shoebat--2020-08-17--Belorussian Political Scientist Declares Poland Could Capture Major Belorussian Cities If She Wanted

Belorussian Political Scientist Declares Poland Could Capture Major Belorussian Cities If She Wanted To

When people think about empires , they often think of the British , French , or Japanese , and sometimes the Americans or the Dutch .
However , there are other countries that also had empires such as Denmark , Germany , and Italy .
Poland , while she is often mocked and the subject of jokes for “ dumb poles ” , she is also an imperial power- it just so happens that she has real estate in a very poor neighborhood , but still manages to do well in spite of this .
Once upon a time , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation in Europe and controlled all of Belarus , Latvia , Lithuania , large parts of Estonia and Ukraine , and many other parts of Slovakia , Czechia , Romania , Moldova , and even Russia .
Remember that it was this same Poland , the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth , that stood up to and defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Vienna in 1683 , saving Europe from Islamic invasion .
Poland and Russia have a long history , and while Poland has invaded Russia before , most of history has been the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Poland in the 18th century that caused the nation to disappear as a political entity which only reappeared after World War I , and then which had to fight off Russian Bolsheviks and their supporters in 1920 , only to be re-invaded and forced under Soviet influence from the end of World War II until the fall of the Berlin Wall and USSR between 1989 and 1991 .
They both have historical grudges with each other , but based on history and power differences , Poland has far more to worry from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she does not want to be forced back under Russia ’ influence .
With the current Belorussian political troubles taking place , the Russian newspaper Pravda reports that a political scientist with ties to Moscow , Aleksey Dzermant , has said that Poland could capture major Belorussian cities if she wanted to .
Aleksey Dzermant , a political scientist and researcher at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus , told Pravda .
Ru , there is a danger that Poland might intervene , although “ not too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Poles “ not in vain pulled the strike group to the borders of Belarus.
” “ And the protests in the two western cities cause concern in this regard .
That is , it will be very easy to capture them from the Polish side , especially if there is instability inside .
This , of course , is the most negative scenario , I do not think that it has percentage of realism , but , nevertheless , there is cause for concern , “ said Alexey Dzermant .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Belarus are controlled through new media – Telegram channels , YouTube – channels created by the Polish special services .
“ That is , in fact , we have signs of hybrid aggression , where information weapons are the main ones .
And this aggression can lead to the demolition of the state system and the Belarusian state that we know , ” said Aleksey Dzermant .
The political scientist considers it important to transfer the situation in Belarus into the channel of a political dialogue with the participation of Russia as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ without radical demands for Lukashenko ’ s immediate departure.
” “ The Crimean scenario in the Polish version is extremely undesirable , because neither the loss of Brest nor Grodno can be allowed .
That is , the whole country must be kept , it will be extremely important , ” concluded Aleksey Dzermant .
( source ) Is he correct ?
It is possible that it is so .
But it is unlikely that Poland would do that , for while she is a historical empire , as noted above , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to move on Belarus would be exactly what Russia would love to see happen , since Russia would immediately use it as an excuse to “ help ” Belarus , or to justify an invasion to assert herself .
Poland has remained curiously quiet with all of the events taking place , given the seriousness , likely because she knows that changes are under way , and that during times of chaos , especially with a Russia seeking excuses to assert herself , eventually in Poland , saying nothing is far more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stupid , for one does not survive living between two psychopaths with delusions of grandeur- Germany and Russia -for centuries by being a fool .
Likewise , the US has a strong military presence in northeastern Poland near the Belorussian border , and moving on Belarus would be against US interests , and given the decades of strong cooperation between the US and Poland , plus the monies given to Poland by the US military and the protection by their mere presence , there is no way that Poland is going to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) to jeopardize those benefits , for while one can point to the negative effects of American influence in Poland ( and there are many ) , the positive is that the US serves as a cushion against German influence and a hard barrier against Russian influence , softening the impact of the former and many times preventing the influence of the latter .
Given Poland ’ s geographical position , the American presence is as best of a “ wildcard ” as she has ever had in history , and she is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It is true that Poland has been re-opening historical relations with Lithuania , which was part of her empire , and this is not to say that Poland many not try to “ assert ” herself in Eastern Europe under the proper conditions .
But the conditions needed are not those right now , for the current state is one of just silent watching as Russia and the Western world argue in Belarus and she sees the fires burn , where they go , and keeps them out of her own back yard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American beat as long as it helps her to avoid , soften , or prepare for the inevitable conflict that will come to her nation .
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When people think about empires, they often think of the British, French, or Japanese, and sometimes the Americans or the Dutch. However, there are other countries that also had empires such as Denmark, Germany, and Italy. Poland, while she is often mocked and the subject of jokes for “dumb poles”, she is also an imperial power- it just so happens that she has real estate in a very poor neighborhood, but still manages to do well in spite of this.
Once upon a time, Poland was the largest and most populous nation in Europe and controlled all of Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, large parts of Estonia and Ukraine, and many other parts of Slovakia, Czechia, Romania, Moldova, and even Russia. Remember that it was this same Poland, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, that stood up to and defeated the Ottomans at the Battle of Vienna in 1683, saving Europe from Islamic invasion.
Poland and Russia have a long history, and while Poland has invaded Russia before, most of history has been the opposite, including the Russo-German orchestrated partitioning of Poland in the 18th century that caused the nation to disappear as a political entity which only reappeared after World War I, and then which had to fight off Russian Bolsheviks and their supporters in 1920, only to be re-invaded and forced under Soviet influence from the end of World War II until the fall of the Berlin Wall and USSR between 1989 and 1991.
They both have historical grudges with each other, but based on history and power differences, Poland has far more to worry from Russia than Russia from Poland, as she does not want to be forced back under Russia’ influence.
With the current Belorussian political troubles taking place, the Russian newspaper Pravda reports that a political scientist with ties to Moscow, Aleksey Dzermant, has said that Poland could capture major Belorussian cities if she wanted to.
Aleksey Dzermant , a political scientist and researcher at the Institute of Philosophy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, told Pravda. Ru , there is a danger that Poland might intervene, although “not too big.” According to the political scientist, the Poles “not in vain pulled the strike group to the borders of Belarus.” “And the protests in the two western cities cause concern in this regard. That is, it will be very easy to capture them from the Polish side , especially if there is instability inside. This, of course, is the most negative scenario, I do not think that it has percentage of realism, but, nevertheless, there is cause for concern, “said Alexey Dzermant. The political scientist noted that internal protests in Belarus are controlled through new media – Telegram channels, YouTube – channels created by the Polish special services . “That is, in fact, we have signs of hybrid aggression, where information weapons are the main ones. And this aggression can lead to the demolition of the state system and the Belarusian state that we know,” said Aleksey Dzermant. The political scientist considers it important to transfer the situation in Belarus into the channel of a political dialogue with the participation of Russia as a mediator in order to find a compromise “without radical demands for Lukashenko’s immediate departure.” “The Crimean scenario in the Polish version is extremely undesirable, because neither the loss of Brest nor Grodno can be allowed . That is, the whole country must be kept, it will be extremely important,” concluded Aleksey Dzermant. (source)
Is he correct? It is possible that it is so. But it is unlikely that Poland would do that, for while she is a historical empire, as noted above, Poland also is no fool. Indeed, to move on Belarus would be exactly what Russia would love to see happen, since Russia would immediately use it as an excuse to “help” Belarus, or to justify an invasion to assert herself.
Poland has remained curiously quiet with all of the events taking place, given the seriousness, likely because she knows that changes are under way, and that during times of chaos, especially with a Russia seeking excuses to assert herself, eventually in Poland, saying nothing is far more than saying something.
Poland is not stupid, for one does not survive living between two psychopaths with delusions of grandeur- Germany and Russia -for centuries by being a fool. Likewise, the US has a strong military presence in northeastern Poland near the Belorussian border, and moving on Belarus would be against US interests, and given the decades of strong cooperation between the US and Poland, plus the monies given to Poland by the US military and the protection by their mere presence, there is no way that Poland is going to do anything (unless she loses her mind) to jeopardize those benefits, for while one can point to the negative effects of American influence in Poland (and there are many), the positive is that the US serves as a cushion against German influence and a hard barrier against Russian influence, softening the impact of the former and many times preventing the influence of the latter. Given Poland’s geographical position, the American presence is as best of a “wildcard” as she has ever had in history, and she is fully availing herself of its benefits.
It is true that Poland has been re-opening historical relations with Lithuania, which was part of her empire, and this is not to say that Poland many not try to “assert” herself in Eastern Europe under the proper conditions. But the conditions needed are not those right now, for the current state is one of just silent watching as Russia and the Western world argue in Belarus and she sees the fires burn, where they go, and keeps them out of her own back yard while jumping to the tune of the American beat as long as it helps her to avoid, soften, or prepare for the inevitable conflict that will come to her nation.
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shoebat--2020-08-17--Russia Is Very Concerned About Losing Control Over Belarus

With all of the tension taking place in Belarus , the Russian newspaper Pravda notes that Russia is very concerned about the potential loss of Belarus to “ the West ” , and says that it poses a military threat to the survival of Russia .
If Belarus goes to the West , then , militarily , Russia will lose control over long-range sea and close airspace .
Therefore , we need a pro-Russian candidate for the new presidential elections .
The published program of the Belarusian opposition , the so-called ” Reanimation package of reforms “ , envisages the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ state , which is in no way inferior in terms of the degree of anti-Russian hysteria to today ’ s Ukraine .
It provides , in particular , for the country ’ s withdrawal from the Union State , the Eurasian Union , the Customs Union , the CSTO .
– the return of full control of Belarus over its air and anti-missile defense systems , – withdrawal from the territory of Belarus of Russian military facilities – a communications center in Vileika and a radar station near Baranovichi , – strengthening of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ translation of educational work in the army into Belarusian .
“ We ’ ll have to completely change the entire scheme of the country ’ s defense ” Russia has two military facilities in Belarus : the 74th separate radio technical center “ Baranovichi ” – the “ Volga ” radar ( Gantsevichi , Brest region ) , which is an integral part of the Russian missile attack warning system ( SPRN ) and the 43rd communications center of the Military the Russian Navy ( Vileika , Minsk Region ) , which establishes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Atlantic , Indian , Pacific oceans .
As the deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation ( Defense Committee ) , candidate of political sciences , military expert , member of the presidium of the public organization “ Officers of Russia ” Andrei Golovatyuk told Pravda.Ru , Belarus is a strategic partner of Russia within the Union State , and it stands as a barrier between the Russian Federation and NATO countries .
“ We would not want Belarus to abruptly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happened , unfortunately , with Ukraine .
Because then we will have to completely change the entire country ’ s defense scheme , including air defense systems and other areas .
Therefore , this will be a very serious problem .
for the Russian Federation , if the foreign policy of Belarus changes and it starts to go to the West precisely in military terms , “ said Andrei Golovatyuk .
In other words , Belarus is a strategic “ bulge ” in the west for Russia – it is indispensable for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event of a military threat , such an ally can not be neglected .
( source ) This is a very good analysis of the problems .
In addition , I would like to make a contribution as well to this discussion .
Let ’ s take a look a Belarus and see why , just from a “ boundaries ” perspectives what is such a concern .
If one looks at a map , one can see that one of the last cities in eastern Belarus near Russia is Osinkova .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Google Maps is 479 km , and approximately 5 hours and 45 minutes .
If one changes the starting point to Minsk , the capitol of Belarus , it is about 8 hours and thirty minutes .
The first measure- Osinkova to Moscow -is approximately a trip from Knoxville to Memphis .
The second measure- Minsk to Moscow -is a trip from New York City to Columbus .
The first trip is not even an overnight stay- one can leave in the morning , do what one has to do , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Even in the second trip , while it would usually be “ overnight ” , a very ambitious person could make the entire trip in a day if he pushed hard .
This is the main reason why Moscow is so concerned that she is not in control of Belarus , and is also the reason she is pushing so hard into the Arctic- it is because she is terrified of being invaded , and given how weak Russia has become , as I have outlined in my previous articles , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may seriously have to fight for her survival and could realistically lose .
This is not like in World War II , where while she almost lost many times and was saved ( not ironically ) by the grace of God with a snowstorm at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942 , for Russia is weaker now than she was then .
There is a strong chance that she will lose control over the oil deposits in the Volga basin in the case of a German invasion .
Her last hope would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards Murmansk and north pole regions , use the oil from this region to supply herself , and try to fight out any invading force .
However , it is unsure if she will be able to do this .
Russia does not want American or German troops being placed less than a quarter day ’ s drive away from her main “ nerve center ” .
It is a military nightmare .
Likewise , Belarus being cut off also prevents Russia from doing what she has historically done , which is to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , allowing her to reinforce her base at Kaliningrad/Kõnigsberg , which is her only exclave and while heavily armed is also surrounded with little way to protect herself .
It is clear from the article that Russia may challenge or attempt to have “ new elections ” in Belarus , because political control over this region is central to her ability to control herself .
The problem is , unfortunately , that while Lukashenko is a dictator , the fact is that many people in Belarus also hate Russia because they remember the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has directly harkened he wants to revive as his idol is Stalin , whose brutality was so awful that no mask or talk of Christianity can hide or change the past .
All of the former Soviet satellite or “ influenced ” nations remember life under the USSR .
It was miserable , and while there are a lot of problems with life under German influence , while bad , it is not as miserable .
Thus in a war , who does one think that many of these nations will side with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is stuck between two mad rapists with no choice except to be raped by one of them , and rapist A just rapes and leaves one for dead but rapist B not only does not kill one , but says “ please ” and “ thank you , ” brings some chocolates for you as well as helps you put your clothes back on after the rape , then the choice is obviously the latter .
These correspond respectively to Russia and Germany .
Both nations have raped eastern Europe for centuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and have caused many problems .
However , in modern times , German industry and business contacts have helped objectively raise living standards in Eastern Europe , provided jobs for migrants from Eastern Europe to Germany and Western Europe , and have at least apologized for their atrocities in World War II .
This can not be said of Russia , who has provided nothing save for destabilization , poverty , and chaos , both in the past and today .
I want to emphasize that I am not “ taking sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out that in the world of politics , sometimes there are impossible choices , where a choice must be made between bad and worse lest it be made for one , as this is the reality that nations like Belarus face .
Russia may be strong , but she is operating in a sort of “ panic mode ” right now , for if she does not secure control over Belarus and other parts of Eastern Europe , she is going to face a “ wall of Europe ” against her , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in private as well as by the numbers , it is impossible for her to stand against it .
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When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
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With all of the tension taking place in Belarus, the Russian newspaper Pravda notes that Russia is very concerned about the potential loss of Belarus to “the West”, and says that it poses a military threat to the survival of Russia.
If Belarus goes to the West, then, militarily, Russia will lose control over long-range sea and close airspace. Therefore, we need a pro-Russian candidate for the new presidential elections. The published program of the Belarusian opposition, the so-called ” Reanimation package of reforms “, envisages the transformation of Belarus into a radically Russophobic state, which is in no way inferior in terms of the degree of anti-Russian hysteria to today’s Ukraine. It provides, in particular, for the country’s withdrawal from the Union State, the Eurasian Union, the Customs Union, the CSTO. – the return of full control of Belarus over its air and anti-missile defense systems, – withdrawal from the territory of Belarus of Russian military facilities – a communications center in Vileika and a radar station near Baranovichi, – strengthening of patriotic education in the Belarusian army, translation of educational work in the army into Belarusian. “We’ll have to completely change the entire scheme of the country’s defense” Russia has two military facilities in Belarus: the 74th separate radio technical center “Baranovichi” – the “Volga” radar (Gantsevichi, Brest region), which is an integral part of the Russian missile attack warning system (SPRN) and the 43rd communications center of the Military the Russian Navy (Vileika, Minsk Region), which establishes communication with nuclear submarines in the waters of the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific oceans. … As the deputy of the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation of the fourth convocation (Defense Committee), candidate of political sciences, military expert, member of the presidium of the public organization “Officers of Russia” Andrei Golovatyuk told Pravda.Ru , Belarus is a strategic partner of Russia within the Union State, and it stands as a barrier between the Russian Federation and NATO countries. “We would not want Belarus to abruptly change the joint political course, as happened, unfortunately, with Ukraine. Because then we will have to completely change the entire country’s defense scheme, including air defense systems and other areas. Therefore, this will be a very serious problem. for the Russian Federation, if the foreign policy of Belarus changes and it starts to go to the West precisely in military terms, “said Andrei Golovatyuk. In other words, Belarus is a strategic “bulge” in the west for Russia – it is indispensable for the defense of Kaliningrad. Therefore, in the event of a military threat, such an ally cannot be neglected. (source)
This is a very good analysis of the problems. In addition, I would like to make a contribution as well to this discussion.
Let’s take a look a Belarus and see why, just from a “boundaries” perspectives what is such a concern.
If one looks at a map, one can see that one of the last cities in eastern Belarus near Russia is Osinkova. The distance from here to Moscow according to Google Maps is 479 km, and approximately 5 hours and 45 minutes. If one changes the starting point to Minsk, the capitol of Belarus, it is about 8 hours and thirty minutes.
The first measure- Osinkova to Moscow -is approximately a trip from Knoxville to Memphis. The second measure- Minsk to Moscow -is a trip from New York City to Columbus. The first trip is not even an overnight stay- one can leave in the morning, do what one has to do, and be back home for a late dinner. Even in the second trip, while it would usually be “overnight”, a very ambitious person could make the entire trip in a day if he pushed hard.
This is the main reason why Moscow is so concerned that she is not in control of Belarus, and is also the reason she is pushing so hard into the Arctic- it is because she is terrified of being invaded, and given how weak Russia has become, as I have outlined in my previous articles, there is a very strong chance that she may seriously have to fight for her survival and could realistically lose. This is not like in World War II, where while she almost lost many times and was saved (not ironically) by the grace of God with a snowstorm at the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942, for Russia is weaker now than she was then. There is a strong chance that she will lose control over the oil deposits in the Volga basin in the case of a German invasion. Her last hope would be to go north as far as possible towards Murmansk and north pole regions, use the oil from this region to supply herself, and try to fight out any invading force. However, it is unsure if she will be able to do this.
Russia does not want American or German troops being placed less than a quarter day’s drive away from her main “nerve center”. It is a military nightmare.
Likewise, Belarus being cut off also prevents Russia from doing what she has historically done, which is to rush the Baltic nations and seize them, allowing her to reinforce her base at Kaliningrad/Kõnigsberg, which is her only exclave and while heavily armed is also surrounded with little way to protect herself.
It is clear from the article that Russia may challenge or attempt to have “new elections” in Belarus, because political control over this region is central to her ability to control herself. The problem is, unfortunately, that while Lukashenko is a dictator, the fact is that many people in Belarus also hate Russia because they remember the legacy of communism- a legacy that Putin has directly harkened he wants to revive as his idol is Stalin, whose brutality was so awful that no mask or talk of Christianity can hide or change the past.
All of the former Soviet satellite or “influenced” nations remember life under the USSR. It was miserable, and while there are a lot of problems with life under German influence, while bad, it is not as miserable. Thus in a war, who does one think that many of these nations will side with? To put it crudely, if one is stuck between two mad rapists with no choice except to be raped by one of them, and rapist A just rapes and leaves one for dead but rapist B not only does not kill one, but says “please” and “thank you,” brings some chocolates for you as well as helps you put your clothes back on after the rape, then the choice is obviously the latter.
These correspond respectively to Russia and Germany. Both nations have raped eastern Europe for centuries, both their economies and their people, and have caused many problems. However, in modern times, German industry and business contacts have helped objectively raise living standards in Eastern Europe, provided jobs for migrants from Eastern Europe to Germany and Western Europe, and have at least apologized for their atrocities in World War II. This cannot be said of Russia, who has provided nothing save for destabilization, poverty, and chaos, both in the past and today.
I want to emphasize that I am not “taking sides” here, but rather to point out that in the world of politics, sometimes there are impossible choices, where a choice must be made between bad and worse lest it be made for one, as this is the reality that nations like Belarus face.
Russia may be strong, but she is operating in a sort of “panic mode” right now, for if she does not secure control over Belarus and other parts of Eastern Europe, she is going to face a “wall of Europe” against her, and while she may not admit it publicly, in private as well as by the numbers, it is impossible for her to stand against it.
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shoebat--2020-08-19--President Trump Says He Spoke With God On How To Rebuild The Economy

The Christian Post reports that President Trump says he spoke with God about how to rebuild the economy , and that he believes God will help him rebuild it .
President Donald Trump revealed he spoke to God about the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic and God told him He ’ s going to have him rebuild “ the greatest economy in the history of the world ” again .
Speaking at a small rally that attracted several hundred supporters in Mankato , Minnesota , Monday , Trump branded presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as a “ puppet of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ American way of life by “ trying to erase our borders , eliminate our police , indoctrinate our children , vilify our heroes ” and “ take away our energy.
” If Biden were to be elected , he would “ replace American freedom with left-wing fascism , ” Trump added .
The president hailed his pre-pandemic economic record which reflected a strong stock market , wage growth of about a 3 % average and low unemployment as “ nothing short of an economic miracle.
” With the COVID-19 pandemic , the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Great Depression in the second quarter as consumer and business spending plummeted , the World Economic Forum noted .
Gross domestic product dipped at a 32.9 % annualized rate last quarter , “ the deepest decline in output since the government started keeping records in 1947 , ” the WEC said .
“ What we have achieved together and what we ’ re doing together is nothing short of an economic miracle and now we ’ re doing it again , ” Trump told his supporters .
“ We built the greatest economy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now I have to do it again.
” He then revealed the conversation he had with God about the economic crisis .
“ You know what that is ?
That ’ s right .
That ’ s God testing me , ” Trump explained .
“ He said , You know , you did it once .
And I said , ‘ Did I do a great job , God ?
I ’ m the only one who could do it.
’ He said , ‘ That you shouldn ’ t say .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ you do it again.
’ I said , ‘ OK .
I agree .
You got me.
’ But I did it once .
And now I ’ m doing it again .
And you see the kind of numbers that we ’ re putting up .
They ’ re unbelievable .
Best job numbers ever .
Three months , more jobs in the last three months than ever before.
” ( source ) Does one actually believe Trump after the last four years ?
Trump has lived a hedonistic , playboy lifestyle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not answer basic questions about Christianity or religion .
He shows no signs of piety save for when he is on the campaign trail for a photo opportunity .
He has been of all the presidents the one who has spent the most and has pushed the country further along the road to hyperinflation than any other , including Obama .
When he had the chance to help Christian refugees , he put them in danger of being deported , likely to their deaths .
Does one actually believe that Trump “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ economy ?
The economy has been dying for years , and as I have said before , there are only two ways to fix it- either a complete jubilee that involves a shutdown of the fraudulent organs controlling the nations ( seizing and nationalizing the Federal Reserve Bank , jailing the bank officers , relinquishing debts ) , or printing money until the currency becomes worthless so the ensuing chaos allows for debt to be disowned and a new paradigm to begin once more .
Both involve pain , but the former is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latter , which Trump has been following .
When Bush II ran for office , he spoke a lot about God , but Bush II seemed genuine in his convictions ( the same can not be said about Bush I ) , although he made a lot of serious mistakes , and largely was a puppet controlled by his father and Dick Cheney .
Trump has shown nothing of the piety that Bush II did , and if there has been any trace of religious connections in the current White House , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sparingly too .
Such language coming from Trump is just another attempt to pander to what is left of the Christian-Boomer bloc that made up part of what is left of his base .
Yet it is in such a contradiction to the life that Trump has lived and the presidency that he has carried out so far , it is difficult to believe that Trump actually is telling the truth with these words .
It is more proof that people would be better off to stop listening to politicians talk about what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focus on themselves and what they can directly influence in their local communities , and to never trust when a man in a suit seeking power says that he “ talked to God ” lest he can back up his words with his actions , which given Trump ’ s patterns of behavior , are very doubtful .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ perception from reality .
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The Christian Post reports that President Trump says he spoke with God about how to rebuild the economy, and that he believes God will help him rebuild it.
President Donald Trump revealed he spoke to God about the economy amid the coronavirus pandemic and God told him He’s going to have him rebuild “the greatest economy in the history of the world” again. Speaking at a small rally that attracted several hundred supporters in Mankato, Minnesota, Monday, Trump branded presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden as a “puppet of left-wing extremists” who would destroy the American way of life by “trying to erase our borders, eliminate our police, indoctrinate our children, vilify our heroes” and “take away our energy.” If Biden were to be elected, he would “replace American freedom with left-wing fascism,” Trump added. The president hailed his pre-pandemic economic record which reflected a strong stock market, wage growth of about a 3% average and low unemployment as “nothing short of an economic miracle.” With the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. economy suffered its biggest blow since the Great Depression in the second quarter as consumer and business spending plummeted, the World Economic Forum noted. Gross domestic product dipped at a 32.9% annualized rate last quarter, “the deepest decline in output since the government started keeping records in 1947,” the WEC said. “What we have achieved together and what we’re doing together is nothing short of an economic miracle and now we’re doing it again,” Trump told his supporters. “We built the greatest economy in the history of the world and now I have to do it again.” He then revealed the conversation he had with God about the economic crisis. “You know what that is? That’s right. That’s God testing me,” Trump explained. “He said, You know, you did it once. And I said, ‘Did I do a great job, God? I’m the only one who could do it.’ He said, ‘That you shouldn’t say. Now we’re going to have you do it again.’ I said, ‘OK. I agree. You got me.’ But I did it once. And now I’m doing it again. And you see the kind of numbers that we’re putting up. They’re unbelievable. Best job numbers ever. Three months, more jobs in the last three months than ever before.” (source)
Does one actually believe Trump after the last four years?
Trump has lived a hedonistic, playboy lifestyle for most of his life. He cannot answer basic questions about Christianity or religion. He shows no signs of piety save for when he is on the campaign trail for a photo opportunity. He has been of all the presidents the one who has spent the most and has pushed the country further along the road to hyperinflation than any other, including Obama. When he had the chance to help Christian refugees, he put them in danger of being deported, likely to their deaths.
Does one actually believe that Trump “spoke with God” about fixing the economy?
The economy has been dying for years, and as I have said before, there are only two ways to fix it- either a complete jubilee that involves a shutdown of the fraudulent organs controlling the nations (seizing and nationalizing the Federal Reserve Bank, jailing the bank officers, relinquishing debts), or printing money until the currency becomes worthless so the ensuing chaos allows for debt to be disowned and a new paradigm to begin once more. Both involve pain, but the former is more honest and better for all than the latter, which Trump has been following.
When Bush II ran for office, he spoke a lot about God, but Bush II seemed genuine in his convictions (the same cannot be said about Bush I), although he made a lot of serious mistakes, and largely was a puppet controlled by his father and Dick Cheney. Trump has shown nothing of the piety that Bush II did, and if there has been any trace of religious connections in the current White House, it has come from Melania, and sparingly too.
Such language coming from Trump is just another attempt to pander to what is left of the Christian-Boomer bloc that made up part of what is left of his base. Yet it is in such a contradiction to the life that Trump has lived and the presidency that he has carried out so far, it is difficult to believe that Trump actually is telling the truth with these words.
It is more proof that people would be better off to stop listening to politicians talk about what God means to them, and instead focus on themselves and what they can directly influence in their local communities, and to never trust when a man in a suit seeking power says that he “talked to God” lest he can back up his words with his actions, which given Trump’s patterns of behavior, are very doubtful.
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shoebat--2020-08-18--Japan’s Economy Suffers The Worst Hit Ever Amid Claims She Is Done Being ‘Pacifist’ And Wants To Rem

Japan’s Economy Suffers The Worst Hit Ever Amid Claims She Is Done Being ‘Pacifist’ And Wants To Remilitarize

One pattern that I have been hammering at is that economy patterns are linked to political movements , and in the case of Germany , given the “ cyclical ” nature of her history as a major power of Europe and a nation that tends to use violence heavily against her neighbors , poor economic conditions can result in political violence .
This was the point that Hans Frank , the son of the former National Socialist Governor of occupied Poland said to the BBC , which is that Germany ’ s tendencies to violence are still there , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ heavy economic problems ” for her to return to militarism .
We are seeing Frank ’ s warning come true by way of COVID-19 , which has shut down economies around the world and exposed long-existing economic problems , including in Germany , and becomes more exacerbated with the migrant crisis that is taking place now .
Frank ’ s observations are not just pertinent to Germany , but other powerful nations in the world .
As such , it is important to look at Japan , for Japan operates in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ patterns of violence and conquest .
As such , it is not illogical to think that a serious downturn in the Japanese economy- something far worse than the state of “ stagflation ” she has known for decades -could prompt a return to nationalism and militarism in east Asia .
It is with great interest then that the Japan Times reports that Japan ’ s second quarter GDP suffered a historic 27 % contraction .
Japan ’ s economy in the April-June period shrank an annualized 27.8 percent in real terms from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ record , as economic activity was restricted under a state of emergency during the coronavirus outbreak , government data showed Monday .
The preliminary gross domestic product data corresponds to a 7.8 percent decrease on a seasonally-adjusted quarterly basis , marking negative growth for the third consecutive quarter , according to the Cabinet Office .
Comparable data are available since the April-June quarter of 1980 , but a Cabinet Office official said the latest figure is considered the largest shrinkage on record dating back to 1955 , when reference values can be traced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s spread , the economy had been affected by the U.S.-China trade spat and a consumption tax hike last year .
Damage to the economy has deepened with the impact of the pandemic after the central government declared a state of emergency in April .
( source ) Meanwhile , the New York Times reports that Japan , while being pacifist , does not want to be pacifist any more , citing threats from North Korea and China , wants to purchase missile defense systems , citing the Trump administration ’ s desire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ own national defense .
Shinzo Abe is facing some of the toughest challenges of his record-setting tenure as Japan ’ s prime minister , with persistent flare-ups of the coronavirus , an economy mired in recession , and a public fed up with his government ’ s handling of the crises .
Yet Mr. Abe ’ s administration is focusing on a different threat , one that lines up with a long-running preoccupation for the prime minister : the prospect of ballistic missile attacks by North Korea or China .
This month , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicly considering whether the country should acquire weapons capable of striking missile launch sites in enemy territory if an attack appeared imminent .
Such a capacity would be unremarkable for most world powers .
But for Japan , which on Saturday commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II — and 75 years of renouncing combat — the proposal is fraught .
In considering loosening restrictions on Japan ’ s ability to attack targets in other countries , the party has revived a protracted and politically sensitive debate .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ itself caught between China , whose rising military aggression has reverberated across Asia , and the United States , whose once-ironclad commitment to guaranteeing the region ’ s security has come into question .
But while Japan has decided against the American missile system , Mr. Kono said it was important to “ send a clear message ” to North Korea about the country ’ s alliance with the United States and “ our resolve about protecting Japan against any missile offensive from North Korea.
” Under the alliance , the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offensive capabilities , while Japan has stuck to purely defensive activities .
“ The old paradigm of the U.S.-Japan alliance is that Japan wears the ‘ shield ’ and hosts the ‘ sword , ’ ” said Euan Graham , senior fellow for Asia-Pacific security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore , invoking a commonly used metaphor for the stationing of about 55,000 American troops in Japan .
But “ that paradigm has been breaking down for many years , ” Mr. Graham said , a trend that has only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allies to assume more responsibility for their own defense .
Mr. Graham noted that Australia , another U.S. ally in the Pacific , had recently announced new military spending plans for long-range missiles .
South Korea also recently negotiated a loosening of missile guidelines imposed by the United States that would allow it to build rockets that could be applied to long-range missiles .
( source ) I put these two stories together because they both connect to the same topic , which is the return of a militaristic Japan .
Economics always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have many shared historical points , so while they are not the same , parallels can be made between the two .
It is arguable that economic decline in either of these nations eventually can result in a return to militarism , and as we see , COVID-19 is exposing problems in the Japanese economy , and this is taking place at the time when Japan is making statements about becoming a military power again .
China may be a large nation with a strong military and imperialistic desires , but China is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
One only needs to look at the recent border skirmish between Chinese and Indian soldiers , where 20 Indian and 40 Chinese soldiers were killed .
It was a “ battle of the boneheads ” , but even India , with all of her miserable incompetency , still could not be more incompetent than the Chinese , whose claims of grandeur are only surpassed by their practical hapless incompetence .
Japan on the other hand is a very violent nation that has conquered China many times .
Her soldiers have a long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , logical , tenacious , and violent .
She is far more dangerous than China ever has been , and given her organization , economic power , infrastructure , and dedication , she could easily remilitarize quickly and seize China ’ s key points so as to choke her economy and put the nation into complete chaos .
Remember also that Germany apologized for many of her actions in World War II .
Japan has never apologized , and instead reveres her war criminals as human deities , such as at the infamous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in her position .
When Japan does remilitarize , China will shake with fear because the Japanese are genuinely terrifying and will likely , along with the fact that most of Asia hates China and views her as a threat and a nuisance , will annihilate her as other nations , including her Russian ‘ ally ’ , will sit back and watch .
If this were an anime , it is not going to be the kinds with happy girls running around and strange music or animals .
It is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ blood , guts , and tentacle-type monsters attached to robots that rip people apart and torture them in the most horrible ways all for entertainment .
If history is a guide , one only needs to look to the Nanking massacre to see what the future holds .
But it all has to begin somewhere , and knowing that war is an expression of political force , and that economic precedes politics , that the economic downturns taking place in Japan because of COVID-19 is about a lot more than just a virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a part of the larger earthquake that will topple over the entire world once it is done .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE @ @ @ @ @ @ @

One pattern that I have been hammering at is that economy patterns are linked to political movements, and in the case of Germany, given the “cyclical” nature of her history as a major power of Europe and a nation that tends to use violence heavily against her neighbors, poor economic conditions can result in political violence. This was the point that Hans Frank, the son of the former National Socialist Governor of occupied Poland said to the BBC, which is that Germany’s tendencies to violence are still there, and all it would require is five-to-ten years of “heavy economic problems” for her to return to militarism.
We are seeing Frank’s warning come true by way of COVID-19, which has shut down economies around the world and exposed long-existing economic problems, including in Germany, and becomes more exacerbated with the migrant crisis that is taking place now.
Frank’s observations are not just pertinent to Germany, but other powerful nations in the world. As such, it is important to look at Japan, for Japan operates in a similar manner to Germany with historical patterns of violence and conquest. As such, it is not illogical to think that a serious downturn in the Japanese economy- something far worse than the state of “stagflation” she has known for decades -could prompt a return to nationalism and militarism in east Asia.
It is with great interest then that the Japan Times reports that Japan’s second quarter GDP suffered a historic 27% contraction.
Japan’s economy in the April-June period shrank an annualized 27.8 percent in real terms from the previous quarter, the sharpest contraction on record, as economic activity was restricted under a state of emergency during the coronavirus outbreak, government data showed Monday. The preliminary gross domestic product data corresponds to a 7.8 percent decrease on a seasonally-adjusted quarterly basis, marking negative growth for the third consecutive quarter, according to the Cabinet Office. Comparable data are available since the April-June quarter of 1980, but a Cabinet Office official said the latest figure is considered the largest shrinkage on record dating back to 1955, when reference values can be traced to. Even before the virus’s spread, the economy had been affected by the U.S.-China trade spat and a consumption tax hike last year. Damage to the economy has deepened with the impact of the pandemic after the central government declared a state of emergency in April. (source)
Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that Japan, while being pacifist, does not want to be pacifist any more, citing threats from North Korea and China, wants to purchase missile defense systems, citing the Trump administration’s desire to have allies participate more in their own national defense.
Shinzo Abe is facing some of the toughest challenges of his record-setting tenure as Japan’s prime minister, with persistent flare-ups of the coronavirus, an economy mired in recession, and a public fed up with his government’s handling of the crises. Yet Mr. Abe’s administration is focusing on a different threat, one that lines up with a long-running preoccupation for the prime minister: the prospect of ballistic missile attacks by North Korea or China. This month, Mr. Abe’s political party began publicly considering whether the country should acquire weapons capable of striking missile launch sites in enemy territory if an attack appeared imminent. Such a capacity would be unremarkable for most world powers. But for Japan, which on Saturday commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II — and 75 years of renouncing combat — the proposal is fraught. In considering loosening restrictions on Japan’s ability to attack targets in other countries, the party has revived a protracted and politically sensitive debate. The discussion is taking place as Japan finds itself caught between China, whose rising military aggression has reverberated across Asia, and the United States, whose once-ironclad commitment to guaranteeing the region’s security has come into question. … But while Japan has decided against the American missile system, Mr. Kono said it was important to “send a clear message” to North Korea about the country’s alliance with the United States and “our resolve about protecting Japan against any missile offensive from North Korea.” Under the alliance, the United States has traditionally assumed the role of providing offensive capabilities, while Japan has stuck to purely defensive activities. “The old paradigm of the U.S.-Japan alliance is that Japan wears the ‘shield’ and hosts the ‘sword,’” said Euan Graham, senior fellow for Asia-Pacific security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore, invoking a commonly used metaphor for the stationing of about 55,000 American troops in Japan. But “that paradigm has been breaking down for many years,” Mr. Graham said, a trend that has only accelerated as the Trump administration has pushed allies to assume more responsibility for their own defense. Mr. Graham noted that Australia, another U.S. ally in the Pacific, had recently announced new military spending plans for long-range missiles. South Korea also recently negotiated a loosening of missile guidelines imposed by the United States that would allow it to build rockets that could be applied to long-range missiles. (source)
I put these two stories together because they both connect to the same topic, which is the return of a militaristic Japan. Economics always precedes politics, and Germany and Japan have many shared historical points, so while they are not the same, parallels can be made between the two. It is arguable that economic decline in either of these nations eventually can result in a return to militarism, and as we see, COVID-19 is exposing problems in the Japanese economy, and this is taking place at the time when Japan is making statements about becoming a military power again.
China may be a large nation with a strong military and imperialistic desires, but China is extremely divided, weak, and ineffective. One only needs to look at the recent border skirmish between Chinese and Indian soldiers, where 20 Indian and 40 Chinese soldiers were killed. It was a “battle of the boneheads”, but even India, with all of her miserable incompetency, still could not be more incompetent than the Chinese, whose claims of grandeur are only surpassed by their practical hapless incompetence.
Japan on the other hand is a very violent nation that has conquered China many times. Her soldiers have a long history of being highly organized, disciplined, logical, tenacious, and violent. She is far more dangerous than China ever has been, and given her organization, economic power, infrastructure, and dedication, she could easily remilitarize quickly and seize China’s key points so as to choke her economy and put the nation into complete chaos.
Remember also that Germany apologized for many of her actions in World War II. Japan has never apologized, and instead reveres her war criminals as human deities, such as at the infamous Yaksuzuni Shrine, and she is defiant in her position.
When Japan does remilitarize, China will shake with fear because the Japanese are genuinely terrifying and will likely, along with the fact that most of Asia hates China and views her as a threat and a nuisance, will annihilate her as other nations, including her Russian ‘ally’, will sit back and watch.
If this were an anime, it is not going to be the kinds with happy girls running around and strange music or animals. It is going to be the dark kind- the one with blood, guts, and tentacle-type monsters attached to robots that rip people apart and torture them in the most horrible ways all for entertainment. If history is a guide, one only needs to look to the Nanking massacre to see what the future holds.
But it all has to begin somewhere, and knowing that war is an expression of political force, and that economic precedes politics, that the economic downturns taking place in Japan because of COVID-19 is about a lot more than just a virus, because the economy shaking is just a part of the larger earthquake that will topple over the entire world once it is done.
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shoebat--2020-08-18--The City Of Amsterdam Is Physically Collapsing

When one discusses the “ collapse ” of a city , it usually refers to the economics , politics , or culture of that city , and seldom to problems in the physical structure of the city itself .
However , this is the case in Amsterdam , the famed Netherlands capitol , which is physically collapsing as CNN reports that the wooden piles and later , concrete blocks which the city has been built on that support bridges and other structures , some of which are half-a-millennium old , are now falling apart and causing a threat to public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside the waterways of Amsterdam .
Back between the 12th and 16th centuries , when Amsterdam began to grow , buildings were constructed on wooden piles — concrete ones came later — that provided stability in the swampy and unstable land around the Amstel river .
Canals were dug into that same soft soil and canal walls were built .
Given that many of these structures are now more than 500 years old , it ’ s inevitable that many of them need a check-up once in a while .
But , over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has neglected to keep an eye on some of its most venerable constructions .
Now a significant number of its 1,600 bridges and 200 kilometers of canals need checking and , if necessary , replacing .
While dangers have frequently been highlighted in recent times , it appears that before 2020 , Amsterdam ’ s chief recourse has been to hold its breath and hope for the best .
In January , local news channel AT5 highlighted five years of warnings from officials about the parlous state of the waterways that it said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this year .
It cited the concerns of one diver who had refused to carry out inspections under one of Amsterdam ’ s elderly bridges because of the fear of imminent collapse .
In response , the municipality said that repairs were being carried out when urgently needed , but although research was being carried out to assess the state of every quay wall and bridge , safety couldn ’ t entirely be guaranteed .
“ Risks can not be ruled out one hundred percent , ” a spokesperson said .
“ Restoring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new level is a complex , large and urgent task.
” Dijksma says that while 20 locations across Amsterdam are currently closed to heavy traffic , more are likely to follow .
“ Safety always comes first , but it is a huge puzzle to keep the city accessible and livable , ” she adds .
( source ) Such problems of urban renewal and decay are common to all societies , and thus are not new .
It is interesting , however , this is coming at a time when Europe is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no plan for the future , a lost sense of purpose in the world , and now with the rise of nationalism .
Certainly the city can be rebuild , and it can take a lot of time , but incidents such as these are a reminder that civilization is a fragile thing that can be easily lost or destroyed , or that one fails to care for and only has that one wakes up one day to find out that most of what “ supported ” one ’ s lifestyle was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and no one was paying attention otherwise .
Amsterdam is famous for many things , including her infamous “ red light ” district where prostitutes openly market their “ wares ” to tourists and anyone who will “ buy ” .
It is also a major center of human trafficking , both of people coming “ in ” from Eastern Europe , the Middle East , and Africa , as well as of selling people to wealthy buyers or distributing them to other urban areas such as London , Paris , and Berlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major cities go , but perhaps Amsterdam ’ s collapse is expected , for she has already collapsed morally , and certainly economically and some would say culturally , so what is to prevent a physical collapse at this point ?
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

When one discusses the “collapse” of a city, it usually refers to the economics, politics, or culture of that city, and seldom to problems in the physical structure of the city itself. However, this is the case in Amsterdam, the famed Netherlands capitol, which is physically collapsing as CNN reports that the wooden piles and later, concrete blocks which the city has been built on that support bridges and other structures, some of which are half-a-millennium old, are now falling apart and causing a threat to public safety.
Cracks and sinkholes are appearing alongside the waterways of Amsterdam. Back between the 12th and 16th centuries, when Amsterdam began to grow, buildings were constructed on wooden piles — concrete ones came later — that provided stability in the swampy and unstable land around the Amstel river. Canals were dug into that same soft soil and canal walls were built. Given that many of these structures are now more than 500 years old, it’s inevitable that many of them need a check-up once in a while.
But, over the years, it seems the municipality has neglected to keep an eye on some of its most venerable constructions. Now a significant number of its 1,600 bridges and 200 kilometers of canals need checking and, if necessary, replacing. While dangers have frequently been highlighted in recent times, it appears that before 2020, Amsterdam’s chief recourse has been to hold its breath and hope for the best. In January, local news channel AT5 highlighted five years of warnings from officials about the parlous state of the waterways that it said went largely unheeded by city authorities until this year. It cited the concerns of one diver who had refused to carry out inspections under one of Amsterdam’s elderly bridges because of the fear of imminent collapse. In response, the municipality said that repairs were being carried out when urgently needed, but although research was being carried out to assess the state of every quay wall and bridge, safety couldn’t entirely be guaranteed. “Risks cannot be ruled out one hundred percent,” a spokesperson said. … “Restoring the maintenance of the structures to a new level is a complex, large and urgent task.” Dijksma says that while 20 locations across Amsterdam are currently closed to heavy traffic, more are likely to follow. “Safety always comes first, but it is a huge puzzle to keep the city accessible and livable,” she adds. (source)
Such problems of urban renewal and decay are common to all societies, and thus are not new. It is interesting, however, this is coming at a time when Europe is having so many problems with her economy, no plan for the future, a lost sense of purpose in the world, and now with the rise of nationalism.
Certainly the city can be rebuild, and it can take a lot of time, but incidents such as these are a reminder that civilization is a fragile thing that can be easily lost or destroyed, or that one fails to care for and only has that one wakes up one day to find out that most of what “supported” one’s lifestyle was being pulled out from under his feet and no one was paying attention otherwise.
Amsterdam is famous for many things, including her infamous “red light” district where prostitutes openly market their “wares” to tourists and anyone who will “buy”. It is also a major center of human trafficking, both of people coming “in” from Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as of selling people to wealthy buyers or distributing them to other urban areas such as London, Paris, and Berlin.
It is always sad to see major cities go, but perhaps Amsterdam’s collapse is expected, for she has already collapsed morally, and certainly economically and some would say culturally, so what is to prevent a physical collapse at this point?
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shoebat--2020-08-18--First It Was Fuel Theft, Now It Is Train Robberies In Mexico

Mexico has a large problem with fuel theft .
However , there is evidence that due to increased enforcement and security procedures , the number of fuel thefts has declined .
However , a new trend has emerged in its place , which according to Mexico Daily News is that train robberies of whole railcars are now a regular occurrence in Mexico .
Last year an average of two railcars were robbed each week , but in the first six months of 2020 that number has increased to three per day , the newspaper Reforma reports .
The shift in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflicted on the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel , notorious for fuel theft in the area .
Its leader , José Antonio Yépez Ortiz , alias El Marro , was arrested on August 2 on charges of kidnapping , organized crime and fuel theft after an 18-month manhunt .
Freight companies and cargo transportation experts have identified hot spots for train robberies in Mexico ’ s Bajío central lowlands region : El Ahorcado in Querétaro and Empalme Escobedo and Apaseo El Alto and Apaseo El Grande in Guanajuato .
The exact number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as many go unreported , said security expert Marcos Solórzano Cataño , and the problem is not likely to go away anytime soon .
Fuel thieves have the infrastructure and the protection of local residents already in place , making the transition from gas to cargo relatively easy .
Solórzano said thieves mainly target train cars carrying auto parts , grains , seeds , consumer goods and construction material .
Nationally , the number of train robberies has been declining .
In 2016 , 9,042 train robberies were reported whereas the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,306 .
The majority of train robberies occur in Puebla , Veracruz and Tlaxcala , government officials say .
( source ) It is a known fact among truckers that truck robberies along the US-Mexican border are common , and that US drivers rarely ever go into Mexico driving not because of a lack of skill , but because many Mexican drivers are killed each year in highway robberies , and trailers that go to Mexico from the US will sometimes return to the US with bullet holes in them .
People talk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and while there are many dangerous parts , Mexico has become very dangerous owing to the increasing power of drug cartels that terrorize the nation and have caused serious damage to her economy as well as provoked a great deal of migration to the US , for nobody wants to raise a family in an environment where one is not sure if one will be able to see his children alive at the end of each day .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

Mexico has a large problem with fuel theft. However, there is evidence that due to increased enforcement and security procedures, the number of fuel thefts has declined. However, a new trend has emerged in its place, which according to Mexico Daily News is that train robberies of whole railcars are now a regular occurrence in Mexico.
Last year an average of two railcars were robbed each week, but in the first six months of 2020 that number has increased to three per day, the newspaper Reforma reports. The shift in targets is likely due to the pressure inflicted on the Santa Rosa de Lima Cartel, notorious for fuel theft in the area. Its leader, José Antonio Yépez Ortiz, alias El Marro, was arrested on August 2 on charges of kidnapping, organized crime and fuel theft after an 18-month manhunt. Freight companies and cargo transportation experts have identified hot spots for train robberies in Mexico’s Bajío central lowlands region: El Ahorcado in Querétaro and Empalme Escobedo and Apaseo El Alto and Apaseo El Grande in Guanajuato. The exact number of train robberies that have occurred is unknown, as many go unreported, said security expert Marcos Solórzano Cataño, and the problem is not likely to go away anytime soon. Fuel thieves have the infrastructure and the protection of local residents already in place, making the transition from gas to cargo relatively easy. Solórzano said thieves mainly target train cars carrying auto parts, grains, seeds, consumer goods and construction material. Nationally, the number of train robberies has been declining. In 2016, 9,042 train robberies were reported whereas the first three months of 2020 have seen just 1,306. The majority of train robberies occur in Puebla, Veracruz and Tlaxcala, government officials say. (source)
It is a known fact among truckers that truck robberies along the US-Mexican border are common, and that US drivers rarely ever go into Mexico driving not because of a lack of skill, but because many Mexican drivers are killed each year in highway robberies, and trailers that go to Mexico from the US will sometimes return to the US with bullet holes in them.
People talk about how dangerous the Middle East is, and while there are many dangerous parts, Mexico has become very dangerous owing to the increasing power of drug cartels that terrorize the nation and have caused serious damage to her economy as well as provoked a great deal of migration to the US, for nobody wants to raise a family in an environment where one is not sure if one will be able to see his children alive at the end of each day.
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shoebat--2020-08-19--The Rise Of Japan: A Parallel Between History And Now

We are failing to learn from history when it comes to Japan .
As Japan is rising militarily , we @ @ @ @ @ history teaches :

Pakistani Government Signs Law That Would Put People In Prison For Life For "Blaspheming" Muhammad The government of Pakistan just signed a law that could...


shoebat--2020-08-20--Wine Lovers, Stock Up Now, Because Grape Prices Are Likely Going To Go Up

California is in a terrible crisis right now as wildfires are consuming large areas of the state , and as CBS Local KPIX reports , one of these areas includes Napa .
Wildfires raged out of control across the Bay Area forcing evacuations in Alameda , Santa Clara , Contra Costa , Santa Cruz , Marin , Napa and Sonoma Counties .
The fires in Napa County exploded in size Tuesday , growing from an estimated 12,000 acres Tuesday morning to more than 30,000 acres later that night .
It prompted evacuations in many neighborhoods near Lake Berryessa .
Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road , small fires were still burning on the hills .
It was a remnant of an intense flare up of one branch of the fire late Tuesday afternoon .
The roar of the fires echoed through canyons as fast-moving flames consumed homes in the Spanish Flat neighborhood on the southwest side of Lake Berryessa .
Nearby on Highway 128 , the fire torched the trees and consumed the dry grasses near the Somerston Winery between Lake Hennessey and Lake Berryessa .
“ It just keeps coming .
Every few years , another @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He lives in Capell Canyon and says he was ordered to evacuate , but refused .
He says this time , he doesn ’ t trust the firefighters to save his house .
“ They ’ re stretched so thin now , there ’ s very few fire trucks up here and planes , ” says Stanley .
His neighbor , Mike Nicholini , came over with water tenders and laid out hoses around the house .
“ We ’ re pretty set up and ready , ready to take care of whatever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nicholini .
CalFire admits their resources are spread thin .
There are dozens of fires burning all across Northern California .
The hard part is , all of them started at once during recent lightning storms .
The continued heatwave isn ’ t making things any easier for firefighters .
“ These conditions aren ’ t conducive to control of the fire .
With as many fires as are going on , the resources are limited to some extent so that does make it a little more difficult to control , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( source )

California is in a terrible crisis right now as wildfires are consuming large areas of the state, and as CBS Local KPIX reports, one of these areas includes Napa.
Wildfires raged out of control across the Bay Area forcing evacuations in Alameda, Santa Clara, Contra Costa, Santa Cruz, Marin, Napa and Sonoma Counties.
The fires in Napa County exploded in size Tuesday, growing from an estimated 12,000 acres Tuesday morning to more than 30,000 acres later that night. It prompted evacuations in many neighborhoods near Lake Berryessa.
Tuesday night near Highway 128 and Berryessa Knoxville Road, small fires were still burning on the hills. It was a remnant of an intense flare up of one branch of the fire late Tuesday afternoon.
The roar of the fires echoed through canyons as fast-moving flames consumed homes in the Spanish Flat neighborhood on the southwest side of Lake Berryessa.
Nearby on Highway 128, the fire torched the trees and consumed the dry grasses near the Somerston Winery between Lake Hennessey and Lake Berryessa.
“It just keeps coming. Every few years, another fire,” says Nylind Stanley. He lives in Capell Canyon and says he was ordered to evacuate, but refused. He says this time, he doesn’t trust the firefighters to save his house.
“They’re stretched so thin now, there’s very few fire trucks up here and planes,” says Stanley.
His neighbor, Mike Nicholini, came over with water tenders and laid out hoses around the house.
“We’re pretty set up and ready, ready to take care of whatever comes down the road,” says Nicholini.
CalFire admits their resources are spread thin. There are dozens of fires burning all across Northern California. The hard part is, all of them started at once during recent lightning storms.
The continued heatwave isn’t making things any easier for firefighters.
“These conditions aren’t conducive to control of the fire. With as many fires as are going on, the resources are limited to some extent so that does make it a little more difficult to control,” says Capt. Robert Foxworthy with CalFire. (source)


shoebat--2020-08-19--Kamala Harris Is Not Going To Help Joe Biden

Kamala Harris , despite what some are saying , is not going to help Joe Biden .
I did a @ @ @ @ @ this :


shoebat--2020-08-19--North Korea Orders Pet Dogs Confiscated, Euthanized, And Chopped Up For Food

It is known that in nations which embrace communism , starvation often occurs , either as an unintended consequence , or a tool of social manipulation , but all as a result of policy .
As many have referenced , Rhodesia was once one of the most bountiful nations in the world for food production , but following her takeover by the ZANU under Mugabe and her transition to Zimbabwe , the nation become one of the poorest nations in Africa and the world , and the people were reduced to eating zoo animals for survival .
In Ukraine during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policies of agriculture collectivization enforced by Gengrikh Yagoda and Lazar Kaganovich resulted in the starvation deaths of ten million Ukrainians .
In Chile , the hyperinflation driven by Allende ’ s nationalization policies resulted in a similar problem of mass hunger and food shortages .
A similar problem is being faced by the tiny , powerless , but geopolitically powerful and exploitable North Korea , which according to Korean Chosun News , confirmed by the Daily NK , and re-reported by Business Insider , has ordered people to give up their pet dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
North Korea has launched a clampdown on the ownership of pet dogs among the Pyongyang elite as food supplies run short .
Trumpeted as protecting the country against capitalist “ decadence , ” the move appears aimed at appeasing increasing public discontent amid the dire economic situation .
According to a source , North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a ban on pet ownership in July , denouncing it as “ a ‘ tainted ’ trend by bourgeois ideology.
” “ Authorities have identified households with pet dogs and are forcing them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them and putting them down.
” A pet dog in a file photo grabbed from a North Korean soap Some of the dogs are sent to state-run zoos or sold to dog meat restaurants , the source added .
Pet owners are “ cursing Kim Jong-un behind his back , ” but there is little they can do , according to the source .
Animal rights are even lower on the regime ’ s agenda than human rights .
Pet ownership was long considered Western decadence , but attitudes seem to have relaxed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Youth and Students in 1989 , and the Pyongyang elite started flaunting expensive lapdogs as status symbols .
The source said , “ Ordinary people raise pigs and livestock on their porches , but high-ranking officials and the wealthy own pet dogs , which stoked some resentment.
” One defector said these clampdowns are usually enforced without great enthusiasm but seem to be more severe this time .
( source ) It is not good to overemphasize stereotypes , but sometimes , truth is stranger than fiction .
That North Korea is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem to be a good sign , for this suggests that there is a greater food shortage in the nation than what is already present .
Likewise , it also is proof that Japan ’ s assertions that North Korea is some sort of a “ giant threat ” is groundless .
Starving people do not make for aware or competent soldiers , and if they do pose any threat , it is to the first all-you-can-eat buffet that they happen to pass , because one can not think about fighting a war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is going to survive because he has not eaten in a long time .
North Korea is truly a comical nation but is being presented as “ aggressive ” and “ tough ” because it fits a manufactured image that other nations use to justify their own militarism with , such as what is happening with Japan .
Likewise China , Russia , and the US also make use of North Korea for their own benefit .
In the meantime , the Kim family eats well and becomes fat while tens of millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ somebody ’ s pet because that is what they are being told to eat , since policy forbids them from taking care of themselves lest they too are accused of being ‘ traitors ’ and are put to death .
Donate now to help support the work of this site .
When you donate , you are not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

It is known that in nations which embrace communism, starvation often occurs, either as an unintended consequence, or a tool of social manipulation, but all as a result of policy. As many have referenced, Rhodesia was once one of the most bountiful nations in the world for food production, but following her takeover by the ZANU under Mugabe and her transition to Zimbabwe, the nation become one of the poorest nations in Africa and the world, and the people were reduced to eating zoo animals for survival. In Ukraine during the Soviet years, Stalin’s policies of agriculture collectivization enforced by Gengrikh Yagoda and Lazar Kaganovich resulted in the starvation deaths of ten million Ukrainians. In Chile, the hyperinflation driven by Allende’s nationalization policies resulted in a similar problem of mass hunger and food shortages.
A similar problem is being faced by the tiny, powerless, but geopolitically powerful and exploitable North Korea, which according to Korean Chosun News, confirmed by the Daily NK, and re-reported by Business Insider, has ordered people to give up their pet dogs and is forcibly confiscating them for food.
North Korea has launched a clampdown on the ownership of pet dogs among the Pyongyang elite as food supplies run short. Trumpeted as protecting the country against capitalist “decadence,” the move appears aimed at appeasing increasing public discontent amid the dire economic situation. According to a source, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued a ban on pet ownership in July, denouncing it as “a ‘tainted’ trend by bourgeois ideology.” “Authorities have identified households with pet dogs and are forcing them to give them up or forcefully confiscating them and putting them down.” A pet dog in a file photo grabbed from a North Korean soap
Some of the dogs are sent to state-run zoos or sold to dog meat restaurants, the source added. Pet owners are “cursing Kim Jong-un behind his back,” but there is little they can do, according to the source. Animal rights are even lower on the regime’s agenda than human rights. Pet ownership was long considered Western decadence, but attitudes seem to have relaxed after the North hosted the World Festival of Youth and Students in 1989, and the Pyongyang elite started flaunting expensive lapdogs as status symbols. The source said, “Ordinary people raise pigs and livestock on their porches, but high-ranking officials and the wealthy own pet dogs, which stoked some resentment.” One defector said these clampdowns are usually enforced without great enthusiasm but seem to be more severe this time. (source)
It is not good to overemphasize stereotypes, but sometimes, truth is stranger than fiction.
That North Korea is actually confiscating dogs as food does not seem to be a good sign, for this suggests that there is a greater food shortage in the nation than what is already present.
Likewise, it also is proof that Japan’s assertions that North Korea is some sort of a “giant threat” is groundless. Starving people do not make for aware or competent soldiers, and if they do pose any threat, it is to the first all-you-can-eat buffet that they happen to pass, because one cannot think about fighting a war when one is not sure if one is going to survive because he has not eaten in a long time.
North Korea is truly a comical nation but is being presented as “aggressive” and “tough” because it fits a manufactured image that other nations use to justify their own militarism with, such as what is happening with Japan. Likewise China, Russia, and the US also make use of North Korea for their own benefit. In the meantime, the Kim family eats well and becomes fat while tens of millions of her citizens starve and are eating somebody’s pet because that is what they are being told to eat, since policy forbids them from taking care of themselves lest they too are accused of being ‘traitors’ and are put to death.
print


shoebat--2020-08-19--Small Asteroid Passes Very Close To Earth

Natural disasters can have major consequences for the world , whether they come from the earth or the skies .
According to AFP by way of Yahoo !
News , a small asteroid has caused scientists great concern as it passed by earth , barely missing entrance to her .
An asteroid the size of an SUV passed 1,830 miles ( 2,950 kilometers ) above Earth , the closest asteroid ever observed passing by our planet , NASA said Tuesday .
If it had been on a collision course with Earth , the asteroid — named 2020 QG — would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead disintegrating in the atmosphere , creating a fireball in the sky , or a meteor , NASA ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ) said in a statement .
The asteroid , which was about 10 to 20 feet ( three to six meters ) long , passed above the southern Indian Ocean on Sunday at 0408 GMT .
It was moving at nearly eight miles per second ( 12.3 kilometers per second ) , well below the geostationary orbit of about 22,000 miles at which most telecommunication satellites fly .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ after its approach by the Zwicky Transient Facility , a telescope at the Palomar Observatory at the California Institute of Technology , as a long trail of light in the sky .
The US space agency said that similarly sized asteroids pass by Earth at a similar distance a few times per year .
But they ’ re difficult to record , unless they ’ re heading directly towards the planet , in which case the explosion in the atmosphere is usually noticed — as in Chelyabinsk , Russia in 2013 , when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feet long shattered windows for miles , injuring a thousand people .
One of NASA ’ s missions is to monitor larger asteroids ( 460 feet ) that could actually pose a threat to Earth , but their equipment also tracks smaller ones .
“ It ’ s really cool to see a small asteroid come by this close , because we can see the Earth ’ s gravity dramatically bends its trajectory , ” said Paul Chodas , the director of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at NASA .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asteroid turned by about 45 degrees due to Earth ’ s gravitational pull .
( source ) The only reason I am interested in this story is because of a piece I did in December 2018 about the destruction of Sodom .
You can read the story here , but what I reported is that archaeological evidence has shown that the destruction of Sodom and the other cities was caused by a meteor explosion above the plain that rained burning sulphur and metal on the city in an explosion as powerful as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temperatures as hot as the sun ’ s surface .
Right now , the world is engulfed by the sin of Sodom .
It is a sin that cries out to Heaven for vengeance , and yet there is really not a place in the world that has not been infected , either by choice or by force , with this particular perversion .
It is more prolific now than it has ever been in history , and if one was to look back at the real city of Sodom today , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was probably more ‘ conservative ’ than many of the very liberal and pro-sodomite areas in the US .
Yet Sodom and Gomorrah is real , and God is real , and truth does not change based on man ’ s desire .
Thus the lessons of four-thousand years ago are as relevant today as they were in those times .
I do not assert there is a direct connection between the past and this .
Indeed , I have no proof to make such a declaration .
What I can do is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ archaeology has taught man , the nature of this sin , and how the world is consumed by it , but an asteroid or meteor passes very close to earth , should cause any thinking person to wonder .
Is it possible , that in addition to human actions , one may a partial “ repeat ” of what Lot experienced at Sodom , if not now , then at some point in the future ?
It is something to think about .
Donate now to help support the work of this site @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not donating to just any commentary group , but one that is endlessly observing the news , reading between the lines and separating hysteria and perception from reality .
In shoebat.com , we are working every day , tirelessly investigating global trends and providing data and analysis to tell you what lies for the future .
CLICK HERE TO FOLLOW OUR NEW SHOEBAT FACEBOOK PAGE

Natural disasters can have major consequences for the world, whether they come from the earth or the skies. According to AFP by way of Yahoo! News, a small asteroid has caused scientists great concern as it passed by earth, barely missing entrance to her.
An asteroid the size of an SUV passed 1,830 miles (2,950 kilometers) above Earth, the closest asteroid ever observed passing by our planet, NASA said Tuesday. If it had been on a collision course with Earth, the asteroid — named 2020 QG — would likely not have caused any damage, instead disintegrating in the atmosphere, creating a fireball in the sky, or a meteor, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) said in a statement. The asteroid, which was about 10 to 20 feet (three to six meters) long, passed above the southern Indian Ocean on Sunday at 0408 GMT. It was moving at nearly eight miles per second (12.3 kilometers per second), well below the geostationary orbit of about 22,000 miles at which most telecommunication satellites fly. The asteroid was first recorded six hours after its approach by the Zwicky Transient Facility, a telescope at the Palomar Observatory at the California Institute of Technology, as a long trail of light in the sky. The US space agency said that similarly sized asteroids pass by Earth at a similar distance a few times per year. But they’re difficult to record, unless they’re heading directly towards the planet, in which case the explosion in the atmosphere is usually noticed — as in Chelyabinsk, Russia in 2013, when the explosion of an object about 66 feet long shattered windows for miles, injuring a thousand people. One of NASA’s missions is to monitor larger asteroids (460 feet) that could actually pose a threat to Earth, but their equipment also tracks smaller ones. “It’s really cool to see a small asteroid come by this close, because we can see the Earth’s gravity dramatically bends its trajectory,” said Paul Chodas, the director of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at NASA. According to the JPL’s calculations, the asteroid turned by about 45 degrees due to Earth’s gravitational pull. (source)
The only reason I am interested in this story is because of a piece I did in December 2018 about the destruction of Sodom.
You can read the story here, but what I reported is that archaeological evidence has shown that the destruction of Sodom and the other cities was caused by a meteor explosion above the plain that rained burning sulphur and metal on the city in an explosion as powerful as a ten megaton nuclear weapon, and with temperatures as hot as the sun’s surface.
Right now, the world is engulfed by the sin of Sodom. It is a sin that cries out to Heaven for vengeance, and yet there is really not a place in the world that has not been infected, either by choice or by force, with this particular perversion. It is more prolific now than it has ever been in history, and if one was to look back at the real city of Sodom today, it is likely that one would think it was probably more ‘conservative’ than many of the very liberal and pro-sodomite areas in the US.
Yet Sodom and Gomorrah is real, and God is real, and truth does not change based on man’s desire. Thus the lessons of four-thousand years ago are as relevant today as they were in those times.
I do not assert there is a direct connection between the past and this. Indeed, I have no proof to make such a declaration. What I can do is make an observance, that knowing what archaeology has taught man, the nature of this sin, and how the world is consumed by it, but an asteroid or meteor passes very close to earth, should cause any thinking person to wonder.
Is it possible, that in addition to human actions, one may a partial “repeat” of what Lot experienced at Sodom, if not now, then at some point in the future?
It is something to think about.
print


shoebat--2020-08-19--African Nations Of Burundi And Congo Demand Reparations From Belgium And Germany

While the talk of “ reparations ” has become a subject of political bantering in the US , it has also been spreading around the world and is being used by other nations .
Two of those taken to using the term now are Burundi and Congo , of which Bloomberg reports that both are now demanding reparations from their former colonizer of Belgium as well as from Germany for taking archival material .
Burundi wants Belgium and Germany to pay $ 43 billion in reparations for harm done during decades of colonial rule over the nickel-producing East African nation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compensation by the Democratic Republic of Congo after Belgian King Philippe in June offered his “ deepest regrets ” over his nation ’ s colonial past in the Congo .
While the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. sparked some introspection about racism in the West , in sub-Saharan Africa much of the analysis has focused on the legacy of colonialism .
Burundi also wants Belgium and Germany to return archival material and objects stolen between 1899 and 1962 , Senate President Reverien Ndikuriyo told senators in the capital , Gitega , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senate appointed a panel including historians and anthropologists to investigate the impact of colonialism in the nation .
Much of Burundi ’ s present-day political challenges can be traced back to a decree by Belgian King Albert I to classify the population along three ethnic groups , according to Aloys Batungwanayo , a historian and doctoral researcher at the Lausanne University .
“ It is this decree that has led to conflicts in Burundi and the region because some of the population was excluded from the ruling class because of the decree , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bujumbura on Friday .
Burundi ’ s economy , estimated at $ 3.1 billion by the African Development Bank , has been struggling since Belgium and the European Union placed it under sanctions when the late President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to extend his rule , which some critics said contravened the constitution .
Economic output could contract 5.5 % this year , according to the International Monetary Fund .
( source )

While the talk of “reparations” has become a subject of political bantering in the US, it has also been spreading around the world and is being used by other nations. Two of those taken to using the term now are Burundi and Congo, of which Bloomberg reports that both are now demanding reparations from their former colonizer of Belgium as well as from Germany for taking archival material.
Burundi wants Belgium and Germany to pay $43 billion in reparations for harm done during decades of colonial rule over the nickel-producing East African nation.
The move follows similar calls for compensation by the Democratic Republic of Congo after Belgian King Philippe in June offered his “deepest regrets” over his nation’s colonial past in the Congo. While the killing of George Floyd in the U.S. sparked some introspection about racism in the West, in sub-Saharan Africa much of the analysis has focused on the legacy of colonialism.
Burundi also wants Belgium and Germany to return archival material and objects stolen between 1899 and 1962, Senate President Reverien Ndikuriyo told senators in the capital, Gitega, on Thursday. In 2018, the Senate appointed a panel including historians and anthropologists to investigate the impact of colonialism in the nation.
Much of Burundi’s present-day political challenges can be traced back to a decree by Belgian King Albert I to classify the population along three ethnic groups, according to Aloys Batungwanayo, a historian and doctoral researcher at the Lausanne University.
“It is this decree that has led to conflicts in Burundi and the region because some of the population was excluded from the ruling class because of the decree,” Batungwanayo said in the commercial hub Bujumbura on Friday.
…
Burundi’s economy, estimated at $3.1 billion by the African Development Bank, has been struggling since Belgium and the European Union placed it under sanctions when the late President Pierre Nkurunziza decided to extend his rule, which some critics said contravened the constitution. Economic output could contract 5.5% this year, according to the International Monetary Fund. (source)