OF THE
TIMES
"It is clear the US is pushing the battle line to our door ... We can completely regard the US arrest of Meng Wanzhou as a declaration of war against China."So read an editorial in the Global Times of China on December 6, the day after Meng Wanzhou, chief financial officer of the Chinese company Huawei was taken hostage by the Canadian and American governments on December 1. The daughter of the founder of China's largest telecommunications company was arbitrarily arrested and detained by Canadian police in Vancouver in transit between planes on December 1 on the pretext of a US extradition request.
"China strongly urges the Canadian side to immediately release the detained person, and earnestly protect their lawful, legitimate rights, otherwise Canada must accept full responsibility for the serious consequences caused."
The owl of Minerva spreads its wings only with the falling of dusk. - HegelWar With Russia?, like the biography of a living person, is a book without an end. The title is a warning - akin to what the late Gore Vidal termed "a journalistic alert-system" - not a prediction. Hence the question mark. I cannot foresee the future. The book's overarching theme is informed by past and current facts, not by any political agenda, ideological commitment, or magical prescience.
This article is adapted from the concluding section of Stephen F. Cohen's War With Russia? From Putin and Ukraine to Trump and Russiagate, just published, in paperback and e-book, by Skyhorse Publishing.To restate that theme: The new US-Russian Cold War is more dangerous than was its 40-year predecessor that the world survived. The chances are even greater that this one could result, inadvertently or intentionally, in actual war between the two nuclear superpowers. Herein lies another ominous indication. During the preceding Cold War, the possibility of nuclear catastrophe was in the forefront of American mainstream political and media discussion, and of policy-making. During the new one, it rarely seems to be even a concern.
"What will the people do if they ever find out the truth about Iraq-gate and Iran-Contra?"His answer:
"Sarah, if the American people ever find out what we have done, they would chase us down the street and lynch us."Iraq-gate was the exposure of US-UK weapons sales to Saddam right up until invading his country the first time around. Iran-Contra was the covert sales of weapons to the other side in that war. Both were arranged - or signed off - by the CIA's man in the White House; VP, later president, George HW Bush.
"For months I've asked Michael Avenatti to give me accounting information about the fund my supporters so generously donated to for my safety and legal defense. He has repeatedly ignored those requests. Days ago I demanded again, repeatedly, that he tell me how the money was being spent and how much was left. Instead of answering me, without my permission or even my knowledge Michael launched another crowdfunding campaign to raise money on my behalf. I learned about it on Twitter.
"I haven't decided yet what to do about legal representation moving forward. Michael has been a great advocate in many ways. I'm tremendously grateful to him for aggressively representing me in my fight to regain my voice. But in other ways Michael has not treated me with the respect and deference an attorney should show to a client. He has spoken on my behalf without my approval. He filed a defamation case against Donald Trump against my wishes. He repeatedly refused to tell me how my legal defense fund was being spent. Now he has launched a new crowdfunding campaign using my face and name without my permission and attributing words to me that I never wrote or said. I'm deeply grateful to my supporters and they deserve to know their money is being spent responsibly. I don't want to hurt Michael, but it's time to set the record straight. The truth has always been my greatest ally.
"My goal is the same as it has always been - to stand up for myself and take back my voice after being bullied and intimidated by President Trump and his minions. One way or another I'm going to continue in that fight, and I want everyone who has stood by me to know how profoundly grateful I am for their support."
Comment:
UPDATE: 13:15 Sunday 9th December 2018
According to some polls the protests currently have between 70-80% public support, and the same outcry over the cost of living and a variety of other complaints have spread to neighboring countries.
And there is increasing evidence emerging that some of these agent provocateurs are actually coming from the police's ranks:
Update 9 Dec, 2018 13:32: More than 260 Injuries and 1.7K arrests have been reported as the police crackdown on the Yellow Vest protest as it intensifies. See also: