The Era of The Empire Never Sets

 

 

 

The Era of The Empire Never Sets       Tate Britain said: 'In 21st century Britain, 'Empire' is a highly provocative term. Its histories of war, conquest and slavery can be difficult to address but its legacy is everywhere. Artist and Empire examines the people who helped to create, promote or confront the British Empire in their work. The exhibition reveals how the meanings of these objects have changed through history, and asks what they mean to us today.' The exhibition brings together paintings by artists such as George Stubbs, Anthony Van Dyck, Johan Zoffany, Lady Butler and Thomas Daniell. It also includes Indian miniatures and Maori artefacts. The works, on show from tomorrow, stretch back to the 16th century and move through the years to include the likes of Lambert and Scott's 1731 painting of Bombay harbour and John Montresor's 1766 Plan Of The City Of New York. Tate Britain added: 'The encounters between cultures are also explored, from the East India Company's patronage of Mughal painting during a period of cultural assimilation, through to the long disregard of Aboriginal art, which went hand-in-hand with the denigration of indigenous Australian Cultures.' +7 This is Retribution, painted in 1858 by Edward Armitage. Here an embodiment of Britain is presented frozen in the act of impaling a Bengal tiger, an animal that represented India, with her sword. The painting represents revenge for the 1857 rebellion and was likely to have been conceived as a fresco for the new Town Hall at Leeds, where Armitage was from. Tate Britain said: 'A dome and minaret in the distance set the scene, while the storm-blasted landscape and glowering clouds underpin the theme of vengeance - made all the more poignant by the relics of a torn book and child’s toy that litter the foreground.' The art gallery added: 'Evidence that large numbers of Indians had remained loyal to the East India Company was overlooked amid British enthusiasm for the reprisals' +7 Remnants Of An Army by Lady Butler was painted in 1879. Lady Butler was the most famous battle artist of the 19th century. This was painted during the second Afghan War, where the British were forced to retreat in freezing conditions in the face of mounting Afghan resistance. Numbering around 18,000, they were constantly attacked by Ghilzai tribesmen along the route. This painting shows Dr William Brydon, assistant surgeon in the Bengal Army, arriving alone at the gates of the British garrison at Jellalabad - the sole survivor. Tate Britain said: 'Silhouetted against a stark landscape ringed by mountains in the distance, Butler’s simple but effective image succeeded in her aim of creating a "poetical" work that had the power to draw tears from her audience'. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1879 +7 The Last Stand at Isandlhula by Charles Edwin Fripp. It depicts one of the worst defeats ever inflicted on the British Army by an indigenous force. In 1879 a garrison of 1,750 men was routed in a surprise attack in Zululand in South Africa by an army of around 25,000 Zulus. Employing a traditional tactic of encirclement known as the izimpondo zankomo (‘horns of the buffalo’), the Zulus breached the British defences and destroyed the camp. Tate Britain said: 'Under the towering presence of the mountain, the picture depicts a cohort of red-uniformed soldiers holding their ground in a square formation against vast numbers of Zulu warriors who can be seen swarming among the tents and wagons in the distance. Despite the desperation of their predicament, the raised regimental colours and sharp protruding Martini-Henry guns convey the idea of heroic resistance'     Rudolf Swoboda's Bakshiram (left), painted in 1886, was commissioned by Queen Victoria and depicts a 102-year-old potter invited to Windsor for lunch with the monarch. The painting on the right is a portrait by Augustus John of Colonel T E Lawrence, better known as Lawrence of Arabia, who composed it in 1919. He would sometimes wear Arab dress to express solidarity with the Arabian cause. Tate Britain said: 'His reputation as one of the great cross-dressers of the twentieth century owes much to the circulation of his image in Arab dress in photography, painting and sculpture, which established his identity as Lawrence of Arabia +7 A Cheetah and a Stag with Two Indian Attendants by George Stubbs, painted in 1764. Stubbs was Stubbs was the artist employed to record animals brought back from the colonies. This cheetah was presented to George II by Sir George Pigot in 1764 on his return from his first spell as Governor-General of Madras. Tate Britain said: 'While the cheetah must have been painted from the ‘living animal’3 and the Lascars are portraits, the stag is an unconvincing hybrid with the three-pronged antlers of an Indian sambar and the body of a British red deer'. It's likely that the painting was intended to 'evoke princely sport in India' +7 This picture by an unknown Delhi artist might be seen as 'propaganda to gloss over past tensions between the Scindia dynasty and the British East India Company'. The Scindia (or Sindhia) dynasty, based from the late eighteenth century in Gwalior, ruled part of the larger Maratha confederation, Tate Britain said, pointing out that in 1818 the Scindias became clients of the British. The picture shows a British military officer - probably a light cavalryman - and naval colleague being entertained by a dance         The King versus the Kaiser: Royal rift that meant George V and Tsar Nicholas lined up against their German cousin in World War I The Tsar and his royal cousin George V first met as children Both found their cousin Kaiser Wilhelm II difficult - as did Edward VII The Kaiser, meanwhile, had a troubled relationship with his English mother The Danish mothers of George V and Tsar Nicholas loathed Germany When war broke out in 1914, the cousins were pitted against each other The First World War saw millions of men separated from their families and sent to the front line but very few were pitted against their relations. For the royal family, however, World War I truly was a family affair. A new documentary has revealed how the roots of the Great War lay partly in the tangled web of Royal family relationships - in particular that of the British-hating Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany and his cousins, George V and Tsar Nicholas of Russia. Best of enemies: Kaiser Wilhelm II (L) and King Edward VII loathed each other despite being nephew and uncle Wilhelm, the eldest of the three and with a 'withered arm' - the result of a traumatic birth, was notoriously difficult and had a strained relationship with his English mother, Victoria - 'Vicky'. A BBC documentary, Royal Cousins at War, tells how the young Wilhelm's hatred of his parents, and all things Biritsh, in part brought about the beginning of the First World War. Vicky was only 17 when she married Prussia’s dashing Crown Prince Friedrich, known as Fritz, in 1858. It was a passionate love match that also fulfilled the dynastic dreams of her German father Prince Albert. After becoming pregnant only three months later, she underwent a traumatic breech delivery. A Caesarean – too dangerous at the time – was out of the question and the future Kaiser Wilhelm II had to be wrenched forcefully into the world. Three days later, a nursemaid noticed that his damaged left arm hung limply at his side - much to his mother's horror. 'It cuts me to the heart when I see all other children with the use of all their limbs and that mine is denied that,' she wrote in an anguished letter to her mother. 'The thought of him remaining a cripple haunts me. I long to have a child where everything is perfect about it just like everybody else.' Family feud: George V (pictured front centre) was no more keen on Kaiser Wilhelm than his father had been       Mothers: Princess Victoria, mother of Kaiser Wilhelm (L) and Tsarina Dagmar and Queen Alexandra (R) 'This is the story of a proud mother who reacts really badly to her son's handicap,' explains Dr Karina Urbach of the University of London. 'She tries to love him and tries to be a good mother but at the end of the day, she looks at him and sees a failure.' By contrast, Wilhelm's cousins, the future Tsar Nicholas and George V, were adored by their mothers, Alexandra and Dagmar - a pair of Danish royal sisters who married into two of Europe's most powerful dynasties. Theirs was a shared childhood with summers spent enjoying family breaks in Denmark at the home of their grandfather, Christian IX. Both were taught to mistrust the Prussians - later Germans - by their mothers, furious at Germany's annexation of Schleswig-Holstein, formerly a Danish possession, in 1864. Both were also in awe of their fathers, Edward VII and Tsar Alexander III, and became fast friends as a result.       Childhood: Tsar Nicholas II and George V met during family holidays in Denmark and remained close friends Firm friends: Tsar Nicholas II and King George V were cousins and close friends thanks to their mothers Alexandra, pictured with Edward VII and their son Albert, hated Germany after its conquest of parts of Denmark Peacemaker: Queen Victoria, pictured with Kaiser Wilhelm, his mother and Edward VII kept the family united Wilhelm, however, proved less than popular with his British and Russian extended family; not least because of the treatment he meted out to his mother. As a teenager, he wrote strange  - almost sexually charged - letters to his mother Princess Victoria in which he described dreams of kissing her hands and caressing her. 'Promise to do to me as I did in my dream to you. I love you so much,' the future German monarch wrote in one epistle. But when she replied speaking only of art and politics, the already tortured relationship continued to worsen. And when his father died in March 1888, his behaviour towards his mother was so shocking, it damaged relations with his uncle Edward VII forever. Upon becoming Kaiser, Wilhelm's first act was to have troops to surround the palace where his father died on the pretext of searching for for papers relating to his father's reign. But his ire was really directed at his mother, as her furious brother was only too well aware. At odds: In contrast to his close relationship with George V, Nicholas II found Kaiser Wilhelm difficult       Troubled: Kaiser Wilhelm (pictured aged 4 at Balmoral and later in Berlin) had an unhappy childhood Not close: Although related twice over, Tsar Nicholas II and Kaiser Wilhelm were not close friends In a letter written to his sister Victoria shortly after her husband's death, Edward wrote: 'His conduct towards you is simply revolting. His manners are not those of a gentleman.' But the family feuding came at a price: as relationships between the royal cousins waxed and waned, so did the relationships between their countries. Aware of the dangerous possibilities, one woman did attempt to broker peace: Queen Victoria, the family matriarch. Respected and listened to by all, even by her notoriously unstable grandson Wilhelm, the British Empress played peacemaker and ensured her family - and their respective nations - maintained good relationships. Family: Like George V, Nicholas II was devoted to his wife, a favourite grandchild of Queen Victoria         Tragedy: George V and Nicholas II remained close after their respective enthronements and until the end Wilhelm, in particular, adored her. But it couldn't last. In 1901, when it became clear she was dying, the Kaiser rushed to be with her. When she died, it was in his arms and he helped to lay out her body. At her funeral, he rode behind her casket alongside his uncle Edward VII. But with Victoria gone, peace between the Russian, British and German branches of the family dissipated and Europe edged closer to war: George V and Tsar Nicholas on one side, and their estranged cousin, Wilhelm, on the other.

Inside Queen Victoria's family   Intimate snaps of the monarch's husband and children among 200 images to appear in new exhibition New exhibition includes 200 rare images from the Royal Archive Queen Victoria amassed more than 20,000 photos during her life Many are intimate family portraits, some featuring the Queen herself Others document significant events such as the Crimean War From the invention of the telephone to the bicycle and even the steam ship, the Victorian period saw a mini revolution in the field of science and technology. But of all the new gadgets invented during her reign, it was the camera that delighted Queen Victoria the most. By the time she died in 1901, the UK's first modern monarch had amassed a huge collection of more than 20,000 images that included everything from favourite landscapes to early war photography and touching snaps of pets, friends and children. Family portrait: Queen Victoria and five of her children in an intimate snap taken by Roger Fenton in 1854 The Royal Family at home: An 1857 portrait of the Royal Family taken by Leonida Caldesi in 1857 Now some of the rarely seen photos from her archive are to be included in a fascinating new exhibition that documents Queen Victoria's passion for photography and offers a glimpse of the Royals' family photo album. Although most of the photos remain in the Windsor Castle archive, 200 royal photos will appear at the Getty Center in Los Angeles, including many by early greats such as Roger Fenton,  Leonida Caldesi and William Edward Kilburn. Among them is a touching family portrait featuring Queen Victoria and five of her nine children; the Princess Royal, the Prince of Wales, Princess Alice, Princess Helena and Prince Alfred, taken in January 1852. More show the Queen relaxing at Balmoral, spending time with her husband, Prince Albert, or posing for formal portraits during her widowhood. Carefree childhood: Princesses Helena and Louise pictured playing in the garden by Roger Fenton in 1856   A Queen remembered: Victoria with Prince Albert in 1841 (left) and the Diamond Jubilee portrait of 1893 Not amused: Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught seems less than thrilled to be starring in this Caldesi photo Other members of the Royal family also appear, among them Prince Arthur, Duke of Connaught, Queen Victoria's seventh child, and her consort, Prince Albert, both of whom appear in official photos. Another, more intimate snap shows Princesses Helena and Louise in matching tartan ensembles in the garden at Balmoral during a summer jaunt. But although family photos dominate, the Queen's interest in photography wasn't limited to pictures of her husband and children. Photos of some of the Royal palaces, among them Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace, appear as do snaps documenting some of the most important events of the Victorian period. One, by William Henry Fox Talbot, shows Nelson's Column under construction in Trafalgar Square in 1844, while another chronicles the launch of the pioneering steamship, the Great Eastern, under the watchful eye of its designer Isambard Kingdom Brunel. Favourite palace: This photo, dating from the 1880s, shows the Round Tower at Windsor Castle Pioneer: This shot of Nelson's Column was taken by William Henry Fox Talbot, the inventor of the camera Poignantly, another, snapped by court favourite Roger Fenton, shows the aftermath of the Charge of the Light Brigade during the Crimean War. Considered one of the first war photographers, Fenton travelled to the Crimea under the patronage of Prince Albert and returned with 350 images, among them harrowing shots showing the carnage created by the Siege of Sevastopol and the Battle of Balaclava. His famous photo, The Valley of Death, depicting the spot where the Light Brigade met its end is part of Victoria's collection, along with others documenting events such as the Indian Mutiny from around the Empire. Although a keen collector, Queen Victoria never took any photographs of her own, although her children all embraced the medium. But although she chose not to get involved in creating her own images, her penchant for collecting photos, as the new exhibition makes plain, helped preserve some of the most striking depictions of the Victorian period for future generations to enjoy. A Royal Passion: Queen Victoria and Photography opens at the Getty Center in Los Angeles on 4th February. See getty.edu for more information Innovation: Isambard Kingdom Brunel watching the launch of the steamship, Great Eastern, in 1857 Valley of the Shadow of Death: The cannonball littered aftermath of the Charge of the Light Brigade, 1855 ROGER FENTON: THE WORLD'S FIRST WAR PHOTOGRAPHER From the Siege of Sevastopol to the Charge of the Light Brigade, Roger Fenton's striking shots taken in the Crimea are among the first war photographs ever taken. So who was the world's first war photographer? Born into a wealthy Lancashire family, Fenton was the fourth of seven children. He graduated with a degree in English, maths, Greek and Latin from Oxford University in 1840 and planned to study law before giving it up in favour of fine art. After stints in Paris, in the studio of Paul Delaroche and at the Louvre, he returned to London just in time for the Great Exhibition of 1851 where he discovered photography. Taught by early pioneer, Gustave Le Grey, within a year, Fenton was exhibiting his work nationwide and across Europe, and in 1853, helped found what would become the Royal Photographic Society under the patronage of Prince Albert. But it wasn't until war broke out in October 1853 between the British, Ottoman and French Empires on one side, and the Russian Empire on the other, that the photos that would define him in later years were taken. Encouraged by Prince Albert, he travelled to the Crimea, ostensibly to create photographs that would swing public opinion in favour of the unpopular war and counteract the critical reports being sent home by The Times' William Howard Russell. Based in the Crimea for just under 18 months, the 350 images he took are among the most enduring portraits of the Crimean War but did little to counter the negative public reaction. Much to his annoyance, when they went on sale following his return, the prints proved just as unpopular as the war itself with the paying public. His later career was spent travelling the length and breadth of the UK, creating stunning landscape photographs that proved far more commercially successful. In 1859, at his home in Potter's Bar in Hertfordshire, Fenton died after a week-long illness. He was just 50 years old.

COL. ROBERT BOWMAN CALLS FOR ARREST OF BUSH, 9/11 INVESTIGATION

 

 

COL. ROBERT BOWMAN CALLS FOR ARREST OF BUSH, 9/11 INVESTIGATION   COLONEL ROBERT BOWMAN: "ARREST BUSH..." DEFINES PATRIOTISM AND DUTY FOR VETERANS, “TRUTH AND HONOR”   In the video below, Colonel Bowman, an Air Force combat pilot and Vietnam veteran cuts through “the bull.”  The video is 14 minutes.  At least 6 of them are gold.  Bowman tells us how the mess we have was planned, who did it and how to fix it. Bowman talks facts.  Some people don’t like facts.  Some people don’t like truth.  Some people don’t have honor. Without courage, without facts, without truth and without action, anyone who believes themselves an American patriot is very much the opposite. As Bush would say, either one, “you are with us or agin’ us.” Something you might want to do, write down the things that Bowman is saying, the things you believe in.  Then go to your own organization, the NRA or GOP or Democratic Party or American Legion.  Go the the folks at your lodge or country club. See what they think.  See if you, just maybe, have been with the wrong kind of people, the wrong kind of Americans, if you can call them that. Go to your church or synagogue or may be mosque and ask around.  See if the people there, your clerics or fellow worshipers are decent Americans.  Yes, I am using the word “decent.”  For folks who belong to that “special” group that supports the restoration of the constitution, but found the candidates they voted for now working for the Koch brothers and Wall Street, ask them what they plan to do about it. See how many groups that love to talk “patriotism” not only do nothing about it but are going the wrong way 300 miles an hour. We lost America, our government was stolen from us.  This is no longer our country.  This is no longer our government.  Our police, our military and our courts, with all the courageous and honorable men and women who serve us, have become nothing but criminal organizations.  Our armies work for oil companies, banks and that “special” country that doesn’t get along with the rest of the world very well. Our police are little more than collection agents for the gangsters who run our economy. Our courts, we have always known, help the powerful keep their boot on our necks. Our government?  Every day we learn more, legislators bought and traded like baseball cards.  We recently learned that members of our government are receiving stem cell treatments, anti-aging, sexual enhancement and more from Israel. Bowman tells the truth.  If you don’t like it, you know what you can do. So much for my attempt at unbiased journalism for today. By “Tommy” Introduction/Challenge to ‘Debunkers’: It’s time for ‘debunkers’ to showcase their years of hard work. I’m looking for a concise and agreed-upon explanation for each of the following items so that we might forever put to rest these ‘nonsense conspiracy theories’ about 9/11. Ideally, I’m hoping for a 1-4 sentence long, simplified explanation for each of these listed circumstances, explaining how they fit into the widely-accepted narrative. If any of these conditions were not present as alleged, or if you find them to be irrelevant, just explain a more accurate interpretation of the corresponding data. Choose any number or set of numbers from the following list. For each point, write what you believe to be the official stance relative to the mainstream “Arab terrorist” narrative. Consistency and consensus is what we’re looking for. The goal of this article is to have each of these points adequately addressed in order to demonstrate, for any future “truthers”, that there is a reasonable explanation for these circumstances that was simply overlooked by the 9/11 Truth movement. Eventually, I would like to be able to construct a full outline of the ‘debunker’ consensus on these most-relevant aspects of 9/11. Some of the points, below, may seem familiar.  Special thanks to Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth (VIDEO) and all of the honest institutions and individuals who have made this article possible. Regarding WTC7: 1. Rapid onset of collapse 2. Sounds of explosions at ground floor reported immediately before the building’s destruction 3. Symmetrical “structural failure” – through the path of greatest resistance – at free-fall acceleration 4. Imploded, collapsing completely, and landed in its own footprint 5. Massive volume of expanding pyroclastic-like clouds 6. Expert corroboration from the top European controlled demolition professional (referring to the evidently bias-free testimony of the late Danny Jowenko) 7. Foreknowledge of “collapse” by media, NYPD, FDNY (particularly the numerous media announcements of the WTC7 collapse more than 20 minutes prior to its occurrence) 8. FEMA finds rapid oxidation and intergranular melting on structural steel samples 9. Several tons of molten metal reported by numerous highly qualified witnesses 10. Very few visible fire deformations prior to complete collapse of WTC7 11. No evidence of fire temperatures capable of softening steel 12. High-rise buildings with much larger, hotter, and longer lasting fires have never collapsed (One Meridian Plaza, First Interstate Bank) Regarding the Twin Towers: 13. Destruction proceeds through the path of greatest resistance at nearly free-fall acceleration 14. Improbable symmetry of debris distribution 15. Extremely rapid onset of destruction 16. Over 100 first responders reported explosions and flashes offset from actual collapse 17. Multi-ton steel sections ejected laterally 18. Mid-air pulverization of 90,000 tons of concrete & metal decking 19. Massive volume of expanding pyroclastic-like clouds 20. 1200-foot-diameter debris field: no “pancaked” floors found 21. Isolated explosive ejections 20–40 stories below demolition front 22. Total building destruction: dismemberment of steel frame 23. Several tons of molten metal found under both high-rises 24. Evidence of explosives found in steel and dust samples 25. Prominent figures including the head structural engineer for the WTC stated that the Twin Towers were over-engineered and more than capable of withstanding the resulting fires and impact of a large jetliner Regarding Flight 77: 26. Hundreds of highly-trained pilots have contended that Hani Hanjour’s training as a pilot would have made him essentially incapable of his alleged flight path into the Pentagon 27. According to the FAA memo of May 21, 2003 and other statements from relevant authorities, the US military had plenty of time and resources to have defended an incoming attack on the Pentagon Regarding Flight 93: 28. According to several eyewitnesses, human remains were virtually non-existent at the crash site – private investigators were not permitted and no independent source has identified the remains of any passenger 29. Cell-phones were purported to have been in-use on Flight 93 with altitudes and conditions that would have made this nearly impossible Regarding legitimacy of the 9/11 Truth movement: 30. At least 220 senior military, intelligence, law enforcement, and government officials (link) have been willing to compromise their reputation to demand a new investigation 31. Hundreds of retired or active military in the United States have signed a petition for the truth movement; at least thousands more are keeping silent 32. The expertise of nearly 2,000 qualified architects and engineers (link) have led them to express serious doubts about the official narrative surrounding WTC collapses; they are now demanding a new investigation after reviewing the compelling evidence for controlled-demolition 33. Professional pilots with a combined flight experience of more than 200,000 hours, as well as thousands of medical professionals, scientists, firefighters, lawyers, political leaders, scholars, and family members of victims are among those demanding another investigation 34. Approximately 30% of Americans, overall, have expressed doubts of the official Arab-terrorist conspiracy theory after being introduced to evidence presented by advocates of the 9/11 Truth movement 35. Support for 9/11 Truth has been increasing steadily over the years which suggests that propagated media themes and confirmation bias are being gradually overcome by grassroots campaigns for an honest approach 36. Trends in the recent rise of genuine skepticism and secular thought throughout Western society are similar to 9/11 Truth in that both are oppressed by authoritarian entities and social dogma

Bush planned, executed 9/11’ A woman takes a moment to mourn lost relatives at the memorial site of the now destroyed World Trade Center, New York, the US, September 11, 2013. By Gordon Duff and Press TV Related Interviews: Israel lobby ‘controls US politics’ ‘Israel provoking US to strike Syria’ Recent revelations published on the Press TV website, the New York Post and Veterans Today have changed history. The story was simple, two American congressional representatives were allowed to read the Congressional 9/11 Investigation Report, this time including the areas President Bush had ordered removed. Both congressmen clearly state that the redacted pages of the report place full responsibility for the planning and execution of 9/11 on one or more foreign intelligence agencies, not “terrorists.” What is also clear is that President Bush’s personal role in covering this up protected the real perpetrators of 9/11 and pushed the US into, not just two insane wars but draconian moves against America’s government. The NSA and the Bush 9/11 coup Nine eleven was a coup against the constitution. Additional reports released this week make clear some of the reasons Bush lied to the American people, to congress, our military and our allies, “Obama’s Director for National Intelligence, James Clapper, has declassified new documents that reveal how the NSA was first given the green light to start collecting bulk communication data in the hunt for Al-Qaeda terrorists after 9/11. President Barack Obama’s administration has for the first time publicly confirmed ‘the existence of collection activities authorized by President George W. Bush,’ such as bulk amounts of Internet and phone metadata, as part of the ‘Terrorist Surveillance Program’ (TSP). The disclosures are part of Washington’s campaign to justify the NSA’s surveillance activities, following massive leaks to the media about the classified programs by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. Clapper explained on Saturday that President George W. Bush first authorized the spying in October 2001, just weeks after the September 11 attacks.” We can prove Bush was fully criminally culpable in covering the tracks of those responsible for 9/11. AIPAC through Bandar and bush “under a bus” More frighteningly, the articles published this week in Rupert Murdoch’s New York Daily News, written by Hoover Institute fellow and AIPAC member, Paul Sperry, now not only blame Prince Bandar of Saudi Arabia as the 9/11 mastermind but tie Bush (43) in as well. In fact, the entire AIPAC apparatus, the largest lobbying organization in Washington, is currently engaged in a “full court press,” to stop congress from pushing for the release of the real report. Is this because the real report accuses Israel, not Saudi Arabia, and AIPAC wants the Murdoch/Sperry story to stand? Bin Laden myth “crashes down” The real report, called “shocking” by the legislators, who have called for President Obama to declassify the entire report, proves that there was no al-Qaeda involvement, no reason to invade Afghanistan or Iraq and no reason to hunt CIA operative, Colonel Tim Osman, also known as “Osama bin Laden.” In fact, Ambassador Lee Wanta, a former White House Intelligence Chief and Inspector General of the Department of Defense under Reagan, has cited meetings between key government officials and “bin Laden” that he attended, meetings held in both Los Angeles and Washington DC while the US was supposedly hunting him. From Wanta, who was present during these meetings, “In early 1990, bin Laden, suffering from advanced kidney disease, was flown to an American facility in the Persian Gulf. From there, bin Laden flew to Los Angeles, landing in the Ontario airport, met by Albert Hakim, representing President Bush (41), Ollie North (free on appeal bond), Admiral William Dickie, attorney Glenn Peglau and General Jack Singlaub, one of the founders of the CIA. Hakim was the personal representative of President Bush and in overall charge of the project. ‘Bud’ McFarlane, an Iran-Contra figure pardoned by President Bush in 1992, was also a part of the group. Bin Laden then left Los Angeles for Washington DC. There he stayed in the Mayflower Hotel. Meetings were held at the Metropolitan Club in Washington. Attorney Glenn Peglau stayed at the Metropolitan. While there, Peglau’s room was broken into and “items” removed. At no point is there record, classified or public, that this ‘working group’ was ever dissolved nor is there any record that Osama bin Laden’s status as a security operative working for the US government ever ended. In 2001, Osama bin Laden’s last public statement denied any involvement in the 9/11 attacks. There are no classified documents tying bin Laden to 9/11 or citing him to be a ‘rogue CIA operative.’” Which 9/11 is real? In 2007, the FBI flew a team to Bangkok to interview former Soviet nuclear intelligence specialist Dimitri Khalezov. Khalezov told the FBI that, in the morning of September 12, 2001, he attended a breakfast gathering with Mossad Operations Chief Mike Harari and his son along with other Israeli operatives. Khalezov reported to the FBI that this gathering was to celebrate the 9/11 attacks, not as Netanyahu had said, as a “fortunate happenstance for Israel” but as a Mossad attack on the United States. At that meeting, Harari also claimed credit for a role in the Oklahoma City bombing. According to Khalezov, Harari was courting him to join their group for an upcoming operation, a bombing attack on Bali, scheduled for 2002. On October 12, 2002, a huge explosive device devastated nearly a square mile killing 202 people. An Islamic group was blamed, just as with not just 9/11 but, initially, Oklahoma City as well. Khalezov told FBI agents that Harari claimed nuclear weapons were used to bring down the twin towers on 9/11. Harari also said he got a “cruise type” missile, a Soviet “Granit” for the Pentagon attack, purchased through Victor Bout, the “Lord of War” played by Nicholas Cage in the film of the same name. Bout, residing in Bangkok with Harari and Khalezov, was extradited to the United States based on a highly classified indictment accusing him of supplying the guided missile used to attack the Pentagon on 9/11. Bout was arrested in Bangkok in 2008, not long after the FBI visit. He was officially convicted of supplying arms to rebels in Colombia, an activity Bout had long been engaged in on behalf of the CIA, his arms dealing partners for many years. Leaks Thus far, the initial report to congress on the Bush falsification does not qualify as a leak. Only Bush stands accused, the 9/11 perpetrators are still safe, their identities still protected by security protocols maintained by President Obama, despite congressional demands. “Claimed” leaks reported by Sperry in the Washington Post blame Bandar and Saudi Intelligence for 9/11. Sperry cites the CIA as a source but, quite suspiciously, seems to be attempting to deflect the possible fallout against Israel when or if then real report is made public. The Sperry story, coordinated with AIPAC’s moves to quell congress’s demand to declassify the report may well be an indication that Israeli intelligence, as Khalezov indicates, worked with Bush to plan and execute 9/11. From the Press TV article: “This week, Congressional representatives Stephen Lynch (D-MA) and Walter Jones (R-NC) have officially requested a congressional resolution demanding President Obama declassify the heavily redacted Congressional Investigative Report on 9/11. The two representatives had just been given authority under penalty of ‘national security secrecy’ to read the censored 28 pages of the 800-page report that had not been seen. What has been made clear is that President Bush was fully aware that neither Afghanistan nor Iraq were involved in 9/11 and that military action against those two nations was done to cover involvement of his administration in 9/11, involvement that included support from foreign intelligence agencies. The representatives, while reviewing the report, came to the portion titled ‘Specific Sources of Foreign Support.’ A 28-page section here had been ‘butchered’ by the White House on the personal orders of President Bush. On the original report given to Congress, an estimated 5-10,000 words were omitted from this section with page after page of dotted lines replacing text.” This is only the most recent of revelations that AIPAC has managed to suppress through pressuring congress and its powerful assets in the press. What is increasingly clear is that many of AIPAC’s allies in Washington had access to the non-redacted report. An entire administration, leaders in congress and the Pentagon, the CIA, NSA and a dozen other organizations, all knew what was in the congressional report. They all lied to the 9/11 Commission. They all ordered measures to suppress freedom at home and to butcher hundreds of thousands around the world, kidnap and torture thousand more, all based on lies. Countries were virtually wiped off the map on a whim. Often we hear it asked, “How could thousands be involved in a conspiracy so heinous?” We now stand ready to answer. The time has come to ask. CIA officer John Kiriakou imprisoned to protect 9/11 cover-up Former CIA Case Officer John Kiriakou is being railroaded to protect a National Security Secret: Who really did 9/11 and why by  Kevin Barrett Former CIA Case Officer John C. Kiriakou is facing 30 months in the federal pen. According to the New York Times, Kiriakou’s crime was passing the identity of an undercover CIA officer to a journalist. But a quick peek behind the scenes reveals the real reason Kiriakou is being crucified: He revealed information about CIA officials involved in torturing innocent 9/11 patsy Khalid Sheik Mohammed (KSM) into endorsing a pre-scripted false confession. Kiriakou is being railroaded to send a message to the intelligence community: Don’t mess with 9/11 torture, the framing of patsies, and the forced confessions! As VT readers know, the intelligence community leaks “classified” information like a proverbial sieve. (As it should – almost all “classified” information ought to be made public.) Of the tens of thousands of leaks that occur each year, only a tiny fraction are ever punished, legally or extra-legally. So when a former CIA Case Officer is sent to prison for a relatively innocuous leak, we must ask why was this  guy singled out? Kiriakou’s “leak” was about as innocuous as it gets. Scott Shane, a New York Times journalist working on CIA torture stories, asked for names of those who knew something about the waterboarding of KSM and Abu Zubaydah, the mentally retarded “al-Qaeda kingpin” who was tortured into naming KSM. Kiriakou, like all honest intelligence community folks, was presumably dismayed that those who tortured the false confessions out of KSM later destroyed all of the tapes and notes detailing the torture sessions, and then lied through their teeth about what had happened. So he gave Shane the business card of Deuce Martinez, a former undercover CIA agent who was involved in the frame-up of al-Qaeda’s Retard-in-Chief Abu Zubaydah and innocent 9/11 patsy KSM. Scott Shane Shane is baffled by the government’s contention that mentioning Martinez’s name constituted a security breach: Mr. Martinez, an analyst by training, was retired and had never served under cover; that is, he had never posed as a diplomat or a businessman while overseas. He had placed his home address, his personal e-mail address, his job as an intelligence officer and other personal details on a public Web site for the use of students at his alma mater. Abu Zubaydah had been captured six years earlier, Mr. Mohammed five years earlier; their stories were far from secret. The government claims that despite Martinez’s CIA role being public knowledge, Kiriakou’s “crime” was revealing that Martinez had been involved in the Abu Zubayda and KSM frame-ups. THAT was classified. Anyone who helps the American public understand what really happened during the torture sessions that elicited false confessions from Abu Zubaydah and KSM is a threat to National Security. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed – Before his Capture Kiriakou apparently also gave another journalist another name of a CIA officer involved in the “let’s frame Abu Zubaydah and KSM” torture sessions. So the government railroaded Kiriakou to send a message: Open your mouth about the torture sessions that framed the innocent 9/11 patsies, offer any names or information that could lead to the truth coming out, and you’ll be sent up the river. This information is still extremely sensitive. The ludicrous “19 hijackers” story breathlessly recounted in the 9/11 Commission Report is sourced almost entirely to non-verifiable, anonymous second-hand accounts of what KSM allegedly said while he was being subjected to long-term, excruciating torture. The Commissioners were offered no access to KSM, nor were they given any recordings or transcripts of the torture sessions and alleged confessions. The entire 9/11 Commission Report, pre-written in outline form by 9/11-scriptwriter suspect Philip Zelikow before the Commission had even convened, is supposedly based on these anonymous, second-hand reports of what KSM said under long-term torture. The most likely explanation: Zelikow wrote the 9/11 script, and KSM was tortured into reciting lines written by Zelikow – lines that support the fantasy “19 hijackers” narrative. As I recently explained to 9/11 cover-up criminal Daniel Pipes on Press TV, the upshot of all this is that the US has become a dictatorship. Anyone who threatens to undermine the foundation of that dictatorship, by exposing 9/11 in a way that could stand up in court, will be made an example of. “Mainstream peace groups are wary of 9/11 truth.” by Kevin Barrett That’s the conventional wisdom, anyway. But an enthusiastic crowd of truth-seekers at theVeterans for Peace national convention in Madison, Wisconsin begs to differ. A standing-room-only crowd turned out at 8:30 a.m. today to listen to 9/11 whistleblower Kevin Ryan and activist Klayt Morfoot cast aspersions on the official version of 9/11. Ryan, who was fired by Underwriters Labs for exposing UL’s lies about the steel used in the World Trade Center skyscrapers, recently published Another 19, which argues that the 9/11 Commission may have blamed the wrong nineteen guys. Morfoot, a veteran who has served repeatedly in Iraq and Afghanistan, has sparked controversy at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire by starting a student 9/11 truth group. Ryan and Mofoot teamed up on a terrific “9/11 truth for newbies” presentation. Beginning with a clip of heartbroken and angry victims’ family members from 9/11: Press for Truth, they covered the obvious demolition of Building 7, the only slightly less-obvious demolitions of the Twin Towers, and Norman Mineta’s famous testimony to the 9/11 Commission that Dick Cheney ordered a stand-down and that those orders “still stand.” The jam-packed room that greeted Ryan and Morfoot – at an ungodly hour no less – testified eloquently that the 9/11 issue isn’t going away – as much as the foundations that fund the mainstream left wish it would. After the talk, I traded Kevin Ryan two thin books (my Questioning the War on Terror and Sander Hicks’ The Big Wedding) for one thick one (his). So I haven’t had time to read all of Ryan’s book yet. But I notice that his list of 9/11 suspects – like the airline passenger lists of 9/11 – contains no Arab names. I do recognize some of the 19 names. One is Richard Clarke, the “terror czar” for the Clinton and Bush Jr. administrations. I helped break the story that Gwenyth Todd, who served beside Clarke on the National Security Council, considers Clarke the likely mastermind of the 9/11 false-flag operation. Clarke, Todd explains, was busted for spying for Israel – but instead of being sent to prison, he was promoted to the National Security Council and later made Terror Czar. Kevin Ryan agrees that Richard Clarke is a key 9/11 suspect: “Clarke’s personal history suggests that he protected terrorist suspects and may have been in league with a terrorist network” (Another Nineteen, p.87). Ryan traces Clarke’s dubious history (minus the Israeli spy angle) and notes that Clarke personally activated the COG shadow government during 9/11 – and that the same shadow government apparently is still ruling the US today, since that order has never been rescinded. Ryan notes that “in October, 1998, Clarke predicted that America’s enemies ‘will go after our Achilles heel’ which is ‘in Washington. It is in New York.’ That is quite a prediction.” Ryan notes that Clarke “was personally behind the failure of two attempts to kill or capture Bin Laden in 1999,” and that Clarke preposterously asserts in his book that mentally retarded patsy Abu Zubaydah was “one of al-Qaeda’s top operational managers.” Ryan meticulously documents Clarke’s involvement in protecting various Arab 9/11 patsies during the run-up to 9/11. Unfortunately, the section on Clarke (the only one I have yet read) focuses so unrelentingly on Arab patsies that a naive reader might imagine that Arabs actually carried out the 9/11 attacks, with a little help from the likes of Clarke. Ryan neglects to mention the massive Israeli connections to Clarke himself – an Israeli spy, according to Gwenyth Todd – as well as to uber-Zionist Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Cohen, Bernard Kerik (Ryan ties him to Saudi Arabia, not Israel), Morton Abramowitz, and Marc Grossman. Ryan’s neglect of Israel’s role running Richard Clarke (and 9/11) is also evidenced in a misleading passage from his Clarke chapter: “It was reported that, on August 23, 2001, the Israeli Mossad gave U.S. officials an urgent warning in the form of a list of terrorists known to be living in the U.S. and planning to carry out an attack in the near future. The list included the names of Al-Hazmi, Al-Midhar, Al-Shehhi and Atta.” Ryan’s footnote leads to the following passage from the Complete 9/11 Timeline: At some point between these dates (Aug. 8-15 2001, Israel warns the US that an al-Qaeda attack is imminent. [Fox News, 5/17/2002] Reportedly, two high-ranking agents from the Mossad come to Washington and warn the FBI and CIA that from 50 to 200 terrorists have slipped into the US and are planning “a major assault on the United States.” They say indications point to a “large scale target,” and that Americans would be “very vulnerable.” They add there could be Iraqi connections to the al-Qaeda attack. [Daily Telegraph, 9/16/2001; Ottawa Citizen, 9/17/2001; Los Angeles Times, 9/20/2001]The Los Angeles Times later retracts its story after a CIA spokesperson says, “There was no such warning. Allegations that there was are complete and utter nonsense.” [Los Angeles Times, 9/21/2001]Other newspapers do not retract it. This is interesting information. The problem is that a reader who has not read Bollyn’s Solving 9/11 might take the “Israeli warning” at face value, rather than as the “cover-our-kosher-ass” propaganda leak it almost certainly was.

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TURKEY SHOOTS DOWN RUSSIAN JET

 

 

 

The Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes on Tuesday morning after violating the country's air space and ignoring 'ten warnings in the space of five minutes', army officials said. However, Russia's Ministry of Defence claims the jet was in Syrian airspace, and was shot down from the ground. Footage reportedly filmed by rebels in Syria's Turkomen Mountains, an area which has been the cause of recent tensions between Turkey and Russia, shows local fighters cheer as they uncover the body of one of the Russian pilots. The men can be seen surrounding the corpse of the pilot, wearing Russian military fatigues, shouting 'Allahu Akbar' - 'God is great'. The area is mainly populated by Turkmens - Syrians citizens, but ethnic Turks - and it has been the target of a Syrian government offensive over the past week, where President Bashar al-Assad's ground troops have been supported by Russian airstrikes. Both pilots ejected themselves from the jet and could be seen parachuting down to the ground, where one has been reported as captured by Syrian Turkmen rebels who are hunting for the second pilot.

Putin warns Turkey there will be 'serious consequences' for 'stabbing Russia in the back' by shooting down one of its jets… as video emerges of rebels chanting 'Allahu Akbar' over the body of dead pilot Turkish army has shot down a Russian Sukhoi Su-24 war plane near its Syrian border, officials confirm The Russian jet had violated Turkish air space and ignored ten warnings in five minutes, army says Putin called Turkey's decision to shoot down the plane a 'stab in the back by the terrorists' accomplices' Russia claims the jet, which crashed in Syria's Turkomen Mountains, had been in Syrian airspace when it was hit In response, Turkish army released flight tracking data showing where the jet violated its airspace One pilot dead, the other reportedly captured by Turkmen - ethnic Turks subjected to Russian airstrikes this week President Vladimir Putin has accused Turkey of funding ISIS, and using its military to protect the terrorist organisation, after a Russian fighter jet was shot down near the Syrian border on Tuesday morning. The two-pilot Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by F-16 fighter planes just after 9am this morning, after it violated Turkish airspace and ignored nearly a dozen warnings by the military, Ankara officials said. President Putin called Turkey's decision to down the plane a 'stab in the back' by the accomplices of ISIS, as his Defence Ministry still claims the jet was flying over Syria and never entered Turkish airspace.   +19 This image shows the moment the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet was shot down by Turkish F-16 fighter planes near the Turkish-Syrian border, in Hatay, which has seen NATO call an 'extraordinary' meeting and Russian President Putin warn of 'serious consequences' +19 Conflicting stories: Turkey claims they shot the plane down as it was violating the country's airspace after the pilots ignored 'ten warnings in the space of five minutes', but Russia says the jet was in Syrian airspace     'Proof'? This image, left, accompanied by a video, right, claims to show one of the Russian pilots found dead by Turkmen rebels 'The loss we suffered today came from a stab in the back delivered by accomplices of the terrorists,' President Putin said, speaking at a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan in Sochi, Russia, on Thursday afternoon. 'We will never tolerate such atrocities as happened today and we hope that the international community will find the strength to join forces and fight this evil,' Putin said. The president warned that 'today's tragic event will have serious consequences for Russian-Turkish relations', shortly before Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov cancelled tomorrow's visit to Turkey, where the two nations were due to discuss Syria. Putin boldly claimed that Turkey has been buying oil from ISIS, funding the terrorist group, and accused Ankara of protecting the jihadists with the country's military, Moscow-funded RT.com reports. The Russian president's warning came as Syrian insurgents reportedly shot down rescue helicopter as it was searching for the pilots from the downed warplane. An insurgent group in Syria's Latakia province hit the helicopter with an anti-tank missile, forcing it to make an emergency landing, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.   +19 Russian President Vladimir Putin called Turkey's decision to down the plane a 'stab in the back by the accomplices of terrorists' +19 Flight: This map shows the route of the Russian jet (shown in red), based on data released by the Turkish government, including where it violated Turkish airspace, and the area in the Turkomen Mountains where it crashed Footage reportedly filmed by rebels in Syria's Turkomen Mountains, an area which has been the cause of recent tensions between Turkey and Russia, emerged showing local fighters cheer as they discover the body of one of the Russian pilots. The video, posted on Twitter by a man believed to be a Syrian-Turkmen rebel soldier, shows at least a dozen men surrounding the corpse of the pilot, dressed in Russian military fatigues, and some are heard shouting 'Allahu Akbar' – 'God is great'. Local rebels said the pilot, who can be seen covered in bruises and burns in the video, was already deceased when he landed, and that none of the Russian pilots had been killed by Syrian fighters. The area is mainly populated by Turkmens - Syrians citizens, but ethnic Turks - and is the target of a current Syrian government offensive, where President Bashar al-Assad's ground troops are supported by Russian airstrikes. The Turkish army said the pilots of the Russian jet had been warned 'ten times in the space of five minutes' before the plane was shot down. Both pilots ejected themselves from the jet and could be seen parachuting down to the ground, where one has been reported dead and the other captured by Syrian Turkmen rebels.  The Turkomen Mountains is controlled by several insurgent groups, who are not allied with ISIS, including al-Qaida's branch in Syria, the Nusra Front, and the 2nd Coastal Division that consists of local Turkmen fighters.     Footage reportedly filmed in Syria's Turkomen Mountains shows local fighters cheer as they discover the body of one of the Russian pilots   At least a dozen men surround the corpse of the pilot, dressed in Russian military fatigues, and some are heard shouting 'Allahu Akbar' +19 Hit: Video footage shows the plane coming down engulfed in flames after being shot by Turkish fighter jets +19 Filmed: The incident was caught on camera and has been broadcast on Turkish local TV and online Just hours before the Russian jet was shot down, Ankara called for a U.N Security Council meeting to discuss attacks on Turkmen areas in Syria, which have forced some 1,700 civilians to flee their homes in the last three days, according to Turkish officials. It followed a summoning of Moscow's ambassador on Friday, when Ankara demanded an immediate end to the Russian military operation near the Syrian border saying the Russian actions did not 'constitute a fight against terrorism' but the bombing of civilians. Ambassador Andrey Karlov was warned during the meeting that the Russian operations could lead to serious consequences, the ministry said.   Turkish officials said the Russian plane was first warned that it was within ten miles of the Turkish border, and the aircraft then crossed over Turkish territory, adding that a second plane had also approached the border and been warned. 'The data we have is very clear. There were two planes approaching our border, we warned them as they were getting too close,' a senior Turkish official said. 'We warned them to avoid entering Turkish airspace before they did, and we warned them many times. Our findings show clearly that Turkish airspace was violated multiple times. And they violated it knowingly,' the official said. NATO allies will hold an 'extraordinary' meeting later today at Ankara's request to discuss Tuesday morning's incident, an alliance official said. 'At the request of Turkey, the North Atlantic Council will hold an extraordinary meeting at 4pm. The aim of this extraordinary NAC is for Turkey to inform Allies about the downing of a Russian airplane,' the official said. The North Atlantic Council consists of ambassadors from the 28 NATO member states.       One of the pilots can be seen parachuting down after ejecting from the plane, as the wreckage burns +19 This image released by the Turkish Army reportedly shows the flight radar tracking the movement of the downed Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet, showing where it entered Turkish air space and where it went down A Turkish military statement, issued before it was confirmed that the jet was Russian, said the plane entered Turkish airspace over the town of Yayladagi, in Hatay province. 'On Nov. 24, 2015 at around 09.20am, a plane whose nationality is not known violated the Turkish airspace despite several warnings (ten times within five minutes) in the area of Yayladagi, Hatary. 'Two F-16 planes on aerial patrol duty in the area intervened against the plane in question in accordance with the rules of engagement at 09.24am.' The Turkish Army later released a radar analysis image which they say tracks the movement of the Russian Sukhoi Su-24 jet, showing where it entered Turkish air space, and where it went down. 'This isn't an action against any specific country. Our F-16s took the necessary steps to defend Turkey's sovereign territory,' a Turkish official told news agencies on condition of anonymity. Russia's Defence Ministry said in a statement that they are looking into the circumstances of the crash of the Russian jet. 'The Ministry of Defence would like to stress that the plane was over the Syrian territory throughout the flight.' The statement also claimed that the Sukhoi-24 had been shot down from the ground at the altitude of 6,000metres(3.73m). DOWNING OF RUSSIAN JET ADDS TO 'TOXIC COCKTAIL' IN THE REGION, EXPERTS SAY Turkey shooting down a Russian jet on Tuesday morning is just proof of the 'toxic cocktail' of dangers in the region which could erupt into crisis with devastating effect, an expert has warned. Middle East expert Shashank Joshi, from the Royal United Services Institute, said the skies over Syria and Turkey are an 'incredibly crowded airspace', with planes from both nations and members of the US-led coalition against IS - including the UK - operating. Turkey, a Nato member, has already complained about Russian incursions into its skies and last month the alliance condemned the 'unacceptable violations of Turkish airspace by Russian combat aircraft'. Mr Joshi said: 'The situation is dangerous because Russia is quite probably deliberately probing Turkish airspace both for military reasons and political reasons.' The Russians will be testing the military responses of the Nato member, but also carrying out the same 'psychological intimidation' tactics used in the Baltic and North Atlantic, he suggested. The combination of the crowded airspace, Russian probing tactics and the diplomatic tensions create a 'real toxic cocktail that can easily erupt into crisis', he warned. Ankara will be 'furious' at the incursion and Russia can expect Nato to strike a 'tough' note, but behind the scenes there will be intense diplomatic efforts to calm tensions. But if Moscow responds in a provocative way, there is a risk of the crisis escalating. Mr Joshi warned: 'These things always proceed in a very unpredictable fashion. We have seen how conflicts can begin when there are large alliances.' +19 Ejected: The two pilots of the Russian Sukhoi-24 jet can be seen parachuting down after the plane was hit +19 Russia's Ministry of Defence claims the jet was in Syrian airspace, and was shot down from the ground Vladimir Putin's spokesman called the downing of the Su-24 warplane a 'very serious incident' but declined to comment further until more facts emerged. 'It is just impossible to say something without having full information,' said Dmitry Peskov. Russia's government-run TV Zvezda claimed the warplane had been in Syrian airspace the entire time, which allegedly could be proven by 'control systems', a ministry spokesman said. 'It's the kind of thing we're been warning about,' said Ian Kearns, director of the European Leadership Network think-tank in London. 'And it's a direct military engagement between a NATO country and Russia, so I think it's a serious incident in anybody's book.' Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has spoken with the chief of military staff and the foreign minister about the developments on the Syrian border, the prime minister's office said in a statement, without mentioning the downed jet. He has ordered the foreign ministry to consult with NATO, the United Nations and related countries on the latest developments, his office said. Last month, Turkish jets shot down an unidentified drone that had also violated Turkey's airspace.   Turkey and Russia have long been at loggerheads over the Syrian conflict, with Ankara seeking Assad's overthrow while Moscow does everything to keep him in power.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is due to visit Turkey on Wednesday to discuss Syria, in a trip arranged before this incident.Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan is meanwhile expected to visit Russia for talks with Putin in late December. Russia's participation in the Syrian peace process talks in Vienna, the co-operation on the UN Security Council resolution and meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Nato leaders provided signs of a renewed diplomatic engagement between Moscow and the West in recent weeks. French President Francois Hollande will meet Mr Putin on Thursday and Russia has offered co-operation in the fight against IS following the atrocities in Paris and the downing of a Russian passenger jet in Egypt. Russian pilots operating out of the Latakia air base in Syria have a small escape kit to help them on the ground if they are forced to eject from their jet. In the Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer, the escape kit is located in a small compartment underneath the ejector seat. The escape kit contains an inflatable raft, in case the aircraft is brought down over water. There is also a radio beacon which will relay the pilot's location to any potential rescue aircraft. The pilot also has a radio, signal flares, a machete and a knife. It is likely the pilot will have a sidearm to defend himself.  +19 Russian pilots are equipped with a small escape kit in a compartment underneath their ejector seat +19 Among the basic equipment in the escape kit is a machette, pictured, and a small supply of water

Moscow to Deploy the Most Advanced Missile Defense System to Syria: Moscow to deploy S-400 defense missile system to Khmeimim airbase in Syria An S-400 “Triumf” antiaircraft missile system. The Russian Air Force base in Latakia will be reinforced with S-400 SAM system, which will soon be deployed there, Russia’s Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Wednesday. “S-400 will be deployed on Khmeimim airbase in Syria,” Shoigu said at a Defense Ministry meeting. Earlier on Tuesday, the Russian Su-24 was shot down by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet near the Turkish-Syrian border. One pilot died in the incident. The second one was rescued and brought to the Russian airbase in Latakia. Moscow maintains the jet did not violate Turkey’s airspace. It ditched on Syria’s territory four kilometers from the border. Ankara defends ISIS, Turkish officials have financial interest in oil trade with group – PM Medvedev Shortly afterwards, the MoD announced three steps to be taken following the attack on the Russian Su-24 bomber, including providing aerial cover by fighter jets for every airstrike, boosting air defense by deploying guided missile cruisers off the Latakia coast, and suspending all military-to-military contacts with Turkey. The S-400 is Russia’s most advanced anti-aircraft defense system. It is as an upgrade of the S-300 Growler family, designed and developed by Almaz Antei. The S-400 is employed to ensure air defense using long- and medium-range missiles that can hit aerial targets at ranges up to 400 kilometers. The S-400 is capable of hitting tactical and strategic aircraft as well as ballistic and cruise missiles. The system includes a set of radars, missile launchers and command posts, and is operated solely by the Russian military. Khmeimim airbase in Latakia, Syria, accommodates Russian Air Force squadrons of Su-27SM and Su-30 fighter jets, Su-34 and Su-24 tactical bombers, which are all taking part in airstrikes on Islamic State positions. The airbase is protected by state-of-the-art air defense systems and radars. Khmeimim also has a fully operational unit for maintaining fixed- and rotor-wing aircraft and providing logistical assistance to pilots. “Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide” in the wake of his insane decision to shoot down a Russian plane for a trivial, most likely nonexistent, border violation, Erdogan has finished tearing his own legacy to shreds. He may also have set the stage for the carving-up of Turkey, in accordance with Israel’s ongoing Oded Yinon plan to balkanize the Middle East. Erdogan’s decision to join the war on Syria ended his “no problems with neighbors” policy with a vengeance. Today, there is no country on earth with more problems with its neighbors than Turkey. Russia is furious and planning revenge. Ditto Assad. Ditto Iran. Iraq too. And the Kurds are literally up in arms battling Erdogan’s ISIS proxies and setting the stage for the dismemberment of Turkey. Meanwhile, the Turkish economy is sinking, Turkish society is fragmenting, and the Ergenekon heroin-smuggling neocon creeps and Grey Wolf weirdos are howling for blood. How in the world did Erdogan blunder into this mess? Apparently NATO’s high command informed Erdogan in 2011 that regime change in Syria was a done deal. They were going to do to Assad what they just did to Qaddafi. Nobody could stop them. Erdogan could either join the bandwagon and play the lead role running post-regime-change Syria, or he would be left behind. Erdogan bit. SUCKER! It was a trap. Like Saddam Hussein, who was lured into invading Kuwait by US-ordered slant drilling, loan-calling-in, and Bush’s agent April Glaspie, Erdogan was suckered into waging a disastrous war designed to destroy not only Syria, but Turkey as well. Had Erdogan told NATO to go stuff it, as he did in 2003, Turkey would still be enjoying near-double-digit growth, and its President would be the most popular leader in Turkish history, right up there with Suleiman the Magnificent, and far ahead of scumbag Attaturk – whose legacy he could have finished shredding. But once again, a Middle Eastern leader believed what the imperialists told him. Like Qaddafi, who thought cooperating with the West and abandoning his WMD would  be appreciated, and like Saddam Hussein, who thought that if he only waged wars the West told him to wage he would be fine, Erdogan believed NATO when they told him, in early 2011, that he would get to run Syria very very soon, just as soon as they got rid of Assad…on the condition that he join the regime change operation. Now Russia is going to declare covert war on Turkey. They are going to smash Turkey’s anti-Assad proxies, not just ISIS but all the others as well, into tiny pieces. And they are going to ratchet up support to the PKK, which is now in a position to achieve its decades-old aspirations for the dismemberment of Turkey and the establishment of an independent Kurdistan. This Thanksgiving, Turkey’s total turkey of a president has set up Turkey to get stuffed, carved up, and devoured.