Corruption is Everywhere > Former Chinese Dep Minister Jailed for Life; America Hammers Bosnia and Herzegovina; Suu Kyi's Economist gets 3 Years

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Chinese ‘political clique’ leader Sun Lijun faces life in jail

for corruption as law enforcement purge winds down

The former deputy security minister accused of being disloyal to Xi Jinping

was given a suspended death sentence

Five other members of Sun’s faction have been sentenced this week as the purge winds down ahead of a major leadership reshuffle

William Zheng

Published: 2:08pm, 23 Sep, 2022

South China Morning Post

China’s former deputy security minister Sun Lijun was given a suspended death sentence that will be commuted after two years. Photo: Weibo

China’s former deputy security minister Sun Lijun, who was accused of leading a “political clique” and being disloyal to President Xi Jinping, was jailed for life on Friday.

Sun’s sentencing came after five former police chiefs who were implicated in his corruption case were jailed earlier this week, indicating that the biggest purge in China’s security apparatus over the last five years is drawing to a close.

U.S. sanctions Bosnian state prosecutor over corruption

By Darryl Coote

   

The Treasury under Secretary Janet Yellen on Monday sanctioned Diana Kajmakovic, a Bosnia and Herzegovina prosecutor, on accusations of corruption. Photo by Graeme Jennings/UPI 

Sept. 27 (UPI) -- The Biden administration has blacklisted a Bosnia and Herzegovina prosecutor as it seeks to weed out corruption that it says threatens the Western Balkan nation's democratic institutions.

The Departments of Treasury identified state prosecutor Diana Kajmakovic for sanctions Monday, accusing her of being "a brazenly corrupt BiH state prosecutor" with links to criminal organizations.

The question is: who in the Balkans doesn't have links to organized crime?

U.S. officials said Kajmakovic was found to be involved with narcotics traffickers in a crackdown on organized crime in the country.

Investigators who analyzed private conversations of criminals conducted via encrypt messaging applications found mentions of Kajmakovic who worked on some of their investigations.

The officials said Kajmakovic is accused of using her position to help the criminals hide evidence, avoid prosecution and block investigations into their activities for personal gain.

"Diana Kajmakovic has continued to undermine democracy and the rule of law in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian Nelson said in a statement. "Today's designation reinforces the United States' commitment to a stable and prosperous Bosnia and Herzegovina by targeting an individual who has played a central role in enabling corruption in the country."

My next question is: Why is the USA so interested in BiH corruption, and so not interested in Ukrainian corruption; or, for that matter, American corruption?

The sanctions, which freeze all U.S. property under Kajmakovic's name and bars Americans from doing business with her, were imposed as the Biden administration has sought to punish Bosnia and Herzegovina officials who threaten the Balkan nation's democracy through their pursuit of ethno-nationalist political interests.

Is this a clue to the real reason for sanctioning Kajmakovic? Was she interfering with America's control over BiH? Nothing is ever as it seems in national or global politics.

In June, the Biden administration sanctioned two Bosnia and Herzegovina government officials for undermining government institutions and furthering secession efforts.

In April, the administration hit two Bosnia and Herzegovina government officials, a member of parliament and a former chief prosecutor, on allegations of corruption.

Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed in 1995 with the signing of the Dayton Accords, which ended the bloody three-and-a-half-year Bosnian War that resulted in the deaths of some 100,000 people.

Blinken said the country currently faces the "most serious political crisis" since the end of the Bosnian War and that its justice system is "increasingly captured by, and under the control of, political parties and their patronage networks."

Are we talking about organized crime or are we talking about nationalists?

"The United States will continue to use all authorities at its disposal to promote accountability for those who engage in corrupt activities or undermine BiH's democratic processes and institutions," the United States' top prosecutor said Monday in a statement.

Nothing is ever as it seems....

Suu Kyi convicted again, Australian economist gets 3 years

By GRANT PECK

Myanmar's leader Aung San Suu Kyi waits to address judges of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, Dec. 11, 2019. A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022, and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating an official secrets law, a legal official said. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)

BANGKOK (AP) — A court in military-ruled Myanmar convicted former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in another criminal case Thursday and sentenced Australian economist Sean Turnell to three years in prison for violating Myanmar’s official secrets act, a legal official said.

Suu Kyi received a three-year sentence after being convicted with Turnell under the secrets law, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to release information about the case.

Three members of her Cabinet were also found guilty, each receiving sentences of three years.

Turnell was also convicted of violating immigration law, for which he was given a three-year sentence to be served concurrently with the term for violating the secrets law. The 20 months he has already spent in detention will be deducted from his sentence, leaving him less than a year and a half to serve.

Turnell, 58, an associate professor in economics at Sydney’s Macquarie University, had served as an adviser to Suu Kyi, who was detained in the capital Naypyitaw when her elected government was ousted by the army on Feb. 1, 2021.

Family and friends expressed hope he will soon be freed and deported, as has occurred with other foreigners in Myanmar convicted of political offenses, though less serious ones.

Of course, because it has nothing to do with justice and everything to do with burying Suu Kyi so the army can remain in control unchallenged.

Is it Time for NATO to Go?

As I have written before, the last time the need for NATO's existence was questioned, after the collapse of communism, the Bosnian war broke out within months which causes one to ask if NATO makes Europe safer or more dangerous?

Russian aggression, as in Crimea and eastern Ukraine may be a symptom of Putin's lust for rebuilding the old soviet empire and thus may require some measured response. However, America and Canada's interest in this is almost certainly financial in the selling of arms, etc., to the EU.

There is virtually no threat of Russia invading Canada or the USA, so there is little reason for us to be a part of NATO. There is an interest in the EU to form its own military body; I believe that should go ahead and they should use NATO facilities as the basis of the force.

Trump right on Russia, Britain must listen – ex-UK ambassador to Moscow

    U.S. President-elect Donald Trump (L), Russian President Vladimir Putin (R). © Reuters

Britain should take advice from US President-elect Donald Trump by “listening to the Russians instead of lecturing them” to avoid a new Cold War, says former UK Ambassador to Moscow Sir Tony Brenton.

“Trump is right too that our present approach has failed (sanctions have boosted Russian determination), and if we are to avoid slipping into a dangerous new Cold War, we need to listen to the Russians instead of lecturing them,” Brenton wrote in the Telegraph.

The West’s “demonization” of Russian President Vladimir Putin is also out of hand, Brenton added.

“With military expenditure one-tenth of that of the West, Russia is not the threat our ‘experts’ wallow in.”

Brenton says Britain’s “security and prosperity” will lie in Trump’s hands, and Downing Street must look for common ground to push the relationship forward.

“Trump has said some deeply worrying things, from weakening the NATO defense guarantee to encouraging the Japanese and South Koreans to develop nuclear weapons,” he said.

“We are probably the best placed country to help guide this in a sensible direction.”

Brenton added that Trump is underestimating the importance of NATO unity in getting Russia to the conference table.

“There are better ways to press our feckless European partners into spending what they ought to on defence than threatening to withdraw the US guarantee, and we should be working with the US to find them.”

       NATO countries excluding Canada and the USA

As US security policy is not yet finally formed, Brenton says it is time to “back Trump’s objectives, while moderating his intended methods.”

“ISIL cannot be disposed of by bombing - it requires painstaking political and intelligence work which draws in moderate Muslims rather than alienating them.

You're presuming the USA actually wants to get rid of ISIS. That has not been obvious from their tactics over the past 5 years. ISIS has support from some of America's closest friends, ie arms purchasers.

“The Iran agreement may not be perfect but it is better than the only real alternative, military action.

“The same applies for Syria. Tragic though the fate of the Syrian people is, the alternative of a proxy war with Russia and opening the door to Islamic rule is much worse.

“One suspects that Trump, with his aversion to US over-extension, can be persuaded of all of this.”

NATO should demilitarize border with Russia, or face new Cold War – Corbyn

    Jeremy Corbyn talking to Andrew Marr on Sunday © liarpoliticians / YouTube

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn says NATO’s current policies of adding more troops in eastern Europe is only increasing tensions, and has proposed a demilitarized buffer zone on the alliance’s border with Russia.

“There has to be a process that we try and demilitarize the border between what are now the NATO states and Russia so we drive apart those forces, keep them further apart,” Corbyn told Andrew Marr on the BBC. “We can’t descend into a new Cold War.”

It's not often I agree with Jeremy Corbyn, in fact, I doubt that it has ever happened before, but I agree with him here. Surely, the western world has matured to the degree that we can find a way to stop sabre-rattling and start working together.

Corbyn previously said that NATO “should have been wound up” after the fall of the Iron Curtain, and refused to commit the UK to the principle of collective defense if he were to become Prime Minister.

The Labour MP expressed skepticism that under the current international system any rapprochement with Moscow was possible.“Donald Trump clearly thinks he can have a strong relationship with Putin on the basis that he is a strong leader. But, it’s not about strong leaders, it’s about movements towards coexistence and peace,” explained Corbyn.

As a solution, the 67-year-old proposed the OSCE and the Council of Europe as potential “forums” for building new ties with the Kremlin.

During the 15-minute sit-down interview, Corbyn repeatedly reiterated that his anti-NATO stance did not equal unequivocal support for Russia, saying he has “many criticisms of Putin, of human rights abuses, and the militarization of society.”

NATO is currently placing a new 4,000-strong fast-response force in eastern Europe, with most soldiers scheduled to be stationed in the Baltic States, which have spoken out most insistently about a supposed threat from Moscow.

Last week, newspapers reported that NATO is trying to cut down the time for deploying a force of 300,000 to eastern Europe from 180 days to two months, citing Russia’s increased defense spending, and conflicts in eastern Ukraine and Georgia in 2008.

The US is also continuing with its plans to roll out a missile defense shield over Europe with bases in Poland and Romania, despite long-standing objections from Moscow.

The Real Reason for the NATO Build-up in Poland and the Baltic States

Poland must target Kaliningrad, Moscow Metro & RT to deter Russian invasion – think tank

FILE PHOTO Members of Poland's special commando unit Lubliniec participate in the "Noble Sword-14" NATO international tactical exercise at the land forces training centre in Oleszno, near Drawsko Pomorskie, northwest Poland September 9, 2014 © Kacper Pempel / Reuters

You should know that this report comes from RT (Russia Today), a state-run news outlet. Nevertheless, it has some excellent information that you should be aware of.

Russia is unpredictable and may attack the Baltic states and Poland at any moment, so Warsaw should strengthen its military and be prepared to hit the city of Kaliningrad with missiles and shut down RT, a think tank with close ties to NATO has said.

Called ‘Arming for Deterrence’, the 25-page document released by the US-based Atlantic Council says what NATO in general and Poland in particular should do to “counter a resurgent Russia.” The threat of such an attack is imminent, the report states.

“Even if Moscow currently has no immediate intent to challenge NATO directly, this may unexpectedly change overnight and can be implemented with great speed, following already prepared plans. The capability to do so is, to a large extent, in place,” the report warns.

"Even if Moscow..." would seem to imply that the think tank is not aware of any such plans. Nevertheless, it feels the need for Warsaw to spend kazillions of dollars buying American-made weapons. I wonder where the funding for the Atlantic Council comes from? I wonder if its members have any shares in weapons manufacturers? Not that I think they may be the least bit disingenuous.

I don't doubt that there needs to be a deterrent to keep Russia from re-absorbing the Baltic States. Putin is ambitious and would love to see Russia return to the power and influence of its 'glory days' under communism. But as in communist days there is a certain paranoia that the west wants to invade and/or destroy Russia. It was fed by the KGB and their predecessors for the purpose of empire building - making the KGB enormously large and powerful. I think it is extremely unwise to feed that paranoia.

The council says a Russian invasion cannot be predicted as it could be triggered by anything from NATO being “distracted by another crisis” to Moscow’s “misperception of NATO’s activities and a miscalculation of the Alliance’s resolve.”

While being unpredictable, “Russia rarely disguises its true intentions,” according to the report. “On the contrary, it has proclaimed them very publicly on various occasions, but, in general, the West has chosen not to believe Russia’s declarations and disregards its willingness to carry them out.”

If Russia does invade, the alliance would be slow to respond, and Russia would try to achieve a fait accompli and use nuclear deterrence to prevent a full-scale war. The goal of Poland as the biggest NATO member close to Russia would be “to delay and bog down an invading force and inflict unacceptable damage on it,” according to the Atlantic Council.

“[NATO] force [in Poland] is not required to win the war, but it must be able to fight alongside the host-nation forces to buy NATO more time for reinforcement. NATO’s presence in the region is currently not large enough to achieve this,” the report said.

Swift reforms are needed if Poland wishes to be able to deter Russia, the report says, suggesting a number of measures for Warsaw to take. Many of them are focused on the Polish military and involves strengthening its numbers and purchasing modern new weapons, such as the US-made JASSM aircraft-launched cruise missiles, which could hit targets deep inside Russia, or the coastal NSM missiles, which can be placed in range of the Russian city of Kaliningrad.

Poland should also procure more multiple rocket launchers, attack helicopters, UAVs and other weapons, the report adds. These efforts would require streamlining the procurement process so that purchases were not stalled by Polish red tape, the report suggests.

All this spending would not allow Poland to withstand the hypothetical Russian onslaught, the report says, so the country should prepare its military for a guerrilla war by building a network of shelters in its wooded areas.

This reads almost like an infomercial. "You should spend half the country's GDP buying American weapons... they won't save you, but we'll make lots of money!"

“This shelter or bunker network, built with significant redundancies, would facilitate the deployment of ‘stay behind’ units. Poland’s military tradition in forest-based guerrilla warfare dates back to the 1830s. More recently, forest units resisted the Germans and Soviets from 1939 to the 1950s,” the council said.

Poland should also make several policy statements, according to the think tank. It should “aim to join the tactical nuclear capability scheme within NATO, so enabling its F-16s to be carriers of tactical nuclear ordnance”. It should also announce targets for potential cyber offensive operations, “which could include the Moscow metro, the St. Petersburg power network, and Russian state-run media outlets such as RT.”

Other advice from the Atlantic Council includes undermining any efforts by the EU to create its own military force, as it would switch resources to it from NATO.

“Any weakening of NATO cannot be countenanced, especially at this political juncture, and particularly with a putative British exit from the EU weakening the Union’s collective military posture outside of NATO,” the report said.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain and the collapse of communism which effectively brought an end to the Cold War, people began to question the need for NATO. Suddenly, a war popped up in Bosnia and NATO was in there like a dirty shirt. The questions regarding NATO's usefulness went away, and the billions (trillions?) of dollars spent on supporting it continued to flow to militaries and arms manufacturers when it could have been put to good use elsewhere.

It's curious why an American think-tank would try to discourage the formation of an EU military which would replace NATO. It could save the US an enormous amount of money. But then, the EU military would be more inclined to buy their weapons from Germany and France. Is this all becoming clear now?

Warsaw should also “find new incentives for its citizens to remain in Poland rather than emigrate to other EU countries,” the document said, adding that “Emigration has reduced Poland’s defense capacity by draining people of military age, often with the technical and information technology (IT) skills that Poland’s forces require.”

Poland and the Baltic states are among the more vocal advocates of an increased NATO military presence close to the Russian border, saying it is needed to deter alleged Russian aggression. The alliance agreed at a summit in Warsaw earlier in July to place additional rotating troops and hardware in Poland and the Baltic States, as well as to step up naval presence in the Black Sea and the Baltic Sea.

Russia denies having any intent to attack NATO and says the alliance is trying to justify its existence by drumming up anti-Russian rhetoric. Russia considers NATO’s military buildup in Europe a threat to its national security and accuses the West of reneging on a post-Cold War promise not to enlarge the alliance towards Russia’s borders.