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“Our” Sunni Terrorists Are Fighting “Their” Hezbollah Terrorists

George Washington's picture




 

Right now inside Syria, Hezbollah terrorist fighters – backed by the Syrian government, Iran and Lebanon – are fighting Al Qaeda, Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood terrorist fighters – backed by the U.S., Israel, the Eurozone, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

BBC reports:

The military chief of the main umbrella group of Syrian rebels … claimed that more than 7,000 fighters of the Lebanese Shia movement [Hezbollah ] were taking part in attacks on the rebel-held town of Qusair.

 

The French foreign minister has estimated the number at 3,000-4,000.

 

***

 

Hezbollah fighters have been in Syria for some time now but their numbers appear to have grown rapidly over the last few weeks ….

Not only did the U.S., Israel and Saudi Arabia largely create, sponsor and fund Al Qaeda, but also two other groups fighting on the side of the Syrian rebels: Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.

This is a proxy war.

As we’ve documented in detail, the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and their allies back the Sunni jihadists against Shia Muslims.  Indeed, the U.S. is involved in a religious war – between the two factions of Islam (and is actually backing the most violent elements) – as part of a geopolitical strategy to exert control over the natural gas market.

BBC notes:

[There is] growing concern in the US that the conflict in Syria is morphing into a complex regional war by proxy.

ABC News reports:

Hezbollah and Al Qaeda fighters edging closer to full scale confrontation

 

***

 

Syria’s conflict is often described as a “civil war,” but that is only true insofar as it has yet to spill over into another country on a large scale or draw in too many different forces. But it is the quintessential proxy war, with the Alawite (an offshoot of Shia Islam) Assad regime backed up by Shia allies Hezbollah and Iran, as well as Russia and China.

 

The Sunni rebels are supported by the Islamist rulers of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey, as well as the U.S., France, Britain and others.

 

***

 

In December, Syrian rebels [i.e. Sunnis] burned down a Shiite mosque in northern Idlib province. Fighting between Hezbollah and Jabhat al-Nusra is being waged closer and closer to the Zeinab shrine. Shiite villages are coming under attack by militants who praise Osama bin Laden and Sunni villagers are being slaughtered by regime loyalists. Sectarian fighting has already leaked across the border into northern Lebanon.  [For example, Syrian rebels - Sunnis - apparently shelled Shiites inside neighboring Lebanon.] The stage has been set.

 

“When Hezbollah and Israel are both actively fighting in the same third country,” writes Ramy Khoury, a professor of international affairs at the American University of Beirut, “and Iran and the United States are both actively warning about their determination to act to protect their allies and their interests in that same third country, it is time to make another pot of coffee and make sure you have plenty of fresh batteries at home for your transistor radio.”

All people of good faith are calling for an end to all foreign soldiers and foreign weapons  in Syria … be they from Iran, Lebanon and Russia, or the U.S., Israeli, Saudi Arabia and Europe.

Of course, the U.S. has been arming the Syrian opposition since 2006.

Indeed, American neoconservatives planned regime change … and considered carrying out acts of violence and blaming it on the Syrian government as an excuse for regime change was discussed over 50 years ago by British and American leaders.

But the answer is not to send more arms to “our” terrorists to fight “their” terrorists .  The answer is for all sides to stop pouring gas on the fire, getting all foreign troops and arms out, and letting the Syrian people sort it out.

 

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Fri, 05/31/2013 - 14:52 | 3614569 InTheLandOfTheBlind
InTheLandOfTheBlind's picture

divide and conquer bitches!

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 13:50 | 3614213 moneybots
moneybots's picture

"Right now inside Syria, Hezbollah terrorist fighters – backed by the Syrian government, Iran and Lebanon – are fighting Al Qaeda, Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood terrorist fighters – backed by the U.S."

 

If that be the case, what a fraud the war on terror is.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:48 | 3613951 WTFUD
WTFUD's picture

There Must come a time when ' return on investment ' renders all this shit ' unprofitable '. Too many people to bribe/ kill.

Just heard if BofAml gets over $14 the entire economy is recovering.
( he's mine ok?)

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 13:34 | 3614124 Jumbotron
Jumbotron's picture

Cold War never ended.....it was always a war fought by proxies.  Same here in the Middle East.

George....you forgot to add Russia to the allies of Syria.  That's who really controls the Syrian puppets.

Most of this shit is Russia's attempt to keep the thumb down on crazy muslim terrorists in that region and to make sure more natural gas supplies via a Qatar backed pipeline don't undermine their business.

But make no mistake...this is the 21st century Cold War.....same as the "old War"  It's all about natural and much needed resources.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:12 | 3613851 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

Sunnis in Iraq have been creating violence as well. Always thought Bin Laden was on the fundamentalist (Shiite) side. the US accused Iran of supporiting Al Qaeda in Iraq, (one of the reasons Bush went there). now of course we support Al Qaeda in Libya and Syria. Wonder why Bush, or the GOP hasn't said anything, and why they don't accuse Obama of supporting terrorism. But then McCain is right in there pitching the status quo as well. Its a tough political nut to crack, Regime Change, or support the group that caused 9/11. (Usually the GOP takes the lo road in these things, but so far no road) For right now Regime Change trumps all.  Hey we could use a little of that

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:30 | 3613671 medium giraffe
medium giraffe's picture

 

 

The Petrodollar/NatGas/Central Bank/Construction/Private Security Feeding Frenzy Play:

1. Destabilize region.

2. Gain popular home support by using media to increase fear of terrorism in an already paranoid nation.

3. Maintain frontline news blackout to minimize details of atrocities, ensuring continued popular support and cover for human rights violations.

3. Sell arms to all sides.

3. Covertly apply pressure to keep the momentum up if required.

4. Wait for a nice high body count of brown people and total systemic destruction.

5. Offer cheap loans at a variable rate in return for reduced cost oil/gas to help 'rebuild'.

6. Secure contracts for US corporations and private security as part of the rebuilding effort.

7. Increase cost of servicing loan, impoverishing nation and reducing likelihood of reprisals.

8. Maintain media blackout over crippling results of financial burden. Distract, ignore or rely on publicly funded charity efforts.

 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:24 | 3613890 the grateful un...
the grateful unemployed's picture

Most of those are State of Israel talking points. Destabilize is the primary mission, and when political groups do form, assassinate the leaders, thereby creating a permanent basis for political radicalization. Radicalism usually ends when the group is invited to participate in elections. Israel prefers the Palestinian solution throughout the ME.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:18 | 3613867 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

Mr. Petraeus sir, you posted this on the wrong forum

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:43 | 3613748 dick cheneys ghost
dick cheneys ghost's picture

Thats fricken beautiful......

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:16 | 3613659 q99x2
q99x2's picture

What the FEDs and the UN Mercinaries do has nothing to do with the United States of America except when they finally pull the plug and let their terrorism rain down on the US.

FEDS are physically killing us with the food, vaccinations and the false flags and financial terrorism. Someone at the house here bought a quart of AltaDena milk that smelled just like oil. I of course do not drink milk. They went an replaced it with Horizon and that was ok.

If you don't do anything now you will later. No way to squirm out of this one.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:47 | 3613752 Ghordius
Ghordius's picture

you'd be more believable if you'd scrap the "UN mercenary" thing, or provide some explanation for what you mean by that

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 14:16 | 3614357 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

The UN contractor sex slave ring in Bosnia was certainly no feather in their cap.

These ain't no Radcliffe Peace Corps do-gooders playing Kumbaya around the campfire.

"The UN...Good jobs for good wages."

Or "Dirty deeds done dirt cheap".

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:04 | 3613615 Winston Smith 2009
Winston Smith 2009's picture

BTW, here's the first mainstream TV show I've seen that gives the proper angle on Bengazi (i.e., the result of CIA weapons smuggling to Syria via Turkey).  It's in the first segment:

America's Book of Secrets: Presidential Cover-Ups

http://www.history.com/shows/americas-book-of-secrets/videos/americas-bo...

 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:54 | 3613577 Aegelis
Aegelis's picture

Truth, but I think the article is preaching to the amen choir here.  It would be nice to see the broadcast going out to the rest of voting society.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:41 | 3613528 esum
esum's picture

beat the crowds..... get your front row ringside seats on the plains of megedden

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:38 | 3613516 esum
esum's picture

of course the USA has a list of countries it would like to topple or manipulate.....and the USA is on other people's list. Oil so the theory goes is the underlying issue. The major players Russia, China certainly have us on their list. What is intersting is that israel has the most spys of any country working in the USA plus an entire willing cadre of us cits here to help. with the current regime israel is antsy to say the least with our training, advising and funding al queda of one flavor or another. perhaps israel has outlived its usefulness. certainly obama has switched sides and has said he will stand with his muslim brothers when the going gets tough. my question is which muslim brothers... does he mean the "peaceful peace loving muslims (do they exist?) or does he meanliterally al queda and the muslim brotherhood? sure looks that way. nazi boot on our throats at home on critics and plenty of money overseas (hey what happened to sequester... oh iforgot that is only for the the wounded warriors in our VA hospitals... the ones this piece of shit so willingly and easily uses as cannon fodder and despises).

With silly people like Hagel, Brennan, Holder, Clintoon, Kerry, Jarrett, Obama, Clapper and Dempsey at the wheel DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY ARE CAPABLE OF MANAGING A SOPHISTICATED PROXY WAR STRATEGY? THEY CAN'T MANAGE A BENGHAZI "CONSULTE". OABMA CANT TALK WITHOUT A TELEPROMPTER.. HILLARY GETS RATTLED BY A FEW PROBING QUESTIONS. THE REST ARE CORRUPT, BOOT LICKING SELF SERRVING DOLTS. In the real world cream rises to the top.... in high levels of government.. the shit rises to the top.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 14:41 | 3614506 Paveway IV
Paveway IV's picture

I'm going with incompetent.

Timing is everything with biological warfare. I'm not sure who was planning on attacking whom, but the media wasn't even primed for this:

MERSCoV - Middle East Resperatory Syndrome Corona Virus (maybe 50% lethality in old/infirm) Pretty sure it wasn't suppose to be deployed quite yet, but it sprung up in Saudi Arabia of all places. Already in the rest of the Middle East and Europe. I would guess it's in the U.S. by now. 

It looked like an isolated H7N9 Chinese outbreak was being trotted out to the press last week to MSM-prime the public for the eventual MERSCoV plague. The CPC freaked out and brought the censorship boot down hard on H7N9 news, but it hasn't disappeared. It's another freakish mutation of avian flu, but with a nasty hemorrhagic twist that makes other virii like ebola so... unpleasant. Good as a population training plague because it's not terribly lethal and - what a surprise - there is a U.S. company with an immunization. CDC just burned a req last week for a half BILLION needles. Two for everyone (including illegal immigrants and the Tea Party).

Everything was going so well, and then MERSCoV got out of the bottle earlier than planned. See? Incompetence.

I do have to hand it to FEMA, though. Those coffin liners from the last scare will come in handy. 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 14:06 | 3614298 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

This is a truly important post.

The rational mind (innocent) tends to reject the idea that our own Govt. could be so corrupted by influence and power unseen that it would cause the murder of thousands, including it's own citizens for base profit. The concept that we, by association, are parties to these crimes is too horrific for the mind to accept, so for the majority, this idea is confined to 'lunatic conspiracy theories', and is ignored.

Even when the facts are presented beyond any reasonable defense as coincidence or forgery.

No sane person wants to be labeled a killer, even if only by proxy or guilt by association.

I think more people are actually frightened that this idea could be true and push it away rather than those who are ignorant of it.

Who wouldn't be?

I mean the sane ones.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 09:32 | 3613264 goatmug
goatmug's picture

They are not "terrorists".  They are "freedom fighters"!  We can't solve world problems if your nomenclature is incorrect.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:22 | 3613682 lionic
lionic's picture

Its kind of naive to call Hezbollah "terrorists" when there's nothing to prove that they're a terrorist group.  Sad to see such language coming out of george washington.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:19 | 3613872 George Washington
George Washington's picture

My first draft had a link to how Hezbollah was formed in response to israeli's brutal scorched earth campaign in Lebanon. But I can only squeeze so much into any one post, or I'll lose readers' attention ...

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:33 | 3613503 Aegelis
Aegelis's picture

A terrorist spreads terror while freedom fighters fight freedom?

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:55 | 3613975 TheFourthStooge-ing
TheFourthStooge-ing's picture

.

A terrorist spreads terror while freedom fighters fight freedom?

Yes, although they really hope that noboby notices that.

Remember that when the US government refers to "freedom fighters", almost invariably their fight is against freedom.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 09:16 | 3613205 JustObserving
JustObserving's picture

The Sunnis are losing the war:

Yesterday, Lebanon’s Al Manar television quoted Assad as saying that Syria had “received the first shipment of Russian anti-aircraft S-300 rockets. All our agreements with Russia will be implemented, and parts of them have already been implemented.” These missiles, which Russia has pledged to deliver to defend Syria from possible US air strikes, have provoked an international crisis. Israeli officials have declared they will attack missile shipments.

If Israel acted on such a threat, Russian lives were lost, and Russia carried out retaliatory strikes on Israeli targets, the world would rapidly face a military confrontation between Russia and the United States—a situation that has not existed for more than a half century, since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis.

Assad has also announced major victories in southern Syria after the intervention of the Lebanese Shia-based militia Hezbollah—together with Iranian forces, according to some reports—in support of the Syrian army. These forces have rapidly defeated the US-backed Sunni Islamist opposition, exposing the lack of popular support for the Al Qaeda-linked elements that make up the bulk of the opposition.

As terror bombings and fighting between US-backed Sunni forces and Iranian-backed Shia forces spread from Syria to Lebanon and Iraq, the Syrian war is emerging as the center of a broad sectarian war. The Obama administration and its allies are using the most reactionary forces to restructure the entire Middle East.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013/05/31/pers-m31.html

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 09:15 | 3613195 swmnguy
swmnguy's picture

It looks to me like a major US strategy goal in the entire ME is to create and maintain chaos all over the place.  It doesn't matter which side we support, as long as nobody ultimately wins and sets up an orderly situation.  The idea seems to be that we can sell weapons to anybody and everybody, we can maintain disorder on Russia's southern borders, and disrupt the international oil/gas market at will.  Anybody who sells oil/gas in other than US dollars is a dead man.  Anybody who wants to use oil wealth to establish independence from international finance is a dead man. 

Having a constant proxy war with nebulous participants and shifting alliances keeps the resources in the ground, prevents long-term trade arrangements, and creates a situation where whoever has the biggest army on the ground is the only power wherever they are.  Our "nation-building" efforts don't lead to anything because they aren't mean to.  They're just a means of distributing spoils, and keeping the churn going.  And if any other power (meaning, Russia) gets involved, we will then fund the other side, to bleed them dry again.  Look how we keep stirring up trouble every place China has made a substantial investment. 

We seem to have learned something from the unconventional wars we can't win.  Now we're starting them all over the world, so nobody else can win them either.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:00 | 3613601 Winston Smith 2009
Winston Smith 2009's picture

"It looks to me like a major US strategy goal"

Sounds good and I suspect that's what they're willing to settle for, but given the typical incompetence of huge government bureaucracies and documents like the Pentagon Papers that reveal far more instances of just muddling through with huge unintended consequences, I think your give them far too much credit for actually planning and accomplishing anything.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:23 | 3613464 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

good points. but think it's an evolved strategy off the naive old world view that the super power would just, with little effort, like a hundred years ago, recarve the ME for oil. Of course, we're much more broke, hated and distrusted now, so even the chaos method may drain us as bad or perhaps worse than our "opponents."  Pride goeth before the fall 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:52 | 3613105 New American Re...
New American Revolution's picture

It's called Cold War II, in effect since Desert Storm.  Just thought you'd like to know.  http://electanewcongress.com/liberty-as-foreign-policy-the-peace-of-freedom/ 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:48 | 3613091 falak pema
falak pema's picture

the Sunnis are being used in Syria like they were used in Afghanistan to fight the Soviet supported regime of "leftist-secular", monarchy connected, Afghan ruling class, who called in the soviet army when the going got hot; just as Assad is doing today.

THERE IS A DIRECT PARALLEL BETWEEN KABUL 1979 AND DAMASCUS 2012/2013.

And the US is behind the same cabal here that produced Ben LAden, Mollah Omar and the Talibans in Afghanistan, ten-fifteen years down that road post 1979.

Its totally Machiavellian, aka the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Remember, the US did the same thing in Iran 1953 and paid for it in Iran 1979! 

With friends like that once installed and in place it leads to : Benghazi today, Mali tomorrow and Cairo day after in MENA; like it did Iran before and maybe Pakistan tomorrow.

What we sow now we then reap afterwards.

And...from the US MIC's viewpoint fed on clash of civilization meme, here is the bottom line :

http://www.businessinsider.com/general-amos-war-on-terror-isnt-over-2013-5

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:50 | 3613941 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Exactly so.

"Help, the Zombies are attacking". Here comes Bear-the zombie killer.

Here comes the US with a secret supply of brainz to keep the zombies going.

The only problem is that zombies are zombies and they don't care about the political contents of the brainz they eat.

Wake the fuck up USA...They're fuckin ZOMBIES and will not help you do anything but be lunch.

Morons.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:13 | 3613648 DOT
DOT's picture

Also ended poorly in 1842. Wouldn't want any Afridi talkin' with a rival now would ya?

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:35 | 3613072 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

Some off topic stuff but worth looking at

First IRS scandal a new wrinkle in it.

http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/former-white-house-official-deletes-...

In August 2010, Austan Goolsbee, serving at the time as economic adviser to President Obama, told reporters during an anonymous background briefing that Koch Industries doesn't pay corporate income taxes. That statement was made at the same time that top Democrats, including President Obama himself, were demonizing Charles and David Koch, the owners of Koch Industries, for giving money to Tea Party groups. Goolsbee's remark led to a federal investigation, the results of which have never been released.

n a September 2010 WEEKLY STANDARD interview, Mark Holden, a lawyer for Koch Industries, disputed Goolsbee's claim and asked how Goolsbee came up with the idea that Koch Industries doesn't pay corporate taxes. Holden raised the question of whether someone in the Obama administration might have looked at Koch Industries' tax returns--which would be a violation of a federal law that was enacted in 1976 in response to Watergate.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:49 | 3613559 Henry Hub
Henry Hub's picture

Talk about blatant thread jacking...Shees

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:50 | 3613104 dick cheneys ghost
dick cheneys ghost's picture

fuck the 'weekley standard' and that neo-con bullshit..........

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 09:57 | 3613351 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

Let's not get all holier than thou with the Tea Party. There are no saints in the cesspool. We Libertarians know that much and are more concerned about cleaning up the cesspool and getting back to a level playfield that is refereed with one intention to keep the field level and nothing more. You scrub the cesspool and refill it with clean water in this matter it will flush the turds out of the system on ALL SIDES once completed.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:15 | 3613436 DaveyJones
DaveyJones's picture

no saints in the cesspool...nice

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 14:50 | 3614559 falak pema
falak pema's picture

pity that turds don't have haloes...History proves quite the contrary. They do : 

Saint Louis...the man who genocided the Cathars; breakaway new christian faith, then declared "clash of civilization" on Moslem patriots, sons of Saladin, during seventh crusade (which he lost to his eternal shame)...that does ringa bell! 

I could go on : Saint Bernard of Clairvaux who wrote "de laude novae militae" and ordained thet ethnic cleansing in Holy Land was the "only way"...Lord Balfour de facto said the same thing and the US oil lobby poured it into concrete to support Wahhabism and Zionism; to ensure the new silk route of black gold. 

Now that is pure " tel est mon bon plaisir"...of french absolutism gone viral in US PAx Americana hegemony.

What a trail history leaves; it reaks of hubris and "my dikk is longer than yours/ My God is stronger than yours" logic.

Wowee! Tel est mon bon plaisir! 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:48 | 3613555 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

When you drink tainted water you eventually become infected. It is very rare to find people who are completely immune to it. The more infected they become the harder it is to cure them. It is not impossible but at some point it is less work to purge the whole thing and start anew.........

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:56 | 3613589 tip e. canoe
tip e. canoe's picture

tip1 from viktor schauberger : if water is allowed to flow in a double vortex motion, it cleans itself free of toxins (think diy hydrogen pyroxide).

(can be taken on the literal and/metaphoric sense to help resolve the issue)

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:55 | 3613120 d edwards
d edwards's picture

Can't stand the truth asshole?

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:40 | 3613085 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

And food fraud specifically Monsanto GMO wheat and it's implications on the USDA and exports.

First this

http://rt.com/news/monsanto-wheat-japan-exports-026/

The discovery of a Monsanto-created, genetically modified strain of wheat in the US that was never approved by the United States Department of Agriculture has imperiled US exports of a staple world food commodity.

...

The wheat, created by Monsanto Co., appeared on an 80-acre farm in Oregon in April. On Wednesday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said it had conducted a genetic test on the wheat and found that it was an experimental type created by the US agribusiness giant which had never been approved for sale.

Following the discovery of the GMO wheat, USDA Acting Deputy Secretary Michael Scuse said that state agriculture directors in Oregon, Washington and Idaho are now coordinating a multi-state investigation, and foreign trade representatives in Canada, Mexico and Asia have been contacted.  

The USDA has never approved any GMO strain of wheat to be grown in the US, but Monsanto field tested a genetically engineered variety from 1998 through 2005. It was never put into use however, due to global opposition to genetically engineered cereal grains. Wheat remains an exception however, as more than 60 genetically modified crops have been approved for US food and feed supplies. The top three GMO crops grown in the US are soy, corn and cotton, according to the USDA. Some Eighty-eight perc ent of corn and 93 pe rcent of soybeans grown in the US are genetically modified.

Although the United States produces only 10 percent of world wheat it is consistently the world's biggest wheat exporter. With world trade in wheat greater than for all other crops combined, Wednesday’s findings could dent US export prospects at a time when the USDA is expecting record global production, boosted by a 48 percent hike in Russian output and a 40 percent gain from Ukraine.

However, the USDA says US exports will likely fall 9.8 percent to 25.2 million tons in the year that starts on June 1, Bloomberg reports.  

Another link on the story

http://healthimpactnews.com/2013/unapproved-gmo-wheat-found-in-oregon/

And for you commodities traders

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/japan-cancels-us-wheat-order-on-gmo-fea...

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Japanese authorities have canceled a tender offer to buy wheat from the U.S., after unapproved genetically modified wheat was found in an Oregon field, Reuters reported on Thursday. Other major wheat importers South Korea, China and the Philippines also said they were monitoring the situation, after the find stirred concerns that the modified wheat could have made it to the marketplace, the report said. On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it had conducted a genetic test on the wheat and found that it was an experimental type produced by Monsanto Co. MON -0.43% that hadn't been approved for sale. The European Commission has since said it has asked EU member states on Thursday to check imports of U.S. soft white wheat.  

 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:49 | 3613561 tip e. canoe
tip e. canoe's picture

no worries, they'll ship to Egypt.  no, wait...

“This plan is to encourage local production and support the Egyptian farmer,” Oda said. “When we decrease imports, we go for increasing purchases from local production and this is the real support for the Egyptian farmer.”

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-05-21/egypt-plans-wheat-imports-drop-as-ministers-seek-local-supplies

so much for exporting your way out of this mess...the noose tightens...

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 10:46 | 3613547 Dewey Cheatum Howe
Dewey Cheatum Howe's picture

And just a reminder for the ZH readers where the US Congress stands on all this.

http://grist.org/news/as-world-marches-against-monsanto-senators-protect...

Any U.S. senators paying attention to what was happening in the entire world over the weekend may have noticed a teensy disconnect between their protectionist votes for Monsanto and global discontent with the GMO giant.

On Saturday, protestors in dozens of countries took to the streets to “March against Monsanto.” The coordinated day of action against genetic engineering and reprehensible business practices by the Missouri-based company came just two days after the Senate rejected a bid by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) to ensure that his state and others are free to mandate labels on transgenic foods.

First, to those protests. Organizers tallied rallies in 436 cities across 52 countries, according to the AP:

The ‘March Against Monsanto’ movement began just a few months ago, when founder and organizer Tami Canal created a Facebook page on Feb. 28 calling for a rally against the company’s practices.

“If I had gotten 3,000 people to join me, I would have considered that a success,” she said Saturday. Instead, she said an “incredible” number of people responded to her message and turned out to rally. …

 

Protesters [marched] in Buenos Aires and other cities in Argentina, where Monsanto’s genetically modified soy and grains now command nearly 100 percent of the market, and the company’s Roundup-Ready chemicals are sprayed throughout the year on fields where cows once grazed. They carried signs saying “Monsanto — Get out of Latin America.”

In Portland, thousands of protesters took to Oregon streets. Police estimate about 6,000 protesters took part in Portland’s peaceful march, and about 300 attended the rally in Bend. Other marches were scheduled in Baker City, Coos Bay, Eugene, Grants Pass, Medford, Portland, Prineville and Redmond.

Across the country in Orlando, about 800 people gathered with signs, pamphlets and speeches in front of City Hall. Maryann Wilson of Clermont, Fla., said she learned about Monsanto and genetically modified food by watching documentaries on YouTube.

Now, to those senators. From The Guardian:

The Senate on Thursday overwhelmingly rejected an amendment that would allow states to require labeling of genetically modified foods.

Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont said his amendment was an attempt to clarify that states can require the labels, as several legislatures have moved toward putting such laws into place. The Vermont house and the Connecticut senate voted this month to make food companies declare genetically modified ingredients on their packages.

The Senate rejected the amendment on a 71-27 vote, during debate on a wide-ranging, five-year farm bill that includes generous supports for crops like corn and soybeans that are often genetically modified varieties. Senators from farm states that use a lot of genetically modified crops strongly opposed the amendment, saying the issue should be left up to the federal government and that labels could raise costs for consumers.

The vote did not affect a bill introduced in April by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Rep. Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) that would mandate labeling of all products containing genetically ingredients sold in America. But it was a reminder that the labeling bill doesn’t stand a honey bee’s chance in a field full of Roundup of becoming law.

 

Granted the labeling is being pushed by a bunch known American Socialists.
See here

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2010/08/american-socialists-release-name...

 

But this is an issue Libertarians and their small to no government intervention stance is wrong since in the case of product labeling the more information you have in turn gives the consumer more freedom of choice by being able to make a better informed decision on what they buy. Open information and transparency is always a good thing even in cases when it is government that has to enforce it. It creates an even playing field for the consumer and producer since they both have the same information at hand when interacting with each other through buying a said product.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 12:23 | 3613883 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

I can't see this as a libertarian issue because common sense dictates I can't sell you brownies when I'm actually selling you shit. This is fraud and is illegal.

Libertarians are for truth in advertising (and everywhere) and a requirement labeling contents as GMO is not an onerous intrusion on trade. Most (I guess) libertarians understand Rothbard's argument about constraint but know his philosophical utopianism isn't practical when dealing with those with (IMO) criminal intent like Monsanto. Simply put, "You gotta tell what you sell". Consumers should be free to make the choice to buy or not buy a product that may harbor potential dangers to their health.

Substitute 'New & Improved' for 'GMO... We don't know' to the lable at zero cost to the consumer.

Monsanto has been busy writing checks to the Senate. Let's talk about that being illegal.

 

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:32 | 3613064 Navymugsy
Navymugsy's picture

I imagine both groups are okay guys at their core. What we have to watch out for is the gun-toting constitutionalists. Those are dangerous people!

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:31 | 3613062 ltsgt1
ltsgt1's picture

Neoconservatives planned regime change in Syria 20 years ago and this plan is being implemented by the ultra liberal Obama administration??

Are you saying Obama is a neocon?

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:59 | 3613798 Sandmann
Sandmann's picture

Obama is a puppet. Watch him give a speech, the way the head moves....it is pure Gerry Anderson Supermarionation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kny2cIWTcg

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 11:50 | 3613761 shovelhead
shovelhead's picture

Forget the labels and words that confuse and look at the actions.

That tells you who and what he is.

Fri, 05/31/2013 - 08:45 | 3613096 earnyermoney
earnyermoney's picture

He's a puppet following orders.

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