Monthly Archives: February 2020

2020-02-29: News Headlines

RT (2020-02-29). Europe & US use Russia-Poland discord to their advantage, first post-Cold War Polish leader Walesa tells RT. rt.com Poland and Russia must lay "old ghosts to rest" as the US exploits their bitter strife to its own advantage, former Polish President Lech Walesa — who led the fight against Communist rule — told RT. | Moscow and Warsaw need to bury the hatchet and sort out their troubled shared history as part of an open and honest dialogue instead, Walesa believes, adding that the endless quarrels that have lasted for decades have so far led the two neighbors nowhere. | "We can't change history," the former president told RT. Still, Walesa — whose Solidarity trade union movement led the struggle against the C…

RT (2020-02-29). 'Get out of the way, let us deal with Assad regime', Erdogan says he told Putin regarding Idlib, Syria. rt.com As tensions in Idlib province reach the boiling point, Turkey has asked Russia to let it fight the Syrian government face-to-face, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed. | Erdogan asked Putin "to get out of the way" and let the Turkish troops deal with Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Turkish leader told his AK Party on Saturday. | Erdogan was explaining to lawmakers his government's handling of the escalation in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, where Turkish and Syrian troops have engaged in several clashes over the past weeks. The hostilities have all but ruined Turkey's 2018 agreement with Rus…

RT (2020-02-29). Opposition activists flock to central Moscow to commemorate slain politician Nemtsov and condemn constitution amendments. rt.com Thousands of people are attending marches in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, on Saturday, to commemorate Russia's former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered five years ago in the Russian capital. | The memory of Nemtsov, a veteran politician who became a leading figure in the western-leaning opposition after the turn of the century, is a unifying point for various anti-Kremlin political groupings who are frequently at odds with one another. | Leaders of the march, who have described themselves as "pretty much the entire democratic spectrum" in Russia, expected that as many as 30,000 people would…

Alan MacLeod (2020-02-29). Media Stoop to 'Russian Assistance' to Explain Sanders' Rise. fair.org For over three years, Russia has been an issue of great concern, if not panic, in our media. Back in 2018, FAIR (

RT (2020-02-29). Russia, Turkey reaffirm commitment to deescalate Idlib hostilities — Moscow. rt.com Russian and Turkish diplomats, who held consultations in Ankara on the unfolding crisis in Syria's Idlib province, have reaffirmed their nations' commitments to deescalate the hostilities, the Russian Foreign Ministry said. Both sides also agreed "to continue fighting against terrorist forces as designated by the UN Security Council" and to protect the civilian population, the statement said. | The talks in Ankara have been held amid a major escalation in northwestern Syria, where dozens of Turkish troops have been killed by Syrian forces amid an ongoing counter-terrorism offensive. Ankara demanded the withdra…

RT (2020-02-29). 'We've seen no evidence': Social media networks blow up US officials' claim of 'Russian coronavirus disinformation campaign'. rt.com Social media titans Twitter and Facebook poured cold water on the State Department's latest conspiracy theory, insisting they'd seen no sign "Russian operatives" were spreading falsehoods about Covid-19 on their platforms. | Weighing in after a number of senior State Department officials "In general, our investigation hasn't substantiated this cl…

Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy (2020-02-29). How socialism became un-American through Ad Council's propaganda campaigns. zcomm.org The Cold War ended 30 years ago, but its cultural structures and divisions endure — perhaps, even, in the responses of some Americans to Bernie Sanders' socialism…

WSWS (2020-02-29). War tensions mount in wake of strike on Turkish troops in Syria. wsws.org Russia has sent two cruise missile warships to the Syrian coast as Moscow and Ankara continue to dispute the facts surrounding a strike that killed three dozen Turkish soldiers.

yenisafak (2020-02-29). US senator says Turkey 'doing the right thing' in Idlib. yenisafak.com Turkey is "doing the right thing" as it seeks to thwart a Syrian regime offensive on northwestern Syria, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton said Friday."Russia and the Assad regime are to blame for the humanitarian disaster unfolding in northwest Syria," the lawmaker from Arkansas said on Twitter. "Our NATO ally Turkey is doing the right thing. Putin and Assad must honor their commitments and stop the massacre."Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump "expressed his condolences and condemned yesterday's attack that killed Turkish personnel in Syria" during a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, White House…

yenisafak (2020-02-29). Qatar confirms first case of coronavirus. yenisafak.com Qatar's Health Ministry reported the first case of the novel coronavirus in the country on Saturday.A 36-year old Qatari citizen who returned recently from Iran tested positive for the virus, the ministry said in a statement cited by the official QNA news agency.The ministry said the infected person was among Qatari nationals evacuated on Thursday from Iran, where 43 deaths were reported from the virus.Known as COVID-19, the novel coronavirus has now spread to more than 45 countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.China, where the virus originated, is the worst-hit…

yenisafak (2020-02-29). Turkish operations in Syria spook Hezbollah militias. yenisafak.com Turkey's military operations have inflicted heavy losses on Hezbollah militias in Idlib, northwestern Syria, and their panic is evident in internal communications accessed by Anadolu Agency. | The Iran-backed Hezbollah militias support Assad regime forces against Syria's moderate opposition groups, and have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. | They use WhatsApp groups for coordination and communication, and recent messages show their growing anxiety as Turkish forces make gains to protect Syrian civilians. | In messages seen by Anadolu Agency, the militia members blamed Russia for…

sputniknews (2020-02-29). Moscow, Ankara Intend to Ease Tensions 'On Ground' to Combat Terrorists in Syria. sputniknews.com MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The situation in Idlib escalated after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists launched a large-scale attack on the positions of the Syrian government forces prompting the army to return fire. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the Turkish servicemen, who were not supposed to be in the area, were also shelled.

Staff (2020-02-28). Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis in Idlib as Syrian Troops Advance & Children Freeze to Death. democracynow.org In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out offensive by the Syrian government is the single largest displacement in a nine-year war that has forced 13 million t…

M.K. Bhadrakumar (2020-02-28). A World no longer shaped by Atlantic powers. mronline.org The annual Munich Security Conference that took place February 14-16 this year turned out to be an iconic event, drawing comparison with the one held in the same Bavarian city on February 10, 2007, where in a prophetic speech Russian President Vladimir Putin had criticized the world order characterized by the United States' global hegemony […] |

RT (2020-02-28). Article 5 or 'Oh my gosh'? What will US do after Turkish troops die in Syrian strike. rt.com Turkey has reached out to NATO and the US following the deaths of its troops in Syria's Idlib province, fueling speculation that it might invoke Article 5 and get the alliance involved in a shooting war with Damascus — and Russia.

RT (2020-02-28). 'Taken out of context': Russian senator slams WaPo for drastically cutting his constitutional reform intw in 'provocative' piece. rt.com A Washington Post story about Russia's constitutional reform has drawn the ire of Senator Andrey Klishas, who gave the outlet a lengthy interview but found only few of his lines in the text, which he believes is "provocative." | Klishas, who is a co-chair of the constitutional reform working group, met the Washington Post journalists to discuss the aspects of the impeding reform in every detail. "I gave a big, all-out interview, expecting it to be used in full," Klishas told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. | The senator also added that he hoped "western journalists would get best possible clarifications a…

Paul Antonopoulos (2020-02-28). Washington Ponders Imposing Sanctions on Serbia for Russian Weapon Purchases. globalresearch.ca With Russia delivering another round of the Pantsir S1 anti-missile defense system to Serbia on Tuesday, EU and U.S. officials have reacted. Both Brussels and Washington have sent their warnings to Serbia, with Washington even threatening sanctions against the Balkans …

Thomas Knapp (2020-02-28). Election 2020: Those Meddling Kids … counterpunch.org According to selected members of the "US intelligence community" ("selected" for their loyalty to, and willingness to promote the line of, the Democratic Party establishment) Vladimir Putin and the Russian government just love them some Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Can't get enough of 'em. If November is a Trump/Sanders shoot-out, the Kremlin wins either

Staff (2020-02-28). Children Are Freezing to Death in Syria as Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies. truthout.org In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out…

WSWS (2020-02-28). Turkey bombs Syria after losing dozens of troops to Syrian-Russian airstrike. wsws.org The danger is growing that all-out war could erupt between the NATO alliance and the Syrian government's major international backers, Iran and Russia.

news.un (2020-02-28). Syria: UN urges Russia and Turkey to secure 'fresh ceasefire' as risk of military escalation grows. news.un.org With the Security Council meeting in emergency session on Syria following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops, the UN strongly urged Russia and Turkey on Friday "to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire" across the war-torn northwest.

T.J. Coles (2020-02-28). The Space Force Becomes a Weapons System, Arms Companies Profit. counterpunch.org As the world gets used to what the US military calls "Full Spectrum Dominance," the complex uplinks/downlinks, spurious RADAR returns, cyber glitches, and misinterpretations of big data bring the world closer to its ends, especially as US systems—including possibly nuclear—are orbited or put into the loop of the new Space Force. But the news isn't

Reza Marashi (2020-02-28). Pandemics, Politics, and Peace — Episode 11. iranian.com Episode Description: This week, Reza breaks down Trump's dangerous response to the Corona Virus, why it's bananas for the DC establishment to criticize Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren's call to drawdown US troops in the Middle East, and how Iran nuclear deal opponents have boxed themselves in. Sune Engel Rasmussen, Correspondent for The Wall Street …

M. K. Bhadrakumar (2020-02-28). Turkey, Russia tiptoe toward 'unnecessary war'. iranian.com A military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has erupted in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. Latest reports say that at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday in a Syrian air attack. A Turkish retaliation commenced last night itself. The Syrian airstrike in Idlib took place in an area between the towns Baluon and …

Global Research News (2020-02-28). Selected Articles: Assad's Victory in Syria War? globalresearch.ca A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer" | | | If, like us, this is a …

Juan Cole (2020-02-28). Turkey Mobilizes for War With Syria and Russia as Nearly 3 Dozen Turkish Troops Killed in Airstrike. commondreams.org More refugees from Syria are expected to enter Turkey as a result of the air strike in Syria yesterday that killed nearly 3 dozen Turkish soldiers. (Photo: Getty) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-02-28_at_12.00.02_pm.png

RT (2020-02-27). MSM's insatiable anti-Sanders venom forces them to dig through archives & smear veteran American reporter (because Russia!). rt.com Mainstream outlets are so determined to derail Bernie Sanders' campaign, they've dug up a 2016 interview of his wife with RT's late host Ed Schultz — shot before the "collusion" was a thing — to smear both as Russian stooges. | A clip of the Democratic presidential hopeful's wife Jane Sanders complaining on RT America about the unfairness of closed primaries — in which only registered Democrats can vote for the party's nominee — was trending on Wednesday morning, boosted by smug blue-checks crowing some variation on "I told you so." | Bernie Sanders' wife went on Russian TV to explain wh…

Anne Khodabandeh (2020-02-27). America's Iran Policy Backed Into a Corner By MEK in Albania. iranian.com Since well before President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, the U.S. and Iran have been in a de facto state of non-military warfare with sanctions, economic sabotage, cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and social media attacks the weapons of choice. Both countries have exploited conflict in the region, especially after the rise …

news.un (2020-02-26). UN disarmament chief hopes upcoming conference will address current nuclear challenges. news.un.org With division and distrust rife among countries that possess nuclear arsenals, the UN disarmament chief is hopeful that the issue will be addressed during an upcoming conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

The Iran Project (2020-02-26). JCPOA Members Remain Committed to the Deal: Russian Official. iranian.com The Permanent Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said on Wednesday that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is regarded as an important part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Mikhail Ulyanov made the remarks in tweet about the meeting of the Joint Commission of the …

Aaron Maté (2020-02-25). The Russiagate Racket targets the Bernie Sanders surge. thegrayzone.com With a familiar playbook of evidence-free, anonymously sourced red-baiting, the forces behind Russiagate try to stop Bernie Sanders' primary success….

Aaron Maté (2020-02-23). Russiagate 3.0 drowns out Trump's reckless escalation of US-Russia nuclear arms race. thegrayzone.com Amid new fear-mongering about "Russian interference," former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter on Trump's overlooked, reckless escalation of the US-Russia…

Staff (2020-02-21). Headlines for February 21, 2020. democracynow.org Roger Stone Sentenced to 40-Month Prison Term, Trump Lashed at Intel Chief over Warning of Russian Meddling in 2020 Election, Germany Mourns Victims of Right-Wing Terror Attacks, Suspect Arrested in Stabbing at London Mosque, U.K. to Close Borders to "Unskilled" and Non-English-Speaking Immigrants, Protests Erupt as Acting ICE Director Challenges New York Pro-Immigrant Laws, Mexican Radio Journalist Murdered in Ciudad Juárez, February Flowers Bloom in Moscow Amid Record-High Winter Temperatures, 28 Arrested in Seattle Protesting Chase Bank Fossil Fuel Ties, Rail Blockades Continue as Protests Grow Against Coastal…

Jason Ditz (2020-02-20). Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive. theantimedia.com Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Jason Ditz (2020-02-17). DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate. theantimedia.com The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Strategic Culture (2020-02-08). US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace. theantimedia.com These so-called "mini-nukes" represent—despite the diminutive-sounding name—an increased risk of nuclear war.

Tyler Durden (2020-02-08). Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions. theantimedia.com Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

Middle East Eye (2020-02-07). Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes. theantimedia.com Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Lawrence Wittner (2019-12-22). Americans Are Ready for a Different Approach to Nuclear Weapons. zcomm.org Although today's public protests against nuclear weapons can't compare to the major antinuclear upheavals of past decades, there are clear indications that most Americans reject the Trump administration's nuclear weapons policies. Since entering office in 2017, the Trump administration has withdrawn the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran, scrapped the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces

Jon Rainwater (2019-11-07). Take Action — Some actual, SANE legislation. peaceaction.org Trump has plans to spend nearly $2 TRILLION over the next 30 years on unneeded and unnecessary nuclear weapons and delivery systems. This makes no sense. This is insane. That's nearly $100 million wasted every day for thirty years on weapons we are supposed to be getting rid of. To put that amount in perspective, …

Peace Action (2019-06-25). Peace Action Endorses Ilhan Omar for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 25, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Ilhan Omar for Congress in Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

Peace Action (2019-06-24). Peace Action Endorses Kara Eastman for Congress. peaceaction.org Washington, DC — June 24, 2019 — Peace Action has announced its endorsement of Kara Eastman for Congress in Nebraska's 2nd Congressional District. Peace Action is a national grassroots organization working to advance nuclear disarmament, promote government spending priorities that support human needs, encourage real security through international cooperation and human rights, and support nonmilitary …

2020-02-29: Social Media Postees

Please be social by posting these 'POSTEES' on social media!

Opposition activists flock to central Moscow to commemorate slain politician Nemtsov and condemn constitution amendments
rt.com | 2020-02-29
Thousands of people are attending marches in Moscow and Saint Petersburg, on Saturday, to commemorate Russia's former Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov, who was murdered five years ago in the Russian capital. | The memory of Nemtsov, a veteran politician who became a leading figure in the western-leaning opposition after the turn of the century, is a unifying point for various anti-Kremlin political groupings who are frequently at odds with one another. | Leaders of the march, who have described themselves as "pretty much the entire democratic spectrum" in Russia, expected that as many as 30,000 people would…
rt.com/russia/482009-nemtsov-opposition-protest-moscow/

Media Stoop to 'Russian Assistance' to Explain Sanders' Rise
Alan MacLeod | fair.org | 2020-02-29
For over three years, Russia has been an issue of great concern, if not panic, in our media. Back in 2018, FAIR ( 7/27/18) warned that if Bernie Sanders or another progressive movement picked up steam, corporate media would claim that "any challenge to the establishment is likely a Kremlin-funded astroturf effort." For establishment Democrats, we wrote: Russiagate allows them to ignore calls for change and not scrutinize why they lost to the most unpopular presidential candidate in…
fair.org/home/media-stoop-to-russian-assistance-to-explain-sanders-rise/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=media-stoop-to-russian-assistance-to-explain-sanders-rise

How socialism became un-American through Ad Council's propaganda campaigns
Oana Godeanu-Kenworthy | zcomm.org | 2020-02-29
The Cold War ended 30 years ago, but its cultural structures and divisions endure

'Get out of the way, let us deal with Assad regime', Erdogan says he told Putin regarding Idlib, Syria
rt.com | 2020-02-29
As tensions in Idlib province reach the boiling point, Turkey has asked Russia to let it fight the Syrian government face-to-face, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed. | Erdogan asked Putin "to get out of the way" and let the Turkish troops deal with Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Turkish leader told his AK Party on Saturday. | Erdogan was explaining to lawmakers his government's handling of the escalation in the northwestern Syrian province of Idlib, where Turkish and Syrian troops have engaged in several clashes over the past weeks. The hostilities have all but ruined Turkey's 2018 agreement with Rus…
rt.com/news/482006-erdogan-russia-syria-fighting/

War tensions mount in wake of strike on Turkish troops in Syria
wsws.org | 2020-02-29
Russia has sent two cruise missile warships to the Syrian coast as Moscow and Ankara continue to dispute the facts surrounding a strike that killed three dozen Turkish soldiers.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/29/turk-f29.html

'We've seen no evidence': Social media networks blow up US officials' claim of 'Russian coronavirus disinformation campaign'
rt.com | 2020-02-29
Social media titans Twitter and Facebook poured cold water on the State Department's latest conspiracy theory, insisting they'd seen no sign "Russian operatives" were spreading falsehoods about Covid-19 on their platforms. | Weighing in after a number of senior State Department officials told AFP that thousands of "Russian malign actors" were hawking "disinformation about coronavirus" on social media, two of the largest networks have cast serious doubt on the assertion. | "In general, our investigation hasn't substantiated this cl…
rt.com/news/481983-twitter-facebook-russia-coronavirus/

Europe & US use Russia-Poland discord to their advantage, first post-Cold War Polish leader Walesa tells RT
rt.com | 2020-02-29
Poland and Russia must lay "old ghosts to rest" as the US exploits their bitter strife to its own advantage, former Polish President Lech Walesa

US senator says Turkey 'doing the right thing' in Idlib
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-29
Turkey is "doing the right thing" as it seeks to thwart a Syrian regime offensive on northwestern Syria, U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton said Friday."Russia and the Assad regime are to blame for the humanitarian disaster unfolding in northwest Syria," the lawmaker from Arkansas said on Twitter. "Our NATO ally Turkey is doing the right thing. Putin and Assad must honor their commitments and stop the massacre."Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump "expressed his condolences and condemned yesterday's attack that killed Turkish personnel in Syria" during a telephone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, White House…
yenisafak.com/en/news/us-senator-says-turkey-doing-the-right-thing-in-idlib-3512999

Turkish operations in Syria spook Hezbollah militias
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-29
Turkey's military operations have inflicted heavy losses on Hezbollah militias in Idlib, northwestern Syria, and their panic is evident in internal communications accessed by Anadolu Agency. | The Iran-backed Hezbollah militias support Assad regime forces against Syria's moderate opposition groups, and have been responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent civilians. | They use WhatsApp groups for coordination and communication, and recent messages show their growing anxiety as Turkish forces make gains to protect Syrian civilians. | In messages seen by Anadolu Agency, the militia members blamed Russia for…
yenisafak.com/en/news/turkish-operations-in-syria-spook-hezbollah-militias-3513009

Qatar confirms first case of coronavirus
yenisafak.com | 2020-02-29
Qatar's Health Ministry reported the first case of the novel coronavirus in the country on Saturday.A 36-year old Qatari citizen who returned recently from Iran tested positive for the virus, the ministry said in a statement cited by the official QNA news agency.The ministry said the infected person was among Qatari nationals evacuated on Thursday from Iran, where 43 deaths were reported from the virus.Known as COVID-19, the novel coronavirus has now spread to more than 45 countries worldwide, including the U.S., U.K., Singapore, France, Russia, Spain and India.China, where the virus originated, is the worst-hit…
yenisafak.com/en/world/qatar-confirms-first-case-of-coronavirus-3513011

Moscow, Ankara Intend to Ease Tensions 'On Ground' to Combat Terrorists in Syria
sputniknews.com | 2020-02-29
MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The situation in Idlib escalated after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham terrorists launched a large-scale attack on the positions of the Syrian government forces prompting the army to return fire. According to the Russian Defence Ministry, the Turkish servicemen, who were not supposed to be in the area, were also shelled.
sputniknews.com/middleeast/202002291078437780-moscow-ankara-intend-to-ease-tensions-on-ground-to-combat-terrorists-in-syria/

Catastrophic Humanitarian Crisis in Idlib as Syrian Troops Advance & Children Freeze to Death
Staff | democracynow.org | 2020-02-28
In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out offensive by the Syrian government is the single largest displacement in a nine-year war that has forced 13 million t…
www.democracynow.org/2020/2/28/idlib_syria_assad_turkey_russia

Washington Ponders Imposing Sanctions on Serbia for Russian Weapon Purchases
Paul Antonopoulos | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
With Russia delivering another round of the Pantsir S1 anti-missile defense system to Serbia on Tuesday, EU and U.S. officials have reacted. Both Brussels and Washington have sent their warnings to Serbia, with Washington even threatening sanctions against the Balkans …
globalresearch.ca/washington-ponders-imposing-sanctions-serbia-russian-weapon-purchases/5704976

Election 2020: Those Meddling Kids
Thomas Knapp | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-28
According to selected members of the "US intelligence community" ("selected" for their loyalty to, and willingness to promote the line of, the Democratic Party establishment) Vladimir Putin and the Russian government just love them some Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders. Can't get enough of 'em. If November is a Trump/Sanders shoot-out, the Kremlin wins either…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/28/election-2020-those-meddling-kids/

Turkey Mobilizes for War With Syria and Russia as Nearly 3 Dozen Turkish Troops Killed in Airstrike
Juan Cole | commondreams.org | 2020-02-28
More refugees from Syria are expected to enter Turkey as a result of the air strike in Syria yesterday that killed nearly 3 dozen Turkish soldiers. (Photo: Getty) | www.commondreams.org/sites/default/files/styles/cd_special_coverage/public/views-article/thumbs/screen_shot_2020-02-28_at_12.00.02_pm.png
commondreams.org/views/2020/02/28/turkey-mobilizes-war-syria-and-russia-nearly-3-dozen-turkish-troops-killed-0?cd-origin=rss

A World no longer shaped by Atlantic powers
M.K. Bhadrakumar | mronline.org | 2020-02-28
The annual Munich Security Conference that took place February 14-16 this year turned out to be an iconic event, drawing comparison with the one held in the same Bavarian city on February 10, 2007, where in a prophetic speech Russian President Vladimir Putin had criticized the world order characterized by the United States' global hegemony […] | Source…
mronline.org/2020/02/28/a-world-no-longer-shaped-by-atlantic-powers/

Children Are Freezing to Death in Syria as Humanitarian Crisis Intensifies
Staff | truthout.org | 2020-02-28
In Syria, 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in an airstrike by Russia-backed Syrian forces in rebel-held Idlib in a major escalation on Thursday. Turkey has vowed to respond in kind, as U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres calls for an immediate ceasefire, saying "the risk of even greater escalation grows by the hour." Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reportedly spoke by phone on Friday to discuss the crisis, as NATO urged rapid deescalation. The all-out…
truthout.org/video/children-are-freezing-to-death-in-idlib-as-humanitarian-crisis-intensifies/

Article 5 or 'Oh my gosh'? What will US do after Turkish troops die in Syrian strike
rt.com | 2020-02-28
Turkey has reached out to NATO and the US following the deaths of its troops in Syria's Idlib province, fueling speculation that it might invoke Article 5 and get the alliance involved in a shooting war with Damascus

Turkey bombs Syria after losing dozens of troops to Syrian-Russian airstrike
wsws.org | 2020-02-28
The danger is growing that all-out war could erupt between the NATO alliance and the Syrian government's major international backers, Iran and Russia.
www.wsws.org/en/articles/2020/02/28/turk-f28.html

'Taken out of context': Russian senator slams WaPo for drastically cutting his constitutional reform intw in 'provocative' piece
rt.com | 2020-02-28
A Washington Post story about Russia's constitutional reform has drawn the ire of Senator Andrey Klishas, who gave the outlet a lengthy interview but found only few of his lines in the text, which he believes is "provocative." | Klishas, who is a co-chair of the constitutional reform working group, met the Washington Post journalists to discuss the aspects of the impeding reform in every detail. "I gave a big, all-out interview, expecting it to be used in full," Klishas told the Russian news agency RIA Novosti. | The senator also added that he hoped "western journalists would get best possible clarifications a…
rt.com/news/481968-russia-constitutional-reform-wapo-provocative/

Syria: UN urges Russia and Turkey to secure 'fresh ceasefire' as risk of military escalation grows
news.un.org | 2020-02-28
With the Security Council meeting in emergency session on Syria following the death on the battlefield of dozens of Turkish troops, the UN strongly urged Russia and Turkey on Friday "to build on previous agreements to secure a fresh ceasefire" across the war-torn northwest.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/02/1058361

The Space Force Becomes a Weapons System, Arms Companies Profit
T.J. Coles | counterpunch.org | 2020-02-28
As the world gets used to what the US military calls "Full Spectrum Dominance," the complex uplinks/downlinks, spurious RADAR returns, cyber glitches, and misinterpretations of big data bring the world closer to its ends, especially as US systems–including possibly nuclear–are orbited or put into the loop of the new Space Force. But the news isn't…
counterpunch.org/2020/02/28/the-space-force-becomes-a-weapons-system-arms-companies-profit/

Turkey, Russia tiptoe toward 'unnecessary war'
M. K. Bhadrakumar | iranian.com | 2020-02-28
A military confrontation between Turkey and Syria has erupted in Syria's northwestern province of Idlib. Latest reports say that at least 34 Turkish soldiers were killed on Thursday in a Syrian air attack. A Turkish retaliation commenced last night itself. The Syrian airstrike in Idlib took place in an area between the towns Baluon and …
iranian.com/2020/02/28/turkey-russia-tiptoe-toward-unnecessary-war/

Selected Articles: Assad's Victory in Syria War?
Global Research News | globalresearch.ca | 2020-02-28
A future without independent media leaves us with an upside down reality where according to the corporate media "NATO deserves a Nobel Peace Prize", and where "nuclear weapons and wars make us safer" | | | If, like us, this is a …
globalresearch.ca/selected-articles-are-we-seeing-assad-victory-syria-war/5704994

MSM's insatiable anti-Sanders venom forces them to dig through archives & smear veteran American reporter (because Russia!)
rt.com | 2020-02-27
Mainstream outlets are so determined to derail Bernie Sanders' campaign, they've dug up a 2016 interview of his wife with RT's late host Ed Schultz

Airstrike in Syria's Idlib Kills 33 Turkish Soldiers
telesurenglish.net | 2020-02-27
An air strike – allegedly by Syrian government forces – in Syria's northwestern Idlib region killed 33 Turkish soldiers, the local governor in the southeastern province of Hatay said early on Friday. | RELATED: | Russia to Complete Observation Flight Over Turkey | Rahmi Dogan, the governor of Hatay, the Turkish province bordering Syria's Idlib region, said the soldiers were killed Thursday. | In the meantime, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan chaired an emergency security meeting late on Thu…
telesurenglish.net/news/Airstrike-in-Syrias-Idlib-Kills-33-Turkish-Soldiers-20200227-0023.html

America's Iran Policy Backed Into a Corner By MEK in Albania
Anne Khodabandeh | iranian.com | 2020-02-27
Since well before President Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal in 2018, the U.S. and Iran have been in a de facto state of non-military warfare with sanctions, economic sabotage, cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns and social media attacks the weapons of choice. Both countries have exploited conflict in the region, especially after the rise …
iranian.com/2020/02/27/americas-iran-policy-backed-into-a-corner-by-mek-in-albania/

The Good Die Young
T.P. Wilkinson | dissidentvoice.org | 2020-02-26
Last year was the thirtieth anniversary of the annexation of the German Democratic Republic. It was the seventieth anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of China. Shortly after that annexation in 1989 began and was consummated in 1990, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics was dissolved and the core of that union, the …
dissidentvoice.org/2020/02/the-good-die-young/

UN disarmament chief hopes upcoming conference will address current nuclear challenges
news.un.org | 2020-02-26
With division and distrust rife among countries that possess nuclear arsenals, the UN disarmament chief is hopeful that the issue will be addressed during an upcoming conference on the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
news.un.org/feed/view/en/story/2020/02/1058171

JCPOA Members Remain Committed to the Deal: Russian Official
The Iran Project | iranian.com | 2020-02-26
The Permanent Representative of Russia to International Organizations in Vienna Mikhail Ulyanov said on Wednesday that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is regarded as an important part of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Mikhail Ulyanov made the remarks in tweet about the meeting of the Joint Commission of the …
iranian.com/2020/02/26/jcpoa-members-remain-committed-to-the-deal-russian-official/

The Russiagate Racket targets the Bernie Sanders surge
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-25
With a familiar playbook of evidence-free, anonymously sourced red-baiting, the forces behind Russiagate try to stop Bernie Sanders' primary success….
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/24/the-russiagate-racket-targets-the-bernie-sanders-surge/

Russiagate 3.0 drowns out Trump's reckless escalation of US-Russia nuclear arms race
Aaron Maté | thegrayzone.com | 2020-02-23
Amid new fear-mongering about "Russian interference," former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter on Trump's overlooked, reckless escalation of the US-Russia…
thegrayzone.com/2020/02/23/russiagate-2-0-drowns-out-trumps-reckless-escalation-of-us-russia-nuclear-arms-race/

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-20
Russia called the situation a "worst case scenario."

Turkey Kills Over 50 Syrian Troops, Russian Warplanes Intervene to Halt Offensive

DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director's Role in Russiagate
Jason Ditz | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-17
The Justice Department is investigating the role of John Brennan in the assessment that Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

DOJ Investigating Former CIA Director’s Role in Russiagate

US Deploys 'Mini-Nukes' in Deplorable Threat to World Peace
Strategic Culture | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-08
These so-called "mini-nukes" represent–despite the diminutive-sounding name–an increased risk of nuclear war.

US Deploys ‘Mini-Nukes’ in Deplorable Threat to World Peace

Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions
Tyler Durden | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-08
Iraq and Russia are preparing for deepening military coordination.

Iraq and Russia Prepare to Boost Military Ties as US Threatens Sanctions

Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes
Middle East Eye | theantimedia.com | 2020-02-07
Russia accused Israel of "making a total mockery of the lives of hundreds of innocent civilians."

Russia Says Israel Used Civilian Plane as Human Shield During Syria Strikes