Turns out Neil deGrasse Tyson is actually a whore. A well paid whore, at that.
At COUNTERPUNCH, T.J. Coles explains:
So, with this background, it’s not surprising that Tyson would appear on national television and talk up the Defense Department. But it’s crucial for any successful propaganda campaign that his record with the federal government be suppressed, minimized or justified. Hence, the failure (refusal?) of host Stephen Colbert to mention any of this to the casual viewer. The show gives the impression that Tyson is just a fun and intelligent man with no vested interests. In fact, Tyson lies and tells both Colbert and CBS: “I have no dog in this fight” in relation to Trump’s (read: the Pentagon’s) creation of a “Space Force.”
As noted, Tyson has been a government advisor and at the time of appearing on the shows was a member of a DoD board. In addition, we all have a “dog in the fight” of space weaponization because fragile and complex space systems could result in catastrophic failures, including miscommunications which can escalate into near-terminal catastrophe, as has happened many times in the past in relation to nuclear weapons (see, for instance, Daniel Ellsberg’s chilling book, The Doomsday Machine). Adding a space dimension to fraught and dangerous geopolitical situations only adds to the risk.
Last month, US Defense Secretary and war criminal, James “it’s fun to shoot some people” Mattis, told reporters that the Pentagon was advocating for a separate US Space Command in response to the Defense Policy Bill’s plan to integrate space systems under the Strategic Command (which also oversees nuclear strategy). Mattis was initially against this, says Space News, but has changed his mind in light of Trump’s (read: the Pentagon’s) insistence on having a “Space Force”.
With the new “Space Force” (as yet a nickname) potentially going ahead, the friendly faces of US imperialism are rolled out to justify expanding the militarization of space. Luckily, Tyson has a new book on the same topic to promote. In addition, Trump’s undeserved reputation as a moron (see my book President Trump, Inc.) required the media presence of a respected professional (i.e., Tyson) to promote the “Space Force.”
Again, he's a well paid whore.
"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
Monday, September 17, 2018. Iraq finally has a Speaker of Parliament.
TASNIM reports, "The new speaker of Iraq’s parliament, Mohammed Rikan Hadeed al-Halbousi, praised Iran’s role in the Arab country’s liberation from terrorist groups and said in the era of 'unfair' sanctions against Iran, the Iraqi nation will side with the Islamic Republic."
Iraq's new what?
Saturday, Iraqi MPs finally elected a Speaker of Parliament. Pakistan's THE NEWS reported, "Iraq´s parliament elected Sunni lawmaker Mohammed al-Halbousi as speaker on Saturday, marking an important step towards establishing a new government four months after an inconclusive national election." In addition to being part of Moqtada al-Sadr's bloc (the winner of the May 12th elections), he was backed both by the outgoing prime minister Hayder al-Abadi and by Hadi al-Ameri whose milita bloc came in second in the May 12th elections. al-Halbousi has been a member of Parliament since the 2014 elections. Following serving in Parliament, al-Halbousi became governor of Anbar Province.
Mohammed al-Halbousi is elected as parliament speaker by 169 votes. A young engineer whose entire political experience is 4 years. He was Anbar governor since 2017. With hos election, Parliament speakership is out of Muslim Brotherhood after a long time. (1)
Pakistan's THE NATION notes, "Halbusi ran against three other candidates, including Vice President Osama al-Nujaifi and former Defence Minister Khaled al-Obeidi." This was news -- at least the al-Obeidi part -- to THE WASHINGTON POST's Tamer el-Ghobashy.
Mohamed Al-Halbusi, the 37 year old Governor of Anbar has been elected speaker of parliament. This allows the much delayed process of forming Iraq’s new government to move forward (in theory). Halbusi beat out veteran politician/former def minister Khaled al-Obeidi.
Let's explore that for a moment -- in part because Tamer didn't. How is Khaled al-Obeidi the former Minister of Defense? I ask because the government's supposed to be dissolved but Hayder al-Abadi continues to meet with the Cabinet and al-Obeidi became Minister of Defense in October 18, 2014 as part of then incoming prime minister Hayder's Cabinet.
It's a four year term. But for Khaled, it was less than two years. Why was that?
He was stripped of his position just before he completed the second year of his term. The Parliament held a no confidence vote. He stood accused of corrpution. In what world do you receive a no confidence vote in August of 2016 and be stripped of your post only to be elected Speaker of Parliament two years later? You don't. Why in the world would Tamer be seeing the defeat as newsworthy when there was nothing surprising about it?
NIQASH's Mustafa Habib offers this analysis:
US forces succeeded with support of Halabousi in deploying their forces in "Qaim" the strategic town on the border with #Syria where Shiite factions on the other side were planning to open road Iran-Iraq-Syria through this town,guess what? Qaim is the capital of Karbouli family(3
In Dec. 2017 "Liwa' Altufuf" pro-Iranian militia sent message to his leaders explain the situation on the border & advised to push on Anbar gov to keep US troops out of the border, but the gov refused that. Other side, Halabousi supported training tribal program by US forces.(4)
Karbouli family knows very well that the keep Anbar away of collapse requires US forces, everyone knows the stay of US forces in Anbar is not opinion but demand of all local politicians and tribes.(5)
Who’s better for US side? Halbusi? or Khaled al-Obeidi who does not have a strong party depends on it, he would be weak if he became speaker of parliament as it has been dismissed from his office as Minister of Defense in August 2016 (6)
Here is the thing, the next move of Shiite Mps pro-Iran is to ask the parliament to discuss withdraw of US troops. Do think Halabousi will agree to this discuss simply? while he know that will put the city & reputation of his party at stake. (7)
As for the other nominee? That's actually more newsworthy, al-Halbousi defeating Osama al-Nujaifi whom the media identified as the Vice President. He was that. However, before becoming one of Iraq's three vice presidents, Osama was the Speaker of Parliament.
If you're not getting that only one of the two was newsworthy, maybe this FACEBOOK post will help you out:
النجيفي يستقبل المبعوث الرئاسي الأميركي وسفير الولايات المتحدة الأميركية في العراق
***
استقبل السيد أسامة عبد العزيز النجيفي رئيس تحالف القرار العراقي يوم الأثنين 17 أيلول 2018 السيد بريت ماكغورك المبعوث الرئاسي الأميركي والسيد دوغلاس سيليمان سفير الولايات المتحدة الأميركية في العراق .
تم في الاجتماع بحث ومناقشة آخر تطورات الوضع السياسي فيما يتعلق برئاسة مجلس النواب ورئاسة الجمهورية ورئاسة الوزراء ، والبرنامج الحكومي ، وسبل الوصول إلى تشكيل حكومة قادرة على مواجهة متطلبات البلد والنهوض به ..
أكد السيد النجيفي على ضرورة الاسراع في انتخاب رئيس الجمهورية وتكليف رئيس مجلس الوزراء وحسب التوقيتات الدستورية ، مشددا على الحرص على تحقيق التوافق الوطني ، وعدم السماح بكسر الارادات وصولا إلى تحقيق غايات لا تخدم الوطن والمواطنين
وأشار إلى أن العراق بحاجة إلى رئيس جمهورية يتمتع بالخبرة والكفاءة ويكون قادرا على الحفاظ على الدستور والسهر من أجل عدم التجاوز عليه . كما أن الضرورة تقتضي النجاح في اختيار رئيس مجلس وزراء معتدل ومقبول ينآى بالعراق عن الصراعات الدولية ، ويتمتع بقدرة اقامة أوسع العلاقات مع المجتمع الدولي بما يخدم مصلحة العراق .
من جانبهم عبر المبعوث الأميركي والسيد السفير عن تقديرهم لخبرة وكفاءة السيد النجيفي والحاجة إلى نصائحه وارشاداته لدعم المسيرة السياسية في العراق .
***
استقبل السيد أسامة عبد العزيز النجيفي رئيس تحالف القرار العراقي يوم الأثنين 17 أيلول 2018 السيد بريت ماكغورك المبعوث الرئاسي الأميركي والسيد دوغلاس سيليمان سفير الولايات المتحدة الأميركية في العراق .
تم في الاجتماع بحث ومناقشة آخر تطورات الوضع السياسي فيما يتعلق برئاسة مجلس النواب ورئاسة الجمهورية ورئاسة الوزراء ، والبرنامج الحكومي ، وسبل الوصول إلى تشكيل حكومة قادرة على مواجهة متطلبات البلد والنهوض به ..
أكد السيد النجيفي على ضرورة الاسراع في انتخاب رئيس الجمهورية وتكليف رئيس مجلس الوزراء وحسب التوقيتات الدستورية ، مشددا على الحرص على تحقيق التوافق الوطني ، وعدم السماح بكسر الارادات وصولا إلى تحقيق غايات لا تخدم الوطن والمواطنين
وأشار إلى أن العراق بحاجة إلى رئيس جمهورية يتمتع بالخبرة والكفاءة ويكون قادرا على الحفاظ على الدستور والسهر من أجل عدم التجاوز عليه . كما أن الضرورة تقتضي النجاح في اختيار رئيس مجلس وزراء معتدل ومقبول ينآى بالعراق عن الصراعات الدولية ، ويتمتع بقدرة اقامة أوسع العلاقات مع المجتمع الدولي بما يخدم مصلحة العراق .
من جانبهم عبر المبعوث الأميركي والسيد السفير عن تقديرهم لخبرة وكفاءة السيد النجيفي والحاجة إلى نصائحه وارشاداته لدعم المسيرة السياسية في العراق .
That's Osama's post about meeting earlier today with US Special Envoy Brett McGurk. I seriously doubt that Brett met earlier today with Khaled al-Obeidi.
Back to the current Speaker, ALJAZEERA noted:
Mohammed al-Halbousi, a Sunni
politician and the former governor of Anbar province, won 169 votes in a
secret ballot conducted at Saturday's session of the 329-seat assembly,
according to reports.
Aged 37, he will be the youngest speaker of parliament in Iraq's history.
Some hailed the election of a Speaker of Parliament on Saturday as a
huge step forward -- this despite the fact that it was supposed to have
taken placer much earlier. Raya Jalabi and Ahmed Rasheed (REUTERS) noted,
"Parliament had been due to elect a speaker and two deputies during its
first meeting on Sept. 3, but failed to do so as lawmakers were unable
to determine which competing bloc had the most seats. The move is not
that big. Saturday was supposed to also have seen the Parliament elect two deputy speakers but that didn't happen. On Sunday Hassan
Karim al-Kaabi (a Shi'ite) was elected first deputy and Bashir
al-Haddad (a Kurd with Barzani's KDP) was elected second deputy. RUDAW notes that both the KDP and the PUK backed al-Haddad. QANTARA reports
that Shi'ite cleric and movement leader Moqtada al-Sadr put forward
Hassan Karim as the nominee for first deputy speaker. There's still no
president and still no prime
minister-designate. Elections were four months ago.
Today, Mohammed Sabah (AL MADA) reports
that the Parliament is now saying that they can name a president
without also naming the largest bloc (naming the largest bloc would
require naming the prime minister-designate).
They have a Speaker of Parliament but not much else.
Ruth's updated this morning:
