Psycho Backlash: When Lackeys Attack
 - Editors note, Floyd's site has been "attacked" - this is a cached PDF version. 02-12-07 2:45 PST
Must Read - Chris Floyd on a roll, when he gets going, he really gets going....enjoy. - mpg - A quote...."Last week's piece on the elitist depravity unintentionally revealed by Mitt Romney's departure from the presidential campaign ("American Psycho: An Elite Exposed in an Exit Speech")  - Editors note, Floyd's site has been "attacked" - this is another version 02-12-07 2:45 PST  ---  seems to have hurt the feelings of some bootlickers out there, who take great umbrage at seeing Massa disrespected. A (fairly brief) reply to these fretful lackeys can be found after the jump, for anyone who cares."

The Rise of the Imperial Class - McCain is their avatar, and war is their mother's milk
Must Read - A quote...."Matt Welch, the new editor of Reason, gave a talk at the Cato Institute about his new book, John McCain: The Myth of a Maverick, in which he sums up the grave danger to the republic represented by the McCain campaign. Welch remarked that McCain is part of the "imperial class," pointing to the politico-military legacy of his father, an admiral, to underscore the point that the putative GOP nominee is revving up his motor to become the most militaristic American president since at least Teddy Roosevelt – perhaps the most belligerent ever."

Iran shakes pillars of nuclear accord
Special Note - A quote...."....the problem with proposals of Goldschmidt and other like-minded experts is that they introduce new and potentially larger problems, particularly with respect to the relatively successful non-proliferation regime. For one thing, the UN Security Council's attempt to deprive Iran of the capability to produce nuclear fuel has no legal precedent. Bottom line, this is an anti-NPT initiative that will only lead to an anarchy in rules and the collapse of norms that other nuclear proliferators can take advantage of."
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A tidal wave of misery is engulfing Iraq
A quote...."A tidal wave of misery is engulfing Iraq -- and it isn't the usual violence that Americans are accustomed to hearing about and tuning out. To be sure, it's rooted in that violence, but this tsunami of misery is social and economic in nature. It dislodges people from their jobs, sweeps them from their homes, tears them from their material possessions, and carries them off from families and communities. It leaves them stranded in hostile towns or foreign countries, with no anchor to resist the moment when the next wave of displacement sweeps over them.  --  The victims of this human tsunami are called refugees if they wash ashore outside the country or IDPs ("internally displaced persons") if their landing place is within Iraq's borders. Either way, they are normally left with no permanent housing, no reliable livelihood, no community support, and no government aid. All the normal social props that support human lives are removed, replaced with…nothing."

Just like Katrina - this is how our wealthy elites operate, this is EXACTLY what they wanted to do, this is WHY they started the sectarian wars in the first place. - mpg - For more on this issue see....The Method - 05-07-07 - mpg

See also....

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U.S.-led Sunni militias turn guns on Iraqi police
A quote...."U.S.-backed Sunni militiamen have killed three police officers and injured three others, an Iraqi security source refusing to be named said.  --  It is the first time U.S.-financed Sunni militias turn their guns against government police forces." -- It's starting. - mpg

Gates: Iraq Drawdown May Be Delayed
A quote...."BAGHDAD, Feb. 11 -- Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Monday that it "probably does make sense" to pause troop withdrawals from Iraq late this summer after the last of the forces sent in as part of an offensive surge have gone home."  --  This should not come as a surprise to anyone....period. - mpg

Berlin says it has no plan to boost troops in Afghanistan
A quote...."BERLIN, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- The German government on Monday denied news reports that it is considering to increase its troop levels in Afghanistan.  --  "There is no such consideration at this time," said Defense Ministry spokesman Thomas Raabe at a press conference."

Iran to privatize $90 bln of energy assets: report
A quote...."DUBAI (Reuters) - Iran plans to privatize 47 firms in its energy sector worth $90 billion and set up a holding company for these assets which it will list on four international exchanges, a National Iranian Oil Company (NIOC) executive said."

Iran banks seek to sidestep US curbs - posted at AntiWar
A quote...."Iran’s first investment banks will start operating next month, part of Tehran’s strat­egy of opening new banking channels but also part of its effort to circumvent US restrictions on its financial sector.  --  The three banks will also play a key role in Iran’s plans to step up aggressively on the privatisation of national industries including steel, banking, shipping, airlines and telecommunications, said Heidari Kord Zangeneh, deputy finance minister and head of the Iranian privatisation organisation."

IDF to step up Gaza assassinations
A quote...."The Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet internal security service are preparing to step up assassinations against key Hamas figures in the Gaza Strip in response to the continued Qassam rocket attacks against Sderot. The renewed campaign of targeted killings is not likely, at this stage, to include members of the Hamas political leadership."

'IDF should wipe out parts of Gaza'
A quote...."Israel will escalate its ground and air operations in the Gaza Strip this week and may begin targeting members of the Hamas political leadership in the wake of intensified Kassam rocket attacks against Sderot, senior defense officials said Sunday."

A Discussion with Walt and Mersheimer - The Power of the Israel Lobby
Special Note - Interview - A CounterPunch Exclusive, Wajahat Ali interviews Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer authors of the incendiary book, "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy." - A quote...."The Anti-Defamation League, which retaliated by publishing "The Deadliest Lies: The Myth of the Israeli Lobby" on the same release date as "The Israel Lobby," lambasted the professors' work as an "anti-Jewish screed: a relentless assault in scholarly guise." However, talking to them in person and later observing their demeanor at a speech followed by question and answer session held at U.C. Berkeley, the two professors both appeared very calm, rational, collected and lacking the stereotypical, passionate vitriol and acidic anger unfortunately espoused by all parties associated with the endless "Israel-Palestine conflict."

Mubarak hits US
A quote...."CAIRO, Egypt  (Agencies): Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said Monday that a continued US presence in Iraq would attract terrorists and threaten the security and stability of the Middle East, according to the state MENA news agency.  --  The remarks, a sharp deflection from Mubarak’s earlier backing for the American role in Iraq, come amid a recent chill in US-Egyptian relations and the Egyptian leader’s increasingly defiant tone."

Morales Accuses US Official of Spying
A quote...."LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — President Evo Morales declared a U.S. Embassy security officer to be an "undesirable person" on Monday after reports that the officer asked an American scholar and 30 Peace Corps volunteers to pass along information about Cubans and Venezuelans working in Bolivia."

Russia writes off 93% of Iraq's multi-billion dollar debt-2
A quote...."MOSCOW, February 11 (RIA Novosti) - Moscow has cancelled $12 billion of Iraq's debt, or 93% of the total sum owed by the Middle East state, Russian Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin said on Monday."

Argentina announces building of second high speed train
A quote...."A second high speed train for Argentina was announced last week by President Cristiana Fernandez de Kirchner. Three consortia submitted bids to build the Buenos Aires to Mar del Plata high-speed link."

State Plans One Billion for Private Security Contractors in Africa
A quote...."While attention may be focused on Iraq, the U.S. government is also spending substantial cash on private security contractors in Africa. I had never heard of the AFRICAP contract until today, when I noted that the Department of State is looking to recompete a contract worth approximately one billion dollars to train peacekeepers and provide military logistics in Africa:"  --  They don't call it the Military Industrial Complex for nothing. - mpg
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Bush's Unitary Executive Ends the Rule of Law, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the Separation of Powers  --  Must Read - A quote...."Bush has decreed his "long term plan" for Iraq, committing the US, without Congressional authority, to a permanent presence. His decree is a poke in the eye to the public, the congress, the rule of law! Bush believes himself to be above the rule of law, the authority of Congress and the courts. When England was confronted by Charles I, a monarch who likewise presumed to be above Parliament, the English simply marched Charles out onto an improvised platform at the Banqueting House in Whitehall where they proceeded to chop off his head!

US to hold 9/11 show trial at Guantánamo
A quote...."The US military on Monday announced charges against six individuals it alleges helped plan the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. The six prisoners—all of whom have been held incommunicado for more than six years, deprived of any legal rights or representation, and subjected to illegal and abusive interrogation methods—are to be tried in a single trial before a military commission at the Guantánamo Bay prison camp. The prosecution is seeking the death penalty for alleged war crimes."

US accused of using 'kangaroo court' to try men accused of role in September 11 attacks
Related article - A quote...."The United States military announced yesterday that it was bringing death penalty charges against Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and five other men suspected of orchestrating the September 11 attacks, and intended to try them under the Bush administration's much-criticised military tribunal system, which is subject only to partial oversight by the civilian appeals system."  --  They tortured the guys for six years, wouldn't let them have lawyers for part of the time, wouldn't let them see the evidence against them, wouldn't let them confront their accusers, wouldn't try them in public...the list goes on and on and on.  Stalin would be proud. - mpg  --  See also....9/11 Commission controversy  --  See also....9/11 - the big cover-up?

Loss of Civil Liberties Since 9/11
For more on this issue see.... Thirty Five Acts to Restore Americans' Rights 11-10-06 - mpg

San Francisco Chronicle Acknowledges ENDGAME By Homeland Security
A quote...."In a rare breath of fresh air, The San Francisco Chronicle has now written an article confirming concentration camps in the United Sates and the possible impact of “Endgame” - and based on the few comments that were made, people don’t want to believe the truth. Unfortunately, Americans are acting the same as the Jews, disabled, and dissidents did during Hitler’s Third Reich, always believing it could never happen to them…"
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A Gravel/Nader Ticket? You Say You Want A Revolution?
A quote...."I received an e-mail from the Gravel campaign and in it was a petition to start a Gravel/Nader or Nader/Gravel ticket. I signed that petition. I realize that many people believe that Nader is a “spoiler” but I think differently. The problem lies not with Ralph Nader, but with the Democratic Party. The way I justify my argument is that if the Democrats would stop presenting us with the Military Industrialist Complex candidate “du joir”, then we could rally around a candidate we could all support."

Diebold Admits Overstating '07 Election Revenue by 300%; Announces 5% Workforce Layoff as Feds Continue Investigations and Stock Price Keeps Falling  --  A quote...."Following a short "dead cat bounce" at the end of last month, after a precipitous six-month stock price plunge devaluing the company's net worth by more than 50% since an insider sell-off last August, Diebold's fortunes began turning south again late last week as they were forced to begin restating previously-inflated revenue figures from 2006 and 2007."  --  You see, cheating the voters of this country is perfectly OK, but cheating wealthy share holders?  Big mistake! - mpg
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Mortgage Crisis Spreads Past Subprime Loans
A quote...."The credit crisis is no longer just a subprime mortgage problem. - As home prices fall and banks tighten lending standards, people with good, or prime, credit histories are falling behind on their payments for home loans, auto loans and credit cards at a quickening pace, according to industry data and economists."

Global stock market losses in Jan reach 5.2 trillion US dollars
A quote...."Fears of a global slowdown triggered by US housing market problems wiped 5.2 trillion US dollars off global stock markets in January, analysts estimate. According to ratings firm Standard and Poor's, 50 out of 52 share indexes around the world ended the month lower. (5.2 trillion is equivalent to two GDP of France)."
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The Arc of Insurgencies - An End Foreseen?
Book Review - This is William Polk's book, "Violent Politics" - A quote...."A WISE person once said: "A fool learns from his experience. An intelligent person learns from the experience of others." To which one could add: "And an idiot does not even learn from his own experience."  -  So what can we learn from a book which shows that we do not learn from experience?"


The Chicken Doves: Elected to end the war, Democrats have surrendered to Bush on Iraq
Must Read - A quote...."Quietly, while Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama have been inspiring Democrats everywhere with their rolling bitchfest, congressional superduo Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi have completed one of the most awesome political collapses since Neville Chamberlain. At long last, the Democratic leaders of Congress have publicly surrendered on the Iraq War, just one year after being swept into power with a firm mandate to end it."

Uniting to stop election horror: Moving beyond lesser evils
Some quotes...."Every election we get a worse president than the previous one, and we are on the verge of another catastrophic selection.  --  The system is designed to give us little hope for anything better than the lesser of evils, with the hopelessness menacing wider and deeper every four years. If you don’t vote for Hitler, you get Satan. At least Hitler’s human, you are told, and you will regret it if you don’t vote for the only one with a realistic chance to stop the hoofed one."  --  "Some of us have wondered if Ralph Nader could be talked into being a running mate for the Green Party candidate? - We would not likely win with such a candidate in a race against Republocrat candidates who have all the free mass media and billions of dollars in bribes from Forces of Greed that don’t give a damn about this country or its people. - But we could sleep better at night knowing we have begun to build for the future  --  Editor's note: If he were to read it, Mr. Reficul would find this article to be amusing. - mpg

Rupert Cornwell: Out of America
A quote...."Whoever wins the presidency will most likely fail to take on the unholy trinity of arms manufacturers, the Pentagon, and Congress"

Adrian Hamilton: Nato should not be fighting this war in Afghanistan
A quote...."As the defence ministers of Nato meet in Vilnius, and Condi Rice and David Miliband descend on Afghanistan as part of their effort to shore up the Nato campaign in the country, someone ought to be asking the question: "What the hell is a North Atlantic alliance doing in a north Asian country at all?"

Standoff in an Iraqi province
A quote...."BAGHDAD -- A potential security crisis loomed Saturday in troubled Diyala province as significant numbers of a U.S.-funded force of Sunni fighters left their posts, demanding the ouster of the provincial police chief."

Contractor deaths up 17 percent across Iraq in 2007
A quote...."WASHINGTON — The number of civilian contractors reported killed in Iraq jumped 17 percent in 2007 and accounted for more than one in four deaths associated with the U.S. occupation last year."

El Salvador may pull 'almost all' troops from Iraq
A quote...."SAN SALVADOR, Feb 5 (Reuters) - El Salvador, the only Latin American country which still has troops in Iraq, is prepared topull out most of its 280 soldiers there amid growing opposition at home to the U.S.-led war."

King of Jordan goes to Moscow to discuss Iraq, Mideast situation
A quote...."MOSCOW, February 10 (RIA Novosti) - King of Jordan Abdullah II arrives in Moscow on a two-day visit on Sunday to discuss the situation in Iraq, Iran and the Middle East, a Russian presidential aide said."

Chavez Threatens To Cut Off Oil Sales To U.S.
A quote...."CARACAS, Venezuela - President Hugo Chavez on Sunday threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States if Exxon Mobil Corp. wins court judgments to seize his government's assets."

Peace Corps, Fulbright Scholar Asked to 'Spy' on Cubans, Venezuelans
A quote...."In an apparent violation of U.S. policy, Peace Corps volunteers and a Fulbright scholar were asked by a U.S. Embassy official in Bolivia "to basically spy" on Cubans and Venezuelans in the country, according to Peace Corps personnel and the Fulbright scholar involved."

Framing Muslims in Turkey, Britain, Egypt and the Good Old USA
More on the Turkey/Gladio connection. - mpg

Bugged: British Prisons Spy On Lawyers, Visitors
A quote...."In the UK, the Telegraph has yet another blockbuster story about yet another way in which the rule of law has been eviscerated since 9/11 -- not by terrorists (who could never do such a thing) but by governments: "

Suchitoto 13: El Salvador’s “American-made” Terrorism Act in Corporate Play
A quote...."In 2001 El Salvador replaced the colon with the U.S. dollar as its national currency. In 2006 its right-wing government replaced lawful dissent with U.S. inspired anti-terrorism legislation as its national policy. In return, the Salvadoran people are offering Americans an object lesson in the value of our Bill of Rights when dollar meets dissent.  --  On the morning of July 2, 2007, an estimated 400 Salvadorans who were waiting for buses to take them to the small town of Suchitoto to attend a public forum on the privatization of water utilities were accused of blocking the road and were attacked by riot police firing rubber bullets and tear gas. Two women and one man were arrested."

There’s Nothing Mainstream About the Corporate Media
A quote...."As we stumble toward another presidential election, it’s never been more clear that our political process is being warped by a corporate stranglehold on the free flow of information. Amidst a virtual blackout of coverage of a horrific war, a global ecological crisis and an advancing economic collapse, what passes for the mass media is itself in collapse. What’s left of our democracy teeters on the brink."

Lies, Damn Lies and the Murdoch Empire
A quote...."For Big Media, truth is a scarce commodity and in times of war it's the first casualty, or as esteemed journalist John Pilger noted: "Journalism (not truth) is the first casualty (of war). Not only that: it('s)....a weapon of war (by its) virulent censorship....by omission (and its) power....can mean....life and death for people in faraway countries, such as Iraq."
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Some Of The Outrageous - Lies About 9/11
A quote...."It is hard to pick a place to start in terms of talking about the most outrageous lies that the Bush administration and the 9/11 Commission have presented to the people in this country as a reason to attack Afghanistan and Iraq and to launch a "fake war on terror"

September 11th Advocates ('Jersey Girls') Comment on the Impending Release of Philip Shenon's Book
A quote...."Philip Shenon's new book, The Commission: *  The Uncensored History of the 9/11 Investigation, serves to justify our suspicions and the concerns of the Family Steering Committee, that we attempted to publicly air during the course of the 9/11 Commission's tenure."  --  *Link added by website editor.
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Using the Internet as a weapon
A quote...."BERKELEY, Calif. (MarketWatch) -- Nobody knows what caused the cut cables in the Mediterranean that interrupted Internet service to parts of the Middle East last week, but there are now conspiracy theories galore written by bloggers and pundits."

Chinese cut off from internet
A quote...."Damage to an undersea cable has cut millions of Chinese off from the internet, and the problem could take weeks to fix. - China Telecom has said that a major cable was cut at about 0800 local time (0000 GMT)."

The two articles shown above have been categorized as a War Alert
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Major Siegelman update...
A quote...."Okay, folks, whatever you did with your calls and emails, what I have now learned is that the finished product (finished for some time) by 60 Minutes was finally screened for CBS corporate this past Friday. Now let's not all give up and go home with a victory just yet. We have work still to do, because until the show airs, we have not yet won. I would urge you to continue to call CBS corporate expressing your interest in this story."

Five Omaha policemen implicated in deception and false testimony in COINTELPRO case against Black Panthers
A quote...."Two leaders of the Omaha chapter of the Black Panthers' National Committee to Combat Fascism, Ed Poindexter and Mondo we Langa (formerly David Rice), are serving life sentences for the 1970 bombing murder of Omaha Police officer Larry Minard.  Officer Minard was killed at a booby-trapped vacant house while answering a call about a woman screaming.  Police arrested 15 year-old Duane Peak for the murder who quickly implicated Poindexter and Langa in exchange for a reduced sentence. Peak, the confessed killer, walked free in 1974.  Poindexter and Langa remain behind bars and both deny any involvement in the crime."
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Brazil’s industrial output in 2007 second best of decade
A quote...."The government’s IBGE statistics institute points out that industrial output was up in 21 of 27 sectors averaging 6% in 2007 compared to 8.3% in 2004, 2.8% in 2006 and 3.1% in 2005. Leading sectors were the automotive industry, 15.2% and the production of machinery and equipment 17.7%."

Tricom breakdown exposes fragility of Australian share market
A quote...."Australian share market indexes have fallen sharply since the beginning of the year, with share prices down more than 11 percent for the year and over 15 percent since their November peak. This is a worse performance than on Wall Street. Market volatility was compounded at the end of January when a prominent stockbroking firm, Tricom, was unable to make its scheduled midday payments for its share purchases for two days in a row.  --  Tricom became the first stockbroker to fail to settle its accounts since 1975."

How Big Media Hides the Real Economic News
A quote...."The key finding in that report is that the total number of hours worked (and paid) in non-farm businesses during the fourth quarter of 2007 fell at an annual rate of 1.5 percent. Indeed, the total number of hours worked in the fourth quarter was less than in the fourth quarter of 2006. The report shows total non-farm jobs also falling at a 0.5 percent annualized rate in Q4 and rising by only 0.4 percent year over year. - Furthermore, after adjusting for the increased costs of gasoline, health care, etc., real average (not median) salary and benefit compensation for all U.S. workers fell at an annualized rate of 0.3 percent in the fourth quarter and by 0.3 percent year over year."


America’s Blinders
Must Read - From the history file, first Published April 2006 Issue Of The Progressive Magazine. - A quote...." 08/02/08 "ICH" -  Now that most Americans no longer believe in the war, now that they no longer trust Bush and his Administration, now that the evidence of deception has become overwhelming (so overwhelming that even the major media, always late, have begun to register indignation), we might ask: How come so many people were so easily fooled?  --  The question is important because it might help us understand why Americans—members of the media as well as the ordinary citizen—rushed to declare their support as the President was sending troops halfway around the world to Iraq."

The New Authoritarians
A quote...."We need a change in nomenclature. Those who continue to support the administration's radical theory of executive power are properly described as authoritarians. Once upon a time they may have been conservative but I think it's safe to say that circa February 2008 conservatism has been orphaned by its ostensible champions. As a philosophy for governance it has no meaningful support on the national stage and hasn't for years. I won't dwell on long-forgotten odes to small government and fiscal responsibility, the counseling of prudence and pragmatism in foreign affairs, or reverence for tradition and precedent in conducting the nation's business. All of it deserves more attention and the erstwhile conservatives served us all very poorly by abandoning it, but what bothers me most is their enthusiastic embrace of militarism, torture, fearmongering and a near-voyeuristic obsession with surveillance."

Documentary: Military brass frequently viewed hooded, shackled detainees
A quote...."Flying in the face of statements members of the Bush Administration have made denying the use, and advocacy, of torture in their war effort, evidence of brutal treatment of captives continues to accumulate.  --  PBS' Bill Moyers delves into Oscar-nominated documentary "Taxi to the Dark Side," highlighting an Afghan taxi driver who was detained and beaten to death by American forces."

Moyers on Taxi to the Darkside
Related article - A quote...."Enhanced interrogation. Black sites. Extraordinary rendition. Enemy combatant. These are just a few of the new terms making their way into the American vocabulary.  --  In 2003, the abuses at Abu Ghraib leaked to the press and the world. Since then, a steady stream of reports has suggested that some American agencies have used a network of secret prison, extraordinary renditions and brutal interrogation tactics on suspected terrorists."  ||  Watch the Video  || Listen to the Podcast || Read the Transcript  ||  Comment  ||

Five Years Later, Direct Action - To Stop The War Reemerges
A quote...."After more than a decade of military aggression and genocidal sanctions, on March 19, 2003, the United States launched it's most recent attack against the people of Iraq. The following day, the people of the world took to the streets in protest. More than 20,000 turned out in San Francisco to take part in coordinated, nonviolent direct actions which shut down the Financial District of the city. Additional targets included military recruitment centers, the Bay Bridge and the Federal Building. Actions continued on March 21 and in the end more than 2,200 people were arrested with virtually all charges being dropped."

Mukasey's law...
A quote...."The Attorney General of the United States quite literally turned to the Nazi defense in order to argue why he won't allow the Department of Justice to investigate war crimes committed by US military and intelligence personnel under the orders of the US President. The argument that Mukasey presents is summarized in this Boston Globe article as follows:"

Another Act of War
A quote...."In June of 2004, a neo-crazy media sycophant at Reuters (Charbonneau) reported that unidentified "diplomats and nuclear experts" had told him that "an experimental high-tech intelligence technique developed by the United States" had detected what sounded like the whine of gas-centrifuges, spinning at supersonic speeds, operating "somewhere" in Syria."

Deep State Coup Averted in Turkey
A quote...."On 22 January, Turkish police arrested 33 individuals, some connected with the military, in the largest concerted action against the "deep state" – that shadowy underworld linking extremists and criminals from the spheres of military, political, judicial and the academy. Some were accused of belonging to an ultranationalist group, Ergenekon, that was allegedly "preparing a series of bomb attacks aimed at fomenting chaos ahead of a coup in 2009 against Turkey's center-right government, whose European Union-linked reforms are opposed by ultranationalists."

See also....Mass Arrests Expose Operations of Turkey’s “Deep State” - posted 02-07-08
See also....Gladio – Death Plan For Democracy - posted 02-07-08
See also....False Flag Ops
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Egypt walks a dangerous tightrope over Gaza
A quote...."CAIRO and JERUSALEM — When Mohammed Abu Treika scored a key goal against Sudan in an African Cup match last week, he endeared himself to millions of fans in this soccer-mad country. But it was what he did next that made him a true national hero.  --  As banks of television cameras zoomed in on him, Mr. Abu Treika celebrated his goal by pulling his red Egyptian national team sweater over his head. (YuTb - 23s - 020508)  Underneath was a plain white T-shirt emblazoned with a simple slogan, written in English and Arabic: “Sympathize with Gaza,” it read." -- link added by website editor (the song is in Arabic, content is unknown and is not the responsibility of this editor.)

Abbas says no to agreement with Hamas
Video - A quote...."Osamah Khalil: Egypt trying to push agreement between Abbas and Hamas"  --  "Mishuk Munier, presenter: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak invited Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leaders to Cairo on Wednesday for separate talks. The meetings were called in an effort to resolve the political crisis caused by the opening of the Gaza border by militants last week. Barriers had been blown up by Hamas in an attempt to provide relief from the blockade and embargo of the Gaza Strip."

Association of Journalists of new Iraqi anti-occupation
A quote...."Launched in Baghdad the Iraqi Journalists Association, a new formation for the Defence of Iraqi Journalists and support them indigent and printing studio made after occupation authorities and their governments to solve the four sources of livelihood, the Ministry of Information in 2003."

For more on what's going to happen to these guys see....US - Killing the Messenger
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‘Americans have got her [Benazir Bhutto] eliminated’
Interview - Tehelka Magazine interviews former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Chief Hamid Gul (posted in the Tehran Times) - A quote...."These are two things the Americans very badly want. One is a pre-emptive doctrine which has not yet been consummated. Even Musharraf has been resisting a direct ingress, howsoever pro-America he might be. So, how could Benazir do this? How could she hand over AQ Khan to them?  --  But she came and in the 70 days she spent, not once did she mention either AQ Khan or the Taliban. She had drifted from the agenda and no wonder Musharraf said before and after her death that the lady had broken her promises."  --  *Hamid Gul*

ROMANIA:  Powerless in the New Cold War
A quote...."BUCHAREST, Feb 8 (IPS) - With new Cold War rhetoric emerging all around, Romania and Bulgaria are more uncertain than ever about their foreign policy."

Gazprom threatens to halt gas supplies to Ukraine on Feb. 12
A quote...."MOSCOW, February 8 (RIA Novosti) - Russian energy giant Gazprom warned Friday that it could halt natural gas supplies to Ukraine at 10:00 a.m. [7 a.m. GMT] on February 12 over Kiev's outstanding debt for gas deliveries."

Vladimir Putin heralds start of 'new arms race'
A quote...."We are being forced to take retaliatory steps. Russia has and always will have a response to these new challenges. In the near future, Russia will start production of new weapons systems that will not be inferior and in some cases excel those held by other countries." --  "This was necessary to defend Russia from unnamed foreign powers who, he [Putin] claimed, were bent on controlling the world's natural resources."

Just can't guess which country he's talking about, after all the US is here to bring "freedom and democracy" to the world. - mpg
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Discovery Channel Drops Plans To Air ‘Taxi To The Dark Side’ Because It Is Too ‘Controversial’
A quote...."Taxi to the Dark Side, a documentary about an innocent Afghan taxi driver tortured to death by U.S. officials at Bagram Air Base, has received wide critical acclaim since its debut in April at the Tribeca Film Festival. The New York Times’s A.O. Scott said, “If recent American history is ever going to be discussed with the necessary clarity and ethical rigor, this film will be essential.”  --  See also....

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Obama Sweeps Clinton in ‘Crushing’ Fashion - Takes Washington State, Nebraska, Louisiana, and Virgin Islands
A quote...."The Clinton campaign promised to halt Obama’s momentum within the next 72 hours. How? The only possibilities are to go strong Rove-like negative OR to announce a host of pledged support from Super-Delegates (call it the, “If you can’t win the popular vote, get appointed by the rich and powerful” campaign). The Clintons need to do something though, because the upstart Junior Senator from Illinois mopped the floor with the powerful Clinton campaign machine:"

Is Dennis Kucinich Getting McKinney'd
A quote...."On the Hill some call it being McKinney’d – the treatment Green Party presidential candidate Cynthia McKinney received when she was in Congress.  Twice, rather than protecting the incumbent, the Democrats put up well funded challengers against her.  Now, it looks like Dennis Kucinich may be facing the same treatment in Cleveland."  --  See also....

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Wheat Surges to Record as U.S. Supply May Drop to 60-Year Low
A quote...."Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Wheat rose to a record for a third day on the Chicago Board of Trade as the U.S. forecast its lowest inventories in 60 years."

G-7 Says Growth May Weaken, Market Turmoil to Persist (Update3)
A quote...."Feb. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Group of Seven policy makers said the U.S. economy may slow further, eroding global growth, and officials forecast more financial-market turmoil."

FDIC Prepares For Bank Failures With Policy Paper
A quote...."Part 1 proposes a rule governing how and at what point deposit account balances would be determined in the event of an insured depository institution failure. This part would apply to all insured depository institutions.  --  Part 2 proposes requirements to facilitate the process for determining the insurance status of depositors of large insured depository institutions in the event of failure."

US dollar continues free fall against Latin currencies
A quote...."With the exception of Venezuela and Argentina that have government administered exchange rates, in the rest of the main Latinamerican money markets the depreciation of the US dollar continues with no end in the short term according to the latest data."

OPEC may switch to euro
Special Note - A quote...."DUBAI (Reuters) - OPEC may abandon the dollar for pricing oil and adopt the euro but any such switch will "take time", OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri was quoted as saying by a weekly magazine."

Credit Crisis: Precursor of Great Inflation
Special Note - A quote...."According to the Austrian Monetary Theory of the Trade Cycle it is the government-run money-supply monopoly that has not only caused the crisis; the theory also diagnoses that rate cuts will not solve the crisis, but will make it even worse."

But if it doesn't create some inflation, our elites will have to start another war - mpg
See....Effective Fed Funds Rate 03-24-07 - mpg
See....The Scourge of the Wealthy - Deflation / The Balm of the Wealthy - War - 09-30-06 - mpg