wakingtimes--2020-08-03--This is What Plastic Does to Ocean Live – It is Insane

This is What Plastic Does to Ocean Live – It is Insane Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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As we reach the end of July – known as plastic free month , it ’ s important to remember the horrendous suffering plastic is causing to ocean life 365 days per year .
The problem of plastic pollution in the ocean has now reached epic proportions and at least 8 million tons is being added every single year .
From coral reef to tiny crabs to sea turtles and massive whales , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of plastic human ‘ kind ’ has unleashed .
Be it entanglement , slow suffocation or strangulation , microplastic ingestion , or the bioaccumulation of toxins , animals are dying in large numbers and in terrible ways .
There are now , according to a 2015 report , more than 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean .
To give you an idea of how big a number 51 trillion is , it ’ s more than 500 times the number of stars in our galaxy .
And by now the scourge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ocean , even the deepest depths of the seas , the Mariana Trench , nearly 10,975 down .
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND IN THE SEA While most of our plastic is single use – it ’ s virtually indestructible in the ocean and the same piece of plastic can potentially kill multiple animals over decades .
For many of us , we don ’ t see what goes on underneath the waves and it ’ s a case of out of sight out of mind .
To get an idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ here are some shocking examples .
This octopus is destined to be entangled in plastic for the rest of its life : In Bangladesh , a beach turned into a mass grave for turtles who were washed ashore entangled in plastic debris .
This hermit crab is unable to remove the plastic cup it became stuck in .
A turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose had to be operated on .
This one was ‘ lucky ’ to have been helped – imagine those that continue to suffer until death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make it to adulthood : In another shocking study in 2019 , it was found that 100 % of dolphins , whales and seals which had died off the UK coast contained plastic .
A pregnant sperm whale in the Mediterranean was found dead with 20kg of plastic in its stomach and has starved to death because it was not able to ingest its food .
A whale off the coast of California was found to have more than 200kg of fishing tackle and plastic bags in its stomach .
As can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the list of horrors goes on and on and on .
Literally millions of animals , birds , sharks and fish are being killed every year .
And of course the plastic is eventually being consumed by humans as well – via the microplastic inside the fish we eat .
Anthony McLennan is an experienced journalist who has written for some of South Africa ’ s biggest publications .
Also a photographer , soccer coach , dog-lover and surfer , enjoys spending time outdoors in beautiful Cape Town .
He believes that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planet and that it is important to put this message out .

This is What Plastic Does to Ocean Live – It is Insane
Anthony McLennan, Truth Theory
Waking Times
As we reach the end of July – known as plastic free month, it’s important to remember the horrendous suffering plastic is causing to ocean life 365 days per year.
The problem of plastic pollution in the ocean has now reached epic proportions and at least 8 million tons is being added every single year.
From coral reef to tiny crabs to sea turtles and massive whales, no creature is immune to the plague of plastic human ‘kind’ has unleashed.
Be it entanglement, slow suffocation or strangulation, microplastic ingestion, or the bioaccumulation of toxins, animals are dying in large numbers and in terrible ways.
There are now, according to a 2015 report, more than 51 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean.
To give you an idea of how big a number 51 trillion is, it’s more than 500 times the number of stars in our galaxy.
“At the rate at which we are dumping items such as plastic bottles, bags, cups and straws after a single use, by 2050 we will have more plastics in the oceans than fish,” said Erik Solheim, a former UN Environment Executive Director.
And by now the scourge of plastic has infiltrated every part of the ocean, even the deepest depths of the seas, the Mariana Trench, nearly 10,975 down.
OUT OF SIGHT OUT OF MIND IN THE SEA
While most of our plastic is single use – it’s virtually indestructible in the ocean and the same piece of plastic can potentially kill multiple animals over decades.
For many of us, we don’t see what goes on underneath the waves and it’s a case of out of sight out of mind.
To get an idea of how devastating the problem is, here are some shocking examples.
This octopus is destined to be entangled in plastic for the rest of its life:
This octopus shouldn't be carrying plastic. It's time to #BreakFreeFromPlastic. Tell U.S. Congress to protect our oceans and marine life from plastic pollution: https://t.co/7uJW7LyXzt pic.twitter.com/pfNuEG7oHf — Oceana (@oceana) July 10, 2020
In Bangladesh, a beach turned into a mass grave for turtles who were washed ashore entangled in plastic debris.
At least 20 turtles were found dead in Bangladesh after washing ashore tangled in plastic waste. About 8 million tons of plastic enters our oceans every year. Officials said it was the most garbage ever seen there: "It sends a great danger signal to our marine biodiversity." pic.twitter.com/NDYrv2ciVU — AJ+ (@ajplus) July 13, 2020
This hermit crab is unable to remove the plastic cup it became stuck in.
http://www.instagram.com/p/CCY879yn5yF/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading
A turtle with a plastic straw stuck up its nose had to be operated on. This one was ‘lucky’ to have been helped – imagine those that continue to suffer until death.
This penguin never had the chance to make it to adulthood:
A little penguin killed by plastic trash and washed up on the shore. Eating plastic causes major problems for penguins and other marine animals.#ocg pic.twitter.com/GTKdBj2RWL — OCG | Ocean Cleanup Group (@OcgOrg) July 23, 2020
A baby turtle imprisoned in plastic:
http://www.facebook.com/WeDontDeserveEarth/posts/759372031476354
Another baby turtle defecated an entire balloon
In another shocking study in 2019, it was found that 100% of dolphins, whales and seals which had died off the UK coast contained plastic.
A pregnant sperm whale in the Mediterranean was found dead with 20kg of plastic in its stomach and has starved to death because it was not able to ingest its food.
A whale off the coast of California was found to have more than 200kg of fishing tackle and plastic bags in its stomach.
As can be seen in this one report, the list of horrors goes on and on and on.
Literally millions of animals, birds, sharks and fish are being killed every year.
And of course the plastic is eventually being consumed by humans as well – via the microplastic inside the fish we eat.
About the Author
Anthony McLennan is an experienced journalist who has written for some of South Africa’s biggest publications. Also a photographer, soccer coach, dog-lover and surfer, enjoys spending time outdoors in beautiful Cape Town. He believes that a new approach is needed to sustain our planet and that it is important to put this message out.


wakingtimes--2020-08-03--Brazilian Amazon Drained of Millions of Wild Animals by Criminal Networks

Brazilian Amazon Drained of Millions of Wild Animals by Criminal Networks Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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The Brazilian Amazon is hemorrhaging illegally traded wildlife according to a new report released Monday .
Each year , thousands of silver-voiced saffron finches and other songbirds , along with rare macaws and parrots , are captured , trafficked and sold as pets .
Some are auctioned as future contestants in songbird contests .
Others are exported around the globe .
Fish bound for ornamental home aquariums also pour out of the Amazon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ red cardinal tetra .
Arapaima fish — also known as pirarucù , one of the world ’ s largest freshwater fish — are caught illegally , “ laundered ” amidst captive-bred specimens and shipped to the U.S. in large numbers .
Other fish are headed for the dinner table , as are freshwater turtles and their eggs , while tapir , peccary and other mammals are sold in Brazil as bushmeat .
Jaguar teeth , heads and skins are shipped to China .
Millions of animals are being illegally captured and traded live @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black market , according to the report , produced by TRAFFIC , a UK-based nonprofit that studies the trade .
“ The pervasive and uncontrolled capture of wild animals and plants for the illegal trade is having grave consequences for Brazilian biodiversity , the national economy , the rule of law and good governance , ” it says .
Deep-dive research by biodiversity consultant Sandra Charity — who wrote the 140-page study with Juliana Ferreira , executive director of the nonprofit conservation group Freeland Brasil —focused on Amazon rainforest species and closely investigated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the researchers found that an ever-increasing segment of the illegal trade launders poached animals via a sprawling , legal captive breeding industry — a network that specializes in birds , which have a huge domestic market in Brazil .
The authors also discovered that few government agencies have kept records or reported solid data that quantify the true scope of the problem .
In many cases , records did not even identify the species or number of animals seized by authorities , while data coming from the Amazon was “ notoriously scarce.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , since seizure data alone represents a mere fraction of animals illegally pulled from the wild .
But it is clear from existing data that there is an uptick in smuggling of some species , including jaguars : seizures increased by 200 % from 2012 to 2018 .
The lack of comprehensive data , the report notes , tends to play down the importance , as well as concealing the severity , of Brazilian trafficking — undermining enforcement efforts , legal attention and the funding needed to fight it .
But the study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serious consequences not only for the animals seized , but for entire species , ecosystems and people , not just in the Amazon but around the globe .
The current COVID-19 epidemic , for example , caused by a coronavirus that jumped from wildlife to humans , has reminded the world that trafficking in wild animals is not merely a conservation issue , says Ferreira .
It ’ s both a public health issue and a biosafety issue .
An overarching national strategy is needed now to deal effectively with the problem , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s vigorous , deadly commerce has helped speed the demise of 1,173 species that are either facing extinction or have already vanished in Brazil .
Often the largest , strongest , most beautiful animals are lost , impacting the entire population .
For example , the trade targets male birds with their showy plumage , while the few survivors of a species remaining in the wild can become inbred , weakening the gene pool and genetic resilience .
The scope of the plunder has also sparked concern over broader , cascading ecosystem impacts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regularly taking animals from wild populations creates a domino effect , dismantling the biological and physical systems that sustain all life on Earth .
For example , without birds that act as pollinators and seed-dispersers , trees and plants that many creatures rely on for food disappear .
Tropical forests also act as huge carbon vaults , mitigating climate change and extreme weather ; they offer buffers from flooding and provide drinking water for millions of people .
Losing millions of animals every year to trafficking could lead not only to empty forests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crash .
The wildlife trade is also gaining increasing attention because of its lawless perpetrators : transnational criminal trafficking networks span the globe , make huge profits and cultivating massive corruption .
Their illicit supply chain extends from the Amazon to almost every continent .
The Global Environment Facility ( GEF ) describes the illegal wildlife trade as “ one of the most lucrative illegal businesses in the world.
” It ’ s ranked as the world ’ s fourth largest source of criminal earnings , generating up to US $ 23 billion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hands under the table , the trade has even become a global national security issue .
But even though environmental authorities may seize illegally traded animals and apprehend some smugglers , the study notes that law enforcement is not targeting the kingpins who mastermind the trade or its supply chains .
As a result , this shadowy underworld industry thrives as it breeds widespread corruption , bribery , fraud , forgery , money laundering and smuggling .
Unfortunately , “ Existing legislation does not consider wildlife trafficking a ‘ serious crime , ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inconsistencies in laws , the report says .
Since the illicit trade is such a lucrative business , mild penalties offer little deterrent .
A six- to 12-month “ detention ” is common , which is just restriction of freedom — not jail time — or is negotiated down to a stint at community service .
In addition , the report documented extensive evidence of widespread fraud by both private and commercial breeders in Brazil who forged permits , mislabeled species declarations , and tampered with government-issued identification rings to sell illegally-acquired songbirds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particular market is largely domestic , feeding an entrenched Brazilian culture that keeps songbirds as pets .
IBAMA , Brazil ’ s environmental agency , estimated that in 2015 alone , some three million passerine birds were fraudulently listed with the government — 75 % of all that were registered .
While the goal of the new report was not to make a comprehensive assessment of the international trade , the authors found that foreign buyers are driving much of it .
“ It seems that some Asian countries are sourcing more species @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sea horses , ornamental fish , jaguars and shark fin , ” Ferreira said , adding that the U.S. is a top consumer of ornamental fish and leather made from pirarucu skin .
Birds , amphibians and reptiles typically sell to European collectors , and the Middle East is a market for Amazon raptors .
Digital commerce — the Internet , social media and messaging groups — have become key “ sales offices ” for wild animals and the products made from them .
The “ merchandise ” itself is moved in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buses , boats , planes and overnight courier services .
Human “ mules ” have been arrested with birds or eggs taped to their bodies or concealed in clothing .
A porous , 8,000-mile border between Brazil and eight Amazon neighbors creates an easy flow .
The Peruvian and Colombian borders in the Northwestern Amazon form a “ particularly relevant hub ” for trafficking , the report noted .
Combatting the trade requires that it be recognized and treated as a serious crime .
More complete data is also needed that will allow @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says lead author Sandra Charity .
Stronger national laws that target professional traffickers would also allow for the implementation of the UN Convention on Organized Crime , she said .
Without a market , there is no commerce , so educating consumers is key , concludes Ferreira .

Brazilian Amazon Drained of Millions of Wild Animals by Criminal Networks
Sharon Guynup, Mongabay
Waking Times
The Brazilian Amazon is hemorrhaging illegally traded wildlife according to a new report released Monday. Each year, thousands of silver-voiced saffron finches and other songbirds, along with rare macaws and parrots, are captured, trafficked and sold as pets. Some are auctioned as future contestants in songbird contests. Others are exported around the globe.
Fish bound for ornamental home aquariums also pour out of the Amazon, including the tiny, iridescent blue and red cardinal tetra. Arapaima fish — also known as pirarucù, one of the world’s largest freshwater fish — are caught illegally, “laundered” amidst captive-bred specimens and shipped to the U.S. in large numbers.
Other fish are headed for the dinner table, as are freshwater turtles and their eggs, while tapir, peccary and other mammals are sold in Brazil as bushmeat. Jaguar teeth, heads and skins are shipped to China.
Millions of animals are being illegally captured and traded live and in parts in a thriving Brazilian black market, according to the report, produced by TRAFFIC, a UK-based nonprofit that studies the trade. “The pervasive and uncontrolled capture of wild animals and plants for the illegal trade is having grave consequences for Brazilian biodiversity, the national economy, the rule of law and good governance,” it says.
Lack of data hides trafficking
Deep-dive research by biodiversity consultant Sandra Charity — who wrote the 140-page study with Juliana Ferreira, executive director of the nonprofit conservation group Freeland Brasil —focused on Amazon rainforest species and closely investigated the domestic bird trade.
Importantly, the researchers found that an ever-increasing segment of the illegal trade launders poached animals via a sprawling, legal captive breeding industry — a network that specializes in birds, which have a huge domestic market in Brazil.
The authors also discovered that few government agencies have kept records or reported solid data that quantify the true scope of the problem. In many cases, records did not even identify the species or number of animals seized by authorities, while data coming from the Amazon was “notoriously scarce.”
“Significant seizures are made on a daily basis by Amazon state law enforcement, and we did not have access to their data,” Ferreria said, adding, “from what we saw, [the illegal trade] is even bigger than we imagined.”
Trends remain difficult to track, however, since seizure data alone represents a mere fraction of animals illegally pulled from the wild. But it is clear from existing data that there is an uptick in smuggling of some species, including jaguars: seizures increased by 200% from 2012 to 2018.
The lack of comprehensive data, the report notes, tends to play down the importance, as well as concealing the severity, of Brazilian trafficking — undermining enforcement efforts, legal attention and the funding needed to fight it.
But the study warns that the illegal trade is having serious consequences not only for the animals seized, but for entire species, ecosystems and people, not just in the Amazon but around the globe. The current COVID-19 epidemic, for example, caused by a coronavirus that jumped from wildlife to humans, has reminded the world that trafficking in wild animals is not merely a conservation issue, says Ferreira. It’s both a public health issue and a biosafety issue.
An overarching national strategy is needed now to deal effectively with the problem, said the research team.
Impact on the Amazon
Today’s vigorous, deadly commerce has helped speed the demise of 1,173 species that are either facing extinction or have already vanished in Brazil. Often the largest, strongest, most beautiful animals are lost, impacting the entire population. For example, the trade targets male birds with their showy plumage, while the few survivors of a species remaining in the wild can become inbred, weakening the gene pool and genetic resilience.
The scope of the plunder has also sparked concern over broader, cascading ecosystem impacts, says Ferreira, who explained that regularly taking animals from wild populations creates a domino effect, dismantling the biological and physical systems that sustain all life on Earth.
For example, without birds that act as pollinators and seed-dispersers, trees and plants that many creatures rely on for food disappear. Tropical forests also act as huge carbon vaults, mitigating climate change and extreme weather; they offer buffers from flooding and provide drinking water for millions of people. Losing millions of animals every year to trafficking could lead not only to empty forests, but eventually cause whole ecosystems to crash.
Trafficking as global organized crime
The wildlife trade is also gaining increasing attention because of its lawless perpetrators: transnational criminal trafficking networks span the globe, make huge profits and cultivating massive corruption. Their illicit supply chain extends from the Amazon to almost every continent.
The Global Environment Facility (GEF) describes the illegal wildlife trade as “one of the most lucrative illegal businesses in the world.” It’s ranked as the world’s fourth largest source of criminal earnings, generating up to US $23 billion annually. With so much money changing hands under the table, the trade has even become a global national security issue.
But even though environmental authorities may seize illegally traded animals and apprehend some smugglers, the study notes that law enforcement is not targeting the kingpins who mastermind the trade or its supply chains. As a result, this shadowy underworld industry thrives as it breeds widespread corruption, bribery, fraud, forgery, money laundering and smuggling.
Unfortunately, “Existing legislation does not consider wildlife trafficking a ‘serious crime,’” and there are numerous loopholes and inconsistencies in laws, the report says. Since the illicit trade is such a lucrative business, mild penalties offer little deterrent. A six- to 12-month “detention” is common, which is just restriction of freedom — not jail time — or is negotiated down to a stint at community service.
In addition, the report documented extensive evidence of widespread fraud by both private and commercial breeders in Brazil who forged permits, mislabeled species declarations, and tampered with government-issued identification rings to sell illegally-acquired songbirds alongside those they legally breed. This particular market is largely domestic, feeding an entrenched Brazilian culture that keeps songbirds as pets. IBAMA, Brazil’s environmental agency, estimated that in 2015 alone, some three million passerine birds were fraudulently listed with the government — 75% of all that were registered.
Curbing Amazon trafficking
While the goal of the new report was not to make a comprehensive assessment of the international trade, the authors found that foreign buyers are driving much of it. “It seems that some Asian countries are sourcing more species in Brazil, such as sea cucumber, sea horses, ornamental fish, jaguars and shark fin,” Ferreira said, adding that the U.S. is a top consumer of ornamental fish and leather made from pirarucu skin. Birds, amphibians and reptiles typically sell to European collectors, and the Middle East is a market for Amazon raptors.
Digital commerce — the Internet, social media and messaging groups — have become key “sales offices” for wild animals and the products made from them. The “merchandise” itself is moved in every way imaginable: via cars, buses, boats, planes and overnight courier services. Human “mules” have been arrested with birds or eggs taped to their bodies or concealed in clothing. A porous, 8,000-mile border between Brazil and eight Amazon neighbors creates an easy flow. The Peruvian and Colombian borders in the Northwestern Amazon form a “particularly relevant hub” for trafficking, the report noted.
Combatting the trade requires that it be recognized and treated as a serious crime. More complete data is also needed that will allow for strategic planning and strengthened law enforcement, says lead author Sandra Charity. Stronger national laws that target professional traffickers would also allow for the implementation of the UN Convention on Organized Crime, she said.
Without a market, there is no commerce, so educating consumers is key, concludes Ferreira.


wakingtimes--2020-08-05--COVID19, The Great Reset & The New Normal

COVID19 , The Great Reset & The New Normal Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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Clearly , 2020 has been unlike any previous year in the last century or so .
The world is currently battling against an infodemic of propaganda spewing from the corporate media and official health authorities .
Yes , people are sick and dying .
However , the statistics make it clear that COVID-19 simply does not warrant a total lockdown of the planet and further destruction of the economy .
Regardless , nations around the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grab more surveillance and police state powers , institute mask and vaccine mandates , accelerate the push towards a completely digital world , enact more corporate bailouts , and generally , extreme control and involvement in citizens lives .
The sheer magnitude of the COVID-19 operation is unparalleled , with the most recent similar event being the attacks of September 11 , 2001 .
As with the 9/11 attacks , the predator class is using COVID-19 as the excuse to push plans and agendas which predate the spread of the novel coronavirus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ unlike any other event to take place in modern history because the results of this event are affecting people in every single nation on the planet and will continue to for years to come .
Also , unlike 9/11 – which took place over the course of one morning – the COVID-19 operation is taking place daily for months on end .
The effects of this constant bombardment with fear and panic are taking a toll on the hearts and minds of free people all around the world .
Quite simply , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and they will do almost anything to achieve this goal .
It is within this space of fear and uncertainty which the predator class has now begun to insert themselves , ready to present the “ solution ” to our ills .
As every student of power and deception knows , the easiest way to achieve victory over your opponent is to guide them to a predetermined destination which benefits your agenda .
If you can do this while convincing your opponent that they are consciously making their own choices and the path @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , you are all but guaranteed success .
I believe the evidence indicates this is the strategy we are seeing unfold during the COVID-19 operation .
The predetermined path we are being led down is known as “ The Great Reset ” and was announced in early June by the World Economic Forum .
Regular readers will remember that on October 18 , 2019 , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the WEF on a high-level pandemic exercise known as Event 201 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ respond to a coronavirus pandemic which swept around the planet .
The simulation imagined 65 million people dying , mass lock downs , quarantines , censorship of alternative viewpoints under the guise of fighting “ disinformation , ” and even floated the idea of arresting people who question the pandemic narrative .
The launch of The Great Reset was supported by Klaus Schwab , the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum ; England ’ s Prince Charles ; Antonio Guterres , Secretary-General of the UN ; and Kristalina Georgieva of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was truly an international event with the participation of Ma Jun , the chairman of the Green Finance Committee at the China Society for Finance and Banking and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People ’ s Bank of China .
The event was also supported by Bernard Looney , CEO of BP ; Ajay Banga , CEO of Mastercard ; and Bradford Smith , president of Microsoft .
During the launch of The Great Reset , Prince Charles stated that humanity can not waste time because “ we need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how we operate.
” UN Secretary-General Guterres called for “ more equal , inclusive and sustainable economies and societies ” that can face pandemics , climate change , and other global challenges .
In an opinion piece published in The Globe and Mail , Klaus Schwab provided more details on the goals of The Great Reset ( emphasis added ) : Schwab goes on to describe several crises facing humanity , including rising government debt , unemployment , and increasing social unrest .
Combined with COVID-19 , these crises will leave the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragile .
“ We must build entirely new foundations for our economic and social systems , ” Schwab writes .
He details the 3 main components of TGR agenda , specifically fairer market outcomes , investments in “ equality and sustainability , ” and harnessing the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution .
Finally , Schwab calls for utilizing the innovations of “ the Fourth Industrial Revolution ” to support public good .
The 4IR is another pet project of Schwab which was first announced in December 2015 .
To put it simply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the future , where digital surveillance is omnipresent and humanity uses digital technology to alter and , hopefully , improve our lives .
Sometimes known as “ The Internet of Things , ” this world will be powered by 5G and 6G technology .
Of course , for Schwab and other globalists , the 4IR also lends itself towards more central planning and top-down control .
The goal is a track and trace society where all transactions are logged , every person has a digital ID that can be tracked , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ via social credit scores .
In fact , much of this call for a Great Reset is already playing out .
For example , Mastercard and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded GAVI recently announced a partnership with AI-powered “ identity authentication ” company , Trust Stamp .
As MintPress News reported , “ The program , which was first launched in late 2018 , will see Trust Stamp ’ s digital identity platform integrated into the GAVI-Mastercard “ Wellness Pass , ” a digital vaccination record and identity system that is also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that powered by its AI and machine learning technology called NuData.
“ Who exactly is Schwab speaking to when he speaks of a more prosperous future ?
How long has this Great Reset been in the works ?
The answers to these questions can help us understand the true goals of this agenda .
As researcher Brandon Smith reported , Christine Lagarde , former head of the IMF , discussed a global reset as far back as 2014 .
“ The reset is often mentioned in the same breath as ideas like “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Multipolar World Order ” or “ the New World Order.
” All of these phrases mean essentially the same thing , ” Smith writes .
Smith correctly notes that the Great Reset is not a response to the pandemic , but rather , “ the global reset as implemented by central banks and the BIS/IMF is the cause of the collapse .
The collapse is a tool , a flamethrower burning a great hole in the forest to make way for the foundations of the globalist Ziggurat to be built.
” In early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Malleret released a book outlining the vision of The Great Reset .
The book , Covid-19 : The Great Reset , explores what the post-pandemic world might look like .
“ Will there be enough collective will to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to reimagine our world , in a bid to make it a better and more resilient one as it emerges on the other side of this crisis ?
, ” Schwab and Malleret pondered at the release of the book .
The two men believe COVID-19 triggered “ momentous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already beset our economies and societies.
” They also predict that falling oil prices and a freeze in tourism could lead to a wave of massive anti-government demonstrations .
In the book , Schwab expands upon the initial announcement of The Great Reset .
Once again he calls for the 4th Industrial Revolution and the digitalization of everything , powered by 5G technology .
However , Schwab goes even further in his book , calling for rethinking the “ social contract ” society has with governments .
A second report , The Future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in July .
Once again , the WEF states that COVID-19 presents an “ opportunity , to change the way we eat , live , grow , build and power our lives to achieve a carbon-neutral , ‘ nature-positive ’ economy and halt biodiversity loss by 2030. Business as usual is no longer an option.
“ In a companion report , the WEF provides some detail on what it means to change the way we eat .
“ Another set of policy measures that would stimulate more resource-efficient food systems entail directing stimulus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the diversification away from diets based on resource intensive animal proteins , and towards four main categories of alternatives – aquatic , plant-based , insect-based and laboratory-cultured , ” the report states .
This push for alternatives to animal proteins has coincided with a rise in laboratory created fake meat , including products funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
Interestingly , the companion report also calls for “ corporate bailout packages for the meat sector ” which “ could accelerate these developments.
” Coincidentally , because of COVID-19 , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief aid for the meat and dairy industry .
Once again , the predictions and declarations of these global institutions appear to play out in reality as perfect as any scripted TV show .
The calls for a Great Reset greatly mimic previous programs and initiatives put forward by other globalist organizations , including the United Nations .
Researcher F. William Engdahl provided much-needed clarity in a recent piece on the announcement of The Great Reset .
Engdahl notes that , “ the declaration by the World Economic Forum to make a Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attempt to advance the Agenda 2030 “ sustainable ” dystopian model , a global “ Green New Deal ” in the wake of the covid19 pandemic measures .
Their close ties with Gates Foundation projects , with the WHO , and with the UN suggest we may soon face a far more sinister world after the covid19 pandemic fades.
” In March , the WEF launched the COVID Action Platform which is essentially a call for global government in response to COVID-19 .
The answer , WEF believes , is to have greater @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nation-state , and tackle the world ’ s problems as one international community .
Along with the launch of the Action Platform , the WEF released an impressive graphic as part of their “ Strategic Intelligence ” platform , which outlines the wide ranging ways their plans will effect and shape the world of the 21st century and beyond .
From the media ’ s role in the pandemic to finding a vaccine , the graphic attempts to provide details on this centrally planned future being promoted by the WEF .
I encourage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down the rabbit hole that is the COVID Action Platform for a better understanding of where we are headed .
With the launch of The Great Reset , the WEF also launched a Strategic Intelligence graphic detailing how their plans will unfold .
The Great Reset graphic details how everything from drones , blockchain , the future of energy , LGBTI inclusion , and 3D printing will play a role in the New Normal .
Once again , I encourage readers to take a dive into this graphic to gain clarity on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the coming decade .
As Guinness notes , the co-curators of the Strategic Intelligence road map of the globalist vision include Harvard university , the Massachusetts Institute of Technology , Imperial College London , Oxford University , Yale and the European Council on Foreign Relations .
Several of these institutions continue to play an influential role in shaping the narrative around COVID-19 .
The WEF ’ s highest level of partnership is known as Strategic Partners .
There are only 100 international companies listed as Strategic Partners .
Each partner receives an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forum values.
” These partners “ shape the future through extensive contribution to developing and implementing Forum projects and championing public-private dialogue.
” The WEF ’ s Strategic Partners include Johnson & Johnson , and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation .
Bill Gates is also a long time “ Agenda Contributor ” for the WEF .
As mentioned above , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the WEF on the Event 201 pandemic exercise in October 2019 .
Johnson & Johnson were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TLAV has previously documented , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation operates in a similar fashion to the WEF : their publicly stated goals mask a global control agenda .
Thus , it should come as no surprise that Klaus Schwab , founder of the WEF , is a former attendee and member of the Steering Committee for the secretive Bilderberg Group .
The WEF itself is akin to a more public Bilderberg Group which brings together around 3,000 business leaders , international political leaders , economists , celebrities , and journalists for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues .
The WEF meets every January in Davos , Switzerland , to discuss their agenda .
The elitism of the WEF has resulted in Schwab and his cohorts being nicknamed The Davos Class .
In January 2021 the theme of the WEF meeting will be “ The Great Reset.
” It ’ s important that we keep an eye on the WEF and their push for the Great Reset as we draw closer to election 2020 and a potential Dark Winter .
Klaus Schwab , Bill Gates , and their ilk are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of humanity .
They are using the COVID-19 panic as an opportunity to push their agenda while selling it as the cure to our problems .
This predator class attempts to mask their true intentions with flowery language designed to lull the waking masses back to sleep .
To be clear , our world is absolutely , without a doubt existing in an unsustainable paradigm .
We do have growing income inequality , police violence , failing healthcare systems , and insufficient food production systems .
These problems were apparent before COVID-19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ become more obvious in recent months .
However , these psychopaths would prefer if we allowed them to stay in the driver ’ s seat as they careen us into a future of technocratic control and the end of individual liberty .
While Schwab and Gates would prefer that the people of the world submit to their vision , we must stand against this push for centralization of power and technology .
The Great Reset is coming , and perhaps , it should come .
We have many issues facing our species that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central planning , surveillance , and loss of individual liberty is not the answer .
The answer is decentralization , opting out en masse , non-compliance , and non-participation in the systems which have brought us to this predicament .
We , as free people , must decide what path we intend to take .
Will we stand by and allow the predators to seize control of all resources and power for the coming generations ?
Or , will we finally break free from their violent systems and initiate a Great Reset which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top ?
The answer depends on you .
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist .
He is the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com .
Follow him on Twitter .
Derrick is the author of three books : The Conscious Resistance : Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion , Vol .
1 , Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion , Vol .
2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans .
Derrick is available for interviews .
Please contact Derrick @ activistpost.com

COVID19, The Great Reset & The New Normal
Derrick Broze, Guest
Waking Times
Clearly, 2020 has been unlike any previous year in the last century or so. The world is currently battling against an infodemic of propaganda spewing from the corporate media and official health authorities. Yes, people are sick and dying. However, the statistics make it clear that COVID-19 simply does not warrant a total lockdown of the planet and further destruction of the economy.
Regardless, nations around the world are using COVID-19 as an opportunity to grab more surveillance and police state powers, institute mask and vaccine mandates, accelerate the push towards a completely digital world, enact more corporate bailouts, and generally, extreme control and involvement in citizens lives. The sheer magnitude of the COVID-19 operation is unparalleled, with the most recent similar event being the attacks of September 11, 2001. As with the 9/11 attacks, the predator class is using COVID-19 as the excuse to push plans and agendas which predate the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Even so, the COVID-19 operation is unlike any other event to take place in modern history because the results of this event are affecting people in every single nation on the planet and will continue to for years to come. Also, unlike 9/11 – which took place over the course of one morning – the COVID-19 operation is taking place daily for months on end. The effects of this constant bombardment with fear and panic are taking a toll on the hearts and minds of free people all around the world. Quite simply, the people are ready for this to end and they will do almost anything to achieve this goal. It is within this space of fear and uncertainty which the predator class has now begun to insert themselves, ready to present the “solution” to our ills.
The Great Reset
As every student of power and deception knows, the easiest way to achieve victory over your opponent is to guide them to a predetermined destination which benefits your agenda. If you can do this while convincing your opponent that they are consciously making their own choices and the path is for their own good – well, you are all but guaranteed success. I believe the evidence indicates this is the strategy we are seeing unfold during the COVID-19 operation.
The predetermined path we are being led down is known as “The Great Reset” and was announced in early June by the World Economic Forum. Regular readers will remember that on October 18, 2019, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the WEF on a high-level pandemic exercise known as Event 201. Event 201 simulated how the world would respond to a coronavirus pandemic which swept around the planet. The simulation imagined 65 million people dying, mass lock downs, quarantines, censorship of alternative viewpoints under the guise of fighting “disinformation,” and even floated the idea of arresting people who question the pandemic narrative.
The launch of The Great Reset was supported by Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum; England’s Prince Charles; Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN; and Kristalina Georgieva of the International Monetary Fund. The kick-off was truly an international event with the participation of Ma Jun, the chairman of the Green Finance Committee at the China Society for Finance and Banking and a member of the Monetary Policy Committee of the People’s Bank of China. The event was also supported by Bernard Looney, CEO of BP; Ajay Banga, CEO of Mastercard; and Bradford Smith, president of Microsoft.
During the launch of The Great Reset, Prince Charles stated that humanity cannot waste time because “we need to put nature at the heart of how we operate.” UN Secretary-General Guterres called for “more equal, inclusive and sustainable economies and societies” that can face pandemics, climate change, and other global challenges.
In an opinion piece published in The Globe and Mail, Klaus Schwab provided more details on the goals of The Great Reset (emphasis added):
COVID-19 lockdowns may be gradually easing, but anxiety about the world’s social and economic prospects is only intensifying. There is good reason to worry: a sharp economic downturn has already begun, and we could be facing the worst depression since the 1930s. But, while this outcome is likely, it is not unavoidable. To achieve a better outcome, the world must act jointly and swiftly to revamp all aspects of our societies and economies, from education to social contracts and working conditions. Every country, from the United States to China, must participate, and every industry, from oil and gas to tech, must be transformed. In short, we need a “Great Reset” of capitalism.
Schwab goes on to describe several crises facing humanity, including rising government debt, unemployment, and increasing social unrest. Combined with COVID-19, these crises will leave the world less sustainable, less equal and more fragile. “We must build entirely new foundations for our economic and social systems,” Schwab writes. He details the 3 main components of TGR agenda, specifically fairer market outcomes, investments in “equality and sustainability,” and harnessing the innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
When it comes to producing “fairer market outcomes,” Schwab calls for governments to improve coordination in tax, regulatory, and fiscal policy. He also calls for upgrading trade agreements and moving towards a “stakeholder economy.” When he speaks of equality and sustainability, Schwab means that current and future government stimulus and relief packages should be used to create a new system that is “more resilient, equitable and sustainable.”He also calls for more “green” urban infrastructure and incentivizing industries to improve their environmental record.
Finally, Schwab calls for utilizing the innovations of “the Fourth Industrial Revolution” to support public good. The 4IR is another pet project of Schwab which was first announced in December 2015. To put it simply, the 4IR is the digital panopticon of the future, where digital surveillance is omnipresent and humanity uses digital technology to alter and, hopefully, improve our lives. Sometimes known as “The Internet of Things,” this world will be powered by 5G and 6G technology.
“Ubiquitous, mobile supercomputing. Intelligent robots. Self-driving cars. Neuro-technological brain enhancements. Genetic editing. The evidence of dramatic change is all around us and it’s happening at exponential speed,” Schwab wrote for the announcement of the 4IR.
Of course, for Schwab and other globalists, the 4IR also lends itself towards more central planning and top-down control. The goal is a track and trace society where all transactions are logged, every person has a digital ID that can be tracked, and social malcontents are locked out of society via social credit scores.
In fact, much of this call for a Great Reset is already playing out. For example, Mastercard and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded GAVI recently announced a partnership with AI-powered “identity authentication” company, Trust Stamp. As MintPress News reported, “The program, which was first launched in late 2018, will see Trust Stamp’s digital identity platform integrated into the GAVI-Mastercard “Wellness Pass,” a digital vaccination record and identity system that is also linked to Mastercard’s click-to-play system that powered by its AI and machine learning technology called NuData.“
This is why astute readers are skeptical when they hear Schwab say, “the pandemic represents a rare but narrow window of opportunity to reflect, reimagine, and reset our world to create a healthier, more equitable and more prosperous future.”
Who exactly is Schwab speaking to when he speaks of a more prosperous future? How long has this Great Reset been in the works? The answers to these questions can help us understand the true goals of this agenda.
As researcher Brandon Smith reported, Christine Lagarde, former head of the IMF, discussed a global reset as far back as 2014. “The reset is often mentioned in the same breath as ideas like “the New Multilateralism” or “the Multipolar World Order” or “the New World Order.” All of these phrases mean essentially the same thing,” Smith writes.
Smith correctly notes that the Great Reset is not a response to the pandemic, but rather, “the global reset as implemented by central banks and the BIS/IMF is the cause of the collapse. The collapse is a tool, a flamethrower burning a great hole in the forest to make way for the foundations of the globalist Ziggurat to be built.”
New Normal, Same World Order
In early July, Schwab and French author Thierry Malleret released a book outlining the vision of The Great Reset. The book, Covid-19: The Great Reset, explores what the post-pandemic world might look like. “Will there be enough collective will to take advantage of this unprecedented opportunity to reimagine our world, in a bid to make it a better and more resilient one as it emerges on the other side of this crisis?,” Schwab and Malleret pondered at the release of the book. The two men believe COVID-19 triggered “momentous changes and magnified the fault lines that already beset our economies and societies.” They also predict that falling oil prices and a freeze in tourism could lead to a wave of massive anti-government demonstrations.
“One path will take us to a better world: more inclusive, more equitable and more respectful of Mother Nature. The other will take us to a world that resembles the one we just left behind – but worse and constantly dogged by nasty surprises,” the authors argue.
In the book, Schwab expands upon the initial announcement of The Great Reset. Once again he calls for the 4th Industrial Revolution and the digitalization of everything, powered by 5G technology. However, Schwab goes even further in his book, calling for rethinking the “social contract” society has with governments.
Schwab also calls for a nature based or green economy. In January 2020, the WEF released their report, Nature Risk Rising: Why the Crisis Engulfing Nature Matters for Business and the Economy, as part of their New Nature Economy series of reports. The report is “the first of a series of New Nature Economy reports, prepared through the Nature Action Agenda, a platform that aims to encourage a movement of businesses, governments, civil society, academics, innovators and youth to disrupt business-as-usual approaches.”
A second report, The Future of Nature and Business, was released in July. Once again, the WEF states that COVID-19 presents an “opportunity, to change the way we eat, live, grow, build and power our lives to achieve a carbon-neutral, ‘nature-positive’ economy and halt biodiversity loss by 2030. Business as usual is no longer an option.“
In a companion report, the WEF provides some detail on what it means to change the way we eat. “Another set of policy measures that would stimulate more resource-efficient food systems entail directing stimulus packages towards R&D to support the diversification away from diets based on resource intensive animal proteins, and towards four main categories of alternatives – aquatic, plant-based, insect-based and laboratory-cultured,” the report states. This push for alternatives to animal proteins has coincided with a rise in laboratory created fake meat, including products funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
Interestingly, the companion report also calls for “corporate bailout packages for the meat sector” which “could accelerate these developments.” Coincidentally, because of COVID-19, the Trump administration awarded $15.5 billion in relief aid for the meat and dairy industry. Once again, the predictions and declarations of these global institutions appear to play out in reality as perfect as any scripted TV show.
The calls for a Great Reset greatly mimic previous programs and initiatives put forward by other globalist organizations, including the United Nations. Researcher F. William Engdahl provided much-needed clarity in a recent piece on the announcement of The Great Reset. Engdahl notes that, “the declaration by the World Economic Forum to make a Great Reset is to all indications a thinly-veiled attempt to advance the Agenda 2030 “sustainable” dystopian model, a global “Green New Deal” in the wake of the covid19 pandemic measures. Their close ties with Gates Foundation projects, with the WHO, and with the UN suggest we may soon face a far more sinister world after the covid19 pandemic fades.”
Strategic Intelligence, Strategic Partners, and Event 201
In March, the WEF launched the COVID Action Platform which is essentially a call for global government in response to COVID-19. The answer, WEF believes, is to have greater global cooperation, move away from the nation-state, and tackle the world’s problems as one international community.
Along with the launch of the Action Platform, the WEF released an impressive graphic as part of their “Strategic Intelligence” platform, which outlines the wide ranging ways their plans will effect and shape the world of the 21st century and beyond. From the media’s role in the pandemic to finding a vaccine, the graphic attempts to provide details on this centrally planned future being promoted by the WEF. I encourage all readers to spend an evening going down the rabbit hole that is the COVID Action Platform for a better understanding of where we are headed.
With the launch of The Great Reset, the WEF also launched a Strategic Intelligence graphic detailing how their plans will unfold. The Great Reset graphic details how everything from drones, blockchain, the future of energy, LGBTI inclusion, and 3D printing will play a role in the New Normal. Once again, I encourage readers to take a dive into this graphic to gain clarity on what the WEF and their partners have planned for the coming decade.
The WEF promotes itself as the “International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation.” They partner with a variety of private companies, philanthropic outlets, and governments to achieve their goals. Researcher Steven Guinness recently outlined how the WEF partners with various institutions to accomplish their stated aims and how the Strategic Intelligence platform is “co-curated with leading topic experts from academia, think tanks, and international organizations.”
“‘Co-curators‘ are perhaps the most important aspect to consider here, given that they have the ability to ‘share their expertise with the Forum’s extensive network of members, partners and constituents, as well as a growing public audience,’” Guinness writes. “It is safe to assume then that when co-curators speak, members and partners of the World Economic Forum listen. This in part is how the WEF’s agenda takes shape.”
As Guinness notes, the co-curators of the Strategic Intelligence road map of the globalist vision include Harvard university, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, Oxford University, Yale and the European Council on Foreign Relations. Several of these institutions continue to play an influential role in shaping the narrative around COVID-19.
The WEF’s highest level of partnership is known as Strategic Partners. There are only 100 international companies listed as Strategic Partners. Each partner receives an invitation if they have “alignment with forum values.” These partners “shape the future through extensive contribution to developing and implementing Forum projects and championing public-private dialogue.”
The WEF’s Strategic Partners include Johnson & Johnson, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Bill Gates is also a long time “Agenda Contributor” for the WEF. As mentioned above, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation partnered with the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and the WEF on the Event 201 pandemic exercise in October 2019. Johnson & Johnson were also partners in the exercise.
As TLAV has previously documented, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation operates in a similar fashion to the WEF: their publicly stated goals mask a global control agenda. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Klaus Schwab, founder of the WEF, is a former attendee and member of the Steering Committee for the secretive Bilderberg Group.
The WEF itself is akin to a more public Bilderberg Group which brings together around 3,000 business leaders, international political leaders, economists, celebrities, and journalists for a five day conference to discuss global issues. The WEF meets every January in Davos, Switzerland, to discuss their agenda. The elitism of the WEF has resulted in Schwab and his cohorts being nicknamed The Davos Class.
In January 2021 the theme of the WEF meeting will be “The Great Reset.” It’s important that we keep an eye on the WEF and their push for the Great Reset as we draw closer to election 2020 and a potential Dark Winter. Klaus Schwab, Bill Gates, and their ilk are determined to present themselves as the saviors of humanity. They are using the COVID-19 panic as an opportunity to push their agenda while selling it as the cure to our problems.
This predator class attempts to mask their true intentions with flowery language designed to lull the waking masses back to sleep. To be clear, our world is absolutely, without a doubt existing in an unsustainable paradigm. We do have growing income inequality, police violence, failing healthcare systems, and insufficient food production systems. These problems were apparent before COVID-19 and the fragility of these systems has indeed become more obvious in recent months. However, these psychopaths would prefer if we allowed them to stay in the driver’s seat as they careen us into a future of technocratic control and the end of individual liberty.
While Schwab and Gates would prefer that the people of the world submit to their vision, we must stand against this push for centralization of power and technology. The Great Reset is coming, and perhaps, it should come. We have many issues facing our species that need to be addressed. However, central planning, surveillance, and loss of individual liberty is not the answer. The answer is decentralization, opting out en masse, non-compliance, and non-participation in the systems which have brought us to this predicament.
We, as free people, must decide what path we intend to take. Will we stand by and allow the predators to seize control of all resources and power for the coming generations? Or, will we finally break free from their violent systems and initiate a Great Reset which benefits the people, from bottom to top?
The answer depends on you.
About the Author
Derrick Broze is an investigative journalist and liberty activist. He is the founder of the TheConsciousResistance.com. Follow him on Twitter. Derrick is the author of three books: The Conscious Resistance: Reflections on Anarchy and Spirituality and Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 1, Finding Freedom in an Age of Confusion, Vol. 2 and Manifesto of the Free Humans. Derrick is available for interviews. Please contact Derrick@activistpost.com


wakingtimes--2020-08-05--Gates Tries to Justify Side Effects of Fast-Tracked Vaccine

Gates Tries to Justify Side Effects of Fast-Tracked Vaccine Get the latest Waking Times articles delivered to your inbox .
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As vaccine companies rush to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to market , billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates — who routinely funnels hundreds of millions of dollars to various vaccine projects — warns you will probably need “ multiple doses ” of any given COVID-19 vaccine for it to be effective.1 In speaking with CBS News , Gates said , “ None of the vaccines at this point appear like they ’ ll work with a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wipe the virus out through universal vaccinations it will require “ unbelievably big numbers ” of doses .
To be effective , he also predicts we will need to vaccinate around 80 % of the global population so , yes , we ’ re talking about tens of billions of doses .
Gates visibly struggles to maneuver through the pointed questions posed by CBS about the safety of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine ( currently known only as mRNA-1273 ) , which was recently found2 to cause systemic side effects in 80 % @ @ @ @ @ @ @ microgram ( mcg ) dose .
Side effects ranged from fatigue ( 80 % ) , chills ( 80 % ) , headache ( 60 % ) and myalgia or muscle pain ( 53 % ) .
After the second dose , 100 % of participants in the 100-mcg group experienced side effects .
In the highest dosage group , which received 250 mcg , 100 % of participants suffered side effects after both the first and second doses.3 Three of the 14 participants ( 21 % ) in the 250-mcg group suffered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Despite these worrisome results , the trial is being heralded as a big success , and vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit has been quoted 4 as saying we now know “ that it ’ s safe in 45 people , ” and that “ it doesn ’ t have a very common side effect problem.
” Clearly , we have very different perceptions of reality on what “ very common ” means .
If 80 % to 100 % is considered uncommon , then just what level of harm must be inflicted in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as having a questionable safety profile ?
According to Gates , those side effects are largely due to the high dosages Moderna had to use in order to achieve the desired antibody levels .
But , if high dosages are required to create a robust-enough immune response , and higher dosages also cause systemic side effects in a vast majority of people , just how safe will this global vaccination campaign be ?
Keep in mind , the 45 participants in Moderna ’ s Phase 1 trial were healthy individuals between the ages @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 90 % of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and struggle with chronic health conditions that can make them more prone to vaccine complications .
What ’ s more , frail elderly are unlikely to survive serious vaccine side effects , yet people over 80 are the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and would theoretically stand to benefit from the vaccine most .
High risk of side effects is probably to be expected , considering a ) the history of coronavirus vaccines in general , b ) most of the COVID-19 vaccines under development are relying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used in vaccine production before now , and c ) the vaccines are being fast-tracked , forgoing animal studies .
Starting with the first issue , researchers have been unable to produce a coronavirus vaccine despite decades-long efforts .
While SARS-CoV-2 is a novel human coronavirus , there are seven others that cause respiratory illness in humans , including four that trigger the common cold,6 which is why vaccine makers have been trying to develop coronavirus vaccines in the past .
Among the coronaviruses that cause respiratory illness are SARS and MERS .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2002 , following three SARS epidemics .
However , such efforts have proven highly problematic as coronavirus vaccines have a stubborn tendency to trigger paradoxical immune responses , and researchers have not been able to find a solution for that .
This alone is why fast-tracking a COVID-19 vaccine is a terribly risky decision .
As reported by Reuters , March 11 , 2020:7 Why a Vaccine May Trigger More Severe Illness In my interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. , who chairs the board of directors of the Children ’ s Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ efforts to produce a viable coronavirus vaccine , starting in 2002 , and highlighted the dangers of vaccine exaggeration of the immune response : As it turns out , they eventually discovered that there are two kinds of antibodies being produced by the coronavirus .
When you read press releases and studies about COVID-19 vaccines , you ’ ll see them referring to : • Neutralizing antibodies that fight the infection , and • Binding antibodies ( also known as nonneutralizing antibodies ) that do not prevent viral infection The binding antibodies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trigger what ’ s known as paradoxical immune enhancement .
As explained above , what this means is that even though you may have a robust antibody response , when you ’ re exposed to the actual virus , rather than protecting you it actually enhances the virus ’ ability to make you sick or even kill you .
Looking at the preliminary findings11 from Moderna ’ s mRNA-1273 Phase 1 trial , we see that neutralizing antibody responses were quite good , “ reducing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by 80 % or more ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also see that : Does this rapid increase in binding antibodies mean paradoxical immune enhancement is a possibility ?
One of my main concerns with COVID-19 vaccines is , will they actually conduct testing to see if paradoxical immune enhancement occurs ?
Meaning , will they expose vaccinated participants to SARS-CoV-2 , to see what happens ?
Aside from the possibility of a paradoxical immune response , mRNA vaccines may in and of themselves be problematic .
Inside your cells , mRNA activate DNA instructions , and act as a template to build @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mRNA vaccines is that when you inject the mRNA , it will stimulate your own cells to manufacture the virus proteins.12 In this case , those proteins would mimic the proteins found in SARS-CoV-2 .
Conventional vaccines train your body to recognize and respond to the proteins of a particular virus by injecting a small amount of the actual viral protein into your body , thereby triggering an immune response and the development of antibodies .
mRNA vaccines are designed to make your body produce its own viral protein , which your immune @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
No previous vaccines have had your own cells produce the viral proteins responsible for producing immunity .
What might go wrong when you turn your body into a viral protein factory , thus activating antibody production on a continual basis ?
Well , since there are no mRNA vaccines on the market , it ’ s hard to tell .
But , according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University:13,14 Some of these effects , such as systemic inflammation and blood clots , resemble severe symptoms of COVID-19 itself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccines might worsen COVID-19 infection ?
What ’ s more , since the mRNA vaccines work on the genetic level and could become integrated into your DNA , might they cause long-term , perhaps even generational , problems ?
Some COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Are Not Using Inert Placebos Some COVID-19 vaccine trials also appear to be structured in such a way as to hide side effects , which does not inspire trust .
As noted in a July 21 , 2020 , Wired article,15 some trials are using injected meningococcal vaccine rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ use another vaccine as a control , certain symptoms of harm are automatically obscured .
Another way to hide side effects is to administer the vaccine along with certain drugs .
One example of this is the University of Oxford ’ s COVID-19 vaccine trial , which has one study arm in which subjects are given acetaminophen every six hours for the first 24 hours after inoculation .
Is the pain and fever reducer given to mask and downplay certain symptoms and side effects , such as pain , fever , headache or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ noted by Wired:16 As discussed in several previous articles , including “ How Bill Gates Monopolized Global Health ” and “ Deconstructing Bill Gates ’ Agenda , ” Gates is one of the financial beneficiaries of this pandemic .
His foundation both funds vaccine developers and owns stock in them .
While he claims there ’ s separation between these two , it ’ s a flimsy one at best , and clearly illegal .
While the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation doles out grants , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foundation ’ s assets .
However , these two entities have glaringly obvious overlapping interests , and grants given by the foundation frequently benefit the value of the trust ’ s assets directly .
I wrote about this illegal setup in “ Bill Gates — Most Dangerous Philanthropist in Modern History ?
” This is why , despite giving away billions of dollars , Gates ’ “ Decade of Vaccines ” has doubled his worth , from $ 54 billion to $ 103.1 billion .
Since President Trump stopped the U.S. funding of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ largest funder of the World Health Organization , which is laying down the ground rules that all nations are expected to follow , which , of course , includes the recommendation to vaccinate , as soon as a vaccine becomes available .
Gates ’ remarkable rise to influence on global health matters is founded not on expertise but on money .
Just like John D. Rockefeller before him , Gates gained public adoration by donating money to ostensibly “ humanitarian causes ” — and purchasing good publicity .
Nowadays , he needs all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As more people are getting wise to his greedy get-rich vaccine schemes , his reputation is rapidly tarnishing .
According to an April 23 , 2020 , Newspunch article,17 410,000 people had signed a White House petition18 to investigate the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for crimes against humanity and medical malpractice .
At the time of this writing , the petition has garnered 628,668 signatures .
That ’ s well over six times the number required to illicit an official response .
The petition is still open if you ’ d like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Most Powerful Videos I ’ ve Ever Seen The following video from Barbara Loe Fisher is one of the most powerful videos that I have ever seen .
I am hopeful that watching this video will inspire you to take up the cause and join the fight for vaccine freedom and independence .
There is a cultural war and collusion between many industries and federal regulatory agencies that results in a suppression of the truth about vital important health issues .
If this suppression continues we will gradually and progressively erode our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so hard to achieve .
Please take a few minutes to watch this video .

Gates Tries to Justify Side Effects of Fast-Tracked Vaccine
Dr. Mercola, Guest
Waking Times
As vaccine companies rush to bring a COVID-19 vaccine to market, billionaire Microsoft founder Bill Gates — who routinely funnels hundreds of millions of dollars to various vaccine projects — warns you will probably need “multiple doses” of any given COVID-19 vaccine for it to be effective.1
In speaking with CBS News, Gates said, “None of the vaccines at this point appear like they’ll work with a single dose,” adding that in order to wipe the virus out through universal vaccinations it will require “unbelievably big numbers” of doses. To be effective, he also predicts we will need to vaccinate around 80% of the global population so, yes, we’re talking about tens of billions of doses.
Gates visibly struggles to maneuver through the pointed questions posed by CBS about the safety of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (currently known only as mRNA-1273), which was recently found2 to cause systemic side effects in 80% of Phase 1 participants receiving the 100 microgram (mcg) dose.
Side effects ranged from fatigue (80%), chills (80%), headache (60%) and myalgia or muscle pain (53%). After the second dose, 100% of participants in the 100-mcg group experienced side effects.
In the highest dosage group, which received 250 mcg, 100% of participants suffered side effects after both the first and second doses.3 Three of the 14 participants (21%) in the 250-mcg group suffered “one or more severe events.”
Despite these worrisome results, the trial is being heralded as a big success, and vaccine expert Dr. Paul Offit has been quoted 4 as saying we now know “that it’s safe in 45 people,” and that “it doesn’t have a very common side effect problem.”
Clearly, we have very different perceptions of reality on what “very common” means. If 80% to 100% is considered uncommon, then just what level of harm must be inflicted in order for a vaccine to be viewed as having a questionable safety profile?
According to Gates, those side effects are largely due to the high dosages Moderna had to use in order to achieve the desired antibody levels. But, if high dosages are required to create a robust-enough immune response, and higher dosages also cause systemic side effects in a vast majority of people, just how safe will this global vaccination campaign be?
Keep in mind, the 45 participants in Moderna’s Phase 1 trial were healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 55.5 Meanwhile, over 90% of Americans are metabolically unhealthy and struggle with chronic health conditions that can make them more prone to vaccine complications.
What’s more, frail elderly are unlikely to survive serious vaccine side effects, yet people over 80 are the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and would theoretically stand to benefit from the vaccine most.
High risk of side effects is probably to be expected, considering a) the history of coronavirus vaccines in general, b) most of the COVID-19 vaccines under development are relying on mRNA technology that have never been used in vaccine production before now, and c) the vaccines are being fast-tracked, forgoing animal studies.
Starting with the first issue, researchers have been unable to produce a coronavirus vaccine despite decades-long efforts. While SARS-CoV-2 is a novel human coronavirus, there are seven others that cause respiratory illness in humans, including four that trigger the common cold,6 which is why vaccine makers have been trying to develop coronavirus vaccines in the past.
Studies have suggested that coronavirus vaccines carry the risk of what is known as vaccine enhancement, where instead of protecting against infection, the vaccine can actually make the disease worse when a vaccinated person is infected with the virus.
Among the coronaviruses that cause respiratory illness are SARS and MERS. Coronavirus vaccine efforts gained speed in early 2002, following three SARS epidemics.
However, such efforts have proven highly problematic as coronavirus vaccines have a stubborn tendency to trigger paradoxical immune responses, and researchers have not been able to find a solution for that. This alone is why fast-tracking a COVID-19 vaccine is a terribly risky decision. As reported by Reuters, March 11, 2020:7
“Studies have suggested that coronavirus vaccines carry the risk of what is known as vaccine enhancement, where instead of protecting against infection, the vaccine can actually make the disease worse when a vaccinated person is infected with the virus.
The mechanism that causes that risk is not fully understood and is one of the stumbling blocks that has prevented the successful development of a coronavirus vaccine.
Normally, researchers would take months to test for the possibility of vaccine enhancement in animals. Given the urgency to stem the spread of the new coronavirus, some drugmakers are moving straight into small-scale human tests, without waiting for the completion of such animal tests.
‘I understand the importance of accelerating timelines for vaccines in general, but from everything I know, this is not the vaccine to be doing it with,’ Dr. Peter Hotez, dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine, told Reuters.”
Why a Vaccine May Trigger More Severe Illness
In my interview with Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who chairs the board of directors of the Children’s Health Defense,8 he reviewed some of the failed efforts to produce a viable coronavirus vaccine, starting in 2002, and highlighted the dangers of vaccine exaggeration of the immune response:
“The Chinese, the Americans, the Europeans all got together and said, ‘We need to develop a vaccine against coronavirus.’ Around 2012, they had about 30 vaccines that looked promising. They took the four best of those and … gave those vaccines to ferrets, which are the closest analogy when you’re looking at lung infections in human beings.
The ferrets had an extraordinarily good antibody response, and that is the metric by which FDA licenses vaccines … The ferrets developed very strong antibodies, so they thought, ‘We hit the jackpot.’ All four of these vaccines … worked like a charm.
Then something terrible happened. Those ferrets were then exposed to the wild virus, and they all died. [They developed] inflammation in all their organs, their lungs stopped functioning and they died.
Then those scientists remembered that the same thing had happened in the 1960s when they tried to develop an RSV vaccine, which is an upper respiratory illness very similar to coronavirus.
At the time, they did not test it on animals. They went right to human testing. They tested it on about 35 children, and the same thing happened. The children developed a champion antibody response, robust, durable. It looked perfect, and then the children were exposed to the wild virus and they all became sick. Two of them died. They abandoned the vaccine. It was a big embarrassment to FDA and NIH.”
As it turns out, they eventually discovered that there are two kinds of antibodies being produced by the coronavirus. When you read press releases and studies about COVID-19 vaccines, you’ll see them referring to:
Neutralizing antibodies 9 that fight the infection, and
that fight the infection, and Binding antibodies 10 (also known as nonneutralizing antibodies) that do not prevent viral infection
The binding antibodies, rather than fighting the infection, actually trigger what’s known as paradoxical immune enhancement. As explained above, what this means is that even though you may have a robust antibody response, when you’re exposed to the actual virus, rather than protecting you it actually enhances the virus’ ability to make you sick or even kill you.
Looking at the preliminary findings11 from Moderna’s mRNA-1273 Phase 1 trial, we see that neutralizing antibody responses were quite good, “reducing SARS-CoV-2 infectivity by 80% or more” at day 43. However, we also see that:
“Binding antibody IgG geometric mean titers (GMTs) to S-2P increased rapidly after the first vaccination, with seroconversion in all participants by day 15. Dose-dependent responses to the first and second vaccinations were evident.”
Does this rapid increase in binding antibodies mean paradoxical immune enhancement is a possibility? One of my main concerns with COVID-19 vaccines is, will they actually conduct testing to see if paradoxical immune enhancement occurs? Meaning, will they expose vaccinated participants to SARS-CoV-2, to see what happens?
mRNA Vaccines May Produce Serious Side Effects
Aside from the possibility of a paradoxical immune response, mRNA vaccines may in and of themselves be problematic. Inside your cells, mRNA activate DNA instructions, and act as a template to build a specific protein.
The theory behind mRNA vaccines is that when you inject the mRNA, it will stimulate your own cells to manufacture the virus proteins.12 In this case, those proteins would mimic the proteins found in SARS-CoV-2.
Conventional vaccines train your body to recognize and respond to the proteins of a particular virus by injecting a small amount of the actual viral protein into your body, thereby triggering an immune response and the development of antibodies.
mRNA vaccines are designed to make your body produce its own viral protein, which your immune system would then mount a response to. No previous vaccines have had your own cells produce the viral proteins responsible for producing immunity.
What might go wrong when you turn your body into a viral protein factory, thus activating antibody production on a continual basis? Well, since there are no mRNA vaccines on the market, it’s hard to tell. But, according to researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Duke University:13,14
“mRNA vaccines have potential safety issues, including local and systemic inflammation and stimulation of auto-reactive antibodies and autoimmunity, as well as development of edema (swelling) and blood clots.”
Some of these effects, such as systemic inflammation and blood clots, resemble severe symptoms of COVID-19 itself. So, does that mean mRNA vaccines might worsen COVID-19 infection? What’s more, since the mRNA vaccines work on the genetic level and could become integrated into your DNA, might they cause long-term, perhaps even generational, problems?
Some COVID-19 Vaccine Trials Are Not Using Inert Placebos
Some COVID-19 vaccine trials also appear to be structured in such a way as to hide side effects, which does not inspire trust. As noted in a July 21, 2020, Wired article,15 some trials are using injected meningococcal vaccine rather than a true placebo, and anytime you use another vaccine as a control, certain symptoms of harm are automatically obscured.
Another way to hide side effects is to administer the vaccine along with certain drugs. One example of this is the University of Oxford’s COVID-19 vaccine trial, which has one study arm in which subjects are given acetaminophen every six hours for the first 24 hours after inoculation.
Is the pain and fever reducer given to mask and downplay certain symptoms and side effects, such as pain, fever, headache or general malaise? It might. As noted by Wired:16
“The press release for … results from the Oxford vaccine trials described an increased frequency of ‘minor side effects’ among participants. A look at the actual paper, though, reveals this to be a marketing spin …
Yes, mild reactions were far more common than worse ones. But moderate or severe harms — defined as being bad enough to interfere with daily life or needing medical care — were common too.
Around one-third of people vaccinated with the COVID-19 vaccine without acetaminophen experienced moderate or severe chills, fatigue, headache, malaise, and/or feverishness.
Close to 10 percent had a fever of at least 100.4 degrees, and just over one-fourth developed moderate or severe muscle aches. That’s a lot, in a young and healthy group of people — and the acetaminophen didn’t help much for most of those problems.”
Gates Continues Push for Global Vaccine Empire
As discussed in several previous articles, including “How Bill Gates Monopolized Global Health” and “Deconstructing Bill Gates’ Agenda,” Gates is one of the financial beneficiaries of this pandemic. His foundation both funds vaccine developers and owns stock in them.
While he claims there’s separation between these two, it’s a flimsy one at best, and clearly illegal. While the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation doles out grants, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust is a separate entity that manages the Foundation’s assets.
However, these two entities have glaringly obvious overlapping interests, and grants given by the foundation frequently benefit the value of the trust’s assets directly. I wrote about this illegal setup in “Bill Gates — Most Dangerous Philanthropist in Modern History?” This is why, despite giving away billions of dollars, Gates’ “Decade of Vaccines” has doubled his worth, from $54 billion to $103.1 billion.
Since President Trump stopped the U.S. funding of the WHO, Gates is now the largest funder of the World Health Organization, which is laying down the ground rules that all nations are expected to follow, which, of course, includes the recommendation to vaccinate, as soon as a vaccine becomes available.
Gates’ remarkable rise to influence on global health matters is founded not on expertise but on money. Just like John D. Rockefeller before him, Gates gained public adoration by donating money to ostensibly “humanitarian causes” — and purchasing good publicity.
Nowadays, he needs all the good publicity he can buy. As more people are getting wise to his greedy get-rich vaccine schemes, his reputation is rapidly tarnishing.
According to an April 23, 2020, Newspunch article,17 410,000 people had signed a White House petition18 to investigate the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for crimes against humanity and medical malpractice. At the time of this writing, the petition has garnered 628,668 signatures. That’s well over six times the number required to illicit an official response. The petition is still open if you’d like to add your signature.
One of the Most Powerful Videos I’ve Ever Seen
The following video from Barbara Loe Fisher is one of the most powerful videos that I have ever seen. I am hopeful that watching this video will inspire you to take up the cause and join the fight for vaccine freedom and independence.
There is a cultural war and collusion between many industries and federal regulatory agencies that results in a suppression of the truth about vital important health issues. If this suppression continues we will gradually and progressively erode our private individual rights that our ancestors fought so hard to achieve. Please take a few minutes to watch this video.


wakingtimes--2020-08-05--Who Profits from Militarizing the Police?

Who Profits from Militarizing the Police ?
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Ever since images of the police deploying armored vehicles against peaceful demonstrators in Ferguson , Missouri , hit the national airwaves in 2014 , the Pentagon ’ s program for supplying “ surplus ” military equipment to local police departments has been a news item .
It ’ s also gotten intermittent attention in Congress and the executive branch .
Under the circumstances and given who ’ s providing the equipment , you won ’ t be surprised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suffers from lax oversight .
In 2017 , the Government Accountability Office ( GAO ) created a fake law enforcement agency and was able to acquire $ 1.2 million worth of equipment through the program , including night vision goggles and simulated M-16A2 rifles .
The request was approved within a week of the GAO ’ s application .
The Obama administration finally implemented some reforms in the wake of Ferguson , banning the transfer of tracked vehicles , grenade launchers , and weaponized aircraft , among other things , while requiring police @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their need for specific equipment .
But such modest efforts—and they proved modest indeed—were promptly chucked out when Donald Trump took office .
And the Trump administration changes quickly had a discernible effect .
In 2019 , the 1033 Program had one of its biggest years ever , with about 15,750 military items transferred to law enforcement , a figure exceeded only in 2012 , in the Obama years , when 17,000 such items were distributed .
As noted , the mere possession of military equipment has been shown to stoke the ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ characterizes so many police departments , as evidenced by the use of Special Weapons and Tactics ( SWAT ) teams armed with military weaponry for routine drug enforcement activities .
It ’ s hardly just SWAT teams , though .
The weaponry and related items provided under the 1033 Program are widely employed by ordinary police forces .
NBC News , for instance , reported that armored vehicles were used at least 29 times in response to Black Lives Matter protests organized since the murder of George Floyd , including in major urban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has also determined that more than 1,100 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles have been distributed to local law enforcement agencies under the MRAP program , going to communities large and small , including Sanford , Maine , population 20,000 , and Moundsville , West Virginia , population 8,400 .
Companies in the military-industrial complex earn billions of dollars selling weapons , as well as building and operating prisons and detention facilities , and supplying the police while theoretically dealing with problems with deep social and economic roots .
Generally speaking , by the time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have only become deeper and more rooted .
Take , for example , giant weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin , Boeing , and Raytheon that profit so splendidly from the sales of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia , weaponry that in turn has been used to kill tens of thousands of civilians in Yemen , destroy civilian infrastructure there , and block the provision of desperately needed humanitarian assistance .
The result : more than a hundred thousand deaths in that country and millions more on the brink of famine and disease , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have also been at the front of the line when it comes to benefiting from America ’ s endless post-9/11 wars .
The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates that the United States has spent over $ 6.4 trillion on just some of those overseas conflicts since 2001 .
Hundreds of billions of those dollars ended up in the pockets of defense contractors , while problems in the US , left far less well funded , only grew .
And by the way , the Pentagon ’ s regular budget , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also manages to provide huge benefits to such weapons makers .
Almost half of the department ’ s $ 750 billion budget goes to them .
According to the Federal Procurement Data System ’ s latest report on the top recipients of government contracts , the five largest US arms makers alone—Lockheed Martin , Boeing , Raytheon , Northrop Grumman , and General Dynamics—split well over $ 100 billion in Pentagon awards among them in 2019 .
Meanwhile , those same five firms pay their CEOs a total of approximately $ 100 million @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more going to other top executives and board members .
Meanwhile , in the Trump years , the militarization of the border has become a particularly lucrative business opportunity , with General Atomics , for instance , supplying ever more surveillance drones and General Dynamics supplying an ever more intricate and expensive remote sensor surveillance system .
There are also millions to be made running privatized prisons and immigrant detention centers , filling the coffers of firms like CoreCivic and the GEO Group , which have secured record profits in recent years while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two sources .
Last but not least is the market for even more police equipment .
Local forces benefit from grants from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase a wide range of items to supplement the Pentagon ’ s 1033 Program .
Much has been written about America ’ s failed post-9/11 wars , which have cost trillions of dollars in taxpayer treasure , hundreds of thousands of lives ( American and otherwise ) , and physical and psychological injuries to hundreds of thousands more .
These wars have also propped up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made it easier for terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS to form and spread .
Think of it as the ultimate boomerang effect , in which violence begets more violence while allowing overseas terrorist organizations to thrive .
As journalist Nick Turse has noted with respect to the militarization of US Africa policy , the growth in American military operations on that continent has proceeded rather strikingly in conjunction with a proliferation of new terrorist groups .
Put the best light on them and US counterterror operations there have been ineffective .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further increases in terrorist activities in the region .
William D. Hartung is the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy .
He is the author of Prophets of War : Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex .
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Who Profits from Militarizing the Police?
William D. Hartung, Guest
Waking Times
Ever since images of the police deploying armored vehicles against peaceful demonstrators in Ferguson, Missouri, hit the national airwaves in 2014, the Pentagon’s program for supplying “surplus” military equipment to local police departments has been a news item. It’s also gotten intermittent attention in Congress and the executive branch.
Since 1997, the Pentagon’s 1033 Program, as it’s called, has channeled to 8,000 separate law enforcement agencies more than $7.4 billion in surplus equipment, including Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles of the kind used on the battlefields of Iraq and Afghanistan, along with rifles, ammunition, grenade launchers, and night vision devices. As Brian Barrett has pointed out at Wired, “Local law enforcement responding to even nonviolent protests has often looked more like the U.S. Armed Forces.” Political scientist Ryan Welch coauthored a 2017 study suggesting, when it came to police departments equipped in such a fashion, “that officers with military hardware and mindsets will resort to violence more often and more quickly.”
Under the circumstances and given who’s providing the equipment, you won’t be surprised to learn that the 1033 Program also suffers from lax oversight. In 2017, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) created a fake law enforcement agency and was able to acquire $1.2 million worth of equipment through the program, including night vision goggles and simulated M-16A2 rifles. The request was approved within a week of the GAO’s application.
The Obama administration finally implemented some reforms in the wake of Ferguson, banning the transfer of tracked vehicles, grenade launchers, and weaponized aircraft, among other things, while requiring police departments to supply more detailed rationales describing their need for specific equipment. But such modest efforts—and they proved modest indeed—were promptly chucked out when Donald Trump took office. And the Trump administration changes quickly had a discernible effect. In 2019, the 1033 Program had one of its biggest years ever, with about 15,750 military items transferred to law enforcement, a figure exceeded only in 2012, in the Obama years, when 17,000 such items were distributed.
As noted, the mere possession of military equipment has been shown to stoke the ever stronger “warrior culture” that now characterizes so many police departments, as evidenced by the use of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) teams armed with military weaponry for routine drug enforcement activities. It’s hardly just SWAT teams, though. The weaponry and related items provided under the 1033 Program are widely employed by ordinary police forces. NBC News, for instance, reported that armored vehicles were used at least 29 times in response to Black Lives Matter protests organized since the murder of George Floyd, including in major urban areas like Philadelphia and Cincinnati. NBC has also determined that more than 1,100 Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles have been distributed to local law enforcement agencies under the MRAP program, going to communities large and small, including Sanford, Maine, population 20,000, and Moundsville, West Virginia, population 8,400.
A report from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has similarly documented the use of Pentagon-supplied equipment in no-knock home invasions, including driving up to people’s houses in just such armored vehicles to launch the raids. The ACLU concluded that “the militarization of American policing is evident in the training that police officers receive, which encourages them to adopt a ‘warrior’ mentality and think of the people they are supposed to serve as enemies, as well as in the equipment they use, such as battering rams, flashbang grenades, and APCs [Armored Personnel Carriers].”
Who Benefits?
Companies in the military-industrial complex earn billions of dollars selling weapons, as well as building and operating prisons and detention facilities, and supplying the police while theoretically dealing with problems with deep social and economic roots. Generally speaking, by the time they’re done, those problems have only become deeper and more rooted. Take, for example, giant weapons contractors like Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Raytheon that profit so splendidly from the sales of weapons systems to Saudi Arabia, weaponry that in turn has been used to kill tens of thousands of civilians in Yemen, destroy civilian infrastructure there, and block the provision of desperately needed humanitarian assistance. The result: more than a hundred thousand deaths in that country and millions more on the brink of famine and disease, including COVID-19.
Such major weapons firms have also been at the front of the line when it comes to benefiting from America’s endless post-9/11 wars. The Costs of War Project at Brown University estimates that the United States has spent over $6.4 trillion on just some of those overseas conflicts since 2001. Hundreds of billions of those dollars ended up in the pockets of defense contractors, while problems in the US, left far less well funded, only grew.
And by the way, the Pentagon’s regular budget, combined with direct spending on wars, also manages to provide huge benefits to such weapons makers. Almost half of the department’s $750 billion budget goes to them. According to the Federal Procurement Data System’s latest report on the top recipients of government contracts, the five largest US arms makers alone—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, and General Dynamics—split well over $100 billion in Pentagon awards among them in 2019. Meanwhile, those same five firms pay their CEOs a total of approximately $100 million per year, with hundreds of millions more going to other top executives and board members.
Meanwhile, in the Trump years, the militarization of the border has become a particularly lucrative business opportunity, with General Atomics, for instance, supplying ever more surveillance drones and General Dynamics supplying an ever more intricate and expensive remote sensor surveillance system. There are also millions to be made running privatized prisons and immigrant detention centers, filling the coffers of firms like CoreCivic and the GEO Group, which have secured record profits in recent years while garnering about half their revenues from those two sources.
Last but not least is the market for even more police equipment. Local forces benefit from grants from the Department of Homeland Security to purchase a wide range of items to supplement the Pentagon’s 1033 Program.
The True Bottom Line
Much has been written about America’s failed post-9/11 wars, which have cost trillions of dollars in taxpayer treasure, hundreds of thousands of lives (American and otherwise), and physical and psychological injuries to hundreds of thousands more. These wars have also propped up sectarian and corrupt regimes that have actually made it easier for terrorist groups like al-Qaeda and ISIS to form and spread. Think of it as the ultimate boomerang effect, in which violence begets more violence while allowing overseas terrorist organizations to thrive. As journalist Nick Turse has noted with respect to the militarization of US Africa policy, the growth in American military operations on that continent has proceeded rather strikingly in conjunction with a proliferation of new terrorist groups. Put the best light on them and US counterterror operations there have been ineffective. More likely, they have simply helped spawn further increases in terrorist activities in the region.
About the Author
William D. Hartung is the director of the Arms and Security Project at the Center for International Policy. He is the author of Prophets of War: Lockheed Martin and the Making of the Military-Industrial Complex.