Taibbi Shreds Hamilton 68 'Laughable And Damning' Response To Being Exposed As Frauds

https://youtu.be/if3brp-J_d8

Days before yesterday’s Twitter Files report about Hamilton 68, I wrote the public relations officers of both of the sites’ parent organizations, the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) and the German Marshall Fund (GMF). I told them I was in possession of the Hamilton 68 list, which purported to track “Russian influence activities.” I said I had a slew of internal Twitter documents that among other things identified their project as “bullshit.” Toward the end I added:

Given the sheer quantity of news stories sourced to Hamilton 68, this has to go down as one of the great media frauds of all time. Unless you have an explanation for how and why hundreds of non-Russians like Dennis Michael Lynch, Patrick Hennigsen, Joe Lauria, and [I inserted the name of a San Diego school board member] came to be on this list, there’s no other conclusion.

I hope you will treat this matter with respect and answer this query. My story is going to identify not just people like Clint Watts but members of the ASD advisory board as party to this.

The story eventually published, “Move Over, Jayson Blair: Meet Hamilton 68, The New King of Media Fraud,” was based on email assessments of Twitter executives like Yoel Roth and Nick Pickles, the forensic analysis Roth had done in 2017 and which was excerpted yesterday, and interviews with people on the list. These elements — especially the interviews — made for a pretty ironclad case that the much-ballyhooed Hamilton 68 “dashboard” was a sham, that took real opinions of real people and falsely declared them part of a “network” of “Russian influence activities.”

On the remote chance Hamilton 68 had inside information legitimizing the linking of Dennis Michael Lynch, David Horowitz, and @TrumpDyke to “Russian influence activities,” I not only reached out to Hamilton’s creators, but when they were quiet, threw a tantrum on Twitter, tagging every member of the ASD advisory board in an effort to hear from them pre-publication. I genuinely wanted to hear an innocent explanation if they had one. They still said nothing. Only after the story blew up online yesterday did they put out an explanation.

“FACT SHEET: Hamilton 68 Dashboard (2017-2018)” is embarrassing. I’ve been told by several people since yesterday that Clint Watts is a sweet guy and a devoted family man. But the response he put out starts dissembling in the lead paragraph:

By analyzing a dynamic list of more than 600 Twitter accounts linked, wittingly or unwittingly, to Russian influence activities online, the dashboard provided a window into Russian propaganda and disinformation efforts online…

Let’s explore “wittingly or unwittingly.”

Forget that Hamilton 68’s original dashboard said it was “tracking Russian propaganda” and “Russian disinformation” (and not tweets by Consortium, The Sirius Report, and Liberals are Dumb). Forget even that co-founder Jamie Fly regularly compared the Russian cyber threat to al-Qaeda, and used language describing the Hamilton 68 accounts as if they were a front for a league of sleeper cells:

The approximately 600 accounts are a sample of a much wider network of pro-Kremlin accounts… These accounts should be viewed as a sample of distinct networks of Russian-linked accounts that were identified over the course of roughly three years of analysis. They are very likely only the tip of the iceberg.

Hamilton’s claims were even more concrete than that. Its founders told reporters they couldn’t disclose account names because “the Russians will simply shut them down,” implying direct control of Moscow. This is from a Politico interview with co-founder Laura Rosenberger:

Here’s one of Hamilton’s favorite journalists, Ken Dilanian of NBC, offering the same line about how Russia would simply marionette all of its cyber-agents back into darkness if the list were to be released:

https://youtu.be/FAoIXZjxtf0

https://www.zerohedge.com/political/taibbi-shreds-hamilton-68-laughable-and-damning-response-being-exposed-frauds

https://www.racket.news/p/responding-to-hamilton-68

Twitter says it will now allow users to appeal suspensions

Company continues reinstatement of suspended accounts.

Twitter on Friday said it was introducing a new suspension policy that would allow users to appeal their suspended accounts under newly deployed criteria.

The company said on its platform that it has “been proactively reinstating previously suspended accounts” and that “starting February 1, anyone can appeal an account suspension and be evaluated under our new criteria for reinstatement.”

Twitter was following up on an earlier tweet that said it had “identified several policies where permanent suspension was a disproportionate action for breaking Twitter rules.”

The company has faced criticism for what critics have called ideologically motivated suspension rules, ones allegedly biased against conservatism.

https://justthenews.com/nation/technology/twitter-says-it-will-now-allow-users-appeal-suspensions

Ukraine: ‘Fast-track’ talks underway for missiles, planes

A top aide to Ukraine’s president says Kyiv and its Western allies are engaged in “fast-track” talks on the possibility of equipping the invaded country with long-range missiles and military aircraft

Ukraine: ‘Fast-track’ talks underway for missiles, planesBy SUSIE BLANNAssociated PressThe Associated PressKYIV, Ukraine

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine and its Western allies are engaged in “fast-track” talks on the possibility of equipping the invaded country with long-range missiles and military aircraft, a top Ukrainian presidential aide said Saturday.

Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said Ukraine’s supporters in the West “understand how the war is developing” and the need to supply planes capable of providing cover for the armored fighting vehicles that the United States and Germany pledged at the beginning of the month.

However, in remarks to online video channel Freedom, Podolyak said that some of Ukraine’s Western partners maintain a “conservative” attitude to arms deliveries, “due to fear of changes in the international architecture.” Russia and North Korea have accused the West of prolonging and taking a direct role in the war by sending Kyiv increasingly sophisticated weapons.

“We need to work with this. We must show (our partners) the real picture of this war,” Podolyak said, without naming specific countries. “We must speak reasonably and tell them, for example, ‘This and this will reduce fatalities, this will reduce the burden on infrastructure. This will reduce security threats to the European continent, this will keep the war localized.’ And we are doing it.”

The U.S. and Germany agreed Wednesday to share advanced tanks with Ukraine along with the Bradley and Marder vehicles promised earlier, a decision that led to criticism not only from the Kremlin but from the prime minister of NATO and European Union member Hungary.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban asserted Friday that Western countries providing weapons and money to assist Ukraine in its war with Russia have “drifted” into becoming active participants in the conflict. Orban has refused to send weapons to neighboring Ukraine and sought to block EU funds earmarked for military aid.

The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry said it would summon Hungary’s ambassador to complain about Orban’s remarks. A ministry spokesperson, Oleg Nikolenko, said Orban told reporters that Ukraine was “a no-man’s land” and compared it to Afghanistan.

“Such statements are completely unacceptable. Budapest continues on its course to deliberately destroy Ukrainian-Hungarian relations,” Nikolenko said in a Facebook post.

President Joe Biden’s announcement that the U.S. would send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine reversed months of arguments by Washington that they were too difficult for Ukrainian troops to operate and maintain.

https://www.breitbart.com/news/ukraine-fast-track-talks-underway-for-missiles-planes/

Head of NATO Military Committee Admiral Rob Bauer: NATO Is Ready for a Direct Confrontation with Russia

Admiral Rob Bauer is the 33rd Chair of the Military Committee of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization or NATO.

In a recent interview this week Admiral Bauer says NATO is ready for a direct confrontation with Russia.

Joe Biden announced this week he is sending tanks to Ukraine to fight Russia.

These Western leaders are hell bent on launching World War III.

https://youtu.be/H_kBnDs9NlQ

Via Pravda:

“This is an important signal for Russia… That we are prepared if they decide to go after NATO. This is a red line. If there is a red line, then it is the Russians crossing our borders,” the Chair of the NATO Military Committee said.

Bauer said that NATO countries ought to gear civilian industrial production to the needs of the military and expressed his support for the idea of a “war economy in peacetime”.

He added that he believes that Russia’s strategic objectives go beyond Ukraine, with Moscow wanting to claim the territory of the former Soviet Union.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2023/01/head-nato-military-committee-admiral-rob-bauer-nato-ready-direct-confrontation-russia-video/

North Korea Blasts US Tanks For Ukraine, Vows To "Stand In Same Trench" With Russia

North Korea has issued somewhat rare statements lashing out at growing US military involvement in Ukraine, with the influential sister of Kim Jong Un condemning the decision to transfer heavy battle tanks.

Kim Yo Jong's statement came on the heels this week of the US confirming it will send 31 M1 Abrams tanks to Ukraine, and they were her first public remarks in months. She charged that Washington is crossing a "red line" in its drive to escalate a "proxy war" aimed at regime change in Russia. "I express serious concern over the US escalating the war situation by providing Ukraine with military hardware for ground offensive," said Kim.

"The US is the arch criminal which poses serious threat and challenge to the strategic security of Russia and pushes the regional situation to the present grave phase," she added, in her official statement as vice-department director of the Central Committee of the Workers Party of Korea.

"I do not doubt that any military hardware the US and the West boast of will be burnt into pieces in the face of the indomitable fighting spirit and might of the heroic Russian army and people," she added.

Importantly, at a moment the US is accusing Pyongyang of supplying Russia's military with artillery shells and other lethal equipment, particularly the Wagner Group, Kim stressed that North Korea will always "stand in the same trench" with Russia.

The US throughout months of the war going back to the summer has issued repeat vague allegations that North Korea supplying Russian forces with tens of thousands of artillery shells, which both sides have denied.

But starting last month the Biden administration narrowed the allegations to Pyongyang's support to the Putin-linked mercenary Wagner Group.

"Wagner is searching around the world for arms suppliers to support its military operations in Ukraine," White House national security spokesman John Kirby had said in a late December press briefing. "We can confirm that North Korea has completed an initial arms delivery to Wagner, which paid for that equipment."

The US now says it has satellite evidence of the transfers, describing weapons-laden trains going back and forth over the small stretch of Russia-North Korea border in the far east.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/north-korea-blasts-us-tanks-ukraine-vows-stand-same-trench-russia

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/north-korea-blasts-us-tanks-ukraine-vows-stand-same-trench-russia

Unsuccessful drone attack on Iran military plant - report

A loud explosion was heard at a military plant in Iran's central city of Isfahan, but only minor damage was reported

A loud explosion at a military plant in Iran's central city of Isfahan was caused by an "unsuccessful" drone attack, Iranian state media reported on Sunday, citing the defense ministry.

"One of (the drones) was hit by the … air defense and the other two were caught in defense traps and blew up. Fortunately, this unsuccessful attack did not cause any loss of life and caused minor damage to the workshop's roof," the ministry said in a statement carried by the state news agency IRNA.

Iranian news agencies earlier reported the loud blast and carried a video showing a flash of light at the plant, said to be an ammunitions factory, and footage of emergency vehicles and fire trucks outside the plant.

Iran accuses Israel

In July, Iran said it had arrested a sabotage team made up of Kurdish militants working for Israel who planned to blow up a "sensitive" defense industry center in Isfahan.

The announcement came amid heightening tensions with arch-enemy Israel over Tehran's nuclear program. Israel says Iran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons. Tehran denies this.

"(The attack) has not affected our installations and mission…and such blind measures will not have an impact on the continuation of the country's progress," the defense ministry statement said.

There have been a number of explosions and fires around Iranian military, nuclear and industrial facilities in the past few years.

The blasts have at times caused concern amid tensions over Iran's nuclear program with Israel and the United States.

Israel has long threatened military action against Iran if indirect talks between Washington and Tehran fail to salvage a 2015 nuclear pact.

https://www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-729932