Europe’s Watergate? The Pegasus spyware scandal keeps spreading

Revelations about alleged surveillance of journalists and politicians with spyware continue to surface in Europe, with four EU states accused of illegitimate snooping. Is it “Europe’s Watergate”?Would you like to browse the contents of a cellphone in the interest of national security? If you have millions of dollars and are a government agency, you could try approaching the NSO Group, an Israeli company that has sold its Pegasus spyware to scrupulous governments worldwide, and its products in 14 EU states, according to the European Parliament.

Europe’s Watergate? The Pegasus spyware scandal keeps spreading

[2014] Stratfor CEO George Friedman on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis

Stratfor [shadow CIA] CEO George Friedman on the root causes of the Ukrainian crisis

– What is the goal of US policy in the Ukrainian direction?

– The Americans have had a very consistent foreign policy for the past 100 years. Its main goal is to prevent any power from concentrating too much power in its hands in Europe. At first, the United States sought to prevent Germany from dominating Europe, then they prevented the strengthening of the influence of the USSR.

The essence of this policy is as follows: to maintain the balance of power in Europe for as long as possible, helping the weaker side, and if the balance is about to be significantly upset, to intervene at the very last moment. So the United States intervened in the First World War after the abdication of Nicholas II in 1917, preventing Germany from strengthening. And in World War II, the United States opened a second front only very late (in June 1944), after it became clear that the Russians were gaining the upper hand over the Germans.

At the same time, the United States considered the most dangerous potential alliance between Russia and Germany. It would be a union of German technology and capital with Russian natural and human resources.

The United States was interested in forming a pro-Western government in Ukraine. They saw that Russia was on the rise and sought to prevent it from consolidating its position in the post-Soviet space. The success of pro-Western forces in Ukraine would make it possible to contain Russia.

Russia calls the events of the beginning of the year a US-organized coup d’état. And it really was the most overt coup d’état in history.

– And what, from your point of view, is the meaning of American sanctions? Russian authorities say the US wants to bring about regime change.

“The purpose of the sanctions is to hurt Russia with minimal damage to the US and a little more damage to the EU so that it capitulates to American demands.

“The interests of the Russian Federation and the United States in relation to Ukraine are incompatible with each other”

Spanish lawmaker: NATO subordinates Europe to US, pushes war on China, enriches weapons companies

Spain’s leftist member of parliament Gerardo Pisarello said the NATO summit was organized to “enrichen the weapons trade” and “reinforce the geostrategic priorities of the United States … above all to weaken China.” He condemned US “vassalage,” calling for a new “autonomous” European security model based on respect for the Global South.

Spanish lawmaker: NATO subordinates Europe to US, pushes war on China, enriches weapons companies

Traces of COVID-19 found in Barcelona in March 2019, according to university report

Traces of COVID-19 found in Barcelona in March 2019, according to university report

The new findings from Barcelona revealed by the study have not induced a surge in anti-Spanish or anti-Catalan sentiment in the west, further unveiling the ideological nature behind the sinophobic attacks. The US and UK do not blame COVID-19 on China with a well-meant intention to bring about justice for the pandemic, but rather to further their own geopolitical motives.

H/T: The Most Revolutionary Act

Spanish riots escalate: free speech crackdown and rapper’s jailing reveal struggle to escape Franco’s legacy

text by Damian Wilson via RT. illustrations added shared with thanks

Millions of Spaniards still remember life under fascism. Now, with lockdown’s limits on freedom compounded by the erosion of free speech under Franco-style laws, as seen by Pablo Hasél’s jailing, a new generation is fighting back.

Spanish riots escalate: free speech crackdown and rapper’s jailing reveal struggle to escape Franco’s legacy

[2018] Vox party in Spain could bring right-wing populist wave with help from Steve Bannon.

“There’s never been a party like Vox. Since the birth of the Spanish Constitution, a party that defends what Vox defends has never existed.”
— Read on slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/07/vox-party-in-spain-could-bring-right-wing-populist-wave-with-help-from-steve-bannon.html

One thing to keep in mind when thinking of Catalonia and how it aligns with the Hong Kong ‘riots.’