Tag Archives: obama

International, U.S.

War Were Declared (almost): Arab League wants war, demands the United Nations invade Syria! Russia demands to see proof of AL claims!

February 12, 2012, the Arab League (AL) is calling for an end to “all forms of diplomatic cooperation”, and “tighter economic sanctions”.  Instead they want war with Syria!

In a new AL resolution, they are demanding military action by the United Nations. The resolution also says all forms of communication with Syrian rebels should be opened up.  (‘communications’ is a military term that also means supplies, like weapons and ammo)

Saudi Foreign Minister, Saud al-Faisal, backs that up saying the AL should “give all forms of support” to the rebels.

Russia doubts the sincerity of the Arab League, and says the AL observers weren’t in Syria long enough to collect viable evidence: “We would like to know why they are treating such a useful instrument in this way. I would support an increased number of observers. We are surprised that after a decision was taken on prolonging the observers’ mission for another month, some countries, particularly Persian Gulf countries, recalled their observers from the mission.”-Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister

The AL’s resolution will be presented to the UN on the same day that the Human Rights Commission is to make their report, February 13.  It’s been reported that the Human Rights Commission will make charges of war crimes against the Syrian government.  (think we’d see such charges brought against the U.S. government?)

The UN General Assembly could go around the UN Security Council, on the grounds of human rights violations.  Russia and China vetoed the UNSC resolution against Syria.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

Red Horse & Lebanon: U.S. supported Civil War in Syria spreads to Lebanon

Lebanon used to be part of Syria, before the French separated it after World War One.  Now those who are anti-Syria (and probably backed up by the U.S., Europe or Israel) are attacking pro-Syrian Lebanese.

On February 10, fighting got so bad in Tripoli, that Lebanese troops were called in.  The gun battle lasted until February 11, leaving two dead and 20 wounded.

Some analysts say the fighting is between Lebanese Alawi Muslims and Sunni Muslims.  In Syria, most of the Ba’ath party officials are said to be Alawi Muslims.  Most Muslims in Lebanon are Shi’a (and they make up 47% of the total population).

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Iran builds two more attack submarines, will target U.S. aircraft carriers

“…if an ordinary submarine can sit in the Persian Gulf’s bed it would be the worst threat to the enemy. That is one of the U.S. concerns since Iranian submarines are noiseless and can easily evade detection as they are equipped with the sonar evading technology…When the submarine sits on the seabed it can easily target and hit an aircraft carrier traversing in the nearby region.”-Rear Admiral Farhad Amiri

February 9, 2012, Iran announced it has completed two more high tech attack mini submarines, designed to patrol the Persian Gulf.  They claim the submarines are 100% built in Iran.

The Ghadir class mini submarines are small (some say they look like a submarine made by North Korea), and can fire Hoot supercavitating rocket powered torpedoes, which are far too fast for a ship to avoid.  Those torpedoes could be based on the Soviet rocket torpedoes developed during the Cold War.

The latest subs will join at least three other subs that were completed in 2009.  Here’s pics of them.  Iran has not revealed how many of the mini subs they have, but USAToday estimates they have 12 mini subs (and three big Russian designed submarines).

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Kit Bashing & What Economic Recovery? United States to help Japan’s economy by dropping illegal tariffs, pay back Japan $26 million in illegal tariffs

“We have finally put these burdensome and potentially damaging trade disputes behind us.”-Ron Kirk, U.S. Trade Representative

For decades the U.S. has imposed high tariffs on imports (so much for free trade), claiming the tariffs were “anti-dumping” fines.   The problem is that some of the foreign products affected by those U.S. tariffs were actually cheaper in the country of origin (like plastic model kits from Japan, and some from Europe).

Even after the U.S. created World Trade Organization ruled against the U.S. (five years ago!), regarding the anti-dumping tariffs, the United States continued the unfair trade policy.

Now, in an effort to help Japan’s, and Europe’s, ailing economy, and because Japan was about to levy a similar tariff on U.S. products, the United States will end those tariffs.  The U.S. has also agreed to pay back $26 million in illegal tariffs collected on Japanese products.

The end of the anti-dumping duties also affects European countries.

Unfortunately for us model kit builders, the ending of the tariff might not help our wallets, as the Yen and Euro have gained in value against the U.S. dollar.  The Euro now worth more than the U.S. dollar, but, the Yen is still far cheaper so lets hope those prices come down on Tamiya, Fujimi, Hasegawa and coveted Fine Molds kits.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: U.S. imposes sanction after sanction against Iran, Acts of War

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

February 6, 2012, Nobel Peace prize winner, U.S. President Barack Obama, has issued an executive order blocking all Iranian government assets held in U.S. banks.  An executive order means he did this without involving Congress.

This move follows additional sanctions made in January, which effectively cut off Iran’s private banking sector from doing business with the West.

The sanctioning of Iran’s banks come after it was clear that oil embargoes won’t work, since Iran is itself working on a bill to end oil shipments to Europe.

If you study military science you’ll realize that sanctions are indeed acts of war (it’s what caused the Japanese to attack Pearl Harbor): “When you put on strong sanctions, those are acts of war.”-Ron Paul, Texas Republican

 

International, U.S.

White Horse, Red Horse & World War 3: U.S. shuts down embassy in Syria, U.K. withdraws ambassador, Russia sends their own observers

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

Russia is sending their own observer team to Syria, after joining China in blocking the U.S. backed UNSC resolution.  Russian officials say they tried to get the U.S. to wait for a report from Russian observers, before voting on the resolution: “Certain Western states are trying to obscure the developments with hysterical statements on Russia’s veto of the Syria resolution. To put the Syria resolution to a vote despite our request to wait for Russia’s report after its visit to Damascus is disrespectful.”-Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia  

Russia also insists the so called democracy movement is an insurrection by the U.S., and Arab countries not friendly with Syria: “The Russian establishment and public opinion don’t buy the picture of a peaceful pro-democracy movement suppressed by dictatorship. Well trained and heavily armed rebel groups have support from the outside, primarily from Saudi Arabia and Qatar.”-Fyodor Lukyanov, Russian foreign policy analyst

Also today, the Nobel Peace prize winning U.S. President Barack Obama ordered the closing of the U.S. embassy in Syria.  Even though Obama makes statements saying foreign military intervention should not occur, closing your embassy is usually associated with an expected increase in warlike violence.

The United Kingdom has recalled its ambassador to Syria. Again, another move usually associated with war.  U.K. Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has also made a formal complaint with the Syrian ambassador in London.

Hague has also accused Russia and China of “betraying the Syrian people”.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

White Horse, Black Horse & World War 3: Western oil embargoes not about Iran’s nuclear industry, or controling the oil itself, it’s all about controling the international oil market (the Beast). We the People are the losers, the Global Oil Industry is the winner.

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

In 1971 U.S. President Richard Nixon (a Republican Christian) stopped using gold to back up the value of the U.S. dollar.  This was because the rest of the world figured out a way around the global domination of the gold backed U.S. dollar, by buying up U.S. gold.  It was causing problems for the U.S. domestic economy.

In 1973 the Arab members of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) embargoed oil to the United States, officially in retaliation of U.S. support for Israel, but more because OPEC wanted to better control the price of oil.  You see, after Nixon took the dollar off the gold standard, other countries followed suit.  The result was that money lost value big time, so much so that OPEC wanted to take gold for oil, instead of cash.

Nixon to the rescue, again.  In back room meetings, literally, the Nixon administration made a deal with Saudi Arabia: They could have more say in the price of oil if buyers were forced to use the U.S. dollar (now you know why we’re in the pockets of the Saudis).

…and that no man might buy or sell, save he had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.

This is where the term petrodollars comes from.  The deal involves the New York Mercantile Exchange (aka NYMEX, aka Commodities Exchange.  Now controlled by CME Group), and London’s International Petroleum Exchange, or IPE (now you know why the British Empire, our mortal enemy, is tied to the United States).

Canada has their own petrodollars, and it might be the real reason their desire to build a pipeline (called Keystone) through the U.S. was recently shot down by President Barack Obama (a Democrat Christian).  You see Obama really is a U.S. oil man (forget all that ‘protecting the environment’ BS), and Canada don’t trade their oil for U.S. dollars (they have their own dollar thank you very much). But since Canada is part of the British Empire we don’t go to war with them, yet.

And he had power to give life unto the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak, and cause as many as would not worship the beast should be killed.

Now for the real reason we invaded Iraq: Saddam Hussein refused to worship the beast.  He started taking Euros instead of going through the U.S. dollar controlled NYMEX, or the IPE.  Iraq never had a military, or enough allies to counter any military attack by the United States, so we invaded and had him humiliated and hung.

Iraq was never tied to al Qaeda, in fact it was Saddam who kept bin Laden and his types out of Iraq.  Iraq never had weapons of mass destruction, that was proven before we invaded, during the invasion and after the invasion.

It wasn’t even about the Iraqi oil itself.  Just look at the lack of U.S. oil companies now involved with pumping Iraqi oil. It was all about maintaining U.S. global hegemony through the forced use of U.S. petrodollars.

In 2006, Ron Paul (a true conservative Republican Christian) wrote about how the whole War on Terror was an excuse for the U.S./U.K. petrodollar system (the beast), and its political supporters (including those who think it’s God’s Will that we dominate), to maintain dominance over the world.

Libya: Qaddafi refused to worship the beast. He made deals with the Russians and Chinese, circumventing the U.S. Petrodollar. It had nothing to do with ‘democracy’.  Just look at what’s happening their now, and who controls the oil?

Unfortunately for Qaddafi Russia and China didn’t feel backing him up was worth it, so the U.S. and NATO backed up the mercenary armies, who beat a shot Qaddafi to death while they streamed it to the world on their cell phones.  This after Qaddafi did everything the British and U.S. wanted him to do, in order to become ‘legitimate’ and have President Bush Jr remove Libya from the rogue nation terrorist list!

Pakistan refuses to worship the beast.  The real reason there’s warmonger talk against Pakistan by our officials is because they buy their oil from Iran.  It’s not about the War on Terror, after all, the Pakistani army has lost more troops, police and civilians fighting the Taliban than we have!

Syria refuses to worship the beast.  They control major oil pipelines running from Iraq and Iran to the Mediterranean.  Iranian oil companies operate in Syria. The U.S. supported violence (the Free Syrian Army admits they are supported by the U.S. and Israel) is not about ‘democracy’!

Iran is not only refusing to worship the beast, but is standing up to it. Iran actually has a powerful, self reliant and up to date military.  They have powerful allies like Russia and China.  They also have created the world’s first oil trading market that takes anything but U.S. dollars for oil.  Yes they even barter for their oil.  A recent report in the Israeli media says Iran, India and China are about to start trading oil for gold (just like the Saudis wanted to do back in 1973).

The U.S. is walking on egg shells in regards to Iran.  So far all the threats from our government are just hot air.  Russia and China have made it clear they will support Iran.  Russian officials have even said that Syria is the red line the the U.S. must not cross.

Now the U.S. is attempting back room deals with countries like Pakistan and China.  Several reports say U.S. officials are trying to get the Pakistanis to give up cheap Iranian natural gas, in exchange for cheap U.S. natural gas.  Similar offers are being made to China for natural gas, oil and refined fuel.  Not only will such deals benefit the U.S. oil industry, it will help the U.S. dollar because they’ll have to use it to buy our stuff.  It’s hoped such deals will also isolate Iran’s oil industry, and destroy their successful oil market.

U.S. petroleum products are now the number one export of the United States.  This means controlling the ‘market’ is even more important.  Price is everything and what the U.S. is doing will only drive up prices.

It’s clear why the U.S. would embargo Iranian oil; ’cause it will drive up prices, which is what our oil industry puppet leaders want.  What about Europe? The EU finally agreed to embargo new oil deals with Iran, but several European oil industry leaders say it will be disastrous for their industry (Note: British Petroleum is exempt from the EU embargo. Remember, most of the British Empire is involved with U.S. petrodollars).

On January 28, Bloomberg media reported that Italy will see at least 70 refineries shut down because of the EU embargo.  Iran says it could stop all oil sales to Europe.  But this is what the U.S. petrodollar lovers want, because it will drive up prices.  The U.S. created International Monetary Fund said there will be an instant 20-30% increase in oil prices.  Iranian officials say oil will almost instantly jump to $150 per barrel.

This is a losing situation for us average Joes, but when you think about it, it’s a win-win for the oil industry!

If the U.S. is successful in destroying Iran’s independent oil market, then there is a list of other countries who could be next.  Cuba, they have oil and they don’t take U.S. dollars (why you think Romney and Gingrich, both claim to be Christians,  said they would bomb Cuba if they became President?).  Venezuela don’t take U.S. dollars, why you think we tried to kill Hugo Chavez?  Ecuador; did you even know there’s been attempted U.S. supported rebellions there?  China, they’ve been making oil for infrastructure improvement deals that allow them to get around the petrodollar beast.

By the way if you research who attacked the United States on September 11, 2001, you’ll see it did not involve anyone from Afghanistan or Iraq.  It involved mainly people from the Arabian Peninsula (and one person from Egypt, one person from Lebanon), not one Iraqi, not one Afghan.   The bin Laden family is from the Arabian Peninsula, not Iraq, not Afghanistan!  The October 12, 2000, attack on the USS Cole was done by people from the Arabian Peninsula (it actually took place on the Arabian Peninsula).  Yet, a Federal judge, under the Bush Jr administration, ruled that the African country Sudan was to blame!

It’s obvious that those who’ve been attacking the United States are from the Arab Peninsula (mainly Saudi Arabia), yet we don’t dare attack them. Why? Because they’re part of the petrodollar beast that was created back in 1973!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? IMF says no such thing for the United States! Blame your Elite leaders! De-leveraging will continue until the economy improves, and that means you!

And he causesth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: and that no man might buy or sell…

When an individual is deleveraged, it means they can no longer buy or sell using credit/debit cards, or even checks, as their accounts have been frozen.

January 24, 2012, the International Monetary Fund released some reports concerning economic recovery.  It’s not good, in fact for the average person it ain’t gonna happen.

“The global recovery is threatened by intensifying strains in the euro area and fragilities elsewhere. Financial conditions have deteriorated, growth prospects have dimmed, and downside risks have escalated.”

They not only blame it on the economic/financial disaster slowly unfolding in Europe, but the IMF blames U.S. business and government leaders as well.

“…risk arises from insufficient progress in developing medium-term fiscal consolidation [this is another way of saying ‘downsizing’ spending, or, more business closings and layoffs are needed, ie Mitt Romney style of capitalism] plans in the United States…”

“…as long as public debt levels are projected to rise over the medium term, and in the absence of well-defined and credible fiscal consolidation strategies, there is the possibility of turmoil in global bond and currency markets. A more immediate risk is that an accident-prone [a nice way to say our leaders are incompetent] political economy will lead to excessive fiscal tightening in the near term in the United States.”

If U.S. warmongering over Iran actually stops the oil flow then it’s guaranteed things will get worse: “The oil market impact of intensified concerns about an Iran-related oil supply shock (or an actual disruption) would be large…”

The IMF is pushing “deleveraging”, or the reduction of debt, held by governments, companies, banks and “households”, as a major part of stabilizing the world economy.

Deleveraging has already hit U.S. households in the form of the mortgage fiasco, as well as credit card companies (too big to fail banks) arbitrarily canceling credit for individuals and small businesses.

Remember, those too big to fail banks got bailed out when they were faced with “deleveraging”, but do we get bailed out when they forcefully deleverage us?  Hell no!

The IMF says deleveraging of households (meaning most of you. I’ve already been arbitrarily deleveraged having never missed a payment, never been late with a payment, and actually paid more than the minimum due. That is until I was deleveraged) will continue until the economy improves.

“In many advanced [includes United States] economies, notably those with external deficits, the deleveraging of households is set to continue for some time.“

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & Taxes: The IRS says 4,000 people officially renounce U.S. citizenship because of taxes

…there before me was a black horse! Its rider was holding a pair of scales in his hand. Then I heard what sounded like a voice among the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a day’s wages, and three quarts of barley for a day’s wages, and do not damage the oil and the wine!”

According to Nina Olsen, of the Taxpayer Advocate Service (an office of the Internal Revenue Service), at least 4,000 people, from 2005 to 2010, officially renounced their U.S. citizenship specifically over taxes.

What’s more important is that those number have greatly increased with every passing year.  In Federal Fiscal Year 2008 it was 148 people, but in 2010 1,534 people gave up being ‘Americans’, because of taxes.

Not all the numbers are in for 2011, but for the first half of last year 1,024 people quit the U.S.

Nina Olsen told Congress that the biggest reason for people leaving the U.S., to avoid taxes, is that they are confused “…by the complex legal and reporting requirements they face and are overwhelmed by the prospect of having to comply with them.”

Other economists agree: “…the tax code is just maddening in the complexity, and they don’t necessarily want to soak the rich but they don’t like to see when companies like General Electric get all these preferences!”-John Berlau, economic analyst

A CBS News poll found 52% of people in the U.S. believe “unearned” income (capital gains, dividends, ie Mitt Romney style income) should be taxed the same as “earned” income (that’s right Romney did not “earn” his income under current tax rules).

Olsen also accused the IRS (whom she actually works for) of tricking people who owe back taxes, with “…the promise of reduced penalties, only to find themselves subjected to steeper penalties.”

Anyone remember the official reason for the Revolutionary War that created the United States?  “No taxation without representation!”

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3 & Government/Corporate Incompetence: United States and Europe will suffer from loss of Iranian oil, expect $150 per barrel oil soon, Iran now economically independent

A visit from the International Atomic Energy Agency seems to have put a vote by Iranian lawmakers, to stop oil shipments, on hold.

On Sunday, January 29, the vote was postponed.  One factor is debate over how long Iran should block sales of oil to Europe; some lawmakers want a five year block, while others want 15 years.

Iran’s Oil Minister, Rostam Qasemis, has pointed out that stopping oil shipments to Europe, or the United States, will not greatly affect Iran’s oil business. In the case of the EU, he says they get only 20% of Iran’s oil exports.  British media say it’s 25%, but that’s still not enough to adversely affect Iran’s economy.

Qasemis also said Iran is on the verge of being completely independent when it comes to oil industry supplies: “We can produce all the items needed for the (oil) industry inside the country and cut our needs to the foreign counties through relying on the ability and knowledge of local experts.” 

The International Monetary Fund is also warning the West of any stoppage of oil from Iran.  Some Western media reports say the IMF predicts world oil prices could soar 20-30% if Iran halts oil exports.  And that’s only at the beginning of the oil stoppage.

Managing Director of the National Iranian Oil Company, Ahmad Qalebani, said that when oil exports to the EU are ended you can expect oil prices to immediately jump to $150 per barrel.  Again, that will only hurt the U.S. and Europe, not Iran.

In fact the increase in oil prices would only benefit Iran.  At only $85 per barrel, Iranian officials say they will see $57 billion in revenue from March 2012 to March 2013. They’d love $150 per barrel.  And to think our own leaders want to embargo Iranian oil.  (gotta love the global oil industry)