veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Mattingly: Bibi, Trump, Assad, Saddam & Fink’s Bar (the shocking truth behind COVID 19)

VT : We have been reminded that this piece from Thomas Mattingly points the finger at Israel for the current state of affairs in the US , near civil war , armed gangs of fake prison guards waiting to be deployed to block an election and a suicidal civil insurrection by MKUltra zombie Trumptards .
Read why… Why the U.S. did not remove Saddam Hussein from Iraq during the First Gulf War has affected all U.S.-Mideast policy since 1990 .
U.S. President GHW Bush brought a broad coalition of Muslim/Mideast , European and other militaries to Iraq – the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – to oust Saddam .
Why did the U.S. succeed ?
Syria ’ s Assad supported President Bush , as per Bush ’ s request .
Syrian head of state Hafez al-Assad , father of 2014-elected Syrian president Bashar al-Assad , supported the U.S. by sending armored divisions to Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein .
However , after the largest bombing campaign since Vietnam , Saddam Hussein survived in Iraq .
Why ?
In U.S. President Bill Clinton ’ s later years ( 1997+ ) , ‘ Clean Break ’ project experts at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Saddam/Iraq issue and sought amends .
After U.S. and others destroyed Iraq with Gulf War 1 and US/UN-Iraq sanctions ( while leaving Saddam in place ) , Bibi and his loyalists ( NeoCons+ ) needed a reason for U.S. to remain in Mideast , since Iraq was no longer a threat to Iran .
ISIS/ISIL ( IS/Daesh ) to the rescue… Recently and now , Bibi/Israel , GW Bush , Obama , Hillary , Trump and Putin need Russia and U.S. to remain in Iraq and/or Syria .
If not , then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since 1997+ , the U.S. has needed permanent war to justify its existence in the Mideast .
Prior to and after October 2015 , both Russia and the U.S. needed IS/Daesh .
Otherwise , their presence in Mideast would be unnecessary .
Other Mideast terrorists were a bonus .
As constitutional and national security crises loom in U.S. and around the world , 9/11 history and Mideast+ conflicts again rear their ugly heads .
To know “ What ’ s Next ?
” and to avoid World War 3 , President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. arrived at today .
Otherwise , Trump and others will repeat the history that they do not know .
In two Gulf wars and otherwise , current Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin ( “ Bibi ” ) Netanyahu and others played a significant role in this history .
Let us return now to Bibi and the thrilling days of yesteryear… In 1990 , after returning to Israel and after being Israel ’ s UN ambassador in New York , and before the First Gulf War , Bibi Netanyahu was in Jerusalem at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drinking with high level U.S. Embassy staff and others .
Bibi and his loyalist group at a Fink ’ s Bar private table in Jerusalem had just stolen five ( 5 ) NSA-developed KG-84A cryptographic devices in Golan Heights ( with help from Canadians serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization ) , giving Bibi , his loyalists and others real-time access to U.S. State Department , U.S. Navy and NATO communications .
This is what Bibi Netanyahu said while sitting at the head of that private table in Fink ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ audio of Netanyahu at that meeting – words that few Americans , Israelis or others have seen or heard until today ) : “ If we get caught , they will just replace us with persons of the same cloth .
So , it does not matter what you do .
America is a golden calf ; and we will suck it dry , chop it up , and sell it off piece by piece until there is nothing left but the world ’ s biggest welfare state that we will create and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the will of God , and America is big enough to take the hit ; so , we can do it again and again and again .
This is what we do to countries that we hate .
We destroy them very slowly and make them suffer for refusing to be our slaves.
” [ Confirmed by an “ attendee ” during a debriefing . ]
During Bibi ’ s pre-1988 time in U.S. as Israel ’ s UN ambassador , Bibi was also Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard ’ s “ handler ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VT staff who worked closely with President GHW Bush and his National Security Council .
Then and afterwards , Bibi was also a spy for USSR and Russia , as per VT sources .
Thanks to Bibi , U.S. intel stolen by Pollard also went to Russia .
That ’ s what U.S. intel has not yet said ( i.e.
, TS+ ) .
In 1984 , during the Iran/Iraq War , Israel bombed Iraq ’ s nuclear facilities at Osirak – supposedly to protect Israel from a nuclear attack by Iraq .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saddam had a nuclear weapon , Iraq ’ s first target would have been Iran – not Israel .
So , Israel may have protected Iran ( for which some Iranians are begrudgingly grateful ) .
During the Iran/Iraq War ( 1980-88 ) , some/many Israelis , Americans and others were saying , ‘ Let the Muslims kill each other.
’ But before , during and after the war , Bibi ’ s loyalists needed a strong Saddam in Iraq as a continuing enemy of Iran , which was and is Israel ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Mideast .
So , Bibi and his ‘ visionary ’ loyalists did not want Saddam to be removed during the 1991 First Gulf War .
During the First Gulf War ( +/-96 hours ) , an implicit/explicit risk was this : Had Saddam been removed , with subsequent U.S. occupation of Iraq , the occupation would be a foundation for orchestrating geopolitical confrontations that would escalate into WW3 ( nuclear+ ) – with careful ‘ guidance ’ in Washington and Moscow to ensure the result .
Above is the little-known history @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saddam during the First Gulf War .
The above events influenced all subsequent history in the Mideast .
President Donald J. Trump , former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Trump ’ s continuing military and foreign policy advisers may or may not know this history .
The above vulnerabilities , combined with spying by Hansen and Pollard ( both working for Israel+ ) and by others more successfully protected by AIPAC , made 9/11 possible – by ensuring that America ’ s enemies had daily access to decryption keys and intel .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the source of the U.S. nuke weapon launch codes openly conveyed to White House switchboard operators on September 11 , 2001 .
By 2001 , one of the above espionage suspects would assume a U.S. cabinet post ; one would become the president ’ s chief counter-terrorism advisor ; and another would be special envoy to Afghanistan during the initial stages of the US-Afghan War .
Their close cohorts continue to control the New York field office of the FBI until this very day ( including 2016 U.S. elections ) ; and others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Department of Homeland Security .
We call them “ the usual suspects.
” Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin ( “ Bibi ” ) Netanyahu will visit President Donald J. Trump and the White House on February 15 ( today ) .
Trump ’ s son-in-law and special advisor Jared Kushner has played and will play a role in Trump ’ s relations with Bibi and Israel – as will Trump ’ s Chief Strategist Steve Bannon , who has an office near Bibi in Israel .
In VT ’ s recent Intel Drop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as follows : On Trump ’ s National Security Council , Bannon displaced Trump ’ s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair and Trump ’ s Director of National Intelligence , who are now “ optional.
” Bannon and Kushner were two of a small number involved in decision-making processes on Trump ’ s failed Yemen raid ( which killed one or more U.S. special forces soldiers and an indeterminate number of Yemeni women and children ) – with questionable results , at best .
A slightly more sane National Security Adviser to Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) will no longer be present as Trump ’ s counter-insanity adviser .
Given the truth of the above claims about Bibi , Bannon and Kushner , VT ’ s “ Intel Drop ” may have sardonically engaged in significant understatement .
Too harsh by half ?
After 9/11 , Netanyahu told Israeli media outlets that the events of 9/11 had helped Israel to get U.S. President George W. Bush , the U.S. military and others to ‘ wake up to what Israelis face every day.
’ As usual , mainstream media ignored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per firsthand knowledge and investigations by VT authors , staff and sources , Bibi and Bibi ’ s Israeli/U.S./other loyalists were involved in the planning and execution of 9/11 .
Bibi ’ s Israeli intel boys and girls were also present in New York and New Jersey on 9/11/01 – openly filming and celebrating 9/11 events .
Bibi now returns to celebrate… 9/11 was intended to lead to the U.S. bombing , invasion and occupation of Iraq , Syria and Iran — and the takeovers of several other countries , as per U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ retired ) .
Bibi , U.S. and others installed Morsi as Egyptian president to order the Egyptian military to join the invasion of Syria to oust Bashar al-Assad .
Not !
When the Egyptian people and military ousted Morsi , then Russia , China & Mideast nations rushed to fill the void .
Such conflicts were designed to escalate into a nuclear World War 3 with Russia and others – in which the U.S. would .
This is what Trump , others and we confront today – with Flynn no longer present and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Co. During the presidency of George W. Bush , I was involved in activities related to Iran .
See my Veterans Today article , “ Beavis & Butt-head ‘ Do ’ Iran – and World War 3.
” In the 2000s , Bibi & GW Bush ‘ Did ’ Iran .
In 2017+ , will Bibi & Trump reprise the roles ?
Former directors of Israeli military and intelligence groups know the above that Bibi is not good for Israel or Israelis ( or for America ) .
So , they openly opposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Regardless , Bibi is Israeli PM ; and Bibi controls Israel .
In the fairly near future , Israel will probably hold new elections , which Bibi will probably lose .
VT ’ s recent “ Intel Drop ” and other VT articles on U.S. elections indicate that U.S. election skewing and rigging were done by Bibi , Bibi loyalists , an international criminal cabal , and U.S. intel and law enforcement agencies in which Bibi and loyalists have much influence .
Democrats say ‘ Putin and Russians did it !
’ Such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since a small group of Israeli/Russian/U.S .
oligarchs and mafia types may now control Bibi , Putin and Trump ( before and after elections ) , both assertions may be true .
Completing the Criminal Takeover of the United States The World If Gore Had Won

VT: We have been reminded that this piece from Thomas Mattingly points the finger at Israel for the current state of affairs in the US, near civil war, armed gangs of fake prison guards waiting to be deployed to block an election and a suicidal civil insurrection by MKUltra zombie Trumptards. Read why…
By Thomas J. Mattingly – 15 February 2017
Why the U.S. did not remove Saddam Hussein from Iraq during the First Gulf War has affected all U.S.-Mideast policy since 1990. U.S. President GHW Bush brought a broad coalition of Muslim/Mideast, European and other militaries to Iraq – the largest in history assembled for a single purpose – to oust Saddam. Why did the U.S. not succeed?
Syria’s Assad supported President Bush, as per Bush’s request. Syrian head of state Hafez al-Assad, father of 2014-elected Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, supported the U.S. by sending armored divisions to Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein. However, after the largest bombing campaign since Vietnam, Saddam Hussein survived in Iraq. Why?
Who wanted Saddam in Iraq? The answers are complex; but for now, we can say this: Saddam in Iraq was vital to Bibi Netanyahu and his loyalists – as a balance to Iran.
In U.S. President Bill Clinton’s later years (1997+), ‘Clean Break’ project experts at Project for a New American Century revisited the Saddam/Iraq issue and sought amends.
After U.S. and others destroyed Iraq with Gulf War 1 and US/UN-Iraq sanctions (while leaving Saddam in place), Bibi and his loyalists (NeoCons+) needed a reason for U.S. to remain in Mideast, since Iraq was no longer a threat to Iran. ISIS/ISIL (IS/Daesh) to the rescue… Recently and now, Bibi/Israel, GW Bush, Obama, Hillary, Trump and Putin all need Russia and U.S. to remain in Iraq and/or Syria. If not, then NO ‘raison d’être’ …
Since 1997+, the U.S. has needed permanent war to justify its existence in the Mideast. Prior to and after October 2015, both Russia and the U.S. needed IS/Daesh. Otherwise, their presence in Mideast would be unnecessary. Other Mideast terrorists were a bonus.
As constitutional and national security crises loom in U.S. and around the world, 9/11 history and Mideast+ conflicts again rear their ugly heads.
To know “What’s Next?” and to avoid World War 3, President Donald Trump and others may need to know how the U.S. arrived at today. Otherwise, Trump and others will repeat the history that they do not know. In two Gulf wars and otherwise, current Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin (“Bibi”) Netanyahu and others played a significant role in this history. Let us return now to Bibi and the thrilling days of yesteryear…
_________
Bibi and Fink’s Bar (1990)
In 1990, after returning to Israel and after being Israel’s UN ambassador in New York, and before the First Gulf War, Bibi Netanyahu was in Jerusalem at Fink’s Bar – dining and drinking with high level U.S. Embassy staff and others.
Bibi and his loyalist group at a Fink’s Bar private table in Jerusalem had just stolen five (5) NSA-developed KG-84A cryptographic devices in Golan Heights (with help from Canadians serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization), giving Bibi, his loyalists and others real-time access to all U.S. State Department, U.S. Navy and NATO communications.
This is what Bibi Netanyahu said while sitting at the head of that private table in Fink’s Bar (transcribed from a secretly recorded audio of Netanyahu at that meeting – words that few Americans, Israelis or others have seen or heard until today):
“If we get caught, they will just replace us with persons of the same cloth. So, it does not matter what you do. America is a golden calf; and we will suck it dry, chop it up, and sell it off piece by piece until there is nothing left but the world’s biggest welfare state that we will create and control. Why? Because it is the will of God, and America is big enough to take the hit; so, we can do it again and again and again. This is what we do to countries that we hate. We destroy them very slowly and make them suffer for refusing to be our slaves.” [Confirmed by an “attendee” during a debriefing.]
__
Bibi Netanyahu Is a Russian Spy
During Bibi’s pre-1988 time in the U.S. as Israel’s UN ambassador, Bibi was also Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard’s “handler” for others in Israel, as per VT staff who worked closely with President GHW Bush and his National Security Council. Then and afterwards, Bibi was also a spy for USSR and Russia, as per VT sources. Thanks to Bibi, U.S. intel stolen by Pollard also went to Russia. That’s what U.S. intel has not yet said (i.e., TS+).
In 1984, during the Iran/Iraq War, Israel bombed Iraq’s nuclear facilities at Osirak – supposedly to protect Israel from a nuclear attack by Iraq. However, during the war, if Saddam had a nuclear weapon, Iraq’s first target would have been Iran – not Israel. So, Israel may have protected Iran (for which some Iranians are begrudgingly grateful).
During the Iran/Iraq War (1980-88), some/many Israelis, Americans and others were saying, ‘Let the Muslims kill each other.’ But before, during and after the war, Bibi’s loyalists needed a strong Saddam in Iraq as a continuing enemy of Iran, which was and is Israel’s most powerful economic and geopolitical rival in the Mideast. So, Bibi and his ‘visionary’ loyalists did not want Saddam to be removed during the 1991 First Gulf War.
President George H.W. Bush learned of the Israeli espionage and theft of NSA KG-84A encryption devices during the First Gulf War, noting that America would be defenseless against Russia in a nuclear war.
As Bibi and his Israeli/Russian/U.S. loyalists wished, the U.S. then pulled out of Iraq earlier than planned — leaving Saddam in place (1991+).
During the First Gulf War (+/-96 hours), an implicit/explicit risk was this: Had Saddam been removed, with subsequent U.S. occupation of Iraq, the occupation would be a foundation for orchestrating geopolitical confrontations that would escalate into WW3 (nuclear+) – with careful ‘guidance’ in Washington and Moscow to ensure the result.
Above is the little-known history of why the U.S. did not remove Saddam during the First Gulf War. The above events influenced all subsequent history in the Mideast. President Donald J. Trump, former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Trump’s continuing military and foreign policy advisers may or may not know this history.
The above vulnerabilities, combined with spying by Hansen and Pollard (both working for Israel+) and by others more successfully protected by AIPAC, made 9/11 possible – by ensuring that America’s enemies had daily access to decryption keys and intel. You and a few others now know the source of the U.S. nuke weapon launch codes openly conveyed to White House switchboard operators on September 11, 2001.
By 2001, one of the above espionage suspects would assume a U.S. cabinet post; one would become the president’s chief counter-terrorism advisor; and another would be special envoy to Afghanistan during the initial stages of the US-Afghan War. Their close cohorts continue to control the New York field office of the FBI until this very day (including 2016 U.S. elections); and others continue to control the National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security. We call them “the usual suspects.”
_________
Bibi ‘Trumps’ America!
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin (“Bibi”) Netanyahu will visit President Donald J. Trump and the White House on February 15 (today). Trump’s son-in-law and special advisor Jared Kushner has played and will play a role in Trump’s relations with Bibi and Israel – as will Trump’s Chief Strategist Steve Bannon, who has an office near Bibi in Israel.
In VT’s recent Intel Drop, VT authors disparaged Bannon and Kushner as follows:
“We are going to take things on with a rough attempt at stating their importance, the biggest disaster is Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner; Kushner is a pig-skinned little toad with an Israeli passport who served in the IDF. He is one of the most unremarkable people on earth, the talent and intellect Uber missed his pickup spot. He is the primary advisor to the President of the United States in areas of national security, behind him is Benjamin Netanyahu and anyone who doesn’t know that Netanyahu both despises the United States and is utterly insane is not paying attention.
“Then we have Steve Bannon, a failed blogger and a real Jew hater who sees himself as the ultimate American tough guy; no military experience, a potty mouth and a long history of screaming at people in line at Starbucks. Like Kushner, Bannon has spent his life as a toad and ass kisser.”
On Trump’s National Security Council, Bannon displaced Trump’s Joint Chiefs of Staff Chair and Trump’s Director of National Intelligence, who are now “optional.” Bannon and Kushner were two of a small number involved in decision-making processes on Trump’s failed Yemen raid (which killed one or more U.S. special forces soldiers and an indeterminate number of Yemeni women and children) – with questionable results, at best.
A slightly more sane National Security Adviser to Trump (retired Marine Corps General Michael Flynn) will no longer be present as Trump’s counter-insanity adviser.
Given the truth of the above claims about Bibi, Bannon and Kushner, VT’s “Intel Drop” may have sardonically engaged in significant understatement. Too harsh by half?
Postscript
After 9/11, Netanyahu told Israeli media outlets that the events of 9/11 had helped Israel to get U.S. President George W. Bush, the U.S. military and others to ‘wake up to what Israelis face every day.’ As usual, mainstream media ignored Bibi’s 9/11 cheerleading.
As per firsthand knowledge and investigations by VT authors, staff and sources, Bibi and Bibi’s Israeli/U.S./other loyalists were involved in the planning and execution of 9/11. Bibi’s Israeli intel boys and girls were also present in New York and New Jersey on 9/11/01 – openly filming and celebrating 9/11 events. Bibi now returns to celebrate…
9/11 was intended to lead to the U.S. bombing, invasion and occupation of Iraq, Syria and Iran — and the takeovers of several other countries, as per U.S. General and NATO commander Wesley Clark (retired).
Bibi, U.S. and others installed Morsi as Egyptian president to order the Egyptian military to join the invasion of Syria to oust Bashar al-Assad. Not! When the Egyptian people and military ousted Morsi, then Russia, China & Mideast nations rushed to fill the void.
Such conflicts were designed to escalate into a nuclear World War 3 with Russia and others – in which the U.S. would lose . This is what Trump, others and we confront today – with Flynn no longer present and Netanyahu in town to persuade Trump & Co.
During the presidency of George W. Bush, I was involved in activities related to Iran. See my VT article, “Beavis & Butt-head ‘Do’ Iran – and World War 3.”
In the 2000s, Bibi & GW Bush ‘Did’ Iran. In 2017+, will Bibi & Trump reprise the roles?
Former directors of Israeli military and intelligence groups know the above and that Bibi is not good for Israel or Israelis (or for America). So, they openly opposed Bibi during the last Knesset elections. Regardless, Bibi is Israeli PM; and Bibi controls Israel. In the fairly near future, Israel will probably hold new elections, which Bibi will probably lose.
VT’s recent “Intel Drop” and other VT articles on U.S. elections indicate that U.S. election skewing and rigging were done by Bibi, Bibi loyalists, an international criminal cabal, and U.S. intel and law enforcement agencies in which Bibi and loyalists have much influence. Democrats say ‘Putin and Russians did it!’ Such BS. However: …
If or since a small group of Israeli/Russian/U.S. oligarchs and mafia types may now control Bibi, Putin and Trump (before and after elections), both assertions may be true.
_________
Related Articles:
Beavis & Butt-head ‘Do’ Iran – and World War 3
Intel Drop: Amateur Hour Has Begun
Completing the Criminal Takeover of the United States
The World If Gore Had Won
__


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Pedogate: Michael Cohen Sues Barr, Says he was jailed to silence him on Trump’s pedo problem

VT : it goes 1000 times past Trump ’ s calling Nelson Mandela a “ monkey ” or using the term “ kike.
” Cohen has told us , time and time again , that he silenced 500 people for Trump and Jane Doe was one of them , there were others , all tied to Jeffrey Epstein and the 15 years they spent together , which VT has sources on .
They paid models $ 10,000 to provide cover for them on the days they spent with kids .
New York ’ s mob controlled courts allowed Trump and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imaginary , often at virtual gunpoint , to silence victims .
Dozens have come forward , some of then children , others , perhaps endless others are out there while Qanon provides cover for child trafficking around the world .
Daily Beast : Michael Cohen is suing Attorney General Bill Barr , alleging he was tossed back in prison to stop him from writing a book about his former client , President Donald Trump .
In court papers filed Monday and first reported by Courthouse News , Trump ’ s ex-fixer says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a gag order after he was released from lockup on a furlough because of the coronavirus crisis .
Cohen—who is serving time for his role in hush-money payments to women who said they ’ d had affairs with Trump—tweeted about finishing up the tell-all while on furlough .
But he also visited a restaurant when he was supposed to be on home confinement and ended up in the pages of the New York Post days before he was returned to custody .
“ The First Amendment forbids Respondents from imprisoning Mr. Cohen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the President and for seeking to publish that book soon , ” his petition reads .
Cohen said the American Civil Liberties Union is representing him in the matter .

VT: It goes 1000 times past Trump’s calling Nelson Mandela a “monkey” or using the term “kike.” Cohen has told us, time and time again, that he silenced 500 people for Trump and Jane Doe was one of them, there were others, all tied to Jeffrey Epstein and the 15 years they spent together, which VT has sources on.
They paid models $10,000 to provide cover for them on the days they spent with kids.
New York’s mob controlled courts allowed Trump and Cohen to use non-disclosure agreements, often imaginary, often at virtual gunpoint, to silence victims. Dozens have come forward, some of them children, others, perhaps endless others are out there while Qanon provides cover for child trafficking around the world.
Daily Beast: Michael Cohen is suing Attorney General Bill Barr, alleging he was tossed back in prison to stop him from writing a book about his former client, President Donald Trump.
https://twitter.com/KlasfeldReports/status/1285396815664287750?s=20 Do children really love Trump’s huge rump? Do children really love Trump’s huge rump? In court papers filed Monday and first reported by Courthouse News, Trump’s ex-fixer says the Bureau of Prisons demanded that he agree to a gag order after he was released from lockup on a furlough because of the coronavirus crisis. Cohen—who is serving time for his role in hush-money payments to women who said they’d had affairs with Trump—tweeted about finishing up the tell-all while on furlough. 2016, “Jane Doe” filed a lawsuit on Trump alleging a “savage sexual attack” in 1994, when she was 13, in which he tied her to a bed at Epstein’s house, raped her, and struck her in the face. Corroborated by a witness who claimed to have seen sexual acts on both Trump and Epstein. — Higher Authority (@Just_Gods_word) July 20, 2020 But he also visited a restaurant when he was supposed to be on home confinement and ended up in the pages of the New York Post days before he was returned to custody. It was reported in 2000 that #CreepyTrump was a regular visitor to sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's pedophile rape mansion. https://t.co/ECd2of7u8j — The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 17, 2020 Only took 3 minutes to find this… pic.twitter.com/H84gXuc4Ev — Local Dog Rescue (@localdogrescue) July 20, 2020 “The First Amendment forbids Respondents from imprisoning Mr. Cohen in retaliation for drafting a book about the President and for seeking to publish that book soon,” his petition reads. Cohen said the American Civil Liberties Union is representing him in the matter. In 2016, Trump and Epstein were accused of raping a 13-year-old girl at a private sex party at Epstein's NYC mansion: "The first declaration, signed by Jane Doe herself, detailed Trump’s alleged 'savage sexual attack' on the then-13-year-old plaintiff." https://t.co/llhnBytRaw — The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) July 17, 2020 I have a DIRECT QUESTION : WHY, in the JANE DOE RAPE FILING in JULY 2016 at the SDNY, is TRUMP not publicly linked…. As in that filing by a Jane Doe, who was 13 yrs old at the time her stated filing named TRUMP & EPSTEIN❓ WHY NO MENTION OF TRUMP❓TRUMP ABOVE LAW OF RAPE❓ — Blupeople (@Blupeople1) July 16, 2020 *


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Caught! Trump flew on the Lolita Express on January 5, 1997, during the ‘Pedo-Parade’

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veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Andean Condors Can Soar Without Flapping Their Wings

The Andean Condor Can Soar 100 Miles Without Flapping In the high , arid mountains of Patagonia , an Andean condor managed to travel more than 100 miles without flapping its wings once .
This five-hour ultramarathon flight was recorded during a new study of the massive scavenger ’ s hyper-efficient flight , reports Christina Larson for the Associated Press .
All that efficiency is in the service of keeping all 33 pounds of the world ’ s heaviest soaring bird aloft .
The researchers found that the massive scavengers use their ten-foot wingspans to strategically surf currents of rising @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the bare minimum .
Tiny sensors attached to eight condors revealed that across more than 250 hours in the air the birds spent just one-percent of their flight time flapping .
The study , published this week in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , also found that getting airborne in the first place accounted for a full three-quarters of the condors ’ flapping , reports BBC News .
The condors in the study spent around three hours a day in the air searching the Andes and their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the paper .
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We ask you to Read Our Content Policy so a clear comprehension of VT 's independent non-censored media is understood and given its proper place in the world of news , opinion and media .
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The Andean Condor Can Soar 100 Miles Without Flapping
Alex Fox/Smithsonianmag.com
In the high, arid mountains of Patagonia, an Andean condor managed to travel more than 100 miles without flapping its wings once. This five-hour ultramarathon flight was recorded during a new study of the massive scavenger’s hyper-efficient flight, reports Christina Larson for the Associated Press.
All that efficiency is in the service of keeping all 33 pounds of the world’s heaviest soaring bird aloft. The researchers found that the massive scavengers use their ten-foot wingspans to strategically surf currents of rising air called thermals to reduce costly flapping to the bare minimum. Tiny sensors attached to eight condors revealed that across more than 250 hours in the air the birds spent just one-percent of their flight time flapping.
The study, published this week in the journal the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also found that getting airborne in the first place accounted for a full three-quarters of the condors’ flapping, reports BBC News. The condors in the study spent around three hours a day in the air searching the Andes and their foothills for carcasses to feed on, according to the paper.
Read More:


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Enormous Temples Found at Northern Ireland’s Iron Age Navan Fort

According to popular lore , Navan Fort—a circular earthwork near the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland—was once the seat of the much-mythologized kings of Ulster .
Now , reports Irish radio station RTÉ , archaeologists have discovered evidence of extensive activity at the site , including a vast Iron Age temple complex and residences perhaps occupied by these legendary monarchs during the early medieval era .
The findings , published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology , are “ quite significant , ” study co-author Patrick Gleeson , an archaeologist at Queen ’ s University Belfast , tells RTÉ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ incredibly important place , ” emphasizing both its archaeological value and centrality in famous Irish myths including Táin Bó Cuailainge and the story of Cú Chulainn .
Previously , researchers had thought that Ireland ’ s ancient inhabitants abandoned the site around 95 B.C .
But the newly identified structures extend the fort ’ s history through the first or second millennium A.D. , ensuring it “ is no longer relegated to pre-history , ” says Gleeson .
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Evidence of Enormous Temples Found at Northern Ireland’s Navan Fort
Alex Fox/Smithsonianmag.com
According to popular lore, Navan Fort—a circular earthwork near the city of Armagh in Northern Ireland—was once the seat of the much-mythologized kings of Ulster. Now, reports Irish radio station RTÉ, archaeologists have discovered evidence of extensive activity at the site, including a vast Iron Age temple complex and residences perhaps occupied by these legendary monarchs during the early medieval era.
The findings, published in the Oxford Journal of Archaeology, are “quite significant,” study co-author Patrick Gleeson, an archaeologist at Queen’s University Belfast, tells RTÉ. He describes Navan Fort as an “incredibly important place,” emphasizing both its archaeological value and centrality in famous Irish myths including Táin Bó Cuailainge and the story of Cú Chulainn.
Previously, researchers had thought that Ireland’s ancient inhabitants abandoned the site around 95 B.C. But the newly identified structures extend the fort’s history through the first or second millennium A.D., ensuring it “is no longer relegated to pre-history,” says Gleeson.
Read more:


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--World Methane Emissions Are Still Rising

Global emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane hit an all-time high in 2017 , according to a pair of new studies released this week by researchers with the Global Carbon Project .
Agriculture , landfill waste and fossil fuel production are driving the sharp increase in methane emissions from human activities , reports Maria Temming of Science News .
Though worldwide data is only available through 2017 , the researchers behind the studies say the planet ’ s soaring methane emissions have “ almost certainly ” continued to rise despite this year ’ s temporary coronavirus-related reductions in global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New York Times .
“ The atmosphere does not suggest that anything has slowed down for methane emissions in the last two years , ” Rob Jackson , an environmental scientist at Stanford University and co-author of both studies , tells Science News .
“ If anything , it ’ s possibly speeding up.
” Per Science News , the concentration of methane in Earth ’ s atmosphere increased from 1,857 parts per billion in 2017 to 1,875 parts per billion in 2019 , according to NOAA .
The research ’ s findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Earth System Science Data and Environmental Research Letters , place Earth on a path for the most catastrophic warming scenario outlined by climate models , reports Denise Chow for NBC News .
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World Methane Emissions Hit New High
by Alex Fox/Smithsoniamag.com
Global emissions of the potent greenhouse gas methane hit an all-time high in 2017, according to a pair of new studies released this week by researchers with the Global Carbon Project. Agriculture, landfill waste and fossil fuel production are driving the sharp increase in methane emissions from human activities, reports Maria Temming of Science News.
Though worldwide data is only available through 2017, the researchers behind the studies say the planet’s soaring methane emissions have “almost certainly” continued to rise despite this year’s temporary coronavirus-related reductions in global emissions, reports Hiroko Tabuchi of the New York Times.
“The atmosphere does not suggest that anything has slowed down for methane emissions in the last two years,” Rob Jackson, an environmental scientist at Stanford University and co-author of both studies, tells Science News. “If anything, it’s possibly speeding up.”
Per Science News, the concentration of methane in Earth’s atmosphere increased from 1,857 parts per billion in 2017 to 1,875 parts per billion in 2019, according to NOAA.
The research’s findings, published July 14 in the journals Earth System Science Data and Environmental Research Letters, place Earth on a path for the most catastrophic warming scenario outlined by climate models, reports Denise Chow for NBC News.
Read More:


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--St Louis ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ Lawyers face charges in ‘stick-em-up’ Skit Gone Wrong

VT : We aren ’ t so sure about these folks .
They live in a very restricted neighborhood and their neighbors , according to reports , hate them .
Is that bad ?
They own a mansion built by beer baron cash , a really wonderful home .
They would be home free , despite their stupidity , were it not for Trump latching onto him and the fact that Shitstain Trump is going down for the 3rd time and taking everyone around him down as well .
The Shitstain Trumptard army is now claiming its all a George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really armed , citing as you will see below , a photo of a microphone that is secretly an Israel assassination weapon .
( See that Kevin Costner film ) Guardian : A white couple who pointed guns at protesters marching against racial injustice outside their mansion will face criminal charges , the city ’ s top prosecutor announced on Monday .
Mark and Patricia McCloskey , both personal injury attorneys in their 60s , will be charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a threatening manner – that is unlawful in the city of St Louis , ” the circuit attorney Kim Gardner told the Associated Press on Monday , arguing that the couples ’ actions risked creating a violent situation during an otherwise non-violent protest .
“ We must protect the right to peacefully protest , and any attempt to chill it through intimidation will not be tolerated , ” Gardner said in a statement .
Check out this fake tweet , trying to tell us a microphone is a gun : While the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McCloskeys said she was “ open to recommending ” that the McCloskeys participate in a diversion program designed “ to reduce unnecessary involvement with the courts ” , the case is likely to fuel continued partisan debate over gun rights and racial violence .
Supporters of the McCloskeys said they were legally defending their $ 1.15m home .
( Where I live , that home would be $ 5m .
Perhaps they are undertaxed , undervaluated ? )
An attorney for the couple , Joel Schwartz , in a statement called the decision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believe no crime was committed ” .
St Louis , like many cities across the country , has seen demonstrations in the weeks since George Floyd ’ s death in Minneapolis .
The incident in question took place on 28 June , when several hundred people were marching to the home of the Democratic mayor , Lyda Krewson , a few blocks from the McCloskeys ’ home .

Prosecutor says actions of Mark and Patricia McCloskey’s actions led to risk of violence
VT: We aren’t so sure about these folks. They live in a very restricted neighborhood and their neighbors, according to reports, hate them. Is that bad?
They own a mansion built by beer baron cash, a really wonderful home. They would be home free, despite their stupidity, were it not for Trump latching onto them and the fact that Shitstain Trump is going down for the 3rd time and taking everyone around him down as well.
The Shitstain Trumptard army is now claiming it’s all a George Soros plot, and that the demonstrators were really armed, citing as you will see below, a photo of a microphone that is secretly an Israeli assassination weapon. (See that Kevin Costner film)
Update: via Russia Today – 12:32pm EST:
Missouri’s attorney general is seeking to dismiss felony gun charges brought against a husband and wife who aimed firearms at protesters outside their St. Louis mansion, insisting the couple had a right to defend their home.
State AG Eric Schmitt took to Twitter on Monday night with a video statement and a lengthy series of posts, arguing the case against Mark and Patricia McCloskey – which included a felony firearms charge as well as misdemeanor assault – “threatens to intimidate and deter law-abiding citizens from exercising their constitutional right of self-defense.” “The right to defend one’s person, family, home and property has deep roots in Missouri law. Self-defense is the central component of the right to keep and bear arms, which receives the highest protection from the MO Constitution,” wrote Schmitt, adding that he’d filed a pair of briefs to dismiss the charges. In fact, this political prosecution sends a powerful and dangerous message: You exercise [your] right to keep and bear arms at your own peril. If you do, you may find yourself in prison. ~ Guardian: A white couple who pointed guns at protesters marching against racial injustice outside their mansion will face criminal charges, the city’s top prosecutor announced on Monday. 1/ Statement from Circuit Attorney Kimberly M. Gardner – Today my office filed charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey following an incident involving peaceful, unarmed protesters on June 28th. Full statement below: pic.twitter.com/zPucQ3MHs5 — Circuit Attorney (@stlcao) July 20, 2020 Mark and Patricia McCloskey, both personal injury attorneys in their 60s, will be charged with felony unlawful use of a weapon and a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault. UPDATE: St. Louis Couple Charged for Pulling Guns at Protest.
Circuit Atty. Kim Gardner announced the charges against Mark and Patricia McCloskey. They also face a misdemeanor charge of fourth-degree assault.https://t.co/1NXBTQVw2U — Shomari Stone (@shomaristone) July 20, 2020 “It is illegal to wave weapons in a threatening manner – that is unlawful in the city of St Louis,” the circuit attorney Kim Gardner told the Associated Press on Monday, arguing that the couples’ actions risked creating a violent situation during an otherwise non-violent protest. The McCloskey's have not been treated like they are American citizens! Something is wrong here.https://t.co/5S03uOk2Mc — David J Harris Jr (@DavidJHarrisJr) July 20, 2020 “We must protect the right to peacefully protest, and any attempt to chill it through intimidation will not be tolerated,” Gardner said in a statement. Check out this fake tweet, trying to tell us a microphone is a gun: Check out the things she let happen during the Micheal Brown killing in Ferguson, mo. She even walked with BLM. And also a member of BLM pulled a gun on Mrs. McCloskey but the fake news didn't show that! pic.twitter.com/8FHnogYETq — Vickii Oldham (@OldhamVickii) July 18, 2020 While the prosecutor who announced the charges against the McCloskeys said she was “open to recommending” that the McCloskeys participate in a diversion program designed “to reduce unnecessary involvement with the courts”, the case is likely to fuel continued partisan debate over gun rights and racial violence. Supporters of the McCloskeys said they were legally defending their $1.15m home. (Where I live, that home would be $5m. Perhaps they are undertaxed, undervaluated?) ➡ “The couple, Mark and Patricia McCloskey, were charged on Monday by the Circuit Attorney’s Office in St. Louis with unlawful use of a weapon, exhibiting. The charge is a Class E felony that carries a possible penalty of up to four years in prison.” https://t.co/PbnrSZj986 — Katie Phang (@KatiePhang) July 21, 2020 An attorney for the couple, Joel Schwartz, in a statement called the decision to charge “disheartening as I unequivocally believe no crime was committed”. St Louis, like many cities across the country, has seen demonstrations in the weeks since George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis. The incident in question took place on 28 June, when several hundred people were marching to the home of the Democratic mayor, Lyda Krewson, a few blocks from the McCloskeys’ home.


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--Trump Blocks CDC From Testifying At Hearing for Reopening Schools

Health Editor ’ s Note : Making sure schools reopen in the fall is one of the top items on Trump ’ s ‘ Hate Americans ” wish list .
Yes , I said that…hate .
He has to hate us or he would be listening to all the medical input he can get to try to halt this COVID-19 run away wildfire .
Trump thinks sending kids back to school , creating a sense of normalization , will help his poll numbers .
Re-opening schools is first about the safety of children and teachers , and then about our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children to return to school , because well , some children do not already know how to read and write or need more educational help than an already over-stressed/worked/and not prepared for teaching parent can provide at home .
Trump excluded scientific/medical knowledge from the beginning of this pandemic and he continues to do so , even though the numbers of cases and deaths mount in terrifying numbers daily .
Other countries have embraced medical/scientific knowledge and they have a fraction of the cases and deaths that the U.S. has….Carol White House blocks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week The White House is blocking US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield and other officials from the agency from testifying before a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on reopening schools next week , just as the debate over sending children back to classrooms has flared up across the US .
White House officials informed the committee of its decision in an email , a staff member on the House panel told CNN .
“ Dr .
Redfield has testified on the Hill at least four times over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our doctors focused on the pandemic response , ” a White House official said , confirming the decision to block the CDC ’ s participation in the hearing .
But a spokesman for the House Education and Labor Committee said the panel had requested testimony from any CDC official , not necessarily Redfield .
“ We asked for anyone at CDC who could testify at the hearing .
The invite was not for Dr. Redfield or no one , ” the official said .
House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding how scientists would manage the reopening of US schools .
“ It is alarming that the Trump administration is preventing …read more :

Health Editor’s Note: Making sure schools reopen in the fall is one of the top items on Trump’s ‘Hate Americans” wish list. Yes, I said that…hate. He has to hate us or he would be listening to all the medical input he can get to try to halt this COVID-19 run away wildfire. Trump thinks sending kids back to school, creating a sense of normalization, will help his poll numbers.
Re-opening schools is first about the safety of children and teachers, and then about our nation. Yes, we would want children to return to school, because well, some children do not already know how to read and write or need more educational help than an already over-stressed/worked/and not prepared for teaching parent can provide at home.
Trump excluded scientific/medical knowledge from the beginning of this pandemic and he continues to do so, even though the numbers of cases and deaths mount in terrifying numbers daily. Other countries have embraced medical/scientific knowledge and they have a fraction of the cases and deaths that the U.S. has….Carol
White House blocks CDC from testifying on reopening schools next week
by Jim Acosta/CNN (CNN) The White House is blocking US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Robert Redfield and other officials from the agency from testifying before a House Education and Labor Committee hearing on reopening schools next week, just as the debate over sending children back to classrooms has flared up across the US. White House officials informed the committee of its decision in an email, a staff member on the House panel told CNN. “Dr. Redfield has testified on the Hill at least four times over the last three months. We need our doctors focused on the pandemic response,” a White House official said, confirming the decision to block the CDC’s participation in the hearing. But a spokesman for the House Education and Labor Committee said the panel had requested testimony from any CDC official, not necessarily Redfield. “We asked for anyone at CDC who could testify at the hearing. The invite was not for Dr. Redfield or no one,” the official said. House Education and Labor Chairman Bobby Scott said the testimony from CDC officials is critical to understanding how scientists would manage the reopening of US schools. “It is alarming that the Trump administration is preventing …read more:
Carol graduated from Riverside White Cross School of Nursing in Columbus, Ohio and received her diploma as a registered nurse. She attended Bowling Green State University where she received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and Literature. She attended the University of Toledo, College of Nursing, and received a Master’s of Nursing Science Degree as an Educator. She has traveled extensively, is a photographer, and writes on medical issues. Carol has three children RJ, Katherine, and Stephen – one daughter-in-law; Katie – two granddaughters; Isabella Marianna and Zoe Olivia – and one grandson, Alexander Paul. She also shares her life with her husband Gordon Duff, many cats, and two rescues. Carol’s Archives 2009-2013


veteranstoday--2020-07-22--Top Ohio lawmaker jailed for $60m election rigging kickback scheme, radiation leaks, mob hits, so co

Top Ohio lawmaker jailed for $60m election rigging kickback scheme, radiation leaks, mob hits, so cool!!

A $ 60 million kickback on a $ 2 billion payoff to a corrupt Ohio utility that runs the most dangerous nuclear plant in the world has led a trail of corruption to a series of rigged elections including one that put Shitstain in the White House .
[ Editor ’ s Note : The plot thickens .
The list here is growing , and could lead to more cases and charges of bribery corruption as once it gets started it grows and grows .
A former Ohio Republican Party chairman , Matt Borges lobbied for that nuclear energy bailout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two power plants – called FirstEnergy Solutions at the time and now named Energy Harbor .
Inquiring minds will be asking if this Repub SuperPac was another scam to suck money into a Biden effort as party of a dirty tricks plan .
Expect more arrests as the FBI will want have everyone rounded up as part of plea deals .
Those that talk first get the best deals .
“ He made headlines just last month for announcing he would be voting for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and creating a PAC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was ensnared in a bribery scandal in 2004 , when he was working with then-Ohio Treasurer Joe Deters , now Hamilton County ’ s prosecutor .
He admitted funneling contributions to Deters ’ campaign from donors seeking to do business with the treasurer ’ s office and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge .
” …from the Cincinnati Inquirer .
As Gordon has often hinted , the State Houses can be cesspools of political corruption when one party gets control as they feel with enough money that always will be , so the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday were four lobbyists and Republican operatives : • None • Neil Clark , founder of Grant Street Consultants and once called by USA Today “ one of the best connected lobbyists in Columbus ” ; • Juan Cespedes , co-founder of The Oxley Group in Columbus ; • Generation Now Ohio , a nonprofit that federal prosecutors link to Longstreth and Householder , also faces racketeering charges.
” “ This is likely the largest bribery , money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio , ” said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will lead the prosecution of the case .
“ This was bribery , plain and simple .
This was a quid pro quo .
This was pay to play.
” If you were suspicious that political corruption was going on all over the country like this , and for many years , you might be right .
One of the first places to start will be Trump winning the state in 2016 .
Was this gang , and that is the only way to describe them , doing similar scams to pad the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ W. Dean ] Daily Beast : Ohio ’ s top state lawmaker conspired to funnel tens of millions of dollars from the state ’ s electric utility to his political allies in order to consolidate power over the state legislature and shepherd through a $ 1.5 billion bailout for the utility ’ s nuclear power plants , federal prosecutors alleged on Tuesday .
The FBI arrested Ohio speaker Larry Household , a Republican , and four alleged co-conspirators and leveled charges of racketeering and bribery related to the scheme .
At a press @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David DeVillers called it “ likely the largest bribery [ and ] money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio.
” At the center of the scheme was Householder , who prosecutors say used a nonprofit “ dark money ” group called Generation Now to funnel money from the utility , First Energy , into state-level political contests .
Householder ’ s goals , DeVillers said , were to pass and preserve a contentious bill to bail out two FirstEnergy nuclear plants , and “ to build a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his arrest , Ohio Gov .
Mike DeWine called on the speaker to “ resign immediately.
” “ I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing issued today by the U.S. Attorney ’ s Office .
Every American has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty , ” DeWine tweeted Tuesday .
“ Because of the nature of these charges , it will be impossible for Speaker Householder to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives ; therefore , I am calling on Speaker Householder to resign immediately .
This is a @ @ @ @ @ @

A $60 million kickback on a $2 billion payoff to a corrupt Ohio utility that runs the most dangerous nuclear plant in the world has led a trail of corruption to a series of rigged elections including one that put Shitstain in the White House.
The 2004 election was rigged for Bush when the same people stole $50 million from the Ohio state employees pension fund, gave it to a GOP coin dealer, friend and business partner of those arrested today (Tom Noe, a former neighbor, still in jail). Noe bought Madonna’s bra for supposedly $50m, took millions for himself then kicked the rest back.
When the Feds came after them, like today, going after the GOP vote rigger computer guru, there was a mysterious plane crash:
https://www.veteranstodayarchives.com/2010/02/15/bush-cheney-cyber-mans-air-crash-gets-spookier/25/
Matt Borges
[ Editor’s Note: The plot thickens. The list is growing and could lead to more cases and charges of bribery corruption, as once it gets started it grows.
A former Ohio Republican Party chairman, Matt Borges lobbied for that nuclear energy bailout, representing the company that owns the two power plants – called FirstEnergy Solutions at the time and now named Energy Harbor.
Inquiring minds will be asking if this Repub SuperPac was another scam to suck money into a Biden effort as party to a dirty tricks plan. Expect more arrests, as the FBI will want to have everyone rounded up as part of plea deals. Those that talk first get the best deals.
“He made headlines just last month for announcing he would be voting for Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and creating a PAC to help defeat President Trump.
Borges was ensnared in a bribery scandal in 2004, when he was working with then-Ohio Treasurer Joe Deters, now Hamilton County’s prosecutor. He admitted funneling contributions to Deters’ campaign from donors seeking to do business with the treasurer’s office and pled guilty to a misdemeanor charge. ” …from the Cincinnati Inquirer.
As Gordon has often hinted, the State Houses can be cesspools of political corruption when one party gets control, as they feel with enough money they can retain control, so the go for the gold.
Also charged Tuesday were four lobbyists and Republican operatives:
Matthew Borges, former Ohio Republican Party chair and consultant; Neil Clark, founder of Grant Street Consultants and once called by USA Today “one of the best connected lobbyists in Columbus”; Juan Cespedes, co-founder of The Oxley Group in Columbus; Jeffrey Longstreth, adviser to Householder; Generation Now Ohio, a nonprofit that federal prosecutors link to Longstreth and Householder, also faces racketeering charges.”
“This is likely the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio,” said U.S. Attorney David DeVillers, whose office will lead the prosecution of the case. “This was bribery, plain and simple. This was a quid pro quo. This was pay to play.”
If you were suspicious that political corruption was going on all over the country like this, and for many years, you might be right. One of the first places to start would be Trump winning Ohio in 2016. Was this gang, and that is the only way to describe them, doing similar scams to pad the vote with their generosity? … Jim W. Dean ]
~
Larry Householder was picked up at his home in the countryside
Daily Beast: Ohio’s top state lawmaker conspired to funnel tens of millions of dollars from the state’s electric utility to his political allies in order to consolidate power over the state legislature and shepherd through a $1.5 billion bailout for the utility’s nuclear power plants, federal prosecutors alleged on Tuesday.
The FBI arrested Ohio speaker Larry Household, a Republican, and four alleged co-conspirators and leveled charges of racketeering and bribery related to the scheme. At a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, U.S. Attorney David DeVillers called it “likely the largest bribery [and] money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio.”
BREAKING: The Ohio House Speaker has been arrested by the FBI due to a multi-million dollar bribery His arrest is related to a bill passed a year ago that provided coal/nuclear plant bailouts and gutted renewable energy requirements https://t.co/CK19HDCqJr — Sunrise Movement 🌅 (@sunrisemvmt) July 21, 2020
At the center of the scheme was Householder, who prosecutors say used a nonprofit “dark money” group called Generation Now to funnel money from the utility, First Energy, into state-level political contests. Householder’s goals, DeVillers said, were to pass and preserve a contentious bill to bail out two FirstEnergy nuclear plants, and “to build a power base for Larry Householder.”
The investigation centers on House Bill 6, the $1 billion-plus ratepayer bailout of two Ohio nuclear power plants that Householder helped push through last year with the help of millions in dark money, according to the Toledo Blade. https://t.co/YmGr5y2aji — Adam Goldman (@adamgoldmanNYT) July 21, 2020
After his arrest, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine called on the speaker to “resign immediately.”
The outrageous Ohio bill that bailed out coal & nuclear plants while shafting renewables and energy efficiency makes a lot more sense as part of a $60M bribery scheme between First Energy and the House speaker. https://t.co/5j3Ekzo6OT — Michael Grunwald (@MikeGrunwald) July 21, 2020
“I am deeply concerned about the allegations of wrongdoing issued today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Every American has the presumption of innocence until proven guilty,” DeWine tweeted Tuesday. “Because of the nature of these charges, it will be impossible for Speaker Householder to effectively lead the Ohio House of Representatives; therefore, I am calling on Speaker Householder to resign immediately. This is a sad day for Ohio.”
First Energy stock drops 17% today on news of company's ties to $60 million bribery scheme for Ohio nuclear bailout pic.twitter.com/3OtrAciPF3 — Matt Wright Fox 8 (@mattwrighttv) July 21, 2020
*


veteranstoday--2020-07-22--Pedogate: Michael Cohen Sues Barr, Says he was jailed to silence him on Trump’s pedo problem


veteranstoday--2020-07-22--Mattingly: Bibi, Trump, Assad, Saddam & Fink’s Bar (the shocking truth behind COVID 19)

VT : We have been reminded that this piece from Thomas Mattingly points the finger at Israel for the current state of affairs in the US , near civil war , armed gangs of fake prison guards waiting to be deployed to block an election and a suicidal civil insurrection by MKUltra zombie Trumptards .
Read why… Why the U.S. did not remove Saddam Hussein from Iraq during the First Gulf War has affected all U.S.-Mideast policy since 1990 .
U.S. President GHW Bush brought a broad coalition of Muslim/Mideast , European and other militaries to Iraq – the largest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – to oust Saddam .
Why did the U.S. succeed ?
Syria ’ s Assad supported President Bush , as per Bush ’ s request .
Syrian head of state Hafez al-Assad , father of 2014-elected Syrian president Bashar al-Assad , supported the U.S. by sending armored divisions to Iraq to oust Saddam Hussein .
However , after the largest bombing campaign since Vietnam , Saddam Hussein survived in Iraq .
Why ?
Who wanted Saddam in Iraq ?
The answers are complex ; but for now , we can say this : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netanyahu and his loyalists – as a balance to Iran .
In U.S. President Bill Clinton ’ s later years ( 1997+ ) , ‘ Clean Break ’ project experts at Project for a New American Century revisited the Saddam/Iraq issue and sought amends .
After U.S. and others destroyed Iraq with Gulf War 1 and US/UN-Iraq sanctions ( while leaving Saddam in place ) , Bibi and his loyalists ( NeoCons+ ) needed a reason for U.S. to remain in Mideast , since Iraq was no longer a threat to Iran .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Recently and now , Bibi/Israel , GW Bush , Obama , Hillary , Trump and Putin need Russia and U.S. to remain in Iraq and/or Syria .
If not , then ‘ raison d ’ être ’ … Since 1997+ , the U.S. has needed permanent war to justify its existence in the Mideast .
Prior to and after October 2015 , both Russia and the U.S. needed IS/Daesh .
Otherwise , their presence in Mideast would be unnecessary .
Other Mideast terrorists were a bonus .
As constitutional and national security crises @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 9/11 history and Mideast+ conflicts again rear their ugly heads .
To know “ What ’ s Next ?
” and to avoid World War 3 , President Donald Trump and others may need to know how the U.S. arrived at today .
Otherwise , Trump and others will repeat the history that they do not know .
In two Gulf wars and otherwise , current Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin ( “ Bibi ” ) Netanyahu and others played a significant role in this history .
Let us return now to Bibi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1990 , after returning to Israel and after being Israel ’ s UN ambassador in New York , and before the First Gulf War , Bibi Netanyahu was in Jerusalem at Fink ’ s Bar – dining and drinking with high level U.S. Embassy staff and others .
Bibi and his loyalist group at a Fink ’ s Bar private table in Jerusalem had just stolen five ( 5 ) NSA-developed KG-84A cryptographic devices in Golan Heights ( with help from Canadians serving with the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization ) , giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to U.S. State Department , U.S. Navy and NATO communications .
This is what Bibi Netanyahu said while sitting at the head of that private table in Fink ’ s Bar ( transcribed from a secretly recorded audio of Netanyahu at that meeting – words that few Americans , Israelis or others have seen or heard until today ) : “ If we get caught , they will just replace us with persons of the same cloth .
So , it does not matter what you do .
America is a golden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dry , chop it up , and sell it off piece by piece until there is nothing left but the world ’ s biggest welfare state that we will create and control .
Why ?
Because it is the will of God , and America is big enough to take the hit ; so , we can do it again and again and again .
This is what we do to countries that we hate .
We destroy them very slowly and make them suffer for refusing to be our slaves.
” [ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a debriefing . ]
During Bibi ’ s pre-1988 time in the U.S. as Israel ’ s UN ambassador , Bibi was also Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard ’ s “ handler ” for others in Israel , as per VT staff who worked closely with President GHW Bush and his National Security Council .
Then and afterwards , Bibi was also a spy for USSR and Russia , as per VT sources .
Thanks to Bibi , U.S. intel stolen by Pollard also went to Russia .
That ’ s what U.S. intel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TS+ ) .
In 1984 , during the Iran/Iraq War , Israel bombed Iraq ’ s nuclear facilities at Osirak – supposedly to protect Israel from a nuclear attack by Iraq .
However , during the war , if Saddam had a nuclear weapon , Iraq ’ s first target would have been Iran – not Israel .
So , Israel may have protected Iran ( for which some Iranians are begrudgingly grateful ) .
During the Iran/Iraq War ( 1980-88 ) , some/many Israelis , Americans and others were saying , ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But before , during and after the war , Bibi ’ s loyalists needed a strong Saddam in Iraq as a continuing enemy of Iran , which was and is Israel ’ s most powerful economic and geopolitical rival in the Mideast .
So , Bibi and his ‘ visionary ’ loyalists did not want Saddam to be removed during the 1991 First Gulf War .
President George H.W .
Bush learned of the Israeli espionage and theft of NSA KG-84A encryption devices during the First Gulf War , noting that America would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war .
As Bibi and his Israeli/Russian/U.S .
loyalists wished , the U.S. then pulled out of Iraq earlier than planned — leaving Saddam in place ( 1991+ ) .
During the First Gulf War ( +/-96 hours ) , an implicit/explicit risk was this : Had Saddam been removed , with subsequent U.S. occupation of Iraq , the occupation would be a foundation for orchestrating geopolitical confrontations that would escalate into WW3 ( nuclear+ ) – with careful ‘ guidance ’ in Washington and Moscow to ensure the result .
Above is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not remove Saddam during the First Gulf War .
The above events influenced all subsequent history in the Mideast .
President Donald J. Trump , former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and Trump ’ s continuing military and foreign policy advisers may or may not know this history .
The above vulnerabilities , combined with spying by Hansen and Pollard ( both working for Israel+ ) and by others more successfully protected by AIPAC , made 9/11 possible – by ensuring that America ’ s enemies had daily access to decryption keys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ others now know the source of the U.S. nuke weapon launch codes openly conveyed to White House switchboard operators on September 11 , 2001 .
By 2001 , one of the above espionage suspects would assume a U.S. cabinet post ; one would become the president ’ s chief counter-terrorism advisor ; and another would be special envoy to Afghanistan during the initial stages of the US-Afghan War .
Their close cohorts continue to control the New York field office of the FBI until this very day ( including 2016 U.S. elections ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security .
We call them “ the usual suspects.
” Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin ( “ Bibi ” ) Netanyahu will visit President Donald J. Trump and the White House on February 15 ( today ) .
Trump ’ s son-in-law and special advisor Jared Kushner has played and will play a role in Trump ’ s relations with Bibi and Israel – as will Trump ’ s Chief Strategist Steve Bannon , who has an office near Bibi in Israel .
In VT ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bannon and Kushner as follows : “ We are going to take things on with a rough attempt at stating their importance , the biggest disaster is Steve Bannon and Jared Kushner ; Kushner is a pig-skinned little toad with an Israeli passport who served in the IDF .
He is one of the most unremarkable people on earth , the talent and intellect Uber missed his pickup spot .
He is the primary advisor to the President of the United States in areas of national security , behind him is Benjamin Netanyahu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Netanyahu both despises the United States and is utterly insane is not paying attention .
“ Then we have Steve Bannon , a failed blogger and a real Jew hater who sees himself as the ultimate American tough guy ; no military experience , a potty mouth and a long history of screaming at people in line at Starbucks .
Like Kushner , Bannon has spent his life as a toad and ass kisser.
” On Trump ’ s National Security Council , Bannon displaced Trump ’ s Joint Chiefs of Staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Intelligence , who are now “ optional.
” Bannon and Kushner were two of a small number involved in decision-making processes on Trump ’ s failed Yemen raid ( which killed one or more U.S. special forces soldiers and an indeterminate number of Yemeni women and children ) – with questionable results , at best .
A slightly more sane National Security Adviser to Trump ( retired Marine Corps General Michael Flynn ) will no longer be present as Trump ’ s counter-insanity adviser .
Given the truth of the above claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VT ’ s “ Intel Drop ” may have sardonically engaged in significant understatement .
Too harsh by half ?
After 9/11 , Netanyahu told Israeli media outlets that the events of 9/11 had helped Israel to get U.S. President George W. Bush , the U.S. military and others to ‘ wake up to what Israelis face every day.
’ As usual , mainstream media ignored Bibi ’ s 9/11 cheerleading .
As per firsthand knowledge and investigations by VT authors , staff and sources , Bibi and Bibi ’ s Israeli/U.S./other loyalists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 9/11 .
Bibi ’ s Israeli intel boys and girls were also present in New York and New Jersey on 9/11/01 – openly filming and celebrating 9/11 events .
Bibi now returns to celebrate… 9/11 was intended to lead to the U.S. bombing , invasion and occupation of Iraq , Syria and Iran — and the takeovers of several other countries , as per U.S. General and NATO commander Wesley Clark ( retired ) .
Bibi , U.S. and others installed Morsi as Egyptian president to order the Egyptian military to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ al-Assad .
Not !
When the Egyptian people and military ousted Morsi , then Russia , China & Mideast nations rushed to fill the void .
Such conflicts were designed to escalate into a nuclear World War 3 with Russia and others – in which the U.S. would .
This is what Trump , others and we confront today – with Flynn no longer present and Netanyahu in town to persuade Trump & Co. During the presidency of George W. Bush , I was involved in activities related to Iran .
See my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Butt-head ‘ Do ’ Iran – and World War 3.
” In the 2000s , Bibi & GW Bush ‘ Did ’ Iran .
In 2017+ , will Bibi & Trump reprise the roles ?
Former directors of Israeli military and intelligence groups know the above that Bibi is not good for Israel or Israelis ( or for America ) .
So , they openly opposed Bibi during the last Knesset elections .
Regardless , Bibi is Israeli PM ; and Bibi controls Israel .
In the fairly near future , Israel will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will probably lose .
VT ’ s recent “ Intel Drop ” and other VT articles on U.S. elections indicate that U.S. election skewing and rigging were done by Bibi , Bibi loyalists , an international criminal cabal , and U.S. intel and law enforcement agencies in which Bibi and loyalists have much influence .
Democrats say ‘ Putin and Russians did it !
’ Such BS .
However : … If or since a small group of Israeli/Russian/U.S .
oligarchs and mafia types may now control Bibi , Putin and Trump ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assertions may be true .
Completing the Criminal Takeover of the United States The World If Gore Had Won


veteranstoday--2020-07-21--NEO – Saudi Arabia: Ambitious plans versus facts on the ground

by Viktor Mikhin , …with New Eastern Outlook , Moscow , …and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences , a research institution for the study of the countries and cultures of Asia and North Africa .
[ Editor ’ s Note : The Saudi mega-project scheme had always been a pie in the sky one conceived by the overabundance of Saudis who consider themselves the best spenders .
This is because the society has a culture that abhors work , as it has the stigma of slavery to it .
Hence you have the 10,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evaporated over night would actually free the country from slavery , but I don ’ t think the Royal family will be hiring me any time soon to write a series of articles on the subject .
Saudi Arabia ’ s huge oil reserves have been both a blessing and a curse .
They created a tax free economy as the government had the huge revenues to pay for it huge government , and for all those that did not like to work , armies if modern slaves were brought in to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about the future as they thought they were sitting on an endless pot of gold , but have now learned that the Royal Family is not in the league of the Federal Reserve , thank goodness , as one is enough .
Then we have the coronavirus pandemic that has also slashed one of its huge foreign exchange cash cows , the annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy sites , and a bleeding wound war in Yemen that has become Prince Salman ’ s Soviet war in Afghanistan and its US war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the Prince for several months now , despite the upheaval of the virus there at it economic turmoil .
This futuristic dream of doubling the size of the capital has a strong whiff of a diversion from what its real future might be… Jim W. Dean ] Jim 's Editor ’ s Notes are solely crowdfunded via PayPal Jim 's work includes research , field trips , Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more .
Thanks for helping .
Click to donate > > Saudi Arabia has announced plans to implement an ambitious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the size of Riyadh in the next decade , and at transforming the capital into an economic , social and cultural hub in the Persian Gulf region .
The ambitious strategy was presented by Fahd Al-Rasheed , the President of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City , ahead of this year ’ s key high-level meetings between leaders of G20 and of the commission responsible for the urban , economic , social , and cultural development of the capital city of Saudi Arabia .
“ Riyadh is already a very important economic engine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s already very successful , the plan now , under Vision 2030 , is to actually take that way further , to double the population to 15 million people , ” Fahd Al-Rasheed told Arab News .
“ We ’ ve already launched 18 megaprojects in the city , worth over SR1 trillion , over $ 250 billion , to both improve livability and deliver much higher economic growth so we can create jobs and double the population in 10 years .
It ’ s a significant plan and the whole city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he added .
In the next few years , 7 million trees will be planted in Riyadh , despite its arid climate , and once completed , King Salman Park is expected to be bigger than Hyde Park in London .
All of these plans sound really promising and it would be easy to share in the enthusiasm of our Saudi partners in the oil industry .
Unfortunately , the current reality is not as rosy and “ plots of the folk tales One Thousand and One Nights ” often change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ground .
Although Fahd Al-Rasheed talked about Saudi Vision 2030 , few in the Kingdom appear to concern themselves with the strategy .
And it is not that the Saudi leadership does not wish to transform the Kingdom into a heavenly place , but that they simply lack money for even the nation ’ s basic necessities and have to save money in every sphere .
Hence , it is far more sensible to forget the unrealistic plans for the time being .
Of course , it is pure joy to live and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but to do so a country needs to have a robust economy and high earnings , as it did earlier .
The poorly thought through and formulated oil strategy , which Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud has been trying to implement , has had a strong negative impact on all the oil producing nations , and especially on Saudi Arabia .
As a result , the Saudi leadership was forced to come back down to Earth and start saving money in every possible sphere .
So for now , Saudi Vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cope with the hardship , Saudi Arabia tripled its value-added tax ( VAT ) rate starting on July 1 , and suspended a cost of living allowance from June as part of cost-cutting programs to counter the severe economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the sudden fall in oil prices .
Approximately 1.5 million state employees are affected by the latter measure .
The cost of living allowance was a monthly payment of 1,000 riyals ( $ 267 ) introduced by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2018 “ to help @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a rise in the price of petrol ” .
The Kingdom ’ s “ central bank foreign exchange reserves fell in March at their fastest rate in at least 20 years ” , reaching their lowest levels since 2011 , while Saudi Arabia ’ s budget deficit hit $ 9 billion in the first quarter of 2020 as oil revenues collapsed .
The news outlet Middle East Eye reported that in January 2015 , when Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became king , the country ’ s “ foreign reserves totaled $ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority , these reserves had been diminished to $ 499 billion by December 2019 , and they have since continued to decrease .
The Kingdom has sustained considerable financial losses and damage to its reputation , because it was forced to temporarily suspend entry for foreigners for pilgrimage to the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina .
Saudi Arabia ’ s Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan ruefully said that “ the global economic crisis associated with the Coronavirus pandemic ” had led to three major shocks to the Saudi @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall in oil prices “ leading to a sharp decline in ” the kingdom ’ s revenues .
The second stemmed from “ the preventive measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19 , leading to the suspension of many economic activities ” , which in turn took a toll on non-oil revenues .
The third shock was caused “ by the rising expenditure on the health sector to deal with the rising number of Covid-19 patients ” .
“ The challenges combined have led to a decline in government revenues and pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard to counter without harming the kingdom ’ s macroeconomics and public finances in the medium and long term , ” Mohammed Al-Jadaan said .
“ Therefore , a further reduction in expenditures is a must , along with measures to stabilize non-oil revenues , ” added the Minister of Finance .
Incidentally , Mohammed Al-Jadaan appears to have forgotten to mention the vast sums of money the power-hungry Crown Prince has wasted .
Seemingly on autopilot , he spent enormous amounts to oust the democratically elected President of Syria Bashar al-Assad .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saud allegedly continues to provide financial support to militants occupying Syria ’ s Idlib Governorate , thus contributing to the delay in finding a resolution to the complex Syrian conflict .
It was at the Crown Prince ’ s initiative that Saudi Arabia spearheaded a coalition that intervened in the civil war in the brotherly nation of Yemen , resulting in death and destruction in this impoverished nation .
Such a military undertaking requires a considerable amount of money , something that the Kingdom ’ s budget is in dire need of .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ tensions with Iran , seemingly failing to comprehend the simple fact that the West , while appearing to support Saudi Arabia , is actually following its favorite divide and conquer strategy and thus strengthening its position in this important region of the world .
In addition , outdated US weapons are being sold for too high a price to the Kingdom .
In fact , Saudi Arabia has accumulated more military equipment and arms than its army needs .
And do Saudi “ falcons ” really expect to emerge victorious from a confrontation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffer defeats at the hands of poor Yemeni inhabitants , who are still mainly fighting with Soviet armaments ?
Plus another question arises : “ Why did Saudi Arabia spoil its relationship with Qatar and impose tough sanctions ( as American are prone to do ) against this small nation ?
” .
It appears that the answer is “ Just for the fun of it.
” Consequences of Crown Prince ’ s poorly thought through policies are being felt even today .
In fact , there is still a risk of new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and further financial losses for everyone and especially the Kingdom .
Media outlets and experts have been reporting about yet another rivalry on world markets .
Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell its oil at a discount to undercut Nigeria and Angola for their non-compliance with production cuts , agreed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries ( OPEC ) and its allies .
The tough stance taken by the Kingdom , with its world ’ s largest crude oil production capacity , may lead to yet another oil price war , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We know who your customers are , ” Saudi Arabia ’ s Minister of Energy reportedly told the representatives of Nigeria and Angola , which count China and India as their biggest clients .
However , India is still in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic , hence its economy has not recovered as yet .
Riyadh ’ s only hope is China , which receives unlimited supplies of cheap oil and gas from Russia via pipelines .
It is quite clear that Moscow has no plans to reduce supplies of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Saudi leadership , therefore , has no other choice but to stop and think long and hard before taking any rash decisions .
The world has changed and Saudi Arabia is no longer the only leader on the global oil market .
Still , Riyadh ’ s officials are free to continue talking about their ambitious plans , but realizing them requires vast sums of money , which the Kingdom simply does not have in its budget at present .
And without financial backing , all of these hopes and dreams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Arabian Desert , which disappears as soon as one tries to take a closer look at it .
Victor Mikhin , member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences , specially for the online magazine “ New Eastern Outlook “ .

by Viktor Mikhin, …with New Eastern Outlook, Moscow,…and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, a research institution for the study of the countries and cultures of Asia and North Africa.
[ Editor’s Note: The Saudi mega-project scheme had always been a pie in the sky one conceived by the overabundance of Saudis who consider themselves the best spenders.
This is because the society has a culture that abhors work, as it has the stigma of slavery to it. Hence you have the 10,000 parasite princes and princesses who if they evaporated over night would actually free the country from slavery, but I don’t think the Royal family will be hiring me any time soon to write a series of articles on the subject.
Saudi Arabia’s huge oil reserves have been both a blessing and a curse. They created a tax free economy as the government had the huge revenues to pay for it huge government, and for all those that did not like to work, armies if modern slaves were brought in to take care of that.
No one every worried about the future as they thought they were sitting on an endless pot of gold, but have now learned that the Royal Family is not in the league of the Federal Reserve, thank goodness, as one is enough.
Then we have the coronavirus pandemic that has also slashed one of its huge foreign exchange cash cows, the annual pilgrimage to the Muslim holy sites, and a bleeding wound war in Yemen that has become Prince Salman’s Soviet war in Afghanistan and its US war in Vietnam.
We have hear little from the Prince for several months now, despite the upheaval of the virus there at it economic turmoil. This futuristic dream of doubling the size of the capital has a strong whiff of a diversion from what its real future might be… Jim W. Dean ]
Jim's Editor’s Notes are solely crowdfunded via PayPal
Jim's work includes research, field trips, Heritage TV Legacy archiving & more. Thanks for helping. Click to donate >>
– First published … July 21, 2020 –
Saudi Arabia has announced plans to implement an ambitious $800 billion initiative aimed at increasing the size of Riyadh in the next decade, and at transforming the capital into an economic, social and cultural hub in the Persian Gulf region.
The ambitious strategy was presented by Fahd Al-Rasheed, the President of the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, ahead of this year’s key high-level meetings between leaders of G20 and of the commission responsible for the urban, economic, social, and cultural development of the capital city of Saudi Arabia.
“Riyadh is already a very important economic engine for the Kingdom, and although it’s already very successful, the plan now, under Vision 2030, is to actually take that way further, to double the population to 15 million people,” Fahd Al-Rasheed told Arab News.
“We’ve already launched 18 megaprojects in the city, worth over SR1 trillion, over $250 billion, to both improve livability and deliver much higher economic growth so we can create jobs and double the population in 10 years. It’s a significant plan and the whole city is working to make sure this happens,” he added.
In the next few years, 7 million trees will be planted in Riyadh, despite its arid climate, and once completed, King Salman Park is expected to be bigger than Hyde Park in London.
All of these plans sound really promising and it would be easy to share in the enthusiasm of our Saudi partners in the oil industry. Unfortunately, the current reality is not as rosy and “plots of the folk tales One Thousand and One Nights” often change to reflect the stark facts on the ground. Although Fahd Al-Rasheed talked about Saudi Vision 2030, few in the Kingdom appear to concern themselves with the strategy.
And it is not that the Saudi leadership does not wish to transform the Kingdom into a heavenly place, but that they simply lack money for even the nation’s basic necessities and have to save money in every sphere. Hence, it is far more sensible to forget the unrealistic plans for the time being. Of course, it is pure joy to live and not to worry about a thing, but to do so a country needs to have a robust economy and high earnings, as it did earlier.
The poorly thought through and formulated oil strategy, which Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud has been trying to implement, has had a strong negative impact on all the oil producing nations, and especially on Saudi Arabia. As a result, the Saudi leadership was forced to come back down to Earth and start saving money in every possible sphere. So for now, Saudi Vision 2030 appears all but forgotten.
To cope with the hardship, Saudi Arabia tripled its value-added tax (VAT) rate starting on July 1, and suspended a cost of living allowance from June as part of cost-cutting programs to counter the severe economic impact of the Coronavirus pandemic and the sudden fall in oil prices.
Approximately 1.5 million state employees are affected by the latter measure. The cost of living allowance was a monthly payment of 1,000 riyals ($267) introduced by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2018 “to help offset increased financial burdens, including VAT and a rise in the price of petrol”.
The Kingdom’s “central bank foreign exchange reserves fell in March at their fastest rate in at least 20 years”, reaching their lowest levels since 2011, while Saudi Arabia’s budget deficit hit $9 billion in the first quarter of 2020 as oil revenues collapsed. The news outlet Middle East Eye reported that in January 2015, when Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud became king, the country’s “foreign reserves totaled $732 billion”.
According to the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority, these reserves had been diminished to $499 billion by December 2019, and they have since continued to decrease. The Kingdom has sustained considerable financial losses and damage to its reputation, because it was forced to temporarily suspend entry for foreigners for pilgrimage to the two holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Finance Mohammed Al-Jadaan ruefully said that “the global economic crisis associated with the Coronavirus pandemic” had led to three major shocks to the Saudi economy.
The first was the unprecedented fall in oil prices “leading to a sharp decline in” the kingdom’s revenues. The second stemmed from “the preventive measures taken to curb the spread of Covid-19, leading to the suspension of many economic activities”, which in turn took a toll on non-oil revenues.
The third shock was caused “by the rising expenditure on the health sector to deal with the rising number of Covid-19 patients”.
“The challenges combined have led to a decline in government revenues and pressure on public finance to levels that are hard to counter without harming the kingdom’s macroeconomics and public finances in the medium and long term,” Mohammed Al-Jadaan said.
“Therefore, a further reduction in expenditures is a must, along with measures to stabilize non-oil revenues,” added the Minister of Finance.
Incidentally, Mohammed Al-Jadaan appears to have forgotten to mention the vast sums of money the power-hungry Crown Prince has wasted. Seemingly on autopilot, he spent enormous amounts to oust the democratically elected President of Syria Bashar al-Assad.
Even nowadays, Mohammad Bin Salman Al Saud allegedly continues to provide financial support to militants occupying Syria’s Idlib Governorate, thus contributing to the delay in finding a resolution to the complex Syrian conflict.
It was at the Crown Prince’s initiative that Saudi Arabia spearheaded a coalition that intervened in the civil war in the brotherly nation of Yemen, resulting in death and destruction in this impoverished nation. Such a military undertaking requires a considerable amount of money, something that the Kingdom’s budget is in dire need of.
Even now, Riyadh continues to stoke tensions with Iran, seemingly failing to comprehend the simple fact that the West, while appearing to support Saudi Arabia, is actually following its favorite divide and conquer strategy and thus strengthening its position in this important region of the world. In addition, outdated US weapons are being sold for too high a price to the Kingdom.
In fact, Saudi Arabia has accumulated more military equipment and arms than its army needs. And do Saudi “falcons” really expect to emerge victorious from a confrontation with Iran, while they continue to suffer defeats at the hands of poor Yemeni inhabitants, who are still mainly fighting with Soviet armaments? Plus another question arises:
“Why did Saudi Arabia spoil its relationship with Qatar and impose tough sanctions (as American are prone to do) against this small nation?”. It appears that the answer is “Just for the fun of it.”
Consequences of Crown Prince’s poorly thought through policies are being felt even today. In fact, there is still a risk of new tensions arising in the global oil market and further financial losses for everyone and especially the Kingdom.
Media outlets and experts have been reporting about yet another rivalry on world markets. Saudi Arabia has threatened to sell its oil at a discount to undercut Nigeria and Angola for their non-compliance with production cuts, agreed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and its allies.
The tough stance taken by the Kingdom, with its world’s largest crude oil production capacity, may lead to yet another oil price war, which is bound to have serious consequences.
“We know who your customers are,” Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy reportedly told the representatives of Nigeria and Angola, which count China and India as their biggest clients.
However, India is still in the midst of the Coronavirus pandemic, hence its economy has not recovered as yet. Riyadh’s only hope is China, which receives unlimited supplies of cheap oil and gas from Russia via pipelines. It is quite clear that Moscow has no plans to reduce supplies of these fossil fuels in the current tough climate.
The Saudi leadership, therefore, has no other choice but to stop and think long and hard before taking any rash decisions. The world has changed and Saudi Arabia is no longer the only leader on the global oil market.
Still, Riyadh’s officials are free to continue talking about their ambitious plans, but realizing them requires vast sums of money, which the Kingdom simply does not have in its budget at present. And without financial backing, all of these hopes and dreams are nothing more than a mirage in the Arabian Desert, which disappears as soon as one tries to take a closer look at it.
Victor Mikhin, member-correspondent of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, specially for the online magazine “New Eastern Outlook“.