thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-06--Apocalyptic Wildfires Are Killing 1 Billion Animals & Nation Size Land Areas Burned Under A “Blazing

Apocalyptic Wildfires Are Killing 1 Billion Animals & Nation Size Land Areas Burned Under A “Blazing Red Sky” In Australia

An entire continent is being transformed into “ a charred , apocalyptic nightmare ” , and experts are telling us that a billion animals may have already died so far in the horrific wildfires that are raging all across Australia .
Extremely strong winds and record high temperatures are going to create ideal conditions for the fires to spread even more this week , but officials will do all that they can to try to get them under control .
At this point , 146 fires are burning all over the country .
With temperatures in some communities reaching 120 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hit 80 mph or higher in some areas this week , things appear certain to get even worse before they start to get better .
The total number of acres burned already represents an area larger than the entire nation of Switzerland , and this crisis is far from over .
On Sunday , thousands of firefighters valiantly attempted to contain the colossal wildfires that are currently ripping through southeast Australia as the entire state of New South Wales was “ illuminated by an otherworldly , blazing red sky ” … But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the firefighters .
These wildfires are truly unprecedented , and when they actually started producing their own thunderstorms that was simply too much for the brave firefighters to handle… Wildfires ravaging much of southeastern Australia burned so hot that they created their own thunderstorms and lightning—similar to conditions during a volcanic eruption or atomic bomb blast .
Firefighter Michael Brearley was leading the defense of Wingello , a small town around 100 miles south of Sydney when a huge cloud began to form in the distance on Saturday .
He knew it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barely seen a drop of rain for weeks .
Instead it was fire that rained down from the formation of pyrocumulonimbus clouds—created by intense heat driving air rapidly upward in the smoke plume from a wildfire , drawing in moisture and resulting in thunderstorms .
Scientists say they are only beginning to understand the weather phenomenon , making its behavior hard to predict .
“ When the southerly wind change hit , the cloud collapsed and it just threw fire into the forest immediately south of the town , ” Mr. Brearley said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The fire was on us.
” When the winds really kick up , these fires can move at tremendous speed , and in some cases , the flames have been up to 200 feet tall .
Needless to say , many animals are not able to outrun wildfires of that magnitude .
Millions upon millions of animals have already died , and it is a tragedy that is shocking the entire globe .
A few days ago , we were being told that almost half a billion animals may have died so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But now experts are telling us that it is likely that a billion animals have died .
The following comes from a British news source… I can ’ t remember another disaster in my entire lifetime that killed as many animals in such a short period of time .
And according to Stuart Blanch of WWF Australia , many more animals will end up dying in the weeks and months to come… If you have any sympathy for other creatures at all , the images coming out of Australia are absolutely heart-rending .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ kangaroo that had been severely burned begging for help have gone viral all over the Internet… Of course , kangaroos can move quite quickly , and so many of them have been able to escape from the fires .
But koalas can not move very fast at all , and experts are warning that up to 30 percent of all koalas in existence may have already died… This appears to be the worst natural disaster in the modern history of Australia , and Prime Minister Scott Morrison is telling us that the fires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they finally go out .
Sadly , the truth is that our whole planet is dying , we are going to see even worse disasters in the months and years ahead , and there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop it from happening .
The season of “ the perfect storm ” is here , and it is going to be an exceedingly painful time for the entire planet .
Unfortunately , most Americans don ’ t care about what is happening on the other side of the world , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ start paying attention until some sort of major disaster affects them personally .

An entire continent is being transformed into “a charred, apocalyptic nightmare”, and experts are telling us that a billion animals may have already died so far in the horrific wildfires that are raging all across Australia. Extremely strong winds and record high temperatures are going to create ideal conditions for the fires to spread even more this week, but officials will do all that they can to try to get them under control. At this point, 146 fires are burning all over the country. With temperatures in some communities reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit, and with winds expected to hit 80 mph or higher in some areas this week, things appear certain to get even worse before they start to get better. The total number of acres burned already represents an area larger than the entire nation of Switzerland, and this crisis is far from over.
On Sunday, thousands of firefighters valiantly attempted to contain the colossal wildfires that are currently ripping through southeast Australia as the entire state of New South Wales was “illuminated by an otherworldly, blazing red sky”…
Skies turned blood red above parts of southeast Australia on Sunday as residents sought refuge from deadly bushfires, and a senior firefighter described the previous 24 hours as “one of our worst days ever.” Photographs of Pambula, in the state of New South Wales, showed an eerie, smoke-filled landscape, with deserted streets illuminated by an otherworldly, blazing red sky.
But it has mostly been a losing battle for the firefighters. These wildfires are truly unprecedented, and when they actually started producing their own thunderstorms that was simply too much for the brave firefighters to handle…
Wildfires ravaging much of southeastern Australia burned so hot that they created their own thunderstorms and lightning—similar to conditions during a volcanic eruption or atomic bomb blast. Firefighter Michael Brearley was leading the defense of Wingello, a small town around 100 miles south of Sydney when a huge cloud began to form in the distance on Saturday. He knew it was bad news: The area had barely seen a drop of rain for weeks. Instead it was fire that rained down from the formation of pyrocumulonimbus clouds—created by intense heat driving air rapidly upward in the smoke plume from a wildfire, drawing in moisture and resulting in thunderstorms. Scientists say they are only beginning to understand the weather phenomenon, making its behavior hard to predict. “When the southerly wind change hit, the cloud collapsed and it just threw fire into the forest immediately south of the town,” Mr. Brearley said. “We screamed for more resources. The fire was on us.”
When the winds really kick up, these fires can move at tremendous speed, and in some cases, the flames have been up to 200 feet tall.
Needless to say, many animals are not able to outrun wildfires of that magnitude. Millions upon millions of animals have already died, and it is a tragedy that is shocking the entire globe.
A few days ago, we were being told that almost half a billion animals may have died so far. The following comes from CNBC…
Nearly half a billion animals in Australia’s New South Wales state have been killed by raging wildfires in the last couple months, and the devastating death toll is expected to rise. Roughly 480 million mammals, birds and reptiles have been affected since bushfires started in September, according to ecologists from the University of Sydney, who add that the actual number is likely much higher.
But now experts are telling us that it is likely that a billion animals have died. The following comes from a British news source…
HEARTBREAKING footage shows the charred remains of dead koalas and kangaroos – as experts fear the devastating Australian wildfires have killed a BILLION animals. A horrific video shows the chilling scenes of burnt animal corpses lining the road of Batlow in New South Wales – one of the areas worst hit by the infernos over the weekend.
I can’t remember another disaster in my entire lifetime that killed as many animals in such a short period of time.
And according to Stuart Blanch of WWF Australia, many more animals will end up dying in the weeks and months to come…
He said: “Animals that make it through the fires will continue to die in the next weeks and months because of dehydration, starvation, disease and being easier prey for feral cats and foxes. “Even animals that are not being burnt to death are cooked because of extreme temperatures, or they get very confused and lost because of the smoke haze so our animals don’t stand a chance from these mass mega-fires that burn flames up to 200ft high.”
If you have any sympathy for other creatures at all, the images coming out of Australia are absolutely heart-rending. In particular, some photos of a kangaroo that had been severely burned begging for help have gone viral all over the Internet…
These heartbreaking photos show the moment a kangaroo begs for help in the aftermath of the devastating Australian bushfires. The marsupial suffered huge burns to its body before a teenager drenched it with water and gave it a drink. The stricken animal is one of billions caught up in Australia’s worst bushfires, which continue to burn out of control across an area more than a third of the size of England.
Of course, kangaroos can move quite quickly, and so many of them have been able to escape from the fires.
But koalas cannot move very fast at all, and experts are warning that up to 30 percent of all koalas in existence may have already died…
“Up to 30% of the koalas in the region may have been killed, because up to 30 percent of their habitat has been destroyed,” Australia’s Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation last week. “We’ll know more when the fires are calmed down and a proper assessment can be made.”
This appears to be the worst natural disaster in the modern history of Australia, and Prime Minister Scott Morrison is telling us that the fires “could burn for months” before they finally go out.
Sadly, the truth is that our whole planet is dying, we are going to see even worse disasters in the months and years ahead, and there is absolutely nothing we can do to stop it from happening.
The season of “the perfect storm” is here, and it is going to be an exceedingly painful time for the entire planet.
Unfortunately, most Americans don’t care about what is happening on the other side of the world, and so many of them won’t start paying attention until some sort of major disaster affects them personally.
Article posted with permission from Michael Snyder


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--The 1953 CIA-Backed Coup:  The One Thing That Never Comes Up When The War Drums Beat Against Iran

The 1953 CIA-Backed Coup : The One Thing That Never Comes Up When The War Drums Beat Against Iran How many of you were angry when you were told foreign countries were trying to meddle in American elections ?
How many were upset that allegedly another country was trying to influence the people of America or greasing the hands of American politicians ?
Probably a lot of those reading this .
Yet , when it comes to the war drums beating against Iran , many fail to realize that Amerca ’ s Central Intelligence Agency was involved in a coup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Iranian hostage crisis .
In fact , many believe that was the fuel that ultimately started a fire that led to that encounter .
Let me say , I ’ m not justifying Iran ’ s hostage taking or anything it has been involved in .
I ’ m not , but the fact of the matter is that we have documentation of the CIA ’ s involvement in a coup in that country in 1953 .
All of this is thoroughly documented in documents that were released to the public in 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Central Intelligence Agency ’ s central role in the 1953 coup that brought down Iranian Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadeg , and ultimately culminated in the 1979 hostage situation .
Ultimately , Operation Ajax , as it was known , was all about oil .
Foreign Policy reported on these documents in 2017 .
Western firms had for decades controlled the region ’ s oil wealth , whether Arabian-American Oil Company in Saudi Arabia , or the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Iran .
When the U.S. firm in Saudi Arabia bowed to pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ oil revenues evenly with Riyadh , the British concession in Iran came under intense pressure to follow suit .
But London adamantly refused .
So in early 1951 , amid great popular acclaim , Mossadegh nationalized Iran ’ s oil industry .
A fuming United Kingdom began conspiring with U.S. intelligence services to overthrow Mossadegh and restore the monarchy under the shah .
( Though some in the U.S. State Department , the newly released cables show , blamed British intransigence for the tensions and sought to work with Mossadegh . )
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was swiftly thwarted .
Mossadegh made dozens of arrests .
Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi , a top conspirator , went into hiding , and the shah fled the country .
The CIA , believing the coup to have failed , called it off .
“ Operation has been tried and failed and we should not participate in any operation against Mossadegh which could be traced back to US , ” CIA headquarters wrote to its station chief in Iran in a newly declassified cable sent on Aug. 18 , 1953 .
“ Operations against @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cable which Kermit Roosevelt , top CIA officer in Iran , purportedly and famously ignored , according to Malcolm Byrne , who directs the U.S.-Iran Relations Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University .
At least “ one guy was in the room with Kermit Roosevelt when he got this cable , ” Byrne told Foreign Policy .
“ [ Roosevelt ] said no — we ’ re not done here.
” It was already known that Roosevelt had not carried out an order from Langley to cease and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its contents were not previously published .
The consequences of his decision were momentous .
The next day , on August 19 , 1953 , with the aid of “ rented ” crowds widely believed to have been arranged with CIA assistance , the coup succeeded .
Iran ’ s nationalist hero was jailed , the monarchy restored under the Western-friendly shah , and Anglo-Iranian oil — renamed British Petroleum — tried to get its fields back .
( But didn ’ t really : Despite the coup , nationalist pushback against a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too much , leaving BP and other majors to share Iran ’ s oil wealth with Tehran . )
Operation Ajax has long been a bogeyman for conservatives in Iran — but also for liberals .
The coup fanned the flames of anti-Western sentiment , which reached a crescendo in 1979 with the U.S. hostage crisis , the final overthrow of the shah , and the creation of the Islamic Republic to counter the “ Great Satan.
” The report went on to state : The coup alienated liberals in Iran as well @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the closest thing Iran has ever had to a democratic leader .
He openly championed democratic values and hoped to establish a democracy in Iran .
The elected parliament selected him as prime minister , a position he used to reduce the power of the shah , thus bringing Iran closer in line with the political traditions that had developed in Europe .
But any further democratic development was stymied on Aug. 19 .
The U.S government long denied involvement in the coup .
The State Department first released coup-related documents in 1989 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CIA involvement .
Public outrage coaxed a government promise to release a more complete edition , and some material came out in 2013 .
Two years later , the full installment of declassified material was scheduled — but might have interfered with Iran nuclear talks and were delayed again , Byrne said .
They were finally released last week , though numerous original CIA telegrams from that period are known to have disappeared or been destroyed long ago .
Byrne said that the long delay is due to several factors .
Intelligence services @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and methods , ” said Byrne , meaning the secret spycraft that enables them to operate on the ground .
The CIA also needed to protect its relationship with British intelligence , which may have wished some of the material remain safeguarded .
Beyond final proof of CIA involvement , there ’ s another very interesting takeaway in the documents , said Abbas Milani , a professor of Iranian studies at Stanford University : New details on the true political leanings of Ayatollah Abol-Ghasem Kashani , a cleric and leading political figure in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , clerics are always the good guys .
Kashani has long been seen as one of the heroes of nationalism during that period .
As recently as January of this year , Iran ’ s supreme leader praised Kashani ’ s role in the nationalization of oil .
Kashani ’ s eventual split from Mossadegh is widely known .
Religious leaders in the country feared the growing power of the communist Tudeh Party , and believed that Mossadegh was too weak to save the country from the socialist threat .
But the newly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t just opposed to Mossadegh — he was also in close communication with the Americans throughout the period leading up to the coup , and he actually appears to have requested financial assistance from the United States , though there is no record of him receiving any money .
His request was not previously known .
On the make-or-break day of Aug. 19 , “ Kashani was critical , ” said Milani .
“ On that day Kashani ’ s forces were out in full force to defeat Mossadegh.
” So , while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s involvement , there can be no doubt that they were involved .
Look , whether you like Islam or not is irrelevant at this point .
I despise Islam and yet , I love Muslim people enough to tell the truth about their false god and political/religious system .
The fact of the matter is if Americans found out that another country was trying to do this , rather than simply those from within are trying to do now , they would be hopping mad , and rightly so .
Do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
I certainly do .
Article posted with permission from Sons Of Liberty Media

The 1953 CIA-Backed Coup: The One Thing That Never Comes Up When The War Drums Beat Against Iran
How many of you were angry when you were told foreign countries were trying to meddle in American elections? How many were upset that allegedly another country was trying to influence the people of America or greasing the hands of American politicians? Probably a lot of those reading this. Yet, when it comes to the war drums beating against Iran, many fail to realize that Amerca’s Central Intelligence Agency was involved in a coup against that country decades before the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis. In fact, many believe that was the fuel that ultimately started a fire that led to that encounter.
Let me say, I’m not justifying Iran’s hostage taking or anything it has been involved in. I’m not, but the fact of the matter is that we have documentation of the CIA’s involvement in a coup in that country in 1953.
All of this is thoroughly documented in documents that were released to the public in 2017.
Approximately 1,000 pages shed light on the Central Intelligence Agency’s central role in the 1953 coup that brought down Iranian Prime Minister Muhammad Mossadeg, and ultimately culminated in the 1979 hostage situation.
Ultimately, Operation Ajax, as it was known, was all about oil.
Foreign Policy reported on these documents in 2017.
Western firms had for decades controlled the region’s oil wealth, whether Arabian-American Oil Company in Saudi Arabia, or the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company in Iran. When the U.S. firm in Saudi Arabia bowed to pressure in late 1950 and agreed to share oil revenues evenly with Riyadh, the British concession in Iran came under intense pressure to follow suit. But London adamantly refused.
So in early 1951, amid great popular acclaim, Mossadegh nationalized Iran’s oil industry. A fuming United Kingdom began conspiring with U.S. intelligence services to overthrow Mossadegh and restore the monarchy under the shah. (Though some in the U.S. State Department, the newly released cables show, blamed British intransigence for the tensions and sought to work with Mossadegh.)
The coup attempt began on August 15 but was swiftly thwarted. Mossadegh made dozens of arrests. Gen. Fazlollah Zahedi, a top conspirator, went into hiding, and the shah fled the country.
The CIA, believing the coup to have failed, called it off.
“Operation has been tried and failed and we should not participate in any operation against Mossadegh which could be traced back to US,” CIA headquarters wrote to its station chief in Iran in a newly declassified cable sent on Aug. 18, 1953. “Operations against Mossadegh should be discontinued.”
That is the cable which Kermit Roosevelt, top CIA officer in Iran, purportedly and famously ignored, according to Malcolm Byrne, who directs the U.S.-Iran Relations Project at the National Security Archive at George Washington University.
At least “one guy was in the room with Kermit Roosevelt when he got this cable,” Byrne told Foreign Policy. “[Roosevelt] said no — we’re not done here.” It was already known that Roosevelt had not carried out an order from Langley to cease and desist. But the cable itself and its contents were not previously published.
The consequences of his decision were momentous. The next day, on August 19, 1953, with the aid of “rented” crowds widely believed to have been arranged with CIA assistance, the coup succeeded. Iran’s nationalist hero was jailed, the monarchy restored under the Western-friendly shah, and Anglo-Iranian oil — renamed British Petroleum — tried to get its fields back. (But didn’t really: Despite the coup, nationalist pushback against a return to foreign control of oil was too much, leaving BP and other majors to share Iran’s oil wealth with Tehran.)
Operation Ajax has long been a bogeyman for conservatives in Iran — but also for liberals. The coup fanned the flames of anti-Western sentiment, which reached a crescendo in 1979 with the U.S. hostage crisis, the final overthrow of the shah, and the creation of the Islamic Republic to counter the “Great Satan.”
The report went on to state:
The coup alienated liberals in Iran as well. Mossadegh is widely considered to be the closest thing Iran has ever had to a democratic leader. He openly championed democratic values and hoped to establish a democracy in Iran. The elected parliament selected him as prime minister, a position he used to reduce the power of the shah, thus bringing Iran closer in line with the political traditions that had developed in Europe. But any further democratic development was stymied on Aug. 19.
The U.S government long denied involvement in the coup.
The State Department first released coup-related documents in 1989, but edited out any reference to CIA involvement. Public outrage coaxed a government promise to release a more complete edition, and some material came out in 2013. Two years later, the full installment of declassified material was scheduled — but might have interfered with Iran nuclear talks and were delayed again, Byrne said. They were finally released last week, though numerous original CIA telegrams from that period are known to have disappeared or been destroyed long ago.
Byrne said that the long delay is due to several factors. Intelligence services are always concerned about protecting “sources and methods,” said Byrne, meaning the secret spycraft that enables them to operate on the ground. The CIA also needed to protect its relationship with British intelligence, which may have wished some of the material remain safeguarded.
Beyond final proof of CIA involvement, there’s another very interesting takeaway in the documents, said Abbas Milani, a professor of Iranian studies at Stanford University: New details on the true political leanings of Ayatollah Abol-Ghasem Kashani, a cleric and leading political figure in the 1950s.
In the Islamic Republic, clerics are always the good guys. Kashani has long been seen as one of the heroes of nationalism during that period. As recently as January of this year, Iran’s supreme leader praised Kashani’s role in the nationalization of oil.
Kashani’s eventual split from Mossadegh is widely known. Religious leaders in the country feared the growing power of the communist Tudeh Party, and believed that Mossadegh was too weak to save the country from the socialist threat.
But the newly released documents show that Kashani wasn’t just opposed to Mossadegh — he was also in close communication with the Americans throughout the period leading up to the coup, and he actually appears to have requested financial assistance from the United States, though there is no record of him receiving any money. His request was not previously known.
On the make-or-break day of Aug. 19, “Kashani was critical,” said Milani. “On that day Kashani’s forces were out in full force to defeat Mossadegh.”
So, while the government continued to deny the CIA’s involvement, there can be no doubt that they were involved.
Look, whether you like Islam or not is irrelevant at this point. I despise Islam and yet, I love Muslim people enough to tell the truth about their false god and political/religious system. The fact of the matter is if Americans found out that another country was trying to do this, rather than simply those from within are trying to do now, they would be hopping mad, and rightly so. Do you think Iranians felt that same way? I certainly do.
Article posted with permission from Sons Of Liberty Media


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--Come Home, America: Stop Policing the Globe and Put an End to Wars-Without-End

Come Home , America : Stop Policing the Globe and Put an End to Wars-Without-End I agree wholeheartedly with George S. McGovern , a former Senator and presidential candidate who served in the Vietnam War , about one thing : I ’ m sick of old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in .
Bring them home from Somalia , Afghanistan , Iraq and Syria .
Bring them home from Germany , South Korea and Japan .
Bring them home from Saudi Arabia , Jordan and Oman .
Bring them home from Niger , Chad and Mali @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Philippines , and northern Australia .
That ’ s not what ’ s going to happen , of course .
The U.S. military reportedly has more than 1.3 million men and women on active duty , with more than 450,000 of them stationed overseas in nearly every country in the world .
As investigative journalist David Vine explains , “ Although few Americans realize it , the United States likely has more bases in foreign lands than any other people , nation , or empire in history.
” Don ’ t fall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s military forces aren ’ t being deployed abroad to protect our freedoms here at home .
Rather , they ’ re being used to guard oil fields , build foreign infrastructure and protect the financial interests of the corporate elite .
In fact , the United States military spends about $ 81 billion a year just to protect oil supplies around the world .
The reach of America ’ s military empire includes close to 800 bases in as many as 160 countries , operated at a cost of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports , “ Even US military resorts and recreation areas in places like the Bavarian Alps and Seoul , South Korea , are bases of a kind .
Worldwide , the military runs more than 170 golf courses.
” This is how a military empire occupies the globe .
Already , American military servicepeople are being deployed to far-flung places in the Middle East and elsewhere in anticipation of the war drums being sounded over Iran .
This Iran crisis , salivated over by the neocons since prior to the Iraq War and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jumpstart the next world war , has been a long time coming .
Donald Trump , Barack Obama , George W. Bush , Bill Clinton : they all have done their part to ensure that the military industrial complex can continue to get rich at taxpayer expense .
Despite numerous campaign promises to stop America ’ s “ endless wars , ” once elected , Trump has done a complete about-face , deploying greater numbers of troops to the Middle East , ramping up the war rhetoric , and padding the pockets of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even refusing to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in the face of a request from the Iraqi government for us to leave .
Obama was no different : he also pledged—if elected—to bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and reduce America ’ s oversized , and overly costly , military footprint in the world .
Of course , that didn ’ t happen .
Yet while the rationale may keep changing for why American military forces are policing the globe , these wars abroad ( in Iraq , Afghanistan , Pakistan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) aren ’ t making America—or the rest of the world—any safer , are certainly not making America great again , and are undeniably digging the U.S. deeper into debt .
Although the U.S. constitutes only 5 % of the world ’ s population , America boasts almost 50 % of the world ’ s total military expenditure , spending more on the military than the next 19 biggest spending nations combined .
In fact , the Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health , education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ military-industrial complex has erected an empire unsurpassed in history in its breadth and scope , one dedicated to conducting perpetual warfare throughout the earth .
Since 2001 , the U.S. government has spent more than $ 4.7 trillion waging its endless wars .
Having been co-opted by greedy defense contractors , corrupt politicians and incompetent government officials , America ’ s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $ 32 million per hour .
In fact , the U.S. government has spent more money every five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ earns in a year .
Future wars and military exercises waged around the globe are expected to push the total bill upwards of $ 12 trillion by 2053 .
Talk about fiscally irresponsible : the U.S. government is spending money it doesn ’ t have on a military empire it can ’ t afford .
As investigative journalist Uri Friedman puts it , for more than 15 years now , the United States has been fighting terrorism with a credit card , “ essentially bankrolling the wars with debt , in the form @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S.-based entities like pension funds and state and local governments , and by countries like China and Japan.
” War is not cheap , but it becomes outrageously costly when you factor in government incompetence , fraud , and greedy contractors .
Indeed , a leading accounting firm concluded that one of the Pentagon ’ s largest agencies “ can ’ t account for hundreds of millions of dollars ’ worth of spending.
” Unfortunately , the outlook isn ’ t much better for the spending that can be tracked .
A government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been massively overcharging taxpayers for mundane parts , resulting in tens of millions of dollars in overspending .
As the report noted , the American taxpayer paid : That price gouging has become an accepted form of corruption within the American military empire is a sad statement on how little control “ we the people ” have over our runaway government .
Mind you , this isn ’ t just corrupt behavior .
It ’ s deadly , downright immoral behavior .
Americans have thus far allowed themselves to be spoon-fed a steady @ @ @ @ @ @ @ content to wave flags with patriotic fervor and less inclined to look too closely at the mounting body counts , the ruined lives , the ravaged countries , the blowback arising from ill-advised targeted-drone killings and bombing campaigns in foreign lands , or the transformation of our own homeland into a warzone .
That needs to change .
The U.S. government is not making the world any safer .
It ’ s making the world more dangerous .
It is estimated that the U.S. military drops a bomb somewhere in the world every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ United States government has directly contributed to the deaths of around 500,000 human beings .
Every one of those deaths was paid for with taxpayer funds .
The U.S. government is not making America any safer .
It ’ s exposing American citizens to alarming levels of blowback , a CIA term referring to the unintended consequences of the U.S. government ’ s international activities .
Chalmers Johnson , a former CIA consultant , repeatedly warned that America ’ s use of its military to gain power over the global economy would result @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were blowback .
The Boston Marathon Bombing was blowback .
The attempted Times Square bomber was blowback .
The Fort Hood shooter , a major in the U.S. Army , was blowback .
The assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. military drone strike will , I fear , spur yet more blowback against the American people .
The war hawks ’ militarization of America—bringing home the spoils of war ( the military tanks , grenade launchers , Kevlar helmets , assault rifles , gas masks , ammunition , battering rams @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and handing them over to local police , thereby turning America into a battlefield—is also blowback .
James Madison was right : “ No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.
” As Madison explained , “ Of all the enemies to public liberty war is , perhaps , the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other .
War is the parent of armies ; from these proceed debts and taxes… known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ play out before our eyes .
The government is destabilizing the economy , destroying the national infrastructure through neglect and a lack of resources , and turning taxpayer dollars into blood money with its endless wars , drone strikes and mounting death tolls .
Clearly , our national priorities are in desperate need of an overhauling .
At the height of its power , even the mighty Roman Empire could not stare down a collapsing economy and a burgeoning military .
Prolonged periods of war and false economic prosperity largely led to its @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : This is the “ unwarranted influence , whether sought or unsought , by the military-industrial complex ” that President Dwight Eisenhower warned us more than 50 years ago not to let endanger our liberties or democratic processes .
Eisenhower , who served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II , was alarmed by the rise of the profit-driven war machine that emerged following the war—one that , in order to perpetuate itself , would have to keep waging war .
We failed to heed his warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book Battlefield America : The War on the American People , there ’ s not much time left before we reach the zero hour .
It ’ s time to stop policing the globe , end these wars-without-end , and bring the troops home before it ’ s too late .

Come Home, America: Stop Policing the Globe and Put an End to Wars-Without-End
“Let us resolve that never again will we send the precious young blood of this country to die trying to prop up a corrupt military dictatorship abroad. This is also the time to turn away from excessive preoccupation overseas to the rebuilding of our own nation. America must be restored to a proper role in the world. But we can do that only through the recovery of confidence in ourselves…. together we will call America home to the ideals that nourished us from the beginning. From secrecy and deception in high places; come home, America. From military spending so wasteful that it weakens our nation; come home, America.”—George S. McGovern, former Senator and presidential candidate
I agree wholeheartedly with George S. McGovern, a former Senator and presidential candidate who served in the Vietnam War, about one thing: I’m sick of old men dreaming up wars for young men to die in.
It’s time to bring our troops home.
Bring them home from Somalia, Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria. Bring them home from Germany, South Korea and Japan. Bring them home from Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Oman. Bring them home from Niger, Chad and Mali. Bring them home from Turkey, the Philippines, and northern Australia.
That’s not what’s going to happen, of course.
The U.S. military reportedly has more than 1.3 million men and women on active duty, with more than 450,000 of them stationed overseas in nearly every country in the world. As investigative journalist David Vine explains, “Although few Americans realize it, the United States likely has more bases in foreign lands than any other people, nation, or empire in history.”
Don’t fall for the propaganda, though: America’s military forces aren’t being deployed abroad to protect our freedoms here at home. Rather, they’re being used to guard oil fields, build foreign infrastructure and protect the financial interests of the corporate elite. In fact, the United States military spends about $81 billion a year just to protect oil supplies around the world.
The reach of America’s military empire includes close to 800 bases in as many as 160 countries, operated at a cost of more than $156 billion annually. As Vine reports, “Even US military resorts and recreation areas in places like the Bavarian Alps and Seoul, South Korea, are bases of a kind. Worldwide, the military runs more than 170 golf courses.”
This is how a military empire occupies the globe.
Already, American military servicepeople are being deployed to far-flung places in the Middle East and elsewhere in anticipation of the war drums being sounded over Iran.
This Iran crisis, salivated over by the neocons since prior to the Iraq War and manufactured by war hawks who want to jumpstart the next world war, has been a long time coming.
Donald Trump, Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton: they all have done their part to ensure that the military industrial complex can continue to get rich at taxpayer expense.
Take President Trump, for instance.
Despite numerous campaign promises to stop America’s “endless wars,” once elected, Trump has done a complete about-face, deploying greater numbers of troops to the Middle East, ramping up the war rhetoric, and padding the pockets of defense contractors. Indeed, Trump is even refusing to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq in the face of a request from the Iraqi government for us to leave.
Obama was no different: he also pledged—if elected—to bring the troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan and reduce America’s oversized, and overly costly, military footprint in the world. Of course, that didn’t happen.
Yet while the rationale may keep changing for why American military forces are policing the globe, these wars abroad (in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Yemen and now Iran) aren’t making America—or the rest of the world—any safer, are certainly not making America great again, and are undeniably digging the U.S. deeper into debt.
War spending is bankrupting America.
Although the U.S. constitutes only 5% of the world’s population, America boasts almost 50% of the world’s total military expenditure, spending more on the military than the next 19 biggest spending nations combined.
In fact, the Pentagon spends more on war than all 50 states combined spend on health, education, welfare, and safety.
The American military-industrial complex has erected an empire unsurpassed in history in its breadth and scope, one dedicated to conducting perpetual warfare throughout the earth.
Since 2001, the U.S. government has spent more than $4.7 trillion waging its endless wars.
Having been co-opted by greedy defense contractors, corrupt politicians and incompetent government officials, America’s expanding military empire is bleeding the country dry at a rate of more than $32 million per hour.
In fact, the U.S. government has spent more money every five seconds in Iraq than the average American earns in a year.
Future wars and military exercises waged around the globe are expected to push the total bill upwards of $12 trillion by 2053.
Talk about fiscally irresponsible: the U.S. government is spending money it doesn’t have on a military empire it can’t afford.
As investigative journalist Uri Friedman puts it, for more than 15 years now, the United States has been fighting terrorism with a credit card, “essentially bankrolling the wars with debt, in the form of purchases of U.S. Treasury bonds by U.S.-based entities like pension funds and state and local governments, and by countries like China and Japan.”
War is not cheap, but it becomes outrageously costly when you factor in government incompetence, fraud, and greedy contractors. Indeed, a leading accounting firm concluded that one of the Pentagon’s largest agencies “can’t account for hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of spending.”
Unfortunately, the outlook isn’t much better for the spending that can be tracked.
A government audit found that defense contractor Boeing has been massively overcharging taxpayers for mundane parts, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in overspending. As the report noted, the American taxpayer paid:
$71 for a metal pin that should cost just 4 cents; $644.75 for a small gear smaller than a dime that sells for $12.51: more than a 5,100 percent increase in price. $1,678.61 for another tiny part, also smaller than a dime, that could have been bought within DoD for $7.71: a 21,000 percent increase. $71.01 for a straight, thin metal pin that DoD had on hand, unused by the tens of thousands, for 4 cents: an increase of over 177,000 percent.
That price gouging has become an accepted form of corruption within the American military empire is a sad statement on how little control “we the people” have over our runaway government.
Mind you, this isn’t just corrupt behavior. It’s deadly, downright immoral behavior.
Americans have thus far allowed themselves to be spoon-fed a steady diet of pro-war propaganda that keeps them content to wave flags with patriotic fervor and less inclined to look too closely at the mounting body counts, the ruined lives, the ravaged countries, the blowback arising from ill-advised targeted-drone killings and bombing campaigns in foreign lands, or the transformation of our own homeland into a warzone.
That needs to change.
The U.S. government is not making the world any safer. It’s making the world more dangerous. It is estimated that the U.S. military drops a bomb somewhere in the world every 12 minutes. Since 9/11, the United States government has directly contributed to the deaths of around 500,000 human beings. Every one of those deaths was paid for with taxpayer funds.
The U.S. government is not making America any safer. It’s exposing American citizens to alarming levels of blowback, a CIA term referring to the unintended consequences of the U.S. government’s international activities. Chalmers Johnson, a former CIA consultant, repeatedly warned that America’s use of its military to gain power over the global economy would result in devastating blowback.
The 9/11 attacks were blowback. The Boston Marathon Bombing was blowback. The attempted Times Square bomber was blowback. The Fort Hood shooter, a major in the U.S. Army, was blowback.
The assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani by a U.S. military drone strike will, I fear, spur yet more blowback against the American people.
The war hawks’ militarization of America—bringing home the spoils of war (the military tanks, grenade launchers, Kevlar helmets, assault rifles, gas masks, ammunition, battering rams, night vision binoculars, etc.) and handing them over to local police, thereby turning America into a battlefield—is also blowback.
James Madison was right: “No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare.” As Madison explained, “Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes… known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.”
We are seeing this play out before our eyes.
The government is destabilizing the economy, destroying the national infrastructure through neglect and a lack of resources, and turning taxpayer dollars into blood money with its endless wars, drone strikes and mounting death tolls.
Clearly, our national priorities are in desperate need of an overhauling.
At the height of its power, even the mighty Roman Empire could not stare down a collapsing economy and a burgeoning military. Prolonged periods of war and false economic prosperity largely led to its demise. As historian Chalmers Johnson predicts:
The fate of previous democratic empires suggests that such a conflict is unsustainable and will be resolved in one of two ways. Rome attempted to keep its empire and lost its democracy. Britain chose to remain democratic and in the process let go its empire. Intentionally or not, the people of the United States already are well embarked upon the course of non-democratic empire.
This is the “unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex” that President Dwight Eisenhower warned us more than 50 years ago not to let endanger our liberties or democratic processes.
Eisenhower, who served as Supreme Commander of the Allied forces in Europe during World War II, was alarmed by the rise of the profit-driven war machine that emerged following the war—one that, in order to perpetuate itself, would have to keep waging war.
We failed to heed his warning.
As I make clear in my book Battlefield America: The War on the American People , there’s not much time left before we reach the zero hour.
It’s time to stop policing the globe, end these wars-without-end, and bring the troops home before it’s too late.
Article posted with permission from John Whitehead


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--Tucker Carlson Asks The Right Question When It Comes To “Intel” On Iran:  Why Are You Suddenly Trust

Tucker Carlson Asks The Right Question When It Comes To “ Intel ” On Iran : Why Are You Suddenly Trusting the Deep State ?
It ’ s interesting how so many people who claim the Deep State is targeting President Trump all of a sudden just roll over and accept without question what we are being told about Iran and the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani .
Well , it ’ s actually good to see that at least one person in the media noticed the quick switch in people simply buying into that , Tucker Carlson of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that it was amazing to see how the public “ uncritically took the word from those who have advanced “ conflict with Iran.
” The line of questioning continued to grow after the drone strike this past week .
As Tucker opened the show , he pointed out that America ’ s representatives and bureaucrats “ have a built in bias for war.
” “ ‘ The risk of terror is increased by appeasement , ’ ” Carlson said , quoting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , after playing a clip from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Graham .
“ It ’ s a good line and it may be true .
It probably is true .
Of course , the risk of terror is also increased by bombing other people ’ s countries .
That is also indisputably true.
” He then noted that it was “ striking ” that people who just a week earlier were certain the Deep State was out to get Trump and that they didn ’ t trust them , but now , they were all to willing to embrace the narrative provided by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to recent events concerning Iran .
“ Just the other day , our intel agencies were considered politically tainted and suspect , ” he said .
“ Certainly on this show they are , were , and will be for quite some time , ” he continued .
“ These are the people who invented excuses to spy on the Trump campaign , purely because they didn ’ t like Donald Trump ’ s foreign policy views , and then pretended he was a Russian agent in order to keep him from governing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ friends in the intel community did that .
And by the way , they also lied about Iraq ’ s weapons of mass destruction back in 2002 , and by doing that they got us into an utterly pointless war that dramatically weakened our country .
The people now pushing conflict with Iran did that.
” Carlson then noted that Americans “ were denouncing these people as the deep state ” only “ 20 minutes ago.
” “ But now , for some reason , we do seem to trust them , implicitly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ In fact , we believe whatever they tell us , no matter how outlandish .
‘ Iran did 9-11 !
’ they ’ re telling us .
Oh , ok.
Didn ’ t know that , ” Carlson added .
“ Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Sunni Saudi Arabia .
None were from Shia Iran .
But if you say so , Mr .
Unnamed CIA Official .
Happy to send my kid to the Middle East a week after Christmas on the basis of your anonymous and unverified leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve earned my trust through years of lying to me .
That appears to be our position now.
” “ Now maybe this will all turn out all right , ” he concluded .
“ We ’ re certainly praying for it .
We love this country .
But in the meantime , pardon the skepticism.
” And there you have it .
That is the same concern I expressed over all this when news broke of the assassination , but sadly , for many , they are all too eager to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a political jersey or a man they think can do no wrong .
Pay no attention to the Deep State behind the curtain , especially when it isn ’ t bringing America ’ s highest criminals to justice .
Now , for a more thorough discussion of why we should be questioning the assassination , Ron Paul addresses that here .
Article posted with permission from Sons Of Liberty Media

Tucker Carlson Asks The Right Question When It Comes To “Intel” On Iran: Why Are You Suddenly Trusting the Deep State?
It’s interesting how so many people who claim the Deep State is targeting President Trump all of a sudden just roll over and accept without question what we are being told about Iran and the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. Well, it’s actually good to see that at least one person in the media noticed the quick switch in people simply buying into that, Tucker Carlson of Fox News.
In fact, Carlson said that it was amazing to see how the public “uncritically took the word from those who have advanced “conflict with Iran.”
The line of questioning continued to grow after the drone strike this past week.
As Tucker opened the show, he pointed out that America’s representatives and bureaucrats “have a built in bias for war.”
“‘The risk of terror is increased by appeasement,’” Carlson said, quoting Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, after playing a clip from Pompeo and Republican South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. “It’s a good line and it may be true. It probably is true. Of course, the risk of terror is also increased by bombing other people’s countries. That is also indisputably true.”
He then noted that it was “striking” that people who just a week earlier were certain the Deep State was out to get Trump and that they didn’t trust them, but now, they were all to willing to embrace the narrative provided by that same Deep State when it came to recent events concerning Iran.
“Just the other day, our intel agencies were considered politically tainted and suspect,” he said.
“Certainly on this show they are, were, and will be for quite some time,” he continued. “These are the people who invented excuses to spy on the Trump campaign, purely because they didn’t like Donald Trump’s foreign policy views, and then pretended he was a Russian agent in order to keep him from governing. Remember that? Russiagate? Our friends in the intel community did that. And by the way, they also lied about Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction back in 2002, and by doing that they got us into an utterly pointless war that dramatically weakened our country. The people now pushing conflict with Iran did that.”
Carlson then noted that Americans “were denouncing these people as the deep state” only “20 minutes ago.”
“But now, for some reason, we do seem to trust them, implicitly and completely,” Carlson continued.
“In fact, we believe whatever they tell us, no matter how outlandish. ‘Iran did 9-11!’ they’re telling us. Oh, ok. Didn’t know that,” Carlson added. “Fifteen of the nineteen hijackers were from Sunni Saudi Arabia. None were from Shia Iran. But if you say so, Mr. Unnamed CIA Official. Happy to send my kid to the Middle East a week after Christmas on the basis of your anonymous and unverified leak to the New York Times. You’ve earned my trust through years of lying to me. That appears to be our position now.”
“Now maybe this will all turn out all right,” he concluded. “We’re certainly praying for it. We love this country. But in the meantime, pardon the skepticism.”
And there you have it. That is the same concern I expressed over all this when news broke of the assassination, but sadly, for many, they are all too eager to go along with it because they follow a political jersey or a man they think can do no wrong.
Pay no attention to the Deep State behind the curtain, especially when it isn’t bringing America’s highest criminals to justice.
Now, for a more thorough discussion of why we should be questioning the assassination, Ron Paul addresses that here.
Article posted with permission from Sons Of Liberty Media


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--Ann Coulter, Political Naïf

Ann Coulter, Political Naïf

Ann Coulter , considered by many to be a “ conservative ” intellectual , is actually a political naïf , a hopelessly naive person , as demonstrated by the following tweet .
This demonstrates an inability to grasp the real nature of the state and the character of the people recruited to do its bidding .
Trump managed to confound the carefully rigged “ democratic system ” and get himself elected CEO of Murder Incorporated .
It ’ s rather amusing Ms. Coulter and so many others were deceived by Donald Trump ’ s obvious lies about “ endless war @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2016 campaign .
Didn ’ t she hear him say he would steal Iraq and Syria ’ s oil and torture terror suspects while their horrified families looked on ?
Didn ’ t he say he would make Iraq pay for the US military occupation of its country , or what ’ s left of it after the US bombed it back to the Stone Age ?
Did she believe this bombastic , loudmouth and browbeating bully—daily demonstrated in tweeted broadsides aimed at his enemies—would be capable of doing much beyond glorifying his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Does she really believe Trump has the authority and influence to end the wars ?
She does not seem to have a firm grasp on reality .
She is , of course , correct about the Republicans—they ’ re as much warmongers and inveterate liars as their Democrat counterparts .
The United States Government , Murder Incorporated neoliberal style , requires liars , thieves , and murderers to advance its parasitical agenda—total domination of the world ’ s resources and markets , the lion ’ s share of swindled and stolen treasure going @ @ @ @ @ @ @ class , the 0.001 percent .
Coulter ’ s problem is she has long believed Republicans are “ conservative ” ( whatever that means in the current political context ) and “ liberal ” Democrats are retooled Marxists bent on total economic , political , and social domination .
In fact , this is true in regard to both “ parties , ” actually one party , what we should rightly call the neoliberal party of crony capitalism , not Marxism or its modern variants pushed by AOC and Bernie .
The Koch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the one-party state are in staunch opposition to the cultural Marxist control freaks on the left side of the invitation-only political arrangement .
The friction and tension between these two cult-like factions is now being exploited by our shadowy unelected rulers to further divide and antagonize a largely clueless populace and move it in the preferred direction , or short of that make certain the plebs and debt serfs are unable to put the entire political charade into perspective and act accordingly ( as if that is even possible ) .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the conservation .
Many of them are now considered terrorists by the FBI , the political police force of the state .
Distrust of official propaganda is now a crime .
In a way , you have to feel sorry for Ms. Coulter .
She is unable to understand the establishment political arrangement is a scam and those truly interested in liberty and foreign policy sanity are not only excluded , they are now targeted—currently not to the degree Qassem Soleimani was targeted , but give the neoliberal and neocon authoritarians time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make it so .
We saw Coulter ’ s confusion on full display well before her latest criticism of Trump and his lies and mendacity .
She demands a US-Mexico border wall on private property .
65 % of the land along the 1,984 mile long border is privately owned .
The state lays claim to all land and uses violence to take what it wants .
It cites “ eminent domain ” to set a non-market price and essentially confiscate land .
I don ’ t recall Coulter complaining about this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ day , the best-selling author Ann Coulter is clueless as her fellow citizens .
It has taken three years for her to question this mentally-disturbed president—initially on his inability to prevent illegal aliens from streaming into America to get on the welfare roll and vote Democrat—and now over his lies about ending the endless neoliberal wars of empire .
Finally , it looks like Ms. Coulter will never get it right .
She just can ’ t think out of the box and , alas , it is apparently impossible to teach an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2019 , she even said that she might support Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders if he went back to his older opinion on immigration , saying , “ if he went back to his original position , which is the pro-blue-collar position .
I mean , it totally makes sense with him .
If he went back to that position , I ’ d vote for him.
” “ I might work for him .
I don ’ t care about the rest of the socialist stuff .
Just—can we do something for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do something for ordinary Americans , Ann ?
Well , stop frittering around the edges , denounce the authoritarians and warmongers—both Democrat and Republican—and advocate liberty , not the state .

Ann Coulter, considered by many to be a “conservative” intellectual, is actually a political naïf, a hopelessly naive person, as demonstrated by the following tweet.
All Republican presidents run on keeping us out of war, as Eisenhower, Nixon Reagan actually did. Then, they start wars. We thought Trump was different. https://t.co/YMGYVBoxP6 — Ann Coulter (@AnnCoulter) January 6, 2020
This demonstrates an inability to grasp the real nature of the state and the character of the people recruited to do its bidding. Trump managed to confound the carefully rigged “democratic system” and get himself elected CEO of Murder Incorporated.
It’s rather amusing Ms. Coulter and so many others were deceived by Donald Trump’s obvious lies about “endless war,” lies he peddled during the 2016 campaign. Didn’t she hear him say he would steal Iraq and Syria’s oil and torture terror suspects while their horrified families looked on? Didn’t he say he would make Iraq pay for the US military occupation of its country, or what’s left of it after the US bombed it back to the Stone Age?
Did she believe this bombastic, loudmouth and browbeating bully—daily demonstrated in tweeted broadsides aimed at his enemies—would be capable of doing much beyond glorifying his own distorted and warped oversized ego? Does she really believe Trump has the authority and influence to end the wars? She does not seem to have a firm grasp on reality.
She is, of course, correct about the Republicans—they’re as much warmongers and inveterate liars as their Democrat counterparts. The United States Government, Murder Incorporated neoliberal style, requires liars, thieves, and murderers to advance its parasitical agenda—total domination of the world’s resources and markets, the lion’s share of swindled and stolen treasure going to the major leaguers of the financial class, the 0.001 percent.
Coulter’s problem is she has long believed Republicans are “conservative” (whatever that means in the current political context) and “liberal” Democrats are retooled Marxists bent on total economic, political, and social domination.
In fact, this is true in regard to both “parties,” actually one party, what we should rightly call the neoliberal party of crony capitalism, not Marxism or its modern variants pushed by AOC and Bernie. The Koch “libertarians” on the Republican side of the one-party state are in staunch opposition to the cultural Marxist control freaks on the left side of the invitation-only political arrangement.
The friction and tension between these two cult-like factions is now being exploited by our shadowy unelected rulers to further divide and antagonize a largely clueless populace and move it in the preferred direction, or short of that make certain the plebs and debt serfs are unable to put the entire political charade into perspective and act accordingly (as if that is even possible). The disloyal and disobedient are being shut out of the conservation. Many of them are now considered terrorists by the FBI, the political police force of the state. Distrust of official propaganda is now a crime.
In a way, you have to feel sorry for Ms. Coulter. She is unable to understand the establishment political arrangement is a scam and those truly interested in liberty and foreign policy sanity are not only excluded, they are now targeted—currently not to the degree Qassem Soleimani was targeted, but give the neoliberal and neocon authoritarians time and the appropriate excuse and they will make it so.
We saw Coulter’s confusion on full display well before her latest criticism of Trump and his lies and mendacity. She demands a US-Mexico border wall on private property. 65% of the land along the 1,984 mile long border is privately owned. The state lays claim to all land and uses violence to take what it wants. It cites “eminent domain” to set a non-market price and essentially confiscate land. I don’t recall Coulter complaining about this.
So, at the end of the day, the best-selling author Ann Coulter is clueless as her fellow citizens. It has taken three years for her to question this mentally-disturbed president—initially on his inability to prevent illegal aliens from streaming into America to get on the welfare roll and vote Democrat—and now over his lies about ending the endless neoliberal wars of empire.
Finally, it looks like Ms. Coulter will never get it right. She just can’t think out of the box and, alas, it is apparently impossible to teach an old dog new tricks.
From the Daily Caller:
Earlier in 2019, she even said that she might support Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders if he went back to his older opinion on immigration, saying, “if he went back to his original position, which is the pro-blue-collar position. I mean, it totally makes sense with him. If he went back to that position, I’d vote for him.” “I might work for him. I don’t care about the rest of the socialist stuff. Just—can we do something for ordinary Americans?”
You want to do something for ordinary Americans, Ann? Well, stop frittering around the edges, denounce the authoritarians and warmongers—both Democrat and Republican—and advocate liberty, not the state.
Article posted with pemission from Kurt Nimmo


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--Epstein Autopsy Photos:  More Evidence He Was Murdered

The release of dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein ’ s autopsy photos have only added more to the growing piles of evidence that the billionaire didn ’ t hang himself , as the establishment wants us to believe .
According to former New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Baden , who observed the autopsy , the wound is more consistent with murder than suicide .
If the photos were supposed to squash “ conspiracies ” about Epstein ’ s death , they have failed to do so miserably .
Now , more than ever , there ’ s too much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not commit suicide .
Yet we are still expected to believe that the ruling class didn ’ t “ off ” him because he knew too much .
New York ’ s chief medical examiner , Dr. Barbara Sampson , ruled Epstein ’ s death a suicide in August , and stands by that decision .
However , that ruling did little to quiet speculation that the millionaire sex offender was murdered .
Epstein ’ s connections to the rich and powerful – including Bill Clinton , Donald Trump , and British Prince @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up during his trial , leading some to believe that these people had strong motive to silence Epstein .
–RT The photos of Epstein ’ s body show a thin , bloody line across the middle of his throat .
According to former New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Baden , who observed the autopsy , the wound is more consistent with murder than suicide .
“ This noose doesn ’ t match the ligature furrow mark .
It ’ s wider than this , ” Baden told 60 Minutes .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ligature slides up to beneath the jawbone , the mandible .
Here it ’ s in the middle of the neck.
” Epstein Autopsy Finds Evidence He May Have Been Murdered Epstein ’ s neck was fractured in multiple places , including the hyoid , a small bone near the Adam ’ s apple .
“ I have never seen three fractures like this in a suicidal hanging , ” Baden said , adding , “ Going over a thousand jail hangings , suicides , in the New York State prisons over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no one had three fractures.
” His injuries also included bruised wrists , an abrasion on the arm , a muscle injury to the shoulder , an injury to the back of the neck , and a cut on the lip .
However , it is unclear if any of these injuries were inflicted by hospital staff trying to resuscitate Epstein .
Also , don ’ t forget , the videos magically all malfunctioned and didn ’ t catch one second of his death .
Official Narrative Crumbles : TWO Broken Cameras Outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s still hard to understand how people can believe the obvious lie that is the official narrative .
Anyone with a few brain cells to run together knows Epstein was murdered .

The release of dead pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s autopsy photos have only added more to the growing piles of evidence that the billionaire didn’t hang himself, as the establishment wants us to believe. According to former New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Baden, who observed the autopsy, the wound is more consistent with murder than suicide.
If the photos were supposed to squash “conspiracies” about Epstein’s death, they have failed to do so miserably. Now, more than ever, there’s too much evidence that he was murdered and did not commit suicide. Yet we are still expected to believe that the ruling class didn’t “off” him because he knew too much.
“I have never seen three fractures like this in a suicidal hanging.” Dr. Michael Baden lays out the forensic reasons why he’s skeptical of the medical examiner’s ruling that Jeffrey Epstein killed himself. **This video contains graphic images.** https://t.co/LnSZA1bIB1 pic.twitter.com/J46XhGfGws — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) January 6, 2020
New York’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Barbara Sampson, ruled Epstein’s death a suicide in August, and stands by that decision. However, that ruling did little to quiet speculation that the millionaire sex offender was murdered. Epstein’s connections to the rich and powerful – including Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, and British Prince Andrew – would likely have been brought up during his trial, leading some to believe that these people had strong motive to silence Epstein. –RT
The photos of Epstein’s body show a thin, bloody line across the middle of his throat. According to former New York City Medical Examiner Dr. Michael Baden, who observed the autopsy, the wound is more consistent with murder than suicide. “This noose doesn’t match the ligature furrow mark. It’s wider than this,” Baden told 60 Minutes. “Most hangings, especially free hangings, the ligature slides up to beneath the jawbone, the mandible. Here it’s in the middle of the neck.”
Epstein Autopsy Finds Evidence He May Have Been Murdered
Epstein’s neck was fractured in multiple places, including the hyoid, a small bone near the Adam’s apple. “I have never seen three fractures like this in a suicidal hanging,” Baden said, adding, “Going over a thousand jail hangings, suicides, in the New York State prisons over the past 40, 50 years, no one had three fractures.”
60 Minutes reviewed hundreds of graphic photographs from the autopsy of Jeffrey Epstein and inside his cell. Here are the known facts. **This video contains graphic images that some viewers may find disturbing.**https://t.co/oVeiCRd8A6 pic.twitter.com/QOwq8Eqiah — 60 Minutes (@60Minutes) January 6, 2020
His injuries also included bruised wrists, an abrasion on the arm, a muscle injury to the shoulder, an injury to the back of the neck, and a cut on the lip. However, it is unclear if any of these injuries were inflicted by hospital staff trying to resuscitate Epstein.
Also, don’t forget, the videos magically all malfunctioned and didn’t catch one second of his death.
Official Narrative Crumbles: TWO Broken Cameras Outside Epstein’s Cell Sent To FBI
It’s still hard to understand how people can believe the obvious lie that is the official narrative. Anyone with a few brain cells to run together knows Epstein was murdered.
Article posted with permission from Mac Slavo


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--Things To Come In 2020

Things To Come In 2020

Anti Fed Ed Warriors , by now you ’ ve probably seen and read most of the articles and reports telling you what the forecast for education is to be in 2020 .
You might even have heard broadcasts telling you how America is shaping up ( or failing ) .
No doubt with 2020 being an election year , the candidates have already begun spewing the status quo rhetoric about how education must be .
Back in early 2019 , I gave you a 5 part series devoted to the Presidential candidates and their education platforms .
Of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changed their stances one iota toward what We the People want .
There ’ s a new candidate who ’ s entered and his # 1 priority is climate change .
Who is he ?
Tom Steyer .
His ads and billboards tell you climate change , however the website calls it climate justice .
Of the 5 new Constitutional rights he ’ ll create , healthcare is stated as one .
Warriors , we know , thanks to ESSA ( Every Student Succeeds Act ) and legislation since then , that BOTH @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bully platform !
What About Congress And Other Election Campaigns ?
Warriors , what about Congress and education for 2020 ?
Remember , many of these folks are seeking re-election .
This is probable where most media sources missed the mark when it comes to educratic overreaches to look for .
As you know , I rely on the website Congress.gov to find the actual legislation Congress is sponsoring and co-sponsoring to keep the CCSS Machine alive and thriving .
The 2020 year will be no exception .
The fact is an election @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their campaigns to spin many webs of deceit for We the People .
Where the other election campaigns come in is , after Congress and before you .
Their campaigns rely not so much on you and I , as we ’ re lead to believe , but the corporate sellouts to both the CCSS Machine and the UN ( United Nations ) agenda , especially the SDGs ( Sustainable Development Goals ) .
How do I know ?
How can you spot this ?
Listen to the campaign ads , read the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , most of all , seek out the planned platforms of your candidate .
Warriors , if your candidate tells you the following , watch out , they are NOT your candidate for real American education as we knew it and desire it to be once again !
1 ) School choice , taxpayer education accounts , or whatever name these hide under .
Page 17 of the ESSA clearly stated that ALL education MUST be the aligned to the SAME post-secondary readiness standards as laid out by WIOA ( Workforce Innovation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that in 2020 , when a candidate promises that school choice is your friend and will ‘ fix ’ local education , watch out !
What is means is that the federal government has decided in advance what your local education will be , even for homeschoolers !
Those savings accounts are a poisoned carrot on a stick to get you and your community to buy into a lie .
2 ) Extending or Expanding Existing CCSS Machine overreaches of ALL types !
ESSA was clear in mandating MORE P3 Partnerships to ensure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be traced back to Fascism , not American freedoms and liberties !
By extending and expanding you are aiding your candidate to increase the choke-hold of educratic overreaches you will not be in charge of , nor asked if you like it !
Especially when it comes to funding .
These include sexual education , climate/social justice , history re-writes , and , most of all that mental health and behavioral health are the school ’ s business , just to name a few .
If you want true local control , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , MUST BE REPEALED !
Ask your candidate if they are willing and have prepared to lead without the federal dollars.Ask them to show your their strategy !
Use these to gauge if your candidate is a puppet or a free thinker .
Are they truly Constitutional minded or jumping on the global community bandwagon ?
HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE starts before they take office !
If they are seeking re-election , use their own BILLS and “ LAWS ” to prove they ’ ve been deceived by the CCSS Machine !
Are there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or a free thinking one ?
Yes !
If they use the word democracy to describe America , they are a puppet .
If they can cite the Amendment of the Constitution which excludes education from the federal control , they are a free thinker .
Now , puppet can repeat anything they are told , so by this train of thought , even a puppet might be able to answer a question about the Constitution and no federal control .
So , try this : Can they name the number one reason @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The answer ( for you ) is seen below : Lastly , if all else fails , know which groups or corporations line their pockets .
That ’ s an excellent way to see if the candidate you are willing to back will make 2020 the year we see education truly given back to We the People .
Are we too far gone to hope and wish for We the People to truly win for our children ?
It surely appears that way , however , we , as Warriors , must continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breath left to fight with .
In my next article , I ’ ll give you further evidence that 2020 is not the year Congress backs off their educratic overreaches .
How ?
The existing Bills already in the system , or could be possibly be recycled back into the system .
THIS is all the MORE reason to be a wise and savvy 2020 American citizen .
Some of the Bills I ’ ll show you , I ’ ve written and exposed before , others , not so much .
Just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We should apply tremendous pressure to stop the Bills already in the system !
From 2002 to today , Lynne has been a featured speaker at small meetings and large conferences .
Since 2009 , she has served as a frequent guest on nationwide radio and multimedia shows .
Lynne also co-established PIE NC ( Preserving Integrity and Excellence in Education ) .
She is a retired private ( homeschool ) teacher and regionally recognized support group leader .
She has also been a business owner , worked with children 's ministry and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Innocence Campaign ( based in OH ) , wife and mom .
Lynne is also an adviser to the national grassroots campaign `` Child Abuse in the Classroom '' , where it is the campaign 's belief that `` Repealing ESSA and Restoring FERPA '' are the best ways to help restore our nation 's education system .
She was also awarded the 2011 Distinguished Educator from the National Society of High School Scholars , as well as the 2016 L & B Network 's Torchbearer Award for educational advocacy .
She has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expert in Common Core , Career Tech Education , Career Pathways , workforce and competency-based education reform , federal overreaches into education and our families .

Anti Fed Ed Warriors, by now you’ve probably seen and read most of the articles and reports telling you what the forecast for education is to be in 2020. You might even have heard broadcasts telling you how America is shaping up (or failing).
No doubt with 2020 being an election year, the candidates have already begun spewing the status quo rhetoric about how education must be.
Back in early 2019, I gave you a 5 part series devoted to the Presidential candidates and their education platforms. Of those candidates remaining, they’ve not changed their stances one iota toward what We the People want.
There’s a new candidate who’s entered and his #1 priority is climate change. Who is he?
Tom Steyer. His ads and billboards tell you climate change, however the website calls it climate justice. Of the 5 new Constitutional rights he’ll create, healthcare is stated as one.
Warriors, we know, thanks to ESSA (Every Student Succeeds Act) and legislation since then, that BOTH of these will use education as a bully platform!
What About Congress And Other Election Campaigns?
Warriors, what about Congress and education for 2020? Remember, many of these folks are seeking re-election.
This is probable where most media sources missed the mark when it comes to educratic overreaches to look for.
As you know, I rely on the website Congress.gov to find the actual legislation Congress is sponsoring and co-sponsoring to keep the CCSS Machine alive and thriving. The 2020 year will be no exception. The fact is an election year will be used by them and their campaigns to spin many webs of deceit for We the People.
Where the other election campaigns come in is, after Congress and before you. Their campaigns rely not so much on you and I, as we’re lead to believe, but the corporate sellouts to both the CCSS Machine and the UN (United Nations) agenda, especially the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals).
How do I know? How can you spot this? Listen to the campaign ads, read the biographies, follow the money trail, and, most of all, seek out the planned platforms of your candidate.
Warning Signs:
Warriors, if your candidate tells you the following, watch out, they are NOT your candidate for real American education as we knew it and desire it to be once again!
1) School choice, taxpayer education accounts, or whatever name these hide under.
Page 17 of the ESSA clearly stated that ALL education MUST be the aligned to the SAME post-secondary readiness standards as laid out by WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).
This means that in 2020, when a candidate promises that school choice is your friend and will ‘fix’ local education, watch out! What is means is that the federal government has decided in advance what your local education will be, even for homeschoolers! Those savings accounts are a poisoned carrot on a stick to get you and your community to buy into a lie.
2) Extending or Expanding Existing CCSS Machine overreaches of ALL types!
ESSA was clear in mandating MORE P3 Partnerships to ensure this. P3s are public-private partnerships which can
be traced back to Fascism, not American freedoms and liberties! By extending and expanding you are aiding your candidate to increase the choke-hold of educratic overreaches you will not be in charge of, nor asked if you like it! Especially when it comes to funding.
These include sexual education, climate/social justice, history re-writes, and, most of all that mental health and behavioral health are the school’s business, just to name a few.
If you want true local control, ESSA and all that connects to it, MUST BE REPEALED! Ask your candidate if they are willing and have prepared to lead without the federal dollars.Ask them to show your their strategy!
Use these to gauge if your candidate is a puppet or a free thinker. Are they truly Constitutional minded or jumping on the global community bandwagon? HOLDING THEM ACCOUNTABLE starts before they take office! If they are seeking re-election, use their own BILLS and “LAWS” to prove they’ve been deceived by the CCSS Machine!
Are there other ways to spot a puppet politician or a free thinking one? Yes! If they use the word democracy to describe America, they are a puppet. If they can cite the Amendment of the Constitution which excludes education from the federal control, they are a free thinker.
Now, puppet can repeat anything they are told, so by this train of thought, even a puppet might be able to answer a question about the Constitution and no federal control.
So, try this: Can they name the number one reason ESSA and laws connected are unconstitutional? The answer (for you) is seen below:
Lastly, if all else fails, know which groups or corporations line their pockets. That’s an excellent way to see if the candidate you are willing to back will make 2020 the year we see education truly given back to We the People.
Are we too far gone to hope and wish for We the People to truly win for our children? It surely appears that way, however, we, as Warriors, must continue to fight until we’ve no breath left to fight with.
Closing:
In my next article, I’ll give you further evidence that 2020 is not the year Congress backs off their educratic overreaches. How? The existing Bills already in the system, or could be possibly be recycled back into the system.
THIS is all the MORE reason to be a wise and savvy 2020 American citizen. Some of the Bills I’ll show you, I’ve written and exposed before, others, not so much. Just think of it as voter information! We should apply tremendous pressure to stop the Bills already in the system!
Article posted with permission from Lynne Taylor


thewashingtonstandard--2020-01-07--As Americans Debate Whether We Will Go To War With Iran, Iranians Say The War Has Already Started

As Americans Debate Whether We Will Go To War With Iran , Iranians Say The War Has Already Started Whether you want it or not , the war with Iran has already begun .
It is kind of sad that the pundits on our cable news channels are so clueless about what has happened .
They seem to think that there is still a debate about whether we will go to war with Iran or not , but meanwhile , the Iranians believe that the war has already started .
Of course , most Americans don ’ t want such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t intend to start one , but we now have one nonetheless .
Over the past few days , vast hordes of Iranians mourning the death of Qassem Soleimani have been literally screaming for “ war ” and “ revenge ” at the top of their lungs .
And as you will see below , the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei just told CNN that our two nations are already at war .
So it isn ’ t our decision to make .
The Iranians are going to be shooting at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Perhaps you think that I am exaggerating .
Well , I would like for you to consider some of the statements that Major General Hossein Dehghan made during an exclusive interview with CNN .
Dehghan is the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei , and he is promising that Iran will soon “ take direct action against America ” … And he also told CNN that the Iranian response to the death of Soleimani will have “ decisive deterrent effect ” … But just because Iran plans to hit us back really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has begun .
However , this next statement that Dehghan made leaves no doubt about where the Iranians stand… The Iranians clearly believe that a “ period of war ” has already started .
And we are being told that the only way for this “ period of war ” to end is for Iran to inflict a blow upon us that is equal to the blow that we inflicted on them .
So what would be equal to the loss of Qassem Soleimani in the eyes of the Iranians ?
Soleimani was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern history of Iran , and hundreds of thousands of mourners have poured into the streets over the past couple of days to express their grief… It is going to take a great deal for the Iranians to feel that they have extracted sufficient vengeance .
And Dehghan foreshadowed what may be coming when he made this statement to CNN… And other key Iranian leaders are saying similar things .
For example , Soleimani ’ s replacement is warning that the Iranians will “ continue down martyr Soleimani ’ s path ” … @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times is reporting that Ayatollah Khamenei himself has mandated that American interests must be attacked directly by Iranian forces… Of course , most Americans absolutely do not want a war with Iran .
In fact , I would guess that probably about two-thirds of all U.S. citizens will be against a war with Iran when a national survey is taken .
But that doesn ’ t matter to the Iranians .
They are going to start shooting at us , and they want to make us hurt as much as possible .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Iranian parliament has even suggested attacking the White House… So you can debate about whether there will be a war or not all you want , but the truth is that everyone should really be trying to figure out how to end the war that has already started .
And at this point , I don ’ t know if anything can be done to stop events from spinning wildly out of control .
Every time Iran hits us , Trump is going to hit them back even harder , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ any time soon .
At this hour , more U.S. troops are headed to the Middle East .
In addition to the deployment of thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division , a couple thousand Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been diverted to the Middle East… Even more importantly , six B-52 bombers have just been deployed to Diego Garcia… I wish that it wasn ’ t true , but war is here .
Will this conflict eventually evolve into World War 3 , or can we still be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Only time will tell , but I would definitely encourage everyone to get prepared for a worst case scenario .

As Americans Debate Whether We Will Go To War With Iran, Iranians Say The War Has Already Started
Whether you want it or not, the war with Iran has already begun. It is kind of sad that the pundits on our cable news channels are so clueless about what has happened. They seem to think that there is still a debate about whether we will go to war with Iran or not, but meanwhile, the Iranians believe that the war has already started. Of course, most Americans don’t want such a war, and President Trump didn’t intend to start one, but we now have one nonetheless. Over the past few days, vast hordes of Iranians mourning the death of Qassem Soleimani have been literally screaming for “war” and “revenge” at the top of their lungs. And as you will see below, the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei just told CNN that our two nations are already at war. So it isn’t our decision to make. The Iranians are going to be shooting at us whether we shoot back or not.
Perhaps you think that I am exaggerating.
Well, I would like for you to consider some of the statements that Major General Hossein Dehghan made during an exclusive interview with CNN. Dehghan is the top military adviser to Ayatollah Khamenei, and he is promising that Iran will soon “take direct action against America”…
“It might be argued that there could be proxy operations. We can say America, Mr. Trump, has taken action directly against us — so we take direct action against America.”
And he also told CNN that the Iranian response to the death of Soleimani will have “decisive deterrent effect”…
In common with other Iranian officials, Dehghan suggested that Iran was in no hurry to retaliate and would choose its targets carefully. “Our reaction will be wise, well considered and in time, with decisive deterrent effect.”
But just because Iran plans to hit us back really hard does not mean that a war has begun.
However, this next statement that Dehghan made leaves no doubt about where the Iranians stand…
“The only thing that can end this period of war is for the Americans to receive a blow that is equal to the blow they have inflicted. Afterward they should not seek a new cycle.”
The Iranians clearly believe that a “period of war” has already started.
And we are being told that the only way for this “period of war” to end is for Iran to inflict a blow upon us that is equal to the blow that we inflicted on them.
So what would be equal to the loss of Qassem Soleimani in the eyes of the Iranians?
Soleimani was one of the greatest heroes in the modern history of Iran, and hundreds of thousands of mourners have poured into the streets over the past couple of days to express their grief…
Crowds mourning the death of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani continued to flood the streets of the capital as his funeral procession dragged into the night. Earlier in the day hundreds of thousands of people swamped central Tehran to express their outpouring of grief at the death of the revered leader of the elite Quds Force, who was assassinated in a US drone strike in Iraq on Friday. After following his casket through the capital, Soleimani’s body was transported to the holy city of Qom where a ceremony at Masumeh shrine will be held ahead of his burial in his hometown tomorrow.
It is going to take a great deal for the Iranians to feel that they have extracted sufficient vengeance. And Dehghan foreshadowed what may be coming when he made this statement to CNN…
“No American military staff, no American political center, no American military base, no American vessel will be safe.”
And other key Iranian leaders are saying similar things.
For example, Soleimani’s replacement is warning that the Iranians will “continue down martyr Soleimani’s path”…
Esmail Ghaani, who has replaced Qassem Soleimani as head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force, has warned the US that Iran will retaliate to last week’s drone attack. He told Iranian state television that “God the Almighty has promised to get his revenge” for the killing of Mr Soleimani. The newly appointed chief said that actions would “certainly” be taken. Mr Ghaani also pledged to “continue down martyr Soleimani’s path”, after US officials claimed they assassinated the Iranian general because intelligence showed he was plotting “imminent attacks” on US officials.
Even more ominously, the New York Times is reporting that Ayatollah Khamenei himself has mandated that American interests must be attacked directly by Iranian forces…
In the tense hours following the American killing of a top Iranian military commander, the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, made a rare appearance at a meeting of the government’s National Security Council to lay down the parameters for any retaliation. It must be a direct and proportional attack on American interests, he said, openly carried out by Iranian forces themselves, three Iranians familiar with the meeting said Monday.
Of course, most Americans absolutely do not want a war with Iran.
In fact, I would guess that probably about two-thirds of all U.S. citizens will be against a war with Iran when a national survey is taken.
But that doesn’t matter to the Iranians. They are going to start shooting at us, and they want to make us hurt as much as possible.
If you can believe it, one member of the Iranian parliament has even suggested attacking the White House…
Iranian MP Abolfazl Abutorabi has reportedly threatened to attack the White House in response to a message from President Trump that promised severe consequences if the Islamic nation escalates hostilities with the U.S. Abutorabi was responding to a question about how Iran should react to the death of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani during an American airstrike, The Independent reported. “We can attack the White House itself, we can respond to them on the American soil. We have the power, and God willing we will respond in an appropriate time,” Abutorabi said according to the UK publication, which cited Iranian news agency ILNA.
So you can debate about whether there will be a war or not all you want, but the truth is that everyone should really be trying to figure out how to end the war that has already started.
And at this point, I don’t know if anything can be done to stop events from spinning wildly out of control. Every time Iran hits us, Trump is going to hit them back even harder, and neither side is going to back down any time soon.
At this hour, more U.S. troops are headed to the Middle East. In addition to the deployment of thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, a couple thousand Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit have been diverted to the Middle East…
Marines with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) will now head to Iraq aboard the USS Bataan (LHD-5) amphibious assault ship to join other U.S. troops recently called upon to bolster security measures and military readiness in the country, according to USNI News. According to the USNI Fleet Tracker, the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group had just arrived off the coast of Morocco this week as tensions have risen with Iran. The Marines aboard had planned to train with Moroccan military members, as part of the joint Exercise African Sea Lion, before the apparent change in plans.
Even more importantly, six B-52 bombers have just been deployed to Diego Garcia…
The U.S. Air Force is deploying six B-52 bombers to Diego Garcia, an island base in the Indian Ocean, amid the rising threat of Iran retaliating after a U.S.-led airstrike killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani. The move, which was first reported by CNN, is the latest in efforts by U.S. military officials to bolster resources near the Middle East after the Iraqi Shia militia Kataib Hezbollah hinted at possible retaliatory attacks to avenge Soleimani’s death.
I wish that it wasn’t true, but war is here.
Will this conflict eventually evolve into World War 3, or can we still be pulled back from the brink somehow?
Only time will tell, but I would definitely encourage everyone to get prepared for a worst case scenario.
Article posted with permission from Michael Snyder