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Ten billion reasons to demand system change
By Rajesh Makwana
Has the international community left it too late to prevent runaway climate change and widespread ecological degradation? Does the typical citizen and career politician have the inclination to accept the severity of the ‘planetary emergency’, let alone make the lifestyle changes and policy decisions needed to address it? And can the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Paris really signal an end to the unregulated dumping of carbon emissions, or mark a shift away from the business-as-usual approach to economic development?
These are among the many troubling questions that emerge when watching a new documentary written and presented by one of the world’s foremost scientists, Professor Stephen Emmott. The film – Ten Billion – draws on a bewildering array of statistics to paint a grim picture of humanity’s future prospects on Planet Earth. As the title suggests, the narrative emphasises the overwhelmingly destructive impact that human ‘progress’ is having on the natural world, especially as the global population heads towards the ten billion mark at the end of this century. Given the ongoing failure to reduce population growth and curb ever-increasing levels of consumption, Professor Emmott argues that governments appear to be completely incapable of adopting a more sustainable socio-economic model, even in the face of an impending ecological catastrophe.
Gallup Finds Americans Are Ideological Suckers About Healthcare
Eric Zuesse
Gallup headlined on November 23rd, “In U.S., 51% Say Government Should Ensure Healthcare Coverage,” and reported that, when asked “Do you think it is the responsibility of the federal government to make sure all Americans have healthcare coverage, or is that not the responsibility of the federal government?” 51% choose “Yes, government responsibility,” and 47% choose “No, not government responsibility.”
In other words: more Americans are socialists than are not socialists.
According to core socialist belief, basic healthcare is a human right that applies equally to all citizens; all socialists believe that though some dermatological and other treatments should be available only on the basis of an individual’s ability-to-pay, healthcare that’s essential for living a pain-free and economically productive life should be available to everyone equally, no matter how little income they have.
And, by contrast, capitalists believe that if you get into a traffic accident or get a dread disease and need medicines that cost $300,000 per year, and maybe expensive surgery, etc., and you can’t afford that, you should just die — tough luck, you’re not ‘worth’ the cost, but any billionaire automatically woud be worth it.
However, here were the results of the most extensive ideological survey of Americans, and it showed that Americans overwhelmingly reject “socialism”; they are “capitalists” instead:
Selling Fear
by Stephen Lendman
Fear-mongering is longstanding US policy, facilitated by false flags - state-sponsored terrorism, 9/11 Exhibit A, perpetrated with an agenda in mind.
When well-executed, these schemes always convince a naive public to believe what they’re told, not realizing they’re being duped, manipulated to support what harms their security and well-being.
Various polls conducted days after the Paris attacks showed most Americans support using US combat troops against ISIS in Syria and Iraq. A Gallup poll conducted six days before the attacks revealed majority opposition to direct US involvement on the ground. Polling data also show most Americans willing to sacrifice fundamental freedoms for greater security, including Big Brother watching everyone more intrusively - not realizing that sacrificing one for the other assures losing both.
Western Media Fail to Condemn Turkish Aggression
by Stephen Lendman
Failure to condemn clear aggression shows support. Turkey’s act of war was clear and unambiguous - recklessness against Russia’s real war on terror, polar opposite America’s phony war, backing ISIS and other terrorist groups, not combatting them.
Media headlines should accuse Turkey of naked aggression against Russia, acting recklessly, upping the stakes for potential global war. Instead they suppress what’s vital to know.
New York Times editors cited the risk of “wider confrontation,” falsely calling Obama’s proxy aggression on Syria a “civil war.”
US-Dominated NATO Supports Turkish Aggression Against Russia
by Stephen Lendman
Make no mistake. Downing Russia’s aircraft was provocative Turkish aggression - a clear act of war against a nonthreatening nation.
A previous article explained it’s inconceivable President Erdogan acted alone, unilaterally deciding to attack the Russian plane - then lying about it entering Turkish airspace, warning “10 times” (an absurdity on its face) before downing it with one or more air-to-air missiles.
Following the incident, he outrageously said he acted in accordance with Turkey’s rules of engagement. “Nobody should doubt that we made our best efforts to avoid this latest incident,” adding he harbors no “enmity” toward Russia. Naked aggression speaks for itself.
Washington dominates NATO policy, including appointing its secretary general and other top officials. Alliance statements reflect US interests.
America’s Awesome Corruption — Especially in the Military
Eric Zuesse
On November 16th, the great journalist on international strategic and military issues, F. William Engdahl, headlined at journal-neo, Do We Really Want a New World War With Russia?“” and he documented that, with military expenditures one-tenth of America’s, Russia achieves at least parity with the U.S. in terms of war-fighting capability. It’s a remarkable article, even though it actually brings together into one place the recent disclosures in many media, regarding vital technologies where Russia far outpaces American capabilities. Of course, that’s what’s necessary to do in order to document the extent of Russia’s areas of clear military superiority.
Full-Blown Tyranny in America Approaches
by Stephen Lendman
Post-9/11, Bush administration and congressional neocons took full advantage, declaring war on humanity at home and abroad - turning America into a police state.
Republican and Democrat presidential aspirants support escalated war on terrorism - code language for greater homeland and foreign wars on humanity, including against remaining fundamental freedoms, disappearing in plain sight, perhaps entirely gone no matter who succeeds Obama in January 2017.
Maybe before he leaves office, Americans mindless about the real threats they face - not from ISIS, from their own government, lunatics in charge, fast-tracking toward full-blown tyranny on the phony pretext of protecting national security.
Measures they’re promoting should scare everyone. Trump wants a database created to track all Muslims. Maybe if elected president he’ll mandate they wear a badge IDing them the way Nazis forced Jews to wear yellow stars.
He urges mosques be surveilled and Syrian refugees tracked. “We have no idea who these people are,” he ranted on ABC’s This Week on Sunday.
Putin in Tehran
by Stephen Lendman
On Monday, Putin attended the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit in Tehran - an important visit showing bilateral cooperation on major geopolitical issues between both countries, notably the Syria conflict.
He met with Iranian leaders on the sidelines of the conference, his main reason for attending, including President Hassan Rohani and Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
“The Americans have a long-term plot and are trying to dominate Syria and then the whole region,” Khamenei stressed. “This is a threat to all countries, especially Russia and Iran.”
CNN Turkey Reports Ankara Downed Russian Aircraft
by Stephen Lendman
CNN Turkish television cited local and Syrian sources, saying Turkish aircraft intercepted the Russian plane after it allegedly crossed into Turkish airspace (something Moscow categorically denies), downing the plane in response.
If accurate, Ankara committed an act of war against Russia, its agenda polar opposite Moscow’s on Syria - allied with Washington’s regime change plan, along with seeking annexation of bordering Syrian territory.
Both Russian pilots ejected after the incident. Turkish video footage showed the crash site, about five km from Turkey’s border - inside Syrian territory.
Was Washington Complicit with Turkey in Downing Russia’s Aircraft?
by Stephen Lendman
Both countries are NATO allies, united against Assad, wanting him toppled, actively complicit in supporting and using ISIS, as well as other terrorist groups as proxy foot soldiers in the war Obama launched in March 2011.
It’s inconceivable Turkey acted on its own, independent of US-dominated NATO. Its action is a major geopolitical incident - a premeditated act of war against Russia in Syrian airspace.
Ankara claiming the aircraft entered Turkish airspace, ignoring multiple warnings, has the distinct aroma of a bald-faced lied to cover up a hostile act. Erdogan’s recklessness ruptured Turkish/Russian relations, at least for the time being. Sergey Lavrov cancelled his scheduled Wednesday trip to Istanbul, saying “(a) decision has been made to cancel the meeting at the level of Russian and Turkish foreign ministers…”
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