materialized. That might imply a made in the shade deal for the release of the high-value prisoners, further strengthening Damascus’ grip.

    It was President Putin who all but established a de facto Russia-Iran-Turkey axis dealing with facts on the Syrian ground – in parallel to the rhetoric-heavy, zero-solution UN charade going on in Geneva. Moscow diplomatically emphasizes that the work of the axis complement Geneva. In fact, it’s the only reality-based work. And it’s supposed to sign and seal definitive parameters on the ground before Donald Trump enters the White House.

    In a nutshell; the five-year (and running) NATO-GCC combo’s multi-billion dollar regime change project in Syria all but miserably failed. Wily Erdogan seems to have learned his realpolitik lesson. On the Atlanticist front nevertheless, that opens myriad avenues to channel geopolitical resentment.

    The Big Picture couldn’t be more absolutely unbearable for neocon/neoliberalcon Atlanticists. Ankara slowly but surely is veering the Eurasianist way; bye bye to the EU, and eventually NATO; welcome to the New Silk Roads, a.k.a. the China-driven One Belt, One Road (OBOR); the Russia-driven Eurasia Economic Union (EEU); the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO); the Russia-China strategic partnership; and Turkey as a key hub in Eurasia integration.

    For all that to happen, Erdogan has concluded Ankara must be on board the Russia-China-Iran long-term strategy to pacify and rebuild Syria and make it a key hub as well of the New Silk Roads. Between that and an “alliance” of fleeting interests with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the US, it’s certainly a no-brainer.

    But make no mistake. There will be blood.

    Source

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Pentagon and intel agencies in 'tizz' as their anti Russian paranoia is not a Trump priority....
    A 'bogey' man keeps the $$$$$$$$$$$ flowing into the mil ind complex.....


    Russia not on Trump's defense priority list



    Published on 21 Dec 2016

    A leaked Department of Defense document has made it clear that Russia is no
    longer among the USA’s top defense concerns. Does this represent a welcome
    thawing of USA’s relationship with the Russian Federation? Or is it a worrisome
    lapse in judgement? Former Pentagon spokesperson JD Gordon joins RT’s Ed
    Schultz to offer his analysis of Trump’s priorities and the goals of his administration.
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 22nd December 2016 at 10:56.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    'Beginning of the end of Syria’s war': Aleppo locals celebrate complete
    liberation of city



    Published on 23 Dec 2016

    Residents of the Syrian city of Aleppo have flooded the streets,
    celebrating the city's liberation from rebels.

    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    Militant's bombs, gas masks, black jackets: SAA carry out clean up operation in
    eastern Aleppo



    Published on 23 Dec 2016
    The Syrian Army worked their way through damaged streets and homes as they
    carried out a cleaning operation in eastern Aleppo's Al-Ansari Mashhad district.

    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    This may or may not have any effect, certainly Israel will ignore it and the incoming
    Trump administration is unlikely to vote against Israel. So it depends what the UN
    will do ? Which is probably not much as their only leverage is sanctions and the US
    will not back that.




    Israel settlements: Netanyahu snubs 'shameful' UN vote
    1 hour ago



    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says a UN call to end settlement activity
    on occupied land is "shameful".

    He stressed that Israel would not abide by Friday's vote at the 15-member UN
    Security Council.Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' spokesman said the
    resolution was a "big blow to Israeli policy".The resolution was passed after the US
    refused to veto it, breaking with long-standing American practice.

    Washington has traditionally sheltered Israel from condemnatory resolutions.

    The Egyptian-drafted resolution had been withdrawn after Israel asked US
    President-elect Donald Trump to intervene, but it was proposed again by Malaysia,
    New Zealand, Senegal and Venezuela..

    read more..
    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk

    ===================================================
    ===================================================
    ===================================================

    US-Israel tensions rise after UN resolution vote



    Published on 24 Dec 2016

    Aaron David Miller talks with CNN's Dana Bash about the diplomatic fallout for the
    UN vote on Israeli settlements.
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 24th December 2016 at 22:59.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    Just saw that in the Guardian re Israeli Settlement issue, bit of a landmark event that.

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    Default Re: Ukraine, Crimea, Syria, Israel, Iran, Turkey, Putin, China, and World War III

    OBAMA SIGNS ANTI PROPAGANDA BILL: Clinton Blames Russia, FBI, Fake News for Loss to Trump



    Published on 24 Dec 2016

    My name is H. A. Goodman and I’m an author, columnist, and journalist www.hagoodman.com
    Obama Quietly Signs The "Countering Disinformation And Propaganda Act" Into Law
    http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-12...

    ====================================================
    ====================================================
    ====================================================

    European gov'ts had all info needed to prevent Berlin terror attack – analysis



    Published on 23 Dec 2016
    A review of records suggests that mass surveillance does nothing to prevent terrorism.
    Investigative journalist Derrick Broze joins RT’s Anya Parampil to discuss global security
    questions and the erosion of privacy raised by the Berlin attack.
    Last edited by Cidersomerset; 24th December 2016 at 23:11.

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