Category Archives: International

International, Opinion, U.S.

So much for the claim that the U.S. is creating wars to support their military industry: Pentagon buys Russian helicopters for the Afghans

“It is the first large contract Russia signed directly with the U.S. Department of Defense.”-Sergei Prikhodko, a foreign policy aide to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev

Many critics have claimed the War on Terror is just an excuse to provide new markets for an ailing U.S. military industrial complex.  But the latest arms deal might prove otherwise.

The United States has just signed a $300 million deal with Russia, to supply the Afghan government with Russian made Mi-17 helicopters.  The manufacturer, Mil Moscow Helicopter Plant, has become involved in several Western helicopter programs, such as Eurocopter.

This might be the reason Russia suddenly changed its position regarding Gaddafi.  But, what should concern the people of the U.S. is; why in a time of economic upheaval for the working class, does the U.S. spend taxpayer money buying foreign military equipment for another country?

International, Technology, U.S.

U.S. military computers hacked by ?, weapons codes stolen

“Given the military targets, and that millions of compromised keys are in circulation, this is not over.”-Rick Moy, NSS Labs

Reuters reporting that several U.S. military contractors have been hacked.  The cyber attack might have snagged codes for high tech weapons being used in Afghanistan and Iraq.

ECM corporation admits that several of its RSA security keys were copied by hackers several months ago.  This played a role in allowing hackers to access dozens of contractor databases, possibly for weapons codes.  So far officials are not saying what the hackers actually did.

 

 

International, U.S.

Iran names 26 U.S. officials in Human Rights violation sanctions

On May 24, Iran issued a list of 26 officials from the United States that violated international Human Rights laws.

The list includes: Commander of U.S. forces in Iraq Raymond Odierno.

USS Vincennes Captain Will Rogers III.

Former FBI chief Thomas J. Pickard.

Former commander of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Geoffrey D. Miller.

Current Guantanamo commander Rear Admiral Jeffery Harbeson.

Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.

Former U.S. US administrator in Iraq Paul Bremer.

Former U.S. Army General Tommy Franks.

Iran is joined by Amnesty International, and the UN Human Rights Council in condemning the growing evidence human rights violations committed by the U.S., both outside and inside its borders.

 

International, U.S.

Venezuela to break U.S. oil sanctions with Iran, will cancel oil shipments to U.S. instead

On May 24, the United States imposed new oil sanctions against Iran, and that includes Venezuela’s state controlled PDVSA oil company.

Syria, Iran and Venezuela co-own an oil refinery in the Syrian state of Homs.

Venezuela’s Energy Minister Rafael Ramirez, says they have a right to do business with whomever they wish: “This is a right we are not going to renounce.”

On May 25, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro, announced that plans were underway to stop exporting oil to the United States: “There are several proposals that are being evaluated by President Chavez to respond to the United States’ imperialist pretensions.”

International

Karzai slams U.S.; says Iran, not the U.S., is more trustworthy

“Afghanistan places greatest trust in Iran, and the aid by the Islamic Republic of Iran for the reconstruction of Afghanistan has been practical and operational.”-Afghan President Hamid Karzai

On May 25, Karzai met with Chairman of the Iranian Parliament National Security and Foreign Policy Commission, Alaeddin Boroujerdi.

Boroujerdi said Iran is ready to help Afghanistan become independent of the Untied States.  Iran has already helped with construction, and is the main supplier of refined fuel to Afghanistan.

International, U.S.

German bank continues violating sanctions against Iran

European-Iranian Trade Bank AG (EIH Bank), based in Hamburg Germany, says it will not abide by European Union sanctions against Iran.

Earlier in the week the EU froze the bank’s assets.  Bank officials say it will not stop them: “Nothing has changed; the same Bundesbank office which approved our transactions during the investigation will continue to approve our transactions under sanctions.”-Norbert Eisenmenger, EIH finance and marketing

Last year the United States blacklisted the EIH bank, saying the bank was providing financial services for other banks doing business with Iran.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Surprise; China does not own the United States

“China’s hold or ownership is only 8 percent of our outstanding debt and in no way does China’s position influence U.S. foreign policy.”-Gary Locke, U.S. Commerce Secretary

The United States Commerce Secretary made the statement while being interviewed by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, for the job of U.S. ambassador to China.

Locke says the majority of U.S. government debt is held by…U.S. domestic investors.  Find out who they are and you’ll know who the real shadow government is.

Business/Economics, International

Don’t be fooled by news of Chrysler paying off its government debt

The U.S. media is talking about Chrysler’s announcement that it plans to pay off the U.S. and Canadian government loans.  It is not a sign of a good economy, because the loans are not being paid off with profits.

Chrysler’s pay off is coming as a result of more loans.  The Auto maker has decided that it does not want to keep paying the high interest rate of the government bailout loans, so it has refinanced through private banks.  In other words Chrysler is still in trouble.

International, U.S.

More proof that the U.S. is controlled by British Empire: Obama says it’s “essential” for International Security

“When the United States and Britain stand together, our people and people around the world can become more secure and more prosperous…Ours is not just a special relationship, it is an essential relationship – for us and for the world”-joint statement by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron

Basically, what Obama and Cameron are saying is that the British Empire (the only empire to stand on four corners of the world. those who believe in the last days of the Christian book of Revelation need to pay attention to that!) is going to fight to hold on to every piece of territory the Empire controls (or fight to gain territory it wants to control).

During World War 2, the U.S. and U.K. formed a “Special Relationship” to fight the Germans and Japanese (after all the United States and the British Empire were supposed to be mortal enemies).

That relationship continued, thanks to the propaganda of Winston Churchill and Senator McCarthy, with the Cold War against Communism.  With the War on Terror the U.S. and U.K. have decided their relationship is now “Essential”.

International

Britain joins Romania & Bulgaria as worst place for families

A study called “Family Pressure Gauge” says the United Kingdom is Europe’s third worst place for families to live, after Bulgaria and Romania.

Some points of the study: Almost 25% of the average British family income goes to childcare, which is double the percentage spent by French families and three times that for German families.

One in seven U.K. families spend more than 40% of their income on rent or a mortgage, compared to only  1.8% of French families.

One in 20 British families live in “severe housing deprivation”, 12 times more than the Netherlands.

The survey also revealed Britons work the longest hours in Europe, and that the U.K. ranks as the second worst country in Europe for maternity and paternity leave.