Tag Archives: un

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: China may be moving away from Iran. Making deals with pro-U.S. Saudi Arabia, Qatar & UAE. Cuts oil imports from Iran

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

The Chinese Premier, Wen Jiabao, is visiting several Arab Peninsula countries, signing major oil deals with Saudi Arabia, Qatar and United Arab Emirates.  

Saudi Arabia is already China’s biggest supplier of oil.  The new deals include building a 400,000 barrel per day refinery just for China, and Chinese companies expanding the infrastructure of the Arabian Peninsula countries.

This comes after China announced it would cut oil imports from Iran, blaming contractual issues (not pressure from the U.S.).

However, Premier Wen said China and Saudi Arabia needed to deepen their cooperation “…in the face of changeable and complicated regional and international trends.”

International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: Russia to make U.S. Missile Defense system a waste of U.S. taxpayer money

“It seems strange that it is Russia who is required to show flexibility. This is not our project. If an architect is building a house, it is up to him to offer a design which would not violate property rights, area design and neighbors’ interests. So it is our U.S. colleagues who should demonstrate miraculous flexibility to ensure that their AMD system does not violate the interests of other countries if it is to be located in Europe.”-Dmitri Rogozin, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia

Russians refer to the U.S. missile defense system in Europe as American Missile Defense (AMD).  It’s also known as EMD (European Missile Defense).  It is an extension of the U.S. National Missile Defense, which is why the Russians see it as an expansion of the Empire of the United States.  The U.S. has been expanding its missile defense system into Europe under the cloak of fighting “terrorism”!

“I will certainly ensure Russia will give a corresponding technical response if the AMD system endangers our national interests. This will result in the American AMD being considered a waste of money.”

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

International, U.S.

White Horse & World War 3: Russia restates warnings to the United States, concerning Syria and Iran

“Iran is our close neighbor, just south of the Caucasus. Should anything happen to Iran, should Iran get drawn into any political or military hardships, this will be a direct threat to our national security.”-Dmitri Rogozin, Deputy Prime Minister of Russia

“Syria must be left alone and the sides to the conflict must be assisted in breaking the stand off and starting negotiations. No one must interfere with Syria. This is dangerous.”

“If we add the escalating tensions around Iran to the situation in Syria and the consequences of the Libyan war, then the upcoming ‘scorching’ Arab Summer, which is following the Arab Spring, will hardly be to anyone’s taste.”

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

 

International, Technology, U.S.

White Horse, Red Horse & World War 3: U.S. forces deploy to Israel, preps for action against Iran

“The missile threat from Iran is very real, and we must stay ahead of the threat… That’s why we’re working so hard with all our allies to put the most optimized, effective, anti-missile capabilities in place.”-Henry Obering, Lieutenant General, Pentagon Missile Defense Agency

U.S. European Command (EUCOM) has deployed to Israel an X-band radar system along with thousands of U.S. personnel.

Recently Israeli military officials said sanctions are ineffective against Iran, and action must be taken: “The international front against Iran is weak and not consolidated, and isn’t putting enough pressure on the regime to stop enriching uranium….The sanctions have very little influence and are far from bringing to bear a critical mass of pressure on Iran.”-Yossi Baidatz, Brigadier General, Israeli Military Intelligence

The U.S. troop deployment to Israel is part of the largest ever joint war games between Israel and the United States.  The Jerusalem Post quotes U.S. Lieutenant General Frank Gorenc as saying it’s not just an “exercise” but a “deployment” that will involve “several thousand American soldiers”.

Back in September, 2011, Ilan Biton, a brigadier general in the Israel Air Force reserve, said the United States has long been working with Israel to ensure their militaries could work together: “We advanced tremendously on multiple levels and have developed very impressive cooperation. At the human level, we’ve developed a common language and at the technical level, we’ve put in place the interfaces that allow our systems to speak to one another.”

The DefenseNews revealed that last week U.S. officials considered not reporting the deployment of the radar and U.S. troops to Israel.

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

International, U.S.

White Horse, Red Horse, Black Horse: The United States reveals its plans for conquest, war and slavery. Creation of new U.S. Joint Force of 2020. U.S. Congress could be military’s greatest enemy!

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

I looked, and 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!”

            “I’d like to begin by thanking President Obama for coming here this morning, and for his vision, guidance and leadership as this Department went through the intensive review we undertook to develop the new strategic guidance we are releasing today.

“This guidance recognizes that this country is at a strategic turning point after a decade of war and large increases in defense spending. As the President mentioned, the U.S. military’s mission in Iraq has now ended, continued progress in Afghanistan is enabling a transition to Afghan security responsibility, the NATO effort in Libya has concluded with the fall of Qaddafi, targeted counterterrorism efforts have significantly weakened al Qaeda and decimated its leadership, and now as these events are occurring, the Congress has mandated that we achieve significant defense savings.

“But even as our large-scale military campaigns recede, the United States still faces a complex and growing array of security challenges across the globe, challenges that call for a reshaping of America’s defense priorities, focusing on the continuing threat of violent extremism, proliferation of lethal weapons and materials, the destabilizing behavior of Iran and North Korea, the rise of new powers across Asia, and the dramatic changes in the Middle East.

“All of this comes at a time when America confronts a serious deficit and debt problem which is itself a national security risk that is squeezing both the defense and domestic budgets. Even facing these considerable pressures, including the requirement of the Budget Control Act to reduce defense spending by $487 billion over 10 years, I do not believe that we must choose between national security and fiscal responsibility. The Department of Defense will play its part in helping the nation put its fiscal house in order.

“But the President has made clear, and I have made clear, that the savings we have been mandated to achieve must be driven by strategy and rigorous analysis, not by the numbers alone.

“Consequently, over the past few months, we have conducted an intensive review to guide defense priorities and spending over the coming decade, in light of strategic guidance from the President and the recommendations of this Department’s senior military and civilian leadership. This process has enabled us to assess risk, set priorities, and make hard choices. Let me be clear, this Department would need to make a strategic shift regardless of the nation’s fiscal situation. That is the reality of the world we live in.

“As difficult as it may be to achieve the mandated defense savings, this has also given us in the Department of Defense the opportunity to reshape our defense strategy and force structure to more effectively meet the challenges of the future, deter aggression, shape the security environment and decisively prevail in any conflict.

“From the beginning, I set out to ensure that this strategy review was inclusive. Chairman Dempsey and I met frequently with Departmental leaders, including my Under Secretaries, the Service Chiefs, Service Secretaries, Combatant Commanders and senior enlisted advisors. We’ve discussed this strategy and its implications with the President, with members of Congress, and with outside experts.

“Four overarching principles have guided our deliberations:

  • First, we must maintain the world’s finest military, one that supports and sustains the unique global leadership role of the United States;
  • Second, we must avoid hollowing out the force– a smaller, ready, and well-equipped military is preferable to a larger, ill-prepared force that has been arbitrarily cut across-the- board;
  • Third, savings must be achieved in a balanced manner with everything on the table, including politically sensitive areas that will likely provoke opposition from parts of Congress, industry, and advocacy groups;
  • Fourth, we must preserve the quality of our All-Volunteer Force and not break faith with our men and women in uniform or their families.

“With these principles in mind, I will focus on some of the significant strategic choices and shifts that are being made. But first, let me be clear that the U.S. military will remain capable across the spectrum. We will continue to conduct a complex set of missions ranging from countering terrorism and weapons of mass destruction to maintaining a safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrent. We will be fully prepared to protect our interests, defend our homeland and support civil authorities.

“Our goal is to achieve this U.S. force for the future with the following significant changes:

“First, the U.S. joint force [notice no explanation of what the “joint” U.S. force is] will be smaller and leaner, but its great strength will be that it is more agile, flexible, ready to deploy, innovative and technologically advanced.

“Second, as we move towards this new joint force, we are also rebalancing our global posture and presence, emphasizing the Pacific and the Middle East — these are the areas where we see the greatest challenges for the future. The U.S. military will increase its institutional weight and focus on enhanced presence, power projection, and deterrence in Asia-Pacific. This region is growing in importance to the future of the United States economy and our national security. This means, for instance, improving capabilities that maintain our military’s technological edge and freedom of action.

“At the same time, the United States will place a premium on maintaining our military presence and capabilities in the broader Middle East. The United States and our partners must remain capable of deterring and defeating aggression while supporting political progress and reform.

“Third, the United States will continue to strengthen its key alliances, build partnerships and develop innovative ways to sustain U.S. presence elsewhere in the world.

“The long history of close political and military cooperation with our European allies and partners will be critical to addressing the challenges of the 21st century. We will invest in the shared capabilities and responsibilities of NATO, our most effective military alliance. The U.S. military’s force posture in Europe will of necessity continue to adapt and evolve to meet new challenges and opportunities, particularly in light of the security needs of the continent relative to emerging strategic priorities elsewhere. We are committed to sustaining a presence that will meet Article 5 commitments, deter aggression, and the U.S. military will work closely with our allies to allow for the kinds of coalition operations NATO has undertaken in Libya and Afghanistan.

“In Latin America, Africa and elsewhere in the world, we will use innovative methods to sustain U.S. presence, maintaining key military-to-military relations and pursuing new security partnerships as needed. Whenever possible, we will develop low-cost and small-footprint approaches to achieve our security objectives, emphasizing rotational deployments and exercises, and other innovative approaches that maintain presence.

“Fourth, as we shift the size and composition of our ground, air, and naval forces, we must be capable of successfully confronting and defeating any aggressor and respond to the changing nature of warfare.

“Our strategy review concluded that the United States must have the capability to fight in several conflicts at the same time. We are not confronting the threats of the past. We are confronting the threats of the 21st century and that demands greater flexibility to shift and deploy forces to fight and defeat any enemy anywhere. How we defeat that enemy may vary across conflicts. But make no mistake — we will have the capability to confront and defeat more than one adversary at a time.

“As a global force, our military will never be doing only one thing — it will be responsible for a range of missions and activities across the globe of varying scope, duration, and strategic priority. This will place a premium on flexible and adaptable forces that can respond quickly and effectively to a variety of contingencies and potential adversaries.

“In addition to these forces, the United States will emphasize building the capacity of partners and allies to more effectively defend their own territory and interests through better use of diplomacy, development and security force assistance.

“In accordance with this construct and with the end of U.S. military commitments in Iraq, and the drawdown already underway in Afghanistan, the Army and Marine Corps will no longer need to be sized to support the large scale, long-term stability operations that dominated military priorities and force generation over the past decade.

“Lastly, as we reduce the overall defense budget, we will protect our investments in special operations forces, new technologies like ISR and unmanned systems, space and cyberspace capabilities and our capacity to quickly mobilize. These investments will help the military retain and continue to refine and institutionalize the expertise and capabilities that have been gained at such great cost over the last decade.

“Most importantly, we will structure and pace the reductions in the nation’s ground forces in such a way that they can surge, regenerate, and mobilize capabilities needed for any contingency. Building in reversibility and the ability to quickly mobilize will be key. That means reexamining the mix of elements in the active and reserve components, maintaining a strong National Guard and Reserve, retaining a healthy cadre of experienced NCOs and midgrade officers, and preserving the health and viability of the nation’s defense industrial base.

“This strategic guidance is a first step in this Department’s goal to build the Joint Force of 2020, a force sized and shaped differently than the military of the Cold War, the post-Cold War force of the 1990s, or the force built over the past decade to engage in large-scale ground wars.

“This strategy and vision will guide the more specific budget decisions that will be finalized and announced in the coming weeks as part of the President’s budget. In some cases we will be reducing capabilities no longer of top priority. In other cases we will invest in new capabilities to maintain a decisive military edge against a growing array of threats.

“There is no question that we have to make some tradeoffs, and that we will be taking on some level of additional but acceptable risk in the budget plan we release next month. These were not easy choices.

“We will continue aggressive efforts to weed out waste and reduce overhead, reform business practices, and consolidate duplicative operations. But budget reductions of this magnitude will inevitably impact the size and capabilities of our military. And as I’ve said before, true national security cannot be achieved through a strong military alone — it requires strong diplomatic, development, and intelligence efforts and, above all, it requires a strong economy, fiscal discipline and effective government.

“The capability, readiness and agility of the force will not be sustained if Congress fails to do its duty and the military is forced to accept far deeper cuts, in particular the arbitrary, across-the-board cuts currently scheduled to take effect in January of 2013 through the mechanism of sequester. That would force us to shed missions, commitments, and capabilities necessary to protect core U.S. national security interests, resulting in a demoralized and hollow force.

“And finally, I’d also like to address our men and women in uniform, and the civilian employees who support them, whom I know have been watching the budget debates here in Washington with concern about what it means for them and their families. You have done everything the country has asked you to do, and more.

“You have put your lives on the line, and fought to make our country safer and stronger. I believe this strategic guidance honors your sacrifices and strengthens the country by building a force equipped for the future. I have no higher responsibility than fighting to protect you and your families, just as you have fought and bled to protect our country.

“There is no doubt that the fiscal situation this country faces is difficult, and in many ways we are at a crisis point. But I believe that in every crisis, there is opportunity. Out of this crisis, we have the opportunity to end the old ways of doing business and build a modern force for the 21st century that can win today’s wars and successfully confront any enemy, and respond to any challenge of the future. Our responsibility is to protect the nation’s security and keep America safe. With this joint force [again, no clear explanation of “joint force”], I am confident we can effectively defend the United States of America.

“Thank you.”-Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense for the United States

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

White Horse, Black Horse, Red Horse & Political Hypocrisy: Obama signs record military spending bill, then says spending needs to be cut. What he means is to cut spending on troops, increase spending on weapons. 80,000 soldiers will lose their jobs. More Wars to follow

I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

I looked, and 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!”

Then another horse came out, a fiery red one. Its rider was given power to take peace from the earth and to make men slay each other.

On January 1, U.S. President Barack Obama signs the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012.  That means at least $662 billion taxpayer dollars will be spent on the Department of Defense.

On January 5, Obama hypocritically states that defense spending must be cut! He blames it on “…the Budget Control Act passed by Congress last year.”

But here’s the thing, Obama is not really talking about overall defense spending cuts, he’s talking about shifting defense spending, and targeted cuts.  U.S. troops could lose out on pay and benefits, in order to increase spending on high tech weapons systems.  They’re already losing their jobs.

“As we reduce the overall defense budget, we will protect and in some cases increase our investments in special operation forces in new technologies, like…. unmanned systems, in space and in particular in cyberspace.”-Leon Panetta, Defense Secretary

Obama and company said the cuts would not affect pay and benefits for troops and veterans, but that’s already happened.  There are many cases across the country where veterans have been cut off because of budget problems.

Analysts say there’s no way to keep spending on high tech weapons without affecting troop pay/benefits, or even without reducing the number of military personnel (already in 2011 the U.S. Army laid off 50,000 personnel).

According to a report by Military.com Leon Panetta has asked the U.S. Army to cut another 80,000 troops in 2012!

That’s fine if your not going to fight wars anymore, but Obama and company flat lied about that.  Obama said “Yes, the tide of war is receding…”   Well, if the tide of war is receding then why spend more money on more weapons?  Because the tide of war is not receding, at least in the eyes of our leaders.  Obama even says so: “As I made clear in Australia, we will be strengthening our presence in the Asia Pacific, and budget reductions will not come at the expense of that critical region.  We’re going to continue investing in our critical partnerships and alliances, including NATO, which has demonstrated time and again, most recently in Libya, that it’s a force multiplier.  We will stay vigilant, especially in the Middle East.”

What Obama is saying is that the he expects more war in the Middle East, and a new front to open in Asia!  Defense Secretary Panetta backs that up: “…as we move towards this new joint force, we are also rebalancing our global posture and presence, emphasizing the Pacific and the Middle East — these are the areas where we see the greatest challenges for the future. The U.S. military will increase its institutional weight and focus on enhanced presence, power projection, and deterrence in Asia-Pacific. This region is growing in importance to the future of the United States economy and our national security. ”

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghan & Pakistan Taliban joining forces, will jointly attack U.S./NATO forces

Despite reports from Reuters, stating that the Afghan and Pakistani Taliban are “at each other’s throats”, Japanese media are reporting that various ‘taliban’ groups have agreed to put aside differences to jointly target U.S. led forces.

Over the weekend representatives from Afghanistan’s and Pakistan’s Pashtun dominated Taliban (Mujahideen) groups met.  Japan’s NHK claims they talked with Mujahideen officials and were told they have decided to put aside their differences, and focus on fighting the U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Pakistani Mujahideen agreed to back off of attacking Pakistani government forces, and, beginning in March, will help their Afghan cousins focus their fight against the U.S.

They’ve established a 5 member council to help co-ordinate their efforts.  This news comes after reports that the Afghan Taliban have accepted an offer from U.S. President Obama, and the government of pro-U.S. Qatar, to open a diplomatic office in Qatar.

International, U.S.

Pale Green Horse: Dengue Fever deaths skyrocket in 2011, some areas see 89% increase, some countries launching programs on the level of ‘polio eradication campaigns’, catching it more than once can kill you

I looked and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.  They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

Cambodia’s Ministry of Health says at least 72 Cambodian children died from dengue fever in 2011, an increase of 89%, compared to 2010.  Total number of dengue cases in Cambodia were up 26% in 2011 (15,805 cases that were reported to government officials).

“The disease broke out in a large scale every three to five years and the year 2011 was the large scale breakout, that’s why the cases were on the rise and the deaths were almost double.”-Ngan Chantha, Cambodia’s Ministry of Health

Cambodia spent U.S.$7 million fighting dengue in 2011.

Pakistan was hit hard by dengue in 2011 (never mind attacks from the Pakistani Taliban and the ungrateful government of the United States!).  By October 2011, more than 6,000 Pakistanis got sick, and at least 253 died.

The cold winter is not having any affect on the mosquitoes in Pakistan.  Contrary to the hopes of officials, two people died on December 31, after being bit by mosquitoes in freezing temperatures.

Pakistan’s Health Secretary, Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan, has ordered a mosquito spraying offensive, that must be completed before February 10, 2012.

One Pakistani doctor said they are launching an anti-dengue campaign “on the pattern of the polio campaign”.  Health officials will go door to door explaining to people how to prevent dengue by fighting mosquitoes.  They also hope to have a computer system in place that will let hospitals and clinics share information about incoming dengue cases.

In Borneo, officials are so concerned about dengue for 2012 that dengue awareness and prevention classes are now part of grade school education.

In Sri Lanka, officials reported a jump in dengue cases in December 2011;  290 cases in December, 170 in November.  One official said it doesn’t take much water for the dengue carrying mosquitoes to breed: “…this mosquito can breed in one teaspoonful of water!”-Pradeep Kariyawasam, Chief Medical Officer of the Colombo Municipal Council

On the island of Fiji (east of New Zealand), officials are now concerned about the general public, because of an outbreak of dengue in their prisons: “The symptoms of dengue fever are similar to those of normal flu but with joint pains and high fever. But people should not stay home and instead seek immediate medical attention.”-Peni Namotu, Fiji Health Ministry

Closer to the United States, Mexico reported great advances in their fight against dengue, which included testing of vaccines.  In several Mexican states, cases of dengue had dropped by as much as 80%, compared to 2010.

But fighting dengue is not that easy. In December, the University of California at Berkeley released the results of their study, which showed that surviving an initial case of dengue fever does not mean your body can survive a second infection.

The problem is that there are four major types of dengue viruses, and your body’s immune system might be lulled into a false sense of security: “With the second infection, the antibodies sort of recognize the new type of viruses, but not well enough to clear them from the system.  Instead of neutralizing the viruses, the antibodies bind to them in a way that actually helps them invade the immune system’s other cells and spread.”-Molly OhAinle, UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health.

The results of the study were published in the December 21 issue of Science Translational Medicine.

Check my other postings about dengue fever.

 

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran warns it will take military action if U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Persian Gulf, U.S. Navy trying to instigate War

“…we are not in the habit of repeating a warning and we warn only once.”-Ataollah Salehi, Major General Iranian Army

January 3, a top Iranian General has made threats of military action against the USS John C. Stennis, saying the U.S. nuclear powered aircraft carrier can not return to the Persian Gulf.  As usual Western media is not explaining Iran’s side of the story.

Iran’s warning against the U.S. aircraft carrier came after it supposedly got too close to Iranian naval war games.  On top of that, the Iranians say the USS John C. Stennis made other threatening maneuvers by sailing right through a group of Forouzan oil platforms, and near Iran’s Farsi Island.

The USS John C. Stennis has reportedly left the Persian Gulf, and the Sea of Oman.  So far the USN has refused to comment.

 

International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Puerto Rico pushes for Independence from U.S. Empire, wants to join the anti-U.S./Canada CELAC

The United Nations Decolonization Committee (UNDC) will be considering pleas for help from Puerto Ricans, who’re seeking freedom from the control of the United States.

A group called United Partners for the Decolonization of Puerto Rico have petitioned the UN.  The UNDC  will be holding hearings during the summer of 2012 (usually in the month New York City holds its Puerto Rican Day Parade).

Puerto Ricans have expressed a desire to join the newly formed CELAC: “CELAC is a great idea! But it will never be complete until Puerto Rico (PR) is included.”-José M. López Sierra, United Partners for the Decolonization of Puerto Rico