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U.S. continues war plans as Pentagon hires anti-Russian group to develop more aggressive policy


Sputnik
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:13 UTC
Image
© AP
As the United States continues to move more heavy weaponry into Eastern Europe, a group advocating a more aggressive policy in the region has been hired by the Pentagon to develop future military alliances there.

On June 5, the military's Office of Net Assessment commissioned the Center for European Policy Analysis (CEPA) for a study and war games called Gaming Allies: Geostrategic Change and Alliances, Pentagon records obtained by USA Today show.

The contract announcement said CEPA will conduct "a study on shifting dynamics in US alliance networks in East Asia, the Middle East and Central and Eastern Europe."


Comment: The shifting dynamics are simply that Russia and China are two countries that are finally showing a willingness to stand up to Western imperialism.


Prior CEPA studies have called for abandoning the policy of "strategic patience" in favor of moving defenses closer to the borders with Russia on behalf of countries like Poland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia — all NATO members.
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War Whore

Possibly insane? McCain says not arming Ukraine 'shameful chapter' in U.S. history


Sputnik
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 21:02 UTC
Image
© AP Photo/ Matt York
Former presidential candidate John McCain revealed what he believes to be most shameful chapter of his country's history. Is it the invasion of Iraq, might you ask? Or using chemical weapons in Vietnam? Or dropping atomic bombs on Japan? The answer is none of those. Senator McCain mostly regrets not starting yet another war - this time, in Ukraine.

In a bizarre attempt to reinterpret history, US Senator John McCain said that the US not providing Ukraine with weapons for its armed conflict is "one of the most shameful chapters in American history."

McCain, a war veteran and overall-armed-conflict-supporter himself, was clearly aiming for biggest impact with his audience when he made the rather ridiculous statement on John Cats' Roundtable Radio Show. It was somewhat expected of the man who called for the Iraq invasion in 2003, something more than half of the American public views as a huge mistake today.

Not only that, but over 50 percent of Americans are against arming Ukraine. Yes, that does leave senator McCain with a little over 40 percent of the country's population to impress with his warmongering rhetoric, but even they might be skeptical when they consider the fact that one of the world's youngest nations is also one of the most bellicose.
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Target

George Soros: An American oligarch's dirty tale of corruption

F. William Engdahl
New Eastern Outlook
Fri, 12 Jun 2015 19:18 UTC
soros
Rarely does the world get a true look inside the corrupt world of Western oligarchs and the brazen manipulations they use to enhance their fortunes at the expense of the public good. The following comes from correspondence of the Hungarian-born billionaire, now naturalized American speculator, George Soros. The hacker group CyberBerkut has published online letters allegedly written by Soros that reveal him not only as puppet master of the US-backed Ukraine regime. They also reveal his machinations with the US Government and the officials of the European Union in a scheme where, if he succeeds, he could win billions in the plunder of Ukraine assets. All, of course, would be at the expense of Ukrainian citizens and of EU taxpayers.

What the three hacked documents reveal is a degree of behind-the-scene manipulation of the most minute details of the Kiev regime by the New York billionaire.

In the longest memo, dated March 15, 2015 and marked "Confidential" Soros outlines a detailed map of actions for the Ukraine regime. Titled, "A short and medium term comprehensive strategy for the new Ukraine," the memo from Soros calls for steps to "restore the fighting capacity of Ukraine without violating the Minsk agreement." To do the restoring, Soros blithely notes that "General Wesley Clark, Polish General Skrzypczak and a few specialists under the auspices of the Atlantic Council [emphasis added—f.w.e.] will advise President Poroshenko how to restore the fighting capacity of Ukraine without violating the Minsk agreement."

Comment: The story at the end of the article, about Soros posing as a gentile in order to help confiscate the property of Hungarian Jews sent to concentration camps, provides the necessary window into what Soros is. This is the face behind the mask of Western oligarchy. "The Republic is a mere name, without form or substance..." Humanity can do better, can't it? But first, the republic must fall.

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Light Saber

Key BRICS economic strategy document near completion as summit approaches


Sputnik
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 19:07 UTC
Image
© Sputnik/ Alexei Druzhinin
One of the key documents outlining an economic partnership strategy for the BRICS nations, which will be discussed at an upcoming summit in the Russian city of Ufa is nearly complete, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said.

"We have never doubted the focus of BRICS on economic issues and therefore this is why, when the preparation for Russia's chairmanship in the association began, naturally the topic of what our contribution would be and what added value the Russian chairmanship would give came up. The development of the economic partnership strategy has already begun, and this document is practically finished," Ryabkov told RIA Novosti.

Ryabkov said the document would not be a declaration from the parties involved, but is quite detailed.
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Dominoes

Grexit plan: The next great European financial crisis has begun

Michael Snyder
The Economic Collapse
Tue, 16 Jun 2015 00:00 UTC
Image
The Greek financial system is in the process of totally imploding, and the rest of Europe will soon follow. Neither the Greeks nor the Germans are willing to give in, and that means that there is very little chance that a debt deal is going to happen by the end of June. So that means that we will likely see a major Greek debt default and potentially even a Greek exit from the eurozone. At this point, credit default swaps on Greek debt have risen 456 percent in price since the beginning of this year, and the market has priced in a 75 percent chance that a Greek debt default will happen. Over the past month, the yield on two year Greek bonds has skyrocketed from 20 percent to more than 30 percent, and the Greek stock market has fallen by a total of 13 percent during the last three trading days alone. This is what a financial collapse looks like, and if Greece does leave the euro, we are going to see this kind of carnage happen all over Europe.

Officials over in Europe are now openly speaking of the need to prepare for a "state of emergency" now that negotiations have totally collapsed. At one time, it would have been unthinkable for Greece to leave the euro, but now it appears that this is precisely what will happen unless a miracle happens...

Comment: After literally decades of political and economic subjugation it looks as though Greece is finally standing up for itself in a way that is sure to stick it to the Western Elite class. That the IMF et al. has painted itself into this corner through its greed and malevolence is their own problem. Although things are likely to get worse before they can get any better, a Grexit may just be the spur to motivate other nations of the EU to fight for their own economic and social well being. Watch as the dominos fall in all directions.

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Megaphone

Putin aide: Russia has no plans to enter arms race


RT
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 17:05 UTC
Image
© RIA Novosti/Ramil Sitdikov
A Topol-M intercontinental ballistic missile
A Russian presidential aide has told reporters that Russia has no plans to launch a new arms race, but will nevertheless react to all new threats.

"Russia is trying to react to new threats, nothing more than this. We are not entering an arms race, we are against any arms race as it would weaken our opportunities in the economic sphere," Yuri Ushakov was quoted as saying by RIA Novosti.

"We are in general against this," he said. "I think that our president has made very precise statements on this matter."

Ushakov's comments came soon after President Vladimir Putin told Russia's top brass that military forces will get 40 new nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missiles in 2015. The president noted in his speech that the new missiles "will be capable of penetrating the most modern defenses" and promised that the Russian government would persist in paying specific attention to realization of a massive military rearmament program.
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Red Flag

Britain braced for "serious economic risk" if Greece leaves Eurozone


RT
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:53 UTC
Image
© Reuters/Andy Rain
British Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne
Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman has announced the UK is "stepping up" preparations for the "serious economic risk" which would ensue should Greece opt to leave the Eurozone.

Her remarks come as Cameron meets with the leaders of Italy and Luxembourg on Wednesday to discuss the Greek financial crisis.

Government officials held contingency planning talks in February to evaluate the possible implications of a Grexit, but they have since stepped up their preparations following revelations that Greece could default on its debts.

Cameron's spokeswoman said Chancellor George Osborne had discussed the matter in the House of Commons on Tuesday, adding the authorities were taking "all steps to protect ourselves from such eventualities."
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Bulb

Greece considers joining BRICS bank


Sputnik
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:35 UTC
Image
© Sputnik
The Greek government is considering whether it could get involved in the BRICS New Development Bank, Greece's Minister of Economy, Infrastructure, Shipping and Tourism Giorgos Stathakis told Sputnik Wednesday.

"We are fully supporting the BRICS initiative, and we are investigating ways for Greece to get involved in this initiative that could be beneficial for both sides," the minister said.

A source in the Greek government told Sputnik in May that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras was likely to discuss his country's membership of the NDB, with BRICS leaders in St. Petersburg during a June 18-20 economic forum.

The five major developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - bill their venture as an alternative to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), one of Greece's three main creditors, to which Athens owes a $1.7-billion repayment by the end of June.
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Yoda

Putin: Russia will direct its military might at anyone who threatens it

Mike Wheatley
Russia Insider
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:27 UTC
Image
© Bohan Shen_沈伯韩 vis Flickr.com
The president reminded reporters that it is NATO that is inching closer to Russian territory, while Russia hasn't moved anywhere

Russian President Vladimir Putin has vowed that the country would be forced to direct its military might at anyone who might threaten it, as tensions with the Western powers refuse to subside.

Russia has been increasingly at odds with the West over the crisis in the Ukraine, which has seen a large part of its eastern territory taken over by separatist forces demanding independence from Kiev, TASSreported.

"We will be forced to aim our armed forces ... at those territories from where the threat comes," said Mr. Putin at a press conference following talks with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Moscow.
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Dollars

BRICS central banks begin negotiating alternative to SWIFT payment system


RT
Wed, 17 Jun 2015 16:22 UTC
Image
© RIA Novosti/Alexei Druzhinin
From left: Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff, Chinese President Xi Jinping and the President of South Africa Jacob Zuma during a meeting with the heads of state and government of the BRICS member countries
The BRICS members have kicked off consultations on an alternative to the global SWIFT system that processes about 1.8 billion financial messages annually, said Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov.

The BRICS system for the transmission of financial information is expected to protect the member countries from any possible disruptions, and provide better security.

"The finance ministers and executives of the BRICS central banks are negotiating ... setting up payment systems and moving on to settlements in national currencies. SWIFT or not, in any case we're talking about ... a transnational multilateral payment system that would provide greater independence, would create a definite guarantee for [BRICS - ed.]countries on risks associated with arbitrary decisions ...made by countries that have current payment systems under their jurisdiction," Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told RIA in an interview published Wednesday.
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