activistpost--2020-01-29--There’s No Fever Like Gold Fever…

There’s No Fever Like Gold Fever…

In late December 2019 , a bill from the German finance ministry – which had passed the lower legislative house – proposed lowering the “ anonymous purchase limit ” for precious metals from €10,000 to €2,000 ( about $ 2,200 ) , a reduction of 80 % .
At the current price , one could buy less than one and one-half troy ounces of gold without activating customer ID paperwork , and for businesses – a criminal background check !
This is an additional decline from the €15,000 mandated just two years ago .
Set to become law in early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as long lines outside a coin shop in Cologne show .
Some of the world ’ s largest banks – including several in Germany – have long made a habit of laundering literally billions of dollars , euros , and assorted financial instruments from questionable customers .
This all begs the question as to how further squeezing “ the little man ” by imposing onerous reporting over relatively tiny amounts of gold sales is going to accomplish anything constructive .
It turns out that this legislative effort is directly tied to European Union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the anti-money laundering directive ( AMLD5 ) , requiring member state compliance .
And some people wonder why Britain ’ s Labour Party – whose platform proposed adding still more regulatory burdens to the population – recently suffered such a devastating defeat .
Bitcoin.com reports the EU ’ s 5th anti-money laundering directive dictates that “ non-transparent assets , accounts , and even private safety deposit boxes will now be subject to state information gathering by law.
” They don ’ t want normal people to bank run their scam paper .
Gold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself from inflation .
They ( the governments/banks ) want to know every single person that tries to get out of their cage… …Gold is thus seen as one of the final hedges against irresponsible government policy , and the proposed new limits on precious metals , will leave residents of Germany with even fewer options .
“ I live in Germany and the thing is we have had a full-blown shortage going on for weeks now .
All these people in the line will go home empty handed .
The smart ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and months ago… you have these ( off-putting ) ones who think the supply will wait for them when they lift ( themselves up ) in the last second .
The retailers have been sold out for weeks already .
It might clear up in January when the new law is in place , but I am not betting on it .
It could also indicate that we are close to something bigger.
” Here ’ s the rub , and you can take this to the bank… Authorities in most countries in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ common by the day in that bastion of “ democracy ” – the U.S. , at every level equate the desire for privacy with doing something “ nefarious.
” Some of Merriam-Webster ’ s numerous words define the term as “ bad , evil , unethical , unlawful , wicked , wrong , ” etc .
Take your pick .
Ignore the clueless non-observer who reels off the knee-jerk comment that “ If I don ’ t have anything to hide… It ’ s a very dangerous slide from “ Innocent until proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s a corrosive trend that has all too-commonly become the operative principle of those whom we ’ ve elected to serve us , but who have now decided , in their finite wisdom , that we should serve them .
Not just “ the man in the street.
” Despite the excitement ( and profit-building opportunities ) offered by gold and silver from 2001-11 affected not just “ the man on the street ” but CEOs of most mining companies who continue to project the future by looking into the rearview @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less money was spent on discovery , leading inexorably to lower production .
The overall result is that from the last decade , 2020 Reserves ( the highest and most economically recoverable category of known ore deposit ) for the world ’ s largest gold mining companies are down fully 26 % .
David Morgan has long counseled newsletter subscribers to The Morgan Report , in addition to the tens of thousands who ( weekly ) receive The Free Morgan Report to start an accumulation program by acquiring physical gold and silver – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit-potential second .
Own precious metals – i.e .
honest money – paid for by fiat “ paper promises.
” On numerable occasions , over the thousands of years in which it has reliably fulfilled these roles , gold ( and silver ) have turned out to be literal life-savers in their own right .
Richard Davies toured Aceh , Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami that killed 250,000 people .
He noted , If this doesn ’ t get your attention , then you ’ re just not paying attention !
Long before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ rush , ” smart money with deep pockets will have been activating their own accumulation plan .
The chart below from Goldman Sachs research indicates what ’ s been going on under the radar .
Gold ETF ( visible ) accumulation – which by the way has now officially reached record levels – is being substantially eclipsed by the build in non-transparent gold investment , as it is ensconced around the world in private vaults , kept “ in hand ” near one ’ s residence , or simply buried in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too late to accumulate !
These and other data points , such as the current low level of U.S. Mint American Gold Eagle production – which follows demand – indicate that the majority of potential investors have yet to enter the gold space .
Act to strengthen your financial immune system by accumulating the desired level of metal now , before the ongoing gold-build morphs into a public-mania-infused “ gold fever.
” And before the concept of financial privacy and flexibility has become a relic of the not-too distant past .
David H. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a regular contributor to MoneyMetals.com as well as the LODE Cryptographic Silver Monetary System Project .
He has investigated precious metals ’ mines and exploration sites in Argentina , Chile , Peru , Mexico , Bolivia , China , Canada and the U.S .
He shares resource sector observations with readers , the media , and North American investment conference attendees .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By David Smith
In late December 2019, a bill from the German finance ministry – which had passed the lower legislative house – proposed lowering the “anonymous purchase limit” for precious metals from €10,000 to €2,000 (about $2,200), a reduction of 80%.
At the current price, one could buy less than one and one-half troy ounces of gold without activating customer ID paperwork, and for businesses – a criminal background check!
This is an additional decline from the €15,000 mandated just two years ago. Set to become law in early 2020, the effect was immediate, as long lines outside a coin shop in Cologne show.
Some of the world’s largest banks – including several in Germany – have long made a habit of laundering literally billions of dollars, euros, and assorted financial instruments from questionable customers.
This all begs the question as to how further squeezing “the little man” by imposing onerous reporting over relatively tiny amounts of gold sales is going to accomplish anything constructive.
It turns out that this legislative effort is directly tied to European Union (EU) guidelines laid out in the anti-money laundering directive (AMLD5), requiring member state compliance. And some people wonder why Britain’s Labour Party – whose platform proposed adding still more regulatory burdens to the population – recently suffered such a devastating defeat.
Bitcoin.com reports the EU’s 5th anti-money laundering directive dictates that “non-transparent assets, accounts, and even private safety deposit boxes will now be subject to state information gathering by law.”
A user on Reddit remarked:
They don’t want normal people to bank run their scam paper. Gold and hard assets is how you protect yourself from inflation. They (the governments/banks) want to know every single person that tries to get out of their cage… …Gold is thus seen as one of the final hedges against irresponsible government policy, and the proposed new limits on precious metals, will leave residents of Germany with even fewer options.
A German citizen remarks:
“I live in Germany and the thing is we have had a full-blown shortage going on for weeks now. All these people in the line will go home empty handed. The smart ones have been exchanging paper for gold weeks and months ago… you have these (off-putting) ones who think the supply will wait for them when they lift (themselves up) in the last second. The retailers have been sold out for weeks already. It might clear up in January when the new law is in place, but I am not betting on it. It could also indicate that we are close to something bigger.”
Here’s the rub, and you can take this to the bank…
Authorities in most countries in the world, and sadly becoming more common by the day in that bastion of “democracy” – the U.S., at every level equate the desire for privacy with doing something “nefarious.” Some of Merriam-Webster’s numerous words define the term as “bad, evil, unethical, unlawful, wicked, wrong,” etc. Take your pick.
Ignore the clueless non-observer who reels off the knee-jerk comment that “If I don’t have anything to hide… It’s a very dangerous slide from “Innocent until proven guilty” to just the opposite.
It’s a corrosive trend that has all too-commonly become the operative principle of those whom we’ve elected to serve us, but who have now decided, in their finite wisdom, that we should serve them.
Not just “the man in the street.” Despite the excitement (and profit-building opportunities) offered by gold and silver from 2001-11 affected not just “the man on the street” but CEOs of most mining companies who continue to project the future by looking into the rearview mirror.
The knock-on effect meant that less money was spent on discovery, leading inexorably to lower production.
The overall result is that from the last decade, 2020 Reserves (the highest and most economically recoverable category of known ore deposit) for the world’s largest gold mining companies are down fully 26%.
David Morgan has long counseled newsletter subscribers to The Morgan Report, in addition to the tens of thousands who (weekly) receive The Free Morgan Report to start an accumulation program by acquiring physical gold and silver – viewing its role as insurance first, profit-potential second.
Own precious metals – i.e. honest money – paid for by fiat “paper promises.” On numerable occasions, over the thousands of years in which it has reliably fulfilled these roles, gold (and silver) have turned out to be literal life-savers in their own right.
Richard Davies toured Aceh, Indonesia after the 2004 tsunami that killed 250,000 people. He noted,
I met many survivors who were able to sell jewellery they were wearing… Wearing a gold bangle is like having enough cash on your wrist to employ a builder for a year… This traditional form of finance insulated Aceh and provided its entrepreneurs with rapid access to cash.
If this doesn’t get your attention, then you’re just not paying attention!
Long before the move into gold becomes a full-fledged “rush,” smart money with deep pockets will have been activating their own accumulation plan.
The chart below from Goldman Sachs research indicates what’s been going on under the radar. Gold ETF (visible) accumulation – which by the way has now officially reached record levels – is being substantially eclipsed by the build in non-transparent gold investment, as it is ensconced around the world in private vaults, kept “in hand” near one’s residence, or simply buried in the back yard.
It’s not too late to accumulate! These and other data points, such as the current low level of U.S. Mint American Gold Eagle production – which follows demand – indicate that the majority of potential investors have yet to enter the gold space.
Act to strengthen your financial immune system by accumulating the desired level of metal now, before the ongoing gold-build morphs into a public-mania-infused “gold fever.” And before the concept of financial privacy and flexibility has become a relic of the not-too distant past.
David H. Smith is Senior Analyst for TheMorganReport.com, a regular contributor to MoneyMetals.com as well as the LODE Cryptographic Silver Monetary System Project. He has investigated precious metals’ mines and exploration sites in Argentina, Chile, Peru, Mexico, Bolivia, China, Canada and the U.S. He shares resource sector observations with readers, the media, and North American investment conference attendees.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-29--Scott County Arkansas Passes Ordinance Declaring a “Bill of Rights Sanctuary”

The Scott County , Arkansas County Quorum Court unanimously passed an ordinance making the county a “ Bill of Rights sanctuary.
” All nine members of the Quorum Court sponsored the ordinance and passed it unanimously .
The bill declares Scott County a Bill of Rights Sanctuary County .
Practically speaking , the legally binding ordinance prohibits any agent , department , employee or official of Scott County , while acting in their official capacity , from knowingly and willingly participating in any way in the enforcement of any unlawful or unconstitutional act regarding the freedom of religion , freedom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to peaceably assemble , freedom of the press , freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances , or the right of the people to keep and bear arms .
The ordinance lists specific acts defined as unlawful or unconstitutional , primarily relating to firearms .
• Any tax , levy , fee , or stamp imposed on firearms , firearm accessories , or ammunition not common to all other goods and services on the purchase or ownership of those items by citizens ; • Any registration or tracking of firearms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ • Any registration or tracking of the owners of firearms , firearm accessories , or ammunition ; • Any act forbidding the possession , manner of carry , ownership , or use or transfer of any type of firearm , firearm accessory , or ammunition by citizens of the legal age ; • Any act ordering the confiscation of firearms , firearm accessories , or ammunition from citizens ; • Any prohibition , regulation , and or use restriction related to ownership or the constitutionally guaranteed lawful use or carry of firearms ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ funds given to the County by any entity , to participate in a “ gun buyback ” program or event is hereby illegal ; • Any use of County Funds , or funds given to the county by any entity to any other government official or entity that violates or has violated any individual ’ s rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights The provisions of the ordinance will be attached to the county ’ s personnel policy , and all new and renewed county employees must read and sign that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ violation of the ordinance are subject to termination and/or a fine of up to $ 500 .
The Scott County ordinance applies to both state and federal laws that qualify as unconstitutional acts .
Unlike many of Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions passed in Virginia and other states , the Scott County ordinance carries the force of law .
The federal government relies heavily on state cooperation to implement and enforce almost all of its laws , regulations and acts .
By simply withdrawing this necessary cooperation , states and localities can nullify many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the National Governors ’ Association during the partial government shutdown of 2013 , “ states are partners with the federal government on most federal programs.
” Based on James Madison ’ s advice for states and individuals in Federalist # 46 , a “ refusal to cooperate with officers of the Union ” represents an extremely effective method to bring down federal gun control measures because most enforcement actions rely on help , support and leadership from state and local governments .
Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano agreed .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he noted that a single state taking similar steps would make federal gun laws “ nearly impossible ” to enforce .
“ Partnerships don ’ t work too well when half the team quits , ” said Michael Boldin of the Tenth Amendment Center .
“ By withdrawing all resources and participation in federal regulatory enforcement , states and even local governments can help bring these unconstitutional acts to their much-needed end.
” The county could face legal repercussions from the state if it refuses to enforce state law .
Counties are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ governments can exercise almost complete control over counties .
In practice , the state could remove county officials from office , fire employees who refuse to enforce state law , and cut county funding .
Whether the state would have the political will to take those actions is another question .
Although the state can punish counties that refuse to enforce state law , the federal government has no such legal authority .
Scott County can unquestioningly refuse to enforce federal law .
Refusal to cooperate with federal enforcement rests on a well-established @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Simply put , the federal government can not force states to help implement or enforce any federal act or program .
The anti-commandeering doctrine is based primarily on five Supreme Court cases dating back to 1842 .
Printz v. U.S. serves as the cornerstone .
We held in New York that Congress can not compel the States to enact or enforce a federal regulatory program .
Today we hold that Congress can not circumvent that prohibition by conscripting the States ’ officers directly .
The Federal Government may neither issue directives requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nor command the States ’ officers , or those of their political subdivisions , to administer or enforce a federal regulatory program .
It matters not whether policy making is involved , and no case by case weighing of the burdens or benefits is necessary ; such commands are fundamentally incompatible with our constitutional system of dual sovereignty .
Michael Maharrey [ send him email ] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center , where this article first appeared .
He is from the original home of the Principles of ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern Florida .
See his blog archive here and his article archive here.He is the author of the book , Our Last Hope : Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty .
You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.com and like him on Facebook HERE Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Michael Maharrey
The Scott County, Arkansas County Quorum Court unanimously passed an ordinance making the county a “Bill of Rights sanctuary.”
All nine members of the Quorum Court sponsored the ordinance and passed it unanimously. The bill declares Scott County a Bill of Rights Sanctuary County. Practically speaking, the legally binding ordinance prohibits any agent, department, employee or official of Scott County, while acting in their official capacity, from knowingly and willingly participating in any way in the enforcement of any unlawful or unconstitutional act regarding the freedom of religion, freedom of speech, freedom of the people to peaceably assemble, freedom of the press, freedom to petition the government for a redress of grievances, or the right of the people to keep and bear arms.
The ordinance lists specific acts defined as unlawful or unconstitutional, primarily relating to firearms.
Any tax, levy, fee, or stamp imposed on firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition not common to all other goods and services on the purchase or ownership of those items by citizens; Any registration or tracking of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition; Any registration or tracking of the owners of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition; Any act forbidding the possession, manner of carry, ownership, or use or transfer of any type of firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition by citizens of the legal age; Any act ordering the confiscation of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition from citizens; Any prohibition, regulation, and or use restriction related to ownership or the constitutionally guaranteed lawful use or carry of firearms; Any use of County funds or funds given to the County by any entity, to participate in a “gun buyback” program or event is hereby illegal; Any use of County Funds, or funds given to the county by any entity to any other government official or entity that violates or has violated any individual’s rights as outlined in the Bill of Rights
The provisions of the ordinance will be attached to the county’s personnel policy, and all new and renewed county employees must read and sign that they understand the law. Employees found in violation of the ordinance are subject to termination and/or a fine of up to $500.
The Scott County ordinance applies to both state and federal laws that qualify as unconstitutional acts.
Unlike many of Second Amendment Sanctuary resolutions passed in Virginia and other states, the Scott County ordinance carries the force of law.
EFFECTIVE
The federal government relies heavily on state cooperation to implement and enforce almost all of its laws, regulations and acts. By simply withdrawing this necessary cooperation, states and localities can nullify many federal actions in effect. As noted by the National Governors’ Association during the partial government shutdown of 2013, “states are partners with the federal government on most federal programs.”
Based on James Madison’s advice for states and individuals in Federalist #46, a “refusal to cooperate with officers of the Union” represents an extremely effective method to bring down federal gun control measures because most enforcement actions rely on help, support and leadership from state and local governments.
Fox News senior judicial analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano agreed. In a televised discussion on the issue, he noted that a single state taking similar steps would make federal gun laws “nearly impossible” to enforce.
“Partnerships don’t work too well when half the team quits,” said Michael Boldin of the Tenth Amendment Center. “By withdrawing all resources and participation in federal regulatory enforcement, states and even local governments can help bring these unconstitutional acts to their much-needed end.”
LEGALITY
The county could face legal repercussions from the state if it refuses to enforce state law. Counties are political subdivisions of the state and state governments can exercise almost complete control over counties. In practice, the state could remove county officials from office, fire employees who refuse to enforce state law, and cut county funding. Whether the state would have the political will to take those actions is another question.
Although the state can punish counties that refuse to enforce state law, the federal government has no such legal authority. Scott County can unquestioningly refuse to enforce federal law. Refusal to cooperate with federal enforcement rests on a well-established legal principle known as the anti-commandeering doctrine.
Simply put, the federal government cannot force states to help implement or enforce any federal act or program. The anti-commandeering doctrine is based primarily on five Supreme Court cases dating back to 1842. Printz v. U.S. serves as the cornerstone.
We held in New York that Congress cannot compel the States to enact or enforce a federal regulatory program. Today we hold that Congress cannot circumvent that prohibition by conscripting the States’ officers directly. The Federal Government may neither issue directives requiring the States to address particular problems, nor command the States’ officers, or those of their political subdivisions, to administer or enforce a federal regulatory program. It matters not whether policy making is involved, and no case by case weighing of the burdens or benefits is necessary; such commands are fundamentally incompatible with our constitutional system of dual sovereignty.
Michael Maharrey [send him email] is the Communications Director for the Tenth Amendment Center, where this article first appeared. He is from the original home of the Principles of ’98 – Kentucky and currently resides in northern Florida. See his blog archive here and his article archive here.He is the author of the book, Our Last Hope: Rediscovering the Lost Path to Liberty. You can visit his personal website at MichaelMaharrey.com and like him on Facebook HERE
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-29--Santa Cruz Just Voted to Tell Cops to Stop Arresting People for Mushrooms, Ayahuasca, and More

Seven years ago , Colorado citizens—tired of the war on drugs and wise to the near-limitless benefits of cannabis—made US history by voting to legalize recreational marijuana .
Then , last year , this state once again placed themselves on the right side of history as they voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms .
But this was just the beginning and their momentum is spreading—faster and stronger , toward decriminalizing all plant-based psychedelics .
Now , a major city in California is following suit , but not just with psilocybin—Santa Cruz just passed a decriminalization measure for other psychedelics like mescaline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the adult use and possession of magic mushrooms and other entheogenic , or psychoactive , plants and fungi .
The measure passed with overwhelming support .
“ Plants and fungi with psychedelic properties have been used for thousands of years by indigenous communities for spiritual and medical practices and many are considered illegal in our country , ” Cummings told Marijuana Moment in an email .
“ As we begin to better understand the health benefits of these plants and fungi , we need to not treat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants and fungi as criminals , and lower barriers for research , clinical treatment , and personal.
” “ Santa Cruz has a number of organizations that conduct research on use of psychedelics to improve mental health and we as a community want to support these efforts , ” he added .
Use of the plants “ saved my life , ” said one man who described himself as a former heroin addict .
“ I don ’ t how to describe it other than miraculous.
” “ Psychedelic-assisted therapy saved my life @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s important that people know there is an effective way to get better from addiction and deep mental health issues.
” “ These eight months we ’ ve been working on the resolution , I ’ ve met so many people whose lives were saved by entheogenic plants and fungi , ” Julian Hodge , a founder of Decriminalize Santa Cruz and a member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy , told Marijuana Moment .
“ The Santa Cruz City Council took a great step to help those people today .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of this movement , and can ’ t wait to see the change we continue to make in the future.
” To be clear , the recent measure does not mean that mushrooms and other plants are now legal , it simply means that cops can ’ t make it a priority to go after folks for them and it won ’ t land people in jail for possession .
While legalization would be the perfect result , this is most certainly a step in the right direction .
“ It ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ us back to sanity .
We ’ ve got to listen to their message and we ’ ve got to live reciprocally with nature and restore the natural order , ” Susana Eager Valadez , director of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts said after Oakland passed a similar measure last year .
Now , cops can try to focus on real crimes instead of kidnapping and caging people who are trying to heal themselves with a plant .
Supporters hope the decision will begin a nationwide discussion about decriminalizing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , psilocybin-containing mushrooms are an enemy to the establishment who has every reason in the world to want to keep them as illegal as possible .
The same goes for ayahuasca and other powerful mind-opening substances .
The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the legal religious use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal , and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the Santo Daime Church ’ s freedom to use ayahuasca for religious purposes .
However , ayahuasca ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains a Schedule I controlled substance , carrying a steep prison sentence .
DMT appears in trace amounts in human blood and urine , suggesting it must be produced within the body , which means the DEA literally classifies our own bodies as have no medical purpose .
Because the US government is so tyrannically far behind the times , many people have been forced to travel outside of the country to meet with Shamans in the Amazon who are skilled and knowledgeable about the substance .
One industry in particular , Big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures like this one began to spread to other areas as mushrooms and other hallucinogens have been clinically tested to treat a wide range of problems , including depression .
One in ten men in the US currently takes an antidepressant while 16.5 percent of women use them as well .
If people can treat their depression with something that you can grow in your own home or a plant medicine from a shaman verses taking pills with side effects like homicidal ideation , the pharmaceutical industry would lose big time .
Indeed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ studies showing the positive benefits of magic mushrooms , ayahuasca , and ibogaine .
As TFTP reported , a study , published in the scientific journal Neuropharmacology , found that clinically depressed people had increased neural responses to fearful faces one day after a psilocybin-assisted therapy session , which positively predicted positive clinical outcomes .
“ Psilocybin-assisted therapy might mitigate depression by increasing emotional connection , ” neuroscientist and study author Leor Roseman , a Ph.D. student at Imperial College London , explained to PsyPost .
This is almost the exact opposite of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s typically work by creating an “ emotional blunting.
” “ [ T ] his is unlike SSRI antidepressants which are criticized for creating in many people a general emotional blunting , ” noted Roseman .
“ I believe that psychedelics hold a potential to cure deep psychological wounds , and I believe that by investigating their neuropsychopharmacological mechanism , we can learn to understand this potential , ” explained Roseman .
The government also stands to lose if more measures like this take hold in other cities too .
As TFTP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be widely accepted as a treatment for many ailments until government moved in to stop the expansion of human consciousness .
As MAPS points out , although first-hand accounts indicate that ibogaine is unlikely to be popular as a recreational drug , ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States ( it is also scheduled in Belgium and Switzerland ) .
Yet despite its classification as a drug with a “ high potential for abuse ” and “ no currently accepted medical use , ” people who struggle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international clinics or underground providers to receive ibogaine treatment .
In the 1940s , Western medicine began realizing the potential for psychedelics to treat addiction and psychiatric disorders .
Tens of thousands of people were treated effectively , and psychedelic drugs were on the fast track to becoming mainstream medicine .
But the beast of oppression reared its ugly head .
In 1967 and 1970 , the UK and US governments cast all psychedelic substances into the pit of prohibition .
People were waking up to the fact that governments intended to keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and that governments were working to keep the populace sedated under a cloak of consumerism .
The collective mind expansion of that era came to a screeching halt under the boot and truncheon .
As John Vibes pointed out last January , a study actually confirmed the fear of authoritarians and showed they have every reason to oppose legal mushrooms .
According to the study from the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London , published in the journal Psychopharmacology , psychedelic mushrooms tend to make people more resistant to authority .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ by these mushrooms also cause people to be more connected with nature .
“ Our findings tentatively raise the possibility that given in this way , psilocybin may produce sustained changes in outlook and political perspective , here in the direction of increased nature relatedness and decreased authoritarianism , ” researchers Taylor Lyons and Robin L. Carhart-Harris write in the study .
Now , as people share information globally , instantaneously , on a scale unstoppable by the state , we are resuming the advancement of medical research on psychedelic substances .
Scientists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as “ class A ” ( UK ) or “ schedule 1 ” ( US ) substances , characterized as having no medical use and high potential for addiction .
And , the recent push in Colorado is evidence of this .
While the stigma associated with mushrooms and other psychedelics has been perpetuated by those who wish to keep them illegal—to keep society in a constant state of obedient mediocrity—in reality , they are extremely safe .
In fact , a major study last year declared magic mushrooms to be the safest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ participants from 50 nations , researchers for the Global Drug Survey found the percentage of those seeking emergency treatment for ingesting psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms to comprise just 0.2 percent per 10,000 individuals .
Rates of hospitalization for MDMA , alcohol , LSD , and cocaine were an astounding five times higher .
“ Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world , ” Global Drug Survey founder and consultant addiction psychiatrist , Adam Winstock , told the Guardian , noting the biggest risk users face is misidentification — ingesting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fungus , itself .
After 40 years , it appears that another brick in the wall of prohibition is beginning to crumble in the face of science and logic .
There may be hope for humanity after all .
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA .
This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state .
Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project , where this first appeared .
Follow @ MattAgorist on Twitter , Steemit , and now on Minds .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Matt Agorist
Seven years ago, Colorado citizens—tired of the war on drugs and wise to the near-limitless benefits of cannabis—made US history by voting to legalize recreational marijuana. Then, last year, this state once again placed themselves on the right side of history as they voted to decriminalize magic mushrooms. But this was just the beginning and their momentum is spreading—faster and stronger, toward decriminalizing all plant-based psychedelics.
Now, a major city in California is following suit, but not just with psilocybin—Santa Cruz just passed a decriminalization measure for other psychedelics like mescaline cacti, ayahuasca and ibogaine.
The City Council voted unanimously to decriminalize the adult use and possession of magic mushrooms and other entheogenic, or psychoactive, plants and fungi. The measure passed with overwhelming support.
As Marijuana Moment reports:
The measure—which was originally sponsored by then-Vice Mayor Justin Cummings (D), who’s since become mayor—says the city shouldn’t expend “resources in the investigation and arrest of persons twenty-one (21) years of age and older solely for the personal use and personal possession of Entheogenic Plants and Fungi” such as psilocybin, ayahuasca and ibogaine. It further stipulates that possession and use of psychedelics by adults “should be considered among the lowest law enforcement priorities for the City of Santa Cruz.”
“Plants and fungi with psychedelic properties have been used for thousands of years by indigenous communities for spiritual and medical practices and many are considered illegal in our country,” Cummings told Marijuana Moment in an email. “As we begin to better understand the health benefits of these plants and fungi, we need to not treat the people who use and research these plants and fungi as criminals, and lower barriers for research, clinical treatment, and personal.”
“Santa Cruz has a number of organizations that conduct research on use of psychedelics to improve mental health and we as a community want to support these efforts,” he added.
Use of the plants “saved my life,” said one man who described himself as a former heroin addict. “I don’t how to describe it other than miraculous.”
“Psychedelic-assisted therapy saved my life,” Dylan Jouras said. “It’s important that people know there is an effective way to get better from addiction and deep mental health issues.”
“These eight months we’ve been working on the resolution, I’ve met so many people whose lives were saved by entheogenic plants and fungi,” Julian Hodge, a founder of Decriminalize Santa Cruz and a member of Students for Sensible Drug Policy, told Marijuana Moment. “The Santa Cruz City Council took a great step to help those people today. I am incredibly proud to be part of this movement, and can’t wait to see the change we continue to make in the future.”
To be clear, the recent measure does not mean that mushrooms and other plants are now legal, it simply means that cops can’t make it a priority to go after folks for them and it won’t land people in jail for possession. While legalization would be the perfect result, this is most certainly a step in the right direction.
“It’s the plants that are going to bring us back to sanity. We’ve got to listen to their message and we’ve got to live reciprocally with nature and restore the natural order,” Susana Eager Valadez, director of the Huichol Center for Cultural Survival and Traditional Arts said after Oakland passed a similar measure last year.
Now, cops can try to focus on real crimes instead of kidnapping and caging people who are trying to heal themselves with a plant.
Supporters hope the decision will begin a nationwide discussion about decriminalizing plant-based drugs.
As TFTP has reported in the past, psilocybin-containing mushrooms are an enemy to the establishment who has every reason in the world to want to keep them as illegal as possible. The same goes for ayahuasca and other powerful mind-opening substances.
The United States Supreme Court has unanimously ruled in favor of the legal religious use of ayahuasca by the União do Vegetal, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has affirmed the Santo Daime Church’s freedom to use ayahuasca for religious purposes. However, ayahuasca’s principally active ingredient, DMT, remains a Schedule I controlled substance, carrying a steep prison sentence.
DMT appears in trace amounts in human blood and urine, suggesting it must be produced within the body, which means the DEA literally classifies our own bodies as have no medical purpose.
Because the US government is so tyrannically far behind the times, many people have been forced to travel outside of the country to meet with Shamans in the Amazon who are skilled and knowledgeable about the substance.
One industry in particular, Big Pharma, stands to lose billions if measures like this one began to spread to other areas as mushrooms and other hallucinogens have been clinically tested to treat a wide range of problems, including depression.
One in ten men in the US currently takes an antidepressant while 16.5 percent of women use them as well. If people can treat their depression with something that you can grow in your own home or a plant medicine from a shaman verses taking pills with side effects like homicidal ideation, the pharmaceutical industry would lose big time.
Indeed, there are mounds of evidence and studies showing the positive benefits of magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and ibogaine.
As TFTP reported, a study, published in the scientific journal Neuropharmacology, found that clinically depressed people had increased neural responses to fearful faces one day after a psilocybin-assisted therapy session, which positively predicted positive clinical outcomes.
“Psilocybin-assisted therapy might mitigate depression by increasing emotional connection,” neuroscientist and study author Leor Roseman, a Ph.D. student at Imperial College London, explained to PsyPost.
This is almost the exact opposite of how standard anti-depressants operate, as SSRI’s typically work by creating an “emotional blunting.”
“[T]his is unlike SSRI antidepressants which are criticized for creating in many people a general emotional blunting,” noted Roseman.
“I believe that psychedelics hold a potential to cure deep psychological wounds, and I believe that by investigating their neuropsychopharmacological mechanism, we can learn to understand this potential,” explained Roseman.
The government also stands to lose if more measures like this take hold in other cities too.
As TFTP previously reported, mushrooms and psychedelics used to be widely accepted as a treatment for many ailments until government moved in to stop the expansion of human consciousness.
As MAPS points out, although first-hand accounts indicate that ibogaine is unlikely to be popular as a recreational drug, ibogaine remains classified as a Schedule I drug in the United States (it is also scheduled in Belgium and Switzerland). Yet despite its classification as a drug with a “high potential for abuse” and “no currently accepted medical use,” people who struggle with substance abuse continue to seek out international clinics or underground providers to receive ibogaine treatment.
In the 1940s, Western medicine began realizing the potential for psychedelics to treat addiction and psychiatric disorders. Tens of thousands of people were treated effectively, and psychedelic drugs were on the fast track to becoming mainstream medicine. But the beast of oppression reared its ugly head.
In 1967 and 1970, the UK and US governments cast all psychedelic substances into the pit of prohibition. People were waking up to the fact that governments intended to keep the world in a state of war, and that governments were working to keep the populace sedated under a cloak of consumerism. The collective mind expansion of that era came to a screeching halt under the boot and truncheon.
As John Vibes pointed out last January, a study actually confirmed the fear of authoritarians and showed they have every reason to oppose legal mushrooms. According to the study from the Psychedelic Research Group at Imperial College London, published in the journal Psychopharmacology, psychedelic mushrooms tend to make people more resistant to authority. They also found the psychedelic experience induced by these mushrooms also cause people to be more connected with nature.
“Our findings tentatively raise the possibility that given in this way, psilocybin may produce sustained changes in outlook and political perspective, here in the direction of increased nature relatedness and decreased authoritarianism,” researchers Taylor Lyons and Robin L. Carhart-Harris write in the study.
Now, as people share information globally, instantaneously, on a scale unstoppable by the state, we are resuming the advancement of medical research on psychedelic substances. Scientists are challenging the irrational classification of psychedelics as “class A” (UK) or “schedule 1” (US) substances, characterized as having no medical use and high potential for addiction. And, the recent push in Colorado is evidence of this.
While the stigma associated with mushrooms and other psychedelics has been perpetuated by those who wish to keep them illegal—to keep society in a constant state of obedient mediocrity—in reality, they are extremely safe.
In fact, a major study last year declared magic mushrooms to be the safest recreational drug.
Of an astonishing 120,000 participants from 50 nations, researchers for the Global Drug Survey found the percentage of those seeking emergency treatment for ingesting psilocybin-containing hallucinogenic mushrooms to comprise just 0.2 percent per 10,000 individuals.
Rates of hospitalization for MDMA, alcohol, LSD, and cocaine were an astounding five times higher.
“Magic mushrooms are one of the safest drugs in the world,” Global Drug Survey founder and consultant addiction psychiatrist, Adam Winstock, told the Guardian, noting the biggest risk users face is misidentification — ingesting the wrong mushroom — not from the psychedelic fungus, itself.
After 40 years, it appears that another brick in the wall of prohibition is beginning to crumble in the face of science and logic. There may be hope for humanity after all.
Matt Agorist is an honorably discharged veteran of the USMC and former intelligence operator directly tasked by the NSA. This prior experience gives him unique insight into the world of government corruption and the American police state. Agorist has been an independent journalist for over a decade and has been featured on mainstream networks around the world. Agorist is also the Editor at Large at the Free Thought Project, where this first appeared. Follow @MattAgorist on Twitter, Steemit, and now on Minds.
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activistpost--2020-01-29--Rock the Vote! – Propaganda Watch

Rock the Vote! – Propaganda Watch

We all know that the powers-that-shouldn ’ t-be don ’ t put together a decades-long propaganda campaign to condition the @ @ @ @ @ plain , simple truth .
So why have they spent decades ( if not centuries @ @ @ @ @ to believe that voting is important and effective ?
Today on # PropagandaWatch James explores @ @ @ @ @ and what it tells us about the statist indoctrination system we live under .
• @ @ @ @ @ s time to get out and vote !
• Voting Machines Elect One Of Their @ @ @ @ @ Voting Made Any Difference , They Wouldn ’ t Let Us Do It • Interview @ @ @ @ @ the Immorality of Voting Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom @ @ @ @ @ Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us @ @ @ @ @ Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ @ @ @ @ @ free issue of Counter Markets today .

By corbettreport
We all know that the powers-that-shouldn’t-be don’t put together a decades-long propaganda campaign to condition the public to believe in the plain, simple truth. So why have they spent decades (if not centuries) trying to condition us to believe that voting is important and effective?
Today on #PropagandaWatch James explores the propaganda campaign surrounding voting and what it tells us about the statist indoctrination system we live under.
SHOW NOTES

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activistpost--2020-01-29--How a Viral Pandemic Benefits The Globalist Agenda

The world today suffers from highly fragile economic and geopolitical conditions .
This is not news to most people in the liberty movement that have been tracking the downward spiral for years , but it is news to a majority of average Americans who rarely venture to get in-depth information on any issue .
The fact of the matter is , even though there are millions of us who are aware of the danger , we are still in a minority .
This creates a serious set of frustrations .
When the common citizen is oblivious to the existence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them the source of that threat becomes a waste of time .
How can they see the root of the problem if they don ’ t even know the problem is there ?
Yes , the world is on the verge of a violent sea-change , but this is not the most important issue .
The most important issue is that this precarious situation is not the product of random chance , simple greed , base human frailty or an “ overly complex ” system as mainstream experts will predictably claim ; it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to serve the interests of a select few .
The globalist agenda is complicated in design but simple in its goals : Order out of chaos .
Create or exploit every crisis to manipulate the public into consenting .
But consent for what ?
As Richard N. Gardner , former deputy assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations under Kennedy and Johnson , and a member of the Trilateral Commission , wrote in the April , 1974 issue of the Council on Foreign Relation ’ s ( CFR ) journal Foreign Affairs ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ titled ‘ The Hard Road To World Order ’ : Global pandemic , whether a natural event or deliberately engineered , actually serves the purposes of the globalist establishment in a number of ways .
First and foremost , it is a superb distraction .
The general public , overcome with fears of an invisible force of nature that can possibly kill them at any moment , will probably forget all about the much bigger threat to their life , liberty and future – the subsequent collapse of the massive ‘ Everything Bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that a pandemic can trigger .
The coronavirus is only a moderate threat in comparison to economic crisis .
That said , I want to confront a few issues concerning the virus itself before we get to the economic question .
I have seen a lot of delusional assumptions and outright disinformation being spread by people in regards to this potential pandemic .
First , the notion that it was caused by Chinese citizens “ eating bats ” or being exposed to a live animal market is rather ridiculous .
We ’ ve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is true , and I believe the narrative is a cover for the fact that the city of Wuhan where the virus outbreak began is the home of not one but TWO level-4 biohazard labs .
I have a hard time ignoring the strange “ coincidence ” of the high-level biohazard labs in Wuhan in favor of the idea that the virus was launched by chance due to the odd diets of central Chinese people .
Given the evidence it appears that the coronavirus was gestated in a lab , not in someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2017 , scientists outside of China warned that these labs were not secure and that a virus might escape one of the facilities .
I would use the term “ escape ” loosely , as there is a possibility that this event was created intentionally .
The virus itself has certain hallmarks of being engineered ( including its long dormant period without visible symptoms ) and the current strain is probably derived from the one the Chinese stole a year ago from a lab in Winnipeg , Canada .
But it gets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , John Hopkins , the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum ( a hive of self-professed globalists ) ran a “ pandemic simulation ” called “ Event 201 ” specifically focused on coronavirus .
Not Ebola , or Swine Flu or even Avian Flu – but CORONAVIRUS .
The simulation features the spread of a coronavirus in South America , blamed on animal-to-human transmission ( pigs ) .
The conclusion of the exercise was that national governments were nowhere near ready , scoring 40 out of 100 on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 65 million deaths worldwide .
Event 201 played out almost exactly as it has been in China today .
Some very disingenuous or perhaps rather stupid people have been arguing that this kind of thing is “ normal ” , claiming that we are “ lucky ” that the elites have been running simulations in advance in order to “ save us ” from a coronavirus outbreak .
I assert that Event 201 was not a simulation but a war-game to study the possible outcomes of an event the globalists already knew was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before almost every major crisis event and terrorist attack for the past few decades authorities were running simulations for that exact event right before it happened ; does anyone really believe that Event 201 is pure coincidence ?
Another false assumption that needs to be addressed is the idea that a viral threat will not strike the West , or at least , not the US .
This odd bias is one that I don ’ t think most cultures except Americans suffer from ; the belief that they are untouchable and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ From the responses I have been seeing lately many Americans are living in a fantasy world .
Even now , the investment world is placing full stock and hope in the prediction that the Federal Reserve will step in to disrupt any economic downturn related to the pandemic .
Even if the Fed intended to intervene , why would anyone be naive enough to believe the central bank can do anything about how a viral outbreak damages the economy ?
Central banks can do nothing but create debt , and debt will not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of delusional optimism on the pandemic itself , the arguments range from “ screening of travelers is too comprehensive to allow the virus to spread here ” and “ as long as the virus destroys China , who cares… ?
” This is a narrow view of the situation .
The screening process is terrible , and usually involves basic questions which can be evaded with lies .
But beyond that , the virus is already here .
It was circulating through China for at least a few weeks before it was ever @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It also is reported to be asymptomatic , which means it remains dormant , yet also contagious , for up to two weeks before symptoms become visible .
This is a far worse scenario than the Ebola scare in 2014 , in that this coronavirus is able to hide effectively .
The only thing that can be done to slow the spread is to shut down ALL international travel , which the CDC and the WHO have no intention of doing right now , not that it matters anymore with over 110 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ So , let ’ s be realistic .
If the virus is as communicable , as the CDC and independent scientists claim , then we will see the effects here in America .
Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste… But what do globalists have to gain directly from a coronavirus pandemic beyond simple chaos that can be exploited ?
Interestingly , a representative from Johnson and Johnson , one of the companies that may end up designing a “ vaccine ” for the Cronavirus , suggested during Event 201 that a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge of funding and procuring vaccines for various nations in crisis was an option for solving the pandemic .
Gee , that sounds strangely similar to what globalists have been demanding for many years now , and the pandemic just happens to offer a perfect excuse for the creation of such a one-world financial authority .
They might claim that such a system would be temporary according to the life of the pandemic , but this will be a lie .
In terms of the economic effects , even if the virus were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chinese economy is , in basic terms , the largest in the world ; it is the biggest exporter/importer and it is central to the now interdependent global economy .
If China ’ s economy goes down , even for a short time , this will send shockwaves through all other national economies and supply lines .
In May of last year I published an article titled ‘ Globalists Only Need One More Major Event To Finish Sabotaging The Economy ’ .
To summarize the situation : The globalist establishment has created the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central bank stimulus , inflating a highly unstable artificial rally in markets while also creating new highs in national debt , corporate debt and consumer debt .
The economic fundamentals have been sending alarms for the past two years , and the ‘ Everything Bubble ’ is showing signs of implosion .
It is only a matter of time before the farce collapses by itself .
The globalists need scapegoats , but they also need an event or wave of events so distracting that people will not be able to discern what really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collapse is simple – They need crisis in order to manipulate the masses into accepting total centralization , a global monetary system and global governance .
They are also rabid believers in eugenics and population reduction .
At the very least , a global pandemic is a useful happenstance for them ; but the timing of the coronavirus event and their highly accurate “ simulation ” only three months ago also suggests their potential involvement , as it comes right as the implosion of the Everything Bubble was accelerating .
Consider this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kill a large number of people , it still disrupts international travel , it disrupts exports and imports , it disrupts consumer behavior and retail sales , and it disrupts domestic trade .
If it does kill a large number of people , and if the Chinese government ’ s response is any indication , it could result in global martial law .
With many economies including the US economy already in a precarious balancing act of historic debt vs. crashing demand and useless central bank repo market intervention , there is little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a tsunami .
Make no mistake , the crash has already begun , whether the virus hits the US hard or not .
The only question is , will this be the trigger event that accelerates the collapse process that is already in motion ?
I took my time in publishing this article because I believed it was important to first watch the Chinese , CDC and WHO response to the virus .
If they dealt with the situation quickly then there was a chance that it would have only minor influence on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with the situation quickly or decisively .
In fact , over 5 million people left the Hubei region of China before active quarantine and treatment procedures began .
The situation has spiraled out of control in China and it is clear that the government is now lying through its teeth about the number of sick and dead .
I would not be surprised if we discover in the next two weeks that the death tally is in the thousands , and the sickness rate is actually in the hundreds of thousands .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 50 million people in 16 cities suggests the danger is much higher than they have admitted .
If this is the case , then at the very least , the Chinese economy is about to take a massive hit .
If the virus doesn ’ t spread , the economic damage will .
Look at it this way – The US and China are still currently in the middle of a trade war .
The Phase 1 deal was always a joke , because it demands that China quadruple its purchases from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This was never going to happen , but the false hope ( along with corporate stock buybacks ) lifted global stocks out of reversal .
Now , there is no chance that China will meet the requirements of the Phase 1 deal and that will soon become evident , as China ’ s economy will grind down under the weight of the pandemic .
If Trump continues tariffs against a nation in the state of a viral emergency he will look like a monster ( which I believe is his job as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conservative nationalist ) .
In the meantime , global trade becomes muddled and the last structural supports of the system snap in half .
With global supply lines frozen and travel eventually restricted , trade will stall .
There is no way around this .
This is not just about China , it is about all nations .
And , ultimately , this is not even about the coronavirus , it is about the financial time bomb that the globalist establishment created .
It is about our economic interdependency and the house of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wake of calamity , the globalists will call for even MORE interdependency .
They will claim tragedy struck because we were not “ centralized enough ” .
Another advantage of the viral crisis is that the establishment will undoubtedly blame the “ climate change ” and “ global warming ” hoax for its impetus .
Even though there is absolutely no concrete evidence linking human carbon emissions to climate change or viral outbreaks , given enough public fear globalists will attempt to link the three things together as if it is a proven @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a rationale for an economic collapse THEY created , but they can also present a virus engineered by humans in a lab as an “ act of nature ” , and use it as a rationale for implementing carbon controls .
In the next issue of my Wild Bunch Dispatch Newsletter I will be outlining solutions and preparedness options for surviving a pandemic scenario ; all is not lost if this event does accelerate as the globalists predicted in their Event 201 model .
It is still hard to say with certainty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ black swan ” that the globalists were waiting for ( or planning ) all along .
Remaining vigilant in terms of the pandemic is recommended , but do not forget about the economic disaster that will inevitably follow as the coronavirus continues to spread .
If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda , subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch .
Learn more about it HERE .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Brandon Smith
The world today suffers from highly fragile economic and geopolitical conditions. This is not news to most people in the liberty movement that have been tracking the downward spiral for years, but it is news to a majority of average Americans who rarely venture to get in-depth information on any issue. The fact of the matter is, even though there are millions of us who are aware of the danger, we are still in a minority.
This creates a serious set of frustrations. When the common citizen is oblivious to the existence of a threat, trying to explain to them the source of that threat becomes a waste of time. How can they see the root of the problem if they don’t even know the problem is there?
Yes, the world is on the verge of a violent sea-change, but this is not the most important issue. The most important issue is that this precarious situation is not the product of random chance, simple greed, base human frailty or an “overly complex” system as mainstream experts will predictably claim; it is a deliberately engineered chaos box designed to serve the interests of a select few.
The globalist agenda is complicated in design but simple in its goals: Order out of chaos. Create or exploit every crisis to manipulate the public into consenting. But consent for what?
As Richard N. Gardner, former deputy assistant Secretary of State for International Organizations under Kennedy and Johnson, and a member of the Trilateral Commission, wrote in the April, 1974 issue of the Council on Foreign Relation’s (CFR) journal Foreign Affairs (pg. 558) in an article titled ‘The Hard Road To World Order’:
In short, the ‘house of world order’ will have to be built from the bottom up rather than from the top down. It will look like a great ‘booming, buzzing confusion,’ to use William James’ famous description of reality, but an end run around national sovereignty, eroding it piece by piece, will accomplish much more than the old-fashioned frontal assault.
Global pandemic, whether a natural event or deliberately engineered, actually serves the purposes of the globalist establishment in a number of ways. First and foremost, it is a superb distraction. The general public, overcome with fears of an invisible force of nature that can possibly kill them at any moment, will probably forget all about the much bigger threat to their life, liberty and future – the subsequent collapse of the massive ‘Everything Bubble’ and the globalist “solution” that a pandemic can trigger.
The coronavirus is only a moderate threat in comparison to economic crisis. That said, I want to confront a few issues concerning the virus itself before we get to the economic question.
Virus Disinformation
I have seen a lot of delusional assumptions and outright disinformation being spread by people in regards to this potential pandemic. First, the notion that it was caused by Chinese citizens “eating bats” or being exposed to a live animal market is rather ridiculous. We’ve seen NO hard evidence whatsoever that this is true, and I believe the narrative is a cover for the fact that the city of Wuhan where the virus outbreak began is the home of not one but TWO level-4 biohazard labs.
I have a hard time ignoring the strange “coincidence” of the high-level biohazard labs in Wuhan in favor of the idea that the virus was launched by chance due to the odd diets of central Chinese people. Given the evidence it appears that the coronavirus was gestated in a lab, not in someone’s bat and snake soup. In 2017, scientists outside of China warned that these labs were not secure and that a virus might escape one of the facilities.
I would use the term “escape” loosely, as there is a possibility that this event was created intentionally. The virus itself has certain hallmarks of being engineered (including its long dormant period without visible symptoms) and the current strain is probably derived from the one the Chinese stole a year ago from a lab in Winnipeg, Canada.
But it gets even weirder.
Only three months ago, John Hopkins, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Economic Forum (a hive of self-professed globalists) ran a “pandemic simulation” called “Event 201” specifically focused on coronavirus. Not Ebola, or Swine Flu or even Avian Flu – but CORONAVIRUS. The simulation features the spread of a coronavirus in South America, blamed on animal-to-human transmission (pigs). The conclusion of the exercise was that national governments were nowhere near ready, scoring 40 out of 100 on their preparedness scale. The simulation projected over 65 million deaths worldwide.
Event 201 played out almost exactly as it has been in China today. Some very disingenuous or perhaps rather stupid people have been arguing that this kind of thing is “normal”, claiming that we are “lucky” that the elites have been running simulations in advance in order to “save us” from a coronavirus outbreak. I assert that Event 201 was not a simulation but a war-game to study the possible outcomes of an event the globalists already knew was coming. Set aside the fact that before almost every major crisis event and terrorist attack for the past few decades authorities were running simulations for that exact event right before it happened; does anyone really believe that Event 201 is pure coincidence?
Another false assumption that needs to be addressed is the idea that a viral threat will not strike the West, or at least, not the US. This odd bias is one that I don’t think most cultures except Americans suffer from; the belief that they are untouchable and that the system will always avert crisis. From the responses I have been seeing lately many Americans are living in a fantasy world. Even now, the investment world is placing full stock and hope in the prediction that the Federal Reserve will step in to disrupt any economic downturn related to the pandemic.
Even if the Fed intended to intervene, why would anyone be naive enough to believe the central bank can do anything about how a viral outbreak damages the economy? Central banks can do nothing but create debt, and debt will not beat back the coronavirus.
In terms of delusional optimism on the pandemic itself, the arguments range from “screening of travelers is too comprehensive to allow the virus to spread here” and “as long as the virus destroys China, who cares…?” This is a narrow view of the situation.
The screening process is terrible, and usually involves basic questions which can be evaded with lies. But beyond that, the virus is already here. It was circulating through China for at least a few weeks before it was ever addressed by government authorities or the CDC. It also is reported to be asymptomatic, which means it remains dormant, yet also contagious, for up to two weeks before symptoms become visible. This is a far worse scenario than the Ebola scare in 2014, in that this coronavirus is able to hide effectively. The only thing that can be done to slow the spread is to shut down ALL international travel, which the CDC and the WHO have no intention of doing right now, not that it matters anymore with over 110 suspected cases in the US already.
So, let’s be realistic. If the virus is as communicable, as the CDC and independent scientists claim, then we will see the effects here in America.
Never Let A Good Crisis Go To Waste…
But what do globalists have to gain directly from a coronavirus pandemic beyond simple chaos that can be exploited?
Interestingly, a representative from Johnson and Johnson, one of the companies that may end up designing a “vaccine” for the Cronavirus, suggested during Event 201 that a “centralized” global economic authority in charge of funding and procuring vaccines for various nations in crisis was an option for solving the pandemic.
Gee, that sounds strangely similar to what globalists have been demanding for many years now, and the pandemic just happens to offer a perfect excuse for the creation of such a one-world financial authority. They might claim that such a system would be temporary according to the life of the pandemic, but this will be a lie.
In terms of the economic effects, even if the virus were to stay primarily in China, the Chinese economy is, in basic terms, the largest in the world; it is the biggest exporter/importer and it is central to the now interdependent global economy. If China’s economy goes down, even for a short time, this will send shockwaves through all other national economies and supply lines.
In May of last year I published an article titled ‘Globalists Only Need One More Major Event To Finish Sabotaging The Economy’. To summarize the situation:
The globalist establishment has created the largest financial bubble in modern history through central bank stimulus, inflating a highly unstable artificial rally in markets while also creating new highs in national debt, corporate debt and consumer debt. The economic fundamentals have been sending alarms for the past two years, and the ‘Everything Bubble’ is showing signs of implosion. It is only a matter of time before the farce collapses by itself. The globalists need scapegoats, but they also need an event or wave of events so distracting that people will not be able to discern what really happened.
The reason why globalists want a collapse is simple – They need crisis in order to manipulate the masses into accepting total centralization, a global monetary system and global governance. They are also rabid believers in eugenics and population reduction. At the very least, a global pandemic is a useful happenstance for them; but the timing of the coronavirus event and their highly accurate “simulation” only three months ago also suggests their potential involvement, as it comes right as the implosion of the Everything Bubble was accelerating.
Consider this: Even if a pandemic does not kill a large number of people, it still disrupts international travel, it disrupts exports and imports, it disrupts consumer behavior and retail sales, and it disrupts domestic trade. If it does kill a large number of people, and if the Chinese government’s response is any indication, it could result in global martial law. With many economies including the US economy already in a precarious balancing act of historic debt vs. crashing demand and useless central bank repo market intervention, there is little chance that the system can withstand such a tsunami.
Make no mistake, the crash has already begun, whether the virus hits the US hard or not. The only question is, will this be the trigger event that accelerates the collapse process that is already in motion?
I took my time in publishing this article because I believed it was important to first watch the Chinese, CDC and WHO response to the virus. If they dealt with the situation quickly then there was a chance that it would have only minor influence on the financial system. They did not deal with the situation quickly or decisively. In fact, over 5 million people left the Hubei region of China before active quarantine and treatment procedures began. The situation has spiraled out of control in China and it is clear that the government is now lying through its teeth about the number of sick and dead.
I would not be surprised if we discover in the next two weeks that the death tally is in the thousands, and the sickness rate is actually in the hundreds of thousands. The fact that China has now quarantined over 50 million people in 16 cities suggests the danger is much higher than they have admitted. If this is the case, then at the very least, the Chinese economy is about to take a massive hit. If the virus doesn’t spread, the economic damage will.
Pandemic Smokescreen, Economic Collapse And “Climate Change”
Look at it this way – The US and China are still currently in the middle of a trade war. The Phase 1 deal was always a joke, because it demands that China quadruple its purchases from the US within the next 1-2 years. This was never going to happen, but the false hope (along with corporate stock buybacks) lifted global stocks out of reversal. Now, there is no chance that China will meet the requirements of the Phase 1 deal and that will soon become evident, as China’s economy will grind down under the weight of the pandemic.
If Trump continues tariffs against a nation in the state of a viral emergency he will look like a monster (which I believe is his job as a globalist puppet pretending to be a conservative nationalist). In the meantime, global trade becomes muddled and the last structural supports of the system snap in half.
With global supply lines frozen and travel eventually restricted, trade will stall. There is no way around this. This is not just about China, it is about all nations. And, ultimately, this is not even about the coronavirus, it is about the financial time bomb that the globalist establishment created. It is about our economic interdependency and the house of cards we have become. In the wake of calamity, the globalists will call for even MORE interdependency. They will claim tragedy struck because we were not “centralized enough”.
Another advantage of the viral crisis is that the establishment will undoubtedly blame the “climate change” and “global warming” hoax for its impetus. Even though there is absolutely no concrete evidence linking human carbon emissions to climate change or viral outbreaks, given enough public fear globalists will attempt to link the three things together as if it is a proven fact. Not only will they have a rationale for an economic collapse THEY created, but they can also present a virus engineered by humans in a lab as an “act of nature”, and use it as a rationale for implementing carbon controls.
In the next issue of my Wild Bunch Dispatch Newsletter I will be outlining solutions and preparedness options for surviving a pandemic scenario; all is not lost if this event does accelerate as the globalists predicted in their Event 201 model. It is still hard to say with certainty, but this appears to be the “black swan” that the globalists were waiting for (or planning) all along. Remaining vigilant in terms of the pandemic is recommended, but do not forget about the economic disaster that will inevitably follow as the coronavirus continues to spread.
If you would like to support the work that Alt-Market does while also receiving content on advanced tactics for defeating the globalist agenda, subscribe to our exclusive newsletter The Wild Bunch Dispatch. Learn more about it HERE.
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You can contact Brandon Smith at: brandon@alt-market.com
Article source: Alt-Market.com
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activistpost--2020-01-28--Astronomers Reject SpaceX’s Claim That “Dark Satellites” Won’t Interfere With Space Research

Lawsuits continue to be filed against The Federal Communications Commission ( FCC ) for not protecting the public from the telecom industry ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ) .
Unfortunately , this hasn ’ t deterred them from continuing to NOT protect us on Earth or even in space .
The FCC has approved tens of thousands of satellites despite catastrophic warnings from astronomers and other experts ( see 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ) .
A paper @ @ @ @ @ @ @ broken environmental law when they approved SpaceX ’ s Starlink Mega Constellation ( approximately 42,000 spacecraft ) and that they could be sued for this as well .
SpaceX has offered a solution though : -make future satellites dark .
Astronomers warn this could cause more and worse problems AND it doesn ’ t address all of their concerns .
Even if SpaceX manages to navigate the various engineering problems and launch completely dark satellites , these could come with their own problems .
One of the main ways astronomers look for things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given out by stars .
The worry is that dark satellites passing in front of stars could mimic this phenomenon .
The sheer number of Starlink satellites planned ( 42,000 ) is what makes this a pressing threat : “ If we were talking about one or two satellites I wouldn ’ t be worrying too much , ” said Savini .
On top of the technical problems surrounding Starlink satellites specifically , the push of commercial companies into space could signal the start of a larger trend .
Savini pointed to Amazon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ constellation of satellites .
“ It becomes like every other sector , a race to quantity .
Bigger , better , cheaper , ” said Savini .
Activist Post reports regularly about unsafe technology .
For more information , visit our archives .
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By B.N. Frank
Lawsuits continue to be filed against The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for not protecting the public from the telecom industry (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). Unfortunately, this hasn’t deterred them from continuing to NOT protect us on Earth or even in space.
The FCC has approved tens of thousands of satellites despite catastrophic warnings from astronomers and other experts (see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8). A paper published last week suggests they may have broken environmental law when they approved SpaceX’s Starlink Mega Constellation (approximately 42,000 spacecraft) and that they could be sued for this as well. SpaceX has offered a solution though:-make future satellites dark. Astronomers warn this could cause more and worse problems AND it doesn’t address all of their concerns.
From Business Insider:
Even if SpaceX manages to navigate the various engineering problems and launch completely dark satellites, these could come with their own problems.
One of the main ways astronomers look for things like exoplanets is by monitoring the light given out by stars.
[…]
The worry is that dark satellites passing in front of stars could mimic this phenomenon.
[…]
The sheer number of Starlink satellites planned (42,000) is what makes this a pressing threat: “If we were talking about one or two satellites I wouldn’t be worrying too much,” said Savini.
[…]
On top of the technical problems surrounding Starlink satellites specifically, the push of commercial companies into space could signal the start of a larger trend. Savini pointed to Amazon’s plans to launch a similar constellation of satellites.
“It becomes like every other sector, a race to quantity. Bigger, better, cheaper,” said Savini.
Read full article


activistpost--2020-01-30--U.K. Police Will Soon be able to Search Through U.S. Data Without Asking a Judge

Law enforcement officials in the U.S. and U.K. have negotiated a deal that sells out the privacy rights of the public in both nations .
For Americans , it will effectively abrogate Fourth Amendment protections , and subject their data to search and seizure by foreign police .
This is all going to start happening in a few months—unless Congress does something to stop it now .
That ’ s why we ’ re launching an action today , asking you to reach out to your members of Congress and tell them to introduce a joint resolution that could put @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it isn ’ t stopped , the worst parts of this deal will likely come standard on future agreements , and Americans will be subject to more and more searches by foreign police .
TAKE ACTION : Tell Congress to Stop the U.S.-U.K .
Cloud Act Deal The full text of the U.S.-U.K .
Cloud Act Agreement was unveiled in November , and it ’ s just as bad as we thought it would be .
We joined with 19 other privacy , civil liberties , and human rights organizations , and sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long list of problems with the first Cloud Act deal .
Some of the key problems with the U.S.-U.K. Agreement include : • The agreement includes a weak standard for review , that doesn ’ t meet the 4th Amendment ’ s warrant requirement • The deal includes no safeguards for free expression • The people put under surveillance don ’ t need to be notified , on any level • The “ minimization ” procedures meant to protect U.S. persons are unfair , unequal , and won ’ t do the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ communications , allowing foreign police to wiretap Americans ’ conversations , ignoring the high requirements for a wiretap under U.S. law • These extraordinary search powers given to foreign police can be used even for relatively low-level crimes In colonial times , the British military used general warrants to search through houses and seize property .
This practice was part of what fueled the American Revolution , and formed the basis for the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution .
Congress shouldn ’ t let an executive agreement , negotiated behind closed doors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enshrined in U.S. law for nearly 250 years .
TAKE ACTION : TELL CONGRESS TO STOP THE U.S.-U.K .
CLOUD ACT DEAL Joe Mullin is a policy analyst on EFF ’ s intellectual property team , where he works on patent reform , copyright issues , and free speech online .
Before joining EFF , Joe worked as a reporter covering legal affairs for the technology website Ars Technica , and American Lawyer ’ s magazine group .
Earlier in his journalism career , Joe wrote for The Associated Press and The Seattle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in history and a masters in journalism , both from the University of California at Berkeley .
Outside of his work at EFF , Joe enjoys trail running and cycling .
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $ 1 per month at Patreon .
Follow us on SoMee , Flote , Minds , Twitter , and Steemit .
Provide , Protect and Profit from what ’ s coming !
Get a free issue of Counter Markets today @

Law enforcement officials in the U.S. and U.K. have negotiated a deal that sells out the privacy rights of the public in both nations. For Americans, it will effectively abrogate Fourth Amendment protections, and subject their data to search and seizure by foreign police.
This is all going to start happening in a few months—unless Congress does something to stop it now. That’s why we’re launching an action today, asking you to reach out to your members of Congress and tell them to introduce a joint resolution that could put a halt to the deal. If it isn’t stopped, the worst parts of this deal will likely come standard on future agreements, and Americans will be subject to more and more searches by foreign police.
TAKE ACTION: Tell Congress to Stop the U.S.-U.K. Cloud Act Deal
The full text of the U.S.-U.K. Cloud Act Agreement was unveiled in November, and it’s just as bad as we thought it would be. We joined with 19 other privacy, civil liberties, and human rights organizations, and sent a letter to Congress going through the long list of problems with the first Cloud Act deal.
Some of the key problems with the U.S.-U.K. Agreement include:
The agreement includes a weak standard for review, that doesn’t meet the 4th Amendment’s warrant requirement
There’s no prior judicial authorization required
The deal includes no safeguards for free expression
The people put under surveillance don’t need to be notified, on any level
The “minimization” procedures meant to protect U.S. persons are unfair, unequal, and won’t do the job
It will grant real-time access to communications, allowing foreign police to wiretap Americans’ conversations, ignoring the high requirements for a wiretap under U.S. law
These extraordinary search powers given to foreign police can be used even for relatively low-level crimes
In colonial times, the British military used general warrants to search through houses and seize property. This practice was part of what fueled the American Revolution, and formed the basis for the 4th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Congress shouldn’t let an executive agreement, negotiated behind closed doors, give away rights that have been enshrined in U.S. law for nearly 250 years.
TAKE ACTION: TELL CONGRESS TO STOP THE U.S.-U.K. CLOUD ACT DEAL
Article source: EFF.org
Joe Mullin is a policy analyst on EFF’s intellectual property team, where he works on patent reform, copyright issues, and free speech online. Before joining EFF, Joe worked as a reporter covering legal affairs for the technology website Ars Technica, and American Lawyer’s magazine group. Earlier in his journalism career, Joe wrote for The Associated Press and The Seattle Times. He has a bachelors degree in history and a masters in journalism, both from the University of California at Berkeley. Outside of his work at EFF, Joe enjoys trail running and cycling.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.


activistpost--2020-01-30--US Announces Three New Bases in Iraq After Iraqis Demand Full Withdrawal

Less than a week after millions of Iraqis took to the streets demanding the U.S. military leave for good , the United States announced that is planning to build three new military bases in Iraq , according to military news service Breaking Defense .
The three sites chosen – Erbin , Sulimania and Halabja – are all extremely close to Iran , with Halabja ( the site of the 1988 chemical weapons attack ) just eight miles from the border .
The news will come as a shock to the Iraqi parliament , who earlier this month voted overwhelmingly ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forces from the country .
But the U.S. government has flatly refused to leave .
“ At this time , any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership — not to discuss troop withdrawal , but our right , appropriate force posture in the Middle East , ” said State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus , adding , “ We strongly urge Iraqi leaders to reconsider the importance of the ongoing economic and security relationship between the two countries… We believe it is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Iraq to continue fighting ISIS together.
” Earlier this month the U.S. decided to send an extra 3,000 troops to the region .
President Trump responded by threatening sweeping mass punishments against the Iraqi people .
“ We ’ re not leaving unless they pay us back for it…If they do ask us to leave , if we don ’ t do it in a very friendly basis , we will charge them sanctions like they ’ ve never seen before ever , ” he said .
U.S.-led sanctions on Iraq in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over one million people , including over half a million young children .
Successive U.N. diplomats in charge of Iraq during the sanctions denounced them as genocide against its people .
Trump said his sanctions would make the ones on Iran look tame by comparison .
“ If there ’ s any hostility , ” he said , “ we are going to put sanctions on Iraq , very big sanctions.
” Trump also threatened to commit genocide against the people of Iran , destroying their cultural heritage sites in a move condemned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s destruction of the world-renowned Buddhas of Bamyan in Afghanistan .
Despite the president ’ s threats , enormous numbers of Iraqis heeded Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr ’ s call for a “ million man march ” in Baghdad last week .
While Time magazine claimed there were only “ hundreds ” in attendance , drone footage told a very different story .
Some estimates put the total at over 2.5 million .
And despite Bloomberg Quick Take originally claiming that they were “ anti-government demonstrations , ” the huge banner on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AMERICA ” in uppercase English letters suggested otherwise .
Hostilities between the United States and Iran threatened to spiral out of control after the January 3 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani .
Soleimani had been invited to Baghdad by Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi for regional peace talks .
Abdul-Mahdi asked Trump for permission for Soleimani to enter Iraq .
Trump accepted , then used the opportunity to kill the general with a drone strike , something the Iraqi parliament declared a violation of their national sovereignty .
In retaliation , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Iraq , causing pinpoint damage , but no fatalities , as the U.S. was warned of the impending response .
The Pentagon has said that dozens of troops have suffered brain injuries as a result , but the president disagrees , claiming they amount to little more than headaches .
Since 2003 , an estimated 2.4 million people have been killed in the U.S. war on Iraq .
One of the consequences of the wars in the Middle East was the rise of the Islamic State , which itself has led to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates from a network of bases in Bahrain , Qatar , the United Arab Emirates and many other states in the region .
The move to establish three new U.S. military bases on Iran ’ s borders will not be a welcome move to those who wish to deescalate tensions , least of all by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists , who moved their Doomsday Clock to just 100 seconds to midnight , citing a possible regional nuclear catastrophe as a factor .
Feature photo | Protesters take to the streets of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million-man rally to call for an end to the military presence of the United States in their country .
Photo | Mehr Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News .
After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books : Bad News From Venezuela : Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age : Still Manufacturing Consent .
He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting , The Guardian , Salon , The Grayzone , Jacobin Magazine , Common Dreams the American Herald @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Activist Post for truth , peace , and freedom news .
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Get a free issue of Counter Markets today .

By Alan Macleod
Less than a week after millions of Iraqis took to the streets demanding the U.S. military leave for good, the United States announced that is planning to build three new military bases in Iraq, according to military news service Breaking Defense. The three sites chosen – Erbin, Sulimania and Halabja – are all extremely close to Iran, with Halabja (the site of the 1988 chemical weapons attack) just eight miles from the border.
The news will come as a shock to the Iraqi parliament, who earlier this month voted overwhelmingly (with some abstentions) to expel American forces from the country. But the U.S. government has flatly refused to leave. “At this time, any delegation sent to Iraq would be dedicated to discussing how to best recommit to our strategic partnership — not to discuss troop withdrawal, but our right, appropriate force posture in the Middle East,” said State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, adding, “We strongly urge Iraqi leaders to reconsider the importance of the ongoing economic and security relationship between the two countries… We believe it is in the shared interests of the United States and Iraq to continue fighting ISIS together.” Earlier this month the U.S. decided to send an extra 3,000 troops to the region.
President Trump responded by threatening sweeping mass punishments against the Iraqi people. “We’re not leaving unless they pay us back for it…If they do ask us to leave, if we don’t do it in a very friendly basis, we will charge them sanctions like they’ve never seen before ever,” he said. U.S.-led sanctions on Iraq in the 1990s are thought to have killed over one million people, including over half a million young children. Successive U.N. diplomats in charge of Iraq during the sanctions denounced them as genocide against its people. Trump said his sanctions would make the ones on Iran look tame by comparison.
“If there’s any hostility,” he said, “we are going to put sanctions on Iraq, very big sanctions.” Trump also threatened to commit genocide against the people of Iran, destroying their cultural heritage sites in a move condemned by many and compared to the Taliban’s destruction of the world-renowned Buddhas of Bamyan in Afghanistan. Despite the president’s threats, enormous numbers of Iraqis heeded Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr’s call for a “million man march” in Baghdad last week. While Time magazine claimed there were only “hundreds” in attendance, drone footage told a very different story. Some estimates put the total at over 2.5 million. And despite Bloomberg Quick Take originally claiming that they were “anti-government demonstrations,” the huge banner on the main stage reading “GET OUT AMERICA” in uppercase English letters suggested otherwise.
Hostilities between the United States and Iran threatened to spiral out of control after the January 3 assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Soleimani had been invited to Baghdad by Iraqi Prime Minister Adil Abdul-Mahdi for regional peace talks. Abdul-Mahdi asked Trump for permission for Soleimani to enter Iraq. Trump accepted, then used the opportunity to kill the general with a drone strike, something the Iraqi parliament declared a violation of their national sovereignty. In retaliation, the Iranians fired ballistic missiles at U.S.-occupied bases in Iraq, causing pinpoint damage, but no fatalities, as the U.S. was warned of the impending response. The Pentagon has said that dozens of troops have suffered brain injuries as a result, but the president disagrees, claiming they amount to little more than headaches.
The plan to build new bases will be seen in Iran as an attempt to tighten the noose around it more tightly. There are already over 65,000 American military personnel in neighboring countries. The U.S. continues to occupy Iraq and Afghanistan since the invasions launched in the wake of the 2001 World Trade Center attacks.
Since 2003, an estimated 2.4 million people have been killed in the U.S. war on Iraq. One of the consequences of the wars in the Middle East was the rise of the Islamic State, which itself has led to further conflict. The U.S. military also operates from a network of bases in Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and many other states in the region.
The move to establish three new U.S. military bases on Iran’s borders will not be a welcome move to those who wish to deescalate tensions, least of all by the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, who moved their Doomsday Clock to just 100 seconds to midnight, citing a possible regional nuclear catastrophe as a factor.
Feature photo | Protesters take to the streets of the Iraqi capital, Baghdad, for a million-man rally to call for an end to the military presence of the United States in their country. Photo | Mehr
Article source: MintPress News
Alan MacLeod is a Staff Writer for MintPress News. After completing his PhD in 2017 he published two books: Bad News From Venezuela: Twenty Years of Fake News and Misreporting and Propaganda in the Information Age: Still Manufacturing Consent. He has also contributed to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting, The Guardian, Salon, The Grayzone, Jacobin Magazine, Common Dreams the American Herald Tribune and The Canary.
Subscribe to Activist Post for truth, peace, and freedom news. Become an Activist Post Patron for as little as $1 per month at Patreon. Follow us on SoMee, Flote, Minds, Twitter, and Steemit.
Provide, Protect and Profit from what’s coming! Get a free issue of Counter Markets today.