Tag Archives: obama

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

One Year later: Japanese fishing boat found off coast of Canada, first of 3 million tons of debris still heading for North America

“The vessel is considered an obstruction to navigation.”-Transport Canada statement

A 65 meter (210 feet) long fishing boat from Japan was found off Haida Gwaii islands (some reports say Queen Charlotte Islands), about 1,500 kilometers (930 miles) north of Vancouver, Canada.

The fishing boat was washed away from Japan by the March 11, 2011 tsunami.  Senator Maria Cantwell, of the U.S. state of Washington, estimates another 50 days before the ship hits land, and warns it is the first of many more to come: “This 150 feet fishing vessel is the first major West Coast tsunami debris confirmed by Japanese officials. And now, we’ve learned that larger debris could reach our coastlines sooner than expected. With some debris already moving towards the West Coast, we need more data and better science to track and respond to tsunami debris….Coastal residents need to know who is in charge of tsunami debris response, and we need clearer answers now.”

Japan’s Coast Guard has identified the boat as coming from Aomori Prefecture.

Also, Russians found a 20 foot Japanese fishing boat near Midway Atoll.

 

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans attack NATO/ISAF soldiers, militants from Pakistan being detained

March 24, 2012, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) announced that militants attacked a NATO/ISAF base somewhere in western Afghanistan.

ISAF refused to give any more details, but, the Italian government admitted the base was manned by Italian troops.  One was killed, at least five wounded. The attack took place in Farah Province.  The base was hit by heavy mortar fire.

In Helmand Province, provincial intelligence (National Directorate for Security) claim they detained seven people.  Yet again they claim one is a “Taliban” leader (ever wonder how many Taliban leaders there are?).

Afghan officials claim the seven men were trained in Pakistan.

In Kandahar Province, officials there claim they’ve detained two people planning a suicide bombing.  Officials say the two men are Pakistani.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Battles continue between Government forces and freedom fighters, 2 NATO/ISAF soldiers killed

The Afghan Interior Ministry reporting that military operations in several provinces are continuing.  They claim dozens of mujahideen have been killed.

Afghan police, Afghan army, Afghan intelligence and U.S./NATO/ISAF forces have been engaged in battles in Nangarhar, Uruzagn, Ghazni and Herat provinces.

On March 22, a U.K. soldier was killed in Helmand Province, when the vehicle he was in hit a mine (aka roadside bomb, IED).

Also on March 22, a French soldier was killed in Kapisa Province.  ISAF officials claim it was not due to combat, but they refused to give a reason for his death.

Fukushima

Government Hypocrisy: Japan drags feet on Fukushima Daiichi, yet scrambles to shoot down Korean communications satellite, even cancels flower festival!

It has been proven by independent investigations in Japan, that government and corporate leaders not only dragged their feet in responding to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, they’re still dragging their feet!

Yet, when North Korea announced they were going to launch a harmless communications satellite, Japanese leaders went into overdrive!

Earlier in the month Japanese defense officials said they were moving U.S. supplied Patriot missiles into position to shoot down the satellite.  U.S. officials came out and said they were going to back up Japan in defending itself against the satellite (note that U.S. and other western media keep referring to the satellite as a “ballistic missile”).

Now Chief Cabinet Secretary, Osamu Fujimura, announced they have canceled the annual Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden flower viewing in Tokyo.  He blames it on North Korea’s planned launch of a communications satellite!

Japanese officials scrambling over a communications satellite launch, even shutting down a flower show?  Where was the concern when Fukushima Daiichi was blowing up?  Where is the concern now that it’s obvious Fukushima Daiichi is still spewing massive amounts of radiation?  But oh no, we can’t have any North Korean communication satellites being launched, better cancel that flower show!

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Germany sells more Dolphin Submarines to Israel

March 20, 2012, Germany’s Defense Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, announced that Germany will sell Israel at least one more Dolphin submarine.

The Dolphin submarine is made specially for Israel, and is a smaller version of the 209 class sub.  It can carry SLCM (submarine launched cruise missiles) which can be armed with nuclear warheads.  Oh, but I don’t hear any Western powers complaining about that!

Not only is Germany selling more of these submarines to Israel, but according to an unnamed source in the German government, they’re covering one third of the cost (about $178 million) and providing easy loans to Israel in order to pay for the rest!

Israel has three of the 2,800 mile range submarines, with two on order not counting this latest announcement.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: More Hypocrisy; the U.S. exempts EU & Japan from Iran oil sanctions

In a move that is hypocritical, the United States has exempted 10 European Union countries, and Japan, from U.S. imposed Iran oil sanctions.

It also brings up the question: What was the point?

I already showed how, under the Bush jr administration, U.S. corporations were exempted from future sanctions against Iran, back in 2000!

The countries now granted exemptions from the U.S. oil sanctions are Belgium, United Kingdom, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain and Japan.

Again: What was the point of the U.S. imposed sanctions against Iran, if the U.S. is going to grant exemptions to other countries, and, a Republican created law in 2000 already exempts U.S. corporations from having to obey any sanctions anyway?

International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia supports UN resolution on Syria, but only if….

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said Russia will support a resolution on Syria proposed by Kofi Annan, but only if two conditions are met.

One: The details of the resolution are made public.

Two: That it is not an “Ultimatum”, but an on going process of dialog to “…end to violence on all sides…”

International, U.S.

World War 3: Afghans torch NATO convoy, violence against women increases, Karzai shuts down 58 private security companies

In Farah Province it seems the “Taliban” have started the Spring Offensive early.

A convoy of U.S./NATO/ISAF fuel tankers has been destroyed, and several people killed.  Also, in a separate incident two militants were detained and accused of plotting to launch an attack on Afghan forces.

The fuel convoy was being escorted by a private security company, two of the security guards were killed.

Speaking of private security companies, the media hasn’t talked about the Afghan President’s mission to shut them down. Turns out that Hamid Karzai ordered an end to privately run security companies.  So far 58 companies have been shut down.  Another 40 have been given an extra three months to get out a town!

In Kandahar yet more attacks.  Afghan National Security (ANS) forces say several of their troops were killed and wounded in the past 24 hours.  They claim it was the result of military operations against anti-government militants.  Although the ANS listed the types of weapons they confiscated, they did not mention any casualties on the militant side.

Afghan police claim that violence against women is on the increase.  In the latest case a Baghlan Province woman was found with her head shaved, made to sit in the snow, was beaten with cables, and was forced into prostitution by her husband.

Afghan officials are praising their increased efforts to end violence against women, but the woman in the latest case says she had been tortured for the past three years of marriage, and had asked for help from the police several times!!!

Because the Afghan officials are finally doing something about violence against women, it might seem like there’s an increase in the violence.  But like the woman said, in her case it had been going on for three years, and she told the authorities several times.

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

World War 3: Obama issues National Defense Resources Preparedness Executive Order. The closest thing to Martial Law yet! Controls food supply! Preps for Total War!

Very quietly, on March 16, 2012, Nobel prize winning U.S. President Barack Obama issued a new Executive Order: National Defense Resources Preparedness.

If you think the military industrial complex is big now, guess what!

The bulk of the Order focuses on creating a full blown Total War military industry.  Obama stresses the need to “improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the domestic industrial base to support national defense requirements” and “to foster cooperation between the defense and commercial sectors for research and development and for acquisition of materials, services, components, and equipment to enhance industrial base efficiency and responsiveness.”

The Order establishes the officials who will lead the Defense Production Act Committee, and orders the Secretary of Commerce to co-operate with the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security!

It also orders six Departments to begin prioritizing and allocating resources respective to food, health care, transportation, resources for industries, and even water supply (assigned to the Department of Defense)!

“The Secretary of each agency delegated authority under subsection (a) of this section (resource departments) shall plan for and issue regulations to prioritize and allocate resources and establish standards and procedures by which the authority shall be used to promote the national defense, under both emergency and non-emergency conditions.”

The Order even gets into the details of providing loans to companies involved with providing for National Defense!

It makes the Secretary of Defense the go to man for funding, as he is now acting  Defense Production Act Fund Manager.

The Order places the Secretary of Homeland Security in charge of the National Defense Executive Reserve (NDER), including the “…establishment, recruitment, training, monitoring, and activation of NDER units…”

The Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Defense, will “…collect and maintain data necessary to make a continuing appraisal of the Nation’s workforce…”  and develop “…policies regulating the induction and deferment of persons for duty in the armed services…”

“Executive Order 12919 of June 3, 1994, and sections 401(3) (4) of Executive Order 12656 of November 18, 1988, are revoked.”

Executive Order 12919 deals with national defense industrial resource policies and programs.   Executive Order 12656 deals with emergency preparedness responsibilities.

The major differences between this National Defense Resources Preparedness, and those made in the past, is the use of the term “non-emergencies”, several times in the order.  Also, the desire to control food & water supplies as well as health care and transportation.

From Section 201: “…to promote the national defense over performance of any other contracts or orders, and to allocate materials, services, and facilities as deemed necessary or appropriate to promote the national defense…”

This is for real people! This is basically an order that puts the United States in a Total War stance. “Total war is the practice of war where nearly all the resources of a society are employed to defeat an opponent.”–Silvapages

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business/Economics, International, Technology, U.S.

Oil & Gas Prices: U.S. oil sanctions have actually increased Iranian oil sales! Saudi oil sales increase! Algeria oil increase! Ecuador oil increase! Iraq planning to avoid Strait of Hormuz

According to the Joint Organization Data Initiative (JODI), Iranian oil sales have gone up since the United States started their sanctions games last year!

In January 2012, Iran exported 2.265 million barrels per day. The highest since December 2008!

Of course part of the increase is from customers stocking up now, ’cause they’re afraid the Iranian oil supply will end due to new sanctions and a possible war (again, no thanks to the United States, European Union and Israel).

Those same sanctions, and threats of war, have also increased Saudi Arabian oil sales to the United States.  U.S. officials managed to get Saudi officials to change their minds about not increasing oil production, at a recent IEF meeting.

Canadian media reporting that Saudi oil exports to the U.S. have already increased by 25%.

Algeria and Ecuador have also increased oil production.  Algeria by 18%, Ecuador by 41%!

All this comes at a time when oil industry leaders say there is plenty of oil in the system. It could be a sign of stockpiling before the Third World War gets going full throttle.

Iraq is preparing by planning oil shipment routes that will avoid the Strait of Hormuz. They plan to build new pipelines to Turkey: “Short and mid-term plans will be through boosting crude pumping and upgrading export capacity via Ceyhan port in Turkey. Also to increase the number of trucks that are shipping crude.”-Iraqi government statement