theduran--2020-01-31--Brexit? What Brexit? Anti-Climax as Britain leaves EU

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Johanna Ross , journalist based in Edinburgh , Scotland… It ’ s January 31st and Brexit is upon us .
The day many thought would never come is finally here .
But far from the pomp and circumstance that could have been expected from No.10 , the affair itself looks pretty low-key .
Ironically , after years of Brexit dominating the media headlines , Britain ’ s actual exit from the EU is something of an anti-climax .
Nigel Farage , you can be sure , will have his champagne ready , his Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for parliament square ) but Boris Johnson ’ s preparations are nothing more than a pre-recorded speech , to be broadcast at 11pm , and a ‘ countdown clock ’ which is to be beamed on to 10 Downing Street in the final hours .
It ’ s hardly surprising however that the government has chosen this low-key approach .
Brexit is an issue that remains deeply divisive .
Half the country will be in mourning tomorrow , as the UK ’ s future out of Europe is shrouded in uncertainty .
Boris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on a mandate to ‘ Get Brexit Done ’ but it ’ s far from being an oven-ready Brexit deal .
There are still many details needing ironed out .
Take travel , for instance .
Brits are still unclear as to what Brexit will mean for their travel plans .
According to research by the ABTA , 31 % are unsure about how Brexit will affect their future travel .
Hits to their Brexit advice page have increased by 376 % as people try to get what information they can .
Previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the government had stated that people would need at least six months left on their passports to be able to travel to the EU after Brexit .
This advice has now been replaced with assurances that until December 2020 , travel arrangements with the EU should remain the same .
All in all , there is a sense of complete confusion as so little information has been provided by the government on this key issue .
Efforts have gone into other more controversial endeavours – such as the minting of a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alarming cost of £11.5 million to the taxpayer ( in addition to the £100 million advertising campaign launched for the expected No Deal Brexit which was due to take place on October 31st , but never did ) , several prominent figures have declared they will boycott the coin completely .
Tony Blair ’ s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell , an ardent Remainer , said that the message the coin bears – ‘ Peace , Prosperity and friendship with all nations ’ – goes against everything that Brexit stands for .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU supporters tomorrow , as has been pointed out by several commentators already , the fact is that there are no Remainers now -we are all Leavers .
Nevertheless , all is not quite so straightforward , as another threat to Johnson ’ s post-Brexit stability is looming : Scottish independence .
On Brexit day , celebrations down south will be contrasted not only with vigils north of the border , where Brexiteers are in the minority , but with a speech due to be made by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon , setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a second referendum on Scottish independence .
Sturgeon ’ s request last month for powers to be transferred to the Scottish parliament in order to call a second vote on leaving the Union were denied by Boris Johnson , who must surely have thought that would be an end to the matter .
But to think this would quell the independence movement is naive on his part .
As Sturgeon herself has indicated , the less cooperative Westminster is , the more determined indyref2 supporters become .
The EU flag is to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time being , it was decided this week , and Scottish politicians voted again on Wednesday to “ reassert the principle that it is the right of the people of Scotland to determine their future ” .
Scotland is not going to give up the fight for self-determination any time soon .
The Brexit furore may have subsided , but further divisions lie ahead for the United Kingdom as the battle for Scottish independence ensues and the other nations of Wales and Northern Ireland begin to reevaluate their positions in the Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the withdrawal deal forged by Boris Johnson is only a temporary plaster on a deep wound in Britain ’ s side .
The real story of Brexit is only just beginning as Britain begins a new life outside the EU , for which many of the rules have not yet been written .
Let the Brexit experiment commence…

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Johanna Ross, journalist based in Edinburgh, Scotland…
It’s January 31st and Brexit is upon us. The day many thought would never come is finally here. But far from the pomp and circumstance that could have been expected from No.10, the affair itself looks pretty low-key. Ironically, after years of Brexit dominating the media headlines, Britain’s actual exit from the EU is something of an anti-climax. Nigel Farage, you can be sure, will have his champagne ready, his Union Jacks flying (and a party set for parliament square) but Boris Johnson’s preparations are nothing more than a pre-recorded speech, to be broadcast at 11pm, and a ‘countdown clock’ which is to be beamed on to 10 Downing Street in the final hours.
It’s hardly surprising however that the government has chosen this low-key approach. Brexit is an issue that remains deeply divisive. Half the country will be in mourning tomorrow, as the UK’s future out of Europe is shrouded in uncertainty. Boris Johnson may have won the December election on a mandate to ‘Get Brexit Done’ but it’s far from being an oven-ready Brexit deal. There are still many details needing ironed out. Take travel, for instance. Brits are still unclear as to what Brexit will mean for their travel plans. According to research by the ABTA, 31% are unsure about how Brexit will affect their future travel. Hits to their Brexit advice page have increased by 376% as people try to get what information they can. Previously, with a No Deal Brexit looming, the government had stated that people would need at least six months left on their passports to be able to travel to the EU after Brexit. This advice has now been replaced with assurances that until December 2020, travel arrangements with the EU should remain the same. All in all, there is a sense of complete confusion as so little information has been provided by the government on this key issue.
Efforts have gone into other more controversial endeavours – such as the minting of a new coin to commemorate Brexit. With an alarming cost of £11.5 million to the taxpayer (in addition to the £100 million advertising campaign launched for the expected No Deal Brexit which was due to take place on October 31st, but never did), several prominent figures have declared they will boycott the coin completely. Tony Blair’s former spin doctor Alastair Campbell, an ardent Remainer, said that the message the coin bears – ‘Peace, Prosperity and friendship with all nations’ – goes against everything that Brexit stands for. But despite the angst to be felt by EU supporters tomorrow, as has been pointed out by several commentators already, the fact is that there are no Remainers now -we are all Leavers.
Nevertheless, all is not quite so straightforward, as another threat to Johnson’s post-Brexit stability is looming: Scottish independence. On Brexit day, celebrations down south will be contrasted not only with vigils north of the border, where Brexiteers are in the minority, but with a speech due to be made by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, setting out her ‘next steps’ for a second referendum on Scottish independence. Sturgeon’s request last month for powers to be transferred to the Scottish parliament in order to call a second vote on leaving the Union were denied by Boris Johnson, who must surely have thought that would be an end to the matter. But to think this would quell the independence movement is naive on his part. As Sturgeon herself has indicated, the less cooperative Westminster is, the more determined indyref2 supporters become. The EU flag is to be kept flying at the Scottish parliament for the time being, it was decided this week, and Scottish politicians voted again on Wednesday to “reassert the principle that it is the right of the people of Scotland to determine their future”.
Scotland is not going to give up the fight for self-determination any time soon. The Brexit furore may have subsided, but further divisions lie ahead for the United Kingdom as the battle for Scottish independence ensues and the other nations of Wales and Northern Ireland begin to reevaluate their positions in the Union. Far from resolving the Brexit issue, the withdrawal deal forged by Boris Johnson is only a temporary plaster on a deep wound in Britain’s side. The real story of Brexit is only just beginning as Britain begins a new life outside the EU, for which many of the rules have not yet been written. Let the Brexit experiment commence…
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theduran--2020-01-31--Maryland —  Where Black Lives Meet Blue

Maryland —  Where Black Lives Meet Blue

In August 2014 , teenage thug Michael Brown was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson , Missouri .
For the usual suspects , Brown ’ s appalling antecedents were not the issue , neither was the reasonableness or otherwise of his summary execution , all that mattered was that Brown was black and Wilson was white .
Two days later , a white man was shot dead by a police officer in Salt Lake City with even less justification , none in fact .
Dillon Taylor had ignored a request to stop when challenged by Bron Cruz @ @ @ @ @ @ @ headphones and had his back turned to his murderer made no difference .
That cold-blooded execution , which was captured on film , resulted in no action being taken , the imbeciles who control the American criminal justice system ruling it justified .
On January 25 , the American police finally found a case in which the execution of a member of the public by an agent of state repression was not justified when a black suspect , his hands cuffed behind his back in the front seat of a police car , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer .
William Green had been arrested after crashing his car , or the car he was driving .
He appeared to have been under the influence of drugs .
He was shot dead by Michael Owen .
And get this , Owen shot him no fewer than seven times .
In spite of the circumstances of this execution , the police might well have rubber stamped it as justifiable homicide , but for once the man at the top did his job .
Chief Hank Stawinski of Prince George ’ s County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following the shooting in constant contact with the investigators , forensics people and medical examiner .
This resulted in him making this statement : “ I am unable to come to our community this evening and provide you with a reasonable explanation for the events that occurred last night.
” He made that statement twice .
Even so , although he is currently behind bars , Owen ( pictured above ) has been charged only with second degree murder rather than first .
It would not be proper to comment further on this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ killer is entitled to a fair trial , but it can be pointed out that William Green is not the first person Owen has fatally shot .
Moving from the specific to the general , there is enough evidence to prove that in general the American police are poorly trained in the use of firearms , specifically that they have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions as an afterthought .
Admittedly , America ’ s unique and insane gun culture does tend to encourage this , but if you want to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the countless such shootings that can be found on YouTube and Liveleak with the professional 2013 takedown by armed police officers in London of two terrorists who had minutes earlier murdered Lee Rigby on a South London street .
These men , who might have been wearing suicide vests , ran directly towards the police , who had every right , some would say duty , to shoot them dead , yet they didn ’ t .
If the British police , whose use of firearms is infrequent , can stop two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the American police have no excuse , ever , for their wanton spree of reckless executions .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
In August 2014, teenage thug Michael Brown was shot dead by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Missouri. For the usual suspects, Brown’s appalling antecedents were not the issue, neither was the reasonableness or otherwise of his summary execution, all that mattered was that Brown was black and Wilson was white.
Two days later, a white man was shot dead by a police officer in Salt Lake City with even less justification, none in fact. Dillon Taylor had ignored a request to stop when challenged by Bron Cruz. The fact that Taylor was wearing headphones and had his back turned to his murderer made no difference. That cold-blooded execution, which was captured on film, resulted in no action being taken, the imbeciles who control the American criminal justice system ruling it justified.
On January 25, the American police finally found a case in which the execution of a member of the public by an agent of state repression was not justified when a black suspect, his hands cuffed behind his back in the front seat of a police car, was shot dead by a black police officer.
William Green had been arrested after crashing his car, or the car he was driving. He appeared to have been under the influence of drugs. He was shot dead by Michael Owen. And get this, Owen shot him no fewer than seven times. In spite of the circumstances of this execution, the police might well have rubber stamped it as justifiable homicide, but for once the man at the top did his job. Chief Hank Stawinski of Prince George’s County claimed to have spent the 24 hours following the shooting in constant contact with the investigators, forensics people and medical examiner. This resulted in him making this statement:
“I am unable to come to our community this evening and provide you with a reasonable explanation for the events that occurred last night.”
He made that statement twice.
Even so, although he is currently behind bars, Owen (pictured above) has been charged only with second degree murder rather than first. It would not be proper to comment further on this case, because even a suspected serial killer is entitled to a fair trial, but it can be pointed out that William Green is not the first person Owen has fatally shot.
Moving from the specific to the general, there is enough evidence to prove that in general the American police are poorly trained in the use of firearms, specifically that they have a tendency to shoot first and ask questions as an afterthought. Admittedly, America’s unique and insane gun culture does tend to encourage this, but if you want to see a shocking contract, compare any of the countless such shootings that can be found on YouTube and Liveleak with the professional 2013 takedown by armed police officers in London of two terrorists who had minutes earlier murdered Lee Rigby on a South London street. These men, who might have been wearing suicide vests, ran directly towards the police, who had every right, some would say duty, to shoot them dead, yet they didn’t. If the British police, whose use of firearms is infrequent, can stop two extremely dangerous individuals under those circumstances, the American police have no excuse, ever, for their wanton spree of reckless executions.
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theduran--2020-02-04--Historian Finds New Evidence to Prove Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church’s Initial Ordination w

Historian Finds New Evidence to Prove Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church’s Initial Ordination was Illegitimate

On January 5-6 , 2019 , the official delegation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine ( OCU ) at the ceremony of the Tomos bestowal at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul included Metropolitan Andriy Abramchuk of Galicia who concelebrated with Patriarch Bartholomew and the other Phanar bishops .
In 1990 , the Metropolitan was ordained by the notorious Victor ( Vikenty ) Chekalin , a pedophile and swindler who now serves a sentence in Australian jail for document forgery and fraud .
At the anniversary of the Tomos bestowal this year , Patriarch Bartholomew led a divine service together with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Autocephalous Orthodox Church ( UAOC , the one “ restored ” by Vikenty Chekalin ) Makary Maletich .
The latter was ordained by the hierarchs of the “ Chekalin succession ” – Dimitry Yarema , Ihor Isichenko and the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate ( UOC-KP ) bishop Methodius Kudryakov .
Part of UAOC bishops who in 2018 joined the OCU also got to the “ Chekalin succession ” through priestly and episcopal consecrations from Andriy Abramchuk , Makary Maletich and others .
Even within the OCU the attitude toward this succession is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of discussing the issue of Apostolic succession of this part of the OCU hierarchy , Serhii Shumylo , Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy in Ukraine , presented his new report titled “ The self-avowed “ bishop ” Vikenty Chekalin and his participation in the first UAOC ordinations in March of 1990 ” .
With the blessing of Metropolitan Kallistos ( Ware ) of Diokleia this work was submitted to the Ecumenical Patriarch .
The documents , evidence and facts presented in the study – including the ones from previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first UAOC ordination on March 31 , 1990 in Mikhailevychi village in Lviv Oblast was carried out by only two persons : Ioann Bodnarchuk , defrocked on November 13 , 1989 because of his voluntary secession from the Russian Orthodox Church ( ROC ) , and fraudster Victor Chekalin .
Besides , according to the published certificate , this “ ordination ” was led by Chekalin , who has never been ordained not only as a bishop but even monk or priest .
In his research , Shumylo also studies publications that appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Horevoy and Greek sites Phanarion.blogspot.com and Romfea.gr in August-September 2019 , which stated that the bishopric ordination of Vikenty Chekalin was authentic .
Studying various versions of Chekalin ’ s admission to monastic vows and ordination , and attempting to understand the motives of the main parties , the historian compares the remembrance of Archbishop Eulogius Smirnov , Abbot of Danilov Monastery in Moscow , and archival documents and correspondence according to which , Chekalin wasn ’ t even ordained as a monk .
Also compared are the testimonies by Ioann Bodnarchuk and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ latter ’ s bishopric ordination .
Thus , Chekalin ’ s own testimony before the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia ( ROCOR ) Synod in July 1989 – January 1990 shows that Ioann Bodnarchuk didn ’ t take part in his ordination .
The other two bishops who allegedly ordained Chekalin – Metropolitan Alexei Konoplev of Kalinin and Kashin and bishop of the Catacomb Church Vladimir Abramov – had already passed away by that moment and no confirmation of their participation in the ordination was found .
As for the first UAOC ordination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be mentioned that the signature of Archbishop Varlaam ( Ilyushchenko ) of Simferopol and Crimea of the ROC was added to Vasyl Bodnarchuk ’ s Certificate of Ordination after the Archbishop ’ s death .
According to the written testimonies of Archbishop Varlaam ’ s driver and archdeacon , the hierarch didn ’ t leave his diocese and held divine services in the Simferopol Cathedral on that day .
Moreover , being a member of the ROC Synod , Varlaam personally signed the Moscow Synod ’ s resolution of November 14 , 1989 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rank , and “ no way could secretly ordain new bishops with him four months later , ” Shumylo writes .
This situation , with archival documents signed by Ioann Bodnarchuk , was covered in detail in a piece by Fr .
Rostislav Yarema ( an English translation was published by the ) .
Thus , Shumylo concludes that initial ordinations of the UAOC hierarchy were , unfortunately , conducted by an imposter without the Apostolic succession .
This was the violation of the first Apostolic Canon ( “ Let a bishop be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The historian reminds that both Mstyslav Skrypnyk and Filaret Denisenko didn ’ t recognize the authenticity of the ordinations of the “ Chekalin succession ” hierarchs .
However , many of those ordained this way were convinced in the legitimacy of their dignity and refused to be reordained , so the “ Chekalin succession ” still partly exists in the UAOC and UOC-KP .
And in that status , many of the clergymen and hierarchs were accepted into communion by the Ecumenical Patriarchate .
Considering that copies of the Certificate of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media were provided to the Phanar and could become a basis for the Patriarchate Synod to recognize in October 2018 the UAOC hierarchy in their “ current dignity ” without reordination , Serhii Shumylo expresses his concern about the Ecumenical Patriarchate taking decision on the grounds of bogus documents and advocates that a detailed study of this issue should be made .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Nadia Bazuk…
On January 5-6, 2019, the official delegation of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OCU) at the ceremony of the Tomos bestowal at the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Istanbul included Metropolitan Andriy Abramchuk of Galicia who concelebrated with Patriarch Bartholomew and the other Phanar bishops. In 1990, the Metropolitan was ordained by the notorious Victor (Vikenty) Chekalin, a pedophile and swindler who now serves a sentence in Australian jail for document forgery and fraud. At the anniversary of the Tomos bestowal this year, Patriarch Bartholomew led a divine service together with the now former Primate of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church (UAOC, the one “restored” by Vikenty Chekalin) Makary Maletich. The latter was ordained by the hierarchs of the “Chekalin succession” – Dimitry Yarema, Ihor Isichenko and the former Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Kyivan Patriarchate (UOC-KP) bishop Methodius Kudryakov. Part of UAOC bishops who in 2018 joined the OCU also got to the “Chekalin succession” through priestly and episcopal consecrations from Andriy Abramchuk, Makary Maletich and others. Even within the OCU the attitude toward this succession is ambiguous.
Taking into consideration the necessity of discussing the issue of Apostolic succession of this part of the OCU hierarchy, Serhii Shumylo, Director of the International Institute of the Athonite Legacy in Ukraine, presented his new report titled “The self-avowed “bishop” Vikenty Chekalin and his participation in the first UAOC ordinations in March of 1990”. With the blessing of Metropolitan Kallistos (Ware) of Diokleia this work was submitted to the Ecumenical Patriarch.
The documents, evidence and facts presented in the study – including the ones from previously unknown archival sources – confirm that the first UAOC ordination on March 31, 1990 in Mikhailevychi village in Lviv Oblast was carried out by only two persons: Ioann Bodnarchuk, defrocked on November 13, 1989 because of his voluntary secession from the Russian Orthodox Church (ROC), and fraudster Victor Chekalin. Besides, according to the published certificate, this “ordination” was led by Chekalin, who has never been ordained not only as a bishop but even monk or priest.
In his research, Shumylo also studies publications that appeared at the Ukrainian site Cerkvarium.org by Dmytro Horevoy and Greek sites Phanarion.blogspot.com and Romfea.gr in August-September 2019, which stated that the bishopric ordination of Vikenty Chekalin was authentic.
Studying various versions of Chekalin’s admission to monastic vows and ordination, and attempting to understand the motives of the main parties, the historian compares the remembrance of Archbishop Eulogius Smirnov, Abbot of Danilov Monastery in Moscow, and archival documents and correspondence according to which, Chekalin wasn’t even ordained as a monk.
Also compared are the testimonies by Ioann Bodnarchuk and Victor Chekalin of various periods concerning the latter’s bishopric ordination. Thus, Chekalin’s own testimony before the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (ROCOR) Synod in July 1989 – January 1990 shows that Ioann Bodnarchuk didn’t take part in his ordination. The other two bishops who allegedly ordained Chekalin – Metropolitan Alexei Konoplev of Kalinin and Kashin and bishop of the Catacomb Church Vladimir Abramov – had already passed away by that moment and no confirmation of their participation in the ordination was found.
As for the first UAOC ordination of 31 March 1990, it should be mentioned that the signature of Archbishop Varlaam (Ilyushchenko) of Simferopol and Crimea of the ROC was added to Vasyl Bodnarchuk’s Certificate of Ordination after the Archbishop’s death. According to the written testimonies of Archbishop Varlaam’s driver and archdeacon, the hierarch didn’t leave his diocese and held divine services in the Simferopol Cathedral on that day. Moreover, being a member of the ROC Synod, Varlaam personally signed the Moscow Synod’s resolution of November 14, 1989 on depriving Ioann Bodnarchuk of his episcopal rank, and “no way could secretly ordain new bishops with him four months later,” Shumylo writes. This situation, with archival documents signed by Ioann Bodnarchuk, was covered in detail in a piece by Fr. Rostislav Yarema (an English translation was published by the Orthodox Cognate PAGE ).
Thus, Shumylo concludes that initial ordinations of the UAOC hierarchy were, unfortunately, conducted by an imposter without the Apostolic succession. This was the violation of the first Apostolic Canon (“Let a bishop be ordained by two or three bishops”). The historian reminds that both Mstyslav Skrypnyk and Filaret Denisenko didn’t recognize the authenticity of the ordinations of the “Chekalin succession” hierarchs. However, many of those ordained this way were convinced in the legitimacy of their dignity and refused to be reordained, so the “Chekalin succession” still partly exists in the UAOC and UOC-KP. And in that status, many of the clergymen and hierarchs were accepted into communion by the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Considering that copies of the Certificate of Ordination and the evidence mentioned in the media were provided to the Phanar and could become a basis for the Patriarchate Synod to recognize in October 2018 the UAOC hierarchy in their “current dignity” without reordination, Serhii Shumylo expresses his concern about the Ecumenical Patriarchate taking decision on the grounds of bogus documents and advocates that a detailed study of this issue should be made.
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theduran--2020-02-04--The U.S.’ Monroe Doctrine Against South America Is Still Alive in the 21th Century

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida , a research fellow in International Law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… The attitude of the US towards Latin peoples has been one of domination , imposition and imperialism .
The core of this policy is in the American ideology itself , based on the Monroe Doctrine of the 19th Century , which , enunciating an “ America for Americans ” , promoted the American expansion towards other lands of the New World .
Specifically in South America , external interference in national policies became even more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dictatorships of the last century , which , with the shallow excuse of avoiding a “ communist threat ” , promoted long decades of misery and persecution whose only end had been to preserve the subjugation of those countries to Washington ’ s commandments during the Cold War .
The process of redemocratization in Latin America was a flawed and vulnerable one .
The transition of power witnessed by the exchange of the Armed Forces for civilian politicians represented nothing but the very interests of the same groups that had financed and supported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact , when the American objectives bequeathed to the military were already achieved , they authorized the transition of power , pacifying national policies with the capitulation of the left , which abandoned the armed struggle in favor of the democratic pact .
Since then , outside interference in Latin America has been triggered by the cooptation of parliamentary factions , feeding gigantic networks of corruption that “ fight each other ” publicly , when , truly , they work for the interests of the same foreign power .
This is the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups from the new left – concerned with the “ identitarian ” agenda of liberalism and omitted in relation to social problems and national sovereignty .
While the theater of public confrontation of these groups is functioning , the American foreign occupation works perfectly , without major challenges and threats .
However , any deviation from this reality is understood as an affront and gives room for the resurgence of Washington ’ s interference .
The most recent cases corroborating this fact are the failed attempted coup against the legitimate Bolivarian government in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ état carried out against Bolivian President Morales , both in the past year .
In general , American attacks on independent peoples of the South have intensified in recent years .
This , most likely , is due to the fact that the period before the current one was marked by the growth of the political left , which , although subordinated to the liberal hegemony , acted with an agenda reasonably linked to social struggles , delaying , even if very little , the neoliberal plans .
Now , these same countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rights , with a greater emphasis on Brazil .
A member of the BRICS , Brazil , with all its potential to achieve prestigious status in international order , has been suffering the worst period in its recent history .
The rise of Bolsonaro brings with it the worst in the country : the growth of the harmful influence of neo-Pentecostal groups – whose greatest commitment is to the interests of Washington and Tel Aviv ; the paramilitary armed militias that control organized crime in the poorest regions of the country , truly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business sector as a whole , with enormous progress in dismantling labor laws and permitting agribusiness , with the legalization of pesticides and the criminal burning of native forests for the formation of pastures for livestock .
Brazil is going through one of the worst deindustrialization processes ever witnessed in history .
Argentina recently completed this cycle of reactionary ascension and is now witnessing a return of the “ soft left ” , with the return of the Kirchner Party .
The negative legacy of Fenández .
Macri ’ s will not be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now in power does not seem committed to the complete break with external interests , but to the perpetuation of the liberal-parliamentary cycle .
The most striking cases , however , are the aforementioned examples of Venezuela and Bolivia , countries victimized by American imperialism .
Fundamentally , one must realize how both cases reveal real occurrences of foreign invasion , even if camouflaged with a democratic appearance .
Venezuela perceived the opposition ’ s articulations as a true case of war and managed to gain control over the situation : activated the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and ignored internal and external opposition pressure .
As a result , Maduro remains in power and the coup has become an international joke .
On the other hand , Morales did not have the same perspicacity and gave way too much to the opposition , falling and being forced to leave the country and hand it over to the coup d ’ état .
In Chile , recent political unrest is having a positive effect .
The claims against neoliberal Piñera , carried out through violent protests that have already given rise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ successful and little by little the government is forced to yield to popular pressure .
Currently , the panorama of South America is terrible .
With the exception of Venezuela , which is in an undeniable crisis , all countries are , in one way or another , hostages to American interests , with some under governments that make this reality more explicit – like Brazil – and others under more camouflaged regimes .
There is no doubt about the fundamental point that American imperialism has never been as aggressive in South America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The reason is simple : in the face of progress in the formation of a multipolar world , the geopolitical north is becoming increasingly reactive .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz de Almeida, a research fellow in International Law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
The attitude of the US towards Latin peoples has been one of domination, imposition and imperialism. The core of this policy is in the American ideology itself, based on the Monroe Doctrine of the 19th Century, which, enunciating an “America for Americans”, promoted the American expansion towards other lands of the New World. Specifically in South America, external interference in national policies became even more evident with the advent of the military dictatorships of the last century, which, with the shallow excuse of avoiding a “communist threat”, promoted long decades of misery and persecution whose only end had been to preserve the subjugation of those countries to Washington’s commandments during the Cold War.
The process of redemocratization in Latin America was a flawed and vulnerable one. The transition of power witnessed by the exchange of the Armed Forces for civilian politicians represented nothing but the very interests of the same groups that had financed and supported the military’s takeover. In fact, when the American objectives bequeathed to the military were already achieved, they authorized the transition of power, pacifying national policies with the capitulation of the left, which abandoned the armed struggle in favor of the democratic pact.
Since then, outside interference in Latin America has been triggered by the cooptation of parliamentary factions, feeding gigantic networks of corruption that “fight each other” publicly, when, truly, they work for the interests of the same foreign power. This is the case of the reactionary parties and of the groups from the new left – concerned with the “identitarian” agenda of liberalism and omitted in relation to social problems and national sovereignty.
While the theater of public confrontation of these groups is functioning, the American foreign occupation works perfectly, without major challenges and threats. However, any deviation from this reality is understood as an affront and gives room for the resurgence of Washington’s interference. The most recent cases corroborating this fact are the failed attempted coup against the legitimate Bolivarian government in Caracas and the successful coup d’état carried out against Bolivian President Morales, both in the past year.
In general, American attacks on independent peoples of the South have intensified in recent years. This, most likely, is due to the fact that the period before the current one was marked by the growth of the political left, which, although subordinated to the liberal hegemony, acted with an agenda reasonably linked to social struggles, delaying, even if very little, the neoliberal plans. Now, these same countries are facing the extraordinary advance of reactionary rights, with a greater emphasis on Brazil.
A member of the BRICS, Brazil, with all its potential to achieve prestigious status in international order, has been suffering the worst period in its recent history. The rise of Bolsonaro brings with it the worst in the country: the growth of the harmful influence of neo-Pentecostal groups – whose greatest commitment is to the interests of Washington and Tel Aviv; the paramilitary armed militias that control organized crime in the poorest regions of the country, truly acting as a mafia and; the business sector as a whole, with enormous progress in dismantling labor laws and permitting agribusiness, with the legalization of pesticides and the criminal burning of native forests for the formation of pastures for livestock. Brazil is going through one of the worst deindustrialization processes ever witnessed in history.
Argentina recently completed this cycle of reactionary ascension and is now witnessing a return of the “soft left”, with the return of the Kirchner Party. The negative legacy of Fenández. Macri’s will not be wiped out so quickly and the left now in power does not seem committed to the complete break with external interests, but to the perpetuation of the liberal-parliamentary cycle.
The most striking cases, however, are the aforementioned examples of Venezuela and Bolivia, countries victimized by American imperialism. Fundamentally, one must realize how both cases reveal real occurrences of foreign invasion, even if camouflaged with a democratic appearance. Venezuela perceived the opposition’s articulations as a true case of war and managed to gain control over the situation: activated the Bolivarian National Guard, intensified security policies and ignored internal and external opposition pressure. As a result, Maduro remains in power and the coup has become an international joke. On the other hand, Morales did not have the same perspicacity and gave way too much to the opposition, falling and being forced to leave the country and hand it over to the coup d’état.
In Chile, recent political unrest is having a positive effect. The claims against neoliberal Piñera, carried out through violent protests that have already given rise to the State of Emergency, are successful and little by little the government is forced to yield to popular pressure.
Currently, the panorama of South America is terrible. With the exception of Venezuela, which is in an undeniable crisis, all countries are, in one way or another, hostages to American interests, with some under governments that make this reality more explicit – like Brazil – and others under more camouflaged regimes. There is no doubt about the fundamental point that American imperialism has never been as aggressive in South America as it has been in recent years. The reason is simple: in the face of progress in the formation of a multipolar world, the geopolitical north is becoming increasingly reactive.
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theduran--2020-02-04--DNC launches Shadow App to screw Bernie again in Iowa caucus (Video)

The Duran ’ s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the Iowa caucus chaos that has arisen from ‘ inconsistencies ’ with an app that was supposed to track the results of the Democrat caucuses , but has instead counted zero results and fueled speculation that Bernie Sanders is about to be cheated once again .
The app was created by Shadow , Inc. , a technology firm that was created in January last year after data and messaging service Groundbase was acquired by Democrat non-profit ACRONYM .
Shadow ’ s CEO Gerard Niemira , product manager Ahna Rao @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Hillary for America campaign which was defeated by Donald Trump in 2016 .
To make matters more murky , Democrat candidate Pete Buttigieg ’ s campaign contributed $ 50,000 to the Shadow App development .
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Did the Iowa Democratic Party hire Morgan Stanley to build the vote-counting app for its first-in-the-nation caucus ?
Because last night ’ s catastrophe made the Facebook IPO look like an organized @ @ @ @ @ @ @ party badly botched the rollout of the results of last night ’ s Iowa Caucus following “ quality control issues ” involving the transmission of data from caucus sites to the main reporting headquarters , millions are accusing the Democratic Party of once again trying to rig the nominating contest to favor establishment candidates while undermining the insurgent campaign of ‘ Democratic Socialist ’ Bernie Sanders .
This technical glitch has led to one of the most electoral catastrophes in recent memory : Roughly 8 hours after results were expected , there ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ process has been plunged into chaos .
The issue erupted after the Iowa Democratic Party announced late Tuesday that it had found ‘ inconsistencies ’ in its electronic data , prompting them to audit it against the paper trail , according to NBC News .
Party chair Troy Price said the party is “ validating every piece of data we have against our paper trail .
That system is taking longer than expected , but it ’ s in place to ensure we are eventually able to report results with full confidence.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ director , Mandy McClure , said on Monday night that there were “ inconsistencies ” in the reporting of three sets of results .
“ In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results , we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report , ” McClure said .
This is simply a reporting issue .
The app did not go down , and this is not a hack or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results , ” McClure added .
Needless to say , polls released in recent weeks showed Bernie Sanders surging ahead , cementing him as the front-runner heading into the race .
And then this glitch happens , allowing Pete Buttigieg , Amy Klobuchar and Joe Biden to steal the caucus-evening spotlight with the help of their cronies in the media .
After watching Democrats rig the 2016 primary in favor of Hillary Clinton , thousands have taken to twitter to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was an unmitigated disaster ( made even more hilarious by the fact that all of the candidates invested months of their time and hundreds of millions of dollars trying to clinch the all-important first nominating contest ) , it was also a wellspring for political humor .
The main takeaway : Is it merely a coincidence that this epic confusion emerged after Bernie ’ s surge in the polls ?

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Duran’s Alex Christoforou and Editor-in-Chief Alexander Mercouris discuss the Iowa caucus chaos that has arisen from ‘inconsistencies’ with an app that was supposed to track the results of the Democrat caucuses, but has instead counted zero results and fueled speculation that Bernie Sanders is about to be cheated once again.
The app was created by Shadow, Inc., a technology firm that was created in January last year after data and messaging service Groundbase was acquired by Democrat non-profit ACRONYM. Shadow’s CEO Gerard Niemira, product manager Ahna Rao and COO James Hickey all worked on the Hillary for America campaign which was defeated by Donald Trump in 2016.
To make matters more murky, Democrat candidate Pete Buttigieg’s campaign contributed $50,000 to the Shadow App development.
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Subscribe to The Duran on YouTube – Find us on BitChute.
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Follow on Soundcloud – Subscribe on iTunes.
Via Zerohedge…
Did the Iowa Democratic Party hire Morgan Stanley to build the vote-counting app for its first-in-the-nation caucus? Because last night’s catastrophe made the Facebook IPO look like an organized, orderly market debut.
After the party badly botched the rollout of the results of last night’s Iowa Caucus following “quality control issues” involving the transmission of data from caucus sites to the main reporting headquarters, millions are accusing the Democratic Party of once again trying to rig the nominating contest to favor establishment candidates while undermining the insurgent campaign of ‘Democratic Socialist’ Bernie Sanders.
This technical glitch has led to one of the most electoral catastrophes in recent memory: Roughly 8 hours after results were expected, there’s still nothing, and the entire process has been plunged into chaos. The issue erupted after the Iowa Democratic Party announced late Tuesday that it had found ‘inconsistencies’ in its electronic data, prompting them to audit it against the paper trail, according to NBC News.
Party chair Troy Price said the party is “validating every piece of data we have against our paper trail. That system is taking longer than expected, but it’s in place to ensure we are eventually able to report results with full confidence.” The state Democratic party’s communications director, Mandy McClure, said on Monday night that there were “inconsistencies” in the reporting of three sets of results. “In addition to the tech systems being used to tabulate results, we are also using photos of results and a paper trail to validate that all results match and ensure that we have confidence and accuracy in the numbers we report,” McClure said. This is simply a reporting issue. The app did not go down, and this is not a hack or an intrusion. The underlying data and paper trail is sound and will simply take time to further report the results,” McClure added.
Needless to say, polls released in recent weeks showed Bernie Sanders surging ahead, cementing him as the front-runner heading into the race. And then this glitch happens, allowing Pete Buttigieg, Amy Klobuchar and Joe Biden to steal the caucus-evening spotlight with the help of their cronies in the media.
After watching Democrats rig the 2016 primary in favor of Hillary Clinton, thousands have taken to twitter to express their frustration. If the caucus was an unmitigated disaster (made even more hilarious by the fact that all of the candidates invested months of their time and hundreds of millions of dollars trying to clinch the all-important first nominating contest), it was also a wellspring for political humor.
The main takeaway: Is it merely a coincidence that this epic confusion emerged after Bernie’s surge in the polls?
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theduran--2020-02-04--Will Brexit See Gibraltar’s Return to Spain With EU Support?

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Paul Antonopoulos , Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies… The European Union plans to support Spain in its territorial claims on Gibraltar in the next round of Brexit negotiations that are expected to begin on March 3 .
The EU will give the Iberian country the power to exclude British overseas territory from any commercial agreement signed with Brussels .
British control over Gibraltar was achieved by the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht .
Ever since then , Spain has always sought the strategically placed peninsula , that is at the entrance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to return to its sovereignty .
According to The Guardian in 2017 , King Felipe of Spain called on the British government to work towards a new agreement over the future of Gibraltar and demanded greater certainty over the future rights of Spanish citizens living in the UK after Brexit .
However , with Brexit that just passed , The Guardian reported that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be presented with the choice of reaching agreement with the Spaniards about Gibraltar ’ s future or exposing its citizens to economic peril @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal .
According to a senior diplomat of the EU , quoted by the newspaper , the Spanish Government has requested that the new relationship be established between the United Kingdom and the EU does not apply to Gibraltar without the explicit consent of the Iberian country , which will only happen if Madrid and London reach an agreement in the bilateral talks about the peninsula .
The Gibraltar issue highlights the difficulties that London faces as it progresses in the negotiations on its future relationship with Brussels after Brexit .
The United @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the EU after it formally withdrew from the organization .
While still a member of the EU , the United Kingdom managed to resist Spanish claims about Gibraltar .
Now , however , Madrid will have the full support of the other 26 countries in the bloc .
According to a spokesman for the British Foreign Ministry , the United Kingdom will not exclude Gibraltar from the upcoming negotiations with the European organization .
“ The UK will not exclude Gibraltar from our negotiations in relation to our future relationship with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the whole UK family , which includes Gibraltar.
” The small British controlled enclave of just 7 square km and 32,000 inhabitants , is one of two land borders that the EU has with United Kingdom territory , the other being between Ireland and British-controlled Northern Ireland .
This has caused a lot of uncertainty about the effects that Brexit can have , especially among workers .
This is especially crucial as Gibraltar is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous regions in not only the United Kingdom , but also the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only 1 % .
In comparison , the Spanish municipality of La Linea de la Concepción , next to Gibraltar has an unemployment rate that exceeds 30 % .
With a non-existent agricultural or industrial sector , the Gibraltarian economy is based on customs duties , revenues from the naval base , online games , tourism and financial services .
Until now , companies could register in Gibraltar and trade with the entire EU , benefiting from the lower tax rate that the British-controlled enclave enjoys .
But some companies , especially in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started leaving Gibraltar for Malta , from where they can continue to operate in the EU .
It is therefore unsurprising that the Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly against Brexit .
In fact , Gibraltar had the highest percentage of votes in the United Kingdom to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum .
95.9 % voted in favor , accounting for 19,322 people , with only 823 supporting Brexit .
When the United Kingdom joined the predecessor of the EU , the European Economic Community , in 1973 , Gibraltar also did since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , its membership to the bloc was given a special status .
Gibraltar was not part of the customs union of the EU unlike the United Kingdom , and could establish lower taxes on its imports and exports .
But this was protected by the laws of the free movement of workers , services and capital .
During the transition period between February 1 and December 31 of this year , both parties will negotiate the terms of their future relationship , especially regarding a possible trade agreement and the rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as British citizens in the European Union .
With these complications and now having the full support of the EU , there is no better time now for Spain to stake its claim over Gibraltar .
Any success with Gibraltar will only push further Argentina ’ s sovereignty efforts over the the Islas Malvinas , more commonly known as the Falkland Islands , a South American archipelago invaded by the United Kingdom in 1833 – as well as the unification of Ireland .
Therefore , although the majority of British people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunities to their everyday lives , the repercussions of this move could see the final dismantlement of the British Empire and see sovereignty of small British-controlled enclaves achieved , beginning with Gibraltar .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Paul Antonopoulos, Research Fellow at the Center for Syncretic Studies…
The European Union plans to support Spain in its territorial claims on Gibraltar in the next round of Brexit negotiations that are expected to begin on March 3. The EU will give the Iberian country the power to exclude British overseas territory from any commercial agreement signed with Brussels. British control over Gibraltar was achieved by the 1713 Treaty of Utrecht. Ever since then, Spain has always sought the strategically placed peninsula, that is at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean, to return to its sovereignty.
According to The Guardian in 2017, King Felipe of Spain called on the British government to work towards a new agreement over the future of Gibraltar and demanded greater certainty over the future rights of Spanish citizens living in the UK after Brexit. However, with Brexit that just passed, The Guardian reported that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will be presented with the choice of reaching agreement with the Spaniards about Gibraltar’s future or exposing its citizens to economic peril by pushing it outside any EU-UK trade deal.
According to a senior diplomat of the EU, quoted by the newspaper, the Spanish Government has requested that the new relationship be established between the United Kingdom and the EU does not apply to Gibraltar without the explicit consent of the Iberian country , which will only happen if Madrid and London reach an agreement in the bilateral talks about the peninsula.
The Gibraltar issue highlights the difficulties that London faces as it progresses in the negotiations on its future relationship with Brussels after Brexit. The United Kingdom became a “foreign country” for the EU after it formally withdrew from the organization. While still a member of the EU, the United Kingdom managed to resist Spanish claims about Gibraltar. Now, however, Madrid will have the full support of the other 26 countries in the bloc. According to a spokesman for the British Foreign Ministry, the United Kingdom will not exclude Gibraltar from the upcoming negotiations with the European organization.
“The UK will not exclude Gibraltar from our negotiations in relation to our future relationship with the EU. We will negotiate on behalf of the whole UK family, which includes Gibraltar.”
The small British controlled enclave of just 7 square km and 32,000 inhabitants, is one of two land borders that the EU has with United Kingdom territory, the other being between Ireland and British-controlled Northern Ireland. This has caused a lot of uncertainty about the effects that Brexit can have, especially among workers. This is especially crucial as Gibraltar is one of the wealthiest and most prosperous regions in not only the United Kingdom, but also the world, with an unemployment figure of only 1%. In comparison, the Spanish municipality of La Linea de la Concepción, next to Gibraltar has an unemployment rate that exceeds 30%.
With a non-existent agricultural or industrial sector, the Gibraltarian economy is based on customs duties, revenues from the naval base, online games, tourism and financial services. Until now, companies could register in Gibraltar and trade with the entire EU, benefiting from the lower tax rate that the British-controlled enclave enjoys. But some companies, especially in the online gaming sector, have already started leaving Gibraltar for Malta, from where they can continue to operate in the EU.
It is therefore unsurprising that the Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly against Brexit. In fact, Gibraltar had the highest percentage of votes in the United Kingdom to remain in the EU in the 2016 referendum. 95.9% voted in favor, accounting for 19,322 people, with only 823 supporting Brexit.
When the United Kingdom joined the predecessor of the EU, the European Economic Community, in 1973, Gibraltar also did since its foreign policy is attached to London. However, its membership to the bloc was given a special status. Gibraltar was not part of the customs union of the EU unlike the United Kingdom, and could establish lower taxes on its imports and exports. But this was protected by the laws of the free movement of workers, services and capital.
During the transition period between February 1 and December 31 of this year, both parties will negotiate the terms of their future relationship, especially regarding a possible trade agreement and the rights of European citizens in the country, as well as British citizens in the European Union.
With these complications and now having the full support of the EU, there is no better time now for Spain to stake its claim over Gibraltar. Any success with Gibraltar will only push further Argentina’s sovereignty efforts over the the Islas Malvinas, more commonly known as the Falkland Islands, a South American archipelago invaded by the United Kingdom in 1833 – as well as the unification of Ireland. Therefore, although the majority of British people believe Brexit will bring greater prosperity and opportunities to their everyday lives, the repercussions of this move could see the final dismantlement of the British Empire and see sovereignty of small British-controlled enclaves achieved, beginning with Gibraltar.
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theduran--2020-02-04--Cold siege against Kaliningrad

Cold siege against Kaliningrad

Submitted by InfoBrics , authored by Lucas Leiroz , Research Fellow in International Law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro… The announcement of the Defender-Europe 2020 gave the world , but especially Russia , a new and strange perspective on the future of international security .
The drills seem to be the largest military exercises in Europe in 25 years .
The countries elected to be the theater of the activities are those closest to the Russian border , causing great reactions in Russian media and their military forces .
Basically , as well known , the program @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Europe , to be conducted alongside the Russian border in the coming months .
Currently , there are more American soldiers in Europe than during the collapse of the Soviet Union .
This number will increase with the Defender-Europe exercises , to the incredible mark of almost 40.000 soldiers .
Russia correctly realizes these acts as a real threat .
Wordlessly , Defender-Europe 2020 seems to be a “ cold siege ” of Kaliningrad , which will require the military recrudescence of the region by Russia , creating bad expectations on peace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ main question remains : is the West really interested in entering into a war with Russia ?
Are the European potencies willing to face a conflict of such big proportions ?
The old modality of war is a practice in extinction .
The total mobilization of forces does not seem to be interesting or profitable nowadays .
The reasons are clear : modern technology changed war and the mechanisms of control and vigilance , in both internal and international spheres , proportionating new and more efficient forms to the world potencies to guarantee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conducting dangerous military maneuvers that indicate a revival of this type of war .
This episode reveals the greatest fear of the West : the fortification of Russia and the geopolitical decentralization .
NATO is nothing more than an instrument of the US to preserve its global hegemony and the current main target is the Russian zone in Europe .
To avoid Russian expansion , the US may do everything , even not excluding war .
Now , this is just a threat , an expectation ; but no one knows how the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We need to remember other signs of this aggressive position by the US , as the document Overextending and Unbalancing Russia .
Assessing the Impact of Cost-Imposing Options , published by the RAND Corporation , explains .
According to the document , a team of diplomats explores ways where the US can use Russia ’ s weaknesses to further its political and economic power .
In the document , US experts suggest operations in four sections : economic , geopolitical , informational and military .
The military section of the monograph states @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : air , land and sea .
Defender-Europe 2020 proposes this exact plan to state a military opposition to Russia , mainly by land and sea .
RAND ’ s document says exactly that the US should ( in sea ) increase military presence in the regions occupied by Russian naval force ( remember here the Kaliningrad Naval Base and the Baltic Fleet ) and ( in land ) increase the number of American soldiers in Europe , mainly on the Russian border .
For the American geopolitical experts , the presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and scale of NATO exercises on the Russian border will send a signal to Russia , stating the real intension is to wage war if western interests are not respected .
NATOS ’ s program for the current year is then nothing more than the materialization of the RAND Corporation proposals published last year .
This is the proof that the American government and armed forces are controlled by the bizarre ideas of a small number of scholars committed with the interests of the Deep State .
The greatest interest of these people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the world , threatening even a nuclear potency as Russia and the international legal structure of peace and security to gain this central objective .
The leading role of Russian foreign policy for the construction of a multipolar world is the unique reason for these great hate and fear against this country by the West .
There is no greater danger for the US than the possibility of losing its hegemony over the whole world .
This is why there are currently so many investments in mechanisms of hybrid war against targeted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hegemonic power , as we can see in the cases of color revolutions ( such as Bolivia and Hong Kong ) , criminal attacks ( the assassination of the Iranian Top General Qassem Soleimani ) and now in the military provocations against Russia .
But the unipolar world is a paper tiger and its destiny is the collapse .
There is no clear evidence that Europe will really engage in this program with the US .
This is even more obscure now , when a critical view of NATO is gaining force in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ western military alliance .
And it is possible that the US plans of war fail again .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by InfoBrics, authored by Lucas Leiroz, Research Fellow in International Law at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro…
The announcement of the Defender-Europe 2020 gave the world, but especially Russia, a new and strange perspective on the future of international security. The drills seem to be the largest military exercises in Europe in 25 years. The countries elected to be the theater of the activities are those closest to the Russian border, causing great reactions in Russian media and their military forces.
Basically, as well known, the program states a big list of military exercises in Europe, to be conducted alongside the Russian border in the coming months. Currently, there are more American soldiers in Europe than during the collapse of the Soviet Union. This number will increase with the Defender-Europe exercises, to the incredible mark of almost 40.000 soldiers.
Russia correctly realizes these acts as a real threat. Wordlessly, Defender-Europe 2020 seems to be a “cold siege” of Kaliningrad, which will require the military recrudescence of the region by Russia, creating bad expectations on peace and security. Above all, the main question remains: is the West really interested in entering into a war with Russia? Are the European potencies willing to face a conflict of such big proportions?
The old modality of war is a practice in extinction. The total mobilization of forces does not seem to be interesting or profitable nowadays. The reasons are clear: modern technology changed war and the mechanisms of control and vigilance, in both internal and international spheres, proportionating new and more efficient forms to the world potencies to guarantee their interests. However, NATO is conducting dangerous military maneuvers that indicate a revival of this type of war.
This episode reveals the greatest fear of the West: the fortification of Russia and the geopolitical decentralization. NATO is nothing more than an instrument of the US to preserve its global hegemony and the current main target is the Russian zone in Europe. To avoid Russian expansion, the US may do everything, even not excluding war. Now, this is just a threat, an expectation; but no one knows how the coming events and their consequences may unfold.
We need to remember other signs of this aggressive position by the US, as the document Overextending and Unbalancing Russia. Assessing the Impact of Cost-Imposing Options, published by the RAND Corporation, explains. According to the document, a team of diplomats explores ways where the US can use Russia’s weaknesses to further its political and economic power. In the document, US experts suggest operations in four sections: economic, geopolitical, informational and military. The military section of the monograph states a list of measures in three areas: air, land and sea.
Defender-Europe 2020 proposes this exact plan to state a military opposition to Russia, mainly by land and sea. RAND’s document says exactly that the US should (in sea) increase military presence in the regions occupied by Russian naval force (remember here the Kaliningrad Naval Base and the Baltic Fleet) and (in land) increase the number of American soldiers in Europe, mainly on the Russian border. For the American geopolitical experts, the presence of American troops and the increase of size and scale of NATO exercises on the Russian border will send a signal to Russia, stating the real intension is to wage war if western interests are not respected.
NATOS’s program for the current year is then nothing more than the materialization of the RAND Corporation proposals published last year. This is the proof that the American government and armed forces are controlled by the bizarre ideas of a small number of scholars committed with the interests of the Deep State. The greatest interest of these people is to preserve American hegemonic power all around the world, threatening even a nuclear potency as Russia and the international legal structure of peace and security to gain this central objective.
The leading role of Russian foreign policy for the construction of a multipolar world is the unique reason for these great hate and fear against this country by the West. There is no greater danger for the US than the possibility of losing its hegemony over the whole world. This is why there are currently so many investments in mechanisms of hybrid war against targeted countries, viewed as dangerous to American hegemonic power, as we can see in the cases of color revolutions (such as Bolivia and Hong Kong), criminal attacks (the assassination of the Iranian Top General Qassem Soleimani) and now in the military provocations against Russia.
But the unipolar world is a paper tiger and its destiny is the collapse. There is no clear evidence that Europe will really engage in this program with the US. This is even more obscure now, when a critical view of NATO is gaining force in Europe, destabilizing the idea of a western military alliance. And it is possible that the US plans of war fail again.
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theduran--2020-03-30--Secret World of Gold

Secret World of Gold

A popular meme in the Panic of 2020 asks , if gold is such a bellwether , why has its price not greatly increased ?
…and indeed , gone down .
The reason why is at the heart of why Modern Monetary Theory — now forcibly embraced — is doomed to fail .
But first , a few ground rules .
If the government of Venezuela needs dollars how does it pay for them ?
Gold .
How does Sudan trade for arms with Israel and the United Arab Emirates ?
Gold .
How do Central Banks and their dealers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold carry trade .
Despite denial by paper traders , MMT Keynesian ’ s , and hypocrisy from central bankers , physical gold is the solid foundation of real finance .
The Chicago Butter & Egg Board also known as the CME or Chicago Mercantile Exchange , claims that their gold futures , “ Serve as an alternative to investing in gold bullion , coins , and mining stocks ” .
That ’ s a lie .
That ’ s like saying buying apples is an alternative to buying oranges .
The CME @ @ @ @ @ @ @ delivered… also a lie , being a half-truth at best .
The CME then says that their futures , “ Offer ongoing trading opportunities , since gold prices respond quickly to political and economic events ” and that ’ s a lie too , because the bullion banks manipulate the gold market to their advantage .
In other words , the US paper gold trade is built on lies .
So how can a US gold market built on lies be considered a bellwether ?
It ’ s not .
As we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bellwether is oil where the decline in oil price is proportional to the depth of a recession .
Now in the present panic , whether the US Treasury has considered revaluing US gold holdings to true market value is one great unknown .
( The Treasury values gold at $ 42.22 US per ounce . )
But if the Treasury did mark gold to market , that could provide the $ 4.25Tn ( and more ) that the Treasury ’ s leveraged bail of Wall Street calls for this time ( ie CARES @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course such a discussion about revaluing gold to save the system is not a discussion the central government wants people to have , highlighting the historic and continuing importance of gold as the world ’ s only monetary medium with true intrinsic value .
With regard to the bail-out , for the US Treasury to revalue gold to a figure near or above its true market value is the same trick that FDR played in 1934 .
Thus , instead of relying on the Keynesian cut-out known as Modern Monetary Theory the federal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bail-out the once-again failed US economic system for all the “ money ” it needs .
However this new bail-out leads to embarrassing revelations , the first being that the United States no longer has a ‘ real ’ economy , so using a real asset to bail it out poses great risk to owners of the monetary system .
Another embarrassment is the manner in which an authoritarian communist regime handled this crisis in comparison to the “ free market ” { 1 } United States , which has blundered so far… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an ideological or rhetorical statement .
China weathered the panic not because it is a communist country , but because China produces goods , because China has industry , has spare capacity , and a large manufacturing base while possessing no debt except the debt of debtor nations it owns like the United States .
The United States has no such luxury .
In contrast to the relatively small amount of capital China just injected into its economy , the United States criminally colludes with Wall Street to inject trillions more in aid @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will inject at least 10T USD in made-up currency into its economy in a move that is certain to allow US Oligarchs to eventually thieve the assets that they failed to thieve after the collapse of 2008-2009 .
But this time Elites face a number of issues .
In the real gold market , which I have written about before , real physical gold ( not paper ) underwrites many of the most important sovereign financial transactions globally .
However , Switzerland ’ s gold pharaohs have just quit refining and shipping .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Whether Elites can get a grip will be important going forward , where Central Bank and bullion bank manipulation of the ( physical ) gold market is presently endangered .
Suffice to say that Elites must keep the price of gold suppressed for the near future and should they fail , a much larger financial contagion will replicate the biological contagion .
Another great dilemma is the maintenance of the US dollar as world reserve currency in a new era of limitless MMT monetary expansion .
As world reserve currency , the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ States lavishly spends .
But in this new era that may no longer hold true .
It will take just one major player to pull its cards and call tilt .
That could be Saudi Arabia decoupling oil sales from the $ US .
Or China cashing in its US debt for other assets .
Or foreign investors deciding that negative bond rates in the US do not appeal .
Or that mom & pop US investors and for that matter pension funds — which have been continually conned by the ponzi called @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory of insanity ( to whomsoever the quote may truly be attributed ) .
Another challenge going forward is whether MMT truly works .
MMT states that money needs no intrinsic value other than the public trust placed in it .
{ 2 } Another fallacy is that while the MMT digital press infinitely digitizes dollars , goods and services will be made infinitely available commensurately .
That ’ s a very flawed idea and another fallacy of MMT .
{ 3 } MMT is about to be tested .
MMT .
Finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ style , Americans apparently believe that this bail-out will reinflate the bubble that burst and make the world rosy again , just like the last bail-out did .
But like the contagion itself , there is no guarantee .
This panic has a long way to run .
And while the future is unknown , what can be known is that failed leadership , failed industries , a failed economy and a failed financial system are not the consequences of any contagion… but a foundation for its consequence .
{ 1 } Free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to consolidate , merge , conglomerate , and monopolize while engaging in anti-competitive business and financial practices { 2 } According to MMT , gold is simply a commodity with no monetary function .
But no central bank or sovereign state agrees with that fallacy .
{ 3 } In light of MMT and this bail-out imagine Biden asking Bernie where the “ money ” for universal healthcare would come from !
NB : This article is intended to be a tribute to the late Andrew Gause

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Submitted by Steve Brown…
A popular meme in the Panic of 2020 asks, if gold is such a bellwether, why has its price not greatly increased? …and indeed, gone down. The reason why is at the heart of why Modern Monetary Theory — now forcibly embraced — is doomed to fail.
But first, a few ground rules. If the government of Venezuela needs dollars how does it pay for them? Gold. How does Sudan trade for arms with Israel and the United Arab Emirates? Gold. How do Central Banks and their dealers profit from their gold? By the gold carry trade. Despite denial by paper traders, MMT Keynesian’s, and hypocrisy from central bankers, physical gold is the solid foundation of real finance.
The Chicago Butter & Egg Board also known as the CME or Chicago Mercantile Exchange, claims that their gold futures, “Serve as an alternative to investing in gold bullion, coins, and mining stocks”. That’s a lie. That’s like saying buying apples is an alternative to buying oranges. The CME also says gold contracts will be physically delivered… also a lie, being a half-truth at best. The CME then says that their futures, “Offer ongoing trading opportunities, since gold prices respond quickly to political and economic events” and that’s a lie too, because the bullion banks manipulate the gold market to their advantage.
In other words, the US paper gold trade is built on lies. So how can a US gold market built on lies be considered a bellwether? It’s not. As we have seen since 1971, the true financial bellwether is oil where the decline in oil price is proportional to the depth of a recession.
Now in the present panic, whether the US Treasury has considered revaluing US gold holdings to true market value is one great unknown. (The Treasury values gold at $42.22 US per ounce.) But if the Treasury did mark gold to market, that could provide the $4.25Tn (and more) that the Treasury’s leveraged bail of Wall Street calls for this time (ie CARES $425Bn x 10). Of course such a discussion about revaluing gold to save the system is not a discussion the central government wants people to have, highlighting the historic and continuing importance of gold as the world’s only monetary medium with true intrinsic value.
With regard to the bail-out, for the US Treasury to revalue gold to a figure near or above its true market value is the same trick that FDR played in 1934. Thus, instead of relying on the Keynesian cut-out known as Modern Monetary Theory the federal government could use a real asset to bail-out the once-again failed US economic system for all the “money” it needs. However this new bail-out leads to embarrassing revelations, the first being that the United States no longer has a ‘real’ economy, so using a real asset to bail it out poses great risk to owners of the monetary system.
Another embarrassment is the manner in which an authoritarian communist regime handled this crisis in comparison to the “free market”{1} United States, which has blundered so far… and that is not meant to be an ideological or rhetorical statement. China weathered the panic not because it is a communist country, but because China produces goods, because China has industry, has spare capacity, and a large manufacturing base while possessing no debt except the debt of debtor nations it owns like the United States. The United States has no such luxury.
In contrast to the relatively small amount of capital China just injected into its economy, the United States criminally colludes with Wall Street to inject trillions more in aid of its failed industries. The US will inject at least 10T USD in made-up currency into its economy in a move that is certain to allow US Oligarchs to eventually thieve the assets that they failed to thieve after the collapse of 2008-2009.
But this time Elites face a number of issues. In the real gold market, which I have written about before, real physical gold (not paper) underwrites many of the most important sovereign financial transactions globally. However, Switzerland’s gold pharaohs have just quit refining and shipping. That’s a big deal. Whether Elites can get a grip will be important going forward, where Central Bank and bullion bank manipulation of the (physical) gold market is presently endangered. Suffice to say that Elites must keep the price of gold suppressed for the near future and should they fail, a much larger financial contagion will replicate the biological contagion.
Another great dilemma is the maintenance of the US dollar as world reserve currency in a new era of limitless MMT monetary expansion. As world reserve currency, the rest of the world lends while the United States lavishly spends. But in this new era that may no longer hold true. It will take just one major player to pull its cards and call tilt. That could be Saudi Arabia decoupling oil sales from the $ US. Or China cashing in its US debt for other assets. Or foreign investors deciding that negative bond rates in the US do not appeal. Or that mom & pop US investors and for that matter pension funds — which have been continually conned by the ponzi called Wall Street — finally figure out the theory of insanity (to whomsoever the quote may truly be attributed).
Another challenge going forward is whether MMT truly works. MMT states that money needs no intrinsic value other than the public trust placed in it. {2} Another fallacy is that while the MMT digital press infinitely digitizes dollars, goods and services will be made infinitely available commensurately. That’s a very flawed idea and another fallacy of MMT. {3} MMT is about to be tested. MMT will fail .
Finally, in either positive or misguided American style, Americans apparently believe that this bail-out will reinflate the bubble that burst and make the world rosy again, just like the last bail-out did. But like the contagion itself, there is no guarantee. This panic has a long way to run. And while the future is unknown, what can be known is that failed leadership, failed industries, a failed economy and a failed financial system are not the consequences of any contagion… but a foundation for its consequence.
{1} Free market here is defined as the freedom to consolidate, merge, conglomerate, and monopolize while engaging in anti-competitive business and financial practices
{2} According to MMT, gold is simply a commodity with no monetary function. But no central bank or sovereign state agrees with that fallacy.
{3} In light of MMT and this bail-out imagine Biden asking Bernie where the “money” for universal healthcare would come from!
NB: This article is intended to be a tribute to the late Andrew Gause
Follow Steve Brown on twitter: @newsypaperz
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theduran--2020-03-30--Yes, They Were Born On April Fool’s Day

Yes, They Were Born On April Fool’s Day

April Fool ’ s Day is nearly here .
No man can control the date of his birth , ditto no woman , but some people seem to do their best to live up to it .
Take Terry Nichols , he was born in 1955 .
In 1994 , he conspired with the younger Timothy McVeigh to punish the American Government for acts of domestic terrorism against its own citizens .
And this punishment was…to commit what was then the greatest single peacetime atrocity in the land .
In April the following year , McVeigh bombed a Government complex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ daycare were among the over one hundred and sixty dead .
What was that about combating terror ?
McVeigh was executed by lethal injection in 2001 , three months to the day exactly before a multiple pronged terror attack that would dwarf even his evil .
Nichols escaped the death penalty , but he will have from now until the end of his miserable life to sit in his prison cell and contemplate his folly .
Fortunately , most idiots aren ’ t murderous , some are just idiots .
Richard D. Wolff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hero Karl Marx , he professes to be an economist .
And like Marx , capitalism has treated him very well ; it continues to do so .
He is a regular commentator on sundry media outlets , and he doesn ’ t always talk rubbish , but like the man said , even a broken clock is right twice a day .
For those who haven ’ t read The Communist Manifesto , ignoring the preamble from the various editions , its first sentence reads : “ The history of all hitherto @ @ @ @ @ @ @ struggles.
” That very first sentence is wrong .
The history of Mankind is the history of COOPERATION .
True , there has been a lot of struggle , conflict , pain and suffering on the way , but without cooperation there would be nothing .
We are seeing this cooperation on a grand scale at the very moment as the governments of the world seek to protect their citizens against an unseen enemy that has the potential to cause death on an enormous scale .
True , there are people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic , either by scamming people or exploiting it to extend legislation that will enslave us , but without the large scale cooperation we have seen and are continuing to experience , who knows where we would be ?
The Communist Manifesto was written at a time when the toiling and exploited masses lived in far worse conditions than most of us today , so Marx and his wealthy patron Engels can perhaps be forgiven for painting such a bleak picture of things , but that doesn ’ t alter the fact that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
If Professor Wolff has made a comfortable living out of talking rubbish , Rachel Maddow has made a fortune out of it .
She is said to earn $ 7 million a year and to be worth nearly three times that .
Remember that before you laugh at her .
Having said that , it is difficult not to at times .
Maddow was born in 1973 , and like Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar .
She started her working life in radio , and moved seamlessly into television .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of her career , Maddow was a tolerable or even enjoyable talking head , but enter Donald Trump , and she became the most severe case of Trump derangement syndrome in the entire American media .
While most of those plugging the Trump-Russia collusion hoax didn ’ t really believe it , Maddow was an obsessive true believer .
Some of her attacks on Russia and its charismatic leader were so far off the chart that one was entitled to question her sanity .
What if Russia attacked the power grid on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked ?
What indeed ?
It would be freezing cold in her rubber room .
Finally , what might be called the joker in the pack is Susan Boyle .
Born 1961 , she entered a UK national talent contest in 2009 .
Looking and sounding like a frumpy spinster , she was cringe worthy in front of the judges when she explained how she wanted to emulate Elaine Paige .
They and the audience were taken aback .
People laughed at her , and one sensed that after her performance they would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be reduced to tears .
Then the music played , and she sang .
This clip showing the moment a star was born has currently been viewed over 240 million times .
As the man said , never judge a book by its cover .

The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
April Fool’s Day is nearly here. No man can control the date of his birth, ditto no woman, but some people seem to do their best to live up to it. Take Terry Nichols, he was born in 1955. In 1994, he conspired with the younger Timothy McVeigh to punish the American Government for acts of domestic terrorism against its own citizens. And this punishment was…to commit what was then the greatest single peacetime atrocity in the land. In April the following year, McVeigh bombed a Government complex in Oklahoma City. Nineteen kids in daycare were among the over one hundred and sixty dead. What was that about combating terror?
McVeigh was executed by lethal injection in 2001, three months to the day exactly before a multiple pronged terror attack that would dwarf even his evil. Nichols escaped the death penalty, but he will have from now until the end of his miserable life to sit in his prison cell and contemplate his folly.
Fortunately, most idiots aren’t murderous, some are just idiots. Richard D. Wolff was born in 1942. Like his hero Karl Marx, he professes to be an economist. And like Marx, capitalism has treated him very well; it continues to do so. He is a regular commentator on sundry media outlets, and he doesn’t always talk rubbish, but like the man said, even a broken clock is right twice a day.
For those who haven’t read The Communist Manifesto, ignoring the preamble from the various editions, its first sentence reads: “The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles.”
That very first sentence is wrong. The history of Mankind is the history of COOPERATION. True, there has been a lot of struggle, conflict, pain and suffering on the way, but without cooperation there would be nothing. We are seeing this cooperation on a grand scale at the very moment as the governments of the world seek to protect their citizens against an unseen enemy that has the potential to cause death on an enormous scale. True, there are people who are intent on taking advantage of the coronavirus pandemic, either by scamming people or exploiting it to extend legislation that will enslave us, but without the large scale cooperation we have seen and are continuing to experience, who knows where we would be?
The Communist Manifesto was written at a time when the toiling and exploited masses lived in far worse conditions than most of us today, so Marx and his wealthy patron Engels can perhaps be forgiven for painting such a bleak picture of things, but that doesn’t alter the fact that Richard D. Wolff has wasted his life.
If Professor Wolff has made a comfortable living out of talking rubbish, Rachel Maddow has made a fortune out of it. She is said to earn $7 million a year and to be worth nearly three times that. Remember that before you laugh at her. Having said that, it is difficult not to at times. Maddow was born in 1973, and like Bill Clinton was a Rhodes Scholar. She started her working life in radio, and moved seamlessly into television.
It has to be said that for most of her career, Maddow was a tolerable or even enjoyable talking head, but enter Donald Trump, and she became the most severe case of Trump derangement syndrome in the entire American media. While most of those plugging the Trump-Russia collusion hoax didn’t really believe it, Maddow was an obsessive true believer. Some of her attacks on Russia and its charismatic leader were so far off the chart that one was entitled to question her sanity. What if Russia attacked the power grid on the coldest day of the year, she asked? What indeed? It would be freezing cold in her rubber room.
Finally, what might be called the joker in the pack is Susan Boyle. Born 1961, she entered a UK national talent contest in 2009. Looking and sounding like a frumpy spinster, she was cringe worthy in front of the judges when she explained how she wanted to emulate Elaine Paige. They and the audience were taken aback. People laughed at her, and one sensed that after her performance they would be laughing even louder while she would be reduced to tears. Then the music played, and she sang. This clip showing the moment a star was born has currently been viewed over 240 million times. As the man said, never judge a book by its cover.
Read Later Add to Favourites Add to Collection Report