theduran--2020-01-10--How Today’s Iran Crisis Exposes Achilles Heel of Canadian Neocons

Many Canadians have been rabble roused to extremes over revelations that Canadian Foreign Aid to Iran amounted to $ 2.5 million over 2018 .
Even though aid to other nations like Afghanistan , Syria and Ethiopia were magnitudes larger , a writer from the Canadian Action Party embodied a the worst of neocon bigotry asking HOW could Canada give any money to “ a theocratic fundamentalist state , an oppressive Islamic government , as well as human rights abusing , anti-Christian society ” ?
Such views of Iran completely ignore the fact that Iran hosts over 100 000 Christians who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ host another 12 000 Jews ( the largest group in the Middle East outside of Israel ) whose rabbis have recently stated to USA Today feel “ safe and respected ” in the nation which western press characterizes as driven to wipe all Jews off the map .
Iranian rabbi Nejat Golshirazi described the lives of Jews in Iran with the following words : “ We have all the facilities we need for our rituals , and we can say our prayers very freely .
We never have any problems .
I can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , we are more respected than Muslims.
” One dimensional anti-Iranian thinking is both popular across the American and Canadian populations , and reflects a total ignorance either to how the real world works or what Canada ’ s role is within it .
Evangelicals polarized by such bigotry tend to lack any ability to recognize facts which conflict with their prejudices as they can only attack “ Iran friendly liberals ” like Obama or Trudeau while ignoring anything which those same liberals have done to advance imperial war on Iran or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their support for Saudi-backed Wahhabi terrorists used in the overthrow of moderate Arab governments from Iraq to Libya and Syria ) .
Most recently , Canada ’ s declaration of Iranian guilt without a shred of legitimate evidence in the Boeing PS752 crash remains one such overlooked fact which plays into the war-drive against Iran , as does Canada ’ s August 2019 law which directs money gained from the sale of Iranian-owned properties confiscated after Ottawa ’ s 2012 cancellation of all diplomatic contact with Iran to the victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ globally extended British Empire ( here I am not referring to the institutions of the British nation per se ) , the Iranian leadership has a pretty good assessment of the beast , and in the case of much of what Canada does on the international level , Iran recognizes that the purpose amounts to “ psychological warfare ” - whether it is Harper ’ s 2013 shutdown of all diplomatic contact with Iran or Trudeau ’ s current policy , the aim is the same : Use Canada ’ s reputation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ polite hockey-loving moral righteousness towards rallying international support for imperial goals .
This is ultimately a game of British philosophical liberalism upon which today ’ s globalized world order is premised .
Things can only move if the semblance of democracy underlies military , ecological and economic demands of the empire through the force of “ popular opinion ” .
With the Goebbles-like controls on mainstream media , this popular opinion is rather easily directed to certain policy objectives that are not in the interest of any of those nations duped into believing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Canada ’ s role as a “ middle power ” as it ’ s currently understood was shaped by certain Rhodes Scholars and Fabians in the 1940s and 1950s like Escott Reid ( who should be credited as the actual founding father of NATO ) , and put into practice in its current form by Pierre Trudeau who described his view of Canada ’ s role in international affairs as “ creating counterweights ” .
To this very day , most people have no idea how to comprehend what the game was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ balancing ” , or for whom .
Matthew Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Patriot Review and has authored 3 volumes of ‘ Untold History of Canada ’ book series .
His works appear regularly on The Duran , Strategic Culture , Sott , Fort Russ , Zero Hedge , Global Times , L.A. Review of Books , LeSaker.fr , Vigile Quebec , South Front and Veterans Today .
He is a correspondent/BRI Expert for Tactical Talk .
In 2019 Matthew co-founded the Montreal-based Rising Tide Foundation .
He can be reached @ @ @ @ @

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.
From The Canadian Patriot Review
Many Canadians have been rabble roused to extremes over revelations that Canadian Foreign Aid to Iran amounted to $2.5 million over 2018. Even though aid to other nations like Afghanistan, Syria and Ethiopia were magnitudes larger, a writer from the Canadian Action Party embodied a the worst of neocon bigotry asking HOW could Canada give any money to “a theocratic fundamentalist state, an oppressive Islamic government, as well as human rights abusing, anti-Christian society”?
Such views of Iran completely ignore the fact that Iran hosts over 100 000 Christians who enjoy religious freedom to worship and additionally host another 12 000 Jews (the largest group in the Middle East outside of Israel) whose rabbis have recently stated to USA Today feel “safe and respected” in the nation which western press characterizes as driven to wipe all Jews off the map.
Iranian rabbi Nejat Golshirazi described the lives of Jews in Iran with the following words: “We have all the facilities we need for our rituals, and we can say our prayers very freely. We never have any problems. I can even tell you that, in many cases, we are more respected than Muslims.”
One dimensional anti-Iranian thinking is both popular across the American and Canadian populations, and reflects a total ignorance either to how the real world works or what Canada’s role is within it. Evangelicals polarized by such bigotry tend to lack any ability to recognize facts which conflict with their prejudices as they can only attack “Iran friendly liberals” like Obama or Trudeau while ignoring anything which those same liberals have done to advance imperial war on Iran or other Muslim nations more generally (including their support for Saudi-backed Wahhabi terrorists used in the overthrow of moderate Arab governments from Iraq to Libya and Syria). Most recently this agenda was reflected in the passage of Canada’s August 2019 law which directs money gained from the sale of Iranian-owned properties confiscated after Ottawa’s 2012 cancellation of all diplomatic contact with Iran to the victims of Iranian-sponsored terrorism.
When dealing with Canada and the globally extended British Empire (here I am not referring to the institutions of the British nation per se), the Iranian leadership has a pretty good assessment of the beast, and in the case of much of what Canada does on the international level, Iran recognizes that the purpose amounts to “psychological warfare”- whether it is Harper’s 2013 shutdown of all diplomatic contact with Iran or Trudeau’s current policy, the aim is the same: Use Canada’s reputation as the model of good governance, and polite hockey-loving moral righteousness towards rallying international support for imperial goals.
This is ultimately a game of British philosophical liberalism upon which today’s globalized world order is premised. Things can only move if the semblance of democracy underlies military, ecological and economic demands of the empire through the force of “popular opinion”. With the Goebbles-like controls on mainstream media, this popular opinion is rather easily directed to certain policy objectives that are not in the interest of any of those nations duped into believing and demanding for those policies of empire.
Canada’s role as a “middle power” as it’s currently understood was shaped by certain Rhodes Scholars and Fabians in the 1940s and 1950s like Escott Reid (who should be credited as the actual founding father of NATO), and put into practice in its current form by Pierre Trudeau who described his view of Canada’s role in international affairs as “creating counterweights”. To this very day, most people have no idea how to comprehend what the game was which Trudeau the elder saw Canada “balancing”, or for whom.
Matthew Ehret is the Editor-in-Chief of the Canadian Patriot Review and has authored 3 volumes of ‘Untold History of Canada’ book series. His works appear regularly on The Duran, Strategic Culture, Sott, Fort Russ, Zero Hedge, Global Times, L.A. Review of Books, LeSaker.fr, Vigile Quebec, South Front and Veterans Today. He is a correspondent/BRI Expert for Tactical Talk. In 2019 Matthew co-founded the Montreal-based Rising Tide Foundation. He can be reached at matt.ehret@tutamail.com
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theduran--2020-01-10--U.S. Now at War Against Iraq and Iran

U.S. Now at War Against Iraq and Iran

On January 9th , Iraq ’ s Prime Minister and Parliament again ordered all American troops out , but on January 10th the AP headlined “ US dismisses Iraq request to work on a troop withdrawal plan ” and reported that the U.S. State Department “ bluntly rejected the request , saying the two sides should instead talk about how to ‘ recommit ’ to their partnership.
” It was not a “ request ” from Iraq ; it was a command from them ; and the U.S. and Iraq relate as conqueror and conquered , not as “ partners.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ now that it has been so unequivocally ordered to leave , is back again , unequivocally , to its invader-occupier role in Iraq .
The AP report went on to say that , “ The request from Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi pointed to his determination to push ahead with demands for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.
” Again there was that false word “ request.
” The AP report said that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted , in reply , “ Our mission set there is very clear .
We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mission to help the Iraqi security forces be successful and to continue the campaign against ISIS , to continue the counter-Daesh campaign.
” Though that ’ s the invader-occupier ’ s excuse , the reality is that the U.S. needs Iraq in order to invade Iran , which is the U.S. Government ’ s objective , though not overtly stated .
Already , America ’ s assassination in Iraq of Iran ’ s top general Qasem Soleimani on January 3rd is an enormous act of war against Iran .
It is intended to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and this successful attack against Iran inside Iraq is a devastating first strike , by the U.S. Government against Iran .
So : now , the U.S. is at war against both Iraq and Iran .
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author , most recently , of They ’ re Not Even Close : The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records , 1910-2010 , and of CHRIST ’ S VENTRILOQUISTS : The Event that Created Christianity .

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.
Eric Zuesse
On January 9th, Iraq’s Prime Minister and Parliament again ordered all American troops out, but on January 10th the AP headlined “US dismisses Iraq request to work on a troop withdrawal plan” and reported that the U.S. State Department “bluntly rejected the request, saying the two sides should instead talk about how to ‘recommit’ to their partnership.” It was not a “request” from Iraq; it was a command from them; and the U.S. and Iraq relate as conqueror and conquered, not as “partners.” Consequently: the U.S. Government, now that it has been so unequivocally ordered to leave, is back again, unequivocally, to its invader-occupier role in Iraq.
The AP report went on to say that, “The request from Prime Minister Adel Abdul-Mahdi pointed to his determination to push ahead with demands for U.S. troops to leave Iraq.” Again there was that false word “request.” The AP report said that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo asserted, in reply, “Our mission set there is very clear. We’ve been there to perform a training mission to help the Iraqi security forces be successful and to continue the campaign against ISIS, to continue the counter-Daesh campaign.” Though that’s the invader-occupier’s excuse, the reality is that the U.S. needs Iraq in order to invade Iran, which is the U.S. Government’s objective, though not overtly stated.
Already, America’s assassination in Iraq of Iran’s top general Qasem Soleimani on January 3rd is an enormous act of war against Iran. It is intended to obliterate Iran’s main strategist, and this successful attack against Iran inside Iraq is a devastating first strike, by the U.S. Government against Iran.
So: now, the U.S. is at war against both Iraq and Iran.
—————
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.
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theduran--2020-01-10--Turkish-backed Sarraj Is on the Verge of Losing Tripoli

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Paul Antonopoulos , Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies… Italy , Russia and Turkey have been pressing for an end to the war in Libya between the Parliament-backed Libyan National Army ( LNA ) and the Turkish-backed Muslim Brotherhood Government of National Accord ( GNA ) in Tripoli .
Pressure to put an end to the LNA offensive was received by General Khalifa Haftar , who continues to advance on jihadist forces loyal to the GNA , after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin made a joint statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported by the necessary measures to be taken for stabilizing the situation on the ground and normalizing daily life in Tripoli and other cities , ” with the ceasefire to begin at midnight on Sunday .
The Libyan general also had a private meeting on Wednesday with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte , who called on Haftar to order the cessation of military action , as according to Conte , the only viable solution is a political solution .
Although the LNA ’ s efforts to liberate Libyan territory from the GNA began @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a halt and stalemate .
However , Erdoğan in a gross miscalculation that left him isolated and with no international support , set tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean alight when him and GNA leader , Fayez al-Sarraj , an ethnic Turk himself , signed a Memorandum of Understanding in late November 2019 that redrew maritime borders that massively infringed on Greece ’ s maritime space .
Haftar took every advantage of the renewed tensions between Turkey and Greece and successfully swayed Athens to withdraw relations with the internationally recognized GNA and back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greece became the first NATO and EU member to openly back the LNA , sparking a new offensive by the LNA against the GNA .
Since the signing of the memorandum between Erdoğan and Sarraj , Egypt has not only provided weaponry and equipment to the LNA , Cairo has threatened to attack Turkey if it involves itself in Libya just as the United Arab Emirates continues to conduct airstrikes against the GNA .
The LNA with renewed and strengthened international support just days ago liberated the symbolic city of Sirte , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Muammar Gaddafi .
This is a major blow as the LNA has now also officially reached Tripoli and is only a few kilometres from the center of Libya ’ s capital .
The simultaneous operations have meant that the GNA , whose forces just days ago beheaded an LNA scout in similar fashion to ISIS barbarity , is not only feeling pressure in the capital , but LNA forces have continued their offensive beyond Sirte and are now only 100 kilometers from Misrata .
This will surely divide GNA forces considering many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the side of the GNA are originally from Misrata , the first major city to fall during the NATO-backed destruction of Libya in 2011 .
Saraj had contacts with top European Union officials this week , who also called for an end to armed violence , however they failed to convince Haftar to end military operations .
Turkey has already sent military supplies , military advisers and Syria-based jihadists to Libya .
Any ceasefire will only allow GNA forces to regroup and resupply while the LNA would lose its momentum with the massive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has little influence over the LNA and there is no incentive for the LNA to accept the ceasefire .
In Syria , Russia has strongly supported Damascus economically and militarily , while Turkey has supported jihadist groups .
However , Syria is not Libya , with the LNA relying on Egypt , Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates .
It is for this reason that Haftar has unconditionally rejected the call for a ceasefire as they have vowed to defeat Turkish-backed forces unconditionally .
The LNA is more heavily reliant on air @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and material support and intelligence from Egypt and Saudi Arabia .
Putin , despite making the joint statement for a ceasefire with Erdoğan , likely would have known the LNA were going to reject the ceasefire request .
It is likely that Putin did so as an act of good will to preserve the strengthening Russian-Turkish economic and cultural relations just as the Turkstream pipeline was inaugurated on Wednesday .
Therefore , Putin made the call for a ceasefire knowing full well it would be rejected .
As the LNA continues to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ militias originally from Misrata will leave Tripoli for their own hometown , further weakening the GNA ’ s defences in Tripoli , which will lead to the LNA liberating the capital city .
Haftar will not surrender his advantage for a ceasefire with forces who are serving Turkish interests and behead their soldiers in an ISIS-like fashion .

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…
Italy, Russia and Turkey have been pressing for an end to the war in Libya between the Parliament-backed Libyan National Army (LNA) and the Turkish-backed Muslim Brotherhood Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli. Pressure to put an end to the LNA offensive was received by General Khalifa Haftar, who continues to advance on jihadist forces loyal to the GNA, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin made a joint statement to “declare a sustainable ceasefire, supported by the necessary measures to be taken for stabilizing the situation on the ground and normalizing daily life in Tripoli and other cities,” with the ceasefire to begin at midnight on Sunday. The Libyan general also had a private meeting on Wednesday with Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte, who called on Haftar to order the cessation of military action, as according to Conte, the only viable solution is a political solution.
Although the LNA’s efforts to liberate Libyan territory from the GNA began in April, it slowly grinded down to a halt and stalemate. However, Erdoğan in a gross miscalculation that left him isolated and with no international support, set tensions in the Eastern Mediterranean alight when him and GNA leader, Fayez al-Sarraj, an ethnic Turk himself, signed a Memorandum of Understanding in late November 2019 that redrew maritime borders that massively infringed on Greece’s maritime space.
Haftar took every advantage of the renewed tensions between Turkey and Greece and successfully swayed Athens to withdraw relations with the internationally recognized GNA and back the LNA. This was important as Greece became the first NATO and EU member to openly back the LNA, sparking a new offensive by the LNA against the GNA. Since the signing of the memorandum between Erdoğan and Sarraj, Egypt has not only provided weaponry and equipment to the LNA, Cairo has threatened to attack Turkey if it involves itself in Libya just as the United Arab Emirates continues to conduct airstrikes against the GNA.
The LNA with renewed and strengthened international support just days ago liberated the symbolic city of Sirte, the birthplace of Libya’s historic leader, Muammar Gaddafi. This is a major blow as the LNA has now also officially reached Tripoli and is only a few kilometres from the center of Libya’s capital. The simultaneous operations have meant that the GNA, whose forces just days ago beheaded an LNA scout in similar fashion to ISIS barbarity, is not only feeling pressure in the capital, but LNA forces have continued their offensive beyond Sirte and are now only 100 kilometers from Misrata. This will surely divide GNA forces considering many of the militias fighting in Tripoli on the side of the GNA are originally from Misrata, the first major city to fall during the NATO-backed destruction of Libya in 2011.
Saraj had contacts with top European Union officials this week, who also called for an end to armed violence, however they failed to convince Haftar to end military operations. Turkey has already sent military supplies, military advisers and Syria-based jihadists to Libya. Any ceasefire will only allow GNA forces to regroup and resupply while the LNA would lose its momentum with the massive advances they are currently making.
Russia has little influence over the LNA and there is no incentive for the LNA to accept the ceasefire. In Syria, Russia has strongly supported Damascus economically and militarily, while Turkey has supported jihadist groups. However, Syria is not Libya, with the LNA relying on Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. It is for this reason that Haftar has unconditionally rejected the call for a ceasefire as they have vowed to defeat Turkish-backed forces unconditionally. The LNA is more heavily reliant on air support and intelligence from the Abu Dhabi, and material support and intelligence from Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Putin, despite making the joint statement for a ceasefire with Erdoğan, likely would have known the LNA were going to reject the ceasefire request. It is likely that Putin did so as an act of good will to preserve the strengthening Russian-Turkish economic and cultural relations just as the Turkstream pipeline was inaugurated on Wednesday. Therefore, Putin made the call for a ceasefire knowing full well it would be rejected. As the LNA continues to approach Misrata, it is likely the militias originally from Misrata will leave Tripoli for their own hometown, further weakening the GNA’s defences in Tripoli, which will lead to the LNA liberating the capital city. Haftar will not surrender his advantage for a ceasefire with forces who are serving Turkish interests and behead their soldiers in an ISIS-like fashion.
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theduran--2020-01-10--Prince Harry Quitting the Royal Family is the End of the Monarchy as we Know it

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Johanna Ross , journalist based in Edinburgh , Scotland… When the Queen gave her annual speech at Christmas , she spoke of the ‘ bumpy path ’ that she and her family had been on over the past year .
She was of course referring to one of the worst scandals ever to have hit the royal household – that of Prince Andrew ’ s relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his flawed attempt to conceal it .
In the most damaging interview give to the media since Princess Diana famously revealed all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the 90s , Prince Andrew gave a car-crash interview to the BBC last year which sealed his fate ; he would never again play the same active role in public life .
But the Queen it seemed was not quite prepared for the announcement that Harry and Meghan , the Duke and Duchess of Sussex , were to cut their ties with the Royal household and ‘ carve out a progressive role ’ , becoming financially independent .
It was reported by The Times on Thursday that the Queen was not even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released on Wednesday by the Duke and Duchess ’ communications team .
The press release expressed Harry and Meghan ’ s desire to have ‘ space ’ for family life and detailed plans to split their time between Britain and the US , Meghan ’ s home territory .
Buckingham Palace nevertheless issued a swift , brief , and rather terse response 90 minutes later , trying to play down the explosive nature of the news and stressing that there were ‘ complicated issues that will take time to work through ’ .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision .
Indeed there have been signals of late which indicated that all was not rosy between Harry and the family .
The obvious omission of Harry and Meghan from the family photos pictured next to the Queen on Christmas Day spoke volumes , as did the decision by the Duke and Duchess to spend Christmas not at the palace , but with Meghan ’ s mother in Canada .
Then there was the photograph depicting the four generations of the family : the Queen , Prince Charles , Prince William and his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meghan as they had been excluded .
But it would be naive to say that their decision to break with the royals has come as a complete shock .
In fact we have to be honest : Harry has always been , as his mother was , a bit of a rebel .
From being photographed dressed as a Nazi at a party in his youth to being captured on camera naked inside a Las Vegas hotel room , he has brought his fair share of controversy to the door of the Palace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite toed the line when it came to royal etiquette and his marriage to Meghan Merkle was in itself testing the boundaries of the Queen ’ s tolerance .
For the 21st century it may be , but for Prince Harry to marry a working class girl from LA , of African descent , would have been unthinkable only a few years ago and we ’ d be extremely foolish to think that Her Majesty and Prince Phillip looked on this match favourably .
She was never going to be fully accepted into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be ‘ one of them ’ .
But on the other hand , clearly Meghan doesn ’ t want to be ; she ’ s had a flavour of royal life and it ’ s clearly not the life she envisages for her new family .
The court case she and Harry announced last year against the Daily Mail for ‘ untrue stories ’ demonstrates the extent to which they are now calling the shots ; they won ’ t be at the mercy of the powers that be any longer .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ move also in the wider context of pressures on the monarchy .
For another incident last year demonstrated more than any other the obsolete nature of what many people now consider an outdated institution .
The prorogation of parliament by Boris Johnson , for which he had to seek to the Queen ’ s permission , but which was ultimately ruled as illegal by the courts , showed just how pointless Her Majesty ’ s role is .
For if even the Queen herself is at the mercy of the underhand scheming of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the value of such a head of state ?
Her position is purely symbolic and constitutes nothing more than an anachronism .
Increasingly , people are asking if the millions of taxpayers ’ money is worth it , particularly the amount they receive has been increasing year on year .
And so this could be the beginning of a downsizing of the British monarchy .
The UK wouldn ’ t be alone either – the King of Sweden announced last year that he would be removing five of his grandchildren from the royal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this : the monarchy ’ s survival as an institution could depend on it…

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 Johanna Ross, journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland…
When the Queen gave her annual speech at Christmas, she spoke of the ‘bumpy path’ that she and her family had been on over the past year. She was of course referring to one of the worst scandals ever to have hit the royal household – that of Prince Andrew’s relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his flawed attempt to conceal it. In the most damaging interview give to the media since Princess Diana famously revealed all regarding her relationship with Prince Charles back in the 90s, Prince Andrew gave a car-crash interview to the BBC last year which sealed his fate; he would never again play the same active role in public life.
But the Queen it seemed was not quite prepared for the announcement that Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, were to cut their ties with the Royal household and ‘carve out a progressive role’, becoming financially independent. It was reported by The Times on Thursday that the Queen was not even aware of the statement, which was released on Wednesday by the Duke and Duchess’ communications team. The press release expressed Harry and Meghan’s desire to have ‘space’ for family life and detailed plans to split their time between Britain and the US, Meghan’s home territory. Buckingham Palace nevertheless issued a swift, brief, and rather terse response 90 minutes later, trying to play down the explosive nature of the news and stressing that there were ‘complicated issues that will take time to work through’. Not exactly praising her grandson’s decision.
Indeed there have been signals of late which indicated that all was not rosy between Harry and the family. The obvious omission of Harry and Meghan from the family photos pictured next to the Queen on Christmas Day spoke volumes, as did the decision by the Duke and Duchess to spend Christmas not at the palace, but with Meghan’s mother in Canada. Then there was the photograph depicting the four generations of the family: the Queen, Prince Charles, Prince William and his son George which reportedly upset Harry and Meghan as they had been excluded. But it would be naive to say that their decision to break with the royals has come as a complete shock.
In fact we have to be honest: Harry has always been, as his mother was, a bit of a rebel. From being photographed dressed as a Nazi at a party in his youth to being captured on camera naked inside a Las Vegas hotel room, he has brought his fair share of controversy to the door of the Palace in the past. He has never quite toed the line when it came to royal etiquette and his marriage to Meghan Merkle was in itself testing the boundaries of the Queen’s tolerance. For the 21st century it may be, but for Prince Harry to marry a working class girl from LA, of African descent, would have been unthinkable only a few years ago and we’d be extremely foolish to think that Her Majesty and Prince Phillip looked on this match favourably. She was never going to be fully accepted into the Royal family; she would never be ‘one of them’. But on the other hand, clearly Meghan doesn’t want to be; she’s had a flavour of royal life and it’s clearly not the life she envisages for her new family. The court case she and Harry announced last year against the Daily Mail for ‘untrue stories’ demonstrates the extent to which they are now calling the shots; they won’t be at the mercy of the powers that be any longer.
It’s important however to see this move also in the wider context of pressures on the monarchy. For another incident last year demonstrated more than any other the obsolete nature of what many people now consider an outdated institution. The prorogation of parliament by Boris Johnson, for which he had to seek to the Queen’s permission, but which was ultimately ruled as illegal by the courts, showed just how pointless Her Majesty’s role is. For if even the Queen herself is at the mercy of the underhand scheming of a dishonest Prime Minister, what is the value of such a head of state? Her position is purely symbolic and constitutes nothing more than an anachronism. Increasingly, people are asking if the millions of taxpayers’ money is worth it, particularly the amount they receive has been increasing year on year.
And so this could be the beginning of a downsizing of the British monarchy. The UK wouldn’t be alone either – the King of Sweden announced last year that he would be removing five of his grandchildren from the royal house. It makes sense to do this: the monarchy’s survival as an institution could depend on it…
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theduran--2020-01-10--How much difference do Russia’s new nuclear weapons really make?

Are Russia ’ s Avangard and Sarmat missiles really the game-changers which they ’ re depicted to be ?
Readers may recall President Putin ’ s unveiling of these weapons systems on May 1st 2018 .
His state of the union address to the federal assembly that day could certainly be described as provocative , perhaps inadvisably so .
Ever since then , both Russian and western media have discussed at length the numerous reasons why these ICBM ’ s render all currently existent missile-defence systems obsolete .
First and foremost , these weapons are seen as invulnerable to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their hypersonic capabilities .
Avangard can fly at about 33 thousand kilometres per hour , or 27 times the speed of sound .
The RS-28 Sarmat can fly in excess of 25 thousand kilometres per hour .
Missile defence systems , fundamentally , work on the basis of the premise that if an interceptor missile can detonate its own nuclear warhead within a 10-kilometre radius of the flight-path of the missile which it is attempting to intercept , then the resulting shock-wave stands a pretty good chance of bringing the target down or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So , in practical terms , “ intercepting ” a nuclear missile means getting an interceptor to within a 10-kilometre radius of its flight-path .
However , under actual battle-conditions , the chances of intercepting ICBM ’ s in this way would not be particularly good to start with .
Therefore , a more effective missile defence methodology is simply to “ intercept ” them during their boost phases – that is to say , before they launch .
Hit them before they leave the ground .
Both the Avangard and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for aerial interception to be plausible .
Furthermore , both the Avangard and the Sarmat can be re-maneuvered in mid-flight , making it extremely difficult for missile defence systems to predict their trajectories .
In the case of Sarmat , an added problem for currently existent missile defence systems is that it has an extremely short boost phase , making it difficult for spy-satellites to identify the imminent threat in time , and also making it more difficult to track once it has launched .
However , there is one solid counter-argument to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new weapons-systems change everything .
Namely , Russia already had hypersonic ICBM capability 15 years ago .
The Topol-M SS27 was and is hypersonic , capable of flying at about 14 thousand kilometres per hour .
It ’ s not quite as fast as the Sarmat or Avangard , but it ’ s still far too fast for any interceptor to have a realistic chance to getting within the required 10-kilometre radius of its flight-path .
Furthermore , the Topol-M SS27 could be re-maneuvered in mid-flight , just as Sarmat and Avangard can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different warheads , each with a different trajectory , once it nears its target .
Furthermore , the Topol-M SS27 could be launched from the back of a truck , making it almost impossible to pre-empt during its boost-phase .
In short , all of NATO ’ s currently existent missile defence infrastructure was already obsolete 15 years ago .
Scott Ritter is a former US intelligence officer and weapons inspector who participated in formal inspections-teams at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant , where the SS-27 and its predecessor the SS-25 were assembled .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ to counter the SS-27 threat , the US will need to start from scratch… The US can not afford to spend billions of dollars on a missile-defense system that will never achieve the level of defense envisioned .
The Bush administration ’ s embrace of technology , and rejection of diplomacy , when it comes to arms control , has failed.
” Neither the Bush administration nor the Obama administration ever did start from scratch .
They simply pressed ahead with the installation and deployment of missile defence systems which they knew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adheres to the same obtuse path .
The desire to protect the interests of the US corporations which contract for the Aegis missile defence project is only one of the motivations which drives this policy .
In addition , the presence of Aegis missile defence installations in Poland and Romania economically incentivizes local elites within those countries to propagandize their own populations , to amplify fears of the Russian bear at local level , thereby cementing ideological loyalty within the NATO defence-apparatus .
Furthermore , it should be noted that it has never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system under anything even realistically simulating actual battle-conditions .
Missile defence systems are tested one shot at a time , which is completely unrealistic .
Under actual battle-conditions , they would be required to intercept several dozen ICBM ’ s in simultaneous flight , and there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that more than a fraction of the ICBM ’ s would be successfully intercepted .
Therefore , we can say that the primary strategic purpose of a missile defence installation , as opposed to its economic purpose or ideological purpose , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its adjoining radar-installation .
Parked so close to Russia ’ s borders , these installations are elaborate pretexts for electronic espionage or signals-intelligence ( SIGINT ) .
However , the Russian government is playing the same game – both sides have their own reasons for pretending that Sarmat and Avangard are “ game-changers , ” when in fact we know that the Topol-M SS27 was the real game-changer .
While the nations within the western alliance maintain this pretense in order to justify increasingly gargantuan defence-budgets and to propagandize their own populations with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russian Federation does so in order to persuade Russia ’ s population that perpetual geo-strategic threats are being addressed .
As with much content published in Russia ’ s media-space , the disproportionate focus on geo-strategy , external relations and external security issues occurs because these are the spheres in which the Russian government is at its most professionally competent .
This disproportionate media-focus , therefore , is devised in order to detract attention from domestic issues wherein the government ’ s record of effective policy-implementation has not been quite so successful .

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 Padraig McGrath, political analyst…
Are Russia’s Avangard and Sarmat missiles really the game-changers which they’re depicted to be?
Readers may recall President Putin’s unveiling of these weapons systems on May 1st 2018. His state of the union address to the federal assembly that day could certainly be described as provocative, perhaps inadvisably so. Ever since then, both Russian and western media have discussed at length the numerous reasons why these ICBM’s render all currently existent missile-defence systems obsolete.
First and foremost, these weapons are seen as invulnerable to all currently existent missile defence systems because of their hypersonic capabilities. Avangard can fly at about 33 thousand kilometres per hour, or 27 times the speed of sound. The RS-28 Sarmat can fly in excess of 25 thousand kilometres per hour.
Missile defence systems, fundamentally, work on the basis of the premise that if an interceptor missile can detonate its own nuclear warhead within a 10-kilometre radius of the flight-path of the missile which it is attempting to intercept, then the resulting shock-wave stands a pretty good chance of bringing the target down or otherwise knocking it out of its flight-path. So, in practical terms, “intercepting” a nuclear missile means getting an interceptor to within a 10-kilometre radius of its flight-path.
However, under actual battle-conditions, the chances of intercepting ICBM’s in this way would not be particularly good to start with. Therefore, a more effective missile defence methodology is simply to “intercept” them during their boost phases – that is to say, before they launch. Hit them before they leave the ground.
Both the Avangard and the Sarmat fly far, far too fast for aerial interception to be plausible.
Furthermore, both the Avangard and the Sarmat can be re-maneuvered in mid-flight, making it extremely difficult for missile defence systems to predict their trajectories. In the case of Sarmat, an added problem for currently existent missile defence systems is that it has an extremely short boost phase, making it difficult for spy-satellites to identify the imminent threat in time, and also making it more difficult to track once it has launched.
However, there is one solid counter-argument to the idea that, strategically, these new weapons-systems change everything.
Namely, Russia already had hypersonic ICBM capability 15 years ago. The Topol-M SS27 was and is hypersonic, capable of flying at about 14 thousand kilometres per hour. It’s not quite as fast as the Sarmat or Avangard, but it’s still far too fast for any interceptor to have a realistic chance to getting within the required 10-kilometre radius of its flight-path. Furthermore, the Topol-M SS27 could be re-maneuvered in mid-flight, just as Sarmat and Avangard can, and it releases a multiplicity of different warheads, each with a different trajectory, once it nears its target. Furthermore, the Topol-M SS27 could be launched from the back of a truck, making it almost impossible to pre-empt during its boost-phase.
In short, all of NATO’s currently existent missile defence infrastructure was already obsolete 15 years ago.
Scott Ritter is a former US intelligence officer and weapons inspector who participated in formal inspections-teams at the Votkinsk Machine-Building Plant, where the SS-27 and its predecessor the SS-25 were assembled. In January 2005, he argued that “to counter the SS-27 threat, the US will need to start from scratch… The US cannot afford to spend billions of dollars on a missile-defense system that will never achieve the level of defense envisioned. The Bush administration’s embrace of technology, and rejection of diplomacy, when it comes to arms control, has failed.”
Neither the Bush administration nor the Obama administration ever did start from scratch. They simply pressed ahead with the installation and deployment of missile defence systems which they knew were already obsolete. The Trump administration adheres to the same obtuse path.
The desire to protect the interests of the US corporations which contract for the Aegis missile defence project is only one of the motivations which drives this policy. In addition, the presence of Aegis missile defence installations in Poland and Romania economically incentivizes local elites within those countries to propagandize their own populations, to amplify fears of the Russian bear at local level, thereby cementing ideological loyalty within the NATO defence-apparatus.
Furthermore, it should be noted that it has never been possible to test any missile defence system under anything even realistically simulating actual battle-conditions. Missile defence systems are tested one shot at a time, which is completely unrealistic. Under actual battle-conditions, they would be required to intercept several dozen ICBM’s in simultaneous flight, and there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever that more than a fraction of the ICBM’s would be successfully intercepted.
Therefore, we can say that the primary strategic purpose of a missile defence installation, as opposed to its economic purpose or ideological purpose, is simply to serve as a pretext for its adjoining radar-installation. Parked so close to Russia’s borders, these installations are elaborate pretexts for electronic espionage or signals-intelligence (SIGINT).
However, the Russian government is playing the same game – both sides have their own reasons for pretending that Sarmat and Avangard are “game-changers,” when in fact we know that the Topol-M SS27 was the real game-changer. While the nations within the western alliance maintain this pretense in order to justify increasingly gargantuan defence-budgets and to propagandize their own populations with Russophobic hysteria, the government of the Russian Federation does so in order to persuade Russia’s population that perpetual geo-strategic threats are being addressed. As with much content published in Russia’s media-space, the disproportionate focus on geo-strategy, external relations and external security issues occurs because these are the spheres in which the Russian government is at its most professionally competent. This disproportionate media-focus, therefore, is devised in order to detract attention from domestic issues wherein the government’s record of effective policy-implementation has not been quite so successful.
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theduran--2020-01-11--The British Police Want Yet More Powers

The British Police Want Yet More Powers

According to an article in the “ Guardian ” Friday , the police want to ban the sale of anonymous pay-as-you-go mobile phones .
The rationale given for this is that drug dealers including organised gangs are using them .
Presumably drug dealers also use knives and forks ; should we ban them too ?
You know what comes next , not only are they using such phones to hide their criminal activity but are exploiting vulnerable youngsters to do their dirty work .
As the late Chris Tame was fond of saying , when they talk about protecting your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroying your rights .
The two things the police ask for most consistently in the UK is more money to be spent on fighting crime , including presumably paying them overtime , and more powers – ie more restrictions on personal freedom and more freedom for them to trample all over criminals , and if innocent people get trampled on as well as they frequently do , that is a price they are willing to pay .
In April last year , the “ Independent ” reported that more than 40 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to budget cuts .
Such reports are not difficult to find , and at times these include quite serious allegations .
Yet the police can always find time and resources to investigate some allegations , even those that should rightly be dealt with by other means .
Another “ Guardian ” article reported that thousands of juveniles under the age of 14 had been investigated for sexting , including a boy of 9 who was said to have been recorded on a police database for sending a naked selfie to a girl on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same age who was recorded as an “ offender ” for sending images to someone on Instagram .
In England , a child of that age can not be convicted of a criminal offence , parents are rightly held responsible , and do we really want to stigmatise a 9 year old girl for life as a “ sex offender ” instead of allowing her parents to deal with the matter , which is surely the correct way ?
The reality is the police can always find the time and resources to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is likely they will be able to dupe the bench or jury into convicting some poor sap .
This is the case with allegations of sex crimes which are either trivial or historical , if not both .
Two examples will suffice .
In the “ Operation Yewtree ” witch-hunt , the police received an allegation from a man that the entertainer Cliff Richard had sexually abused him in 1982 .
This resulted in South Yorkshire Police raiding his home while he was out of the country , and to make sure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they tipped off the BBC , which filmed the raid from a helicopter .
Exactly what they were hoping to find on the premises remains to be seen , but the real purpose of the raid was to incite cranks , mischief-makers and attention-seekers to make false allegations against him .
As another falsely accused showbiz personality Paul Gambaccini has pointed out , the man in the street may be known to a few dozen or a few hundred people , but a celebrity is know to hundreds of thousands , millions , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these people have grievances against celebrities for all manner of irrational reasons .
John Lennon was murdered by a “ fan ” ; his former bandmate George Harrison nearly suffered the same fate when he was attackedby a lunatic at dead of night in his own home .
Fortunately , none of the allegations against either Cliff Richard or Paul Gambaccini were considered credible .
One more example will suffice , this time not of a celebrity but of a businessman .
In May 2017 , David Pattinson met a woman in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business meeting rather than a social one , but he decided not to employ her .
Nearly two months later she attended a police station where she accused him of having wandering hands .
He received a letter from the police and went along with his solicitor ; after being grilled for an hour he was notified that he was being charged with common assault , ie lightly touching her neck while sharing a joke .
Later a charge of sexual touching was added , and when he appeared at the Crown Court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the assault charge , the sexual charge would be dropped .
He declined , and the case went to trial , where what CCTV evidence there was coupled with witness evidence resulted in his acquittal .
David Pattinson ’ s accuser appears to have been motivated partly by malice at not being hired and partly by ongoing psychological problems .
People who have psychological problems often seek attention , and false allegations of sexual impropriety up to and including rape are typically of feminine nastiness .
The police and their collaborators in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aware of this , so why did they put a businessman with a spotless record through this ordeal over what would have been a triviality even had it been true ?
The time and effort put into this case could have been used to investigate and prosecute real crimes .
There ’ s the rub , real crimes are committed by real criminals who might be armed and shoot back or otherwise prove more trouble than they are worth .
Many more examples of this kind of unwarranted harassment could be given .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a presence on YouTube , has been monitoring police harassment of and misconduct against ordinary members of the British public since 2012 .
Its latest YouTube upload shows two uniformed police harassing a member of the public whose “ crime ” was watching people in a shopping centre .

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.
According to an article in the Guardian Friday, the police want to ban the sale of anonymous pay-as-you-go mobile phones. The rationale given for this is that drug dealers including organised gangs are using them. Presumably drug dealers also use knives and forks; should we ban them too?
You know what comes next, not only are they using such phones to hide their criminal activity but are exploiting vulnerable youngsters to do their dirty work. As the late Chris Tame was fond of saying, when they talk about protecting your children, what they really mean is destroying your rights.
The two things the police ask for most consistently in the UK are more money to be spent on fighting crime, including presumably paying them overtime, and more powers – ie more restrictions on personal freedom and more freedom for them to trample all over criminals, and if innocent people get trampled on as well as they frequently do, that is a price they are willing to pay.
In April last year, the Independent reported that more than 40% of reported crimes were being screened out due to budget cuts. Such reports are not difficult to find, and at times these include quite serious allegations. Yet the police can always find time and resources to investigate some allegations, even those that should rightly be dealt with by other means. Another Guardian article reported that thousands of juveniles under the age of 14 had been investigated for sexting, including a boy of 9 who was said to have been recorded on a police database for sending a naked selfie to a girl on Facebook Messenger, and a girl of the same age who was recorded as an “offender” for sending images to someone on Instagram. In England, a child of that age cannot be convicted of a criminal offence, parents are rightly held responsible, and do we really want to stigmatise a 9 year old girl for life as a “sex offender” instead of allowing her parents to deal with the matter, which is surely the correct way?
The reality is the police can always find the time and resources to pursue easy targets, especially when it is likely they will be able to dupe the bench or jury into convicting some poor sap. This is the case with allegations of sex crimes which are either trivial or historical, if not both. Two examples will suffice.
In the Operation Yewtree witch-hunt, the police received an allegation from a man that the entertainer Cliff Richard had sexually abused him in 1982. This resulted in South Yorkshire Police raiding his home while he was out of the country, and to make sure the world and his dog knew, they tipped off the BBC, which filmed the raid from a helicopter. Exactly what they were hoping to find on the premises remains to be seen, but the real purpose of the raid was to incite cranks, mischief-makers and attention-seekers to make false allegations against him. As another falsely accused showbiz personality Paul Gambaccini has pointed out, the man in the street may be known to a few dozen or a few hundred people, but a celebrity is know to hundreds of thousands, millions, perhaps many more than that. Some of these people have grievances against celebrities for all manner of irrational reasons. John Lennon was murdered by a “fan”; his former bandmate George Harrison nearly suffered the same fate when he was attacked by a lunatic at dead of night in his own home.
Fortunately, none of the allegations against either Cliff Richard or Paul Gambaccini were considered credible. One more example will suffice, this time not of a celebrity but of a businessman. In May 2017, David Pattinson met a woman in a London bar; this was a business meeting rather than a social one, but he decided not to employ her. Nearly two months later she attended a police station where she accused him of having wandering hands. He received a letter from the police and went along with his solicitor; after being grilled for an hour he was notified that he was being charged with common assault, ie lightly touching her neck while sharing a joke.
Later a charge of sexual touching was added, and when he appeared at the Crown Court he was told if he pleaded guilty to the assault charge, the sexual charge would be dropped. He declined, and the case went to trial, where what CCTV evidence there was coupled with witness evidence resulted in his acquittal. David Pattinson’s accuser appears to have been motivated partly by malice at not being hired and partly by ongoing psychological problems. People who have psychological problems often seek attention, and false allegations of sexual impropriety up to and including rape are typical feminine nastiness. The police and their collaborators in the legal establishment must surely have been aware of this, so why did they put a businessman with a spotless record through this ordeal over what would have been a triviality even had it been true? The time and effort put into this case could have been used to investigate and prosecute real crimes.
There’s the rub, real crimes are committed by real criminals who might be armed and shoot back or otherwise prove more trouble than they are worth. Many more examples of this kind of unwarranted harassment could be given. The Crimebodge website, which also has a presence on YouTube, has been monitoring police harassment of and misconduct against ordinary members of the British public since 2012. Its latest YouTube upload shows two uniformed police harassing a member of the public whose “crime” was watching people in a shopping centre.
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theduran--2020-01-11--Iran admits to accidentally shooting down UIA 752

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss breaking news that Iran President Hassan Rouhani has admitted that a senior IRGC commander accidentally shot down the Ukrainian UIA 752 plane that took off from Tehran ’ s international airport amid tensions between Iran , Iraq and the United States .
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Commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he “ wished he was dead ” upon learning of the Ukrainian jet downing and accepted full responsibility for the incident .
“ After hearing about the crash of the Ukrainian plane , I wished to die ” , Hajizadeh said during a press conference on Saturday .
The commander explained that the incident had occurred as the country was bracing for potential US strikes and that the “ likelihood of conflict ” between the two nations has been “ unprecedented ” since the Islamic Revolution of 1979 .
According to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ erroneously identified as an incoming cruise missile , which resulted in the tragedy .
Hajizadeh stated that the IRGC notified the authorities that it had likely hit the plane back right after the incident , yet this information was not disclosed to the public while the crash site was being investigated .
Neither IRGC nor the country ’ s military sought to hide the incident , the due procedure was to be followed , he explained .

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 Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss breaking news that Iran President Hassan Rouhani has admitted that a senior IRGC commander accidentally shot down the Ukrainian UIA 752 plane that took off from Tehran’s international airport amid tensions between Iran, Iraq and the United States.
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The Islamic Republic of Iran deeply regrets this disastrous mistake. My thoughts and prayers go to all the mourning families. I offer my sincerest condolences. https://t.co/4dkePxupzm — Hassan Rouhani (@HassanRouhani) January 11, 2020
A sad day. Preliminary conclusions of internal investigation by Armed Forces: Human error at time of crisis caused by US adventurism led to disaster Our profound regrets, apologies and condolences to our people, to the families of all victims, and to other affected nations.
???? — Javad Zarif (@JZarif) January 11, 2020
Via RT…
Commander of Aerospace Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Amir Ali Hajizadeh, said he “wished he was dead” upon learning of the Ukrainian jet downing and accepted full responsibility for the incident.
“After hearing about the crash of the Ukrainian plane, I wished to die”, Hajizadeh said during a press conference on Saturday.
I wish I had died and not witnessed such an accident
The commander explained that the incident had occurred as the country was bracing for potential US strikes and that the “likelihood of conflict” between the two nations has been “unprecedented” since the Islamic Revolution of 1979.
According to an early assessment, the Ukrainian plane was erroneously identified as an incoming cruise missile, which resulted in the tragedy.
Hajizadeh stated that the IRGC notified the authorities that it had likely hit the plane back right after the incident, yet this information was not disclosed to the public while the crash site was being investigated. Neither IRGC nor the country’s military sought to hide the incident, the due procedure was to be followed, he explained.
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theduran--2020-01-11--Sultan of Oman dies, who ruled for nearly a half century.

I am very saddened to hear about the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman who ruled for nearly a half century .
Because Qaboos had no children , according to the constitution , the Royal Family will need to name a successor within a time frame of three days .
If the family does not choose a successor within this time period , then a council of military and security officials , supreme court chiefs and heads of the two assemblies will put in power a person whose name has been secretly written by Qaboos ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be the successor .
Asad bin Tariq , the former Deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs and Cooperation has been a name that stands out to become the next Sultan of Oman .
Sultan Qaboos had his own vision for his country and on assuming power he immediately set about transforming Oman using the new oil wealth ( interestingly , only in 1962 oil is discovered in Oman ) and modernizing the infrastructure .
In 1970 , Oman had only three primary schools , 10 km of paved roads , two health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a per capita income of less than $ 50 a year .
Today , only after little over three decades the situation in the Sultanate is radically different , it is now a middle-income developing country with 18th most liberal economy in the world , free universal welfare services and impressive infrastructure .
Many Indian Expatriates come here , may with intention or plan for short stint then start loving the place and continue to stay .
The same story is true for the nationals from many other countries too .
Many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard to express their preference to stay back in Oman even after retirement because of peaceful and clean environment , lower cost of living with the amenities and facilities as compared to taxation policies in their home countries .
Oman is liberal as couple of temples are there wherein worshipping allowed .
Oman , Situated in the south –eastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula , the Sultanate of Oman is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the West , Yemen to the South-West and the United Arab emirates ( UAE ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land area of 309,500 sq .
km makes it third largest country in the peninsula ; Oman ’ s countryside is among the most stunning and varied in the Gulf …region– predominantly valleys and deserts ( 82 % ) , mountain ranges ( 15 % ) and a narrow strip of coastal plains ( 3 % ) – interestingly Oman ’ s coast line is about 2000 km long extending to Gulf of Oman , the Arabian Sea and as well as the Indian Ocean .
Early form of civilization existed in Oman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name ‘ Oman ’ is said to come from the Arab tribes that migrated to the area from a place in Yemen called Uman .
The Omanis were among the first Arabs to embrace Islam , back in 630 AD and is quite liberal to other religions .
In 1507 the Portuguese established their control over Oman by force-they were finally driven out from Hormuz in 1622 , and eventually from Muscat in 1650 by Sultan bin Saif Al-Ya ’ arubi—which marked the start of full Oman independence making the country the oldest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the history of Oman has always been a struggle for economic and political power between the interior ( ruled by an Imam ) , and the coastal areas and Muscat ( ruled by a Sultan ) .
In 1744 , Omani tribes elected Imam Ahmed bin Said , founder of the present Al Busaidi dynasty .
He also adopted the title of Sultan , which remains to this day .
In 1890 Oman became a British protectorate while maintain its independence while in return Britain could maintain the supply route in the Far @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Yemen that surfaced in 1960 through 1965 was suppressed , and on 23rd July 1970 thirty year old Sultan Qaboos bin Said , the current Sultan assumed power and in Oman 23rd July is celebrated as Renaissance Day .
It is peaceful , stable and relatively prosperous .
The Capital Muscat is blessed with natural beauty of ‘ sabka ’ ( salt flats ) ‘ khwars ’ ( lagoons ) , oases , stark mountains of rock & brownish –green ranges of ophiolites stretches of sand and gravel plains and , beautiful coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ architecture and intensive creative effort of appropriate greenery and flower beds .
Today Oman has become modern but at the same time preserving much of the character and heritage of the country , making Oman a unique place to visit .
A wise man and a peacemaker in a very turbulent region .
He was 79 .
He was that only one who could make USA & Iran relationship Easy .
A really good man , a true friend of Iran and an impartial go-between , irrespective of what government ran the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talks that led to the JCPOA .

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 Mousumi Roy…
I am very saddened to hear about the death of Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of Oman who ruled for nearly a half century. Because Qaboos had no children, according to the constitution, the Royal Family will need to name a successor within a time frame of three days. If the family does not choose a successor within this time period, then a council of military and security officials, supreme court chiefs and heads of the two assemblies will put in power a person whose name has been secretly written by Qaboos (In the form of a letter) to be the successor. Asad bin Tariq, the former Deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs and Cooperation has been a name that stands out to become the next Sultan of Oman.
Sultan Qaboos had his own vision for his country and on assuming power he immediately set about transforming Oman using the new oil wealth (interestingly, only in 1962 oil is discovered in Oman) and modernizing the infrastructure. In 1970, Oman had only three primary schools, 10 km of paved roads, two health centers, no infrastructure to speak of and a per capita income of less than $50 a year. Today, only after little over three decades the situation in the Sultanate is radically different, it is now a middle-income developing country with 18th most liberal economy in the world, free universal welfare services and impressive infrastructure.
Many Indian Expatriates come here, may with intention or plan for short stint then start loving the place and continue to stay. The same story is true for the nationals from many other countries too. Many Europeans over age of 55 years are heard to express their preference to stay back in Oman even after retirement because of peaceful and clean environment, lower cost of living with the amenities and facilities as compared to taxation policies in their home countries. Oman is liberal as couple of temples are there wherein worshipping allowed.
Oman, Situated in the south –eastern quarter of the Arabian Peninsula, the Sultanate of Oman is bordered by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the West, Yemen to the South-West and the United Arab emirates (UAE) to the North –West. The total land area of 309,500 sq. km makes it third largest country in the peninsula; Oman’s countryside is among the most stunning and varied in the Gulf …region– predominantly valleys and deserts(82%) , mountain ranges (15%) and a narrow strip of coastal plains(3%) – interestingly Oman’s coast line is about 2000 km long extending to Gulf of Oman , the Arabian Sea and as well as the Indian Ocean.
Early form of civilization existed in Oman at least 5,000 years ago, the name ‘Oman’ is said to come from the Arab tribes that migrated to the area from a place in Yemen called Uman. The Omanis were among the first Arabs to embrace Islam, back in 630 AD and is quite liberal to other religions. In 1507 the Portuguese established their control over Oman by force-they were finally driven out from Hormuz in 1622, and eventually from Muscat in 1650 by Sultan bin Saif Al-Ya’arubi—which marked the start of full Oman independence making the country the oldest independent state in Arabia.
However, the history of Oman has always been a struggle for economic and political power between the interior (ruled by an Imam), and the coastal areas and Muscat (ruled by a Sultan). In 1744, Omani tribes elected Imam Ahmed bin Said, founder of the present Al Busaidi dynasty. He also adopted the title of Sultan, which remains to this day. In 1890 Oman became a British protectorate while maintain its independence while in return Britain could maintain the supply route in the Far East. Dhofar rebellion aided by South Yemen that surfaced in 1960 through 1965 was suppressed, and on 23rd July 1970 thirty year old Sultan Qaboos bin Said, the current Sultan assumed power and in Oman 23rd July is celebrated as Renaissance Day.
It is peaceful, stable and relatively prosperous. The Capital Muscat is blessed with natural beauty of ‘sabka’(salt flats) ‘khwars’ ( lagoons), oases , stark mountains of rock & brownish –green ranges of ophiolites stretches of sand and gravel plains and , beautiful coast line—all beautifully kept and maintained through unique architecture and intensive creative effort of appropriate greenery and flower beds. Today Oman has become modern but at the same time preserving much of the character and heritage of the country, making Oman a unique place to visit.
A wise man and a peacemaker in a very turbulent region. He was 79. He was that only one who could make USA & Iran relationship Easy. A really good man, a true friend of Iran and an impartial go-between, irrespective of what government ran the country. A unique mediator who facilitated U.S-Iran talks that led to the JCPOA.
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theduran--2020-01-12--The Politics Behind Banning Russia From the Olympics

Authored by Michael Averko via The Strategic Culture Foundation : There ’ ve been ongoing propaganda pieces that skirt over some inconvenient realities , for those seeking to unfairly admonish Russia in the Olympic movement .
One case in point is the January 2 Reuters article “ Use 1992 Yugoslavia Precedent for Russians in Tokyo – Historian “ .
With a stated “ some Russians “ , that article suggestively under-represents the actual number of 2018 Russian Winter Olympians at Pyeongchang , while supporting a hypocritically flawed aspect , having to do with Yugoslavia in 1992 .
The downplaying of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ done to spin the image of many Russian cheats being kept out .
At the suggestion of the World Anti-Doping Agency ( WADA ) , the International Olympic Committee ( IOC ) closely vetted Russians for competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics .
In actuality , the 2018 Russian Winter Olympic participation wasn ’ t so off the mark , when compared to past Winter Olympiads – something which ( among other things ) puts a dent into the faulty notion that Russia should be especially singled out for sports doping .
At @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had its largest ever Winter Olympic contingent of 232 , on account of the host nation being allowed a greater number of participants .
The 168 Russian Winter Olympians at Pyeongchang is 9 less than the Russians who competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics .
Going back further , Russian Winter Olympic participation in 2006 was at 190 , with its 2002 contingent at 151 , 1998 having 122 and 1994 ( Russia ’ s first formal Winter Olympic appearance as Russia ) 113 .
The aforementioned Reuters piece references a “ historian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keen on using the 1992 Summer Olympic banning of Yugoslavia ( then consisting of Serbia and Montenegro ) as a legitimate basis to ban Russia from the upcoming Summer Olympics .
In this instance , Alan Dershowitz ’ s periodic reference to the “ if the shoe is on the other foot ” test is quite applicable .
Regarding Mallon , “ historian ” is put in quotes because his historically premised advocacy is very much incomplete and overly propagandistic .
For consistency sake and contrary to Mallon , Yugoslavia should ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Olympic banning of Yugoslavia was bogus , given that the IOC and the IOC affiliated sports federations didn ’ t ban the US and USSR for their respective role in wars , which caused a greater number of deaths than what happened in 1990s Bosnia .
The Reuters article at issue references a United Nations resolution for sanctions against Yugoslavia , without any second guessing , in support of the preference ( at least by some ) to keep politics out of sports as much as possible .
Mallon casually notes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 1992 Summer Olympics , unlike individual Yugoslav athletes , who participated as independents .
At least two of the banned Yugoslav teams were predicted to be lead medal contenders .
Croatia was allowed to compete at the 1992 Summer Olympics , despite that nation ’ s military involvement in the Bosnian Civil War .
During the 1992 Summer and Winter Olympics , the former USSR participated in individual and team sports as the Unified Team ( with the exception of the three former Soviet Baltic republics , who competed under their respective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind , the ban on team sports from Yugoslavia at the 1992 Summer Olympics , under a neutral name , appears to be hypocritical and ethically challenged .
BS aside , the reality is that geopolitical clout ( in the form of might making right ) , is what compels the banning of Yugoslavia , unlike superpowers engaged in behavior which isn ’ t less egregious .
Although a major world power , contemporary Russia lacks the overall geopolitical influence of the USSR .
Historian Stephen Cohen and some others , have noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same ( for lack of a better word ) respect accorded to the USSR .
This aspect underscores how becoming freer , less militaristic and more market oriented doesn ’ t ( by default ) bring added goodwill from a good number of Western establishment politicos and the organizations which are greatly influenced by them .
On the subject of banning Russia from the Olympics , Canadian sports legal politico Dick Pound , continues to rehash an inaccurate likening with no critical follow-up .
( An exception being yours truly . )
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Olympic banning of South Africa , as a basis for excluding Russia .
South Africa was banned when it had apartheid policies , which prevented that country ’ s Black majority from competing in organized sports .
Russia has a vast multiethnic participation in sports and other sectors .
As previously noted , the factual premise to formally ban Russia from the Olympics remains suspect .
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ( CAS ) is set to review Russia ’ s appeal to have the recommended WADA ban against Russia overturned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sports politicos like Pound continue to push for a CAS decision against Russia .

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Authored by Michael Averko via The Strategic Culture Foundation:
There’ve been ongoing propaganda pieces that skirt over some inconvenient realities, for those seeking to unfairly admonish Russia in the Olympic movement. One case in point is the January 2 Reuters article “Use 1992 Yugoslavia Precedent for Russians in Tokyo – Historian“. With a stated “some Russians“, that article suggestively under-represents the actual number of 2018 Russian Winter Olympians at Pyeongchang, while supporting a hypocritically flawed aspect, having to do with Yugoslavia in 1992.
The downplaying of Russian participation at Pyeongchang, is seemingly done to spin the image of many Russian cheats being kept out. At the suggestion of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) closely vetted Russians for competition at the 2018 Winter Olympics. In actuality, the 2018 Russian Winter Olympic participation wasn’t so off the mark, when compared to past Winter Olympiads – something which (among other things) puts a dent into the faulty notion that Russia should be especially singled out for sports doping.
At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Russia had its largest ever Winter Olympic contingent of 232, on account of the host nation being allowed a greater number of participants. The 168 Russian Winter Olympians at Pyeongchang is 9 less than the Russians who competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Going back further, Russian Winter Olympic participation in 2006 was at 190, with its 2002 contingent at 151, 1998 having 122 and 1994 (Russia’s first formal Winter Olympic appearance as Russia) 113.
The aforementioned Reuters piece references a “historian“, Bill Mallon, who is keen on using the 1992 Summer Olympic banning of Yugoslavia (then consisting of Serbia and Montenegro) as a legitimate basis to ban Russia from the upcoming Summer Olympics. In this instance, Alan Dershowitz’s periodic reference to the “if the shoe is on the other foot” test is quite applicable. Regarding Mallon, “historian” is put in quotes because his historically premised advocacy is very much incomplete and overly propagandistic.
For consistency sake and contrary to Mallon, Yugoslavia should’ve formally participated at the 1992 Summer Olympics. The Olympic banning of Yugoslavia was bogus, given that the IOC and the IOC affiliated sports federations didn’t ban the US and USSR for their respective role in wars, which caused a greater number of deaths than what happened in 1990s Bosnia. The Reuters article at issue references a United Nations resolution for sanctions against Yugoslavia, without any second guessing, in support of the preference (at least by some) to keep politics out of sports as much as possible.
Mallon casually notes that Yugoslav team sports were banned from the 1992 Summer Olympics, unlike individual Yugoslav athletes, who participated as independents. At least two of the banned Yugoslav teams were predicted to be lead medal contenders.
Croatia was allowed to compete at the 1992 Summer Olympics, despite that nation’s military involvement in the Bosnian Civil War. During the 1992 Summer and Winter Olympics, the former USSR participated in individual and team sports as the Unified Team (with the exception of the three former Soviet Baltic republics, who competed under their respective nation). With all this in mind, the ban on team sports from Yugoslavia at the 1992 Summer Olympics, under a neutral name, appears to be hypocritical and ethically challenged.
BS aside, the reality is that geopolitical clout (in the form of might making right), is what compels the banning of Yugoslavia, unlike superpowers engaged in behavior which isn’t less egregious. Although a major world power, contemporary Russia lacks the overall geopolitical influence of the USSR. Historian Stephen Cohen and some others, have noted that post-Soviet Russia doesn’t get the same (for lack of a better word) respect accorded to the USSR. This aspect underscores how becoming freer, less militaristic and more market oriented doesn’t (by default) bring added goodwill from a good number of Western establishment politicos and the organizations which are greatly influenced by them.
On the subject of banning Russia from the Olympics, Canadian sports legal politico Dick Pound, continues to rehash an inaccurate likening with no critical follow-up. (An exception being yours truly.) Between 2016 and 2019, Pound references the Olympic banning of South Africa, as a basis for excluding Russia. South Africa was banned when it had apartheid policies, which prevented that country’s Black majority from competing in organized sports. Russia has a vast multiethnic participation in sports and other sectors.
As previously noted, the factual premise to formally ban Russia from the Olympics remains suspect. The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is set to review Russia’s appeal to have the recommended WADA ban against Russia overturned, as Western mass media at large and sports politicos like Pound continue to push for a CAS decision against Russia.
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