lewrockwell--2020-01-10--The War Pigs Are Finally Revealing Themselves – And This Is Just The Beginning

In 2016 during the election campaign of Donald Trump one of the primary factors of his popularity among conservatives was that he was one of the first candidates since Ron Paul to argue for bringing US troops home and ending American involvement in the various elitist fabricated wars in the Middle East .
From Iraq , to Afghanistan , to Syria and Yemen and beyond , the Neo-Cons and Neo-Libs at the behest of their globalist masters had been waging war oversees unabated for over 15 years .
The time was ripe for a change and people felt certain that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , another 4-8 years of war were guaranteed .
There was nothing to be gained from these wars .
They were only dragging the US down socially and economically , and even the idea of “ getting the oil ” had turned into a farce as the majority of Iraqi oil has been going to China , not the US .
General estimates on the costs of the wars stand at $ 5 trillion US tax dollars and over 4500 American dead along with around 40,000 wounded .
The only people that were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banking elites , who had been clamoring to destabilize the Middle East since the day they launched their “ Project For A New American Century ” ( PNAC ) .
Truly , all wars are banker wars .
The Obama Administration ’ s attempts to lure Americans into supporting open war with the Assad regime in Syria had failed .
Consistent attempts by George W. Bush and Obama to increase tensions with Iran had fizzled .
Americans were showing signs of fatigue , FINALLY fed up with the lies being constructed to trick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wars .
Trump was a breath of fresh air…but of course , like all other puppets of the globalists , his promises were empty .
Against the Left : A Ro ... Llewellyn H Rockwell Jr Best Price : $ 13.64 Buy New $ 8.00 In my article ‘ Clinton vs. Trump And The Co-Option Of The Liberty Movement ’ , published before the 2016 election , I warned that Trump ’ s rhetoric might be a grand show , and that it could be scripted by the establishment to bring conservatives back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time , leftist media outlet Bloomberg openly reveled in the idea that Trump might absorb and destroy the “ Tea Party ” and liberty movement and turn them into something far more manageable .
The question was whether or not the liberty movement would buy into Trump completely , or remain skeptical .
Initially , I do not think the movement held onto its objectivity at all .
Far too many people bought into Trump blindly and immediately based on misguided hopes and a desire to “ win ” against the leftists .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t help matters much , either .
When Trump started saturating his cabinet with banking elites and globalists from the CFR the moment he entered office , I knew without any doubt that he was a fraud .
Close associations with establishment swamp creatures was something he had consistently criticized Clinton and other politicians for during the campaign , but Trump was no better or different than Clinton ; he was just an errand boy for the elites .
The singular difference was that his rhetoric was designed to appeal directly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was only a matter of time before Trump broke most of his campaign promises , including his assertions that he would bring US troops home .
Eventually , the mask had to come off if Trump was going to continue carrying out the agenda of his masters .
Today , the mask has indeed come off .
For the past three years Trump has made announcements of an imminent pull back of troops in the Middle East , including the recent claim that troops would be leaving Syria .
All of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in US troop presence in the region .
Consistent attempts have been made to foment renewed strife with Iran .
The build-up to war has been obvious , but some people on the Trump train still didn ’ t get it .
The most common argument I heard when pointing out all the inconsistencies in Trump ’ s claims as well as his direct links to globalists was that “ He hadn ’ t started any wars , so how could he be a globalist puppet… ?
” My response has always been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and he will.
” One of my readers noted recently that “ Trump Derangement Syndrome ” ( TDS ) actually goes both ways .
Leftists double down on their hatred of Trump at every opportunity , but Trump cultists double down on their support for Trump regardless of how many promises he breaks .
This has always been my biggest concern – That conservatives in the liberty movement would ultimately abandon their principles of limited government , the end to banking elites in the White House and ending illegal wars because they had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farce that they would be too embarrassed to admit they had been conned .
Another concern is that the liberty movement would be infected by an influx of people who are neo-conservative statists at their core .
These people pretend to be liberty minded conservatives , but when the veil is lifted they show their true colors as the War Pigs they really are .
A distinction has to be made between Bush era Neo-Con control freaks and constitutional conservatives ; there are few if any similarities between the two groups , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devour the latter .
I ’ ve noticed that the War Pigs are out in force this past week , beating their chests and calling for more blood .
The US government has assassinated Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani , retaliations against US targets have begun , and now the Iraqi government has demanded that US troops be removed from the region , to which Trump has said “ no ” and demanded payment instead .
A new troop surge has been initiated and this WILL end in all out war .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump cultists respond ?
“ Kill those terrorists !
” Yes , many of the same people that applauded Trump ’ s supposed opposition to the wars three years ago are now fanatically cheering for the beginning of perhaps the most destructive war of all .
The rationalizations for this abound .
Soleimani was planning attacks on US targets in Iraq , they say .
And , this might be true , though no hard proof has yet been presented .
I ’ m reminded of the Bush era claims of Iraqi “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weapons that were never found and no proof was found that they ever existed .
The only weapons Iraq had were the weapons the US sold to them decades ago .
Any government can fabricate an excuse for assassination or war for public consumption ; the Trump Administration is no different .
That said , I think the most important factor in this debate has fallen by the wayside .
The bottom line is , US troops and US bases should NOT be in Iraq in the first place .
Trump himself stated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if Soleimani was behind the attacks and riots in Iraq , US assets can not be attacked in the region if they are REMOVED from the region as Trump said he would do .
There is only one reason to keep US assets in Iraq , Afghanistan or Syria at this time , and that is to create ongoing tensions in the area which can be used by the establishment to trigger a new war , specifically with Iran .
The War Pigs always have reasons and rationales , though .
They say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our way of life , and I agree that their ideology is completely incompatible with Western values .
That said , the solution is not sending young Americans to die overseas in wars based on lies .
Again , these wars only benefit the bankers and globalists ; they do not make us safer as a people .
The only moral solution is to make sure the fascist elements of Muslim extremism are not imported to our shores .
The War Pigs say that we deserve payment for our “ services rendered ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ echoing the sentiments of Donald Trump .
I ask , what services ?
Payment for what ?
The invasion the Iraqi ’ s didn ’ t want , based on fallacies that have been publicly exposed ?
The US bases that should not be there in the first place ?
The hundreds of thousands dead from a war that had no purpose except to deliberately destabilize the region ?
We will never get “ payment ” from the Iraqis as compensation for these mad endeavors , and the War Pigs know this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go on forever .
They want to attach their egos to the event .
They want to claim glory for themselves vicariously when we win , and they want to claim victimhood for themselves vicariously when our soldiers or citizens get killed .
They are losers that can only be winners through the sacrifices of others .
The War Pigs defend the notion that the president should be allowed to make war unilaterally without support from congress .
They say that this type of action is legal , and technically they are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ because the checks and balances of war were removed under the Bush and Obama Administrations .
The passage of the AUMF ( Authorization For Use Of Military Force ) in 2001 gave the Executive Branch dictatorial powers to initiate war on a whim without oversight .
Just because it is “ legal ” does not mean it is constitutional , or right .
In the end , the Trump bandwagon is meant to accomplish many things for the globalists ; the main goal though is that it is designed to change liberty conservatives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to make anti-war pro-constitution activists into war mongers and supporters of big government , as long as it is big government under “ our control ” .
But it ’ s not under our control .
Trump is NOT our guy .
He is an agent of the establishment and always has been .
Amazon.com Gift Card i ... Buy New $ 10.00 For now , the saber rattling is aggressive but the actions have been limited .
This will not be the case for long .
Some may ask why the establishment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now ?
Why start out small ?
Firstly , they need conservatives psychologically invested in the idea .
This may require a false flag event or attack on American civilians .
Secondly , they need to execute an extensive troop build-up , which could take a few months .
Declarations of a “ need for peace ” are always used to stall for time while the elites position for war .
War with Iran is pointless , and frankly , unwinnable , and the elites know this .
It ’ s not just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a war with Iran , their allies , and every other nation that reacts negatively to our actions .
And , these nations do not have to react militarily , they can react economically by dumping US treasuries and the dollar as world reserve .
The establishment wants the US embroiled in Afghanistan , Iraq , Iran , etc .
until we are so hollowed out from conflict that we collapse .
They also need a considerable distraction to hide their responsibility for the implosion of the Everything Bubble and the economic pain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end game for the establishment is for America to self destruct , so that it can be rebuilt into something unrecognizable and eternally monstrous .
They want every vestige of our original principles to be erased , and to do that , they need us to be complicit in our own destruction .
They need us to participate .
Don ’ t participate , and refuse to support new banker wars .
Don ’ t be a War Pig .

In 2016 during the election campaign of Donald Trump one of the primary factors of his popularity among conservatives was that he was one of the first candidates since Ron Paul to argue for bringing US troops home and ending American involvement in the various elitist fabricated wars in the Middle East. From Iraq, to Afghanistan, to Syria and Yemen and beyond, the Neo-Cons and Neo-Libs at the behest of their globalist masters had been waging war oversees unabated for over 15 years. The time was ripe for a change and people felt certain that if Hillary Clinton entered the White House, another 4-8 years of war were guaranteed.
There was nothing to be gained from these wars. They were only dragging the US down socially and economically, and even the idea of “getting the oil” had turned into a farce as the majority of Iraqi oil has been going to China, not the US. General estimates on the costs of the wars stand at $5 trillion US tax dollars and over 4500 American dead along with around 40,000 wounded. The only people that were benefiting from the situation were globalists and banking elites, who had been clamoring to destabilize the Middle East since the day they launched their “Project For A New American Century” (PNAC). Truly, all wars are banker wars.
The Obama Administration’s attempts to lure Americans into supporting open war with the Assad regime in Syria had failed. Consistent attempts by George W. Bush and Obama to increase tensions with Iran had fizzled. Americans were showing signs of fatigue, FINALLY fed up with the lies being constructed to trick them into being complicit in the banker wars. Trump was a breath of fresh air…but of course, like all other puppets of the globalists, his promises were empty. Against the Left: A Ro... Rockwell Jr, Llewellyn H Best Price: $2.85 Buy New $8.00 (as of 07:59 UTC - Details)
In my article ‘Clinton vs. Trump And The Co-Option Of The Liberty Movement’, published before the 2016 election, I warned that Trump’s rhetoric might be a grand show, and that it could be scripted by the establishment to bring conservatives back into the Republican/Neo-Con fold. At the time, leftist media outlet Bloomberg openly reveled in the idea that Trump might absorb and destroy the “Tea Party” and liberty movement and turn them into something far more manageable. The question was whether or not the liberty movement would buy into Trump completely, or remain skeptical.
Initially, I do not think the movement held onto its objectivity at all. Far too many people bought into Trump blindly and immediately based on misguided hopes and a desire to “win” against the leftists. The insane cultism of the political left didn’t help matters much, either.
When Trump started saturating his cabinet with banking elites and globalists from the CFR the moment he entered office, I knew without any doubt that he was a fraud. Close associations with establishment swamp creatures was something he had consistently criticized Clinton and other politicians for during the campaign, but Trump was no better or different than Clinton; he was just an errand boy for the elites. The singular difference was that his rhetoric was designed to appeal directly to liberty minded conservatives.
This meant that it was only a matter of time before Trump broke most of his campaign promises, including his assertions that he would bring US troops home. Eventually, the mask had to come off if Trump was going to continue carrying out the agenda of his masters.
Today, the mask has indeed come off. For the past three years Trump has made announcements of an imminent pull back of troops in the Middle East, including the recent claim that troops would be leaving Syria. All of the announcements were followed by an INCREASE in US troop presence in the region. Consistent attempts have been made to foment renewed strife with Iran. The build-up to war has been obvious, but some people on the Trump train still didn’t get it.
The most common argument I heard when pointing out all the inconsistencies in Trump’s claims as well as his direct links to globalists was that “He hadn’t started any wars, so how could he be a globalist puppet…?” My response has always been “Give it a little time, and he will.”
One of my readers noted recently that “Trump Derangement Syndrome” (TDS) actually goes both ways. Leftists double down on their hatred of Trump at every opportunity, but Trump cultists double down on their support for Trump regardless of how many promises he breaks. This has always been my biggest concern – That conservatives in the liberty movement would ultimately abandon their principles of limited government, the end to banking elites in the White House and ending illegal wars because they had invested themselves so completely in the Trump farce that they would be too embarrassed to admit they had been conned.
Another concern is that the liberty movement would be infected by an influx of people who are neo-conservative statists at their core. These people pretend to be liberty minded conservatives, but when the veil is lifted they show their true colors as the War Pigs they really are. A distinction has to be made between Bush era Neo-Con control freaks and constitutional conservatives; there are few if any similarities between the two groups, but the establishment hopes that the former will devour the latter.
I’ve noticed that the War Pigs are out in force this past week, beating their chests and calling for more blood. The US government has assassinated Iranian military commander Qasem Soleimani, retaliations against US targets have begun, and now the Iraqi government has demanded that US troops be removed from the region, to which Trump has said “no” and demanded payment instead. A new troop surge has been initiated and this WILL end in all out war. The tit-for-tat has just begun.
How do Trump cultists respond? “Kill those terrorists!”
Yes, many of the same people that applauded Trump’s supposed opposition to the wars three years ago are now fanatically cheering for the beginning of perhaps the most destructive war of all. The rationalizations for this abound. Soleimani was planning attacks on US targets in Iraq, they say. And, this might be true, though no hard proof has yet been presented.
I’m reminded of the Bush era claims of Iraqi “Weapons of Mass Destruction”, the weapons that were never found and no proof was found that they ever existed. The only weapons Iraq had were the weapons the US sold to them decades ago. Any government can fabricate an excuse for assassination or war for public consumption; the Trump Administration is no different.
That said, I think the most important factor in this debate has fallen by the wayside. The bottom line is, US troops and US bases should NOT be in Iraq in the first place. Trump himself stated this time and time again. Even if Soleimani was behind the attacks and riots in Iraq, US assets cannot be attacked in the region if they are REMOVED from the region as Trump said he would do.
There is only one reason to keep US assets in Iraq, Afghanistan or Syria at this time, and that is to create ongoing tensions in the area which can be used by the establishment to trigger a new war, specifically with Iran.
The War Pigs always have reasons and rationales, though. They say the Muslim world is a threat to our way of life, and I agree that their ideology is completely incompatible with Western values. That said, the solution is not sending young Americans to die overseas in wars based on lies. Again, these wars only benefit the bankers and globalists; they do not make us safer as a people. The only moral solution is to make sure the fascist elements of Muslim extremism are not imported to our shores.
The War Pigs say that we deserve payment for our “services rendered” in the region before we leave, echoing the sentiments of Donald Trump. I ask, what services? Payment for what? The invasion the Iraqi’s didn’t want, based on fallacies that have been publicly exposed? The US bases that should not be there in the first place? The hundreds of thousands dead from a war that had no purpose except to deliberately destabilize the region?
We will never get “payment” from the Iraqis as compensation for these mad endeavors, and the War Pigs know this. They want war. They want it to go on forever. They want to attach their egos to the event. They want to claim glory for themselves vicariously when we win, and they want to claim victimhood for themselves vicariously when our soldiers or citizens get killed. They are losers that can only be winners through the sacrifices of others.
The War Pigs defend the notion that the president should be allowed to make war unilaterally without support from congress. They say that this type of action is legal, and technically they are right. It is “legal” because the checks and balances of war were removed under the Bush and Obama Administrations. The passage of the AUMF (Authorization For Use Of Military Force) in 2001 gave the Executive Branch dictatorial powers to initiate war on a whim without oversight. Just because it is “legal” does not mean it is constitutional, or right.
In the end, the Trump bandwagon is meant to accomplish many things for the globalists; the main goal though is that it is designed to change liberty conservatives into rabid statists. It is designed to make anti-war pro-constitution activists into war mongers and supporters of big government, as long as it is big government under “our control”. But it’s not under our control. Trump is NOT our guy. He is an agent of the establishment and always has been. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
For now, the saber rattling is aggressive but the actions have been limited. This will not be the case for long. Some may ask why the establishment has not simply launched all out war now? Why start out small? Firstly, they need conservatives psychologically invested in the idea. This may require a false flag event or attack on American civilians. Secondly, they need to execute an extensive troop build-up, which could take a few months. Declarations of a “need for peace” are always used to stall for time while the elites position for war.
War with Iran is pointless, and frankly, unwinnable, and the elites know this. It’s not just a war with Iran, it is a war with Iran, their allies, and every other nation that reacts negatively to our actions. And, these nations do not have to react militarily, they can react economically by dumping US treasuries and the dollar as world reserve.
The establishment wants the US embroiled in Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, etc. until we are so hollowed out from conflict that we collapse.
They also need a considerable distraction to hide their responsibility for the implosion of the Everything Bubble and the economic pain that will come with it. The end game for the establishment is for America to self destruct, so that it can be rebuilt into something unrecognizable and eternally monstrous. They want every vestige of our original principles to be erased, and to do that, they need us to be complicit in our own destruction. They need us to participate. Don’t participate, and refuse to support new banker wars. Don’t be a War Pig.
Reprinted with permission from Alt-Market.com.


lewrockwell--2020-01-10--Progressive Eco-Group Admits It: Renewable Energy Is a Hoax That Benefits its Greenie Elmer Gantries

Progressive Eco-Group Admits It: Renewable Energy Is a Hoax That Benefits its Greenie Elmer Gantries like Al Gore

Independent physicist John Droz , Jr. alerted me to the website of Deep Green Resistance ( DGR ) , an international environmental organization that calls for the total destruction of what it refers to as the “ global industrial economy , ” a.k.a .
capitalism .
Given the group ’ s hard-left credentials , its call for dismantling capitalism throughout the world is not surprising .
What is surprising is that in an unusual show of progressive candor , Deep Green Resistance openly acknowledges what skeptical scientists have been saying for more than two decades : that renewable energy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ — and green energy investors like Al Gore — at the expense of taxpayers and the environment .
If you find that admission hard to believe , please keep reading .
The questions and answers below are verbatim from the FAQ page on the organization ’ s website .
No .
Wind turbines , solar PV panels , and the grid itself are all manufactured using cheap energy from fossil fuels .
When fossil fuel costs begin to rise such highly manufactured items will simply cease to be feasible .
Solar panels and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of nothing .
They are made out of metals , plastics , and chemicals .
These products have been mined out of the ground , transported , processed , manufactured .
Each stage leaves behind a trail of devastation : habitat destruction , water contamination , colonization , toxic waste , slave labor , greenhouse gas emissions , wars , and corporate profits .
Human Caused Global Wa ... Tim Ball PhD Best Price : $ 7.81 Buy New $ 11.99 The basic ingredients for renewables are the same materials that are ubiquitous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aluminum .
No one is going to make cement in any quantity without using the energy of fossil fuels .
And aluminum ?
The mining itself is a destructive and toxic nightmare from which riparian communities will not awaken in anything but geologic time .
From beginning to end , so called “ renewable energy ” and other “ green technologies ” lead to the destruction of the planet .
These technologies are rooted in the same industrial extraction and production processes that have rampaged across the world for the last 150 years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reducing the harm caused by industrial civilization ; we are interested in stopping that harm completely .
Doing so will require dismantling the global industrial economy , which will render impossible the creation of these technologies .
Renewable energy technologies rely heavily on government subsidies , taken from taxpayers and given directly to large corporations like General Electric , BP , Samsung , and Mitsubishi .
While the scheme pads their bottom lines , it doesn ’ t help the rest of us .
Further , this is the wrong question to ask @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and impoverishing billions of humans and killing the living world .
Renewable energy depends on centralized capital and power imbalance .
We don ’ t benefit from saving that system .
Instead of advocating for more industrial technology , we need to move to local economies based on community decision-making and what our local landbases can provide sustainably .
And we need to stop the global economy on which renewable energy depends .
“ Stopping the global economy ” means destroying the capitalist system that created here in America the most widespread prosperity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a progressive eco-group would admit that the true agenda behind the push for renewable energy has nothing to do with “ saving the planet ” and everything to do with destroying capitalism is quite remarkable .
To reinforce its position that renewable energy is a hoax , DGR ’ s website has a cartoon that shows dollar bills being sucked from a wind turbine directly into the pocket of a fat cat investor in subsidized green energy projects .

Independent physicist John Droz, Jr. alerted me to the website of Deep Green Resistance (DGR), an international environmental organization that calls for the total destruction of what it refers to as the “global industrial economy,” a.k.a. capitalism. Given the group’s hard-left credentials, its call for dismantling capitalism throughout the world is not surprising.
What is surprising is that in an unusual show of progressive candor, Deep Green Resistance openly acknowledges what skeptical scientists have been saying for more than two decades: that renewable energy is a government-backed hoax that enriches big corporations — and green energy investors like Al Gore — at the expense of taxpayers and the environment. If you find that admission hard to believe, please keep reading. The questions and answers below are verbatim from the FAQ page on the organization’s website.
Will green technology save the planet? No. Wind turbines, solar PV panels, and the grid itself are all manufactured using cheap energy from fossil fuels. When fossil fuel costs begin to rise such highly manufactured items will simply cease to be feasible. Solar panels and wind turbines aren’t made out of nothing. They are made out of metals, plastics, and chemicals. These products have been mined out of the ground, transported, processed, manufactured. Each stage leaves behind a trail of devastation: habitat destruction, water contamination, colonization, toxic waste, slave labor, greenhouse gas emissions, wars, and corporate profits. Human Caused Global Wa... Ball PhD, Tim Best Price: $14.00 Buy New $11.99 (as of 12:30 UTC - Details) The basic ingredients for renewables are the same materials that are ubiquitous in industrial products, like cement and aluminum. No one is going to make cement in any quantity without using the energy of fossil fuels. And aluminum? The mining itself is a destructive and toxic nightmare from which riparian communities will not awaken in anything but geologic time. From beginning to end, so called “renewable energy” and other “green technologies” lead to the destruction of the planet. These technologies are rooted in the same industrial extraction and production processes that have rampaged across the world for the last 150 years. We are not concerned with slightly reducing the harm caused by industrial civilization; we are interested in stopping that harm completely. Doing so will require dismantling the global industrial economy, which will render impossible the creation of these technologies. Will renewable energy save the economy? Renewable energy technologies rely heavily on government subsidies, taken from taxpayers and given directly to large corporations like General Electric, BP, Samsung, and Mitsubishi. While the scheme pads their bottom lines, it doesn’t help the rest of us. Further, this is the wrong question to ask. The industrial capitalist economy is dispossessing and impoverishing billions of humans and killing the living world. Renewable energy depends on centralized capital and power imbalance. We don’t benefit from saving that system. Instead of advocating for more industrial technology, we need to move to local economies based on community decision-making and what our local landbases can provide sustainably. And we need to stop the global economy on which renewable energy depends.
“Stopping the global economy” means destroying the capitalist system that created here in America the most widespread prosperity the world has ever known. That a progressive eco-group would admit that the true agenda behind the push for renewable energy has nothing to do with “saving the planet” and everything to do with destroying capitalism is quite remarkable. To reinforce its position that renewable energy is a hoax, DGR’s website has a cartoon that shows dollar bills being sucked from a wind turbine directly into the pocket of a fat cat investor in subsidized green energy projects.
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lewrockwell--2020-01-10--The Culture War Comes to the Old Dominion

Since 1969 , “ Virginia Is for Lovers ” has been the tourism and travel slogan of the Commonwealth of Virginia .
Advertising Age called it “ one of the most iconic ad campaigns in the past 50 years.
” But the Virginia of 2020 seems to be another country than the friendly commonwealth to which this writer moved four decades ago .
Charlottesville , home to Thomas Jefferson ’ s University of Virginia , has become famous as the site of a 2017 Klan-Nazi clash with antifa over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protester Heather Heyer was run over and killed .
There followed the inauguration of a new Democratic Governor , Ralph Northam , in 2018 and a new attorney general .
Both , it was learned , had masqueraded in blackface in their college days .
And two women accused their colleague , new Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax , with rape .
The Death of the West : ... Patrick J. Buchanan Check Amazon for Pricing .
Resignations were demanded .
But all three hunkered down , and the crisis abated .
Now a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton , from the D.C. suburbs , has denounced Virginia ’ s representation in the U.S. Capitol by statues of George Washington in the Rotunda and Robert E. Lee in the crypt a floor below .
Both statues have represented Virginia for more than a century .
Wexton wants Lee replaced by an African American hero from a list that she and Rep. A. Donald McEachin reportedly submitted .
Two names on their list are unfamiliar figures from the desegregation days of the 1950s .
The third is better known : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : A Social History of the United States , ” published in 1969 , author J. C. Furnas describes the deeds of the man Wexton and McEachin would be pleased to see replace Robert E. Lee : “ In August 1831 , Nat Turner , paranoid slave preacher and cunjur man , led his superstition-fuddled followers to kill fifty-five whites of all sexes and ages in an aimless terrorizing of Southhampton County in the southeastern corner of Virginia .
“ The poor twisted creature could hardly have found a worse time to sharpen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Turner was tried and hanged and , that winter , writes Furnas , “ The Virginia legislature voted down by a narrow margin a bill for gradual extinction of slavery.
” Let me go out on a limb : If the Virginia General Assembly votes to replace Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol with a statue of Nat Turner , it will not be the unifying event Wexton imagines .
But the Assembly will be dealing soon with measures even more volatile .
On Jan. 20 , “ Lobby Day ” at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , many openly armed , will be coming to Richmond to protest new gun laws Northam and his new Democratic majority campaigned on and are determined to deliver .
Already , 110 towns , cities and counties in Virginia have created “ Second Amendment sanctuaries ” where new state laws that restrict gun rights will not be enforced by local authorities .
“ Virginia is a former Confederate State with strong rural traditions and lax gun laws .
Guns represent the strongest , reddest line against the demographic changes that have seen Old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Democratic leadership in recent elections .
“ A Nevada-based group called the Oath Keepers said it is sending training teams to help form posses and militia in Virginia .
The leader of a Georgia militia called Three Percent Security Force has posted videos and calls to arms on Facebook , urging ‘ patriots ’ to converge on Richmond.
” Churchill , Hitler , and ... Patrick J. Buchanan Best Price : $ 9.45 Buy New $ 14.35 Still , the divisions among Virginians are not only over history , heroes and guns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A year ago , Northam said he supported abortion through all nine months of pregnancy , and beyond , if an abortion were unsuccessful .
Here is Northam , in his own words , on the rights of the unborn : “ ( Third trimester abortions are ) done in cases where there may be severe deformities .
There may be a fetus that ’ s nonviable .
So in this particular example , if a mother is in labor , I can tell you exactly what would happen .
… The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would be kept comfortable .
The infant would be resuscitated if that ’ s what the mother and the family desired .
And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.
” Unlike the seven states of the Deep South , Virginia did not vote to secede and leave the Union until President Lincoln issued his call to arms to put down the rebellion after the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter .
Then the state of Virginia seceded from the Union as the colony of Virginia had seceded from Great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Today , it appears a new secession is underway .
Virginians are separating from each other over issues as deep and divisive — such as who can take innocent life and when — as those that divided us in 1861 .
As are the rest of their countrymen in this time of Trump .
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Since 1969, “Virginia Is for Lovers” has been the tourism and travel slogan of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Advertising Age called it “one of the most iconic ad campaigns in the past 50 years.”
But the Virginia of 2020 seems to be another country than the friendly commonwealth to which this writer moved four decades ago.
Charlottesville, home to Thomas Jefferson’s University of Virginia, has become famous as the site of a 2017 Klan-Nazi clash with antifa over the removal of a statue of Robert E. Lee from a municipal park. During the clash, protester Heather Heyer was run over and killed.
There followed the inauguration of a new Democratic Governor, Ralph Northam, in 2018 and a new attorney general. Both, it was learned, had masqueraded in blackface in their college days. And two women accused their colleague, new Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax, with rape.
Resignations were demanded. But all three hunkered down, and the crisis abated. Now a new cultural issue has emerged.
First-term Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton, from the D.C. suburbs, has denounced Virginia’s representation in the U.S. Capitol by statues of George Washington in the Rotunda and Robert E. Lee in the crypt a floor below. Both statues have represented Virginia for more than a century.
Wexton wants Lee replaced by an African American hero from a list that she and Rep. A. Donald McEachin reportedly submitted.
Two names on their list are unfamiliar figures from the desegregation days of the 1950s. The third is better known: Nat Turner.
In “The Americans: A Social History of the United States,” published in 1969, author J. C. Furnas describes the deeds of the man Wexton and McEachin would be pleased to see replace Robert E. Lee:
“In August 1831, Nat Turner, paranoid slave preacher and cunjur man, led his superstition-fuddled followers to kill fifty-five whites of all sexes and ages in an aimless terrorizing of Southhampton County in the southeastern corner of Virginia.
“The poor twisted creature could hardly have found a worse time to sharpen Southern fears of a slave rising.” Turner was tried and hanged and, that winter, writes Furnas, “The Virginia legislature voted down by a narrow margin a bill for gradual extinction of slavery.”
Nat Turner’s terrorism had set back emancipation.
Let me go out on a limb: If the Virginia General Assembly votes to replace Robert E. Lee in the U.S. Capitol with a statue of Nat Turner, it will not be the unifying event Wexton imagines.
But the Assembly will be dealing soon with measures even more volatile.
On Jan. 20, “Lobby Day” at the Assembly, thousands of gun advocates, many openly armed, will be coming to Richmond to protest new gun laws Northam and his new Democratic majority campaigned on and are determined to deliver.
Already, 110 towns, cities and counties in Virginia have created “Second Amendment sanctuaries” where new state laws that restrict gun rights will not be enforced by local authorities.
As the Washington Post writes,
“Virginia is a former Confederate State with strong rural traditions and lax gun laws. Guns represent the strongest, reddest line against the demographic changes that have seen Old Dominion voters usher in a new era of Democratic leadership in recent elections.
“A Nevada-based group called the Oath Keepers said it is sending training teams to help form posses and militia in Virginia. The leader of a Georgia militia called Three Percent Security Force has posted videos and calls to arms on Facebook, urging ‘patriots’ to converge on Richmond.” Churchill, Hitler, and... Patrick J. Buchanan Best Price: $9.48 Buy New $14.00 (as of 08:25 UTC - Details)
Still, the divisions among Virginians are not only over history, heroes and guns, they are also moral and religious.
A year ago, Northam said he supported abortion through all nine months of pregnancy, and beyond, if an abortion were unsuccessful.
Here is Northam, in his own words, on the rights of the unborn:
“(Third trimester abortions are) done in cases where there may be severe deformities. There may be a fetus that’s nonviable. So in this particular example, if a mother is in labor, I can tell you exactly what would happen. … The infant would be delivered. The infant would be kept comfortable. The infant would be resuscitated if that’s what the mother and the family desired. And then a discussion would ensue between the physicians and the mother.”
Unlike the seven states of the Deep South, Virginia did not vote to secede and leave the Union until President Lincoln issued his call to arms to put down the rebellion after the Confederates fired on Fort Sumter.
Then the state of Virginia seceded from the Union as the colony of Virginia had seceded from Great Britain at Philadelphia 84 years before.
Today, it appears a new secession is underway. Virginians are separating from each other over issues as deep and divisive — such as who can take innocent life and when — as those that divided us in 1861.
As are the rest of their countrymen in this time of Trump.
The Best of Patrick J. Buchanan


Imperialism 101

What ever happened to Iraq ?
Is it not an independent country with a democratic government thanks to the 2003 US invasion ?
So says Washington .
The murder of senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani suddenly shone a strobe light on ‘ independent ’ Iraq , and what we saw was not pretty .
Welcome to the new Imperialism 101 .
Iraq ’ s population is estimated around 39 million .
The pre-war Iraq of 2003 was broken into three parts by the US-British invasion : the Shia majority ; Kurds in the north ; and Sunnis , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fragmented into hostile groups .
American Raj : America ... Eric Margolis Best Price : $ 9.95 Its Shia are confusingly allied to the US and Iran .
The killing of Maj. Gen. Soleimani by the Americans has thrown this alliance of convenience into confusion .
Iraqi Kurds are close to the CIA and Israel ’ s Mossad intelligence .
The Sunnis are left adrift , without any foreign patrons except for other feeble Arab states .
The US maintains a modest garrison of 5,000 infantry in Iraq and 3-5 air bases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Embassy in Baghdad ’ s heavily guarded Green Zone which contains one of the world ’ s largest CIA bases .
Angry mobs demonstrating in front of the embassy triggered off the chain of events that led to Trump ’ s murder of Gen. Soleimani .
That an impeached president should be murdering foreign figures is a question that Congress must ask .
Before he was murdered , Osama bin Laden called this monster Baghdad embassy and its twin in Kabul , ` crusader fortresses.
’ That is indeed their role , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all Mideast operations by the US .
Iraq enjoys some of the world ’ s largest oil reserves .
Where the profit from Iraq ’ s mammoth oil exports go remains a closely guarded secret .
Combined with Saudi Arabia – also controlled by the US – Iraq gives Washington control of the bulk of Mideast oil .
The US no longer relies on oil from the Mideast , being self-sufficient – at least for now .
But dominating the Mideast gives the US huge influence over China , Japan , India , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil from there .
This is the main pillar of US world power and the supremacy of the dollar .
[ War at the Top of th ... Eric S Margolis Check Amazon for Pricing .
Returning to Iraq , Washington has imposed an air exclusivity zone there .
Real control of flat , largely barren Iraq comes from the air .
US war planes based there and in Qatar can blast anything that moves in Mesopotamia .
Imperial Britain ruled Iraq the same way , using the RAF to smash all opposition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the 1920 ’ s Churchill even authorized the RAF to use poison gas against rebellious Iraqi Kurds ( as well as Afghan Pashtun tribes ) .
US-ruled Iraq is not allowed to have a real air force , only a handful of light aircraft .
The same ban applies to Afghanistan .
Iraq ’ s so-called army , a mob of unruly militias of the type the Ottomans used to call ‘ bashi-bazouks , ’ is of little military value though partly equipped by US weapons .
They are increasingly being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ really runs Iraq from three large air bases that were the target of the recent bloodless Iranian missile attacks .
Iraq ’ s current US-approved prime minister Abdul-Mahdi and its feeble parliament have voted for the ouster of all US forces from Iraq .
Good luck to them .
Washington will likely ignore Iraq ’ s supposedly ‘ democratic ’ government and continue to act as the sultan of Iraq .
Iraq has become the central military base and inexhaustible oil reservoir for the US that was envisaged by the Bush administration and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step in the total US domination of the Mideast and its energy resources .
Israel has achieved its long sought goal of removing Iraq from the confrontation over Palestine .
With Egypt under a US-imposed dictator , that leaves only demolished Syria to stand up to Israel .
The Saudis are gleefully stabbing their ‘ brother ’ Arabs in the back , as they always have done .
Never in the past half-century have we seen the Arab states so pathetically feeble .
Never have we seen Israel so strongly guiding US Mideast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Soleimani .
The Best of Eric S. Margolis

Special for LewRockwell.com
What ever happened to Iraq? Is it not an independent country with a democratic government thanks to the 2003 US invasion? So says Washington.
The murder of senior Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani suddenly shone a strobe light on ‘independent’ Iraq, and what we saw was not pretty.
Welcome to the new Imperialism 101.
Iraq’s population is estimated around 39 million. The pre-war Iraq of 2003 was broken into three parts by the US-British invasion: the Shia majority; Kurds in the north; and Sunnis, with scatterings of other ethnicities. Iraq remains fragmented into hostile groups. American Raj: America ... Eric Margolis Best Price: $9.95 (as of 06:15 UTC - Details)
Its Shia are confusingly allied to the US and Iran. The killing of Maj. Gen. Soleimani by the Americans has thrown this alliance of convenience into confusion. Iraqi Kurds are close to the CIA and Israel’s Mossad intelligence. The Sunnis are left adrift, without any foreign patrons except for other feeble Arab states.
The US maintains a modest garrison of 5,000 infantry in Iraq and 3-5 air bases, as well as the gigantic fortified US Embassy in Baghdad’s heavily guarded Green Zone which contains one of the world’s largest CIA bases. Angry mobs demonstrating in front of the embassy triggered off the chain of events that led to Trump’s murder of Gen. Soleimani. That an impeached president should be murdering foreign figures is a question that Congress must ask.
Before he was murdered, Osama bin Laden called this monster Baghdad embassy and its twin in Kabul, `crusader fortresses.’ That is indeed their role, and to serve as the nerve center for all Mideast operations by the US. Iraq enjoys some of the world’s largest oil reserves. Where the profit from Iraq’s mammoth oil exports go remains a closely guarded secret.
Combined with Saudi Arabia – also controlled by the US – Iraq gives Washington control of the bulk of Mideast oil. The US no longer relies on oil from the Mideast, being self-sufficient – at least for now. But dominating the Mideast gives the US huge influence over China, Japan, India, and Europe, all of whom import oil from there. This is the main pillar of US world power and the supremacy of the dollar.
[ War at the Top of th... Eric S Margolis Check Amazon for Pricing. Returning to Iraq, Washington has imposed an air exclusivity zone there. Real control of flat, largely barren Iraq comes from the air. US war planes based there and in Qatar can blast anything that moves in Mesopotamia. Imperial Britain ruled Iraq the same way, using the RAF to smash all opposition to the British-installed puppet ruler in Baghdad. In the 1920’s Churchill even authorized the RAF to use poison gas against rebellious Iraqi Kurds (as well as Afghan Pashtun tribes).
US-ruled Iraq is not allowed to have a real air force, only a handful of light aircraft. The same ban applies to Afghanistan. Iraq’s so-called army, a mob of unruly militias of the type the Ottomans used to call ‘bashi-bazouks,’ is of little military value though partly equipped by US weapons. They are increasingly being attacked by US warplanes.
The US really runs Iraq from three large air bases that were the target of the recent bloodless Iranian missile attacks. Iraq’s current US-approved prime minister Abdul-Mahdi and its feeble parliament have voted for the ouster of all US forces from Iraq. Good luck to them. Washington will likely ignore Iraq’s supposedly ‘democratic’ government and continue to act as the sultan of Iraq.
Iraq has become the central military base and inexhaustible oil reservoir for the US that was envisaged by the Bush administration and its neocons. That is a major step in the total US domination of the Mideast and its energy resources.
Israel has achieved its long sought goal of removing Iraq from the confrontation over Palestine. With Egypt under a US-imposed dictator, that leaves only demolished Syria to stand up to Israel. The Saudis are gleefully stabbing their ‘brother’ Arabs in the back, as they always have done.
Never in the past half-century have we seen the Arab states so pathetically feeble. Never have we seen Israel so strongly guiding US Mideast policy, including the murder of Gen. Soleimani.
The Best of Eric S. Margolis


Plan E?

If the predictable election of 2016 fails to deliver the controllable neoconservative president , if a pseudo-McCarthyite campaign against an economically recovering and energy-independent Russia fails again , if putting your own guys in the National Security Council also fails , and if an impeachment seems likewise doomed to peter out , what do you have left ?
If you are a war-whoring , petrodollar-preserving , rapture-ready , neoconservative globalist… .
well , you ’ re in luck !
President Pence is ready to step in .
The beauty of Plan E , the fifth backup , is very precious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to amend the 2016 election – and stop Trump ’ s early promises to put America first , bring our troops home , secure borders , and spend the American taxpayer bounty on American production and infrastructure – have paved the way for a wholesale public acceptance of the neoconservative agenda .
This time , with relief and happiness .
It ’ s almost as if we the sheeple have been given a collective dose of something feel-good , non-thinking , and cozy , and indeed we have .
Conceived in Liberty , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 11.95 Buy New $ 15.39 The powers that be , the deep state , or the national security state , or a black-money hyper-empowered CIA , you pick , are in fine form in 2020 .
If these folks issued an annual statement , you would definitely want to invest .
It looks really good on paper .
The CIA , now nearly 80 years old , has become a global power , with global influence .
It should surprise no one that the CIA is also a major influence over US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the very opinions and perspectives of the average US citizen .
Media and entertainment , technology and communications , access to cash , total information awareness of our money , movements , thoughts and speech , with the complete opacity of its own budget and actions – all of this this is part of the CIA ’ s mission today .
If you thought it was just other country ’ s riots , assassinations and regime changes , you are behind the times .
I ’ ve been told that the CIA picks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly from the Denver Mint .
If the state , as Augustine believed , is a band of thieves writ large , the CIA is the godfather .
Mike Pence was a predictable vice-presidential choice .
A nondescript statist , evangelical “ good ” man , he served his role as a non-threatening , mildly competent second .
He would also be a fourth or fifth tier hedge against the uncontrollable populist and hearty sinner Donald Trump , a man who had never won an election in his life before 2016 .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ presidents , and vice presidents , manipulating both campaigns and popular opinion , creating crises on demand , and surveilling citizens and parties and candidates – in other countries .
The unexpected spontaneous and massive patriotic crowds convening for Trump throughout the 2016 campaign alone must have told the CIA what was written on the wall .
Even with then CIA Director Brennan ’ s assistance , and that of the FBI , Hillary couldn ’ t catch the imagination of voters , or bring them out to see her preach , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
But in a real war , you don ’ t quit until you are forced to .
In these four failures to bring down Trump , the deep state/CIA alliance has indeed achieved much , and won much .
Trump has been constrained in his efforts to fulfill his most popular domestic initiatives , while the continued direct and indirect attacks on him in the mainstream , left-leaning “ independent ” and government media have worn down his popular support .
Independents and libertarians who may have leaned Trumpward have all but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parties and candidates .
NeverTrumpers already favored Pence , and that was a major reason for his inclusion on the 2016 ticket .
Troop deployments , Pentagon funding and interventionist wars have all been reignited .
The Federal Reserve , once a Trump target , is enthusiastically burning up the printing presses , with very little mainstream discussion and with Trump applauding , not auditing .
The upcoming nuclear destruction of Iran and the unleashing of a long wave of war and terror is just around the corner .
Who will best serve @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and beyond ?
Trump , if he lives long enough will be re-elected by actual voters , and as a lame duck he may prove difficult .
The Democratic field is split between reliable lackeys and unreliable ones , and while wars may be ensured , there ’ s nothing the CIA hates more than unpredictability .
What to do with the gift of four failed domestic operations against Trump ?
The answer is , devise a health event ( mental or physical or both ) that results in a sitting President Pence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ campaign , in a time of war , against an uninspiring array of old white man from a divided opposition party .
By now you are saying , Karen , I knew you were nuts , but this is just too much , even for you !
Normally , I would agree with you .
But how else can we explain the fact that career operational CIA Gina “ Chemical ” Haspel and her sidekick , former 30-year CIA man , evidence destroyer , fellow torturer , and current CIA contractor Jose Rodriguez @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conspiring with Mike Pence than Donald Trump ?
Presstitutes Embedded ... Dr. Udo Ulfkotte Best Price : $ 43.05 Buy New $ 31.51 How else can we explain the recent and comprehensive emergence in the twitterverse , social media and mainstream public opinion that Trump is in mental decline , stressed , possibly on drugs , and needs medical help or a break real soon ?
His manipulation into the assassination of Kassem Soleimani , who after defeating the stated US enemy ISIS in the region , was a messenger and architect of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Baghdad , but also representing another step away from the petrodollar , was pure CIA textbook .
Tell him what you want ( true or not ) , nurture a sense of urgency , and know your target in order to psychologically manipulate him .
The play is set – if Trump takes a break or sees a doctor now , our public suspicions of mental and physical incompetence are 100 % confirmed , and we “ expect ” his imminent decline from the stage .
The “ surprise ” strike on Soleimani @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Constitutional ” reason to be angry with Trump , so it improves the chances of a serious trial , and even removal from office .
It ’ s a win-win because even if not removed , the Senate trial , and Trump ’ s predictable reaction to it , will serve to explain away a stroke , embolism , heart attack , or mental breakdown , all leading to a welcome peacefulness and stability of an ascendant Mike Pence .
Pence , an evangelical neoconservative who deserves to be President as it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also need support from his deep state friends Gina Haspel and Mike Pompeo .
He will have it in spades .
The warfare-welfare empire is saved for another day .
Property values will continue to rise in the five counties surrounding D.C. , Americans will continue to get poorer and angrier , and in their frustration and fear , many will even demand more state assistance , and probably a draft .
A new kind of draft , whereby soldiers can “ earn ” student loan debt relief , and the like .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ?
What fun we can expect under a Pence presidency , and I give him a second and maybe even a third term .
Of course , when the music stops , and the money collapses , President Pence will be worth little more than his last name implies .
The past two decades should have been enough to inspire preparations for social and financial collapse of the US empire , and the dangerous emergence of an unfunded and unfriendly American fascism .
The next few years may be all Americans have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we love .
After that , we may be limited to keeping our heads down and muffling our screams as we ride out that long emergency .
The Best of Karen Kwiatkowski

If the predictable election of 2016 fails to deliver the controllable neoconservative president, if a pseudo-McCarthyite campaign against an economically recovering and energy-independent Russia fails again, if putting your own guys in the National Security Council also fails, and if an impeachment seems likewise doomed to peter out, what do you have left?
If you are a war-whoring, petrodollar-preserving, rapture-ready, neoconservative globalist…. well, you’re in luck!
President Pence is ready to step in.
The beauty of Plan E, the fifth backup, is very precious. The very failures of previous attempts to amend the 2016 election – and stop Trump’s early promises to put America first, bring our troops home, secure borders, and spend the American taxpayer bounty on American production and infrastructure – have paved the way for a wholesale public acceptance of the neoconservative agenda. This time, with relief and happiness.
It’s almost as if we the sheeple have been given a collective dose of something feel-good, non-thinking, and cozy, and indeed we have. Conceived in Liberty, ... Murray N Rothbard Best Price: $9.00 Buy New $15.39 (as of 08:05 UTC - Details)
The powers that be, the deep state, or the national security state, or a black-money hyper-empowered CIA, you pick, are in fine form in 2020. If these folks issued an annual statement, you would definitely want to invest. It looks really good on paper.
The CIA, now nearly 80 years old, has become a global power, with global influence. It should surprise no one that the CIA is also a major influence over US territory, the US Government, and the very opinions and perspectives of the average US citizen. Media and entertainment, technology and communications, access to cash, total information awareness of our money, movements, thoughts and speech, with the complete opacity of its own budget and actions – all of this this is part of the CIA’s mission today. If you thought it was just other country’s riots, assassinations and regime changes, you are behind the times.
I’ve been told that the CIA picks up some of its cash on pallets directly from the Denver Mint. If the state, as Augustine believed, is a band of thieves writ large, the CIA is the godfather.
Mike Pence was a predictable vice-presidential choice. A nondescript statist, evangelical “good” man, he served his role as a non-threatening, mildly competent second. He would also be a fourth or fifth tier hedge against the uncontrollable populist and hearty sinner Donald Trump, a man who had never won an election in his life before 2016. The CIA has decades of experience in choosing presidents, and vice presidents, manipulating both campaigns and popular opinion, creating crises on demand, and surveilling citizens and parties and candidates – in other countries. The unexpected spontaneous and massive patriotic crowds convening for Trump throughout the 2016 campaign alone must have told the CIA what was written on the wall. Even with then CIA Director Brennan’s assistance, and that of the FBI, Hillary couldn’t catch the imagination of voters, or bring them out to see her preach, even when she spoke in our native accents.
But in a real war, you don’t quit until you are forced to. In these four failures to bring down Trump, the deep state/CIA alliance has indeed achieved much, and won much. Trump has been constrained in his efforts to fulfill his most popular domestic initiatives, while the continued direct and indirect attacks on him in the mainstream, left-leaning “independent” and government media have worn down his popular support. Independents and libertarians who may have leaned Trumpward have all but peeled away and are looking at other parties and candidates. NeverTrumpers already favored Pence, and that was a major reason for his inclusion on the 2016 ticket. Troop deployments, Pentagon funding and interventionist wars have all been reignited. The Federal Reserve, once a Trump target, is enthusiastically burning up the printing presses, with very little mainstream discussion and with Trump applauding, not auditing. The upcoming nuclear destruction of Iran and the unleashing of a long wave of war and terror is just around the corner.
Who will best serve the deep state/CIA/petrodollar empire in November 2020 and beyond? Trump, if he lives long enough will be re-elected by actual voters, and as a lame duck he may prove difficult. The Democratic field is split between reliable lackeys and unreliable ones, and while wars may be ensured, there’s nothing the CIA hates more than unpredictability. What to do with the gift of four failed domestic operations against Trump?
The answer is, devise a health event (mental or physical or both) that results in a sitting President Pence just in time for a reasonably short campaign, in a time of war, against an uninspiring array of old white man from a divided opposition party.
By now you are saying, Karen, I knew you were nuts, but this is just too much, even for you!
Normally, I would agree with you. But how else can we explain the fact that career operational CIA Gina “Chemical” Haspel and her sidekick, former 30-year CIA man, evidence destroyer, fellow torturer, and current CIA contractor Jose Rodriguez are already spending more time briefing and conspiring with Mike Pence than Donald Trump? Presstitutes Embedded ... Ulfkotte, Dr. Udo Best Price: $38.43 Buy New $34.09 (as of 11:15 UTC - Details)
How else can we explain the recent and comprehensive emergence in the twitterverse, social media and mainstream public opinion that Trump is in mental decline, stressed, possibly on drugs, and needs medical help or a break real soon?
His manipulation into the assassination of Kassem Soleimani, who after defeating the stated US enemy ISIS in the region, was a messenger and architect of a detente in his last visit to Baghdad, but also representing another step away from the petrodollar, was pure CIA textbook. Tell him what you want (true or not), nurture a sense of urgency, and know your target in order to psychologically manipulate him.
The play is set – if Trump takes a break or sees a doctor now, our public suspicions of mental and physical incompetence are 100% confirmed, and we “expect” his imminent decline from the stage. The “surprise” strike on Soleimani has given the Senate a new “Constitutional” reason to be angry with Trump, so it improves the chances of a serious trial, and even removal from office. It’s a win-win because even if not removed, the Senate trial, and Trump’s predictable reaction to it, will serve to explain away a stroke, embolism, heart attack, or mental breakdown, all leading to a welcome peacefulness and stability of an ascendant Mike Pence.
Pence, an evangelical neoconservative who deserves to be President as it is surely God’s Will, will also need support from his deep state friends Gina Haspel and Mike Pompeo. He will have it in spades. The warfare-welfare empire is saved for another day. Property values will continue to rise in the five counties surrounding D.C., Americans will continue to get poorer and angrier, and in their frustration and fear, many will even demand more state assistance, and probably a draft. A new kind of draft, whereby soldiers can “earn” student loan debt relief, and the like. Socialism, American-style, who can oppose that? What fun we can expect under a Pence presidency, and I give him a second and maybe even a third term.
Of course, when the music stops, and the money collapses, President Pence will be worth little more than his last name implies. The past two decades should have been enough to inspire preparations for social and financial collapse of the US empire, and the dangerous emergence of an unfunded and unfriendly American fascism. The next few years may be all Americans have left to secure whatever it is that we love. After that, we may be limited to keeping our heads down and muffling our screams as we ride out that long emergency.
The Best of Karen Kwiatkowski


lewrockwell--2020-01-11--The Unthinkable: Live 400-500 Years?

The Unthinkable: Live 400-500 Years?

Hitting futurist news wires today is the unprecedented report ( journal Cell Reports ) that claims modest de-activation of two gene pathways increases the lifespan of microscopic-sized roundworms by an unprecedented 400-500 % .
Taking into account roundworms have a genetic makeup similar to humans — 20,470 protein-making genes compared to ~25,000 in humans — genes that are arranged in a similar ( homologous ) fashion ( position , structure , function ) as humans , the application to human longevity is obvious .
Now to wait four or five hundred years to find out if this is true .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ four or five centuries to conduct a live study in humans , short-lived animals like roundworms are used in laboratory experiments .
This report will likely create a stir in scientific circles as well as public disbelief .
Under controlled laboratory conditions , the lifespan of roundworms was extended from ~20 to ~100 days !
( 400-500 years in human terms ) The molecular de-activation of a single gene pathway , either the IIS ( insulin signaling ) or mTOR ( target of rapamycin ) genes alone , prolonged life in these roundworms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gene ; by 30 % for the mTOR gene ) .
The extraordinary synergistic effect ( +400-500 % ) of combined gene inhibition was excitingly unexpected .
For comparison , the gold standard model for longevity studies is calorie restriction ( 40 % less calories ) , a practice that has been shown to double the health span and lifespan of fruit flies , roundworms , rodents and preliminarily in humans .
Diminished activation of two gene pathways that are normally activated during childhood growth and development synergistically produced the 400-500 % increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ double that of a limited calorie diet .
Sodium Bicarbonate : Na ... Mark Sircus Best Price : $ 6.95 Buy New $ 10.32 A third gene pathway known as AMPK , a gene that controls whether calories are stored or burned , was also involved .
The red wine molecule resveratrol ( rez-vair-a-trol ) activates AMPK 50-200 times better than metformin , the most commonly used drug to treat metabolic disease ( diabetes ) .
So , the idea humans can achieve super-longevity may not be so far-fetched now that mechanisms are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realization humans can employ nutraceuticals to diminish the activity of the same two gene pathways that produced this astonishing result in roundworms .
In 2008 a combination of small molecules known as polyphenols provided in grapes and wine ( resveratrol , quercetin , catechin ) , apple peel ( quercetin ) , strawberries ( fisetin ) , rice bran ( IP6 phytate ) , was shown to work synergistically , as in the above cited study .
Such a combination of commercially-available molecules ( Longevinex® ) favorably altered 9-fold more longevity genes than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an animal lab study published in 2008 .
So , biologists are just now , a dozen years later , getting an idea of how long humans might live if they can molecularly tap into these genetic pathways .
Polyphenols and resveratrol alone inhibits the mTOR ( target of rapamycin ) gene as well as the insulin-like responsive gene , the very genes targeted in the above study cited at the top of this report .
An earlier study in roundworms showed that the combination of three drugs doubled the lifespan and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seekers don ’ t need to go to the doctor to obtain prescriptions for drugs to tap into this longevity pathway .
With recognition these natural molecules have been in safe use for some time now and don ’ t cause serious side effects , the prospect of utilizing affordable non-prescription nutraceuticals in the pursuit of super-longevity becomes a reality .
Will the public venture on their own ?
The question is whether the masses are ready for the unguided pursuit of pursuit of super-longevity , given that the medical profession , out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to treat the symptoms rather than the cause of aging .
Only an estimated 200,000 American adults take resveratrol pills , the most widely promoted nutraceutical for that purpose .
This writer ’ s 15-year venture into anti-aging pills has been quite an eye opener .
I was blind-sided by the public ’ s fear of living super-long .
One would think that the discovery of a fountain of youth , which was only hoped for in ages past , would be avidly adopted .
But the more that was said these pills @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live 120 years ) , the more I heard “ Oh , I never want to live that long !
” There is also the fear of out-living one ’ s pension plan .
The public ’ s indelible mental image of people who live into their tenth decade is not a positive one : loss of independence , surrender of a driver ’ s license , loss of physical mobility ( reliance on a cane , walker , wheelchair ) , false teeth , drooling from the mouth , mental derangement/ memory @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bowel control and need for diapers .
This is largely what modern medicine delivers – a disincentive for living long .
Without prolongation of health span , the public is not likely to opt for anything that solely prolongs lifespan .
Nor will the masses be likely to deprive themselves of food ( 40 % calorie intake reduction ) in order to achieve a doubling of their lifespan , even though there is consensus this is a proven approach to longevity .
Instead , the public spends far more money on maintenance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hair transplants , stem cell therapy ) than attempting to live longer .
At least efforts to maintain cosmetic youthfulness can be seen in the mirror rapidly versus decades before a person realizes they didn ’ t waste their money on anti-aging pills .
A 400-500-year youth-span has been inconceivable , till now .
Yet , there is no way to conclusively know till decades , maybe even centuries , pass .
Just imagine if a senior adult just adds ten years to the end of their life , what discoveries await over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even more healthy years .
The speed of discovery in the anti-aging field is gaining traction because the longevity genes have now been identified .
Doctor Yourself : Natur ... Andrew W. Saul Best Price : $ 16.00 Buy New $ 18.22 For those few individuals who have dared to adopt anti-aging pills into their daily health regimens early on , evidence is mounting they may not have been so crazy to think they could live so long after all .
Some will consider early use of an anti-aging pill to be foresight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can have only as much foresight as he has preparation .
The far-seeing were once called foolish .
Noah of flood/ark fame prepared a boat while his neighbors laughed and ridiculed .
What if the future has already arrived and we just don ’ t know it yet ?
French philosopher Blaise Pascal ’ s ( 1623-1662 A.D. ) wager may have application in the logic used to adopt an anti-aging pill into one ’ s daily health regimen .
Pascal ’ s wager deliberated the consequences of whether there is a God @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like this : • If you believe there is a God ( anti-aging pill ) , but there is no God ( anti-aging pill ) , you have lost little • If you believe there is a God ( anti-aging pill ) , and there IS a god ( anti-aging pill ) , then you have gained much .
• If you don ’ t believe there is a God ( anti-aging pill ) , and there truly is , then you have lost much .
• If you don ’ t believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and over time no proven God ( anti-aging pill ) materializes , you have lost nothing .
The adoption of an anti-aging pill is determined by the receptiveness of the person learning of it .
Maybe it ’ s best to say humans can achieve an indefinitely long healthspan/lifespan and leave off the numbers that are only received with incredulity .

Hitting futurist news wires today is the unprecedented report (journal Cell Reports) that claims modest de-activation of two gene pathways increases the lifespan of microscopic-sized roundworms by an unprecedented 400-500%. Taking into account roundworms have a genetic makeup similar to humans — 20,470 protein-making genes compared to ~25,000 in humans — genes that are arranged in a similar (homologous) fashion (position, structure, function) as humans, the application to human longevity is obvious. Now to wait four or five hundred years to find out if this is true.
Given that biologists don’t have four or five centuries to conduct a live study in humans, short-lived animals like roundworms are used in laboratory experiments. This report will likely create a stir in scientific circles as well as public disbelief. Under controlled laboratory conditions, the lifespan of roundworms was extended from ~20 to ~100 days! (400-500 years in human terms)
The molecular de-activation of a single gene pathway, either the IIS (insulin signaling) or mTOR (target of rapamycin) genes alone, prolonged life in these roundworms (by 100% insulin with signaling gene; by 30% for the mTOR gene). The extraordinary synergistic effect (+400-500%) of combined gene inhibition was excitingly unexpected.
For comparison, the gold standard model for longevity studies is calorie restriction (40% less calories), a practice that has been shown to double the health span and lifespan of fruit flies, roundworms, rodents and preliminarily in humans. Diminished activation of two gene pathways that are normally activated during childhood growth and development synergistically produced the 400-500% increase in survival of roundworms. Obviously, double that of a limited calorie diet. Sodium Bicarbonate: Na... Mark Sircus Best Price: $7.25 Buy New $10.32 (as of 10:37 UTC - Details)
A third gene pathway known as AMPK, a gene that controls whether calories are stored or burned, was also involved. The red wine molecule resveratrol (rez-vair-a-trol) activates AMPK 50-200 times better than metformin, the most commonly used drug to treat metabolic disease (diabetes). So, the idea humans can achieve super-longevity may not be so far-fetched now that mechanisms are known.
Natural molecules, not drugs
Even more striking is the realization humans can employ nutraceuticals to diminish the activity of the same two gene pathways that produced this astonishing result in roundworms.
In 2008 a combination of small molecules known as polyphenols provided in grapes and wine (resveratrol, quercetin, catechin), apple peel (quercetin), strawberries (fisetin), rice bran (IP6 phytate), was shown to work synergistically, as in the above cited study. Such a combination of commercially-available molecules (Longevinex®) favorably altered 9-fold more longevity genes than a single polyphenol (resveratrol) alone in an animal lab study published in 2008. So, biologists are just now, a dozen years later, getting an idea of how long humans might live if they can molecularly tap into these genetic pathways.
Polyphenols and resveratrol alone inhibits the mTOR (target of rapamycin) gene as well as the insulin-like responsive gene, the very genes targeted in the above study cited at the top of this report.
An earlier study in roundworms showed that the combination of three drugs doubled the lifespan and health span of roundworms. But longevity seekers don’t need to go to the doctor to obtain prescriptions for drugs to tap into this longevity pathway. With recognition these natural molecules have been in safe use for some time now and don’t cause serious side effects, the prospect of utilizing affordable non-prescription nutraceuticals in the pursuit of super-longevity becomes a reality.
Will the public venture on their own?
The question is whether the masses are ready for the unguided pursuit of pursuit of super-longevity, given that the medical profession, out of self-interest, has confined its efforts to treat the symptoms rather than the cause of aging. Only an estimated 200,000 American adults take resveratrol pills, the most widely promoted nutraceutical for that purpose.
Fear of super-longevity
This writer’s 15-year venture into anti-aging pills has been quite an eye opener. I was blind-sided by the public’s fear of living super-long. One would think that the discovery of a fountain of youth, which was only hoped for in ages past, would be avidly adopted. But the more that was said these pills could prolong life to produce super-longevity (live 120 years), the more I heard “Oh, I never want to live that long!” There is also the fear of out-living one’s pension plan.
The public’s indelible mental image of people who live into their tenth decade is not a positive one: loss of independence, surrender of a driver’s license, loss of physical mobility (reliance on a cane, walker, wheelchair), false teeth, drooling from the mouth, mental derangement/ memory loss, chronic constipation or loss of bowel control and need for diapers. This is largely what modern medicine delivers – a disincentive for living long.
Without prolongation of health span, the public is not likely to opt for anything that solely prolongs lifespan. Nor will the masses be likely to deprive themselves of food (40% calorie intake reduction) in order to achieve a doubling of their lifespan, even though there is consensus this is a proven approach to longevity.
Cosmetics over longevity
Instead, the public spends far more money on maintenance of a youthful appearance (plastic surgery, hair transplants, stem cell therapy) than attempting to live longer. At least efforts to maintain cosmetic youthfulness can be seen in the mirror rapidly versus decades before a person realizes they didn’t waste their money on anti-aging pills.
Foretelling the future
A 400-500-year youth-span has been inconceivable, till now. Yet, there is no way to conclusively know till decades, maybe even centuries, pass. Just imagine if a senior adult just adds ten years to the end of their life, what discoveries await over the next decade that might buy them even more healthy years. The speed of discovery in the anti-aging field is gaining traction because the longevity genes have now been identified. Doctor Yourself: Natur... Andrew W. Saul Best Price: $15.00 Buy New $18.21 (as of 10:15 UTC - Details)
For those few individuals who have dared to adopt anti-aging pills into their daily health regimens early on, evidence is mounting they may not have been so crazy to think they could live so long after all.
Some will consider early use of an anti-aging pill to be foresight, an exclusive human capacity. One can have only as much foresight as he has preparation. The far-seeing were once called foolish. Noah of flood/ark fame prepared a boat while his neighbors laughed and ridiculed. What if the future has already arrived and we just don’t know it yet?
French philosopher Blaise Pascal’s (1623-1662 A.D.) wager may have application in the logic used to adopt an anti-aging pill into one’s daily health regimen. Pascal’s wager deliberated the consequences of whether there is a God or not. His wager went something like this:
If you believe there is a God (anti-aging pill), but there is no God (anti-aging pill), you have lost little
If you believe there is a God (anti-aging pill), and there IS a god (anti-aging pill), then you have gained much.
If you don’t believe there is a God (anti-aging pill), and there truly is, then you have lost much.
If you don’t believe there is a God (anti-aging pill), and over time no proven God (anti-aging pill) materializes, you have lost nothing.
The adoption of an anti-aging pill is determined by the receptiveness of the person learning of it. Maybe it’s best to say humans can achieve an indefinitely long healthspan/lifespan and leave off the numbers that are only received with incredulity.


lewrockwell--2020-01-11--An Embarrassment of Embassies

An Embarrassment of Embassies

“ Protesters broke into the heavily guarded compound of the United States Embassy in Baghdad on [ Dec. 31 , 2019 ] and set fires inside … The men … demand [ ed ] that the United States withdraw its forces from Iraq.
” YAWN .
Old news : mobs in the Middle East have been bawling such objections for decades , though I grant that they ’ re hard to hear over the windows they shatter and their Molotov cocktails .
And of course patriots who revere liberty agree wholeheartedly that Washington should recall its hired killers .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amendment to the militants : how about the US withdraws its ambassador and worthless diplomats , too ?
The embassy lately attacked in Baghdad , America ’ s “ biggest and most expensive in the world , ” robbed us serfs of $ 750 million when it was built during George the Pea-brain ’ s reign ; were I the editor of a dictionary , I ’ d illustrate “ boondoggle ” with its picture .
Actually , I ’ d feature the whole of Iraq under “ boondoggle.
” As of 2012 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the infuriating distinction of “ the most ambitious American aid effort since the Marshall Plan ” —and that ’ s on top of the $ 5- $ 12 trillion for DC ’ s wars in and around Iraq .
Why we pay to destroy a place and then “ restore ” it is a conundrum only the military-industrial complex and their bought-and-paid-for politicians can fathom .
Rational folks with even a speck of prudence or humanity will never comprehend such evil .
Halestorm -- A Novel of ... Becky Akers Check Amazon for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ repairing Iraq had “ already cost $ 500 million , including $ 343 million worth of construction projects around the country ” and $ 100 million on the “ Iraqi Police College.
” Though said college is a bargain compared to the embassy , it ’ s also a more damnable waste of our money than usual : not only did “ Iraqi officials…say they never wanted it in the first place , ” but the facility was “ turned over to the Iraqis at year ’ s end because [ the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aegis all “ diplomatic missions ” fall— ” didn ’ t get land rights use for more than one year.
” Clearly , State ’ s criminals aren ’ t nearly as rapacious with foreigners as they are with America ’ s peons .
But I digress .
The Feds ’ “ compound ” in Baghdad comprises 104 acres , making it “ larger than Vatican City.
” And though the Vatican beats the compound all hollow for magnificent architecture , Pope Marx–sorry , Francis must envy the diplomats ’ “ food court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can spend their hazard pay ” ( yep , those are more of your taxes at work , subsidizing the compound ’ s 1350 federal sponges .
That figure was current in 2013 ; given government ’ s propensity for growth , the sponges have probably multiplied a few dozen times by now ) , “ a six-lane swimming pool…fitness center…a regulation-size basketball court… There ’ s even an irrigation system , which makes [ a ] regulation-size soccer field possible.
” Après-exercise , the leeches can feast in a “ palatial dining @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ‘ Mexican Fiesta , ’ Thai beef , grilled shrimp salad , sandwiches and more.
” Don ’ t forget the extravagant piles of fresh fruit and “ a wide variety of desserts… The Embassy generates its own power , has wells for water , as well as treatment and sewage plants.
” What else could the bloodsuckers in Baghdad want ?
Plenty : “ …three and a half years after American diplomats moved into the massive $ 700 million facility , ” they lavished an additional $ 115 million on “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ most interesting ” of which “ is the construction of a data hall in an existing classified embassy annex building… ” Hmmm .
The NSA East ?
Sic transit gloria .
Last week ’ s protests “ scorched ” the entrance to this staggeringly sumptuous fortress .
But of course building and maintaining such an enclave merely inaugurated the overspending—and apply only to this embassy : the US boasts another 167 of these money-pits .
We also foot the bills for securing them .
Then there are the salaries for the ambassadors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Your Intrepid Reporter tried to discover exactly how much of our wealth Leviathan squanders on “ diplomacy , ” but the State Department ’ s bureaucratic complexity and overlapping “ duties ” and definitions thwarted this quest .
My best estimate is half of the Deparment ’ s budget , or $ 20 billion .
( Tragically , State ’ s forty billion bucks are barely worth discussing : Medicare , Social Security , “ National Defence , ” and “ Health ” plunder us of trillions , plural . )
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 billion ?
Nothing .
Zero , zilch , nada .
“ Now hold on a minute , ” you ’ re saying .
“ When I was in France , I went to the embassy , and they helped me with my visa.
” More likely , you visited a consulate .
It ’ s easy to confuse consulates and embassies , because the State Department spawns both , and they ’ re both varieties of “ diplomacy.
” But expecting a bureaucratic office to fulfill more than one function would limit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
And so a consulate sticks to “ helping ” Americans abroad in the same way that the DMV back home does : by selling us documents we neither want nor need so bureaucrats can track and control us .
“ But what about an emergency ?
” you ask .
“ Consulates warn American tourists when a war ’ s breaking out.
” You ’ re right , but as with all of Leviathan ’ s “ services , ” taxpayers who never avail themselves of a consulate still pay for it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to disband these outposts ?
If travelers value their advice and other benefits enough to purchase them , private companies will fill the void .
Meanwhile , an embassy has just two goals : to massage its potentates ’ egos and glorify their government .
Embassies and ambassadors amplify their state ’ s pomp and self-importance in the hopes of wowing the international political class .
You and I as mere citizens aren ’ t even a blip on their radar , until the bills from the butcher , the baker and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embassy ever gives its patsies .
But don ’ t take my word for it : “ An embassy , ” says the World Atlas , “ … ( has the ) sole purpose of acting as the representative of the home country .
… All the main diplomatic talks between two countries are held in embassies especially when the discussions involve sensitive matters like wars and trade.
” Abducting Arnold -- A No ... Becky Akers Check Amazon for Pricing .
“ Sensitive matters.
” As if sociopaths ought to decide whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kleptomaniacs should manage trade !
Tell me Apple and Coke can ’ t convince customers overseas to buy their products unless an overpaid ambassador wines and dines the native poohbahs on our dime .
“ The ambassador plays a substantial role in all of this as he/she is the spokesperson of the foreign country , ” the World Atlas continues .
“ Their work [ sic ] is to protect the interests of their land in the receiving country ” –or , in plain language rather than euphemisms , they advance Our Rulers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the intermediaries during negotiations .
They report directly to their presidents back at home.
” Really ?
And in our computerized age , with websites and newspapers galore and intercontinental hot lines , not to mention the omnipresent “ national security ” with its worldwide network of spooks , “ reporting directly to their presidents back at home ” is oh , so essential .
These parasites are nothing more than inexplicably but stratospherically exalted messengers .
Worse , when the going gets tough , despots talk directly to one another rather @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they tweet , a la President Trump .
I don ’ t know about you , but this taxpayer much prefers a cheap tweet to an $ 815 million embassy .
The playwright Arthur Miller observed , “ A little man makes a mistake and they hang him by the thumbs ; the big ones become ambassadors.
” With their hands deep into our pockets .
The Best of Becky Akers

“Protesters broke into the heavily guarded compound of the United States Embassy in Baghdad on [Dec. 31, 2019] and set fires inside … The men … demand[ed] that the United States withdraw its forces from Iraq.”
YAWN. Old news: mobs in the Middle East have been bawling such objections for decades, though I grant that they’re hard to hear over the windows they shatter and their Molotov cocktails. And of course patriots who revere liberty agree wholeheartedly that Washington should recall its hired killers. In that spirit, I offer a friendly amendment to the militants: how about the US withdraws its ambassador and worthless diplomats, too?
The embassy lately attacked in Baghdad, America’s “biggest and most expensive in the world,” robbed us serfs of $750 million when it was built during George the Pea-brain’s reign; were I the editor of a dictionary, I’d illustrate “boondoggle” with its picture.
Actually, I’d feature the whole of Iraq under “boondoggle.” As of 2012, Our Rulers’ largesse there held the infuriating distinction of “the most ambitious American aid effort since the Marshall Plan”—and that’s on top of the $5-$12 trillion for DC’s wars in and around Iraq. Why we pay to destroy a place and then “restore” it is a conundrum only the military-industrial complex and their bought-and-paid-for politicians can fathom. Rational folks with even a speck of prudence or humanity will never comprehend such evil. Halestorm--A Novel of ... Akers, Becky Buy New $2.99 (as of 11:05 UTC - Details)
Ergo, by 2012, repairing Iraq had “already cost $500 million, including $343 million worth of construction projects around the country” and $100 million on the “Iraqi Police College.” Though said college is a bargain compared to the embassy, it’s also a more damnable waste of our money than usual: not only did “Iraqi officials…say they never wanted it in the first place,” but the facility was “turned over to the Iraqis at year’s end because [the US Dept of] State”—under whose aegis all “diplomatic missions” fall—”didn’t get land rights use for more than one year.” Clearly, State’s criminals aren’t nearly as rapacious with foreigners as they are with America’s peons.
But I digress. The Feds’ “compound” in Baghdad comprises 104 acres, making it “larger than Vatican City.” And though the Vatican beats the compound all hollow for magnificent architecture, Pope Marx–sorry, Francis must envy the diplomats’ “food court and a shopping mall where embassy staff can spend their hazard pay” (yep, those are more of your taxes at work, subsidizing the compound’s 1350 federal sponges. That figure was current in 2013; given government’s propensity for growth, the sponges have probably multiplied a few dozen times by now), “a six-lane swimming pool…fitness center…a regulation-size basketball court… There’s even an irrigation system, which makes [a] regulation-size soccer field possible.” Après-exercise, the leeches can feast in a “palatial dining room” offering “burgers, sushi, ‘Mexican Fiesta,’ Thai beef, grilled shrimp salad, sandwiches and more.” Don’t forget the extravagant piles of fresh fruit and “a wide variety of desserts… The Embassy generates its own power, has wells for water, as well as treatment and sewage plants.”
What else could the bloodsuckers in Baghdad want? Plenty: “…three and a half years after American diplomats moved into the massive $700 million facility,” they lavished an additional $115 million on “upgrade[s],” the “most interesting” of which “is the construction of a data hall in an existing classified embassy annex building…” Hmmm. The NSA East?
Sic transit gloria. Last week’s protests “scorched” the entrance to this staggeringly sumptuous fortress.
But of course building and maintaining such an enclave merely inaugurated the overspending—and apply only to this embassy: the US boasts another 167 of these money-pits. We also foot the bills for securing them. Then there are the salaries for the ambassadors, assorted diplomats, staff, etc. Your Intrepid Reporter tried to discover exactly how much of our wealth Leviathan squanders on “diplomacy,” but the State Department’s bureaucratic complexity and overlapping “duties” and definitions thwarted this quest. My best estimate is half of the Deparment’s budget, or $20 billion. (Tragically, State’s forty billion bucks are barely worth discussing: Medicare, Social Security, “National Defence,” and “Health” plunder us of trillions, plural.)
And what do we get for that $20 billion? Nothing. Zero, zilch, nada.
“Now hold on a minute,” you’re saying. “When I was in France, I went to the embassy, and they helped me with my visa.”
More likely, you visited a consulate. It’s easy to confuse consulates and embassies, because the State Department spawns both, and they’re both varieties of “diplomacy.” But expecting a bureaucratic office to fulfill more than one function would limit government’s size, you see. And so a consulate sticks to “helping” Americans abroad in the same way that the DMV back home does: by selling us documents we neither want nor need so bureaucrats can track and control us.
“But what about an emergency?” you ask. “Consulates warn American tourists when a war’s breaking out.” You’re right, but as with all of Leviathan’s “services,” taxpayers who never avail themselves of a consulate still pay for it. Wouldn’t it be fairer to disband these outposts? If travelers value their advice and other benefits enough to purchase them, private companies will fill the void.
Meanwhile, an embassy has just two goals: to massage its potentates’ egos and glorify their government. Embassies and ambassadors amplify their state’s pomp and self-importance in the hopes of wowing the international political class.
You and I as mere citizens aren’t even a blip on their radar, until the bills from the butcher, the baker and the caterers arrive. Debt is all an embassy ever gives its patsies.
But don’t take my word for it: “An embassy,” says the World Atlas, “…(has the) sole purpose of acting as the representative of the home country. … All the main diplomatic talks between two countries are held in embassies especially when the discussions involve sensitive matters like wars and trade.” Abducting Arnold--A No... Akers, Becky Buy New $2.99 (as of 10:30 UTC - Details)
“Sensitive matters.” As if sociopaths ought to decide whether we’ll slaughter one another and kleptomaniacs should manage trade! Tell me Apple and Coke can’t convince customers overseas to buy their products unless an overpaid ambassador wines and dines the native poohbahs on our dime.
“The ambassador plays a substantial role in all of this as he/she is the spokesperson of the foreign country,” the World Atlas continues. “Their work [sic] is to protect the interests of their land in the receiving country”–or, in plain language rather than euphemisms, they advance Our Rulers’ agenda—”as well as acting as the intermediaries during negotiations. They report directly to their presidents back at home.”
Really? And in our computerized age, with websites and newspapers galore and intercontinental hot lines, not to mention the omnipresent “national security” with its worldwide network of spooks, “reporting directly to their presidents back at home” is oh, so essential. These parasites are nothing more than inexplicably but stratospherically exalted messengers. Worse, when the going gets tough, despots talk directly to one another rather than relying on overpriced errand-boys. Or they tweet, a la President Trump. I don’t know about you, but this taxpayer much prefers a cheap tweet to an $815 million embassy.
The playwright Arthur Miller observed, “A little man makes a mistake and they hang him by the thumbs; the big ones become ambassadors.” With their hands deep into our pockets.
The Best of Becky Akers