The central issue of the Oregon militia standoff is not a about furthering an extremist right-wing agenda, it is about federal land management. The militants occupying the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge are not a fringe group, they voice the frustrations of local residents who complain about the policies of the federal authorities, specifically the Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service. Residents have little control over federal lands, but their lives are profoundly affected by changes in grazing leases, drought, wildfire and invasive weeds, water rights and irrigation allowances, logging and mining contracts, wildlife conservation and fishing, enviromental protection, national parks and recreation, fencing and public access, limits on all-terrain vehicles, etc. Residents see regulations on federal lands arbitrary and unpredictable, an imposition by out-of-touch federal bureaucrats who drive up costs and undermines their economic security. For instance, ranchers say that their costs to maintain federal land are high notwithstanding the cheap grazing fee they pay. The solution of this longstanding political conflict cannot be by simply applying law enforcement. A deadly confrontation could be the outcome of charging the militants with trespassing and dislodging them with force. A dialogue between residents, county, state and federal authorities should be initiated over the issues of land management in order to find a consensus. Below are the latest news about the Oregon standoff plus a background documentation.

Burns, Ore., residents visit besieged land refuge; find common ground with Bundy movement - Yahoo News

Oregon standoff: Harney County group asks Ammon Bundy to leave but takes on his cause - OregonLive.com

Family members join refuge occupation; Ammon Bundy says group will go, but not yet - bendbulletin.com

Militia groups meet with leaders of Oregon occupation, pledge support - KFGO

Ammon Bundy doesn't want heavily armed members of the Pacific Patriot Network there and ask them to leave - OregonLive.com

VIDEO: A representative from the Bundy group says they are looking to de-escalate the situation, want to be peaceful and 'put away the long guns’ - YouTube

Faces of the Malheur occupation: Meet the militants and their visitors - OregonLive.com

Donald Trump op-ed on federal land control - rgj.com

Lawmakers contend that the protesters at the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge are voicing concerns shared by many in the West, stop short of endorsing their actions - WND

VIDEO: Press Conference Walden on the situation in Harney County, Oregon - YouTube

Congressman Walden uncorks years of frustrations in U.S. House speech going viral, the official Youtube video of the speech logged 100,000 views - OregonLive.com

VIDEO: Congressman Greg Walden addresses U.S. House on situation in Harney County, give voice to rural frustrations with the Bureau of Land Management officials - YouTube

TRANSCRIPT: Oregon militants: Congressman Walden addresses U.S. House, takes Bureau of Land Management to woodshed - OregonLive.com

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Roots of Oregon land dispute stretch back decades, a struggle between federal agencies and ranchers, loggers and miners - WSJ

Tracing the deep roots of the Oregon occupation, Those beliefs aren't that unusual in parts of the American West - nationalgeographic.com

Armed Oregon occupation: Is it really about white poverty in the West? - Christian Science Monitor

Should the government own so much land in the West, should its control over that land be reduced? A Debate among experts - NYTimes.com

The Oregon standoff and the landowner’s right to burn - slate.com

BLM burns land unsupervised: Burn ranchers home and cattle alive, Fire video starts at 3:10 minute and you can see cattle that are burnt and suffering (VIDEO) - Examiner.com

I’m an Oregon rancher. Here’s what you don’t understand about the Bundy standoff - The Washington Post

How the Federal Government's Role Changed From Realtor to Landlord in the West - GovExec.com

Oregon Standoff: The Federal Land Grab vs. the Sagebrush Rebellion - garynorth.com

The Bureau of Land Management and the Fish and Wildlife Service have systematically driven virtually all the ranchers out of Malheur National Wildlife Refuge. All except the Hammonds - East Oregonian

What the Oregon standoff is really about, forget the Bundys and "terrorism”— the real crime is what federal bullies do to ranchers like the Hammond family - The American Conservative

Bundy blog details long feud between Hammond ranchers & Feds - Bundy Ranch Blog

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Focus: Oregon Militia Standoff (Clinton and Trump Comments) - Jan 8, 2016

Oregon occupation leader Ammon Bundy meets sheriff, rejects bid to end standoff (VIDEO) - OregonLive.com

VIDEO: Ammon Bundy And Sheriff Dave Ward Meet Face To Face - YouTube

Utah group, attorney representing protester travel to Oregon seeking to de-escalate the occupation - The Salt Lake Tribune

At town hall meeting Oregon residents happy occupation puts their concerns in spotlight, but fear violence - LA Times

VIDEO: Oregon Standoff: Burns Gives The Armed Occupiers An Earful - YouTube

VIDEO: Congressman Greg Walden addresses U.S. House on situation in Harney County, give voice to rural frustrations with the Bureau of Land Management officials - YouTube

TRANSCRIPT: Oregon militants: Congressman Walden addresses U.S. House, takes Bureau of Land Management to woodshed - OregonLive.com

Ammon Bundy: Dispute is jurisdictional issue between the federal and the state governments (VIDEO) - koin.com

Oregon militants: Death threats from ranchers to federal officials reported years before standoff - OregonLive.com

Ranchers sentenced to prison have reputation for kindness - AP

Hillary Clinton: Oregon militia should be charged with trespassing, 'It's always best if we can resolve any kind of situation like this in a peaceful way but... law has to be obeyed' - lasvegassun.com

Trump says he would tell Oregon militia leader ‘you gotta get out', then he would invite him to the White House to discuss the group's grievances - TPM

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Focus: Oregon Militia Standoff - Jan 6, 2016

Ammon Bundy wants millions of federally owned acres transferred back to 'the people' meaning local or state authority, ranchers released - MSNBC

VIDEO: Ammon Bundy meet the press at Malheur National Wildlife Refuge - KPIC

VIDEO: Oregon protesters plan: Repatriate federal lands, investigate the origins of how the federal government purchased its land holdings - NBC

Activists say they'll leave if residents want them gone, residents say they agree with activists’ message but take issue with their tactics - LA Times

Ranch protesters form Citizens for Constitutional Freedom group - WND

Why many Westerners get angry about federal land rights, closer collaboration between the federal government and the states on land issues may be a solution of the conflict - Vox

In Oregon, frustration over federal land rights has been building for years - The Washington Post

The Bureau of Land Management Has a History of Bullying Ranchers – 'Nox & Friends

Key things to know about federal land ownership in the West - AP

The Bundys, the family behind the Oregon militia standoff, explained - Vox

Harry Reid Wanted Cliven Bundy Off His Ranch To Help Son Rory, China? - Investors.com

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Ammon Bundy says Feds won't oust militant occupiers, law enforcement communicating with him through back channels - OregonLive.com

Feds are taking wait-and-see approach to Oregon protesters, wary of the deadly confrontations at Waco and Ruby Ridge - dailysignal.com

VIDEO: Oregon militants post new video from refuge, plead for help to 'prevent bloodshed' - OregonLive.com

Authorities may plan to cut off power to militia at occupied Oregon refuge, Any such move would mark a significant escalation in the crisis - The Guardian

White House on Oregon standoff: this is a matter that local law enforcement is handling, we are hopeful that that situation can be resolved peacefully - OregonLive.com

Oregon ranchers begin new prison term, hope to receive rare presidential clemency from Obama - OregonLive.com

GOP candidates careful about response to Oregon standoff - UPI.com

Oregon protesters find support and scorn on social media - Reuters

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Clinton, Sanders and the Libya War - Jan 5, 2016

During the last Democratic presidential debate Sanders criticized Clinton foreign policy saying that she is "too much into regime change and a little bit too aggressive without knowing what the unintended consequences might be.” Clinton responded: "With all due respect, senator, you voted for regime change with respect to Libya. You joined the Senate in voting to get rid of Gaddafi, and you asked that there be a Security Council validation of that with a resolution.” Sanders did not reply. Hopefully he will do it next time when the issue arises again with Clinton or the Republican presidential candidate. The Senate resolution co-sponsored by Sanders calls on Gaddafi to “recognize the Libyan people’s demand for democratic change, resign his position and permit a peaceful transition to democracy.” The resolution urges the United Nations Security Council to consider the imposition of a no-fly zone over Libyan territory "to protect civilians in Libya” but it does not call for war and military action to overthrow Gaddafi. The resolution was agreed to Senate on March 1, 2011. Few weeks later, when the US, EU and NATO began the military intervention in Libya, Sanders told Fox News: "I think one of the things many people are upset about is this war took place without consultation of the Congress, without debate within the Congress...I hope the president tells us that our troops will be leaving there, that our military action in Libya will be ending very, very shortly.” Conclusion: Sanders did not support the Libya war.

I do not agree with the Senate resolution which contains the false statement that Gaddafi was killing thousands of people to repress the revolt. The resolution defends the protesters "demanding democratic reforms" but ignores the fact that they included armed Islamic estremists with Al Qaeda in a significant role. In another false statement the Senate resolution hints that Gaddafi personally ordered the terrorist attack that brought down Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, killing 270. There is no evidence of his involvement. The Libya former Minister of Justice Mustafa Abdul Jalil, who resigned during the 2011 rebellion, claimed to possess documents proving that Gaddafi personally ordered the airplane bombing but later denied making this claim saying he was misquoted. In 2003, Gaddafi paid compensation to the families of the Lockerbie victims, although he maintained that he had never given the order for the attack.

The U.S. military intervention in Libya is Obama's major foreign policy mistake. Decisions taken at the top of U.S., European and Arab circles have caused the immense suffering of the people at the bottom. The establishment of a no-fly zone in Libya proved to be the first step towards an incremental military intervention that lead to the toppling of the Gaddafi regime. Hillary Clinton and her close associates, former US Ambassador Susan Rice and National Security Council aide Samantha Power, lead the charge advocating the Libya war within the Obama administration. Opposed were Secretary of Defense Gates, the national security adviser Tom Donilon and counterterrorism chief John Brennan. In the end a reluctant Obama, who was also pressed by France, Britain and the Arab League, sided with Clinton on Libya. A groundbreaking article by the Washington Times reports that, according to secret audio recordings recovered from Tripoli, top Pentagon officials "so distrusted Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s 2011 march to war in Libya that they opened their own diplomatic channels with the Gaddafi regime in an effort to halt the escalating crisis.” The tapes were reviewed by The Washington Times and authenticated by the participants. The nation’s highest-ranking generals were concerned that president Obama and Congress were being misinformed on Libya. On tape an American intermediary specifically dispatched by the Joint Chiefs of Staff to Libya said: “You should see these internal State Department reports that are produced in the State Department that go out to the Congress. They’re just full of stupid, stupid facts.”

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Focus: Hillary Clinton - Jan 2, 2016

Speaking fees meet politics for Clintons, Former president spoke to groups with issues before State Department - WSJ

House Oversight Probes Hillary Speech Fees To Clinton Foundation - Forbes

Letter of House Oversight Committee Chair about the speech fees Mrs. Clinton failed to disclose while she was Secretary of State - house.gov

Watergate Prosecutor op-ed: 'Clinton cannot avoid having to respond to questions about foundation activities and speaking fees’ - CNN

RICO suit against Clinton Foundation trial Jan 20 - Media Circus

Clinton raised $37 million in last 3 months, she also raised $18 million for the Democratic National Committee and state parties - New York Times

Clinton Tops List of Arms Company Donations - teleSUR English

ARCHIVE: Clinton Foundation amends its tax return forms from four separate years due to errors in the reporting, admits to millions in foreign cash - Fox Nation

ARCHIVE: Clinton Foundation refiles ‘fraudulent financials’ with IRS - WND

ARCHIVE: Report of Wall Street Analyst: The Clinton Foundation Refiled, but the Errors Remain - Charles Ortel

ARCHIVE: Watchdog group FACT calls for probe of Clinton relationship with firm tied to son-in-law - Fox News

ARCHIVE: 41 years. $3 billion. Inside the Clinton donor network - Washington Post

ARCHIVE: Clinton close relationship with businessman who used offshore tax havens and paid IRS $250 million to avoid charges of tax evasion - Breibart

ARCHIVE: Judicial Watch Sues Treasury for Records on Hillary Clinton-Russian Uranium Scandal - marketwired.com

ARCHIVE: Long line of felons worked with nonprofit American India Foundation co-founded by Bill Clinton - Daily Mail Online

ARCHIVE: Clinton Foundation Running Private Equity Fund in Colombia - Washington Free Beacon

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State Dept releases more Clinton emails: Hundreds are classified - AP

Email shows Soros regrets supporting Obama, complains he has never met with the President but can ‘always' get meeting with Hillary - Daily Caller

Hillary emails show ties to Rahm, Blumenthal, Clinton Foundation - Washington Examiner

That time Hillary Clinton's pollster told her to resign calling remarks by Obama 'the stupidest thing ever said by a president in foreign policy' - Washington Examiner

In email Sid Blumenthal floated rumor that Gaddafi supplied his troops with Viagra in order to rape rebel women, it was then voiced by Susan Rice during a UN’s Security Council meeting - Daily Caller

Hillary Clinton: I never told Benghazi victims' families the terror attack began over an anti-Islam video, Four of them say she is lying - Daily Mail Online

ARCHIVE: Journalist Friedman details Clinton's crucial mistake over Libya: Ignoring Pentagon and NSC advice and supporting Sarkozy in bombing Gaddafi and seeking regime change - PRNewswire

VIDEO ARCHIVE: Architects of disaster: The destruction of Libya, Former House Intelligence Committee Chairman Hoekstra offers an analysis of a disastrous foreign policy decision - heritage.org

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Iraq/Syria News - Dec 29, 2015

Iraq Claims a Key Victory Over ISIS in Ramadi, Seizes Government Complex - NBC News

VIDEO: Iraqi troops raise national flag on governement complex in recaptured Ramadi - YouTube

VIDEO: Iraqi soldiers celebrate declaring Ramadi liberated from Islamic State - YouTube

Expelling ISIS from Ramadi: Why It Matters - CNN.com

Strategists say it's too early to cheer Iraq's Ramadi victory over ISIS - cnbc.com

MAPs: ISIS control in Iraq, and Ramadi, Nov. 11 to Dec. 28 2015 - CTV News

PHOTOS: Ramadi photos reveal how ISIS and Iraqi Army fighting destroyed the city - Daily Mail Online

Iraq's PM hails key victory in Ramadi, vows to free Mosul from IS - Xinhua

An intensifying campaign of U.S. air strikes on the Islamic State has nearly shut down its oil operations in Iraq and has hampered its more lucrative business in Syria - Iraq Oil Report

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Hundreds from Syria towns evacuated in U.N.-backed agreement to achieve local cease-fires in Syria - THE DAILY STAR

Russian General Staff: Syrian army goes ahead with successful offensive, greatest success achieved in Aleppo, Latakia and Damascus - TASS

Russian General Staff: More than 150 units of Syrian opposition are fighting against Islamic State apart from government forces - TASS

Taking the October Dam: Syria’s Kurds Keep Hitting the Islamic State - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Pentagon mutiny on Syria dismissed by ‘liberal' media, the US military concluded that ousting Assad would pave the way for jihadists to fill the power vacuum in Damascus - huffingtonpost.com

Exclusive: Seized documents reveal Islamic State's Department of 'War Spoils', including slaves and the exploitation of natural resources such as oil - Reuters

U.S. officials: Russian mission in Syria has been mostly successful so far and is facing relatively low costs - Reuters

Russia's Cost-Effective Military Campaign in Syria - ibtimes.com

The Cost Of Fighting Terrorism: Russia's Anti-ISIS War Is $8M Per Day, Doubling After Downing Of Su-24 Jet By Turkey - ibtimes.com

Russian Warplanes Hit 556 Terrorist Targets in Syria Over Past 3 Days - Sputnik International

Russia's S-400 to Be Equipped With High-Tech Communication System - Sputnik International

U.S. Fears Grow of a ‘Newly Awakened’ Russian Navy, A new report from the U.S. Navy’s intelligence branch - The Daily Beast

REPORT: The Russian Navy, A Historic Transition - Office of Naval Intelligence

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Syrian Journalist Who Documented ISIS Atrocities Is Killed in Turkey - The New York Times

Ankara urged to conduct full, impartial investigation of Syrian journo’s murder (VIDEO) - RT News

Syrian activists find no safety from ISIS in southern Turkey - The National

Migrants fleeing Syria encounter a life of detention in Turkey - The Washington Post

Turkish journalist Dundar op-ed: I revealed the truth about Erdogan sending weapons to Syria. For that, he had me jailed - The Guardian

Turkey’s dangerous game in Syria: It wages war on the Syrian Kurds, Islamic State’s most effective opponents, and plays host to an elaborate network of jihadists including ISIS - WSJ

The cost of Turkey's self-interest, Turkey's assistance to the Islamic State goes beyond providing open borders for ISIS militants - huffingtonpost.com

Captured ISIS fighter says Turkey is training Islamic State terrorists in a camp disguised as a training ground for the Free Syrian Army (VIDEO) - RT News

Turkey rejected joining anti-ISIL quartet in Baghdad due to Assad, says Erdoğan - hurriyetdailynews.com

Erdoğan: Iranian sectarianism, Russia’s Mediterranean ambitions source of chaos - Daily Sabah

REPORT: Russia’s Shifting Strategy in Syria: Implications for Turkish Foreign Policy - Oximity

Anonymous declares war on Turkey - news.com.au

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Syria/Russia News - Dec 26, 2015

Islamic State and Nusra Front 'to quit Damascus suburbs' under truce deal with Syrian government - France 24

Islamic State, Nusra Fighters Begin Turning in Heavy Arms Outside Syrian Capital Damascus - sputniknews.com

Syrian army narrows ring around militants in Damascus suburbs: Russia’s General Staff - TASS

Supply Cut Off: Syrian Army Cuts Damascus Smuggling Route - sputniknews.com

Top Syrian rebel Zahran Alloush killed in Damascus suburb, conflicting reports whether it was a Russian or Syrian airstrike - CBC News

VIDEO: Footage of the airstrikes that targeted Zahran Aloush and other rebel commanders - facebook.com

VIDEO: First Video of Zahran Alloush's Corpse - LiveLeak.com

PHOTO: Photo of Zahran Alloush Dead - twitter.com/sfean_alhmwi

ARCHIVE: Analysis of videos claiming Zahran Alloush's Liwa Al-Islam was responsible for the August 21, 2013 sarin attack - Who Attacked Ghouta?

VIDEO ARCHIVE: Videos allegedly showing Zahran Alloush’s Liwa Al Islam firing sarin from Jobar onto East Ghouta - Who Attacked Ghouta?

Turkish ‘traitor’ MP’s revelations on sarin transfers to Syrian rebels must be probed, reported to UNSC: Moscow - RT News

Syrian minister says world powers must stop fighters entering from Turkey and Jordan - Yahoo News

Syria ready to take part in Geneva peace talks: minister - Reuters

Beijing and Damascus agree on 3 principles for peace process in Syria - TASS

Pope Francis pushes for UN-backed end to Syrian conflict - DW.COM

Hezbollah holds recruiting push for war in Syria - AP

US-Backed Fighters in Syria Capture Areas in North From IS - ABC News

ISIL lost 5,000 square miles of territory largely in Northern Syria and Iraq, a net loss this year of 14% of what it had conquered - usatoday.com

Special Forces reportedly recover ISIS fatwa supporting organ harvesting - Fox News

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Russia says its strikes reduce oil smuggling to Turkey - Yahoo News

Militants in Syria change illegal oil trade routes: Russian Defense Ministry - TASS

Russian intel spots 12,000 oil tankers & trucks on Turkey-Iraq border: General Staff (VIDEOS) - RT News

VIDEO: Russian jets bomb ISIS oil tankers in Syria - RT News

Obama adviser: US develops plan to close oil trafficking corridor at Turkish-Syrian border - TASS

Russia Won't Stop Bombing in Syria after Cease-fire between Government and Opposition, “War on IS and Other Terrorist Groups” Will Continue - AP

Russian Aviation in Syria Completed 5,240 Sorties Since Operation Beginning - sputniknews.com

Russia killed hundreds of civilians in Syria, Amnesty says - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

REPORT (Full): Syria: Russia’s shameful failure to acknowledge civilian killings - Amnesty International

Russia rejects Amnesty charges over Syria raids - BBC News

Pentagon Rejects Russian Proposal to Share Intelligence on Daesh Positions until Moscow Changes its Position with Regard to Syrian President Bashar Assad - sputniknews.com

Russia, Qatar agree to encourage Syrian opposition to talk to govt - Yahoo News

No plans for establishing Islamic armed forces of anti-IS coalition: Qatari FM - TASS

Russia and India support Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity: joint statement - TASS

Pakistan Joins Russia, Condemns Any Attempts to Topple Assad in Syria - sputniknews.com

Russian FM hosts Turkey pro-Kurdish party leader for Syria talks and Moscow's potential support for Kurdish groups fighting Islamic State jihadists - Yahoo News

Russia, Taliban share intelligence in ISIS fight - CNN.com

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Focus: Clinton and Sanders and the Quinnipiac Poll - Dec 23, 2015

I am going to compare the attitudes of the Independents, Democrats and Republicans towards Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders in the Quinnipiac poll released today. Clinton has a very solid lead among Democrats while Sanders is the choice of Independents who instead dislike Clinton by a large margin. Republican swing voters may lean to vote for Sanders, not for Clinton.

If the primary for President were being held today, 61% of Democrats would vote for Clinton and 30% for Sanders. Among Democrats, Clinton gets 82% favorable opinion and 13% unfavorable; Sanders gets 69% favorable and 8% unfavorable. Only 3% of Democrats have not heard enough about Clinton while 21% have not heard enough about Sanders. Democrats overwhelming think that Clinton has the ‘right experience' compared to Sanders, 82% by 12%. Also they regard Clinton as a 'strong leader' compared to Sanders, 69% to 21%. Moreover 57% of Democrats say that Clinton ‘cares' about their problems, only 34% say the same about Sanders. Being honest and trustworthy is a characteristic won by Sanders over Clinton, but it is not a priority for the Democrats.

Focus: Democratic Presidential Debate - Dec 20, 2015

I urge Sen. Sanders to be friendly and accommodating with Hillary Clinton during the presidential debate regarding the data breach. He should admit that a serious mistake was done by his campaign staff and say that he will do everything to remedy the damage done to the Clinton campaign including an investigation and disclosure of the incident. This way he will avoid arguing with Clinton and spending debate time on this issue. Clearly the wrong is on the Sanders camp who should have not search and retrieve the Clinton campaign data. At stake is not only Sanders reputation as honest and trustworthy but also as a leader who can manage a crisis situation in a balanced and objective manner.

During the debate, Hillary Clinton hawkish foreign policy should be denounced as posing a great danger for US and the world as demonstrated on Iraq, Libya, Syria, Russia and Ukraine. On the other hand her domestic policy of limited reforms is weak and inadequate. Sen. Sanders should emphatically call for adding more Democratic debates and on TV prime time to give the voters essential information on the candidates’ reactions to the fast breaking pace of evolving US and world events. Today's debate, running against Christmas shopping, an NFL game and the opening weekend of the new "Star Wars” movie, will limit the number of potential viewers. The Hill reports that with current averages the 12 Republican debates will reach about 200 million viewers compared to about 75 million for the 6 Democratic events. The current DNC debate schedule clearly favors frontrunner Hillary Clinton shielding her from more challenging questions and answers. In general limiting debates is a detriment to the national discussion and hampers Democrats’ ability to build excitement for their issues.

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Focus: Sanders and the Clinton Data Breach - Dec 19, 2015

According to news reports listed below, Sanders campaign staff conducted searches of data stored by Hillary Clinton's campaign and saved some of the files related to 10 early primary states, including Iowa and New Hampshire. "The staffers who secured access to the Clinton data included national data director Josh Uretsky, who was fired on Thursday, and his deputy, Russell Drapkin. The two other usernames that viewed Clinton information were “talani" and "csmith_bernie," created by Uretsky's account after the breach began. Though the Sanders campaign initially claimed that it had not saved Clinton data, the logs show that the Vermont senator’s team created at least 24 lists during the 40-minute breach, which started at 10:40 a.m., and saved those lists to their personal folders. The Sanders searches included New Hampshire lists related to likely voters, "HFA Turnout 60-100" and "HFA Support 50-100," that were conducted and saved by Uretsky. Drapkin's account searched for and saved lists including less likely Clinton voters, "HFA Support <30" in Iowa, and "HFA Turnout 30-70"' in New Hampshire.”

If this is true, Sen. Sanders owns an apology to the Democratic National Committee and to Hillary Clinton. Sen. Sanders should order a full investigation. All the staff involved should be removed from their jobs, fired or disciplined. It is possible that Sanders was unaware of the Clinton data breach and the staff members involved acted on their own without orders or knowledge from above. Sanders should abide by the DNC recommendations that, in order to regain access to the his voter file, he should provide "a full accounting of whether or not this information was used and the way in which it was disposed.”

Reports: 4 Sanders Staffers Searched Clinton Data And Saved Files - talkingpointsmemo.com

More on the Clinton Data Breach and Theft by the Sanders campaign staff - Democratic Underground

DNC's full statement on the voter data breach by the Sanders Camp - talkingpointsmemo.com

VIDEO: Debbie Wasserman Schultz Defends Suspending Sanders Access To DNC Data System - RealClearPolitics

Statement by IT company NGP VAN on DNC data security and privacy - blog.ngpvan.com

Sanders campaign manager Weaver threatens to sue DNC - TheHill

Statement by Jeff Weaver, Bernie Sanders 2016 Campaign Manager - Bernie Sanders

VIDEO: Bernie Sanders campaign manager Weaver threatens to DNC to court if data access not restored - YouTube

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Syria News - Dec 16, 2015

In major policy shift Kerry says US not seeking ‘regime change' in Syria, U.S. and Russia see the conflict 'fundamentally very similarly' - ABC

VIDEO: Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov Hold a Press Conference in Moscow (Kerry speech starts at 4:10 min) - YouTube

TRANSCRIPT: Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Lavrov Hold a Press Conference in Moscow - state.gov

Syria conflict: US and Russia signal new push at UN, to pass a resolution endorsing the Syria peace process - BBC News

Russia, US military chiefs discuss Syria air space cooperation: agencies - THE DAILY STAR

US defense chief urges Turkey to do more in anti-ISIL fight, says most significant contribution would be sealing its border with Syria - Hurriyet

EXCLUSIVE: Sarin materials brought via Turkey & mixed in Syrian camps of ISIS which was known as Iraqi Al Qaeda during that time: Turkish MP to RT - RT News

Obama: ISIS Has Lost 40 Percent of Iraq Territory, and More in Syria - WTXF

U.S. Bombing of ISIS Oil Facilities Showing Progress - TIME

US-backed Free Syrian Army groups on verge of collapse - Stripes

Russia Names Four Free Syrian Army Groups It Supports with Air Cover in Fight Against ISIS - Haaretz

Syrian opposition provides Russian Air Force with coordinates to target terrorists: MoD - RT News

Russia supplies weapons only to Syrian government army, not to Free Syrian Army: Kremlin - TASS

Russia is bringing its big guns to Syria. Literally. - theweek.com

VIDEO (English Subtitles): Putin: Any forces that threaten Russian militaries in Syria should be exterminated - YouTube

Russian warplanes destroy 6 terrorists’ oil production facilities in Syria - TASS

Syrian troops liberate 9 settlements in Aleppo province: Russian General Staff - TASS

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Saudi Arabia creates 34 State Islamic military bloc to fight terror groups - Yahoo News

Saudi Arabia says sending special forces to Syria under discussion by Gulf States - Yahoo News

VIDEO (English Subtitles): Saudi Arabia’s crown prince announces military alliance to fight terrorism - YouTube

VIDEO (Longer version in Arabic): Saudi Arabia’s crown prince announces military alliance to fight terrorism - YouTube

VIDEO (English): Saudi Arabia FM announces new military coalition to fight terrorism - YouTube

Pentagon chief Carter wants more details on new Saudi alliance, senior defense official says the U.S. did not know in advance about it - News-Sentinel.com

No comment from Kremlin on newly-created Islamic coalition: 'It will take some time to analyze this decision. We don’t have detailed information at this point' - TASS

Saudi-led Islamic coalition role leaves Lebanon govt in shreds, PM hails move while FM oppose it - THE DAILY STAR

Interview with the rebel commander of Damascus Zahran Alloush, head of the Army of Islam - The Daily Beast

VIDEO (full version in Arabic): Jabhat a-Nusra leader al-Jolani criticizes the Riyadh conference of the Syrian opposition in an interview, denounces participating rebel factions as ‘treasonous’ - YouTube

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Focus: Terrorism and the U.S. Presidential Campaign - Dec 13, 2015

NYT/CBS poll shows that terrorism is voters' top pick for the biggest issue facing America. It may be a temporary trend due to the shocks of the San Bernardino and Paris tragedies. "Last month only 4% of Americans said terrorism was the most important problem.... Now nearly one in five -- 19% -- believe it is. Previous recent NYT/CBS polls found the economy was the top challenge." Terrorism is taking center stage in the presidential campaigns. Hillary Clinton vows to defeat Islamic State if elected and will outline her strategy for homeland security next week. The Independent reports today that Islamic State has released a new video; digitally altered footage shows IS tanks advancing towards the Colosseum in Rome and St Peter's Basilica in Vatican City is also filmed.

To be successful against terrorism, U.S. and Europe must forge a new partnership with Russia on equal terms to address the world conflicts and security threats. Russia should not be treated as an adversary or worse as an enemy. Putin should be respected as world leader, not disparaged. The new partnership could involve also China which usually teams up with Russia on foreign affairs. The Bernie Sanders proposal to create a new international organization like NATO, that will include Russia and Arab nations, may be the way forward securing world stability and peace. Sanders says: "We must create an organization like NATO to confront the security threats of the 21st century, an organization that emphasizes cooperation and collaboration to defeat the rise of violent extremism and importantly to address the root causes underlying these brutal acts. We must work with our NATO partners, and expand our coalition to include Russia and members of the Arab League.”

Next January talks between the Assad government and the Syrian opposition may take place if the parties agree. A Nov 13 statement from the International Syria Support Group, which includes among others U.S., Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran, calls for a Syria constitutional reform process leading to presidential elections under U.N. supervision within 18 months. Opposition groups, meeting this week in Saudi Arabia, insist as a precondition for talks that Assad and his aides quit power "with the start of the transition period." This is a non-starter because Russia and Iran do not accept the removal of Assad from power before the new presidential elections. The balance of power in Syria favors Russia and Iran. Russian massive military intervention in Syria is a game changer. Its top priority is to defend its historical ally, to preserve the Syrian state institutions from collapsing and avoid an Iraq and Libya scenarios. It sends a message to those who want regime change by military means that they will not succeed.

According to some reports State institutions and private donors in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and other Gulf nations provide weapons supplies and cash flows to the jihadi terrorists in Syria, allow oil trade with them and influx of foreign fighters. They may also provide training, transport, logistical support and medical assistance. This is in the contest of the rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran which fuels the conflict between the Sunni and the Shia. It is also a struggle for the control and distribution of oil and gas. In addition Turkey opposes the formation an autonomous Kurdish region in Syria which could be replicated within its own land. Until these nations aid and abet jihadi terrorism, there will always be security risks in the Middle East and beyond. References:

State Sponsors Of The Islamic State: The Turkey, Saudi, Qatar Connection

America's Allies Are Funding ISIS

Report: Turkey collaborating with the Islamic State

ISIS gets men and $800 million from Turkey

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Focus: Bernie Sanders, gun control and hunting - Dec 11, 2015

I urge Bernie Sanders to stop talking about hunting in the framework of his gun control plan. He comes from rural Vermont where hunting is common. He says, "In Vermont, New Hampshire and all over this country we have a lot of people who hunt. I support people's rights to hunt, it's part of our cultural heritage. But people do not go hunting with assault weapons.” He adds, "I can understand if some Democrats or Republicans represent an urban area where people don't hunt, don't do target practice, they're not into guns. But in my state, people go hunting and do target practice.” He could just avoid this reference to hunting altogether while talking about gun control. Video of Sanders speech which calls for gun safety legislation after the San Bernardino massacre and does not mention hunting.

Hunting hurts of the feelings animal rights supporters and in general of pet owners who amount to great numbers. Besides the ethical question of killing animals for recreation, it is also politically convenient not to alienate these voters. According to a poll, more than three in five Americans (62%) have at least one pet in their household, with ownership highest among the two youngest generations tested (65% among Millennials, 71% among Gen X). What's more, 95% of pet owners consider their pets to be members of the family. In addition growing percentages of pet owners frequently or occasionally buy birthday presents for their pets (45%) and cook for them (31%), let their pets sleep in bed with them (71%) and buy them holiday presents (64%).

Animal rights is now a mainstream movement like civil and human rights, environmentalism, feminism, etc. This is an article by Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals): Why Sport Hunting Is Cruel and Unnecessary.

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Syria News - Dec 10, 2015

Defense Sec. Ash Carter tells Senate Committee ISIS is not contained, but cites advances to take away control of territory from it - CBS News

VIDEO: Defense Secretary Ash Carter: We have not contained ISIS, but we are building momentum - YouTube

Defeating ISIS globally and at home requires leveraging it in its “parent tumor” of Syria and Iraq: Defense Secretary Ash Carter - defense.gov

Defense Sec: US combat troops would ‘Americanize’ conflict in Iraq and Syria, we could well turn people into fighting us instead - Freebeacon.com

VIDEO: Carter Cautions US Ground Troops Would 'Americanize' ISIS Fight - defensenews.com

In Testimony Before the Senate Armed Services Committee, General Admits Syrian and Russian Opposition Scuttles No-Fly Zone - US News

VIDEO: US-Enforced No-Fly Zone over Syria Risks Conflict with Russia: General - YouTube

VIDEO: Full hearing of Defense Secretary Ashton Carter testimony before the Senate Armed Service Committee - YouTube

Reckless onslaught could aid ISIL, U.S. military warns that killing civilians could bolster terrorist ranks - POLITICO

U.S. Intel Report to Obama: ISIS will spread worldwide unless it suffers a significant loss of territory on the battlefield in Iraq and Syria - The Daily Beast

IS Opens New Supply Route Between Raqqa in Syria and Mosul in Iraq - VOA

Syria′s fractious opposition meets in Saudi capital to unify stance ahead of peace talks - DW.COM

Major differences surface among the Syrian opposition in Riyadh - GulfNews.com

Assad must face justice, Ahrar Al Sham tells Syrian opposition in Riyadh - The National

Kurds, opposition summit in Syrian Kurdistan - ekurd.net

Riyadh, Rumeilan, and Damascus: All You Need to Know About Syria’s Opposition Conferences - Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Demand for setting date of Assad’s resignation contradicts international law: Lavrov - TASS

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Russian submarine launches cruise missiles in Syria, targeting two major IS positions in the territory of Raqqa - defensenews.com

VIDEO: Watch Russian Sub Firing Cruise Missiles Against ISIS in Syria - NBC News

Kalibr sea-launched missiles prove their efficiency, accuracy: Russian Defense Ministry - TASS

Russian Submarine Notches Milestone With Syria Missile Strike - Fortune

US: Russia Gave Warning of Syria Cruise Missile Strikes - defensenews.com

Comprehensive Infographic about the Russian Intervention in Syria, December 2015 Update - Offiziere.ch

Turkish PM accuses Russia of 'ethnic cleansing' in Syria - Reuters

Russia asks: Why is Turkey bombing Kurds in Syria who are US allies - Rudaw

Putin invites UK to investigate black box recovered from Russian jet downed by Turkey in Syria - ibtimes.co.in

Syrian rebels leave Homs as under truce deal with Assad (PHOTOS) - Daily Mail Online

VIDEO: Syria rebels start leaving Homs district under truce deal - YouTube

Evacuation of Homs district a boost for Syrian government - irishtimes.com

Pro-regime demonstration to demand release of kidnapped relatives in Homs deal - Syria Direct

Nusra fighters surrender to regime in south Syria province of Daraa - NOW

9 Nusra militants killed in Lebanon-Syria border clash with Hezbollah - THE DAILY STAR

Heavy clashes erupt between Kurdish and Nusra forces in Aleppo - Kurdpress News Aganecy

Syria's Assad admits sending weapons to PYD - aa.com

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Focus: Bernie Sanders - Dec 8, 2015

Sen. Sanders should consider the option of running as independent candidate in the presidential elections if Hillary Clinton is nominated by the Democratic party. The nomination of Clinton is not yet a fait accompli. Something may happen to turn the tide against Clinton and in favour of Sanders. But she may lock up the nomination with the help of the Democratic party machine, superdelegates, the endorsements of top Democratic politicians and major unions, super PACs, the Democratic National Committee, a favorable coverage by some big media outlets, etc. It may well be that Sanders will not win the Democratic nomination by virtue of his superior political platform and his activism; there are powerful interests that are opposing and trying to torpedo his candidacy. This is an aspect of the corrupt and rigged electoral system Sanders is talking about. There is also the possibility of a political cover up of Clinton misconducts regarding the private email server, the dealings of the Clinton Foundation and the Benghazi attack.

I believe that Sanders can win the November elections unlike past independent and third party candidates. First of all he has the backing of a progressive mass movement which will largely stick with him until the end. There is no other candidate that can represent it. Sanders is very popular; one more proof is that he has won the online readers’ poll for TIME Person of the Year, 'topping some of the world’s best-known politicians, activists and cultural figures as the most influential person of 2015 among those who voted.’ Sanders has the funding that will allow him to endure a protracted campaign. Democrats who will vote for Clinton in the November elections are a minority. A Gallup poll shows independents are the largest sector of the electorate, they are a key factor to win the Presidency. By running as independent Sanders will have more time to present his case to the American people, to make himself known to those that have not ‘heard enough’ of him, to gain political legitimacy and reputation as national and world leader.

Focus: Hillary Clinton and Wall Street - Dec 8, 2015

Clinton pens NYT op-ed 'to rein in Wall Street', does not go as far as Sanders who calls for breaking up the biggest banks - Guardian

Clinton offers new 'exit tax' on US-foreign company mergers - AP

Hillary Clinton Op-Ed: How I’d Rein In Wall Street - The New York Times

The NYT readers aren't buying Hillary Clinton's "How I’d Rein In Wall Street” - Althouse

Clinton's Commitment to Wall Street Crackdown Questioned - Fox Business

The US financial industry should listen to leftwing reformers, and reinstate the Glass-Steagall act - FT.com

Why this financial industry insider is rooting for Bernie to take the whole thing apart (AUDIO) - Public Radio International

VIDEO ARCHIVE: FDIC’s Hoenig talks about his proposal to reinstate the Glass-Steagall Act and regulation of the financial industry - Bloomberg Business

ARCHIVE: Shoot Bank Of America Now—-The Case For Super Glass-Steagall Is Overwhelming - David Stockman's Contra Corner

Clinton opened State Department to fundraisers, campaign staff and corporate donors - AP

Hillary Clinton defends her meetings with corporate executives and Wall Street donors while Secretary of State, says she can't be bought (VIDEO) - Newsmax

Opinion: let's have a look at how hard it is to buy Hillary - Frontpage Mag

ARCHIVE: Wall Street has made Hillary Clinton a millionaire (VIDEO) - CNN

Clinton Super PAC Donor Is Former Goldman Exec and Foreclosure Crisis Profiteer - theintercept.com

A Revolving Door Helps Big Banks’ Quiet Campaign to Muscle Out Fannie and Freddie - The New York Times

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Focus: Hillary Clinton - Dec 6, 2015

According to this article, "Ninety-one percent of Democratic respondents to Quinnipiac’s poll said they thought Hillary had “strong leadership qualities,” and 96 percent said they thought she had the right experience. About 30 percent less of those respondents thought the same about Bernie.” Clearly the Democratic voters did not get the message that Hillary Clinton record and experience as leader is abysmal. I am talking about foreign policy which is my field, not domestic issues. From Iraq to Libya to Syria she has been pro-war and pro-regime change through violent means.

Unfortunately Obama followed her advice on Libya when she urged the President to wage a war against Gaddafi. To date she defends her position and characterizes it as “smart power at its best.” The spectacle of what is Libya today is in front of our eyes: oil field shutdowns, economic decline, disintegration of central authority, soaring number of refugees some of them dead on the sea before arrival to the countries of destination, rising power of armed militias including the Islamic State and Qaeda which pose a security risk to Africa, Europe and also United States. Her "leadership qualities" were again tested on Benghazi when the State Department denied repeated requests by Ambassador Stevens and others to improve security of the American compounds in Libya, when Clinton failed to send any assistance to protect Stevens and his aides while they were under attack, never speaking at all to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta or Joint Chiefs Chairman Dempsey to request such military assistance.

On Syria she promoted the hardline strategy of massively arming the Syrian rebels in their struggle against Assad, establishing a Libyan-style no-fly zone and coordinating the action with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar which are fomenting the war and supporting the Islamic estremists . This time Obama said no to Hillary, leaving open the door to a diplomatic political solution of the Syrian crisis. Given her past “experience", is she going to pursue regime change also in Venezuela and other Latin American countries?

Clinton takes a tough line on Russia, refusing to recognize its legitimate interests in Ukraine and Syria. Her animosity towards Putin is well known likening the moves of the Russian President to the actions of Adolf Hitler and faulting European leaders for being “too wimpy” about challenging him. Regarding the Russian military intervention in Syria she said: "I think it's important too that the United States make it very clear to Putin that it's not acceptable for him to be in Syria.” According to the Washintgton Times, Hillary Clinton’s hawkish position on Russia troubles even the GOP. With this foreign policy record what kind of world are we going to live under President Clinton?

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Focus: Sanders's chief strategist Tad Devine - Dec 3, 2015

I checked the Twitter account of Tad Devine, the chief strategist of Bernie Sanders. I was surprised by some of his tweets.

On Dec 2 he tweets a Washington Post article which talks about the future of the Democratic Party without delving into the substance of the crucial issues affecting society. No distinction between the the Clinton and Sanders plans. Just a reference to the "progressive economic agenda that Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have begun to talk about in their campaigns.” Why Sanders’s chief political strategist called attention to this article?

He Tweets: "Iowa (IA) Poll - November 25, 2015 - Clinton Leads Iowa Dem Caucus, | Quinnipiac University Connecticut https://t.co/jed8huwkRK”. In his tweet, Devine does not mention 42 percent for Sen. Bernie Sanders in the same poll, compared with 51 percent for Clinton. Furthermore the poll shows that 47 percent of Democrats say Sanders can best handle the economy, while 42 percent say Clinton is best on this issue.

On Nov 7 he retweeted: "Clinton proposes changing marijuana from a Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 drug so researchers can study impact of medical marijuana.” Why he did not reply that changing marijuana from a Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 is weak proposal compared to Bernie Sanders' support for repealing federal prohibition. Quoting Sanders, marijuana must be legalized “if we are serious about criminal justice reform and preventing many thousands of lives from being impacted because of criminal convictions for marijuana possession."

On Nov 15 he tweeted a New York Time article: As Mayor, Bernie Sanders Was More Pragmatist Than Socialist. I am not going to comment on this because I have no knowledge of Sanders mayorship. Maybe Sanders should take a look at it to see if it is truthful.

I checked the political work of Tad Devine on Wikipedia. He worked for Jimmy Carter, Walter Mondale and Michael Dukakis in the field of delegate tracking and selection in their nomination campaigns. Later he served as a senior strategist to the campaigns of Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004. Without entering into the merits of each presidential candidate, it is a long string of failed campaigns. Regarding the 2008 Democratic presidential primary he was noncommittal about Obama and Clinton supporting neither candidate.

Devine also advised foreign leaders which I will not mention except Bolivian President Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada in 2002. Protesters, angry for his gas policy, sparked a rebellion which forced him to flee to the U.S. Reportedly more than 60 people died and hundreds were injured as the military cracked down on opposition protests. De Lozada was the architect of the energy sector privatization and an unpopular income tax recommended by the IMF. To date Devine defends the former Bolivian President.

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Focus: Syria News - Dec 2, 2015

Defense chief Carter before the House Armed Services Committee: US sending more special forces to fight Islamic State in Iraq and Syria - AP

VIDEO: Ash Carter before the House Armed Services Committee: More U.S. special operators headed to Syria - CNN

Joint Chiefs chairman Dunford: We have not contained ISIL, it has spread beyond Iraq and Syria to other countries - TheHill

VIDEO: Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Dunford: 'We have not contained ISIL' - YouTube

VIDEO: Ashton Carter, Joseph Dunford full testimony before the House Armed Services Committee - C-SPAN.org

Sen. Murphy critical of plan to send additional special ops forces to Syria, Iraq - Hartford Courant

Obama touts progress against ISIS, sets low expectations for Russian cooperation saying Putin unlikely to do '180 turn' - Fox News

VIDEO: Obama sets low expectations for Russian cooperation on Syria - Yahoo News

Obama: We need Turkey to secure its border with Syria, to prevent ISIS to transport fuel and foreign fighters - Breitbart

U.S. air campaign cripples ISIL oil industry in Syria - usatoday.com

Clinton on Russians: "I want them at the table. They don't have to participate in it, but I want them to understand that there has to be safe areas [i.e. no-fly zones] on the ground” (VIDEO) - TheHill

Did Hillary Clinton think a military victory against Assad was possible in Syria (VIDEO) ? - CBS News

US-backed alliance of Kurds and Arabs fight deadly clashes in Aleppo province with Islamist including Nusra - Yahoo News

U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces recapture new Hasakah areas from ISIS - ARA News

As US-backed Kurdish-Arab alliance prepares to storm Shaddadi, tribal leaders ask ISIS to withdraw to avoid civilian casualties - ARA News

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Russia adding 2nd airbase in Syria, pursuing 'expansion' in military campaign - Fox News

With the new airbase, the Russian air force in Syria is expected to double in the number of aircraft, additional 1,000 soldiers deployed - Daily Sabah

More information on the new Russian military base in Syria - InformNapalm.org

Russian Su-34 fighters carrying air-to-air missiles in Syria for the first time (VIDEO) - UPI.com

Pentagon warns Russia’s against arming its warplanes in Syria with air-to-air missiles - TASS

Russia S-400 missile system sends robust signal: 248 mi. range, 3 mi. per second speed, tracking hundreds of targets simultaneously up to 19 mi. height - BBC

Israel’s defence minister Ya'alon: Russian air defence missile system in Syria is not a threat - middleeastmonitor.com

Netanyahu, Putin Meet to Discuss Coordination of Air Forces in Syria - Washington Free Beacon

Vladimir Putin claims Turkey shot down Russian jet to protect oil trade with Isil (VIDEO) - Telegraph

Exclusive: Russia may freeze Turkish Stream gas project: Gazprom sources - Reuters

Russian Su-24M Jet Attack: Moscow Accuses NATO Of ‘Politically’ Covering Turkey - ibtimes.com

NATO allies seek to strengthen Turkey's defences - Reuters

Xi, Putin to enhance anti-terrorism cooperation - Business Standard News

Syria's government and opposition forces reach a deal for rebels to leave the last part of Homs city under their control - Yahoo News

Starving residents leave Qudsiya as rebels mull deal to end blockade - Syria Direct

Syria's Assad says Russia's support changes balance on the ground - Jerusalem Post

TRANSCRIPT: President al-Assad Interview to Czech TV - Syrian Arab News Agency

In unexpected twist, Assad ally may be Lebanon's next president - Jerusalem Post

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Focus: Clinton and Sanders on climate change - Nov 30, 2015

According to BBC, today hundreds of thousands of people have marched worldwide to demand action to stop climate change. On the eve of the Paris international conference on climate change it is necessary to point out the differences between Clinton and Sanders on this issue.

Hillary Clinton has recently stated her opposition to the Keystone pipeline and Arctic offshore oil and gas drilling. Also she released a plan promoting renewable energy resorces, especially solar energy. But this is not enough. Climate expert John H. Cushman Jr says: "To be transformational, Clinton's policy would have to: aim to end the uncontrolled emission of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, crack down on methane (another greenhouse gas) whether it comes from fracking natural gas or from agriculture, leave most existing reserves of fossil fuels in the ground, and put a price on carbon, either through a tax or a cap-and-trade system.” Climatologist James Hansen says that a president committed to halting climate change would implement a gradually rising fee for fossil fuel extraction, collected from the fossil fuel companies at the domestic mine or port of entry. To incentivize other countries to do the same the US would have to impose equivalent tariffs on imports from countries without a carbon fee. “You have to recognize that as long as fossil fuels appear to be the cheapest energy, we’ll just keep burning them,” Hansen says. So far Clinton has failed to endorse a tax on carbon emissions, which Sanders supports and many experts believe is essential if the world is to avoid a climate calamity.

Sanders has introduced a bill which would block new leases and end non-producing leases for fossil fuels -- such as coal, oil, gas, oil shale and oil sands -- on federal land and for offshore drilling in the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. It would also completely prohibit offshore drilling in the Arctic and Atlantic oceans. Recently Clinton said she wouldn’t stop federal energy development if elected president. Her campaign manager Podesta added the government should expect to receive more royalties and tax revenue from those operations rather than stopping them altogether.

“Is Clinton Still a Carbon Candidate? I think the answer to the above question, in all fairness, has to be “Yes” until she proves otherwise. I’m open to being shown otherwise — as are we all who care about our children’s and grandchildren’s future. But the weight of evidence so far is this — under a President Clinton, no halt to carbon emissions, and no commitment to one, will be forthcoming. Does that mean she doesn’t care about climate change. No, but it does mean she won’t act effectively to prevent it." Gaius Publius: Is Clinton Still a Carbon Candidate? The Data to Date

Russia News - Nov 28, 2015

Russia deploys cutting-edge S-400 air defense system on combat duty to Syrian base after Su-24 downing (VIDEOS) - RT News

VIDEO: See the moment the Russian S-400s arrived in Latakia, Syria - YouTube

Experts opinions: S-400 antiaircraft missile system to defend Russia’s air group, will keep most of Syrian airspace under control - TASS

Reports: Russia launches electronic warfare in Syria as tensions rise - Fox News

Ankara Suspends Air Force Flights Over Syria After Attack on Su-24: Media - sputniknews.com

Erdogan warns against use of S-400 against Turkish fighter jets over Syria - News.Az

VIDEO: Erdogan interview: We won't apologize for downing Russian plane - CNN

U.S. officials say Russia didn't give downed jet's flight plan to them, Putin hinted that U.S. might have given detailed Russian operational plans to Turkey ahead of time - Yahoo News

US Hopes Russia Respects Safety Memorandum After S-400s Deployed in Syria - armscom.net

US special forces begin training Kurdish and Arab fighters to take on Isis - ibtimes.co.uk

Israeli Air Force says direct line to Moscow prevents possible air incidents - RT News

Chinese media: Russian S-400 undermines Turkey's plan to impose safe zone in Syria - Xinhua

Russia retaliates with air strikes near Turkey border - World Tribune

Russia ready to coordinate steps to block Turkish-Syrian border: FM Lavrov - TASS

U.S. urges Turkey to seal Syria border, says a bigger Turkish border deployment would close off key transit routes for ISIS fighters in Syria - WSJ

Turkey Masses Tanks on Syria Border Amid Rising Russia Tensions - Antiwar.com

Putin: 'Commercial scale’ oil smuggling into Turkey by ISIS becomes priority target of air strikes - RT News

Erdogan denies Turkey buys oil from ISIL - Al Jazeera English

Protests erupt in Turkey after journalists arrested for a report suggesting Ankara shipped arms to Islamist rebels in Syria - AFP

VIDEO: Turkish police pepper spray supporters of 2 prominent journalists arrested for ‘treason’ over publishing photos of weapons allegedly brought to Syrian rebels by Turkish intelligence - RT News

Russian PM Pushes For Economic Sanctions Against Turkey - huffingtonpost.com

Russia scraps visa-free regime for Turks amid bitter dispute - France 24

France, Russia agree to exchange intelligence in Syria campaigns, but difference remain on the fate of Assad - AP

Russia plays down idea of grand coalition with West to strike Islamic State in Syria, it seeks cooperation on its terms - Washington Post

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Coal cutoff escalates Russia-Ukraine tensions, Yatsenyuk says not enough coal for winter - POLITICO

Ukraine seeks imports of anthracite coal from South Africa as shortages loom - Platts News

Ukraine Energy Minister Backs Compromise on Energy Supplies With Russia - sputniknews.com

Crimea starts receiving electricity from Russia: RIA - Reuters

Russia cuts gas flow, Ukraine closes airspace as trade war expands - The Washington Post

Moscow will impose a food embargo on Ukraine starting from 1 January 2016, when the economic part of Kiev’s European Association Agreement comes into force - RT

Yatsenyuk: Ukraine to Respond Likewise to Russia's Upcoming Food Embargo - sputniknews.com

Ukraine's agricultural exports to Russia down 72.9 pct in first 10 months of 2015 - GlobalPost

Ukraine’s export to decrease 30.8% in 2015: ministry - TASS

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Syria News - Nov 24, 2015

A new ABC/Washington Post poll shows that Hillary Clinton is the most trusted 2016 candidate on terrorism. Quoting the Washington Post: "Clinton’s position of strength in the new Post-ABC poll is perhaps more striking given it also found... 57 percent disapproved of his [Obama] handling of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.”

I think is urgent to respond to the recent Clinton national security and Islamic State speech and clarify to the public the dangerous implications of her foreign policy which will furtherly destabilize the Middle East and fuel more war.

On top I would put her anti-Russia and anti-Iran stance: by condemning continuously their actions and by refusing to recognize their legitimate interests and concerns, she makes the prospect of a political and diplomatic solution of the crisis difficult if not impossible to pursue.

Second, I would mention her plan to train and arm the so called “moderate” Syrian rebels who are fighting Assad. This policy has been a total failure with the result that US weapons ended up in the hand of Qaeda-affiliated Nusra Front and Islamic state; also many CIA-trainees were fought and defeated or recruited by those terrorist groups. Right now remaining “moderate” Syrian rebels are allied with Nusra Front and other hardline Islamist groups in a coalition known as Army of Conquest.

Third, Clinton no-fly zone in northern Syria may cause a direct military confrontation with Russia, Iran and the Syrian army. The Pentagon assessed the no-fly zone as risky, costly and difficult to implement. Also the local populations, like the Syrian Kurds, oppose it.

Forth, Clinton says: "There is not going to be a successful military effort at this point to overturn Assad. That can only happen through the political process.” By setting the goal of overturning Assad, even if by a political process, she imperils the future peace talks between the Syrian government and opposition. Russia and Iran have repeatedly said that they will not accept Assad ouster as a precondition for the negotiations ending the war.

Fifth, Clinton plans a deployment in Syria of more U.S Special Operations troops "who can contribute to the fight on the ground” and military personnel advising the Iraqis "including embedding in local units.” This will put at risk more lives of American soldiers. The U.S. military shows sign of fatigue after so many wars; soldiers suffer from exhaustion, sleep disorders and mental health problems. No surprise that few Americans in the military have a good impression of Hillary Clinton: in a poll she is seen unfavorably by 81% by active and retired military personnel, including 69% who share a very unfavorable impression of her.

Below is my today’s news research on Syria.

Putin, Khamenei pledge to oppose 'external attempts' to overthrow Assad regime - UPI

VIDEO: Russia’s complex anti-ISIS campaign in Syria would be impossible without Iran: Putin - RT News

Jordan's King Abdullah to discuss war on Syria militants with Putin - Reuters

Сhina considers Russia’s actions important part of international fight against terrorism - TASS

UN Chief Says Russia and U.S. Must Unite to Destroy Islamic State - Breitbart

Former defense chief Hagel: Russia, Iran must join fight against ISIS - Washington Examiner

Russian TV: Russian airstrikes destroy 472 terrorist targets in Syria in 48 hours, 1,000 oil tankers in 5 days (VIDEO) - RT News

Pentagon skeptical of claims Russia hit 1,000 ISIS tankers - Fox News

Backed by Russian airstrikes Syria troops advance in Homs province and Latakia - Daily Mail Online

Syrian army making advances since Russian airstrikes began: Assad - RT News

TRANSCRIPT: Assad interview to Chinese PHOENIX TV Channel - Syrian Arab News Agency

U.S. Congresswoman introduces bill to stop "illegal" war on Assad; says CIA ops must stop (VIDEO) - Intellihub

Inside Russia's war room where Vladimir Putin masterminds Syria airstrikes (PHOTOS, VIDEO) - Daily Mail Online

Russia said to deploy advanced missile system in Syria - The Times of Israel

Report: Russia Sends Ground Forces into Syria - Washington Free Beacon

VIDEO: Syrians take to the streets to praise Russian military support - BBC News

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Presidential envoy McGurk: US Special Forces going Into Syria very soon, 'to organize those forces on the ground to push down on Raqqa' - VOA

VIDEO: Presidential Envoy Brett McGurk discusses the U.S. strategy in Syria against ISIS - CBS

France, Russia poised to pummel Islamic State ‘capital' Raqqa - THE DAILY STAR

Exclusive: Kurdish forces with new alliance called the Syrian Democratic Forces dig in just outside ISIS headquarters in Raqqa (VIDEO) - CNN

Isis fortifies Raqqa as it braces for an international assault on its Syrian stronghold - The Independent

With air support from a US-led coalition Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic forces have captured nearly 200 villages from Islamic State - ekurd.net

15 opposition brigades in Idlib, Aleppo join the Syrian Democratic Forces - Syria Direct

Assyrian Christian Militia Joins Kurds against ISIS in Syria - National Review Online

Officials say US warplanes destroy 283 IS fuel trucks in Syria - Yahoo News

President Obama Returns to DC Amid ISIS Intelligence Report Investigation - ABC News

Syria oil map: the journey of a barrel of Isis oil - FT

Turkey buying oil from Isis? Syrian army releases photos of captured tanker - IBTimes

Financing Terror: Where Does the Islamic State Group Get Its Money? - US News

How the Islamic State makes its money - The Washington Post

US Envoy: Chemical Attacks 'Becoming Routine' in Syria - ABC News

Syria opposition chief urges Al-Nusra to break with Al-Qaeda - Yahoo News

Al-Qaeda's affiliate Nusra Front releases a grateful video where they openly thank the Free Syrian Army for supplying them with US-made anti-tank TOW missiles - Sputnik

VIDEO: Revealing Interviews of ISIS fighters captured by the Kurds - LiveLeak.com

Focus: Hillary Clinton Plan to Combat Islamic State - Nov 20, 2015

Here is a summary of the Hillary Clinton plan to combat Islamic State and my suggestions for a Sanders counterproposal. This is the full transcript and video of Clinton National Security Address.

Hillary Clinton proposes:

Deployment in Syria of more U.S Special Operations troops "who can contribute to the fight on the ground” and military personnel advising and training the Iraqis "including embedding in local units and helping target airstrikes.”

Establishing no-fly zones together with the coalition and the neighbors to "stop Assad from slaughtering civilians and the opposition from the air.”

Support and arming Syrian opposition units hand in hand with Arab and European partners.

A political transition to end Assad’s rule which has "killed many more Syrians than the terrorists have…There is not going to be a successful military effort at this point to overturn Assad. That can only happen through the political process.”

"Counter Iranian influence across the region and its support for terrorist proxies such as Hezbollah….Raising the confidence of our Arab partners and raising the costs to Iran for bad behavior will contribute to a more effective fight against ISIS.”

Following are my suggested points for Sanders counterproposal:

No to U.S. troops on the ground in Syria and Iraq. Let’s spare the lives and limbs of the American soldiers! According to a Reuters poll, Americans want more action against ISIS, but oppose ground troops.

Oppose no-fly zone. This is a dangerous idea. A no-fly zone will fuel the civil war, antagonize Russia and Iran and may cause a direct military confrontation with them. The Pentagon opposes the no-fly zone as risky, costly and difficult to implement. Also the local populations, like the Syrian Kurds, oppose it.

No arming of the Syrian so called “moderate” rebels who are allied with Nusra Front and other hardline Islamist groups in a coalition known as Army of Conquest. As it has happened in the past they have been a conduit, either willing or unwilling, of U.S. weapons to terrorist groups.

Support the call of France President Hollande for a global coalition to defeat Islamic State, a truly international cooperation with the participation of Russia and all the Muslim nations including Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Iran. Hollande will meet separately with Obama and Russian President Vladimir Putin next week to "unite the forces”.

Support the Vienna Statement of the International Syria Support Group which set a plan for Syrian government and opposition talks, new constitution and UN supervised elections within 18 months. "The ISSG expressed willingness to take immediate steps... to pave the way for the nationwide ceasefire."

No mentioning of Assad which remains a sticking point in the diplomatic negotiations to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis. The Syrian government/opposition talks and the constitutional reform process can begin without addressing the fate and political future of Assad which can be discussed at a later stage when both the Syrian government and opposition have been given political and security guarantees.

It is important that Sen. Sanders address in a comprehensive manner the anti-terrorism campaign. The audience of the Iowa Democratic debate thought that Clinton was stronger than Sanders in national security, and the media noticed that he was too short addressing this issue.