Vladimir Putin

Authored by Pepe Escobar via The Asia Times:

Russia President Vladimir Putin received Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu and Turkish Minister of Defence Hulusi Akar in the Kremlin to discuss economic cooperation issues as well as the Syrian crisis.
In attendance at the meeting was the Head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation Hakan Fidan.
The meeting comes on the heels of a recent report from Russian Television that asserts that the U.S. is positioning weaponry for a bombing-raid to punish Syria for a soon to happen Al Qaeda/White Helmets chemical weapons attacks.

Russian interference in American politics is totally welcome so long as it helps turn public opinion against “multipolar” Putin. (CN Op-ed) — The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union was ostensibly a conflict between two ideologies and two socio-economic systems. All that seems to be over. The day of a new socialism may dawn […]

If Russia were trying to interfere in U.S. domestic politics, it wouldn’t be attempting to change the U.S. system but to prevent it from trying to change Russia’s, argues Diana Johnstone. By Diana Johnstone The Cold War between the United…Read more →

Russia’s Vostok-2018 drills are scheduled to take place in late August and early September, which will involve Russian troops deployed to the Eastern and Central Military Districts, as well as the Northern Fleet.
This year, China will take part in the strategic military drills. The Chinese Defense Ministry said in a statement on Monday…

“In accordance with an agreement reached by China and Russia, the parties will hold joint military drills at the Tsugol training range in Russia’s Trans-Baikal Region on September 11-15.”

John S. McCain III, the senior US senator from Arizona who took a leading role in U.S. foreign policy, is no more. He was 81.
Diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer last summer, the senator’s family had announced just prior to his death that he would discontinue medical treatment.
McCain served as a Republican in the US Senate for over 30 years, taking office in 1987. That followed several years as a representative for Arizona’s 1st district, beginning in 1983.

The calls to cancel the controversial planned pipeline Nord Stream 2 were coming from the US, Ukraine, and various EU member states, but it all fell on deaf ears. Nord Stream 2 is a reality, and no amount of US LNG dreaming appears to be changing this fact.

TV news anchors typically describe Donald Trump’s poll numbers as low. But a 40 percent support figure in August of the second year is actually not so unusual. (Obama’s job approval rate was 44 at this point his first term; Bill Clinton was at 41; Ronald Reagan 42; Jimmy Carter at 41.) It’s not abnormal for a president to have this level of support at this point; the amazing thing is that Trump has been able to maintain it, given his degree of repulsiveness, from his election.

So far, it has seemed like China's New Silk Road initiative has been progressing more or less uniformly. The first freight trains between London […]
The post POTHOLES IN THE NEW SILK ROAD PROJECT appeared first on Giza Death Star.

Via Zerohedge…

A Monday Gallup poll reveals that most Americans feel it is more important for the United States to work towards improving relations with Russia, as opposed to sanctions.
Of those surveyed, 58% say it’s “more important to improve relations with Russia,” while 36% say “strong diplomatic steps against Russia” are a priority.