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America Declares Economic War Against Europe
Eric Zuesse
On Friday night, July 28th, U.S. President Donald Trump said that he would sign into law the increased economic sanctions (passed by 98-2 in the Senate and 419-3 in the House) against any business that is declared to have "knowingly provided goods or services ... for construction, modernisation, or repair of Russia’s energy export pipelines.”
Russia is the largest energy-supplier to the world’s largest energy-market, which is Europe, or the EU. The biggest proportion of that trade is in Europe’s main source of energy, which is gas, which is pipelined into Europe from Russia. So: those pipelines are vitally important not only to Russia’s economy but to Europe’s.
US Plotting to Topple Venezuela’s Government
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
Since Hugo Chavez’s February 1999 ascension to power, Washington wanted Bolivarian democracy replaced by fascist tyranny.
Earlier coup attempts failed, another likely planned, months of US-orchestrated violence a convenient pretext to act, along with imposing illegal sanctions on Venezuelan officials.
On Wednesday, the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned 13 current and former Venezuelan officials, along with others, wrongfully accusing them of “undermining democracy” - a US specialty at home and abroad.
Moscow Retaliates Against New US Sanctions
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
Russia’s move was modest, having no effect on bilateral relations.
Washington was ordered to reduce embassy and consular staff in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Yekaterinburg and Vladivostok to 455 people by September 1 - equaling the number of Russian diplomats and staff in America.
Its southern Moscow warehouses and Serebryany Bor property were frozen, access by US personnel suspended as of August 1.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Putin approved the moves. A Russian Foreign Ministry statement said “(i)n the case of new unilateral actions of the US authorities to reduce the number of our diplomats in the US, it will be followed by a tit-for-tat response.”
“We reserve the right on other mutual measures, which can affect US interests.”
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Forced to Resign
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
Following a unanimous Supreme Court ruling to remove him from office on corruption charges, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned.
According to The Times of Islamabad, Pakistan’s Supreme Court “disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case verdict. Justice Ejaz Afzal announced the decision.”
In April 2016, leaked documents showed his sons Hassan and Hussein, along with his daughter Maryam, own at least three offshore holding companies registered in the British Virgin Islands, tax havens for ill-gotten gains.
Sharif’s resignation is effective on Friday. He’s been investigated since last year on corruption charges. His choice was either resigning or being forced from office.
Imperial War on Venezuelan Democracy
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
Sunday’s National Constituent Assembly election “is the most important (one) in the (nation’s) political system because we are electing the sovereign constituent body…that is above all others, the maximum political authority,” President Nicolas Maduro explained in a nationally televised address.
He blasted US-supported fascist opposition elements, aiming to obstruct the constitutional process, adding: “They believed that in this way they were going to intimidate the people of Venezuela, but they were wrong, because there has not been a more joyous electoral campaign.”
Attempted outreach for national dialogue with opposition forces accomplished nothing. They want confrontation, not conciliation.
The Trump administration promised “strong and swift economic actions” if Sunday’s democratic process proceeds as scheduled.
CIA Working to Replace Venezuelan Democracy with Fascist Tyranny
Stephen Lendman
Economic war along with street violence since April reflect a diabolical CIA plot to end Bolivarian democracy - complicit with Venezuelan fascists, aiming to forcefully topple the government.
During a Q&A session at the Aspen Security Forum last week, CIA director Mike Pompeo called for regime change in Venezuela, saying “we are very hopeful that there can be a transition.” Up to its old tricks, Langley is heavily involved in pursuing it.
President Nicolas Maduro denounced Pompeo’s comments, saying the agency and US government are “work(ing) in direct collaboration with the Mexican government and the Colombian government to overthrow the constitutional government in Venezuela…”
The State Department threatened Maduro, saying “(w)e are prepared to take strong and swift economic actions if the Government of Venezuela election moves forward on 30 July with a Constituent Assembly” - its constitutional right, as explained in a same day article.
Iraqi Vice President in Moscow
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
Iraqi Vice President Nouri al-Maliki served as prime minister from 2006 to 2014.
Washington forced him out for not being subservient enough to US interests. Haider al-Abadi replaced him.
Weeks later, Maliki became one of three Iraqi vice presidents. He holds the post despite efforts to abolish it.
In late 2014, he accused Washington of using ISIS as a pretext to maintain a military presence in Iraq, saying:
“The Americans began this sedition in Syria and then expanded its dimensions into Iraq and it seems that they intend to further stretch this problem to other countries in their future plans.”
The American System in Healthcare: The Path to Medicare
Nancy Spannaus
The current stalemate on healthcare in the Congress provides a perfect opportunity to "get it right," beginning with the approach represented in the legislation of "Medicare for all." The United States is faced with a health care emergency, and action to deal with the crisis by applying American System principles is needed immediately.
In his 1944 State of the Union address, President Franklin Roosevelt declared that the nation had basically accepted "a second Bill of Rights under which a new basis of security and prosperity can be established for all-regardless of station, race, or creed." Among them were "the right to adequate medical care and the opportunity to achieve and enjoy good health," and the "right to adequate protection from the economic fears of ... sickness...." As I outlined in the first article in this series. FDR was proceeding from his Constitutional commitment to provision for the General Welfare, which he had pursued throughout the New Deal. Having won the battle for Social Security and unemployment insurance, he was determined to build on his successes to provide prosperity for the entire population.Thanks to the effective counterattack against FDR's American System approach to the general welfare, ongoing now since FDR's death, this basic right has not yet been put into practice more than 70 years later.
Responses to House Passed Sanctions on Russia, Iran and North Korea
Stephen Lendman (stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman)
North Korea responded to earlier US sanctions, calling their imposition “an act of war.”
Last month during his annual marathon Q & A session, Vladimir Putin said anti-Russian sanctions benefitted the country, making it more self-reliant and self-sufficient, notably by developing stronger ties with China and other countries.
He criticized Washington’s agenda, saying it “constantly tries to exert influence on the minds of the residents of other countries. Take a globe, spin it and point with a finger to any place.”
US interests are everywhere - interfering in the internal affairs of virtually all countries. “I know this from talks…with other the heads of state,” Putin explained. “They do not want to quarrel with the Americans and no one directly speaks about this.”
America’s Invasion of Syria Will it finally end now?
Eric Zuesse
The U.S. government has invaded and occupies Syria to overthrow its President, Bashar al-Assad and also to destroy ISIS, which is one of the jihadist organizations that are (like the U.S.) trying to defeat Syria’s government forces (Assad’s forces). The U.S. government has been supporting the ‘rebels’ (tens of thousands of imported foreign jihadists who aren’t ISIS but who are instead allied with or led by Al Qaeda) against the nation’s internationally recognized legal secular (non-religious) government. The only two U.S. Senators who are at all disturbed that the U.S. has violated both U.S. law and international law by having our soldiers and weapons invade Syria, are the two libertarians, Rand Paul and Mike Lee. Even they — the Senate’s two libertarians — don’t care about America’s violation of international law by America’s invasion and occupation of Syria; even they care only about our government’s violation of the U.S. Constitution. Even they do not challenge America’s right to violate international law (which wasn’t even an issue in that Senate vote).
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