Early March 16, 2012, six Arab countries announced they were closing their embassies in Syria.
Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, have also expelled Syrian ambassadors from their capitals.
Category Archives: International
Oil & Gas Prices: Incompetent Chevron creates new spill in Brazil, unknown oil spill near Seattle, U.S. fisherman still waiting for money from 2010 BP oil spill
Only a few days after Chevron announced it was hopeful in restating oil production in Brazil, ooops, there goes another one!
March 15, 2012, Chevron reported another oil spill, just 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from last November’s spill. The spill was actually noticed on March 4, but Chevron didn’t report it until now because they didn’t know where it was coming from!
In the U.S. state of Washington, the Department of Ecology is trying to figure out what kind of oil is spilling from two sunken barges. The oil spill is forming near Lummi Island.
Salvage companies were in the process of cutting up the sunken barges when the oil spilled out. Some officials say the oil could be coming from under the barges. The spill is affecting 200 feet of shoreline.
In U.S. states along the Gulf of Mexico, fisherman still haven’t been paid by British Petroleum. In 2010 an estimated 4.9 million barrels of oil were spilled by BP operations, shutting down the fishing industry.
The Commercial Fishermen of America say at least $2.5 billion in damages were done to the Louisiana fishing industry alone! The numbers of fish are still below pre-spill levels!
Recently a settlement was made, but it could take years for all the money to be issued. Another problem is that attorneys are about to unleash a campaign to convince people they can get their money fast, if they only go through their law firm.
Because it will take so long for the money to be issued, the Gulf states could still lose 2,650 to 3,975 jobs, with earnings losses of $68 million to $103 million!
Government/Corporate Evil: EU cuts funding for Hungary, Hungary tells EU to F Off!
“Hungarians will not live as foreigners dictate, will not give up their independence or their freedom, therefore they will not give up their constitution either!”-Viktor Orban, Prime Minister of Hungary
March 15, 2012, Hungary’s Prime Minister told the European Union to basically F Off!
On March 13, 2012, EU finance ministers suspended half a billion Euros worth of aid to Hungary. They said it was because Hungary was not co-operating on their demands for fiscal reform.
“This provides a strong incentive for Hungary to conduct sound and sustainable fiscal policy.”-Olli Rehn, EU Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner
But that’s not the only reason the EU is angry with Hungary. Hungary has a constitution that states that Hungarians will not recognize laws created by foreigners!
Hungarians are holding anti-EU rallies, and the Prime Minister gave a defiant speech: “Freedom means that we decide about the laws governing our own life, we decide what is important and what isn’t. From the Hungarian perspective, with a Hungarian mindset, following the rhythm of our Hungarian hearts. We will not be a colony!”
The EU is now threatening legal action if Hungary does not change its constitution.
Government/Corporate Evil: Greek taxes will increase, collections to be privatized, EU officials sending in the tax collecting troops
At the end of February the European Union said it was sending in tax collection forces to help the new, unelected Greek government take money from the people.
On March 15, 2012, the EU tax collection task force (including 160 German tax man troops!) said Greece has already collected about U.S.$1.2 billion.
On March 14, 2012, New Democracy party leader Antonis Samaras, said not only is the Greek government going to increase taxes, but they’re going to privatize the tax collection business: “If necessary we will get tax oriented companies like KPMG to help collect taxes. We have to make an appeal for outsourcing, even in collecting taxes and we’ll also try to make public employees more competitive.”
Making public employees “more competitive” is code for reducing their pay and benefits even more! Now you know why the Greek people are still fighting in the streets.
KPMG is a Swiss company that specializes in tax collections. They have operations in the United States, and more than 150 countries!
World War 3: Germany to keep troops in Afghanistan beyond 2014
“A strategic pact is going to be signed between German Chancellor and Afghan president Hamid Karzai in the near future, but Germany is a close friend of Afghanistan besides the strategic pact and will continue to its cooperation. Germany remains committed to support Afghanistan economically and technically beyond 2014.”-Thomas de Maiziére, German Defense Minister
Without giving details the Defense Minister of Germany said his country will continue to provide Afghanistan will economic and technical support for years to come.
Afghan officials seemed pleased: “Germany has always been supportive whenever Afghanistan was in crisis and the Afghan government and people urge for further cooperation of Germany.”-Abdul Rahim Wardak, Afghan Defense Minister
Oil & Gas Prices: Despite oil glut, U.K. & U.S. to release strategic petroleum reserves! Oil experts say there is no good reason for it! Sign that war with Iran is a done deal!!!
“The government is playing retail politics with energy and not solving the underlying problem. It does more damage than good.”-John Hoffmeister, former president of Royal Dutch Shell Oil
March 15, 2012, President Barack Obama, and Prime Minister David Cameron announced they will release oil from their respective Strategic Petroleum Reserves. However, there is no oil shortage, and prices are high only because of speculation, not supply or demand!
The U.S. oil industry is being flooded with oil from Canada and the U.S. state of North Dakota! And concerning the high prices of oil, Exxon Mobil CEO, Rex Tillerson, said to blame that on the speculators!
But it looks like Obama and Cameron are playing to the speculators, because price began dropping soon after the announcement. Oil analysts have said speculators are concerned with future oil supplies if a war with Iran was going to happen. Is this a sign that war with Iran is a done deal?
World War 3: Al Qaeda says kill all Shi’a in Saudi Arabia, bomb explodes at Saudi embassy in Yemen, Saudi forces attack women
March 15, 2012, the U.S. supported al-Qaeda has ordered the killing of all Shi’a Muslims in Saudi Arabia!
Said al-Shihri, who leads al-Qaeda militants in the Salafi/Wahab dominated Arabian Peninsula, has ordered the killing of Shi’a protesters, and the stealing of their property!
Shihri said the Saudi government, and Wahhabi extremist leaders, have not done enough to repress the Shi’a uprising!
A 2008 BBC documentary proved that al-Qaeda was a creation of the United States, that relied on Salafi/Wahab extremists. That documentary is called The Power of Nightmares, you can watch it here.
“There is also no evidence bin Laden used the term ‘al Qaeda‘ to refer to a name of a group, until after September 11th when he realized that this was the name the Americans had given him.”-Power of Nightmares, Part 3, The Shadows in the Cave
Since March 2011, people in Saudi Arabia have been protesting their U.S. supported government. In the past few weeks those protests have been increasing.
On March 7, 2012, as many as one thousand female students protested at the King Khalid University in Abha, Asir Province. U.S. supported Saudi police cracked down, killing one woman, wounding 50, and causing one pregnant protester to miscarry. 30 university professors resigned in disgust!
Also, on March 1, 2012, protestors in cities along the Persian Gulf, attacked major oil pipelines at Awamiyah. There were reports of explosions, and there are pics of fires at the oil port facilities.
Oil prices went up, then back down after the Saudi government denied any attacks on oil facilities. U.S. media blamed the initial report on Iranian media, however it was actually Arab media sources that first reported it!
Also on March 15, 2012, Saudi officials say a car bomb exploded at their embassy in Yemen. This is not the first time Saudi officials have been targeted in Yemen, as they are helping the United States support the government there.
World War 3: Karzai demands U.S. troops pull back, U.S. officials blow him off, Taliban end talks with U.S. officials, Afghans want the U.S. out now!
The Taliban have called off all negotiations with the United States, saying the Americans are nothing but back stabbers: “The Americans initially agreed to take practical steps regarding the exchange of prisoners and to not oppose our political office but with the passage of time, they turned their backs on their promises and started initiating baseless propaganda portraying the envoys of the Islamic Emirate as having commenced multilateral negotiations for solving the Afghan dilemma…”
The Taliban say they will not resume negotiations “…until the Americans clarify their stance on the issues concerned and until they show willingness in carrying out their promises instead of wasting time.”
Afghan President Hamid Karzai told off U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panette, telling him all “international security forces have to be taken out of Afghan village outposts and return to (larger) bases.” as well as insisting that Afghanistan can handle its own security: “We’re ready to take over all security responsibilities now……Afghan security forces have the ability to keep the security in rural areas and in villages on their own!”
Basically Karzai wants the United States out by next year!
Afghans are in the streets demanding the U.S. get out now!
The Associated Press reported that Pentagon officials didn’t think Karzai meant what he said. Statements from U.S. President Barack Obama support that: “I don’t anticipate, at this stage, that we’re going to be making any sudden, additional changes to the plan that we currently have.”
Thousands of Afghans are protesting what they see as dirty tricks regarding the handling of the “lone” shooter, in the Panjwaii massacre.
The Times revealed that in his meeting with Karzai, Leon Panette simply said the shooter would be brought to justice. Under Islamic law it is the right of the victims to demand how that justice is carried out: “It was the demand of the families of the martyrs of this incident, the people of Kandahar and the people of Afghanistan to try him publicly in Afghanistan!”-Mohammad Naeem Lalai Hamidzai, Afghan politician
Hamidzai was part of the parliament appointed investigation that concluded there was at least 20 U.S. personnel involved in the Panjwaii shooting.
While Panette was telling Karzai that justice would be done, the U.S. military quietly flew the “lone” shooter to Kuwait. Afghans see this as more insult to injury at the hands of the United States, because it proves the United States is not there to help them rebuild their country, because the U.S. totally disses on them (disrespects & oppresses) all the time!
Government Incompetence: Foreign food making more people in the U.S. sick. Blame Republican budget cuts!
“The Food and Drug Administration is really only checking about 2% of the food that’s imported into the U.S., so a lot can go unchecked and problems may not be found.”-Erik Olson, Pew Health Group
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is warning that cuts to imported food inspections have resulted in increased illness, and it could get worse: “As our food supply becomes more global, people are eating foods from all over the world, potentially exposing them to germs from all corners of the world…”-Hannah Gould, CDC epidemiologist
From 2005 to 2010, 2,348 illnesses in the United States were linked to imported foods. Food poisoning caused by imported fish made up 45% of the cases! In those cases the fish came from Asian sources.
The next highest cause of food illness was imported spices, most being dried peppers.
The number one cause of food poisoning is norovirus followed by salmonella. In 2008 there were 23,152 cases with 22 deaths.
To make things worse, the Republican controlled U.S. Congress has pushed new inspection rules on the FDA, yet has cut funding for inspections over the years. Activists say that’s not going to work: “Our concern is that, with all the new requirements for imports and all the new protections that are envisioned, that unless FDA gets a bump-up in resources, it’s going to be very hard, if not impossible, for the agency to do its job.”– Erik Olson, Pew Health Group
World War 3: French military base attacked, two killed. Second attack this week!
March 15, 2012, a military base in France was hit by a drive by shooter. Two French soldiers are dead, another is wounded.
It happened near the southwestern city of Montauban. The base is home to the 17th Parachute Engineer Regiment.
Thursday’s shooter was riding a scooter. On Sunday, March 11, a shooter riding a motorcycle in a residential area of Toulouse, 46 kilometers (29 miles) south of Montauban, shot and killed one French soldier.
Officials say they do not have a motive, but are considering that it might be a personal dispute between the shooter and the soldiers.