Puppet MastersS


Dollars

Lebanon: What led to the banking crisis of the century

Thierry Meyssan
voltairenet.org
Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00 UTC
Berri/Aoun/Hariri
© Voltairenet.orgThree Presidents: Shiite Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri • General Michel Aoun, Christian President of the Republic • Sunni President of the Interim Government Saad Hariri
The collapse of the Central Bank of Lebanon following a major state scam plunged the country into an unparalleled economic and financial crisis. The country is now paying for its 76 years of political dependence and 8 years of complete political vacancy. The reality of its situation is very different from the perception of its citizens.

The Central Bank of Lebanon has again authorized private banks to freely deliver Lebanese pounds, but still no dollars. This exchange control is illegal in law because it has not been validated by Parliament. Several large companies have already filed an application for interim relief before the courts. The wheat, oil and medicine import sectors are out of business, all the others are in recession.

Public debt stands at 154% of GDP. The Lebanese pound was depreciated by half its value in three months, taking the Syrian pound, already mistreated during the war by the Saudi and Qatari counterfeit currency, into its fall.

Causes of the crisis

This financial crisis led Parliament to adopt a new tax that triggered the demonstrations that have paralysed the country since October 17, 2019. In all likelihood, it originated in a massive scam set up by the country's political leaders through the Central Bank.

Comment: There is an epidemic of severe financial crises coupled with violent public uprisings amongst Western-targeted countries. The 'no cure' IMF/World Bank offers bailouts to address a deteriorating economy, but in actuality, exacerbates the demise of financial stability. Lebanon has much work to do to construct a more functional system of government that can eliminate corruption and begin to address its economic survival.

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Dollar

Keiser Report on central banks: The 'magic money machines for politicians'


RT
Tue, 17 Dec 2019 14:54 UTC
Argentina Central Bank
© MercoPress
Argentine President Alberto Fernandez said last month that he may not seek an $11 billion loan from the IMF, promising instead to "try to revive the economy."

RT's Keiser Report talks to Nick Giambruno of CaseyResearch.com about the relative calm in Buenos Aires among the populace, despite the ongoing currency and debt crises.

Argentina has gone through a number of financial crises in the past 100 years and it looks like it is on the cusp of another one, Giambruno says. According to him, the South American nation is facing another currency cataclysm "which is relatively normal for this country, it has happened repeatedly over the past 100 years."

And there are reasons for that, the analyst says, explaining that 100 years ago Argentina and the United States were "really kind-of on the same level." That was "kind-of a golden era for Argentina."

However, everything changed, a lot, since Argentina instituted a central bank in 1935, Giambruno points out. "The golden era was prior to the establishment of the central bank... like in most places the central bank is the magic money machine for the politicians and that's really how Argentina started its long descent downhill," he concludes.


Comment: President-elect Fernandez: "We were left with a debt that makes up 95 percent of our GDP... Everyone knows the International Monetary Fund is complicit in what happened."

Rather than deal with the corrupt and greedy IMF, or continue to be a punching bag for US lordship over economic solvency and a doomed dollar, Argentina will buy its way out of the America's financial empire with a plan that includes bitcoin and increasing its gold reserves. Fernandez will outright reject the $11B tranche of the IMF loan as soon as he takes office. Smart move.

See also:

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Star of David

Philip Giraldi, PhD: 'Is Israel our greatest ally?'

Philip Giraldi
TheAltWorld
Wed, 11 Dec 2019 00:00 UTC
FlagsUS/ISrael
© Unknown
Today we are joined by Philip Giraldi who is the Executive Director at the Council for National Interest to talk about whether or not Israel is our greatest ally. Phil is a former CIA counter-terrorism specialist and military intelligence officer. He is a veteran and patriot here to tell us the truth about our so-called unbreakable bond with Israel.


Comment: Very informative interview!

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Arrow Up

Kremlin: US sanctions will not stop the completion of Russia's natural gas pipeline to Europe


RT
Wed, 18 Dec 2019 10:28 UTC
Nordstream 2
© nordstream2.com/Axel SchmidtNordstream 2
The latest US sanctions targeting Russia's Nord Stream 2 pipeline, which will deliver natural gas to Germany, will not stop the project, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said on Wednesday.

"We assume that [Nord Stream 2] will be completed," he told journalists when asked whether Washington's potential sanctions might result in construction being suspended.

Peskov's comments followed the approval of a bill by the US Senate, which would sanction companies involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2. It is expected to be signed by US President Donald Trump later this week.

Pending White House approval, the companies working on the Nord Stream 2 project will have 30 days to stop their operations. The sanctions would revoke US visas and block the property of those individuals involved.

European companies involved in the project include German energy firms Wintershall and Uniper, French multinational Engie, British-Dutch oil and gas giant Royal Dutch Shell, and Austrian energy company OMV.

The Kremlin spokesman called the possible sanctions "a direct violation of international law" and "an ideal example of unfair competition and the spread of their artificial dominance in European markets." He said Washington is "imposing on European consumers more expensive and uncompetitive products - more expensive natural gas."

Comment: RT, 18/12/2019: Germany's not backing down
Chancellor Angela Merkel has insisted that Berlin will not give into pressure from Washington after the US Senate approved a bill sanctioning German companies working on a pipeline that will deliver natural gas from Russia.

During Wednesday's Q&A session in parliament, lawmakers asked Merkel about the possibility of the US slapping sanctions on German companies building the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.

The chancellor said that she firmly opposes such sanctions because they have an extraterritorial effect. They will not push Berlin to abandon the project, however, she said. "We haven't backed down [to the US] with regards to the NSA [spying] affair, nor do we intend to back down now."

On Tuesday, the US Senate approved a bill that allows the imposition of sanctions on German entities over Nord Stream 2. Officials in Washington have long tried to pressure Germany into ditching the project, arguing that it would render the country too dependent on Moscow.


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Hiliter

Nunes writes to Schiff: 'You are in need of rehabilitation'

Ashe Schow
The Daily Wire
Mon, 16 Dec 2019 00:00 UTC
SchiffNunes
© Alex Brandon/AP/KJNHouse Intel Chair Adam Schiff (D-CA) • Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA)
The Justice Department's Inspector General (IG) report last week threw cold water on many Democrat talking points regarding the FBI and the investigation into whether President Donald Trump's 2016 campaign colluded with Russia.

Media outlets have even had to admit that even though they consistently sided with Rep. Adam Schiff's (D-CA) claims about the investigation, it was Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) who got most of the facts right. Taking a victory lap, Nunes wrote a letter on Friday to Schiff, who is the current chairman of the House Intelligence Committee.
"After publishing false conclusions of such enormity on a topic directly within this committee's oversight responsibilities, it is clear you are in need of rehabilitation, and I hope this letter will serve as the first step in that vital process."
Nunes went on to outline a small sample of the falsehoods Schiff spread regarding the FBI's investigation into the 2016 election:
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X

Michael Flynn case: Judge decides to ignore mounting evidence of prosecutorial abuse

Margot Cleveland
The Federalist
Tue, 17 Dec 2019 00:00 UTC
Flynn
© Jonathan Ernst/ReutersMichael Flynn
Judge Emmet Sullivan had two choices: He could ignore the growing evidence of government misconduct and wind up the two-year saga that has been the sentencing phase of the Michael Flynn criminal case, or he could say "not on my watch." Yesterday, in a methodical and seemingly tempered opinion, the long-time federal judge opted for the former tack when he denied in full the comprehensive motion to compel Flynn's attorney Sidney Powell filed several months ago. Judge Sullivan then set Flynn's sentencing for January 28, 2020.

While Judge Sullivan's opinion appeared measured as he dispatched the myriad issues Powell raised on behalf of her client, two passages, separated by scores of pages in the tedious 99-page opinion, make clear that the outcome was a forgone conclusion.

"The Court notes that Mr. Flynn's brief in support of his first Brady motion lifted verbatim portions from a source without attribution," Judge Sullivan began his analysis of Powell's legal arguments under a bolded heading entitled "Ethical Concerns with Mr. Flynn's Brief." Judge Sullivan then notes that Powell's brief provided a hyperlink to the "excellent briefing by Amicus in support of the Petition for Writ of Certiorari in Brown v. United States."
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Handcuffs

Bolivian AG orders arrest of ousted president Morales for 'terrorism'


RT
Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:14 UTC
EvoMorales
© Reuters/Agustin MarcarianBolivian President Evo Morales
Bolivia's coup-imposed government now has a court order for the arrest of former President Evo Morales, issued on the grounds of his alleged incitement of riots and "terrorism" in the divided South American nation.

A photo of the arrest order has been shared on Twitter by Arturo Murillo, the interior minister of the "transitional" government of Jeanine Anez. He had previously promised to jail Morales "for the rest of his life," calling him a "terrorist."
Actually arresting Morales is currently easier said than done for Murillo, as the former Bolivian president has accepted political asylum in Argentina, and has vowed to "keep fighting" the opposition-led coup.

Comment: See also:

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Arrow Down

Hungary lost $8.5 billion because of EU's sanctions against Russia — minister


TASS
Tue, 17 Dec 2019 18:47 UTC
Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
© EPA-EFE/JAVIER LIZON/POOLHungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto
Hungary has lost $8.5 billion since the European Union imposed economic sanctions on Russia, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto told RTVI TV channel on Wednesday.

"Since [the EU] imposed sanctions, a total of $8.5 billion were lost," Szijjarto said. "Russia was our second-largest trade partner before the sanctions. Of course, we lost many export opportunities," he added.

He noted that Hungary has never violated the European unanimity on sanctions and will not do so in the future. "Even though we always promote honest dialogue, sanctions significantly complicate our work from the political and economic point of view," he said.

Comment: The U.S. and EU are willing to shoot themselves in the foot, and lose billions of dollars, just to virtue signal and look tough on Russia. It's hard to comprehend this level of lunacy, short-sightedness, and small-mindedness. Especially considering that for all the justifications given for the sanctions, Russia is actually innocent. For the past 6 years or so, the west has been in the grips of a collective fit of childish hysteria bolstered by their own paranoid fantasies.

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Arrow Up

Pentagon's concern about rising support for Russia among US troops 'runs deep'


Sputnik
Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:48 UTC
Russian special forces in syria
© FileRussian special forces in Syria
The trend is not limited to the US - in February polling revealed the average German holds Russia and China in higher regard than the US, with which their government is allied.

Washington outlet Voice of America (VoA) has reported the Pentagon is "concerned" by rising sympathy for Russia among US citizens, in particular those serving in the military.

The second annual Reagan National Defense Survey, issued November, found 46 percent of armed services households said they viewed Russia as an ally, while 28 percent of average Americans did so, up from 19 percent in 2018.

Comment: Rising support among members of the US armed forces really isn't surprising or confusing. They see much more easily than the average citizen that Russia is actually fighting terrorism rather than supporting it.

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Eiffel Tower

Macron 'willing to improve', but not drop, pension reform plans


France24
Wed, 18 Dec 2019 18:44 UTC
macron
French President Emmanuel Macron will not drop his plan for a single points-based pension system, but is "willing to improve" it in the face of fierce union resistance, an official in the presidency said Wednesday.

"The president will not abandon the project nor water it down, though he is willing to improve it," said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity.

The official added: "An improvement is possible concerning the pivot age" of 64 at which a worker would qualify for a full pension — a particular target of union ire that has sparked two weeks of massive public transport strikes.

Macron hoped talks with union leaders will allow "a pause" in the strike so people can travel for the holidays, the official added.

Comment: See also:

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