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Follow The Egyptian Revolution Live Via Al Jazeera

Tyler Durden's picture




 

Forget the irrelevant inventory accumulation... pardon... GDP number. The real news today is coming from Egypt, where history is currently being made and a regime is in the process of being overthrown despite the unprecedented country-wide internet shutdown. The fallout from today's riots will be momentous. Follow all the news in real time from Al Jazeera.

 

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Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:14 | 913142 DosZap
DosZap's picture

Soros is a OLD Fkr, Commie, and has one foot in the grave, sometimes I wonder if I would want to be an OLD Billionaire,cant have sex, cant move well, cant dance for squat, so....you just meddle in the affairs of NATIONS.

That SOB, has funded nearly, or givien profusely to ALL of Obamas ACORN,etc,etc,etc, People (commies) for the American way...............

Hes done nothing except give $ to causes to BRING US DOWN.

I would refuse to seat him, or not attend if I was a U S delegate, unless ordered by his puppet Obama.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:06 | 912774 snowball777
snowball777's picture

That would be meaningful, if we didn't burn 20M per day!

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:25 | 913200 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

politicians hate math, and they're pretty bad at it

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:07 | 913440 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

even the junker can't count

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 23:54 | 915400 tmosley
tmosley's picture

Shut down the Federal Government and you'll cut that figure by at least 8M per day.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 11:08 | 915866 snowball777
snowball777's picture

That's a huge number to pull out of your ass. Did it hurt much?

http://www.eia.doe.gov/pub/oil_gas/petroleum/analysis_publications/oil_m...

 

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 16:34 | 918401 tmosley
tmosley's picture

Money spent is directly proportional to resources consumed.  The government spends 40% of US GDP.  Get rid of government, the same amount of goods are produced, but 40% less energy is expended on things like regulation, the occupation of foreign nations, and lighting government buildings.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 23:31 | 919222 snowball777
snowball777's picture

Sorry, no. I'll agree that the number is non-zero, but you're simply delusional if you think that 'proportional to' is the same as 'equivalent to'.

Most of the money spent by the government does not go to energy...welfare, foodstamps, medical care for old folks, and salaries for goobers. Will some of that go to buy gas? Sure, but not 100%.

And you're making a very bold assumption that curtailed government spending would become private sector spending, unless you think the people using SNAP cards will stampede to get credit cards instead.

And that really doesn't matter anyway, since -8M barrels would still leave you 50% short with domestic production alone.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:53 | 913666 QQQBall
QQQBall's picture

and what % of USA domestic production comes from sources less than 100 bbls per day?

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 14:29 | 913812 Citxmech
Citxmech's picture

The end of "cheap abundant oil" is the end of the oil age.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:29 | 914017 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

keep telling them till they get it

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 20:46 | 915058 That Peak Oil Guy
That Peak Oil Guy's picture

The "end of cheap, abundant oil" is the "beginning of peak oil".

What matters right now folks are three things:

-- Flowrates

-- Exports

-- Competition

All you have to do is look at the numbers.  Production of supply is mostly flat.  Export nations are using more oil internally, cutting into their exports. The developing nations are using more oil. 

This all cuts into the supply for the developed nations.

TPOG

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 03:43 | 917524 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

I'm happy to have you here TPOG.  Some people here who love charts, hate the oil supply [production] demand charts for some reason.

Demand exploded in the last 10 years as China came into the auto age, until it peaked /plateaued in 2008.  Price exploded.  Demand collapsed and here we are.  Demand may pick up temporarily, but supply will fall. 

New finds are more difficult to extract.  When the cost in energy approaches 1 barrel of oil to produce a barrel of oil production will taper off.

Get ready for a different way of living.  It's Ok.

Bernarke will hit the collapse button it he raises rates with oil at current prices - IMO.

 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:59 | 912558 hedgeless_horseman
hedgeless_horseman's picture

That still leaves room for their predictions to be massively wrong some of the time.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 10:03 | 912569 samsara
samsara's picture

Don't tell them.   Let them pay the $10 bucks.

They will find out soon enough. 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:15 | 913149 DosZap
DosZap's picture

$10.00, yep, and $5.00 0f that will be world taxes.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:23 | 912879 Things that go bump
Things that go bump's picture

The web bots are predicting that the internet will go down around February 8 and stay down for many months.    

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:19 | 913171 DosZap
DosZap's picture

Sure, that way they can move their gear into place for the takedown.

MSM cant find ass w/2 hands, if they could they wouldnt.

Loss of the Net, is tantamount to FREE SPEECH.

And more importantly comunications.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:29 | 915460 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

I agree... the steerage provided by... trolls (not me), paid who ever(s) and others who bombard everyone all day... the steady druming into the sheeps heads of whatever the idea of the moment is...

 

Minus the saturation, maybe ignorant people would have a chance to become less ignorant.

 

Internet switch does more to help us than hurt us?

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:56 | 913371 JR
JR's picture

Watching the events in Cairo one can never forget the substantial contributor to this event: Israel. Israel and its patron, America.  Perhaps no other statement covers the relationship like yesterday’s comment from Vice President Joe Biden :

“Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things. And he’s been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interest in the region, the Middle East peace efforts; the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing relationship with – with Israel.”

Here’s Biden in March 2010, speaking at Tel Aviv University:: "Throughout my career, Israel has not only remained close to my heart but it has been the center of my work as a United States Senator and now as Vice President of the United States,"  And, he reminded listeners of his past words in a speech in the U.S.: “ I said were I a Jew, I would be a Zionist… you need not be a Jew to be a Zionist.” http://www.counterpunch.org/shaaban03162010.html

And here on the subject yesterday is State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley:

“We respect what Egypt contributes to the region, it is a stabilizing force, it has made its own peace with Israel, and is pursuing normal relations with Israel, we think that's important, we think that's a model that the region should adopt broadly speaking.

http://mondoweiss.net/2011/01/state-dept-says-democracy-is-ok-for-tunisia-but-not-egypt-because-of-israel.html

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:11 | 913465 Winston Smith 2009
Winston Smith 2009's picture

Yep, from what I've seen nobody is broadcasting the significance of this with respect to Israel.  Methinks any new government won't be nearly as friendly to Israel... and there is this canal thingy there, too.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:39 | 913596 DosZap
DosZap's picture

777

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:38 | 913597 DosZap
DosZap's picture

I am not a Jew, and I am A Zionist,if your not a Zionist, your a traitor to the Nation IMHO.

Check out ZIONISM on Wiki, and tell me whats wrong with self determination?, if that were the case, America would never have been formed.

Nationalism has been around for decades, and once its gone, you WILL have the NWO.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 14:04 | 913708 JR
JR's picture

American Zionists, not Jews per se, are Jews who want to use American political, economic and military power to support the interests of the state of Israel.  And they have been accused accurately, IMO, of using U.S. support of Israel even when it jeopardizes the national interests of the United States.

I think the war in Iraq urged on the United States by the Zionist neo-cons in the Bush Administration, using every thin pretext possible including manipulating Intelligence, forced an attack on a sovereign nation that was not a serious threat to the stability of the United States. And then the airwaves became awash with every conceivable danger illuminated concerning Iran’s nuclear program.

Given the fact that the pro-Israel political forces are so strong within the U.S. government -- top to bottom in the Obama administration and in the financial sectors (yes, including Zionist influence in the Federal Reserve System -- the American people are now faced with a wake-up call.  Are we to support dictators oppressing their people so that they’ll be “correct” on Israel and to fight undeclared wars where Congress takes no action as to whether American interests are at stake?  It is childish and foolish to call inquiries of this kind to be anti-Semitic.  We are talking about the largest economic decision of this new century--to support Israel at the exclusion of all other interests--let alone the blood and sacrifice for peoples in the Middle East and families in the United States.

Are there no statesmen left who will put the interests of the United States and world peace ahead of these dangers?

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 14:10 | 913738 1223pm
1223pm's picture

"Given the fact that the pro-Israel political forces are so strong within the U.S. government"

They will be in "Genetic peace" when America collapses.

United States interests should be prime. Even for Jews, because after America there in no place for them to escape.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:26 | 914006 Titus
Titus's picture

Are there no statesmen left who will put the interests of the United States and world peace ahead of these dangers?

Not really, there would be a few (i.e. Ron Paul) but every time they get a serious chance to speak about it the media turns away or calls them crazy. 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:41 | 914050 pods
pods's picture

Well you are sort of half right.  You have to move up one more level.  Our enemies do not reside in Israel, but the City of London.

Google "Five Arrows" and you will see who the real enemy is.

pods

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:57 | 914101 Batty Koda
Batty Koda's picture

I agree, Zionism and Neoconservatism are ideologies that the top of the pyramid have allied with, for now. Better to let them take the flack them the Anglophile financiers who are the brains behind the fuedalist global government scheme.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:12 | 914105 Batty Koda
Batty Koda's picture

.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:56 | 915587 Dave
Dave's picture

Rothschilds. Not my favorite group. But they do produce some good wine...

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:45 | 914052 pods
pods's picture

.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 18:36 | 914725 Hedge Jobs
Hedge Jobs's picture

"Are there no statesmen left who will put the interests of the United States and world peace ahead of these dangers?"

No there isn't JR. Now, bow down to your jewish masters and go back to watching dancing with the stars like a good American.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 20:27 | 915030 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Ok JR...I'll bite, because I respect you (and I do hope it's mutual) I think we can have a civil discussion here.

If, as you say, American "zionists" are/were so entrenched in the Clinton/Bush/Obama administrations (we have to include Clinton for the timeline to work) and got us into a war with Iraq for their own designs, what did they, and us by proxy, gain? 

China & others are signing oil leases right & left over there...so it never was "blood for oil" as the left postulated as they (zionists) still have influence, as many of them like to say. 

Have you considered it could have been as simple as...Saddam was a dictatorial rogue among world rulers who committed genocide on his own people with WMD (the Kurds, no citation needed of course)...who also had reportedly initiated a plot to kill one of our Presidents...W's dad...though Baghdad records were curiously missing (scrubbed?)

Who, had in fact, used WMD in his war with Iran...who attacked an ally of ours (Kuwait)...neither hardly allies of the Jewish state I might add.

Who gave payments to Palestinian families ($25,000 a "martyr" if I recall) whose son or daughter walked onto a bus or into a pizza parlor and killed civilians.

French & British intelligence was saying the same thing the CIA was saying regarding WMD...you know this already.

Could it be that Saddam (and his two bastard son's Uday & Qusay, who were worse than him, clinically insane sadists in my view) was just too damn sorry to be allowed to draw breath anymore?

Now, if you're talkin undo influence...I can meet half way...maybe...but I don't think we need to be checking religious affiliation during job interviews...I'm American...we don't do that shit.

I'm not about being the worlds policeman nor an apologist for "neo-cons", whatever the hell that winds up meaning, but with the UN clearly compromised (oil for food program) the man was clearly a threat to everyone/thing around him with nothing to restrain him.

But to describe a cunning cabal, manipulating successful and successive world wide events for fun & profit is over the top...IMHO.

Even now we have the mayor of Suez City saying Mossad is behind this uprising in Egypt instead of decades of authoritarian rule. This is the same guy who said Mossad put GPS whackydoos on sharks to kill swimmers and drive tourists away from Egypt last year...LOL.

I mean some of this stuff...anyways...reply if you wish, after it all calms down here...I'll be around.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 21:50 | 915203 JR
JR's picture

Thanks nmewn; it’s good to be given a chance to back up one’s views.

Oil and war, is the usual cry! But, “Does anyone really think the current war or the next wars are about anything other than oil?”

Well, yes.  Many people, I believe, know there are two primary reasons for the war in Iraq, and for the threatened wars in Iran and elsewhere, other than oil.

REASON ONE: The corporate culture in Washington is so inbred that profits and war can be considered on the same page, and much of the push for Iraq in both political parties came from corporations who will benefit big-time. That doesn’t even include the military-industrial complex. It all begins with the planning, ordering and building everything that’s needed, all at inflated prices: bombs, planes, missiles, tanks, uniforms, trucks, and putting together mega tons of food and all the rest. And that’s just for a fast war; suppose it lasted for years? Wasn’t it Secretary Albright who asked Secretary Powell why all this war preparation was needed if it wasn’t going to be used?  Anyway, when all is ready and the war planners have the people and the press on board, the bombers are brought on: to level the cities and infrastructure, knock out sewer systems, power grids, roads and bridges, hospitals, schools, businesses…putting the population on life support. Over the next few years, then, comes the contractor army rebuilding everything, again with U.S. tax money, again at inflated prices.

REASON TWO:  The U.S. went to war in Iraq to support Israel’s security in the region, as evidenced by the major push inside the U.S. government (both in Congress and the White House) from the neo-conservatives, a group clearly supporting the most hawkish political movements in Israel.  Neo-conservative Richard Perle, for example, was a former assistant secretary of defense and head of Secretary Rumsfeld’s “Defense Policy Board,” the point man in laying out rationale for a pre-emptive war on Iraq.  In 1996, for Israel’s Likud Party, he had led a group to establish the principles of pre-emptive war. The project, called, “A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm,” was published by the Institute for Advanced Strategic and Political Studies, an Israeli think tank.

Iraq and Iran geographically are central to Middle East war strategy.  If the U.S. could establish a permanent puppet government in Iraq and set-up major air bases there, the skies over all of Iraq’s neighbors could be monitored and controlled (it shares borders with Syria, Turkey, Iran, Jordan and Saudi Arabia). The rationale would be called a “war on terrorism” and terrorism could be reasoned as centering on the perceived aggressiveness of  Islam. Control of the Middle East could keep “terrorism” in check and keep Israel’s enemies in check.

A major emphasis for the Iraq war came from the neo-con organization called “Project for the New American Century (PNAC), established in 1997. An open letter to President Bush after the 9/11 attack stated: “Even if evidence does not link Iraq directly to the attack (9/11), any strategy aiming at the eradication of terrorism and its sponsors must include a determined effort to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq.”  When Bill Clinton was president, PNAC sent an open letter to him urging that the regime of Saddam Hussein be toppled. Many of PNAC’s key people at that time became key people in the Bush administration. The neo-conservatives, then in power, brought all the war-leaning factors together: a vice president who wanted an American Empire no matter the price in lost civil rights, the corporations who would benefit, including the oil companies and the naïve portions of the population who believed the worst of the “terrorist” connections to Islam. To make it all go down, the media gladly jumped on board. Even now the chief representative of this “conservative” viewpoint is America’s liberal voice of record and strong supporter for the security of Israel, the New York Times. Neo-con William Kristol is co-founder of the PNAC.

And, of course, this goes beyond the neo-cons; it’s AIPAC, it’s senators like Lieberman; it’s presidents like Bush and Obama; it’s secretaries and asst sec. of the state like Hillary Clinton and Robert Hormats; it’s ambassadors around world (57% of whom were Jewish under Clinton and percentage unknown under Obama); and it’s corporate types who stand to benefit financially such as General Electric…

The point is Saddam Hussein did not sponsor the terrorism.  We went into a sovereign country and blew it apart for the stated reason, with no evidence, that it had terrorist intentions directed against the United States.

Again, nmewn, thanks for the response.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 23:48 | 915389 nmewn
nmewn's picture

JR,

Thank you for your courteous reply. I also enjoy having my views challenged because if they are not tested they can become weak or outdated.

Thank you.

The manner in which you lay out your position does not lend itself to rebut as it's more of a litany (no slam, just the way I read it) of things...but I will try to address where I think we can find, if not agreement, at least an understanding.

I don't know where this quote comes from that you cite;

“Does anyone really think the current war or the next wars are about anything other than oil?”

But, as I said, we (this nation or Israel for that matter) has gotten nothing in proportion to what was given...monetarily that is, oil being a commodity, thus having a quantifiable price. The same was said about Afghanistan and oil pipelines. Many rumors without much fact. That seems a dead end to me just on the face of it. No slight intended, it just never happened and doesn't appear it will with the leases already secured.

Here I think we have some accord;

"REASON ONE: The corporate culture in Washington is so inbred that profits and war can be considered on the same page,..."

A standing army requires sustenance. If we (as a nation, as a people) are going to say I don't wish to fight the nations wars that I elect leaders to start on occasion, that I in fact want to pay someone else to fight for me, this is what you get.

To resolve the problem would require everyone to be ready and able to fight and we would be in a defensive posture at all times because of it's militia nature. It would be non-aggressive as we would be going about our daily lives until the threat appeared at our door. 

I think in the age of nuclear/bio weapons this is wholly impracticable...so I guess I would agree with the so called neo-cabal (such as it is) on this point. It's better to stop it beforehand. It sucks that we have to pay people to do things that we can't bring ourselves to do. But I also realize there are bad/evil people in the world. I refuse to moralize on the good or bad of payment for services rendered in my defense.

My family has been there. My family is there.

As to your other (in my view) the more pressing point...the inter-connectivity of business and politics.

The "commerce clause" has been so bastardized by politicians & lobbyists (whores & pimps in a practical sense) that the common man is shut out of the process along with the reward of participation, in the process. This has nothing to do with race, tribe, religion, skin color or anything else.

It's just what happens to the small when power is unchecked. Which goes to the corruption of law...but some other time on that.

As for the rest of reason one, I don't dwell on personalities and I won't in reason two.

Letters from this group or that group lobbying for or against this or that leads to nowhere...Arab lobby, green lobby, steel lobby, tree lobby, baseball lobby...it's all the same. Same with those who worked for those lobby's, they have personal interests in what they lobby for. I see no problem with it if law were enforced.

We do have laws for bribery & graft but the lawmakers make the laws & amend them that are to be enforced...no? 

It's simple, they all want a piece of my/our tax money in theirpocket at the expense of someone elses lobby.

Finally;

"The point is Saddam Hussein did not sponsor the terrorism.  We went into a sovereign country and blew it apart for the stated reason, with no evidence, that it had terrorist intentions directed against the United States."

You did not refute that Saddam & his sons were evil men, or that there is in fact terrorism as witnessed by millions of people...this is good for understanding and going forward.

We cannot ignore the obvious.

But you also didn't bring up Abu Nidal who went to Allah in Baghdad or General Sada's flight plans ;-)

However, it also cannot go unnoticed that it was funded by Congress. They gave carte blanche authority to the President to do as he wished.

Fortune smiled on this nation at that time with vesting so much authority in one branch of government.

I don't like the odds now. 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:31 | 915465 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

Jr and nmewn,

Thanks for the great read...

Sincerely, JW

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:40 | 915568 JR
JR's picture

nmewn, we agree on a lot of things.

But first, let me say that Israel got something without paying a penny; they weren’t even in the Coalition of the Willing.  They had a potential enemy eliminated—Iraq--because, while Sadam had no design on the U.S., he did on Israel.  He had supported the Palestinians and had supplied many impoverished Palestinians with sustenance funds (Bush made it an act of terrorism for Americans to do so).

The point is, Israel was able to get its second worse enemy eliminated, the first being Iran.

Also, according to Amiram Cohen in Haartez on April 14, 2008, “The United States has asked Israel to check the possibility of pumping oil from Iraq to the oil refineries in Haifa…as a "bonus" the U.S. could give to Israel in return for its unequivocal support for the American-led campaign in Iraq…

“The new pipeline will take oil from the Kirkuk area, where some 40 percent of Iraqi oil is produced, and transport it via Mosul, and then across Jordan to Israel,” basically giving Israel a free supply of Iraqi oil. I understand that the U.S. has built airbases at H1, H2 and H3 (which stand for Haifa 1, 2 and 3) to protect this strategic pipeline.

Thus, one might say Israel is using the U.S. military to gain control over oil in the Middle East (as has been said by Israeli newspapers).

You’re right that the United States didn’t get any where near what it intended.  And the neo-cons came up totally empty handed—they didn’t get their puppet regime. They ran into something called the Iraqi people, who fought like banshees to keep their culture and oil resources.

Multinational corporations, on the other hand, got their promised windfalls—the plywood companies, the power providers, the oil service companies such as Halliburton, GE…

And, of course, the American people got nothing—but death, impoverishment from war and inflation and lost of world stature.

As for “China & others signing oil leases right & left over there...” IMO, this is one of the negotiable financial marbles used by the global financial power as it gains control over the world’s resources, including labor. France’s Nicolas Sarkozy this week called for the G-20 to regulate commodities, and for a new G-5 Club to tackle currencies.

The American system was to be a representative government whereby congressmen not only cast their votes for the will of the people but worked strenuously for that objective. To believe that Rubin and Graham and Summers, along with others were/are representatives of Americans and/or the peoples of the world and not the oligarchs, is to believe in something that, sadly, never was. 

Cheers, nmewn.  And happy Saturday!   (My brain is fried. What a day!) 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 08:15 | 915737 nmewn
nmewn's picture

JR,

Yes we agree on many things, just not everything.

"To believe that Rubin and Graham and Summers, along with others were/are representatives of Americans and/or the peoples of the world and not the oligarchs, is to believe in something that, sadly, never was."

Somewhat so, yes...maybe not the "never was" part. A system of governance was put in place for the good of our society. However, even as it was being created the end goal of what was being created was under attack by some of them for their own personal interests. We know who these men were that were attacking what was being designed for us...one was Hamilton.

My son, 12yrs. old, has developed a phrase for panhandlers & beggars we sometimes encounter standing in cigarette butts and litter up to their ankles at intersections begging for money instead of cleaning up the street they find themselves in to show their worth to the society they beg from...street urchins.

We have them in the higher strata of society as well (every society does, these street urchins) which prompted me to highlight your last to me above.  

This detestable street urchin, Robert Rubin, is not commented on nearly enough. If there were ever someone who had the confidence and slick tongue who used it to French kiss the ear of a naive, rube ass President, this would be the one. An entire economic "model" was named for him called Rubinomics.

Others could be bought off with power & prestige...say perhaps Gramm. Still others would happily go along with anything that sucked the lifeblood that is individual liberty, that promoted the statist group think model that they had always been so comfortable with in academia...say perhaps Summers.

In the pantheon of villains where we can clearly see the work behind the scenes that is done to the people...Rubin stands out in my eye.

Because he is Jewish or not makes no difference to me.

None.

A thief is a theif.

Laws protecting individual natural rights were suborned...neatly packaged & sold to the people as being for the good of all. In the end, as always when these things are done, all that is left are destroyed lives and futures.

We clearly have too many marketing degrees and not enough science degrees circulating in the country...LOL.

Always enjoy it JR...take care my friend...and we are still fortunate to live in a country where men of good will can speak their minds and no one loses their head over it like elsewhere ;-)

n

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 10:59 | 915856 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

nmewn and JR--great job and thank you both.

I would add that most of the oil that transits SoH goes to far East vs. US.  So there is a geopolitical component wrt India, China, Japan, sorta' Indonesia, Oz.  Gotta keep China WMT factories up and running to keep PRC buying USTs.

Feith does a good job in "War and Decision" in laying out the rationale for entry into Iraq.  He matches up at enough places with things that I saw or that my friends saw that I believe the book is quite accurate.  Plus extensive end-notes.

Israel was actively discouraged in the Gulf War from participating (openly), since it would have destroyed the Coalition.  The Egyptian/Syrian/etc. Arab forces were physically and temporaly separated from U.S./U.K./French/etc. forces in part so the Arab side wouldn't be 'tainted' with direct cooperation.  All of the U.S. side coalition support was through Saudi Arabia; that support would have vanished had the thrust actually been directed to Baghdad.

Again, thanks.

- Ned

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 15:55 | 916519 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Ned,

"I would add that most of the oil that transits SoH goes to far East vs. US."

Now this is why people read ZH.

I had always assumed the majority went to Europe. So in the end (with regard to chasing this particular rabbit) it could be said that we were protecting the free flow of oil to a communist state (China).

I wonder if Arianna Huffington and that terminally moronic "Kos" are aware of this? ;-)

The rest of yours is my understanding of it too. It is/was well known that the Arab participants made much about not being seen as being allied with Israelis in any way shape or form.

Thanks Ned.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 19:29 | 916893 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

nmewn,

"... we were protecting the free flow of oil..."

imho that was priority 1a.  Priority 1 was (and remains imnsho) defeating a nuclear development program.

'but Meat?  How can this be?' you ask.

Powell went out on very solid ground.  UK/Fr/NATO intel [even John Forbes Kerry] were on the side of Saddam doing a nuclear development program.  Even had AP and al-AFP reports about 'nuclear scientists' burying their records in the back yard.

And Powell (I went to war for/with the guy-clear/supportive/directive.  No affirmative action placement).

And he was exacting; and he was the hmfic and he did many right things.  (I've mentioned Feith, good evidence there).  And I respect this Powell (with all of his travails to get to be Chairman) enormously.  (maybe a skosh less b/c of Americal Div coverup).

Perhaps this is not so important in his current political/social environment.

Then 14 months eventuated.  You, I, Saddam can accomplish a whole pile of stuff in 14 months (of quibbling by the likes of my Senior Senator who was for the war before he was against it).

So Powell goes to the UN and shows facilities that are alleged to produce WMD, the KH views are shown (on the ground) to be 'nonsense'.

He eats crow, endorses O, and all is right in his and Alma's social circles.

Military politician, wind blows, his arrow follows.  He's supposed to be a 'republican' in some of the TLA broadcast.  Yet, well, we know.

Honor the man for his military service.  Undecorated/unperforated.

- Ned

[ed. and related: nmewn and I speculated that O's Cairo trip had some relationship to current events.  Voila!:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/828...

Telegraph reports on some 'community organizing' efforts going on with less than 'transparent' view of the process.

I've just dusted off 'Reveille for Radicals' (lost my first copy to this ... well, nvm ...) e.g.:

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?an=%22saul+alinsky%22&sts=...

the real book that stimulates the old lags.

end ed.]

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 21:42 | 917148 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Well this is interesting, from yours;

"C) xxxxxxxxxxxx claimed that several opposition forces -- including the Wafd, Nasserite, Karama and Tagammu parties, and the Muslim Brotherhood, Kifaya, and Revolutionary Socialist movements -- have agreed to support an unwritten plan for a transition to a parliamentary democracy, involving a weakened presidency and an empowered prime minister and parliament, before the scheduled 2011 presidential elections

(ref C). According to xxxxxxxxxxxx, the opposition is interested in receiving support from the army and the police for a transitional government prior to the 2011 elections.

xxxxxxxxxxxx asserted that this plan is so sensitive it cannot be written down. (Comment: We have no information to corroborate that these parties and movements have agreed to the unrealistic plan xxxxxxxxxxxx has outlined."

While I understand sometimes one has to play with snakes to obtain the poison desired...the Muslim Brotherhood is the worst of the lot. Their goal is not democracy, parlimentary or otherwise, but jihad and installing a world wide caliphate.

Their techniques and strategies;

  • Networking and coordinating actions between likeminded Islamist organizations;
  • Avoiding open alliances with known terrorist organizations and individuals to maintain the appearance of “moderation”;
  • Infiltrating and taking over existing Muslim organizations to realign them towards the Muslim Brotherhood’s collective goals;
  • Using deception to mask the intended goals of Islamist actions, as long as it doesn’t conflict with shari’a law;
  • Avoiding social conflicts with Westerners locally, nationally or globally, that might damage the long-term ability to expand the Islamist powerbase in the West or provoke a lash back against Muslims;
  • Establishing financial networks to fund the work of conversion of the West, including the support of full-time administrators and workers;
  • Conducting surveillance, obtaining data, and establishing collection and data storage capabilities;
  • Putting into place a watchdog system for monitoring Western media to warn Muslims of “international plots fomented against them”;
  • Cultivating an Islamist intellectual community, including the establishment of think-tanks and advocacy groups, and publishing “academic” studies, to legitimize Islamist positions and to chronicle the history of Islamist movements;
  • Developing a comprehensive 100-year plan to advance Islamist ideology throughout the world;
  • Balancing international objectives with local flexibility;
  • Building extensive social networks of schools, hospitals and charitable organizations dedicated to Islamist ideals so that contact with the movement for Muslims in the West is constant;
  • Involving ideologically committed Muslims in democratically-elected institutions on all levels in the West, including government, NGOs, private organizations and labor unions;
  • Instrumentally using existing Western institutions until they can be converted and put into service of Islam;
  • Drafting Islamic constitutions, laws and policies for eventual implementation;
  • Avoiding conflict within the Islamist movements on all levels, including the development of processes for conflict resolution;
  • Instituting alliances with Western “progressive” organizations that share similar goals;
  • Creating autonomous “security forces” to protect Muslims in the West;
  • Inflaming violence and keeping Muslims living in the West “in a jihad frame of mind”;
  • Supporting jihad movements across the Muslim world through preaching, propaganda, personnel, funding, and technical and operational support;
  • Making the Palestinian cause a global wedge issue for Muslims;
  • Adopting the total liberation of Palestine from Israel and the creation of an Islamic state as a keystone in the plan for global Islamic domination;
  • Instigating a constant campaign to incite hatred by Muslims against Jews and rejecting any discussions of conciliation or coexistence with them;
  • Actively creating jihad terror cells within Palestine;
  • Linking the terrorist activities in Palestine with the global terror movement;
  • Collecting sufficient funds to indefinitely perpetuate and support jihad around the world;

My hope for the Egyptian people is that these people (the Brotherhood) are marginalized. As they should be. The Turks do a pretty decent job of the balancing act, every once in awhile they are rounded up. It is what it is.

Just as freedom of religion and freedom from religion are two different things...government endorsement of one religion is dangerous.  A sharia law based system will lead to misery for the Egyptian people.

Agree on Powell/Barry...he was swept up in emotion...but he;s a good man, a patriot, doing what he does/did for his country, some have no concept of personal sacrifice...speaking of Powell of course ;-) 

Yes...unstable countries can't be allowed to have "the bomb"...(buried under rose bushes or not) there's enough death committed by man, it's the least we can do for man. 

 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:40 | 915569 nuinut
nuinut's picture

Considering that US hegemony is fundamentally derived from the reserve status of the US$, I am surprised to see no mention in this conversation of Saddam's switch to oil sales in Euros only, and the reversal of this (by the US) once he was ousted.

 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:45 | 915575 JR
JR's picture

Excellent point...seems we missed the 800-pound gorilla in the room.  Thanks!  How could we miss this and be genuine ZHers? Hopefully, there will be no reprimand from Tyler.  :))

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:06 | 917192 Kayman
Kayman's picture

No spankings JR.  Of course, the problem with spankings is some always come back for more.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 10:46 | 915836 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

I'd say that the idea of switching to selling in petro-euros machs nichts.  Since oil is fungible and fx is pretty liquid.  But it would have given Saddam euros to buy the technology he was pursuing from the French and Germans while not having to pay the exchange fees.

And we know what those technologies were.

- Ned

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 11:51 | 915938 snowball777
snowball777's picture

It would have given Saddam the same protection from the Fed as ZHers seek from Au.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 16:31 | 916461 nuinut
nuinut's picture

@ Ned,

Considering that you give no indication that you understand this:

US hegemony is fundamentally derived from the reserve status of the US$

how it works or what it implies, your opinion does not appear relevant.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 18:34 | 916822 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

nuinut-here's a start on the 'indication' thingie wrt reserve status:

http://www.airpower.maxwell.af.mil/airchronicles/apj/apj91/win91/fitzg.htm

but I've been shoveling global warming fallout all day, so I'm not really up to a vigorous 'discussion' right now.

Please do some homework then we can fig...er... have a vigorous discussion ;-)

- Ned

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 21:48 | 917162 nmewn
nmewn's picture

The premise is, of course...if we are to have a hegemonic currency, backed by nothing but air, there must be a better one than ours.

Perhaps he'll share this wonderful new art form with you when he returns ;-)

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:10 | 917200 Kayman
Kayman's picture

Naturally Saddam's pricing Iraqi oil in Euro's had no practical effect whatsoever. But it was a thumb in the eye- sometimes that's all that's needed.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 23:07 | 917273 nmewn
nmewn's picture

I don't think we can discard everything contained in the discussion so far and do an aha! moment with this one point.

The guy in the really bad disco suit (Iran) has threatened the same...and he's got honest to goodness working centrifuges...or more properly said...had ;-)

If OPEC were to announce a shift...well that would be of some economic import I would wager.

In the end Saddam was a ruthless dictator, who committed genocide on his own people, who attacked neighboring countries for his own gain and to create a new "Mesopotamia", who was sanctioned by the world, who placed his own verifiable price on the lives of others, who raised two bastard sons in a home with their very own torture & rape room (who our military took a particular delight in killing I might add, I'm not sure if some would call this delight good or bad, I'm sayin it's good, because evil was destroyed), who sheltered a known terrorist (Abu Nidal), who would have slit your throat or used nukes or more Sarin/mustard gas on anyone who got in his way if given half a chance.

I don't think oil..."FRN hegemony" or buried in the desert Russian Foxbats...or Kofi Annan UN oil for food scams...or French double dealing had anything more to do with it than Saddam Hussein himself.

He had a death wish...he got his wish.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 00:43 | 917363 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

nmewn -

Yes Sadam was an evil guy.   But he was our evil guy.  We promoted his gassing program.  We helped him with meteorology, satellite imagery of troop formations, with the construction of the gass production plants.   By 'we', I include the Brits.  Rummy shaking hands with the dude, in Bahgdad.  How can you not know this stuff?

Sadam's move against the dollar is an attack on the premise that holds the Ponzi together - the Reserve Currency status of the dollar.  All over the world people and governments have to hold inventories of dollars.  Every day they have to keep working to build this inventory of dollars, otherwise, they for example get no oil.  But other stuff too.  Like steel.  Like Food.

Then he wanted to take over Mesopotamia!!!  Well look who actually took over Mesopotamia.

Here -->  Google April Gillespie You must not never have heard of April.  Because if you did, you would know how April tricked Sadam into thinking he was still our dog and we backed his claims re. Kuait drilling into his reserves (which they were).  When at that point, Sadam was nobody's dog because he was compensating the families of Palestinian suicide bombers $20k for having their collective punishment home demolition.  

But you nmewn don't know anything about any of this?  When were you born?  Last week?

Ok, Sadam did horrible stuff.  Tyrants all over the world do horrible stuff.  Probably the majority do their work for us.

Here --> Read about Craig Murray

http://www.google.co.th/search?q=uk+ambassador+boiled+alive&ie=utf-8&oe=...

sanctioned by the world  What kind of pompous bullshit is that?  Whay not say sanctioned by the power elite?  Sadam, the Arab nationalist was gets sanctioned by the banksters one way or another because he's sitting on top of all the bankster's oil.  Get it? Yes/No?

I like the new nmewn.  I think the stress of developments has forced some transparency.  You're here to appologize. 

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 01:13 | 917424 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

our evil guy is sorta like our democracy. Different flavor, same dessert

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 01:39 | 917454 Rodent Freikorps
Rodent Freikorps's picture

Bechtel never finished their plant, so they probably were not responsible for anything at all, except taking his money.

We provided some intel to Iraq during its war with Iran. Prolonged the war and weakened two of our enemies. Good return on investment.

The recipie for sarin/mustard gas has been known since WW1. Maybe it is possible he got it from a million different sources. His military hardware was soviet.

Do you Great Satan haters have a secret handshake?

Free Kurdistan!!

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 08:04 | 917602 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Rodent - I never said Bechtel.  Look at this.

http://www.mail-archive.com/thepowerhourflashstats@thepowerhour.com/msg0...

or this

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/mar2003/chem-m13.shtml

I wish we could all get along.  Failing that, I wish we would not go around provoking and initiating conflict.

or this from the Guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2003/mar/06/uk.iraq

I understand the concept behind baiting two parties to maul each other.  I was responding to Nmewn getting all morally indignant about Saddam.  Nobody has clean hands.  It's way past time for someone, some party to have clean hands -IMO.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 09:14 | 917635 nmewn
nmewn's picture

BI,

I was just getting ready to respond to yours up top...you guys are wearing my ass out ;-)

Yes...I'm aware of what you point out. Yes, it's called foreign entanglements. And yes I'm not here to defend or promote a solution to them. It's nasty business.

"I understand the concept behind baiting two parties to maul each other.  I was responding to Nmewn getting all morally indignant about Saddam.  Nobody has clean hands.  It's way past time for someone, some party to have clean hands -IMO."

Understood.

For myself, the left side has made the valid argument that we, as a nation, shouldn't have black ops running amok, jetting around the world, slipping into a nations leaders sleeping chambers, placing a pillow over his head and popping a .22 through his forehead...just because we disagree with him.

The right, would make the equally valid argument that Saddam was a perfect case for having just those kinds of ops. I can't disagree with this view but I also can see a point where I myself might be seen as disagreeing with those looking to expend a little ammo ;-)

So we boxed ourselves in, for good or bad.

Now if we take the proposition that, because of the threat of a renegade Iran, that we aided this monster, is it not morally justifiable to help destroy him?

It's not a trick question. If my dogs went nuts it is my responsibility to stop them.

Yes, I'm sick of the left/right crap too. But I dislike socialism and virally hate communism.

When it comes back into balance where what I earn is acknowledged to be mine and mine alone, to do with as I please, without penalties for doing this with it or that with it...then we can move forward united as one I believe.

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 02:27 | 919495 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

nmewn - you don't seem to be processing.  Do you stay awake at night worrying because of the threat of a renegade Iran?  I don't. 

The real criminal threat to your ownership of 'things' is much closer to you than Iran, but somehow, you've been conditioned to drone on about what a threat Iran is.  Iran is not attacking anybody anywhere, but they are doing a good job, diplomatically and otherwise to stop another unprovoked war of aggression, this time directed at them by you and yours.

Look out nmewn!  There's a Persian in your closet!  Booo!

Did you jump?

====================

Edit - but nmewn, I do want to offer you sincere thanks for sparking all this excellent commentary on the real sources of and promoters of WMD in the Middle East.

Cognitive Dissonance.

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 08:02 | 919678 nmewn
nmewn's picture

BI,

"Do you stay awake at night worrying because of the threat of a renegade Iran?

LOL...no, I don't lose any sleep over it.

But the man in the bad disco suit has stated, as President of Iran, one of his objectives is to stir the shit to provoke the Twelfth Imam to come popping up from a basement or water well in Samara to prove a religious point to Sunni's...or sumpin. He's on the record as saying it...he supports the Mahdi Army with money and weapons (which takes it's name for same) in a neighboring country (that would be Iraq)...he-is-in-fucking-sane.

And he wants nukes...why? What part of this are you having a problem with?

But you chose this to debate about instead of what I said about US policy regarding black ops...or not...and why that is that we don't anymore...& the morality or immoralty of rectifying any past policy that had a consequence unseen at the time implemented. You give entreaties that you are sick of the left/right thingy and I attempt to focus on this and you circle back around and engage on this...sticking to Iran as seen in the GW thread.

So I would say it is you...BI...who doesn't wish to move the citizens of the US forward and it is you who are losing way to much sleep over how things are turning out around the world and here in the US. And judging by the hours you keep in which you post I'm not completely sure you are even a US citizen who even has a dog in this fight.

But...good morning to you anyways ;-)

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 13:14 | 917849 Rick64
Rick64's picture

Rodent 

 Bechtel never finished the chemical plant not because of Saddam's use of chemical weapons or abuses, but because of the Gulf War. BTW he got the raw materials from several countries. Check out the revolving door between Bechtel executives and the White House. Connected at the highest levels.

  Reports by the US Senate's committee on banking, housing and urban affairs -- which oversees American exports policy -- reveal that the US, under the successive administrations of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr, sold materials including anthrax, VX nerve gas, West Nile fever germs and botulism to Iraq right up until March 1992, as well as germs similar to tuberculosis and pneumonia. Other bacteria sold included brucella melitensis, which damages major organs, and clostridium perfringens, which causes gas gangrene.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 14:09 | 918008 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

Rick:

"Check out the revolving door between Bechtel executives and the White House. Connected at the highest levels."

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?sts=t&tn=%22friends+in+hig... was pretty good in its time.

Materials from several countries-->oil for euros.

I doubt if the materials sales went into 1992.

- Ned

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 20:40 | 918863 Rick64
Rick64's picture

They are still connected and in bed with the DOD.

I doubt if the materials sales went into 1992.

 That was part of a senate committee report. Perhaps the materials they were selling towards the end weren't considered dangerous, but that we sold them anything after 1988 seems hypocritical.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 00:05 | 917339 nuinut
nuinut's picture

The premise is that a hegemonic currency is backed by overwhelming usage demand.

No small part of this usage demand is generated by the petrodollar, and the elimination of Saddam's dissension on this served as a good example to other states with similar ideas, for example the one from which the bulk of the operation was launched.

I did not imply that other points in the discussion could/should be discarded, merely that this point has bearing and had been overlooked.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 08:12 | 917609 nmewn
nmewn's picture

"I did not imply that other points in the discussion could/should be discarded, merely that this point has bearing and had been overlooked."

Duly noted too in my view...and...

I want to take this opportunity to apologize to you personally for what I was thinking if not for what I said...if it's even possible to apologize for a thought...LOL.

We are all (all of us) filled with our own bias's & belief's, I'm no different...when I see the word "hegemony" used I know from where, why & who used this word and how it came to be popularized in our lexicon.

That being said, your intended point of dominance is well made.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 10:36 | 917685 New_Meat
Sun, 01/30/2011 - 11:01 | 917699 nmewn
nmewn's picture

I stay in it...it's where I'm comfortable ;-)

Speaking of minorities, human rights, rule of law and what not...I see where the Dutch-Iranian woman who took part in the Green Revolution uprising in Iran was hanged today...before her trial was over.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hLpr5v1zutLIx98KJ0dUfcvc6xyA?docId=6517a4f99d9a4edc883696f25e235b47

No doubt someone will come along momentarily and say the zionist dogs have penetrated deeply into the Iranian judicial system and circumvented sharia law itself.

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 02:36 | 919500 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Well, there is this.  He holds up his enternal passport, a photog snaps the shutter and it shows ...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/6256173/Mahmou...

Capital punishment sucks most of the time.

They are living in a virtual state of war with the EE.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 11:22 | 915891 snowball777
snowball777's picture

Point, set, and match.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 13:12 | 916124 Abitdodgie
Abitdodgie's picture

Getting the oil was a great bonus, however the real and even bigger reason was made by the bankers issuing a new currency for Iraq controlled by the bankers , loaned to them at interest , As they say " I care not who makes the laws as long as the banks control the money supply 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 14:12 | 916275 Rick64
Rick64's picture

 Iran went one step farther and set up an oil bourse dealing in euros, Iranian rial, and other currencies besides the U.S. dollar in 2008.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 06:19 | 915701 AnAnonymous
AnAnonymous's picture

But, as I said, we (this nation or Israel for that matter) has gotten nothing in proportion to what was given...monetarily that is, oil being a commodity, thus having a quantifiable price. The same was said about Afghanistan and oil pipelines. Many rumors without much fact.

 

Same drivel as usual.

The cost of war is known. The loot is not measured. The argument is moot.

Pipelines: forced trade. Once pipelines are built, the  supply side is bound to the demand side by a physical line, harming seriously the supply side's opportunity to look for better sales opportunities elsewhere.

Duplicity is a key word for US citizens.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 09:17 | 915766 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

"Pipelines: forced trade. Once pipelines are built, the  supply side is bound to the demand side by a physical line, harming seriously the supply side's opportunity to look for better sales opportunities elsewhere."

Kind of B.S..  I see your point, but there are some problems with your theory.  1.) You can't exactly just have a million or two in startup capitol, build a refinery next to a well and cut your competition off at the knees.  2.) Oil has to go to one of two places: Shipping ports or refineries.  Those places are quite finite, and coincidentally where all the pipelines are.  3.) If the pipeline is owned by the people who own the product and the refinery, what competition is being stifled?  4.) If one oil company wants to buy product from another, either more of it, or start up a partnership of sorts, they simply build another pipeline.  It happens all the time.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 12:04 | 917746 AnAnonymous
AnAnonymous's picture

By competition, I  supposed you meant concurrence.

Save that, I dont see your point. Infrastructure dictates the distribution of goods. So...

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 12:38 | 917789 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

My point, is hat there is no competition stifled because there IS NO COMPETITION.  Most of the lines are either owned by the people who own the product, OR by dedicated shippers who build lines based on where the customer WANTS the oil to go.  WHAT MISSED COMPETITION?  Are you implying that new money would just be flowing into the oil business but for existing pipelines dictating where it has to be shipped?  New pipelines are built every day.  Your argument makes no sense.  It's simply the cheapest way to move liquid and gas.

Please by all means, give me a plausible scenario where competition is stifled by a pipeline. 

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 02:40 | 919504 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

The cost of war is known. The loot is not measured. The argument is moot.

True, but even more moot, because the costs of war is born by the sheeples, but the loot goes elsewhere.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:03 | 915416 Rick64
Rick64's picture

 The U.S. was obviously not bothered by Saddams use of chemical weapons, the same year he used them Bechtel had a contract to build a chemical plant. This is a corporation with extensive government ties.

 In 1988, just after Saddam Hussein had earned international condemnation for using poisonous gas against thousands of Kurds, Bechtel signed contracts with Iraq to build a dual-use chemical plant in Baghdad.

Also control of water in Iraq ( Tigris and Euphrates rivers ) is and will be very important in that region.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 15:30 | 916452 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

water is one of the main war-motivators in the Middle East - the Six-Day War gave Israel control over the Golan Heights (Syria), which source the Sea of Galilee - research "National Water Carrier" for more depth - but yes, these are desert regions, and water a valuable "commodity". . .

a 2009 report stated the "average Israeli uses 300 litres of water daily as compared to the average Palestinian's 70 litres" from their "shared aquifer". . .

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8327188.stm

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:12 | 917202 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

A long time ago, that rag, the National Geographic did a cover story, with a global map, on conflict hot spots around the world due to competition for water.  They had for example a section on Turkey, Iraq and Syria competing over the Tigress and Euphrates, But nothing about Israel taking Arab water from the Golan, the Sea of Galilee and the Jordan River.  At that point I realized that we in America have a very deep and serious problem with our captured media.  Even the friggin, National Geographic has to toe the line.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 01:19 | 917430 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

yup

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 13:20 | 917877 Rick64
Rick64's picture

Excellent example of biased reporting and as you point out it has been going on for a long time.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 13:17 | 917867 Rick64
Rick64's picture

 Thanks for that info, I was aware of the rationing but didn't know the actual figures.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:05 | 917190 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Hello Nmewn - How do you drink the kool-aide with that big hook set in your jaw?

Let me ask you a question. 

Question: Where is Mubarak now trying to run to?

Ans: That's right, ... back to his handlers back in Israel.

Result: You looking foolish.

Alternative explanation: ... [Do you have one?]

 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:19 | 917217 Kayman
Kayman's picture

Bring It.

I am sure nmewm can answer your question. But let me interject.

If Mubarek is found "back to his handlers back in Israel" you will get the Nobel Prize for divine omniscience.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:32 | 917240 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Why do Egyptians keep seeing Mossad agents in their nightmares?

Israelis bombing American targets in Cairo?  Say it ain't so Kayman ... nmewn

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lavon_Affair

"The Lavon Affair refers to a failed Israeli covert operation, code named Operation Susannah, conducted in Egypt in the Summer of 1954. As part of the false flag operation, a group of Egyptian Jews were recruited by Israeli military intelligence for plans to plant bombs inside Egyptian, American and British-owned targets. The attacks were to be blamed on the Muslim Brotherhood, Egyptian Communists, "unspecified malcontents" or "local nationalists" with the aim of creating a climate of sufficient violence and instability to induce the British government to retain its occupying troops in Egypt's Suez Canal zone.[1] The operation caused no casualties, except for the members of the cell who committed suicide after being captured."

This was a while ago.  I'm sure they've upped their game by now.  So, tell me again that Israel's Mossad is not up to crazy, evil stuff in Egypt.

 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:36 | 917244 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Re. Mubarak fleeing to Tel Aviv.

I saw this http://www.zerohedge.com/article/follow-egyptian-revolution-live-al-jaze...

So I went to this

http://aljazeera.com/news/articles/39/Mubaraks-planning-exile-to-Tel-Avi...

If nothing else comes of this, at least a picture's worth a thousand words.  What are these two guys so happy about?

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 06:35 | 917570 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture

If Mubarak goes to exile in Israel....

that will be some shaker. Even a hardened cynic like me does not happen.

Crazy, thanks for the link.

 

ORI

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 08:11 | 917608 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

No worries ORI.  I like your new avatar.  I guy like that once put colored dots on my forehead on the Annapurna Circuit.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 20:41 | 918875 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

that tilaka has obviously added to your awareness Bringing It, some great, expansive posts!

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 21:25 | 918976 nmewn
nmewn's picture

As soon as BI can bring himself to quit drooling on himself and respond to mine to him...maybe it can get even more expansive ;-)

I'm not holding my breath on Mubarak winding up in Israel like BI...right about now he's positively blue...after this, maybe red...LOL.

Now, El Baradei. After running interference for Iran's nuclear ambitions for years he comes popping up from...Vienna?...perfect.

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 02:45 | 919507 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Thanks CA. 

Today, I have to share some credit with my straight man nmewn who threw up the softballs.

 

Mon, 01/31/2011 - 05:14 | 919606 AnAnonymous
AnAnonymous's picture

French & British intelligence was saying the same thing the CIA was saying regarding WMD...you know this already.

 

How does it matter when  US administration elements have told since then that they knew it was drivel?

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 21:44 | 917154 Kayman
Kayman's picture

Well said JR.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:06 | 917191 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Well said JR.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 22:21 | 917222 Kayman
Kayman's picture

Well said nmewn.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 03:52 | 917527 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

Are we to support dictators oppressing their people so that they’ll be “correct” on Israel and to fight undeclared wars where Congress takes no action as to whether American interests are at stake?  ...  We are talking about the largest economic decision of this new century--to support Israel at the exclusion of all other interests--let alone the blood and sacrifice for peoples in the Middle East and families in the United States.

JR - I think this is terrific.  You really capture the national issue that needs to wake  the people up to take action in a functioning democracy. 

 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 17:16 | 914434 WaterWings
WaterWings's picture

Dos,

This is what they say: "Never again!" 

And this is what they do: http://www.leedspsc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/phos.jpg

Evil.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 17:19 | 914440 WaterWings
WaterWings's picture

Dos,

This is what they say: "Never again!" 

And this is what they do: http://www.leedspsc.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/phos.jpg

Evil.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 23:49 | 915390 Dave
Dave's picture

New World Order? There's no new world order. It's the same Old World Order wearing a new mask.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:31 | 915467 JW n FL
JW n FL's picture

same team, new sales pitch! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:00 | 915411 tmosley
tmosley's picture

I agree.  Fucking brown people living on our land before we got there.  

Fucking Arabs are just like fucking Indians.  Fucking living there before the white Israelis.  Except for the Isrealis living there two thousand years ago.  Then fucking driven out.  Fucking brown people.  Fuck.  Fucking brown people not actually driving out all of the Israelis.  Fucking interbreeding with them.  Fucking Israelis fucking converting and becoming Palestinians.  Fuck those fucks.  Fucking kill them all.  So the fucking Jews can get their fucking land back from the fucking jews who fucking converted to fucking Islam.

Fuck!

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 02:49 | 917496 Nassim
Nassim's picture

As I understand it, a non-Jewish Zionist is someone who wants to send all Jews to Israel/Palestine :)

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 08:25 | 917612 Bringin It
Bringin It's picture

a non-Jewish Zionist - how crazy is that?  Like I said, Biden I can believe.  It's his job.  He gets paid.  But Dos Zap?  That's just too funny.

DosZap you are not a Jew, but you enjoy Zionism.  Why is that DosZap?

"Well, I'm glad you-all asked me that.  Eyezah enjoys riding herd on the brown folks.  If Eyezah can't do it myself, Eyezah enjoys seein' others doin it.  Eyezah encourage all of you-all to ride herd on the brown folks as often as possible"

Thanks for the comedy DosZap. 

What do you also enjoy pounding nails in your head?  Just asking cause it seems consistent with your perspective.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 12:29 | 917777 New_Meat
New_Meat's picture

JR, great work here and below, thanks.

"Watching the events in Cairo one can never forget the substantial contributor to this event:..."

Mulled this over as I was moving global-warming residue yesterday and this morning.

Then dug out JCS briefings on "The Long War", come in several related flavors.  The primary one is:

turcopolier.typepad.com/.../jcslongwar_vicedirectorforstratplansandpolicy_j5.ppt

(search JCS "long war" to get full link) and Riggle's version that has al Qa'ida's timeline

proceedings.ndia.org/7030/Riggle.pdf

Of interest is slide 11 showing the timeline.  "4.  Demise of Arab Governments - 2010"

(This .pdf is dated 2007, but both date from 2002/3) So I'm not giving Israel much credit in this: unrest/instability of this nature risks too much.  But Muslim Brotherhood is idealogically with al Qa'ida and we now see reports of community-organizing efforts, e.g.:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/egypt/828... (from the U.K. so you know it is true ;-)

and Axelrod spinning as usual:

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/01/axelrod-president-obama-...

Confluence of interests is, well, intriguing.

- Ned

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:28 | 914227 Josey Wales
Josey Wales's picture

Hey ORI, Maybe you are new to the whole HPH thing, reposting language from the reports "muddies the stream" the spyders pick up.  It creates allot of havoc for the filtering process and makes reports harder to make.

Oh, and reposting other's intelectual work without permission or credit is not very cool.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:32 | 915559 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture

Hey Josey,

Maybe you are new to the connect-the-dots game of geo-X. HPH is not the lone Voice playing Geo-X. Here you go, as small reference. 

http://www.zerohedge.com/article/follow-egyptian-revolution-live-al-jaze...

I suggest you develop your own mind/critical thinking/big-picture skills.

ORI

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:12 | 915602 Dave
Dave's picture

Just noticed your avitar. Looks like a guy I know in Louisiana.

Sun, 01/30/2011 - 06:55 | 917579 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture

Tell him a ZH look-alike said hi. ;-)

ORI

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:38 | 913273 Eternal Student
Eternal Student's picture

Here's another piece of the plan that's falling into place. If you use cash to pay your bills, you're now a terrorist:

http://www.prisonplanet.com/california-residents-hit-with-government-ban...

 

California Residents Hit With Government Ban On Paying By Cash

"Residents of Discovery Bay, California will be the first in the country to be officially denied the right to use cash to pay for public services, in a move that echoes the Department of Homeland Security’s drive to depict those who use physical money as potential terrorists."

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:44 | 913630 DosZap
DosZap's picture

THEY ARE BREAKING FEDERAL LAW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You MUST accept LEGAL TENDER for payment of a debt.

Period end of story.

Frigging Nazis.

I wish this bitch would go ahead an implode,we are not FREE, and our own Gvt is a FELON.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 14:27 | 913805 Rodent Freikorps
Rodent Freikorps's picture

Seems like the only laws still enforced are the ones keeping the middle class in line.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:22 | 913988 MachoMan
MachoMan's picture

I have to seriously question a municipality's choice to refuse cash transactions.  Generally, there are going to be processing fees associated with taking credit cards or other electronic submissions...  so the 3%+ processing fees are more than offset by the reduction in costs associated with cash transactions? 

As for accepting cash, here is a cached link from the treasury's site: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:RKLc-vEWtMcJ:https:...

In other words, governmental services are not debt and thus not covered by the coinage act...  obviously I wouldn't hang my hat on this link in court, but it's just what i found via a quick google search.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:15 | 915607 Dave
Dave's picture

The city employees steal more than the processing fees.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 17:03 | 914395 The Navigator
The Navigator's picture

I'll say it again

Laws and Taxes are for Peons and Peasants

At least the Egyptians understood this.

When will we throw off the yoke of our money & slave masters.

Remember, remember the 5th of November - V

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:52 | 914082 pods
pods's picture

How great is it that the government won't even accept FRNs in payment of debts?  They just want to go cashless so you cannot have a bank run.  
I agree with Dos, let's just take this thing down and start over.  And hang any bankster that tries to start fractional reserve banking again.

pods

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 17:53 | 914595 indio007
indio007's picture

Can you say secret contract for the benefit of an undisclosed third party. They are in essence forcing you into a third party contract. They are forcing you to use a third party paymaster. Screw that . Pay in silver coin , record their refusal and slam them when they try and sue on it.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 22:11 | 915237 In Fed We Trust
In Fed We Trust's picture

I love it. Two birds with one stone.

The continous effort to pull currency from the system, weather for the coming collaspe/introduction of new currency/chip  aliegned with the anti terrorist propanganda/ and pscy war.

I say cash is King for many years now. Im no terrorist, but it is nobodies busines s what I make and where it goes? Got it. Good! 

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 00:31 | 915466 In Fed We Trust
In Fed We Trust's picture

Based on the number of military choppers over the sky today and tonight in Boulder CO, I have a hunch something is about to happen...

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 15:39 | 916470 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

Mike Krieger, that you?

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:34 | 912499 Bob
Bob's picture

The American media is turning this into a commercial for "social media." 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:41 | 912524 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

The American media does what it's told.  I'm watching this Aljazheera stream, so I turned on the TV just to see what OUR media has on.  I'm not shitting you, they were talking about Charlie Sheen and an OD after partying all night with five hookers.

The US government NEEDS us to pay attention to spoiled actors snorting blow out of hooker's ass cracks, because they are terrified we will see what can be accomplished by a determined public.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:45 | 912531 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture

Spot on Col and Bob above. Web 2.0 darlings have to be sold sold sold because intrinsically, they are worthless. Totally worthless, even when weighed in fast becoming worthless fiat.

Twitter and Facebook especially.

ORI

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:52 | 912541 sushi
sushi's picture

The US government NEEDS us to pay attention to spoiled actors snorting blow out of hooker's ass cracks

 

What I don't understand is why the muslims keep harping on about a "degenerate west."

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 09:58 | 912556 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

Of course there is always the possibility that Charlie Sheen is actually Mako and is just partying like it's 1999 while he still can.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:16 | 912832 snowball777
snowball777's picture

Because their culture is the height of sophistication? Slavery and anti-feminism are also degenerate behavior.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:29 | 913217 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

yes, we (now) prefer to do that slavery thing....indirectly

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 20:57 | 915080 nmewn
nmewn's picture

Snowy!

+++++

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:07 | 913107 MachoMan
MachoMan's picture

Wasn't baywatch a hit series in more than a few ME countries?

Let's be degenerates together.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:11 | 914165 downrodeo
downrodeo's picture

+1

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 20:58 | 915085 nmewn
nmewn's picture

+2

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:23 | 915613 Dave
Dave's picture

Now this ain't no shit. I worked in a certain middle eastern country a few years ago. The most popular TV channel in our camp was Fashion TV. It was the closest thing those boys would ever get to porn.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:29 | 913223 DosZap
DosZap's picture

sushi,

Well we do have our foibles,( to which I heartlily loathe) but at least donkey banging, and pedophila is not considered socially acceptable.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 21:02 | 915094 nmewn
nmewn's picture

"and pedophila"

Mohammad will curse you for revealing this secret...I'm goin for the whole fatwa thingy ;-)

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:30 | 915618 Rodent Freikorps
Rodent Freikorps's picture

Don't hold your breath. I keep trying and I can't get no love.

The proper age for a wife is half the man's age, plus seven years.

Just because it was said by a mooselimb does not mean it is automatically evil. Just usually.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 10:29 | 912635 alien-IQ
alien-IQ's picture

I turned on CNN for a few moments to see what they'd say (if anything) about the riots...They said there were tens of thousands of people" who were "peacefully protesting"...as the video feed was showing police beating people with batons and spraying them with water cannons. The US media not only has no credibility...they are now officially a joke.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:31 | 912925 downrodeo
downrodeo's picture

Oh, it's been like that for quite awhile now. Television is exactly what it is purported to be: programming.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-august-18-2009/cnn-s-just-sayin-

 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:20 | 912846 Agent P
Agent P's picture

"The American media does what it's told."

I agree with this statement, but I disagree with those who use it to suggest that freedom of the press is dead due to government suppression.

The American media is run by profit seeking corporations (GE, TWX, DIS, CBS, VIA, etc.), and the only thing they care about is ratings, because ratings = ad dollars = profits.  To capture ratings in a highly fragmented market (seriously, think of how many "news" outlets we have grown to since the old days of just three major networks) you need to run the most sensationalistic stories which play to the broadest audience (i.e., lowest common denominator).

Unfortunately, more people in America want celebrity gossip over real world news, so a story about Charlie Sheen: movie star, Hollywood bad boy, star of a highly rated sitcom...getting busted again for a coke party with five hookers trumps a foreign government overthrow every time.

God bless America!

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 11:36 | 912932 Confused
Confused's picture

Agreed with everything here, *except* that "Americans want celebrity gossip."

 

Sure they want it, but its not an inherent want, thats what they've been programmed to be interested in. And giving it to them keeps it going. Like a junkie. I believe ORI invoked Bernays name earlier. I'm doing the same. 

 

And for the record. Charlie Sheen is a real American. How can you not love him? 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:03 | 913071 Agent P
Agent P's picture

I don't know.  With so many options for news and entertainment (literally hundreds of TV channels, numerous radio options (terrestrial and satellite), and a seemingly infinite internet), why do so many more people tune in to Dancing with the Stars and American Idol as opposed to Modern Marvels or How It's Made (note to Discovery Channel: bring that show back!)?  The only thing I can come up with is it's what they truly want to watch.  To each his own I guess.

As to your second point, I totally agree.  I love Charlie.  One of my favorite movies lines ever from Major League: "I look like a banker in this."  You have to admit though, the boy is seriously fucked up in the head.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:38 | 914296 nuinut
nuinut's picture

Edward Bernays.

If you don't know who he was and how much of an impact he has had on your life (a lot), you can find out pretty fast here: The Century Of The Self, Part 1 - Happiness Machines

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:32 | 915621 Oh regional Indian
Oh regional Indian's picture

nice Nui. Did not realize so much had been posted on the site.

Yup, Bernays is too critical figure to "not know". As is the tavistock Institute.

Thanks,

ORI

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:48 | 915635 CD
CD's picture

Nice to have a face to place with the name, ORI.

There is another v. interesting documentary 'Psywar' from Metanoia Films worth checking out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NXg70qJQ6O0&feature=related  (full vid)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7A2hVDdB10 (1/8 segments)

These things keep getting removed from YouTube for some reason... Links may only work temporarily

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 01:40 | 915567 Yen Cross
Yen Cross's picture

You caught that FOX thread. Good job!

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 12:34 | 913248 DosZap
DosZap's picture

Your SO far of the mark its wild.

THe American media feeds us what they think we want(many do),and government does not surpress it,they basically own it.

That is how they surpress it, by having USEFULL IDIOTS that make the news, instead of report it, and 90%of it is all Left Wing crap.

IOW,we basically get the news the gvt wants us to.(that I call suppression).

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 13:32 | 913569 Agent P
Agent P's picture

So the companies I mentioned above are only looking to appease the government by broadcasting useful idiots, which isn't really what the people want to see, as opposed to gearing programming to the masses with the goal of maximizing profits?  And by not suppressing the garbage, the government in turn is suppressing the real news, which is really what the masses want, which means that if the media did run with the Egypt story over Charlie Sheen's hooker party, they would actually have higher ratings and earn more profits, but in doing so would piss off the government, who they are out to please as their primary objective?

If that's what you're saying, and you're correct, then I guess I am wildly off the mark.  If I didn't capture your opinion correctly, then by all means, please explain yourself further.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 15:53 | 914083 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

I have to agree with DosZap on this one.  Look at the effort people put into finding out what the hell is going on. Internet, ZH, Blogs, papers, AlJazeera, obscure links to tin foil helmets, all because there is no MSM outlet that even tries to get the truth out.

The average American THINKS they are informed because they watch FoxNFriends before work, listen to the top of the hour spots during the day, read Yahoo news and watch Katie Couric at five.  What they see in the news is Charlie Sheen so they think that watching Two and a Half Men is relevant.  It is all about conditioning.  I think that if CNN for instance was an actual news outlet, their ratings would be astronomical beyond belief.  But, the government can't allow it.  Just look for example, how the Obama White House closed off Fox News because they didn't like what they were broadcasting.  (Not saying I think Fox News is stellar by any means, but they didn't gag on White House cock so they were shut out)

I still maintain that the TPTB are scared shitless that an unarmed revolution may have brought the military onto their side, and may overthrow a deep seated government in a matter of hours.  These people are unarmed.  You think this can't happen here?  It won't, (yet) because we are enraptured by watching Charlie Sheen, and hoping we'll see Lyndsay Lohan's noony when she gets out of her limo in front of the courthouse as she has yet another court appearance.

You may be right in that "hookers and blow" get ratings, but it is all by design.   

 

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:29 | 914241 Agent P
Agent P's picture

Trust me, I think there are plenty of people who seek out the truth, but I also believe (unfortunately) that a great deal more people who don't.  What do you think has a higher viewership, Dancing with the Stars or Zero Hedge?  Be honest in your answer.

Maybe you're right and it's government conditioning.  My belief is the media is profit driven, and they're simply serving up what sells...no conspiracy theory required.  Either way, I think we can both agree the end result is the same, and it's a sad one at that.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 16:47 | 914339 ColonelCooper
ColonelCooper's picture

Absolutely Dancing with the Stars.  Sad.

I would also offer that we are probably both correct in our feelings on cause and effect.

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 17:13 | 916677 Rick Masters
Rick Masters's picture

DWTS is for women. It's an hour a week. Can people not have fun? I try to be serious and learn but there's a time to not think and just have a bit of fun too. I'm not pointing a finger at anyone. Im just sayin' a lil entertainment is not bad at all in moderation. It's bad in large doese like anything else, including this site.

Fri, 01/28/2011 - 20:40 | 915044 Cathartes Aura
Cathartes Aura's picture

• "We live in a dirty and dangerous world. There are some things the general public does not need to know, and shouldn't. I believe democracy flourishes when the government can take legitimate steps to keep its secrets and when the press can decide whether to print what it knows." (1988)

 

Katharine Graham is best known for her role as publisher of the Washington Post newspaper, and for the role she played as the head of the Post during the Nixon Administration and the Watergate scandal.

http://womenshistory.about.com/od/quotes/a/kay_graham.htm

Graham was also a regular attendee at Bilderberg Group meetings, as are many heads of western "news" organisations.

People seek porn over news, entertainment over truth?  the ole chicken 'n' egg story. . .

Sat, 01/29/2011 - 02:33 | 915626 Dave
Dave's picture

The world is no more dirty or dangerous than it's ever been. We're just aware now of the shit that goes down thanks to modern communications.

Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!