Assad Collapse Deemed Near as ISIS Advance

Channel 2 television's veteran Arab affairs expert, Ehud Yaari, probably the most respected Middle East expert in the Middle East, is predicting that the end of the Assad regime in Syria is near.

The Syria rebels and the ISIS forces have had a series of accomplishments lately, writes Yaari, and Assad has not been in worse shape since the cruel civil war began four years ago. The forces opposing him have made advances in the north, south and east, his military force is dwindling and his ability to deal with the challenges facing him is “very limited.”

Assad has lost the ability to move his forces from one theater of fighting to another, and has sustained heavy losses, according to the expert. Iran sent Shi'ite militias from Iraq and Afghanistan to assist the Syria army, but these have not shown a meaningful fighting ability. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has not been able to make meaningful advances at the Kalamoun Mountain area, despite heavy fighting.

The Syrian army is fighting on five fronts, according to Yaari:
Haska: ISIS is attacking the northeastern provincial city and is only 5 kilometers away from it.

Aleppo: the largest Syrian city is under attack by both ISIS and the rebels. ISIS has taken control of the supply route that leads to Turkey, in the northwestern part of Syria.
Homs: rebels are attacking the city that has been dubbed 'the Capital of the Revolution'
Druze Mountain: ISIS are at the outskirts of the plateau next to the border with Jordan.
Daraa: the 'capital of the south,' next to the Jordanian border, is coming under heavy rebel attack.

“De facto, the Syrian army has ceased to exist,” Maj. Gen. Yair Golan, the Israel Defense Forces’ deputy chief of staff, said on Monday.

Assad will soon have to make “a difficult decision that will determine how the rest of the fighting will proceed,” estimated Yaari. According to some reports, the Syrian top command is preparing a plan for holing itself in at several holdouts in the west of the country.

Iran's president, Hassan Rouhani, declared Wednesday that his country “will stand by the nation and government in Syria until the end of the road.”




Credit to Israelnationalnews.com

Another Heatwave United Arab Emirates 50 C (123 F)

Trapped 379 Underground Ukraine War, 15 Dead in Bombed houses

Evidence Suggesting That Closed Walmarts Are Staging Centers for FEMA Camps

Marlon Brock from Big Spring, TX has decided to take up the cause and report on Jade Helm activities at the closed Walmart located in Midland, TX.

Marlon has had an interesting encounter with what he believes to be two plainclothes Jade Helm personnel who trespassed on his property while pretending to be from the electric company.  This fits hand in glove with infiltration techniques that Jade Helm state that they are going to practice. He ushered the men off of his property and called his electric company and they confirmed that these two men were imposters. I had previously published the details of this encounter on my website.

It was at this point, that Marlon decided to contact me, rolled up his sleeves and began reporting on very ominous events in and around the Midland Walmart.

Marlon Brock provided me with the following photos a couple of weeks ago. However, I held on to them because I had an unidentified source who claimed that he was working inside of the Walmart in Midland and I wanted to exhaust his information before fully exposing what I knew to be true.  Here is what the unidentified source who called himself “Watcher” told me. His revelations are followed by the Brock photos and emails.

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Dear Mr. Hodges

My name is not important but what I want to tell you may be very important to this country. I work for a private contractor that secretly goes to work sites and performs add-ons or retrofits in construction, electrical etc.  We are sworn to secrecy in some of our jobs and we are very well paid.

I have been to the Walmart in Midland that you have written about and what is going on there is not normal and I dont think it is in the best interest for the people who live in the country.

Each day on this job we enter Walmart through a subterranean entrance. We are forced to change clothes and we are allowed to take nothing in so we cannot take pictures. We change clothes when we are done with our 12 hours shifts. There is work going on 24/7 in this Walmart. Our work is compartmentalized in most of our work sites so we dont know what we are working on in its final status. At this Walmart they seemto be in a hurry because I have seen enough to draw conclusions about the final product and it contains some things that you have already written about.

In each corner of the Walmart they are constructing 4 guard towers or at least they look like guard towers. There is no question what I am seeing here. This made the hairs on the back of neck stand on end. All the display counters and shelves from this Walmart have been taken out of the store. The story that they are saying about plumbing is BS.

Inside the building, I have seen men with DHS badges which we are used to seeing in the jobs that we do. This time we are also seeing men with United Nations badges and they wear the shirt and tie and like the DHS guys they have their construction helmts on as they appear to be planning as much implementing. The place is guarded by private contractor armed with automatic weapons. I have not seen one military person on the inside in uniform.  It is all DHS, UN and us in this building.

Usually there are 50 to 100 people working. I have seen as many as 300 people.

This email will probably get our entire crew fired for security reasons. I will send more later.

Watcher

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Dear Mr. Hodges

Today was a strange day at the Midland Walmart. I arrived and the shelves and display cases that were taken out have been replaced. in the middle two thirds of the store, I can see where they have installed mini platforms that I swear look like bunk beds if you put a mattress down. They are attached as  the four units are welded together. They did all of this overnight in a 12 hour shift.

They also have an area in the Northeast part of the store that has black curtains going from the ceiling to the floor and we cannot see what is going on there. You can hear drills and other construction work noises but I have no idea what they are doing. The workers in this side of the store do not speak with anyone else. in fact we do not even see them. They even have their own portable restrooms to keep them from talking to the rest of us. It is definitely something that do not want us to see.

Our people installed a TSA type of entry near the rear of the store as well as the front of the store. Also, the large and wide glass windows and doors were narrowed by alot on the inside of the store. I immediately thought of prisoners.

Today was the first time I saw military. There were about a dozen men in Army uniforms and most were officers. I saw one Colonel insignia.

We were told that we have three days left on this job. I will write after my last day.

Watcher

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Dear Mr. Hodges,

One of our crew was fired today as he tried to smuggle a phone in his shoe that he apparently treid to conceal within his sock. The entire crew was almost fired over this.  They took him out under guard by the private security firm. We are not really allowed to talk but we all have an uneasy feeling. This is like no job we have ever done.

Today, some the crew started tearing out some of the ventilation system in what must be a change in how they are going to pump air or something else into the store. Some of this work required working on the roof were it felt like 150 degrees. This building was completely retrofitted. and they are not done. This is not a WMart any longer. I think it is a prison of sorts.

Today, there were more military in the building who walked around with DHS. I did not see any UN guys today.

This just does not feel right.  I have a very bad feeling.  Back at where we are staying, one guy asked me what I thought. We are required to keep our mouth shut. This guy has only been on one job before this, so I cannot trust him.  But he said he a very bad feeling like we were building a prison and maybe its time that he gets a regular job.

This will be the last time I write to you.  I go home tomorrow.  I hope you get this out there soon. People need to know the weird things that we have seen. I have done a lot of jobs that are secretive but nothing like this. I almost forgot to mention that when we were coming in this morning in the next tunnel over there were the sounds of heavy construction.  Mr Hodges you need to ask your readers why they never see anyone coming in and out of the front door of this Walmart yet I saw from the roof that they have the private contractor security out in the parking lot.

Thank you.

Watcher

Ordinarily, I would not consider publishing accounts like the “Watcher” is reporting because I have no name or pictures. However, some of what he says here seems to be confirmed by Marlon Brock’s photos and eyewitness accounts. Therefore, I have decideed to put this in the public venue so everyone else can make up their minds. See how many connections you can make between “Watcher’s” accounts and the Marlon’s photos.

 Marlin Brock’s Photos

The following contains some of the email and relevant photos forwarded by Marlon Brock to myself.

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_____

Dave,

The next photos show what work is being conducted at the WM in Midland Texas.  You see people on the roof apparently working on the ventilation system.  I saw no plumbing companies or any sign that plumbing was being repaired, i.e. pipes etc.  There is a white unmarked van in the back. One picture shows a “worker” staring at me.

Taking out all the shelving. What are they making room for? Doesn’t this match what Watcher said about the shelving disappearing from this Walmart?

Please note the unmarked white vans. Very similar to the vans used in Ft. Lauderdale’s extraction drills on March 27th.

Since when do you fix plumbing from the roof? It is likely that this is part of the ventilation system work that “Watcher” wrote about.

______

Dave,

Pictures of a “security” vehicle parked in front of the WM main doors.  Same problem with the lens but you can read “Central Defense” on the tailgate.

Marlon

Vehicle from Central Defense Security.

One can clearly see “Central Defense” on the vehicle.

Who Is Central Defense Security?

I did some research on Central Defense and on the surface, I found nothing unusual as they appear to be a simply security firm that provides both armed and unarmed security services. But sometimes, it is not what a corporation says about itself, it is what they do not say that becomes a matter of interest.

The company claims that they provide security for Fortune 100 companies. Yet, as most companies would do, in order to better market their service, they do not mention one of these companies for promotional purposes. There is not one testimonial of any substance on their website which would serve promote the validity of their services. Instead, the only promotion that we see on their website is that they provided security for some children’s picnic activity. However, they do admit that they do work for the government. The word clandestine comes to mind when it comes to the services provided by Central Defense Security. Or, they have the worst marketing strategies in the history security services.

Phone calls to their corporate headquarters in Memphis, regarding the nature of their work at the Midland Walmart, went unreturned.

Conclusion

I have reconsidered my position that Walmart and FEMA camps are not related. I now think it is likely that they are processing centers for political prisoners. We need more information and I encourage the locals to do more leg work and report your findings here.

 Credit to Common Sense and Dave Hodges

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US Secret Surveillance Reinstated as Obama Signs USA Freedom Act Into Law

Earlier, the US Senate passed the House-approved version of the USA Freedom Act, a bill cementing the surveillance powers of the NSA, only one day after the expiration of key provisions of the Patriot Act. While sold as reigning in the agency’s surveillance powers, the bill allows the NSA to resume collecting intelligence.

With only a simple majority needed, the new legislation passed the Senate with 67 in favor, 32 against.

US President Barack Obama said Tuesday his administration would quickly resume the domestic surveillance program after Sunday's expiration of USA Patriot Act provisions allowed it to lapse.

"After a needless delay and inexcusable lapse in important national security authorities, my administration will work expeditiously to ensure our national security professionals again have the full set of vital tools they need to continue protecting the country," Obama said in a statement.

Credit to Sputnik

Read more: http://sputniknews.com/us/20150602/1022870319.html#ixzz3bxrlkmrV

Rule By The Corporations

TTIP: The Corporate Empowerment Act

Paul Craig Roberts

The Transatlantic and Transpacific Trade and Investment Partnerships have nothing to do with free trade. “Free trade” is used as a disguise to hide the power these agreements give to corporations to use law suits to overturn sovereign laws of nations that regulate pollution, food safety, GMOs, and minimum wages.

The first thing to understand is that these so-called “partnerships” are not laws written by Congress. The US Constitution gives Congress the authority to legislate, but these laws are being written without the participation of Congress. The laws are being written by corporations solely in the interest of their power and profit. The office of US Trade Representative was created in order to permit corporations to write law that serves only their interests. This fraud on the Constitution and the people is covered up by calling trade laws “treaties.”

Indeed, Congress is not even permitted to know what is in the laws and is limited to the ability to accept or refuse what is handed to Congress for a vote. Normally, Congress accepts, because “so much work has been done” and “free trade will benefit us all.”

The presstitutes have diverted attention from the content of the laws to “fast track.” When Congress votes “fast track,” it means Congress accepts that corporations can write the trade laws without the participation of Congress. Even criticisms of the “partnerships” are a smoke screen. Countries accused of slave labor could be excluded but won’t be. Super patriots complain that US sovereignty is violated by “foreign interests,” but US sovereignty is violated by US corporations. Others claim yet more US jobs will be offshored. In actual fact, the “partnerships” are unnecessary to advance the loss of American jobs as there is nothing that inhibits jobs offshoring now.

What the “partnerships” do is to make private corporations immune to the laws of sovereign countries on the grounds that laws of countries adversely impact corporate profits and constitute “restraint of trade.”

For example, under the Transatlantic Partnership, French laws against GMOs would be overturned as “restraints on trade” by law suits filed by Monsanto.

Countries that require testing of imported food, such as pork for trichnosis, and fumigation would be subject to lawsuits from corporations, because these regulations increase the cost of imports.

Countries that do not provide monopoly protection for brand name pharmaceuticals and chemical products, and allow generics in their place, can be sued for damages by corporations.

Obama himself has no input into the process. Here is what is going on: The Trade Representative is a corporate stooge. He serves the private corporations and will go on to a million dollar annual salary. The corporations have bribed the political leaders in every country to sign away their sovereignty and the general welfare of their people to private corporations. Corporations have paid US senators large sums for transferring Congress’ law-making powers to

corporations.http://www.theguardian.com/business/2015/may/27/corporations-paid-us-senators-fast-track-tppWhen these “partnerships” pass, no country that signed will have any legislative authority to legislate or enforce any law that any corporation regards as inimical to its bottom line.

Yes, the great promiser of change is bringing change. He is turning Asia, Europe, and the US over to rule by the corporations.

Only those who have sold their integrity for money sign these agreements. Apparently Merkel, a Washington vassal, is one of them. http://sputniknews.com/politics/20150530/1022740004.html

According to news reports, both of France’s main political parties have sold out to the corporations, but not Marine Le Pen’s National Front Party. In the last EU elections, the dissident parties, such as Le Pen and Farage’s, prevailed over the traditional parties, but the dissidents are yet to prevail in their own countries.

Marine Le Pen objects to the secrecy of the agreements that establishes corporate rule. As Europe’s only leader, she speaks:

“It is vital that the French people know about TTIP’s content and its motivations in order to be able to fight it. Because our fellow countrymen must have the choice of their future, because they should impose a model for society that suits them, and not one forced by multinational companies eager for profits, Brussels technocrats bought by the lobbies, and politicians from the UMP [party of former president Nicolas Sarkozy] who are subservient to these technocrats.”

It is vital that the American public also know, but not even Congress is permitted to know.

How does it work, this “freedom and democracy” that we Americans allegedly have, when neither the people nor their elected representatives are permitted to participate in the making of laws that enable private corporations to negate the law-making functions of governments and place corporate profit above the general welfare?

Credit to Paul Craig Roberts 

The Defaults Continue In China As Duck Producer Sinks

On Monday, in “China May Double Down On Debt Swap As ABS Issuance Stumbles”, we reiterated the important point that China is effectively pursuing a number of competing policy goals in an attempt to deleverage and re-leverage simultaneously. 

The effort to rein in shadow banking (deleveraging) has led to slowing credit creation just as economic growth decelerates, a decisively undesirable scenario that multiple policy rate cuts (re-leveraging) have so far proven ineffective at ameliorating. 

Meanwhile, a push to make it easier for banks to securitize loans and thus free up their balance sheets for more lending (re-leveraging) has been complicated by rising NPLs and Beijing’s apparent willingness to let the free market play more of a role in deciding which companies default (deleveraging). 

Over the past several months we’ve seen at least three examples of Chinese defaults including Baoding Tianwei Group, a subsidiary of state-owned parent China South Industries, and while creditors have asked China South to guarantee the notes, the mere possibility that Beijing will begin to take a more hands-off approach when it comes to propping up borrowers (especially state-owned borrowers) has some lenders nervous. This was on full display on Monday when duck processing company Zhongao defaulted citing banks’ unwillingness to roll its debt. 

FT has the story:

A profitable Chinese duck processing company has defaulted on its debts after banks refused to roll over its loans — in a sign of lenders’ wariness over refinancings as China’s economy slows.

Until recently, Chinese banks have been reluctant to write off big debts, preferring to keep businesses alive by rolling over their loans. But privately owned Zhongao has cited banks’ tighter lending policies as a reason why it lacked the funds to repay Rmb282m ($45m) in principal and interest despite turning a profit last year.

It has now defaulted on debt from 13 banks, and warned it may not be able to repay Rmb200m in bonds maturing on June 12.

If it fails to pay its bondholders, it will add to a series of recent defaults in China’s bond market where — until recently — many investors had assumed the government would not allow them to take losses.

Underscoring how much things have changed, Zhongao was actually a profitable company, unlike Baoding Tianwei, for instance, which incurred large losses in 2014.

Unlike other defaulters, however, Zhongao remains profitable, according to its latest financial statements. It made a net profit of Rmb388m in the first nine months of 2014, up 42 per cent over a year earlier. In late April, though, the company said the release of its fourth-quarter 2014 and first-quarter 2015 results would be delayed.

In the past, Beijing would pressure banks to roll over bad debt in an effort to paper over problems and keep NPLs artificially suppressed at the country’s large lenders and indeed, that practice looks likely to continue especially for local governments who will enjoy lenient treatment should they run into trouble on any new debt incurred through the use of LGFV financing for ongoing projects.

It’s now a different story for private companies however. Here’s FT again:

But analysts point out that non-state entities such as Zhongao have less clout than state-owned enterprises and local governments to demand that banks roll over their loans. Last month, Chinese authorities ordered banks to roll over loans to local government financing vehicles, even if borrowers were unable to repay principal or interest.

Non-performing loans at Chinese banks reached their highest level in more than five years by the end of March, official data show, and bankers say they are under pressure to curtail risks. Local media has reported that many branch managers’ pay is now directly linked to their NPL ratio.

One would certainly expect this trend to continue because as noted last month, some 40% of credit risk in China is carried outside of traditional loans, but even if you take the figures at face value (which, again, one absolutely should not, especially as it relates to NPLs in China), the picture is not pretty.

Credit to Zero Hedge