veteranstoday--2020-07-02--Bounty claim clouds US endgame in Afghanistan

Allegations Russia paid Taliban militants to kill US and NATO troops is making big political waves in America As expected , the controversy over Russia ’ s alleged bounties for killing American and NATO troops in Afghanistan is steadily snowballing .
The New York Times has come out with more leaks such as bank transfers to the Taliban from accounts identified with Russian military intelligence , and hawala transactions , as well as the Afghan government ’ s assistance to US intelligence to zero in on the Russian-Taliban nexus .
Meanwhile , the US Congress has seized of the matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Democrats are on the warpath .
Top White House aides are briefing the Senate Intelligence Committee .
The Times also featured an op-ed on this topic by former US national security adviser Susan Rice , who is widely mentioned as a possible vice-presidential running mate on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden ’ s ticket in the November elections .
Rice tore into President Donald Trump and his key aides .
To be sure , the controversy will seriously impact the endgame in Afghanistan .
The first sign of it appeared on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held a videoconference with the Taliban ’ s deputy head and chief negotiator at Doha , Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar .
The White House readout said Pompeo discussed with the Taliban leader the implementation of the Doha pact of February on the Afghan peace process and “ made clear the [ US ] expectation for the Taliban to live up to their commitments , which include not attacking Americans.
” Evidently , the White House is directly warning the Taliban against any attacks on US troops .
An Associated Press report cited Taliban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Baradar also “ discussed ways of moving … forward ” the implementation of the Doha pact .
The White House is anxious that the intra-Afghan peace talks should take place without further delay so the US troop withdrawal can be announced .
There were reports recently that a decision to withdraw another 4,000 American troops out of the 8,600-strong contingent is under consideration .
In the light of the present controversy over alleged Russian bounty killings and given the likelihood of congressional hearings , Trump will be keen to withdraw all troops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ representative for reconciliation with the Taliban , Zalmay Khalilzad , has also reached Doha for discussions with Mullah Baradar .
All in all , the series of Times reports since June 26 has compelled the White House to kickstart the intra-Afghan peace talks somehow , where a complete ceasefire tops the agenda of discussion .
The Times reports significantly weaken the United States ’ capacity to influence the outcome of the intra-Afghan peace talks .
The US stands badly isolated in the region .
The controversy over alleged bounty killings has upset Moscow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry forward any US-Russian cooperation and coordination over the intra-Afghan peace talks , as was envisaged earlier .
At the same time , US-China tensions are spinning out of control and Washington is no longer in a position to leverage Beijing ’ s cooperation in the Afghan peace process .
Similarly , Washington is on a collision course with Tehran after Pompeo ’ s appearance at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to table formally the US proposal seeking an extension of the UN embargo on arms supplies to Iran .
Russia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will veto any such US resolution , which , in turn , may lead to Pompeo pressing a claim to invoke the snapback clause of the Iran nuclear deal to kill the 2015 agreement .
Heightened tensions can be expected between Washington and Tehran in the weeks and months ahead .
With Russia , China and Iran on a path of confrontation with the US , the burden falls entirely on the Trump administration to carry forward the Afghan peace process .
The United States ’ reliance on Pakistan becomes more critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ initiative is slipping out of the Americans ’ hands to script their exit strategy in Afghanistan .
To be sure , the Taliban will negotiate from a position of strength .
Mullah Baradar reportedly made humiliating demands to Pompeo during the videoconference this week .
Given the unfriendly mood in the three key regional capitals – Moscow , Tehran and Beijing – Washington may be left with no choice now but to cut loose and make its way for the exit door as quickly as possible .
Trump will not risk a prolonged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Curiously , there is an eerie similarity to the Afghan situation around the Geneva Accords of April 1988 between Afghanistan and Pakistan , with the US and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors .
The Geneva Accords had envisaged a matrix of several elements – principally , a bilateral agreement between Islamabad and Kabul on the principles of mutual good neighborly relations ; a declaration on international guarantees , signed by the Soviet Union and the US ; and a Pakistani-Afghan agreement on the interrelationships for the settlement of the Afghan situation as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soviet Union and the US .
It was an impressive peace agreement but it was stillborn , and its only positive outcome was that Moscow faithfully ( and eagerly ) observed the agreement ’ s provisions for the timetable of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan .
The Soviet contingent completed the withdrawal on February 15 , 1989 .
The intra-Afghan peace talks will also be taking place in a dismal setting involving two intransigent protagonists – the Afghan government and the Taliban – and two “ guarantors ” – the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Again , the only positive outcome of the intra-Afghan peace talks might be that they will have put an end to the two-decade-old American occupation of Afghanistan .
This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter , a project of the Independent Media Institute , which provided it to Asia Times .

_________
Asia Times
Bounty claim clouds US endgame in Afghanistan
Allegations Russia paid Taliban militants to kill US and NATO troops is making big political waves in America
by MK Bhadrakumar
As expected, the controversy over Russia’s alleged bounties for killing American and NATO troops in Afghanistan is steadily snowballing.
The New York Times has come out with more leaks such as bank transfers to the Taliban from accounts identified with Russian military intelligence, and hawala transactions, as well as the Afghan government’s assistance to US intelligence to zero in on the Russian-Taliban nexus.
Meanwhile, the US Congress has seized of the matter, possibly triggering another “Russiagate.” The Democrats are on the warpath. Top White House aides are briefing the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Times also featured an op-ed on this topic by former US national security adviser Susan Rice, who is widely mentioned as a possible vice-presidential running mate on Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s ticket in the November elections. Rice tore into President Donald Trump and his key aides.
To be sure, the controversy will seriously impact the endgame in Afghanistan. The first sign of it appeared on Tuesday when US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo held a videoconference with the Taliban’s deputy head and chief negotiator at Doha, Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar.
The White House readout said Pompeo discussed with the Taliban leader the implementation of the Doha pact of February on the Afghan peace process and “made clear the [US] expectation for the Taliban to live up to their commitments, which include not attacking Americans.”
Evidently, the White House is directly warning the Taliban against any attacks on US troops. An Associated Press report cited Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen as tweeting that Pompeo and Baradar also “discussed ways of moving … forward” the implementation of the Doha pact.
The White House is anxious that the intra-Afghan peace talks should take place without further delay so the US troop withdrawal can be announced. There were reports recently that a decision to withdraw another 4,000 American troops out of the 8,600-strong contingent is under consideration.
In the light of the present controversy over alleged Russian bounty killings and given the likelihood of congressional hearings, Trump will be keen to withdraw all troops summarily from Afghanistan. The US special representative for reconciliation with the Taliban, Zalmay Khalilzad, has also reached Doha for discussions with Mullah Baradar.
All in all, the series of Times reports since June 26 has compelled the White House to kickstart the intra-Afghan peace talks somehow, where a complete ceasefire tops the agenda of discussion. The Times reports significantly weaken the United States’ capacity to influence the outcome of the intra-Afghan peace talks.
The US stands badly isolated in the region. The controversy over alleged bounty killings has upset Moscow and in turn makes it impossible to carry forward any US-Russian cooperation and coordination over the intra-Afghan peace talks, as was envisaged earlier.
No leverage
At the same time, US-China tensions are spinning out of control and Washington is no longer in a position to leverage Beijing’s cooperation in the Afghan peace process. Similarly, Washington is on a collision course with Tehran after Pompeo’s appearance at the United Nations Security Council on Tuesday to table formally the US proposal seeking an extension of the UN embargo on arms supplies to Iran.
Russia and China have made it clear that they will veto any such US resolution, which, in turn, may lead to Pompeo pressing a claim to invoke the snapback clause of the Iran nuclear deal to kill the 2015 agreement. Heightened tensions can be expected between Washington and Tehran in the weeks and months ahead.
With Russia, China and Iran on a path of confrontation with the US, the burden falls entirely on the Trump administration to carry forward the Afghan peace process. The United States’ reliance on Pakistan becomes more critical than ever before.
Clearly, the initiative is slipping out of the Americans’ hands to script their exit strategy in Afghanistan. To be sure, the Taliban will negotiate from a position of strength. Mullah Baradar reportedly made humiliating demands to Pompeo during the videoconference this week.
Given the unfriendly mood in the three key regional capitals – Moscow, Tehran and Beijing – Washington may be left with no choice now but to cut loose and make its way for the exit door as quickly as possible. Trump will not risk a prolonged stay for the troops in Afghanistan.
Curiously, there is an eerie similarity to the Afghan situation around the Geneva Accords of April 1988 between Afghanistan and Pakistan, with the US and the Soviet Union serving as guarantors.
Soviet withdrawal
The Geneva Accords had envisaged a matrix of several elements – principally, a bilateral agreement between Islamabad and Kabul on the principles of mutual good neighborly relations; a declaration on international guarantees, signed by the Soviet Union and the US; and a Pakistani-Afghan agreement on the interrelationships for the settlement of the Afghan situation as such, which was witnessed by the Soviet Union and the US.
It was an impressive peace agreement but it was stillborn, and its only positive outcome was that Moscow faithfully (and eagerly) observed the agreement’s provisions for the timetable of the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan. The Soviet contingent completed the withdrawal on February 15, 1989.
The intra-Afghan peace talks will also be taking place in a dismal setting involving two intransigent protagonists – the Afghan government and the Taliban – and two “guarantors” – the US and Pakistan – pursuing different priorities. Again, the only positive outcome of the intra-Afghan peace talks might be that they will have put an end to the two-decade-old American occupation of Afghanistan.
This article was produced in partnership by Indian Punchline and Globetrotter, a project of the Independent Media Institute, which provided it to Asia Times.
MK Bhadrakumar is a former Indian diplomat.


veteranstoday--2020-07-02--Even Trumptards vomit reading it: Judge lifts restraining order on Mary Trump book

Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity.We ask you toso a clear comprehension @ @ @ @ @ media is understood and given its proper place in the world of news , opinion @ @ @ @ @ by author exclusively .
Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT , other @ @ @ @ @ , sponsors , partners or technicians .
Some content may be satirical in nature .
@ @ @ @ @ responsibility of author and NOT VT .

Even Trumptards vomit reading it: Judge lifts restraining order on Mary Trump book
As a result, the publisher can proceed with releasing the book, which has already gone to print, but the order still applies to Mary Trump herself


veteranstoday--2020-07-01--Maxi-Bust in Italy for ISIS Kamikaze’s Drug-Pills. Business or Restocking for Jihadists in Europe?

« In 2018 , the same financial police who made the bust in Salerno confiscated nearly 100 million tablets of the narcotic meant for ISIS operatives in Libya that were being shuttled from pill mills in India and Sri Lanka by way of Italy ’ s notoriously unguarded port of Gioia Tauro in Calabria » .
The Daily Beast writes many extravagant things , sometimes it turns out to be an average of fantasy , but this time it implicitly accuses Italy with some reason .
Checking the coasts where , with the government ’ s placet , boats of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land every day is not an easy task .
Above all , it is not easy for the police if this human trafficking is managed by organized crime in Italy .
This can happen not only for the presence of Cosa Nostra in Sicily , Camorra in Campania and Ndrangheta everywhere , because it is the most powerful in the world so much that it has influenced some elections in Canada ( report on the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate 2018 ) but also for the Nigerian Mafia , now deeply rooted as demonstrated in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of ISIS / Al Qaeda terrorists , who have now become almost a single group , despite violent rivalries , under the wise direction of the MIT ( Millî İstihbarat Teşkilâtı ) intelligence services of Turkey who are sending their hidden soldiers of the Islamic State to Italy and Europe for years , now well paid mercenaries in the war in Libya .
Controlling a port known worldwide for the landing of tankers with Liquefied Natural Gas imported from the USA for a slice of Europe should theoretically be simpler .
But in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presence of mobsters intrigued by many powerful people from southern Italy and the entire nation .
The sensational and brilliant operation of the GICO ( Organized Crime Investigation Group ) of the Guardia di Finanza conducted in the port of Salerno with the ISIS maxi-drug seizure in part belies the idea of the unattended ports that have made on the Italian peninsula the Americans .
Indeed in US there are the main traffickers and drug dealers as recalled by the Pizza Connection operation conducted by the FBI together with the magistrate Giovanni Falcone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assassinated in an attack with a military explosive perhaps because of his investigations into these lucrative trades .
But this phrase from a media still famous in the USA helps us to understand not only the bitter reality with which Italy “ spaghetti , mandolin and mafia ” is considered in the world but also the highly probable critical issues of a country where in 2019 there several high-level politicians have also been arrested for sometimes suspicious , sometimes shamefully obvious , with the ‘ Ndrangheta and mafia associations in general .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raw as reported by the site of the state TV RAI News .
« Fourteen tons of amphetamines , about 84 million tablets with the “ Captagon ” logo , known as “ the drug of Isis ” or “ the drug of Jihad ” .
It is the largest seizure worldwide of this type of substances that was struck in the port of Salerno by the Gico della Guardia di finance of Naples in execution of a search decree issued by the prosecutor ’ s office of Naples – District anti-mafia director @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigations into an organization with international projections – Rai News reports – The drug , for a market value of over a billion euros , was hidden in paper cylinders for industrial use inside three containers containing machinery .
As is well known , ISIS finances its activities also and above all with the trafficking of synthetic drugs , produced largely in Syria , which has become the leading world producer of amphetamines in recent years » « The Captagon is sold throughout the Middle East and is widespread both among fighters to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because it does not make fatigue felt .
Initially produced mainly in Lebanon and widespread in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s , this narcotic substance reappeared in terrorist lairs – such as in the attack on the Bataclan in Paris in 2015 – and was therefore nicknamed the “ Isis drug ” or the “ Jihad drug ” .
According to the US Goddess ( Drug enforcement administration ) , ISIS makes extensive use of it in all the territories over which it exercises influence and controls its sale » adds the Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarming and reassuring in itself .
The pills intended to enrich ISIS were blocked by law enforcement agencies before being marketed in Italy and Europe .
But this episode raises a question that only those who have carefully analyzed the situation in Libya , torn apart by the civil war inflamed by Turkish mercenaries , can ask themselves .
Were this massive shipment of breathtaking pills – above all ideal to remove any inhibitory brake to an Islamic extremist suicide bomber – were sent to Italy , and therefore to Europe , for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they the supply of drugs to annihilate the fear destined for the jihadists who have already infiltrated the Old Continent thanks to the boats that leave Libya every day ?
In a latest Gospa News report , we reported that well-informed sources on the Libyan conflict reported 14,000 jihadists who arrived in Libya ( in support of the Tripoli government ) , many of whom came from a military experience as terrorists of ISIS and Al Qaeda and not only as “ simple ” Syrian anti-Assad rebels of the National Syrian Army NSA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TNSA because it was created , controlled and managed by Ankara after the Peace Spring criminal operation launched in October 2019 by Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan .
In others we reported at least 200 jihadists who fled Libya and arrived in Italy through the boats of migrants rescued by NGOs .
We are not only thinking about the business of ISIS on amphetamines fortunately seized by Finance .
We also think about the fact that precisely those pills can help to find courage for terrible actions of the suicide bombers who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this is hindered today by GICO Finance investigators but it also happens in a very particular geopolitical context .
That of the Italian government that continues to make alliances in the Weapons ’ Lobby and with the Muslim Brothers of Qatar , hidden supporters of the Turkish operation in Libya not only accepted but also praised by the Italian ambassador in Tripoli .

by Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio for VT Italy
Versione Originale in Italiano
«In 2018, the same financial police who made the bust in Salerno confiscated nearly 100 million tablets of the narcotic meant for ISIS operatives in Libya that were being shuttled from pill mills in India and Sri Lanka by way of Italy’s notoriously unguarded port of Gioia Tauro in Calabria».
The Daily Beast writes many extravagant things, sometimes it turns out to be an average of fantasy, but this time it implicitly accuses Italy with some reason. Checking the coasts where, with the government’s placet, boats of African, Middle Eastern or Asian migrants land every day is not an easy task. Above all, it is not easy for the police if this human trafficking is managed by organized crime in Italy.
This can happen not only for the presence of Cosa Nostra in Sicily, Camorra in Campania and Ndrangheta everywhere, because it is the most powerful in the world so much that it has influenced some elections in Canada (report on the Anti-Mafia Investigation Directorate 2018) but also for the Nigerian Mafia, now deeply rooted as demonstrated in previous reports, and for the infiltrations of ISIS / Al Qaeda terrorists, who have now become almost a single group, despite violent rivalries, under the wise direction of the MIT (Millî İstihbarat Teşkilâtı) intelligence services of Turkey who are sending their hidden soldiers of the Islamic State to Italy and Europe for years, now well paid mercenaries in the war in Libya.
Controlling a port known worldwide for the landing of tankers with Liquefied Natural Gas imported from the USA for a slice of Europe should theoretically be simpler. But in reality it is not because of the presence of mobsters intrigued by many powerful people from southern Italy and the entire nation.
The sensational and brilliant operation of the GICO (Organized Crime Investigation Group) of the Guardia di Finanza conducted in the port of Salerno with the ISIS maxi-drug seizure in part belies the idea of the unattended ports that have made on the Italian peninsula the Americans. Indeed in US there are the main traffickers and drug dealers as recalled by the Pizza Connection operation conducted by the FBI together with the magistrate Giovanni Falcone killed by Cosa Nostra in Sicily, assassinated in an attack with a military explosive perhaps because of his investigations into these lucrative trades.
But this phrase from a media still famous in the USA helps us to understand not only the bitter reality with which Italy “spaghetti, mandolin and mafia” is considered in the world but also the highly probable critical issues of a country where in 2019 there several high-level politicians have also been arrested for sometimes suspicious, sometimes shamefully obvious, with the ‘Ndrangheta and mafia associations in general.
We come therefore reporting the news naked and raw as reported by the site of the state TV RAI News.
«Fourteen tons of amphetamines, about 84 million tablets with the “Captagon” logo, known as “the drug of Isis” or “the drug of Jihad”. It is the largest seizure worldwide of this type of substances that was struck in the port of Salerno by the Gico della Guardia di finance of Naples in execution of a search decree issued by the prosecutor’s office of Naples – District anti-mafia director at the end of long and complex investigations into an organization with international projections – Rai News reports – The drug, for a market value of over a billion euros, was hidden in paper cylinders for industrial use inside three containers containing machinery. As is well known, ISIS finances its activities also and above all with the trafficking of synthetic drugs, produced largely in Syria, which has become the leading world producer of amphetamines in recent years»
«The Captagon is sold throughout the Middle East and is widespread both among fighters to inhibit fear and pain and among civilians because it does not make fatigue felt. Initially produced mainly in Lebanon and widespread in Saudi Arabia in the 1990s, this narcotic substance reappeared in terrorist lairs – such as in the attack on the Bataclan in Paris in 2015 – and was therefore nicknamed the “Isis drug” or the “Jihad drug”. According to the US Goddess (Drug enforcement administration), ISIS makes extensive use of it in all the territories over which it exercises influence and controls its sale» adds the Italian national TV site.
The news is alarming and reassuring in itself. The pills intended to enrich ISIS were blocked by law enforcement agencies before being marketed in Italy and Europe. But this episode raises a question that only those who have carefully analyzed the situation in Libya, torn apart by the civil war inflamed by Turkish mercenaries, can ask themselves.
Were this massive shipment of breathtaking pills – above all ideal to remove any inhibitory brake to an Islamic extremist suicide bomber – were sent to Italy, and therefore to Europe, for a colossal business only? Or are they the supply of drugs to annihilate the fear destined for the jihadists who have already infiltrated the Old Continent thanks to the boats that leave Libya every day?
In a latest Gospa News report, we reported that well-informed sources on the Libyan conflict reported 14,000 jihadists who arrived in Libya (in support of the Tripoli government), many of whom came from a military experience as terrorists of ISIS and Al Qaeda and not only as “simple” Syrian anti-Assad rebels of the National Syrian Army NSA.
This war force was also called TNSA because it was created, controlled and managed by Ankara after the Peace Spring criminal operation launched in October 2019 by Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan.
In others we reported at least 200 jihadists who fled Libya and arrived in Italy through the boats of migrants rescued by NGOs. We are not only thinking about the business of ISIS on amphetamines fortunately seized by Finance. We also think about the fact that precisely those pills can help to find courage for terrible actions of the suicide bombers who have already arrived at our house.
All of this is hindered today by GICO Finance investigators but it also happens in a very particular geopolitical context. That of the Italian government that continues to make alliances in the Weapons’ Lobby and with the Muslim Brothers of Qatar, hidden supporters of the Turkish operation in Libya not only accepted but also praised by the Italian ambassador in Tripoli.
Fabio Giuseppe Carlo Carisio
© COPYRIGHT GOSPA NEWS
no reproduction without authorization – italian original version
MAIN SOURCES
GOSPA NEWS – JIHADISTS REPORTS
GOSPA NEWS – WARZONES REPORTS


veteranstoday--2020-07-01--Trump: ‘Kushner lied, Corrupt cops, Tulsa, COVID disaster, Tulsa his fault’ (and Tulsa)

Experts cite Trump ’ s IQ decline , from mid 80s to ‘ a bit lower , ’ putting him in the Kushner range.. Daily Beast : President Donald Trump has said that he regrets following advice from son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner , according to an Axios report .
Trump has reportedly decided to stick with his own instincts and reject any policy he disagrees with , including those aimed at criminal justice and police reform .
Trump ’ s June executive order is likely to be as far as he goes , according to the report , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement as-is .
Kushner had encouraged the president to enact police reform .
“ President Trump is very proud of the historic work that he ’ s done to benefit all communities , ” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Trump ’ s order .
“ The First Step Act made historic strides toward rectifying racial disparities in sentencing while his executive order to secure America ’ s streets works with our nation ’ s heroic police officers to ensure we have safe policing and safe communities.
” ATTENTION READERS Due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ VT can not guarantee content validity .
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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Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT , other authors , affiliates , advertisers , sponsors , partners or technicians .
Some content may be satirical in nature .
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Experts cite Trump’s IQ decline, from mid 80s to ‘a bit lower,’ putting him in the Kushner range..
Daily Beast: President Donald Trump has said that he regrets following advice from son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, according to an Axios report. Trump has reportedly decided to stick with his own instincts and reject any policy he disagrees with, including those aimed at criminal justice and police reform.
Trump’s June executive order is likely to be as far as he goes, according to the report, and he is expected to support law enforcement as-is. Kushner had encouraged the president to enact police reform. “President Trump is very proud of the historic work that he’s done to benefit all communities,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Trump’s order.
“The First Step Act made historic strides toward rectifying racial disparities in sentencing while his executive order to secure America’s streets works with our nation’s heroic police officers to ensure we have safe policing and safe communities.”


veteranstoday--2020-07-03--Operation Warp Speed: Accelerate Development/Production of COVID-19 Vaccine

Witnesses appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor , Health and Human Services , Education , and Related Agencies Chairman Blunt , Ranking Member Murray and distinguished members of this committee .
It is an honor to appear before you today to discuss the Department of Health and Human Services ’ Operation Warp Speed efforts and the Department ’ s efforts on vaccines , diagnostics , and therapeutics .
We are grateful for this opportunity to address how each of our agencies and offices are harnessing innovation to prevent , diagnose , and treat the novel coronavirus SARSCoV-2 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ caused by a novel ( or new ) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans .
This new disease , officially named Coronavirus Disease 2019 ( COVID-19 ) by the World Health Organization ( WHO ) , is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus .
There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upperrespiratory tract illnesses .
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses .
Some cause illness in people , and others , such as canine and feline coronaviruses , only infect animals .
ATTENTION READERS @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , VT can not guarantee content validity .
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 .
All content is owned by author exclusively .
Expressed opinions are NOT necessarily the views of VT , other authors , affiliates , advertisers , sponsors , partners or technicians .
Some content may be satirical in nature .
All images within are full responsibility of author and NOT VT. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ - Comment Policy Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity.We ask you toso 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.All content is owned by author exclusively .
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Testimony on Operation Warp Speed: Researching, Manufacturing, & Distributing a Safe & Effective Coronavirus Vaccine
National Institutes of Health
Witnesses appearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies
Francis Collins, M.D., P.h.D., Director, National Institutes of Health
Robert R. Redfield, M.D., Director, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Gary Disbrow, Ph.D., Acting Director, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority
Chairman Blunt, Ranking Member Murray and distinguished members of this committee. It is an honor to appear before you today to discuss the Department of Health and Human Services’ Operation Warp Speed efforts and the Department’s efforts on vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics. We are grateful for this opportunity to address how each of our agencies and offices are harnessing innovation to prevent, diagnose, and treat the novel coronavirus SARSCoV-2.
COVID-19 is a new disease, caused by a novel (or new) coronavirus that has not previously been seen in humans. This new disease, officially named Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) by the World Health Organization (WHO), is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. There are many types of human coronaviruses including some that commonly cause mild upperrespiratory tract illnesses. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses. Some cause illness in people, and others, such as canine and feline coronaviruses, only infect animals.
Read More:


veteranstoday--2020-07-03--Some Snakes Fly Through the Air With the Greatest of Ease

Flying Snakes Need to Wriggle Through the Air to Glide Snakes are well known for their sneaky slithering , but five species are prone to literal flights of fancy .
Flying snakes , like the paradise tree snake , get around by launching themselves from treetops and gliding to branches dozens of feet away .
While aloft , they wriggle and twist in a sidewinder-like squiggle that begs the question : is that really necessary ?
It turns out that yes , it is , according to new research published on June 29 in the journal Nature Physics .
Using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ snakes in flight , researchers at Virginia Tech found that if the snakes didn ’ t wiggle , they wouldn ’ t be stable in the air .
It takes a combination of side-to-side and vertical motions , along with the snake flattening its body into a triangular , instead of round , shape for a snake to catch enough air to reach its destination .
Or in less scientific terms , flying snakes sort of resemble a “ big , wiggly , ribbon thing , ” as Virginia Tech biomechanics researcher and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ York Times ‘ David Waldstein .
Socha has been studying flying snakes for almost 25 years .
But until now , the reason for the snakes ’ mid-air movements was a mystery .
ATTENTION READERS Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity .
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All images within are full responsibility of author and NOT VT .

Flying Snakes Need to Wriggle Through the Air to Glide
by Theresa Machemer/Smithsonianmag.com
Snakes are well known for their sneaky slithering, but five species are prone to literal flights of fancy. Flying snakes, like the paradise tree snake, get around by launching themselves from treetops and gliding to branches dozens of feet away. While aloft, they wriggle and twist in a sidewinder-like squiggle that begs the question: is that really necessary?
It turns out that yes, it is, according to new research published on June 29 in the journal Nature Physics. Using high-speed photography and a computer model of snakes in flight, researchers at Virginia Tech found that if the snakes didn’t wiggle, they wouldn’t be stable in the air. It takes a combination of side-to-side and vertical motions, along with the snake flattening its body into a triangular, instead of round, shape for a snake to catch enough air to reach its destination.
Or in less scientific terms, flying snakes sort of resemble a “big, wiggly, ribbon thing,” as Virginia Tech biomechanics researcher and co-author Jake Socha describes for the New York Times‘ David Waldstein.
Socha has been studying flying snakes for almost 25 years. But until now, the reason for the snakes’ mid-air movements was a mystery.
Read More:


veteranstoday--2020-07-03--Why Did the Maya Abandon Tikal?

Why Did the Maya Abandon Tikal?

Why Did the Maya Abandon the Ancient City of Tikal ?
the ninth century A.D. , the Maya abandoned the great city of Tikal after hundreds of years of prosperity and expansion .
Researchers have long sought to explain how and why the city collapsed , but despite extensive study of the site , unanswered questions remain .
Commonly cited explanations for Tikal ’ s downfall center on a confluence of overpopulation , overexploitation of the surrounding landscape and a spate of withering megadroughts .
Now , reports Kiona Smith for Ars Technica , a new study of the ancient @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mercury and toxic algae may have poisoned Tikal ’ s drinking water at a time when it was already struggling to survive the dry season .
Located in northern Guatemala , Tikal dates back to the third century B.C .
Once among the most powerful city-states in the Americas , the rainforest metropolis boasted multiple stone temples standing more than 100 feet tall and , at its zenith in the mid-eighth century , supported upward of 60,000 inhabitants , according to David Roberts of Smithsonian magazine .
Tikal ’ s residents built reservoirs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ slowed to a trickle during multi-decade droughts in the ninth century .
These reservoirs were essential during the dry season , as …read more : ATTENTION READERS Due to the nature of independent content , VT can not guarantee content validity .
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Why Did the Maya Abandon the Ancient City of Tikal?
by Alex Fox/Smithsonianmag.com
the ninth century A.D., the Maya abandoned the great city of Tikal after hundreds of years of prosperity and expansion. Researchers have long sought to explain how and why the city collapsed, but despite extensive study of the site, unanswered questions remain.
Commonly cited explanations for Tikal’s downfall center on a confluence of overpopulation, overexploitation of the surrounding landscape and a spate of withering megadroughts. Now, reports Kiona Smith for Ars Technica, a new study of the ancient city’s reservoirs outlines evidence that mercury and toxic algae may have poisoned Tikal’s drinking water at a time when it was already struggling to survive the dry season.
Located in northern Guatemala, Tikal dates back to the third century B.C. Once among the most powerful city-states in the Americas, the rainforest metropolis boasted multiple stone temples standing more than 100 feet tall and, at its zenith in the mid-eighth century, supported upward of 60,000 inhabitants, according to David Roberts of Smithsonian magazine.
Tikal’s residents built reservoirs to collect and store water after rainfall slowed to a trickle during multi-decade droughts in the ninth century. These reservoirs were essential during the dry season, as …read more:


veteranstoday--2020-07-03--Abbott says ‘Truck Fump’- As Texas Goes 100% Mandatory Face Masks

VT : Abbott didn ’ t get the message about “ stamping out the embers ” or how it was “ going to go away on its own , ” Trump ’ s new and old solution , denialism .
Yes , go ahead , truck Fump , right in his tailgate .
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Texas governor orders all Texans to wear masks
VT: Abbott didn’t get the message about “stamping out the embers” or how it was “going to go away on its own,” Trump’s new and old solution, denialism.
Yes, go ahead, truck Fump, right in his tailgate.


veteranstoday--2020-07-02--Updated: Trump blackmailer, Mossad handler, Epstein rape partner arrested, Ghislaine (join the VT Tw

Updated: Trump blackmailer, Mossad handler, Epstein rape partner arrested, Ghislaine (join the VT Twitterstorm!)

VT : Insider dope is that Ghislaine came back from Paris after being promised a deal by Barr and Trump to keep her mouth shut about Trump and sex with kids .
RT : Ghislaine Maxwell , the British socialite accused of acting as a pimp for deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein , has been arrested .
She was charged by the FBI in relation to the late financier ’ s alleged sex-trafficking operation .
Watch Trump during a press conference after learning his blackmailer , handler and pimp was arrested .
Melania was met through Epstein ( and Maxwell ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was arrested in New Hampshire , in the US , according to law enforcement sources that spoke with the media .
She is expected to appear in the federal court later today on charges related to her dealings with the disgraced financier .
Epstein was found dead in an apparent suicide while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges .
Maxwell ’ s arrest was confirmed by the FBI shortly after media outlets reported on the story , citing law enforcement sources .
In a six-count indictment , she was charged with conspiracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in illegal sex acts .
Maxwell allegedly groomed the teenage girls who were sexually abused by Epstein and others .
She has remained largely out of the public eye since August , after Epstein allegedly killed himself in prison .
He had been arrested a month earlier on federal charges related to the exploitation of underage girls .
Her disappearance in the summer of 2019 led to a flurry of speculation about where she could be holed up .
A photograph leaked to the press appeared to show her at an In-N-Out Burger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ August .
One of Epstein ’ s best-known accusers , Virginia Roberts Giuffre , filed a lawsuit against Maxwell in 2015 .
Giuffre has been pressing to have the [ Editor ’ s note : VT exposed Epstein and Maxwell as running a pedophile ring on behalf of Israel in order to entrap the great and the good months ago , now we have confirmation from a former Israeli intelligence officer .
Ian ] Since the apparent death by suicide of Jeffrey Epstein in a Manhattan prison , much has come to light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to sexually abuse underage girls and entrap the rich and powerful for the purposes of blackmail .
Epstein ’ s ties to intelligence , described in-depth in a recent MintPress investigative series , have continued to receive minimal mainstream media coverage , which has essentially moved on from the Epstein scandal despite the fact that his many co-conspirators remain on the loose .
For those who have examined Epstein ’ s ties to intelligence , there are clear links to both U.S. intelligence and Israeli intelligence , leaving it somewhat open to debate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ apparatus was closest to Epstein and most involved in his blackmail/sex-trafficking activities .
A recent interview given by a former high-ranking official in Israeli military intelligence has claimed that Epstein ’ s sexual blackmail enterprise was an Israel intelligence operation run for the purpose of entrapping powerful individuals and politicians in the United States and abroad .
In an interview with Zev Shalev , former CBS News executive producer and award-winning investigative journalist for Narativ , the former senior executive for Israel ’ s Directorate of Military Intelligence , Ari Ben-Menashe , claimed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and his alleged madam , Ghislaine Maxwell , back in the 1980s , but that both Epstein and Maxwell were already working with Israeli intelligence during that time period .
In an interview last week with the independent outlet Narativ , Ben-Menashe , who himself was involved in Iran-Contra arms deals , told his interviewer Zev Shalev that he had been introduced to Jeffrey Epstein by Robert Maxwell in the mid-1980s while Maxwell ’ s and Ben-Menashe ’ s involvement with Iran-Contra was ongoing .
Ben-Menashe did not specify the year he met @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he [ Maxwell ] wanted us to accept him [ Epstein ] as part of our group … .
I ’ m not denying that we were at the time a group that it was Nick Davies [ Foreign Editor of the Maxwell-Owned Daily Mirror ] , it was Maxwell , it was myself and our team from Israel , we were doing what we were doing.
” Past reporting by Seymour Hersh and others revealed that Maxwell , Davies and Ben-Menashe were involved in the transfer and sale of military equipment and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Israeli intelligence during this time period .
He then added that Maxwell had stated during the introduction that “ your Israeli bosses have already approved ” of Epstein .
Shalev later noted that Maxwell “ had an extensive network in Israel at the time , which included the then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon , according to Ben-Menashe.
” Ben-Menashe went on to say that he had “ met him [ Epstein ] a few times in Maxwell ’ s office , that was it.
” He also said he was not aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone else he knew at the time , but that Maxwell wanted to involve Epstein in the arms transfer in which he , Davies and Ben-Menashe were engaged on Israel ’ s behalf .
However , as MintPress reported in Part IV of the investigative series “ Inside the Jeffrey Epstein Scandal : Too Big to Fail , ” Epstein was involved with several arms dealers during this period of time , some of whom were directly involved in Iran-Contra arms deals between Israel and Iran .
For instance , after leaving Bear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the realms of shadow finance as a self-described “ financial bounty hunter , ” where he would both hunt down and hide money for powerful people .
One of these powerful individuals was Adnan Khashoggi , a Saudi arms dealer with close ties to both Israeli and U.S. intelligence and one of the main brokers of Iran-Contra arms deals between Israel and Iran .
Epstein would later forge a business relationship with a CIA front company involved in another aspect of Iran-Contra , the airline Southern Air Transport , on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Limited .
During this period , it is also known that Epstein became well acquainted with the British arms dealer Sir Douglas Leese , who collaborated with Khashoggi on at least one British-Saudi arms deal in the 1980s .
Leese would later introduce Epstein to Steven Hoffenberg , calling Epstein a “ genius ” and describing his lack of morals during that introduction .
Thus , there are indications that Epstein was involved with Middle Eastern arms deals , including some related to Iran-Contra , during this period .
In addition , Epstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deny ) having worked for the CIA during this period .
After having been introduced to Epstein , Ben-Menashe claimed that neither he nor Davies were impressed with Epstein and considered him “ not very competent.
” He added that Ghislaine Maxwell had “ fallen for ” Epstein and that he believed that the romantic relationship between his daughter and Epstein led Robert Maxwell to work to bring the latter into the “ family business ” — i.e.
, Maxwell ’ s dealings with Israeli intelligence .
This information is very revealing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at least , has been that Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein did not meet and begin their relationship until after Robert Maxwell ’ s death in 1991 , after which Ghislaine moved to New York .
Ben-Menashe says that well after the introduction , though again he does not specify what year , Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein began a sexual blackmail operation with the purpose of extorting U.S. political and public figures on behalf of Israeli military intelligence .
He stated : In this case what really happened , my take on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is that these guys were seen as agents .
They weren ’ t really competent to do very much .
And so they found a niche for themselves — blackmailing American and other political figures.
” He then confirmed , when prompted , that they were blackmailing Americans on behalf of Israeli intelligence .
In response to his statement , Zev Shalev replied , “ But , you know , for most people it ’ s hard for them to think of Israel as being … blackmailing their leaders in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” at which point , Ben-Menashe interrupted and the following exchange took place : Ari Ben-Menashe : You ’ re kidding ?
[ laughs ] … .
It was quite their M.O .
Sleeping around is not a crime , it may be embarrassing , but it ’ s not a crime , but sleeping with underage girls is a crime .
Shalev : It was a crime in 2000 as well , but they let him off that… Ben-Menashe : And that it is [ why ] always so he [ Epstein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In addition , when Shalev asked Ben-Menashe about the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak , Ben-Menashe stated “ After a while , you know , what Mr. Epstein was doing was collecting intelligence on people in the United States .
And so if you want to go to the U.S. if you ’ re a high-profile politician you want to know information about people.
” Ben-Menashe subsequently stated that Barak was obtaining compromising information ( i.e.
, blackmail ) that Epstein had acquired on powerful people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Maxwell did recruit Epstein and bring him into the “ family business ” and the world of Israeli intelligence , as Ben-Menashe has claimed , it provides supporting evidence for information provided to MintPress by a former U.S. intelligence official , who chose to remain anonymous in light of the sensitivity of the claim .
This source , who has direct knowledge of the unauthorized use of PROMIS to support covert U.S. and Israeli intelligence projects , told MintPress that “ some of the proceeds from the illicit sales of PROMIS were made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromising targets of political blackmail.
” As was noted in a Mintpress series on the Epstein scandal , much of Epstein ’ s funding also came from Ohio billionaire Leslie Wexner , who has documented ties to both organized crime and U.S. and Israeli intelligence .
After the PROMIS software was stolen from its rightful owner and developer , Inslaw Inc. , through the collusion of both U.S. and Israeli officials , it was marketed mainly by two men : Earl Brian , a close aide to Ronald Reagan , later U.S. envoy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spymaster Rafi Eitan ; and Robert Maxwell .
Brian sold the bugged software through his company , Hadron Inc. , while Maxwell sold it through an Israeli company he acquired called Degem .
Before and following Maxwell ’ s acquisition of Degem , the company was a known front for Mossad operations and Mossad operatives in Latin America often posed as Degem employees .
With Maxwell — Epstein ’ s alleged recruiter and father of Epstein ’ s alleged madam — having been one of the main salespeople involved in selling PROMIS software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been in a key position to furnish Epstein ’ s nascent sexual blackmail operation with the proceeds from the sale of PROMIS .
This link between Epstein ’ s sexual blackmail operation and the PROMIS software scandal is notable given that the illicit use of PROMIS by U.S. and Israeli intelligence has been for blackmail purposes on U.S. public figures and politicians , as was described in a recent MintPress report .
Can an ex-spy be trusted ?
When dealing in the world of deception and intrigue that defines intelligence operations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any individual linked to an intelligence agency is telling the truth .
Indeed , in the United States , there are examples of elected intelligence officials committing perjury and lying to Congress on several occasions with no consequences , and of intelligence officials feeding politically motivated and untrue information to agency assets in the media .
So , are Ari Ben-Menashe ’ s claims regarding Epstein and the Maxwells trustworthy ?
In addition to the aforementioned , corroborating information for his claims , a review of Ben-Menashe ’ s post-intelligence career suggests this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrest in November 1989 , Ben-Menashe was a high-ranking officer in a special unit of Israeli military intelligence .
He would later claim that his arrest for attempting to sell American-made weapons to Iran was politically motivated , as he had threatened to expose what the U.S. government had done with the stolen PROMIS software if the U.S. did not cease providing Saddam Hussein ’ s Iraq with chemical weapons .
Ben-Menashe was later acquitted when a U.S. court determined that his involvement in the attempted sale of military equipment to Iran was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
After his arrest , Ben-Menashe was visited in prison by Robert Parry , the former Newsweek contributor and Associated Press reporter who would later found and run Consortium News until his recent passing last year .
Parry remembered that , during that interview , “ Ben-Menashe offered me startling new information about the Iran-Contra scandal , which I thought that I knew quite well.
” Israel ’ s government immediately began to attack Ben-Menashe ’ s credibility following his interview with Parry , and claimed that Ben-Menashe had never worked for Israeli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Ben-Menashe had indeed served in Israeli military intelligence , Israel ’ s government was then forced to admit that he had worked for military intelligence , but only as a “ low-level translator.
” Yet , the documentation Parry had uncovered described Ben-Menashe as having served in “ key positions ” and performed “ complex and sensitive assignments.
” A year later , Ben-Menashe would be interviewed by another journalist , Seymour Hersh .
It would be Ben-Menashe who first revealed to Hersh secrets about Israel ’ s nuclear program and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an Israeli spy , revelations that Hersh would not only independently corroborate but include in his book The Samson Option : Israel ’ s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy .
Hersh was then sued by Robert Maxwell and the Maxwell-owned Mirror Group for libel .
The case was later settled in Hersh ’ s favor , as the claims Hersh had made were true and not libelous .
As a result , the Mirror Group paid Hersh for damages , covered his legal costs , and issued him a formal apology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hersh and Parry , Israel ’ s government was apparently concerned enough about what Ben-Menashe would tell congressional investigators that it attempted to kidnap him and bring him back to Israel to face state charges , much like Israeli intelligence had done to Israel ’ s nuclear-weapons whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu .
The plan was foiled largely thanks to Parry .
Parry , who broke many key stories related to the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1980s and beyond , was tipped off by a U.S. intelligence source about a joint U.S.-Israel plan to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States on his planned trip to give congressional testimony .
Per the plan , Ben-Menashe would be denied entry to the U.S. in Los Angeles and then be deported to Israel , where he would have stood trial for “ exposing state secrets.
” Parry called Ben-Menashe and convinced him to delay his flight until he secured a guarantee for safe passage from the U.S. government .
Ben-Menashe subsequently gave a sworn statement to the House Judiciary Committee that mostly focused on U.S.-Israel collusion regarding the theft and creation of a “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben-Menashe offered to name names and provide corroborating evidence for several of his claims if he was offered immunity by the committee , which , for whatever reason .
declined that request .
Prior to the conclusion of the Hersh “ libel ” trial , which would later uphold Ben-Menashe ’ s claims regarding Robert Maxwell ’ s Mossad activities as true , there was a concerted effort in the U.S. press to downplay Ben-Menashe ’ s credibility .
For instance , Newsweek — in an article on Ben-Menashe entitled “ One Man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ inconsistencies may undermine Ben-Menashe ’ s testimony in the British courtroom proceedings , ” citing inconsistencies from sources in Israel ’ s government and Israeli intelligence as well as Ben-Menashe ’ s ex-wife and Israeli journalist Shmuel ( or Samuel ) Segev , a former IDF colonel .
It goes without saying that such sources had much to gain from any effort to discredit Ben-Menashe ’ s claims .
According to Parry , this media campaign , which employed American journalists with close ties to Israel ’ s government and intelligence agencies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben-Menashe by 1993 , at least in the eyes of the Washington Establishment.
” After a years-long media campaign to discredit Ben-Menashe , “ the Israelis seemed to view him as a declining threat , best left alone .
He was able to pick up the pieces of his life , creating a second act as an international political consultant and businessman arranging sales of grain.
” The effort to marginalize Ben-Menashe has continued well into recent years , with mainstream news outlets still referring to him as a “ self-described ex-Israeli spy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ben-Menashe worked for Israeli intelligence — as a means of downplaying his claims regarding his time in Israel ’ s intelligence service .
After the conclusion of the Hersh libel trial , Ben-Menashe became an international political consultant who “ surrounded his far-flung business activities in secrecy and got involved with some controversial international figures , such as Zimbabwe ’ s leader Robert Mugabe , ” and “ conducted his international consulting business … in a wide variety of global hotspots , including conflict zones , ” according to Parry .
In addition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ come under fire for his consulting work on behalf of Sudan ’ s military junta and Venezuelan opposition politician Henri Falcón .
Ben-Menashe has also maintained ties to several different intelligence services and eventually became a controversial whistleblower whose information led to the arrest of the former head of Canada ’ s Security Intelligence Review Committee , Arthur Porter .
As far as his character is concerned , Parry noted that Ben-Menashe could often be “ his own worst enemy ” and that , even though Parry considered his information regarding Iran-Contra and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was later corroborated , he “ often compound [ ed ] his media problem by treating journalists in a high-handed manner , either due to his suspicions of them or his arrogance.
” Bill Hamilton , the original developer of the PROMIS software and head of Inslaw Inc. , also found Ben-Menashe ’ s claims regarding the illicit use of PROMIS by U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies to be credible , though he expressed doubts about Ben-Menashe ’ s character .
Hamilton told MintPress the following about Ben-Menashe : Ari Ben Menashe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reliable information about the role of Rafi Eitan and Israeli intelligence vis-a-vis PROMIS but , in the end , of course , he was a clandestine services-type guy whose official duties include the ability and willingness to lie , cheat , and steal.
” While Ben-Menashe may have been viewed as a “ declining threat ” after the early 1990s , his plans to meet with Robert Parry of Consortium News years later in 2012 to discuss Iran-Contra and other covert dealings of the 1980s appeared to change that .
Right before he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States to meet with Parry and “ finally prove ” the truthfulness of his past claims , a fire-bomb was thrown into his Montreal home , destroying it .
Though Canadian media referred to the incendiary device as a “ molotov cocktail , ” Consortium News reported that “ the arson squad ’ s initial assessment is said to be that the flammable agent was beyond the sort of accelerant used by common criminals , ” leading to speculation that the accelerant was military-grade .
Had it not been for the bomb @ @ @ @ @ @ @ failed to determine , Ben-Menashe would have traveled to the U.S. alongside a “ senior Israeli intelligence figure ” to be interviewed by Parry .
The other intelligence-linked individual , according to Parry , “ concluded that the attack was meant as a message from Israeli authorities to stay silent about the historical events that he was expected to discuss.
” Though neither Ben-Menashe nor Parry directly blamed Israel ’ s government for the destruction of Ben-Menashe ’ s home , Parry noted that the bombing did succeed in “ intimidating Ben-Menashe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ misconduct from the other intelligence veteran , and destroying records that would have helped Ben-Menashe prove whatever statements he might make.
” While Ben-Menashe ’ s post-intelligence associations with controversial governments and individuals have given plenty of fodder to the still-thriving media campaign to discredit his claims about covert U.S.-Israel operations in the 1980s , there remain troubling indications that the Israeli government sees his information on decades-old events as a threat .
Now , with the major efforts by powerful Americans and Israelis to distance themselves from Jeffrey Epstein and other figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Ben-Menashe may soon again find his reputation — and perhaps more — under fire .

VT: Insider dope is that Ghislaine came back from Paris after being promised a deal by Barr and Trump to keep her mouth shut about Trump and sex with kids.
RT: Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite accused of acting as a pimp for deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, has been arrested.
She was charged by the FBI in relation to the late financier’s alleged sex-trafficking operation. Watch Trump during a press conference after learning his blackmailer, handler and pimp was arrested. Melania was met through Epstein (and Maxwell?) Think about what that might mean.
https://twitter.com/JohnMTalmadgeMD/status/1278691840775028736?s=20
Ghislaine Maxwell: “Yo, where’s Wallace Epstein at? That's all I wanna know. Where the fuck is Wallace? Huh? Trump? Trump? Look at me. Look at me! Where the fuck is Wallace?” pic.twitter.com/XNWHlRvVYD — Ram, Seaside (@Ram_Seaside) July 2, 2020
President Donald Trump with his good friend Ghislaine Maxwell attend a fashion show. Birds of a feather….. pic.twitter.com/M4XK2YP3DQ — Juana (@juanabean) July 2, 2020
Bill Barr is likely worried about the arrest of Ghislaine Maxwell.
His dismissal of Berman was to cover up his father, Trump’s & Prince Charles & Andrew’s disgusting trail of perversion.
Keep Barr away from her! https://t.co/SmoHEPEDjO — Herb N Roots Regrows (@roots_herb) July 2, 2020
Thanks to all the Karen's going bat crazy nowadays & with Trump himself leading the way, saying that America has a serious mental health issue would probably be an understatement at this point in time… Ghislaine Maxwell #EpsteinDidntKillHimself pic.twitter.com/BPVLfQY0PH — arnold d. oliver (@All_Thin_Tick) July 2, 2020
donald trump and ghislaine maxwell hanging out in the back part of home depot pic.twitter.com/1CfMerfPay — please see my apology tweet (@OkButStill) July 2, 2020
Whoa. Ghislaine Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump confidant, was just arrested by the FBI. Hold them all accountable! pic.twitter.com/Ybxo6BApke — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) July 2, 2020
The Ghislaine Maxwell indictment – charges include: 1) Conspiracy to entice minors to engage in illegal sex acts 2) Conspiracy to transport minors to engage in illegal sex acts 3) Transportation of a minor to engage in illegal sex acts 4) Perjury pic.twitter.com/ec7HPEJUz9 — Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) July 2, 2020
Trump storms out before taking questions, obviously completely shook by the arrest of Epstein’s partner in crime Ghislaine Maxwell. Mnuchin and Kudlow are now getting ripped to shreds by the press. This is embarrassing. — Scott Dworkin (@funder) July 2, 2020
She was arrested in New Hampshire, in the US, according to law enforcement sources that spoke with the media.
She is expected to appear in the federal court later today on charges related to her dealings with the disgraced financier.
Epstein was found dead in an apparent suicide while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
Ghislaine Maxwell’s arrest means today is a very bad day for Trump. Retweet to make it worse.#HoldTrumpAccountable. pic.twitter.com/Ybxo6BApke — MeidasTouch.com (@MeidasTouch) July 2, 2020
Maxwell’s arrest was confirmed by the FBI shortly after media outlets reported on the story, citing law enforcement sources.
In a six-count indictment, she was charged with conspiracy to entice minors to travel to engage in illegal sex acts.
Maxwell allegedly groomed the teenage girls who were sexually abused by Epstein and others. She has remained largely out of the public eye since August, after Epstein allegedly killed himself in prison. He had been arrested a month earlier on federal charges related to the exploitation of underage girls.
Her disappearance in the summer of 2019 led to a flurry of speculation about where she could be holed up. A photograph leaked to the press appeared to show her at an In-N-Out Burger fast-food restaurant in Los Angeles in late August.
One of Epstein’s best-known accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, filed a lawsuit against Maxwell in 2015. Giuffre has been pressing to have the
[Editor’s note: VT exposed Epstein and Maxwell as running a pedophile ring on behalf of Israel in order to entrap the great and the good months ago, now we have confirmation from a former Israeli intelligence officer. Ian]
by Whitney Webb, MintPressNews.com
Since the apparent death by suicide of Jeffrey Epstein in a Manhattan prison, much has come to light about his depraved activities and methods used to sexually abuse underage girls and entrap the rich and powerful for the purposes of blackmail.
Epstein’s ties to intelligence, described in-depth in a recent MintPress investigative series, have continued to receive minimal mainstream media coverage, which has essentially moved on from the Epstein scandal despite the fact that his many co-conspirators remain on the loose.
For those who have examined Epstein’s ties to intelligence, there are clear links to both U.S. intelligence and Israeli intelligence, leaving it somewhat open to debate as to which country’s intelligence apparatus was closest to Epstein and most involved in his blackmail/sex-trafficking activities.
A recent interview given by a former high-ranking official in Israeli military intelligence has claimed that Epstein’s sexual blackmail enterprise was an Israel intelligence operation run for the purpose of entrapping powerful individuals and politicians in the United States and abroad.
In an interview with Zev Shalev, former CBS News executive producer and award-winning investigative journalist for Narativ, the former senior executive for Israel’s Directorate of Military Intelligence, Ari Ben-Menashe, claimed not only to have met Jeffrey Epstein and his alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, back in the 1980s, but that both Epstein and Maxwell were already working with Israeli intelligence during that time period.
“They found a niche”
In an interview last week with the independent outlet Narativ, Ben-Menashe, who himself was involved in Iran-Contra arms deals, told his interviewer Zev Shalev that he had been introduced to Jeffrey Epstein by Robert Maxwell in the mid-1980s while Maxwell’s and Ben-Menashe’s involvement with Iran-Contra was ongoing. Ben-Menashe did not specify the year he met Epstein.
Ben-Menashe told Shalev that “he [Maxwell] wanted us to accept him [Epstein] as part of our group …. I’m not denying that we were at the time a group that it was Nick Davies [Foreign Editor of the Maxwell-Owned Daily Mirror], it was Maxwell, it was myself and our team from Israel, we were doing what we were doing.” Past reporting by Seymour Hersh and others revealed that Maxwell, Davies and Ben-Menashe were involved in the transfer and sale of military equipment and weapons from Israel to Iran on behalf of Israeli intelligence during this time period.
He then added that Maxwell had stated during the introduction that “your Israeli bosses have already approved” of Epstein. Shalev later noted that Maxwell “had an extensive network in Israel at the time, which included the then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, according to Ben-Menashe.”
Ben-Menashe went on to say that he had “met him [Epstein] a few times in Maxwell’s office, that was it.” He also said he was not aware of Epstein being involved in arms deals for anyone else he knew at the time, but that Maxwell wanted to involve Epstein in the arms transfer in which he, Davies and Ben-Menashe were engaged on Israel’s behalf.
However, as MintPress reported in Part IV of the investigative series “Inside the Jeffrey Epstein Scandal: Too Big to Fail,” Epstein was involved with several arms dealers during this period of time, some of whom were directly involved in Iran-Contra arms deals between Israel and Iran. For instance, after leaving Bear Stearns in 1981, Epstein began working in the realms of shadow finance as a self-described “financial bounty hunter,” where he would both hunt down and hide money for powerful people.
One of these powerful individuals was Adnan Khashoggi, a Saudi arms dealer with close ties to both Israeli and U.S. intelligence and one of the main brokers of Iran-Contra arms deals between Israel and Iran. Epstein would later forge a business relationship with a CIA front company involved in another aspect of Iran-Contra, the airline Southern Air Transport, on behalf of Leslie Wexner’s company, The Limited.
During this period, it is also known that Epstein became well acquainted with the British arms dealer Sir Douglas Leese, who collaborated with Khashoggi on at least one British-Saudi arms deal in the 1980s. Leese would later introduce Epstein to Steven Hoffenberg, calling Epstein a “genius” and describing his lack of morals during that introduction.
Thus, there are indications that Epstein was involved with Middle Eastern arms deals, including some related to Iran-Contra, during this period. In addition, Epstein would later claim (and then subsequently deny) having worked for the CIA during this period.
After having been introduced to Epstein, Ben-Menashe claimed that neither he nor Davies were impressed with Epstein and considered him “not very competent.” He added that Ghislaine Maxwell had “fallen for” Epstein and that he believed that the romantic relationship between his daughter and Epstein led Robert Maxwell to work to bring the latter into the “family business” — i.e., Maxwell’s dealings with Israeli intelligence.
This information is very revealing, given that the narrative, until now at least, has been that Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein did not meet and begin their relationship until after Robert Maxwell’s death in 1991, after which Ghislaine moved to New York.
Ben-Menashe says that well after the introduction, though again he does not specify what year, Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein began a sexual blackmail operation with the purpose of extorting U.S. political and public figures on behalf of Israeli military intelligence. He stated:
In this case what really happened, my take on it, in the later thing, is that these guys were seen as agents. They weren’t really competent to do very much. And so they found a niche for themselves — blackmailing American and other political figures.”
He then confirmed, when prompted, that they were blackmailing Americans on behalf of Israeli intelligence.
In response to his statement, Zev Shalev replied, “But, you know, for most people it’s hard for them to think of Israel as being … blackmailing their leaders in the United States, it’s a very …” at which point, Ben-Menashe interrupted and the following exchange took place:
Ari Ben-Menashe: You’re kidding? [laughs]…. It was quite their M.O. Sleeping around is not a crime, it may be embarrassing, but it’s not a crime, but sleeping with underage girls is a crime.
Shalev: It was a crime in 2000 as well, but they let him off that…
Ben-Menashe: And that it is [why] always so he [Epstein] made sure these girls were underage.
In addition, when Shalev asked Ben-Menashe about the relationship between Jeffrey Epstein and former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Ben-Menashe stated “After a while, you know, what Mr. Epstein was doing was collecting intelligence on people in the United States. And so if you want to go to the U.S. if you’re a high-profile politician you want to know information about people.” Ben-Menashe subsequently stated that Barak was obtaining compromising information (i.e., blackmail) that Epstein had acquired on powerful people in the United States.
PROMIS, sex, and blackmail
If Robert Maxwell did recruit Epstein and bring him into the “family business” and the world of Israeli intelligence, as Ben-Menashe has claimed, it provides supporting evidence for information provided to MintPress by a former U.S. intelligence official, who chose to remain anonymous in light of the sensitivity of the claim.
This source, who has direct knowledge of the unauthorized use of PROMIS to support covert U.S. and Israeli intelligence projects, told MintPress that “some of the proceeds from the illicit sales of PROMIS were made available to Jeffrey Epstein for use in compromising targets of political blackmail.” As was noted in a Mintpress series on the Epstein scandal, much of Epstein’s funding also came from Ohio billionaire Leslie Wexner, who has documented ties to both organized crime and U.S. and Israeli intelligence.
After the PROMIS software was stolen from its rightful owner and developer, Inslaw Inc., through the collusion of both U.S. and Israeli officials, it was marketed mainly by two men: Earl Brian, a close aide to Ronald Reagan, later U.S. envoy to Iran and close friend of Israeli spymaster Rafi Eitan; and Robert Maxwell. Brian sold the bugged software through his company, Hadron Inc., while Maxwell sold it through an Israeli company he acquired called Degem. Before and following Maxwell’s acquisition of Degem, the company was a known front for Mossad operations and Mossad operatives in Latin America often posed as Degem employees.
With Maxwell — Epstein’s alleged recruiter and father of Epstein’s alleged madam — having been one of the main salespeople involved in selling PROMIS software on behalf of intelligence, he would have been in a key position to furnish Epstein’s nascent sexual blackmail operation with the proceeds from the sale of PROMIS.
This link between Epstein’s sexual blackmail operation and the PROMIS software scandal is notable given that the illicit use of PROMIS by U.S. and Israeli intelligence has been for blackmail purposes on U.S. public figures and politicians, as was described in a recent MintPress report.
Can an ex-spy be trusted?
When dealing in the world of deception and intrigue that defines intelligence operations, it is often difficult to determine whether any individual linked to an intelligence agency is telling the truth. Indeed, in the United States, there are examples of elected intelligence officials committing perjury and lying to Congress on several occasions with no consequences, and of intelligence officials feeding politically motivated and untrue information to agency assets in the media.
So, are Ari Ben-Menashe’s claims regarding Epstein and the Maxwells trustworthy? In addition to the aforementioned, corroborating information for his claims, a review of Ben-Menashe’s post-intelligence career suggests this is the case.
Prior to his arrest in November 1989, Ben-Menashe was a high-ranking officer in a special unit of Israeli military intelligence. He would later claim that his arrest for attempting to sell American-made weapons to Iran was politically motivated, as he had threatened to expose what the U.S. government had done with the stolen PROMIS software if the U.S. did not cease providing Saddam Hussein’s Iraq with chemical weapons. Ben-Menashe was later acquitted when a U.S. court determined that his involvement in the attempted sale of military equipment to Iran was done on behalf of the Israeli state.
After his arrest, Ben-Menashe was visited in prison by Robert Parry, the former Newsweek contributor and Associated Press reporter who would later found and run Consortium News until his recent passing last year. Parry remembered that, during that interview, “Ben-Menashe offered me startling new information about the Iran-Contra scandal, which I thought that I knew quite well.”
Israel’s government immediately began to attack Ben-Menashe’s credibility following his interview with Parry, and claimed that Ben-Menashe had never worked for Israeli intelligence. When Parry soon found evidence that Ben-Menashe had indeed served in Israeli military intelligence, Israel’s government was then forced to admit that he had worked for military intelligence, but only as a “low-level translator.” Yet, the documentation Parry had uncovered described Ben-Menashe as having served in “key positions” and performed “complex and sensitive assignments.”
A year later, Ben-Menashe would be interviewed by another journalist, Seymour Hersh. It would be Ben-Menashe who first revealed to Hersh secrets about Israel’s nuclear program and the fact that British media mogul Robert Maxwell was an Israeli spy, revelations that Hersh would not only independently corroborate but include in his book The Samson Option: Israel’s Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy. Hersh was then sued by Robert Maxwell and the Maxwell-owned Mirror Group for libel. The case was later settled in Hersh’s favor, as the claims Hersh had made were true and not libelous. As a result, the Mirror Group paid Hersh for damages, covered his legal costs, and issued him a formal apology.
After Ben-Menashe’s interviews by Hersh and Parry, Israel’s government was apparently concerned enough about what Ben-Menashe would tell congressional investigators that it attempted to kidnap him and bring him back to Israel to face state charges, much like Israeli intelligence had done to Israel’s nuclear-weapons whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu. The plan was foiled largely thanks to Parry.
Parry, who broke many key stories related to the Iran-Contra scandal in the 1980s and beyond, was tipped off by a U.S. intelligence source about a joint U.S.-Israel plan to have Ben-Menashe first be denied entry to the United States on his planned trip to give congressional testimony. Per the plan, Ben-Menashe would be denied entry to the U.S. in Los Angeles and then be deported to Israel, where he would have stood trial for “exposing state secrets.” Parry called Ben-Menashe and convinced him to delay his flight until he secured a guarantee for safe passage from the U.S. government.
Ben-Menashe subsequently gave a sworn statement to the House Judiciary Committee that mostly focused on U.S.-Israel collusion regarding the theft and creation of a “backdoor” into the PROMIS software. Ben-Menashe offered to name names and provide corroborating evidence for several of his claims if he was offered immunity by the committee, which, for whatever reason. declined that request.
Prior to the conclusion of the Hersh “libel” trial, which would later uphold Ben-Menashe’s claims regarding Robert Maxwell’s Mossad activities as true, there was a concerted effort in the U.S. press to downplay Ben-Menashe’s credibility. For instance, Newsweek — in an article on Ben-Menashe entitled “One Man, Many Tales” — claimed that “inconsistencies may undermine Ben-Menashe’s testimony in the British courtroom proceedings,” citing inconsistencies from sources in Israel’s government and Israeli intelligence as well as Ben-Menashe’s ex-wife and Israeli journalist Shmuel (or Samuel) Segev, a former IDF colonel. It goes without saying that such sources had much to gain from any effort to discredit Ben-Menashe’s claims.
According to Parry, this media campaign, which employed American journalists with close ties to Israel’s government and intelligence agencies, was very successful “in marginalizing Ben-Menashe by 1993, at least in the eyes of the Washington Establishment.” After a years-long media campaign to discredit Ben-Menashe, “the Israelis seemed to view him as a declining threat, best left alone.
He was able to pick up the pieces of his life, creating a second act as an international political consultant and businessman arranging sales of grain.” The effort to marginalize Ben-Menashe has continued well into recent years, with mainstream news outlets still referring to him as a “self-described ex-Israeli spy” — despite the well-documented fact that Ben-Menashe worked for Israeli intelligence — as a means of downplaying his claims regarding his time in Israel’s intelligence service.
After the conclusion of the Hersh libel trial, Ben-Menashe became an international political consultant who “surrounded his far-flung business activities in secrecy and got involved with some controversial international figures, such as Zimbabwe’s leader Robert Mugabe,” and “conducted his international consulting business … in a wide variety of global hotspots, including conflict zones,” according to Parry.
In addition to Mugabe, Ben-Menashe has also recently come under fire for his consulting work on behalf of Sudan’s military junta and Venezuelan opposition politician Henri Falcón.
Ben-Menashe has also maintained ties to several different intelligence services and eventually became a controversial whistleblower whose information led to the arrest of the former head of Canada’s Security Intelligence Review Committee, Arthur Porter.
As far as his character is concerned, Parry noted that Ben-Menashe could often be “his own worst enemy” and that, even though Parry considered his information regarding Iran-Contra and PROMIS reliable and noted that much of it was later corroborated, he “often compound[ed] his media problem by treating journalists in a high-handed manner, either due to his suspicions of them or his arrogance.”
Bill Hamilton, the original developer of the PROMIS software and head of Inslaw Inc., also found Ben-Menashe’s claims regarding the illicit use of PROMIS by U.S. and Israeli intelligence agencies to be credible, though he expressed doubts about Ben-Menashe’s character.
Hamilton told MintPress the following about Ben-Menashe:
Ari Ben Menashe was the first source to tell us reliable information about the role of Rafi Eitan and Israeli intelligence vis-a-vis PROMIS but, in the end, of course, he was a clandestine services-type guy whose official duties include the ability and willingness to lie, cheat, and steal.”
A threat revived
While Ben-Menashe may have been viewed as a “declining threat” after the early 1990s, his plans to meet with Robert Parry of Consortium News years later in 2012 to discuss Iran-Contra and other covert dealings of the 1980s appeared to change that. Right before he planned to travel from Canada to the United States to meet with Parry and “finally prove” the truthfulness of his past claims, a fire-bomb was thrown into his Montreal home, destroying it.
Though Canadian media referred to the incendiary device as a “molotov cocktail,” Consortium News reported that “the arson squad’s initial assessment is said to be that the flammable agent was beyond the sort of accelerant used by common criminals,” leading to speculation that the accelerant was military-grade.
Had it not been for the bomb, the origins of which Canadian police failed to determine, Ben-Menashe would have traveled to the U.S. alongside a “senior Israeli intelligence figure” to be interviewed by Parry. The other intelligence-linked individual, according to Parry, “concluded that the attack was meant as a message from Israeli authorities to stay silent about the historical events that he was expected to discuss.”
Though neither Ben-Menashe nor Parry directly blamed Israel’s government for the destruction of Ben-Menashe’s home, Parry noted that the bombing did succeed in “intimidating Ben-Menashe, shutting down possible new disclosures of Israeli misconduct from the other intelligence veteran, and destroying records that would have helped Ben-Menashe prove whatever statements he might make.”
While Ben-Menashe’s post-intelligence associations with controversial governments and individuals have given plenty of fodder to the still-thriving media campaign to discredit his claims about covert U.S.-Israel operations in the 1980s, there remain troubling indications that the Israeli government sees his information on decades-old events as a threat.
Now, with the major efforts by powerful Americans and Israelis to distance themselves from Jeffrey Epstein and other figures associated with his depraved sex trafficking operation, Ben-Menashe may soon again find his reputation — and perhaps more — under fire.


K219 Nuclear Accident

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1B334DT8eM
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veteranstoday--2020-07-02--Turks Bomb Refugee Camp in Iraq

Turks Bomb Refugee Camp in Iraq

Officials stunned after UN denies knowledge of Turkish air strike on Maxmur refugee camp THE UNITED NATIONS ’ refugee agency has finally broken its silence with what has been branded a bizarre string of denials regarding Turkey ’ s bombing of the Maxmur refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan more than two weeks ago .
Responding to questions posed by the Morning Star , the UNHCR insisted that it was not aware of the air strikes — despite global coverage , appeals from camp officials and confirmation by the Turkish armed forces .
The agency ’ s spokesman for Iraq , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not recently received any reports of attacks on Maxmur camp.
” Maxmur was targeted by Turkish war planes that struck 81 targets on June 15 as Turkey launched Operation Claw Eagle , an offensive that Ankara claimed was targeting bases associated with the Kurdistan Workers ’ Party ( PKK ) .
Mr Khateeb also denied knowledge of an alleged chemical attack on Maxmur during the bombing raid , despite being sent footage by the Morning Star .
He said that the agency would not be looking into the matter as it was outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The UN official stopped short of specific mention of Turkey but said the UNHCR “ condemns attacks on civilians.
” Maxmur was established by UNHCR in 1998 .
It is home to about 15,000 refugees who fled Turkey in the 1990s when more than 3,000 Kurdish villages were burnt to the ground in forced-assimilation operations .
But the nature of the relationship has been thrown into confusion , with Mr Khateeb insisting that the agency “ is not involved in the management of [ the ] camp , ” and that it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Camp officials said that while they had not received any recent UNHCR support , they were unaware of any official retreat .
Turkey ’ s President , Recep Tayyip Erdogan , has long pressed the UN to close down the camp , threatening to attack Maxmur if the organisation refused to comply and branding it an “ incubator ” for terrorism .
Turkey has launched regular air strikes resulting in civilian casualties , acting with impunity and eliciting silence from the international community .
The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Maxmur has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ camp by the government of Iraq ’ s autonomous Kurdish region , the KRG , last year following the killing of a Turkish intelligence agent in Erbil , the region ’ s capital .
All routes in and out of Maxmur have been closed and it has remained under curfew , with people unable to leave , even for work .
The KRG government is dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party ( KDP ) , known for its close relations with the Turkish regime and hostility to the PKK .
The KDP was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s National Intelligence Service ( MIT ) , which has established offices in the region .
Large numbers of protests have taken place in front of UNHCR offices over the past year calling for an end to the blockade .
But Mr Khateeb insisted that the agency was unaware of any blockade “ aside from the travel restrictions imposed in the context of Covid-19.
” Maxmur officials have repeatedly pleaded with the UN and the international community to break their silence over the desperate situation that is unfolding .

Morning Star
Officials stunned after UN denies knowledge of Turkish air strike on Maxmur refugee camp
THE UNITED NATIONS’ refugee agency has finally broken its silence with what has been branded a bizarre string of denials regarding Turkey’s bombing of the Maxmur refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan more than two weeks ago.
Responding to questions posed by the Morning Star, the UNHCR insisted that it was not aware of the air strikes — despite global coverage, appeals from camp officials and confirmation by the Turkish armed forces.
The agency’s spokesman for Iraq, Firas al-Khateeb claimed: “UNHCR has not recently received any reports of attacks on Maxmur camp.”
Maxmur was targeted by Turkish war planes that struck 81 targets on June 15 as Turkey launched Operation Claw Eagle, an offensive that Ankara claimed was targeting bases associated with the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
Mr Khateeb also denied knowledge of an alleged chemical attack on Maxmur during the bombing raid, despite being sent footage by the Morning Star.
He said that the agency would not be looking into the matter as it was outside of its remit to do so. The UN official stopped short of specific mention of Turkey but said the UNHCR “condemns attacks on civilians.”
Maxmur was established by UNHCR in 1998. It is home to about 15,000 refugees who fled Turkey in the 1990s when more than 3,000 Kurdish villages were burnt to the ground in forced-assimilation operations.
But the nature of the relationship has been thrown into confusion, with Mr Khateeb insisting that the agency “is not involved in the management of [the] camp,” and that it was the responsibility of the Iraqi interior ministry.
Camp officials said that while they had not received any recent UNHCR support, they were unaware of any official retreat.
Turkey’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has long pressed the UN to close down the camp, threatening to attack Maxmur if the organisation refused to comply and branding it an “incubator” for terrorism.
Turkey has launched regular air strikes resulting in civilian casualties, acting with impunity and eliciting silence from the international community.
The humanitarian crisis unfolding in Maxmur has been worsened by an embargo placed on the camp by the government of Iraq’s autonomous Kurdish region, the KRG, last year following the killing of a Turkish intelligence agent in Erbil, the region’s capital.
All routes in and out of Maxmur have been closed and it has remained under curfew, with people unable to leave, even for work.
The KRG government is dominated by the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), known for its close relations with the Turkish regime and hostility to the PKK.
The KDP was recently accused of sending information to Turkey’s National Intelligence Service (MIT), which has established offices in the region.
Large numbers of protests have taken place in front of UNHCR offices over the past year calling for an end to the blockade.
But Mr Khateeb insisted that the agency was unaware of any blockade “aside from the travel restrictions imposed in the context of Covid-19.”
Maxmur officials have repeatedly pleaded with the UN and the international community to break their silence over the desperate situation that is unfolding.