米国、イスラエルの支援を受けるアルカイダは、まだアレッポで市民を殺戮しています

※　Fares Shehabi@ShehabiFares氏の2019/11/23のツイート
A father hugs his martyred son in Aleppo after al-Qaeda rebels hit the city yesterday with more than 30 rockets! 7 people were killed.
昨日アルカイダの反政府勢力が30発以上のロケットで街を攻撃、アレッポで殉教した息子を抱く父親。7人が死亡した。

米国はどうなっているの？

2019/11/22のみゆうさんの投稿。引用開始。

なぜ、アメリカが国内法で、香港の一国二制度が機能しているかどうかを検証しなければならないのか・またそうする権利があるのか？
まったく理解できないのですが、その法案が満場一致で可決されたということなのですよね？？

少し前までなら、他国の人権侵害や道義に反する行為等に対しては、例えば国連決議や声明等での非難はあっても、こんなやり方はあり得なかった。
（もちろん今回は、中国は自ら道義に反したわけではなくそう見えるように追い込まれただけで、アメリカは最初からこの法案を通したいがためのマッチポンプだったわけですが…）

国際法や国際ルールは完全無視、国連も存在感ゼロ。
日本もかなり酷いですが、アメリカは酷すぎますね。
各方面から、ドルの崩壊が近いという声が大きくなってきているようです。そういうこと、なのでしょうか…。

・・・引用終わり・・・

こんばんは　日本の若手女流シャーロックホームズ　話が早い。

ご指摘の点がポイントですね。私も同じ視点で見ていますが、複雑でまだ整理がつかないのです。

�@　米国の負債は膨張し続けています。常識的には、持続可能ではないのですが、そこは米国が腕力で持たせている。

ただ、一方でロシア、中国がドルの覇権に挑戦の動きがあります。
でも、簡単なんですよね。ドルを暴落させれば一挙に解決です。

私たちへの影響については、その時、円がどうなるか？　ドルが下落する過程で日本はドル防衛に参加させられることになるんでしょうね。円売りドル買いで1ユーロが360円になる？

そしてそれはもう戻らないかもしれない。

�A　米国経済は軍需産業に支えられています。そして金融界は強いカルテル組織のようなもの。米国が経済的に開発できる分野はなくなってきており、最大の脅威が中国。戦争でニューフロンチアを求めるしかないですね。シリアや南米はそんな観点で見るしかないでしょう。日本を食い尽くしても知れています。

�B　米国は貝殻追放されるとマルーフが言いましたが、それが着々と進んでいます。途上国は、いざとなれば国際政治ではロシアが頼りです。経済面では中国。

�C　米国は外交という形をとって物事を進めることができなくなっています。ポンペオは、相手にされないし、外務大臣として機能していない。ポンペオは、ラブロフとほとんど話をしていない。

「国際法や国際ルールは完全無視」でないと米国は自国のやりたいことがやれないという状況です。「国連も存在感ゼロ」ですが、それは今始まったことではない。特に最近は、米国が対立関係にある国の外交団にビザを出さなかったりしています。米国にとっては国連は邪魔な存在でしかないし、国連の機関に圧力をかけて報告書の内容を捻じ曲げたりしています。

�D　イランと米国の対立は、軍事面で示唆するところが大きいです。米国は、昔流の戦闘機で爆撃するという攻撃方法を想定して周辺国に基地を配置しましたが、イランはミサイルで反撃する戦略を取りました。米軍基地のある国は人質になってしまいました。湾岸産油国は、自分たちのところに弾が飛んでくるとは思っていませんでしたから、米国とイランとの軍事衝突を回避する方向に動きました。
北朝鮮もミサイル開発に絞りました。イエメンもそうです。
米国がそんなに軍事的に優位なのか疑問も出てきました。イエメンのミサイル攻撃で一発も撃ち落せなかったわけですから。

�E　ドルが基軸通貨になったのは、石油の決済にドルを使ったためです。サウジがそれに貢献しましたが、サウジがいつ倒れるか、とても危うい面があります。

米国の政治、経済面の覇権終焉という方向に行くことは確実ですが、問題はそれがいつか。

英国もだいぶほころびが増えていますし、変化は必ずある。ただ、あと10年か5年か、わかりませんね。　

�F　そうそう、米国は国土の放射性物質汚染がなかなかのものです。それは、福島第一原発事故後日本を訪れた米国人に健康障害を起こした人が多かったことから判断できます。米国人の被ばく蓄積はかなりある。米国はこれからも大量の核兵器を維持する方針で、汚染は継続するでしょう。ゾンビ鹿などの例を見ると福島並み？とも思ってしまいます。これはあくまでも個人的な印象ですけど。

11/23朝、南シナ海の周辺部での空間線量率上昇の情報。米軍の事故が多いですからまたかと受け止めました。

2019/11/22たぐちゃんさんから

ん？アメリカ議会が満場一致で中国の「内政干渉」？と自分も驚きました。

日本の国会を見ても議員の質の低下は悲惨です。その親方の米国と考えれば今回の全会一致の賛成も　まあ、ね。

唯、その法案にトランプ大統領は署名の意志を明らかにしていない（最新は不明）彼は、貿易不均衡には声を大にして圧力を加えていますが米国の軍需産業とCIAが起こす騒乱に関しては「晴れ、時々曇り」の方針で小出しで反対をしているのかな、と思っています。時代遅れの武器も売りつけられるところには高値で押し売りして軍需産業側の機嫌も取りつつ、ふんだくっていますし。
Descending America First.を貫いている。

シリアのアサド大統領には「トランプ大統領は稀有な大統領だ、石油が欲しいという欲望を隠さず表明している」と皮肉られていますが、歴代の「アメリカ」は羊の皮を被り「民主主義！　自由！」と叫び他国を破壊し富を強奪する狼でした。

トランプ大統領の凄いところは、司法の新しい連邦裁判官には憲法に忠実な保守系の若い裁判官を指名、任命している点。という指摘がTwitter 果林＆樹林さんにありました。犯罪者を憲法に則って裁けるし、大統領任期最長8年後も司法上の影響力が温存できる。トランプ大統領の深謀遠慮に久しぶりに感動しました。

翻って、日本の「三権分立」が崩壊した弊害を実感しているこの頃、最高裁裁判官は全員が現総理大臣の指名で（長官は加計関係者）あべ法遵守に余念がないでしょう。アメリカを手本とする我田引水の手腕には脱帽です。

最近は露中イラン、米（トランプvs.既存勢力）でしょうか？　0を発明したインドからはあまり良い話が聞こえてきませんが。
偉そうなことを言っても「井の中の蛙」移住する気力も知力も金力もない現実です。何とかましな、正直な国にならないかもがいている毎日です。

2019/11/23、みゆうさんから

ボリビアの「クーデター」も、ボリビアのリチウムが目的なのでは…と、早い段階から少なくともRTは報道していました。

リチウムは、（今後カネになる予定の）電気自動車などに使うリチウムイオン電池に不可欠。ボリビアには、全世界の鉱石リチウム埋蔵量の約半分にあたる量があると推定されているそうです。チリにも相当量があるらしい。南米に「親米派」政権があるのは、そんな意味でも「好都合」なわけですね。

そして、中東の石油。中国に睨みをきかせる、アジアのドル拠点としての香港。
欲しいから、どんな手段を使っても手に入れる、と。

その構造が見えず、香港暴徒を弱者と捉えて応援してしまう、優しく共感的な人たち。
情だけではダメなのですよね、クールな知力もないと！
今回の香港暴動関連では、そういうことがよく見えるようになったと思います。

アメリカも、酷いけれども多様性はまだある国だと思っていました。
CIAは／ペンタゴンは／民主党は／トランプ大統領は／…部分的には酷いけれども、異なる勢力があるうちはまだ方向転換の可能性がある、と思えていました。
が、今回のThe Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act が、上院の全会一致だったというのはかなり衝撃的でした。
民主党も共和党も、誰ひとり反対しなかった？
誰も、それを「内政干渉」だと認識しなかった？
あるいは、もう上院議員全員が、それしか方法がないと思っている？？
法案が可決されたので、香港暴動は本来の目的を達し、沈静化するのでしょうね。

ボリビアの極右軍事クーデターに反対する人々が道路を埋める

これはすごい！


https://twitter.com/i/status/1196224417401102337







戦うボリビア国民に連帯する！

香港の暴徒、シリアのテロリストとクルド、イラクの暴徒、レバノンの騒動、ベネズエラのグアイド、ボリビアのクーデターの背後にいて、混乱を煽っているのはすべて米国です。この構図は頭に入れておきましょう。さもないと、「香港加油」などと見識を疑われる発言をしてしまいます。

今の香港の暴動、騒乱が、デモクラシーを追求する運動、活動形態だと思いますか？

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/18のツイート
ボリビアの歴史上、最初の先住民の大統領エボ・モラレスは、貧困撲滅の素晴らしい成果を実現した社会主義者。しかし、大統領選勝利後、なんの証拠もなく「不正選挙」を批判され、倒された。

香港騒乱終息へ

香港の騒動は、まだ尾を引くかもしれませんが、もう収束に向けて動くでしょう。管理人が見ている国際論調は、冷静に事態の推移を見ています。

騒いでいるのは、CIAの影響下にある内外のメディアと米国のMSMです。日本人の中にも騒いでいる人がいますが、彼らが大勢に影響することはない。

ここで改めて警告します。このブログに2件香港の騒動関係のコメントが入りました。1件がとにかく警察が嫌いな年配男性から。管理人はご本人の思想信条に個別に口をはさむつもりはありませんでしたが、事実関係を歪曲して書いておられたところは、管理者としての責任上放置できないので反論しました。

もう1件は、ツイッター界のかつてのピッネームを騙ってコメントを書き込んだ人がいました。自分の主張の根拠として持ち出してきたのが2019.9.2付けのZAKZAK（夕刊フジ）の記事。

夕刊フジはジャーナリズム性が疑われるサンケイ系列ですし、今は11月の半ばです。そんなカビの生えたような記事を持ち出して議論されたらその方の情報収集努力の不足を告白するようなものです。

他方、香港問題について管理人の論調に賛意を表された方もおられません。

ですが、2019年11月18日　香港の暴徒はここまで残虐になりました　「香港加油」と言っていた人は暴力を支援　ISIS支援と同じことの記事は、信頼できる情報発信源だと管理人が評価する方の重要なツイートなどを最小限で掲載したものです。

他の情報と比べてみれば、洗脳し、誘導しようというバイアスがかかっていないことがわかるでしょう。

シリア問題では、日本人が事の真相を理解しようとしないであろうと最初から諦めていました。

ですが、香港については、関心を持つ方も多く、いずれ正しい情報が溢れるだろうと思っていましたが、全然違いましたね。リベラルのワッペンを胸に着けていて、日頃、そうだ！と共感を覚える人たちまで真相を理解しないまま、理解できないまま、暴徒に声援を送ったのです。

高学歴の人たちも例外ではありませんでした。日本の高学歴は、自らがインテリであると自認する割には、しょせん米国の世論誘導に乗せられた井の中の蛙なのだと痛感させられ、失望しました。

それにしても香港の親たちは愚かです。子供が勇ましい、暴力の魔力に引き込まれて学校を休んで暴動に参加していたのです。そして最後は保護者に肩を抱かれて泣きながら帰宅しました。

管理人は、何か情報に接したときに、ざっとながめて真偽の当たりをつけ、内容の軽重に応じて読み方を決めるという習慣になっています。さもないとこれだけの情報の海を泳ぎ切ることはできないです。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の午後5:58 ・ 2019年11月22日のツイート
理工大で、中学生も含む暴徒がドラッグをやっていた。これを紹介する英語バージョンと私の和訳ツイが消えてしまった。理工大に立てこもる中高生をヒーロー扱いした堀潤は、この事実を目撃していないのか？　気づかなかったのか？　だとしたら無能。それとも真実を隠した？
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4441298255914341#&video

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/21のツイート
理工大の暴徒は、痙攣、鼻水、嘔吐。気温が20度以上あるのに低体温症。これはドラッグ中毒症状。暴動に参加するために、ドラッグを服用する中学生も！　親たちは心配している。
この子どもたちをヒーロー扱いし、大金を稼ぐ大人の1人が堀潤！
　　↓
https://m.weibo.cn/detail/4441298

RT2019/11/19
New HK police chief urges locals to ‘condemn the violence’ as 600 students surrender in university siege standoff
Hong Kong’s new police chief has taken aim at “fake news” which he claimed has fueled heated protests in the city and harmed the reputation of his officers. He urged locals to reject all violent action.

The new police commissioner, Chris Tang, gave his first-ever press conference soon after he was sworn in on Tuesday, stating “enough is enough” in a city wracked by six months of chaotic protests.

“Whatever your beliefs, do not glorify and put up with the violence,” he said, addressing all Hong Kongers. “Do not let the mob further motivate themselves and become more radicalised.”

Tang, who is now in charge of 30,000 officers, said the police alone could not put an end to the chaotic protests, and called on residents to vocally “condemn” violence.

“If everyone had come out earlier to condemn the violence, society would not have turned into this state in five months,” Tang told the South China Morning Post. “We can only end the unrest with society’s condemnation, reflection by the rioters, plus our appropriate tactics.”

Tang’s promotion comes on the heels of a decision in a Hong Kong court to strike down a facemask ban enacted last month in hopes of making protesters easier to identify. Though the police and government signaled they would abide by the ruling and suspend enforcement of the law, Beijing’s parliament weighed in soon after, insisting the move was null and void and that Hong Kong’s courts had no right to rule on the question. It is unclear how the law will be enforced going forward.

As the new police chief spoke at his debut presser, about 100 protesters remained barricaded inside the Hong Kong Polytechnic University after one of the most violent weeks of clashes yet. Hundreds of protesters, many of them students, occupied the university last week in the city’s latest mass demonstration, prompting running battles with security forces as they tried to escape a police cordon around the school.

Hong Kong’s chief executive Carrie Lam said a total of 600 demonstrators had recently left the campus, including nearly 200 under the age of 18, while police made around 400 arrests there.

Originally sparked by a controversial extradition bill which critics said would give mainland China too much power over Hong Kongers, the protests have since broadened in scope, with demonstrators calling for universal suffrage and probes into police misconduct, among other demands.

時事通信社　25019年11月20日(水)9時23分
香港理工大、デモ隊投降続く＝拘束の邦人男性は釈放
　【香港時事】香港政府に抗議するデモ隊が籠城し、警官隊が包囲する香港理工大では１９日夜、逃走を図る学生らが相次ぎ、１０人以上が拘束された。一方、在香港日本総領事館によると、１７日に理工大周辺で拘束された２０代の邦人男性が１９日深夜に釈放された。けがはないという。
　香港メディアによると、理工大からは１９日夜、医療ボランティアに付き添われ、防寒具に身を包んだ若者が次々と学外に出た。警官隊の催涙弾や放水によって、デモ隊の多くが低体温症やけがを負っている。ただ、学内は複数の学生らが依然立てこもっているもようだ。
　警察は１８歳以上は即座に拘束しているが、１８歳未満の中高生らは顔写真や個人情報を記録して帰宅させ、必要があれば後日呼び出すとしている。警察によると、これまでに投降した約８００人のうち約３００人が１８歳未満。
　【時事通信社】

・・・引用終わり・・・

「デモ隊」　
「逃走を図る学生らが相次ぎ、１０人以上が拘束された。」
警官隊によって包囲されていたので投降するしかなかったのです。
「警官隊の催涙弾や放水によって、デモ隊の多くが低体温症やけがを負っている」
香港理工大の構内にいて催涙弾や放水からは逃れていたんですよね。
１８歳未満の中高生は、校長が構内に入り退去を説得したと伝えられています。

時事通信社2019年11月20日(水)11時20分
米上院、香港人権法案を可決＝デモ支援、中国けん制
　【ワシントン、北京時事】米上院は１９日、香港の自治と人権の擁護を目的とする「香港人権・民主主義法案」を満場一致で可決した。香港のデモを支持し、中国政府の介入をけん制するのが狙い。
　成立には、既に可決した下院の法案と内容を調整した上で大統領の署名が必要。成立すれば中国が反発するのは必至だ。
　トランプ大統領は同法案への態度を明確にしていない。年内の実現を目指す米中貿易協議の「第１段階」合意への影響を懸念し、法案署名には消極的という見方もある。
　法案は、「一国二制度」に基づく香港の自治が機能しているかどうかを検証するため国務省に年次報告書の作成を義務付けるほか、香港で人権侵害をした中国当局者らに対する制裁も可能になる。
　法案を主導した共和党のルビオ上院議員は声明で「法案通過は、中国と香港の政府当局者に、香港の自治や人権の侵害に対する責任を負わせるための重要なステップだ」と指摘。自由のために戦う香港市民を支持する「明確なメッセージを送った」と強調した。
　法案の上院可決を受け中国外務省は２０日、報道官談話を発表し、「香港を乱す暴力分子を後押しし、中国の発展を阻害するたくらみを実現しようとするものだ」と非難。法案の成立阻止を要求する一方で、成立すれば「断固反撃する」と報復を予告した。
　【時事通信社】

aljazeera2019/11/20
'Clear message': US Senate backs Hong Kong human rights bill
China condemns passage of bill and says US should stop interfering in affairs of Hong Kong and China.
The Senate in the United States in a unanimous vote passed legislation on Tuesday aimed at protecting human rights in Hong Kong amid increasing violence in the self-governing Chinese territory, which has been wracked by protests since June.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act now goes to the House of Representatives, which earlier approved its own version of the measure. The two chambers will have to reconcile the two bills into a single measure that can pass Congress and be sent to President Donald Trump for approval.

※　shamo1937@shakushain_氏の2019/11/19のツイート
シリアがあれほどまでに破壊されたのには、主に欧米の「左派」が西側プロパガンダに容易く陥落したことが、決して小さくない一因としてあるだろう。
香港テロリストを「民主派」とするニッポンのニセ左翼も、同様に西側の中国破壊欲望に「貢献」し続けるのだろう。とてつもなく罪深い。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/20のツイート
下水路を通って逃げ出そうとした香港暴徒が、中で迷子になってしまった。消防士が助け出すハメに。ハリウッド映画のように行かなかったね。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/20のツイート
香港の暴徒が、70歳の老人の頭にレンガを投げつけ殺害。掘削業者の男性にガソリンをかけ火をつけ重体に。多くの本土中国人や市民が、暴力に反対しているというだけでひどく暴行され血を流している。殺したのは暴徒。香港に駐留する解放軍は、暴徒のまき散らしたレンガを掃除したのみ。香港警察ガンバレ

Beijing slams ‘hidden agenda’ behind Hong Kong ‘human rights act’ as US Senate votes unanimously in favor
The US Senate has approved a Hong Kong “human rights” bill by unified vote which would empower the State Department to grade the territory’s “autonomy” and levy sanctions on foreign officials if Washington deems it insufficient.

The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act passed through the Senate on Tuesday after a unanimous voice vote, following a similar unchallenged approval of a companion bill in the House in October. Both chambers of Congress are now set to reconcile the two different versions of the law before it goes to President Donald Trump’s desk for a final sign-off, however the full support of both houses makes a veto unlikely.

While the law has been hailed by Hong Kong’s protest movement, with activists flying to Washington in September to lobby Congress to vote in its favor, Beijing eviscerated the bill, calling it a “serious violation of international law.” In a statement on Tuesday the Chinese Foreign Ministry reiterated its staunch opposition to the bill, arguing that its aim is not to underpin democracy, but deter China by fanning extremist sentiment inside the country.

The aim is to bolster anti-China, extremist and violent radicals who attempt to disrupt Hong Kong, damage Hong Kong’s prosperity and stability, so that they can contain China by making a fuss out of the Hong Kong issue, which is exactly the malicious intention of certain people.

The ministry said the bill seeks to misrepresent violent actions as a pursuit of human rights and democracy, and is driven by a “hidden political agenda.”

Sponsored by a bipartisan group of senators including Marco Rubio (R-Florida) and Bob Menendez (D-New Jersey), the bill, if passed, would require the Secretary of State to issue an annual “certification” affirming that Hong Kong enjoys the proper amount of autonomy from mainland China in a number of areas, though exactly how Washington will quantify such a thing remains a mystery. President Trump would also be asked to submit a report to Congress under the law outlining “each foreign person” he determines to be “responsible for… gross violations of internationally recognized human rights in Hong Kong.” The individuals would then be considered for sanctions.

A major backer of the bill, Senator Menendez celebrated its approval in a somewhat messianic tweet, calling it a “shot in the arm for the millions who have been patiently waiting for the US to once again serve as a beacon of light & solidarity in their push to defend their basic rights & autonomy.”

On the heels of the vote on the human rights law, the Senate passed a second bill on Tuesday, also unanimously, seeking to ban the export of certain riot control munitions to Hong Kong’s police force, including tear gas, pepper spray, stun guns, and rubber bullets.

Hong Kong has been gripped by chaotic protests since March, initially over a now-withdrawn extradition bill which critics said would give too much power to the mainland. The demonstrations have been marked by escalating violence, culminating this weekend in a massive police standoff at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, where hundreds of protesters were arrested after barricading themselves inside.

WATCH Bolivian police fire tear gas at mourners carrying coffins of protesters killed in previous clashes

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/22のツイート
もはやアメリカがCIAなのです。世界中でクーデターを起こし、テロリストを育て、他国に介入し、占領し盗み尽くす。なぜモラレスが倒された？　自国の資源を自国民のために使い、国民の生活を向上していたから。このクーデターを民主主義と断言したトランプ。なぜ幻想を持つ？

※　Max Blumenthal@MaxBlumenthal
Complete desperation on display. She and her military backers have not just lost control of the country. They never had it in the first place.

RT2019/11/22
WATCH Bolivian police fire tear gas at mourners carrying coffins of protesters killed in previous clashes

※　Latinx Socialists of America @LatinxSocUS
Brutal repression in #Bolivia. Protestors carried the bodies of the people killed in Senkata yesterday. As you can see, they had to leave the caskets on the floor.

How can the Bolivian people ever trust in the police again? After the coup and this repression?

“The de facto government of Anez does not respect the dead in their coffins, nor forgive their relatives, women and children who marched peacefully for respect for life and democracy,” Morales said in a tweet on Thursday, referring to “interim president” Jeanine Anez, an opposition senator who declared herself leader soon after Morales was forced to resign under pressure from the military.

The march encountered a police barrier as it neared the presidential palace, prompting some protesters to chant “murderers” at the officers and others to throw makeshift projectiles, RT Spanish reported. The tear gas was unleashed moments later.

On Tuesday, the police and military fired live rounds at pro-Morales demonstrators who had blockaded a fuel plant in El Alto, near La Paz, killing at least eight, some of whom were carried in caskets during Thursday’s de facto funeral procession.

Anti-war activist and Code Pink co-founder Madea Benjamin, who is currently on the ground in La Paz to witness the demonstrations, said she did not see any violence on the part of the demonstrators before the tear gas came out.

“You can see this is a totally peaceful demonstration and now they’re teargassing people, and people are going to start running, and this is going to get ugly,” Benjamin said while standing yards away from the march.

Since Morales’ removal from office earlier in November – forced out over opposition charges that his government rigged October’s presidential election – at least 31 people have been reported killed in clashes with soldiers and riot police, many of them while protesting the opposition-led interim government. Morales has since fled to Mexico for political asylum, but continues to slam the conduct of the post-coup state as it clamps down on the demonstrations.

FARSNEWS2019/11/21
Bolivia Interim Government Proposes Election Bill as Death Toll Mounts
TEHRAN (FNA)- Bolivia's interim government presented a bill on Wednesday that aims to forge a path to new elections and defuse street violence that has killed 32 people since a disputed October vote.

The South American country's two chambers of Congress are expected to debate the election bill beginning on Thursday. The bill would annul the October 20 poll and appoint a new electoral board within 15 days of its passage, paving the way for a new vote after long-term left-wing Leader Evo Morales resigned under pressure this month, Al-Jazeera reported.

A date for new elections was not included in the proposal. The bill called for a "credible and professional" election body "in order to pacify the country and redirect democratic institutionality".

Currently led by a caretaker government, Bolivia is grappling to mend stark divisions between Morales's supporters and opponents seeking to move beyond his nearly 14-year rule.

He stepped down on November 10 under pressure from protesters, civil groups, security forces and allies, as well as an international audit that found serious irregularities in the election count and cast doubt on his announced outright victory.

Since then, an interim government under conservative former Senator Jeanine Anez has struggled to quell deadly violence and fanned some divisions with abrupt shifts in policy away from Morales, the country's first indigenous president.

In a statement earlier on Wednesday, Anez said she would present the bill calling for new elections "as the whole country is demanding" and that it would be through legal, constitutional channels unless legislators blocked it.

"We have developed a basic bill. It can probably be corrected, agreed upon, enriched by all the sectors that are involved with the aim of pacifying the country and choosing our rulers," she stated, adding, "But there will be elections in the country; we guarantee it."

Anez has noted that Morales would be barred from running in any upcoming election.

The former president told Al-Jazeera in an interview on Tuesday that he wants to return to Bolivia but said he would not run in a new election.

Conflict in the region of Cochabamba and the high-altitude city of El Alto has rattled Bolivia over the last week since Morales's departure with clashes at a gas power plant blockade on Tuesday that left eight people dead.

That took the total number of deaths in the post-election unrest to 32, according to Bolivia's official human rights ombudsman. Most of the deaths have occurred in the last 10 days, sparking calls for investigations into human rights abuses.

Al-Jazeera's Mariana Sanchez, reporting from El Alto on Wednesday, said protesters had gathered outside a church housing the bodies of the victims from Tuesday's clash, demanding justice and blaming security forces for the deaths.

"These people are furious. They say they want the government to withdraw the supreme decree that says the police and the military will not be held accountable in their effort to impose security," Sanchez added.

Pascual Ticona told Al-Jazeera that his young nephew was not protesting when he said he was shot from a helicopter.

"We have also seen the shootings and now there has to be an investigation to know who shot them," Nadia Cruz, an ombudswoman, noted.

Families in the church told Al-Jazeera that they were not allowed to take their loved ones to a morgue, with autopsies being performed in the church.

On Wednesday, hundreds of people queued to refill gas canisters in La Paz while lines of cars snaked through the city's roads waiting to refuel after protests by Morales supporters choked off fuel and food supplies in recent days.

Morales, at a news conference in Mexico, where he was granted political asylum when he fled Bolivia, in turn, accused the interim government of using excessive force against peaceful protesters. The military has said protesters have used explosives, guns and homemade bazookas in clashes.

"They are using bullets against people peacefully mobilising in defence of democracy," stated Morales, who has talked about returning to Bolivia to finish his term until January 22, adding, "It makes us remember times of military dictatorships."

セルビアのスパイ騒ぎ これは吟味が必要

President Aleksandar Vucic　　セルビアの大統領
Serbian counter-intelligence agency BIA　　セルビアの防諜機関
BIA Analytics Directorate chief Relja Zeljski　　セルビアの防諜機関の分析部長
Lt. Col. Georgy Kleban, a former assistant military attache at Russia’s embassy in Belgrade　　カネを渡した人物
Serbian retired army officer Z.K.　　カネを受け取った人物
ビデオは、1年前の2018/12の撮影されている。

Dilyana Gaytandzhieva @dgaytandzhieva　武器輸出入問題に詳しいブルガリアの独立女性ジャーナリスト
weapons and ammunition made at the state-owned ‘Krusik’ factory in Valjevo　セルビアの国営武器弾薬製造企業
the UK-based blog Bellingcat, which is close to the Atlantic Council and the British government.　べリングキャットはスクリパル事件でも登場。雑多の情報を流したが信用を失うだけだった。
Christo Grozev, a Bulgarian journalist for the UK-based blog Bellingcat　　べリングキャットのブルガリア人ジャーナリスト

Momcilo Perisic – a retired army general then serving as deputy PM　　2002年のスパイ事件のセルビア側当事者
a US embassy official and suspected spy John David Neighbor　　2002年のスパイ事件の米国側当事者

登場人物を列記しただけでかなりこの事件の構造がわかります。
セルビアでは各国のスパイが活発に活動。ロシアのKlebanは、セルビア内で活動する他国スパイの動きを得ていた可能性。1年前ならロシアは英国の動きを調べていたはず。

問題は、1年前の動画をべリングキャットの側がなぜ今公表したのか。セルビア大統領のロシア訪問が近いこととは関係がないはず。もともとこの政権は親ロシア。

となると、ディリアナ・ゲイタンディッシュヴァイバDilyana Gaytandzhievaのセルビア製武器の密輸問題のスクープが核心にある？
2017年08月30日シリアのテロリストに対するCIAの武器発送を暴いたブルガリアの記者が解雇された



ウクライナのドンバスに送られていたようだから、どの国が仲介した？　アゼルバイジャン、ブルガリアがそういうことにも関与した例があるが、金を出したのはどの国？

次は、ディリアナの記事を読んでからだ。

RT2019/11/21
‘Americans sit in Army HQ, so what?’ Serbia shrugs off ‘RUSSIAN SPY’ video scandal ahead of president’s Moscow visit
The government in Belgrade said it would not change its policy towards Moscow after a video of a suspected “Russian spy” emerged online. Serbians were quick to point out their country has been riddled by NATO spies for years.

Briefing President Aleksandar Vucic on the video at the center of the latest spy scandal, Serbian counter-intelligence agency BIA on Thursday said the man meeting a retired Serbian Army officer was a “Russian intelligence operative.” Earlier, the press identified the man as Russian Lieutenant Colonel Georgy Kleban, who served at the embassy in Belgrade until June.

“We will not change our policy towards Russia, which we see as a brotherly and friendly country ... but we will strengthen our own intelligence defenses,” Vucic told reporters following a meeting with his national security council.

The video shows Kleban and a man whose face is obstructed meeting at a pub and exchanging bags. The Serbian officer, identified only as Z.K., is later shown in his car, taking out an envelope full of cash from the bag that also appears to contain a bottle of liquor, and counting the money in full view of whoever was keeping him under surveillance. No intelligence service has claimed ownership of the video, and BIA itself denied it was behind the operation.

Vucic said that the meeting shown in the video took place in December 2018, adding that BIA had evidence of at least ten other contacts with three sources.

“I’m convinced that relations between Russia and Serbia have a character of brotherhood, partnership and alliance that nothing can affect,” said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov. He declined to speculate about the video, saying that the Russian authorities were still “figuring it out.”

Suspicious Serbians were quick to read something nefarious into the fact that one of the people promoting the video bombshell was Christo Grozev, a Bulgarian journalist for the UK-based blog Bellingcat, which is close to the Atlantic Council and the British government.

Christo Grozev @christogrozev
・ Nov 21, 2019
Replying to @christogrozev
Update: BIA also confirmed it's definitely Kleban on the video. Full details are promised after a meeting of the national security council tomorrow, Thursday.

Christo Grozev @christogrozev
All major Serbian newspapers tomorrow headline with the spy story. Some of them are highly critical of the very fact that this story has received coverage, claiming it's a plot to alieanate Serbia from Russia.

Others took note of the affair’s timing. Not only did the video drop two weeks before Vucic is scheduled to visit Russia and meet with President Vladimir Putin, but also amid the ongoing weapons scandal involving collaboration with NATO.

Another Bulgarian journalist, not related to Bellingcat, recently documented instances of weapons and ammunition made at the state-owned ‘Krusik’ factory in Valjevo, which were reportedly sold to the US and other NATO countries, ending up in the hands of both Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) terrorists and Ukrainian militias fighting in Donbass.


Dilyana Gaytandzhieva @dgaytandzhieva
New #Krusik scandal: Serbian arms trafficked to #Ukraine; evidence of contraband mortars used against #Donbass http://armswatch.com/serbian-arms-trafficked-to-ukraine-evidence-of-contraband-mortars-used-against-donbass/ … via @ArmsWatch_

Meanwhile, BIA Analytics Directorate chief Relja Zeljski told local media that Russia was certainly not the only country engaged in “intelligence and subversive activities” on Serbian territory.

“Other great powers, such as the US, UK and France – as well as regional players such as Croatia and Albania – are intensively working on pursuing their interests,” Zeljski said.

His words were echoed by many pro-nationalist Serbs on social media, even critics of Vucic, who added “Russian Spy” to their handles and pointed out that they would gladly help Moscow for free. Others noted that foreign spies have infiltrated the country ages ago, and that NATO itself set up shop inside the Serbian Army headquarters shortly after the US-backed “color revolution” in 2000.

Until now, Serbia’s most famous spy scandal was the 2002 arrest of Momcilo Perisic – a retired army general then serving as deputy PM – in a roadside motel outside Belgrade, as he was meeting with a US embassy official and suspected spy John David Neighbor. The US invoked diplomatic immunity and protested Neighbor’s “unwarranted detention,” evacuating him from Serbia after he was released from jail.

ロイター2019/11/21
Serbia's president accuses Russia of spying
MOSCOW/BELGRADE (Reuters) - Serbian intelligence agencies have uncovered a wide-ranging intelligence operation involving Russian spies and members of the Serbian military, President Aleksandar Vucic said on Thursday.

Vucic’s remarks came after a meeting of the National Security Council which he convened after a video showing a Russian intelligence officer handing money to a Serbian man in Belgrade was made public on YouTube over the weekend.

The video, which was not made by Serbian agents, showed a man identified as Lt. Col. Georgy Kleban, a former assistant military attache at Russia’s embassy in Belgrade, meeting a Serbian retired army officer, whom Vucic identified only as Z.K.

Vucic said the meeting took place last December. He did not say who had made the video.

Serbian agents who followed Z.K. could not carry out video surveillance of Kleban and his Serbian source “except from afar” as the Russian officer had his own protection detail. But they were more successful in other cases, Vucic said.

“On several occasions, Serbian security agencies gathered audio and video evidence of contacts between Lt.Col. Kleban and members of the Serbian army,” Vucic told a news conference.

The incident has the potential to sour relations between Serbia and Russia, who are old allies.

The two Slavic and Orthodox Christian countries have strong political, military, cultural and economic ties. Moscow backs Belgrade in refusing to recognize the independence of Kosovo, a former Serbian province.

Vucic said Serbian agents also had evidence concerning other Russian spies. “There have been 10 contacts with three sources,” he said.

He also accused military representatives of some Western countries of spying on Serbia.

But Vucic said the spy scandal should not harm relations between Serbia and Russia, adding he was sure that “President (Vladimir) Putin was not informed about this”.

“We will not change our policy towards Russia, which we see as a brotherly and friendly country ... but we will strengthen our own intelligence defenses.”

“There was only thing I have asked the Russian ambassador today - I’ve only asked him - Why?”

Vucic is scheduled to travel to Moscow on Dec. 4 to meet Putin for their third meeting this year.

In Moscow, Maria Zakharova, a spokeswoman for Russia’s Foreign Ministry, told a news briefing that the footage should be regarded as “a provocation” designed to create “a certain impression.”

She said Moscow had often noticed similar provocations in the run-up to high-level meetings between Russian and foreign officials. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said he was confident nothing could harm relations between Russia and Serbia.

Serbia depends on Russian oil and gas, and it wants to join the TurkStream gas pipeline that would bypass Ukraine and carry Russian gas to European markets.

Vucic also said Serbia would not alter its doctrine of military neutrality and would not join NATO nor the Russian-controlled Collective Security Treaty Organization.

ネタニヤフが贈収賄、詐欺の罪で起訴された

Independent2019/11/21
Netanyahu charged with bribery by Israel's attorney general
Israel’s attorney general has decided to indict Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on corruption charges.

RT2019/11/21
‘Attempted coup’: Defiant Netanyahu slams corruption indictment, says probe ‘tainted by foreign interests’
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu tore into the judicial authorities, calling the bribery indictment against him an “attempted coup” and hinting at the presence of “foreign interests” behind the three-year investigation.

Netanyahu denounced the “tainted procedure,” claiming it was the product of “foreign interests” trying to “carry out a legal revolution,” after Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit released his indictment on Thursday.

Tonight we witness an attempted coup against a right-wing Prime Minister

Netanyahu has been charged with bribery, fraud, and abuse of trust in three separate corruption cases.

“We need to investigate the investigators and the state prosecution which cooks these infected cases,” Netanyahu warned, hinting that he would not sit quietly while his reputation was being slimed.

“The public has lost trust in the legal system,” he declared, again eviscerating the “tainted procedure” – a phrase he repeated, by one journalist’s count, five times in his lengthy self-defense speech.

Mandelblit slammed the PM for attempting to “delegitimize the people who were involved” in the investigations. The decision to indict, he said, was made “with a heavy heart, but wholeheartedly.” Police began investigating Netanyahu on the current charges three years ago, and Mandelblit has been weighing whether to indict since February.

State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan has reportedly said that Netanyahu cannot hold the mandate to form a government with criminal charges pending against him – though Nitzan has yet to make the statement publicly. Israeli law does not require a PM to resign upon indictment, but with no government yet formed, two months after a second election failed to produce a clear victor, the Israeli leader’s future is uncertain.

Netanyahu is the first sitting Israeli PM to be indicted on criminal charges, and several Knesset members have already called on him to step down. His rival Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party pointedly posted a clip of Netanyahu himself from 11 years ago, declaring “A prime minister neck deep in investigations does not have a moral and public mandate to make fateful decisions for the state of Israel.”

日本の警察と検察は、イスラエルよりもどこよりも劣化している。

エプシュタイン問題 ノルウェーにも 在米日本人の名も

13:14 20.11.2019
Norwegian Politicians' Alleged Contacts With 'Paedo' Financier Jeffrey Epstein Uncloaked

While the mysterious death of billionaire investor and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has sparked speculations on whether he really killed himself, revelations about the dishonoured financier's connections keep on coming.

Well-known Norwegian politicians have had contacts with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein, whose federal charges in the sex trafficking of minors cast a dark shadow on many public figures, the newspaper Dagens Næringsliv reported.

Former Labour Planning Minister and international peace-broker Terje Rød-Larsen was named among Epstein's most prominent contacts in Norway.

Rød-Larsen has led the New York-based International Peace Institute (IPI) since 2004. Under his leadership, IPI received $375,000 from Epstein's Gratitude America (GI) in 2016 and 2017. The contributions were not made public at the time, and came to light only later after a review of GI. At that time, it was already well-known that Epstein was a registered sex offender. He was convicted of this in 2008.

Dagens Næringsliv stressed that Rød-Larsen's IPI had been given over twice as much as the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2017.

Earlier this autumn, MIT official Joichi Ito stepped down after the disclosure of his efforts to conceal his financial connections with the disgraced financier. He also left the boards of three other organisations, as well as his professorship at Harvard.

Norway's former Christian Democrat Prime Minister Kjell-Magne Bondevik said he was present at a dinner with Epstein where Rød-Larsen also participated. By his own admission, Bondevik also received support offers from Epstein for his foundation the Oslo Centre, whereupon they arranged a meeting to discuss the details. Bondevik, however, checked the financier's background.

“It was simply stated that he was convicted and jailed for assaulting young girls, not just one, but many”, Bondevik told Dagens Næringsliv.

Earlier this month, the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten revealed that Epstein gave US President Bill Clinton a lift to Norway in his private jet often referred to as the Lolita Express for a meeting with Bondevik to promote the Clinton Foundation, where Norway emerged as one of the biggest donors.

Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide stressed that other recipients of money from Epstein's foundations have chosen to spend the money “on a good cause” and urged IPI to consider doing the same.

While Rød-Larsen has declined to comment on the matter personally, IPI said it intends to donate a sum corresponding to the funding it received from Jeffrey Epstein to programmes that support the victims of human trafficking and sexual abuse, Dagens Næringsliv reported.

Terje Rød-Larsen is best known for his key role in the Oslo Agreement. Between 1999 and 2004, he served as UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Secretary-General's personal representative to the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Palestinian Authority.

Epstein rubbed elbows with a number of powerful people, such as Bill Clinton and Donald Trump. In recent weeks, Britain's Prince Andrew has also landed hot water over his ties to the disgraced billionaire.

スウェーデンは元々薄弱な根拠でアサンジを取り調べようとしていた

アサンジの問題でスウェーデン検察当局に批判が向けられています。もともと薄弱な根拠で立件し、英国が身柄を確保すると、アサンジの身柄を米国に引き渡せるようにするため捜査を打ち切ったのではないかとの疑念があるからです。

ロジャー・ウォーターズは、76歳。まだまだシャープです。

RT2019/11/20
‘Mealy-mouthed bunch of bulls**t’: Waters decries hypocrisy of Swedish prosecutors, says no evidence Assange EVER injured anybody

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has condemned Swedish prosecutors who yesterday dropped a rape investigation into WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, saying the whole thing was “a complete bogus set-up” from the beginning.

Waters told RT that the statement from Swedish prosecutors claiming that the evidence against Assange had “weakened” since 2010 was a “mealy-mouthed bunch of bullsh*t” and that there was “no evidence to support the idea that [Assange] injured anybody.”

Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters talks about the latest developments in Julian Assange's case exclusively to RT

It’s partly because of this whole “set-up” that Assange is still suffering in London’s Belmarsh Prison with no real process of law being followed, Waters said. “Assange is being slowly murdered by the state because he told uncomfortable truths about US war crimes,” he added.

The law is being thrown out the window at the behest of the growing mono-empire that is the USA − and it is so wrong.

The British rock ‘n’ roll legend said that Assange’s continued detainment behind bars was “purely political” and that there is no question that he is a political prisoner who is being used as a “warning” to others who might be inclined to do real journalism.

In any sane universe, Julian Assange would be lauded as a hero of the people.

Waters also took aim at mainstream media, where he said it is now nearly impossible to find a truthful narrative of events. “To find the truth these days is extremely difficult,” he said.

Assange is currently languishing in Belmarsh awaiting a hearing on extradition to the US, where he could face 175 years in prison for publishing leaked military documents and exposing war crimes. A London court ruled against the whistleblower in October after his lawyers sought to have the extradition hearing delayed.

Al-Qaeda-linked chemist who tried to weaponize ANTHRAX released from Malaysian prison

Al-Qaeda-linked chemist who tried to weaponize ANTHRAX released from Malaysian prison
Yazid Sufaat, a biochemist accused of having close ties to Al-Qaeda and plotting terrorist attacks, has been freed from prison after serving two years behind bars in Malaysia. Authorities say he will be monitored closely.

The 55-year-old Malaysian national is accused of using his degrees in biological science and chemistry from California State University to aid and abet Al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups.

He is implicated in a series of terrorism-related crimes. In the 1990s, he allegedly tried to create weapons of mass destruction by loading a lethal strain of anthrax onto munitions. In 2000, he attempted to bomb Singapore using four tons of ammonium nitrate.

It’s also believed that Yazid had undergone military training in Afghanistan and met Al-Qaeda leader Osama Bin Laden. He may have even been present at a meeting where plans regarding the September 11, 2001 attacks were discussed.

Yazid is also said to have recruited terrorists for Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) and Al-Qaeda – actions which earned him the two-year jail term which he just completed. In total, he has spent 12 inconsecutive years behind bars.

Malaysian authorities say that the US-trained chemist will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device and remain within a specific district Kuala Lumpur. He will also need to report to police twice a week if he hopes to stay out of jail, according to media reports.

アンドリュー王子のBBCインタビューでの発言がからかいの的に

2019/11/16、アンドリュー王子がBBCのインタビューを受けています。そこでの応答の要点がRTの記事にあります。

エプシュタインに性奴隷にされたと告発する Giuffre氏の主張は、具体的です。アンドリュー王子は私は汗をかかない体質、その日は娘とピザ屋に行ったなどと否定するのみ。



次のツイートは、未成年者の虐待防止の運動団体にアンドリュー王子の名前があったことを指摘しています。
※　JR@JamesRusbridger氏の2019/11/17のツイート
"Prince Andrew is patron of 33 charities and organisations involved with young people."

・・・・・

Mail online　Published: 22:59 GMT, 24 August 2019 | Updated: 02:18 GMT, 25 August 2019
By Jake Ryan For The Mail On Sunday
NSPCC distances itself from Prince Andrew after facing backlash over its historic links to the scandal-hit royal
The Royal Family’s website listed Prince Andrew as a patron of an NSPCC campaign
People questioned the association because of his friendship with paedophile Epstein
The NSPCC said he is no longer their patron, but supported a campaign which ended in 2009

NSPCCとは全英児童虐待防止協会だそうです。

　

RT2019/11/20
The Duke of York has been granted permission by the Queen to “step back from public duties” to deal with the media fallout over his past relationship with the late sex predator Jeffrey Epstein.

In a public statement on Wednesday, Prince Andrew said it had “become clear” to him that his association with Epstein has become a “major disruption” to his family's work and that he needed to step away from public duties “for the foreseeable future.”

The statement comes after Prince Andrew sat down with BBC Newsnight for what turned into a train wreck interview which sparked hundreds of humiliating memes and prompted the Duke’s PR man − who reportedly advised him against doing the interview − to quit.

Prince Andrew said in the statement that he “unequivocally regrets his ill-judged association” with Epstein. He also acknowledged the sex pest’s victims after criticism that he showed a lack of sympathy in the BBC interview. The Duke said Epstein’s apparent suicide had left “many unanswered questions.”
Prince Andrew QUITS public duties after car crash Epstein interview


theepochtimes.
French Police Ramp Up Epstein Probe as Prince Andrew Rebuts Claims
By Bowen Xiao
Comments November 17, 2019 Updated: November 17, 2019
French authorities started a fresh appeal for witnesses and victims of deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein to come forward, just a day before the UK’s Prince Andrew gave a rare interview rebutting claims he had sex with a teenage girl who alleged she was trafficked by Epstein.

The latest appeal, begun on Nov. 15, was more detailed than the previous call for evidence that French police announced in September. This time, the message had an English translation accompanying it, which said in part that French police are investigating “the conduct of Jeffrey Epstein and his connections,” although authorities didn’t disclose names.

“Given the complexity of the case and its international implications, we are once again asking victims and witnesses to come forward,” the new appeal reads. “The Judicial Police are mobilized and ready to receive statements from victims and witnesses of sexual harassment or assault.”

The renewed effort comes after alleged victims of Epstein told The Associated Press they were disappointed with the limited scope of police efforts to track down witnesses, including one of Epstein’s associate, French modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel. Brunel has denied any wrongdoing and told AP via his lawyer that he’s willing to cooperate with investigators.

Epstein had a residence on Avenue Foch in Paris, one of the city’s most exclusive addresses in the 16th district, near the famous Arc de Triomphe monument. When Epstein was arrested in July in New Jersey, he had arrived on a flight from Paris. Prosecutors in New York noted that Epstein maintained a number of “luxury properties and residences around the world.”

One of Epstein’s accusers, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, has alleged that Brunel procured women, some of them minors, for sex with Epstein and other people, luring them with promises of modeling work.

Brunel was a frequent companion of Epstein, who flew on his plane and visited him in jail in Florida, according to U.S. legal records. Epstein pleaded guilty in Florida in 2008 to state charges of soliciting a child for prostitution under a nonprosecution agreement that required him to spend 13 months in jail and register as a sex offender.

French police commissioner Philippe Guichard, whose office is leading the probe, told AP the initial appeal in September had only a limited impact. The investigation is broadly probing possible charges of rape of minors 15 and older, sexual aggression, and criminal association; prosecutors have yet to name any suspects.

Martin Weinberg, one of Epstein’s lawyers, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from The Epoch Times on the renewed French effort.

Two criminal defense attorneys, in the wake of Epstein’s death, told The Epoch Times previously that new indictments are expected as the case shifts to focus on unnamed co-conspirators. They said if the government was investigating Epstein to such a degree that they were able to make an arrest, it can be assumed that federal prosecutors were also gathering evidence on those in his inner circle.
Televised Rebuttal

RT2019/11/17
Prince Andrew’s ‘I don’t sweat’ & ‘Pizza Express’ excuses trigger avalanche of memes as he denies Epstein sex scandal links
As Prince Andrew rebutted claims he had sex with Giuffre in a rare televised interview with BBC broadcast on Nov. 16, British media criticized his comments, likening his performance to a public relations disaster for failing to show empathy for the convicted sex offender’s alleged victims.

Giuffre has said Epstein forced her to have sex with Andrew in 2001, when she was 17. She says Epstein flew her around the world on private planes to have sex with powerful men, and that she had sexual encounters with Andrew in London, New York, and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The BBC’s Emily Maitlis grilled Andrew on the details of an alleged encounter in March of that year, when Giuffre says she dined with the prince in London, danced with him at the Tramp nightclub, then had sex with him at a house in the tony London neighborhood of Belgravia.

The 59-year-old prince also said he had “no recollection” of ever meeting Giuffre, adding that there are “a number of things that are wrong” with her account. He also suggested that a picture showing him with his arm around a teenage Giuffre may have been faked.

Andrew said he regretted staying at the financier’s home in Manhattan after Epstein’s earlier 2008 conviction in Florida.

“That’s the bit, that … I kick myself for, on a daily basis, because it was not something that was becoming of a member of the royal family,” Andrew said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.


RT2019/11/17
Prince Andrew’s ‘I don’t sweat’ & ‘Pizza Express’ excuses trigger avalanche of memes as he denies Epstein sex scandal links

The Duke of York’s appearance on the BBC, in which he “categorically” denied allegations of sex abuse against a minor and “explained” his ties with Jeffrey Epstein, was a total train wreck according to skeptical online community.

“I can absolutely categorically tell you it never happened,” Prince Andrew told BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis, addressing the accusations by Virginia Giuffre, who claims she was forced into sex with Andrew between 1999 and 2002, during the time, she says, Epstein kept her as a “slave.”

Despite a widely circulated photo that appears to show Andrew with Giuffre, arm wrapped around her bare waist, the prince insisted that he has “no recollection of ever meeting this lady, none whatsoever.”

At the same time he remembers “weirdly distinctly” how he took his daughter to Pizza Express and spent rest of the night at home on the day the accuser claims they had sex.

Such a selective memory triggered much skepticism online, especially when he went on to challenge very specific details of the accuser’s claims, who recalled him “profusely sweating” and “pouring with perspiration” when they danced one night.

I have a peculiar medical condition which is that I don't sweat.

“Or I didn't sweat at the time,” he said, somewhat ironically adding that he had only started to be able to sweat again “in the recent past.”

As for the photo of him with Giuffre, Prince Andrew had an investigation carried out to prove it was fake, but the results were inconclusive. Only his anonymous supporters had thus far claimed the image was doctored, while Giuffre insists the photo is absolutely real, and that even the FBI never contested this fact.

RT2019/11/18
US Congress cracks down on ABC News for ‘Epstein coverup,’ demands to know WHO killed the story and WHY

イラン国内の暴力を米国が支援しているとテヘランが非難

イランは、ガソリン価格の引き上げ発表を契機に反対行動が暴力を伴う破壊活動に転じました。イラン当局は、敵国が暴力的な反対行動の後ろにいるとして米国を強く批判しています。

イランの国内問題でよくわからないのは、政府の宗教を通じた統制が効いているように見えるのに、サウジや米国の工作員が入り込んでいるように見えること。

麻薬の密輸組織も活発に動いている、テロリストグルーブもIRGCの幹部を暗殺しようと画策していたりする。イラン当局は、そういう者を摘発するたびに成果を誇っていますが、なんでこんなに社会的な不安定要因が多いのか。

石油製品の密輸も多く、しばしば近隣国の船舶が摘発されています。しかし、国内で密輸の手引きをする者がいなければ、これはできません。

テヘランは車が溢れ、郊外に自家用車でキャンプに出掛ける家族の姿も流されますが、貧富の差はかなり大きい？

国土は広く、自然も残されている。イスラムの戒律は厳しい。軍人と僧侶が社会的に高い地位を占めている。

今のテヘランの街角です。手前の僧侶の人を除けば西側の街と変わらない感じですが、女性が見当たらない、ものを食べている人がいない。


西さんが指摘されたように、イランはコピーづくりに長けているようです。旅客機の不足の中でもロシアの新型旅客機を半ばバカにしていた。とにかく欧米の最新技術が欲しいということなのでしょう。

コピーを作るのがうまいということは、基礎的な技術はあるということです。イランを先頭にアラブ諸国で工業化が進むことはイスラエルは何としてでも阻止したい。

米国が警戒するのはそれなりの理由があります。

イランの治安部隊に死者が出ています。一方で市民の死者も出ているとの報道も。

そして、早くも出ました。暴動を煽っていた二重国籍のイラン人複数人が逮捕されています。外国の情報機関とのつながりを自白したそうです。彼らとは別に暴動の際には1か所放火で60ドルもらえたとの噂もあります。RTがFARSNEWSのニュースを引用しています。　FARSNEWSのサイトが全くつながりません。もともとここのサーバーは能力が低いようなのですが、サーバー攻撃ではなくアクセス殺到のためだと思います。

2019/11/21午後になってもFARSNEWSのサイトが全くつながりません。サーバー攻撃ですね。米国は陰謀作戦が暴露されても最近は隠そうともしなくなっています。何か特に都合の悪いことがある？

RT2019/11/20
‘Foreign-trained’ dual nationals among those arrested for stirring up violent fuel price riots – Iranian semi-official news agency

Dual Iranian nationals were among those who helped fuel protests against rising gasoline prices that quickly snowballed into violent riots raging through the Islamic Republic, Fars news agency reported.

Iranians also holding German, Turkish and Afghan passports were among those brought to custody last week, it reported on Wednesday citing unnamed security sources. “Special sabotage equipment” was recovered, it added.

The dual nationals had ostensibly been “funded and trained abroad” to target Iran’s infrastructure and stage civil disobedience actions, it claims. These suspects reportedly “confessed their links with the foreign spy agencies after detention.”

Most of them avoided joining the rioters who “have been prepared” for a standoff with police and were “looking forward for the situation to [escalate],” the security sources claimed. The protests have escalated into violent unrest with reports of deaths and injuries.

Three members of the Iranian security forces have been killed by protesters in Tehran province alone, before “calm has been restored” in the rest of the country, local media reported on Tuesday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier expressed support for Iranians who have taken to the streets in protest against the rising price of fuel.

Foreign Minister Javad Zarif replied that Washington’s self-professed solidarity with Iranians protesting against rising fuel costs cannot be taken seriously since US sanctions have caused so much suffering in the Islamic Republic.

JNN/TBS　2019年11月20日(水)10時28分
イラン デモで数十人死亡か、人権団体「１０６人死亡」とも
ガソリン価格の大幅な引き上げを発端としたデモが広がるイランで、国連の機関は十数人の死者が出ているとして「深刻な懸念」を表明しました。
　イランでは今月１５日、政府が突然ガソリン価格を５０％値上げするなどの措置を取り、市民の抗議デモが拡大。イラン最高指導者ハメネイ師が演説で政府の方針について支持するとしたうえで、取り締まりを強化する方針を表明していました。
　こうした中、ＯＨＣＨＲ＝国連人権高等弁務官事務所は１９日、混乱による死者が数十人に達する可能性が高いとして、「深刻な懸念」を表明しました。人権団体のアムネスティ・インターナショナルはイラン国内外の人権活動家などによる報告を基に、少なくとも１０６人が死亡したと伝えています。
　ただ、イランでは広範囲でインターネットが規制され、多くの情報が遮断されていることから、実際の被害の状況などは把握しづらい状態が続いています。（20日05:47） JNN/TBS

RT2019/11/19
Three Iranian security force members killed by protesters near Tehran – local media
Three members of the Iranian security forces have been killed by protestors in Tehran province, local media reported, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

FARS and ISNA agencies quoted a statement by Seyyed al-Shohada Corps division, that claimed the men “were stabbed to death” after being caught up in a “rioters’ ambush.”

Tuesday marked a break in protests, according to the judiciary spokesman Gholamhossein Esmaili who told a news conference that “calm has been restored in the country.” It comes after the IRGC warned of “decisive” action if the unrest does not cease.

The exact number of people who died in the fuel protests remains unconfirmed. In his Sunday address, Ayatollah Khamenei said “some lost their lives and some places were destroyed.”

It was previously reported that a police officer was killed by an angry mob while trying to defend a city police command in western Iran. Meanwhile, footage obtained by RT Arabic showed the headquarters for transport police in Karaj, just west of Tehran, on fire after it was supposedly stormed by violent protesters.

The protests were prompted by a 50% increase in fuel prices introduced by the government to accumulate funds they said would be used on a direct cash support program to help around 60 million people in need. First payments are expected to be made on Tuesday.

Iran is facing a budget deficit due to a huge decrease in its flow of petrodollars after the US unilaterally withdrew from the nuclear deal and imposed the “toughest ever” sanctions on Tehran.


FARSNEWS2019/11/18
Tehran Raps US Support for Violence in Iran
TEHRAN (FNA)- Foreign Ministry Spokesman Seyed Abbas Mousavi lashed out at US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who said that Washington was supportive of Iranians in recent protests against gas price rise, adding that what the White House is backing is not common people but rioters and anarchists who are turning peaceful demonstrations into violent scenes.

Late on Sunday, Mousavi denounced Pompeo’s support for rioters who rode the tide of fuel price hike-related protests in the country during the past few days, saying that the US is not sympathetic toward the Iranian people, but supports spread of chaos.

On Friday, Iran began rationing gas and substantially increased the price of fuel, saying the revenues would be used to assist the needy.

The decision sparked sporadic rallies in a number of Iranian cities, some of which were marred by violence as opportunist elements tried to exploit the situation and ride the wave of peaceful protests against hiking fuel prices.

Consequently, the demonstrations turned violent in some cities, with reports of clashes between security forces and certain elements vandalizing public property.

Pompeo took to Twitter on the same day, supporting the violent acts of rioters and writing, “As I said to the people of Iran almost a year and a half ago: The United States is with you.”

Reacting to Pompeo’s “interventionist” remarks, the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman said, “The dignified people of Iran are well aware that such hypocritical remarks contain no honest sympathy and the [violent] actions of a group of anarchists and saboteurs who are supported by the likes of him are by no means in line with the conduct and behavior of the majority of the understanding and insightful Iranian people.”

Referring to malicious intentions of the government of the United States, particularly its secretary of state, toward the Iranian people, Mousavi said, “It is interesting that [Pompeo] is sympathizing with the people who are under pressure of the United States’ economic terrorism. He had already explicitly said that the people of Iran must be kept hungry until they give in to ‘our demands’.”

In an interview with BBC Persian last November, the US secretary of state said that Iranian officials must listen to Washington “if they want their people to eat”.

Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif slammed his American counterpart’s starvation threat, stressing the Islamic Republic will survive and even advance despite Washington’s sanctions.

In a post on his official Twitter account, Zarif said Pompeo’s open threat to starve the Iranian nation was “a crime against humanity” and “a desperate attempt to impose US whims on Iran.”

Iran has irrefutable evidence that a bunch of anti-Revolution elements have been trying to turn protests against gas price rise into violent riots, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Shamkhani was quoted by a parliament member as saying on Sunday.

"According to proofs and documents, anti-Revolutionary figures supported the unrest on Saturday," Ahmad Amirabadi quoted Shamkhani saying.

“Shamkhani referred to some documents proving that in the past two days, some groups organized by anti-Revolutionary figures, carrying weapons, attacked Iranian police forces and made severe damages to banks and other public and private places,” he added.

Also on Sunday, Spokesman of Law Enforcement Police Brigadier General Ahmad Nourian announced that the police forces will not allow insecurity and disruption of the general order during the protest rallies against the gasoline rationing.

"The Law Enforcement Police will act upon its natural and legal duty and will not compromise those who disrupt the order and security and will identify and confront the ringleaders and their field agents," General Nourian said.

He referred to the Friday and Saturday rallies to protest at the hike in prices and rationing of gasoline in Iran that in some cases turned violent, and said the police will act upon its responsibilities to restore tranquility and security based on people's demands.

Riots by a small number who have taken advantage of legitimate public protests against the government's gas price hike plan in Iran are directed at sowing chaos through targeted attacks on public and private properties, forcing law enforcement to step in to stop saboteurs.

Early estimates of an intelligence body showed that a sum of nearly 87,000 protesters and rioters have taken part in protest rallies and gatherings since Friday night, mostly (over 93%) men. A large number of protesters have only been present in the gathering centers and avoided joining the rioters in sabotage attacks on public and private properties.

"The identical methods of the main core of violent rioters discloses that they are fully trained individuals who have been prepared and looking forward for the situation to rise, unlike most people who have been taken off guard by the sudden hike in gas price," the report said.

The report shows that gatherings have been comprised of 50 to 1,500 people held in 100 regions of the country out of a number of 1,080 major towns and cities. The report says violent raids and damage inflicted on properties has been larger than what happened in February 2018 unrests.

Most cases of damage to properties has happened in Khuzestan, Tehran, Fars and Kerman provinces. The report says most casualties have resulted from armed outlaws' attacks on oil storage and military centers, adding that a number of police and popular forces have been martyred in these attacks.

Nearly 1,000 people have been arrested across the country while over 100 banks and 57 big stores have been set on fire or plundered in just one province.

The Iranian intelligence ministry announced in a statement on Sunday that it had identified several rioters who misused the recent protest rallies against the gasoline price hikes to destroy public and private properties.

"The main culprits behind the riots in the past two days have been identified and proper measures are being adopted and the honorable nation will be informed about its result later," the statement said.

It added that the intelligence ministry will decisively confront those who foment insecurity and disrupt tranquility of people.

"Certainly, the enemies who have pinned hope on these riots will have no achievements but shame and embarrassment like the past," the statement underlined.


Very late on Thursday, the National Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company (NIOPDC) issued a statement to recount details for new prices of fuels in the country, which was followed by another statement in early on Friday by Vice-President and Head of the Management and Planning Organization (MPO) Mohammad Baqer Nobakht who said that the revenues will be allocated to offering subsidies to 60 million people.

According to the new pricing echelon, the subsidized fee of 10,000 rials (almost 8.3 cents) per liter is increased to 15,000 rials (almost 12.5 cents) per liter, a 50% rise, which is offered at a limited rate of 60 liters per month, a rationing that did not exist for the last 6 years, for private cars with a rationing card.

However, the price for non-rationed supply of the gas is still subsidized and below the level of price offered in majority of the neighboring countries. The non-rationed price is set at 30,000 rials (almost 25 cents) per liter and there is no limitation for buying non-rationed fuel.

The statement, further added that the price for the compressed natural gas (CNG) and diesel gas will remain unchanged.

After the announcement of the NIOPDC was issued, MPO Head Nobakht said, in a statement that all the revenues collected from the increase in gas prices will be allocated to increase help packages which are offered to 18,000,000 households of 60,000,000 million people.

The move is hoped to demotivate fuel smugglers who come up with very creative methods to smuggle the fuel out of Iran to neighboring countries.

米国コロラド州でノロウィルスの感染で学区が閉鎖

SPUTNIK2019/11/22
Extremely Contagious' Virus Outbreak Shutters US School District,All 46 schools in Mesa County Valley School District 51 of Colorado, which serves more than 22,000 students, will remain closed until after Thanksgiving break due to a suspected outbreak of norovirus, a very contagious disease that causes vomiting and diarrhea.

According to Time magazine, the virus has already affected about 1,000 staff and students. The Mesa County Public Health Department has confirmed that it is monitoring the virus outbreak. Although the illnesses are suspected to be the result of a norovirus outbreak, that diagnosis has not yet been confirmed through lab testing.

“We’re hearing reports that a person might feel just fine, and in less than an hour’s time have a vomiting episode, sometimes in public places,” the agency said in a statement obtained by Time. “That’s causing the further spread of the illness and making it more concerning than a typical gastrointestinal virus, much like norovirus.”

District officials have also said that there appear to be multiple strains of the virus that are affecting students.

“We are taking this highly unusual action because this virus is extremely contagious and spreading quickly across our schools,” Tanya Martin, the district’s nursing coordinator, is quoted as saying, the New York Times reported.

According to Emily Shockley, a spokesperson for the district, this is the first time the district has shut down all of its schools at the same time.

“The decision to close is the right move,” Jeff Kuhr, the executive director of the Mesa County Public Health Department, said in a statement Wednesday. “Past experience with these types of viruses tell us having a period of time away from close person-to-person contact can be instrumental in these illnesses running their course.”

School officials further noted in their release that custodial crews are working to disinfect schools, and that county medical providers are collecting stool samples from the infected in an effort to identify the virus.

To prevent the spread of norovirus, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that people wash their hands often, especially before eating or handling food, and carefully wash fruits and vegetables, as the virus can spread through contaminated surfaces and food. The CDC also recommends thoroughly cooking foods like oysters and shellfish, which are frequently consumed raw, because the virus is resistant to heat and often binds to the tissues of such foods.

エプシュタイン自殺時の看守が逮捕されて次にどうなる

※　zerohedge@zerohedge氏の午前0:29 ・ 2019年11月20日のツイート
Two arrested Epstein guards put on suicide watch.
You know what happens next

RT2019/11/19
Prison guards who SLEPT through Jeffrey Epstein’s jailhouse suicide charged with conspiracy and falsifying records
Two prison workers who allegedly slept through notorious sex predator Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide were arrested and charged with falsifying jail records to cover up their failure to check on the prisoner as he died in his cell.

Tova Noel and Michael Thomas face federal charges in connection with the lapse in guarding their high-profile prisoner, according to an indictment filed with Manhattan District Court on Tuesday. They have been arrested and charged with conspiracy and falsifying records. At least one of them was offered a plea deal several days ago but turned it down, according to CNN.

Instead of checking on prisoners, Noel and Thomas spent the night browsing furniture and motorcycles online, napping, and forging multiple rounds’ worth of paperwork, the indictment claims. Neither guard laid eyes on Epstein for eight hours, but when he was discovered dead at around 6:33am, they only admitted to skipping two rounds of prisoner checks.

The dozy guards are the first to be charged with a crime related to Epstein’s mysterious death in his cell at Manhattan Correctional Center, amid an unprecedented amount of camera malfunctions and apparent human incompetence on the morning of August 10.

Tasked with checking on him every 30 minutes, the guards instead reportedly fell asleep for at least three hours, recording false checkups they did not actually perform. One of the “guards” was not actually working in corrections at the time, but had been temporarily reassigned from another position, and both were said to be working overtime, one for five straight days. They were placed on administrative leave a few days after their apparent trickery was discovered.

Following Epstein’s death, Attorney General William Barr demanded a “thorough investigation” of alleged “serious irregularities” at the jail, which previously had a reputation for being “tougher than Guantanamo Bay.” The financier was taken off suicide watch shortly before he died, despite having already been found unresponsive on the floor of his cell once - also by Thomas - and had his cellmate transferred just hours before he was found dead.

While Barr warned that “co-conspirators should not rest easy,” the prosecutor in the case - in which the jet-setter allegedly sexually abused dozens of girls and trafficked them to powerful men, possibly for blackmail purposes - formally closed it less than a month after Epstein’s demise in the absence of a defendant. However, several of his victims are suing his estate.

Epstein’s alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, has not been spotted in months, aside from a few false alarms. While politicians have declared Epstein’s victims “deserve justice,” no one seems willing to do what’s necessary to deliver it to them. The convicted sex offender moved in exclusive circles, hosting boldface names including current and former US presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, Hollywood royalty like Woody Allen and Kevin Spacey, and actual royalty like Britain’s Prince Andrew, at his lavish residences and on his private plane, nicknamed the Lolita Express.

Public interest in the wealthy pedophile’s mysterious demise got a shot in the arm last month, after celebrity pathologist Michael Baden declared on Fox News that Epstein’s injuries likely stemmed from “homicidal strangulation” and Project Veritas released a ‘hot mic’ tape in which an ABC anchor excoriated the network for shelving her interview with one of Epstein’s victims, suggesting ABC execs were implicated in Epstein’s crimes. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy has demanded answers from the network about why the story was killed.

ベラルーシとロシアの連合話が出ています

TASS　18 Nov
Kremlin insists Union of Russia and Belarus is beneficial to both states
On November 17, the Belarusian president told reporters that Belarus would not sign any agreements with Russia if they violate the constitution and the fundamental principles of the Belarusian society




TASS　18 Nov, 23:33
Russian-Belarusian strategic dialogue necessary due to US steps, says foreign minister
Sergey Lavrov also pointed out the actions of the West "aim to undermine the universal principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which plays its role in exacerbating crisis situations in the sphere of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction"

MOSCOW, November 18. /TASS/. The need for strategic dialogue between Russia and Belarus increases due to the actions of the US in this sphere, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday at the start of the joint panel of the Russian and Belarusian foreign ministries.

"We are concerned by the crisis that deepens in the sphere of arms control," Lavrov said, mentioning Washington’s decision to exit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. "As we know, the measures offered by Russia to maintain this treaty were rejected. Now, the fate of the New START (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty - TASS) is under question. Let’s add to this the official refusal of the US to ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, US doctrine documents reflecting the possibility of lowering the threshold for the use of nuclear weapons and plans to place strike weapons in space," Lavrov said.

Lavrov also pointed out the actions of the West "aim to undermine the universal principles of the Chemical Weapons Convention, which plays its role in exacerbating crisis situations in the sphere of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."

"In these conditions, the need for our cooperation on the entire range of these issues rises, which would be in the interest of avoiding negative developments in the sphere of strategic stability.".

中国を知るには@CarlZhaのツイートがお勧め

中国に関する客観的な情報は日本語ではなかなか接することができません。英語のほうがアクセス可能のように思います。次の方は、中国人のまだ若い男性のようですが、書かれている内容は客観的。香港問題についてもそうでした。

シリアからツイッターなどで英語で発信している若い方も、どちらかというと中流以上の階層に属する人たちのようです。中米についてはそういう情報発信が少ない。イランについても、国営放送以外には情報発信が乏しい。そこが先進国と途上国との目に見える違いになっています。

※　Carl Zha@CarlZha氏の2019/11/20のツイート
Regarding Cultural Revolution, both sides of my family were part of pre-revolution urban professional elite, so they went thru hard times. Experience likely very different for rural people in the Chinese countryside. But intellectuals write memoirs, so we hear more their stories

I have read memoirs by people growing up in Chinese countryside during Cultural Revolution mentioned that they accidentally benefited from having intellectuals forcibly send down to their villages as their teachers, gave them leg up to pass college entrance exam after CR was over

Until very recently, majority of Chinese people lived in rural countryside. Mao’s revolution brought mass education. But true transformation happened after 1980s, when many were lifted out of abject poverty and have chance to start new lives in cities.

shadowproof　2019/10/15
Interview With Carl Zha On The Neoliberal Economic Decline Fueling Hong Kong Protests
Hosts Rania Khalek and Kevin Gosztola welcome Carl Zha, the host of “Silk and Steel,” which is a weekly podcast on the history, culture, and current events of China and the Silk Road.

Zha provides a primer on what has unfolded with the protests in Hong Kong. He describes how they started, the role an extradition bill has played, the poverty and inequality fueling protests, and the protesters’ demands. He also provides a thumbnail history of the colonial history around China and Hong Kong.

He goes on to recall some of the incidents and flashpoints that have occurred, including violence that has been committed by Hong Kong protesters.

The National Endowment for Democracy and the Oslo Freedom Forum have provided tactical support. Zha addresses the way in which the U.S. government and U.S. groups are aiding Hong Kong protesters and what that means for the protests.

Later in the episode, Zha discusses the nativism inherent in the protests that is directed against mainland Chinese people, and he also highlights the controversy that erupted around the NBA in the past week.

To listen to the interview, click on the above player or go here.

***

As Carl Zha recounts, the protests started with a murder. A 19 year-old Hong Kong man murdered his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan. There is no extradition treaty between Hong Kong and Taiwan so he could not be brought to trial. But he stole from his girlfriend’s bank account. He was charged with theft and sentenced to prison.

Hong Kong is operating under British colonial laws that were preserved even after the “One Country, Two Systems” rule. It does not have an extradition treaty with mainland China or Taiwan. So, in response to the murder, an extradition bill was proposed, and it had to cover mainland China as well. That spurred the campaign against the legislation.

Protests in Hong Kong led to the government taking a step back. Action on the extradition bill was suspended. Yet, as Zha recounted, that was not enough for protesters.

“On the day the Hong Kong government that the bill would be suspended, the protest actually escalated into violence. A group of protesters stormed the Hong Kong legislature building then broke in and they tore down the Hong Kong flag and replaced it with a British colonial Hong Kong flag with a union jack on it.”

“Some protesters took selfies and said, hey, look, we’re inside the legislature and posted on Instagram,” Zha added. “They are in trouble legally so they are trying to flee to Taiwan. That became another demand from the protesters’ side. Now they demand amnesty for all the protesters who got arrested under riot charges.”

The biggest demand of the protesters, however, is universal suffrage. They want this for the Hong Kong chief executive position and the Hong Kong legislative council.

Zha said no deaths had occurred during the protests. A couple of protesters threw themselves off of a bridge to pressure authorities to accept demands and died.

“We actually have protests around the world in Latin America, in Asia, in Iraq, and people have died,” Zha said, comparing the police response in Hong Kong to violence that has not sparked nearly as much outrage.

Much of the coverage of the Hong Kong protests has ignored the separatist and xenophobic nature of demonstrations.

Hong Kong is still a very wealthy city but compared to mainland China, according to Zha, it used to be 27 percent of the entire Chinese GDP.

“I remember growing up in China in the 1980s. I just remember Hong Kong as a magical paradise. People are wealthy. They have so much money.”

Recently, mainland China grew more wealthier while the Hong Kong economy is not comparatively doing as well. Zha said Hong Kong is facing what the wider Western world is facing economically.

“Hong Kong used to be a manufacturing center. In the 1980s, after China opened up, all the Hong Kong capitalists then moved their factories from Hong Kong into China, where labor costs are much cheaper. And so all the manufacturing of Hong Kong got hollowed out.”

What was left in Hong Kong was finance and real estate, and Hong Kong youth face diminishing economic prospects, especially because of skyrocketing housing prices. That is partly a result of the Hong Kong government, which derives most of its revenue from land sales to developers.

“Hong Kong always gets extolled in Western neoliberal circles as this beacon of free will and capitalism,” Zha noted. “Well, this is what you get.”

But all the discontent is channeled into ugly nativism, very similar to what is happening under President Donald Trump. Many people in Hong Kong blame mainland Chinese immigrants for their economic predicament.

今日の学習成果 備忘録 2

2019年11月15日
中国で拘束の北大教授解放
共同2019/11/15 18:35 (JST)
中国で拘束の北大教授解放、帰国
健康問題なし、菅氏が発表
菅義偉官房長官は15日の記者会見で、中国当局に9月から拘束されていた北海道大の40代の男性教授が解放されたと発表した。同日、日本に帰国した。健康上の問題はないという。中国外務省によると、北大教授は岩谷將氏で、反スパイ法などに違反したものの、保釈したと明らかにした。
　菅氏は「政府としてありとあらゆる機会に中国側に働き掛けてきた」と強調。解放の理由について「政府としては具体的には承知していない」と述べるにとどめた。
　中国外務省は、岩谷教授について国家機密に触れる資料を収集した疑いで調べたと明らかにした。教授は容疑を認め、中国当局は訓戒処分を行ったとしている。

・・・・・・・

北海道大学研究者総覧から
岩谷　將(イワタニ　ノブ)
法学研究科　法学政治学専攻　政治学講座教授
researchmap個人ページ
Last Updated :2019/11/06
基本情報
所属
法学研究科　法学政治学専攻　政治学講座
職名
教授
学位
博士（法学） （慶應義塾大学）
研究キーワード
中国政治
研究分野
史学 / アジア史・アフリカ史 / 中国近現代史
職歴
2016年04月 - 現在 北海道大学法学研究科（兼）法学部教授
2016年02月 - 2016年03月 防衛省防衛研究所戦史研究センター（兼）外務省大臣官房国際文化協力室 主任研究官（兼）外務事務官
2013年04月 - 2016年02月 防衛省防衛研究所戦史研究センター主任研究官
2012年04月 - 2013年03月 防衛省防衛研究所戦史研究センター教官
2010年04月 - 2012年03月 防衛省防衛研究所企画部企画調整課（兼）戦史研究センター情報発信調整官（兼）教官
2007年04月 - 2010年03月 防衛省防衛研究所戦史部教官

・・・・・

国家機密に触れる資料を収集してもそれをもとに論文が書けるわけではないのに。研究者としては危ない橋を渡りましたね。もともと防衛省の指定ポストなんですかね。中国語が堪能のようですが、もう中国には入れないですね。
同氏の出身母体が外国から資料の入手を求められたのかもしれませんね。気の毒に。

※　共同2019/11/14 19:04 (JST)
千葉知事、選挙余剰金計5千万円が使途不明
　千葉県の森田健作知事が出馬した過去4回の知事選で、余った計約5千万円の選挙運動費が使途不明となっていることが14日、分かった。森田氏は同日、「自分の政治活動に使った。法令に従ってやっている」と説明した。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/14のツイート
「ロシアからS-400を買うのを止めたら、10兆円あげる」―トランプがエルドアンに大盤振る舞いの提案！　
「シンゾー出して」と言われる前に、日本もS-400を買えばいい！

※　大石あきこAkiko Oishi@oishiakiko氏の2019/11/12のツイート
おおっ
「政権を批判するようでアシストする人」(維新)になるためのテンプレを公表してはるわ
�@まず焦点はそらす(招待者を明らかにしなくていい)
�A適当な相対化(民主党も同罪)
�B斜め上行く解決(不透明のまま中止w)
�Cちょこっとは批判
�D我田引水でフィニッシュ
起承転結の作文がうまい小学生か
️
引用ツイート
橋下徹@hashimoto_lo 氏の2019/11/11のツイート
野党が、誰をどのような基準で呼んだのか不明だと安倍政権を追及するのは不毛。旧民主党は明確な基準があったというのだろうか。そこが問題なのではなく、与野党含めて、こんな会を開き続けてきたことを反省し、来年から即中止すべきだ。大阪はこの手の予算を削り倒して、現在財政は改善傾向にある。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/12のツイート
「アメリカは民主主義に興味がない。もし民主主義を尊重するなら、合法的に選ばれたベネズエラ大統領を倒そうとするクーデターに資金を提供したりしていない。また人権を尊重するなら、一方的に大使館をエルサレムに移転したりしない」―国連安保理でエボ・モラレス

※　桑ちゃん@namiekuwabara氏の2019/11/12のツイート
桑ちゃんの考えはひねくれてるのかな？
芸能人がSNSで
「〇〇効果あった」
「〇〇旨かった」
「放射能安全・福島応援」
など言ってることって、金銭授与でやるんだよ。
芸能は金で芸するんだよ。
サントリーのCM入るかもしれないのに、キリンが旨いという馬鹿いない。
芸能人SNSはCMと思った方が良い

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/12のツイート
イスラエル軍がガザを空爆し、パレスチナ人リーダーを暗殺。報復のロケット攻撃があるとサイレンが鳴り、車から降りるイスラエル人。世界中でイスラエルと米国が暴れている？

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/12のツイート
11月12日ダマスカスで、パレスチナ人組織イスラミック・ジハードの司令官アクラム・アルアジョウリの家が、イスラエルによって空爆され、息子が殺害された。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/11のツイート
香港の暴徒の背後にいるCIAが、今ボリビアでクーデターを起こした！　香港の運動もこれと同じだ https://twitter.com/LEO22751003/st

※　JNN/TBS　2019年11月11日(月)7時21分
栃木・真岡市で２０代男女が死亡、胸に包丁
　１１日未明、栃木県真岡市のアパートで２０代の男女２人が倒れているのが見つかり、死亡が確認されました。直前には別の女性から「元彼が友だちを連れ去った」と通報があり、警察が経緯を詳しく調べています。
　１１日午前０時半すぎ、真岡市八木岡の路上で、２０代の女性から「元彼が友だちを連れ去った」とパトロール中の警察官に通報がありました。
　警察官が近くのアパートに駆けつけたところ、２階の室内で２９歳とみられる男性が胸に包丁が刺さった状態で倒れているのが見つかりました。さらにその隣には２１歳とみられる女性も倒れていて、２人とも搬送先の病院で死亡が確認されたということです。
　警察は、２人の遺体を司法解剖するなどして詳しい経緯を調べる方針です。（11日06:09） JNN/TBS

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/10のツイート
この反中国プロパガンダのスポンサーが、ロッキード・マーチンだと暴露され、大騒ぎに！

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/10のツイート
重大事態！　イランのナタンズ・ウラン濃縮施設に査察に入ったIAEAの女性査察官が爆発性硝酸塩を持参。入口でアラームが鳴りやまず、女性はトイレに飛び込み、その後不審物は検知されず。しかしトイレと彼女のハンドバッグからは危険物質が検知された。ポンペオはイランを批判

※　ポン菓子ですね。管理人の子供のころは、道の隅でこれをやっているのを見ました。当時は甘味付けにサッカリンを使っていました。

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※　ミスター面白人間@MrSurveillance氏の2019/11/8のツイート
すごく良いコメントだ

"国立科学博物館・篠田謙一人類研究部長：「ここ10年間くらいで五輪があるとか大規模開発が行われるということで、急速に人骨が集まり始めてしまって、ちょっと対応しきれなくなってきてる」"

※　時事通信社2019年11月8日(金)6時42分
「ＩＡＥＡ査察官から硝酸反応」＝イランが拒否理由を説明
　【ベルリン時事】イランが国際原子力機関（ＩＡＥＡ）査察官の中部ナタンツの核施設立ち入りを拒否したとされる問題で、同国のアバディＩＡＥＡ担当大使は７日、査察官から「（危険物の）硝酸の反応が出た」ためだと正当性を主張した。米メディアなどが報じた。
　アバディ氏は、入場口での安全検査で警報が作動し、硝酸の反応が検出されたと指摘。査察官がトイレに行った後に反応が消えたという。「イランは過去に核施設に対する妨害の試みを受けてきた。核施設の安全に反する行動は見逃すことはできない」と訴えた。　【時事通信社】

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/8のツイート
香港警察は監視カメラ映像を元に、警察が3階の駐車場に到着する前に学生は墜落していたと公表。周庭はいつも人の命を、政治宣伝に利用する。これは許されない。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/8のツイート
来るな！
引用ツイート
周庭 Agnes Chow Ting@chowtingagnes　
私と @joshuawongcf は保釈条件によって無許可では出境できないです。今日の裁判で、彼がイタリア国会、フランス国会、欧州議会の誘いに応じるため、11月にヨーロッパに行く申し入れをしましたが、申請は裁判官に却下されました。私もこれから日本に行きたいとしても難しいでしょう。
・・・私も来てもらいたいとは思わないけど

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/7のツイート
2015年6月2日、米有志連合に参加するオランダ軍が、イラクでキルクーク近くを空爆し70人近くを殺害。隠蔽していた戦争犯罪を、やっと認めた。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/7のツイート
国連総会。新疆の反テロ対策で中国を批判したのは、米国に追随する23か国。しかし圧倒的多数の66か国が中国の政策を支持し、人権を政治の道具にすることに反対した。

※　共同通信　2019/11/7 18:28 (JST)
フェレットにかまれ17年後死亡
警官が感染症、公務災害に認定
　2002年、捕まえようとしたフェレットにかまれて感染症になり、今年1月に41歳で亡くなった大分県警地域課の男性警部補が、公務員の労働災害に当たる公務災害と認定されていたことが7日、県警への取材で分かった。
　県警によると、02年6月、大分中央署の交番で勤務していた警部補は「公園にフェレットがいる」と110番を受け、捕獲を試みた。その際両手をかまれ、3カ月後に蜂窩織炎を発症。治療のため休職と復職を繰り返していたが、今年1月に県内の病院で死亡した。
　地方公務員災害補償基金大分県支部は、かまれたことと死亡に因果関係があると判断、7月26日付で公務災害と認定した。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/4のツイート
レバノン大統領ミシェル・アウンが、国民に団結を訴えている！　イラクとレバノンに対して、米・イスラエル・サウジ･UAEの介入で暴動が拡大していた。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/4のツイート
国連傘下の化学兵器禁止機関OPCWが、2018年4月ドゥーマの化学兵器事件について、シリア政府を非難する結論を決定し、これと矛盾する自らの調査官の報告を無視し歪曲したと内部告発！　死者が出たとされる現場の土壌サンプルに塩素ガスの痕跡なし。ガスシリンダーは空爆ではなく部屋の中に置かれたもの

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/5のツイート
いんちきは止めてください！　世界中でクーデターを起こし侵略占領し、市民を殺害し嫌われている米国。自衛隊がその傭兵部隊であることは、世界中が知っている。その日本がなんの法的手続きも取らずに、災害救助なら感謝するだろうと自衛隊を送る。これを外交手段と有権者を騙すのが山本太郎とれいわ！ https://twitter.com/KunihikoSaito/

※　共同通信2019/11/4 21:15 (JST)
年金、診断確定まで不支給相次ぐ
脳障害や難疾患、生活苦に
診断の難しい脳障害や病気の患者が、疾患名が確定するまで国の障害年金を受け取れないケースが近年、各地で相次いでいることが4日、分かった。事故に伴う脳脊髄液減少症や、慢性疲労症候群といった疾患は生活に大きな支障が出る一方、診断に数年かかることが多い。年金を受け取れない空白期間が生じることで支給額が数百万円減る場合もあり、患者は生活苦を余儀なくされている。
　患者数は潜在的なケースを含めると、いずれも数十万人とも言われる。障害年金を専門に扱う複数の社会保険労務士によると、以前は最初に医療機関で受診した日を「初診日」として年金が支給されるのが一般的だったという。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/47のツイート
経済的政治的に失敗し、世界中で破たんしているアメリカ。通常兵器でも、裸足で戦うイエメンのフーシーに、パトリオットがぶち破られる無様な姿。だから米ネオコンは「先制核攻撃なら勝てる」と考えかねない。薄っぺらなトランプ支持は見当違いです。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/11/2のツイート
アメリカの戦争がどれだけ非道徳的で恥ずかしいものであるか、最も忠実な同盟国の日本人は見ておく必要がありますね。日本など給料と武器持参ではせ参じるのですから。自衛隊はこんな米軍の指揮に入れられ、戦争を強要される。絶対にアメリカが要求するまま、海外に出してはいけない！

※　María@ml_maria_氏の2019/11/1のツイート
50yrs ago, US dropped 2million tons of bombs on Laos, a country it wasn't even at war with
A planeload of bombs dropped every 8 mins, 24hrs/d, for 9 yrs
So who's cleaning up America's mess that continues to murder people to this day?
引用ツイート
Russia in USA@RusEmbUSA氏の2019/10/31のツイート
Russian military engineers on the first day of humanitarian demining in #Laos
found six explosive objects
️ http://eng.mil.ru/en/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12259100@egNews
From October 2018 to March 2019, Russian sappers cleared 104 hectares, >340 explosive objects were detected, most of them #US cluster bombs
・・・ロシア軍がラオスで地雷（未発弾）の除去をやっているらしい。米軍が投下したもの。

※　鈴木邦弘@SZKN29氏の2019/11/2のツイート
ベネッセといえば介護事業もやってる。以前面接を受けた時、バカ正直にSNSをやってますと答えたら、その日の夜のブログのアクセス数が一気に跳ね上がり、それまで書いた全記事をチェックされてマジでドン引き。当然落ちましたw
・・・ブログやサイトを運営していることを公にして本人にプラスになることはまずありません。

※　木村結@yuiyuiyui1114氏の2019/11/1のツイート
#会社法改定案が衆議院で審議中コレって株主運動潰しです。何と電事連が説明に国会へ！
日本の株主総会は閉鎖的なのにそれを加速。
役員が業務上過失で訴えられても会社が補填する。
企業が社会的責任を逃れるためのもの。
脱原発株主運動全国連絡会はこの法案に反対します。メディアは警鐘を鳴らして

※　By protecting Syria's Idlib, the US created a safe haven for Baghdadi and ISIS

※　「まるで加害者の弁解カタログ」パワハラ防止法の指針案のとんでもない内容
佐々木亮 | 弁護士・ブラック企業被害対策弁護団代表
10/22(火) 12:43
ささきりょう@ssk_ryo

※　たおる@imabaritoweI555氏の2019/10/19のツイート
＊世界中で各種団体を支援するNED
その目的は政府や地域の撹乱か？
米国国務省フロントのNEDから支援を受けている人達(図1)
ウイグル世界会議のラビアさん、ムハメットさんもいます。
NEDの予算はトランプ大統領が大幅にカットしていますが、それでも活動が活発なのは他に資金源があるからか？

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
CENTCOMによるバグダディ暗殺作戦の詳細？　こんなものが？　特殊部隊による搬送ヘリ、掩護用アパッチヘリ、攻撃ドローン、第4世代・第5世代（!?）戦闘機を投入した大作戦。本当に、この作戦のために、ロシアがイドリブの空域を開いたのか？　ディルエゾールで100人のシリア兵を殺害した米軍に？！

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
バッハ！　五輪をはく奪して、どこかへ持って行って！　お願い。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
ウイグル人がジスル・アルシュガールで何をしている？　
�@まず、中国の外で初めて真のイスラムに触れることができると教える。
�Aマレーシアのトルコ領事館で、トルコのパスポートを入手
�Bトルコに到着すれば、テロリストのリクルーターが、彼らをバスに乗せ国境を越えシリアのイドリブへ送る

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
そして2015年8月、トルコのパスポートを持つウイグル人が、タイ・バンコクの寺院を爆破し、20人を殺害、125人を負傷させた。これは、タイが100人のウイグル人を中国に送還したことへの報復だった。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
不法入国したウイグル人を拘束したタイに、米国は執拗に圧力を加え、彼らをトルコに送るよう要求した。中国は、ウイグル人の強制送還を求めた。タイは、男性は中国に送り、女性や子どもはトルコに送った。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/31のツイート
シリアにウイグル人テロリストを送り込んだトルコの役割は否定できない。問題は、米国がどれほど関与してきたかということ。セイモア・ハーシュの報告「オバマ、エルドアン、とシリアテロリスト」を参考に

MKO氏のツイート関連
※　Carl Zha@CarlZha氏の午後3:37 ・ 2019年10月31日のツイート
US put great pressure on Thai gov to let Uyghurs detained for illegally entering Thailand (on transit to Malaysia) to go to Turkey. China demanded their repatriation. Thai did Solomon’s justice by sending men back to China and women/children to Turkey

※　Carl Zha@CarlZha氏の午後3:23 ・ 2019年10月31日のツイート
Peter Lee aka @chinahand had been writing about Turkish passports for would be Uyghur jihadists scheme since 2015. Keep in mind, regime change in Syria was a joint US-Saudi-Turkey-Qatar-Israeli-NATO project back in 2012-13 before Fitna in that camp http://chinamatters.blogspot.com/2015/07/anothe

※　毎日新聞2019年10月31日 09時15分(最終更新 10月31日 09時17分)
「ストーブ代不支給は違憲」生活保護受給者が札幌市提訴
　壊れた石油ストーブの買い替え費用が生活保護費で認められないのは憲法違反などとして、札幌市白石区の50代男性が29日、不支給を決定した市を相手取り、取り消しを求める行政訴訟を札幌地裁に起こした。原告側代理人によると、訴訟に発展するのは異例で、「健康で文化的な最低限度の生活を保障する憲法25条に反する違法な決定」と訴えている。
・・・札幌市は人口動態の指標が悪化しています。札幌市への避難は慎重に。

※　ゆーか@mickyholic555氏の2019/10/28のツイート
�@山本太郎は「反ワクチン」を唱えていない。
�A救済されない被害が実際起きている
�BHPVワクチン副反応に自己免疫疾患の可能性が疑われている
弱者を切り捨てないと言う山本がこの問題をとりあげる事に矛盾は無い。
支持者の動揺や激しい反発が事実ならそれこそ矛盾。
問題に向き合うと言うだけの話。

※　こたつぬこ@sangituyama氏の2019/10/22のツイート
れいわ新選組支持者のなかにも、山本太郎が突然、公約にもない「反ワクチン」と唱えたことに動揺があります。これについては専門家のみならず広範な一般人からも激しい非難の声が上がっていますし、「連合政権合意」を結んだ共産党も反ワクチンは決して受け入れません。れいわは深刻な危機にあります。
・・・反ワクチンが何ワクチンかをこの人は示していない。共産党は一時新日本婦人の会が子宮頸がんワクチンを押す活動をしたがその後止めて、その関係の記録は一切残っていない。この人は本も書いているらしいが、ツイートには疑問な点もある。

※　昼寝猫@tcv2catnap氏の2019/10/28のツイート
これは半分冗談だが、英語教育まともになったら、海外の本当のジャ−ナリズムによる報道に接して国民のリテラシ−向上しちゃいまくりで清和困るからw

※　Sarah Abdallah@sahouraxo氏の2019/10/26のツイート
Do you mean the same way the US government “freed” Iraq, Libya, Syria and Yemen, bringing mass destruction and chaos, and killing and displacing millions?

Nah, thanks. Keep your dirty, neocon interventionist hands the hell away from us. #Lebanon #HandsOffLebanon #LebanonProtests

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/27のツイート
「サダムフセインより悪い。市民はイラクレジームに反対し街頭へ」―ガーディアン
欧米メディアが、イラク政府を強圧体制「レジーム」と呼び出した。さあカラー革命の始まりだ。すでに警察も活動家も両方を殺害する、屋根の上のスナイパーも登場。イラクから米軍は出て行けと言われクーデターを準備？

※　Brasco_Aad@Brasco_Aad氏の2019/10/27のツイート
When Western MSM (like The Guardian here) are starting to call Iraq a 'regime'.
Then you know what's up.

※　JNN/TBS10月27日(日)16時26分
茨城・鹿嶋市、男性１人 高波で海に転落し不明
２７日午前、茨城県鹿嶋市の堤防で釣りをしていた男性３人が海に転落し、うち１人が行方不明となっています。
　午前９時半すぎ、鹿嶋市平井の堤防で釣りをしていた男性３人が高波に遭い、海に転落しました。
　警察などによりますと、うち男性２人は自力で堤防に上がり、足を骨折するなど、けがをしているものの命に別状はないということですが、鹿嶋市に住む５１歳のフィリピン国籍の男性の行方が分かっておらず、警察・消防・海上保安庁などおよそ５０人が捜索しています。当時、鹿嶋市の沿岸には波浪注意報が出ていました。（27日15:44） JNN/TBS
・・・命知らずの冒険野郎は好きにさせてやったらいいのに。

※　ささきりょう@ssk_ryo氏の2019/10/25のツイート
＜ご報告＞
先ほど、余命ブログの発信者情報開示請求で依頼していた代理人の先生から、高裁では逆転勝訴となった旨、ご連絡いただきました。また判決文などが来たらご報告いたします。それにしてもよかったです。これで本丸を相手に諸々動きを作れます。
#大量懲戒請求
#不当懲戒請求

※　ガイチ@gaitifuji氏の2019/10/25のツイート
今の政府は、何を考えてこんな誰も得しない事をするんだろと訝しく思っていたんだが、それは俺の見立てが甘かったんだな。ズバリ、本邦社会における階層階級の固定化が狙いなんだな。どんなことがあっても離れない約25%程度いる現政権の岩盤支持者たちの権益とそこで合致するんだな。

※　FARSNEWS2019/10/24
Lack of colonial baggage & investment in peace put Russia ahead of other players on African continent, SA minister tells RT


The time is right for Russia to sit with African leaders and companies in order to forge economic relationships and partnerships, South Africa’s Minister of State and Security Ayanda Dlodlo told RT.
“What becomes important for us is to acknowledge the fact that Russia has never colonized any country. Russia has never pushed any country to a relationship that would seek to exploit the mineral wealth, the natural resources,” Dlodlo said in an interview on the sidelines of the first ever Russia-Africa summit in Sochi.

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/24のツイート
安保法国会でアベがさんざ使ってきた「補給協力」。戦闘を交える最前線ではないので安全という議論。シリア戦争を見て下さい。まず補給線を断ち、攻撃してテロリストを一掃。まず狙われるのが補給。山本太郎はそれを「災害派遣」とごまかす。ホルムズ派遣発表の日に。詐欺師だよ！　全く別物ではない！

※　FARSNEWS　Wed Oct 23, 2019 11:26
http://fna.ir/dd2gpm
US Diplomat Says Ukraine Aid Was Tied to Political Investigations
TEHRAN (FNA)- A top diplomat to Ukraine told House investigators Tuesday that he believed the administration of President Donald Trump withheld aid to Ukraine in an effort to get Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to launch politically motivated investigations, according to his opening statement and multiple sources familiar with his testimony.

William Taylor, who serves as the chargé d’affaires for Ukraine, in meticulous detail laid out in his lengthy 15-page opening statement what he viewed as Trump withholding roughly $400 million in financial aid until he secured commitment from Ukraine that they were investigating one of his top political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden, The Hill reported.

The top diplomat, who spent nearly 10 hours behind closed doors, tied Trump officials like personal attorney Rudy Giuliani; US Ambassador to the EU Gordon Sondland; then-Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker; and Energy Secretary Rick Perry to a secretive shadow foreign policy campaign that sought to obtain a public statement about investigations into the 2016 presidential election and Burisma, a Ukrainian energy company that employed former Biden’s son, Hunter.

His statements counter the claims made by the president and his defenders arguing the aid was not used as leverage.

“[T]he push to make President Zelensky publicly commit to investigations of Burisma and alleged interference in the 2016 election showed how the official foreign policy of the United States was undercut by the regular efforts led by Mr. Giuliani,” he told House investigators.

Taylor relayed that he heard from Tim Morrison, a top Ukraine expert on the National Security Council (NSC), who described a “sinking feeling” in early September that resulted from Trump telling Sondland there was no “quid pro quo”, all while continuing to insist that Zelensky should publicly announce that he is “opening investigations of Biden and the 2016 election interference, and that President Zelensky should want to do this himself”.

Sondland, who continued to insist there was no quid pro quo, said later that the US and Ukraine would be in a “stalemate” if Zelensky did not follow through with the public statement, according to Taylor’s statement.

“During our call on September 8, Ambassador Sondland tried to explain to me that President Trump is a businessman. When a businessman is about to sign a check to someone who owes him something, he said, the businessman asks that person to pay up before singing the check,” Taylor told investigators.

Taylor added that he pressed Sondland to push back on Trump’s demands for investigations, worrying it would hurt the US relationship with the country. Sondland, Taylor recalled, later admitted he had made a mistake by insisting Zelensky make a public announcement about the probes.

“Ambassador Sondland also told me that he now recognized that he had made a mistake by earlier telling the Ukrainian officials to whom he spoke that a White House meeting with President Zelensky was dependent on a public announcement of investigations − in fact, Ambassador Sondland said ‘everything’ was dependent on such an announcement, including security assistance,” the opening statement continues.

Taylor also stated that he learned from two other officials that the order to hold security assistance for Ukraine came from White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney, who they said still had “maintained a skeptical view of Ukraine”.

In his testimony, Taylor described two channels of US policy-making and implementation − one regular and one highly irregular, and that he realized the two channels diverged in terms of their mission in August.

Multiple sources familiar with Taylor’s testimony said it was clear he was considered there was a quid pro quo with the aid, something the White House strongly pushed back on later Tuesday.

“President Trump has done nothing wrong − this is a coordinated smear campaign from far-left lawmakers and radical unelected bureaucrats waging war on the Constitution. There was no quid pro quo,” White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Tuesday, adding, “Today was just more triple hearsay and selective leaks from the Democrats’ politically-motivated, closed door, secretive hearings.”

Most Democrats emerging Tuesday from Taylor’s closed-door testimony in the Capitol basement were tight-lipped on details but effusive on a central point: the ambassador, they said, was delivering the most damning testimony yet in the Democrats' impeachment investigation into President Trump.

"Without question the most powerful testimony we've heard," said Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.), who sits on the Oversight Committee.

"This testimony is a sea change. I think it could accelerate matters," Lynch continued, adding that "this will, I think, answer more questions than it raises".

Some Republicans, however, described Taylor's testimony as an official putting his "interpretation" on the Ukraine contacts. While others highlighted that Taylor heard many of these matters from other officials, making his knowledge of events second hand.

"If they think this is anything dramatic, it is just nonsense," said Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah), a senior Republican on the House Intelligence Committee, adding, "There was nothing in this, nothing at all. It was his interpretation of what we already know."

Taylor was among the State Department veterans who had raised red flags about the White House campaign, led by Trump’s personal lawyer, Giuliani, to pressure Zelensky for political favors. The Democrats’ impeachment inquiry is now focused squarely on that episode.

In text message conversations with several other diplomats, including Sondland, Taylor last month had warned against the “crazy” strategy of withholding US aid “for help with a political campaign".

Taylor confirmed in his opening remarks that he seriously considered quitting in protest of the Trump administration’s policy towards Ukraine, a threat he made in the text message thread with Sondland and Volker.

Sondland, a wealthy hotel magnate and Trump donor with no previous diplomatic experience, pushed back, saying Taylor was "incorrect" in surmising Trump's intentions.

"The president has been crystal clear no quid pro quos of any kind," Sondland wrote.

Sondland had testified last week before the three House committees leading the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry: Intelligence, Oversight and Foreign Affairs. But based on Taylor’s testimony Tuesday, some Democrats are already suggesting Sondland will be called back to explain apparent discrepancies.

“I walk away with the impression Mr. Sondland will have some explaining to do,” stated Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), a member of the Intelligence Committee.

Lynch described Taylor as a "meticulous" note-taker who had kept detailed records of his involvement in the months-long effort by Trump and some of his closest allies to pressure Ukrainian leaders to find dirt on Trump's political rivals.

"He indicated that he kept extensive notes on all of this," Lynch noted.

Rep. Tom Malinowski (D.N.J.), a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, also suggested Taylor's testimony was supportive of the central allegations facing Trump on his dealings with Ukraine.

"I would say it certainly filled in many of the remaining gaps in the narrative," Malinowski said, adding, "I would say he remembered some things that previous witnesses have not been able to remember."

Democrats participating in the deposition added that Taylor has also stood by his earlier statement that it would be “crazy” to leverage the US financial assistance − which aimed to combat Russian aggression in Ukraine − to win a commitment from Zelensky to open such investigations.

“His testimony was withering with respect to some earlier testimony,” Lynch underlined.

※　ニュースが多いです。

rollingstone.com
Everyone Is a Russian Asset
America laughed at Hillary Clinton’s remarks about Tulsi Gabbard, but her ideas fit perfectly in the intellectual mainstream

※　Syrian Girl@Partisangirl氏の2019/10/22のツイート
Everyone saying they don't blame #Kurds for attacking US force, are wrong. This is entirely the fault of Kurdish militias, why did they betray their country #Syria by collaborating with the US occupation as it bombed their country men across the river?
No honour amongst thieves.
https://twitter.com/i/status/1186524044637532160
・・・ここまで言える人は少ないでしょう。管理人は同意するが。

※　月輪丸@nyafkamotto氏の2019/10/19のツイート
国民民主党・森ゆうこ議員の除名処分を求める署名運動の発起人
朝比奈一郎、生田與克、池田信夫、岩瀬達哉、上山信一、加藤康之、岸博幸、鈴木崇弘、��橋洋一、冨山和彦、新田哲史、原英史、町田徹、八代尚宏、屋山太郎

※　Ian56@Ian56789氏の2019/10/22のツイート
John Bercow is a Globalist Fascist.
The aim of the Globalists is to impoverish ordinary people and transfer all wealth and power to the Bankers and Corporate Elites.
The EU is a step on the path to the NWO.
Thread on the Globalist Agenda & the Truth about the anti democracy EU

※　Rob Lee@RALee85氏の2019/10/22のツイート
At China's Xiangshan Forum, Sergei Shoigu said, “We are convinced that the real reason that prompted Washington to unilaterally withdraw from the INF Treaty is to contain the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation.”
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i

"Today the most dangerous phenomena in the sphere of international security is pulling countries into an arms race by deploying on their territory destabilizing types of weapons, space militarization and when this struggle spirals into cyber space." 6/
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i

“The situation in the world today is characterized by the desire of a number of powers to achieve their narrow national goals to the detriment of the legitimate interests of other states.” 7/
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/vstrane_i

※　Bassem@BBassem7氏の2019/10/22のツイート
Though I am confident @realDonaldTrump
decision to leave northern Syria (hopefully E Syria soon after) is 100% correct, execuation of such decision was terrible especially it was timed with Turkish invasion. Trump wanted to leave much earlier but deep state/media didn’t let him

※　Bassem@BBassem7氏の2019/10/22のツイート
By the way, the only reason why ISIS is still active in Eastern Syria is because America effectively created a no mans land in that region. US is preventing Syrian army from advancing to crush ISIS, all in the name of US maintaining control of Syria’s oil.

※　A Turkish army's tank drives down from a truck as Turkish armed forces drive towards the border with Syria near Akcakale in Sanliurfa province on October 8, 2019
Putin, Erdogan to Discuss Situation in Syria in Context of Offensive on 22 October - Kremlin
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201910211077109972-putin-erdogan-to-discuss-situation-in-syria-in-context-of-offensive-on-22-october---kremlin/?utm_source=https://t.co/EQzuCx3d4r?amp=1&utm_medium=short_url&utm_content=AfCv&utm_campaign=URL_shortening

※　Rob Lee@RALee85氏の2019/10/22のツイート
At the Uspenovskiy Training Area in Sakhalin, VVO units from the 68th Army Corps, likely including the 39th MR Brigade, repelled an amphibious landing with MT-LB, 2S5 Giatsint-S self-propelled guns, BM-27 Uragan MLRS, and Mi-8AMTSh helicopters.
https://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/co
サハリンでロシア軍が演習をしたらしい。その様子。

※　Brexitが大詰めです。情勢の変化が激しく今どうなっているのか、よくわからない。

※　aljazeera2019/10/22
Lebanon protesters reject government reform promises
A raft of economic reforms fails to quell protesters, who continue to demonstrate demanding government's resignation.

※　Ian56@Ian56789氏の2019/10/22のツイート
The Chilean media are saying the streets are full of violent terrorists.
Here you can see them practicing their combat manoeuvres!
#EstoPasaEnChile　#noestamosenguerra　#CompraEnTuBarrio
チリの激しい暴動は治まる気配がありません。
https://pbs.twimg.com/ext_tw_video_thumb/1186299844396290055/pu/img/t28FwnQbGkJWv9Q0?format=jpg&name=small

※　Military Advisor@miladvisor氏の2019/10/22のツイート
Kurdish residents in the city of Qamishli have pelted U.S. convoy with potatoes as they drove through on their way out from Syria.
カミシュリの住民が撤退する米軍車両に対して裏切り者とののしりながらジャガイモやトマトを投げつける。

※　イスラエルのネタニヤフ、組閣を断念。ガンツが汚職疑惑のネタニヤフとの連立を拒否

※　ロイター.co.jp@Reuters_co_jpの2019/10/22のツイート
欧州、来年1月にも７３７ＭＡＸ運行再開判断＝航空当局トップ

※　10/21、アサンジの米国引き渡しに関する法廷でのヒアリング

※　RT@RT_comの2019/10/22のツイート・
Liberals and Conservatives neck and neck as voters go to the polls in #CanadianElection
https://on.rt.com/a3sd
カナダの選挙はリベラルと保守が互角

※　Syrian Girl@Partisangirl氏の2019/10/21のツイート
What did I tell you, the Kurdish militias chose to leave their people to be slaughtered by Turkey, because the US offered them control over the oil fields.This has all been about denying Syria control of its oil

※　須田正晴(埼玉・鳩ヶ谷)@sudahato氏の2019/10/19のツイート
人権に敏感だった人が、医局のバイトしている医学生の段階で生活保護受給者を冗談半分に罵倒する人間に変貌したのを見ましたので、医療コミュニティに良識は期待しないようになりました。

※　RT@RT_comの2019/10/19のツイート
Rescue efforts ongoing after 15 people killed in dam collapse at gold mine in #Russia’s #Krasnoyarsk region
・・・ロシアは、工場などでの事故が多い。プーチンは改善のための手を打つべき。コストがかかるのはしょうがない。

※　Dr. Jill Stein氏の2019/10/19のツイート
@DrJillStein
In light of the latest slanderous allegations from @HillaryClinton
, I challenge her to a debate. It's past time to give the American people the real debate they deserved in 2016, but were denied by the phony DNC/RNC-controlled Commission on Presidential Debates.

※　Glenn Greenwald@ggreenwald氏の2019/10/19のツイート
Hillary strongly implies that Tulsi Gabbard is a Russian asset who will act to serve the Kremlin's interest. Also says there's no doubt Jill Stein is. Does she have evidence for these grave accusations? Of course not. None is needed in Dem Party discourse. It's gutter trash.

※　Aaron Blake@AaronBlake氏の2019/10/19のツイート
Hillary Clinton doesn't just predict the Russians will support Tulsi Gabbard as a third-party candidate; she also calls Jill Stein "a Russian asset -- I mean totally."

※　Glenn Greenwald@ggreenwald氏の2019/10/19のツイート
Hillary feels comfortable smearing Tulsi as a Russian asset without evidence because the 4-term Democratic Congresswoman & Iraq War veteran criticizes Hillary & the DNC, and that's the functional definition of "Kremlin asset" in lowly McCarthyite establishment Dem discourse.

※　Sarah Abdallah@sahouraxo氏の2019/10/19のツイート
返信先: @TulsiGabbard さん、 @HillaryClintonさん
Hillary Clinton voted for the Iraq war.
Hillary Clinton backed the Honduras coup.
Hillary Clinton spearheaded the ruin of Libya.
Hillary Clinton led the destruction of #Syria.
Hillary Clinton sold Saudi Arabia weapons to use in Yemen.
She is a war criminal.

※　菜々海NOWAR@nanami_sea00氏の2019/10/18のツイート
【全国のママ様】
大手ヤマザキパンから米国の毒薬グリホサートが検出されました。
日米貿易 #日米FTA が可決されると、スーパーの食品はこの毒薬や遺伝子組み換え食品で埋まってしまいます。表示義務もなくなり、大切なお子さんに安全な食品を選ぶこともできません
一緒に反対しませんか？

※　次は、RTの記事の見出しです。　Al Qaedaはご存じでしょう。"Al Qaeda-linked group ‘worth befriending’"　「アルカエダと結びつきのあるグループが友達になる価値がある」です。Journalist slams Gabbard　がSVOを構成、for以下がslam　非難した理由です。米国がアルカエダを支援したとsuggestしたゆえに、となります。ツルシ・ガッバードは米国政権がテロリストを歩兵として使ったとはっきり言っていますが、RTはそこは断定したかどうかの問題に話が逸れないように示唆したとの表現にとどめています。背景やこれまでの議論を知らないと見出しを読み解くのも難しいです。見出しではbackやafterが動詞的に使われることも多いです。
Journalist who wrote about Al Qaeda-linked group ‘worth befriending’ slams Gabbard for suggesting the US backed Al Qaeda

※　どこかの学校であった激辛カレー強要事件
　

※　次はクルド人女性のツイートに付された画像、なにを言おうとしているのかよくわからない。禿でデブの爺さんの姿もあるが。
　
※　MrRevinsky@Kyruer氏の2019/10/13のツイート
#Syria #EasternEuphrates
#SDF Commander sent a message to the #US: "I need to know if you are capable of protecting my people, of stopping these bombs falling on us or not. I need to know, because if you're not, I need to make a deal with #Russia and #Assad now".

※　 RT15 Oct, 2019 20:24 / Updated 4 hours ago
‘Show of force’: US jets & helicopters threaten Turkish-backed fighters who came VERY CLOSE to American troops in Syria
US fighter jets and gunship helicopters were sent to scare off Turkish-backed militants in northern Syria after they came “very close” to US troops at Ain Issa, the Pentagon said. Washington has also sent a complaint to Ankara.

F-15 fighters and AH-64 Apache gunships were used in the “show of force” on Tuesday, an unnamed US official told reporters, after the militants “violated a standing agreement” not to threaten US troops. A formal complaint was lodged with the Turkish military through diplomatic channels, the official added.

Though US troops have been withdrawing from Syria for the past week, some Special Forces operators were apparently still in the area of Ain Issa, located on the strategic M-4 highway about halfway between the Syrian-Turkish border and the former Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS) “capital” of Raqqa.

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/15のツイート
「トルコの攻撃は、実はシリアから米軍を叩き出そうとするプーチンの策略か」とアルカイダ支持者。あながち間違っていない？
引用ツイート

※　Dr Can Erimtan@TheErimtanAngle 氏の2019/10/15のツイート
Who would have thought it possible for the "Kurds" to become a pawn in #Russiagate via the good offices of the #Prez and his #OperationPeaceSpring . . . in the fevered imaginations of a Jihadi apologist . . . https://pic.twitter.com/RXrvetXPQM

ロシアがイランとともにトルコを保証人の仲間に入れていたのは、この効果を見込んでいたため。トルコと米国の関係が悪化すれば、トルコが米国を追い出す役割を果たすことは想定できた。その点はイランもよーくわかっていた。

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※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/15のツイート
「シリア人がロシア軍兵士や、北コーカサスから来たイスラム教徒の軍警を好意的に受け入れていることは喜ばしい。住民は彼らを信頼し、助けや保護を求めている。そのような報告をたくさん受けている」―プーチン

※　Russia in RSA@EmbassyofRussiaの2019/10/15のツイート
President #Putin: I am delighted to note that Syrians view Russian servicemen & military police (many are Muslims from the North Caucasus) positively, local residents trust them and feel free to ask them for help and protection. I have reports of many such cases #RussiaHelps


※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/15のツイート
ケンタッキーの射撃場の映像を、「シリアの殺戮」と題して紹介したABCが謝罪した。謝罪で済む？　シリア戦争８年間ずっとこんなことをやってきた連中だ。

※　mko@trappedsoldier氏の2019/10/15のツイート
イドリブ解放へ激戦が始まっていますが、実は最悪のテロ組織米軍をシリアから追い出さないと、いつまでもテロリストを育て投入するので戦争は終わらない。米軍の地上軍クルドテロ組織PKK/YPGを、トルコ軍とそのテロ組織FSAで一掃する。トルコ軍の砲撃で米軍が慌てて撤収。大胆な戦略！　またプーチン？

※　M@__Green_Blue氏の2019/10/15のツイート
なんで男ってリアルで会うのに
女の容姿にはうるさいのに
自分はブスでもデブでもハゲでも
じじいでも会ってもらえると
思ってんの？
みんなナルシストなの？
・・・デブでハゲのじじいだから女の容姿は気にしないことにしています。会うのは道で出会ったおばさんだけかな。

インドの退役将軍がテレビ討論会でカシミールのムスリム女性の大量レイプを呼びかけ

カシミールはイスラム教徒が増えてきたんだそうです。それでインドの退役将軍が、イスラム教徒の女性をレイプすればイスラム教徒の数が減らせるとの発想を持ったようですが、生まれた子がどの宗教を選ぶかはそれだけでは決まりませんよね。

発言内容はともかくとして、テレビで放映中のままそういう発言が出て、会場が騒然となる様子が面白いです。

Retired Indian general disgusts audience with calls for mass rape of Muslim women in Kashmir
A former Indian Army major general has ‘gone dark’ after his angry call during a TV debate for “death for death, rape for rape” in Kashmir caused a public outcry among civilians and the military.

A political talk show on the TV9 Bharatvarsh channel was about the exodus of non-Muslim families from Kashmir Valley. Since the 1990s, hundreds of thousands of people were forced to flee, when they were targeted by a Muslim insurgency in a campaign of ethnic cleansing that involved kidnappings, assassinations, rapes, and other crimes.

The on-camera debate descended into a shouting match, and at one point S P Sinha, the retired major general screamed his vision of retaliation: “Death for death, rape for rape,” the Print reported. The plan sounded like one from an age when women were considered to be a man’s property under talionic justice, but would obviously be a war crime if there was a politician crazy enough to implement it today.


Md Asif Khan‏‎‎‎‎‎‎ آصِف @imMAK02

Listen this Ex Army officer Major General SP Sinha.

He said "Balatkar ke badle Balatkar" (rape for rape) as a revenge for Kashmiri Pandit exodus.

He is openly supporting rape of Kashmiri women, such kind of filthy officers are protected under draconian Law like AFSPA.

The remark was rebuked instantly by fellow panelists who demanded an apology, but the retired general stood by his opinion and even found some support from audience members.

A video of the incident has since gone viral, prompting angry reproaches from some Indian veterans. Retired lieutenant general Vinod Bhatia, who served as the director general of military operations, branded Sinha a person who makes “obnoxious statements for momentary fame.” Syed Ata Hasnain, also a retired lieutenant general, called the man a “loose missile”.

The Indian Army distanced itself from the incident, saying that a retired officer was not bound by the military code of conduct the way serving soldiers and officers were. Sinha himself has been unavailable for comment since the inflammatory episode.

英国政府と英軍がイラク、アフガンでの戦争犯罪を隠したと報告書が糾弾

FARSNEWS219/11/17
Report: UK Government, Armed Forces Accused of Covering Up War Crimes in Iraq, Afghanistan
TEHRAN (FNA)- An investigation by the BBC's Panorama programme and the Sunday Times revealed that the government and the armed forces of the UK were involved in covering up torture and the illegal killing of civilians by UK troops in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The probe quoted at least 11 British detectives as saying that they found “credible evidence” of war crimes, with insiders insisting that the UK soldiers should have been prosecuted for the killings.

The detectives were part of the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT) and Operation Northmoor, which investigated alleged war crimes committed by UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, respectively.

These criminal inquiry teams were closed before a single soldier was indicted.

One IHAT detective was cited by BBC Panorama as saying that “the [UK] Ministry of Defence had no intention of prosecuting any soldier of whatever rank he was unless it was absolutely necessary, and they couldn't wriggle their way out of it”.

Another detective claimed that the victims of the UK soldiers’ war crimes had been seriously let down, adding, “I use the word 'disgusting'.”

“And I feel for the families because... they're not getting justice. How can you hold your head up as a British person?” the detective asked.

One of the cases investigated by IHAT pertained to the shooting of Iraqi policeman Raid al-Mosawi by a British soldier on patrol in Basra in 2003. The policeman was shot in an alleyway as he left his family home. Although al-Mosawi later died from his wounds, military prosecutors have never taken anyone to court in connection with the shooting.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD), for its part, insisted that its military operations were carried out in full compliance with the law.

“Investigations and decisions to prosecute are rightly independent from the MoD and have involved external oversight and legal advice,” a MoD spokesperson told the BBC, noting that “after careful consideration of referred cases, the independent Service Prosecuting Authority decided not to prosecute”.

“The BBC's claims have been passed to the Service Police and the Service Prosecuting Authority, who remain open to considering allegations,” the spokesperson added.

The BBC Panorama and the Sunday Times probe come after The Daily Mail reported in mid-May that the UN Committee Against Torture had urged the British government to investigate claims of murder, torture and abuse conducted by UK troops in Iraq.

The panel emphatically voiced the need for an independent public inquiry, strongly urging the UK to “refrain” from bringing in laws granting amnesty to troops who could have been implicated in war crimes.

Members of the UN committee stated there was growing concern over the glaring lack of prosecutions for war crimes, including torture, in the wake of probes by the “discredited” Iraq Historic Allegations Team.

Trump Reportedly Asks Tokyo for $8bln to Keep US Troops in Japan

FARSNEWS2019/11/18
Trump Reportedly Asks Tokyo for $8bln to Keep US Troops in Japan
TEHRAN (FNA)- US President Donald Trump asked Tokyo to quadruple its annual payments for American forces stationed in Japan, as part of his administration’s policy to push Washington’s allies to increase their defense spending.

Citing unnamed current and former US officials, Foreign Policy reported on Saturday that Washington wants Tokyo to increase annual payments for the 54,000 US troops in Japan to around $8 billion from about $2 billion.

The current agreement between Washington and Tokyo expires in March 2021.

According to the report, Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, relayed the message to Tokyo during a visit to the region in July.

A Japanese foreign ministry spokesman stated that the report is incorrect and no negotiations on a new agreement between the US and Japan have taken place.

The report came as US Secretary of Defense, Mark Esper, made the same demand of South Korea during a visit to the country on Friday.

Speaking in the capital, Seoul, Esper also said the two countries have to be flexible with their joint military drills and to support diplomatic efforts to end North Korea’s nuclear program.

“It is crucial that we conclude the (defense pact) ... with increased burden sharing by the Republic of Korea before the end of the year,” he added.

A South Korean lawmaker stated last week that US officials demanded up to $5 billion a year, more than five times what Seoul agreed to pay this past year under a one-year deal.

The Trump administration has long put pressure on Washington’s long-time allies for more military spending.

Trump has also been pressing NATO countries to pay more for their own defense spending.

RT2019/11/19
Worst deal ever? S. Korea fumes as US tries to raise price tag for hosting American troops by FIVE TIMES
A US demand for South Korea to quintuple spending for hosting American troops earned a stiff rebuke from Seoul, to which Washington responded by walking out of “cost-sharing” talks to give Koreans time to “reconsider.”

Some of the US’ closest allies have bowed to pressure and agreed to pay more for the US-provided protection and deterrence, but the price tag is still an issue for Seoul. The US and South Korea found themselves at an impasse when the former demanded that Seoul spend $5 billion each year for hosting 28,500 American personnel on its soil.
If North Korea and Japan went to war, South Koreans would support Kim Jong-un, says new survey READ MORE: If North Korea and Japan went to war, South Koreans would support Kim Jong-un, says new survey

The sum would compensate US troops for their labor, support their families, and fund rotational troop deployment, along with offshore training expenses, according to Yonhap. Previously, Seoul was only asked to pay for its workers hired by US forces, construction activities at American bases, and other minor expenses.

$5 billion is actually five times bigger than one of East Asia’s biggest economies agreed to pay this year. Unsurprisingly, the cost-sharing meeting between American and South Korean negotiators abruptly ended one hour after starting, though it was scheduled to run throughout Tuesday.

South Korea’s chief negotiator Jeong Eun-bo confirmed Seoul and Washington are far apart on the issue, noting there is “a significant difference between the overall proposal from the United States and our position.” Seoul’s foreign ministry was a bit more articulate, signaling that Seoul is unwilling to pay more than it has done “over the last 28 years.”

There’s also a growing irritation at the pressure Washington is piling on Seoul. This Monday, the Korea Times, one of the most-read newspapers, run an angry editorial accusing the Trump administration of putting money before a desire to strengthen ties.

Coming a day after Seoul and Beijing agreed to “foster bilateral exchanges and cooperation in defense,” the piece warned that US-South Korea alliance may fall apart due to “Washington’s blatantly excessive demand for Seoul to cover the cost of the US military presence.”