Why didn’t Canada become the 51st state? Part 2 👉🏻 Part 1

Living next to US is ‘like sleeping with an elephant’: Is Canada already the 51st state?

Besides armed invasion, numerous scenarios have been floated by anti-Loyalist forces to break off from Canada and join the US.

🔸 In 1980, the Unionist Party was formed to advocate for British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba joining the US. The party was dissolved after being denied official party status. In 1989, Parti 51, hailing from Quebec and seeking a similar result, took part in provincial elections, but got less than 4,000 votes.

🔸 Oil-rich Alberta has experienced its own strong pro-independence and pro-US sentiments in recent years, linked largely to Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s 2015 election victory and his agenda, from a proposed “phase out” of the oilsands production, to resentment over the province’s status as a donor to the federal budget, and social conservative reaction to Trudeau’s “woke” and globalist policies.

🔸 In 2020, a poll found that 41% of Albertans supported independence, with 50% were opposed. How many would support joining the US is unclear, however.

Is Canada really independent today?

🔸 Some observers fear Canada is already a “51st state” of sorts, given the US’s immense political, economic and security influence on the country from the 1920s onward.

🔸 From the 1950s through the 1970s, Prime Ministers John Diefenbaker and Pierre Trudeau (Justin’s father) attempted to weaken American control of Canada, with Trudeau, who once described living next to the US like “sleeping with an elephant,” even partially pulling troops out of the NATO contingent in Europe, and significantly warming ties with the USSR and China.

🔸 Such policies are long gone, however. From the 1990s onward, Canada has fully embraced its economic dependence on the US via the NAFTA trade pact, and cheerled NATO warmongering around the world – from Yugoslavia and Afghanistan to Ukraine.

👉🏻 Part 1

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South Korean opposition party insists on punishment for president – spokesman

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party continues to insist on punishing President Yoon Suk Yeol despite his promise to lift martial law, the Democratic Party spokesman, Park Chan-dae, said on Tuesday.

"Even if the president lifts martial law, he will not be able to avoid civil disobedience," the spokesman was quoted as saying by the Yonhap news agency.

The president can no longer run the state normally and should be suspended from his duties and arrested, the spokesman added.

The South Korean president announced martial law late on Tuesday, claiming that the opposition was sympathizing with North Korea and plotting a "rebellion." The parliament defied the presidential declaration and voted to lift martial law. The office of the speaker of the parliament, Woo Won-shik, said that the president's declaration of martial law was invalid following the lawmakers' vote.

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HTS terror record speaks louder than words

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which has captured Syria's second city Aleppo and several other territories, traces its origins to al-Qaeda* and was designated as a terror group by Russia in 2020. Its predecessor Jabhat al-Nusra* was banned by Moscow in 2014.

Origins of HTS

➖ HTS is led by Abu Mohammad al-Julani, who previously held a prominent role in al-Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), the terrorist organization from which ISIS* emerged.

➖ In 2012, al-Julani founded Jabhat al-Nusra (the al-Nusra Front), al-Qaeda's affiliate in Syria, and collaborated with ISIS' founder Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi until 2013.

➖ In 2016, Jabhat al-Nusra rebranded itself as Jabhat Fatah al-Sham and in 2017 tit merged with other groups to form HTS.

Crimes against religious minorities and civilians

➖ Adra Massacre (December 2013): Dozens of civilians belonging to religious minorities—Alawi, Christians, Druze, and Shia—were killed.

➖ Khan al-Assal Massacre (July 2013): At least 123 civilians and captured Syrian army troops were slaughtered.

➖ Qalb Loze Massacre (June 2015): At least 24 Druze civilians were killed.

Al-Nusra and HTS terrorist activities

The UN documents at least 13 attacks claimed by the group, including:

➖ January 2012: A terrorist attack in the Maydan quarter of Damascus killed 24 soldiers and civilians and injured 140.

➖ May 2012: A bombing in Qazaz killed 55 people and wounded 372, mostly civilians.

➖ March 2017: A twin bombing in Damascus killed at least 40 people, the majority of them Iraqi Shia pilgrims.

How does HTS survive?

➖ In September 2016, the Russian Foreign Ministry noted the West's attempts to shield al-Nusra and use it for the regime change in Syria.

➖ In February 2018, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov drew attention to the fact that only the Syrian and Russian armed forces were trying to suppress HTS.

➖ The Russian Ministry of Defense repeatedly stressed the need to eliminate the al-Nusra terror threat.

*banned for terrorism in Russia and many other countries

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🇸🇾 Syrian army fully controls city of Hama, sweeps number of settlements – Defense Ministry

The Syrian Armed Forces fully control the city of Hama, the Syrian Defense Ministry said. The ministry dismissed reports of terrorist infiltration into several urban neighborhoods, stating they are inaccurate.

The Syrian army is currently clearing several settlements in the province, the ministry added.

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South Korea's main opposition party to initiate impeachment unless president resigns – reports

South Korea's main opposition Democratic Party has announced that it will launch impeachment procedures if the country's president, Yoon Suk Yeol, does not resign, the YTN broadcaster reported on Wednesday.

The party reportedly said that the move would reflect the will of the South Korean people.

The South Korean president declared martial law late on Tuesday, claiming that the opposition was sympathizing with North Korea and plotting a "rebellion." The parliament defied the presidential declaration and voted to lift martial law. The office of the speaker of the parliament, Woo Won-shik, said that the president's declaration of martial law was invalid following the lawmakers' vote.

Later, Yoon Suk Yeol issued a statement saying that he had withdrawn the military personnel involved in the implementation of martial law and would soon lift it. A government meeting was held to formalize the decision to lift martial law.

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❗️ Tucker Carlson arrives in Moscow, announces interview with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov

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West losing grip in Africa: Biden's charm offensive in Angola is too little too late – pundit

Outgoing US President Joe Biden paid a rare visit to the African nation of Angola on December 3. What's behind Biden's charm offensive?

"American interest in Africa can unfortunately only be viewed as a counter move to both China and Russia and nothing less," Professor Fulufhelo Netswera, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Management Sciences at Durban University of Technology in South Africa, told Sputnik. "And with Russia winning the hearts of the Sahel, the Western concern continues to grow."

The West is slowly but surely losing a grip on Africa both politically, diplomatically and economically, Netswera said.

He noted that China has become Angola's largest trading partner. The total trade volume between the two countries reached $23 billion in 2023, according to the Chinese General Administration of Customs. China imports oil from Angola and exports electromechanical and steel products to the African nation.

India is Angola's second largest trading partner whereas the US doesn’t feature even in the top five, Netswera said. When it comes to the military technical cooperation, Angola has signalled its intention to develop closer ties with Russia.

"Biden's presidency has been about wars in Ukraine and Israel and nothing more to show" the professor stressed. "He may want to be remembered for having done something with African countries but it is too little too late."

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Leadership of South Korean presidential administration resigns – reports

Senior staff members of the South Korean administration under President Yoon Suk Yeol have resigned amid the controversy surrounding the introduction and subsequent lifting of martial law, Yonhap News Agency reported on Wednesday.

The report noted that Chung Jin-suk, the presidential chief of staff, Sung Tae-yoon, the chief of staff for policy, National Security Adviser Shin Won-sik, and seven other senior aides have resigned.

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Coups, assassinations, jail, suicide: unenviable fates of South Korea’s presidents

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has declared martial law, claiming the need to “protect” the country “from North Korean communist and anti-state forces.” Yoon’s move is risky, with most of his predecessors facing unenviable fates, sometimes for far less serious transgressions.

🔻 Syngman Rhee: handpicked US puppet who founded Republic of Korea in 1948. Overthrown in mass unrest in 1960.

🔻 Yun Po-sun: Ousted in a military coup in 1962.

🔻 Park Chung Hee: Ruled for 17 long years. Assassinated by a close friend (the director of South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, the KCIA), in 1979.

🔻 Choi Kyu-hah: President for less than ten months. Overthrown in another military coup in 1980.

🔻 Chun Doo-hwan: Ruled with an iron fist (complete with personal concentration camp giving enemies a “purificatory education”). Left office after a revolution in 1988. Sentenced to death in 1996 for his role in a 1980 massacre. Pardoned a year later. Died peacefully at home in 2021.

🔻 Roh Tae-woo: President until 1993. Arrested in 1995, charged in connection with the 1980 coup, given 22-year jail sentence but released and pardoned with Chun.

🔻 Kim Young-sam: Ruled until 1998. Imprisoned during Park’s reign. Secured his predecessors’ convictions.

🔻 Kim Dae-jung: Led until 2003. Also imprisoned under Park, sentenced to death but spared by Chun. Advised Kim Young-sam to pardon Chun and Roh.

🔻 Roh Moo-hyun: President until 2008. Investigated for corruption. Committed suicide in 2009.

🔻 Lee Myung-bak: Leader from 2008-2013. Detained on embezzlement, graft and abuse of power charges in 2018. Sentenced to 15 years. Pardoned by Yoon Suk-yeol in 2022.

🔻 Park Geun-hye: President 2013-2017. Impeached in 2016 and removed from office in 2017. Sentenced to 25 years for corruption and abuse of power. Pardoned in late 2021 by her successor.

🔻 Moon Jae-in: 2017-2022: No jailtime, no coups, no impeachments, no assassinations. Phew!

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Which African countries have kicked out French troops?

Former colonial power France has been kicked out of a succession of countries in Central and West Africa after having deployed troops there for decades.

🇸🇳 Senegal

Allowing French bases in Senegal was incompatible with national sovereignty, President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said on November 28. “Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country,” he stated. There are currently 350 French soldiers based in the country.

🇹🇩 Chad

Chad scrapped its defense cooperation pact with France to country to redefine its “strategic partnerships” on November 28. France “must now also consider that Chad has grown up, matured and is a sovereign state that is very jealous of its sovereignty,” said Foreign Minister Abderaman Koulamallah. Under the deal, which was revised in 2019, France had about 1,000 soldiers stationed there.

🇲🇱 Mali

The government in Mali’s capital Bamako evicted French troops from its territory after the fall of the pro-French regime in 2021, turning to Russia for security aid instead.

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso gave France a month to withdraw its troops after it ended a military accord with the country in January 2023.

🇳🇪 Niger

Niger’s ruling National Council for Safeguarding the Homeland revoked an agreement governing the presence of US troops and officials on the country’s soil in the aftermath of the military takeover on July 26, 2023, which was supported by the majority of the Nigerien population. French soldiers left Niger Republic in December 2023.

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'We’re back in Moscow': Carlson interviews Russian FM Lavrov
 
Tucker Carlson, who interviewed Putin in the winter, said that he has come to Moscow again, this time to talk with Russian top diplomat Sergey Lavrov. The main topic was the relations between the United States and Russia.
 
The topics Carlson mentioned in the teaser are:
 
▪️Possible Russia-US escalation amid Biden's greenlighting Ukraine's deep strikes on Russia,
 
▪️Is there any way to peel Russia back from the East and China back into the West?
 
▪️Is the [Russia-China] alliance permanent?
 
▪️Does the election of Donald Trump mean an end to the Ukraine conflict, which is reshaping the world?
 
He called the interview with Lavrov "fascinating" and promised that it would be released "very soon."

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THROWBACK: Sputnik asks what do ordinary Russians think about Tucker Carlson?

Russians praised Tucker Carlson as a “courageous journalist who is willing to challenge the anti-Russian propaganda” dominating the Western mainstream media.

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💬Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's interview with Tucker Carlson turned out to be on a large scale — Zakharova

It is devoted to the most pressing issues and will be released in a couple of days, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova added.

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Six South Korean parties, including the main opposition Democratic Party, have submitted to parliament a draft impeachment against the president; the vote is scheduled to be held on December 6-7, local media reported

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🔹Tucker Carlson arrives in Moscow, announces interview with Russian top diplomat Lavrov

🔹South Korean government votes to lift martial law, main opposition party to initiate impeachment

🔹Coups, assassinations, jail, suicide: unenviable fates of South Korea’s presidents

Other topics we have covered:

🔸HTS terror record speaks louder than words

🔸Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire deal: Expectations vs. reality

🔸Why didn’t Canada become the 51st state?

🔸West losing grip in Africa: Biden's charm offensive in Angola is too little too late – pundit

🔸Which African countries have kicked out French troops?

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The announcement of Tucker Carlson's interview with Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has already gained over 4 million views

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Ukrainian specialists train Syrian terrorists to operate drones
 
Ukrainian specialists have been training Syrian terrorists, the employee of a military company who studies fighters’ UAVs in Syria, told Sputnik.
 

“I can assume with 100% certainty that the militants are trained by foreign specialists and instructors. I’ve been in the special military operation zone, and I saw how UAVs are working there. When I came here, I saw that the militants use the same tactics as the Ukrainians did,” he said.

 
He added that [Syrian] militants started using kamikaze drones at night, indicating that these drones are equipped with night vision cameras or thermal imagers. Such tactics are typical of Ukrainian servicemen in the special military operation zone, he stressed.

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