The northern eurozone countries are facing the prospect of coming up with massive amounts of additional funds to avert the collapse of Europe's financial sector. There have been some hints from various sources that a major and decisive agreement will be reached this weekend... though if the eurozone crisis has taught us anything, it is that one should never underestimate the power of European policy-makers to dither and delay beyond all reasonable expectations.
At any rate, lots of people (primarily but not exclusively in northern Europe) are very angry about the massive cost of fixing the eurozone mess. Understandably so. But unfortunately, much of that anger has been specifically directed at those lazy, shiftless, irresponsible southern Europeans that are seen to have gotten the eurozone into this mess to begin with. It's not difficult to find such finger-pointing expressed in the statements of prominent European officials, or in commentary on blogs and news sites.
I've repeatedly argued that I strongly disagree with this placement of blame; the eurozone crisis was fundamentally caused by the massive flow of capital from the north to the south of Europe that was bound to happen once the euro was adopted, and the specific behavior of individual governments in southern Europe had little to do with it. But I realize that this is a relatively abstract economic argument -- albeit one with substantial theoretical and empirical support. Stories of impersonal capital flows somehow don't address the gut feeling that lots of people have that southern Europeans really are less hard-working and responsible than northern Europeans, and that those laid-back southern attitudes must have caused the crisis.
Puppet Masters
© Giampiero Sposito
Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican October 23, 2011
Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican October 23, 2011
"Towards Reforming the International Financial and Monetary Systems in the Context of a Global Public Authority," was at times very specific, calling, for example, for taxation measures on financial transactions. "The economic and financial crisis which the world is going through calls everyone, individuals and peoples, to examine in depth the principles and the cultural and moral values at the basis of social coexistence," it said.
It condemned what it called "the idolatry of the market" as well as a "neo-liberal thinking" that it said looked exclusively at technical solutions to economic problems. "In fact, the crisis has revealed behaviours like selfishness, collective greed and hoarding of goods on a great scale," it said, adding that world economics needed an "ethic of solidarity" among rich and poor nations.
© Reuters/SANA
New U.S. ambassador Robert Ford (R) talks with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad after presenting his credentials to Assad, in Damascus January 27, 2011
New U.S. ambassador Robert Ford (R) talks with Syria's President Bashar al-Assad after presenting his credentials to Assad, in Damascus January 27, 2011
Ambassador Robert Ford returned to Washington this weekend after the U.S. received "credible threats against his personal safety in Syria," State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Monday. Ford has been the subject of several incidents of intimidation by pro-government thugs, and enraged Syrian authorities with his forceful defense of peaceful protests and harsh critique of a government crackdown that has now claimed more than 3,000 lives.
"We hope that the Syrian regime will end its incitement campaign against Ambassador Ford," Toner said. "At this point, we can't say when he will return to Syria."
Toner said the U.S. embassy will remain open in Damascus and that the threats were specifically directed toward Ford. His return is conditional on a U.S. "assessment of Syrian regime-led incitement and the security situation on the ground," Toner said.
Lizzie Phelan was on the scene during much of the NATO campaign against Libya. Here she spells out the truth of the situation, which stands in complete contrast to NATO propaganda as spread by the mainstream media. When the video begins, you can skip to the highly acclaimed talk by Lizzy Phelan by clicking on the red pop-up bar which appears on the screen.
© Unknown
If you have ever wondered about the government's ability to control the civilian airwaves, you will have your answer on November 9th.
On that day, federal authorities are going to shut off all television and radio communications simultaneously at 2:00PM EST to complete the first ever test of the national Emergency Alert System (EAS).
This isn't a wild conspiracy theory. The upcoming test is posted on the Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau website.
Only the President has the authority to activate EAS at the national level, and he has delegated that authority to the Director of FEMA. The test will be conducted jointly by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) through FEMA, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Weather Service (NWS).
© SOTT.net
"The drawdown in Iraq allowed us to refocus on Afghanistan and achieve major victories against al Qaeda and Osama bin Laden."President Obama deserves big props for his overall performance as a puppet and especially for this new lie. It is very clever and funny. Those who know the truth are entertained, and the sheep feel self-satisfaction for investing their trust in Mr. Obama and being rewarded for it.
But there is a sad element in all this. Obama's "major victories" in the war on terror are completely fake. Obama didn't order Bin Laden's death. He didn't stop al-Qaeda because al-Qaeda doesn't exist. He didn't liberate Libya. He didn't end the war in Iraq. He has done nothing worthy and good as President.
Obama is a pathological liar, everything that comes out of his mouth is fiction. His foreign policy consists of looting nations, raping the truth, and killing innocent people. But he announces the deaths of manufactured villains Bin Laden and Gaddafi, and all of a sudden he's declared a "war-time president." Wow. What a Great Leader Obama is. Much Praise Be Upon Him, The Merciful Allahu Obama.
Firoze Manji: Nothing in international law allows regime change and assassination of a leader
What happens when you fail to allow your people and national resources to be plundered by international corporations and the IMF?
An animated interview of John Perkins, author of HoodWinked and Confessions Of An Economic Hitman
An animated interview of John Perkins, author of HoodWinked and Confessions Of An Economic Hitman
© DPA/MoD
A photo of a "Reaper" drone that is operated from the Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan. In 2002, the US military spent around $550 million (400 million euros) on drones. In 2011, the figure was nearly $5 billion.
A photo of a "Reaper" drone that is operated from the Kandahar Air Field in Afghanistan. In 2002, the US military spent around $550 million (400 million euros) on drones. In 2011, the figure was nearly $5 billion.
Plastic tanks and miniature models of fighter jets are on display in Steven Zaloga's home office, and his bookshelves are overflowing with volumes about the history of war. War is Zaloga's area of expertise, but even more than that, it's his business. For 36 years, the historian has analyzed global trends in weapons. He currently works for the Teal Group, a renowned defense consulting firm in Fairfax, Virginia, a suburb of Washington.
Zaloga knows exactly how and where war can be profitable at any given point. And when he discusses which weapons have the best business prospects, he doesn't spare a glance for his models of tanks and fighter jets. Those weapons belong in history books.
The future belongs to drones, remote-controlled unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) equipped with sensitive reconnaissance electronics and powerful precision weapons. Drones provide the kind of weapons system strategists have always wished for: They allow a military force to exert power while minimizing its own risks, and to carry out precise, deadly strikes, without sending its own soldiers into danger.
© unknown
Political Scientist, Professor Jonathan Moyo said the way in which the former Libyan leader was dragged around on the streets, kicked, punched and undressed was barbaric and brutal.
Political Scientist, Professor Jonathan Moyo said the way in which the former Libyan leader was dragged around on the streets, kicked, punched and undressed was barbaric and brutal.
They castigated the total disregard of international law that was displayed by NATO in the killing of Gaddafi.
The West has wildly celebrated the death of Colonel Gaddafi.
While the demise of the former Libyan leader is a victory for the West, what is sad is that Africans have also blindly joined the bandwagon.
Zimbabwean analysts say the manner in which Colonel Gaddafi was killed is a return to the dark days of slavery and imperialism.
Political Scientist, Professor Jonathan Moyo said the way in which the former Libyan leader was dragged around on the streets, kicked, punched and undressed was barbaric and brutal.
Comment: The next item up for bid in the US empire's planetary restructuring scheme: Syria?
Syria doesn't have a Syrian Government, it only has a regime? Note how 'regime' was repeated like a mantra because the Western governments and their puppet media understand the word 'regime' to mean 'less than government'. Regime or constitutional government? Who's oppressing whom? In Western culture it's hard to say, especially when we are only given one side of the story. For all we know, the protestors who are being shot are being sent into Syria to cause havoc and make the Syrian 'regime' look evil, corrupt and heartless, so it can be reported in articles such as the above.