QATAR vs SAUDI ARABIA: Who Benefits from Shift in Gulf State Dynamics?

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In an analysis of the ongoing dispute between Saudi Arabia and Qatar published on June 12, this writer had commented that the ‘Saudis might have bitten off more than they can chew.’ That is what appears to be happening, according to the latest developments in the region.
When the Saudis and their allies – the UAE, Egypt, and Bahrain – announced breaking of diplomatic relations and imposition of a blockade against Qatar on June 5 for ‘sponsoring terrorism,’ they expected Qatar to capitulate to their demands quickly, within days. However, that has not happened so far, more than a month later.
If anything, Qatar has hardened its stand and categorically rejected the threats and ultimatums issued by the Saudis and their friends, refusing to succumb to their pressure. The Qatari Foreign Minister has said that Qatar will ‘never surrender our sovereignty to end the siege’ and saw ‘little chance of a rapid reconciliation.’ Qatar has also reminded the UAE that 80% of its electricity supplies depended on the export of Qatari gas to the Emirates.

This post was published at 21st Century Wire on JULY 7, 2017.

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SYRIA: Maria Zakharova Press Briefing on West’s Chemical Weapon Propaganda Campaign

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21st Century Wire says…
On the 29th June Maria Zakharova gave a press briefing on behalf of the Russian Foreign Ministry. In the briefing Zakharova covered the soon to be released [on 4th July] OPCW report into the alleged chemical weapon attacks in Khan Sheikhoun, Idlib on April 4th 2017.
This event and the OPCW report have been shrouded in a degree of ‘mystery’ that is unprecedented even considering the 6 year propaganada war that has been waged against Syria its allies, fighting against NATO and Gulf state terrorism.
With familiar candour and courage Zakharova dismantles and forensically examines the chain of events leading to the eventual release of the OPCW report.
Maria Zakharova Press Conference 29th June 2017
‘Unfortunately, new allegations against the Syrian authorities, who are purportedly ‘planning a new chemical attack,’ have come from Washington.

This post was published at 21st Century Wire on JULY 7, 2017.

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TRUMP SENDS IN THE GUN CONFISCATION COPS

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Chicago police are keeping busy confiscating ‘illegal guns.’ Last year through the summer, the confiscations were occurring at a rate of one every 59 minutes according to Chicago Police Department figures related by Mark Berman in an October 2016 Washington Post article. This summer, the Chicago police will have some assistance from the United States government in racking up impressive gun confiscation numbers.
Following through on a plan that began its development during the Obama administration, the Trump administration and Chicago Police Department announced last week the sending of the Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force, involving an additional 20 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents plus equipment, to Chicago to aid city police, as well as state and US prosecutors, in a crackdown on illegal guns and the people who possess them.
Gun confiscation has been a big project in the city for years. In the May 27, 2014 Chicago Mayor’s Office and Chicago Police Department report ‘Tracing the Guns: The Impact of Illegal Guns on Violence in Chicago,’ a comparison was made between gun confiscation numbers in Chicago and such numbers in Los Angeles and New York City. The report relates that the 7,624 guns the Chicago Police Department confiscated in 2012 amounted to more per capita than the gun confiscations by police in New York City and Los Angeles combined.
You may wonder what an illegal gun is. US law prohibits gun possession by individuals in certain classes of people, such as people who possess illegal drugs. US law also places special limits on the possession of certain types of guns. The US government, for example, bars people from owning fully automatic firearms, except for some such guns that may be possessed after permission is obtained from and a fee is paid to the US government. Similarly, the US government imposes a minimum barrel length requirement for shotguns.
Remember when Randy Weaver and his family were subjected at their home to a US government siege?

This post was published at The Daily Sheeple on JULY 7, 2017.

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KHAN SHEIKHOUN: How Like-Sarin is a Sarin-Like Substance?

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The OPCW has analysed samples from Khan Sheikhoun in April containing what they have identified as ‘sarin or a sarin-like substance’. They know that much, even if they are not sure how it got there or who is responsible.
But how much actually is that? Throughout the OPCW report we find the cumbersome expression sarin or a sarin-like substance. Why not just sarin, pure and simple?
All a non-chemist like me can understand from this is that we are dealing with some nasty stuff, but there is no definite confirmation it is sarin pure and simple. Of course, a non-chemist also has no idea how impure a sample or how different a molecule would need to be to count as merely of a substance like sarin; nor would we know how much more impure or different it could be before becoming unlike sarin. So we non-chemists could easily be bamboozled in these matters.
One thing we do know is that the sarin the Syrian government produced and gave up for destruction in 2013 was referred to by all concerned as sarin, pure and simple. To produce sarin with military grade purity is not easy. To produce improvised versions, however, is within the capacity of insurgents in Syria.
Given that there are already open questions about motive, means and opportunity, as I indicated in my previous blog, then if there is doubt about even the weapon as well, the case for blaming Assad looks decidedly uncertain.

This post was published at 21st Century Wire on JULY 8, 2017.

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John Podesta Responds To “Whack Job” Trump In Angry Tweetstorm

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In response to President Trump’s tweet that Democratic National Committee (DNC) email leaks were the talk of the G-20 meeting in Hamburg, Germany…
Everyone here is talking about why John Podesta refused to give the DNC server to the FBI and the CIA. Disgraceful!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 7, 2017

This post was published at Zero Hedge on Jul 7, 2017.

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RUSSIA SAYS ISIS PLANNING TO GAS SYRIAN CIVILIANS, FRAME ASSAD, TO JUSTIFY US INVASION

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Moscow, Russia – On Thursday, during a weekly press briefing by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, spokeswoman Maria Zakharova explained that their intelligence has revealed active terrorist plots to stage chemical attacks in Syria in order to justify and precipitate U. S. strikes and increased intervention in the Syrian civil war.
The information exposes ongoing plans by Syrian terrorist groups to stage chemical weapons attacks, to be blamed on the Assad government, in an effort to justify U. S. attacks against Syrian government forces.
‘According to information available [to us], Syrian terrorist groups plan staged provocative actions with the use of chemical poison gases to justify US strikes against the positions of the Syrian government forces,’ Zakharova said at a weekly press briefing.

This post was published at The Daily Sheeple on JULY 7, 2017.

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Secret FEMA Report Warns Of Major Solar Storms: ‘Significant Power Grid Collapses May Occur… Could Require 4 to 10 Years To Fully Restore’

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FEMA: ‘The Threat Is Real’ – Unpublished Internal Report Warns 4-10 Years Without Electricity After Major Solar Storm
An unpublished internal FEMA report has finally been obtained via an FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request, which highlights the extent of damage a major solar storm, what they call the ‘100 year geomagnetic storm,’ would do to critical infrastructure in the U. S., including ‘Significant power grid collapses,’ which ‘could require 4-10 years to fully restore.’
The internal ‘for official use only’ document originated in 2010, and in February 2016, was requested by governmentattic.org and was released to the organization on May 24, 2017, according to the 70 page PDF they released on June 12, 2017, which includes the timeline of request to release, the FEMA final response communication with the requested data of any unpublished internal FEMA or unpublished contractor technical or management reports and studies concerning risks from geomagnetic storms, risks from solar flares, and risks from electromagnetic pulse.

This post was published at shtfplan on July 7th, 2017.

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