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Washington's Bloated Defense Budget
by Stephen Lendman
Washington Post editors want America's bloated defense budget increased. So do some of its contributors. More on this below.
America's business is war. Without end. Ravaging, destroying and pillaging one nation after another.
Doing it for wealth, power and dominance. While vital homeland needs go begging. At a time America's only enemies are ones it invents.
Annual congressional national defense authorizations are the tip of the iceberg. America's defense spending constitutes a black hole of waste, fraud and abuse. More on this below.
It's military Keynesianism on steroids. With all categories included, America spends as much or more on militarism, wars and related areas than the rest of the world combined.
Over $1.5 trillion annually goes for so-called defense. Doing so makes the world safe for war profiteers. They never had it better.
Enormous sums get tossed around mindlessly. Government watchdogs identify hundreds of billions of potential savings from unneeded weapons, defective ones, no-bid excess, overpayments, and outright fraud.
Joe Biden's Rhetorical Ineptness
by Stephen Lendman
His intellect is sorely lacking. His Senate years were notably unimpressive. He's skilled at putting his foot in his mouth. He reinvents history.
On October 2, his comments riled nations allied with Washington's Middle East wars. More on them below.
His remarks often draw criticism. They do so for good reason. "No one doubts that I mean what I say," he explained. "The problem is I sometimes say all that I mean."
One observer said his "mouth out-runs his brain" at times. At a March 2010 Obamacare signing ceremony, he whispered in Obama's ear: "This is a big f..king deal."
He did loud enough to be heard on air. He's not the first political leader known for earthy language.
America’s New War and Coming of the Age of Arab Discontent
Mahboob A. Khawaja, PhD.
US Flawed War Strategy at Work
After failure of the bogus War on Terrorism in Afghanistan and Iraq, America has embarked on a new war to support the war economy, re-enact failed global leadership imagery and destroy the entire Arab region to define unilaterally the fate of the people of Palestine. The Arab coalition leaders supporting the US war efforts to bomb ISIL positions in Iraq and Syria have no sense of reality and lack popular backing in their homeland. The authoritarian Arab leaders live in palaces, not with people to understand the outcomes of their political folly. Ironically, the US air strikes and killings of the civilians will instigate reactionary opposition and increased insurgency to topple the puppet regimes. Daveed Gartenstein-Rosss writing in Foreign Policy (“Thank you for Bombing-Obama- Why al Qaeda might be the biggest winner of America's airstrikes on the Islamic State.” 9/24/2014), argues that President Obama is using wrong strategy to attack ISIL: ‘But an emphasis on degrading and destroying IS while giving a pass to other jihadist groups in Syria could have serious consequences that could leave al Qaeda in the catbird seat.’ America enjoys a record of failure in strategic thinking and practices if you view the war theater in Afghanistan and Iraq and now crossing the limits to Syria. The renewed American-led wars in Iraq and Syria have unthinkable ripples effects to the whole of the Arab and Muslim world.
Irresponsible NYT Putin Bashing
by Stephen Lendman
A previous article called The Times a machine for manufacturing Big Lies. It did so for good reason.
It buries hard truths on issues mattering most. It substitutes managed news misinformation.
It does so repeatedly. Consistently. Disgracefully. When it comes to US/Russian relations, Obama's imperial designs go unexplained.
Putin is public enemy No. 1. No matter his championing peace and stability. His going all-out for them.
His cooperative, peaceful relations with all countries. His observance of rule of law principles. His overwhelming domestic popularity in contrast to Obama's lowest in his presidency.
It doesn't matter. Times correspondents, contributors and editors support the worst of US policies. Responsible Russian ones are bashed.
Strengthening Sino-Russian Ties
by Stephen Lendman
On October 2, Vladimir Putin participated in the
VI Russia Calling! Investment Forum. It focuses on attracting foreign capital.
It discusses ways to increase investments in Russia's economy overall. Efforts so far proved successful. Opportunities in a resource rich country like Russia are huge.
According to Putin, "many serious investors and our country’s partners of long standing continue increasing their investment in various sectors of the Russian economy."
At the same time, "(e)xternal limitations have an adverse effect not only on Russia’s economy, but also on that of the whole world," he said.
"They only add to our determination to meet our targets in the priority areas of our country's development, which include economic growth, upgrading the industry and infrastructure, the creation of new jobs and improvement of the quality of life of Russia's citizens."
Propaganda War on Islamic State Militants
by Stephen Lendman
Washington uses ISIS/ISIL/Islamic state (IS), Nusra Front, Al Qaeda and likeminded groups strategically as enemies and allies. At times, simultaneously.
In the 1980s, CIA-recruited mujahideen fighters battled Afghanistan's Soviet occupiers.
Ronald Reagan called them "the moral equivalent of our founding fathers." They're today's Taliban despite distinct differences between them. Longstanding US support enhanced radical Islamic strength. Extremist groups were natural Cold War allies.
Zbigniew Brzezinski had Jimmy Carter sign a secret July 3, 1979 directive. It promised covert aid to Afghan pro-Soviet regime opponents.
Kiev regime faces military defeat and economic collapse
by Dylan and Jo Murphy
With all eyes focused on the Middle East, it appears to have gone quiet in the Ukraine with a ceasefire announced in early September. However, fighting does continue on the ground and the Kiev junta faces a tough winter in which to keep hold of power.
The official reason for the ceasefire was to allow humanitarian aid to the besieged people of Lugansk and Donetsk and prevent further suffering and bloodshed. The leaders of the break away republics of Novorossia (Donetsk and Lugansk), under pressure from Putin, agreed to a ceasefire.
All the talk of saving lives and humanitarian aid is only so much hot air. The Kiev regime has suffered a series of major defeats in its attempt to take back the breakaway regions of Eastern Ukraine. By coming to the rescue of the Kiev regime by forcing this ceasefire, Putin has in effect helped the junta. Putin only stands for keeping himself and the billionaire oligarchs in power.
Libya in Free Fall
by Stephen Lendman
Wherever America shows up, mass slaughter, destruction, instability and unspeakable human misery follow.
On March 19, 2011, Obama lied saying:
"Today I authorized the Armed Forces of the United States to begin a limited military action in Libya in support of an international effort to protect Libyan civilians. That action has now begun."
"In this effort, the United States is acting with a broad coalition that is committed to enforcing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973, which calls for the protection of the Libyan people."
In September 2010, James Petras' article "Imperialism and Imperial Barbarism" explained what's become all too familiar.
"The organizing principle of imperial barbarism is the idea of total war," he said. Tactics include:
- mass destruction weapons use;
- ravaging and destroying entire countries and societies;
- dismantling "the entire civil and military apparatus of the state;" and
- replacing it with "colonial officials, paid mercenaries and unscrupulous and corrupt satraps."
Palestinian-U.S. relations head for stormy times
By Nicola Nasser*
Washington’s response to the speech that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered at the UN General Assembly last September 26 confirms that the bilateral Palestinian-U.S. relations are heading for stormy times.
The U.S., which opposed Abbas’ plan to seek a UN Security Council resolution to end the Israeli occupation within a defined timeframe, not only cautioned him against proceeding with any such plan but also issued an official statement condemning the language he used to express the Palestinian people’s opposition to the continued occupation and the ongoing war crimes that Israel is perpetrating in the territories it occupied in 1967.
Sweden Recognizes Palestinian Statehood
by Stephen Lendman
"Washington will not be the one to decide Sweden’s policies", Swedish
Foreign Minister Margot Wallström said after the US criticized Stockholm’s
plans to officially recognize Palestine as a sovereign state. RT
On October 3, Haaretz headlined "Sweden to become first major European country to recognize state of Palestine." It's the first EU country to officially do so.
In parliament on Friday, Sweden's newly-formed center-left Prime Minister, Stefan Lofven, announced his intention to recognize what's long overdue. What all nations worldwide should follow.
"The conflict between Israel can only be solved with a two-state solution, negotiated in accordance with international law," said Lofven.
"(T)he two-state solution requires mutual recognition and a will to peaceful co-existence. Sweden will therefore recognize the state of Palestine."
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