I used to think that NK was the proxy of China, now though I think it is the proxy of the NWO. The same NWO who built the supreme court building in Israel and donated it to them. If you look carefully you can find one of their families names on a plaque or two there. Rocket man, is a puppet and nothing more. It honestly would not surprise me in the least to find out that Obama is his handler. Thank God for President Trump who has not shrunk in the face of these threats.
If China could have influenced NK it certainly would have after being asked to intercede by President Trump. We saw the result; President Xi failed. There is so much more going on here than what meets the eye. As you said yourself, think. It was so called diplomacy which begat all this. Who was behind all that "diplomacy"? Do you find it a bit of a coincidence that NK suddenly and unexpectedly unveiled and began successfully testing ICBM capable missiles and miniaturized nuclear warheads only a few short months after the change of guard here in the US? A change of guard which the entirety of the NWO fought tooth and nail against and even today held a vote to impeach? Wake up man. Nothing is as it seems with any of this current round of international intrigue. Read between the lines.
December 12, 2017 Turkey chides Arabs for 'weak' reaction ahead of Jerusalem summit Tuvan Gumrukcu, Parisa Hafezi ANKARA/ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Turkey criticized what it said was a feeble Arab reaction to the U.S. decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying on the eve of Wednesday’s Muslim summit in Istanbul that some Arab countries were scared of angering Washington. Turkey's Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlut Cavusoglu arrives at a meeting to discuss the Rohingya situation during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, U.S. September 18, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith President Tayyip Erdogan, who has accused the United States of ignoring Palestinian claims to Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem and “trampling on international law”, has invited leaders from more than 50 Muslim countries to agree a response. Jerusalem, revered by Jews, Christians and Muslims alike, is home to Islam’s third holiest site and has been at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades. U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement last week recognizing the city as Israel’s capital angered many Muslim countries, but few governments have matched Turkey’s warning that it would plunge the world “into a fire with no end”. Several countries had still not said who they would send to Istanbul, a Turkish minister said. “Some Arab countries have shown very weak responses (on Jerusalem),” Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said. “It seems some countries are very timid of the United States.” He said Egypt and the United Arab Emirates would send foreign ministers while Saudi Arabia had yet to say how it would participate. All three countries have delicate ties with Turkey, seeing links between the policies of Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted ruling AK Party and regional Islamist movements they oppose. Other countries had also not said who they would send, Cavusoglu said, adding that the meeting of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation countries must stand up to what he called Washington’s “I am a super power, I can do anything” mentality. “We will make a call for countries that have so far not recognized Palestine to do so now,” he said. “...We want the United States to turn back from its mistake.” PROTESTS AND CLASHES Trump’s announcement triggered days of protests across the Muslim world and clashes between Palestinians and Israeli security forces in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. Israel captured Arab East Jerusalem in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed it, an action not recognized internationally. On Monday, tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in Beirut to protest at a march backed by Hezbollah, the heavily armed Iran-backed Shi‘ite group whose leader called last week for a new Palestinian uprising against Israel. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani, who is expected to attend the Istanbul summit, said his country supported a new uprising against Israel to “safeguard the Palestinian people’s rights”. Rouhani said Muslim countries would “undoubtedly voice their protest to the world” at Wednesday’s meeting. Iran supports several anti-Israel militant groups. The mainly Shi‘ite country is also competing for power and influence in the Middle East with predominantly Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia, a close U.S. ally. Iranian Defence Minister Amir Hatami said Trump’s decision would strengthen Israel, and accused some Muslim states of cooperating covertly with the Israeli government. “We strongly believe that this decision is the result of interaction between Israel and some Muslim countries,” he told his Turkish counterpart in a telephone call on Tuesday, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. Qassem Soleimani, head of the branch of the Revolutionary Guards that oversees operations outside Iran, pledged “complete support for Palestinian Islamic resistance movements” on Monday. The Trump administration says it remains committed to reaching peace between Israel and the Palestinians and its decision does not affect Jerusalem’s future borders or status. It says any credible future peace deal will place the Israeli capital in Jerusalem, and ditching old policies is needed to revive a peace process frozen since 2014. Writing by Dominic Evans; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...ction-ahead-of-jerusalem-summit-idUSKBN1E61K2
Tillerson hints at deal to resolve Arab-Israeli conflict in one fell swoop, Moscow waits in wings 9 Dec, 2017 Get short URL https://www.rt.com/news/412430-lavrov-jerusalem-move-tillerson/ FILE PHOTO: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson (L) and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov © Sascha Schuermann / AFP The US secretary of state believes he can resolve the decades-old conflict between Israel and its Arab neighbors in a single 'deal of the century.' Moscow is waiting with bated breath to hear the details of the plan, according to its top diplomat. “Rex [Tillerson]… hinted to me that the United States is expecting to strike a ‘deal of the century,’ which would resolve the Palestinian-Israeli problem in one swoop,” Sergey Lavrov said. “We certainly want to understand how they see this happening.” Trump triggers Palestinian fury & anti-US protests in Turkey, Jordan (VIDEOS) The comments by the Russian foreign minister followed a decision by US President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, reigniting hostility between Israelis and Palestinians. Later on Friday, Tillerson pointed out that Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital wasn’t intended to end of Palestinian aspirations for the contested city. “In fact, he was very clear, I think, the final status of Jerusalem, including the borders, would be left to the parties to negotiate and decide,” the secretary of state said, as cited by Reuters. Palestinians view the eastern part of Jerusalem, currently occupied by Israel, as the capital of their future sovereign state. Israel occupied the eastern part of the city, which is considered holy by all three major religions in the region, during the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, along with large parts of Palestinian territories. The occupation was not recognized as legitimate by any other nation and, similarly, no nation has acknowledged Israel’s declaration of Jerusalem as its capital – until now. Lavrov joined an international chorus of criticism over the move by the Trump administration. “The fact is that the statement [of recognition] goes against all the previous agreements,” he said, adding that it divided global communities into two “very, very unequal parts.” Israel is the only nation openly endorsing the move, but some US allies like Canada have refrained from criticizing it too loudly. Lavrov, who was speaking to journalists in Vienna, said the Trump administration has shot itself in the foot with the decision, undermining their own Middle East strategy. “They previously said, let's normalize the relations between Washington and the Arab world, and once it is done, the Palestinian issue can be resolved,” he said. “By taking the decision to move the US embassy to Jerusalem the Trump administration have undermined their effort to normalize the relations with the Arabs.”
I should have posted this article before the previous post but they do go together. Both of these posts involve Iran indirectly, of course. https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-...led-middle-east-peace-proposals-idUKKBN1E229I European states push U.S. for detailed Middle East peace proposals December 8, 2017 Michelle Nichols UNITED NATIONS (Reuters) - Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and Italy called on the United States on Friday to put forward detailed proposals for peace between Israel and the Palestinians and described as “unhelpful” a decision by President Donald Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon addresses the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including Palestine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S., December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Trump’s reversal of decades of U.S. policy on Wednesday sparked a Palestinian “day of rage” on Friday. Thousands of Palestinians demonstrated, scores were hurt and at least one was killed in clashes with Israeli troops. Amid anger in the Arab world and concern among Washington’s Western allies, the United Nations Security Council met on Friday at the request of eight of the 15 members - Britain, France, Sweden, Bolivia, Uruguay, Italy, Senegal and Egypt. In a joint statement after the meeting, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and Italy said the U.S. decision, which includes plans to move the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, was “unhelpful in terms of prospects for peace in the region.” “We stand ready to contribute to all credible efforts to restart the peace process, on the basis of internationally agreed parameters, leading to a two-State solution,” they said. “We encourage the U.S. Administration to now bring forward detailed proposals for an Israel-Palestinian settlement.” Egypt’s U.N. Ambassador Amr Aboulatta said the U.S. decision would have “a grave, negative impact” on the peace process. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said the Washington has credibility as a mediator with both Israel and the Palestinians and accused the United Nations of damaging rather than advancing peace prospects with unfair attacks on Israel. “Israel will never be, and should never be, bullied into an agreement by the United Nations, or by any collection of countries that have proven their disregard for Israel’s security,” Haley said. ESCALATION RISK United States ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley addresses the U.N. Security Council meeting on the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestine, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, U.S., December 8, 2017. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid Haley said Trump was committed to the peace process and that the United States had not taken a position on Jerusalem’s borders or boundaries and was not advocating any changes to the arrangements at the holy sites. “Our actions are intended to help advance the cause of peace,” she said. “We believe we might be closer to that goal than ever before.” Earlier on Friday, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said during a news conference in Paris that any final decision on the status of Jerusalem would depend on negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. Slideshow (7 Images) United Nations Middle East envoy Nickolay Mladenov warned there was a risk of violent escalation. “There is a serious risk today that we may see a chain of unilateral actions, which can only push us further away from achieving our shared goal of peace,” Mladenov told the U.N. Security Council. Israel considers all of Jerusalem to be its capital. Palestinians want the eastern part of the city as the capital of a future independent state of their own. Most countries consider East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed after capturing it in the 1967 Middle East War, to be occupied territory, including the Old City, home to sites considered holy to Muslims, Jews and Christians alike. A U.N. Security Council resolution adopted in December last year “underlines that it will not recognise any changes to the 4 June 1967 lines, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.” That resolution was approved with 14 votes in favour and an abstention by former U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration, which defied heavy pressure from long-time ally Israel and Trump, who was then president-elect, for Washington to wield its veto. Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Frances Kerry and James Dalgleish
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-...d-palestinians-after-trump-move-idUSKBN1E715H Iran urges Muslim nations to defend Palestinians after Trump move Parisa Hafezi December 13, 2017 ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday all Muslim nations should work together to defend the rights of Palestinians following Donald Trump’s decision last week to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. File photo: Iran's President Hassan Rouhani delivers remarks at a news conference during the United Nations General Assembly in New York City, U.S. September 20, 2017. REUTERS/Stephanie Keith Rouhani, attending an emergency meeting of Muslim leaders, said the U.S. president’s move showed the United States lacked any respect for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian nation. “Iran is ready to cooperate with all Muslim countries without any precondition to defend the legitimate rights of Palestinians,” Rouhani told the gathering in the Turkish city Istanbul. “Unity among Muslim countries is very important and Quds (Jerusalem) should become our top priority.” Opposition to Israel and support for the Palestinian cause have been central to Iran’s foreign policy since the Islamic revolution of 1979 that toppled the U.S.-backed Shah. Iran, the leading Shi‘ite Muslim power, and Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia are competing for influence in the Middle East, where they support rival groups in Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon. Tehran and Riyadh see each other as the paramount threat to regional peace and stability. Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic relations with Iran in 2016 after Iranian protesters attacked Saudi diplomatic missions in Tehran and the city of Mashhad following Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shi‘ite cleric. Rouhani said Muslim countries should resolve their disputes through dialogue and he also accused Israel of planting seeds of tension across the Middle East. On his Twitter account, Rouhani said Trump’s move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital showed that Washington was not “an honest mediator and never will be”, adding that it only wanted to “secure the interests of the Zionists”. Related Coverage Iran calls on Muslim nations to step up efforts against Trump's Jerusalem decision Jordan's King rejects change in status of Jerusalem, its holy sites Palestinian leader says Trump's Jerusalem 'crime' prevents U.S. peace role Iran does not recognize Israel and regards Palestine as comprising all of the holy land, including Israeli territory. Iranian leaders have repeatedly called for the destruction of Israel. Tehran backs several militant Islamist groups in their fight against Israel. Writing by Parisa Hafezi; Editing by Gareth Jones
What I don't get is this; no Jew wants Mecca or Medina. The Muslims have those 100%. Fury over Jerusalem is irrational, and stupid.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/12/12/iran-nuclear-deal-what-is-it.html Iran nuclear deal: What is it? By Kaitlyn Schallhorn | Fox News December 13, 2017 President Trump unveils Iran strategy President Trump allows the Obama administration's Iran deal to stand, but he chooses not to certify it. Doing so, he kicks the decision making to congress. What are their options? President Donald Trump announced in October that he would decertify the contentious Iran nuclear deal and accused the “radical” and “fanatical” regime of violating the agreement multiple times. Trump’s decision not to recertify the deal punted the future of the agreement to Congress – which had a 60-day unofficial deadline that was up on Dec. 12. Congress was tasked with deciding whether to dismantle the agreement or impose more sanctions on Iran. In announcing the decertification, Trump warned that he could “cancel” America’s involvement in the agreement “at any time.” The nuclear deal with Iran has long been a point of contention, especially among Republicans who opposed it. What is the Iran nuclear deal? The Iran nuclear deal framework – officially the "Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action" – was a historic agreement reached by Iran and several world powers, including the U.S., in 2015, under Barack Obama’s presidency. In part, the deal was made to reduce Iran’s ability to produce two components used in making nuclear weapons: plutonium and uranium. In return, crippling economic sanctions on Iran were to be abated. "Every pathway to a nuclear weapon is cut off," Obama said at the time. "This deal is not built on trust. It is built on verification." A point of contention for many opponents is the deal's so-called “sunset clause” which would ease some of the restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program over time. The deal was reached after two years of negotiations. Certification that Iran is complying with the deal must be sent to Congress every 90 days. The first under the Trump administration noted that Tehran was in compliance. What has Trump said about it? Ahead of Trump’s public criticism at the U.N. General Assembly in September, his administration slapped more than a dozen sanctions on Iranian individuals and groups in July for aiding its non-nuclear weapons program. The sanctions froze assets in the U.S. and prevented Americans from doing business with these 18 parties. Members of the Iranian delegation listen as President Donald Trump speaks during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) During the presidential campaign, Trump accused Obama and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, then his opponent, for making Iran a “world power” under the nuclear deal, which he called “the highest level of incompetence.” “If you take a look at Iran from four, five years ago, they were dying,” Trump said during an event in Virginia Beach, Va., in September 2016. “They had sanctions, they were being choked to death and they were dying. They weren’t even going to be much of a threat.” On Twitter, Trump has referred to the agreement as “a direct national security threat,” a “catastrophe that must be stopped,” the “dumbest & most dangerous misjudgments ever entered into in history of our country” and “the best deal of any kind in history” for Iran. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani warned that the U.S. would pay a “high cost” if it backs out of the agreement. What happens now? Congressional aides have said there’s still time for lawmakers to come up with a plan to propose to Trump, the Washington Times reported. Senators Bob Corker, R-Tenn., and Tom Cotton, R-Ark., said in October that they planned to introduce legislation that would change certain points of the Iran deal – including nixing the requirement of the president to recertify every 90 days and adding increased sanctions. But the lawmakers have not produced a draft legislation. Trump is reportedly frustrated with Congress’ current lack of proposal and could pull the U.S. out of the deal entirely in Jan. 13 when it’s up for review again, according to the Washington Times.
US to present 'irrefutable evidence' that Iran violated the nuclear deal Alex Lockie December 14, 2017 Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN. Associated Press/Evan Vucci Nikki Haley, the US Ambassador to the UN, will present "irrefutable evidence" that Iran has violated the Iran deal, according to her office. Haley will go after Iran for allegedly providing missiles to Houthi rebels fighting in Yemen. Iran denies it has armed the Houthis and has dispatched its top diplomat to Europe to get Europeans to side with them over the US. US Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, will present "irrefutable evidence" that Iran has violated the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or the Iran deal, at a press conference on Thursday. Haley will demonstrate "Iran has deliberately violated its international obligations and has tried and failed to cover up these violations," according to a press briefing on the US mission to the UN's website. Haley's conference comes after President Donald Trump decertified the Iran deal on October 13, leaving it in place practically but testifying that it was not in the US's national security interests to continue the deal. Trump's decertification set off a 60-day period for Congress to decide whether or not to reimpose sanctions on Iran, which it declined. Haley will update the UN on the implementation of the Iran deal in a regularly scheduled report, which ABC News said will delve into accusations that Iran provided arms to Houth rebels fighting against the internationally recognized government of Yemen. This in itself does not necessarily contravene the deal, however, as the agreement does not explicitly forbid ballistic missile production or distributing arms. As part of the "ongoing destabilizing activities in the Middle East" Haley will raise, ABC reports she will discuss the US and Saudi Arabia accusations that Iran of provided ballistic missiles and possibly drones and other weapons systems to the Houthis. Iran denies it has armed the Houthis. It has responded with vitriol to Trump's moves to decertify the deal while dispatching its chief diplomats to Europe to shore up ties with other members of the Iran deal. A non-binding part of the Iran deal forbids Tehran from building ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. http://www.businessinsider.com/us-n...evidence-tiran-violated-the-iran-deal-2017-12
Haley says missile parts prove Iran violating UN resolutions By Samuel Chamberlain | Fox News Haley: Iran cannot be allowed to continue aggressive actions U.N. ambassador holds a news conference on Iran violating the U.N. resolution, arming rebels in Yemen. U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley said Thursday that she had "undeniable" evidence that Iran has been funneling missiles to Houthi rebels in Yemen in violation of U.N. resolutions. The evidence Haley unveiled included segments of missiles launched at Saudi Arabia from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen. She said the missile parts bear markings showing they originate in Iran and that they have technical specifications that are specific to Iranian-manufactured weapons. "The evidence is undeniable," Haley told reporters in a hangar at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling in Washington. "The weapons might as well have had 'Made in Iran' stickers all over it." Haley gestures as she speaks in front of recovered segments of an Iranian missile. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen) U.S. officials have long suspected Tehran of supporting the Shiite Houthis in Yemen, which has been locked in a vicious civil war since 2015. On Wednedsday, U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said the world body was investigating Iran's possible transfer of ballistic missiles that may have been used in launches aimed at Saudi Arabia on July 22 and Nov. 4. Haley said the recovered missile fragments came from a weapon that targeted the main airport in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. Video Amb. Hayley: There's proof Iran violating nuclear deal "Just imagine if this missile had been launched at Dulles Airport or JFK, or the airports in Paris, London, or Berlin," Haley said. "That’s what Iran is actively supporting." Haley said the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran, the U.S. and five other world powers "has done nothing to moderate the regime’s conduct in other areas ... It's hard to find a conflict or a terrorist group in the Middle East that does not have Iran’s fingerprints all over it." Haley vowed that the U.S. would rally other nations to push back on Iran's behavior. "The fight against Iranian aggression is the world’s fight," said Haley, who later added, "We must speak with one voice in exposing the regime for what it is: a threat to the peace and security of the entire world." “For months, we've seen Iran disregard international laws and norms by continuing its provocative ballistic missile testing. Now, with the evidence unveiled today by Ambassador Haley, Iran has been caught red-handed flagrantly violating the prohibition on transferring missile technology to third parties—namely the Houthis in Yemen,” former Sen. Joe Lieberman, now the chairman of the advocacy group United Against Nuclear Iran, responded. Fox News' Lucas Tomlinson and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...king-plans-bloody-nose-military-attack-north/ Exclusive: US making plans for 'bloody nose’ military attack on North Korea America is drawing up plans for a “bloody nose” military attack on North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons programme, The Telegraph understands. The White House has “dramatically” stepped up preparation for a military solution in recent months amid fears diplomacy is not working, well-placed sources said. One option is destroying a launch site before it is used by the regime for a new missile test. Stockpiles of weapons could also be targeted. The hope is that military force would show Kim Jong-un that America is “serious” about stopping further nuclear development and trigger negotiations. Three sources - two former US officials familiar with current thinking and a third figure in the administration - confirmed military options were being worked up. “The Pentagon is trying to find options that would allow them to punch the North Koreans in the nose, get their attention and show that... Read the rest at the link
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-12-22/can-us-survive-emp-attack SIZE=6] Can The US Survive An EMP Attack?[/SIZE] While there’s no question that a nuclear strike on the Continental US would be utterly devastating, it’s not the only way a rogue state like North Korea could kill millions of American civilians in one fell swoop. Another possibility that is being studied by lawmakers and Pentagon officials is – like North Korea itself – a vestige of the Cold War. We’re of course referring to an electromagnetic pulse. By detonating a hydrogen bomb in just the right spot miles above the Earth’s surface, the North could permanently damage the US power grid – maybe even take it offline completely. By robbing entire swaths of the US of electricity, the North could precipitate thousands – if not millions – of deaths. The North first threatened an EMP attack over the summer, and North Korean media and its people have mentioned it several times since. Given the success of the North’s missile tests, Congress increased funding for the Commission to Assess the Threat to the US from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack as part of the National Defense Authorization Act back in September. Last month, federal agencies and utility executives held GridEx IV, a biennial event where officials responsible for hundreds of local utilities game out scenarios in which North America’s power grid could fail. Unsurprisingly, with the North Korean threat looming, these discussions took on a whole new level of urgency, as Bloomberg explains. This year, the event took on an added urgency given growing concern with a weapon straight out of the Cold War: an electromagnetic pulse, or EMP, emanating from a nuclear blast - specifically, one delivered by a North Korean missile or satellite detonated miles above the Earth. Though GridEx IV didn’t pose this exact scenario, industry experts concede there’s no clear plan to deal with it. An EMP could damage electronic circuits over large areas, depending on the configuration of the weapon and how high it was detonated, though there’s disagreement over how effective such a tactic would be. Scientists also emphasize that a nuclear bomb that hits a ground target is much more worrisome. Nevertheless, with North Korea’s increasingly successful missile and warhead tests in mind, Congress moved to renew funding for the Commission to Assess the Threat to the US from Electromagnetic Pulse Attack as part of the National Defense Authorization Act. In September, the commission’s top officials warned lawmakers that the threat of an EMP attack from a rogue nation “becomes one of the few ways that such a country could inflict devastating damage to the U.S." GridEx IV participants said the use of an EMP, however improbable, has been very much on their radar. Lisa Barton, executive vice president of Columbus, Ohio-based American Electric Power Co.’s transmission unit, said the Electric Power Research Institute, an industry research arm, was analyzing the risk. An EPRI report published this week emphasized that widespread damage was indeed possible from such an attack. The consensus was hardly reassuring. How damaging would an EMP attack be? Well, nobody can say for sure. But according to a report from the Electric Power Research Institute, an EMP could easily trigger a “mass casualty event” – even if its impact was limited to a specific region, as one of their simulations suggested... Still, the EPRI report paints a picture that’s hard to ignore. Simulations showed that detonating a nuclear weapon about 250 miles above the Earth using a 1.4 megaton bomb, almost 100 times more powerful than the one dropped on Hiroshima, would likely collapse voltage regionally, affecting several states but not the entire eastern or western networks. “None of the scenarios that were evaluated resulted in a nationwide grid collapse,” the report stated. Recovery time from a high-altitude EMP would depend on equipment damage, something the EPRI said it plans to study next year and “develop cost-effective options for mitigating." Fortunately, the operators of America’s power grids have some experience developing emergency response scenarios for an EMP. As it turns out, an EMP would essentially mimic the effects of an extremely powerful solar flare. Power grid operators are constantly on the lookout for flares, and have theorized what improvements might be needed to make power grids totally resistant. PJM Interconnection LLC, operator of the power grid serving one-fifth of America's population, has a lot of experience protecting systems against solar activity. PJM has also been working with transmission owners to protect against other threats, many of which have two specific characteristics: low probability and high potential for catastrophe, said Mike Bryson, vice president of operations for the Valley Forge, Pennsylvania-based operator. An EMP is one of them. Power companies have made a few moves to protect against electromagnetic interference. Some grid operators and transmission infrastructure owners are putting in place so-called Faraday enclosures, shields of conductive material used to protect electronic equipment and facilities. Utilities have also started stockpiling spare parts to replace any that are damaged by an EMP event, storms or other disasters. “I don’t think we have an illusion we will prevent it,” Bryson said in an interview. “That’s really the government’s job." Expensive fortifications known as Faraday cages could help diffuse the energy pulse, possibly stopping it from overwhelming a power grid. Another option would be installing automated control systems that would regulate the grid’s response to an EMP, potentially allowing it to recover more quickly. Duke Energy Corp., one of the country’s largest utility owners, has been working with EPRI to study its threat to civilian infrastructure. Lee Mazzocchi, Duke’s senior vice president of grid solutions, said “we really want to use science and research to validate if and how much an EMP threat there could be." Jon Rogers, a scientist at Sandia National Laboratories, has been studying the threat since the 1990s. The lab has been looking at how automated control systems could help systems recover. Rogers noted that the grid already has lightning surge arrestors to protect against strikes, which could potentially be useful in case of an EMP. “There are open questions,”he said.
“Back in the Cold War, we worried about massive exchanges at the time with the Soviet bloc,” Rogers said. “There seems to be reduced concern about that and increased concern about a single or smaller surges and what that could mean.” Targeted attacks on specific elements of infrastructure are seen as more likely, including “using an EMP without going nuclear,” added Jeff Engle, vice president of government and legal affairs for United Data Technologies, a security services firm. “EMP technology itself has been advancing with devices becoming smaller, more effective,” said Engle, who declined to give specific examples. Along these lines, the industry’s stance has been to prepare for less-intense EMPs from irregular lightning strikes, solar flares—and possibly localized attacks. Researchers at the Edison Electric Institute believe an EMP would be tremendously damaging to a wide range of critical infrastructure... For EMPs resulting from nuclear blasts, the Edison Electric Institute, an industry group, said the possible effects aren’t fully understood and proposed fixes remain unproven and impractical. “Other sectors of the economy likely will be affected by a nuclear EMP attack, including other critical infrastructure sectors upon which the electric sector depends,” the group said in a 2015 paper titled Electromagnetic Pulses (EMPs): Myths vs. Facts. “It makes little sense to protect the electric grid while ignoring these other critical infrastructure sectors." …But the costs of fending off such an attack would be astronomical – as one scientist put it. Making the entire US power grid immune to an EMP would cost hundreds of millions, if not billions of dollars. Richard Mroz, president of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities, warned the cost of preventing widespread failures from an EMP would “be astronomical.” Placing transformers or a substations in shielded cages would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, he said, while protecting critical assets on a distribution system like New Jersey’s could reach into the billions of dollars. “Managing that kind of threat right now—no one really has the resources to do that,” Mroz said. As we pointed out back in October, one expert told Congress that an EMP could kill off 90% of the US population. People who lived through the New York City blackout in 1977 will remember how lootings and crime exploded while the lights were out. A similar phenomenon would likely play out following an EMP, as law enforcement would be hobbled and powerless to contain criminal behavior. Think about how Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated Puerto Rico by knocking out all communication and electricity infrastructure. Three months later, it has yet to be fully restored. Meanwhile, the death toll from the storms is on track to eclipse the thousands who died during Hurricane Katrina. …Now imagine that scenario playing out across the entire Atlantic seaboard…
'There's a war coming,' Marine Corps general warns US troops Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, testifies on Capitol Hill, March 14, 2017. (Reuters) A Marine Corps commandant on Thursday warned U.S. troops stationed in Norway to be prepared for a coming war. “I hope I’m wrong, but there’s a war coming,” Gen. Robert Neller told them. “You’re in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence.” "I hope I'm wrong, but there's a war coming. You're in a fight here, an informational fight, a political fight, by your presence." - Gen. Robert Neller, U.S. Marine Corps commandant Neller pointed to the near future possibility of Russia and the Pacific theater being the next major areas of conflict. Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green sounded a similar tone. "Just remember why you're here," Green said. "They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar." The warnings came a day before Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told troops at Fort Bragg, N.C., that "storm clouds are gathering" over the Korean Peninsula. Whether the comments were more than motivational rhetoric remained unclear. Neller and Green's arrival in Norway coincided with heightened tensions between the U.S. and its NATO allies and Russia. According to Military.com, Russia warned Norway that its decision to host a new unit of U.S. troops through the end of 2018 would negatively affect relations. "Just remember why you're here. They're watching. Just like you watch them, they watch you. We've got 300 Marines up here; we could go from 300 to 3,000 overnight. We could raise the bar." - Sgt. Maj. Ronald Green Norway has insisted having U.S. troops stationed there is merely part of an effort to enhance ties with NATO allies and conduct cold-weather combat operations. At a Q&A session with the troops in the Norwegian Home Guard base near Trondheim, Neller said that the U.S. could shift its focus from the Middle East to Eastern Europe, citing Russia’s conflicts with Ukraine and Georgia as justification. He told the Marines that they should be prepared for a “big-ass fight” on the horizon. Russia has reportedly been uneasy about the presence of American troops close to its borders. The 300 U.S. Marines deployed to Norway in June 2016 were the first foreign troops allowed to operate in the country since World War II. In September of this year, Russia conducted a joint-military exercise with neighboring Belarus that involved 12,700 troops. A new National Security Strategy unveiled by the Trump administration on Monday singled out Russia and China as two world powers challenging “American power, influence, and interests, attempting to erode American security and prosperity.”
Fatima, Garabandal and Brian, Thank you for keeping this thread updated. We're smart to keep praying.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/pope-laments-winds-war-blowing-around-world-113713632.html Pope laments 'winds of war' blowing around the world 1 / 14 Pope Francis, flanked by Master of Ceremonies Bishop Guido Marini, waves to faithful during the Urbi et Orbi (Latin for ' to the city and to the world' ) Christmas' day blessing from the main balcony of St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Monday, Dec. 25, 2017. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino) VATICAN CITY (AP) — Lamenting "the winds of war" blowing around the world, Pope Francis in his traditional Christmas message on Monday called for a two-state solution to find peace in the Middle East and prayed that confrontation can be overcome on the Korean Peninsula. The pope took particular aim at areas of global tension where President Donald Trump is playing a critical role. Trump's decision to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital has ignited new violence in the Middle East, while confrontation with North Korea over its nuclear tests has escalated tensions in Asia. "The winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline," the pope said in his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" ("to the city and to the world") Christmas message and blessing from the central balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square. About 50,000 faithful packed the square. As Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus, the pope depicted suffering reflected "in the faces of little children," citing war and other tensions in the Middle East and Africa. He asked for peace for Jerusalem and the Holy Land, and prayed "that the will to resume dialogue may prevail between the parties and that a negotiated solution can finally be reached, one that would allow the peaceful coexistence of two states within mutually agreed and internationally recognized borders." Francis also prayed for an end to confrontation on the Korean Peninsula and that "mutual trust may increase." The Christmas message has become an occasion for popes to survey suffering in the world and press for solutions. Francis urged that "our hearts not be closed" as the inns of Bethlehem were to Mary and Joseph before Jesus' birth. The pontiff lamented that Syria remains "marked by war," that Iraq has been "wounded and torn" by fighting over the last 15 years and that ongoing conflict in Yemen "has been largely forgotten." Recalling his recent trip to Bangladesh and Myanmar, the pope urged the international community to work "to ensure that the dignity of the minority groups present in the region is adequately protected." The pontiff also recalled children who risk their lives at the hands of human traffickers to migrate to safer lands, who suffer because their parents don't have work or who are forced into labor themselves or to fight as child soldiers.
