Flashpoint Funding: UK doubles Syria rebel cashflow [video]
Russia Today
March 30, 2012
The UK has announced it will allocate some £500,000 ($795,000) to supply non-military aid to the Syrian opposition. The Foreign Secretary says it will help the ‘hard-pressed’ opposition groups to register violations by the Assad government. RT’s Laura Smith says exactly what type of support and equipment the opposition will receive is yet to be determined. What is already known is that the aid package is likely to include secure telephones that the British Foreign Secretary hopes will be used to document the regime’s violence.
Monopolizing Africa
AFRICOM Report: Combating Chinese Economic Encroachment in Central Africa
by Nile Bowie
NileBowie.blogspot.com
March 23, 2012
Since the time of the British Empire and the manifesto of Cecil Rhodes, the pursuit of treasures on the hopeless continent has demonstrated the expendability of human life. Despite decades of apathy among the primary resource consumers, the increasing reach of social media propaganda has ignited public interest in Africa’s long overlooked social issues. In the wake of celebrity endorsed pro-intervention publicity stunts, public opinion in the United States is now being mobilized in favor of a greater military presence on the African continent. Following the deployment of one hundred US military personnel to Uganda in 2011, a new bill has been introduced to the Congress calling for the further expansion of regional military forces in pursuit of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), an ailing rebel group allegedly responsible for recruiting child soldiers and conducting crimes against humanity.
As the Obama administration claims to welcome the peaceful rise of China on the world stage, recent policy shifts toward an American Pacific Century indicate a desire to maintain the capacity to project military force toward the emerging superpower. In addition to maintaining a permanent military presence in Northern Australia, the construction of an expansive military base on South Korea’s Jeju Island has indicated growing antagonism towards Beijing. The base maintains the capacity to host up totwenty American and South Korean warships, including submarines, aircraft carriers and destroyersonce completed in 2014 – in addition to the presence of Aegis anti-ballistic systems. In response, Chinese leadership has referred to the increasing militarization in the region as an open provocation.
On the economic front, China has been excluded from the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA), a trade agreement intended to administer US-designed international trading regulations throughout Asia, to the benefit of American corporations. As further fundamental policy divisions emerge subsequent to China and Russia’s UNSC veto mandating intervention in Syria, the Obama administration has begun utilizing alternative measures to exert new economic pressure towards Beijing. The United States, along with the EU and Japan have called on the World Trade Organization to block Chinese-funded mining projects in the US, in addition to a freeze on World Bank financing for China’s extensive mining projects.
In a move to counteract Chinese economic ascendancy, Washington is crusading against China’s export restrictions on minerals that are crucial components in the production of consumer electronics such as flat-screen televisions, smart phones, laptop batteries, and a host of other products. In a 2010 white paper entitled “Critical Raw Materials for the EU,” the European Commission cites the immediate need for reserve supplies of tantalum, cobalt, niobium, and tungsten among others; the US Department of Energy 2010 white paper “Critical Mineral Strategy” also acknowledged the strategic importance of these key components. Coincidentally, the US military is now attempting to increase its presence in what is widely considered the world’s most resource rich nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Continue reading the rest of “AFRICOM Report: Combating Chinese Economic Encroachment in Central Africa,” here…
Syrian Girl – DeMockracy is a Farce [video]
YouTube – 108morris108
March 30, 2012
Our Figureheads of Democracy are just that – they are not really Presidents and Prime Ministers – while Syria has similarities – it is not as bad. We also learn the difference between a Democracy and a Republic.
My Lil’ Kony with Jason Bermas [video]
The Intel Hub News Brief
with Jason Bermas
March 20, 2012
Jason Bermas covers it all in this edition of the Intel Hub News Brief podcast.
From Kony 2012 to Globalist Angelina Jolie, this is a must hear transmission.
Jason Bermas was born July 24, 1979 in Hollywood, Florida. He studied at SUNY Oneonta located in Oneonta, NY, where he currently lives. Bermas is also a filmmaker, and has played a large role in the creation of many controversial films such as Fabled Enemies, Loose Change and Invisible Empire.
Foreign intervention undermined by Assad peace deal [video]
The Corbett Report
March 27, 2012
Damascus has accepted Kofi Annan’s six-point plan to stop bloodshed in the country, a spokesman for the UN envoy to Syria announced. Kofi Annan has praised Damascus’s acceptance of the plan as “an important initial step” towards ending violence in the country and creating an environment to start a dialogue between the regime and the Syrian opposition. To talk more about Syria RT is joined by James Corbett, an independent journalist who’s written extensively on the Middle East.
On the brink of Third World War
Dees Illustration (DDees.com)
by Nadir Mir
The Nation
March 27, 2012
It seems that 2012 onwards, the world is on the brink of Third World War. All sane and peace loving men would pray that it is averted. For, the horoscope of the times, points towards a global catastrophe in the making. The guns of August 1914 – First World War – paled in front of the Panzer Blitzkrieg of September 1939 – Second World War. The Third World War during the Cold War was averted between the Nato and the Warsaw Pact forces. If a war breaks out in 2012 onwards, nukes shall speak and, tragically, billions may die; it will most likely be global. This apocalyptic scenario may yet come to pass, unless it is stopped in its tracks.
Opposing alliances: The US globalists-led Nato still wants to dominate the world, despite the disaster in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is not only that the Western world’s global dominance stands challenged, but also the march of history may be reversed. Since the 1500s scientific discoveries, industrialisation, political revolutions, colonialism, and technological ascendency, the world has been controlled by Western powers. The British Empire, Napoleon’s France, Hitler’s Germany and, more recently, the US have all been part of the Western world’s bid for global hegemony or control. Now the West is really in decline. The USA – the great power and land of mass production – faces economic stagnation, if not full decline. The EU faces its own economic predicament. Against this backdrop, some Europeans and Americans find the idea of a powerful Germany leading Europe as unacceptable, so far. The two wars were fought – among other reasons – mainly to prevent Germany from its rightful place under the sun. An intra-European conflict may be brewing for the leadership of Europe, even as the US-Nato alliance conflicts with the Russia-China dialectic alliance.
The US geostrategy has been embroiled in Afghanistan and Iraq; now it seeks to extend the war to Iran-Pakistan. Of course, the real war is against Russia and China, the opposing alliance. Washington sees China rising, Russia resurgent, Islamic world defiant (with Arab Spring likely to turn anti-West), Israel endangered, besides Western economic decline.
The presidential elections in America are upping the war ante, forcing President Barack Obama to strike Iran. New Delhi seeks Washington’s support to denuke, balkanise, and de-Islamise Pakistan, before USA’s departure from Afghanistan. Meanwhile Israel is straining at the leash before Iran develops the nuclear arsenal. This will change the strategic balance followed by nuclear Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt.
In Afghanistan, the US seeks to retain a 25,000 strong force for the denuclearisation of Iran and Pakistan. It may seek independence of Balochistan (with Indian support). A clash with Pakistan is likely though not inevitable. Delhi wants to use American power to fight Pakistan, but absurdly believes it can escape the nuclear conflagration. The war with Iran is even nearer – perhaps, 2012. The US and Nato may attack Iran followed by Pakistan or both at the same time. An Israeli attack on Iran is even more likely and Indian attack on Pakistan (Cold Start) always remains a possibility.
Russia and China are allies against the US-Nato geo-strategy (Iran and Pakistan are joining this alliance). China is rising economically, and Russia is resurgent strategically. After Iraq and Afghanistan, they have seen the US-Nato model of regime change in Libya and Syria by sponsoring local militants. In Russia, President Putin accused the US of instigating the opponents of United Russia; in China, it used India to ferment trouble in Xinjiang, Tibet etc. All this is unifying the alliance of Heartland powers Russia-China and Rimland state actors Iran-Pakistan into anti-US-Nato alliance. But the events are moving too fast! The Mayan Prophesy of 2012 as a ‘catastrophic year’ approaches. The US-Nato-India clash with Pakistan or US-Nato-Israel clash with Iran will lead by default or design to a multi-regional war.
The combined geopolitical space of Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran-Iraq backed by Russia-China is beyond the US-Nato reach. A war against Iran could be catastrophic, but against Pakistan it could be dooms day! In fact, a war against Pakistan is very complicated plus suicidal!
Firstly, Pakistan is neither threatening, nor attacking anybody. It is on high moral ground, despite USA’s propaganda about the security of its nuclear arsenal.
Secondly, Pakistan will defend itself at any level – sub conventional (asymmetrical), conventional (armed forces), above conventional (nuclear –WMD).
Thirdly, Pakistanis are united to defend the motherland and fight the foreign invaders. The people and political parties want an end to the Afghan war and peace in Pakistan.
Fourthly, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Russia will support Pakistan, despite diverse strategic interests.
Anyhow, the Muslim world would revolt as war with Iran and Pakistan becomes apparent. The initiators of the attack will be burnt by the flames they help ignite themselves (albeit radioactive fires).
Geopolitics of peace is the solution: The US-Nato must relent on Afghanistan; of course, no war with Iran and no interference in Balochistan. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.
Besides the innocent people of Iran and Pakistan, the people in Europe and USA are being duped by the neocons and globalists. Shocked when the bastion of capitalism, Wall Street came under siege and fearing rapid collapse, war abroad is their illogical choice. Even in Israel, half of the population is against the war. Overall, the good Jewish people, with their historical sense of survival seek peace and security. Pakistan is not anti-Semitic at all, but has deep sympathy with the people in Palestine. Indeed, peace in the Middle East would be welcome to all. The globalists, however, are adamant to drive the ‘American Titanic’ into the global iceberg. But this war will be self-defeating for all!
A new paradigm shift is needed, rather than beating the drums of war. The Russians have played a great role to deter the US war hawks, aided by the peace-loving Chinese. The Germans and other anti-war Europeans, besides sane people in the US must join hands to abort this global conflagration. Russia’s key role in global peace, security for Israel, no attack on Iran, establishment of the Palestine state, US-Nato exodus from Afghanistan, no interference in Balochistan, return of Kashmir to Pakistan, US-China amity, all have to be part of the geopolitical peacemaking and war avoidance. Indeed, the alternative global nuclear war is too apocalyptic to contemplate.
n The writer is a retired brigadier of the Pakistan Army and is the author of the book Gwadar on the Global Chessboard.
Blog: wwwpakistangeopolitics.blogspot.com
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Source – http://www.nation.com.pk/pakistan-news-newspaper-daily-english-online/columns/27-Mar-2012/on-the-brink-of-third-world-war
hat tip: Stop NATO
R2P: Imperial Conquest by Another Name [video]
Global Research TV
March 26, 2012
As the world recovers from one humanitarian peace bombing in Libya, and braces for another possible intervention in Syria, many are now asking how it is that the so-called liberal left have become cheerleaders for the very wars of aggression they once pretended to deride. As long-time investigate reporter Pepe Escobar explains, an obscure international doctrine called Responsibility To Protect or R2P has been the main tool for shaping this new paradigm for the continuation of NATO’s imperial power grabs around the world.
Find out more about the history of this doctrine in this week’s GRTV Feature Interview with our special guest Pepe Escobar.
