Tag Archives: u.s.

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Government Incompetence: Yet again, Record number of people renounce U.S. citizenship. IRS blames elected officials. Where to get official advise for kicking the U.S. citizenship habit

“Americans abroad are terrified. We’ve had people pay tens of thousands of dollars in fines. We’ve had people … pay huge amounts of back taxes. Up to this point, we never heard of anyone renouncing, or if they did, they didn’t talk about it, now we’re seeing a lot of people speak openly about it and come to us for information.”-Marylouise Serrato,  American Citizens Abroad

April 17, 2012, according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) National Taxpayer Advocate’s Office, 1,788 people renounced their United States citizenship in 2011.

That’s another record.  The National Taxpayer Advocate’s Office has been keeping track since 1998, and it’s been going up every year.

However, the U.S. Department of State keeps their own records of who gives up U.S. citizenship, and they say it’s been a steady average loss of 1,100 people every year.  Still not good if the United States is such a great place to live; 1,100 people give it up every year, that’s 11,000 people in the past ten years.

The number one reason for leaving the land that’s no longer of the free is taxes!  If you know your U.S. history, taxes were the number one reason for the 1776 Revolution that created the U.S. of A.

In fact one of the rallying cries for the Revolution was “No taxation without representation!”   We’ll that’s exactly what’s happening to the approximately 6.3 million U.S. citizens living in other countries, they’re being taxed and fined more than if they were living in the U.S., and they have no true representation in the U.S. government.

Another problem is that foreign banks say the U.S. government is interfering in their business so much that it’s not worth it to take on U.S. customers: “They’re going to drop Americans like hot potatoes. The foreign banks are upset enough about the regulations that they’re saying they just won’t keep American customers, and it’s giving (Americans living abroad) a lot of sleepless nights.”-Francisca N. Mordi, American Bankers Association

Even the IRS’s National Taxpayer Advocate’s Office blames the U.S. government: “The complexity of international tax law, combined with the administrative burden placed on these taxpayers, creates an environment where taxpayers who are trying their best to comply simply cannot. For some, this means paying more U.S. tax than is legally required, while others may be subject to steep civil and criminal penalties. For some U.S. taxpayers abroad, the tax requirements are so confusing and the compliance burden so great that they give up their U.S. citizenship.”

A major problem with the U.S. tax law is that not only does the U.S. citizen have to report their own income and assets, but they must report the income and assets of their non-U.S. citizen spouse: “When they decide to come clean and report everything, they have to go ask their husbands for all of their bank information, retirement funds, and investment accounts, everything. Your options are to ignore the IRS and stick your head in the sand; take your name off of all the accounts and live in a completely cash economy; divorce; or renounce U.S. citizenship.”-Lucy Stensland Laederich,  Bordeaux Women’s Club

“I grew up in a military family where patriotic feeling was very strong. I’m amazed at how terrible I felt renouncing. But it was the only way to get them off my back. It’s very distressing and time consuming to keep up with all the paperwork. But if it’s this bad when I’m 64, how bad will it be when I’m 74?”-Genette Eysselinck, renounced all ties with the United States

But don’t think renouncing your U.S. citizenship will solve your tax problems, in fact they could get worse: “First of all, there is over a 2 year wait in several countries. Secondly, you are still liable for taxes for the next 10 years. Finally, on the day that you renounce your citizenship, you are considered by the IRS to have made a fictive sale of all of your assets worldwide, and you will be taxed on that sale.”–American Women’s Club Düsseldorf

For an idea of what it takes to officially/legally renounce your citizenship, you can check out the U.S. embassy website in Germany here.

International, U.S.

World War 3: Karzai says U.S. led NATO is a “failure”, attacks continue, Afghan soldier fires on U.S. led troops in Kandahar

“The terrorists’ infiltration in Kabul and other provinces is an intelligence failure for us and especially for NATO and should be seriously investigated.”-Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan

On April 15, 2012, coordinated attacks took place in three main areas of Afghan capital Kabul, and the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktia and Logar.  The battles were ended in the provinces overnight, however Mujahideen resisted Afghan security forces in Kabul until early Monday morning.

But that does not mean the Spring Offensive is over.  On April 16, 2012, International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) announced another U.S. led NATO casualty.  So far this year 112 NATO service members have been killed.

At Kandahar airbase a man wearing an Afghan army uniform has shot U.S. led troops: “One of our soldiers opened fire on a NATO convoy….NATO responded….killing him.”-General Abdul Hamid Wardak, Afghan National Security forces

According to Chinese media reports, Bulgarian NATO soldiers “neutralized” the Afghan army soldier.

In Paktika Province, a four hour battle took place in which more than 36 people were wounded.  Mujahideen attacked a police training base. Witnesses say a NATO tank was destroyed, but there have been no information on deaths.  Also, the reports did not make clear if this was part of the attacks on April 15.

 

International, U.S.

Terror Drones: April 9-15, Pakistani official says he will shoot down U.S. drones

April 15, 2012, Pakistani politician and activist, Imran Khan Niazi, said if he were Prime Minister he would shoot down any U.S. drone found over Pakistan.  Khan re-enforced his statement by saying that even if it were an “angel”, if it was wearing a military uniform he would shoot it down.

Khan blamed deteriorating conditions in Pakistan on the United States: “It is time we must separate ourselves from U.S. slavery and the war which has caused tremendous loss to us. Due to this war, we have not only faced terrorism but the menace of sectarianism is also on the rise…”

April 14, 2012, a U.S. drone strike killed seven people in the town of al-Zahar.  Yemeni officials said the people were anti-government Mujahideen.

April 12, 35 people were killed in Somalia, after two U.S. drone attacks.   Somali officials say the drone attacks were against two Mujahideen training bases, one near Mogadishu the other near Afgoye.

 

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Mujahideen free several hundreds of prisoners in Pakistan, after U.S. officials say Drone strikes will continue

Pakistani prison officials say an early morning raid by hundreds of militants, on the Bannu prison, near the Afghan border.

The attack began at 01:30 hours, April 14, 2012.

Pakistani officials say at least 400 prisoners were freed, but some were re-captured or voluntarily gave up.  Mujahideen claim 1,200 prisoners were freed.   The prison is said to be able to hold nearly 1,000 people.

The attack came hours after U.S. officials told Pakistani officials that the United States would continue terror drone attacks.

International, U.S.

What Economic Recovery? IMF accepts Chinese Yuan policy against U.S. dollar, Japan loans IMF billions to bail out Europe, IMF says it’s not enough!

April 15, 2012, Japanese Finance Minister Jun Azumi, announced that Japan will lend $50 billion USD to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help bail out the European economies.

The IMF says at least $500 billion USD is now needed to bail out Europe!

On April 14, IMF managing director Christine Lagarde, said she welcomes the Chinese Yuan:  “I would like to welcome this important step by the People’s Bank of China to increase the flexibility of their currency. This underlines China’s commitment to re-balance its economy toward domestic consumption and allow market forces to play a greater role in determining the level of the exchange rate.”

The Bank of China said it will allow the value of the yuan to fluctuate by at least 1%, against the U.S. dollar, when international markets open on Monday.  Up ’till now the Chinese central bank has allowed only a half percent fluctuation.

However, some analysts say allowing the value of the Chinese yuan to fluctuate more could result in even more volatility/instability for world markets.

 

Business/Economics, International, U.S.

Global Economic War: Israel sues Bank of America

Israel’s Bank Hapoalim has filed a $720 million USD lawsuit against BoA.

Officials with Bank Hapoalim says BoA lied about the mortgage securities it sold to Israel.  BoA is also accused of violating its contracts regarding the sale of those securities.

Bank Hapoalim suffered more than $1 billion USD in losses in the 2008/2009 mortgage/credit crunch fiasco.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Major Mujahideen offensive, embassies attacked, U.S./NATO forces attacked, Mujahideen say this is the “official” beginning of their Spring Offensive

April 15, 2012, the U.K. embassy in Kabul was hit by two rockets, probably RPGs.  The house where one embassy official lived was also attacked with Rocket Propelled Grenades.

Several large explosions and lots of gunfire heard in Kabul.  U.S. and German embassies attacked.  German officials say they have taken no casualties.  U.S. officials say their embassy is in lockdown mode, no casualties at this time.

Witnesses say Afghan Parliament building, as well as the Russian and Iranian embassies, were also attacked.

Hotels used by foreign officials have been attacked.  Firefights ongoing between Mujahideen and Afghan government forces in the Zambaq Square area of Kabul.

A U.S. led soldier was killed at an airbase near Jalalabad.

In Paktika Province a government building has been taken over by Mujahideen.  Afghan government forces are engaging.  A mine was planted at a Gardiz city school, which went off wounding several children.

In Nangahar Province several large explosions and firefights.  A suicide bomber targeted the U.S. led provincial reconstruction team building.  Two suicide bombings at the local airport.  Several people killed.  Local officials say firefights ongoing.

In Kandahar a local policeman was killed when a suicide bomber targeted his police truck, with a explosives laden tricycle.

Sunday’s attacks by Mujahideen come after the Afghan government announced they had killed three “prominent Taliban leaders” on Saturday, in Nuristan Province.

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF)  had also claimed to have killed 14 militants in the past 24 hours.

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Herat airport attacked, NATO helicopter down, Australia makes vague Defense pact with Afghanistan, U.S. will keep special ops in Afghanistan

Overnight five rockets hit the Herat airport in western Afghanistan, according to local police. No further info.

A local official in Khost Province says a U.S./NATO/ISAF helicopter went down.  ISAF confirms, but as is SOP for ISAF they refuse to give any details.

“The Australian Defense Minister said Australia is interested in forging a strategic partnership with Afghanistan.”-statement from Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai

The above statement has Australians wondering what’s going on?  In five weeks the Australian government is going to sign some kind of deal with Afghanistan, that could cost Australian taxpayers hundreds of millions of Australian dollars.

The Afghan Embassy in Australia also said the deal would involve ”security, development, trade and investment, cultural and people-to-people links and migration and humanitarian affairs”.  According to Australian media, Australian officials haven’t mentioned a thing about any such “deal”.

What the Australian government has said, in response to questions, is that such a deal was mentioned in a speech by the Prime Minister back on November 21, 2011!

However, that “mention” was vague: “This kind of co-operative country to country approach is an important framework for our long term plans. We seek an enduring relationship with Afghanistan beyond 2014 as Afghanistan takes on responsibility for its own security and governance.’‘-Julia Gillard, Prime Minister of Australia

U.S. Admiral Bill McRaven, the head of U.S. special operations, has revealed that the so called U.S. troop withdrawal in 2014 is actually a troop replacement.

He said regular troops will be replaced with special operations teams that will shepard the Afghan government forces.

However, according to the Associated Press, this plan hasn’t even been presented to Defense Secretary Panetta, or President Obama.  The plan was put together in February by several high ranking military officials, including Central Command’s General James Mattis and overall Afghanistan war commander General John R. Allen.

Pentagon officials say this is one of many plans that are meant to keep a U.S. combat troop presence in Afghanistan, while at the same time drawing down the majority of troops.

 

 

International, U.S.

World War 3: Russia to station naval fleet off Syria…Permanently

“A decision has been made to deploy Russian warships near the Syrian shores on a permanent basis.”-unnamed Russian Defense Ministry official

April 13, 2012, Russia’s Defense Ministry announced that a Russian naval fleet will continuously patrol the Mediterranean Sea, near the Syrian coastline.

The Black Sea Fleet will deploy to Syria around May.   Currently the Russian Kashin class guided missile destroyer Smetlivy is patrolling near Syria.

International, U.S.

H3N2: First child case in U.S. state of Utah. Old folks home hit in Ireland.

April 12, 2012, a girl in Utah has become the first child in the U.S. to be infected with H3N2v swine flu, this year.  Back at the beginning of March three elderly people died from H3N2 in Maryland.

Utah state officials will not say how old she is.  She reportedly recovered after taking tamiflu.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said she became ill after visiting a pig farm.  However, many of the previous H3N2 cases in the U.S. did not involve exposure to pigs.

H3N2v is related to H1N1.

In Fahan, Donegal, Ireland, a nursing home has been hit by the virus.

On April 9 it was reported that 14 people had become infected, with six dying.

Government officials reprimanded the nursing home for not reporting the illnesses sooner: “The lesson to be learned is, where you are dealing with vulnerable people in a private or a public nursing home, keep the Department of Health informed when anything … outside the norm occurs so we can help.”-Kathleen Lynch, Minister of State for the Elderly

The European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control said at least 12 old people throughout Europe have died since February 2012 (not counting the recent Irish cases).  They also say the number of deaths involving old people is surprising, since most studies are saying it’s children that are most vulnerable to H3N2v.