Gaza, Syria, militarized cops, and 'lone-wolf' shootings: during a brutal year, 9/11 truth held its own

Gaza people

The people of Gaza experienced real terrorism during a siege that left 2,100 dead.


 
By Craig McKee
Gaza, ISIS, Syria, Ukraine, Ferguson, militarized cops, Malaysian planes, torture, drones, and “lone-wolf” shootings. It has been a tough year for the truth.
But in the midst of all the deception and brutality, it has been an intriguing year for the struggle to expose the lies of 9/11. The elusive breakthrough that 9/11 truthers fantasize about may not be coming any time soon, but there are encouraging signs on a number of fronts. There were also some disappointments, but even those don’t seem so bad if you subscribe to the idea that there’s no such thing as bad publicity.
A major highlight was the spectacular sight of an 89-foot wide electronic billboard in New York City’s Times Square repeatedly showing the destruction of WTC 7 throughout the month of September. An estimated two million New Yorkers saw the message. Who would have thought something like that would ever happen? This latest project was the initiative of Rethink 9/11 and Architects and Engineers for 9/11 Truth, which were responsible for billboards in major cities around the world last year.
At the beginning of December we had the presentation of a petition asking the Canadian government to conduct a Parliamentary review of the evidence of 9/11. For years, no politician was willing to touch this subject or this petition in Canada until Green Party leader Elizabeth May agreed to present it to Parliament. Of course the likelihood of Parliament reviewing the evidence is about as good as Congress doing so in the U.S. But anything is positive that gets 9/11 into the news and lets people know that the movement continues to fight.
Unfortunately, May chose to tell the mainstream media that she only presented the petition because Parliamentary rules obligated her to do so. They don’t. She also said she doesn’t agree with the petition, which was regrettable but predictable. Any politician who shows any openness about 9/11 is going to get roasted in the media, and she was. But at least May was willing to take some political risk. Following up on the petition effort, AE911Truth has commissioned a poll of Canadians, asking them their views about 9/11.
Speaking of media, the High-Rise Safety Initiative launched by the New York Coalition for Accountability Now got 9/11 into the news even though it ultimately did not succeed in getting the initiative on to the New York City ballot. The goal was to force a change to the city charter obligating the Department of Buildings to investigate any building collapses going back to Sept. 11, 2001 (including Building 7 but not the twin towers).
The money was raised and the signatures were collected. It was quite an effort. But the courts did what they always do, dashing hopes for the time being. I know many truthers are quick to say that no official investigation will ever get to the truth of 9/11 – and that’s probably true – but the publicity the effort would produce would be worth it. Mayor Bill De Blasio calling the initiative “inappropriate after all the suffering that went on 9/11,” got the subject some welcome mainstream coverage.
The most hostile – and incoherent – attack on 9/11 truth occurred after AE9/11Truth distributed information pamphlets at the opening of the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at Ground Zero. The hook was that the pamphlets used the same design to offer an alternative view of what happened on 9/11. CNN’s Jake Tapper and his guest, Slate editor Emily Bazelon combined on a five-minute piece that made the usual gibberish about conspiracy theories seem intelligent.
My favorite quote from Bazelon: “You see these dark corners of the Internet where people pile on, and there’s this minute parsing of the technicalities of the supposed evidence, and more and more detail gets added and accumulated, and it kind of feeds on itself.”
Don’t you hate it when conspiracy theorists parse evidence and examine details?
Then there was the vicious maligning of Richard Gage and all truthers as being anti-Semitic hate mongers by the Canadian “news” network, Sun News. This came in an interview of Gage done by right wing hack Michael Coren in Toronto. I filed two complaints against Coren with the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council and waited more than six months for a decision from their adjudicating panel. I got an email from the national chair of the Council, Andrée Noel, saying that the complaint did not deal with anything that hadn’t been ruled on in the past, and that she had dismissed both complaints without giving them a hearing.
In an interview, Noel said that Coren’s accusation that Gage was a hate monger was “not unduly aggressive.” Riiiight. The only recourse left is to refer the complaint to the Canadian Radio and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).  My expectations for that are not high.
The year produced some excellent research material relating to 9/11 in the form of books, films, and art. Graeme MacQueen published an important book, The 2001 Anthrax Deception: The Case for a Domestic Conspiracy, which explains the failure of the anthrax false flag and reveals how 9/11 was its twin false flag. This excellent book was the subject of a review on Truth and Shadows by Barrie Zwicker.
David Hooper also released his personal documentary The Anatomy of a Great Deception, which chronicles his awakening about 9/11 as well as offering an excellent overview of the evidence that the official story of what happened at the World Trade Center is false.
The most pleasantly unexpected bit of news was that a wonderful piece of 9/11 truth art was (inexplicably) accepted into the private collection of the “official” 9/11 Museum. And the best part is that the artist, Anthony Freda, is a prominent illustrator who works with mainstream media like the New York Times and Rolling Stone, but who is also an articulate voice on behalf of 9/11 truth. The donation of the art will also be featured in an upcoming documentary called Behind Truth Art by John Massaria.
 
The bigger picture in 2014
While progress on the 9/11 front was encouraging but slow, world events were neither and seemed to be filled with ever more contrived chaos, deception and violence. The supposed “war on terror” – which was truly launched by the 9/11 false flag deception – played out in the CIA-backed assault on Syria, and the appearance of ISIS, the latest Muslim “threat.” The convenient and implausibly sudden emergence of this well-funded and outfitted band of “extremists” has provided the West with all the excuse it needs to bomb Iraq and Syria. There were highly suspicious videos of beheadings and a highly unbelievable back story to explain ISIS, the latest excuse for more military action in the Middle East and the stripping away of more civil liberties at home.
The U.S. Senate torture report got lots of press in 2014, but of course that’s because it serves the illusion that terrorists are truly a genuine threat, and the most important issue is how we deal with them.
On the domestic front, there was the police state crackdown on protests in Ferguson, Missouri after a cop shot unarmed black 18-year-old Michael Brown. Not only did this focus attention on the targeting of blacks for police violence, but also on the militarization of police forces across America – a process that has been ongoing for two decades.
We’re being conditioned to accept police in military gear as being standard and normal. In the U.S., 2014 was a truly disturbing year during which a shocking number of individuals were killed by police, often for minor infractions or no infractions at all. The most visible of those was the choking of Eric Garner as he was held down by five New York City police officers. Finally, we had the killing of two NYPD cops, seemingly in retaliation for police violence.
And the number of “lone wolf” shootings (in some cases labelled terrorist attacks) continued to increase in 2014. While the media automatically accepted all of these as being authentic and focused on the emotional and sensational aspects of each, many alternative voices seriously questioned whether some of the shootings were either staged or perpetrated by organized entities rather than crazed extremists or disturbed loners.
We had the killings of two soldiers in Canada in October. There was the Santa Barbara shooting, the Portland shooting, the Las Vegas shooting, the LAX shooting, the Seattle shooting, the Vancouver shooting, the Moncton shooting, and finally the Sydney hostage taking and shooting.
In the case of the LAX event, a drill had been practised three weeks before using “the exact same scenario,” according to an LAPD spokesman. We learned that in the few weeks before the Canadian one-two punch, authorities had carried out an exercise simulating a terrorist attack in Quebec followed by one in a large Canadian city – exactly what happened. We found out that police in Melbourne, Australia had practised their response to a hostage taking in a cafe just six weeks before the real thing happened in Sydney. They had also held a drill a year before in Martin Square where the hostage taking would play itself out 12 months later.
With all this, the story that affected me more than any other was Israel’s brutal siege against Gaza, leaving 2,100 Palestinians dead, tens of thousands homeless, and turned large parts of the city to rubble. And while this human catastrophe was going on the Israeli government and its apologists in the U.S., Canada, and elsewhere were making the Orwellian claim that Israel was the victim, that Hamas was the aggressor, and that it was the Palestinians’ own fault for electing them.
 

47 comments

  1. Excellent end of year summation Craig and may I say a great opener to what I think is going to be a very interesting and intense conversation about these events. I would like to add some information to the mix about a couple of these events that affected me the most this year.
    First concerning the torture report: It was released strategically around Christmas so the smallest possible amount of people would pay attention to it. This in itself is bad enough but what got my attention was an element of the release that many people are not aware of. Apparently one of the “tortures” conducted by the US was to sodomize children in front of their mothers and to record the event. Apparently Seymour Hersh has seen and most disturbingly heard this evidence of heinous abuse and will be releasing a report about it. According to what I have heard the tape has recordings of the children screeching and screaming in agony. The mothers forced to watch this disgusting display were so emotionally destroy by it that they were asking their husbands to end their lives during visits because they could not endure the pain and shame.
    As an American I am outraged beyond all description not only by the fact that this happened but that Americans did it and I am outraged by the fact that all those involved are being protected from prosecution by my complicit government. I am ashamed to say that monsters such as these who would do such a thing are Americans and members of the same species as I am. I hold all those who are involved in protecting these scum responsible for the crimes as well. Those in government who keep the names secret of the “torturers” and who fail to prosecute and execute such monstrous psychopaths are themselves guilty in my eyes of the most heinous and grievous crimes imaginable. In my opinion all of them, the perpetrators, their bosses, their bosses bosses, and those who protect them now belong on trial and should be executed when and if they are found guilty. I mean EVERYONE involved up to and including the President himself if he was aware that this happened and participated in any way in protecting these filth from being exposed and prosecuted.
    I want to say personally from the bottom of my heart to all the perpetrators themselves, from the actual torturers to those who cover for them now, on the off chance that they will read this, that you are the lowest form of life on the planet and God help you if anyone with an ounce of honor ever discovers your identity. I truly hope you will suffer ALL of the karmic payback you deserve for carrying out and covering up such inhuman atrocities. I call upon anyone of honor with knowledge of who these so called “humans” are to disclose their names and if possible their whereabouts so real human beings can hunt them down like the dogs they really are. Torturers all belong in the gas chamber or on the electric chair ALL OF YOU!
    A personal note to the victims from me will in no way whatsoever balm the horrible wounds inflicted on them by my countrymen but I want to say this to them anyway from the very bottom of my heart. I am beyond sorrow for what happened to you and your children and I want you to know that I will do everything within my limited power to uncover the identities of those who did this and to punish them for their horrible crimes. If I could heal your wounds I would do it, but I cannot, if I could give you back your life before this happened I would do it, but I cannot. All that I can do, as meaningless as it is, is say that I am so sorry this happened. I hope you know that in my eyes your honor is intact and you are valuable human beings that I respect and care about and I hope against all hope that you want to go on living and find somehow some kind of happiness in the future. These crimes do not reflect upon you they reflect upon those who did it and know in your heart that even if we on earth do not catch them and punish them that God surely will.
    The second topic from your article I want to comment on is the murder of Eric Garner by NYPD officers. I want to quote a conversation I had about this on a youtube video blog: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihOefDDxAgA
    unspunnewz
    5 months ago
    Disgusting abuse. Just disgusting. What is more disgusting is the corrupt so called “justice system” which is going to let these abusive thug cops walk or at worst give em a little slap on the wrist.
    Eric Garner said what I think most Americans feel to the cops:
    “Every time you see me you wanna mess with me, I am sick of it, I am minding my business officer, please just leave me alone!”
    I think Americans in general have had it up to their eyeballs with the thuggish power tripping police. They NEVER help anymore all they do is make bad situations worse or write God damned traffic tickets people cannot afford to pay to feed the city bloated budget. Wow does this murder make me mad. I feel a riot coming on with this one. I hope it doesn’t turn that way but Americans are at the boiling point already and I have a feeling it is about to boil over.
    xsilentbulletsx
    3 weeks ago
    so not only do you excuse career criminal eric garner, you also are blaming the police for people parking illegally, which results in parking tickets. you should be a defence lawyer. you love defending criminals.
    ·
    unspunnewz
    3 weeks ago
    +xsilentbulletsx
    What in the hell are you even talking about man? Your comment doesn’t even make any sense. First of all I said nothing about “parking illegally” nor does that have anything to do with Garners case. The fact of the matter is Garner was accused of selling “loosies” untaxed individual cigarettes. That is a petty crime at most by any standards of a reasonable person. I do not consider it a crime at all but never the less it is an “infraction” level crime at worst like a speeding ticket. So Garner at worst should have gotten a ticket but instead these murderers had to put their hands on him and choke him to death to show how they are bad asses and bosses of everyone who walks the earth. So they killed a man for a petty infraction and you xsilentbulletsx seem to think that is somehow justified? You are a disgusting piece of human shit for having such an attitude. You belong in prison yourself for being a dangerous sociopath with no human compassion or rationality at all. People like you are not fit to live amongst us. 
    ·
    xsilentbulletsx
    3 weeks ago
    +unspunnewz you are so ignorant to reality and to the facts. i refuse to engage in conversation with someone so deluded, so blinded by their own hate they are unable to view footage and draw a sensible conclusion. 
    Reply
    ·
    unspunnewz
    3 weeks ago
    +xsilentbulletsx
    Good I am glad I will not be seeing any more of you. Death sentence for tax on a cigarette is OK with you apparently you sick bastard.

  2. While I know in my heart of hearts that the attack on Gaza is by far the worst of the crimes mentioned in your article Craig the two issues I spoke about above, for whatever reason, stuck out in my mind.
    The siege of Gaza is a crime of such massive scope that I just don’t even know what to say about it other than shame on Israel and shame on Israeli’s for allowing their brutal government to do it.
    Look at me the hypocrite blaming the Israeli’s for the actions of their government while not blaming myself for the actions of my government.
    Really though I am not a hypocrite because I am ashamed of my government and I do hold myself responsible for allowing them to do what they have done. All humans need to start taking responsibility for what their “leaders” do I think.

  3. A nice wrap up of another year of pathos on planet Earth. Thanks for reaching back and reminding us of the trail of madness we have been on. It seems in ways a blur, it all went by so fast, so the snap shots offered here in your essay today is valuable as a mini-history of 2014.
    Thanks Craig.
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  4. I echo HR’s thoughts. Nice mini-history of 2014.
    I also agree that contrary to what some people would like to have us believe, the 9/11 truth movement is not “dead.” The ReThink campaign and the success of the billboards is truly admirable. Yes, it’s true that many long time activists have felt burned out since the 10th anniversary, and many of the old blogs and forums have been quiet for a few years, but newer activists with energy are carrying the mantle through this current decade, with some of the most dedicated activists from the previous decade still going strong.
    Another billboard campaign you didn’t mention is the “I am the Face of Truth” campaign founded by Claudio Marty. The concept behind this is to show motorists and pedestrians that the movement (1) has numbers and (2) some of us are not afraid to put our real names and faces to our activism. I have been procrastinating and still need to get my IATFOT profile pic assembled.
    http://iamthefaceoftruth.com
    It’s taken off and has become quite popular. As with other successful efforts for 9/11 truth, I’ve noticed a concerted effort to attack the IATFOT campaign from within the movement; this was most apparent at the 40,000 member “9/11 Truth Movement” FB page run by “Ken Doc.” The rabid attacks I saw on Marty and his efforts were highly suspicious, not unlike the attacks I used to see in years past on genuine activists and projects from the “cred cops” at Truthaction. This was one of several reasons I finally had enough and decided to leave the 911TM FB group; it was starting to give me the feeling of nausea that 911blogger once did! Craig, I wish someone who sees things as eye-to-eye as you and I do, were in charge of that 40K member group.
    Happy New Year Craig McKee and the rest of the Truth and Shadows community.

    1. Oh, and regarding Gaza: how frustrating it was for people like myself and others here, to try using Facebook to wake people up to IsraHell’s evil, only to feel like we were shouting into the wind. And all the time that children were getting their limbs blown off, there was George Takei, sitting comfortably in his Hollywood home, sharing pics of sexual puns and cat cuteness, getting 2,000 “likes” every minute.
      If only the people with viral influence actually spoke out about the things that matter…

    2. I agree with you Adam S, the Truth Movement is alive and well. We ourselves right here are testament to that.
      Truth never dies and it cannot be hidden for but a time.
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  5. I guess we have to be grateful to be on the awake side of things. It’s a hard place to be, but I personally wouldn’t want to be anywhere near the “left behind” side. It is somewhat addicting, getting trapped in wanting to know the truth and then finding it a little hard to enjoy life in spite of it. Hope we are all able to find a higher frequency to exist on in the years unfolding. It is a remarkable time to be on this great planet Earth, as much to have hope for as to despair. Happy New Year all.

  6. As far as the hullabaloo about “torture” and the attitudes of modern Amerikans, compared to the past , or if you want to learn about the Amerikan character in general, just type: Lynching – Images into your browser. The origins of the picnic (pick the pickaninny) …
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      1. Yup Adam, just goes to show ya that “conspiracy theorists” are indeed the sharpest tools in the shed!
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  7. Here is a very interesting update on the Sandy Hook hoax I found today. It seems that Noah Pozner who allegedly died at Sandy Hook also apparently died at the school shooting in Pakistan last month. http://www.infowars.com/mystery-sandy-hook-victim-dies-again-in-pakistan/
    I did some research about 3 months back on Noah Pozner because a troll argued with me when I made a comment that no death certificates have been released related to Sandy Hook. The troll said that Noah Pozner’s father had released Noah’s death certificate and that I was crazy. So of course I had to do some research and find out if the troll was right about my sanity and about Sandy Hook. This research took me down another rabbit hole which led me to some very interesting information about the Pozner’s and about Noah’s “death certificate”. I started off here: http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/04/03/the-curious-parents-of-sandy-hook-child-victim-noah-pozner/
    By the time I was done reading various articles and websites and after looking at Noah’s released “death certificate” in detail (I am an experienced graphic designer) I was convinced of several things.
    1. Noah’s released death certificate is as fraudulent as a 3 dollar bill and provably so.
    2. Sandy Hook was indeed an elaborate hoax.
    3. The Pozner’s are involved in a conspiracy to lie about Sandy Hook and about their son.
    4. Ms. Pozner is lying about her own background and about her advocacy of gun control.
    5. Mr. Pozner is lying about his sons photographs and about his death certificate.
    So it is an interesting rabbit hole to go down regarding Noah Pozner but with his photos showing up in Pakistan at another alleged school massacre I think it is an important hole to go down indeed.

    1. By the way, as far as the video above; I think the first section on the background of the international bankers and the Illuminati is a good digest, I think the second half goes to shit with all the crudely drawn, absurd assertions as to the details of the Kennedy assassination itself.
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    2. Sorry I was thinking of a different video that coincidentally has the same image at the beginning. This one doesn’t go into the Kennedy assassination and is splendid all the way through.
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    1. Yup, a Pakistani monkey see-monkey do! How stupid to include an Amerikan kid in their line-up. They are about as clever as the official monkeys in the good ol’USA…
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      1. Here is how Snopes is explaining this one – and indeed, it’s how I predicted such sources would try and debunk it:
        The most likely explanation in a time where computers, printers, and the internet are globally accessible is that the vigil’s attendees wanted to memorialize the victims (of whom there were more than 130); and lacking the ability to identify all the victims on sight, someone used a search engine to locate images for their sign — in which case turning up a photo of Pozner via an online search for “December school massacre” or “boy killed at school in December” is not a surprising outcome.
        Another is that his image was deliberately included by mourners as an homage in order to publicly link multiple incidents of young, innocent victims losing their lives in senseless school shootings.
        Then of course, they dismissively say:
        A third is that a massive worldwide cabal colluded to perpetrate or falsify the killings of more than 150 students and teachers collectively spanning from Connecticut to Pakistan, and that this subterfuge was so poorly organized that its puppeteers failed the basic task of obtaining novel images to assign to each of the victims of the violent acts.
        Of course, when it comes to events of a political nature, Snopes can’t be trusted at all, as is the case with 9/11.
        http://www.snopes.com/politics/conspiracy/peshawar.asp#DxYYTe1oQwhXsBPF.99

        1. Well Adam, it is obvious that this tale by Snopes is plausible deniability and absurd in it’s rhetorical spin; it becomes yet another example of how spurious Snopes is. It is a compromised and unreliable source.
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          1. Well, to be fair, in most cases, which are mostly non-political, Snopes does do a good job of debunking a lot of actual hoax claims. They just are, as Willy said, compromised.

  8. New Year’s Resolution
    Posted: 06 Jan 2015 10:17 PM PST
    “Because I am a free human being, I resolve to redeclare my independence. Not just today, but every day. Not just this New Year, but every year.
    I resolve to impart the knowledge that independence is not something we are, it is something we do. It is the sum total of the decisions that we make, the thoughts that we have, the words in which we express those thoughts, the ways that we interact with those around us. It is a habit of thought and it is a choice that we make each and every day to live as free and independent human beings or to live in mental enslavement. In recognition of that fact, I choose to express my freedom through my thoughts, words and deeds.
    I resolve to act rather than react, set the news agenda, rather than follow it, inspire rather than infuriate.
    I resolve to teach this independence of thought to my son, not just by lecture but by example. By displaying the love and compassion that I hope to instill in him, and by leading by example.
    Not just today, but every day. Not just this year, but every year. I resolve to redeclare my independence because I am a free human being.
    How about you?”~James Corbett
    \\][//

  9. I resolve to make my decisions based on love instead of fear. I resolve to tell the truth no matter how many deny it. I resolve to protect those who cannot protect themselves. I resolve to be better tomorrow than I am today and to love with all of my heart.

    1. HR1 posted a link to this video on Jan 2nd just above Fremo but yeah it is a good example of 9/11 truth breaking through into the mainstream, sort of. The pink haired girl thanked all of us “conspiracy theorists” for her win at the end which was nice.

  10. By Peter Koenig
    Global Research, January 16, 2015
    On 12 January the French Parliament approved with almost unanimity – with one abstention only – the budget for France’s continuous and enlarged involvement in the new war on Iraq, a new war engagement led by Washington and supported by its vassals, UK, Canada, Australia and France. Aircraft carriers and troops were immediately mobilized, not even losing a day. Doesn’t that conspicuously smell of an earlier preparation, just waiting for that crucial and appropriate event, prompting parliamentary approval?
    http://www.globalresearch.ca/paris-charlie-the-shock-doctrine-par-excellence/5424960
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  11. Charlie Hebdo was yet another in a long line of false flag events designed to promote a global police state. That having been said I feel today that our time for exposing 9/11 and other false flag events has come and gone. What I mean is that we have done a great job in exposing false flags in general and 9/11 in particular but we are at the point of diminishing returns in our effort.
    World events are unfolding very rapidly now and we are quite simply being left behind. Putin is pulling out of the petro dollar and stopping oil shipments to Europe and so anyone who knows about economics knows what is about to happen. The global economy is about to come crashing down, in my opinion it is crashing already (silver is up nearly 10% in value just today). The masses are blissfully unaware of what is coming (at least here in the USA they are) and that is very very dangerous because we as a people are not prepared AT ALL for real upheaval.
    By the end of 2015 it may be catastrophic for much of the world economy and at that point no one is going to care about 9/11 or any false flag anymore they are going to be focused 100% on survival. It is going to be dog eat dog. The architects of this disaster will retreat to their bunkers, turn us against each other, and laugh as all of us peons kill ourselves off fighting over scraps.
    I believe our chance to really break the globalist system and stop this world wide calamity has past. We tried but did we really push the envelope? We did a lot of good work but did we really face our true adversary on the field of battle and win? Did we REALLY put our collective asses on the line to stop these mad men? I do not know but I don’t feel as though I did all that I could have. I did some good work but when you get right down to the heart of the matter I didn’t go that extra mile, I waited, I doubted, I allowed my adversaries too much space and time, I didn’t do the creative and effective things I thought of because I was put off by the work involved and the resistance I would receive. I take my share of the responsibility for this and for allowing it to happen.
    Now I have to consider survival myself. I am a wage slave, me and my wife barely stay ahead of our bills, multiple family members are in much worse shape and depend on us to pick up the slack so they are not homeless and hungry. I have very little time to devote to activism or really anything other than work now. I am a mouse on a wheel and all I can do is keep running as they slowly increase the speed. The globalists have tightened the noose around my neck and taken me out of the fight against them and that is the truth. I am a pale shadow of what I could be in this struggle. Everyone I know is in financial trouble right now so as this gets worse they are going to fall by the wayside and I will not be able to help them. There is nothing I can do now but try to save myself and my wife. The system is squeezing the life out of me and everyone else. For me the breaking point is very close so I know that many many people have already reached theirs.
    I don’t really know why I am saying all this here but I guess it is because I love the people on T + S. I love all of you because you all did your part and tried to shout the truth from the rooftops. I will always be on the side of the truthers but for me it is time to walk another path. I am withdrawing what little effort I put into the truth movement and turning my attention to practical matters of survival. This is by necessity for me but know that I salute those of you who struggle on and my heart is always with you.
    Adam

    1. I have to add Mr Ruff, that your commentary is most depressing, albeit a most prescient analysis of the present situation.
      What seems to be a fading away of interest and participation in T&S seems another sign of lack of enthusiasm and determination on the press for truth. A minor tragedy in itself.
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  12. The total number of deaths from terrorism in recent years has been extremely small in the West. And the threat itself has been considerably reduced. Given all the headlines people don’t have that perception; but if you look at the statistics that is the case.
    The more damage people believe that a terrorist group has inflicted, the more donations and funding they will receive from radical extremists. Specifically, radicals are more likely to fund terrorists who are “effective” in inflicting damage than those who can’t pull off murder and mayhem
    So terrorists want to exaggerate how much damage they’ve actually inflicted.
    Likewise, the type of counter-terror experts who frequently appear on the mainstream news are motivated to hype the terror threat, because it drums up business for them.
    The more scared of terrorism people are, the more books they’ll sell on terrorism, the more people will pay them to give talks on terrorism, and the more they’ll be asked to appear on mainstream news. So they don’t want you to know the real statistics on terror, either.
    And the government has also exaggerated the threat of terrorism for political purposes (literally seeing a terrorist under every bush). For example, FBI agents and CIA intelligence officials, a top constitutional and military law expert, Time magazine, the Washington Post and others have all said that U.S. government officials “were trying to create an atmosphere of fear in which the American people would give them more power”. Indeed, the former Secretary of Homeland Security Tom Ridge admitted that he was pressured to raise terror alerts to help Bush win reelection. The threat from Islamic terrorists – while real – has been greatly exaggerated. Former U.S. National Security Adviser Zbigniew Brzezinski – also a top foreign policy advisor to President Obama – told the Senate that the war on terror is a“a mythical historical narrative”.
    Indeed, the government justifies its geopolitical goals – including seizing more power at home, and overthrowing Syria in 1949, Iran in 1953, Iraq twice, Afghanistan twice, Turkey, Libya, and other oil-rich countries – by hyping the terror menace. So the government wants you to be scared out of your pants by the risk of terrorism.
    So what are the real terrorism facts?
    The actual statistics are stunning:
    http://www.blacklistednews.com/Stunning_Terrorism_Statistics_that_Nobody_Wants_You_to_Know/40961/0/38/38/Y/M.html
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    1. Blogs, like many other phenomena, have their ebbs and flows of activity vs. quiet… this is not a dead blog. Craig has a job now and has quite full weekdays, hence not as much time to write, but I have no fear that we’ve seen his last article.

        1. Our comments crossed in the ozone Craig.
          Soon? Soon has passed, now it’s later.
          This is not anger at you Craig, just deep concern.
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      1. Really Mr Syed? An act of faith is this? I see this as a fading away that has been going on for some time now. It isn’t just this thread, this article that has been less attended. Once the momentum of something like this has slowed to a certain point, it is going to take more effort to get it rolling again. I don’t see that “more effort” in the cards. I don’t blame Craig for taking the route to survival – anyone of us would.
        It is not just Craig – it is the lack of response of all but a few of the commentators that once flooded this forum. This is a bad sign, if it really is down to the nitty gritty of the way Mr Ruff puts it on this page. And I don’t think I need to explain what I mean by that.
        I find no pleasure in making this diagnosis, as all here know I have done all I can to keep the threads active on T&S – Yes to the point of annoying some people at times, but controversy promotes dialog. Hey lets talk about things, hash it out!! Forums like this are important.
        I hate to see this fade away – but it is exactly what I see from this perspective.
        Prove me wrong people!! Wake the fuck up and say something here!
        \\][//

  13. I’m still here although infrequently.
    Adam is right above in that the events can be staged, go viral on Twitter/Facebook, and move into myth withn days. Painstaking assembly of the facts (such as they appear) has to lag in time and once something is myth then “you’re just a crazy conspiracy theorist”. These days, you almost have to present the gaps in the story in real time and then you still have to get people to listen when your facts are assuredly going to look to be in bad taste.
    On Syria – when exactly did they pull the old switcheroo? When the noise behind an invasion of Syria was at his loudest (just after the very strange gas attack incident), the media was screaming for “something must be done”. Suddenly ISIS was “invented” and the media fell into line with the switch of target. Everyone who had followed Syrian events up until then already knew that the “rebels” were not peace-loving Arab Spring demonstrators but hired mercenaries sent in to foment regime change.
    I’d be fascinated if anyone has seen an article documenting exactly when and where the story switched.
    KP

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