Paul Craig Roberts: War Über Alles + Roundup

Feeling a bit sarci today Paul are we?

Would that be the same Four-star Admiral Robert Willard that was at the helm when those sneaky slitty eyed (more) little fucks paid a call on the Pacific Fleet? Because according to the dateline, I rather think it must have been.
in May 2007, he assumed command of the U.S. Pacific Fleet

And I bet that little incident brought a whole new meaning to red faced.

Never mind, (and a must for Europeans) a few prayers from the Presidential Prayer Team should do the trick, what what?

And what better example than the PPT to confirm the United States of America as the most batshit crazy fucked up Nation on the face of the Earth. Stroll on!

War Über Alles

By Paul Craig Roberts
February 27, 2011
Information Clearing House

The United States government cannot get enough of war. With Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi’s regime falling to a rebelling population, CNN reports that a Pentagon spokesman said that the U.S. is looking at all options from the military side.

Allegedly, the Pentagon, which is responsible for one million dead Iraqis and an unknown number of dead Afghans and Pakistanis, is concerned about the deaths of 1,000 Libyan protesters.

While the Pentagon tries to figure out how to get involved in the Libyan revolt, the commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific is developing new battle plans to take on China in her home territory. Four-star Admiral Robert Willard thinks the U.S. should be able to whip China in its own coastal waters.

The admiral thinks one way to do this is to add U.S. Marines to his force structure so that the U.S. can eject Chinese forces from disputed islands in the East and South China seas.

It is not the U.S. who is disputing the islands, but if there is a chance for war anywhere, the admiral wants to make sure we are not left out.

The admiral also hopes to develop military ties with India and add that country to his clout. India, the admiral says, "is a natural partner of the United States" and "is crucial to America’s 21st-century strategy of balancing China." The U.S. is going to seduce the Indians by selling them advanced aircraft.

If the plan works out, we will have India in NATO helping us to occupy Pakistan and presenting China with the possibility of a two-front war.

The Pentagon needs some more wars so there can be some more "reconstruction." Reconstruction is very lucrative, especially as Washington has privatized so many of the projects, thus turning over to well-placed friends many opportunities to loot. Considering all the money that has been spent, one searches hard to find completed projects. The just released report from the Commission on Wartime Contracting can’t say exactly how much of the $200 billion in Afghan "reconstruction" disappeared in criminal behavior and blatant corruption, but $12 billion alone was lost to "overt fraud."

War makes money for the politically connected. While the flag-waving population remains proud of the service of their sons, brothers, husbands, fathers, cousins, wives, mothers and daughters, the smart boys who got the fireworks started are rolling in the mega-millions.

As General Smedley Butler told the jingoistic American population, to no avail, "war is a racket." As long as the American population remains proud that their relatives serve as cannon fodder for the military/security complex, war will remain a racket. ICH

If law fails, CIA will assassinate Assange


Former Reagan Administration Paul Craig Roberts says there is a concerted effort to shut Assange up. If the legal attempt fails, he'll be assassinated by a CIA assassination team.

Worth a read.

How will America handle the fall of its Middle East empire?

Empires can collapse in the course of a generation. At the end of the 16th century, the Spanish looked dominant. Twenty-five years later, they were on their knees, over-extended, bankrupt, and incapable of coping with the emergent maritime powers of Britain and Holland. The British empire reached its fullest extent in 1930. Twenty years later, it was all over. more

Canada, U.S. agree to use each other’s troops in civil emergencies
Canada and the U.S. have signed an agreement that paves the way for the militaries from either nation to send troops across each other’s borders during an emergency, but some are questioning why the Harper government has kept silent on the deal. more

I thought they already had.


Iraqi shoe thrower rearrested ahead of planned protest

Muntazer al-Zaidi, the Iraqi journalist who was arrested back in 2008 for throwing a shoe at George W. Bush, has been put in jail again, this time for supporting Egypt-style protests in Baghdad:

You remember him?



Funny, but he is such a fucking moroon.
Cobblers

Tennessee bill would jail Shariah followers
Proposed law is 'nonsense,'

And Tennessee isn't?

Huge Solar Flare. Video

The BBC seems to be pushing the boat out, embedded vids, whatever next?




H/T http://www.anhourago.co.uk/

Gorbochev: Troops Out!

Britain should pull out of Afghanistan, says Gorbachev

The ex-Soviet leader argues the US must take some blame for fanning Islamic fundamentalism

Afghanistan, that'd be somewhere in Armagh now?

Mikhail Gorbachev, the former president of the Soviet Union, has called for fundamental change to world politics against the background of uprisings across North Africa, saying that the will of the people can no longer be ignored.

In a wide-ranging interview with The Independent on Sunday, marking his 80th birthday on Wednesday, Mr Gorbachev also calls on David Cameron to withdraw British troops from Afghanistan. And, in comments that risk provoking outrage in the US, he portrays the war against Islam as a conflict partly of the US's own making.

"It's called the historical and political boomerang," he says, referring to the US's secret funding of Islamic extremists during the 1980s, when the Americans were fighting communism. "[The Americans] were working in secret with those forces with whom they are now fighting. They should accept their part of the blame. Let them say so. I think God has some mechanism that he uses to punish those that make mistakes."

The former communist also expressed disgust at the extravagances of Roman Abramovich, owner of Chelsea Football Club, saying he felt "ashamed" to read of his wealth.

Drawing on his experience of six years governing the USSR, from 1985 to 1991, when he helped end the Cold War and oversaw the collapse of communism, Mr Gorbachev condemns the Western occupation of Afghanistan, and issues a direct appeal to Mr Cameron to act. "I am using this interview to appeal to the Prime Minister to go in the right direction on Afghanistan," he says. "I am appealing to him to set that goal. And I am not saying that he should do it exactly the same way we did it."

Mr Gorbachev became President after Soviet forces had occupied Afghanistan, and oversaw the eventual withdrawal of troops in 1989. He points out that Britain advised against the Soviet invasion, saying the Afghans are a special people who live by their own rules, and that Britain should now heed its own advice.

Earlier this month, Mr Gorbachev welcomed the uprising in Egypt: "The people have spoken and made clear they do not want to live under authoritarian rule." In today's interview, he appeals to a generation of young people to enter politics and the media, to regain control, and to restore democracy, describing himself as an idealist.

At a press conference in Moscow last week, Mr Gorbachev criticised Vladimir Putin's administration as "a sham democracy", saying: "We have institutions, but they don't work. We have laws, but they must be enforced." In today's interview, he repeats this, calling on Russia's leaders to reflect. "Sometimes it's difficult to accept, to recognise one's own mistakes, but one must do it," he says. "I was guilty of overconfidence and arrogance, and I was punished for that.... I am sharing my experience with [Putin and Medvedev], because I don't want them to go astray by making similar mistakes."

Asked if Russia would ever be a superpower again, he says: "I don't think this should be Russia's goal. I think even the US doesn't need to be a superpower. China doesn't need to be a superpower. It's a different world. Relations in the world are different.

"When certain people arise and get power, with such ideas of superpowership, I think such people should be rejected. They should not be allowed to have the mandate of support."

At last week's press conference, Mr Gorbachev also announced the launch of an annual award honouring people "who have changed the world".

Mr Gorbachev has enjoyed strong links with Britain since Margaret Thatcher declared he was a man she "could do business" with. In the interview, Mr Gorbachev reveals his admiration for Mr Cameron and the Big Society. "I welcome David Cameron's work. This idea, or programme, as I understand it, means that the gaps between different groups of people should be bridged. I think this is a very democratic idea, and I support that. So may Britain have its own 'perestroika', but I'm sure the British will find their own way of calling it." Independent

Julian Beever

Posted alphabetically apart from the first three. And the reason for that is, to try and get across how Beever's incredible brain must be computing the required data to produce what he does.

If you take a look at the girl in the pool from both directions, and then take a look at the Batman drawing with its incredible detail and perfect or near perfect perspective, and then try to imagine what it must look like in the opposite view.

America! America! God shed His grace on thee

No comment, there are sufficient accompanying the article.

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.


Welcome To America

TSA Harassing And Searching A 9 Year Old

The only bad thing on our trip was TSA was at the Savannah train station. There were about 14 agents pulling people inside the building and corralling everyone in a roped area AFTER you got OFF THE TRAIN! This made no sense!!! Poor family in front of us! 9 year old getting patted down and wanded. They groped our people too and were very unprofessional.

Source and comments.


O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!



O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassion'd stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness.

America! America!
God mend thine ev'ry flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law.



O beautiful for heroes prov'd
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved,
And mercy more than life.

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev'ry gain divine.



O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears.

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea.

- - -

When I see or read or hear

Folks all trembling like frightened deer

Government spin

Has sucked you in

Right where they want you a climate of fear

Himself 2006


I was in fact looking for something else, but try this, that I reported on in January 08.










This was the one, quite funny really, but do follow the 'Welcome to the Bedwetter Nation' link.

A Nation Of Pussies. Bioterrorism Indeed



Related: We Are All Prisoners Now: Paul Craig Roberts

Women

And Men.

The Republican war on women. NY Times

It's a Funny Old World: Breast Milk Edition

Breast milk ice cream goes on sale in Covent Garden

A restaurant in London's Covent Garden is serving a new range of ice cream, made with breast milk.

The dessert, called Baby Gaga, is churned with donations from London mother Victoria Hiley, and served with a rusk and an optional shot of Calpol or Bonjela.

Mrs Hiley, 35, said if adults realised how tasty breast milk was more new mothers would be encouraged to breastfeed.

Each serving of Baby Gaga at Icecreamists costs £14.

Mrs Hiley's donation was expressed on site and pasteurised before being churned with Madagascan vanilla pods and lemon zest.



Icecreamists founder Matt O'Connor placed an advert appealing for breast milk donations and believes his new recipe will be a success.
Continue reading the main story
“Start Quote

What's the harm in using my assets for a bit of extra cash?”

End Quote Victoria Hiley Mother

"If it's good enough for our children, it's good enough for the rest of us," he said.

"Some people will hear about it and go yuck - but actually it's pure organic, free-range and totally natural."

Mrs Hiley, who gets £15 for every 10 ounces of milk she donates to the company, said it was a great "recession beater".

"What's the harm in using my assets for a bit of extra cash?" she added.

"I teach women how to get started on breastfeeding their babies. There's very little support for women and every little helps."

Mr O'Connor said 14 other women had come forward to offer their services. Health checks for the lactating women were the same used by hospitals to screen blood donors.

"No-one's done anything interesting with ice cream in the last hundred years," he added. BBC+clip

Best link and clip here.



H/t Steel Magnolia

Texas The Lone Neuron State

I say lone neuron, because if they had two that they could bolt together, then it's unlikely that there would be half the stories that there are on this just stumbled across website, Dumbutt Texas.

In what manner I stumble upon it, I can't remember, not that it matters in the least. It might have been this 'quote of the week' uttered by Tom Delay when he was initially found guilty by a Houston jury: (earlier report)

“This is an abuse of power,” he said. “It’s a miscarriage of justice. I still maintain my innocence. The criminalization of politics undermines our very system.”

Which, coming from the likes of Tom Delay, ain't bad, ain't bad at all.

Update: On the subject of quotes of the week, I just tripped over this US comment: I didn't even bother reading it when I saw bbc as a source. UK terrorist state propaganda. Can't argue with you there old lad.

Or perhaps what really might have caught my attention, was what the writer of the story had to say about. Tom, The Hammer, Delay.

DeLay holding a Bible and quoting scripture in and around his trial did not help as he expected. Sentencing is scheduled for December 20th with punishment for the crime at 5 to 99 year in prison, just in time for Christmas. Tom DeLay, a bigoted intolerant asshole deserves a few years in the Walls Unit in Huntsville which he has bragged is one of the harshest prisons in America. Merry Christmas Tom! Keep yer butt covered... more and video

Not a lot of love lost there by the sound of things. But there is this little gem featured near the end of a Tweety clip, where it reported that Delay has a bitch about that same Houston Jury:

Poor pitiful Tom DeLay. Somewhere a million tiny violins play the unjust jury serenade. This morning on the Today show DeLay argued that not only was his conviction for money laundering politically motivated, but so was his conviction by a liberal jury as well. To hear him talk he had no chance with the most liberal jury in the most liberal county in Texas! (Where the Jury Foreman was a Greenpeace activist no less)

A 'Liberal' jury in, 'the most liberal county in Texas' That would put them a touch to the left of Attila the Hun then?

And talking of Republican Congress Critter for Sugarland, means for the enlightenment and entertainment of my readers outside the US, I shall. when finished here, have to go in search of a certain map!



There is much to astound as one takes a stroll around the site, seemingly every other story is about some batshit crazy motherfucking redneck, calling for someone to be shot, but they ain't all from Texas. And of course no show would be complete without some good ol' boy calling for the murder of Julian Assange.




And where no doubt all this violent rhetoric, not just that of the rednecks but the press as well, contributes to a climate where robbers of convenience stores murder store clerks, not by accident, but by pre-designed plan. And if watching the short clip of this asshole gunning down another human being for the sake of a few bucks, if it don't scare the shit out of you, I don't know what will.

For as we all know, down here in Texas and most of the rest of yokel American, it is a matter of how many guns one has, how big they are, how fast they can fire and how quick on the trigger one is. Everything else is secondary, especially education. shooting

This little lot gleaned from just two pages, there is a rake of other stuff on subjects various.

Dumbutt Texas

Or Main site page.

http://rackjite.com/

Now, I have a map to find.

Better still, here's a clip explaining redistricting, or more accurately named, in the case of Tom Delay, gerrymandering.

And The Times They Are a Changing. Ain't That So Mister Pilger

A decent cover with clearer lyrics.


Behind the Arab Revolt Is a Word We Dare Not Speak
By John Pilger
Thursday 24 February 2011




Shortly after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, I interviewed Ray McGovern, one of an elite group of CIA officers who prepared then-president George W. Bush's daily intelligence brief. At that time, McGovern was at the apex of the "national security" monolith that is American power and had retired with presidential plaudits. On the eve of the invasion, he and 45 other senior officers of the CIA and other intelligence agencies wrote to Bush that the "drumbeat for war" was based not on intelligence, but lies.

"It was 95 percent charade," McGovern told me.

"How did they get away with it?" I asked.

"The press allowed the crazies to get away with it."

"Who are the crazies?"

"The people running the [Bush] administration have a set of beliefs a lot like those expressed in 'Mein Kampf,'" said McGovern. "These are the same people who were referred to, in the circles in which I moved at the top, as 'the crazies.'"

I said: "Norman Mailer has written that he believes America has entered a pre-fascist state. What's your view of that?"

"Well ... I hope he's right, because there are others saying we are already in a fascist mode."

On January 22, 2011, McGovern emailed me to express his disgust at the Obama administration's barbaric treatment of the alleged whistleblower Bradley Manning and its pursuit of WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange.

"Way back when George and Tony decided it might be fun to attack Iraq," he wrote, "I said something to the effect that fascism had already begun here. I have to admit I did not think it would get this bad this quickly."


On February 16, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a speech at George Washington University in which she condemned governments that arrested protestors and crushed free expression. She lauded the liberating power of the Internet, while failing to mention that her government was planning to close down those parts of the Internet that encouraged dissent and truth-telling. It was a speech of spectacular hypocrisy, and McGovern was in the audience. Outraged, he rose from his chair and silently turned his back on Clinton. He was immediately seized by police and a security goon and beaten to the floor, dragged out and thrown into jail, bleeding. He has sent me photographs of his injuries. He is 71. During the assault, which was clearly visible to Clinton, she did not pause in her remarks.

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Fascism is a difficult word, because it comes with an iconography that touches the Nazi nerve and is abused as propaganda against America's official enemies and to promote the West's foreign adventures with a moral vocabulary written in the struggle against Hitler. And yet, fascism and imperialism are twins. In the aftermath of World War II, those in the imperial states who had made respectable the racial and cultural superiority of "western civilization" found that Hitler and fascism had claimed the same, employing strikingly similar methods. Thereafter, the very notion of American imperialism was swept from the textbooks and popular culture of an imperial nation forged on the genocidal conquest of its native people, and a war on social justice and democracy became "US foreign policy.''


As the Washington historian William Blum has documented, since 1945, the US has destroyed or subverted more than 50 governments, many of them democracies, and used mass murderers like Suharto, Mobutu and Pinochet to dominate by proxy. In the Middle East, every dictatorship and pseudo-monarchy has been sustained by America. In "Operation Cyclone," the CIA and MI6 secretly fostered and bankrolled Islamic extremism. The object was to smash or deter nationalism and democracy. The victims of this western state terrorism have been mostly Muslims. The courageous people gunned down last week in Bahrain and Libya, the latter a "priority UK market," according to Britain's official arms "procurers," join those children blown to bits in Gaza by the latest American F-16 aircraft.

The revolt in the Arab world is not merely against a resident dictator, but against a worldwide economic tyranny designed by the US Treasury and imposed by the US Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, which have ensured that rich countries like Egypt are reduced to vast sweatshops, with half the population earning less than $2 a day. The people's triumph in Cairo was the first blow against what Benito Mussolini called corporatism, a word that appears in his definition of fascism.



How did such extremism take hold in the liberal West? "It is necessary to destroy hope, idealism, solidarity, and concern for the poor and oppressed," observed Noam Chomsky a generation ago, and "to replace these dangerous feelings with self-centered egoism, a pervasive cynicism that holds that ... the state capitalist order with its inherent inequities and oppression is the best that can be achieved. In fact, a great international propaganda campaign is underway to convince people - particularly young people - that this not only is what they should feel but that it's what they do feel."



Like the European revolutions of 1848 and the uprising against Stalinism in 1989, the Arab revolt has rejected fear. An insurrection of suppressed ideas, hope and solidarity has begun. In the United States, where 45 percent of young African-Americans have no jobs and the top hedge fund managers are paid, on average, $1 billion a year, mass protests against cuts in services and jobs have spread to heartland states like Wisconsin. In Britain, the fastest-growing modern protest movement, UK Uncut, is about to take direct action against tax avoiders and rapacious banks. Something has changed that cannot be unchanged. The enemy has a name now. truthout