Category Archives: International

International, U.S.

World War 3: War back on between Israel and Palistinians, Egypt condemns Israel

“This round in Gaza is far from being over….They will pay a heavy price, and no one will have immunity!”-Ehud Barak, Israeli Defense Minister

After years of Israeli harassment (since the 2008/2009 Gaza war) in the form of occasional air strikes, ground raids, economic blockades, humanitarian aid blockades, a reneged prisoner swap deal, cutting off fuel and electricity, and in the past few weeks non stop Israeli terror drone strikes, Palestinian leaders in Gaza Strip have almost declared war on Israel!

Since last week more than a dozen Palestinians have been killed by Israeli air strikes, finally, in recent days, Gazans are retaliating by launching rockets into Israel.

The latest Israeli air strike took place March 10, 2012, using a terror drone they killed at least one man, and wounded 15 people (some reports say 15 people were killed).  An Israeli ground operation saw a tank blasting away at Palestinians, possibly killing as many as 13 people.  An Israeli infantry attack was launched against a funeral procession.

Its being reported that the mourners in the funeral procession were chanting “No more truce with Israel!” Various Palestinian groups are saying they’re mad as hell and they’re not gonna take it anymore: “We won’t give this occupation a free truce while our leaders and heroes are being killed!”-Abu Mujahid, Popular Resistance Committee

Israeli officials say that more than 65 rockets from Gaza Strip hit Israeli territory on March 9, 2012.  Palestinians said the rocket attack was in retaliation for several days of air strikes by the Israelis.

Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Mohamed Kamel Amr, is demanding that Israel stop its aggression towards Palestinians: “Egypt is highly distraught by the Israeli attacks. Egypt is currently exerting efforts and making crucial calls for an immediate end to this Israeli escalation, to end the bloodshed of our brothers!”

 

 

 

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

FBI takes Murdoch investigation to Russia, Murdoch price fixing e-books, BSkyB could lose license, Fair & Balanced?

March 10, 2012, Canadian media reporting that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is expanding their investigation of Rupert Murdoch into Russia!

Murdoch’s News Corp controls several Russian media organizations, including News Outdoor Russia (NOR). NOR says they “…continues to operate in accordance with the laws of jurisdictions relevant to its operation, including those applicable to Russian operating companies and subsidiaries of U.S. listed publicly traded companies.”

This follows news that the U.S. Justice Department intends to sue several e-book publishers for price fixing, one of those include HarperCollins Publishers, a unit of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp (by the way, it also includes Apple).

Reuters also reporting that James Murdoch might be forced to resign from the satellite TV provider BSkyB.  The “independent” U.K. broadcast regulator Ofcom is investigating connections between James Murdoch, News Corp and BSkyB.

That investigation could revoke BSkyB’s license to operate.

I bet the Murdoch family is hoping that the investigations into their empire are, just as Fox News arrogantly claims for itself, “Fair and Balanced”.

 

 

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

Government Incompetence: After arresting WikiLeaks founder, now the U.K. government asks WikiLeaks for help!

“Leveson Inquiry has asked WikiLeaks for a submission on corruption in the UK press. We have submitted over 100 pages.”-WikiLeaks statement

The British government is now asking its enemy, WikiLeaks, for help in uncovering the ongoing Rupert Murdoch, police/News Corp corruption scandal!

Murdoch’s  (an Australian who became a U.S. citizen just so he could legally start Fox News in the U.S.)  media empire is being investigated for bribing police and government officials (even here in the U.S.).  Already several police officials have lost their jobs in the U.K., including the boss of Scotland Yard.

Back in January 2011, Julian Assange (also from Australia) told British investigators that he had “insurance files” on Rupert Murdoch: “There are 504 U.S. embassy cables on one broadcasting organization and there are cables on Murdoch and News Corp.”  

It’s only now that hypocritical, and incompetent, British officials are turning to WikiLeaks for help in their investigation of Murdoch!

 

International

Military Incompetence: Italy says the U.K. Royally F—ed Up a hostage rescue mission in Nigeria

“The behavior of the British government in not informing Italy is inexplicable.”-Giorgio Napolitano, President of Italy

In Nigeria two hostages were killed when the British tried to rescue them.  One hostage was a Brit, the other Italian.  Italian officials are pissed off to say the least.  They claim they were not told about the rescue attempt until afterwards.

The arrogant British defense secretary, Philip Hammond, swears they kept the Italian government informed, but then admits the Italians never agreed to such an operation: “I don’t think they specifically approved it.”

With friends like the United Kingdom, who needs enemies?

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3 & Government Incompetence?: U.S. Senator calls for blocking all Iranian oil, even thought it would destroy U.S. allies. War with Iran is meant to allow the U.S. to become a major oil exporter

Days after a UBS oil analyst said ten countries (allies of the U.S.) would be destroyed if Iranian oil was cut off, a dumb U.S. Senator proposes to cut off Iranian oil!

In a Friday interview with C-SPAN’s (Cable-Satellite Public Affairs Network) Newsmakers program, democrat Carl Levin says he wants to use the U.S. Navy to blockade Iranian oil shipments.

Levin is inviting other countries to join in: “I think (these are) options that whoever is willing to participate should explore, including Israel and including the United States.”

Levin admitted that alternative oil supplies would have to be found for the allies of the United States.  Mmmm, you mean like the United States now that it actually has too much oil on hand (recently the CEO of Exxon Mobil said the U.S. oil “…markets are well supplied.”)?  Now we know the real reason for going to war against the World’s second largest petroleum producer  (oil from Canada and North Dakota is actually creating a surplus in the U.S.).

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: UBS says war with Iran will destroy U.S. allies

Julius Walker, an oil analyst with Swiss based financial company UBS, says war with Iran could destroy ten countries, from lack of oil.

He told Business Insider that not only would the price of oil skyrocket past $250 per barrel, but the economies of ten countries could be devastated.

Those ten countries are actually allies of the United States (and some are already on the verge of collapse): China, India, Japan, South Korea, Turkey, Italy, Spain, Greece, South Africa and France.  Maybe they won’t be allies for very long?

 

International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Sudden increase in U.S. Assassination Terror Drone attacks, more than 50 people killed in past 24 hours, Obama proves he is more a warmonger than Bush Jr

There seems to be a sudden increase in the use of U.S. terror drones (UAV, unmanned aerial vehicle); four attacks in a 24 hour period, killing more than 50 people.

On March 10, 2012, at least four Afghan civilians were reported killed after a U.S. drone strike in Kapisa Province, Afghanistan.

In Yemen, on March 9, 2012, local security forces say a drone strike killed as many as 35 people.   It happened in the south eastern province of al-Bayda.  Then in the early morning of March 10, security forces reported yet another U.S. drone strike in the same area, this time killing at least 10 “militants”.  The people of Yemen have been fighting a Revolution against the U.S. supported government for at least two years now.

In Pakistan, conflicting reports about a drone attack there.  On March 9, 2012, officials said two missiles from a U.S. drone hit a vehicle, killing between eight and 13 militants.  Western reports say the militants would not let anyone get near the bodies, but, regional media said one of the missiles hit a house, killing another seven people.  It happened in South Waziristan Province.

According to Agence France-Presse, there were at least 45 U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan in 2009, 101 in 2010 and 64 in 2011.

Counting the March 9 attack, there have been eight known U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan, since the beginning of 2012.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism says at least 3,000 people have been killed by U.S. terror drones, in Pakistan, in the past eight years.   Under the Bush Jr administration there were 52 drone attacks in Pakistan.  So far, Peace Prize winning Barack Obama has launched more than 360 U.S. drone attacks in Pakistan!!!

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Financial Incompetence: After ratings agencies declare Greece in default, IMF offers yet another billion dollar loan!

March 10, 2012, just hours after Moody’s declared Greece in full default the U.S. based International Monetary Fund offers Greece another multi-billion Euro loan.

Moody’s declared Greece in full default after Greece agreed to a new sovereign debt (government bonds) swap deal, which will see 53% of Greece’s debt erased.  Many holders of Greek bonds will be forced to take losses.

Now Christine Lagarde, Managing Director of the IMF, is offering Greece a U.S. $36.7 billion loan.  That’s on top of the other loans Greece is still waiting for.

So credit ratings companies are saying Greece is not in a position to pay back more debt, yet the U.S. led world finance institutions are offering Greece more debt?  By the way, the  IMF had to borrow that money from BRICS!   In 2011, for the first time in the IMF’s history they were broke, and went ‘cap in hand’ to BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) to beg for money, so they could in turn lend it to Western countries.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? Moody’s declares Greece in full default

Earlier in the day the main stream media was reporting “good” news on the latest agreement between creditors and Greece, but that’s not how Moody’s sees it.

Moody’s says the latest deal actually pushed Greece into automatic default: “According to Moody’s definitions, this exchange represents a ‘distressed exchange’ and therefore a debt default.”

On March 9, 2012, a deal was made that allowed a debt exchange plan hoping to cancel about U.S. $143 billion dollars in Greek government bonds.

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

Oil & Gas Prices: Iraq increases oil production, North Dakota #3 oil producer, latest increase in oil prices blamed on Iran & Greece

The Iraqi government owned South Oil Company said they are about to increase oil flow from a new floating oil platform in the Persian Gulf.

The new platform is one of four to be built by an Australian company.  Each platform can flow 22,000 barrels per day.  Recently the Iraqi government said their oil production hit three million barrels per day.  This backs up the CEO of Exxon Mobil who said there is plenty of oil in the supply system.

Another proof of plenty of oil in the system; North Dakota has passed up California, as the number three oil producing state in the U.S.

Most of the oil in North Dakota comes from the controversial fracking of shale oil.  In January 2012 North Dakota’s oil production hit 546,500 barrels per day. That’s a 59% increase from January 2011!  By the way, crony capitalist Mitt Romney has hired a CEO, of one of the companies working the oil fields in North Dakota, to be his energy adviser.

Western media blaming recent increase in oil prices on Greek bailout news.  They say prices went up because (once again) a new deal has been reached, on the old deal.  It’s strange ’cause the media sometimes blames an oil price increase on the Greek deals being held up or falling through.

By the way, the Western media hasn’t really explained why the so called Greek debt problem is affecting oil prices.  Greece is not a oil producing country, and they don’t use that much petroleum compared to bigger European countries. In fact, Greece gets a lot of oil from Iran.  Maybe that’s it, they don’t want to play the sanctions game, along with my speculation about their non-compliance with Leviathan.

Western media also blaming reduction of Iranian oil bound for Europe on the price increase.  One Western source even said it was proof the oil sanctions against Iran are working.  One problem with that; Iran says they’ve made up for their cuts (note: “their” cuts, not the sanctions imposed by U.S./Europe) to Europe by increasing sales to other countries.  So who’s really getting hurt by those sanctions?