lewrockwell--2020-01-09--The American Love Affair With War

The American Love Affair With War

Donald Trump ’ s recent assassination of Iranian Maj. General Qassem Soleimani was not an exceptional act of madness by a deranged president .
It was instead the continuation of a long , unfortunate American tradition .
Military aggressiveness has been a feature of U.S. foreign policy for a very long time .
As I detail in my book Crimes and Cover-Ups in American Politics : 1776-1963 , Americans love to portray themselves as the “ greatest , ” the “ good guys ” in each of their nearly continuous foreign skirmishes .
While it certainly appears to any disinterested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most , if not all , of these conflicts , the official mantra is that we are never at fault .
We are only defending ourselves , even if the opponent is smaller and weaker to a laughable degree , as it usually is .
Abraham Lincoln set so many horrific precedents , and his manipulation of events that resulted in the South technically firing the first shot at Fort Sumter , paved the way for false flags like “ Remember the Maine ” in 1898 , the sinking of the Lusitania which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ War I , the “ sneak ” attack on Pearl Harbor , the Gulf of Tonkin incident which is now universally acknowledged to have never happened , the “ weapons of mass destruction ” lie under Dubya Bush , and many other less obvious ones .
Crimes and Cover-ups i ... Donald Jeffries Best Price : $ 17.52 Buy New $ 17.19 Each time one of these false flags occurred , or stories demonizing the latest flavor of the month in some far-flung land appeared in our state-run media , the overwhelming majority @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
H.L .
Mencken defined it perfectly nearly a century ago when he said , “ the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed ( and hence clamorous to be led to safety ) by an endless series of hobgoblins , most of them imaginary.
” In just the past few decades , this “ endless series of hobgoblins ” has included Fidel Castro , Daniel Ortega , Manuel Noriega , Saddam Hussein , Muammar Gaddafi , Slobodan Milosevic , Osama Bin Laden , Kim Jong-un , Bashar al-Assad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani .
Soleimani was that rarity ; a bogeyman who literally came out of nowhere to be suddenly categorized as one of the world ’ s most dangerous characters .
Who had even heard of him before he was assassinated by our forces ?
And how did he cause the “ hundreds ” of deaths of Americans which are now routinely attributed to him ?
Hundreds of Americans were killed in Iran by this guy ?
Are there even hundreds of Americans in Iran presently ?
And , like all modern bogeymen , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bully.
” Alex Jones , now a pathetic shell of what he once was , declared that we couldn ’ t keep letting Iran “ push us around.
” Exactly how has Iran ever “ pushed us around ?
” And how do you describe an officer with a military that is only a fraction of ours , in size and power , as a “ bully ?
” That is like Mike Tyson assaulting a kindergartner , claiming they “ started it , ” and thereafter castigating him as a “ bully.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Iran with the 1953 overthrow of their democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh .
This was perhaps the CIA ’ s first foray into replacing elected officials in other countries with U.S. puppets .
Patrice Lumumba of Congo would be assassinated in 1961 , three days after the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy , Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic was gunned down six months later , and in 1973 Salvador Allende died of supposedly self-inflicted gunshot wounds during a coup d ’ état engineered by the CIA .
There were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is beyond ludicrous to be outraged by the alleged ( and totally imaginary ) interference by the Russians in our 2016 presidential election .
In 1976 , due to the revelations from the U.S. Senate hearings chaired by Frank Church , which first exposed the above plots , as well as the CIA/Mafia efforts to assassinate Cuba ’ s Fidel Castro , to the public , Gerald Ford was pressured to sign an executive order stating : “ No employee of the United States government shall engage in , or conspire in , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , “ liberal ” President Barack Obama would not only assassinate American citizen Anwar al Awlaki , who had not even been charged with any crime , he bragged about it publicly , and then killed his sixteen year old son the next month for good measure .
Talk about impeachable offenses !
Well-meaning liberals still talk about the assassination attempts on Castro , and other American efforts which were successful , as if we “ learned ” something from that post-Watergate 1970s era .
Many of these same people presumably voted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Obama , as noted , bragged about assassinating an American citizen , and Hillary memorably gloated , “ We came .
We saw .
He died.
” Were they just appalled by assassination in their youth ?
They certainly seem to approve of it now .
When pre-Chelsea Bradley Manning exposed the shameful conduct of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan , the response on the part of most Americans wasn ’ t favorable .
Public opinion polls don ’ t give us much confidence about America ’ s collective moral barometer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whistle blowers .
Donald Trump ’ s pardon of Navy Seal Edward Gallagher demonstrates that both “ liberal ” and “ conservative ” leaders support the kind of behavior that was also exposed in all those leaked photos of smiling U.S. military men and women , posing next to dead corpses , and engaging in various forms of often sexually-themed torture of enemy prisoners .
Most of these travesties took place at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq , and were condemned by most of the world .
The photos released to the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hersh has long alleged that American troops raped Iraqi children in front of their mothers .
It ’ s hard to imagine a worse “ war crime ” than that , but many in this country would find a way to justify it .
How else are we supposed to make them stop “ hating our freedom ?
” What we saw in those horrific photos of U.S. troop members , posing happily next to dead bodies or piles of naked male Iraqis , should have outraged the general public .
Instead , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Guantanamo Bay , Cuba came to represent all that ’ s true and just in America 2.0 : torture , human rights abuses , all inflicted on “ detainees ” who are the modern manifestation of the northern citizens locked up by Lincoln during the Civil War for opposing his tyranny .
Barack Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay , but once elected this promise became as empty as all those Donald Trump made about immigration and ending “ all these senseless wars.
” The “ liberal ” mainstream media is noticeably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleiamani .
A commentator for NBC called it “ the smart thing to do , ” and absurdly maintained that “ Whether most Americans knew it or not , Soleimani was already waging a shadow war with the West and its regional partners.
” This “ shadow war , ” along with the mythical “ sleeper cells ” right-wingers have been warning about for decades , certainly was waged from the shadows , because no one provided the slightest evidence for it .
We remain the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bomb on an utterly defeated people , at Hiroshima and Nagasaki .
That hasn ’ t stopped us from lecturing “ rogue ” nations like Iran , who our leaders assure us “ can ’ t be trusted ” with such deadly weapons .
Israel , of course , has had an impressive nuclear program since the Kennedy administration , when JFK was engaged in a behind-the-scenes , increasingly vitriolic fight with then Israeli President David Ben-Gurion about it .
Our citizens love the military .
Uncle Sam wants you .
Plant those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Support the troops .
Thank you for your service .
There was little public outcry when it was revealed that our government pays NFL teams to promote our military industrial complex during its games .
It ’ s easy for our leaders to support war .
It ’ s always popular , and no one they love will be fighting in one .
The $ 300 “ rich man ’ s exemption ” which was instituted during Lincoln ’ s war of northern aggression- yet another terrible precedent- still figuratively exists .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and now daughters , in yet another “ advance ” ) of the poor and working class dying in the trenches , and firing off the missiles .
The children of the wealthy are always safely ensconced at college , or getting Donald Trump-style deferments .
That doesn ’ t stop them from developing into adult chicken hawks like Lindsay Graham , Dick Cheney and countless others , none of whom ever sniffed a battlefield but have never seen a war they don ’ t love .
Ambrose Bierce said that patriotism was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nothing brings out the “ USA !
USA !
” chants better than waving the flag .
Just assure the masses that they ’ re always right , and the most generous , intelligent people in the world .
Young Bill Clinton , fervent anti-war protester during the Vietnam War , the only war in our history that garnered any appreciable amount of public opposition , learned how to salute the troops as well as anyone else .
Ronald Reagan , noted nonparticipant in WWII himself , started this ridiculous tradition of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Art Of War Sun Tzu Best Price : $ 4.40 Buy New $ 3.99 Our founders never intended for America to have a standing army .
They certainly never envisioned a monstrosity like the military industrial complex and its nefarious intelligence agencies .
But the public doesn ’ t seem to mind .
Give them the pomp of a good flyover or cannon blast .
Watch them tear up at staged reunions between soldiers and their young children .
They used to call it bread and circuses .
There are no voices for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unless you count Tulsi Gabbard , who has her own questionable baggage .
But there are millions willing to beat the war drums when ordered to do so .
Mark Twain , who said so many memorable things , noted that “ God created war so that Americans would learn geography.
” So perhaps it does serve a constructive purpose , although Americans still seem woefully ignorant about geography ( and pretty much everything else ) .
Sun Tzu , who wrote The Art of War , is still quoted widely by our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John F. Kennedy ’ s timeless 1963 commencement address at American University , where he advocated for peace as no other American president ever has , was probably the final nail in his coffin , on the other hand .
John Quincy Adams spoke for virtually every American leader during the revolutionary era when he said , “ America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy.
” Our leaders have constructed a foreign policy that does nothing else .
The Best of Donald Jeffries

Donald Trump’s recent assassination of Iranian Maj. General Qassem Soleimani was not an exceptional act of madness by a deranged president. It was instead the continuation of a long, unfortunate American tradition. Military aggressiveness has been a feature of U.S. foreign policy for a very long time.
As I detail in my book Crimes and Cover-Ups in American Politics: 1776-1963, Americans love to portray themselves as the “greatest,” the “good guys” in each of their nearly continuous foreign skirmishes. While it certainly appears to any disinterested observer that we are the initiator in most, if not all, of these conflicts, the official mantra is that we are never at fault. We are only defending ourselves, even if the opponent is smaller and weaker to a laughable degree, as it usually is.
Abraham Lincoln set so many horrific precedents, and his manipulation of events that resulted in the South technically firing the first shot at Fort Sumter, paved the way for false flags like “Remember the Maine” in 1898, the sinking of the Lusitania which “forced” us to enter World War I, the “sneak” attack on Pearl Harbor, the Gulf of Tonkin incident which is now universally acknowledged to have never happened, the “weapons of mass destruction” lie under Dubya Bush, and many other less obvious ones. Crimes and Cover-ups i... Donald Jeffries Best Price: $17.17 Buy New $17.19 (as of 06:20 UTC - Details)
Each time one of these false flags occurred, or stories demonizing the latest flavor of the month in some far-flung land appeared in our state-run media, the overwhelming majority of the American people swallowed the propaganda. H.L. Mencken defined it perfectly nearly a century ago when he said, “the whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by an endless series of hobgoblins, most of them imaginary.”
In just the past few decades, this “endless series of hobgoblins” has included Fidel Castro, Daniel Ortega, Manuel Noriega, Saddam Hussein, Muammar Gaddafi, Slobodan Milosevic, Osama Bin Laden, Kim Jong-un, Bashar al-Assad, Vladimir Putin, and now Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani was that rarity; a bogeyman who literally came out of nowhere to be suddenly categorized as one of the world’s most dangerous characters. Who had even heard of him before he was assassinated by our forces? And how did he cause the “hundreds” of deaths of Americans which are now routinely attributed to him? Hundreds of Americans were killed in Iran by this guy? Are there even hundreds of Americans in Iran presently?
And, like all modern bogeymen, Soleimani has been described as a “bully.” Alex Jones, now a pathetic shell of what he once was, declared that we couldn’t keep letting Iran “push us around.” Exactly how has Iran ever “pushed us around?” And how do you describe an officer with a military that is only a fraction of ours, in size and power, as a “bully?” That is like Mike Tyson assaulting a kindergartner, claiming they “started it,” and thereafter castigating him as a “bully.”
We definitely “started it” with Iran with the 1953 overthrow of their democratically elected Prime Minister Mohammad Mosaddegh. This was perhaps the CIA’s first foray into replacing elected officials in other countries with U.S. puppets. Patrice Lumumba of Congo would be assassinated in 1961, three days after the inauguration of President John F. Kennedy, Rafael Trujillo of the Dominican Republic was gunned down six months later, and in 1973 Salvador Allende died of supposedly self-inflicted gunshot wounds during a coup d’état engineered by the CIA. There were others, but suffice to say it is beyond ludicrous to be outraged by the alleged (and totally imaginary) interference by the Russians in our 2016 presidential election.
In 1976, due to the revelations from the U.S. Senate hearings chaired by Frank Church, which first exposed the above plots, as well as the CIA/Mafia efforts to assassinate Cuba’s Fidel Castro, to the public, Gerald Ford was pressured to sign an executive order stating: “No employee of the United States government shall engage in, or conspire in, political assassination.” Less than forty years later, “liberal” President Barack Obama would not only assassinate American citizen Anwar al Awlaki, who had not even been charged with any crime, he bragged about it publicly, and then killed his sixteen year old son the next month for good measure. Talk about impeachable offenses!
Well-meaning liberals still talk about the assassination attempts on Castro, and other American efforts which were successful, as if we “learned” something from that post-Watergate 1970s era. Many of these same people presumably voted for Obama and Hillary Clinton for president. Obama, as noted, bragged about assassinating an American citizen, and Hillary memorably gloated, “We came. We saw. He died.” Were they just appalled by assassination in their youth? They certainly seem to approve of it now.
When pre-Chelsea Bradley Manning exposed the shameful conduct of American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, the response on the part of most Americans wasn’t favorable. Public opinion polls don’t give us much confidence about America’s collective moral barometer. We just don’t like whistle blowers. Donald Trump’s pardon of Navy Seal Edward Gallagher demonstrates that both “liberal” and “conservative” leaders support the kind of behavior that was also exposed in all those leaked photos of smiling U.S. military men and women, posing next to dead corpses, and engaging in various forms of often sexually-themed torture of enemy prisoners.
Most of these travesties took place at Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, and were condemned by most of the world. The photos released to the public were shocking enough, but reporter Seymour Hersh has long alleged that American troops raped Iraqi children in front of their mothers. It’s hard to imagine a worse “war crime” than that, but many in this country would find a way to justify it. How else are we supposed to make them stop “hating our freedom?”
What we saw in those horrific photos of U.S. troop members, posing happily next to dead bodies or piles of naked male Iraqis, should have outraged the general public. Instead, a majority probably approved. The prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba came to represent all that’s true and just in America 2.0: torture, human rights abuses, all inflicted on “detainees” who are the modern manifestation of the northern citizens locked up by Lincoln during the Civil War for opposing his tyranny. Barack Obama promised to close Guantanamo Bay, but once elected this promise became as empty as all those Donald Trump made about immigration and ending “all these senseless wars.”
The “liberal” mainstream media is noticeably silent on Trump’s assassination of Soleiamani. A commentator for NBC called it “the smart thing to do,” and absurdly maintained that “Whether most Americans knew it or not, Soleimani was already waging a shadow war with the West and its regional partners.” This “shadow war,” along with the mythical “sleeper cells” right-wingers have been warning about for decades, certainly was waged from the shadows, because no one provided the slightest evidence for it.
We remain the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons on another, when we dropped the bomb on an utterly defeated people, at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. That hasn’t stopped us from lecturing “rogue” nations like Iran, who our leaders assure us “can’t be trusted” with such deadly weapons. Israel, of course, has had an impressive nuclear program since the Kennedy administration, when JFK was engaged in a behind-the-scenes, increasingly vitriolic fight with then Israeli President David Ben-Gurion about it.
Our citizens love the military. Uncle Sam wants you. Plant those victory gardens. Buy those bonds. Support the troops. Thank you for your service. There was little public outcry when it was revealed that our government pays NFL teams to promote our military industrial complex during its games.
It’s easy for our leaders to support war. It’s always popular, and no one they love will be fighting in one. The $300 “rich man’s exemption” which was instituted during Lincoln’s war of northern aggression- yet another terrible precedent- still figuratively exists. It’s always been the sons (and now daughters, in yet another “advance”) of the poor and working class dying in the trenches, and firing off the missiles. The children of the wealthy are always safely ensconced at college, or getting Donald Trump-style deferments. That doesn’t stop them from developing into adult chicken hawks like Lindsay Graham, Dick Cheney and countless others, none of whom ever sniffed a battlefield but have never seen a war they don’t love.
Ambrose Bierce said that patriotism was the first refuge of a scoundrel. Nothing brings out the “USA! USA!” chants better than waving the flag. Just assure the masses that they’re always right, and the most generous, intelligent people in the world. Young Bill Clinton, fervent anti-war protester during the Vietnam War, the only war in our history that garnered any appreciable amount of public opposition, learned how to salute the troops as well as anyone else. Ronald Reagan, noted nonparticipant in WWII himself, started this ridiculous tradition of a civilian commander-in-chief saluting actual troops. The Art Of War Sun Tzu Best Price: $2.99 Buy New $3.99 (as of 05:35 UTC - Details)
Our founders never intended for America to have a standing army. They certainly never envisioned a monstrosity like the military industrial complex and its nefarious intelligence agencies. But the public doesn’t seem to mind. Give them the pomp of a good flyover or cannon blast. Watch them tear up at staged reunions between soldiers and their young children. They used to call it bread and circuses.
There are no voices for peace with a large public platform, unless you count Tulsi Gabbard, who has her own questionable baggage. But there are millions willing to beat the war drums when ordered to do so. Mark Twain, who said so many memorable things, noted that “God created war so that Americans would learn geography.” So perhaps it does serve a constructive purpose, although Americans still seem woefully ignorant about geography (and pretty much everything else).
Sun Tzu, who wrote The Art of War, is still quoted widely by our sociopathic leaders in business and government. John F. Kennedy’s timeless 1963 commencement address at American University, where he advocated for peace as no other American president ever has, was probably the final nail in his coffin, on the other hand.
John Quincy Adams spoke for virtually every American leader during the revolutionary era when he said, “America does not go abroad in search of monsters to destroy.” Our leaders have constructed a foreign policy that does nothing else.
Reprinted with the author’s permission.
The Best of Donald Jeffries


lewrockwell--2020-01-09--Armies of Unidentified Drones Are Appearing Over the Western US at Night, And It Is Really Freaking

Armies of Unidentified Drones Are Appearing Over the Western US at Night, And It Is Really Freaking People Out

Since just before Christmas , armies of unidentified drones have been appearing each night in the skies above Colorado , Nebraska and Kansas .
The drones are approximately 6 feet wide and they have red and white lights , but nobody knows where they are from or who owns them .
This is a story that is now receiving national attention , and the FBI , the FAA and the U.S. Air Force are all investigating this mystery .
According to eyewitnesses , these drones can move “ much faster than a regular aircraft ” , and that would seem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
So far , the U.S. military , every government agency that has been asked , and many of the major companies in the area have all denied operating the drones .
Federal , state and local law enforcement officials have been doing all that they can to solve this mystery , but so far they have come up completely empty .
And even though these drones are now receiving so much attention , they just keep coming back night after night .
According to one northern Colorado resident , when the drones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from a movie ” … For the last week , Michelle Eckert has spotted a high-flying , night-time mystery above her rural northern Colorado home .
She has seen drones , sometimes a dozen or more with wingspans 6 feet wide .
“ The sky is lit up with Christmas lights basically , ” she told CBS News .
“ There ’ s lights and things flying all over .
It reminded me of something from a movie.
” Sometimes eyewitnesses just see one drone .
In other cases , the drones are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instances , there are large groups of up to 30 drones working in very close coordination .
Get Prepared Now !
: Why ... Michael Snyder , Barbar ... Best Price : $ 13.25 Buy New $ 14.01 On Thursday night , a Denver Post reporter went out in search of these drones , and it wasn ’ t long before some of them were spotted… As light turned to dark Thursday , stars appeared in the night sky .
And soon after , so did drones .
Around 6:10 p.m. , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unmanned aircraft whizzing west above I-70 , 8 miles outside Limon .
More drones could be seen outside Last Chance , a slight whir audible as they passed overhead .
The aircraft flashed one red light and one white .
Two other yellowish lights remained on throughout the flight .
In 20 minutes , a half-dozen flying objects could be seen traversing over the barren wind farms .
The fact that there are so many of them and that they are operating over such a large area would seem to indicate that this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual .
But at this point we don ’ t have any answers .
Lincoln County Sheriff Tom Nestor has been working on this case for quite a few days , and his county map is now “ dotted with blue and yellow thumbtacks ” because so many people have been reporting sightings… Nestor immediately suspected that a local company may be doing some mapping , but that theory didn ’ t turn up anything .
And other law enforcement officials in the region have come up empty as well… The FAA has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they should be able to get to the bottom of this , but they are just as puzzled as everyone else… So far there is no evidence that these drones are malicious , but just a few days ago we received a reminder of how deadly they can potentially be .
Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed by a drone , and he probably never even knew that the attack was coming .
On Monday , dozens of federal , state and local law enforcement officials gathered in the town of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At the conclusion of the meeting , reporters were told that there is still “ no explanation ” for this mystery… People living in Colorado , Nebraska and Kansas desperately want some answers , and now a similar sighting has been reported in Minnesota… The Beginning Of The End Michael Snyder Check Amazon for Pricing .
This sounds very similar to many of the other sightings , but nobody has been able to examine one of these drones up close yet , and so we still don ’ t know precisely what we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do know is that our world is a very strange place , and it is getting stranger by the day .
Hopefully this is just some relatively harmless top secret U.S. military program that the Pentagon doesn ’ t want to talk about .
Because if these drones do not have a U.S. origin , then that opens up a completely different can of worms .
Reprinted with permission from End of the American Dream .
The Best of Michael Snyder

Since just before Christmas, armies of unidentified drones have been appearing each night in the skies above Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas. The drones are approximately 6 feet wide and they have red and white lights, but nobody knows where they are from or who owns them. This is a story that is now receiving national attention, and the FBI, the FAA and the U.S. Air Force are all investigating this mystery. According to eyewitnesses, these drones can move “much faster than a regular aircraft”, and that would seem to indicate that they are highly sophisticated. So far, the U.S. military, every government agency that has been asked, and many of the major companies in the area have all denied operating the drones. Federal, state and local law enforcement officials have been doing all that they can to solve this mystery, but so far they have come up completely empty.
And even though these drones are now receiving so much attention, they just keep coming back night after night. According to one northern Colorado resident, when the drones come out it looks like “something from a movie”…
For the last week, Michelle Eckert has spotted a high-flying, night-time mystery above her rural northern Colorado home. She has seen drones, sometimes a dozen or more with wingspans 6 feet wide. “The sky is lit up with Christmas lights basically,” she told CBS News. “There’s lights and things flying all over. It reminded me of something from a movie.”
Sometimes eyewitnesses just see one drone. In other cases, the drones are working in pairs. And in other instances, there are large groups of up to 30 drones working in very close coordination. Get Prepared Now!: Why... Fix, Barbara Best Price: $10.96 Buy New $13.77 (as of 04:20 UTC - Details)
On Thursday night, a Denver Post reporter went out in search of these drones, and it wasn’t long before some of them were spotted…
As light turned to dark Thursday, stars appeared in the night sky. And soon after, so did drones. Around 6:10 p.m., a Denver Post reporter and photographer spotted two unmanned aircraft whizzing west above I-70, 8 miles outside Limon. More drones could be seen outside Last Chance, a slight whir audible as they passed overhead. The aircraft flashed one red light and one white. Two other yellowish lights remained on throughout the flight. In 20 minutes, a half-dozen flying objects could be seen traversing over the barren wind farms.
The fact that there are so many of them and that they are operating over such a large area would seem to indicate that this is not the work of some rogue individual.
But at this point we don’t have any answers.
Lincoln County Sheriff Tom Nestor has been working on this case for quite a few days, and his county map is now “dotted with blue and yellow thumbtacks” because so many people have been reporting sightings…
Inside the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office in Hugo on Thursday afternoon, Sheriff Tom Nestor and Capt. Yowell stared at a county map hanging in a narrow hallway. It’s dotted with blue and yellow thumbtacks, depicting sightings from across the county of just under 5,500 people. There’s a series of tacks clustered around Interstate 70 in Limon, with a few scattered north and south of the interstate. Some people reported the drones flying in packs. Others saw solo flights.
Nestor immediately suspected that a local company may be doing some mapping, but that theory didn’t turn up anything. And other law enforcement officials in the region have come up empty as well…
Nestor said he has spoken to local oil companies and drone experts, learning information but getting no answers. Neighboring sheriffs have spoken to the military, which has denied involvement, he said. The Air Force, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Department of Defense, the Environmental Protection Agency, the North American Aerospace Defense Command and the University of Colorado Boulder have told The Denver Post that they’re not flying the drones.
The FAA has gotten involved, and you would think that they should be able to get to the bottom of this, but they are just as puzzled as everyone else…
Already, the FAA has contacted test sites, drone companies and companies that have received authorization to operate drones in the affected areas. But the agency has not been able to determine who is flying the aircraft, spokesman Ian Gregor said in a statement Monday. The FAA also asked area airports and pilots to report sightings or people they see operating the drones from the ground.
So far there is no evidence that these drones are malicious, but just a few days ago we received a reminder of how deadly they can potentially be. Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed by a drone, and he probably never even knew that the attack was coming.
On Monday, dozens of federal, state and local law enforcement officials gathered in the town of Brush to talk about these drones. At the conclusion of the meeting, reporters were told that there is still “no explanation” for this mystery…
Mysterious drone sightings remains a mystery on Colorado’s Eastern Plains. Monday, more than 70 local, state and federal officials met in Brush to talk about findings and reports from the last couple of weeks. Multiple law enforcement agencies, the FBI, United States Air Force and the FAA ended the meeting with no explanation of what the objects hovering over vast properties really are.
People living in Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas desperately want some answers, and now a similar sighting has been reported in Minnesota… The Beginning Of The End Snyder, Michael Buy New $6.99 (as of 09:10 UTC - Details)
Drones were reported flying over Juniata and Hastings Sunday night. An operator has not been identified at this time. Minneapolis Air Traffic Control contacted the Hastings Police Department with a report from an airplane pilot about the drones. Air traffic control reported the drones were flying in a grid pattern around 9-10 p.m. Sunday, Police Capt. Mike Doremus said.
This sounds very similar to many of the other sightings, but nobody has been able to examine one of these drones up close yet, and so we still don’t know precisely what we are dealing with.
But what we do know is that our world is a very strange place, and it is getting stranger by the day.
Hopefully this is just some relatively harmless top secret U.S. military program that the Pentagon doesn’t want to talk about.
Because if these drones do not have a U.S. origin, then that opens up a completely different can of worms.
Reprinted with permission from End of the American Dream.
The Best of Michael Snyder


lewrockwell--2020-01-09--Syrian President Bashar al-Assad Interview

“ As for Trump .
.
.
he is the best American President , not because his policies are good , but because he is the most transparent president .
All American presidents perpetrate all kinds of political atrocities and all crimes and yet still win the Nobel Prize and project themselves as defenders of human rights and noble and unique American values , or Western values in general .
The reality is that they are a group of criminals who represent the interests of American lobbies , i.e .
the large oil and arms companies , and others .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want is oil .
This is the reality of American policy , at least since WWII ” — Bashar al-Assad Journalist : Hello and welcome to this special interview with the President of the Syrian Arab Republic , His Excellency Dr Bashar al-Assad .
Thank you for receiving us Mr President .
Your last interview with Syrian media was several years ago and therefore we have a lot of questions .
We will begin with political questions and then move into internal issues .
President Assad : You are welcome , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ openness .
A Peace to End All Pea ... David Fromkin Best Price : $ 4.45 Buy New $ 15.26 Journalist : Mr President , thank you very much for receiving us .
Since the political issues are pressing at the moment we will start with politics , Mr President .
The United States announced a few days ago that the leader of the terrorist organization ISIS , Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi , was killed .
And it thanked Russia , Syria , Iraq , the Turks and the Kurds for helping kill Abu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but we have not heard any comment from Damascus .
What is your take on Trump thanking Syria ?
Did Syria really take part in this operation ?
President Assad : Absolutely not , we heard about this only through the media .
Maybe , the reason behind including a number of countries as participants in this operation is to give it credibility so these countries will feel not embarrassed , but have the desire to be that they are part of a “ great ” operation , as the Americans have tried @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way , they are credited with fighting terrorism .
We do not need such credit .
We are the ones fighting terrorism .
We have no relations and have had no contact with any American institutions .
More importantly , we do not really know whether the operation did actually take place or not .
No aircraft were detected on radar screens .
Why were the remains of Baghdadi not shown ?
This is the same scenario that was followed with Bin Laden .
If there are going to use different pretexts in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ let us recall how President Saddam Husain was captured and how the whole operation was shown from A to Z ; they showed pictures and video clips after they captured him .
The same happened when they killed his sons several months later ; they showed the bodies .
So , why did they hide everything about the Bin Laden operation and now also the Baghdadi operation ?
This is part of the tricks played by the Americans .
That is why we should not believe everything they say unless they come up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guilty until proven innocent , not the other way around .
Journalist : Mr President , if Baghdadi has actually been killed , does it mean the end of his organization , or is it as usual that there will be new leaders and new organizations which are being prepared for the moment when the cards of their predecessors have been burned out ?
President Assad : First , Baghdadi represents ISIS , and ISIS represents a type of doctrine , which is the extremist Wahhabi doctrine .
This type of thought is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long as this thought is alive and has not receded , this means that the death of Baghdadi , or even the death of ISIS as a whole , will have no effect on this extremist thought .
Regarding Baghdadi as an individual , it is well-known that he was in American prisons in Iraq , and that they let him out in order to play this role .
So , he is someone who could be replaced at any moment .
Was he really killed ?
Was he killed but through a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way ?
Was he kidnapped ?
Was he hidden ?
Or was he removed and given a facelift ?
God only knows .
American politics are no different from Hollywood ; it relies on the imagination .
Not even science fiction , just mere imagination .
So , you can take American politics and see it in Hollywood or else you can bring Hollywood and see it through American politics .
I believe the whole thing regarding this operation is a trick .
Baghdadi will be recreated under a different name , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirety might be reproduced as needed under a different name but with the same thought and the same purpose .
The director of the whole scenario is the same , the Americans .
Journalist : Questions have been raised about the Russian-Turkish agreement , particularly the item related to maintaining the status quo in the region which was subject to the Turkish aggression , Tal Abyadh and Ras al-Ain with a depth of thirty-two kilometers .
What some people understood from this was that it legitimized the Turkish occupation , particularly that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within these areas which were discussed in the agreement .
What is your response to that ?
President Assad : First , the Russian principles have been clear throughout this war and even before the Russian base that started supporting the Syrian army in 2015 .
These principles are based on international law , Syrian sovereignty and Syria ’ s territorial integrity .
This has not changed , neither before , nor after , nor with changing circumstances .
However , Russian policy deals with the realities on the ground .
These realities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; the withdrawal of armed groups from the north to the south in coordination with the Syrian Army , and as such the advance of the Syrian Army to the north , to the area not occupied by the Turks .
These two elements are positive , but they do not cancel out the negative aspects of the Turkish presence until they are driven out one way or another .
This agreement is a temporary one , not permanent .
If we take for example the de-escalation areas at a certain period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were permanent and that they will give terrorists the right to remain in their areas indefinitely .
The fact was that it was an opportunity to protect civilians , and also to talk to the terrorists with the objective of driving them out later .
So , we have to distinguish between ultimate or strategic goals on the one hand , and tactical approaches on the other .
In the short term , it is a good agreement – and let me explain why ; the Turkish incursion , not only reflects Turkey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American desire .
The Russian relationship with Turkey is positive because it reigns in Turkish aspirations .
On the other hand , it outmaneuvers the American game in the north .
Let me explain this .
The recent German proposal which was immediately supported by NATO – and the Germans would not make this except on behalf of the Americans , NATO is the same thing as America .
The proposal talked about restoring security to this region under international auspices .
This means that the area would be outside the control of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a reality on the ground .
Through this agreement , the Russians reigned in the Turks , outmaneuvered the Americans and aborted the call for internationalization which was proposed by the Germans .
That is why this agreement is a positive step .
It does not achieve everything , in the sense that it will not pressure the Turks to leave immediately .
However , it limits the damage and paves the way for the liberation of this region in the future , or the immediate future , as we hope .

Syrian Arab News Agency
October 31, 2019
“As for Trump . . . he is the best American President, not because his policies are good, but because he is the most transparent president. All American presidents perpetrate all kinds of political atrocities and all crimes and yet still win the Nobel Prize and project themselves as defenders of human rights and noble and unique American values, or Western values in general. The reality is that they are a group of criminals who represent the interests of American lobbies, i.e. the large oil and arms companies, and others. Trump talks transparently, saying that what we want is oil. This is the reality of American policy, at least since WWII” — Bashar al-Assad
Interview Transcript
Journalist: Hello and welcome to this special interview with the President of the Syrian Arab Republic, His Excellency Dr Bashar al-Assad. Thank you for receiving us Mr President. Your last interview with Syrian media was several years ago and therefore we have a lot of questions. We will begin with political questions and then move into internal issues.
President Assad: You are welcome, and as always let us speak with full openness. A Peace to End All Pea... Fromkin, David Best Price: $4.51 Buy New $14.19 (as of 11:15 UTC - Details)
Journalist: Mr President, thank you very much for receiving us. Since the political issues are pressing at the moment we will start with politics, Mr President. The United States announced a few days ago that the leader of the terrorist organization ISIS, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, was killed. And it thanked Russia, Syria, Iraq, the Turks and the Kurds for helping kill Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. Trump thanked Syria, but we have not heard any comment from Damascus. What is your take on Trump thanking Syria? Did Syria really take part in this operation?
President Assad: Absolutely not, we heard about this only through the media. Maybe, the reason behind including a number of countries as participants in this operation is to give it credibility so these countries will feel not embarrassed, but have the desire to be that they are part of a “great” operation, as the Americans have tried to portray it. And in this way, they are credited with fighting terrorism. We do not need such credit. We are the ones fighting terrorism. We have no relations and have had no contact with any American institutions.
More importantly, we do not really know whether the operation did actually take place or not. No aircraft were detected on radar screens. Why were the remains of Baghdadi not shown? This is the same scenario that was followed with Bin Laden. If there are going to use different pretexts in order not to show the remains, let us recall how President Saddam Husain was captured and how the whole operation was shown from A to Z; they showed pictures and video clips after they captured him. The same happened when they killed his sons several months later; they showed the bodies. So, why did they hide everything about the Bin Laden operation and now also the Baghdadi operation? This is part of the tricks played by the Americans. That is why we should not believe everything they say unless they come up with evidence. American politicians are actually guilty until proven innocent, not the other way around.
Journalist: Mr President, if Baghdadi has actually been killed, does it mean the end of his organization, or is it as usual that there will be new leaders and new organizations which are being prepared for the moment when the cards of their predecessors have been burned out?
President Assad: First, Baghdadi represents ISIS, and ISIS represents a type of doctrine, which is the extremist Wahhabi doctrine. This type of thought is more than two centuries old. As long as this thought is alive and has not receded, this means that the death of Baghdadi, or even the death of ISIS as a whole, will have no effect on this extremist thought.
Regarding Baghdadi as an individual, it is well-known that he was in American prisons in Iraq, and that they let him out in order to play this role. So, he is someone who could be replaced at any moment. Was he really killed? Was he killed but through a different method, in a very ordinary way? Was he kidnapped? Was he hidden? Or was he removed and given a facelift? God only knows. American politics are no different from Hollywood; it relies on the imagination. Not even science fiction, just mere imagination. So, you can take American politics and see it in Hollywood or else you can bring Hollywood and see it through American politics. I believe the whole thing regarding this operation is a trick. Baghdadi will be recreated under a different name, a different individual, or ISIS in its entirety might be reproduced as needed under a different name but with the same thought and the same purpose. The director of the whole scenario is the same, the Americans.
Journalist: Questions have been raised about the Russian-Turkish agreement, particularly the item related to maintaining the status quo in the region which was subject to the Turkish aggression, Tal Abyadh and Ras al-Ain with a depth of thirty-two kilometers. What some people understood from this was that it legitimized the Turkish occupation, particularly that the agreement did not include any Syrian role within these areas which were discussed in the agreement. What is your response to that?
President Assad: First, the Russian principles have been clear throughout this war and even before the Russian base that started supporting the Syrian army in 2015. These principles are based on international law, Syrian sovereignty and Syria’s territorial integrity. This has not changed, neither before, nor after, nor with changing circumstances. However, Russian policy deals with the realities on the ground. These realities on the ground have achieved two things; the withdrawal of armed groups from the north to the south in coordination with the Syrian Army, and as such the advance of the Syrian Army to the north, to the area not occupied by the Turks. These two elements are positive, but they do not cancel out the negative aspects of the Turkish presence until they are driven out one way or another. This agreement is a temporary one, not permanent. If we take for example the de-escalation areas at a certain period of time, some people believed that they were permanent and that they will give terrorists the right to remain in their areas indefinitely. The fact was that it was an opportunity to protect civilians, and also to talk to the terrorists with the objective of driving them out later. So, we have to distinguish between ultimate or strategic goals on the one hand, and tactical approaches on the other.
In the short term, it is a good agreement – and let me explain why; the Turkish incursion, not only reflects Turkey’s territorial greed but also expresses American desire. The Russian relationship with Turkey is positive because it reigns in Turkish aspirations. On the other hand, it outmaneuvers the American game in the north. Let me explain this. The recent German proposal which was immediately supported by NATO – and the Germans would not make this except on behalf of the Americans, NATO is the same thing as America. The proposal talked about restoring security to this region under international auspices. This means that the area would be outside the control of the Syrian state and thus making separation a reality on the ground. Through this agreement, the Russians reigned in the Turks, outmaneuvered the Americans and aborted the call for internationalization which was proposed by the Germans. That is why this agreement is a positive step. It does not achieve everything, in the sense that it will not pressure the Turks to leave immediately. However, it limits the damage and paves the way for the liberation of this region in the future, or the immediate future, as we hope.
Intervention: God willing
Read the Whole Article


Coonman’s ‘Tax Relief’

Car dealers are amateurs when it comes to the bait-and-switch .
The true masters of this art are politicians – such as Virginia Governor Ralph “ Coonman ” Northam .
He tantalizes empty-pocketed taxpayers – whose pockets are empty because of all the taxes they ’ re forced to pay – with lower taxes .
In exchange for higher ones .
Of course , he doesn ’ t quite put it that way , much less explain what he ’ s up to – so let ’ s do that .
Virginia , like most states , applies an annual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sales taxes people are forced to pay when they buy a car , then the tax to title the car and then again each year for the conditional privilege of temporary possession – the property tax on the vehicle .
Which if you fail to pay , the vehicle ’ s true status as the property of the state will be made manifest .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 The registration tax is about $ 50 per year – which adds up over the years .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will have paid $ 500 in registration taxes .
In addition to that tax , there is another annual tax – the state “ safety ” inspection tax .
People are forced to take their vehicle to an “ approved ” garage and have its tires and brakes and so on looked over – even if they have looked over these things themselves .
The usual justification – that because some people are irresponsible ( and would otherwise drive around with bad brakes and threadbare tires ) is used to presume everyone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their vehicle inspected each year .
And , of course , pay every year .
Another $ 20 – which times ten equals another $ 200 plus the $ 500 for the registration is $ 700 – which is a lot of money , especially given how much money has already been taken by the government .
No more annual inspections !
And he ’ ll cut the annual registration taxes in half !
In exchange for a new inspection tax – and an increase in gas taxes .
The Best of Eric @

Car dealers are amateurs when it comes to the bait-and-switch. The true masters of this art are politicians – such as Virginia Governor Ralph “Coonman” Northam. He tantalizes empty-pocketed taxpayers – whose pockets are empty because of all the taxes they’re forced to pay – with lower taxes.
In exchange for higher ones.
Of course, he doesn’t quite put it that way, much less explain what he’s up to – so let’s do that.
Virginia, like most states, applies an annual vehicle registration tax – in addition to the sales taxes people are forced to pay when they buy a car, then the tax to title the car and then again each year for the conditional privilege of temporary possession – the property tax on the vehicle. Which if you fail to pay, the vehicle’s true status as the property of the state will be made manifest. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
The registration tax is about $50 per year – which adds up over the years. If you own one vehicle for ten years you will have paid $500 in registration taxes.
In addition to that tax, there is another annual tax – the state “safety” inspection tax. People are forced to take their vehicle to an “approved” garage and have its tires and brakes and so on looked over – even if they have looked over these things themselves. The usual justification – that because some people are irresponsible (and would otherwise drive around with bad brakes and threadbare tires) is used to presume everyone is irresponsible – and force them to have their vehicle inspected each year.
And, of course, pay every year.
Another $20 – which times ten equals another $200 plus the $500 for the registration is $700 – which is a lot of money, especially given how much money has already been taken by the government.
Well, the Coonman promises relief.
No more annual inspections! And he’ll cut the annual registration taxes in half!
In exchange for a new inspection tax – and an increase in gas taxes.
Read the Whole Article
The Best of Eric Peters


lewrockwell--2020-01-09--Virginia Wants To Close Non-Govt. Gun Ranges and Create Ammo-Free Zones

If you thought the law that would effectively ban semi-automatic weapons in Virginia was draconian , just wait .
The General Assembly isn ’ t done trampling the Second Amendment yet .
They have lots more potential felonies in store for gun owners .
Let ’ s take a look at HB567 and HB318 .
HB567 wants to ensure gun ranges are government-owned .
In a blow not only to gun owners but also to small business owners , HB567 would outlaw many indoor gun ranges that are not owned by the state government .
What ’ s more , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cater to law enforcement as their primary clientele .
And they ’ re not done yet – the gun ranges would serve as data-collection points .
Here ’ s the text of the summary .
( Emphasis mine ) Be Ready for Anything : ... Daisy Luther Best Price : $ 10.45 Buy New $ 9.69 As used in this section , “ indoor shooting range ” means any fully enclosed or indoor area or facility designed for the use of rifles , shotguns , pistols , silhouettes , skeet , trap , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sport shooting .
B .
It is unlawful to operate an indoor shooting range in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or the federal government unless ( i ) fewer than 50 employees work in the building or ( ii ) ( a ) at least 90 percent of the users of the indoor shooting range are law-enforcement officers , as defined in § 9.1-101 , or federal law-enforcement officers , ( b ) the indoor shooting range maintains a log of each user ’ s name , phone number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where such user is employed , and ( c ) the indoor shooting range verifies each user ’ s identity and address by requiring all users to present a government-issued photo-identification card .
( source ) So very small indoor gun ranges might be able to continue to operate ( for now ) but the large , high-quality ranges that also serve as instruction facilities or have attached gun stores could have too many employees to continue to operate if the new bill becomes a law .
It ’ s interesting that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state safer , but at the same time , they want to close facilities where gun-owners hone their skills , accuracy , education , and safe usage of firearms .
The penalties for breaking this law would be civil , with a fine of up to $ 100,000 on the first infraction and an additional $ 5000 per day if the defiance continues .
Making about as much sense as the law that caused the original hullaballoo – the one that would ban weapons that “ could ” possess extended magazines , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ magazines – HB318 would send anyone in the possession of ammunition to prison for a currently-undetermined amount of time .
I suppose they ’ re concerned that someone might have ammo in a gun-free zone and throw it really hard , causing a mass casualty incident ?
This would-be law encompasses more than ammunition .
It also includes the possession of stun weapons and knives with metal blades .
Here ’ s the text of the bill , again , emphasis mine .
A .
If any person knowingly possesses any ( i @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section ; ( ii ) knife , except a pocket knife having a folding metal blade of less than three inches ; ( iii ) weapon , including a weapon of like kind , designated in subsection A of § 18.2-308 , other than a firearm ; or ( iv ) ammunition for a firearm , as defined in § 18.2-308.2 , upon ( a ) the property of any public , private , or religious elementary , middle , or high school , including buildings and grounds ; ( b ) that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place ; or ( c ) any school bus owned or operated by any such school , he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor .
B .
If any person knowingly possesses any firearm designed or intended to expel a projectile by action of an explosion of a combustible material while such person is upon ( i ) any public , private or religious elementary , middle or high school , including buildings and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of any property open to the public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place ; or ( iii ) any school bus owned or operated by any such school , he is guilty of a Class 6 felony .
( source ) There are a few exemptions that would allow law enforcement officers , former law enforcement officers , and concealed carry permit holders or those who use knives with metal blades in their trades , to have their unloaded weapons locked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in traffic circles and parking lots .
However , a regular person who happens to have an extra cartridge floating around the bottom of her purse ( who doesn ’ t ? )
could potentially become a felon if tried by some over-zealous , anti-2A prosecutor .
Those exceptions would exist initially but at the rate new laws are being proposed , I wouldn ’ t count on the exceptions on a long-term basis .
You probably recall a member of the state congress ’ s threats about dispatching the National Guard to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s opinion that sanctuary municipalities have no legal weight .
But that ’ s not all .
Governor Northam is going to be specifically funding gun control efforts with an additional quarter of a million dollars in the newly proposed state budget .
Included in the appropriation for this Item is $ 250,000 the first year from the general fund for the estimated net increase in the operating cost of adult correctional facilities resulting from the enactment of sentencing legislation as listed below .
This amount shall be paid into the Corrections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ § 30-19.1:4 , Code of Virginia .
The Flat Broke Cookboo ... Daisy Luther Buy New $ 8.95 1 .
Allow the removal of firearms from persons who pose substantial risk to themselves or others — $ 50,000 2 .
Prohibit the sale , possession , and transport of assault firearms , trigger activators , and silencers — $ 50,000 3 .
Increase the penalty for allowing a child to access unsecured firearms — $ 50,000 4 .
Prohibit possession of firearms for persons subject to final orders of protection — $ 50,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nobody is trying to take your guns ” the evidence in these proposals clearly disputes this opinion .
91 % of the state is staunchly defiant .
Virginians have been defiant in the face of these attacks on the Second Amendment , with Tazewell County going as far as creating an official militia and the sheriff of Culpeper County vowing to deputize thousands of citizens to protect their rights .
Practically the entire state has vowed to protect the rights of gun owners and the movement is still growing , as shown by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ listing for disarmament officers at the United Nations New York office has many concerned that confiscation efforts could go beyond calling up a National Guard that may be less than enthusiastic about taking away the rights of their friends , family members , and neighbors .
The votes on these gun control bills and budget appropriations will be held in the first couple of months of 2020 .
It certainly is , Governor Northam .
The Best of Daisy Luther

If you thought the law that would effectively ban semi-automatic weapons in Virginia was draconian, just wait. The General Assembly isn’t done trampling the Second Amendment yet. They have lots more potential felonies in store for gun owners.
Let’s take a look at HB567 and HB318.
HB567 wants to ensure gun ranges are government-owned.
In a blow not only to gun owners but also to small business owners, HB567 would outlaw many indoor gun ranges that are not owned by the state government. What’s more, the private ranges allowed would have to cater to law enforcement as their primary clientele. And they’re not done yet – the gun ranges would serve as data-collection points.
Here’s the text of the summary. (Emphasis mine) Be Ready for Anything:... Daisy Luther Best Price: $10.45 Buy New $9.69 (as of 07:15 UTC - Details)
As used in this section, “indoor shooting range” means any fully enclosed or indoor area or facility designed for the use of rifles, shotguns, pistols, silhouettes, skeet, trap, or black powder or any other similar sport shooting. B. It is unlawful to operate an indoor shooting range in any building not owned or leased by the Commonwealth or the federal government unless (i) fewer than 50 employees work in the building or (ii) (a) at least 90 percent of the users of the indoor shooting range are law-enforcement officers, as defined in § 9.1-101, or federal law-enforcement officers, (b) the indoor shooting range maintains a log of each user’s name, phone number, address, and the law-enforcement agency where such user is employed, and (c) the indoor shooting range verifies each user’s identity and address by requiring all users to present a government-issued photo-identification card. (source)
So very small indoor gun ranges might be able to continue to operate (for now) but the large, high-quality ranges that also serve as instruction facilities or have attached gun stores could have too many employees to continue to operate if the new bill becomes a law.
It’s interesting that the state government claims to want to make the state safer, but at the same time, they want to close facilities where gun-owners hone their skills, accuracy, education, and safe usage of firearms.
The penalties for breaking this law would be civil, with a fine of up to $100,000 on the first infraction and an additional $5000 per day if the defiance continues.
HB318 would create ammunition-free zones.
Making about as much sense as the law that caused the original hullaballoo – the one that would ban weapons that “could” possess extended magazines, even if the owner has no such magazines – HB318 would send anyone in the possession of ammunition to prison for a currently-undetermined amount of time.
I suppose they’re concerned that someone might have ammo in a gun-free zone and throw it really hard, causing a mass casualty incident? This would-be law encompasses more than ammunition. It also includes the possession of stun weapons and knives with metal blades.
Here’s the text of the bill, again, emphasis mine.
A. If any person knowingly possesses any (i) stun weapon as defined in this section; (ii) knife, except a pocket knife having a folding metal blade of less than three inches; or (iii) weapon, including a weapon of like kind, designated in subsection A of § 18.2-308, other than a firearm; or (iv) ammunition for a firearm, as defined in § 18.2-308.2, upon (a) the property of any public, private, or religious elementary, middle, or high school, including buildings and grounds; (b) that portion of any property open to the public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place; or (c) any school bus owned or operated by any such school, he is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. B. If any person knowingly possesses any firearm designed or intended to expel a projectile by action of an explosion of a combustible material while such person is upon (i) any public, private or religious elementary, middle or high school, including buildings and grounds; (ii) that portion of any property open to the public and then exclusively used for school-sponsored functions or extracurricular activities while such functions or activities are taking place; or (iii) any school bus owned or operated by any such school, he is guilty of a Class 6 felony. (source)
There are a few exemptions that would allow law enforcement officers, former law enforcement officers, and concealed carry permit holders or those who use knives with metal blades in their trades, to have their unloaded weapons locked securely in their trunk while they are in traffic circles and parking lots. However, a regular person who happens to have an extra cartridge floating around the bottom of her purse (who doesn’t?) could potentially become a felon if tried by some over-zealous, anti-2A prosecutor.
Those exceptions would exist initially but at the rate new laws are being proposed, I wouldn’t count on the exceptions on a long-term basis.
Coincidentally, Governor Northam has increased his detention budget.
You probably recall a member of the state congress’s threats about dispatching the National Guard to confiscate weapons and the Virginia Attorney General’s opinion that sanctuary municipalities have no legal weight.
But that’s not all. Governor Northam is going to be specifically funding gun control efforts with an additional quarter of a million dollars in the newly proposed state budget.
Included in the appropriation for this Item is $250,000 the first year from the general fund for the estimated net increase in the operating cost of adult correctional facilities resulting from the enactment of sentencing legislation as listed below. This amount shall be paid into the Corrections Special Reserve Fund, established pursuant to § 30-19.1:4, Code of Virginia. The Flat Broke Cookboo... Luther, Daisy Buy New $8.95 (as of 05:00 UTC - Details) 1. Allow the removal of firearms from persons who pose substantial risk to themselves or others — $50,000 2. Prohibit the sale, possession, and transport of assault firearms, trigger activators, and silencers — $50,000 3. Increase the penalty for allowing a child to access unsecured firearms — $50,000 4. Prohibit possession of firearms for persons subject to final orders of protection — $50,000 5. Require background checks for all firearms sales — $50,000. (source)
So for those who say, “Nobody is trying to take your guns” the evidence in these proposals clearly disputes this opinion.
91% of the state is staunchly defiant.
Virginians have been defiant in the face of these attacks on the Second Amendment, with Tazewell County going as far as creating an official militia and the sheriff of Culpeper County vowing to deputize thousands of citizens to protect their rights.
Practically the entire state has vowed to protect the rights of gun owners and the movement is still growing, as shown by the map below.
A recent job listing for disarmament officers at the United Nations New York office has many concerned that confiscation efforts could go beyond calling up a National Guard that may be less than enthusiastic about taking away the rights of their friends, family members, and neighbors.
The votes on these gun control bills and budget appropriations will be held in the first couple of months of 2020.
“This is going to be an exciting couple of months,” Gov. Ralph Northam (D) said Monday. (source)
It certainly is, Governor Northam.
The Best of Daisy Luther


lewrockwell--2020-01-09--Iranians Flood Twitter With Photos of Favorite Cultural Sites as US Threatens Destruction

Iranians responded to U.S. President Donald Trump ’ s to strike sites “ important to Iran and the Iranian culture ” with an outpouring of photos highlighting their favorite mosques , museums , monuments , and other stunning architecture.Using the hashtag # IranianCulturalSites , Iranians flooded Twitter with hundreds of photos of locations and structures filled with personal and historical significance .
We live in a crazy world , don ’ t we ?
Politics is being outed as nothing but a cesspool of corruption , where lies and accusations are used in order to justify military action , all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ install a puppet government .
When it comes to the US killing the Iranian General Qassem Soleiman , it ’ s important to remember that when you assassinate someone acting as a ‘ terrorist , ’ you are also acting as a terrorist .
The war against terrorism is and always will be terrorism itself .
Ask yourself , which country ’ s government is leading the largest terrorist based actions in the world ?
The CIA Insider ’ ... Gareth Porter , John Ki ... Buy New $ 14.99 We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that seems to stand behind and control US Foreign Policy , and this kind of thing is important to reflect upon if we wish to end these continual cycles that seem to be happening every single year .
At the end of the day , the person who plays the role of the president of the United States does not really matter , and has not really mattered for quite some time .
The power behind the president seems to be calling the shots , and they seem to enjoy manufacturing wars that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Step one is breaking the illusion .
If you really want to go deep into the politics of the situation in Iran , a great place to start is with a book titled The CIA Insider ’ s Guide To The Iran Crisis : From CIA Coup to the Brink of War , written by Gareth Porter and John Kiriakou .
The truth is , the United States , or at least the powers behind the country , have a long history of painting others as dictators and sponsors of global terrorism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a perspective from the other side of the pond , via the twitter account of Journalist Eva Barlett : Here ’ s a look into social media sites who are opposing the claims of western mainstream media : This one really makes you think : I scratch my head and wonder how so many , millions in the United States alone , can and do support military intervention and action , but then I realize that the answer is simple .
For a very long time a mass propaganda machine has existed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ western mainstream media , that provides information , mostly false , that justifies military intervention in the hearts of the citizenry .
Often , the evidence of false news emerges , for example , fake intelligence , as well as plagiarized quotations , were found in an official intelligence report pertaining to Iraq ’ s WMD presented to the UN Security Council by Secretary of State Colin Powell on February 5 , 2003 .
You can read more about that here .
It ’ s simply one of many examples .
Wars are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statesmen will invent cheap lies , putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked , and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities , and will diligently study them , and refuse to examine any refutations of them ; and thus he will by and by convince himself the war is just , and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception .
– Mark Twain ( source ) “ Iranian cultural sites aren ’ t only aesthetically awe-inspiring or visually pleasing , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dialogue , and life , ” said writer Neda Monem .
“ Precisely why a strike on a cultural site goes far beyond , and does not merely translate into , the demolition of a man-made structure .
”

Iranians responded to U.S. President Donald Trump’s to strike sites “important to Iran and the Iranian culture” with an outpouring of photos highlighting their favorite mosques, museums, monuments, and other stunning architecture.Using the hashtag #IranianCulturalSites, Iranians flooded Twitter with hundreds of photos of locations and structures filled with personal and historical significance.
We live in a crazy world, don’t we? Politics is being outed as nothing but a cesspool of corruption, where lies and accusations are used in order to justify military action, all for ulterior motives, and usually to install a puppet government.
When it comes to the US killing the Iranian General Qassem Soleiman, it’s important to remember that when you assassinate someone acting as a ‘terrorist,’ you are also acting as a terrorist. The war against terrorism is and always will be terrorism itself. Ask yourself, which country’s government is leading the largest terrorist based actions in the world?
The CIA Insideru2019s ... Gareth Porter, John Ki... Buy New $14.99 (as of 10:55 UTC - Details) We’ve written for years about the real power that seems to stand behind and control US Foreign Policy, and this kind of thing is important to reflect upon if we wish to end these continual cycles that seem to be happening every single year. At the end of the day, the person who plays the role of the president of the United States does not really matter, and has not really mattered for quite some time. The power behind the president seems to be calling the shots, and they seem to enjoy manufacturing wars that are again, largely based on lies.
Step one is breaking the illusion.
If you really want to go deep into the politics of the situation in Iran, a great place to start is with a book titled The CIA Insider’s Guide To The Iran Crisis: From CIA Coup to the Brink of War, written by Gareth Porter and John Kiriakou.
The truth is, the United States, or at least the powers behind the country, have a long history of painting others as dictators and sponsors of global terrorism for ulterior motives. Here’s a perspective from the other side of the pond, via the twitter account of Journalist Eva Barlett :
Here’s a look into social media sites who are opposing the claims of western mainstream media:
This one really makes you think:
I scratch my head and wonder how so many, millions in the United States alone, can and do support military intervention and action, but then I realize that the answer is simple. For a very long time a mass propaganda machine has existed, in large part in the form of western mainstream media, that provides information, mostly false, that justifies military intervention in the hearts of the citizenry. Often, the evidence of false news emerges, for example, fake intelligence, as well as plagiarized quotations, were found in an official intelligence report pertaining to Iraq’s WMD presented to the UN Security Council by Secretary of State Colin Powell on February 5, 2003. You can read more about that here. It’s simply one of many examples. Wars are usually based upon complete lies.
The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing falsities, and will diligently study them, and refuse to examine any refutations of them; and thus he will by and by convince himself the war is just, and will thank God for the better sleep he enjoys after this process of grotesque self-deception. – Mark Twain (source)
“Iranian cultural sites aren’t only aesthetically awe-inspiring or visually pleasing, these sites are home to thought, dialogue, and life,” said writer Neda Monem. “Precisely why a strike on a cultural site goes far beyond, and does not merely translate into, the demolition of a man-made structure.”
Reprinted with permission from Collective Evolution.


lewrockwell--2020-01-09--Google and Big Tech Bought Congress

Google and Big Tech Bought Congress

Taking on Google , the biggest monopoly the world has ever seen , is no small task , but 50 state attorneys general are making the effort , having launched an antitrust investigation in September 20191 that will reportedly be expanded to include Google ’ s search and Android businesses as well.2 The probe , led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton , initially focused on the company ’ s advertising arm and its use of consumer data , but as noted by Recode editor-at-large Kara Swisher in the November 14 , 2019 , CNBC interview above , it ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s advertising business without entering into search and Android as well , since everything the company does is interconnected .
The legal sidebar document , “ Regulating Big Tech : Legal Implications , ” 3 issued by the Congressional Research Service in September 2019 , lists a number of proposed policy changes and what they would accomplish from a legal standpoint .
Who knows , the attorneys ’ general investigation may need to expand even further , as Google is branching into banking as well .
Through a partnership with Citigroup and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the company is planning to offer checking accounts tied to Google Pay sometime in 2020 .
As reported by CBS News November 13 , 2019:4 When asked for a comment on Google ’ s expansion into checking accounts , Swisher says , “ They just keep going .
That ’ s the thing about these companies … they need growth , and the areas that are big are finance and health care , and you see [ them ] move into both of these areas in a strong way.
” According to CNBC,5 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ antitrust investigations than federal regulators , because they are less constrained by the lobbying and political forces that consume Washington , D.C. ” That said , Google is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department .
Whether any of these probes will lead to significant changes remain to be seen , however .
Previous U.S. investigations have fizzled and been dropped.6 The European Union has taken a far stronger stance against the monopoly thus far , issuing a $ 5 billion fine in July 2018 for Android antitrust abuse.7 Google was ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forcing Android manufacturers to exclusively pre-install the devices with a suite of Google apps .
In 2017 , the EU also fined Google $ 2.7 billion for unfairly favoring its own shopping service over its competitors.8 According to CNBC:9 Personally , I doubt fines will ever set Google on the right path .
It ’ s so big , even fines in the billions of dollars end up being too small to act as a deterrent .
The company can make up for such losses in too short a time .
As reported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ block access to certain information , having filed an order of protection against Texas CIDs requesting information the company deems confidential .
In its filing , Google claims two consultants hired by the attorney general have working relationships with competitors , and might misuse the information .
Google and other Big Tech companies are also pursuing legal protection via various free trade agreements .
As reported by the Los Angeles Times October 16 , 2019:12 The Problem With Global Expansion of Section 230 KetoFast : Rejuvenate Y ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The main reason Big Tech wants to insert privileges mirroring those of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act into all future trade deals is to shield them from foreign regulators , The New York Times says , noting that:13 American legislators have become increasingly critical of Section 230 in light of Google and other internet platforms ’ apparent political biases and ability to hinder the free flow of information from both sides of the political aisle .
To be clear , a primary problem with Section 230 — and its expansion globally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allows Google , YouTube and Facebook to filter out and essentially censor whatever they want while still qualifying as a platform rather than a curator of content .
As reported by R Street:14 In short , the law facilitates Google ’ s bias , and its hiding of bias .
That said , Section 230 is also in large part what allows for true free speech online , as illustrated in a July 2019 Reason article,15 and its elimination would make online discussions far riskier , from a legal standpoint , for everyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these are complex issues with no clear and simple answers .
While some view Section 230 as a gift to Big Tech , others argue that its removal would impact smaller platforms to a far greater degree than Google , and would stifle free exchange of opinions for fear of liability for offensive content posted by users .
Fat for Fuel : A Revolu ... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price : $ 11.56 Buy New $ 11.83 Whatever happens , if you care about your privacy and unbiased access to information , especially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wise to minimize your Google footprint by ditching its services .
Suggestions on how to minimize Google ’ s influence over your life include : • Stop using Chrome — Use Brave as an alternative browser .
It is based on the same software , chromium , so it is easy to switch your favorites and bookmarks over , but it preserves your privacy • Stop using Gmail — ProtonMail , which provides end-to-end encryption and less spam , is an excellent option • Switch from an Android phone ( powered by Google @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perfect , iPhone is slightly better of the two in terms of privacy protections There are alternatives for most if not all Google products , and by using these other companies , we can help them grow so that Google becomes less and less relevant .
Also , stop using Google docs ( Digital Trends has published an article suggesting a number of alternatives21 ) and if you ’ re a high school student , do not convert the Google accounts you created as a student into personal accounts .
The Best of @ @

Taking on Google, the biggest monopoly the world has ever seen, is no small task, but 50 state attorneys general are making the effort, having launched an antitrust investigation in September 20191 that will reportedly be expanded to include Google’s search and Android businesses as well.2
The probe, led by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, initially focused on the company’s advertising arm and its use of consumer data, but as noted by Recode editor-at-large Kara Swisher in the November 14, 2019, CNBC interview above, it’s virtually impossible to look at Google’s advertising business without entering into search and Android as well, since everything the company does is interconnected.
“You’re going to see a lot of action everywhere, sort of coalescing around the same things, because some of these problems can be met with regulation, some of them with fines, some of them with antitrust action and some of them with breakup.
But this is the beginning phase of investigation, and you have to look at search and Android if you’re going to look at advertising when it comes to Google and Facebook and other companies,” Swisher says.
The legal sidebar document, “Regulating Big Tech: Legal Implications,”3 issued by the Congressional Research Service in September 2019, lists a number of proposed policy changes and what they would accomplish from a legal standpoint. EMF*D: 5G, Wi-Fi & Cel... Dr. Joseph Mercola Buy New $22.49 (as of 09:53 UTC - Details)
Google Moves Into Banking
Who knows, the attorneys’ general investigation may need to expand even further, as Google is branching into banking as well. Through a partnership with Citigroup and a San Francisco University credit union, the company is planning to offer checking accounts tied to Google Pay sometime in 2020. As reported by CBS News November 13, 2019:4
“Google’s move into checking comes at a time when other Big Tech companies like Apple and Facebook are looking to dive deeper into consumer banking and financial services.
It’s also happening at a time when consumer watchdogs and lawmakers increasingly warn that those same companies are getting too large and may have too much control over Americans’ personal data.
‘When competition expands that’s a good thing,’ said Mike Moebs, a financial services consultant who specializes in bank accounts … ‘Big question that it raises is will Google share that data, and that is a big privacy concern,’ Moebs said …
Checking accounts could offer Google plenty of new consumer data, including how much people are paid, how much they spend and where and when they spend.”
When asked for a comment on Google’s expansion into checking accounts, Swisher says, “They just keep going. That’s the thing about these companies … they need growth, and the areas that are big are finance and health care, and you see [them] move into both of these areas in a strong way.”
Google Files for Order of Protection
According to CNBC,5 “States can be more aggressive in antitrust investigations than federal regulators, because they are less constrained by the lobbying and political forces that consume Washington, D.C.” That said, Google is also under investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
Whether any of these probes will lead to significant changes remain to be seen, however. Previous U.S. investigations have fizzled and been dropped.6 The European Union has taken a far stronger stance against the monopoly thus far, issuing a $5 billion fine in July 2018 for Android antitrust abuse.7
Google was ordered to cease favoring its own company by forcing Android manufacturers to exclusively pre-install the devices with a suite of Google apps. In 2017, the EU also fined Google $2.7 billion for unfairly favoring its own shopping service over its competitors.8 According to CNBC:9
“With that track record, the attorneys general investigating Google likely already have a broad vision of the case they wish to pursue against Google.
They will use their CID [civil investigative demand] requests to seek materials like emails and strategy documents to support that view, while looking for evidence of clear anti-competitive behavior. The requests can be a means of filling in holes in evidence, or a tactic to build up pressure on a company in hopes of forcing a settlement.”
Personally, I doubt fines will ever set Google on the right path. It’s so big, even fines in the billions of dollars end up being too small to act as a deterrent. The company can make up for such losses in too short a time.
As reported by CNBC,10,11 Google is also trying to block access to certain information, having filed an order of protection against Texas CIDs requesting information the company deems confidential. In its filing, Google claims two consultants hired by the attorney general have working relationships with competitors, and might misuse the information.
Internet Companies Seek Protection in Trade Agreements
Google and other Big Tech companies are also pursuing legal protection via various free trade agreements. As reported by the Los Angeles Times October 16, 2019:12
“A bipartisan group of lawmakers is stepping up efforts to have U.S. trade officials eliminate a legal liability shield that tech companies are pushing to keep in new agreements, including a deal to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement awaiting approval by Congress …
The lawmakers … were examining whether tech giants should continue to benefit from Section 230 of the 1996 Communications Decency Act, which provides internet platforms liability protection for user-generated content.
Online platforms such as Google and Facebook Inc. prize the provision of U.S. law, and their trade groups are also pushing for the extension of similar protections internationally that would unify policy among countries in trade deals such as the pact to replace NAFTA and a proposal for a deal with Japan …
But Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, chairwoman of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Subcommittee, told reporters … that language similar to Section 230 has no place in a trade agreement.
‘It is a uniquely American law, and we’re in the midst of a discussion about it, and this is a gift to Big Tech to insert it into trade agreements,’ Schakowsky said …
The hearing comes amid growing skepticism among lawmakers about whether social media companies should keep the legal protection as a part of U.S. law as they struggle to stem drug and gun sales and offensive content on their platforms.
Tech companies value the measure because it saves them from having to review users’ posts before they’re published online and then shields them from lawsuits if that content turns out to be problematic, which critics say allows the companies to avoid taking responsibility for dangerous and illegal content.
Yet the companies emphasized that the law also can protect their moves to remove violence and misinformation, which they say is needed to police their online spaces.”
The Problem With Global Expansion of Section 230
KetoFast: Rejuvenate Y... Mercola, Dr. Joseph Check Amazon for Pricing. The main reason Big Tech wants to insert privileges mirroring those of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act into all future trade deals is to shield them from foreign regulators, The New York Times says, noting that:13
“Europe has enacted tough policies to curb the behavior of companies like Facebook and Google and passed laws to deal with privacy, hate speech and disinformation. China has largely cordoned itself off from the rest of the internet, allowing Beijing to censor political content and bolster Chinese tech companies like Alibaba and Tencent.
In India, Indonesia, Russia and Vietnam, governments are introducing regulations to ostensibly protect their citizens’ privacy and build domestic internet industries that critics say will stymie the ability of American companies to provide services in those countries. The United States wants its more permissive rules to form the basis for worldwide regulation.”
American legislators have become increasingly critical of Section 230 in light of Google and other internet platforms’ apparent political biases and ability to hinder the free flow of information from both sides of the political aisle.
To be clear, a primary problem with Section 230 — and its expansion globally through trade agreements — is that it allows Google, YouTube and Facebook to filter out and essentially censor whatever they want while still qualifying as a platform rather than a curator of content. As reported by R Street:14
“By clarifying that platforms are not the publisher or speaker of user-generated content, the law allows platforms to moderate user content that serves to harass or stifle the speech of others while giving them the flexibility to leave up potentially controversial but legitimate posts without fear that they will be sued.”
In short, the law facilitates Google’s bias, and its hiding of bias. That said, Section 230 is also in large part what allows for true free speech online, as illustrated in a July 2019 Reason article,15 and its elimination would make online discussions far riskier, from a legal standpoint, for everyone. As noted by Reason:16
“Section 230 stipulates, in essence, that digital services or platforms and their users are not one and the same and thus shouldn’t automatically be held legally liable for each other’s speech and conduct …
Without it, they would face extraordinary legal liability. A world without Section 230 could sink all but the biggest companies, or force them to severely curtail the speech of their users in order to avoid legal trouble.”
Do a Google Detox
Clearly, these are complex issues with no clear and simple answers. While some view Section 230 as a gift to Big Tech, others argue that its removal would impact smaller platforms to a far greater degree than Google, and would stifle free exchange of opinions for fear of liability for offensive content posted by users. Fat for Fuel: A Revolu... Dr. Joseph Mercola Best Price: $7.40 Buy New $11.89 (as of 10:20 UTC - Details)
Whatever happens, if you care about your privacy and unbiased access to information, especially health information, you’d be wise to minimize your Google footprint by ditching its services. Suggestions on how to minimize Google’s influence over your life include:
Stop using Google search — Options include Qwant, 17 DuckDuckGo 18 and Startpage 19 Stop using Chrome — Use Brave as an alternative browser. It is based on the same software, chromium, so it is easy to switch your favorites and bookmarks over, but it preserves your privacy Stop using Gmail — ProtonMail, 20 which provides end-to-end encryption and less spam, is an excellent option Switch from an Android phone (powered by Google) to an iPhone — While not perfect, iPhone is slightly better of the two in terms of privacy protections
There are alternatives for most if not all Google products, and by using these other companies, we can help them grow so that Google becomes less and less relevant. Also, stop using Google docs (Digital Trends has published an article suggesting a number of alternatives21) and if you’re a high school student, do not convert the Google accounts you created as a student into personal accounts.
Sources and References
The Best of Dr. Joseph Mercola


lewrockwell--2020-01-10--Iraqi PM Reveals Soleimani Was on Peace Mission When Assassinated, Exploding Trump’s Lie of ‘Imminen

Iraqi PM Reveals Soleimani Was on Peace Mission When Assassinated, Exploding Trump’s Lie of ‘Imminent Attacks’

The Trump administration claimed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was planning “ imminent attacks ” on US interests when it assassinated him .
That lie was just destroyed , but not before countless corporate media outlets transmitted it to the public .
Desperate to justify the US drone assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani , Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that Washington had made an “ intelligence-based assessment ” that Soleimani was “ actively planning in the region ” to attack American interests before he was killed .
President Donald Trump justified his fateful decision to kill the Iranian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declaring that Soleimani was planning “ imminent attacks ” on US diplomatic facilities and personnel across the Middle East .
“ We took action last night to stop a war , ” Trump claimed .
“ We did not take action to start a war.
” Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 25.00 Trump ’ s dubious rationale for an indisputably criminal assassination has been repeated widely across corporate media networks , and often without any skepticism or debate .
At a January 3 State Department briefing , where reporters finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the claim of an “ imminent ” threat , one US official erupted in anger .
“ Jesus , do we have to explain why we do these things ?
” he barked at the press .
Two days later , when Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi addressed his country ’ s parliament , Trump ’ s justification for killing Soleimani was exposed as a cynical lie .
According to Abdul-Mahdi , he had planned to meet Soleimani on the morning the general was killed to discuss a diplomatic rapproachment that Iraq was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Abdul-Mahdi said that Trump personally thanked him for the efforts , even as he was planning the hit on Soleimani – thus creating the impression that the Iranian general was safe to travel to Baghdad .
Soleimani had arrived in Baghdad not to plan attacks on American targets , but to coordinate de-escalation with Saudi Arabia .
Indeed , he was killed while on an actual peace mission that could have created political distance between the Gulf monarchy and members of the US-led anti-Iran axis like Israel .
The catastrophic results of Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s 2016 assassination of Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansur , a Taliban leader who was eager to negotiate a peaceful end to the US occupation of Afghanistan .
Mansur ’ s death wound up empowering hardline figures in the Taliban who favored a total military victory over the US and triggered an uptick in violence across the country , dooming hopes for a negotiated exit .

The Trump administration claimed Iranian general Qasem Soleimani was planning “imminent attacks” on US interests when it assassinated him. That lie was just destroyed, but not before countless corporate media outlets transmitted it to the public.
Desperate to justify the US drone assassination of Iranian Major General Qasem Soleimani, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted that Washington had made an “intelligence-based assessment” that Soleimani was “actively planning in the region” to attack American interests before he was killed.
President Donald Trump justified his fateful decision to kill the Iranian general in even more explicit language, declaring that Soleimani was planning “imminent attacks” on US diplomatic facilities and personnel across the Middle East.
“We took action last night to stop a war,” Trump claimed. “We did not take action to start a war.” Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $25.00 (as of 06:10 UTC - Details)
Trump’s dubious rationale for an indisputably criminal assassination has been repeated widely across corporate media networks, and often without any skepticism or debate.
At a January 3 State Department briefing, where reporters finally got the chance to demand evidence for the claim of an “imminent” threat, one US official erupted in anger.
“Jesus, do we have to explain why we do these things?” he barked at the press.
Two days later, when Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi addressed his country’s parliament, Trump’s justification for killing Soleimani was exposed as a cynical lie.
According to Abdul-Mahdi, he had planned to meet Soleimani on the morning the general was killed to discuss a diplomatic rapproachment that Iraq was brokering between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Abdul-Mahdi said that Trump personally thanked him for the efforts, even as he was planning the hit on Soleimani – thus creating the impression that the Iranian general was safe to travel to Baghdad.
“I was supposed to meet Soleimani at the morning the day he was killed, he came to deliver me a message from Iran responding to the message we delivered from Saudi to Iran” Iraqi PM said. — Mustafa Salim (@Mustafa_salimb) January 5, 2020
Soleimani had arrived in Baghdad not to plan attacks on American targets, but to coordinate de-escalation with Saudi Arabia. Indeed, he was killed while on an actual peace mission that could have created political distance between the Gulf monarchy and members of the US-led anti-Iran axis like Israel.
The catastrophic results of Soleimani’s killing recall the Obama administration’s 2016 assassination of Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansur, a Taliban leader who was eager to negotiate a peaceful end to the US occupation of Afghanistan. Mansur’s death wound up empowering hardline figures in the Taliban who favored a total military victory over the US and triggered an uptick in violence across the country, dooming hopes for a negotiated exit.
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