Is Trump really a serious contender for the Republican nomination? - Page 116

dead_battery · 02.18.2017, 06:22 PM

Russia plotted to assassinate the prime minister of a European nation and overthrow its government last year, according to senior Whitehall sources.

An election-day coup plot to attack Montenegro’s parliament and kill the pro-Western leader was directed by Russian intelligence officers with the support and blessing of Moscow, to sabotage the country’s plan to join Nato.

The plot was foiled only hours before it was due to be carried out, but would have caused heavy bloodshed and plunged the tiny country into turmoil on the eve of becoming Nato’s 29th member.

The allegation came as Sergei Lavrov, Russia’s foreign minister, criticised Nato as a “Cold War institution” whose expansion had led to unprecedented tensions in Europe over the past thirty years.

The planned Montenegro coup scheduled for October 16 last year was one of the most blatant recent examples of an increasingly aggressive campaign of interference in Western affairs, Whitehall sources told The Telegraph.

Interpol is now hunting two Russians the Montenegrin government says are intelligence officers who hatched the plot.

The pair spent months overseeing the recruitment and equipping of a small force of Serbian nationalists to attack the parliament building, disguised as local police, and kill Milo Djukanovic, the prime minister at the time.

The Kremlin has strongly denied any involvement, and the Montenegrin special prosecutor has publically stopped short of alleging Moscow’s involvement in a plot it has blamed on “Russian nationalists”. The country’s pro-Russian opposition bloc says the alleged coup was “fake”.

But British and American intelligence agencies called in to help the Montenegrin authorities unravel the conspiracy are understood to have gathered evidence of high-level Russian complicity.

Encrypted phone calls, email traffic and testimony from plotters-turned-informants are now part of the criminal investigation of 21 conspirators accused of terrorism and “preparing acts against the constitutional order of Montenegro”.

Predrag Bosković, Montenegrin defence minister, told The Telegraph there is “not any doubt” that the plot was financed and organised by Russian intelligence officers alongside local radicals.

Sources told The Telegraph the plot appeared to have been constructed so it was deniable and could be blamed on rogue Russian agents and nationalists, but evidence showed it was inconceivable it did not have high-level backing.

One source said: “You are talking about a plot to disrupt or take over a government in some way. You can’t imagine that there wasn’t some kind of approval process.”

Nemanja Ristic, one of the alleged plotters wanted by Montenegrin authorities, was recently photographed standing next to Sergei Lavrov as he visited Serbia.

Details of the conspiracy have been disclosed after Sir Michael Fallon, the defence secretary, warned of a “step change” in the Kremlin’s meddling in Western countries during 2016.

Sir Michael used a speech earlier this month to warn that Russia is “clearly testing Nato and the West” by “seeking to expand its sphere of influence, destabilise countries, and weaken the alliance”.

Alex Younger, the chief of MI6, also warned recently that attempts to subvert democracy by states like Russia pose a fundamental threat to sovereignty for Britain and its allies.

The October plot followed repeated warnings from Moscow that Montenegro should abandon plans to join Nato later this year (2017).

Moscow has been keen for the country of 600,000 people to remain inside its own sphere of influence, or at least neutral, and has in the past lobbied hard for naval access to its Adriatic ports.

In the months before the coup was due to take place, the Kremlin is suspected of pouring millions of pounds into a slick pro-Russian election campaign run by the country’s main opposition bloc, the Democratic Front.

The country’s special prosecutor told The Telegraph that the plotters would have mingled with Democratic Front protestors outside the parliament building in the country’s capital, Podgorica, as the election results were announced.

At an appointed sign, the conspirators would have forced their way inside, and in the confusion, colleagues dressed in police uniforms would have also opened fire on the crowd “so that citizens would think that the official police are shooting at them”.

“Had it been executed, such a scenario would have had an unforeseeable consequence.”

The prosecutor, Milivoje Katnic, said he had “obtained evidence that the plan was not only to deprive of liberty, but also to deprive of life the then Prime Minister.”

On Saturday, America’s vice president tried to reassure European nations worried that Donald Trump intends to sell them out while forging a new relationship with Vladimir Putin.

Mike Pence told European leaders at the Munich Security Conference that the new Trump administration would “hold Russia accountable, even as we search for new common ground which as you know President Trump believes can be found”.

Mr Pence said the US will be “unwavering” in its support for Europe, but he reinforced Mr Trump’s ultimatum that its countries must spend more on defence.

He said the new American president promised to “stand with Europe today and every day”.

But he went on to warn that the failure of some of Europe’s biggest economies to keep their Nato promise of spending two per cent of GDP on their militaries was undermining the transatlantic defence pact.

He said the failure to meet the Nato spending "erodes the very foundation of our alliance".

"Let me be clear on this point: The president of the United States expects our allies to keep their word, to fulfill this commitment and, for most, that means the time has come to do more.”

dead_battery · 02.18.2017, 06:23 PM

America has long complained of Nato partners shirking their end of the alliance’s defence burden, but the election of Mr Trump had ushered in a new “political reality”, the Pentagon chief told his Nato counterparts earlier this week.

Only five Nato members, including Britain and America, reach the target at present and some of Europe’s biggest economies spend only half that.

On Saturday, Mr Lavrov told US and European leaders gathered at the Munich Security Conference that Russia desired a "post-West world order."

He said Russia wants "pragmatic relations, mutual respect, understanding our special responsibility for global stability."

He added: "We have immense potential that has yet to be tapped into, and we're open for that in as much as the US is open for that as well."

Mr Lavrov said he hopes "responsible leaders" will choose to create a "just world order - if you want you can call it a post-West world order."

Meanwhile a senior Nato general said Russia was behind a false report of a rape by German soldiers in Lithuania that was intended to undermine support for Nato's new eastern force.

Meanwhile a senior Nato general said Russia was behind a false report of a rape by German soldiers in Lithuania that was intended to undermine support for Nato's new eastern force.

Gen Petr Pavel, who heads Nato's military committee, said a claim that German-speaking men raped a 15-year-old girl last week in a Lithuanian town close to a German army barracks "was not based on real events".

The 2016 US election and the early weeks of Donald Trump’s administration have been dominated by allegations Russia hacked political organisations to undermine American democracy.

US intelligence agencies have said they believe the Kremlin ordered a series of cyber attacks to target Hillary Clinton’s campaign and sway the vote in favour of Mr Trump.

At the same time its propaganda experts were alleged to have unleashed a barrage of disinformation and so-called fake news stories on social media.

John McCain, the senior Republican senator, said the result was an unprecedented “attack on our democracy."

Russia’s annexation of Crimea in early 2014 and its support for armed separatists in eastern Ukraine set a new benchmark for Moscow’s brazen aggression under Vladimir Putin.

After the overthrow of Ukraine’s pro-Russian president, Viktor Yanukovych, seemed to herald a move into the Western fold, Russia launched a sophisticated campaign of cyber attacks and propaganda, while at the same time funding local militia, and bolstering them with conventional forces in disguise.

Many military analysts believe this campaign of so-called hybrid warfare, which is designed to be murky and deniable enough to make it difficult for the West to respond, will set a template for any future Russian interference.

Three years on, Russia appears to have its goal: Ukraine is hobbled by an unresolved conflict in the east and unable to join Nato or the European Union.

The assassination of the former Russian spy, in London and under the noses of the British government, was an early indication that Moscow may have embarked on a new phase of aggression.

Alexander Litvinenko fled to the UK in 2000 and became an outspoken critic of Putin and Russia’s intelligence agencies.

In November 2006, Mr Litvinenko drank tea laced with polonium-210, a deadly radioactive element, at a café in West London during a meeting with Russian businessmen. He died of radiation poisoning days later.

The investigation that followed said there was a "strong probability" that the FSB, the successor spy agency to the Soviet KGB, directed the killing, which was “probably” approved by Vladimir Putin.

The Baltic nation of Estonia in 2007 provoked the anger of Russia when it decided to relocate a memorial commemorating Soviet soldiers killed in the war.

Soon after a public spat, the country was hit by three weeks of cyber attacks against critical parts of government, media and banking infrastructure.

Russia denied involvement in the highly sophisticated attack but Estonian and Nato officials are certain it originated there. The incident forced Nato to improve cyber security, and its cyber defence centre is now based in Tallinn.

Intelligence experts say it is notoriously hard to apportion blame for cyber attacks, but they are widely believed to be a central part of Russia’s doctrine of hybrid warfare.

In April 2015, the French television channel TV5Monde went off air after a cyber attack by a group calling itself the Cyber Caliphate. However a French investigation pointed the finger at the Kremlin.

Germany's domestic intelligence agency then accused Russia of being behind cyber attacks on German state computer systems and the German parliament in 2015.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017...assassinating/

dead_battery · 02.18.2017, 06:24 PM

you won't hear that on infowars

since the fascist sellout alex jones is too busy putting out propaganda for trump

isn't that right tesla?

Severian · 02.18.2017, 07:23 PM

Hey, there's a petition out of D.C. to have Trumpence "legally removed" from office for Misprision of Treason.

SIGN THAT SHIT

_tunic_ · 02.19.2017, 05:44 AM

I wonder if Trump would be able to point out an a map where Sweden is

In English: This happened in Sweden Friday night, Mr President
this is the Swedish newspaper on their Swedish site in Swedish only language posting a page in English so that even Trump can read that there's nothing going on in Sweden!!

Quote:

A wooden moose got the attention of a lovesick moose bull. It all happened in 79 year old Ove Lindqvist’s garden in Byske outside Skellefteå, northern Sweden. ”I thought it was going to start a fight, instead it humped the wooden moose thrice”, he said

and about the wall: I thought this story was really interesting:
the Trump wall may “discourage migrants from leaving the United States, rather than preventing their entrance in the first place” — creating what is described as a “cage of gold.”

Quote:

statistics from Pew Research indicating that immigration from Mexico is at “all-time low” following the 2008 subprime mortgage meltdown. From 2009 to 2014, there was a net loss of 140,000 Mexican immigrants. The host explained the theory that a less porous border might cause some undocumented immigrants considering returning to home to Mexico to rethink their plans because it might be impossible to reenter the United States again in the future.

!@#$%! · 02.19.2017, 09:30 AM

hey people of the thread. before reacting to this nonsense, consider the worlds of george carlin:

never argue with an idiot

they will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience

thanks, good day.

tw2113 · 02.19.2017, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

hey people of the thread. before reacting to this nonsense, consider the worlds of george carlin:

never argue with an idiot

they will only bring you down to their level and beat you with experience

thanks, good day.

The tragedy with the quote is that everyone's determined idiot is different.

!@#$%! · 02.19.2017, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tw2113

The tragedy with the quote is that everyone's determined idiot is different.

well i don't drink deodorant but you're right-- there's a profound schism in the way different factions see the world these days

i make an effort every morning to take a look at breitbart and fox news, to see how "the other side" thinks and try to reconcile some sort of reality

but when a president berates a "so-called judge" and threatens the separation of the branches of government-- i don't smell the stench of populist tyrants like hugo chávez because "soros told me".

an authoritarian is an authoritarian is a authoritarian. and authoritarianism is a terrible form of government in spite of short term superficial results and empty promises.

"soros" didn't make me grow up in a dictatorship so i could come to tell you this decades later.

tw2113 · 02.19.2017, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by !@#$%!

well i don't drink deodorant but you're right-- there's a profound schism in the way different factions see the world these days

i make an effort every morning to take a look at breitbart and fox news, to see how "the other side" thinks and try to reconcile some sort of reality

but when a president berates a "so-called judge" and threatens the separation of the branches of government-- i don't smell the stench of populist tyrants like hugo chávez because "soros told me".

an authoritarian is an authoritarian is a authoritarian. and authoritarianism is a terrible form of government in spite of short term superficial results and empty promises.

"soros" didn't make me grow up in a dictatorship so i could come to tell you this decades later.

Valid points.

The Soup Nazi · 02.19.2017, 07:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Soup Nazi

From Under The Radar:

Get it now at www.quasiband.com!

From robertchristgau.com:

Quote:

Battle Hymns (quasiband.com) Pay what you want, but with every penny forwarded to Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and 350.org, I clicked the suggested 20 bucks for this Portland-scene "protest record." Though it does fade at the end, a perceived historical imperative focuses these aesthetes on the proudly political. Not only is there no alt-poetic obscurantism, there's nothing preachy-programmatic-etc. about the sure shots, which outnumber the OKs two-to-one unless you're "bored" by phraseology like "We Won't Go Back," "Fight the Hate," "Save Our Soul," and "Love in the Time of Resistance," in which case Love Always, Mary Timony, Boss Hog, and Corin Tucker will get in your face about it. Most historic are Quasi's allegorical "Ballad of Donald Duck & Elmer Fudd" and Mac McCaughan's post-slack motherfucker "Happy New Year (Prince Can't Die Again)." "This year it seemed like nothing really mattered / You could be any horrible thing and rise to the top of the shitheap," he recalls. "Next year might be better / But I don't see any proof," he admits. Yet he brims with love and energy anyway: "Play the long game, muster up some cheer," he advises, then predicts "The South won't rise again." He's from North Carolina, so let's hope he knows something. A MINUS

ilduclo · 02.20.2017, 10:35 AM

so that prick is making deals with a Ukrainian Russian sympathizer with his mafia connected lawyer, to sell out the other Ukrainian crooks. What's in this for the USA? Among the names to watch for, in this vast conspiracy (tesla?) areMichael D. Cohen, the president’s personal lawyer, Felix H. Sater, a business associate who helped Mr. Trump scout deals in Russia; and a Ukrainian lawmaker,Andrii V. Artemenko and Mr. Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/19/u...ne-russia.html

Severian · 02.20.2017, 11:34 AM

The fact that the word "impeachment" hasn't been publicly said by a single Republican (that I know of) makes me wonder if I didn't die and go to hell at some point in late October.

Or maybe some of that LSD from college is still in my spinal sack or whatever, and I'm having flashbacks. Or maybe The Matrix. Or the Scarecrow's fear toxin. All seem possible given what passes for "normal" on the news feeds these days.

Props to John McCain for defending the free press and making it abundantly clear that these circumstances do indeed warrant real and genuine concern about a dictatorship in these United States.

evollove · 02.20.2017, 11:45 AM

I'm starting to feel really stupid voting for him.

------------

Roger Waters Considering Trump Protest Concert On U.S.-Mexico border

http://www.euronews.com/2017/02/16/p...-mexico-border

Severian · 02.20.2017, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evollove

I'm starting to feel really stupid voting for him.

------------

Funny, I was just scratching my chin and thinking, maybe I should have done something other than go see Jack Reacher 2 on Nov. 8.

Hmmmmm...

dead_battery · 02.20.2017, 02:32 PM

milo has finally destroyed his own career. lol

tesla69 · 02.20.2017, 05:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Severian

Props to John McCain for defending the free press and making it abundantly clear that these circumstances do indeed warrant real and genuine concern about a dictatorship in these United States.

You mean the John MCCain whose fucking around while in the Navy resulted in 295 casualties on the USS Forrestal? You mean the John McCain who while a POW in Vietnam enjoyed nice teas talking to his captors? You mean the squealer John McCain the most guilty of the Keating 5 who fucking skated? My favorite McCain moment was during a debate and he was responding and just started to stutter, "uh..uh..uh...uh..uh..", if it had been Howard Dean or Bernie Sanders we would still be seeing the clip today, but the broadcasters thoughtfully faded to black until the moderator took over again. AZ is a corrupt little border state.

Which free press do you mean? the one the CIA runs with Jeff Bezos, through the Wash Post, or the GE nucular voice NBC, or the CIAinfested CapCities owned ABC (or maybe this is Disney now, which its own level of absurdity), or maybe you mean the CIA startup Google News service? I'd love to know which free press you mean! Isn't it the London Times that is owned by a Russian Oligrach? And Fox and WSJ are owned by the Murdoch oligarch.

Every time you've heard something on the corporate media about Russia hackers is fake news. Where is the proof? some secret unnamed source confirmed it? The DHS Report that gets quoted states at its start that DHS does not stand by the report. Are we supposed to be that fucking stupid? <herd of cows raise heads and nod yes, yes Jim we are supposed to be that fucking stupid , then lower heads and resume chewing>

That had nothing to do with why Hilary didn't win. she didn't win because people disagree. For some reason that is not permitted!
1. many Americans have had enough of the forced neoliberalisms being forced on them (I use the 3 definitions from John Robb's article helpfully quoted by Mr Schunk above)
2. many Americans find her associates to be morally repugnant and questionable
3. the opposition succeeded in creating suspicion e.g., her secret speeches to Goldman
4. Trump won the states strategically in order to press Electoral College advantages.

From a purely mechanical point of view, his ownership of a jet seems extremely important with the ongoing and the election day touch downs in multiple states.

you do understand that McCain is speaking in Soviet terms, worried about a noncompliant press?

ilduclo · 02.20.2017, 05:57 PM

well, I agree about McCain, anyway. He's a filthy old turd

tesla69 · 02.20.2017, 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilduclo

so that prick is making deals with a Ukrainian Russian sympathizer with his mafia connected lawyer....l

dood - if the Trumpster could sit at the knee of Roy Cohn for the years he did and it NEVER gets brought up even by the opposition do you think americans have the attention spans to wade through all those russian names nevermind even understand the complexities of Ukranian politics?

no one is paying attention to fukushima, so radioactive even the robots can't go in
no one is paying attention to the nationwide surveillance system being put into place along the highways
no one is paying attention to the pay as you go (including walkers and bikers) plan for the nations roads thanks to the surveillance sensors
no one is paying attention to automated speeding tickets if you get someplace too quickly
no one is paying attention to the "cashless" tolls also act as a tracking system, for the Government's Property!

!@#$%! · 02.20.2017, 06:48 PM

Quote: