Here’s How a Massive, Mysterious Pro-China Troll Mob Silenced NBA Exec’s Twitter Account

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An enormous pro-China Twitter mob descended on Houston Rocket’s General Manager Daryl Morey after his ill-fated Hong Kong tweet and, in the process, thrust the NBA into the hotspot, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Morey was the victim of what experts say is a massive, coordinated assault after his Oct. 4 tweet supporting Hong Kong protesters, the report noted, citing a review of about 170,000 tweets directed at the NBA executive. Experts are not ruling out the possibility that the full-throated attack was state-sponsored.

“I’m not saying this is a state-affiliated operation,” Clemson University researcher Darren Linvill told TheWSJ on Wednesday. “But I’ve only seen so many brand-new accounts used at one time when it was a state-affiliated operation.” . . .

Morey’s account was inundated with comments from pro–Chinese government accounts in the 12 hours after he posted his tweet, which championed Hong Kong’s fight for freedom. The tweets mentioned him more than 16,000 times, Ben Nimmo, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab, noted in a separate analysis of Morey’s tweets.

“It looks like there were humans at the keyboard for many of these posts,” he told reporters. “This wasn’t primarily a bot swarm. It was a troll mob. Which is a lot harder to deal with.” Twitter has not responded to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment about the campaign. (Read more from “Here’s How a Massive, Mysterious Pro-China Troll Mob Silenced NBA Exec’s Twitter Account” HERE)

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Pence Announces a Deal with Turkey for Cease-Fire in Syria

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Quote source: https://www.c-span.org/video/?465417-1/vice-president-pence-announces-us-turkey-reach-ceasefire-agreement-syria

Vice President Mike Pence announced an agreement for a temporary ceasefire in Syria after meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“Today, I’m proud to report, thanks to the strong leadership of President Donald Trump and the strong relationship between President Erdogan and Turkey and the United States of America, that today the United States and Turkey have agreed to a cease-fire in Syria,” Pence said from the U.S. embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

Last week, the White House announced that the U.S. would pull troops out of an area near the northern Syrian border ahead of an anticipated Turkish offensive into the area. President Trump said it was “time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars, many of them tribal, and bring our soldiers home.” The move has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats alike, particularly because of Turkey’s attacks on Kurdish forces in the area.

Pence explained Thursday that Turkey’s military would pause its military offensive in northern Syria for 120 hours in order to allow Kurdish militia forces to exit the roughly 20-mile-wide “safe zone” near the border. He also added that Turkey’s operation would be “halted entirely upon completion of the withdrawal.” Pence said that the administration has also begun to facilitate the withdrawal of Syrian forces from the area.

“Also Turkey and the United States agree on the priority of respecting vulnerable human life, human rights, and particularly the protection of religious and ethnic communities in the region,” Pence explained.

The news came just moments after a bipartisan group of U.S. senators in Washington, D.C., led by Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., announced new legislation imposing sanctions on Turkey over its actions in Syria. During his remarks from Ankara, Pence explained that the agreement stipulates that the United States would impose no new sanctions and would lift the sanctions currently imposed on Turkey once a permanent cease-fire takes effect after the “orderly withdrawal” of Kurdish militia forces from the contested area.

Graham told reporters said that while he’s “encouraged” by news of the cease-fire, he still plans to forge ahead on the sanctions legislation for now, in case Turkey doesn’t follow through on its end of the bargain.

President Trump took to Twitter to praise the cease-fire agreement, saying, “This deal could NEVER have been made 3 days ago. There needed to be some ‘tough’ love in order to get it done. Great for everybody. Proud of all!”

“This is a great day for civilization,” Trump added in a subsequent tweet. “I am proud of the United States for sticking by me in following a necessary, but somewhat unconventional, path. People have been trying to make this ‘Deal’ for many years. Millions of lives will be saved.” (For more from the author of “Pence Announces a Deal with Turkey for Cease-Fire in Syria” please click HERE)

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Report: U.S. Bombs Own Headquarters in Syria; Senator Defends Trump’s Decision to Pull U.S. Troops (VIDEO)

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By Daily Wire. On Wednesday, after Turkish forces moved toward them, the U.S. launched airstrikes to destroy the headquarters in Syria where the American campaign to destroy ISIS was located, according to U.S. officials who spoke to The Wall Street Journal. The base included warehouses where the Kurdish-led fighters fighting Turkey and ISIS were trained and quipped. The airstrike reputedly was launched to prevent Turkish forces from nearing the base.

The Journal noted that despite the assault on Kurdish forces from Turkey, President Trump on Wednesday would only say that the Turkish attack had “nothing to do with us.”

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Vice President Mike Pence flew to Turkey to meet with Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and on Wednesday, the House of Representatives passed a bipartisan resolution opposing the withdrawal of U.S troops from Syria and leaving the Kurds open to an assault. . .

Kurdish fighters reportedly sought aid from Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, prompting Trump to aver, “Syria is protecting the Kurds, that’s good. Syria may get help from Russia and that’s fine. … There’s a lot of sand to play with … I wish them all a lot of luck.” (Read more from “Report: U.S. Bombs Own Headquarters in Syria” HERE)

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Rand Paul: Pulling U.S. Troops from Syria ‘May Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to the Kurds’

By Daily Caller. Republican Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul argued Wednesday that pulling the remaining U.S. troops from northern Syria “may be the best thing that ever happened to the Kurds.”

Paul’s comments came during a Wednesday interview on CNN’s “The Lead with Jake Tapper” as Vice President Mike Pence travels to Turkey to meet with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss a potential ceasefire to the country’s offensive against U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters.

“This was [President Donald Trump’s] decision. … It was the best thing not only for our troops, but it’s also the best way to adhere to the Constitution,” Paul said. “The Constitution says you don’t declare a war unless Congress votes on it, and who are we going to declare a war against — our ally, Turkey, the Free Syrian Army that used to be our ally, [Syrian President Bashar] Assad?”

(Read more from “Rand Paul: Pulling U.S. Troops from Syria ‘May Be the Best Thing That Ever Happened to the Kurds’” HERE)

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Here’s the Letter That Trump Sent to Turkish President Erdogan

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Fox Business’ Trish Regan snagged herself an exclusive copy of the letter that President Donald J. Trump sent Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on October 9, asking the NATO ally to not slaughter the Kurds unless he wanted to face dire economic consequences imposed by the Trump administration.

“Dear Mr. President, Let’s work out a deal! You don’t want to to be responsible for slaughtering thousands of people, and I don’t want to be responsible for destroying the Turkish economy — and I will. I’ve already given you a little sample with respect to Pastor Brunson,” the president said. Andrew Brunson was a captured American pastor held by the Turkish government. President Trump used a mixture of diplomacy and economic pressure to get him freed.

“I have worked hard to solve some of your problems. Don’t the world down. You can make a great deal,” the president continued.

“History will look upon you favorably if you get this done the right and humane way,” President Trump stated. It will look upon you forever as the devil if good things don’t happen.”

(Read more from “Here’s the Letter That Trump Sent to Turkish President Erdogan” HERE)

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Venezuelan Assemblyman: I Suggest Bernie Sanders ‘Go to Venezuela Without Bodyguards’ for a Week (VIDEO)

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Jose Guerra, a member of the National Assembly legislature in Venezuela, told PJM that Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) should live in Venezuela for an extended period of time without bodyguards to see how bad the humanitarian crisis is in the country under Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship.

Guerra was asked for his opinion of politicians such as Sanders not referring to Maduro as a dictator.

“Maybe they misunderstand what is going on in Venezuela. It’s a dictatorship. There’s no power separation and more than 400 political prisoners that have been prosecuted like me. It’s a new dictatorship,” Guerra said during a recent video interview. “Those people should go to Venezuela and live in Venezuela for a couple of weeks in order to have a very good picture of what is going on in Venezuela. I suggest that they go to Venezuela.”

To date, more than 50 countries support recognizing Juan Guaido, president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, as the country’s president. According to a report in July, Guerra, a member of the assembly’s finance commission, “left Venezuela in June when the Supreme Court stripped him of his parliamentary immunity from prosecution. The commission is now missing five of its 12 members.” The report also said “intelligence agents” in Venezuela “arrested Guaido’s assembly deputy, Edgar Zambrano, in May and he remains jailed.” . . .

“I don’t know that Jesse Jackson and Bernie Sanders know in a very good way what is going on in Venezuela,” Guerra said. “I suggest Bernie Sanders take a week and go to Venezuela without bodyguards and go to the street and speak with a cell phone and see what is going on with Bernie Sanders, OK?” (Read more from “Venezuelan Assemblyman: I Suggest Bernie Sanders ‘Go to Venezuela Without Bodyguards’ for a Week” HERE)

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Turkey Holding 50 U.S. Nuclear Bombs ‘Hostage’

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Officials are reviewing plans to evacuate up to 50 U.S. nuclear bombs that have long been stored at Incirlik Air Base in Turkey in the wake of Ankara’s military offensive in northern Syria, according to a report.

The weapons are now essentially “hostage” to Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a senior official told The New York Times on Monday.

The Cold War-era B61 nuclear bombs are said to be 100-250 miles from the Syrian border, according to The Guardian. A former U.S. official told the outlet that Turkish diplomats responded to suggestions about moving the bombs by saying Turkey would start to develop its own.

“The potential problems have been discussed for over a decade,” the former official said. “And now we’ve finally gotten to a point where this is a problem that we can’t ignore anymore.” . . .

Trump said Monday that U.S. troops in northeastern Syria will be withdrawn from the country as planned and redeployed “in the region to monitor the situation and prevent a repeat of 2014,” when the Islamic State terrorist group (ISIS) made major territorial gains.

(Read more from “Turkey Holding 50 U.S. Nuclear Bombs ‘Hostage'” HERE)

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Chinese President Has Chilling, Dire Warning for Hong Kong Protesters (VIDEO)

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As street battles between protesters and police continue to escalate in Hong Kong, China’s authoritarian leader warned Sunday any further attempt to divide the country will literally be crushed.

Chinese President Xi Jinping made the comments during a visit to Nepal, where he became the first Chinese president in more than two decades to visit the country.

“Anyone attempting to split China in any part of the country will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones,” he told Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, China’s state broadcaster CCTV reported. “And any external forces backing such attempts dividing China will be deemed by the Chinese people as pipe-dreaming!”

Xi made the explicit comments at a meeting where the two signed more than 20 agreements Sunday, including one commissioning a feasibility study of a China-Nepal cross-border railway project. The railway construction is being considered under an ambitious project that’s a component of China’s signature Belt and Road Initiative. . .

China has seen growing international pressure due to the escalating Hong Kong pro-democracy protests during the last four months. The demonstrations began in June over a contested extradition bill and have snowballed into a wide-ranging anti-government, anti-police and anti-China movement. (Read more from “Chinese President Has Chilling, Dire Warning for Hong Kong Protesters” HERE)

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Trump Takes Action Against Turkey over Syria Invasion

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President Donald Trump tweeted Monday that his administration would be taking actions against members of the Turkish government after reports of atrocities committed in the invasion into Syria.

“I will soon be issuing an Executive Order authorizing the imposition of sanctions against current and former officials of the Government of Turkey and any persons contributing to Turkey’s destabilizing actions in northeast Syria,” said the president in statement issued via his Twitter account.

The president said steel tariffs would be increased to 50 percent, and a $100 billion trade deal being negotiated with Turkey would immediately ended.

“Turkey’s military offensive is endangering civilians and threatening peach, security, and stability in the region. I have been perfectly clear with President Erdogan: Turkey’s action is precipitating a humanitarian crisis and setting conditions for possible war crimes,” the statement continued.

The president has faced criticism on all sides for his decision to pull back troops from northern Syria ahead of an invasion by Turkish military forces. He has defended his actions by deriding the Kurds, who are facing a massacre and mass displacement.

(Read more from “Trump Hits Back at Turkey over Syria Invasion” HERE)

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Elite American Institutions Keep Bowing to Communist China… over and over Again

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By The Daily Caller. . .The NBA provided the latest example Sunday night, when league commissioner Adam Silver apologized for Houston Rockets general manager Daryl Morey’s tweet in support of pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong. Rockets star James Harden followed suit and apologized to China for Morey’s tweets. . .

China Daily, the communist government’s propaganda arm, used the NBA’s conciliatory reaction to warn other companies to learn “a lesson: The big Chinese market is open to the world, but those who challenge China’s core interests and hurt Chinese people’s feelings cannot make any profit from it.” . . .

American universities have allowed the Chinese government to fund centers called Confucius Institutes that provide the communist regime with avenues to infuse pro-China propaganda into American academia. Eighty-nine Confucius Institutes were operating in the U.S. as of September 2019, according to the National Association of Scholars.

Hollywood has self-censored for years in order to ensure access to the Chinese market. The U.S. government published a report in 2015 detailing how filmmakers tailor their messaging to appease Chinese audiences and—more importantly—Chinese government censors.

“U.S. filmmakers self-censor scenes, dialogue, images, and themes they fear will jeopardize their film’s chance of receiving Chinese approval for import,” stated the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission’s report, titled, “Directed by Hollywood, Edited by China.” (Read more from “Elite American Institutions Keep Bowing to Communist China… over and over Again” HERE)

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American Renewal: NBA’s Surrender to China Shows Money Still Talks Louder Than ‘Social Justice’

By The Daily Caller. Over the weekend, Houston Rockets General Manager Daryl Morey sent out what would seem to the average person to be a pretty innocuous tweet: “Fight For Freedom. Stand With Hong Kong.”

Morey was voicing support for the ongoing pro-democracy protests taking place in the city. He certainly wasn’t expressing an uncommon opinion — American politicians on both sides of the aisle have also praised the historic protests. But China didn’t like Morey’s tweet. Presumably acting upon the demands of the Chinese government, Chinese businesses began pulling their NBA sponsorships, and Chinese broadcasters and streaming platforms threatened to stop airing NBA games altogether.

The NBA acted quickly, issuing one statement in English apologizing to China for Morey’s “regrettable” statement and one statement “translated” into Mandarin, which articulated something entirely different, according to ABC News — that the NBA was “extremely disappointed” with Morey’s “inappropriate” tweet that “severely hurt the feelings of Chinese fans.” Two of Morey’s best players on the Houston Rockets, James Harden and Russell Westbrook, also came out and publicly apologized, insisting, “We love China.”

Morey, of course, deleted the tweet and did what is typically required of sinners against social justice here in the United States — he genuflected towards the powers that be, offered a humiliating apology, and all but begged for the preservation of his career. But in this case, Morey wasn’t sinning against social justice, he was sinning against the powerful Chinese government, a brutal authoritarian regime that imprisons, tortures, and murders political dissidents, religious minorities, and anyone who dares promote democracy. Troublingly, this dictatorial power now appears to extend even into the U.S., with Morey’s public admonishment likely to have a chilling effect on any future high-profile criticism of the Chinese regime. (Read more from “American Renewal: Nba’s Surrender to China Shows Money Still Talks Louder Than ‘Social Justice’” HERE)

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Hundreds of ISIS Supporters Escape Camp in Syria; Media Begin to Acknowledge: Some Kurdish Forces Are a Problem

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By Fox News. Hundreds of people affiliated with the Islamic State escaped a camp where they were being held on Sunday after Turkish forces approached the Kurdish-held town, Kurdish officials said.

About 950 ISIS-connected foreigners managed to leave the camp, located in Ain Eissa, roughly 20 miles south of the border, after detainees apparently attacked the camp’s guards and gates and fled, the Kurdish-led administration said in a statement.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, based in Britain, said Turkish warplanes struck villages near the camp on Sunday. They didn’t provide the exact number of residents who fled the camp, but said clashes broke out between Turkey-backed Syrian fighters and Kurdish forces. . .

The Kurdish forces, who partnered with the U.S. in the fight against ISIS, say they may not be able to maintain detention facilities holding thousands of militants as they struggle to stem the Turkish advance.

Turkish forces have been pushing toward the town as part of their offensive against Kurdish-led forces — fighters which Turkey believes are terrorists because of their links to the insurgency in its southeast. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Friday that Turkey won’t stop until the Syrian Kurdish forces withdraw at least 20 miles from the border. (Read more from “Hundreds of ISIS Supporters Escape Camp in Syria” HERE)

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Media Begin to Acknowledge: Some Kurdish Forces Are a Problem

By Breitbart. The mainstream media have begun to acknowledge that some Kurdish forces in the Turkey-Syria border region are a legitimate national security concern for Turkey, after a week of criticism of President Donald Trump’s withdrawal.

On Sunday, the New York Times published an article about how Kurdish forces, apparently out of spite, were no longer allowing U.S. forces to take control of detainees linked to the so-called “Islamic State” (ISIS) — though the Times headline cast the issue as America’s fault (“U.S. Forces Leave ‘High-Value’ ISIS Detainees Behind in Retreat From Syria”):

The Kurds refused, the officials said, to cooperate in permitting the American military to take out any more detainees from the constellation of ad hoc wartime detention sites for captive ISIS fighters. These range from former schoolhouses in towns like Ain Eissa and Kobani to a former Syrian government prison at Hasaka.

The prisons hold about 11,000 men, about 9,000 of them Syrian or Iraqi Arabs. About 2,000 come from some 50 other nations whose governments have refused to repatriate them.

Later in the article, the Times acknowledged: “The Turkish government sees the Kurdish military presence so close to its border as a serious security threat, because the Kurdish forces have close ties with a guerrilla group that has waged a decades-long insurgency inside Turkey itself” (emphasis added). (Read more from “Media Begin to Acknowledge: Some Kurdish Forces Are a Problem” HERE)

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