US To Expand & Upgrade Runways of Old Cold War Base in Iceland

Defence Blog

The U.S. government is planning to expand runways and platforms of old Cold War base in Iceland so the base can handle heavy aircraft up to and including a C-5, according to a U.S. government’s main contracting website notice issued earlier this month.

beautiful world.com

In a notice posted on the Federal website, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Atlantic (NAVFAC LANT) intends to issue a request for proposal for expand and upgrade runways located at Keflavik base in Iceland.
Naval Air Station Keflavik is a U.S. Navy base located at Keflavík International Airport in Iceland. It is located on the Reykjanes peninsula on the south-west portion of the island.
Built during World War II by the United States Army, it served to ferry personnel, equipment, and supplies to Europe.
The U.S. Armed Forces operated the Naval Air Station in Keflavík as a NATO base from 1951 to 2006. Its location was considered to be of great importance during the Cold War. Once an air station home to U.S. Airmen, the permanent military presence at Keflavik ended in 2006, but the basic infrastructure needed to patrol the skies remains.

In 2017 the United States announced its intention to modify the largest hangar on the airbase in order to house the new Boeing P-8 Poseidon ASW aircraft being introduced.

And now, the U.S. government has plans to boost the facilities at Keflavik so that one squadron of aerial refueling tankers can be stationed there and wider effort to boost the US presence in key maritime passageways into the high north.

Expected that will construct a full-depth concrete pavement/subbase aircraft parking apron expansion that supports powered on and off operations for a squadron of US Air Force or North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) aerial refueler equivalent aircraft.

Also will construct a 40,000 square meter graveled area consisting of a full-depth aggregate base course with crushed stone drainage course enclosed by a perimeter security fence.

Dangerous Cargo Pad will construct full-depth concrete pavement/subbase dangerous cargo pad (DCP) with paved asphalt shoulders sized for aircraft up to and including a C-5 Galaxy. A full-depth asphalt pavement/subbase taxiway will be provided for access from the primary taxiway to the DCP.

According to Breaking Defense report, the new work adds to a growing list of US-funded projects at Keflavik, where the Navy has already spent about $36 million over the past several years to renovate hangars to accommodate American P-8 surveillance planes, which have started using the base more frequently for short rotations. It is also regularly used by both the US and NATO fighter aircraft patrolling the far north.

Two Ships or Just One Seized by Iran?

 We're 2 ships seized or is Britain playing fast and loose with the truth?

The British owner of a second tanker reportedly seized by Iranian authorities in the Gulf on Friday said the ship had been temporarily boarded by armed personnel but was now free to leave.

“Communication has been re-established with the vessel and (the captain) confirmed that the armed guards have left and the vessel is free to continue the voyage. All crew are safe and well,” Norbulk Shipping UK said in a statement about the ship, the Mesdar.

The company said the Liberian-registered vessel was boarded by armed personnel at around 1630 GMT.

The British-operated, Liberian-flagged oil tanker Mesdar

It did not give any more details about the personnel but said the ship began heading north towards Iran.

The company said that by 2000 GMT the armed personnel had left and the ship was free to continue on its voyage. According to the website Marine Traffic, the ship was on its way from China to Saudi Arabia.

So the ship was free to continue on it's way after 3-1/2 hours or 210 minutes

The British government earlier accused Iranian authorities of seizing two vessels in the Gulf, including a UK-registered one, but did not name them.

“I’m extremely concerned by the seizure of two vessels by Iranian authorities in the Strait of Hormuz,” Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt said

 

 

Were there two ships detained or was  it really just one and a whole lot of exaggeration from Jeremy Hunt ? Then further  spun by the media?

Britain claims two ships seized: Iran says one.

 Britain says Iran seizes two oil tankers in Gulf, Iran says captured one

"Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said the second vessel, the British-operated Mesdar, had not been seized.  (As reported in opening news article) It said the ship had been allowed to continue its course after being given a warning over safety and environmental issues.

The Stena Impero and Mesdar changed direction sharply within 40 minutes of each other shortly after entering the Gulf through the Strait of Hormuz, taking up a course towards Iran, Refinitiv tracking data showed.

The data later showed Mesdar changing direction again, heading westward back into the Gulf.

MARITIME RULES

Iran’s Guards, an elite force under the command of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, said they seized the Stena Impero at the request of Iranian authorities for “not following international maritime regulations,” state television reported.
Northern Marine Management, which is owned by Stena AB, confirmed the Stena Impero was heading towards Iran."

Why was the Stena Impero heading towards Iran? I'm getting a real provocation vibe from this news...

"Norbulk, the manager of the tanker Mesdar, said the vessel had been boarded by armed personnel but was later allowed to continue its voyage. It said the crew were safe and well."

 Reads to me like one ship, acting provocatively, may have been seized. 

"Refinitiv data showed the Stena Impero vessel is owned by Stena Bulk and indicated its destination had been the Saudi port of Jubail on the Gulf. The tracking map showed it veering off course about 1517 GMT and heading toward Iran.

The Mesdar made its shift toward Iran at about 1600 GMT.

“We received reports that the British Stena Impero oil tanker was causing incidents and, therefore, we asked the military to direct it to Bandar Abbas port for the necessary probes,” Allahmorad Afifipour, head of Hormozgan’s maritime authority, told Tasnim news agency"

US Officially Removes Turkey from the F-35 Program

Turkish leadership knew this was coming from all my reading and reporting

Defense News

"WASHINGTON — The U.S. has removed Turkey from the F-35 joint strike fighter program, and Turkey will lose its production work on the jet by March 2020, following its acceptance of the S-400 Russian-made air defense system last Friday.

However, a top Pentagon official would not close the door on Turkey rejoining the program in some form, should it reverse the decision to buy the S-400.

The White House issued a statement Wednesday confirming the move, which Washington had threatened for months.

“Turkey’s decision to purchase Russian S-400 air defense systems renders its continued involvement with the F-35 impossible,” the White House statement read. “The F-35 cannot coexist with a Russian intelligence collection platform that will be used to learn about its advanced capabilities.”

“Turkey has been a longstanding and trusted partner and NATO Ally for over 65 years, but accepting the S-400 undermines the commitments all NATO Allies made to each other to move away from Russian systems," the statement continued.

Shortly after the statement was released, the Pentagon held a rare on-camera press conference to explain the process moving forward, with Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition Ellen Lord and Deputy Undersecretary of Defense for Policy David Trachtenberg.

“Turkey cannot field a Russian intelligence collection platform in proximity to where the F-35 program makes repairs, and houses the F-35,” Lord said. “Much of the F-35's strength lies in its stealth capabilities, so the ability to detect those capabilities would jeopardize the long term security of the F-35 program. We seek only to protect the long term security of the F-35 program.”

Turkey, a partner in the F-35 program that helped fund the development of the jet, planned to buy 100 F-35As. Its first jet was rolled out in June 2018 in a festive “delivery ceremony." Though Turkey formally owns its jets, the U.S. has said it has the power to keep the planes from moving to Turkish soil and intends to keep all four existing Turkish jets from leaving the U.S.

Lord avoided saying that the door was shut on Turkey returning to the program should the S-400 be removed from its soil and repeatedly used the term “suspension” to characterize Turkey’s status in the F-35 program. When asked twice whether Turkey could be welcomed back if the situation changes, Lord did not give a direct answer one way or the other.
“At this point, the Turks have made a decision. We have said the F-35 and S-400 are incompatible. We will work forward at this point to unwind the relationship," she said.

The Russian defence ministry has published footage of what it says are the first components of the system being delivered to Turkey

BBC 

Turkey has so far not publicly reacted to the latest US move, which was widely expected.

 From yesterday:

• S-400 Deliveries Cause No Concern In Damascus, Though Israel May Be Concerned

 More coverage linked below... because the issue of the S-400 purchase and all that it entails has been covered here at PFYT's for a long, long time.

Turkey's S-400 purchase: Syrian Escalation and Worsening of the Eastern Mediterranean Situation and  S-400 Arrives in Turkey. What's next? & U.S Forces Staying in Northern Syria INDEFINITELY &  Will U.S. Bill Create a NEW ORDER/REMAKE in Eastern Mediterranean?

   Also:  S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired as well as... Ankara Hosts Iran, Russia, Turkey Summit in August- Reyhanli Bombing or  Eastern Mediterranean: LNG, Petro dollar, Nation Breaking/Remaking

 From a comment earlier this week

PennyJuly 13, 2019 at 3:26 PM 

Hey GC: yes Turkey was involved in the manufacture of the F-35 as well as having invested around 1 billion dollars in the f-35 program-

https://www.kurdistan24.net/en/news/b2d60398-e38d-4698-8b4f-de9797c068f5

"Ankara has invested over one billion dollars in the F-35 program. It was supposed to receive 100 planes, as well as produce components for the fighter."

and

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-turkey/u-s-starts-unwinding-turkey-from-f-35-program-over-russia-defense-deal-idUSKCN1T8233

no training

and

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/07/a-messy-multibillion-dollar-deal-between-the-us-and-turkey-just-got-more-complicated.html

She also added that currently Turkish industries produce approximately 937 parts for the F-35 jet, most of which are related to aircraft landing gear.

S-400 Deliveries Cause No Concern In Damascus, Though Israel May Be Concerned

  Syria's Ambassador to Russia states "No" to concerns about S-400 delivery, but, there are reasons Israel may be concerned. 
 Their upset may arise from the S-400 potentially blocking routes that Israel could travel to attack Iran. 
 For this info, read further down the report, there will be an up to date news item and then were going to stroll down memory lane to a 2012 post that discussed the routes Israel could potentially use to attack Iran.


 1- S-400 deliveries to Turkey cause no concern in Damascus, says ambassador

The deliveries of S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey kicked off on July 12

MOSCOW, July 15. /TASS/. Damascus is not concerned over the delivery of Russian-made S-400 surface-to-air missile systems to Turkey as Ankara is coordinating its actions with Moscow, Syria’s Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad said on Monday.

"No," Haddad said, replying to a question about whether the delivery of the S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey was causing Damascus’ concern.

"At the present moment, Turkey is playing the role of a guarantor country along with Russia [for the ceasefire in Syria] and is coordinating its steps with the Russian leadership and that is why this is outside our attention," the envoy said.

The deliveries of S-400 air defense missile systems to Turkey kicked off on July 12. According to the data of the Turkish Defense Ministry, three cargo planes delivered several prime movers and a transporter-loader from the S-400 system to Turkey’s Murted airbase on that day. The Turkish Defense Industries Office said that "the deliveries of other parts will continue in the near future.".

2-  Turkish S-400 to Create a New Order in Mid- East Airspace

Deliveries to Turkey

TEL AVIV: Faced with Turkey’s purchase of the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft systems, Israel has already altered its operational patterns while flying over neighboring Syria.

The delivery of the Russian made S-400 surface-air missiles by Turkey, will create a “new order” in Middle Eastern airspace, Israeli sources say.

An Israeli expert said that the critical question is, where will the Turks deploy the Russian system. “If it is deployed near the border with Syria it may endanger air forces that will attack Iranian controlled militias in Iraq,” this source says.

The expert added that the Israeli air force and every other air force that may be involved in operations against Iran or its proxies will now have to train to cope with the S-400, widely considered one of the world’s most formidable surface to air weapons.

Israeli experts who talked on condition of anonymity said that the situation will become critical if and when Russian forces leave Syria. “The S-400 operated by Turkey will be capable of following any activity of the IAF over Syria, and that is a totally new situation” one of the experts said.

The bottom line is that implementation of the S-400 deal will likely lead to a rift in relations between Turkey and the other NATO allies. In spite of the fears that a reaction will push Turkey even further toward Russia, it appears likely that the Trump Administration and Congress will respond strongly to the move. Word from Washington is that the situation remains unclear. While the National Security Council has apparently approved a sanctions package, no official comments have yet been released by the White House or the Pentagon. At 2 pm local time, it remained unclear whether President Trump had decided to forego sanctions or not.

Back to 2012 and reviewing the possible routes for an Israeli attack on Iran

image in pdf is more detailed

3- 2012: Worrisome scenarios? You got'em. Israel, Syria, Iran & Canada.......

Go back to the 2012 post linked above which features reporting on routes Israel might take to attack Iran- Including a link below to a "most interesting pdf" Page 82 shows the routes Israel can take to strike Iran

"2012: "Speaking of clandestine strikes on Iran, particularly via Israel. 
Freethinker left a link to the most interesting pdf.   
Thanks Freethinker!!! I strongly suggest you check it out. Much good reading to be had One little part jumped out at me. Regarding an Israeli "go it alone" attack on Iran scenario...... Pg.82 of 98- ........."
 

If Turkey places the S-400 missiles near the border with Syria....
Can they protect Syria as well as Iran? 

From earlier today:

James Corbett: Propaganda Watch and the WORST part of the Epstein Case

James Corbett: Propaganda Watch and the WORST part of the Epstein Case

Again, James Corbett  hits the nail square on the head.

 According to the dinosaur media, the worst part about the exposure of Jeffrey Epstein’s child sex trafficking and high-level blackmail operation is that it bolsters conspiracy theories about child sex trafficking and elite corruption. Newsflash: they’re trying to gaslight you. Don’t fall for it for a second.

 

SHOW NOTES:

Norm MacDonald on Cosby

How the Epstein Case Explains the Rise of Conspiracy Theorists

Gaslight – FLNWO #08

In ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Stanley Kubrick Captured Horrors of Jeffrey Epstein Era

Clearing Detritus From The "Climate Change" Catch Basin

Two guest contributors: Yaya Canada and  Ontario Geofish

Yaya correctly identifies the "climate change" term as a catch all  for all sorts of unrelated occurrences.   Rather then "catch all" I'm going to clean up the "climate change" catch basin.

 No Dumping!

First Up Geofish: Clear-Air Convection Strikes Again- Turbulence strikes again

In the 70's they used to study clear air convection.  They used lasers and found huge convection cells of very high velocity.  But all that was destroyed when the 'greenhouse gas' religion came to nasa.  Now they don't do a thing, because to admit to this type of convection is to cast doubt on the carbon hypothesis.

For there can be no greenhouse effect if you have convection.  It's like having no glass in your greenhouse.....

The reports cited severe turbulence hit by an Air Canada Flight. Immediately the carbon cult came out with.. “Air turbulence could triple due to climate change”

As Geofish points out...

ps.  a clear-air convection cell is a dry thunderhead.  No plane goes into that.  But, as there are more planes in the air, we'll see more of this.

More planes in the air, more likelihood of turbulence troubles. 

Why immediately employ the climate change meme? Other then to keep catapulting the propaganda? Over and over to reinforce the thought in your mind. 

When one should look at the most obvious and probable explanation- More planes in the air = Greater chances of running into "turbulence"

FYI:  Britannica- Clear Air Turbulence

"Clear-air turbulence (CAT), erratic air currents that occur in cloudless air between altitudes of 6,000 and 15,000 metres (20,000 and 49,000 feet) and constitute a hazard to aircraft. This turbulence can be caused by small-scale (i.e., hundreds of metres and less) wind velocity gradients around the jet stream, where rapidly moving air is close to much slower air. It is most severe over mountainous areas and also occurs in the vicinity of thunderstorms.

Clear-air turbulence has not been known to cause aircraft to crash, but serious damage to airliners and many injuries to passengers have been reported. Detection for warning purposes is difficult and is usually based on pilot reports. Forward-looking infrared Doppler laser radar (called lidar) offers hope of alerting pilots to approaching clear-air turbulence"

Now Yaya - Plan 2014 & Lake Ontario flooding. The International Joint Commission?... lacks therapeutic value.

"Did you know about the International Joint Commission's long-time interest in regulating the water levels in the Great Lakes region? I sure didn't. But I don't think it should be as left out of the flooding equation as Trudeau seems to want it to be.  He clearly likes us to focus on "climate change" so that the money-making "CO2 solutions" can proceed and he can "grow (somebody's) economy".

Now here's some history of what Governor Cuomo (above) was angry about: It's called Plan 2014.

"Plan 2014 has been an utter disaster for Lake Ontario taxpayers and communities since it was approved in the final minutes of the Obama administration," Collins said. "Both the property damage and overflow of debris into Lake Ontario that I inspected today could have been avoided. I came here today to assure local officials and Lake Ontario homeowners that I am working with the Trump administration to reform the IJC and repeal Plan 2014 as soon as possible."

Plan 2014 VS Plan 1958D

“Until 2017, the outflows of Lake Ontario were controlled by Plan 1958D. Some years saw lower lake levels, some years saw higher lake levels, but we never saw floods at our property.

For 16 years, the International Joint Commission, a joint American-Canadian body that oversees the levels of Lake Ontario, led studies, meetings and reviews. In 2016, representatives of the two sides finally agreed to a new plan for controlling the outflows. The new plan was called Plan 2014.

While Plan 2014 was being promoted, speakers said the new plan would bring “higher highs and lower lows.” The higher highs would be only inches higher and the lower lows would be only inches lower. We were told that the higher highs and lower lows would improve the health of the Lake Ontario environment.”

Since Plan 2014 began, in 2016, flooding in Lake Ontario has become a real and severe problem

Lake Ontario is high. Lake Erie is high.

Temporary dock being installed to beat high water level in Port Colborne (Lake Erie)

most of the other dock/launch is underwater

Certainly the extreme high levels of water in Lake Erie are contributing to the height of the water in Lake Ontario. But the outward flow of Lake Ontario has been changed under Plan 2014. Surely, Great Lake levels had been high when Plan 1958D was still in effect? 

Therefore the question that has to be asked:  Is Plan 2014 the reason for high Lake Ontario levels? Is Plan 2014 a bad plan? Having nothing to do with "climate change"?

 Digression: "Climate Change/Man made Global Warming" was supposed to bring decreased Great Lake levels as the heat sped up/increased the evaporation of water from the lakes- wrong.

In closing like the more turbulence/more planes in the sky connection, the flooding in Lake Ontario could just as well be due to inadequate planning brought on by Plan 2014. 

Having zero to do with the catch basin overflowing with "climate change' rubbish 

Yaya and Geofish- thanks for having good old fashioned common sense!

Turkey receives ninth shipment of Russian S-400 hardware

The shipments have continued and will continue into this week:

TRT World

Russian plane carrying components for S-400 missile defence system lands at Murted Air Base in Ankara. July 14, 2019

 "The ninth Russian plane carrying S-400 missile system hardware landed at Murted Airport outside Ankara, Turkey's defence ministry said on Twitter"

 

As we follow along..........

Turkey's S-400 purchase: Syrian Escalation and Worsening of the Eastern Mediterranean Situation and  S-400 Arrives in Turkey. What's next? & U.S Forces Staying in Northern Syria INDEFINITELY &  Will U.S. Bill Create a NEW ORDER/REMAKE in Eastern Mediterranean?

   Also:  S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired as well as... Ankara Hosts Iran, Russia, Turkey Summit in August- Reyhanli Bombing or  Eastern Mediterranean: LNG, Petro dollar, Nation Breaking/Remaking

Turkey's S-400 purchase: Syrian Escalation and Worsening of the Eastern Mediterranean Situation

Related: S-400 Arrives in Turkey. What's next? & U.S Forces Staying in Northern Syria INDEFINITELY &  Will U.S. Bill Create a NEW ORDER/REMAKE in Eastern Mediterranean?
 Also:  S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired as well as... Ankara Hosts Iran, Russia, Turkey Summit in August- Reyhanli Bombing
or  Eastern Mediterranean: LNG, Petro dollar, Nation Breaking/Remaking
& NATO calls on Russia to destroy new missile, warns of response

If you want to do more reading there are links back to information in the above posts to 2018, 2017 and 2013 reports discussing the larger regional issues.


Everensel Daily 

Earlier delivery then end of July...

 Following the Ministry of National Defence’s announcement, “Delivery has commenced today of the first set of equipment of the S-400 system to Mürted Air Base,” the Presidential Defence Industry Department said, “The first stage of the delivery of the S-400 system commenced today with the first plane to land in Ankara.”

Commenting on the arrival of the first group of materials of the S-400 missile defence system, Minister of National Defence Hulusi Akar said, “Today three planes were planned. The planned planes came in full and today’s activities have been completed. This process will continue in the days to come.”

THREE PLANES LAND AT MÜRTED AIR BASE

The first Russian-owned plane brought the first equipment of the S-400 Long-Range Regional Air and Missile Defence System this morning to Mürted Air Base located in Ankara’s Kahramankazan sub-province. Following the departure of the first plane to land at Mürted Air Base in the morning hours, two more Russian-owned planes landed in succession at the same air base. The materials in the planes were unloaded and taken delivery of. The equipment forming part of the defence system was taken to hangers at the Mürted Air Base, formerly known as the Akıncı Air Base.

US WANTS NO BAD EXAMPLES

Abant İzzet Baysal University International Relations Department Faculty Member Fatih Yaşlı noted that the US took an instant decision on economic and political sanctions over Turkey’s purchase of the S-400s. Yaşlı said, “The first of the sanctions will be Turkey’s removal from the F-35 programme. And there are also twelve sanction items under the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act. These sanctions are passing through Congress and Trump needs to approve them. These sanctions will be implemented rapidly.”

Noting that the first-time purchase by a NATO member and traditional US ally of the air defence system from Russia was a major breaking point, Yaşlı said this would be considered as setting a bad precedent by the US. Pointing out that other countries like India were also lining up to buy the air defence system from Russia, Yaşlı noted that for this reason the US would want to stop Turkey being a bad example for other countries.

“WE MAY SEE INCREASED TENSION IN SYRIA AND THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN”

Pointing out with reference to where the S-400s would be installed that several addresses in Turkey were being discussed, Yaşlı said there was talk of employing the air defence system on the southern coasts and Syrian border in view of Turkey’s geopolitically important locations of Ankara, Istanbul and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Yaşlı said, “Were there a genuine antiimperialist, independence-orientated administration in Turkey, we could consider the purchasing of an air defence system from a country to be a strengthening in international relations. However, given the AKP’s practice of seventeen-years and under conditions of economic crisis, this process will open Turkey up further to the imperialists’ playing field.  While on the one hand wishing to remain part of the Western bloc on the premise of managing the US and Russia at the same time, on the other hand the simultaneous bringing of Russian missiles to Turkey may lead to Turkey landing in the middle of the fight for domination between the US and Russia. The parties may wish to square accounts with one another at Turkey’s expense. We may see both larger crises being experienced in the economy and an increase in tension in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean as this unfolds.”

I'm of the mind that we're already witnessing, present day, as well as in several years past, an increase in tensions in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean-The Turkish economy could definitely come under increasing pressure as well.

Any way one looks at this situation it all appears to be escalating as the regional remake and resource grab becomes more heated.

Epstein Scandal's 1st Casualty- Alex Acosta Resigns

Alex Acosta resigns from U.S. government after furor over Jeffrey Epstein plea deal

 

I'm looking for bigger fish to be caught up

U.S. Labour Secretary Alexander Acosta on Friday resigned after earlier in the week defending way he handled a decade-old sex abuse case against wealthy businessman Jeffrey Epstein while Acosta was a federal prosecutor.
Donald Trump announced the news with Acosta by his side at the White House as the president left on a trip to the Midwest.
Trump earlier this week said he would look into the matter, complimenting Acosta for serving the government ably for over two years.

He repeated that endorsement of his performance on Friday, but admitted the questions about the Epstein deal had become a distraction.

"I hate to see this happen," Trump said. He said he did not ask Acosta to leave the cabinet.

Unfair to administration, Acosta says

Acosta said his resignation would be effective in seven days. Acosta said he didn't think it was right for his handling of Epstein's case to distract from his work as secretary of labour.
"My point here today is we have an amazing economy and the focus needs to be on the economy and job creation," Acosta said, calling it unfair the administration was being inundated with questions about a 12-year-old case.

The prosecutors said they were not bound by the 2008 Florida deal struck by Acosta, then the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of Florida, that allowed Epstein to plea to a lesser offence. Epstein served 13 months in jail with leave during the day and registered as a sex offender.

The deal came under scrutiny earlier this year following reporting by the Miami Herald, and Democrats en masse had called for Acosta's resignation.

Acosta had attempted to clear his name, and on Wednesday held a news conference — encouraged by Trump — to defend his actions. In a 50-plus-minute lawyerly rebuttal, Acosta argued his office had secured the best deal it could at the time and was working in the victims' best interests.

"We did what we did because we wanted to see Epstein go to jail," he said, refusing to apologize for his actions. "We believe that we proceeded appropriately."

Pressed on whether he had any regrets, Acosta repeatedly suggested that circumstances had changed since then.

Have circumstances really changed since them? How so?

"We now have 12 years of knowledge and hindsight and we live in a very different world," he said. "Today's world treats victims very, very differently," he said.
After federal attorneys in New York announced the new charges against Epstein this week, Acosta tweeted that he was "pleased" by their decision.

Both Trump and former president Bill Clinton were acquainted with Epstein, but have taken pains after the Herald reporting to distance themselves from the hedge fund manager.

Acosta was not Trump's first choice to fill the post as he became president. He ascended to the role after Andrew Puzder, the original pick and former head of Carl's Jr. Restaurants, withdrew from consideration after domestic violence allegations emerged.

Acosta was confirmed in the Senate in early 2017 by a 60-38 vote, with all Republicans on board, along with eight Democrats and one independent.

 Bigger news for the planet....

S-400 Arrives in Turkey. What's next?

S-400 Arrives in Turkey. What's next?

I'd covered earlier this week that the S-400 was on it's way from Russia to Turkey.

S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired

The latest reports are regarding it's arrival

The Hill

A shipment of a Russian-made missile system arrived in Ankara, Turkey, on Friday, which could cause tensions with the U.S. after the Defense Department said that sanctions could be issued if they accepted the weapons shipment.
The S-400 air defense missile shipment arrived at the Murted Air Base CNN reported, citing the Turkish Defense Ministry.
The decision to purchase the missile fortified ties between the Turkish and Russian governments.

 Russian S-400 defense system delivered in Ankara on Friday

The first batch of Russian S-400 air defense system was delivered in Turkish capital city of Ankara on Friday, the Turkish Defense Ministry said.
Within the purchase contract signed between Turkey and Russia, the first shipment of S-400 started arriving at Murted Air Base, formerly called the Akinci Air Base, located in northeastern suburb of Ankara, the ministry said in a written statement.
Turkey's cooperation with Russia on this missile system has been strongly criticized by Turkey's NATO allay, the United States. In April, the Pentagon claimed that Turkey's adoption of Russian missile could cause security risk on F-35 jets and NATO defense system, and threatened to suspend the sale of F-35 jets to Turkey unless it scraps the S-400 deal.
However, Turkey has refused to bow to U.S. pressure, insisting that choosing which equipment to purchase is a matter of national sovereignty and does not target any third country.

Hoping to have more on this later...

U.S Forces Staying in Northern Syria INDEFINITELY

Can't say I'm shocked. Cause that would be a LIE.

Al Monitor

Jeffrey made several things clear, none of which will please Turkey. For one, he stated, albeit elliptically, that US forces in northeastern Syria are staying indefinitely. Touching on Trump’s shock announcement in December that he had ordered the withdrawal of all troops from Syria, Jeffrey said, "It’s been reversed in the sense that, while the president is continuing with the withdrawal, his plan is to keep for an indeterminate time, a residual force in the northeast.” 

"Second, Jeffrey, a former US ambassador to Turkey who long aired sympathy for Ankara’s gripes about the US-backed Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units (YPG) being “the same thing” as the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) fighting Turkish troops in Turkey, struck a coolly neutral tone about this issue. He acknowledged Turkish concerns about the group, “given its ties to the PKK.” But he seemed to suggest that this was really Ankara’s problem. “We have certain obligations to the people who fought with us,” Jeffrey said"

 Safe zone is all about protecting the PKK in Syria.  US backed terrorists in Turkey and Syria. Again, not a shocker.

From December 04 /18 post- 5 Indicators the US will escalate in Syria and beyond

 First: The announcement of US outposts along the Syrian/Turkish border.
   This US move was a direct amping up of the war. to increase the power or force of (something)    Despite the US claims of assisting Turkey and securing them from terrorism. They are not.  The US is protecting their proxy forces and prepping for future moves against Turkey.  And Iran. The US is NOT protecting Turkey.

In other words the US will do as they've done always and protect their terrorists.

" In other words, Jeffrey was confirming what Turkey has claimed all along, that the safe zone as envisaged by the United States, would essentially be to protect Kurds from Turkish attacks rather than the other way around"

Exactly as I'd reported so, so long ago... 

• US Syrian Withdrawal- "You can check out anytime you like but you can never leave." 

• US " PAUSING" the Non Existent Syrian Withdrawal

UK and France to Deploy Yet more troops to Syria

Officials from Washington welcomed the move and explained that the two European countries would contribute 10% to 15% more elite soldiers, as reported by The Guardian.

RT 

Both countries have a limited number of special forces on the ground in Syria, and will commit to a troop increase of between 10 and 15 percent ( the US is staying to occupy- period)

See yesterday's post concerning the US bill to remake the Eastern Mediterranean

Will U.S. Bill Create a NEW ORDER/REMAKE in Eastern Mediterranean?

U.S. "Bipartisan" Bill to Create a NEW ORDER/REMAKE in Eastern Mediterranean?

How long is it the Eastern Mediterranean has been discussed here at PFYT's?
Years and years... So, if you've been following along with the pipeline LNG and the whose in and out game, you'll at least be minimally aware of what's probably going on in this area.
Connected to Syria. Turkey. Greece. Cyprus. Russia. Egypt. Israel etc.,
Even the Kurds who want that Eastern Mediterranean access which is blocked, so far.

It's all been written on, repeatedly.

 That said this latest news of a 'bipartisan bill' in the US Congress certainly throws more light on what's going on and why!

Link

A bipartisan bill in U.S. Congress that would shift the U.S.’ primary alliance in the Eastern Mediterranean from Ankara to Athens ( recall my writing on that switch up?) took a key step toward adoption in late June when it was ratified by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

If approved, the East Med Act would allow the United States to fully support the trilateral partnership of Israel, Greece and Cyprus through energy and defence cooperation initiatives, in spite of opposition from its traditional ally, NATO-member Turkey. Among the provisions in the bill are the lifting of the long-standing arms embargo on Cyprus.

“The natural gas initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean is defined by the alliance of these three countries (Greece, Cyprus, Israel), and Turkey is being completely excluded from the equation,” said Sibel Oktay, assistant political science professor at the University of Illinois-Springfield. “The bill should not only be considered from a security alliance but also from an energy cooperation perspective.”

Meanwhile, Turkey’s increasingly tight links with U.S. rivals is causing headaches for Washington, according to Zemenides.

“Successive administrations worked to minimise Russian and Iranian influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, while Turkey has become a conduit for both Moscow and Tehran to increase their influence in the region,” he said.

Such big big changes and largely unnoticed or obfuscated? I'm going with obfuscated myself!

Read the pdf. (linked in the article, the url is below)

https://www.foreign.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/eastern%20med%20res.pdf

Reread:

2019

• S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired 

• Mediterranean Hot Zone- Danger Abounds

• Eastern Mediterranean: LNG, Petro dollar, Nation Breaking/Remaking

 From 2017

• Eastern Mediterranean May Be Scene of First Conflict of 2018

• Greece, Israel (Stars Aligned?), Italy, Cyprus to Discuss East Mediterranean Pipeline

  From 2013 a big three part series

  Part 1: Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, Syria: NATO and global resource diversion/control

  Part 2: Cyprus, Israel,Turkey, Syria: NATO and global resource diversion/control

  "Since the discovery of the gas two years ago in nearby waters, Cyprus has been laying plans to get the gas to market by circumventing Turkey, which has occupied the northern third of the island for nearly 40 years"

  Part 3- Cyprus, Israel, Turkey, Syria: NATO and global resource diversion/control”

   We have huge energy resources. Extremely huge, untapped energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean and we have Assad planning and working towards making Syria central to the transport of all that energy wealth...... This move would have given Syria much influence in Europe and China.
  This plan would obviously have removed Israel and the US out of that central sphere of influence.
  
  I am quite certain the obvious outcome of Assad’s Four Seas plan was not lost on the US/Israel partnership. The implications of the plan are huge. Europe could have easily fallen out from under the influence of NATO. China and Russia were set to become ever larger global challengers to US hegemony. A game changer. Most definitely.

  Therefore, what the destabilization of Syria is actually, really, truly and factually about is controlling the resources via the energy transits. In this way Syria shares much in common with Afghanistan.

  Back then, in 2013,  I misunderstood the Turkish angle or it changed prior to the so called peace accord with the PKK failing. The accord was doomed from the get go. In hindsight it was a time buyer and was intended as a distraction only. The PKK saw/knew they had the chance to steal northern Syria, partnered with the US and Israel, with an eye to getting in on the action in the eastern Mediterranean. That was the end for Turkey.  
  Which I did catch onto in 2014- see below. 
  
  

  2011:

  *An Israeli Natural Gas Pipeline to Greece

  and many more, searchable here at the blog.

  Of course betraying Turkey has been a mainstay topic here for years now..

• 2015 Carving Turkey After a NATO Roasting
• 
  
• 2014: Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis - The Impending Destruction of Turkey.
• 
  
• 2014: Pt.2- Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis- The impending destruction of Turkey

S-400's set to arrive in Turkey. US Set to Trigger Sanctions. Turkey’s Central Banker Fired

Erdogan and Putin

S-400's reported to be Turkey bound

JPost

ISTANBUL - The first of the Russian S-400 defense systems that Ankara has purchased will be loaded on to cargo planes on Sunday and arrive in Turkey some time next week, privately-held broadcaster Haberturk reported.

Washington has said that US sanctions would be triggered when the missile batteries arrive in NATO ally Turkey.

The initial S-400 delivery will be sent on two cargo planes from a Russian military air base, Haberturk said without citing a source. It also reported that a Russian technical team that would oversee its installation is expected to arrive in Turkey by Monday.

Washington has also formally started the process of expelling Turkey from the program for F-35s, made by Lockheed Martin Corp.

Sanctioning Turkey and removing it from the F-35 program would be one of the most significant ruptures in recent history in the relationship between the two nations.

Reuters

Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkey’s Tayyip Erdogan discussed by phone on July 6 the supply of Russian S-400 defence systems to Turkey as a deal that is in the process of being implemented, the Kremlin said on Monday.

The United States has said that U.S. sanctions would be triggered when the Russian missile batteries arrive in NATO ally Turkey. The first of the defence systems that Ankara has purchased will arrive in Turkey some time this week : Quoting reports from Haberturk.

TASS

"The preparations for the dispatch [of S-400 system] continue. The loading is underway. There are agreed dates for S-400 deliveries," the Turkish president said.

Arab Weekly

“It’s OK for Trump to hold hands with the Russians but not for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. It’s a shameful unfairness but nevertheless understandable for two reasons”

Nah, double standards and hypocrisy are always just double standards and hypocrisy.

“The first is that cooperation and coordination between Washington and Moscow in Syria was not aimed against Ankara, while Moscow found in Ankara the perfect Trojan Horse through which it could slip into the Friends of Syria Group and NATO. Turkey sold out the Syrian opposition factions one after the other so it could occupy Afrin and parts of north-western Syria and sold the security of NATO’s southern border in exchange for the Russian S-400 defence system”

Perhaps coordination between Russia and the US was not aimed against Turkey? 
 BUT,  US coordination with Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and the PKK was most certainly aimed directly at Turkey. Obviously Russia would be looking at a way to interfere in the situation.  Since the US double dealing against Turkey, including, but not limited to, the coup attempt made Russia a timely friend. 
 And, yes, Turkey did indeed pull it’s support away from the opposition factions. Most of them anyway. I've written on this repeatedly. No worries though the US, Israel. UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and many others were their to take up any slack for the cause.

“The second reason for placing Turkey on the United States’ list of potential enemies is that Erdogan had gone too far in blackmailing the West. Both the Europeans and the Americans are fed up with him. At times, he would blackmail them for his own electoral and propaganda purposes. At other times he would blackmail them for some agenda in foreign policy”

Blackmail or political pressure? What a difference in perception those words have.

Now that matters have reached NATO’s borders and the national security of its member countries, the Americans and the Europeans have had enough.

“Turkey had a taste of Washington’s wrath a few months ago in the affair of American pastor Andrew Brunson. The Turkish lira collapsed under US sanctions"

*The Brunson spook situation was covered here last year.

• US Sanctions Turkey Over the arrest of CIA Pastor Brunson

“Erdogan is not only afraid of economic sanctions but also fears American support -- and European backing as well -- of the Turkish opposition against his rule and his party.”

*Recall my mention of the Istanbul election and likely meddling... ?

“The new technology of the S-400 can easily be tweaked to be more effective against U.S. technology and that tweak can impact U.S. military effectiveness across the globe,” wrote Halpern.

“Erdogan is a thug and a tyrant, but he is no fool,” he added. “The president of Turkey must be watched carefully – all eyes upon him. Erdogan is a fighter and this is just the beginning of his quest.”

 * Erdogan and his party, as well as the Turkish people, had better be prepared. 
 Rather then the beginning of a quest for Erdogan, this is the worsening of a situation/relations that has been steadily declining for years already. 
 It’s been years since NATO turned on their ally of convenience, Turkey.

• 2015 Carving Turkey After a NATO Roasting
• 
  
• 2014: Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis - The Impending Destruction of Turkey.
• 
  
• 2014: Pt.2- Kurd/ ISIS Symbiosis- The impending destruction of Turkey

should have the Israeli flag in that image too

Related and previously covered:

Saudi Arabia Offers Hefty Cash to Syria's Tribal Leaders to Support US-Backed SDF Against Turkey- Tripartite of Saudi/Israel/ Kurds under US Supervision created to pressure Damascus.

The Arabic-language al-Watan newspaper quoted special sources in Eastern Syria as saying that Saudi State Minister Samer al-Sahban in his meeting with Syrian tribal leaders asked for helping Kurdish fighters.

Several US officials were accompanying al-Sahban during his meeting with tribal leaders of Eastern Syria, it added.

They have offered to give a hefty sum of $50 million to them indirectly through local councils and also direct financial aide, the paper further said.

Mohammad al-Akam, a senior Syrian legislator, said that a tripartite coalition has been formed among Saudi Arabia, the Kurdish forces and Israel under the US supervision which pursues pressures on Damascus after gaining victory over terrorist groups, by separating the Northeastern parts of the country.

Sejari underlined that Saudi Arabia wants to pressure Turkey, warning, "All of us will be harmed by this measure."

Worth repeating.. Cause the facts of Israel being allied with the PKK, allied with Saudi Arabia all in bed with the US has been talked about for years and years. HERE.

" tripartite coalition has been formed among Saudi Arabia, the Kurdish forces and Israel under the US supervision"

Turkey Discharges one Central Banker and appoints another

I suspect this was done due to the financial warfare that’s long been waged against Turkey.

2018: The Sun Doesn't Rise Because the Rooster Crows: Turkey's Currency Crisis Created To Force an IMF Bailout

bianet

Murat Çetinkaya, the Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey, has been discharged from office by a Presidential decree.

Central Bank former Vice Governor Murat Uysal has been appointed in his place.
The Presidential Decree was published on the Official Gazette on July 6. Accordingly, it has been stated that Murat Çetinkaya has been relieved of his duty as the Central Bank Governor as per the Additional Clause 35 of the Statutory Decree no. 375 and the Article 2 of the Presidential Decree no. 3.

About Murat Uysal (the new central banker)

Born in 1971 in Istanbul, Murat Uysal graduated from the Economics Department in English of the Faculty of Economics at Istanbul University after attending Galatasaray High School.

He earned a master's degree in Banking from the Institute of Banking and Insurance at Marmara University and earned his master's degree on Inflation Targeting and Inflation Targeting in Turkey and in the World.

Uysal started his career in banking in 1998, served as Specialist and Manager responsible for Foreign Exchange and Money Markets and Securities. Between 2007 and 2011, Uysal was Head of Money and Capital Markets. He acted as Deputy General Manager responsible for Treasury Management at Halkbank between November 2011 and June 2016.

Uysal served in the following posts simultaneously: Uysal served as a member of the Auditing Board of Halk Investment between 2008 and 2010, as a Board Member of Halk Asset Management in 2011 and as Chairman of the Board of Halk Asset Management from 2012 to 2014. He served as Chairman of the Board at Halk Invest between March 2015 and April 2016. Mr. Uysal speaks English and French.

Uysal, who had been acting as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank since 9 June 2016, was appointed Governor on 6 July 2019. (AÖ/SD)

The guy has the credentials for the job...

As is being reported the AKP government wanted interests rates lowered. The former central banker did not reduce interest rates

Economist

“In reference to Mr Cetinkaya, the president revealed: “We told him several times to cut interest rates at meetings on the economy. We said that if rates fall, inflation will fall. He didn't do what was necessary.“

Most probably the AKP government wants to use cheap credit to keep the domestic economy running. Much the same as has been done here in Canada and the US.  Most of the ‘western world’ actually

“Later that day, Mr Erdogan compounded the damage by proclaiming that high lending rates were to blame for inflation.....”

“ (a view roundly mocked by economists)”

........Yet here in the west we’ve had extremely low interest rates combined with low inflation that has kept the domestic economy chugging along far beyond it's freshness dating. One wonders why economists are mocking Turkey for imitating the western economies?

From today- Businesslive- Damage to Lira Contained

Investors fail to panic

And with inflation seen slowing dramatically through September, Turkey’s real rate will stay attractive, even if borrowing costs are reduced.

Billionaire Sex Trafficker/Pedophile Jeffrey Epstein Arrested, Again

The video above, from the Miami Herald,is surely just a surface scratching account of who was involved with Mr Epstein's Lolita Express... 
-Was pressuring Trump ahead of the upcoming elections one reason for this arrest? 
- Has Epstein really lost his get out of jail free card this time?
 I'm sure he can call in a whole lot of favours.. Including from,but not limited to, Mr Bill Clinton.  At the bottom of this post I'll re-link older reports regarding Mr Epstein's previous 'brushes with the law'

 Daily Mail did a good job covering the news: 

 Federal prosecutors with the US Attorney's office in Manhattan filed sex trafficking charges against Jeffrey Epstein on Saturday
    He was taken into custody after his private jet touched down from Paris on Saturday at Teterboro Airport in New Jersey
    Epstein will appear in court Monday, 11 years after he received a sweetheart deal and avoided federal charges despite allegations he molested over 30 minors
    The plea deal Epstein agreed to back in 2008 saved him from having to register as a sex offender in 31 of 50 states
    The US Attorney's Office and a spokesperson with the New York Police Department both declined to comment on Saturday
    This week, 2,000 pages of records that could reveal how he and his accused accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly trafficked underage girls were unsealed

A security guard from a nearby building told DailyMail.com that between 20 to 25 law enforcement officials showed up at Epstein's home at around 6:30pm on Saturday.

Most of those were FBI agents, the security guard said. They were accompanied by several officers - both uniformed and plain-clothed - from the New York Police Department.

The guard told DailyMail.com that it took them approximately 10 to 15 minutes before they could pry the door open.

The front entrance appears to be outfitted with fingerprint and voiceprint technology for security purposes.

The guard says that in the hours since the raid, more law enforcement personnel arrived at the home, where they are expected to work well into Sunday morning.

The guard, who identified himself as Tom, said he would see Epstein there once or twice a month.

He said that two weeks ago, he noticed someone on the street taking photographs of Epstein's residence.

The US Attorney's Office and a spokesperson with the New York Police Department both declined to comment on Saturday.  

This news comes just days after a judge ordered the unsealing of nearly 2,000 pages of records related to a civil case that could reveal how he and his accused accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell allegedly trafficked underage girls
The documents that will be unsealed are from a defamation case that was settled after Epstein entered a guilty plea guilty to a single charge of soliciting and procuring a person under age 18 for prostitution.

Records in the defamation case contained descriptions of sexual abuse by Epstein along with new allegations of sexual abuse by 'numerous prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister and other world leaders.'

The appeals court found that the judge in the case did seal a number of documents without a justifiable reason when ordering the release.

Epstein's lawyers will first get a chance to appeal, and after those legal proceedings play out the documents will start being prepared by the court for release.

The plea deal Epstein agreed to back in 2008 saved him from having to register as a sex offender in 31 of 50 states.

In a deal unknown to the victim or her lawyer, the minor Epstein admitted to soliciting for prostitution was not the 14-year-old girl who first reported the millionaire money manager, but rather another girl, 16, whose age was left blank on court documents.

That victim's age means that Epstein did not have to register as a sex offender in states like New Mexico, where he owns a 7,600-acre property called Zorro Ranch, and allows him to be classified as a low risk offender in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which is currently his primary residence. 

A federal judge ruled earlier this year that then-U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta violated the rights of Epstein's alleged victims when they neglected to notify them that they were no longer pursuing federal charges.

That was another part of the deal, which in addition to allowing Epstein to have work release and live in a low-security facility also agreed to drop a federal probe into the millionaire moneyman.

Now Acosta - who is the current Secretary of Labor and had been mentioned as a possible candidate for attorney general - and others are again coming under fire for allegedly catering to the man who donated millions to the Clintons and hosted President Trump at his Manhattan townhouse while keeping his victims in the dark.

'They were cutting a plea deal. It wasn’t a prosecution,' said attorney Spencer Kuvin, who represented the 14-year-old girl who alerted police.

'They had a grab bag of 40 girls to choose from.'

He then revealed that he and his client believed they had been the victim referenced in the plea deal.

'It’s unbelievably upsetting,' said Kuvin.

'The rug has been swiped out from under the one girl who was brave enough to come forward and break this thing.'

Where's the noticably quiet, seemingly contrived,  "me too" movement when they are really needed?

Questions about Epstein's deal started to surface after a series of lawsuits were filed by two of his alleged victims.

The women, identified as Jane Doe 1 and Jane Doe 2, claim in court papers that they were unaware of the secret deal being made between the defense team and prosecutors back in 2007 that guaranteed federal charges would not be brought against Epstein, 63, which could have resulted in a lengthy prison sentence for the millionaire.

They filed their lawsuit a few months after Epstein received his lenient sentence in 2008, with their lawyers saying the U.S. Attorney’s Office violated the federal Crime Victims’ Rights Act by not speaking with Epstein's victims about the details of his plea agreement.

The two victims who filed the suit were 13 and 14 at the time of the abuse.

This filing contained more than 140 exhibits including emails between Epstein’s defense team, the U.S. Attorney's office and former State Attorney Barry Krischer, which lawyers believe clearly show that victims were being left in the dark.

Bradley Edwards and Paul Cassell, who filed on behalf of the women, previously stated that they hoped U.S. District Judge Kenneth Marra would not force the case to go to trial but rather given what they believe is overwhelming evidence rule in the favor of the two victims.

'There is good reason to believe that if the prosecutors had exposed their dealings to scrutiny by Jane Doe 1, Jane Doe 2 and other victims, they would not have reached such a sweetheart plea deal,' the motion reads.

'Despite the fact that this case has been in litigation for more than seven years, spanning several hundred pleadings, the government does not write even a single sentence explaining why it entered into an NPA (non-prosecution agreement) with a sex offender who had committed hundreds of federal sex offenses against young girls.'

The motion also says that the deal Epstein received is 'one of the most extraordinarily lenient plea arrangements in American history'.

Epstein settled both of these suits back in December before the victims would be able to testify in court.

Police in Palm Beach turned over the information they had gathered on Epstein's victims to federal authorities in November 2006 after investigating the case for roughly a year following an initial call in March 2005 from a woman who claimed her daughter, 14, had been paid $300 to give Epstein a massage in just her underwear.

Local authorities also filed a probable cause affidavit in May 2006 saying they believed there was enough evidence to charge Epstein with four counts of unlawful sex with minors and one count of molestation.

In the end, these charges were taken to a grand jury despite the recommendation of police, who came back with just one charge against Epstein - felony solicitation of prostitution.

On June 30, 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to a single state charge of soliciting an underage girl for prostitution, and ultimately served just 13 months of his 18-month sentence.

That time was served not in a prison, but rather the Palm Beach Stockade, which is a local detention center.

Epstein was also allowed to leave six days a week to go to work out of his West Palm Beach office during his time behind bars.

After his release he did have to register as a sex offender.

Miami Herald: Dershowitz v. Boies: Jeffrey Epstein case unleashes war between two legal Goliaths

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232312102.html#storylink=cpy

It’s a high-stakes war between two of the country’s most powerful lawyers. Their feud, simmering for years, involves accusations of extortion, surreptitious recordings, unethical conduct and underage sex trafficking.

Harvard lawyer Alan Dershowitz has filed four bar complaints in three states — all of which have been dismissed — in a quest to disqualify lawyer David Boies and one of his partners who represent a woman accusing Dershowitz of sexually abusing her when she was underage, newly filed court records show.

The pugnacious Dershowitz, 80, and the equally zealous Boies, 78, have been sparring for decades. In recent years, both have suffered damage to their storied legacies, making this latest clash between the two legal titans one of the most important of their half-century careers.

Dershowitz, professor emeritus at Harvard Law School and one of the nation’s most iconic civil libertarians, has defended such notorious clients as Claus von Bulow, Mike Tyson and O.J. Simpson. But after four decades of legal accolades, he is now facing a sex scandal and is forced to clear his own name at a time when he’s being confronted by a barrage of attacks on social media as one of the most fervent legal defenders of President Donald Trump.

 Trump/Epstein Connection:

“I’ve known Jeff for fifteen years,” Trump admitted. “Terrific guy.”
“He’s a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side,” Trump revealed.

Here are scans from Jeffrey Epstein’s phonebook. He had 16 ways to contact Trump. Melania Trump, Robert Trump, Blaine Trump, Ivana Trump and Ivanka Trump were also in it. pic.twitter.com/cLJ9l5RbWe

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) July 7, 2019

Skynews

Read more here: https://www.miamiherald.com/news/state/florida/article232312102.html#storylink=cpy

Epstein and Randy Prince Andy:

Telegraph headlines reads "former friend" Is that really the case? 

Those women could have included Virginia Roberts, who in court papers in 2015 claimed she was kept as a "sex slave" by Epstein, and that she had sex with the Duke when she was 17.

Guardian

Prince Andrew, Vriginia Roberts and Procurer/provider/girlfriend in UK Ghislaine Maxwell

Previously at PFYT's:

2011:  Randy Andy & Jeffrey Epstein: The Prince and the Pedophile

2010:  The billionaire hedge fund pedophile mogul got away with a slap on the wrist

"Former President Bill Clinton; Prince Andrew; former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak; New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson; and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers were just a few of the prominent passengers on his private jets

Was he able, with his limitless assets and heavy-hitting lawyers—Alan Dershowitz, Gerald Lefcourt, Roy Black, Kenneth Starr, Guy Lewis, and Martin Weinberger among them—to escape equal justice?