The Switch is Nearly Complete

Washington's Blog reported:

"Now, we have a system of pervasive, pre-criminal surveillance where the government wants to watch what you’re doing just to see what you’re up to, to see what you’re thinking, even behind closed doors."

It's the freedom to be a rat in a surveillance maze.  Facial recognition, financial information, domestic military mobilization, and declining middle class.  Once upon a time a signature characteristic of democracies was a growing middle class.  Secretary of State Condi Rice once lectured the world in this regard.

Update 6-11-14:  Government lawyers say the NSA is "too big to comply" with a court order.

Update 6-19-14:  A Gallup poll shows U.S. Congressional approval at a historic low.  A mere 7% said they have "a great deal" or "quite a lot" of confidence in Congress, down from last year's 10 percent.

Democracy Grows Impatient

Several months ago a friend expressed his concern regarding how the world's leaders had shifted to violence as a method to make change.  This gentleman is a cancer physician, who cared for thousands in our community over the years.  As a doctor he'd committed to an oath to heal and do no harm.

I remarked how I'd been struck by democracy's impatience.  Why couldn't people wait for the next election, frequently not but a year or so away?  What was so important that violence had to be used to tear down democracy in order to build a supposedly better edition?  Violence breeds violence.

This morning's news showed the impact of over a decade of violence in parts of Iraq.  The commenter said there was no sign America had ever been there.  What he meant:  There are no signs of American branded corporate interests, fast food, hotels, banks, etc.  In contrast Iraq's stable, oil generating communities had peace, stability and a Jaguar dealership. 

America is back to the "enemy of my enemy is my friend."  Democracy needs to be better than that.  Manipulation is not the least bit elevating or inspiring. 

Middle East Nonpeace Process Continues

It's a sad day when peace between Israel and the Palestinian Territories is dependent upon an unrelated act by their "peace broker," the United States.  The release of convicted spy Jonathan Pollard has been sold as a means to keep the fractured sides at the negotiating table.

Frankly, it's painful to see how much the parties want to continue the status quo.  It's reminiscent of the American march westward and its oppression of Native Americans.  How much will Palestinians have left to fight for come 2020?  It remains to be seen how long is their trail of tears.

Olympic Wars in Asia: 2008 & 2014

The Olympics used to be a time when nations set aside war and sent their best to compete in the athletic arena.  The East and West violated this spirit in 2008 with the Georgia - South Ossetia - Abkhazia conflict with Russia.  That conflict took President George W. Bush's attention briefly away from the U.S. beach volleyball and softball ladies at the Beijing Summer Olympics. 

The East and West conducted another round of war incitement in the run-up to Russia's hosting the Winter Olympics at Sochi.  This occurred in Ukraine, where democracies no longer have the patience to let a leader's term run out and elect a new one.  What iteration of democracy uses force to expel a democratically elected leader, then claims the rebellion is itself democratic?  Is that democracy squared, cubed?

The world has lost patience.  Greedy, power hungry, violent leaders cannot wait another day to have their way.  "_uck the EU," as spoken by an American diplomat (global tamperer), is evidence of this very thing.

To sum up:  The Olympics are a time to wage war, instead of stop it, and democracies can be installed at the end of a gun.  They don't need to wait for the vote at the ballot box.

Obama's Next War

Jerusalem Post reported in early February:

'Military action likely' if Iran talks fail, US spokeswoman says

For the sickening language America's business and political leaders check out the words of senior U.S diplomat Marie Harf:

“I’m not predicting that we would take military action right away,” Harf said. “It’s more of a broad statement that, look, if we can’t get this done diplomatically in six months or a year or at any time, we will – we are committed to resolving it. And that involves less durable and, quite frankly, riskier actions.”

“I’m not saying in six months we’re going to go to war if we don’t get a deal done. Broadly speaking, the alternative to resolving this diplomatically is resolving it through other means.

“There are only a few scenarios that come out of this: Either we resolve it diplomatically or we resolve it a different way,” Harf continued.

“It’s just common sense that that different way could involve – is likely to involve military action.”

She went around her backside to get to her elbow.   The Obama-Bush global tampering team will have more wars.  War with Syria was front and center at the World Economic Forum in Davos, which also had a unique Iranian confrontation.

Eeerie MLK Day

Think about the surveillance state Reverend Martin Luther King endured at the hands of the United States government.  That same government was judged co-conspirator in Reverend King's death by a U.S. civil jury.

Modernize the government's spying apparatus and what risks do people face for speaking openly against hegemonic powers?  Ponder that this MLK Day.

Davos Stage: Star Front Stage Players

Reuters reported:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will both attend the World Economic Forum in the Swiss resort of Davos this month, the organizers told Reuters on Friday.

The World Economic Forum has its front stage for the public and back stage for participants to conduct deals.   

Promoting a possible Iran-Israel leader confrontation seems a front stage activity.  The fallout from their interaction would impact back stage deals. 

Davos theme is "Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business."  Global tamperers, mostly back stage players, will be there in force. 

Take Carlyle Group co-founder David Rubenstein, a frequent Davos guest presenter and moderator.  He and his PEU brethren worked hard to open up Libya for investment from Muammar Gadhafi.  They succeeded, even reforming Gadhafi enough for President Obama to shake his hand.  

Gadhafi challenged the back stage players by offering to fund an African Union without Western money and to sell oil outside a U.S. dollar denomination.  These two acts incurred the West's wrath. 

As for the neoconservative Project for the New American Century, their list of countries for regime change is nearly complete.    

Iraq - check
Libya - check
Syria - in process
Iran - up next
North Korea - nobody wants it, no oil.  

Watch the theatrics at Davos.  It's a shame the back stage antics and deal making will go unreported.