Tag Archives: europe

Idaho, International, U.S.

Lessons for the Occupy Movement from the Egyptian January 2011 Revolution: #2 Cyberspace does not win Revolutions! Occupy the land! Keep Lines of Communication open!

I watched the January 2011 Egyptian Revolution from day one.  It did not start with cyberspace, and it did not end with cyberspace.  Rather cyberspace was only a briefly used tool of the Revolutionaries.

“I don’t think the Revolution ever happened in cyberspace…They need physical space, they need public space. Tahrir Square provided that.”-Nezar AlSayyad, Center of Middle East Studies, University of California at Berkeley

The fact that Revolutions need public space is the true reason why local and state governments, in the United Police States of America, are now passing laws that’re making it illegal to gather in public spaces!

On December 9, 2011, the city of Honolulu, Hawaii, created a law that is not only aimed at preventing public gatherings, but is being called “a particularly egregious attack on the homeless”.

On January 24, 2012, Charlotte, North Carolina, passed a “no camping” on city property law.  Even if you’re not camping the law includes things that allow police to have you removed, or arrested, anyway.

On February 21, 2012, the state of Idaho created a law that specifically targets the Occupy movement.  It has extended anti-gathering laws (no demonstrations can last longer than four hours, which only proves what I said in part one) to the state property the Occupy Boise movement is currently using.

The small, and ignorant, Occupy Boise movement has until 17:00 February 27 to clear out.

I say the Occupy Idaho movement is ignorant, because of what they said in a PBS Newshour interview: “I will take it elsewhere. There are a lot of us who recognize that this movement is more important than the place we’re staying.”-Daniel Grad, Occupy Boise, December 8, 2011

In fact, the Occupy Boise movement told local Idaho PBS reporters that they specifically chose the land (land that until now was exempt from the four hour limit law) so as to not cause legal problems!

FAIL!  There’s a saying in the world of business, “location, location, location”!   If there is no need to Occupy land, then what was the point of Egyptian Revolutionaries fighting so hard to control Tahrir Square?

Back to cyberspace.  In Egypt twitter and facebook and other social media tools were not the instigators of the Revolution.  Those tools only became important as Egyptians in one city realized, through their communications, that they were not alone, that Egyptians in other cities were also rebelling.  So cyberspace became a way of communication after the fact.

Even so, as I was watching the live broadcasts, the Egyptian government shut down many cell phone towers, and internet providers (with the help of a U.S. telecommunications company).   Did that stop the Revolution?  Hell no!

Revolutionaries turned to old fashioned land line phones, short wave radios, even the ancient task of running messages by foot.  Some reports said they had taken over radio stations, even broke into police stations to steal the police radios.

But while this proves that cyberspace is not critical, it does prove that communications are critical.

In the military, communications does not refer to just being able to talk or relay messages.  It refers to the ability to keep your forces fed and armed.  (specifically its called: Lines of Communication, called such because supplies tended to follow the same route that hand carried messages, and telegraph lines, did)

The Egyptian Revolutionaries not only took and held land (sometimes losing it, but retaking it later), they kept their Occupiers fed, and they rotated fresh Occupiers in, while the tired Occupiers went out to get rest.  They, without really thinking about it, kept “lines of communication” open to the land they were Occupying.

This is important, because one of the riot control maneuvers used nowadays is called “Kettling”.  This is a way of hemming in protestors, to cut them off from their lines of communication (even though most protestors don’t even know about such things as lines of communication).

The lesson is that you must not rely on high technology, you must Occupy the land, and you must keep your “lines of communication” open!

By the Way, Occupy Boise is appealing to the Federal Court, on the grounds the new Idaho law violates the rights to freedom of speech and assembly guaranteed under the First and Fourteenth Amendments of the U.S. Constitution.

LESSONS FOR THE OCCUPY MOVEMENT FROM THE EGYPTIAN JANUARY 2011 REVOLUTION: #1; PEACEFUL PROTEST DOES NOT WORK!!!

International, U.S.

World War 3: New phase of Afghan War; Genocide in the Name of Fighting Terrorism. Hundreds of families displaced everyday, hundreds of children frozen to death! National ID cards new weapon for Ethnic Cleansing!

“We saw letters issued by the provincial government of Herat that said, effectively, don’t direct any assistance specifically to displaced people. The theory is that since they don’t want to either encourage them to stay or even acknowledge that displacement is a problem they’re going to pretend that it doesn’t exist.”-Michael Bochenek, Amnesty International

Not being reported by most of the main stream U.S. media is what looks like a new phase in the so called U.S. war on terror in Afghanistan: Genocide and Ethnic Cleansing, specifically by targeting children.

The New York Times has published a report, concerning the growing number of cases of children freezing to death, and being targeted by U.S. led forces.

The Washington Post has also written about the increased forced displacement, and articles about the increased killing of children by U.S. led forces.

For years the Brookings Institution has been reporting on the increasing number of people being forcibly displaced in Afghanistan.

Also, Amnesty International has recently reported that as many as 400 people, per day, are being forced from their homes into refugee (concentration?) camps.  As of the middle of February, 2012, there were an estimated 500,000 people in these camps.

It’s in those camps that children are freezing to death. The camps do not have any basic necessities.  The U.S. backed Afghan government says it’s necessary because of the continued U.S. led war with “Taliban”, and natural disasters.

Amnesty says many of the Afghans being affected include those who returned to Afghanistan after the U.S. “liberated” the country from the Taliban.  Ten years later, those who returned say they were better off in Pakistani refugee camps!

The U.S. supported Afghan government officials deny there is a problem. They label returning refugees as “economic migrants”.

The camps for economic migrants are where hundreds of children have frozen to death this winter.  According to the British Telegraph, at least 40 people, mostly children, froze to death just in the past four weeks!

“They may be refused enrollment or threatened with expulsion if they can not produce a national identification card, a document that most Afghans do not have…”-Amnesty International

One program started by the U.S. supported Afghan government, is a national identification (ID) card (similar to what some lawmakers in the U.S. want for Americans).  If you don’t have the ID card you don’t get any help, your children are not even allowed to attend school (wasn’t that one of the reasons for getting rid of the Taliban, so that kids could go to school?).

“Economic migrants” are not issued ID cards, unless they have other forms of documentation.  Now realize that most Afghans who live outside major cites, as well as those people who fled the civil wars in the 1990s, have no “documentation”.

“In the typical scenario, a group of men arrives, claiming to own the land and telling the families they must leave.”-Amnesty International

If you don’t have this Afghan national ID, you can be kicked out of your home (similar to what Israelis have been doing to Palestinians) and placed in the so called refugee camps. In these camps people are even being denied food because they can not “prove” they are Afghans!

A New York Times article said that U.S. supported Afghan government officials refuse to recognize the increasing number of deaths because those who died did not have proper ID!!!

Where’s all the international aid? Most of the supplies coming into the camps are coming from locals! But, they are not enough.  Nader Nafey, a local businessman, brought food for 200 people at the Charahi Qambar camp.  The problem is that there is more than 900 people in the camp!

“Private Afghan businessmen, as well as companies like Roshan, a mobile telephone carrier, and Ariana Television, through their charitable arms, have visited both of the worst-hit camps in recent days, handing out aid, including food, firewood and cash payments.”-New York Times

Amnesty International says the billions of dollars in international aid, is deliberately being blocked from the camps, by the U.S. supported Afghan government. 

New York Times investigators have interviewed U.S. supported Afghan officials, who blame it all on the refugees.  They make the outrageous claim that the undocumented economic migrants sold off all their food, and even rented out their government supplied apartments, to risk death living in the unheated tents of the refugee camps!!!

This is taking place while killings of Afghan children, by U.S. led forces, is also increasing.

“Seven boys under 14 and an 18-year-old were killed in the attack….They were herding sheep less than half a mile from their homes when the bombing happened.”-New York Times

U.S./NATO/ISAF officials consider herding sheep suspicious: “We were engaging a group of armed men that we observed engaging in unusual behavior.”-Lieutenant Colonial Jimmie E. Cummings

“Suddenly some airplanes came and dropped bombs on the children and killed my son, my two nephews and some other children from our village. When we went there we saw the children in pieces, some missing legs, some missing arms, only the heads and face could be recognized, nothing else.”-Abdul Zahid, local police officer

Recently French NATO/ISAF forces admitted killing the seven boys, and the 18 year old. The French say they had information that the boys were Taliban gun smugglers! (an excuse used thousands of times by U.S. led forces)

Here’s another typical explanation given by U.S. led forces: “These were young Afghans. They were adult-sized, athletic, strong, walking perfectly in the valley. I have no doubt that they were carrying weapons.”

Locals basically say ‘no shit sherlock, we all carry guns, this is Afghanistan where we all have the right bear arms!’  That’s right all you right wingers in the U.S., the right to have weapons is more respected in Afghanistan (even if the U.S. supported government is against it) than in the hypocritical United States!  The problem is that U.S. led forces in Afghanistan target anyone seen carrying a weapon, no mater how young.

“Afghan children, women and men continue to be killed in this war in ever-increasing numbers. For much too long Afghan civilians have paid the highest price of war.”-Ján Kubiš, United Nations Special Representative for the Secretary-General

On February 4, 2012, the United Nations published a report, which said there was a 192% increase in the number of civilians killed, in the last six months of 2011!  The report also said civilian deaths have been increasing every year!

The report blames the yearly increases not only on freedom fighters, but on U.S. supported pro-government forces: “Among the tactics of Pro-Government Forces, aerial attacks caused the greatest number of Afghan civilian deaths in 2011…”

The fact that year after year civilians are increasingly killed or driven into death camps, implies only one thing; an official policy of Genocide.

While many ethnic groups are targeted, the majority are Pashtuns.  The Pashtuns just happen to be the majority of Afghans, and make up the majority of “Taliban”.

This looks more and more like an official U.S. policy to eradicate the dominant Pashtuns, through genocidal ethnic cleansing.  Don’t forget, not one Afghan has ever been directly linked to the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States!!!

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Riots continue in Afghanistan, Taliban take advantage and go on Offensive, 20 Afghans killed, 2 U.S. troops killed, Obama makes empty apology

U.S. media reporting that an Afghan soldier has killed two U.S. troops, vengeance for the burning of dozens of Qur’ans.  It’s not the first, second or third time U.S. led forces have committed acts of desecration (in violation of the UCMJ) in Afghanistan.

At least 20 Afghans have been killed, as a direct result of the riots.  One of those killed was an Afghan government solider. It’s not clear if the soldier was taking part in suppressing the riots, or take part in the riots.

A militia/freedom fighter group (U.S. media calls all Afghan freedom fighters “Taliban”) issued a statement calling for all out attacks on all foreign troops and bases.  At one base U.S. forces were shot at, resulting in two U.S. troops injured.

U.S. President Barack Obama sent a written apology to Afghan President Karzai.  When you realize how many times the U.S. has apologized to Afghanistan, for killing civilians and acts of desecration, it becomes clear those apologies are hollow.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? Greeks right about sinister plots against them, yet again the latest Bail Out is put on hold!

How many times is this gonna happen: World finance leaders announce a done deal for a Greek bail out loan, only to retract it not even 24 hours later.

Yet again European Union leaders, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), are using excuses to hold back the latest 130 billion Euro loan.

“Greece has obviously made significant efforts, and now we need to continue the work and that the entirety of the elements, particularly furnished by the other parties, are also put into place.”–Christine Lagarde, IMF

The IMF’s Christine Lagarde said, February 21, 2012, that the new loan deal is now going to be scrutinized by the IMF, and a decision to approve, or not, will be made by the second week of March!

Many Greeks believe their country is deliberately being destroyed economically.

…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!”

Business/Economics, International

World War 3: Iran makes Oil offer to European countries. But still; France, Britain No Oil For You!

Iran has made a new oil deal offer to European countries, except the countries of Britain and France: “They must know that our country is in a position which must be talked to and treated on equal standing and through mutual respect, and they must forget about their past empires and exploiting other countries.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran

For all other European countries Iran is willing to continue shipping oil to them if: “They…must sign medium, or long term contracts covering periods of three to five years….and ban….oil customers from unilaterally canceling their contracts.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Foreign Ministry of Iran

Iranian officials say that by signing the long term contracts European countries could get a fixed price for Iranian oil.  If they don’t sign contracts, then no more oil for you: “We make decisions in our own country and we have sanctioned hostile states; if other countries do not specify their decision about long term oil contracts, Tehran will make a decision about them as well.”-Rostam Qassemi, Oil Minister of Iran

Iranian officials claim they don’t really need the European market, saying only 18% of all of Iran’s oil production goes to Europe.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? EU approves yet another bail out loan for Greece! Yet again it’s too little to do any good

Early morning February 21, 2012, European Union finance ministers approved a 130 billion Euro bail out loan for Greece.

However, on February 20, EU finance minister Johan van Overtveldt, said it would take at least 200 billion Euros!  Obviously this latest loan is not going to be enough, yet again!

Many Greeks are convinced they are being hit by a sinister plot to turn their country into a Third World nation.

…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!”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Black Horse & What Economic Recovery? Bail out delays; Greece needs loans equal to its total GDP! Greece warned of Third World status. Greeks believe the World is against them, sinister plots

February 20, 2012, European Union finance minister, Johan van Overtveldt, said one of the reasons bail out loans keep getting put on hold is because everyday new problems are revealed.

He says Greece now needs loans at least equal to its GDP, in order to get through the next few years: “So we are talking now about a package that in reality is about 200 billion euros, which happens to be exactly the amount equal to Greek gross domestic product.”

Overtveldt also said what many independent, and traditional economists have been saying; that cuts to Greek government spending will only make things worse: “The negative spiral in which the Greek economy and Greek society have been imprisoned for almost two years will only get worse. The austerity program that is imposed on the country will worsen the recession, which in its turn will worsen the budget outlook.”

He added that it was probably a good thing for Greece to leave the European Union: “It will lead, of course, to a devaluation of the new drachma but that is exactly what is needed to get the economy growing again through international trade.”

In fact many Greeks have been wanting their government to leave the EU, because they think it’s all part of a sinister plot.

Greek author, politician and songwriter, Mikis Theodorakis, says there is a conspiracy to destroy his country: “Germans, for instance, as well as the French, English and Americans, earned billions of Euros from annual sales of war materials, to the detriment of our national wealth….Siemens, for instance, maintained a special department for buying off the influential Greeks in order to sell its products in the Greece market.”

Theodorakis might be right about his beloved Greece being destroyed.  Economist Harlan Green, said the Mediterranean country is on its way to Third World status, and implied that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) was behind it: “Greece is sliding very quickly into being a third world country, and the IMF knows how to deal with third world countries.”

As far as sinister plots go; don’t forget that the new unelected Prime Minister of Greece is a member of the Trilateral Commission!

…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!”

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? U.S. sanctions against Iran means death knell for French steel factory

On February 20, 2012, French steel workers are occupying the ArcelorMittal steel plant in northeast France.  Two blast furnaces have been shut down since October 2011.

I’ve posted how U.S. sanctions against Iran include the steel industry, and it’s having negative affects, not for Iran but the West!

The shut down of the ArcelorMittal blast furnaces is supposed to be temporary, but last week company officials announced an extension to the shut down.  About 200 employees responded by taking over company offices.  Employees fear the temporary shut down is going to become permanent, no thanks in part to the U.S. and European sanctions against Iran.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence & World War 3: United States increasingly isolated over Sanctions against Iran. India and Japan still buying Iranian oil. South Korea gets exemption

“India’s decision to walk out of step with the international community on Iran isn’t just a slap in the face for the U.S. – it raises questions about its ability to lead. The Indian government’s ill-advised statement last week that it will continue to purchase oil from Iran is a major setback for the U.S. attempt to isolate the Iranian government…”-Nicholas Burns, former U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs

India joins a growing list of countries basically telling the U.S., and U.K., to go stuff themselves.  Indian government officials are working with Indian companies to create a system that will let them pay for Iranian oil with Indian rupees.

In Japan, an affiliate of Royal Dutch Shell, says they will continue buying Iranian oil despite pressure from the U.S. government. Showa Shell Sekiyu KK is Japan’s 5th largest refinery, and uses 100,000 barrels per day of Iranian oil.  Officials say they are affiliated with Royal Dutch Shell, but they operate independently and have their own contracts with Iran.  This is also why Iran has not stopped oil shipments to Japan (Royal Dutch Shell is a British/U.S./Dutch controlled company).

Then there’s South Korea, which has managed to convince U.S. lawmakers to exempt more than 2,000 Korean companies from the sanctions.  Not only that, but South Korea’s Woori Bank, and the Industrial Bank of Korea, do business directly with Iran Central Bank.  Their transactions are done in Korean money, thus avoiding the U.S. petro-dollar.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3 & Government Incompetence: Iran shuts down global Steel industries, blame the United States, Russians pissed off. “Iran is King”

“Iran is the only market in the world that can move billet prices and now trading has basically come to a halt.”-unnamed British steel trader

Not only is the U.S. oil sanctions on Iran backfiring, but so are U.S. sanctions on steel sold to Iran!

“Now you can really feel the effects of the sanctions imposed by the U.S. and Europe…It is very difficult to do any business with Iran at the moment.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader

U.S. and European sanctions might have stopped the sale of steel to Iran, but it’s also shutting down U.S. and European steel makers!  Why?  Iran is the biggest buyer of steel billet, and with the biggest buyer of steel out of the game steel prices are dropping like a rock!!!   (unlike oil, where everyone is trying to get their hands on it, thus causing oil prices to go up)

Russia is upset because they supply much of the steel Iran uses (Iran buys 15% of the steel exported by Russia): “Russian producers are not selling to Iran as they need pre-payments and won’t accept letters of credit. If I find a way to do that I won’t tell you. Iran is the king market in steel and if we can find a way to trade with them again we certainly would not share the know-how.”-unnamed Swiss steel trader dealing in Russian steel

Unlike the oil market, where Iran has established a successful trade system that avoids the U.S. dollar and U.S. & U.K. banks, the global steel market is still dominated by U.S. & British banks.  But some Russian’s are hopeful they’ll find a way ’round it: “Steel demand is pretty strong, the problem is the banking system. Russian banks do not have trading lines with Iranian banks to facilitate ruble transactions.”-Dmitry Smolin, URALSIB Capital