Russia

Finnish Prime Minister Sauli Niinistö made it clear to CNBC last week that while Russia's actions involving Crimea must come to a peaceful resolution, the most important issues facing Europe right now are terrorism and migration. Despite Finland pledging $55 Million Euros to NATO, Niinistö also made it clear that European nations need to ultimately be responsible for their own security.

I think that Europeans start to understand that they have to take more responsibility of their own security, in spite of the fact that they are members of NATO.

As the “information war” heats up between east and west, Russia’s Foreign Ministry wades in the battle by planning a fact-checking service of its own to debunk “fake news.” Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Maria Zakharova says that a fact-checking service will soon be launched that will collect and debunk any factually inaccurate international news stories that are put out by the “dishonest” western media. Her comments mirroring those of President Trump’s sentiments on “dishonest” U.S. media.

Submitted by Mike Krieger via Liberty Blitzkrieg blog,

Earlier this week, Tucker Carlson interviewed the Washington Post’s Erik Wemple and brought up the fact that the paper regularly receives money from the Russian government to publish propaganda known as “native advertising” within the contents of the newspaper. This was news to me.

Here’s the clip.

Russia’s envoy to NATO has warned that the alliance’s increased military buildup in the Black Sea region could lead to a cold war situation. Alexander Grushko made his comments after NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg promised to fortify its military presence in the region, to counter so-called ‘Russian aggression.’ Grushko said that Moscow will take “all necessary measures” to protect its national interests in the Black Sea. MSN reports: “All these decisions will be subject of thorough analysis.

Submitted by Howard Kunstler via Kunstler.com,

The gaslighting of the American public continues, with Gaslighter-in-Chief, The New York Times, whipping up a frenzy of Russia paranoia.*

It reminds me of an old gambit in fly fishing called the “artificial hatch.” Trout like to gorge on mayfly nymphs as they rise out of a stream and shuck their nymphal shells to fly away as winged adults. The bugs do this in bunches, at a particular time of day, according to sub-species. This “hatch” drives the trout into a feeding frenzy.