John Helmer – ERDOGAN’S WET FIREWORK, NATO’S DAMP SQUIB – NOT EVEN TURKISH TOMATOES AND CUCUMBERS GAIN FROM ST. PETERSBURG SUMMIT

All law students in England, meeting the law of torts for the first time, used to study Scott v Shepherd. That was a case decided in 1773 in which a man in a marketplace was struck in the face by a lit firework that put out his eye.  The legal rule was —  if you toss fireworks, you are liable …

Peter Van Buren – The Russian ‘Thug’ Is a Dream Villain for the US

The American military and industrial complex needs a new enemy to justify its massive budget and Vladimir Putin is the right person at the right time, argues Peter Van Buren. here is a near-certainty in American political speech, going back to the 1980s: When a senior US official labels you a thug, trouble follows. ‘Thug’ is the safest go-to word …

BRICS trample US in South America – Pepe Escobar

It started in April with a rash of deals between Argentina and Russia during President Cristina Kirchner’s visit to Moscow. And it continues with a $53 billion investment bang as Chinese Premier Li Keqiang visits Brazil during the first stop of yet another South American commercial offensive – complete with a sweet metaphor: Li riding on a made in China …