theduran--2020-03-12--China steadily continues to promote influence on African continent

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida , research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… Every day the news about Chinese investments in the Africa are highlighted in newspapers around the world .
On the one hand , western critics believe that Beijing is seeking to expand its area of influence outside Asian territory , and on the other , pro-China analysts say the country is only looking at a space forgotten by world powers .
Neither view is entirely right or wrong , but Chinese action in Africa deserves further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kenya celebrated a thousand days of installing the train line connecting Mombasa , Nairobi and Naivasha , financed and built by China .
The Chinese rail project has proved to be profitable , as repeatedly stressed by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta himself , significantly boosting tourism and investments in the communications area , according to data from Reuters .
The benefits for China are clear and indisputable , when lending is absolutely profitable for investors .
However , as Liu Yun , a researcher at the University of Zhejiang , explains , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ projects are not just about lending , but working together on the basis of mutual benefits and common gains ( … ) Furthermore , construction of railway lines is in line with the strategy of modern industrialization in Africa ” .
This case perfectly illustrates what has generated the Chinese advance in Africa : a sum of factors in which the struggle for expansion , profit and resources undertaken by the Chinese finds the desire for growth , modernization , investment and development of Africans .
China seems to be paying attention to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the other economic powers .
Recently , the American Secretary of State , Mike Pompeo , visited several African countries in an attempt to bring the United States closer to Africa .
Without major resolutions and agreements , the American visit was basically summarized by exaggerated criticisms from Pompeo to the rapprochement between the countries he visited and China , without presenting new projects of interest that could arouse interest higher than that aroused by Beijing .
“ They [ the US and China ] are great competitors… The US has recently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does not mean they are abandoning them .
On the contrary , China has increased and continues to strengthen its presence – in different countries and in different directions .
This creates discomfort in the US .
In addition to the fact that China ’ s investment volume in some sectors is dozens of times greater than that of the United States ” , said Georgy Scherbakov , professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences .
Another point to be highlighted is the issue of the investment strategy .
The western bet on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and commercial sector , paying attention to particular interests and generating little result in social issues concerning Africa .
On the other hand , China seeks to invest heavily in state-level agreements with African countries , operating mainly in the sectors of infrastructure and industrial production .
Also , U.S. exports to Africa grew from U $ 22 billion to U $ 26 billion between 2017 and 2019 , while trade between China and Africa reached an incredible U $ 208 billion last year .
Clearly , China ’ s interest in Africa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feed its current economic potential .
Spanish researcher Sebastián Ruiz Cabrera points out that “ effectively , China , as a great power , needs resources to maintain its current growth wave .
And these resources are found , above all , in the African continent ” .
Certainly , China is not the only one interested in African resources , however , it seems to be the most shrewd in establishing strategies that allow it to satisfy its interests .
In addition to seeking to invest in sectors where African countries are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impose an ideological agenda on these countries as a condition of existence for their economic relations , unlike European embassies , which prioritize the effectuation of the human rights when establishing businesses .
There is also a minor factor that helps China to build good relations with African countries , which is the history of international cooperation between developing countries that was established during the Mao Tse-Tung years .
“ Especially in the 1960s , with the cultural policy of Mao , there was a massive sending of teachers , doctors and cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s a kind of ] South-South cooperation relationship .
I mean , more ‘ equal to equal ’ , and not only in economic terms .
And that still lasts ” , emphasizes Ruiz Cabrera .
In general , this record also favors the priority given to China over European countries – former colonial powers that have exploited Africa for centuries – and the USA – global hegemonic power .
For China , in addition to the search for resources and profits , operations in Africa and cooperation with poor countries generate a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario .
Having reached the status of a world economic power , China starts to undertake humanitarian and welfare projects , which strengthen its international image .
In short , China invests in Africa in pursuit of its own interests , however , it does so by seeking to meet the main needs of African countries , which has attracted more attention from them in relation to Beijing than to Western countries .
The Chinese project is promising and really seems to serve mutual interests , being an example to be followed by @ @ @ @

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
Every day the news about Chinese investments in the Africa are highlighted in newspapers around the world. On the one hand, western critics believe that Beijing is seeking to expand its area of influence outside Asian territory, and on the other, pro-China analysts say the country is only looking at a space forgotten by world powers. Neither view is entirely right or wrong, but Chinese action in Africa deserves further investigation.
In the past week, Kenya celebrated a thousand days of installing the train line connecting Mombasa, Nairobi and Naivasha, financed and built by China. The Chinese rail project has proved to be profitable, as repeatedly stressed by Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta himself, significantly boosting tourism and investments in the communications area, according to data from Reuters. The benefits for China are clear and indisputable, when lending is absolutely profitable for investors. However, as Liu Yun, a researcher at the University of Zhejiang, explains, “China’s investments in African rail projects are not just about lending, but working together on the basis of mutual benefits and common gains (…) Furthermore, construction of railway lines is in line with the strategy of modern industrialization in Africa”.
This case perfectly illustrates what has generated the Chinese advance in Africa: a sum of factors in which the struggle for expansion, profit and resources undertaken by the Chinese finds the desire for growth, modernization, investment and development of Africans. China seems to be paying attention to an area hitherto forgotten or unduly treated by the other economic powers. Recently, the American Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, visited several African countries in an attempt to bring the United States closer to Africa. Without major resolutions and agreements, the American visit was basically summarized by exaggerated criticisms from Pompeo to the rapprochement between the countries he visited and China, without presenting new projects of interest that could arouse interest higher than that aroused by Beijing.
“They [the US and China] are great competitors… The US has recently neglected its main partners, but that does not mean they are abandoning them. On the contrary, China has increased and continues to strengthen its presence – in different countries and in different directions. This creates discomfort in the US. In addition to the fact that China’s investment volume in some sectors is dozens of times greater than that of the United States”, said Georgy Scherbakov, professor at the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Another point to be highlighted is the issue of the investment strategy. The western bet on Africa is generally made in the private and commercial sector, paying attention to particular interests and generating little result in social issues concerning Africa. On the other hand, China seeks to invest heavily in state-level agreements with African countries, operating mainly in the sectors of infrastructure and industrial production. Also, U.S. exports to Africa grew from U$22 billion to U$26 billion between 2017 and 2019, while trade between China and Africa reached an incredible U$208 billion last year.
Clearly, China’s interest in Africa stems from the need for resources to feed its current economic potential. Spanish researcher Sebastián Ruiz Cabrera points out that “effectively, China, as a great power, needs resources to maintain its current growth wave. And these resources are found, above all, in the African continent”. Certainly, China is not the only one interested in African resources, however, it seems to be the most shrewd in establishing strategies that allow it to satisfy its interests. In addition to seeking to invest in sectors where African countries are most in need, China does not impose an ideological agenda on these countries as a condition of existence for their economic relations, unlike European embassies, which prioritize the effectuation of the human rights when establishing businesses.
There is also a minor factor that helps China to build good relations with African countries, which is the history of international cooperation between developing countries that was established during the Mao Tse-Tung years. “Especially in the 1960s, with the cultural policy of Mao, there was a massive sending of teachers, doctors and cultural agents (…) [it’s a kind of] South-South cooperation relationship. I mean, more ‘equal to equal’, and not only in economic terms. And that still lasts”, emphasizes Ruiz Cabrera. In general, this record also favors the priority given to China over European countries – former colonial powers that have exploited Africa for centuries – and the USA – global hegemonic power.
For China, in addition to the search for resources and profits, operations in Africa and cooperation with poor countries generate a highly positive political image on the international scenario. Having reached the status of a world economic power, China starts to undertake humanitarian and welfare projects, which strengthen its international image. In short, China invests in Africa in pursuit of its own interests, however, it does so by seeking to meet the main needs of African countries, which has attracted more attention from them in relation to Beijing than to Western countries. The Chinese project is promising and really seems to serve mutual interests, being an example to be followed by other emerging powers.
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theduran--2020-03-12--President Trump restricts travel from Europe due to coronavirus pandemic

The World Health Organization upgraded the status of the novel coronavirus threat to “ Pandemic ” on Wednesday , March 10 , 2020 .
As the cases grow in number around the world , particulary the Western world , President Trump took decisive action Wednesday evening , suspending travel from Europe to the US for thirty days : The President ’ s delivered a sharply focused message , as a good preventative measure for a country already inclined to irrational states of panic .
The speech was also careful and thorough , addressing all known areas of concern , from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the economy will withstand the present pressure exerted on it by the virus .
Here is the text of the speech : My fellow Americans , tonight I want to speak with you about our nation ’ s unprecedented response to the coronavirus outbreak that started in China and is now spreading throughout the world .
Today , the World Health Organization officially announced that this is a global pandemic .
We have been in frequent contact with our allies , and we are marshaling the full power of the federal government and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history .
I am confident that by counting and continuing to take these tough measures , we will significantly reduce the threat to our citizens and we will ultimately and expeditiously defeat this virus .
From the beginning of time , nations and people have faced unforeseen challenges , including large-scale and very dangerous health threats .
This is the way it always was and always will be .
It only matters how you respond , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and professionalism .
Our team is the best anywhere in the world .
At the very start of the outbreak , we instituted sweeping travel restrictions on China and put in place the first federally mandated quarantine in over 50 years .
We declared a public health emergency and issued the highest level of travel warning on other countries as the virus spread its horrible infection .
And taking early intense action , we have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States than are now present in Europe .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots .
As a result , a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe .
After consulting with our top government health professionals , I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well being of all Americans .
To keep new cases from entering our shores , we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days .
The new rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground .
There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings , and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo , but various other things as we get approval .
Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing .
These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom .
At the same time , we are monitoring the situation in China and in South Korea .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will re-evaluate the restrictions and warnings that are currently in place for a possible early opening .
Earlier this week , I met with the leaders of health insurance industry who have agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments , extend insurance coverage to these treatments , and to prevent surprise medical billing .
We are cutting massive amounts of red tape to make antiviral therapies available in record time .
These treatments will significantly reduce the impact and reach of the virus .
Additionally , last week , I signed into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to help C.D.C .
and other government agencies fight the virus and support vaccines , treatments and distribution of medical supplies .
Testing and testing capabilities are expanding rapidly , day by day .
We are moving very quickly .
The vast majority of Americans : The risk is very , very low .
Young and healthy people can expect to recover fully and quickly if they should get the virus .
The highest risk is for elderly population with underlying health conditions .
The elderly population must be very , very careful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advising that nursing homes for the elderly suspend all medically unnecessary visits .
In general , older Americans should also avoid nonessential travel in crowded areas .
My administration is coordinating directly with communities with the largest outbreaks , and we have issued guidance on school closures , social distancing and reducing large gatherings .
Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow .
Every community faces different risks and it is critical for you to follow the guidelines of your local officials who are working closely with our federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best .
For all Americans , it is essential that everyone take extra precautions and practice good hygiene .
Each of us has a role to play in defeating this virus .
Wash your hands , clean often-used surfaces , cover your face and mouth if you sneeze or cough , and most of all , if you are sick or not feeling well , stay home .
To ensure that working Americans impacted by the virus can stay home without fear of financial hardship , I will soon be taking emergency action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial relief .
This will be targeted for workers who are ill , quarantined , or caring for others due to coronavirus .
I will be asking Congress to take legislative action to extend this relief .
Because of the economic policies that we have put into place over the last three years , we have the greatest economy anywhere in the world , by far .
Our banks and financial institutions are fully capitalized and incredibly strong .
Our unemployment is at a historic low .
This vast economic prosperity gives us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ handle any threat that comes our way .
This is not a financial crisis , this is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world .
However , to provide extra support for American workers , families , and businesses , tonight I am announcing the following additional actions : I am instructing the Small Business Administration to exercise available authority to provide capital and liquidity to firms affected by the coronavirus .
Effective immediately , the S.B.A .
will begin providing economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These low-interest loans will help small businesses overcome temporary economic disruptions caused by the virus .
To this end , I am asking Congress to increase funding for this program by an additional $ 50 billion .
Using emergency authority , I will be instructing the Treasury Department to defer tax payments , without interest or penalties , for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted .
This action will provide more than $ 200 billion of additional liquidity to the economy .
Finally , I am calling on Congress to provide Americans with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will consider this very strongly .
We are at a critical time in the fight against the virus .
We made a lifesaving move with early action on China .
Now we must take the same action with Europe .
We will not delay .
I will never hesitate to take any necessary steps to protect the lives , health , and safety of the American people .
I will always put the well being of America first .
If we are vigilant — and we can reduce the chance of infection , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impede the transmission of the virus .
The virus will not have a chance against us .
No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States .
We have the best economy , the most advanced health care , and the most talented doctors , scientists and researchers anywhere in the world .
We are all in this together .
We must put politics aside , stop the partisanship and unify together as one nation and one family .
As history has proven time and time again , Americans always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our future remains brighter than anyone can imagine .
Acting with compassion and love , we will heal the sick , care for those in need , help our fellow citizens and emerge from this challenge stronger and more unified than ever before .
God bless you , and God bless America .
Thank you .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The World Health Organization upgraded the status of the novel coronavirus threat to “Pandemic” on Wednesday, March 10, 2020. As the cases grow in number around the world, particulary the Western world, President Trump took decisive action Wednesday evening, suspending travel from Europe to the US for thirty days:
The President’s delivered a sharply focused message, as a good preventative measure for a country already inclined to irrational states of panic. The speech was also careful and thorough, addressing all known areas of concern, from caution for the elderly to assurances that the economy will withstand the present pressure exerted on it by the virus.
Here is the text of the speech:
My fellow Americans, tonight I want to speak with you about our nation’s unprecedented response to the coronavirus outbreak that started in China and is now spreading throughout the world.
Today, the World Health Organization officially announced that this is a global pandemic.
We have been in frequent contact with our allies, and we are marshaling the full power of the federal government and the private sector to protect the American people.
This is the most aggressive and comprehensive effort to confront a foreign virus in modern history. I am confident that by counting and continuing to take these tough measures, we will significantly reduce the threat to our citizens and we will ultimately and expeditiously defeat this virus.
From the beginning of time, nations and people have faced unforeseen challenges, including large-scale and very dangerous health threats. This is the way it always was and always will be. It only matters how you respond, and we are responding with great speed and professionalism.
Our team is the best anywhere in the world. At the very start of the outbreak, we instituted sweeping travel restrictions on China and put in place the first federally mandated quarantine in over 50 years. We declared a public health emergency and issued the highest level of travel warning on other countries as the virus spread its horrible infection.
And taking early intense action, we have seen dramatically fewer cases of the virus in the United States than are now present in Europe.
The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hot spots. As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe.
After consulting with our top government health professionals, I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions to protect the health and well being of all Americans.
To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days. The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight. These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground.
There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings, and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo, but various other things as we get approval. Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing. These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom.
At the same time, we are monitoring the situation in China and in South Korea. And, as their situation improves, we will re-evaluate the restrictions and warnings that are currently in place for a possible early opening.
Earlier this week, I met with the leaders of health insurance industry who have agreed to waive all co-payments for coronavirus treatments, extend insurance coverage to these treatments, and to prevent surprise medical billing.
We are cutting massive amounts of red tape to make antiviral therapies available in record time. These treatments will significantly reduce the impact and reach of the virus.
Additionally, last week, I signed into law an $8.3 billion funding bill to help C.D.C. and other government agencies fight the virus and support vaccines, treatments and distribution of medical supplies. Testing and testing capabilities are expanding rapidly, day by day. We are moving very quickly.
The vast majority of Americans: The risk is very, very low. Young and healthy people can expect to recover fully and quickly if they should get the virus. The highest risk is for elderly population with underlying health conditions. The elderly population must be very, very careful.
In particular, we are strongly advising that nursing homes for the elderly suspend all medically unnecessary visits. In general, older Americans should also avoid nonessential travel in crowded areas.
My administration is coordinating directly with communities with the largest outbreaks, and we have issued guidance on school closures, social distancing and reducing large gatherings.
Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow.
Every community faces different risks and it is critical for you to follow the guidelines of your local officials who are working closely with our federal health experts — and they are the best.
For all Americans, it is essential that everyone take extra precautions and practice good hygiene. Each of us has a role to play in defeating this virus. Wash your hands, clean often-used surfaces, cover your face and mouth if you sneeze or cough, and most of all, if you are sick or not feeling well, stay home.
To ensure that working Americans impacted by the virus can stay home without fear of financial hardship, I will soon be taking emergency action, which is unprecedented, to provide financial relief. This will be targeted for workers who are ill, quarantined, or caring for others due to coronavirus.
I will be asking Congress to take legislative action to extend this relief.
Because of the economic policies that we have put into place over the last three years, we have the greatest economy anywhere in the world, by far.
Our banks and financial institutions are fully capitalized and incredibly strong. Our unemployment is at a historic low. This vast economic prosperity gives us flexibility, reserves, and resources to handle any threat that comes our way.
This is not a financial crisis, this is just a temporary moment of time that we will overcome together as a nation and as a world.
However, to provide extra support for American workers, families, and businesses, tonight I am announcing the following additional actions: I am instructing the Small Business Administration to exercise available authority to provide capital and liquidity to firms affected by the coronavirus.
Effective immediately, the S.B.A. will begin providing economic loans in affected states and territories. These low-interest loans will help small businesses overcome temporary economic disruptions caused by the virus. To this end, I am asking Congress to increase funding for this program by an additional $50 billion.
Using emergency authority, I will be instructing the Treasury Department to defer tax payments, without interest or penalties, for certain individuals and businesses negatively impacted. This action will provide more than $200 billion of additional liquidity to the economy.
Finally, I am calling on Congress to provide Americans with immediate payroll tax relief. Hopefully they will consider this very strongly.
We are at a critical time in the fight against the virus. We made a lifesaving move with early action on China. Now we must take the same action with Europe. We will not delay.
I will never hesitate to take any necessary steps to protect the lives, health, and safety of the American people. I will always put the well being of America first.
If we are vigilant — and we can reduce the chance of infection, which we will — we will significantly impede the transmission of the virus. The virus will not have a chance against us.
No nation is more prepared or more resilient than the United States. We have the best economy, the most advanced health care, and the most talented doctors, scientists and researchers anywhere in the world.
We are all in this together. We must put politics aside, stop the partisanship and unify together as one nation and one family.
As history has proven time and time again, Americans always rise to the challenge and overcome adversity.
Our future remains brighter than anyone can imagine. Acting with compassion and love, we will heal the sick, care for those in need, help our fellow citizens and emerge from this challenge stronger and more unified than ever before.
God bless you, and God bless America. Thank you.


theduran--2020-03-12--The Heroism of Chelsea Manning

The Heroism of Chelsea Manning

R/T announced a couple of hours ago that Chelsea Manning has attempted suicide while in US custody .
The reason @ @ @ @ @ to attempt to force her to testify against Julian Assange .
The last thing the @ @ @ @ @ Chelsea Manning dead .
The R/T report indicates that “ she is fighting for her @ @ @ @ @ entirely possible that she will not survive .
She had earlier stated that she would @ @ @ @ @ Assange .
She sought political asylum in Canada , which , much to the shame @ @ @ @ @ denied .
Her suicide attempt , if successful , will serve several purposes .
It @ @ @ @ @ martyr to the cause of freedom of the fourth estate .
It will serve to @ @ @ @ @ Julian Assange , and it will undermine the deep states use of her against Julian @ @ @ @ @ commitment are undeniable .
She could have ended her incarceration by agreeing to testify , @ @ @ @ @ to end her life for a cause she believes in .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
R/T announced a couple of hours ago that Chelsea Manning has attempted suicide while in US custody. The reason she is in custody is to attempt to force her to testify against Julian Assange. The last thing the US deep state wants is Chelsea Manning dead. The R/T report indicates that “she is fighting for her life”, so its entirely possible that she will not survive. She had earlier stated that she would rather die than testify against Assange. She sought political asylum in Canada, which, much to the shame of my nation, was denied.
Her suicide attempt, if successful, will serve several purposes. It will make her a high-profile martyr to the cause of freedom of the fourth estate. It will serve to undermine the US case against Julian Assange, and it will undermine the deep states use of her against Julian Assange.
Her courage and commitment are undeniable. She could have ended her incarceration by agreeing to testify, instead, she has chosen to end her life for a cause she believes in.
https://www.rt.com/usa/482887-manning-suicide-jail-testimony-wikileaks/
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theduran--2020-03-12--SHAUN ATTWOOD — Charisma In An Empty Suit (Part 1)

If you spend a lot of time on YouTube and are interested in crime , conspiracies , controversies , that sort of thing , you might have happened upon Shaun Attwood whose channel currently has over 390 thousand subscribers and over fourteen hundred videos .
How best to describe the former illegal drug trafficker and dealer ?
His strongest suit is undoubtedly his charisma , he simply oozes it , in short he is a man who is impossible to dislike .
The author of many books , he has an interesting and informative tale to tell , one that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talking about his own experiences .
Many if not most autobiographies contain large tranches of fiction or even outright lies .
Shaun ’ s personal reminiscences do not ; we can be sure of that because there are no victim narratives .
Shaun has made mistakes , and takes ownership of them .
There is no whining about how he was sexually abused or bullied as a kid , no passing the buck to criminal associates , no blaming his downfall on addiction…Shaun graduated in business studies from a north of England university @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seek his fortune in the Promised Land .
The business he chose was drug smuggling and distribution , mostly ecstasy .
The party lasted for around five years , but in May 2002 , he was arrested at his Arizona home and spent two years on remand in the Maricopa County Jail which has been home to two of the most notorious female criminals in Twenty-First Century America : MarissaDeVault and Jodi Arias .
Like them Shaun may have been notorious , but unlike them , no reasonable person could call him toxic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year sentence , served six , was deported and banned for life from the United States .
And since , in addition to carving out a legal career , he has visited schools to warn the young of following in his footsteps .
Although he is staunchly against recreational drugs , he is one of a growing number of people – including judges and police officers – who realise the war on drugs is too heavy a price to pay for attempting to eradicate something which while unquestionably a social evil is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of life readily engage .
Alas , while his own story may be true , his YouTube channel and website has seen a regular stream of cranks , liars and con artists peddling all manner of lurid , exaggerated and at times fabricated tales with Shaun failing to ask a single critical question .
Some of the claims these people make are dangerous .
If you don ’ t understand why , here are a few examples from elsewhere .
In August 2005 , Australian tourist Newton Thompson was murdered in his London @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a case of mistaken identity ; Mr Thompson bore a striking resemblance to the convicted paedophile Robert Excell who was kicked out of Australia about the same time .
In January 2006 , American naval officer Cooper Jackson murdered Justin Huff , a man he had never met .
Jackson had been told by Ashley Elrod – a woman he had never met – that Huff had raped her , a claim she would later admit was a lie .
In May 2016 , at Bacchus Marsh , Australia , Paul Hogan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ murdered after being falsely accused of raping Yu Tung Lo .
False allegations can and do ruin lives , especially false allegations of paedophilia , and one of the cranks to whom Shaun has given uncritical coverage is Sonia Poulton .
In 2018 , Poulton released the low budget documentary Paedophiles In Parliament .
Low budget and low on facts .
After I published a review of this piece of trash on IMDb , rather amusingly two glowing reviews appeared in short order .
Neither of the reviewers has contributed anything to IMDb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t exist , and just as obviously because the reviews were both written by Sonia Poulton .
Poulton is an associate of the extremely plausible former police officer Jon Wedger , and the outright nutter Bill Maloney .
Like Sonia Poulton , Anna Brees is a former mainstream journalist who is long on speculation and nonsense but short on facts .
Shaun has given her space to sound off on the same type of nonsense .
Brees is a 9/11 Truth crank who has been taken in by inter alia the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a mystery that is so transparent it has even been debunked by a comedian .
Sadly , Shaun had bought into all this 9/11 garbage even before meeting Brees .
Space does not permit a detailed rebuttal of all the rubbish Shaun endorses , but the claims about Edward Heath and the VIP paedophile ring are easy to deconstruct .
The thing the reader needs to bear in mind most of all is that the dead are unable to defend themselves .
For those not familiar with him , Edward Heath , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of our more forgettable prime ministers .
The most significant thing about him from the conspiratard perspective is that he never married .
Ninety-eight men have become Prime Minister of England , only four of them never married , and Heath appears to have been the only one who never showed any real interest at all in women .
For the conspiratards that could mean only one thing , but Heath became leader of the Conservative Party in 1965 when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain , and it is inconceivable that he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prime Minister had there been a nanogramme of truth in such a claim .
In fact , Heath had three great passions in his life : politics , music , and yachting , in that order .
He was an extremely talented musician , and under other circumstances might have become a professional .
He was Prime Minister for one term only , ousting his great rival Harold Wilson , and being ousted by him in turn .
Then he was eclipsed by Margaret Thatcher , something he took very badly , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which time he was Father of the House .
In the 1970s , no one had heard of Islamist terrorism , but the Provisional IRA loomed large from its founding in 1969 , and from then until the end of his life , Edward Heath never went to the bathroom without police protection .
Heath was first accused of sexual impropriety in print in 1984 , by a serial rapist named O ’ Dowd .
When this odious individual stood trial , part of his defence was that his victim had posed for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heath was involved .
Again , if there had been a nanogramme of truth in this claim , he would have been finished .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
If you spend a lot of time on YouTube and are interested in crime, conspiracies, controversies, that sort of thing, you might have happened upon Shaun Attwood whose channel currently has over 390 thousand subscribers and over fourteen hundred videos. How best to describe the former illegal drug trafficker and dealer? His strongest suit is undoubtedly his charisma, he simply oozes it, in short he is a man who is impossible to dislike. The author of many books, he has an interesting and informative tale to tell, one that deserves to be told when he is talking about his own experiences.
Many if not most autobiographies contain large tranches of fiction or even outright lies. Shaun’s personal reminiscences do not; we can be sure of that because there are no victim narratives. Shaun has made mistakes, and takes ownership of them. There is no whining about how he was sexually abused or bullied as a kid, no passing the buck to criminal associates, no blaming his downfall on addiction…Shaun graduated in business studies from a north of England university, and at some point decided to seek his fortune in the Promised Land. The business he chose was drug smuggling and distribution, mostly ecstasy. The party lasted for around five years, but in May 2002, he was arrested at his Arizona home and spent two years on remand in the Maricopa County Jail which has been home to two of the most notorious female criminals in Twenty-First Century America: MarissaDeVault and Jodi Arias.
Like them Shaun may have been notorious, but unlike them, no reasonable person could call him toxic. He ended up with a nine year sentence, served six, was deported and banned for life from the United States. And since, in addition to carving out a legal career, he has visited schools to warn the young of following in his footsteps. Although he is staunchly against recreational drugs, he is one of a growing number of people – including judges and police officers – who realise the war on drugs is too heavy a price to pay for attempting to eradicate something which while unquestionably a social evil is also something in which people from all walks of life readily engage.
Alas, while his own story may be true, his YouTube channel and website has seen a regular stream of cranks, liars and con artists peddling all manner of lurid, exaggerated and at times fabricated tales with Shaun failing to ask a single critical question. Some of the claims these people make are dangerous. If you don’t understand why, here are a few examples from elsewhere.
In August 2005, Australian tourist Newton Thompson was murdered in his London hotel room. The police believed this was a case of mistaken identity; Mr Thompson bore a striking resemblance to the convicted paedophile Robert Excell who was kicked out of Australia about the same time.
In January 2006, American naval officer Cooper Jackson murdered Justin Huff, a man he had never met. Jackson had been told by Ashley Elrod – a woman he had never met – that Huff had raped her, a claim she would later admit was a lie.
In May 2016, at Bacchus Marsh, Australia, Paul Hogan (not the famous actor) was murdered after being falsely accused of raping Yu Tung Lo.
False allegations can and do ruin lives, especially false allegations of paedophilia, and one of the cranks to whom Shaun has given uncritical coverage is Sonia Poulton. In 2018, Poulton released the low budget documentary Paedophiles In Parliament. Low budget and low on facts. After I published a review of this piece of trash on IMDb, rather amusingly two glowing reviews appeared in short order. Neither of the reviewers has contributed anything to IMDb before or since, obviously because they don’t exist, and just as obviously because the reviews were both written by Sonia Poulton. Poulton is an associate of the extremely plausible former police officer Jon Wedger, and the outright nutter Bill Maloney.
Like Sonia Poulton, Anna Brees is a former mainstream journalist who is long on speculation and nonsense but short on facts. Shaun has given her space to sound off on the same type of nonsense. Brees is a 9/11 Truth crank who has been taken in by inter alia the “mysterious” collapse of Building Seven, a mystery that is so transparent it has even been debunked by a comedian. Sadly, Shaun had bought into all this 9/11 garbage even before meeting Brees.
Space does not permit a detailed rebuttal of all the rubbish Shaun endorses, but the claims about Edward Heath and the VIP paedophile ring are easy to deconstruct. The thing the reader needs to bear in mind most of all is that the dead are unable to defend themselves. For those not familiar with him, Edward Heath, who died in 2005, was one of our more forgettable prime ministers. The most significant thing about him from the conspiratard perspective is that he never married. Ninety-eight men have become Prime Minister of England, only four of them never married, and Heath appears to have been the only one who never showed any real interest at all in women. For the conspiratards that could mean only one thing, but Heath became leader of the Conservative Party in 1965 when homosexuality was still illegal in Britain, and it is inconceivable that he would have become Party Leader much less Prime Minister had there been a nanogramme of truth in such a claim.
In fact, Heath had three great passions in his life: politics, music, and yachting, in that order. He was an extremely talented musician, and under other circumstances might have become a professional. He was Prime Minister for one term only, ousting his great rival Harold Wilson, and being ousted by him in turn. Then he was eclipsed by Margaret Thatcher, something he took very badly, but remained in Parliament until 2001, by which time he was Father of the House. In the 1970s, no one had heard of Islamist terrorism, but the Provisional IRA loomed large from its founding in 1969, and from then until the end of his life, Edward Heath never went to the bathroom without police protection.
Heath was first accused of sexual impropriety in print in 1984, by a serial rapist named O’Dowd. When this odious individual stood trial, part of his defence was that his victim had posed for indecent photographs with children, and that Heath was involved. Again, if there had been a nanogramme of truth in this claim, he would have been finished.
To Part 2
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theduran--2020-03-11--Is This How Europe Ends?

Is This How Europe Ends?

So declares the Financial Times in the closing line of its Saturday editorial : “ Europe Can not Ignore Syrian Migrant Crisis.
” The FT undertakes to instruct the Old Continent on what its duty is and what its future holds : “ The EU will face flows of migrants and asylum seekers across the Mediterranean for decades to come.
” Can Europe not repel this unwanted home invasion from the Global South ?
It is “ delusional ” to think so , says the FT. Europe must be realistic and set about “ providing legal routes for migrants and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was Greece ’ s rough resistance to Turkish President Erdogan ’ s funneling of thousands of Syrian refugees , who had fled into Turkey , right up to the border with Greece .
Erdogan is threatening to inundate southeastern Europe with Syrian refugees to extract more money from the EU in return for keeping the 3.5 million Syrians already in Turkey away from EU frontiers .
Another Erdogan objective is to coerce Europe into backing his military intervention in Syria to prevent President Bashar Assad from capturing all of Idlib province and emerging @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the human rights hellhole that is Syria today , we may see the dimensions of the disaster wrought when Wilsonian crusaders set out to depose the dictator Assad and make Syria safe for democracy .
When the Arab Spring erupted and protesters arose to oust Assad , the U.S. , Turkey and the Gulf Arabs aided and equipped Syrian rebels willing to take up arms .
The “ good rebels , ” however , were routed and elements of al-Qaida soon assumed dominance of the resistance .
Facing defeat , Syria ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies — Russia , Iran , Hezbollah — to save his regime .
They responded , and Assad , over four years , recaptured all of Syria west of the Euphrates , save Idlib .
There , the latest fighting has pushed 900,000 more refugees to Turkey ’ s southern border .
The 21st-century interventions and wars of the West in the Islamic world have not gone well .
George W. Bush was goaded into invading Iraq .
Barack Obama was persuaded to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and the Assad regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to assist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his war to crush Houthi rebels who had ousted Riyadh ’ s resident puppet in Yemen .
And what has the West reaped from our Mideast wars ?
In Syria and Yemen , we have helped to create two of the world ’ s greatest human rights disasters .
In Libya , we have a new civil war .
In Iraq , we now battle Iran for influence inside a nation we “ liberated ” in 2003 In Afghanistan , we have concluded a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Taliban , that will enable us to pull our 12,000 troops out of the country in 14 months and let our Afghan allies work it out , or fight it out , with the Taliban .
America is washing its hands of its longest war .
In five wars over 20 years , we lost 7,000 soldiers with some 40,000 wounded .
We plunged the wealth of an empire into these wars .
And what did these wars produce for the peoples we went to aid and uplift , besides hundreds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and millions of people uprooted from their homes and driven into exile ?
Now , Europe is being admonished by the FT that , having done its duty by plunging into the Mideast , the continent has a new moral duty to take in the refugees the wars created , for decades to come .
But if the EU opens its doors to an endless stream of Africans and Arabs , where is the evidence that European nations will accept and assimilate them ?
Will these migrants and asylum seekers become good Europeans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ great cities of Europe enclaves that replicate the conditions in the African and Middle East countries whence they came ?
The history of the last half millennium tells the story of the rise and fall of a civilization .
In the 16th , 17th and 18th centuries , Spain , Britain , France and Portugal , and then Belgium , Italy , Germany and America , all believing in the superiority of their civilization , went out into the world to create empires to uplift and rule what Rudyard Kipling derisively called “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ After two world wars , the rulers of these empires embraced a liberalism that now proclaimed the equality of all peoples , races , creeds , cultures and civilizations .
This egalitarian ideology mandated the dismantling of empires and colonies as the reactionary relics of a benighted time .
Now the peoples of the new nations , dissatisfied with what their liberated lands and rulers have produced , have decided to come to Europe to enjoy in the West what they can not replicate at home .
And liberalism , the ideology of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it take them in — for decades to come .
The colonizers of yesterday are becoming the colonized of tomorrow .
Is this how the West ends ?
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The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Authored by Patrick Buchanan via Buchanan.org:
“Fortress Europe is an illusion.”
So declares the Financial Times in the closing line of its Saturday editorial: “Europe Cannot Ignore Syrian Migrant Crisis.”
The FT undertakes to instruct the Old Continent on what its duty is and what its future holds: “The EU will face flows of migrants and asylum seekers across the Mediterranean for decades to come.”
Can Europe not repel this unwanted home invasion from the Global South?
It is “delusional” to think so, says the FT. Europe must be realistic and set about “providing legal routes for migrants and asylum seekers.”
What occasioned the editorial was Greece’s rough resistance to Turkish President Erdogan’s funneling of thousands of Syrian refugees, who had fled into Turkey, right up to the border with Greece.
Erdogan is threatening to inundate southeastern Europe with Syrian refugees to extract more money from the EU in return for keeping the 3.5 million Syrians already in Turkey away from EU frontiers.
Another Erdogan objective is to coerce Europe into backing his military intervention in Syria to prevent President Bashar Assad from capturing all of Idlib province and emerging victorious in his civil war.
In the human rights hellhole that is Syria today, we may see the dimensions of the disaster wrought when Wilsonian crusaders set out to depose the dictator Assad and make Syria safe for democracy.
A brief history.
When the Arab Spring erupted and protesters arose to oust Assad, the U.S., Turkey and the Gulf Arabs aided and equipped Syrian rebels willing to take up arms. The “good rebels,” however, were routed and elements of al-Qaida soon assumed dominance of the resistance.
Facing defeat, Syria’s president put out a call to his allies — Russia, Iran, Hezbollah — to save his regime. They responded, and Assad, over four years, recaptured all of Syria west of the Euphrates, save Idlib.
There, the latest fighting has pushed 900,000 more refugees to Turkey’s southern border.
The 21st-century interventions and wars of the West in the Islamic world have not gone well.
George W. Bush was goaded into invading Iraq. Barack Obama was persuaded to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and the Assad regime in Damascus. Obama ordered U.S. forces to assist Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in his war to crush Houthi rebels who had ousted Riyadh’s resident puppet in Yemen.
And what has the West reaped from our Mideast wars?
In Syria and Yemen, we have helped to create two of the world’s greatest human rights disasters. In Libya, we have a new civil war. In Iraq, we now battle Iran for influence inside a nation we “liberated” in 2003
In Afghanistan, we have concluded a deal with our enemy of two decades, the Taliban, that will enable us to pull our 12,000 troops out of the country in 14 months and let our Afghan allies work it out, or fight it out, with the Taliban. America is washing its hands of its longest war.
In five wars over 20 years, we lost 7,000 soldiers with some 40,000 wounded. We plunged the wealth of an empire into these wars.
And what did these wars produce for the peoples we went to aid and uplift, besides hundreds of thousands of dead Afghans and Arabs and millions of people uprooted from their homes and driven into exile?
Now, Europe is being admonished by the FT that, having done its duty by plunging into the Mideast, the continent has a new moral duty to take in the refugees the wars created, for decades to come.
But if the EU opens its doors to an endless stream of Africans and Arabs, where is the evidence that European nations will accept and assimilate them?
Will these migrants and asylum seekers become good Europeans? Or will they create in the great cities of Europe enclaves that replicate the conditions in the African and Middle East countries whence they came?
The history of the last half millennium tells the story of the rise and fall of a civilization.
In the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, Spain, Britain, France and Portugal, and then Belgium, Italy, Germany and America, all believing in the superiority of their civilization, went out into the world to create empires to uplift and rule what Rudyard Kipling derisively called “the lesser breeds without the law.”
After two world wars, the rulers of these empires embraced a liberalism that now proclaimed the equality of all peoples, races, creeds, cultures and civilizations. This egalitarian ideology mandated the dismantling of empires and colonies as the reactionary relics of a benighted time.
Now the peoples of the new nations, dissatisfied with what their liberated lands and rulers have produced, have decided to come to Europe to enjoy in the West what they cannot replicate at home. And liberalism, the ideology of Western suicide, dictates to Europe that it take them in — for decades to come.
The colonizers of yesterday are becoming the colonized of tomorrow. Is this how the West ends?
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theduran--2020-03-11--Brazil deepens its alignment with the US

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz , research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… There is no doubt about Jair Bolsonaro ’ s neoliberal project and his interest in completely submitting Brazil to American domination .
However , the speed with which the agenda of the Brazilian president advances is surprising to any political analyst .
At the beginning of March , Bolsonaro decided to rekindle his rivalry with the Venezuelan popular government by expelling all Caracas ’ diplomats from Brazil and demanding a reciprocal attitude from Nicolás Maduro , just at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries did not seem to be so deep .
The breakdown of diplomacy is an extreme attitude , which is not taken by any simple sign of disagreement between two countries , but when dialogue between nations becomes impossible through a rational and peaceful way .
Bolsonaro ’ s interest in creating unnecessary international tensions stems from a number of factors .
First of all , the Brazilian government has a clear project of total alignment with the US , as became clear in a recent publication by the Ministry of Defense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the government carried out the greatest act of subordination to Washington ever recorded in Brazilian history : a general of the Brazilian Army was subjected to direct command by the American Army .
Brigadier General Alcides Valeriano will join the US Southern Command as a deputy commander this March .
This command is responsible for the American military presence in the territories of South America , Central America and the Caribbean , which makes clear the intention of the Brazilian government to make the country a regional monitor of American interests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ named Brazil as an “ major non-NATO ally ” .
The nomination was received simultaneously with joy and disappointment by the Bolsonaro government .
The possibility of including Brazil in NATO was – and remains – a major agenda item for Bolsonaro and his followers .
Certainly , Bolsonaro enthusiastically hoped that his policies of total alignment would result in a reciprocal approach of Washington , which , however , does not seem to occur .
Trump did not facilitate Brazilian international ambitions to join the Western military alliance and promoted Brazil to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which in practice means that Brazil ’ s value to the United States is below of any NATO member .
Another sign of the complete absence of reciprocity in relations between Brazil and the US was the decision of the Brazilian government to ban the visa requirement for the entry of American citizens into its territory .
Trump not only did not return the Brazilian “ kindness ” but also initiated a massive deportation of illegal Brazilians from the US , which resulted in the return of more than 450 immigrants in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ torture and extreme suffering during imprisonment and deportation , something quite different from the treatment received by Americans when in Brazilian territory – even if in an irregular situation .
Bolsonaro , however , rejoices in the crumbs of his American idol and at no time resigned in the policies of alignment .
Content with the secondary role assigned to him by Donald Trump , the Brazilian government decided to take a regional pivotal attitude towards the US military presence in Latin America .
Last weekend , Bolsonaro and Trump met for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These are the words of the Brazilian president : “ I am very happy to be here .
It is an honor for me and for my country .
I am sure that in the near future it is very good to have a good right-wing relationship.
” Trump also praised his partner ’ s policies stating that “ the US loves Bolsonaro ” .
Bolsonaro ’ s confidence in his partnership with Trump sounds not only irresponsible , but even unhealthy .
The unwavering belief in Brazilian regional military supremacy makes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regional power .
However , it is the geopolitical imprudence that really impresses in all these events .
Venezuela has already received direct international support from Russia and China , constituting solid cooperation with these countries .
This does not seem to matter to Bolsonaro and his military advisers , who see the open opposition to Caracas as the only solution to regional tensions , instead of friendly diplomacy between neighboring countries .
From experts outside the government , the president ’ s actions are criticized all the time .
For Ariane Roder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ … ) Brazil is adopting positions of automatic alignment with the United States in spite of strategic and pragmatic calculations of how this alliance can have negative impacts on trade relations , the effect on the image that the country has an international scope and that it built diplomatically .
I think that these are the biggest diplomatic damages that we have to reverse and this will take decades ” .
In the same sense , Flávio Rocha Melo , a specialist in geopolitics , questions about the submission of a Brazilian general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ The general , as part of this chain of command , will make what decisions ?
What decisions will he submit to within the chain of command of the United States ?
Is there a plan A , plan B or plan C for this ?
Are all these decisions in our interest ?
” Pragmatism and realism , however , do not guide current Brazilian foreign policy .
The costs of this policy of deep and automatic alignment will arrive soon and , in fact , they have already begun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This Monday , the Armed Forces of Venezuela carried out a new stage of a major military test entitled “ Bolivarian Shield 2020 ” , consisting in a sort of surprise exercises , without any prior warning , which makes clear the alertness of the Venezuelan Defense , to which Bolsonaro , in his arrogance , believes himself to be so superior with the supposed American military support in an eventual conflict – a support that in no moment is confirmed by Donald Trump .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz, research fellow in international law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
There is no doubt about Jair Bolsonaro’s neoliberal project and his interest in completely submitting Brazil to American domination. However, the speed with which the agenda of the Brazilian president advances is surprising to any political analyst. At the beginning of March, Bolsonaro decided to rekindle his rivalry with the Venezuelan popular government by expelling all Caracas’ diplomats from Brazil and demanding a reciprocal attitude from Nicolás Maduro, just at a time when the crisis between the two countries did not seem to be so deep. The breakdown of diplomacy is an extreme attitude, which is not taken by any simple sign of disagreement between two countries, but when dialogue between nations becomes impossible through a rational and peaceful way.
Bolsonaro’s interest in creating unnecessary international tensions stems from a number of factors. First of all, the Brazilian government has a clear project of total alignment with the US, as became clear in a recent publication by the Ministry of Defense. Searching for this goal, recently, the government carried out the greatest act of subordination to Washington ever recorded in Brazilian history: a general of the Brazilian Army was subjected to direct command by the American Army. Brigadier General Alcides Valeriano will join the US Southern Command as a deputy commander this March. This command is responsible for the American military presence in the territories of South America, Central America and the Caribbean, which makes clear the intention of the Brazilian government to make the country a regional monitor of American interests.
In August last year, Donald Trump named Brazil as an “major non-NATO ally”. The nomination was received simultaneously with joy and disappointment by the Bolsonaro government. The possibility of including Brazil in NATO was – and remains – a major agenda item for Bolsonaro and his followers. Certainly, Bolsonaro enthusiastically hoped that his policies of total alignment would result in a reciprocal approach of Washington, which, however, does not seem to occur. Trump did not facilitate Brazilian international ambitions to join the Western military alliance and promoted Brazil to the role of “non-NATO ally”, which in practice means that Brazil’s value to the United States is below of any NATO member. Another sign of the complete absence of reciprocity in relations between Brazil and the US was the decision of the Brazilian government to ban the visa requirement for the entry of American citizens into its territory. Trump not only did not return the Brazilian “kindness” but also initiated a massive deportation of illegal Brazilians from the US, which resulted in the return of more than 450 immigrants in recent months. Immigrants report scenes of torture and extreme suffering during imprisonment and deportation, something quite different from the treatment received by Americans when in Brazilian territory – even if in an irregular situation.
Bolsonaro, however, rejoices in the crumbs of his American idol and at no time resigned in the policies of alignment. Content with the secondary role assigned to him by Donald Trump, the Brazilian government decided to take a regional pivotal attitude towards the US military presence in Latin America. Last weekend, Bolsonaro and Trump met for the fourth time in just over a year. These are the words of the Brazilian president: “I am very happy to be here. It is an honor for me and for my country. I am sure that in the near future it is very good to have a good right-wing relationship.” Trump also praised his partner’s policies stating that “the US loves Bolsonaro”.
Bolsonaro’s confidence in his partnership with Trump sounds not only irresponsible, but even unhealthy. The unwavering belief in Brazilian regional military supremacy makes it project the country as an aligned regional power. However, it is the geopolitical imprudence that really impresses in all these events. Venezuela has already received direct international support from Russia and China, constituting solid cooperation with these countries. This does not seem to matter to Bolsonaro and his military advisers, who see the open opposition to Caracas as the only solution to regional tensions, instead of friendly diplomacy between neighboring countries.
From experts outside the government, the president’s actions are criticized all the time. For Ariane Roder, Brazilian political analyst, “(…) Brazil is adopting positions of automatic alignment with the United States in spite of strategic and pragmatic calculations of how this alliance can have negative impacts on trade relations, the effect on the image that the country has an international scope and that it built diplomatically. I think that these are the biggest diplomatic damages that we have to reverse and this will take decades”. In the same sense, Flávio Rocha Melo, a specialist in geopolitics, questions about the submission of a Brazilian general to the command of the United States: “The general, as part of this chain of command, will make what decisions? What decisions will he submit to within the chain of command of the United States? Is there a plan A, plan B or plan C for this? Are all these decisions in our interest? ”
Pragmatism and realism, however, do not guide current Brazilian foreign policy. The costs of this policy of deep and automatic alignment will arrive soon and, in fact, they have already begun to show signs of their dimension. This Monday, the Armed Forces of Venezuela carried out a new stage of a major military test entitled “Bolivarian Shield 2020”, consisting in a sort of surprise exercises, without any prior warning, which makes clear the alertness of the Venezuelan Defense, to which Bolsonaro, in his arrogance, believes himself to be so superior with the supposed American military support in an eventual conflict – a support that in no moment is confirmed by Donald Trump.
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theduran--2020-03-11--Greece’s Migrant Crisis Has Further Exposed Turkish Fake News

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Paul Antonopoulos , Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies… Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ’ s attempt to intimidate the Syrian Army and force them to withdraw to the Sochi Agreement lines in Idlib utterly failed , resulting in the Turkish leader having to embarrassingly accept large swathes of liberated territory will remain under Syrian sovereignty despite his attempts to occupy it .
This was especially embarrassing as Erdoğan ’ s end of February ultimatum came and went with no grand Turkish military offensive to push back the Syrian Army as he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Erdoğan ’ s approval has reached as low as 41.1 % according to data published by the Ankara-based pollster MetroPoll last Friday .
As Erdoğan ’ s foreign policy is largely driven by a desire for a neo-Ottoman ambitions and to serve as a distraction from Turkey ’ s currency nosedive , he was quick to create issues against the “ Old Enemy , ” Greece .
In a tantrum and frustrated that his power projections of aggression against both Libya and Syria failed , Erdoğan unleashed tens of thousands of illegal immigrants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to discredit the Balkan country ’ s border protection units for human rights violations .
Although many commentators claim that Erdoğan ’ s unleashing of illegal immigrants is an attack against the European Union ( EU ) , we can not ignore that the second and only other EU state that Turkey borders is Bulgaria , a country that Ankara assured would not send illegal migrants to , a promise that has not yet been broken .
Erdoğan is not only punishing Greece for vetoing a NATO communique in support of Turkish operations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with his imperial ambitions to not only steal Syrian territory , but Greece ’ s eastern island and northern mainland territories , as outlined on published government-funded maps of “ Greater Turkey.
” Erdoğan wasted no time after the Idlib ceasefire deal was made with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday after the latter embarrassed the Turkish leader by meeting him in a room with a statue of Catherine the Great , the liberator of Crimea who defeated the Ottoman Empire in many wars .
On the very same day as meeting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ special forces police to the Greek border to fight back against Greek security forces who have successfully ensured that thousands of illegal immigrants have not entered EU territory .
It ’ s an odd choice that Turkey deployed special forces police considering it is not their borders that have breach attempts and rather it has been an aggressor as they continually shoot tear gas at Greek border security and attempt to pull down the border fence so migrants can illegally enter Greece .
Although it may seem like an exaggeration to some , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a Turkish asymmetric invasion , as they remember the words of former Turkish President Turgut Özal , who said “ We do not need to make war with Greece .
We just need to send them a few million immigrants and finish with them.
” To assist in distracting the Turkish population of his failures in Syria and the economy , Erdoğan has fully utilized Turkish media to assist in the propaganda campaign .
Turkey is one of the lowest ranked countries for media freedoms in the world , is the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continent to fake news , has the most journalists jailed in the whole world , and 90 % of media is government controlled .
It is fair to be sceptical of Turkey and its coverage of the latest migrant crisis , and here is why .
On Saturday , Bosnian Muslim reporter Semir Sejfovic of Turkish state-owned TRT World made such a comical performance that Twitter users are mocking him to be an Oscar nominee after his elaborate attempts to accuse Greek police of firing live ammunition into Turkey .
It is one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be believed .
The ridiculousness of the performance was so much so that several screen grabs show even the illegal immigrants surrounding Sejfovic laughing during the “ intense firing ” of live ammunition by the Greek police .
Other users questioned why illegal immigrants much closer to the border fence and seen in the background of the video never took cover and continued standing as usual during the alleged shooting , something Sejfovic has refused to answer .
In another incident on Saturday , TRT World published photos claiming Greek soldiers stripped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mobiles and money .
The problem ?
In other photos not published by TRT World , the same illegal immigrants are seen in front of a camera phone preparing to take the propaganda photos , while in another photo a mobile phone is clearly seen inside the pocket of a “ robbed ” illegal immigrant .
In another incident on Sunday , TRT World made a tweet on Sunday publishing photos of immigrants in hospital wounded “ when Greek forces opened fire ” over the weekend .
However , a quick search @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least November 2019 .
These are just some of the many allegations made by English-speaking Turkish media that have been debunked .
It demonstrates that Turkey is not interested in objective reporting the migrant crisis but are serving a critical role as Erdoğan ’ s propaganda wing to discredit Greece in front of international audiences .
However , if we use social media responses , European responses and other media republications of Turkish media claims as indicators , it all points that TRT World has only served to reinforce Turkish media ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ border security and catastrophically failed in their objective .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Paul Antonopoulos, Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies…
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s attempt to intimidate the Syrian Army and force them to withdraw to the Sochi Agreement lines in Idlib utterly failed, resulting in the Turkish leader having to embarrassingly accept large swathes of liberated territory will remain under Syrian sovereignty despite his attempts to occupy it. This was especially embarrassing as Erdoğan’s end of February ultimatum came and went with no grand Turkish military offensive to push back the Syrian Army as he had promised. This embarrassment comes as Erdoğan’s approval has reached as low as 41.1% according to data published by the Ankara-based pollster MetroPoll last Friday. As Erdoğan’s foreign policy is largely driven by a desire for a neo-Ottoman ambitions and to serve as a distraction from Turkey’s currency nosedive, he was quick to create issues against the “Old Enemy,” Greece.
In a tantrum and frustrated that his power projections of aggression against both Libya and Syria failed, Erdoğan unleashed tens of thousands of illegal immigrants against Greece and utilized English-speaking Turkish media to discredit the Balkan country’s border protection units for human rights violations. Although many commentators claim that Erdoğan’s unleashing of illegal immigrants is an attack against the European Union (EU), we cannot ignore that the second and only other EU state that Turkey borders is Bulgaria, a country that Ankara assured would not send illegal migrants to, a promise that has not yet been broken. Erdoğan is not only punishing Greece for vetoing a NATO communique in support of Turkish operations in Idlib, he is pushing ahead with his imperial ambitions to not only steal Syrian territory, but Greece’s eastern island and northern mainland territories, as outlined on published government-funded maps of “Greater Turkey.”
Erdoğan wasted no time after the Idlib ceasefire deal was made with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday after the latter embarrassed the Turkish leader by meeting him in a room with a statue of Catherine the Great, the liberator of Crimea who defeated the Ottoman Empire in many wars. On the very same day as meeting, Erdoğan announced that Turkey will deploy 1000 special forces police to the Greek border to fight back against Greek security forces who have successfully ensured that thousands of illegal immigrants have not entered EU territory. It’s an odd choice that Turkey deployed special forces police considering it is not their borders that have breach attempts and rather it has been an aggressor as they continually shoot tear gas at Greek border security and attempt to pull down the border fence so migrants can illegally enter Greece. Although it may seem like an exaggeration to some, Athens is treating this latest migrant crisis as a Turkish asymmetric invasion, as they remember the words of former Turkish President Turgut Özal, who said “We do not need to make war with Greece. We just need to send them a few million immigrants and finish with them.”
To assist in distracting the Turkish population of his failures in Syria and the economy, Erdoğan has fully utilized Turkish media to assist in the propaganda campaign. Turkey is one of the lowest ranked countries for media freedoms in the world, is the second most susceptible country surveyed on the European continent to fake news, has the most journalists jailed in the whole world, and 90% of media is government controlled. It is fair to be sceptical of Turkey and its coverage of the latest migrant crisis, and here is why.
On Saturday, Bosnian Muslim reporter Semir Sejfovic of Turkish state-owned TRT World made such a comical performance that Twitter users are mocking him to be an Oscar nominee after his elaborate attempts to accuse Greek police of firing live ammunition into Turkey. It is one comical performance that has to be seen to be believed. The ridiculousness of the performance was so much so that several screen grabs show even the illegal immigrants surrounding Sejfovic laughing during the “intense firing” of live ammunition by the Greek police. Other users questioned why illegal immigrants much closer to the border fence and seen in the background of the video never took cover and continued standing as usual during the alleged shooting, something Sejfovic has refused to answer.
In another incident on Saturday, TRT World published photos claiming Greek soldiers stripped and robbed illegal immigrants of their clothes, mobiles and money. The problem? In other photos not published by TRT World, the same illegal immigrants are seen in front of a camera phone preparing to take the propaganda photos, while in another photo a mobile phone is clearly seen inside the pocket of a “robbed” illegal immigrant.
In another incident on Sunday, TRT World made a tweet on Sunday publishing photos of immigrants in hospital wounded “when Greek forces opened fire” over the weekend. However, a quick search found that the fourth photo is from at least November 2019.
These are just some of the many allegations made by English-speaking Turkish media that have been debunked. It demonstrates that Turkey is not interested in objective reporting the migrant crisis but are serving a critical role as Erdoğan’s propaganda wing to discredit Greece in front of international audiences. However, if we use social media responses, European responses and other media republications of Turkish media claims as indicators, it all points that TRT World has only served to reinforce Turkish media’s bad reputation rather than discredit Greek border security and catastrophically failed in their objective.
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theduran--2020-03-11--Will The Next Pandemic Break Out In San Francisco?

The recent outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus has been a hot topic of late , but the Draconian measures instituted by the Chinese Government and the steps being taken worldwide appear to be having the desired effect .
Hopefully , in spite of all the hysteria , it will eventually prove no bigger problem than regular influenza .
While no one could reasonably have predicted the current outbreak , there is another potentially far more serious outbreak waiting to happen in the United States , San Francisco in particular .
At the turn of the Twentieth Century there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the city .
That was understandable then .
Communicable diseases remained a problem in the West well into the Twentieth Century ; there were typhus epidemics during the Second World War , and even today when large scale natural disasters occur , the contamination of drinking water , burst sewer pipes , and people living in unsanitary conditions , can give rise to serious if somewhat local outbreaks .
But why should an outbreak of plague occur in modern San Francisco ?
The short answer is homelessness .
California , in particular San @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been increasing over the past few years .
The figures given on the official website are almost certainly gross underestimates .
Homeless people tend to suffer more health problems than the rest of us , something that needs no explaining , but with the homeless of San Francisco there is an even bigger problem , namely that they tend to use the city streets indiscriminately for…well , let ’ s just say there is an infamous interactive map that plots human waste in the city .
Apart from the obvious , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in particular needles and general garbage .
While the affluent live in gated communities or behind high walls , the situation for ordinary people , including young families , is very different .
According to a Forbes report last August , in 2008 , there were 13 cases of typhus in California .
By 2018 , this had increased to 167 , and similar increases were reported for other diseases .
People who know about these things have been warning for some time of the return of “ Mediaeval diseases ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , San Francisco , Los Angeles and San Diego are likely to be the first hit .
So what is to be done ?
In the short term , the problem of using the streets as an open sewer can be solved very easily .
It would take little in the way of finance to supply hundreds of portable toilets and a few dozen washrooms in the most affected areas .
The authorities , in particular the police , need to clamp down hard on offenders .
Fining people who have no money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an offender had to spend two or three days in a police cell , staring at its walls , he would very likely not offend again .
Longer term though , these people must be moved off the city streets , if only into stopgap hostels , or failing that to somewhere off the beaten track out of harm ’ s way .
The ACLU and other “ civil libertarians ” are likely to scream blue murder over this , but individual rights stop where they infringe on the rights of other people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ hate speech ” are a poor third to being infected by someone who is in effect wilfully spreading diseases .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The recent outbreak of a new strain of coronavirus has been a hot topic of late, but the Draconian measures instituted by the Chinese Government and the steps being taken worldwide appear to be having the desired effect. Hopefully, in spite of all the hysteria, it will eventually prove no bigger problem than regular influenza.
While no one could reasonably have predicted the current outbreak, there is another potentially far more serious outbreak waiting to happen in the United States, San Francisco in particular. At the turn of the Twentieth Century there was an outbreak of bubonic plague in the city. That was understandable then. Communicable diseases remained a problem in the West well into the Twentieth Century; there were typhus epidemics during the Second World War, and even today when large scale natural disasters occur, the contamination of drinking water, burst sewer pipes, and people living in unsanitary conditions, can give rise to serious if somewhat local outbreaks.
But why should an outbreak of plague occur in modern San Francisco? The short answer is homelessness. California, in particular San Francisco, has a massive homeless population which has been increasing over the past few years. The figures given on the official website are almost certainly gross underestimates. Homeless people tend to suffer more health problems than the rest of us, something that needs no explaining, but with the homeless of San Francisco there is an even bigger problem, namely that they tend to use the city streets indiscriminately for…well, let’s just say there is an infamous interactive map that plots human waste in the city.
Apart from the obvious, there are other forms of human waste, in particular needles and general garbage. While the affluent live in gated communities or behind high walls, the situation for ordinary people, including young families, is very different. According to a Forbes report last August, in 2008, there were 13 cases of typhus in California. By 2018, this had increased to 167, and similar increases were reported for other diseases. People who know about these things have been warning for some time of the return of “Mediaeval diseases” to California. Should the worse thing happen, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego are likely to be the first hit. So what is to be done?
In the short term, the problem of using the streets as an open sewer can be solved very easily. It would take little in the way of finance to supply hundreds of portable toilets and a few dozen washrooms in the most affected areas. The authorities, in particular the police, need to clamp down hard on offenders. Fining people who have no money is not very intelligent, but if an offender had to spend two or three days in a police cell, staring at its walls, he would very likely not offend again.
Longer term though, these people must be moved off the city streets, if only into stopgap hostels, or failing that to somewhere off the beaten track out of harm’s way. The ACLU and other “civil libertarians” are likely to scream blue murder over this, but individual rights stop where they infringe on the rights of other people. Phony rights like being protected from “hate speech” are a poor third to being infected by someone who is in effect wilfully spreading diseases.
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theduran--2020-03-13--War Games, COVID-19 and NATO’s Dis-jointed Flight Forward

Submitted by The Canadian Patriot , authored by Brian Gray… Presently NATO is in the initial stages of military operations called Defender-Europe 20 .
The 40,000 soldier strong war game exercise includes roughly 20,000 American troops and accompanying weaponry .
This witnesses the largest deployment of US personnel in Europe since 1983 Operation Re-forger exercises in the height of the Cold War era .
Dutifully , Canadian forces based in Latvia are poised to play their willing role in this exercise .
Despite some amusing logistical glitches in Poland ( no re-fuelling stations , no bivouac for US troops ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June .
There is some speculation that the contagion of the COVID-19 virus , much to the chagrin of the NATO brass , may cause some re-assessment of this operation .
So why exactly do the brain trusts of this British/US-led bully boy global army deem this silly stomping of boots and rattling of sabres necessary ?
Because of course… as the leaders of the desperate , morally and financially bankrupt so-called rules-based western liberal democracies and the lying legacy media have been shouting for the last two decades… that evil thug and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Army ” is intent on invading and conquering Europe and world domination .
In a press service sidebar blurb found in sundry print media , according to NORAD commander US General Terrence O ’ Shaughnessy , Mad Vlad and his evil Kremlin cohorts have designs of military dominance of the arctic and thus “ …an avenue through which Russia can quickly attack… ” US targets .
O ’ Shaughnessy should cause Irish folk everywhere to be embarrassed .
In the initial stages of Defender 20 at the Strategic Command Centre in Nebraska , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ computer scenarios simulating nuclear exchanges between the U.S. and Russia .
In statements made to the US Senate earlier this month , General Tod Wolters , the commander of US European Command and head of all NATO armed forces has fully embraced what he defined as a “ flexible first strike ” doctrine which exposes the US and allies ’ “ nuclear deterrence ” policy a sham .
When the commander of NATO makes such insane statements at the same time that NATO is flexing its military muscle on Russia ’ s border @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is real .
The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad is NATO ’ s main target .
All economic , geopolitical and military policy that both Russia and China have adopted over the last two decades , have been a direct reaction to unwarranted and unjustified British/US/NATO aggression .
In an interview on a Russian TV station Putin stated , “ We are not going to fight against anyone .
We are going to create conditions so that nobody wants to fight against us.
” The YouTube video of Vladimir Putin ’ s comments made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be earnestly heeded .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by The Canadian Patriot, authored by Brian Gray…
Presently NATO is in the initial stages of military operations called Defender-Europe 20. The 40,000 soldier strong war game exercise includes roughly 20,000 American troops and accompanying weaponry. This witnesses the largest deployment of US personnel in Europe since 1983 Operation Re-forger exercises in the height of the Cold War era. Dutifully, Canadian forces based in Latvia are poised to play their willing role in this exercise. Despite some amusing logistical glitches in Poland (no re-fuelling stations, no bivouac for US troops) Operation Defender is scheduled to run into June. There is some speculation that the contagion of the COVID-19 virus, much to the chagrin of the NATO brass, may cause some re-assessment of this operation.
So why exactly do the brain trusts of this British/US-led bully boy global army deem this silly stomping of boots and rattling of sabres necessary? Because of course… as the leaders of the desperate, morally and financially bankrupt so-called rules-based western liberal democracies and the lying legacy media have been shouting for the last two decades… that evil thug and dictator Vladimir Putin and his “Red Army” is intent on invading and conquering Europe and world domination.
In a press service sidebar blurb found in sundry print media, according to NORAD commander US General Terrence O’Shaughnessy, Mad Vlad and his evil Kremlin cohorts have designs of military dominance of the arctic and thus “…an avenue through which Russia can quickly attack…” US targets. O’Shaughnessy should cause Irish folk everywhere to be embarrassed.
In the initial stages of Defender 20 at the Strategic Command Centre in Nebraska, US Defence Sect. Esper participated in computer scenarios simulating nuclear exchanges between the U.S. and Russia. In statements made to the US Senate earlier this month, General Tod Wolters, the commander of US European Command and head of all NATO armed forces has fully embraced what he defined as a “flexible first strike” doctrine which exposes the US and allies’ “nuclear deterrence” policy a sham. When the commander of NATO makes such insane statements at the same time that NATO is flexing its military muscle on Russia’s border, the risk of inadvertent nuclear war is real.
The Russian enclave of Kaliningrad is NATO’s main target. All economic, geopolitical and military policy that both Russia and China have adopted over the last two decades, have been a direct reaction to unwarranted and unjustified British/US/NATO aggression.
In an interview on a Russian TV station Putin stated, “We are not going to fight against anyone. We are going to create conditions so that nobody wants to fight against us.”
The YouTube video of Vladimir Putin’s comments made at the 2007 Munich Security Conference should be earnestly heeded.
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