thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--German Infectologist Destroys COVID-19 Doomsday Cult In Open Letter To German Chancellor Angela Merk

German Infectologist Destroys COVID-19 Doomsday Cult In Open Letter To German Chancellor Angela Merkel:  Calls Nationwide Lockdowns “Collective Suicides”

Let ’ s be clear here , we are not being told the truth about what is going on with coronavirus in the US nor in the world .
If you believe what is reported in the mainstream news and sadly even in much of the alternative media regarding this “ virus , ” you are being led astray .
Now there is an open letter being put forth to German Chancellor Angela Merkel that completely destroys the narrative being raised by the mainstream media worldwide and those in authority in various governments .
Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi , Professor Emeritus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ University Mainz , released a now-viral video in which he calmly explained why nationwide lockdowns are “ collective suicide ” .
As Emeritus of the Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz and longtime director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology , I feel obliged to critically question the far-reaching restrictions on public life that we are currently taking on ourselves in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus .
It is expressly not my intention to play down the dangers of the virus or to spread a political message .
However , I feel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scientific contribution to putting the current data and facts into perspective – and , in addition , to ask questions that are in danger of being lost in the heated debate .
The reason for my concern lies above all in the truly unforeseeable socio-economic consequences of the drastic containment measures which are currently being applied in large parts of Europe and which are also already being practiced on a large scale in Germany .
My wish is to discuss critically – and with the necessary foresight – the advantages and disadvantages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effects .
To this end , I am confronted with five questions which have not been answered sufficiently so far , but which are indispensable for a balanced analysis .
I would like to ask you to comment quickly and , at the same time , appeal to the Federal Government to develop strategies that effectively protect risk groups without restricting public life across the board and sow the seeds for an even more intensive polarization of society than is already taking place .
In infectiology – founded by Robert Koch himself – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and disease .
An illness requires a clinical manifestation .
Therefore , only patients with symptoms such as fever or cough should be included in the statistics as new cases .
In other words , a new infection – as measured by the COVID-19 test – does not necessarily mean that we are dealing with a newly ill patient who needs a hospital bed .
However , it is currently assumed that five percent of all infected people become seriously ill and require ventilation .
Projections based on this estimate suggest that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of coronaviruses have been circulating for a long time – largely unnoticed by the media .
If it should turn out that the COVID-19 virus should not be ascribed a significantly higher risk potential than the already circulating corona viruses , all countermeasures would obviously become unnecessary .
The internationally recognized International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents will soon publish a paper that addresses exactly this question .
Preliminary results of the study can already be seen today and lead to the conclusion that the new virus is NOT different from traditional corona @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authors express this in the title of their paper „ SARS-CoV-2 : Fear versus Data “ .
According to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung , not even the much-cited Robert Koch Institute knows exactly how much is tested for COVID-19 .
It is a fact , however , that a rapid increase in the number of cases has recently been observed in Germany as the volume of tests increases .
It is therefore reasonable to suspect that the virus has already spread unnoticed in the healthy population .
This would have two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the official death rate – on 26 March 2020 , for example , there were 206 deaths from around 37,300 infections , or 0.55 percent – is too high ; and secondly , it would mean that it would hardly be possible to prevent the virus from spreading in the healthy population .
The fear of a rise in the death rate in Germany ( currently 0.55 percent ) is currently the subject of particularly intense media attention .
Many people are worried that it could shoot up like in Italy ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ percent ) if action is not taken in time .
At the same time , the mistake is being made worldwide to report virus-related deaths as soon as it is established that the virus was present at the time of death – regardless of other factors .
This violates a basic principle of infectiology : only when it is certain that an agent has played a significant role in the disease or death may a diagnosis be made .
The Association of the Scientific Medical Societies of Germany expressly writes in its guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of death , a causal chain must be stated , with the corresponding underlying disease in third place on the death certificate .
Occasionally , four-linked causal chains must also be stated.
“ At present there is no official information on whether , at least in retrospect , more critical analyses of medical records have been undertaken to determine how many deaths were actually caused by the virus .
The appalling situation in Italy is repeatedly used as a reference scenario .
However , the true role of the virus in that country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not only because points 3 and 4 above also apply here , but also because exceptional external factors exist which make these regions particularly vulnerable .
One of these factors is the increased air pollution in the north of Italy .
According to WHO estimates , this situation , even without the virus , led to over 8,000 additional deaths per year in 2006 in the 13 largest cities in Italy alone .
[ 7 ] The situation has not changed significantly since then .
[ 8 ] Finally , it has also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the risk of viral lung diseases in very young and elderly people .
[ 9 ] Moreover , 27.4 percent of the particularly vulnerable population in this country live with young people , and in Spain as many as 33.5 percent .
In Germany , the figure is only seven percent [ 10 ] .
In addition , according to Prof. Dr. Reinhard Busse , head of the Department of Management in Health Care at the TU Berlin , Germany is significantly better equipped than Italy in terms of intensive care units – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 ] .
This is an unofficial translation ; see the original letter in German as a PDF .
Here ’ s my question in all of this , what if we are looking at a greater symptom , and that is of 5G and not that of a virus ?
This is the very thing people are not talking about .
For more on this , check out my interviews here : • The Truth About Viruses : What They Actually Do Will Expose The Lies Of Coronavirus

Let’s be clear here, we are not being told the truth about what is going on with coronavirus in the US nor in the world. If you believe what is reported in the mainstream news and sadly even in much of the alternative media regarding this “virus,” you are being led astray. Now there is an open letter being put forth to German Chancellor Angela Merkel that completely destroys the narrative being raised by the mainstream media worldwide and those in authority in various governments.
Dr. Sucharit Bhakdi, Professor Emeritus of Medical Microbiology at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, released a now-viral video in which he calmly explained why nationwide lockdowns are “collective suicide”.
Here’s the letter from Dr. Bhakdi:
Dear Chancellor,
As Emeritus of the Johannes-Gutenberg-University in Mainz and longtime director of the Institute for Medical Microbiology, I feel obliged to critically question the far-reaching restrictions on public life that we are currently taking on ourselves in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
It is expressly not my intention to play down the dangers of the virus or to spread a political message. However, I feel it is my duty to make a scientific contribution to putting the current data and facts into perspective – and, in addition, to ask questions that are in danger of being lost in the heated debate.
The reason for my concern lies above all in the truly unforeseeable socio-economic consequences of the drastic containment measures which are currently being applied in large parts of Europe and which are also already being practiced on a large scale in Germany.
My wish is to discuss critically – and with the necessary foresight – the advantages and disadvantages of restricting public life and the resulting long-term effects.
To this end, I am confronted with five questions which have not been answered sufficiently so far, but which are indispensable for a balanced analysis.
I would like to ask you to comment quickly and, at the same time, appeal to the Federal Government to develop strategies that effectively protect risk groups without restricting public life across the board and sow the seeds for an even more intensive polarization of society than is already taking place.
With the utmost respect,
Prof. em. Dr. med. Sucharit Bhakdi
* * *
1. STATISTICS
In infectiology – founded by Robert Koch himself – a traditional distinction is made between infection and disease. An illness requires a clinical manifestation. Therefore, only patients with symptoms such as fever or cough should be included in the statistics as new cases.
In other words, a new infection – as measured by the COVID-19 test – does not necessarily mean that we are dealing with a newly ill patient who needs a hospital bed. However, it is currently assumed that five percent of all infected people become seriously ill and require ventilation. Projections based on this estimate suggest that the healthcare system could be overburdened.
My question:
Did the projections make a distinction between symptom-free infected people and actual, sick patients – i.e. people who develop symptoms.
2. DANGEROUSNESS
A number of coronaviruses have been circulating for a long time – largely unnoticed by the media. If it should turn out that the COVID-19 virus should not be ascribed a significantly higher risk potential than the already circulating corona viruses, all countermeasures would obviously become unnecessary.
The internationally recognized International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents will soon publish a paper that addresses exactly this question. Preliminary results of the study can already be seen today and lead to the conclusion that the new virus is NOT different from traditional corona viruses in terms of dangerousness. The authors express this in the title of their paper „SARS-CoV-2: Fear versus Data“.
My question:
How does the current workload of intensive care units with patients with diagnosed COVID-19 compare to other coronavirus infections, and to what extent will this data be taken into account in further decision-making by the federal government? In addition: Has the above study been taken into account in the planning so far? Here too, of course, „diagnosed“ means that the virus plays a decisive role in the patient’s state of illness, and not that previous illnesses play a greater role.
3. DISSEMINATION
According to a report in the Süddeutsche Zeitung, not even the much-cited Robert Koch Institute knows exactly how much is tested for COVID-19. It is a fact, however, that a rapid increase in the number of cases has recently been observed in Germany as the volume of tests increases.
It is therefore reasonable to suspect that the virus has already spread unnoticed in the healthy population. This would have two consequences: firstly, it would mean that the official death rate – on 26 March 2020, for example, there were 206 deaths from around 37,300 infections, or 0.55 percent – is too high; and secondly, it would mean that it would hardly be possible to prevent the virus from spreading in the healthy population.
My question:
Has there already been a random sample of the healthy general population to validate the real spread of the virus, or is this planned in the near future?
4. MORTALITY
The fear of a rise in the death rate in Germany (currently 0.55 percent) is currently the subject of particularly intense media attention. Many people are worried that it could shoot up like in Italy (10 percent) and Spain (7 percent) if action is not taken in time.
At the same time, the mistake is being made worldwide to report virus-related deaths as soon as it is established that the virus was present at the time of death – regardless of other factors. This violates a basic principle of infectiology: only when it is certain that an agent has played a significant role in the disease or death may a diagnosis be made. The Association of the Scientific Medical Societies of Germany expressly writes in its guidelines: „In addition to the cause of death, a causal chain must be stated, with the corresponding underlying disease in third place on the death certificate. Occasionally, four-linked causal chains must also be stated.“
At present there is no official information on whether, at least in retrospect, more critical analyses of medical records have been undertaken to determine how many deaths were actually caused by the virus.
My question :
Has Germany simply followed this trend of a COVID-19 general suspicion? And: is it intended to continue this categorisation uncritically as in other countries? How, then, is a distinction to be made between genuine corona-related deaths and accidental virus presence at the time of death?
5. COMPARABILITY
The appalling situation in Italy is repeatedly used as a reference scenario. However, the true role of the virus in that country is completely unclear for many reasons – not only because points 3 and 4 above also apply here, but also because exceptional external factors exist which make these regions particularly vulnerable.
One of these factors is the increased air pollution in the north of Italy. According to WHO estimates, this situation, even without the virus, led to over 8,000 additional deaths per year in 2006 in the 13 largest cities in Italy alone. [7] The situation has not changed significantly since then. [8] Finally, it has also been shown that air pollution greatly increases the risk of viral lung diseases in very young and elderly people. [9]
Moreover, 27.4 percent of the particularly vulnerable population in this country live with young people, and in Spain as many as 33.5 percent. In Germany, the figure is only seven percent [10]. In addition, according to Prof. Dr. Reinhard Busse, head of the Department of Management in Health Care at the TU Berlin, Germany is significantly better equipped than Italy in terms of intensive care units – by a factor of about 2.5 [11].
My question:
What efforts are being made to make the population aware of these elementary differences and to make people understand that scenarios like those in Italy or Spain are not realistic here?
* * *
This is an unofficial translation; see the original letter in German as a PDF.
Here’s my question in all of this, what if we are looking at a greater symptom, and that is of 5G and not that of a virus? This is the very thing people are not talking about.
For more on this, check out my interviews here:


thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--The Attack on Civil Liberties in the Age of COVID-19:  Threats To Bring On The American Police State

The Attack on Civil Liberties in the Age of COVID-19 : Threats To Bring On The American Police State Out In The Open On A Scale We ’ ve Never Seen Before You can always count on the government to take advantage of a crisis , legitimate or manufactured .
This coronavirus pandemic is no exception .
Not only are the federal and state governments unraveling the constitutional fabric of the nation with lockdown mandates that are sending the economy into a tailspin and wreaking havoc with our liberties , but they are also rendering the citizenry fully dependent on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intervention , protection and sustenance .
Unless we find some way to rein in the government ’ s power grabs , the fall-out will be epic .
Everything I have warned about for years—government overreach , invasive surveillance , martial law , abuse of powers , militarized police , weaponized technology used to track and control the citizenry , and so on—has coalesced into this present moment .
The government ’ s shameless exploitation of past national emergencies for its own nefarious purposes pales in comparison to what is presently unfolding .
Deploying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to acquire greater powers under the USA Patriot Act , the police state—a.k.a .
the shadow government , a.k.a .
the Deep State—has been anticipating this moment for years , quietly assembling a wish list of lockdown powers that could be trotted out and approved at a moment ’ s notice .
It should surprise no one , then , that the Trump Administration has asked Congress to allow it to suspend parts of the Constitution whenever it deems it necessary during this coronavirus pandemic and “ other ” emergencies .
It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that should particularly give you pause , if not spur you to immediate action ( by action , I mean a loud and vocal , apolitical , nonpartisan outcry and sustained , apolitical , nonpartisan resistance ) .
In fact , the Department of Justice ( DOJ ) has been quietly trotting out and testing a long laundry list of terrifying powers that override the Constitution .
We ’ re talking about lockdown powers ( at both the federal and state level ) : the ability to suspend the Constitution , indefinitely detain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine whole communities or segments of the population , override the First Amendment by outlawing religious gatherings and assemblies of more than a few people , shut down entire industries and manipulate the economy , muzzle dissidents , “ stop and seize any plane , train or automobile to stymie the spread of contagious disease , ” reshape financial markets , create a digital currency ( and thus further restrict the use of cash ) , determine who should live or die… You ’ re getting the picture now , right ?
These @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like to make permanent .
Bear in mind , however , that these powers the Trump Administration , acting on orders from the police state , are officially asking Congress to recognize and authorize barely scratch the surface of the far-reaching powers the government has already unilaterally claimed for itself .
Unofficially , the police state has been riding roughshod over the rule of law for years now without any pretense of being reined in or restricted in its power grabs by Congress , the courts or the citizenry .
This current pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitution—and our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights—can survive a national crisis and true state of emergency .
Here ’ s what we know : whatever the so-called threat to the nation—whether it ’ s civil unrest , school shootings , alleged acts of terrorism , or the threat of a global pandemic in the case of COVID-19—the government has a tendency to capitalize on the nation ’ s heightened emotions , confusion and fear as a means of extending the reach of the police state .
This coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Orwellian surveillance out of the shadows and caused Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown threatens to bring the American Police State out into the open on a scale we ’ ve not seen before .
Every day brings a drastic new set of restrictions by government bodies ( most have been delivered by way of executive orders ) at the local , state and federal level that are eager to flex their muscles for the so-called “ good ” of the populace .
This is where we run the risk of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rails .
It ’ s one thing to attempt an experiment in social distancing in order to flatten the curve of this virus because we can ’ t afford to risk overwhelming the hospitals and exposing the most vulnerable in the nation to unavoidable loss of life scenarios .
However , there ’ s a fine line between strongly worded suggestions for citizens to voluntarily stay at home and strong-armed house arrest orders with penalties in place for non-compliance .
More than three-quarters of all Americans have now been ordered to stay at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more states fall in line .
Schools have canceled physical classes , many for the remainder of the academic year .
Many of the states have banned gatherings of more than 10 people .
At least three states ( Nevada , North Carolina , and Pennsylvania ) have ordered non-essential businesses to close .
In Washington , DC , residents face 90 days in jail and a $ 5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak .
Residents of Maryland , Hawaii and Washington state also risk severe penalties of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a $ 5,000 fine for violating the stay-at-home orders .
Violators in Alaska could face jail time and up to $ 25,000 in fines .
Kentucky residents are prohibited from traveling outside the state , with a few exceptions .
New York City , the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S. , is offering its Rikers Island prisoners $ 6 an hour to help dig mass graves .
In San Francisco , cannabis dispensaries were included among the essential businesses allowed to keep operating during the city-wide lockdown .
New Jersey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number , including parties , weddings and religious ceremonies , and warned the restrictions could continue for weeks or months .
One city actually threatened to prosecute residents who spread false information about the virus .
Oregon banned all nonessential social and recreational gatherings , regardless of size .
Rhode Island has given police the go-ahead to pull over anyone with New York license plates to record their contact information and order them to self-quarantine for 14 days .
South Carolina ’ s police have been empowered to break up any public gatherings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , there are exceptions to all of these stay-at-home orders ( in more than 30 states and counting ) , the longest of which runs until June 10 .
Essential workers ( doctors , firefighters , police and grocery store workers ) can go to work .
Everyone else will have to fit themselves into a variety of exceptions in order to leave their homes : for grocery runs , doctor visits , to get exercise , to visit a family member , etc .
Throughout the country , more than 14,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been mobilized to support the states and the federal government in their fight against the coronavirus .
Thus far , we have not breached the Constitution ’ s crisis point : martial law has yet to be overtly imposed ( although an argument could be made to the contrary given the militarized nature of the American police state ) .
It ’ s just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose .
If this is not the defining point at which we cross over into all-out totalitarianism , then it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ see how easily we will surrender .
Generally , the government has to show a compelling state interest before it can override certain critical rights such as free speech , assembly , press , search and seizure , etc .
Most of the time , it lacks that compelling state interest , but it still manages to violate those rights , setting itself up for legal battles further down the road .
These lockdown measures—on the right of the people to peaceably assemble , to travel , to engage in commerce , etc.—unquestionably @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pass muster for a short period of time , but can it be sustained for longer stretches legally ?
That ’ s the challenge before us , of course , if these days and weeks potentially stretch into months-long quarantines .
At the moment , the government believes it has a compelling interest—albeit a temporary one—in restricting gatherings , assemblies and movement in public in order to minimize the spread of this virus .
The key point is this : while we may tolerate these restrictions on our liberties in the short term @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on guard lest these one-time constraints become a slippery slope to a total lockdown mindset .
What we must guard against , more than ever before , is the tendency to become so accustomed to our prison walls—these lockdowns , authoritarian dictates , and police state tactics justified as necessary for national security—that we allow the government to keep having its way in all things , without any civic resistance or objections being raised .
Most of all , don ’ t be naïve : the government will use this crisis to expand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Constitution .
Travel too far down that slippery slope , and there will be no turning back .
As I make clear in my book “ Battlefield America : The War on the American People , ” if you wait to speak out—stand up—and resist until the government ’ s lockdowns impact your freedoms personally , it could be too late .
Just because we ’ re fighting an unseen enemy in the form of a virus doesn ’ t mean we have to relinquish every shred of our humanity , our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a nanny state that thinks it can do a better job of keeping us safe .
Whatever we give up willingly now—whether it ’ s basic human decency , the ability to manage our private affairs , the right to have a say in how the government navigates this crisis , or the few rights still left to us that haven ’ t been disemboweled in recent years by a power-hungry police state—we won ’ t get back so easily once this crisis is past .
Neither should we .

The Attack on Civil Liberties in the Age of COVID-19: Threats To Bring On The American Police State Out In The Open On A Scale We’ve Never Seen Before
You can always count on the government to take advantage of a crisis, legitimate or manufactured.
This coronavirus pandemic is no exception.
Not only are the federal and state governments unraveling the constitutional fabric of the nation with lockdown mandates that are sending the economy into a tailspin and wreaking havoc with our liberties, but they are also rendering the citizenry fully dependent on the government for financial handouts, medical intervention, protection and sustenance.
Unless we find some way to rein in the government’s power grabs, the fall-out will be epic.
Everything I have warned about for years—government overreach, invasive surveillance, martial law, abuse of powers, militarized police, weaponized technology used to track and control the citizenry, and so on—has coalesced into this present moment.
The government’s shameless exploitation of past national emergencies for its own nefarious purposes pales in comparison to what is presently unfolding.
Deploying the same strategy it used with 9/11 to acquire greater powers under the USA Patriot Act, the police state—a.k.a. the shadow government, a.k.a. the Deep State—has been anticipating this moment for years, quietly assembling a wish list of lockdown powers that could be trotted out and approved at a moment’s notice.
It should surprise no one, then, that the Trump Administration has asked Congress to allow it to suspend parts of the Constitution whenever it deems it necessary during this coronavirus pandemic and “other” emergencies.
It’s that “other” emergencies part that should particularly give you pause, if not spur you to immediate action (by action, I mean a loud and vocal, apolitical, nonpartisan outcry and sustained, apolitical, nonpartisan resistance).
In fact, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has been quietly trotting out and testing a long laundry list of terrifying powers that override the Constitution.
We’re talking about lockdown powers (at both the federal and state level): the ability to suspend the Constitution, indefinitely detain American citizens, bypass the courts, quarantine whole communities or segments of the population, override the First Amendment by outlawing religious gatherings and assemblies of more than a few people, shut down entire industries and manipulate the economy, muzzle dissidents, “stop and seize any plane, train or automobile to stymie the spread of contagious disease,” reshape financial markets, create a digital currency (and thus further restrict the use of cash), determine who should live or die…
You’re getting the picture now, right?
These are powers the police state would desperately like to make permanent.
Bear in mind, however, that these powers the Trump Administration, acting on orders from the police state, are officially asking Congress to recognize and authorize barely scratch the surface of the far-reaching powers the government has already unilaterally claimed for itself.
Unofficially, the police state has been riding roughshod over the rule of law for years now without any pretense of being reined in or restricted in its power grabs by Congress, the courts or the citizenry.
This current pandemic is a test to see whether the Constitution—and our commitment to the principles enshrined in the Bill of Rights—can survive a national crisis and true state of emergency.
Here’s what we know: whatever the so-called threat to the nation—whether it’s civil unrest, school shootings, alleged acts of terrorism, or the threat of a global pandemic in the case of COVID-19—the government has a tendency to capitalize on the nation’s heightened emotions, confusion and fear as a means of extending the reach of the police state.
This coronavirus epidemic, which has brought China’s Orwellian surveillance out of the shadows and caused Italy to declare a nationwide lockdown threatens to bring the American Police State out into the open on a scale we’ve not seen before.
Every day brings a drastic new set of restrictions by government bodies (most have been delivered by way of executive orders) at the local, state and federal level that are eager to flex their muscles for the so-called “good” of the populace.
This is where we run the risk of this whole fly-by-night operation going completely off the rails.
It’s one thing to attempt an experiment in social distancing in order to flatten the curve of this virus because we can’t afford to risk overwhelming the hospitals and exposing the most vulnerable in the nation to unavoidable loss of life scenarios. However, there’s a fine line between strongly worded suggestions for citizens to voluntarily stay at home and strong-armed house arrest orders with penalties in place for non-compliance.
More than three-quarters of all Americans have now been ordered to stay at home and that number is growing as more states fall in line.
Schools have canceled physical classes, many for the remainder of the academic year.
Many of the states have banned gatherings of more than 10 people.
At least three states (Nevada, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania) have ordered non-essential businesses to close.
In Washington, DC, residents face 90 days in jail and a $5,000 fine if they leave their homes during the coronavirus outbreak. Residents of Maryland, Hawaii and Washington state also risk severe penalties of up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine for violating the stay-at-home orders. Violators in Alaska could face jail time and up to $25,000 in fines.
Kentucky residents are prohibited from traveling outside the state, with a few exceptions.
New York City, the epicenter of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S., is offering its Rikers Island prisoners $6 an hour to help dig mass graves.
In San Francisco, cannabis dispensaries were included among the essential businesses allowed to keep operating during the city-wide lockdown.
New Jersey’s governor canceled gatherings of any number, including parties, weddings and religious ceremonies, and warned the restrictions could continue for weeks or months. One city actually threatened to prosecute residents who spread false information about the virus.
Oregon banned all nonessential social and recreational gatherings, regardless of size.
Rhode Island has given police the go-ahead to pull over anyone with New York license plates to record their contact information and order them to self-quarantine for 14 days.
South Carolina’s police have been empowered to break up any public gatherings of more than three people.
Of course, there are exceptions to all of these stay-at-home orders (in more than 30 states and counting), the longest of which runs until June 10. Essential workers (doctors, firefighters, police and grocery store workers) can go to work. Everyone else will have to fit themselves into a variety of exceptions in order to leave their homes: for grocery runs, doctor visits, to get exercise, to visit a family member, etc.
Throughout the country, more than 14,000 “Citizen-Soldiers” of the National Guard have been mobilized to support the states and the federal government in their fight against the coronavirus.
Thus far, we have not breached the Constitution’s crisis point: martial law has yet to be overtly imposed (although an argument could be made to the contrary given the militarized nature of the American police state).
It’s just a matter of time before all hell breaks loose.
If this is not the defining point at which we cross over into all-out totalitarianism, then it is at a minimum a test to see how easily we will surrender.
Generally, the government has to show a compelling state interest before it can override certain critical rights such as free speech, assembly, press, search and seizure, etc. Most of the time, it lacks that compelling state interest, but it still manages to violate those rights, setting itself up for legal battles further down the road.
These lockdown measures—on the right of the people to peaceably assemble, to travel, to engage in commerce, etc.—unquestionably restrict fundamental constitutional rights, which might pass muster for a short period of time, but can it be sustained for longer stretches legally?
That’s the challenge before us, of course, if these days and weeks potentially stretch into months-long quarantines.
At the moment, the government believes it has a compelling interest—albeit a temporary one—in restricting gatherings, assemblies and movement in public in order to minimize the spread of this virus.
The key point is this: while we may tolerate these restrictions on our liberties in the short term, we should never fail to be on guard lest these one-time constraints become a slippery slope to a total lockdown mindset.
What we must guard against, more than ever before, is the tendency to become so accustomed to our prison walls—these lockdowns, authoritarian dictates, and police state tactics justified as necessary for national security—that we allow the government to keep having its way in all things, without any civic resistance or objections being raised.
Most of all, don’t be naïve: the government will use this crisis to expand its powers far beyond the reach of the Constitution.
That’s how it starts.
Travel too far down that slippery slope, and there will be no turning back.
As I make clear in my book “Battlefield America: The War on the American People,” if you wait to speak out—stand up—and resist until the government’s lockdowns impact your freedoms personally, it could be too late.
Just because we’re fighting an unseen enemy in the form of a virus doesn’t mean we have to relinquish every shred of our humanity, our common sense, or our freedoms to a nanny state that thinks it can do a better job of keeping us safe.
Whatever we give up willingly now—whether it’s basic human decency, the ability to manage our private affairs, the right to have a say in how the government navigates this crisis, or the few rights still left to us that haven’t been disemboweled in recent years by a power-hungry police state—we won’t get back so easily once this crisis is past.
The government never cedes power willingly.
Neither should we.
Article posted with permission from MintPress News


thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--PELOSI MADE MILLIONS: After Congressional Coronavirus Meetings, Pelosi Bought $5 Million in Amazon S

PELOSI MADE MILLIONS: After Congressional Coronavirus Meetings, Pelosi Bought $5 Million in Amazon Stock Before U.S. Retailers Were Forced to Close

Where is the SEC ?
Where are the prosecutions ?
After Congressional Coronavirus Meetings , Pelosi Bought $ 5 Million in Amazon Stock Before U.S .
Retailers Were Forced to Close ; And She Already Made Millions – True Pundit Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband are cashing in already on $ 5 million of Amazon stock purchased during the time frame that closed-door coronavirus meetings were being conducted in Congress .
As of Tuesday morning , the Pelosi stock purchase had already earned the couple $ 1.1 million in less than 10 weeks .
The Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Tuesday .
Paul Pelosi , the speaker ’ s husband , got in at a price of $ 1,600 per share and grabbed 3,000 shares on Jan. 17 , according to financial disclosure filings .
In late February , when the U.S. stock market was in the early stages of slipping on news of the coronavirus outbreak , House Speaker Nancy Pelosi ’ s husband , Paul , began buying up tech stocks and stock options .
Paul Pelosi , a businessman and investor , paid up to $ 3.3 million in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GOOGL ) and Microsoft ( MSFT ) stock options , and Slack Technologies stock ( WORK ) , an April 1 regulatory filing from Speaker Pelosi shows .
All three stocks have been outperforming the broader market , as measured by the S & P 500 index , although only Slack stock sports a year-to-date gain .
These appear to be recent investments by Paul Pelosi in securities of those companies .
Speaker Pelosi ’ s annual financial disclosure report for 2018 , the latest one available , shows no Alphabet or Microsoft @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t trade publicly until last year . )
Her filings since then showed no investments in any of the three companies .
Public officials , their spouses , and dependent children are all generally required to report transactions within 30 days , but the deadline can be extended .
Speaker Pelosi and Paul Pelosi didn ’ t immediately respond to requests for comment on the transactions .
On Feb. 20 , Paul Pelosi purchased 10,000 Slack shares , valued at a range of $ 500,001 to $ 1 million .
Specific values aren @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ranges .
The shares he purchased that day appear to be showing a small loss , if Paul Pelosi still owns them .
Slack stock closed that day at $ 27.49 , and the low for it was $ 26.52 .
Shares were trading Thursday morning at $ 25.64 for a year-to-date gain of 14.1 % .
The S & P 500 index is down 22.5 % for 2020 .
From Feb. 21-28 , Paul Pelosi paid between $ 850,003 and $ 1.75 million for Microsoft stock options .
He acquired a total @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stock at $ 130 each , and 100 call-option contracts to buy the stock at $ 140 each .
The options expire March 31 , 2021 .
An option contract is typically for 100 shares each , and call options are financial contracts that give investors the right , but not the obligation , to buy stock at a predetermined price .
Microsoft shares , which traded in March for as little as $ 135.00—within the range of the purchase price of his options—were trading Thursday for $ 153.63 for a loss of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Feb. 27 , Paul Pelosi paid between $ 500,001 and $ 1 million for 40 call-option contracts that give him the right to buy Alphabet ’ s class A shares at $ 1,200 each .
The options expire June 18 , 2021 .
On the day Pelosi bought the options contracts , the shares traded for as little as $ 1,314.24 and closed a little higher than that $ 1,314.95 .
March saw Alphabet stock slide , and on Thursday shares were trading for $ 1,110.32 , a year-to-date loss of 16.9 % @

Where is the SEC? Where are the prosecutions?
After Congressional Coronavirus Meetings, Pelosi Bought $5 Million in Amazon Stock Before U.S. Retailers Were Forced to Close; And She Already Made Millions – True Pundit
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and her husband are cashing in already on $5 million of Amazon stock purchased during the time frame that closed-door coronavirus meetings were being conducted in Congress.
As of Tuesday morning, the Pelosi stock purchase had already earned the couple $1.1 million in less than 10 weeks. The Amazon share price climbed close to $2,000 on Tuesday. Paul Pelosi, the speaker’s husband, got in at a price of $1,600 per share and grabbed 3,000 shares on Jan. 17, according to financial disclosure filings.
Nancy Pelosi’s Husband Bought Up Slack, Microsoft, and Alphabet Securities
By Ed Lin, Barrons, April 2, 2020:
In late February, when the U.S. stock market was in the early stages of slipping on news of the coronavirus outbreak, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, began buying up tech stocks and stock options.
Paul Pelosi, a businessman and investor, paid up to $3.3 million in total to buy Alphabet (ticker: GOOGL) and Microsoft (MSFT) stock options, and Slack Technologies stock (WORK), an April 1 regulatory filing from Speaker Pelosi shows. All three stocks have been outperforming the broader market, as measured by the S&P 500 index, although only Slack stock sports a year-to-date gain.
These appear to be recent investments by Paul Pelosi in securities of those companies. Speaker Pelosi’s annual financial disclosure report for 2018, the latest one available, shows no Alphabet or Microsoft investments. (Slack shares didn’t trade publicly until last year.) Her filings since then showed no investments in any of the three companies. Public officials, their spouses, and dependent children are all generally required to report transactions within 30 days, but the deadline can be extended.
Speaker Pelosi and Paul Pelosi didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment on the transactions.
On Feb. 20, Paul Pelosi purchased 10,000 Slack shares, valued at a range of $500,001 to $1 million. Specific values aren’t required for disclosure, only ranges. The shares he purchased that day appear to be showing a small loss, if Paul Pelosi still owns them. Slack stock closed that day at $27.49, and the low for it was $26.52. Shares were trading Thursday morning at $25.64 for a year-to-date gain of 14.1%. The S&P 500 index is down 22.5% for 2020.
From Feb. 21-28, Paul Pelosi paid between $850,003 and $1.75 million for Microsoft stock options. He acquired a total of 150 call-option contracts to buy Microsoft stock at $130 each, and 100 call-option contracts to buy the stock at $140 each. The options expire March 31, 2021.
An option contract is typically for 100 shares each, and call options are financial contracts that give investors the right, but not the obligation, to buy stock at a predetermined price. Microsoft shares, which traded in March for as little as $135.00—within the range of the purchase price of his options—were trading Thursday for $153.63 for a loss of 2.6% year to date.
On Feb. 27, Paul Pelosi paid between $500,001 and $1 million for 40 call-option contracts that give him the right to buy Alphabet’s class A shares at $1,200 each. The options expire June 18, 2021. On the day Pelosi bought the options contracts, the shares traded for as little as $1,314.24 and closed a little higher than that $1,314.95. March saw Alphabet stock slide, and on Thursday shares were trading for $1,110.32, a year-to-date loss of 16.9%.
Article posted with permission from Pamela Geller


thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--COVID-19: Cover for Military Attack on Iran & Iraq

Trump ignores Iraqi demand US occupation forces leave the country .
It was Rahm Emmanuel who said the state should never let a “ good crisis go to waste.
” In regard to Iran , the neocons will not let the COVID-19 “ crisis ” go to waste .
It is a perfect cover for escalating tension with the Islamic Republic .
It is more than obvious the geopolitical ignoramus Donald Trump is under the influence of a gaggle of neocons chomping at the bit to kill tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Iranians .
“ Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , made the threat less than an hour after receiving a foreign intelligence briefing at the White House , ” reported USA Today .
“ Later at a briefing , Trump said the intelligence indicating an attack was sound.
” Iranian-backed militias in Iraq continually threaten to attack U.S. and allied forces , according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly .
Threats arrive in a daily stream .
Some of the more visible threats have been issued by the Kataib Hezbollah militia , the group responsible for rocket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have killed American troops and contractors .
Iraqis have repeatedly and overwhelmingly demanded the US occupation forces leave the country , a demand rejected by Trump and his neocon foreign policy controllers .
Iraq ’ s parliament last month [ January , 2020 ] voted to have the US troops removed from the country , heeding a call from former Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi to take urgent measures and end the presence of the foreign forces as soon as possible .
The Iraqi Parliament passed a resolution to work to end the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of a US targeted assassination of a top Iranian general and a commander of Iraqi popular forces .
“ U.S .
intelligence out of the Middle East suggests that Iran or Iran-backed forces are planning a potentially serious attack against U.S. military personnel in Iraq , said officials monitoring the information , ” The War Street Journal reported on April Fools Day .
The late CIA whistleblower Victor Marchetti documented how the agency has specialized in lies and deception since its inception in the late 1940s .
As a special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA , Marchetti knew a thing or two about the role played by US intelligence , its pathological lies , and obsessive-compulsive secrecy .
The real reason for the official secrecy , in most instances , is not to keep the opposition ( the CIA ’ s euphemistic term for the enemy ) from knowing what is going on ; the enemy usually does know .
The basic reason for governmental secrecy is to keep you , the American public , from knowing—for you , too , are considered the opposition , or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the public does not know what the government or the CIA is doing , it can not voice its approval or disapproval of their actions .
In fact , they can even lie to you about what they are doing or have done , and you will not know it .
Due to an avalanche of lies and distortions issued by the state and the corporate media ’ s dutiful stenographic repetition of war propaganda , omission of facts , distortions of reality , and endless demonization of official enemies , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be more than obvious—the rocket attacks on illegal US bases in Iraq following a lawful order by the Iraqi government demanding US troops leave the country are a completely justified and warranted response to a never-ending occupation .
Ignored is the historical fact Shi ’ as in Iran and Iraq share religious and cultural ties and have done so for centuries , well before the region was carved up by Britain and France following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War .
Iran ’ s Major General Mohammad Hossein @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attacks on US bases are a “ normal reaction by the Iraqi people and resistance forces against U.S. ‘ satanic measures ’ … Americans are well aware that the people of the region and the dear people of Iraq are opposed to their military presence in these countries and it is their normal reaction.
” Now that the American people are consumed with fear and loathing of an overblown virus “ pandemic , ” the neocons around Trump see a chance to finally and decisively deal with Iran—not simply by blocking humanitarian aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , possibly within a matter of days or weeks , attacking Shi ’ a militias in Iraq and possibly launching a long-promised direct military attack on Iran proper .

Trump ignores Iraqi demand US occupation forces leave the country. It was Rahm Emmanuel who said the state should never let a “good crisis go to waste.” In regard to Iran, the neocons will not let the COVID-19 “crisis” go to waste. It is a perfect cover for escalating tension with the Islamic Republic.
It is more than obvious the geopolitical ignoramus Donald Trump is under the influence of a gaggle of neocons chomping at the bit to kill tens of thousands if not hundreds of thousands of Iranians.
Upon information and belief, Iran or its proxies are planning a sneak attack on U.S. troops and/or assets in Iraq. If this happens, Iran will pay a very heavy price, indeed! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 1, 2020
“Trump, who did not detail the plot, made the threat less than an hour after receiving a foreign intelligence briefing at the White House,” reported USA Today. “Later at a briefing, Trump said the intelligence indicating an attack was sound.”
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq continually threaten to attack U.S. and allied forces, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. Threats arrive in a daily stream. Some of the more visible threats have been issued by the Kataib Hezbollah militia, the group responsible for rocket attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq that have killed American troops and contractors.
Iraqis have repeatedly and overwhelmingly demanded the US occupation forces leave the country, a demand rejected by Trump and his neocon foreign policy controllers.
From FRN:
Iraq’s parliament last month [January, 2020] voted to have the US troops removed from the country, heeding a call from former Prime Minister Adil Abdul Mahdi to take urgent measures and end the presence of the foreign forces as soon as possible. The Iraqi Parliament passed a resolution to work to end the foreign troop presence in the Arab country in the wake of a US targeted assassination of a top Iranian general and a commander of Iraqi popular forces.
“U.S. intelligence out of the Middle East suggests that Iran or Iran-backed forces are planning a potentially serious attack against U.S. military personnel in Iraq, said officials monitoring the information,” The War Street Journal reported on April Fools Day.
The late CIA whistleblower Victor Marchetti documented how the agency has specialized in lies and deception since its inception in the late 1940s. As a special assistant to the Deputy Director of the CIA, Marchetti knew a thing or two about the role played by US intelligence, its pathological lies, and obsessive-compulsive secrecy.
The real reason for the official secrecy, in most instances, is not to keep the opposition (the CIA’s euphemistic term for the enemy) from knowing what is going on; the enemy usually does know. The basic reason for governmental secrecy is to keep you, the American public, from knowing—for you, too, are considered the opposition, or enemy—so that you cannot interfere. When the public does not know what the government or the CIA is doing, it cannot voice its approval or disapproval of their actions. In fact, they can even lie to you about what they are doing or have done, and you will not know it.
Due to an avalanche of lies and distortions issued by the state and the corporate media’s dutiful stenographic repetition of war propaganda, omission of facts, distortions of reality, and endless demonization of official enemies, many Americans are unable to see what should be more than obvious—the rocket attacks on illegal US bases in Iraq following a lawful order by the Iraqi government demanding US troops leave the country are a completely justified and warranted response to a never-ending occupation.
Ignored is the historical fact Shi’as in Iran and Iraq share religious and cultural ties and have done so for centuries, well before the region was carved up by Britain and France following the defeat of the Ottoman Empire during the First World War.
Iran’s Major General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri told The Tehran Times the rocket attacks on US bases are a “normal reaction by the Iraqi people and resistance forces against U.S. ‘satanic measures’… Americans are well aware that the people of the region and the dear people of Iraq are opposed to their military presence in these countries and it is their normal reaction.”
Now that the American people are consumed with fear and loathing of an overblown virus “pandemic,” the neocons around Trump see a chance to finally and decisively deal with Iran—not simply by blocking humanitarian aid but also piling on more sanctions and, possibly within a matter of days or weeks, attacking Shi’a militias in Iraq and possibly launching a long-promised direct military attack on Iran proper.
Article posted with permission from Kurt Nimmo


thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--COVID-19 Depression: Trump Needs A War

COVID-19 Depression: Trump Needs A War

A dystopian nightmare for millions spreads across the land .
It is seriously astounding how fast the economy is crumbling .
No infusion of funny money will save the American people from the historically severe depression now evolving .
State and federal governments are becoming more authoritarian in response to serious influenza ( critical data on the transmission of the disease is absent , muddled , contradictory , and the corporate media feeds a frenzy of fear and paranoia based on conflicting , revised , and often speculative numbers ) .
Critical supply lines foolishly based on the globalist profit-maximizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are now breaking down .
How long do you suppose unemployed service industry and gig-economy workers will tolerate a serious shortage of food and other essentials before looting stores like the poor and hungry of Palermo ?
How long before armed citizens begin taking what they need and the military is called in to restore order and confiscate weapons like they did during Katrina ?
All hell will break loose from Baltimore to Seattle and the government may impose martial law ( it can be argued we are already under a soft form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confined to our homes , the equivalent of house arrest , scared to death of a virus they now say can spread by merely opening of one ’ s mouth and speaking and thus allowing viral-laden breath to drift in the air ) .
I don ’ t believe the state will be able to meet the needs of a third or more of an unemployed workforce—angry , desperate , and eventually violent as a dystopian nightmare spreads across the land .
Congress and Trump ’ s onetime $ 1,200 check will certainly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , that ’ s not even a month ’ s rent .
Millions of Americans stood by and watched as the Federal Reserve dished out a trillion and a half bucks to the banks and the financial elite .
Mark Twain said something about history rhyming .
It looks like a big fat sonnet is about to unfold and knock us flat .
Historians argue whether FDR did or did not secretly agree with Churchill to get the US involved in the war in Europe and thus put an end to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ machine returned prosperity to depression and war-weary Americans while building a sprawling national security structure behind the scenes to face an exaggerated enemy , a critically flawed Soviet Union and the virus of Lenin ’ s version of communism .
While we are obsessed with life , death , and the coronavirus , the Trump administration is moving to re-ignite the war in Iraq , a war that has as its final objective the destruction of Iran .
It was soon reported Trump ordered “ Patriot surface-to-air missiles and a variant of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or close-in weapon system , which fires 3,000 rounds a minute ” be sent to Iraq to protect US bases .
Lost in the latest reportage is the fact the rockets fired at US soldiers were a direct response to Trump ’ s Mafia hit on Iran ’ s Qassem Soleimani .
President Trump now has the distraction of a virus and the unfolding of a government-engineered depression to cover what the neocons plan to do in Iraq and Iran .
Considering Trump had zero reluctance to murder Soleimani in high-tech mob boss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will go after Iran ’ s expeditionary Quds force commander Esmail Ghaani .
He is scheduled for a meeting in Baghdad this week .
“ Ghaani is hoping to unite the Shia factions , and the visit is seen as a test of whether he can match the famed influence of Suleimani.
” Then again , taking into account Trump ’ s recent vacillations on Iran , he may decline to start another war in the Middle East .
He believes the impending depression is “ V-shaped ” and America will bounce back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into place and never rescinded .
If he believes there will be a bounce to prosperity , he is surely deluded .
Before the middle of June , it is likely the US will be in a full-blown depression with hyperinflation , food shortages , mass protests , political violence , and the possibility of military rule as laid out in the state ’ s continuity of government plans for “ national emergencies.
” Oliver North , now handsomely compensated as a patriot-celebrity , in the early 1980s under a compromised Reagan helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and intern millions of “ troublemakers , ” most listed on the Main Core database established by FEMA under National Security Directive ( NSD ) 69 and National Security Decision Directive ( NSDD ) 55 .
Main Core is now held by the NSA , FBI , CIA and more than likely the national security state ’ s corporate public-private partners ( a classic example of Mussolini fascism-corporatism ) .
The severity of the depression and the reaction by the state will result in the final and complete destruction of the Constitution and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of little concern to folks facing poverty , eviction , homelessness , and the disease , mental illness , alcohol , and drug addiction , and early death that invariably accompanies the fall of managed economies and the failure of government .

A dystopian nightmare for millions spreads across the land. It is seriously astounding how fast the economy is crumbling. No infusion of funny money will save the American people from the historically severe depression now evolving.
State and federal governments are becoming more authoritarian in response to serious influenza (critical data on the transmission of the disease is absent, muddled, contradictory, and the corporate media feeds a frenzy of fear and paranoia based on conflicting, revised, and often speculative numbers).
Critical supply lines foolishly based on the globalist profit-maximizing concept of “just in time” are now breaking down. How long do you suppose unemployed service industry and gig-economy workers will tolerate a serious shortage of food and other essentials before looting stores like the poor and hungry of Palermo? How long before armed citizens begin taking what they need and the military is called in to restore order and confiscate weapons like they did during Katrina? All hell will break loose from Baltimore to Seattle and the government may impose martial law (it can be argued we are already under a soft form of martial-medical law, half of us confined to our homes, the equivalent of house arrest, scared to death of a virus they now say can spread by merely opening of one’s mouth and speaking and thus allowing viral-laden breath to drift in the air).
I don’t believe the state will be able to meet the needs of a third or more of an unemployed workforce—angry, desperate, and eventually violent as a dystopian nightmare spreads across the land. Congress and Trump’s onetime $1,200 check will certainly not satisfy the unemployed for long—in many cases, that’s not even a month’s rent. Millions of Americans stood by and watched as the Federal Reserve dished out a trillion and a half bucks to the banks and the financial elite.
Mark Twain said something about history rhyming. It looks like a big fat sonnet is about to unfold and knock us flat. Historians argue whether FDR did or did not secretly agree with Churchill to get the US involved in the war in Europe and thus put an end to a stubborn depression. It did—and the military-industrial machine returned prosperity to depression and war-weary Americans while building a sprawling national security structure behind the scenes to face an exaggerated enemy, a critically flawed Soviet Union and the virus of Lenin’s version of communism.
While we are obsessed with life, death, and the coronavirus, the Trump administration is moving to re-ignite the war in Iraq, a war that has as its final objective the destruction of Iran.
From the corporate propaganda media:
President Donald Trump warned Wednesday that Iran was planning a “sneak attack on U.S. troops and/or assets in Iraq” and later cited unspecified intelligence he said indicated potential plots by local Tehran-aligned forces there. “Don’t do it,” the president warned at a press briefing that evening, threatening that his “response will be bigger” this time after U.S. airstrikes last month targeted Iran-backed Kataib Hezbollah positions but also reportedly killed Iraqi troops, police officers and a civilian.
It was soon reported Trump ordered “Patriot surface-to-air missiles and a variant of the Navy’s SeaRAM and CIWS, or close-in weapon system, which fires 3,000 rounds a minute” be sent to Iraq to protect US bases.
Lost in the latest reportage is the fact the rockets fired at US soldiers were a direct response to Trump’s Mafia hit on Iran’s Qassem Soleimani.
A second establishment propaganda mill reported:
It was not immediately clear what intelligence Trump had obtained to prompt him to issue his tweet on Wednesday… [during a] subsequent press conference he indicated the US’s likely target would be Kata’ib Hezbollah, saying the US had “very good information on the group planning the attack”. He added: “It was led by Iran, not necessarily Iran, but by groups supported by Iran, but that to me is Iran.”
President Trump now has the distraction of a virus and the unfolding of a government-engineered depression to cover what the neocons plan to do in Iraq and Iran.
Considering Trump had zero reluctance to murder Soleimani in high-tech mob boss fashion, it is entirely possible he will go after Iran’s expeditionary Quds force commander Esmail Ghaani. He is scheduled for a meeting in Baghdad this week. “Ghaani is hoping to unite the Shia factions, and the visit is seen as a test of whether he can match the famed influence of Suleimani.”
Then again, taking into account Trump’s recent vacillations on Iran, he may decline to start another war in the Middle East. He believes the impending depression is “V-shaped” and America will bounce back after increasingly authoritarian COVID-19 measures are put into place and never rescinded.
If he believes there will be a bounce to prosperity, he is surely deluded. Before the middle of June, it is likely the US will be in a full-blown depression with hyperinflation, food shortages, mass protests, political violence, and the possibility of military rule as laid out in the state’s continuity of government plans for “national emergencies.”
Oliver North, now handsomely compensated as a patriot-celebrity, in the early 1980s under a compromised Reagan helped put into motion a plan to round-up and intern millions of “troublemakers,” most listed on the Main Core database established by FEMA under National Security Directive (NSD) 69 and National Security Decision Directive (NSDD) 55. Main Core is now held by the NSA, FBI, CIA and more than likely the national security state’s corporate public-private partners (a classic example of Mussolini fascism-corporatism).
The severity of the depression and the reaction by the state will result in the final and complete destruction of the Constitution and Bill of Rights. This will be of little concern to folks facing poverty, eviction, homelessness, and the disease, mental illness, alcohol, and drug addiction, and early death that invariably accompanies the fall of managed economies and the failure of government.
Article posted with permission from Kurt Nimmo


thewashingtonstandard--2020-04-03--As Media Focuses On COVID-19, University Study Finds “Fire Did Not Cause Building 7’s Collapse On 9/

As Media Focuses On COVID-19, University Study Finds “Fire Did Not Cause Building 7’s Collapse On 9/11”

If you turn on your TV — even if you are watching Netflix or Amazon Prime — you can not escape seeing some sort of news or warning about the spread of COVID-19 .
Earlier this week , headlines across all mainstream media sites began the narrative that the virus has killed more Americans than 9/11 as if the two are somehow related .
As these headlines garnered millions of views , extremely important information on 9/11 was released which received no coverage from these same new organizations .
At the end of March , researchers at the University of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a four-year computer modeling study on the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7 .
Its results are nothing short of paradigm shifting .
On September 11 , 2001 , at 5:20 p.m. , World Trade Center Building 7 suddenly collapsed into its own footprint , falling at free fall speed for 2.5 seconds of its seven-second complete destruction .
WTC 7 was not hit by a plane .
After it collapsed , Americans were told that office fires caused a unique — never before seen — complete architectural failure leading to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rate of gravity .
Naturally , skeptics have been questioning the official story for some time and after moving from the realm of conspiracy theory into the realm of science , this extensive university study has found that the official story of fire causing the collapse is simply not true .
This week , Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth announced the completed partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks ( UAF ) in their final report of an in depth four-year study on what they say actually brought down WTC 7 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contrary to the conclusions of NIST , the UAF research team finds that the collapse of WTC 7 on 9/11 was not caused by fires but instead was caused by the near-simultaneous failure of every column in the building .
“ Our study found that the fires in WTC 7 could not have caused the observed collapse , ” said Professor Leroy Hulsey , the study ’ s principal investigator .
“ The only way it could have fallen in the observed manner is by the near-simultaneous failure of every column.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth ( AE911Truth ) , a nonprofit organization representing more than 3,000 architects and engineers who have signed the organization ’ s petition calling for new investigation into the destruction of the three World Trade Center towers on 9/11 .
“ We are proud to have supported the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Professor Leroy Hulsey in conducting a genuinely scientific study into the reasons for this building ’ s collapse , ” said Richard Gage , president and founder of AE911Truth .
“ It is now incumbent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and government officials to reckon with the implications of these findings and launch a new full-scale investigation.
” According to the study ’ s authors : After conducting comprehensive modeling and studying countless scenarios , the study ’ s authors , J. Leroy Hulsey , Ph.D. , P.E.
, S.E.
, UAF , Zhili Quan , Ph.D. , Bridge Engineer South Carolina Department of Transportation , and Feng Xiao , Ph.D. , Associate Professor Nanjing University of Science and Technology Department of Civil Engineering , concluded the following : The results of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It completely destroys the narrative that has been shoved down the throats of Americans for nearly two decades .
What ’ s more , this study backs up thousands of other researchers , scientists , and engineers who have been pointing this out for years .
The final report , entitled A Structural Reevaluation of the Collapse of World Trade Center 7 , includes clarifications and supplemental text based on public comments as well as external review by two independent experts following the release of a draft report by UAF and AE911Truth on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ am grateful to everyone who supported or participated in this study in any way , ” said Professor Hulsey .
“ We hope that our findings will be carefully looked at by the building community and spur further investigation into how this building came down on that tragic day.
” The Hulsey report and supporting materials can be found on UAF ’ s Institute of Northern Engineering website at http : //ine.uaf.edu/projects/wtc7/ and on the AE911Truth website at https : //www.ae911truth.org/wtc7 .
As TFTP reported last July , history was made in regard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ commissioners called for a new investigation into the tragic events that unfolded that day .
The resolution called for a new investigation due to the “ overwhelming evidence ” that “ pre-planted explosives .
.
.
caused the destruction of the three World Trade Center buildings.
” On July 24 , 2019 , the Franklin Square and Munson Fire District , which oversees a volunteer fire department serving a hamlet of 30,000 residents just outside of Queens , New York , became the first legislative body in the country to officially support a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth .
The resolution calling for a new investigation was drafted by Commissioner Christopher Gioia and it was immediately and unanimously approved by the five commissioners .
“ We ’ re a tight-knit community and we never forget our fallen brothers and sisters .
You better believe that when the entire fire service of New York State is on board , we will be an unstoppable force , ” said Commissioner Christopher Gioia , adding , “ We were the first fire district to pass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the last.
” According to the report : “ The Hetzel and Evans families were very appreciative of the proceedings , ” Gioia commented the day after the meeting .
“ They know it ’ s an uphill struggle .
But at least they have hope , which is something they haven ’ t had in a long time.
” The importance of this resolution — especially coming from a legislative body of fire fighters — is immense .
The impact of first responders calling for a new investigation over the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who call those who question the official narrative “ kooks ” will have a hard time going after fire commissioners .
This move and the study above are yet another blow to the highly questionable and hole-filled official narrative .
As TFTP reported last year , in another major move from the great folks over at the Lawyers ’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry , Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth , and 9/11 victim family members Robert McIlvaine and Barbara Krukowski-Rastelli , a joint federal lawsuit has been filed to assess any evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contributed to the destruction of the towers on 9/11 which they may have kept from Congress .
The complaint cites the failure of the FBI and its 9/11 Review Commission to assess key 9/11-related evidence that the FBI can be shown to have had , or been aware of , regarding : • the use of pre-placed explosives to destroy World Trade Center Buildings , 1 , 2 , and 7 ; • the arrest and investigation of the “ High Fivers ” observed photographing and celebrating the attacks on the World Trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ related the reported Saudi support for the 9/11 hijackers ; • recovered plane parts , including serial numbers from all three crash locations ; • video from cameras mounted inside and outside the Pentagon ; and According to the press release on Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth , this is evidence relevant to the 9/11 Review Commission ’ s and the FBI ’ s compliance with the mandate from Congress , which should have been assessed by the FBI and the 9/11 Review Commission and reported to Congress .
The complaint also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence related to the “ High Fivers.
” Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth has joined in bringing the counts that involve the evidence of the World Trade Center ’ s explosive demolition and evidence related to the “ High Fivers , ” while the other plaintiffs are party to all counts .
Also , as TFTP previously reported , a monumental step forward in the relentless pursuit of 9/11 truth took place in December 2018 when a United States Attorney agreed to comply with federal law requiring submission to a Special Grand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to bring down the World Trade Centers .
Then , the following March , the group behind the submission , the Lawyers ’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry , announced the filing of a “ petition supplement ” naming persons who may have information related to the use of said explosives .
According to the petition , dozens of exhibits were presented as evidence that explosives were used to destroy all three world trade centers .
The Lawyers ’ Committee ’ s April 10th 52-page original Petition was accompanied by 57 exhibits and presented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ destroy three WTC Towers on 9/11 .
That evidence included independent scientific laboratory analysis of WTC dust samples showing the presence of high-tech explosives and/or incendiaries ; numerous first-hand reports by First Responders of seeing and hearing explosions at the World Trade Center on 9/11 ; expert analysis of seismic evidence that explosions occurred at the WTC towers on 9/11 both prior to the airplane impacts and prior to the building collapses ; and expert analysis and testimony by architects , engineers , and scientists concluding that the rapid onset symmetrical near-free-fall acceleration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buildings on 9/11 exhibited the key characteristics of controlled demolition .
The July 30th Amended Petition included the same evidence but also addressed several additional federal crimes beyond the federal bombing crime addressed in the original Petition .
The Lawyers ’ Committee concluded in the petitions that explosive and incendiary devices that had been preplaced at the WTC were detonated causing the complete collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and Building 7 on 9/11 , and the resulting tragic loss of life , and that “ the evidence permits no other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as a matter of logic , and as a matter of law.
” “ This Petition Supplement is intended to assist the Special Grand Jury by providing a roadmap for a meaningful investigation into the yet-to-be-prosecuted 9/11 WTC crimes that the Lawyers ’ Committee has reported and documented in our Petitions , ” Attorney David Meiswinkle , President of the Lawyers ’ Committee ’ s Board of Directors , said .
Finally , after nearly two decades of ridicule , dismissal , and outright intolerance of information contrary to the “ official @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the public may finally learn the truth of what happened and who was behind it .

If you turn on your TV — even if you are watching Netflix or Amazon Prime — you cannot escape seeing some sort of news or warning about the spread of COVID-19. Earlier this week, headlines across all mainstream media sites began the narrative that the virus has killed more Americans than 9/11 as if the two are somehow related. As these headlines garnered millions of views, extremely important information on 9/11 was released which received no coverage from these same new organizations. At the end of March, researchers at the University of Alaska Fairbanks issued the final report of a four-year computer modeling study on the collapse of World Trade Center Building 7. Its results are nothing short of paradigm shifting.
On September 11, 2001, at 5:20 p.m., World Trade Center Building 7 suddenly collapsed into its own footprint, falling at free fall speed for 2.5 seconds of its seven-second complete destruction. WTC 7 was not hit by a plane. After it collapsed, Americans were told that office fires caused a unique — never before seen — complete architectural failure leading to the building collapsing into its own footprint at the rate of gravity.
Despite calls for the evidence to be preserved, New York City officials had the building’s debris removed and destroyed in the ensuing weeks and months, preventing a proper forensic investigation from ever taking place. Seven years later, federal investigators concluded that WTC 7 was the first steel-framed high-rise ever to have collapsed solely as a result of normal office fires.
Naturally, skeptics have been questioning the official story for some time and after moving from the realm of conspiracy theory into the realm of science, this extensive university study has found that the official story of fire causing the collapse is simply not true.
This week, Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth announced the completed partnership with the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) in their final report of an in depth four-year study on what they say actually brought down WTC 7. According to the press release, contrary to the conclusions of NIST, the UAF research team finds that the collapse of WTC 7 on 9/11 was not caused by fires but instead was caused by the near-simultaneous failure of every column in the building.
“Our study found that the fires in WTC 7 could not have caused the observed collapse,” said Professor Leroy Hulsey, the study’s principal investigator. “The only way it could have fallen in
the observed manner is by the near-simultaneous failure of every column.”
The extensive four-year study was was funded by Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth (AE911Truth), a nonprofit organization representing more than 3,000 architects and engineers who have signed the organization’s petition calling for new investigation into the destruction of the three World Trade Center towers on 9/11.
“We are proud to have supported the University of Alaska Fairbanks and Professor Leroy Hulsey in conducting a genuinely scientific study into the reasons for this building’s collapse,”
said Richard Gage, president and founder of AE911Truth. “It is now incumbent upon the building community, the media, and government officials to reckon with the implications of these
findings and launch a new full-scale investigation.”
According to the study’s authors:
The UAF research team utilized three approaches for examining the structural response of WTC 7 to the conditions that may have occurred on September 11, 2001. First, we simulated
the local structural response to fire loading that may have occurred below Floor 13, where most of the fires in WTC 7 are reported to have occurred. Second, we supplemented our own
simulation by examining the collapse initiation hypothesis developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Third, we simulated a number of scenarios within the overall structural system in order to determine what types of local failures and their locations may have caused the total collapse to occur as observed.
After conducting comprehensive modeling and studying countless scenarios, the study’s authors, J. Leroy Hulsey, Ph.D., P.E., S.E., UAF, Zhili Quan, Ph.D., Bridge Engineer South Carolina Department of Transportation, and Feng Xiao, Ph.D., Associate Professor Nanjing University of Science and Technology Department of Civil Engineering, concluded the following:
Fire did not cause the collapse of WTC 7 on 9/11, contrary to the conclusions of NIST and private engineering firms that studied the collapse. The secondary conclusion of our study is that the collapse of WTC 7 was a global failure involving the near-simultaneous failure of every column in the building.
The results of this study cannot be dismissed. It completely destroys the narrative that has been shoved down the throats of Americans for nearly two decades. What’s more, this study backs up thousands of other researchers, scientists, and engineers who have been pointing this out for years.
The final report, entitled A Structural Reevaluation of the Collapse of World Trade Center 7, includes clarifications and supplemental text based on public comments as well as external
review by two independent experts following the release of a draft report by UAF and AE911Truth on September 3, 2019.
“I am grateful to everyone who supported or participated in this study in any way,” said Professor Hulsey. “We hope that our findings will be carefully looked at by the building
community and spur further investigation into how this building came down on that tragic day.”
The Hulsey report and supporting materials can be found on UAF’s Institute of Northern Engineering website at http://ine.uaf.edu/projects/wtc7/ and on the AE911Truth website at
https://www.ae911truth.org/wtc7.
As TFTP reported last July, history was made in regard to 9/11 as New York area fire commissioners called for a new investigation into the tragic events that unfolded that day. The resolution called for a new investigation due to the “overwhelming evidence” that “pre-planted explosives . . . caused the destruction of the three World Trade Center buildings.”
On July 24, 2019, the Franklin Square and Munson Fire District, which oversees a volunteer fire department serving a hamlet of 30,000 residents just outside of Queens, New York, became the first legislative body in the country to officially support a new investigation into the events of 9/11, according to Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth.
The resolution calling for a new investigation was drafted by Commissioner Christopher Gioia and it was immediately and unanimously approved by the five commissioners.
“We’re a tight-knit community and we never forget our fallen brothers and sisters. You better believe that when the entire fire service of New York State is on board, we will be an unstoppable force,” said Commissioner Christopher Gioia, adding, “We were the first fire district to pass this resolution. We won’t be the last.”
According to the report:
The impact of 9/11 on the community extends well beyond the victims and their grieving families. On September 12, 2001, the Franklin Square Fire Department was called in to assist with the massive rescue and recovery effort that was just getting underway. Countless members of the department, including Gioia and Commissioner Philip Malloy (then rank-and-file firefighters), spent weeks on the pile searching in vain for civilians and fellow responders who might still be alive. Today, Malloy is one of thousands suffering chronic health effects. The department also lost one of its own in Thomas J. Hetzel, affectionately referred to as “Tommy” by the commissioners. Hetzel was a full-time member of the New York Fire Department in addition to serving as a volunteer firefighter in Franklin Square. A touching memorial to Hetzel was on display during the meeting, and Hetzel’s widow, parents, and sister were all in attendance.
“The Hetzel and Evans families were very appreciative of the proceedings,” Gioia commented the day after the meeting. “They know it’s an uphill struggle. But at least they have hope, which is something they haven’t had in a long time.”
The importance of this resolution — especially coming from a legislative body of fire fighters — is immense. The impact of first responders calling for a new investigation over the use of explosives is massive. The naysayers who call those who question the official narrative “kooks” will have a hard time going after fire commissioners.
This move and the study above are yet another blow to the highly questionable and hole-filled official narrative. As TFTP reported last year, in another major move from the great folks over at the Lawyers’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry, Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, and 9/11 victim family members Robert McIlvaine and Barbara Krukowski-Rastelli, a joint federal lawsuit has been filed to assess any evidence the FBI may have known about that contributed to the destruction of the towers on 9/11 which they may have kept from Congress.
The complaint cites the failure of the FBI and its 9/11 Review Commission to assess key 9/11-related evidence that the FBI can be shown to have had, or been aware of, regarding:
the use of pre-placed explosives to destroy World Trade Center Buildings, 1, 2, and 7; the arrest and investigation of the “High Fivers” observed photographing and celebrating the attacks on the World Trade Center on 9/11; terrorist financing related the reported Saudi support for the 9/11 hijackers; recovered plane parts, including serial numbers from all three crash locations; video from cameras mounted inside and outside the Pentagon; and cell phone communications from passengers aboard airplanes.
According to the press release on Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth, this is evidence relevant to the 9/11 Review Commission’s and the FBI’s compliance with the mandate from Congress, which should have been assessed by the FBI and the 9/11 Review Commission and reported to Congress. The complaint also cites the destruction by the FBI of evidence related to the “High Fivers.” Architects & Engineers for 9/11 Truth has joined in bringing the counts that involve the evidence of the World Trade Center’s explosive demolition and evidence related to the “High Fivers,” while the other plaintiffs are party to all counts.
Also, as TFTP previously reported, a monumental step forward in the relentless pursuit of 9/11 truth took place in December 2018 when a United States Attorney agreed to comply with federal law requiring submission to a Special Grand Jury of evidence that explosives were used to bring down the World Trade Centers. Then, the following March, the group behind the submission, the Lawyers’ Committee for 9/11 Inquiry, announced the filing of a “petition supplement” naming persons who may have information related to the use of said explosives.
According to the petition, dozens of exhibits were presented as evidence that explosives were used to destroy all three world trade centers.
The Lawyers’ Committee’s April 10th 52-page original Petition was accompanied by 57 exhibits and presented extensive evidence that explosives were used to destroy three WTC Towers on 9/11. That evidence included independent scientific laboratory analysis of WTC dust samples showing the presence of high-tech explosives and/or incendiaries; numerous first-hand reports by First Responders of seeing and hearing explosions at the World Trade Center on 9/11; expert analysis of seismic evidence that explosions occurred at the WTC towers on 9/11 both prior to the airplane impacts and prior to the building collapses; and expert analysis and testimony by architects, engineers, and scientists concluding that the rapid onset symmetrical near-free-fall acceleration collapse of these three WTC high rise buildings on 9/11 exhibited the key characteristics of controlled demolition. The July 30th Amended Petition included the same evidence but also addressed several additional federal crimes beyond the federal bombing crime addressed in the original Petition. The Lawyers’ Committee concluded in the petitions that explosive and incendiary devices that had been preplaced at the WTC were detonated causing the complete collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers and Building 7 on 9/11, and the resulting tragic loss of life, and that “the evidence permits no other conclusion — as a matter of science, as a matter of logic, and as a matter of law.”
“This Petition Supplement is intended to assist the Special Grand Jury by providing a roadmap for a meaningful investigation into the yet-to-be-prosecuted 9/11 WTC crimes that the Lawyers’ Committee has reported and documented in our Petitions,” Attorney David Meiswinkle, President of the Lawyers’ Committee’s Board of Directors, said.
Finally, after nearly two decades of ridicule, dismissal, and outright intolerance of information contrary to the “official story” of what happened on 9/11, the public may finally learn the truth of what happened and who was behind it.
Article posted with permission from Matt Agorist