Monday March 24th 2008
The
Military-Petroleum Complex
Must Read - A
quote...."In November 2002, before the invasion of Iraq, then secretary
of defense Donald Rumsfeld told Steve Kroft of CBS that U.S.
saber-rattling toward Iraq had “nothing to do with oil, literally
nothing to do with oil.” In 2003, Rumsfeld called the assertion that
the United States had invaded Iraq to get at its oil “utter nonsense.”
(“We don’t take our forces and go around the world and try to take
other people’s . . . resources, their oil. That’s just not what the
United States does.”) In 2005, speaking to American troops in Fallujah,
Rumsfeld reiterated the point: “The United States, as you all know
better than any, did not come to Iraq for oil.” Strong denials for
sure, but were they true?" --
For more on this issue see....War
Resource 9/11
Where
has all the rage gone?
Must Read - A
quote...."In 1968, fury at the Vietnam war sparked protests and
uprisings across the world: from Paris and Prague to Mexico. Tariq Ali
considers the legacy 40 years on."
Robert
Fisk: How Ireland exorcised the ghost of empire
Must Read - A
quote...."On the 92nd anniversary of the Easter Rising in Dublin, our
Middle East correspondent sees numerous parallels between the bloody,
intractable conflicts in Ireland and Israel – and says that the war in
Iraq has shown us the true value of neutrality"
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The 9/11
Servility Reflex
A quote...."Many citizens react to their rulers like little kids who
recognize that a stranger is acting suspiciously and may be up to no
good — but then decide whether to trust the man depending on the type
of candy he pulls from his pockets. It is as if a Reese’s Peanut Butter
Cup trumps the beady eyes, sweaty forehead, and out-of-season trench
coat. Likewise, adults may be wary about a politician — but if the guy
promises free prescription drugs or protection and safety, many take
the bait."
Half
Great, Half Terrible
A quote...."
The
Commission"* by Philip Shenon has performed a great public service,
letting the world know that there are good reasons to be suspicious of
"The 9/11 Commission Report." The main problem is the fact that the
Commission was almost entirely under the control of Philip Zelikow, who
was closely connected to the Bush White House. Although my book
"Christian Faith and the Truth behind 9/11" revealed some of the facts
about Zelikow that showed him to be one of the worst possible choices
for the Commission's executive director, Shenon has revealed even more
facts. -- *link added by website editor.
U.S.
and Allied Intelligence Services Had Penetrated The Very Highest Levels
of Al Qaeda Prior to 9/11
A quote...."No one could have anticipated 9/11, right? While the U.S.
knew about Al Qaeda, the 9/11 plotters and hijackers were still
somewhat unknown and unpredictable prior to 9/11. Right? --
In fact, U.S. and allied intelligence services had penetrated the
highest levels of Al Qaeda prior to 9/11. For example:"
9/11:
How many virtual proofs does it take to turn on the 9/11 light bulb in
people's minds?
A quote...."I think this list could be used as a simple way to turn on
some 9/11 light bulbs in more people's heads. This list can be handed
or sent to anyone to read and thereby relieve yourself of the often
agonizing exercise of trying to actually get people to listen."
--
Not all of the physical
theories proposed in this article may be correct, and they have never
been discussed on this particular website by this editor. But they will
always be posted, and many of them are quite interesting.... WTC7 for
example appears to be particularly problematical for those who support
the "official" conspiracy theory. - mpg
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The Real Story
of Curveball' How German Intelligence Helped Justify the US Invasion of
Iraq
A quote...."Five years ago, the US government presented what it said
was proof that Iraq harbored biological weapons. The information came
from a source developed by German intelligence -- and it turned out to
be disastrously wrong. But to this day, Germany denies any
responsibility."
Bush
Given Iraq War Plan With a Steady Troop Level
A quote...."WASHINGTON — Troop levels in Iraq would remain nearly the
same through 2008 as at any time during five years of war, under plans
presented to President Bush on Monday by the senior American commander
and the top American diplomat in Iraq, senior administration and
military officials said." --
This
website editor assumes absolutely nobody in the entire United States of
America is surprised by this headline....if you are, check your pulse,
you're clinically brain dead. - mpg
97%
of U.S. deaths in Iraq came after ‘Mission Accomplished.’
A quote...."At least 97 percent of the deaths occurred after US
President George W. Bush announced the end of “major combat” in Iraq on
May 1, 2003...."
Did
Only Two Papers Feature 4,000 Iraq Deaths Across Their Front Pages?
A quote...."It's a sad day for America's media when the tragic
milestone of 4,000 soldiers' deaths is reported and it appears that
just two papers -- yes two -- place it across their front pages."
US
military toll in Iraq hits 4000 - [and Cheney sets his sights on Iran]
Video -
Commentary - A quote...."Phyllis
Bennis: Cheney visit in Middle East intended to isolate Iran and
prepare possible war"
Phil
Donahue on "shut up and sing"
Video - Commentary - A
quote...."Phil Donahue on corporate media and the Iraq war"
No
extra [Australian] troops for Afghanistan, minister insists
A quote...."THE Defence Minister, Joel Fitzgibbon, says there is no
argument "whatsoever" for Australia to increase its troop commitment in
Afghanistan, even after it withdraws more than 500 soldiers from
southern Iraq in the middle of the year."
Still
Not Worried? Petraeus Blames Iran for Green Zone Attack
War Warning - A
quote...."....today comes word that the sainted General David Petraeus,
commander of U.S. forces in Iraq -- and recepient of perhaps the most
copious bipartisan tongue bath ever given to a serving military officer
by the U.S. Congress -- has blamed Iran for the multiple mortar attack
on Baghdad's Green Zone on Sunday. As the BBC reports:"
McQaeda
A quote...."It must be a kick in the head to base your claim to the
presidency on your savvy in foreign affairs only to have it get out
that Joe Lieberman knows more about them than you do. I bet it’s a lot
like how I feel when my dog corrects my grammar in front of people."
Iran
announces it is seeking membership in the Shanghai Cooperation
Organization
A quote...."DUSHANBE, Tajikistan: Iran's Foreign Minister said Monday
his country has applied to join the Shanghai Cooperation Organization,
a regional security group dominated by China and Russia."
Israel won't
consider deal with Syria over Golan Heights
A quote...."JERUSALEM, March 23 (Xinhua) — Israeli President Shimon
Peres said Sunday that Israel will not make a deal with Syria to return
the Golan Heights, the Jerusalem Post reported."
Gaza: The Death
of Industry
A quote...."Gaza Strip, Asharq Al-Awsat - A 'cemetery' in the
neighborhood of al Rimal in Gaza is attracting the attention of
motorists and pedestrians alike. Set up last Tuesday in al Katiba
Square, this symbolic cemetery is comprised of 'graves' symbolizing
hundreds of factories that have been closed down as a result of the
economic embargo."
French
official sacked for anti-Israeli diatribe
A quote...."Bruno Guigue, deputy prefect of the southwestern town of
Saintes, wrote in an online column this month that Israel was "the only
state where snipers shoot down little girls outside their school
gates." -- The author of several books on the Israli-Palestinian
conflict, Guigue wrote of the
"Israeli
jails where -- thanks to
religious law -- they stop torturing on the Sabbath." --
Now com'on folks, that's actually pretty
funny. Some people have absolutely no sense of humor....if you
have a problem with that thought; just think of fundamentalist Muslims
and cartoons. Get the point?- mpg
UAE
says to explore nuclear energy for electricity
A quote...."DUBAI, March 24 (Reuters) - The United Arab Emirates says
it will establish a $100 million agency to look into developing nuclear
energy to satisfy rising electricity demand in the Gulf oil exporter on
Iran's doorstep. "Analysis of future domestic electricity demand ...
has concluded that peaceful nuclear power generation represents an
environmentally promising and commercially competitive option which
could make a significant contribution to the UAE's economy and future
energy security," a government statement carried by the official WAM
news agency said." --
Now
that's interesting....haven’t the Neocons been running off at the mouth
for YEARS saying Iran was trying to build a nuclear bomb, making the
point that with all their oil and gas, why would they ever need nuclear
power? (conveniently
forgetting of course that it was the US which first suggested back in
1976 that Iran could have up to eight nuclear reactors) Oh
that's right.....the UAE is Dick's friend now and Iran isn’t anymore,
this
editor's terrible mistake, so sorry Dick, hopefully that misshaped
melon you call your head doesn’t implode. - mpg
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Into
the Economic Abyss
A quote...."By the end of 2007, 36 percent of consumers' disposable
income went to food, energy and medical care, a bigger chunk of income
than at any time since records were first kept in 1960, according to
Merrill Lynch."
Putting
Out the Fire With Gasoline
A quote...."Two hundred billion - here, two hundred billion -
there: before you know it we’re talking about a lot of
money! When I introduced you to the Weimar dollar, the
government’s proactive devaluation of the currency had just begun."
Fed
May Buy Mortgages Next, Treasury Investors Bet (Update4)
A quote...."March 24 (Bloomberg) -- Forget lower interest rates. For
the Federal Reserve to keep the financial markets from imploding it
needs to buy troubled mortgage bonds from banks and securities firms,
say the world's biggest Treasury investors."
Home
resales up first time in seven months
A quote...."WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Boosted by a record decline in
prices, the U.S. housing market showed signs of stability in February,
with sales of existing homes rising modestly for the first time in
seven months and inventories falling, the National Association of
Realtors reported Monday." --
A
warning - the inventory figures are misleading, many people took their
homes off the market. As soon as they think things might be
improving they'll put them right back on again. - mpg
Asian
giants seen keeping US trove despite dollar plunge
A quote...."TOKYO (AFP) — With the dollar plunging and the Federal
Reserve slashing interest rates, markets are on alert for any signs
that foreign investors, particularly in Asia, are buying fewer US
assets." --
They probably
won't sell, but they don't have to buy either, especially with these
low interest rates. - mpg
Sunday March 23rd 2008
5
Years Ago: Why Was Public So Misinformed on Facts Leading to War?
Must Read - A
quote...."NEW YORK Five years ago today, as the U.S invasion of Iraq
continued in its early stages, E&P published an article by Ari
Berman, then an intern here, that examined the public attitudes on the
eve of the war. He probed polls that found, on the most basic point,
that roughly 2 out of 3 Americans backed an assault on Iraq. -- But the
attitudes driving those numbers raised serious issues about a
misinformed public and the media's role. He found that a startlingly
high percentage falsely believed that Saddam helped plan the 9/11
attacks or Iraqi hijackers were involved that day, and that Iraqi WMD
had already been found."
And the American public will
believe the exact
same sort of lies when the US attacks Iran.
Stupid, retarded, imbecilic, drooling morons are words that come to
mind when reading this article, but they are still totally inadequate
to
describe most American's complete lack of mental competence regarding
issues of foreign policy. You will notice that the phrase "most
American's"
was used, that's because twenty to thirty percent of this nation's
population
were, and still are, perfectly aware that these were lies to begin
with, they were perfectly aware that 9/11 was arranged by their
own government, that Iraq was not responsible for 9/11, that Iraq had
no WMD's, and that Saddam did not support al Qaida in any way, shape or
form.
They also happen to know which side of their bread is buttered on, and
like most "true adults" they're not about to endanger their life
styles,
or inconvenience themselves in any way, for a bunch of Mid-East "rag
heads"....or for that matter a bunch of stupid New Yorkers. They
are perfectly content to have millions of people suffer agonizing
deaths as long as they don't have to see, hear or read about it.
Something the "mass-media" in this country has been perfectly well
aware of for quite some time.
These "Americans" (a.k.a. Neo-Romans) KNOW how to play the "Great
Game", know how to practice plausible deniability (even if it's no
longer plausible) and know how to keep themselves comfortable -- and
comfortably unaware. In
the end, it is all that will ever really matter to them. - mpg
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Fast
and Loose With the Facts
More on this nation's hard
working presstitutes. - mpg
This is Not the
First Time
A quote...."The scandal of Iraqi POW abuse after the illegal March 2003
invasion had the world in an uproar. However, there is a precedent that
went unnoticed and underreported of brutal treatment of Iraqi POWs —
the 1991 abuse of Iraqi POWs during and after Operation Desert Storm."
EXTRA: US forces
kill 30 in Baquba, media reports say
A quote...."Baghdad (dpa) - US forces have killed 30 persons in the
northern city of Baquba, including at least 15 people of one family, in
separate incidents, Iraqi officials and media reports said."
U.S. death toll
in Iraq reaches 4,000
Within a few days of the fifth
anniversary of the Iraq invasion and on Easter Sunday no less. -
mpg
Barrages
hit Green Zone, gunmen kill seven
A quote...."BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Baghdad's fortified "Green Zone" came
under repeated rocket or mortar attack on Sunday, and police said up to
17 people had been killed by rockets falling short outside the
government and diplomatic compound."
The
100 Years War
Must Read - A
quote...."In the past 24 hours, Dick Cheney has been in Baghdad,
calling the Iraq War a "successful endeavor." John McCain's there too,
and actually uttered those four magic words, "the surge is working,"
which only differs from Cheney's analysis in the scary possibility that
McCain might actually believe it. Then again, maybe Cheney's
pronouncement can be chalked up to youthful exuberance -- after all,
he's almost 5 years younger than McCain."
Rumours
of War by William
Bowles - Destabilisation is the name of the ‘game’
Must Read - A
quote...."And it’s not as if the US doesn’t have an awful lot of
experience of invading and occupying foreign lands, they’ve been at it
for centuries. - Thus to say that the US ‘miscalculated’ or ‘didn’t
think it through’ is not only laughable but an insult to our
intelligence. - We can only conclude that following the occupation, the
US had no intention of rebuilding Iraq and indeed as I’ve pointed out,
the US is on record as saying that it’s not in the business of
‘nation-building’, so, what is the ‘Plan’?"
Tomgram:
Michael Schwartz, How to Disintegrate a City
A quote...."Go back two years and that word "precipice" was a
commonplace in Washington as a rattled Bush administration faced a
sectarian civil war in Iraq. Now, as any independent or foreign
journalist would tell you (though the American press has generally been
more upbeat), the Iraqis are living in that abyss, down which Sen.
McCain evidently stares and sees victory. They are living in a hell, a
country so thoroughly dismantled that the brave British journalist
Patrick Cockburn recently claimed "Iraq" was now little more than a
"geographical expression." --
EXACTLY
the point, and exactly what they intended. - mpg
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The US is After Europe Too!
03-23-08
revised 03-24-08
re-revised 03-25-08 - mpg
Swiss
brush aside criticism over gas contract with Iran
A quote...."A multibillion-euro Swiss contract to buy natural gas from
Iran has provoked threats from Washington, protests from Jewish groups
and fuelled mounting concern about Europe's energy security. -- The
deal between the Zurich utility Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft
Laufenburg (EGL) and National Iranian Gas Export Company (NIGEC) would
bring gas from Iran to Europe as early as next year, the Swiss company
said. -- The contract, worth between €10 billion (£7.8 billion)
and €20 billion, was signed last week in Tehran in the presence of
Micheline Calmy-Rey, the Swiss Foreign Minister, and President
Ahmadinejad."
The Swiss at least, are
beginning to get it, they’re beginning to understand that if you don’t
pay the vig to the US oil companies, if you don’t give them a “piece of
the action”, if you don’t ask for - or get - permission to do your deal
from Don the Dickhead's Energy Task Force....than you’re not going to
get any “protection”.
However the rest of the European nations better get it through their
thick heads that if this “thing”
the Neocons have created, keeps going the way it's going....in the very
near and foreseeable future, all of Europe, not just the Swiss, will
have to go hat in hand to the US and also request permission from
Israel, before they’ll be “allowed”
to do any type of energy deal in the Middle East ....period.
And it seems the Europeans are finally beginning to fear that something
has indeed gone very wrong, they're beginning to feel the geopolitical
equivalent of the hairs on the back of their collective necks stand on
end. And they will soon discover to their horror that their fears
are correct. They will discover the US isn't just trying to
strangle China's access to energy resources or destroy Russia's
influence among the former Soviet Republics or deny Russia's access to
the Caspian Basin....they’ll discover the US IS AFTER EUROPE TOO!!
Hopefully the Europeans will soon realize that what's happening to the
Swiss, all the threats, all the thuggish attempts at intimidation, all
the endless harassment, is just a foretaste of what's to come for
everyone, that it's actually going to get ten times worse for All of Europe if the US elites carry
out their plan to "reduce" (a.k.a. bring "freedom and democracy" to,
or establish "full spectrum dominance" over) Iran and gain
control of that country's energy resources along with those throughout
the rest of the Middle East.
For those who don't know (or pretend not to know)....these ongoing US
activities and intentions have been clearly laid out in several
documents entitled, the Defense Planning Guidance (DPG), a Clean Break
and the now infamous Project for a New American Century (PNAC), these
long standing Neocon and Israeli protocols have been easily available
for public review since 1992.
The fact that these elites were willing to “arrange” the deaths of
almost 3,000 of their own citizens to further these protocols should
give everyone an indication of just how ruthless they really are, and
Europe’s eventual fate if they should achieve their objectives.
All the peoples throughout Europe should therefore WAKE-UP and start
paying closer attention to the US elites' machinations, or it will be
too late for them to halt the culmination of their plans, the complete
subjugation and brutal occupation of the free peoples of the Middle
East, a singularly catastrophic and tragic outcome that will negatively
impact Europe’s access to energy resources for generations to come.
You’ve all been warned. - mpg
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Chilean Envoy to
U.N. Recounts Threats of Retaliation in Run-Up to Invasion
A quote...."UNITED NATIONS — In the months leading up to the U.S.-led
invasion of Iraq, the Bush administration threatened trade reprisals
against friendly countries who withheld their support, spied on its
allies, and pressed for the recall of U.N. envoys that resisted U.S.
pressure to endorse the war, according to an upcoming book by a top
Chilean diplomat."
US
deploys nuclear sub to Persian Gulf’
War Warning - A
quote...."TEHRAN: An American nuclear submarine has crossed the Suez
Canal to join the US fleet stationed in the Persian Gulf, Egyptian
sources say. -- Egyptian officials reported that the nuclear submarine
crossed the canal along with a destroyer on Friday and Egyptian forces
were put on high alert when the navy convoy was passing through the
canal. -- An American destroyer recently left the Persian Gulf, heading
towards the Mediterranean Sea; earlier on Thursday, a US Navy rescue
ship crossed the canal to enter the Red Sea."
One
Tick Closer: Cheney Visits Saudi Arabia; Saudis Prepare To Radiate
-
More on the Saudi preparations.-
mpg
War Warning - A
quote...."Worried Yet? Saudis Prepare for "Sudden Nuclear Hazards"
After Cheney Visit -- Last Friday, Dick Cheney was in Saudi Arabia for
high-level meetings with the Saudi king and his ministers. On Saturday,
it was revealed that the Saudi Shura Council -- the elite group that
implements the decisions of the autocratic inner circle -- is preparing
"national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards
that may affect the kingdom following experts' warnings of possible
attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors...."
'Syria
sends troops to Lebanon border'
Red War
Warning - A quote...."Syria has allegedly deployed three
military divisions along the borders with Lebanon amid mounting tension
in the region, a report claims. -- The Israeli website DEBKA claimed
Sunday that the Syrian deployment coincided with the massing of
Palestinian fighters in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon. " --
Editor's note, this is the third Red War
Warning to occur in the last six months....all three warnings have
occurred in the last thirty days. The war tempo is definitely
picking
up. - mpg
Hamas
and Fatah agree to end standoff - Both sides sign Yemeni-sponsored deal
A quote...."Rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah reached a
Yemeni-brokered deal on Sunday to open their first direct talks since
the bloody seizure of the Gaza Strip by Hamas nine months ago."
Israeli
warning to Abbas over deal with Hamas
Related Article - A quote...."JERUSALEM - A senior Israeli official on
Monday warned Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas against striking a
reconciliation deal with Hamas, saying it would effectively sink
faltering Middle East peace talks. -- ‘Mahmud Abbas must decide whether
he wants to continue negotiations with Israel or if he wants to renew
an alliance with Hamas, as he cannot have both at the same time,’ the
official said on condition of anonymity.
Iran, Yemen Discuss
Power Cooperation
A quote...."TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian deputy power minister and his
visiting Yemeni counterpart in a meeting here in Tehran explored
avenues for implementing an agreement held earlier by the two sides on
energy cooperation."
Iran
LNG Liquefaction Deal Signed
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Iran has signed a Euro700 million ($1.1
billion) deal for the liquefaction segment of "Iran LNG" plant with
Chinese and European consortia."
Iran
Reiterates N[uke] Stance
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki
underlined that the Islamic Republic has had no diversion in its drive
to access nuclear technology and would not backtrack on its stance even
one iota."
Egypt's
president visits Moscow seeking nuclear deal
A quote...."CAIRO, March 24 (RIA Novosti) - Egyptian President Hosni
Mubarak will arrive in Moscow on Monday on a two-day visit set to focus
on Mideast conflicts and a nuclear power deal with Russia."
Venezuelans
burn Exxon 'Judas' in Easter ritual
A quote...."CARACAS, March 23 (Reuters) - In a political take on a
popular Easter ritual, hundreds of Venezuelans cheered at the burning
of an "Judas" effigy symbolizing oil giant Exxon Mobil, which last week
lost a battle with the South American nation."
Exxon Must
Undo False Accusations Against Venezuelan Oil Company
A quote...."Mérida, March 23, 2008 (venezuelanalysis.com)-
Thursday marked the deadline for ExxonMobil to undo the damage it had
done to the international reputation of the Venezuelan state oil
company PDVSA by pursuing a $12 billion freeze of PDVSA assets in early
February after during international arbitration in a dispute over a
nationalized Orinoco Oil Belt project. The order to come clean on false
accusations against PDVSA's credibility was part of the decision by
British Judge Paul Walker on Tuesday to revoke the asset freeze."
From
Bombs to Markets - The Andean Crisis and the Geopolitics of Trade
A quote...."Day One: the Colombian military and police forces launched
an attack on an encampment of the Colombian guerrilla group Fuerzas
Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC) in Ecuadorian territory,
killing over 20 people."
Paramilitary
Threats and Assassinations - Human Rights Takes a Beating in Colombia
A quote...."This is not the first time that Colombian human rights
defenders have received a wave of e-mail threats from people claiming
to be re-armed paramilitaries. This time, however, the threats that
several individuals and organizations received late last week have come
after a series of murders."
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The
Fed's Bailout: Whose Money Is It?
A quote...."Let’s make one thing clear. Many commentators are saying
the Fed is “printing money.”
Wrong! The Fed
is not doing this at all. In fact the Fed should print money, because
the economy, while debt-ridden, is cash-starved. The Fed or else the
Treasury Department
should print and
distribute money to the populace by the thousands of dollars in
fulfillment of a National Dividend this writer has been advocating
repeatedly (see “An Emergency Program of Monetary Reform for the United
States,” Global Research, April 26, 2007). They should do this instead
of the piddling $600 “stimulus” rebate now in the works. -- Rather the
Fed is
lending
money, and there’s a world of difference." --
The author is correct, up to a
point. That exact point being when, after lending trillions of
dollars to these institutions....the Fed discovers they can't pay any
of it
back. - mpg
America
gets depressed by thoughts of 1929 revisited
A quote...."When Americans get worried about the economy, their
thoughts turn to the Great Depression of the 1930s. And when an eminent
US economist, Martin Feldstein, says America is possibly facing its
most serious recession since the second world war, those worries are
heightened. Could there be a rerun of the Great Depression?" --
Less
likely, see....What
Ben Bernanke Said - 03-18-08 - mpg
Déjà
vu, All Over Again
A quote...."The credit markets were reeling and people across the globe
had lost confidence in the dollar. American tourists overseas found
that many places in Europe were reluctant to exchange their dollars for
European currency, and the world banking community was even more in an
uproar. -- Furthermore, U.S. armed forces were bogged down in an
unpopular war overseas, and the U.S. economy seemed to be moving into a
recession. Foreigners holding dollars were nervous and wondering if
they had been fooled into holding worthless paper. -- I am not
describing the current economic scene in the United States; instead,
this is a description of the crisis of August, 1971, when the U.S.
dollar collapsed as the government’s currency Ponzi game ran its
course...." --
More likely. - mpg
Bernanke
Deep-Sixes the Dollar to Save Wall Street
A quote...."In the absence of the authority and political courage
required to cut to the quick, the Fed has been reduced to using
expedients that - while allowing the extent of losses to remain
concealed - postpone the moment of truth and compromise the dollar. To
save Wall Street, Bernanke exports the crisis and stokes a global
inflationary fever, risking a devastating boomerang: rejection of the
dollar as the global reserve currency." --
Ditto. - mpg
Saudi
Arabian inflation surges to 27-year high of 8.7 per cent
A quote...."DUBAI — Annual inflation in Saudi Arabia accelerated to
8.67 per cent in February, the highest in at least 27 years, as rents
and food costs surged in the world's largest oil exporter. - The Saudi
central bank is constrained in the fight against inflation by the
riyal's peg to the dollar."
Gas
prices hit record $3.26, diesel at $4.06
A quote...."NEW YORK (Reuters) - The average price of a gallon of gas
in the United States has risen to a record $3.26, and the cost of
diesel fuel has soared to a record $4.06 a gallon, adding to pressure
on consumers and the companies that deliver their goods."
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The
World According to Monsanto - A documentary that Americans won't ever
see
A quote...."The gigantic biotech corporation Monsanto is threatening to
destroy the agricultural biodiversity which has served mankind for
thousands of years. The endless list of genetically modified seeds sold
and controlled by Monsanto are putting at enormous risk age-old
agricultural patterns under the presumptuous slogan of aiming at
solving the huge problem of hunger in the world."
Howard Zinn's
"A People's History of American Empire" Illustrated Edition -- Just
Released (Large Format Paperback) --
Book Offer - A quote...."Since
its landmark publication in 1980, A People’s History of the United
States has had six new editions, sold more than 1.7 million copies,
become required classroom reading throughout the country, and been
turned into an acclaimed play. More than a successful book, A People’s
History triggered a revolution in the way history is told, displacing
the official versions with their emphasis on great men in high places
to chronicle events as they were lived, from the bottom up."
Saturday March 22nd 2008
Arabs
and America: Between - Confrontation and Agreement
Must Read - Action Alert
- A quote...."As I’ve already stated, a confrontation with the United
States would be difficult. It would not be impossible. If Arabs
collectively decide not to buy American products then the manufacturers
for those products will lobby in our interest. Perhaps we would replace
those boycotted goods with goods from France, or Germany, or Japan, or
China, or India. Maybe Arab capitalists would be encouraged to start
manufacturing locally. Then there is the Arab fortune held in American
banks – a fortune estimated at around 700 billion dollars and
representing a huge buttress for the American dollar. Withdrawing 10
percent of this fortune, on top of a new self-sufficiency, would be a
strong indication of Arab anger. All of this would be a message to the
American people to look again at their government’s distinctly
anti-Arab positions."
Out
of the Arab
Equation - Part I
Must Read - A
quote...."There is one word that has been bothering a lot these past
weeks, ever since Ahmadinejad landed in the American occupied Green
Zone in Baghdad. That word that keeps recurring in many articles and
"analysis" is "unwittingly". --
By
the way, this website editor vehemently disagrees with the author's
contention that the Neocons were intending to "help"
Iran. This apparent
help is only a temporary and indirect result of US policies to "play"
all the factions in the Middle East against each other and continue
their never ending trauma of "constructive instability" throughout the
region until their PNAC objectives are achieved - mpg
The American
Insanity Conundrum
Must Read - Action Alert -
A quote...."It just goes to show that some people will never “get it”.
The Progressive Press has whipped up a cauldron of molten ire against
George W. Bush’s statement that the war in Iraq was “worth it”. My God,
how could he say such a thing? The Progressive Press remarks; “Doesn’t
he know that almost 4,000 Americans and untold Iraqi’s have died in a
quagmire? Doesn’t he realize that the cost of this war is in the
trillions? Doesn’t he realize that we are no closer to victory than we
were five long years ago?”
An
Election Without Meaning
A quote...."Will November 2008 bring a meaningful change to America?
Will getting rid of George W. Bush and Richard Cheney without
impeachment or indictment really make a difference? Will a 600 billion
dollar war/defense budget be cut in half and used for desperately
needed domestic spending? Will the ninety-three billion dollars profits
in the private health insurance companies—those parasitic
intermediates between you and your doctor—be used instead for full
health care coverage for all? Will Habeas Corpus and Posse Comitatus be
restored to the people? Will torture stop? Will all students in public
universities be able to enroll for free? Will the US national security
agencies stop mass spying on our personal communications? Will the
neo-conservative agenda of total military domination of the world be
reversed?"
The
Democratic Majority: Enabling a Rogue Presidency and Stonewalling the
American People
A quote...."Lawless. Imperial. Rogue. -- These labels have
been attached to the Bush administration for the last three Take Back
America (TBA) conferences. The annual conference hosted by the Campaign
for America’s Future, does a bang up job each year highlighting the
dark deeds of President Bush and Vice President Cheney. And, what
better man for the job than House Judiciary Chair John Conyers. Turns
out, the better man for the job may be the pre-House Judiciary Chair
John Conyers."
The woman who nearly
stopped the war
Must Read - A
quote...."Of all the stories told on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq
War, there is one important episode that took place during the build-up
to the conflict that has gone largely unreported. It concerns a young
woman who was a witness to something so outrageous, something so
contrary to the principles of diplomacy and international law, that in
revealing it she believed war could be averted. That woman was
Katharine Gun, a 29-year-old Mandarin translator at the Government
Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) in Cheltenham." --
Dear gentle reader, why do you think
Congress, especially the Demos, gave carte blanche to the Bush
administration’s prior illegal wiretaps? Because Bush and his
cronies started doing it when they first assumed office back in 2001,
and they already had enough dirt to blackmail many of the Demos.
- mpg
Diplomat:
U.S. ‘threatened’ countries that didn’t support Iraq war.
A quote...."In an upcoming book, Heraldo Muñoz, Chile’s
ambassador to the United Nations, writes the efforts by the Bush
administration to cajole other countries into supporting the invasion
of Iraq “generated lasting ‘bitterness’ and ‘deep mistrust’ in
Washington’s relations with allies in Europe, Latin America and
elsewhere.” Muñoz describes how the “rough-and-tumble diplomatic
strategy” employed by the Bush administration to pressure allies for
support included threats and punishment:"
Iraq:
When doing battle, seek a quick victory
A quote...."MOSCOW. (RIA Novosti military commentator Ilya Kramnik) -
The end of this conflict is not in sight. Intensive mine warfare is
being waged on Iraqi roads. Not a single allied convoy passes without
an explosion. Road mining has assumed such a scale that the U.S. Air
Force is using its strategic B-1B bombers for remote mine clearance.
Weapons and ammunition are freely crossing Iraq's lengthy and
difficult-to-control borders, while the continued occupation is
increasing the mobilization potential of the guerrilla movement."
Scott
Horton Interviews Norman Soloman
Audio Interview - A
quote...."
Norman Soloman,
author of
Made
Love, Got War and
War Made Easy (the
book
and the
movie),
discusses the Military Industrial Media Complex and the role they play
in deciding America’s foreign policy, the ignorance of the average
reporters and politicians in DC and the need for a broad based antiwar
movement."
Only
The Truth Can Burn Through The Fog
A quote...."It was the first day of spring and the day after the U.S.
attacked Iraq. Madison was blanketed by a fog that was as depressing as
the day, and we were out of our minds with anger and despair. It was
late, but we drove to the Capitol Square to join the vigil we thought
would still be there. But when we arrived, candles in hand, the
fogged-in Square was virtually deserted. We met a woman carrying a
homemade sign. She asked if we knew where the demonstration was. We
wandered around for a while, looking for other people. Way up in the
one of the top floors of the Inn on the Park, drunks high on booze and
war fever saw the sign, leaned out of a window, and shouted "Fuckin'
liberals!" and "Go back to France!" That's what they saw, just three
more cheese eating surrender monkeys."
German
Intelligence Was 'Dishonest, Unprofessional and Irresponsible'
Interview - Spiegel
interviews
David Kay head of the US lead Iraq Survey Group - A quote...."David Kay
was charged by the Bush administration with finding weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq after the invasion. Instead of finding weapons,
though, he found what he told SPIEGEL was 'the biggest intelligence
fiasco of my lifetime.'"
Saddam’s
Exile Deal Could Have Saved $6 Trillion
A quote...."One month before the invasion of Iraq, Spanish Prime
Minister José María Aznar met with President Bush in
Crawford, Tex.,
Feb. 22, 2003, to beg him, on behalf of European leaders, not to start
a war. -- The Egyptians made a deal with Saddam Hussein to go into
exile to avoid a devastating war against Iraq. Saddam wanted a payment
of $1 billion and, for insurance, to keep all the information about how
the neocons had supplied him with his weapons of mass destruction."
Scott
Horton Interviews Juan Cole
Audio Interview - A
quote...."
Juan Cole, professor
of history at the University of Michigan and proprietor of the
influential blog
Informed Comment,
reviews the piles of lies told by the government in order to justify
the occupation of Iraq over the last 5 years.
IraqiGirl
Comes of Age Under Occupation - Bush's Surge Hits Mosul
A quote...."The world marks the fifth year of the war in Iraq with no
end in sight. Just as others in my generation could not remember a time
when there was no Vietnam war, my life seems to have begun with the
current massacre. What came before has been erased."
Sunni,
Shiite figures hold reconciliation conference in Diala
A quote...."Iraqi Sunni and Shiite tribal figures held a conference to
strengthen the sectarian ties in the violence-scarred province of Diala
on Thursday, anti-Qaeda council spokesman said."
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
========== ====
Arab
media warns Bush wants Iran war
War Warning - A
quote...."The Arab media has raised US-Iran confrontation alarms,
saying the US has a proxy war with Iran going at the tail end of the
Bush administration. - The UAE-based newspaper, Gulf News, in its
Friday's editorial said that with George W. Bush in office the
Washngton is effectively maintaining low intensity warfare with Iran
and the potential exists to ratchet it up to more open hostilities."
The
Coming Uncertain War against Iran
War Warning - A
quote...."When Admiral William J “Fox” Fallon was chosen to replace
General John Abizaid as chief of US Central Command (CENTCOM) in March
2007, many analysts didn’t shy from reaching a seemingly clear-cut
conclusion: the Bush administration was preparing for war with Iran and
had selected the most suitable man for this job. Almost exactly a year
later, as Fallon abruptly resigned over a controversial interview with
Esquire magazine, we are left with a less certain analysis."
Saudi Shura
council to discuss plan for sudden radioactive hazards
War Warning - A
quote...."Riyadh (dpa) - The Saudi Shura council will secretly discuss
national plans to deal with any sudden nuclear and radioactive hazards
that may affect the kingdom following experts' warnings of possible
attacks on Iran's Bushehr nuclear reactors, media reports said
Saturday." --
Coming
during Cheney's recent visit to Saudi Arabia, the timing of this
announcement could not be more ominous - mpg
Israeli
and US officers stage four-day training exercise
War Warning - A
quote...."JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said Thursday that around 200
U.S. and Israeli officers had staged a computer-based battle simulation
designed to improve coordination between the two countries' armed
forces. -- The four-day exercise, codenamed "Juniper Falcon" was part
of a standing agreement between the two strategic allies to hold
regular joint training to boost "interoperability, understanding and
cooperation" a military statement released on Thursday said."
Annan
Warns against Conflict with Iran
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- Former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan
warned Thursday that military action against Iran would be "a real
disaster" and said the Middle East could explode if the international
community doesn't handle the many conflicts in the region very
carefully."
Iran
crude exports earn $70b as production hits a record
A quote...."Tehran: Iran earned $70 billion from oil exports in the 12
months to March, which is the end of the Iranian year, while the
country's crude production hit a new record since the revolution, the
Iranian oil minister said."
India
to Start Negotiations with Iran, Pak on IPI Pipeline
A quote...." TEHRAN (FNA)- India will soon start negotiations with Iran
and Pakistan on the Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline. The negotiations
will resume after the formation of the new government in Pakistan, said
Murli Deora, New Delhi's Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas."
Conservative
wins in Iran poll show sanctions are failing, say analysts
A quote...."The conservative consolidation of power in Iran's
parliamentary elections has shown that international sanctions are
backfiring, according to liberal analysts in Tehran." --
Interesting....this
website editor has read at LEAST a thousand articles that repeatedly,
over, and over, and over again, stated that US policies were
established to halt Iran's (totally legal under the NPT) uranium
enrichment program and were NEVER
about "regime change". Of course everyone in this country's
“mass-media” lied....again....for the thousandth time. -- What a
surprise.- mpg
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
========== ====
Exclusive:
Blackwater 'Blood Money' Angers Iraqis
A quote...."At least two Iraqi families of victims killed by Blackwater
security guards in September tell ABC News they have refused
compensation offered by the company."
Militia
Blues
Some of the militias in Iraq,
being betrayed, by the Americans and their bought stooge, proceeding to
get really pissed off again....as usual. - mpg
US wants Britain
to lead 'surge' in southern Iraq: report
A quote...."British soldiers secure the site of a bomb attack east of
Basra December 2007. The US plans to urge Britain to launch a "surge"
in Basra to combat increasing violence in the southern Iraqi region,
the Sunday Mirror newspaper reported. (AFP/File) "
Pakistan
to Talk With Militants, New Leaders Say
A quote...."ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — Faced with a sharp escalation of
suicide bombings in urban areas, the leaders of Pakistan’s new
coalition government say they will negotiate with the militants
believed to be orchestrating the attacks, and will use military force
only as a last resort." --
MY GAWD !! How could the Pakies do
such a thing! Don't they want the same "success" that US policies
have brought to Iraq....what could they be thinking? - mpg --
For more on this issue see....It
Will Happen Every Single Time - mpg
Hezbollah:
We have proof Israel killed Mughniyah
A quote...."Hezbollah's deputy secretary general Naim Qassem has again
accused Israel of responsibility for the assassination of the
organization's senior military figure, Imad Mughniyah. In a speech
Friday to mark the birthday of the Prophet Mohammed, Qassem said, "We
have clear proof, 100 percent, that cannot be doubted, that Israel is
the head of the assassination."
Haniiya: “Hamas
accepted the Yemeni Initiative as an agenda for talks”
A quote...."The deposed Palestinian Prime Minister of Hamas movement,
Ismail Haniyya, stated on Saturday that he hopes that the current
internal Palestinian talks in Yemen would achieve successful outcomes,
and added that Hamas accepted the Yemeni initiative as an agenda for
talks but not as a condition that must be implemented."
Hamas,
Islamic Jihad delegation heads to Egypt
A quote...."A joint delegation from Hamas and Islamic Jihad traveled
from the Gaza Strip to Egypt on Saturday for a new round of talks on
the situation in the Hamas-ruled territory, a spokesman said."
MIDEAST:
Egypt Renews Ceasefire Attempt
A quote...."CAIRO, Mar 22 (IPS) - In the wake of a series of deadly
Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip early this month, Egypt
has stepped up efforts aimed at brokering a ceasefire between
Palestinian resistance groups and Tel Aviv."
Dubai,
China non-oil trade surges 47pc
A quote...."DUBAI -Non-oil trade between Dubai and China surged 47 per
cent to Dh71.2 billion ($19.4 billion) in 2007 from Dh48.4 billion
($13.2 billion) the previous year, according to Dubai World, a holding
company owned by the Dubai government."
========== ========== ========== ========== ========== ==========
========== ====
The
four ‘new sheriffs’ of Wall Street
A quote...."The Federal Reserve and Treasury are playing a dominant
day-to-day role in overseeing Wall Street following this week’s rescue
of Bear Stearns, raising the prospect that the central bank might be
given more permanent authority over securities firms." --
Well Gee....why not? the Fed's soon
going to own most of them....well that's not really true. What
the Fed is going to own is most of their bad debts. - mpg
The Ant, the
Grasshopper, and the Subprime Securities
A Must Read Fable - A
quote....An ant laboriously tunneled into MIT and carried around
calculus books of 100 times her own body weight, earning an IT degree
and an MBA. Then she secured a business loan and worked on her startup
corporation 16 hours a day, 24/7, all summer long. Her company made
software that cured cancer, wiped out computer viruses, and walked your
dog, all for $39.95 with free updates."