thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-03-25--SITREP – Iran’s fight against the Coronavirus exposes Washington’s cruel nature

By Aram Mirzaei for the Saker blog This is a crime without a shocking reveal : the murderers have been known all along…because , in their imperial arrogance , they brag constantly about their crimes .
heRepublic has entered its second month of battling the global pandemic caused by the Covid-19 disease .
For long , Iran stood out as the hardest hit nation outside of China as the virus swiftly spread across the country , infecting several MPs and government officials as well .
From the onset of the outbreak , some among the Western media were quick to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreak , seizing a perfect opportunity to attack the Islamic Republic .
Exiled opposition groups and individuals quickly took to Twitter , sharing disaster stories and videos of collapsed men and women on the streets all over Iran .
Iran was immediately accused of hiding the true number of infected people and casualties , despite reassurances from the WHO that there was no evidence of a cover up in Tehran .
It could very well be true that the number of infected people in Iran are a lot higher than the official data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases , so-called hidden statistics exist almost everywhere .
Those who aren ’ t considered at risk are told to remain at home and self quarantine – there ’ s no cover up or conspiracy in doing this .
¨ If there was a conspiracy , it would be the so called opposition activists only conspiring to mass produce fake news on Iran ’ s Corona fight and undermine the government ’ s efforts .
Some of these “ activists ” openly call for people in Iran to make efforts to worsen the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ regime ” down .
Others hoard and hide medical supplies and sanitizing products in order to undermine the country ’ s ability to handle the outbreak .
Recently a warehouse in northwestern Iran was discovered to have hoarded 28 million masks and gloves !
Part of the reason for the quick and massive spread of the virus also lies with the government ’ s inability to confront the threat properly .
The holy shrines remained open for a long time after the first confirmed cases in Qom , while the parliament elections @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of an epidemic .
Also , the government failed to enforce quarantines in cities such as Tehran and Qom , allowing the disease to spread across all of Iran .
The high amount of government officials and MPs infected are due to the fact that the source of the outbreak in Iran could be traced back to Qom , an important religious and political centre of Iran .
A number of the infected officials have since succumbed to the disease and died during the recent weeks .
Amid this fight , it has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cruel Washington ’ s sanctions against Iran truly are .
Not only have they refused to ease the sanctions , but they also imposed further sanctions in the recent days .
The United States has announced a new round of sanctions against Iran as part of its so-called “ maximum pressure ” campaign against the Islamic Republic .
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that Washington had blacklisted three Iranian entities for engaging in what he called “ significant transactions ” to trade in Iranian petrochemicals .
While he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pompeo said the measure included blacklisting Iran ’ s armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in the sanctioned entities .
In a separate statement , the US Commerce Department also said it would boycott a number of entities , including five Iranian nuclear scientists , for aiding Tehran ’ s nuclear program .
The Iranian health sector has been hit hard by the sanctions .
Tehran ’ s ambassador to Madrid says Iran is the only country in the world that can not buy medicine and medical equipment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s “ cruel and inhumane ” sanctions , which are hindering the country ’ s fight against a coronavirus outbreak .
Hassan Qashqavi made the remarks in an interview with Spain ’ s La Razon newspaper on Wednesday .
He further said that any banking transaction requires permission from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control ( OFAC ) , which blocks foreign firms from engaging in transactions and trade with countries on the US ’ s sanctions list .
The British government is pressing the United States to ease its sanctions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country which has infected thousands of people , says a report .
The Guardian newspaper claimed in a report published on its website on Wednesday that UK authorities were privately negotiating with Washington for a respite to Iran sanctions .
The report did not elaborate on any further details , neither was there any mention of sources corroborating the claims .
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the US “ the most evil enemy of the Iranian nation ” , saying the offer by the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is strange .
“ Today , we have no less of enemies but the most evil enemy of the Iranian nation is America , ” the Leader said in a televised address on Sunday .
US officials have refused to lift draconian sanctions which are hampering Iran ’ s efforts to contain the coronavirus .
They have instead claimed readiness to aid Iranians , with President Donald Trump saying “ all they have to do is ask ” .
Iranian authorities have dismissed the offer as hypocritical , saying it makes no sense @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which have made Iran ’ s access to food , medicine and other humanitarian supplies impossible .
Ayatollah Khamenei called US officials deceitful , saying they were lying as he touched on speculations that the United States has manufactured the extremely contagious disease .
“ Americans have said several times that ‘ we are ready to help with treatment and medicine ; just ask us and we will help ’ .
This is one of the weirdest things which they tell us to ask them , ” the Leader said .
“ Firstly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this is what American officials say .
Secondly , you are accused of producing the virus .
I do not know how true this accusation is , but when such an accusation is made , which wise person will ask for your help ?
” he added .
Ayatollah Khamenei said , “ American officials are mendacious , deceitful , shameless and greedy .
They are all kinds of charlatans who speak like charlatans .
They are cruel , merciless , and terrorist.
” According to the Leader , “ part of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for Iran by using genetic backgrounds which they have collected from Iranians , which of course is part of their hostility ” .
Officials in Tehran have ordered all commercial centers closed except for major chain stores supplying foodstuff and other basic requirements as well as pharmacies as part of new restrictive measures to stem the coronavirus outbreak .
Deputy Governor of Tehran Province Hamidreza Goudarzi said on Sunday new social distancing directives about what activities were and were not allowed in the capital had been issued for the megapolis of some 12 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are allowed to stay open and other businesses breaching the order will be penalized , he added .
The new restrictions come as Iran is stepping up its campaign to curtail a further spread of the disease .
Head of Iran ’ s Food and Drug Administration Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz said pharmacies across the country are replenished with protective masks , hand sanitizers and other hygiene products and there is no shortage in this regard .
Alcohol production by Iranian companies has doubled in recent weeks .
“ We are currently producing 400,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Shanehsaz said .
Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that 1,028 new coronavirus cases had been diagnosed within the past 24 hours , bringing the total number of infected individuals to 21,638 .
“ With 129 new deaths in the past 24 hours , the death toll from the virus has reached 1,685 , ” he said .
Jahanpour further put the number of patients who have recovered from the viral disease at 7,913 .
Meanwhile Iran ’ s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said as of Sunday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new coronavirus .
The minister said up to 60 percent of the population had confined themselves to their homes and urged the rest of the people to abide by the stay-home directives to help prevent a second wave of infections as a result of cross-country trips during the two-week Nowruz holidays .

By Aram Mirzaei for the Saker blog
This is a crime without a shocking reveal: the murderers have been known all along...because, in their imperial arrogance, they brag constantly about their crimes.
Islamic
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]heRepublic has entered its second month of battling the global pandemic caused by the Covid-19 disease. For long, Iran stood out as the hardest hit nation outside of China as the virus swiftly spread across the country, infecting several MPs and government officials as well. From the onset of the outbreak, some among the Western media were quick to criticize Iran’s handling of the outbreak, seizing a perfect opportunity to attack the Islamic Republic. Exiled opposition groups and individuals quickly took to Twitter, sharing disaster stories and videos of collapsed men and women on the streets all over Iran. Iran was immediately accused of hiding the true number of infected people and casualties, despite reassurances from the WHO that there was no evidence of a cover up in Tehran.
https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/03/02/619989/WHO-Iran-coronavirus-
It could very well be true that the number of infected people in Iran are a lot higher than the official data from the Health Ministry, but unrecorded cases, so-called hidden statistics exist almost everywhere. Those who aren’t considered at risk are told to remain at home and self quarantine – there’s no cover up or conspiracy in doing this. ¨
If there was a conspiracy, it would be the so called opposition activists only conspiring to mass produce fake news on Iran’s Corona fight and undermine the government’s efforts. Some of these “activists” openly call for people in Iran to make efforts to worsen the spread in a bid to bring the “regime” down. Others hoard and hide medical supplies and sanitizing products in order to undermine the country’s ability to handle the outbreak. Recently a warehouse in northwestern Iran was discovered to have hoarded 28 million masks and gloves!
Part of the reason for the quick and massive spread of the virus also lies with the government’s inability to confront the threat properly. The holy shrines remained open for a long time after the first confirmed cases in Qom, while the parliament elections were also held despite the imminent threat of an epidemic. Also, the government failed to enforce quarantines in cities such as Tehran and Qom, allowing the disease to spread across all of Iran.
The high amount of government officials and MPs infected are due to the fact that the source of the outbreak in Iran could be traced back to Qom, an important religious and political centre of Iran. A number of the infected officials have since succumbed to the disease and died during the recent weeks.
Amid this fight, it has become clear for the entire world how cruel Washington’s sanctions against Iran truly are. Not only have they refused to ease the sanctions, but they also imposed further sanctions in the recent days.
Presstv:
The United States has announced a new round of sanctions against Iran as part of its so-called “maximum pressure” campaign against the Islamic Republic.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Tuesday that Washington had blacklisted three Iranian entities for engaging in what he called “significant transactions” to trade in Iranian petrochemicals.
While he did not name any firms or individuals, Pompeo said the measure included blacklisting Iran’s armed forces social security investment company and its director for investing in the sanctioned entities.
In a separate statement, the US Commerce Department also said it would boycott a number of entities, including five Iranian nuclear scientists, for aiding Tehran’s nuclear program.
The Iranian health sector has been hit hard by the sanctions.
Tehran’s ambassador to Madrid says Iran is the only country in the world that cannot buy medicine and medical equipment from the global market because of America’s “cruel and inhumane” sanctions, which are hindering the country’s fight against a coronavirus outbreak.
Hassan Qashqavi made the remarks in an interview with Spain’s La Razon newspaper on Wednesday.
He further said that any banking transaction requires permission from the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which blocks foreign firms from engaging in transactions and trade with countries on the US’s sanctions list.
Another interesting report:
The British government is pressing the United States to ease its sanctions against Iran amid a coronavirus outbreak in the country which has infected thousands of people, says a report.
The Guardian newspaper claimed in a report published on its website on Wednesday that UK authorities were privately negotiating with Washington for a respite to Iran sanctions.
The report did not elaborate on any further details, neither was there any mention of sources corroborating the claims.
Update Sunday March 22
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei has described the US “the most evil enemy of the Iranian nation”, saying the offer by the United States to help Iran fight the coronavirus outbreak is strange.
“Today, we have no less of enemies but the most evil enemy of the Iranian nation is America,” the Leader said in a televised address on Sunday.
US officials have refused to lift draconian sanctions which are hampering Iran’s efforts to contain the coronavirus. They have instead claimed readiness to aid Iranians, with President Donald Trump saying “all they have to do is ask”.
Iranian authorities have dismissed the offer as hypocritical, saying it makes no sense when Washington keeps on imposing new sanctions which have made Iran’s access to food, medicine and other humanitarian supplies impossible.
Ayatollah Khamenei called US officials deceitful, saying they were lying as he touched on speculations that the United States has manufactured the extremely contagious disease.
“Americans have said several times that ‘we are ready to help with treatment and medicine; just ask us and we will help’. This is one of the weirdest things which they tell us to ask them,” the Leader said.
“Firstly, you have a shortage yourself and this is what American officials say. Secondly, you are accused of producing the virus. I do not know how true this accusation is, but when such an accusation is made, which wise person will ask for your help?” he added.
Ayatollah Khamenei said, “American officials are mendacious, deceitful, shameless and greedy. They are all kinds of charlatans who speak like charlatans. They are cruel, merciless, and terrorist.”
According to the Leader, “part of this virus is said to have been made for Iran by using genetic backgrounds which they have collected from Iranians, which of course is part of their hostility”.
Officials in Tehran have ordered all commercial centers closed except for major chain stores supplying foodstuff and other basic requirements as well as pharmacies as part of new restrictive measures to stem the coronavirus outbreak.
Deputy Governor of Tehran Province Hamidreza Goudarzi said on Sunday new social distancing directives about what activities were and were not allowed in the capital had been issued for the megapolis of some 12 million.
Only hypermarkets and drug stores are allowed to stay open and other businesses breaching the order will be penalized, he added. The new restrictions come as Iran is stepping up its campaign to curtail a further spread of the disease.
Head of Iran’s Food and Drug Administration Mohammad Reza Shanehsaz said pharmacies across the country are replenished with protective masks, hand sanitizers and other hygiene products and there is no shortage in this regard.
Alcohol production by Iranian companies has doubled in recent weeks. “We are currently producing 400,000 litres of alcohol on a daily basis,” Shanehsaz said.
Iranian Health Ministry spokesman Kianoush Jahanpour said on Sunday that 1,028 new coronavirus cases had been diagnosed within the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of infected individuals to 21,638.
“With 129 new deaths in the past 24 hours, the death toll from the virus has reached 1,685,” he said.
Jahanpour further put the number of patients who have recovered from the viral disease at 7,913.
Meanwhile Iran’s Health Minister Saeed Namaki said as of Sunday morning 32.7 million Iranians had been screened for the new coronavirus.
The minister said up to 60 percent of the population had confined themselves to their homes and urged the rest of the people to abide by the stay-home directives to help prevent a second wave of infections as a result of cross-country trips during the two-week Nowruz holidays.


thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-04-16--Will this pandemic finally mark the end of the US carrier fleet?

As for “ bringing the war to the Soviets ” , the truth is that had it ever come to a real war , the US carriers would have been kept far away from the formidable Soviet cruise missile capability ( delivered simultaneously by aircraft , surface ships and submarines ) for a very simple reason : every time such an attack was modeled a sufficient number of Soviet missiles successfully passed through the protective cordon around the carrier and successfully hit it with devastating results ( while sinking a carrier is not that easy , damaging it and making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ missile hits ) .
And that was long before hypersonic missiles like the Kinzhal or the Zircon !
Truly , as an an instrument to deter or defeat the Soviets the USN strike groups were already obsolete in the 1980s , that is long before the the Russians deployed their hypersonic missiles which , as my friend Andrei Martyanov explained in his books ( see here and here ) and on his blog ( see here ) , basically made the entire US surface fleet obsolete not only to fight Russia , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such missiles .
Such countries already include India and China , but there will be many more soon , probably including Iran !
Today , however , I won ’ t discuss the missile issue , but what happened recently on the USS Theodore Roosevelt , which you probably know about : her captain got fired for writing a letter ( according to his accusers , bypassing the chain of command ) asking for help because his crew got infected by the virus .
His letter was published by the San Francisco Chronicle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Interestingly , when the captain , Navy Capt .
Brett Crozier , left the ship , his sailors gave him a standing ovation : Next , Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly called Captain Crozier “ stupid ” .
That also became public , and he had to apologize and resign ( clearly , Modly is not exactly a genius himself ! )
.
Then even more of the crew of the carrier got sick , including Crozier himself !
This is what is known in the US military jargon as a “ clusterbleep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a lot of interesting stuff coming out from this story .
First , the obvious : USN carriers can not operate effectively under a bio-attack ( a truly weaponized virus would both be much more transmissible than SARS-COV-2 and it would be far more deadly ) .
This also indicates that they would probably do no better under a real chemical warfare attack either .
Considering that in reality USN carriers are an instrument of colonial repression and not ships to be engaged against the USSR ( which had real biowarfare capabilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most university labs & the like could produce some kind of virus and use it as a weapon , truly weaponized viruses , the kind effectively used in special delivery systems , can only be produced by a limited list of countries ) .
However , in theory , all the formations/units/subunits/ships/aircraft/armor/etc of a military superpower should be trained to operate in case of a nuclear , chemical and biological attack .
Clearly , this is not the case with US carriers , most likely because nobody in the USA really expected such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Cold War .
For the current situation , however , I think that the lesson is clear : the USN simply does not have an effective capability to operate under NBC attack conditions .
By the way , this appears to also be true of the French , whose only carrier has 30 % infected sailors !
Second , I agree that going outside the chain of command is wrong , but let ’ s also consider the following here : the fact that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was having a large @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which could have been kept secret anyway , especially while in port .
Not only that , but how do we know that Capt .
Crozier did not write other memos through the regular chain of command before he wrote the one which became public ?
After all , any such memos could very easily be classified and never made public .
Finally , I will admit that my sympathies are squarely with the man who placed the lives of his men and women above all else , and not with the bureaucratic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ above the lives of sailors and called the real officer “ stupid ” for his actions ( wait !
a USN carrier captain stupid ?
!
Somehow I don ’ t think so….. ) .
At the time of writing ( April 14th ) there have been 600 sailors from the Theodore Roosevelt who contracted the virus and one death .
Finally , over 4000 sailors have now been evacuated from the ship ( 1000 are still onboard to operate the nuclear reactor and other key systems ) .
In other words , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inoperable !
Yet more proof that the USN never took a bioattack threat seriously .
To be honest , it seems that the US Army has similar problems , here is a map of affected US bases I found on Colonel Cassad ’ s blog : It appears that the US-based forces never expected any real attack ( other than maybe one by terrorists equipped with small arms ) so NBC security was never a priority .
However , this is not a fair comparison .
First , bases located on land have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than ships , even ships in port .
Second , and much more importantly , in case of a pandemic or chemical/biological attack , bases located on land can better isolate those affected , bring in more resources or quickly disperse the personnel to better protect them .
You can ’ t do that on a ship .
In fact , the bigger the ship , the more it looks like an “ armed cruiseliner ” which , as we now all know , is a gigantic Petri dish .
Questions such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the pandemic finally sheds a much-needed light on the shocking reality about “ the best !
most powerful !
best equipped !
and best trained military force in the Galaxy !
” : it can ’ t even protect itself from a relatively weak virus , never-mind defeat a competent enemy .
Will we get answers ?
Eventually , probably yes .
But for the time being , the US is all about covering your ass while pointing fingers and blaming others ( especially China , Russia and even the WHO !
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ abject failure for the past decades and it will be an abject failure in the future .
But since that is all US politicians know how to do , this is not stopping anytime soon .
Likewise , what is known as the “ carrier fiction ” will be upheld for as long as possible , especially since there is a lot of money involved for the US ruling classes .

[dropcap]F[/dropcap]rankly, I have never considered USN carrier strike groups as a “Cold War capable” element of the US Navy. Yes, in theory, there was the notion of forward deploying these carriers to “bring the war to the Soviets” (on the Kola Peninsula) before they could flush their subs and aircraft through the GUIK gap and into the Atlantic. In theory, it should have been a 600 ship navy too, but that never happened. In reality, of course, US strike groups were the ultimate “colony disciplining” instrument which Uncle Shmuel would park off the coast of a country disobedient to the demands and systematic plundering of the USA. Since most countries in the 20th century could not sink a US carrier or prevail over the comparatively advanced aircraft deployed on them, this was, all in all, a very safe game to play for the USA.
As for “bringing the war to the Soviets”, the truth is that had it ever come to a real war, the US carriers would have been kept far away from the formidable Soviet cruise missile capability (delivered simultaneously by aircraft, surface ships and submarines) for a very simple reason: every time such an attack was modeled a sufficient number of Soviet missiles successfully passed through the protective cordon around the carrier and successfully hit it with devastating results (while sinking a carrier is not that easy, damaging it and making it inoperable does not take that many missile hits).
And that was long before hypersonic missiles like the Kinzhal or the Zircon!
Truly, as an an instrument to deter or defeat the Soviets the USN strike groups were already obsolete in the 1980s, that is long before the the Russians deployed their hypersonic missiles which, as my friend Andrei Martyanov explained in his books (see here and here) and on his blog (see here), basically made the entire US surface fleet obsolete not only to fight Russia, but also to fight any country which possesses such missiles. Such countries already include India and China, but there will be many more soon, probably including Iran!
Today, however, I won’t discuss the missile issue, but what happened recently on the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which you probably know about: her captain got fired for writing a letter (according to his accusers, bypassing the chain of command) asking for help because his crew got infected by the virus. His letter was published by the San Francisco Chronicle and you can read it here.
Interestingly, when the captain, Navy Capt. Brett Crozier, left the ship, his sailors gave him a standing ovation.
Next, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly called Captain Crozier “stupid”. That also became public, and he had to apologize and resign (clearly, Modly is not exactly a genius himself!). Then even more of the crew of the carrier got sick, including Crozier himself!
This is what is known in the US military jargon as a “clusterbleep”…
There is, however, also a lot of interesting stuff coming out from this story.
First, the obvious: USN carriers cannot operate effectively under a bio-attack (a truly weaponized virus would both be much more transmissible than SARS-COV-2 and it would be far more deadly). This also indicates that they would probably do no better under a real chemical warfare attack either.
Considering that in reality USN carriers are an instrument of colonial repression and not ships to be engaged against the USSR (which had real biowarfare capabilities), this makes sense (while most university labs & the like could produce some kind of virus and use it as a weapon, truly weaponized viruses, the kind effectively used in special delivery systems, can only be produced by a limited list of countries). However, in theory, all the formations/units/subunits/ships/aircraft/armor/etc of a military superpower should be trained to operate in case of a nuclear, chemical and biological attack. Clearly, this is not the case with US carriers, most likely because nobody in the USA really expected such an attack, at least not during the Cold War.
For the current situation, however, I think that the lesson is clear: the USN simply does not have an effective capability to operate under NBC attack conditions.
By the way, this appears to also be true of the French, whose only carrier has 30% infected sailors!
Second, I agree that going outside the chain of command is wrong, but let’s also consider the following here: the fact that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was having a large number of infected sailors is not something which could have been kept secret anyway, especially while in port. Not only that, but how do we know that Capt. Crozier did not write other memos through the regular chain of command before he wrote the one which became public? After all, any such memos could very easily be classified and never made public.
Finally, I will admit that my sympathies are squarely with the man who placed the lives of his men and women above all else, and not with the bureaucratic drone who put procedures and ruffled feathers above the lives of sailors and called the real officer “stupid” for his actions (wait! a USN carrier captain stupid?! Somehow I don’t think so…..).
At the time of writing (April 14th) there have been 600 sailors from the Theodore Roosevelt who contracted the virus and one death.
Finally, over 4000 sailors have now been evacuated from the ship (1000 are still onboard to operate the nuclear reactor and other key systems).
In other words, the USS Theodore Roosevelt is now completely inoperable!
The quoted CNN article concludes with:
Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. John Hyten told reporters Thursday the US military needed to plan for similar outbreaks in the future as the Defense Department works to cope with the virus’ impacts. “I think it’s not a good idea to think the Teddy Roosevelt is a one-of-a-kind issue. We have too many ships at sea, we have too many deployed capabilities. There’s 5,000 sailors on a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. To think it will never happen again is not a good way to plan. What we have to do is figure out how to plan in these kind of Covid environments,” Hyten said.
Yet more proof that the USN never took a bioattack threat seriously.
To be honest, it seems that the US Army has similar problems, here is a map of affected US bases I found on Colonel Cassad’s blog:
It appears that the US-based forces never expected any real attack (other than maybe one by terrorists equipped with small arms) so NBC security was never a priority.
[Sidebar: Note, in Russia, at least so far (April 14th), there are zero cases of servicemen infected with the virus. This will almost inevitably change in the future, but for the time being, this is true, in spite of having Russian military units helping to fight the virus both in Russia and outside. Just saying…]
However, this is not a fair comparison. First, bases located on land have far more interactions with the outside world than ships, even ships in port. Second, and much more importantly, in case of a pandemic or chemical/biological attack, bases located on land can better isolate those affected, bring in more resources or quickly disperse the personnel to better protect them. You can’t do that on a ship. In fact, the bigger the ship, the more it looks like an “armed cruiseliner” which, as we now all know, is a gigantic Petri dish.
Questions such as those above will only increase in number as the pandemic finally sheds a much-needed light on the shocking reality about “the best! most powerful! best equipped! and best trained military force in the Galaxy!”: it can’t even protect itself from a relatively weak virus, never-mind defeat a competent enemy.
Will we get answers? Eventually, probably yes. But for the time being, the US is all about covering your ass while pointing fingers and blaming others (especially China, Russia and even the WHO!). This strategy has been an abject failure for the past decades and it will be an abject failure in the future.
[Sidebar: Trump’s latest decision to defund the WHO (to whom the US already owes a ton of money anyway) is arguably his worst act of “international PR seppuku” which will further increase the disgust the USA already inspires worldwide. As for our Israeli friends, they are proud that their Mossad actually steals medical equipment from other countries: after all, every Israeli know that Jewish blood is sacred, while goy blood is worthless. Another case of self-inflicted “international PR seppuku” for “the only democracy in the Middle East”]
But since that is all US politicians know how to do, this is not stopping anytime soon. Likewise, what is known as the “carrier fiction” will be upheld for as long as possible, especially since there is a lot of money involved for the US ruling classes.
—The Saker


thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-04-16--The Recovery Will Not Be V-Shaped

The Recovery Will Not Be V-Shaped

Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible .
Share with kin , friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise .
DISPATCHES FROM MOON OF ALABAMA , BY “ B ” This article is part of an ongoing series of dispatches from Moon of Alabama uring the last four weeks 22 million workers in the U.S. filed for unemployment insurance .
Some 10 to 15 million additional workers were not eligible but also lost their jobs .
Ross : Ultimately , where does this end ?
Because if in 12 weeks time , people can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social norms , enter into the economy , live , put bread on the table , where does that logically finish ?
Michael Hudson : With the American economy looking pretty much like Greece .
It ’ ll be austerity .
There will be people who don ’ t have jobs .
They are going to be evicted from their apartments .
They will have run through their savings .
They will not be able to pay their credit card debt and other debts so arrears are going to rise .
The banks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that although we can ’ t save the people , we can save the banks .
The Federal Reserve has enough money to keep all the banks afloat , even if they ’ re not getting the mortgage payments , even if they ’ re not able to collect on their loans .
The banks can now make up for the money they ’ re not getting by having a huge new market : lending money to private capital and to the large companies to buy out these small businesses that are going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But the oligarchs who rule the United States are probably miscalculating this crisis : The crisis will not be over before the fat lady sings .
That lady has not even entered the house .
A recovery will not be V-shaped .
The economy will not spring back into action as soon as the lockdowns are over .
It will be a long slog .
The U.S. economy always depends on consumer resilience .
But with more than 30 million people out of jobs there will be a huge fall of demand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also likely that there will be more than one wave of the pandemic .
During summer the case numbers will probably recede but they are likely to go up again during the fall .
In between the pandemic will slowly burn through more of the population but mostly out of view because of many asymptomatic cases .
When it comes back it will be in a different way .
During the first wave the infections started first in place A then in place B then place C all depending on traffic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will likely come , as it did during the Spanish flu , as one big wall that will hit all places at the same time .
That will make it more difficult to allocate resources .
To expect a V-shaped return to a normal economy under these circumstance is foolish .
The political consequences will be huge .
A wide public demand for more social policies will come into conflict with a recalcitrant oligarchy .
Can that conflict be solved within the current U.S. system ?
Pandemics are , as Nassim Taleb and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where normal statistics no longer apply .
They are not symmetric Gaussian distributions curves where the way down from high case numbers has a similar shape as the way up had .
The way down is actually much longer and more of a very slow decline which might even include additional eruptions .
To expect a V-shaped return to a normal economy under these circumstance is foolish .
The political consequences will be huge .
A wide public demand for more social policies will come into conflict with a recalcitrant oligarchy .
Can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. system ?
There are a few signs for hope .
The first two vaccines developed in China are now in their first phase of human testing and more are coming .
Some of them may actually work .
A mass producible effective vaccine would mean that the fat lady has started to sing .
There is also the curiosity that most children not only do not fall ill with the Covid-19 disease but do not get infected at all .
Further research into the phenomenon could point to a protection mechanism that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grown ups .
On the sad side the Economist has started to systematically cover ‘ excess death ’ from the pandemic and finds that all official death numbers are serious undercounts .
“ b ” is Moon of Alabama ’ s founding ( and chief ) editor .
This site ’ s purpose is to discuss politics , economics , philosophy and blogger Billmon ’ s Whiskey Bar writings .
Moon Of Alabama was opened as an independent , open forum for members of the Whiskey Bar community .
Bernhard ) ” b @ @ @ @ @ @ @ site .
Once in a while you will also find posts and art from regular commentators .
You can reach the current administrator of this site by emailing Bernhard at MoonofA @ aol.com .
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License .

Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
DISPATCHES FROM MOON OF ALABAMA, BY "B"
This article is part of an ongoing series of dispatches from Moon of Alabama
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]uring the last four weeks 22 million workers in the U.S. filed for unemployment insurance. Some 10 to 15 million additional workers were not eligible but also lost their jobs.
Michael Hudson extrapolates from there:
Ross: Ultimately, where does this end? Because if in 12 weeks time, people can’t afford to enter into the social norms, enter into the economy, live, put bread on the table, where does that logically finish? Michael Hudson: With the American economy looking pretty much like Greece. It’ll be austerity. There will be people who don’t have jobs. They are going to be evicted from their apartments. They will have run through their savings. They will not be able to pay their credit card debt and other debts so arrears are going to rise. The banks would be squeezed, but Trump says that although we can’t save the people, we can save the banks. The Federal Reserve has enough money to keep all the banks afloat, even if they’re not getting the mortgage payments, even if they’re not able to collect on their loans. The banks can now make up for the money they’re not getting by having a huge new market: lending money to private capital and to the large companies to buy out these small businesses that are going under. It’s a bonanza.
A bonanza for the 1%.
But the oligarchs who rule the United States are probably miscalculating this crisis:
“U.S. stocks are pricing in a V-shaped economic recovery even more keenly than elsewhere in the world, so are vulnerable in the case that exits from lockdowns globally and in the U.S. prove more complicated,” said Edmund Shing, head of global equity derivative strategy at BNP Paribas SA.
The crisis will not be over before the fat lady sings. That lady has not even entered the house. A recovery will not be V-shaped. The economy will not spring back into action as soon as the lockdowns are over. It will be a long slog. The U.S. economy always depends on consumer resilience. But with more than 30 million people out of jobs there will be a huge fall of demand compared to before the pandemic.
It is also likely that there will be more than one wave of the pandemic. During summer the case numbers will probably recede but they are likely to go up again during the fall. In between the pandemic will slowly burn through more of the population but mostly out of view because of many asymptomatic cases. When it comes back it will be in a different way. During the first wave the infections started first in place A then in place B then place C all depending on traffic and contact pattern. But the second wave will likely come, as it did during the Spanish flu, as one big wall that will hit all places at the same time. That will make it more difficult to allocate resources.
To expect a V-shaped return to a normal economy under these circumstance is foolish. The political consequences will be huge. A wide public demand for more social policies will come into conflict with a recalcitrant oligarchy. Can that conflict be solved within the current U.S. system?
Pandemics are, as Nassim Taleb and other have pointed out fat tail events where normal statistics no longer apply . They are not symmetric Gaussian distributions curves where the way down from high case numbers has a similar shape as the way up had. The way down is actually much longer and more of a very slow decline which might even include additional eruptions.
To expect a V-shaped return to a normal economy under these circumstance is foolish.
The political consequences will be huge. A wide public demand for more social policies will come into conflict with a recalcitrant oligarchy. Can that conflict be solved within the current U.S. system?
There are a few signs for hope. The first two vaccines developed in China are now in their first phase of human testing and more are coming. Some of them may actually work. A mass producible effective vaccine would mean that the fat lady has started to sing.
There is also the curiosity that most children not only do not fall ill with the Covid-19 disease but do not get infected at all. Further research into the phenomenon could point to a protection mechanism that might be exploitable for the protection of grown ups.
On the sad side the Economist has started to systematically cover 'excess death' from the pandemic and finds that all official death numbers are serious undercounts.
NOTE ^1000Careerist lackeys serving the elites control the American press. Ever pushing for war and inequality, covering up the oligarchy's crimes... They are in reality shameless disinformers. No wonder the world is in such terrible disarray.
About the author(s) "b" is Moon of Alabama's founding (and chief) editor. This site's purpose is to discuss politics, economics, philosophy and blogger Billmon's Whiskey Bar writings. Moon Of Alabama was opened as an independent, open forum for members of the Whiskey Bar community. Bernhard )"b") started and still runs the site. Once in a while you will also find posts and art from regular commentators. You can reach the current administrator of this site by emailing Bernhard at MoonofA@aol.com.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
ALL CAPTIONS AND PULL QUOTES BY THE EDITORS NOT THE AUTHORS
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thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-04-16--Fiction, reality and the global crisis of capitalism

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Share with kin , friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise .
Dateline : First posted on 7 April 2020 • This is a repost n Monday there seemed to be two different worlds : one based on reality and the other on fiction .
In the real world , the COVID-19 pandemic continued its deadly rampage within the United States and around the globe .
The news was dominated by reports of overcrowded hospitals , exhausted doctors , nurses and support staff , and sick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fictional world of global stock exchanges and finance , a mood of uncontrollable euphoria prevailed among investors , who , as if staging an orgy at a funeral , poured billions into equities and drove the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by nearly 7.5 percent .
Substantial gains were also recorded by the German DAX ( up 6 percent ) and the British FTSE ( up over 3 percent ) .
What motivated this shameful and shameless celebration ?
On Monday , the US death toll surpassed the 10,000 mark .
Despite a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of new deaths in New York City on Sunday , there is no clear evidence that the virulence of the pandemic has peaked in this critical urban center .
Moreover , it is absolutely certain that other major urban centers and , more generally , large portions of the United States , are still to experience the full force of the pandemic .
The level of testing remains so disorganized and primitive that there exists no objective data upon which reliable predictions can be made about when it will be possible for workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The economic situation is dire and is deteriorating .
Former Federal Reserve Chairperson Janet Yellen said in a CNBC interview on Monday that the US is in the midst of an “ absolutely shocking ” downturn .
Unemployment is as high as 13 percent , Yellen estimated , and the overall contraction of the US economy is already at 30 percent .
Yellen ’ s views were seconded by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon , who , in his annual shareholder letter released on Monday , wrote that he expects a “ bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gross domestic product could fall as much as 35 percent in the second quarter , and the downturn will probably last through the rest of the year .
Large sections of the global economy , beyond the US and Western Europe are in free fall .
India , home to 17 percent of the world ’ s population , remains in lockdown , threatening global supply chains and food production .
Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said yesterday that the country faces “ perhaps its greatest emergency since independence.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus infections has finally compelled Japan ’ s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency , which will result in a shutdown of large portions of the country ’ s economic activity .
To the economic and health care crisis is added a deepening political crisis .
In the United Kingdom , Prime Minister Boris Johnson , having been infected by the coronavirus , was hospitalized and placed in intensive care on Sunday evening .
Almost simultaneously , the 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth grimly addressed the entire country in a televised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside of the annual Christmas event ) in her 68-year reign .
One might have expected that the hospitalization of an extremely sick prime minister in London , the financial center of Europe , would have sent the stock exchange into a tailspin when it opened for business on Monday morning .
But nothing of the sort happened .
Investors plunged into the market with gusto and did not pause for even a minute to shed a tear for their ailing prime minister .
How can one explain the exuberance in global markets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ First , whatever anxiety Wall Street may have about the spread of the pandemic is offset by the expectation that the US government will continue to support its speculative activities with countless trillions .
In fact , the direct transfer of resources into the markets , particularly by the Federal Reserve central bank in the US , is well underway .
The Federal Reserve balance sheet increased last month by $ 1.6 trillion , approximately equal to the entire monthly gross domestic product of the United States .
Every day , tens of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up assets and debt from banks and corporations .
In other words , the policies that were implemented following the crash of 2008 are being taken to a new level .
For more than a decade , the speculative mania on Wall Street has been financed through the infusion of cash from the US Federal Reserve in the form of “ quantitative easing ” ( money printing ) operations and low interest rates .
In the aftermath of the 2008 crisis , the Fed added $ 4 trillion to its balance sheet by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ held by the banks .
To this was added the unending stream of money plowed into the markets in the form of corporate stock buybacks .
The Wall Street Journal writes in an article published over the weekend : To sum up , through the mechanism of buybacks , the price of shares could be endlessly driven up even without an increase of profit levels .
The new intervention of the Federal Reserve , following the bill passed by Congress , has reassured Wall Street that there will be endless liquidity available to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ severe economic contraction .
The Fed is already buying up corporate debt , and Yellen raised yesterday the possibility that it might begin direct purchases of stocks for the first time in history .
Yellen also indicated that officials at the Federal Reserve , with whom she remains in contact , are thinking about purchasing very risky corporate “ junk bonds.
” The second factor behind Wall Street ’ s rise is its enthusiastic reaction to the international campaign by the political establishment and the media for a speedy return to work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of fictitious capital—wealth created through the massive and inflationary expansion of credit and debt— can not be entirely liberated from a real productive process involving and requiring the exploitation of the labor power of the working class .
If that real process stops , for whatever reason , the structure of fictitious capital collapses .
This is why the calls for a return to work—regardless of the state of the pandemic—have been taken up internationally by the capitalist media .
The prospect of an early return to work , under conditions of intensified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Of course , the euphoria may not last long .
Reality , not fiction , determines the course of events .
The class conflict and the logic of the opposing classes are starkly posed : For the ruling class , it is a question of securing its wealth , returning the workers to the job under unsafe conditions , and tearing up whatever remains of social programs .
For the working class , it is a question of saving lives , stopping all nonessential production , and restructuring economic life on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profit .
The one path leads to authoritarianism , the other leads to socialist revolution .
This is the irrepressible social and political logic of the fundamental reality of our epoch : the global crisis and death agony of world capitalism .
Puke if you must

Please make sure these dispatches reach as many readers as possible. Share with kin, friends and workmates and ask them to do likewise.
Joseph Kishore & David North
Dateline: First posted on 7 April 2020 • This is a repost
[dropcap]O[/dropcap]n Monday there seemed to be two different worlds: one based on reality and the other on fiction.
In the real world, the COVID-19 pandemic continued its deadly rampage within the United States and around the globe. The news was dominated by reports of overcrowded hospitals, exhausted doctors, nurses and support staff, and sick and dying patients.
But in the fictional world of global stock exchanges and finance, a mood of uncontrollable euphoria prevailed among investors, who, as if staging an orgy at a funeral, poured billions into equities and drove the Dow Jones Industrial Average up by nearly 7.5 percent. Substantial gains were also recorded by the German DAX (up 6 percent) and the British FTSE (up over 3 percent).
What motivated this shameful and shameless celebration?
On Monday, the US death toll surpassed the 10,000 mark. Despite a very slight decline in the daily total of new deaths in New York City on Sunday, there is no clear evidence that the virulence of the pandemic has peaked in this critical urban center.
Moreover, it is absolutely certain that other major urban centers and, more generally, large portions of the United States, are still to experience the full force of the pandemic. The level of testing remains so disorganized and primitive that there exists no objective data upon which reliable predictions can be made about when it will be possible for workers to return safely to their jobs.
The economic situation is dire and is deteriorating. Former Federal Reserve Chairperson Janet Yellen said in a CNBC interview on Monday that the US is in the midst of an “absolutely shocking” downturn. Unemployment is as high as 13 percent, Yellen estimated, and the overall contraction of the US economy is already at 30 percent.
Yellen’s views were seconded by JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, who, in his annual shareholder letter released on Monday, wrote that he expects a “bad recession.” According to Dimon, the gross domestic product could fall as much as 35 percent in the second quarter, and the downturn will probably last through the rest of the year.
Large sections of the global economy, beyond the US and Western Europe are in free fall. India, home to 17 percent of the world’s population, remains in lockdown, threatening global supply chains and food production. Former Reserve Bank of India Governor Raghuram Rajan said yesterday that the country faces “perhaps its greatest emergency since independence.”
In Japan, a dramatic rise in coronavirus infections has finally compelled Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to declare a state of emergency, which will result in a shutdown of large portions of the country’s economic activity.
To the economic and health care crisis is added a deepening political crisis. In the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Boris Johnson, having been infected by the coronavirus, was hospitalized and placed in intensive care on Sunday evening. Almost simultaneously, the 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth grimly addressed the entire country in a televised speech for only the fourth time (outside of the annual Christmas event) in her 68-year reign.
One might have expected that the hospitalization of an extremely sick prime minister in London, the financial center of Europe, would have sent the stock exchange into a tailspin when it opened for business on Monday morning.
But nothing of the sort happened. Investors plunged into the market with gusto and did not pause for even a minute to shed a tear for their ailing prime minister.
How can one explain the exuberance in global markets amidst such tragic and threatening conditions?
First, whatever anxiety Wall Street may have about the spread of the pandemic is offset by the expectation that the US government will continue to support its speculative activities with countless trillions. In fact, the direct transfer of resources into the markets, particularly by the Federal Reserve central bank in the US, is well underway. The Federal Reserve balance sheet increased last month by $1.6 trillion, approximately equal to the entire monthly gross domestic product of the United States. Every day, tens of billions are being digitally manufactured to buy up assets and debt from banks and corporations.
In other words, the policies that were implemented following the crash of 2008 are being taken to a new level. For more than a decade, the speculative mania on Wall Street has been financed through the infusion of cash from the US Federal Reserve in the form of “quantitative easing” (money printing) operations and low interest rates. In the aftermath of the 2008 crisis, the Fed added $4 trillion to its balance sheet by buying up mortgage-backed securities and other assets held by the banks.
To this was added the unending stream of money plowed into the markets in the form of corporate stock buybacks. The Wall Street Journal writes in an article published over the weekend:
Corporate buybacks, in fact, have been the only net source of money entering the stock market since the financial crisis in 2008, according to Brian Reynolds, chief market strategist at research firm Reynolds Strategy. Buyback programs, through which companies repurchase their own shares on the open market, can help boost share prices by reducing the amount of stock outstanding and lifting a company’s per-share earnings, though not its overall profit. Since the beginning of 2009, Mr. Reynolds estimates, buybacks have added a net $4 trillion to the stock market. Contributions from all other sources—including exchange-traded funds, foreign buyers, pensions, hedge funds and households—netted out to roughly zero, he concluded, based on the Federal Reserve’s quarterly flow funds reports. The S&P’s 500 market value is $20.9 trillion.
To sum up, through the mechanism of buybacks, the price of shares could be endlessly driven up even without an increase of profit levels. The new intervention of the Federal Reserve, following the bill passed by Congress, has reassured Wall Street that there will be endless liquidity available to support rising share values under conditions of severe economic contraction.
The Fed is already buying up corporate debt, and Yellen raised yesterday the possibility that it might begin direct purchases of stocks for the first time in history. Yellen also indicated that officials at the Federal Reserve, with whom she remains in contact, are thinking about purchasing very risky corporate “junk bonds.”
The second factor behind Wall Street’s rise is its enthusiastic reaction to the international campaign by the political establishment and the media for a speedy return to work.
In the final analysis, the edifice of fictitious capital—wealth created through the massive and inflationary expansion of credit and debt—cannot be entirely liberated from a real productive process involving and requiring the exploitation of the labor power of the working class. If that real process stops, for whatever reason, the structure of fictitious capital collapses.
This is why the calls for a return to work—regardless of the state of the pandemic—have been taken up internationally by the capitalist media. The prospect of an early return to work, under conditions of intensified exploitation, generated Monday’s euphoria.
Of course, the euphoria may not last long. Reality, not fiction, determines the course of events.
The class conflict and the logic of the opposing classes are starkly posed: For the ruling class, it is a question of securing its wealth, returning the workers to the job under unsafe conditions, and tearing up whatever remains of social programs. For the working class, it is a question of saving lives, stopping all nonessential production, and restructuring economic life on the basis of social need, not private profit.
The one path leads to authoritarianism, the other leads to socialist revolution. This is the irrepressible social and political logic of the fundamental reality of our epoch: the global crisis and death agony of world capitalism.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR The authors are senior editorial writers with wsws.org . a Marxian publication.
While using Marxian methods of historical analysis, and working toward a non-capitalist future, The Greanville Post does not endorse Trotkyism or any other specific faction. Thus we republish only those views we regard as useful and largely free of sectarian distortions. In a world in which truth and the correct path to social change, equality and peace are increasingly difficult to discern due to the proliferation of ideologies, information and disinformation sources, and the confusing imperfections and contradictions of many progressive voices, we try hard to give our audience the most reliable roadmap to effective struggle.
Puke if you must
This bloodsoaked monster is probably the most evil person on planet earth https://t.co/nGq2H1EPHt — Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) April 9, 2020


thegreanvillepostbiasrating--2020-04-17--View From Vietnam: COVID-19 Reminds the World That Trump Has No Clothes

In his 2018 book , Rocket Man : Nuclear Madness and the Mind of Donald Trump John Gartner , Ph.D. , a psychologist who taught at Johns Hopkins University Medical School for nearly three decades , claims that Trump has malignant narcissism , a condition that combines narcissism with paranoia , sociopathy , and sadism .
When combined , this perfect storm of psychopathology defines the “ quintessence of evil , ” according to ( Erich ) Fromm , the closest thing psychiatry has to describing a true human monster.
” Some examples related to Trump ’ s malignant narcissism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1 ) he knows “ more about everything than anyone ” and “ has empathy for no one but himself.
” 2 ) paranoia ( “ his demonization of the press , minorities , immigrants , and anyone who disagrees with him , are all signs of paranoia ” ) ; 3 ) sociopathy ( “ a diagnosis that describes people who constantly lie , violate norms and laws , exploit other people , and show no remorse ” ) ; and 4 ) sadism ( “ He takes gleeful pleasure in harming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most prolific cyberbully in history.
” ) For malignant narcissists , the ends justify the means and lying becomes a perfectly acceptable tool .
Trump is pathological liar in a league of his own .
According to The Washington Post ’ s Fact Checker , he made a staggering 16,000+ false or misleading claims during his first three years in office .
His lies about COVID-19 include “ it ’ s totally under control , ” ‘ it will all work out well , ” “ it will disappear like a miracle , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down coming in from China , ” etc.
, ad nauseam .
This in spite of the fact that US intelligence agencies warned his administration in January and February about the severity of the epidemic in China and its potential to metamorphose into a global pandemic .
A March 25th Foreign Policy essay entitled The Coronavirus is the Worst Intelligence Failure in US History claims that “ it ’ s more glaring than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 – and it ’ s all the fault of Donald Trump ’ s leadership.
” During @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Control in Atlanta , the narcissism of this self-described “ very stable genius ” was on full display .
When a reporter asked Trump how US hospitals can prepare for an outbreak if they have no idea how many patients to expect , here was his self-aggrandizing non-answer : “ You know , my uncle was a great person .
He was at MIT .
He taught at MIT for , I think , like a record number of years .
He was a great super genius .
Dr. John Trump .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
People are surprised that I understand it .
Every one of these doctors said , ‘ How do you know so much about this ?
‘ Maybe I have a natural ability.
” Malignant narcissists are also incapable of accepting responsibility for their mistakes because they don ’ t make mistakes , e.g.
, “ I don ’ t take responsibility at all ” for his government ’ s lack of preparedness .
( This includes abolishing President Obama ’ s White House pandemic office . )
Trump simply finds someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it China , “ fake news , ” people of color , or anyone who criticizes him .
They don ’ t hesitate to throw gasoline on the smoldering embers of racial enmity and hatred as long as they achieve their goal of evading responsibility and finding a suitable scapegoat .
The coronavirus becomes the “ foreign ” or “ Chinese ” virus .
The avalanche of Trumpian lies and obfuscations has made the US less safe and its citizens more vulnerable to the coronavirus .
His inaction , inadequacy , and political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the detriment of the people he was elected to serve .
All of this has created a perfect storm in which the US has nearly 600,000 confirmed cases and nearly 25,000 deaths .
“ We ’ re # 1 !
” is the mantra but in two most unenviable categories .
Like any crisis , but especially one that involves sickness and death , the coronavirus pandemic is a perfect breeding ground for charlatans and con-artists to crawl out from under their rocks and pick the low-hanging fruit that are the millions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fix and an easy escape from fear and uncertainty .
As if to underscore the surreal atmosphere , it was reported that there are several well-known evangelical Christian pastors with links to the con man-in-chief who claim to be able to cure the coronavirus through prayer .
One even told his TV show viewers that he could heal infected people who touched their TVs : “ Put your hand on that television set .
Hallelujah .
Thank you , Lord Jesus .
He received your healing.
” How sad that a country that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the personal computer , and gave the world the Internet , among many other scientific and technological breakthroughs , has people who believe that a highly contagious virus can be cured with prayer and by touching a TV screen .
Like Trump , false hope and fraud are what these self-proclaimed men and women of god peddle .
That ’ s where the USA is at in 2020 , a problem exacerbated by COVID-19 but that won ’ t disappear whenever the virus and Trump do .
Looking ahead to the November election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part on the health of the US economy .
That ’ s one transparent reason why he ’ s so insistent that “ we have to get back to work .
We have to get our country open.
” His statement that “ we have the best testing system in the world , ” reflects his abject ignorance that other countries such as Australia , Canada , Denmark , Germany , Ireland , Israel , Norway , Russia , Singapore , and South Korea have tested far more people per capita than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ widespread shortage of test kits , backlogs , and delays in test results .
When a reporter asked him what metrics he ’ ll use to decide when to relax social distancing , he pointed to his head and said , “ the metric is right here.
” While the COVID-19 in Viet Nam appears to be under control , thanks to the visionary leadership of the government and the overall cooperation of the people , it continues to spiral out of control in the United States .
Those numbers represent suffering , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including a soaring unemployment rate and surging personal debt in a society already drowning in consumer debt .
Viet Nam as Public Health Crisis Exemplar ; US as Cautionary Tale Unlike the inward-looking US , in which too many people , including its political leaders , hold the nationalistic belief that it ’ s the “ greatest nation on earth , ” reams of evidence to the contrary , outward-looking Viet Nam has proven itself time and again to be adept at learning from other countries ’ mistakes and successes , i.e.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ models , in the grand tradition of comparative thinking and culturally appropriate action .
As a recent analysis How Vietnam Learned From China ’ s Coronavirus Mistakes from The Diplomat pointed out , “ In the case of Vietnam , the conclusions that may be drawn are that to effectively combat the pandemic , governments in developing countries need to be transparent and open to gain people ’ s confidence in government messaging against the epidemic and in order to win public acceptance of the need to limit privacy for the common good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the openness and urgency of the government to place the well-being and protection of life above all political endeavors.
” Those who live in Viet Nam , both Vietnamese and expats , can be grateful they live in a country whose leadership has taken action that shows concern for the health and welfare of the people and that has acted swiftly in the spirit of collective consent and action .
The contrast with Donald Trump and his administration couldn ’ t be starker or grimmer .
Trump is the reactive “ leader @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of all 330 million of his fellow citizens , He is a petty , vindictive , self-centered , hollow shell of a man with an utter lack of empathy for human suffering who is clearly out of his intellectual and temperamental depth .
In a recent televised meltdown , his god complex once again raised its ugly head when he exclaimed , seemingly ignorant of the supreme law of the land that he swore to “ preserve , protect and defend , ” “ The president of the United States calls the shots.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ cue , and all too often heaps undeserved praise upon himself , spouts nonsense and , worst of all , spreads conflicting information or disinformation in general , worst of all , at a time when people desperately want and need their government to provide them with accurate information and substantial support , both moral and material .
Like all malignant narcissists , Trump is a divider not a unifier , who thrives on conflict and acrimony , not a trait that is conducive to cooperation and good governance under any circumstances , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s his way or the highway , a scorched-earth approach to flawed decision-making and dysfunctional human relationships .
Viet Nam Makes History While COVID-19 Teaches the US a Tragic Lesson The coronavirus lays bare on an almost daily basis the litany of faults and weaknesses of Donald Trump and the country he was elected to lead .
A tiny viral enemy whose crown-like shape can only be seen under a transmission electron microscope is not fazed by denial , deception , rhetorical bravado , or faux optimism , and can not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jet fighters , drones , or aircraft carriers that are paid for by a nearly trillion dollar military budget .
It is single-minded , non-discriminatory , and merciless in its pursuit of more human hosts to infect and , depending upon the circumstances , kill .
COVID-19 thrives on official arrogance , which is complemented by ignorance .
It takes full advantage of opportunities to replicate itself in societies and communities that miss the containment boat and whose last gasp option is mitigation , as in the United States .
Too little , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ financial cost .
With 91 active cases and 0 deaths vs. about 570,000 active cases and nearly 33,000 deaths in the US , as of April 16th , and a population of 97 million vs. 330 million in the US , Viet Nam offers myriad instructive lessons for other countries , starting with the dos and don ’ ts of how to cope with a global pandemic .
Vu Duc Dam , deputy prime minister , said last month that the total number of confirmed cases will not reach 1,000 , if prevention @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one can predict the future , he may very well be right , if the recent past is prologue .
It is an extraordinary and potentially historic collective achievement worth aspiring to .

In his 2018 book, Rocket Man: Nuclear Madness and the Mind of Donald Trump John Gartner , Ph.D., a psychologist who taught at Johns Hopkins University Medical School for nearly three decades, claims that Trump has malignant narcissism, a condition that combines narcissism with paranoia, sociopathy, and sadism. When combined, this perfect storm of psychopathology defines the “quintessence of evil,” according to (Erich) Fromm, the closest thing psychiatry has to describing a true human monster.”
Some examples related to Trump’s malignant narcissism, according to Gartner, are: 1) he knows “more about everything than anyone” and “has empathy for no one but himself.” 2) paranoia (“his demonization of the press, minorities, immigrants, and anyone who disagrees with him, are all signs of paranoia”); 3) sociopathy (“a diagnosis that describes people who constantly lie, violate norms and laws, exploit other people, and show no remorse”); and 4) sadism (“He takes gleeful pleasure in harming and humiliating other people. …undoubtedly the most prolific cyberbully in history.”)
A Full Throttle Misinformation Campaign
For malignant narcissists, the ends justify the means and lying becomes a perfectly acceptable tool. Trump is pathological liar in a league of his own. According to The Washington Post’s Fact Checker, he made a staggering 16,000+ false or misleading claims during his first three years in office. His lies about COVID-19 include “it’s totally under control,” ‘it will all work out well,” “it will disappear like a miracle,” “we pretty much shut it down coming in from China,” etc., ad nauseam.
This in spite of the fact that US intelligence agencies warned his administration in January and February about the severity of the epidemic in China and its potential to metamorphose into a global pandemic. A March 25th Foreign Policy essay entitled The Coronavirus is the Worst Intelligence Failure in US History claims that “it’s more glaring than Pearl Harbor and 9/11 – and it’s all the fault of Donald Trump’s leadership.”
During a visit to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, the narcissism of this self-described “very stable genius” was on full display. When a reporter asked Trump how US hospitals can prepare for an outbreak if they have no idea how many patients to expect, here was his self-aggrandizing non-answer: “You know, my uncle was a great person. He was at MIT. He taught at MIT for, I think, like a record number of years. He was a great super genius. Dr. John Trump. I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this? ‘ Maybe I have a natural ability.”
Malignant narcissists are also incapable of accepting responsibility for their mistakes because they don’t make mistakes, e.g., “I don’t take responsibility at all” for his government’s lack of preparedness. (This includes abolishing President Obama’s White House pandemic office.) Trump simply finds someone or something else to blame, be it China, “fake news,” people of color, or anyone who criticizes him. They don’t hesitate to throw gasoline on the smoldering embers of racial enmity and hatred as long as they achieve their goal of evading responsibility and finding a suitable scapegoat. The coronavirus becomes the “foreign” or “Chinese” virus.
The avalanche of Trumpian lies and obfuscations has made the US less safe and its citizens more vulnerable to the coronavirus. His inaction, inadequacy, and political game-playing represent a total abdication of leadership to the detriment of the people he was elected to serve. All of this has created a perfect storm in which the US has nearly 600,000 confirmed cases and nearly 25,000 deaths. “We’re #1!” is the mantra but in two most unenviable categories.
Like any crisis, but especially one that involves sickness and death, the coronavirus pandemic is a perfect breeding ground for charlatans and con-artists to crawl out from under their rocks and pick the low-hanging fruit that are the millions of desperate people looking for a quick fix and an easy escape from fear and uncertainty. As if to underscore the surreal atmosphere, it was reported that there are several well-known evangelical Christian pastors with links to the con man-in-chief who claim to be able to cure the coronavirus through prayer. One even told his TV show viewers that he could heal infected people who touched their TVs: “Put your hand on that television set. Hallelujah. Thank you, Lord Jesus. He received your healing.”
How sad that a country that landed astronauts on the moon, developed the personal computer, and gave the world the Internet, among many other scientific and technological breakthroughs, has people who believe that a highly contagious virus can be cured with prayer and by touching a TV screen. Like Trump, false hope and fraud are what these self-proclaimed men and women of god peddle. That’s where the USA is at in 2020, a problem exacerbated by COVID-19 but that won’t disappear whenever the virus and Trump do.
Looking ahead to the November election, Trump’s success depends in part on the health of the US economy. That’s one transparent reason why he’s so insistent that “we have to get back to work. We have to get our country open.” His statement that “we have the best testing system in the world,” reflects his abject ignorance that other countries such as Australia, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Norway, Russia, Singapore, and South Korea have tested far more people per capita than the US, which still suffers from a widespread shortage of test kits, backlogs, and delays in test results. When a reporter asked him what metrics he’ll use to decide when to relax social distancing, he pointed to his head and said, “the metric is right here.”
While the COVID-19 in Viet Nam appears to be under control, thanks to the visionary leadership of the government and the overall cooperation of the people, it continues to spiral out of control in the United States. Those numbers represent suffering, death, and a devastating economic impact, including a soaring unemployment rate and surging personal debt in a society already drowning in consumer debt.
Viet Nam as Public Health Crisis Exemplar; US as Cautionary Tale
Unlike the inward-looking US, in which too many people, including its political leaders, hold the nationalistic belief that it’s the “greatest nation on earth,” reams of evidence to the contrary, outward-looking Viet Nam has proven itself time and again to be adept at learning from other countries’ mistakes and successes, i.e., countries as cautionary tales and role models, in the grand tradition of comparative thinking and culturally appropriate action.
As a recent analysis How Vietnam Learned From China’s Coronavirus Mistakes from The Diplomat pointed out, “In the case of Vietnam, the conclusions that may be drawn are that to effectively combat the pandemic, governments in developing countries need to be transparent and open to gain people’s confidence in government messaging against the epidemic and in order to win public acceptance of the need to limit privacy for the common good. …perhaps the most important factors should be the openness and urgency of the government to place the well-being and protection of life above all political endeavors.”
Those who live in Viet Nam, both Vietnamese and expats, can be grateful they live in a country whose leadership has taken action that shows concern for the health and welfare of the people and that has acted swiftly in the spirit of collective consent and action. The contrast with Donald Trump and his administration couldn’t be starker or grimmer.
Trump is the reactive “leader” of his supporters not the president of all 330 million of his fellow citizens, He is a petty, vindictive, self-centered, hollow shell of a man with an utter lack of empathy for human suffering who is clearly out of his intellectual and temperamental depth. In a recent televised meltdown, his god complex once again raised its ugly head when he exclaimed, seemingly ignorant of the supreme law of the land that he swore to “preserve, protect and defend,” “The president of the United States calls the shots.”
Trump rarely reassures, except on cue, and all too often heaps undeserved praise upon himself, spouts nonsense and, worst of all, spreads conflicting information or disinformation in general, worst of all, at a time when people desperately want and need their government to provide them with accurate information and substantial support, both moral and material.
Like all malignant narcissists, Trump is a divider not a unifier, who thrives on conflict and acrimony, not a trait that is conducive to cooperation and good governance under any circumstances, let alone during a global crisis. It’s his way or the highway, a scorched-earth approach to flawed decision-making and dysfunctional human relationships.
Viet Nam Makes History While COVID-19 Teaches the US a Tragic Lesson
The coronavirus lays bare on an almost daily basis the litany of faults and weaknesses of Donald Trump and the country he was elected to lead. A tiny viral enemy whose crown-like shape can only be seen under a transmission electron microscope is not fazed by denial, deception, rhetorical bravado, or faux optimism, and cannot be defeated with guns, bombs, jet fighters, drones, or aircraft carriers that are paid for by a nearly trillion dollar military budget.
It is single-minded, non-discriminatory, and merciless in its pursuit of more human hosts to infect and, depending upon the circumstances, kill. COVID-19 thrives on official arrogance, which is complemented by ignorance. It takes full advantage of opportunities to replicate itself in societies and communities that miss the containment boat and whose last gasp option is mitigation, as in the United States. Too little, too late – at inestimable human and financial cost.
With 91 active cases and 0 deaths vs. about 570,000 active cases and nearly 33,000 deaths in the US, as of April 16th, and a population of 97 million vs. 330 million in the US, Viet Nam offers myriad instructive lessons for other countries, starting with the dos and don’ts of how to cope with a global pandemic. Vu Duc Dam, deputy prime minister, said last month that the total number of confirmed cases will not reach 1,000, if prevention measures are strictly adhered to. While no one can predict the future, he may very well be right, if the recent past is prologue. It is an extraordinary and potentially historic collective achievement worth aspiring to.