Tag Archives: war

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

Global Economic War: U.S. continues investigation into Chinese PV companies. Idaho’s Hoku silicon factory may be ended before it starts. City of Pocatello guilty of the same claims being made against Chinese government. U.S. is new battle ground between Chinese and European companies

The trade war between Chinese photovoltaic companies, and their supposed ‘U.S.’ rivals heats up as the U.S. International Trade Commission votes to continue the Department of Commerce investigation.

I say “supposed ‘U.S.’ rivals” because it turns out the gang leader is owned by a European corporation. Likewise, at least one supposed ‘U.S.’ polysilicon producer is owned by a Chinese corporation.

The U.S. Department of Commerce is set to render a judgment on January 19, 2012.  It could mean that actions will be taken to reduce photovoltaic (PV) products (solar power) coming into the U.S. from China.  China has responded by investigating polysilicon producers in the United States.  Polysilicon is used to make the solar power products.

Hawaii based Hoku International (owned by China’s Tianwei New Energy) announced they will be selling Chinese made photovoltaic modules through a subsidiary called Tianwei Solar USA.  Hoku is about to start up a polysilicon plant in Pocatello, Idaho.  Their silicon buyers are Chinese companies.

So Hoku is set up in a bad position; action by the U.S. government could hurt their new plans to sell Chinese PV products, and retaliation by the Chinese government could hurt their pending polysilicon orders.

But while looking into this mess, I discovered that what’s really going on is an economic war between China and the European Union, with the United States the battlefield.

The U.S. investigation was started by complaints from CASM (Coalition for American Solar Manufacturing).  The lead company in the complaint is SolarWorld Industries Americas.  Their U.S. base of operations is Oregon, but they’re actually a German corporation (SolarWorld) headquartered in Bonn.

CASM’s web site says six other companies operating in the U.S. have joined their organization, but they refuse to name the other members. They also have a interesting slogan (being that SolarWorld is a German company): “Solar technology was invented here [meaning the U.S.], and we intend to keep it here!”

CASM, through the U.S. Congress, recently sent a letter to President Barack Obama (sign by dozens of members of Congress), outlining what they call illegal trade practices by the Chinese government. Some of those practices were employed by the city of Pocatello, in trying to get Hoku to build its long delayed polysilicon factory in Idaho.

One of the claims is that “…cheap or free land from local or provincial governments; extensive tax breaks…”  This is exactly what the city of Pocatello did to win over Hoku.  The land was, in a round about way through huge property tax breaks (equaling the value of the land), given to Hoku.  Union Pacific Railway even got involved.

Union Pacific is going to be the main transporter of the finished polysilicon products.  Recently it was discovered, by Idaho officials, that in the rush (ironic ’cause it’s years behind schedule) to build the factory, that Hoku forgot to build the required double access roads!  Currently the only access to the factory is at the end of a dead end residential street (it was the residents, tired of the traffic jambs, that brought the issue up with officials)!!!  Hoku worked some magic with Union Pacific, who’s agreed to build the access roads.

By the way, one of the individuals credited with bringing Hoku to Pocatello, Gynii Gilliam, is now working at the state level as Idaho’s chief economic development officer.

So, the Europeans (specifically Germans, through CASM) are using the U.S. to launch an economic war with Chinese PV makers, but the charges they’re making against local governments in China are also applicable to local governments in the U.S.!  The pot calling the kettle black.  Unfortunately many ‘mericans (‘specially those working for Hoku, and other polysilicon producers) could actually end up losing their jobs if CASM is successful.

GLOBAL ECONOMIC WAR: CHINESE OWNED HOKU ABOUT TO START OPERATIONS IN IDAHO. WILL U.S. INVESTIGATION INTO CHINESE SOLAR PRODUCTS PUT THE BRAKES ON HOKU’S OPERATIONS?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Arabian country, Qatar, attacks Russian Ambassador, U.S. involved

“The U.S. is probably playing its diplomatic angle to put pressure on Qatar to wield its power in the Arab League in a way it is beneficial to the Anglo-American interests.”-James Corbett, independent journalist

Russian Ambassador to Qatar, Vladimir Titorenko, was attacked by Qatari customs officers at the Doha International Airport on November 29. He was returning from a trip to Jordan. Russia is suspending relations with Qatar, after their demands for an explanation were ignored.

Ambassador Titorenko told Russian media, from a hospital, that he was hoping it was due to incompetence (just like our wonderful TSA).

Interestingly, the attack came the same day Russian officials accused Qatar of violating international law by wantonly shipping weapons to Libyan rebels, despite a UN arms embargo: “We know how the arms embargo was applied in Libya. It was used only in respect of the Libyan army, while the opposition got their arms. France and Qatar publicly spoke of such shipments. There were also open mentions of the work of special forces from several European countries. Having adopted the UN Security Council resolution banning the supply of arms, some nations, in fact, boasted that they were in breach of it. We will treat the call for an embargo on arms supplies to Syria in light of the Libya experience, and the behavior of some of our partners. Right now, the most important thing is to stop acting by means of ultimatums and try to move toward political dialogue.”–Sergey Lavrov, Foreign Minister of Russia

Qatar is also doing the same thing in Syria.  Ambassador Titorenko was in Jordan trying to get support for a Russian diplomatic plan to stop any attacks by the U.S. and European countries against Syria.

Pro-U.S. Qatar is the current head of the Arab League. Qatar has received at least U.S.$70 billion in investments from the United States (while our economy goes down the toilet).

Fukushima

Government & Corporate Incompetence: After months of expelling radiation into the environment, Fukushima Daiichi officially in Cold Shut Down

Tokyo Electric Power Company officials say that on 16 December 2011 (the day the U.S. Postal Service will be in official default) they will declare the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in Cold Shut Down mode.

The Cold Shut Down could be officially announced by Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko.

Of course this is after they let millions and millions of becquerels of radiation pour out into the air and water, along with the radioactive remains of the melted fuel rods!

Cold Shut Down means that the water being used to flush out, I mean, ‘cool down’ the reactors remains below boiling point, which is an indication that most of the fuel rods are used up.

There must be so little left inside the reactors that the temps have come down. I guess that’s one way to do it, I personally like the way the Soviets handled Chernobyl: Sand, lead and concrete.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Germany confirms Iran sorry for U.K. embassy attack

Despite what British officials, and U.S. and U.K. media have been saying, more and more governments are confirming that Iran did indeed officially apologize for Iranian university students attacking the British embassy in Iran.

Germany is the latest: Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle says Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi “…was deeply sorry for what has happened…” and vowed “…to do everything to prevent such an incident from happening again.”

This follows Spanish officials reporting the same thing.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. troops evacuating from Pakistan

On December 4, U.S. forces began evacuating Pakistan’s Shamsi air base, after the Pakistani government, backed by China, gave them 15 days to get out or else.

Local Pakistani TV stations reported seeing U.S. forces leaving the air base. Their reporters observed U.S. transport aircraft landing at the base, and U.S. personnel loading luggage and equipment on the planes.

GEO also reported that security around the air base has been increased.

To try and convince the Pakistani government to change its mind, the foreign minister of UAE paid a visit to Pakistani President, Asif Ali Zardari. He said no.

Also, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, tried to get Pakistani Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani to change his mind about boycotting the Bonn Conference. He said no.

Pakistan’s embolden anti-U.S. stance comes after making new deals with China, increasing Chinese military support for Pakistan.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Get ready for stocks to crash! China continues ping pong games with European & U.S. bail outs, now says No Way!

“The argument that China should rescue Europe does not stand, as reserves are not managed that way…China’s purchases of European bonds, International Monetary Fund bonds and U.S. bonds are also based on those principles.”-Fu Yin, Vice Foreign Minister of China

Back on November 28, the Commerce Minister of China, Chen Deming, said they were more than willing to save struggling economies: “Some European countries are facing a debt crisis and hope to convert their assets to cash and would like foreign capital to acquire their enterprises. We will be closely watching and pushing forward the progress.”

Now, December 3, an official higher up than Chen says no way.  The Vice Minister of China, Fu Yin, says China’s $3.2 trillion in foreign reserves should be managed under the principles of “safety, liquidity and proper profitability”.

Apparently bailing out the United States, European countries, or even the IMF, does not meet those requirements.

Fu restated a requirement for future bailouts, that Chen indicated a week ago; any bail outs must play by China’s rules: “Successful investment should be reciprocal.”

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: British embassy bombed in Bahrain

A minivan blew up near the U.K.’s embassy in Bahrain. This happened after it was revealed that the pro-U.S. government of Bahrain was hiring U.S. and British security forces to come in and help squash the ongoing rebellion of the people of Bahrain.

The majority of the people of Bahrain are Shia Muslims, some ethnic Iranians.

On March 14, troops from Wahhabi/Salafi dominated Saudi Arabia, and the Wahhabi/Salafi dominated United Arab Emirates, invaded to help the anti-Shia Bahraini government squash the peaceful protesters.  That hasn’t stopped the protests, so now guns for hire from the United States and United Kingdom have been contracted.

Contrary to what the main stream U.S. media says, the Bahraini royal family are Wahhabi/Salafi Muslims, the same as Osama bin Laden, and the majority of the so called al Qaeda.

Bahraini government officials say Shia dominated Iran is behind the explosion near the U.K. embassy.

Bahrain is also where the headquarters of the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet is located.

 

 

 

International

Scotland issues Declaration of Independence! Your Scotland, Your Future!

“It is a great way to give people the information they want about the road to independence and the kind of Scotland we can build when the Scottish Parliament has responsibility for all the decisions affecting Scotland.”-Nicola Sturgeon, SNP Deputy Leader and Member of Scottish Parliament

The Scottish National Party (SNP) is publishing 500,000 issues of what is essentially a declaration of independence from the United Kingdom!  It’s titled Your Scotland, Your Future!

A referendum on Scotland’s independence is planned for 2014/2015.

 

International

Government Incompetence: The Swiss say the British are lying about Iranian embassy take over

Swiss reporters, who witnessed the take over of the British embassy in Iran, say British claims that the Iranian government did nothing to stop it, is a lie.

Also, British envoy to Iran, Dominick Chilcott, claimed he and his staff suffered an ordeal at the hands of Iranian college students who entered the embassy.

John Cattman and Michael Verase, correspondents working for Swiss German language St Galler Tagblatt newspaper, said that could not have happened. They say they witnessed all British staff had moved into the protected basement before the Iranian university students came onto the embassy compound.

They also said that Iranian police were trying to get the students off the embassy grounds.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Iran shoots down U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle, China says it will support Iran even if it means the Third World War, part of recent moves towards War

“Iran’s military has shot down an intruding RQ-170 American drone in eastern Iran.”-Iranian government statement

In the early morning hours on December 4 (U.S. time), the Iranian military shot down a U.S. unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).  The U.S. RQ-170 Sentinel stealth drone is used for intelligence, surveillance and for target acquisition.

An unnamed Iranian military official said Iran will take action against all foreign UAVs, even those outside Iran’s borders: “…the operational and electronic measures taken by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Armed Forces against invading aircraft will not remain limited to Iran’s borders.”

This is part of a quickening pace of actions on all sides that look like war is inevitable.

Just before Iran shot down the U.S. UAV, officials with the People’s Liberation Army National Defense University (China’s equivalent to any of the U.S. military academies) announced full military support of Iran: “China will not hesitate to protect Iran even with a Third World War.”-Major General Zhang Zhaozhong

Just this past week the U.S. Treasury Department asked all nations to stop buying oil from Iran (a futile move I pointed out).  If anyone really knows the ‘why’ of why Japan attacked the United States on December 7, 1941, it is because the U.S. stopped all oil sales to Japan. At that time the U.S. was the world’s main supplier of oil.

Just a few days ago the Japanese government responded to the current request from the U.S. Treasury by saying that out of necessity they can not stop buying Iranian oil.  Currently nearly 10% of the oil Japan gets comes from Iran. With more than 80% of their nuclear power plants off line, Japan’s need for petroleum is skyrocketing: “We need to be very careful in making such a decision, given that our priority is securing energy supply in the aftermath of the massive earthquake.”-statement from Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs

I also pointed out that the result of such an oil ban would actually hurt us little guys: “As soon as such an issue is raised seriously the oil price would soar to above $250 a barrel.”-Ramin Mehmanparast, Iran’s Foreign Ministry

Also in the past week, the United Kingdom cut off all diplomatic ties with Iran, after Iranian protestors took control of the British Embassy in Tehran (on November 29, U.S. time).  This despite the  fact that Iranian police arrested at least 12 of the protestors, and Iran officially apologized. Western governments, and media refused to report the apology but Spanish officials confirmed it:  “He said he was aware that it had violated the Vienna Convention and for that reason he was passing on to his apologies.”-Trinidad Jimenez, Foreign Minister of Spain

Even British officials admitted that Iran apologized, but said they didn’t care: “…this remains a very serious failure by the Iranian government.”-William Hague, Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom

U.S. Vice President, Joe Biden, said there’s no proof that the Iranian government was behind the U.K. embassy take over: “I don’t have any indication how and or if it was orchestrated.”

The U.K. has thrown out all Iranian diplomats in Britain, and Iran has now done the same with British diplomats.

Norway also closed their embassy in Tehran, temporarily. They re-opened their embassy on December 1.

On December 1, former Assistant Counsel of the U.S. House Judiciary Committee, Franklin Lamb, said Iran was being set up for inevitable war: “The other side (the UK) is provoking them (Iranian government). Hopefully the Tehran government will not fall in some of these traps that I think are being laid for it in a very dangerous way.”

On December 3, Iraqi Prime Minister, Nouri al-Maliki, said he would not allow the U.S. to use Iraq as a base for attacking Iran: “Clearly we are no enemy to Iran and we do not accept that some who have problems with Iran would use us as a battlefield.”

Recently al-Maliki was the target of an assassination bomb.

On December 2, U.S. Defense Secretary, Leon Panetta, said Iran is “a very grave threat to all of us”, and, any threat to the shipping of oil out of the Persian Gulf was the “red line” that would cause the U.S. to attack Iran.  Iran has warned that if they are threatened they will close the Strait of Hormuz, blocking all shipping from the Persian Gulf.

Also on Decmber 2, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, and current Security Council President, Vitaly Churkin, said the latest IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear program was a trick, because Iran was actually cooperation on the nuclear issue: “We thought that we were on the verge of restarting those talks on the basis of our proposals, because we started receiving some encouraging signals, substantive signals from the Iranian side…”

On December 1, the U.S. Senate passed, yet again, new sanctions against Iran, this time targeting the banks of Iran, and any foreign or U.S. banks doing business with Iran.

Also on December 1, the European Union passed new sanctions against 37 Iranian individuals and 143 companies/organizations from Iran, or doing business with Iran.

In response to the latest sanctions, Russia and China warned the West: “We hope the countries involved will keep calm, rational and restrained to avoid emotional actions.”-Hong Lei, Chinese Foreign Ministry

“We speak out categorically against cranking up a spiral of tension and confrontation on issues linked with Iran. We believe that this…is fraught with severe consequences.”-Alexander Lukashevich, Russian Foreign Ministry

And all these statements and events took place in just the past week.