This morning’s key headlines from GenerationalDynamics.com.

• Britain forces arms ship to Syria to return to Russia
• Russia blames U.S. for propaganda about weapons shipment to Syria
• Russian warships prepare to sail to Syria
• European Commission president blames U.S. for ‘contaminating’ their markets
• Israeli settlers conduct ‘price tag’ attack on West Bank mosque

Britain forces arms ship to Syria to return to Russia

A Russian ship believed to be carrying helicopters and missiles for Syria was forced to turn back to Russia after the British insurance company Standard Club canceled its insurance contract on the vessel, on the grounds that carrying weapons was a violation of the insurance contract. The insurer did so under pressure from U.S. and British government officials, since exporting arms to Syria violated EU sanctions. The MV Alaed picked up its cargo of Mi25 helicopters – known as “flying tanks” – from the Russian port of Kaliningrad, where they had been sent for servicing and repairs by Syria, which has owned them since the end of the Soviet era. Telegraph

Russia blames U.S. for propaganda about weapons shipment to Syria

According to a Russian analysts, Washington manipulated information about the Russian cargo vessel stopped near Scotland, misleading the media in order to pressure Russia, “probably to establish some kind of no-fly zone” over Syria.

“This really open pressure is combined with a propaganda campaign and data manipulations. …But in fact these were just old helicopters repaired in Russia. And is far as we know, it was a very limited and cheap repair. The price was really low; Syria could not even afford to replace engines. So, you can’t even say that Russia upgraded these old Soviet helicopters or expanded their capabilities.”

Russia Today

Russian warships prepare to sail to Syria

According to Russian news reports, two Russian warships, each capable of carrying 150 marines and a dozen tanks, are completing preparations to sail to Syria. They will be docking at the Syrian port of Tartus, which is Russia’s only remaining naval base outside the former Soviet Union. According to the reports, the warships will not intervene in Syria, but will be used to evacuate Russian citizens and equipment in case the situation in Syria deteriorates further. AP

European Commission president blames U.S. for ‘contaminating’ their markets

At the G-20 summit on Tuesday, a Canadian reporter asked European Commission president Manuel Barroso why North Americans should “risk their assets to help Europe.” Barroso replied:

“Frankly, we are not here to receive lessons in terms of democracy or in terms of how to handle the economy. This crisis was not originated in Europe… seeing as you mention North America, this crisis originated in North America and much of our financial sector was contaminated by, how can I put it, unorthodox practices, from some sectors of the financial market.”

Barroso is Portuguese, and Portugal had to be bailed out — and will have to be bailed out again — because the people lived beyond their means when he was Prime Minister. Portugal is next door to Spain, which had a gargantuan real estate bubble that’s still a long way from fully collapsing. And elsewhere in Europe, Greece cooked the books and lied about it for years, and even Iceland was in trouble when the country was turned into a giant hedge fund.

The financial crisis was caused by Generation-Xers, in both Europe and North America, who knowingly created tens of trillions of dollars in fraudulent securities and fraudulently sold them as AAA rated.
Like most politicians, Barroso is in a “stupendous level of self-delusion.” Telegraph

Israeli settlers conduct ‘price tag’ attack on West Bank mosque

Arsonists burned out a mosque in the West Bank early Tuesday morning, leaving behind spray-painted graffiti saying, “The war has just begin” and “You will pay the price” in Hebrew. The phrase “price tag” is frequently used by far-right Israeli settlers to denote revenge attacks against Palestinians or IDF soldiers in response to moves by the Israeli government to evacuate illegal West Bank outposts, or as retribution for attacks by Palestinians. The arson attack comes in the midst of a bitter political battle within Israel over Israeli-court ordered demolition of some West Bank settlements ruled illegel. Times of Israel and Israel National News