Israel's Expansion Extravaganza

Israel announced a settlement expansion extravaganza in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.  This came in retaliation for a United Nations vote on a Palestinian state, where representatives overwhelmingly granted Palestine nonmember observer status. 

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "pressed the Palestinian Authority to return to direct negotiations, saying the process represents 'not just the best but the only path to the independent state they deserve.'"

Hillary Clinton dangled economic peace to Palestinians in the West Bank, while Israel took more land.  That effort resulted in no talks  for nearly the whole Obama administration.  A brief round of talks in 2010 quickly disintegrated. 

Back to the settlement expansion, which Hillary weighed in on: "These activities set back the cause of a negotiated peace."

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland criticized the Israeli (settlement expansion) announcement. "These actions are counterproductive and make it harder to resume direct negotiations or achieve a two-state solution," she said.

The U.S. claims to have opposed settlement building for four decades.  That is patently laughable.  As for Palestine, it's third on Hillary's list of Middle East priorities.  Number 1 is preventing Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.  Number 2 is keeping the cease fire in Gaza.  Number 4 is US and Israel supporting movements for democratic change in the Arab world.

As for democracy, Israel's arc is questionable in Hillary's eyes.

Without peace, extremists will grow stronger and Israel will be forced to militarize even further, Clinton said. “And without peace, the inexorable math of demographics will one day force Israelis to choose between preserving their democracy and remaining a Jewish homeland.”  

Israelis, public opinion wise, choose peace regularly.  It seems governments are incapable of delivering.

The U.S. and Israel teamed up to deny Palestine "nonmember observer" UN status.  They joined seven other countries, while 193 voted to grant what appears to be a nonthreatening status.

Update 12-2-12:  Israel confiscated NIS 460 million ($120 million) in Palestinian Authority tax funds.  Divide, appropriate land and starve. 

Update 12-12-12:  Settlements are a requirement for keeping peace, says Tzipi Livni

Razing Gaza: Obama's Second Round

The last time Israel razed Gaza, Barack Obama was President elect.  Israel wound up their operation prior to Obama's historic nomination.  America dangled "economic freedom" for Palestinians the last four years, but not much else.  The U.S. did give Israel over $10 billion in military aid during that time.  That military aid is now exploding in Gaza.

While Israeli military spokesman Mordechai said "every Israeli missile has an address," the media once again found themselves on the Israeli invitation list.  For the second time in four years, Gaza's innocent civilians are blockaded.  The question is how bad the beating will be?

Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai was quoted by Israel's Haaretz newspaper as saying that the goal of the operation was "to send Gaza back to the Middle Ages. Only then will Israel be calm for 40 years".

Obama is consistent in his support of Israel, despite his promise to work on Gaza immediately after his inauguration.  I expect the beating to be pretty bad and extremely sad...

Update 4-5-24:  The world is horrified by the killing of seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza. Jesse's Crossroads Cafe wrote:

Over 30,000 innocent civilians and 196 aid workers have been systematically targeted and murdered in Gaza in this ongoing act of ethnic cleansing. The aid workers and food convoys are being targeted to promote the starvation of a civilian population. Their lies and phony claims are disgraceful, and transparent to the rest of the world. Yesterday's strike that targeted seven Western aid workers has finally provoked a response. More misery and pain is being inflicted in the West Bank, in what can only be said as a 'grab for land' of other people.

The razing of Gaza is near complete. 

Nuclear Weapons to Prevent Nuclear Weapons?

A Sunday Times report suggests Israel may need to use nuclear weapons to keep Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons: Jerusalem Post reported:

Defense experts claim Israel have two options, either deploy special forces on the ground, or use ballistic missiles with tactical nuclear warheads, the British paper reported.

Now that the U.S. Presidential election is over with, global tamperers know the players with certainty.   If there's one sole bright spot of U.S. bipartisanship on Capital Hill, it's against Iran.  Might a preventive tactical nuclear attack against Iran be in order?

Update 12-2-12:  The U.S. gave Iran until March to cooperate with the IAEA.  Then the U.S. will report Iran's noncooperation to the U.N. Security Council.  

Ahmadinejad to Speak at UN During Extremist Week

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will speak at the United Nations on Wednesday.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned Ahmadinejad of the dangers of incendiary rhetoric.

Global governmental and business leaders will be in New York for three events, the Clinton Global Initiative, the UN General Assembly meeting and the Concordia Summit.  I expect all three meetings will have an extremist theme and propose public-private partnerships as a method to control extremism.

Outbreaks of violence across the Middle East on the anniversary of 9-11 resulted in deaths of diplomats, security personnel and protestors.  The Benghazi attack has been attributed to two forms of Muslim extremism, a general public outraged by images denigrating the Prophet Muhammed and al Qaeda affiliated groups.  The U.S. recently embraced al Qaeda elements in Libya to overthrow Colonel Muammar Gadhafi.  Either cause furthers the West's case against extremists.

Private companies in the extremist reduction camp should do quite well this week.  They'll have multiple poster boys.  In the bad camp are Ahmadinejad, al Qaeda and the irrational Muslim who kills for blasphemy.  In the good camp are President Clintion, his wife Secretary of State and the Concordia Kids.

The Senate voted 90-1 to not allow Iran to become a nuclear weapon state.   How far away is war given Ahmadinejad's "incendiary rhetoric" and the West's desire for Iran energy assets and access to a market of 75 million people?

Update 9-24-12:  Hillary kicked off "Extremist Week" in New York at her husband's Clinton Global Initiative. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad did his part at the United Nations. 

Humble Foreign Policy for Global Policeman

Proof that what's said on the campaign stuff is to get elected.  Bush went from "I don't want to be the world's policeman" to "You're either with us or against us."  Obama picked up where Bush left off in dismantling individual freedom and making war under the Unitary Executive.

(Thanks to Economic Policy Journal)

America's Violent Crackdown on Whistleblowers and Dissent

RT interviewed Naomi Wolf.  The tape is chilling:



U.S. District Court of New York struck down President Obama's right to snatch citizens off the street and hold them without charges or trial.

President Obama's lawyers refused to reveal if they're complying with a ban against indefinite detention of citizens.  For all of Obama's 2008 campaign talk, he's a bigger Unitary Executive than W.

(Thanks to Economic Policy Journal)

U.S. Israel Military Exercise on Iran

Haaretz reported:

The U.S. and Israeli navies conducted a joint search-and-rescue exercise in the Mediterranean Sea last week. The four-day exercise, known as Reliant Mermaid, included the use of live fire, and the U.S. participants included Aegis guided-missile destroyers of the type that would in theory be used to help defend Israel against Iranian missiles. But the exercise didn't include any missile interceptions - though such interceptions are supposed to be part of a bigger joint exercise in another two months.

Though the exercise is supposed to take place annually, this is actually the first time it has taken place in three years.

Nothing to worry about here.  It's just an irregular, regular thing. America's tampering in global affairs wouldn't end with a Romney-Ryan tickert.  Paul Ryan offered:

Let me be really clear. Under President Romney, our adversaries will think twice about challenging America and our allies because we believe in peace through strength. There will be no daylight between America and our friends around the world.

It harkens back to President George W. Bush's clipped speech and mentality of "you're either with us, or against us." 

Clinton & Lieberman on Iran

The Jerusalem Post reported:

“I have absolutely no doubt that it is within our power to stop Iran from becoming a nuclear weapons country.  The question is not whether we can stop them, but whether we will choose to stop them.”

To that end, he pointed to a bipartisan Senate resolution with 78 cosponsors declaring that when it comes to Iran, “all options are on the table except one, and that one is containment of a nuclear Iran.”

The US-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act passed both houses of Congress and is headed to President Obama's desk.

Lieberman loves war, as evidenced by his position:

The US soon faces a choice between allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons or taking military action to stop it.

“For me, there is only one choice.”

More war.  Lieberman is joined by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu.

Update 7-29-30:  President Obama's National Security Advisor Tom Donilon shared Iranian strike plans with Israeli leaders (Haaretz) and Presidential hopeful Mitt Romney was in Israel for a campaign fundraiser, during which he made war talk.  Jerusalem Post reported "The cost to attend the event, where Romney is expected to appear for 45 minutes, is $50,000 a couple."

U.S. Navy Buildup in Persian Gulf Continues

Jerusalem Post reported on the latest arrival for the U.S. Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf:

The USS Ponce, described as an "afloat forward staging base" (AFSB), arrived on Thursday after undergoing refitting for its new mission.

This followed the deployment of four minesweepers.   The U.S. has huge assets in the Persian Gulf and Africa.  They're part of a chess game or plans for the next war. 

Update 7-13-12:  U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is headed to Israel for two days of meetings.  The number one topic is Iran.

War is the Point

Syrian rebel forces resorted to roadside bombs and kidnappings, the very thing the U.S. decried in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Reports have the West already helping
Syrian rebels.  Just as in Libya, the U.S. wants Syrian regime change.  American black ops preceded formal declarations of support in Libya.   

Turkish Jet Shot Down: Inciting Incident for War?

Bloomberg reported:

A Turkish warplane shot down by Syrian forces was in international airspace when it was struck, and Turkey is still weighing a response to the attack, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmed Davutoglu said.

The unarmed plane briefly entered Syrian airspace minutes before it was hit on June 22, and then plunged into Syrian waters about 8 miles (13 kilometers) offshore, Davutoglu said on state television today. It was on a test flight related to Turkey’s radar system, and was not spying on Syria, he said. The plane was clearly identifiable as Turkish, and Syria made no attempt to issue a warning after the earlier infringement, Davutoglu said. Turkish rescue teams are still searching for the F4 Phantom jet’s two crew members, he said. 

The Turkish Foreign Minister went on to say, “No one should doubt Turkey’s determination to do what is necessary” in response to the incident.  CNN cited Turkey's classification of the downing as a hostile act.

BBC reported:

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said Syria's actions were "outrageous" and underlined "how far beyond accepted behaviour the Syrian regime has put itself".

"It will be held to account for its behaviour. The UK stands ready to pursue robust action at the United Nations Security Council."

NATO will meet on the incident Tuesday, June 26.  Meanwhile UN Syria Envoy Kofi Annan is working on a Syria summit for June 30 " to which all potential contributors to a solution would be invited."

Hillary Describes Government Corporate Monstrosity

U.S. Secretary of State described her Global Statecraft Initiative Agenda as:
"harnessing global economics to strengthen our diplomacy abroad." 

We have to position ourselves to lead in a world where security and prosperity are shaped in boardrooms and on trading floors, as well as battlefields or diplomatic negotiations.  That's why I'm pleased to announce a new initiative called Global Economic Statecraft Day.

Frankly, it sounds much like her husband's Clinton Global Initiative, the must make event for American brand global corporate CEOs.  Hillary touched on public-private partnerships, which have private equity firms salivating over guaranteed 20% annual returns.

Boardrooms seek the lowest global common denominator on worker pay and benefits.  Trading floors are structured by and benefit the greed boys, until their machinations explode in their faces, after which they ask government to backstop their losses.

America's Red and Blue parties spend billions for the right to captain the G portion of the Government-Corporate Monstrosity (GCM).  Think Eisenhower's Military Industrial Complex on trillions in federal steroids.

President Bill Clinton courted the GCM hard in his second term in office.  His Clinton Global Initiative is a huge GCM annual gathering.  It seems Hillary's Global Economic Statecraft is but a variation of her husband's theme.

Update 6-27-12:  Bloomberg Government noted PEU's propensity to feed off the federal teat.

United States' Control over Global Commons

A retired military friend commented on force headcount reductions such that the U.S. could have the Air Force X-37B space plane and other high tech goodies, like Navy DDG-1000 destroyer, stealth ships with electromagnetic guns that launch projectiles.

That same day I saw a commercial for the Navy, branded as a "global force for good."   I later noticed Pentagon Chief Leon Panetta's warning of a looming cyberwar, which America has been perpetrating with impunity. 

Space, the high seas, the internet...where had I read the United States must rule the global commons?  It was the Project for the New American Century's Rebuilding America's Defenses.

My friend added the U.S. had lots of troops on the ground in Africa at the moment.  Which way will they be mobilized, Syria or Iran?  Iran, Syria and North Korea are the only ones from the PNAC report not yet invaded. The American led West already dealt with Iraq and Libya.

There should be a strong strategic synergy between U.S. forces overseas and in a reinforcing posture: units operating abroad are an indication of American geopolitical interests and leadership, provide significant military power to shape events and, in wartime, create the conditions for victory when reinforced. Conversely, maintaining the ability to deliver an unquestioned “knockout punch” through the rapid introduction of stateside units will increase the shaping power of forces operating overseas and the vitality of our alliances.

The knockout punch could include space launched tungsten rods, electromagnetically propelled molten metal and/or high energy lasers.

Everybody's looking for something disruptive to tilt the system in their favor, U.S. politicians, American branded corporate/financial giants, and the U.S.military.  These three groups coalesce to form the Government Corporate Monstrosity, Eisenhower's MIC on trillions in federal steroids and now global. 

PNAC's 2000 vision is nearly complete.  What's next for American branded hegemony?  Does the average person need another financial kick in the teeth?   Maybe more snooping in their lives?  How about a Cyber Pearl Harbor?  The GCM can deliver it all, while vastly enriching the core faithful. 

Google "American" State of Spying

Google will warn users if "state sponsored spies" attempt to gain access to their accounts.  Wired magazine understands the big picture:

No word on whether Google will still notify users if it has reason to believe the state doing the spying is the US.

Wired reported numerous times on America's degeneration into a total surveillance state.   What limits exist to prevent the U.S. and our fifty-first state from spying on citizens?  They have an "industrial strength" digital vacuum cleaner at their disposal.  Add that Obama's building a monster NSA facility to store the suck.

Update 7-22-12:   America's future involves a projected 30,000 drones in the sky. 

No Gaps Between U.S. & Israel on Iran

Haaretz reported:

According to the U.S. official, the Israeli government was the first to be updated by them on what happened in Baghdad after the talks were over. "We updated the Israelis in detail before we updated our own government," the official said. 

"This shows how much trust and security we have in our ties with Israel." 

This was an anonymous senior U.S. official.

"Even if we do not have the patience, we need to give diplomacy a chance before military action…it is still not too late, and I think that Israel also doesn't think it's too late," the official added.

  

On Friday, the head of the U.S. negotiation team, undersecretary of state for political affairs Wendy Sherman, arrived in Israel along with officials from the White House National Security Council working on the Iran nuclear issue – Gary Seymour and Puneet Talwar. 

The American team had a three-hour meeting with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, with National Security advisor Yaakov Amidror, and a number of other senior Israeli officials who deal with the Iran issue, in order to update them on the talks in Baghdad.

 The official said the noose around Iran would continue to tighten:

The U.S. team also stressed in their meetings in Israel that there is no intention to annul the sanctions that have already been imposed on Iran, with an emphasis on the EU oil embargo that will go into effect on June 1.

"There will be more sanctions against Iran if it does not give an answer to the concerns of the international community," the U.S. official said. 

In its talks with Israel, the U.S. delegation underlined that it is still not clear whether or not the Iranians are interested in reaching a deal. "This is the beginning, and we did not expect that there would be an agreement in Baghdad, we will see if we will close the gaps in talks in Moscow," the U.S. official said.

We will see economic chains tightening around Iran.  I wonder if this is the Iraq playbook, only elongated.




In the midst of this deja vu, will Coleman Barks write a letter to President Obama?

Petraeus Cites Government-Corporate Monstrosity

America's Government-Corporate Monstrosity (GCM), Eisenhower's Military-Industrial Complex on trillions in federal steroids, will spy on citizens through internet connected devices.  CIA Chief David Petraeus offered:

“Items of interest will be located, identified, monitored, and remotely controlled through technologies such as radio-frequency identification, sensor networks, tiny embedded servers, and energy harvesters — all connected to the next-generation internet using abundant, low-cost, and high-power computing,” Petraeus said, “the latter now going to cloud computing, in many areas greater and greater supercomputing, and, ultimately, heading to quantum computing.”

One might expect citizens to tar and feather Petraeus, running him out of the room.  Not this crowd. Petraeus spoke:

at a summit for In-Q-Tel, the CIA’s venture capital firm. “‘Transformational’ is an overused word, but I do believe it properly applies to these technologies,” Petraeus enthused, “particularly to their effect on clandestine tradecraft.”

If anyone believes the courts will protect citizens, think again.  It's about national security, not individual liberty  Google and Facebook are Petraeus' spy tools.

Blomert's: Back on Palestinian Peace

Nearly three years into "economic peace" between the Palestinians and Israelis, how do things look?  Bleak, to say the least.  Meanwhile, Quartet Representative Tony Blair stokes the fires of the Economic Development Peace Train. 

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, as slippery and sleazy as Blair himself, spoke on missed opportunities for peace under his regime.  Olmert and Blair counted on toppling Hamas in Gaza and executing a peace agreement. 

Olmert blames the failure on rich Americans tampering with Palestinian peace, according to Haaretz:

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert tells CNN that right-wing extremists from the United States toppled his government with “millions and millions of dollars” in order to thwart his attempt to reach a lasting peace agreement with the Palestinians. 

Olmert failed to consider the impact of his Gaza razing and corruption allegations on his election loss, which ushered in uber-hawk Bibi Netanyahu. Olmert blamed "Superior Powers" in the U.S., yet refused to identify any group or individual. 

Five years in, Tony Blair's peace plan optimism wears thin, especially as Tony enriched himself mightily.  Like U.S. President George W. Bush, Olmert is on a legacy repair mission. 

Olmert and Blair benefited from "millions and millions of dollars" from superior powers.  Any attempts to shore up their greedy reputations is to garner more of the same.  Meanwhile, peace is but a word.  Grease is their practice.

Russia Expects US/Israel Attack this Summer

It's a matter of time before the U.S. strategy of "divide and arm" opens new markets for American branded global corporations and gets the West's hands on valuable energy reserves.  The Worldwide Socialist Web Site believes it will be summer.

I have my doubts, as this would be inconvenient for the U.S. Presidential Election.  War, or its escalation, tends to occur outside engorged election campaigns.  . 

I've been wrong before and expect to be again.  Maybe someone will leak the game plan from the upcoming Bilderberg meeting.  Rumors have it back in Chantilly, Virginia.  Four years ago candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton paid fealty to Bilderberg's King and Queen makers.  Who will rise from Chantilly 2012?

Update 5-17-12:  The plan is ready.  The U.S. will provide an additional $70 million for Israel's short range missile defense system, known as Iron Dome.  Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called negotiations ridiculous if they allow Iran to retain something yet to be proven, a "military nuclear program."

Update 9-26-12:  U.S. to go to war with Iran in 2013, according to ex-Ambassador to Israel.

Holocaust Remembrance Day

Washington D.C. was the site of Holocaust Remembrance Day activities.  American and Israeli leaders joined to recall the horror of Hitler's extermination program.

President Barack Obama
Treasury Chief Tim Geithner
House Majority Leader John Boehner
Pentagon Chief Leon Panetta

Israeli Ambassador to United States Michael Oren
Defense Minister Ehud Barak

I found it odd that this group didn't travel to Europe and remember the Holocaust from Dachau, Auschwitz, or Treblinka.  No, they gathered in the U.S. Capital, the epicenter of world power and greed. 

Talk turned to war to prevent a "Second Holocaust."

Israel’s US envoy called on the world Thursday to prevent Iran from perpetrating another Holocaust.

It doesn't get more explicit than that.  America and Israel march hand in hand toward war.

Note:  Israel denied pensions to 2,000 survivors of Nazi persecution, making the announcement on Holocaust Remembrance Day.  That calls into question Geithner's words from his speech, "The world is indeed a complicated place. But our basic responsibilities as human beings are not. Protect the weak. Shelter those in need. Resist evil in all its forms."  Strike through protect the weak...

Update 4-23-12:  President Obama announced increased Iranian sanctions from America's Holocaust Museum.

Context for Nuclear Negotiations with Iran

More sanctions, no movement, increased pressure, counter sanctions.  The march to war continues.  Negotiations begin Friday the 13th...

Iran Concerns Leak Beyond Nuclear to Chemical

Haaretz reported:

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan revealed that Turkey stopped an Iranian shipment carrying Turkish chemicals to Syria. When asked for an explanation, Iran claimed that the chemicals being shipped to Syria were for agricultural purposes. Edrogan said in response: “But we know that it is possible to make chemical weapons out of materials meant for agriculture.” 

This news story would have me believe an Iranian ship loaded chemicals in Turkey for transport to Syria.  Did Turkish officials seize the ship?  Who's out the money for the shipment, Iranians, Syrians or the Turkish chemical producers?

Which Turkish chemical company reached the deal with Syria?  Who hired the Iranian shipper?  Who might benefit from a seized Iranian chemical tanker?

The shift of Western concern to chemical weapons feels orchestrated, especially since the story came out of a 70+ nation "Friends of Syria" group.

Update 4-7-12:  Iran and Syria remain high on the list for Western tampering.   A round of Holy Week restraint on war feels fake, especially when leaders and the media offer the usual Al Qaeda threat. 

Hillary's War Theater

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced talks between Iran and six world powers on Iran's nuclear program.  The talks will take place in Istanbul from April 13-14.  The Jerusalem Post highlighted last year's talks on this issue:

The previous such meeting took place in Istanbul in January 2011, when the two sides failed to agree on an agenda.

Hillary used the same language U.S. leaders us with Israel, unbreakable bond,

"The commitment of the United States to the people and the nations of the Gulf is rock-solid and unwavering. Our strong bilateral relationships are a rock of stability in the region," Clinton said in prepared remarks delivered in the inaugural meeting of a new US-Gulf security forum.

America supports heavy handed dictatorial regimes throughout the Persian Gulf, the kind that used brute military force to crush any semblance of an Arab Spring.

Clinton said the United States will work with Gulf Arab nations to strengthen their shared defenses against threats including Iran.

Add the President Obama judged world oil markets robust enough to inflict Iranian pain.  He essentially gave a three month warning to anyone buying Iranian oil.


As for the upcoming meeting with Iran, Hillary even worked in an ominous Friday the 13th. Will she also include a creepy soundtrack?

"Wired" Indicates Big Brother is Here & Now

Wired Magazine found an ex-NSA insider who revealed the extent of government spying on citizens.  It's extensive, comprehensive, high tech, top secret and illegal.  The White House and Congress don't care. Wired's source was William Binney, a "senior NSA crypto-mathematician largely responsible for automating the agency’s worldwide eavesdropping network."  Here's Binney's take on the level of spying on citizens:

Sitting in a restaurant not far from NSA headquarters, the place where he spent nearly 40 years of his life, Binney held his thumb and forefinger close together. “We are, like, that far from a turnkey totalitarian state,” he says.

I hope the NSA employs thousands of Agent Maxwell Smarts.  They could collectively say, "Missed it by that much."

America's leadership bar continues to plummet to the lowest global common denominator, this time on privacy.  It's the bane of the average citizen vs.the Bain of those running the Government Corporate Monstrosity, Eisenhower's MIC on trillions in federal steroids.  Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Update:  Bain Capital has a division which helps the Chinese government spy on its citizens.  Think how much business President Romney could send their way...

EU's SWIFT Cutoff: Financial Embargo of Iran?

Europeans did what Americans proposed.  They cut off international processing of messages for a number of Iranian banks.  This service is provided by SWIFT, a Belgium banking cooperative.  FinExtra reported:

US politicians proposed a bill that would block Iranian banks from using the Swift network. At the time Swift said that it complies with "all applicable sanctions laws of the multiple jurisdictions in which we operate".

In 2007 the U.S. and Europe needed SWIFT to monitor terrorist financing activity.  Now that Iran is a "state sponsor of terrorism," the West will turn off their detection tool.

Lázaro Campos, CEO, Swift, says: "This EU decision forces Swift to take action. Disconnecting banks is an extraordinary and unprecedented step for Swift. It is a direct result of international and multilateral action to intensify financial sanctions against Iran."

FinExtra provided information on the nature of European trade with Iran.

In 2010, 19 Iranian banks and 25 Iranian entities reportedly used Swift more than two million times, transacting $35 billion in trade with Europe alone.

There is no way a stressed EU will choke off $35 billion in trade on a long term basis.  The West wants greater access to Iranian oil and its economy.  To garner such, Iran, like Iraq and Libya, must be taught a lesson.  I expect it to be a swift kick in backside, courtesy of America's 51st state, Israel.

Terror Attack Branded Ally-on-Ally Killing

A drunk American soldier killed sixteen Afghans as they slept, nine of which were children between the age of six and nine.  Had this happened in America at the hands of a Middle Eastern man, the act would classified as terrorism.  The Associated Press now refers to the event as an ally-on-ally killing. How long did it take for someone to think up that meme?  Let me guess, it came from Leon Panetta.

Obama to Parent the World

U.S. President Barack Obama won the Nobel Peace Prize, seemingly for being elected.  He ramped up summary executions via drone fired missiles and expanded the war in Afghanistan, where a drunk soldier did the work of drone by killing innocent women and children.  Drones are sanitary, drunk soldiers, not so much.

Haaretz reported Obama's options for further violence to impart America's will.  It includes letting Israel attack Iran first, then getting America in the fray via a Pearl Harbor type incident.  A foreign policy expert believes Obama backed down to Netanyahu and AIPAC, after a rocky start.  The expert predicted:

Obama has become “more aware of the need for a forward presence for the U.S. and less convinced that a lower U.S. presence would solve all the world’s problems.”

Obama is resolute about denying Iran nuclear weapons, adding “people often underestimate the degree to which Obama sees nuclear nonproliferation as a cornerstone of American security strategy and of the kind of legacy that he would like to leave. And my impression is that the Administration accepts the analysis that an Iranian nuclear bomb pretty well ends any likely prospects for successful non-proliferation activities.”

Obama chose global tampering, the question is degree.

If America became convinced that an attack on Iran is necessary and that only the U.S. is capable of carrying it out successfully, then Obama “would not hesitate to pull the trigger.” 

Give the man his Nobel War Prize.  He's already earned it.

Obama Shifts G8 to Camp David

WaPo reported:

The White House abruptly announced Monday that it had scuttled plans to hold the upcoming G-8 economic summit in Chicago, and would instead host world leaders at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland.

It was an unusually late location change for a large and highly scripted international summit and came with little explanation from the White House.

What in the script called for more security, the protest free variety?  It must be the language of war.

From Patriot Act to Podesta Group

House Judiciary Committee Chief of Staff Sean McLaughlin will step down to become a lobbyist.  The Podesta Group advertised his hiring as "GOP Firepower."  Sean's public service career included:

In February 2001, he became counsel for the Crime Subcommittee where he played a key role in developing the USA Patriot Act.

Chairman Lamar Smith  (R-TX) offered:

I want to compliment Sean on his diligence, on his commitment, on his conscientiousness, and on his loyalty...

That loyalty will be rewarded with a lobbying job at The Podesta Group, Tony Podesta's influence peddling operation.  It's Sean's time to cash in. 

Consider Rep. Smith's final remark:

Sean, I do not know if you want to say anything. 

[Laughter.] 

Wave goodbye. Okay. Thank you.

Here's the plug Lamar Smith gave for the Sean and the Podesta Group:

“Sean’s talent, dedication and tireless work ethic have helped the committee advance complex and high-profile legislation,” said House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas).

“His leadership will be missed, but I am confident that Sean will take the same level of productivity, insight and success to his work at the Podesta Group.”

What freedoms might Sean work to dismantle under Tony Podesta's tutelage?  What role might he have in advancing the next war?  Stay tuned...

Seeking Israeli Investment: Bill Moves before AIPAC

 

The House Judiciary Committee marked up a bill granting Israeli investors access to the E-2 visa which allows foreign nationals making significant investments to live in the U.S.  Rep. Howard Berman spoke on his bill:

I appreciate marking up this bill and moving it quickly very much.

This bill will encourage Israeli business leaders to further invest in the United States. It will lead to the creation of jobs for American workers. The legislative scope is narrow, but when so many Americans are looking for jobs and families are struggling to make ends meet, every little bit helps. 

Our Nation will benefit from bringing their business to our shores.  The E-2 treaty investor visas will enable the business communities in both countries to increase their bilateral investment flow.

The E-2 investor visa program will strengthen the U.S.- Israeli relationship, boost the American middle class, help grow the economies of both countries.

Rep Gallegly added:

E-2 visas are temporary visas issued to foreign investors who come to the U.S. as executives or supervisors in order to develop and manage their investments.

This is "one of these opportunities where we can work in a bipartisan way to show our support for Israel, but also our support for the American economy."

Obama Not Bluffing on Iran

For more on President Obama's tough talk, read the AIPAC blurb and listen carefully to Obama's AIPAC speech, once it's delivered. 

Netanyahu on "Atrocious Massacres" of Trapped Citizens

The Jerusalem Post reported on Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's upcoming meeting with President Obama:

Speaking at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday, Netanyahu said, "Our region is volatile and quickly changing in the North, South and East, including the atrocious massacre we are seeing in Syria against innocent civilians. All of these subjects will be raised at the meeting, but one issue will be central: the increasing power of Iran."

After Israel pummeled Gaza and its one million citizens, most of whom were innocents, Netanyahu offered:

"I'm sorry to say we haven't gotten the job done," the former prime minister, known for his hawkish views on peace talks, said in a radio interview Thursday. "It is clear that Hamas is rearming, clearly it is hitting us, clearly it is testing us. The next government will have no choice but to finish the job and uproot ... the Iranian terror base."

President-elect Obama sat on his hands while Israel killed scores of innocents between December 27, 2008 and January 18, 2009.  Here's the official U.S. position on civilian deaths from Secretary of State Condi Rice:

"It is very difficult in a circumstance like Gaza, which is a very densely populated area," to protect civilians.

Obama and Netanyahu will meet on March 5. 

Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the United States next week, where he will address the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC's annual policy conference, which will be held from March 4-6.

Watch for a string of U.S. politicians talking tough on Iran at AIPAC.The official list includes:

• President of the United States Barack Obama
• Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
• Israeli President Shimon Peres
• Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta
• Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
• House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA)
• Senator Carl Levin (D-MI)
• Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT)
• Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
• CNN Contributor Paul Begala
• Democratic Strategist Donna Brazile  
• Fox News Contributor Liz Cheney
• President of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and Former Member of Congress Jane Harman
• Founding Editor, The Times of Israel David Horovitz
• CEO, Kathy Ireland Worldwide Kathy Ireland
• Editor of The Weekly Standard William Kristol
• Political Analyst for NBC News Mike Murphy
• Director, George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs; Former Anchor and Washington Bureau Chief, CNN Frank Sesno
• Middle East Commentator for Channel 2 Television, Israel Ehud Yaari

President Obama has requested $3.1 billion in military aid to Israel as part of his budget for fiscal year 2013.

Israel spends more on defense as a percentage of GDP than any Western country and nearly double that of the United States.

The public must be moved to war and any method is O.K..

Pentagon Shifts $100 Million to Iran

WSJ reported:

The Pentagon is beefing up U.S. sea- and land-based defenses in the Persian Gulf.

YNET added:

The readiness push, lead by the military's Central Command, indicates the extent to which war planners are taking tangible steps to prepare for a possible conflict with Iran, even as top White House and defense leaders try to emphasize other options over war. 

Officials said that the Pentagon submitted a request to Congress on February 7 on behalf of Central Command seeking to reallocate $100 million in defense funding to "bridge near-term capability gaps" in the Persian Gulf.

It's a global affair...

"(British) MoD planners went into overdrive at the start of the year. Conflict is seen as inevitable as long as the regime pursue their nuclear ambitions."

Haaretz reported:

A United Nations report on Iran's nuclear program proves that Israeli estimates concerning Tehran's progress were accurate, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Saturday, adding that Iran was continuing to advance their efforts "uninterrupted."  

Spending as to war, which includes graphics like The Sun's.  The case for war may be more important than its conduct.  No support, no youth to sacrifice.

Which Middle East Nuclear Arms Race?

Haaretz reported

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said on Saturday a nuclear-armed Iran would trigger an arms race in the Middle East and nations should impose "crippling" sanctions on Iran to force it to give up its atomic program.

"A nuclear Iran is a threat to the whole world, not just to Israel ... Other major powers in the Middle East will have to try to reach nuclear capability, probably Saudi Arabia, probably Turkey, probably even Egypt," Barak told reporters in Tokyo.

The same article characterized Israel's nuclear weapons capabilities as:

Israel, widely believed to be the Middle East's only nuclear power, has said a nuclear-armed Iran would be a threat to its existence. 

And what role does Israel's possession of several hundred nuclear weapons have on any Middle East nuclear arms race?

Consider the vectoring on the Iranian threat:

British Foreign Secretary William Hague said in an interview published on Saturday Iran was trying to develop a nuclear weapons capability and if it succeeded it would set off a dangerous round of nuclear proliferation across the Middle East.

United Nations Chief Ban Ki-Moon kept the theme going.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said today in Vienna that Iranian assertions that its nuclear program is peaceful are unconvincing and that it is up to the government in Tehran to dispel suspicions about its atomic work.

While “the onus is on the Iranian side to convince the international community that their nuclear program is genuinely peaceful,” Ban said

Contrasting this line of thought was U.S. General Martin Dempsey, currently visiting Israel:

Gen. Dempsey said that Iran is a "rational actor" and that the U.S. thinks that Iran has not yet decided whether to make a nuclear weapon.

Middle Eastern countries may have noticed President Obama's appointment of neocon and Israel lover Dennis Ross to manage the Iranian problem in 2009.  Oddly, White House retiree Dennis Ross wrote three days ago:

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, have consistently called for “crippling sanctions,” reflecting a belief that Iran’s behavior could be changed with sufficient pressure. The fact that crippling sanctions have finally been applied means that Israel is more likely to give these sanctions and the related diplomatic offensive a chance to work. And it should.

Ehud Barak's comments weren't for giving already imposed, crippling sanctions time to work.  Does this mean "crippling sanctions" is just a meme, repeatedly stated no matter how high or costly sanctions become for the Iranian people?

A meme in the opposite direction is the U.S. call for Israel to "stop building settlements."  Frankly, the words have no meaning after decades of use. 

Did Middle East countries watch the West turn its back on Libya's Gadhafi?  This occurred despite Gadhafi's renouncing nuclear weapons, investing heavily in Western private equity firms and opening Libya to foreign corporations, albeit not fast enough.

The common denominator for U.S. led Western intervention is a Project for New American Century piece, "Rebuilding America's Defenses."  Neocons, including the aforementioned Dennis Ross, called for Iraq, Libya, Syria and Iran to fall under American influence.  Two down, two in play.

As for the Middle East arms race, what role did Israel play with its deep nuclear weapons capability and razing of Gaza and Southern Lebanon?  'How does $2.5 billion a year in American military aid factor in?

Update:  Tom Donilon (of Fannie Mae fame) visited Israel in his role of National Security Czar.  Israel's desire to strike Iran is growing   Netanyahu will tell Donilon the only test of sanctions is a positive outcome. "Any measure that doesn't stop Iran's nuclear program is inadequate."  Western banks in Iran won't stop any attack.

Update 2-19-12:  British Foreign Secretary Hague said if Iran succeeds in developing nuclear weapons, there will either be a war or a cold war.  "Either way, [Iran] will be attacked and there will be a war."

Update 2-22-12:  The U.S. State Department said it is closely consulting Israel in regard to Iran's nuclear program.  Obama spokesman Jay Carney's Iran language sounds like Ari Fleischer on Iraq.  Should I change the name of this blog to Carney's Freedom Switch?  Nah...

Update 2-23-12:  Iranian missiles could hit U.S. East Coast in 2-3 years, according to an Israeli official.  Another tooth in the cog of war.

Switch is On

The switch is nearly complete. Democracy is "out of date" and needs to be replaced by totalitarianism so the greedy can make more money.

The Carlyle Group closed its Cairo office last year in response to the political turmoil (call for democracy) in Egypt, re-locating personnel from there to its Dubai operation. 

State capitalism ensures greater returns for the purveyors of the Government-Corporate Monstrosity (GCM), Eisenhower's Military Industrial Complex (MIC) on trillions in federal budget steroids.

The last task will be to round up the un-American, who have no rights to privacy or a trial in front of their peers.  How long before the U.S. re-imports summary execution at the hands of those charged with protecting?

Mindless drones are coming.

Drone Lobby Presentation

Update 2-12-12:  Middle East private equity deals were down due to "last year's Arab Spring uprisings introduced political uncertainty into the equation."  How long before the new totalitarians, wielding State Capitalism, replace messy democracy?

Update 2-28-12:  Congress passed a bill making public protests illegal at events with a Secret Service presence.  It's Obama-Bush's to sign.  Will a Jeffersonian figure rise as a result?

44% of Americans support strike against Iran

The Jerusalem Post reported:

In the United States, 44 percent of those polled supported bombing Iran's nuclear facilities, whereas only 23% of British, 20% of Middle Easterners, and 18% of Germans supported such a move.

It seems those who've had war at their doorstep the last century aren't excited for it to return. 

In the Middle East - defined as the Gulf states, North Africa and the Levant - Iran sanctions enjoyed the support of 44% of the population, still only a fraction of the 70% support seen in the United States.

It's a Red/Blue PNAC'ers dream.  Iraq?  Check.  Libya?  Check, despite Gadhafi's dropping nuclear weapons and offering to play with Western corporation.  Syria?  In play.  Iran?  Up next.

With its ability to use a small fleet of frigates and fast patrol craft, along with submarines, mines, and advanced anti-ship cruise missiles, Iran also represents a hybrid threat. Iran’s coastline and 17 islands in the Persian Gulf are a strategic choke point in the maritime commons and a potential challenge to the U.S. military. Iranian military doctrine suggests that it will employ asymmetric tactics that exploit the constricted geographic character of the gulf and the advanced systems that it has acquired

The Center for New American Security reported:

Natural gas from Turkmenistan may one day flow through Afghanistan, for example, en route to Pakistani and Indian cities and ports, one of several possible energy links between Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent. Both the Chinese port in Gwadar, Pakistan, and the Indian port in Chah Bahar, Iran, may eventually be connected to oil- and natural-gas-rich Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and other former Soviet republics.

The political foundation has been laid. It's up to war planners to deliver the New American Century, where America can project its power anywhere on the globe.

Update 2-11-12:  Even the neocons are back.