08 Wild Cards – Page 44 – Public Intelligence Blog

There are signs of mounting discontent in the Saudi princes over the rule of King Salman and the preferences he has given to his favorite son Prince Mohammed bin Salmon( age 30), who is architect of the bloody and floundering Saudi intervention in Yemen and has been named Deputy Crown Prince, making Mohammed, at least technically, second in succession to the Saudi throne and in front of many older and more experienced contenders for the throne.

Continue reading “Chuck Spinney: Saudi Arabia Over the Cliff?”

2015/09/232015/09/21

Berto Jongman: Is Climate Change Australia’s Greatest National Security Issue?

03 Environmental Degradation, 08 Wild Cards

Why climate change is Australia's greatest national security issue

They were given 13 threats or potential threats to consider: adverse global trends and challenges to the international system; terrorism and piracy; instability and failed or failing states; poverty, inequality, and poor governance; serious and organised crime; WMD proliferation; climate change; civil emergencies, including natural disasters and pandemics; state-led threats (such as rising powers and balance of power issues); competition for energy and resources; social cohesion; sovereignty issues (including illegal fishing and illegal entry to Australian waters and airspace) and; cyber threats. They then had to rank them by scale of impact, geographic proximity and urgency in time, and come up with a 1-13 list in order of priority. I don't have the space here to go through the list of outcomes, but the students' calculations based on current intelligence projections indicated that climate change should be our top national security concern.

Continue reading “Berto Jongman: Is Climate Change Australia's Greatest National Security Issue?”

2015/09/182015/09/17

Berto Jongman: The German Card – Secret 1949 US – Germany Deal Subordinates Germany to US Direction

08 Wild Cards, Corruption, Government

Former German intelligence chief: In 1949 West Germany signed up to become United States vassal, NATO contemplated false-flag nuclear attack to ‘cement' deal

In Gerd-Helmut Komossa's book The German Card: The Hidden Game of the Secret Services, he claims Germany has, until now, been controlled by the United States and its allies, and was even viewed as a possible target. . . . The retired General details a secret pact he alleges was signed in 1949 between Germany and the US, and which will be in force for another 90 years. Komossa says the secret agreement means that all political parties in Germany are supervised by a special Washington-based body, that the country's army takes part in all NATO missions at first demand and that all German gold reserves are stored in New York.

2015/09/172015/09/16

Yoda: Syria’s Assad on US Blindness — US Realizing Syria Must Stand? Republican Candidates Blow It…

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 08 Wild Cards

Syria's Assad blasts U.S.' “willful blindness” in fight against ISIS

Assad said the U.S., which has been leading a coalition that is carrying out airstrikes on ISIS militants in Syria and Iraq, refuses to work and coordinate with his government. For the U.S. officials, “if they cooperate with the Syrian army, this is like recognition of our effectiveness in fighting ISIS,” Assad added. “This is part of the willful blindness of the American administration, unfortunately.”

Continue reading “Yoda: Syria's Assad on US Blindness — US Realizing Syria Must Stand? Republican Candidates Blow It…”

2015/09/112015/09/10

Berto Jongman: WWIII Over Syria?

02 China, 04 Inter-State Conflict, 06 Russia, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Wild Cards, 10 Transnational Crime, IO Deeds of War

Alarmist, perhaps, but a useful warning.

Intel Source Warns ‘War Imminent,' US To Blame Russia For ‘First Shot,' And ‘Syria Will Be The Game Changer'

Takes a lot of double-talk, a refusal to report on the history, and the twisting of said history to push the propaganda into Americans minds, so that Russia is being blamed for destabilizing Syria.

Continue reading “Berto Jongman: WWIII Over Syria?”

2015/09/112015/09/09

Berto Jongman: Russian Oil Rules — Saudis Begging for Deal, China Market Central

02 China, 05 Energy, 06 Russia, 08 Wild Cards

Confirmed: Saudi Arabia Offered Russia Oil Alliance and OPEC Membership

Saudis proposed Saudi Arabia and Russia divide the oil market between them. For now Russians stayed cool

Igor Sechin, the powerful head of Rosneft, Russia’s big state oil company, has now confirmed that OPEC – the Saudi dominated oil producers’ cartel – has offered Russia membership. . . . For the moment the Russians are saying no. Possibly the real reason is that the Russians are at present expanding aggressively into the Chinese energy market from which they have just ousted the Saudis as the biggest oil supplier.

2015/09/022015/09/10

Gareth Porter: Framing Iran for Khobar Towers — Who Benefits? Saudi Arabia & Zionist Israel UPDATE 1

04 Inter-State Conflict, 05 Civil War, 07 Other Atrocities, 08 Wild Cards, 09 Terrorism, Corruption, Government, IO Deeds of War, Peace Intelligence

Who Bombed Khobar Towers? Anatomy of a Crooked Terrorism Investigation

The official Khobar Towers investigation led by FBI Director Louis Freeh was precooked to arrive at the outcome that had been politically determined by the White House.
The only evidence of Saudi Shi'a involvement in the bombing was from confessions obtained by torture by Saudi secret police.
The investigation ignored compelling evidence that Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda – not Iran-supported Saudi Hezbollah” – planned and executed the bombing.

UPDATE 1: With Khobar Bomber's Arrest, Saudi Arabia Deals Blow to Iran

Phi Beta Iota: Asked about this, Gareth Porter responded: It doesn't change in the least any of the analysis in my article about the politicized investigation and conclusion by Louis Freeh and the FBI. Will the Saudis now seek to revive their accusations against the Saudi Shi'a in the Khobar Towers bombing? Perhaps so, but it is difficult to see how it would have any more credibility than it did in 1996-2001.

Continue reading “Gareth Porter: Framing Iran for Khobar Towers — Who Benefits? Saudi Arabia & Zionist Israel UPDATE 1”