Tag Archives: disaster

International, U.S.

World War 3: How many U.S. aircraft carrier groups does it take to go to war with Iran? Not sure, but there’s already 3 U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf, and another one is on its way! Iranians warned they will attack the latest carrier threat!

“…we are not in the habit of repeating a warning and we warn only once.”-Ataollah Salehi, Major General Iranian Army, 03 January 2012

There will soon be four U.S. aircraft carrier groups in the Persian Gulf.  The USS Enterprise, the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower and the USS Abraham Lincoln will soon be joined by the USS John C Stennis.

The announcement was made on 16 July 2012, by the U.S. Department of Defense. The Pentagon also said the deployment of the USS Stennis, in August, will be four months ahead of schedule, and it will be for longer than originally planned.

The United States has also increased the number of other combat ships in the area. But here’s the thing, back in January 2012, Iranian officials singled out the USS Stennis, threatening military action against that specific aircraft carrier if it ever returned to the Persian Gulf.

Back in April 2012, USN Commander Amy Derrick-Frost, of the 5th Fleet,  said it was unusual to have two U.S. aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf at the same time, now there’s going to be four!

Is the U.S. move a deliberate provocation in order to start a full blown World War 3?

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Corporate & Government Hypocrisy: Too Big to Fail U.K. bank caught violating U.S. sanctions against Iran! It happened under Bush Jr’s watch!!!

“The vast majority of the Iranian transactions, ranging from 75-90% over the years, were sent through HBUS [HSBC’s U.S. operation] and other U.S. dollar accounts without disclosing any connection to Iran.”-Department of Homeland Security report to U.S. Senate

17 July 2012, testimony in front of a U.S. Senate panel, by Homeland Security officials, revealed that HBUS (the U.S. division of United Kingdom’s HSBC) “concealed Iranian transactions” between 2001 and 2007 (gee that’s during the Bush Jr administration!).

$19.4 billion USD are involved in the “u-turn” transactions (a type of money laundering by Too Big to Fail banks): “From at least 2001 to 2007, two HSBC affiliates, HSBC Europe (HBEU) and later HSBC Middle East (HBME), repeatedly conducted U-turn transactions involving Iran through HBUS, many of which were not disclosed to the bank, even though they knew HBUS required full transparency to process U-turns.”-report to U.S. Senate

U.S. Senator, Carl Levin, said “HSBC’s chief compliance officer and other senior executive in London knew what was going on, but allowed the deceptive conduct to continue.”

Levin also pointed out that the U.S. Department of the Treasury, under George W. Bush, did nothing to stop HSBC.

This is the latest accusation against HSBC. The Too Big to Fail bank has also been accused of helping Mexican drug lords and Saudi Arabian terrorists, among other crimes.  Read about it in the 335 page report at www.hsgac.senate.gov/reports

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia about to pay off debts to Iran, announces financing deal to help Iran avoid U.S. & EU sanctions!

“The problem of the Iranian LCs [Letters of Credit] created by the U.S. and western states’ sanctions against the banking system (of Iran) can be solved by using the banks operating in the Russian regions.”-Alexander Vitalivic, Russian Head of the Iran-Russia Regional Cooperation Workgroup

17 July 2012, Russian officials announced, at the Iran-Russia Regional Cooperation Workgroup meeting, that Russia is willing and able to help Iran avoid any bad economic effects from U.S. and European Union sanctions!

“The presence of small and medium size banks and financial institutions of the (Russian) regions (on the scene of transactions with Iran) will be useful for motivating an increase in exchanges and preventing decrease in exports.”-Alexander Vitalivic

Also, Russian Head of Iran-Russia Joint Trade Council, Yuri Papoyev, announced that Central Bank of Russia (CBR) is ready to make due payments to Iranian parties: “After meetings with the Russian Central Bank officials, they agreed to make due payments and open LCs [Letters of Credit] for Iran in the least time possible.”

Business/Economics, U.S.

Class Warfare: New poll shows U.S. Democrats & Republican voters want to cut the Military!!! Republicans hate benefits for military families! More proof your Elitist leaders are out of touch!

“The idea that Americans’ would want to keep total defense spending up so as to preserve local jobs is not supported by the data.”-Steven Kull, Program for Public Consultation

On 16 July 2012, the Program for Public Consultation (run through the University of Maryland) announced that surveys showed both Democrats and Republican voters want to drastically cut tax spending on the U.S. Department of Defense!

The survey was also conducted by the Stimson Center’s Budgeting for Foreign Affairs and Defense program, and the Center for Public Integrity’s National Security program.

According to the survey, 80% of people who consider themselves Democrats favor drastic cuts to the military, but, so do 74% of people who consider themselves Republicans!

And when the survey asked specifically about healthcare spending on military families and retirees, Republicans jumped on that, with a call for cutting that budget by $7.4 billion USD!

Don’t worry Red voters, Democrats also wanted to cut benefits for military families and retirees, but by only $6.6 billion!

More details here.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

LIBOR: Barclays says order to rig rates came from Bank of England. Governments calling the shots!

“…unprecedented degree of government intervention in the financial system…..not the first time LIBOR had come up….It didn’t seem an inappropriate action given that it was coming from the Bank of England.”-Jerry del Missier, statements made to U.K. Parliament

16 July 2012, former chief operating officer of Barclays, Jerry del Missier, told a parliamentary committee that the ‘order’ to manipulate interest and currency rates came directly from the Bank of England!

The Bank of England (BoE) is the central bank of the United Kingdom, similar to the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank.  Missier referred to the “lowballing” order from central banks as “…a time when governments were tangibly calling the shots“.

Missier, from Canada, quit his job at Barclays just hours after chief executive, Bob Diamond, resigned.

The LIBOR scandal now involves dozens of Too Big to Fail banks around the western world, and Japan’s TIBOR and European Union’s EURIBOR. The scandal involves banks in North America, Europe and Japan (the regional members of the Trilateral Commission).

And don’t blame Obama, this started under the Bush Jr administration!

Check my blog for other LIBOR reports.

Fukushima

One Year Later: Radioactive village fenced off! Rice fields left to contamination!

Midnight 16 July 2012, a ceremony was held as Iitate Village, in Fukushima Prefecture, was officially fenced off.

Iitate is now divided into three zones, based on radiation levels.

In the most radioactive area only people with homes in the area are allowed in, but only for a few hours and never overnight!

This is the beginning of government efforts to manage decontamination efforts, more than one year after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident began.

However, 85% of Iitate is woodland and rice fields, and the government has not announced any plans to decontaminate those areas.

Business/Economics, Opinion, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? More proof the Elites are out of touch: Continue to be shocked over reduced consumer spending!

“The retail sales numbers were terrible, especially if you factor in that gas prices were lower than what we had been experiencing. It’s disappointing to see that even though (consumers) weren’t spending more on filling up their gas tanks, they weren’t turning around and spending that money elsewhere.”-Kim Forrest, Fort Pitt Capital Group

Can you say: No Shit Sherlock!

16 July 2012, for the third month in a row the average person in the United States has cut back on spending.  The oblivious elites are shocked because, gee, gas prices are down.

What the out of touch priests and money changers of the great crony capitalist Temple don’t realize, is that they’ve squeezed so much money out of the system that the average “consumer” doesn’t have any more disposable income to spend, even with reduced gas prices!!!

International, U.S.

Military Incompetence: USN fired on an Indian fishing ship in the Persian Gulf. 1 killed, 3 wounded.

U.S. and United Arab Emirates (UAE) officials confirm that a U.S. Navy ship shot at an Indian fishing ship off the coast of UAE.

The U.S. 5th Fleet says personnel of the USNS Rappahannock fired a .50 caliber (12.7 mm) machine gun at a small boat. They claim the fishing boat was warned to stay away.  One man on the fishing boat was killed, three men wounded.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Class Warfare & What Economic Recovery? Israeli protestors set government building on fire

“I hope this helps. There are protests all the time, and nothing ever happens.”- Inbar Paz, frustrated protester

15 July 2012, in retaliation for conditions which led to an Israeli army reserve veteran setting himself on fire, Israeli Social Justice movement demonstrators attacked a government building.

It’s being reported that more than 2,000 Israelis attacked the Israeli National Insurance Institute, trying to set it on fire, and painting the slogan, Price tag Moshe Silman, around the entrance.

57 year old Silman is in critical condition with 94% of his body burned, after he set himself on fire on 14 July 2012.  He was protesting his life long hard work and tax paying in Israel, only to get no help when he became unemployed after having a stroke.

Before burning himself Silman said that Israel “…..robbed me of everything and left me with nothing.”

Protests are taking place in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Haifa and Beershaba.

Since the 1970s Israel has become the top receiver of U.S. taxpayer funded grants, most of which goes to buying weapons. Under the Bush Jr administration it jumped to $3 billion USD per year, and the current Obama administration is continuing that trend!

International, U.S.

World War 3: U.S. occupation of Afghanistan; 12 July – 15 July. 1,800 U.S. backed Afghan troops killed in 3 months!!! Proof the U.S. occupation is a failure! Deadly 14 July! Mujahideen offered political offices.

15 July 2012

In Logar Province, early morning coordinated attacks wound at least 20 people.

In Parwan Province, local officials say several Mujahideen were killed in battles with Afghan government forces, at least three Afghan troops wounded.

Former Afghan National Directorate for Security chief, Amrullah Saleh, revealed that 1,800 Afghan government troops have been killed in the past three months, along with 4,000 Afghan troops being wounded!!!

Amurullah Saleh says it is a direct result of the Mujahideen Spring Offensive!  He added that what is going on in Afghanistan is all out Civil War, the United States has not done anything to stop such violence, but is only making things worse!

Recently Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, said 20 Afghan soldiers are being killed every 24 hours fighting for the U.S. occupation!

14 July 2012

In Herat Province, at least three Italian occupying troops were wounded when the armored vehicle they were in drove over a mine.

Also in Herat Province, the mayor of Shindand district was assassinated. He was shot in front of his house by Mujahideen.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) said a U.S. led occupation troop “…died following an insurgent attack in eastern Afghanistan today.”

In Kandahar Province, a government security boss was assassinated. He was shot while on his way to work.  No one knows who did it.

Also in Kandahar Province, a firefight left three civilians and three Mujahideen dead.

In Samangan Province, at least 25 people killed, including a dozen government officials, and 60 people wounded, when a wedding was hit by a suicide bomber. The wedding was being held at a hotel because of the number of guests. Witnesses say the bomber blew himself up as the government officials gathered in front of the hotel.

The Afghan Interior Ministry claims “Afghan forces launched the operations in Kandahar, Helmand, Zabul, Logar, Ghazni, Paktia, Herat, Bamyan, and Baghlan provinces, killing 40 Taliban [Mujahideen] militants over the past 24 hours.”

13 July 2012

ISAF said a U.S. led occupying troop “…died following an improvised explosive device attack in southern Afghanistan today.”

In Helmand Province, local officials discovered that Afghan security identification cards are being given to Iranian and Pakistani spies.

In Laghman Province, the provincial women’s affairs chief was assassinated by explosion. Her husband was also killed, her two children are wounded.

12 July 2012

In Oruzgan (Uruzgan) Province, two Australian occupying Diggers (soldiers) were wounded when their Bushmaster drove over a mine.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has asked Mujahideen leaders to stop the Civil War and run for political office: “The foreigners are leaving, so come and talk to us. Political parties can have their offices and say what they want about the government. Put down your guns and open an office.”

In Helmand Province, two people killed, two wounded after they drove over a mine.  Also, a reporter working for BBC was killed in the same area.