The Policy Critic

Wednesday, October 26, 2016

Hillary Clinton is Playing With Thermonuclear Fire, and You Will be Glowing



I would never vote for either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton, and therefore have no dog in this fight.  That said, I am an interested spectator, and clearly see that Ms. Clinton is playing a very dangerous game by using the Russians as an election issue and blaming them for everything. When asked about her leaked e-mails in the last debate, she skillfully avoided the damaging content of the e-mails, and turned the table on the Russians, claiming they are the danger.  She argued we should all be alarmed at the attempt by Russia to manipulate our election, a charge which is totally untrue, and without any evidence.  The leaked DNC e-mails clearly show that she and the DNC, not Russia, were successful in manipulating the election to defraud Sanders. Ms. Clinton lied about US intelligence agencies. She lectured Trump, saying 17 intelligence agencies said the Russians were behind the WikiLeaks release of DNC emails. That is a lie on several counts. First, 15 agencies never said a word about leaked e-mails. Only two said anything, and this is what they said: The hacks “are consistent with the methods and motivations of Russian-directed efforts. These thefts and disclosures are intended to interfere with the US election process. Such activity is not new to Moscow — the Russians have used similar tactics and techniques across Europa and Eurasia, for example, to influence public opinion there. We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities.” Read it again. That’s a far cry from saying the Russians did it, and here is the proof.  To this day no one knows who leaked the e-mails to WikiLeaks. No one. Clinton’s using Russia as a political scapegoat is very dangerous. At a time when there is bad blood between the two thermonuclear powers, it is irresponsible, and demonstrates a callous lack of judgement to falsely accuse Russia of such a deed without the slightest bit of proof for purely political reasons.  Provoking the Russians for political reasons speaks volumes about Ms. Clinton. Perhaps the moderator should have asked Ms. Clinton: Has the US ever attempted to influence another nations election, or have you Ms. Clinton, in your capacity, ever tried to influence another nations election? Trump, not a quick thinker, should have attacked Clinton, asking: Are these the same intelligence agencies that lied about WMD in Iraq resulting in over one million useless deaths? 

Another well founded accusation against her candidacy is her eagerness to make war.  She supported the illegal war on Iraq which killed millions of innocents.  She pushed and continues to push for the 15-year war in Afghanistan. She supported “the surge” in Afghanistan, a total failure. She assisted the overthrow of the democratically elected government of Honduras by supporting the military and a dictator. She was the one of the primary architects of the Libyan debacle, which led to the bombing and total disintegration of Libya. It is now the leading terrorist breeding ground in Africa. It was Clinton who took on Cabinet members who argued against military intervention in Libya. She had her way. Result; utter disaster! Ms. Clinton never saw a war she did not want to avoid.

But now she is playing with fire. Russia has made it clear that they will not tolerate another Iraq in Syria. They will support the Assad regime and not allow the US to overthrow yet another Middle Eastern government. Russia insists the US is intentionally trying to promote anarchy in Syria by destroying the country, maintaining brutal sanctions that only harm innocents, and giving “moderates” heavy weapons to help bring down Assad. Russia has drawn a line in the sand, and Ms. Clinton is showing a severe lack of judgment in provoking and blaming them for all that ails the world. She has even compared Putin to Hitler, which historically, is tantamount to declaring war. Manuel Noriega was called Hitler, Saddam Hussein was called Hitler, Muammar Gaddafi was called Hitler. The pattern is clear.  Vilify the enemy and attack. Ms. Clinton, we are told, is intelligent. Her actions indicate she is either stupid, or she has no sense of sane judgment, or both. She has called for a No-Fly Zone in Syria, which General Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said, would mean war with Russia and Syria.  As Secretary of State Ms. Clintons job was to maintain peace, not start a war. She was not interested in peace as Secretary of State, but did start wars, and added fuel to the many we are currently fighting. She compared Putin to Hilter. No respectable Secretary of State, the nation’s chief diplomat, would call another world leader Hitler. Nor does the Chief Diplomat look for and argue for war, by shouting down all who wished to avoid war in Libya.

What is even more alarming is that mainstream media has followed their leader, Ms. Clinton, in demonizing Russia. The press has lost its way and is merely an echo chamber for Ms. Clinton and her neocon supporters who are vengeful, militaristic, and bombastic.

In conclusion, take note of those who have rallied to her cause.  Numerous war mongers from the past.  They smell war, and like the smell of death. Over 50 of those who brought you the War in Iraq, have pledged their fealty to the Warrior Queen. Her past war record, combined with a complete lack of judgment, and surrounding herself with war crazy neocons, make a recipe for thermonuclear war.  Of course, MSM has kept the public totally in the dark about the impending day of doom, and most don’t even see it coming.  

As a spectator, and one who would like to avoid a nuclear confrontation with Russia, I now maintain Clinton is far more dangerous to the world’s future than Trump, even though he is woefully unfit. Thankfully there is a sane alternative candidate.

Thursday, October 20, 2016

The Vietnam War and Our Latest war on Yemen Have One Thing in Common-- Nonexistent Attacks.



The missile attack on a US ship off the coast of Yemen was a major news event, but the subsequent follow up story, that it may never have happened, was either ignored by mainstream media or intentionally covered up. The whole thing has the same odor as the Gulf of Tonkin incident that never occurred.

Does history repeat itself?  Sure does seem like it. That is if you compare America’s entry into the Vietnam civil war, with America’s latest entry into the war in Yemen.

Don’t be mistaken, we have been at war with Yemen for a year now. America sided with the most oppressive government in the world, Saudi Arabia, in attacking and pounding Yemeni schools, funeral parlors, and hospitals, for well over a year.  This war could not have happened without a wink and a nod from the US, and the arming of the Saudis’ with US weapons.  In addition to providing the Saudi’s with weapons, we also provide mid-air refueling and have delivered 40 million pounds of jet fuel over the past 18 months, thus enabling the devastating bombings of civilian facilities. The US used a cease fire in Yemen to re-arm the Saudi’s, who were running out of bombs and weapons, we provided the targeting information, ground maintenance of aircraft, and of course the wink and nod to go ahead, which unleashed this humanitarian disaster.  So here we have Saudi Arabia, one of the wealthiest but most oppressive governments’ in the world, a supporter of terrorists in Syria and around the world, attacking one of the poorest nations on earth. According to a leaked Hillary Clinton e-mail, she is fully aware that Saudi Arabia sponsors terrorists in Syria, but still the go ahead wink to the Saudis.  Now that we and the Saudi’s have destroyed everything in Yemen with bombs, we are helping the Saudi’s maintain a blockade, preventing food and medical supplies from reaching the Yemeni people, which by some estimates, have already cost the lives of 10,000 children under the age of 5.

All that however, was not enough for the US.  Now we have actively entered the shooting war, based on yet another possible ruse by our government. The US Navy claimed they were attacked by Houthi missiles from somewhere in Yemen, and promptly launched Tomahawk missiles at a cost of $1.5 million  per missile, in revenge.  Some suggest we took out radar installations with our Tomahawk missiles. But hold the phone, two days later the US military very quietly announced they are not sure if there was a missile attack at all. Yup you got it. Did you hear that story on mainstream media? Of course not. It appears that no one saw the missiles from Yemen, nothing was hit by missiles, and there was no corroboration from other ships in the area. The Houthis’ denied they had anything to do with the alleged attack.  The US very quietly admitted, perhaps it was all about “ghost radar images”, and there never were any missiles.  This story was completely ignored by mainstream media. Supposedly, whether the attack occurred is being investigated by the military, and there will be a report coming, but don’t wait up for the late-night news to hear the results of the pending report.  It might never come, or if it does, would you believe a report where the military is investigating itself?
So what does this have to do with history repeating itself?  Some may remember the Vietnam War, where the US entered a civil war on the other side of the globe, based on an alleged “attack” by North Vietnam on a US navy ship. There was never any sighting of the attacker, there was never any damage by the attack, and we know now, years later, that there was never any such attack. Sound familiar? It all was due to false readings and ghost images on radar screens. The alleged attack took place in the Gulf of Tonkin. Quickly the US Congress, rushed to get involved in Vietnam’s civil war by seeking revenge for an attack that never happened. It passed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which authorized the US president to get revenge. America’s entry into the Vietnam civil war lasted 10 years, and cost the lives of approximately 55,000 US soldiers, and about 3 million Southeast Asians. That’s correct 3 million lives! We attacked this past week with no discussion, debate, or consent by Congress. Like the cowards they are, Congress never said a word, but stuck their heads deep in the sand. The President, now has the power to do such things, and the Constitution in that regard is irrelevant.

How many years will the war with Yemen last?  How many will be killed?  Why are we fighting Yemen? Why has Saudi Arabia attacked Yemen?  Will there be blowback from Yemen in the future, or do you feel the innocent Yemeni’s will simply lie down and die quietly? And the last quiz question of the day: Name the countries the US is currently bombing.

Monday, October 10, 2016

Mainstream Media’s Propaganda War on Syria and Russia: What You Really Need to Know.


 

 
Contemplate a war with a nation that has 7000 thermonuclear weapons.

If you rely on mainstream corporate media (MSM) as your news source, you are totally in the dark on issues such as Syria and Russia, because MSM has lost its way, and now serves as a mouthpiece for government positions. It is a neocon controlled propaganda machine, and its role has been reduced to that of a parrot.

That said, if you dig deeper and use reputable sources, you get a dramatically different perspective. Do you know why the Syrian cease fire between Russia and the US failed? It failed for two reasons: First, the deal required the US to separate the jihadists from the “moderates”, and tell the Russians who the “moderates” are, and where are they are, so Russia could continue to pound ISIS and not bomb “moderates”.  The Russians, as well as everyone else, save for MSM know full well, there are no “moderates”, and ultimately the US refused to separate the moderates from the jihadists because it is impossible.  MSM does not tell you the main objective of the US and its neocon drivers, has, all along, been the overthrow of Assad by any means, including using jihadist child beheaders to further their goal.  We have not conducted a serious war on the “terrorists”, but in many cases we have armed them and assisted them in different ways, such as “accidentally” dropping them arms and supplies. The second reason for the failure of the cease fire was the US attack on the Syrian military base which killed 83 Syrian soldiers allowing Jihadist terrorists to immediately overrun that base. This, in the eyes of many, was no “accident”, for the battle lines at that camp had been unchanged for over one year.  US drones circled the area daily, and the US uses sophisticated guidance assisted bombs that can be exactingly precise.  This was not another of the many “accidental “bombings. An excuse the US has hidden behind on many occasions. It appears this was intentional. Either Obama knew of this, or he was defied and overruled by someone who gave the order to bomb the base, as a way of sabotaging the “cease fire”.  It is common knowledge, not in MSM, but in informed circles, that there are those pushing hard to create an escalation of events with Russia, and using any means possible to overthrow Assad.

The neocons, and war party leaders like Clinton, are calling for a no fly zone. But MSM did not report the ominous warnings of General Dunford, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who appeared before Congress and was asked about the possibility of a no fly zone. His tone was ominous as he said: “For now, for us to control all the airspace in Syria would require us to go to war with Syria and Russia,” “That’s a pretty fundamental decision that certainly I’m not going to make.”
Contemplate a war with a nation that has 7000 thermonuclear weapons. No one in their right mind would want this, yet if you read reliable sources, you see just how close we are to this holocaust. MSM, is of course, completely silent on the impending catastrophe while discussing the latest in the Kardashian family and name calling between Clinton and Trump.
Basic questions never asked by MSM, need answers. What gives the US the right to decide who should rule or not rule Syria? (Hint -None.) What legal right does the US have to bomb Syria? (Hint-None.) Russia, on the other hand, was the only power invited by the government of Syria to help fight ISIS. 

Dr Nabil Antaki, a doctor based in the Syrian government held western sectors of Aleppo said in a recent interview: “From our perspective the Russian intervention was extremely beneficial and they have the full support of the Syrian people which contradicts the western narrative.  The west accuses Russia of targeting not only the terrorist groups but also the “moderate rebels”. Russia has been very successful in bombing the Islamic State groups so the West is trying to slow their progress by claiming they are targeting the non-terrorist groups and accusing Russia of aiding Bashar instead of targeting DAESH.” 

If Assad is the devil incarnate, as preached by MSM, how does MSM or the US government, now one in the same, justify the following?

A British poll, done by ORB International, finds that 82% of Syrians blame the U.S. for ISIS.

Early 2012, a poll showed 55 percent of Syrians wanted their President to stay. 

Internal NATO study (dated June 2013), shows 70% of Syrians support President Bashar al-Assad

In 2014, Assad won a landslide victory (88%) in the country’s first multi-party Presidential election.

A poll in July 2015, showed 47% of Syrians thought Assad had a positive influence on matters in Syria.

And only 9% of the US public has any confidence in our own US Congress, and both Clinton and Trump are more distrusted by the US public, than Assad is by Syrians.

If the neocon effort to overthrow Assad is successful, then what? Does Syria become another Iraq or Libya, another land of anarchy? Is it coincidental that anarchy follows US interference?

You have not been told Aleppo is divided into two parts, western Aleppo, (1.75 million) is controlled by the Syrian government, but East Aleppo (250,000) is controlled by “terrorists”? Thousands of East Aleppo residents fled to West Aleppo seeking protection of the Syrian government. Russia is bombing East Aleppo. If the Syrian government can take East Aleppo it will pretty much signal the end of the terrorist invasion of Syria, and Assad will remain in power, which is anathema to the neocons.  So a Syrian and Russian victory over the terrorists and jihadists would be a defeat for those in the US who want the end of Assad. Since East Aleppo is the stronghold of Al Nusra, formerly called Al-Qaida, why would the US introduce a resolution to prevent Russians and Syrians from bombing the terrorist stronghold? Russia vetoed the UN resolution and argued the US is trying to protect the terrorist stronghold from Russian and Syrian bombs. 

What is the US doing in Syria anyway? What legal right does the US have to be in Syria? What did we do in Iraq? What did we do in Libya? One might suspect we are the instrument of anarchy in the world.