Category Archives: International

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Recent quotes from Chinese officials, commentators, business leaders and professors show China is preparing to distance itself from the United States

“The U.S. has made other economies, including China, partly pay the bill for its recovery.”– Zhang Xiaoqiang, National Development and Reform Commission

“…the global economy is strapped stiff in the chariot of the U.S. dollar.  The United States adopted quantitative easing policies and successfully levitated the inflation level on a global scale.  The country needed the world’s help to solve its debt pressure.  Its domestic economic growth can hardly free it from its debts.”-Ye Tan, National Business Daily

“More than 70% of our products are exported to the U.S. while the rest all go to Europe.  Therefore, the depreciation of the U.S. dollar as a result of an economic recession will have a great effect on us.  The only solution we can think of now is to produce high-end products.  Buyers of these goods usually care less about prices.”-Zhou Mingwang, Yiwu Mingwang Jewelry Company

“The economic situation in the United States and Europe is not going to recover within two or three years, so we will probably reduce the proportion of exports to 50%.”-Zhang Guanjin, Shaoxing Jinyong Textile Company

“It’s like gambling, it’s hard to secure substantial, long-term profits. The only thing we can do is to transfer our factories to the inland regions to reduce costs.”-Chen Xi, Wenzhou Dongyi Shoes Company

“The economic development mode, which is highly dependent on high energy consumption, heavy pollution and resource exhaustion has reached its end in China.”-Dong Dengxin, Wuhan University of Science and Technology.

“We cannot count on the U.S. promise to ensure the security of our assets [reference to the U.S. debt China holds].  We should rely more on domestic demand and become stronger by ourselves.  Don’t worry about any hard landing in China.”-Zhang Xiaojing, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Business/Economics, International

Global Economic War: Europe increases tariffs on Chinese products, again

“A series of actions adopted by the EU this year suggests that tougher trade policies adopted towards China may increase the possibility of trade protectionism.”-Bai Ming, Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation

Last November, the European Union put together a five year plan to boost European production.  The plan targets China by imposing and raising tariffs.  The goal is to force Europeans to start buying more expensive European made products by slowing, or stopping the importation of Chinese products.

Earlier this year the EU already jacked up tariffs on Chinese ceramics by 70%!  Now, as part of the five year plan, tariffs will be raised on other inexpensive products coming from China.  Several EU member countries have also boycotted products made in China.

The five year EU plan is known as ‘protectionism’.  If you know your history, protectionism became the main economic policy of many countries, including the United States, prior to the First World War, and prior to the Second World War.

Also, protectionism is the result of bad economic times, like major recessions, or depressions.  The times we’re living in now look more and more like history repeating itself.  What’s next is another World War.  Right now it looks like Europe Union has drawn the line with China, who’s next?

 

 

International

Global Class War: 100,000 Israelis protest their government, again

For weeks now lower class Israelis have been protesting the bad economic situation in Israel.  Now, August 13/14, there are hundreds of thousands of protestors in 18 Israeli cites.

Recently eleven Israeli soldiers went awol (absent with out leave) because they were starving.  Military service in Israeli is mandatory, and you must pay for certain supplies, like food, yourself.  The soldiers are from poor families, and instead of getting help from soldiers who’re better off, they were ridiculed.

The current protests are taking place in Tel Aviv, al Quds (Jerusalem), Be’er Sheba, Haifa and several others in what’s called the “periphery” (which means any place outside Tel Aviv and al Quds).

Police are out in force.  Some Israeli protestors are demanding the current Israeli government be replaced.  One arrogant, pro Zionist reporter asked one protestor: “Aren’t you asking for too many things? Don’t you think you need focus? What can you achieve like this?”

 

International, U.S.

U.S. Media hints that former U.S. cop, now chairman of private security company, might take over British Scotland Yard

The American Broadcasting Company interviewed Bill Bratton, the man just hired by the U.K. Prime Minister to help with civil disturbance issues.

In the interview ABC pressured Bratton with a question about being offered to take over Scotland Yard.

Bratton explained that the U.K. Parliament requires the person hired for that position to be a U.K. citizen.  ABC countered with a “What if a way is cleared to allow you to become head of Scotland Yard?”, Bratton responded with “I never close any door before it’s opened.”

The U.K. is downsizing its police force, and Bill Bratton just happens to run a private security company called Kroll Associates.


 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

British Bobbies pissed that U.K. Prime Minister is consulting with a U.S. Cop, all part of the plan to downsize and privatize British police force

Prime Minister David Cameron hired former Los Angeles cop, Bill Bratton, to advise him on how to handle the growing discontent of the people of the Britain.

London police are pissed off at the idea that they are not considered good enough for Cameron to consult with: “The Association of Chief Police Officers and the Federation understand U.K. legislation and are in a much better place to advise the PM than an American. Why won’t the Prime Minister consult us?”-The Met (Scotland Yard) Inspectors Branch Board statement

Part of the British government spending cuts hit the cops, not just the lower class.  Thousands of bobbies are to be laid off.  Many in Britain are wondering, as things get worse, who will be there for riot control and other civil disturbances?

The clue is in Bill Bratton. He runs a private security company, called Kroll Associates.  Could part of the “consulting” with the Prime Minister involve how to privatize law enforcement in the United Kingdom?  I wonder how the British bobbies will feel when they get laid off and join the ranks of all those unemployed young people they beat and shot (kinda like when a cop goes to prison)?

 

Business/Economics, International

Thousands of peaceful protestors hit the streets of North London, right wing media ignores it

“We shouldn’t be cutting services. We should be investing in young people, we should be investing in our society.”-protestor

August 13, thousands took to the streets in North London’s Hackney.  They were protesting all the cuts to social programs for the lower classes.  The main stream right wing media in the U.S. and U.K. ignored the protest.

The people were also protesting the police shooting of an unarmed man, and the beating of a 16 year old girl, which led to the violent rioting this past week.  However they said they didn’t support violence, even by the police: “We don’t condone damage, fires, threat to life and violence like that.  At the same time we understand why young people are angry.”-protestor

Most protestors agree that what’s needed is more jobs: “They should spend the money in this country, we need more jobs for our youngsters!”-retired man

 

 

International

Iranian President says ‘Western’ governments are the true oppressors of the world, and their own people, Iranians will protest British embassy in Tehran

“The true opposition in Britain is the people that are pushed to the ground and beaten on London streets and slain and yet no one hears their voice.”-Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of Iran

Iran will officially petition the United Kingdom over human rights violations.

On August 14, in a show of solidarity for the oppressed in Britain, Iranians plan to demonstrate in front of the U.K. embassy in Tehran.

International

Iran warns that U.K. protests & violence will spread to other countries

“This situation will definitely take place in other countries, because the people do not completely approve of their rulers, and, in many countries, the people do not want their governments, because, on the one hand, there is dictatorship and, on the other hand, the people’s demands are ignored.”-Kazem Farahmand, Iranian legislator

Many Iranian officials are comparing the unrest in Europe with the uprising of Arab people against their governments.  They believe the same will happen to “western” countries.

International, U.S.

NATO member Turkey preps for invasion of Syria, massing more troops, recalling retired officers

Turkey, a member of the U.S. led NATO, has ordered more troops to the border with Syria, and is recalling retired officers to active duty.

Turkish leaders say the troop build up is officially for an anticipated wave of refugees coming out of Syria. Why are they anticipating a huge wave of refugees?  Is it because when NATO attacked Libya, European countries, like Italy and France, were swamped with refugees?

It’s interesting that the troop build up is being done at bases of “strategic importance”.  Turkish official do admit that any NATO action against Syria would put Turkey in a bad position with the Muslim world.